Daily Lessons from Life 28 February 2010

Today is the last day of February 2010. Two months have just flown past us. Amazing. Yet how little have I achieved! Though I am still keeping an eye on sticking to the 2010 Resolutions!

It is also the 15th Day of the Chinese Lunar New Year season. More commonly known as 'Chap Go Mei' or 元宵节. Have a good evening to all!

"Vast iceberg could disrupt ocean currents, weather - Sun, Feb 28, 2010 AFP

An iceberg the size of Luxembourg knocked loose from the Antarctic continent earlier this month could disrupt the ocean currents driving weather patterns around the globe, researchers said.


While the impact would not be felt for decades or longer, a slowdown in the production of colder, dense water could result in less temperate winters in the north Atlantic, they said Thursday.

The 2,550 square-kilometre block broke off on Feb 12 or 13 from the Mertz Glacier Tongue, a 160-kilometer spit of floating ice protruding into the Southern Ocean from East Antarctica due south of Melbourne, researchers said.


Some 400 metres thick, the iceberg could fill Sydney Harbour more than 100 times over."

I am not a science student. Nor do I know much about the formation of weather patterns, etc. I do know where is Luxembourg though it is still hard to imagine what a 2,550 sq-km iceberg looks like!!

Lessons for me are:

1. global warming and the effect on the North and South Poles and the ice mass there can be seen by all with the latest technologies sending the images to all at home with accesses, and the scientists tracking and studying the process and the short/mid/long term effects on our Mother Earth. It is real. Just that human beings need to see for themselves before some of the undesirable consequences predicted by the men and women of science is to be believed!;

2. seeing is believing. Visual impact is the more powerful form of convincing people. Even though it may be a visual illusion like those we witnessed at some world class magic show. Some do believed in magic! This poses a challenge to leaders who need their people to see with their faith rather than just their eyes. It is about wining their endorsement through emotion rather than rationality. To me, it has to start with being sincere and being consistent in your behaviors towards them. There is no short cut!;

3. leaders can win over the people's faith if they are sincere and consistent in their behaviors towards the people. Behaviors that demonstrated respect by asking for, and really listen to, their input/ideas/concerns/aspirations. Leaders then take actions to explain the why and why not of acceptance of their ideas/input, ways and means to help allay their concerns, and incorporate their inspirations into the final plan.

In the global warming situation, leaders need to constantly present in-your-face information and evidence to sensitize the people, and to follow up with full resolve over a longer period of time to show the continuous effects of the incident. This will aspire the people to take the immediate short term actions as they wait to see the long term effects of their actions to save Mother Earth.

A very long term goal. A very worthwhile goal if human being is to continue to live on this planet!