'We are what we ...'

There is an old saying that: 'We are what we eat.'

Eating does affect our health and well-being, but so do other influences.

Genetics have a profound effect on our make up and personality, as well as our tendency to certain illnesses.

How we think and act also greatly influence who we are and how we feel; contributing to our own sense of dignity and happiness.

The choices that we make in life; whether in terms of what we eat and how we act, certainly have a profound effect on who we are, and on our own happiness and those around us.

Nature seems to teach us that the wrong decisions that we make in life may give us short term pleasure but usually long term pain. And the right decisions may require short term effort and pain, but usually result in long term pleasure and gain.

The Qualities Most Useful to Us

Extract from Adam Smith's 'The Theory of Moral Sentiments'

The qualities most useful to ourselves are, first of all, superior reason and understanding, by which we are capable of discerning the remote consequences of all our actions, and of foreseeing the advantage or detriment which is likely to result from them: and secondly, self–command, by which we are enabled to abstain from present pleasure or to endure present pain, in order to obtain a greater pleasure or to avoid a greater pain in some future time. In the union of those two qualities consists the virtue of prudence, of all the virtues that which is most useful to the individual.

Private Rail in Malaysia

'Star' Newspaper Monday November 16, 2009

Waste of funds if KTM can’t compete

KTM, along with the Government, are definitely in the wrong with their first procurement of “new” trains to ply the newly completed section of the RM17bil electrified double track.

It is unbelievable to think that the Government is spending RM30mil to purchase four diesel multiple train sets, which are 20 years old and which several South American countries have managed to purchase for around RM10mil.

But what is even more surprising is that these well-used trains can average only 80kph on a track that was built for 120kph trains, and they are diesel trains running on an electrified line!
To say that the Government has “no money” to buy decent fast trains defeats the whole purpose of the huge expenditure on this project. If KTM cannot, after the completion of double tracking, compete with its main competitors in the bus companies that ply these inter-city routes, then the whole project has been a complete waste of taxpayer funds.

The alternative is to throw the whole industry open to private train services, where private companies would supply their own trains and lease the track from KTM. Express train services between the main cities of Malaysia would be a safe, fast and competitive alternative to existing bus services.

Dr IAN MACKECHNIE,
Kuala Lumpur.

Reflection in a Chair

Night Scenes in KL City

Some images of night life on a typical Friday evening in Kuala Lumpur city

My Friend Henry

Now children, don't take fright. This is not something from a horror movie or Jurrasic Park. This is a recent picture of my best friend from my school (and post school) days- Henry Pook.

I mentioned Henry in my last blog as my fellow enthusiast in all things photographic. In fact, he was more than that to me; he was my constant friend and companion right through our high school days.

Henry and I lived about 15 kms from each other in towns which were beyond the suburbs of Melbourne. We travelled to school on different school buses, and I always felt so happy to see Henry in the school ground on my arrival. I think our close friendship helped us journey through the social aspects of schooling happily.

Henry and I were like chalk and cheese in our viewpoints on life. He was a strong socialist and I a capitalist. He opposed anything remotely connected with the Americans; I supported. During our school days, the Vietnam war was raging, and every morning, we would read the newspaper and debate endlessly about politics...and religion, history and social issues. I found that Henry could always support his ideas because he read books and magazines. Henry taught me to read! He may not have thought I read the right books, but he taught me this valuable habit.

During school holidays, we would spend our holidays together, hiking and camping...with hours of endless discussion. We took train trips, photographed everything of interest, stayed at each other's homes, visited numerous bookstore-of left and right wing persuations, and generally thought life was pretty good for us.

After high school, Henry went on to university, completing a Master of Arts and also publishing several books. He was a school teacher for a number of years but has now moved into a position of director at one of Melbourne's leading colleges. He is also pursuing his Ph.D. He is married to a delightful lady and has children who have obviously inherited their parent's brains and their mother's looks!

Henry and I met in Kuala Lumpur recently when Henry was over on business. We had such a delightful few hours together, reminising about days gone by. He was the best friend I have ever had, and his many positive characteristics had, and continue to have, a profound effect upon my life.

New Camera

During my younger days, my friend, Henry, and I spent many wonderful hours indulging in our favourite hobby- photography.

Now, those were the days when the only film- yes, film, not digital- was black and white, and the only money we had to develop our pics was our 'pocket money' or allowance that we got from our parents, or later on, some part -time work.

But that never dampened our enthusiasm and whereever we went, our cameras were always slung around our necks.

In those days, we struggled to buy a small Kodak camera, then after many months of saving, a second hand camera with a variety of shutter speeds and lens openings. It was only when we started working, that we could afford anything that had adjustable lens and exposure meter. Yes, it all sounds so prehistoric, doesn't it, to this generation!

Our dream was to one day own the best camera in the world- the one that the Queen of England has- a Leica.

Well, to cut a long story short, I just recently purchased my first Leica! I was so excited, I even convinced the agent to give me a Leica shirt! My friend Henry told me a year or so back that he had also purchased a Leica.

How many years did we wait for this fantasy to come true? I also have a fantasy of owning a Rolls-Royce car. But that may have to wait a little longer...!

Never give up your dreams...and never lose the 'child' within you!

Teaching in Vietnam

During the past few months, I have made several trips to Saigon, in Vietnam, to teach in DBA and MBA classes.

I love Saigon, the city, and the students there are also delightful. They are keen and we experience lots of good interaction, even though we have to use a translator in all classes.

These are students from my last MBA class.

Faces in China

Visit to Baoji, China

My lastest trip to China last week took me to the lovely city of Baoji, close to the famous Xian. During my visit to this city of about 4 million people, I was a guest of the Baoji Vocational Technology College which has a current enrollment of about 16,000 students. When the college construction is complete, this number will grow to over 30,000 students. The college currently offers 3 year courses in a range of faculties, including English, nursing, engineering, agriculture, and teaching















The campus is quite vast and modern, having just opened in 2007















The college has a rich history, commencing over 100 years ago, and is the result of the amalgamation of 6 colleges which were scattered around the city

The building project is still continuing and their plans are ambitious and exciting













Still more work to do...


























Time to take a tour! The attractive lady on my left is my translator, Dong Li, a teacher from the English department















Trying my hand at being a medical doctor! Fortunately, the patient is only a dummy!


I made a new friend who shared with me his weight loss secrets!

























The engineering department, with some of the students working on a lathe


My translator invited me to take a couple of her English classes. This was great fun!













And the students were so friendly!













The teaching material used by the college is first rate!

























I was part of a group from Malaysia and Hong Kong discussing providing future overseas programs with the college, so there were meetings and much discussion.














The visit was concluded with the signing of an agreement.

Check out their website: http://www.bjvtc.com/

Sunset over Xian

At the end of my recent trip to China, I was standing in the departure lounge of Xian airport, waiting for boarding, when I noticed a plane pass in my view with the setting sun in the background.

The sky changed colors quickly as the sun began to drop into the horizon, between the trees.

It was a splendid sight.

Setting suns are not only ending to a day, but often are like endings to an experience, a feeling, a desire, or just the hope of a new and even better day.