The travails of a crypto trader
The crypto space can be very unforgiving when one commits certain errors or fails to act promptly in a market that is characterised by volatility and sometimes manipulation by whales. It is indeed very easy to be carried away when the candles are enveloped in the radiance of green. The euphoria of this sight can be so overwhelming that one forgets that the reds are lurking in the corner waiting for the Opportunity to strike catching one unawares.
The timeless advise of managing one's greed is especially relevant for the one who dares to venture into crypto trading. This is one of the rather prominent terminologies that anyone that has spent little time in the crypto space would have come across. It seems like a simple and straightforward piece of advise or word of caution but it can also become one of those things that are easier said than done.
It is even more challenging to stick to this advise when one is in an uptrend market and every prospective green candle trying to light up the chart is a temptation to crave for more profit.
My trading experience of the past few weeks has been filled with highs and lows although quantitatively the highs have had the day.
After making 90 USD from trading MANA via the Royal Q trading bot in about 24 hours and taking my profit, I literally felt unstoppable and was confident that my profit streak would continue if I ventured into another trade as the market was generally green. This was where I failed to follow a failsafe mechanism when the market has been good, know when to take a break and carefully plan for your next trade instead of jumping at the next good trading signal.
The next trade I ventured into was Looping (LRC) via manual spot trading on Binance. The first few trades were profitable. Within a few hours, I had made about 40 USD. Unfortunately for me, greed kicked in and instead of taking profit I decided to go all in probably blinded by the prospect of exceeding the profit I had made while trading MANA.
Unfortunately the market had other plans in stock for me. Within the twinkle of an eye, the green candles turned red and halted all prospects of the profits coming in. As if that wasn't enough, the dip started getting steeper or dipper as a mentor would say hence I had to call it quits before raking in losses instead of profits as the dip wiped out all the profits that I had made.
I learnt the hard way that manual trading is probably not for me at this point in time. I will likely be sticking with the Royal Q bot for the foreseeable future that is till when my 1 year license (now 120 USD) of USD 100 expires. The only shortfall I have seen with the bot is the choice of entry point for a trade as although it will only sell at a profit rate which can be adjusted by the user, there is a chance of it buying the top if a user is oblivious of the situation in the market and opts to enter a trade when a coin is at or close to its all time high.
Hence for trading newbies it's a good idea to have a mentor with experience in technical analysis to provide guidance as to which trades to enter as well as when to enter. In the absence of this the bot offers the option of copy trading via joining the circle of experienced traders while the profit is shared between the user and the experienced trader.
Going forward I intend to make stick with the three rules below to avoid a repeat of the lows of the past week:
Greed management
Always take profit as deemed appropriate
Have an exit plan for your trades and stick to it
In order to be able to stick to any of the above checks to manage one's risk, discipline is vital. Without it, one is likely going indulge oneself and hope on the mirage that the candles will always be green and the profits will continue flowing in.
Lastly if you intend to do crypto trading even if it is at the level of spot, be willing to sacrifice some money to learn from experienced traders whenever the opportunity presents itself or participate in paid seminars. Consider the money spent on such activities as investments instead of having to lose such amounts or more while trading because one did not learn about trading before venturing into it.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Digital currencies Vs Fiat system: The eNaira case study
A couple of days ago several media outlets carried a headline which I believe as usual was carefully worded to attract traffic and bring about or spark controversy as usual. These two items i.e. traffic and controversy are what most media outlets especially the online platforms literally hunt for these days. Their similitude is like that of a great white shark and blood with the latter being like a magnet for the former. Wherever there is the slightest whiff of controversy, trust the media especially the mainstream outfits to swoop in like the great white shark for the kill.
The headline read:
***Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) spends 58.6 billion naira to print 2.5 billion naira notes***
The message which most readers implied from the headline was that the central bank spent 58.6 billion naira to print 2.5 billion naira worth of bank notes. The writers of the caption clearly decided to omit the fact that the said amount was spent to print 2.5 billion naira notes worth more than a trillion naira (1.06 trillion naira) which other media outlets reported. This was a deliberate act of click baiting as anyone would surely want to read the details for such a controversial headline. Whether or not the amount expended to achieve this is a subject which those with years of experience on how the system of printing fiat money works are competent to deliberate on.
However this story brings to the fore the attendant costs that go with the continued use of the fiat system. From my calculations the implication of printing the said number of notes meant that an average of 18.08 (about 0.04 USD or 4 cents based on the official exchange rate of 414 naira to 1 USD) naira was expended on printing each naira note.
If the country had since adopted digital currency as it has now done, there wouldn't have been the need to spend so much on printing of fiat money as it will still be needed for some time pending when there is adequate mass adoption of the newly launched digital naira to give way for a phased withdrawal of bank notes from circulation.
I can only imagine what other nations spend to continue bankrolling the current use of fiat money. For example the United States 2021 proposed currency operating budget for is 1,095.8 million USD with the printing of a 100 USD note expected to cost 14 cents (0.14 USD). The cost of other denominations as presented on the website of the United States Federal Reserve is presented below
Denomination Printing Costs
$1 and $2 6.2 cents per note
$5 10.8 cents per note
$10 10.8 cents per note
$20 11.2 cents per note
$50 11.0 cents per note
I expect that all countries still solely relying on the fiat system are probably looking for ways of cutting down costs of maintaining the system. The adoption of digital currencies is surely the sustainable way to go to achieve this.
**A brief on the eNaira**
The eNaira was officially launched on 1st October, 2021 by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is the first central bank regulated digital currency in Africa .It will run on Hyperledger fabric blockchain and follow the official naira exchange rate. The CBN allayed fears that the introduction of the eNaira was not an attempt to steal customers from the commercial banks. It further stated that the eNaira offers several advantages to the country such as:
reduction in the costs associated with the handling of bank notes
reduction of transaction related costs
faster transactions
financial inclusion for many unbaked Nigerians as there are plans for a version of the eNaira app to cater for this group of citizens
After the launch of the eNaira and the release of the app in the Google play store, I gave the eNaira app a spin. The app has a simple and minimalist interface with the option of using QR codes for making as well as receiving payments. I did a transfer from my bank account to the enaira wallet and it went through quite quickly. However a transfer from the wallet to my bank account was another story entirely. The transaction i.e. the credit did not reflect in my account until about 24 hours later which is rather poor but not unexpected as the enaira is still in its infancy.
Thus for better adoption of the digital naira (eNaira) platform to reduce the costs associated with maintaining the current system of printing bank notes, the system needs to be tweaked or fine tuned quickly to ensure that the transaction times is at par with that of the current systems being used by banks or even faster.
With the lists of countries with central banks floating digital currencies steadily increasing, it is obvious that digital currencies have come to stay and will not be going anywhere anytime soon irrespective of the initial challenges with its deployment and mass adoption.
Digital currencies are clearly the next phase in the evolution of the financial system of the world which has been recognised by governments across the globe even if they wouldn't love to acknowledge it. Those who have realised this will do well to start making well planned investments in cryptocurrencies with good use case scenarios as well as solid fundamentals if they haven't already done so. Remember:
"***The future belongs to those who plan for it today***".
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
The illusion of being indispensable
According to the Cambridge dictionary of English, any person or thing that lays claim to being indespensible is so good or important that you could not manage without it, him or her. As is the case with any emerging field of science, knowledge or human endeavour, the pioneers are usually given a special regard haven being the ones that broke the grounds or paved the way for others to follow.
However as we have seen some of these individuals who are pathfinders in some regards tend to adorn themselves with the toga of indispensability. One may say it is only a human weakness to entertain such feelings or thoughts. This weakness assumes a frightening dimension when the one who deems himself indispensable becomes desperate to maintain such self acclaimed status and does virtually anything possible to prevent others from 'dethroning' him including causing bodily harm and sabotage.
Everything in life occurs in turn. Some days will be for you while others will seem as though they are against you. Similarly today you may be at the top tomorrow may be another ball game, you could even fall or be displaced to the bottom. The right attitude to these inevitable changes that life throws at us is not to adopt the approach of despair or desperation. Rather what is needed is to constantly put in the required effort and strive to be the best knowing that someone else might beat you to it but if you do get rewarded with being the best, do not attempt to retain that status by hook or crook.
It is saddening that while trying to fit into the role of being indispensable, we tend to lose sight of the things that matter in life like family and friends. Sometimes this error is somewhat commited innocently and not deliberately. So it is a good idea while pursuing that dream career or position, to take a step back for introspection to see if we are becoming goal driven cruel monsters of sorts, missing out of the important things in life or worse still failing to give attention to people in our lives deserving of it only to regret later when it's too late.
I will conclude with a summary of a story which I read when I was younger, I think I was in junior high school when I encountered the comprehension passage which struck a chord. Please pardon me for not being able to reproduce the entire passage as I read the story more than two decades ago. The story was about a renowned medical doctor who had achieved so much in terms of his career. He was a workaholic but had a flaw which was not spending enough quality time with his family. Some at his workplace seemed to think he was indispensable and had tagged him as such.
Alas as fate would have it he eventually died in the course of duty, although he was mourned by colleagues at workplace, it was only a matter of time before someone else stepped up to take up the responsibilities which he had been discharging while he left behind a family which he had failed to give the required attention. While his family mourned his demise, he was promptly replaced because the job which he did just had to go on as certainly he wasn't the only one capable of doing it.
It was indeed a tragic ending for someone who was at the peak of his career. It is therefore vital to give all aspects of one's life its appropriate due such that one doesn't seemingly excel in some areas at the detriment of others.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Minting an NFT is quite simple via the AIRNFT dapp on the Binance Smart Chain. I created an NFT sometime ago using the Dapp browser in Trust wallet. The process requires following a series of prompts and granting some permissions, the first of which is connecting your wallet to the AIRNFT dapp.
Thereafter follow the prompts to navigate to the picture which you want to mint as an NFT, accept and pay the gas fees and voila, you've got yourself your very own NFT. See the link below for the NFT I minted.
https://app.airnfts.com/nft/Gathering_storm_1619350638414
Another day, another rug pull: the beachswap hack
A lot can indeed happen within 24 hours. Ask Jack Bauer of the acclaimed hit series , 24 and he will certainly attest to this. The events which unfolded in the last 24 hours have indeed left a bitter taste in the mouths of many in the BCH community , particularly those who will be unable to recover funds that were invested. Even those with a glimmer of hope for recovering their invested funds, know that it will not be an easy ride.
Haven witnessed my fair share of rug pulls as an early investor on the Binance Smart Chain, I thought I had seen all the tactics that could be employed by Devs with malicious intent. Little did I know that I was literally still a learner as in reality no one can lay claim to have seen it all. The classic approach for rug pulls used to be first, the Devs or admins suddenly become mute or unresponsive in their social media handles or Telegram groups while silently initiating the process of making away with investors funds but in the case of the beachswap rug pull the dev engaged the community till the zero hour.
Who would have thought that with a total value locked of close to USD 1 million barely a few hours after launch beachswap would turn out to be a rug pull. Probably only those with a lot more experience in the defi space.
The beachswap rug pull took many by surprise especially people like me with little experience about the red flags to watch out in smart contracts as some individuals who didn't invest in the dex have now stated that there were indeed some red flags therein. I was particularly shocked when I saw chat messages about the rug pull in the evening because I had been on the site earlier in the day. The beachswap dev was indeed cruel as he took down the website as well as the telegram group which had been abuzz with activities barely a few hours earlier.
The beachswap dev hoodwinked many including myself by offering features which no other Dex was offering such as the vault and single asset staking. Whatsmore the dev was ever so eager to respond to queries or questions about the Dex in the Telegram group. He adopted a suggestion from a community member to airdrop unsold tokens after presale.
In order to ensure that all those who joined the presale got their air drops he also sent test tokens. He even conducted polls on when the dex as well as trading should commence at the end of presale. This was all apparently part of a well thought out plan to win hearts and minds in preparation for the hack.
Going forward, we are likely going to see investors being very critical about putting their funds in any upcoming project or Dex due to the fresh wounds from the beachswap rug. As they say, once bitten twice shy. Although the golden principle in the defi space is DYOR, personalities who have built a good reputation overtime and are trusted should also be wary of shilling any (new) projects without critical and detailed due diligence no matter how appealing or promising they may appear to avoid their reputation being smeared in the event that things go south.
A cold reception is likely going to be the welcome for any new projects on the SmartBch network in the near future. This is all quite unfortunate considering the momentum and excitement that was building up in the BCH community. All these due to the actions of a few bad actors in the BCH ecosystem. The recent rug pulls is also a wake up call for the Devs of the dexes that are still standing to build up trust and maintain it. They should not give any room for doubts in the minds of investors via their actions or inactions. As if trust is replaced with doubts, nothing remains. Little wonder it is said that Trust is like a glass, once broken it is virtually impossible to put it back together.
Another day, another rug
The recent rugpull by beachswap took many by surprise especially people like me with little experience about the red flags to watch out in smart contracts. I was particularly shocked when I saw chat messages about the rug pull in the evening because I had been on the site earlier in the day.
They hoodwinked many including myself by offering features which no other Dex was offering such as the vault and single asset staking. Whatsmore the dev was ever so eager to respond to queries or questions about the Dex in the Telegram group, this was all apparently part of a well thought out plan to win hearts and minds.
We learn all the time. The big take away from this is for anyone thinking of investing in any Defi project to always do thorough due diligence because apparently newbies can easily get burnt in the Defi space. Stay safe out there folks.
The SmartBCH ecosystem is going ballistic
The SmartBCH ecosystem has been a bee hive of activities in the past few weeks with the arrival of new Dexes to Join BenSwap and the NFT market place via BlockNG. There is no room for monopolisation of the space as the Devs of the respective dexes have to up their game in terms of adding value to their platforms. Word on SmartBCH street has it that a new dex will be launching tomorrow . It could however be later than this depending on when the presale is concluded.
The dex goes by the name of Beachswap and is available at beachswap.org although there isn't activity yet. This is not unexpected as it hasn't been launched yet. The site is expected to go live as soon as the presale which is ongoing ends. http://beachswap.org
Some components of the interface remind me of some functions available on the Bolt True Shares platform on the Binance Smart Chain. The features are specifically the vault and the locker. The vault offers locking up the beach token for a specific period of time to earn rewards. Currently only 7 and 30 days lock up options are displayed on the site.
The competition among the dexes is a very welcome one and I hope it yields more effectiveness and innovation on the part of the Devs. The BeachSwap dex will be offering something which no other Dex has offered till now. A peek into the farms shows that they will be offering single staking for FlexUSD and WBCH. This could be a game changer that will swing things in favour of the platform and attract liquidity providers especially the single staking of FlexUSD due to the protection from impermanent losses.
The coming weeks are hopefully going to be explosive on the network as other dexes are expected to also up their game. The MistSwap dev has already hinted of the unveiling of a feature on their platform which isn't currently available on others . The announcement was made via a post on their Telegram channel as seen in the screenshot below.
This brings me to an observation regarding effective communication between the Devs and users of the available dexes. The Devs /Admins of BenSwap, MistSwap and BCHPAD have been doing a lot in terms of timely response to queries in Telegram groups but there is still room for improvement. The Admins of the MuesliSwap in particular need to do a lot more in terms of updating members of their Telegram group with some individuals raising these concerns recently. The Admins seem to have a listening ear and are now posting updates in their TG more often which I hope they will sustain. This is my personal assessment of the current situation which is open to scrutiny.
For holders of BCHPAD tokens you can now put your tokens to work on MuesliSwap as a BPAD-BCH farm has been added on their platform. Hopefully by the time BeachSwap launches tomorrow there will also be another dex to stake BPAD-BCH LP as a preview of their site shows a BPAD-BCH farm.
It is the desire of the supporters of the SBCH platform that we will not be witnessing rugpulls anytime soon and that the competition amongst the dexes will give room for more productivity.
Only time will tell which of the dexes will be the last man or men standing.
Lest I forget MistSwap is having a giveaway contest of 50,000 Mist for correct predication of the feature they are announcing next week. You can visit their Twitter handle for the details of the contest.
For those interested in joining the BeachSwap presale, you can read the pinned message in their Telegram group : https://t.me/beachswaphttps://t.me/beachswap/595
for the procedure for doing so. Remember only invest what you can afford to lose in Defi and ALWAYS DYOR.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Honesty should always be rewarded
What would you do if you came across $ 50,000 i.e. 50k USD and could easily make away with it as no one would know you were the one who took it as no one was watching or paying attention to you?
Most people would probably pocket that amount without thinking twice because it is literally a life changing amount for the average person on the planet.
This was the dilemma, Emmanuel Tolue an 18 year old Liberian faced when he encountered 50K USD which had been lost by a businesswoman. He was faced with 3 options:
1. keep all the lost money to himself
2. keep some of the lost money and return the balance while claiming that the balance returned was the only amount he had found
3. return the entire amount
Emmanuel's decision to opt for the third option is indeed commendable and praiseworthy as we live in a time when the society generally honours only those who possess wealth often times disregarding how the said wealth had been made or acquired.
If Emmanuel had opted for any of the first two options , he could have transformed his life and started living large. He could have cooked up a story of how he had suddenly struck gold in some fictitious business deal or investment of sorts and no one would even care to scrutinize his story especially if he was spreading the money around via acts of philanthropy or community service.
We may not fully grasp the enormity of Emmanuel's choice in the face of the available options he had if we do not view it from the perspective of his situation. This was a young man who had to discontinue schooling because of financial challenges to begin riding a motorbike to make ends meet. The odds were overwhelmingly in favour of him picking either of the first two options as opposed to the third. But rather than succumb to the temptation, he did the uncommon thing to the disdain of many of those around him as it was reported.
I first heard of Emmanuel's story on a local FM radio station where it had been reported that he had cried out for protection from the police as he feared his life was in danger for returning the lost money. The report stated that he had received taunts and threats from fellow motorbike riders, neighbours as well as some family members for daring to return the money. I was indeed disturbed and hoped for the best for him. Some of the taunts which he received are quoted below
“***Since my decision, when I have a breakdown on the highway and some of my rider friends see me, they don’t help; they say I acted stupid to find and return money. I should let the money help me,”***
“***They tell me I will never get rich in my lifetime; they say because I returned such an amount of money I will live and die poor***.”
The quotes are courtesy of a report in the Washington Post about Emmanuel's Heroic act.
His fortunes have since changed between that then and the time of penning this piece. It was reported on the BBC world service that he has received several rewards for his act of uncommon honesty and is now receiving praises. He has even received offers of employment and scholarship up to postgraduate level (M.Sc) from the President of Liberia. Some of the rewards he has received include 1,500 USD worth of items from the business woman who lost the money, 10K USD from the Liberian president and 2 new motorbikes.
I am glad that those who previously mocked and went to the extent to threatening this young man have been put to shame and are should be hiding their heads in shame that is if they have any left. Acts of honesty like this should or dare I say MUST be rewarded to encourage others to tow the the line of honesty especially in a society like our where it appears as though the centre stage of praises and respect has been taken up by people who have questionable character or have acquired wealth by questionable means.
I do not know if it was intended to be on a lighter note but one of the BBC reporters had narrated of how he had encountered 10k in traveller's cheques which was supposed to endow a 1% reward for the one who returns it if ever lost. He stated that he had promptly returned the cheques but was yet to receive any reward as the company had said to would get back to him, which they were still in the 'process' of doing till now. He concluded that because of this, he would certainly not be returning such item if he ever encountered any in future.
Irrespective of whatever Emmanuel's motivations were , he did the right thing which is what we should all always strive to do irrespective of what people might say or do.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Keep in touch not out of touch
Before the advent of social media, people used to communicate via phone calls, text messages and other means of electronic communication (some of which are now virtually redundant or worse still extinct). Neighbours , friends and relatives used to pay each other visits more often just to see how the other party was doing. Then social media came and disrupted our concept of checking up on people as well as social interactions.
Don't get me wrong , I am not heaping all the blame at the doorsteps of social media. Although it provides tools or functionalities that were probably intended to enhance social interactions between people especially for those that are far apart, it is having the opposite effect in some instances. Little wonder, someone commented that:
***We are so connected yet disconnected***
This statement may seem ironic, but it is sadly true.
Who knows how many spouses or families have strained relationships due to unhealthy or improper usage of social media. Some spend so much time keeping in touch with friends who are far away while neglecting the people who are right in front of them. Children spend so much of their time chatting with friends on social media platforms while not giving attention to their siblings who they probably feel aren't 'cool' enough. Everyone now keeps to themselves and their mobile devices that is.
There are many social media applications or platforms that offer the option of voice and video calls, the question is how many of us use these options to check up or communicate with friends, family or colleagues who are far away. Rather we stick to the cheaper and more convenient option of text alone. The video call option I especially believe was intended to enhance social interaction but most people hardly use it.
There's a whole world of difference between when you text, call or see someone in real time when communicating with them. Texting may not convey the the emotional state of an individual as not all of us are very good at conveying our emotions via written communication. With the latter options of communication , one can easily discern or have an idea of the their emotional or physical state in some cases to the extent of noticing things that the other party might not have paid attention to.
Let me illustrate this, for sometime I have been having some health challenges which reflects in the way I speak when I receive phone calls or other forms of voice communications. My current state will in no way be reflected if someone chose to communicate with me via text except of course I decide to specifically let such person know about my situation. A friend called me a few hours ago and from the way I sounded during the call, he clearly knew something was wrong and was prompted to inquire about my health, this would likely not have happened if we had communicated via text.
In the midst of this literal madness of trying to achieve so much or making all that money you dream of , do not just see some of your contacts only as a means to achieving your goals. See them as people first who you should interact with, show concern for their welfare and render assistance when possible. Rendering assistance doesn't always involve tangible things,a piece of advice or kind words spoken out of genuine concern could brighten someone's day. In some instances such words have literally changed lives especially in a world where so many people are walking about with the burden of depression.
What I am advocating for is to not just limit your interaction or conversations with your contacts to text alone. Make it a habit to actually check up on them via using voice communication or video calls if available, as these offer you the option of assessing their condition better than text. Better still whenever you have time to spare, get on a bus or hop into your vehicle and pay physical visits to your contacts. You'd be marvelled at the effect these kind of interactions have on your relationship with others when compared to texting alone.
What do I know, these may all just be perceived as the rantings of someone who wants to bash social media but ask yourself, are the people in your contacts just simply names who you connect with only when you need something from them or do you genuinely care about them and put in that extra effort to actually see how they are faring.
Let me close this piece with a story of a rather unfortunate incident which occured in the United Kingdom. It was reported that a lady had died in her apartment and her body was only discovered years later when she had defaulted on her rent for so long. The discovery of her decomposed corpse occured when law enforcement officers forcefully made entry to her residence to effect her eviction only to be welcomed by the scene of her lifeless body. This incident brings so many questions to mind.
She was probably a name in someone somewhere contact list, how come no one bothered to check up on her ? the same thing applies to her neighbours and colleagues at work.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Mistswap adds new farms
The Devs on the SmartBCH network do not seem to be sparing any effort with activities on the SBCH network. The team at MistSwap is not left out as they have been working round the clock to bring more functionality to their platform. Although users of MistSwap already have the option of staking Mist alone or with other tokens via liquidity pools, they now have the opportunity of more farms to choose from on the platform.
***As they say variety is the spice of life.***
From an initial number of 9 farms, the total number of farms now stands at 30 as 21 farms were added a couple of hours ago. The first two screenshots are of the initial nine farms (some farms in the first screenshot appear in the second screenshot as I chose not to crop the screenshots).
The other screenshots contain the newly added farms on MistSwap.
The APR's for most pools have reduced, some of the farms still offer attractive APR's. The reduction in the APR was due to the reweighing and balancing of the farms which was done before the addition of the new pools.
My experience in the Telegram group of MistSwap has thus far been a good one. The discussions there have been civil and free of any form of rancour or animosity. Questions and complaints raised there have also been addressed by the admins in the group headed by @kasumi . Their responses most times have been promptly and timely. I hope they keep up the tempo as more users come on board the group.
Hopefully we will see the introduction of other interesting features such as yield calculator which is compatible with the mobile version of MetaMask on MistSwap as time goes by.
The voices we hear
Herbert Mullin, David Berkowitz, Peter Sutcliffe, Anthony Sowell and Elizabeth wettlaufer all have one thing in common. They are individuals who went on a killing spree while claiming to be following instructions or orders from voices in their heads. In simple terms they are serial killers who attempted to use the excuse of hearing voices as an excuse or a defense for their crimes.
This claim is not new and has reoccurred among serial killers over the years. Some persons who have been convicted for one off murders have also been known to lay claim to hearing voices. Why they were chosen by the voices they claimed to have heard still remains a mystery.
In some cases of suicide or attempts at committing suicide, the individuals involved have also been known to claim that they were pressured to take their own lives by voices tormenting them in their head. These claims however are yet to be scientifically proven as there exists no test or procedure to authenticate the veracity of the claim or claims.
The closest known scientific acknowledgement of these sinister voices is a diagnosis of an underlying case of paranoid schizophrenia. In this situation, the sufferer has lost touch with reality accompanied by a constant barrage of auditory hallucination. Some psychiatric experts opine that the voices these convicted serial killers claim to hear are nothing more than a reflection of the contents of their minds.
Thus the claim that they heard the voice of God ordering them to carry out gruesome acts is nothing more than an attempt to shift the blame from themselves or simply not taking responsibility for their dastardly acts.
However this doesn't mean that there is nothing to these claims. Hence not all of them may be swept aside as mere excuses by the individual(s) involved as science is an evolving field. Especially when the culprit doesn't eventually confess to haven tried to use the voices as an excuse. What is rejected by science today by be accepted tomorrow as the body of knowledge is not adverse to change.
There's another voice which is often not written about probably for want of an appropriate word or appellation to describe it. I believe most of us would have had some sort of integration with this voice at some point in time, for some it might even be on a daily basis. It is that little guiding voice or whisper which points us in the right direction when about to take certain decisions or embarking on a task. I have searched and pondered for a word to describe this voice but all that I have come across such as:
intuition
sixth sense
gut feeling
I believe the above don't quite do justice to what this guiding voice does at least for me. Often times when I listen to the counsel from this voice or should I rather say thought in my subconscious, I am usually better for it as the outcome is usually pleasant. Similarly when I disregard its promptings usually to take precautionary steps or act proactively, I often regret it.
I will narrate one recent scenario. A few months ago, I had a presentation to make, I felt its promptings to go along with an extension box from home but I waved it aside convincing myself that there would surely be one at the venue. Upon getting to the venue for the presentation, lo and behold , the extension box that was available was too short.
I had to began moving about wasting time and energy searching for an extension when I ought to have been resting and rehearsing for my presentation. After much ado, I finally got an extension box which acted up on several occasions while the presentation was ongoing. I would have been saved from all the stress if only I had listened to that friendly prompting or voice in my head to go along with mine.
Have you had a similar experience with this friendly prompting or voice in your head?
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
The art of Cross carpeting
At a glance the term cross carpeting might seem like one that relates to interior decoration as it bears the word carpet but in reality the meaning it conveys is no way related to any item of furniture. I first encountered the term in an English text while in high school. The writer of the comprehension passage lamented about the ill effects of the act on the political system.
The term is used to depict the act of moving across political party lines rather indiscriminately. It is prominently used in Nigeria due to the frequency and ease with which political 'gladiators' decamp or defect from one party to another. While researching for this article I was amazed that it is now recognised that cross carpeting is indeed a prominent challenge in the political landscape in Nigeria as seen in the results of my search query depicted below
In places where politicians still have honour, it is not out of place to defect in opposition to a move by one's political party which doesn't align or go down well with the individual's principles. In Nigeria however, more often than not, politicians defect only for selfish reasons or to fulfil personal ambitions. The reasons range from securing re-election to other more sinister motives which they usually conceal till the right opportunity presents itself.
The art of cross carpeting is reported to predate Nigeria's independence as the first prominent incident occured in 1951 when 20 members of the National Council for Nigerian and the Cameroon (NCNC) crossed over to the Action Group (AG) within a twenty four hour period. This move was reportedly along ethnic lines and aimed at influencing who emerged as the Premier of the then Western Region of Nigeria.
The ceremony to announce the decamping of (so called) political opponents to one's party is usually characterised by funfare and lots of publicity especially if the decampee is a political heavy weight with a large base of supporters or followers as this implies that a large percentage if not all the supporters will also follow suit.
Recently a prominent critic of the present administration in Nigeria, switched camps from the main opposition party to the ruling party citing the achievements of the government as the reason for the move. He even made peace with a minister whom he had previously called unprintable names. His defection took many unawares as he appeared to be a crusader of sorts championing the cause of checkmating the present administration. One of the reasons why many were shocked by his decamping was his statement that he would NEVER rejoin the ruling party till kingdom come due to what he claimed to have experienced in his previous 'short' stint with the party.
He has since come out to say that no one has any right to condemn him for his previous statements. He has spoken the truth as in reality he has neither been charged to court nor found guilty for his unguarded utterances. Indeed if he had been sued for his utterances and found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, the song he would have been singing at the present time would certainly have been different.
It appears that not all members of the ruling party welcomed the return of the proverbial prodigal son particularly the President. Someone remarked that the President's body language in the pictures taken when he received the prodigal son spoke volumes as to his stand on the decamping or would I say recamping. Another commentator remarked that he wondered how long it took to convince the President to agree to the photo shoot because of his facial expressions in the pictures.
Who knows what might have transpired behind closed doors that prompted the ruling party to accept him into their ranks considering his public display of animosity towards its leaders. Some have suggested sarcastically that
'***hunger don beat am***'
i.e. no more access to (free) cash from the government necessitated the move particularly in the tough economic climate in the country.
Another suggestion was that the move was possibly necessitated by a fear that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission may have its sights on him and might have been coming for him. Hence the need for him to take the necessary 'precaution' of decamping. Little wonder another politician once remarked that if one wants his past 'sins' forgiven simply decamp to the ruling party. These suggestions as to his motive or motivation s all remain speculations at best as there is no valid evidence to back them up.
Cross carpeting is a global challenge as there have even been a few instances in the self acclaimed home of democracy, the United States. The reason why the Nigerian scenario is disturbing is the frequency and the reason (which is usually selfish) for the defections. This has prompted a call amongst concerned citizens that it is high time that some restrictions are put in place to checkmate the act with some even calling for the act to be criminalised. The big question is who is going to bell the cat of making (the) legislation to checkmate the act of incessant decamping?Is it the same political class who are the beneficiaries?
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Protect yourself from AMD
AMD is an eye defect that is associated with ageing. The acronym stands for age related macular degeneration. It is a condition that cannot be cured but managed based on the medical procedures and expertise available at the present time. However if left unmanaged or unattended , it could lead to blurred vision and eventually blindness.
Research has suggested that there is a subtle link between prolonged exposure to blue light which is usually from screens and AMD. Thus for individuals who are exposed to screens for extended periods on a daily basis , certain precautions need to be taken to maintain healthy eyesight.
The threat of possible harmful effects to one's vision is a real one which I can attest to from my personal experience. At the height of the pandemic, I began to experience blurred vision as well as persistent headaches. During that period I spent a lot of time behind the screens of my mobile device and laptop.
I initially thought it was just because I had stopped using my glasses. However I observed that even when I had the glasses on, the challenge still persisted. It was only when a friend mentioned the risk of possible blindness due to screen usage in the dark that I began to have a rethink as to the cause of the challenges with my vision.
I turned to Google to find out if I was alone in this experience of mine. The results from my search query gave me a whole new perspective on why I was experiencing challenges with my vision. It turns out that I wasn't alone and that there were so many other people having similar challenges.
The reason for this was an increased exposure to screens of mobile phones or computers (increased screen time) which meant an increased exposure to blue light which has been suggested to be linked to AMD due to the impairment of the retinal cells.
This challenge to vision is one of the emerging challenges with the digital age in which we live. For this reason, the challenge has been appropriately dubbed digital eye strain. According to the website nvision.com, some of the symptoms of digital eye strain include the following: http://nvision.com
Eyestrain
Dryness of the eyes
Blurred vision
Headaches
Some techniques have been suggested to help reduce the risk to eyesight associated with exposure to blue light from mobile devices and other screens. A few of them are stated below.
**1.******Reduction of screen time****
There is no ideal or standard screen time. It is a good idea though to take a break from the screen the moment one starts to experience any form of vision related challenges. Children's screen time should especially be monitored as It has been suggested that their eyes absorb blue light more than those of adults. Hence their screen time should be considerably lesser when compared to that of adults.
**2.******Maintaing a good posture and distance from the screens****
Good posture with the eyes gazing downwards at the screen and adequate distance have been reported to help in the reduction of eye strain overtime. Some studies have suggested maintaing a distance of 25 inches from the screen as a measure to reduce exposure to blue light.
3.****Proper lighting or light management****
It is recommended that the amount of light in the environment or surrounding in which you intend to use your device should almost be be the same with the level of brightness or lighting of your screen. The reason for this is that eye strain is likely to occur if there is a marked difference between the brightness of the environment and the screen. A good example of this is using a mobile phone with a bright screen in a dark environment which causes the eyes to work harder.
4.****Adopt the**** ****20-20-20**** ****technique****
This approach require one to take a break every 20 minutes by looking at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps to give the eyes a break to relax.
From the suggestions above, it is obvious that in order to safeguard one's vision while working with screens, a combination of the techniques above is required for the desired protection and the individual techniques in isolation. Most importantly if you are experiencing any of or a combination of the symptoms above, it is recommended that you see an eye doctor for a definitive diagnosis so that whatever may be causing it (or them) can be properly managed.
It is important to point out that exposure to blue light is not the only factor responsible for AMD as it a result of a combination of factors. However those who suspect that they may be prone to AMD may do well to reduce their screen time.
Another handy tip for users of android devices is to enable the night light feature which aims to reduce eyestrain due to mobile phone usage at night. Windows operating system also has this feature. I do not know if Apple devices such as the iPhone or Macintosh OS have similar features. There are also applications which offer night light or blue light filters for devices which do not have the feature built into the operating system.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
When Trust is betrayed
Trust is sometimes described like a piece of glass, once shattered or broken, it is virtually impossible to put it back together to the state it was previously no matter how much effort is put in to achieve it. This is the reason why the one in whom people repose their trust must guard it jealously. Trust is so important that it a key factor in the success of failure of any kind of relationship. Any relationship that lacks it will surely not stand the test of time, no matter how lovely or rosy it may appear to be at the beginning.
In Africa, respect for elders is a key part of our culture and upbringing. Hence the expected norm is for the younger generation to look up to and respect the older generation because the latter is expected to guide the former with a good example by being a role model. Sadly, the culture of respect for elders is fast fading away. Some have attributed this to solely be the effect of the influence of westernisation. I however think it is not just that alone. I think another key reason for the loss of respect is the absence to a very large extent of trust for the older generation or the elders by the younger generation.
This absence of trust doesn't just exist between the younger and older generation, it is also prominent in the relationship between the elected officials and the electorate. I think this trust deficit is closely linked to the entrance of a strong opponent in the arena. This opponent is the tag team of politics and corruption who now seem inseparable and unstoppable. The image of the elderly as being trustworthy has largely been tainted by people of this age bracket among the political class who seem to have formed an unholy alliance with corruption. This alliance has brought nothing but disrepute to the image of the elderly being worthy of emulation due to the shameful acts of corruption as well as false promises being made during electioneering campaigns.
Unfortunately, the younger generation are fast copying them as the situation at the level of student activism is no better. In the days of old, the Student Unions used to be a voice against acts of injustice or oppression against students as well as the general public but what we have now in most cases are student union leaders or activists who have been compromised via financial inducements. Hence they dare not speak out against their pay masters thus losing the trust of those who elected them to be their representatives. Thus even amongst the youths, a trust deficit is beginning to develop such that some section of youths fear that if political power is one day handed over to their generation, more brazen acts of corruption may be witnessed.
The recent pandemic further dented an already damaged reputation as the 'palliatives' saga unravelled. The palliatives saga was a series of discoveries of warehouses holding items which were donated and meant for distribution to those worst hit by the lock down. The people were outraged that while they were suffering due to the economic hardship that accompanied the lockdown, their leaders were hoarding items that were meant to offer them some sort of relief. The first discovery of the palliative storage location seemed to trigger a domino effect for the discovery of more locations in other States.
In some other regions the demons that have formed alliances with the Government officials are big pharma. The Government individuals who have been compromised turn a blind eye to contraventions of regulatory practices by big pharmaceutical companies. Some other times this compromise results in appropriate sanctions not being taken on these companies when found guilty of putting the lives of patients or users of their products at unnecessary risks via commercialisation of products without recommended or proper clinical trials.
In the face of these ,it is not surprising that there exists a mistrust by the people in the conventional banking system which is apparently rigged in favour of the government. Hence when the concept of cryptocurrency powdered by blockchain technology was conceived and presented to the public it received widespread acceptance. It was seen as a way out of the centuries old oppression by the Government via the means of the banks.
Thus in the years to come more mass adoption will be witnessed in people embracing cryptocurrency, as people have lost confidence in the banking system as the charges for keeping one's money in the bank seem to subject to an upward review ever so frequently. Also people no longer have trust in fiat as a safe store of wealth due to inflation.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
My SmartBCH Adventure
After seeing so many encouraging posts about the sights in SmartBCH land especially after reading @bmjc98 post about her bumper farm harvest, I decided to embark on an adventure to see for myself what was Indeed happening over there. So many thoughts raced through my mind as I began to follow the breadcrumbs that would enable me locate the bridge that would allow me cross into SmartBCH land. https://read.cash/@bmjc98/my-little-harvest-on-benswap-a637e646
***Would the bridge still be in one piece by the time I eventually reached it or would it have been damaged by VANDALS?***
***Would there be LAW enforcement officers patrolling the bridge?***
***Were there really $CATS or a mysterious green dog, EBEN about in the land ? or it was simply a HOAX to lure in unsuspecting tourists so that they would be mauled by ZOMBIES?***
***Would I be able to get a piece of the famous green ORB located in the land and HODL on to it?***
***Lastly, would I have the opportunity to visit any of the diners in the city to try out their famous SPICE laden treats?***
I was jolted to reality after being carried away with these thoughts by the post by @carisdaneym which gave directions on how to begin the quest in my BCH wallet ,send 'tributes' from there to 'bridge keeper' at CoinFlex for onward transfer to his 'counterpart' at MetaMask to enable me cross the bridge to SmartBCH land via the SEP 20 route. This was no ordinary journey as sending the 'tributes' via any other route would not open the drawbridge to the fortified castle that led to the streets of SmartBCH land. https://read.cash/@carisdaneym2/how-to-set-up-smartbch-network-on-metamask-and-smartbch-coinflex-bridge-3ec7d90a
Following the directions given by @carisdaneym made the whole process simple. The only hiccup I encountered was getting the right combination between the RPC URL and CHAIN ID. See the RPC option as provided in the post that eventually worked for me below:
https://smartbch.greyh.at
Upon arrival in the city, I was greeted by the HONKing of vehicle horns driven by the enthusiastic people in the land who were busy exploring the many opportunities about in the streets of the city.
I was impressed by the opportunities that presented themselves at the FARMS. That is after you would have supplied a duo of EBEN,BCH or $CATS combinatio to get liquidity pools to access them. For those who were lucky to be beneficiaries of the $CATS airdrop, all they need to do is to supply either EBEN or BCH to add liquidity to the pool and start farming to earn EBEN.
The other POOLS were also a nice place to cool off with the mysterious green dog EBEN after buying from the 'pet' exchange with some BCH. Alternatively you could chill out with WBCH in the POOLS.
In all the adventure to SmartBCH land was an eye opener without many challenges provided you follow the directions given by those who have previously been there. Unfortunately I could not chill in any of the pools or farms at this point in time as I had no BCH or sBUSD to exchange for EBEN. I had previously traded my BCH for other stakable tokens. In case you've not used CoinFkex and MetaMask previously, you'll have to download both apps to your Android device and follow the on-screen prompts to set up both of them.
Although Benswap is available on the SmartBCH network and Binance Smart Chain as Benswap.cash and Benswap.finance respectively,the APR's of the FARMS and POOLS on the SmartBCH network appear to be higher. If you have your BCH cooling off in a wallet somewhere it might be a good idea to get them to work by staking on the SmartBCH platform via Benswap.cash. http://Benswap.cashhttp://Benswap.finance
If you're wary of impermanent loss like me, you can use stake in the pools instead of the farms though at the expense of lower APR.
P.S. Just in case you're wondering, the capitalised words in the questions I asked in the piece are some of the tokens available in the Benswap Dex. See images below.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
The stranger in the mirror
Sidney Sheldon penned a book titled 'a stranger in the mirror' in 1976 which was later adapted into a movie in 1993. The book tells the story of two fictional characters, Toby and Jill who embarked on a journey to stardom in Hollywood. It tells of their struggles and how they 'lose' themselves in their quest for stardom. They both become ruthless while ascending the steps to fame. The novel climaxes with a tragic end for both characters.
The plot of the novel is relevant to the message I intend to pass across with this piece. We live in a world where people are literally willing to do anything in order to achieve fame or acquire wealth. They can become so ruthless and undergo a transformation such that they wouldn't recognise the person they have become in comparison to who they were if they were to stand in front of a virtual mirror. Indeed the sight they would behold would be that of a stranger in the mirror.
The dilemma of getting carried away in achieving stardom or the likes especially if it is not for a good cause is that the individual is usually oblivious to the negative transformation that is occurring to them in terms of character and principles. Indeed any attempt to caution such individual is usually rebuffed as the individual for some reason can't seem to come to grasp with the reality that they have become anything else but noble.
This is usually the case when the motivation for wanting to achieve fame is to fulfill a selfish reason or execute a personal vendetta such as revenge. Indeed even for those with noble motives, they are not immune from being carried away by the intoxicating effects of power or influence. Little wonder it is said that:
"***Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men***...", Lord Acton
This statement hints at the fact that there is a tendency for an individual's sense of morality to decrease or decline as his or her power increases. Only very few great men have been able to withstand the intoxication that accompanies becoming powerful or greatness. Some of them literally became 'monsters' of some sorts who didn't take counsel from anyone no matter close they were.
The other aspect to becoming strangers in the mirror is that of actually staring at a physical mirror and not recognising the person one sees. The entertainment industry has been the major culprit in causing people to subject themselves physiological and sometimes physical torture because they do not fit into what the industry has projected as the 'perfect ' male or female. Through movies and music videos , an imagine of how a 'hot' or 'perfect' guy or lady should appear has been projected to the society, especially the younger generation such that some persons who fall short of this 'criteria' often feel inferior.
This even results in such individuals becoming depressed some times. The female folk have suffered and continue to suffer the most subjecting themselves to all manner of surgeries or treatments in order to meet the unjust standard of the ''ideal' physical appearance that has been adopted by the society and save themselves from body shaming and other forms of emotional abuse.
Indeed we can do better by encouraging people who have weight issues to adopt healthy habits and exercise rather than body shaming them to the extent that some have opted for suicide or subjecting themselves to cosmetic surgery just to fit in with the image of the 'perfect' physique that has literally been forced onto the society by Hollywood and its cohorts. Cosmetic surgery is now so common place that even teenagers are patronising its practitioners so that they can alter their bodies to become 'hot' or 'perfect'.
Do not get me wrong, I am not against keeping fit and looking good or corrective plastic surgery for medical reasons or to address deformities which may have been there from childhood or due to accidents. The kind of surgery I am not comfortable with are those intended to alter the body to get a 'perfect' shape or figure or body part which isn't possible in the first place. This is due to the fact that there is no 'perfect' body type or physique.
Certainly having a six pack abdomen isn't a bad idea but the reality is that we all can't have it. Hence there's no need for anyone to put themselves under unnecessary pressure to have it or worse still go under the knife to achieve that purpose.
While maintaining a healthy lifestyle including exercise is surely the way to go , we all can't have the same body build or physique which the entertainment industry is forcing on the society whether deliberately or otherwise. Similarly the notion that ruthlessness or doing unsavoury things is necessary in order to achieve fame or acquiring wealth is also a wrong one.
I will conclude this piece with a question.
**When you look in the mirror, who or what do you see ?**
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Do you have boundaries?
Physical boundaries help to provide a protection of sorts. Sometimes, boundaries are meant to keep people out while at other times it serves to prevent conflicts especially if the parties which it separates acknowledges or recognises its presence. Nation States and communities usually exercise their territorial powers within the confines of their boundaries. That being said there's another kind of boundary which people often neglect to put up. It is not a physical boundary but one of principles in relating with others. Failure to do this has resulted in some individuals having to suffer emotional and sometimes physical trauma.
In today's world having boundaries in relationships is vital to avoid getting hurt. A video I watched recently depicted how people can exploit the innocence or kind nature of others for their personal benefits. One of the panelists or discussants in the video summarises her advise based on the experiences of those that called in in 4 words:
***Learn to say NO***
Her advise may appear harsh but after reading this piece you may be forced to reconsider your initial reaction to it. I will attempt to narrate two of the experiences shared by those who called in to the programme.
The first was the case of an elderly man who had served meritoriously without blemish as a government official being librarian at a point during his service. His tale of pain occurred close to when he was due to retire from public service. The aged man bitterly narrated how he had been given a book as a gift by someone who ought to have been a friend while preparing to fly abroad for his son's wedding. By divine providence he managed to arrive at his destination without incidence.
It was only upon scrutiny and careful inspection of the book (which turned out to be a Trojan horse) that his son found out that narcotics has been embedded into the book via lamination. The man narrated that when his son made the discovery and accosted him as to the content of the book, he wept profusely at the betrayal of his friend.
He posited that what would have been the story if the content hidden in the book had been discovered at the airport? He would surely have been arrested and the media would have had a field day with the 'scandal' of a high ranking public servant who has used his knowledge about books by virtue of being a librarian to engage in drug smuggling.
He further stated that when his so called friend showed up to pick up the (Greek) gift probably so that he could retrieve its concealed content, he pounced on him and warned him to stay away from himself as well as his family members. The fact that he was a book lover was probably what had been exploited as the so called friend knew he would likely not reject a book as a gift.
The second was that of a lady who was about to go on a trip to one of the popular tourist destinations in the Middle East. She explained that her mother called her just before she embarked on the flight that a friend needed her help to deliver a clothing fabric to her son. The lady accepted to convey the item without hesitation considering that the request was coming from her mother's friend. She explained that because her other luggage had already being checked in, she had to carry the fabric in her hand luggage.
Upon arrival at the destination airport, she explained that on going through the security devices that checked for illegal items, the device kept on beeping which caused the security officials to take her aside for thorough inspection of the contents of her hand luggage. By a stroke of luck they did not find the illegal item which was setting off the security alarms and thus they let her go.
She added that upon arrival at her hotel room she decided to rearrange the contents of her hand luggage including the fabric as the items had become scattered in the course of the inspection by the airport's security officials. To her utmost shock while rearranging the fabric , several credit cards dropped out of the folded material. The credit cards had the serial numbers and other usual information aside from the name of the holders.
It was at this point that she realised that it was these items that were setting off the alarms at the airport. She opted to garbage the cards and left the fabric at her hotel's reception for the intended recipient to pick up. She further narrated that upon her return home from the trip, she received a call from her mother's friend who wanted to find out if she had seen some (imaginary)papers which had directions on how the fabric was to be utilised. This was simply an attempt to probe as to what had become of the credit cards which the young lady smartly shrugged off while feigning ignorance of what had actually transpired.
The cases mentioned here are those of the lucky ones who managed to escape the consequences of being unknowingly used as a mule for illicit materials. Some others are not so lucky as the penalty for being a drug mule is death in some countries. It is an usually an uphill task to prove that one is innocent when one is apprehended in possession of such items . This was the case of another caller who although didn't face the death penalty but was jailed as he was given a suitcase which had drugs concealed in it as a gift.
Dear reader while it is good to be kind and render assistance to others, do endeavour to have boundaries or 'no-go areas'. Especially when it comes to conveying items for people , do your own due diligence on the contents of what you are being requested to convey and learn to say no when the occasion demands it. Do not be bothered or afraid of what people will say if you opt to decline, because if such packages contain illicit or contraband items , you alone will bear the brunt.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Should citizens be given the option of voluntary taking Covid-19 vaccines? That's the million dollar question as some Governments are effectively employing tactics that will compel her citizens to get vaccinated.
The pickpocket 'Tales of a Nigerian commuter'
I was reminded by the scenes I witnessed today of a threat to those who board public vehicles as their means of daily commute. The threat is not a new one but has simply changed its targets. Previously the targets or victims used to be people walking in crowded public spaces but apparently the public buses or vehicles are now a new front for this criminal operation. The threat in question is that of pick pockets.
These criminals usually disposses individuals of their valuables such as money or mobile phones that are kept in the pockets, purses or bags. Most often than not the do not bear arms but there have been cases of arms being used when the victim attempts to resist or tries to be 'stubborn'. The modus operandi is usually to create some sort of distraction to cause the would be victim to let his or her guard down if it is within a vehicle. Once this is achieved, the pick pocket or pickpockets ( as they sometimes operate in clusters or groups) then proceed to stealthily gain access to the pocket or bag of the victim and collect any valuable they can while trying to avoid arousing suspicion.
If it is in a crowded or busy public space they can adopt strategies like bumping into the victim while simultaneously dispossessing them of their valuables. In the public vehicle scenario, the last step or phase of the operation would be to disembark from the vehicle at the slightest opportunity.
It happened that while returning from a trip to the city centre, the vehicle I boarded was flagged down by a prospective passenger. The driver obliged and parked his vehicle properly for the pick up. At that point a group of about three boys also signified interest in wanting to board the vehicle. Two of the boys thereafter boarded alongside the passenger while the third decided not to board citing the excuse that the available seat was faulty.
As this was happening, the guy who initially flagged down the vehicle suddenly decided he was going to alight probably out of suspicious of his unwanted companions who seemed too eager to board along with him. The moment he did so, one of the other young men also alighted but was asked to board again by his companion speaking in one of the popular local dialects.
Initially I didn't read any meaning to the series of events that had just transpired. However something very unusual happened when the two companions decided to abruptly alight from the vehicle. As both of them alighted, the one who had sat close to another male passenger started creating a scene accusing the passenger of touching him while he was in the process of disembarking. I was amused at this accusation as it didn't make any sense. It was after they had crossed to the other side of the road that their motive was exposed in the conversation between the driver and the 'accused' passenger.
The driver explained that the duo that boarded the vehicle were pick pockets and had been trailing the passenger who eventually decided to disembark from the vehicle before it continued on its route. He explained that in order not to arouse suspicion by immediately disembarking when their would be prey slipped through their fingers, they decided to scout for another prey from the passengers already in the vehicle while plotting to exit at the next bus stop.
Their 'failed' prey then joined the conversation at this point and narrated what the duo had attempted to do. He explained that one of the young men all in pretence of 'adjusting' to sit more comfortably had managed to get access to one of his pockets and slipped his phone out of it. Unfortunately for the pickpocket he had gotten wind of his action and promptly repossessed his phone before it could be passed on to the other pick pocket.
He continued that it was his repossession of his mobile phone that the young man covered up by creating a scene that he was being touched. He further added that if the young man had tried to forcefully prevent him from repossessing his mobile device, he would have dealt him a slap and raised an alarm as to what the pickpocket had attempted to do.
The driver then added that the pick pockets had come out in full force and were picking targets from amongst passengers at the major bus stops after '***sizing***' them based on their appearance or the type of mobile device or bag being carried. He stated that although he had his suspicions about some of them when they board his vehicle , there was no way he could warn other passengers explicitly or tell such individuals not to board as he had no clear evidence that they were about to commit a crime or had committed a crime. He therefore said that the key thing is for passengers to be '***sharp***' (i.e. vigilant) when they board vehicles especially when anyone that looks or behaves in a suspicious or unusual manner boards alongside them.
Summarily as we say over here anytime you board a public vehicle where passengers have to sit close to each other because of space constraints "***Shine your eyes***"( i.e. be alert to what is happening around you) to avoid having to narrate stories that touch the heart.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
Different strokes for different folks
There are several versions of motivational videos about if the glass empty or half full. According to the commentaries in these videos, the option one chooses i.e. half empty or half full gives an indication as to if one is an optimist or pessimist. These choice of option adopted is a function of the perspective from which one chooses to view the quantity of water contained in the glass.
There's a third option which another speaker decided to bring in from viewing from another perspective. The option is not to care about the quantity of water contained in the glass but to find a way or make effort to get the glass filled. In his opinion the problem was that the glass was not filled and the solution or what needed to be done is to fill up the space left unoccupied by water so that the glass is filled to its capacity.
This perspective appeals to me as it doesn't not box anyone into a corner of being a pessimist or optimist and being doomed to remain there by urging the viewer to strive to get the glass filled to capacity. Thus in life in the face of any challenge or problem always seek the perspective which offer a way forward in terms of giving room for a solution or a positive outcome.
Those who choose to adopt a negative attitude in the face of challenges by constantly complaining or lamenting will not be able to see the solution even if it is staring at them right in the face. Strive and learn to see every challenge as an opportunity to grow or improve yourself because if you succeed in surmounting the challenges you will emerge stronger and more confident in your abilities or capabilities. It is the attitude borne out of the perspective on chooses to view challenges that makes some persons thrive while others continue to complain in the worst of economic situations. No one who ever achieved anything remarkable had a smooth sailing always.
When the global pandemic hit while some persons were complaining and groaning about the lock downs, others who chose to remain focused on achieving their goals were looking for innovative ways to continue their activities. Agreed that some complaints were genuine as to the effect of the lock downs but I am sure that with persistent effort and creativity there could have been a workaround for some of them.
Productivity in difficult times requires ingenuity, focus, discipline, determination and importantly viewing the difficulty or challenge as something that can be overcome and truimphed over. There are businesses which out of creativity were birthed during the lock down which did well during the height of the pandemic and have continued to thrive as normalcy gradually returns across the globe. While some individuals saw the period of the pandemic as a time for frivolities and binge feasting thus eventually losing out the opportunity for immense self development, others got certification for different skills via online learning platforms.
In countries where the number of white collar jobs are infinitesimal when compared to the number of graduates from universities vieing for them, some resign to fate and opt to wait and continue hoping that one day they will eventually land their dream white collar job. Others however decided to take their fate in their hands by acquiring vocational skills with which they can earn a living or establishing business which satisfy an identified need thus making them relevant with potentials to thrive.
If we were to list instances where individuals have created unique products from what others had considered waste and thus useless, we would surely not be able to exhaust them all. The same applies to individuals who saw the difficulties that confronted them as opportunities to challenge themselves to bring their problem solving skills to bare. For these classes of people, they viewed the problems they had to solve as a stepping stone to greater heights rather than a summit whose peak was impossible to reach.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
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The herdsmen
Nomadic pastoralism is a system of livestock management in which a herder moves about with his herd or flock from one location to another in search of pasture to graze upon. The animals and the herders have to embark to sojourns of several kilometres to graze especially during periods of scarcity of green pasture. This system has been and remains part of the cultural practices or heritage of some tribes across the globe. This system is practised in countries such as Nigeria, India ,Kenya, Iran e.t.c.
While growing up the sight of herdsmen and their herd of grazing cattle was a source of excitement (due to their size and horns)as they went about their activities peacefully as the herders or herdsmen paid rapt attention to their herd ensuring that they didn't graze on farmer's crops or disrupt people's activities.
All this has changed in recent times as unscrupulous elements amongst the herdsmen have adopted a life of crime and thus made the mention of herdsmen to be synonymous with notoriety and dread. Due to this the media and most people have labelled the entire herdsmen who are mostly of Fulani extraction as criminals and bandits due to the nefarious activities of some her members. I however, prefer to classify them into 3 groups:
1. The law abiding ones who roam peacefully with their cattle and avoid farms as well as damaging crops that are planted.
2. The law breakers who allow their herd to graze indiscriminately destroying farmlands in the process.
3. The criminals who use the cover or guise of herding cattle to engage in kidnapping and other vices
The second group seem to be emboldened by the status of the owners of the cattle they are herding as the herders in this group are usually employed to take the animals about to graze. These owners often times turn out to be members of the 'host' community or influencial members of the society.
This brings to memory the case of a man who called in when the issue of cattle destroying farmlands was the topic of discussion on a live radio programme in my state of residence. He bitterly narrated how the crops in his farm had been destroyed by cattle and all his efforts to get justice including taking the issue to the head of the community who eventually turned out to be one of the cattle owners alongside other prominent members of the same community.
The criminals among the herdsmen who belong to my third classification engage in kidnapping while using their cattle as cover have been reported to wield AK-47 rifles and other dangerous weaponry. This development is baffling an worrisome at the same time for some obvious reasons.
According to a Forbes article in 2017, an AK-47 can cost anywhere between $600 (in Afghanistan) to $2,800 ( on the darkweb). This fact then begs the question,where would a nomadic pastoralist accumulate such amount from to be able to afford to purchase an AK-47 as well as the rounds of ammunition? , unless of course he is getting some sort of "help" from persons or individuals who have the resources to facilitate or make such purchases.
The tales from victims of these criminals amongst the herdsmen paints a picture that is different of what we used to know the herdsmen for of being largely individuals who chose the simple nomadic livestyle with no attraction for the sophistication of advanced technological systems. The stores portray these criminals in the midst of the herdsmen as a sophisticated bunch who appear to have received weapons training of some sorts and who are proficient in the use of modern security systems and communication gadgets. Some reports have even indicated that some of them have adopted receiving payments in cryptocurrencies in order to reduce the risk of being apprehended via tracking of ransom payments.
These criminal elements are constantly evolving tactics to sustain their kidnapping activities and evade capture by security operatives. In a recent operation against this group, the security operatives made an astonishing discovery. The kidnappers had found a way to affix cattle hooves to the soles of their footwear. The essence of this contraption was to mask their movement as well as those of the kidnapped victims such that any tracker trying to give pursuit would be thrown of their trail if he encounters imprints of cattle hooves instead of footprints.
Another dimension to the herdsmen debacle are criminals who are not herdsmen but decide to adorn themselves with the toga of herdsmen to perpetrate the evil of kidnapping for ransom. Several of such persons have been apprehended and paraded by law enforcement agents to the surprise and disdain of members of the public who had previously attributed their crimes to herdsmen.
Irrespective of whether or not crimes are being perpetrated by individuals within or without the community of herdsmen in the names of herds men, the practice of pastoral nomadism needs to gradually be dropped in favour of ranching. Ranching is a win-win for everyone as cases of farmer-herders conflict would be a thing of the past. The output from cattle rearing will also be improved as the animals no longer experience the stress of trekking long distances in search of grazing pasture thus also increasing the income of the cattle owners from their sales.
Sadly some of the antagonists to the idea of ranching who are fighting the suggestions from the shadows are wealthy individuals who are cattle owners but do not want to invest in the infrastructure required to engage in ranching. These people assume albeit wrongly that the practice of nomdic pastoralism is cheaper than ranching while not considering the numerous economic benefits (from value chain addition to meat and milk products) that they can derive from rearing their cattle in ranches.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
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Do you want to know one of the most dangerous people on the planet? In my opinion two categories of people fit this description well.
1. A journalist who is ignorant of the facts of a matter but goes ahead to write about it as though he is presenting information based on evidence or deliberately spreads misinformation.
2. A celebrity or social media influencer who spreads posts or information without attempting any form of verification and REFUSES to make a rejoinder when such information turns out to be false.
There's no 'easy hack' to success without hardwork
Sometime ago on some social media platforms I came across some quotes and hashtags with inscriptions like:
It's not about working hard but working smart
Or
Don't work hard, work smart
These quotes have gained wide acceptance or spread because of certain personalities that they have been attributed to online. These individuals were once referred to as social media personalities or celebrities but this nomenclature has been rebranded in more recent times to be social media influencers. The utterances by these individuals are important because we live in the age of social media which has a remarkable influence on the mindset or attitudes of the younger generation particularly and the larger society in general.
So many youths have picked up and now run with the 'work smart and not hard' mantra without critically analysing the real world implications of the statement.
The adoption of this saying and many others like it by many simply because a social media influencer said it reminds me about the closing dialogue in a children's programme I watched while growing up. The dialogue ends with a song that goes thus:
This is the song that never ends.
Yes, it goes on and on, my friend(s).
Some people started singing it not knowing what it was,
and they'll continue singing it forever just because...
The subtle message I picked from the song was don't simply adopt an ideology or principle because others or someone important is doing so without finding out more or doing a critique to take a stand or an informed decision.
My opinion is that the mantra ( of work smart and not hard) quite misleading as it tends to paint a picture that the moment you are able to optimise your efforts by using more efficient approaches you no longer need to work hard. Being able to maintain a consistent level of optimization via efficient methods indeed requires putting in hard work. Therefore I would prefer to say work hard and work smart or work hard and smart . Irrespective of whatever combination you decide to adopt, working hard and in a smart manner should not be mutually exclusive.
I dare to say that if any of the wealthiest or successful people on the planet by any standards were interviewed, they wouldn't attribute their achievement(s) to working smart alone without putting in any hardwork. I am quite sure you'd be told that working hard is one of the essential ingredients in preparing the success cuisine. Without it, such achievements or success cannot be sustained in the long run. They would also probably also state that there's a feeling of satisfaction or joy which one experiences upon reaping or seeing the results of one's consistent hard work.
Indeed there is and will never be a substitute for working hard in a consistent manner to achieve success. Any social media influencer or celebrity who deceives his or her followers into thinking that success can be accomplished simply by working smart without corresponding hard work is being economical with the truth and living in a world of fantasies. The consequence of which will be heartbreak or shock to the followers upon realisation of the reality of things.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
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for reading.
Learn to filter through 'the noise'
Humans are very complex creatures. Aside the complex physiological make up. The emotional component of humans is also a sight to behold. Indeed it is one to marvel at. From irrational behaviour to mood swings, the many colours of human emotions as well as behaviour can be quite confounding. Some persons may display hatred for an individual or even attempt to cause harm via their speech or actions for no apparent reason. The mix of the expression of human emotions brings to mind a meme I came across in a newspaper publication sometime ago.
The meme was that of a father, son and their donkey who were on a journey of some sorts. The occurrences while they proceeded on this journey of theirs brings to life some of the things one is likely encounter when dealing with individuals in the environment or society in which we live. The meme had five scenes .
Scene 1: The man, his son and the donkey were walking side by side ( apparently happily) to their destination. This drew the mockery and condemnation of a set onlookers who who I will refer to as 'watchers' in subsequent scenes. They described the man and his son for being foolish to be walking instead of making the trip on the donkey's back. This prompted the father to take another line of action which leads us to scene two.
Scene 2: Due to the earlier reactions in scene one father and son decided to mount the donkey to proceed on their journey. This drew a different reaction from another set of 'watchers' who described the father son duo as being wicked and heartless for putting the burden of their combined weights on the "poor" donkey. This prompted the duo to reconsider their position which takes us to scene 3.
Scene 3: Father out of compassion decided that his son alone should mount the donkey while he leads the donkey via the reins. This provoked another set of 'watchers' who chastised the son for being disrespectful and rude for allowing his father walk while he alone mounted the donkey. The son felt bad and decided to make 'amends' which unfolds in following scene.
Scene 4: The son out regret he felt due to the comments from the previous scene switches places with his father, allowing him to mount the donkey while he takes control of the reins. This promoted a different reaction from another group of "watchers" who condemned the father for being selfish and uncompassionate for allowing his son to walk while he alone mounted the donkey.
In the midst of the mixed reactions that trailed their actions since the beginning of their sojourn, father and son were at loss as to what to do to please the self appointed "watchers" so they decide to adopt a novel or radical approach which probably might have seemed to be the game changer they needed at the time. However, once again the "watchers" had a fitting response for their final line of action which unravels in scene 5.
Scene 5: The duo of father and son decide that instead of mounting the donkey or allowing it stress itself by walking, they would carry the animal on their shoulders till they arrived at their destination. True to their reputation, our final set of "watchers" made jest of the duo referring to them as being stupid for walking and burdening themselves with carrying the donkey which they could easily have mounted.
These scenes although seemingly hilarious are some of the things we are likely to encounter when dealing with different sets of people that make up our society, each with their respective perspectives to issues. You would have noticed that throughout the entire discourse the donkey was not reported to have protested in any manner to being mounted as it is ordinarily meant to be a beast of burden and therefore used to bearing loads. However some individuals decided to appoint themselves as advocates for it and were protesting on its behalf. Indeed they became the voice of the voiceless donkey.
Little wonder it is often said that living a focused life is like visiting a market place to make a specific purchase. When you visit a market place, in order that you purchase what you went there to get, you have to filter out the noise therein so as to reach the seller of the item you need. Such is what needs to be done in order to achieve our goals or objectives in life. Filter through the noise to get rid of people who attempt to distract you from achieving your goal in life.
The art of filtering out the 'noise' is a life long learning process as in the midst of the noise there may be useful snippets that you can pick up that will point you in the right direction to your destination or help you better navigate your chosen route if you are already on the right path.
Dear reader always keep your eyes on the ball and avoid all the 'tackles' that may appear in your path on the pitch of life in order to be able to score your goal by getting the ball into the net.
Be determined to walk your walk because people will surely talk their talk
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
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Спасибо
for reading.
It's alright to feel out of place sometimes
Human nature requires that we form some sort of bond or relate with others in the environment or the society where we find ourselves. It is one of the basic human instincts to want to belong somewhere or feel some sense of belonging. The process provides some warmth or reassurance to the individual that he or she is not alone. Thus oftentimes individuals tend to flow or move with the trend or prevailing beliefs or culture in the society. In a perfect world where everything works the way it should or people view things from the proper or right perspective, losing oneself in the flow of the society might have just been ok or acceptable.
However, this may be detrimental to the individual when the society is moving in the wrong direction or those piloting its affairs have selfish or mischievous agenda. In such situations one has to stand one's ground and not flow with the prevailing trend or the direction in which the society is navigating. If brave men of yore hadn't stood their ground even when doing so alone in order to correct a wrong notion or steer society away from error, mankind would probably have not achieved the level of progress or advancement it has attained today.
When one has an opinion or a position on a matter (different from what is generally accepted) with appropriate evidence or proof backing such stance, he or she should be ready and willing to weather the storm of opposition in order for the truth or right position to carry the day. This often comes at a price of loneliness or being out of place as one may even be deserted by once close comrades or even Kith and kin.
If you could travel back in time to ask some of the great scientists like Galileo and Newton about how they felt when stating their informed scientific view which ran contrary to popularly held beliefs, they would certainly tell you that they felt isolated or out of place. This was because their view was deemed radical and unacceptable at the time. But in no distant time, they were vindicated and their views accepted as being correct.
In a world where opinions are easily manipulated or guided to hold a particular view, it is heartwarming to have individuals who manage to see things differently irrespective of the hype or hysteria in the media space. I happen to know one of such persons and more often than not he turns out to be right because he understands how the media now sadly functions.
I respect people like him because they stick to their guns because of the information they have at their disposal or their own critical analysis of the issue at hand irrespective of the cristism or the personal attacks they may receive for holding such views. There are indeed not many of such folks around these days as most people only read the often misleading headlines without going through the details or the fine prints.
In the 2013 movie World War Z starring Brad Pitt, while the zombie apocalypse was ravaging the world, the Israelis had somehow managed to keep the undead at bay (that is until some overjoyed citizens decided to start singing praises through loudspeakers). This prompted Brad to ask one the Israeli official who took him on a tour as to how they had managed to succeed when the whole world failed.
The official stated that they had a system known as the 10th man principle which required an individual to state a minority opinion or a minority report of sorts (no matter how ridiculous it may sound) while seeking ways to safeguard the country from the apocalypse and that it was the opinion of this 10th man that was the key to their success.
My advise is no matter the circumstances or wherever you may be be never hesitate to state your opinion when it is an informed one and you are convinced about it because of the fear of being the odd one out as your opinion may just be what saves the day.
"It is (indeed) easy to stand with the crowd but it takes courage to stand alone" Gandhi
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
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ধন্যবাদ
Спасибо
for reading.
The blame game
I doubt if anyone on the planet has never heard of this game. It is one of the most popular and competitive games in the world. It is often the subject of discuss in news broadcasts, news papers as well as other media outlets. Social media is often agog with different players engaging in this game. You may as well have participated in this game at one time or the other without knowing it, I know I certainly have.
The game cuts across all ages, races, tribe, religions and even nations irrespective of their size or influence. Spouses, siblings and even bosom friends could unwittingly become opponents too.The list of potential contestants or competitors is indeed endless. The origins of the games date back to the earliest of times. It is often borne out of the expression of the human weakness of seeking to be free of blame or not taking responsibility for one's shortcomings or short falls.
Some other times it is borne out of a more sinister motive of deliberately wanting another to bear the consequences for one's mistakes or misdeeds. In this case the erring party goes the whole nine yards to force the blame on the other side especially when it is perceived that they cannot stand up to them.
More often than not both sides usually put up a spirited defense as well as attack so as to win the sympathy of the audience or win them over with their version of the narrative. The most sophisticated arena where this game is played is that of politics. In this arena, all means of achieving victory is employed. Blackmail, manipulation of the facts and deception are all commonplace tools in this arena to winning the game.
One of the rather peculiar features of this game is that some of its participants are usually averse to the presence of an umpire, judge or referee for the fear of being declared as the loser. If and when an umpire is allowed to mediate, such participants can and most times choose to disregard the judgement or verdict of the referee when it turns out to be unfavorable to them.
Most times this game ends in a stale mate when neither side is ready to take responsibility or bear the consequences of their actions or inactions. It is only on rare occasions that the side which sincerely wants closure or progress decides to accept defeat in this case taking on the blame even though they may be on the moral high ground.
The result of the blame game especially if neither party decides to accept responsibility as is the case where both parties are culpable is usually not a good one as it promotes an air of animosity, hatred and mutual mistrust. You would be amazed by the sheer number of relationships that have been destroyed, friendships as well as alliances that have been shattered on account of the erring side(s) failing or refusing to conceed to their shortcomings and making amends.
The question I hope everyone who goes through this short piece will ask themselves afterwards is where do I belong? do I continue to grandstand or remain adamant even when I am clearly at fault and thus should accept the blame or do I deflect it to others.
Shukran
Danke
Merci
Gracias
ขอบคุณ
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Спасибо
for reading.
@M3i
