mdbck

I Could Not Have Said It Better

2010-08-10T20:16:00.004-05:00

I am reading a book called Margin by Richard Swenson. Here is his take on modern society and what we need to do....

"We once again assert that jobs are only jobs, that cars are only organized piles of metal, that houses will one day fall down but people are important beyond description."

Yep, that's it......

The Other Side of the World Cup

2010-06-27T09:30:00.005-05:00

The World Cup is one of the biggest events in the world and it is being held in South Africa this year. While I hope this helps the South African economy, the darker side of this event or any event like it is inevitably going to come out.

While the vuvuzelas blow and they can be annoying, it might be a better use of vuvuzela outrage to use this as a platform to fight child sex trafficking.

While this practice is common throughout the world, South Africa has not enacted a pending law that is stuck in limbo. A bill to ban sex trafficking has been on the books but has not been made into law. The anti-trafficking bill has been waiting for approval for 5 years. It is high time to get that passed and a viable law that can be enforced. (The attached article tells of what is happening around the World Cup but things like this happen all over the world and not just at an event. )

I hope the proposed legislation becomes law and helps South Africa be able to prosecute those who foster this kind of slavery, especially on young women.

The next time you hear a vuvuzela blow, turn that into a call for action....

Quarter Pounder Anyone?

2009-10-02T17:24:00.003-05:00

It is now reported that because of drought and Mugabe's land programs, Zimbabwe can only produce 1/4 of what it needs to feed its population. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091001/wl_africa_afp/zimbabwefoodagriculturefao_20091001165859)

Is there any wonder there are problems in Zimbabwe. Can you imagine what it would be like if you had only 1/4 of what you needed to eat?

Life would be very different....Mugabe needs to give up his personal fortune to feed his people who he is supposed to be serving.

Malaria still kills 1 million per year in Africa

2009-09-24T12:27:00.003-05:00

I know it has been a long time.....to quote the fount of wisdom known as Eric B and Rakim.....

It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you/Without a strong rhyme to step to
Think of how many weak shows you slept through/Time's up, I'm sorry I kept you

I have written about malaria early on in this blog but it has come up again. It looks 3 billion dollars and a new organization called the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (see article here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090923/ap_on_re_us/un_africa_malaria_1) intend to eradicate malaria in Africa by 2015.

I encourage everyone also to give to Nothing But Nets (http://www.nothingbutnets.net/) which is also helping to fight the malaria problem in Africa.

This problem is easily solved in theory but difficult to do in reality. We have had the cure for many moons but getting it out to the impoverished areas of Africa is difficult...along with some leaders who stop care from going to people in need. I am thankful that African leaders are banding together to fight this...let's see if they can get Mugabe to actually help his people.

If that happens, I would be VERY happy....

It's about Africa kids.....

Unemployment in South Africa

2009-05-06T12:28:00.003-05:00

I visited South Africa a few years ago and had the privilege of meeting many young people that were searching for jobs. They all had graduated and had skills that an employer could use. The only problem was that there were no jobs for them to apply to.

The article says the unemployment rate has jumped up 1.5% in the last few months to 23.5% with a loss of over 200,000 jobs. I think this rate is low. I would have estimated more like 35-40% from the people I met in Durban.

President-elect Jacob Zuma says he will work with businesses to create jobs. How exactly will he do that? That is a nice campaign promise but I have no idea how you will accomplish this in Africa right now.

And, for that matter, in the U.S. right now either.....

Even Elephants Know What Is Going On

2009-05-04T12:52:00.002-05:00

According a report out of Zambia, a good number of elephants have crossed the Zambezi river to live in Zambia rather than Zimbabwe. I think we can read between the lines and surmise the elephants found Zimbabwe unlivable.

But of course, Mugabe blames western intervention for the problems Zimbabwe is experiencing.

It is amazing that elephants are smarter than Mugabe....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/5233991/Elephants-abandon-troubled-Zimbabwe.html

It's a little too soon

2009-02-24T17:20:00.001-06:00

One of the things that I think has made our society go crazy is the pace that we live at. It is always hurry this, go there really fast and there is NO margin for error.

Today I saw a poll asking the public about how did President Obama do in his first 30 days. 30 days. You have got to be kidding.....no one other than God himself could do anything for this economy in 30 days.

We all need to slow down....the problems didn't happen overnight and won't go away overnight. Give the man a chance to show what he can do without analyzing every little move without a good sample to judge from. A year or two from now, we would have enough of sample to start making some decisions. But not now....

Here's hoping you have a slow, wonderful night!

This blog is finally making a difference...

2009-02-12T12:56:00.002-06:00

Okay maybe not but the New York Times syndicate and Slate has finally heeded the call for Mugabe to be scrutinized. Find the article here:
http://www.slate.com/id/2210830/
One thought....his premise is that his crimes were not as egregious until recently because they were the crimes of an elected government. Genocide is genocide elected or not...until we hold anyone who commits genocide responsible this kind of things will happen again and again and again....
I am thankful that this information is finally hitting the mainstream!

Financial Infrastructure of Africa

2009-02-03T12:46:00.002-06:00

A group of African leaders met in Ethiopia last week to talk about how the current financial crisis will impact their countries.

According to World Bank, Angola, who is a large exporter of oil, will see its exports drop by approximately 30% according to World Bank. Obviously this will have serious ramifications on the financial stability of the whole continent.

The World Bank has a proposed solution: Robert Zoellick has called for rich countries to donate 0.7 percent of the stimulus packages they approve for their own economies to a fund for developing countries which would be managed by international lenders.

Interesting....I am not sure what the breakdown of "rich" vs. "developing" countries will be. And this borders a bit on socialism. What international lenders will manage this?

A few questions:
1. Would this plan put a unstable continent into further instability?
2. What lenders would you trust to manage the stimulus packages?
3. What happens if the "rich" countries decide not to do a stimulus package?
4. What do you do with a country like Zimbabwe were there are serious questions concerning how monies from this fund will be used?

Talk amongst yourselves......

3 Things I Want From Our New President

2009-01-20T11:34:00.003-06:00

Dear President Obama,
I would like 3 things from you for the next 4 years:

1. A healthy economy: It doesn't have to be perfect just better than it is right now! Please find a way to infuse hope!
2. A kinder, gentler Africa: Being the first multi-racial president, I am hoping other countries will listen to you. Bring peace to a place that needs it badly.
3. A new national anthem: How many times can we hear a second rate song butchered badly?

If you do these three things, you have my vote in 2012!

All the best,
Michael

Thanks to my friend Taylor for this...

2009-01-14T10:39:00.003-06:00

At least someone is getting some worth out of this....

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1978/138/102/512173329/n512173329_1216157_6335.jpg

The truth is stranger than fiction....

2009-01-13T12:18:00.001-06:00

In reading this article, you will come to the startling realization that the IL Gov. will be swearing in new state senators when their first order of business is how to proceed on the impeachment process of Hot Rod.
Abosutely freaking amazing.....

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2009/01/08/news/doc49663988d6903620290642.txt

I Usually Encourage Ownership...

2008-12-23T11:48:00.003-06:00

but in this case, ownership scares me completely. Our villain of the moment, Robert Mugabe, recently said:

"Zimbabwe is mine. I will never, never, never never surrender. Zimbabwe is mine, I am a Zimbabwean. Zimbabwe for Zimbabweans. Zimbabwe never for the British, Britain for the British," Mugabe told his party's annual conference.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081219/wl_africa_afp/zimbabwepolitics_081219142025

How in the world is Zimbabwe his? Granted, he is ruling the country but only a dictator would say a country is "his".

That should solve it for everyone...talk amongst yourselves......

Living In Il Part 2

2008-12-19T12:16:00.003-06:00

I have to give props to my old friend from college Tracy who rightfully commented that downstate IL is not as bad as the Chicagoland area. I would have to agree with her. Chicago dominates Illinois like New York City dominates New York.

I hear that the Governor wants to have his side of the story heard. No matter how I don't like what he has done (I won't say supposed to have done because well, I have heard the tapes!), I think our justice system needs to fulfill what it is supposed to do. He is innocent til proven guilty and he has a right to be heard.

If justice is no longer blind in our society, then we have a major shift in judicial law which I am not sure we can handle with everything else going on in our society!

Thank you Tracy for giving me perspective and thanks to the judicial system for working in every case, not just the ones we like it to work for.

Talk amongst yourselves......

Living in IL

2008-12-11T10:57:00.001-06:00

Usually the reason I curse the state that I live in (Illinois) is the cold mornings when it is 15 degrees and I am walking my dogs or walking to the train. Unfortunately, I have a new reason this week.

I live in what could possibly be called the most corrupt state in the nation. Even law enforcement officials concede this point. The latest corruption takes the cake.....

The governor of Illinios conspired to sell the vacant senate seat of our next President Barack Obama. His request was a job after he is done being governor and a seat on organization boards which would guarantee a pretty hefty income.

His actions were referred to as a crime "spree". Not an actions but a coordinated set of illegal actions. A coordinated SET!!!

On the tapes (they actually wiretapped his phone) he said he had considered appointing himself to the seat as a prelude to running for president in 2016.

Clarence Page was asked if the governor was the most corrupt person in the world to which he answered to the effect that Robert Mugabe was far and above the most corrupt person in the world but the governor was catching up quickly!

I know politics is a pretty messy game but I was shocked by this.....and I don't get shocked very much.

When candidates meet with a sitting governor to buy a senate seat, something has gone wrong with our political system and, even scarier, with people in general.

I hope that the governor will be impeached and the senate seat will no longer be appointed but elected. But can we assume in this current political situation an election would be free from corruption? No such luck.....

A few thoughts to consider
What would your solution be to assigning this seat?
Should the IL constitution change to allow an election for a vacated senate seat rather than it be appointed by the governor? (IL governors don't have a great track record.)
If not, should the previous senator pick his or her replacement?
Will this hurt Chicago's chances to host the 2016 Olympics?

Talk amongst yourselves.....

Cholera...Just another problem for Zimbabwe?

2008-12-02T12:49:00.003-06:00

Zimbabwe, for those of you who don't know, is the place in Africa where my wife and I support a child who has HIV. The HIV problem is bad enough (to say the least) but now there is another player in the life and death game for the people of Zimbabwe: Cholera.

MDC secretary for health Dr Henry Madzorera had this to say recently: ""Our observation is that we do not have the capacity to deal with the epidemic, there are gross shortages from human resources to materials, drugs and fluids. The human resource situation is very dire, we have all nurses on strike, and only senior nurses are manning the wards. They are working long hours, they are tired and exposed to the extent that some health workers are now being infected with cholera while on duty," said Madzorera.Some health workers have also been admitted to hospitals as they contract the disease because of lack of adequate protective uniform."

It is amazing that the drug tetracycline and clean water would cure most problems with cholera in Zimbabwe. But yet, Mugabe's group denies there is even a problem with cholera. Shock...

The mismanagement of the government has caused this huge problem once again. This makes Peter Thum's mission even more important. Clean water is the basis for health around the world.

How do we get water to those who need it.....talk amongst yourselves.....

Jimmy Carter and Zimbabwe

2008-11-25T16:46:00.004-06:00

I was just reading an article in the L.A. Times about Zimbabwe. A man I admire for his tireless humanitarian efforts, former President Jimmy Carter, said the situation in Zimbabwe is much worse than can be imagined.

This is his quote from the Times:

"The entire basic structure in education, healthcare, feeding people, social services and sanitation has broken down," Carter said at a news conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. "These are all indications that the crisis in Zimbabwe is much greater, much worse than we had ever imagined."

The interesting thing is that Carter has not been to Zimbabwe lately. A group of people that includes Carter and Kofi Anan, who label themselves The Elders, were denied access to Zimbabwe by guess who?

Robert Mugabe.

Carter talked to refugees from Zimbabwe in South Africa to gather the information. An estimated 4.9 million people need aid for food and none of the 4 major hospitals are functioning in Zimbabwe.

This is a problem....read the article in the L.A. Times (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mugabe25-2008nov25,0,7756381.story) and discuss amongst yourselves.....

Giving Water

2008-11-18T16:12:00.003-06:00

Today the keynote address for the Blackbaud Conference I am attending was by a gentleman named Peter Thum. Peter started Ethos Water in order to sell bottled water to provide clean water for children and communities who have no access to water that is unspoiled. It is an amazing way to take something that is popular and use it to help make the world a better place.

Traveling through South Africa, the lack of access to clean water was clearly evident. Water is the next big issue in conservation and also should be in health care.

So next time you buy bottled water, check out Ethos and this article. (http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/31/smbusiness/Ethos.fsb/index.htm)

Let us hope that we can use our resources and technology to make sure every person (especially children) has access to clean water. I hope all of us will do the same thing Peter did...have an idea, write it on a napkin, and change the world....

Turning 39

2008-11-12T13:16:00.002-06:00

Yes, this very day 39 years ago I was born. I am thankful that I have made it this far with so many things in my life that I am thankful for:

1. My wife who graciously married me when she might have been smarter to rethink that decision:)
2. Our dogs who teach me the meaning of unconditional love every day. One day I hope to be as good of a person as they think I am.....
3. My parents (and Marybeth's Mom and Grandma too!)
4. My brother-in-law, sister and their two boys.
5. Friends that I couldn't imagine life without.
6. A job.

I am truly more fortunate that I realize everyday......

Thanks also for those of who read this blog......It is a pleasure to interact with you.

Have one for me tonight!

My Choice...

2008-11-04T09:53:00.002-06:00

Election day is finally here. My friend Jonathan called me last night wondering what I was going to write this morning. My apologies for not calling him back but I wanted this to be debuted here not elsewhere!

This election has been one of the most interesting ones that I can remember. The idea of change we can believe in didn't work for me though. I didn't see either party putting up a platform that I thought was truly change. (Granted the Dems platform this year was much better than 4 years ago...when they didn't even have one!)

First of all, I did not vote for McCain/Palin. I highly respect John McCain for everything he has done but at his age, I cannot imagine him living through a 4 year presidency unscathed health-wise. That would leave us with Sarah Palin taking a much larger role in the White House. That I am not comfortable with because of her lack of experience and her communication skills have left me unsure about what she would actually do in the White House.

Second of all, I did not vote for Obama/Biden. Obama's lack of experience scared me. He is a powerful speaker that will definitely infuse hope in the nation but I am not sure what he would do after that! Growing up in Maryland, I have seen Biden's work and was not impressed along with his plagiarism. (Being a former English teacher, plagiarism is a big no-no!)

That didn't leave me with any option in the major parties that I felt comfortable with. Beyond that, I truly believe that we need a 3rd party option.

I ended up choosing this guy http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues.

I don't agree with everything he stands for but if we are going for change, we need to do something different than the two parties we currently have because I don't really see much difference between the two.

A third...or even fourth party...would be helpful to truly change. I cast my vote to start that process.

Discuss amongst yourselves.....(and sorry Jon...but at least I didn't vote Republican right?:))

Tomorrow is the day...

2008-11-03T15:39:00.001-06:00

As tomorrow is election day, first thing tomorrow morning I will post who I voted for and why. It may be a shock and it may not be...discuss amongst yourselves!

A Nation of Complainers

2008-10-31T14:56:00.004-05:00

And yes, I include myself in that discussion because I am as guilty as anyone is.

Unfortunately, as a society, we think we deserve more than we are receiving. We have a tendency to forget that if we have $2,000 dollars in the bank, we are among the top 10% richest people in the world. So if you have an emergency fund at all, you qualify.

I think we all need to be more thankful for what we do not have rather than complaining about what we don't have. There are plenty of people in the world who have much less than we do...approximately 90%.

The world would be a much better place....discuss amongst yourselves....

A Little Sexism by the Press?

2008-10-23T12:18:00.003-05:00

I was amused to read what the RNC spent on clothes for Sarah Palin. While it was a large amount, it got me to wondering, is this a bit sexist?

If the RNC would have bought suits for a male veep, do you think this whole conversation would have taken place?

I don't think so...discuss amongst yourselves......

Mugabe is at it....again!

2008-10-20T16:24:00.003-05:00

I expressed some initial worries about the power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe. The reason I was worried was because I had read and heard from people in Zimbabwe the things Mugabe was doing and didn't trust him to share power...with anyone!

It seems those fears were not unfounded. Mugabe essentially ignored the power-sharing agreement by appointing all cabinet positions to those in his own party. So much for the sharing part of that discussion.

His party, ZANU-PF, took 14 ministries, including defense, justice, information, foreign affairs and the powerful local government ministry. It also took mines -- the key to the remaining sources of wealth in Zimbabwe, mainly diamonds and platinum -- and land. Two opposition parties were given 16 minor posts, such as parliamentary and constitutional affairs, sport, labor, arts and culture and education.

Guess which major part of the government Mugabe didn't assign to his party.....finance. Mugabe doesn't want his party to be to blame for the economy of Zimbabwe. The other party now becomes the fall guy for the inflation, etc.

He wants the mines of course though because that is where the wealth of the nation is....

Greed is not good, sorry Gordon Gecko.

The Only Maverick Comment....

2008-10-17T11:18:00.003-05:00

I have liked during this whole election came from an unlikely source: Mark Cuban.

After essentially saying he was sick of the election, he commented on the "Maverick" title that McCain's supporters have thrown around him. His comment was the best thing he could do is make a few thousand Dallas Mavericks jerseys with the last name McCain on the back of them and sell them at RNC headquarters!

Mark Cuban is a brilliant marketer and I had the privilege of having ice cream at a Dairy Queen in the Dallas area served by him based on his criticism of refereeing in the NBA. He served with a smile even then! I like Mark Cuban because he thinks outside of the box even in crazy times.

That made me laugh and gave a moment of levity in what we are currently experiencing! And to quote my boy Robert Randolph (who is brilliant live!) Ain't Nothing Wrong With That....

Litmus Test

2008-10-16T15:11:00.003-05:00

During the debate (don't get me started about how they didn't say anything new), there was a question about Supreme Court justices.

McCain was asked about whether he would ever propose a candidate who was not pro-life. McCain's response was that there was no "litmus" test. He would put forward the best person. The question was turned, the other way, to Obama where he was asked if he would propose someone pro-life. He was less forthcoming on the litmus test issue in my opinion.

Questions: Should there bit a litmus test for a Supreme Court candidate for each potential president? Even if they don't say there are litmus tests, does each candidate have a litmus test?

Talk amongst yourselves....

Tim Dart Takes a Stand

2008-10-10T10:30:00.003-05:00

The housing crisis has a new hero. His name is Tim Dart and he is a Sheriff in Cook County, IL. He has decided to stop evicting people from their home when their landlord and/or bank has not given them notice which is required by law. He cites many cases of people not even knowing their landlord had converted apartments to condos and the landlord stopped paying the mortgage.

His stance is a radical one. He will still evict people from their home for failing to pay their mortgage or when they have been notified. A number of judges in Cook County have reacted to his stance negatively.

If banks and landlords would do their due diligence, would this even be an issue?

Questions for all of you: Do you agree with this stance? What would you do if you were in his shoes?

Talk amongst yourselves....

A few thoughts...

2008-10-08T13:28:00.003-05:00

Some thoughts on last night's debate....

1. McCain coming out with his mortgage plan on national TV was gutsy. It won't get him the points he needs to win the election, but it was interesting.

2. Obama won points by being more composed than McCain. McCain's pointing to Obama and saying "that one" seeemed snarky and cranky. Not good.

3. I don't think either candidate (or anyone else for that matter) has a really good idea what to do with the economy.

4. McCain tried to look more comfortable around the non-rich last night. Didn't really work.

5. The question of why would we trust either party was funny and cut right to the bone.

6. Obama saying that he nor McCain need a tax break was a good admission.

7. How can anyone know what they don't know? If they knew it, they would have already learned it!

Here's a topic discuss amongst yourselves....the candidates were proposed three priorities: entitlements, energy, and the economy. Which of these three would you work on first? Or is there another priority you value more?

Post VP Debate

2008-10-03T09:58:00.003-05:00

In my opinion both candidates looked stronger than I expected in this debate. After Palin's interview with Katie Couric, I was wondering what she would have to say. I have heard Biden speak many times and have fallen asleep at a few of them!

Some random thoughts...
1. I liked Biden's passion which is missing most of the time.
2. Palin is great for sound bytes! She sounded like she was briefed very well.
3. Palin seeemed like she was trying to sound a little too down-homey.
4. Biden seemed a bit lost at times especially when Palin would jab him about looking back or being a Washington insider.
5. Neither candidate gained or lost in this debate. I think it is back on the principals now for the next two debates.

I have given you a topic. Talk amongst yourselves......

VP Debate

2008-10-02T07:36:00.002-05:00

Tonight is the Vice Presidential debate. What an interesting night it shall be..some are touting this as the charismatic new-comer vs. the established veteran. They wonder if Palin's charisma will overtake the steadiness of Biden.

My guess is neither will have a sparkling performance and this will push the emphasis back to the presidential candidates...

Discuss among yourselves, I have given you a topic!

Shared Power?

2008-09-22T12:21:00.002-05:00

On 9/13,a deal was struck that would allow President Mugabe to keep power but the opposing party inZimbabwe would be granted more positions of power.

I am not really sure what this will do. It seems like Mugabe has been the non-officially-recognized Dictator of Zimbabwe for awhile now. How is putting the opposition party in seats of power going to change what a dictator does?

What exactly will this do for the economy? To enhance the ability to help those who need food and medical care? I was interested in seeing what others would say about this in the press. Widespread caution among commentators over how this will fare was the overwhelming response. Exactly how quickly the deal could end the crisis or persuade Western powers - deeply opposed to Mugabe - to step in with massive financial support to aid recovery?

There is still much to be done but I am not sure this is the right next step. Mbeki is next it seems....

Whatever Happened to Visionary Leadership

2008-09-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

Looking at the landscape of Africa, I think we see a dearth of leaderhip to say the least. Non-profit organizations, usually groups from outside the continent, have taken the lead in distributing food, medicine and other essentials of life.

This got me thinking about what leadership truly is. At one point, it was a visionary person who had an idea that somehow, someway people believed in. The common practice of leadership is the leader convenes a group, gathers ideas from the group and lets the group set the course. Is that really leadership?

If I remember my research correctly, humans in a group score six points lower on intelligence tests than individuals. Does group think dumb down ideas?

In my experience, it does.

Visionary leaders needed. Does anyone have a job description?

A New Hockey Mom Sheriff is in Town

2008-09-04T14:50:00.003-05:00

I was interested to see what Sarah Palin was going to say last night. While I missed some of the best lines of the night walking the dogs, I think she proved herself to be a formidable force in the McCain campaign. I chuckled out loud a few times and thought she made some good points.

Unfortunately, some of her good points could be pointed directly back at her. Especially her criticism of Obama as a person who doesn't have the experience to lead.

What did everyone else think? Did you like her or her ideas better?

Marriage and Bristol Palin

2008-09-02T12:58:00.003-05:00

First and foremost, I want to say that I am a big fan of marriage. After getting married this past February, I cannot imagine my life without being married to Marybeth. She is patient, kind and caring (she had to be to, in her words, "hitch her wagon to my star". I am not saying marriage is easy but it is totally worth it!

Reading the media coverage about Bristol Palin's pregnancy, I don't want to concentrate on her pregnancy because well, that is already done. What bothered me was Sarah Palin announcing that Bristol and the boyfriend(Levi?) would be getting married. I didn't read a date announced on that though.

What?

While the birth of a child is a wonderful event no matter the circumstance that surrounds the birth, a child, at least in my opinion, is NOT a good enough reason to get married especially at age 17!

Two of my friends were seriously dating and she became pregnant. He proposed and she said no because she wanted to make sure he was going to be faithful to her before she would get married. I think she had the right idea.

I hope Bristol Palin gets married because she loves her boyfriend not because of being pregnant. Marriage is wonderful and difficult and should be entered into soberly not as a reaction.

The Unintended Consequences of Zimbabwe

2008-08-28T16:58:00.004-05:00

I read an article today about the number of sex workers skyrocketing in the countries around Zimbabwe. The reason why this is happening is because citizens in Zimbabwe are leaving their country and moving to the surrounding countries where they have trouble finding a job. When they have trouble finding a job, becoming a sex worker becomes one of the very few options available to them.

I wonder if the Mugabe regime understands how many men, women and children have had their lives uprooted and changed (not always for the better) by their actions. And what the ramifications of the changes in these lives will be for the next generations.

I still have hope for Zimbabwe. Call me a delusional optimist...my wife does!

Double Jeopardy?

2008-08-25T12:47:00.002-05:00

I promise I will get back to Africa soon....

In the American legal system, you cannot try someone twice for the same crime. And on that note..

I heard last night that Hilary Clinton will be nominated for President by the Democratic Party even though Obama will accept the party's nomination.

Shouldn't we all be spared the double jeopardy?

And yes I do know that the Democratic Party is honoring her for winning over 20 primaries but if you are trying to win an election, shouldn't the focus be on your candidate?

If the Democrats want to win this election, put your attention solely on Obama and his platform. (Have we really heard that yet? From either candidate?) As we all saw in the last election, just attacking the other candidate is not good enough.

Not Exactly Africa....

2008-08-19T12:45:00.003-05:00

Many moons ago when I was in college, I walked into one of my friend's room. Greg "Ox" Haigh and Allen Borden looked at me to continue their discussion asking: "Who do you think is the better catcher Carlton Fisk or Johnny Bench?" Anyone who knows me knows I love baseball and can argue the stats of the game for hours upon end.

I responded "Wow, I don't know which one is better." Ox looked at me and said "That is worse than choosing Johnny Bench". We know who he thought was the better catcher....

Barack Obama did exactly the same thing in his responses at Saddleback Church. For those of you who missed the news, McCain and Obama were invited to come to Saddleback Church and the pastor there, Rick Warren who is a popular author, asked them questions. The interviews were back to back, not at the same time.

One question was essentially: when does a fetus become a baby? McCain immediatey said upon conception. Obama's response was troubling to me. He said that this answer was "above his paygrade".

That answer seemed more like a dodgeball to me than an actual answer. And if Obama does become president, what else would be above his paygrade?

Granted this would not be on the same level as Bench vs. Fisk, but then what is?

For the first time in this election, I am leaning toward one side. That side is the man who answered the question not the one who was concerned that an answer to a difficult issue is above his paygrade.

U.S. Sanctions

2008-07-29T13:08:00.004-05:00

Finally the U.S. has jumped on the bandwagon, late once again. President Bush signed an executive order expanding sanctions against Mugabe's regime. It targets companies that are puppets of the Mugabe regime used to siphon off money.

CNN has reported that: "Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer told members of Congress last week that more than 100 people have been murdered, more than 3,000 have been injured by beatings or torture and more than 30,000 have been driven from their homes because of violence that broke out after the general election."

Hitting them financially is a good start. On to other good news, our president is finally doing some good things to end his presidency on a positive note. Here is what CNN is reporting:

"Bush said Friday the United States is ready to provide a "substantial assistance package, development aid and normalization with international financial institutions" should those talks result in a new government "that reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people."
In the meantime, the president said he is authorizing the use of up to $2.5 million from the U.S. Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund to assist Zimbabwean refugees and those displaced by the violence. In addition, he said the United States will continue efforts to provide food and medical care to Zimbabweans."

CNN consistenly covers this situation better than almost anyone else. This aid is a first step in rebuilding the people of Zimbabwe. Now if we can just get working on that new constitution and a fair election....

2 Weeks of Hope

2008-07-24T12:33:00.003-05:00

Mugabe and his band of.....of....I'm not even going there.....have finally agreed to talks about sharing power. President Mbeki from South Africa is moderating these talks and hopes to have some kind of conclusion within two weeks.

Two weeks? While this doesn't seem like a long time, but it is. There are bigger things to think about:

1. In two weeks, how many people will die in Zimbabwe?
2. How long will it take for any changes to take place? And how many will die during that time?
3. How will inflation be controlled in the time being?
4. Will humanitarian groups be given freedom to help in Zimbabwe?

One of the promising things about these talks is that there is talk of a new constitution. I would love to know what they are thinking...and what you are thinking that read this blog.

Here is the question: What should a new Zimbabwean constitution consist of?

Got Paper?

2008-07-16T12:29:00.003-05:00

While scrolling through a Chicago Tribune paper yesterday, there was an interesting article about a cash crisis in Zimbabwe.

We all suffer a cash crisis at one time in our lives, but this is a whole different thing.

Fidelity Printers and Refiners, the state-owned entity that produces bank notes for Mugabe, ran into a major problem. The German company that supplies the paper was not happy with the government's choices in the recent weeks. It decided to not send them the paper as a way to protest the Mugabe regime.

Without the paper to print they cannot produce money. Inflation has caused bank notes to have denominations like 500 million dollars. Software is now going to be an issue also. The government must use the software to dream up new notes as old ones are worthless because of inflation. What is their software license is pulled because of the Mugabe regime.

Fidelity has propped the Mugabe regime by constantly printing new money. But no more. Those legs are about to fall off....

Sudan Genocide

2008-07-14T12:29:00.003-05:00

In the Netherlands charges were filed against Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. He is charged with genocide of the Darfur tribe. (I think all of us are wondering why these charges took so long.) The prosecutor filed 10 charges: three counts of genocide, five of crimes against humanity and two of murder. Judges are expected to take months to study the evidence before deciding whether to order Al-Bashir's arrest.

Months to study....wow...that is going to save the 2.5 million that are being systematically slaughtered by al-Bashir.

Al-Bashir exploits have been well documented. I think this processes needs to be sped up in order to save the Darfur people.

I am not normally one for speeding up life (on the contrary I think the pace of our current world causes many of our problems, but that is a conversation for a later time). But in this case, time is of the essence.

Liberia Shows Rare Support for the West

2008-07-10T12:51:00.000-05:00

As the Zimbabwe situation continues to be problematic, 2 rays of hope have arrived:

1. Mugabe and the opposition party are now meeting with South African leaders to hopefully start the process of getting aid back to those who truly suffer, the people not heading the political parties.

2. Most of the time, African countries have been leary of western involvement in African politics. But the President of Liberia has come out for the western sanctions:

"Meanwhile, Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf backed sanctions against Zimbabwe's leadership, in rare African support for the Western-backed move."

It shows that even the African countries are seeing what Mugabe is doing is wrong and hurting the people he is supposed to protect.

I don't think putting the opposition party automatically in power is the right move either. I propose a two pronged plan:

1. First and foremost, get aid back to those who need it by allowing humanitarian groups to return to their work in Zimbabwe.
2. Rehold the recently held elections with a U.N. peacekeeping force overseeing the process.

Then people will stop dying and have the ability to vote. That is a good start for Zimbabwe. Then we can start thinking about the economy....

Hitting 'Em Where It Hurts...maybe

2008-07-08T12:44:00.000-05:00

The U.N. has taken up the Zimbabwe situation. Unfortunately, it seems the U.N. tends to be more reactive than proactive.

Here is what was published in the story in USA today:

"The proposed U.N. sanctions include an international arms embargo and freeze on the personal assets of Mugabe and 11 other top government officials whom the U.S. believes played a key role in using violence to undermine Mugabe's opposition."

I have a tendency to think the freezing of the assets of Mugabe and the 11 other top government officials would be more effective on the surface. But given the inflation that exists in Zimbabwe (see my last post!), what exactly would this do if the 12 had their money in Zimbabwe currency?

If the 12 have their money in another currency, that tells us everything we need to know about them anyway...

4.1 billion dollars in 2 weeks: The New Rate of Inflation

2008-07-07T12:11:00.000-05:00

Ah yes, Zimbabwe takes center stage in my brain. Again....
I got an email from a group working in Zimbabwe and some of the happenings are even more startling that what is being said in the news media.

· The salary level for teachers and principals cannot possibly keep track with inflation. Last month a principal received his salary. It was only enough to buy 4 bananas!! It is very understandable that the staff of schools are not present to teach the children.
· Cornelious was called in the night to take one of the caregivers to the hospital. When he arrived, he found there were no doctors present at this major hospital.
· Two weeks ago (the week we left South Africa for a 5 week trip to the States), the Zimbabwe dollar fell from 2 billion Zim dollars for 1 US dollar, to 6.1 billion Zim dollars for 1 US dollar. And that was within just one week!
· The March presidential election, and the following runoff election of June, has left the country with Mugabe sworn back in as president, but not recognized as legitimate by many of the world’s major leaders, including many in Africa. Some African figures have called for armed intervention. The nation continues in painful limbo.

6.1 billion dollars to 1 U.S. dollar. 4.1 million dollars in inflation in one week. It is understandable that four bananas is not enough to feed a family.

Other than removing Mugabe from power (which I support!), how can we help stabilize the economy and restore aid to Zimbabwe?

The Next Big Issue

2008-06-16T13:05:00.000-05:00

I find that many of the big issues facing our society start getting popularized in Africa. AIDS is one major point in that argument. But I think the next great problem is the issue of water. The next great conservation conversation might be about two things:
1. How we conserve water.
2. How do we make water readily accessible to those who need it?

We do a great job of wasting water in the U.S. How many of us leave the water running when we brush our teeth? How many of us don't use "gray water" to water plants? Small steps can help us save a significant amount of water. This water saving will help us funnel the resources to Africa where some people have to walk hours upon hours to find water to drink.

One solution is digging wells in African countries where needed. Check out the website below to learn more about 1,000 Wells project championed by Jars of Clay.
http://www.bloodwatermission.com/

It's about Africa....

Mugabe Tries To Handle His Competition

2008-06-13T12:24:00.000-05:00

Ah, yes Mugabe from Zimbabwe is performing the oldest trick in politics: if you are worried about your opponents taking power from you, just put them in jail!

The police in Zimbabwe are now holding 200 members of Mugabe's opposition party in jail and the UN Security Council is holding a closed session about the declining situation in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe's opposition party now has political control after the most recent election threatening Mugabe's power.

It is time to look at the real losers in this situation: those who still don't have access to food and medicine because of Mugabe's political aspirations.

Mugabe needs to allow change to take place rather than hold onto power.

Something big is happening in Zimbabwe

2008-06-06T17:40:00.000-05:00

check back in a few minutes......

And we think George Bush is bad

2008-06-06T17:23:00.003-05:00

President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe has announced that humanitarian groups are not longer able to function in his country because one supposed group is campaigning for the opposition in the June 27 presidential runoff between Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai.

What does this mean? Lots on two fronts:

1. AIDS medication will no longer be given to many.
2. Food, which is in short supply to say the least, will not be handed out.

Death and starvation in the name of politics.

Impeach Mugabe?

2008-06-06T17:23:00.001-05:00

Border War

2008-06-03T13:07:00.000-05:00

Burkina Faso is not the typical place one decides to visit. It is land-locked nation in West Africa. But some people have been visiting from neighbor countries for a different reason: to escape the fighting between Malian forces and the Tuareg rebels. (A similar year-old Tuareg-led revolt has hit neighboring Niger).
The Tuareg are a nomadic group. Their latest attack has been motivated by what they feel is unwarranted interferences in their traditional territories.
This brings up an interesting question that I don't have a really good answer to: who owns what land?
We have traditional borders but what do they mean? Looking back at the history of the U.S., Native American ideology states that no one owns the land which explains why Manhattan was sold for a few dollars....why would you be paid for something that doesn't belong to you?!
We are seeing that groups are proclaiming rights to their territorial home. How do we draw the borders and who has rights to them?

Water in Kenya

2008-05-21T06:41:00.000-05:00

While reading Reader’s Digest the other day(RD is old school..I used to study the vocabulary words when I was young!), I stumbled across a story about a teacher named Patty Hall who was about to retire after 35 years of teaching. She had spent much time in Kenya and received an email about a river drying up in a village she had visited. Not thinking she wanted to devote the time needed to this kind of project when she was retiring, she almost hit the delete button. She decided not to and started getting her students involved. When she asked how much it would cost to build a dam in the village, they said 480,000 Kenyan shillings which is the equivalent of $7,000.

She involved her students in this process to raise the money for the dam. The students were shocked that people had to spend most of their day transporting water. Many children could not go to school because they were getting water for their family. Her students felt like they couldn’t do anything to help situations like this but with the class banding together, they raised more than enough to build the dam.

A whole village now has water. A WHOLE village. $7,000 is not a drop in the bucket but would you trade that amount of money for the lives of the residents for the village, the animals that live there, and the ecosystem in the area. All three of these rely on water to survive. A thought for this summer....as we spend money on our homes, going out to eat, or a vacation, considering putting the equal amount to a cause like this.

It's about Africa.....

Why I Write This Blog

2008-02-24T17:11:00.000-06:00

For those people who don't know me, they probably wonder why a white, late thirties, middle class guy living in the Chicago area would write a blog about Africa. That is an excellent question!

While working for a large software company, I was able to travel the world helping people use a database more effectively. I worked with some of the best organizations you can think of! Eventually, my boss asked me if I would like to go visit South Africa. That was an opportunity I could not turn down. In talking to the organization I was going there to work with, they had partnered with an orphanage in the local area and asked if I wanted to experience first hand what poverty looks like in Africa.

To say I was excited to visit the orphanage was not exactly correct. It was more like intrigued because I knew it would be good for me to see. Little did I know how this would change my life.

In my next post, I will talk a little about my time at the orphanage and what it meant to me. In the book of James, it says true religion is taking care of widows and orphans. My life will never be the same after seeing what true religion looks like.

Ah Yes, Mr. Bush skirts the issue...again

2008-02-16T22:03:00.001-06:00

As I was trolling through the NY Times, I found this wonderful little tidbit of how our President views the ever-worsening situation in Africa:

"But with Kenya ravaged by post-election violence, and a worsening humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan, Mr. Bush could not escape Africa’s crises, and the White House spent much of Saturday fending off suggestions that the president should be more engaged as a peacekeeper."

I am shocked by the White House saying that President Bush should not be a peacekeeper in this war-torn area. While I am sure Ms. Rice has some role in this, I cannot imagine why the President would not use the last few months in office to make a major difference in the world.

Here is my challenge:

President Bush, there is only one way to salvage your legacy as a President. Take the time and spend the last months of your presidency to make a difference in Africa. I don't care whether it is helping out Kenya's political problems, working on something to help Darfur, or concentrating on policies and possibilities to fight malaria and AIDS but, if for no other reason, for the sake of your legacy as our president do something substantial for Africa before you leave office.

If you do, millions of people throughout the world will thank you and remember you more fondly. Not to mention you can save a few lives that way.......

Zimbabwe

2007-12-26T17:26:00.000-06:00

Once again, another African country shows up the true divide between the haves and the have nots.

In Zimbabwe, central bank chief Gideon Gono is willing to point the finger at those who are hoarding money in a country that are government officials. This hoarding of cash has caused major lines at banks for people who are waiting to withdraw small sums of money in order to live.

Zimbabwe's inflation rate was postulated to reach more than 100,000 percent in a July 31 article on cnn.com (http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/07/31/zimbabwe.prices.reut/index.html)

How can a government official, who knows about the sting of inflation affecting their country, hoard cash while millions starve?

Simply because they can.....

While the millions and millions of their own countrymen die, they are more worried about making sure they have large amounts of cash for their own use.

It's About Africa......

The Lost Boys of Sudan

2007-09-09T20:34:00.000-05:00

My first foray into the trials and tribulations of Africa. I just got done watching a documentary on the lost boys of Sudan. First and foremost, my question goes to were there any lost girls or were they all killed as part of the process?

Transplanting a person from a war-torn area into the United States will not magically solve all the problems that have been created. While Peter and Santino flew to the United States where they felt like they would experience heaven on earth, the reality of 7 dollar an hour jobs with 570 dollar traffic tickets hit them squarely in the jaw.

I would not wish war upon anyone. But transplanting a person to another culture is not a panacea. We all should be more involved on a global level to head these things off at the pass rather be forced to be reactionary.

To the lost boys: you will not find yourself in a place. You are already found because of who you are...

It's about Africa kids....

75 whatever

2007-08-13T21:08:00.001-05:00

Ah yes, there are days when I am sad to say that my favorite sport in the whole world is baseball. Sports-wise it will always be my favorite. My grandparents actually met at a Baltimore Orioles game way back when. That is why it pains me to watch the record for most home runs in Major League Baseball go to Barry Bonds.
While I do not know Mr. Bonds, the interviews I have seen of him have not been that informative, helpful or cordial. I don't blame him for this because I am sure the media can be a serious pain at times. But, God has reached down and given Barry talent like no other player we had seen since Willie Mays whom I still consider in the top two players to ever play the game. (Number one has to be Babe Ruth, who else could have won 300 games if he had tried and did hit more than 700 home runs.)
I would hope that Mr. Bonds would be a bit more thankful that God gave him speed in his bat, an arm to throw with, and the ability to play a game everyday for a job.
This ingratitude is what caused me to respond with a yawn when homer 756 was hit. No one's life is perfect but Barry has been given a gift.
May we all use our gifts like Barry has and may all of us be much more grateful.

What the...

2007-08-10T18:37:00.000-05:00

In a serious departure from my usual blogging, I came across this article the other day:

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2007/08/08/
rev_al_sharpton_leads_protest_over_degra

You have GOT to be kidding me.....while I do not support music that is degrading to anyone even though I do support anyone's rights to say whatever they like, does he remember 2 Live Crew? Al, this started back in the 80's. If you are truly outraged about this ongoing problem in American society, why did it take you almost 20 years to say something about it?

Whatever happened to be on the cutting edge of what ails our society?

I guess it takes Mr. Sharpton quite a few years to find that edge....

The next few months

2007-08-07T21:34:00.000-05:00

Over the next few months, I will be taking a look at the different countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Each week a different country's current issues and what we can do to help. Places like Zimbabwe have many things happening which might need more than one week.
If we solve what is happening in Africa, we solve the problems all over the world.
It's about Africa.

Nothing But Nets: It's About Africa Part 2

2007-06-12T07:44:00.000-05:00

Following up on my latest post, there was a small amount of information about something called Nothing But Nets. I wanted to follow up on the subject with a bit more explanation because it is a incredibly worthy cause!

Malaria is the leading cause of death of children in Africa killing nearly one million children a year! In the poorest parts of the world, where effective window screens are lacking, insecticide treated bed nets are arguably the most cost-effective way to prevent malaria transmission. Studies have shown that the use of insecticide treated bed nets can reduce the transmission of malaria by as much as 90%!

As part of joint effort between the National Basketball Association, The United Methodist Church, Sports Illustrated and the United Nations Foundation, bed nets can be purchased for a 10 dollar donation. These nets will be delivered directly to children in need in Africa!

While 10 dollars does not seem like much to us, this amount is out of reach of those in Africa who survive on less than 1 dollar per day. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has agreed to match every 10 dollar donation so you can buy two nets for 10 dollars!

It's About Africa

2007-05-15T22:35:00.000-05:00

Growing up in white, middle-class America, you would not expect me at 37 to say life is all about Africa. It is. There is no way to escape what is going on there even though we in the U.S. want desperately to think this doesn't affect us.
After visiting South Africa a few years ago, the images still live with me. The extreme poverty that I encountered versus the extreme fortune shocked me even more than it does here in the U.S. I expected to see this difference in my home country but the abject poverty vs. insane wealth that I experienced in Africa cannot be fathomed unless you have visited there.
If we don't put even a small part of our income toward solving the multiple problems of Africa, this will continue growing exponentially. I encourage everyone to take 10 dollars this week (one easy way to do this is bring your lunch from home one or two days extra this week!)and send it to Nothing But Nets at nothingbutnets.org. You can sponsor a treated net that will help protect sleeping children from being bitten by mosquitoes carrying malaria. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match you net for net. (No matter what we feel about Microsoft. That is a post for another time.) You could possibly save two lives for 10 dollars. What better way to start?
It's about Africa kids....