ANOTHER DAY - ANOTHER SHOOTING!

The title to this posting may sound a bit callous or sarcastic, but it is certainly not meant to be.  I put that title there because there has been so many dramatic and tragic shootings this year, it seems that we are always waiting for the next one.  This morning (Cambodian time) I was horrified as were most other people who watched or read the news, and learned of the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.  Twenty-six people dead -  twenty of them young children - and six people injured.  Nothing less than horrific.  But that isn't all.  The same day a man walked into a mosque full of people in Freemont near San Francisco and threatened to shoot everyone. Fortunately in that case he was accosted and stopped but managed to get away. The police are now searching for him. Last Tuesday three people were killed in a shopping mall in Portland, Oregon in another shooting spree.  That is three shooting related matters in one week.  No wonder it seems like "another day - another shooting".

Speaking on television, Mr. Obama said "Enough is enough".  He is right on that and I hope now he will follow through and do something about the gun situation regardless of the fact that the National Rifle Association will protest loudly.  It was scary to watch the Piers Morgan programme on CNN today when he had a member of the National Rifle Association I believe it was, on saying that if more people had guns there would be more protection.  That is total and utter nonsense and anyone with a modicum of sense would see that.  America has more guns privately owned per capita than any other country according to published reports.  America has more horrific shootings and gun related deaths than any other western country.  Some 12,000 people are shot to death every year and yet the NRA people spend millions lobbying in Washington against laws that might control guns.

I wrote an article last July following the Aurora, Colorado cinema shooting in which I mentioned that in 2008 Mr. Obama stated very forcefully that if elected to the White House he would push through legislation that would effectively control the use and sale of guns.  That did not happen.  Obviously the reason was the influence of the NRA and the fact that he would be seeking re-election.  The situation today is different. He has been re-elected and therefore will not be facing another election.  Therefore, Mr Obama, please see through on your promises in this respect. What are the NRA people thinking?  They throw out the Second Amendment as their reason, but you don't have to be an A+ graduate of Yale to see that the Second Amendment was inserted to allow people to defend them selves in times of war.  There is no war in America now.

Of the many "experts" and "analysts" who have appeared on the television and given their opinions on this shooting in Connecticut, most of them point to the fact that it would seem the shooter - apparently a man by the name of Adam Lanza - must have been mentally unstable.  That may well be the case, but you cannot stop there.  His mother - who unfortunately was shot and killed also - had three guns licensed in her name at her house; two hand guns, a Glock and a Sig Sauer as well as a semi-automatic .223 Bushmaster.  I have to ask just WHY does someone need to have two hand guns and a semi automatic - in fact why does a person need a semi-automatic in the first place?   And if Mr. Lanza did have mental problems, those guns should not have been kept in a place to which he had access.  You cannot stop there either.  If there is supposed to be back ground checks and whatever when people buy guns, why would the sale of three such items be permitted to one person?  Something is wrong somewhere.

There are shootings in almost every country these days at some point but certainly nothing like the 12,000 a year we are told happen in the U.S..  People ask me why I live in Cambodia which they describe as a dangerous country, but here children can walk to school unaccompanied without fear of being kidnapped or shot.  Parents don't have to be afraid that their child will not come home.  I can go to a cinema and not worry about being blown to bits.

This is not a subject for politics. This is a plain, straight forward matter of keeping the general populace safe.  There should be no "ifs or buts" about it.  Mr. Obama and all the other politicians and "wanna-bees" in Washington, just take your hands out of your pockets, stop the "our hearts go out to you" talk and do something practical about these weapons before more innocent people - women and children are massacred.

THE ELECTION - OVER THE TOP?

The election in the United States is over, so maybe the other important things throughout the world will again be reported on the various U.S. media channels.  Thankfully, over here in this part of the world the election didn't dominate the media.  Other matters of importance such as the events in Syria, the Communist Party Congress in Beijing currently in progress, the financial crisis in Greece all got their fair share of coverage each day which is good.

For those of us who may have followed the election whether we live in America or not - one thing was really disturbing and that was a report that came out almost at the very last day of campaigning.

A friend sent me an email containing the findings of a report by the Center for Responsive Politics which said that the amount spent on this election was $6-billion.  I was shocked even though in a previous blog a few months ago I did make comment about what seemed to be excessive spending in that area.  However, never having heard of the Center for Responsive Politics before, I instantly thought this was some sort of joke as the figure seemed so way "over the top".  The report also said that this figure of $6-billion was sufficient to pay for 981 Public Elementary Schools, 451 small hospitals and one year of lunches for 11-million school children.  Unbelievable.

The following day I was equally surprised to hear one of the anchors on CNN mentioning this particular report and the figures I have stated above in an equally shocked tone.  It was no joke.  It was all fact.

I live in a country where incomes are extraordinary low and I work with students who are struggling with trying to pay for their university education because they come from poor farming families - some of whom at times may only earn $20.00 in a month.  So to me, spending $6-billion on an election seems utterly disgraceful and decidedly immoral.  But I live the other side of the world in a country that does not receive that much aid/help as yet from the United States.  

Nevertheless, if you look at the situation there where the unemployment figures are enormous, where thousands cannot afford to pay their mortgages and so have their homes re-possessed, where thousands of children go hungry because their families cannot afford to give them lunches to take to school, and where some school can't even find the money to provide the necessary items to give a good education (although it is not always considered a popular thing to mention these facts), the figure of $6-billion dollars for an election seems even more immoral and disgraceful.  Both parties are equally responsible.  Both parties happily asked some people to pay $10,000, $25,000 and even $50,000 just to have a dinner with a candidate!  $5-million dollars raised at one dinner.  Can they not do the same to help those who need help?

Surely some there can speak up about this and get it changed before the next round of elections starts up. The time will come around very quickly.

A COUNTRY MOURNS ITS KING FATHER NORODOM SIHANOUK

Early on Monday morning, October 15th, the people of Cambodia were shocked to learn that their beloved King Father - King Norodom Sihanouk - had died unexpectedly in Beijing of a heart attack.  His Majesty had been in Beijing for several months for medical treatment but was in reasonable health.  He and Her Majesty The Queen Mother were intending to fly back to Cambodia at the end of October to celebrate the King Father's birthday which is on October 31st. It was, therefore almost unbelievable to the people that King Sihanouk was no longer with them as all were looking forward to his return.

His Majesty was by anyone's standard a charismatic person who was crowned king twice and abdicated the throne twice as well.   The first time was in the early 1950's when he abdicated passing the throne to his father King Suramarit so that Prince Sihanouk - as he then became - could take a leading part in the politics of the country.  He became a forceful person on the world stage of politics and led his country to complete independence from France in 1953.   He was asked to resume the throne in 1993 and remained King until in 2004 when he abdicated due to health reasons, in favour of his son, the present King Norodom Sihamoni.

Because of his work over the years for the country and his people and especially for his work in bringing independence, King Sihanouk has been revered by his people as a true father figure. He was not so loved by western nations who wanted to dominate the political scene here, and disliked the King's independent stance on many matters.  He refused to be pressured into decisions of which he did not approve or did not think were for the good of the country and the people.

The extent of the peoples' love for their King Father was so evident when his body was flown back to Phnom Penh from Beijing.  It had been expected that some one hundred thousand people would line the streets from the airport to the Royal Palace.  It is, of course, well nigh impossible to calculate or count exactly how many turned out to watch the procession but estimates now say that the number far exceeded expectations and it is generally believed that up to 2-million people turned up to pay their respects to their beloved former monarch.

The precision and dignity of the procession carrying the body of the late king was impressive to say the least. A traditional float in the form of a golden swan carried the King's coffin which was preceded by a similar float carrying the monks who performed the religious rites.  Their Majesties King Norodom Sihamoni and The Queen Mother who had flown back from Beijing with the King's body in the big Air China 747, followed behind in one of the Royal Palace limousines.

It was nothing short of an incredibly moving scene to observe the thousands of people - young and old - sitting in the hot blazing sun for hours waiting to pay their respects to their King Father. Then as the procession appeared total silence reigned.  When the float carrying the coffin came by, the silence turned to crying and tears.  I was there standing just outside the Palace gate and have to admit I too was moved to tears by the whole scenario.

My thoughts at this time are not only with the Cambodian people who came from all parts of the country to pay their respects and are still coming. As I write this two days later,  they are outside the Palace in their hundreds praying for their King Father as well as for the Queen Mother and the present King.  My thoughts and prayers also are for Her Majesty The Queen Mother - the most gracious lady you could meet - who for sixty years stood by her husband through good times and bad, and endured virtual imprisonment in the Palace for three years during the Pol Pot regime as well as for our present King Norodom Sihamoni who so unexpectedly came to the throne when his father abdicated in 2004 and who has turned to his father for advice on many occasions.

I feel honoured to have lived here during King Sihanouk's lifetime and to have learned how much he and The Queen Mother have contributed to the welfare of the wonderful Cambodian people.  The world has lost one of the great statesmen of our time.

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THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH

The past few days have not been happy ones so far as the world is concerned.  There have been too many killings, woundings, and general unrest.  Indeed much of what has happened and been dramatically headlined all over the world comes under the over-abused terminology of "Freedom"- freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of expression.  Some of the media has then narrowed it all down and brought all those under one banner - "Democracy" which to my little mind it isn't.

As a first "for instance" - but without labouring the subject - the disgraceful publication by the French Magazine "Closer" of certain photographs of the Duchess of Cambridge in no way can be defended by calling it "the freedom of the press",   It is nothing more than the scandalous intrusion into the privacy of the Duke and Duchess in a private home, by some sleazy photographer in order to get a good payment of money from an equally sleazy magazine which in turn hopes to make a big increase in sales.   It has nothing at all to do with freedom of the press.

Then we had and still have at the time of writing the anti-American riots going on across the globe from Australia to the whole of North Africa to the Middle East, to Yemen, to India, to Malaysia and to Indonesia - all because some unknown (until now) film maker in the United States made a film that totally and completely insulted the Islam religion.   The United States Secretary of State Mrs. Hilary Clinton was quite right when she described the film as "disgusting".   Nevertheless, we have been subjected to some people in the United States defending the film under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States which enshrines the right to freedom of speech..   

When I wrote a couple of months ago about the right to have weapons in the home, I questioned whether the revered Founding Fathers of America when they included the right to bear arms really intended people to have the right to have automatic weapons, machine guns and suchlike in their homes.  I don't think so.  The right to bear arms was written at a time when people needed to defend themselves during a period of civil strife in the country.   Similarly, I am quite sure that the right to freedom of speech was never intended to allow people like Mr. Nakoula the so-called film-maker as well as Mr. Terry Jones, a self styled pastor in Florida from being insulting and abusive to people - not just a religion - to such an extent that their so-called freedom allows them to cause total mayhem around the world.  People including the United States Ambassador to Libya have been murdered, dozens have been injured and important buildings destroyed as a result of their actions and their words.  Yet nothing has been done about these people.  We are told it is their right to freedom of speech.  To me that is total nonsense.

The United States is a great country and I lived there for many years and received many benefits from my stay there, but like all countries it also has faults.  It is certainly the most powerful country even if China comes close behind in that regard, but it is at the moment unfortunately one of the most unpopular.  That has to be remedied as quickly as possible, but it cannot be remedied if these people and others like them are protected and can do and say what they like under that freedom of speech nonsense.   No one should object to criticism, but what they have done and said is not criticism.  It is blatantly and deliberately designed to be inflammatory.

I have quoted many times the words of a friend of mine who was a Buddhist monk in Thailand.  He said that one of the three tenets of life is to understand the next person.  By understanding where they are coming from you may still not agree with them, but at least you will understand their reasoning.   This is very true and should be followed in the case of these many riots about that film "The Innocence of Moslims".   In many countries - especially in the Middle East - before a film can start production the script and everything that goes with it has to be approved by the Government.   That may seem strange and indeed wrong in many westerners minds, but in those countries it is the norm.  Therefore when this film that has inflamed so many people was released, people in those countries that require Government approval to make a film, assume that it had been given the "green light" by the U.S. Government thus making the U.S. a party to the whole unfortunate thing.  We know this is not true, but it is hard to explain that to people who know something else to be the norm.

So why has nothing been done apart from speeches of "regret" coming from Washington?  In a country where people are only too happy to sue, sue, sue at the slightest upset if something is said about them they don't like and no one calls in the right to freedom of speech in those cases, it seems quite extraordinary to me that nothing has been done about the inflammatory remarks made by Mr. Jones ( who is sure to get a few minutes of fame when the inevitable interview on a TV network happens).  As for Mr. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula the alleged film maker - who incidentally, has spent time in jail having been convicted of a bank robbery in 2010 if my memory is correct and I apologize if I have the date wrong - nothing has been done about him except to him being brought in for questioning on a parole violation and then sent home. Could anything be more pathetic and laughable?  That will not look good with the protesting people I am sure.

Unfortunately I have to ask, is it any wonder that the popularity of America and Americans is going down quickly overseas.   This has to be stopped and to do that these matters and people must be dealt with in a quick and timely manner.  Such things can not be allowed ot happen again.

THE KINGDOM OF WONDER

In my early years we lived way in the country in County Wicklow in Ireland.  Schools there were few and far between so up until the age of eleven, I was sent to either a private tutor or a private school.  The private school I attended was run by two elderly sisters - the Misses Heffernan.  Looking back to that time, I am sure both ladies were probably in their late sixties, but to us - their twelve pupils - they seemed to be positively prehistoric with their grey hair done in a bun at the back.   They lived in what was a very large cottage built by their father in 1902 I seem to remember, and they had lived there all their lives, having never married and were most respected by all in the community.   The house had maybe five or six acres of land around it which was home to two donkeys, a few goats plus a variety of geese, ducks and poultry - all of which were considered by the two ladies to be members of their family.  Our school room was what originally would have been a large reception room.  It had a very large table in the centre and it was around this that we twelve students sat for our lessons.

The younger Miss Heffernan - who was irreverently referred to by us as "the young heifer"- did most of the teaching and we enjoyed all that she taught.  She was an excellent teacher and taught us the basics of mathematics, reading, writing, history and geography - all of which put us far ahead of other students when we eventually moved on to a bigger school.  She also made it clear that observation was a very important part of life but so many people missed out on so much because they saw so little.  As a result, every Monday and Wednesday afternoons when we resumed after lunch, we had an hour of "observation class" which I now feel was one of the most important classes I ever attended in any place of learning.

Assuming the weather was fine, Miss Heffernan would take us out into one of the fields or the garden and with a stick she would mark out a little piece about 3-feet square for each student.  There each of us would have to sit and observe what went on within that little piece of territory.for thirty minutes, after which we would return to the class room and write a report on what we had seen.

Our reports were always full and detailed because we would discover that rather than just being a square patch of grass, the little plot would be home to ants, beetles, grubs, spiders and whatever else.   A whole world full of little creatures going about their daily business.  Fascinating.   On other occasions Miss Heffernan would tell us to watch a tree or a whole length of one of the hedges and describe what birds came and went.  All of that made me an ardent lover of nature, but more than that it taught me to notice things that many people don't.  Driving in a car I will notice a bird in a tree whereas most people will just see a tree if they even notice that.   I have always been grateful for those observation classes. They have held me in good stead ever since.  Recently sitting on a seat on Riverside here in Phnom Penh I immediately noticed an owl sitting on top of one of the many flag poles.  A rare occasion here in the city.  The owl was on the lookout for rats and at one point when he saw one he swooped down on the creature that was running across the grass, and was gone with it in a flash.  I mentioned it to several people there at the time, but none saw it.  They were too busy playing with their I-Phones!!!

Why do I mention all that here?  Because maybe two years ago the Government of Cambodia had a tourism promotion and used as a key catch phrase "The Kingdom of Wonder".  In the time since, I see what an excellent description of our country that is. Yet people come here and miss seeing things that can be right in front of them.  There is something to be seen at every turn in the road here.

Angkor Wat

Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

In recent years more tourists have been coming here to Cambodia, but the majority - according to statistics - go to Siem Reap in order to visit the temples of Angkor Wat.  Something everyone should see as they are amazing.   Some tourists venture down to this city of Phnom Penh and a few go further south to the seaside town of Sihanoukeville, but other places are less visited except for a fairly small number of back-packers.  I feel that is a such a pity as Cambodia is truly a Kingdom of Wonder with so much to offer the visitor if they just look.

During the past two or three years, the roads in the country have been improved immensely with excellent bus services which go to all parts.   The scenery is amazing and includes waterfalls, forests and islands along the Mekong River,  Until you branch out and visit these areas you haven't seen Cambodia.   Both the friendliness and hospitality of the Khmer people are legendary.  Guest houses in the small towns along the Mekong may not be the Waldorf Astoria, but they are clean, comfortable and extraordinarily inexpensive.  The little towns may not have late opening bars or a bustling night life, but is that all one wants to do in a foreign country?  You can do that at home, so why bother travelling!

Bamboo Train

Rent a little boat and visit the Irrawaddy dolphins in Kratie Province.  Take a ride on the bamboo train put together specially for you near Battambang - an experience you won't forget especially if you have to share it with the local people who also need transport to where you are going!  See the waterfalls in Rattanakiri and walk through the jungle areas.  Visit some if the 17 ethnic  tribes (all with their own language) that live in that Province.

A tasty snack

the restaurants in the rapids

You might not want to eat some of the local food such as the spiders, but you can always look.  However a visit to the bamboo restaurants built out on the rapids of the Mekong just a few miles from Kratie town is something not to be missed.  Excellent food prepared especially for you, as well as the opportunity to bathe (not swim) in the clear rapids surrounding the restaurants.   Sunsets across the Mekong are quite spectacular and even local people go to watch them.

I realize that not everyone has time to visit everywhere, and I have always said that even if you have just a short time available, then go anyway.  Short is better than nothing. However, unless one can manage to get into the "other" parts of the country, then you haven't really seen it.    Unfortunately my experience is that western travel agents only advertise the well known sites like Angkor Wat - probably because they have never seen anything else themselves.

I have travelled around most of Cambodia and I am always amazed at the wonders that I see and find here.  It is truly a Kingdom of Wonder.   I continually praise it and always will and feel both thankful and fortunate to be able to live here. I always hope more people will come and see for themselves this amazing Kingdom of Wonder.  I know some of my readers have been here and some have travelled the country more than others.  However, I hope I have peeked the interest of those who haven't come here yet, so that they will think about it and visit us.   It is not difficult to get here from anywhere nowadays.  Several of the world's leading airlines fly here including Thai Airway, Bankok Airways, Air Asia, Korean Air, China Airlines, Asiana and Air France.  So just pack your bags and come visit us.   You will not regret it.

RACISM, POLITICS AND JEALOUSY AT THE OLYMPICS ?

I am certain that in every country in the world where there is access to television, people were looking forward to the start of the 2012 Olympic Games in London.  I certainly was and because of the time difference between England and Cambodia, I had to set my alarm for 2.00am in order to wake up and see the Opening Ceremony.  Unfortunately the CNN coverage of the ceremony seemed to concentrate more on interviewing people sitting in Hyde Park than actually showing the ceremony itself - so I switched to CCTV4 from Beijing and was delighted to get the whole ceremony there uninterrupted. Like all Olympic Opening Ceremonies, it was impressive.  However, many people have tried to compare it to the 2008 Opening Ceremony in Beijing, but that is something you cannot do.  China is in a different part of the world to the U.K., and it has a totally different culture so naturally their themes and ideas will be different.  I can only say that having seen both - they were both most impressive and all the organizers of the two events have to be seriously congratulated.

Unfortunately, once the Games got underway this week, some ugly heads started to appear which shouldn't have happened and which by themselves take away not just the image and spirit of the Games but the very meaning of them also.

Perhaps the biggest nonsense is the "controversy" surrounding the exceptional performance of the young Chinese swimmer Miss Ye Shiwen, who won a gold medal in the 200 meter individual medley by taking one second off the world record just 3 days after winning a gold medal in the 400 meter individual medley.  Immediately the BBC Presenter Miss Clare Balding asked "How many questions will there be about someone who can suddenly swim faster than she has ever swum before?"  That was very quickly followed by Mr. John Leonard, the Executive Director of the American Swimming Coaches Association who most ungraciously referred to Miss Ye's win as "disturbing".  They both suggested that she had to be taking "performance enhancing" drugs.

Such remarks seem to me to be not just "un-Olympic" but also seem to show hints of both politics and racism.  The spokesman for the International Olympics Committee, Mr. Mark Adams quickly but politely referred to their remarks as "sad".  Lord Colin Moynihan, Chairman of the British Olympic Association joined China's anti-doping chief in defending Miss Ye.  He said "she has been through (anti-doping agency) Wada's programme and she is clean.  That is the end of it."

Why these protests and remarks from Miss Balding and Mr. Leonard when Miss Ye is not an unknown quantity in the swimming world?  She may not be well known to Mr. John Leonard or Miss Balding, but then maybe they don't pay attention to any except those on their teams, but she is certainly known elsewhere. Her first major win was in 2006 when at the age of 10 she won the 50 meters freestyle swim in her peer group at the Zeijiang Province Games.  In 2010 Miss Ye won gold medals for both the 200 and 400 individual medley at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, plus two Silver Medals at the World Swimming Championships in Dubai.  In 2011 she won a gold in the 200 meter individual medley at the World Aquatic Games in Shanghai.  With a track record like that behind her, why is it so incredible that Miss Ye could win again in London?   Are both Mr.John Leonard and Miss Clare Balding both of the opinion that a person from Asia is incapable of an excellent performance in the water?  I wonder what the reaction would be if someone should suggest that the performances by both Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps "were disturbing".   I shouldn't wonder really - I think I already know - there would be a HUGE explosion of protests.

Now there is another debate starting.  Lord Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Olympics Committee - himself a former Olympic gold medalist - when asked at a news conference if he thought Michael Phelps is the greatest Olympian ever, said he wouldn't say that as there have been many great Olympians and mentioned among others Carl Lewis. I would agree with Lord Coe but would go further.  Winning (to date) 19 medals is certainly no mean achievement but one has to acknowledge that some of those medals were won with the help of team mates in relays - medals he would not have if the others on the team were not exceptional also.  Something that is never mentioned or acknowledged, but at the same time I am not saying or even suggesting he is not a great athlete - maybe just not the greatest.

Personally I think where the games are concerned it is unfair to say who is the greatest as there are so many who are never mentioned.  I think of our own small team here from Cambodia.  They have little money,  They have hardly any sponsors and they have to train in much less than ideal circumstances as we don't have the facilities here or the money to build them.  They just hope they can scrape up the money to train for a week or so in China.  To me they are great athletes who somehow make it to London and although they may come home minus any medals, they compete with a great (and grateful) attitude in the full spirit of the games and so deserve much praise.  What about that young marathon runner from South Sudan who - because his new country is poor and has no money and no Olympic Committee, somehow has managed to get to London himself via means various so that he can compete under his country's flag - the only athlete from there.  He is a great athlete and deserves much praise.   What about that weight lifter from North Korea who won the gold by lifting an amazing and almost unbelievable weight.  He too is a great athlete and deserves much praise.   Yet not a single mention of him has been made on or in western media channels   If that doesn't have a scent of politics I don't know what does.

There is still time for things to improve and for all this nonsense to end.  I hope it does.  The Olympics wherever they are held, are a wonderful opportunity for people of different cultures and races and from different parts of the globe to come together and understand each other.  Racism, politics and jealousy do not and should not have a place there.

THE QUESTION OF GUNS

Not just the people in the town itself, but all around the world there was shock at the shooting in the cinema in Aurora, Colorado.  I have seen reports about it in papers in China, India and Europe.  To all it seems incredible that someone could just walk into a cinema while people are watching a film, and shoot at random anyone who happened to move.  I seem to remember - though I don't have the exact figures in front of me at the moment - that twelve people died and some seventy were wounded.  What seems even more incredible to me, is that an ordinary citizen in America - or anywhere else for that matter - could be able to buy and stockpile the amount of firearms and ammunition the suspect in that case did.  It is both horrifying and scary.

I am not a gun lover in any sense of the word.  I have literally never even held a gun and have no intention of doing so.  On the other hand, on a couple of occasions in my life I have been accosted, threatened and even shot at by guns of varying sizes.  The last time being an occasion many conveniently like to forget as it was an embarrassment to the police.  It was not too long after I moved to Hawaii as Rector of a church on the island of Kauai.  At that time drugs were rife on the island and were even being sold in the church car park. One lunchtime I approached (maybe stupidly) a small truck that was parked there and was obviously selling drugs to those who came by.  I told the driver to leave, but of course he ignored my request and instead produced a gun.  It was a decidedly tense few minutes as far as I was concerned, but he finally drove off and I called the police.  The police never arrived for the simple reason we found out later, that some of the Drug Special Police Force were themselves involved in selling drugs.  But I am happy to say, the Mayor of Kauai at that time very soon afterwards cleaned up the Force and all was well.

I like to make it clear always when I write - before people write back and curtly remind me themselves - that I am not American and I do not live there.  However, I did live there for some twenty years, and in all that time and since, I have never understood the desire of people to have guns in their homes.

I know the Constitution of the United States says that people have the right to bear arms.  Fair enough, but it has to be understood that it was written at around the time when the country had been having  troubled times with the war with England.  There is no war going on there at the moment so far as I am aware, and yet in the few days since the shooting spree at that cinema in Aurora, the sale of guns in that town - including assault weapons and automatic weapons - has risen by 41%!!  To me that is absolutely scary.  Are many people in that town now planning to go to the cinema carrying assault weapons?  Just imagine what could happen if someone caused an alarm of some sort.

I may be told it is none of my business as I no longer live in the United States - be that as it may - but I still have a right to express an opinion and it is this.  I have little objection in most cases to people having a hand gun if they live in dangerous areas or if people live alone.  I have no objection or problem if people hunt and have a gun for that purpose, but can someone tell me why should a person have either an assault weapon or an automatic weapon in their house even for the purpose of hunting?  Shoot a deer with an assault weapon and you will have very little of the deer left to cook later on.  Use either an assault weapon or an automatic rifle in your home and the chances are not only will an intruder be blown to smithereens, but more than likely a couple of members of your family will not be in a good condition either.   America is not Somalia, Afghanistan. Iraq or Syria, so why the necessity for these weapons in private hands?

In 2008 when Mr. Obama was running for the Presidency and before that when he was campaigning to be Senator, he spoke out forcefully in support of gun control and especially against assault weapons and automatic rifles.  Now he has completely reversed that view even in light of the Aurora shooting.  There has been no reason given for his reversal.  Could it be that if he didn't reverse his view, the all-powerful National Rifle Association would not contribute to his campaign?   Mr. Romney when he was Governor of Massachusetts, also spoke out vehemently against assault weapons, but he too has now reversed his position and says nothing.  Does politics over-ride public safety?

Then it is not only the politicians who say nothing.  Little has been said by any of the church leaders apart from saying "Our prayers and thoughts are with you at this time". Nothing wrong with those words and they should be said, but at the same time it seems none of the church leaders to date, seem to have spoken out about being more circumspect in the issuing of guns.  Are they also afraid of being politically incorrect and offending some of their wealthy and powerful members?  If so it is a sad state of affairs.

As I said above, I have little problem with the "right to bear arms" when it is just for the purpose of self protection and for hunting purposes.  But if you translate that "right" in such loose terms that you include a person's right to carry around assault weapons, then you cannot stop there.  You have to continue.  Machine guns and tanks both come into the category of weapons or arms.  Does a person have the right to have a tank or a machine gun in their front garden and then say it is their right and it is for protection?  You are on very dangerous ground. 

What is the saying?  "Don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk" or something similar.  Something has to be done to control the situation regardless of the fact that it might mean a smaller contribution from the National Rifle Association or whomever.   People matter more than weapons and contributions to campaigns and not only the politicians, but leaders in other spheres have to recognize that also.

P.S.  Since posting all the above, I have seen that Mr. Obama, speaking in New Orleans said he would pursue "common sense" measures to make sure mentally unbalanced people cannot get their hands on guns.   A fair comment, but nobody who knew the suspect in the Aurora case ever said that before the shooting they thought he was mentally unbalanced, so how do you pursue such measures?  Mr. Obama also said he did not believe AK-47's belonged on the streets of the cities.  Fair enough, but he did not say he would do anything about it.  We will have to wait and see.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET US.

This morning I spent quite a lot of time watching and listening to the acceptance speech Aung San Suu Kyi made before the Nobel Prize Committee, the King and Queen of Norway and other dignitaries in Oslo.  It was one of the most moving and sincere speeches I have heard for a long time and I have replayed the video of it several times.  Her words should be read and heard by all - politicians especially - throughout the world.

One thing stood out way to the front in everything Aung San Suu Kyi said, was the fact that in spite of being confined to house arrest for most of the past 20-years there was not a sign of bitterness or anger or regret in any of her words.  It would have been so easy for someone in her position to lash out at those who tried to silence her over the years and who refused to allow her to visit her dying husband in England or to grant him a visa to visit her before he died, but still there was not a trace of anger or bitterness in anything she said.  She was more than gracious but firm in everything she said.

This month of June in the year 2012, has seen two remarkable women honoured.  One is Aung San Suu Kyi and the other is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, but here I shall concentrate on Aung San Suu Kyi. Over the years I have been fascinated and inspired by her and her struggle for her country to be free.  No one has ever heard her complain about the restrictions placed upon her by the then government of Myanmar (Burma) even when some dumb foreigner thoughtlessly invaded her home.  He was later returned free to his country (saying he had no regrets doing what he did) even though Aung San Suu Kyi had her house arrest restrictions continued for a further year thanks to his thoughtless actions - but she never complained.  When my partner and I visited Myanmar recently, it was only too obvious that for the general public there, Aung San Suu Kyi was a huge icon for democracy and freedom.  It is now equally obvious that she will not let them down.

In her acceptance speech Aung San Suu Kyi told the assembled V.I.P's what it meant to her to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. At the time it was awarded, she had been under house arrest for some time, and would continue to be so for many years.  When she learned she had been awarded the prize, she said she felt then that she was not forgotten - something that could be so easily felt when someone is "kept apart" from society and the things they have known all their life.   To me it was a most moving part of her speech.  She told the audience that in her recent visit to Thailand, she met with refugees from Burma who had not been able to return to their country for many years, and as she left them, they said "Please do not forget us".  That, she said was a plea from their hearts and something she could not forget.  She pledged that she would work for their return to their homeland and their freedom - and we can be sure she will.

The world, and for western people especially, life is ultra busy and it is so easy to forget those who are less fortunate, those who are felt to be "unnecessary", those who are no longer of immediate use due to age or health problems, or those who get in the way of business.  But as the Nobel Laureate said in her speech in Oslo, these people cannot be forgotten by the world.  She is right.

There are refugees in and from almost every country, but most are regarded as a nuisance so we forget them.  There are poor in every country, but they too can be a nuisance, so we forget them.  These things happen in every walk of life - it happens in the churches too.  In my time as a full-time priest I have seen many instances where people have been forgotten by their churches because they are no longer (for some reason) able to take an active part in church events.  I have known Bishops who lost all interest in formerly active clergy in their diocese, simply because they felt they were no longer "relevant".   One could go on and on and on with such examples for there are many in all walks of life unfortunately.

However, Aung San Suu Kyi is an example to all and indeed there are other unsung heroes who do not forget also, and their examples must be brought to the fore.  We who are fortunate and  live a comfortable life, cannot forget the victims of war throughout the world just because they are far away from where we live or because they are of a different race or religion.  We cannot forget those who have been displaced because they belong to a particular ethnic group or are of a different sexual orientation.  We cannot dismiss as useless and a nuisance those poor who live among us just because they are poor through no fault of their own.  We have to hear all their cries of "Please do not forget us".

ONLY TWO AT A TIME PLEASE!

In the two decades during which I lived in America in both the New York/New Jersey area and also Hawaii, it became almost a tradition that I would organize one or two overseas tours each year with members from the churches where I served as well as non-church people who asked to join us on these trips.   We literally circled the world over those years and each trip proved to be an adventure at some point. We visited Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, most of South East Asia, China, Mongolia as well as the Middle East and North Africa.  Many of the people who travelled with me were not young, -  my goodly grandmother would have described some of the travellers politely by saying that they were "of indefinite vintage".  Be that as it may, they bravely faced whatever came up.  They raced on camels across some of the Egyptian desert. They slept in villages in the jungles of Borneo with head-hunters while the severed heads of former victims hung above the mattresses.  They crossed the deserted plains of Mongolia where they roasted in the heat during the day and froze when the temperatures dropped dramatically at night so that fires had to be lit in the gers where they slept in order to keep warm.

On every such trip there is usually one person who will complain about this and that, but that is all part of the deal.  However, over the years I found there was only one thing that was the cause of many complaints - that was the state of the public toilet facilities in China!  A few of the ladies from Hawaii who travelled to China with me two or three times, would always say "We will wait till we get back to the hotel", if the coach stopped at a rest stop.  We would all laugh, but understood exactly what they meant.  Chinese public toilets are renowned for not being quite the same as those in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York or the Savoy in London.  Having said that though, I have to continue and say that prior to the Olympic Games being held in Beijing, the Chinese Government went out of its way to ensure that those visiting the city for the Games would have no complaints about the facilities there.

So why have I chosen to write on the choice topic of toilets, you may well ask?  Simply because it is a sort of follow-up to my last Blog when I said my grandmother used to always read the back of the morning newspapers before the main headlines as she said she found the most interesting pieces of news there.  This morning I thought of her and the comments she might have made if she read the piece I found tucked away right at the end of the BBC News where it could so easily be missed.

It seems that the Chinese Government - especially where Beijing is concerned has made a tremendous new effort to clean up all its public toilet and wash facilities in tourist areas by passing strict laws which have to be observed.  In every facility/toilet/loo or whatever you want to call them,  toilet paper must be in abundance and replace the old rag and wire brush!!  That is good.  A plentiful supply of hand towels - paper or cloth - must be ever present.  Also good.  All odours must be eliminated - also good.  But here is the really important one.    NO MORE THAN TWO FLIES CAN BE PRESENT AT THE SAME TIME IN ANY FACILITY!!!!!   A heavy fine will be imposed on the owners /operators of any of the facilities who ignore any of the above rules.

When I read that, my wonderful imagination promptly started working.  First of all, how do you ensure that the regulation regarding the two flies is implemented?   Do you pin a notice on the door saying "No more than two flies may use this facility at any one time." ?  Should you also inform the flies that if they ignore that notice they will be fined?

Now you have caused another problem because if Chinese flies are like the Chinese rural population, not all of them can read, so the notice won't be effective.  Also, assuming the flies can read Chinese, what happens if a foreign fly - say an American or German fly comes along or even one from neighbouring Mongolia.  Are they expected to read Chinese also?  Or have they discovered such a thing as "fly language" in which the notices can be written?   The only thing left to be done is amend the law by adding an "extra" to it that states it is mandatory for each facility to start literacy classes for flies.

All the above is so funny and weird and you can keep on adding and adding to it.  However, meaning absolutely no disrespect to the Chinese "powers-that-be" I would really love to learn how they can control the flies to "two at a time"!  My personal experience of flies over the years anywhere in the world is that they like to travel in swarms.  I am sure they will not be happy being told they have to fly in two's.    Maybe something in the line of a NATO Summit could be convened to deal with the matter!!

LET'S ALL WORK TOGETHER.

By today's standards I suppose I had a strange upbringing.  To me it wasn't strange and it certainly wasn't at all unhappy.  My father and mother had separated (but were never divorced as there was no such thing in Ireland then) since before I was born and I had not too much to do with my father, though I did see him from time to time.  My father was much more interested in his many "lady friends" and his Masonic Lodge activities than he was with his family or my mother.  He regarded my mother as being somewhat immoral because she was an actress - an attitude I have always regarded as somewhat hypocritical in view of his own lifestyle.  My mother's attitude to this was a dismissive "whatever!" and she would leave it at that as being something not worth pursuing.

Because of the above, we lived with my goodly grandmother who by that time had been widowed for the second time.  We had very little money but because of a couple of minor titles in the family (thanks to grandmother) we would never be considered poor - we were just living in what was then called "genteel poverty", so we never did without anything.  We always had a parlour maid - a woman by the name of Margaret Styles who worked for my grandmother for some 20+ years, as well as a general maid who did the cleaning - both of whom I am sure we couldn't really afford, but that was not the point.   They were staff my grandmother felt were absolutely necessary to life.

We had certain routines in our household.  Everyone had to eat breakfast and dinner together.   There was no such thing as "grabbing a bit of toast" and dashing off. Margaret Styles would ring a bell when breakfast was ready and grandmother would arrive in the dining room only after my mother, sister and I were seated.  When Margaret poured the coffee for grandmother and mother (my sister and I had a glass of milk) Margaret would solemnly place the morning paper in front of grandmother who would instantly turn to the back page and read the obituaries.  Then she would turn to the second last page because she said there you found the most interesting pieces of news.  I would watch in silence waiting for grandmother to comment on some choice piece of news.  My sister seldom spoke much at meal time for some reason that I never understood, and I wasn't allowed to, as grandmother would say "at meal times, little boys should be seen but not heard."  In later years I have agreed totally with that statement!

To return to the fact that grandmother looked at the second last page before the first is an interesting fact.  Her reasoning for doing so is equally true today, and I mean literally today.

I see most of the newspapers - American, European and Asian on line and I also check daily the websites of CNN and BBC World News.  Today on all of those sites two bits of extremely important good world news were relegated to the very end with a very small mention.  On CNN and BBC news they received totally no mention at all, which will, I am sure, make certain that not too many people will have heard about them.

We hear daily about the European Union which has drawn together so many countries in Europe over the years and which has been the helper of maybe four or five countries in the area that suffered from the economic crisis during the past few years,  Many may argue against the EU, but if it hadn't existed, countries like Spain, Portugal and Ireland might not have been able to pull through. I omit mentioning Greece here as that country's problems go further than just requiring a bail out.  Then there is the North American Free Trade Area which has resulted in many jobs being created - though it too is opposed in some quarters.  Finally I mention ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) of which this country - Cambodia - holds the Chair for 2012.  ASEAN has proved a boon to its 10-member nations by mediating in border disputes, promoting trade between the countries and generally being a "family" of nations.

This morning's "back pages" proclaimed the news that China, Japan and South Korea (none of these three are members of ASEAN) during talks in Beijing have agreed to begin negotiations for a free trade pact between the three countries.  This may well scare some western countries as they could feel it might make China more powerful.  But the west cannot control the whole world.

Mr. Wen Jaibao the Chinese Prime Minister said "The establishment of a free trade zone will unleash the  economic vitality of our region and give a strong boost to economic integration in East Asia".  The Japanese Premier - Mr. Yoshihiko Noda went further and said "Economic co-operation was essential to maintaining the Asia-Pacific region as the growth centre of the world economy".  These are really quite strong words from both Premiers especially when you consider the fact that relations between any of those three countries has not been exactly what one would call "amicable" all the time.  However, it is such a good sign that now they can work together for the benefit of each of their countries.

The other item today on the back pages was the fact that the members of the Gulf Co-Operation Council would be meeting in Saudi Arabia today to discuss transforming their six nations (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) into a union similar to the European Union. The Assistant Secretary of the Gulf Co-Operation Council, General Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg said "The vision is to include common approaches to defense, security, political and economic interests".

To my mind these two announcements on the back pages are of a huge significance to the world as a whole.  It is so encouraging to find that at a time when so many are only too happy to argue and throw barbs at each other that countries - some of which were once at complete logger heads with each other (don't forget Japan occupied the Korean Peninsula under anything like humane circumstances for several years) are now trying to work out situations where they can work together for the good of all their people.  Naturally it cannot all be finalized over night.  Things have to be worked out.  There will be certain differences of opinions from every side and there will have to be compromises made by each country.  There will be some wins and some losses by all, but the fact that they are trying and eager to work together is so good.

Let these countries be a lesson to everyone. Once the various regions of the world who have a common goal work together to settle their differences and in turn work for peace and prosperity of their countries, then it will not be too difficult for the different regions to work together.  So - "Let's do it".  Let's all work together for the benefit of all and make this world a better place.

WHERE ARE THE PRIORITIES TODAY?

Some days there is very little that is news-worthy on TV, Radio or in the printed media.  That is probably a good thing, because it signifies that things are jogging along just right in the world - something that is not always the case.

Today - this morning - it was a different story.  There was much to be told by all.  The Russian built Sukhoi Superjet 100 crashed in Indonesia supposedly (at the time of writing) killing all on board. A huge explosion in Damascus managed to kill many more. Mr. Kofi Annan is "mulling over" an invitation to return to Syria to meet with President Assad.  The results of the Greek election have threatened all sorts of things in the Euro Zone thereby affecting the economy world-wide.  One of the FBI's 10 most wanted people who had killed two and abducted two others shot himself and the two young abducted girls thankfully were found safe and well.  Then there was also the ongoing and important news about the bomb that was discovered which was made in Yemen and was heading to blow up a plane en route to the United States, but never got that far.  So much there today - enough to occupy a whole news hour.

Did that happen?  No.  CNN, which prides itself on its good news reporting, gave the prime headlines and the largest amount of air time to the fact that President Obama would be attending a dinner at the home of Mr. George Clooney in Hollywood and it would be the biggest fundraiser ever to be held for a President and also probably the most glamorous because of all the so-called celebrities who would be attending. Reporters, political analysts and others - including Mr. Wolf Blitzer - told us that those attending were paying $40,000.00 each for the privilege of dining with the President and Mr. Clooney.  Six million dollars would be raised from the 150 people who paid for their food.  Another 9-million would be raised from a raffle bringing the total raised in the evening to $15-million - all of which is supposed to go to Mr. Obama's re-election fund.   We were also informed about the jewels and gowns that would probably be worn at the event.  Finally, when all of that was finished, we were briefly given a report on the rest of the news.

What I found disturbing - apart from the fact that those reporting the event were so exited about it, you would think it was the most important thing that ever happened - is that it seems people have absolutely lost their sense of priorities. where have these priorities gone - the unemployment, the homeless, the jobless, in fact the entire economy?  Is it really necessary to spend all the $15-million on the election campaign when there is already over $200-million sitting there?

If you take just $1-million of what is collected at that dinner, it would go a long way to help those many poor in New Orleans who still have received little or no help following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 despite President Bush's promise at the time that he would get things done quickly!   What about helping the homeless in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and other places around the U.S.A.  Are they "out of the loop" and so forgotten?   What about spending some of it to improve the schools which in some places are so bad the children can hardly sit in them.  

I live in a country that is struggling to deal with the situation of poverty as it moves forward.  Some of our people live on not more than $20.00 a month per family, and some other countries in the world are in the same situation.  I have no argument with Mr. George Clooney.  He does more and spends more of his own resources than the majority of well-known people in helping the under-privileged in the world.  Just look at his work in the Sudan.  Wouldn't it be better to channel these $40,000.00 per person donations to such causes as helping the underprivileged, rather than to an election campaign where most of it will be used on staff salaries and advertisements that "bash" the opponents.

 I have no doubt that many will disagree with me - but that is fine.  I never expect everyone to agree with me on every matter (though it would be nice!!!), but I have to say that in any other so-called civilized country, an event such as the one I mention would be regarded as nothing less than obscene. Just where are the priorities today?

MCKINSEY MEKONG BUSINESS CHALLENGE

Since I moved to Cambodia some six years ago, I have found myself more and more involved with university students and various university activities.  The more I think of this, the more I am amazed because in my early years I was never a lover of universities.  I was very bad at studying and became known as a "Straight 'F' student" which meant that my grades were definitely less than admirable.  My happiest moment and day at university was the day I left!!  In this - as well as a few other matters - I took after my mother.  She went to Cambridge University in England and was also known as a "Straight 'F' student" there!!! But that never upset her.  She would always tell me that being a "straight 'F' student" should not hold me back and she was right.  It didn't hold her back any time either.

Nevertheless, because of all the "straight 'F'" business, I am amazed at my current interest in the students here in Cambodia.  I wonder if I got analyzed by whomever, as many people do, whether I would be told that my interest is due to a long-hidden envy or jealousy of these young people and their extreme talents in so many subjects.  But whatever the reason - and I don't intend to look further for it - I learn a great deal from these young people and I treasure that knowledge.  I get great pleasure from talking with them and listening to their ideas, their opinions as well as their desires and ambitions for their future.

This past weekend I had the great privilege of spending a full day with a host of top students from universities in five different countries in this area.  As well Cambodia, they came from Vietnam (both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City), Thailand, Laos and Myanmar to compete in the Sixth Annual McKinsey Mekong Business Challenge.  It is a competition to promote entrepreneurship among students in the Mekong Region and also to launch new businesses and social ventures.

Over one hundred student teams from five countries applied to this year's Challenge and an international team of judges then selected the best 10 teams to come to Phnom Penh and present their projects.  What an amazing and incredible collection of projects were presented at the event! It was held at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal here in Phnom Penh.  I did not envy the job the judges must have had in deciding the three winning teams as all entrants were worthy of a prize.  The first, second and third prize winners were Thammasat University, Bangkok, Lao American College, Vientiane, and Cambodian Mekong University, Phnom Penh, in that order.

I would love to give a detailed account of each presentation as they deserve every recognition, but that would take too long, so I will have to pick out but a few.

I will start with the team from Myanmar because this was the first time that a team from there was able to travel here for the event.   Their project is to build eco-friendly construction material for their country using plastic waste.  Their knowledge of the different types of plastic even astounded the judges.  Their explanation of how one small plastic bottle of water that people buy contains three different types of plastic (the bottle itself, the cap and the wrap-around label) and how when the bottle is recycled in the normal way, these have all got to be separated.  In their method of using the waste for construction material, separation is not needed, so even that part of the process makes it cheaper, easier and quicker.  In addition in the finished product the toxicity is minimal.  The important thing for the poor people in rural Myanmar is that the product is affordable even for them.  Buildings made from this material will be much more durable than those currently made from bamboo and palm fronds.  Everyone present at the event were pleased to learn that the Myanmar team had been awarded a special prize for their effort.

Another project of practical and immediate value came from the Cambodian team who put forward their plans to install latrines in thirty-six villages in Kampot Province.  Sanitation  is a huge problem in many parts of this country and in Kampot Province alone, 65% of the population does not have access to proper sanitation. This in turn leads to serious illnesses - especially among children and the elderly and it also increases the death rate.  The team have already installed latrines in one village in Kampot and will be looking for funding to continue their work.  For westerners the cost is regarded as not worth talking about - it is $45.00 for each installation.  Everything included.  But for the poor in the villages that can be a big amount.  The team have asked me to help them get Government funding for this important project and I hope we can do that. I am sure that we will be able to find the funds somehow as this is a very important thing for the health of our country.

A team from the Lao American College in Vientiane came up with an interesting project for insect repellent shoes.  That was also a very practical project but for me I found it hard to follow all the technicalities as to how they worked.  I have a slow brain as I have said so often, and as to how wearing a repellent of some sort on or in your shoe can ward off insets from your arms and head, I could not follow, but apparently it can.  The shoe  which is like a Nike (but isn't) sports shoe, contains a tiny micro chip in the sole containing the repellent and it is powered - or rather charged up - by a tiny solar panel also in the shoe.  It seems these shoes have been tried and tested and proved to be good and because they carry the little solar panel to re-charge the repellent, as long as the shoes are worn frequently the repellent will work indefinitely.

The only other thing I can say here without heading into the realm of boredom - if I haven't already got there! - is that these students have to be applauded.  Their imaginations, their credibility and their talent are equal to any student anywhere.  It is too bad that only a relatively few people overseas hear about them.   The great thing about them is that without exception, all the students with whom I spoke that day - and I spoke with most of them - are intent on working to improve their own country rather than moving to a western country for a higher salary.  They have to be applauded for that.  The additional fact that the presentations had to be done in English - a foreign language for all of them  - could not have been easy all the time.  Sometimes the judges unintentionally asked questions on a technical matter that caused the students  to ask them to repeat the question and a bit slower.  The young people have to be applauded that the way they handled all of that.

I wish them all good luck in their future and repeat again how privileged  I feel to have the opportunity to be with and talk with these amazing young people.   I would also extend a big Thank You to all those who organize this excellent McKinsey Mekong Business Challenge.