Wednesday, 20 November 2019

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

Thursday, 29 August 2019

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?

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.

Wednesday, 28 August 2019

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?

Monday, 26 August 2019

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

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