Hubert Schaub

To change is hard, especially in terms of habits. However, we live in a time of constant, predominately technological change that challenges us to adapt, often rapidly. While younger generations, who have grown up in this environment are able to adapt with ease, some ‘more set in their ways’ members of society such as myself, are not exactly enthusiastic about the ‘latest app on the market’ this doesn’t mean we are not going to ‘come around’, we just need more time.
Time and necessity were the catalysts that led me to the e-book, of which I had hardly heard before I published my first book, which was also to be the first e-book I have ever read. Naturally, I didn’t exactly fall in love with this new technology but I was impressed by its practicality and convenience. To buy/download a book took a few minutes, costing a fraction of the printed version. The thought of hundreds or thousands of books being stored in this little, portable thing called an e-reader and on my home computer, compared with a visualised extension to my house, fitted out with overflowing book shelves was mind changing. E-books do run out of battery, but it is much easier to recharge than to carry numerous printed books when travelling. The avid reader that I am, I got hooked within a relatively short period of time. It is true that I miss the ambience only a printed book can provide and many likeminded people tell me they are not interested in e-books. Ironically, some of them regularly jump to their i-phone in search for answers, rather than a printed dictionary.
Here I sit, reading a book in comfort for my ageing eyes, on a large computer screen. Whilst making use of the reversible four options/colours of highlighting, I have easy access to the world’s libraries, an e-book convert who doesn’t have to lift a finger, other than for a click on the mouse. ‘The invention of the printed book was the literary equivalent of that of the wheel, the e-book is the equivalent of the motor car’.

The festive season has passed a while ago, my sore muscles and joints begin to settle, my mind, clogged up from over socialising, finally eases with relaxation in the perfect setting – breakfast in the patio out the back of the house.
Remnants of a tropical cyclone have brought relieving rain to this corner of the world, a refreshing breath of rejuvenation. The bushfire ash has all but vanished from sight, washed into the earth to create new life and left my car spotlessly clean.
Rain here in Perth, usually accompanied by violent storms, falls gently today displaying a magnificent water feature and offers stress relief and meditation like no other. I feel no need for effort, as I become one with mother nature, who herself is meditating in passive action.

Christmas is celebrated worldwide, not only by Christians, but also by millions or billions of non-Christians and even by confessed atheists, who participate within the worldly sphere of its traditional festivities. One wonders how many non-Muslims celebrate Ramadan, non-Jews celebrate Hanukah or Yom Kippur, non-Hindus celebrate Diwali etc.
On the other hand, we have also seen the birth of Christ sacrilegiously hi-jacked by runaway commercialism and perverted by worldview based doctrines that have been fabricated by self-proclaimed gurus, such as ‘political correctness’ activists.
Nevertheless, the sacrosanct wonder of Christmas makes it the world’s most acknowledged and celebrated event.
May you experience the joy of Christmas in all its spiritual ambience and divine glory.

…….Continued from previous blog

The term ‘new’ is often miss interpreted as improved, advanced or ‘of better quality’, when in fact it only implies that something hasn’t been perceived before, at least not in its present form.
The new model of education I find lacks efficiency by over emphasising on theory, especially through on-line crash courses, designed with intent to save money, camouflaged with a required, presumably high standard, 100% passing mark. Many of those courses could, ironically, be out-sourced by the student. It is an automated system that ignores any of the requested feedback or constructive criticism, thus it contributes little or nothing to the development of the student’s professional competence. Competence is a human quality and a journey, not recognised under the new model, by rigid certification orientated bureaucracy.
The new model often requires us to conform to countless rules and regulations, from the practical and valuable all the way to the irrelevant, as I have experienced on many occasions. Preoccupied with all this conformity, one could easily forget to teach, or to ‘get the job done’, like the two pilots, who forgot to fly the plane and crashed, whilst attending to the pre-landing check list.
On a larger scale, let’s be aware of the fact that a new model may also magnify and grow into a ‘new world order’, such as the one President Bush announced after 9/11, when he declared war on terror. It may also harbour sinister, even evil intentions, such as Hitler’s ‘new world order’ with the genocide of millions of people at its core.
New models come and go. Some take root, but many prove to be a flop, like ‘new maths’ which was introduced during my school years and soon followed by a ‘return to basics’, because basics ‘simply worked’. New models are created and discredited by competing experts, or teams of experts this is reflected for example, in the ever changing and sometimes reversing ‘first aid procedures’ which only causes confusion in a ‘real life situation’ and puts lives at risk. Talking about first aid, I have just completed the on-line module of my refresher course, which is supposed to let you study at ‘your own pace’. Ironically, the system is set to turn the pages at ‘it’s’ own pace, suitable only for speed readers and it causes distraction by constantly having to pause or reverse the pages. When studying at my own pace, I would imagine, that an automatically self-progressing system be an option, rather than the standard.
Let’s treat new models with scrutiny, take on board what’s useful and discard the rest if possible.
However, should a ‘newer’ new model be introduced by ‘Big Brother’ next time my credentials come up for renewal, I guess I will have to erase all my knowledge and enrol in yet another ‘re-education camp’.

Frequently we see un-civilised acts and behaviour being tolerated, excused and even accepted on grounds of culture, without questioning its social and moral integrity. The term ‘culture’ is broadly defined as ‘the traditions and characteristics of a people’, needless to say: ‘anything goes’.

You can put anything on a sandwich or a pizza, from the savoury delicious to the outright revolting. The same is true for culture, it spans from the highly civilised and sophisticated to low down savagery. Deprivation of liberty, domestic violence, forced marriages and rape are part of some cultures, so are honour killings, suicide and corruption. Some gangs cultivate bullying, vandalism and battery with pride, yet judges often acquit offenders or pass lenient sentences out of cultural reasons. One has to question their credibility.

High culture combines the arts, ethics, education and social infrastructure under the umbrella of civilisation and it only has value within the concept of moral law.