Time is passing soooo fast... Things are changing by the time... Tiiiime.... tiiimee... tiiiiime...

I have visited five colleges with my son.He has recently passed the secondary school examination and intends to get admitted in a college of his choice.Everywhere I went,I found large number of students trying to secure admission forms and
depositing the same at the college counters.The numbers of students are very large at all the locations.Students were waiting in very long ques for hours with great patience.Nobody knew what was his fate.But they were very determine to get higher education.I hope the crave for their higher education will be fulfilled.

Blogging has become a way of life nowadays.It is a passion for many peoples.Many creative thought emerges as blogs and published in internet.Some people take pleasure by writing blogs while other groups of people gather enjoyment by reading them.In the mean time some blog writers have become famous for writing blogs.You may be curious on how the word "blog" was coined.Infact,the word was made from the words WEB and LOG where B has been taken from the former and LOG from the latter words.See how a brand new word,'BLOG' was created to conquer the world.It is a matter of great interest to note how the blogging will influence the world of tomorrow.

Failure is the pillar of success.But,this proverb or saying may be very cruel for many peoples.The shock or trauma may overwhelm the person who has just experienced a failure in his life and he/she may not bear he pain of the failure then.He/she may take various undesirable way to mitigate the pain.You know well what they do and may love to provide some cases for sharing with others.I suggest all persons to kindly to have patience and try to attain success again when the failure has come to test your fate.

The cyclonic storm called "AILA" recently hit large areas of Bangladesh and India.The storm was very fatal.It took away many human lives,domestic animals,crops,fruit gardens,homes and many infrastuctures.It was really a fatal storm.It has left miseries and scars of devastation all around.Peoples falling victim of the storm will take uncertain time to recover from the loss and trauma.Let us find means to support the affected peoples and come forward to assist them.

Recently I traveled several districts of Bangladesh.The time was very critical as the temperature was very high though
some rain was very desirable.We were lucky to see some rain along the trip though constant thunders frightened us.
We saw many cropped fields and fruit gardens along the long way.Flowering plants were showing their gorgeous colors too.
There was paddy fields in some areas.Most of them were harvested recently.Sesame,jute,pulses and many other crops were seen.
Mango trees were bearing diversified varieties of shapes,sizes and colors.Jackfruit,palmyra palm fruit,wax apple were some other fruits on the sight.But we were excited to see the festival of mango on the way.Particularly in Sathkhira we saw many orchards of mango
laden with many varieties of mango.Farmers were selling the HIMSAGAR variety with pleasure.We visited some orchards and enjoyed the beauty of the fruits in the garden.It was a great festival of the celebrated mango.We always love to taste mango and it was a great opportunity for us to see the festival.

This year we are blessed with a golden harvest of paddy.Our farmers are apparently happy for getting a good harvest.You will be amazed to see the standing paddy fields with the golden color just before the harvest.But the problem of glut comes with a good harvest for all commodities of commerce.It appears that glut may affect the farmers.Their peace may be lost partly due to the low price at the time of harvest.I hope the concerned agencies will come forward and demonstrate their sympathy and action to retain the smile of farmers who feed the whole world.Let the blessed harvest remain blessed for ever and is not tarnished by the profit seekers.

You will be astonished to see the gorgeous flowers that are blooming now in Bangladesh.They have stunning colors,shapes
and sizes.So many names and so many varieties of flowers,it is simply impossible to remember them.Despite this you will
be tempted to learn that red Krishnachura on small to large tree kindle your memories of love in your old days.You will find Cassia fistula everywhere from the megacity to the countryside.The whole tree is golden from to bottom.You may write a poem on this superb beauty now.You may be maddened by the beauty of Jarul awaiting all the way from the metropolis to the cool countryside.The dreamy blue-violet flowers play with your lovely past.
Like to see and enjoy more.Please just throw your glance and discover the stunning beauty that will be unfolded in front of your amazing vision.

Last night was a memorable one.My sleep was disturbed by a bad smell.I found a narrow long bug after a frantic search in the room.It was about an inch long.It was emitting such a bad smell that it was almost impossible for me to tolerate.I collected a broom and tried to drive it away.It emitted more
bad smell.When I threw this out of the room,I felt more bad smell.I was surprised to see a number of the same bug in the corners and walls of the room.They were stinking badly.I tried to drive them one by one.It was a horrible event.I felt that there was chemicals all around the room with irritating bad smell.Lasly,I killed around 25 bugs and broomed them downstair.To make my room habitable,I sprayed air freshener.Then,I took a book and searched for the bad smelling insect.Finally,I found that the insect was rice bug.It sucks its food from the rice at the milky stage and thus damage the rice.As the paddy field is being harvested now,the rice bug was flying to find alternative host.Then it was attracted by the light of our home causing inconvenience for me and to them simultaneously.The scientific name of the bug is

Leptocorisa oratorius (Fabricius).It may cause some kind of allergy or blister by the emitted chemicals.In fact,the bugs spray or emit chemical when they feel they are being attacked for their safety.
The invasion of the rice bug took away about an hour of my sleep but gave me wealth of knowledge and experience.Thanks to bad smelling rice bug.

nwadike2@gmail.com
Tokyo, Japan


My first intuition was to head this treatise "How Not to Help a People" or "How best to Assist a People" but I ended up following other instinct probably because the discourse is about financial muzzle in one hand and begging for arms in another, hence, "POWER and CREATIVE STRATEGY" {apology to Prof. Wole Soyinka}.
Japan boasts of being probably the highest donor in terms of charity to developing and under-developed countries. Such benefits are in the areas of structure, education, scholarships, manpower provision, training and splinter offices constructed with the aim of sensitizing the people of what has been done and what is being done.
The country or nations that enjoy these benefits are ever willing to return cap in hands asking for more year on, the psychology of asking, not withstanding. We live in a practical world and therefore it serves no need wondering why such countries cannot sustain themselves in the first place. It serves no purpose to mention corruption as the bane in such societies. It will serve no purpose to state how endemic the issue of corruption has become to the extent that those who peddle it do not care if qualitative education is provided. After all, enlightenment will create awareness and reduce or out rightly, challenge the purse of the corrupters. Therefore, why repeat what has been obvious; fact that has graduated from the margin of secrecy, that is, if there was ever any in such environment thriving on support and charity. Fact on ground is that many countries are lacking in human endowment being enjoyed by others, for instance, basic needs and therefore goes hands in begging. The human endowment, mind you, has its abundance in natural resources. It's only that…, that…, that…
Japan as stated has positioned itself to assist. What are the benefits if any to Japan? What satisfaction do they derive?
Japanese citizens can take a glimpse and see how better they are than those other people from those other countries.
Japanese citizens in noticing how other people lives can therefore be eternally grateful and loyal to its government for providing means and materials that those other countries government had failed to make available or can simply not make available and for whatever reason.
The super-ego factor; some Japanese getting news of large amount of fund being budgeted and disbursed feels either proud or superior or both., that is, "my car is bigger than yours" mentality, and therefore, I am better than them.
I must add that the above benefits are not exhaustive as other factors may exist but they are a needed psyche in the goblets of the Japanese and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Japan doling out handsome money yearly has been most benevolent, no doubt.
Arguably, an agency like Japan International Cooperation Agency {JICA} covering Africa should be concerned about final disbursement and application in respect of effectiveness and sustenance. Japan need to take an in-depth look on what has been achieved in concrete terms and not just on paper. Japan looking in, will find ways to fashion how best to apply resources, plenty but scarce at this time.
In other words, what initiative can one proffer so that the begging and giving will be more effective? I have discussed this point while meeting with JICA, May 2008 and I mentioned it again on my meeting with staff of International Developing Economies-Japan External Trade Organization {IDE-JETRO}, December 25, 2008. For want of elaboration, I have proffered some suggestions here in respect of assistance to Africa.
1. All INCLUSIVENESS:
The unspoken and unofficial idea that "East Africa is Heaven, West Africa is Hell" should change. Branding a particular area as prone to danger, uninhabitable or rather trouble-some to deal with is highly selective…especially, when the trickles that gets to the West of Africa is hardly effective in terms of benefiting the people such help was originally intended for.
2. EDUCATION:
Many researches are undertaken by government and its agencies. Most times Lecturers are invited to research and speak on different subjects. Where it concerns Africa, Africans should be directly involved with such researches for effectiveness. By Africans being directly involved, they will provide on the ground information that researchers ordinarily could not have known or that could have escaped them. Researches should be conducted both through existing government agencies or bodies and other blocs like organizations that are not directly leaning on government. By getting Africans involved in their affairs and dealing with organizations other than government, balanced and in-depth information will be handy for decision making and implementation.
The issue of education through research cannot be over-emphasized. Suffice it to say that government need to be properly educated in order to serve better who they are assisting and in this subject matter, Africans. Besides, the history of a people, the nuances existing in a SOULFUL place like Africa can best be cracked and understood by Africans. Simply put, Africans should be involved while making researches and lectures or paper points on Africa.
3. INFORMATION:
Japan MOFA {Ministry of Foreign Affairs} has lots to do in terms of information dissemination. MOFA through its agencies and bodies like diplomatic channels should be able to give sound information on Life in Japan. Many times, probably out of need, people from Africa, Nigeria for instance, look at Japan as a place to be, a place to go and settle down. The feeling is that work can easily be found here and life is "bread and butter". They are more encouraged by Japanese electronics and cars in Africa markets. It is now obvious that they are far from the truth and therefore, it is now important that apart from this wavelength of technology mentality, Africans should be informed about family and social life in Japan, including what can be available on landing; tax systems, business ownerships, stocks and in fact what is permissible and what is not. I stress this because much as many probably will like moving over to Japan, I know a few people who would not have choose Japan had they the information of what is obtainable here. Had they elementary information on the rudiments of life here, I am quite sure that such persons having alternative {which they had} would not have made Japan their choice. In fact, I have met people who refused to come and settle in Japan because of one or more reasons. For instance, they felt that they cannot internalize in Japan social and family system. I also know people who are ready to come and settle no matter whatever negative information they have.
While there is nothing potentially wrong with Japan, my point is that value system and culture differs and some people based on these would have made their choice elsewhere or rather, even remain where they are. MOFA, JICA, etc, should therefore act faster with utmost alacrity in this area. Of course, this, like I mentioned will not stop Africans from coming. While a few people will not arrive to settle, people who want should be made abreast with elementary but important information.
4. INTEGRATION:
In line with information dissemination is integration. Most times, information disseminated on Japan TV or aired by NGO's/ NPO's that has visited Africa depicts Africa as not just poor but retarded. Accepted that most of Africa "is at the very nadir of human degradation", that most of Africa is in the "Ninth world", accepting that there is nothing wrong in reporting that, it is also right to highlight the good sides of Africa, the cities, the vegetation, the abundant talents and brain and so forth. For one, this fosters better information and pulls people not only along but bonded. Absence of this creates in the minds of Japanese that all of Africa are a people that need sympathy or even pity. It often reflects on immigrants while dealing or relating with their hosts. MOFA and its bodies, for instance, Japan Foundation, JICA, should do its best to change or at least, down-play this stereotype.
Added to integration is the issue of Africans who are already living and legally so in Japan. This has to do with acceptance. In my comments to Asia Leadership Fellow Program Symposium held October 31, 2008 at International House of Japan and hosted by IHJ/ Japan Foundation, I stressed that more than passport and place of birth, acceptance is important to make a people feel part of a nation or have a sense of belonging to a country. Japanese government through its ministries and other human service bodies like Japan Foundation, JICA, NGO's/ NPO's and designated government ministries should therefore do its best to identify talented and educated Africans. The idea should be to channel them into fields or discipline they can contribute. More too, initiative should be created so that those with less than qualitative education can go back to school or do some courses or training. This will upgrade their intellect and or worldview. On qualification, there should be ways to manage what has been learned or acquired for productive purposes. While Africans are not the representative of crime in Japan, a few who indulge may choose such opportunity and better themselves. Chances are that some may even return to their home country to impact on what has been learned or acquired.
JICA has already taken the right step in having foreigners take Japanese Language Test if they choose to but this is not enough. Language, important as it is will not replace knowing and understanding where you are, the people, their heartbeat, the mindset and you do not need language to know these; all immigrants need is acceptance embedded with balanced information and germane initiatives that will see them getting involved with better tasks.
5. PUBLICATIONS:
The last but not the least is publications. Researches carried out on Africa often end up being published only in Japanese language. Attempts should be made to print copies in languages other than Japanese only. Africans need to know what is being published about them and need to participate in information sharing. There should be freedom to access information in more than one language. Since information denied is knowledge denied, publications on researches carried out should include English and French, at least.

There is an expression : "Grad Students: they're Not Bad People, they Just Made Terrible Life Choices"

Nowadays Im feeling this a lot...

My thesis topic(draft) has been clear and accepted by advisor&institute since last summer, I searched and gathered informations about thesis, but only problem I cant focus on thesis, I feel so lazy, I think I lost my excitement&willing ;( even I dont want to open&read documents :S My advisor called me last day to say "are you still alive Esra, we were forgeting eachother's voice-we should speed thesis process up and you can write easily along summer & finish it end of summer"
I think someone always has to say to me: come on Esra! come on Esra! come ooooon!!!!

Caliphate? one minute, one minute…

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won the hearts of millions in the Islamic world with his walkout at Davos. Love for Turkey in these countries hit a peak. And, of course, they recalled the Ottoman Empire, which ruled these territories for five centuries.

The positive memories left by this rule were recalled. Neither Turks nor anyone else has fully investigated the great contributions of the Ottoman state; I hope someday we will.

However, there are some who exaggerate Erdoğan's gesture. Some even recommend extreme actions that would raise doubts and concerns. Jihad al-Khazen, from Dar Al-Hayat, a reputable paper in the Arab world published in Lebanon, wrote: "Erdoğan made us proud as Muslims. We are ashamed of being Arab because of our timid leaders who remain silent to Israeli cruelty. Erdoğan saved our honor and respect. The Ottoman state should be rebuilt. Erdoğan should be declared sultan and caliph. He should lead the Muslim world."

Is it possible to imagine that the columnist from the Hürriyet daily who described people who vote for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) as "men who scratch their bellies" would not, after reading this, use it as an opportunity? He wrote yesterday, "His Excellency the Caliph has been found; we need to find a camel immediately."

In fact, this issue is pretty serious. There is a group in Turkey that views religious people as a potential threat and danger just because of their attachment to religious practice. This religious majority has been subjected to systematic insults and accusations since 1950, when the Democrat Party (DP) came to power. These circles became more furious after the AK Party consolidated its support base and reinforced its position in office. For instance, the prime minister's stance in Davos, endorsed by 80 percent of the Turkish people, made these elites angry. They just cannot accept the growing interest and affinity in the Arab and Islamic worlds toward Erdoğan. They have already accused him and his party of "Arabization."

When the above remarks were published in an Arab daily, they found the pretext and justification for their allegations.

For this reason, we have to consider this issue seriously and discuss what the caliphate actually is. Above all, I would like to draw your attention to how Fethullah Gülen, a distinguished opinion leader in our age, approaches this issue. He says on the institution of the caliphate: "I believe that some superpowers would like to promote this institution of the caliphate so that they can use it to ignite conflicts and clashes. For example, if this issue of the caliphate is brought up in Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia or another country, others would oppose it. Nation states have been built. Every state has its own independence. Therefore, it is obvious how they would approach this issue. Some others might have done this based on other calculations." [Mehmet Gündem, "Fethullah Gülen'le 11 Gün" (11 Days with Fethullah Gülen), Alfa Publications, pp. 165-169).

The biggest mistake made by rulers of Muslim countries is their failure to understand and read the world. The promotion of the caliphate would be one of the primary sources and reasons for conflict and disagreements in our world, where polarization and global terror are the greatest challenges and threats. In a world where democracy, freedoms, human rights and universal human values are emphasized, the goal of Muslims should be winning the hearts of others by using the opportunities of globalization. This will be possible only by representation. Turkey's state policy is obvious: to become a full member in the European Union by relying on our national and traditional values and standards.

This goal does not take us away from the East; you do not have to give up on the Turkic, Arab world or Islamic worlds. Quite the contrary, we have to remain close to them. We have to build strong cultural and economic ties. Our heightened image in these countries will make us more eligible for EU membership. An EU where Turkey is a member will be a real alternative in world politics. A Turkey that has strong ties in the Turkic and Islamic worlds will mean a lot for an alliance of civilizations, rather than a clash of civilizations. I think this is the only way to maintain universal peace and promote universal humane values. For this reason, we have to just say, "One minute, one minute," -- the famous slogan at Davos -- when this issue of the caliphate is brought up, regardless of any good intentions in advancing this idea.

06 February 2009, Friday
HÜSEYİN GÜLERCE
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/yazarDetay.do?haberno=166092

Turkish PM storms off in Gaza row

Turkey's prime minister has stormed off the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos after a heated debate on Gaza with Israel's president.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan clashed with Shimon Peres, whose voice had risen as he made an impassioned defence of Israel's actions, jabbing his finger.

Mr Erdogan said Mr Peres had spoken so loudly to conceal his "guilt".

He accused the moderator of not allowing him to speak and said he did not think he would return to Davos.

The Turkish PM stressed later that he had left the debate not because of his disagreements with Mr Peres but because he had been given much less time to speak than the Israeli leader.

Turkey is one of the few Muslim countries to have dealings with Israel, but relations have been under strain since the Islamist-rooted AK Party was elected to power in 2002.

Late on Thursday, a WEF official said that Mr Peres and Mr Erdogan had spoken by mobile telephone, and both men now considered the matter closed.

Dinner time

In the debate, Mr Erdogan was cut off as he attempted to reply to Mr Peres.

Earlier the Turkish Prime Minister had made an address himself, describing Gaza as an "open-air prison".

When the audience applauded Mr Peres, he said: "I find it very sad that people applaud what you said. You killed people. And I think that it is very wrong."

The moderator, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, had given him a minute to reply, then asked him to finish, saying that people needed to go to dinner.

"I do not think I will be coming back to Davos after this because you do not let me speak," Mr Erdogan shouted before marching off the stage in front of Mr Peres, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and an elite audience of ministers and international officials.

Mr Peres had told the audience Israel was forced on to the offensive against Hamas by thousands of rockets and mortars fired into Israel.

"The tragedy of Gaza is not Israel, it is Hamas," the Israeli leader said.

"Why did they fire rockets? There was no siege against Gaza. Why did they fight us, what did they want? There was never a day of starvation in Gaza."

He argued that Mr Erdogan would have reacted in the same way if rockets had hit Istanbul.

More than 1,300 Palestinians and 14 Israelis were killed during the three-week conflict which began on 27 December.

Mr Erdogan later complained that he had been allowed to speak for just 12 minutes compared with 25 for Mr Peres.

"I did not target at all in any way the Israeli people, President Peres or the Jewish people," he said.

"I am a prime minister, a leader who has expressly stated that anti-Semitism is a crime against humanity."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/davos/7859417.stm
Page last updated at 23:52 GMT, Thursday, 29 January 2009

Pardon me, I've been trying to write for the past few minutes but I got caught up with sneezing...bless me

Now, during watching some movies or TV shows, do you ever wonder whose point of view do they show?

who sets the age group to which this show is suitable? Depending on what? And how far do they affect us?

Take any movie as an example, there's a writer, a producer, a director and a whole staff of actors. Which of them decides what to show?

The writer who spends a lot of time writing the script, usually attempting to sho his own point of view?

The producer who pays a whole lot of money to put that script into an action?

The director who's there at every single step to shape it fairly for the screen?

Or the actors actresses who execute these scripts?

I mean, who?? Maybe I do think too much, but some movies just makes u stop and think about this

God didn't promise days without pain,
laughter without sorrow,
or sun without rain,
But He did promise strength for the day,
comfort for the tears,
and light for the way.

If God brings you to it,
He will bring you through it.