Who will govern America?

The dice is on the table and it is about to be cast. Who will inherit the mess left behind by the outgoing members of the ruling government?

Some media experts are tempted to say: it's too close to call! But we all know that America is in need of drastic changes, otherwise it's going to be a little bit more messier before the dust finally settles.

For a better part of eight years, USA has been faltering, stumbling and ambling along the fast-track highway of changes and precedents. The entire world is currently watching if Wall Street will implode.

Talk is rife that the US$700 billion bailout plan will eventually find its way to become law but at what cost? Many ordinary Joe in the street is aghast that so much has been put aside for Wall Street, instead of distributing it to the inhabitants of Main Street.

Naturally, there are apprehensions and misgivings. Who would want to sacrifice so much for thos corporate giants which have made a mess of their own institutions. Some are asking why are they accorded such massive financial privilegs when the very same institutions are extremely slow in sharing their well earned profits.

Nobody seems to have heard that banks and other loan-lending giants happily return a portion of their massive profits to the people who are their biggest supporters.

The financial infrastructure is already showing critical structural damage. The $700 billion plan is merely cement that will temporarily hold the cracks in the walls in place.

Who knows how long the cement can sustain the building? Meanwhile, the ordinary wage earner has to fend for himself and his loved ones. Will White House rush to the aid of the forgotten middle class and the derelicts of the no-class minority?

Who can forget the slowness in which aid arrived in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck? Who can forget the millions who have or will be losing their homes in the months to come?

Will there be another bill to save their ordinary homeowners? Aren't the people the nation as well?

In the next five weeks, a decision will be made as to who will step into the White House, the seat of power in which much has been achieved over the last century, and also of much that has not been done in recent memory.

The man and his party who will boldly stride into the august hallways of the White House, West Wing or Oval Office will realise that the subsequent four years will be crucial for all concerned.

It is not a holiday of billionaire proportions but rather a privilege to right all the wrongs that have come tumbling down the stairway of previsios administrations while the nation was sleeping.

If America has what it takes to hold on to its global reputation of having the brightest and the best and all those who have the right stuff, now's the time not only to prove it but also to show it.

America, you are clearly running out of time. Based on more than 200 years of wonderful and great achievements, this could be America's finest hour or its darkest. Be brave and walk into and through the Heart of Fear.

When you are too old to fight back

A wise man once said: "When you are too old to fight back (probably against people who are bigger and nastier than you), then it's time to reconsider your priorities in life."

I would like to think that it's wise to wise up and not resort to physical measures to resolve issues. Some individuals who have misguided principles seem to think that seniority gives you the privilege to say anything you want and get away with it.

Believe me, it's not true. I am now heading towards the stadium where the finishing line is. I am not exactly in the stadium yet but if you catch me drift, I am about five kilometres from the last lap.

Chinese martial arts masters subscribed to this philosophy. Old age does not make you stronger and faster than a 20-year-old upstart but it should give you an advantage in being wiser, being more practical, higher tolerance and a propensity for not taking life too seriously.

In other words, mate, be a buddy and not punch your puny fist against the concrete wall. I have friends who do not hesitate to express their anger by hammering their knuckles against a solid wall to express their frustration.

Now, I ask you. Does the wall feel any pain? Does the concrete structure cry out for help? No sirree! It's you who are feeling the pain. It's your skin that tears and bleeds.

So when you are too old to fight back, simply understand that confrontation is not the way to go. You can either understand the situation and live with it, or you can simply walk away and let the other person think you are a chicken.

Better that person has a misinformed impression of you than you challenging him to a fight and if you are lucky beyond expression, you could actually knock him over. But what does that prove?

Simply, that he will lay in ambush for you one dark night and exact a revenge when you least expect it. If you are unlucky, he could be carrying a baseball bat.

With age must come wisdom, otherwise you have wasted some precious years of your life. What have you been doing while you were enjoying life as a mature adult?

It's only the young and brash who desire to resolve intangible issues with some hard knocks. The older generation just sigh, walk away and reconsider their aims in life. They know there are better things to do in life, other than to hit your head against the wall, and be unconscious for many long minutes.

The buzzword for longevity and some good years of harmony is patience. The Chinese have a healthy respect for seniority. They say the elders have consumed more salt than others who have consumed rice.

That's true on several levels. The young have a tendency to think with their bodies and fists. The older ones have no choice but to use their minds and other intangible assets like patiences, composure and kindness.

When you think about this, it sort of dawns on you: Why didn't I do that sooner?

Gustav cam a-knocking, Hana visits a-calling, then Ike just barges in

They say if three "bags of wind" come a-calling at your doorsteps one after another, then, you best sit up and take notice or just leave town.

In the current case, Ike has not left the living room yet and he's creating a ruckus. Gustav broke some bits of your furniture.

What Gustav didn't do, Hana made a flying visit. You were lucky that time. I heard there are other guests with other colourful names lining up to jump onto the so-called Friendship wagon.

And don't the people living in the coastal areas know all about it. Nature like everything else on earth has limits to its patience. I guess before anybody says that is just a lot of hot air, you better spare a thought for that "hot air".

That's what causing all the problems. Tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, you ain't seen nothing yet. It's no laughing matter.

Residents who have to head for the hills in a hurry are no longer laughing. The politicians have having a headache. Now, they really have to work to earn their keep.

Earthquakes are so common these days, they are taken almost for granted except by those who are left under a big pile of debris.

Scientists of late have been holding emergency meetings to discuss matters that are beyond their control. Nevertheless it is nice of them to tell us that doomsday is just around the corner if we are not careful.

So much for science and the latest breakthroughs. Nothing like a wild gust of wind to bring everything down like a stack of cards.

The rallying cry is: It is still not too late! For many, the gameplan doesn't look that bright. Man vs Nature?! You got to be kidding. Whoever wants to fight a 9.5 richter scale quake?

There's hope yet even in the darkest clouds but the price is high. I guess Mother Earth doesn't mind losing a few hundred million of its inhabitants because there are some things better shown than talked about.

Mankind has run out of options. For too long, every builder on earth thinks he can have his way and get away with it. Time is no longer on our side.
It's a shame but nevertheless true. There won't be any last minute change in Mother Nature's plan. I think it is going to get much worse before it gets much better.

The air is polluted, the ice is melting, and the ground shaking. No dire signs? You have got to be joking. Time to make friends with Mother Earth. I think she has just lost her sense of humour.

Fortune telling is for the birds

Over in Asia, there are those itinerant fortune tellers who lug along a bird cage with a little green bird in it.

I hardly see this person anymore but there was a time back about 30 years ago when the chances of bumping into one of these soothsayers were great.

I recall one neighbour actually paid for the fortune teller's services. He would sit down and carefully take out a deck of well worn cards and spread them out in front of the cage, much like a seasoned croupier.

When his "see-into-the-future" apparatus are lined up, he would unhinge the cage door and out pops the little bird. To our amazement, it does not fly away but merely hop along the row of cards, staring rather intently, and finally makes up its mind and picks one up with its beak.

Then, the bird dutifully hops over to its master and lays the card in front of him. The birdman picks up the bird and puts it back into the cage.

Again, what amazed me was not so much the deed of picking up the card by the bird but it does not fly away. What a strange bird. I said that to myself many times over the years.

The fortune teller then consults his oracle which is usually a book of unknown origin and studiously decipher the "message". The client is told of his or her fortune and usually it is not a bad one.

Who wants to pay for bad news? Even the birdman knows that. If he keeps giving the "truth", very soon he will run out of customers.

This man is certainly no bird-brain guy. He knows the economics of the situation.

The memory of the bird and its master has brought a big smile back to my face. People staying in places far away from the city tend to have simple pleasures in life. This was one of them.

These days, people gamble away their future even though they know their prospects are bright. Such are the fickle-mindedness of man and his shaky fortunes.

When everything seems to be collapsing....

HAVE you ever encounter a day when everything seems to go the wrong way for you?
For example, your boss doesn't seem to like your work at all when previously he used to praise you sky high.

Then you go home, and your spouse picks a fight with you. Your children don't want to talk to you. Even the dog growls in your presence.

That sets you thinking: have I been over to the dark side without realising it? Have the Sith Lord cast a spell on me that makes me smell bad in the presence of househould pets?

Yes, it could be that and everything else. Now, here's my take on this kind of situation. When even a passing crow in the clear blue sky drops something it ate on your forehead, rest assured, it's not your fault.

Take it as a sign that you need to have your hair washed anyway. Nothing in this world is supposedly bad. Everything works in your favour or to your favour. Now, if a smart alec were to ask me at this juncture, how does a crow's poo supposed to be interpreted as good luck, my answer is: you are not dead, are you?

Our world is full of surprises. Things happen all the time. It doesn't mean you have joined the Jonah's World of Gloomy Happenings.

Your unfriendly boss could be the victim of some family squabble that he doesn't wish anyone to know about. But his raw feelings are very much exposed and he madly wants to let off some steam.

So what if you are within his firing range. Take it as a lesson in patience building if this kind of thing happens to you. I know you probably wants to thump him on the head first.

But initial emotional reaction is often not the right response. All of us want to thump someone on the head at least 200 times in our entire lives. But if we were to do that, this world will be filled with people with dented foreheads!

It is through my humble experience that I found out that people who are slow to react to unfavourable circumstances thrust on them, usually end up being better leaders.

For that matter, they lead more harmonious lives, too. Remember, everybody is grateful for a calm person in their midst when the situation seems critical.

Nothing is critical. It is only the human perception of a situation not following the norms. I know this is an irritating way of explaining a terrible situation but it is true.

You don't want to be the one who screams first but as you later tell your family, you just couldn't help it.

The art of being the "eye of the hurricane" can be cultivated. All it takes is practice, practice, practice. When you have done it often enough, or when you have practised this system of staying cool all the time despite the dire circumstances, it becomes second nature to you.

Next thing you know, everybody wants to be your friend. There's nothing more reassuring than a friend who just simply refuses to be rattled. We all know what it's like to be in the safe arms of our mummy or daddy when we were a toddler.

The effect you cast upon others under desperate circumstances are the same. They will gravitate towards you like moths towards a light bulb.

You be be their panic room. In other words, when everyone panics, they run to you. Soon, you will be that "bomb shelter" that so many people will brag about to their family, friends and colleagues.

Two things you need to know about life

The first thing: You will die one of these days.

Second: You take nothing tangible with you when you go.

With these two thoughts you can hegin to live. Since you are going to expire in due course, you might as well live it up.

I don't mean going through life at breakneck speed. You are liable to break your neck first. And that would be a crying shame because there's so much more living to do.

The main premise is NOT to be overly concerned with temporal things. Buddha is right. All earthly desires bring pain and sorrow. I guess he was speaking from experience since he belonged to the royal household before he went roaming around the country.

So remember, your days on earth are numbered from the moment you emerge from your mother's womb.

There's no point trying to live up to 200 years old. Yes, you can live up to 90 easily through sensible living.

Just imagine if you live for a very long time and unfortunately for you, life isn't that great for you when you are about 81, thereby you have earned yourself another 19 years of misery.

Seriously, do you want that? Each year of great physical discomfort is worse than spending a month at the Abu Ghraib prison.

Therefore, it is imperative that you get your priorities right. Don't be too obsessed with looking young, being young and forever dwelling on earth. This earth is just a playground for all of us.

We have to play well, live well and when time's up, let's get out of here.

Now the second thing. Honestly, do you want to be a billionaire? I suppose everyone of us at one time or another did entertain the thought.

Better to be filthy rich than to be just filthy and downright poor. The latter is a horrible thought.

But billionaires, presidents and kings do not take anything with them when they die.

I haven't come across a single case where a famous figure had actually achieved the impossibe. That is, to take some of his earthly possessions to his grave and beyond.

I believe the first Emperor of China, Shi Huang Ti, really tried that. The terra cotta warriors was part of his celestial plan.

Well, we now can confirm that his masterplan was an exercise in futility.

So no matter how many cars you have got in your warehouse or billions stashed away in overseas unnumbered accounts, these will stay where they are in the event of your untimely demise.

Your surviving family members will of course thank you endlessly for making their lives so much more interesting.

What is the moral lesson of all this? It simply means you need not worry about your health too much and two, wealth is zilch in the final analysis.

The important thing is how much did you squeeze out of each day. Did you have the time of your life? Did you go to sleep with a smile on your face? Did you make a difference in a single person's life for the better at the end of the day?

If you have, you have truly lived, my friend!!!

One penny for the poor

THE world says a dime is no longer worth much these days, let alone a single penny.

Well I say, if one per cent of the Internet population (about 1.47 billion) donate just a single cent or one penny to my favourite charity Medicins Sans Frontiers, this world will be a happier place.

It may not be a richer place. You know how it is with money and the number of worthy causes on the agenda but it will go a long way to alleviate some of the suffering around the around.

No, we are not going to debate on whether the people in these places truly deserve our help. All are equal in the eyes of God. That means whether they are good, bad, big, small, beautiful or ugly.

People are people. Born of flesh and blood and readily mortal from the day they are born.

But the generosity that comes from the hearts of men will touch the heart of God, and in helping others, no matter how small the contribution will be measured by the good intention behind every single cent donated.

Is the world brave enough to say "yes, you can have my penny!" One penny, folks. Stand in line to donate and watch miracles happen.

No need to say, "hey, please give me one-tenth of one penny because I need it to buy a hot dog. There are people who have not heard of a hot dog, let alone taste one.

This world of ours is full of good people but good people sometimes need to be reminded that goodness in their hearts are of little value to the hungry mouths around them.

Sure, you can say "I pray for these poor folks". May the good Lord deliver them from their endless misery but lip service ends right there - at the edge of your lips.

Better a single, not-so-grand good deed than a million kind thoughts. If only the hungry masses can survive on kind thoughts. A solitary good deed performs miracles.

I repeat, one penny for my favourite charity. How about it? Your call..........

All on the table at one throw of the dice

HAVE you ever gone through life without risking it all with just one impulsive act?
If you haven't, then you must certainly be a rare human being.

Many of us, yours truly included, have experienced this wild moment of abandonment. It goes without saying that it was an insane moment but you didn't really care because the exhilaration was irresistible.

People risk it all sometimes over the silliest thing. They think they can gamble away everything they have earned on an impulse. This kind of human reaction takes place quite often at casinos.

That's why you have so many paupers and hobos walking and stalking the street. If you ask at this juncture, what's life without a little risk? You are both right and wrong.

If you have nothing else to lose, that's another story but if you have five dependents at home, waiting for you to come home safely and sit at the dinner table, then your impulsive act of foolishness has also jeopardised the livelihood of those five people you hold so dear.

Yes, there's a time for everything but not everything can be done at anytime. I guess many of us are guilty at one time or another for taking matters into our own hands.

We will invincible at times. We feel we can really do it. I am at two minds to tell that guy who wants to throw caution to the wind "yes, go for it!" At the same time, in my mind, I want to shout "but then, just in case, be careful, too."

When all else fails. That means you are not sure if success is guaranteed, then follow the rule of the thumb: Trust your gut instinct.

I have very often told friends, colleagues and family members. The human mind and heart have all the answers they need, if your faith is unshakeable, so will be the outcome.

This is what has been labelled over the ages: Do your best, and leave the rest to God.

Life is meant to be enjoyed. If you look back on your life 50 years from now, you would have wished, you could return back to the time when you "foolishly" risk it all on one throw of the dice.

There are times when there's no time to think. You don't have two weeks to think over it. You don't even have two minutes to ponder over the issue. The time to do it is NOW.

That's the time to LET GO and LET GOD.

It's never too late to be an author!

OKAY, I have reached a stage in my life when I am beginning to feel an iresistible urge to leave some kind of literary contribution behind. You know what I mean. Every normal human being who has a tolerable reservoir of words in his head, thinks he can come up with a best seller.

I admit, that did cross my mind a few million times. But there can only be one J.K. Rowling, or one Agatha Christie.

Of course, there is plenty of room left for aspiring novelists. There are almost as many publishing companies on the lookout for potential Nobel Prize winner for literature as there are budding authors in existence.

The only catch is what you should write about, how long it will be and whether anybody even care to read it when it is finished.

The mental commitment is the first and easiest hurdle. The rest is a bit difficult. To start something like writing a fictional piece or a non-fiction work requires discipline.

That means writing, say maybe 10 pages a day, everyday until it is finished. For example, you will need to give facts and some credible evidence that you are not talking nonsense.

It is not hard to find some palatable facts in the library to be interwoven into your tale.

If you are writing fiction, all you need is a fertile imagination and an ability to talk till the cows come home, that it, if you have any cows at all.

Anybody can spin a tale but the trick is to make people listen to you. In this case, read what you have to say.

Personally, I have always entertained the idea of writing a lava-hot novel that will be turned into a Hollywood movie immediately. Therefore, I can enjoy instant fame, success and financial security for the rest of my natural life.

The problem is millions of writers are also on the same bandwagon, and there can only be one or two winners.

When I read about those writers who eventually make it big, I shudder to think of myself walking down the same path. It is a very long, and dusty road. Most of the time, it is a miserable existence.

For example, J.K. Rowling was practically surviving on hamburgers before the billions came her way.

And she's one of the very, very few lucky ones. Many more are still struggling in anonymity for ages.

Many uncountable ones have also given up and retired in utter frustration over their lack of literary success. That, my dear friends, is the whole painful truth.

Does that deter you from coming up with the last great novel. No way, man, you are wont to shout at the top of your lungs.

If writing is in your blood and you won't die an easy death unless you produce at least five books before you call it quits in this life, then go ahead.

Writing, as I was told by a true writer once, is to go on and on, even though you see nothing but misery ahead of you. It's a bit like walking in the Sahara desert. For as far as the eyes can see, there is nothing by heat, sand and sightless wind but you still plod on.

You are ever determined to continue even if it kills you. Then maybe, just maybe, you may make it.

Ultimately, it is the excruciating pain that is part and parcel of your arduous journey that makes you a better writer than all the others who will drop out. Dead men have got nothing to say, you catch my drift?

I have this gut feeling that my inchoate great novel is just around the corner of my mind. Watch out world! Here comes that supernova that burns so bright it will burn holes in the walls of the world's greatest libraries.

After that, I will retire gracefully and go fishing!

The world is full of accidental heroes

Some years ago, I saw a movie called Accidental Hero starring Dustin Hoffman. He was a bit of a buffoon in the film but at heart he was a good man.
That story led me to believe that there are many such people in our midst. They are our fathers, our mothers and relatives with whom we grew up with.
You really don't need to save another person from a burning building to be labelled a hero. You can lend a person a couple of bucks so that he could have a decent meal on a particular day, and you will be seen as a hero by that hungry person.

You can help a blind man to walk a busy street, and in his "eyes" you are also a hero. Most of us think to be a hero we have to perform extraordinary deeds. Not necessarily.

Heroes are those who silently extend a helping hand to the stranger who needs a service that is urgent for that moment.

Many a time, we have lent a neighbour a shovel, a cup of suger or even a copy of the newspaper. These are simple deeds carried out under very ordinary circumstances.

Think about it. You are bored out of your skull and you forgot to buy the daily. You call out to your next door neighbour. He happily lends you his copy. And you can in touch with what is happening around you.

That simple act of kindness or consideration goes a long way. I call these people who extend a helping hand without any forethought as accidental heroes.

The world is full of accidental heroes. Because these people are almost never rewarded, they do not get the compliments that they so richly deserved. Good people often do good deeds without the knowledge of others.

The reason is because they are good people and they think nothing of what they have done. It is the most natural thing for them. Helping a friend, a neighbour or a stranger is as easy as breathing in and breathing out.

We all can learn to be accidental heroes. It will help our earthly existence be more pleasant. Besides, we also learn to be decent human beings if we are not too absorbed in ourselves.

Your time is NOW

When I was 15, I looked forward to my 21st birthday. When I reached the highpoint in my life six years later, I set my sights on 24.
That, I thought, would be the age when I would be working and spending money that I had worked for. No more borrowing money from displeased parents or from other siblings who were equally broke as I was.
It was no fun growing up at times because the teen years came with a lot of limitations. You could just go anywhere you wanted because there were parents to contend with.
On top of that, there are places you can't go to. Worse still, those beautiful women you are eyeing are all older than you, and they don't like "kids".
Now, I am at an age, I can do almost anything legal and lawful I want to. On hindsight, I miss those days.
I know, I know, I am just being fickle and immature. With age comes wisdom. I wish I had the answers I have now, 25 years ago. The answer then as it is now, is to really enjoy the moment.
In other words, it is NOW. Not yesterday, not tomorrow but NOW, at this very moment. Our entire life consists of a hundred million nows. Now is the time to call your parents and tell them how much you love them.
They may think you are being weird but it's a nice kind of weirdness. They will get used to the new you.
Now is the time to eat that cholesterol-laden ice cream. Look, two scoops of ice cream won't kill you. Forget what those dietitians and doctors tell you. They don't know any better themselves.
Have you come across a whole roomful of 100-year-old doctors? Not recently? Or, ever. Now means happy for the moment. A moment in time, well lived lasts forever.
This may sound a little cryptic but truth prevails.
Hundreds of millions of ordinary people live lives of quiet desperation because they don't know any better. Not any more. I have told you so. The route is clear and wide.
Take a walk down that road to enlightenment. Don't wait till you have finally "made it" financially to start enjoying life. You can live it up even with empty pockets.
Do you need a million bucks to enjoy the splendour of the rising sun? Do you need Donald Trump's billions to relish the beauty of a stunning woman? Do you need anything to be kind?
Most of the best things in life are free. There have been songs written about this aspect of life. The Bible talks about it. Wise men have walked the earth for millennia, preaching about joys and happiness, all cost free.
And yet, we look back to yesterday for pleasantness, and look forward to tomorrow for brighter days.
Many of us out of a sense of misplaced urgency forgets about the Now and Today. This is the moment we are living in, breathing in, changing in. Every second that has passed is history. Every minute that is coming is future.
Both dimensions of occurrences cannot be replaced. The future can only be altered if the present is affected. That is simple logic.
So when you are in the zone, the present is your best bet.
Do it now, as someone once said. Do it here!
When someone tells you that your time has come, it means you can perform your best now; take your best shot now, give it your all now; live it up right now and NOW should become your only credo.
The world spins on the spindle that is labelled NOW. There's no tomorrow. The past is but a memory. Now is your ammo. Lock, load and shoot. There's no other time.
If you want further elaboration on NOW, look up the book The Power of NOW.

The world needs a hero!

A hero, as a wise man once said, not necessarily be an individual. The hero could be a company, a nation, a group or a charity organisation.

But we all know that this world of ours desperately needs a hero. We had Nelson Mandela at a time when the world's conscience needed to be shaken over the veiled threads of apartheid that gripped not only one country but also shrouded parts of countries around the planet.

Newspapers and TV networks constantly broadcast the looming threats of conflicts in parts of the world. Presently, danger signals abound in Zimbabwe. The fighting in Sri Lanka has been going on for decades that people around the world are numbed by the bodies that strewn the streets after every suicide bombing.

We have sporadic instances of violence in Europe. Those breakaway republics of the former USSR are still trying to get back on their feet. Cuba is coming to terms with her aging leader, Fidel Castro.

North Korea has renounced its nuclear option. Iran is steadfast in her own nuclear policy.

We continue to hear the war drums. They are sometimes loud. At times, muffled but nevertheless, the sounds of those beating drums are there.

The soul of the world aches for solace. The conscience of the globe begs to be reminded of its more lofty ideals. Basically, what we all need is a genuine hero.

And who is the hero? He could be you, doing ordinary chores in an extraordinary way. The path must be infused with an ambience of love because it is only through love that all the keys to world peace and harmony are given.

Let our work begin right now.

The grass is not greener on the other side

Human beings are fickle and they always remain so as long as they are citizens of planet Earth.

Take for example, some former office colleagues of mine. After spending several fruitful and uneventful years with their old employer (my current firm), they decided to get up and go.

Sure enough, they landed a job with a rival firm. Initially, things were very new to them. After a while, they realise that even though they got a small increase in remuneration, office atmospher in the new company wasn't much to shout about.

And if they were allowed to shout, they would probably complain. One brave soul admitted that our old employer was a much better place. The new place was too sterile and was definitely too regimented.

But it took a small salary increase and 12 months down a new avenue for the truth to surface. It is the scourge of most employees that they constantly entertain the thought that new jobs in new firms mean better working environment and excellent lifestyle.

It is seldom so. In fact, most of the time, it is a downhill race, unless the new place happens to be your own business. Yes, some people risk it all in a single throw of the dice to alter their fortunes.

Working for yourself simply translates into "no closing time". In other words, self-employment means doing all it takes to turn in a profit. Not many people are so lucky.

They can go into business for themselves but they probably won't see any meaningful profits until and unless they also have an enormous amount of luck.

Otherwise, it is just a long train journey down Worry-ville!

The saying "the grass is always greener on the other side" also applies to migration to another country, marrying another person and adopting a totally new lifestyle.

Of course, we all hope and pray that we are doing the right thing when we take this mighty leap.

For example, migrating to another country. A number of my friends who were married before they migrated, ended up losing their marriages as well when they struggled to adjust to life in a new nation.

Apparently, the stresses and strains that are part and parcel of adjusting to a foreign society and new environment took a heavy toll on matrimonial harmony. Not many spouses (man or woman) are so understanding when the odds are stacked against them.

So in the case of a broken marriage, especially in a foreign country, the grass is obviously not greener on the other side.

This goes for picking another life partner. One of the reasons for high divorce rates in some societies is because of the accessibility to divorce. Couples who feel they can have easy recourse to a bad marriage often opt for it the moment a quarrel surfaces.

Then months or a few short years later, they marry again. Hoping and keeping their fingers crossed that the marriage would work this time. While some second marriages do work, a large number of second marriages are doomed to fail the day after the "I do's" are said.

From then on, everything is "do not". The glitch in this case is not the marriage but the partner (either one). All marriages are okay but life partners who are immature or are flawed in personality traits will always take the easy way out when voices are raised beyond the level of reason.

Thus divorce always seems to be the better and easier option. Take a look at the grass on the other side next time. Take your time, it is actually the same colour as your side.

It's just that you THINK it's greener. It is the same. Not greener, not yellower, or even redder.

The solution lies with you and all the answers to your own problems in life are locked in your heart and mind. Sit down, reflect, don't expect much, mentally commit to be a better person, work hard to succeed no matter how hard the going gets and you will be all right.

Other than that, I can only say, squeeze in some personal happiness and joy while you are at it. Spread it around. Don't be selfish.

What I think of America?

These past two decades have been trying times to the people of America. Asians generally see America and its people through movies. It's not fair and it's wrong but that's the way it is for a large number of people in Asia.

I may be generalising a bit here but there are some nuggets of truth. For those who have access to many sources of information, including periodic sojourns in USA, their perception of America and its people may be quite different.

For some of us, people like me, who have American friends and have friends or relatives who have stayed in America or are still staying in America, again our views are different.

Now what are the stereotyped views of Americans? For one thing, some people think Americans are "loud". Actually, I don't really know what they mean by that. I have heard it said before.
My understanding of the description is probably some Americans are very forward in expressing their opinions and they speak a bit louder than others. There are some of us who may perceive that as an overbearing level of confidence.

Others who may not think too kindly of Americans say it's just plain arrogance. My British friend told me once: "You know that's an American behind you when you hear 'Wilma, pass me that ketchup!"
I think she's was joking or pulling my leg but probably not by much.
Asia is a very big part of the world. Some countries that have unpleasant experiences of Americans really do not think too highly of the people from the Land of the Golden Eagle.
One of the reasons is because Americans (they actually mean GIs) are forever walking and talking as if they own the land. They know they are not going to stay permanently so they make sure they have a heck of a time before they leave.

When Asians think of America, they visualise big plans, great movies, hydrogen bombs, cruise missiles, and to a lesser extent Barack Obama. Not forgetting CNN. Now the US media has been at the forefront of almost every nation in Asia that has satellite TV.

How can anyone avoid America? Some of the most exciting and most watchable films in the world come from America. Many of us think American girls all look either like Charlize Theron (she's actually South African) or Angelina Jolie.

How silly we all are? But that's being human for you. But my own personal experience with America were those Peace Corps people who came over to parts of Asia in the 1960s.
We had many pleasant encounters with those volunteers. I think those Peace Corps people were the best representation of the big US of A. They are caring, humble, willing to teach as well as willing to learn.

Then there are the American navy personnel who make irregular visits to Asia throughout the year. Once when I was driving near a port, I spotted some plain clothes US navymen. I knew they were sailors because the USS Enterprise was in town.

You could tell that they were troopers because I overheard one of them said: "Port Klang is about three kliks away the other way." Nobody talks like that except the US soldiers who are social visits.
I also thought that they were rather short for US soldiers until a friend of mine who was more familiar with the US army enlightened me by saying: "US navymen don't have to be tall, only the Marines are tall. The Marines need to be of a certain height."

It is another misconception. Asians think all American men are 6ft and above. So when we come across one US soldier standing at Asian height, we think he's a short American!

We also believe Americans are some of the most generous people in the world. We got this impression from the various Aid shows held in America and all the fundraising events we see and read about on TV and in the foreign sections of the newspapers.
Oprah Winfrey gives us the impression that Americans are willing to drop everything and rush to the rescue of their troubled neighbours whenever the situation demands it.
I guess that's a good impression by any standards. It is only in recent years that some of us are beginning to know that in a nation of about 300 million people, American has probably one of the largest melting pot of races in the world.
There are the Italians, Irish, Greek, Jews, Cubans, Vietnamese, Scandanavians, etc who make up the demographic strata of the American society.

We also get the impression that Americans in general are not very good at picking leaders. For a better part of 30 years, one US president after another got a terrific bashing from his own people about one year into his presidency.
The US media would go on and on about his bad judgments, his less-than-holy private life and all the verbal foul-ups he committed.
Some of us wondered aloud: "How strange? First, they elect him then they proceed to persecute the poor guy. Didn't the majority pick up of their own free will?"

These are some of the reactions among Asians. Some of us just said: "Nobody is perfect, especially a President. He's just a plain old human." But then, American politics are very much beyond our Asian understanding. Heck, we have trouble understanding our own leaders.

In a way, I suppose as far as politics are concerned, it is about the same all over the world. There are leaders and then there are leaders.

But one thing's for sure, America and her people are never boring. They can be as loud as they want, so long as they make good movies and rush over their big naval vessels over to our shores whenever a major disaster strikes, they are OK by us on any God-given day.

However, some Americans may be beginning to get a little fed up being bashed up either in foreign newspapers or in foreign TV. There are a lot of things that have been misunderstood.
America may be a great nation but it is as human as the rest of us around the world. The only thing that separates America and the rest of the globe is that they have Disneyland and Hollywood, and we have our tropical jungles and exotic settings.

Heck, you can't have it all, you know.
Because of regional conflicts around the globe and the evergrowing presence of US naval vessels, Asians in general think that US is one big bully. At the same time, some of us wish you are not that far away.
You never know when you need a helping hand. People are greedy and are seldom satisfied with their needs, demands and requests. It's just that America is an easy target.
If you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, you may be inclined to say "it's America's fault!" for absolutely no good reason at all. It is just convenient.
That's the price you pay for being a big, rich nation that drowns everybody and every culture out with those bright neon lights and humungous looking burgers.
By the way, a friend of mine who make regular visits to US, love to tell me the size of burgers and plates of food in US. "Three people can share one plate!" she would say.
And no wonder Americans in general are so big. Actually, fat is the word but most Asians are just too polite. What a lucky bunch of people. Eat till you drop. Now, that's not a very pretty picture but some of the skinny ones among us would love to have such a "problem".
That's my five-cents worth of comment on America today. Hope you like it and say a prayer for world peace and unity among the various races fighting among themselves in all parts of this silly world.

Congratulations to Obama and America

THERE have been moments in the past months while monitoring the progress of the democratic battle for nomination between Obama and Hillary Clinton that I have been pessimistic about the process of election.

However, today after Obama's victory for nomination has been sealed, I began to understand that beneath all that bravado that sometimes is erroneously projected to outsiders, lies a hidden strength that personifies America as a nation of great souls.

Yes, it has been a hard fought battle by Obama and Hillary but victory goes to the people of America. Twenty years ago, it would have been almost unthinkable for any African-American to aspire to occupy the Oval Office.

Today in 2008, Barack Obama has broken all the stereotyped notions of the Land of Milk and Honey by peoples living on the opposite sides of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

I am glad that America has taken this brave step forward. If foreigners had misgivings about US involvement in Iraq, Somalia, and other troubled spots around the world, it is because America as a superpower had not always been able to do its best under the worst circumstances.

Nevertheless it tries despite the adverse publicity and its noble intentions. The lives of its own people is its gift to the rest of the world. I can't speak for the other nations, so I will speak for myself.

I for one appreciate the trouble taken by US to lay down the lives of its own men and women in foreign lands so that others may live in freedom. Time will soon eclipse all sad and bad memories of engagements abroard but the fallen soldiers symbolic of what is good about America will not be forgotten. It cannot be.

We who live so far away of the US shores have always been appreciative of the fact that whenever a major natural disaster strikes, US is constantly among the first to extend a helping hand.

Sometimes we forget our manners. In our sorrow and our grief, we forget to thank our benefactors and our rescuers, many of whom wear the US flag on their lapels and uniforms.

But as a person from a land not unaccustomed to the US Peace Corps, let me say with pride as well as with humility that all the good America has done all over the world and over the decades have not been forgotten.

One day when America needs help from the rest of the world, I am sure there will be many among us who will jump at the opportunity to help an old friend.

Once again, congratulations America!

Standing up for Planet Earth

This is the same old story about people trying to save this precious planet. Actually, we are living on a puny, little speck of dust in the wide array of galaxies on the highway of eternity.

By right, we should be worried about the soil beneath our feet. Unfortunately, most of us couldn't care less. It's a crying shame. Crying because lots of people are going to suffer before the dust is settled.

Shame because we should know better. We are living in the Age of Information Overload and yet we are only concerned, among others, about the next blockbuster that's going to hit the nearest cinema near us.

I could say "well you guys deserve it when the roof comes crashing down on your heads" or "watch out for that nasty tornado that's gonna wake you up anytime soon" but that would be infantile.

Face it, this is the only planet you will have first hand experience of because very, very few of us are cut out to be astronauts. We don't have the pleasure of using US$19 million toilets in outer space.

The ground is our final resting place and the starry skies for many of us are the roofs above our heads.

Now we have to make the decision. This is your time, this is your planet. You either take care of it or it takes matters into its own hands.

From the weather reports that have been coming in daily, Mother Nature is not smiling at us anymore. I dare say she's more than peeved with her little tenants.

Now she's practically telling us, "you take care of your own mess!" That's partly why we are having those horrible cyclones, hurricanes and earthquakes.

By the way, did I tell you that the hurricane season has just started. From the indications, it going to be a whopper.

If you think that's funny, think again. If you think you are safe in some million-dollar resort, take out your science books and browse through them again. You are in for some ride, that is, if you survive.

Ciao! Be seeing you.

Escalating oil prices, food shortage, crazy weather

Are you getting the same feeling that many of us in different parts of the world are getting?

For one thing, the ridiculous crude price that keeps on yo-yoing these past few weeks and the records it has set. Non-economists like the rest of us mortals are wondering where does all this leads to?

One thing we do know and it is that the rest of our lives is going to be quite different if something is not done to control the upward spiralling price of crude oil.

Almost everything and anything that is linked to oil price will see a quantum leap in price. That means transport charges leading to essential food items, prices of cars, cost of living.

To make a long story short, you and I are edging closer and closer to an economic precipice. Looming large over the horizon is the shortage of rice. Several Asian countries have put a stop to exports.

The prices of the various grades of rice have never been so high. It is actually quite ridiculous. The poor are beginning to feel the brunt of it. The upper middle class as well as the upper class don't really feel the heat yet.

The well-to-do normally have got plenty to spare so if a 10kg bag of rice were to go up by 100 per cent, it translates to just a few dollars more for these wealthy humans.

The lower income and the hardcore poor are the ones who are suffering, and they are no longer silent sufferes. Already in several countries, there are reports of street protests and up fledging uprisings over the food prices.

As if matters are not bad enough, there are bizarre weather conditions in different parts of the globe, all happening at the same time.

A short while after that cyclone disaster in Burma's Irrawaddy delta, China's Sichuan province and the Chengdu area were hit by a massive earthquake. In Burma, the death toll is estimated at more than 80,000 and the figure is rising.

In China, the latest death toll is 68,000 and still increasing. Numerous dams are in danger of cracking up in view of the unstable conditions.

If we all think, it's safe to come out, let me assure you that at its current stage, the world is quite different from the one we were born into years ago.

This brave new angry earth is sort of playing hard ball with the rest of our lives.
Some economic experts are already touting the premise that it could be a "perfect storm".

This means bad things on a global scale can take place if they are not brought under under control soon.

With skyhigh oil prices, growing food shortage and very severe weather, the earth could spin out of control. Right now, there are about 6.7 billion habitants on Earth. We must ask ourselves whether we can allow our lives to be snuffed out just like that.

Looking on the bright side, perhaps it's time to engage in a paradigm shit as far as fossil fuel is concerned. For once, scientists are thinking that perhaps oil may not be the way to go in the next three years.

We all need transport. That's why the idea to invent or create transportation vehicles in the quickest wasy possible is the only way to go.

Perhaps in a short few years, oil may become obsolete. When shove comes to push, humans have the zeal to change every to his favour. Otherwise, he will just be lazy and fat.

On the other end of the spectrum, rice has long been deemed as the staple food for every body. These days, there are lots of people who are switching to other forms of food.

Maybe they are thinking of corn, water and other refrigerated item.

I remember the lesson of World War II when rubber became a very scarce commodity. Scientists then found the answer to natural rubber. They invented synthetic rubber. Today the rubber industry in those major rubber producing countries is at a very low point.

Same went for tin. When backed into a global corner, scientists simply found a better way, maybe even a cheaper and a more efficient way.

However, if solutions are not found fast enough, the world will be right in the path of a perfect storm. It will be an amalgam of severe weather, escalating food prices and an insane oil price.

All these will lead the world down the tubes. Conflicts are the easy way out for the weaker nations. Some of us who have alternatives may return to the land to be farmers.

Those who produce their own food in bad economic times are more likely to survive better in horrendous economic times.

For the rest of us, it's every man for himself, unless there is an orderly systme in which everyone benefits. Never in the modern history of mankind has the world stood so close to the edge of a very steep cliff.

It's one thing to be optimistic and quite another to be prepared. My take on this is: Be prepared. There's no time to lose.

But do not panic. Solutions will and can be found. Desperate times often brings out the best in many of us.

Perhaps for once in so many hundred years, man will find his way back to the right path and steer the rest of mankind to better and brighter days ahead.

One moment at a time, instead of one day

OK, you are alive and are reading this but what will you do for the rest of the day. Have you made peace with your enemies? If you have none, then I wish to speak to you.

If you, like billions othes, then perhaps you can spare two minutes.
Many a time in our mundance existence, we look forward to tomorrow, even though we don't know what it will bring.

All we know is, perhaps it will be better than today and greater than yesterday. But little do we know that this moment is all we have. When tomorrow comes, today becomes yesterday and tomorrow has been tranformed to today.

It is always this moment that people miss. What are you doing THIS MOMENT? What will you do THIS MOMENT? Are you happy THIS MOMENT?

If you intend to tell a friend how much you enjoyed his company at yesterday's lunch, call him and tell him NOW. If you feel you miss hearing your mum's voice after weeks of separation from her, phone her NOW and tell her.
This is call LIVING IN THE MOMENT. Frankly, you may freak her out but if you tell her nicely that you simply wish to hear her voice, you will have gladden her heart. Better than giving her a thousand bucks tomorrow.

Too many people want to do great things. Too many people want to be rich and famous. Very few people desire to do the simple things in a great way.
Tell your friends what a great time you have with them during an all-boys gathering. Show your affection for your wife and children TODAY, not tomorrow or at your birthday party.
Honestly, the way things are going, you may not be at your own birthday, or worse some of your loved ones may not be there too. And all those kind words that you wish to share with them are a little too late.

It's all about living in the moment. So like I say, one moment at a time, and soon your life won't be the same again.

When was the last time you were kind?

Sometimes I think being kind, good or just plain honest is getting out of style.
Have you noticed how some people will immediately deny that they are being kind or honest.

"No, no, I am just an ordinary guy who has no intention of being a saint", or "Please,you are embarrassing me" when you praise him or her for being a good person.

Why are people so afraid of being good? There's nothing wrong in doing a good deed or doing something nice for others. And yet, modern society seems to think random acts of kindness are passe.

We need to return to the basics, and that is the very core of human nature is goodness. Yes, we are all born good. Nobody is born bad. That is not logical or rational.

What's wrong in giving in to kindness, honesty, compassion and most of all love? What is it that triggers off those negative responses in being labelled as a good person?

Strange as it may seems but a lot of people are afraid that they may be described as hypocrites if they simply say thank you when you praise them.

If you do it honestly and without fear, sooner or later they know that it is just your nature that prompts it so.

So be kind, be honest, be full of mercy because the world needs more people like that.

For heaven's sake, don't dwell too much on what a nice person you are too. If you are obsessed with your own "greatness", that's a sure way of going to hell!

The distant thunder

Is is any wonder that cyclones, tornadoes and hurricanes have become more frequent and violent of late?

The polar caps are melting at a very dramatic rate. High pressure areas around the globe are beginning to experience greater intensity in unnatural rumblings.

Earthquakes are taking place in the most unlikely places around the world. Snow has fallen in places where its very existence is unnatural.

The world has suddenly awakened to see a new facet in Mother Nature's personality. How shall we cope with these climatic changes that are altering people's lives even as these words are being typed out?

The upheavals that shake and rock planet Earth are beginning to take their toll on man's little blue speck of a planet. In time to come, dramatic changes will alter the demographic makeup of many nations around the world.

It's impossible to escape all these unexpected changes as they unfold within our lifetime. What are our alternatives? Man has the intelligence to find the solutions bt will we have the wisdom to see this dramatic period as a golden opportunity to change ourselves and our planet for the better?

As the superpowered nations awakened to see a different dawn, the affected people in some continents around the world are beginning to struggle with the changes.

We shall have to put our differences aside if we want to save our planet and ourselves.

The world is one second away from a new age

In terms of millennium timeline, a minute is like 10,000 years. So a second... you do your own math.
Unless you have been spending the last few years on planet Uranus, you would have known that there's something funny going on terra firma as well as in the atmosphere.
You don't need to have a degree in meteorological science to feel it in your guts that something is not quite right. Not that Al Gore hasn't influenced you in some great way.
Al Gore is right about the dramatic changes that have been plaguing Earth for the past 12 years. It is disconcerting how many leaders around the world still have their heads in the ground, much like the famous feathered creature we know about.
Are these people not concerned? I have a hunch that they feel by the time, the game is at set point, they won't be around to feel the full impact of Nature's fury.
So what are we to do? Those of us who are now in our 20s will probably live to see all the earth-shaking changes that will alter Earth's geographical direction.
There are some things we can do to alleviate future aftershocks but it is only with a willingness to change that we can buy future generations some time.
This is not going to be the end of the world. This is going to be the end of the world as we now know it. How future earth will look like is anyone's guess. It won't look the same though in 2020, as it is now in 2008.
From now up till 2020 is 12 short years. I was thinking of last year's Christmas celebrations because the memories are still fresh in my mind, and already I am sniffing at the threshold of April. That's four months ago.
Everything changes in time and with time. The Earth is a living organism. As with any living form, if conditions are conducive, it will grow stronger, prettier and brighter.
Poor conditions will lead to it withering, being in a sad state and lead it down the road to a premature destruction. If we were to apply these conditions to Earth as a living planet, the conclusion is as clear as the morning sky on a cloudless day.
The choice is yours as well as mine. We really have no time to lose.

Political leaders - where are the good ones?

Many countries around the world suffer from a dearth of good leaders, let alone great ones.

It seems to be a global issue that many troubled nations are governed by people who shouldn't be at the helm in the first place. The question that is foremost in most politically conscious people's minds is "where have all the good leaders gone?"

Sometimes, we are tempted to proclaim that those countries have trouble with their leaders have only themselves to blame. Here, I am referring to those countries that dutifully hold elections once every five years.

If the majority pick the wrong leader, or so it seem, who do the people have to blame? But looking at the issue with some depth, sometimes the matter is not as simple as it seems.

For example, in some countries that have known nothing but military regimes for decades, this can be a problem. One fine example is Burma or Myanmar. This blessed country has been under the military yoke for as long as my young memory can remember.

As a result of the army's iron fist, quite a number of its people have gone overseas to eke out a decent living. Perhaps there's a moral to it all, but right now it escapes me.

Good or bad, all national leaders shall one day be compelled to step down, either due to old age or poor health. Nobody lives forever and that is the universal truth.

The popular phrase: And this too shall pass... has been applied to many circumstances in the history book of mankind. Civilisations that stretch from North POle to South Pole have their ups and downs but we humans have very limited life spans.

For most of us, 70 years of earthly existence is about it. But the basic truth to any nation's destiny is that the future is in the hands of its people. We alone will decide who shall lead us.

But people's memories are short. In many instances, politicians prefer to tell us that they are the only ones who can decide our future. Never has there been a bigger lie.

Ordinary people need to be told and reminded that their future and the country's future SHOULD be decided by themselves!

And if the people pick the wrong guy, they can always throw him out in the next election. Everything that goes around comes around. If the people pick the wrong candidate, they shall have to put up with the joker's antics for the next five years.

That is why it is very important to have an educated population, or as many people as possible being aware of the choices that they have. And there's also the right to choose.

Choose wisely then, my friends.

Why Obama is good for America

Before you read any further, let me tell you that this is a biased piece and nothing is based on facts, and everything on emotion and intuition.

Barack Obama is probably the first African-American since the American Independence to stand a realistic chance of entering the White House. He talks like JFK, has shades of Abe Lincoln in him and occasionally rises to the occasion with a reverberating tempo of Martin Luther King Jr.

Does that vocal prowess make him the perfect president? Realistically no. But he sure has a lot going for him at this point. For one thing, Obama has a certain naivety that's charming.

He's obviously widely read and fairly intelligent. Intelligence is not THE quality that makes a great president. Take for example Ronald Reagan. Everybody knows that he's not the brightest of the lot but many people remember him for his warmth, his likeability and his ability to rouse a nation to their feet with a few well chosen phrases.

Sure, he might have borrowed some of those lines from his Hollywood past, but who cares, they worked!

Obama comes from a background of mixed races. He's under 50, still has that twinkle in his eyes and a little bounce on his feet. America needs someone like him to remind the nation that it's not all about foreign policy and oneupmanship.

Sometimes, the best qualities of a president are not found in his resume. It's how he relates to people. It's how he touches their hearts and brings out the best in all of them.

Can someone with an IQ of 190 inspire 270 people to do their best for the country's future and for themselves? Probably not, if all he has to offer are some well thought out solutions to complicated global issues that may have little bearing on America's future.

In a way, Obama's limited experience with political administration is an advantage. He doesn't know that much about buttering up to those with shady motives. He's not quite aware yet of the intricacies that come with huge campaign funds and moguls who perpectually like returns on their financial investments.

Obama's greatest asset right now is that he has managed to awaken the spirit in the young of America. He has managed to convince a large number of these young people that they can do something about their future.

He has urged them to believe in themselves. He has talked them out of a political stupor. Obama's speeches have brought back a certain pride in being called an American.

Right now, America is not in a very good place. No nation can be perpectually in the right place or good place after two centuries. There will be challenging times. There exist confusing times. There will be time for reconciliation.

Obama seems to stand for all these and a little bit more. Can America survive without Obama? Most certainly, it could. Does America need a person like Obama now? Most definitely, it does.

Seasoned politicians are all good at spewing rhetoric but at the end of the day, that's all there is - words. What counts is what happens after the speeches have been delivered. Will there be action? Will there be a momentum that is created by a man's inspiring words?

This man who has come of age exists now to bring America back to her feet and stand proudly to face the rest of the world, and say: "We are Americans and we represent the best there is in our nation, and in our success, we will strive that all our allies will share in our glory and our wealth, so help us God!"

Obama or Hillary?

It is not a secret that the two frontrunners in the present Democract race to the White House are Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

From available statistics, Hillary as of now has a slight edge over Obama. The question is who wins if Obama loses? Or, should it be, who loses if Hillary wins?

Again, according to statistics, a lot of Americans are not really concerned about who gets to the White House first. The issue paramount in their minds right now is whether USA can withstand the tsunami of a recession that has already entered their front doors.

The credit crunch crisis, pluning global markets and escalating oil price all contribute to the real and imagined fears of a worldwide population.

If American slips into recession, as it already has (according to some economic experts), the rest of the world which trade with America will get the jitters.

What does that all entails? The scenario is not of catastrophic proportions but prolonged economic frustrations that could drag on for years. It simply slows down the engines of growth in Asia and in turn kickstart an economic chain-reaction that will rock the nations of lesser endowed economies.

Desperate countries with powerful armies may resort to desperate measures. Your guess is as good as mine.

For too long some industrialised nations have been recklessly managing their own economies. In a way, they can beat the clock, as most grand chessmasters are wont to do.

There are some things that can only be resolved through sheer hardwork, diligence and an overpowering sense of conventional wisdom and sacrifice.

But before all this economic ill wind blows over, there will be plenty more people making the streets their home. The years of plenty are fast coming to an end.

Frankly, most people really never learn. I guess the hard way is simply the best teacher.

Rain gently sweeps over the land

Soft sheets of water drops
Wind buffets the distant trees
Air circulates through the halls
Campus activities on hold

The Wealth Trap

Sometimes being wealth is such a pain. The fear of losing your millions never leaves your side.

You can't differentiate between friends, relatives and swindlers. You feel you have to keep up with appearances.

You can leave your home without being followed by cameras and news hounds. Life becomes a pain when your children think they own the world. Worse, your wife you owe her and not vice versa.

Nothing is a challenge anymore. You can buy most things. Even diamonds and cars lose their lustre. Who cares about automobiles when you have 50 in the humungous garage.

Colleagues and friends become too fawning and ingratiating. Who's the real friend? Poverty brings out the truth in all of us. Wealth blurs the lines of friendship. It is the harbinger of sad trails and even more sorrowful tales.

Fame is that elusive companion who keeps dogging you for all the wrong reasons. There's only so much you can accumulate without being de-sensitised and de-sanitised about living's truer paths and meaning.

If money is the arbiter of happiness, then only tycoons and moguls will be the only ones who have the key to peace of mind. Unfortunately, life plays jokes on all of us.

Wealth is not legal tender in the happy ranch. There's no currency but simplicity, honesty and integrity in the land of contentment.

Millionaires beware! The money trap buys not satisfaction but only a sense of well-being which, if allowed to fallow, leads to distraction and subtraction.

2008 may prove to be a year that dreams fall apart. So in a way, the playing field where joy is found will be levelled before long. Thus, we will find that at the end of life's journey, wealth is but another test that could make or break us.

Many rich people die unhappy. In fact, a large number of them are the saddest people in the world. If there's but one lesson we can learn from them, it is that true wealth like true happiness cannot be bought.

The real treasure is embedded in all our hearts and many of us wander all over the place and around the world looking for it when all the time, it is within us.

Oh dear! It's raining cats and dogs outside

It is now 6pm, Equatorial time. Here I am, fresh from a tea session at the office cafeteria, with nothing to kill but time.

Already, the distant sounds of the rolling thunder have penetrated the confines of this thick-walled office. Thoughts meandered like an ox-box lake in the labyrinth of my mind.

My spirit has already left for home even though the body is still here. Truly, our thoughts travel faster than our bodies. As if you don't know that!

It is Jan 4, 2008. We are now eight years into the 21st century. The world has nothing much to show except regional conflicts, blizzards, sporadic violence in the African continent, nuclear uncertainty in North Korea and Iran, and the race to the White House is gathering momentum.

If you are an ordinary Joe like me, you really can't spare a thought for these global concerns. The only one that has held my attention for some time is global warming and all its unnatural consequences.

It is a bit late in the evening to think of what we can do. The scientists are trying to rationalise that the situation is not as serious as Al Gore made it out to be, even though some eggheads are genuinely concerned.

As in the past, the world will only wake up when the earthquakes have shaken their homes to their very foundations or when the lava has reached their front doors.

Otherwise, nobody is really bothered. So much for the progress of manking. We are often too busy with our little and pathetic selves. Thank God for some really conscientious people who battle for all mankind against great odds.

What would we do without these good people? The thunderstorms that shake the trees and sometimes break the sound barriers portend an interesting time ahead (for want of a better word).

Humans on the whole are always Johnnys-come-lately. We never really learn until the last minute of our lives.

I have always had a morbid fascination for dark clouds, thunder-and-lightning and flash floods. One of the reasons is because I have been caught in the maelstrom of these natural occurrences once too often.

Like they say, if you have been staring at the eyeballs of adversity too many times, you begin to develop an unusual fascination, not fear, for Nature's angry brother.

I like to believe that one day when the earth has released all its pent-up fury, we can all begin to rebuild our lives and our homes. It's all part of the celestial game plan.

Good luck to us all. We really need it.