'Blacked Out'?

Dear Friends,

I decided to assess the ballyhoo of 'Earth Hour' after dinner tonight. I drove around my surrounding neighbourhood, to witness how many buildings will be in total darkness, between 8.30pm for an hour tonight. Envisioning that there will be partial darkness in my wandering around, I was inaccurate in my judgement. Most of the surroundings were brightly ignited and it did not even reflect the slightest 'power failure'. Many showed non-support for this green effort.

This event began in Sydney, Australia in 2007 when two million people switched off their lights. Came 2008, 50 million people around the world participated in this climate change initiative. Individuals like you and me, corporate businesses and the communities at large were invited to turn off lights to 'safe' Mother Earth. For this year, Earth Hour aims to reach out to one billion people in 1,000 cities.

Frankly, a venture like this will not be able to quantify the amount of energy this globe would save. What values is the green message content that will make a difference. It is conjuring the yardstick for public awareness on climate change. This in return will make a difference in our lifestyles as a whole.

As I departed away from my neighbourhood, I encountered the organisation I work for responded positively. I was encouraged. I drove pass Sunway Pyramid Mall and the soundtrack, 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' from the popular animated 'Lion King' was resounding in my mind. I am proud to be associated with an organisation that is enthusiastic about making a difference in preserving the environment. More of their intiatives at: http://www.sunway.com.my/

View video clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6qejT3ZPRc

A belief flashed by me on the journey home; reflections of this earth I am living in did not belong to me. My existence here is on borrowed time and borrowed land from my children. Time to come, I will dedicate my part in preserving this earth and restoring it to them unsurpassable.

And yes; during the hour,the lights on the external of my house were all turned off. (unlike my neighbours :p). In that one hour today coupled with all the 'moaning and groaning' in darkness; I sure hope this green initiative was communicated with much competence.

Otherwise, the least the consolation - the population will set to grow in nine months.

Fast and Furious Force

Dear Friends,

Today I am blogging about 'cats and rats'. How cats always emerged victorious in their hunt down for rats. Never have I seen the reverse. Imagine Ratatouille pursuing Felix the Cat?

As quoted, criminals must be made to fear the strength and effectiveness of the police. They must show them they are able to match them especially now that criminals arm themselves with modern and sophisticated weapons. Fear must be instilled in criminals so that crimes could be combated in a professional and responsible manner, unquote.

Today the Royal Malaysian Police celebrated Police Day, the day the force was formed 202 years ago. It is, indeed, a mature and tested police force that is best remembered, together with other branches of the armed forces, for its contributions and sacrifices in the long battle against the Malayan Communist Party during the first and the second Emergencies (1948-1960 and 1967 to 1989).These days the men in blue face other hazards, which are no less challenging, of modern-day policing. In spite of various constraints, they have toiled tirelessly to maintain law and order. Their dedication to duty has been reflected in their recent successes in combating crime, curbing drug syndicates and the elimination of notorious armed gangs.It is the hope of every Malaysian that the police force will continue to enforce the law without fear or favour. And while they go about their duties, the police should remember that to be a really effective force, it cannot stand alone. It needs all the support it can muster from the public through activities such as community policing so that the police force becomes the people's force.

What interest me in the news is that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) has acquired 25 units of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (10 - with manual transmission) which will be used alongside the Proton Wajas as patrolcars. High-performance models are nothing new to the force and even as far back as the 1970s, they had a fleet of 2-litre Alfa Romeo Alfettas, the first police force outside Italy to use the Italian cars. Marketed by City Motors at that time, they were assembled at the Swedish Motor Assemblies plant in Shah Alam, Selangor. Later on, during the 1980s, the force also purchased a small fleet of Ford TX3s which were used for undercover operations. The cars were unmarked and little was known about them other than that they existed. Around that time, other government agencies like the Customs also used models like the Citroen BX and BMW 318i in order to pursue criminals who had fast machines. In the 1990s, the Highway Patrol got the powerful Volvo 850 T5 stationwagons which were ideal for use on the North-South Highway. The stationwagons served for some time but today, the Highway Patrol uses Mitsubishi Pajeros, Nissan X-Trails and some Proton Satria GTIs. The force will be sending its Evo drivers for special training courses so that they will be able to make full use of the car’s performance so illegal racers had better think twice before trying to accelerate away when they see flashing blue lights behind them. The police also say that the cars may have other roles that require high-speed escorts. As these are government vehicles, the cost would be about half the showroom price of RM324,000 since they are purchased tax-free. Also, the Evo's 295 bhp engine is a thirsty powerplant but since the police also get tax-free petrol, that should not be a worry either!

Now, when we see these beasts roaring behind us in our mirrors, pull over - the chase is not worth it. Recline your windows down, smile and don't rehearse the ever popular, "Boleh settle ka?"

This blog is dedicated to a top cop in charge of Subang Jaya's USJ8 Police Station (my neighbourhood). Tuan Foo passed away in the course of duty during a raid on 30 December 2008.

Let The Show Begin

Dear Friends,

I attended my budget presentation meeting two weeks back. The budget has been revised many times and I found it ambitious to write the assumptions. Revenues are declining, or flat at best. The last grounds if the business does not thrive, is to look for ways to reduce expenses. For some sanity, this is where the mindset of hoteliers turn from driving profits to basic survival. Having been there in 1997, I understand how tricky it is to operate a hotel in times like this. Making those decisions, what to cut, what to keep, is one of the hardest parts.

Through some friends,I had a chance to meet Jessie Phua, a Member of Parliament from Singapore last Saturday. We were discussing about lifestyles and this led to the topic of recession. My last trip to Singapore was a few months back. I was window shopping and I noticed droves of people trying to enter into designer outlets. Yes, they literally needed to queue and I wondered to myself where was the recession? I shared this with Jessie and she jokingly said that these were not Singaporeans but Mainland Chinese, when I said that they were mostly dressed in shorts. The point I am driving here is, our friends from Kiasuland acknowledges that the recession has hit their shores and they have been taking measures to overcome.

Recessions always result in compressing the marketplace; that Sheraton and Hilton, full service hotels down the street will now be after my business. As the business pie shrinks, the number of hotels in my competition set will increase; everyone wants to propagate their slice of the pie. Hotels which present the best value to consumers will succeed, not hotels with the lowest rates. I had a meeting with my hotel EXCO members recently and I suggested not to press the panic button yet and they agreed. Resist the overwhelming urge to just reduce rates; that has never worked and usually starts the dreaded downward spiral.

In my beloved Bolehland, I feel that we are still in rebuff. Never once has the authorities acknowledged that the recession has arrived. But, at least they apprehend that the economy needs to be stimulated. I find comfort reading in the papers today, that some RM3.2 billion worth of projects will be awarded this week. With this so soon after the mini budget, I guess the authorities are trying to demonstrate their seriousness in dealing with this crisis. I am also hopeful that they are really dignified about my well being rather than their own personal agendas. What struck me was when the Deputy Prime Minister said that he would make changes to the New Economic Policy (NEP) when he comes in power. Now, that is the true spirit of the NEP, which is to eradicate poverty among all races and not just the 'chosen ones'. At this moment, the policy is seen to profit only a certain thus the dissatisfaction amongst the rest.

I am hoping that the new 'Boss' will practice what he has preached. I am hoping to see a Cabinet that is credible and able to institute the reforms much needed. To the new 'Boss', please select a Cabinet that have the credentials to deliver the reforms and not some fanny licker that will probably do better as a Post Master. I am hoping that his government will wade through the current murky political scene with much meritocracy and not because it is some 'divine appointment' that it is now their turn.

'Enough - lah' with all these money politics, 'stop-lah' all the 'katak-ing' around, 'don't-lah' change-change the government that we have voted in. Like what Anas Zubedy has said, a truce is what is needed now.

A dim light at the end of the tunnel maybe visible if all that is 'affirmed' come true. I want to see clear directions for my beloved country and it will all be revealed this June, the 100 'litmus test' days of the new 'Boss'.

The basics never change and they never fail. Don't even think about going beyond the basics until they are learned and practiced until perfected. I see too many politicians who are anxious to get into the more sophisticated techniques without first nailing-down the most fundamental principles, first. Time is their most precious commodity; don't squander it.

Let the show begin.

Good Luck, Bad Luck, Who Knows?

Dear Friends,

Today is a public holiday in Malaysia. The weather has been gloomy since the morning and I am finding it hard to progress today. I am seated on my reading chair with both my feet sunk in my newly purchased, 'U Squeeze Pro' by Osim. I have just drifted into a musing moment of reflection - a 'Depressed Mood' for no alarming reason. As I read the Star newspaper this morning, news published are just getting more atrocious these days. Was there ever a time when we came across upright news in the newspapers?

As I was reading, I stumbled upon a story of how a blind man walked tall and completed a charity walk to raise health awareness. He is an automotive engineer and is currently unemployed. I reflected at how blessed I am with my eyesight and my career.

I continued reading. I was astounded at how they are still demonstrating against the controversial policy of teaching Mathematics and Science in the English language. English has an economic value and anyone who hopes to do well has to have some proficiency in it. I reflected at how I was exposed to speaking the language at home during my growing up years. I appreciated my mothers' far sightedness.

I proceeded further. I emphatised with the family members of the clerk who died in a hotel fire. It was the clerk's first overseas trip. She died with two other Malaysian women at the White Snow Hotel, Taipei. I reflected at how difficult it was to lose a loved one especially my father at an untested age.

I went along flipping the pages. I was stirred reading at how the residents of Kuchai Brem Park Condominium demonstrated the spirit of 'Muhibbah'. The Chinese residents donated generously to a Malay couple whose son drowned at the condominium swimming pool last month. I reflected on how peaceful it was, to have all different races living in unity, unlike all the squabbling amongst the different races these days.

A letter to the editor wrote; quote, "There are people out there who lost their jobs or are taking pay cuts, who are unable to sleep at nights, thinking of how to settle their bills and support their families. These are the ordinary Malaysians who stand by this country even when she is at her lowest. But, we ask for unity; not for political reasons but for our sake, and the sake of the next generation. We need to wake up and remember who we were once upon a time.", unquote.

I then reiterated to myself that life couldn't be so bad. I remember a passage in the Bible (Matthew 6:34). This is a great story to remember when we are projecting way past the present moment. When we are worrying about what will happen tomorrow? It teaches us to be anxious about today and allow tomorrow to take care of itself.

The things we think are good fortune can often also have bad endings; and vice-versa. How many times have we looked back on what seemed like bad fortune and said, "Aren't we glad that happened, because it led us to where we are now." Losing our job might have sent us to school, or maybe to an even better job. Losing our relationship allowed us the freedom to find another, maybe even more satisfying.

I once came across this ancient Chinese fable.

There is an ancient Chinese story of a farmer who owned an old horse that till his fields. One day, the horse escaped into the hills and when the farmer's neighbours sympathized with the old man over his bad luck, the farmer replied, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?”A week later, the horse returned with a herd of horses from the hills and this time the neighbours congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?” Then, when the farmer's son was attempting to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this was bad luck. Not the farmer, whose only reaction was, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?”Some weeks later, the army marched into the village and conscripted every able-bodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer's son with his broken leg, they let him off. Once again, the farmer's only reaction was, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?

Friends, every single thing in this world is neutral unless we put a value to it. We can choose to make things better or make them worse. Wake up and remember who we were once upon a time.

So, Good luck, Bad Luck? It is entirely up to you.

Shut Up, Enough and Do The Significant!

Dear Friends,

I had a chance of meeting the man behind the many unity advertisements that we encounter published in the Star newspaper during every festive or religious celebration in Malaysia. This approach taken has intrigued me and further provoked my emotions every time I run into them. What further triggered my being was his aspirations in wanting to unite the people or the many different races living in Malaysia. The advertisements will always headline, ZUBEDY. This is his family name and he is ANAS.

I met Anas Zubedy a few months ago. He presented a training module, 'Making a Difference' for my hotel sales team. He is 45 years old and is the Managing Director of Zubedy (M) Sdn. Bhd. a training and consultant company. He descented from an Arabian rootage and was born and bred in northern Penang. He attended the renowned Penang Free School and later graduated in Political Science, from Universiti Malaya in the late 1980's.(being the 'recalcitrant' that he was, he took four years to graduate for a three year degree :D) Although termed a recalcitrant in school, he has managed to stem his beliefs in 'Uniting Malaysia' through his many advertisements dating as far back as 8 years. Anas does not use a copywriter nor a graphic house to 'glamorise' his advertisements. Rather, all is done within and in his personal capacity.

I was just speaking to Anas Zubedy today and commended him on his BOLDNESS in his recent advertisement that was published in the Star newspaper yesterday. The message was just so true that my family and I could attest to it. The simple layman Malaysian on the streets could testify to it. I spoke to my colleagues and they could also affirm it. I have always been taught that if two or three can agree to a conception, it must be right. In my little circle, we have already taken a stand to it; what more the other 23 million Malaysians? I am so proud of you ANAS ZUBEDY. You portray the courage and the spirit to be a true 'Anak Malaysia'. The message to them is to 'SHUT UP, ENOUGH AND DO THE SIGNIFICANT!'

At least that is what I believe Anas meant.

You will find the enclosed advertisement that was published in the Star, 26 February 2009 below:

Please further visit http://www.letusaddvalue.blogspot.com/

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Dear Malaysian Politicians,

Please stop the power chase, call for a truce and focus on the economy.I do not claim to speak on behalf of all Malaysians, but I have strong convictions that many share my sentiments.
Our concern today is not who rules the country or heads the state governments but the looming bad economy.Whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat leads, it is meaningless if Malaysians have no job to go to, no money to pay rent and no means to put food on the table.

I am a business owner, like other business owners and managers of corporations I have a responsibility to ensure people under my care and payroll continue to have jobs and a decent income to take home. We work hard and willing to go the extra mile to make sure our nation not only survive this crisis but come out stronger and wiser. We need your help.
Let me explain. I am in the business of Training, Development and Consultancy and have 20 people in my team.

Saedah is 42. She keeps the office clean and helps organise the training rooms. She has four children and her husband is unemployed. She was first hired on a part time basis, because she is very hard working and has a great attitude, we offered her a full time job to help provide a stable income for her family. Even then, when her third child started school this year, it was a struggle for her to buy new school uniforms and other necessities. Saedah lives on a ‘kais bulan, makan bulan’ basis, so, if she is jobless, her tap runs dry.

Samsuri is 27 years old. He lives with his sister and her family in a low cost government flat in Sunway. He does our despatch, helps with various clerical works and occasionally acts as a driver. During the first week at zubedy, we learned that he not only did not have money to buy new clothes and shoes for work, he had no money for lunch. Like Saedah, if he has no job, his tap runs dry too.

Alicia in Client Servicing turns 26 this year. She lives with her dad who is 71 years old and retired. Her mom passed away when she was little. Alicia is a hard-working team member, has a gentle caring outlook and fun to be with. (We like to poke fun at her as she blushes easily). Last May her dad went through a major operation, thank God he has recovered well. Alicia needs a job, both for herself and her dad.

Sudesh, 38, is one of our facilitators. When his father passed away last year, he moved back and lives with his mother in Seremban. He shuttles between Kuala Lumpur and Seremban daily, leaving home sometimes as early as 4 in the morning and returning late at night. He is no stranger to hard work and sacrifice, he knows what he needs to do to survive and to care for his mother, but he too needs a job.

Like fellow Malaysians, every one of us in zubedy needs employment, those that live from hand to mouth like Saedah and Samsuri and others like Alicia and Sudesh with family to care for. We Malaysians need the Malaysian economy to be strong. We need you, our leaders, to work hard and to work together to make our economy viable.

So this is my plea.
Pakatan Rakyat, please stop your attempts to take over the federal government and persuade BN’s lawmakers to join you. Stop all legal proceedings, no more 916 and let go, just let go. The nation can wait till the next general elections if they want change. By doing so, Malaysians will see your party as caring, unselfish and gracious and give you their support in the next elections.
Barisan Nasional, please stop any attempts to take over PR states and win over PR’s lawmakers. You have proven your point with Perak. The nation can wait for the next general elections if they want your party. Focus all your talent, energy and hard work in steering the country out of an economic downturn. By doing so, Malaysians will see your party as caring, unselfish and smart and give you their support in the next elections.

BN and PR! Call for a truce. Get together and compromise. Someone has to give in. Or has hate consumed your heart till it blinds you? You can do it. You have enough intelligent people between you. I am sure you can find solutions. Take the nation to heart. That is why you are in politics in the first place.

Focus on the people.
Focus on the economy.

Anas Zubedy

Managing Director

Zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd

Gong OX-i Fa Cai!!

Dear Friends,

Today is the eve of the Lunar New Year. I have been told that this is the correct way of addressing this festival, as it will be bias calling it the Chinese New Year, as the people in Korea or for the matter Vietnam are also celebrants.

In the 12 year cycle of the Chinese calendar, 2009 signifies the Year of the OX. Is this an OX year of uncertainty and OX-terity? As I have been closely monitoring the dailies, it has been reported that this OXy-moron year is going to be tough, with half the world already in recession and the other half seriously affected by the fallout. The news of the macro environmental front remains mostly negative and continues to affect the real economy with people cautious about prospects ahead.

The OX’s main characters are fortitude and hard work as well as courage, resilience, determination and endurance. Coming to think of it, my daughter Charmaine possesses every part of this as she was born 12 years ago. Oxen often work in pairs or even larger groups for heavier work. This is because there is a need to support each other as a team in these tough times.

This morning alone, I have received numerous text message greetings wishing me well, wishing that I will prosper, wishing that I will have a fortune enveloping me from the heavens, wishing that I will not need to go visit the doctors and that I will have such a peaceful life this coming year. If wishes only came true, then there is no need for me to go slog like a herd of oxen in the fields under the scorching sun. I still believe in the maxim that GOD helps those who help themselves.

The Chinese are one bunch of superstitious folks. It is believed that if I place tonnes of pineapples in the house during this lunar year, heaps of wealth and fortune will be heralded into my habitat because in the Hokkien dialect, pineapples are called 'Ong Lai' which is directly translated as 'Luck Coming'. If that is not enough, I would need to buy crates of Mandarin oranges and sprawl them around because in the Cantonese dialect, it is called 'Kum' which means 'Gold' that represents riches.

Festive food and goodies are served all around, each with a deeper meaning than to tantalise the taste buds and fill the tummy. As I am blogging this, the gentler folks are busy preparing the annual family tradition of a reunion dinner for tonight. My only sibling and his family, my mum and a few relatives will be hogging my enclave for the only reason of me being the elder son. As today is a Sunday, we are blessed of preserving the tradition of doing it at home this year. With the busy rat race of the eve on weekdays the past years, we have been patronising restaurants thus commercialising the festival.

On the gastronomic spread tonight, there will be the traditional must have dishes with names suggesting happiness and prosperity. We must also feature things that are auspicious, good colours and anything that numerically equals '8'. And we must also not forget the premium ingredients like the ugly looking Black Moss or otherwise known as 'fatt choy' which means prospering. There will also be Tiger Prawns served even though my sister in-law is allergic to seafood. Prawns in the Cantonese dialect are 'har'. Descriptively pronounced, it will sound 'har har har har' as laughter and this will ensure happiness throughout this year. All this aside, I have always enjoyed the white steamed chicken with the chilli sauce only the original Hainanese can prepare. I am half a Hainanese thus giving me the privilege of only savouring the delicacy minus the preparation - 'har har har har'. On the palate will also find the famous festival dish, 'Yee Sang'. So famous that you won't even find this dish in the land of my forefathers. I later found out that this dish actually originated from Malaysia. Translated, it simply means a 'will that remains alive'. This dish has several options to choose from; salmon, jelly fish, lobster or even abalone. A mix of radishes, nuts, and sesame seeds with oil and plum sauce is mixed together in a large plate. It is believed that the higher the toss of the 'Yee Sang' around the table will eventually bring many blessings to the people tossing it.

I remember my childhood when I was a kid looking forward to the Lunar New Year. It only meant one thing - 'Ang Pows'. In all that we did; calling the elders, offering tea, visiting relatives - I just wanted my ‘Ang Pows’. Over the years the amount dwindled and eventually evaporated when I got married. Now, it is my turn to give away these money packets. To my children, my mum, other people's children and God forbid to an aunt who is senior to me and unmarried.

Now that I am entering my mid-life years, I have of course realised that this Lunar New Year is not just about money, prosperity and good wishes. I will not be gullible to believe that if I eat fish and prawns I will be laughing myself to the bank. I will not be bound by tradition that the more 'Ang Pows' I give the more my savings balance will be. However, I will believe that this festival will be a reason about spending quality time with the family, loved ones and trusted friends.

I am constantly reminded that life is unpredictable, short and precious. And while sacrifices are to be made, it must never be at the expense of health or for the coming generation.

To family and friends, near or far; here is wishing you a year where the OX will bull its' way through fast enough to get us all out of these doldrums. And also wishes of peace and health to you and your family as prosperity finds her way to you.

"GONG XI FA CAI!"

Living High or Living On The High?

Dear Friends,

I came across this article written by Lee Wei Ling, daughter of Singapore's Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew. Is life really more than just material possessions?

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In 2007, in an end-of-year message to the staff of the National Neuroscience Institute, I wrote: 'Whilst boom time in the public sector is never as booming as in the private sector, let us not forget that boom time is eventually followed by slump time. Slump time in the public sector is always less painful compared to the private sector.'Slump time has arrived with a bang.

While I worry about the poorer Singaporeans who will be hit hard, perhaps this recession has come at an opportune time for many of us. It will give us an incentive to reconsider our priorities in life.Decades of the good life have made us soft. The wealthy especially, but also the middle class in Singapore, have had it so good for so long, what they once considered luxuries, they now think of as necessities.A mobile phone, for instance, is now a statement about who you are, not just a piece of equipment for communication. Hence many people buy the latest model though their existing mobile phones are still in perfect working order. A Mercedes-Benz is no longer adequate as a status symbol. For millionaires who wish to show the world they have taste, a Ferrari or a Porsche is deemed more appropriate. The same attitude influences the choice of attire and accessories. I still find it hard to believe that there are people carrying handbags that cost more than thrice the monthly income of a bus driver, and many more times that of the foreign worker labouring in the hot sun, risking his life to construct luxury condominiums he will never have a chance to live in.

The media encourages and amplifies this ostentatious consumption. Perhaps it is good to encourage people to spend more because this will prevent the recession from getting worse. I am not an economist, but wasn't that the root cause of the current crisis - Americans spending more than they could afford to?I am not a particularly spiritual person. I don't believe in the supernatural and I don't think I have a soul that will survive my death. But as I view the crass materialism around me, I am reminded of what my mother once told me: 'Suffering and deprivation is good for the soul.'My family is not poor, but we have been brought up to be frugal. My parents and I live in the same house that my paternal grandparents and their children moved into after World War II in 1945. It is a big house by today's standards, but it is simple - in fact, almost to the point of being shabby. Those who see it for the first time are astonished that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's home is so humble. But it is a comfortable house, a home we have got used to. Though it does look shabby compared to the new mansions on our street, we are not bothered by the comparison.

Most of the world and much of Singapore will lament the economic downturn. We have been told to tighten our belts. There will undoubtedly be suffering, which we must try our best to ameliorate. But I personally think the hard times will hold a timely lesson for many Singaporeans, especially those born after 1970 who have never lived through difficult times.No matter how poor you are in Singapore, the authorities and social groups do try to ensure you have shelter and food. Nobody starves in Singapore. Many of those who are currently living in mansions and enjoying a luxurious lifestyle will probably still be able to do so, even if they might have to downgrade from wines costing $20,000 a bottle to $10,000 a bottle. They would hardly notice the difference. Being wealthy is not a sin. It cannot be in a capitalist market economy. Enjoying the fruits of one's own labour is one's prerogative and I have no right to chastise those who choose to live luxuriously. But if one is blinded by materialism, there would be no end to wanting and hankering. After the Ferrari, what next? An Aston Martin? After the Hermes Birkin handbag, what can one upgrade to? Neither an Aston Martin nor an Hermes Birkin can make us truly happy or contented. They are like dust, a fog obscuring the true meaning of life, and can be blown away in the twinkling of an eye.When the end approaches and we look back on our lives, will we regret the latest mobile phone or luxury car that we did not acquire? Or would we prefer to die at peace with ourselves, knowing that we have lived lives filled with love, friendship and goodwill, that we have helped some of our fellow voyagers along the way and that we have tried our best to leave this world a slightly better place than how we found it? We know which is the correct choice - and it is within our power to make that choice. In this new year, burdened as it is with the problems of the year that has just ended, let us again try to choose wisely. To a considerable degree, our happiness is within our own control, and we should not follow the herd blindly.