East-West Story: The Parallel Lives of Two World-Class Dancers

Choti
Did I mention how much I love your dancing? I peek through the doors and watch you twirl and pirouette and spin and and and. Your face is a tight concentrated expression of controlled determination to do well. And I may be biased but you look ethereal compared to the other girls. You move lightly baby. That's a very interesting quality. I'm not sure you have seen this. 
There are people who walk through life as if they are bulldozers and wrecking balls. Like your baba. It's not so for you. You slip through life. You walk deliberately and delicately. Like you dance. Very much so. Slight. Coltish. Aware of what's happening. In your little world. And I feel like grabbing you and squishing you and hiding you in my arms and never letting you go. 
I've been to these dance shows. Dancing is fun. We don't have to know or learn how to dance. It's built in. Love it. Can't wait to see your next dance baby. 
Love you
Baba

East-West Story: The Parallel Lives of Two World-Class Dancers - SPIEGEL ONLINE
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-story-of-ballet-dancers-sergei-polunin-and-joy-womack-a-1059837.html
(via Instapaper)

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Joy Womack is from California, Sergei Polunin from a poor city in Ukraine. One went East to pursue a career in ballet, the other West. For both, talent has proven to be a double-edged sword.
When she appears, the other dancers strike a quiet pose. She takes off, jumps and does a split mid-air in a swirl of white tulle. Her movements seem effortless, as if she requires no momentum at all — not even a chance to catch her breath. She imperiously raises an arm, liberating the others from their paralysis. They fall into line behind her and follow her steps, for she is Myrtha, their leader, the Queen of the Ghost Girls in the ballet "Giselle."
En pointe, with her head held high, the queen receives a round of applause. Then she glides away.
Backstage, she lets herself fall on a yoga mat, panting and sweating. After a short pause, she's back to being Joy Womack, a 21-year-old from Santa Monica, California. In her company, the Kremlin Ballet Theater, she is one of the select few who dances solo. She is the first American to perform here, behind the walls of the Kremlin.

Can identity be chosen or is it inborn? – Katharine Quarmby – Aeon

The answer is yes to both. 

Think about it. You guys were born and both of you inherited some identities immediately. Hindu background. Indian background. British citizenship and nationality. Male or female. Londoner. Suburban. And so on and so forth. 

And as you grow, you will keep on getting new identities and discard old ones. You may move to Paris so become Parisian. You may decide to become pastafarian so ignore and drop the Hinduism. And so on and so forth. There are two lessons to learn. 

One. Be supremely comfortable in what you are. Don't give a shit about what people say. You are what you are and are comfortable with it. 

Two. This is more interesting. You'll realise that people love to put other people into a box. As soon as they do, then they know how to react to you. But don't allow that. Force them to create a new box for you. For example, when people ask me where I'm from, I say I'm from Burma. Or I'll say I'm from Sweden. Or talking about religion, say you're a Jedi. People get confused. And don't understand. Don't allow yourself to be pigeonholed. It's fun. 

Love

Baba

Can identity be chosen or is it inborn? – Katharine Quarmby – Aeon
http://aeon.co/magazine/psychology/can-identity-be-chosen-or-must-it-be-inborn/
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Alice, the heroine of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking‑Glass (1871), has many extraordinary encounters, but the one that's always stuck with me is her meeting with Humpty Dumpty, an egg-shaped being, balanced on a wall. He is annoyed when Alice calls him an egg, he tells her she should stop growing, and they end by arguing about the contextual meaning of the word 'glory'.

'When I use a word,' Humpty says, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.'
'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'
'The question is,' said Humpty, 'which is to be master – that's all.'

As Alice walks away, Humpty Dumpty comes crashing to the ground.

How do I tell my son about death?

I've spoken to both of you about death many times. And it's quite a straightforward thing for me kids. Yes you will feel sad and will shed tears but I hope not. I have had nothing but joy with you two. So when I have to leave, I want you to remember the fun and happy times we had. And you will need to be strong for mamma and make her happy. Make her think of the happy times. 
Death is the final adventure kids. I'm a Hindu so I don't have that many psychological hang ups as Christians or Muslims or Jews do. Their religious worldview is based upon the fact that their existence ends when they die. This author is an atheist and still thinks that his life finishes at death. Not mine. I will be going on to do more.  There's more lives in store for me. More fun to have. More chips to eat. More mountains to hike. And more books to read. And more places to go. And and and. 
So no worries about death. It's fun. Just a gate or door to another life kids. The greatest adventure begins again. 
It was good seeing both of you Kannu. :) she's a lovely girl. Very nice and quiet. I hope you had a good time with her. 
Btw, we have a great book at home. The book of questions. It's a very powerful book to use to learn about the other person in your life. There are no right answers. Or all answers are right. And those answers tell you much about you and her. It's fascinating to learn about yourself and her. Try it out :) 
Love
Baba



How do I tell my son about death? – Cormac James – Aeon
http://aeon.co/magazine/psychology/how-do-i-tell-my-son-about-death/
(via Instapaper)

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I have a good arsenal of strategies to dip into when my five-year-old son tells me: 'Dad, I don't want to have a bath' or 'Dad, I don't want to go to school'. In fact, it feels like the past few years have been a schooling in communications and sales strategy, for a particularly difficult customer. But when he told me recently: 'Dad, I don't want to die', I found I didn't have a pitch. I didn't even have anything I wanted to sell.
I wish I did. I'd love to give him an answer that would completely quieten his anxiety, because, like most parents, I feel towards my child a duty of not only physical but also psychological care. My problem is this: I'm a card-carrying atheist, and I feel a competing sense of duty towards the truth. Two things that seem not just mutually exclusive but vigorously, irrepressibly, tomandjerrily antagonistic. Care versus Cruelty. Comfort versus Fact. Child versus Death.
I try to get him to talk, to see what exactly he thinks dying is, all the better to hear what he's frightened of, and to see if some sly fudge might be made that neither denies the problem nor sells him a lie. Sensitive plant, he shrinks at the slightest prod, and won't – or can't – voice anything but vague apprehension. The mere idea is a place he doesn't want to go. The one revealing hint comes in his off-hand question: 'When you're dead, can you still imagine things, like for dreaming?' 'Dead' for him seems to be Little Red Riding Hood in the wolf's belly, or Snow White in her glass coffin waiting to wake – not dead dead, just less alive than he is now, on account of something nasty. That's the worst his imagination can come up with, apparently, and it's an idea I'm inclined to let him play with, at least until I decide how best it ought to be corrected, if at all.
I consult friends – two trenches over, with kids of their own – to see what line they've sold about death, and how that went down. In every home, at every bedside, the children seem to have been told the same story: 'it' is something that will happen in a long, long time, in a strange land, far, far away. (I particularly liked my friend T's line, telling his son that it's not actually him, the little boy, who's going to die, but a very wrinkly, crotchety old man with the same name.)

Stranded on the Island of the Blue Dolphins: The True Story of Juana Maria

Choti You might be interested in this amazing story. I was just amazed reading the story. Can you imagine? Living on an island for so many years? Its so much like Robinson Crusoe (have you read about him? - that's a fictional story though) but this story was so fascinating. Living alone in an island for so long. Nobody to speak to at all. And as it happens, Juana lost the ability to speak, but she would sing. I dont feel bad for her, she obviously had her life and was fairly happy, if we can think so...but really interesting. Love Baba

Stranded on the Island of the Blue Dolphins: The True Story of Juana Maria Feb 3rd 2016, 11:00, by Erin Blakemore San Nicolas Island is a hell of a place to get marooned. Part of the archipelago of the Channel Islands off the California coast, it's windswept and largely barren—so much so that the U.S. Navy considered it a candidate location for the first tests of the nuclear bomb. It has a modern nickname, though: the Island of the Blue Dolphins. And the woman who inspired this book by Scott O'Dell, the granddaddy of all young adult historical fiction, still confounds historians. She confounded her contemporaries, too. In 1853, men discovered her on San Nicolas inside a hut made of whalebones and brush. She was wearing a dress made of cormorant feathers sewn together with sinew. She had been on the island by herself for 18 years. A photograph of a Native American woman, believed to be Juana Maria, who was the last surviving member of her tribe, the Nicoleño.

Wanted by U.S.: The Stolen Millions of Despots and Crooked Elites

This is what pisses me off about the uk. We allow all kinds of corrupt bastards and people with war crimes and religious fundos into the uk. And despite so much evidence that foreign governments offer up, we do sweet sod all. We have anti bribery and anti corruption laws for years and broadly speaking, literally zero people have been prosecuted. Now you can't believe that there are simply no guilty people in the uk? Bollocks. 
This is why I admire the USA. It's going after the bastards. So it's not 100% accurate but what the hell. They are doing something at least. What are we doing? Forget about Europe or other parts of the world. Heck even Switzerland is going after corrupt people like the situation in Malaysia. Bah. Truly pisses me off. 
Look forward to watching the movie with you Kannu. Missing you :)
Love
Baba


Wanted by U.S.: The Stolen Millions of Despots and Crooked Elites
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/17/business/wanted-by-the-us-the-stolen-millions-of-despots-and-crooked-elites.html
(via Instapaper)

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Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, scion of the ruling family of Equatorial Guinea, one of Africa's smallest countries. Prosecutors say his country's citizens are victims of his "relentless embezzlement and extortion." Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

It's hard to imagine a public official with more toys than Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, who spent $300 million on Ferraris, a Gulfstream jet, a California mansion and even Michael Jackson's "Thriller" jacket. The buying spree is all the more remarkable since this scion of the ruling family of Equatorial Guinea, one of Africa's smallest countries, bought all this while on an official salary of $100,000 a year.
But legal action by the Justice Department has brought an end to Mr. Obiang's spendthrift ways. His $30 million Malibu estate is on the market, as are his luxury cars and six life-size Jackson statues. Proceeds from these sales are earmarked for citizens of Equatorial Guinea, who prosecutors claim are victims of Mr. Obiang's "relentless embezzlement and extortion."

NYTimes: Scuba Diving in Thailand: A Balancing Act

Kannu

Remember I offered to take you to Thailand for a week long trip and then you can learn scuba diving there? Here's an excellent article about a father son trip that you may want to read. Of course it's more oriented towards divers who already have a padi licence but we can discuss that. You and I can get a licence in London :) assuming your asthma gets fixed.

Scuba diving, son, is a wonderful exercise. One of the most amazing moments of my life was when I would scuba in the coral reefs. You saw the sea floor in Galapagos. It was nothing. Literally nothing. When you are down there, it's a magical location son.

Remember I have mentioned the burial ground of the sailors of the nautilus submarine for the 20,000 leagues under the sea? It's in a coral area. It is exquisite. So peaceful. The beauty of the scene with the sun dappled waters and fish and sea weed and and and is mind blowing. People faff around on beaches and I hate that. Knowing just few meters away you have a magical sea scape to wonder.

We will go there son :) it should be fun.

Love

Baba





http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/travel/thailand-scuba-diving.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share

A father-son relationship deepens during a scuba trip exploring an exotic underworld off Thailand.

Young Saudis See Cushy Jobs Vanish Along With Nation’s Oil Wealth

I'm not impressed by Saudi Arabia son. Besides the absolutely rampant racism and religious fundamentalism, the terrorism problem is big here. Then again what do you expect? I have seen the university syllabus and have interviewed Saudis and worked with them. The syllabus of most of the Saudi universities is shit. Teachers are shite. Atrocious. For a rich country to have such shitty university is a travesty. 

With some honourable exceptions, they are spectacularly unsuited for modern life. Professional middle class jobs or vocational jobs are simply out of the question. Entrepreneurship is minuscule. So what can you do with quarter of a million Saudis who enter the job market? Some wrenching changes are in train. And unfortunately you and I will see a large proportion of these young Saudis swelling the ranks of the jehadis. 
This will cause us problems. And the steps the Saudis are taking by embarking on two wars is very bad. A giant country like USA finds it difficult to wage war properly. Saudi Arabia will pay very heavily for its Yemeni and Syrian mistakes. And us as well.

Not good

Love

Baba



Young Saudis See Cushy Jobs Vanish Along With Nation's Oil Wealth
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/17/world/middleeast/young-saudis-see-cushy-jobs-vanish-along-with-nations-oil-wealth.html
(via Instapaper)

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Saudi men leaving a mosque in Riyadh last year. For decades, the royal family has used the kingdom's immense oil wealth to lavish benefits on its people, including free education and medical care, generous energy subsidies and well-paid government jobs. Tomas Munita for The New York Times

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — In pressed white robes and clutching crisp résumés, young Saudi men packed a massive hall at a university in the capital city this month to wait in long lines to pitch themselves to employers.
It was one of three job fairs in Riyadh in two weeks, and the high attendance was fueled in part by fear among the younger generation of what a future of cheap oil will mean in a country where oil is everything.
For decades, the royal family has used the kingdom's immense oil wealth to lavish benefits on its people, including free education and medical care, generous energy subsidies and well-paid (and often undemanding) government jobs. No one paid taxes, and if political rights were not part of the equation, that was fine with most people.
But the drop in oil prices to below $30 a barrel from more than $100 a barrel in June 2014 means that the old math no longer works. Low oil prices have knocked a chunk out of the government budget and now pose a threat to the unwritten social contract that has long underpinned life in the kingdom, the Arab world's largest economy and a key American ally.

Putin is learning what Churchill knew

Kannu 

This was a great quote 

read what Winston Churchill had to say about going to war in My Early Life: “Let us learn our lessons. Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on that strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realise that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events. 

“Antiquated War Offices, weak, incompetent or arrogant commanders, untrustworthy allies, hostile neutrals, malignant fortune, ugly surprises, awful miscalculations – all take their seats at the Council Board on the morrow of a declaration of war. Always remember, however sure you are that you can easily win, that there would not be a war if the other man did not think he also had a chance.”
As they say, wars never survive contact with the enemy. 

This is the problem, people simply dont understand the issues that you will face after going to war. Every time, without fail, the costs of going to war are much higher than what you expected or anticipated or even planned for. Even now, every of the little wars or big wars have unexpected and unanticipated costs all over the place. Jaw Jaw is better than war war as the other quote goes. 

And to a much lesser extent, son, same thing happens in business as well. Your resources may not be the best ever. Your support may not be good. Your competitor may do something else. Your customers may not buy into your proposition. The trick is to be flexible and be willing to move smoothly and react to unforeseen circumstances :) 

Love 

baba 



I saw this article when using the Financial Times app and thought you might be interested:

Financial Times,
Putin is learning what Churchill knew
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From Mr Charles Lucas. Sir, Vladimir Putin should read what Winston Churchill had to say about going to war in My Early Life

Read the full article at: http://on.ft.com/1txdWix 

Catholicism and Violence in Late Chosŏn Korea

You know kannu, I was surprised when I first found out that Korea is a huge Christian country. Seriously. I guess my initial impression was coloured by the fact that both japan and china managed to keep the Christian missionaries at bay. But Korea didn't and has therefore managed to have a huge Christian population. 

Proselytisation has had a bad rap down the years son. With good reason. People have killed each other over which god is better. Heck, people have killed each other whilst belonging to the same bloody religion. See what's happening in Israel to Iraq to India. Maybe they operate on the principle that kill them all, God will sort them out. How weird. 

But it's a salutary exposition on how governments use religion son to keep us under control. And the sad part is, the governments lose control over religion. And then you see the mess that you can witness in the USA to France to uk and in rest of the world. Which is why a strong secular perspective is the only way forward for governments. 

Anyway. Happy reading about a small aspect of Korea. They make the most amazing kimchee. And if I may point out, they are one of the hardest working people in the world. Absolutely gobsmacking. For them to rise from pretty much ruins after the Japanese occupation and then the Korean War to where they are at the moment is simply amazing. Much to learn. 

Love

Baba

Catholicism and Violence in Late Chosŏn Korea - Dissertation Reviews
http://dissertationreviews.org/archives/9089

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A review of The Ambiguity of Violence:  Ideology, State, and Religion in the Late Chosŏn Dynasty,by Franklin Rausch

Why do governments and those who oppose them use violence to advance their aims? What are their justifications for the use of violence? These are some of the questions that Franklin Rausch confronts in his dissertation centered on two case studies in late Chosŏn Korea between the late 18th and early 20th centuries. They involve two famous Catholics, Alexius Hwang Sayŏng and Thomas An Chunggŭn, and it is in its elucidation of the complex history of Catholicism in Korea that this dissertation particularly shines.

I can barely afford your mother

Kids

I saw this article. 

http://www.ijreview.com/2015/04/287991-fathers-cant-afford-stay-home-mom/

I completely agree with the sentiments. And I actually think that the estimates are on the low side. You two are the biggest joys of my life. And I think what mum does to ensure we all have a home and love and food and cuddles and scolding and and and is priceless. So never think that she's just a housewife. For me, she's the fund manager for overseeing my two biggest joys and investments. 

What mum brings to the table is priceless. She has created a home for us. A place for safety. A place for fun and games. A place where there's always a hug and a cuddle. Despite all my attempts to fill the house with books and artefacts and make it a museum, she still manages to keep it a neat tidy and clean home. 

And she not only does all all this but she writes and writes well. In various forms. Books. Short stories. Scripts. Novels. Fiction and non fiction. I heard her speak recently and she's passionate. She comes across as a person who cares about her topics and subjects. And people recognise it. Which is why she is a best selling author and people love her. 

So take a look at the article. Quite interesting. 

Love

Baba