When they do this sort of thing on the TV and radio, they go through all the newsworthy events of the year. David Cameron's way of doing it has been to tell us what a miserable time we're going to have in the coming year. It might be expected that I would join in the chorus of doom and gloom - especially when you look back over my list of postings for the year. But no - I'd like to end the year on a positive note. One bright spot on the murky international political scene this year has been the release of the Burmese opposition leader and human rights activist, Aung San Suu Kyi. As we know, this lady has been held under house arrest by the repressive regime in Burma for 15 years. What struck me was her dignity and composure at her moment of release and her willingness to forgive her oppressors. Her release was made possible only after sustained international pressure, much of it from leading politicians, but much from ordinary people. All of which tells us that, when enough people unite and work patiently together, change for the better IS possible.
I would like to wish everyone who reads this posting a Happy and Hopeful New Year.
Friday, 31 December 2010
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I have been an admirer of Aung San Suu Kyi for a long time. When asked what good winning the Nobel Peace prize had done, seeing that, although she was the elected leader of Burma, she was powerless and under house arrest. She replied, "Imagine a huge, shimmering lake," she said, "not a ripple on the surface, absolutely still. But, underneath, there are thousands and thousands of fish swimming and darting and swooping until, suddenly, they leap above the water into the sunlight. That's Burma."
ReplyDeleteSooner or later, this will be true.
Just to put the record straight, it is not all Doom and Gloom, us Engineers are booming , never seen anything like it in 30 years of being in business we have even started apprenticeships in September which is great for young people !
ReplyDeleteThe only problem I see is how much our energy supplies are going to cost in the future. We are importing gas in Gas carrying ships from Quatar via Milford Haven and by pipeline from Norway. We are now a net importer and we used to be a net exporter. We need our new Nuclear Power Staions very quickly, we should have built them ten years ago but it would not have won votes. Why is that the French, German and Spanish companies are building them for us.
The French (EDF) have just bought our Salt Mines in Cheshire to store Gas (We currently only have 13 days supply - not good )Why is it that we rely on so many foreign companies to operate our infrastructure these days ?