Life 01 (May 08 - Oct 08)

[winston]

Who's Your City? by Alexander Green

We all make at least three important decisions in our lives: what to do, where to do it, and with whom.

We devote a lot of time to choosing our livelihood and nurturing our careers. We try, too, to choose the right life partner - someone to offer us unconditional love and support.

But the third factor also has a powerful impact on our financial prospects, life experiences and general level of happiness: where we live. Polls show that where we live is more important to our happiness than education or even how much we earn.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American moves once every seven years. More than 40 million people relocate each year. 15 million of them move more than 50 miles.

Some move for job opportunities, others to get closer to family. Still others are upsizing or downsizing, leaving the frostbelt for the sunbelt, or simply getting out of the rat race while they can still run.

Where we live is the precursor to almost everything we do. As Richard Florida writes in his new book "Who's Your City?":

"The place we choose to live affects every aspect of our being. It can determine the income we earn, the people we meet, the friends we make, the partners we choose, and the options available to our children and families. People are not equally happy everywhere, and some places do a better job of providing a high quality of life than others.

Some places offer us more vibrant labor markets, better career prospects, higher real estate appreciation, and stronger investment and earning opportunities. Some places offer more promising mating markets. Others are better environments for raising children."

Location can also provide a hedge against some of life's unpleasant surprises. Jobs often end. Relationships can, too.

As Florida writes, "It's exponentially easier to get back on your feet when your location has a vibrant economy with lots of jobs to choose from, or a lot of eligible single people in your age range to date."

Of course, millions remain rooted right where they were born. The climate may be too cold, the economic opportunities limited, or the singles market non-existent. Yet they stay. Why? Some lack the economic resources. Others are frightened by change or uncertainty.

But many - perhaps most - stay put for the best of reasons. They love their hometown. Their biggest priority is spending their lives with lifelong friends and family. Often they have chosen community over economic opportunity - or other potential advantages - and found it a worthwhile trade-off.

The rise of technology and economic prosperity, however, are giving more of us the freedom to relocate.

As a writer, for example, my office is wherever I plop down with my laptop. (A big change from all those years on Wall Street when I was chained to my telephone and quote machine.) I am free to live virtually anywhere. But "anywhere" can be a bit daunting.

Do you choose a stunning natural environment or the excitement of city life? Do you go with a warm year-round climate or a lovely change of seasons? Do you enjoy all the amenities of the big city or the easy familiarity and laidback lifestyle of a small- or mid-sized town?

My answer is "All of the Above." I'd be happy just to rotate.

Unfortunately, that suggestion provoked a minor insurrection from my wife and daughter, both decided nesters. Plus, the kids are in school nine months a year. (Guess I'm not Jonathan Livingston Seagull after all.) Our compromise is to stay in Florida most of the year and head north for a couple months in the summer.

Today there are plenty of places around the country that offer good schools, affordable housing, high quality health care and economic opportunity. But with the freedom to go anywhere, some are searching for even more.

They are looking for a place that makes them feel energized. A place that offers great aesthetics, as well as cultural and recreational opportunities. A place that provides a sense of pride and attachment.

Most of us, in fact, have already found it. Gallup reports that 67% of Americans are happy with where they live, rating their community satisfaction a 4 or 5 on a five-point scale.

But that still leaves nearly a third who are either ambivalent or dissatisfied with where they live. If you're part of this group, you may know exactly where you'd rather be. But if you're not sure, you might benefit from Florida's book.

He offers a smorgasbord of factors to consider when choosing a new location. He also suggests the best cities for singles, for recent college graduates, for young couples, mid-career professionals, families with children, empty-nesters, and retirees. Some of his choices are surprising. All of them are well researched, taking in everything from educational, cultural and recreational opportunities to the local job market, taxes and the cost of living.

If you want more personalized advice, visit Bert Sperling's free Web site. It allows you to customize your search based on the job market, climate, health care, education, recreation, arts and culture, and other criteria. His goal? To help you "Find Your Best Place."

Of course, you may wonder what the people will be like when you get there. Here's a hint:

Author Wayne Dyer once said he was walking along the beach in his hometown and bumped into a couple who had just moved there.

"What are the people like here?" the woman asked. "We're curious."

"What were they like where you came from?" asked Dyer.

The woman frowned. "Not nice, really," she said. "Most of them were pretty cold and unfriendly. No one ever really reached out."

Dyer nodded his head. "I think you'll find they're that way here, too."

A few months later, he ran into another couple who had just moved to town. They too inquired what the local townspeople were like.

"What were they like where you came from?" asked Dyer.

"Oh, they were great," the woman gushed. "Everybody was so sweet and friendly. They were like family."

Dyer nodded his head, again. "I think you'll find they're that way here, too."

[winston]

I dont like to discuss religion. However, I decided to post this article as it made me reflect on certain things besides religion...

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The Great Disconnect by Alexander Green

Surveys show that out of every ten Americans, nine believe in God, eight say that God is important to them personally, and more than seven report praying daily.

The United States is among the most religious nations on earth. But there is a disconnect here. Consider a few sobering facts gleaned from Stephen Prothero's new book "Religious Literacy":

* Only half of Americans can name even one of the four gospels.

* The majority cannot name the first book of the Bible.

* Only one third know that it was Jesus who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.

* Most Americans don't know that Easter commemorates the resurrection.

* A majority wrongly believes that Jesus was born in Jerusalem.

* Most Americans do not know that the Trinity comprises the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

* The most widely quoted Bible verse in the United States - "The Lord helps those who helps themselves" - is not in the Bible.

* Ten percent of Americans believe Joan of Arc was Noah's wife.

Personally, I'm embarrassed for my fellow countrymen. Evangelical David E. Wells says the Good Book is fast becoming "The Greatest Story Never Read." Historian R. Laurence Moore has a harsher assessment. He says Americans "are stupefyingly dumb about what they are supposed to believe."

Without some understanding of religion, for example, how can we possibly comprehend American history? The pilgrims risked their lives to come here and worship as they pleased. The American Revolution was launched with a declaration that men "are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights." It was the doctrine of Manifest Destiny that propelled Americans westward. Even the Civil War was enveloped in religious controversy. Most southerners believed they were on the winning side of a theological argument. ("Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ." Ephesians 6:5)

Without an understanding of religion, how can we grasp current events? Look at recent conflicts in Northern Ireland, the Middle East, or India and Pakistan. Each has religious underpinnings. When Osama bin Laden says his strategy is to engage "the crusader-Zionist alliance" in a clash of civilizations, most Americans don't even understand the reference.

How can we be ignorant of religion and consider ourselves informed voters? Faith looms large in controversies over government funding of stem-cell research, abortion rights, creationism, and gay marriage.

At least minimal religious literacy is necessary to appreciate great music, literature, and art. What are we to make of the paintings of El Greco or Bach's Mass in B Minor if we have no understanding of the religious beliefs of the era or the spiritual impulses of the artists?

How can we understand international culture without knowing something about the world's five major religions? Forget about understanding Buddhism's Four Noble Truths or the Five Pillars of Islam. Polls show the majority of Americans can't even name these two religions.

Prothero, the chair of the religion department at Boston University, observes that, "Americans are both deeply religious and profoundly ignorant about religion... Here faith is almost entirely devoid of content. One of the most religious countries on earth is also a nation of religious illiterates."

What is the solution? Education. We can educate our children in our homes. We can teach them in our places of worship. But we should also teach something about religion in public schools.

Some will argue this is unconstitutional. Not so.

As Prothero notes, the Supreme Court "has repeatedly and explicitly given a constitutional seal of approval to teaching about religion... [provided the crucial distinction is made] between theology and religious studies - between what Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg called 'the teaching of religion' (which is unconstitutional) and 'the teaching about religion' (which is not)."

Most of us are sensible about this. After all, it is unlikely your fourth-grade teacher told you, "The pilgrims came to America to escape persecution. I can't tell you what kind."

Unfortunately, teaching much more than this about religion will not happen in most school districts. Teachers, principals, school boards and textbook publishers simply don't want to wade into the firestorm.

Ironically, militant atheists - who don't want their children exposed to any religion - and fundamentalists - who don't want their children exposed to the wrong religion - have joined hands on this one.

However, nothing can stop us, or should stop us, from educating ourselves. A good place to start is Prothero's book - which contains a dictionary of religious literacy - and, of course, the holy texts themselves.

As Marie Curie said, "Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood."

[millionairemind]

Can Your Mum and Dad Come Out to Play?
By Julia Barnard

It seems sad to me that adults tend to stop playing, instead adopting a serious approach to life. Yes life can be very stressful, but playing can be a great way to reduce stress, have fun and experience joy. It can also provide you with a flow experience, which is where you are so absorbed in an activity that everything else is forgotten. This is a great way to increase happiness in your life.

Martin Seligman, one of the founders of Positive Psychology regards playfulness as a key personal strength. Also, play can provide us with opportunities to develop curiosity, persistence and creativity, all of which are important strengths. It can also give hope as it allows us to acknowledge that life is not all bad, all the time.

Children play as part of their emotional and cognitive development. As adults, it can be an opportunity to fine tune the skills we developed as children. Just because we are adults does not mean we are done learning and experiencing. In Manchester in the UK a playground has recently opened designed for people over 70. It provides opportunities for exercise as well as allowing people to socialise, have fun and of course play.

The very idea of playing may lead you to feelings of guilt where you believe there are more important things to be done. Or you believe that you simply cannot play, as though there is some law that says play is just for children, or people will judge you. Remember it's about getting a good balance in life. Everyone needs time off, even you. Also, if you are enjoying yourself, who cares what the miserables think?

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Recall the things you used to do as a child which you really enjoyed. Then do them again.

Play with your children or your pets, if you have them. Of course you don't need children to have an excuse to play. Just do it. Wander around a toyshop and buy what takes your fancy. At least as an adult you don't have to ask permission!

Do something for the sheer fun of it.

Try not to worry about who wins and loses, try to enjoy the experience instead. For some this may be easier said than done, but remember it's about having fun and reducing stress, not increasing it.

Copyright Julia Barnard 2008

[winston]

Guideposts on the Footpath to Peace
by Alexander Green

The Seminole nation was forged in the 1700s, when Native Americans from Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi joined up with the Creek Nation and African Americans who had escaped from slavery.

Unwilling to give up their land or way of life, the Seminole tribe fought a series of wars against the federal government in which more than 1,500 U.S. soldiers died. Eventually, the Seminoles won.

They still refer to themselves as America's "only unconquered Indian tribe," overcoming inhospitable wetlands, poverty, racism and the military might of the U.S. government to gain independence and sovereignty.

Yes, Florida's Seminole Indian tribe has a proud history. But the present is another story.

Due to the success of its casino operations, the Seminoles have grown exceedingly wealthy, spending $965 million last year to purchase the Hard Rock International chain.

Each of the tribe's more than 3,300 members now gets free health care and college tuition - and everyone from infants to seniors receives monthly dividend checks that total more than $120,000 a year.

At first blush, it sounds like an incredible stroke of good fortune. But according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Seminole officials are concerned about "the alarming high-school dropout rate, drug and alcohol abuse, free-spending ways that can lead to unmanageable personal debt, and an erosion of the work ethic."

Former Tribal Chairman Howard Tommie says most families now have five or six cars, alongside airboats, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and vacation homes. Yet the tribe is also dealing with an upsurge of young people killed in accidents and by drug overdoses. Many remain unemployed.

"The challenge for me and 90 percent of the tribe is motivation," says Louise Gopher, the Seminoles' education director. "Young people say, 'with so much money, why do I have to go to work, go to school.' It's like we've developed this monster. Now we have to deal with it."

Call it the downside of the dream. Millions of Americans long for sudden wealth. Many hope and pray for it.

But it wouldn't hurt to read John Steinbeck's novel "The Pearl" first.

An unexpected monetary windfall can alter your life in ways you might not imagine. Some people change their priorities or make bad decisions. Others lose sight of their long-held values. Still others discover they have attracted the wrong sort of people, whom they mistakenly call friends.

Last year I played poker one evening with a money manager who handles the account of some lucky fellow who won the Florida State Lotto.

"He only won the jackpot eight years ago," he told us. "But most of it is already gone. The rest won't take long at the rate he's going through it. And his life is a mess," he said shaking his head. "You wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy."

The problem isn't just sudden, unexpected wealth, like an inheritance or lottery win, coming to folks who aren't prepared for it. People who follow excellent, long-term habits of industry can also lose sight of what's important.

As B.C. Forbes wrote in his magazine in 1917, "Too many so-called 'successful' men are making business an end and aim in itself. They regard the multiplying of their millions and the extension of their works as the be-all and end-all of life. Such men are sometimes happy in a feverish, hustling sort of way, much as a fly placed in a tube of oxygen is furiously happy until its life burns out. But they have no time for the tranquil, finer, deeper joys of living. They are so obsessed with the material that they cannot enjoy the immaterial, the tangible, the ideal, the spiritual - quiet thought, self-communion, reflection, poise, inward happiness, domestic felicity. What profiteth it a man to gain uncounted riches if he thereby sacrifices his better self, his nobler qualities of manhood? Mere getting is not living."

I'm not a moon-eyed idealist who believes that money doesn't matter. It does.

It can determine the kind of neighborhood you live in, the type of education your kids receive, the quality of your health care, and your ability to make important choices in your life. In many ways, the quest for financial independence is a noble undertaking.

But an individual who is driven by his lust for "more" is hardly different than the donkey who is propelled onward by a carrot dangling at the end of a stick.

The secret is balance. Pursue your financial ambitions. But take time, too, to appreciate your health, your family, your friends and the extraordinary world around you.

As clergyman Henry van Dyke wrote nearly 100 years ago,

1) To be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars;
2) to be satisfied with your possessions, but not contented with yourself until you have made the best of them;
3) to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness,
4) to fear nothing except cowardice;
5) to be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts;
6) to covet nothing that is your neighbor's except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners;
6) to think seldom of your enemies and often of your friends... these are little guideposts on the footpath to peace ."

[StephanieP]

I really like the four personalities mentioned at the beginning because I think that's something we all could experience so far.

[winston]

Want a New Career? Take an Encore
07/02/08 - 09:55 AM EDT; Lauren Tara LaCapra

Bob Williams spent two decades climbing the ladder at Square D, an electrical equipment company based in Illinois, before he retired as vice president at the age of 41.

But the young engineer-turned-executive wasn't done working. He picked up his bundles of cash and bought a shop in Matthews, N.C., that sells baseball cards, comic books and sports memorabilia.

"It's the old work-hard, play-hard idea," he says.

While his position at Square D was fulfilling in its own right, Williams found himself constantly on the road with no quality time to spend with his family. He started collecting cards with his children -- a son, now 23, and a daughter, now 25 -- as a hobby, and parlayed that hobby into a new career when he left Square D in 1996.

"I had the greatest job in the world and was grossly overpaid," he says. "But there was a lot of stress associated with the high-profile job. With as much travel as I was doing, I just wanted to spend time with my family."

Williams is not alone. A recent study by MetLifeMET and Civic Ventures, a group dedicated to Baby Boomer issues, found that at least 5.3 million Americans have already launched such "encore careers," which combine income and self-fulfillment. Of workers ages 44 to 70 who are not already in encore careers, half are interested in pursuing one. Most encore jobs fall into the education, health care or nonprofit sectors.

While a large majority of those pursuing encore careers reported feeling satisfied and seeing the positive results of their work, there are some concerns to take into account when considering such a drastic change. Changing one's mindset from corporate profits to altruism is not without its kinks.

While a CEO and a soup-kitchen administrator both have a great deal of responsibility and oversee a large staff, there are stark differences in skill-set, mindset, wages and status. The second-phase career often requires additional training and comes with more hands-on work.

"In one of the three business units I ran, I had engineers and designers and sales people and marketing people and production people and manufacturing people," says Williams. "Here, I'm my own janitor, my own salesperson, my own attorney."

New Tricks

While Williams insists he was happy to tackle the new hurdles, 41% of those in encore careers say that learning new technologies and skills or returning to school for certification presented a challenge. About one-third said they are struggling with the loss of seniority or status.

"When you're in the game you think, 'Wouldn't it be fabulous to be on the sidelines for a little while?'" says John Gomperts, president of Civic Ventures. "And when you're on the sidelines for a little while, you start thinking, 'Gosh, I'd like to be back in the game.' The grass is always greener."

Gomperts suggests looking at the new technologies and skills as an opportunity rather than a negative barrier. Taking a hiatus between the hustle of the corporate world and the new challenges of the encore career can also be helpful.

"Leaving the hurly-burly of a big national company on Friday and then arriving on Monday at a nonprofit would make somebody's head spin -- no matter what age or stage of life they're in," Gomperts says.

Second Life

Stephen K. Orr, a onetime investment banker at Goldman SachsGS, handled that challenge in a unique way. Orr left that role at Goldman in 1991 to help with a youth mentoring program the firm was setting up. The transition was somewhat of a culture shock, and Orr spent a lot of time visiting charities and nonprofits in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles to become more familiar with how they operate.

"I got tired of just doing deals and making money through transactional events on Wall Street," says Orr, who is now 55. "I loved it, but it ends up losing a lot of its meaning. What I'm doing now is incredibly meaningful."

Orr discovered that his talents didn't lie in reading books with children or playing pickup games in the schoolyard. But, he was able to build a successful nonprofit structure, raise funds and recruit executives to join a group's board.

In light of that, Orr transitioned from the Goldman youth group to start a nonprofit called Youth, I.N.C., which researches small youth charities in New York -- a task Orr refers to as "due diligence." The group chooses a handful of nonprofits, then helps them raise funds, recruit board members and run their operations more efficiently. It also teaches Wall Street executives how to get involved in charities and how those boards of directors differ from corporate boards.

"It's a capacity-building organization that uses the skills I acquired on Wall Street," says Orr.

Perhaps the best advice for Boomers interested in encore careers is to choose an issue that is interesting, challenging and evokes passion -- then stick with it. Be committed to the cause and accommodating to the new circumstances.

"You decide malaria in sub-Saharan Africa is your cause," Gomperts says. "Well, if you're really committed, then the cause is more important than the circumstances of the organization in which you work. That accommodating quality and the commitment are likely to be very, very, very powerful in making it a good transition and a good experience."

[millionairemind]

Unfortunately, this is a placing where it would be good for Singapore to be No. 1 but we are ranked 31 (if I remember the newspaper article correctly)

Denmark world's happiest country, survey finds

WASHINGTON - Denmark, with its democracy, social equality and peaceful atmosphere, is the happiest country in the world, researchers said on Monday.

Zimbabwe, torn by political and social strife, is the least happy, while the world's richest nation, the United States, ranks 16th.

Overall, the world is getting happier, according to the U.S. government-funded World Values Survey, done regularly by a global network of social scientists.

It found increased happiness from 1981 to 2007 in 45 of 52 countries analyzed.

"I strongly suspect that there is a strong correlation between peace and happiness," said Ronald Inglehart, a political scientist at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, who directed the study.

And, said Ingelhart, there is a strong correlation between happiness and democracy.

"Denmark is the happiest country in the world in our ratings," Inglehart said in an audio statement released by the National Science Foundation, which paid for the analysis.

"Denmark is prosperous -- not the richest country in the world but it is prosperous."

Puerto Rico and Colombia also rank highly, along with Northern Ireland, Iceland, Switzerland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada and Sweden.

"Though by no means the happiest country in the world, from a global perspective the United States looks pretty good," Inglehart said. "The country is not only prosperous; it ranks relatively high in gender equality, tolerance of ethnic and social diversity and has high levels of political freedom."

The survey, first done in 1981, has kept to two simple questions:

"Taking all things together, would you say you are very happy, rather happy, not very happy, not at all happy?" And, "All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?"

Writing in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, Ingelhart's team said they have surveyed 350,000 people.

"Ultimately, the most important determinant of happiness is the extent to which people have free choice in how to live their lives," Inglehart said.

[winston]

Life is like a flight of steps.

You have your foot on the first step when you are born; each day is a step that must be climbed; so, be steady, watchful and earnest.

Do not count the steps ahead or exult over the steps behind. One step at a time and that well climbed, is enough success to be satisfied with and to give you encouragement for the next one.

Do not slide from the step you have got up on. Every step is a victory to be cherished; every day wasted is a defeat to be ashamed of. Slow and steady - let that be your maxim!

Adhere to a regular routine. Maintain discipline of time.

- Divine Discourse, March 17, 1961.

[winston]

Have I missed any exciting sector in Singapore ?

yes, yourself.

haa ... to enjoy e grand seat in e F1 show?

Ha Ha... cars does not really excite me. If I may say, I think that it is very stupid for these guys to drive at such high speed endangering their lives and others. Anyway, it is the money that make people to do such things. Maybe the adrenaline? Or is it the thrill of being in the Present ?

Just like hitting a small white ball into 18 holes for 5 hours. Or trying to shave 2 seconds in a 100m dash. Or bashing each other in a boxing match. Or trying to put a ball into a basket or goal posts or over a net..

Or watching a computer screen for 10 hours a day ?

Ha Ha.. I've offended alot of people today. Not that I want to offend anybody on a nice Sunday morning..

[kennynah]

w : i like straight talking people...ok....only from certain people...hahaha...

i cannot appreciate F1 racing as well... imagine one stands at the spectator podium, see the vehicles race by within seconds...then....wait several mins...then....vvvrrrrooooommmm.......the cars zoom by....followed by again several mins of staring at each other... haha...

however, i enjoy watching the game of snooker...now cable is showing premierleague snooker...i think those brits have just started this tournament format, like football premierleague, so we can enjoy watching these games every week... u get jimmy white, robbie o'sullivan, steve henry, etc...participating in them