The 68th edition of Kohaku Utagassen went by on a rather conservative and predictable note. This year, the men (white team) won but as is my impression in recent years with every winning team, they won for the lack of better competition from the other side. This year the highlights go to the opening of the program with an interesting…

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January, sometime in the morning of the early days of 2017, I am sitting by the pool in my home at Ho Chi Minh and I was stricken with the idea of reading The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump. Despite the initial realistic confrontation with the fact that this book is not for everybody, I decided that I…

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The year 2016’s 67th edition was once again won by the ladies (Akagumi) in what I have to call, a very disappointing win. I am traditionally more leaned to the performances of the ladies and while this year the gentlemen did not do great, a win was clearly defined on their side. But, the judges thought otherwise. This time I…

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