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