The Only thing to Fear is Fear itself

Panic Buying of Masks in Hong Kong (Channel News Asia report)



Here is the philosophy I have developed over the course of my life. Face the ultimate head on. We are all going to face the inevitable end of life one day. Till that day comes, do we cower in fear when a sudden unexpected global epidemic arises ? Or do we take heed, read, check up on what are the causes of the outbreak and then decide what we need to do and the rest we leave it up to probability ?

The last 7 days have been a daily dose of the Novel CO-19 Coronavirus originating from the city of Wuhan China. Up till today, there are over 7,000 cases reported mainly in China with 170 deaths.People are daily posting the worse case doomsday scenarios about this terrible contagious disease, as yet there has been no vaccine found to readily combat it.

The vaccine will be found ONE DAY. Just like in many of the other once deadly and now, just another 'once killer' disease which threatened humankind's very existence like
HIV/AIDS, SARS, Ebola, MERs and yes in 1918 the Spanish 'flu. Till then we wait, and 

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON. 

Singapore to date has 13 cases all arrivals from Wuhan since the start of the contact tracing began on 23rd January and they have been under quarantine since that day.

New arrivals with dubious health statuses from China will need to undergo mandatory quarantine too up to 14 days. 

Hold on a little bit. Lets look at our lives. We all will face the end ONE DAY. How and when that happens depends on either fate, God or the end of life which in most cases being the body is too frail to withstand viruses or bacteria and hence even with the best medicines, death comes.

Then there are the group (my age group friends are facing these days head on) who already have life threatening diseases. Heart disease, diabetes, cancer and yes even colds and coughs which could lead to death. Many people are living with pre-existing conditions ; the older one gets the more bad stuff they have. Life is like that unfortunately. However, we CAN take action from the time we become self aware to :

a) eat heathliy
b) exercise frequently
c) enforce good personal hygiene
d) maintain strong immune system by taking health supplments and the like. 

My point is this, the Novel CO-19 is just another Corona virus (there are many so the scientists say) but the contagiousness is quite high but the death rate is lower than SARS or even Ebola.

So why are people in Singapore panicking and buying masks and acting like they will catch this virus and being so fearful of enduring a painful death ? Are there thousands of carriers from Wuhan China who are in our midst ? Not from what the numbers show from our reliable Health Authorities. Our Government's contact tracing from the point of entry to all visitors from Wuhan in the last month MUST be far more sophisticated than just the routine checking at the entry points surely.

Even then, there will be some spread because the mainlaind Chinese would move here and there, BUT again 14 days  before  23rd January (when the surveillance was started), would mean from 16th January onards till today 30th. Most flights out of China are cancelled or postponed anyway. So it is safe to assume our authorities have rounded up most of the people potentially with the virus.

Again I question this about people's mindsets :  

Is the year end 'flu or the occaisonal fever so painful ?

A fact which a doctor friend told me is that the year end 'flu kills 6,000 - 7,000 in the US ALONE, and probably perhaps a million people die worldwide from it each year. Yet, no one goes into panic mode and drop their IQ by one dozen points and sense and sensibility goes out the window. 

Lets assume you DO have the virus. Or cancer or Heart disease. What do you do then ?

That changes your mindset doesn't it ? Suddenly you realise you only have 2 years or 6 months or whatever to live. The doctors will give you the very best medical care and you need to fight it ; just as in anything which affects your health. 

Then you are no longer fearful and realise  "Hey, I still have a life !  why was  I not enjoying life up to now ??  

Lets Choose to Live Now ! Today. DO NOT BE AFRAID. 

The only thing to fear is FEAR ITSELF. 

Do not do stupid things and mitigate risks such as going to mainland China for holiday or non essential visits.

Live each day as if it were your last.

And when we finally accept that we will all face the end ONE DAY we then understand that we need to SEIZE EACH AND EVERY DAY. You will be satisfied with it (your life I mean) when the time comes. 

Trust Me.

CARPE DIEM. 

Mum and Papa taught me to stand up against tough times

Mum and Papa circa 1984 outside Ming Jiang restaurant 

My Mum Anna (1930 - 2011) and my father Geoffrey (1919 - 2010) were exceptional people. They lived through turbulent times of the 2nd World War and were happily married for 50 years or so till their passing. Life was very hard under the Japanese occupation, my father had an older brother Gerard, who was taken captive by the Japanese and never seen alive again. My Mum endured alot of hardship first in Guangzhou when my Gong Gong left the family and my Por Por (maternal grandmother) had to come to Malaysia to eke out a living amongst the overseas migrants.

They struggled for basic necessities during the war, just to eat rice was a treat. My mother had this knack of charming the Japanese into giving her enough rice for her 3 sisters and younger brother and my Mum was the champion EQ (emotional quotient) person, so she always managed to 'sweet talk' the Japanese soldiers into giving her more than her fair share of rice, while the big strapping whom she went with most often of times, got nothing !

Life was tough then and my father (I believe) was an interpreter between the Japanese and the local people, as he had picked up the language quickly during the tough war times. 

I always am proud to be their elder son, and by being so, I must be resilient, and stand my ground especially when the situation demands it.

I must strive to be better and work towards a happy work life balance. Retirement is at the moment not an option, although I must say I am blessed in health and am getting by in business. I had a torrid time about 5 years ago, and the JV company for testing business is wound up and we are applying to strike it off. The lessons learnt must never be repeated.

Everyone deserves a little kindness and fairness in life. Though that is not very often the case (a few people are very fortunate while the rest of us have to plug through a whole list of very trying times) we need to just grin and bear with the situation and manage it with the heart of a survivor.

Up and On. Never Give Up. Change Tack when Situation Demands It ! 

Ken Shin Kai Karate Club Membership Drive 2020

Ward off High Kicks, Foot Strike and Punches with Ease  

Ken Shin Kai Karate Club has been in existence as a society for over 20 years now. Helmed by Hanshi Chia Kwek Fah, 8th Dan Shitoryu (IKSU) exponent, he has been active first as a participant, both kumite (free sparring) and kata (pattern performance) since the 1960's. He has therefore been active in Karate both as a participant and as a coach for over 60 years !

A fitness consultant both in the schools and also for personal training, he holds a degree in Sports Science (Edith Cowan) as well as multiple certificates from Sport SG for the coaching and first aid of martial arts.

Join our Growing Class of Graduands 

The next coach is Sensei Chua Boon Teck Jason. Jason holds a 3rd Dan (Karate Union of Singapore) and has been active in Karate for almost 40 years since his teenage days.  He is 57 and a very fit guy. A regional service manager, his hobbies include running and fishing.

Jason is coaching the class every Sunday  

Classes / Details  are :  

Every Sunday

Location : Tanglin Community Center (Club)
247 Whitley Road
Singapore 297829
Time : 6.00 - 7.30 pm
Tel : 6251 3922

Fees : (only) $ 65 for 12 lessons (3 months)  ; very cheap compared to Taekwondo, and Muay Thai. 

Age Group : 5 years to 80 years of age.

Grading (Test) : Every 3 /4 months ; 

A Certificate of Accomplishment will be given for successful applicants. 

Can be used for CCA points in School 

Estimated Time to get Black Belt (some degree of competency) : 3 - 4 years. 

Come and Join Us !  For Fitness, Self Awareness and Self Defence !

                             Mark Abisheganaden (me) also helps out in the coaching 

Sensei Ricky Ng, Jason Chua, Leck Chai Chuah and Me.

Tonight's the Night They Make History ! 2 - 1 Victors !

Tonight 8pm UK time, 4 am Singapore time, Wolves will host the champions elect Liverpool at Molineux and I have a feeling that they will finally be THE first team which beats Liverpool this season.

Liverpool has had an exceptional season no doubt and their front 3, Salah, Firminio and Mane are really world class. The game MUST be won at Midfield, and Neves, Moutinho, Doherty and Dendoncker (if he is pushed up front) can make history by controlling the centre of the park. They Must if Wolves have any chance of upsetting the form book.

The defence is also quite sieve like, so Wolves had better get their act together with 5 at back to shore up against Liverpool's so potent attack. 

IF Wolves can hold the fort defensively, not let in 1 or 2 goals in first half, control the game in the midfield, I would say, Wolves will win this game by 2 - 1 or 1 -0.

Tonight's the Night to Make History !

Let us Do it with Pride !  

Footnote (24th Jan 8.00 am) : Alas it was NOT to be ; they fought back from a goal down and at 1  - 1, Firmino stepped in with a sweet finish to make it Wolves 1 Liverpool 2.

It was a GREAT GAME nonetheless !  

Boogie Woogie Stump - Michael Alf Trio

Saints 2 Wolves 3 ; This Team has Fighting Spirit and Grit ; Champions in the Making

If there is any message or lesson to take away from this match is this. I am a fair weathered fan. I am sad to say, when things go bad for my team, I shy away and watch other channels or go to bed. 

If I am a hard core fan, I should continue rooting for the team until the very end of the game and time and again the brilliant Nuno Esperito Santos has shown us with his special team of players that they are indeed champions, in every sense of the word.

1. Never be disheartened

2. Things will be bad but there will be a day for improvement

3. NEVER EVER GIVE UP

4. True grit makes champions.

8 times on the trot, they go behind by 1 to 2 goals (2 goals down against Man City and now Southampton, 1 against Norwich, 1 against Newcastle, 1 against Liverpool and 2 against Watford).  3 of these times they gritted their teeth and fought back with FIERCE TENACITY.

3 times, they drew level. and 2 they lost. 

I need to up my support for this magnificent team. If not, I don't deserve to support them.

Reality Distortion and Addiction - Gambling.

                                       Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City October 2019

I often play the logic numbers game called Sudoku. Every pattern or set of game sheets (if I can call it that) has a predetermined 'win' and it is based on 9 squares, in a grid of 3 rows and 3 columns. The player has to ensure that each square is filled only by the number 1 to 9 ONCE and each row and column also only has the number1 to 9 only once. There is no rule for diagonal numbers and there is no "0" in the game.

The level of difficulty starts from Easy or Gentle, to Medium to Hard to Very Hard and finally Diabolical (really suicidal) based on the numbers left in the grid. Well I have been playing for at least 12 years and have finally been able to finish diabloical levels quite easily but when I play the game I need to employ the following techniques or strategies :

1. Elimination by number similarity (either single, a pair or sometimes treble)
2. Counting from 1 to 9
3. Some logic 
4. Pairs elimination
5. Probability 
6. Gwendolin's string (when lost in the forest, go 1 way but remember where you turned
    so that you can revert back if you make the mistake)
7. Pure guesswork.

Now, that I find doing the sudoku challenges not so much a challenge, I turned to the game Solitaire. Now, I find myself 'hooked'. I question "why ?" 

Why am I subjecting myself to a computer game where the simulation or gaming software controls the outcome of the cards ?? Am I more attracted to risk at the hands of others ?

With that fact, I started reading on the net, why people love to play the game of 'chance' and try their luck at winning 4 D, the lottery (Toto as it is called in Singapore) or the casino with the myriad of games where the 'house' invariably wins 95% of the time ? 

Why ? 

After reading the post beow, I have decided NOT to play more than 3 games of Solitaire per night, perhaps I should take a walk to clear my tired mind, at the end of the day. 

Possessing and Using Chauffer Knowledge is a Liability

I have been reading 1 chapter to 5 chapters  daily of this wonderful book by Rolf Dobelli

" The art of thinking clearly"

and trying to understand fully what these concepts mean and how to apply them in my never ending quest to first seek to understand a core concept or value, to be fully cognizant of the advantages, disadvantages and finally implementing it or discarding it in the scrapheap of my mind.

This idea of Chauffer Knowledge as written so beautifully by the psychologist Dr. Dobelli was first presented by Mr. Charlie Munger, who is Mr. Warren Buffett's (Berthshire Hathaway chairman and founder) partner.

Chauffer Knowledge is superficial knowledge which is picked up vicariously through many hours of chauffering an expert who has studied, researched and conducted experiments to validate theories (scientific for example).  

Mr. Munger told of this beautiful story of Max Planck, the famous German physicist who is credited with quantum mechanics theories and while he was alive, he was a popular and much sought after speaker in many Universities all over Europe and the world.

During those days pre-smart phone and the social media (early 20th century), Dr. Planck had a chauffer who brought him to all his talks and listened intently to Dr. Planck's lectures while understanding superficially the concept of quantum mechanics did not have the full 'domain knowledge' to BE Dr. Planck or even his student.

One day, the chauffer was feeling naughty and asked Dr. Planck, "sir, I have been driving you to all your lectures and talks and I know enough, much more than anyone else I know, so here is a little challenge for you. "

"Tomorrow you have this lecture at XYZ University, why not I take your place and present the talk, you can take a rest. And if I succeed in fooling everybody, you can buy me a nice dinner !" Dr. Planck laughed and agreed, as he wanted to see how this would end 

The next day, true to his word, at XYZ University, "Dr Planck" stepped up the podium and made a 1 hour lecture to his starry eyed attendees. Nobody could guess that this was his chauffer !  However, one Professor of physics was not too impressed and stood up to challenge "Dr Planck's" quantum mechanics hypothesis. So his years of study and research he put "Dr Planck" to the test or under the microscope !

"Dr Planck" stood transfixed as the Prof asked his question, and obviously he was at a loss for words... however he recovered his composure and confidently said :

"Now, my theories are so well researched and understood and I am surprised that you would ask such a question, even my "chauffer" who is sitting in the front row understands it.
I will give him the opportunity to answer you !!! "

My point is this, Chauffer Knowledge is indeed knowledge picked up superficially and vicariously. If you think your chauffer knowledge is able to get you through life's test or tribulations you are indeed wrong !

Make every effort to understand what you are intending to achieve, then go and painstakingly make representative models and discuss theories with all who are knowledgeable in it. 

Then you will attain some domain knowledge and with that some expertise.

There are lots of 'armchair' skiers, swimmers and marathon runners doling advice.

They will be the first to fail when their advice is put to the test in the actual swimming meet, ski run and marathon.

Do the time and you will be fine. 

 

  

Restaurant Mar do Inferno Cascais

Restaurant "Mar do Inferno"

Boca do Inferno

Situated just a stone's throw from Eurostars Cascais is the Boca do Inferno, which is a marvel to behold. Literally Hell's Mouth, the sight of it and the sounds of it are really unforgettable. See my earlier posts about that.

Meanwhile, when we first arrived at Cascais on 9th Dec 2019, we had to wait for our room to be ready and the concierge suggested we eat lunch at the Mar do Inferno. This seafood restaurant ("Restaurant de frutos do mar" ) is the second best seafood restaurant we have eaten in Portugal, the best being at the Mar a Vista at Ericeira. 

We made reservations with the concierge and it was a short walk (10 minutes) to the water wonder  where we were treated to a tremendous sight and a fabulous restaurant with great seafood next to it. 

Along the scenic and weather perfect route, we chanced by a "hot dog" stand, complete with chairs and tables to eat fast food and enjoy the scenery and to "live in the moment. " 

Piece de Resistance the "Seafood Platter"

Portugal is a country famous for its seafood, and their shellfish cuisine is second to none. I will not give a review here in this post, but it can be seen from the pictures that the seafood is freshly caught, and very very tasty.  

The portions are huge per person, so always ask the Maitre 'D if the food ordered is too much for the smaller Asian appetites. Most times, they will tell you exactly what you need to order and that is enough.

The wines, from the Port to the Sauvignion Blanc are first rate and inexpensive. So. remember the following for Portugal :

Food 

Seafood is tops. Wine Port is tops. Their desserts are superb, egg tart is world famous.

Scenery

So many nice beaches to visit. If I was 20 years younger I would learn to surf !

People

Generally very friendly ; English speakers serving in most restaurants 

Climate

Less cold than Northern Europe. Perhaps little snow only in the late winter months

Cost of living  

cheaper than Spain, France, Germany and UK. 

Its all about the Quality of our Relationships.

With Kim Soon Fang in Hong Kong in 2008 

There was a Harvard study whose findings were released in early 2000s which did extensive interviews for over 70,000 men. Men in general as a means to discover their paths, their lifestyles and their partners,children and loved ones.

The objective was to find out why some men lived longer than others and vice versa. Was it something in the water, the food they ate, the people they associated themselves with, the jobs, careers, friends, family, their pets and everything relating to their lives.

The interviews were carried out over 70 years and it started from when they were strapping and healthy young men in their early '70s till the time they lost contact with them, and / or when the men passed away.

With Hans Brys at his shop in 2016

One common  facet which was present with the men who reached their '80s. They may have been sickly by the time, some may have been fine and then many others had passed away. The common facet amongst men who lived the longest was that they were the HAPPIEST.

The attainment of happiness had nothing to do with their social standing, how much they earned in their productive economic years, nor the race nor the places where they lived be it in the cities or in the rural areas.

With family at Christmas 2015 

The fact that men were happy, and thus lived longer was that they had a good social network of friends and family within and without the community. People they could call upon to share their troubles, their fears, their frustrations and their hopes.

Men, have this big problem about opening up on their failings. This is one of the biggest stumbling blocks which ultimately affect men's health and their longevity of their lives as a consequence.

The quality of my relationship with my family and friends needs to be strong. To count on them and to be counted upon. In good times, and in bad. In sickness, in good health, in debt and in the heights of success and monetary blessings.  

That in a nutshell is how men, in particular can stay and remain happy throughout their lives. 

Carpe Diem 

In Transit

The air of expectancy of visiting a new place yet untrodden,

People coasting along in jackets,trenchcoats and sweaters chasing planes in 

numerous gates.

The smell of freshly baked croissants wafts in the air

The babble of multiple languages in all 4 corners of the expansive halls

This is the Transition of our Times.

People, places, nourishment, chatter, laughter and the distant roar of the engines

All mix in one heady cacophany of excitement, anticipation and curiosity

Time and Flights wait for no one

We have so little yet experience so much in Transition.  

Cabo da Roca Westernmost point in Europe

                           38.7804° N, 9.4989° W

These are the coordinates of the Lighthouse above for the Cabo da Roca. The Westernmost point of Western Europe facing the Atlantic Ocean.

As a place to visit, it offers grandiose views and steep sheer rocks into the stormy Atlantic Ocean below. It is cold, windy and basically apart from the scenic view, a pretty harsh environment for anyone to live let alone operate a business nearby. We were making our day trip as scenic and memorable as we could, so first stop out of Cascais was the Praia do Guicho surfer's beach. 

As the second stop, we went to the Westernmost part of Western Europe to see and experience for ourselves what it was like standing on the rocky cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. In one word, humbling. 

This cenotaph depicts the location as being the Westernmost part of Western Europe.Many tourists from all over the world know of this scenic spot, and we made our way their thanks to a good Portuguese friend and the utilities of Uber.  I am really glad we came as this trip was the first in a long while with our younger son.   

There were hordes of tourists at this spot, and while there were plenty of signs not to walk down the cliffs as there was the danger of tripping and falling, many people took no heed to the signs and walked right to the far end of the most distant cliff.

Darwin's theory of evolution sure was in fine exhibition that day ! 

Adopting a silly pose in front of a beautiful scene. 

As you can see behing me is the "No Go" zone but there are plenty of tourists attempting to go to the farthest and lowest parts of the rocky cliffs taking risks of falling or slipping into oblivion just for the sake of taking that most unique of selfies and risking their lives.

As I age, I get more and more Kiasi and Kiasu ! A trait only Singaporeans will identify ! 

Well at least I live to come back and write this blog post. 

Another wacky smile in front of the distant lighthouse. 

Praia do Guincho Beach ; Surfers Paradise Portugal Dec 10th 2019

The massive roar of the waves can make anyone humble before Nature. 

Part of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, Guincho Beach is endowed with a surrounding landscape of great beauty in which the white sand dunes contrast with the deep tones of the Serra de Sintra hills, looming in the background.

Given both its strong winds and waves, the Beach attracts a great following among bodyboarders and surfers. Throughout summer, there is generally a good northerly wind ensuring Guincho is excellent for windsurfing.

Nearby, there are some excellent restaurants specialising in fish and shellfish dishes.

The Praia do Guincho in the Sintra National Park is a must visit ; this beach is world famous for its breaks and windsurfers,body boarders and surfers from Europe and the US make a beeline every spring till Autumn to ride its breaks.

If I ever had a chance to relive my life, I would try to extreme ski, surf, parachute and even bodysuit down the highest peaks. I would easily qualify as an adrenaline junkie ! Maybe not live past 30 years of age !!! 

This Fort converted to a 5 * hotel with a Michelin * restaurant to boot sits right above the crashing waves of Praia do Guincho. I was taken aback that the waves actually splashed right below the window seats ; Hence the food and the ambience were frankly a "one of a kind experience."

 "World Class" 

Cascais Dec 9th Evening Sunset and Night View of Town

As small coastal towns go, Cascais is a pretty town especially at night. In 2018 we travelled to Nice, Antibes, Cannes and Monaco and spent really an enjoyable time in the towns there. France has the Cote Azur - the playground for the rich and believe me, they are very glamorous and touristy. 

Canne in particular is one town I don't  like, its vibe is too flashy and in your face rich.

Too ostentatious and obnoxious for me. 

Portugal's coastal towns are somewhat more down to earth and they have more local tourists. The dining is far more Portuguese than the French coastal towns where there are many international chains of hotels. The natural wonders such as the steep cliffs facing the Atlantic Ocean as well as the raw Boca de Inferno plus Baco de Roca, Praio de Guincho and the sights further up north only refinforce Portugal's potential to be one of the top tourist destinations in the world in the coming decades.

The town of Cascais is easily seen by foot and while there are suburbs in the north, the coast town itself is pretty and during winter, it is deserted, which suits us just fine.We loved the seafood, the egg tarts (Portuguese egg tarts are world famous), the people seem more friendly than the Spaniards and dining is relatively cheaper than in Spain. 

It is my dream one day to cycle the coast with my friend and see the length up and down of Portugal.Now that would be a Massive Tick off my Bucket List.

Carpe Diem. 

Cascais 9th - 13th Dec 2019 Boca de Inferno

Hell's Mouth, or Boca de Inferno which was just 10 minutes walk from our Eurostars Hotel.

Cascais is a coastal town and a municipality in Portugal, 30 kilometres (19 miles) west of Lisbon. It is a cosmopolitan suburb of the Portuguese capital and one of the richest municipalities in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 206,479, in an area of 97.40 km². The former fishing village gained fame as a resort for Portugal’s royal family in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Nowadays, it is a popular vacation spot for both Portuguese and foreign tourists. It is located in the Estoril Coast (named after Estoril, a town in the municipality), in the Greater Lisbon subregion. It has an airport for general aviation serving the Lisbon Region in Tires (S. Domingos de Rana), Aeroporto Municipal de Cascais.

Cascais is situated on the western edge of the Tagus estuary, between the Sintra mountains and the Atlantic Ocean; the territory occupied by the municipality is limited in the north by the municipality of Sintra, south and west by the ocean, and east by the municipality of Oeiras.

The municipality also hosts international tennis and motorcycling events and for many years hosted the FIA F1 Portugal Grand Prix. The famous Estoril Casino is one of the largest in Europe. Near the casino is the “Hotel Palacio” (Palace Hotel), a 5-star hotel where scenes of the James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service were shot.

The views were beautiful ; as was the sunset

Today, there is a large yacht harbour and several small sand beaches in and around town. Cascais is easily reached from Lisbon by car, (A5 Lisboa-Cascais highway, or the scenic “marginal” road), or by frequent inexpensive commuter trains. It has the ruins of a castle, an art and sea museum, as well as parks and the charming cobbled streets of the historic centre. The town has many hotels and tourist apartments as well as many good restaurants of varying cost. It is a fine base to use for those visiting Lisbon and its environs who prefer to stay outside of the city yet in an equally urban and sophisticated environment.

Postcard Picture Perfect

Cascais is surrounded by popular beaches, such as Guincho Beach to the west, and the lush Sintra mountains to the north. Some of its shoreline is cliff-y, attracting tourists for its seascapes and other natural sights such as the Boca do Inferno. It is also becoming a popular golf destination, with over 10 golf courses nearby. Surfing, sailing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing are also popular in the region around Cascais due to favourable weather, wind, and sea conditions. In 2007, Cascais was the official host of the ISAF World Championship in sailing for dinghies and racing yachts.

Amazing backdrop of Sun Sea, Surf and Steep Cliffs 

Our accomodation for 3 nights was the Eurostars Hotel and it was frankly the 2nd best of our 13 night stay in Southern Europe. The best being the Suites at Saville which I will highlight in another blog post later on.

Happy