U-NO-HOO

When elephant meets monkey... Life is good.

2008-10-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

Momo 21/09/1980
"You are Orange Monkey type, who is very friendly. People find you easy to get on with. On the other hand, you are not good at starting a relationship, and do not have a way with words. You tend to keep a distance in personal relationships.Although you tend to be rather nervous, you can overcome that weakness with your sophisticated intelligence and sense of humor. You are not a difficult person, and will not stan against on opposed ideas. You have a good negotiation tactics by leaving room for the other side to compromise. However you can be obstinate in that you will not suck up, or bend your theory. Putting into action is most important to you. You may luck consideration, and because you believe that result will follow, you tend to plan things as you go. You are quick learner and a skilful person, so even if you face difficult situation, you can overcome that without much difficulty.You are very responsible person, and you tend to work for others even by neglecting yourself. This naturally attracts other people to you. You also tackle and challenge things with confidence.You have a good head for business, so you will be successful in anything you decide to do."

Pim, the pug, 29/10/2008
"You are Green Elephant, who is not pretentious and is a straightforward type of woman. People rely on you a lot. You tend to lack feminine flexibility and sensitivity, but because you don't depend on men, you can go about your business calmly and without being too emotional.You will not compromise, and your objective insight of things makes you look cruel and not having a charm. But you are not a cruel person at all. You like having your freedom, and just don't want to be restricted. You are not a shy person. You will have lots of relationship with men, and you know what type you like. You work hard and you learn hard.You have flexibility to a certain extent, and will not be discouraged so easily. Nevertheless, you take time in finding about yourself. You love peace, and will not get into conflict. You have perseverance, so if you get really angry, conflict will be protracted. Your life is steady and you are an economic person. You will not go buying things on impulse. Although you are an active person, you tend to lack reading people's feelings, so be careful not to become isolated.You are a very straightforward person, and can act quickly. But if you be too cautious, you tend not to be able to express your loving feelings. Nevertheless, you are good at looking after others, and have lots of chance for romance. After marriage, you will be good wife and a mother."

The Wealth of Education

2008-10-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

These top 20 institutions raised $7.66 billion, 25.8 percent of all the 2007 contributions to higher education institutions. Yet, the top 20 institutions only represent 2 percent of the survey respondents.

The nation’s top twenty fundraising universities (and dollars received) in 2007 are:

1. Stanford University ($832.35 million)
2. Harvard University ($613.99 million)
3. University of Southern California ($469.65 million)
4. Johns Hopkins University ($430.46 million)
5. Columbia University ($423.85 million)
6. Cornell University ($406.93 million)
7. University of Pennsylvania ($392.42 million)
8. Yale University ($391.32 million)
9. Duke University ($372.33 million)
10. University of California, Los Angeles ($364.78 million)
11. Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($329.16 million)
12. University of Chicago ($328.33 million)
13. University of Wisconsin-Madison ($325.34 million)
14. University of Washington ($300.20 million)
15. University of Michigan ($293.40 million)
16. University of Minnesota ($288.75 million)
17. New York University ($287.59 million)
18. University of Virginia ($282.61 million)
19. Indiana University ($278.55 million)
20. University of California, San Francisco ($251.95 million)

Source: Council for Aid to Education
http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/VSE%202007%20Survey%20Press%20Release.pdf

What makes these school hot? Well, here is a hint. In fact, it's not even quite related but I'd like to publicize my own school =)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/32225

In 2006, how is it compared?
Top 10 University Recipients of Private Donations, 2006
School Amount raised (millions)
Stanford University $911.2
Harvard University $594.9
Yale University $433.5
University of Pennsylvania $409.5
Cornell University $406.2
University of Southern California $405.8
Johns Hopkins University $377.3
Columbia University $377.3
Duke University $332.0
University of Wisconsin $325.9

Source: Council for Aid to Education

Of course, the most exciting year is 2008. With Wall Street's woes, and wallets' hole, everyone is tightening up their belts. I wonder if these universities will know how to survive with little to eat!

Books to Read Before You Die

2008-07-10T20:50:00.000-07:00

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Bible
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien
1984 by George Orwell
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
All Quite on the Western Front by E M Remarque
His Dark Materials Trilogy by Phillip Pullman
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
Tess of the D'urbevilles by Thomas Hardy
Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Middlemarch by George Eliot
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzenhitsyn

Too Little from BOT?

2007-04-11T05:31:00.000-07:00

Economists and investors around the country anxiously awaits the dawn of 11 April 2007. Why? Not because we would celebrate any Thai economist day, but it’s the date scheduled for the next meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee. Thailand has been trying to battle the appreciation of its currency for many months, and it has not gained any ground. The slowdown of the economy does not in anyway help to project a better outlook for the Kingdom. Though the appreciation remains perplexed to Thai, given our weaker fundamentals and political instability in the past year, there is little time to contemplate too much of what to do amidst such an odd. And we all hope the BOT would feel similarly.

If there is anything to take from the state-of-art research on conduct of monetary policy in the past 20 years, it would be “expectation matters.” This precisely is the reason many central banks try to commit themselves to a rule rather than subjecting themselves to own discretion. To me, this tells the story of the BOT’s hesitation to change interest at will. But, again, I am not entirely sure if the story will work out beautifully as the BOT has intended.

It’s funny, really, that the BOT hesitates to alter its target interest rate, when back in 2006 it did not hesitate to impose capital control on foreign flows. Don’t get me wrong, I not taking a value judgement stance here, whether capital control is better or worst than usual conduct of monetary policy. However, the control imposed was and is a drastic measure. That alone threatens the credibility of the BOT more than anything else it could do under its sovereignty.

Today (April 11, 2007) is the day the BOT meet. Investors and economists alike have been calling for a drastic cut to move the economy in the “right” direction. God knows what that means. Afterall, none of them really have a clear reasoning of why Thailand finds itself in as the country with the strongest currency in the region. Nonetheless, they agree that a cut of more than 50 basis points will be necessary the achieve that goal. I think I have even seen a call for a drop of 100 basis point altogether.

The question is not reducing or not, rather what would be the rate cut. I personally disagree with large rate cut. However, if the BOT plans to have any impact from it’s action at all, it will need to look beyond its usual habit of the meager 0.25 change. The Kingdom expects a cut to happen. And a cut that would just make expectation true will virtually have no impact at all. But to go as far as 1 percent would be careless. The BOT will be risking a potential sudden stop or worst a sudden reversal of flow, which may trigger the baht melt down way too soon. And who would have forgotten the experience in 1997.

Finally, the news is out: 50 basis point cut it is. To me that’s a good choice actually. It should be enough to help the economy “slowly” (as all monetary policies are), not too drastic in either way. Deep down inside, I was hoping to see something more than 50 but less than 75, which would be ideal for the state of the economy today. Yet, that would be unrealistic, as most monetary measures are done in terms of 25 increments. So as for now, I’m happy.

Thai Baht Midlife Crisis

2007-04-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Thailand manages to surprise this informationally obssessed world twice in the past 12 months. First, the surprisedcoup d’etat on 19 September 2006 stunned the world out of the blue. Second, the capital control imposed on foreign capital on 19 December 2006 by the Bank of Thailand, and rightly by Pridiyathorn Devakula, the ex-minister of finance. The control measure introduced require a 30% witholding of any foreign exchange bought and exchange in all Thai financial institutions. The measure was meant to discourage against any speculative short-term flow against Thai baht, which has been peculiarly appreciating since the beginning of 2006. In fact, it has appreciated 20% against US dollars, its major trading partner.

The Situation
Why worry? Precisely the question many asked at the beginning of trend. Why be so worried about the appreciation of baht? Afterall, the US dollar withers against many currencies, particularly with Chinese economy stealing all the spotlights. The US economy started to stagger and this coupled with its huge budget and trade deficits, there was no question of why the appreciation. However, we still worry. Afterall, Thailand manages to pull itself away from the ghost of crisis purely through export. The export industries were Thailand’s economic battalion, and given its weak exchange rate after 1997 devaluation, this only makes sense. Yet, despite all exchange rate mayhem, Thai export remains strong throughout 2006. This is a good sign. It means many major Thai exports are not easily substitutable on the world market. But we must beware, this lack of substitutability is not indefinite. If things look too bleak, buyers will have to no choice but to shun away from even the most unique of Thai products.

Eventually, things turn even nastier for Thai exporters. Thai baht continues to appreciate, even after the capital control bonanza. Now we start to ask a more fundamental question: Why is Thai baht appreciating like crazy? Thai baht appreciates so strongly that it leaves many hardcore macroeconomists and international economists scratching their head. And those who think they might have the answer, here are some facts. Thai baht appreciate against all trading partners. Yes, that means, not only baht-dollar is working against us. It works against us more than any other countries in the considerations. If we look at just our trading partners, they will buy less from us and we will buy more. If we look at our trade competitors, they are gaining an edge ahead of us. Can we panic now? Sure, we can. But not all hopes are lost. BOT might be the white knights to come to our aid, eventually.

... (to be continued)

Dating Persona!

2007-02-22T18:53:00.000-08:00

The Slow Dancer
Deliberate Gentle Love Dreamer (DGLDm)

Steady, reliable, and cradling her tenderly. Take a deep breath, and let it out real easy...you are The Slow Dancer.

Your focus is love, not sex, and for your age, you have average experience. But you're a great, thoughtful guy, and your love life improves every year. There's also a powerful elimination process working in your favor: most Playboy types get stuck raising unwanted kids before you even begin settling down. The women left over will be hot and yours. Your ideal woman is someone intimate, intelligent, and very supportive.

While you're not exactly the life of the party, you do thrive in small groups of smart people. Your circle of friends is extra tight and it's HIGHLY likely they're just like you. You appreciate symmetry in relationships.

ALWAYS AVOID: The Battleaxe

CONSIDER: The Maid of Honor or The Sonnet

Do not be fooled by his love of democracy!

2006-09-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

This is an editorial from Bangkok's The Nation newpaper on Friday 22nd September, one and a half day after the coup.

"OVERDRIVE
Sonthi outsmarted Thaksin at the eleventh hour

Had Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin not moved as fast as he did to stage a coup on Tuesday, Thaksin Shinawatra would have launched his own coup a day later. Don't be fooled by Thaksin's claim that he stands for democracy.

As the political crisis developed to the point of no return concerning whether Thaksin should stay or be booted out, General Sonthi had no choice but to swallow his words about the days of military coups being over. He had been very reluctant to resort to a coup, as he was known not to have any political ambitions. Moreover, he was not known to be an enemy of Thaksin. Although General Sonthi has a good relationship with both Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda and Privy Council member General Surayuth Chulanont, he came to power partly due to a political compromise struck with Thaksin.

However, an intelligence report reached General Sonthi's camp stating that there would be bloodshed on Wednesday. The People's Alliance for Democracy had planned to hold a political rally that day at the Royal Plaza in order to force Thaksin out of politics. Had that rally taken place, there would have been clashes between the People's Alliance for Democracy and Thaksin's supporters and blood would have been spilt on Rajdamnoen Avenue. If only Thaksin had promised that he would take a break from politics and allow a period of political reforms to take place, the PAD and other branches of the anti-Thaksin movement would have declared victory. All political confrontations would have subsided. Thaksin could have run for office once the Constitution was amended, and he would have been returned to the premier's post, probably in the latter part of next year.

However, Thaksin never considered taking a break from power. Again, don't be fooled by his "taking a break" story - the idea never crossed his mind.

The General Sonthi camp learned that during the PAD rally, Yongyuth Tiyapairat and Newin Chidchob were planning to rally their supporters to create an ugly scene at the Royal Plaza. During the ensuing commotion, there would be human casualties. Thaksin would then have stepped in and declared a state of emergency, placing the country under martial law.
Now you can understand why he had time to prepare his state of emergency statement and read it at 9.20pm on Channel 9 from his New York hotel room. You can also understand why Yongyuth and Newin are now at the top of this country's most-wanted list and have surrendered themselves to the CDRM for interrogation.

Once the situation was under his complete control, Thaksin had planned to fly back yesterday in order to declare victory over anti-democratic elements in society. He had a military reshuffle list in hand that would have further consolidated his control over the military. With that accomplished, everything would have been easy. Virtually all institutions in the country would have been under his directive.

From his New York hotel, Thaksin was preparing to deliver an address at the UN Assembly. The room instead turned out to be the headquarters from which he attempted to launch a counter-coup and negotiate a political settlement. In New York, he planned to recruit top-notch American political consultants to advise him on his political campaign for the next election, which would have been pushed back from October 15 to some time in November.

Thaksin's talk of taking a break from politics was simply lip service. He told the Thai public he would decide whether to take a break from politics only after his Thai Rak Thai went to the Election Commission to register as candidates. This means Thaksin would have liked His Majesty the King to endorse a new election date before he made his decision.

Members of the Thai elite and the PAD, however, would not allow this to happen. If Thaksin were to run in the next election, he would have won. With 12 million votes or so, he would have claimed a democratic majority and he also would have stayed on as prime minister. After that he could rewrite Thai history by turning Thailand into his own regime.

General Sonthi had to act fast to head off Thaksin's coup. He staged a military coup on Tuesday, a day before the bloodshed was set to take place. He and Thaksin did have a telephone conversation on Tuesday evening, with Thaksin trying to buy time and negotiate a settlement.
He told General Sonthi that if he kept his cool, Thaksin would take a break from politics. He asked Sonthi to wait until he returned from New York so that the two could talk things out and said that he would reschedule his return flight to Bangkok to Wednesday, instead of yesterday as he had planned.

General Sonthi was polite, but told him that he had no choice, that he had to stage the coup.
In the meantime, Thaksin was checking on his military allies, who had control of Bangkok, for the most part. He remained certain that in a military power play, he could still emerge the victor. Maj-General Prin Suwannathat, commander of the First Infantry Brigade, is a close ally of Thaksin and he holds the most powerful military post in Bangkok. The commanders of the Air Force and the Navy are also good friends of Thaksin.

General Sonthi had the support of Lt-General Saphrang Kalayanamit of the Third Army, who had been outspoken in his anti-Thaksin remarks. The Third Army is in charge of all military operations in the North. Another key ally of Gen Sonthi is Lt-General Anupong Phaochinda of the First Infantry Division in Bangkok. Maj-General Sanit Prommas, the commander of the Second Cavalry Brigade, also came to play an important role in the power play to seize the capital.

Troops from Prachin Buri and Lop Buri were also mobilised to the capital to assist in the coup, the decisive outcome of which was ironically the victory of thaharn ban nok (upcountry military).

As it turned out, all of Thaksin's military allies, most notably Maj-General Prin, had been marked out - they could not move. General Ruengroj Mahasaranont, the supreme commander and a Thaksin ally, was to look after Bangkok once Thaksin had declared martial law. He too was subdued. Chidchai Vanasatidya and Prommin Lertsuridej were unable to launch any sort of counter effort.

Thaksin's wife Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra was supposed to take a 12am flight to Singapore on Tuesday night. She quickly changed her flight to 9pm. Well, Gen Sonthi had to let her off the hook.

Twenty-five minutes later, knowing that his wife was safely on an aircraft bound for Singapore, Thaksin read out his state of emergency address from his New York hotel room, effectively sacking General Sonthi .

But an hour later, General Sonthi declared a counter-coup to overthrow the Thaksin regime and tear up the Constitution.

The rest is history.

Thanong Khanthong
The Nation"

About me...

2006-08-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm boring.

Come through the door and I may be I'll convince you not.

Live a life outside the social sphere.
Live a life outside norms.
Live a life worth living.

Then turn around, the social paradigm you lived in fractures; beams of lights pass through.
You are still in it, though with a different view.

All that you've seen as real become mere signals, not intrinsic quality.
Fads change to herds. Individualism turns into a myth.

It makes you wonder.
It makes you search for the 'real' quality.
When does it exist and when doesn't it?

Life becomes interesting from then on.

Yes, I'm boring. I know.

In the beginning... (a forwarded message)

2006-07-15T07:31:00.000-07:00

"In the beginning God populated the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives. Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's and Krispy Creme. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said "Yea." and woman said, "And another one with sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds.

And God created the healthful yogurt that woman might keep the figure that man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane, and combined them. And woman went from size 2 to size 16.

So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing and garlic toast on the side. And man and woman unfastened their belts following the repast.

God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.

God then brought running shoes so that his children might loose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And man and woman laughed and cried before the flickering light and gained pounds.

Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And man gained pounds.

God then gave lean beef so that man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and it's 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then he said, "You want fries with that?" And man replied, "Yea! And super size 'em." And Satan said, "It is good." And man went into cardiac arrest.

God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery...

...And Satan created HMOs."

2006-07-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

Wooohhooooo.... Italians rule!!!

Worldcup ended in tears as it has been for generations.
So much expectations, so much anticipation.
Tears of disappointment, tears of happiness.

This year, overall, is impressive. Teams emerge and subsides like dawn and dusk.
Only difference is the predictability.

Memorable moments are plentiful. From Figo's headbut to Zidane unforgettable moments.

"I can't believe it! I can't believe it!" says Grosso, an Italian defender who score the first goal to take Italians to the Final. And he is right! No one could, though we all do now.

Congratulations, Azzurri!

Thanks for a wonderful tour of excitement with countless up and downs.

Sincerely,

Ithacan de New York

How long has it been?....

2006-05-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

Wow! It definitely has been sometimes since my last visit. I apologize for irregular behaviour, but if you ever TA, you'll see what happened in the past week!

Okay, my bittersweet sensation did mean what it was meant for.Semester ends, and life winds down (to the extent of less nuisance).Then Voila! The final exam week. How could I have forgotten about such a hell week?

Nope. To many of you that are noding b/c you could imagine studying hard for the exams.That's not what I'm talking about.

Studying for exam is in fact easy (sounds cocky aren't I). Well, not like a piece of cake, but the key is to be consistent: take good notes, attend regularly, read up. Most people have tough times meeting consistency.They slack off for about 3 months, and then try to cram everything in the last couple days. And they complain. Hell yeah! If I ask you to write down all the parties and conversions during parties you have had over the past three months, they'll complain the same thing!! Because these are not meant for a couple of days!

Anyway, enough about that. My point today is grading exams. Most students have no idea as this seems to be hidden behind the stage. I spent three days grading straight. Exam happened on last Friday late afternoon.
I was requested that "grade submission must be done on Tuesday".
Fine plenty of time, I thought.

"OH.. and grades for senior must be submitted by 9am Monday."
Crap. If it doesn't seem bad yet. Consider these, 71 students, 11 questions.Most write about 3 books (8 page each). I must also make consistent judgement across all.If that isn't bad enough, here the last blow. Professor does all the letter grades o_O!That means to meet deadline, I have to finish even earlier to give my poor Professor who has just flew back from China enough time to look them over under his jetlag condition.

Why can't they just make the grades due on the same day?

...

.....

Thank you (lucky for me!).

And your EQ score is....

2006-05-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

Apparently, EQ is defined as "between the "emotional age" and the chronological age that meaures emotional intelligence (how well a person understands emotions); the most famous test used to determine the EQ is the MSCEIT (Meyer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test)." (from Wiki).

I don't think what I have here is in fact the MSCEIT. It could be, but it looks fairly doubtful from my experience (score calculation is done by simple multiplication and addition). Shouldn't the system be a little more complex? Well, I was blue on my color test. So here are the next piece of information about me for all of you on cyberspace.

"Your Score: 47 (45-54)

Congratulations! You have very high emotional intelligence. This is good news! EQ counts for twice as much as IQ and technical skills combined in determining who will be a star performer. Your level of EQ likely has been and will be a driver of your high performance for years to come. Areas to work on: While you are doing well - don't forget to take time out of your busy day-to-day activities to stop and reflect on what brings you the greatest meaning in your life. If we fail to do this on a regular basis, we risk becoming tranquilized by the trivial. Sedated by the small details. Yes, deadlines need meeting and goals must be achieved. But if we are working toward goals that are not in alignment with our key values and greater purpose, we face becoming hostile and cynical - losing the reason we are doing 'all of this' in this first place! This translates into less joy and enthusiasm for our work - resulting in a diminished ability to be effective, at ease, and on purpose. As William James said: I have no doubt whatever that most people live, whether physically, intellectually, or morally, in a very restricted circle of their potential being. They make use of a very small portion of their possible consciousness... much like a man who, out of his whole body organism, should get into the habit of using and moving only his little finger... We all have reservoirs of life to draw upon, of which we do not dream."

I'll see what kind of dogs I am next. I tried that one a long time ago and I think it's kinda cute.

Another one down...

2006-05-02T20:52:00.000-07:00

OH god (Buddha, whatever)!
Spring semester is about to end.
No way!
It only have just begun moments ago.

Coming back from BKK, loaded with ideas and books.
Pursue a few, discard a lot.
My winter break was supposedly useful. Now, I'm not sure.

A step is a step. It is always useful to take one forward.
Relatively, however, is a step relatively a useful thing always? I doubt.

Coalition formation in Cabinetry government
Intergenerational public finance

Spring break lets me explore Seattle.
Though biasedly preferring San Francisco, Seattle almost had me change my mind.A truly exceptional and tasty trip. Thanks to the Microsoft gal.

Economics is indeed a way of thought, not a mere discipline anymore.
Communications in interest of this generation economists are very different from what we projected it to be.

Class conflicts and revolutions
Rise to the power: agent-based modelling
Political Parties and Economic Performance

I should read Acemoglu&Robinson, Donrnbusch&Edwards.
I also should look at BowlesDurlauf&Hoff, and Bardhan

Nevertheless, the semester has in all been bittersweet .
Bitterness from works.
Bitterness for lacking accomplishment to share.
Bitterness from failures.
Bitterness from knowing that I don't truly knew.

Sweetness though lies within.
Sweetness in coming closer to my own preference.
Sweetness in knowing more about myself (and my interest).
Sweetness comes from being to see the clearer big picture.
Sweetness in seeing beyond signals and symbols.
Sweetness in understanding and helping hands.
Sweetness in true colors.
Sweetness in knowing that she's there.
Sweetness in knowing that she cares.
Sweetiness in knowing that she tries hard to ease your day.
Sweetness is having her around, sharing throughts and activities.

True sweetness definitely lies within.
Quality is intrinsic, value may not.
Good things are earned, not given.
Only when you appreciate it, will it leads to a revealation.
I am thankful.

It's been a good semester, a bittersweet one. Just right for my taste.

Path to be a Master Baker

2006-04-23T10:22:00.001-07:00

(A continuation from here)

**SPOILER WARNING: for those await the beautiful ending to this baker story, I'm sorry to let you know that I'm too waiting for the ending. Wish me luck**

Possessing the best ingredients, equipping with (what I thought was) the best techniques, I was certain that being a Master Baker would in deed be an easy task.

First year of graduate studies, Master Bakers take me through things I knew and things I didn't know. Ingredients which I thought was best were truly best just to be a baker. Techniques which I thought was advanced were a common knowledge used even before I was born by Great Master Bakers.

I pushed through still with the same dynamics as before. Equip myself with even better ingredients and more advanced techniques, things should be okay.

BZZZzz... wrong again! I got through my first year alright. Afterall, it was a preparation year, exposing you to new frontier of techniques and the world of exotic ingredients. In the latter year, a sequence of epiphanies took place. Some were pushing my ego upwards; some dragging it downward.

The great Master W share with me that "the cookbook methods are not descriptions of your reality. It's a description of what approximately should happen and should be done." Hence to be a successful baker, you must be able to judge on your own reality, and use the book as a mere guideline.

Often times, I'd feel on top of the world when there is a slight progess. And often again and again, such a progress was shown worthless.

"I come up with this possibly new techniques. What do you think?" I asked eagerly. "Techniques are abound. It depends what use can your technique be!" Responded Master E.

"To be come a Master Baker, think not of techniques and ingredients you'd wish to use. But think hard of what you may want to make. Then think of how the techniques and ingredients you've learnt would allow you to make it into reality," said Master C.

An insight from Master O: "all baked goods are flawed. You can always find the way to make it better, while someone else's could improve yours as well. Afterall, it depends on one's taste. Thus the key is not to pick on those personal tastes, but to look at what they were trying to bake and evaluate on the basis of how well have they achieved that objective"

At this point, I'm a mere baker still. I'm in the learning and developing process. Hence, I don't have a clue of where this will end.

Well... nevertheless, here I am, baking away. Trying new things, and giving myself different hard times. Afterall, aren't we all slightly masochist? =)

-----------------------------------------------------

I still owe you the second part on Democracy. That could be next.

U-NO-HOO, your true color is Blue!

2006-04-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

This is a lazy post. But for those who might be eager to find out more of who I am. Here it is.

"You're blue — the most soothing shade of the spectrum. The color of a clear summer sky or a deep, reflective ocean, blue has traditionally symbolized trust, solitude, and loyalty. Most likely a thoughtful person who values spending some time on your own, you'd rather connect deeply with a few people than have a bunch of slight acquaintances. Luckily, making close friends isn't that hard, since people are naturally attracted to you — they're soothed by your calming presence. Cool and collected, you rarely overreact. Instead, you think things through before coming to a decision. That level-headed, thoughtful approach to life is patently blue — and patently you!"

So fine! I'm blue... that color that looks nice and calm, but describe a personal sadness. It's the color of ocean that is only steady on surface. It's the color of the sky that is soothing to look, but will never be reached.

Whatever the interpretation may be.... I'm BLUE.

(Wanting to find your color too? Click on the title of today's blog.)

I'm a baker...

2006-04-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well, almost is. I'm on a path of being a master baker. Here how it all began.

I spend a majority of my life getting acquainted with basic tools. That is what you learned in Primary and Secondary schools. First they introduce you to hard apparatus like measuring cups, spoons, and mixing bowls. Then they would teach you some basic ingredients.

"Here is all-purpose, here is cornmeal."

"We have eggs, which separate into yolks and whites."

I did't know what really difference they would make, but at least I know the difference.

Secondary schools teach similar things, but at higher level. You get to distinguish heavy cream, from light. You get to see whisk (manually, of course). Then you might get to write a light research on whatever you've learnt could do. Nothing striking new of course. They are just new to you.

Undergraduate education kicks in more pace. You'd still be learning new tools. "Here are mixers, with different speeds." You find out the easy way to do difficult things. Then you begin taking some serious baking class. One may major in Italian bread making, while other may choose a subject in European cakes. You don't do entirely new things, but you'd get to learn about tools that all bakers know about.

Upon graduation, you'd feel equiped. You can open a bakery shop if you'd like. Most of
things that come out of your store may taste good. Might be new or traditional. Nevertheless, you'd build using the techniques you've gained in education.

But here's the leap. I felt that I know and possess a lot of great ingredients in the world. I
have the technicalities and sophistications more than just to open another bakery. So my
choice? It's an obvious one: graduate school.

I walked the steps taken by great bakers. I was on the journey to be different, and to
investigate, and to be innovative. Not just the thing that come out of oven, but also the
things that go in, using techniques never before seen or tried.

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Coming Attraction.... Path to be a Master Baker

Democracy: a forgotten view... Part I

2006-04-11T20:27:00.000-07:00

This entry will be slightly more serious. It's something I've been talking with my closeones. Just think of it as stemming from Thai political issues (and others around the world). So here is its first public appearance!

Democracy: a forgotten view
Part I

Democracy (from greek "demokratia") a word derived from greek "demos", meaning people, and "kratein", meaning to rule. Thus the whole word means literally "people rule". However, democracy as most undstand it today rather means "majority rule". Two things come to my mind, when talking about this modern definition of democracy: "tyranny of the majority" and "segregations".

Pure (direct) domocracy requires participation of individual citizens. Thus a citizen comes independently, and act independently as his virtue dictates. He listens to issues, he contemplates the issues, then he votes on the issues. Therefore, even a minority will has the right to be heard, and to be considered on, and thus voted on. Yes the final verdict is often decided by the majority vote, but not the majority as social group. Remember, all citizens should consider the issue at hand independently.

After evolutions of some two thousands year, we are now in an era where "people rule" is transformed into "majority rule". This brings me to the first point, "tyranny of the majority".

Depending on economic and social environment, herd behavior could be strong. In modern system of democracy, one only needs to pin down a common interest, manipulate it, and voila! Favorable election result appears. One common theme is fear. If you could find a common enemy that threaten the "majority", you are almost ascertained a victor.

Another recurring theme is self-sympathy. People could be really sypathetic when it comes down to themselves. Being a victim generates such feelings. And yes, being a victim is what we all like to be from time to time. Pick the right time, tell them the right stories, make them feel victimized, and again you'd emerge as a popular candidate.

So where is my concern leading us. Above are mere simple examples that, for example Nazi or Populist regimes in Latin America employ (some even argue that Bush plays with fear of terrorism in the past election, but I rather not get too political). Modern democracy leads to majority, while majority leads to power. Nothing guarantees that the majority will do the right thing! In this instance, we have the so-called "tyranny of the majority".

Be careful. When you are caught in the majority, step back and think twice. It is easy to comply to majority, but is difficult to be critical. Do U-NO when you are among herds?

Often times a herd is what we are stuck in. Wouldn't rather be heding than be herded?

Greeting!

2006-04-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

Ah... the first proper entry of my blog. I don't know what people would have on their minds while they are writing their first entries. To many, like me, this will be one of the first writings free available to public community.

Of course, not everything on the web get read, and probably so for my entry here. It seems utility to blogging have a strictly concave relation with number of readers.

What's a point of writing, if there's no reader? What's a point of reading if there's no writer? Hence as the number of readers go up, a writer should feel better about their writings. Maybe they write good. Maybe their thoughts are important.

But unless you are a professional writer who gets paid to express, reverse relationship also holds as the number of reader gets too large. What if I offend someone? What if my thoughts "started the whole world laughing"?

So to summarize, here's diagram to demonstrate.

where
N = the number of readers
U( . ) = utility function of a writer, if he writes.
and dotted line is preference specific.

So to blog, I'd guess all writers must have U(N)>u where u is your reservation utility (for not
writing).

Now of course, this is a simplified model. To extend, we must incorporate in the utility some writer gains just from writing. Then number of readers should also be determined by utility of the readers, using maybe a game theoric setting.

Well... Do U-NO what I do for a living?

----------------------------------------------------
Initially, I totally intended to write something else. Well, I'll have it for next time.

Coming attraction.... Democracy: a forgotten view

Welcome

2006-04-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome... wa ha haa haaaa! You kinda see me laughing. So here is my blog. Let's see, what do people put on their blog anyway? Daily life? Thoughts? Sketch of own superiority/stupidity?

Well, I'll find out once my blogging activity reaches steady state. As for now, it'll use it as a sketch pad for thoughts. We'll see how that goes.

First, what font?
Arial?
Courier?
Georgia?
Lucida Grande?
Times? (okay... wake up! Hey!)
Trebuchet?
Verdana
Webdings!

I'd guess I really like the last one. However, first rule for blogging: "communication". If I can't communicate, why blog. So I'll stick with Verdana, as it is pretty easy on the eye.

Yet I still wonder.

What do people blog about anyway?
What kind of people write blog(s)?
..

....

......

Do U-NO-HOO?