George Calloway interviews Dr John Campbell ; very insightful

Shanghai May 2006 ; Weiss Technik Sales Training

with Frank Rigley (VP of Sales) 

The global COVID - 19 health pandemic leads me to look back at some old and happy memories, just to remember the 'good old days'. This was when we were sales agents for the then largest environmental chamber manufacturer in the world Weiss Technik. My company QRA International were agents from 2003 to 2012 or 10 years more or less. The first few years representing them were relatively easy and Asia, particularly China was the booming market for Weiss International sales.

These pictures were taken during their second Sales Training in China and it was held in May 2006. Our team of 5 were made to do presentations and at that point in time, we had offices in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. N. Kannan (Malaysia), myself and Sebastian Lin made up the team to China that time. 

With Dieter Haus and Tibor Csombordi (Hungary agent) 

The schedule was normally 4 1/2  days of lectures, tutorials and factory visits followed by 1/2 day of tour and the last day, normally was reserved for certificate presentations, pleasentries and goodbyes. 

Shanghai was and is the most futuristic city in China and each day's training was a learning experience for every one attending as we shared each other country's experiences, difficulties and success stories. 

Sebastian presenting on behalf of QRA team to Mr. Hehl, and Fred Schweitzer (Sales Manager)

It is safe to say, that these meetings will never be replicated as far as I am concerned, since 2012, my company has parted ways with the Weiss Technik group and I would like to say that we have made our own mark in the Athletic Chamber business as well as in the Test Business since that fateful day in 2012.

I recall the then management team at Weiss with fondness, Mr. Karl Heinz Hehl (MD), Mr Rudy Kreuzer (Technical Manager), Mr. Dieter Haus (Sales Director), Mr. Willie Dern (Service Director), Mr. Charlie Kaus (Service Manager) and my closest associate and friend, Mr. Frank Rigley (Regional Sales Manager). 

Japanese agent, Frank Rigley, N. Kannan, Tibor Csombordi, Pakistan agent, Ian Firth (Australian agent)

We will never walk this path again. 

So gather ye rosebuds while we may, 

Old Time is still a Flying

And that flower that smiles today,

Tomorrow will be dying.

Robert Herrick 

Charles Dickens : A Tale of Two Cities

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.^[6]"

That was written some 200 odd years ago by the famous Charles Dickens. He had certain genius flair for writing and I am so taken by his prose and nuanced composition. At the moment, I am listening to audio books and this is the first I have started on. 

This might just be his 'Magnus Opus'  (his best work) or then again there are so many other classics by him and many of the Renaissance authors that I will need to read and listen to all of them before deciding which is my favourite of the Classics !  

COVID -19 Aerosol and Droplet Transmission

Dr John Campbell is currently the most watched Youtube doctor who has been very clear and forthright with his analysis of the SARS-COV 2 Virus which is sweeping the entire world right now.

The key takeaways is this :

a) the virus is and can be transmitted by both aerosol (in the air) and droplets (by sneezing, coughing and then left on the surface).

b) the environmental conditions range from very cold and dry to warm and humid conditions (below 30 deg C) for the virus to remain alive 

c) the half -life (time for the virus to reduce its quantity) can range from 24 hours to 72 hours.

d) the virus can remain within the size of aerosol is 0.6 microns (one thousandth of a millimeter) all the way up to a standard droplet size droplet size of 1mm to 5 mm. 

d) in crowded places, there is the chance of aerosol transmission as when it is in aerosol form, it can remain in the air for up to 3 hours. 

e) the virus can remain alive up to 72 hours for various surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel. Cardboard and copper the duration is lesser. 

Social Distancing, Regular Handwashing, Proper Hygiene and less close contact with people, people. The social get-togethers, the occasional buddy or gal catchups, the smokers corner ; many of these nice to have things. 

Please limit or cancel them for the time being !

Carpe Diem !

Brain Training during these Social Distancing Times - Chess

With the advancement of the Smart Phone, we have a plethora of options available for us to make use of during our free time. So much so that I have picked up the game of chess just to make use of my mind, as well as learn to 1. Strategise   2. Predict and Pre-empt and 3. Counter-act my opponents move.

To be honest, I wasn't any good at chess in my primary and secondary school days. I had too many other distractions such as swimming (everyday except Wednesday and Saturday), studies, Karate and Piano lessons.

So now, I will give it a go, I hope this hobby can instill in me the tactical methods used by the most brilliant of brains, Gary Kasparov, Aanatoly Karpov and many others. 

Its better to start late than never !!! 

   

Very Crucial Announcement by French Health Minister

Reproduced with thanks from Youtube Dr. John Campbell.

We were here just over 3 months ago ; it feels like a lifetime now.

Surreal ; now just 3 months on. 

In December 2019, my wife and I together with our younger son, had roughly 15 days traversing Spain and Portugal first by plane to Madrid, then we took the train to Seville, then plane (TAP) to Lisbon, and then by Uber to Cascais before flying back by plane to Madrid and finally back to Singapore. That year end trip now seems like a lifetime ago, as since those wonderful year end holidays the happy and joyous moods have been replaced by the sombre reality of a global pandemic which as of today 19th March 2020, there are a reported 225,000 over cases and over 4,500 deaths. 

Since January 23, 2020, when the first imported cases of Coronavirus or COVID 19 came into Singapore from Wuhan, there is today a total of almost 350 cases in Singapore.The most encouraging aspect of this numbers is that there are about 145 who have been discharged and are well again, with 190 still under observation and in hospital and 14 in Intensive Care or ICU. To date, there have been no fatalities. 

Everything and any news reports which come out today is always about the number of cases, and which sporting events have been cancelled globally. So far the Japan 2020 Olympic Games are still being planned to go ahead in July.

Beautiful Rugged Scenery

Hell's Mouth in Caiscais, Portugal 

Many countries have gone into total lockdown, Italy in particular and numerous countries have also ceased all international flights in and our of their airports. Each day brings new developments it boggles and overwhelms the mind. I worry for the mental stability and assuredness of their livelihoods of many millions of people all over the world. 

Testament to Singapore's excellent response to this outbreak which has since gone global and WHO (World Health Organization) has called this a global pandemic, Singapore has remained stoic in its front line defence through strict screening, proactive announcements by ministers in charge (notably Lawrence Wong, Chan Chun Sing and Gan Kim Yong), and the fine strategy of early detection, rigorous contact tracing, rigid quarantine, and the support of world class medical care and action from the NCID as well as the 7 hospitals and hundreds of PHPC clinics around the island. From the entry points such as airports, seaports, causeway and second link there are thermal screenings and now there are swab tests for all arrivals. Testing for COVID 19 is mandatory I believe for all incoming air travellers. 

The rest of the world is reeling from the outbreak and  there are so many sad stories it is heartbreaking. The numerous case reports and news items from Europe, especially Italy, Iran, Germany and Spain casts a pall over the first 3 months of this year. 

Singapore has seen its social, medical and economic pillars of its total defence tested, its citizenry rattled and people under duress.

However, at the end of the day, I am happy to live and be a Singaporean. We will rise up to this massive challenge and work collectively to overcome this greatest of medical emergencies, I believe which will be the toughest in our lifetime.

Cabo de Roca Dec 2019 

I am Not Afraid of Death - this post is during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Cheers !

"The Only thing to Fear is Fear Itself" - Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He made this prescient quotation at the height of the Great Depression in 1929. The fact that people were so fearful than the stock market would mean the end of their money, many millions of Americans went to the banks and simultaneously withdrew millions upon millions of dollars leading to bank runs and indeed thats when the system actually collapsed and made the whole situation worse.

Well, now we are into the 2nd month of the COVID 19 global pandemic and there are many countries fighting all out to a) contain b) mitigate and c) await the vaccine. So I won't add on to stoke further discussions or controversies when there is already a panicky population worldwide trolling for all bits of information real or fake regarding this disease.

Lets get the facts right first and foremost (I will sidestep all claims about where it started as this is left to the scientists and epidiemiologists for the months and years to come).

a) It is a virus ; and it causes upper respiratory tract infection cough, fever and (may) attack the respiratory system which is the lungs.

b) the corona name means nothing more than a crown, which is nothing new for viruses as coronaviruses have been around our earth for many decades since medicine caught up with technology and the medical fraternity was able to distinguish the coronavirus from other types of viruses 

c) As of today, 14th March 2020 it has mutation (as we know it) into 2 distinct strains, the "L" and the "S". The "L" strain is much more lethal than the 'S" strain.

d) It was first detected in the China's Wuhan Huanan Seafood Center which not only sold seafood but lots  of other live 'exotic' animals such as bats, pangolins, snakes, salamanders and reptiles. The virus is zoonotic meaning it is present in some animals and scientists believe it jumped from firstly the bat to an unamed animal and then to humans. The human to human transmissions is when the virus mutated itself to be able to live and adapt in the host's body. 

    
This seafood market has been shutdown since December 2019 and the whole of the Hubei province (with Hunan as epicentre) has been shutdown since late January 2020.

e) While it was detected in China, the origin of the virus is still not clear. Just as the Spanish 'flu which killed 50 million people worldwide in 1918 did not originate in Spain, it was clear that Spain was the FIRST country to truthfully report that young men whe were fighting the war were coming down by the thousands daily and dying.There were  thousands others who fell sick in Germany, France, Belgium and US but they were not reported as the allies and the axis powers did not want to divulge 'weaknesses' in their strengths hence downplayed the numbers actually sick or dying. 

    Hence the Spanish  'Flu actually did NOT originate from Spain 

f) There are some excellent information from Youtube doctors like Dr John Sullivan who has been advising all who watch his channel to take daily at least 1000 IU or 25 micrograms of Vitamin D. That and 1000 mg of Vitamin C can boost our front line defence against this hidden and most unholy of terrors. 

    .   

So let me state this : 

I am Not Afraid of Dying

I have stated my position. I am not afraid of death. 

It doesn't mean I necessarily want to catch the virus and die from it. But the risk of catching the disease is something we all have to live our lives meaningfully and carry on as normally every single day.

Think for a moment, the heroes in our midst ; the doctors, nurses, healthcare providers, the car jockeys at the hospitals, the front desk concierge, the cleaners and the night watchmen. Every single one faces this added risk every day since we have come to know of Covid 19. Do they panic and go 'gaga" and fight over toilet rolls and say the end is near ?  No.

They remain as stoic as they can, keep calm and carry on their duties as their professionalism and their years of training time and again.

China, having controlled and stopped the disease (since early March 2020) in its tracks yesterday sent their experts to Italy and provided Italy with hundreds of thousands of masks, ventilators, intubation equipment and a team of doctors. This is about the human race coming togtehr to help one another in times of existential need.  Why would foreign doctors want to put their lives in danger if not for the common and greater good  of humanity ? Bravo to them !

Israel's Migal Galilee Research Institue is about to being production of a coronavirus vaccine. 

This is great news from Israel as they had 4 years of research of similar type Coronavirus and the matching was more than 80%, so it is really an act of God that Israel can actually have something which would save the world. The approval processes and human testings are ongoing but they are confident of fast tracking everything given the urgency and seriousness of the pandameic. 

The risks involved in living (if one really thinks hard enough) can be quite high and there is a fair to good chance before we kick the bucket, we will succumb to one of the below. Insurance companies will have the whole gamut of potentially life threatening diseases which easily runs into the dozens.:

a) Lifestyle diseases like heart disease, diabetes 2, cancer, Parkinsons
b) Stroke

c) driving accident during the daily commute

e) Slipping in the bathroom

f) Choking on food or fishbone stuck in the throat
g) Influenza (yes the yearly 'flu) and the more lethal
h) Pneumonia. 

     

So, step back, pause, reflect and think what we can do to mitigate the risk and possibly avoid the risk before the vaccine is made readily available to everyone.  

Try not to go to crowded places too often. If possible, work from home and buy stuff if you must by online means.

This will mean the new normal for 2020.

Stay Healthy and till the next blog post, take your Vitamins D and C daily !

Cote Azur Dec 2018 Fine Lovely Memories.

Matoma Mr Big - Old Thing Black

Well worth 20 minutes of your time. Dr John Campbell.

An 'heirloom' close to my heart

Signed by the 2 goalsccorers, 

John Richards
Kenny Hibbit
Mike Bailey (Captain)

This team shirt of the 1974 League Cup Final was signed by the 2 legends of Wolves, John Richards and Kenny Hibbit. In addition, the captain Mike Bailey also signed this classic momento.

The faux aluminium cover which gives it a real glossy look 

I remember paying a small fortune for this piece which comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from the Sports Musuem as well as a photograph of the 3 gentlemen signing it together with an serial number. 

Wolves had been a force in the 50s till the early 60s then it was downhill all the way with only 2 bright (but short) periods, one in 1974 (the year I decided to support them). The decision was an emotional decision based on teenage yen for identity at a small inflection point in my life. 

Those days in the early to mid 70s, I recall when I was studying in Secondary school, was clearly one of the happiest days of my life. I made lifelong friends, whom we meet regularly till today. Every week, on the way back from school (taking the bus 111, 171 and the like) I would stop at Bencoolen street  (named after the second viceroy to Singapore Bencoolen after Farquahar ha ha what a name!) and then walk along Middle road towards Sophia Road, where my house was. 

Along Middle Road, there would be a row of shophouses, and I would browse and eventually buy the 'latest' Shoot Magazine printed and imported all the way from UK. Never mind that the bi - weekly (every 2 weeks as I recall) was printed and shipped to Singapore 2 weeks after the event but way back in 1975 till 1978, it was a pure form of 'escapism' that this slightly  overweight teenage boy with the dark and thick glasses and unkempt hair would pore through the magazine called 'SHOOT'. 

In addition, every Sunday (after Church or sunday school), there would be also a delayed telecast of this hit football show called Star Soccer (guys of my vintage I can expect are nodding in recognition.)

So, after reading the Shoot Magazine, and watching my weekly dose of Star Soccer, I chanced upon this team donning the colours of the "Old Gold and Black" with a typical young and handsome striker called John Richards and said, "Hey ! I want to be like them".

Sadly, since the 70s, the team had been in the doldrums and went all the way down to Division 4, and spent much of the next 40 years in Division 2 (now called Championship League) and Division 3 (now called League 1). There was much angst amongst the hard core fans. I consider myself a new 'convert' as I was embarassed to be associated with a 'Joke Club'.

In the mid 1980s when I happened to tour Europe with the University tour group, I even cajoled my mates to make a visit to Wolverhampton to visit the Molineux ground. It was in a pretty rough neighbourhood then, and we had some fun playing on the actual pitch until we were chased out by the gorundsmen !

Well, that is the history of my fascination with a club from the Midlands. Now, in 2019-20 season, they are riding high with Fosun (Chinese) support, a fantastic visionary manager and 5th in the Premier League and all to play for in the Europa Last 16.

Great players they have (see my earlier posts) and great things are expected from them in the future.

I am so happy to make a small investment in the 1974 shirt which takes pride of place in my bedroom. I am a churlish teenager again !

   

Say Something - Justin Timberlake and Jack Stapleton ; a really really cool song

This song reminds me of a song which Phil Collins would do ; or so it sounds so much like Phil Collins and Genesis that I mistakenly thought it was Phil's song.

GIve it a listen.

The epitome of cool. 

A really special player Adama

Scintillating Match with Wolves the deserved winners ! What a time to be supporting them

3 strikes on goal, 3 goals ; this game speaks volumes of Wolves clinical finishing ; from the back to the front the entire team played like Champions of Europe ; on their day no team can come close to beating them.

The goalscorers, Matt Doherty, Diogo Jota and Raul Jiminez made it look so easy, but this team is ready to etch their names in glory for the history books. The entire team can walk right into any national team at this moment. Only Coady and Boly are not capped by their respective countries. 

Rui Patricio (Portugal)

Conor Coady (England)
Wily Boly  (France)
Roman Saiss  (Morocco)
Matt Doherty (Rep of Ireland)
Reuben Neves  (Portugal)  
Joao Moutinho  (Portugal)  / Leander Dendoncker (Belgium)
Reuben Vinagre  (Portugal  U21) / Morgan Gibbs White (England U21)

Adama Traore (Spain)  / Pedro Neto (Portugal U21)
Raul Jiminez  (Mexico)
Diogo Jota.   (Portugal)  / Daniel Podence (Portugal)

My guess is that they will win 8 games of their remaining 10 with only Chelsea (away) and Sheffiled United (away) being 'difficult' games. They potentially can end up with 66 points which given this season's very close league they can end up either in 4th - 6th position, an improvement from their 2018 - 19 great start at 7th in the league entering into Europe for the Europa League Cup. 

They also have a realistic chance of making it to the finals of the Europa League this year and if they actually  do win it ; I will buy another 3 - 4 team paintings !  

Kamoshita - A Revisit ; same great simple Japanese cooking

Fish Cake Oden

We had not been back to this superb Izakaya (Japanese Inn) place for more than 6 months, and our return was marked by eating and drinking some superb oden (Japanese soup) which is served according to your selection, (like Spanish Tapas) warm and cold. 

My wife and I had a total of 8 dishes ; some of which are shown above ;

a) Firefly squid with Yuzu sauce (below)

b) Warm Potato salad (below)

c) Smelt Tempura (below)

Firefly squid with Yuzu sauce 

It indeed looked like a largish grey fly and the texture was soft and not chewy. While it didn't excatly melt in my mouth, it had a little bit of the sea flavor which we found a little off putting. The Yuzu (yellow) sauce more than  made up with its tangerine and tangy sweetish flavour. 4.5 out of 5.

Warm Potato Salad 

This dish really stood out, we were really taken by the myriad of flavors, with potato salad filled with some ham (bacon ?) bits, small sprout leaves, butter and yuzu. 

5 of out 5 ; a top quality dish 

Smelt Tempura 

These small fish can be eaten whole, head, tail and all just like white bait or a cracker snack.It did my elevated cholesterol levels no good but what is there to live if one only lives by bread alone ?

Its crunchy, and flavorful, add the pink rock salt by the side for a superb entree.

4.5 out of 5. 

Smelt Tempura 

Warm Potato Salad

d) Radish Oden

e) Teriyaki Grilled Rainbow Runner

f) Boiled Egg

Radish Oden

Radish Oden.

A beautiful nuanced soup dish with very mild flavors. Good for cold evenings in Japan, not in warm and humid Singapore. But we loved it nonetheless.

5 out of 5. 

Water Cress with Fatty Iberico Pork Soup 

Water Cress with Fatty Iberico Pork 

The watercress was boiled for some time, and the pork was fatty, so the taste of the soup was absolutely yummy. So, the vegetable was tasty and not crunchy, same as the pork.

It seemed like a dish we could have easily made at home but probably with a different outcome :)

5 out of 5.

Teriyaki Grilled Rainbow Runner 

Teriyaki Grilled Rainbow Runner

The only dish which we felt was ordinary. The flavour was above average, though we felt that some parts of the fish were a little undercooked. The white radish, with the chopped spring onions garnished with a light soya sauce was a nice touch. Again not too sharp a taste.
4 out of 5.

The restaurant is practically the best Izakaya (Inn) we have tasted in Singapore, and it is indeed value for money. We only had a juice and an Asahi beer to complement our fine meal and the total bill came to $110 for 2 pax.

The closest MRT is probably Tanjung Pagar, and if you do drive, park opposite Maxwell Road Hawker Centre at the URA building along Kadayanallur Road. 

Kamoshita 
5 Neil Road  (shophouse)
S'pore 088806.

   

Bassai Dai Shito Ryu

Beautifully executed by a Japanese Master ; side view shows the stances,blocks kicks and punches perfectly.   

Bassai Dai - Bunkai

This is the application of the most recognised of all Shito Karate style katas. Called the Bunkai, it shows off the many one to 4 step of block and counter strikes in this most beautiful performed katas.

I am adding this as a technique reminder for today's class (1st March 2020).