Archive for July, 2007
July 30th, 2007 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
US President Bush had made a statement before two months. He whispered about sending troops into Pakistan for catching Bin Laden. If done so, it would be an embarrassment for the people of South Asia in general and the state of Pakistan in particular.
It is beyond doubt that Pakistan supports the terror groups and helps their training camps to function on its territory.
After receiving help of every kind from western nations for decades, what kind of output Pakistan is giving back to them? The answer is simple: the teams of trained terrorists. India, the largest democracy in world, has been first victim of these terrorist groups. In past, India had provided proofs of such terror camps, too. But until 9/11 the western nations remained uninterested.
There are reports that Pakistani officials have largely turned a blind eye to Taliban commanders, helping them to seep back across the border. The president of Afghanistan too is apprehensive about intentions and activities of his neighbor.
But in the present days, the month of January 2007, it seems Pakistan has taken some positive steps helping the war on terror. Apart from everything, we must know that the job was never an easy one. It would not be easy for Pakistan to keep all the sections of population of 165 millions peaceful. It would be more difficult for the present rulers, especially when the foreign boots would be stamping on their land. There is a strong possibility of Pakistan falling into the hands of hard-liners. So such a situation is not desirable for the world-peace.
Newspapers and personal study
July 26th, 2007 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
Introduction
For more than thirty years developing countries’ economic problems have created major financial crises in the international community. Developing countries have remained so due to their low-income economies. African and Middle East countries live in ethnic diverse communities and are subject to political instability and corruption than Asia and Latin American countries that live in more homogeneous communities. There is more cost involved in a population of workers and who belong to different ethnic groups because of diversity, cultural differences, religion and language. The purpose of this economic development model is to address economic stability, the problems (value inhibitors), solutions (value drivers), the strategies and implementations of the economic enhancement in order to help the developing countries be less dependent on developed countries. So many studies have been conducted on developing countries, but none of the studies have focused on how the developing countries could apply or use the economic models with less participation of the industrialized countries. World Bank and United Nations ought to examine minutely any potential foreign aid application while focusing on this model for developing countries. This model will enhance in devising a strategic means of monitoring the developing countries before distributing fund to those that may not use the model or practice noncompliance. The practical sense of the use of this model is to elevate the developing countries to economic success and stability, and reduce their dependency on developed countries.
Role of leadership
In developing countries, most leaders behave and think differently. Although, these may not be tolerated by developed countries, they are the norm and are based on their ethnicity, beliefs, religion, culture, social classes, and assumption of supremacy. Negotiating and managing conflicts in developing countries is a matter of understanding the genetic makeup of that country. Diversity may create needs but these needs do not have to be neglected in order to create balance among the ethnic or sectarian groups. A Western countries’ style of negotiating and resolving conflicts may not be applicable in the developing countries where religion and ethnicity have continuously impacted the leadership in those countries. Hence, the inefficient and ineffective leadership have led to social development and economic neglect that have caused the worse economy and poverty in those areas. If politics are set aside and economic benefits are put in the forefront by these developed countries, the chances of conflict resolution will be increased.
Leaders who have vision for change may think about what the impact the economic and market development will have in the long-run, and in the locations and in the life of its citizens. The social problems in Malaysia exist because of the ethnic Chinese who are not Muslim in a country where over 90 percent of the population is Muslim.
In developed countries, situations create focus on civilization and leadership, where civilization shapes leaders and leaders shape civilization. Power is treated as a shared resource, but in most developing countries coercion is the system used by leaders. Leaders use physical, economic, and social threats and punishments to induce change in followers for the sake of the leaders. The leaders therefore have become power wielders. These leadership problems have impacted the economic and market structure of the countries. Hence, a new model may mean a step to a new and better way of life for all the developing countries. The Western part of the Asia continent is predominantly Muslims and still have untapped resources that have not been explored because of dictatorship, politics, religion, culture, beliefs, and diversity. Exploring these countries and helping them stabilize will transcend to trading with other developing countries, which will in turn pull them out of poverty, instability, and create peace among the sectarian and ethnic groups.
Asia
Before the coming of the tsunami in December 26 2005, the South Asian countries were poor and developing. Both the South and East Asia have untapped economic sources. These potential raw materials need to be explored in order to help develop the economic and market structure of the region. The tsunami destroyed the infrastructure, economy, and the lives of the people of the South Asian countries. The 6.3 in magnitude earthquake that hit the central java of Indonesia on May 27, 2006 destroyed what was left of the tsunami. These countries will benefit from cash crop, livestock, and poultry production because of their adequate weather and availability of natural water, which will not require a high technology in order to irrigate the farmland. Mechanized farming will need to be introduced and implemented to aid in maximizing production of agricultural products. The Eastern part of South Korea has a comparative advantage over industrial, commercial, and manufacturing production. Producing and trading on building, automobile, motorcycle, and other petty materials in the form of buying and selling will enhance in the development of the market setting and economy. This will help in the stabilization of the East and South Asian countries. A stable economy will help resolve and manage conflict in these countries that have different ethnic groups and history of diversity. The economic and market structure may also aid in the stability of the leadership, political and social system. The environmental problems may need to be addressed in order to guard against pollution or any unhealthy by products or waste materials that may cause harm to people or have short or long term health problems or may be fatal to people. If these countries are stable, they will attract foreign investments rather than needing foreign aid. The military disturbances in East Timor are not helping the economic and the market structure of the young independent country.
The four factors that determine the economic growth are labor, capital, land, and Entrepreneurship. Developing countries have more labor force with lower wages than developed countries and yet their economic growth is still lower than that of the developed countries. Capital is another problem facing developing countries. They need resources such as equipments, machines, factories, and money to work with. Labor without capital is synonymous to guns without bullets. Capital will also represent an investment that will pay off in the future. Most developing countries have untapped resources such as oil, gold, diamond, minerals, forests, and water that represent land which by themselves cannot stimulate economic growth unless they are explored and converted to goods and services. Technology enhances economic growth. A group of agricultural researchers from Texas A&M University and University of California-Davis acquired a four-year grand of $4.4 million from U.S Agency for International Development’s Mission to Afghanistan eGrazing. This discovery will aid the livestock herders to successfully tend to cattle, sheep, horses and goats. If this system had been in place, it may have made an impact during the tsunami in Indonesia. Political and social factors that inhibit Economic Growth are corruption, instability, lack of leadership and administrative skills, population growth, and lack of business enterprises.
Africa
African countries are very poor and in dare need of economic and market structure development. Before these countries go global, they may to have sufficient needs of life by taking comparative advantage of their sources of raw material. Some have cash crops that need to be irrigated, some have livestock and poultry that need to be technologically upgraded, and market structure that needs to be redesigned, developed and implemented. The improvement of the agriculture will help the poor farmers send their children to school, build infrastructure, develop the quality of institutions, and make a smooth run of transportation.
Middle East
Middle East region is a turbulence area because of instability associated with religion, oil, dictatorship, and developed countries’ influence. The Iraq war has devastated the whole region, and couple with the Israel, Palestinian, and Lebanese conflict, which has created further economic drawbacks that amount in billions of dollars. The destruction of the infrastructures, and the lost of lives have sent the economy of Lebanese country decades backwards.
Latin America
Development in Latin Americans countries could stem from agriculture, forestry and fishing, to mining, and manufacturing. These Latinos can help in building their countries rather than trying to immigrate to United States of America. If guided, they will improve their countries’ economy and help in the marketing of agricultural, manufacturing and other natural resources. Immigrants spend much time in the state of California farms, Illinois factories, North Carolina, and areas in the north east of United States of America working mostly in food industries. These efforts can be redirected to Latin America in order to develop the entire area.
Political struggles, lack of administrative skills, and power supremacy have strangled the economic and market structure of most countries in Latin America. For decades the Latinos have traveled north of the border to United States of America in search of better lives. This economic situation has resulted in the deaths and mutilations of people trying to enter United States of America. The smugglers who are known as the “coyotes” have made huge profits for attempting to transport these illegal Latinos across the border. It is very dangerous ventures because of the hot temperature, train transportation, unhygienic felt, bad weather, lack of food, water, and other unknown dangers along the road to the border. Immigrants spend months traveling to the border and most times do not make it to United States because they are caught and send back south of the border. Most gang groups have resorted to kidnapping wealthy Latin Americans living in the United States side of the border for huge ransoms, demand thousands of dollars in exchange to the kidnapped victims and most of the times these victims are killed. Families are separated due to fractured economy when men live their families for years in search of money for food in the north of the border. Income is not redistributed to the population, the rich gets richer while the poor gets poorer. The people of Latin Americas deserve more from their leaders and their natural resources, which has not happened because of corruptions and drug kingpins who have operated by intimidation, coercion, and fear.
The Four “Pies” facing developing countries
Poverty stems from lack of education, opportunities, and low literacy level. These countries do not put too much emphasis in education as they resort to marrying more than one wife and having too many children. Farming and herding have been their main source of food production and livelihood. Ethnicity is attributed to too many tribes, languages, and dialects. It has also contributed to lack of trust amongst different ethnic groups due to lack of understanding each other’s culture and tradition. They have become one country but different people. Instability is created by lack of a stable government by corrupted leaders, who always come to power for the purpose of stealing funds. That ultimately leads to no mandate to build infrastructure, and develop the economy and market for the country. When people’s needs are not met, most of the times in developing countries, rebellion begins when the government neglects a certain group of people. When people are deprived of the necessities of life while the other group has it all because of their ethnicity and religious sect, it creates tensions that lead to a “time-bomb” ready to explode. These most times cause conflicts that are attributed to hatred, sabotage, riots, revolution, and deaths. This is common in the developing countries where corruption and venality have played a role due to self-centeredness on the part of the leaders. Leaders therefore resort to intimidation of their citizens and thereby control these countries by coercion.
17 Strategies for implementing economic and market structure in developing countries
(1)A comprehensive education across the country needs to be instituted. This may be in the local dialect and language in order to make it easy for the citizens of that area. Assessment test of individuals’ talent and abilities need to be explored, recognized and documented to be sure where these individuals’ maximum potentials lie. A program needs to be instituted in order to teach the citizens methods of family planning and birth control. Individuals also need to understand the social and economic benefit of the birth control.
(2)Some individuals may have ability in agricultural work (Crops/livestock/Poultry). Locations with fertile lands need to be located and utilized for crops and livestock, and those areas without fertile land may need to be used based on its comparative advantage, such as poultry, storage of byproducts, and market areas.
(3)Supermarkets are to be constructed in all densely populated locations or urban cities to enable the young men and women find and keep jobs. The stores will consist of three shifts so that students can work and at the same time go to school and do their schoolwork. These markets will be located in the areas where people can afford to shop. A Wal-mart (USA) approach will be most appropriate in these locations. The four utilities of market will have to be considered and instituted as the main reason for the location of the supermarkets.
(4)Consideration of the product that people will want, the price to set for the product, the place that will be appropriate for the supermarkets and their nearness to the people, and how the promotion of the product will be conducted in order to reach the consumers and customers.
(5)The nomadic approach of rearing, transporting, and selling livestock will be changed to using trucks to transport them if it involves long distance in order to avoid spreading of any diseases such as mad cow disease and other diseases that come from livestock feces as they are transported though out the country. Trading locations where buyers and sellers meet, and the days to meet are to be established in both rural and urban areas.
(6)Areas where people still live in poverty, a trade by barter may be established so as to allow the farmers who want to exchange items from their farms to bargain for exchange. This short-run method will continue until the economic development is in place and running.
(7)Foreign investment and property rights need to be considered as part of encouraging investments and savings in order to stimulate the economic growth. This method may help the developing countries to invest less money on capital goods, create more competitive markets, and in turns reduce or eliminate corruption.
(8)Establish local leaders by ethnicity, who will act as representatives or middlemen between the government and their ethnic group. These local leaders may be selected by group they represent and approved by the government to ensure they are working on behalf of the people they represent and not for their own self-interest. In addition, the African experts may be contracted to help establish the boundaries of no corruption.
(9)Individuals have certain religious beliefs and different ways of thinking, and as such need to be segregated according to their sect for the benefit of market structure and economic development. Individuals who understand that certain groups have designated times in which they pray will have no problem doing business with such groups. This may reduce tensions for those who understand the culture of those religious group, and for those, who do not there will be tensions and uneasiness, which is the reason for grouping citizens according to their religious sect.
(10)Government need to institute “watch dog groups” in order to police the programs and to make certain that the programs are in place and running. A 3-year trial needs to be established for any program of economic and market structure that is implemented for these countries. This is enough time to evaluate the program in place in order to ensure its workability. Experts in Africa need to be involved in all phases of implementation in order to combat corruption and promote stability.
(11)Poverty may be reduced if adequate and stable structure for economy and market is established, and the government leaders via the local leaders address all citizen’s problems. The essential necessities — housing, clothing and food - may be the top priorities for these countries in order to reduce the poverty.
(12)Professionals and skilled workers are to be encouraged through issuance of incentives in order to motivate them to stay and reside in these developing countries and help in the development of these countries rather than leaving for developed countries. Mass exodus from these developing countries only harms and delays the development of these countries.
(13)Construction of infrastructure such as roads, buildings, and bridges are important for the economic and market structure of developing countries. Food products and other necessities of life can be transported to their respective destinations as quickly as they are needed when good infrastructure is in place. It may also encourage in foreign investments. Investors will prefer to invest in stable countries to unstable countries.
(14)Construction and installation of adequate running water in developing countries and to all parts of the countries also will help in building stable economic and market structure. It will help in curtailing diseases such as typhoid’s and malaria that usually come from unclean water. It will also help the children to focus in education and literacy programs rather than traveling miles upon miles to fetch water from the streams and wells. Some of these children die in taking these water-fetching adventures.
(15)Installation of electrical system may help in the growth of communities. Businesses cannot operate adequately where electricity is lacking. As such, these countries will require electricity in all areas of the countries as a form of economic development and market structure in order to help businesses function and grow, help in the food storage, and eradicate waste of food products that would otherwise be stored safely in cold rooms and refrigeration.
(16)Social Organizations need to be introduced to help the poor get out of poverty, and give them the opportunity to operate their own small businesses. This type of organizations are set up by the government as not-for-profit organizations, and the purpose is to develop the people’s business skills and issue them interest free start-ups loans to enable them manage their own businesses, which in turn lead them to poverty free. They will guided them to the type of businesses to open, how to open them, where to open them, and why they should open those kinds of businesses.
(17)The potential goals may be achieved by enforcing the use of this model as a condition of receiving funding or foreign aid. As a way to check and ensure that monies do go to what they are intended for, developing countries pledge to use and implement this model. This model will check and police the development of the projects. The intention of this requirement is not to discriminate against developing countries, but to help the citizens of those countries as they have no way of benefiting from these funding and foreign aid that usually end up abused, misdirected, and misused for other personal and private purposes by the leaders due to corruption and venality.
Who Are the Developing Countries
World Bank defined developing countries as those with low-income economies with per capita incomes of $755 or less. World Bank is an International Organization that categorizes such countries as developing countries and also issues loans to them.
About the Author
Dr. Sidney Okolo is a professor, consultant, strategist, and Africa expert. He is affiliated to several universities and the Managing Director of International Business Associates, a management consulting firm, and also the CEO of Global Education Support, an education assistance program.
Among other things, he engages in all aspects of learning, knowledge, organization and human change. His focus is on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, profit engineering, human potential, excellence, achievement, business strategy, research and development. Product management, change management, conflict management, athlete management, marketing, business development and operations. He works with clients to adapt to change due to change in factors of production, technology, goods and services. He engages clients in training, retraining, development, skills enhancement, association, behavior modification, ways of thinking, and attitude adjustment. In addition to his work in the United States of America, his focus is also on developing countries in the continent of Africa, their leadership, culture, economic and market structure, community planning and development, and his created four letter word, “PIES”, which stands for: poverty, instability, ethnicity, and sectarianism.
http://www.iba-pec.com
http://www.globaleducationsupport.org
July 20th, 2007 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
There’s something quite remarkable about “Charlie Wilson’s War”; it manages to portray an unknown political story from the 1980’s about the biggest covert war in history that brought down the Soviet Empire not only with insight and intelligence, but with humour, wit and fun. The last attribute is most telling because the subject matter is anything but fun. By focusing the story around the real life congressman Charlie Wilson (played here brilliantly by Tom Hanks), director Mike Nichols crafts a film that on the one hand tells a fascinating story of political intrigue while making it light through Wilson’s playboy lifestyle and loveable antics. It helps too that the cast is rounded out by a never better Julia Roberts and a tough-as-bolts Philip Seymour Hoffman who manages to steal several scenes with some razor-sharp, dead-pan dialogue (save his introductory scene where he gets quite angry; it’s spectacular). This film is a triumph from start to finish, telling a great story and providing an insight in to history of which most of us would not have been aware.
The film starts with the ending; we see Charlie being awarded the “Honoured Colleague” from the defence force. We’re told his achievement has outstripped any that have come before it, allowing him to be the first civilian to ever achieve this award. Yet, in his eyes, Charlie seems distant and sad; as if he’s grateful for the award but aware that this isn’t the end of the story. It’s a tribute to Tom Hanks’ acting ability that he conveys so much in this sequence, suggesting that although this is the end of the film, we know that there’s more going on than meets the eye; it’s not until the end that we realise why he looks like that. It’s an unusual way to start the film but it’s brilliant as we get the feeling that the victory may be bittersweet for Wilson and we want to know why.
We then move backwards to 1980 and we’re introduced to Charlie while he’s having a party with friends in Vegas. Befitting Charlie’s playboy lifestyle, he’s naked in a spa with two strippers, a playboy cover girl and a male friend who wants Charlie’s help to get a Dallas-style TV series off the ground. This little escapade, as with many others, at first comes back to bite Charlie when questions of scandal and impropriety are raised back in Washington. But later on, it becomes the perfect cover for his instigation of a covert war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan; with the media so busy looking around in his personal life, they don’t take him seriously enough to investigate his more weighty actions with the CIA and other nations in the Middle East. After being convinced by wealthy socialite Joanne Herring (a perfectly cast Julia Roberts) to visit the President of Pakistan, Charlie trundles off not taking it seriously, until the President makes it quite clear that they are dealing with a grave situation in Afghanistan and the United States is treating it like a joke but not providing enough funding in the war budget. At the insistence of the President, Charlie visits the refugee camps in Pakistan and is horrified but what he sees. He visits the US consulate in Pakistan to find out what the people need to help them fight the Soviets and gets a rather uninterested response from the CIA representative there. Charlie flies back to Washington to demand a meeting with the Director of the CIA, but instead meets Gust Avrakatos (Hoffman), an expert in Afghanistan who wants to kill communists but has been frustrated by not being given the support. It’s music to his ears when Charlie tells him he wants to give him whatever he needs to make this happen, and together with Herring, the three mastermind a covert war which grows larger and larger with each passing year until it climaxes with the Soviet withdrawal in Afghanistan, and then subsequently the fall of the Soviet Empire.
The warning, and topical theme that comes from this movie is right at the end. Charlie, and the US, are successful in driving the Soviets out of Afghanistan without drawing attention to themselves. However, Gust warns Charlie that if they leave without educating the Afghans that it will become a breeding ground for terrorists and descend the country in to civil war, again. In a crucial scene, Charlie requests only a million dollars to set up a school in Afghanistan to educate the locals, but he’s met with a negative response: “Who gives cares about a school in Afghanistan?” It is this short-sightedness that has had ramifications for the world in subsequent decades, and Gust’s warning has become reality. Charlie sums up America’s actions quite succinctly: “We go in, we give people hope, we succeed in driving away the enemies, and then we leave. But you know what? That ball keeps bouncing.” This is the film’s main message and its a very strong one; had the US heeded the warning signs then and not been so short-sighted, the world might be in a different place right now. Then, when we get to the climax which is a replay of the opening scene, we finally understand the look on Charlie’s face when he’s accepting the award. He knows they have to do more, and getting an award seems trivial by comparison.
The manner in which this story is told is much more positive and noble than what I was expecting; Charlie is actually doing this for a just cause. This motivation pulls you as an audience member straight in to his plight because you’re keen to see exactly how he uses his wit and charm to manipulate people in to giving him what he needs to get this war off the ground. By far the best sequences in the movie are between Hanks and Hoffman as their characters discuss strategy. Charlie is the man with the money who wants to help, but he has no idea. Gust is the man with the ability, but needs the support. Together, they’re a perfect match. And even though Charlie is funding Gust’s enterprise, Gust is not afraid to stand up to Charlie to get what he wants, even if that means being crass and insulting to Middle Eastern world leaders, to fellow colleagues or even to Charlie himself if Gust feel he needs to make a point. As a result, you’re watching real people deal with an insane situation which makes it all the more believable.
Tom Hanks is brilliant in this role; it might not be his best work but it’s something of a surprise. We haven’t seen him play this ethically-challenged playboy character before, but he does it with such charm and gusto that you wonder why he never did it before. Philip Seymour Hoffman steals the show as Gust Avrakatos. Starting with his stellar opening scene where he tells his boss to go f$%# himself for not giving him a posting he wanted, Hoffman delivers all of his dialogue in such an intelligent, fast and deadpan manner that he’s totally engaging from start to finish. Julia Roberts does very well as the beautiful, intelligent and tough Houston socialite Joanne Herring who is the one who gets the ball rolling with Charlie. It’s more of a supporting role as both Hanks and Hoffman take up most of the screen time but she makes her presence felt nonetheless.
“Charlie Wilson’s War” is an intelligent piece of work that also manages to entertain. It might actually prompt you to find out more about this true story, but at the very least, it’ll give you something to talk about.
For the original review, click this link: http://www.allaboutmovies.net/dvdreviewcharliewilsonswar.htm
Alex DeMattia is the lead DVD reviewer at the film/DVD review web site http://www.allaboutmovies.net
July 15th, 2007 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
Women are being raped, murdered, mutilated and their reproductive organs gauged out of them in places like Republic of Congo, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, and Rwanda. In these places, women are being gang raped with impunity from their respective governments or rebel forces. Domestic violence is becoming prevalent in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Peru, and Uzbekistan. In these countries men subject their women to repeated physical and mental harassments, which will equate to torture in an developed society, yet these men continue to do so with little or no government intervention and when questioned hid behind their religion or culture.
From the countries in South America, war-ravaged Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia, the trafficking of women (starting girls as young as 10) for prostitution, brothels and dance bars is on the rise and often conducted by organized crime. The government machinery has full knowledge of these acts but chooses to do nothing about it or does to little because of extreme poverty in these countries. Most of the time the parents itself sell their girl child willingly for money. In the Middle East, a few governments still deny the basic rights for women. They can take women’s rights out of their hands and place them in the hands of their male citizens, who turn to domination and control of helpless females and treat them as slaves.
Throughout the history of human kind, these kinds of abuses against women have been persistent. They have also become more organized, yet people prefer to turn a blind eye. These harassments and discriminations have become a social cancer that has survived for generations, slowly destroying womankind even to this day. The international watchdog on women’s human rights is doing everything they can to identify and raise awareness of these acts.
In today’s world, while humankind praises itself for making huge progress in the fields of science, technology and social reforms, we should remind ourselves that millions of women still do not have rightful control over their lives. Men must remind themselves that women are still forced into prostitution or to marry someone they do not like. The fate of imprisoned women is worse in the developing countries where complaints about excessive pat-downs, the use of force, and the denial of visits from relatives simply because they refuse to have sex with the male guards are still rampant. Governments in these places also wrongfully target women for family planning policies to get their population under control.
Women’s human rights watch groups are fighting an uphill battle against these sidelining and inhuman activities by addressing the issues of equal rights, gender wage gap, and getting women to access credit machinery. The unity of all women, activists, and non-governmental organizations is required to fight this quiet global struggle. The ultimate goal of this mission is to make the lives of millions of women better by stopping discrimination and giving equal rights to women.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Women’s Issues
July 10th, 2007 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
Either it is Asia Africa Europe America or Australia the scarcity of water is influencing the politics world wide. Kashmir issue that has caused two wars and a lot of fatal skirmishes between the two neighboring nuclear states; India and Pakistan is basically an issue whose very roots lie in the waters. Most recently the tension over the waters rose between India and Pakistan that was hardly avoided by the World Bank. Arab states are rich in oil but lack this basic commodity of life. Palestinian issue contains occupation of water resources behind it. A major cause behind the Middle East situation is the water.
Especially the Israeli Palestinian conflict is over sea waters and fresh water resources. A major reason behind the failure of the Oslo treaty was the water. African states are at war with one another due to resources especially the water. Darfur in Sudan is another example of the war over water. Former Soviet Union disintegrated due to getting access to the hot waters via Afghanistan.
Water is the essential ingredient of life. It is part and parcel of life in true sense of the terms. It is manifold uses in the life of the flora and fauna. All the flora and fauna need water to survive. A Huge quantity of water is consumed in industries as well. Rain is the major natural source of water. It is reserved in watersheds and a large quantity is automatically absorbed by the soil that forms the water bed.
Water is the most “wanted” compound all over the world. But unfortunately it is not universally available in equal quantities. The social scientists are worried about the paucity of the water. They are more worried about the careless wastage of this life giving liquid. The nations that possess the clear drinking water are careless about its quantity. They are completely disinterested about saving the water resources. Shortage of water has compelled the people to work hard and spend physical and material resources to find the effective methods of enhancing the availability of water.
The creation of atomic bomb was thought the major success and influenced the world politics at large. But it is not true in the present day world; the water issue is the most significant and influencing. The atomic bombs influenced a few states but the water is affecting the lives of all the living beings of the earth. It will impact geopolitics and a lot of people would be struggling for survival. Paucity of water would expand deserts and spread of drought in many parts of the world, that will definitely become a cause of conflicts in the future. Mongolia is one of the examples of desertification. The Sahara desert is also expanding and changing the bad situation into worse by gnawing at the kingdoms.
Inadequate resources of water have become the major geopolitical issue. The administration of water is deeply politicized. Water is one of the most heavily regulated and controlled goods on Earth. It is not distributed uniformly all over the world. We can take the example of the Middle East that is opulent in oil but deprived of fresh water. It also requires treatment to make it usable for industrial and agricultural purposes. It is brought from well, tanks, pools, basins and lakes. Its transportation needs human, animal or mechanical efforts. There is no clear policy as regards the ownership and control over the fresh waters. Water policies are prey to the lobbyists and corruption. This inefficiency of water policy is becoming the basic cause of the future conflicts. Due to these unreasonable policies Poor are the main sufferers.
There is a complex situation of originating sources of water. A river takes its origin from one state and that state is often unable to use this water.
Many nations have sore relations due to these water resources. Nile the greatest river of the world flows in many countries but all the states can not benefit from its waters.
Take example of Pakistan and India, almost all the rivers originate from the Indian soils or Kashmir. the water sharing countries are antagonistic to each other. They are at war with each other since their independence.
Whole the world is facing the scarcity of water. If we take a cursory glance at the water situation of the world we find that climate change has badly affected the already worsened situation. Either it is Asia Europe America Africa or Antarctica the water is the projected issue of the future.
The wars in Africa are fundamentally the wars for waters. The conflicts are just for controlling the resources and water is the main cause behind all of these skirmishes. Lack of water and depletion of this vital compound is a major issue that is bringing the disaster closer and closer. Man can live without food but cannot live without water. When water would not be available the people would fight to get the last reserves of it. Water is going to be the major arsenal of the future.
July 6th, 2007 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
Coins issued by certain cities or empires took the leading role in dictating which coins were readily acceptable for trade in the Mediterranean lands. One such city was Athens, which established the “Attic standard” that was to be adopted later by Alexander the Great. Silver was used to pay civil servants, soldiers and mercenaries, and it is believed that the latter is the reason that many Greek silver coins were struck in the first place. The non-Greek lands of the Near East issued large quantities of silver coins, most notably the Parthians, Sassanians and Baktrians. These coins vary in style and fabric, the thickness and purity of the planchet on which the coin was struck, and are relatively under valued compared to the more widely collected issues of Greece proper.
In Greek mythology, Athena was the goddess of warfare and wisdom. Later known as Minerva by the Romans, she was the goddess of not only wisdom and battle, but of certain crafts and the protector of all cities and states. At birth, according to one myth, she sprang from the forehead of Zeus, the king of the gods, fully grown and dressed in armor. Athena is usually shown wearing a helmet and a magic shield called the aegis. The goddess Athena was not only wise in war but also in the arts of peace. She supposedly invented the plow and taught men how to yoke oxen. Athena’s chief symbol was the owl and in Greek mythology, the owl is firmly linked with Athena who is usually picture with her owl perched on her shoulder. Some say that is why the owl, in modern times, associated with wisdom.
Athenian coins were used in exchange throughout the Greek world, hoards have been found as far away from Athens as Babylon, Afghanistan and Iran. The quantity of Athenian coins minted in last half of the fifth century BC, reflect the changed and powerful position of Athens in the eastern Mediterranean, from a small city-state defending itself on land against the onslaught of Darius at Marathon, Athens grew to be the center of an empire whose power was dependent on its control of the sea. From being a partner in and administrative head of the Delian League, Athens became its leader and its many city-state members paid Athens tribute.
Huge sums must have been necessary for the commercial activities of Athens port city, Piraeus, construction atop the Acropolis and in the city, financing of the Athenian fleet, and perennial warfare. The money was derived not only from annual tribute received from the Delian League city-states, but from rich silver deposits Athens owned and mined at Laurium, close to Cape Sunium as well. The mines provide the silver that paid for construction of the fleet that destroyed the Persians at Salamis in 479 BC.
Common to all issues of the coin are the goddess Athena, in profile on the obverse, and the owl, her constant companion, standing on the reverse, a sprig of olive leaves with a berry above its shoulder. Variations in design exist among denominations of the coin.
Ancient coins can be purchased at our online antiquities store http://www.worldwidestore.com/AScomputerM7.htm
July 2nd, 2007 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
Continuing on from part one here are the remaining Scriptures that prove this so called minister of God is not a minister of God.
Scripture 2 - John 6: 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
No man, whether an Israelite, Jew or any other race, can come to Jesus Christ unless The Father draws that man to His Son Jesus Christ. This is how it works and it can work in no other way - never believe any man or woman who says they have found Jesus Christ. Now if there is any man out there that The Father is not calling in this age then that man will not come to Jesus Christ, it’s impossible for him to do so. Being called is not something we, as human beings we have a say in, we have no say in the process at all. (Please see my series of articles: Is it Hard to be Saved?) It is totally God’s decision, not ours. In turn this means we have multitudes of people across the world that the Father is not calling at this time - not in this life. This also includes Israelites and Jews and it also includes Israelites and Jews who are homosexuals.
If people, and in particular Israelites and Jews, are not being called by The Father now, then they will remain sinners until as such time The Father does call them. Now as sinners, and just for the sake of this study, some of these people will sin through a life of homosexuality (but it could be any sin) and until The Father makes them truly aware that they are sinners they will continue living this way. Sinners are carnal minded, their spiritual and mental condition is in a state of total rebellion against God - continually. Sinners can behave in no other way until The Father calls them, reveals their sins to them, and makes His Son known to them.
So you see, this ‘minister’ of God can Bible bash, huff and puff, stamp his feet, shoot off his big mouth and pontificate all he likes, he will change no one. He can also print all the infantile hate filled ungodly posters he likes but he’s not going to make the slightest bit of difference to these people - if anything he will only drive them further away from God and invite a whole load of trouble to his doorstep.
Scripture 3 - 1 Tim 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Here is yet another verse that flies in the face of what this silly man is saying. In reality this verse shows him up to be Biblically ignorant - he literally is a Bible ignoramus or a Bible bigot. A man who does untold damage to Christianity and human beings in general.
The Father God will have all men to be saved. This word ‘have’ should read ‘desires’. It is The Father God’s desire that all men should be saved. I will leave you with something to think on: If The Father God desires something do you think His desire will be satiated or remain unfulfilled!?
I will be writing an article on the second resurrection, or The White Throne judgement as described in Revelation 20 very soon. Understanding the second resurrection is crucial to destroying the myth of a literal burning and raging fiery hell which in reality doesn’t exist.
Scripture 4 - Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
Now here is a Scripture that can easily be misinterpreted as an example of God hating someone, but as usual it’s a translation error. In Strong’s Concordance it renders ‘hated’ as detests or by extension loved less. To detest someone means to have a strong dislike for them, but that is not hatred. Hatred is an emotion that can easily lead to murder. It could be said that Esau was a man that God found difficult to love, hence Strong uses the term ‘loved less’, He loved him far less than Jacob.
Thus far I have shown that the Godhead does not hate anyone but that He does hate what mankind does i.e. man’s sinful ways especially the sinful ways of His children - Britain, America and Judah (present day Israel). He doesn’t hate people, but periodically He does punish them. In the past, He especially punished His children Israel and Judah by allowing them to be taken into captivity by neighbouring nations - Assyria in Israel’s case (725 BC) and Babylon in Judah’s case (585 BC). The Father God is just that - a Father, and like all good fathers He corrects and punishes His wayward children as and when that punishment is required. A good father will always punish his children out of love, not hate. This means that out of any future punishment of Britain and America a remnant will be saved.
Earlier, I mentioned the activities of a certain ‘minister’ of God who tells the people of America that God hates them and that God is no longer blessing their nation. He says that God is not blessing America’s military campaigns because of the official stance and/or tolerance given to homosexuals and their lifestyles by their government. Now I have proven that God does not hate any human being including homosexuals, but is there any truth in the rest of this ‘minister’s teaching? Yes there is, but because he taints it with a message of God’s supposed hatred toward people he disqualifies himself and his message.
So what is The Truth of this matter and is God punishing America? Is God punishing Britain and will He punish Sweden? The answer is yes to all these questions. In fact, God has been punishing Britain since the 1914-18 World War with the subsequent loss of Empire. God is now punishing America and has been since World War 2. This is why the USA is now the biggest debtor nation in the world, why there was no victory in Korea, no victory in Vietnam and there will be no victory in Iraq and Afghanistan either. How do I know all this, I know it because The Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Scripture prophesied it thousands of years ago through His Prophets. I will be revealing these truths soon, so watch this space.
Charles Crosby