Enjoy~!

Kenna – Out of Control

Keane – Everybody’s Changing

Kenna – Say Goodbye to Love

Today’s book is Outliers: The Story of Success by British-born, Canadian journalist and The New Yorker columnist Malcolm Gladwell.  This is Gladwell’s third book following on from his previous highly-acclaimed books The Tipping Point and Blink, released in 2000 and 2005 respectively. I first became aware of this book via an interview (part 1; part 2) Gladwell had with CNN presenter Fareed Zakaria and decided this book was a book I must read.

Outliers is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at successful and talented individuals and just how they got to where they are. On the surface, it may appear that they were born ‘with God-given talent’ or that they were born with ‘exceptional’ IQ. But, Gladwell contends that whilst these factors no doubt play a highly significant role in the shaping of these individuals’ destiny, a bigger factor is the often unseen factors that come into play and contribute to their success. The lucky breaks they receive, the fortunate events or time they are born into, not to mention the endless hours of hard work and religious devotion to their skill, talent or passion.

These factors may be the significant advantages of coming from a upper- or middle-class family where studies have proven children growing up in these families significantly receive more support, assistance, talent recognition and empowerment through their childhood than children of poor or working-class families. Another significant factor is happening to be born at the ‘right place and the right time’ and Gladwell clearly illustrates several examples where the individuals in question, one notable individual being Bill Gates himself, openly state that luck and significant fortunate occurrences played a key role in getting to where they are today.

Gladwell also examines and returns to throughout the book the ’10,000 hour’ rule whereby any individual can become significantly talented and skilled in a subject given the circumstances where they are given 10,000 hours to perform and perfect this task in their early lives. Here Gladwell uses the example of The Beatles, among others, whereby The Beatles by a series of fortunate, random encounters were asked to perform in Hamburg at a club 8 hours a night, seven days a week. Most bands would baulk at this work condition but The Beatles were so enthusiastic and passionate about their music that they relished the opportunity given to them, perfected their craft whilst spending those long hours in Hamburg and went on to become the most successful musical group in history.

Gladwell also points to the largely illogical cut-outs dates for junior sports teams and how frequently stars develop having been born within a few months of the junior cut-off dates, having the advantage of being older and usually more physically developed at a young age, and how these individuals go through the system and are picked for the regional and elite squads until it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy whereby 75% of professional sports stars were born within six months of their junior leagues cut-out dates.

The book also looks at how intelligence can only get you so far, and to get beyond that point you need early intelligence monitoring and subsequent streamlining, a support structure, vast network and nous to get ahead, citing two notable examples of two highly-intelligent men who have/had led incredibly different lives, almost entirely due to their upbringing and childhood.

Interestingly, the book looks at and examines the key roles in which culture shapes and molds individuals’ work ethic, thought processes, language acquisition and entire way of seeing and interacting with the world. Understandably, culture can be play a key – yet often overlooked – factor on how individuals and the societies they live in deal with issues, problems, conflicts and opportunities. In these chapters, Gladwell provides several notable examples – most significantly the key role culture played in the conduct of Korean Air pilots pre-2000.

In Outliers, Gladwell also takes a personal look at his mother’s family history in Jamaica and the chance opportunities, lucky breaks, fortunes of time and random occurrences which enabled her to move to London to further her studies and become a success.

Outliers is an entertaining, highly interesting and thought-provoking book. You may not be thoroughly convinced of Gladwell’s theories by the end of it but will no doubt be impressed by how well he presents his case. I give it five out of five stars.

My music tastes have varied and expanded over the years, I first got introduced to music through my older sisters and as such took a somewhat disturbing attraction to the likes of Boy George, Wham and a-ha. Then around the time of pre-pubescence I started to drift towards the r&b, rap and hip-hop genres taking – ashamedly – a liking to Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe and countless other now forgotten r&b acts.

As I was going through high school and university, a lot of my friends liked heavy metal music, listening to the likes of Sepultura, Megadeath and Pantera. Most of these bands I had – and still have – little time for as they were just not my kind of music. But, one band who bucked that trend and who I grew to truly like was Metallica. There seemed to be just something more to them that the previous bands mentioned. And, as time went on they seemed to develop a more mature, sophisticated and complex repertoire compared to their earlier, more base lyrics.

Like many, I first took notice of Metallica when they released their self-titled ‘Black’ album with great, raw, rock tracks such as “Enter Sandman” and “Wherever I May Roam”, along with the more reflective rock-ballads “The Unforgiven”, “Nothing Else Matters”.

By this stage, I was thinking Metallica is a band I like to hear. By the time of their Load and ReLoad albums when most of their more-established, long-term fans were bemoaning their softer, more reflective direction, I was liking them more than ever. And, it’s from Metallica’s Load album that today’s Song of the Day comes from. It’s entitled “Until It Sleeps” and is dark, moving piece about the trails of finding solace amongst the dark dog of Depression that lurks inside many of us. This song’s an example of Metallica’s transition throughout the 90s, a direction which I enjoyed seeing them take.

Enjoy~!

• Big news on the sports front was the announcement that Rugby League international, Karmichael Hunt will jump codes to play Aussie Rules playing with the newly-formed Gold Coast Football Club in 2011, when the club enters the Australian Football League. Hunt will play out the rest of the NRL season with the Brisbane Broncos and most probably jump to yet another code in the interim playing professional Rugby Union in Japan or France for six months next year before commencing his foray into Aussie Rules. The news of Hunt’s defection to a rival football code was created a huge stir amongst the Australian (4-code) football fraternity with plenty of follow-up opinion pieces, such as this one from Rugby League former player, coach and now media pundit,  Phil Gould, since the news was released last Wednesday.
• A more disturbing news story to come out of Australia was the ongoing court case in which a man claims to have been raped by a stripper using a dildo at his mate’s buck’s night. As the case has proceeded it does seem that the man in question was indeed genuinely violated by the stripper who subsequently threatened to call in bikies if she wasn’t pay in full for her services.
• Young cricketer Phillip Hughes found himself in trouble for his twit in which he announced to the world before the commence of play that he would not be taking his place on the field with his Aussie team-mates for the Third Test in the Ashes series against England at Edgbaston. Encouragingly though,  former Australian cricket greats, Doug Walters and Matthew Hayden offered their support for the young opening batsman and his sudden axing.
• Another controversial story out of Australia this week involved scumbag and almost-universially loathed dickhead, Kyle Sandilands and his sidekick Jackie O from Sydney radio station 2day fm‘s morning programme. The couple thought it would be a good idea to have a 14-year old girl and her mother live on air for a truth-or-dare session on her sexual history complete with lie detector test. As the session continues the girl reveals the time she was raped to which arsehole of the month, Kyle Sandlilands replies, “Right … is that the only sexual experience you’ve had?” before the session is abruptly cut off with the mother and daughter offered subsequent counselling services. Understandably, the radio station and its two hosts received a wall of complains over their extreme poor judgment and lack of prior screening of the guests on a controversial topic in airing this session live, to which Sandilands lamely retorted that he was so shocked by the girls relevation he didn’t know what to say. The two have sinced been suspended indefinitely, with Sandilands claiming he’s ‘unable to go to air’.
• Rifts are emerging over just how to deal with the Taliban threat as there has unfortunately a large spike in allied casualties of late in Afghanistan, triggering debate from an increasingly war-weary allied camp especially in the US and UK over just how to tackle the threat of the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• The H1N1 pandemic continues its spread throughout the world increasing anxiety and concern as it nearers closer by the day to the northern winter of 2009-2010, when the virus could pose its greatest threat yet.

To be honest, I was a little bit skeptical about reading a Seppo’s accounts on Australia, but quickly found myself at ease with Bryson’s thoughtful, engaging and witty writing style which draws you in and makes you what to read just that one more chapter before you finish for the session. Bryson is an accomplished writer, who clearly had done his homework, studying Australian history and cultural texts and having traveled down under several times before he put pen to paper and it shows as he possesses an admirable trait of being able to view the Australian psyche and eccentricities through an outsider’s eyes.

The book follows Bryson’s journeys across the width and breadth of Australia – barring poor ole Tassie, who doesn’t get a look-in – taking in the sights, viewing the natural wonders and engaging with the colorful locals as he travels. During the book, Bryson also explains some of the history, hostile wildlife and little known factoids on Australia and its inhabitants – many of which locals don’t even know – and laments the fact that Australia is so little known to the outside world, brilliantly illustrated in his opening chapter when on page 4 he mentions that  ‘Australia was slightly more important to us in 1997 than bananas, but not nearly as important as ice cream’ according to the New York Times Index.

Reading this book review you may be under the allusion that Bryson gallivants from five-star hotel to five-star resort whilst riding in first-class style, writing amorously of every location or spot he happens to visit – as travel writers are often found to do. But, nothing could be further from the truth. For the bulk of his trip, he is the solitary member of his continental  jaunt, traveling the long miles of often seemingly featureless, desolate highways linking interior Australia in a rented car. He also doesn’t give Australia and its cities an easy ride necessarily either.

Bryson was found to be largely not too fussed with Canberra and it’s miles of gardens and circular suburban roads, and was not too impressed either with the level of service he found in Darwin, which makes the book all the more enjoyable as it’s real and not needlessly saccharine.

It’s clear throughout the book that Bryson has a strong affection for the country and its people and whilst he does have his critical views and positions on certain topics and issues, in particular towards the position Aboriginal Australians hold in late 20th century Australian society, he overall has the view that Australia is a nation that should be better known, more respected and more often visited.

All in all, although slightly dated now – it was written over 10 years ago, not that that much changes in Australia anyway! – the book is a must-read for anyone hoping to travel to, learn more about, or who just happen to have a vague interest in the intriguing, often perplexing upside-down country-continent of Australia. I give the book four-and-a-half stars out of five. A top read in my book. I now intend to read some more of this bloke, Bryson’s books!

The book has a way of making you want to pack your bags, throw away your responsibilities and book a flight immediately for an Australian road-trip. Perhaps, I might just do that!

But, just as sure as Menzies had his critics, he surely had his followers in greater numbers. So much so that his book went on to become a bestseller, spawned a host of supportive websites (including his own where people can leave their own research and accounts of Chinese discoveries), and spawned several documentaries with talk of feature films being in the mix. Menzies, who possesses a passion for his topic which is uncontrollable and frankly, contagious, brushed aside all criticisms saying that a lot of these critics have based their lives and professional careers around the most accepted beliefs that Columbus and the Europeans were the first to reach the Americas and as such they have the most to lose and understandably are going out of their way to debunk his claims.

1421 described how during the peak of the Ming dynasty in its expansionary, outward-looking phase, great fleets of Chinese fleets led by the great general, Zheng He, would set forth from Nanjing onto Southeast Asia, India and Africa exchanging goods, knowledge and wealth in return for each provinces’ acceptance that the Middle Kingdom was their rightful superior. Many provinces indeed enjoyed the transfer of goods, materials and knowledge from the ‘benevolent father’ and warmly provided dowries for their superiors from the Middle Kingdom. Indeed, it’s irrefutable that there were established trade links between China, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East and possibly Africa with ports such Guangzhou, Malacca, Kerala, Mombasa possessing ample evidence of significant trade to and from East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East and Africa.

Menzies goes one step further in 1421 to assert that the Chinese didn’t just stop with the Indian Ocean on their quest for worldwide discovery and power, that they indeed traveled to any points of the globe including the Americas, Africa, Australia and even as far afield as Greenland. To back these claims, Menzies points to evidence, which truth be told is quite convincing in the Americas, particularly in certain pockets of the Americas to somewhat dubious when it comes to Greenland, Australia and farther afield. But, despite its downsides where Menzies almost seems to be trying too hard to find a link when there quite likely isn’t one, all in all I came out of the book a believer – believing that there was at least some Chinese settlement, discovery, transfer of knowledge and trade in the New World before the conventional history of  the Europeans being the first to ‘discover’ the New World. Polynesia in particular, is one region of the world where there was no doubt at least some Chinese interaction within the last 1000 years before Cook and co. came around due to DNA evidence, and flora and fauna species.

So, this leads onto to 1434 where Menzies goes one step further in his claims to say that it was indeed the Chinese – through their trade, interaction and transfer of knowledge – who provided the spark to ignite the renaissance and awaken Europe from its prolonged coma of nigh on a millenia. Menzies uses some quite compelling points to indicate that there must have been at least some transfer of knowledge, ideas and philosphies for there to have been this sudden renaissance, where in the space of less than 60 years Europe all of a sudden made significant gains in the fields of astronomy, cartography, geography, weaponry, navigation and shipbuilding. All of which fields the Chinese had superior and exisitng knowledge, and wherby the Europeans seemed to have had an uncanny knack of replicating these products, ideas and philosophies to such a degree that it points to more than coincidence.

But, if the Chinese interacted with the West, why isn’t there any existing Western literature of these grand fleets of learned Oriental gentleman setting forth on the ports of Europe and dispelling their infinite knowledge and wisdom? This is one point that Menzies can’t adequately address in my opinion and one that you can’t help but question yourself. I, for one, am sure that the Chinese – who before their self-imposed retreat from the mid-1400′s onwards were superior to most any civilisation in a host of fields by several centuries and definitely beleive that they did indeed managed to set foot on many lands previously claimed to have been ‘discovered’ by Europeans. I also firmly believe that the transfer of knowledge, goods and materials circulated from Asia to Europe via established Indian Ocean trade routes and the Silk Road. However, I am not as certain as Menzies as to the validity of Chinese vessals actually traveling to Europe as I’m sure had it been the case I’m sure there would have more than snippets of anedoctal evidence to back these claims. That said, I enjoyed 1434 a lot. Perhaps not quite as much as 1421 which really did manage to sink me into the prospect of China having set forth and discovering all these ‘new’ lands. But, nevertheless it’s a great read with some very valid points made along the way. No doubt there are some parts which seem more dubious than others but as I mentioned before, Menzies’ infectious enthusiasm makes you want to believe it all regardless. I gave it 4 and a half stars. I believe no matter what your views on history are, it’s an interesting and exciting read. Whether you believe it’s actual history or pseudo-history, it’s worth a read for you to decide.

The thing I really appreciate about writers such as Menzies and Jared Diamond is their knowledge of their subjects, enthusiasm, thirst for more knowledge and ability to write in layman’s terms about topics which many people may previously thought of as dry and boring into interesting, fascinating and compelling reads. If you have a love for history, geography and social sciences such as myself, I strong recommend you check out their books.

Who knows? Maybe I am Chinese after all!

Heath Ledger has been posthumously awarded an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his brilliant performance as ‘The Joker’ in The Dark Knight at the 81st Academy awards in Hollywood. His father, mother and sister were on hand to receive the award.

His father, Kim, said upon receiving the award:

“This award tonight would have humbly validated Heath’s quiet determination to be truly accepted by you all here – his peers – within an industry he so loved. Thank you,”

It’s hard to believe it’s already 13 months since he passed away. Another brilliant talent taken from us too soon.

Other notable winners include: Sean Penn as Best Actor for his role in Milk, Kate Winslet as Best Actress for her role in The Reader, and Penélope Cruz for her role in Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Surprise success story of the year, Slumdog Millionaire won Best Picture with the film’s director, Danny Boyle, winning the Best Director award.