Friday, May 30, 2008

From Pedra Branca to Diaoyutai

从白礁岛看钓鱼台

国际法庭下判,白礁岛(Pedra Branca)主权归星加坡。我在报章上看到有关的新闻后,想起了另一个海事纷争:钓鱼台。

全世界的华人都认为:钓鱼台是中国领土。大家都愤怒的谴责日本“非法占领”这个东海的小岛。但是,如果我们能心平气和的看待这纷争,就会知道事情并不那么简单。

按中国的说法:中国人最先发现钓鱼台,所以它自古以来就是中国的领土。但国际法律是以西方法律为蓝本,而在西方法律中,“发现”并不等于“拥有”。西方人中,荷兰人最早发现澳洲,但澳洲后来却成了英国的殖民地。(华人大概都会坚称郑和最早发现澳洲和美洲吧!)

再说,日本人也没有武力占据钓鱼台。(日本人称钓鱼台为尖阁岛 Senkaku。)1945年日本战败,美国占领冲绳和钓鱼台,中国光复台湾。1972年美国将钓鱼台连同冲绳交还日本。中国国民党和共产党原本可以向美国索取钓鱼台,但是他们却没有这么做。

当然,我不是国际法律专家,不能说钓鱼台应属哪一国。但作为星马华人,我们无需像中国人那般仇视日本人。

同样的,我也没有因为白礁岛之争而仇视星加玻人,毕竟我的姐夫是星加玻公民。


International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the tiny island of Pedra Branca (a.k.a Pulau Batu Puteh) belonged to Singapore, not Malaysia. While I was reading this news, I thought of another territorial dispute – one that is related to Diaoyutai, or Senkaku.

All Chinese in this world believe that Diayutai belongs to China. They angrily condemn Japan for “unlawfully occupying” the isles in the East China Sea. But if we can cool down to study the dispute, we will realize that the issue is not so straight forward.

According to China, Diaoyutai was discovered by the Chinese, so it is historically part of the Middle Kingdom. Unfortunately, international law is based on Western law, and in Western law, “discovery” does not equate “possession”. Among Europeans, the Dutch were to first to set foot on Australia, but the continent eventually became a British colony. (Now the Chinese will tell you that Admiral Zheng He was the first person to have discovered both Australia and the America.)

Furthermore, the Japanese did not take over Diaoyutai by force as many Chinese are brainwashed to believe. (The Japanese refer to Diaoyutai as Senkaku.) Japan was defeated in the end of World War II, when Americans occupied Okinawa and Senkaku, and China reclaimed Taiwan. In 1972, Senkaku was returned to Japan together with Okinawa. The Chinese – both Kuomintang and the Communists – could have requested the U.S. to hand over Senkaku right after 1945, but they failed to do so.

Of course, I am not a legal expert, and I can’t say for sure which nation has sovereignty over the disputed islands. However, as Chinese in South-East Asia, we need not “hate” the Japanese like the China nationals do.

Likewise, I didn’t hate Singaporeans over the Pedra Branca dispute. After all, my brother-in-law is a Singaporean.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Eco-friendly Chopsticks


Bloggers care about the environment… and therefore I’ve got these eco-friendly chopsticks. They are supposed to replace the disposable chopsticks so common these days.

The two “sections” of the chopsticks can be detached and kept in a compact, portable casing as shown in the picture. Just remember one thing: avoid washing them in a dish washer, or they are not so green anymore.

Interested? Enquire in Tzu Chi.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Airlines amid fuel price hike

[This is a serious, business-oriented post.]

As oil price soars, which airline, do you think, will fare better, MAS or AirAsia?

MAS is a ‘full fare’ airline. AirAsia is a no-frills, budget airline. At first, I thought budget airlines would weather the storm better, as passengers cut back on their spending. However, a market analyst is more pessimistic with regard to AirAsia. His rationale is that AirAsia depends on leisure and budget travelers who are price-sensitive.

In other words, leisure travelers will cancel their plans or choose nearer destinations. Business travelers, who make up bulk of the passengers of MAS, will find it more difficult to make adjustment. Furthermore, business travelers usually can’t book their flights months in advance, so there is not much saving should they choose AirAsia.

Of course, not all of MAS's passengers are business travelers. Some leisure travelers who originally plan to fly to Europe may, due to high fuel surcharge, choose nearer destinations in South-east Asia or China. This is where we see the battles of the two airlines.

Tony Fernandes remains combative, but he may have had many sleepless nights by now. If you hold the shares of MAS or AirAsia, you may have sleepless nights too.


Sunday, May 25, 2008

Algae Fuel

Crude oil price has been on the upswing for the past few years. As I am writing this post, it is costing more than US$130 per barrel. Scientists, governments and entrepreneurs all scramble to find alternatives to petrol oil. One possible solution is to generate biofuel from algae.

Will the horribly-looking algae be our savior?


Specially bred algae strains are not only great natural oil source, but also can be used to absorb carbon dioxide and thus slow down global warming – killing two birds with one stone.

But there are other sources of biofuels, such as corn and palm oil. What is so special about algae? Firstly, algae has very high oil yield – 7 to 30 times better than the next best crop. Secondly, unlike corn or oil palm, there is no need to clear forest for algae farming. It is estimated that if algae fuel were to fully replace petroleum in the United States, it would require 15,000 square miles, which is a few thousand square miles larger than Maryland or 1.3 times the size of Belgium. That is less than 1/7th the area of corn harvested in the U.S. in 2000.

Algae farming


To learn more about algae fuel, click the links below:

Wikipedia: Algaculture

Wikipedia: Algae fuel


Comparing biofuels:

BusinessWeek: A Bevy of Biofuels


Companies that are producing algae fuel:

PetroAlgae

GreenFuel Technologies Corporation

Friday, May 23, 2008

王丹谈诡异

王丹,前中国学生领袖,1989年因领导北京天安门示威被逮捕。他在牢房里渡过几年岁月,然后被“流放”到美国。他最近写了一篇文章,题为“西藏。诡异。汉奸”,刊登于马来西亚星洲日报:


~~~~~~~~

我在电视上看到大陆的热血青年们围堵在家乐福门口,声嘶力竭地高呼抗议CNN的歪曲报导,说老实话也有点感动,毕竟,年轻人终于有了一些政治意识了。看他们那副激动的样子,多少也有一些我们当年的影子嘛。可是转念一想,他们在中国境内其实根本看不到CNN,因为境外媒体是不允许在国内播放的。你看这有多么诡异:原来中国大陆是这样一片神奇的国土,在这片国土上,你可以抗议CNN,但不能看CNN。你可以对西方的政府说不,但不能对自己的政府说不。不知道那些爱国青年们是不是有想过这个诡异的问题?

~~~~~~~~


我想起了一则冷战笑话:
美国人对苏联人夸赞西方社会的政治自由。他说:“在美国,我们可以焚烧美国国旗。” 苏联人回答道:“在苏联,我们也同样可以焚烧美国国旗。”

王丹如果有读过这一则笑话,就不会觉得中国青年抗议CNN是诡异的。是谁说中国没有政治自由?

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Fundraisers

For years, I have not bothered to entertain fundraisers who approach me in restaurants or shopping malls. Not that I am uncompassionate, but I suspect that they are professionals who earn a living in the name of charity.

A few years ago, I gave money to people who purportedly raised fund for National Kidney Foundation. Later it was revealed that only 10% of the fund would go to the foundation. The balance was shared by the fundraisers and other parties involved.

In another occasion, I was approached by someone who raised fund for the Worldwide Fund of Nature (WWF). I was eager to help. Upon discussion, nonetheless, I found out that the fundraising body refused to accept one-time cash donation. Instead, I was told to sign an agreement to donate, using my credit card, every month. Furious at their demand, I backed off.

I did make donation to a Myanmar relief fund after the impoverished country was hit by cyclone last May. The fund was set up by a religious group, and the money collected would be channeled directly to a monastery in Myanmar, bypassing the junta. I know my money will be put into good use.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Make travel more fun

The Star published an article, How to make travel more fun, on May 8, 2008. I reproduce the tips here, together with my own views.

  1. Decide what really makes your travel enjoyable before choosing your destination/s. What are you looking to get out of this trip? (If you ask this question on youngsters, I bet many would reply, “My friends want to go there, so I follow lor…”)
  2. Make sure to eat healthy and get plenty of sleep in the days leading up to your journey. (I fell sick the day before I left for Bali in 2005! I wished AirAsia would allow me to change my departure date.)
  3. Put on a cheery face when conversing with hotel staff, airline agents and the like, even when problems arise. (People who travel in package tour are less likely to interact with hotel staff and airline agents. Tour guides usually handle all the problems.)
  4. Be ready to be adventurous. Try a food you normally wouldn’t eat, an activity you’ve never indulged in. (Fried insects, anyone? This blogger has tasted them in Chiang Mai.)
  5. Interact with the locals and ask about the best places to eat and coolest things to do. (Not just locals, but travelers from other countries. Again, people on package tour are less likely to do so.)
  6. Splurge on yourself now and then. (Can anyone give me a clue?)
  7. Follow your heart and do what you feel like. (Planning in advance is good, but be ready to change your itinerary. If you join a package tour you are out of luck.)

Given tips 3, 5 and 7, it’s no wonder that I would rather be a backpacker.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Images from Auto Show, again

Images from a modified car expo:

The Lotus...


Huge exhaust pipe...


...


LV fans sure like this...


But, as usual, my focus was on them


Wednesday, May 14, 2008

AirAsia X’s London Offer

AirAsia X announced that it would fly to London in 2009. A round trip would cost an average of RM1,200.

I was disappointed by the news. We all know that the price advertised by the budget airline is always the minimum price. The actual amount paid by the passengers can be significantly higher. Given that I am reluctant to book my flight 6 months in advance, I doubt I can fly to the British capital and back for under RM2,000 – still not affordable.

There is another concern: the date of the flight is fixed. Assuming that I actually pay RM2,000 for a round trip. Then, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I couldn’t make it. Unlike a ‘full fare’ flight with conventional airlines, change of date is not allowed. I would lose all the money I have paid in advance. Shall I take the risk?


London - dream on...

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

When times are bad, these jobs are good

First we have subprime crisis. Then we have high crude oil price. Now even the food prices have skyrocketed. Forbes published a list of jobs that are supposed to have great potential during this bad time. They are:

Bankruptcy and foreclosure lawyer

Pawn shops

Farm equipment auctioneers

Securities and commodities sales agents

Risk management and reputation consultants

Job recruiters or headhunters

Debt collectors

Recovery agent

I believe education for adults also have great potential as we seek to ‘upgrade’ our skills. Restaurants which serve affordable food should also be recession-proof.

Anyone interested in opening a pawn shop? I want to invest.

Recovery Agent at work

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Carnation vs. the Environment

This is May 11, 2008 – Happy Mother’s Day.

Many Malaysians buy carnations for their mothers as a sign of filial love. According to a newspaper source, most of the carnations sold in this country were imported from
Kunming, China.

If environmentalists know about it, they would have made noise. According to them, aircraft is a major source of carbon dioxide. The carnations, I believe, were air-freighted from China.

It is not easy to be green, huh?

So perhaps next year Malaysians should only send e-carnation to their mothers. That is, provided that your mom is internet-savvy.

And guys, please send e-rose to your girls on February 14.

Carnation - culprit of global warming?

P/S This blogger is getting very frustrated as every thing we do contributes to global warming.

Friday, May 09, 2008

Mobile Phone Advice Needed

I am planning to replace my 5-year old mobile phone. (Phew, 5 years is like eternity in the digital age!) I appreciate it should my fellow bloggers would give me advice by answering the following questions:

  1. What mobile phone do you have?
  2. What do you like about it?
  3. What do you dislike about it?

Thank you for your kind assistance.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Am I Too Fussy?

In one of posts, I voice my discontent over AirAsia’s “no outside food” policy. (Click here to read.)

Most Malaysians who have flied with AirAsia – including this blogger – are grateful of the budget airline. AirAsia has made air travel affordable. So, why do I complain? Am I too fussy?

I guess this has to do with the fact that I am an MBA student, and had spent some time in the U.S. Many Americans dislike Microsoft even though the software giant – together with IBM and Intel – pioneered personal computing. Americans also dislike Wal-Mart – the world’s largest retailer – even though its “Everyday Low Price” policy benefits consumers.

Americans are unhappy with Microsoft and Wal-Mart because they have so much control over us. Microsoft is now pressuring us to upgrade to Windows Vista, which many people think is worse than XP. Wal-Mart’s dominance is achieved at the expense of its employees who receive low wages and mom-and-pop stores which can’t compete.

Americans don’t trust the authorities. Asians fear and respect the authorities.

Perhaps I am too fussy. Or perhaps I have a more progressive thinking than other AirAsia’s passengers.


What do these companies have in common?

P/S Why did many Malaysian voters support opposition party in the last election? Should we not be grateful of Barisan Nasional?

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Images of My Hometown

Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia...

The bridge over Perak River...


A closer look...


Perak River...


Oldest rubber tree in Malaysia, since 1877...


...

Sunday, May 04, 2008

柏杨走了

《丑陋的中国人》作者柏杨最近逝世。

我是华校生,自小被中华文化洗脑。中学时阅读柏杨的书,当时在想:“太夸张了!中国人不丑陋,柏杨才丑陋。”

大学时我接触了佛教,然后又在美国住了一年。随着视野增广,想法也慢慢改变。我开始觉得:柏杨‘唱衰’中国人,并非没有道理。

柏杨逝世,许多大马知名人士,包括董教总的沈慕羽,都表惋惜,这令我感到惊讶。近年来中国崛起,大马华裔都以身为华人感到自豪,大家都认为中国的五千年文化是最优越的。像沈慕羽这一类保守派人物,又怎会欣赏柏杨的作品呢?

Thursday, May 01, 2008

Boycott Grocery Stores?

Buy produce from local farmers rather than at the grocery store. Not only will your foods be fresher, they won't have made a gas-guzzling cross-country journey just to get to you.
(Source: Kiplinger - Going Green on the Cheap)

Environmentalists are idealists.

They tell us to buy produce from local farmers rather than from grocery stores. The idea is that grocery stalls may get its produce from distant farms, thus contributing to higher level of carbon dioxide emission.

Consider this hypothetical example: The nearest grocery store from your home is 1 km away. The nearest farm is 20 km away. Are you going to drive all the way to the farm to make your purchase?

Next, assume that the grocery store purchases 100 kg of vegetables from a distant farm that is 50 km away. You drive to the nearest farm20 km from your home – to buy 2 kg of veggies. Are you sure you have helped to reduced CO2 emission?

Further assume that you are a very busy person. You work from 9am to 7pm everyday, and are stuck in traffic jam for up to 2 hours. On weekend you attend part time MBA class. Where do you prefer to do your shopping?

Assume again that your sibling owns a grocery store. Do you support the call by the environmentalists to buy directly from farmers?

While we may buy produce fresh from farm, we may store them in refrigerator for up to a week. In the end we are still not eating them fresh. Remember that we drive 20km to get to the nearest farm. We are not going to buy just enough for the day.

Green campaigns have to be practical. They must balance the interests of multiple groups involved, including, in my example above, the grocery stores. Otherwise such campaigns will not win widespread support and doomed to fail.