Blog 18th Anniversary: Changes That Crept Up

 What has changed in the nuances of daily life, surely creeping up gradually and suddenly becoming reality?

I do find the absence of complimentary napkins at food courts. I never had to bring any of mine when I first settled in Sydney. There was always the dutiful handing over of paper napkins with the utensils handed to you.

Nowadays, perhaps in the name of cost reduction or increase of marginal revenue, the food outlet operator gets very miserly about such handouts. Haha, the thought did cross my mind that in a required turnover business, saving costs, like from a missing olive from an aircraft drink, did accumulate to significant higher margins.

Pocket tissues are becoming useful in the ritual of work day lunches out at food courts and takeaway outlets.

Secondly, in the effort to reduce the usage of plastic, we are often now caught without a bag to hold our groceries, especially when we decide, off the cuff, to drop by at the supermarket.

Yet we can see the contradiction when plastic and other non-recyclables are still made available and utilised in every other scenario.

Thirdly, what happened to the previous practice of bringing our own eco-friendly coffee cup to our local barista?

There was a time, not too long ago, when such cups were proudly seen in the office and Saturday morning cafes. 

Number 4, an increasingly regimented traffic order has appeared on footpaths along the beach, when walkers share the way with cyclists and pets.

These paved ways are now marked with a required orderliness to manage the gusto and flow of human movement, especially at sunrise and sunset. 

Fifthly, watching streamed in movies or events on devices does not provide the thrill and joy of shared comaderie like in years past in a cinema hall or gathered around the family tv set.

The price paid for the convenience of anytime viewing is that the consumer is very alone when imbibing the passion, thrill and benefits from a presentation. Live staged events, never to be repeated or made available on various viewing channels, force audiences to share a unique collective togetherness. 

Number six, for a rather simple purpose, manufacturers have provided a rather inflated variety of toasters for our kitchen counter. The design of such devices has become monstrous and over the top with the corresponding prices requested. Top end models are too large, come in fancy colours and may look anything else than a toaster. Yet low end models continue to do the job and last as long.

Not a seventh heaven, the access to an overload of information does create a strong reaction in our individual pysche. Think of news, running figures of market performance and over kill in commentary of events. We need peace away from such constant feed of data and minute changes of analysis, unless we earn our keep or make our financial gains on churn, differences between buy and sell or constant monitoring and analysis.

Finally, we are now more than able to do everything just from one device, even if we are constantly on the move. There is this liberation revolution in lifestyle. We no longer require to have a physical wallet, office drawers and document pouches. Fashion gear or accesories become tools of communication, measurement and identification.

#yongkevthoughts

Blog 18th Anniversary - Oh Malaysia!

 Britain granted independence to Peninsular Malaya on 31 August 1957.  Here is one

of my previous write ups. 

As a child having a charmed life on Penang Island, this day was anticipated with much fanfare.  The lyrics of the National Anthem were reexamined in earnest.  Specials were screened at theatres and on telly.  No special cakes or delicacies were made though, even for a food obsessed society.

Neighbours did however come out in compounds to chat with each other.  English was still spoken with gusto - and everything Brit was still held with respect, much akin to parents in contemporary Malaysia still, having an embedded respect of university education in good reliable England.

I never questioned then what we were celebrating independence from. Sure, the history books said we were free from the yoke of imperialism, economic exploitation and rule by a foreign race.

But I could already enjoy the heritage of what Britain left behind in other positive aspects.  There was a Westminster based Parliamentary system.  We already had a royalty, from nine component states, left intact by colonial interests - in case anyone missed Queen Liz.  There were legal and governance systems already working in the Malayan Civil Service.

Transport infrastructure, education mechanisms and economic pillars were already well established, much better than in most newly founded nations.  There was a strong foundation of family, criminal, corporate and tax law like in Australia.

Friends of my parents, my classmates and neighbours relished in enjoying commonly shared values than focus on differences.
Socially, we immersed themselves in laughter, helping each other out and cultivating joint hobbies.

Gatherings were more spontaneous than formal, centring round fruit seasons, cultural festivals, good weather days and when people needed a listening ear.
In the classroom, there was a comradeship that transversed the boundaries of religion, ethnicity and class.

We valued the English language for its dominance in world trade. We learnt our respective mother tongues. By law, we learnt the Malay lingua franca.   In Penang, there was a Patois spoken that is still as colourful as in New Orleans, Papua New Guinea or in South Africa. 

Like in Sydney and Melbourne these days, we had access to several cuisines - and still do.   Friends of diverse backgrounds used to eat together at the same table, but I understand now they no longer do.  We picked up using the whole plethora of ingredients from well tried recipes from around Asia and Europe.

My Eurasian Uncle Cornelius exemplified the closeness of Malaysians when I was growing up.
He personified Christmas to me, with a joy from his Dutch heritage and his ability to make magic of a day when he visited.  Mum and our Sri Lankan neighbour' s wife made curries.   I still recall the beauty of furniture in the lounge when we visited Cikgu Iskandar.  I picked up bad words in Tamil, Hokkien, Cantonese, Japanese, Mandarin and Malay - and they did have a punch which can hold their own in an ocker Aussie pub.

Soccer, badminton, late night suppers, jungle and beach trial walks, hide outs on Friday arvos after school - they all had no racial identification.  There was a strong underlying and unspoken bond of just being humans, of growing up and of connecting to society.

What seemed like benign bureaucratic practises - like of being identified by race and religion, instead of just being Malaysian - in retrospect, evolved into tools of separation, social alienation and discrimination.  Critics blame the colonial authorities for laying down the seeds of the current socio-political structure in current day Malaysia.   They cite the "divide and rule" strategy utilised to manage a diverse society like Malaya before independence.   However, once tey were their own rulers, the politicians of the day reinforced this policy, instead of applying fresh and innovative approaches like meritocracy,  equity and tolerance.

As a child in Malaysia, I vaguely recall a night curfew imposed in Penang, due to riots and social disorder.  Such tools of social and political control can be primitive in looking back, for now there are other covert or other more effectivs tools of political manipulation, corruption in theft of state funds, mass cajoling of the emotions of voters and gerrymandering of electorate borders.

Malaysia's ideal democratic practices have sadly been whittled or hijacked as the nation moved to the 21st century.   There has grown a culture of dependency on state hand outs to a majority of its denizens, who dominate the military, civil service, universities, police, banks and economic or trading monopolies.  The growing emphasis by a series of Prime Ministers since the 1980s in linking political power with financial kleptocracy measures has taken a severe impact on the nation's vibrancy and future prospects.

Malaysia is a land of abundant resources, scenic landscapes and potential.  It has been the less than desired management by its leaders that have now rendered it less attractive for investment potential than its nearby neighbours if Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore.

My birthplace has petroleum resources, agricultural wealth, manufacturing capability and strides between China, India and Australasia.  Yet some key factors continues to suppress its future potential - leadership, mindset, history and inertia.  Blame shifting has also been a characteristic of its past.  Soon there may be no one else to put the blame on, apart from themselves.

Before the arrival of Covid, the seeds of problems and embedded issues have nor been resolved. A pandemic only amplifies the weaknesses and rifts already raging in a nation.

So far from the evening equatorial thunderstorms, smells and sights of a colourful street and the chatter of boyhood mates, I reflect - can Malaysia turn round a corner?

#yongkevthoughts

Pausing to Reflect on Our Contemporary Society

 Just like inside the proverbial witches pot, let us reflect on the contemporary world to muse on what has been brewing for some time now -  and can potentially cook more in this third decade of the 21st century. 

The past is not a sure guide for the future, but currently reading the key leaves hanging from the prediction tree is not a wasted exercise. Why wait until the typical and reactive hue and cry when the pot does boil over? 

In geopolitics, we have witnesed how endless banter and chat in halls of distinguished looking human beings do not do much in resolving matters of any severity.  Where there is no empathy in wilfulness - and where controlling mindsets are embedded in selfishness and divisiveness - problems get multiplied. 

Increasing control in the background by truly powerful interests around the world - whether in finance, politics, arnaments, technology or emotional articulation of self entitled beliefs - will impact on a world run on short termism, less supporting resources  and increasing manipulation of the way the masses think and react. 

There are events that can spring a

surprise, but there can be related causes that many of us have wilfully ignored or are in long denial, for whatever reasons, justified or not. 

1.  Continuing down trodding of and discrimatory treatment in practice of specific groups of people in an age of supposedly human enlightenment. 

2.   Blurring of facts, opinion and lies in matters of science, health and medical norms. 

3.   Significant breakdown in the regulatory environment where 

organisations and individuals who breach know they can mostly get away scot free. 

4. Dehumanisation of commercial, institutional and other human interaction transactions. 

5.    The loss of inner meaning for human beings despite experiencing improved physical facilitation, greater mobility and the growing availability of instant gratification. 

6.   The debasement of original meanings of specific phrases as they are publicly misused and quoted by parties with a negative intent. 

7.  Increasing distraction of humans with trivial and temporary matters by the powers that be with addictive methods, gadgets and overly processed consumption. 

8.  The increasing failure to develop and implement innovation in the way societies and economies are run, especially with larger populations who have higher expectations. 

9.   The pervasive and lingering preoccupation in media with rather negative matters rather than appreciating the positive ones to balance the full and overall picture. 

10.   The dire need to better manage the vast amount of accumulated and future data by individuals, governments, on line data banks and other parties. 

When you next get an opportunity to observe matters, do any one of the above ten dotpoints apply? 

And please do suggest another dot point on your mind to the list above, thank you.

#yongkevthoughts

Whatever Will Be, Will Be

 When I got to vote, 

l asked my Missee, 

Will I now kick off the rogue

who's been fooling me? 

Will I be truly free, will I feel neat?

Here's what she said to me. 

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be.

Politics is just not for thee,

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be. 

When I paid my dues and joined the Melee,

I asked my Party what lies ahead?

Will we have rainbows day after day?

Here's what my Party said to me. 

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be.

Politics is just not for thee,

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be. 

Now I have a Branch of my own

Members ask their Mentor what will they be,

Will they have power? Will they be rich?

I tell them tenderly, 

Que Sera, Sera,

Whatever will be, Will be.

Politics is just not for thee,

Que Sera, Sera,

Wharever will be, Will be. 

- Lyric variation by KY

Que Sera Sera was a hit song by Doris Day,

featured in the Alfred Hitchcock movie,

"The Man Who Knew Too Much."

By The Time I Get to Ballarat

 An Ode to Victoria -

By The Time I Get To Ballarat 

"By the time I get to Tullamarine,

She'll be rising,

She'll find the note I posted on Signal,

She'll laugh, when she reads the part that says I'm coming

Cause I've wanted to, so many times before. 

By the time I make Southern Cross,

She'll be working,

She'll probably stop at lunch,

And give me a call,

But she'll just hear that phone keep on ringing,

Out of coverage, that's all 

By the time I make Ballarat,

She'll be sleeping,

She'll turn softly and call my name out low,

And she'll cry, just to think, I may not really be here,

Though time and time I've tried to tell her so

She just didn't know,

I would really love her so."

Most of the above Lyrics are credited to Jimmy Webb.

The greatest version, to me, of this hit song was rendered by Glen Campbell.

Growing up in Penang

 The nostril arousing cooking aromas wafted through the house.

It was a hands on encounter of delightfully trying to second guess the source of the ingredient utilised.  At times, it was irresistible to just go downstairs to see what Mummy was dishing up over the stove. 

The equatorial afternoons can be oppressive outside. So on a public holiday or weekend, we would most likely be preserved behind closed doors with the air conditioning fully switched on. I would go through  a spectrum of reading material, which would reveal the wonder and complexity of the world outside.  

Cocooned as I was, I could hear the cries of passing vendors, visitors to the house at the gate and at times, the rumblings of a budding thunderstorm.   Best of all was listening to the radio, with voice inflections, pronounciations and enchanting beats of music. 

Friends from school would drop by on their bikes.  We would chat outdoors during the coolish evenings and rattle about several things, building up our individual art of conversation and developing a rapport not afforded elsewhere.  Time would seem endless, the mood so relaxed and then hunger for street food may arise. 

The casualness and accessibility for dining out were taken for granted.  As a child, it was a treat to go out in the car with Papa late at night, to not go far in a user friendly city, to find groups of people huddled over low tables enjoying their supper, even if it was a school

night.   The diversity of food offerings was taken for granted by me, the charcoal fire pots were feeding into a culinary delight and we bumped into other families known to us.  There was no need to change our clothes, as we took such trips already suited in our pyjamas - all ready to scramble into bed on reaching home in the late of an exciting evening.  Steam warm baos were a late evening treat.

Politics, race and disappointment were not on the menu.  Through optimistic childhood eyes, I recall only encouragement, inspiration and laughter.   Uncles and aunts dropped by, engaged in chatter which only widened my mindset and appreciation of the outside world. My Mum's sis Keow Ee was always there to make sure I was recovering well when I had a childhood ailment.  I particularly looked forward to sitting down in the lounge during visits by Papa's youngest brother Hong Beng.  Their youngest sister Kuchai cooked the best dishes - and still does in Island Glades, south of George Town. Brother Kin On took much of his effort and time to run things around the house, organise logistics for me and  do so much more. Aunt Suan always had a big beaming smile for me.

Inevitably there was cognisance of an evolving and challenging society as another veneer in life to grapple with.   My eldest brother was going to university for the first time, albeit in another city, when his inter-state train arrived smack in the middle of the nation's largest and most serious riots after a general election.  An uncle would be involved in a road accident as the over bright sunlight  temporarily blinded his sight - but he would survive.    The national airline had an aircraft that crashed in a remote swamp on the short haul between the capital city and Singapore. 

My thoughts were already articulated in the English language, although I learnt various dimensions of other languages - in varying degrees. I still recall Cikgu Othman at Francis Light Primary School who sufficiently encouraged me to master the official National Language for me to win an award.

If we see the best of a multi-racial society to make the most of it, we reap the benefits of diversity and harmony.   I rode a manual bike to Penang Free School with Ishak, the son of a navy father.  My Mum infused in me the love of Sri Lankan curries, the recipes of which were taught from a neighbour.   Uncle Cornelius gave me the best Christmases as I was growing up.

Dr. Yeoh and Uncle Harry organised beach outings, dinners at hilltop eatouts overseeing the beach and facilitated sleep overs with their children at their house.  Robert Donald Julian was the first American school boy I met and know of.   

From the base in Malaysia, my first tropical island visit overseas was Phuket.   Suchart and his family took care of me like a brother.   I gradually learnt to be grateful for and appreciative of special individuals who navigated me on my journey and let me see what is truly important, cutting off distractions, managing disruptions and optimising dilemnas. 

My childhood in Penang was enchanting, practical and with a strong foundation for various aspects of life.  

Malaysia marks its 65th year of independence from Britain on 31 August, 2022. 

#yongkevthoughts

In Days of Yore

In days of yore, whenever huge problems like the spread of disease and weather changes swept over the land and the waters, it was deemed that the Heavens were angry and the rulers have not fulfilled their mandate to the people. Pestilence, floods, bush fires, prolonged drought and darkened skies, especially if they occurred one after another, were interpretated as sure signs of the displeasure of universal forces and the inability of the human powers that be in managing the best for society. In Australia, we have had it all except for the extent of Covid 19, which has thankfully not been a pandemic in this Antipodean federation of a nation. When you read the Old Testament, the final days of the Roman Empire, 19th century China, the decline of the Atzecs even before the Europeans arrived and the desertification of the Middle East, natural disasters, corruption, the weakening of moral fibre in society, lack of technological advantage and the delusion of men in power all seem to be common elements contributing to the decline of hitherto well run civilisations, empires or city states. Think of your own society or country where  you live. #yongkevthoughts

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 

Western Australia

Western Australia!

We slept rough, drove for long hours and mostly had sustenance of canned tuna sandwiches and plain drinking water. We did the stereotyped activities of star gazing, having red dust on our shoes and backs and immersing part of us in clear water streams. 

Yet it opened my eyes to the Australia beyond capital cities, with the sheer influence of the natural elements on such a huge chunk of this continental island. We were fortunate to explore during the dry season. I was taken out of my comfort zone in bush walking on challenging trails, the level of difficulty of category 5 involving good shoe grip, physical dexterity and changing my mindset. 

I loved meandering up the Indian Ocean coast, particularly for its sunsets, unique marine life, dramatic landscapes and sheer isolation. At the same time, I did not get the opportunity to meet as many Indigenous people as I expected.

Perth is such a unique place so far from other parts of the world. It has a quiet lifestyle that still has an economy so dependent on extraction of resources. Yet it may have missed utilising more of its advantage in having a pristine environment and being in the same time zone as several growth areas of the world. 

The trip involved first going from Perth to connect points Geraldton, Kalbarri, Shark Bay, Monkey Mia, Ningaloo Marine Park and Exmouth. Then we turned inland to stay four. nights in the Karijini National Park in the south of the Pilbara. Finally we headed back to Perth through the Central Highway inland through mining country, also dropping by the monastery at New Norcia.

Perth with its lights at night looked like an isolated presence in a universe of surrounding darkness. Most visitors head further south of this city to to the south eastern corner of WA. It has been a privilege to know the fascinating world north and north east of Perth. Yet we missed visiting Broome, Karratha and the region adjoining the Northern Territory. 

We trudged and drove at least over 3000 km. We immersed in the delights of several national parks, most of which were larger than some notable nations. I now value more drinkable water, petrol and access to data and telecommunications coverage. Yet at the same time, there is no measure of the content, reward and thankfulness in the heart being able to savour so many dimensions of Mother Earth - away from the distractions, noise and pollution from contemporary human societies. 

The further you undertake a journey away from the trappings of conventional society, the nearer you bring yourself to what matters and what you have been born for.

2016 in Review

If I may indulge, the following are what I consider as striking developments on the world scene in 2016.

1)   THE HEARTLAND strikes back on the socio-political landscape in two major Anglo- Celtic nations, the UK and the USA.

2)  Where countries sufficiently ignore governance, ethics, morals and adopt extremism, racial narrow mindedness and political manipulation, the writing is on the wall - eventually.

3)  Never assume that the spectre of hyper inflation, unemployment and recession has been tucked away  - it is always at some hidden corners waiting to resurface, helped by people in power who prioritise themselves now over the interests of their country, their citizens and the future generations.

4)   Increasing mobility, not just in physical travel but in cyberspace and frontiers in communication, does not mean individuals become more social and interactive or get in touch more often.

5) More consumers change their smart phones more regularly than their wardrobe, bad habits and their mindset.

6) In the realm of protecting personal security for their citizens, why do most nations continue to be more reactive than pro-active?

7)  Despite claiming civilised behaviour and values, some things from history never change.

My own personal notables for 2016:

1)  Riding the High Speed Trains in southern China.   More nations should invest in such innovative and beneficial technology.

2)  I realised there are at least a million people sitting on passenger aircraft at any one moment in the sky around the Earth.  Why are there no innovative improvements in bettering the passenger embarkation and disembarkation experience - and why are most airports not better managed?

3)  The strong advent of streaming for home and personal entertainment heralds another example of disruptive technology on business.

4)   Central banks, mainstream media, politicians, embedded established wealth - are their connections stronger then ever?

5)   Processed foods, groceries and stuff look even more menacing as time goes by.

Southern Africa - September 2015

The canyon at Victoria Falls, sited between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg.

The African croc on the Chobe River, lying between Botswana and Naimbia.

The Hector Pieterson Memorial in Soweto.

Such grazers are big and powerful, yet are targets of lions.

Friendliness at Simon's Town, Southern Cape.

Iconic food from Cafe Africa, Cape Town.

The giant ferris wheel at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town.

A countryside vista at Franschhoek.

French Protestants sought refuge from religious persecution in Europe and came in droves to  the Cape Province.

A most generous picnic lunch.

Old world Euro charm in the dining room and lobby of the Commodore Legacy Hotel, Cape Town.

Passenger and pilot manning helicopter over the Victoria Falls.

Evening cruise on the Zambezi River, with French- Canadians, Australians and Chinese-Malaysians.

What a delightful and fulfilling experience on the trek beside the Victoria Falls.

The hippo in full glory, being away from the water for a change.

Downtown Johannesburg.

A bird hitches a ride on our safari boat along the Chobe River.

The scenic coastal drive to the Cape of Good Hope.

What Vasco da Gama and Bartholomew Diaz encountered at the southern tip of Africa.

The cable car to Table Mountain only operates when wind and cloud conditions suit.

Not keys and locks, but messages and names on solid stone on the coastal drive in the Southern Cape.

A Great Dane "Just Nuisance" is honoured by the South African Navy.

One of the most accessible penguin colonies.

Sharks and waves predominate the southern coast.

The future of young South Africa.

Noon in the Kahane Forest Reserve, Botswana.

The Protea.

Discrimination, Disdain and Destruction

There is no forgiveness at the height of war.  Justifications, perceptions and higher purposes reign mighty on both sides of a conflict.  The fight between perceived evil and good - as echoed by the Lord of the Rings trilogy of novels - is as real as dignity, indignation and inner respect. Conflicts arise from opposing agendas.  I am amused when a community is willing to suffer economic and other deprivations, as the price of and with the intent of a bigger agenda and purpose, even when it emphasises exclusion, unforgiveness and no basic human values for some and not all.  Wartime can imply not just obvious physical acts of inhumane episodes involving arms, threats and fear, but also the slow eroding process of unsettling and de-recognising specific groups of people.   Which is harder or easier, to break down the inner resolve of a targeted community that is not liked or to bombard them with injury or death?

Blatant discrimination has occurred throughout much of modern human history, but in the progress of human enlightenment, much has been done to erase that for the future. Backward societies still exist, however, in encouraging the singling out of groups by race or religion to lay blame for perceived and real socio-economic problems.  In such reality, such discriminated groups are criticised and alienated openly for being different from the mainstream or from those who hold political power. This occurred in Nazi-controlled Germany, where facts were distorted, ghettos arose and violent mistreatment ensued.  At times the human condition can be overly optimistic, but cruelty can come fast, like a thief in the night.  It took around a dozen years only from the obvious discrimination of Jews and other so-called non-Aryan peoples to the gas death camps in the middle of the last century.  A generation of friends of various backgrounds in that era in Europe who grew up together were forced to separate and disengage due to the politics and sheer barbarism of a few in power.

When such discrimination is official, the dangers of living in such societies move on to a heightened level of risk.  Societies, communities and nations that at least make a show of officially outlawing discrimination in all shapes and forms provide a stark contrast to those that do not.  Those that have legalised racial discrimination include the South Africa from the last century.  Having legislated exclusion and blatant segregation of racial groups, especially when utilising the power and tools of the government in control, is a critical harbinger of future social unrest, national disunity and civil breakdown.   Compound such discrimination with financial misuse of national resources and corruption - and it surely does magnify the risks of a destruction of a national structure.

History has numerous episodes of onlookers having the proverbial ostrich hiding its head in the sand.
All of us can see the disdain offered groups that are discriminated, but nothing effective is done for a variety of reasons - it is too hard, there is no economic advantage to be involved, we cannot offend the very parties that discriminate, we have no choice but to keep silent or we have tried to fight back but to no avail.  This further encourages and facilitates the intentions, plans and dreams of evil doers.
The phrase "All it takes is for good people to do nothing" came from a World War. I also add that all it takes is for appointed leaders to keep silent and look the other way.

An obvious sign of coming disorder and serious repercussions in a country is when individuals and families who can emigrate continue to do so. The window of hopeful options can be limiting as unfairness, discrimination and corruption of decent human values can continue their frightful path pretty much left uncriticised and unchecked. Some nations and groups can be vehement on specific politically correct matters but remain strangely silent on other things.  When there is no hope of overall structure of equity and decency, individuals exercise their choices  and votes by protecting their micro lives and allowing the macro national fabric to be torn.  This is despite resistance and opposition, but life does not end in happy endings always, as justified opposition can be quashed, no matter what the moral implications.

In some current realities, it is already too late three minutes to midnight, when "Cinderella's carriage" I am reminded of can truly turn into definitely less elegant things.

Why wait until the refugees march out of borders, desperately undertake perilous sea journeys or languish in camps before the humanitarian conscience of the world is stirred?  The most insatiable injury inflicted by cruel people and societies can lie embedded in the heart of living victims. Must there be obvious physical destruction, wartime atrocity and decimation of innocent populations before the rest for the world does something to help in a constructive way?  Despite the refinement and progress of human civilisation, some societies still are locked in essentially tribal warfare being totally intolerant of other groups that look, feel and are different  culturally.   Hence I reckon the rationale for the continuing and common trend in human history in the search for a hopeful Messiah to rise above such primal, primitive and exclusive urges.  The rise of nationalism in the 20th century, preceded by colonialism, is now followed by another dangerous trend.  Or is it just the way of the world? Or does history simply repeat itself?  Or can inhumane parties not realise the impact of karma - what goes around does come around.

It was religious persecution that drove the early white settlers to the so-called New World, whether landing in America or South Australia in the past.  When a sanctified system of exclusion occurs, the human instinct is to find better pastures to resettle.  Such a significant experience is echoed by the Bibical Exodus.  Ultimately the world is richer for such migrations, creating fresh societies with fusion, creativity and renewal. However we cannot turn away from or forget the dislocation, adjustment and upheaval experienced to commence a new community in another part of the world.

The interim winners may be those with much less civilised intentions and implementation, those who have won the process discriminating against others.  An interesting question then arises - if there is no other remaining group to lay the blame, will such a remnant society then self-destruct by turning inwards against each other?

Australia My Defining Moments First 25 Years: 15 September

I look forward to more....and below in no particular order, for the past.

My Australia 25 Years: Most Defining Matters I Wish Australia Has: Less Political Short Sightedness; Faster Wifi Speeds; Better Pay for Teachers; More Shared Australian Values; Less Emphasis on Gambling and Alcohol in Sport; More Late Night Shopping; Improved Infrastructure; Economic Innovation; Better truing and Developing Australian Youth; A More Assertive Independent Australian Stand on the International Stage; and better utilising the advantages of our rather remote location in the world.

Defining Moments in Weekend Markets - Kiama Seaside, Eveleigh Street Farmers Markets in Redfern Sydney.

Defining Moments in Party Gathering Fun, Chill Out and Creativity - the Curry Cook Off from Danielle, Shane Campbell and their girls, plus get togethers from the Teoh Family.

Defining Moments in Creative Expression - South Australian Museum in Adelaide, with the  world's largest collection of indigenous artifacts; Stage production of the Jersey Boys; and the one person dramatisation of the Straits Chinese play "Emily of Emerald Hill" in Wollongong.

Defining Moments best  after a long day at work - Always Welcomed by the Campbell Family of Woonona NSW for a yummy home dinner.

Defining Moments in House Renovations Made - Pergolas Built.

Defining Moments in  Gardening – The magical sprouting of the Paw Paw Plant in the Back Yard.

Defining Moments in what Australia has Most Taught Me - Volunteerism, Travel and Gratefulness.

Defining Moments in Unconditional Friendship and Love - All the Doggies I have Come Across, with some I am fortunate to hug and know better.

Defining Moments in Reunions - Being able to get back to Penang Island for the Lunar New Year Festivities and getting to stay with the Yeaps when I can in Melbourne.

Defining Moments in Best Airline Experiences -  The consistent quality of and engaging customer service provided by Singapore Airlines - sorry Qantas!

Defining Moments in What I have Taken For Granted about Australia - the quality of water, trendy progressive cuisine scene, the mostly blue sky, relative freedom of expression, untainted food supply and quiet of evenings in most suburbs.

Defining Moments in the Australian Economy  - 2013, when the AUD was above parity with the USD and the inter-bank interest rate was 2.5%p.a., lowest as in many years.

Defining Moments in Electrifying Sports - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, thanks to Darrin Eager and Andrew Mulligan.

Defining Moments in Liberating Sun Sea and Surf - the Illawarra Coast! No parking fees, great coffee and modern Aussie trendy food, beaut colours, no fuss locals.

Defining Moments in Home Meals - many weekend dinners or lunches made by Susan Chan and family.

Defining Moments in Cuisine Country - Orange NSW thanks to Charmaine Wan and family.

Defining Moments in Getting Out of the Comfort Zone - Aerial Rope Walking, State Sports Centre, Berry NSW.

Defining Moments in Being Australian - Sydney Olympics 2000.

Defining Moments in Getaway Holiday - Tasmanian drive around, week after Christmas and sort of back packing through the length of Vietnam for two weeks.

Defining Moments in Religious Tones - Inside the Orthodox Church, Canberra, near the Australian Parliament House.

Defining Moments in Another Time , Another Place - Ambiance of Kangaroo Island near Adelaide, Dawn in Goulburn Valley NSW in winter.

Defining Moments in a City - Soaking In a Melbourne lane way.

Defining Moments on Media - Q &A, Dateline, Four Corners and Insight - excellence in  investigative journalism and public affairs discussion.

Defining Moments in Jumping Out of Bed in Australia - I Can Shape Each Day in Various Multicultural Environments by spending time in Different Suburbs, with inspiring individuals I am fortunate to know or in contrasting climates and geographic landscapes.

Unceasing Rain and a Daily Commitment

With the recent deluge of sky juice and presence of puddles, my mind began to wander inwards as I became less inclined to go out and I sank into a comfort zone of settling into watching moisture on leaves and water dribbling away on bricks, grass and tar.  I began to be more open to previously unexplored ideas or things that I did not have an opportunity to even come across when apparently trapped in the demeanour and routine of daily musts, wants and space. Why have certain and specific parts of my house hardly changed, the items not even looked into - and in my previous contentment I reckoned that I must have been too busy to even go there.  Then I faced the inevitable question of myself being too busy with what?  The significant question then moved into the space of my inner self, of why I have not even given a hearing to certain parts of my heart and soul?

There are the constant things in life to attend to - the leaves blocking up on the roof gutter, the sky light getting dirty as a logical course, the cook top needing a sprightly new life and the proverbial post box requiring a clear off.   Bulbs blow on the brake lights, interest accumulates on loans and inflation eats into our savings.  They can quickly fill up the pace and tone of a typical day.  They do put a structured order into things that can mean much as well. Underlying all this busy-ness, the calendar drives each of us at another level  - birthdays, due dates, renewals, etc to help us celebrate and appreciate the march of time. Commerce diverts us with new products and services, boredom makes us thrive in trying to fulfil ideas, aspirations and experiences.  All's good, all's well and soon it is Christmas or Lunar New Year again.  But are each of us realising and achieving the truly important things?

There are critical matters that cannot be reversed - speech, how you treat others, how others treat you, decisions made, family and time.  Time increasingly shows the spectre of opportunity cost as it is progressively consumed.  Related to this is a recognition of timeliness. Some things have just to be done and well set by a required time. The child expecting bonding time cannot have it delayed till the sheep come home. A well placed phone call or appearance can make the difference between a memorable time and a bad one. As they say, when the fruit is ripe, you have to pluck it - or else watch the fruit drop, gravy train go by or miss the bus!   A fluid factor in contrast is our personal expectations, and these can help us adapt, change or manage scenarios, issues and problems when we change our own expectations - or how we respond or react to them.

In a contemporary comfortable society that can afford, travel is an option that increasingly many individuals take upon as soon as they can.  Why does travel to new lands and experiences captivate so many? Is it just to have a change?  The reward of travel embeds in the inner soul and does not need souvenirs to show its deep satisfaction.  The mind recalls, the heart gladdens. There is an open book about venturing to different parts of the globe and meeting up with various people - excitement, expectations, learning, letting go and reaffirming.  Whilst a constant regime of daily life can be reassuring, travel feeds the soul in other ways. Travel primarily liberates us in allowing us to better let go. The nature of travel is such that we do not cling to physical things or even a passing hello, because we realistically know we want to go on.  So Gen Y expresses this by not having an owner occupied mortgage, to say the least.  Baby boomers are spending more of their savings now on travel than ever vefore.

So the sheer experience of travel emphasises an illustration of something that cannot be reversed.  Most likely a tourist is unlikely to drop by that village again. One thus does not waste time then when one is actually visiting this particular village.  If this village is personified by what I refer to as my very special and unique life, would I suddenly have a renewed urgency and energy to do the really important things?  So when we wake up each new day, and if we understand that this day is irreversible,  we no longer would waste the time provided in trivial and less important matters.  Would we utilise this precious available gem in doing things we do not or no longer believe in?  Would we become more aware and conscious of limited resources, limited capability and limited availability?  Will it then change our perspectives in value, perspective and rationality?  Would the most important matters to you become a definite daily commitment, instead of worrying about the commuting, past chances, people who were never going to treat you well, or you using your time to help achieve somebody else's dreams?

The unceasing rains come and go, the flooding water subsides.  The plants take a drenching but they liven up more, especially in the post rain sunshine.  Once the clutter in our mindset and outlook gets washed away, we suddenly find more room in ourselves for the clarity in our own possibilities, potential and opportunities.

Days in Penang Past

I still recall cycling to school along Green Lane, when it was much more leafy and with much less vehicular traffic. Ishak the son of a naval officer and I paddled side by side along the rather straight two laned road past benign large trees, the Convent School, large government owned bungalows and the Thai Temple. We arrived at an educational institution that was established in 1816. The solidly built school had long facades of white paint, a rather distinguished hall based on British traditions and a field with neatly kept lawns. Most impressive to me was the rather sizeable sports pavilion that was sited not far from the house of the Head Master. I can still recall clearly the covered sheds where we parked our bicycles. The Library building had a more modern architecture than the rest of the school complex. Friday afternoons were the best days of such non-chalant and halycon school times. Shortly after noon a few classmates and I would gather at a house near a roundabout near a long and winding road named after our high school. There we would dabble in things and chat that fascinate the emerging liberating world of an early adolescent. Such Friday sessions would lead to hill and beach bungalow stays in a world all at once refreshing, changing and yet constricted by the boundaries of a small but fascinating island with already a rich past. I grew up in a community that considered itself apart from the peninsular mainland. It is with irony now that I reflect at times that the powers that be from this particular mainland has in the past over forty years also politically and socially scorned the people of my birth place. It is also not amazing to me that many of fellow island brethren have also relocated to another nearby island - Singapore. Fast forward another ten years and after being away at university, I returned to a fast changing Penang. I relished those evenings going out in groups dining at beach restaurants or remote venues with niche food on an island that still inherently viewed itself as special. This was at a period before Georgetown was granted UNESCO world heritage status and was in a sort of economic limbo between its Silicon Isle manufacturing past and its future revival with million ringgit properties. This was the age of an explosion of motor bikes crowding its narrow streets and with street food still made and sold by authentic cooks and vendors. The island's northern beaches became littered with hotels, tourists and commercialisation. Dark skinned beach boys mingled with blonde haired backpacker girls from Germany and Queensland. Students protested on a mass scale in Beijing and the Berlin Wall came down. One radiating hot spring day I found myself with two pieces of luggage plonked down with a dear cousin's place in Marsfield north of Sydney's Harbour Bridge. I had left my beloved Penang driven by a permanent resident visa granted to me based on my professional skills and young working age. There was no revolutionary event on my home shores, but significant confronting with yet still evolutionary changes in the socio-political landscape in the nation's capital city, only a four hour drive by car south-east of Penang, had begun to embed, establish and endure. As it rains persistently on the Illawarra coast this evening, I begin to ponder on the past of my hometown, like all immigrants everywhere, when they get a quiet moment from the drive of satisfying the hunger, fascination and challenge of settling in a new land. What do I recall best of all? Mates felt unspokenly comfortable enough to drop by unannounced at home. Temperatures were warm enough for us to hang around chatting outdoors as well. Cordial drinks were popular to be served. Motor bike riders and passengers passing by on the street went about their business with earnest decency, unlike in today's Malaysia where hand bag snatch incidents are the highest in the world. At times, friends and relatives gathered for hours on end to have a laugh, share moments and consume tasty food. Due to the humidity, afternoons after lunch were best reserved for a siesta. I could hear roosters call at dawn, even if I stayed far away from a rural setting. Food was always available, from Mum's cooking, the short car drive to the midnight hawker stalls or the latest opened cafe or food court. The sun rose and set at almost the same time throughout the year. And Penang Hill stood always apparently looking over my shoulder, but its flora and vegetation were already getting deforested and the beloved mists of my teenage hood staying in bungalows up there were thinning out and not recurring so often.

Celebrations 24

Having a curry cook off.

Watching how paw paws grow from flower bud to fruit.

Enjoying authentic Cantonese cuisine on a winter's night.

Getting real hand written letters in the slow mail.

Drinking a well made cuppa from a mate you have known for so long.

Walking down a charming street in Melbourne.

Watching the sun rise gloriously with several colours along the ocean front north of Wollongong.

Putting nice toiletries beside a rain shower in a restored house.

Returning to Sydney city centre as a working lifestyle.

Relaxing with mates who inspire me.

Embracing change and breaking through from a comfort zone.

Letting go of and culling stuff I no longer require for a long time now.

Sharing the joy, especially after breaking whatever perceived barriers with a special someone.

Returning to a place where almost everybody knows you - and your name.

Resting for the night where you can wake up to see the ocean.

Meeting someone who has inner happiness no matter what.

Sharing an overnight train cabin in an unknown country and making friends anyway.

Feeling a unique joy when someone makes effort to cook for you in their home.

Realising an ultimate sense of proportion, perspective and patience.

Having flexibility and freedom to achieve the same outcomes.

Knowing you can rely on a very special circle of mates to chat on anything and mutually enhance our mindsets.

Being introduced to people who are also important in the lives of our closest and most important.

Observe the dynamic energy and enthusiasm of wild life in their natural state.

Eating comfort food in the place of our childhood.

Whatever and However

I recall from Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

Remaining loyal does not pay. That is, when dealing with certain business providers in our everyday routine lives.  When they want you, they woo you to the ends of the Earth. Once they have you, they eventually take you for granted.  Is this what we want in our society?  I am amazed at this attitude of not maintaining customer relationships. In my twenty years dealing with Australian providers,  I seriously am convinced of two things:

1. When they run shouting advertisements, out of the internet, print or telly, on their side, things are actually happening exactly to what they are desperately trying to tell us otherwise - when the catch cry is more captivating, be careful and be very afraid;

2. Like false love and friendships, such businesses court you only in the beginning. After that, I feel like an abandoned parent, of whatever gender, holding the infant (s) in my arms.

Pessimists amongst some I know further articulate that:

3.  Those whose role is to help are of no assistance at all.

4.  These businesses interact with customers without revealing their full agenda - and their front line staff dealing with customers are caught in a real conundrum.

5.  Despite with so much more means of communication to utilise, many more customers feel left high and dry - and not communicated with.  Communication happens most probably because they want to sell you more and milk your farm.

6.   Some can pull wool over our eyes for years.

The optimist in me discusses with my family and mates to:

a.  Always question and ask - assume they do not tell us everything!

b.  Realise it is imperative to do our own research and information search.

c.  Acknowledge that things are not what they appear to be - monitor, check and reconfirm.

d.  Often get a second opinion - and ask why not?

e.  Make the effort to match and compare - review at least annually.

f.   Just enjoy the play with such parties - in the end, it is just a game.

g.  Learn to say "No" ,  "Why Do You Ask" and "I Am Not Interested" more often

h.   Know that there are cosmic forces in the Universe - what goes around comes around (Thank you, Justin Timberlake)

Air Travel Trivia

Malaysian airports still have the persistent habit of placing a rather very sticky narrow piece of security tape over the zipper of your check in luggage, after the bags are first scanned by security officers, before the passenger even goes to the airline counter to collect the boarding pass.   This sticky tape is often irritating to remove from the teeth of bag zippers. This practice is , thankfully, not a feature of Australian airports, which scan check in luggage behind the scenes after the passenger submits the baggage to the airline.  Both Singapore and Australia strictly require the filling up of hand written arrival and disembarkation cards, whilst Malaysia has done away with such requirements. Mobile phones cannot be switched on in Australian airports, until after the passenger has cleared both immigration and quarantine checks (tell that to the typical passenger in Asia, who instinctively switch on their mobiles once the plane comes to a halt on arrival and the passengers have not even disembarked out of the craft).  Such is the variety of air travel practice that faces a passenger travelling across various time zones and countries.

Chicken, fruits and fish seem to be the safe options in food menu choices for the diversity of air travel passengers, being neither in the zone of culturally or religiously forbidden.  They also can keep well and are amiable to soaking in the flavours of spices and stock flavours. Travelling with different airlines also mean the opportunity to partake in the best food represented for each region, whether they are baked pastries,  savoury dishes or uplifting and unique side dishes.  Increasingly , better run airlines pamper to the needs of the gluten free, the lactose indigestible and the organic focused. The choice of meals do offer differentiation to airlines that care, but Air New Zealand does offer a refreshing variety of the safety video.

Most important is the creating of the experience, not just for business or first class passengers, as often articulated in the quality of passenger interaction by cabin crew.  It is also echoed in how various categories of air passengers are organised to check in at the disembarkation gate or treated at the boarding pass collection counter, and whether outsourced or internal staff are utilised for such critical first impression points.   It is also reflected in what languages an airline offers to passengers and how they are handled when connecting flight passengers arrive late through no fault of their own. And then there are so many budget airlines.

The effectiveness of scanning equipment at airports comes to more significance play these days, as security and other controls meet head on with the increasing volume of passengers and baggage handled. I have experienced certain scanners used that are not effective  in providing plausible views of luggage contents for security purposes - and those that possibly intrude the privacy of the physical features of air passengers.

There are nations that are more conscious of welcoming visitors and those which are more obsessed with not doing so.  There are airports that have no proper queuing arrangements, where different managers, of the various phases passengers are subject to, do not  communicate sufficiently with each other and where revenues are unduly prioritised over a country's image or friendly prospects.  There are nations that have a cultural heritage of engaging with customers (or are well trained to do so) and those with a more of less stiff upper lip tradition and with airline crews who obviously have a disdain for all or certain passengers.