The August Videos # 1

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Handbags

Handbags
Originally uploaded by oneboothy

I saw this daubed on a bridge near the canal on a Soi off Sukhumvit (Bangkok's main road), the sign resonated with me for obvious reasons and then within about 30 seconds I spotted this lady walking down the road, so I shot her handbag and decided to ask my friend Dave to put the two shots into one frame for me.

I think one of the most poignant truths for anybody living in Asia is the huge disparity between poverty and wealth and the negative effect this has in cultural and social terms. Not just on the poor but the rich too.

In a city like Bangkok these issues are bipolar, but there only ever seems to be one winner in the propaganda war between the needy and need nots.

Devotion to money manifest, appears to create a convenient cycle of myopia, the force of consumerism creates useless needs for the need nots, whilst the really needy watch the trend cycle by.

I believe the tide will turn one day and that's why I bring these shots to your attention.

Insomnia (Barking Dogs Mix) Faithless

Just when things started looking up, dogs howled and yapped all night long , that's why I'm in work at 6.30am writing this. Taking after my Dad for his love of barking dogs, call it nature or nurture either or, from 2am onwards I've had no sleep. At 5am the neighbours were berated and frankly put, if any of their dogs get within bamboo swinging pole reach of me I'm going to beat the living crap out of it or them.

Rhetorically, who in their right mind lets their dogs run round the moo bahn (estate) upsetting all the other dogs, all night long? Who never complains about problems because it's not in their "mai pen rai" quasi-nevermind culture? Why are problems never solved? Why does the white man come across as the crazy one?

Thankfully, I attained my compulsory 20 hours of Thai culture and language knowledge certificate the weekend prior, otherwise I may have gotten myself kicked out venting my spleen on this subject, like the drunk who stood up and said something like "when are the Thai people going to realise they are part of the international community, why is it always Thai this Thai that?" He was roundly booed but by then, he'd already upset the audience by screaming for the microphone and abusing the nice pretty well spoken lady orating the course.

In one way after a night of barking dogs no matter how far I've come to consolidate myself back with the "culture" since leaving Bangkok and a near two year fall out, it's like Tin Tin Out... always something there to remind me.

Take it East (Leave it West in a nod to Danny)

TELL THE TRUTH - Mos Def - Immortal Technique - Eminem