WHY THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD.





 

Why has our world gone mad? In my playful view, I suspect the world Politicians are either not getting sex, or are perhaps not getting enough of it, this can lead at least in men, to some more sublime type of dementia. It started with 11th of September 2001, (9/11). The US is brutally attacked and humiliated live on TV, to the whole world. Doubt Bush Jr, was getting quality sex at that time,

the poor fellow, and a completely under researched, ill developed, intelligence lacking invasion of Iraq, and Afghanistan was executed. The rest passes through The Arab Spring, in North Africa, Syria, Yemen, and the capture and murder of two men, Saddam Hussein, and Ghadaffi, the only two mad men, with enough balls, to destroy any threat in their region, and thus curb the spread to the rest of the world. If Mr. Bush JR, was getting laid often, and with quality, he may have remained in a chill out mood. A mood that may have made him demand from his cohorts, a more patient analysis, of the consequences that forever changed this world. Look at the photo below. A beautiful, woman that can entice any man in his right mind, to spend quality time horizontally, and maybe help to place this man in a chill out mood, as opposed to wanting to destroy the rest of the world instead. So to all you politicians, bureaucrats, cowards, war mongers, and murderers, out there, consider my advice, based in an almost ancient catch phrase. MAKE LOVE NOT WAR! and leave the rest of us who do alone! 

CHANGE

In May 2015, a former military head of state and dictator,  retired General Muhamudu Buhar, won  the presidential elections in Africa's most populated, and thus most complicated country; Nigeria.

His party APC "Action People's Congress" who delivered him as president, after three failed attempts by Mr. Buhari to win the presidency, promised millions of Nigerians change. In fact their motto throughout the election was the word CHANGE.

Although it is still too early to tell how exactly the president and his new cabinet, intend to change for the better, we Nigerians suppose, in a country that hails, encourages, and loves corruption, amongst other vices and ills; we sceptics, do not mind paying a ticket to watch this four year long show, that will hopefully take us to the next elections, in 2019.

Personally the only structural change I believe I will see in the next four years, will be in the landscape, as new luxury homes, hotels, and buildings emerge, as the lay man stops to look at and wander. The story of this country, since independence in 1960.

LOVE OVER GOLD AFRICA REAWAKES

Africa had to emulate the west it didn't have a choice after long years of occupation, the old term for colonization.
The life styles the synthetic image of exterior success, the American European dream that killed the ancient African dream was nemesis revisited this time with new fresh guinea pigs. A simple African dream, a man hunts, farms, builds a roof over his wife's head, he loves her,  she takes great  care of the household the children, helps with farming, and other chores, she loves him unconditionally. He is her world, they love themselves, truly content with what they  have, and are happy, in love until death do them part.

 Then came in the insatiable beast of capitalism, capitalism, over socialism, over Africanism with the its fierce little brother greed or over greed. What was a  simple and manageable lifestyle, quiet, peace minded reality inevitably was substituted in post independence by much more far fetched ambitions, the same; the Westerners had and have. And with it came their value system, killing ours, came their pop culture over our ancient culture, aesthetics over substance, immorality over decency gold over love. The need to have the pretty plush house the car, our women drenched in expensive perfume and relishing European fashion, and all that we can access materialistically took over  completely our once less complicated,  simpler and far more reasonable lives.  All in the name that we too live like our once white skinned occupiers did, even though we didn't before their occupation, until  we expelled them, and even celebrated what we thought was true and unconditional freedom. A neo freedom. In wealthy African countries this maddening  hunger for materialism is as clear as the sun, and as abrupt and aggressive as a rhino storming towards you for the kill. We will literally do anything today to obtain that dream house, literally anything,  for the Mercedes even more, for the shoes the watch the fashion perfumes, the glamorous and sexy wardrobe your wife will even become a whore not to talk about your girlfriend, cousin sister, and more. Divorce rates are high in this continent now, specially when the bubble bursts as it normally does for the majority. We had it all the cars the houses, the exotic travels,  the kids in great schools, anything we are willing to become enslaved for. But wait a minute what happened to the love? As we sleep in separate bedrooms as a couple,  practically mutually untouchable but attend church as one, with abundant smiles  as all seems fine. Those who don't want to divorce or separate are willing to love this farce  until the end of their days.

Many today are simply tired of the farce the act though. The searching for love in hundreds of  sites have quadrupled, conversations between certain single people certainly divorcees or separatees range now from  quality of life, to romantic travels, peace of mind, true pure love, to living in a  simple lifestyle, with the one you love, the one you will die with. As it was four hundred years ago, before the white man accidentally found our shores and cursed them. No longer merry pre marital, conversations about the mighty big house, the fleet of cars, the American dream tenfold. We were there, done that, had that, but our souls and hearts remain empty, as life so it seems, has lost its true sweetness. Spending time our singles time in our forties with friends, rather than with a now much appreciated loved one we now have to seek at our lonely fragile age. Contemplating  holding hands with that special one at a beach, watching another breath taking sunset, and kissing and frolicking  until sunrise. Yes we learned we learned the way most of us prefer, the hard way, as we drown inside our empty souls. If only we had realized when we were young. Better love over gold, genuine peace of mind, and happiness, no large bills and credits and loans to pay, rather than waking up some day realizing what a frock of nonsense it all was, the imported dreams and all the rest. Specially when we had our own, simple and warm, realistic and free; from, vanity,  from shame, from the creditors.

Yes For sure,

Love Over Gold...... Love Over Gold Anytime....

 

 

 

GONE THE DAZZLE OF FLYING

 

What happened to that dazzle of flying? Those days in the sixties seventies early eighties, when flying was  made to be glamorous, truly an experience and a half for everyone right up to economy class. The food was great the smiles from those fashionably dressed flight crews genuine, and the aircraft perfumed and spotless.

Came the increase of air travel. Higher demands larger supply and the drop in quality of service all the way through. Even checking in back in the days, was an enjoyable and friendly experience. Today airlines want you to check into a machine, the airports are cluttered, and everything seems to be on automatic mode. This the death of a great flying experience.

 Unless for those who can afford to go first class, when the first class of today forty years ago reminded you of economy, the experience of flying today has been made redundant, as a simple means of getting you from point A to point B as your local bus does too.

More people flying more aircraft, more demand for air crews to break into their tasks faster, everything is faster, seemingly easier, less scruples, less quality as more of us fly fly away...

Aviation today is on automatic mode. The turn around for an aircraft, is much faster these days, more flights, more aircraft, less human resources especially on the ground, more overworked schedules. The need for faster delivery, fast fast fast..... As another airbus must get on it's way This is so much more evident with the low cost carriers, the McDonald's of the skies. . I tremendously dislike the term airbus, for psychologically in many peoples minds, it has become the way to operate an aircraft today. Less thrills, quick turn around, on schedule when possible. And off you go.

Global aviation growth. Asia, Americas, Africa, Middle East Europe everywhere. The fast demand in
An increasing fast world. And fast as you have noticed is a key word here.

Yet when a Malaysian aircraft disappears from the radar with some 240 people on board, and can't be found as in last year, and pilots commit suicide by murdering all their passengers on board by downing an aircraft, when human error still causes avoidable  accidents, on better built and supposedly safer technology advanced planes, when you check into a highly cluttered airports and queue in queues much larger than taking a train or any other form of transport, you can't but ponder. Is this the price of higher demand,  is this the price of fast a fast fast world ? As airline operators increasingly are eager to make higher profits, at the detriment of you and me.

All this colossus must and has to be revised soon. Air safety needs to quickly tackle all sorts of anomalies, and bring order and sanity to a sector fast derailing. Airlines need to start giving back and much more to all of us who keep them flying in the first place. Bringing back tough safety measures, amore dazzling service both on board or not, to mention but a few basic points. They need to captivate  us all, as they once did twenty, forty and fifty years ago with a more serene, quality driven, inventive, comforting way to get us  from point A to point B without truly and profoundly compromising our safety, integrity, and for some of us the joy of flying.... Flying as an amazing memorable experience...


 

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.....

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.^Source1

More than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening.^Source2

The poorest 40 percent of the world’s population accounts for 5 percent of global income. The richest 20 percent accounts for three-quarters of world income.^Source3

According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”^Source4

Around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

If current trends continue, the Millennium Development Goals target of halving the proportion of underweight children will be missed by 30 million children, largely because of slow progress in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.^Source5

Based on enrollment data, about 72 million children of primary school age in the developing world were not in school in 2005; 57 per cent of them were girls. And these are regarded as optimistic numbers.^Source6

Nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or sign their names.^Source7

Less than one per cent of what the world spent every year on weapons was needed to put every child into school by the year 2000 and yet it didn’t happen.^Source8

Infectious diseases continue to blight the lives of the poor across the world. An estimated 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, with 3 million deaths in 2004. Every year there are 350–500 million cases of malaria, with 1 million fatalities: Africa accounts for 90 percent of malarial deaths and African children account for over 80 percent of malaria victims worldwide.^Source9

Water problems affect half of humanity:

• Some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation.
• Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day.
• More than 660 million people without sanitation live on less than $2 a day, and more than 385 million on less than $1 a day.
• Access to piped water into the household averages about 85% for the wealthiest 20% of the population, compared with 25% for the poorest 20%.
• 1.8 billion people who have access to a water source within 1 kilometre, but not in their house or yard, consume around 20 litres per day. In the United Kingdom the average person uses more than 50 litres of water a day flushing toilets (where average daily water usage is about 150 liters a day. The highest average water use in the world is in the US, at 600 liters day.)
• Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhoea
• The loss of 443 million school days each year from water-related illness.
• Close to half of all people in developing countries suffering at any given time from a health problem caused by water and sanitation deficits.
• Millions of women spending several hours a day collecting water.
• To these human costs can be added the massive economic waste associated with the water and sanitation deficit.… The costs associated with health spending, productivity losses and labour diversions … are greatest in some of the poorest countries. Sub-Saharan Africa loses about 5% of GDP, or some $28.4 billion annually, a figure that exceeds total aid flows and debt relief to the region in 2003.^Source10

Number of children in the world

2.2 billion

Number in poverty

1 billion (every second child)

Shelter, safe water and health

For the 1.9 billion children from the developing world, there are:

• 640 million without adequate shelter (1 in 3)
• 400 million with no access to safe water (1 in 5)
• 270 million with no access to health services (1 in 7)

Children out of education worldwide

121 million

Survival for children

Worldwide,

• 10.6 million died in 2003 before they reached the age of 5 (same as children population in France, Germany, Greece and Italy)
• 1.4 million die each year from lack of access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation

Health of children

Worldwide,

• 2.2 million children die each year because they are not immunized
• 15 million children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS (similar to the total children population in Germany or United Kingdom)

^Source11

Rural areas account for three in every four people living on less than US$1 a day and a similar share of the world population suffering from malnutrition. However, urbanization is not synonymous with human progress. Urban slum growth is outpacing urban growth by a wide margin.^Source12

Approximately half the world’s population now live in cities and towns. In 2005, one out of three urban dwellers (approximately 1 billion people) was living in slum conditions.^Source13

In developing countries some 2.5 billion people are forced to rely on biomass—fuelwood, charcoal and animal dung—to meet their energy needs for cooking. In sub-Saharan Africa, over 80 percent of the population depends on traditional biomass for cooking, as do over half of the populations of India and China.^Source14

Indoor air pollution resulting from the use of solid fuels [by poorer segments of society] is a major killer. It claims the lives of 1.5 million people each year, more than half of them below the age of five: that is 4000 deaths a day. To put this number in context, it exceeds total deaths from malaria and rivals the number of deaths from tuberculosis.^Source15

In 2005, the wealthiest 20% of the world accounted for 76.6% of total private consumption. The poorest fifth just 1.5%:

The poorest 10% accounted for just 0.5% and the wealthiest 10% accounted for 59% of all the consumption:

^Source16

1.6 billion people — a quarter of humanity — live without electricity:

Breaking that down further:

Number of people living without electricity

Region	Millions without electricity
South Asia	706
Sub-Saharan Africa	547
East Asia	224
Other	101

The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the 41 Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (567 million people) is less than the wealth of the world’s 7 richest people combined.^Source18

World gross domestic product (world population approximately 6.5 billion) in 2006 was $48.2 trillion in 2006.

• The world’s wealthiest countries (approximately 1 billion people) accounted for $36.6 trillion dollars (76%).
• The world’s billionaires — just 497 people (approximately 0.000008% of the world’s population) — were worth $3.5 trillion (over 7% of world GDP).
• Low income countries (2.4 billion people) accounted for just $1.6 trillion of GDP (3.3%)
• Middle income countries (3 billion people) made up the rest of GDP at just over $10 trillion (20.7%).^Source19

The world’s low income countries (2.4 billion people) account for just 2.4% of world exports^Source20

The total wealth of the top 8.3 million people around the world “rose 8.2 percent to $30.8 trillion in 2004, giving them control of nearly a quarter of the world’s financial assets.”

In other words, about 0.13% of the world’s population controlled 25% of the world’s financial assets in 2004.^Source21

For every $1 in aid a developing country receives, over $25 is spent on debt repayment.^Source22

51 percent of the world’s 100 hundred wealthiest bodies are corporations.^Source23

The wealthiest nation on Earth has the widest gap between rich and poor of any industrialized nation.^Source24

The poorer the country, the more likely it is that debt repayments are being extracted directly from people who neither contracted the loans nor received any of the money.^Source25

In 1960, the 20% of the world’s people in the richest countries had 30 times the income of the poorest 20% — in 1997, 74 times as much.^Source26

An analysis of long-term trends shows the distance between the richest and poorest countries was about:

• 3 to 1 in 1820
• 11 to 1 in 1913
• 35 to 1 in 1950
• 44 to 1 in 1973
• 72 to 1 in 1992^Source27

“Approximately 790 million people in the developing world are still chronically undernourished, almost two-thirds of whom reside in Asia and the Pacific.”^Source28

For economic growth and almost all of the other indicators, the last 20 years [of the current form of globalization, from 1980 - 2000] have shown a very clear decline in progress as compared with the previous two decades [1960 - 1980]. For each indicator, countries were divided into five roughly equal groups, according to what level the countries had achieved by the start of the period (1960 or 1980). Among the findings:

• Growth: The fall in economic growth rates was most pronounced and across the board for all groups or countries.
• Life Expectancy: Progress in life expectancy was also reduced for 4 out of the 5 groups of countries, with the exception of the highest group (life expectancy 69-76 years).
• Infant and Child Mortality: Progress in reducing infant mortality was also considerably slower during the period of globalization (1980-1998) than over the previous two decades.
• Education and literacy: Progress in education also slowed during the period of globalization.^Source29

A mere 12 percent of the world’s population uses 85 percent of its water, and these 12 percent do not live in the Third World.^Source30

SOURCE: