Sunday arvo around Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Royal Botanic Gardens

It was another clear blue fine wintery Sunday day in Sydney and I cannot resist taking pictures of this beautiful city. I lived here for almost three years and I maintained a love-hate relationship with this place. As a student, I depend on much on public facilities for most services and Sydney’s public transport and infrastructures is absolute basket case.
However each time just when I want to give up on this city, around the corner there will be an quintessential Sydney scene or experience that reminds me what a fantastic city can be particularly if you are affluent and do not depend on woeful current state government.
This weekend I took pictures from the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Botanic Gardens (Sydney Botanic Garden) including views from Mrs Macquarie’s Point.  Hope you like the small selection and be encouraged to view the entire set.

A Day out at Cockatoo Island – 17th Biennale of Sydney

Over the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, I spent the afternoon at Cockatoo Island, the major venue of the 17th Biennale of Sydney. Even before getting to the island,  the scenic ferry ride from Circular Quay across the Sydney Harbour to the island certainly raised the anticipation. Cockatoo Island was a very unique setting to experience contemporary art because its was also former prison and shipyard.  Many of these buildings and workshops’ content still remains.

Below are some of the photos I took on the island, while here is the link to the entire collection.

A Sunday Cyclist along the Sydney Harbour Bridge

A Sunday cyclist along the Sydney Harbour Bridge by Berno (bernardoh3rd at gmail)

Liberalism in the global context, relations with global powers and due process adherence: Malcolm Fraser at the Lowy Institute

This week at the Lowy Institute’s Distinguished Speaker Series, former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser shared candour and shrewd insights into meaning of liberalism in the global context, small countries’ relations with super powers and the importance of  due processes adherence .

Click here to listen to his presentation entitled “Liberalism and Australian foreign policy“.

Never illegal park in Sydney!

You have been warned! The City of Sydney council does not treat illegal parking offence lightly and they make sure you get the message.

Picture taken in Dawes Point, Sydney facing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Update of my fav podcast feeds: Business, Humour, Social Commentary and News

Since the economic downturn I have almost stopped buying CDs and moved onto podcasts for my aural stimulation. An audio diet laced with humour, news, business and commentary. Here is a list of my absolute must-hear feeds:

1. Hamish & Andy – My fav commute-time comedy duo from Melbourne. Give these guys a try and I reckon you will become a fan too.

2. American Public Media’s Marketplace. Great way to get an summary of Wall Street overnight performance and news.

3. NPR’s Planet Money. How to make sense of all these news from the Wall Street to the White House.

4. Robert Reich’s Commentary. Prof Robert Reich teaches public policy in Berkeley and served as Labour Secretary during the Clinton administration

5. The Story is about “people whose lives are intersecting with significant issues in the news.” The programs has previous discussed about how older people coped when their unemployment benefits ran out (foreclosures), how our past can come back and haunt us via Facebook (Facebook), and how good people can be lured and trapped in money laundering (white collar crimes).

6. BBC’s World Business Daily. An audio documentary of the world of business.

7. ABC’s 7.30 report (video). A snapshot of current issues affecting Australia.

8. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) public lectures and events. Perfect if you enjoy a detailed discussion of the world around us.

9. Sky News Business Report. My 25mins update on the Australian economy and AUD performance.

10. The Gruen Transfer (free video vodcast) by Wil Anderson (now back for Season 2)! The Gruen Transfer is about the science of advertising served with a dead wit and humour.

Does anyone know of an informational podcast feed from Singapore? It’s really difficult to find a Singapore business or social commentary podcast. I would really listen to a Singapore Mandarin podcast after MM Lee is now reminding us the importance of speaking Mandarin.

Tokyo, Osaka and Singapore Among the Top 10 most expensive cities in the world: EIU Report

The 2009 Economist Intelligence Unit’s cost of living survey reveals that Tokyo (1), Osaka (2) and Singapore (10) ranked among the Top 10 most expensive cities.

2009 EIU World’s Top 1o Most Expensive Cities Ranking

1. Tokyo, Japan
2. Osaka, Japan
3. Paris, France
4. Copenhagen, Denmark
5. Oslo, Norway
6. Zurich, Switzerland
7. Frankfurt, Germany
8. Helsinki, Finland
9. Geneva, Switzerland
10. Singapore, Singapore

…

35. Sydney, Australia
…
39. Melbourne, Australia

Little comfort for those who are out of a job or struggling with lower income.

Related links:

• Survey shows Singapore is world’s 10th most expensive city (Channel News Asia)
• Aussie cities now less expensive: survey (The Age)
• London cheaper than New York for first time since 2002 (EIU Press Release)
• Strong dollar makes US cities expensive places to live (EU Press Release)

My 2009 Calendar of Sporting Events: Fun runs, long distance, biathlon and triathlon

This page (mainly for my personal record keeping) will be regularly updated as I sign up (confirmed) for more events.

1. 22 Feb 09- Singapore Tribob Sprint Aquathlon (750m swim, 5km run)
2. 7 Mar 09- Singapore Biathlon (1500m swim, 10k run) Absent
3. 24 May 09 – PAssion Run 2009 (15k run)
4. 30 May 09- Adidas Sundown Marathon (42k run): Timing (), Photos(Here), Report()
5. 28 Jun 09- Kuala Lumpur Marathon (tentative)
6. 1 Australian race (tentative): Geelong Half Marathon (19 Apr)/  Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon (17 May)/ Gold Coast Marathon (5 July)/ Sydney Running Festival (20 Sep)/ Melbourne Marathon (11 Oct)
7. Singapore Army Half Marathon – tentative
8. Borneo Marathon 2009 (11 Oct) -tentative
9. OSIM Singapore Triathlon – tentative
10. Angkor Wat International Half Marathon 2009 (6 Dec) – tentative

My Top 10 Sydney Photos

Sydney is expensive, the overall public system is failing and they don’t do very good lattes over there … despite all her shortcomings.

Here are my personal Top 10 (unranked) Sydney related photos from my Flickr collection. Just click on the pictures to see them in their original resolutions.

– Each time I looked at this picture, I feel very calm and at ease.

– This was taken when I lived in North Sydney.

– A view of the city from Milson Point

– Along the Sydney Harbour Bridge towards the City.

– I love the occasional rides to Bondi Manly beach on board the Sydney Ferry.

– This is Sydney.

– An evening shot of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (The Coathanger) from Kirribilli

- George Street

– What is Sydney without its famous Mardi Gras parade?

- The essential weekend late night kebab along Kings Cross

** Bonus
– The real estate shop Christmas receptionist.

Re-Discovering the Podcast Joys in 2009

Happy new year to everyone reading my blog! I hope you had a ball over Christmas and the New Yeak and slowly getting back into the daily grind!

It’s a new year and I recently re-discovered the joys of podcast, thanks to my gorgeous 4 months old Nokia N78. Prior to my N78, my last podcast (G’day World) was back in 2006. Returning back to the Nokia platform is such a delight and dare I say a phone almost designed for human use. I love my phone but I will keep my praise for another day. Listening to podcast is fantastic and time efficient way for everyone to catch up with the news, commentary and hopefully get some laughs during your commute.

If you share my weird interests in the following: a) humour and satire b) technology c) business and economics, there were an incredible amount of great podcast content available. Here are a selection from my podcast feed. The links goes to their website so that you can check out the content before you subscribe to the feed.

• Humour and satire

Hamish and Andy Radioshow – Podcast sized of my favourite Melbourne radio comedic duo syndicated across Australia and Kiwi-land. (Good stuff always comes from Melbourne)

Friday Night Comedy – BBC Radio 4 – If you are fan of British humour. Actually laughing at the Poms, ain’t too difficult.

The Unger Report- NPR- Humorist Brian Unger takes on the pressing issues of the moment.

• Technology

Technology Podcast – NPR

Tech Weekly – Guardian

• Business and Economics

Peter Day’s World of Business – BBC World Service

Business Daily – BBC World Service

Planet Money – NPR – Making sense of the American economy

Color of Money – NPR – Making sense of your personal finances especially during these trying times

Happy listening!