Well, another week of MOE (ministry of education course), with 2 nights at my favorite campsite - Tiloi island, where one can relax in the evening on the beach and watch the sunset or the clouds above Gunung Raya, the high point of Langkawi island. Energy levels fairly good. My back has been giving me no problems recently... highliting an Cairns chiropractor's advice : use it or loose it. I am slowly getting physically stronger due to the course - more muscle definition, lost quite a bit of weight around my waist - had some serious love handles there which I gained during my stay with my father 2 years ago. I started taking vitamin supplements (a variety of them ) during the course a little while ago - as the food really isnt all that good: a lot of white rice, quite a bit of fish and crab balls (healthy), a smattering of overcooked vegetables.
I also make porridge for myself every morning with my small solid fuel cooker. one of the poorest breakfasts is on day 1, when the kids are expected to function on a few slices of white bread and jam (yes you read that right). it really makes u appreciate the quality of such courses in Oz, where nutrition is far better, and kids get morning and afternoon tea with fruit (as opposed to tea biscuits , when they are lucky here). we get one or 2 fruit a day, mostly - not too bad.
Got of course a bit earlier than others on thursday morning, to have my wisdom tooth pulled out... turned out really fine. I was warned it could take up to 2 hours. But in fact it took 20 minutes. Had a local anaesthetic and the efficient chinese dentist lady pulled it out with some twisting. Gad. well thats that over with ! it had been giving me occasional serious pain, as it was rotting. Both wisdom teeth had grown sideways, and the other one will need pulling out later. cost 60 ringit , including prescription drugs = 20 aus$ ... wow.
At the dentist, I talked to a French couple who were here in a yacht. have been yachting for the last 20 years and know Malaysia very well. They were in their 60s. They said that in the last 15 years there has been a very noticeable rise in "integrisme" on Langkawi - ie Islamic fundamentalism. I asked them how this was felt, they said - in a distance towards them , in the increase of women with headscarves, in the large increase of signs in arabic writing.
Apparently other Malaysian places, such as nearby Alor Star or Penang (50% chinese population) are much more liberal.
This all comes from Saudi Arabia - which is gleefully exporting one of the most medieval and intolerant of all Islamic creeds: Wahabism - which says that the entire planet should be converted to islam, by choice and the use of force. Petrodollars and a miserable creed, creating Mc franchises all over the globe - financing Mosques, educating preachers, which in turn brainwash the populace. The French actually used the term "brainwashing". Wahabist franchises In Indonesia, Malaysia, Phillipines, France, the UK, Australia... all more or less covertly supporting worlwide Islamic terrorism , with vocal encouragement, or refusal to condemn, and with cash.
I read recently that the FIS - the islamic front in Algeria killed 150 000 algerians, in 90s. I remember that period well - we had bombs going off in the Paris metro due to that merry bunch. so Islamic terrorism isn't just a problem for the USA - it is active virtually everywhere, and is a very big problem in Islamic countries themselves - as witnessed in Algeria, and now in Irak. There have been bombs in Malaysia, also kidnapping of westerners... I knew of this before coming here. And As I said to my mother, don't pay a ransom for my liberation if I get kidnapped - I want to know the bastards can't use me to finance their murders and nihilism. And I don't want Al Jazeera and other advertising agencies for Islamic terrorism to use me for their little media circus showing the kidnapped on TV. Let it be known I will not be payed for, then They will kill me and hopefully not bother with telvised pleas. The British hostage was a case in point - whereas US relatives of kidnapped quietly acknowledged that their loved one was already dead.. The British dragged it out like nobody's business, running around like headless Eurochickens giving the terrorists a great advertising venue , with the result that he was finally killed anyway...
When I was in Kuala Terrenganu, on the other side of the peninsula a few weeks ago, there were big colour posters showing 2 and 5 year olds reading the Koran out loud in front of big crowds in a kind of rock concert venue. Brainwashing alright. The kids can't even understand what they are reading, let alone debate with the preacher.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Walk up to 700 m
Photos:
1 and 2 : view from top.
3: Jason and I drinking VB after a hard climb.
(click on a photo to get a large version. Then click on the cross on the photo - top right hand corner, to get back to the blog).
Today, rented a car and drove with Jason, a colleague, to a waterfall.
We then walked up a very steep jungle track, using all 4 limbs, with the help of a rope that there as a handline. up about 600m to a high peak on a narrow ridge. With a view of the cable car station where many tourists go up. And a view of the whole island. We both enjoyed it very much. Good to be outdoors just for oneself for a change.
Jason is from Pensylvania, USA, and has 6 yrs experience as an outdoor educator.
My energy levels are finally back to normal - after my spell of exhaustion. I sympathize with mothers now... that feeling of never really being fully rested isn't pleasant. Jason was saying that in the US, he would do short contracts of 2 or 3 weeks of such work, then have 1 or 2 weeks off to enjoy the outdoors - more my style. You really have to recharge during yr time of in this job - in my case 2 days a week, mostly.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
On France and Chirac
Chirac is a good example of the dangers of immobility – there is no such thing as stability in this world : things are either getting slowly better or slowly worse. And inaction of Chirac’s kind has lead France to be on a very definite slope downwards. Vicious violence endemic in no-go zones all over France, hundreds of thousands out of work for years, and a general malaise and feeling that your kids are going to live in a France that is worse, socially and economically than you have enjoyed. 2 million French living and working overseas – who have left this beautiful country , fed up with the red tape, the feudalism, the lack of optimism and vigour prevalent in France. And the lack of political will to effect any real changes.
Read Patrick Baudry on-line for examples of French disfunctionality and “schizophrenia” , and ideas of how this could be changed with a little self-analysis and courage:
www.pbaudry.com
he has an English version of the book you can download for free. Unfortunately the press reviews on his website are all in French…
For the results of Chirac’s do nothing and posture attitude:
Check out 3 weeks of vicious rioting in winter 2006 in the no-go zones around French cities as the result of years of lying about the real problems in these zones, and also the real disfunctionality in almost all aspects of French life, which makes social mobility almost non-existent in these zones, and even in all of France.
If you feel any sympathy for the rioters here’s a taste of what they are: They poured petrol on a handicapped woman in a bus and set fire to her (she was rescued by the driver)… drug gangs, tribal hate of white French , fuelled by radical Islam.
I remember during the Yugoslav civil war in the 90s - civilians being slaughtered horribly in ethnic cleansing , village by village. In France, we were just a few hundred kms away from the carnage ... and I had spent a month in Yugoslavia in 89', making the war very real to me.
What did France do ? nothing... send a few soldiers with the UN to monitor the slaughter with no real mandate to intervene militarily. Chirac was banging his fist on the table and saying "Milosevic must stop the killing!". without the threat of force - bombing targets in Belgrade or something similarly dramatic, such statements have no effect whatsoever.
Things finally changed when Blair and Clinton engaged in bombing bridges , TV stations and other infrastructure. (hidden Tanks proving hard to hit). And of course - the French Govmt complained and tried to water down the target list... leading the Democrats at the time to say they would never work with such obstructionists again.
so what's new ? old and in the way.... you would have thought the Nazi occupation of France would have brought home the lesson that "peace kills" - pacifism leads to slavery and death - of other countries you refuse to assist, then of your own country, as dictators sensing weakness, blackmail, or invade. And as internal forces (eg radical Islam in France currently) test your will with squirmishes.
I do hope this changes with the new president Sarkozy. So Milosevic finally did loose thanks to anglo-US action ... this came rather late - after 200 000 civilians had been slaughtered by mostly Serb forces. I’m sure their families have a high opinion of Chirac’s “softly-softly” approach.
Yes, civilians die in bombings and wars of liberation – The Normandy landings are a good example . But that’s the complexity of life – there are no perfect solutions in such cases – choose between 5 000 dead civilians in a war of liberation or 200 000 in ethnic cleansing if you do nothing …. Inaction is a choice that has consequences.
Read Patrick Baudry on-line for examples of French disfunctionality and “schizophrenia” , and ideas of how this could be changed with a little self-analysis and courage:
www.pbaudry.com
he has an English version of the book you can download for free. Unfortunately the press reviews on his website are all in French…
For the results of Chirac’s do nothing and posture attitude:
Check out 3 weeks of vicious rioting in winter 2006 in the no-go zones around French cities as the result of years of lying about the real problems in these zones, and also the real disfunctionality in almost all aspects of French life, which makes social mobility almost non-existent in these zones, and even in all of France.
If you feel any sympathy for the rioters here’s a taste of what they are: They poured petrol on a handicapped woman in a bus and set fire to her (she was rescued by the driver)… drug gangs, tribal hate of white French , fuelled by radical Islam.
I remember during the Yugoslav civil war in the 90s - civilians being slaughtered horribly in ethnic cleansing , village by village. In France, we were just a few hundred kms away from the carnage ... and I had spent a month in Yugoslavia in 89', making the war very real to me.
What did France do ? nothing... send a few soldiers with the UN to monitor the slaughter with no real mandate to intervene militarily. Chirac was banging his fist on the table and saying "Milosevic must stop the killing!". without the threat of force - bombing targets in Belgrade or something similarly dramatic, such statements have no effect whatsoever.
Things finally changed when Blair and Clinton engaged in bombing bridges , TV stations and other infrastructure. (hidden Tanks proving hard to hit). And of course - the French Govmt complained and tried to water down the target list... leading the Democrats at the time to say they would never work with such obstructionists again.
so what's new ? old and in the way.... you would have thought the Nazi occupation of France would have brought home the lesson that "peace kills" - pacifism leads to slavery and death - of other countries you refuse to assist, then of your own country, as dictators sensing weakness, blackmail, or invade. And as internal forces (eg radical Islam in France currently) test your will with squirmishes.
I do hope this changes with the new president Sarkozy. So Milosevic finally did loose thanks to anglo-US action ... this came rather late - after 200 000 civilians had been slaughtered by mostly Serb forces. I’m sure their families have a high opinion of Chirac’s “softly-softly” approach.
Yes, civilians die in bombings and wars of liberation – The Normandy landings are a good example . But that’s the complexity of life – there are no perfect solutions in such cases – choose between 5 000 dead civilians in a war of liberation or 200 000 in ethnic cleansing if you do nothing …. Inaction is a choice that has consequences.
Why I publish this Blog
Well, I've thought of avoiding political comment on this blog, so as to make it just an "adventure blog" .... but I will make some comments... now on France, and later on the joys of Islamic law in Malaysia.
This blog is my "adventurer's blog" - warts and all - as my father would have said. The good times, the bad times. But also my opinions on systems and laws where I travel and elsewhere - like a journalist if you like . I know there are at least a few family friends in Melbourne reading this blog who are interested in opinion pieces.
And I don't believe there is such a thing as "objective journalism" - most news reported from Irak focuses on bombs, not on reconstruction, for example. Everyone has an opinion, and I would prefer if journalists stopped pretending to be neutral.
and beleive me, I am not politically correct. Ie I will let no thought-police censor what I say. So If my opinions offend you, please move to some whitewashed media outlet where people repeat polite falsehoods that are contradicted by reality. And in an effort to offend no-one, make statements that condemn no-one, or that cannot be used as guides to action , and are just empty words.
Having lived and suffered in France under Chirac - the master of empty statements and pompous posturing leading to inaction - I have a pretty short fuse with that kind of thing.
He epitomises the worst of European impotence and lack of backbone.
This blog is my "adventurer's blog" - warts and all - as my father would have said. The good times, the bad times. But also my opinions on systems and laws where I travel and elsewhere - like a journalist if you like . I know there are at least a few family friends in Melbourne reading this blog who are interested in opinion pieces.
And I don't believe there is such a thing as "objective journalism" - most news reported from Irak focuses on bombs, not on reconstruction, for example. Everyone has an opinion, and I would prefer if journalists stopped pretending to be neutral.
and beleive me, I am not politically correct. Ie I will let no thought-police censor what I say. So If my opinions offend you, please move to some whitewashed media outlet where people repeat polite falsehoods that are contradicted by reality. And in an effort to offend no-one, make statements that condemn no-one, or that cannot be used as guides to action , and are just empty words.
Having lived and suffered in France under Chirac - the master of empty statements and pompous posturing leading to inaction - I have a pretty short fuse with that kind of thing.
He epitomises the worst of European impotence and lack of backbone.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Great Holiday on island
Quick update here - had a Great few days on Perentian Kecil island, on the other side of the malay peninsula from where Langkawi is. Crystal waters, coral, coloured fish , deserted beaches, and a big beach with lots of backpacker places. great laid-back atmosphere - felt like Tahiti. Incredible place. And cheap.
(click on a photo to get a large version of it). So much revived.... and rotation leave this week, so a 4 day weekend. Got professional acupuncture for 15 $ (cheap) in Langkawi.
French election ... may the best win and finally pull France out of the doldrums, economically and socially. A lot of work to be done.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Hammock system and other photos.
Photos:
1 Monkeys outside the appart - eating rubbish and being cheeky.
2 my infected eye (common here)
3 my light cookset - porridge and hot milo in the mornings.
4 experimenting with bivis , and sleeping in a hammock - takes some getting used to. bivi held up to storm winds and rain . I relax with an MP3 player...
5 me relaxing in my hammock, end of day, while kids make dinner ... a little break from the little devils.
The short haircut makes a big difference coping with the heat here - I avoid having my head cooked during the day. and thus suffer less from heat tiredness.
Mossie coils under bivi to ward off mosquitoes. no snakes so far.
Busy and tired.
Yikes. Finally update this blog. I was out for a week and a half with an eye infection. Then , suffering from general physical burnout - which we were warned about at TAFE. 15 hour days pushing kids to move , clean up and so on.... weekends arent enough to recover - especially as I am new to this intensity. sposed to get 2 days leave every 4 courses, but in practice, trainers do 6 or 8 courses and accumulate leave ... because not enough trainers available. So many other trainers are worn out, coming down with colds, looking tired...
have a week off next week, thank God.
I recoverd a bit this weekend by doing serious R&R - rented a scooter and went up a 700 m mountain in a cable car. amazing views. Also caught up with an air cadet from my first corporate course - Shri is of Indian origin, training to be airline pilot, want to immigrate to aus... has uncles there , as well as in UK. His father is encouraging him to emmigrate - for his sake, as well as his kids future. Mucho discrimination against non-ethnic Malays here, a lot of it quite official and enshrined in law. you will never rise to the top jobs here if not "Bumi" - Bumiputra, or ethnic malay. other ethnics are Indian, chinese. Chinese being most hard working and enterprising.
Malaysia is pretty mild and prosperous compared to , say Iran or Syria. But plenty of room for improvement.
This whole experience is very formative - like going through a fire and being molded by the heat. being an expat makes you freer to re-invent yourself in some ways. we support each other among expat trainers. Will be glad to be back working with anglo-saxon kids tho... Malay kids are really passive often - as we were warned by our management. means they almost never volunteer to do a job, and you can get deafening silences when you debrief them on the day's activity. (eg jungle trekking). it's like they are on Valium sometimes.
Makes me appreciate my culture anew. which encourages initiative and ambition ... , critical thinking etc. The govmt here is trying to change this - I read an article re "Malay undergrads lack initiative and inquisitiveness" in a local paper, saying they were trying to go towards an american model where uni students were encouraged to be critical etc. I'm certainly impressed by the level of desire to better themselves here. They are teaching Math and Science in english in high school, in order to raise the english standard... the French could learn a lot from this culture... I'd give Malaysia a better chance to succeed in the future than France, by far. Improvement starts by the acknowledgement that you have a problem - which is sorely lacking in the land of the ostrich - France.
I'm improving my group management all the time, and even my character is changing - I am jettisoning parts of myself which are of no use to me, or hinder me. The kids hug me at the end of the course, so I must be doing something right. your a bit like their Sergeant during the course - they resent you, then they love you for making them stronger.
have a week off next week, thank God.
I recoverd a bit this weekend by doing serious R&R - rented a scooter and went up a 700 m mountain in a cable car. amazing views. Also caught up with an air cadet from my first corporate course - Shri is of Indian origin, training to be airline pilot, want to immigrate to aus... has uncles there , as well as in UK. His father is encouraging him to emmigrate - for his sake, as well as his kids future. Mucho discrimination against non-ethnic Malays here, a lot of it quite official and enshrined in law. you will never rise to the top jobs here if not "Bumi" - Bumiputra, or ethnic malay. other ethnics are Indian, chinese. Chinese being most hard working and enterprising.
Malaysia is pretty mild and prosperous compared to , say Iran or Syria. But plenty of room for improvement.
This whole experience is very formative - like going through a fire and being molded by the heat. being an expat makes you freer to re-invent yourself in some ways. we support each other among expat trainers. Will be glad to be back working with anglo-saxon kids tho... Malay kids are really passive often - as we were warned by our management. means they almost never volunteer to do a job, and you can get deafening silences when you debrief them on the day's activity. (eg jungle trekking). it's like they are on Valium sometimes.
Makes me appreciate my culture anew. which encourages initiative and ambition ... , critical thinking etc. The govmt here is trying to change this - I read an article re "Malay undergrads lack initiative and inquisitiveness" in a local paper, saying they were trying to go towards an american model where uni students were encouraged to be critical etc. I'm certainly impressed by the level of desire to better themselves here. They are teaching Math and Science in english in high school, in order to raise the english standard... the French could learn a lot from this culture... I'd give Malaysia a better chance to succeed in the future than France, by far. Improvement starts by the acknowledgement that you have a problem - which is sorely lacking in the land of the ostrich - France.
I'm improving my group management all the time, and even my character is changing - I am jettisoning parts of myself which are of no use to me, or hinder me. The kids hug me at the end of the course, so I must be doing something right. your a bit like their Sergeant during the course - they resent you, then they love you for making them stronger.
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