An unorthodox position
Sharing a rest after a hard day's work. Saturday, January 16, 2010
More Cat photos
We are rediscovering the fun in having a cat since we had not have one since our previous one died many years ago.
An unorthodox position
Sharing a rest after a hard day's work.
An unorthodox positionSharing a rest after a hard day's work. 
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas Lights 2009
This time of the year many Sydneysiders go to great extent in putting on Christmas lights.
They range from the basic . . . .
They range from the basic . . . .
. . . to something quite elaborate . . . .
. . . where even their boats are decorated . . .
. . . their windows become a display of nic nacs . . .
. . . and house owners entertain children !
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Christmas 2009 at Singapore's Orchard Road
Orchard Road is a sea of lights again. This year there is a new building - ION - above Orchard MRT station.
Regular lunch meeting with friends
Our regular lunches among some ex-Esso colleagues now include spouses. Here is one held back in winter, at our favourite Laksa place (To's) followed by coffee at a cafe.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Sculpture by the Sea
This event is held annually at Tamarama Beach near Bondi. The following a selection of this year's exhibits.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Email #9 - Singapore and a summary
My last travel email comes from the comfort of the SIA airport lounge of Changi Airport where we are staying before flying back early tomorrow morning. We have been here over the past few days and attended Dad's 90th birthday lunch earlier today.
There is not much that need to be said about Singapore, mainly because we have been here often. The achievements of this island state are well known and undeniable but not much need to be added to that. I have come to the conclusion that Singapore is actually quite unremarkable, not because it does things badly but because it never tries to do anything more than being better than competition even though it does that well indeed. The World Economic forum ranks it third in the world in competitiveness, after Switzerland and USA. But the drive to excel seems to be only above competition but not excel for excellence' sake.
It is interesting to compare Singapore against Denmark which we just visited. Denmark ranked a close fourth behind Singapore in the WE forum study and is a quite a different country. Singapore should study closely why a country such as Denmark, a high cost and high tax country can be competitive, quite contrary to the alarming warnings given by Singapore leaders about the dire consequences not following the policies being pursued.
Even the casual visitor will not fail to notice that Singapore competitiveness seems to come out of its drive to reduce costs through wages. The 5 million people in the city today has 1 million guest workers many serving in the low-wage service and building industries. The reason always given is that Singaporeans do not want to perform those jobs. Of course not, at those wages !
In the prominent example of the metro, Singapore MRT is efficient, well staffed and trains come often, about once every 3-7 minutes. It seems they come only often enough to clear the platforms, and it would be better if they come a bit more frequently to reduce the wait and the congestions in the carriages. In Copenhagen, trains come a bit more often; they are consequently less crowded. There were no ticket sellers, no ticket collectors, no ticket scanners and not even train drivers. That must be how efficiency is driven in that country. And of course they collect very high taxes in order to pay well, provide free education, medical services, good pensions and unemployment benefits. All of which made a more relaxed society; and interestingly the taxi drivers don't complain about their government for the high taxes.
And where does all that leave Australia ?
cheers,
Kin Mun
There is not much that need to be said about Singapore, mainly because we have been here often. The achievements of this island state are well known and undeniable but not much need to be added to that. I have come to the conclusion that Singapore is actually quite unremarkable, not because it does things badly but because it never tries to do anything more than being better than competition even though it does that well indeed. The World Economic forum ranks it third in the world in competitiveness, after Switzerland and USA. But the drive to excel seems to be only above competition but not excel for excellence' sake.
It is interesting to compare Singapore against Denmark which we just visited. Denmark ranked a close fourth behind Singapore in the WE forum study and is a quite a different country. Singapore should study closely why a country such as Denmark, a high cost and high tax country can be competitive, quite contrary to the alarming warnings given by Singapore leaders about the dire consequences not following the policies being pursued.
Even the casual visitor will not fail to notice that Singapore competitiveness seems to come out of its drive to reduce costs through wages. The 5 million people in the city today has 1 million guest workers many serving in the low-wage service and building industries. The reason always given is that Singaporeans do not want to perform those jobs. Of course not, at those wages !
In the prominent example of the metro, Singapore MRT is efficient, well staffed and trains come often, about once every 3-7 minutes. It seems they come only often enough to clear the platforms, and it would be better if they come a bit more frequently to reduce the wait and the congestions in the carriages. In Copenhagen, trains come a bit more often; they are consequently less crowded. There were no ticket sellers, no ticket collectors, no ticket scanners and not even train drivers. That must be how efficiency is driven in that country. And of course they collect very high taxes in order to pay well, provide free education, medical services, good pensions and unemployment benefits. All of which made a more relaxed society; and interestingly the taxi drivers don't complain about their government for the high taxes.
And where does all that leave Australia ?
cheers,
Kin Mun
Email #8 - Copenhagen in Denmark
In Copenhagen we are staying at Nyhavn, a touristy waterside suburb with nice apartments and restaurants in converted warehouses. Yesterday and today we experienced the other end of town, the bottom end of society.
Just a short walk from the railway station, we came to a block of Chinese and Thai shops, something like a miniature Chinatown. Then, turning the corner, we came to a couple of men huddling around a lit cigarette lighter flame preparing for a heroin hit in the shelter of the entrance to a store that was closed for Sunday. Further on a few prostitutes paraded in as bare a clothing as they could bare in the wintry weather outside sex shops and rundown stores. This morning we took a walk around Christiana, a so called "freetown" community set up as an alternate society. The community was surprisingly large, about 1000 odd people living in untidy quarters covered with bold graffiti-like decorations. A range of drugs was openly on sale. This is the extreme end of free living I suppose, but it is hard to admire this so called freedom, and not surprising perhaps, they do not allow photographs and depend on tourists and welfare for survival.
It must be the end of the trip for us for we are getting a little tired of the monoculture cuisine wise. Where is the Chao Hor Fun and Yum Cha ? Around somewhere I am sure but one has to look hard for them.
Tomorrow we fly back to Singapore to catch up with more exotic foods and thaw out. It will be good not to have to pull on and peel off as we enter or leave a building.
cheers, Kin Mun
.
.JPG)
Waterfront houses
.JPG)
Obligatory photo of "The Little Mermaid"
.JPG)
Waterfront houses.
.JPG)
State Museum for Kunst and leftovers from a party.
.jpg)
Interesting modern pieces among more traditional ones at Kunst.
Just a short walk from the railway station, we came to a block of Chinese and Thai shops, something like a miniature Chinatown. Then, turning the corner, we came to a couple of men huddling around a lit cigarette lighter flame preparing for a heroin hit in the shelter of the entrance to a store that was closed for Sunday. Further on a few prostitutes paraded in as bare a clothing as they could bare in the wintry weather outside sex shops and rundown stores. This morning we took a walk around Christiana, a so called "freetown" community set up as an alternate society. The community was surprisingly large, about 1000 odd people living in untidy quarters covered with bold graffiti-like decorations. A range of drugs was openly on sale. This is the extreme end of free living I suppose, but it is hard to admire this so called freedom, and not surprising perhaps, they do not allow photographs and depend on tourists and welfare for survival.
It must be the end of the trip for us for we are getting a little tired of the monoculture cuisine wise. Where is the Chao Hor Fun and Yum Cha ? Around somewhere I am sure but one has to look hard for them.
Tomorrow we fly back to Singapore to catch up with more exotic foods and thaw out. It will be good not to have to pull on and peel off as we enter or leave a building.
cheers, Kin Mun
.
.JPG)
Waterfront houses.JPG)
Obligatory photo of "The Little Mermaid".JPG)
Waterfront houses..JPG)
State Museum for Kunst and leftovers from a party..jpg)
Interesting modern pieces among more traditional ones at Kunst.Email #7 - St Petersburg and Copenhagen in Denmark
Cp.jpg)
Copenhagen city hall
.jpg)
Copenhagen city hall.JPG)
Nyhavn restaurant strip.We arrived in Copenhagen yesterday from St Petersburg. It was most interesting to contrast the two countries, one former socialist state in an euphoric embrace of capitalism while the other a near socialist utopia but not wanting to be called one.
Most of the time in Russia we have been pleasantly surprised by the friendliness. On the final day however, in fact on the final hour or two at the airport it seems Russia was determined to reveal its true self to us. There were a number of incidents, the first took place at the airport entry security checkpoint similar to those in many countries. After we got pass the X-ray, metal detector and patting down, we discovered one more piece of suitcase outside. The guard said I could retrieve the suitcase to be put through the X-ray machine, but another insisted that I go through the whole process of personal checks all over again and even insisted that I remove my belt which I was not required to minutes earlier. There have been many instances of inconsistencies in Russia, sometimes stringent rigidity at other times slackness - such as metal detectors ringing alarms but no one manning them to worry about why alarms had gone off. Later in the transit lounge, we found that waiters will not give us the bill unless we request it from the specific person who served us.
Then we boarded the SAS flight to Copenhagen and it was like a breath of fresh air. The steward spoke excellent English, was relaxed and joked with us. At the airport we were not required to fill in any forms, the immigration officer stamped our passport with hardly a glance at us.
The taxi driver told us that medical care and education are free and unemployment benefits generous. And the baby bonus goes on till the baby is 18 years old! For that, the Danes pay a minimum of 40 percent income tax plus 25 percent GST ! So most people are left with at most 30 percent of salary to live on. Everything is horrendously expensive but everyone seems to be spending as though there is no tomorrow. After all, why save when there is pension guaranteed for everyone.
Copenhagen city centre is quiet but beautiful and was crowded as it was Kulturnatten or Culture night when many things are open till past midnight - if you have the money to spend that is ! Today we visited the Rosenborg Castle and the viewed the crown jewels. They are poor cousins of the Czars by comparison. Well, as Kay said, that is why they are still here while the Czars are gone ! The guard said the royalties don't wear crowns anymore. Just "you are King and you are Queen, and that's all”.
cheers,
Kin Mun
Most of the time in Russia we have been pleasantly surprised by the friendliness. On the final day however, in fact on the final hour or two at the airport it seems Russia was determined to reveal its true self to us. There were a number of incidents, the first took place at the airport entry security checkpoint similar to those in many countries. After we got pass the X-ray, metal detector and patting down, we discovered one more piece of suitcase outside. The guard said I could retrieve the suitcase to be put through the X-ray machine, but another insisted that I go through the whole process of personal checks all over again and even insisted that I remove my belt which I was not required to minutes earlier. There have been many instances of inconsistencies in Russia, sometimes stringent rigidity at other times slackness - such as metal detectors ringing alarms but no one manning them to worry about why alarms had gone off. Later in the transit lounge, we found that waiters will not give us the bill unless we request it from the specific person who served us.
Then we boarded the SAS flight to Copenhagen and it was like a breath of fresh air. The steward spoke excellent English, was relaxed and joked with us. At the airport we were not required to fill in any forms, the immigration officer stamped our passport with hardly a glance at us.
The taxi driver told us that medical care and education are free and unemployment benefits generous. And the baby bonus goes on till the baby is 18 years old! For that, the Danes pay a minimum of 40 percent income tax plus 25 percent GST ! So most people are left with at most 30 percent of salary to live on. Everything is horrendously expensive but everyone seems to be spending as though there is no tomorrow. After all, why save when there is pension guaranteed for everyone.
Copenhagen city centre is quiet but beautiful and was crowded as it was Kulturnatten or Culture night when many things are open till past midnight - if you have the money to spend that is ! Today we visited the Rosenborg Castle and the viewed the crown jewels. They are poor cousins of the Czars by comparison. Well, as Kay said, that is why they are still here while the Czars are gone ! The guard said the royalties don't wear crowns anymore. Just "you are King and you are Queen, and that's all”.
cheers,
Kin Mun
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)