When You Next Eat Out

It is lovely when a food outlet has a staff member asking you how the meal went. This has been the practice in many mainstream establishments in the greater Sydney basin, but to observe it being carried out in a Chinese Malaysian culinary outlet recently was most welcome. 

On the other end of the spectrum is the increasing tendency of Chinese restaurants, whether for dinner or yum cha, to ask for tips when a customer pays the bill at the counter. The staff member unabashedly asks the customer in the face. We are not the USA. Customers are willing to pay tips but not when pressured. Tips given are a voluntary token of appreciation for good service, not to burden customers who already pay a higher average cost for dining or lunching in Australia.

Are the tips collected shared amongst all staff members working that day or evening, or are they scooped up by the boss owner?

And then there are now tips asked for in Uber services - are these for the driver with still a percentage cut for the company?

The restaurant trade is not easy to run and there are heavy rental and high labour costs in a market as small as Australia's. Food outlets do provide much appreciated employment and income for youngsters and young adults who are forced to work on a casual and part time basos, to pay for costs of living and study.

Many of the kitchen and wait staff who labour to provide us a satisfactory dining experience are said to not even receive the official minimum pay per hour, not to think of superannuation. 

The bane of many eating and food businesses are high costs of franchise, venue rental, renovation requirements in shopping centres and the seasonal nature of revenue spikes. Although some capital cities have become more vibrant at night, the absence of night shopping (except for one or two evenings a week) does not encourage regular daily dining revenues. 

The operational costs of cafes are set off by getting volume in coffee and quick breakfasts in early mornings. Very few cafes are open after sunset, except in family run businesses in immigrant suburbs.

So called fine dining places do charge more than a quid for creative and unusual dishes, a remarkable setting and with excellenr wait service ( with more than the question of how your meal went). Corporate and government credit cards do go to pay for such establishments, with the ultimate costs borne by business customers, taxpayers and a rising cost of living for all.

#yongkevthoughts

Wi-Fi Rules the World

How do you envisage an experience of a Wi-fi supply breakdown?

These seemingly invisible facilitators, as opposed to a more tangible scenario of water not coming out of taps or electricity cut off after a destructive storm, can provide frustration in every stage of a daily routine........especially if we have taken it for granted.

In a contemporary world where there are expectations of faster downloads, more dependencies on the internet of things and an overwhelming linkage of private lives to Wi-fi, it can be a truly felt personal shock when the Wi-fi supply is hijacked, not available or sold to you at monopolistic prices.

We have been gradually, relentlessly and unashamedly been nurtured to depend on Wi-fi as part of our lifestyle and aspirations.

Alarms, weather forecasts, home security, private viewing entertainment, operation of white goods like fridges and printers, information searches, education delivery, investment algorithms, news dissemination, communication channels and travel means rely on the workability of Wi-fi.

Ditto to cyberspace gaming, gambling, banking, transport enablers, on line purchasing and selling, military applications, medical transactions and access to public, private and commercial data.

Artificial intelligence, driverless mechanisms, robotic procedures and automated control processes only work if you have Wi-fi. Compare to the huge reliance on petroleum to operate motor vehicles. Is Wi-fi the new and more dangerous dependency?

Instant and flexible accessibility to what you need can be an over powering rationale for individual users to salute the benefits of Wi-fi. The most significant disadvantage on the other hand is the risks of power concentrated in the hands of Wi-fi suppliers.

An old adage is to never put all your eggs on one basket. Do you put all your hard earned monies in just one type of imvestment? No. Do you ensure your good health by just digesting one super pill? No. Do you utilise only one form of gym exercise to buff up your body? No.

Then why do we let our daily lives increasingly be controlled by Wi-fi? It is obvious there are immediate negative pyschologicall reactions when Wi-fi is cut off or becomes a controlled item.

Humans progressively make it easier to do things, that is the common thread of civilisation. However, there are hidden costs with each new invention, if not managed optimally. For example, social media makes it seem a breeze to be in contact with a network of people, even if you do not really talk with them. Social media makes it so efficient to share the bad and the ugly together with the good and encouraging.

The key is to find an optimal use and reliance on new tools and inventions. Machines and cars increased the quality of our lives, but we do not use or rely on them all the time. The dangers of Wi-fi are the easier addiction and relentless usage encouragers not seen before with use of other previous inventions. The pervasiveness of Wi-fi clearly means many seemingly simple processes do not work without Wi-fi.

Be honest with yourself. What makes you more upset and feeling disempowered, if you have a cut off of clean water, or fuel, or electricity or Wi-fi? Is your business not operable when there is no Wi-fi? Would you vote out a government which provides sub standard Wi-fi delivery? Would you pay more to be part of a select group of users having access to the most quick download and upload speeds? Would you pay a ransom if your Wi-fi was withheld by crimimals and political enemies?

Ten Nations, Ten Economies

China, USA, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Russia, Brazil, India and Indonesia - these forecasted biggest economies by 2050, in no particular order, as predicted by PwC, seem to have the largest populations as well, apart from the UK and Germany.

Three of them - USA, Russia and China - also have sizeable warfare capability.
At the same time, the current USA administration views China as a competitive threat in various fields, whether they be high tech, trading, political systems, economic capacity and more.

The USA has a strong network of military bases around the world but domestically its people deserve renewal and expansion of public infrastructure. China has currently only one military base on foreign soil and within and without China itself, has built up impressive transport links, including High Speed Rail links, contemporary bridges and new highways.

China spends much effort and funding on improving itself, thrives on its Confucian based educational system and emphasises on social order - while the USA is a huge arms supplier, does not renew for the future by replacing its core industries and has lots of freedom of expression.

The population disparity of the USA when compared with Russia and China adds to another dimension of analysis when more people have rising incomes. This implication echoes in market purchasing power, less reliance on overseas buyers, flexibility in economic growth and cultural pride.

Leadership in these three nations is determined differently - yet this is is a critical factor as to how the USA, China and Russia bear out in navigating their future path. The USA is a relatively young nation and was built by immigrants, when compared with the richer cultural and nationalistic traditions and heritage of Russia and China.

How will each of these three nations balance the all important pattern of strength of economy and power of political systems?

Germany seems to continue to be the financial leader of Europe in the 21st century. Historically, Europe has been a dramatic stage point of fierce militaristic contention. Russian, French, German, Austro-Hungarian and British forces have helped draw out the boundaries of the sub-continent today. The Middle East has influenced Europeans not only in the Rennaisance, but exported its religious, philosophical, scientific and cultural influences in a very regular and effective way.

How Germany deals with Russia as both economies lead this region in 2050 is important. Russia currently has a higher level of natural resources, economic growth potential and population than any other European country. Germany is a powerhouse of technology, scientific advancement and political leadership.

Yet Germany also finds itself at the interface between Christian and Muslim influences as it continues to enjoy its relatively better economic prosperity.

The UK is a shade of its once glorious dominance, which commenced when the sun set over its once world wide colonial empire. Still, it has developed a London centric financial hub, perhaps neglecting the economic future of the countryside, but attracting the skilled young from so many countries. The Royal Family provides a reliable institution to mesh with the checks and balances of its Westminster parliamentary system. 

Perhaps the stongest feature of the British economy is its relative openness to foreigners and foreign influences. This trait may be reduced when and if Brexit becomes a reality. Will Britain break up as a result of the consequences of Brexit? More certain is an economic downturn for Britain on its divorce from the EU.

Immigrants from its former colonies have added to the colour and vibrancy of its economy in the cities. The Industrial Revolution and the proceeds of colonial era trade laid very strong foundations tor the British economy. The important question is what the nation is investing for its future. Is it higher education, high tech or a reliable place to park and grow money?

Brazil will continue to be subject to socio-political instability risks as its demographics enjoy better wealth. How democracy can be modified or improved is yet to be seen even with better per capita incomes. Will the indigenous people within Brazil get a better life? The various demographics who live in Brazil will experience more expectations in the quality of life, as what we saw in China in the past three decades.

If history is to be repeated, better economic growth in Brazil can see more decimation of the forests, more upsets in the ecosystem and more financial inequities. Yet this is the opportunity for Portuguese speaking Brazil to provide a positive example to Latin American nations, even if the neighbours speak Spanish.

Mexico will be the powerhouse of Latin America. The nation has always been cast as the poorer cousin in North America, but has a pool of people more passionate to improve their lives. Crime, corruption and a big income gap have colluded to economically oppress the masses, together with a volatile and varying governing leadership. 

Emigration has offered a channel of relief, especially to other territories with a richer lifestyle and where people also speak Spanish. What the USA does is critical but the Mexican population, although less than that in the USA, is growing faster than their neighbour north across the border (Also reflect on Indonesian and Australian population parameters.)

Mexico relies on industries such as peteoleum, car manufacture, tourism, food, iron and steel plus consumer durables like clothes. It relies hugely on trade with the USA, Canada, Spain and Brazil. The country has to lift itself out from this profile as its economy grows - and it can be done with good leadership.

India does speak a variety of languages, including English, but is subject to nationalism risks and socio-political vulnerabilities. The nation is said to soon exceed the population of China, but how does the government harness the promise and talent of each individual? 

There is a significant diaspora of Indians, not only in south east Asia and south Africa, but also in the Western societies of the UK, Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand, plus in miscellaneous territories in the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Will this other talent pool also add to India's gigantic economic growth?

India has not developed the high degree of public infrastructure that China has. Whilst contemporary China downplays the role of religion, Indians place faith and prayer as part of every day life. 

India as a nation is a federated entity created by the departing colonials, and its variety of different cultural entities can be as varied as in Europe.

Japan was the original non European Boy Wonder in the 1970s, with its disciplined society, fascination and ability to implement effective processes, its powerful links between business and Government, a focussed educational system and a collective will to recover from its failed imperial military excesses. It is now a very mature economy, only with different work habits and attitudes from the Americans, but do share some of the positive charactetistics of the Germans.

Japan remains one of the few modern societies resistent to having large numbers of immigrants, apart from China, Pacific Ocean nations and several African states. It has prospered on maintaining a homogenous and unique culture and society. An aging society is forcing a rethink on such a policy, together with high pressures on the young in education and at work.

The economic growth of Japan has occured under the defence and military umbrella provided by the USA. When and if such arrangements end, the vulnerabilities of the Japanese islands can resurface. Japan's geopolitical position between the strategic and economic interests of China and the USA can be a two edged sword.

The rise of China has had ripple effects on Japan, when both cultures and nations has had intertwining relationships historically, in trade and in competition.

The mystery question for me is Indonesia, with an outsized population compared to its neighbours and subject to social and religious risks plus a huge income divide. Indonesia spreads across an archipelago of islands with room to grow in personal wealth and quality of life.

There are huge natural resources to utilise for thee masses instead of just for the just privileged and connected families. Risks of radicalisation continue to counter weigh against the benefits of growth. The military, religious leaders and a national consciousness are critical in propelling an optimal path for a growing economy.

Brazil, Mexico and India do not face the issues of declining populations in the next 30 years. The population size is only but one of the several factors promoting economic growth. Technology, governance stability, having strategic advantages, avoiding the damage from warfare, having insightful and progressive leadership, possessing unique natural and man made resources plus a political system that encourages innovation do help.