Recently watched programs(from Jan 1)

1. BBC-How To Build A Human(the complete series)
Episode1: creation
Episode2: the predictor
Episode3: the secret of sex
Episode4: forever young
2. Shark tale
3. Everyday people
4. Napoleon-battle of waterloo

Requirements of independent country or state status

There are eight accepted criteria used to determine whether a place is an independent country (also known as a State with a capital "s") or not.

1.Has space or territory that has internationally recognized boundaries (boundary disputes are OK).
2.Has people who live there on an ongoing basis.
3.Has economic activity and an organized economy. A country regulates foreign and domestic trade and issues money.
4.Has the power of social engineering, such as education.
5.Has a transportation system for moving goods and people.
6.Has a government that provides public services and police power.
7.Has sovereignty. No other State should have power over the country's territory.
8.Has external recognition. A country has been "voted into the club" by other countries.

source: About.com-Geography

The Number of Countries in the World

By Most Accounts, 193 is the Correct Answer

United Nations
There are 192 members of the United Nations. Unfortunately, the number 192 is too often used to represent the number of countries in the world. Although this number represents almost all of the countries in the world, there is still one country (the Vatican City) that is independent and has chosen not to become a member of the U.N. so 192 is not the number of countries in the world.

The One Outsider
Taiwan meets most, but not all of the requirements of independent country or state status. However, due to political reasons, it fails to be recognized by the United States and much of the rest of the world. If it were recognized, it would be considered a country.
Taiwan was actually a member of the United Nations (and even the Security Council) until 1971, when mainland China replaced Taiwan in the organization. Taiwan continues to press for full recognition by other countries, to become "part of the club" and fully recognized worldwide but China claims that Taiwan is simply a province of China.
source: About.com-Geography

Thought on the business of life

An apple a day keeps the doctor away; an onion a day keeps everyone away. ~ American saying.

Seeing is deceiving. It's eating that's believing.
~James Thurber.

Conversation is the enemy of good wine and food.
~ Alfred Hitchcock.

In a restaurent I order everything I don't want, so I have a lot to play around with while everybody else is eating.
~Andy Warhol.

When the waitress puts the dinner on the table, the old men look at dinner. The young men look at the waitress. ~ Gelett Burgess.