Geek Distractions

Axial MRI image of The Nashman's Brain. It's very rarely used.......

It was alleged that German Billionairess Johanna Quandt (BMW) once said of Michael Schumacher, who lives in Monaco for the tax breaks, "If you need to escape paying tax, you are not rich enough". The ultra-rich were obviously peeved at those small time millionaires who opt to live outside their country instead of contributing to the welfare state coffers.

I, on the other hand, live below minimum wage. But if I were in the same league as the Kampards, Albechts, or Bettencourts, I'd register my domicile in my beloved Las Islas Filipinas so that my tax money can be siphoned off by the traditional politicians and they can send their ill-bred kids to London or some diploma mill in the USA to 'study' and shop. The Philippines is also a welfare state but only for the welfare of politicians and their families.

Anyways, I need a new laptop soon and this has distracted the irritable geeky part of me for past few days. I initially wanted an Apple but was balked at their omission of a dedicated Video RAM (I need my hi-res porn!) and so I'm looking at Dell XPSes and Lenovo M60s. My main criteria though is that it has to be teeny weeny portable as I intend to write my thesis in some far flung African village or in South America to save on living expenses which I don't have the money for. I could also write it in Baguio but I'd be too distracted by many things.

I naively thought that the tax rates caused the variation in laptop prices from country to country. And so for a generous welfare state like the UK, even with my student discount, the final price would be significantly higher than if I bought one in the US (not a welfare state). I also looked at Hongkong (zero tax), Singapore (fine city-state), France (any excuse to go to Paris is good excuse), and Switzerland (improve skiing skills while there) prices and realised What-a-minute! the prices vary significantly even WITHOUT the tax levied! That is really strange because everything is assembled in China anyway. Surely the base prices should be the same!

Flying to New York is out of the question because the cheapest fare from London is £250 and that erases any cost benefit in buying the laptop stateside (and I could be shot in broad daylight.) I could go to Andorra, a tiny feudal state trapped in the middle ages sandwiched between France and Spain, that exists solely for the purpose of being a duty-free Dubai in the Sky (elevation 1000-2000m) but knowing how close it is to Barcelona, I'd probably waste my savings on San Miguel beer.

The cheapest option so far (including the cost of going there) remains good ol' Switzerland. I'd go to Zurich, do my hairstyle the right way, revert to my Ilocoslovakian accent, go to a bank and say "Naimbag nga aldaw, I'm a Marcos heir. Can I withdraw some money please...." I'd probably get enough money for the laptop AND a Jaeger LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon I watch.

Geek Distractions

Axial MRI image of The Nashman's Brain. It's very rarely used.......

It was alleged that German Billionairess Johanna Quandt (BMW) once said of Michael Schumacher, who lives in Monaco for the tax breaks, "If you need to escape paying tax, you are not rich enough". The ultra-rich were obviously peeved at those small time millionaires who opt to live outside their country instead of contributing to the welfare state coffers.

I, on the other hand, live below minimum wage. But if I were in the same league as the Kampards, Albechts, or Bettencourts, I'd register my domicile in my beloved Las Islas Filipinas so that my tax money can be siphoned off by the traditional politicians and they can send their ill-bred kids to London or some diploma mill in the USA to 'study' and shop. The Philippines is also a welfare state but only for the welfare of politicians and their families.

Anyways, I need a new laptop soon and this has distracted the irritable geeky part of me for past few days. I initially wanted an Apple but was balked at their omission of a dedicated Video RAM (I need my hi-res porn!) and so I'm looking at Dell XPSes and Lenovo M60s. My main criteria though is that it has to be teeny weeny portable as I intend to write my thesis in some far flung African village or in South America to save on living expenses which I don't have the money for. I could also write it in Baguio but I'd be too distracted by many things.

I naively thought that the tax rates caused the variation in laptop prices from country to country. And so for a generous welfare state like the UK, even with my student discount, the final price would be significantly higher than if I bought one in the US (not a welfare state). I also looked at Hongkong (zero tax), Singapore (fine city-state), France (any excuse to go to Paris is good excuse), and Switzerland (improve skiing skills while there) prices and realised What-a-minute! the prices vary significantly even WITHOUT the tax levied! That is really strange because everything is assembled in China anyway. Surely the base prices should be the same!

Flying to New York is out of the question because the cheapest fare from London is £250 and that erases any cost benefit in buying the laptop stateside (and I could be shot in broad daylight.) I could go to Andorra, a tiny feudal state trapped in the middle ages sandwiched between France and Spain, that exists solely for the purpose of being a duty-free Dubai in the Sky (elevation 1000-2000m) but knowing how close it is to Barcelona, I'd probably waste my savings on San Miguel beer.

The cheapest option so far (including the cost of going there) remains good ol' Switzerland. I'd go to Zurich, do my hairstyle the right way, revert to my Ilocoslovakian accent, go to a bank and say "Naimbag nga aldaw, I'm a Marcos heir. Can I withdraw some money please...." I'd probably get enough money for the laptop AND a Jaeger LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon I watch.

Soul Food Sunday

For millions of years, the success of the homo sapiens sapiens depended on their skill as hunter gatherers....

It's depressing, the state of world affairs today. Why can't we all just get along like the ingredients of a well made curry do? The exotic flavours coming together, complementing each other, and creating a whole which is greater than the sum of its parts. We take our first bite and every little morsel makes passionate love with our tastebuds. It sends us into ecstacy that lasts far longer than the most mind blowing sex we have ever had. Of course, the only downside is that the post coital 'afterglow' is a pregnant belly.

But I don't care, I'm preggers already and that's not going to stop me from eating some soul food.


His Royal Orangeness Karl Willem demands that all food served in our Orange Doghouse is made of the best ingredients. More importantly, the ingredients should be ethically sourced, a fair price paid to the producers, and they must have the lowest 'food miles' possible.

Clap yo hands and sing like Frankie Laine - Hey, good looking/What you got cooking/How's about cooking something up for me/Hey Sweet Baby/Don't you think maybe/We could find us a brand new recipe/

While The Nashman's version of South East Asian curry simmered, we headed to our neighbours' crib to forage for some berries for dessert...



HRO Karl Willem and PA Gromit merrily foraging for wild berries. The graveyard is one of our best kept secrets for sourcing organic blackberries.




It was too early in the season, the berries are not yet ripe for picking. I tried some of the darker ones but they were still sour.

We went deep into the woods behind the graveyard but we really were too early for berry picking.


Hey, did I just fall into an open grave? HRO Karl Willem and PA Gromit bark with hysterical laughter at my predicament.

Buddha be praised, right in front of my window is a big big Mulberry tree with lots of sweet and sun ripened berries ready for picking.




The best part of foraging for food (or growing your own) is that it's very sustainable as long as you only take what you need, leaving some for others. Greed and hoarding - they are modern constructs. Man may have evolved this far that we can rant a lot about trivial stuff on our blogs, but there are some things from our nomadic caveman heritage that are worth keeping.

Time for us dawgs to dig in on that soul food....I'm free and I'm ready/So we can go steady/How's about saving all your time for me/No more looking/I know I've been cooking/How's about keeping steady company/


The dawgs have dinner of Nashman Beef curry, handmade steamed shrimp and veggetable dumplings, and steamed jasmine rice

The main event was Nashman Curry. Sure, it may look like shite but immodesty aside, this is orgasmic soul food. Simple, yet good fun.


Ingredients: Beef, turmeric, coriander, ginger, garlic, onion, pepper, loads of chilis, fresh lemongrass, coconut milk and oil, kaffir leaves, lime zest, salt, and most importantly some TLC.

Dumplings dipped in the Nashman's garlic ginger soya sauce.

I did not eat everything like a pig of course and saved the leftovers. Curry actually tastes better after two or three days when the cocounut and curry have time to age and evenly infuse the beef with flavour.