To Borrow or Not to Borrow . . .

Maybe it is the dire reflection of a prolonged bad economy. Today’s college graduates are not only out of jobs. They also burdened themselves with a hefty debt load. So far college students, past and present, have borrowed nearly a trillion dollars from Uncle Sam.

Like many others, I also think education is a most worthy investment. Despite all these “i” inventions, what we learned and experienced from and at the schools will never be out of style in our life time. And the government’s intention was at the right place when it decided to help students who were not as well financially endowed as their fortunate peers. Therefore, if we are determined to equip ourselves with additional schooling, borrowing from governments to finance such undertaking is the way to go.

However, there are also other alternatives that can help us besides borrowing from the governments.

The first one comes to mind are the scholarships and bursaries that universities offer to their students. So before plunging into the sea of red ink, the would-be students should check out their prospective school’s website, they will be surprised as to how many financial aids are available there.

Private foundations are also promising sources for financial assistances. Once I heard Brenda Gates, co-founder of the Gates’ family foundation, told a news reporter that among many other humanitarian works her foundation did around the world, it had also awarded thousands of scholarships.

The second alternatives to finance a college degree is having a part time job or attending night schools. This working/studying arrangement may take us longer to get our desired degree, but it does give us some autonomy. And it seems to me to be the most popular one among many mature college students.

And I leave my favorite one to the last.

The best source of financing higher education is the family’s bank account. We all know most of the parents would definitely loose their purse strings for their children's higher education. Many of them sacrificed their own comfort and well being, so they can help their young family members prepare for a better life ahead. - Ayee

A Learning Moment

I think we can learn a few things from the plight of a determined pooch. This Chihuahua lookalike dog’s unwavering faith in his heartless owner had touched the minds and souls of many who had met him by a basketball court or read of his story on line in the May Day edition of the World Journal*.

In May last year, someone in a grey passenger car left a yellowish dog by the basketball court behind a drive-in movie lot near a teacher’s college in Beijing. For a while, every time when there was a car similar to his former owner’s approaching, this forgiving doggie also known as Little Wang, would run to the car with wagging tail and welcoming barks. Today, Little Wang no longer runs after the passing cars, but remains firmly at the site to ensure that he is right there when his owner returns. Little Wang seems to have the insight for not venturing away far from where he was left behind. After an entire year, Little Wang, rain or shine, is still waiting at the site where he was dropped off.

In the past, I had read of a dog in Japan with the same dogged determination. He waited for his deceased human friend’s return at the subway station every evening until he himself died of old age. There is also a similar story of a terrier named Bobbie in Edinburgh, Scotland. Bobbie guarded his dear friend’s grave until his own demise fourteen years later. Stories of devoted pets make our stomach turn. And yet, there are people in this world would dispose of their “true friend” like what Little Wang’s owner had done to him. Sad! - Ayee

P.S.

For pet owners, when looking for their lost pets, make sure check out the places where you and your pets had visited in the past.

*From Worldjournal.com

Wayward Shots

During this year’s Masters tournament a few weeks ago in Augusta, Georgia, golf industry’s three titans, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, expressed their collective concerns over the agile golf balls. It seems now these days, golf balls can roll many, many extra yards after they land on the fairway. To accommodate the extremely long shots, many golf courses had to be lengthened at great expenses.

Since all these extra reconstruction costs will eventually trickle down to the consumers in the forms of higher green fees and exorbitant membership dues, golfing may become unreachable for the average players both financially and physically. As the three golfing greats had perceived, longer golf courses are definitely not good for their industry.

I realize that there are many more urgent situations in this imperfect world that needs our immediate attention. Who cares how far a golf ball flies! But in the States, golfing is a quite common past time for the average public. Fortunately, there are many well-maintained public links around with reasonable green fees. In the event, if the public courses are following what the private clubs did to accommodate the flying golf balls, pretty soon this enjoyable ancient sport may become a past for the many weekend duffers. - Ayee

Adverse Side Effects

Recently, from indigestion to high blood pressure and ulcer, I was from one prescription drug to another. So far, I suppose I should consider myself lucky that there are only a few adverse side-effects that made me a frequent visitor to the doctor’s offices, hospitals, laboratories, and pharmacies. Medicines are supposed to cure us. The information came with my prescriptions was not kidding.
The side effects from the ulcer meds were so unbearable. The antibiotics I took sure made me sicker than I really was. One of them caused my mouth becoming exceedingly thirsty throughout the night. And I am now combating the possibility of being dehydrated. Hopefully, with congees and soups, I will get myself back to normal soon.

Through all these challenges, I learned that we can report adverse side effects from prescription drugs to government agencies which monitor these sorts of things. Since I do not wish to have this awful side effects inflict on anybody, I will report my unpleasant and harmful experience to the right monitoring agencies*. - Ayee

*In USA, call MedWatch/FDA at 1-800-FDA(or332)1088.
In Canada, call Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345

Fore!

Spring is here. So is the golfing fever in Augusta, Georgia. Today, all players at Masters Championship put their best shots on display. Their shots not only are accurate but are also very long. Once again they made this year’s Masters another memorable one with a double eagle by a South African player. Louis Oosthuizen lost the coveted green jacket to Bubba Watson, a self-taught American pro, and a leftie, but the precision shot he made today on the second hole earned himself a prominent place at Augusta National Golf Club’s history. The first double eagle happened a long time ago in 1935. These guys are sure good as their commercials said. This explains why the purses for the men’s professional tours are so generous.

And I am so glad that I got to watch this year’s Masters again on television. As long as the players of the game act gentlemanly on the course and do not swing their clubs against their competitors, I think I will always be a loyal fan to this frustrating but exhilarating game. - Ayee

Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life*, David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, 2009

This is a story of one man’s journey to combat a dreadful disease.

While researching brain mapping at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, Dr. Servan-Schreiber (1961 - 2011), a psychiatrist, accidently discovered a malignant growth on his brain. After he undertook the conventional cancer therapies such as surgery, radiation and chemo treatments, the good doctor decided to look for cancer cures through alternative treatments. Based on his voluminous researches, the studious doctor found the cancer is caused by “the foods we eat, air we breathe and harmful chemicals we encountered.”* By changing his way of living according to what he had learned, he was able to keep his disease at bay for nearly 20 years.

And the most revealing thing the late doctor found in his battle with cancer was his discovery of the sense of self-awareness. I do not know if I got it right. In his war against cancer, the cofounder of the Alternative Medicines Center at the University of Pittsburgh also found that recovered cancer patients emerge from their disease with a new perspective in life. They become more spontaneous. - Ayee

Mega Lottery, A Vice or A Joy?

Now we all know there are three lucky winners for the last week’s Mega Lottery. Each of them will take home a whopping $216 million before uncle Sam’s take. Hopefully, the huge amount of money the new riches won can and will do a lot of good for themselves and their communities.

Too bad, my ticket was not one of these three winning tickets.

Am I disappointed? Of course, I am. Am I in despair because I lost my bet? I am certainly not. Even though, the mesmerizing thought on the possibility that I got an equal chance winning the jackpot had never escaped from me, I do not condone people who gambled their hard-earned cash away like there is no tomorrow. But in this mega draw, the dollar I spent for my ticket did fetch me great joy. Before the winning numbers were unveiled, I, like many others, had dreamed of the good deeds I could do with the money from the windfall. Those dreams of pies in the sky not only made my dreams sweeter but had also brought many smiles to my face. - Ayee