Homo Viator

There is just nothing like India and no people like Indians. The two videos below make me want to jump on the next plane and visit this fasninating country once again. When I was living in Mumbai, I had heard of laughing clubs, but never managed to attend one. The next time I am there (Ritesh's wedding?), I will surely join the laughter. Hahahaha! UUuuuaahhahahahahaha! Jejejeje!

Here an example of a laughing Yogi




You gotta check out the Laughing Club

I got hooked to playing Poker almost a year ago. When I got back to Munich, I started playing various times a week and also had my take on online poker.I have been practicing hard and read about the game's philosophy and strategy. Lawmakers in Germany acknowledge that Poker is a game of skill and not of chance. This makes for specific legislation that allows bars for example to stage poker tournaments.
I also love watching professional poker, especially High Stakes Poker. At High Stakes Poker, everyone who has a spare 500.000USD can buy himself into a professional table. Players play their own money and winners take home up to 5million USD. The atmosphere at those tables is incredible. It is mental warfare a la Sun Tzu, colored with a good portion of ironic wit and mockery. A great website to watch the best professional poker action is Poker Tube. Wanna see how two of the most agressive players battle a 750.000USD hand? Check the video below...

Wikipedia lives off donations, entirely. Although it is the 8th most popular site in the world, only 28,688 people have donated so far. I visit Wikipedia at least 20 times per week, it has taught me numerous things and next to my family, studies and travels, it has been the primary source of knowledge and learning for me. Have I donated yet? No! But I thought about it today and promised myself to do so, as soon as I have a regular income again.

Always knew Michael Moore was a truth-twisting demagogue, but was surprised how schizophrenic and arrogant he can be. See this movie if you like or dislike Michael Moore and are into revealing dcumentaries. When you have seen Roger&Me for example, his first and for me his best movie, you will be surprised to find out that he had indeed interviewed Roger.

....that is, if you are into the Beatles (don't worry, we are talking about their psychedelic late 60s period). The movie may look cheesy, but hey, people were romantic back then. Critics rave about the new film and even though I would have preferred the original Beatles tunes, I do look forward to watching it. The 60s, psychedelic art, New York, the Beatles - what more could I ask for? A piece by Bobby D. maybe....

The New York Times wrote that "the movie reveals its intention to use the Beatles’ catalog to tell two stories at once, one personal, the other generational." As a great aficionado of the 60s era music, I wonderd, which other musician or band could have succeeded in conveying these two closely tied, but nevertheless different strings of storytelling. I think that next to the Beatles it could have only been Bob Dylan. Dylan, too conveys the motivation, the agression and the creativity of a whole generation, while at the same time revealing the emotions and sensitivity of the individual. Well, I am not a music critic, but those of you who, like me, consider The Beatles and Dylan the best song writers in the history of the human ear, will know what I mean.

I often thought how well music can convey stories, but always disliked the cheesy parts of musicals, although I do dig West Side Story, which leads me to agree with the point the NYT critic made in his final paragraph: "Falling in love with a movie is like falling in love with another person. Imperfections, however glaring, become endearing quirks once you’ve tumbled."