oh wow its gorgeous. I'm gonna have bookmark some of of yours, these are great destination spots.

Its beautiful. I came across this Finnish word 'sisu' which means perseverance, determination, resilience? It was shared by someone who was digging for natural water in the winter to use in the sauna. It was a nice word to remember.

Being poor also is a problem, being a billionaire is also a problem, there is no win is satisfying people =)

But when it comes to protest, the protestors should at least get the manifesto facts right lah. That was so badly written and made no sense.

Jack is like a kid in a candy store when it comes to open source. It's their loss.

Without careful planning of intra-trade of supply and demand, it will be a repeat of globalisation and deindustrialization in the 70s and 80s , which led to rust belt cities and growth of west coast and upper east side. It will exacerbate inequality by hurting lower-income groups especially labor-intensive industries, while benefiting capital-intensive sectors like high-tech.

Another scenario is cost-push inflation like Argentina where a sharp spike in the price of goods (due to the rise of intermediary cost) would again disproportionately hurt the low income groups the most. Naturally people would be driven to look for low-cost alternatives, often at the expense of lower quality, which will reduce the overall standard of living in the country. The quality of goods would further derail when the market no longer has competition like during the soviet cold war era.

I know, southeast asia is a beautiful place to explore. Thanks for sharing some great spots and water activities. All the best with your water exploration!

Some things I read and heard, and thoughts formed in recent weeks :

The only way out is through.

Fear is the enemy of pleasure.

Let your your higher self be your anchor.

Early failure is the price of long-term success.

Real growth is the kind that quietly rewires the soul.

Breakthrough innovation redefines the rules.

Don’t lose your marbles over other people’s drama.

There is something fascinating about people who observe rather than speak, who process rather than react, and carry pain in a way that doesn’t demand attention.

Be emotionally available to yourself.

Competition and jealousy in business is a booster, but in relationships is a red flag.

“She is fascinating because she is both vulnerable and strong, both lost and on the cusp of finding herself.”

In the crowded space of showing empathy for everyone, don’t forget to show empathy for yourself.

Oh nice, are you a professional diver? That's a lot of islands. I have not visited the Philippines and Thailand beaches. I’m thinking more of a chill vibe. Also, where do you surf?

I love Borneo’s mix of islands and jungles. Bali is incredibly romantic. East Coast Malaysia is nice for quick getaways - Perhentian, Redang, and Tioman. Langkawi has an urban vibe and is nice to sail. I also want to visit Komodo Island and Ho Lang Bay at some point. Exploring southeast asia is one for the bucket list this year.

this underwater treasure hunting looks fascinating. Also your pics of Boracay is beautiful. what would be your top islands to visit within southeast asia ?

that's incredible. I'm looking forward to the window's compatibility version to test on iot hw protos. this is gonna speed up innovation drastically.

wow, these underwater pictures are stunning. the only time i swam with a turtle was in perhentian but it was still shallow waters and they are super fast. loving your island shots!

i'd say Penang Island has some of the best ones (red prawn)

Surveillance Capitalism: A Conversation with Shoshana Zuboff and Jim Balsillie

https://youtu.be/ZQsfrw8T_Fo

Your modern version of the viking saga :) I find it sad as Greenland has one of the oldest recorded histories in the world and culturally so unique yet it remains poor largely due to historical colonization. To see it exchange hands between the powerful without the consideration of real independence is your modern version of colonization. Why go to war when you can just make a country really poor, and trade those countries instead.

I’m glad you liked the piece. I agree with ch 11 on specifics like carnal desires as something natural and sexual fulfillment as a therapeutic agency. Intimacy can be powerful when fulfilled both sexually and emotionally.

But the challenge I have with his book (as well as absolute meditation without reality check) is blurring the lines between confidence vs ego, manipulation, obsession etc - which can position one as “I know more”, “I am right”, “I’m telling you what you need (not what I need)” - and all these can make a person overly dominating and encroach on someone else’s space and peace of mind, that hinders their growth. I find the book to be heavy on the “I” instead of “We”

When it comes to strengthening emotional anchoring, I find emotional detachment incredibly powerful especially concepts from stoicism and general attachment theories. If you like to explore this further, there’s a really powerful book by Dr Amir Levine called “Attached” identifying if you an anxious, avoidant or secure partner and how to move towards a secured space emotionally. And if you pair that with metta loving kindness, I think it’s a powerful emotional anchoring trait without the ego.

It’s the ability to love and respect someone else and being love and respected back to the fullest, by first loving and respecting yourself. I think once the base is solid, pair that with an intelligent, independent, resilient trait and it makes a woman, a force to be reckon with ❤️

There will always be noise, political dramas, empty cans, those who are easily swayed, lalangs, etc., perhaps now more than ever. We can either get distracted by them and lower our standards to theirs, or we can focus on the signal and keep moving forward.

she thought it was the misfortune of poetry, to be seldom safely enjoyed by those who enjoyed it completely; and that the strong feelings which alone could estimate it truly, were the very feelings which ought to taste it but sparingly.

― Jane Austen, Persuasion

The roles that women have played throughout history is truly incredible.

The first shift in feminist movement probably happened during Jesus of Nazareth period as he gave as equal power to become his followers. The second trigger might be during the industrial wave 19th century when women started working in factories and contributed to contribute to household finances. The third shift which is a huge contributor to the modern feminist movement would be the knowledge-based movement in the 20th century when power and wealth shifted from muscular-needs to knowledge-based.

Taking a closer look into history...

When we look back way before the old testament circa 3000 BC, physical strength was needed for survival, so men naturally took up the role of lead and provision while women were confined to domestic roles in a patriarchal structure. Evolution has a lot of contribution on the women-men dynamics and it should not be discarded.

As time went on, during Old testament period 400 BC, there were the rise of women like Miriam (Moses’s sister), Ruth (one of my fav chapters - on love, loyalty and redemption), Queen Esther and Deborah, a judge and prophetess who brought peace to Israel through Barak. But there remain social constraints like Hagar who was given to Abraham by Sarah and birth Ismael which led to religious tensions till today and Tamar who was passed on from one son to another until she decided to get knocked up through the father instead.

Between the old and new Testament, the Catholic Bible covers this period well - this is called the second temple era. This is the whole Athenian Greek culture under Alexander the Great and later by the Romans, the Peloponnesian war which marked the starting point of democracy. Spartan women had more freedom culturally compared to Greek women. Judith, from the Catholic bible (book of Judith), fought to protect her people.

The New Testament (1st century AD) perhaps triggered the first revolutionary rise of women’s recognition as equals based on how Jesus would engage with them (Samaritan woman, Mary Magdalene, his mother). Women and men don’t speak to each other in public, let alone treat strangers or diff social status with respect and kindness. For Jesus, all were welcome to be his followers. I think Phoebe was identified as the first nurse and deacon in the bible.

The early christian era (1st - 4th century) saw a rise of faith-based women leadership, there were women martyrs and saints but churches remain a patriarchal structure.

During the medieval period (5th - 15th century) the elites played a crucial role in bringing some form of education to their children and although women were educated at home, there were more opportunities for women to expand their roles as theologians, scientists, and artists. But they remain largely restricted to marriage and motherhood outside religious institutions.

The 15th century to the 18th century was the renaissance and enlightenment era. Thinkers like Mary Wollstonecraft (A Vindication of the Rights of Woman), Christine de Pizan (a medieval court writer) or Artemisia Gentileschi (a Renaissance artist) began advocating for women’s rights.

(I am in my Jane Austen era at this moment - his pride and her prejudice - dang this movie never gets old).

The industrial revolution perhaps triggered the second revolutionary rise of women’s recognition and importance. There were more women who started working in factories despite low wages and poor working conditions, and brought money home - which changed the dynamics of a home welfare that was once absolutely dependent on men (and taxation of course).

The 20th and 21st century transformed the women's roles drastically mainly due to survival during wars and the rise of knowledge based industries. Knowledge does not require physical strength but it can pay the bills. The shift of dynamics in the importance of women’s role vs the patriarchal stubborn need to not be equals has seen the rise of various feminist waves from flapper moment to workplace equality to harassment etc in the last century.

I love how in today’s world, women are empowered to make conscious choices. Modern feminism has made significant stride in offering women more options and challenging outdated societal norms.

But what I find to be damaging is how modern feminism is sometimes boxed in by political moments - and it become too focused on specific political stances or identity categories which sidelines the broader, more inclusive aspects of feminist thought.

To me a highly valued woman is not what the ‘left’ or ‘right’ expects her to be. She is not defined based on what society defines her but the respect she gives herself and the dignity she carries. Her values are intrinsic and not based on anyone’s validation. A highly valued woman does not contribute to dynamics that feel performative, manipulative, attention-seeking or lack genuine connection. She seeks relationships rooted in honesty and growth.

I also deeply believe that the support structure of men is fundamentally important in how women rise and grow. And it works both ways. This could be seen from the times of Marie and Pierre Curie and their shared love for science and reading, to examples set by even our own parents on mutual support. A highly valued woman can be the emotional anchor a man needs to continually grow and pursue his dreams, and vice versa.

As we look back throughout history, the dynamics between men and women have definitely changed but what's beautiful in today’s world is that respect comes from within because you want to, not because you have to.

I find it fascinating how much of what is considered "modern" Western discovery has actually been a long-standing practice in Southeast Asia.

1. Going barefoot - common when entering a home or sacred place. Leave the dirty shoes outside to maintain cleanliness and respect.

Grounding however is not an explicit term used but it's been a norm without realising it through practises like meditating outdoors and spending time in nature and more.

2. Meditation retreats - has long been a part of Southeast Asian culture.

3. Sunlight - In tropical countries that don't experience four seasons, sunlight is a natural part of life.

4. Seed oil is bad - In SEA, lard, ghee, palm oil, coconut oil have always been commonly used.

5. Raw milk is good - it's commonly available in restaurants and it is even delivered to homes daily.

6. Fermented food - common in many Southeast Asian diets (tempeh, tempoyak, fish sauces etc).

7. Herbal remedies and natural health - for generations, southeast asians have relied on herbal remedies, and alternative medicines (traditional chinese herbal medicine, ayurvedic medicine, malay herbal treatments, and borneo indigenous herbal practices among the Iban, Kadazan, Dayak, and Bidayuh peoples)

8. Spiritual significance - Many aspects of life in Southeast Asia, from daily practices to festivals, carry deep spiritual meaning.

9. Aphrodisiac foods - Ingredients like Tongkat Ali and various herbal drinks are commonly available.

Southeast Asia is culturally integrated due to centuries of colonization by various empires, as well as its strategic position as a global trade hub which brought together different groups of people. The divisions that exist today are mostly artificial social constructs which are deeply embedded in religious practices, politics, and corrupt power plays.

There’s a really good book called ‘The Courage to Be Disliked’ by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. It's based on Adler’s concepts of not needing external validation or approval of others as you end up conforming to their expectations and not your dreams. It a realization that you can’t control the feelings and actions of others, you can only control yours. There was also a talk between Andrew Huberman and Jordan Peterson recently on this but they went deeper into the Adler - Carl Jung - Freud dynamics.

I’ve been exploring different types of meditation. Zen (zazen) was something I started with and do daily. It's the simplest way to let thoughts pass in acceptance and find a point of focus like breathing. Another one I love are daily walks - a diff kind of mental switch off and clarity.

I grew up with spiritual meditation on bible verses, something I did during my teenage years. The one I could not do was object-focused meditation. I attended a retreat in India once, to an ashram in a French colonial place. It was beautiful, in a high spot with a perfect setting of sunlight striking in the middle but I could not find my center.

I am currently appreciating metta (loving - kindness) as it's likely where i am in my journey and current headspace of peace, self growth and love. It sets a foundation of compassion that overcomes inner conflict, which is crucial before extending that warmth and kindness to the world.

The meditation journey it interesting - for me what I love is emptying my brain and finding a deep sense of calmness and clarity, but I am still a beginner in this. I think different people have different ways of benefiting from it. nostr:nprofile1qy0hwumn8ghj7cmgdae82uewd45kketyd9kxwetj9e3k7mf6xs6rgqg6waehxw309a3ksun0de5kxmr99ej8gmmwdahzucm0d5q3kamnwvaz7tmrda6kuarjd9jhxtnxd9shg6npvchxxmmdqyxhwumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmvqyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2qgewaehxw309ac8junpd45kgtnxd9shg6npvchxxmmdqy28wumn8ghj7am0wshxgar0dehkutnrdaksqgrmmmmmugka3evlgcqwq3922wsul966nhrayl04svauwldhsjjcq5589wcq has shared a complex book on it and always reminds me of different meditation practices at different points of my life this past year which I deeply appreciate although I am not at that level yet :)

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzpq35r7yzkm4te5460u00jz4djcw0qa90zku7739qn7wj4ralhe4zqqs2x6t3us2a28kk0rjrxdlw8kzdsgu4m9mcdgmzvhf645klt6r88kcrzxfg8