Female Domination in Australia Top Job

This probably a rare combination for a country anywhere in the world (if not the only one) – at this moment of this writing – July 2010 – that all top job in state and federal politics is being held by 5 powerful women below:

Australia Female Leaders

1. Governor General of Australia, Quentin Bryce  (Governor General is symbolic representation of the Queen of England  as the head of the country – Australia is Commonwealth country)
2. Prime Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard
3. NSW Governor, Marie Bashir (New South Wales is the biggest state in Australia in term of population and economics measure)
4. NSW Premier, Kristina Kenneally
5. Deputy NSW Premier, Carmel Tebbutt.

And even more unique both Julia Gillard and Kristina Kenneally got their top job by toppling male Labor colleague. Julia toppled  Kevin Rudd while Kristina beat Nathan Rees.

Very unique indeed….

Two (2) Types of People About Destiny

According to my opinion, in general, there are 2 kinds of people:
Type 1: All those people who believes that our destiny has been written on the rock, in other words, pre-determined.
Type 2: All those people who believes that we ourselves are the one in charge of our own destiny.

I am definitely the type 2 person. I believe, your decision that lead to your own action or in-action are the one that form your future, hence your destiny. All other people and object around you may influence or try to divert your direction, but at the end it is your own decision, yours only, nobody else…

Road Not Taken

In my opinion, the type 1 philosophy has a major flaw, it creates complacency (“a state on unconcern” or “self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies”).

For example: suppose we know that a man has destiny to die at 50 years old. If this destiny has been predetermined, no matter how hard he tried to live active and healthy it will not matter as at 50 he will die anyway. Or even worse, since he knows that he will die 50 years old, then he just don’t do anything at all, knowing he will die at 50 anyway.

For me , that is totally wrong. Let say that man has destiny to die at 50 years old now because he has bad health or lifestyle and all. But now he decided to turn it around, eat healthy, active lifestyle, do regular sport and become role model. Then because of this tremendous effort, the destiny need to be re-written and he will not die at 50, but maybe changes to 80 years.

Unfortunately, in reality, we have a little bit problem: we don’t know really what is our destiny. Hence people with type 1 and people with type 2 can argue with the same of randomness and no one can verify who is right.

Taking Responsibility

Therefore, let’s forget for a while about the 2 type of people above – maybe we can agree on something: responsibility.
Don’t you agree that people individually should be responsible about what they do or do not do? Of course, you agree with this, otherwise the civil order will be in chaos…

But funnily enough some people still don’t get this…. Have a watch for once or twice a TV series call “Airways” (which filmed day to day operation of Tiger Airways in Australia with its drama) and have a laugh. You will see the supposed to be civilized member of community swearing and abusing staff because the staff won’t let them in. Why? Because they come late… It doesn’t matter 1 minute or 15 minutes, due to accident or due to lack of parking space or any other excuse, when you’re late it’s your own fault. If you’re late 15 minutes due to some traffics, then it is purely your own fault: why don’t you depart 20 minutes earlier – which make you not late, isn’t it? Try to explain this logic to people, some will refuse to accept – because they don’t have the courage to accept their own responsibility.

On bigger note, how about if people got hurt due to a contractor of pedestrian pathway forget to close a manhole? Say, a man walk carelessly and fall into the hole and suffer a broken leg and he sues the city.  Yes, the worker who forget to close the manhole deserves  the sack for job incompetence, but as long as the injury, you need to ask who is responsible to look after yourself during walking in public? thousands of people walk the same spot without tripping or injured. Why? because they look their way, if there is trap on your way, people has enough intelligence to avoid it. So, if a man did not see the trap, can the responsibility of looking after your own path be transfered to the city ? Of course not!

Or people who sue McDonald because the hot coffee that her order was “too hot” and burn her skin as she spill it herself…Absurd isn’ it ?

Don’t get me wrong, I am not against a litigation. If a product is faulty and the impact of its faultiness cannot be determined until it gives up, then it deserve a litigation. For example: you use a laptop normally and suddenly the laptop explode injuring your body. Fill free to sue the maker, they deserve it – because there is no way you know that it will explode.

Common sense it a good indicator… Unfortunately, many people has skewed common sense that it become no longer making sense.

Many Roads to Choose From

The Road not Taken: Destiny ?

Now, let’s see about something in the past that you’re wondering, what if I took that decision ? – the road not taken. Is this part of your destiny?

I will say firmly, Yes. Because it’s done deal already – it has become history and become part of your life already, hence part of your destiny. And good or bad, you cannot deny this “destiny” – again it happened already.

And as we talk about responsibility above, you need to acknowledge that what has been happening, including the road not taken is directly a result of your own decision and action (or in-action) in the past. If you don’t like the result, then don’t make the same decision as it will lead to the same result (Remember definition of stupidity: doing the same over and over again but expecting different result?). But since you cannot go back in time and change your decision in the past, what you can do is to determine the better of your future.

Accept your past (your “destiny” in the past) and realize that you can make it better by making a better decision. Everything is up to you, not your parent, not your boss, not your financial planner, not your spouse… just you. Knowledge, religion, experience in the past will help you to make a better decision… If you are not sure, you can always ask the expert (don’t ask your friend, they are as clueless as you are) – ask your role model, ask your parent, ask your rabbi, priest or ustadz – if you are agree with what they say and want to do it, remember you will do it because you yourself decided to do it, not because your role model, your parent, your rabbi, your priest or your ustadz say so. Own the decision making! You will be more free !

I would like to end this heavy topic with a bit of intermezzo. With the boom of social networking sites, such as facebook or myspace, friendster and the like… The chance are that you have been reconnect with someone in the pass that probably near to become part of your history. Ex-girlfriend, would-be boyfriend, ex-boss that you argue with, that SOB from uni, etc.  Let us focus to the ex-girlfriend/boyfriend or would-be boyfriend/girlfriend in your past – that is your “road not taken”. Relate with the matter – focus. And then try to remember which decision of yours that actually make it un-taken. Dig deeper until you find that, yes… that’s because I – myself – decide that. (Westlife’s hit below could help you into the mood)

At the end you need to realize that, you are now is due to what you decided on the past. Once you reach this point you will be empowered and clearly see and understand that you can be in control of your future. And more so, never be worried again of all those road not taken.

Kachow !

If I let you Go

Westlife

Day after day
Time passed away
And I just can’t get you off my mind
Nobody knows, I hide it inside
I keep on searching but I can’t find

The courage to show to letting you know
I’ve never felt so much love before

And once again I’m thinking about
Taking the easy way out

But if I let you go I will never know
What my life would be holding you close to me
Will I ever see you smiling back at me?
How will I know
if I let you go?

Night after night I hear myself say
Why can’t this feeling just fade away
There’s no one like you (no one like you)
You speak to my heart (speak to my heart)
It’s such a shame we’re worlds apart

I’m too shy to ask, I’m too proud to lose
But sooner or later I gotta choose
And once again I’m thinking about
Taking the easy way out

But if I let you go I will never know
What my life would be, holding you close to me
Will I ever see you smiling back at me? (oh yeah)
How will I know
if I let you go ?

If I let you go oh baby
Once again I’m thinking about
Taking the easy way out

But if I let you go I will never know
What my life would be, holding you close to me
Will I ever see you smiling back at me?
How will I know
But if I let you go I will never know
Will I ever see you smiling back at me?
How will I know

On 20 February 2010, Pope Benedict XVI announced that Mary MacKillop will be canonized in a ceremony at the Vatican on October 17 and she will be known as St Mary of the Cross.

So, this is my dedication to fellow Australian who does extraordinary things for fellow human regardless of their status. Hope the highest recognition from Catholic Church – a sainthood for Mother Mary MacKillop – could at least inspires us to do good deeds for those who less fortunate than us.

How One Become a Saint: Canonization Process

Catholic Church’s Canonization process to name someone a “saint” is incredibly long process and usually takes a century (100 years) or more. The church is not “making” someone a saint but recognize the saint. The process is basically have to overcome 3 main hurdles:

1. Being recommended by local bishop to a panel of cardinal Congregation for Cause of Saints in Vatican which then agreed that the person is a role model of Catholic teaching. The Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran was the first to inspire a sainthood path for Mary MacKillop on her deathbed. But his successor Cardinal Michael Kelly is the one starting the official effort to make Mary a saint.
2. Beatification: the nominated person have to be proven to be responsible of one miracle. The miracles have to be something that cannot be explained by neither science, medicine or logic, so implied a divine power. This will be investigated and confirmed by Vatican.
   The late Pope John Paul II has beatified Blessed (Mother) Mary MacKillop on 19 January 1995 for healing a woman with deadly leukaemia in 1961.
3. Canonization: the nominated person have to be proven to be responsible of 2nd miracle, after he/she died.Investigated and confirmed by Vatican. (very very tough criteria!)
   Pope Benedict XVI agreed with doctors and theologians’ findings that the cure of a woman suffering inoperable lung cancer in 1993 was indeed a miracle, hence, fulfilling her sainthood requirement. The woman was given only weeks to live as her lung cancer was proven to be untreatable. She carried a small picture of the Blessed (Mother) Mary, with a piece of the nun’s habit attached to it, pinned to her clothes day and night. Ten months after her diagnosis, the woman, then 50, was tested again and no cancer was found. Doctors could find no scientific explanation for her recovery .
   The Congregation of the Causes of Saints issued a papal decree on 19 December 2009 that the Catholic Churs is officially recognizing the second miracle as legitimate and beyond human intervention – making Mary MacKillop the first Australian Saint.
   Although no longer necessary, at least one other miracle of British backpacker David Keohane who recover after being bashed and coma for 8 months was noted. The family and friends of David prayed constantly through the intercession of Mary MacKillop and given the miracle.

About Saint Mary MacKillop

• She was born in Melbourne on 15th January 1842, the eldest of 8 children.
• At age of 16, she started helping at her local parish to teach young children
• At age of 24, she open the first Saint Joseph school on an unused stable. Many young woman then join Mary and so the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart was started. It was in the year of 1866.
• A year later, in 1867, Bishop Sheil ask her to come to Adelaide to start another school. From there, the Sisters spread around Australia and the world. She also opened Orphanages, Providences to care for the homeless and destitute both young and old, and Refuges for ex-prisoners and ex-prostitutes who wished to make a fresh start in life
• Excommunicated from the Church at one stage for allegedly disobeying authorities.
  Before long  there were 17 schools under her care, and the church leaders were bothered by her power.
  In 22nd September 1871, Mary and many other sisters from St Joseph was wrongly excommunicated (expelled from church) by Bishop Sheil, who wanted to have more control of St Josephs Sisters. After five months, when Bishop Sheil lay dying, he realised his mistake and revoked the excommunication.  Despite her ordeal, she never once publicly blamed the church leaders for their actions
• Mary MacKillop died in North Sydney at 67 years old on 8th August 1909 because of ill health.

Many things that seemed unaccountable worries have proved indeed to be hidden blessings – Mary MacKillop – 1870

Small Happening By Prime Minister

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has a little bit incident for supporting Saint Mary MacKillop. Raised as Catholic but currently practicing Anglican, Mr Rudd paid a visit to MacKillop Chapel in North Sydney as soon as the canonization committee indicates that the 2nd miracle of Mother Mary MacKillop is about to be confirmed. No less than opposition leader, a devoted Catholic, Tony Abbot slammed the PM of “exploiting for political gain” of the possible canonisation.

His gesture of respect even tickle Anglican Bishop of South Sydney, Robert Forsyth to comment “The Prime Minister affects a certain fluidity which perhaps church leaders wouldn’t like to see.” This comment irritates Bishop Michael Putney, chair of the Catholic Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations which replied that it was not really appropriate for a clergy to comment in the press on the religious practice of anyone. “Mr Rudd, like everyone else, should be left alone as he works out his relationship with the Catholic Church”. So a bit of unrest on both churches.

PM Rudd has been known as long time supporter of Mary MacKillop, so does Tony Abbot. He also discussed the matter with Pope Benedict during his visit to Rome July 2009. He insisted all Australians “whether they are Catholic or not, whether they are religious or not” should have a high regard for MacKillop and her achievements.

Getting To Know Further The First Australian Saint

To get to know the Blessed Mother further, you may consider to purchase a book by Paul Gardiner titled “Mary MacKillop: An Extraordinary Australian” – the official biography.

To purchase from Amazon, just click the link on the left. Otherwise you may choose other interesting item covering the first Australian Saint as shown on the right above.

God bless !

Gratitude is the memory of the heart – Mary MacKillop – 1907

Reference: many sources on the net.

Hey, Entrepreneur – forget the bank!

If you think you will have what it takes, except capital money,  to help yourself do a business or even invention that will help not only yourself but also your community, then wait no more ! A method called “micro finance” will give you the money you need to start your business ! And it is not that difficult. So, wake up and do the following:

1. Go to www.kiva.org – read anything you need to know about how this works. See some other would be entrepreneur from all other country as well.
2. Go find “Field Partner” in your area, or at least in your country
3. Prepare your initial “business proposal” or idea or something that you want to do that will meet the criteria. Doesn’t have to be fancy
   
4. Contact the Field Partner, ask the detail and fulfill their requirement
5. Have yourself listed on Kiva.org !

And I will help you further. I cannot promise to finance and lend money to every one of you, but this is what I can promise: put the detail of your Kiva listing on the comment section below, and I will republish this article to include your business and listing in Kiva, hence your business will have the loan fully finance faster as this article will help to promote what you’re after.
Just remember: think big, but start small ! Scale up on the way !

For The Rest Of Us….

We know all the cliche from Dan Quayle, 44^th Vice President of the
United States : “If you give a person a fish, they’ll eat for a day. But if you train a person to fish, they’ll fish for a lifetime” – well, this is it.

You can be the “Global Financier” just by lending – not giving (although you can too) – start with $25.

Your $25, combined with all other “micro financier” all around the world will be lent to local small entrepreneur to do their project.

True, that you won’t get any interest payment for your money – so don’t think this opportunity is about hot investment strategy – but imagine if your money, your money … is helping the next Bill Gates or the next Albert Einstein or the next Richard Branson to make the world a better place. But forget that, how about to see a man/woman help them selves out from poverty with just a little help from you!

When that happen, I would guarantee you, there will be nothing feel like it !

Beside, it’s only $25 ! Some loan will be defaulted (and you can loose that $25), but most of this people is honest and hardworking people and most of them will repay the money. And you then can lend it to other people, over and over again.

You choose who to lend to – whether a baker in Afghanistan, a goat herder in Uganda, a farmer in Peru, a restaurateur in Cambodia, or a tailor in Iraq – and as they repay their loan, you get your money back.  It’s a powerful and sustainable way to empower someone right now to lift themselves out of poverty

So, go to Kiva (www.kiva.org) – register yourself, deposit some money and start helping people bring themselve out of poverty and make the world a better place to live for all of us ! Don’t forget read about microfinance as well.

Have a great day !

Who Is Kenny Perry?

James Kenneth Perry is a professional golfer from Kentucky, USA. He became professional at the age of 22. At first, he struggled to qualify for PGA tour: failed his first 2 attempts and does not even have money to continue. He had to beg around find a local sponsor and church at his locality and finally able to borrow even just $5,000 to continue his golf career. Only after 5 years later finally he received substantial prize money that he used to pay off the loan. He got his first win 4 years later at 31.

Before this week, I would doubt a lot of people outside golf world would ever heard his name until the final round of The Masters 2009.

What happened at The Masters ?

Final day of The Masters, Kenny shared the lead with fellow American, Chad Campbell of 11 under par to play final 18 holes. He was almost 49 years old and he will become the oldest major winner in history should he win.

A few hour earlier before his tee off, Tiger Wood and Phil Mickelson leads the player to fight for the title. But with consistency and spectacular calm he maintain the lead with 3 birdies and 11 straight par and even had not make any bogey for the last 22 holes he played.

Unfortunately, on hole 17 his chip into the green run too far and make a bogey – the first for the day. He was still on the lead and just need a par on the last hole to grab the green jacket, the symbol of the winner. But he make another bogey after too long bunker shot. This situation create a 3 (three) way tie between him, Chad Campbell and Angel Cabrera. The playoff ran for 2 holes and we know that Angel Cabrera won the green jacket.

What we learn from Perry?

Yes, Perry did not win the tournament, but he is the true champion that we need to learn from:

1. Perry showed that age is not everything. At almost 49 years old he can still compete at the highest level of golf where all the best of the best fight for excellence.
2. He took full responsibility of his own failure, learn from it and move on
   “That putt on 18, I’ve seen Tiger make it, I’ve seen so many people make it,” he said. “I knew exactly what it was and that was probably the most disappointing putt of the day because I hit it too easy.”You’ve got to give that putt a run. I mean, how many chances do you have to win the Masters?”"You know what, I might not get this opportunity again but I had a lot of fun being in there. I just didn’t get it done today.”
   “I’m not going to hang my head for this,” he said. “I fought hard. I was nervous, but I’m proud of the way I hung in there.
   “I’m looking forward to [the US Open at] Bethpage Black, to the British Open, to the PGA. I know I can do it now, because it was fun.”
3. Although he is not winning, he is still full of gratitude.
   “I was proud of how I played, I really was. I played great and I just kept chugging along.”
   “I may never get this opportunity ever again, but I had a lot of fun being in there.”
   “I got my mom struggling with cancer, my dad’s struggling [with heart problem], I got a lot of people hurting right now, and here I am playing golf for a living and having the time of my life.”
4. He has shown a great sportsmanship and nobody has ever shown at this high level.
   Have seen any player so genuinely congratulating his opponent? Yes, Perry did. Not only his hand clapping but he even high-fiving Angel Cabrera to congratulate him… Such a great sportsmanship and humility !
5. He live beyond himself. Since he has to borrow that $5,000 and pay it off, he has donated more than $1.4 million to Lipscomb University, a Christian school in Nashville to give scholarship and sponsorship the way he received it before…. The nut has never forgotten its skin…“That’s a pretty neat deal there, to see how that’s grown and how people have benefited from that,” Perry said. “It’s been pretty special to me.”

With this great attitude, I am very sure that we will see Perry still making a news in the short future and I am looking forward to write about him again….

And oh, Perry’s driver is the new TaylorMade’s R9. He has lost around 8 meters in distance in exchange to more consistency and straightness which he is happy to do.

Hope this has been a great story to motivate all of us…

Source: Wikipedia, Various published interviews.