I am now a proud owner of American Express Platinum Card. I got 60,000 Membership Rewards Points, which is equal to C$600.00 (points rewarded once you have made purchases to a minimum value of $ 1000.00 within the first three months), but more if you transfer your points to Aeroplan or Avios. The referrer also gets between 10k-15k Points, depending on the card he or she has. The card also comes … [Read more...]
Enjoying the VIP Lounge at Quebec City’s Jean Lesage Airport
September 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
I experienced Quebec City’s Jean Lesage International Airport and its VIP Lounge twice recently -- my way to the Magdalene Islands and on my way back to Toronto. The first visit was early evening while the return trip was early in the morning. To your right is a meeting room, which is a first for me. It is a pretty long one, and I am not sure whether one has to pre-book it. Then there are … [Read more...]
A Debate on GDP, Wealth and Economy
August 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
By Senthil Ratnasabapathy The discussion is on, again. It is all about whether or not the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) correctly reflects the status of the economy and wealth of a country. The latest discussion began after some European countries, following a directive by the European Union, started counting revenues through sex trade, drugs and contraband items such as tobacco. The EU … [Read more...]
Super (Perigee) Moon, A Preamble
August 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Photo taken two days before the super full moon in August, 2014. … [Read more...]
A Dip in a Mud Volcano in Colombia
August 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
This is an article I wrote in 2006, after my visit to the mud volcano. Senthil Ratnasabapathy “Don’t wait outside, friend, come join us,” the masseur stretched his arms inviting me. From my location in the narrow, circular bank, I looked at him, and then around him in the ‘pool’. Some were being massaged by his colleagues while some others were just relaxing. I looked again at the pool, … [Read more...]
Ofcom Calls for Public Input Into Internet of Things Era
August 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The British communications regulator Ofcom is seeking public’s input in its efforts to devise a strategy to handle the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) era. The 14-page document, titled Promoting Investment and Innovation in the Internet of Things, is very extensive in laying out the issues, opportunities and challenges faced by regulators as they seek to come to grips with IOT era. British … [Read more...]
Thread Group Formed to Create Internet of Things Network
August 4, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Some of world’s biggest technology companies have come together to form a new alliance to create new tools to facilitate home-centered Internet of Things (IoT) device interoperability. The alliance, called the Thread Group, will primarily focus on creating wireless network protocols to facilitate IoT devices connect with each other seamlessly and without being energy hogs. The seven founder … [Read more...]
Misty Morning
June 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
We travel outside of our homes, cities and countries to experience something 'different', new or even something that we wished we had in our own cities, towns or villages. This can be the landscape, food, culture or simply the people. Yet, if we look around we can also find that some of nature's beauty is just around the corner. It could be a beautiful sunset, a landscape or even birds … [Read more...]
The Magic of Autumn
January 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment
I grew up in tropical Asia, just north of the Equator, and therefore cold weather meant the mercury dropping to around 20C. Nature had given us just two seasons -- the monsoons and the summer, with the temperature variations minimal. Most of the time, it was hot, or just rainy and humid. Sure we had the spring, but as romantic as we tried to make it by visualizing the blooming flowers and … [Read more...]
Canada’s Challenge with India
November 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment
During his six-day trip to India, Canadian Prime minister Stephen Harper might find the Indian leaders, particularly Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, somewhat distracted and even meeting-wary. That might not be because Mr. Singh is not interested in the Canadians’ visit: just that the Indian PM is a busy man these days. Not only has he got to deal with an unruly coalition that raises walls to … [Read more...]
