sum.na

..Actually the purpose of this post was to point out that most people are unhappy because they spend their time fighting and whining (when they have a good deal) and simply never realize how lucky they are…

…but frankly, who gives a shit anyway.. so instead of a long boring rant, I’m filling this post with hot pictures of Jessica Alba instead…

Go ahead, click away…

Disclaimer: All above photos copyright whoever took them/owns them. Shown here at reduced scale, click each for the full size and direct link to author.

You shook me all night long, by Axl*

I want to make a few quick comments recent developments in the local (Sri Lankan) blogosphere (kottu & zsri).

Technically, this post should be in SriPost, but I make an effort to keep Sripost neutral. So, um, it’s here.

Sri Lanka’s best blog?

I think Janindra has one of Sri Lanka’s best (if not the best) blog(s). His posts so far, are interesting, relevant to Sri Lanka, and full of original content. So, here’s to you Janindra!

Other cool blogs I follow include:
Moju (www.moju.lk)
Mahangu.org
Yo’s blog (Mahamoor.com)
Charith.NET

No Comments?

Mahangu has turned off comments on his blog. I think this is a pity. By it’s very definition a blog is a place where an author writes posts, and visitors comment and interact. By turning this feature off, both author, and visitors loose.

However, as Mahangu points out, it’s his place, besides, I’m sure he has a good reason.. I’m curious to know what other people make of this “Turning off comments” idea..

In Sri Lanka, the consumer IS a moron

The author of this post appears to take offense at the level of stupidity displayed in Sri Lankan ads.

Well there is a reason that these advertiesments appear to be ‘designed’ for morons.

BECAUSE, IN SRI LANKA,  THE typical CONSUMER IS a MORON.

Ask any executive at a local advertising company why their ads are so stupid, and they will tell you that “that’s the only thing the consumer responds to: simple almost moronic ads which make no sense to intelligent people” The first order of business at our local ad companies is, forget everything you learned at university, and write mindless garbage that no sane person would take seriously.

*Photo unrelated to this post. You knew that.

Link of the moment: Junkyard Turbojet engine

Incredible no? Mallika Sherawat, with Jackie Chan
[Got a minute? take part in our poll on India]

India is in, India is cool, India is the new China - investors are literally scrambling over each other to get there. 

And it’s not just investors. From Bush to Will Smith, everyone’s visiting India.

So how did India get to achieve what we, Sri Lanka, can only dream of?

1. By actively and agressively courting foreign tourism, and investment via the Incredible India campaign 
2. By having a sense of national pride: - it isn’t just a campaign. Indians genuinely are proud of their nation. They believe in Jai Hind - Sure, we get patriotic too - about booze. Even then, only if its imported. In our defenise, its hard to have national pride when you live in a country famous for having the largest number of drunkards and suicides (Ed: before you label me unpatriotic, please refer the original article and see who made that particular quote)
3. By having a booming economy, an educated workforce, and an infrastructure (oh, sure, we have those…)
4. By becoming the talk of Davos.

“There is no better case that illustrates what currently pre-occupies Sri Lanka and our big neighbour India than the way the two countries approached the five-day 2005 World Economic Form that was concluded Sunday January 29 in Davos Switzerland. India used the summit to showcase its economic and development achievements and to advertise its status as a rapidly emerging global economic power. In contrast Sri Lanka paid hardly any attention to the event. The Sri Lankan media almost ignored Davos. The country, as usual, was preoccupied with war and politics. ” From Kandy News 

“As you got off the plane in Zurich, there were large billboards extolling INCREDIBLE INDIA. Davos itself was plastered with signs. WORLD’S FASTEST GROWING FREE MARKET DEMOCRACY! proclaimed the town’s buses. When you got to your room, you found an iPod Shuffle loaded with Bollywood songs, and a pashmina shawl, gifts from the Indian delegation. When you entered the meeting rooms, you were likely to hear an Indian voice, one of the dozens of CEOs of world-class Indian companies. And then there were the government officials, India’s “Dream Team,” all intelligent and articulate, and all selling their country” - newsweek magazine

So, hats off to India, for achieving what we, here in Sri Lanka, can only dream of.

Why, the way things are going, pretty soon our local TV channels will be full of Bollywood Music. Oh wait. They already are.

While we spend all our time arguing about politics, and trying to solve our so called economic ethnic crisis, our neighbors are busy overtaking us.

Related: My two lives: a fascinating article on what it is like to Indian, in America.

[Ed: it’s quite possible I’m entirely wrong about this article: see this excellent comment by sittingnut]

[Ed: India is, also someones pet (memo to w: what were you thinking?)]

Driving late at night, I regularly encounter checkpoints.

At first I believed that they flag down suspicious vehicles, but now I speculate that they check every n’th vehicle. Or something.

Usually it will be a dark location. No lighting, no signs, no other indication that there are guys with guns, just a weak flashlight shining at you. This indicates that they want you to stop.

The problem with this is the flashlight’s batteries are usually dead, and therefore theres usually little/no light visible. As if its bad enough to have to dodge drunk drivers at night, now this!

After you stop the car, someone will come over to you and request your licence. If he finds your vehicle interesting, he may wish to investigate it further.

This will involve the poking around your car a bit.

Trivia: one time they seemed to become fascinated with my box of Kleenex. They actually stuck their fingers into it and started rooting around. I wanted to tell them that I had one hell of a flu, but I suspect that they have realized the error of their ways by now.

Tips: If pulled over, speak English - I know this is crazy but it actually makes them treat you with respect.

Sigh.

All in the name of security I guess.

Time magazines best photos of 2005 are all generally disturbing. While the world has its share of hell and chaos, it seems that the last year was extra bad.

Not that its relevant but this site has a collection of interesting stuff including hell related NDE’s like this vision of hell here

Oh, and (this is old news to many but) check out this chicken

Went for a drive today and noticed that the roads were crazier than usual. Something to do with the Holiday Spirit

More mad bus drivers, more psychopathic three wheel drivers, more drunk car drivers..

I’ve come to the following conclusions about Sri Lankan motorists

1. They are Inconsiderate
They simply don’t give a f*ck about anyone. If they can get to their destination one second earlier, it doesnt matter how many lives they endanger, or how much havoc they cause.

2. They are stupid.
Most motorists have no basic grasp of physics. They keep trying to do the impossible with their vehicles. True, most of the time they get away, merely irritating others but every once in a way, they cause serious damage.

3. They don’t have common sense.
People who jump red lights and try to dodge across the path of a fully loaded full speed bus in a three wheeler fall into this category.

Sadly, no amount of drivers ed can fix these problems.

Hazards you encounter on the local roads
(a primer for anyone who is new to driving here)

1. Bus drivers/truck drivers
Always small short men who chew red colored stuff (betel leaves?) and spit around. They lack common sense and their favorite hobby is driving at full speed on the wrong side of the road, so that you have two options, either a. get off to the side of the road, b. be identified via dental records.

2. Women drivers
Highly unpredictable. Nobody can really say what they are going to do. With men drivers at least you know they are going to do the dumbest thing anyone could do in a given situation. With a lady driver… who knows?

3. Three wheel drivers
Behave as if the drive armored trucks. Think they are invincible. Have brains smaller than hamsters

4. Motor cycle drivers.
Similar to above category, zip around like mad mosquitoes. Find a hole, they will try to squeeze through it.

5. Van drivers
A whole separate category of mad

6. Busy office executives
Always in a hurry to get nowhere. Usually driving a cheap japanese used car, and dodging around like madmen.

7. Pedestrians
Like dogs and cats, just stupider. Unlike dogs and cats they don’t have common sense

8. Dogs and cats
Are pretty smart because the dumb ones are eliminated (natural selection) Therefore the average dog/cat is smarter than the average pedestrian.

9. Cows and other large mammals
Usually sedate but have a nasty habit of ending up en masse in the middle of the road