Keeping In Touch

 So the Calendar marks another close of year.  For me, my posts here have reached their sweet seventeenth year.

I appreciate the contribution of friends and family around the world who have directly shared various valuable links and posts with me - theirs is such a rich tapestry of what concerns and inspires them.   Their taking time and effort to reach out to me is never to be underestimated.  At times we may have nothing to say, but such links and posts are just a valued way to keep in touch.

At the same time, have I sent to many Whats App messages, posted unnecessary photos or videos and spent more time on screen instead of doing other things?

It can be disappointing and sad that on the other hand, despite more effective ways of communicating in this technologically more advanced world, the world can witness less hellos, less reaching out, more scamming and more silence in varying levels of personal interaction.
Only messaging text adds more burden to the eyes, loss of social verbal skills and over use of light emitting screens. 

Social media in the worst criticism can be dominated by relentless flouting of divisive views that refuse to compromise,
dodgy video clips that may contain intrusive viruses and signs of personal boredom.  The beast can be addictive, all consuming and trivial in the end - we have to be mindful of this.

The sole reliance on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Tik Tok posts assumes everyone else spends time to check your posts.   The cyberspace can be full  of overloaded data like the debris circulating over Planet Earth.  Something can be amiss if one has not spoken to a Facebook contact in years - it can be obvious.  Individual brains can be transformed by the daily use of clicks, deletes and scrolling on a screen - are we becoming less patient, getting more sucked in on our stubborn beliefs and feeding on a dangerous addiction?

Getting connected in person is a different dish from broadcasting on Facebook, Tik Tok video clips or WhatsApp chat groups.

Apart from the agendas of obvious influencers social media mechanisms are often utilised by many to be a record of personal and family lives.  This virtual record is now dependent on wifi and external parties, instead of just the retro but independent photo album.  Many contacts can just be not interested in your personal or family records.  Those who truly are interested in you usually keep in touch in varied other ways.

Time is a personal asset that can never be replaced.   When someone offers you that, it is priceless.  Never take for granted when someone uses time, energy and interest to keep directly in touch.  Their time is an opportunity cost which can otherwise be used for their own personal development in their continuing journey of life.

#yongkevthoughts

Wheels of Change

 

The wheels of change keep on turning, even for simple routines in daily life.

There is no longer the past pleasure of visiting newsagents in Australia.  The quality and variety of print has reduced, with persistant rise in prices.  Such outlets still arw shelves for stationary - although they still sell greeting cards, that again is a shrinking industry.  Many newsagents now serve Australia Post functions in banking services.  Many customers tend to be older and visit the newsagent for lotto purchases and claims.
Newsagents can now be flooded with souvenirs and be collecting centres for dry cleaning.

Supermarkets sell insurance on site or online.   Their aisles are domimated by processed food with a common emphasis on high sugar, salt and preservative levels - and there are those confusing stickers on prices.  They are coralling us to self checkouts while not fully believing our integrity to do the right thing to properly pay.  We provide the revenue for their executives and shareholders - and yet are disrespected and mistrusted.

Who watches television any more?
Owners of such media fill up their propanganda and agenda to bombard our minds and sensitivities, instead of providing us with more balanced menus.
The alternatives can be no better.  Advertisements illustrate the reality that there is no such thing as a free lunch.  Streaming services force us to
lap up commercials - and even the creativity of ads has gone down in standards.

Politics in any society these days can reek of the dearth in leadership, uniqueness and care for the public.  It is obvious a lot of taxpayer funds are used for more selfish purposes than for what ideal principles call for. Parliamentarians reveal more of their streaks in self preservation, self entitlement and egoistic drives.  The use of increased political labels confuses the ordinary voter of what each political party stands for.  Politics can be hijacked by powerful foreign agents to serve overseas demands rather than to have governments "by the people, for the people and through the people".

Political correctness in various forms can also be manipulated by niche groups to reinforce emotion, support and wins for themselves, rather than for the general good of society.  Individuals and groups who are most vocal can shout down the other viable needs of others.  Those who choose to remain silent or not participate can truly lose out.   The so called democratic way of politics can be hijacked by non democratic forces.  The system of majority decisions to enforce questionable measures for a country assumes that every voter is informed, intelligent and rational - when the reality is not.

Corporate and institutional misbehaviour is not sufficiently punished.  Deterrants are miniscule in personal or financial implications for breachers, offenders and recalcitrants, when compared to the illegal rewards. Compliance policies and standards are increasingly  meant for show and not implementation.  Offenders know that in practice their existence is dependent only on a narrow band of key support - and they can really point their nose to the rest.

There definitely has been a spike in our expectations.  Food, products and other consumables are delivered so fast.  We no longer pour over traditional sources of knowledge or research but tend to rely on software, AI and digital systems to add to our personal knowledge. There is a corresponding loss in the value of patience. 

As the population increases, supply and logistics crumble under reinforced demands for services in many areas. 
Where aging infrastructure has not been improved, renewed or rebuilt, weak points develop but often ignored or denied by the authorities. 

Thank goodness, Nature still assures us in the cycle of growth, bloom and renewal. Most dogs have not changed their personalities and penchant to connect positively with our human needs.  When there is rain, sunshine will follow.  Colours still appear in hues and intensity wgen day changes to night - and vice versa.

#yongkevthoughts

What "News"?

 

The way so called "news" is being dished up to us these days is not worth the time and attention we give it.

"News" is delivered to us on so many varied platforms, from social media video clips to the presenters still appearing on retro media.

There is street level news, of episodes that are hyped up, whinging accounts, tearful recoils, nasty damage, road rage, domestic violence and consumer matters.

There are advertorials, disguises of pushing for a commercial product or service.

There are self opinions flagged as news - just observe the background of so called experts interviewed.

There is the ten minute dedication to sporting matters.

There are the repeatitive
pronouncements and forecasts on the weather.

There are increasing  sections of news bulletins that promote the channel's own productions.

Some news broadcasters still maintain time for arts, culture and heritage.

Anything sensational is often pushed to the front of a news bulletin as "breaking", "exclusive", "do not miss" and
"live".

Increasing numbers of news watching fans feel stressed, intimidated and uncertain being fed content thar affects the nerves, mental uncertainty and visually provoking reactions.

News on the other hand can often coddle us by providing preemptive reminders that the next content to be presented may cause stress for some viewers.

How do news producers and editors choose what to reveal to us, especially on an endless circuit of 24 hour news streaming?

How do we differentiate propaganda, opinions and tampered news from the truth?

Perhaps the significant matter is what we are not informed of - instead of the constant barraging of selected information.

Be careful of news content that hardly criticise the side they support -  and over the top aggression against the side opposed.  Taking things out of context is a technique often utilised

Most relevant is who and what are behind the news we receive.   The contemporary world of well funded and often hidden backers no longer want to feed us with balanced viewpoints, alternative considerations and varied points.

There is a growing information overload.
It is up to each of us to better discern the quality and intent of what is flagged to us as "news".

What looks like initially ridiculous is the canary in the coal mine.  Choice of words, gaslighting attempts, AI modification and pumping of relentless messaging are assaults on the unique intelligence of each of us humans.

#yongkevthoughts

Coastal Vulnerability

 Which coast of the continental island of Australia is most vulnerable?

It all depends what the Canberra government places its emphasis in the risk matrix.  Is vulnerability translated in terms of population over run, biosecurity invasion, foreign ownership, trading shifts, geopolitical exposure or wartime attacks?

The geographical location of Australia initially denotes remoteness, long distances and a colony-like existence between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.   Unfettered skies offer striking oppprtunities to watch the night maps overhead, conduct nuclear weapon experiments and execution of joint nation military excercises.
Populations cling mainly to the Aussie coast in pockets of suburbia, leaving Indigenous Country mainly seemingly empty but full of mineral resources.

The capital of the Commonwealth of Australia is conveniently shucked like a oyster in the south east, between skiing slopes, agricultural farms, surfing beaches and her economic hubs.  Is the rest of the land open to take over, without much impact for the nation?  Famously during the age of conquest drive from the Japanese Imperial Army in the mid 20th century, the sitting Australian Prime Minister kept secret from the public about Canberra, in the worst of scenario, willing to not defend her territory above an imaginary geographical line above the border between Queensland and New South Wales. This "Brisbane Line" roughly synchronises with the Tropic of Capricorn.

In World War 2, most of the Aussie troops were deployed overseas for the needs of Mother Britain.  In the future, will history repeat for Canberra, utilising most of its offensive and defensive war resources in supporting USA geopolitical wants?  With a population of only around 27 million in 2024, non citizens included in the count, can Canberra have sufficient human power to first take care of Australia's independent strategic interests?

Australian coasts are only a passage for unwelcome intruders on the way to the riches within.

The extensive coast facing the Southern Ocean, say from Tasmania to Albany in WA, historically has been the source of whaling legends, endless desert driving, rich farming lands and ports of refuge (whether for Europeans fleeing religious persecution or 1940s American GIs enjoying a respite of R and R in Melbourne).  In the 21st century, perhaps this is the least vulnerable of Aussie coasts in times of war.

Going clockwise around Australia to Perth, we have the Indian Ocean Highway if we then drive north to Exmouth and onwards to the extensive mining resources in Western Australia ( just below the Nusantara isles like Java and Bali).

Although there is a key naval base near Perth ( HMAS Stirling),the western coast remains primarily exposed to invaders of any kind.  Detection on a timely basis as such is of very low probability.  Any mass scale invasion by foreigners is lust for control of the huge trove of natural resources in the state of Western Australia.

The Northern Territory already increasingly hosts foreign troops, battle arsenal and war prep exercises.
It can be compared to what happened to South Korea, Okinawa and the Phillippines after WW2.

Perhaps Darwin is the star attraction in Australian defence.  It is a built up entry and exit point closest to South East Asia.  South of the city has become a focus for militaries of aligned nations to be a staging point handling perceived or actual threats ( depending on your point of view) to Australia or the allied nations themselves.  The vastness and relative emptiness of the NT are perfect as bases for monitoring the skies for spying on other countries or conducting battles in the stratosphere.

From a major military hub in Townsville to the NSW South Coast ( HMAS  Albatross), the eastern side of Australia has most of the infrastructure, power grids, residential housing, telecommunications and economic veins of the country.    Invasion of such a coast would seriously imply management of masses of people, control of trade and holding hostage of talent and skills.  It can bring a nation to her knees, but logically what a price to pay for such a scenario.

Technology wise and in terms of infrastructure, the eastern seaboard of Australia remains backward, with no high speed train networks, relatively few start ups and scattered centres of biotech.  So what is the attraction for invading such a coast?

To be realistic, Australia is historically and geographically mainly far removed from any action in the Northern Hemisphere.   (Critics point to Pearl Harbour attacks in December 1941to demolish any sense of such security for the USA due to geographical distance).

It has no land borders to contend with.  The South Pacific to its east offers a friendly relative in New Zealand and a host of Polynesian and Melanesian isles.
Canberra always had this opportunity to chart her own destiny but has never done sufficiently in this respect.

Amazingly, Canberra is pretty lax in building up her relationships with South east Asia, particularly Indonesia, with the latter's span of territory from Sumatra to Irian Jaya, almost shaped like an Akruba hat sited north of Australia.

Australia does not need to control any choke points of shipping trade like the major canals of the world. 
It has enough coastal land to accomodate a larger population which can be useful in contributing to a better defensive strategy.

Canberra can think outside the square to adopt a neutrality status like Switzerland  in world affairs.
Australia can better offer itself as a positive beacon for an ever uncertain world, instead of, in the worst circumstances, of being a foot soldier in the military campaigns and strategies waged by
foreigners.


#yongkevthoughts

Fav Quotes from the Buddha

 The Quieter you become, the better you can Hear. 

Be Open to consider everything - but become less Attached to anything. 

There is no path to happiness.

Happiness is the Path. 

You only lose what you Cling to. 

Pain is certain, suffering is Optional. 

If you shine a Lamp for Someone, it will also brighten up your path. 

If you want to Fly, give up everything that Weighs you down. 

Love does not need to be Perfect, just True. 

The Behaviour of Others is their Own Karma. Not giving a Reaction to Negative People keeps our Distance from them. 

Take care of your Thoughts when you are by yourself.  You Are what your think. 

Take care of your Words when you are with company.   Right Speech, Right Action. 

The only constant thing in Life is Change. 

Life is an Echo. 

My fav quotes from the Buddha.

#yongkevthoughts