media as social change driver

Indian Idol. Watch it occasionally with family - what struck me this time around was the number of non mainstream profile contestants. We have a chinese boy whose family has settled in Patna, we have a boy who has both biological parents and parents who have adopted him and we have a police constable from the north east. I really doubt they've been selected to drive viewership in east india (though one can always think that these shows are manipulated). Rather, the bigger and more interesting thing for me was to see mainstream gujarati/marathi girls sitting in the bombay studio audience cheering for these non mainstream folks. Suddenly, the north-east has become mainstream and suddenly it's okay for kids to be adopted. Suddenly, the tiny chinese community in India gets visibility and HOW (saw a banner titled "change, marry me!" in the audience!). Now we need to get in gays, single parents, live in partners and inter-religious couples into Indian Idol...!

Human body continues to amaze

Average sleep of only 4-5 hours every night these days and that too broken by about an hour in between if we're lucky. Amazing though that after the initial days when we were just walking around like zombies, bumping into furniture, losing our cool, never calling up family (just too tired all the time to find the phone and the calling card!) and generally displaying all symptoms of insanity - now it's just one feeling of exhilaration if we get that extra hour of sleep one of the days or if we sleep in on a weekend with MIL taking care of baby.

P completed 40 days a few days ago so it was to the temple we went (he ofcourse slept right through the meditation) and to a mall & to the swimming pool in his pram for the first time (bright red - cool ferrari colour!). Met a chap from kerala originally who was born/bred in Holland with a Malaysian wife and 2 kids (live in our building) - seems like there is always someone to meet who has experienced a more interesting life than you! Despite the 27 countries I've travelled to so far (counted!).

Visited Countries

Visited Countries

black magic woman

Been 17 years that I was waiting for a band that would play this with me (any santana actually). Got a band aid on the finger after 10 rounds of trying to get it right but finally came to something that the audience won't puke at. New Trilok Gurtu sticks (rubber coated grip) really awesome and better than the usual wooden ones. Couldn't get the percussion right fully - need my co-drummer to play along during the end section (for those familiar with song).

Sept 8 is the show - for those who are keen (SG $40 per person - tickets with me). Still trying to reconcile to the hindi stuff - not too kicked about that at all. But it's a fun group and it's good to break away from the usual corporate shit at office.

Sherman's lagoon

One of my first few posts ever was about cartoons and I wanted to let the world know about another brilliant one - Sherman's Lagoon. Came across it by chance but am hooked now! Just finished this huge coffee table edition - it really does take a lot of wit to create this kind of humour! hats off to Jim Toomey.

http://www.slagoon.com/

a glimmer of hope in africa

Africa has always been seen by most as this write off case - aids, disease, famine, poverty, civil war, dictators and heat! Ask a 100 managers in Europe or even low income Asian/latin america markets and they will likely balk at accepting a job there. Was discussing this with a friend who's getting transferred there pretty soon.

Coincidentally read the latest time magazine which has a cover story on Africa's oil and how it's transforming the continent in a way faster than most imagined. It's the hidden gem that Shell & others have found that could radically reduce poverty in the continent. The continent has oil and not just any oil - cheap oil (due to the landscape & how it's easier to take out without too much capital equipment; also lower freight costs to the US, largest global consumer) and good quality oil (better than most parts of the world). Primarily in the west africa (nigeria, ghana, ivory coast) area. Already, the area is brimming with chinese, western investment and our company's local office is apparently the fastest growing geography among all that we have (80 on ground operations)!

I see this glimmer of hope there - I see less people having funerals for their infants, I see less women crying for losing their family, I see people moving beyond survival to thriving (having dreams/hopes/aspirations/hobbies) and I see the world economy exploding because of the indigenous demand of African consumers.

I see hope and I am happy for the African people! A smile that will last on little mobutu vs. the natural smiles they anyway have despite the adversity.