Tourism...

Boosting tourism is high on the agenda these days, it is viewed as a means of getting more foreign currency, providing employment to a larger number of people across many disciplines and as a ladder towards making Sri Lanka a more prosperous and ultimately a developed country. Such rationale is definitely not flawed and there are many countries that have done it successfully.

Sri Lanka being a tropical country enjoys a good climate all year around without being subjected to 'cold and harsh winters' or 'hot and terrible summers'. Due to the geography 'upcountry' offers a seductively attractive cooler climate which many would not associate with a country so near the equator. Being an island nation the sea is all around us, offering beautiful beaches where mesmerizing waves that capture the hearts of surfers break off. Sri Lanka has very high bio diversity and is ranked amongst the top in that regard. Forests like 'Sinharaja' have been declared as world heritage sites and along with sanctuaries like ‘Yala’, ’Kumana’ exhibit the rich flora and fauna of Sri Lanka. Waterfalls like 'Diyaluma' are a sight beyond what any words could effectively describe. Surely such natural wonders makes Sri Lanka an ideal destination for tourists. Sri Lankans also have a rich culture. We are a nation which has a written history dating back almost 2500 years and archeologists have found evidence of human civilizations dating back 15000 years. Illustrious kings of the past have left their legacy in the form of giant reservoirs like 'Prakrama Samudraya' or giant stupas reaching out to the heavenly sky like 'Ruwanweli Maha Seya' which challenge even the modern engineers. Ancient cities like ‘Anuradhapura’ and ‘Pollonnaruwa’ still carry the ruins of those glorious days. 'Sigiriya' is considered the 8th wonder of the ancient world and immortalizes the engineering excellence of our forefathers. The ‘New Year festival’, ‘Kandy Dalada Perahera’ are few cultural events out of many that are still performed today highlighting the unique culture of Sri Lanka. Buddhism and indigenous medicine further reinforces the uniqueness and authenticity of our culture. Such a rich history and a vibrant culture is a magnet for tourists.

Sri Lanka can stand shoulder to shoulder with any country in terms of its natural marvels. It can hold its head high with any country with regards to the rich culture and history. Sri Lankans are known the world over for their hospitality. Thus tourism is definitely something we should invest in and expand. Nevertheless, 'Doing the right thing' and 'Doing the thing right’ might sound similar but we should contemplate that they can be totally different. Boosting tourism is definitely the right thing to do. However are we doing it the right way?

Politicians seem to be hell bent on building casinos and what not to entertain the tourists. They seem to be obsessed with Bangkok or Las Vegas. It's such a pity that for a country which is so unique in its culture, history and natural marvels we are shamelessly trying to emulate places like Bangkok. Anyone with a limited knowledge in marketing knows the value of differentiation. Sri Lanka should try to differentiate itself and market it's unique natural marvels, historical sites, rich culture and build a unique brand for itself in tourism. Egypt is visited by many a tourist due to its history and ancient civilizations. People visit African countries to get a glimpse of the wild life. Tourists visit Bahamas to experience the sandy beaches. Many visit Japan or other Asian countries to experience a different way of living, a different set of beliefs, and a different take on spirituality. Sri Lanka has the potential and the natural resources to fulfill the needs of any tourist visiting any of those countries. We have the capability to attract tourists visiting those countries into Sri Lanka. Thus Sri Lanka can be a one stop destination to experience a wide range of tourist activities from adrenalin pumping surfing to mind soothing meditation. But our politicians seem to be more focused in setting up casinos and following the footsteps of Bangkok. Bangkok or for that matter LasVegas’s resume in terms of natural marvels, wild life, ancient civilizations or unique culture is not that great. That was the primary reason why they invested in casinos and what not to attract tourists. But we are blind to this fact and are trying to promote tourism by way of investing in casinos. This is utter nonsense.

In manufacturing, a product is made and then sold. The consumer might be on the other side of the world. But tourism is different. In tourism you are inviting people of various races, religions, beliefs in to your country. Who will accept the invitation will depend on what is being marketed. If one markets the wrong things then one would be attracting the wrong kind of people in to your country. This would inevitably have disastrous repercussions. It is said prevention is better than cure. Thus rather than allowing bad things to enter the country and then attempting to build a complex framework to keep those things under control, it is far better not to allow such things to enter in the first place. Therefore it is of utmost importance that in promoting tourism we promote the right things to the world, only then would we be able to attract the right things in to our country. Some might argue that we should break away from the so called 'island mindset' and be open to the new world demands and not be frogs trapped inside a well. It is true that one must think out of the box and be novel in doing something but that is different from breaking the core values or the identity of the nation.

We should delve into the possibility of making Sri Lanka a first choice destination for foreigners who seek medical services. Singapore is a prime example where millions of people visit it annually just to obtain medical services. We have talented doctors, surgeons and a good health system both private and public. A decade ago, to undergo heart surgery Sri Lankans had to visit India since such critical operations could not be performed locally. But today local doctors are performing such and more complex surgeries every day in our own hospitals. Thus thought should be given to how we can market our medical system so we can attract foreigners from at least other South Asian countries into Sri Lanka. One could combine the local air lines, hotels and local hospitals to offer foreign patients exclusive packages where from the moment they set foot on our soil we take care of them until they leave as fully recovered individuals.

Today a lot of westerners are interested on alternative medicines and exploring the spirituality of life. Buddhism is forever enshrined in our culture. Also we have an indigenous medical system dating back thousands of years. The world should be made aware of these and more importantly means and methods should be put in place so that they are easily accessible to the outside world. For example if a foreign individual is interested in visiting Sri Lanka to learn Buddhism or to learn indigenous ways of doing medicine, is there a easy way to do it right now ? The answer is 'No'. This is where the politicians or the relevant officials can play a vital role. They could act as mediators between the local temples, air lines etc so that interested foreigners could easily visit Sri Lanka and get in touch with a local temple and seek what they want to know. Not only Buddhism but our local universities could also offer courses, postgraduate degree programs to foreign individuals.

Making use of our medical system or Buddhism to attract tourists are just an example to show that apart from the traditional tourist attractions we do have a lot of other stuff which we could market in order to boost tourism. Fields like Sports, Education, and Traditional art forms.... the list could go on and on. Rather than trying to put up casino's everywhere politicians and officials should look at these options and come up with a strategy to boost tourism. That strategy should capitalize on what makes Sri Lanka unique and there by market Sri Lanka as an unparallel destination for tourists.

So tourism... Yes but please don't make a second Bangkok out of mother Sri Lanka!!!

War on Terrorism - Dissecting President Obama's view

President Obama's recent speech at the National Defense University in Washington takes a retrospective look at the "War against Terrorism" launched more than a decade ago by USA against Al Qaeda.

Read the full speech here

It's a really interesting speech. Apart from exhibiting masterful oratory skills and being an inspiration to Americans, it has a special significance to all Sri Lankans as well. This is because the parallels drawn from it are applicable to the humanitarian operation conducted by the government of Sri Lanka against LTTE.

Why the war was started..........

Obama reflects back on the 9/11 attacks which was the catalyst saying

'.......And then, on September 11, 2001, we were shaken out of complacency. Thousands were taken from us, as clouds of fire and metal and ash descended upon a sun-filled morning. This was a different kind of war. No armies came to our shores, and our military was not the principal target. Instead, a group of terrorists came to kill as many civilians as they could. And so our nation went to war. We have now been at war for well over a decade........'

The situation was no different in Sri Lanka back in 2006. Whatever the higher level ideologies that fathered LTTE in to existence, by 2006 it had become a ruthless terrorist organization. Many national leaders including an Executive President had then been brutally assassinated by the tigers. This also included Tamil national leaders as well. All attempted peace talks had been unsuccessful. For the LTTE, peace talks just provided breathing space and allowed them to re-group just so that they could emerge more ruthlessly again. Furthermore, LTTE had conducted countless attacks against innocent civilians. BOC Bomb, Bomb in the Dehiwala train, Bomb blast of the worlds' sacred 'Dalada Maligawa', massacre of Buddhist monks in Aranthalawa, massacre of Muslim devotees in Kattankudy … the list can go on and on. By 2006 claymore bomb explosions in public transportation systems like busses and trains had become a weekly ritual of LTTE. The kebithigollewa bus bomb and the young father holding his murdered infant son and looking helplessly at President Mahinda Rajapakse will forever haunt patriotic Sri Lankan minds. Such events question the very foundation of democracy in a country. People were scared to travel in busses and often family members never travelled together in a single bus. Father and mother travelled to their working places in separate busses whilst the child went to school in a third. On top of this, the two decade long war meant somebody you knew was either killed or injured due to the ware. LTTE's thirst for blood shed had grown out of proportion. Being black listed as a ruthless terrorist organization by 30 or more countries stands as evidence for this. The closing down of the Mavilaru anklet was the decisive moment where the government was forced to answer terrorism in its own language simply because there was no other option. The entire nation had to be freed from this menace.

BOC Bomb

Dehiwala Bomb

Dalada Maligawa Bomb

Aranthalawa Massacre

Kattankudy Massacre

Kebithigollewa Massacre

President Obama reflects back on using drones to defuse terrorism saying

‘…….To do nothing in the face of terrorist networks would invite far more civilian casualties -- not just in our cities at home and our facilities abroad…..’

Nothing would more clearly justify the stance taken by the SL government back in 2006.

Civilian Casualties......

It's no secret that US had resorted to drone attacks and was taking criticism for the civilian casualties it had caused. Commenting on this President Obama states

'.....Now, this last point is critical, because much of the criticism about drone strikes -- both here at home and abroad -- understandably centers on reports of civilian casualties. There’s a wide gap between U.S. assessments of such casualties and nongovernmental reports. Nevertheless, it is a hard fact that U.S. strikes have resulted in civilian casualties, a risk that exists in every war. And for the families of those civilians, no words or legal construct can justify their loss.....'

and goes on to compare such casualties against the same in a conventional style warfare saying

'....Our efforts must be measured against the history of putting American troops in distant lands among hostile populations. In Vietnam, hundreds of thousands of civilians died in a war where the boundaries of battle were blurred. In Iraq and Afghanistan, despite the extraordinary courage and discipline of our troops, thousands of civilians have been killed. So neither conventional military action nor waiting for attacks to occur offers moral safe harbor, and neither does a sole reliance on law enforcement in territories that have no functioning police or security services -- and indeed, have no functioning law....'

"Civilian casualties, a risk that exists in every war..." claims the US president. The Sri Lankan government had no option but to launch a humanitarian operation against LTTE. There were some civilian casualties as acknowledged by the SL government. This was unavoidable as correctly pointed out by the US President and would have been the case in any other war, anywhere else. However the government had taken the utmost care on minimizing the civilian casualties. Such casualties are definitely much, much smaller than those in Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan caused by the US troops. It's also worth noting that out of the three year long war the international community has raised concerns over civilian casualties only during the very last stage of the war. International community and NGO's have been content with how the security forces have conducted themselves leading up to the last battle.

With regards to civilian casualties by US drone attacks, whilst acknowledging such casualties president Obama does highlight that there is a 'wide gap between U.S. assessment of such casualties and nongovernmental reports'. This implies that reports of nongovernmental organizations tend to be exaggerated and skewed to highlight their own viewpoints. This is no different in the case of Sri Lanka. NGO's have put the number of civilian deaths around 40,000 during the last battle. SL government has done its own independent investigation and puts the figure around 8000-10000, which is only 25% of the figure international community hangs on. The truth is, there was no census done in the northern region for more than three decades. One reason why the LTTE prevented people in the north from voting during presidential election was to hide the real number of people living in those areas being revealed. They wanted to hide this fact so desperately that during 2005 presidential elections they prevented people from voting for Ranil Wickramasinghe, election of whom as the president would have created tigers a far more lucrative environment. LTTE wanted to boost its image by pretending to have a large Tamil population backing them up in the north. However the real numbers were far less. NGO's hang on to the figures provided to them by the LTTE which was obviously wrong.

So on one-hand U.S president Obama acknowledges that civilian casualties during a war is inevitable and suggests that NGO's reports on US caused civilian casualties are much higher than the actual figure. But on the other hand U.S is bringing resolutions against Sri Lanka on civilian casualties to the UN Security Council, based on reports of the same NGO's. What justifies such actions are beyond reason or logic. It's perfectly fine for U.S to fight terrorism outside their own country but it's not OK for countries like Sri Lanka to fight terrorism inside their own country seems to be the message as far as anybody could see.

Last part of the war against LTTE has caused much controversy. With tales of LTTE leaders coming to surrender waving white flags being killed to civilians being massacred by security forces amounting to war crimes. But the reality was, LTTE had taken the remaining civilians as a human shield. It was hiding behind the civilians and attacking security forces. During this last stage the government had declared no fire zones, abandoned usage of heavy weapons and taken all possible steps to secure civilian lives. Although some countries strived to make arrangements so that LTTE leaders can walk out scot free out of the last battle field the truth remains that they got killed by the security forces during heated fire exchanges. Although this might be hard for some western countries to digest that is the truth… the whole truth… and nothing but the truth. LTTE leaders got killed in the battle field during confrontations against security forces. Period!!!

It is however interesting to compare why these western countries or NGO's doesn't take any action against US which kills people using drones as a precautionary measure as evident by the following statement made by President Obama.

'...........But when a U.S. citizen goes abroad to wage war against America and is actively plotting to kill U.S. citizens, and when neither the United States, nor our partners are in a position to capture him before he carries out a plot, his citizenship should no more serve as a shield than a sniper shooting down on an innocent crowd should be protected from a SWAT team.
That’s who Anwar Awlaki was -- he was continuously trying to kill people. He helped oversee the 2010 plot to detonate explosive devices on two U.S.-bound cargo planes. He was involved in planning to blow up an airliner in 2009. When Farouk Abdulmutallab -- the Christmas Day bomber -- went to Yemen in 2009, Awlaki hosted him, approved his suicide operation, helped him tape a martyrdom video to be shown after the attack, and his last instructions were to blow up the airplane when it was over American soil. I would have detained and prosecuted Awlaki if we captured him before he carried out a plot, but we couldn’t. And as President, I would have been derelict in my duty had I not authorized the strike that took him out......'

Addressing the root cause........

President Obama describes the extremist ideologies fueling terrorism the following way

'............Moreover, we have to recognize that these threats don’t arise in a vacuum. Most, though not all, of the terrorism we faced is fueled by a common ideology -- a belief by some extremists that Islam is in conflict with the United States and the West, and that violence against Western targets, including civilians, is justified in pursuit of a larger cause. Of course, this ideology is based on a lie, for the United States is not at war with Islam. And this ideology is rejected by the vast majority of Muslims, who are the most frequent victims of terrorist attacks.
Nevertheless, this ideology persists, and in an age when ideas and images can travel the globe in an instant, our response to terrorism can’t depend on military or law enforcement alone. We need all elements of national power to win a battle of wills, a battle of ideas. So what I want to discuss here today is the components of such a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy........'

The false ideology of 'United States is at war with Islam' is the crux of the issue as identified by President Obama. In Sri Lanka the issue is Sinhalese people being perceived as eternal enemies by the Tamil people. This is more prevalent in the northern areas. For decades Tamil people in these areas have not socialized with Sinhalese people. For generations they have been bought up on stories of Sinhalese people harassing Tamils, Sinhalese soldiers raping and murdering Tamil girls. These stories do have an element of truth, springing to life from the 1983 Black July incidents and other isolated incidents reported during 1990's. However it should be noted that most of the crimes done against Tamil people during 1983 Black July was undertaken by organized criminals (may be acting under the guidance of the then government) and not by the common man. In one sense, the three decade long war has made everyone more matured. People have come to show immense self-discipline and compassion. Incidents like bombing of the sacred 'Dalaga Maligawa' which is the most holist place for any Buddhist did not see a single Tamil person being harassed in any way. (Imagine Jerusalem being hit by a missile sent from Palestine...?) Tamil people in the north have to realize that they are no different to a Sinhalese living in Hambantota or for that matter a Tamil person living in the heart of Colombo. Tamil people live among others in Colombo without any issue. Tamils in Colombo have been living peaceful lives even before the war officially ended in 2009. However the Tamil people who spent their whole life in LTTE controlled areas are not aware of this. They have been brain washed by LTTE propaganda which depicts Sinhalese people as carnivorous devils. Although peace has come for Northern Sri Lanka, for it to take effect in people’s minds these kinds of false ideologies have to be dissolved. Such false ideas would get dissolve slowly with time. As these people interact more with others they will come to realize the truth.

President Obama touches on how extremist ideologies can be addressed.

'............So the next element of our strategy involves addressing the underlying grievances and conflicts that feed extremism -- from North Africa to South Asia.......And we must help countries modernize economies, upgrade education, and encourage entrepreneurship -- because American leadership has always been elevated by our ability to connect with people’s hopes, and not simply their fears.........'

To get rid of the extremists you need to create an environment where everybody is treated equally. Where everybody has access to basic necessities of life such as education, food, health care. The reason why Tamils, Muslims, Sinhalese live in harmony in other places of Sri Lanka is due to this reason. They are not discriminated based on race or religion when it comes to the basic necessities of life. Everybody is treated equally in Schools, Hospitals, or in any place for that matter. Northern Sri Lanka needs to experience this. It will take time. But it will ultimately happen. Government is trying to speed up the infrastructure development in this area. Once basic facilities like water, electricity, health care are in place and people's mind are free from false propaganda things will become clearer to them. They will release that they are no different people living elsewhere in Sri Lanka.

Although President Obama correctly identifies the core issues that cause extremist ideologies and what steps are required to address these, U.S has been trying to force the SL government to dissolute power to the Northern Province. They are too eager to see a political solution for a problem that will completely disappear in the future. While striving to protect the freedom of their own country U.S is trying to make a divided Sri Lanka.

War against terrorism is seen by President Obama as a way of upholding those values considered sacred by the Americans and protecting the freedom which was won hard fought.

'....So, America, we’ve faced down dangers far greater than al Qaeda. By staying true to the values of our founding, and by using our constitutional compass, we have overcome slavery and Civil War and fascism and communism. In just these last few years as President, I’ve watched the American people bounce back from painful recession, mass shootings, natural disasters like the recent tornados that devastated Oklahoma. These events were heartbreaking; they shook our communities to the core. But because of the resilience of the American people, these events could not come close to breaking us.........The quiet determination; that strength of character and bond of fellowship; that refutation of fear -- that is both our sword and our shield. And long after the current messengers of hate have faded from the world’s memory, alongside the brutal despots, and deranged madmen, and ruthless demagogues who litter history -- the flag of the United States will still wave from small-town cemeteries to national monuments, to distant outposts abroad. And that flag will still stand for freedom....'

Likewise, from King Dutugamunu to present day soldiers, Sri Lankans have toiled hard to preserve the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. We are a country of more than 2500 years of written history and the one thing that stands out through out that illustrious passage of time is, again and again we have fought for a united Sri Lanka under a single flag. Whatever the challenge and wherever the challenge came from Sri Lankans have always fought hard and long to protect what we believe is sacred to us. As a nation we will continue to do so in the future. We will strive to protect the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. U.S should also respect this since it’s upholding of such values that it’s also striving to achieve.

Sri Lankas Energy Policy?

A lot of heated arguments are taking place with the recent announcement of electricity tariff increases. One always thought Sri Lanka was primarily dependent on hydro power plants and hydro power generated electricity was supposed to be clean and relatively cheap form of energy. That’s why the topic of cutting electricity becomes the main source of discussion whenever monsoons are late or not that generous. However, quick googling on the subject reveals that this is no longer the case.

Electricity In Sri Lanka

As of now only 45% of total demand is provided via hydro power plants whilst 54% is accounted for by thermal power plants. Some will argue that 45% is still a significant amount. It is .. but what is surprising is the trend that has taken place during the last few years. Whilst the contribution of hydro power plants have gone down the contribution of thermal power plants have increased significantly. This is clear indication that Sri Lanka is looking at thermal energy, specifically electricity generated via coal as its primary source of electricity generation for the coming years. Is thermal energy, to be more precise coal power plants, well suited to Sri Lanka? Sri Lanka obviously doesn't have any coal mines of its own. This means we have to use foreign currency and buy coal from other countries. Which makes us susceptible to coal price changes in the world market? Coal price on the other hand are not going to decrease either. All the hedging deals of yester year come in to mind when one thinks about how to effectively handle coal price changes. So obviously depending on coal for electricity generation is not the way to go for Sri Lanka at least under my logic.

So why the hell have we gone in and increased our electricity generation on thermal power ???. This sounds like a clear misjudgment on the part of current energy policy. Looking at our natural resources we are blessed with monsoons which bring us rain. Thanks to our previous generations we have harnessed that to generate electricity by building hydro power plants. When rain is scarce we have sunshine. We are a country that is very close to the equator. We get sunshine all year around. But yet we are not using it to generate electricity. Why has this been overlooked?, or is it so that solar power plants are not suited to Sri Lanka. This is very hard to believe. Recently there have been instances where normal people have bought solar panels; generated power from those; and even contributed the excess to the national grid. Why is this being neglected by the government?. Some of the challenges highlighted in the above wikipedia link in terms of introducing solar/wind power plants in Sri Lanka are as follows

1. '....Poor accessibility to potential sites is the first obstacle faced during the development of a wind farm. Most key transport routes around the country are too narrow or is constructed with tight turns to support transportation of turbines larger than 600 KW...' 
2. '.....The country is also in a long battle against its poor power grid. The grid, apart from being unstable in most provinces, is only capable of handling a small increases in load at any given location, typically limited to a few megawatts. Provinces with poor grids, such as the power grids in the Northern, North Central and North Western provinces needs complete upgrade to support further commercial-scale developments....' 
3. '...... In October 2009, a number of cases were files over political interference connected with the approving of wind projects, leading to a complete halt in the wind power industry in Sri Lanka. The Ministry made allegations of wrongdoing in allocating energy licences, including the structuring of the wind power tariff. There were also allegations that energy licenses are being sold, similar to how car licenses have been sold....' 
4. '....In July 2010, engineers at the Ceylon Electricity Board raised further concerns regarding the approval of private wind projects with extra high tariffs, presumably some of the highest tariffs in the world. A review of the current wind power tariff is expected to be carried out on the 12 of September 2010...' 

3rd and 4th points highlighted in wikipedia are appalling. Bureaucracy has intervened to peg Sri Lanka back and more disgustingly to lead it a wrong direction. First and second points reveal that proper examination of the countries power grid as well as its overall energy policy has not been done. Under developed roads should not become a bottleneck for wind power plants. It's at best described as an obstacle that can be overcome.

So the million dollar question is what is Sri Lanka’s energy policy for the coming years? And more importantly how suited and sustainable will it be for a country like Sri Lanka?

Dooms Day !!!

A popular conversation topic in recent times has been whether the world is going to end...?

Humans have come to experience a barrage of natural and self-inflicted disasters. Frequent Tsunamis, Torrential rains, droughts all around the world have made lives of millions of people miserable. Some European countries are in deep economic crisis with unemployment rates reaching unprecedented figures. People who once lead affluent lifestyles in such countries are now in deep poverty. If not for organizations like Red Cross many would have starved to death. US too, is barely hanging on and trying to avoid a so called ‘Fiscal Cliff’. And then there is the Middle East becoming increasingly volatile. The Syrian issue is dragging on shedding more and more blood. Gaza strip has heated up as Israel and Palestine are preparing for battle. If Gaza exploded it would inevitably mean several other countries including US being dragged on to the ‘Wholly War’. Iran being so keen on having nuclear weapons will make things more complex. If a war erupts in Middle East the possibility of nuclear weapon usage could not be ruled out. Such critical issues weighing in on the human race and number of them getting increased day by day seem to indicate that it could have a snow balling effect which can wipe out humans from the face of the earth before the dawn of 2013.

Well.... as everything else the world is going to end. But definitely not in 12/12/2012 nor in 21/12/2012 neither during any foreseeable future.Just because the Mayan's didn't bother to continue documenting their calendar beyond 12/12/2012 doesn't mean the world will end.Obviously they had to stop it somewhere. The fact that it ends on December this year, is merely a coincidence. I'm not an expert of Buddhism. But as per my limited knowledge of Buddhism there is a lot of time till we reach the end of the world.

However current debacles faced by humans can't be neglected. But we have to realize that with the advancement of information technology something that happened on the other side of the world will be known by everyone in a blink of an eye. 200 or 300 years back there might have been the same kind of issues facing different parts of the world. US might have fought a civil war while tribal battles of Middle East were as bloody as today. People in other parts of the world might have fought through the same kinds of hardships as they are undergoing now. The difference being back then people in one part of the world were not aware of what people on the other parts of the world were going through. Moreover there were no TV channels or social media which highlighted all the worst things about humanity and hardships bestowed upon humans by nature. Therefore people didn't have a detailed view of all the issues faced by humanity as a whole, giving an impression that the end is neigh.

But it is true that the problems humans are facing will increase in number and in severity as the future unravels. That is the nature of the world. That is how the world will eventually burn out. But the ultimate tipping point is far, far away. This said the combined psyche of many people around the world currently, is that even if the world wouldn't end, there will be events of cataclysmic nature happing at the end of this year. Such events would consume lives of thousand if not millions of people. We need to remember that in this day and age there will be opportunists who will prey on such expectations. There have been instances where secret agencies marshaled and fueled psyche of the public to topple governments. It is said that when 9/11 attacks were carried out, some diplomats saw it as an opportunity to go and destroy Iraq. It is reasoned that the general feeling of the public at that time served as the license to go on that path, not necessarily because Iraq had anything to do with the 9/11 attacks.Such opportunists can prey on the public psyche that there will be cataclysmic events so as to actually materialize them for their own gain. May be it can be a bloody war or a nuclear bomb or a nuclear accident. So 12/2012 provides an opportunity for such sinisters to materialize their ulterior motives. But even such events are highly unlikely to materialize and even if they materialize would not have an impact so high that the entire human race is eradicated.

Simply put if humans continue to exercise sound judgment and don’t jump into premature conclusions when faced with hardships and show the same kind of resolve that they have showed during the past so many years,then the next month is just going to be like any other average month in the calendar !!!

Life Time Exam Number

Whatever the exam maybe, it is customary that each candidate is given a unique identification number.This unique identification number serves two purposes. Firstly it uniquely identifies a candidate. Secondly it gives anonymity for the candidate with regards to evaluation of exam papers and preparation of results. This anonymity is essential to ensuring that an impartial evaluation of performance of a candidate has taken place. Furthermore if the exam number of a student became common knowledge of every one, possibility of fraud, discrimination or favoritism taking place will dramatically increase during the process of exam paper evaluation and preparation of results.

Recently an announcement was made in public media stating that department of examinations has decided to give each student a unique exam number for the entire life time of the student.This means a given student will use the same identical exam number in any exam carried out by the department of examinations. These exams include year five scholarship examination, ordinary level examination and advanced level examination, which mark significant milestones of a student in shaping his or her life. This policy will not uphold the attribute called 'anonymity' expected out of an exam number which is of utmost importance. Although from an administrative perspective this step might make the whole process of conducting an island wide examination more simpler, less error prone and even less time consuming , it will compromise the fairness of evaluating the performance of a candidate and open up the chances of fraud taking place. This is because, the new policy will increase the possibility of knowing some one else s exam number before[and after] the exam by many fold. Some will argue that this possibility is not something introduced by the new policy and is something present currently as well. True, however for each exam a different exam number is currently given to the candidate. This too, is given at most three,four weeks before the exam. Which means to find out some one else s exam number a fraudster will get only a small time window. In terms of the new policy there is virtually no such constraint.

It is essential that 'anonymity' is ensured when it comes to evaluation of the performance of a candidate in any exam and we earnestly hope department of examination will not move forward with it's new policy.

Fear of Failure

failure will destroy you but fear of failure will kill you...!!!

Whether it's an exam, a cricket match, a new job, a new responsibility or a new challenge most of us ask our selves the question 'what if... what if I fail...!!!'. Heartbeat jumps up, a sudden uneasiness possesses us, thoughts of defeat,humiliation, loss of pride seem to rule our mind. In this state of mind decisions we make will mostly be fueled by emotion rather than rational thinking. Obviously such thinking would contribute towards failure than success. When a student starts to study if the mind gets filled with all the negative feelings of failing the exam, envisioning how the society will perceive him as a looser, all the verbal and mental beatings the student will have to undergo from his family, then of course concentrating on the subject matter that needs to be read and absorbed will go haywire. If a batsman keeps on thinking 'I will get dropped from the team,if I get out cheaply... I don't want to get out before making a 50' then obviously part of the
mind is not working on the 'task at hand'. Moreover fear of failure will cause anxiety, stress which will further inhibit our ability to concentrate and perform the 'task at hand' to our full potential.

Fear of failure forces us to think about failing and all the ill-effects it would have on us but not on how to achieve success. Most importantly it prevents us from
'concentrating at the task at hand'. Scoring a half century in a cricket match is not a one off incident. The batsman has to face a lot of balls from different bowlers and concentrate on each ball delivered to him. He needs to know about what shots he can play and what shots he has not mastered yet. A student needs to know what subject matter that needs to be studied, after studying he needs to know which areas he is good at and which areas he is not well versed in so that at the time of the exam a more lucrative selection of questions to answer can be made. The basic thing is that the new challenge is not a random destination you may or may not reach. It's not determined by some divine power, irrespective of whether you work hard or not.There is a journey that you need to make to reach it. Be it an exam, a cricket match, a new responsibility or a new challenge there is always a journey that needs to be made.

It is the journey that matters not the destination...!!!.

If you concentrate on the journey, plan out the journey, the destination will take care of it self. Furthermore you can be satisfied that you gave it the best shot possible whether the destination was a failure or a success. The journey is made up of a sequence of steps. To make a successful journey, each step of the journey should be planned and thoughtfully sailed through.In the case of a cricketer it will be about concentrating on the next incoming ball. Reminding yourself of the weapons in the bowlers armory and matching those with the stuff you have. For a student it will be about making sure that you spend quality time at studying, plus may be working on past questions posted by the examiner and so on. It is essential that concentration be laid on the 'task at hand' at each step of the journey with presence of mind. This will also help to ease the mental burden. If you are stuck with a big responsibility rather than fretting over what would happen if you fail you need to ask yourself what do you need to do to make it a success. Break up the big things to smaller pieces and concentrate on each smaller piece which is much easier and finish the smaller piece to the best of your ability.

Some people say dream positively...but it's nothing but a mirage...!!!

When fear of failure hits you some people revert to envisioning the benefits and rewards that one will receive by succeeding. A project manager might think of all the bonus increments, promotions that he will get due to pulling off a difficult assignment when the clouds of fear set on his mind. That will take the focus away and give you a false sense of happiness. But it should be emphasized that it is just a mirage. It's like going to see a movie after stressful day just to take the mind off work. You can build castles in the sand but they will be nothing but sand castles if a proper plan of execution is not there. It is critical that you identify the journey you need to make. Day-dreaming will give you a false sense of relief. However this day dreaming can quickly turn into an addiction consuming valuable time and effort which could otherwise be invested more fruitfully. You can live in a fantasy world for a temporary period envisioning all the glory and enjoyment that success could bring. But it is nothing but a fantasy world if you don't have a proper journey planned out. Sooner or later you would have to face the reality and the bitter truth. This would prove extremely difficult for people living in dream worlds. Following verse in 'IF' by Rudyard Kipling sums this up perfectly.

If you can dream - but not make dreams your master
If you can think - but not make thoughts your aim
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same.
....
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son !!!

Whether it's success or failure that you meet in your final destination the fact is, it's the journey that mattered. Failure teaches you many things. If you meet failure you can look back at the journey you made and identify the mistakes, improvements that need to be made on your next journey. Because you have thoughtfully made each step of the journey it will be easy to correct the mistakes if any. During your journey you would have discovered and learned more about your self. The strengths, weaknesses, mistakes are visible because you made the journey with the presence of mind and not in an agitated state fueled by fear of failure.

Not fearing about failure does not mean you should not have your contingencies planned out. If we finally meet failure having a 'plan B' would never heart. Thinking about the worst case scenarios and having plans to meet those should never be undermined. However it should be noted that such planning is different from 'fear of failure'. It is not driven through fear. It is driven through reason and logic. It is driven through the realization that failure can be a probable out come in which case we need to be prepared for it.

Although it is simple logic to deduce that 'fear of failure' will undermine your chances to succeed, how does one avoid it. 'Fear of failure' can develop to a sort of involuntary action. For example when a person accidentally touches a heated object, involuntary action that has been automated into humans is to immediately retract the hand. 'Fear of failure' can develop into such involuntary action that is hard coded into your body and soul. Whenever one starts on a new challenge involuntarily thoughts of failure can cloud your mind. So how does one get rid of such involuntary behaviour. The most important thing is to have self awareness. You need to monitor our self in challenging situations. Observe what takes place when you fear of failure. Does your heartbeat jump up or do you breath uneasily or does your train of thoughts suddenly go berserk. From such signals you should deduce that 'fear of failure' is setting on your mind. Training yourself to be aware of such things is the first step that should be mastered. Then you have the option of waiting until such fear fades away to continue what ever you were doing. Another option would be to tell yourself that it will be what it will be at the end, but what you should concentrate is on the journey.. Making sure that you focus on the next step that needs to be made and make that next step in a conscious manner not fueled by 'fear of failure'.

Emergency

It's the office rush hour. Sun is slowly but surely disappearing making way for darkness to swallow the city. The roads are jam packed with vehicles of various models, sizes and colors all trying to get ahead of the rest. Drivers seem to have lost their senses, blowing their horns, turning the vehicle this way and then the other way only managing to move ahead by a foot or two. The entire vehicle fleet has come to a stand still. Then movement is detected far ahead and everybody waits impatiently until it reaches their vehicle. Engines roar and the slightest delay to join the movement is treated by a deafening horn by the driver behind. Just as speed begins to spread it wings, a bus slams down on it's breaks with a thundering sound and stops blocking half the road. The car behind it narrowly avoids collision and the prolonged blowing of the horn indicates it's distress. A man appears in front of the bus. His right hand firmly holding on to his shirt pocket. His left hand pointed towards the incoming vehicles begging them to stop and let him cross the road. He waves his left hand in agony but none of the vehicles speeding past the unblocked part of the road seem to mind. With his right hand still holding on to his shirt pocket the man takes advantage of the slightest delay of a car and makes a step forward. The car is forced to stop and he quickly makes his way to the island between the two way road. The man again starts waving his left hand to the vehicles approaching from the other side and this time almost threatens to cross the road by placing his foot on the road. His frantic efforts get more exaggerated by each passing second and his agony seems to aggravate further. Finally he manages to stop an approaching vehicle and steps to the middle of the road. His right hand is still placed tightly on top of the shirt pocket and his left hand busily trying to patrol traffic to no avail. Is he suffering from a heart attack ? Why is he trying to cross the road like a mad man ? Is he trying to commit suicide ? Finally the speeding vehicles oblige and he crosses the road and runs in to a near by shop. The shop seems to be a bit different from the rest. It has steel bars all over. Must be a pawning shop. May be he is desperately in need of money and is trying to pawn jewelery. Alas the large sign board above the shop reads 'Arrack'.