Polar Environments

Polar Region

Public and scientific interest in polar environments has never been greater. The twentieth century witnessed expanding concern for the Polar Regions which built on earlier limited contacts. First interest in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was commercial, with the entry of whaling and fishing fleets from Europe and the United States. The nineteenth century witnessed the dramatic attempts in the Canadian Arctic by Royal Navy expeditions to find the North West Passage. Similarly in the Russian Arctic hectic exploration brought increasing geographical knowledge. The pace of contacts and ‘map making’ has quickened relentlessly in the twentieth century. Public   interest was ignited by the heroic exploits of Peary, Cook and Stefansson in the Arctic, and of Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton in the Antarctic, together with the first whaling activities in the southern ocean in the early 1890s. Interest between the First and Second World Wars was based on questions of sovereignty over Arctic land, with the United States, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Russia, in particular, wishing to stake their territorial claims. Increased whaling, and political agreement over the Antarctic continent, typified a more collaborative approach in the southern Polar Regions.

Since 1945 renewed interest has come from several new directions. The ‘Cold War’ between the West and the former Soviet Union brought great defense interest in the Arctic regions with the advent of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems, military early warning systems (e.g. the DEW line – Direct Early Warning) and the reality of nuclear submarines operating beneath polar ice. Also, the period from the 1950s to the 1970s saw a great expansion in the search for non-renewable mineral resources (especially petroleum and non-ferrous minerals) by a commercial sector worried about the future availability of such materials. During the 1980s and 1990s came three further stimuli. First, there was concern about protecting and conversing ‘wildness’ which brought steps in setting up wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, on both a national and an international scale. Second, there grew up increasing concern for the welfare of aboriginal peoples in popular areas and a desire to give such peoples more ‘right’ and greater voice in how their environment  should be used. Third, there was growing concern about global environmental changes – climate warming, ozone depletion, pollution of ecosystems, biodiversity; such concern is rightly the province of the general public, as well as of the international science community. It is very clear that polar landscape play a vital role in all these world-wide systems; polar landscapes act as an early-warning device, a kind of environmental quality barometer, and also play a pivotal role in regulating the direction of these global problems. It can confidently be predicted that interest in polar landscapes is set to soar to new levels in the twenty-first century.

Polar ecosystems have low productivity and ecological diversities. Animal species have to hibernate or out-migrate during the harsh winters, and all biological activity is concentrated in a brief summer period. Soil processes and ecological mechanism act at a low intensity. Although Polar Regions are still widely regarded as remote and pristine environments, in reality they have been subject to pollution from distant sources in Europe, North America and Eurasia. Indeed, in the 1950s the discovery of DDT residues in Antarctic penguins was one of the first indicators that population is a global problem. Although the concentrations of contaminants are generally lower than in temperate regions, their presence is serious because of their persistence, due to slow turnover rates in polar ecosystems. Cold temperatures slow down degradation processes and tend to condense volatile organic pollutants. The cold slows evaporation rates also, and this may lead to a continuous transfer of organic chemicals from warmer parts of the world. Mammals and birds in Polar Regions are long-lived organisms, at the top of long food chains (e.g. whales, seals and polar bears) and they have high levels of body fat, which stores contaminants in the body. Many native Arctic peoples eat large amounts of wild game or ‘country food’; fat, liver, kidneys and heart (often regarded as the ‘choicest’ parts) are organs where the pollutants are most liable to accumulate.The geomorphology and soils are dominated by the presence of permafrost in the subsoil. As permafrost is sensitive to any change in the surface vegetation it is easily disturb by human activity. Any interference with the insulating properties of soil and vegetation, and in any addition of heat to the surface (perhaps through industry and building), will inevitably cause permafrost melting and ground subsidence. Polar ecosystems have a low resistance to outside impacts, and low resilience means that recovery is a long-term process. Polar ecosystems are also very variable in time and space. Soil and vegetation conditions change quite rapidly over short distances, under the influence of the catena relations of soils, plants, permafrost and slope. Time variability causes big contrast in weather and biological activities from one year to the next. It is another factor which makes polar environments so fragile and so unpredictable.

Polar environments have become better understood since the great strides in exploration and discovery of the final years of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth. The Antarctic region is unique on Earth in being the only entire ecosystem to be managed under the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), which came into effect in 1982 under the Antarctic Treaty System. The convention confers a degree of protection unparalleled elsewhere. In the Arctic the eight Arctic countries (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States) have adopted the Arctic Environment Protection Strategy (AEPS), which aims to protect the fragile polar ecosystems. However, so far there is no unanimous view on how the Arctic should be protected, as conservation is defined as ‘rational use’. There is little agreement on how ‘rational use’ should be interpreted; some countries define it as ‘no use’, whilst others clearly intend to use the area for non-renewable resources (metals and energy) and even for the harvesting of marine renewable resources (fish, seals, wheels). The maintenance of healthy ecosystems remains an important responsibility which will not be easy to fulfill in the Arctic.

Discipline

Behind every great achievement in anyone’s life lies discipline. We see this in every human endeavor. In the field of sports we see this repeated again and again. Outstanding sportsmen spend all their time practicing.  In the process many of them make so many sacrifices which ordinary men and women are not willing to make. The same is true of businessmen who build up fortunes. Most often we see only that they achieve, but once we go behind the scenes we see that they have put in a lot of discipline. We all have read of great musicians, writers and inventors who have credited or discovered breakthroughs in human achievement. Invariably they have said that they owe all their success to discipline.

Discipline is the art, where having determined where we want to go or what we want to create or discover, we stick to our goals whatever the disadvantages until we achieve the goal. Though there are other meanings of the word, this is what concerns us most. We find many applications for discipline in our daily lives; ranging from doing our homework to building up our physical fitness to make sure we join the soccer squad. If we look carefully at the periods of failure in our lives, we will see that in almost every occasion when we failed, it was due to lack of discipline. Hence both in the areas of success through discipline and the lack of success through the lack of discipline and the lack of success through the lack of discipline, there are many examples for us to refer to.

Since a life lived with discipline can offer us much, it is worthwhile discussing how it is to be done. First we have to be sure of what we want to achieve and how much we want to achieve it. If one is obsessed with wanting to succeed in a certain area, the chances of attaining that want is so much more. To do this, one has to dwell on the want through visualizing it happening. The second step is determining what has to be done to attain that want. This will come to mind naturally if one’s want is a sincere and serious one. Hence if a man wants to join the national soccer squad, he must really want to and if he does, he would know what he has to do to get there. The same procedure applies if one wants to write a book, or own a successful business or top the school in English literature. The final step is the discipline to do and keep doing what must be done until the results appear.

There are countless examples to show how people achieve success in this way. One example is the sage of Colonel Saunders. The 65-year-old man from Kentucky had a dream to start a chain on fried chicken restaurants all over the world. To realize that dream, he knew that he needed a restaurant owner to go into partnership with him to open the first restaurant and to fry chicken according to the secret recipe the old man had. Colonel Sanders knocked on 1008 doors before he found a restaurant owner willing to share his dream. It is doubtful if many of us would have had the discipline to knock even a hundred doors.

The old man from Kentucky is just one example. There are thousands of such which show that success can come to anyone through the application of discipline.

Time

In many early philosophical works and scriptures, like the Vedas, it has been written that time is an illusion. That what is true is that everything is going on at the same time. Naturally the world did not understand what they meant and a lot of people had dismissed the idea as just ramblings or superstition. In the last century or so, many prominent scientists have echoed the same theory: Time does not exist; it is just something created by man to understand the world. Even Albert Einstein has stated that time is relative.

In daily life we often come across situations where time does not seem to be a reality. Taking just how a day passes, we see that on a full day of activity, time seems to pass rather fast. When we are on a picnic, for example this happens. When we are busy enjoying ourselves and no one stops to look at the clock, we can enjoy ourselves right through lunch time without feeling hungry and have to be told that it is lunch time. Even the stomach which has been conditioned for years to feel hungry at fixed times every day, seems to miss its cue if we do not look at a watch. Often it is three o’clock before anyone gets hungry. Did time pass too quickly? The writer remembers attending a seminar when the seminar leader demonstrated that time is real only if we measure it – that is, keep looking at a watch. The participants were told to leave all watches at the back of the room, so no one knew what time it was. Then the day was filled with various activities. At a certain time the seminar leader told the participants that it was 2 o’clock and asked if anyone felt hungry. Then he apologized and released them for lunch. Everyone was shocked when they looked at the watch. The time was 7:00 p.m.!

Can time slow down? It does not seem that it can too. If we visit a slow moving society – like a sleepy village in a less developed country where everyone goes about his business without hurrying – we will see time practically standing still. This is true especially if we do not have any dynamic activity but laze around or perhaps read a book. After what seems a long time, if we look at the watch we will see that we have been reading for only a few minutes.

Hence we see that time is really relative. What it really is, we do not really know. At least with our present knowledge it looks like we never will. Perhaps, like so many breakthroughs in recent years, there will be a breakthrough in the future and it will be discovered that time is really something quite different from what we have been thinking it is.

Lesson of Time:

When a bird is alive, it eats ants.

When the bird is dead, ants eat the bird!

Time and circumstances can change at any time,

Don’t devalue or hurt anyone in life.

You may be powerful today,

But remember time is more powerful than you!

One tree makes a million match sticks.

But when the time comes,

Only one match stick is needed to burn a million trees! 
So be good and do good…

Road Safety

Once I saw a television program where a skydiver jumped out of a plane without a parachute. He got a parachute from an associate who had dived out earlier.  After the feat, he was interviewed by a journalist. The skydiver told the journalist that his act was safer – much safer – than driving or walking along the road. On thinking a little while about it I realized that though there are so many skydivers all over the world every day, the accident rate in such a dangerous act is very low. In contrast, hundreds are killed or maimed on the roads every day. The road is a dangerous place.

The first danger on the road I people’s attitudes. Talking with people it became clear to me that everyone seems to think that accidents happen to other people, never to them. In truth, accidents can happen to anyone. All the people I talk to seem to think how unfortunate it is that accidents happen, but never have I heard anyone say that he or she could be involved in an accident. Such a thought seems to be remote. Hence I believe that the attitudes of road users are the first danger on the road.

Careless drivers are another source of danger. I have friends who boast that since they had never had any accidents, they are obliviously good drivers. Having sat in their cars, I realize that nothing could be further from the truth. Some of the drivers that I know are reckless and drive without the least consideration to other road users. The machines they drive are death machines and they do not realize it. Their proud brag that they have never been involved in an accident is empty when I realize that this is only because there are other responsible road users out there. All I can see is that there are a lot of accidents waiting to happen, when two or more equally irresponsible road users meet.

Road conditions contribute to dangers on the road too. Bangkok roads are fairly well maintained. However there are lesser used roads which are neglected. One has only to go to some country roads like Dhaka and see the deteriorating conditions on the road. These are roads that serve as short cuts to the factories and are thus used by heavy vehicles. The heavy vehicles cause damage to the roads and this is dangerous, especially at night. Talking of night, driving at night under poor visibility is a danger in itself. This is especially so in residential roads where there are a lot of trees. Even though the trees add to the beauty of the roads, they also obstruct drivers as they drive around corners.

Safety precaution were hardly care by us unless there is a mandatory law imposed. Such as fines for not fasten seat belt or not wearing helmet. Repairing a broken or damage parts of the car remain pending till any enforce work like punishment or penalty. Most drivers intentionally or unintentionally do not care to check out the car instrument and function in it before starting to drive. Most important thing is that driver must hold a genuine driving license and well trained in knowing the rules and regulation in driving like road and traffic symbols. It’s better to be safe than cure in case of driving.

Dangers on the road are real. What makes them more so is the tendency of road users to think that there are no dangers on the road. Hence unlike when we do dangerous activities, we are likely to be careless. And that is where the danger is. We should minimize the danger of road accident by keeping ourselves alert and taking all sort of safety precaution beforehand. We should always keep in mind that a little neglect in road journey could spoil a person life as well as his or her family life.

Darkness

Darkness always terrified me for it brought back painful memories of my childhood days. When I was younger, I used to fear the dark. The fact that I could not see where I was going, and the tales of “momos” waiting to spring at me, told by relatives who want to make sure that I stay still at one place, struck terror of the dark into me.

"This is the last straw!" shouted my mother in a shrill voice as she dropped something heavily to the floor. I was in my bedroom and could hear the quarrel between my parents late one night. She reacted angrily to my father’s new job which kept him occupied with meeting and projects almost every night. Very much neglected for two continuous months, my mother’s patience snapped that evening.

I listened and shivered silently in the darkness. I cannot describe the fear. The darkness seemed to suffocate me, destroying all the sense of security I had, I badly wanted to have the lights on but the bulb had fused the day before. My lather had promised to replace a new bulb that evening bur the job was delayed by his new job. That was their first and worst quarrel between my parents in their ten years of marriage. Clutching my teddy bear close to me, I whispered a prayer that my parents would not end up with a separation. Such morbid thoughts were unusual for a five-year old child but not so when one is exposed to adult conversations. Fortunately, the quarrel only led to a few days of non-communication between my parents. Realizing his mistakes, my dad rescheduled his priorities and was thus successful in his reconciliation with my mother.

It was also in the darkness that I lost my pet dog Snowy that same year. We had just come home from supper and were walking towards the house with Snowy running ahead of us. All of a sudden, the streetlights went off along a short stretch of road. It was pitch darkness and as we walked cautiously together, I called out for Snowy. My heart was cold with fear and discomfort. What followed seemed to be within a flash. There was a screeching sound of a car and Snowy was hit. I was horrified to see Snowy dead on the road and the bloody sight was firmly imprinted on my mind. Although my parents comforted me with a new dog, I lost my appetite for a week and cried for Snowy in my sleep.

Consequently, for two years in my life following these two incidents, I often associated darkness with unhappy events. I slept with lights on throughout the night so as to get rid of frightening images that often flitted across my mind. It wasn’t until my grandfather decided to knock some sense into his descendant that helped me to overcome this fear of darkness and I began to understand the beauty of darkness.

DARKNESS BEAUTY

My grandfather had been a night watchman for more than forty years of his life. He thrived on darkness; in other word, he was perfectly comfortable in the dark. After he retired, when I was out ten years old, we became great pals. He discovered that I had an irrational fear of the dark and decided to take me in his hands. His methods were drastic. He brought me to dark places during the weekends and school holidays and made me confront my fear. After about a year or so, not only did I overcome my fear of the dark, I actually came to prefer darkness to light.

I now enjoy wandering in the darkness all by myself. I also enjoy sitting in wooded areas at night, my body properly insulated with mosquito repellent, listening to the sounds made by the creatures all around me. The quietness, which usually accompanies darkness, thrills me as I try to blend in and be part of nature. Nature is very much alive at night. A lot of animals and birds come out at night. After listening intently to the bullfrogs singing, I came to realize that it sounds like a strange orchestra. I found out later that what they are doing is singing love songs to attract the females. I also found out that crickets the loudest noise makers at night – are also calling out to their girlfriends. Now how could anyone be afraid of the sounds of love?

Having spent a lot of time in the dark, I have developed a keenness of sight and hearing. I can now hear very soft sounds and see things which others cannot see. This is very thrilling, to be able to confidently move about the jungle, and actually enjoy the darkness. The real thrill is the loneliness that I used to fear. Being alone in the dark in strange surroundings brings out the explorer in me. I feel so powerful that I am alone and that there is no one else nearby.

About fears of the supernatural, grandpa has told me that there is no such thing as supernatural. He said that ghosts are as natural as the living. I have not met any yet, but I hope to one day. In fact I would probably be thrilled when a ghosts walks up – of floats up – and introduces himself or herself.

Hold Your Temper

There is a saying that reads: There is no situation so bad that you cannot make worse by losing your temper. How often have we been in situations where we made things worse by losing our tempers? How often have we seen this happening to others? How often have friendships been broken up because one party, or both, lost their cool and lashed out with their tongues and said things that could never been forgiven afterward? The newspapers are full to reports of wife beating and child abuse, which are unbelievable, yet they were committed by otherwise loving fathers and mothers.

Hold Your Temper

It is obvious to all of us that losing our tempers, instead of keeping cool is dangerous. Those who have lost their tempers have sometimes ruined lives – others’ and their own. A moment of anger has often made persons commit violent crimes. There are at least a few fathers who have been imprisoned because they have severely abused their children. Yet there is no denying that they do love their children very much. It is as if a demon had suddenly taken possession of them and made them do the unspeakable and then after the deed has been done, left the man to face the music. In quite a few cases, the offenders have confessed that they did not know what had made them do it.

It is obvious that keeping cool is a quality to be developed. It is a highly desirable quality to be able to be in a position where one never loses one’s cool. The question now arises: Do we have control over our tempers or is it something that cannot be helped? Can we really develop the art of keeping cool? Since some of us are bad tempered and some are cool, it is apparent that the ability to keep cool can be cultivated. Psychologists say that all our behavior is a result of conditioning. From the time we have been children; those of us who cannot keep cool have allowed ourselves to develop bad tempers. We have done this out of imitating the adults in our lives. In addition, it is true that only the behaviors that gives us pay offs are developed. Considered in this light, it is probably that when we lose our tempers and throw tantrums – as children – we received what we wanted. This would have reinforced the tendency to lose tempers and we would have carried this into adulthood until it became uncontrollable.

Based on this theory, we can develop an ability to keep cool. We could consciously reinforce keeping cool instead of blowing our tops. Whenever we manage to control our tempers we should reward ourselves. This reward need not be elaborate. In small situations, a mere invisible pat on our backs would also be a reward. In more serious situations, like when we keep cool and refuse to lose our tempers and kick that creep – like we are sorely tempted to – we could treat ourselves to an ice-cream or a movie. The mind soon learns that it is more fun to keep cool than to lose our cool. Soon the tendency to lose our cool becomes less and less and we become coolness itself.

The rewards of developing a calm and cool nature are many and we should aim very hard to develop it. History is full of great men who kept cool and earned the admiration of generations. It is well-known that a cool and controlled person can make better decisions and act better. Everyone wants to be such a person.

Depletion of Mother Earth

Depletion of Mother Earth

Mother earth has been kind to all of us, yet we have treated Her extremely shabbily. For centuries we have exploited all Her resources in the belief that they were unlimited. We have destroyed Her creatures without any mercy and killed them wantonly – often for sport – so much so that many of them are now extinct. Her forests have been wiped out in many parts of the world and Her rivers and seas polluted with toxic materials – killing large numbers of Her fish and marine animals and plants.

  

There is certainly order in the world. The planets move around the sun in precise orbits; the earth turns on its axis accurately; the moon orbits around the earth; these are just a few ways. The list is infinite. From the vibration of atoms, to the orbiting of planets, there is order in the universe. How then do devastating natural disasters occur? Immediate thought about them does seem to reveal that natural disasters are freaks of nature. It does not seem sensible to see weather running berserk. Rain, which has been helping nature in its cycle, suddenly sows havoc. There are floods; thousands of plants, animals and humans perish. It looks as if a usually kind and gentle person suddenly becomes violent and kills for sport.

There are of course countless studies which show how floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts and typhoons occur. Scientists who spend lifetimes studying the phenomena are able to analyze the causes. By causes all we really know is what leads to them. We know that there is a fire below the earth, that at certain points the fire bursts forth and we have a volcanic eruption. We even know that the fire is a leftover from the fire that first began burning when the earth was formed. With a lot more study, scientists have even been able to predict the extent of a coming volcanic eruption. There is even a way to say that an eruption is imminent. Without" a doubt, it is useful to know all this. In countries where the technology is available, lives can be saved through timely evacuation.

What is not as far known is how the eruption can be prevented. Nature is just too powerful for any study to be possible in this area - at least so far. The same can be said for the other type of disasters including: floods, typhoons and earthquakes. Research stops short of prevention. Meanwhile the slaughter continues. All of man's defenses are too weak against nature. Perhaps it is nature's way of telling us that we are still rather puny when compared with the vast powers of nature. It is often speculated that natural disasters are nature's way of keeping the human population in check. Perhaps this is too much to assume. But it cannot be dismissed straightaway.

Are any of these disasters caused by man? Well, we can see that man is not the cause of volcanic disasters, earthquakes, but perhaps we do in some way because weather related disasters such as droughts, floods and typhoons. We all know that weather is being affected by the clearing of forests on earth. This is within our control. Hence some disasters can be controlled. All we can do is hope that a day will come when we can control all natural disasters. Till then we have to remain at the mercy of nature.

Then suddenly a few enlightened souls realized the harm that we were doing. Scientists and nature lovers from throughout the world have put their minds together to save the earth. The harm that has been done to the earth is extensive and in many areas, irreversible. But all is not lost yet. A few organizations have been formed worldwide to heal the earth and to save whatever we can for future generations.

There is now awareness among people throughout the world that the earth is ailing and needs everyone’s efforts to recover. The greatest hope in this area is from children who are beginning to see that there is a joint responsibility to save the earth. All because of intense education in the area, people are beginning to see that forests must be saved. They are beginning to feel that all life is sacred and related. There are limits being imposed by governments to save the forests and the rivers. Laws are being parsed in many countries to protect animals and plants.

Many dangerous chemicals which cause the depletion of the ozone layer are now being boycotted by people throughout the world and manufactures are being forced to look for alternatives. Already there are breakthroughs in several areas and we see a general easing off in the use of harmful substances. There is also a general awakening on how to recycle and how to cut wastes. These are indeed good signs.

In spite of the tremendous amount of activity in the save the earth movement everywhere, there is still a lot more to be done. We cannot do everything at once and we see that learning is indeed a slow process. Yet the efforts are commendable. The success of the entire movement and effort in the various directions depends very much on future generations and how strictly they implement the safeguards that have been proposed. There is nothing that we can do except keep showing our love for the Great Mother Earth and hope that She can recover from Her wounds. This is all we can do while waiting for the results of all the attempts we have made to educate people everywhere.

Jealousy

The dictionary defines jealousy as the state of being jealous. Feeling jealous has a few derogatory meanings: Being jealous means wanting to keep what one has possessively, it also means feeling unhappy at someone else success. Another word often used for the last meaning is envious”. Of the two words “envious” means wishing one has something that another has, and “jealous” means something even more unpleasant – actually hating the person who has received good fortune. There are a couple of good uses of the word, but these are not so commonly used nowadays. We can say that a person guards his home or his honor jealously. But usually, the word “jealousy” brings to mind negative and undesirable qualities.

The feeling of jealousy is one of the most dangerous that a person can feel towards another. A person who is jealous almost immediately loses his ability to reason. If a man feels jealous about another’s achievements, chances are he spends a lot of time feeling angry at that person, for something that he has probably gained through his own hard work. Sometimes this anger can lead to violence. Violence usually takes place when all reasoning ends. We read of violent crimes committed by men in love, when the woman he loves someone else. Immediately the loser thinks he is a victim and acts as if he has been cheated. He cannot see that all that has happened is that the woman has chosen according to her own inclinations. If the man had truly loved her then jealousy has no place in his mind. He should think of her happiness. Though the illustration mentions only male jealousy, female jealousy has been known to be just as vicious.

On another meaning of jealousy, some people are apt to be jealous if someone they love, or are just fond of, pays attention to someone else. This is common even in ordinary friendships. A poorly adjusted individual may want a certain friend to keep only his company. So if he sees the person whom he believes he “owns” talking to someone else, he flies into a rage. This kind of behavior shows extreme immaturity. The truth is that no one owns anyone. Even in love relationships, there should be no jealousy involved, and no attempt to possess a person as if he or she were an object. Love relationships should be founded on mutual trust and jealousy has no place in it.

Jealousy at another good fortune is the most harmful of all. Elders, and scriptures, have been telling us that if one is jealous of another, and wishes him evil, the effect of the jealousy will be felt by oneself. This may sound like a tall tale, but now there is scientific evidence of its truth. Research shows that when we wish evil on someone – like wishing him to contract an incurable disease, our thoughts have no power to harm the person we feel jealous about. What happens is that our mind interprets the thought as meaning that is “OK” for such a situation to happen – in this case to suffer from an incurable disease. Since it has no power to cause someone else to be sick, it attracts the illness to the person who has the thought. 

Whatever from jealousy takes it is certainly a very dangers feeling – for the person who feels it as well as for the others. Whatever the impact of jealousy, it’s a kind of feelings or emotions without which make our life spice less. 

Winners and Losers

 A casual look at the world reveals that there is competition everywhere. This is evident in everyday life – ranging from games to work. There seems to be one mad rush everywhere we try to “succeed”.  Often it does not matter to us who perishes while we succeed or “win”. It does not matter who “loses” as long as it is not we who lose. This mad rush in every area of life divides the world into winners and losers. Almost everyone is categorized as one or the other, to be admired or despised; to be befriended or ostracized; to be emulated or avoided. One is prompted to ask: is winning and losing really important? Is being a winner or loser all there is to life?

If we listen to stories by so-called successful people, we see that not all of them consider themselves “winner”. Frequently, there have been cases where people who have been labeled successful businessmen have lost their families through divorce; or have lost their health through overworking to gather wealth. Can we call such people winners? The people probably do not think so. One such person is Elvis Presley. In the world of pop music, he was “The King”. A definite winner; but alas, his personal life was far from successful. He lost his family, his health and died miserably from a drug overdose. His end was pitiful, yet he had vast wealth at his disposal. One is sure that the “King” would have gladly traded all his wealth for a loving family life.

Of course, this is not to say that it is good or even acceptable to be a “loser”. No one should be poor or a failure in life. It is of no credit to anyone if he were to live from hand to mouth, or be homeless or be sick or unsuccessful in family life. In fact with all the joy and happiness we see in the world around us it is an insult to humanity that there should be people who are poor or “losers” in life. However, the fact remains that not many people who consider themselves “losers” actually are. Many people who call themselves losers because they did not win what they set out to are winners – if only they could take honest looks at their situations. For instance, people who come in second place in Olympic events bursts into tears – apparently because they did not become number one. Can they be considered losers? Surely it is a sign of success that they are in second place – in comparison to many others. They should simply congratulate the person in first place and still consider themselves as winners to some degree.

Recently there was an amusing advertisement. A lady observes that there are only twelve supermodels in the world and two billion women who are not. Surely, they are not all losers; then again they are not without beauty. None of us have to winners or losers. We should be happy enough to be ordinary humans in this beautiful world and find happiness in small things, like the smile of a child or the fragrance of a flower or the smoothness of a stone on the beach. Life is certainly not only for those considered “winners” by popular standards; nor is life to be excluded for so-called “losers”. Life is for all of us. We do not have to follow the popular tendency to label people as “winners and losers”. Indeed a loser makes a winner!  As someone lose which make other win ;-)

Natural Disasters

All   Sorts   of   Natural   Disaster

There is certainly order in the world. The planets move around the sun in precise orbits; the earth turns on its axis accurately; the moon orbits around the earth; these are just a few ways. The list is infinite. From the vibration of atoms, to the orbiting of planets, there is order in the universe. How then do devastating natural disasters occur? Immediate thought about them does seem to reveal that natural disasters are freaks of nature. It does not seem sensible to see weather running berserk. Rain, which has been helping nature in its cycle, suddenly sows havoc. There are floods; thousands of plants, animals and human perish. It does not seem sensible to see weather running berserk. Rain, which has been helping nature in its cycle, suddenly sows havoc. There are floods; thousands of plants, animals and humans perish. It looks as if a usually kind and gentle person suddenly becomes violent and kills for sport.

There are of course countless studies which show how floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, droughts and typhoons occur. Scientists who spend lifetimes studying the phenomena are able to analyze the causes. By causes all we really know is what leads to them. We know that there is a fire below the earth, that at certain points the fire bursts forth and we have a volcanic eruption. We even know that the fire is a leftover from the fire that first began burning when the earth was formed. With a lot more study, scientists have been able to predict the extent of a coming volcanic eruption. There is even a way to say that an eruption is imminent. Without a doubt, it is useful to know all this. In countries where the technology is available, lives can be saved through timely evacuation.

What is not as far known is how the eruption can be prevented. Nature is just too powerful for any study to be possible in this area – at least so far. The same can be said for the other type of disasters including: floods, typhoons and earthquakes. Research stops short of prevention. Meanwhile the slaughter continues. All of man’s defaces are too weak against nature. Perhaps it is nature’s way of telling us that we are still rather puny when compared with the vast powers of nature. It is often speculated that natural disasters are nature’s way of keeping the human population in check. Perhaps this is too much to assume. But it cannot be dismissed straightaway.

Are any of these disasters caused by man? Well, we can see that man is not the cause of volcanic disasters, earthquakes, but perhaps we do in some way cause weather- related disasters such as droughts, floods and typhoons. We all know that weather is being affected by the clearing of forests on earth. This is within our control. Hence some disasters can be controlled. All we can do is hope that a day will come when we can control all natural disasters. Till then we have to remain at the mercy of nature.

Temptation

The word temptation has a negative connotation. To be tempted is to be attracted or to be persuaded to do something that is seemingly pleasant but may be harmful, unwise or immoral. The appeal of ‘forbidden a fruit has always been strong and somehow it can be difficult not to yield to moments of temptation.

Temptation shows no discrimination for everyone can and will be tempted in one way or another throughout our lives. It is during such moments that our principles and values in life are challenged and through our respective responses, our characters revealed. Temptations come in different forms and in different degrees of seriousness.

As a student, the most popular temptation is that of being distracted in my studies. I have often wanted to concentrate on my studies for a specific period of time but somehow distractions of various kinds tempted me to neglect my studies. It can be a real struggle to overcome the temptation of not watching a popular film show with my friends on the eve of a test, not to watch a favorite television program when there is lots of school work to be done or even stop talking endlessly over the phone for hours at the expense of neglecting my studies. During exams, temptations to cheat or feign illness do arise among certain students.

For a working adult, one may yield to the temptation of purchasing food, clothes or even shoes when there is no necessity to do so. Somehow, such people fall prey to the gimmicks of sales and become guilty over self-indulgence. The more subtle form of temptation may deal with ethical issues arising from their work where one’s integrity could be tested. Temptations to lie, to blame others, to be lazy and shoddy in work are definitely present in the working world.

As mentioned earlier, certain temptations are morally linked and upon yielding to them, the turn of events in one’s life can be tragic. People are sometimes tempted to drink, smoke, and engage in empty talk and gossip during their leisure times. Other more serious temptations such as getting involved in extra-marital affairs, in illicit trade in drugs so as to earn some fortune overnight, rob and kill innocent victims are examples of temptations that lead to dire consequences. Yielding to other temptations including watching blue films, reading and admiring pornographic materials only encourage the development of a corrupted, polluted and perverted mind.

Victims of such serious temptations sometimes defend themselves by claiming to have weak will power and that they are pressurized to yield to such temptations. Personally, I see them as lame excuses for each of us is accountable for our own actions. Such people should deliberately break away from such evil influences before they are drawn into committing greater evils in life later on. Therefore, we should exercise our choice carefully in confronting with temptations.

Here is a funny video on temptation of kids “ The Marshallow Test ” :

Dancing

Dancing is a popular past-time to many people all over the world. It is not exclusively for the young nor does it take place only in developed countries. Way back in past centuries and even today, tribal people engage in dancing as a form of worship or part of a ceremony in a celebration. For such occasions, dancing can be ritualistic and solemn.

In modern times, dancing appeals to different people for different reasons. To the young, it serves as a form of exercising such as in aerobic dancing. Through this, the body’s stamina can be built up and muscles of various parts of the body become well-toned.

For some people, dancing is also a way o release pent-up feelings and frustrations. With the music in the background and the privacy secured in a room, one can simply dance to the music, allowing for self expression along the way.

Young people often include dancing in parties or at other social gatherings in discotheques. It seems to be an incentive for people to gather. They look forward to dance away into the nights during parties and not so much of wanting a good tuck in.

To the elderly, the steps in dancing are reduced with a slower tempo in the music. They gather in community centers to learn folk dancing and at the same time to know one another in such informal interactions. However, dancing can be abused by certain people in certain ways. With the playing of music with or without suggestive lyric, some people use dancing to enter into a more intimate physical contact with their dancing partners. Whether they are dancing with strangers or friends, this can usher in moral and relationship problems in some cases.

Personally I doubt the effectiveness of dancing as a major role in keeping one’s body healthy and in good shape. Activities such as jogging, swimming and playing racket games are more effective towards attaining good health. They are effective in burning off calories in our body and developing one’s muscles. To me, there are more meaningful and effective ways of keeping fit.

Fire – friend or enemy?

Fire has been around since creation; in fact it appears that fire had a hand in creation itself. Therefore, man did not discover fire but apparently he discovered its use. Before he discovered its use, he was probably at its mercy. Fires started by nature, by lightning or by the sun, must have terrified early man for centuries when he eked out an existence by gathering fruits and nuts to keep body and soul together. Probably he also ate meat raw. Then one day he discovered that this terrible thing, which burnt and hurt, could be tamed. Then one by one he must have discovered its marvelous uses. Then fire ceased to be an enemy and became a bosom friend of man.

From then on it was a close friendship. Today we can hardly conceive of life without fire. It cooks out food, it provides warmth and it burns rubbish. Fire plays a major part in our lives from birth till we are cremated. The main blessing that this mysterious friend bestows on us is that it cooks our food. Throughout the world, from highly organized societies to primitive tribes, humans need food. Since it has been discovered that food tastes better when it has been cooked, cooking has evolved over the years so that there are now countless dishes to pamper our palates. All this is possible only because of fire.

Yet this great friend can be a dangerous enemy. In its natural state, fire can break out at any moment – usually through careless handling- and cause devastating harm. Destruction of lives and property by fire is one of the, almost, daily disasters in the world. Not even the most developed countries are exempt from this. All anyone can do is take as many precautions as possible but still prepare to fight it when it occurs. Frequently when fires break out, humans are helpless and great losses occur before the fires are brought under control.

On another note, man too uses fire for destructive purposes. Most weapons are based on the principle of fire. This applies to simple devices like handguns, to artillery pieces and nuclear bombs. The main destructive element in weapons or at least the trigger is fire based. In this case, it is not fire, which is danger in itself, but rather because it is used for destructive purposes by us.

Hence it is clear that fire is both a bosom friend and a deadly enemy. When kept under control it is one of the greater boons known to humanity; but when out of control or used for destruction it is a devastating force before which man is helpless.

Emailing for Business Success

No discussion of business communication today would be complete without dealing with the newest, most popular method of trading arguments today – email. Email has replaced casual conversation as he most common means of exchanging business information, telling jokes, and spreading gossip. Whether the email you author travels the cyber-path if the Internet, or remains confined to your company Intranet (internal network), there are five key things you should know about cyber-letter-writing so you can become truly productive on the job.

1.       Know Your ABCs: Remember that an email message is intruding upon your reader’s time, space, and bandwidth. You’ve got to ensure that your messages follow the ABCs of all effective business writing which must have accuracy, brevity, and clarity.

Accuracy: If you’re stating facts, research them to make sure they’re genuine. If you’re stating opinion, say so. Pinpoint what you want to say and make sure it’s accurate.

Brevity: It is the soul of wit, and is critical to effective email messages. Get to the purpose of your email message in the first sentence; whether you seek information, want to inform the reader, or move that person to action, don’t keep him in suspense. Make your points and provide your support as quickly as possible.

Clarity: Avoid using big words trying to impress the reader – they won’t. “Speak“ through your message in the same way you would speak to your neighbor, using simple language and clear phrases. It’s easy to misinterpret meaning when reading an email, so make sure messages are absent of ambiguity.

2.       Know the Rules: Guess what? Email is written correspondence. Doesn’t it follow, then, that you should follow the rules of basic business writing when you compose email message? Make sure you have a clear objective that you have a clear picture in your mind’s eye of what you want to say and what you want to happen – before you start writing.

How is your mail message going to flow?

For emails, putting the bottom line first is a strategy that has little downside. State the most important items at the top of the message, flowing through to supporting evidence later. Make it easy to read, using headings or numbers to call attention to specific areas of your message. Emphasize key ideas with bold or italic text.

Unless you’re talking to a good buddy, never write an email and hit “send” appropriate. You would be surprised what gets blown away from your first email draft. Heed the words of Samuel Johnson who said,”What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure?”Take your time when composing your message so it is a pleasure to read.

3.       Know You Audience: The ease of sending email is also the reason that many people hold these invasive messages in the same disdain as a telemarketing call received during the dinner hour. In the days when your copy list was limited to about five people because the carbon copies were only readable for that many layers, you were very careful about whom to add to the coveted roster. Use the same discretion with email distribution lists. Before sending any email message, ask yourself, “Dose this person really needs to know what I’m saying?” If the answer is no, don’t include her in your distribution.

4.       Know Your Netiquette: You know what’s great about email? It’s so easy to create a permanent message and send it to tens, even thousands, of people. What leverage! Guess what’s bad? It’s so easy to take your permanent message and send it to tens, even thousands, of people. Let that little fact serve as a reminder that you need to be extremely careful about what you say in your message and how you say it. Email has no volume control. The reader can’t determine your facial expressions and body language. Consequently, human nature causes many people to interpret your message in the worst possible light. You can offend hundreds of people in one fell swoop, and those careless words can come back to bite you. Ouch!

Virginia Shea, in her bestselling book Netiquette, explains the following dilemma. Computer communication allows us to speak to people we might otherwise never meet, bringing the world closer. The funny thing is, the technology is strangely impersonal, and so since the listener is at arm’s length, people will often say things in a much terser manner than if the reader was there in person. As Macintosh evangelist Guy Kawasaki suggests, ask yourself, “Would I say this to someone’s face?“ Your answer will provide some perspective on your email style.

5.       Know Yourself: Like anything you do, your email messages paint a self-portrait. If you send messages replete with misspellings, grammatical errors, and fowl language, you’re telling everyone who reads the message that you don’t really care about your work; you might even be a jerk. This is an easy trap to fall into because email is so simple to compose and send that we use the arms- length nature of the medium as an excuse for professional laziness.

Use a signature file that shows up at the bottom of every message that identifies you and makes contacting you easy, including phone numbers. As unbelievable as it sounds, some people won’t want to respond via email. Autograph your emails with excellence. That alone gives your message a much better chance at being heard and influencing others.

There are many technical things that you can do to enhance your email messages that leverage your ability to communicate. Always remember that you’re talking to a living, breathing person, not an inanimate computer. If you want some easy and practical guidelines, follow the five steps listed above, and you will become a cyber-mailing sensation. More importantly, your message will have the impact that you want and help your business succeed.