11 th Edition / October 2011

Going Global
mirralaxmi@gmail.com

Globalization, for better or for worse?

budding.life@gmail.com

Challenge, The Key to New Frontiers

hussam8112@gmail.com

Ten Steps to your own Short stor

ikhwanul1990@gmail.com

Leader Leads
camille.c91@hotmail.com

Flims, language and Books

suquintan@gmail.com

Big corporations pawned.

ash037@gmail.com

11 th Edition / October 2011

The Inspirer has never failed to encourage our readers to take cognizance of whatever that is happening around us. By that, I felt that it is always in the month of December that the impatience in everybody starts to surface as a brand new year approaches. Eventually changes around us slowly gain momentum. By that, globalization, being the theme for this edition, reflects the similar phenomenon where swift changes happen globally on a borderless basis. Some sees it as a barricade towards preserving distinctive traits in a society while some others prefer to look at it as a boost of both international and intranational partnerships and as well as competitions. Malaysia has long been labeled as the Melting Pot of Asia whereby a rich variety of people originating from different ethnicity and cultures can be found here. But then, as society matures and grows, somehow in the near future, there is a possibility that the world will end up having only one single race of people as a result of globalization. Many laughed after the famous comedian Russell Peters brought this up, but what if it happens, for real? In this edition, issues that will be covered are of most talked about controversial matters related to globalization be it from the mouths of country leaders to the customers in the ever-revolutionary mamak stalls. One thing is for sure: Everyone is and will be entangled in this mess.

KP

11th Edition / October 2011

Globalization, a very familiar term that all

of us would come across in our daily lives. Newspapers, television news and so on always highlight this. As much as we hear about it, what does it really means? Is it good or bad? I n l a y ma n s w o r ds , globalization simply means the integration and connectedness of different societies, cultures and economies that has a great impact on production, communication and technologies around the world. It is known for evolving a common global market where goods and services within nations is not restricted. If we are now able to use the iPhone, or have our lunch at KFC, or secure a job at a foreign company, it is globalization that we need to thank. Although it is widely emphasized at this era, globalization is not all that of a new term. It has been happening around the world since a very long time. Looking back at history, the state of Malacca in Malaysia itself has been a popular port where trades of goods and services took place back then. The moment humans were able to travel from one place to another, globalization has officially started. What we have now is the just the advanced version. This huge term can be analysed from many different aspects ranging from the field of education, environment, migration, culture, technology and so on. Talking on migration, globalization has been a great factor for people to settle abroad. The demand for skilled professionals and the promising high salary has made many qualified personnel from developing countries to secure jobs at developed nations like the United States. A scenario like this has created a very unique workforce that consists of people from various nations who speak various languages. New ideas and experiences are opened to these people which includes understanding new cultures, ethics and learning new languages. Here is where the concept of a Global Village is introduced. Humans around the world who come from diverse backgrounds get settled together where a huge collaboration of cultural activities takes place. Therefore, we are all now the citizens of the global village where boundaries are vanished and home becomes global. However, it is also a challenge not to forget our roots and preserve our regional cultures well so that it will not be exploited by globalization. Globalization not only brings the workforce to the jobs, but it also brings the jobs to the workforce. Many developed nations are now outsourcing their workforce at developing nations as the labour expenses are cheaper. This provides a large opportunity of employment to the locals that will definitely help them to improve their socio economic background. However, some experts do claim that this somehow creates a dependency towards the foreign companies, which can also be viewed as a modern way of colonization. Besides that, globalization has definitely made humans more aware of their global surroundings as it will have a direct impact on their lives nowadays. The economic aftermath of Tsunami that took place in Japan recently was felt by mostly all countries around the world. Same goes to the hurricane Katrina in the United States and the massive floods in Thailand. This is due to the interdependency that exists within nations worldwide. Overall, globalization is an ongoing process that has its own goodness and drawbacks. We as responsible citizens of the Earth will have to make sure that this process is done without any severe damage to the environment and the humans as a whole to ensure that our sustainability is not jeopardized. In life, one should take calculated risks.

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For us Gen-Yers, the word globalization has been lodged in our dictionary ever since we came into being. However, to those born earlier than 1982 and those who are from the past who have travelled to the present (if any), the aforementioned word is relatively new. It was only in the late 1980s when it grew into prominence and gain colloquialness, becoming the new it word not unlike our present 1 Malaysia and high-income nation slogans. Despite its popularity, there is a general lack of consensus on the exact definition of the term (Mohd Nazari Ismail, 2007). Some merely use it as a substitute for the word international in explaining inter-country relations, some use it to refer to the process of eliminating artificial geopolitical borders, while others interpret it to represent the removal of government-imposed trade restrictions in order to develop an open world economy. While the debate may yet continue, I believe that for the average citizen, one aspect of globalization that is worth highlighting is the effect globalization has on our culture and way of life. Everybodys proud of their heritage. From the Eskimos and their igloos to advertisers and their promotional campaigns, our heritage is the essential ingredient that defines who we are. Its a centuries-old act that has been passed on generation to generation reflecting the living environment, belief systems and way of life of a certain people. Because of it, we get to experience the inexplicable scenario of a Catalan not understanding a Mallorcan, the existence of the Aussie, American and British accents even though they originated from the same source as well as the many national holidays Malaysia enjoys. In fact, without it, life would truly be as dull as a Xerox machine. Yet, day by day, globalization continues to erode on this rich aspect of our lives, eventually amalgamating them into one. Think about it, everything seems so similar now. Even before Bill Gates had formed his dream of 1 Windows computer per household, the TV had already been ubiquitous worldwide and now we can see the same thing happening with mobile phones.Peoples appearance too is becoming increasingly non-distinct from our hair colors to the clothes that we wear to the build of our physique. Even the pace that we go about our lives seems to have drastically quickened, affecting not only the white-collared but also the village fisherman. The world we live in is evolving on a global scale and no one is spared from its consequences. The question then arises, is this phenomenon good or bad? Should we embrace it or should we resist it? There are arguments for both sides. For instance, without globalization, the world would most probably not be enjoying the luxuries that we have today. And this doesnt only hold true to developing nations but also to the so-called developed countries as history has shown that they were once technologically behind and were dependent on other nations to get themselves out of the Dark Ages. Also, without globalization trade activities would definitely be more localized, hence relinquishing our opportunities to enjoy the sights and delights of countries afar. On the other hand, the blend of cultures and different ways of life have led to many tragedies including but not limited to racism, slavery, oppression, treason and corruption. Those may appear to be extreme examples from the past but the world we live in today doesnt really paint a rosy picture either. Just last Sunday, The Star newspaper featured an article on how the lewd trend of sexting is on the rise in Singapore (The Star, October 23 2011). Then therere also the incidents of people rallying and demonstrating for every thought possible be it for human rights, animal rights, alcohol consumer rights, sexual orientation rights etc. Even once sacred institutions and objects that define our national identity are being diluted such as our national language, Bahasa Malaysia, as expressed by national language activist, Dr. Awang Sariyan and poet, Dr. Ibrahim Ghafar (The Sun, October 24 2011). So where do we draw the line? As with everything else, globalization has incredible potential for increasing our quality of life but at the same time carries an equal amount of destructive power. We should definitely take it with a pinch of salt and analytically as well as objectively evaluate any influences presenting themselves in our life. To quote a Malay proverb, Ambil yang jernih, buang yang keruh which roughly translated means in with the good, and out with the bad. But whats good and whats bad? Thats for you to decide, when it comes down to it. Its not as if theres a government or a regulatory board who can or will do anything about this. Globalization is intangible and irreversible. Its your life and you should take responsibility for what you allow to influence you; for better or for worse.

11 th Edition / October 2011

Challenge,
The Key to New Frontiers
In this issue of the inspirer we were fortunate enough to have an exclusive interview with the
newly appointed head of Enhanced Oil Recovery Center (EOR) Pro. Dr. Mariyamni Binti Awang. The interview proved to be really interesting and inspiring, and Prof Mariyamni literally eradicated all the guest-host protocols, making it easy to have an effective interview. The Stanford graduate shared with us her experience in studying in some of the worlds leading universities and how she succeeded in her educational and professional life; anyhow the interview went as follow. Later, I went to Stanford University for my PhD studies and that was a totally different learning experience, a one that was both tough and enjoyable. It was challenging all the time and it did push me to the limits. Although I spent five years in there, but every day I was learning something new, not only in engineering but in many aspects of life, in short I was totally satisfied with my time at Stanford.

Well, I grew up in Terengganu where I took my primary education. Then, I had a scholarship to do my matriculation in the University of Queensland, after that I studied for four years and acquired a degree in Chemical engineering. So in total I have been there for five years. Later, I returned back to Malaysia where I worked as an assistant lecturer in UTM. After my graduation I was not keen in teaching and I wanted to be a professional engineer, but at that time there were almost zero prospects for chemical engineers, so I had to adjust my career choices. After spending two years in UTM, they sent me to Pennsylvania state university to do my masters, and there I started to be more interested in the academia, probably its the American system of learning that caught my interest. After completing it within two years I came back as a lecturer and I was one of the earliest lecturers in the Engineering

I think it is the challenge, my learning experience proved most of the time to be quite challenging, and that what used to drive me further, I have always wanted to go further and explore new frontiers.

11 th Edition / October 2011

Well, of course there are some differences, but I was not very affected by them. Simply because I took all my primary education in English, so I didnt have a problem with communication. Besides that in the first yearmatriculation year- I used to live with other Malaysian students, so that acted as a buffer zone for me to adapt to the new environment. We used to practice our Malaysian celebrations and religious rituals in a normal way, in spite that sometimes we had to compromise few things. Also, I think the Australian society at that time was to some extent conservative, because the population did not grow that much at a time.

Well that issue is not only restricted to petroleum engineering, but I would rather say that it is the job security that attracts people into such fields. Look for example into medicine, I dont think that all these masses of people studying medicine abroad are really interested in it, but instead I guess they are more into good employment prospects, and actually there is nothing wrong with that as it does not override our career responsibilities.

I think they should be more disciplined and appreciative of what they have. Students are students, so if there are any differences they tend to be cultural and in terms of attitude rather than academic capabilities. I believe the system is just fine, rather I think it should be part of the students life style, it is a responsibility that you have to fulfill, so by having that kind of attitude in place students will be able to adhere to it.

I guess that depends more on the market itself rather than a particular university or another. Of course the oil & gas market is a highly volatile one, so your competitiveness will depends on how many engineers the market needs. But I believe though that the issue of competitiveness is more related to the individual student. If you are motivated and driven, then for sure you will be able to compete.

I think that is very good project, and actually it is one of the reasons why I moved to UTP, since I have always been interested in research, and in UTM I did not have the opportunity to pursue that. I think that UTP will succeed because there is a good number of graduate assistants in here which makes it more conducive as a research university. Regarding the lack of professors, I believe that is a common phenomenon in all

Well, globalization in this context does not quite go with that of the education I guess. Because the globalization that we are witnessing in todays world is the one based on economic exploitation and free market trade. But for the education of course it is becoming more global.

Work hard, study hard.

11 th Edition / October 2011

A short story always entertains us. Who can forget the story of The Red Riding Hood and Snow White, courtesy of the Brothers Grimms (Jacob Grimm and Wilhem Grimm) and popularize by Disney. How about the classic Aesops fables and our Malaysias own Sang Kancil. Personally, shorts stories are the first that develop my interest in reading when I was a child. However, reading is not the same as writing. In writing your own short story, you are putting your own experience and your imaginations in paper so others can enjoy it as much as you do. It might take some efforts, but the reward is definitely worth.

Third is to develop the character. In order to develop a living, breathing character, it is important to understand the character more than you use in the story. The character must have a personality that make the reader care for the character. Some basic character details are name, age, ethnic, secrets, and strong memories. Imagining all the details help you to get to know the character, but the reader might not know more than four most important areas: 1. Appearance: Gives the reader a visual appearance 2. Action: Show the reader what kind of person your character is 3. Speech: Develop the character as a person 4. Thought: Bring the reader into the character minds, emotion and unexpressed memories.

First step is getting started. Arguably, this is the hardest part. As a writer you must determined, who is your protagonist, what does he or she wants, what morally significant action has he or she taken toward his/her goal and finally what is the morally significant choice your protagonist make in the climax of the story. However, remember describing a powerful significance choice is not the same as generating emotional significance to the readers.

Fourth is to choose a point of view either first person (the story from the view of I), second person (the story is told directly to you, and the reader is directly participate in the story) and finally third person (the story as told by he, she or it. Can be limited (one character view point) or omniscience (knows everything in the story). The narrator can be involved directly in the action subjectively or the narrator might only narrate actions objectively.

Fifth is to write a meaningful dialog. A dialog is what your characters said to each other. The best way is to give a paragraph for each Second is to write a catchy first paragraph. speaker that also includes what the character is The first sentence should catch the readers doing while speaking. with unusual, catchy or unexpected action or conflict. Remember a short story need to start close to its end.

11 th Edition / October 2011

Common conflicts are: Protagonist against another individual. Protagonist against nature or technology. Protagonist against society. Sixth is to use setting and context. A setting Protagonist against God. includes the time, location, context and Protagonist against himself or herself. atmosphere where the plot takes place. Remember to combine characterization and plot. Include enough details to let the reader picture the scene but only detail that actually adds something to the story. Finally, use two or more sense in your description of the Ninth, build to a crisis or climax. This is the details. turning point of the story, in other words, the most exciting or dramatic moment. Jane Burroway said that the crisis must always be presented as a scene. It is the moment the Seventh, set up the plot. A plot is defined by reader been waiting for. However, while a Jane Burroway as a series of events good story needs a crisis, a random event deliberately arranged so as to reveal their such as car accident or sudden illness unless dramatic, thematic and emotional involves a conflict that make the reader care significance. Some story elements for are simply consider as emergency. developing actions and their end results are: 1. Explosion or Hook: A thrilling, gripping event or problem that instantly grab the reader attention. 2. Conflict: A character versus the Finally, find a resolution. In a short story, it internal self or an external force. 3. Exposition: Background information is difficult to provide a complete resolution required for seeing the character in and it is often need to just show that the character are beginning to change in some context. way or starting to see things differently. 4. Complication: One or more problems that keep a character from Some samples of endings are: Open: The reader determine the its goal. meaning. 5. Transition: Image, symbol or dialogue that joins paragraph and Resolved: Clear-cut outcome. scenes together. Parallel to the beginning: Similar to 6. Flashback: Remembering something the beginning situation or image. that happened before. Symbolic image: Detail represent a 7. Climax: The rising action at its meaning beyond the literal one. peak. 8. Falling Action: Releasing the action of the story after the climax. Well thats all the steps in writing a short 9. Resolution: When the internal or story. Hopefully this can help you in creating external conflict is resolve. your own master piece. A common problem in writing is writer block, which is when a writer lost an idea of writing. Whenever you are stuck on the plot, get out and see the Eighth is create conflict and tension. Conflict world. Ask your friends for help by reading produces tension that makes the story begin. the story to him/her and ask his/her honest Tension is created by opposition between the opinion. Most of the time, writer block occur because or exhaustion. So take a rest and character or characters and internal or relax. Until next time, take care. external forces. By balancing the opposing forces of the conflict, the reader will continue reading, anticipating and wondering how it going to end.

11 th Edition / October 2011

Leader Leads

When we talk about leadership, when we talk about inspiring people, and when we talk about making changes in others lives, what often comes in mind is a picture of a great leader. It was indeed my very pleasure to have an interview with this incredibly humble and kindhearted person, Belal Magdy. Being a first year student two years back, Belal was the co-founder of AIESEC in UTP, a world leading youth organization which focuses on youth development and leadership. With absolutely zero knowledge about AIESEC at that time, Belal, and other two initiator of AIESEC in UTP, went through a lot of hardship just to make their dream come true, to establish this very potential organization in UTP. But because of the determination and the belief they hold, they made it, AIESEC is now two and the half years old, making impact onto 300 youth, offering them a life changing experience. In my very own opinion, I strongly believe that being a good leader doesnt mean that you must be so strict all the time, just to scare your subordinates or just to hide your weaknesses. But rather, you can choose to be a friendly and effusively amiable leader just like Belal. Working with Belal for almost two years now, I have never had once felt pressured or depressed. I enjoyed doing my work and I believe so do my fellow colleagues in the AIESEC executive board. The current president of AIESEC is a man of value and vision, and I believe the output of this interview will somehow inspire some of us if not all. Hello Belal, what actually inspired you to establish AIESEC in UTP, it was never easy, but what made you stay put to your vision? First of all, I am glad to be interviewed here and it gives me the ultimate happiness when my life inspires someone. From here I will answer your question on what inspired me to establish AIESEC in Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS with two young men who are now among my closest friends Omar & AbdelRahman. Although it seemed too hard to happen to me at the beginning, but looking at the inspiration that we can give to thousands of youth through a great youth platform like AIESEC, we were up for the Challenge. I have two ultimate goals in my life which are Poverty & War free world. AIESEC as a Youth platform that aims to build positive connections in our world is indeed an ambitious path to that. What kind of leader do you think you are? I see myself as a social leader. Sometimes I hear people saying "Leaders walk alone" because usually no one really understands their potential or maybe because they feel a bit superior over others. For me I see that Leadership enables me to build strong positive connections with everyone. That is the real unique part of Leadership, experiencing the richness of our world, "us". WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD? I believe every one of us has what it takes to be a great Leader. But most of us know nothing about that part. Being in AIESEC which is all about activating that hidden part in us, I strengthened that in me and I am supporting others to discover that as well.

11 th Edition / October 2011

How does it feel like to lead a team of people from totally different background? No word can describe how amazing is such an experience. It gives me the chance to experience how unique is our world. While other will see differences as a negative thing, I tend to appreciate our differences. It gives me a very challenging task though on how to make things work smoother as what we if all of us came from the same background. It is a challenging and enjoyable task. How do you balance between work and studies? Think of a machine that never worked for a long time, it will take time to start again. I believe we are the same. If we lived a lazy life we will do things slowly. Instead if our life is active and busy with beneficial activities, our capacity to do things will increase and that is how I can balance between studies and work. Keep your engines working!

What are your dreams? And how are you going to make them happen? Influencing Global actions for Poverty & War free world are my ultimate goals. I am going to do this through Education. They say, "Don't give me the fish but teach me to fish". I will be an entrepreneur who is ultimately committed to Education. If people see their differences as something to value, we will indeed stop wars. Well thats pretty much all of the interview. In contribute to the theme of this issue, I asked Belal what does he thinks about globalization, and he told me: By nature I don't tend to live alone. So do you. Our nature is to communicate with each other. That's why globalization is indeed a very positive thing as it enables communication on new dimensions. Youth today can easily push towards building positive connections across the globe. It's very shameful for us that we easily use smart phones and tablets while millions of other youth cannot use even pens because of poverty. We need to push forward towards a more responsible world. I was inspired and amazed by how a 22 year old can be so determined and has a clear vision of what he is doing and where he is going. It was never an easy step for us to step out from our comfort zone, but that is the only way we learn and grow. Put the dream you have in mind to execution, and you will be amazed of where the result will lead you. Let your soul be your pilot, follow your instinct, and expect the unexpected, trust me, you will be surprised! Cheers!

Quotes

11 th Edition / October 2011

Language

compasses a wide range of activities in our life. Education, communication, entertainment and many more, The Inspirer is set to explore the possibilities and wonder of global interaction in this issue. Reading and writing factual scientific papers is part of our lives as a university students. Dissecting each column, finding loopholes to a scientific research and hoping to be the next Steve Jobs is what we do. Using the left brain too much can be stressful and a four months break can now be spent on developing the right side of the brain. I used to have an English General Paper teacher who was very passionate and creative in his way of teaching. He once came in, screened a disturbing and tragic film; and were to write a review on it. Disturbing I would describe the movie but a deeper understanding thus deliver a poignant message. The story revolves around 4 interlocking families across different continents and struggles in life. I wrote a beautiful article on it. The storyline and directing was perfect; not to mention that Brad Pitt was starring in it. By the way, for those who were not to watch it, the movie title was Babel. Therefore, to spice things up, I chose films and novels as a subtopic for this issue's theme- globalisation. It is one particular topic in this world that never fails to incite passionate discussion and provide insightful stories into human live. After all, globalisation has brought Hollywood to Bollywood, and the Korean cinema wave to Malaysia. We love summer movie season. Big blockbuster budget movies, horror films and also not forgetting the romantic comedies for the faint hearted- We love them! Call me old fashion but I love classic and everything British. The way they speak and express themselves is just plain beguiling, Austens Pride and Prejudice, Atonement and the latest Harry Potter to name a few. The last three are of course book adapted films, and watching the film might not be as satisfying as reading the original novel. Austen will remain as one of my favourite free indirect speech authors, which I have to admit I do not fully comprehend. For those who have not read Pride and Prejudice or just gave up reading it. Let me inspire you to pick one up and be transported into the 19 th century. Pride and Prejudice was written by Jane Austen and published in 1813. This is the book where the famous haughty Mr Darcy comes from a love story and misunderstanding between quick witted Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. What caught my best attention and stayed is none other than when Mr Darcy proposed after building up courage. In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.''

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It definitely came as a shocker if you read the book, because there was no significant signs of his sudden unsubtle confession. He proceeded with representing to her the strength of attachment which he had found impossible to overcome; and with expressing his hopes that it would now be rewarded by her acceptance of his hand. Sadly, he was bombarded with an explosion of accusations from Miss Bennet. I could go on discussing how lovely a story this is but will not do. Pride and prejudice it definitely one of the most loved novels and highly recommended to be read. It has also been adapted by a bollywood movie Bride and Prejudice starring Aishwarya Rai. However, movies do affect societies in many ways. The popularity and exchange of western and eastern films has unknowingly delved into the minds of society. Many adults believe that watching TV and movies will affect the perception and psychological growth of their children. However, I do not fully agree. I call it part of individual development in a modern technological connected world. Boundaries are gradually blurred and understanding of culture and language is just part and parcel of live for improvement. In my opinion, the world is always changing; it is essential that human faith and sense of righteousness be upheld and not be lost in this paradigm. As intellectuals, I think we have to attain the minimum level of perceiving right and wrong. Besides, reading subtitles has also become a way for me to learn English and Bahasa Melayu. Then again, human knowledge knows no boundaries. So, how about adding and expanding your English lexicon? A few words handpicked from some great writings and book authors like John Grisham, Rana Foroohar, Gene Wilder are to be added to our vocabulary.

11 th Edition / October 2011

Ernesto used to work until very late at night. Fast Life is an energy booster that he

always took to stay awake. One night, tragedy struck when half of his body suddenly became paralyzed and right in front of his working desk, he collapsed. He curled on the floor, bearing the terrible pain. His face was strained with muscles and red blood veins that were about to burst at any moment now. After a few minutes of wrestling with the pain, all movements ceased he was dead. Months after that, his wife took legal action against the company that manufactured Fast Life; whose side effects had killed her husband. Despite of being aware of its deadly consequences, the company refused to acknowledge the fact; yet spending millions to win the legal battle to save face and prevent their shares from plunging. They hired a whole bunch of expensive lawyers and experts to help them convince the jury and win the case. They studied the life of each jury, knowing their soft spots and manipulated their feelings. They bugged their phones, houses and offices. They fitted camera in the court room and in the jury chamber, so that they could monitor everything. Luckily, Ernestos widow got help from Leverage Associate. Those multibillion dollars company thought they were invincible, but not anymore. An honest and brilliant exinsurance investigator, Nathan Ford teamed up with a professional thief, a computer fraud specialist, a retrieval specialist, and a con woman to get even with the evil company. They infiltrated the jury with one of their own members to protect the other juries from incoming attacks and bribery. They outsmarted the experts hired by the company and finally won the case an unexpected strategy from a group of outlaws. But nonetheless, they defended the weak. You can imagine this scenario as in the classic Robin Hood tales where bandits helped the needy. Instead of seeking justice from the cruel kings, Leverage dragged huge corporations to their knees because the law does not protect the weak anymore it is in the pocket of these big companies. This is the new truth of globalization, where companies are just too powerful that they control even governments. They can manipulate those officials that we voted into office supposedly to fight for our cause. With billions of dollars of money, corporations rule this world. In the words of Ralph Nader, 5 times candidate for the US Presidency and a political activist, Corporations have taken over the government and turned it against its own people. Although he tried 5 times for the Presidency, but without the support of these big corporations, he stood no chance. That is how powerful these corporations were before and they are even more powerful now. In a poll done in December 2005, 90% of American believe that Corporations have too much power over Washington.

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The reason is simple. It will take millions of dollars to run a political campaign for a country with 10,000,000 km2 area to cover. Just imagine the posters, banners, websites, salary for political aids, renting offices, travel expenses and other monumental expenditures. The question is, Who is paying the bills?. You cannot expect a single candidate to pay for all that. There are company lobbyists that are willing to donate millions of dollars to those who desire to be in the seat of power provided that whatever policy they champion must be agreed upon by the corporations. On September 17, 2011 Americans shoulder to shoulder marched to Wall Street, the capital of the Corporation-Empire to protest against the atrocities of this Multinational Companies (MNC). They shouted, sang and chanted to profess their dissatisfactions. We are the 99 per cent and We are unstoppable, another world is possible. True enough, the government policies have been swayed to favour the rich. Congress members objected President Barack Obamas proposal to increase corporate tax or you can call it the rich tax. Why? The masters of these big firms simply dont like it. Less tax money for the government equals to less money for the people and more money for them which also means more money to bribe more political candidates. Globalisation blurs the limit to where they can do business and how much money these conglomerates can make. They have business on all 6 continents in oil and gas, retail, manufacturing, finance, real estate, construction, agriculture on everything that we normal people depend on. Not just that, they team up which each other and create trade unions, chambers of commerce and economic societies to further boost their dominance and control. Ultimately, when they are so big, they can do something that only Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Ottoman Sultan Mahmet, Napoleon, and Augustus Caesar ever had done rule the world. They lobbied to establish the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) because now they want governments of weak African and Asian countries to be tricked into taking international loans. These governments thought that they can save themselves during recession, but they have been deceived. One of the requirements for the loan is to devalue the currency allowing big corporations to buy natural resources a lot cheaper. Structural Adjustment Programs (SAP) is another condition where governments are forced to develop policies that prioritize economic growth giving corporate incentives such as business tax reduction to spur business a condition that benefits these companies. Other people-oriented policies such as healthcare and public transport have to be neglected. So, a person like Ernestos widow is no match against these corporate-emperors. If they can control governments, a small courtroom battle is just a childs play. The reality uncovered by these five Robin Hoods is that globalization has allow companies to grow too big, too rich and too powerful. This globalized world needs more Nathan Ford, where the weak can seek justice. Politicians are the last person who we should seek.

11 th Edition / October 2011

Were Hiring!

the-inspirer-20112012@googlegroups.com

11 th Edition / October 2011