The mid-term elections came and went ! The result of which was the unseating of numerous democrats.
You read that right ! Now, I know you are wondering just like I am how that could have happened..
The democrats seemed to have done some very good things that one would have expected them to bet their every dollar that they were not only going to keep their seats but that they were going to be the ones to sweep the republicans out of the house.
No, no, no. It didn't happen that way. Why? Well, because the democrats have proven time and time again how FOOLISH they are !
They also are Americans and like all other Americans, they have a short memory span.
They could have won the elections in a big way if only they trumpeted their achievements and that of Mr. President.
If they had just kept on singing about how republicans block everything but still the POTUS manages to wriggle through and get a number of things done in favour of the people, they would have garnered enough votes but no, no, no.
They chose to distance themselves from the POTUS saying he was toxic and was doing harm to their campaigns.
If only they had trumpeted the ever growing economy, the declining jobless rate, the pump price of gas, the fact that there is now universal health care coverage for millions of Americans who didn't have health care, they just might have won.
I know they are regretting and in the corner of their homes blaming only one person, the POTUS.
As you well know, if it rains in America it is the POTUS fault, if it snows, it is the POTUS fault, if anyone sneezes in America, it is the POTUS fault even Ebola and the initial poor handling of the situation was blamed on the POTUS. When men can't get laid in America, it is the POTUS fault. When women cheat on their husbands, it is the POTUS fault.
Now the democrats, are biting their fingers and it is the POTUS's fault. They forgot there is no "I" in team only in "win" and in this case you can't win without every member of the TEAM.
I'm so sorry for what would be unleashed on America by the republicans because of the FOOLISHNESS of the FOOLISH democrats.
Oh, these foolish democrats !
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
What’s wrong with English education in Japan?
You read the title right. I taught English for about 3 years and I tell you, everything you are about to read in the article by KK Miller which I found on http://en.rocketnews24.com/ is nothing short of the truth.
KK Miller has done this story justice as far as I am concerned. He told it just as it is.
Honestly, I thought I was the only person who felt this way but I'm glad to see that many other ALTs identify the roadblocks to teaching English and ofcourse to learning English. I've worked with a JTE who didn't have any educational background in English but was teaching English because she had traveled abroad on several occasions (just for a few days) and had to speak English and that qualified her to be an English teacher. Are you kidding me???
Here is the link http://en.rocketnews24.com/2014/10/03/whats-wrong-with-english-education-in-japan-pull-up-a-chair/
But for those of you who would rather read it here because of time, enjoy !
When you speak to foreign English educators in Japan, one thing becomes crystal clear: English education in Japan isn’t working. It’s just awful. While English classes are mandatory in Japanese schools, the percentage of students who emerge with actual English abilities are surprisingly low. Students in China, Korea and Japan are in an arms race to see who can produce students with the best English, and Japan seems to be trailing far behind in third place.
With the Olympic Games coming up in 2020, the Japanese government has proposed changes to increase the level of English ability in their students. Changes like starting introductory English classes in 3rd grade elementary school and making the subject compulsory from the 5th grade. Are these changes really going to help? We’ve gatheredopinions from both foreign teachers and Japanese citizens about issues with the system and what might improve it.
Every foreigner who spends any amount of time in Japan will understand the fundamental need to change the way students study English. But a recent thread on the Japan subreddit, which seems to have been started by an English educator, tried to assemble as many opinions as possible about the matter in one place. Many of the complaints fell into three main categories:
1. Teaching to the tests
For those unfamiliar with the Japanese school system, most high schools and universities have a test that prospective students must take and pass. Especially in the case of high schools, there is a mandated set of content that appears. And so, Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs) focus on the grammar and vocabulary that will be on the test. A broader understanding and the practical uses of English are largely ignored because they have to cover the specific material and don’t have time for anything else.
So, if Japanese students have to learn specific material for the tests, why should they learn anything else? There is no point in actually learning the language if all that is required is being able to pick the correct answer on a multiple choice test. Many Japanese netizens agree, “Why change anything unless the style of testing is changed?”
Image: Flickr (JaggyBoss)
2. The quality of the textbooks are quite low
Many foreign language teachers criticized the textbooks used in the classrooms, complaining about all manner of things including content and grammatical errors. Even more specifically, many people found the choice of grammar included to be suspect, saying it wasn't grammar used very often in native English. The JTEs have to teach these archaic forms through topics such as recycling plastic, people and animals dying in WWII and boring Japanese history, causing students to be apathetic. (Topics like these are required in government approved textbooks.)
▼Ding dong, ding dong! Do you know why the school chime sounds like this?
Image: Flickr (ajari)
3. A focus on translating into Japanese and JTEs speaking in only Japanese. Where is the English?
Perhaps one of the biggest complaints was the amount, or lack of English used in the classrooms. The JTEs often teach all the grammar in Japanese, and check that the students can follow the textbook by translating the English into Japanese. Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) are relegated to human tape recorders, and then set free to roam the class and “help” the students. Of all the hours of English education, how many of those hours were spent actually listening to and speaking English? (Repeating English is not the same as speaking it.)
▼Teacher: “Repeat after me.” Students: “…Repeat after me.”
Image: Flickr (Asako)
Japanese people agree that the current teaching style often limits students to what little English they hear from the teachers and what words are put in front of them. Successful teaching should include as many senses as possible to surround students in English. One Japanese netizen suggests that TV dramas should be utilized to hear real English, while seeing the facial expressions and mouth movements all together in one package. How can a student not be excited to learn phrases like “OK, I’m on my way”, “What’s the problem?” or “Freeze! You’re under arrest!”
▼24 was one of the TV shows suggested to interest students in English, Japan loves Jack Bauer
Image: Amazon JP
Which brings us to the main problem with the current system: Japanese students don’t understand the benefits of learning English. This is certainly not limited to Japanese learners, but how many time do you hear a student say, “I’m Japanese, so I will never use English in the future.” Studying English as a language is one of the least interesting things about it. But, what about all the different things that you can experience when you understand English? TV shows, movies, books, games, and it’s not even limited to entertainment, scientific journals, international business and the majority of the Internet is conducted in English.
When the exposure of English is limited to the classroom and the unfortunate textbooks, a majority of the students will disengage from it and end up not learning anything. When students are forced to study and learn about certain grammar points and vocabulary, with no knowledge about how you can apply it to all the amazing things in English, of course, the students are going to do poorly. Expose them to the idea that, yes, this is a subject you have to study, but look at what you can do with it outside the classroom. You can excite students with that and promote self-study, which is a much better approach than learning “This is a pen” for the sake of a test.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
America's CDC taking credit "That's how we stopped it in Lagos Nigeria"
Yes O, starting in a very Nigerian manner. The US CDC is taking credit for stopping Ebola in Nigeria. That statement "That's how we stopped it in Lagos Nigeria" called out to me in the form of a referee's whistling for a foul !.(http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/cdc-chief-frieden-more-ebola-cases-possible/nhhBr/)
I couldn't believe my ears. That's how you stopped it in Lagos Nigeria? I recall asking myself. Man, are you kidding me? I thought for a long time and well as Nigerians always say, it's a very simple case of "Monkey dey work baboon dey chop".
Wasn't this the same CDC that claimed they had only six doses of the anti-Ebola drug of which non was spared for our dearly beloved Dr. Adadevoh who lost her life fighting the disease and its spread. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/167011-top-nigerian-doctor-adadevoh-who-treated-liberian-american-ebola-victim-dies.html
The death of Dr. Adadevoh and some nurses, was absolutely
heart-breaking given her sacrifice to treat Mr. Sawyer and the
unsuccessful attempt by the Nigerian government to have her treated with
Zmapp (the experimental drug used by the United States to treat two of
its doctors who contracted Ebola in Liberia).
The same Americans claiming glory and taking credit had turned down the request by the Nigerian government, saying the drug was not yet
available in "enough quantity" and that African nations needed to adopt
alternative strategies to combat the virus. Well, that is EXACTLY what Nigeria did ! But now, the US CDC says, " That is how WE ("US CDC") stopped Ebola in Lagos Nigeria. Who is kidding who? I ask.
Even the manufacturers of Zmapp claimed that they had run out of stock of the drug. WHAT?? Anyways, Nigerians and the Nigerian government were able to put paid to the spread of the disease but we don't claim the credit(s).
Nigerians know that this was simply an act of God, sparing us from death and disaster. In Nigeria, according to World Health Organisation officials, those victims who believed that only medicine from the west could save them, MOSTLY DIED.
Nigerians know that this was simply an act of God, sparing us from death and disaster. In Nigeria, according to World Health Organisation officials, those victims who believed that only medicine from the west could save them, MOSTLY DIED.
Yes, the CDC knew how to stop the disease in Lagos and that is why about two weeks ago they had to send delegates to Nigeria to learn from their counterparts, how they had managed to combat and stop the spread of the disease (http://www.360nobs.com/2014/10/usa-sends-researchers-to-nigeria-to-learn-how-to-control-ebola/) considering the fact that Nigeria is supposed to be a country with "A LOT" of incompetent medical personnel and with inadequate infrastructure to handle such an epidemic (http://ngrguardiannews.com/news/national-news/182784-nigeria-has-successfully-contained-ebola-u-s-hopes-to-learn-from-their-response ).
Yes, the CDC knew how to stop the disease in Lagos but yet failed to put the necessary safe guards in place at home to ensure that the disease did not get into let alone spread in the US.
Yes, the CDC knew how to stop the disease and its spread in Lagos, yet after white medical personnel who were infected in Liberia were treated and survived the only BLACK man who also contracted the very same disease in Liberia DIED in the same America where the White doctors and Nurse survived and under the nose of the very same CDC (just pointing out, this has nothing to do with race please http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/10/health/ebola-us-duncan-death/?iref=obinsite).
Nigeria's success in stopping the outbreak could have implications for
other countries, including the United States. That's why the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dispatched a team to the country
this week to learn what went right. You read that right ! They stopped it in Lagos but now they have to go to Lagos to Learn how they stopped it ? (http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/10/nigeria-ebola-cdc).
This is one time I thought that Nigeria had done something well and would be allowed to take the credit for it but....... Well. There is GOD O!
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Just because you are called "The Opposition"?
Politics, a very interesting game. I was once into politics, yes, I know you won't believe it but it is very true. Howbeit, it was at the Junior high and High School levels. Now don't degrade it anyway, you see as long as involves a position vied for, some campaigning and votes being cast then it still is politics,. Ok? The level doesn't matter.
Now, haven been voted in, we had to organize a program that was going to benefit our class and school in general. We had a rainbow of ideas and how to go about putting these ideas to work. We had a collective purpose; benefit for our class and the school in particular.
There however was a problem. Well, it was not that the ideas we had were bad. I guess the underlying problem was "to whom would the success of the implementation of the idea be ascribed?" Now, as with everything in politics, there were camps and as with any well developed political process, there were two camps making things relatively easy for us.
I happened to be in the group that was labelled "the opposition" and we did everything to make sure that we were heard. If someone put forth an idea but did not frame the presentation properly, we would out-rightly reject the proposition, now not because anything was wrong with the idea but because the presentation was faulty and this is something that we could have addressed and then overlooked whilst of course accepting the idea. No we did not !.
Eventually, the leadership of the ruling group was toppled, snap elections were called and here I was in power. I sat down one day with a few colleagues in my group to discuss a comment made by the out gone leader. She had said, "you people are very funny, you don't seem to think at all. You vote against any idea that doesn't come from your group, you vote against anything that is not well presented and you vote against these ideas knowing fully well that they are not just good ideas but beneficial to our class and school. You vote against everything without thinking, "just because you are called the opposition"!
That lady had a point. I told my colleagues that we all strove for that office because we believed sincerely in our hearts that we had something good to offer our class and school and hence we needed to think of a way to ensure that collectively we achieved greatness for our class and school rather than one group trying to take kudos.
Well, my idea was simple. We had another program and as usual, we needed to to put forth ideas, debate and then vote. The process took its course, like my group, the other group had some equally sound ideas.
Upon calculation and investigation, the plan from the other group was going to cost us the same thing as our own plan. My idea was to go with the plan of the opposition.
My colleagues were in shock but here is what happened; at the end of the program we made known that the plan from the opposition group had a price tally equal to our plan, had the same or similar aim and purpose and was therefore fit for adoption for the sake of peace, understanding and comradeship.
The plaque read; "Just because they are the opposition doesn't mean that their ideas are worthless. Just because we are the opposition doesn't mean that we must always vote against, even when the idea is SOUND. We adopted the plan of the opposition not because it was better or cheaper but because we understand that we have only ONE common goal which is the advancement of our class and School" and hence it matters not whose ideas we adopt as long as the common goal is achieved.
The Opposition has always had a voice since then and of course things have worked better and faster and for the common goal. There is Unity in that school and the politics is CLEAN and meaningful.
Being the opposition party shouldn't translate to or imply "voting AGAINST EVERYTHING" the ruling party proposes. You have the same goal but see things in different lights. Try to debate the issues, make them clearer, less confusing and be more open minded and tolerating.
Just because you are the opposition doesn't mean you are RIGHT or that your ideas are or would always be better. Sometimes the opposition votes NO even when they have the same or similar idea. I call this kind of an opposition party or group CONFUSED.
Now, haven been voted in, we had to organize a program that was going to benefit our class and school in general. We had a rainbow of ideas and how to go about putting these ideas to work. We had a collective purpose; benefit for our class and the school in particular.
There however was a problem. Well, it was not that the ideas we had were bad. I guess the underlying problem was "to whom would the success of the implementation of the idea be ascribed?" Now, as with everything in politics, there were camps and as with any well developed political process, there were two camps making things relatively easy for us.
I happened to be in the group that was labelled "the opposition" and we did everything to make sure that we were heard. If someone put forth an idea but did not frame the presentation properly, we would out-rightly reject the proposition, now not because anything was wrong with the idea but because the presentation was faulty and this is something that we could have addressed and then overlooked whilst of course accepting the idea. No we did not !.
Eventually, the leadership of the ruling group was toppled, snap elections were called and here I was in power. I sat down one day with a few colleagues in my group to discuss a comment made by the out gone leader. She had said, "you people are very funny, you don't seem to think at all. You vote against any idea that doesn't come from your group, you vote against anything that is not well presented and you vote against these ideas knowing fully well that they are not just good ideas but beneficial to our class and school. You vote against everything without thinking, "just because you are called the opposition"!
That lady had a point. I told my colleagues that we all strove for that office because we believed sincerely in our hearts that we had something good to offer our class and school and hence we needed to think of a way to ensure that collectively we achieved greatness for our class and school rather than one group trying to take kudos.
Well, my idea was simple. We had another program and as usual, we needed to to put forth ideas, debate and then vote. The process took its course, like my group, the other group had some equally sound ideas.
Upon calculation and investigation, the plan from the other group was going to cost us the same thing as our own plan. My idea was to go with the plan of the opposition.
My colleagues were in shock but here is what happened; at the end of the program we made known that the plan from the opposition group had a price tally equal to our plan, had the same or similar aim and purpose and was therefore fit for adoption for the sake of peace, understanding and comradeship.
The plaque read; "Just because they are the opposition doesn't mean that their ideas are worthless. Just because we are the opposition doesn't mean that we must always vote against, even when the idea is SOUND. We adopted the plan of the opposition not because it was better or cheaper but because we understand that we have only ONE common goal which is the advancement of our class and School" and hence it matters not whose ideas we adopt as long as the common goal is achieved.
The Opposition has always had a voice since then and of course things have worked better and faster and for the common goal. There is Unity in that school and the politics is CLEAN and meaningful.
Being the opposition party shouldn't translate to or imply "voting AGAINST EVERYTHING" the ruling party proposes. You have the same goal but see things in different lights. Try to debate the issues, make them clearer, less confusing and be more open minded and tolerating.
Just because you are the opposition doesn't mean you are RIGHT or that your ideas are or would always be better. Sometimes the opposition votes NO even when they have the same or similar idea. I call this kind of an opposition party or group CONFUSED.
Don't KILL President OBAMA !
Yes, you read the title correct. Now, while I don't have any information as to anyone in particular trying to kill the President of the US. The rate at which the man has gone gray speaks volumes.
Obama got blamed for the economic crisis into which the republics plunged the American and dependent economies.
Obama got blamed for the jobs that were lost as a result of the republican war mongering.
Obama got blamed for the crisis involved in the "Arab spring".
Obama got blamed for refusing to put weapons in the hands of rebels in Syria (who might eventually turn around and use those weapons on Americans). We have seen this happen before.
Obama got blamed for saying women have a right to care for their bodies.
Obama got blamed for the actions of young men and women who were radicalized in the UK and are now wreaking havoc in the middle east.
Obama got blamed for being named Hussein (like he could as a baby have said "hey dad, that name ain't gonna be cool with white America").
Obama got blamed for refusing to interfere in the sovereignty of a number of countries (where the republicans expected him to dictate to the governments of those countries).
Obama gets blamed every time for choosing diplomacy and dialogue over outright bullying and war.
Obama gets blamed every time for saying that the wages of working class Americans needs to be increased.
Obama gets blamed for saying that our children need not become debtors just because they are getting or want to get an education.
Obama is being blamed for the ISIS problem (whoa!!!) Where are the Prime Ministers of the UK under whose noses those fellows got brain washed (I gathered from news reports that 45% of the ISIS members are UK citizens)?
Now, the GOP is saying give weapons to volunteers to fight the ISIS thugs but it seem the GOP has forgotten that some members of ISIS are carrying UK passports and thus have the potential of causing havoc in America since they do not require visa(s) to visit America.
Common now GOP guys think with your Democrat pals on how to solve this problem. The world is counting on you. Blaming Obama is not the way to solve this problem.
Obama is being called the drone Lord for refusing to send young men and women into harms way. Yes, there is a lot of collateral damage but do your sons and daughters need to die also ? and in a strange country for that matter. Haven't Americans seen enough bodies of dead warriors, who could have been at home contributing to the greatness of America?
Obama is graying fast and that's not just because he is the President of the strongest country in the world and hence with a lot of responsibilities.
No, he is graying faster than any other President in the history of America because he is BLACK and the GOP wants to make sure that he achieves nothing for America.
Obama Loves America with All his HEART and SOUL and is trying to ensure that ALL Americans have equal opportunities to reach for, get and enjoy the American dream.
Thanks to the lets sit down and "DO NOTHING GOP", their efforts at blocking Obama at every turn is paying off for China which is steadily heading to the prized position of being the number one economy. Yes, you read that right.
The GOP is trying to kill Obama with STRESS !!!!!!
PLEASE, DON'T KILL PRESIDENT OBAMA just because he is black. He loves America as much as you DO!
Just saying, because you are loosing your place in the global scheme of things gradually because you are focusing on the minor (A black president).
America, the world is waiting for you to stop squabbling and become that righteous BIG Brother again (Not the self righteous Big Bully that they are trying to make you into right now).
America is STILL the GREATEST country on the FACE of this Planet and we ALL are still looking up to You (AMERICA).
As a kid whenever we saw injustice(s) in my country we always had a typical response which was (and probably still is) this won't happen in America !
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Fifty-four years Post-Independence, Nigeria still unable to think for itself !
Nigeria got its independence from Britain on the 1st of October 1960. That is precisely 54 years ago today. Nigeria was on the right track but......! As we all well know and this isn't a secret, it's not something hidden from the understanding of anyone who has eyes to see.
In fact it is like in the words of my brother, Mr. Patrick Obahiagbon "visible to the deaf and audible to the blind" that there is no country that was colonized by Britain, pardon me let me re-frame that properly; there is no African country that was colonized by Britain that has done well for itself following the path that the British drew out for such a country.
Any African country colonized by Britain that has found its footing and certainly its bearing could only do so by re-inventing itself. Take a country like Ghana for instance, initially named the Gold coast by the colonial masters. The country having men of insight in the likes of Kwame Nkurumah re-invented itself changed the colonial name (slave name) from Gold coast to Ghana and put aside the "white man's" ideas that are certainly not African and definitely could not thrive in Africa in engendering peace in nations that were built without the consent of the inhabitants and owners of the lands.
The continent of Africa was partitioned using pencil, rulers and protractors without taking into cognizance the fact that there were several different groups or nations of people living on and off the the land and worse still without the consent of the Africans themselves. The British and their cohorts divided tribes and nations into majority and minority groups in order to make use of the divide and rule tactic, which of course we all know today is responsible for the wars in Congo and Rwanda and has resulted in the deaths of many innocents because not only did the British divide up the lands and tribes, they then put power in the hands of the minority who were to carry on with protecting the interests of the British.
Take a look at countries that dared to re invent themselves for instance you would notice that they had to go through severe conditions that were forced upon them and of course against their self determination to be their own people. A lot of them lost visionary leaders, went astray into the land of poverty and while some remained their in that strange land one country has been able to find its way back to the promised land flowing with "milk and honey". Ghana suffered after they lost a visionary leader in the person of Kwame Nkrumah.
Poverty was the order of the day but over the years and it was long in coming, that country has rediscovered itself, thanks to leaders like Jerry Rawlings who despite the hardship that his people face refused to sell his country for a morsel of bread to the IMF and World Bank. Today, Ghana is a country to be envied by a great number of African nations. Ghana boasts of good roads, security, steady economy, pipe borne water and of course steady electricity. In fact Ghana celebrated 1 year of "No Power failure". This is a thing that the supposed "Giant of Africa" Nigeria has failed woefully to do despite the large gas and oil reserves. So what is Nigeria celebrating at 54 when the populace are scared of travelling north, scared of large gatherings, scared to go out at night and cannot boast of even 4 hours of steady uninterrupted power supply?
Lets not deceive ourselves into believing that we are better than Zimbabwe! We are not. Zimbabwe is the way it is not because it has a "Bad leader or Government" but because Zimbabwe refused to continue being exploited by the United Kingdom (or is it Great Britain). Zimbabwe being a land locked country would rather break than bend to the "white man's" economic policies and demands of sub-servitude. Be that as it may, be rest assured that in time Zimbabwe will overcome and Mugabe would or might be justified. Let the truth prevail.
The Congo has not know peace for many years simply because the government of the people was always toiled with by outsiders. Now there is chaos. Rwanda is a country always on the brink because of the way it was partitioned and because of the way power was allocated to the minority group.
Captain Thomas Sankara (of blessed memory) came up with the idea of re-branding his country and he started by changing the name of the country. He went further to indoctrinate them with the principle and possibility of self sufficiency and he did achieve results to the amazement of the World Bank and the IMF. But despite the fact that his ideas and ideals were good for the development of his country and country men, his ideas and ideals were counter-positive to the French who saw him as a threat to their strong hold on some of the illegally acquired colonies and of-course we know what happened to Thomas Sankara !
Look every leader or better still every African leader with a conscience and with love and vision for his country and country men, who tried to do anything for the improvement and development of his country has been replaced by the powers that be in favour or their man (a puppet who would sell his country, inhabitants and resources for a morsel of bread). Nigeria has many of such puppets and you can see them rotating through the corridors of power and now some of them are again vying for the highest office in the land.
Does this then mean that Nigeria should not reform itself? Nigeria needs to sit down, think and map out a way forward. There is no glory is saying we are the largest collection of black people on the surface of the earth or the most populated black nation, if you prefer to put it that way when we remain one of the poorest nations on earth. China does not boast of its population and even if it does, there are so many positive things to show for it. Thanks to China the world has access to many cheap things, anything you can think of is made in China.
Nigeria ! What are you celebrating anyway? Though they may not say it, ALL other African nations are ASHAMED of you. Happy independence day celebration !!!!
In fact it is like in the words of my brother, Mr. Patrick Obahiagbon "visible to the deaf and audible to the blind" that there is no country that was colonized by Britain, pardon me let me re-frame that properly; there is no African country that was colonized by Britain that has done well for itself following the path that the British drew out for such a country.
Any African country colonized by Britain that has found its footing and certainly its bearing could only do so by re-inventing itself. Take a country like Ghana for instance, initially named the Gold coast by the colonial masters. The country having men of insight in the likes of Kwame Nkurumah re-invented itself changed the colonial name (slave name) from Gold coast to Ghana and put aside the "white man's" ideas that are certainly not African and definitely could not thrive in Africa in engendering peace in nations that were built without the consent of the inhabitants and owners of the lands.
The continent of Africa was partitioned using pencil, rulers and protractors without taking into cognizance the fact that there were several different groups or nations of people living on and off the the land and worse still without the consent of the Africans themselves. The British and their cohorts divided tribes and nations into majority and minority groups in order to make use of the divide and rule tactic, which of course we all know today is responsible for the wars in Congo and Rwanda and has resulted in the deaths of many innocents because not only did the British divide up the lands and tribes, they then put power in the hands of the minority who were to carry on with protecting the interests of the British.
Take a look at countries that dared to re invent themselves for instance you would notice that they had to go through severe conditions that were forced upon them and of course against their self determination to be their own people. A lot of them lost visionary leaders, went astray into the land of poverty and while some remained their in that strange land one country has been able to find its way back to the promised land flowing with "milk and honey". Ghana suffered after they lost a visionary leader in the person of Kwame Nkrumah.
Poverty was the order of the day but over the years and it was long in coming, that country has rediscovered itself, thanks to leaders like Jerry Rawlings who despite the hardship that his people face refused to sell his country for a morsel of bread to the IMF and World Bank. Today, Ghana is a country to be envied by a great number of African nations. Ghana boasts of good roads, security, steady economy, pipe borne water and of course steady electricity. In fact Ghana celebrated 1 year of "No Power failure". This is a thing that the supposed "Giant of Africa" Nigeria has failed woefully to do despite the large gas and oil reserves. So what is Nigeria celebrating at 54 when the populace are scared of travelling north, scared of large gatherings, scared to go out at night and cannot boast of even 4 hours of steady uninterrupted power supply?
Lets not deceive ourselves into believing that we are better than Zimbabwe! We are not. Zimbabwe is the way it is not because it has a "Bad leader or Government" but because Zimbabwe refused to continue being exploited by the United Kingdom (or is it Great Britain). Zimbabwe being a land locked country would rather break than bend to the "white man's" economic policies and demands of sub-servitude. Be that as it may, be rest assured that in time Zimbabwe will overcome and Mugabe would or might be justified. Let the truth prevail.
The Congo has not know peace for many years simply because the government of the people was always toiled with by outsiders. Now there is chaos. Rwanda is a country always on the brink because of the way it was partitioned and because of the way power was allocated to the minority group.
Captain Thomas Sankara (of blessed memory) came up with the idea of re-branding his country and he started by changing the name of the country. He went further to indoctrinate them with the principle and possibility of self sufficiency and he did achieve results to the amazement of the World Bank and the IMF. But despite the fact that his ideas and ideals were good for the development of his country and country men, his ideas and ideals were counter-positive to the French who saw him as a threat to their strong hold on some of the illegally acquired colonies and of-course we know what happened to Thomas Sankara !
Look every leader or better still every African leader with a conscience and with love and vision for his country and country men, who tried to do anything for the improvement and development of his country has been replaced by the powers that be in favour or their man (a puppet who would sell his country, inhabitants and resources for a morsel of bread). Nigeria has many of such puppets and you can see them rotating through the corridors of power and now some of them are again vying for the highest office in the land.
Does this then mean that Nigeria should not reform itself? Nigeria needs to sit down, think and map out a way forward. There is no glory is saying we are the largest collection of black people on the surface of the earth or the most populated black nation, if you prefer to put it that way when we remain one of the poorest nations on earth. China does not boast of its population and even if it does, there are so many positive things to show for it. Thanks to China the world has access to many cheap things, anything you can think of is made in China.
Nigeria ! What are you celebrating anyway? Though they may not say it, ALL other African nations are ASHAMED of you. Happy independence day celebration !!!!
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Ugandans baffled by sleeping ministers - Africa - Al Jazeera English
I read this post from Al Jazeera:
Kampala, Uganda At the most recent state-of-the-nation address, Uganda's second deputy prime minister wore sunglasses too dark to enable anyone to see whether his eyes were open or closed.
Moses Ali, 74, is one of the cabinet ministers who seem to have improvised a way to escape the scrutiny of nosy media cameras that have on several occasions caught senior government officials and MPs dozing when the president is delivering his address and when the national budget is read.
It all started four years ago when a local tabloid splashed the pictures of sleeping ministers and MPs on its front page as President Yoweri Museveni delivered his address to the country.
The paper's headline on the day was "Sleeping Nation".
The public has since come to covet these events as much as the politicians seem to dread them. TV cameras are always out for who is napping, and photographs of ministers and MPs sleeping though these important speeches - delivered annually in June - end up on social media, with many lampooning the politicians.
"When I served in Museveni's government things were exciting and one would have no reason to sleep," said Professor Edward Kakonge, who served as the first minister of local government when Museveni became president in 1986.
"What is happening now is a clear pointer that there is nothing exciting in there any more."
Snoring away
Snoring away
Whether MPs and ministers simply sleep through these events has become a key focus for the media. Some commentators have said that if government officials can doze while attending important events they know are being covered live, they can do anything in the privacy of their offices.
"Sleeping is not a bad thing. Sleeping on the job is," Bernard Tabaire, a columnist for the Sunday Monitor, wrote.
"No one has yet done the count that I am aware of, but the number of our big men and women who snored away as the president delivered his annual state-of-the-nation speech ... was possibly the largest in five years."
 |
| A government spokesman said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was "meditating," not dozing [Al Jazeera] |
The media's prying eyes into the matter is creating problems for journalists.
Last month, NTV, a local broadcaster, beamed images that appeared to show the president himself dozing while listening to the budget speech, prompting a government spokesman to say he was "meditating".
The station's reporters who had been accredited to cover the president's press conference days later were turned away, sparking speculation as to whether the station was banned from covering events presided over by Museveni.
The NTV crew on June 30 was again unable to cover the president as he presided over an event at parliament.
Hellen Kaweesa, the parliament's spokeswoman, however, says that the reporters from the station missed the event because they arrived late.
"The reporters came to my office and I gave them footage. We have not banned anybody from covering [presidential events at parliament]," Kaweesa told Al Jazeera.
Officials at NTV station declined to comment on the incidents for this article.
Kaweesa came under fire from Museveni's spokesperson, who accused her of failing to "regulate" the media during parliamentary events.
No one has yet done the count that I am aware of, but the number of our big men and women who snored away as the president delivered his annual state-of-the-nation speech ... was possibly the largest in five years.
|
Tamale Mirundi, the president's spokesperson, said that the TV station was not banned from covering presidential events but that "it should stand warned".
"The president is the fountain of honour and he must be respected; under no circumstances can the president of the republic be depicted in such a manner," Mirundi said.
Government critics such as Betty Nambooze, an opposition legislator, say old age is taking its toll on the politicians.
"They are too old and their attention spans have been reduced," Nambooze, 45, told Al Jazeera.
Deputy prime minister Ali is one of the most senior members of cabinet, second only to Henry Kajura, 80, another deputy prime minister and minister of public service. Museveni, in power since 1986, will hit 70 this September.
However, the president has infused some youth into his cabinet. Presidency Minister Frank Tumwebaze, one of the most influential members of the cabinet, is 38.
In a further dig at the government, Nambooze said: "The president never has anything new to say and his colleagues know in advance that this is the case [so they doze off]."
She claims that what the politicians exhibit in public is not different from what they do in the comfort of their offices, negatively affecting the productivity of ministries.
"If the honourable ministers cannot attentively listen to their boss speaking in parliament, do you expect them to pay attention to briefs from technocrats in their ministries?" asked Nambooze.
Rose Namayanja, the government spokesperson, however, claims that Nambooze's statements are made "out of ignorance of how [the] government works".
"Those senior members of cabinet she is trying to disparage make tremendous contributions to the workings of government," said Namayanja.
She added that it is "natural that people will close their eyes to process" what is being said.
"Managing [the] government is a mental process and it must necessarily involve thinking," she adds.
'Regime of sleep'
'Regime of sleep'
Mathias Mpuuga, who shortly after Museveni's re-election in 2011 led protests against the government over the rising cost of living, is having a good laugh about the situation.
"President Museveni has never been delusional about it; he warned Ugandans early enough that his will be a regime of sleep and he has not disappointed," Mpuuga says.
In the earlier years when Museveni first competed for the presidency, after his government restored elections following the bush war, he bragged about pacifying the country and allowing Ugandans to sleep without worrying about violence.
When he took over power in 1986, the country had had six different administrations in a space of just six years since the overthrow of Idi Amin in 1979. He therefore turned the narrative about "restoring sleep" into a key campaign catchphrase.
Of the state-of-the-nation address and budget speech, Mpuuga said, "Museveni is supplying the sleep he promised Ugandans."
This article has led me to search online to see what other African politicians are doing in their Parliaments or Houses of Assembly.
Updates coming soon!
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
日本を取り戻そう THE THIRD ARROW!
The “third arrow” of Abenomics, the plan of Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, to pull the country out of its long slump was announced on June the 5th amidst great expectations.
On the 4th of April, the first arrow fired, came in the form of a monetary revolution at "Bankers' Bank', when the institutions's new governor, Mr Kuroda Haruhiko, vowed to end deflation by causing a superfluous flow of money into the economy.
The second arrow was a fiscal stimulus package to the tune of about {Yen}10.3 trillion ($116 billion). The much awaited growth strategy however is the most important of the three arrows, because its aim is not just to buffer but to fire-up and keep Japan’s long-term economic performance running at a remarkable pace.
Although, When the announcement was made a great deal of people were disappointed, because they felt it did not pack enough power. I for one wasn't ! I have come to understand after studying Mr. Abe for a while that he is caring and worried about the effect of his government's policies on the common man.
I believe that the idea of releasing a watered down version of his intention was to enable him gauge how far the masses are willing to go and how much they are willing to sacrifice to put the ship of state on a steady upward bound economic course.
Haven seen that people were and are willing to go the full course to set things straight Mr. Abe pulled out the full menu of the main course of the "Third Arrow".
It is no wonder that to help design the strategy, Mr Abe had convened a series of reform committees, particularly the Headquarters for Japan’s Economic Revitalisation inside his own Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and the Industrial Competitiveness Council (ICC). He invited onto these committees private-sector business people, economists and proponents of reform, and of-course Mr. Heizo Takenaka, the former right-hand man of Junichiro Koizumi.
Reformers had hoped that the committees would tackle is Japan’s labour market. They even proposed bold suggestions for the economy, the agricultural sector and the labour market stating that firms should be able to fire employees with severance pay. Agriculture is in dire need of reform as Japan enters negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) in July. It was also proposed that companies be allowed to buy farmland because most farmers farm on plots and on a part-time basis and are therefore not competitive.
So far, Mr. Abe has done an excellent job of keeping the ship of state afloat. Yes, a lot of promises have been made and a lot is being done to fulfill those promises, however, the onus is on the people to stand strong on support of Mr. Abe to set the ship aright, afloat and on the right course. Too much politics has been played with the state of the economy and economic reforms.
Japan is a land full of opportunities, potentials and possibilities which can be actualized if politics doesn't get in the way. Being in the opposition party shouldn't mean that all ideas from the ruling party must be opposed even when they are the right ones and make sound logic.
As, Mr. Abe goes on with this program "日本を取り戻そう" I strongly believe that everyone should support the efforts of the government but should also not forget to ask questions, "especially the right questions".
Friday, June 6, 2014
In Pakistan, LOVE is a RISKY Business.
The media has been abuzz the past few weeks with different stories of women / ladies who have been shot, beaten, stoned or even murdered for the same crime. Their crime in their country is one that is taken for granted in other countries and isn't even considered a crime at all. Their crime was marrying the men they loved instead of marrying men that were chosen for them.
Last month in Pakistan, a woman by the name Farzana Iqbal was attacked and killed by her own family members for marrying the man she loved. The case drew international attention and was even condemned by the UN "because it happened in broad daylight" in the center of the city of Lahore. Makes me wonder if the time and the venue is the reason for the UN condemnation of the act or the very act itself is the reason the UN spoke against it.
An 18 year old woman Saba Maqsood, has survived being shot and thrown into a canal by her family and this is just weeks after the death of Farzana Iqbal. One would tend to wonder "since she has survived this dastardly act from her family, she can or should be presumed dead to her family, is she therefore free to go back home to her husband when she has fully recuperated without her former family interfering with her life considering that they have more or less killed her once already?
This so-called honor killings, has me wondering if it has it's roots in tradition or in Islam. Did the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) actually prescribe the killing of daughters for the crime of loving and choosing a man to be their lawful husband?
Mind you, please note that this is not the same as adultery because the ladies or women involved in these issues actually marry the men of the own choosing, men that they know and love.
Does the Quran say that it is a sin for women to happy?
Does the Quran forbid women from marrying the men that they love?
Does the Quran forbid women from being happy marrying the man the love?
It seems to be, that if it does then the Quran and the Prophet (pbuh) would be accused of hypocrisy because the Prophet (pbuh) married the wife of his late boss. She clearly chose him and not him her. She certainly could have married someone else.
I do not know if the people involved in this honor killings actually read the Quran but I strongly doubt that they do.
Last month in Pakistan, a woman by the name Farzana Iqbal was attacked and killed by her own family members for marrying the man she loved. The case drew international attention and was even condemned by the UN "because it happened in broad daylight" in the center of the city of Lahore. Makes me wonder if the time and the venue is the reason for the UN condemnation of the act or the very act itself is the reason the UN spoke against it.
An 18 year old woman Saba Maqsood, has survived being shot and thrown into a canal by her family and this is just weeks after the death of Farzana Iqbal. One would tend to wonder "since she has survived this dastardly act from her family, she can or should be presumed dead to her family, is she therefore free to go back home to her husband when she has fully recuperated without her former family interfering with her life considering that they have more or less killed her once already?
This so-called honor killings, has me wondering if it has it's roots in tradition or in Islam. Did the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) actually prescribe the killing of daughters for the crime of loving and choosing a man to be their lawful husband?
Mind you, please note that this is not the same as adultery because the ladies or women involved in these issues actually marry the men of the own choosing, men that they know and love.
Does the Quran say that it is a sin for women to happy?
Does the Quran forbid women from marrying the men that they love?
Does the Quran forbid women from being happy marrying the man the love?
It seems to be, that if it does then the Quran and the Prophet (pbuh) would be accused of hypocrisy because the Prophet (pbuh) married the wife of his late boss. She clearly chose him and not him her. She certainly could have married someone else.
I do not know if the people involved in this honor killings actually read the Quran but I strongly doubt that they do.
We are one family; Japan & China.
Now it's been about 70 something years after the Sino-Japan and world war II. A lot of the nations that were involved in the wars have moved on. A lot have forgotten about the war(s) but have taken from the war(s) and the aftermath, the crucial lessons that needed to be learned (and still need to be learned because history has a very cunning way of repeating itself because the next generation most of the times are too hard headed and bent on revenge that they do not learn anything. They just can't see that there is no point to violence regardless of how you may justify it.
The nations that learnt a thing or two from the wars understand that it just comes down to killing your distant cousins (considering that the whole planet is made of individuals who have somehow intermarried (probably not on a large enough scale) to a point where even if we want to disregard the biblical origin of man, we are still somehow bound together regardless of race or creed.
Now imagine on the Asian front where everyone looks like everyone to the untrained foreign eye. You would most definitely wonder why the begrudge one another considering that they probably have the same ancient ancestors.
I have always wondered who God would support if and when a Christian nation (if there really is any) goes to war against another Christian nation. or who would the Buddha support when these Asian nations get at one another's jugulars or who does the prophet Mohammed (pbuh) support when the Islamic nations begin to destroy one another with suicide bombers et. al. all for the hope of a Lascivious afterlife.
China and Japan have had their bilateral relations on ice for a while now. Most of this because Japan seeks to be a truly self governing nation and not just a colony of another. Is this a bad thing?
Japan seeks the right to protect or defend itself from or against external aggression and aggressors. Is this a bad thing?
Japan seeks to be able to contribute to the defense of it's allies if and when needed. Is this a bad thing?
Japan is the most anti-war nation on earth as of today but does that mean that Japan should allow itself to be intimidated by nations that have their heads buried in the past?
People make mistakes, communities make mistakes, nations make mistakes but they do not have to sit down there at the spot where the mistake was made. The mistakes were made so that following generations would not fall into the traps that caused or produced such mistakes. Mistakes are a part of life.
No one here is a professional at life, we all are learning as we go. It is wrong for the previous generation(s) to keep sowing the seeds of hatred and distrust in the minds of the future generations. It is the responsibility of the previous generation to ensure that the future generations get it right where they (the previous generation) got it wrong.
In Japan, it is clearly understood that "an eye for an eye makes the world go blind". The devastating effects of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused an awakening of a consciousness that "Nothing good comes out of war".
Japan had made it clear that it wasn't interested in wars, weapons or unnecessary disputes however, the Prime minister can not go to a Buddhist temple or shrine to offer prayers because, China or Korea would make a fuss about it. Just because some there are some folks you do not consider to be worth been remembered interred there should that be a reason for the hundreds or thousands of others who are also interred there to have their memory swept into oblivion?
China's attitude and stance is and can be seen as that of a bully or of a younger brother who would not let his elder brother forget he ever wronged him. It really amazes me because the folks who were originally involved in the war dance have mostly passed away and the remnants are already advanced in age.
China is in the news most of the time now and it has mostly been for the wrong reasons. Reasons like land grab and intimidation, air pollution (PM 2.5) destruction of nature and natural habitats etc. I am still very open minded to China. I believe that China needs to be helped to heal so that China can contribute on a more meaningful scale to the furtherance of peace on earth.
Rather than China spending precious time on monitoring issues that are Japan's business, like Yasukuni shrine visitation or non visitation, rewriting or revising of the Japanese constitution, laying claims to ALL the islands around China and her neighbors, Japan's ground self defense force (GSDF) amidst others. China clearly needs to heal internally and then externally and then contribute to a more peaceful Asia and the world in general.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
T P P
The news on TV and in the dailies have been awash with stories about TPP. What exactly is this TPP?
According to Wikipedia, "The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a proposed expansion of the 2005 Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPSEP or P4), a trade agreement among Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, and Singapore. It seeks to manage trade, promote growth, and regionally integrate the economies of the Asia-Pacific region." The TPP intends to enhance trade and investment among the TPP partner countries, promote innovation, economic growth and development, and support the creation and retention of jobs.
The TPP according to PUBLICCITIZEN [www.citizen.org/TPP] "is a massive, controversial "free trade" agreement currently being pushed by big corporations and negotiated behind closed doors by officials from the United States and 11 other countries – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.
Again, from Wikipedia, we are given to understand that "Global health professionals, internet freedom activists, environmentalists, organized labor, advocacy groups, and elected officials have criticized and protested the negotiations, in large part because of the proceedings' secrecy, the agreement's expansive scope, and controversial clauses in drafts leaked publicly"
What exactly is wrong with the TPP agreement? Well PUBLICCITIZEN says that "Although it is called a "free trade" agreement, the TPP is not mainly about trade. Of TPP's 29 draft chapters, only five deal with traditional trade issues.
One chapter would provide incentives to offshore jobs to low-wage countries. Many would impose limits on government policies that we rely on in our daily lives for safe food, a clean environment, and more. Our domestic federal, state and local policies would be required to comply with TPP rules." Also, "
The TPP would even elevate individual foreign firms to equal status with sovereign nations, empowering them to privately enforce new rights and privileges, provided by the pact, by dragging governments to foreign tribunals to demand taxpayer compensation over policies that they claim undermine their expected future profits."
A number of the participating nations joined the TPP willing whilst some were strong armed into it. Japan however, has proven once again that its government can and would listen to the voice of its people. After all, if the people do not want their country participating or becoming a member of TPP why force it upon them?
The people know better what is good for them and their government knows better what is good for its citizens than any foreign government would ever know.
The general consensus amongst the people is that Japan needs not and should not join the TPP. As a matter of fact, the Japanese government is very careful about this TPP issue as it is one that is indeed TRYING PEOPLES' PATIENCE (TPP) and the government does not want to keep TESTING PEOPLES' PATIENCE (TPP) especially after the tax hike from 5% to 8%.
I think that the government is right to listen to the voice of its electorate and not allow itself to be strong armed into a program that its citizenry is 10001% AGAINST.
Everywhere I visit these days, I am not surprised to be greeted by the "STOP TPP" posters.
I guess, well, if you can't beat them, join them. So,
STOP TPP
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Just because I am BLACK !
Some of the definitions of "Black" as defined by the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary are;
1. having the darkest color there is, like night without light.
2. bad, without hope
These are just a few of the meanings of the word black. Not that all the meanings of the word black are bad or negative but the world seems to prefer to see everything black as bad.
Take for instance a caucasian would NEVER be judged or held to the same standards as a Black fellow.
It is the intention of a great number of individuals to keep the black race in subjugation to other races.
According to history slavery was initially color blind but after a few years, it became a position carved out in society with the intention that it be filled by the black race.
The black race has therefore been kept down in more ways than one
1. Economically
2. Psychologically
3. Spiritually
4. Historically
5. Socially
The economics of the world had been so designed to make sure that the black man cannot rise out of the bondages of poverty. So that black people are prone to celebrate one of their own, if that one is seen to have broken through the barriers that have been put in place to put them down. It is made to look like the BLACK race does nothing but BEG for handouts. The Black race are seen as a group of individuals who contribute nothing to society.
This lack of contribution to society by the black race is the main focus of this piece which I predict would be a few weeks long considering the various aspects that have to be dealt with.
The history of black people has been systematically destroyed and a new one put in its place that denigrates the achievements of the black race.
Lets talk about education for instance, the black race are seen as uneducated, illiterates, in fact as SAVAGES.
Firstly,most people do not know that the first UNIVERSITY in the WORLD was in AFRICA and the it is that educational system that has been mimic even till this very day. And the very people whose educational system is mimicked are looked down upon as savages.
Secondly, lets take the history of paper into consideration,paper has a long history, stretching back to ancient Egypt in the third millennium BC but paper in its present form has its history set in China in the first millennium BC. It is not hard to see that the very first place the earliest form of paper was ancient Egypt which of course is in Africa.
Third, the Negroes of America whom have been stereotyped as a general representation of ALL things BLACK race are considered lazy, apathetic, always looking for a handout. People forget that it is the sweat and blood of these black folks that thrust America into greatness. A nation where the main business of the day was SLAVERY.
Slaves were more expensive than cotton and all the other products that America had for export in those days and slavery was a very lucrative business.
Slaves were more expensive than cotton and all the other products that America had for export in those days and slavery was a very lucrative business.
These slaves were forced to work from very tender ages on the cotton fields of America and were denied the basic rights and access to simple education but still from amongst them arose great inventors.
These black inventors contributed and still are contributing immensely to making the world a better place.
When you drive everyday, you must encounter the "STOP" sign, see the brake lights or tail lights
A few of the African-American or "BLACK" inventors include;
Elijah McCoy (1843–1929) who invented an oil-dripping cup for trains. His invention was so good that other inventors tried to copy McCoy's oil-dripping cup. But none of the other cups worked as well as his, so customers started asking for "the real McCoy." That's where the expression "Is that the real McCoy?" comes from.
Lewis Latimer (1848–1928)worked in the laboratories of both Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. He invented an important part of the light bulb — the carbon filament.
Jan Ernst Matzeliger (1852–1889) invented a shoe making machine that increased shoe making speed by 900%!
Granville T. Woods (1856–1910) invented a train-to-station communication system.
George Washington Carver (1860–1943) Carver was born a slave. He didn't go to college until he was 30. He developed peanut butter and 400 plant products!
Garrett Morgan (1877–1963) invented the gas mask. Morgan also invented the first traffic signal.
Otis Boykin (1920–1982) invented the electronic control devices for guided missiles, IBM computers, and the pacemaker. Boykin invented 28 different electronic devices.
Henry Blair (1807 - 1860), the only inventor to be identified in the Patent Office records as "a colored man." Blair was born in Montgomery County, Maryland around 1807. He received a patent on October 14, 1834 for a seed planter and a patent in 1836 for a cotton planter. He was the second black inventor to receive a patent. The first was person to do so was Thomas Jennings in 1821 for a dry cleaning process.
Because he could not write, he signed his patents with an "x".
There are many more and would be a great many more "BLACK" inventors and geniuses so please stop equating black with wanting "a handout" or stupidity, ignorance and laziness. Let's get along, give the blacks some respect. They also bring and have a lot more to bring to the TABLE.
MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS AT LUNCH, THE WARD COAT CULTURE !
Have you ever visited a clinic or hospital and stayed till about lunch time?
You felt so hungry you did not want to go outside the hospital to get lunch so you opted for the hospital's restaurant or cafeteria?
How did you feel when all the medical geniuses came to get lunch or coffee?
Standing up and looking around you, you see the cafeteria has transformed into an ocean of white.
How did you feel? Elated, happy, uncomfortable, out of place or just plain disgust at the fact that these geniuses did not bother to take off their ward coats after seeing various patients in different conditions of health?
Nope, they just came in with these coats to coffee of some meal and inadvertently create more patients.
I have looked around, and noticed that this is a flourishing culture.It matters little how well read and educated these medical professionals are.
When it is lunch time you would find that they all belong to the same tribe. Yes, the tribe that puts on it's ward coat at lunch, making them rather indistinguishable from the chef in the kitchen except for the fact that the chef's buttons are placed in a distinguishing patter.
I wonder how these doctors would feel if a mechanic worked in or better still if mechanics in their oil soiled overalls swarmed into a restaurant where these doctors were feasting. The doctors of course would feel disgust that these mechanics dared not take off their soiled overalls.
But the question here is "how are these doctors different from the mechanics?" What or how should a regular individual feel about the visible oil stains and dirt on the mechanics' overall compared to the invisible bacteria and virus on the seemingly clean white coats of the medical practitioners at lunch.
We would look down on the mechanics for their seemingly dirty outfit but respectfully at the doctors because of the seemingly "clean" white ward coats. As a matter of fact some of these seemingly clean ward coats had probably been in contact with patients, or if they are on students, just come out of the dissection room where these medical students had been dissecting (cutting up) a cadaver.
Which of these two have the potential to make you sick? I reckon you picked the ward coats. To who should we appeal, the restaurants or the doctors to ensure that they take off their ward coats when they are at lunch.
Maybe the restaurants need to provide hangers and lockers so that doctors can hang their ward coats securely before getting into the restaurant proper for their meals.
Whilst I am not saying that doctors are deliberately untidy as regards putting on their ward coats at lunch, I think that they need to be reminded to take them off and that a secure place be provided for them to hang their precious ward coats. I know diseases don't jump off clothes but it is bad manners to sit down to lunch still putting on your ward coat(s) as I am sure no doctor would go to lunch or have lunch still putting on gloves.
What's your take?
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
HISTORY IS A SET OF LIES AGREED UPON.
I love books. I love reading books. As much as possible I do not let the title of the book or the cover page artwork determine whether or not I would read the book.
One topic that fascinates me is history. I always wonder how people who most of the time where not present during an event can give accurate descriptions of the various occurrences during the event.
As we all know, there are always two sides to any story just as there are two sides to a coin. This however, is not the case with history. When it comes to history there are many sides to that coin. The reason being that there are usually a good number of people involved who, most of the time do not see, hear or perceive the same thing(s).
Where one sees black, another might see grey, another would probably sees ash and someone else would have seen a very dark color but didn't really think it was black and then there would be the group that did not see but heard, followed by those who heard from "an authoritative source" and then, there would be those who think that they heard but are not sure and then, those who heard from someone who heard from someone who heard from someone who saw or thought he/she saw but isn't exactly sure !
Over time and with the examples above stated, it is clear that history is bound to be distorted or contorted in one way or the other. So, what happens is that a standard of agreement has to be reached beyond which distortion of the facts may not be condoned or lets say appreciated.
This is the problem that China, Japan and South Korea have faced and are still facing. They have not been able to come to a point or to reach a standard of agreement for what and what did or did not happen during the war years. Whilst it may appear that one group or party seeks to over estimate and exaggerate the issues that happened, there is also this impression that the other party seeks to underestimate and also downplay the facts of the events of the war years.
This bickering back and forth and all around on issues that occurred before most of my readers (myself inclusive) were born makes this rather painful. It feels like when we think the wound has healed, the actions and stories in the media cause the wounds to burst open afresh though small, the tear may be it still is indicative of a wound that might be impossible to heal given the pervasive circumstances. Although, we believe that time does heal all wounds, this one seems to be defying time's healing hands.
I think China, Korea and Japan need to come together and agree about some, if not all the facts of the war years, accept those facts as the facts. Apologize to one another and then forgive one another. We do after all practice the same religions like; Buddhism, Christianity, e.t.c where forgiveness is taught or preached !
This generation is one that does not need wars or strife. Japanese, Koreans and Chinese have inter-married to a reasonable degree and it would not be healthy for us to start shooting at one another because of things that happened [out of ignorance] almost a century ago or because of the resources that we met on earth and would leave on it [no one is going to take crude oil or diamonds or gold or money to the afterlife].
It's time to AGREE to what our history was [or is] and should say in the books.
Like Napoleon Bonaparte said; "HISTORY IS A SET OF LIES AGREED UPON.
Let's choose the least damaging lies so that we can move forward easily, happily and in peace.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
JAPAN MUST AND WILL MARCH BACK TO GREATNESS ! ! !
Japan is a country very dear to my heart. I have lived in this island country for close to a decade and still I am fascinated on a daily basis by various aspects of the nation.The courtesy, humility, patience and generosity of the Japanese people is one that awes every foreigner that encounters or interacts with the Japanese.
Japan is a great nation, one that can without exception be truly identified not as a giant of Asia but as the Giant of Asia regardless of the aging population and the economic downturn. Although, I have stated this in the present tense, the fact remains that this is fast becoming a past tense. This should not be seen to indicate that the Japanese are unproductive; NO! far from that.
The greatness of Japan though undeniable is at risk of becoming a thing of the history books because the political class constantly run away from or distort history to the point that they have failed to take a cue from what previous leaders of government and industry did to thrust Japan into greatness again a few years after the war.
I must categorically state that Japan can and MUST rise to greatness again to ensure that there is a balance of power in Asia and in the world in general.This is necessary because Japan has the capacity to bring a lot of calm into situations that other world powers would hastily, violently and arrogantly rush into. Japan is the only nation to have suffered the ill fortune of being bombed with a nuclear weapon. Japan therefore having suffered the devastating effects and after effects of the nuclear decimation of two of its cities understands that dialogue, diplomacy and peace are the only way to go.
Now, how can Japan by taking a cue from history rise to greatness again?
Well, some time in the 1950s, leaders of government and industry met to set the GOAL of being the number one in the production of textiles in the world within that decade and indeed, they met their target.
They came together again and set another GOAL. They decided to perform the impossible task of becoming the number one in the world in the production of steel. Regardless of the fact that Japan had [has] no iron ore deposits, they went ahead and built the factories, started importing the ore and within a decade outsold the competition to become number one in the production of steel in the world.
Japan needs to set DEFINITE GOALS, just like preceding leaders of government and industry came together and set definite goals in charting a way forward for Japan and posterity. However, one of the ways to do this is to go back to the pages of the CORRECT [not re-written or overly edited] history books.
I am confident that JAPAN would CERTAINLY rebound as THE GIANT OF ASIA.
Japan is a great nation, one that can without exception be truly identified not as a giant of Asia but as the Giant of Asia regardless of the aging population and the economic downturn. Although, I have stated this in the present tense, the fact remains that this is fast becoming a past tense. This should not be seen to indicate that the Japanese are unproductive; NO! far from that.
The greatness of Japan though undeniable is at risk of becoming a thing of the history books because the political class constantly run away from or distort history to the point that they have failed to take a cue from what previous leaders of government and industry did to thrust Japan into greatness again a few years after the war.
I must categorically state that Japan can and MUST rise to greatness again to ensure that there is a balance of power in Asia and in the world in general.This is necessary because Japan has the capacity to bring a lot of calm into situations that other world powers would hastily, violently and arrogantly rush into. Japan is the only nation to have suffered the ill fortune of being bombed with a nuclear weapon. Japan therefore having suffered the devastating effects and after effects of the nuclear decimation of two of its cities understands that dialogue, diplomacy and peace are the only way to go.
Now, how can Japan by taking a cue from history rise to greatness again?
Well, some time in the 1950s, leaders of government and industry met to set the GOAL of being the number one in the production of textiles in the world within that decade and indeed, they met their target.
They came together again and set another GOAL. They decided to perform the impossible task of becoming the number one in the world in the production of steel. Regardless of the fact that Japan had [has] no iron ore deposits, they went ahead and built the factories, started importing the ore and within a decade outsold the competition to become number one in the production of steel in the world.
Japan needs to set DEFINITE GOALS, just like preceding leaders of government and industry came together and set definite goals in charting a way forward for Japan and posterity. However, one of the ways to do this is to go back to the pages of the CORRECT [not re-written or overly edited] history books.
I am confident that JAPAN would CERTAINLY rebound as THE GIANT OF ASIA.
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