KNOW YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS

The next general elections are not due till 2013, but it can never be too early for Malaysian voters to learn as much as they can about the constitution, the electoral system, and their rights as citizens of the country. The Bar Council's Constitutional Law Committee has initiated a series of public forums with support from the High Commissioner of Canada to help ordinary folks like me understand the constitution better. Visit My Constitution on Facebook to find out more.

Last Thursday I attended the second forum in the series - "Federal-State Relations: Should states be given more power?" The three speakers were Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, MP, Haji Sulaiman Abdullah and Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, both high profile advocates and solitors. 

As I am not a political blogger, I shall not comment here about what was shared at the forum. Suffice to let you read for yourself at Ku Li's blog. On March 8 I attended another forum "March 8: Two Years Later". The speakers were former journalist Kee Thuan Chye, and lawyer/activist Haris Ibrahim. You can view part of the forum here.

As concerned citizens, it is our duty to educate ourselves on the constitution, the electoral system and our rights as citizens. Voting is not a matter of simply putting an X on the ballot next to the candidate who looks the least evil of the lot, or who represents the party that is the least likely to do damage. We have to read up, find out more and keep track of what's brewing in the political arena.

Managing Editor of The Star P. Gunasegaram says it best in his article "Make Your Vote Count". Do read it and make sure you do the right thing at the next election. Get your family members and friends to register as voters if they have not done so. Every vote counts - for the future of our country, our children and grandchildren. Do your part.

Note: The Bar Council's next forum is on "Oil Royalty - A Constitutional Right?". Speakers are Tan Sri Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, Prof Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, Dato' Cecil Abraham and Tommy Thomas. Date: 20 March 2010. Time: 10am-1pm. Venue: Bar Council Auditorium, Level 1.

GROW YOUR BRAIN

The article "The Best Leaders Have Healthy Brains" in The Star (13 March) made me wonder if this explains why we have a dearth of good leaders running our country. Well, all's not lost if they follow some of the advice given.

The article quotes a study that says our brain actually gets better the more we use it. As long as we continue to stimulate and nourish the brain with mental exercises and acivities, it is capable of growing stronger even as we age. Living proof of this is Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. At 86, he continues to lead a busy life as one of the world's most revered senior statesmen. 

Those who teach or who are constantly challenging their minds live longer than folks who don't. If you want to encourage new neuron growth, all it takes is only 20 minutes of intellectual stimulation a day. If you enjoy mind games, try sudoku, chess, crossword puzzles, Rubik's cube, mahjong. If reading is more your cup of tea, go for books that make you think as you digest the contents. Research has shown that learning a new skill also helps to stimulate brain growth.

If you really have no time to develop and grow your brain, the least you can do is to keep it healthy. One suggestion mentioned is to eat a few prunes a day. Apparently, you can reduce the chances of Alzheimer's disease by a whopping 92%! So prunes aren't only for regular bowel movement!

Drinking lots of water also helps in brain growth as the brain is 80% water and needs to be kept hydrated. Listening to baroque music also increases your ability to learn by 25%-400%.

Whatever your preference, keep doing it to keep your brain actively engaged. Remember, use it or lose it. That's one reason why I blog!

WOULD YOU EAT ANYTHING IN THE NAME OF HEALTH?

Dog meat, anyone?

Mention the magic words "Good for health" to an elderly Chinese, and chances are he will eat it no matter how disgusting it may be. The 'it' here refers to exotic meat served as specialties in many restaurants in China, Taiwan, Korea and Thailand. Such meat is openly sold in wet markets in these countries.

Elderly Chinese believe that if any of your organs is deficient, eating the animal equivalent of that organ will help rejuvenate that organ in you. Sounds logical? So eating a tiger penis will give a man super virility, drinking a bowl of shark fin soup will take care of your arthritis, and enjoying a meal of monkey brains will enhance your memory. Turtle soup is great for longevity. And the list goes on.....

Hmm... I wonder what's available for breast enhancement?

And why stop at one cure? Go for the all-in-one marketing strategy. Drinking snake blood and eating the meat is not only considered an aphrodisiac, but also a remedy for fatigue, poor vision, lower back pain and acne.

CNN did a report on the move to ban eating dog and cat meat in China. Click here to view the video.

Well, one man's poison is another man's cure. To most folks, eating exotic food like these is revolting, but to many Chinese, it's lip-smacking yummy, and nutritious too.

As for me, I'll settle for veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds anytime, exotic or not. No meat on my platter, please. Thank you.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY - IS THERE CAUSE TO CELEBRATE?

Today, 8 March, is International Women's Day. Since 1893 when New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the right to vote, women's emanicipation has come a long way. It strikes me as strange that women have to struggle to win what should rightfully be their birth rights.

Speaking as a woman born and bred in Malaysia, I am fortunate that I have the right to vote, to be educated, to earn a living, speak freely, and choose my life partner. But women here are still discriminated against in many areas, including employment, salary, inheritance, custody of children in divorce cases. Gender bias is still encountered on a daily basis.

While my counterparts in the west have made remarkable progress on the road to emancipation, enjoying freedom in almost every facet of life, the same can't be said of the majority of women living outside the west, especially those living in many parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. We are living in the 21st century, yet there are cultures that still adhere to age-old practises which discriminate against women.

In patriarchal societies, women have no or limited access to education. They are viewed as second class citizens. They have virtually no say in anything. Abortion of female fetuses is still practised in India and China. Child marriage is condoned, despite statistics showing that underage pregnancies often lead to death for the young mothers during childbirth.

Let's not even go into sexual harassment, rape and sex trafficking.

So is there cause to celebrate Women's Day today? Well, I'll lift my glass of teh tarik for a toast, but it would be premature and presumptious to open a bottle of champagne. Not yet anyway.

Just for the record, 8 March 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. Is there an International Men's Day? Yes. It is celebrated on 19 November. Next year will be the 12th anniversary celebrations - almost a new kid on the block as far as anniversaries go. Why the late start for the men? Go figure.

BE HAPPY - IT'S GOOD FOR THE HEART

Finally, there are statistics to prove that being cheerful helps reduce the risk of a heart attack.

Researchers at Columbia University rated the happiness levels of more than 1,700 adults in Canada using a 5-point happiness scale. After a decade, statistics showed that the 145 adults who developed a heart problem scored low on the happiness scale.

"If you aren't naturally a happy person, just try acting like one," said Dr. Karina Davidson of Columbia University Medical Center, the lead author of the research paper. "It could help your heart."

Good advice. If only more people took it.

The worst way to start the day is to wake up in the morning feeling grouchy and irritable. Perhaps it's the thought of having to drag yourself off to work that makes most people feel this way in the morning.

Well, in that case, retirees should be very happy people indeed!

LESSONS FROM LIFE

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday.. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.



And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting...'

Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day.....like her breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.

The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:

'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.'

'I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.'

'I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.'

'I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.'

'I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.'

'I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back...'

'I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.'

'I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.'

'I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back...'

'I've learned that I still have a lot to learn..'

'I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

TIME FOR SOME LAUGHTER TONIC

As requested by some of you, here's a light-hearted look at the funny side of ageing. The good doctor recommends having a hearty belly laugh at least twice a day to keep those wrinkles at bay. Great for invigorating the old ticker too.