Being proactive about passive income

This is a subject that is close to many of our hearts. Who doesn't want to earn money with the least amount of effort? Practically, nobody!
Now if you are the heir to a billion-dollar empire - that's passive income. Thank god for a rich dad or granddad. However, very, very few of us are born with a silver spoon in our mouths. In fact, we are all born crying for various reasons.
For many of us, the crying stops soon enough. Then we go through life thinking of striking rich with the jumbo lottery. That's quite okay, except a few million others are also having the same thought.
Hence, today in this modern world, plenty, I mean really plenty of people are always entertaining ideas of making it in life with nominal physical exertions. In other words, sleep and earn money.
Actually, only a chosen few in this world are accorded this privilege and that too they are born with that kind of destiny or fate.
These days, the passive income syndrome is a privilege of a selected few among, say, a million of people. The good news is it can be done. The bad news is you are probably not the lucky one.
Now people say luck comes to the most prepared person. Some smart alec actually coined that phrase. And it's true. You are "lucky" if you have done your homework, or have worked countless hours towards achieving a certain destiny.
I, for one, would like to know how it can be done. I know it can be done but the knack is I don't have the secret formula. A lot of people think they have the secret formula but normally what they want is to "ride on your back" so that you can "carry them across the river".
Realistically, life's like that. Nobody is going to come up to you and say "here's a million bucks. Take it. I am feeling generous and you are the first random person I have chosen to enjoy my hard-earned fortune. Phooey! This kind of scenario belongs to television.
A friend of mine has thought hard and long about this. Both of us have agreed that this can be done. The problem is both of us have absolutely no idea how to do it, just yet.
Now that's the dilemma. I wish the passive income formula will appear to me in a dream but I always dream of silly things. So that doesn't count.
If I discover the secret, you can be sure you won't be the first to know. ha. ha.





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See through a child's eyes

One of the greatest compliments I received recently was "It's amazing that you can still be wondered!" I take it to mean that I continue to find new things in life that amaze me.
Why shouldn't that happen to other people as well? Is it because most of us are now jaded? Have most of us really seen and experienced everything that is worth experiencing?
I believe the best times in life have yet to come. Have you ever seen a child looking at things which are new to him. He is wide-eyed and his attention is intense. Later on in life, we sometimes hear the remark "that wide-eyed kid". That is not supposed to be a compliment.
That's a crying shame. All of us need to be wide-eyed kids again if we are ever going to drink from the holy grail of life. We must treat ordinary things as being extraordinary and look at friends, loved ones and office colleagues in new light.
It's a wonderful experience. We have so long taken so many things for granted that our grasp on life has slackened. It is not good news that we can no longer be surprised; that we can no longer be amazed or astounded or be stunned by new discoveries.
There are so many things that can and should continue to jolt our presence state of mind. Yes, many of us have spent decades on earth. If we are humble enough, we would admit that there's much we have not seen. This is God's earth and it holds endless stream of new happenings, discoveries, creatures and intangible beauties that we have not yet experienced.
We should tell ourselves that the next time we look at something which may seem ordinary, we should become a kid again, staring at it as if we have not seen it before. We try and absorb every visual atom of that subject before our human eyes. We take it the multitude of colours and the vibrancy of the object. Most importantly, we should take our time learning about our new found discovery.
If we can do that and enjoy it all, we shall never again be bored, be sad or be unhappy for the rest of our days on earth. The secret of longevity and child-like happiness lies in the way we look at life and all things related to life.
Be like a child and live forevermore.





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Just Get Up And Go

SOMETIMES, it is a terrific learning experience when one ventures beyond one's own country. Recently, I had the opportunity of wandering the fair city of Melbourne, Australia for a couple of days.
It is always fascinating to wake up in the morning, popped into the street and get blasted by a rush of cold air, quite unlike that of one's own country. At 22 degrees, the atmosphere is simply exhilarating.
One of the positive effects of such climatic conditions is that a person doesn't sweat so easily even hours of walking. Melbourne's weather is generally cooling. The sky is always clear. Well, it is spring afterall, and not even summer yet.
The sun is bright most of the time but it is not humid and it is dry. I reckon all the humidity we get in the tropical region activates our sweat glands and thus the surface of our skin is always moist.
A friend advised me to apply moisturiser on my skin before my "whole face falls off". Fortunately, I didn't stand long enough in the beautiful city to get the full effect of the dryness of the place.
Nevertheless, Melbourne being a foreign city opens up a vista of visual delights. Motorists are surprisingly well mannered. I thought...shame on those I find on our own streets. Pedestrians are always given the right of way. What a wonderful experience, just by walking on the streets.
There are quaint little lanes that offer respite in the form of tiny cafes and charming stalls that sell memorable souvenirs. Strangely, there are no many elderly people walking about. Where did they all go? Probably, at home reading or resting.
Young people throng the streets at all hours of the day. They walk fast, talk fast and generally seem to be in a hurry all the time.
If you are an Asian who are used to spicy food, Melbourne will take some getting used to. The food here is oriented towards the Western palate. Not that they are not good but they are just different. But Melbourne is diversifying in the culinary sector.
There is a profusion of cuisine from different cultures due to its expanding cosmopolitan personality. There is also the mushrooming of fusion food. That means Japanese sushi goes together with Aussie kangaroo meat and king prawns cooked Chinese style all on the same table, served together with red or white wine or green tea.
Perhaps it might not be wise to order all those dishes at the same time. One might have to make an unscheduled visit to the Gents room.
Social behaviour comes as a bit of a cultural shock. Shop assistants are constantly enquiring as to your desires and wishes but you know that they have been programmed to talk like that. At certain places, they sound almost like a tape recorder.
However, there are other places where the workers are more down-to-earth and friendlier. City tends to make people a bit more impersonal. I guess it's the concentration of so many people within a given square kilometre. But people are generally the same everywhere, if you smile or crack a joke, they will respond accordingly.
For example, at the Melbourne airport, the airport check-in officer was a jovial chap. He must be delighted by my choice of Aussie cowboy hat because I was one of the few guys around donning a genuine leather hat made in Australia. He asked how was my day, and I greeted him heartily with a "very good" remark. We exchanged some pleasantries and parted like old friends.
Melbourne is definitely one of the better cities around the world. In fact, last year in a survey of 130 cities, Melbourne received the thumbs up as the No. 1 city to stay in the world. Now, that's quite an honour.
It was my maiden voyage, so to speak, to the State of Victoria's finest city. The pleasure was all mine. I am glad someone almost gave me a kick in the behind to push me on this journey of a thousand delights.
Sometimes in life, one has to wander outside one's boundaries to discover the loveliness that abounds beyond one's shores. If I can, I will make a return visit to this city of 3.5 million people. It has an excellent mix of people, many of them are quite colourful.
I didn't feel the tension or the stress that exists in some other cities. It has a relaxing air of an easygoing metropolitan. Australia is proud of Melbourne in so many ways. No wonder Asians who are able, make Melbourne their No. 1 choice outside their own city.
G'donya, you Aussie mates. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for a return visit soon. What a marvellous city you have got there. Well done and keep it up.

Thank God for those 'hardships'

One always look back at our childhood and think how different were lives then. Mine was not that different from other ordinary boys, I guess. I didn't come from a privileged background.
My dad worked for the government and my mum was a housewife. When I was little, I used to stay at home most of the time. My sisters who were older than me had little time for me the little kiddo.
My mum made use of me by ordering me to peel potatoes, spliced onions and pruned vegetables. So in a way, I was a kitchen helper. Then she taught me to sew buttoms and other torn seams. Her words of wisdom were "better learn to sew now if you do not want to be bullied by your wife in future."
I must have taken the motherly advice to heart because I did learn how to sew. Nowadays when my wife expressed surprise over my deft handiwork with the needle, I repeat my mother's words. I guess I received the right advice afterall.
Going to school was by bicycle. My house was about three to four miles from school. And I used to take the short-cut, that is, along the river bank. The longer route to school would have been through busy streets in town. Since the tiny path along the river bank is cleaner and doesn't have any traffic, I usually arrived in school on time.
Once or twice when my bicycle wheel scraped the sides of the path, I took a tumble but it was not serious. School days were uneventful. Teachers in general weren't impressed with us lot. They considered most of us as "lost causes". When one of us asked our form teacher how many of us he thought would make it to university.
He paused for a while and then lifted his hand and spread his five fingers. There were a total of about 40 of us in his class. So much for confidence in his dear pupils.
The teacher had it right. There were about that number who managed to make it to the university. I was one of the last to scrape through before the door slammed on all our faces.
Since civil servants' pay wasn't anything to shout about, my shoes and clothes were unspectacular. I wore very ordinary shoes but I didn't go bare-foot. My clothes were very much less than trendy so I looked like a vagabond most of the time.
I had no money to see even cheap movies so I read comics. But most of the time, I had empty pockets so I normally browsed around at newsstands until I was chased away for taken too much liberty with the reading materials.
As I was saying, these are not hardships. Those incidents were part of my education as I was growing up. We didn't even dare to talk about taking vacations because there was none to speak of.
I didn't go on overseas trips until I was well into my 20s, and I went on my own financial means. That made the holiday so much more meaningful. So these days, I advised all those who want to listen that it is much better if you pay for your own vacations.
My parents made us wake up early every Sunday morning for church service. Most of the time, I would rather just continue sleeping but my mother was brought up in a strict Catholic family so there was no means to escape from the Sunday obligation.
Frankly, nothing meaningful as I recall was gotten free. Everything had to be earned, and so we did. If we had nothing much to eat, then we ate whatever was placed on the dining table.
During my varsity days, I was constantly plagued by shortage of money so I survived on as little as I could. Consequently, my weight dropped to a very healthy level. Before, I moved to another town to pursue my tertiary education, I was a chubby guy. Four months after I had enrolled in the university, I returned home literally a new man. My mother nearly didn't recognise me because she could see my jawline.
Life's like that. I am glad I went through those so-called rought patches. Thank God for all that.





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Make any day a Sunday

IT'S Sunday today and I am in the office. Yes, in other parts of the world, people are out lazing on the grass, swimming in somebody's pool, basking in the sun in some famous holiday resort of lying on bed watching their favourite afternoon TV show.
But for dear old me, it's office computer with a handful of colleagues working for the greater good of the company.
I am not complaining because it's bloody hot outside. A quick glance tells me the temperature is at least 35 degrees farenheit. That's a killer clime. I have just done some work which would earn me some money and at the same time, helped a friend with her work. What more can a person ask?
These days, I consider "everyday as a Sunday". The meaning of which is making each day special, or when everything comes your way and you really have nothing to complain about.
Some friends are already driving along the highway even as I type, taking their families to some nice hideaway for a much needed respite from the everyday grind. I am glad for them. Never put these little excursions off when you have the time and the inclination.
For example, yesterday I took my daughter for a workshop at Starbucks training centre. She's going to be a trainee Starbucks barista. It's something she wants to do during her summer vacation, away from her little mountain of books.
She has publicly announced that she wants to earn some pocket money to buy some personal items of value, like a nice handphone and maybe a DVD burner. Children these days have so many needs and so few rich dads.
So today is the second Sunday of the month and it reminds me that I have not attended Sunday mass for several weeks. If the parish priest finds out, I will have a lecture on my hands.
But I shall not delve into anything spiritual at this juncture. I believe God is great and he's never demanding like priests who constantly need a congregation to justify their nine years of hardwork at the seminary. Still, it's not nice to prejudge them. Jesuit priests are nice, diligent guys who are constantly working for the greater glory of God, or Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
Personally, I like slow days like today. Work gets off on a flying start in the office and by 3pm, we are done for the day. We don't get too much of such days but when we do, we savour them, much like precious caviar.
Yesterday was one of those crazy Saturdays when I was on my feet from 7am. By the time, I have finished all I wanted to do, it was already 10pm. I have walked, stood or crouched for more than 14 hours. Anything but lying on my back.
Physically exhausting day but at the end of which, I was amply satisfied that I had a very productive outing and the family was satisfied that they too had a good day. All days should be like that. Hence, the title of this thread - Make any day a Sunday!
All days of our lives must be lived to their fullest. It is an awful cliche but it fits the description. Never let a day be reduced to its pale shade of dullness. I frown on days which are wasted on such a premise.
As human beings, we are doing ourselves a great disservice by not fulfilling our potential. We should beat every ounce of goodness out of every day of our wonderful lives. That's the way it should be for us. Amen.
Here's Sunday to all of you wonderful people.





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The Merits of Internet

INTERNET has literally changed the way of life for millions of people across the globe. And the post offices are probably complaining because fewer people are buying stamps and writing letters anymore.
There was a time when letters were handwritten and duly posted. Usually they arrive on time. There are the exceptions when a letter arrives 50 years later. That's when the newspapers go to town with stories about very late letters.
These days, people send emails criss-crossing the globe almost every second of the day. In fact, they are doing more than that. They are engaging in instant communication on real time through chat sites, ICQ and other reliable chatrooms.
One of the ill effects of this form of communication is the decline of the English language because young people are using abbreviated forms of words, much like what is happening in the SMS world.
However, the Internet, I like to believe, has more advantages than it has disadvantages. For example, free information and high quality at that, is readily available. The problem is sometimes one can't tell the difference between false info and real info. The Internet can be that confusing.
There must be in excess of 200 million surfing the Internet these days. Some of them are pandering to our baser instincts, others are doing the world some good. It takes all kinds to make up this world, so we have to be a little discerning.
A lot of students are using the Net to pad up their term papers and plagiarism is rife in most colleges and universities. Sometimes unintentionally, a student can copy lock, stock and barrel information and ideas which are not his or hers and incorporate the info into her semester paper.
Unfortunately, a lot of lecturers are also Internet savvy, so tracking down the creators of such information isn't that difficult.
That's one story. The other story is many are using the Internet to while away their time, often on meaningless quests to find something real in their lives. Internet is just one big information highway. People who seek information will find it in one form or another.
However, in recent years a lot of people have discovered that there are millions to be made from the Internet. Frankly, most of the money-making ideas have been used. We are really that far behind. However, now and then there comes a genius who stumble onto an idea that is a novelty. And he strikes the jackpot. Not many of those, I guarantee you.
Still, the Internet as a form of education, information and entertainment is superlative. It is non-pareil in its scope and borderless in its reach. Astounding real and seemingly unstoppable. The Internet is tomorrow's frontier - something that is almost beyond anybody's reach.
Internet has made it impossible for any authoritarian government to hide information. It is now impractical to curb or restrict opinions. I believe nations around the world are discovering this. So in a way, Truth has triumphed.
In a way, the world has really become a village. Decades ago, communications students studied the concept of a global village. Today, the Internet has turned that into reality. Information has never been so fast and furious. We all wonder where it is leading to.
One of the greatest inventions of the last century and probably this century as well is the Internet. It will surpass all communication channels in terms of efficiency and ease of use for the next 10 years. In time to come, there will be instant info at home - plastered on the wall probably on a flat screen high definition TV.
As with all that is just machine, the Internet too can hit a wall. I don't know how that will happen but it is not an impossibility. It is just a piece of machine anyway. Internet can slow to a crawl if there is a global communication network failure but it can not be destroyed because technology is so sophisticated that there are no wires anymore.
There are still more wonderful things coming out of this Internet phenomenon. It will reach its zenith in the next five years. Ideas will always continue to flow, much like the waters of the Mississippi.
Today, we are only looking at the Internet from a narrow perspective because we have not researched its alternative uses to exhaustion but I assure you, the Internet explosion has not settled down.
It will continue to amaze the world and yes, there is money to be made but nine out of 10 people are actually climbing up the wrong tree. Everybody thinks they have THE idea of hitting millions. ha. ha. Not true. I thought so myself until I found out that I was about a million guys behind the long queue.
Just be happy that you still have that shirt on your back. The Internet has actually taught me humility. I found out very early that I knew so little compared with all the other guys on the Net.
Now if we were to put our heads together, we can actually hope to achieve something meaningful. Unfortunately again, mankind are disinclined to share their so-called "secrets". They all want to hoard it until they can find a way to take their treasures beyond the grave. How little they know of the laws that govern our earthly existence.
Gold is metal. Precious yes but it is of no use to a person whose physical form has come to a terminal stage. So even though diamonds are super hard, it is not transferable to the next dimension. When man has finally admitted this fact, he may yet become wise again and look elsewhere for prolonged peace of mind and everlasting happiness.
Meanwhile, the Internet continues to amaze, astound and spellbind anybody who's brave enough to venture beyond its perimeters. May the speed of light be with you. Actually, faster than the speed of light. I believe Bill Gates has caught a fleeting glimpse of the magic of the Internet, even though he too doesn't have all the answers.
Peace be with you always, my friends.





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Diary of a non-conformist

Cash is King!



What is a non-conformist? A non-conformist, according to the Webster's 1828 Dictionary is "One who neglects or refuses to conform to the rites and mode of worship of an established church".
These days, a non-conformist simply means a person who ignores the normal norms of politically correct behaviour. Say, if gentlemen always stands up for a lady at the dining table, this guy continues to ignore her and continues eating.
If arriving for church service on time, this guy walks in during communion. Non-conformists frequently irritates othes. Normal people find the effect jarring when a person decides to behave outside the normal rules of decent behaviour.
What constitutes decent behaviour means what is generally considered acceptable behaviour by normal-thinking members of society.
On the plus side, non-conformists generally buck the establishment so that it bothers everybody. And even more irritating is that non-conformists always come up with the best solutions because of the way their brain works.
"Oh, he's a non-conformist" is the usual remark when someone can't explain another person's behaviour.
After years of co-existing with different types of people, I have arrived at the conclusion that a non-conformist is simply a person who is not afraid of living the kind of life he chooses. Good for him. So long as he does not break the law, then nobody should bother him.
We all could do with some non-conformism genes running through our DNA, that way most of us won't be seen as boring in other people's eyes.
Non-conformism means don't pick oatmeal for breakfast every morning. Now and then, just eat a single banana or a glass of cranberry juice. Don't always wear that dull-looking tie to office, now and then wear a bolo tie.
Don't always drive a car just like the millions who do, sometimes ride a bicycle to office. Don't always look ahead and afraid to make eye-contact, sometimes smile and say "hello".
Being a non-conformist can be fun, if you know how.
Strictly for knife knuts

The world loves a joker!

He who makes others laugh is welcomed in most companies. This observation is true in most instances. I know of people who score low marks in the looks department, who has no great achievements to their names and who lives in very humble surroundings, and yet they are greeted with great enthusiasm by most people they meet.
The reason is because they bring laughter wherever they appear. Most friends and strangers too love their company. People like being around those who can make them laugh.
Honestly, some people have a natural ability to do that. It could be the way they change their facial appearances. It could be their special ability to tell a joke that brings out the fun of the situation. Whatever it is their secret, the magic spell they spin all the time is spontaneous laughter when they talk, make comments or deliver a retort.
Laughter and fun are twin brothers of good company. Sad is the man who sees the dark side of things. They are the people who walk under dark clouds which circle around them all the time. People around them can sense such things. Hence, these gloomy folks tend to get shunned by others.
If you don't have a sense of humour, then quickly learn to develop one, because you will be dead or wish you were dead after a while. It's no fun being around a wet blanket. Who wants to be a sourpuss?
It is absolutely joyless to be in the company of a person who talks constantly of failure, sorrow and pity. Many of us are already trying to climb out of that pit, so why dive into another one?
Be crazy if you can, not insane though. That's dangerous. There are places for deranged people, but crazy in jest. If you catch my drift. Don't be a doom-sayer. If you were to visit the sick in the hospital, for goodness sake, don't act or behave as if the patient is going to die any minute.
Cheer him or her up. You are supposed to make that guy in bed feel good, not trying to console him for breaking his legs in an accident due to his own carelessness. Of course it was his fault, but you are not the judge and jury of his life. You are supposed to be the life of the party.
Be cheerful, be funny and be hysterical. That's your duty. So you are not a millionaire yet, you are in good company because many of us share your sentiments. But the funny people never really need that extra dough because his good friends who are laughing with him are paying the bills on most occasions.
Just think of that, if you are a millionaire, most of the time, your friends or guests expect you to pick up the tab. Now, if you bring laughter and joy to others, paying the bill is the least of your worries.
Laugh, my friend. Laugh. It is one of the greatest secrets to longevity.

Call all knife collectors

The Importance of Being Ordinary

Men in general want to be rich, famous and brilliant. Not necessarily in that order but generally if the three qualities are there in a package, it's fine with them.
I wish to dispute with that kind of personal philosophy. Being rich and famous has its advantages but in the long run, it can be delibilating and cumbersome. Just take a long, hard look at some of the famous people which National Inquirer is constantly gossiping about.
Do you think they really relish being the butt of everybody's jokes after a while. The moment you forget to put on your make-up or comb your hair, your "real self" appears in all its tarnished spectacle in the next issue of practically every gossip magazine in town.
It is a tremendous burden to look good, be good and on an even keel financially all the time. Who has the patience and stamina to be such a super being? Now you know why so many celebrities take drugs and other prescriptions to hold on to their sanity.
To be ordinary is an achievement of great unproclaimed proportions. Let's see: being ordinary allows you to eat in the most humble eateries in town or city. You don't have to tip because you are not expected to. Being ordinary allows you to grow old whichever way you want.
You don't have to buy the best face lotion or moisturiser in the market because they are way too expensive and they don't do much for your face. Laughter and joy will bring a glow to your face faster than any known cosmetic solution.
If you are an ordinary citizen, you can wear whatever shirt or dress you have and repeatedly wear them on different functions without the paparazzi taking candid shots of you wearing the same, old clothes. Nobody cares anyway. Neither should you.
If you are famous, you are constantly living by other people's expectations and dictates. How horrible is such a fate.
Your life is no longer yours. Your face and figure become public property. You are not expected to look ordinary because people don't pay to see you in your bad, old ordinary self. Members of the public have unfair expectations of you. They think you are not allowed to display publicly any bad habits, like breaking wind in public or in front of them.
As an ordinary bloke, you can do that but not incessantly, of course. Otherwise, even your family will avoid you.
Being ordinary gives you the chance to perform small things extraordinary and impress everyone, even yourself at times. Isn't that great?
Everyone don't expect you to break a record, look great and not have bad habits. Your way of life is your own and not anyone's else. You are free to roam the streets without photographers trailing you from kitchen to toilet. You have the freedom to wear slippers and torn trousers. Nobody gives two cents what you wear or how you look, because you are an ordinary Joe.
Being ordinary keeps you humble, too. You won't think you are God's gift to mankind or expect to receive gifts from people because you think you are indeed a gift to so many people's lives. If you think like that, after a while, people will get tired of you and say nasty things behind your back. Soon, they will say all that in front of you. That's worse.
So be ordinary and don't complain, because the alternative is not that attractive. Believe me.





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Now's the time for good men to stand up and be counted

THERE were times in our history when good men were called upon to help one another. As with the history of man, sometimes the call is heeded and at other times, it is ignored.
Today in this millennium, good men are once again called upon to stand up and fight for peace and pray for the wicked.
The troubles are many but the helpers of sick and weak are few. As usual, many are called, few have answered.
We live in a world that likes to mind its own business. We have neighbours like that. We could even be those neighbours. Many feel that it is a proper social etiquette to mind one's own business. That way, we won't be called busybody or nosey-parker.
This is a troubling time in our history. We have a relentless series of bombings around the world, in the most unexpected places. The bottom line is nobody is really safe.
We all would like to think we are safe but in actual fact, we are not. Now how do we do good and stand up and be counted?
We can do this by not turning our faces the other way when a crime has been committed. We must not act as if we are ignorant when we see someone is being beaten up.
We should do all we can and as much as we can. If we do not, we may lose everything that we have been hoarding all our lives. The concept of safety does not lie in protecting our own "treasures". The secret is to help protect other people and their loved ones.
There are many sad and angry people in different parts of the world. A lot of them are dead set on taking as many lives with them when they check out of planet earth. We feel sorry for them but more importantly we must help the innocent to move out of harm's way.
There's no rule to say that only certain people can be helped and others will have to wait their turns. This is a misconception. All should be helped. All are entitled to compassion, mercy and love.
The good must be awakened from their slumber. It is not enough you commit no crime, or speak no evil against others. It is imperative that the good people be active in pursuing good, practising good values and helping those who are not capable of helping themselves.
If there are enough people in this world who have their hearts open to others, the power of love will be as widespread as the winds that circle the globe.
Yours are not just this planet, your family and your job, yours are the heaven, the joy, happiness, peace of mind and everlasting joy that comes from doing all the good you can, as long as you can, and as much as you can.
If you can do all this, and expecting nothing in return, all will be given to you and everything else that you have not even asked for. For is it not said eons ago that man "must first seek the Kingdom of heaven and the rest will be added unto you."

Calling knife knuts!

Paris is burning

IT is now the 13th day of the French riots. There are now a total of 300 towns that have been subjected to fires started or instigated by rampaging groups of disgruntled youths.
The number of vehicles torched is 4,700. Mercifully, only one death resulting from this extraordinary show of defiance by a minority of the French society. There have been a reported six shootings targeted at police and rescue workers.
Thirty-one rescue workers have been recorded as being injured in the line of duty. A total of 77 police officers have been hurt in the series of attacks across the country. The authories are trying their utmost to restore order.
Consequently, 1,200 people have been arrested. These are all facts that have been reported in newspapers and TV networks.
The questions that are on everyone's mind is what triggered all these attacks and what are the sociological reasons behind this phenomenon.
Apparently, the vital spark occurred on Oct 27 when two teenagers died in controversial circumstances.
Analysts and observers have attributed the current wave of unrest to longstanding problems that have been left to fester for decades (20-30 years). The roots of this problems are embedded in impoverished suburbs where the majority are French-born children of Arabs and black African immigrants.
The unemployment rate among the young in this segment of society is said to be as high as 40 per cent, whereas the French national average is only about 10 per cent.
Marginalisation has been perceived and probably felt by the young generation in the poor suburbs for a long time. All it needed for this phenomenon to rear its head was a sociological detonator. And on Oct 27, the situation exploded with the deaths of the two youths.
At Press time, similar attacks have been reported in Belgium and Germany. Some said these were copycat attacks but nevertheless the situation is worrisome. Europe does not need a development of such kind.
In today's Europe, countries like Germany, France, Belgium and Turkey have a sizeable number of migrants who also form a significant portion of their adopted countries' labour force.
In the event of being neglected by society, problems will and do occur. This is not an uncommon phenomenon even in other parts of the world. But in Europe, this problem is becoming acute because remedial measures were not forthcoming in the past and in the present, they are perceived to have been swept under the carpet.
As with as societal issues that are left unsolved, time will engineer its emergence in the most inopportune times. How France will handle her current problem is watched by other nations that are experiencing similar symptoms.
At the same time, political leaders are apprehensive that the frustrated sentiments among the neglected do not mutate into something even more dangerous due to historical and traditions ties.
Thus, today the country that was well known in the past for its famous slogan of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity is presently subjected to the thoes of the very same forces that revolutionised its history several centuries ago.
In truth, for every problem there is an answer. Perhaps the answer may be found in the ashes of its own revolutionary history. We can only hope and pray that France get back on her own two feet with dignity and pride which she has been known for, for a very long time.





Cash is King!

Some of the simplest things in life make millions

REMEMBER the humble paper clip? Well, that guy made millions from a simple idea like that. And you thought it will take a PhD and a worldwide network of connections to come across that kind of fortune.
Yesterday, I read a story about this smart alec in Britain who came up with the simple idea of selling a single pixel of advertisement on a computer page for $1. There are apparently one million pixel space in that small one page screen.
Guess who became a millionaire overnight? Then there was that guy who accidentally stumbled onto the use of velcro when he was actually trying to invent something else.
Today, he's smiling in Bahamas or Barbados, as the rumour goes.
Most of us are just ordinary blokes who don't happen to have an IQ of 180 so that means we are out of contention for the title of professorship at Harvard University. But it doesn't take a high education to make money. God makes sure of that.
They say some of the best things in life are free, so are ideas. You could say that I have a few but for fear of being classified as clinically insane, I am temporarily keeping them to myself.
But don't let me stop you from generating your own. One day, you may wake up with the simplest and the brightest idea on the planet. If you have an iota of practicality, you should market it and make yourself a million or so. I am sure your family and loved ones will love you for it.
Imagine all that hardwork day and night trying to make ends meet and suddenly, the skies clear up and you can see yourself walking quite confidently all the way to Chase Manhanttan Bank!
I suggest from this second on, you think of nothing but simple things that people want and need. Don't worry about them being wacky or absolutely nonsensical. The ideas are your own. People have their own opinions but they are not the ones making money - you are.
And if you are immensely successful, my charge is only $1! You can email me and I will send you a forwarding address. Ha. Ha.
The rule of the thumb is to think selflessly. Do not think of the money first, think of the millions of people you can help or are going to help. The law of the universe states that in order to gain something, you have to give it away.
Go ahead and give it away and watch it boomerang back to your bank account.
God bless you my child. Now go and make some money.





Begin small

The Greatest Lies Ever Told

These are some of the greatest lies ever told:

1. I have never, ever told a lie.
2. I never have an impure thought in my head.
3. I have never been late for anything.
4. I have never wanted to be famous or rich.
5. I have loved you since the dawn of time.

Yes, we have all lied at certain times of our lives. Those actions won't condemn us to hell. Everybody has some sins which need some accounting for. There's really no lifelong damage if you admit you have committed some of these "minor crimes".
Just don't make a career of it. Redemption is when you sincerely confess to having manufactured a few lies but desire to be a better man. Life's like that. Everybody is sorry at some stage of his or her life and wants to improve.
If you hold on to that feeling of wanting to be a better person, you have been forgiven. I have that on good authority. The idea is to want to do better. The bad news is you may secretly want to be a repeat offender.
It is not called "weakness". It is called non-commitment. If a smoker is told by his heart surgeon that he will most definitely die within two years unless he stops smoking, he might just be scared enough to stop smoking straight away. Now, that's commitment.
How I know this? Because it actually happened to a good friend of mine. He was a chain smoker until the doctor gave him fair warning. Overnight he was sucking on sweets. Today, he is enjoying some precious extra years without nicotine. I am glad for him.
The point is we all want to lead good lives but somehow bad habits hold greater attraction for us. We all tell friends that we will keep appointments and then promptly break them.
How often do you find a person keeping his promise come thunderstorm, tornado or hurricane? A rare person is he who does what he says, and never breaks a promise. If you find such a person, introduce him to me.
The aim is to chip away painstakingly at the block of stone of lies. When you have trimmed away all the rough edges, you will be left with something which you have created out of your own hands.
The greatest lies ever told is not the greatest crimes ever committed but they are some of the sorriest excuses for not doing the right thing. People love honesty. Ordinary, hardworking folks do not like to be played out, or made fools of.
If you want to have friends for life, and companions who genuinely love your company, then do not lie to them. Tell them the truth and thus set yourself free from all emcumbrances that are shackled to the pillars of lies.
Lie not with the liars. Be your true self and that is a honest-to-goodness individual of great potential.


Cash it here!

100 Greatest Movies of All Times

ONE of my favourite pastimes is watching movies. There are so many over the past 80 years that if I were to live up to 120 years old, I still wouldn't have the time to finish them all.
But thank God for DVDs, VCDs amd TV old re-runs, now all of us movie buffs have the chance to watch what we have only read about in newspapers and old movie magazines.
Some of the greatest movies ever made were released before many of us were born. Some of us were screened in cinemas when we were dead broke, so we couldn't affort to buy even a ticket.
But sometimes, good guys get a chance. Now if you are wondering if you have seen at least 20 of the greatest movies ever made, you can browse through the website at the end of this thread.
The 10 Commandments, Spartacus, Ben Hur, Gone With The Wind, It's A Wonderful Life, An Affair To Remember, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Blade Runner, Star Wars, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, For Whom The Bells Toll, etc - these are some of the most memorable.
Don't work all the time and forget to give yourself a break, at least in the cinema or in front of your flat screen high-definition televsion set.

Greatest Movies Link

Where's your next meal coming from?

How to put food on the table is the question that crosses the minds of all breadwinners. If you are a single parent of two little infants, this thought will plague you on most mornings.
The thought will hover around your mind, like a pesty little housefly over your dining table, or a buzzing mosquito around your ears at night. "Where am I going to find that milk to feed my child, where am I going to find the cash to buy my son some decent clothes, how am I going to support my aged parents when I have so little to give, how am I going to pay for my college fees?
These and some of the more pressing questions on daily expenses and economic survival besiege our minds at least five times a day, everyday, every week, every month of every year.
Well, for one thing - don't ever give up hope. If you are determined to work hard, be honest, be good even if others are taking the easy way out, someone somewhere is going to come to your aid. And don't forget to pray as well. You know you need every ounce of help here on earth and in heaven. But don't you ever give up hope.
Good, hardworking folks may eat less than those big shots living on the other side of town where they actually gorge themselves half to death with good, cholesterol-laden food every two hours. But honest-to-goodness people also remember to count their blessings in their lives. They have humility injected into their system and they are usually more willing to help others who share their own predicament.
If you hold three little jobs, then you will have enough to feed yourself and others who depend on you. Those little ones who depend on you, will follow your example of being hardworking, never to feel sorry for yourself and be true to all the goodness that is always been part of you.
Ask those successful people who come from very humble backgrounds. Chances are they will recall their dads and mums working from sun up to sun down to put clothes on their backs and good food on their tables. And then they proceed to thank God for all the things that they need and have.
People have a natural tendemcy to learn more and remember more when the chips are down. Children who have seen how their mums toiled in the kitchen, in the backyard, washing the neighbour's clothes to earn pocket money, will tell you how much they love their mothers when their mums rather starve than to see them go hungry.
In this modern age, there is one motherlode that awaits hardworking, willing workers to go at it relentlessly, never giving up, or ever giving up hope. There are lots of opportunities on the Internet. If you keep your eyes and mind open, you will find these little gems lying beneath the ground you walk on.





That Ray of Hope

Walking through the Heart of Fear

EVERYONE, I mean, everybody on earth still alive, has at some time in his life, whether when he was young, now or at middle-age, felt fear in his heart, mind and entire body.
Fear is probably one of the greatest stumbling blocks in man's march towards his biggest personal potential. Man has fear built into his system. It is not an entirely useless emotion.
Fear helps check your silly, impulsive behaviour that may do more damage to yourself than anyone else. Fear keeps you alive in a way. At the same time, fear also keeps you stunned.
When you feel fear, you tend to retreat into a safe haven, or just not do it. The latter option is the favourite among most people - not do anything. But fear must be conquered because it does not really exist except in your own mind.
FEAR as the gurus of motivation say is False Evidence Appearing Real.
Once you understand the DNA of fear and how it operates, its influence on your entire persona will greatly diminish. For example, you have always wanted to be like Billy Graham, speaking in front of millions and feel no fear but only filled with the remarkable faith in the Almighty. Now, how wonderful would that be.
Yes, you can also walk up to your boss and ask diplomatically and reasonably for a salary increase. There is a good chance that he will say "I will consider your request". Or, there is also the possibility of him saying "Get out of my office, you crazy coot!"
The last two scenarios will scare the beejeepers out of you. That is fear operating at its greatest potential. Now, think of this possibility or scenario - what if you know that next month or next week, you will not be on earth anymore, where does that put fear?
It is aptly said that a man without fear is a man capable of wondrous deeds. Don't allow others to tell you that "a man without hope is a man without fear". That line came from one of Frank Miller's Daredevil comics.
Seriously though, fear keeps you and others from doing the right thing all the time. A year or two ago, a close friend of mine told me that his mother and he hardly spoke to each other for years. Somehow their relationship had soured over the years and both of them found it embarrassing to talk to each other like mother and son anymore.
I told my friend that he should be the one to break the ice and speak to his mother because it is his duty. What if, I said, your mum were to die suddenly next week. Wouldn't it be a waste of human potential for reconciliation?
Don't wait for the right moment, don't wait for your mum's next move, I repeatedly reminded him. Now is the right time. There is no other time.
Fortunately, he did make the right move and their relationship is so much stronger now. He walked through the heart of fear and emerged a new man in his mother's eyes.
Fear is what keeps you awake at night over things that very possibly will not happen in the morning. Fear is what keeps you from telling your dear one that "I love you" because you are afraid that you will be laughed at. Let's imagine the unreal, she really laughs at you. Who's the loser? Not you, certainly. It's her because you were not afraid to speak from your heart, and it's true. Truth holds no fear.
Fear keeps a lot of people from fulfilling their true potential. And what is a person's true potential. It's anything that you put your mind into doing. If you want to become a pilot even if you are middle-age now, you can still do so. It is that real. Fear is that imaginary little guy sitting on your shoulder, tugging at your ear, telling you "don't do it!"
If you listen to this little fellow too much, you won't amount to much for the rest of your miserable life on earth and end up having the stature of that little guy on your shoulder. What a waste of precious years on earth.
Tell yourself every morning of everyday of the rest of your life from now on that you can do anything you want because you have the talent, skill, and perseverance to see to its successful conclusion.
You are the man. Now, go ahead to achieve something big.

I DARE YOU!

Top 20 Non-Professional Careers

IF you are one of those non-professional people who are keeping a sharp lookout for the right career choice, here's a clue - University of Illinois Extension - Top 20 Non-Professional Careers

Nope, I don't get a commission. I thought I save you guys and gals some trouble trawling through the Net. Nothing perks me up like a little helping hand for the small guy down the queue.

We all can do with some help instead of always thinking and planning to help ourselves all the time. Looking out for Numero Ono doesn't bring happiness these days. Instead, it brings a lot of grief.

I will try and locate the top professional careers for the other people. Wish me luck.

link

50 of the world's coolest websites 2005

www.time.com/time/2005/websites/


This is self-explanatory. According to Time Magazine, this is the complete list. Hope they don't archive it too soon.

Take a look. There's always something to learn. Everybody wants fame, fortune and money, not necessarily in that order, but whichever order is still fine.

Have a nice day, fellow bloggers!!


LINK

Top 500 Universities in the World

If you a graduate and is wondering if yours is the university to be proud of, you can click on this website to find out.

http://ed.sjtu.edu.cn/rank/2005/ARWU2005_Top100.htm

For the rest of us, life goes on. Some of us become millionaires and still don't know a thing about university life. In fact, a selected number of us hire graduates to run our corporations.
Life isn't fair I know but let's not knock knowledge around too much. There's nothing like a piece of paper or scroll to get your through the front door for that job interview.
Employers are generally inclined to hire someone whom they think can provide a bit of expertise and colour to their organisations. Universities have provided nations with the raw human resources to run the country the world over. Modern times only add to the perception that graduates can do most jobs better than ordinary high school graduates.
This is not the place to debate the issue. But every year, someone somewhere comes up with a ranking list. It helps universities to know where they stand in world standards.
I have nothing against graduates. It is one of life's stepping stones towards social and financial success. Not many people want to take the back road to wealth because it's too long and dirty.
Anyway, let's give a big hand to Harvard University, USA.





Now Click this

Code of Bushido with a touch of Zen

ALMOST everybody has heard of the word Samurai but few really understand what it meant to be a real Samurai. The real guy who wears the katana or carries it wherever he goes subscribes to the Code of Bushido.
The Code makes it mandatory for the Samurai to place honour before self. Honour is of paramount importance. If he were to lose his honour, he would prefer to die. That means only one thing - seppuku or disembowlment.
We have all seen the ritual on TV, films and maybe stage places. These guys take their Bushido code very seriously. Imagine, what it was like about 500 years ago in Japan.
The Shogun was the overlord. He had his daimyos (feudal lords) and then came the Samurais who only served their lord and master. Being a perfect gentleman is a prerequisite, so it is with discipline.
Samurai were supposed to behave themselves anywhere they went. They were somebody to look up to. They had justice as part of their spirit.
Then there's the training that goes with the Code. Constant training, meditation and exercise are part of the package. Those better-than-normal Samurais are very much in touch with Zen. They meditate constantly. They knew or wanted to achieve the level of no mind or "mushin".
If they could attain "muga" (no ego), it was even better. In that state of nothingness, the real power of the samurai emerges. One classic example is Miyamoto Musasahi. He was Japan's greatest swordsman. Musashi was a legend in his own time, much like Bat Masterson of the Wild, Wild West.
Musashi lived, breathed and lived the Code of Bushido. He believed in the no-style fighting. He adapted with the fluid situation. Every opponent was different from the previous one, and Musashi tackled that individual different. That's why he was Japan's greatest.
Musashi studied his enemy, learnt the terrain and knew his craft inside out and backside as well. In his lifetime (61 years), he had never been defeated. Nobody could touch him. Those opponents whom he didn't want to kill, he just avoided their swords until they got tired of trying to cut him down. Rather embarrassing, after about 20 tries, don't you think?
Anyway, the Code of Bushido still exists today but only among a minority. It is a way of life that is difficult to practise under modern times because of the myriad distractions. Nevertheless those guys who still subscribe to this policy are not your normal Joes. They live in the world of their own.
The Bushido guys are very colourful characters but you won't be able to spot them unless you live in the same house as them.
It's good that we know something about the Code of Bushido. You will have to if you want to know what makes Japan tick.

What makes an ordinary person a doggone champion

ANYBODY can be a winner. If you like, a doggone champion!! All he needs is a mental commitment to himself. He has to wake up one morning, looks into the mirror and say "from today, I am training to be a champion. I will think like a champion, talk like one and be one in every respect."
If he isn't taken to the mental institution by a distractor, he will soon be a champion. His determination will carry him there. Champions are simply ordinary people with an unshakeable faith in their own God-given abilities.
Nobody is born a nobody. Everybody is somebody. You may not be 7ft tall but at your own height, you are just as special as Carl Lewis or Sugar Ray Robinson. Why do you think there are so many Rocky wannabees around? It's because everyone wants recognition but sadly, most of these dreamers don't want to work at it.
Rockys become real life Rockys because they fight for it. It's blood, sweat and tears, brother. There is no short-cut. Don't feel sorry for yourself. If you do, soon everyone else will too. And if that happens, then you really deserve the pity.
"Don't give me your pity!" is one of those phrases that are greatly disliked by people who want to fight their own battles. Be like that. Fight your own battles. What is life, if not battling the odds and winning in the end. Even if you don't win, it's a nice thought to know that you have tried.
Yes, New York Times is not going to around to cover your every drop of sweat or blood you shed. Say, you are only one of the six billion people on earth. Not everybody gets a fair shake of the Press.
However, every person is special. Tell yourself that every morning when you brush your teeth. I remind myself every hour of every day. I am special. No, I don't have three hands or four legs. If I do, the circus wants me, not my wife.
You are special. You are unique. If you are a father of at least one child, your son or daughter will know that you are special. Feel the hand that slips around your neck. Look at the way, your child stares into your eyes. You are special, my friend. Your child knows it, your wife knows it, your family knows it but you deny it to yourself.
It's time to love yourself, my man. If you don't love yourself, it will not show in your persona; in the way you walk; in the way you talk; in the way you carry yourself.
Women love men who are confident. Clearly, those men who love themselves are themselves loved by others. Be one of these champions. The suns rises tomorrow. It's another chance for you to do good.
For heaven's sake, give yourself another chance. Every morning of every day, every person gets another chance to be a champion. Sure, you often don't get it right the first time. Can you imagine how predictable and boring it will be if you get it right every time the first time? Man, life will be horrible like that.
There must be a bit of a struggle. Something to tell the folks back home; of how you fought a great fight and won, plus a few bruises to add character to your face and persona.
God knows it is not meant to be a walk in the park for everybody, otherwise what is the purpose of life? Nobody will learn anything. Everybody will just wake up every morning and smile like a blinking idiot!
Life is an adventure. It will be an adventure if you willingly participate. You learn and want to help others. That's another way of becoming a champion. Champion in other people's eyes. They will believe in you, then you believe in yourself and the circle is complete.
Go, my son. The world is waiting for you.

Be a champion

Dolly Parton from Smoky Mountain

Dolly Parton has been in the singing business for slightly more than 40 years. She's pretty, short and has one "hell of a voice". Dolly also has a great sense of humour.
Besides her voice, she's better known for her DD cup size which she once described in the Oprah Winfrey Show as "weapons of mass distraction". No doubt, she's right on both counts.
Her height does not match the Sierra trees because she stands at five feet nothing. In her own words, her small waist and tiny feet were "because nothing grows well under the shade." I believe her audience got her points rather well.
Born in Sevierville, Tennessee, she came into the world blessed with the name Dolly Rebecca Parton. She's the fourth of 12 children to Avie Lee Owens and Robert Lee Parton.
Her brothers and sisters are Rachel Dennison (an actress), twins Floyd and Freida, Willadeene, David, Denver, Bobby, Stella, Cassie, Larry, and Randy.
Dolly has always referred to her birth home as being a one-room "dirt-poor" cabin up in Locust Ridge, Smoky Mountain. She was raised singing and listening to hymns in the Assembly of God. So the church was a big part of her life. Her grandpappy was known to be a Pentecostal preacher of fire-brand quality. Dolly once said he was a "holy roller".
At an early age, Dolly began to show a singing talent of prodigy quality. At 12, she was singing for radio and TV shows in East Tennessee. At 13, she appeared in Grand Ole Opry in Tennessee. For any country singer to perform at Grand Ole Opry was a mark of achievement.
Soon, Dolly ventured to Nashville. She however remained very much the country girl from Tennessee, with all the habits and mannerisms of the old farm country.
At the age of 20, destiny pulled her in the direction of one Carl Dean who was involved in the asphat business, and he was from Georgia. On May 20, 1966, Dolly and Carl were married.
Carl was one of those husbands who preferred to remain in the shadows. He stayed in the background up till today. Dolly told Oprah in an interview that whenever she and Carl had an issue, one of them will be gone - maybe to a place like California.
In her 40 years of show business, Dolly has written about 3,000 songs. This is one of her crowning achievements because her successful songs have earned her millions in royalty.
Two of her classics are Coat of Many Colors and Jolene. That song made famous by Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You (movie theme for Bodyguard) was written by Dolly back in 1974. It was sung by Dolly and it went to No. 1 on the Country charts. However, Whitney took it to the top on the pop charts.
There was a story about how Elvis Presley wanted to record I Will Always Love You but Colonel Parker spoilt it by demanding that Dolly gave up half of the publishing rights.
Dolly duly said no and went crying to the bank repeatedly over the decades. Smart girl. All those years in poverty up in Smoky Mountain taught her a great deal.
So besides her unique voice, what makes Dolly so popular? My guess is her personality. Dolly comes across on stage as well on TV as being the "genuine article". She is unpretentious, honest and charming in her own "country way". Ordinary folks tend to like individuals who display an honesty that is born out of sincerity.
Dolly doesn't make a big deal about her physical assets. She knows she's worth millions but she also knows she's been on the wrong side of poverty. When you are from a family of about 14 siblings, a lot of things tend to form a large part of your persona.
Dolly Parton today owns more properties and organisations than she cares to reveal. One of her companies, called Sanddollar Productions, was responsible for that famous TV seris Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
During her golden years, she has turned down repeatedly offers to appear in Playbody magazine. I reckon all that country upbringing has rubbed off the right side of her.
Dolly Parton is also known to be an icon among the gays and has been a favourite subject as far as drag queens are concerned.
Her hit records and albums stretch as far back as 1967 when a lot of her fans were not even born. Today in the year 2005, she's still producing hit songs. She has bronze statue made in her likeness and star in Hollywood walks in different places.
It's really amazing how her career has developed and how it's going. And she's not finished yet. What a stupendous career for a marvellous lady. May God Bless her everyday of her remaining years on earth.