My Brother

My brother and I both attended an international school in Bangkok until we reached 6th grade, when he decided to take a plunge and move to study in Japan (and has been there ever since).

Recently he got married and is now expecting a baby. I wrote both him and his wife a casual email (keep the word 'casual' in mind, it becomes important), asking about their new home, the sex of the baby, and if they could send me some pictures of their wedding.

This was his reply, 1 month later:

Sorry for my belated reply.

The baby is said to be a girl.
Wedding pictures/movie in DVD will be send to you by post shortly.
Please kindly advise address in BKK.

ATTN (wife)

Please prepare and send above said DVD to (me)

The first thing that came to mind as I read the email was: "Did he use an online translator?" (a la Babelfish)

Or maybe he's just a lot more business-like. Big brothers are weird.

What Goes On in Your House is None of My Business

"The suffering ordinary people have to endure as the world respects sovereignty is beyond belief"

a profitable foreign policy is not always the most healthy one.

i wonder if anyone will care.

tragic.

-p.

Food Prices and the Poor

I know that most of you out there probably don't give a flying fuck about food prices and poor people, but for the few that do, here's an interesting take on food subsidies.

Subsidizing food prices for the poor may actually damage their nutrition intake.

Why is that?

An extremely simplified explanation of a complex problem:

This is because the poor usually spend most of their money on the basic foods; bread or rice, especially after food prices go up. But once you decrease the price of those basic foods, the poor consumers then divert the money they have saved into buying other types of tastier, but less nutritious foods.

Enjoyment goes before health, I suppose.

Those that want a much more professional and clear explanation can go here:
Freakonomics

-p.

Celebrating Your Failures

Lessons from Bessemer Venture Partners

For a few, (and very rare) group of people, it is just as important to celebrate their failures alongside their successes. I think that's a smart way to go about things.

think about it:

- your successes are awesome; you can get drunk on it and fill yourself with elation every time you think about it. but deep down you wonder if you can do it again. hence 1-hit-wonders.

- your failures leave a bitter taste every time you think about it. but if you have the courage (and wisdom, as well as the masochistic desire) to view them as reminders and hints as how you can be better in the future, you continue to grow and succeed in the future, to make up for the missed opportunities in the past.

but then of course, too much of either side is somewhat unhealthy. take your pick.