Kindly Yours

  Europeans are often viewed as originating in the north west corner of the Northern Hemisphere.  This misperception of the term "European" can downplay the extensive presence of Slavic demographics in Russia, south eastern Europe and the eastern Slav nations. Russia has lands extend from eastern Europe to the coasts above Japan, Korea and China - 77 per cent of Russian territory is in Asia, although most Russians live in Europe. Russia can be said to be straddling both Europe and Asia. It really depends on a point of view. The European continent as such can be seen as layers of differing historical, religious and cultural implications.  The Vikings were focused on colder climes, as opposed to the Mediterranean nations that were the locations of the Greek, Roman and Ottoman traditions. In between are the core of what is perhaps to be central European -  Latin influenced territories meeting up with Germanic homelands and spreading into the Balkans. The impact Euro...

Elevated official superiority of one specific race  - Apartheid. NAZI GERMANY Extensive corruption extra ordainare -  Extreme Financial Greed. DICTATORS AND KLEPTOCRATS Discrimination even in small matters increasing to Utter Intolerance - History Repeats Itself and Lessons Never Learnt. 1980s SOUTH AFRICA. Blindness to not developing society by education, merit and open values - Self Impediment and Destruction. OPPOSITE OF INDEPENDENT SINGAPORE. Divide and Rule learnt from colonisers followed by an Independent Country - Socio-political disintegration. MYANMAR Loss of inherent culture by push to strongly implement practices borrowed from another country - Significant loss of one's own heritage. RISKS FACING SOME EMIGRANTS Numbers of specific demographics dwindling, increasing emigration, export of human talent and tightening of blatant intolerance - Huge social change happening for years already. 21st Century VENEZUELA. Fissures embedded already in a specific rac...

  So the Calendar marks another close of year.  For me, my posts here have reached their sweet seventeenth year. I appreciate the contribution of friends and family around the world who have directly shared various valuable links and posts with me - theirs is such a rich tapestry of what concerns and inspires them.   Their taking time and effort to reach out to me is never to be underestimated.  At times we may have nothing to say, but such links and posts are just a valued way to keep in touch. At the same time, have I sent to many Whats App messages, posted unnecessary photos or videos and spent more time on screen instead of doing other things? It can be disappointing and sad that on the other hand, despite more effective ways of communicating in this technologically more advanced world, the world can witness less hellos, less reaching out, more scamming and more silence in varying levels of personal interaction. Only messaging text adds more burden to the...

  The wheels of change keep on turning, even for simple routines in daily life. There is no longer the past pleasure of visiting newsagents in Australia.  The quality and variety of print has reduced, with persistant rise in prices.  Such outlets still arw shelves for stationary - although they still sell greeting cards, that again is a shrinking industry.  Many newsagents now serve Australia Post functions in banking services.  Many customers tend to be older and visit the newsagent for lotto purchases and claims. Newsagents can now be flooded with souvenirs and be collecting centres for dry cleaning. Supermarkets sell insurance on site or online.   Their aisles are domimated by processed food with a common emphasis on high sugar, salt and preservative levels - and there are those confusing stickers on prices.  They are coralling us to self checkouts while not fully believing our integrity to do the right thing to properly pay.  We provid...

  The way so called "news" is being dished up to us these days is not worth the time and attention we give it. "News" is delivered to us on so many varied platforms, from social media video clips to the presenters still appearing on retro media. There is street level news, of episodes that are hyped up, whinging accounts, tearful recoils, nasty damage, road rage, domestic violence and consumer matters. There are advertorials, disguises of pushing for a commercial product or service. There are self opinions flagged as news - just observe the background of so called experts interviewed. There is the ten minute dedication to sporting matters. There are the repeatitive pronouncements and forecasts on the weather. There are increasing  sections of news bulletins that promote the channel's own productions. Some news broadcasters still maintain time for arts, culture and heritage. Anything sensational is often pushed to the front of a news bulletin as "b...

  Which coast of the continental island of Australia is most vulnerable? It all depends what the Canberra government places its emphasis in the risk matrix.  Is vulnerability translated in terms of population over run, biosecurity invasion, foreign ownership, trading shifts, geopolitical exposure or wartime attacks? The geographical location of Australia initially denotes remoteness, long distances and a colony-like existence between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.   Unfettered skies offer striking oppprtunities to watch the night maps overhead, conduct nuclear weapon experiments and execution of joint nation military excercises. Populations cling mainly to the Aussie coast in pockets of suburbia, leaving Indigenous Country mainly seemingly empty but full of mineral resources. The capital of the Commonwealth of Australia is conveniently shucked like a oyster in the south east, between skiing slopes, agricultural farms, surfing beaches and her economic hubs.  I...

 The Quieter you become, the better you can Hear.  Be Open to consider everything - but become less Attached to anything.  There is no path to happiness. Happiness is the Path.  You only lose what you Cling to.  Pain is certain, suffering is Optional.  If you shine a Lamp for Someone, it will also brighten up your path.  If you want to Fly, give up everything that Weighs you down.  Love does not need to be Perfect, just True.  The Behaviour of Others is their Own Karma. Not giving a Reaction to Negative People keeps our Distance from them.  Take care of your Thoughts when you are by yourself.  You Are what your think.  Take care of your Words when you are with company.   Right Speech, Right Action.  The only constant thing in Life is Change.  Life is an Echo.  My fav quotes from the Buddha. #yongkevthoughts

  So I am told by the elderly, that volunteering to enlist for World War 2 in the mid 20th century was seen as obligatory by most to do their duty to nation and society - but in those times it was also an exciting adventure like opportunity to see the World.  Millennials, Gen Z and those following behind the Baby Boomers have had peacetime opportunity to explore overseas without the accompanying dangers of battle. We have been given authority like advice on the health risks of eating eggs, desired blood pressure points and the benefits of health supplements.  Dissenting voices now appear in cyberspace to counter or modify such advice.  Every one has an individual uniqueness health wise - and to be subject to population averages can be missing the mark. Many of us must have reflected on the serious loyalty and passion of sitting down to watch and hear the news telecast.   As the internet liberated the expression of and accessibility to information, it has ...

Binary numbers led to the way of automated and intelligent software. The media quotes numbers to affect our senses - how much our investments have grown or been reduced, the amount of ingredients in our nutrition, knowledge of parameters measuring our society and how we can visualise and realise our personal dreams.  Numbers can be the true universal language.  We have hand wearables that spew out numbers on how our physical bodies are performing.  The calendar has facilitated time management, appointments and project planning.  We reflect on anniversaries and the march of numbers has been the ever reliable quiet partner of progress.  Truly each of us are identifiable by numbers, whether in cyberspace, the devices we register with like mobile phones, government management of its citizens and other residents, our title deeds, financial assets or liabilities or more.  Banking is indeed a trove, game and use of numbers.  Whether it is based on blockchain,...