Penang Char Koay Teow - Fallacies, Mislabels and Essentials

Sydney can be lovely, but I do miss authentic Penang Char Koay Teow, which I must emphasise is a Hokkien or Fujian or Chiuzhou street food delight and not a Straits Chinese or Nyonya dish.CKT, or literally stir fried rice noodles, has humble origins, prepared only when you are ready to eat and makes use of the experience and skills of the ladle stirrer, cooked on a well fortified metal contraption that has been seasoned and heated through the years.  Ideally, charcoal fire is best to bring out the taste and texture of this dish.Those rice noodles prepared several hours ago and served from a hot plate at food courts or even some so called restaurants, do not qualify to be called Penang CKT.Whether you use more of dark soy sauce, or the lighter version, can be due to personal preference, but for Penangites, we do not serve the CKT looking well dosed with dark soy sauce, like in Singapore and Johor, where they have a dish called Orr Koay Teow.To deserve to be called Penang CKT, the following must be observed.The stir fry narrow rice noodles have a caramelised bite to them.Dark soy sauce does not permeate the dish, but oyster and light soy sauces are used with a finesse.There is an appetising  sensation of wok heat when the dish is served.The strength of chillies or chilli paste used do not over whelm the essential taste of this dish.Even for basic versions found in Penang, there are Chinese chives, small slices of Lap Cheong or Cantonese sausage, several small prawns, bean sprouts, shucked cockles, thin fish cake slices and scrambled eggs.Do not fall however for the hype of fancy seafood like a few scallops or king prawns thrown into the mix.Oh yes, the outcome of eggs well stirred with the rice noodles in a quality Penang CKT is most significant.   Whether the dish served to you makes the grade depends on the mastery of how the chef combines the right texture of scrambled eggs with the optimal bite of the rice noodles.Hen eggs will do and duck eggs can be used for other recipes.There is no need to have flourish by the chef dancing around his or her wok, but another test is the aroma swelling up in your nostrils even before when the dish is ready.   You can literally follow your nose to the right coffee shop with a yummy Penang CKT on the island.The source of the flavour or aroma may not be too encouraging for the fastidiously health conscious.  It is the basic pork lard bits that set the tone for the caramelisation of a yummy Penang CKT dish  -  think of Prosciutto strips used to get the Italian dish going.   Pork is considered non- Kosher or Haram and so you may come across non pork lard versions especially in Muslim majority Malaysia.You can get yummy versions in Penang from an equivalent range of Aud 2 to 4 per serve, cheaper than a cup of barista made coffee.In comfy hotel surroundings with attentive staff, you can have yourPenang Char Koay Teow in Malaysia for an average price of Aud 12 per plate.In Australian capital cities, there can be hype in the pricing and making of street food like Penang CKT.   In Canberra, I have come across a basic version priced at Aud 23, and a joint in Haymarket, Sydney offers the dish for as high as Aud 33 per plate with some King Prawns.Penang CKT is recognised as an iconic dish of the island.It is intertwined with childhood memories, comforting moments and a unique persona.   It can be breakfast, supper or lunch.  It is the little reward after a long day's work, over coming a challenge or just an excuse to gather with family or mates.It is not the vehicle to drive excessive profit margins, even if I appreciate the costs of rental and labour in today's food retail.  Never fall for Penang CKT sellers who charge more for adding in seafood or so called market expensive ingredients.If the plate served to you consists of limp noodles, looks so dark and is obviously not made fresh five minutes ago, reject it immediately, as it is not Penang CKT.

A Sort of Christmas Message

CHRISTMAS 2019

My long time gardener, Glenn, has moved on to different pursuits.   I have cut down the stocks at my home food pantry  - in fact, I even managed to change my 

day-to-day nutrition, on a consistent basis, for some time now.    There seems to be more choice in contemporary society, but it has not meant a rise in in the quality of what has been offered.   The fish in my home tank are weary hardy, continuing to do their swims, both horizontal wise and vertically, providing me, still, with some measure of inspiration.

The 90 minute long commute by train to the Sydney Basin gets increasingly crowded.  Some commuters selfishly continue to prevent others from sitting next to them on three seat rows.  Those who deserve seats for a rather long commute have to stand or ask the more able to move over.   Occasionally, there are signs of human civility in public but ethical standards are lowering or people are not talking at all to each other but staring at their portable screens.

Such train rides are useful real life laboratories that showcase the best or worst of human behaviour.

I still drop by to visit specific neighbours once a week, maintaining our friendship face to face.   Mates observe that there is more gusto in my step.   There have been scandals and minor dramas in my resident village, but such is the vibe of human habitation.    Yet there is so easy communication with the world beyond my village.

Once again, I came across iced landscapes, hazy skies and little rainfall.   Bondi,Watsons Bayand North Sydney returned to my life with getaways and chill outs with good mates.   I loved walking at twilight at these places, feeling the outdoors, appreciating the changing ambiance and enjoying the company.

The persistent ageing of infrastructure in my adopted city was punctuated by the opening of a gleaming new metro line not far from my previous suburb, but it can still be disheartening to have to put up with the quality of the rest of public facilities.     Public toilets are not kept clean, a shame that Australian attitudes bear when compared to what we find in Japan, Singapore and China.  What a visitor first sees – the airport, main rail stations and roadsides with litter for example - can be embedded in their impressions no matter what the related excuse is.   

Eating out has cost more this past year, no matter what the inflation statistics issued by Canberra tell me.   What was originally street food is now charged by some at exorbitant prices. There are more barista styled cafes in the Illawarra  - does that mean there are more coffee drinkers?   

Restaurants that are not top class can still put up minimum spend requirements on customers. Specific eating outlets, churning out food that are not particularly inspiring, can still impose limits on the length of time you occupy a table, as the owners insist on having three revenue sessions per evening.   Yum charestaurant cashiers can unashamedly ask for tips when you pay the bill.   Wait staff can carry fancy laptops to take your order but may not be sufficiently well trained when interacting with customers.   The personal space between meal tables can get too close when operators pay expensive rents.   China town in Haymarket is dominated by other demographics and cuisine  - no longer Cantonese.    The food business is still pockmarked by underpayment to staff, lots of hype and high rental costs.

Commercial food in parts of the Sydney Basin became more East Asian, highlighted by such exotics like Mala Tang(spicy numbing soups) and more outlets of bubble tea and Taiwan dessert.    I seem to consume more east Asian, Greek and Italian culinary instead of my intended favourites of Spanish,  Sri Lankan and Serbian.     Oh yes, there were several occasions of savouring those Portuguese custard tarts and sashimi.

Hong Kong Palace, first Cantonese restaurant of some standard in my region closed down after several months.   There have been recent closures of my other fav restaurants  - Botolliin Burwood, Cornersmithin Marrickville, Sha Keein Woollaware, Costa Azzurain Fairy Meadow.     Yet at the same time, I rediscovered the inherent joys of crafted cheese in Sydney’s Shire, fusion at BillsBondi, contemporary styled Korean bakeries in Eastwood and home cooking.

Has the outside world become more risky and dangerous?   Every generation of Earth time has faced its peculiar set of scenarios.  Mankind may have been good at bettering technology, but has to improve in acting beyond both individual and collective selfish egos and narrow mindsets.   Every news event can be boiled down to this inherent cause.    We are not unique, we are just an animal species that got real lucky in competition with other life forms.  

The balance of power amongst nations has shifted.  Managing this optimally requires visionary leadership, sufficient time and new ideas.   Perhaps the more things change, the more remains the same.   May I wish you and family the best of this festive season.

Kindly Yours,

Kevin Yong 

If You Are Relocating

As the contemporary world offers continued mobility, physical entry across national borders also face increasing restrictions. Yet technology frees up such constrictions across the world while at the same time provides greater control within a country.

The human spirit thrives on migration - across economic, spiritual, intellectual, cultural, political and military platforms.

On the cusp of 2020, would you leave where you have grown up or stayed for so long to move to another part of the world?

Would you consider relocating to a so called remote part of Earth, seemingly far from most of humankind's problems, or still prefer to be close to world centres of activity?

We see that the apple falls near the tree, but so do lemons. Centuries of human attachment to a place of heritage, whether as an individual or community, are still challenged by the vibes, reality and consequences of invasion, discrimination, oppression and economic disadvantage.

If you had to select a different nation to move to in the next 12 months, what criteria would you utilise?

1. Economic opportunity and improvement at the personal and family level.

2. A more innovative mindset in business, education and social order.

3. Less chance of personal involvement in warfare.

4. Less risks of experiencing violence in the community, whether through better social relationships, less access to weapons or due to better cultural bonds.

5. Better quality of health care.

6. Relevance to the preferred cultural and religious environment.

7. Higher emphasis on kindness, shared values and pastoral care in society.

8. Lifestyle requirements, for example, in choice of climate, more urbanised environments, countryside access, eco friendly regimes or commuting arrangements.

9. The level of personal expression and rights as allowed by authorities.

10. The pace of social infrastructure developments and responsiveness in community affairs.

11. Continuing relationship with and access to original country.

12. The quality of technological facilities and enablers.

#yongkevthoughts

In the Event of War, for Australia

In the event of war, how would Australia possibly be affected?

The natural resources of Western Australia come to mind. Would a foreign power eye and corral this rich bed of minerals which Nature has endowed upon this land, particularly in the State's north and centre?

The significant numbers of tertiary students paying full fees to our universities cannot be under estimated in times of military conflict. Will they be recalled home, dabble in political matters here or remain neutral in a time of war?

The extensive coastlines in our nation's north can become more vulnerable and risky, especially when not many of our naval, land and air forces are based there, apart from Darwin.

Will there be questions raised about naturalised Australians who come from diverse multi-cultural backgrounds, or will they be embraced for political loyalty?

Will Australia have adequate and relevant types of military equipment in a holistic sense, especially in relation to our smaller population? Can we measure up in defending ourselves to manage cyber wars, ensure protection of our energy requirements, or have enough food stockpiles and fuel?

Do Canberra and the states have a sufficient strategic plan to protect the interests of Australia first, as compared to how Australia joined wars historically to fight proxy wars for other aligned nations?

Will Australia fight for ideology, in places far from home?

Will parts of Australia become battle grounds to serve the interests of other powers, instead of its own?

#yongkevthoughts

Passing Thoughts Too

Perfumes and aromatics used to be found only in uptown counters of elegant retail outlets. Now they are also sold in warehouse environments.

There was an opportunity to develop, practise and enjoy the art of conversation when using the phone. Now misspellings, acronyms and graphics are used for instant communication.

A beauty of a business starts to go downhill when the fancy exceeds the substance, when the greed subsides the inspiration and when demand is taken for granted.

The masses can only suffer so long, before the heavens churn to bring in a new order in human society.

Soon customers will no longer mind paying more for services which interact with just human beings.

Try to be like Earth's Moon, consistently reflecting the light when you can, even if others choose to harp over the dark side, for which you have no say in.

Uniqueness can be celebrated if they bring positive outcomes. The herd mentality can be consuming, addictive and falsely comforting.

Approach is everything.

Run when you can, even when you just smell the hint of a train wreck in the air.

Having too much choice can be a prison unto itself. A purposeful structure in life can be rewarding.

#yongkevthoughts

The News

What the news media ignores, or omits. For example, how strong those umbrellas are folded out and used in street protests in Hong Kong. I wonder who manufactures them.

How news can be repeated throughout the day, whether anyone is tuning in or paying any attention to them.

How sensational news is prioritised over good news.

How advertorials continue to be blatantly pushed through in news items, without respecting the intelligence of the recipient.

How breakfast shows can thrive with the unimportant, the trivial and in rush hour of early morning.

Why there is a proliferation of read news at set times of the day or night, when the public wants to be able to access the news at their own leisure.

How the agendas of broadcasters and web site publishers reinforce the attitudes and mindsets of people who already think alike, instead of opening their mindsets.

How news can be faked, how authentic news can be twisted, and how facts can be selectively argued.

How news can be emphasised according to culture, lifestyle and ignorance of the target audience.

How local news still dominates in a more globalised and inter-dependent world.

How broadcast news just increasingly makes us listen to what we want to hear anyway.

How news is often seen or interpreted through the goggles of the political spectrum.

How personal opinion is presented as news.

How news is withheld, crafted or selected.

#yongkevthoughts

Advertisements

Advertisements!

Are they the bane of website readers or media viewers, forced upon us, or allowed to be skipped, whether on a You Tube vid or during the finale of a sporting event or more.

Commercial parties with large funding ability still churn out so called unique editions of ads aimed at millions of potential viewers, presumed all tuning in at the same moment. This defies the ability of target consumers to view at their own leisure, on separate media platforms and on reshared channels.

Do advertisements work by playing on our emotions when purchasing the products or services focused on? Do our products really live up to the hype of the emotion suggested in the ads?

What have advertisements become?

Customers can get turned off when the marketing and selling are put in their face. So subtleness and indirect influence have begun to be utilised, hiding behind other formats.

Advertorials now appear more often on so called news bulletins, especially when there is nothing much to report for the day. The most blatant use of such techniques is evident on breakfast shows, whether visual or audio. Advertorial techniques are also increasingly used by You Tubers sponsored by undisclosed or transparently mentioned sponsors.

Businesses are therefore using celebrity social media stars to help sell.

This approach combines the power of fan obsession, feel good experience and apparent independent validation of services or products in cyberspace.

There was a time when unsuspecting party goers were interacting with cool dudes or charming gals planted by sponsors to promote things. The trick by these paid influencers was to not make your target market feel they were directly being influenced.

Every one loves to have a pleasant experience. Applying psychology is a significant tool in sales techniques. The art of the successful deal is not just to persuade new buyers to try, but to obtain customers satisfied sufficiently and willingly to return to buy.

So one may reckon that returning customers are surely rewarded. No, the pressure by contemporary businesses these days seems to achieve results by getting new customer numbers, instead of showing appreciation to existing and retained loyal customers.

This churn technique can stress out staff who have to sell more and obtain new names of customers. Sectors involved in this manner are banking, utilities, telecommunications, direct selling, travel, education and more - it permeates the daily life of modern society.

Indirect advertorials can appear as well in feedback by rating agencies, social media opinions, hype of so called public opinion, fake news campaigns and reinforcement campaigns by parties targeting on groups of people who think alike.The level of trust for advertisements can vary. 

Together with the current lowering of respect for society's institutions like banking, government and more, how can marketing and sales move beyond the well and tired ad, in whatever form they come from?

Having catchy, unconventional and humorous ads may no longer have their desired effect. Visual repetition was thought to create indirect, hypnotic suggestions for people to try a product or service.

In the end, the quality, consistency and practicality of your product or service and pist sale customer engagement continue to be most critical. Do not underestimate your market to not identify a lemon in the long run.

Do not fool your customers, when interacting with them, with a reality far removed from the promise of your ad.

#yongkevthoughts

That Hand Held Device

Do we change smart phone, computer and electronic screen models and pads more often than our smartest wardrobe?

At the end of each calendar year, the major electronic screen device makers launch new models, new shows, new buzz.    Software and App providers add more fancy and content to ensure we require more operating power and capacity to run them.   Screen devices have become more useful to capture, send and store images rather than be used for oral communication. 

Don't we text or image more than talk to other people in our daily lives?  Each of us listens more attentively to the ting from a software App than from a telephone ring. 

We cannot help to check our electronic devices several times a day, as we store and rely more on that hand held gadget more than on a physical folder, the desktop or our bag.   We can access daily used information on that small device that increasingly costs more than the rate of inflation each year.   When we travel, we only need a passport and a mobile phone  - the travel ticket, money wallets and any other documentation are electronically stored on that hand held screen.

When we cross barriers, whether they are airport checks or transport fares, increasingly all we need to do is tap with our smart phone.  So called Millennials do not pack much when they roam, around the world on business or leisure  - and demand more enabling screen devices.   Commercial businesses do not ask for paper copies, only screen versions.

Human kind loves to adopt the fusion of our flesh, blood and mind to artificial intelligent machines, not just for health, but for all aspects of the life cycle - buying, selling, entertainment, communication, mobility, hired help, financial transactions and more.

We do rely more on the energy needed to run Apps, bluetooth, Wi-Fi and linking the internet of things.   

Do we pause to think about the resources utilised to make new models, new equipment and new features?

What happens to the increasing mountain of discarded models, some as new as only two years old?

It is more captivating and fun to check the contents of your hand held device than to go through a file of papers. 

#yongkevthoughts

More Than A Train Ride

Yesterday afternoon, I had a most unexpected catch up with an ex colleague on the train from Sutherland.

It was positively delightful. It was encouraging. We smiled.

We eased off our own separate individual concerns for the day. It was something that money cannot buy.

Fortunately it was not a quiet carriage that we were sitting in.

Scott and I quickly got in to easy conversation, even if we have not caught up for a few years. We talked of over coming challenges that crop up inevitably in our career and personal timelines. 

I learned how Scott transformed and changed whatever recent lemons were thrown his way. He spoke of how his young family adapted and supported the things he had to do to navigate from a discouraging environment to one where now he finds he can optimally practise his professional passion with engaging work team members and bosses.

He had to make sacrifices along the way but he never wavered. On a 50 minute train ride, I was inspired, moved and became stronger myself. What positive building energy was he transferring to me...

We do unexpectedly meet angels in surprising forms. I have learnt more than ever to not take such encounters for granted. They can fly in and touch your inner heart when I was not expecting any thing uplifting.

Throughout it all, I was reminded of the personal strengths and inner attitudes that Scott always possessed, from the first day I got to know him. Life is a journey for each of us to navigate, but it is made better by people like him.

Lurking Dangers In Over Using Cyberspace

There is nothing free for convenient access to Apps and information from the Web.

Something is taken by us inevitably for something else seemingly so amazingly without cost.

How much of yourself are you willing to give up, and how much of this can come back to bite you?    It is not just privacy, integrity, dependency, addiction and vulnerability that we are at risk of. There are health risks with over use of eyes and slack posture when dealing with mobile and desktop devices.

Human invented tech and devices have shown a long track record of being abused and misused, apart from bringing benefits.    The inter-connectivity of various smart devices can amplify the risks arising from just using one. 

On the other hand, it is not a zero sum game between us individuals and the powers that rule us in cyberspace.   The latter obviously make use of us, but how can we make use of them as well?   As with any danger, the first step is to realise and acknowledge. 

Then comes the greatest risk of all, to do nothing on our part. I observe users and the media continue to wallow in known risks, but carry on irregardless of the progress of the dangers posed. 

We continue to add more Apps, get reminders to update systems, rely on data tracking websites in our daily lives and get distracted by fancy gadgets which can work on the basis that they did not fully tell us the truth.

Our individual relaxation, commercial and usage patterns begin to be controlled by forces we normally do not want to be acquainted with.  Just like news of drug busts by authorities, the frequency of data hacking on a massive scale shows that reported incidents are really just the tip of the iceberg of events.   

Don't you want back a world which does not know so much of your identity, inner thoughts, activities and joy? 

Don't you want a world where aggressive, greedy and fraudulent intentions cannot continue so much to exploit you?

I have read unrequited, unnecessary, sensational and divisive comments, information and feedback on social media.   

A good first step in responding to this dangerous world is to moderate use of the mechanisms by which we are being exploited.

Use less Apps, less internet search engines, less storage mechanisms that deliver convenience but can disappear in the Cloud.   Always back up critical and significantly important data elsewhere in non-digital form.

Diversify your usage, storage, identity and communication activity across all fronts and do not put all your proverbial eggs in one basket. Over dependence can lead to obsession and higher risks.

Balance your lifestyle away from over interactions with machines, artificial intelligence and robots to deal more with humans and Nature.

Increase the use of your own brain, thinking and intelligence in various aspects of your own life.

Increase your self realisation and recognition of hype in the promotion of more products, newer models and temporary fun on a regular basis.

Where possible, go direct to the source of information and assistance. Be wary of middle parties and brokers lurking in cyberspace.

Get more healthy sensations elsewhere instead of overly depending on wi-fi. 

Feel the love of your pet, look up to the sky, just talk with family and friends face to face or learn a craft, instead of constantly just pressing our thumbs on electronic devices.

Plant something natural, watch it grow and enjoy its harvests. 

I assure you the experience can be better than keeping track of the number of likes on an App.

Always be mindful that cyberspace tech is a tool to be utilised by us - and not the other way around.


#yongkevthoughts

Go Back Where I Came From, Walk Together Where We Can Move Forward

In Australia, so far, I have never been told off to go back where I came from.

When asked politely where I came from, I often say Epping NSW - and then I get a quiet shock that this cannot be, on the part of the questioner.

There can be this unnerving but not intended to be rude perception that one cannot be from a place outside of stereotyped convention.

While I was back packing through Vietnam, I was approached on several occasions by the locals if I was an overseas returned Vietnamese guy. When I replied that I was from Australia, they winced in half disbelief.

In societies with populations of diverse backgrounds in the 21st century, it is important to recognise the separation between citizenship, residency, ethnicity and nationality - and celebrate the shared humanity in each of us, no matter where we were born.

Malaysians have been told by their own fellow citizens in their own country to go back where they came from, so Trump's remark is not original - and echoes a malaise, paranoia and aggression that some have in not recognising that each of us do have roots from somewhere else, it all depends on how far back one scratches. Usually such blatant attitudes in asking specific groups or individuals to go back and not linger around are based on political agendas and highly lacking in sophistication.

Europeans are a result of the mix of African, Middle Eastern and Central Asian DNA. Indigenous Americans are said to have been arrivals from eastern Asia. Japanese are claimed to be descendents of migratory groups from the Asian mainland. And yes, a long, long time ago.

In all this huha of picking off people to go back to where they came from, an important consideration is missed - where are you and I going forward together?

#yongkevhoughts

What I Miss When Grocery Shopping

Who decides what product to pull off the shelf at our grocery stores?

It can be disappointing to customers, but it looks like as big business grows even larger, there can be a disconnect between what makes a customer happy and the decisions made behind the scenes based on macro factors, artificial intelligent analysis and shareholder returns.

The live local and slow food movement has supply decisions based on a lot of customer interaction, but what we see from huge and impersonal corporate decisions makes me frustrated at how difficult it is to still have access to products I love.

The upside for me is spending less time and purchases at retail stores that are out of sync with what I like to buy. Even contacting directly with the makers of such products can be of no help, as some inform me that they only deal with wholesalers. The relentless push to drive big margins and ever higher returns can be devastating but that is how contemporary capitalism seems to thrive on.

So here is a reflection of what I have missed, since they are no longer produced or so hard to get these days. They may not all be healthy to consume, but there was a sentimental connection. I reluctantly say Adieu to:

1. Red labelled malt Milo beverage powder.

2. Kitchen rolls that have a better strength and texture.

3. Fresh milk without additives and fancy labelling.

4. Red Tractor Oats with Omega 3.

5. Fresh fruits and veg that are irregularly shaped and sized - and have more character and taste than robot like same sized versions.

6. Bread loaves without unnecessary supplements, preservatives and artificial taste.

7. Eggs that are naturally sized and which do not defy nature.

8. Corn chips that still have taste despite not having added sugar and salt.

9. Juices that are not overhyped with promises that cannot be kept.

10. Products with less or unnecessary plastic packaging.

#yongkevthoughts

Our Obsessions and Addictions in Contemporary Society

Significant Addictions on the cusp of 2020

They used to be excessive consumption of grass, alcohol, gambling, sugar and porn. Many remain as issues for many individuals. 

As we approach the third decade of the 21st century, what do you observe and acknowledge as serious manifestations of other significant addictions affecting perhaps yourself, family members, your community and society going forward?

1. Screen addiction. It used to be free with broadcast TV, but binge interaction with cyberspace delivered screens now has a monthly bill, perhaps costing more than getting clean water supply. The effectiveness of smart phone apps, including streaming to watch at any time, to keep anyone hunched over a device for many hours is not to be underestimated.

2. Preoccupation with and overuse of specific obsessions. The art of moderation is increasingly lost, whether with the use of opioids, dependency on manufactured and processed foods or foods that are high in fat but induce a high level of flavours.

3. Sitting down too much, with valid reasons for doing so. This practice does inevitably come with long commutes, work requirements and contemporary lifestyles. The easy access to household equipment has long freed up discretionary hours for many in developed economies.

4. The rising utilisation of unhealthy ingredients and dangerous chemicals to earn more fast bucks by businesses. This is linked to another significant trend by manufacturers, the intended under disclosure or omission of details on labelling.

5. The taking up of more extreme and intransigent views by politicians and social groups. After a period of relative political correctness and liberal democratic thoughts, human society is evolving once more in how they organise themselves. Herd following in thought and politics seems to have increased despite the attraction of independent thinking.

6. There is a rise in expectations for operational autonomy in more aspects of our daily routine. In the process, we rely more on unseen software and reckon we have a higher level of personal independence. In reality, each of us can be more subject to hidden forces, uncontrolled authority, more risks and much less privacy.
Driverless transport, drone enabled delivery, robotic relationships and audioless communication all look exciting but do exert a hidden cost.

7. The shortsightedness in governance of many nations, cities, companies and communities has become too obvious, especially in several so called democratic nations. The emphasised focus on short term planning, rewards, returns and performance, to the detriment of other things, is a significant requirement by shareholders, voters and stakeholders.

8. There is a lowering of personal patience, a rise in the need for quick personal gratification and a rise in the levels of attention deficit. You can see this easily manifested in social media, road outrage, behaviour on public transport, attacks on health personnel and drug addiction.

9. There is a continued rise in misuse of both financial and non-financial resources by individuals and groups in positions of authority. Power begets more power and access to act more boldly, that is the sad mindset of human beings at its worst.

10. The argument that offenders can be excused for reasons of poor mental health is often used in the courts. What more balanced attention can we offer more to victims of crime instead?

#yongkevthoughts

Key Risks for Australia's Security

What do you reckon are the key threats to Australian security as a nation?

In the mist of walking through the hype of different agendas of different factions, let us examine some realities.

1. Why countries were invaded in history includes diversion away from the internal problems facing the leaders of invading armies. Will Australia play into the hands of such ploys?

2 Interference in the internal affairs of foreign nations. The penchant of western societies to criticise other countries for alleged and real breaches in human rights and democratic practices can trigger flashpoints in international relations.

3. Significant decreases in the technological, military and economic power of Australia. Unlike post World War 2, competition stakes have shot up. The largest buyers of arms in the world are all in Asia, a region which the largest island nation is located so close to. Australia is increasingly seen as a place to dig out unprocessed raw materials. It has not sufficiently developed its futuristic sectors to be on the leading edge, unlike the USA, China, Germany, Israel and Japan.

4. Socio-political drivers and religious expansion from other cultures can be a two edged sword for Australia, depending on whose views you ask for.

Western colonisation from the 16th to the 20th centuries was driven by powerful trade, religious and political interplay. The relatively generous migration opportunity offered by Australia to diverse races and religions is a remarkable contrast to relatively closed immigration policies of other nations.
When small South Pacific nations face issues on sea level rise, lack of infrastructure and maintaining their economic growth, Australia no longer holds the monopoly for influence. The Pacific is bordered by other nations like Canada, China, New Zealand and Japan. 

5. Loss of leadership and influence by Australia for neighbouring nations.

South-east Asia is a complex tapestry of religious, political and economic competition. Australian troops sacrificed to stop the tide of Communism there but that has been mostly forgotten in the countries so saved.

6. The temptation to invade Australia to exploit its natural resources. The Imperial Japanese army invaded China and south east Asia last century to expand access to natural and food resources, apart from acquiring territory for a pan Asiatic empire.

7. Climate deterioration in Australia, including drought, loss of arable land and increased vulnerability to inclement weather. Such a scenario adds to the stable of threats within Australia, instead of the usual harping of threats from outside the country.

8. The lack of a viable core population to defend Australia's vast borders. The continuing focus on protecting more of Australia's southern states, instead of its northern coastline, can be due to climatic, population and economic factors, but strategic reality cannot be denied.

9. Burgeoning populations of nearby countries, especially when their cultural make up is so different and Australia is such an empty land with a total current population less than for greater Jakarta.

10. Australia not maturing to a stand independent from allied nations in the past.  

Risks grow when previous strong allies have shown a remarkable record of utilising Australia and its forces for proxy wars.

#yongkevthoughts

Heading Into the Year 2020

As the world hurls to 2020, what are the significant impact matters that can churn the economy, cause social grief and affect key things in our life that we may have taken for granted so far?
History has always been an account of tensions and conflict between conservatives and progressives, between the haves and have nots and between those with superior technology and those without.
Wars have been fought in the name of religion, control of financial interests, ideological beliefs and the alliance of manipulative politics.
The greater movement of populations, the increased power of captured analytical information, more powerful military means and a shift in world power patterns have however changed the strategic game.
Yet our world is still divided into nations, a system perhaps outdated by commercial expansion, technology dominance and heightened means of mobility.
Cultural imperatives continue to complicate the progress of mankind to cooperate on a holistic platform instead of on the usual competitive tribal basis. Such cultural factors range across strongly held views on wealth dominance, political structures, racial silos and social order.
Some hotspots arise from historical dilemmas. Others are rooted in rising or changed expectations. Yet some issues arise because of significant wealth redistributions and therefore real shifts of power held. The hold of Western dominance has changed - but at the same time deep historical conflicts have not been resolved.
The world has not weaned off its insatiable appetite for petroleum.
Nations may not be fully prepared for the consequences of over utilising other Earthly resources in the quest for ever increasing economic and population growth. Decimation of non-human species continues relentlessly with deforestation, spread of falsity in communication and misuse of technology.
My list of suggested most risky features for the world include:
1. The inability to optimally manage aging societies in places like Europe, Japan, China, Australia, the USA and
Singapore.
2. The continuing denial and lack of sufficient action by the powers that be of mankind's significant negative impact on Mothership Earth.
3. The misuse of evolving new techology for greater control of and enhancing greater addiction by the masses.
4. Religious, cultural and tribal conflicts that continue to create havoc, economic slowdowns and lower quality of life for the people and lands inflicted by such malaise.
4. The pain of adjustments and changes to the current pattern of political systems and control.
5. The multiracial and diverse populations of several countries can pose both opportunity or conflict.
6. Nations that do not transform their economies in a brave new world are going to be left behind.
7. Conflicts can now be conducted between nations on many fronts. They can be far from just battling warships, aircraft and landed troops.
8. After a period of liberalisation, several nations increasingly begin to look inward for strengthened political, economic and cultural resilience.
Brexit, continuing corruption, political bullying, rising nationalism, carbon footprints left by increased air travel, racism, increased sea levels, rising impersonalisation, tariff wars, engineered elections and negative air pollution are just examples of the symptoms.
What is the world collectively doing about the causes of its major problems? What can you, as an individual, help to mitigate them?
#yongkevthoughts

Still Thankful For

The grass has obviously dried up.Lamb prices have shot up, perhaps more than the costs of commercial child care, aged care and vet services.  Retail is not selling as much as before, the roads are more traffic congested and inflation as usual bites more in reality than as reported.Loading speeds for the internet are uncompetitive. Near monopolies exist for key service providers on many fronts in Australia. Public infrastructure has to be renewed.So what is going right?
1. There are more choices in supermarket products and prices.
2. There is more activity after dark in city centres and specific suburbs across Australia.
3. The sky is still blue and the beaches clean all over this vast island nation.
4. The variety of cuisines available in a country of such diverse populations is so unmatched.
5. The wisdom of our town planners cannot be under appreciated when they ensured green space, outdoor venues and public transport for our communities.
6. Medicare has sustained the quality of public health care for common ailments.
7. The right to express one's opinions is still enough, although challenges and threats have arisen in this space.
8. Safety levels for individuals for the most part have been maintained, although we recognise indents made, especially in road driving conditions, after hours and in breaches of privacy.
9. It is so easy to communicate, only the unwillingness to do so is the barrier.
10. We have learned to be more cynical and not so trusting, but in a wise way. This has been a good outcome against scams, fake news, over the top marketing, double speak by politicians and the lack of regulation.
#yongkevthoughts

Da Orlando Italian, Wollongong NSW

The owner's name is Orlando.  The restaurant has a family like setting in a light industrial area along an extended Keira Street just maybe ten to 15 minutes stroll south of Wollongong City Centre and its main rail station.  Nearby are Delaney's , an institution of a cake shop for the region, a BP station and Europa, a reliable supplier of eastern European groceries that I use.


Is the cooking style from Rome?    The popular item is freshly fired pizza, with toppings from Margarita to veg to meat, attracting many take aways and delivery runs.  One can see the wood fired stove immediately in front of the entrance.  The venue provides some outdoor seating, but the internal tables are often packed at every meal time.  Da Orlando is open every day now, after a few years of operations.  Vehicle parking is street side, with the restaurant a hub of lit buzz on evenings when the neighbours only open for the day, due to the inherent nature of their businesses.

It is a pleasure to see another culinary outlet do well in a region with not more than perhaps 300,000 people, an area south of Sydney that attracts residential lifestyle whilst the money is made in the Big Smoke up north.  Parents may come home from Sydney side and find no time to cook for the family, so off they go to Da Orlando.  The menu has remained relatively unchanged all this time, and this can apply even to the black board items.   Diners sit snugly with tables of various sizes and the staff has also remained not much changed.

Italian culinary, I believe, is meant to be shared with mates and family.   The rich nature of its sauces, its creams and  its toppings make it more sensible and a pleasure to partake them communally.   You may not want to be stuck with just a huge size pizza unless you are hungry or still growing up fast.   Diners do take pizzas here as their mains but i prefer some variety in degustation.   I must say the pizzas at Da Orlando are consistently rewarding.


Often when we arrive, Remmie is there, busy with customers or behind the counter.     There is also Molly who used to work at uni and is now pursuing a wholesome degree.  There is the hard working young man with light hair who usually takes our orders and arranges the wine.   The walls of the dining hall are graced with posters and photographs suggesting of the old country. 

Favoured entrees are Arancini and Gnocchi.   The former offering, literally referring to "little oranges", are filled with a gratifying yummy risotto still warm inside, with the outer skin dark brown and almost crispy.  Three are served on a plate for starters.   The former are like dew droplets to tease the appetite  -  they are not my favourite but are served with a sauce that does get us going.


I am always happy with two particular mains at Da Orlando.  I have a soft spot for their Linguine Fruits of the Sea, presented with a heady mix of rich tomato sauce, and for a comparatively lighter option, their Penne with chicken pesto.
Both dishes could not be so different, and yet complete a delightful experience.

Wollongong is a town with several Italian restaurants of note.  
I like the Pecorino cheesewheel pasta at Cin Cin in Thirroul; 
look forward to the pizzas crafted at Pizzeria 50 in downtown Wollongong and Gambino's in Fairy Meadow; and love the scenery looking out from the North Beach Pavilion in North Wollongong Beach.  Servings are generous at the Costa Azzurra in Fairy Meadow and there is a community atmosphere at Cucinas along lower Crown Street in down town Wollongong.   


So there is much competition and choice for Wollongsiders as far as Italian fare is concerned.   Yet at most meal times, Da Orlando is packed with a happy buzz. The quality of their offerings is consistent, the service is quick and you do nicely bump into your mates at the place.My weakness here is for the Calzone packed tightly with Nutella choc spread, again best eaten to be shared with teenagers.  

There is a notable absence of meat dishes though, with the menu emphasising pizzas and pasta.   So what are my overall impressions of Da Orlando? 


Ambiance  8 out of ten
Taste  8 out of ten
Staff Engagement  8.5 out of ten
Culinary Variety 7.5 out of ten
X Factor   8 out of ten
Overall Score    8 out of ten


Da Orlando is located at 348 Keira Street, Wollongong NSW.