Happy New Year

I am sitting in my living room watching Anderson Cooper in CNN. In about half and hour ticks of the clock on my wall will usher us into a new year. I am muttering under my breath as what the year ahead of us will most likely bring into my life. I casually set New Year resolutions as I am afraid to admit that I can’t fulfill them. My resolutions aren’t worth a wooden nickel in a fire once the year throws a curve ball in my side. Last year I set goals that I wanted to achieve .I am proud to say that I have fulfilled some while others I have miserably failed. I was blessed to graduate on time and find myself a temporary employment with an energy company in Atlanta Georgia. After living almost a decade in the USA I was proud to receive my American citizenship. My procrastination was purely based on my unwillingness to pay the four hundred dollars application fee. My family thought I was lost in my own paranormal daze. I thought I could get away without paying for my application. I never did. I had to cough the money. I set a goal of visiting Africa, but unfortunately I was not able to do it due to various reasons that were beyond my control. As I breathe hard while writing these words I can smell a reminder of failed goals on my last year resolutions. As I dart off into the New Year celebration parties I couldn’t come up with any resolutions for next year. I would let my life take its own course. Happy New Year to Y'all bloggers

Golf

From the outside, the golf course looked like a rolled prairie. The green mimics my heightening perceptions of what paradise looked like in my own imagination. I remember peering through the golf courses from outside and seeing it as a world beyond my status. But Yesterday I woke up in the morning; stick my head out of the blanket ready to experience the first ever golf game I ever played apart from driving ranges. My boss , at the expense of the company, decided to take us for a game of a golf. The whole office was to meet at the golf course at 10:00 am in the morning. Good deal I thought, you are being paid while you are playing golf? I have never played golf in my life nor do I own a golf clubs. When I received the email, I cornered a good friend of mine and poured my innocence of the golf game. He promised to bring an extra golf clubs with him. I immediately thanked him and asked him who was making up the teams. He directed me to the organizer. It is to them that I explained how out of touch I am with the game. They promised to team me up with one of the best golfer named Steve.

There were total of sixteen players divided into four groups. Each team member has a chance to play while you still pick the best shots out of the four trials. When we arrived at the tee the first group hit the ball with a finesse to keep the ball straight. They all hit the ball with an intention of not hitting the bunker on the filed.Each one of their ball hit straight close to the trap. It seemed easy to see them swing like that easily. This must be a piece of cake, I thought. When our turn came each one of my team mates were all so straight off the tee except me. I wondered if my ball even left the tee. They all offered me encouraging words about how they all started just like me. Steve, the best golfer, tried to show me Key swing tips. He advised me to keep my weight centered and my lower body stable. I wondered how their bodies perfectly balanced when they swing the club. Steve showed me how to chip the ball with my weight on the front foot and my hands way ahead of the ball.He adviced me to use my body to keep the club shaft moving.

By the time we reached the 18th hole I have lost count how many times I have missed to hit the ball of the tee.Steve made all the shorts we used.He was so fine that I admired how all his shots had a maximum club face loft impact. Still though there was a hope for an amateur like me. I was good at the putting. I made two putting that saved the team. My putting grips were much better than my driving skills. I never froze in front of the ball just like Tiger does when the ball is close to the hole. I watched the first few putting my teammates made. I made sure that my grip pointed at my stomach and I hit the ball slowly making sure that ball rolls without any bumps.


The game of golf is much harder than it seemed in ABC sports. This is a fun game that requires a calculated chipping. An exciting game made me enjoy it until the eighteenth hole. I did not make significant contribution to the team, but I must say that now I know why the rich folks enjoy the game so much. As for me now I will continue to practice my driving range until I get my two feet above poverty. I will buy clubs when I got some extra cash.

There goes the Neighborhood

Last night I attended a book conference that was sponsored by Dekalb county libraries and Atlanta-Journal constitution. Professor William Julius Wilson , a well Known Harvard Sociologist was talking about his book “There goes the Neighborhood”. The book was a groundbreaking research that looked into racial, ethnic and class tension in four Chicago neighborhoods.

William's research showed a clear "White Flight" once a black family or Hispanic neighbors moved to their sub-division. Majority of the whites moved out or stayed to fight back once these new neighbors bought homes around them. Professor William research shows how America is far from fully integrated .The numbers are really disappointing if you ever thought America is fully integrated. The white homeowners are paranoid of their house value going down. They are afraid of their schools becoming crowded and their neighborhoods becoming a drug hub.

The neighborhoods that didn’t move out decided to fight back by making extreme rules for the new black and Hispanic homeowners. The only reason the white homeowners stayed back to fight was because their jobs required them to live within the city limit since they were city government employees. They had no choice of moving to a new place.They made strict rules to "protect" the neighborhood. This is shameful to the American society.I am sure America have learnt long time the objective lesson on the contradictory nature of it's denying civil and human rights to Americans solely on their skin color. It is time for Americans to rethink it's economic/class segregation of it's society.

Pink Slip?

So everything that has a start does have an end, right? As of the end of next month I will be out of work. My six month contract is up at the end of this month, but the management decided to keep me until the end of the year. The pictures above are from people I work with( Sorry I had to take the pictures out). They have really taught me a great deal about respect for work and getting along with co-workers. Even though they are way older than I am we did get along far better than the young management. Each of the above man has a twenty something years working in the energy industry. They can tell you anything that goes inside a Westinghouse ovation and GE gas turbines. I was lucky to work around such dedicated employees who were willing to share their knowledge with a rookie like me. I will definitely miss them.

As for me now I have no idea what my next step will be as I wait a word from the graduate school admissions committee. I know I have to find a job in the energy industry now that I have a little experience, but I am not that much interested in getting jobs as to getting to the graduate school.I still though have to find a job soon after the contract runs out. We all have to pay them bills right?

It is funny that my cousin who has established his career foot for a while now thinks that I am stressing too much about my life. Yeah right, I definitely do worry about my life. This is why it is my life and not anyone else’s.I can understand his concern of me putting too much pressure into my goals, but we all do doubt ourselves sometimes in our lifetime. Maybe I am stressing too much about things that I can't do anything about it. But I haven’t lost hope yet since it is last thing I want to loose in this insane world. As for now I will be optimistic and hope that I do find a job in Atlanta area. I did get a job in the gulf coast, but I doubt I want to move now that I can’t gamble with my instate residency status if ever the graduate school thing works out this year.

A friend of mine come up with the idea of going to medical school in the Caribbean (Ross University).I must admit that I can’t take all those Stafford loans and not be able to practice in the state because of not passing the board exam or finding the right residency program in the state. I have a Pakistani friend who went to medical school in the Caribbean and is now doing his clinical rotation in New York. I am afraid to say I am too poor to gamble with that kind of loan money.As for now I am not thinking of that.I will just wait and see how things will unfold in the near future Insha-Allah.If nothing works out I can always do advanced degree in an energy industry career.It is time to pray and keep a positive attitude that I have lost in my life lately.No wonder my cousin is a little worried

Georgia Game

All right, here we are, few hours away from the show down between Georgia and Tennessee .The game will be televised live by ESPN at 7:45 pm ET (bad timing-TARAWEEH time).Even though we won both games we did struggle with Colorado and Ole Miss. Hopefully we will not be defeated by the volunteers today. I hold a special place in my heart for my Georgia team. Tereshinki will be back after his injuries in South Carolina game. This will mean that we want to see the numbers go up on the score board. As for now I am relaxing at home waiting for the game and perhaps reminiscing on the Hail to Georgia song.
Hail to Georgia
Music and words by Gaines W. Walter, '15
Arranged by Hugh Hodgson, '15
Hail to Georgia down in Dixie,
A college honored, fair and true.
The Red and Black is her standard
Proudly it waves,
Streaming today and the ages through.
She's the fairest of the Southland,
We'll pledge our love to her for aye.
To that college dear
We'll raise a cheer
All hail to dear old U-G-A!

IFTAR AT SOMALI RESTAURANT

Nothing could equal my delight when I saw an old college friend of mine today in down town mosque .He apparently got a job in downtown Atlanta as an attorney. He told me that he was driving back to home in Athens. I offered him to have IFTAR with me at a Somali restaurant since he didn’t have a family in Atlanta (Plus he is single).He accepted my generous offer and decided to stay with me until after Taraweeh prayer. We drove back to the Somali restaurant after the Maghrib prayer. Apparently most of the people that eat Iftar at the restaurant pray inside the restaurant.They don’t make their Salat in the masjid which is few blocks away. We spent a few minutes on the buffet line searching in vain for some food to assuage the pangs of our hunger, but most of the food was gone. I felt embarrassed that I brought my friend all the way from downtown to have Iftar with me only to find out that my fellow Somalis have wiped out the buffet. I did not prepare myself for this to happen especially on a day when I have a friend with me. I continued to wind to kitchen to talk to the chef whom is an acquaintance of mine to make some good Somalia food for my guest. One thing I love about my Somali people is the affection and respect they accord to a guest. I ascended with my friend to a table next to other customers. Within few minutes plates of BARIIS and SUQAAR were flying in the air and landing on our table. It was a delicious IFTAR that my friend enjoyed. He even took some BARIIS for his mom in Athens.

Pissed as Hell

It’s been a while since I have written anything on my blog . Today I am mad at myself. Never have I feel defeated and dejected like today. Yesterday I got a phone call from a graduate school admission recruiter telling me that my application is incomplete and top it off the deadline has passed. WTF? I thought I have submitted all the required forms, recommendations and test results on time. Apparently the stupid of me have forgotten to take the TOEFL exam. WTF Do I need TOEFL for? I asked the pleasant sounding recruiter on the other line. I have completed all my post high school education in the USA. Apparently this graduate school needs a TOEFL exam for all foreign born student, No exception even if you did all your schooling in the USA from kindergarten to college. I could feel the pressure in my head building up as I screamed on the recruiter. I have pleaded and tried to explain it to her that this was the first time I heard of such utter nonsense. I cried so hard that my eye balls were about to lyses in their sockets. I pleaded to the recruiter that I will do everything they want me to do. Just give me another chance not to miss this application cycle. These will throw off all my planned strategies. This will mean that I will have to stay one more year out of school. WTF ? What will I do now? Sit another year out of school. And be a miserable fellow while my classmates head of to the graduate school of their choice or even be happy with their jobs?

Don’t they know that age is my enemy here? I am getting older. I don’t want to be in my thirties and still be in school. Also this will mean that my African trip would have to be cancelled as I have to think whether to take some other entrance exam like the Graduate school management t test (GMAT).I don’t see myself working in the corporate America. The little experienced I gained since my graduation tells me that corporate America is not a place for me. I work for a fortune five hundred company. And I hate every moment of it. I am pissed at myself now.My whole plan of attack has been disrupted. The only console the recruiter could offer me was to plead with the admission committee about my ignorance of the required test. WTF? You think the admission committee has a time for me? They have three hundred people applying for a class of sixty positions. They might as well toss away the incomplete application than having a stack of applicants on their desk tops. For every open slot there are three applicants who are competing for. The only console the recruiter has offered me was to wait and see what will happen and that I should cross my fingers. I need all the prayer that I could get. Let me stop here before I crush my laptop.

The Sermon

I am sitting in a room, next to a chapel. I can hear the sermon of the pastor reach my ears like pleasant words you try to pay close attention. This sermon which I am hearing from the next room aroused my curiosity. I am awed by the remarkable words the pastor is imbuing on a group of young teenagers. This is the period in their young life when parents, friends, and church/mosque are helping in forming these young minds. The creature in us is too complex to be entirely consistent. When I was sunny and pleasant boy I remember how family acquaintances will try to correct any wrong doing in their presence. I wasn’t the perfect kid on the block. It was the people in the community which searched out the true substance of the man in me. It is the true guidance of those folks which still guides me to deal wisely with the phenomena of the daily life.

We constantly find the core of maturity in us. We all have these cores of maturity; we only need to find them. We all must be capable to deal constructively with reality of the daily life. We don’t need to direct our creative and constructive energy into a negative force. One of the hard realities of life is to find the maturity in us. The measure in our life maturity is to find out how ready we are to accept the bad in life and be ready to put it behind while concentrating on the good that might be ahead.

Lately I have been thinking about whence the charming princess will wake me up from the doldrums of my dream of finding the perfect woman. Is there a perfect prince out there waiting to exhale me or fill the other half in me? Why not I am a good looking young Farah with a modest education. The reality dictates though that there is nothing as such thing as a perfect person out there or is there another half waiting to fill me into a full. I am full as people might see me today. Many years ago I jotted down all that I wanted to see in a woman; a patient woman,a beautiful smile, good set of teeth, a good family, same Qabiil(tribe), a hopeful woman and at least a woman with some college education, and a good personality. Now I know the Qabiil (tribe)line might have thrown some eyebrows around. Perhaps many of you might saying under your breath How naïve can you be Stoic?

Man is a gregarious animal, not only in our physical sense but also our social life. We all come from different family backgrounds. To be accepted into our community we all wanted to be aligning with the liking of our kinsmen. We feel that the only way we can increase our belonging to our circles of family ties is by joining ourselves to them. This is where maturity comes to play. I battled with the choices of my future wife for quite some times. I have dated women, but only got disappointed whenever she can’t pass one of my bias pointers. To desire that which is hurtful to others can be sinful and cruel in its sense. I have lied to women when they didn’t make through my selection bias. Of all the points I have made above are true in its sense. I am not convinced that I am right. They all are unreasonable demands. A large part of my answer lies in the priest’s sermon that I heard this morning; Maturity.undeniably we are all influenced by matters that are not of our liking, but we can still make mature decision as the priest put it to the kids. Maturity. Maturity. And Maturity!

Tired of Somali "Headline News"?

One could find much to quibble about the recent “Islamist” took over of Somalia, but there is much to rejoice! I personally have some objection to their “Wahabism” tactics, but I think there is much to celebrate for their effort of bringing peace to that side of the world. The western boys are worried of Islamist making Somalia safe heaven of terror while I am personally worried about the deranged US limitation of foreign country sovereignty. Somalia was once the stage of superpower rivalry during the cold war. Today it is becoming the hot topic of every discussion forums. This is the same country that set the failed experiment of the US international intervention of peace keeping in a foreign land. Will it become again the first failed state of war on terror? Can one draw history on anology?


What does it mean when the US says Somalia needs a secular democratic government? How did they reasonably determine that a government run by this “Islamist” will not bear any inclusion of its citizen? I believe Somalia is at its best time for now. I believe this will be the foundation of a democratic government. Somalia has today the chance to provide a government that will provide an effective participation of its citizens. This is a country that has been ruled under a despotic leadership of few thugs who were ruling at the mercy of the international world. Somalia doesn’t need rulers who can display a show of “democracy” and “election”. What Somalia needs is a leaders that are true to their principle conviction. This is a more demanding thing after fifteen years of blood shed. Among the desirable thing that Somalia needs today is honesty, fairness, courage and love between its people. It is not the responsibility of the United State to determine who is better qualified to rule the country. It is the people of Mogadishu to Balaad Xawo that should speak of their interest.

Every nation had its sequence of the time of arrival of its democratic rule. No nation was born with a perfect democratic society. Let me put it this way. Somalia will eventually come up with a democratic government. The Somalia that I have in mind is one that will elect representatives in free fair and frequent elections. May be The “Islamist” will not achieve this dreams, but time will come when their foundation will display a variety of choice. I am moved by optimism. The foreign intervention of Somalia will less likely develop a democratic government. It is the choice of the Somali people. Experts have it that democratic governments are more likely to develop in a homogenous society.

A Trip to the Atlantic Ocean

Yesterday I left work a little earlier to go down to Tybee Island. The Island is about eight miles from my apartment and 30 miles from my work (temporary Work assignment). This was my first time I visited a beach. I have never been that close to an Ocean. I have seen a lion roaming in a village, but not a wave that could sweep a boat off the shores. The breeze from the Ocean kept beating on my face. The sand on the beech reminded me of my hometown. All the fond memories of walking bare footed flushed back on my mind.

There was all kind of people sand bathing along the shores of the beach. Each and every one of them had a beech outfit on them except few people like me who were fully covered with clothes. I covered my self not because I didn’t want to be semi-naked, it’s only because I didn’t wanted to go home and change. A co-worker warned me to beat the ant traffic of people coming for a holiday breaks. I decided to wear flip flops that were on the trunk of my car. At least the flip flops will make me look like a serious beech boy!.I thought. I decided to act like I knew what I was doing after all everyone was there to have fun. I tried to imitate the happy evening drug advertisement on television that shows people walking on the beech happy.The mood of the beech takes control of my thoughts. As I was walking on the beech I noticed a locus where kids were building a snowman on the sand. Older folks chatting with softer laughter’s in between every sentence.

I decided to imitate the young kids by drawing on the sand. At the time I didn’t know what to write on the sand. I took a long stick and started writing the word “Somalia” on the ground. I took a picture of the drawing. An elderly man with a southern accent noticed my drawing and out of curiosity approached me. The celerity of my feet failed me before I could rub the sand with my feet. He was an old guy with a big dewlap hanging from his face. He asked me with a big southern drawls “is that the name of she who must be obeyed”? I responded to him “NO SIR, it isn’t”. He looked at me and said “Then who the hell is it then?” He might have thought I was uxorious person. What If I said to him it was an ineffable word; would he still demand to know the meaning? You know how this inutile old folks are; they will keep demanding an answer. I was not here to have a trenchant argument. I politely responded to him, “You don’t know her” He responded to me “then at least can I get to know this special person?” By now I was becoming impatient with this stranger. I looked up at him and said to him “can I at least have some privacy”. He laughed with a smile that stretched the back of his cheeks, “It is a public property, what privacy is there”. I was exhausted from the wave of the heat. I asked him, “How good is your geography sir?” He responded to me, “I know where the border of South Carolina and Georgia meets, if that will be considered Geography”. I told him “Look pal the word is just a country in Africa”. He looked at the drawing one more time, and he said” then why did you said “her” then?” I laughed at him and asked him what I should have referred to a country or say a camel. He politely whispered on my ears, “The hell do I know son, nowadays we have to be careful with the feminist out there questioning everything we say”


He started to vacillate from the discussion by recounting his memories of Africa being a poverty ridden country. Here I was thinking I came to an Island to have an evening away from the chaotic world of work and misery, only to meet another soul to remind me of the bitter African sanguinary war.

Graduation!!

It’s finally over. Yesterday was a monumental day in my life. It felt like I have accomplished half of my goals in life. I have graduated as a class of 2006 in the Bulldog nation. I plodded on for the rest of the day how monumental the day was for me. Seeing my family and friends yell my name when my picture came on the big screen of the football stadium had strike me profoundly. If only words could explain how great and wonderful people were to me.

I earnestly endeavored to accomplish this degree, but this would not be the climax or the end. I know very well that life has a lot to offer. And I will try with the help of Allah to accomplish more. May Allah send them more degrees on my way! I have accomplished one of the wishes of my late father. My father trusted me to finish college. I can truly state that I have accomplished one of his wishes. I wish to dedicate this degree to him to all the goodwill and the wisdom he has imparted on me as a young kid. I have resisted any temptation that would have made this day imposible. Thank you dad for all the good role model you instilled on me. I can not persuade myself that they could have been a happier than you on that crowd if you could have been alive today.

My heart and thanks goes to my two cousins who flew from Toronto and Detroit to Atlanta. I can not repay what my cousins have done for me this day. There was no other way they could show what a gentlemen they were than being helpful and role models. I take this moment to thank them all .Thank you all….

Tanzania Wants to use DDT

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=53206&SelectRegion=Great_Lakes&SelectCountry=TANZANIA

This is one of the toughest decisions I recommend for African countries to take.This decision of using DDT demands a logical and biological plausability.The approach of using this pesticide should be conducted with great care.The risk of any pesticides arises from the manner it is handled, transported and applied. The African countries should develop steps to insure the safety of the public when applying this chemical.There is risk everywhere we look.If you do not put safety first you will probably end up in hospital for falling off your stepping chair.I recommend that African countries should only allow certified pesticides applicators to use this chemical.If African countries ignore these risks then the chemical will do no good to the public; only a far-reaching consequences will be witnessed. The governments should respect the people, land, economic welfare, and stewardship for the land.They should be cautious that greed should not overrun the safety of the public.It is known or shall I say, It is fact that risks from pesticides exposure depend on the dosage of the chemical, time of exposure, and susceptibility of the individuals. Always good judgements gives birth to good science.

Pfizer failure to keep up with Ethics in Africa

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/06/AR2006050601338_pf.html
The modern world based on science and the individualism of liberalism has traveled across the border. Sometimes it does come with good or bad things. Nigerian government report found out that Pfizer conducted unauthorized clinical trial on patients in Nigeria. Pfizer was found out to have violated the international declaration of Helsinki that governs ethical medical research. According to reports that are reported five children died from the unapproved anti-biotic clinical trial. Trust has been seriously been shaken by this incident. This incident should raise an eyebrow for all the future pharmaceutical trials that are conducted in poor nations. Pharmaceutical companies should look for ways to contribute to the accurate scientific results without jeopardizing the lives of the poor. They should engage in responsible, accountable, and transparent business/science. The African governments should not be blindfolded just because they are gaining free medicine. They should know if a price is attached to these “free medicine”. They need to keep up integrity in their scientific panels that approve sensitive researches. Accountability should be the motto for stopping such things to ever happen again.

Kayaking Trip

A group of us decided to set a goal of kayaking in the broad river before our graduation ceremony in few weeks. Broad river is one of the local rivers close to our campus. The river has 70-mile navigable continuous water. The idea incubated from one of our friends who have been to the river. When the news got to me I wasn’t happy about it. I am a bad swimmer. I couldn’t figure it out of all the other activities we could do, why choose water activity? We set the date to be last Saturday. They thought these would be a fun to remember since we were all going different directions in life. The thrill of free falling from five feet waterfall was unimaginable thought. We all promised to meet in the intramural field at eleven in the morning to head down the river. The weather didn’t seem an auspicious start of a day. But that didn’t stop us. One of my friend’s girlfriend started whining right before we were about to leave the field. She is a complete extrovert girl, but her nagging gets under my skin sometimes. Propriety restricts me from hushing her. We let her boyfriend deal with her.


When we all paid our dues, a staff member gave us each a kayak and a rowing stick. What looked like a safety culture tips followed? I choose the kayak that was hard to overturn even though it was heavy. All the other friends including the two girls picked the normal Kayak. You might think I was a Cassandra who always predicted the worst to happen. All these kids grew up around swimming pools while I grew up where there was no swimming pool. Maybe this explains my attempt to ingratiate myself when they all looked at me differently. In any case I didn’t expect an overwhelming cheers or shouts from them after all they were pain in the neck kids. Maybe this will make you understand them more. This group is composed of four Indians, two Somalis and three Ethiopians. They all grew up around Somalis. They even use words like “Caasharo” when they are describing women they met the night before at a party. We all call ourselves Qaxootis. Soon I am going to learn that no one was highly skilled or had an aptitude for Kayaking accept the Somalian dude, Ebb, who grew up in Canada.


It was due to my disposition or maybe fear that made me to be one of the last people to get in the water. I was caught up in the trivial details of safety that I hardly noticed I was ahead of everyone. The river was long and dangerous for a beginner like me. It had many twist and bends. My diffident made me not to trust the edges or the center of the river. I always made circuitous turns whenever I reached a waterfall. I thought these waterfalls would be the catalyst of my boat overturning. I was ahead of the group about ten minutes when accidentally I slumped into a rock and my Kayak overturned leaving me to gasp for air as my life jacket propelled me upward. I thought I was done. I was going to die in the water. I started yelling for help, but my friends were nowhere near. Luckily my Kayak was in my hand, but I lost my rowing stick. I forced myself to reach the nearby Island, but I was out of breath. I finally made it to the top of the rock when my friends arrived. I was socked in water and may be gulped down the river water during the accident. Ebb was an expert. I come to realize this when he rescued my Kayak and stick. He was able to get my stick from downstream and bring it up where I was. He started fuming at me how he told me not to leave the group. I apologized and got on my Kayak. When we reached a big waterfall he advised me to take the right side while he himself, the expert, went through it. But unfortunately they all fall of their Kayak. This was a hilarious moment for me. I laughed at them.

My friends kept on going back to the big waterfalls. They wanted to make it through without flipping over their kayak. I was logy from too little sleep from the night before. Don’t ever go to kayaking especially if you had been up all night. The air outside was becoming quite chill .My friend’s girlfriend and I decided to leave those lucid brigands
behind. We cheered wildly and slap ourselves at the back. And paddled our way to finish the trip. We were left with about four miles then. She would be my life guide if I ever drown, or so I thought. Actually we were both not sure of what to do if we ever got stuck in a rock. This never bothered me. By now I was gaining confidence and becoming expert on my own.


Never have I ever thought not to gain confidence with a little learning skill. Half way through our paddling my friend's girlfriend kayak flipped over. I was ahead of her. I made through safely. She is screaming and hollering my name. I, being the biggest Igalshidhat (Somali figure of fear), never looked back to save the poor girl and her kayak. I was moving like an errant calve trying to figure it out how to get up there. I knew I was scared to death. I lean on a big rock watching her being helped from a distance. Some blue eyes saved her by swimming down the stream. I was embarrassed and helpless. I was afraid of going upstream. Lets just say she got few bruises, which I will be blamed, for the rest of my life. I felt like a senseless git! The Kayak did help me strengthen my flexors. Whether you start the kayaking with a state of abject decrepitude or virile state, you will eventually welter in a turbid feeling. Your tenacity will be put under a test. You will not believe this I was the second person to finish the Kayaking trip. I was proud of myself!!

Neil Young's new Album-Living with War

Through out history, music has been one of the most widespread means of making a dissent to sensitive matters of a country. Musicians have expressed emotions and ideas through sounds and words. They have fused political words with musical tone. During the dark ages people used to express detailed messages through drums and horns .In this age of war and terrorism musicians are sending messages through words. They have seen themselves in the middle of hot topics. The popularity of using music as a means of sending political messages to Bush administration has been met with a public outcry. We’ve seen musicians being sanctioned by the public for being critical of Bush administration. You might think such a style of intimidation was a third world sport, but it is happening right here in America. Today I had the chance of listening to the new album of Neil Young, living with war, off his website (neilyoung.com). I was moved by how human creativity can be used to express anti-war stands. Musicians are in their own right important to the anti-war campaign. America image is withering away at the hands of Bush and his cronies. Although it is important to note that the country is at war right now and that the soldiers need our support, but this should not blurred us from seeing the lies and deceit that lead America to this war. Although there is a universal acceptance of the right to self –defense, the question of why America attacked the wrong people should not be silenced. The president should not be immune to criticism. I will buy Neil Young new album once it comes out to support free speech.

World Bank Failed in Malaria Fight

Today I read in New York Times that an article published in the British Medical journal Lancet, experts accused the World Bank of falsifying the malaria data by claiming success against the disease. The author claims the World Bank approved clinically obsolete treatment. This is a disease that kills one million children in Africa every year. Is it right to approve an obsolete treatment for such a grave disease? An expert once visualized the malaria death by filling seven Boeing 747s with children and then crushing them everyday. The Experts who published this article wants the World Bank to relinquish the money it has to fight the malaria so that the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria can take it over. The expert claim that the World Bank failed to honor its pledges.
If the rich nations would have allowed the poor African nations make free choices about the use of DDT today the malaria spread would have seized in Africa. Remember DDT became emblematic for its toxicity on non-human environment. The rich nations have nothing to fear. They are far well away from the poor nations. It is not that the African countries will be irresponsible in the use of DDT. They will use it safely. This is the only chemical that can eradicate the morbidity and mortality of Malaria without going through the red tape of World Bank
"http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/25/world/africa/25malaria.html"

Happy Earth day, Y'all

The world is getting warmer. There is no second thought about it. Even the most arrogant administration is giving credence to the reality of the rising sea level and the melting of the arctic ice. It isn’t all doom and gloom in the western world, but surely it is in poor African countries. African Farming that is so crucial to weather is threatened like never before by low precipitation level. Africa today is burden by the western overuse of the earth. As we celebrate the earth day today, Africa is re-colonized with atmospheric pollution. Isn’t it unbelievable how the subjugation of the gun has been switched with carbon emission? According to an authoritative studies conducted awhile back, the world temperature will rise between 1.5 and 5.8 degrees Celsius between 1990 and 2100.We are already witnessing the change. Many diseases as you know are sensitive to climate change. Global warming will increase the death of poor African children by spreading preventable disease. This disease burden will be bored by known other than poor Africa countries and other developing nations. I am not romanticizing African poverty gloom. I am just trying to point out the unpalatable truth of global warming on Africa. Do we really live in a fair world? Have a green day!!

Drought In Nothern Kenya

Last night, while watching the ABC evening news, the awareness of East Africa drought busted upon my consciousness. I became emotional while listening to a reporter in the remote part of Kenya covering the ravaging drought that is affecting the Kenyan population. According to the ABC reporter, the Northern part of Kenya is experiencing one of the most tragic drought disasters in twenty years. Since pre-historic time the nomads are known to be resilient and stoic people that faced any adversity with great fortitude. But this drought is really pulling them down to destitute and abject poverty. The rest of the world is largely unaware of this drought. This year, like no any other year, many deaths are expected from this drought-ravaged region. Of greatest concern are the starvation and the malnutrition of children. It is very likely that they will not see any precipitation in the next couple of months or year. More than ever, we as a people in the rest of the world are making choices among competing and compelling demands of non-basic needs while somewhere someplace in this globe some child is dying of thirst. Even as I watched the news anchor reporting about the recent Chinese president visit in Washington, I could not picture how East Africa drought is becoming unnoticed in Bush administration. Poverty is a multidimensional problem with origin to wide array of environmental and international policies. It is really shameful at a time of such abounding prosperity in the world, a child would die due lack of water. If you want to help you can make your donation to charitable organizations website like world Vision which has a donation program for this specific drought.

Africa and Global Warming

Government policies are no longer dependant on scientific information’s. They accede to what interest groups dictates. Government has become the mouthpiece of these interest groups. You might think Science was supposed to be about facts, but lately science has become part of politics. All the hot button topics from global warming to the use off DDT have lately been politicized. A rising group of interest groups are opposing the existence of obvious things like global warming. Today the places that have contributed the least (Africa) to global warming are the most vulnerable to the drought and diseases that comes with global warming. Many African countries are already witnessing (or will in the future) the negative impact of global warming on the health and agriculture of the continent. Remember many of these African countries depend on either farming or livestock rearing for their food security. Global warming is a threat to Africa food security. This is a global ethical challenge that the western world needs to tackle in a humane manner. Global warming is really disrupting the lifestyle of these poor countries.

Rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is associated with the global warming. My own home state, Georgia, is the second largest contributor of carbon dioxide emission from power plants. According to one researcher “Africa seems to be consistently among the regions, with high to very projected damage” (Hare 2005). Disease like Malaria and diarrhea is highly correlated with increase in temperature. I think it is the right time the western world should support value judgment in their decision-making process.

A diseases Hidden Agony

This morning I happen to come across this article from New York Times that talks about Lymphatic Filariasis.It all starts with a bite from an infected mosquitoes that deposits larvae on the skin (Check attached sketch).The larvae migrates to the lymphatic system where they grow, nest and mate.This leads to swelling and blockage of the blood system . The cycle of transmition continues as the infected person is bitten by a mosquito. I honestly think that all this could be stopped with the use of DDT.This kind of preventable diseases is what is keeping Africa and poor Caribbean countries behind.






Picture credits: New york Times

Picture Credits: New York Times

Picture Credits: New York times


Picture Credits: www.nytimes.com/2006/04/09/world/americas

The Use of DDT in Africa

The African countries are fighting for the right to use DDT to eliminate mosquitoes. It seems that the European Union wants to impose sanction on any country that dare to use DDT. This is a slap in the face of African countries that are dying of malaria. DDT is one of the most important insecticides ever to appear in the market, but also one of the most controversial pesticides in the history. I do believe that the use of pesticide should ideally be based on the knowledge of what they accomplish and what effect they might have in the ecosystem.

Malaria was once a serious problem in America, but today it is practically non-existent, largely because of the use of DDT after the World War II. If the insect vector can be eliminated, malaria will today cease out in Africa. The only promising insecticide today is the DDT. According to the EPA website DDT is probable cancer causer. There is no one scientific study that has directly connected DDT to cancer! DDT does cause a thinning of the eggshell of birds, but there is little evidence that DDT residue is toxic or has major effect on human.

Trade, science, and capitalism shape modern pest control. Commercialization is creating a strong influence on what insecticide can be sold in the market. Rich companies in the west largely shape the market. Pesticides sells are chosen to fit the economic gain of these companies. Think about this for a minute, If DDT were to be used by the African countries today, who is going to buy all those medicines from these companies? They have to sell their products , right?

There is a double standard here. I wonder if the west will ever be willing to return to the middle ages where transmission of a preventable disease were constant ticket to the hospital beds? I think it is time that the western world should stop listening to the interest groups and pay attention to the millions of African children dying of malaria. If science is what provides tentative information about risk then we should pay attention to the numerous studies that have failed to determine the harmfulness of DDT.If you want to read more about the European Union sanctions go to www.fightingmalaria.org

Was I a gentleman?

The cell phone rings in my pocket. It was my distant cousin calling me. We chatted for few minutes when he finally dropped the bomb on me. Last weekend he happened to meet my ex-girlfriend at her work place. She works at a public place, which I will not mention here for privacy protection. I have never visited her work place. I hate the idea of meeting people at their work place. Some may view it as a sexy thing to do, but I don’t. My cousin wanted to know if this girl has still a place in my heart. He took a liking on the girl. To avoid a headlock with me he wanted to know if I could give him the blessing to pursue the girl as if I am her dad or next of kin. Even though I respected his feelings the conversation was a little awkward on my side. It felt like my blood was roaring on my ears. Once I confessed to him that there was nothing between me and that woman, he asked for opinion about her character .He told me all the nice things he heard about her. I could tell he was not faking it because I knew what a respectful woman she was. His lighthearted inquiry was so disarming that I gave him my honest description of her, but with a heavy heart. I explained it to him were it not of my situation at the moment I would have tied the knot with her long time. I am looking into a graduate school and a destitute life of living on a stipend. It takes a great and understanding woman to sacrifice her life for a broke student. He understood my situation. Was I wrong for telling another man to go and talk to a woman that has stolen my heart? I felt guilty for “ selling” her good personality to him. I was only honest. I could not lie to him or destruct his plans. He is a man on mission but on the wrong trek. He even justified his mission by claiming a close tribal affiliation she has with his mom. I am not related to this woman. I cannot even claim any clan affiliation.Isn't it funny how people can claim a close relation when they want to be close? Whenever I thought of the idea of him strolling in the park with her I consoled myself with a Somali adage that says, “Hundred men will try to talk to a woman, but only one will marry”. What if he becomes the man that will walk her down the Isle? Will I ever be wilting with guilt for letting this woman slip off my hands? I am still a good friend of her. She calls me anytime she wants.She trusts me. I am not sure if she adores me as I do. I wanted to ask her few weeks ago when she hosted a birthday treat for me at an upscale restaurant, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. For how long will I wait for her to notice me? Oh God, don't let this woman get away!

Paradise Now

Settlers who took your land and claim to the world being the innocent surround you. They intensely take control of your life, but they also try to take control of your mind too. You have lost your dad as a collaborator of the enemy. You have nothing to live for other than to blow yourself up! You want to regain the dignity and fame your father failed to achieve. You have no idea how long it’s going to take before your people can gain the universal dignity that they deserve. The occupation has possessed and controlled your thinking capacity.It only takes 90 seconds to blow yourself up before you can die as a martyr. OK, this is not a scene from the latest Spike Lee movie, The Inside Man. This is a movie directed by Hany Abu –Assad. Paradise Now is the best foreign movie I have watched in a long time. It’s a movie about the current Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Two would be suicide bombers take a calculated risk to carry out a suicide mission in Tel-Aviv. This movie will make you understand how the suicide bombers are recruited. If you are native Arab speaking person you will enjoy more than I did. I had hard time catching up with the subtitles.

The Pain

Last night I lay on my bed, but I could not sleep. I can hardly explain to you the kind of pain I was feeling. It felt like someone was stabbing a dagger on my back. My heart beat fast; this was a night of agonizing pain. All of my readings assignments were detoured by this pain. I could no longer leaf through pages. I retired to bed earlier than my usual time. I started shifting and turning on my bed without being constant for one moment. It was with this considerable difficulty and pain I remembered all about death. I was shaken by the fact that I was going to die. I started thinking of the sympathy and condolences that may be poured to my family by strangers, friends, relatives, and acquaintances. As this image of death became more distinct, I grew thoughtful. May be it is true that my time is up!
The night before, I decided to go to the gym after being away from the gym for almost three months. I well knew that if I wanted to stay in shape I must exercise. I am a 200 pound, six feet creature. I think of my self as a skinny Somalian, but many of my friends disagree with me. Nothing is more painful to the human mind than being told that you are overweight. It was nearly five minute past nine when I arrived at the school’s gym. This is the same gym where the 1996 Olympics swimming events was held (when Nigeria defeated Argentina in 1996, they played in my school’s stadium-just a few meters from this gym). I wandered in the gym trying to figure it out what machine to use for my chest work out. I directed my step towards a group of well built people doing some dumb-bells lifting. One of the heavy guys fixed his eyes upon me. I wondered what he was looking at? Is it because I am the little man in this crowd? I was neither perplexed nor bewildered by his actions. I promised myself to show him that I can do whatever they were doing. Everyone was facing the big mirror while they lifted the dumbbells. I picked a 30 pound dumbbell as my warm up! I was moved to notice that they were all lifting above 50 pounds. I trembled with passion to compete with these guys. Few minutes after my arrival I have upgraded my weight to 50 pounds. Never has any train of reflection occurred to me about what I was doing. I never cared if I got hurt. I was only reflecting on how I should walk out through that door as the little iron man. I wish I knew the pain I was going to experience the night after.

Khian Sea

The year is 1986.I was a young kid breathing the fresh air of Africa. This is the same year the words of Nigeria president Ibrahim Babaginda were heard all over the world declaring affirmatively that “No government no matter the financial inducement has the right to mortgage the destiny of future generation of African children”. Under the dictates of the world super powers like the United State countries in Africa and the Caribbean became the target of one of the world’s most shameful blunder-the Khian Sea waste.


In 1986 Philadelphia-the city of brotherly love- was faced with a problem of garbage disposal.The city relied heavily on a nearby landfills in New-Jersey.Unfortunately this same year many of the American landfills have been closed due to “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) outcry by the public.The city contracted with waste handler by the name Joseph Paolino and sons. The contarctor with unsuccessful attempts tried to dump the waste in states like Ohio where the public outcry overpowered them.It was a drama that kept many Americans alert and glued to their televisions. This outcry has led to investigation by the EPA to test the toxicity level of this waste.To the surprise of most it was found out that the waste contained deadly traces of Dioxin, Lead and chromium.The contracted company tried to buy the right of disposal from governments like Panama, Hiati(which unfortunately the company dumped some illegally) and the African countries.By 1988 the ship suddenly appeared in Singapore without its cargo.It is believed that the toxic waste was dumped somewhere in the Indian Ocean. It is still mystery today.No one knows where the waste has been dumped.


This morning while I was having my cup of coffee the Khian Sea incident flashed in my coffee. How wrong can I be if I assumed that the Khian Sea was dumped in the waters of Somalia?

Job Hunting

Squinting against a dull headache, I am going listless on job hunting. The future seems an uncharted path filled with insecurities. Why do employers ask for experience when they know that you have been imprisoned in the halls of Universities for four damn years? . The internal war between my mind and my heart is escalating now. The heart is telling me that things will get better and that one of these companies will respond with an offer, but the mind on the other hand is telling me that time is running out. My graduation ceremony is down to forty-three days (Insha-Allah). The fact is that I don’t have any job waiting for me. This clearly sends adrenaline through my veins every morning. I am cringing inwardly and may be cursing the Bush administration for taking the country into the wrong direction. Every day in the news they state that the economy is improving and that jobs have been added to the economy. Where are these jobs? Why do I get rejections on my inbox indicating that I don’t have enough experience? I do not believe in the numbers that the media are propelling in my direction.

Freedom of the Press in African Countries

As an African I am always disheartened to hear that African countries are unable to grasp the thicket idea of an ideal democracy. Democracy as we all know brings opportunities for inclusion, effective participation by all the members of a society and an equal voting right. It is democracy that brings political equality, self-determination, prosperity and avoidance of a tyranny. As a young kid growing up under the era of Kenyan one political party system I remember singing songs of praise in my boys school choir band for a government that did not cared for my self determination. A sense of constraint and veiled hostility seemed to be the norm of the Kenyan society. An intense interest of democracy aroused in the public by what was then known at the time as only “SABA SABA”. This was a bold claim and considerably a good step towards the right direction. Today the country is under a new democratically elected government. A government that I shall say failed to uphold the principal that elected it to office. The government action of burning the Standard newspaper office and closing the KTN television station was unreasonable and a threat to the freedom of the press. The availability of alternative and relatively independent alternative source of information is both an empowerment and enlightenment to the people.


Effective participation of the ordinary citizens in any government can be achieved by the availability of independent news sources. This is the only medium through which people can understand the issues of the government. By Golly I will be surprised if there is any other way the citizens can expressed their concerns or views as effective as through the media. Freedom of press as we all know means not only to be heard, but also it means to hear what others have to say about certain issues. Will the African countries survive the deep fairly critical assessment of their government or will they succumb to silencing the media? Chances are that a new democratically elected government can be turn to be an authoritative one, but it is the voice of the people that will be needed to dumb such governments in the dustbin of history! No government should address the public matters in sub rosa.

Shadowing at an Orthodontist office

Last week I did my first shadowing. I am shadowing at an Orthodontist office. I developed an intense interest in dentistry when I became a junior in college. I had arrived at the Doctors office early morning. I was in an excellent form-well dressed. I paused momentarily at the corridor of the building not knowing how the doctor I am shadowing with looked like. It was a quite building. I was just taking precautions not to make mistakes in my first day at this dentist office. There is always something that shatters once self-esteem even though you are as confident as you can be. From no where a vague feeling of uneasiness crept on me. I was afraid how the Doctor would view me as a potential dentist wannabe. This has been a wave of deep depression. I tried to deceive my heart that I am doing something that I have always wanted to do. And that was being a dentist. The journey has just begun. I have an entrance exam to ace and a shadowing experience to accomplish before I set a foot in a dental school. I walked through the main door looking as a sharp as an iron blade. I found the receptions staring at me in a minute. She smiled at me when I came in thinking that may be I am a new patient that needed braces. “How can I help you?” She said. “I am a new student” I spluttered. “But who are you to see here?” She said. “Sorry” I said, a little abashed. I am here to see DR X.



I shall never forget my first sight of patient’s teeth. I was reluctant at first to look into people’s mouth, but I had to bring myself to do it. Perhaps it is because I have never seen or touch other people’s mouth other than occasional girlfriends that have swung my way! Interest grows and grows until they become passion. I was puzzled to witness the Doctor attach the braces to the patients using glues and wires. The Doctor deftly with his hands attached every brace meticulously without damaging the patients gum. I followed the Doctor around. I glanced at the Doctor who was working with excitement. He was a nice guy. Every time I asked a question he responded with the utmost respect and with a nod that was civil. The Image I formed of the young Doctor was an industrious one. It struck me at the moment that human beings are not all the same. Here he was a young American doctor with an eyes as blue as the sky can be, mentoring a young man from the poorest of the nations. I was considerably taken aback by the level of the professionalism this doctor has shown me. I left the dentist office with a satisfied and expressive hope. Such a charming invitation from the doctor made me love the Orthodontist profession. I was as clear as I wished about the direction I am going to take in my life when I left the Dentist office. Wild ideas about how I will study hard for the dental admission test flashed on my face. Now I can yell “open bite with severe crowding, Posterior cross bite, bimaxillary protrusive and non-extraction!!!” in my dreams
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Ex-girlfreind..Part2

Those of you who might shudder to remember the old girlfriend story might interweave along with this story. Let me warn you that what I must now relate might be tedious to you. No I did not go out with her on that faithful date, but I did go out with her numerous other times. Last night was one of them. I have come to terms that I am weaving along with my heart this time. My spirit was high last night. I have wondered many times what kind of a woman I needed in my life. Whenever I think about women, a feeling of pain and sorrow invades my body at every angle. I curse under the bed every night, why did I have to live in this wretched life of mine? Perhaps you might be saying under your breath now “poor guy! What must have driven him to that extent? Don’t worry I found the secret of women from my brilliant cousin last night. I found that I could not compose a woman to love me without making her mad.
“Cousin”, he said, “you have lately allowed yourself to be occupied by this woman”. I trembled excessively as I listened to him. I suspected if he has been reading my text messages or emails or is he sincerely guessing. I imagined him looking down upon me as a weak man trapped by an innocent woman. Am I destined to become the guy all the boys make their reference whenever they are talking about women? I wondered. I well knew that I have never mentioned anything to anyone. I kept everything to myself. A sense of pride crept on my body. I wasn’t going to let anyone know that I am falling for this girl again. He continued, “I have observed the state of your mind being preyed on by that woman. It’s okay to be in love. Each one of us has been through that, but I want to let you know that women like a challenge. Do not ever let them have everything they want from you. They will test your strength and weakness. In fact I want you to ignore her calls and messages for the next three weeks. This will make her heart fonder for your presence”. My eyes wandered like a lost child’s eye in the wild. This has puzzled me strangely. How am I going to ignore my weakness? Burger! I said, doesn’t he know that my feeling has tendered to the extent that I can’t sleep without hearing her voice for two days?
I have always admired the beauty and the intellect of women. My spirit is always elevated by a well rounded woman. This girl has ruffled my spirit. The expression of my sentiment for her might make you believe that she is the only woman on earth, but the reality of the matter is, she isn’t. Fear and agitation haunt me whenever I am with her. Last night I wanted to break the ice to her and profess my feeling, but my conscious stopped me from that. I have burned the raged to pursue the truth to her. A dreaded suspense has warned me time and again that if I don’t act now, she might pursue other men. I do not doubt that she got hit on by men every day. Why am I so vicious and powerful in the real life and so weak when it is concerned with the matters of this woman? I have created a rational fantasy in my life which I am bound to pursue!

Khat

It was as if they lived in eternal present when I walked through the dim lighted door. Everything seemed normal except when they flashed their sodden and decayed teeth at me. They all looked alike, same age and complexion. I stood at the edge of the room and glanced at the crowd to wave at them. After all they were my uncles and distant relatives. There was a plastic bag, unwashed plates, and dirty cups strewn in the room. I could feel there was a presentiment for absolute disaster that was unfolding in my eyes. My uncle unique voice and magical solution to every problem in the world could be heard from the downtown streets. It was as if he was addressing a crowd of rowdy college student boycotting classes. His monstrous solutions to every problem in the world have hatched from the toxicities of his fetid brain. All this time I was wondering if they knew the side effect of the noxious goat leaf they were chewing. They all looked to me unduly confident people who knew what they were doing.


Perhaps, I thought to myself, god has made this goat leaf their source of past time and income generating scheme. Then I thought, wait a minute; god is not capable of making a venomous tree as a source of income and past time to his creation. An active voice drummed on my ear; it a choice dumb asss! But how can a whole generation of people without check or restraint indulge in a recklessly action of using a drug? I was warped in a dull situation and praying to god that my children will one day break the circle of this goat leaf that has engulfed my people.I left the room as if I was alluding the awkwardness of my uncle solution to every problem in the world when he chewed the green stuff!