WHAT LESSON CAN WE LEARN FROM MISSOURI?

Guys, have you even been to America? If yes, for sure you know that each state has a nickname.  The Americans are very proud of this, and most of them happily sport the moniker on their car license plates. Many of these nicknames seem to make perfect sense. For instance, California, which is home to the gold rush of the mid-19^th century, is called The Golden State. Florida, the southernmost mainland state, is called The Sunshine State.

Other states resemble natural or manmade wonders – Arizona is The Grand Canyon State, while South Dakota is Mount Rushmore State. Some are simple; you would not get a prize for knowing that New York was The Empire State. Others however, are contradictory; Wyoming is known as either The Equality State or The Cowboy State. Still more are immeasurable. Why Missouri is called The Show Me State?

If you travel to Missouri to ask this question, certainly you will met with a variety of stories about heroic local politicians and miner’s strikes, all with reference to the skeptical nature of the state’s denizens.

A Missourian, it is said, does not believe anything without proof. This maybe the reason why it has one of the highest percentage rates of smokers in the USA.

All this brings us to a more serious point. Barely a day goes by when we are not bombarded with people telling us that our planet is in trouble. Most think it’s entirely our own fault, others think it’s a natural climate cycle. But we can all agree that burning fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas, etc.) is a dirty, wasteful, expensive and negligent way to generate electricity.

All of us, that is, except for the residents of the Show Me State, who need proof. As a result, a two-horse town called Rock Port, Missouri, has become the first community in the US to be powered exclusively by wind. The “city” (another American idiosyncrasy: it has 1,300 residents) erected four wind turbines, predicted to generate 16 million kilowatt hours of power each year.

Since Rock Port only uses about 13 million kW, it’s free to sell the other three million to the state’s joint municipal utilities, and hopes to freeze power prices for the next quarter century – good news for residents and businesses, not to mention whoever pays the bill for the town’s only traffic signal. The turbines may be a blot on the landscape, but this is a state with half a McDonald’s logo in pride of place in its largest city.

Missouri has been shown. It has become a believer in sustainable, clean power from a natural resource. And if somewhere with a reputation for stubborn incredibility can be persuaded, why is it taking the rest of us so long? Missouri is teaching us.

RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

THE STORY OF MY LIFE

(Continuation)

To make my story short, I went on my review. I took the board exam. But the saddest thing is I was not able to make it.

After the board exam I resumed my office as if nothing had happened but deep inside I could draw the regrets of taking the board. Taking the exam was troubling me a lot. After five years, I got the chance of taking the board which I think a very difficult goal to achieve. I am not saying I am pessimistic but my point is five years had gone and everything was changing. New accounting rules are added, some have been phased out. For 4 months of rigid review I didn’t think I could put all these updates in my memory.

Nothing was too serious. No questions asked. Maybe he had the vibes in advance that I was not that lucky to pass. I did not explain to him either.

I did my work assignments, as usual. This time I am busier than before. He loaded me more assignments. It seemed that I was compelled to make up my leave. Is this what I get for being away in the office?

I had waited for seven months to make the right decision. I am exhausted! It’s over! I had been dedicated to my work. I had never been a loss to the company. But he could not even give me any single thumb’s up for my dedication. Because of this, I decided to make my move. Everybody deserves a prize for his hard work. His promise to give my increment after my board exam had faded away. Because of this I decided to submit my irrevocable resignation. But he did not accept it.

I knew it’s a big insult for him, being the boss, if his employees are leaving. I heard how upset he became when his managers were leaving their posts. He discussed to me my resignation, explaining his side why he could not accept it. He implied so many things and topics. I knew what he was trying to say. I knew that he was trying to remind me once and for all that without him I could not be where I am now, or worse, I could not be a person. I had lost my loyalty and gratitude at the instance. Yet some guilt were echoing and waiting to be highly noticed. But this is not the reason. Nothing or nobody can stop me from giving up my post unless he will offer me to double my pay which is very impossible for him to do. Six years of working with honesty and dedication is more than enough to pay off the debt of gratitude. He never heard me even once asking for a pay increase. That’s why nothing to worry about. He continued to give me his homily. He had the floor. I did not want to argue him. All I need was my resignation signed by him. But he did not. He told me to stay in the company because he was certain that I could not find another job and I have to forget about my resignation.

Deep within, I burst in anger and disappointment. The man whom I had been loyal to and admired for his outlook in life could talk to me like that? He was holding me to my position because no one could do my work with less compensation. I have to prove to this man that he is wrong. Absolutely wrong!

Let him believe that I was convinced to stay. I did my works as usual and pretending to be loyal again. I carefully planned my next move. The time that everything seemed to be in normal, I asked him for a 5-day leave which he had approved. I know this is not a good thing to do but this is the only idea I have. After 5 days I did not know what happened next, except that I found myself in Dubai.

-To be continued-

WE CALL IT HOME

     Ito ‘yung loob ng kwarto kung saan pilit pinagkasya ang mahigit sampung tao. Sa bawat double deck na yan ay may apat na tao - mga mag-asawa. Nasa loob na rin ng kwarto ang kusina.