As America joins hands tonight to call for relief for a battered Haiti, i like to ask that we also join our hands for the people of Haiti.
This is not all about money and how much each person can give. It is also about prayer. Lets not just pray for Haiti but ask questions why the earthquake that has crippled that nation happened.
“Prayer is asking and meditation is listening for answers”, Nancy Freier, Publisher-The Inner Voice
I have learnt two things today, January 15, 2010:
-Number one:
“You don’t have to live your life the way other people expect you to.” -Chris Guillebeau
-Number two:
In response to a yahoo group email about the future of Cameroon, I quoted Chris again in the following lines:
“Keep up the positive momentum. Look to the future, not the past. The U.S. election last fall was framed as a choice between the past and the future. Guess who wins a contest between old and new?”
This morning i read something quite interesting from a blog, Seth Godin and the ideas in it have kept me thinking all morning. Check it out:
The lesson from two lemonade stands
The first stand is run by two kids. They use Countrytime lemonade, paper cups and a bridge table. It’s a decent lemonade stand, one in the long tradition of standard lemonade stands. It costs a dollar to buy a cup, which is a pretty good price, considering you get both the lemonade and the satisfaction of knowing you supported two kids.
The other stand is different. The lemonade is free, but there’s a big tip jar. When you pull up, the owner of the stand beams as only a proud eleven year old girl can beam. She takes her time and reaches into a pail filled with ice and lemons. She pulls out a lemon. Slices it. Then she squeezes it with a clever little hand juicer.
The whole time that’s she’s squeezing, she’s also talking to you, sharing her insights (and yes, her joy) about the power of lemonade to change your day. It’s a beautiful day and she’s in no real hurry. Lemonade doesn’t hurry, she says. It gets made the right way or not at all. Then she urges you to take a bit less sugar, because it tastes better that way.
While you’re talking, a dozen people who might have become customers drive on by because it appears to take too long. You don’t mind, though, because you’re engaged, almost entranced. A few people pull over and wait in line behind you.
Finally, once she’s done, you put $5 in the jar, because your free lemonade was worth at least twice that. Well, maybe the lemonade itself was worth $3, but you’d happily pay again for the transaction. It touched you. In fact, it changed you.
Which entrepreneur do you think has a brighter future?
By George Bamu
If you are tired of all the negativity about Africa in the news, then you can take steps to deal with this problem? If you frustrated that a few war torn nations continue to dominate the news about Africa, then you can take steps to deal with this problem. If you stunned that an entire continent of 53 nations is presented from the lens of a few troubled nations, then you can take steps to deal with this problem?
Do you know the damage this is causing and costing Africa? Read on.
Writing in African Business Magazine(March, 2009), the best selling Pan African Business magazine, Omari Issa, CEO of the Investment Climate Facility for Africa said:
“greater scrutiny of investment and business issues, more timely and accurate reporting and a culture of delivering impartial news will not only help drive demand for investment climate reform, but also boost investor confidence in business environments”
The U.S Council of Foreign Relations, writing in “More Than Humanitarianism: A Strategic U.S. Approach towards Africa” (2006), looked at the problem this way.
“Much of the public’s attention on Africa focuses on humanitarian emergencies. Bust just as important are the emerging trends towards democracy and better governance over the past twenty years that are transforming many African countries”
My friend, Dr. Peggy Norwood posted the below notes on her blog and i found it quite interesting. So, i decided to share it. I am definitely planning on making lots of changes in 2010. Would you be making any changes in 2010?
Here it is. enjoy!
“Do Something Different for a Change Because time marches on, you’re either moving forward or backward, but never really just standing still. Don’t get left behind. Do something different in 2010″ Dr. Peggy Mitchell Norwood.
My good friend Smith Tanny posted this on his blog, so I decided to borrow from it and share. I thought this is pretty amazing thought, especially for any one who likes to succced inspite of life’s daily challenges.
Please enjoy!
Read the Creed daily and Succeed
The Creed
1.) I believe my life has purpose and value.
2.) I will pursue my purpose daily.
3.) I will set my goals and not allow the negativity of others to distract me in achieving them.
4.) I am the master of my attitude.
5.) Today I choose to be positive.
6.) I will love life and press on in the midst of my struggles.
7.) I believe I can therefore I will.
8.) I will tap my full potential and with the help of others we will reach dreams that on our own are not possible.
9.) I will be strong to the finish, I will never give up.
10.) In the end when I lay my head down, I will rest in peace, because I have faith, hope and love.
Ron Heagy Jr.
Learn more about the author at http://www.ronheagy.com/page/page/933283.htm
Africa Agenda Events
Saturday December 5, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
AFRICA: TOWARDS FREEDOM,
DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRACY
SIÉ CHÉOU-KANG Center for International Security and Diplomacy
@ the Joseph Korbel School of International Relations, University of Denver
2201 S. Gaylord Street, Denver, CO 80208
Guest of Honor: Dr. Chris Fomunyoh, Senior Associate for Africa at the U.S National Democratic Institute (NDI) for International
Africa:Towards Freedom, Development and Democracy:
Saturday, December 5, 2009. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
University of Denver.
This event is in the works and details are scheduled for release on Monday November 16
Check back for more on Monday November 16.
Photo: Nobelpeaceprize.org
Perceptions of the U.S; Nobel Peace Prize award.
Any causes and effects?
In Journalism, correlations and linkages between issues and outcomes are always a point of contention. This also applies to theories and concepts relating to mass communications and their related translation into issues and policy agendas.
In the lead up to the November 2008 U.S presidential elections, an article I wrote for the Denver Urban Spectrum, Global Attitudes Shift About Prospect Of New President, carried the following information:
“With foreign support for the United States having plunged to its lowest point right after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the 2008 Pew attitudes survey, conducted by the nonpartisan Pew Global Attitudes Project, revealed a slight improvement of U.S. image abroad.
The main reason for the improvement, the survey shows, is the attention the U.S. presidential election is getting from countries around the world. Compared to previous years, the U.S. favorability rating moved up slightly among the nations surveyed. The biggest improvements were seen in Tanzania (19 percent), South Korea (12 percent) and Poland (7 percent), while the worst ratings are in Mexico (-9 percent) and Japan (-11 percent).”
As if to support some of the arguments of the 2008 Pew Global Attitudes Project, Media Tenor, which specializes in media agenda setting research, said the following immediately following the news of Presidents Obama’s winning of the Nobel Peace prize:
“Barack Obama’s 2009 Nobel Peace Prize was based on “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples”. Media Tenor’s analysis of President Obama’s image on foreign policy shows that this is truly the case when it comes to Obama’s image in world media markets – but with one big exception – inside the US.”
The article continued:
“Obama’s greatest strength in foreign media, is exactly the same strength which led the Nobel Prize committee to its decision – foreign affairs. In Middle Eastern, African and Western European media markets Obama’s image is driven by between 40-65% of all volume on issues relating to foreign policy with correspondingly high ratings for the president in those media markets”
Strong or Subtle call to action
In awarding the Peace prize to Obama, was this a strong call to action on many of the issues he has raised before and after he assumed the U.S presidency or was this a rather subtle call to action instead?