I Want Not to Know My Future

Photo by Vanilla

The last 2010 World Cup match between Spain and the Netherlands will take place in two hours' time.

I am a soccer idiot. I am not about to write a critique on any of the matches and I am unable to say who will bring back the trophy. However, I do know that this World Cup has many unexpected outcomes, sending many strong teams home with their heads bowing low.

It is never easy to predict the outcome of soccer matches with absolute certainty (for that matter, any type of matches). That is one reason why
people would gamble with their own perception of the most likely outcome.


Can animals predict outcome?

In the midst of this once-in-every-four-year excitement, one octopus named Paul has been coolly predicting the outcomes of matches involving Germany. He has stunned the world with his impressive record of 100% accuracy. This 8-legged mollusk has just one more prediction to go before he hits pure gold. For the grand final, he has predicted that Spain will beat the Netherlands. (Watch Paul's video predicting the final match)

Besides Paul, soccer fans also look to other animals for their match prediction. Mani, a parakeet from Singapore has done a fairly good job alongside Paul and he has since become rather famous too. Mani has a different view from Paul for the final as he has picked the Netherlands. (Watch Mani's video predicting the final match)

It seems that the 2010 World Cup has somehow also turned into Paul v Mani. We shall know the verdict in a moment.

Photo by Vanilla

Obsessed to know the unknown

Mani's owner, a fortune-teller has claimed that his business has improved. People come to him to find out about their lives. Besides soccer matches, they want to know about their future wealth and health too.

Unknown is always fascinating and sometimes, disturbing.

Have you ever wanted to know about your future? If you have a predicting device which will tell you what is coming up, would you be glad to have it? It appears to be a fascinating thought initially but I am more inclined to think that it is a scary idea.

People can be obsessed with wanting to know the unknown because essentially, they do not like uncertainties. They want to know if the rest of their lives would be fine and they want to see if there is anything they can do to negate predicted bad outcomes.

Photo by Vanilla

Living with dying in mind?

We all know that our days are numbered but no one knows the exact number. There is nothing wrong with living with dying in mind. However, we must not live pessimistically just because the end is inevitable. Neither do we want to live in a death-defying manner.

I said in 'Coffin Academy - Dying to Live' that, when we are alive, we rarely give a thought to the things we can undo and improve while we still have the chance. Such thoughts may not come until perhaps, a near-death experience.

It does not have to be that way.

Photo of Oscar

What if we know our expiry date?

You would say, 'that is not possible'.

Are you being rational or are you merely being defensive because it is something you would rather not know?

In a nursing home at Rhode Island, a resident cat named Oscar is said to be able to do just that, ie. he predicts death.

Oscar arrived at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in 2005. He was a normal cat with the usual feline attitude. He would decide who to go to but never spend much time with anyone, unless he is in his last hours.

No one can explain why. Somehow, Oscar would curl up in bed with a the patient and give the most needed companionship to this usually lonely person. It is as if that were his way to say goodbye.

The nursing home has since learned that Oscar's persistent appearance with a particular patient is a signal to them that his final hours are approaching.

Book by David Dosa

After reading Oscar's story, I was amazed and frightened by his unusual gift. On one hand, I am deeply touched by the compassion shown. On the other, I am greatly disturbed by the possibility of death prediction.

Watch this video for Oscar's story. You may also want to read "Making Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat" written by David Dosa, a doctor with the nursing home.

Photo by Vanilla

Putting future in our own hands

I have not come across anyone who is dying to know when he would die (pun intended). For that matter, I hardly know anyone who wants to find out much about his future. For me, I want to know none of those.

Life is unpredictable and I cannot write my autobiography in advance. However, no one says that I cannot visualize how this 'book' might look like. Our future begins now. Instead of allowing our past to rule the future, we can be the architect of our own future by drawing the blueprints today. Peter Drucker has said it well, "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.

Who would you rather be?

Update: Spain brought back the 2010 World Cup trophy! Paul's right.

“My interest is in the future
because I am going to spend the rest of my life there”
~ Charles F. Kettering~
(American engineer, 1876-1958)

Rio Oh Rio !

On 2 Oct, the world went "RIO!" while I went "RIO?"

On that day, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decisively picked Rio de Janeiro to be the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics and leaving Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago in the cold.

Rio was not my pick and so the outcome surprised me.

Chicago did not even survive the first round of voting with only 18 votes. That shocked many as they were hoping that the Obama effect might have some magical touch to the Olympics bid. In this first round, Madrid was leading with 28 and Rio 26.

In the second round, Tokyo was kicked out with just 20 votes. By this time, Rio was leading with 46 votes compared to Madrid's 26. In the final round, the choice was obvious. Rio was given 66 votes, way ahead of Madrid's 32.

Rio has all the reasons to be thrilled. Besides hosting the 2016 Olympics, Brazil will also be organising the 2014 World Cup. Suddenly, two of the most prominent sporting events converge in one place.

What makes Rio the chosen one?


It's About Time

Rio de Janeiro, meaning 'River of January', is the second largest city in Brazil. The city of 6 million people is known for its samba music, the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer (one of the New Seven Wonders of the World) and the scenic Sugarloaf mountain. It is a city with a definite lure.

It is about time a South American city host the much sought after Summer Olympics. Previously, the first and only South American city which hosted was Mexico City in 1968. After all, Rio has attempted to host the 2004 and 2012 Olympics but did not even come close.


In comparison, the US has already hosted four times: St Louis (1904), Los Angeles (1932 & 1984) and Atlanta (1996). This makes Chicago looking rather greedy coming along to contend for the fifth round. Besides, giving it to Chicago will make the 'Obama effect' a very tricky issue to handle.

Tokyo is not looking too promising considering the fact that it was the host in 1964. Back then, it was the first Asian city to host the games. Later, Korea (1988) and Beijing (2008) joined in. Perhaps, it is too soon to go back to another Asian city since the spectacular Beijing Olympics has barely faded in our memory.

Madrid needed a lot of persuasion on why Spain deserves another go after Barcelona hosted the games in 1992. It was leading in the first round of voting by only two votes and soon ran out of steam.

On one hand, you may say that Rio was an obvious choice. On the other, you may also see this as an 'underdog' thing.

Now that Rio has bagged the prize, they have to start cranking on a lot of stuff.

Funding

First of all, funding is a big issue. Brazil has not one but two big events coming up. The country has to get ready new stadiums in 12 cities for the 2014 World Cup. The estimated spending for both events is between US$17-30 billion, according to Francisco Carlos of the Foundation Institute of Economic Research.

Much of the spending will go to developing infrastructure, which include transportation, hotel rooms and telecommunication networks. The Brazilian government has pledged that tax would not be raised to fund the games. It remains hazy as to how the funding issues are to be addressed.



Four years ago, London won the bid for the 2012 Olympics. The euphoria was soon replaced by worries of funding. In 2007, the total cost was estimated to be £9.345 billion. Since then, there has been increasing concerns over how the games are to be funded.


Safety and Security

Unfortunately, Rio as a city is known to be as fun-filled as it is crime-ridden. It is not clear to me what the Brazilian government is planning to do in order to heighten security and boost visitors confidence. I don't suppose the clean-up is going to be easy.


A couple of weeks after Rio won its bid to host the 2016 Olympics, a fierce fight took place between drug gangs and police in the city. During the exchanges of fire, one police helicopter was brought down and nine buses were set on fire. 12 people lost their lives and six were injured. The crash site is only 8 km away from one of the zones where Rio's Olympics will take place in 2016.

Violence seems to be part of the urban landscape of Rio. It is not unusual for major highways in Rio to be shutdown due to shootouts. In fact, in early Sep, when Rio was still working hard to impress the IOC, the police got into gunbattles while conducting a drug raid. During the fight, a commuter train was stopped by the criminals, 2000 children were kept out of school and more than a dozen were killed.


That is it. Rio has high crime rates and is considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world. The IOC is well aware of that.

Despite such a negative image, the Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva was reported to have assured the IOC that, 'if there is a secure place to host the Olympic Games, that place is Brazil, it is Rio de Janeiro.'

While the constant shootouts may seem like a big concern, Rio remains a popular tourist destination. The city's famous Carnival is an annual event which draws 800,000 visitors each year. Nothing catastrophic has happened before.

Rio has one more trump card.


In this terrorism-phobia era, not many cities can boast that they are immune to the greatest security threat. Rio claims that they 'do not have attacks or bombs' arising from international terrorism. Rio assures that most of the shootouts occur in the slum areas. As the Olympics activities are expected to take place in the more upscale areas where urban crime is not common, there should be no great security concerns.

Sounds comforting enough? Well, at least the IOC thinks it is.



Brazil - A Promising Land

Finally, Brazil is no place to be dismissed. The government has put up some persuasive statistics to impress the IOC that it is growing to become the world's fifth largest economy by 2016. The projected growth and the winning of the bid seem very well-timed.

Only time will tell. Let's wish Rio all the best in the preparation towards a successful 2016 Summer Olympics.

"Being defeated is only a temporary condition;
giving up is what makes it permanent."
~Marilyn vos Savant~

A Truly Amazing Race

If you have not already known this person, you would at the end of this article.

I read about Dr William Tan's illness in the Straits Times on 12 Jul. I was saddened but at the same time motivated.


Dr William Tan has an extraordinary life. At a young age of two, he contracted polio and that left him paralyzed from waist down. His family was too poor to afford a pair of crutches and he had to be carried around or 'walked' with his hands and dragged himself on the floor. It was not until he was ten that he was given an old pair of crutches.

As a kid, he was laughed at and that was to be the reason why he was expelled from Kindergarten while attempting to defend himself. His difficult childhood made him set up his mind that he did not want to be 'stuck' with such a 'diminished' life.


He studied hard and dreamed of becoming a doctor. He went to prestigious schools and scored straight distinctions for his 'O' and 'A' Level examinations. He wanted to do medicine in the National University of Singapore but was rejected due to his physical disability. He was asked to do life sciences instead.

After graduation, he did not forget his dream. He worked hard and saved enough for further studies in the United States. He went to Harvard University to study Medicine. He continued to do his Master and ended with a PhD in Neuroscience. He worked in world famous Mayo Clinic in the US and yes, he fulfilled his childhood dream of becoming a doctor.


Dr William Tan's great feats did not stop there. He raced on his wheelchair and in 1980, he became the first person in Singapore to have done a marathon in a wheelchair. He also became the first man in history to complete 10 marathons over 7 continents over 70 consecutive days. He has completed many marathons in many parts of the world and notably in the Antarctic under extremely harsh weather condition.

Besides his impressive sports records, Dr Tan is also no stranger to many charitable organizations. He has done a great deal for various charities, raised millions of dollars here and abroad. Watch this video which shows some of the events in his life.


Three years ago, I attended one of this motivational talks (bought the above book then) and was convinced that his man is truly exceptional. He was seated on his wheelchair on the stage, shared his life story and his philosophy. In a very moving way, he motivated and encouraged everyone to be courageous and learn to turn adversity into advantage. At the end of his talk, he remained seated (but of course) while the entire audience stood up, applauded and many were with tears welling in their eyes.


It seems that at times, life just has to play some jokes on us which are totally not funny. On 14 Apr, Dr William Tan was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, and his doctor told him that without treatment, he would not survive a year. Understandably, his world fell apart. He soon climbed up again and ever so determined, he is now fighting one of the toughest battles in his life.

I am saddened that this has to happen to him, someone who has done so much for the under-privileged and has given so many motivational talks and touched so many lives. On the other hand, I am also very motivated to see that he is fighting on, persevering the harsh side-effects of cancer treatment.


He is indeed walking his talk. This time, he is running the toughest marathon of his life and he is running a truly amazing race. This would definitely be another big chapter in his life from which many people are going to draw valuable life lessons.

From time to time, we may find the going tough and we whine. Very often, we forget to examine our lives in perspective. We forget to count our blessings and we even inadvertently let go what we already have while mourning for something less important.

Try to recall some events in the past, those that were so tough that you thought you might not be able to cope with. Now that you look back, with better a perspective of things, many of such events appear not so significant, right?


When we wallow in self pity, we tend not to see the big picture. The shrunk world would look gloomy and we cannot see how we could ever get ourselves out of it. However, if we were to stick our heads a little higher, out of the pit, we would realize that the world is much bigger and promising.

Life can be as bad as we want it to be and the reverse is also true. We get to choose.


By September, Dr William Tan would have completed his chemotherapy treatment and he would be ready for the life-giving bone marrow transplant then (he has found a match with one of his siblings). I sincerely wish him all the best.

Reflection: Very often, we are disabled by our minds, not our bodies.

Further Reading: News articles on his marathons.

CNA: "Dr William Tan first man to complete North Pole Marathon on wheelchair"

CNA: "Dr William Tan breaks world record for marathons across continents"

The Straits Times blog "A true Singapore inspiration".

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to continue that counts."
~ Winston Churchill ~

PS I Love You: From The Ironman

I have something to say about Ironman - the race, not the movie.

To begin with, I do not even run or do anything close to being athletic. But I think I am getting a little overdose on Ironman, for a good reason.

A couple of months ago, I received a video clip on the Hoyt Team. It was so moving that I became sensitive at the mention of 'Ironman'.

The father and son team, Dick and Rick Hoyt, completed an Ironman race recently. There is nothing too unusual about the story initially until it hit me that Rick, suffers from cerebral palsy at birth in 1962 after his umbilical cord became wrapped around his neck. Notwithstanding that, his dad, Dick, has been participating in nearly 1000 marathons and triathlons with him. Their incredible feat is founded on a simple belief that "THEY CAN".


In those demanding races, Dick would push his son in a wheelchair, dragged him on an inflatable boat in the water and Rick would sit in front of a specially-built bike during the cycling leg.

Isn't that something?

Not yet. Not until you have watched the video played with the Australia Hillsongs, 'My Redeemer Lives' . Many who have done so had tears welling in their eyes, moved by the love of the father. I was one of them.

Not too long after that, Aviva Ironman was held here in Singapore. I did not follow the event closely but a particular story caught my eyes. This time, it did not inspire me at all.

During the race on 22 March, someone scattered metal tacks on the road. As a result, about 30 to 40 participants had their bike punctured by the tacks and had to drop out from the race.

The incident marred the sportsmanship spirit of the event and brought shame to the race and Singapore. Totally uninspiring! I fail to understand why anyone would want to even do that.

Last week, I spotted another story which re-inspired me.


It was reported in the news that, Anthony Paine (above), who moved to Singapore from UK 15 months ago, will be taking part in the upcoming Asian Women's Welfare Association School (AWWA) triathlon on 19 April. AWWA is a school for disabled children.

He is a first timer in triathlon. He is a dad of a 10-year old boy, Ralph, who is disabled. He is inspired by the Hoyts. He is doing the race to help raise funds for AWWA . He is aiming to change the perceptions in Singapore about disabled children. But most of all, Anthony is in the race because he loves his son.

The race is not going to be easy for Anthony but he knows he will get the much needed encouragement when he said, "When I'm out with the push chair and the bike, Ralph looks back at me and gives me an absolutely beaming smile and that's all I need."

You too can encourage him on that day at the Changi Beach Park or by making a donation to AWWA.

Love can really push the physical limits of Dick Hoyt and Anthony Paine and allows them to discharge so much positive energy they probably never knew they had.


In life, we need all the strength to overcome trying moments we encounter from time to time. The last thing we want is to drain the precious energy in us. I preserve mine by not letting any negative thoughts intoxicate me. You can do the same too.

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at, change.

"Of all the judgments we pass in life, none is more important than the judgment we pass on ourselves." - Nathaniel Branden (Writer/Psychotherapist)

Making Running An Extreme Sport?

Queer as it may sound but the thought of running is enough to make me tired.

I am sure good runners swear that there are techniques involved in running. Somehow, compared to other sports such as tennis and golf, the so called techniques are less visible. This is because little or no sports equipment is used in running. Surely you do not hear anyone go "Wow! Look at that swing!" when they watch a running event on TV! In fact, in a long distance running race, there is nothing much to watch other than at the finish line.

Running is such a convenient sport and yet it is not my game. I have nothing against running, actually. In fact, I admire runners.

In my earlier blog article (Running With A Mind Of Steel) , I gave my dedication to marathon runners. To me, running a 42-km race is tough but running a ultramarathon is even more jaw-dropping.

The Brazil 135 Ultramarathon is one such race.

On 23 Jan, 55-year old Singaporean Lim Nghee Huat took part in the race and run five times the distance of full marathon. He came in 26th and became the first Asian to complete the 217- km race, taking a total time of 52h:37m.

Man! I can't even run 2.4 km without feeling like I am halfway to hell and this guy makes running sound so easy!

Brazil 135 Ultramarathon is extremely difficult because it takes place in the Serra da Mantiqueira mountains. Only 20 km out of the 217 km are on flat land and the rest are either uphill or downhill. The cut-off time for this non-stop foot race is 60 hours and that is a solid two and a half days!


The race in Brazil is part of the 135 Mile World Cup Series. The other two are 'Badwater Ultramarathon' which is a race in the desert and 'Arrowhead Ultra', which is a race in the snow.

That was not the first time Lim took part in an ultramarathon. In Jul 2007, he completed the 217-km Death Valley Challenge, the world hottest non-stop foot run with a time of 51h:49m.


Lim is no stranger to the running community. He had represented Singapore in triathlon competitions as well as the grueling Ironman World Championship in Hawaii in 1989, where he was the fastest finisher from Asia outside Japan. He has been a running champion since 1972 and has set two national records when he ran 168 km round Singapore to help raise funds for the National Technological University's Endowment Fund in 2005. He was then 52, the oldest runner and he emerged in first placing with a timing of 24h:45m.

After the Brazil race, Lim is already planning for his next venture. He intends to run a distance of about 1,000 km from the South of Thailand to Singapore. (I would have just taken a plane!)


Since 2005, Lim has been dedicating his ultramarathon runs to raise funds for the community. For his race in Brazil, he raised $20,000 and he decided that it shall be dedicated to the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA). He noted that the STTA has been attaining outstanding achievements in recent international competitions and that was his way to show his appreciation to STTA for making Singapore proud.

However, I am somewhat taken aback by his 'act of charity' for two reasons:

Firstly, $20,000 seems so meagre compared to the effort involved in the race and secondly, why STTA when a long list of people are surely in a more dire situation than the paddlers?


Lim must have felt very strongly about the glory that STTA has brought to Singapore and besides, it is his total prerogative to decide on who should receive the fund. Nonetheless, I hope that for his next race, he will consider raising funds for those who are more in need of help.

If you are inspired to do the same, you can consider starting your training regime like Lim. In order to prepare for the Ultramarathon, he ran 45-80 km every weekend and 15-20 km on weekdays since Oct 2008. (I don't even drive that far!) With that kind of rigorous training, perhaps you too can take part in the next ultramarathon.

I wish Lim all the best in his upcoming 1000-km race.

F1 - Help!

F1 motor racing has been in the news lately, for the wrong reasons.

On 5 Dec, Honda abruptly announced that it is saying goodbye to the F1 sports. Honda took the decision primarily because of the downturn in the markets. Some figured that, Honda's approach for not going for sponsors could also have contributed to the financial strain.


Amid the doom and gloom, the FI boss believes that F1 sports has a sustainable financial future, although Honda's decision to quit will give added urgency to the need for cost reductions.


It is becoming very tough for teams to stay in the race. Lots of money has been spent to optimise every part of the chassis and to search for lighter and exotic materials for the parts. All the effort and money that went in usually drew no discernible difference to the show.

Following Honda's exit, there has been some rumors suggesting that another F1 team, Williams, will be next. However, the team's founder, Sir Frank Williams denied such talks.

Earlier in May 08, it was confirmed that French GP will be dropped out of the 2009 race, in the wake of falling revenues and rising contractual costs. Later in Oct 08, the Canadian GP too disappeared from the 2009 calendar.


In the current global financial crisis, F1 team sponsors are feeling the crunch. Many are struggling to stay afloat and looking for ways not to go belly-up. In times like this, sponsorship, aka, advertisement, would earn very little priority on the corporate budget. It is uncertain if more teams will be pulling out but one thing I am rather sure - the usual extravagance associated with F1 racing will have to be scaled down.


Ironically, the 2009 race will see a flashy newcomer. The Abu Dhabi GP will be rolling out its first race under the new 7-year contract and the organisers of the race promised that it will become the most luxurious venue on the F1 calendar.


The newly developed, state-of-the-art facility is situated on Yas Island, a 2,550 hectare natural leisure island located in close proximity to the Abu Dhabi International airport. In addition to hosting the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, Yas Island will feature signature hotels, theme parks, 300,000 sq m of retail area, golf courses, lagoon hotels, marinas, polo clubs, apartments and villas, and food and beverage outlets.

The Abu Dhabi GP is certainly defying the present gloomy moods.


In May 2007, a five-year deal was reached between F1 Supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, Singapore entrepreneur Mr Ong Beng Seng, and the Singapore Tourism Board. The Singapore GP was born. Within a year the Singapore GP team put up a spectacular show on 28 Sep 2008 and Mr Ecclestone described Singapore as the crown jewel of F1.

During the race period, many people in Singapore, including myself, tuned in to the live telecast and watched the race as if they had been F1 fans all their lives. The truth is, many of these viewers knew very little about F1 racing until it came to the island state this year.

There were a lot of interest and excitement at the race venue, right in the heart of the city. I was there on one of the three nights and the euphoria was not fake. After the race, the racing community continued to shower praises on the success of the first-ever night race.


Last month, the Marina Bay street circuit was named the 'Worldwide Motor Sport Facility of the Year'. Last weekend, Autosport, the leading motor racing magazine, presented it with the 'Pioneering and Innovation Award' in London. A few days ago, Singapore GP was awarded the trophy for the 'International Automobile Federation (FIA) Promoter of the Year'.

I would say that Singapore GP have had a very good start for the 5-year deal. The question now is, what can we expect for the next four races?


It is difficult to tell how long the current financial crisis will persist. Some say it will find its way into 2009 and perhaps 2010 as well. The outlook for the global economy is bleak and F1 racing is not immune to its repercussion.

Come 2010, new players, Korean GP and Indian GP are expected to join the elite world of motor racing and some wonder if these new entries are ill-timed.


Meanwhile, Singapore GP has started their recruitment drive for race officials. If you are thinking of getting involved as a volunteer, just smack some simple details in their online registration form from 8 Dec 08 to 23 Jan 09. Interestingly, they will check that you do not suffer from color-blindness right there within that form.

Let's hope that the 2nd Singapore GP on 27 Sep 2009 will not be less lustrous.

Happy Birthday, Scrabble!

Today, the popular word game Scrabble turns 60.

Scrabble is also known in many other names such as Literati, Alfapet, Funworder, Word for Word, Scramble, Skip-A-Cross and Spelofun. It is a game where, up to four players score points by forming words from individual lettered tiles on a board marked with a grid. It is a simple game with simple rules but it has been storming the world in the past six decades.

The game was first invented by architect Alfred Mosher. He did not get copyright approval until 1948 and changed its name from Lexiko to Scrabble. Now, the game is sold in 121 countries in 29 different language versions and one hundred million sets have been sold worldwide.
The game is available in many board versions that include, original Scrabble, Scramble Scrabble, Travel Scrabble, Pocket Scrabble, Junior Scrabble, My First Scrabble, Deluxe Scrabble, Dora Scrabble, and Simpsons Scrabble. It does not matter the version, the game definitely has charmed millions of players, which include many A-list fans such as US President elect Barack Obama.

The first world Scrabble championship was hosted in London in 1991, and has been held on alternate years ever since. I have the opportunity to participate in some much reduced scale competitions and I understand the thrill. Interestingly, the game attracts players of very varying profile making it difficult for one to stereotype a scrabble player.


One thing I have noted, not all good players have similar proficiency in English. Players are often preoccupied with the acceptability of the words rather than the meanings. And to settle arguments about which words are 'legal', an Official Scrabble Players Dictionary and Official Tournament and Club Word List have been published.



Even though I play the game competitively, I do not consider myself a lexophile. In fact, lovers of language (or lexophiles) may not be the best at this game. If you think that you will shine in Scrabble just because you are a good speller and have a huge vocabulary, you are in for some humiliation. Many top players in the world cannot even manage beyond a simple command of English. It is also common to find adults being bashed by much younger players. As strange as it may sound, Scrabble is a game of tactics, memory and luck.




In the era of Intenet, Scrabble too found its way in the cyberspace. The online version, known as 'Scrabulous' was highly popular in Facebook until it was removed in the middle of this year. The online game was seen as illegal by Hasbro, which owns the North American rights to the word game. They took the creators to court over copyright issues. However, on the 60th birthday of Scrabble, Hasbro decided to drop the lawsuit. The reasons are unknown.
The 60th birthday bash was looking a little bizarre in some parts of the world.

Scrabble enthusiasts have celebrated the game's 60th anniversary by playing in some of the planet's most extreme environments. The devotees were reported to have demonstrated their word power next to lions on the African savannah, underwater with sharks in the Bahamas, and while skydiving at 13,000ft.

Over in New Zealand, games were played in sub-zero temperatures atop Nuns Veil Peak by hikers and in Anglesey, two fans challenged each other to a match on a near-vertical rock face. If those were not crazy enough, a game was hosted in a Florida swamp involving an alligator and the host was planning to put the board on an alligator's back.


Scrabble is anything but an extreme sports. These parties obviously have gone way too far for a sedentary game. Nonetheless, these unusual celebrations only demonstrated the kind of enthusiasm in the Scrabble community. May the game continue to bring fun to all the word game lovers.

Happy birthday, Scrabble!