Showing 11 - 20 of 198
The dying art of courtesy
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 12/10/2015
» Isn't it strange that the careers we once idolised when we were young have somehow lost their aura now.
The power of the 'written' word
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 19/10/2015
» Do you believe in signs? I'm sure I do. Each week I look for signs to indicate what the topic of my next column will be. Sometimes they are fragmentary and vapourish, and require further interpretations before they can be distilled into a subject matter that I can tackle.
The social (reading) network
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 24/08/2015
» I am joining a book club. "How quaint and antiquated that sounds," remarked my daughter when I told her. Is reading truly a thing of the past? Newspapers are fading into oblivion, gradually to disappear off the face of the earth, like the dinosaurs. That's what people in the know have been telling me. At least that's not going to happen within this year, so I assume my job is safe until I retire.
Bluto vs Barbarella
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 31/08/2015
» Last week we had one of our rare family gatherings, this time to make merit for my late father who passed away 30 years ago. I write quite a bit about my mother, who is still doing well at the age of 97. So today I thought I'd do a bit of reminiscing about my father. Having your own column allows you that bit of self-indulgence.
Teach our children how to think
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 07/09/2015
» Politics and religion may be taboo conversation subjects, but the subject of education in Thailand is always a great way to get the ball rolling. Everyone has a story to tell and everyone has an opinion to give. Not much of it is positive. The recent announcement by the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) that schools are going to reduce class hours from eight hours a day to six in order to give children time for more extra-curricular activities has caused a lot more concern than praise. I don't think the quantity is going to make any difference, if the quality of teaching is not up to standard and you're not going to get quality teaching in the classroom if you can't pay teachers a reasonable salary. You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Just to put things into perspective, according to figures from the 2015 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Switzerland is the country with the most well-paid teachers.
Rising above greed
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 14/09/2015
» Of the Seven Deadly Sins -- Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride -- I'm quite certain that Greed is the root of most of the depravity that goes on in society today.
It isn't all just entertainment
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 21/09/2015
» It's a bit appalling when you wake up to watch the morning news and you find, on what is arguably the country's most watched programme, this sort of content: An offer of five programme T-shirts, emblazoned with a cartoon version of the news anchor's face, to winners of the day's "Viewers' Top Picks".
Children and the itsy bitsy spiders
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 28/09/2015
» Fear is such a funny thing that has different manifestations in each of us.
Parting is such sweet sorrow
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 06/07/2015
» Saying farewell is probably one of the hardest things to do in life. This past week has been one of parting and farewells and there is nothing sweet about it, contrary to Shakespeare's beautiful lines; only a heavy heart.
Winded by internet windfalls
Life, Usnisa Sukhsvasti, Published on 13/07/2015
» I’m going to be rich! Or, to be more precise, I’m going to be rich if I believe all the e-mails that are sent to me.