Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account-Oscar Wilde

I love Oscar Wilde who always had a mad quote for everything. I may look drunk in this photo the way Oscar often was but I can assure you I was overdosing only on sugar in a Santa outfit. A child's version of madness!
Here are my 10 wishes for a brilliant year ahead for everyone.
1. The job cuts and financial cuts won't cut us off at the knee.
2. The LibDem coalition will learn how to sell the best parts of our party policies.
3. Science advancements will be made to make life better for the disabled and sick.
4. Climate Change will start to reverse or stall because the world has finally recognised that it needs to solve the problem urgently.
5. Christmas will be celebrated as a time of Christ's birth as well as a time for shopping and eating.
6. Children who live in poverty will be helped by being given lots of opportunities for success.
7.More shelters will be opened for homeless people as the weather is getting colder.
8. More activities will take place for young people and, hopefully, this will help their quality of life and prevent them from committing crimes.
9. Job opportunities will be created for people without work and living in poor conditions.
10. A peaceful ending will be reached between Israel and Palestine; in Afghanistan; and in Iraq. I wish the British troops well.
Thank you for supporting my blog and many heartfelt thanks to you. Happy New Year.

A Christmas Prayer

Christmas Prayer
by Robert Louis Stevenson


Loving Father, Help us remember the birth of Jesus,
that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds,
and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,
and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts,
forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.
Amen.

Merry Christmas To Everyone.
Love
Maelo @Libdemchild

Mugged in Malaysia

It's not often that I blog about a personal incident in my life. My mother and I were mugged outside my grandmother's house in Malaysia where I am on holiday. We had walked to the local shops to buy some colouring pencils for me. Just as we were about to reach the house a motorbike with two riders came past and snatched my mum's handbag. We lost our holiday money, camera and other valuables. The motorbike sped off too fast for us to see the number plate. Luckily, just a few seconds before I had taken my favourite toy - Toad- out of the bag. It was a very scary and unfortunate incident that has left me feeling frightened. Luckily neither of us was hurt. People tell us how lucky we are because sometimes these robbers kill, injure or snatch children in this way. If anyone is planning a holiday in Malaysia soon then please beware not to carry too many valuables with you and look out for motorbike riders who could be potential robbers.


MY TOY

The Third World is rife with poverty and if governments don't intervene to reduce the poverty gap then this sort of thing will become more common.

A view from abroad of the demonsrations

I am in Malaysia attending a family wedding and am appalled at the coverage of what looks to be the worst ever damage caused by some demonstrators among the students who took part. This is the picture on the front page of the national newspaper here. It speaks of violence, rampant hooliganism and disrespect for property and people. People in Asia love shopping and Oxford Street is their number one choice when they visit England; the British monarchy is loved here too and people can't understand why a royal car was attacked. I am fed up with explaining the politics of the demonstrations. It's all been ruined by the thuggery acts committed. People are asking why British taxpayers should fund the education of people who behave in this manner.

Microfinance and Nobel Peace Winner

The guru of microfinance, Muhammad Yunus, who won a Nobel Peace prize in 2006 for his work in providing small amounts of loans to poor people is in the news today for all the wrong reasons. He set up the Grameen Bank which is a microfinance organisation and community development bank. Microfinancing is especially helpful to the poor because the bank takes very little collateral or none at all. This type of lending has helped many people especially in Asia. Today it is being reported that Mr Yunus is being investigated for possible alleged financial  mismanagement of the Grameen Bank. Apparently, money given to the bank has been transferred to another company without the permission of the Norwegian government who donated to the fund. Microfinance gives people who live in poverty some control over their lives. These people don't then have to rely on charity all the time which can be on and off  in being given to them. Also, international aid doesn't always go the people in those countries who need them. Microfinance has helped millions of people to get out of poverty. I really hope that microfinance in Asia has not been corrupted as many more millions of people could benefit from this.