Showing 1 - 9 of 9
The 2021 Guru awards
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 24/12/2021
» As the year comes to a close and we're all looking back at the past 12 months with introspection, at Guru we will stick to time-honoured tradition of being reflectively snarky. Like any other year, 2021 had no shortage of cringe-worthy and WTF moments. So before we head into the new year with resolutions we'll give up on halfway through the first month of 2022, let's roll out the metaphorical red carpet as we award moments from the eventful year. It's time for this year's edition of the Guru Awards.
Let there be light
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 03/12/2021
» As the holiday season ramps up, parts of Thailand are transforming into centres of celebration for Christmas and New Year. More accurately, there will be more IG-worthy places for a limited period of time. Malls have set up Christmas trees while a number of light installations around the country are set to give visitors a little light in the otherwise dark and difficult period we've all been through these past couple of months. If you're looking to visit one of these places for some holiday cheer but don't know where to start, Guru has you covered.
Stress-busters
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 06/11/2020
» This year has been a total crapfest. We've gone through a soft lockdown and we're past it, but the pandemic continues and things are far from normal. Then there is the current state of affairs, which just piles on to the mounting stress. It's been a rough year and I can't help but remember that we all felt the same optimism when we wanted 2019 to end. Remember when we thought that year was bad? We've got two more months of 2020 and let's be real, we're not really sure what 2021 holds. Fortunately for you, I've done the hard work and listed a few viable options to let off steam. Whether it's by trashing a room or cuddling puppies, here are a few ways you can relieve the stress from the troubling times we're in.
Viral innovations
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 08/05/2020
» This pandemic has revealed a lot of things. For starters, booze is apparently a necessity and we were this close to rioting on the streets when it seemed like the ban wasn't about to be lifted. People who didn't give a crap about others were exposed but thankfully that was overshadowed by news of people helping out and being kind, decent human beings. We've realised just how much we rely on those who deliver our food, how much we miss travelling and whether we like to admit it or not, we actually miss going to work. To top this, the ingenuity of people has also been revealed and a bunch of new innovations have been created to help out as we try and recover from this life-altering state. This week, we've got innovations from Thailand that have sprung up in response to Corona time.
Rebirthing now
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 17/04/2020
» Japanese anime has transcended borders and captured the imagination of people of all ages worldwide, making it one of the most valuable exports Japan has given the world.
Flying high
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 13/12/2019
» Yosuke Chatmaleerat is a number of different things. He's a gymnast, pianist and pilot — three things which require a lot of dedication, practice and skill. He's skilled in all three at just 27 years old and if that doesn't make you question what you've been doing in your life, he's recently just got another achievement under his belt. Well, it's more of a record. He now holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest journey through all 48 mainland states of the US by helicopter.
The desolation of smog
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 25/01/2019
» The first month of 2019 has been completely obscured by the hazy descent of smog upon the Big Mango and while Bangkokians are no strangers to pollution, it seems that this may be worse than before. Each morning, we wake up to a smog-infested skyline and step out into the streets breathing in fresh pollution speckled with PM2.5 dust particles, which are dangerous and fine (size-wise, not hotness-wise). Pollution Control Department director-general Pralong Damrongthai said that this may last for another month or two -- with ups and downs -- and the PCD has admitted that spraying water into the air doesn't really help (but it's so much fun so let's continue). Expect Bangkok to look post apocalyptic for a while. But fear not dear readers, we are looking out for you. We've done our research (it's never too late) and we've got a few protips on how to survive the haze.
Team Thailand
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 12/10/2018
» Us living in Bangkok may be accustomed to complaining about the various things we experience on a daily basis, whether it be heavy traffic, the absence of law-abiding drivers, taxi rejections or the crowded streets and trains. And while these grumblings are founded and you have the right to complain (because we do too), there are things that we should be proud of in the Big Mango and Thailand. As evidenced by this list, plenty of accolades have been lavished to Bangkok or Thailand, and sometimes we have to put aside our jadedness to realise that we're living in a pretty great place. Just recently, Bangkok was named one of the top destinations in the world by Mastercard and was also named "the least unhappy country" by the Bloomberg Misery Index. So this week, we've done what we thought was impossible: we're putting aside the snarkiness and sarcasm -- OK, maybe we're just lessening it a tad -- and listing the awards that have been bestowed upon Thailand. This is just so we learn to do what Eric Idle from Monty Python has been singing all these years: Always look on the bright side of life. That's wishful thinking though, we'll probably be back to our usual sarcastic selves in the next issue.
2018 in geek
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 26/01/2018
» It's a good year to be nerd! Actually, it's a good year every year. 2018 has a lot of things in store for us nerds, from movies to games, so strap yourselves in. Let's get ready for a whole year of intense fanboying/fangirling!