Long Road Out of Eden

In this June, when The Eagles visited and performed in the Shareholder Meet of Walmart in Fayetteville, AR, they anounced their forthcoming latest Original album - "Long Road Out of Eden".

I just had a preview of their new song - 'How Long' from the album exclusively at the Walmart site:

http://soundcheck.walmart.com/eagles.html?povid=cat4104-env10169-module54497-lLink1

Walmart is now accepting Pre-Orders for the album.

Long Road Out of Eden is the seventh studio album by American rock band the Eagles and will be released on October 30, 2007. For the first year after the album's initial release, it will only be available via the band's website, Wal-Mart, and Sam's Club stores. Nearly six years in production, this will be the first studio album from the Eagles since 1979.

While in Bangkok, watch Siam Niramit

During my last trip to Krung Threp (Bangkok) my friend told me to watch Siam Niramit, a musical show similar to the Broadways. The show is a journey to the enchanted kingdom of Siam (สยาม), now known as Thailand. The show features enhanced special effects with a perfect blend of finest art and most advanced technologies. And in turn it presents a very realistic, stimulating and inspiring experience.



The show is divided into 3 acts - "Journey Back into History", "The Three Worlds: Hell, Himapaan Forest and Heaven" and "Journey Through Joyous Festivals". These three acts are presented at the Siam Niramit complex, located near the center of the Bangkok City, which is also a beautifully crafted representation of Thailand's arts and cultural heritage with the help of a quaint Thai Village set on a canal, bringing to life the traditional lifestyles, arts and crafts of the four regions of the Kingdom. Spread across 10 acres of land, the Siam Niramt also provides thai buffet. A number of Souvenir Shops offer beautiful handicrafts and keepsakes from around Thailand.

The show proudly displays the rich heritage of the Siam Kingdom with the help of 150 actors and actresses with more that 500 costumes and 102 units of sets. The stage is certified by Guiness as the highest in the world. The whole show duration is 80 mins and by the endyou are all mesmerized by the great colorful and incredible performances and lively music.

The first act is Journey Back into History, For over seven centuries, Siam has been home of diverse cultures, a cross-road where civilizations met. The Siam Niramit show represents the past to witness The North - The Ancient Kingdom of Lanna, The South Sea - Traders from Overseas, Issan - Heritage of the Khmer Civilization, and The Central Plains - Ayutthaya, the Mighty Capital.

The second act is Journey Beyond Imagination: The Three Worlds: Hell, Himapaan Forest and Heaven. This act displays the common belief of various religions that despite the diverse cultures and livelihood, people are all bound by the Law of Karma. The good deeds or bad deeds in this world will result in merit or suffering in the next life - this is beautifully and very creatively depicted in three scenes viz. Fiery Hell, Mystic Himapaan Forest and Blissful Heaven.

The third act is ourney Through Joyous Festivals. Buddhists believe that to go to heaven, one must gather merit on earth. Thus, Thai culture is full of a wide variety of merit-making festivals, which combine religious ceremony with joyful celebrations. For example, Ordination, Song Kran, Phi Dtaa Khon, and Loy Krathong.

Song Kran (สงกรานต์) is Thai new year which is celebrated from 13th to 15th of april every year. This is time when many cultures and countries like Laos, Combodia, Srilanka, Yunan provice in china and India celeberate new year. The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. People roam the streets with containers of water or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbors. Besides the throwing of water, people celebrating Songkran may also go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance (น้ำอบไทย) over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year.

Loy Krathong (ลอยกระทง) is another beautiful festival on Thailand. This takes place on the full moon in November. During the evening, many people will go down to their local klong (canal) or river to float their krathongs. They believe this will bring them good luck. The krathongs contain a flower, a candle and three incense sticks which are lighted before being placed on the water. The people usually make a wish at the same time. Some people believe that if the candle remains burning until the krathong is out of sight then their wish will come true. By the end of the evening, there are hundreds of flickering lights bobbing up and down on the water. Quite often there are also firework displays.

During the depiction of Loy Krathong festival in act 3 of Siam Niramit show, those guys when they floated their krathongs in a makeshift river on the stage, actually invited the audience and asked them to float the krathong. Another time the show became so lively when actors were actually performing and dancing between the audience.

You will find elephants on the stage and between the audience, the thai dancers dancing between the audience, along with music so melodious, the whole show was one of the best I have ever seen. It easily beats the much famous shows on New York City and Las Vegas.

Siam Niramit is a must visit show if anyone is visiting Bangkok even for a day or two. The show happens every evening at 8 PM. Once you make the booking, they pick you from your location and the show tickets include your Thai-Western buffet dinner.

Its the most enchanting, beautifull and creative show. A definitely must-see attraction of Bangkok City.

Few Pictures (courtesy: Siam Niramit website)

Kingdom of Lanna


Blissful Heaven


Festival of Loy Krathong

For more details refer to: http://www.siamniramit.com
For preview of the show : http://www.siamniramit.com/show-preview.php

Reference: http://www.siamniramit.com and the Siam Niramit handouts given to me during the show.

A Mighty Heart

Good Movie. Terrific Performances. Highly refined screenplay. As always absolutely natural Irrfan. Good Sober Angelina. Awesome Camera shots. Beautiful Archie. Nice Editing. Good Film making.

Go for It!

The Long Road to Eden

That is the name of Eagles latest album planned to be relased somewhere around June - July in 2007. They are playing few of the brand new songs in their current concerts including the one we had in Fayetteville for Wal-Mart. The name of the new album is The Long Road to Eden and this would the first new album after 1979.

Wal-Mart also released a Wal-Mart Bonus Cd and the songs are included in that Album

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Road_to_Eden
http://www.therockradio.com/2006/06/eagles-say-new-cd-out-next-year.html
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002949536

The Eagles at Fayetteville

Yeah, thats right. They Came and Hell Freezed Over. The Bud Walton Area packed with approx. 13,000 Eagles crazy Wal-Mart people. If not all Wal-Mart, they were somehow assciated with the fortune 500 number one company. The Eagles' live performance was one of the many live in concerts organized by Wal-Mart during their Annual Shareholders Meet which happened during the memorial day week from 27th May to 1st June.

Watching The Eagles live was always a dream since college time. I had a DVD of Hell Freezes Over which i got from my Nepali friends in college, the Eagle came back for that concert. Watching them live was indeed a dream. Who knew that time how that will come true, and that too in such a manner.

I was talking to a freind of mine few days back when Amjad Ali Khan performed at nearby Tulsa, he wanted to go to some big concert. But we laughed on the possibilty of that. He said, the probability of watching some big band live is more in Bangalore than in Bentonville, Arkansas. I simply agreed. BUT then came the mail from Wal-Mart internal about the schedule of events for the Shareholders Meet, and the second day says 'The Eagles'. Oh my god, awesome, The Eagles coming here to Arkansas for the Wal-Mart annual event, mind-blowing. The second thing I read was that this event will be held in the Bud Walton Arena in U of A. fayetteville. U of A is University of Arkansas, and Bud Walton Arena is university's basketball arean with a massice capacity of 18,000 people. The mail also mentioned that the event is not Open to public and only Wal-Mart associates are allowed but they can take two guests. Ah ha, so the search started, who can take us. we were three people who found them crazy and jumping around with the news of Eagles. After 5 days of search we finally got nod from Raghu, a Wal-Mart associate and part of our project from Wal-Mart side. And 30th May evening, we scooted out of office at 4:30 and reached Bud Walton Arena, initial parking seemes to be a big problem but that was handled esily although the traffic was jammed towards U of A. Huge lines outside the gates,people in Wal-Mart T-shirts, crazy electrifying atmosphere with a Band playing in nearby open air parking lot.

They let us enter much ahead of time because of showers, and inside the whole almosphere was nothing less than a soccer game. I didnt even remember whan I started participating in mexican waves flowing across the stands. There were Wal-Mart shareholders teams from all part of the world and they were giving tempo shouts and dancing. The one hour wait in the auditorium because we entered early didnt seem ages because of so much activity happening. The stage looked awesome, with picture is the Indian Head projected in the back.

At 7, lights dimmed, we notice some activity on the stage in dark and when the lights came back with a staring of guitar, few more guitar joined in with drumns and piano and everybody was on their feets, shouting , cheering for Eagles and singng "Take It Easy" along with them..... awesome that was real awesome. They finished Take It Easy and started with "Witchy Women". After Witchy Women they stopped for a breather and they said hello people. few talks, they introduced two new members and the Trumpet and Sax player and they started again. Wow, every time they start with a new song, people cheering, dancing, everyone on their feets. They anounced that their new album will be out soon with brand new songs.
the played few of their brand new singles like - "One Day At A Time"

That was going as one heck of an event, they went back stage after about half an hour, few people seems disappointed and few were still in shock of what they have just seen. I was thinking , no they can't end it like this, how come no Hotel California. And I was right in 10 mins they were back, and the guy with trumpet started playing the starting music piece. I remember when thay perfom live the start of Hotel California is very different most of the time and that what is not captured in the Original. Be it the Hell Freeze Over concert. Today it was a good impressive music piese on Trumpet and then the leads started for Hotel California. Don Henley is his husky voice on drums....

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself,
’this could be heaven or this could be hell’
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...

Welcome to the hotel california
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the hotel california
Any time of year, you can find it here

People singing along, mesmerized by the same husky voice on Don. Soon after Hotel California, we found Don again at the centerstage with lights on him crying Desperado....Desperado, why dont you come to your senses?

Desperado, why dont you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin, but theres a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you, before its too late

I guess that was the best song to end the lovely evening, the only song we missed a lot was Tequila Sunrise, but we cannot ask for more after this wonderful evening. Each and every song was well supported by terrfic stage lightings and effects with video projected in the back groung on stage. No one wanted to go but the show has to end. They have to go home. But thanks for those wonderful songs and thanks for the awesome performance.

Viva the Eagles!


It’s another tequila sunrise
Starin’ slowly ’cross the sky, said goodbye
He was just a hired hand
Workin’ on the dreams he planned to try
The days go by

Ev’ry night when the sun goes down
Just another lonely boy in town
And she’s out runnin’ ’round

She wasn’t just another woman
And I couldn’t keep from comin’ on
It’s been so long
Oh, and it’s a hollow feelin’ when
It comes down to dealin’ friends
It never ends

Take another shot of courage
Wonder why the right words never come
You just get numb
It’s another tequila sunrise,this old world
Still looks the same,
Another frame, mm...

Arkansas Route 7

This year's memorial day weekend actually became quite memorial for me. After quick day before planning for memorial day weekend, we settled for a lake side condo at Hot Springs area which will be home for us for the next three days of the weekend. Our day before planning included temper rising high and cooling down, some reservatons and cancellations, late night shoppings and decision changes but finally when the weekend started, we ended at the right note at every step. Thanks to all the guys who were part of that trip. And those guys are my collegues and their respective family members. [Thank you note ends here]

I am dying to cut this blog short and stress more on the important stuff, but actually everything was important and worth mentioning and I dont know why I have named this blog as Arkansas Route 7, so just let me list out the best things during that trip which hapened with an average guy me [:P]

- Nissan Pathfinder
- Using Nissan at 90 MPH speed
- Condo on one of the many coves of Lake Hamilton
- 40,000 acres man-made Lake Catherine
- Grilled Shrimps and Aluminium Foil wrapped Potatoes
- First time Kayaking at the lake
- Captain with Coke
- ROUTE 7

I loved the route 7 drive back home, on 28th, the memorial day, that was time to head back for Bentonville and after spending good 3 hours at Hot Springs downtown we were left with two options - Go again to Lake Catherine and try out some trails or search for some Jet Skies at Lake Hamilton or Lake Catherine. Well we decided to take the third option and decided to start for home, but by not following the I-540 route, instead we decided to follow the Route 7 towards north to Harrison. And all credits goes to me for that [:D] for just having a cursory look at my map atlas and figuring out that this route should be scenic. So plan is final,

- take the scenic route 7 to Harrison,
- from there take route 62 E towards Eureka Springs
- Eureka Springs downtown is awesome, and has the only Indian food restaurant in NWA
- Have Indian buffet their
- Head back for Bentonville following Route 62 E

Here we start, as soon as we left Hot Spring downtown area, Route 7 showed its colors and Arkansas government made it very clear that the road ahead is going to be scenic. And it indeed was. First we were welcomed by the huge and thick Ouachita State Forest area, and Route 7 was zig-zaging through the ups and downs of forest area. The curves getting crooked and steep, air so fresh with smell of timber, wet earth and wilderness. Windows of our Pathfinder down, cruising along the curvy trails of route 7 was such an excitement filled moments and being a passionate driver I was enjoying my stint to the full extent. Beautifully supporting me was the Nissan Pathfinder which is one hell lot of an SUV, i loved that and that bugger gave good 24 miles per gallon.

Trees after trees, curvy roads and crooked turns, sometime we gaining height and sometime going down. An ATV trail on the right and a deep valley on left. Lake Catherine showing its giagantic figure, spreading around 30-40 miles with a number of coves and creeks, many islands (50 in total). After about 2 hours of cruising along Route 7 through Ouachita State Forest on the Ouachita Mountains we started going down and soon our single lane road become 2 lane and we reached a small town Russleville, we quickly crossed that pumping the gas pedal because the Ozarks were waiting for us.

As soon as we crossed Russleville, we entered Ozark State Forest. And this time they made me happier with the sign board saying Highly Steep and Crooked next 63 miles. Awesome, I love crooked miles. And Damn! I really have to slow down from 60 moh to 45 mph at many turns but I was loving maneuvering Pathfinder. Oh baby I love that. Crooked road, Steep up and down, thick forest, fresh air, everything was awesome. But I did felt jealous at one stage, when a group of 9 boys and girls were driving ATV on the dirt by the road side, drenched with water and mud. Must be coming down from the hill through the thick forest with no concrete road to drive, just muddy trails. That would have been awesome -- another thing to do before I die.

We did stopped at one point, that ws some Vista point in the Ozarks, we spent some time there relaxing and started again for Harrison. It was still long way to go and I was secretly happy about. I was not at all in mood of going home and start wrecking my brains in from of my thinkpad. But what to do. Anyways.

By the time we reached Harrison, it started raining, another thing which I love and its best when it rains in a forest (ofcourse when you are on well defined state highway). We reached Eureka Springs at 8 but the restaurant was closed and we decided to continue our drive back towards Bentoville. There were still good odd 50 crooked miles left n 62 E along the Beaver lake.

Reached home by 9, well spent 3 days of memorial day ended. Indeed will be well documented in good memories book. ANd I was thrilled to have discovered and drove on Route 7. Arkansas is indeed a Natural State. We are stull to discover public diamond mines and other state parks here. hopefully that will happen soon.

Here is the route 7 on the map (courtesy google maps)

One day at a Wal-Mart DC

Its been close to two months and I am refreshing my knowledge of Retail domain. I have never got chance to work so closely in Retail domain before my current assignment for Wal-Mart Stores. Having a know how of Retail domain is not sufficient to understand all Wal-Mart retail practices, because Wal-Mart follows its own standards. Its so huge that its a world in its own with its own standards and practices. My retail funda right now require a real good uplift to come to the expectation. A feel good breeze came in this direction today when Wal-Mart guys organised a DC visit for us. DC as in Distribution Center which basically is the routing channel for all the goods to various stores of Wal-Mart all over the world. DCs recieve goods from vendors and they ship out replenishment stocks to the stores so the stores are well stocked for the customers like use to go and purchase.

Yesterday evening we recieved a mail from our manager that we will be going to a US Groceries DC nearby at Bartlesville, OK. Activity started right there at our area for the car pooling things and were ready with 6 cars and 20 people. We assembled today morning at 7 AM in the parking lot of a nearby restaurant. Two Wal-Mart guys were going to be escorts cum guides for us. They were there with directions flyers for the DC which is well close to 3 hrs drive from Bentonville. So we started from there at 7:30 AM, we four of us in one car. Took Route 412 W towards Tulsa, OK. From there we had to head north for Bartlesville. It was a quite beautiful drive through the hill with mix or city and express way roads. Route 412 W was quite impressive to me. We started with 412 as a city road with traffic lights and all with 45-55 as speed limit, as soon as we crossed city limits it was 65 MPH, the best was when we entered Oklahama and the same 412 became Cherokee Turnpike with speed limit of 75 mph. Well I have driven in US a lot in past one year, only because of driving as my passion, this was the first road which has official speed limit of 70+. Cherokee Turnpike converted into normal highway after some time but with speed limit still 70 mph, still higher than any highway limit in NJ or NY. We reached Tulsa at around 9:30 and by 10 we were at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center of Bartlesville which actually comes under Ocheleta town limits.

Here we go, we had our team with two very informative guides, we had our initial assembly and we started for the DC tour in two groups. Our group headed for the Dry Groceries section understanding the way it operates at DC level. I was looking at way high item slots and forklifts, which are known as RRs here, moving from here and there operated by DC people. Moving goods from one place to other. It was interesing to actually look the Prime Slots and reserve slot for any single Item. Various aisle and levels in different warehouse areas. Warehouse areas are broadly divided on the basis of conditon required for goods. Like Dry Groceries need room temperature but Produce needs colder areas with temperature range from 0 degree to -40 degree F. Mark, our guide for today was explaining things and answering to our questions helping us understand and gather whatever we can from this visit. We covered Reclaim section and saw the DC people do the order filling for very fast moving items. Interestingly the aisle of fast moving items are called super highyway. Essentially because of high traffic of RRs there.

Then we moved to the shipping area where pallets created for various stores were automatically wrapped and stacked into the Trailers. RRs honking, moving here and there carrying item pallets or stacking them somewhere, we didnt knew when it was 12 Noon and we realised that we are really hungry. We went back assembled again with the other group and headed to a nearby restaurant called Ella's. Nice food and real nice lemonade.

Second half was for Produce including Dry Produce like Banana, fruits to wet produce and Meats. We are all decked up as now we were about to enter cold zones. Dry Produce area was well as cold as temperature outside today. And it was quite cold, really. We learnt the importance or what we can say the attention required for Banana. We were joined by the DC's QC head Keith. He explained the process - they recieve Bananas in stage 1 condition from Guetamala, when they are green in clor and hard and actually smell also like cucumber. They put them in a chamber and raise the temperature, release ethylene gas for riping them to stage 3 when they are yellow in color and softer. Thats the ideal stage for delivery of Banana to store. All this process of ripening of Banana to right stage before delivering is done by application of various degrees of temperature and ethylene gas during the time span of 5 days. Keith was telling that Banana is the highest selling, fastest moving items of all time for Wal-Mart. He gave an analogy that if one day some top shot moves into a Wal-Mart store and found no Banana, its like the world has come to and end. And maintaning Banana is the most cumbersome process which is actually not controalable to the full extent. It invlves extensive manual effort to turn Bananas into correct stage so that when they reach homes of the cumsumer they are perfect in looks and taste. One deviation can result in bad banana in the morning breakfast.

Crossing the Dry Produce section we entered Wet Produce area. Any leafy item is actually termed as Wet Produce. They require colder storage area and close to 95% of humidity. Next was Meat produce section, definitely colder and chilly. The best thing there was the stacking of goods based on there characteristics like Poultry should be at the lowes level in the pallet. It should not be put on top of any other meat item. And seafood shoud always be at top level etc. The other thing was the mechanisation of Replenishmet moves. There were huge cranes installed to moves Reserves stocks to the primary slots. Awesome. Starting from the recieving to the Prime slots movement of items/Pallets, everything is mechanized. In between we saw people moving with RRs for inspection and orderfilling, shipping etc. The last stop was freeze section for frozen items. We only went to -20 degree F area. The group consent was to skip the -40 degree F area. All were already numb and were barely able to sleep. We head back for smokesticks and coffee. Had a quick assembly again and called the day off. Thanks to Mark and Donald for this trip.

Started back for Bentonville with an amazing educative day at Wal-Mart DC. Day by day a simple fact in getting rock printed in our minds that Its takes a lot to be largest and number one retailer in the world.