Cottonwool Kids and Spoilt Brats

Reading Annie's blog, made me wonder how far we've come...

"PINT-SIZED crash helmets, baby- wipe warmers, baby GPS units, temporary tattoos with mum's mobile number and food allergy warnings". We protect, mollycoddle, teach them to walk away from fights. We let them have their way, throw tantrums at the supermarket, buy them the latest toys and gadgets and more...

What happened to the sound smack when they misbehave? Where's the biff in the school playground?

Even schools now eschew corporal punishment and teachers have one less behavioral motivator. I recall being hauled up at assembly (in front of the whole school and feeling the cane), standing in the corner of the classroom, arms outstretched holding weighty tomes and running round the quad. It probably made me a better person.

Was in church on Sunday for a little quiet reflection but alas there was this couple letting their kid run amok, not just in the aisle but climbing all over the altar. Yea, Jesus may love little kids but I could have throttled that monkey...

End times - 2012?

Can you imaging the hostility religion causes?

Someone recently sent me an email whinging about the Halal label on Cadbury Milk chocs. "BOYCOTT CADBURY!" she screamed. "Less than 2% of Aussies are Muslims, why do we pander to them, how come they punch above their weight?" Insinuations and accusations of bribery and other devious deeds followed.

How many of the 60%+ Aussie Christian population cares whether there is a Halal, Kosher or even a Heart Foundation Tick on a block of chocolate?

What I find disturbing is that the "militant" Catholic crusaders are coming out of the woodwork. They are making direct attacks on other religions, be it kicking up a ruckus about a Halal label, or calling for Latin masses. Even the Vatican is on a recruitment drive, holding out the olive branch to unhappy Anglicans, inviting them to return to the fold, mobilising its troops so to speak.

What's sad is that there are so few differences, but so many common traits in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. To begin with, there is a common ancestor Abraham. His sons were Ishmael and Issac. Mohammad descended from Ishmael, Moses and Jesus from Issac. All believe in one god, share sacred sites and even the Archangel Gabriel revealing the Qur'an to Mohammad and the Annunciation (to Mary).

So, how about it. Lets merge the three religions and end it all. By the way did you know, the "official" view according to the Catholic Church, the end of the world is when Jews become Christians (Catechism of the Catholic Church 674).

Sweet Briar Rose

Briar Rose, the name of sleeping beauty in a tale by the Brothers Grimm. A flower with pink petals and a lovely fragrance.

Such a sweet name and yet, it's classified as a weed down under.

Sweet Briar Rose... life's just not fair eh?

Dust Storm - Sydney

Woke up on 23 September 2009, to find everything bathed in an eerie red glow. Sydney was smothered by thick cloud of fine red dust, carried by strong winds from inland NSW.

By mid-morning, the red hue was gone but the dust storm still raged. This was not fog...


Thank goodness, the storm has cleared today and we've got back our blue skies...

Aussie favourites and other goodies...

I've done a few parcel exchanges in my time, (usually with friends Stateside). Seldom have I given it much thought, throw in a couple of packets of Tim-Tam, a jar of Vegemite and so on.

The postage, costs three times the value of the goodies, maybe it's time I put a little effort into the task. So I ask myself, what's typical Aussie? Wine is out of the question as bottles are too heavy and likely to smash...

Here it is, my list of eight Aussie icons.


1. Lamingtons. Sponge cake dipped into chocolate and pressed into desiccated coconut.

2. Twisties. Cheese cereal snack launched in the 1950s.

3. ANZAC Biscuits. Made from rolled oats, flour and coconut, baked by anxious wives, mothers and girlfriends during World War I, packed in food parcels, and sent to the Australian soldiers in the trenches. Originally called Soldiers' Biscuits later renamed ANZAC Biscuits.

Worth noting: ANZAC is a word protected by law. One can say ANZAC day and ANZAC biscuits. ANZAC cookies, NO!!!

The Department of Veterans' Affairs say... "It should be noted that approvals for the word 'Anzac' to be used on biscuit products have been given provided that the product generally conforms to the traditional recipe and shape, is not advertised in any way that would play on Australia's military heritage, and is not used in association with the word 'cookies', with its non-Australian overtones."

4. Milo. A chocolate and malt drink developed in Australia in the 1930's. Associated with Aussie cricket and the favoured beverage for the Tim Tam Slam.

5. Tim Tams. Biscuit smothered in a coating of chocolate. Bite off the ends and suck your Milo through it... the Tim Tam Slam!

6. Whittaker's Chocolates. There is no distinct Aussie brand so I picked one from NZ. The most common chocs in Australia are made by the multinationals, Cadbury, Lindt and Toblerone.

7. Vegemite. A dark brown and salty spread made from yeast. Yum on hot toast and butter!

8. Mandura Teas. From the tea plantations in northern NSW, founded by Michael and Norma Grant-Cook in 1978.

Fish therapy anyone?

Garra rufa or the reddish log sucker live and breed in the outdoor pools of some Turkish spas, where they feed on the skin of patients with psoriasis. The fish consume the affected and dead areas of the skin, leaving the healthy skin to grow, with the outdoor location of the treatment bringing beneficial effects.

Read a little bit more here.

But have you wondered what happens to the fish from devouring all that dead skin... they grow!

For M$5*, you get to while away 10 minutes, with you feet dangling in the tank and fish gnawing away those tootsies!



M$3 = A$1 = U$0.80

Food, shopping and stuff...

Sometime ago Vixel mentioned that she would love to try durians. Finally, after almost a decade, I've reacquainted my taste buds with that fruit. Durians have this hard thorny shell, quite difficult to open. Nowadays, one can buy them conveniently prepacked in Malaysian supermarkets. Bought four packets for M$ 10*.

The taste, heaven. The smell? Er... not unpleasant. My mistake however was to carry the recently acquired durian around in the shopping center.

On shopping centres... visited Berjaya Times Square. Can you imagine ten floors of shops, with cinemas, bowling alleys and a theme park as diversions. The shopp-a-holics can leave the kids and partners...

(I was exploring the food hall !)

The month of Ramadan has just started. This is when Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown (not even a drop of water !).

For the non-astronomers, sunrise and sunset times are published in the dailies.

During this month, there is a proliferation of little roadside stalls selling typical Malaysian fare. The daily breaking of fast in the evening is one of celebration. People buy their evening meal (...cooking is the last thing on your mind if you've been working and starving the whole day).


... and these stalls sell a famous Malaysian dish... satay!


... and Nasi Lemak (coconut rice) was a dish for the poorer members of the community, now it's found in all the 5 star hotels. It comprises the rice cooked in coconut milk, a sprinkle of fried peanuts and ikan bilis (anchovies?) and a dollop of sambal (a kind of thick chili paste).


... and I had my nasi lemak with beef rendang (a mild dry coconut curry). Not going to tough it out with a couple of peanuts and anchovies...



More weird and wonderful fruits, bought a kilo of mangosteens for M$3*. This sells for A$1* each in Sydney. Unfortunately, rambutans (the red hairy ones) weren't in season.



Much better than the Aussie Beef jerky is the Long Yok. It's thin slices of pork, marinated and then smoked.... sweetish and it's yum!



Wandering the wet markets, spotted mud crab for sale at M$22* a kilo. Crab sells for A$40* in Sydney. The poor crabs landed up on the dining table looking a little... er cut up?


Finally, Bak Kut Teh (literally translated spare rib tea). Ordered my bowl at this place, it's spare ribs cooked for hours in herbs and soya sauce.


Planning my next trip... who's coming?


* M$3 = A$1 = U$0.80 = £0.50

Temples, Churches and Mosques...

Back from a short holiday to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, population a tad shy of 7 m inhabitants (including the suburbs). A friend asked for snaps of a church, managed to do better.

Malaysia is a Muslim country but enshrined in the country's constitution is the right of worship. So, Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian places of worship are a commonplace around town.

We'll start with Po Ling Chinese Temple. Serves pretty good vegetarian dishes. (Yes, it's all about food... and shopping in Malaysia!)


Dropped by the Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple. Paid my M$2* for what I thought was the admission fee. Was I wrong! It was a 'donation' for a blessing. Cleansed my soul over the fire and was handed a packet containing two bananas, betle leaves and chalk (smear the chalk on the leaves and chew!)


It's said that all distances out of Kuala Lumpur start from St. Mary's Cathedral. It's located next to Selangor Club and the Padang (the Field) where the old colonials sipped their Scotch and swung the cricket bat.


Finally, there's Masjid Negara (the National Mosque).


No, its not a sect nor freemasons in purple. A condition for admittance, us foreigners had to attire ourselves in this robe :)


* M$3 = A$1 = U$0.80

Cheap Plonk

The 16th annual Chardonnay du Monde competition was held on 11 to 14 March 2009 at Château des Ravatys, the wine estate of the Pasteur Institute at Saint Lager in the Burgundy wine region of France.

923 wines were sampled from 37 countries. After four days of judging, coming in as one of the 10 BEST Chardonnay in the WORLD is Mc Williams Hanwood Estate Chardonnay - South Eastern Australia 2007.

Yup, just stocked the cellar at $6.50 a bottle from 1st Choice Wines

Quality comes at a price... sigh ;)

Lunch Lite?

Went for lunch at Fish at the Rocks with the team from work. Service was fine but the food? Can be surmised in one word... disappointing. Maybe two words... very disappointing.

Started with oysters. Considered the lobster at $108 but didn't want to make a pig of myself, instead went for the Moreton Bay Bugs at $64. Just enough for 4 fork-fulls!


Someone had the West Aussie scampi at $76, the dish looked impressive but totally inedible. Served in tempura batter but the chef FORGOT to remove the very hard shell! No meat in that either!

Dessert was a saving grace but then at $12 it better be!

Still famished, we wandered down to Hungry Jacks for a burger...