This is the easiest writing that I have ever posted. Nothing is from me (except these few words in italics). I wonder who the writer was, but he or she deserves the credit for a great piece of work.
"Hi! this is one of the nicer "lists" that i have received through the Internet. I'd like to add another item: remember to thank the people who have chosen to make you a part of their lives.. so, thanks.. God bless you all!
1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, SMILE. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. Be true to yourself in every possible way life allows you to.
4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to _______.
5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.
7. Make time to practice Meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.
8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 4.
9. Dream more while you are awake. It really relaxes/energizes you.
10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
11. Drink green tea and plenty of water... Drink less beer, wine or whiskey.
12 . Try to make at least three people smile each day.
13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.
14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep you young and that's a fact.
18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
26. Forgive everyone for everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. GOD (or inner truth, for those who aren't religious) heals almost everything.
29. However Good or Bad a situation is, it will CHANGE.
30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
33. The best is yet to come.
34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
35. Do the right thing!
36. Call your family often. (Or email them to Death!!!)
37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.
38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.
40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about, that means including me I hope...May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door! "
Tuesday 30 September 2008
Monday 8 September 2008
Teresa Teng - singer extraordinary
I was in Ipoh, Malaysia when I heard my brother-in-law singing a song from Teresa Teng. The next day, I was at the market in the morning when I heard someone singing another of Teresa’s hits. He was a man with a disability and on crutches. Passers-by would stop and sing into the microphone. Tears came to my eyes when I heard that song because it has a touching melody and it reminded me of my late wife as well as the tragic death of Teresa herself. Teresa died of asthma at young age of 43 while holidaying in Chiangmai, Thailand. It is really sad that the world should lose someone at a young age, especially one whose songs have touched so many.
Even though I am of Chinese origin, I was English-educated and do not understand Mandarin. I was totally into English songs.
I only got to hear Teresa’s lovely songs through my late wife, Sue. As a girl, she had been familiar with popular Chinese songs, but somehow in our years together, she had stayed away from them. It was only as she grew older that she started to take an interest in Chinese songs again. She bought some karaoke discs and started singing at home. Then the Teresa “fever” spread to a friend in Adelaide, and the two of them would spend hours singing karaoke when they met up in Adelaide. I got my dose when we are on the road. Soon, the tunes became familiar to me. Often I would ask Sue for the meaning of the songs, and I was always ready to have a few laughs over what she told me. It was hard for me to get to understand Chinese complexity.
When Sue passed away, perhaps as tragically as her idol, the CD’s were passed to her friends, as I thought I had no use for them.
So back in Ipoh, I discovered that my eldest sister is also a fan of Teresa. In fact, she told me that when Teresa died, her (my sister’s) son rang her from Singapore to share the news with her. He used to have difficulty falling asleep when he was four years old and my sister would play Teresa’s songs to get him to sleep.
I once said to Sue that perhaps she should translate the songs into English so that people like me would be able to enjoy the songs. I am happy to report that some of the songs do have English lyrics now and they can be found on the internet. Just do a Google-search. In fact, there is a facebook recording of Kenny G playing one of the hits.
I bought a CD in Ipoh, with the help of my sister who has a little grasp of Mandarin. Twenty one songs, each and every one is beautiful. I have been enjoying the songs every day since I got back to Sydney. The songs bring back sweet memories of Sue. I can picture her singing next to me as I drove from Sydney to the Gold Coast. I would whisper along. No wonder I learned to enjoy the songs. A few hours a day of listening on the road did it for me.
Teresa had a beautiful and melodious voice. She could have sung without musical backup and it would have been nice. In my opinion, she has one of the most soothing voices in the entertainment world, as a result of her gentle voice and laid-back tempo.
Her hits have beautiful melodies. Sadly I do not understand the lyrics. All the same, I enjoy the songs even though I am illiterate. One day, I may learn to sing the songs in Mandarin.
She was very popular in China, her native Taiwan, Japan, South-east Asia and the Chinese diaspora.
I wonder why someone has not turned her songs into a musical. I am sure it will take the Chinese-speaking world by storm. Any entrepreneur out there?
If you have not discovered Teresa Teng, I recommend that you go to the internet and listen for yourself “The Moon Represents my Heart” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv_cEeDlop0 (Press Control and click)
Even though I am of Chinese origin, I was English-educated and do not understand Mandarin. I was totally into English songs.
I only got to hear Teresa’s lovely songs through my late wife, Sue. As a girl, she had been familiar with popular Chinese songs, but somehow in our years together, she had stayed away from them. It was only as she grew older that she started to take an interest in Chinese songs again. She bought some karaoke discs and started singing at home. Then the Teresa “fever” spread to a friend in Adelaide, and the two of them would spend hours singing karaoke when they met up in Adelaide. I got my dose when we are on the road. Soon, the tunes became familiar to me. Often I would ask Sue for the meaning of the songs, and I was always ready to have a few laughs over what she told me. It was hard for me to get to understand Chinese complexity.
When Sue passed away, perhaps as tragically as her idol, the CD’s were passed to her friends, as I thought I had no use for them.
So back in Ipoh, I discovered that my eldest sister is also a fan of Teresa. In fact, she told me that when Teresa died, her (my sister’s) son rang her from Singapore to share the news with her. He used to have difficulty falling asleep when he was four years old and my sister would play Teresa’s songs to get him to sleep.
I once said to Sue that perhaps she should translate the songs into English so that people like me would be able to enjoy the songs. I am happy to report that some of the songs do have English lyrics now and they can be found on the internet. Just do a Google-search. In fact, there is a facebook recording of Kenny G playing one of the hits.
I bought a CD in Ipoh, with the help of my sister who has a little grasp of Mandarin. Twenty one songs, each and every one is beautiful. I have been enjoying the songs every day since I got back to Sydney. The songs bring back sweet memories of Sue. I can picture her singing next to me as I drove from Sydney to the Gold Coast. I would whisper along. No wonder I learned to enjoy the songs. A few hours a day of listening on the road did it for me.
Teresa had a beautiful and melodious voice. She could have sung without musical backup and it would have been nice. In my opinion, she has one of the most soothing voices in the entertainment world, as a result of her gentle voice and laid-back tempo.
Her hits have beautiful melodies. Sadly I do not understand the lyrics. All the same, I enjoy the songs even though I am illiterate. One day, I may learn to sing the songs in Mandarin.
She was very popular in China, her native Taiwan, Japan, South-east Asia and the Chinese diaspora.
I wonder why someone has not turned her songs into a musical. I am sure it will take the Chinese-speaking world by storm. Any entrepreneur out there?
If you have not discovered Teresa Teng, I recommend that you go to the internet and listen for yourself “The Moon Represents my Heart” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv_cEeDlop0 (Press Control and click)
Thursday 4 September 2008
Human beings dressed like sheep
It is the first week of spring; still a bit nippy.
I arrived at the train station to find that a train had just been cancelled due to mechanical problems. There was a mini exodus to the train that I was catching. My train was soon packed.
A few more stops and we were standing back to back; human beings dressed as sheep. Woollens and jackets; it became almost unbearably stuffy.
The half hour ride seemed longer than ever.
I can imagine how sheep feel on packed trains on the way to slaughter.
It was a relief for this sheep when it reached its destination.
Baa baa.
I arrived at the train station to find that a train had just been cancelled due to mechanical problems. There was a mini exodus to the train that I was catching. My train was soon packed.
A few more stops and we were standing back to back; human beings dressed as sheep. Woollens and jackets; it became almost unbearably stuffy.
The half hour ride seemed longer than ever.
I can imagine how sheep feel on packed trains on the way to slaughter.
It was a relief for this sheep when it reached its destination.
Baa baa.
Wednesday 2 July 2008
Time
This thought came to me the other day when I found myself doing nothing. Time is one of the few things that is free. You may be retired or underemployed but time is there for you to use. You do not have to pay for it. In fact, money cannot buy time. You can’t go out and buy $50 of time. A wealthy person on the way to heaven will not be able to buy another day on earth.
In fact, the rich and famous may have money but they do not have time. Cash-rich, time-poor. They will wish that they have more time but they find that the money is useless when it comes to buying time. So they “work hard and play hard”, another way of saying that they blow their money when they have a chance to enjoy their time. Yet time is free.
Time flies and it seems especially so as you grow older. We go to work day in and out and wish the weekend will come along quickly. While we may want time, we also want the week to go past very quickly. Twenty years of life translate to 1,000 weeks. At the rate we want the week to pass, we will soon run out of time…..in a matter of a thousand weeks.
I once spent a week by myself in a small seaside town. That was the only time ever in my life when I felt that time went very slowly. Well, that’s not quite true. Time really moves slowly when you are in pain, sick and suffering; and you desperately need a doctor to do something for you. One minute of pain is too long; one day of illness is an eternity.
Some people choose to run their own business so that they can have control of their lives and time. But the reality is often the opposite. They end up being more time-poor.
You must have friends who are good at using their time. They put so much into every minute. They will arrive at their appointments, plane, train (or whatever) just in the nick of time. The rest of us arrive a little early for our appointments, read some old magazines, look around, and wait for time. I have yet to conclude which is the better approach to time.
Run the 100 metres or the marathon? Which is the better way to live one’s life?
Time – something that money cannot buy. Some people have plenty of it; others have less.
Now that I have some time…apart from "time", what are the other things which are free? Perhaps I should spend the rest of my life looking for things that money cannot buy!
In fact, the rich and famous may have money but they do not have time. Cash-rich, time-poor. They will wish that they have more time but they find that the money is useless when it comes to buying time. So they “work hard and play hard”, another way of saying that they blow their money when they have a chance to enjoy their time. Yet time is free.
Time flies and it seems especially so as you grow older. We go to work day in and out and wish the weekend will come along quickly. While we may want time, we also want the week to go past very quickly. Twenty years of life translate to 1,000 weeks. At the rate we want the week to pass, we will soon run out of time…..in a matter of a thousand weeks.
I once spent a week by myself in a small seaside town. That was the only time ever in my life when I felt that time went very slowly. Well, that’s not quite true. Time really moves slowly when you are in pain, sick and suffering; and you desperately need a doctor to do something for you. One minute of pain is too long; one day of illness is an eternity.
Some people choose to run their own business so that they can have control of their lives and time. But the reality is often the opposite. They end up being more time-poor.
You must have friends who are good at using their time. They put so much into every minute. They will arrive at their appointments, plane, train (or whatever) just in the nick of time. The rest of us arrive a little early for our appointments, read some old magazines, look around, and wait for time. I have yet to conclude which is the better approach to time.
Run the 100 metres or the marathon? Which is the better way to live one’s life?
Time – something that money cannot buy. Some people have plenty of it; others have less.
Now that I have some time…apart from "time", what are the other things which are free? Perhaps I should spend the rest of my life looking for things that money cannot buy!
Saturday 21 June 2008
Life's Little Equations
Some famous person said “the meaning of life is the only fortune worth finding”. I still do not know the purpose of my life i.e. I have not found my fortune yet. How do we account for our lives, if at all we want to do that.
For example:
Gave more than you took.
Loved more than you rejected.
Made more friends than enemies.
Taught more from what you learned.
Gossiped less than you knew.
Ate less than you needed.
Bought less than you desired.
Did more favours than disfavours.
Helped more than needed help.
Earned more than you spent.
Saved more than you spent.
Smiled more than you frowned.
Created more than destroyed.
Planted more trees than you cut.
Served more than others served you.
Owned more than you owed.
Made more correct decisions than the wrong ones.
The big decisions were correct; the incorrect decisions were small.
Bought low, sold high, in everything.
Made more correct turns than wrong ones.
Had more new than second hand.
Recycled more than threw away.
Used the heart more than the head.
Discerned more than you saw or heard.
Complimented more than criticized.
Laughed more than cried.
Enjoyed more than suffer.
Hurt less, forgave more.
Gained more than you lost.
Wanted less, gave more.
Tolerated more, complained less.
What’s the bottom line?
That’s for you to add up.
Does it matter? I do not think you can take the score to the next world, if there is one. I have not been there yet, so I won’t know.
Perhaps it is what people will remember you by. Oh, he or she was a good person or a bastard. Memories are short, and history may or may not remember you after a while.
Life’s little equations - just feel good when it is time to go.
For example:
Gave more than you took.
Loved more than you rejected.
Made more friends than enemies.
Taught more from what you learned.
Gossiped less than you knew.
Ate less than you needed.
Bought less than you desired.
Did more favours than disfavours.
Helped more than needed help.
Earned more than you spent.
Saved more than you spent.
Smiled more than you frowned.
Created more than destroyed.
Planted more trees than you cut.
Served more than others served you.
Owned more than you owed.
Made more correct decisions than the wrong ones.
The big decisions were correct; the incorrect decisions were small.
Bought low, sold high, in everything.
Made more correct turns than wrong ones.
Had more new than second hand.
Recycled more than threw away.
Used the heart more than the head.
Discerned more than you saw or heard.
Complimented more than criticized.
Laughed more than cried.
Enjoyed more than suffer.
Hurt less, forgave more.
Gained more than you lost.
Wanted less, gave more.
Tolerated more, complained less.
What’s the bottom line?
That’s for you to add up.
Does it matter? I do not think you can take the score to the next world, if there is one. I have not been there yet, so I won’t know.
Perhaps it is what people will remember you by. Oh, he or she was a good person or a bastard. Memories are short, and history may or may not remember you after a while.
Life’s little equations - just feel good when it is time to go.
Monday 16 June 2008
The Greatest Loss
To lose a friend is devastating.
But there is no greater loss than someone who shared your life.
Your home, your children.
A glass of water, a plate of food.
Aspirations and tribulations.
Joys and sadness.
It is extremely tough.
You cope, you have to go on.
Make something out of your life.
You wonder on occasions, what life could have been.
Siew Tan (Sue) Cheam – Parit, Petaling Jaya, Cambridge (Boston), New York, Haberfield (Sydney).
Sultan Iskandar School. Anglo-Chinese School.
University of Malaya.
Felda, ABN-AMRO.
Red Cross, netball, long jump, badminton, even diving.
But don’t ask her to swim, jog or golf!
Beauty and brain.
A bundle of energy.
A gift from God.
Packed a lot into her life.
Did things in doubly quick time; fastest wok in town.
Achieved and gave much, but took so little.
The bloody bloody C, five years ago.
She fought her greatest battle, graciously.
Helplessly, we lost her.
We (Han, Olivia and Rachel, Joe and yours truly)
are exceedingly proud of her.
Today would have been her birthday.
She was inspiring. A life to be celebrated and remembered.
But there is no greater loss than someone who shared your life.
Your home, your children.
A glass of water, a plate of food.
Aspirations and tribulations.
Joys and sadness.
It is extremely tough.
You cope, you have to go on.
Make something out of your life.
You wonder on occasions, what life could have been.
Siew Tan (Sue) Cheam – Parit, Petaling Jaya, Cambridge (Boston), New York, Haberfield (Sydney).
Sultan Iskandar School. Anglo-Chinese School.
University of Malaya.
Felda, ABN-AMRO.
Red Cross, netball, long jump, badminton, even diving.
But don’t ask her to swim, jog or golf!
Beauty and brain.
A bundle of energy.
A gift from God.
Packed a lot into her life.
Did things in doubly quick time; fastest wok in town.
Achieved and gave much, but took so little.
The bloody bloody C, five years ago.
She fought her greatest battle, graciously.
Helplessly, we lost her.
We (Han, Olivia and Rachel, Joe and yours truly)
are exceedingly proud of her.
Today would have been her birthday.
She was inspiring. A life to be celebrated and remembered.
Friday 13 June 2008
Words for Living
I watched an inspiring story from the American ABC last week. (Who says TV is not educational!) It was about an American professor who was given only a few months to live, and what he decided to do during the last few months of his life. If you go to Google and do a search of The Last Lecture, you will be able to read all about it.
One of the things that caught my interest was something that his wife said.
The TV presenter asked her what she tells herself every day, knowing that her husband will be gone soon and will leave her with three young children. Without any hesitation, she said “I have all that I need”. That was her answer. Period.
It was her way of coping with the situation she was facing. It is true that she probably will have adequate finances and a house to raise the children. Plus she can always go back to work at some time in the future. She has three lovely children, relatives and friends to support her. So in a sense she has all that she needs. It is better than thinking about all the uncertainties that she will soon face when her husband dies; better than giving herself a negative outlook.
At times of needs, we need words that will reassure us and give us some hope and optimism; words that make up a mantra, not in the incantation sense but as a way of thinking.
In difficult times, one’s mind can be bombarded by fear, anxiety and questions. For every positive thought, there may be three or four negative counter points. It is important to be able to focus on an important thought (or pattern of thinking) that will stay above all others. Every time, we have some negative thoughts, we go back to our mantra to keep ourselves sane, rational, and focused (on the right things).
Years ago, I had a friend who was a recent migrant to Australia. He found it very difficult to adjust to the new country and I used to re-assure him by saying “things can only improve”. I would like to think that those words gave him hope and sustained him through his difficult days.
When my late wife was fighting cancer, we came up with “do not get ahead of the situation; take one day at a time”. Every time we worry or feel anxious to find out what was happening, we calmed ourselves with those words.
When she passed away, I dealt with it by saying “there are things that I cannot change”. If I could have changed things, she would not have got cancer or died from it, but I couldn’t. I did all I could to give her tender loving care, motivate her through the difficult days, celebrate her good days, talked her through the dark hours, just about everything that one could possibly do, but they all came to nothing at the end. So I have to tell myself to accept her death as fate, God’s will or whatever, without any guilt.
Another mantra that I find useful for myself is “don’t look back, look ahead”. When things seem dismay because of a mistake, there is really no point in blaming yourself or anyone else. Just cop it sweet and move on with your life. No matter how much you may have lost, think “I have life”.
Life has its ups and downs. There may be a few occasions in your life when you will find yourself in a tough situation. I do hope that you will find the words to help you keep going. Talking to others about your problems may allow you to come up with the words that will be meaningful to you. Good luck!
One of the things that caught my interest was something that his wife said.
The TV presenter asked her what she tells herself every day, knowing that her husband will be gone soon and will leave her with three young children. Without any hesitation, she said “I have all that I need”. That was her answer. Period.
It was her way of coping with the situation she was facing. It is true that she probably will have adequate finances and a house to raise the children. Plus she can always go back to work at some time in the future. She has three lovely children, relatives and friends to support her. So in a sense she has all that she needs. It is better than thinking about all the uncertainties that she will soon face when her husband dies; better than giving herself a negative outlook.
At times of needs, we need words that will reassure us and give us some hope and optimism; words that make up a mantra, not in the incantation sense but as a way of thinking.
In difficult times, one’s mind can be bombarded by fear, anxiety and questions. For every positive thought, there may be three or four negative counter points. It is important to be able to focus on an important thought (or pattern of thinking) that will stay above all others. Every time, we have some negative thoughts, we go back to our mantra to keep ourselves sane, rational, and focused (on the right things).
Years ago, I had a friend who was a recent migrant to Australia. He found it very difficult to adjust to the new country and I used to re-assure him by saying “things can only improve”. I would like to think that those words gave him hope and sustained him through his difficult days.
When my late wife was fighting cancer, we came up with “do not get ahead of the situation; take one day at a time”. Every time we worry or feel anxious to find out what was happening, we calmed ourselves with those words.
When she passed away, I dealt with it by saying “there are things that I cannot change”. If I could have changed things, she would not have got cancer or died from it, but I couldn’t. I did all I could to give her tender loving care, motivate her through the difficult days, celebrate her good days, talked her through the dark hours, just about everything that one could possibly do, but they all came to nothing at the end. So I have to tell myself to accept her death as fate, God’s will or whatever, without any guilt.
Another mantra that I find useful for myself is “don’t look back, look ahead”. When things seem dismay because of a mistake, there is really no point in blaming yourself or anyone else. Just cop it sweet and move on with your life. No matter how much you may have lost, think “I have life”.
Life has its ups and downs. There may be a few occasions in your life when you will find yourself in a tough situation. I do hope that you will find the words to help you keep going. Talking to others about your problems may allow you to come up with the words that will be meaningful to you. Good luck!
Sunday 8 June 2008
The Stages of One's Life
Early stage:
This is the nurturing stage. YOU are the one being nurtured, if you have forgotten. Do this, do that. Don’t do that. Learn this. Study that. Don’t stay out too late. Learn the good things. Be a sponge and absorb everything. You prepare yourself, inspite of your parents and teachers, for the next stages of your life and how to make a living.
Mid-stage
You get a job, marry, and start a family. Nobody actually told you to do the latter. That folly meant you spend the rest of your life paying off a mortgage, working your heart out to raise the family, and trying to save for the later stage of your life. Every now and then, you try to enjoy your life i.e. have some holidays, buy a new car, spend the bank’s money, do something naughty. This is the stage of building. Not quite sure what. My stage just breezed by and I am unable to recall what happened. Yes, I do remember the stress and struggles. Fortunately, a good spouse and wonderful children are great compensation.
Later stage
You are an empty nester. There are more rooms than people in the house. Now you have a bit of change left over after paying your medical bills. This is the time to put up your legs, make peace, and age graciously. Or you can go tearing around full of vitality. It is nobody’s affair, but yours.
This is the age of giving – wisdom, effort, time or money. As the song goes, you are the world. If you have enough for yourself, it is the time to help others.
For once, you have time you have for yourself, after babysitting and granny duties. Now is the time you get to do the things you want to do. If you are still married, I hope you already have an understanding with your other half that you are free to do what you choose. I have nothing against marriages. They serve some purposes. Yours.
If you are widowed, don’t even bother to jump back into another tie-up. As they say, marriage is a three-ring circus – engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering. You won’t be so lucky this time. Nobody wins a lottery twice. You do not need another person to make you happy. If you need domestic help, it is cheaper to employ a maid.
Love? Don’t even think about it. Just let it remain on Lionel Ritchie’s CD. Give your love to everybody else (that should be the title of a new single by the previously battered Tina Turner). It will be a waste to give your love to only one person. Love the whole world, all 3 billion of them.
Why risk getting into a mess when you are now free to walk where your nose leads you, eat what and when you want, travel where you want to go, give your money to whoever you like, come home whenever you wish, wear pajama the whole day, have the TV to yourself, do anything without a second opinion?
This could very well be the best time of your life. Make use of it. Aging is a one way street, no turning back.
There is no other stage after this.
P.s. don’t take what you read too seriously.
This is the nurturing stage. YOU are the one being nurtured, if you have forgotten. Do this, do that. Don’t do that. Learn this. Study that. Don’t stay out too late. Learn the good things. Be a sponge and absorb everything. You prepare yourself, inspite of your parents and teachers, for the next stages of your life and how to make a living.
Mid-stage
You get a job, marry, and start a family. Nobody actually told you to do the latter. That folly meant you spend the rest of your life paying off a mortgage, working your heart out to raise the family, and trying to save for the later stage of your life. Every now and then, you try to enjoy your life i.e. have some holidays, buy a new car, spend the bank’s money, do something naughty. This is the stage of building. Not quite sure what. My stage just breezed by and I am unable to recall what happened. Yes, I do remember the stress and struggles. Fortunately, a good spouse and wonderful children are great compensation.
Later stage
You are an empty nester. There are more rooms than people in the house. Now you have a bit of change left over after paying your medical bills. This is the time to put up your legs, make peace, and age graciously. Or you can go tearing around full of vitality. It is nobody’s affair, but yours.
This is the age of giving – wisdom, effort, time or money. As the song goes, you are the world. If you have enough for yourself, it is the time to help others.
For once, you have time you have for yourself, after babysitting and granny duties. Now is the time you get to do the things you want to do. If you are still married, I hope you already have an understanding with your other half that you are free to do what you choose. I have nothing against marriages. They serve some purposes. Yours.
If you are widowed, don’t even bother to jump back into another tie-up. As they say, marriage is a three-ring circus – engagement ring, wedding ring, and suffering. You won’t be so lucky this time. Nobody wins a lottery twice. You do not need another person to make you happy. If you need domestic help, it is cheaper to employ a maid.
Love? Don’t even think about it. Just let it remain on Lionel Ritchie’s CD. Give your love to everybody else (that should be the title of a new single by the previously battered Tina Turner). It will be a waste to give your love to only one person. Love the whole world, all 3 billion of them.
Why risk getting into a mess when you are now free to walk where your nose leads you, eat what and when you want, travel where you want to go, give your money to whoever you like, come home whenever you wish, wear pajama the whole day, have the TV to yourself, do anything without a second opinion?
This could very well be the best time of your life. Make use of it. Aging is a one way street, no turning back.
There is no other stage after this.
P.s. don’t take what you read too seriously.
Saturday 31 May 2008
The Building Blocks of a Good Society
This is neither an authoritative nor prescriptive exposition. It is based on one person’s experience with life in a reasonably democratic country with fundamental human rights. You learn something. You share, even in an imperfect way. And you hope the next person will take it, use it or improve on it.
If you are living in a society with room for improvement, you may want to consider my recipe. This is, of course, not an exhaustive list.
Freedom of speech. This includes a free press. Political parties cannot have any shareholding or interests in newspapers and TV stations. They can be allowed to have specialized political newspapers or magazines or even a TV channel, but will never be allowed to monopolise political thoughts, just as no large corporation will be allowed to dominate any market. A free press plays a critical role in ensuring human rights are not compromised. Investigative journalism contributes to a more honest and transparent society. Freedom of speech empowers the people to speak for themselves, to criticise what is wrong, and convey their needs to the government their.
A free market, with provisions against anti-competitive behaviour on the part of large corporations, leads to efficiency in the society and the greatest benefits to society.
Independent judiciary system. The Prime Minister is unable to appoint or sack the key people in the judiciary system. The system has to be seen as fair, and independent of influences from the politicians, organized crime, or any party.
Independent electoral system. Likewise, the appointment of the head has to be debated and approved by Parliament, not unlike the appointment of key positions in the US government. Nominees have to be subjected to public scrutiny.
Accountable police and security forces. A public commission will oversee the activities of the police and security forces. The police will have to act within the law and cannot go beyond their prescribed powers.
The government should fund a viable opposition to the government. This involves paying a salary to an opposition “cabinet of shadow ministers” and funding the establishment of offices and basic staffing of all members of Parliament so that they have some means of serving the electorate. There should also be funding to enable people and political parties to offer themselves for election. This will ensure a viable and participative democracy.
Transparency and anti-corruption. Establish a “permanent transparency and anti-corruption commission” which can investigate any transaction involving politicians and public servants. A parallel commission will look at transaction involving corporations e.g. directors over-valuing an acquisition or overlooking the interests of shareholders.
All members of Parliament, politicians holding positions in their parties, and all public servants will have to declare their pecuniary interests and report changes when appropriate.
Freedom of information. The public and journalists will have greater access to how decisions were made in government.
An anti-discrimination commission to ensure that the minorities are not discriminated against and that people of all races and background have equal rights to pursue their lives.
Check and balance instruments
The government should fund and encourage the development of bodies such as consumer association, health commission, education commission, employer groups, unions, motorist association, shareholders association, public transport commission, rent and housing commission, and police commission to provide another voice and mechanism that the interest of the public is well looked after. These bodies will be run independently and will keep an overview of issues affecting the public.
Good governments leading to good societies – something to hope for.
If you are living in a society with room for improvement, you may want to consider my recipe. This is, of course, not an exhaustive list.
Freedom of speech. This includes a free press. Political parties cannot have any shareholding or interests in newspapers and TV stations. They can be allowed to have specialized political newspapers or magazines or even a TV channel, but will never be allowed to monopolise political thoughts, just as no large corporation will be allowed to dominate any market. A free press plays a critical role in ensuring human rights are not compromised. Investigative journalism contributes to a more honest and transparent society. Freedom of speech empowers the people to speak for themselves, to criticise what is wrong, and convey their needs to the government their.
A free market, with provisions against anti-competitive behaviour on the part of large corporations, leads to efficiency in the society and the greatest benefits to society.
Independent judiciary system. The Prime Minister is unable to appoint or sack the key people in the judiciary system. The system has to be seen as fair, and independent of influences from the politicians, organized crime, or any party.
Independent electoral system. Likewise, the appointment of the head has to be debated and approved by Parliament, not unlike the appointment of key positions in the US government. Nominees have to be subjected to public scrutiny.
Accountable police and security forces. A public commission will oversee the activities of the police and security forces. The police will have to act within the law and cannot go beyond their prescribed powers.
The government should fund a viable opposition to the government. This involves paying a salary to an opposition “cabinet of shadow ministers” and funding the establishment of offices and basic staffing of all members of Parliament so that they have some means of serving the electorate. There should also be funding to enable people and political parties to offer themselves for election. This will ensure a viable and participative democracy.
Transparency and anti-corruption. Establish a “permanent transparency and anti-corruption commission” which can investigate any transaction involving politicians and public servants. A parallel commission will look at transaction involving corporations e.g. directors over-valuing an acquisition or overlooking the interests of shareholders.
All members of Parliament, politicians holding positions in their parties, and all public servants will have to declare their pecuniary interests and report changes when appropriate.
Freedom of information. The public and journalists will have greater access to how decisions were made in government.
An anti-discrimination commission to ensure that the minorities are not discriminated against and that people of all races and background have equal rights to pursue their lives.
Check and balance instruments
The government should fund and encourage the development of bodies such as consumer association, health commission, education commission, employer groups, unions, motorist association, shareholders association, public transport commission, rent and housing commission, and police commission to provide another voice and mechanism that the interest of the public is well looked after. These bodies will be run independently and will keep an overview of issues affecting the public.
Good governments leading to good societies – something to hope for.
Monday 26 May 2008
An Amnesty for Corruption?
The Philippines was at one time the most “westernized” of Asian countries, with prolonged influence from the Spanish and Americans. In fact it was and still is the only Catholic Asian country. Some of its people have names that appear to be western rather than Asian. Seemingly more democratized, you would have expected it to fare better. Unfortunately, democracy did not live up to its promises.
How is it that with all the democratic institutions such as free speech, free elections, etc, the country did not progress as much as some of the other countries such as Malaysia where there is no real freedom of speech and opposition leaders get arrested under the internal security law?
The finger can be pointed at corruption. Corruption deeply entrenched in society is such a curse that infant democracy cannot get rid of it. President Aquino had good intentions but corruption persists.
Corruption is bad, a big SIN. There is no other way to look at it. Even the fear of punishment from the Almighty God will not deter people of any religion from being corrupted.
Two recent corruption cases were in the news recently. One in Malaysia involved someone who is a friend of the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister. The Malaysian Ministry of Defence, which the Deputy Prime Minister headed as defense minister, paid 1 billion euros (RM4.5 billion at that time) for the purchase of submarines. A company in which this friend has interests, Perimekar, received a commission of 114 million euros, a whopping 11 percent of the sales price of the submarines. This matter has received media attention now because the person involved is on trial for murder, with two Malaysian army personnel, of his Mongolian lover. Talk about transparency in government decisions!
The second case is from Indonesia. The Sydney Morning Herald on 23 May reported on a corruption trial. US$2.85 billion sourced from public funds was lost in a loan given to an Indonesian tycoon some years ago. The Indonesian Attorney-General’s office dropped the fraud charge against the tycoon. Two days later, a state prosecutor was arrested in the tycoon’s house with a box containing US$600,000 in cash. Also arrested was a woman business associate of the tycoon, who claimed she was only lending the money to the state prosecutor. The state attorney had apparently organized for the woman to meet a junior attorney-general and the director of special crimes to discuss the investigation into the loan from Bank Indonesia. The latter two people have not been implicated in any corruption charge. (I have to give credit to President Yudhoyuno for his anti-corruption intiatives in Indonesia; the same cannot be said of Prime Minister Badawi of Malaysia who planned an anti-corruption drive that went nowhere).
We are not talking of small bucks in the above cases; money belonging to the people.
114 million euros in Malaysia and US$2.85 billion in Indonesia; money that could been used to build hospitals, schools, roads, etc.
These are just the tip of the iceberg, so to say. Big money decisions are made all the time. Corruption changes the way decisions are made. You can say the decisions that are made will not be the right ones or the best ones, because it will no longer be a fair process. In any corrupt society, you can bet many sub-optimal decisions are made every day! Imagine the costs to society.
No matter what values or religion you have, or from what standpoint you look at it, there is no justification for corruption. Corruption is wrong. Corruption is a crime against society, against humanity! The penalty should be severe for such a crime.
Corruption can only be eradicated if there is solid political will, something that we seldom see. Human failings than strength (of leaders) are more common in anti-corruption drives. For example, you are the president of a nation and you have good intentions of fighting corruption. You set about and get a few people arrested for corruption. Then you ultimately find that your greatest ally in politics is corrupted. Do you put a sting operation, arrest him or her, and lose some of your own support base?
After thinking long and hard, this idea comes to mind. It is not an original idea. It does not matter; it may work. Offer an amnesty for a certain period of time. This is not dissimilar to the amnesty for crimes during the apartheid years in South Africa. Own up and return some of the money, and you can live the rest of your life as a free man. In the process of owning up, you will have to provide details of how you obtained the money. This means names will be given to the authorities. This will put more pressure on other people to own up in case their names have been provided by others.
It may seem counter-intuitive, allowing the robbers of society to get away. But it appears to me that this is one way of fighting corruption. It is worth trying.
How is it that with all the democratic institutions such as free speech, free elections, etc, the country did not progress as much as some of the other countries such as Malaysia where there is no real freedom of speech and opposition leaders get arrested under the internal security law?
The finger can be pointed at corruption. Corruption deeply entrenched in society is such a curse that infant democracy cannot get rid of it. President Aquino had good intentions but corruption persists.
Corruption is bad, a big SIN. There is no other way to look at it. Even the fear of punishment from the Almighty God will not deter people of any religion from being corrupted.
Two recent corruption cases were in the news recently. One in Malaysia involved someone who is a friend of the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister. The Malaysian Ministry of Defence, which the Deputy Prime Minister headed as defense minister, paid 1 billion euros (RM4.5 billion at that time) for the purchase of submarines. A company in which this friend has interests, Perimekar, received a commission of 114 million euros, a whopping 11 percent of the sales price of the submarines. This matter has received media attention now because the person involved is on trial for murder, with two Malaysian army personnel, of his Mongolian lover. Talk about transparency in government decisions!
The second case is from Indonesia. The Sydney Morning Herald on 23 May reported on a corruption trial. US$2.85 billion sourced from public funds was lost in a loan given to an Indonesian tycoon some years ago. The Indonesian Attorney-General’s office dropped the fraud charge against the tycoon. Two days later, a state prosecutor was arrested in the tycoon’s house with a box containing US$600,000 in cash. Also arrested was a woman business associate of the tycoon, who claimed she was only lending the money to the state prosecutor. The state attorney had apparently organized for the woman to meet a junior attorney-general and the director of special crimes to discuss the investigation into the loan from Bank Indonesia. The latter two people have not been implicated in any corruption charge. (I have to give credit to President Yudhoyuno for his anti-corruption intiatives in Indonesia; the same cannot be said of Prime Minister Badawi of Malaysia who planned an anti-corruption drive that went nowhere).
We are not talking of small bucks in the above cases; money belonging to the people.
114 million euros in Malaysia and US$2.85 billion in Indonesia; money that could been used to build hospitals, schools, roads, etc.
These are just the tip of the iceberg, so to say. Big money decisions are made all the time. Corruption changes the way decisions are made. You can say the decisions that are made will not be the right ones or the best ones, because it will no longer be a fair process. In any corrupt society, you can bet many sub-optimal decisions are made every day! Imagine the costs to society.
No matter what values or religion you have, or from what standpoint you look at it, there is no justification for corruption. Corruption is wrong. Corruption is a crime against society, against humanity! The penalty should be severe for such a crime.
Corruption can only be eradicated if there is solid political will, something that we seldom see. Human failings than strength (of leaders) are more common in anti-corruption drives. For example, you are the president of a nation and you have good intentions of fighting corruption. You set about and get a few people arrested for corruption. Then you ultimately find that your greatest ally in politics is corrupted. Do you put a sting operation, arrest him or her, and lose some of your own support base?
After thinking long and hard, this idea comes to mind. It is not an original idea. It does not matter; it may work. Offer an amnesty for a certain period of time. This is not dissimilar to the amnesty for crimes during the apartheid years in South Africa. Own up and return some of the money, and you can live the rest of your life as a free man. In the process of owning up, you will have to provide details of how you obtained the money. This means names will be given to the authorities. This will put more pressure on other people to own up in case their names have been provided by others.
It may seem counter-intuitive, allowing the robbers of society to get away. But it appears to me that this is one way of fighting corruption. It is worth trying.
Governments, rights, corruption, and society
Why am I writing about these matters? You can’t avoid these subjects once you think about life, or about the problems people face in living their lives. You expect that all countries will progress so that their people will have better lives. But it is not so. There are countries which go backwards.
Human rights, freedom of speech, the proficiency of governments, and corruption – they are all inter-related. Governments which deny their people of fundamental human rights end up abusing their power. Public funds are misused. Relatives and cronies are rewarded; public funds are wasted. There is no transparency and accountability in the government’s actions. The public service gets corrupted. The majority of the people have lost their natural access to opportunities. The privileged ones get richer and the poor gets poorer. Law enforcement and the judiciary become corrupted as well or are directed by corrupt politicians. Human rights deteriorate. If you live in one of those countries, you will know all the horror stories.
Governments have to take the blame. Bad governments create the environment for the abuse of power, corruption and poverty. As if being poor is not bad enough, the people are also oppressed by the lack of basic human rights. And they have no power or means to speak out against injustice.
Bad governments do not value their people. Their lives are nothing. Look at Burma now after the typhoon. There have been calls to charge the generals for crimes against humanity, if people were to die because foreign aid was not permitted to reach them.
No amount of foreign aid or charity is able to make a dent on poor countries. Firstly, a lot of the aid may end up in the wrong hands. Secondly, whatever is built up is often destroyed by wars, racial uprisings or civil disorders. Infrastructures and institutions are destroyed. An entire generation or two may go without education or a normal life, where you go to work to make a living, and return to a home and family. All it takes is just one bad president or prime minister.
What I am going to say will be controversial. I can see why so many western leaders are talking about human rights. I can see why George Bush invaded Iraq, with all the atrocities committed by the late Saddam Hussein against our fellow human beings. It may appear right for the world to take over Burma and Zimbabwe, if only it can be that straightforward. The world may need to intervene in some countries. One can’t help thinking like this.
So I cry out about human rights, corruption and good governments. These all the things we have to look at in order to have a better world.
Human rights, freedom of speech, the proficiency of governments, and corruption – they are all inter-related. Governments which deny their people of fundamental human rights end up abusing their power. Public funds are misused. Relatives and cronies are rewarded; public funds are wasted. There is no transparency and accountability in the government’s actions. The public service gets corrupted. The majority of the people have lost their natural access to opportunities. The privileged ones get richer and the poor gets poorer. Law enforcement and the judiciary become corrupted as well or are directed by corrupt politicians. Human rights deteriorate. If you live in one of those countries, you will know all the horror stories.
Governments have to take the blame. Bad governments create the environment for the abuse of power, corruption and poverty. As if being poor is not bad enough, the people are also oppressed by the lack of basic human rights. And they have no power or means to speak out against injustice.
Bad governments do not value their people. Their lives are nothing. Look at Burma now after the typhoon. There have been calls to charge the generals for crimes against humanity, if people were to die because foreign aid was not permitted to reach them.
No amount of foreign aid or charity is able to make a dent on poor countries. Firstly, a lot of the aid may end up in the wrong hands. Secondly, whatever is built up is often destroyed by wars, racial uprisings or civil disorders. Infrastructures and institutions are destroyed. An entire generation or two may go without education or a normal life, where you go to work to make a living, and return to a home and family. All it takes is just one bad president or prime minister.
What I am going to say will be controversial. I can see why so many western leaders are talking about human rights. I can see why George Bush invaded Iraq, with all the atrocities committed by the late Saddam Hussein against our fellow human beings. It may appear right for the world to take over Burma and Zimbabwe, if only it can be that straightforward. The world may need to intervene in some countries. One can’t help thinking like this.
So I cry out about human rights, corruption and good governments. These all the things we have to look at in order to have a better world.
Friday 23 May 2008
Democracy and Culture
It is sometimes argued that some cultures are not compatible with democracy. Is that real or just an excuse?
I think I know where the problem lies.
There are cultures where it is not usual for the parents or elders to be questioned by their children or subordinates (Chinese, Malays). This cultural disposition extends to corporations where the bosses tend to be paternalistic, and subordinates do not feel good to question the bosses unless requested. (I concede that I am generalising because I am sure that management style may vary). And as you would expect, this cultural thing extends to politics and public administration, where the political leaders do not tolerate criticisms or dissent. Such are taken with the attitude that “you are not giving me respect or face”. I am your boss, so why should you criticise what I do. You are not being loyal. Terms such as running dogs are thrown at those who dare to criticise. You do not bite the hand that feeds you. So they lock up the opposition leaders and suppress the press.
Hence you see the intolerance for dissent, the control of the press, and the suppression of the opposition. If you are lucky, it becomes a paternalistic government for the benefit of society (as in Singapore; you may disagree with my assessment). In others, this style of government may evolve into abuse of power, corruption, nepotism and autocratic tendencies, leading to the degradation of human rights. Any opposition to government policies is not tolerated and is rewarded with jailings and beatings.
So while some of these countries profess to be democratic and practise free election, they do not practice democracy as is known in the west. They may argue that they have their own brand of democracy, but it is really a big lie.
Culture has been used as an excuse for autocratic practices and iron-clad rule.
If Confucianism could be put aside for Chinese Communism, so can eastern cultures embrace democracy.
The institutions for democracy can be nurtured. Parliament can be adapted to provide more robust debates. The press can be liberated to allow freedom of expressions and for the people to have their say (as is already happening in the alternative media, the internet). Political parties can be funded by the government to develop a healthy opposition. The judiciary is freed from the influence of those in power so that there is justice. People will speak up if they know that justice is fair. Students can be encouraged to engage in political debating. Children can learn to express their opinions. Laws will not be used to deter dissent.
Let us hope that as governments change in developing countries and new leaders take the stage, the system will also change to allow freedom of expression and democratic reforms. If not, there will be no improvement in human rights, no matter who is in government.
I think I know where the problem lies.
There are cultures where it is not usual for the parents or elders to be questioned by their children or subordinates (Chinese, Malays). This cultural disposition extends to corporations where the bosses tend to be paternalistic, and subordinates do not feel good to question the bosses unless requested. (I concede that I am generalising because I am sure that management style may vary). And as you would expect, this cultural thing extends to politics and public administration, where the political leaders do not tolerate criticisms or dissent. Such are taken with the attitude that “you are not giving me respect or face”. I am your boss, so why should you criticise what I do. You are not being loyal. Terms such as running dogs are thrown at those who dare to criticise. You do not bite the hand that feeds you. So they lock up the opposition leaders and suppress the press.
Hence you see the intolerance for dissent, the control of the press, and the suppression of the opposition. If you are lucky, it becomes a paternalistic government for the benefit of society (as in Singapore; you may disagree with my assessment). In others, this style of government may evolve into abuse of power, corruption, nepotism and autocratic tendencies, leading to the degradation of human rights. Any opposition to government policies is not tolerated and is rewarded with jailings and beatings.
So while some of these countries profess to be democratic and practise free election, they do not practice democracy as is known in the west. They may argue that they have their own brand of democracy, but it is really a big lie.
Culture has been used as an excuse for autocratic practices and iron-clad rule.
If Confucianism could be put aside for Chinese Communism, so can eastern cultures embrace democracy.
The institutions for democracy can be nurtured. Parliament can be adapted to provide more robust debates. The press can be liberated to allow freedom of expressions and for the people to have their say (as is already happening in the alternative media, the internet). Political parties can be funded by the government to develop a healthy opposition. The judiciary is freed from the influence of those in power so that there is justice. People will speak up if they know that justice is fair. Students can be encouraged to engage in political debating. Children can learn to express their opinions. Laws will not be used to deter dissent.
Let us hope that as governments change in developing countries and new leaders take the stage, the system will also change to allow freedom of expression and democratic reforms. If not, there will be no improvement in human rights, no matter who is in government.
Tuesday 20 May 2008
Dissent and freedom of speech
Democracy (the real one) is synonymous with freedom and human rights as enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Freedom of expression enables members of the society to give their opinion, to engage in robust discussion about government policies, to oppose and disagree if they so wish. Freedom of association allows the formation of political groups, groups with common interests to establish and promote their ideas or to lobby the government with respects to policies, etc. These groups, political or apolitical, are common and relevant features of a democratic society.
Governments have to continue to woo the electorate or voters to their policies. If not, they will only stay in power till the next elections. The other political parties, who would like to be voted in to form the next government, will try its best to sell its policies too, whilst criticising the current government’s policies. There is continuous pressure on the government to have the right policies, to continue to manage well, and to continue to engage with the public. The people can never be taken for granted and the government has to listen to their concerns..
Let me illustrate the above points with an Australian example. Every year, the government has to present its budget to Parliament. The budget embodies the government’s policies and plans, and sets out how funds will be allocated for various government programmes.
The Australian Labor Party, which had won the recent elections, presented its budget through the Treasurer a week ago. Prior to Budget day, some speculations of the proposed changes found their way to the media and were tested in an informal way. The media, in its usual role, canvassed and reported on public opinion. Talk back radios were active with reactions on the speculations. So there was a big build-up to this important event of the year.
The Budget is always presented at 7.30 pm, long after the stock market had closed. The Treasurer holds the stage and makes his speech, which is broadcast live over TV and radio.
After the presentation is over, there will be interviews with the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader and Shadow Treasurer (in the Australian system, these opposition leaders enjoy a salary paid from government funds). As the commentators will say, the hard sell starts now, to woo the public. Polls will eventually be conducted to see how the public reacted to the Budget.
Two nights after the Budget night, the Shadow Treasurer (Opposition) makes his reply speech in Parliament. In it, he will attempt to bring out all the negatives of the government’s budget and counters with the policies of his party. This is again followed by a few more days of engagement in robust debates about policies, until it loses media and public interest.
Last night, the Prime Minister was interviewed (or grilled) by Kerry O’Brien, a formidable presenter on ABC’s The 7.30 Report. This is never a friendly pro-government interview. O’Brien tried his best to corner the PM on various aspects of the budget, the opposition’s counter proposals, or the reactions from various groups e.g. pensioners. (The previous day, some pensioners took off their shirts during a demonstration on a busy street, accusing the government of neglecting them in the budget). The PM, on the other side, tried to demonstrate that he has all the facts and knowledge of all aspects of the budget, and more. So there were a lot of difficult questions and attempts to put a different spin to things. This type of debate is always done in a friendly but business-like manner. They say that it would be unAustralian to lose your cool in public or on TV. Doing that would change the perception voters have of you and lose you quite a few votes.
One wonders why the Prime Minister subjects himself to such an interview. There are various reasons – to defend his policies, to sell to the electorate, to show that he is not hiding from the public reaction, to beat the drums if the public opinion is favourable. It is democracy at work.
Freedom of speech is a key ingredient in democracy. To be a leader in a real democracy, you have to have good communication skills, a willingness to engage with others in public debate, an ability to keep smiling under pressure.
How will such a political model fare in developing countries? To be continued in the next blog.
Freedom of expression enables members of the society to give their opinion, to engage in robust discussion about government policies, to oppose and disagree if they so wish. Freedom of association allows the formation of political groups, groups with common interests to establish and promote their ideas or to lobby the government with respects to policies, etc. These groups, political or apolitical, are common and relevant features of a democratic society.
Governments have to continue to woo the electorate or voters to their policies. If not, they will only stay in power till the next elections. The other political parties, who would like to be voted in to form the next government, will try its best to sell its policies too, whilst criticising the current government’s policies. There is continuous pressure on the government to have the right policies, to continue to manage well, and to continue to engage with the public. The people can never be taken for granted and the government has to listen to their concerns..
Let me illustrate the above points with an Australian example. Every year, the government has to present its budget to Parliament. The budget embodies the government’s policies and plans, and sets out how funds will be allocated for various government programmes.
The Australian Labor Party, which had won the recent elections, presented its budget through the Treasurer a week ago. Prior to Budget day, some speculations of the proposed changes found their way to the media and were tested in an informal way. The media, in its usual role, canvassed and reported on public opinion. Talk back radios were active with reactions on the speculations. So there was a big build-up to this important event of the year.
The Budget is always presented at 7.30 pm, long after the stock market had closed. The Treasurer holds the stage and makes his speech, which is broadcast live over TV and radio.
After the presentation is over, there will be interviews with the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader and Shadow Treasurer (in the Australian system, these opposition leaders enjoy a salary paid from government funds). As the commentators will say, the hard sell starts now, to woo the public. Polls will eventually be conducted to see how the public reacted to the Budget.
Two nights after the Budget night, the Shadow Treasurer (Opposition) makes his reply speech in Parliament. In it, he will attempt to bring out all the negatives of the government’s budget and counters with the policies of his party. This is again followed by a few more days of engagement in robust debates about policies, until it loses media and public interest.
Last night, the Prime Minister was interviewed (or grilled) by Kerry O’Brien, a formidable presenter on ABC’s The 7.30 Report. This is never a friendly pro-government interview. O’Brien tried his best to corner the PM on various aspects of the budget, the opposition’s counter proposals, or the reactions from various groups e.g. pensioners. (The previous day, some pensioners took off their shirts during a demonstration on a busy street, accusing the government of neglecting them in the budget). The PM, on the other side, tried to demonstrate that he has all the facts and knowledge of all aspects of the budget, and more. So there were a lot of difficult questions and attempts to put a different spin to things. This type of debate is always done in a friendly but business-like manner. They say that it would be unAustralian to lose your cool in public or on TV. Doing that would change the perception voters have of you and lose you quite a few votes.
One wonders why the Prime Minister subjects himself to such an interview. There are various reasons – to defend his policies, to sell to the electorate, to show that he is not hiding from the public reaction, to beat the drums if the public opinion is favourable. It is democracy at work.
Freedom of speech is a key ingredient in democracy. To be a leader in a real democracy, you have to have good communication skills, a willingness to engage with others in public debate, an ability to keep smiling under pressure.
How will such a political model fare in developing countries? To be continued in the next blog.
Sunday 18 May 2008
Nation building or nation wrecking
I am not an expert on human rights. But I have lived in various societies to know what human rights means to me.
This is what I can say.
When you have human rights in a society, it is easy to build on it. You have the legislative framework and supporting institutions (independent judiciary and law enforcement, etc) in place. So it is a matter of improving them. How do you build on it? You nurture all the democratic practices, free press, engage all in policy debates, improve access to all levels of government, fund the opposing sides of politics, encourage the growth of interest groups, increase transparency in government, make sure the checks and balances work.
It is easy to wreck it too. Start off by electing the wrong leader and party. He puts his own people to head the public service, the law enforcement, the military and the judiciary. (On the latter, Pakistan and Malaysia come to mind. They have done that). Then the supporters are rewarded with money politics. The ruling party takes vast interests in business. The supporters with positions too start to abuse their positions and take their share of corrupt money. Then every public servant and policeman wants bribes. Corruption becomes the way of life. The leader prolongs his time in power. The opposition parties are suppressed through money politics. The constitution is changed many times. The media is controlled tightly. The oppostion is arrested without reason under some internal security law. Human rights is eroded. The people has little say or the means to change things. The democratic right to vote means nothing anymore.
When the nation has been wrecked, it becomes difficult to unravel the mess.
I wish I have a solution, but I don’t.
Wherever you live, be watchful. Do whatever you can before it is too late.
This is what I can say.
When you have human rights in a society, it is easy to build on it. You have the legislative framework and supporting institutions (independent judiciary and law enforcement, etc) in place. So it is a matter of improving them. How do you build on it? You nurture all the democratic practices, free press, engage all in policy debates, improve access to all levels of government, fund the opposing sides of politics, encourage the growth of interest groups, increase transparency in government, make sure the checks and balances work.
It is easy to wreck it too. Start off by electing the wrong leader and party. He puts his own people to head the public service, the law enforcement, the military and the judiciary. (On the latter, Pakistan and Malaysia come to mind. They have done that). Then the supporters are rewarded with money politics. The ruling party takes vast interests in business. The supporters with positions too start to abuse their positions and take their share of corrupt money. Then every public servant and policeman wants bribes. Corruption becomes the way of life. The leader prolongs his time in power. The opposition parties are suppressed through money politics. The constitution is changed many times. The media is controlled tightly. The oppostion is arrested without reason under some internal security law. Human rights is eroded. The people has little say or the means to change things. The democratic right to vote means nothing anymore.
When the nation has been wrecked, it becomes difficult to unravel the mess.
I wish I have a solution, but I don’t.
Wherever you live, be watchful. Do whatever you can before it is too late.
Friday 16 May 2008
What it means to have rights
How do freedom and rights impact on my life?
Here’s one day of my life:
Last night – watched the news, followed by what is called a half hour of post-news “current affairs” where matters affecting people are presented e.g. supermarkets “ripping off” people. I could have watched the live broadcast of the Opposition leader’s speech in reply to the government’s budget proposals, but chose not to.
Good night’s sleep. No fear of being invaded. There is a reasonable effective Police Force to keep the peace and order.
Morning – watched the news briefly. Options of stations to tune into. And foreign news as well. Freedom of the press. Late morning - SBS broadcasts news from foreign-language stations such as Italian, Greek, Indonesian, Chinese, etc.
Drove to work – listened to talk-back radio on people’s opinion of the budget and other issues of public interest. Many stations. Popular with listeners and advertisers, and the presenters are highly paid.
On the train, everyone is equal – black, chocolate or white. People may give up their seats to a pregnant woman, elderly people, adults with young children. Some people bring their bicycles. Prams are common after the peak rush hour.
If I have a seat on the train, I may get to read my papers which had been delivered to my home at about 5.30am. The trains are very crowded these days because more people are catching the trains due to high petrol prices as well as high employment. The public transport is a big issue and the state government has come in for a lot of criticisms from the public.
Yesterday, I sent an email to the State Shadow Minister thanking him for raising an issue about my workplace in Parliament. I got a brief reply from him on the same afternoon.
Next week, the union has organised a 24 hour strike and we will be meeting for a peaceful rally in front of the office of the bosses.
Afternoon, I am going the reverse direction back home. My trains almost always run on time, which is great. CityRail has a service which emails subscribers if there is any trackwork during the week.
Had enough time to go to the optometrist to replace my new glasses for free because the original one did not do the job (my prescription had changed slightly). There are consumer laws and consumerism is strong in Australia.
My car, which had been parked on the roadside for the whole day, is safe and sound. There is a little traffic jam on the way home, but the flow is smooth. Radio stations give regular updates of traffic movements during peak hours. A helicopter flies around to check on traffic and listeners are encouraged to ring and report traffic jams. Should I go over the speed limit, I will probably be caught by speed cameras. There is no crooked cop waiting to collect bribes, as in some countries.
Listened to the radio station that plays pop music. Switched every now and then to talk-back radio to listen to what people are discussing.
It is dusk. Reached home and did my half hour walk in the dark.
Another day of living in peace and security, with the freedom to go about my business and my life without interference, to be what I want to be. And with the knowledge that I do have rights in this country.
Here’s the Australian’s government explanation of democratic rights and freedom:
Independent judiciary
Robust representative parliamentary institutions
Human rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers
Constitutional safeguards
The rule of law
A transparent criminal justice system – presumed innocent until proven guilty, can only be detained by a police for a limited period, right to a fair trial, trial by jury, legal aid services
Opposition parties partially funded by the government
Anyone can be held accountable and his/her actions, including the government’s, can be scrutinised
Legislative and legal framework with various acts to protect everybody’s fundamental rights
Many non-governmental organisations exist to promote and protect human rights
Freedom of expression, association, assembly, communication and religion
Freedom of Information Act – right to access information in the possession of the government and its authorities, with some exceptions.
See www.dfat.gov.au/facts/democratic_rights_freedoms.html
Now if you think this kind of system is only fitting for rich western countries, think again. Look at something that was drafted more than 60 years ago and adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1948. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights contains 30 articles covering essentially the same principles of human rights.
We are supposed to have a year long celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Declaration, so it is timely to read it again. See http://www.un.org/rights/ (the link is not working, so you will have to type this URL)
Today, many countries are violating the principles of the UN Declaration and “legitimising” themselves by passing laws which justify their actions. The judiciary is not independent and is influenced by politicians and those with money. The electoral system, even though there is a one person one vote system, is controlled by whoever is in power. Politicians abuse their positions. There is not enough transparency in the actions of those in power and in positions. Corruption is rife because the police force and judiciary are corrupted as well. Autocratic politicians hang on to power and cannot be removed even though they may be strangling the country.
Human rights are still wanting!
Here’s one day of my life:
Last night – watched the news, followed by what is called a half hour of post-news “current affairs” where matters affecting people are presented e.g. supermarkets “ripping off” people. I could have watched the live broadcast of the Opposition leader’s speech in reply to the government’s budget proposals, but chose not to.
Good night’s sleep. No fear of being invaded. There is a reasonable effective Police Force to keep the peace and order.
Morning – watched the news briefly. Options of stations to tune into. And foreign news as well. Freedom of the press. Late morning - SBS broadcasts news from foreign-language stations such as Italian, Greek, Indonesian, Chinese, etc.
Drove to work – listened to talk-back radio on people’s opinion of the budget and other issues of public interest. Many stations. Popular with listeners and advertisers, and the presenters are highly paid.
On the train, everyone is equal – black, chocolate or white. People may give up their seats to a pregnant woman, elderly people, adults with young children. Some people bring their bicycles. Prams are common after the peak rush hour.
If I have a seat on the train, I may get to read my papers which had been delivered to my home at about 5.30am. The trains are very crowded these days because more people are catching the trains due to high petrol prices as well as high employment. The public transport is a big issue and the state government has come in for a lot of criticisms from the public.
Yesterday, I sent an email to the State Shadow Minister thanking him for raising an issue about my workplace in Parliament. I got a brief reply from him on the same afternoon.
Next week, the union has organised a 24 hour strike and we will be meeting for a peaceful rally in front of the office of the bosses.
Afternoon, I am going the reverse direction back home. My trains almost always run on time, which is great. CityRail has a service which emails subscribers if there is any trackwork during the week.
Had enough time to go to the optometrist to replace my new glasses for free because the original one did not do the job (my prescription had changed slightly). There are consumer laws and consumerism is strong in Australia.
My car, which had been parked on the roadside for the whole day, is safe and sound. There is a little traffic jam on the way home, but the flow is smooth. Radio stations give regular updates of traffic movements during peak hours. A helicopter flies around to check on traffic and listeners are encouraged to ring and report traffic jams. Should I go over the speed limit, I will probably be caught by speed cameras. There is no crooked cop waiting to collect bribes, as in some countries.
Listened to the radio station that plays pop music. Switched every now and then to talk-back radio to listen to what people are discussing.
It is dusk. Reached home and did my half hour walk in the dark.
Another day of living in peace and security, with the freedom to go about my business and my life without interference, to be what I want to be. And with the knowledge that I do have rights in this country.
Here’s the Australian’s government explanation of democratic rights and freedom:
Independent judiciary
Robust representative parliamentary institutions
Human rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers
Constitutional safeguards
The rule of law
A transparent criminal justice system – presumed innocent until proven guilty, can only be detained by a police for a limited period, right to a fair trial, trial by jury, legal aid services
Opposition parties partially funded by the government
Anyone can be held accountable and his/her actions, including the government’s, can be scrutinised
Legislative and legal framework with various acts to protect everybody’s fundamental rights
Many non-governmental organisations exist to promote and protect human rights
Freedom of expression, association, assembly, communication and religion
Freedom of Information Act – right to access information in the possession of the government and its authorities, with some exceptions.
See www.dfat.gov.au/facts/democratic_rights_freedoms.html
Now if you think this kind of system is only fitting for rich western countries, think again. Look at something that was drafted more than 60 years ago and adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1948. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights contains 30 articles covering essentially the same principles of human rights.
We are supposed to have a year long celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Declaration, so it is timely to read it again. See http://www.un.org/rights/ (the link is not working, so you will have to type this URL)
Today, many countries are violating the principles of the UN Declaration and “legitimising” themselves by passing laws which justify their actions. The judiciary is not independent and is influenced by politicians and those with money. The electoral system, even though there is a one person one vote system, is controlled by whoever is in power. Politicians abuse their positions. There is not enough transparency in the actions of those in power and in positions. Corruption is rife because the police force and judiciary are corrupted as well. Autocratic politicians hang on to power and cannot be removed even though they may be strangling the country.
Human rights are still wanting!
Saturday 10 May 2008
Courage and Hope - The Migration Museum
Between North Terrace and the Torrens is the Migration Museum. This is the first time that I have come across it, even though I have been to Adelaide many times.
As they say, that is a season for all things. Perhaps certain matters strike a chord with me now, not before.
Australia is a land of migrants. This is a museum dedicated to those who left their homelands for good reasons to settle in this country far from everywhere else. War is probably the greatest cause of migration. The current intake includes Sudanese.
In the front courtyard are plagues placed by various ethnic groups to honour their migrants – Filipinos, Bosnians, Croatians, Jewish, Slovenians, Hungarians, Serbians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Latvians, Tartars, Polish, Vietnamese and British child migrants. Migrants from over 100 countries now contribute to multi-cultural Australia.
A bronze sculpture greets visitors with the inscription “the immigrants - courage, pride, dreams, achievements”.
This is what it is. People are sometimes critical of migrants and wonder why they leave and settle in another country. They do not realize the pain, suffering, sacrifices, challenges, rejections and discriminations that migrants put up with. Like all things, you pay a price. You go with the hope that life will be better, if not for you, for your children. Most ran because of war and famine, persecutions, discriminations, abusive governments, and for the pursuit of freedom and basic human rights.
Some sacrificed their way of life and career, not being able to speak the language of the new country. They faced the challenge of starting life and careers again, but with hopes and aspirations for the future. Most will miss their homeland for the rest of their lives. Some never made enough to even go back for a visit.
As recorded at the museum, an early migrant, Mary Thomas in 1836, penned these words:
“Yes, England I have fled from thee
Fast fades thy beauteous shores
Then flow my tears, for I shall see
My native land no more.”
I salute and respect the people who have the courage, hope, and determination to migrate.
One day, I hope people will leave their countries, not as migrants, but as happy tourists.
As they say, that is a season for all things. Perhaps certain matters strike a chord with me now, not before.
Australia is a land of migrants. This is a museum dedicated to those who left their homelands for good reasons to settle in this country far from everywhere else. War is probably the greatest cause of migration. The current intake includes Sudanese.
In the front courtyard are plagues placed by various ethnic groups to honour their migrants – Filipinos, Bosnians, Croatians, Jewish, Slovenians, Hungarians, Serbians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Latvians, Tartars, Polish, Vietnamese and British child migrants. Migrants from over 100 countries now contribute to multi-cultural Australia.
A bronze sculpture greets visitors with the inscription “the immigrants - courage, pride, dreams, achievements”.
This is what it is. People are sometimes critical of migrants and wonder why they leave and settle in another country. They do not realize the pain, suffering, sacrifices, challenges, rejections and discriminations that migrants put up with. Like all things, you pay a price. You go with the hope that life will be better, if not for you, for your children. Most ran because of war and famine, persecutions, discriminations, abusive governments, and for the pursuit of freedom and basic human rights.
Some sacrificed their way of life and career, not being able to speak the language of the new country. They faced the challenge of starting life and careers again, but with hopes and aspirations for the future. Most will miss their homeland for the rest of their lives. Some never made enough to even go back for a visit.
As recorded at the museum, an early migrant, Mary Thomas in 1836, penned these words:
“Yes, England I have fled from thee
Fast fades thy beauteous shores
Then flow my tears, for I shall see
My native land no more.”
I salute and respect the people who have the courage, hope, and determination to migrate.
One day, I hope people will leave their countries, not as migrants, but as happy tourists.
Friday 9 May 2008
A Day Out
This has to be the most busy day of my trip – having to go to the city for a few hours. Common, get some car fumes into my lungs. I have to prepare for Sydney.
One can only do so many beach walks at Glenelg. So I decided that I will see the real world and visit the Central Market (again), North Terrace and Rundle Mall.
The tram starts near where I live. No rush. There is one every 8 minutes. At 9.30am, you only find oldies (sorry, senior citizens) on the tram.
What is a tram? It runs on a track like a train. It looks like a train, but is not called a train. Adelaide is pretty flat, so it suits the tram. It goes slowly and makes about 18 stops before it reaches the city. It even stopped for window cleaning. The conductor goes around asking “are you alright?” instead of “show me your ticket”. In Sydney, they go around in threes and you show your ticket before they ask you.
This is Adelaide. I thought to myself, if it is too slow for you, go to Sydney.
On the way, you see little cottages on small blocks of land. Expectations and needs of inhabitants were more modest in the early days. Now homeowners are prone to build McMansions of a few hundred square metres.
After 24 patient minutes, I arrived at Adelaide, city of churches.
North Terrace has to be the most pretty street in Australia. On one side, you see older, character buildings – the train station, the Casino, State Parliament, Government House, State Library, the Museum of South Australia, the Art Gallery, the University of Adelaide and the Adelaide Hospital. On the other side is the assortment of old and new buildings. The street is wide and there is a spacious terrace where you can stroll or sit and enjoy the space.
The North Terrace slopes gently down to the Torrens River. Bordered by green banks, it reminds me of Oxford/Cambridge.
In fact, this place is the beautiful campus of the University of Adelaide. I can imagine the students having their lunch break by the banks of the Torrens. When I am retired, I should spend a few months here and register to study a subject at the University, perhaps in the humanities area. Imagine coming to lectures late, falling asleep, participating in a student demonstration? That would be quite nice.
Rundle Mall is a really a street that has been turned into a pedestrians mall, lined by retailers. It is the “shop till you drop” paradise of Adelaide. Here you get all the well known retailers that you will find in any city in Australia..
Rundle Mall extends into Hindley Street. I was amazed by the number of food establishments on this stretch. There must be demand not only from the city workers, but from the many students in high rise accommodation in the area.
I made a short visit to the Art Gallery, at the same speed as when I go into a supermarket – which is very fast. There was one painting that caught my untrained eye – Evening Shadows, Backwater of the Murray” by HJ Johnstone, oil on canvas circa 1880. It stood out from the rest on the same wall. What impressed me was the fact that the artist captured the colour of the evening so well. Apparently, this painting is the most popular piece in the museum. I searched for it on the internet. Have a look. “Control and click” the link http://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId%20=192
Interestingly, quiet a few of the artists lived in Australia for a while and returned to England. Even in those days, people were coming and returning. It was not a one way ticket.
Deceased singers like Elvis and John Lennon have songs that live on after their death, and they continue to earn royalties and a following of imitators and fans. With artists, their paintings and fame live on for even longer, and appreciate more with time. Their paintings hang in nice majestic buildings and expensive homes. There is no need to build a monument to honour Rembrandt, Picasso or Monet.
Having done my cultural bit and filled my lungs with city air, I hastened to catch the slow tram back to seaside Glenelg.
One can only do so many beach walks at Glenelg. So I decided that I will see the real world and visit the Central Market (again), North Terrace and Rundle Mall.
The tram starts near where I live. No rush. There is one every 8 minutes. At 9.30am, you only find oldies (sorry, senior citizens) on the tram.
What is a tram? It runs on a track like a train. It looks like a train, but is not called a train. Adelaide is pretty flat, so it suits the tram. It goes slowly and makes about 18 stops before it reaches the city. It even stopped for window cleaning. The conductor goes around asking “are you alright?” instead of “show me your ticket”. In Sydney, they go around in threes and you show your ticket before they ask you.
This is Adelaide. I thought to myself, if it is too slow for you, go to Sydney.
On the way, you see little cottages on small blocks of land. Expectations and needs of inhabitants were more modest in the early days. Now homeowners are prone to build McMansions of a few hundred square metres.
After 24 patient minutes, I arrived at Adelaide, city of churches.
North Terrace has to be the most pretty street in Australia. On one side, you see older, character buildings – the train station, the Casino, State Parliament, Government House, State Library, the Museum of South Australia, the Art Gallery, the University of Adelaide and the Adelaide Hospital. On the other side is the assortment of old and new buildings. The street is wide and there is a spacious terrace where you can stroll or sit and enjoy the space.
The North Terrace slopes gently down to the Torrens River. Bordered by green banks, it reminds me of Oxford/Cambridge.
In fact, this place is the beautiful campus of the University of Adelaide. I can imagine the students having their lunch break by the banks of the Torrens. When I am retired, I should spend a few months here and register to study a subject at the University, perhaps in the humanities area. Imagine coming to lectures late, falling asleep, participating in a student demonstration? That would be quite nice.
Rundle Mall is a really a street that has been turned into a pedestrians mall, lined by retailers. It is the “shop till you drop” paradise of Adelaide. Here you get all the well known retailers that you will find in any city in Australia..
Rundle Mall extends into Hindley Street. I was amazed by the number of food establishments on this stretch. There must be demand not only from the city workers, but from the many students in high rise accommodation in the area.
I made a short visit to the Art Gallery, at the same speed as when I go into a supermarket – which is very fast. There was one painting that caught my untrained eye – Evening Shadows, Backwater of the Murray” by HJ Johnstone, oil on canvas circa 1880. It stood out from the rest on the same wall. What impressed me was the fact that the artist captured the colour of the evening so well. Apparently, this painting is the most popular piece in the museum. I searched for it on the internet. Have a look. “Control and click” the link http://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId%20=192
Interestingly, quiet a few of the artists lived in Australia for a while and returned to England. Even in those days, people were coming and returning. It was not a one way ticket.
Deceased singers like Elvis and John Lennon have songs that live on after their death, and they continue to earn royalties and a following of imitators and fans. With artists, their paintings and fame live on for even longer, and appreciate more with time. Their paintings hang in nice majestic buildings and expensive homes. There is no need to build a monument to honour Rembrandt, Picasso or Monet.
Having done my cultural bit and filled my lungs with city air, I hastened to catch the slow tram back to seaside Glenelg.
Tuesday 6 May 2008
The Early Heroes of South Australia
Facing the jetty at Glenelg beach, between the Stamford Grand Hotel and the old Town Hall with its clock tower, is a granite monument standing about 10 metres tall. Glenelg was where the British started to build Adelaide. The monument was erected in 1936 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of South Australia.
This was the area where Governor Hindmarsh and the pioneer settlers first landed to establish the new province. His name is prominent on the west side of the monument facing the sea and jetty. Symbolically, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip landed here on their Royal Jubilee Tour in 1977.
On the northern wall of the monument, it says founders. Here you will find the surnames that you associate with roads and places in South Australia. Wakefield is right at the top. He has a special recognition. Then there are Gougher, Angas and Torrens. The idyllic river that splits Adelaide into north and south is named after the latter. The others have lent their names to prominent roads. The inscription says they ”overcame difficulties to secure the South Australia Foundation Act of 1834”. By that, I believe these people were the politicians of the day.
The names of the prominent pioneers occupy the southern wall (pun not intended). Gougher is at the top. The road in the city named after him has become part of Chinatown. Further down are Nuyts, Flinders (a university is named after him), Baudin, Sturt (the Sturt Highway goes all the way to Sydney), Barker, and Light (a surveyor-general, regarded as the founder of Adelaide). These people were honoured for being the first explorers and first settlers, meaning that they opened up the outback, and started farming.
They were the ones who were given land roamed and hunted on by the indigenous people of this southern land mass. Of course, the Aborigines did not have a concept of ownership or land titles of the Western type. It took more than two hundred years before a common man, Eddie Mabo went to the High Court in 1992 to successfully overcome the concept of terra nullius (land without settled inhabitants and settled law), and to get the court to recognize that the indigenous people had rights to land i.e. native title, and that the aborigines were the original “legal owners” of the land.
These names on the monument were the movers and the shakers of that era, the people who have left their footprints on the sands of time, the heroes of the new province of South Australia.
Adelaide was first populated by free settlers, not convicts as in Sydney and many other cities in Australia. In recent years, it has had a mayor of Chinese origin, Alfred Huang.
Today it is a sizeable modern metropolitan with a population of about 1.1 million.
The Afghans and their camels have been credited with the development of outback Australia. The first Afghan landed in Port Adelaide in 1838, only two years after the establishment of South Australia. Today, camels run free in the arid areas of Australia. So it is perhaps fitting that on a weekend, you will find two camels and an Afghan owner, 20 metres from this monument, providing rides on Glenelg beach.
Out in Adelaide city, the world’s first solar-powered electric bus is moving people too. Its passengers probably include indigenous people and migrants or descendents of migrants from over 100 countries of the world, with aspirations not very different from the ones who first landed on Glenelg beach back in 1836.
This was the area where Governor Hindmarsh and the pioneer settlers first landed to establish the new province. His name is prominent on the west side of the monument facing the sea and jetty. Symbolically, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip landed here on their Royal Jubilee Tour in 1977.
On the northern wall of the monument, it says founders. Here you will find the surnames that you associate with roads and places in South Australia. Wakefield is right at the top. He has a special recognition. Then there are Gougher, Angas and Torrens. The idyllic river that splits Adelaide into north and south is named after the latter. The others have lent their names to prominent roads. The inscription says they ”overcame difficulties to secure the South Australia Foundation Act of 1834”. By that, I believe these people were the politicians of the day.
The names of the prominent pioneers occupy the southern wall (pun not intended). Gougher is at the top. The road in the city named after him has become part of Chinatown. Further down are Nuyts, Flinders (a university is named after him), Baudin, Sturt (the Sturt Highway goes all the way to Sydney), Barker, and Light (a surveyor-general, regarded as the founder of Adelaide). These people were honoured for being the first explorers and first settlers, meaning that they opened up the outback, and started farming.
They were the ones who were given land roamed and hunted on by the indigenous people of this southern land mass. Of course, the Aborigines did not have a concept of ownership or land titles of the Western type. It took more than two hundred years before a common man, Eddie Mabo went to the High Court in 1992 to successfully overcome the concept of terra nullius (land without settled inhabitants and settled law), and to get the court to recognize that the indigenous people had rights to land i.e. native title, and that the aborigines were the original “legal owners” of the land.
These names on the monument were the movers and the shakers of that era, the people who have left their footprints on the sands of time, the heroes of the new province of South Australia.
Adelaide was first populated by free settlers, not convicts as in Sydney and many other cities in Australia. In recent years, it has had a mayor of Chinese origin, Alfred Huang.
Today it is a sizeable modern metropolitan with a population of about 1.1 million.
The Afghans and their camels have been credited with the development of outback Australia. The first Afghan landed in Port Adelaide in 1838, only two years after the establishment of South Australia. Today, camels run free in the arid areas of Australia. So it is perhaps fitting that on a weekend, you will find two camels and an Afghan owner, 20 metres from this monument, providing rides on Glenelg beach.
Out in Adelaide city, the world’s first solar-powered electric bus is moving people too. Its passengers probably include indigenous people and migrants or descendents of migrants from over 100 countries of the world, with aspirations not very different from the ones who first landed on Glenelg beach back in 1836.
Central Market - the Heart of Adelaide
I have a confession to make. I fell in love….with the Heart of Adelaide on my first visit. Now I always look forward to seeing her again. Love may be blind; everything about her is good.
Generally, I am enthralled by markets. The goods that people buy or eat are on show. They become food for thought for me about the way of life and perhaps the culture of the society.
Food does tell a fair bit about a place. The American blacks created food out of the parts of the pigs that were not fashionable to put on the dining table, because as slaves, their ancestors could only have what their masters discarded. The parts of the animals they eat are no different from the parts that the poor Chinese and French love so much.
Great dishes came out of poor societies. Do you just cook something that can look quite off-putting or do you create a great dish in which the main ingredient is no longer recognisable? And then grace the dish with a distinct name.
It is another perspective of “we are what we eat”.
The Central Market is a foodie paradise. The abundance, quality and variety of food signal that Australia is the lucky country. Food is in abundance. The stallholders have the passion for what they do. The food is always displayed like precious goods.
It is not just the best fruits and vegetables. There are fish and meat stalls, delis, pastry and nut shops, and even a pub.
On offer are foods of various ethnic origins - German, Dutch, English, etc. The market has the European flavour, something that I do not see in Sydney.
Today I spotted a Russian café, breads of various types from black rye to sour dough, game meats, kangaroo pepperoni, emu sausage, neison topside, wild goat shin, Scottish haggis, black pudding, and Sarawak laksa, just to illustrate the diversity.
It is not hard to get lost in this smallish market. One distraction and you cannot not sure if you are going clockwise or anti. It is best to accept that you are lost. Make no attempt to find out where you are. Just keep circling the rectangles of stores.
Today, I understand why. Each store has front and back exposures. Sometimes the back has the same display as the front. You get mesmerized by the display and confused by the duplication.
What did I buy today? Wild goat sausage, kangaroo tomato and fennel sausage, venison chop, three seed black rye bread, and fuji apples.
Still in a daze with my love. My eyes have feasted. As Anthony Bourdain would say in A Cook’s Tour, I am happy.
Generally, I am enthralled by markets. The goods that people buy or eat are on show. They become food for thought for me about the way of life and perhaps the culture of the society.
Food does tell a fair bit about a place. The American blacks created food out of the parts of the pigs that were not fashionable to put on the dining table, because as slaves, their ancestors could only have what their masters discarded. The parts of the animals they eat are no different from the parts that the poor Chinese and French love so much.
Great dishes came out of poor societies. Do you just cook something that can look quite off-putting or do you create a great dish in which the main ingredient is no longer recognisable? And then grace the dish with a distinct name.
It is another perspective of “we are what we eat”.
The Central Market is a foodie paradise. The abundance, quality and variety of food signal that Australia is the lucky country. Food is in abundance. The stallholders have the passion for what they do. The food is always displayed like precious goods.
It is not just the best fruits and vegetables. There are fish and meat stalls, delis, pastry and nut shops, and even a pub.
On offer are foods of various ethnic origins - German, Dutch, English, etc. The market has the European flavour, something that I do not see in Sydney.
Today I spotted a Russian café, breads of various types from black rye to sour dough, game meats, kangaroo pepperoni, emu sausage, neison topside, wild goat shin, Scottish haggis, black pudding, and Sarawak laksa, just to illustrate the diversity.
It is not hard to get lost in this smallish market. One distraction and you cannot not sure if you are going clockwise or anti. It is best to accept that you are lost. Make no attempt to find out where you are. Just keep circling the rectangles of stores.
Today, I understand why. Each store has front and back exposures. Sometimes the back has the same display as the front. You get mesmerized by the display and confused by the duplication.
What did I buy today? Wild goat sausage, kangaroo tomato and fennel sausage, venison chop, three seed black rye bread, and fuji apples.
Still in a daze with my love. My eyes have feasted. As Anthony Bourdain would say in A Cook’s Tour, I am happy.
The Malaysian Factor in Adelaide
Do you know the connection between Adelaide and Penang, Malaysia? Captain Francis Light is acknowledged to be the founder of Penang. His son, Colonel William Light, is the founder of Adelaide. The first building in the new township of Adelaide was in fact put up at Glenelg, where I am writing this. Interestingly, William Light was born in Kuala Kedah (near Penang) in 1786. It is mind-boggling that a Malaysian-born person founded a state capital of Australia.
As if this connection with Malaysia is not sufficient, a previous Premier of South Australia, Donald Dunstan was married to Adele Koh, who was an ex-Malaysian. Both are deceased now. Adele Koh was a young English tutor at the University of Malaya, and a Resident Fellow at First College in the late sixties.
And…..the first person of Asian origin to become a Federal government minister of Australia, Senator Penny Wong, hails from Adelaide. She was born in Sabah, Malaysia. She is currently the Minister of Climate Change.
Monday 5 May 2008
Lazy Sunday Afternoon
Took a left turn when I came out of the building and went for a walk along the southern stretch of Glenelg beach. The biggest decision of my afternoon. Right tomorrow, perhaps.
It is a nice late afternoon. The sun is so soft. In summer, the sun would have been much hotter. Enjoy the seasons of your life.
Being Sunday afternoon, there are plenty of people on the foreshore. A horde of seagulls, addicted to junk food, noisily hovers at various heights. They can sense it is the unofficial feeding time. Food can make strange creatures out of us, seagulls or people.
I am glad that I did not bring my iPod for the walk. The sound of the waves is just as wonderful.
I am in holiday mood. I feel happy with a sense of tempered excitement. I breathe the Glenelg air.
Glenelg beach faces west. The sun is about to set.
So I stopped, after strolling about a kilometre, to watch. I am not the only spectator. It is not often that the horizon is clear enough. I have a real chance of seeing a great sunset.
I watched and watched. Lower and lower, slowly but surely, the sun flattens itself and disappears below the line.
5.31 pm and the show is over. The setting of the sun left behind an orangey red glow that filled the horizon for a good half an hour. There is nothing as magical as nature showing off. Sure beats the fireworks that we get on the setting of the year, New Year’s Eve.
No wonder the café nearby is full. Patrons had come for the sunset. The coffee is secondary. Or is it the other way round? It does not matter.
An elderly woman on a wheel chair is enjoying both. Isn’t it nice that someone had cared enough to take her out on such a beautiful day?
The air, the waves, the sunset, the people. I am happy. I have had my fill of nature’s delights. The little pleasures of life that I am grateful for.
A new night has begun. Tomorrow, I will walk further.
It is a nice late afternoon. The sun is so soft. In summer, the sun would have been much hotter. Enjoy the seasons of your life.
Being Sunday afternoon, there are plenty of people on the foreshore. A horde of seagulls, addicted to junk food, noisily hovers at various heights. They can sense it is the unofficial feeding time. Food can make strange creatures out of us, seagulls or people.
I am glad that I did not bring my iPod for the walk. The sound of the waves is just as wonderful.
I am in holiday mood. I feel happy with a sense of tempered excitement. I breathe the Glenelg air.
Glenelg beach faces west. The sun is about to set.
So I stopped, after strolling about a kilometre, to watch. I am not the only spectator. It is not often that the horizon is clear enough. I have a real chance of seeing a great sunset.
I watched and watched. Lower and lower, slowly but surely, the sun flattens itself and disappears below the line.
5.31 pm and the show is over. The setting of the sun left behind an orangey red glow that filled the horizon for a good half an hour. There is nothing as magical as nature showing off. Sure beats the fireworks that we get on the setting of the year, New Year’s Eve.
No wonder the café nearby is full. Patrons had come for the sunset. The coffee is secondary. Or is it the other way round? It does not matter.
An elderly woman on a wheel chair is enjoying both. Isn’t it nice that someone had cared enough to take her out on such a beautiful day?
The air, the waves, the sunset, the people. I am happy. I have had my fill of nature’s delights. The little pleasures of life that I am grateful for.
A new night has begun. Tomorrow, I will walk further.
Sunday 4 May 2008
A Sojourn at Adelaide
A nice place. Not too big, not too small. Not much traffic jams. The pace of life I like.
Good public transport. From Glenelg to the city, it is a nice 15 minute tram ride. There is a free bus service within the city.
Three universities. Plenty of foreign students.
Art gallery and museum, if you are into such things.
A nice produce market right in the city. Great for foodies.
A casino too, if you have luck on your side.
Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and McClaren Vale. Reds and whites.
Weather – clear skies. Minimum 10. Maximum 22. I can’t complain.
As for Glenelg, it is the seaside suburb of Adelaide. The distinct landmarks – a beach stretching for miles, a long jetty that sticks out for 80 metres, a tram line running between busy shops, and the imposing Stamford Grand Hotel facing the sea.
In summer, you can get crabs (blue swimmers) from the jetty. A sign says that the catch has to be limited to 40 crabs per person. Lucky Adelaide people.
What I am going to do this morning? Take a lift down to the street
Turn left? Or right? Just the kind of decisions that I will have to wrestle with for the next 6 days.
Good public transport. From Glenelg to the city, it is a nice 15 minute tram ride. There is a free bus service within the city.
Three universities. Plenty of foreign students.
Art gallery and museum, if you are into such things.
A nice produce market right in the city. Great for foodies.
A casino too, if you have luck on your side.
Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and McClaren Vale. Reds and whites.
Weather – clear skies. Minimum 10. Maximum 22. I can’t complain.
As for Glenelg, it is the seaside suburb of Adelaide. The distinct landmarks – a beach stretching for miles, a long jetty that sticks out for 80 metres, a tram line running between busy shops, and the imposing Stamford Grand Hotel facing the sea.
In summer, you can get crabs (blue swimmers) from the jetty. A sign says that the catch has to be limited to 40 crabs per person. Lucky Adelaide people.
What I am going to do this morning? Take a lift down to the street
Turn left? Or right? Just the kind of decisions that I will have to wrestle with for the next 6 days.
The Benefits of Competition and Technology
Here I am in Adelaide. Housesitting for a week at Glenelg, the beach suburb. I am on a 4th floor apartment with a bit of beach and water views. I am also close to the shopping strip and tram terminal. A lovely spot.
I had actually agonized over coming here. After wavering for quite a while, I decided to make the trip. Checked the fares and the cheapest was A$125 each way. And the flight times were convenient. You pay less if you fly at 6 am and more if the flight is at a more reasonable time. The price reflects the supply and demand for a seat at any time of the day. Better for the airline to sell a seat cheap than to have it unoccupied.
So one early morning after tossing in bed for a while, I got up at 4am to made my booking on the internet. The wonders of online buying – it is available 24/7 every day of the year. When I went into the Virgin Blue website, I was surprised to read that they had just started a sale. I managed to get my return flight at only A$85.
Little did I know that the next day, Jetstar (the no frill arm of QANTAS) would start its sale and the ticket would be on offer at A$69 if you have carry-on luggage only.
This is the clear benefit of competition in the airline industry in Australia. It is still a regulated market in the sense that airlines cannot simply come in and do business. The winners are people like who would not have gone traveling if not for the lower fares, as well as the tourism industry, especially the towns that the planes fly to. The downside will be the impact on the environment as more and more planes burn their fuel plying our skies.
Mind you, these low fares are available at a time of high petroleum prices.
Technology has enabled companies like Virgin Blue (thank you, Richard Branson) to create a low-cost business model. Customers buy and pay online, and check in online. I received an email 24 hours before my flight, telling me that I can check in. I made one click of the mouse and I see that I have been allocated a seat and I can change to another if I want to. I checked in two pieces of luggage. All done in a couple of minutes, thank you. At the airport, all I had to do was to drop my bag at the counter. Just a short queue.
Arrived at Adelaide airport. By the time I got to the carousel, my bags were there.
In true budget traveler spirit, I caught a bus to Glenelg.
I had actually agonized over coming here. After wavering for quite a while, I decided to make the trip. Checked the fares and the cheapest was A$125 each way. And the flight times were convenient. You pay less if you fly at 6 am and more if the flight is at a more reasonable time. The price reflects the supply and demand for a seat at any time of the day. Better for the airline to sell a seat cheap than to have it unoccupied.
So one early morning after tossing in bed for a while, I got up at 4am to made my booking on the internet. The wonders of online buying – it is available 24/7 every day of the year. When I went into the Virgin Blue website, I was surprised to read that they had just started a sale. I managed to get my return flight at only A$85.
Little did I know that the next day, Jetstar (the no frill arm of QANTAS) would start its sale and the ticket would be on offer at A$69 if you have carry-on luggage only.
This is the clear benefit of competition in the airline industry in Australia. It is still a regulated market in the sense that airlines cannot simply come in and do business. The winners are people like who would not have gone traveling if not for the lower fares, as well as the tourism industry, especially the towns that the planes fly to. The downside will be the impact on the environment as more and more planes burn their fuel plying our skies.
Mind you, these low fares are available at a time of high petroleum prices.
Technology has enabled companies like Virgin Blue (thank you, Richard Branson) to create a low-cost business model. Customers buy and pay online, and check in online. I received an email 24 hours before my flight, telling me that I can check in. I made one click of the mouse and I see that I have been allocated a seat and I can change to another if I want to. I checked in two pieces of luggage. All done in a couple of minutes, thank you. At the airport, all I had to do was to drop my bag at the counter. Just a short queue.
Arrived at Adelaide airport. By the time I got to the carousel, my bags were there.
In true budget traveler spirit, I caught a bus to Glenelg.
Thursday 1 May 2008
One of the Best Things You Can Do For Your Kids
……….is to allow them a chance to do things, to experience responsibility, to make decisions, to face challenges, and to learn to deal with others.
Here is an example. This couple has a sheep farm. They also keep a few chickens. On one occasion, they asked their 12 year old daughter to sell a few eggs, which she did competently. Then they thought that she should be given the chance to run her own business within the farm. She took up the challenge and decided that she would run a chicken and egg business. She started ringing people from home selling organic eggs under the name Madelaine’s Eggs. Then she invested in an incubator (making an investment decision) and soon she was selling chicks. Then she branched into ducks and was soon selling ducklings. This young girl was soon manning her own store in the town’s weekend market, selling her organic eggs, chickens and ducklings.
She managed the entire business by herself, with a little help from her little sister and her parents.
At a time of water shortage, her business was the only part of the family farm that was making a profit.
Not a bad start to life for a kid who was still in primary school.
Here is an example. This couple has a sheep farm. They also keep a few chickens. On one occasion, they asked their 12 year old daughter to sell a few eggs, which she did competently. Then they thought that she should be given the chance to run her own business within the farm. She took up the challenge and decided that she would run a chicken and egg business. She started ringing people from home selling organic eggs under the name Madelaine’s Eggs. Then she invested in an incubator (making an investment decision) and soon she was selling chicks. Then she branched into ducks and was soon selling ducklings. This young girl was soon manning her own store in the town’s weekend market, selling her organic eggs, chickens and ducklings.
She managed the entire business by herself, with a little help from her little sister and her parents.
At a time of water shortage, her business was the only part of the family farm that was making a profit.
Not a bad start to life for a kid who was still in primary school.
Saturday 26 April 2008
Not Yet The People's Republic
The transformation of China in recent years has been remarkable. I hope China will one day be a great society for its people and for the world.
At a time when China is in the news with the Tibetan protests and the Olympic Torch Relay being run in Canberra, there was a letter from a Rhonda Byrne to the News and Opinion page of the Sydney Morning Herald today (26 April, 2008).
Here’s an extract:
“It’s not just about Tibet. It’s China’s human rights abuses, the contaminated pet food sent to America, contaminated toothpaste sent to South America, blankets contaminated with formaldehyde, children’s toys contaminated with lead, and contaminated batches of the drug Clexane.”
I concede that many countries have worse human rights records than China. But that does not mean that China cannot put the lives of its people or we foreign consumers on a higher priority.
The Chinese government does not tolerate dissent. It selectively listens to the cries of its people. It is easy enough to throw people into lock-ups than to put up with their demands or arguments. It is still a long way from being the people’s republic.
If it is so dangerous and troublesome for the Chinese people to express their needs to their government, then perhaps we foreigners, as consumers of Chinese products, can do it for them.
It is time for China to be less defensive, to stop thinking that the rest of the world has a secret agenda, and to listen to what the world has to say
The Embassies around the world scrutinize the foreign press and report back to their governments. I believe if you say something often enough, the other party will finally have to listen and respond. If we are genuine enough, you and I can play a part in hastening the process of change in China by expressing your feelings to the government of China. Write to the local newspaper and the Chinese Ambassador, wherever you are.
We should do likewise to the Governments of every country, on any issue that can improve the lives of their people. It will be good for the world.
At a time when China is in the news with the Tibetan protests and the Olympic Torch Relay being run in Canberra, there was a letter from a Rhonda Byrne to the News and Opinion page of the Sydney Morning Herald today (26 April, 2008).
Here’s an extract:
“It’s not just about Tibet. It’s China’s human rights abuses, the contaminated pet food sent to America, contaminated toothpaste sent to South America, blankets contaminated with formaldehyde, children’s toys contaminated with lead, and contaminated batches of the drug Clexane.”
I concede that many countries have worse human rights records than China. But that does not mean that China cannot put the lives of its people or we foreign consumers on a higher priority.
The Chinese government does not tolerate dissent. It selectively listens to the cries of its people. It is easy enough to throw people into lock-ups than to put up with their demands or arguments. It is still a long way from being the people’s republic.
If it is so dangerous and troublesome for the Chinese people to express their needs to their government, then perhaps we foreigners, as consumers of Chinese products, can do it for them.
It is time for China to be less defensive, to stop thinking that the rest of the world has a secret agenda, and to listen to what the world has to say
The Embassies around the world scrutinize the foreign press and report back to their governments. I believe if you say something often enough, the other party will finally have to listen and respond. If we are genuine enough, you and I can play a part in hastening the process of change in China by expressing your feelings to the government of China. Write to the local newspaper and the Chinese Ambassador, wherever you are.
We should do likewise to the Governments of every country, on any issue that can improve the lives of their people. It will be good for the world.
Sunday 20 April 2008
A Sunday walk in the domain
Discussing about life, a friend shared that 10 years is 3,650 days. Does not sound like much. This is how I am spending one day.
It is Sunday morning and I am walking through the Botanic Gardens and the domain, heading for Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. Named after the wife of a Governor of New South Wales, it is a ledge carved out of a rock occupying a prominent point in the domain. It was where the governor’s wife would sit and admire beautiful Sydney Harbour.
I wonder how the view is?
Today is not exactly Sydney’s best autumn weather. It is wet and overcast. The gloomy weather will hang around for another 5 days. After two years of really dry weather, drought and water rationing, I have not heard anybody complain about the many wet days we have had this year.
I arrived to see a few people holding some banners. A Free Tibet protest? No. A pro-China protest? No. The banners say “Banish the Chinese Communist Party - Free China”. Surprise of the day.
If Mrs. Macquarie were sitting here today, what would she see? A JetCat ferrying people to Manly, “a thousand miles from care”, people scaling the Harbour Bridge even in wet weather, joggers running to a longer life, a QANTAS jet in the distance, a lone fisherman increasing his chances with three rods, and scores of Chinese tourists. A snapshot of life – commerce, leisure and pleasure.
I have read another version of the Chair. The story goes that Mrs. Macquarie would sit there to longingly wait for her husband’s return when he went for a business trip to England. It must have taken him about a year or two to make a return trip to England in 1816. These days, the QANTAS flight takes about 24 hours each way.
Time has changed, even though 10 years is still 3,650 days. It may not seem much. Consolation - we can actually do more in 3,650 days than in Mrs. Macquarie’s time.
Now where am I? O.k. how’s the view of the Sydney from this angle? I also wonder if we look at our own life from a different perspective, will we appreciate it more?
The Sydney harbour and skyline look great. Sydney is beautiful, no matter from what angle, what season, and what weather.
Wouldn’t it be nice if life is like that – no matter what season of life, and how rough the going is, and from what perspective, we can still say it is beautiful?
It is Sunday morning and I am walking through the Botanic Gardens and the domain, heading for Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair. Named after the wife of a Governor of New South Wales, it is a ledge carved out of a rock occupying a prominent point in the domain. It was where the governor’s wife would sit and admire beautiful Sydney Harbour.
I wonder how the view is?
Today is not exactly Sydney’s best autumn weather. It is wet and overcast. The gloomy weather will hang around for another 5 days. After two years of really dry weather, drought and water rationing, I have not heard anybody complain about the many wet days we have had this year.
I arrived to see a few people holding some banners. A Free Tibet protest? No. A pro-China protest? No. The banners say “Banish the Chinese Communist Party - Free China”. Surprise of the day.
If Mrs. Macquarie were sitting here today, what would she see? A JetCat ferrying people to Manly, “a thousand miles from care”, people scaling the Harbour Bridge even in wet weather, joggers running to a longer life, a QANTAS jet in the distance, a lone fisherman increasing his chances with three rods, and scores of Chinese tourists. A snapshot of life – commerce, leisure and pleasure.
I have read another version of the Chair. The story goes that Mrs. Macquarie would sit there to longingly wait for her husband’s return when he went for a business trip to England. It must have taken him about a year or two to make a return trip to England in 1816. These days, the QANTAS flight takes about 24 hours each way.
Time has changed, even though 10 years is still 3,650 days. It may not seem much. Consolation - we can actually do more in 3,650 days than in Mrs. Macquarie’s time.
Now where am I? O.k. how’s the view of the Sydney from this angle? I also wonder if we look at our own life from a different perspective, will we appreciate it more?
The Sydney harbour and skyline look great. Sydney is beautiful, no matter from what angle, what season, and what weather.
Wouldn’t it be nice if life is like that – no matter what season of life, and how rough the going is, and from what perspective, we can still say it is beautiful?
Saturday 19 April 2008
Improving a Society
It takes a great leader to show the way. He may not have all the answers. But who has?
What did he do?
He said sorry to the indigenous people for their “lost generation”. He selects the first female Governor-General for the country.
He commits himself to the job from day one. He says to the people that his ministers are going to work hard, even on public holidays. He made no real promise but he tells the people that he shares their pains and aspirations.
He makes large symbolic changes. He takes his cabinet meetings on the road, throwing the first day meeting to the public in a country town, so that the people can pose questions directly to his cabinet, their government. And he is going to hold such meetings all over the country. The people can have their say. Isn’t it a wonderful change? He engages the people.
He makes big decisions that previous leaders had stagnated on. Without hesitation, he made big commitments to solve problems that had been nagging the country for a long while – the water problem, the relationship between state and federal governments, and so on. These are decisions that clearly demonstrated that he is a man of action, not a talker.
Today and tomorrow, he chairs a National 2020 Summit for a selected group of 1,000 people representing all sectors of society to discuss the future for the country. The people can get involved in deciding the country’s future. The people must have their say. It is too important to leave it to the parliamentarians. In announcing the summit idea, he said (as quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald) “We therefore open the doors of this great parliament to the nation’s best and brightest brains in order to harness those ideas to shape the nation’s long term future…I think it is time for a new approach”.
An edited version of a speech he made to the Sydney Institute on April 16, 2008 was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. Let me quote from his “broad outline of the government’s vision for the nation’s future”.
“Part of our vision is to give every opportunity to individuals to provide for their own future by rewarding hard work, enterprise and success, while part of our vision also goes to a contrasting (but at the same time reinforcing) sense of social responsibility……
I believe that as a nation we need to come together around clear, long-term goals for the Australia of 2020 and beyond. These objectives should be ambitious. Excessive caution and a fear of failure should not hold us back…….
In the century ahead, it’s not unreasonable for Australia to aspire to be the best place on earth to live, to gain an education, to work and to raise a family….
We can also be a nation with a sense of wider purpose, not a nation turned in to itself and occupied only with its own future……
We can either drift into the future or we can take hold of the future with our own hands to shape the future, to seize the day”.
Wouldn’t it be nice for all countries to have leaders who are committed to improving their society? And to lead the way in making their society a better place to live in.
Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, you deserve the kudos. You have shown great leadership. I hope you will also include the poorer nations in your “wider purpose” for Australia to engage the world.
Richer societies, such as Australia, must not forget the rest of the world who are poorer. That should be part of the national conscience. Only then can Australia regard itself as a good society.
What did he do?
He said sorry to the indigenous people for their “lost generation”. He selects the first female Governor-General for the country.
He commits himself to the job from day one. He says to the people that his ministers are going to work hard, even on public holidays. He made no real promise but he tells the people that he shares their pains and aspirations.
He makes large symbolic changes. He takes his cabinet meetings on the road, throwing the first day meeting to the public in a country town, so that the people can pose questions directly to his cabinet, their government. And he is going to hold such meetings all over the country. The people can have their say. Isn’t it a wonderful change? He engages the people.
He makes big decisions that previous leaders had stagnated on. Without hesitation, he made big commitments to solve problems that had been nagging the country for a long while – the water problem, the relationship between state and federal governments, and so on. These are decisions that clearly demonstrated that he is a man of action, not a talker.
Today and tomorrow, he chairs a National 2020 Summit for a selected group of 1,000 people representing all sectors of society to discuss the future for the country. The people can get involved in deciding the country’s future. The people must have their say. It is too important to leave it to the parliamentarians. In announcing the summit idea, he said (as quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald) “We therefore open the doors of this great parliament to the nation’s best and brightest brains in order to harness those ideas to shape the nation’s long term future…I think it is time for a new approach”.
An edited version of a speech he made to the Sydney Institute on April 16, 2008 was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. Let me quote from his “broad outline of the government’s vision for the nation’s future”.
“Part of our vision is to give every opportunity to individuals to provide for their own future by rewarding hard work, enterprise and success, while part of our vision also goes to a contrasting (but at the same time reinforcing) sense of social responsibility……
I believe that as a nation we need to come together around clear, long-term goals for the Australia of 2020 and beyond. These objectives should be ambitious. Excessive caution and a fear of failure should not hold us back…….
In the century ahead, it’s not unreasonable for Australia to aspire to be the best place on earth to live, to gain an education, to work and to raise a family….
We can also be a nation with a sense of wider purpose, not a nation turned in to itself and occupied only with its own future……
We can either drift into the future or we can take hold of the future with our own hands to shape the future, to seize the day”.
Wouldn’t it be nice for all countries to have leaders who are committed to improving their society? And to lead the way in making their society a better place to live in.
Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia, you deserve the kudos. You have shown great leadership. I hope you will also include the poorer nations in your “wider purpose” for Australia to engage the world.
Richer societies, such as Australia, must not forget the rest of the world who are poorer. That should be part of the national conscience. Only then can Australia regard itself as a good society.
Monday 14 April 2008
The Cancer of Society - Corruption
Corruption is a cancer. If embedded into the fabric of society, it will slowly choke a country to death. When the society has a culture of corruption, it is difficult to dislodge it.
Examples of corruption
Policemen standing at road junctions to solicit money from minor traffic offences.
Policemen at highways who will claim that speed limits had been exceeded.
Immigration officers who will not allow a visitor with a valid visa to enter a country, or leave “because the visa was issued somewhere else”.
Paying a sum of cash “under the counter” to buy a house. The developer claims they have to pay cash to government officials to get their approval to build the houses.
Politicians and civil servants taking a cut from any project they approve.
Awarding tenders to relatives, friends, or people who pay bribes.
Selling government assets for below market price without proper tendering.
In some countries, corruption may be disguised as corporate political donations.
Consequences of corruption
Society suffers. You can never have faith in the system because you fear that compromises have been made in everything. You cannot be sure if buildings, bridges, and roads have met the specifications because you fear that builders could bribe inspectors if they have deficient work, or they have to cut costs to pay bribes. Planes, ships, ferries, trains, buses, and lifts may not be safe or comply with safety requirements. Has the servicing and parts been compromised? Foreign consumers prefer not to buy products from a country where corruption is endemic? Can you trust the standards?
Politicians and their families and cronies work together to take cuts from public projects. They hold on to power by whatever means, or they sponsor successors who will not persecute them.
The sad part is that in corrupt societies, you cannot engage in most activities without encountering demands for bribery; life becomes an endless series of payment of bribes. Anyone who has a little power over you can demand a payment if you need his/her help.
Corrupt societies reward people for the wrong skills Success in life will be a result not of skills but of cleverness in playing the corruption game. It depends on who you know rather than how smart you are. Easy money comes to those who enjoy the patronage of the politicians. There is no competition in business, so businesses never need to improve their services or products. The door is virtually closed off to anyone unless he/she plays the game of giving bribes to the decision makers and their masters.
The judiciary system will not be fair, so you live in fear. Criminals can get away with acquittals or lower sentences. Crooked cops can arrest you on trumped-up charges. The rich can get away with murder; the poor end up in jail.
And of course, the electoral system is also corrupted to keep the same leaders in power.
Opponents of corruption end up in jail.
Corruption must be one of the main causes of poverty in many countries, as well as an impediment to progress. For a list of the most corrupted countries in the world, look at http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781359.html Needless to say, the more corrupted countries are also the poorest countries.
Under what conditions will corruption thrive? In an autocratic society where there is no real democratic rights (as in a dictatorship, or in a so-called democracy where people do not have much rights). Leaders wield so much power that nobody can get them to account for any corrupt act or conflict of interest. There is no transparency and the press does not have real freedom. The judiciary system and the police toe the line of the corrupted leaders. Corruption erodes human rights. Corruption is the price a society pays for the lack of democratic rights.
Can we rid ourselves of this evil?
Do I think it will be easy? Of course, I do not. If I am short of ideas, it is understandable. Every issue of public interest will be complex. Resolution begins with discussion and a meeting of minds.
In a corrupt, the people can feel powerless and helpless. How do they get rid of corrupt leaders if there is no real democracy?
The international community has to play a part. The media, union movement, international aid agencies, and NGO’s may be the parties that can play a concerted role to highlight corruption and its impact on various countries, and put pressure on the corrupt leaders. The international banking system must clean itself of corrupt money. Multi-national corporations should re-affirm their stand against corruption, not just pay lip service, and tie foreign aid with a charter against corruption that governments must sign and act on. The whole world should take a stand against corruption.
The local media and people have to start the change by making known their disgust of corruption.
Obviously, corrupted people will never let an honest leader emerge. That’s asking for trouble. Perhaps there will be a leader who will play the game until he/she makes it to the top, then gathers enough strength and support to change society. Is there a way anything that we can do to support honest leaders?
Or the people will have to elect an honest politician from an opposition party. Even then, he or she will have an uphill battle to eradicate corruption. This brings to mind Cory Aquino, ex-president of the Philippines, who attempted to do just that.
It goes to say that corruption must be nipped in the bud. Do not give corruption any chance to take hold and become the way of life.
I am keen about a shame row (borrowing from the “death row”) or hall of shame (“hall of fame”) to shame the leaders of corrupted countries on the world wide web. Put up their photographs and list the wealth they have accumulated.
What can humanity do about corruption?
Examples of corruption
Policemen standing at road junctions to solicit money from minor traffic offences.
Policemen at highways who will claim that speed limits had been exceeded.
Immigration officers who will not allow a visitor with a valid visa to enter a country, or leave “because the visa was issued somewhere else”.
Paying a sum of cash “under the counter” to buy a house. The developer claims they have to pay cash to government officials to get their approval to build the houses.
Politicians and civil servants taking a cut from any project they approve.
Awarding tenders to relatives, friends, or people who pay bribes.
Selling government assets for below market price without proper tendering.
In some countries, corruption may be disguised as corporate political donations.
Consequences of corruption
Society suffers. You can never have faith in the system because you fear that compromises have been made in everything. You cannot be sure if buildings, bridges, and roads have met the specifications because you fear that builders could bribe inspectors if they have deficient work, or they have to cut costs to pay bribes. Planes, ships, ferries, trains, buses, and lifts may not be safe or comply with safety requirements. Has the servicing and parts been compromised? Foreign consumers prefer not to buy products from a country where corruption is endemic? Can you trust the standards?
Politicians and their families and cronies work together to take cuts from public projects. They hold on to power by whatever means, or they sponsor successors who will not persecute them.
The sad part is that in corrupt societies, you cannot engage in most activities without encountering demands for bribery; life becomes an endless series of payment of bribes. Anyone who has a little power over you can demand a payment if you need his/her help.
Corrupt societies reward people for the wrong skills Success in life will be a result not of skills but of cleverness in playing the corruption game. It depends on who you know rather than how smart you are. Easy money comes to those who enjoy the patronage of the politicians. There is no competition in business, so businesses never need to improve their services or products. The door is virtually closed off to anyone unless he/she plays the game of giving bribes to the decision makers and their masters.
The judiciary system will not be fair, so you live in fear. Criminals can get away with acquittals or lower sentences. Crooked cops can arrest you on trumped-up charges. The rich can get away with murder; the poor end up in jail.
And of course, the electoral system is also corrupted to keep the same leaders in power.
Opponents of corruption end up in jail.
Corruption must be one of the main causes of poverty in many countries, as well as an impediment to progress. For a list of the most corrupted countries in the world, look at http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781359.html Needless to say, the more corrupted countries are also the poorest countries.
Under what conditions will corruption thrive? In an autocratic society where there is no real democratic rights (as in a dictatorship, or in a so-called democracy where people do not have much rights). Leaders wield so much power that nobody can get them to account for any corrupt act or conflict of interest. There is no transparency and the press does not have real freedom. The judiciary system and the police toe the line of the corrupted leaders. Corruption erodes human rights. Corruption is the price a society pays for the lack of democratic rights.
Can we rid ourselves of this evil?
Do I think it will be easy? Of course, I do not. If I am short of ideas, it is understandable. Every issue of public interest will be complex. Resolution begins with discussion and a meeting of minds.
In a corrupt, the people can feel powerless and helpless. How do they get rid of corrupt leaders if there is no real democracy?
The international community has to play a part. The media, union movement, international aid agencies, and NGO’s may be the parties that can play a concerted role to highlight corruption and its impact on various countries, and put pressure on the corrupt leaders. The international banking system must clean itself of corrupt money. Multi-national corporations should re-affirm their stand against corruption, not just pay lip service, and tie foreign aid with a charter against corruption that governments must sign and act on. The whole world should take a stand against corruption.
The local media and people have to start the change by making known their disgust of corruption.
Obviously, corrupted people will never let an honest leader emerge. That’s asking for trouble. Perhaps there will be a leader who will play the game until he/she makes it to the top, then gathers enough strength and support to change society. Is there a way anything that we can do to support honest leaders?
Or the people will have to elect an honest politician from an opposition party. Even then, he or she will have an uphill battle to eradicate corruption. This brings to mind Cory Aquino, ex-president of the Philippines, who attempted to do just that.
It goes to say that corruption must be nipped in the bud. Do not give corruption any chance to take hold and become the way of life.
I am keen about a shame row (borrowing from the “death row”) or hall of shame (“hall of fame”) to shame the leaders of corrupted countries on the world wide web. Put up their photographs and list the wealth they have accumulated.
What can humanity do about corruption?
Monday 7 April 2008
What is a Good Society?
If you look at the recent Zimbabwe and Kenya election, the decision of the Kosovo people to make a self-declared independence, the Tibetan demonstration against Chinese rule, and the assassination attempt on the President of East Timor, you may want to ask if these snapshots are symptomatic of society.
Society is about us, the people, the culture and all the institutions that we put in place to put order into our lives. The people may not be completely responsible for the way society turns out, but they are part and parcel of it. What the people have created or allow to be created, perhaps only the people can unwind through the choice of better leaders and better institutions, to ensure that the society will be good.
What constitutes a good society?
A good society values its people. It looks after the poor and weak. It respects peoples’ freedom and constitutional rights.
The people elect the government in free and regular elections. The politicians are servants of the people, having been put into office by the people, for the people.
The activities of the leaders, politicians and government are transparent for all to see. A legal system ensures that everybody is accountable for his /her actions, no matter how powerful the person is.
No group can bully or discriminate against another, and there is equal opportunity.
The justice system functions independently from political interference.
People can trust the government. They do not have to live in fear.
There is no corruption, so the people know that their leaders, politicians, public servants, and anybody in a position of power will make decisions without compromise and without conflict of interest.
The people have the right to dissent without repercussions. Discussions/negotiations and legal means are used to settle disputes. Not violence or war.
Apart from all the institutions and systems that have been put in place for society to run smoothly, the people themselves are law abiding, civic-minded, accept that there is diversity in society, and have love for their fellow human beings and compassion for those in need, even if they may be different.
These are not ideals. These are the characteristics that we should expect in any society.
A good or even great society - is this not what every country should aspire for?
We should campaign for good governments in every country. As part of that, we should have a code of good practice in government for all to see and apply. We must, in very clear and strong terms, declare that we want good governments. At any election, we should ask the candidates, notwithstanding their political inclinations, to declare that they will comply with such a code.
We should shame the leaders who have allowed their countries to deteriorate, and not make any progress to being a good society.
The world wide web has enabled each of us to disseminate information and news efficiently. Let us use it to make the world a better place.
Society is about us, the people, the culture and all the institutions that we put in place to put order into our lives. The people may not be completely responsible for the way society turns out, but they are part and parcel of it. What the people have created or allow to be created, perhaps only the people can unwind through the choice of better leaders and better institutions, to ensure that the society will be good.
What constitutes a good society?
A good society values its people. It looks after the poor and weak. It respects peoples’ freedom and constitutional rights.
The people elect the government in free and regular elections. The politicians are servants of the people, having been put into office by the people, for the people.
The activities of the leaders, politicians and government are transparent for all to see. A legal system ensures that everybody is accountable for his /her actions, no matter how powerful the person is.
No group can bully or discriminate against another, and there is equal opportunity.
The justice system functions independently from political interference.
People can trust the government. They do not have to live in fear.
There is no corruption, so the people know that their leaders, politicians, public servants, and anybody in a position of power will make decisions without compromise and without conflict of interest.
The people have the right to dissent without repercussions. Discussions/negotiations and legal means are used to settle disputes. Not violence or war.
Apart from all the institutions and systems that have been put in place for society to run smoothly, the people themselves are law abiding, civic-minded, accept that there is diversity in society, and have love for their fellow human beings and compassion for those in need, even if they may be different.
These are not ideals. These are the characteristics that we should expect in any society.
A good or even great society - is this not what every country should aspire for?
We should campaign for good governments in every country. As part of that, we should have a code of good practice in government for all to see and apply. We must, in very clear and strong terms, declare that we want good governments. At any election, we should ask the candidates, notwithstanding their political inclinations, to declare that they will comply with such a code.
We should shame the leaders who have allowed their countries to deteriorate, and not make any progress to being a good society.
The world wide web has enabled each of us to disseminate information and news efficiently. Let us use it to make the world a better place.
Thursday 3 April 2008
The Old Way of Losing Weight
More people are having weight problem. I do sympathise with them. So it is not a bad idea to share our (insignificant) experiences about diets and weight management.
I am not a heavy person, but five months ago, I found that I had put on six extra kilos and my health seemed to have been affected. I had added some inches to my girth and carried a small spare tyre (or beer gut, come to think of it) that I thought was impossible to get rid off.
My normal diet had some good and bad aspects. I do not usually consume sugar except for what is contained in my food. But I loved bread, butter, rice, pasta, pizza and generally have a high carbohydrate diet. I also enjoy chocolates, and deserts.
However I was able to shed 6 kilos in three months as well as got rid of my spare tyre. I am trimmer, fitter and feel good about myself.
There is no secret diet. No astronaut diet; no special diet; no starving and bingeing. Just old-fashioned weight reduction.
Initially, I started by eating only half the lunch or dinner that I normally take. Note: I eat the same foods. Initially it required a bit of getting used to. So I split my normal plate of food into two, and consume one portion. Initially I would get hungry after a while. So I would eat the other portion, perhaps 2 hours after the first portion. After a couple of days, my stomach seemed to have shrunk and I no longer had to eat both portions. One was enough. So I had succeeded in cutting down my food intake.
For exercise to burn up the calories, I walked about three kilometers (about 40 minutes) in the evening. Initially this was at a leisurely pace. After a few days, the legs were happy to pick up speed. This simple exercise can work up quite a sweat. On weekends, I may do the same walk two or even three times a day.
Do you know why it is good to walk before your meal? After the walk, your body requires water more than food, so you are likely to eat less.
After a week, my weight had started to go down. At some periods, I was even worried that the weight was going down too fast. I eventually lost about 7 kg i.e. 10% of my body weight.
With a fair bit of Easter chocolates, the weight has gone up one kilo. I am happy with 70 kg. I am much fitter and am able to climb up steps two at a time without efforts.
The simple principle is to burn more calories than you take into your body. So a bit of walking and a reduced intake will start to work in a wonderful way.
This was my way. No fees. No frill. No pain. Eat less. Keep walking.
I am not a heavy person, but five months ago, I found that I had put on six extra kilos and my health seemed to have been affected. I had added some inches to my girth and carried a small spare tyre (or beer gut, come to think of it) that I thought was impossible to get rid off.
My normal diet had some good and bad aspects. I do not usually consume sugar except for what is contained in my food. But I loved bread, butter, rice, pasta, pizza and generally have a high carbohydrate diet. I also enjoy chocolates, and deserts.
However I was able to shed 6 kilos in three months as well as got rid of my spare tyre. I am trimmer, fitter and feel good about myself.
There is no secret diet. No astronaut diet; no special diet; no starving and bingeing. Just old-fashioned weight reduction.
Initially, I started by eating only half the lunch or dinner that I normally take. Note: I eat the same foods. Initially it required a bit of getting used to. So I split my normal plate of food into two, and consume one portion. Initially I would get hungry after a while. So I would eat the other portion, perhaps 2 hours after the first portion. After a couple of days, my stomach seemed to have shrunk and I no longer had to eat both portions. One was enough. So I had succeeded in cutting down my food intake.
For exercise to burn up the calories, I walked about three kilometers (about 40 minutes) in the evening. Initially this was at a leisurely pace. After a few days, the legs were happy to pick up speed. This simple exercise can work up quite a sweat. On weekends, I may do the same walk two or even three times a day.
Do you know why it is good to walk before your meal? After the walk, your body requires water more than food, so you are likely to eat less.
After a week, my weight had started to go down. At some periods, I was even worried that the weight was going down too fast. I eventually lost about 7 kg i.e. 10% of my body weight.
With a fair bit of Easter chocolates, the weight has gone up one kilo. I am happy with 70 kg. I am much fitter and am able to climb up steps two at a time without efforts.
The simple principle is to burn more calories than you take into your body. So a bit of walking and a reduced intake will start to work in a wonderful way.
This was my way. No fees. No frill. No pain. Eat less. Keep walking.
Tuesday 1 April 2008
The Art of Living Simply
Footprints on the sands of time (see previous posting). Talk about carbon footprints.
Two days ago was Earth Watch Hour. Many cities around the world participated by switching off some lights for an hour.
There was also a show on TV called Outrageous Wasters which featured a family in England who generated five times more carbon dioxide a year than the average family. Predictably, the family turned greenie by the end of the show.
There is no reason why each and every one of us cannot be mindful of the environment.
Here’s the art of living simply.
Do:
Reduce the use of electricity – turn off lights, use energy-efficient machines,
Reduce the use of petroleum – use public transport, use fuel efficient cars, avoid the car if you can ride or walk, run a few errands on every car trip, share a car,
Recycle. Put papers, glass and metal containers for recycling.
Give away things you do not use anymore e.g. clothes, baby prams, chairs and tables, etc.
Share things so that things get utilized fully e.g. books, lawn mowers, etc.
Do everything in sufficient quantities only; no overcooking, less waste.
Slow down your consumption of things. Don’t buy a new thing as soon as a new model is available. Extend the life of everything..
Re-use things e.g. bricks, timber.
Consume local products which do not need to be freighted half-way round the world.
Grow your own food.
Waste nothing.
Encourage others to do the above.
Is this going to be the new way of life?
Will each individual in the world have a carbon dioxide emission account which will tell how much each generated each year?
Will there be a new capitalism that will lead to a sustainable world?
Till next time. Take care of yourself. And the world.
Two days ago was Earth Watch Hour. Many cities around the world participated by switching off some lights for an hour.
There was also a show on TV called Outrageous Wasters which featured a family in England who generated five times more carbon dioxide a year than the average family. Predictably, the family turned greenie by the end of the show.
There is no reason why each and every one of us cannot be mindful of the environment.
Here’s the art of living simply.
Do:
Reduce the use of electricity – turn off lights, use energy-efficient machines,
Reduce the use of petroleum – use public transport, use fuel efficient cars, avoid the car if you can ride or walk, run a few errands on every car trip, share a car,
Recycle. Put papers, glass and metal containers for recycling.
Give away things you do not use anymore e.g. clothes, baby prams, chairs and tables, etc.
Share things so that things get utilized fully e.g. books, lawn mowers, etc.
Do everything in sufficient quantities only; no overcooking, less waste.
Slow down your consumption of things. Don’t buy a new thing as soon as a new model is available. Extend the life of everything..
Re-use things e.g. bricks, timber.
Consume local products which do not need to be freighted half-way round the world.
Grow your own food.
Waste nothing.
Encourage others to do the above.
Is this going to be the new way of life?
Will each individual in the world have a carbon dioxide emission account which will tell how much each generated each year?
Will there be a new capitalism that will lead to a sustainable world?
Till next time. Take care of yourself. And the world.
Sunday 30 March 2008
Footprints on the Sands of Time
This is a quotation, from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s A Psalm of Life, that has inspired me for a long time:
“Lives of great men, all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us,
Footprints on the sands of time.”
Sublime, in the Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary, means “of the most exalted kind……as to inspire awe or wonder,….far above the ordinary”.
Carbon footprints? Is that all that I will leave behind? Or nano footprints?
“Lives of great men, all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us,
Footprints on the sands of time.”
Sublime, in the Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary, means “of the most exalted kind……as to inspire awe or wonder,….far above the ordinary”.
Carbon footprints? Is that all that I will leave behind? Or nano footprints?
Friday 28 March 2008
This Thing Called Golf
Hey, golf is just a game. There is no need to get upset about it. Don’t take it out on your club. It will damage the fairway.
It is a strange game, with rules and etiquette. Just ask those players behind. They are always hitting balls over our heads.
It is a game where one may earn a lot of money. Just ask Tiger Woods. You can add up the numbers. Never in history have so few people lost so much golf balls to enable professional players to earn so much money. O.k., not all the money come from golf balls alone. There are endless number of corporations run by weekend hackers who are not unwilling to use other people’s money to sponsor four days of glory.
If you don’t play golf, stay away from groups of people who do. You will find that they will talk about anything so long as it is golf.
Golf sets are like cars. You buy a new set when a new model is available. In fact, the terminology is the same. You drive a car. You use a driver for those long distance hits.
Talk about distance, average golfers walk an average of 10 km playing a round of golf on a 6,000 metre long golf course. That’s right. Not a misprint. That’s why they are average golfers. Average golfers always tell you that golf is good for exercise.
It is also a game where you either have it or you don’t. Those who don’t have it are handicapped, whatever that means. The good thing is that those who have it can still enjoy a game with those who have not. In other words, those who are handicapped can play with those who are not. Do you follow what I am saying?
If you don’t play well after one year, you don’t really have it. I should know. I have been playing for years.
I am very sensible. I know it is just a game. There is no need to push the damn cart into the pond.
That's life. Till next time.
It is a strange game, with rules and etiquette. Just ask those players behind. They are always hitting balls over our heads.
It is a game where one may earn a lot of money. Just ask Tiger Woods. You can add up the numbers. Never in history have so few people lost so much golf balls to enable professional players to earn so much money. O.k., not all the money come from golf balls alone. There are endless number of corporations run by weekend hackers who are not unwilling to use other people’s money to sponsor four days of glory.
If you don’t play golf, stay away from groups of people who do. You will find that they will talk about anything so long as it is golf.
Golf sets are like cars. You buy a new set when a new model is available. In fact, the terminology is the same. You drive a car. You use a driver for those long distance hits.
Talk about distance, average golfers walk an average of 10 km playing a round of golf on a 6,000 metre long golf course. That’s right. Not a misprint. That’s why they are average golfers. Average golfers always tell you that golf is good for exercise.
It is also a game where you either have it or you don’t. Those who don’t have it are handicapped, whatever that means. The good thing is that those who have it can still enjoy a game with those who have not. In other words, those who are handicapped can play with those who are not. Do you follow what I am saying?
If you don’t play well after one year, you don’t really have it. I should know. I have been playing for years.
I am very sensible. I know it is just a game. There is no need to push the damn cart into the pond.
That's life. Till next time.
Thursday 27 March 2008
Travel - My Favourite Places (1)
This is a topic that everyone should join in and have a say. I am just as interested in knowing what your favourite places are. So tell us about the nice places in the world.
I have done some traveling, but not as much as a lot of people.
In every country, I am sure there are at least a few very nice places. Usually, if you stay long enough, you will appreciate the places. Best of all, if you have friends, it makes your stay many times better.
.
Top of my list is the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Why do I like it?
I like the long stretch of beach and the spacious feeling you get when you are there. People are friendly and relaxed, and they all seem to be in the holiday mood.
What is there to do?
There is plenty to do – theme parks, golf, fishing, shopping, eat. I love fresh bread. There are nice little bakeries in all the suburbs and it is easy enough to walk over in the morning and select your favourite bread, hot off the oven. Walk the entire length of the beach from Main Beach to Miami Beach. Go deep sea fishing.
Where to shop?
The shopping centres are great. There are enough differences in the way Harbour City, Pacific Fair and Robina have been set up, so each is a different experience. Carrara Markets is the place to go on a Saturday. There is plenty of everything, from fruits to T shirts and shoes.
Where to stay?
Accomodation is plentiful. You can always get a nice little apartment on a reasonable weekly rate, especially in the off-peak months. I try to stay a bit away from the central area of Surfers Paradise. I like Broadbeach and Burleigh Beach.
If you are there, take a short drive to Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast or even Fraser Island. In the meantime, visit www.sunzine.net/goldcoast/welcome.html. For a nice photo, go to http://www.yesaustralia.com.br/img/GoldCoastPhoto.jpg.
Gold Coast – beautiful one day, perfect the next. It has seduced me. One day, I may get to live there.
I have done some traveling, but not as much as a lot of people.
In every country, I am sure there are at least a few very nice places. Usually, if you stay long enough, you will appreciate the places. Best of all, if you have friends, it makes your stay many times better.
.
Top of my list is the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
Why do I like it?
I like the long stretch of beach and the spacious feeling you get when you are there. People are friendly and relaxed, and they all seem to be in the holiday mood.
What is there to do?
There is plenty to do – theme parks, golf, fishing, shopping, eat. I love fresh bread. There are nice little bakeries in all the suburbs and it is easy enough to walk over in the morning and select your favourite bread, hot off the oven. Walk the entire length of the beach from Main Beach to Miami Beach. Go deep sea fishing.
Where to shop?
The shopping centres are great. There are enough differences in the way Harbour City, Pacific Fair and Robina have been set up, so each is a different experience. Carrara Markets is the place to go on a Saturday. There is plenty of everything, from fruits to T shirts and shoes.
Where to stay?
Accomodation is plentiful. You can always get a nice little apartment on a reasonable weekly rate, especially in the off-peak months. I try to stay a bit away from the central area of Surfers Paradise. I like Broadbeach and Burleigh Beach.
If you are there, take a short drive to Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast or even Fraser Island. In the meantime, visit www.sunzine.net/goldcoast/welcome.html. For a nice photo, go to http://www.yesaustralia.com.br/img/GoldCoastPhoto.jpg.
Gold Coast – beautiful one day, perfect the next. It has seduced me. One day, I may get to live there.
Tuesday 25 March 2008
The Human Spirit
(May I dedicate this to all the unsung heroes)
The Cambodian children with artificial limbs, victims of land mines, happily playing soccer.
Bomber, the ex-soldier and mine clearer, who triumphed over alcoholism and the scars of war, to give his service to the country he fought against. And his mate, Roy, another veteran, who lost his wife, yet found strength to devote himself to a new cause.
Like Roy, the many of us who have lost a loved one, and go on living.
The cancer victims who live the highs and lows of the disease and the treatment.
The people who battle cancer, depression, divorce, loss of job; and still survive.
The carers and the survivors.
The volunteers.
Donating an organ to a stranger, or to anybody.
Bravery beyond the call of duty.
The supermums who have to be mother, wife, wage earner, chef, housemaid, gardener, teacher, and the strength of the family.
(This is going to be a long list!)
The single mother who raised five kids. One of them, my friend, is a PhD from Cambridge University.
The parents who live away from their family, earning money to feed the family
The many senior citizens who live alone.
The poor who live with hope.
The victims of violent crimes.
The people with disabilities. Among many, people like Stevie Wonder and the late Ray Charles, who gave so much to music and us.
Nelson Mandela, through his years in prison, to emerge victorious and gracious.
The ones who dare to dream of a better home, a better life, a better world.
The students who try so hard.
Babies learning to walk.
You.
Me.
We all have it. The human spirit. Don’t underestimate it.
Till next time.
The Cambodian children with artificial limbs, victims of land mines, happily playing soccer.
Bomber, the ex-soldier and mine clearer, who triumphed over alcoholism and the scars of war, to give his service to the country he fought against. And his mate, Roy, another veteran, who lost his wife, yet found strength to devote himself to a new cause.
Like Roy, the many of us who have lost a loved one, and go on living.
The cancer victims who live the highs and lows of the disease and the treatment.
The people who battle cancer, depression, divorce, loss of job; and still survive.
The carers and the survivors.
The volunteers.
Donating an organ to a stranger, or to anybody.
Bravery beyond the call of duty.
The supermums who have to be mother, wife, wage earner, chef, housemaid, gardener, teacher, and the strength of the family.
(This is going to be a long list!)
The single mother who raised five kids. One of them, my friend, is a PhD from Cambridge University.
The parents who live away from their family, earning money to feed the family
The many senior citizens who live alone.
The poor who live with hope.
The victims of violent crimes.
The people with disabilities. Among many, people like Stevie Wonder and the late Ray Charles, who gave so much to music and us.
Nelson Mandela, through his years in prison, to emerge victorious and gracious.
The ones who dare to dream of a better home, a better life, a better world.
The students who try so hard.
Babies learning to walk.
You.
Me.
We all have it. The human spirit. Don’t underestimate it.
Till next time.
Monday 24 March 2008
Landmines
This is something I really would like to share with you.
It is Monday evening. I have just seen a documentary called Bomber and Roy on ABC TV. Bomber and Roy are Australian Vietnam veterans who, as part of their own healing, have returned to Cambodia to help clear the many landmines in the country. They are the only freelance mine clearers in Cambodia, and they are doing it on their own steam. They have raised money through various clubs in Australia to buy mine detecting equipments.
In the documentary was Aki Ra, a Cambodian who must be the champion mine clearer in the country. Until Bomber gave him a detector, he was just using a stick to look for mines. He is the founder of the Land Mines Museum at Siem Reap. Aki and his wife are looking after young victims of land mines by housing and giving them an education.
If you ever go to the Angkor Wat area, you must visit the museum. It is definitely a cause worth helping. If you live in Australia and you hear the name Bomber and Roy, you know what they are on about.
Aki Ra can easily be found on the internet. Here is one source www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aki_Ra . The Cambodian people have gone through a lot. So have the Vietnam veterans. They deserve our support. War is horrible, for all sides. If you see the faces of the people, you will surely be touched.
It is Monday evening. I have just seen a documentary called Bomber and Roy on ABC TV. Bomber and Roy are Australian Vietnam veterans who, as part of their own healing, have returned to Cambodia to help clear the many landmines in the country. They are the only freelance mine clearers in Cambodia, and they are doing it on their own steam. They have raised money through various clubs in Australia to buy mine detecting equipments.
In the documentary was Aki Ra, a Cambodian who must be the champion mine clearer in the country. Until Bomber gave him a detector, he was just using a stick to look for mines. He is the founder of the Land Mines Museum at Siem Reap. Aki and his wife are looking after young victims of land mines by housing and giving them an education.
If you ever go to the Angkor Wat area, you must visit the museum. It is definitely a cause worth helping. If you live in Australia and you hear the name Bomber and Roy, you know what they are on about.
Aki Ra can easily be found on the internet. Here is one source www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aki_Ra . The Cambodian people have gone through a lot. So have the Vietnam veterans. They deserve our support. War is horrible, for all sides. If you see the faces of the people, you will surely be touched.
World Citizen?
Will any of my readers feel offended if I call myself World Citizen? I hope not. It is just a pen name. World is not my real first name. I am not Miss World. Nor Mr. Citizen, a title of high esteem. I am just WC.
Why do I want to use a pen name? There is nothing sinister about that.
Firstly I just want a name that is free of any connotation of gender, religious background, and ethnicity. I could have used a number, I guess.
Secondly, we can play this game of profiling someone based on his/her writings. Have you ever met someone and then wonder what the person’s background is? I did that on a couple of occasions and found that my assumptions were all incorrect.
World Citizen was surprisingly available. I took the name at the spur of the moment. So that was it.
I am just the average World Citizen. I will be comfortable with WC.
I do not intend to offend anyone with what I write. If you find anything offensive, I will be happy to remove the particular posting or edit what I wrote.
Till next time.
Why do I want to use a pen name? There is nothing sinister about that.
Firstly I just want a name that is free of any connotation of gender, religious background, and ethnicity. I could have used a number, I guess.
Secondly, we can play this game of profiling someone based on his/her writings. Have you ever met someone and then wonder what the person’s background is? I did that on a couple of occasions and found that my assumptions were all incorrect.
World Citizen was surprisingly available. I took the name at the spur of the moment. So that was it.
I am just the average World Citizen. I will be comfortable with WC.
I do not intend to offend anyone with what I write. If you find anything offensive, I will be happy to remove the particular posting or edit what I wrote.
Till next time.
Sunday 23 March 2008
Celebrating life
Most people celebrate their birthdays. I don’t. I am not here arguing for or against birthdays.
I tell people I celebrate my birthday everyday. Yes, that is true. My life, not withstanding the highs and lows, is worth a self-celebration every day. No, I don’t waste money on cakes and candles. I just go about my everyday life, telling myself how lucky and blessed I am to be alive.
There is nothing wrong in celebrating. After all, you have every right to do that.
I have a suggestion. Every time you celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, a wedding, a graduation, a promotion or an achievement, why not make a small donation to a charity as part of your celebration. Today I recommend the Fred Hollows Foundation http://www.fredhollows.org.au/
Till next time.
I tell people I celebrate my birthday everyday. Yes, that is true. My life, not withstanding the highs and lows, is worth a self-celebration every day. No, I don’t waste money on cakes and candles. I just go about my everyday life, telling myself how lucky and blessed I am to be alive.
There is nothing wrong in celebrating. After all, you have every right to do that.
I have a suggestion. Every time you celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, a wedding, a graduation, a promotion or an achievement, why not make a small donation to a charity as part of your celebration. Today I recommend the Fred Hollows Foundation http://www.fredhollows.org.au/
Till next time.
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