Fusion

Thailand is influence by the indic culture historically -its theatre of Ramayana,its music,alphabets etc but I just saw this mouthwatering documentary on Indian fusion using Japanese ingredients from the No. 1 restaurant in Asia -Gaggan -a  chef who takes great pride in cooking and the philosophy of food as healing.Must see where it is in Bangkok before he shifts to Fukuoka.

Asia Pacific Economic Community

let's hope that in pushing APEC to faster economic development through technological advances,we would not lose track that in accelerating the economies of APEC,we would not have negative impact on Asian Peace,Environment and Culture.
           Smog is choking residents in densely populated cities,waste disposal is a big headache and massive traffic congestion lowers productivity.
          Traditional culture is fast disappearing under the onslaught of modernisation so we have to rethink of how to integrate traditional culture into lives of the young before it becomes extinct as it's irrelevant to the lives of the youths and is relegated to museums or books.So technology in the digitalization of native culture is able to preserve unique songs,dances and crafts before it completely disappears like the Dodo bird from the face of this planet.
       Peace between neighbours  is vital to prevent potential minefield of armed conflicts as they compete for natural sources.Jaw jaw is preferable to war war.Profit sharing of resources would likely be a win win context.
     

Creative industries

The Japanese creative industries have such talented people. I thought that Your name is-the manga by Makato has appeal to adults more than children but his anime The Garden of Words is bold in tackling a taboo romance that bridges the chasm of age and occupations.An unbelievable narrative is given scope for imaginative retelling through the attention of sparse dialogue,haunting music and breathtaking visuals of a park.The magical realism is possible in the artist's hands so much so that I couldn't expect a male director to understand the vulnerability and despair of the heroine.
Fantastic storytelling skills.
         
  We Malaysian women can also be proud of creative artistes that defies the status quo like Yasmin Ahmad's ability to tell the Malaysian story that is individualistic and original without being a copycat.We are also proud of international artistes like Michelle Yeoh in able to be like a chameleon from sensitive heavydrama of Aung Sang Su Kyi or the Soong Sisters or Memoirs of a Geisha to serious heavy kung fu fighting movies like the Reign of Assasins to Hollywood science fiction.We are proud of Ambiga for leading us to speak up and stand up for civilian rights.
      Young females in Malaysia have a lot to look up to and far to go.
China is getting bolder in revising moves to address imbalance in gender rights. 
Compared to other East Asia nations, out of 15 self made women billionaires in the world ,all but one are from the Asia Pacific with 10 which is 67% are from China.The good thing about the one child policy is that the Chinese females have the educational opportunity to reach their fullest potential.Now China is progressive enough to try to allow children to inherit the mother's surname or have both parents surname officially recognised.
It's not just paying lip service to gender equality.
   Being single in China  is even celebrated as a day  acknowledging self independence is a rewarding experience.Unlike the traditional fate of women,marriage is not the be all and end all of life.Males should feel relieved as they need not shoulder the financial burden of breadwinner alone and so they should chip in by doing the household chores.

 
       
       

One hill cannot harbour two tigers

I think that when the tide comes,it would lift all boats.
East Asian leaders would work in tandem  to avoid any wardare that would destabilize the Asian economies as the effects would devastate the interlinked economies of South East Asia and  South Asia with the interconnected global supply chain and export markets. There would be no winner takes all in the worst case scenario as the Asian financial crisis starting in Bangkok spread like a contagion to other parts of Asia.
            Arms race only enriches the supplier and manufacturers and victimize the normal civilians. East Asian countries like China,Japan and South Korea share a lot of common in heritage in terms of food like soy and ramen,traditional musical instruments and the Confucian philosophy.Even the martial arts share commonalities in philosophy,.To promote better harmony between them,music is the universal language ,movies and art enhances understanding of common humanity.
              That which binds us should overcome that which divides us.
             One hill cannot harbour two tigers but many species of other predators in the food chain can keep them from destroying each other.

DREAMERS

The tragedy of Life is not Death

but what we let die inside of us

while we live.

                               Norman Cousin

reflections

Life -spend it wisely
Love -takes time
Friends-come and go
Cars-weapons of speed demons
Health-appreciate it

I cannot live with You

I cannot live with You-
It would be Life-
And Life is over there-
Behind the Shelf

The Sexton keeps the Key to-
Putting up
Our Life-His Porcelain-
Like a cup-
Discarded of the Housewife-
Quaint-or Broke-
A newer Sevres pleases-
Old Ones crack-

I could not die- with You-
For One must wait
To shut the Other's Gaze down-
You-could not-

And were You -saved-
And I-condemned to be
where you were not-
That self -were Hell to me-

so We must meet apart-
You there-i-here-
With just the Door ajar
That Oceans are-and Prayer-
And that White Sustenance-
Despair-