October is Fair trade Month

Please go on www.fairtrademonth.org to vote because every purchase has power.

 The Fair Trade Certified label helps you make choices, with the confidence that your product is socially and environmentally sustainable. When you purchase Fair Trade products, you vote with your dollars to support what matters to you.

	Fair Trade is a market-based system—that develops global trade, not aid—in which farmers are empowered with the tools to raise themselves out of poverty.
	Fair Trade certification enables farmers and workers to practice sustainable farming, remove dangerous chemicals, conserve resources, and preserve their land for generations to come.
	Fair Trade provides farming organizations the support to build their business capacity, which allows them to deal directly with buyers around the world to negotiate fair prices and offer fair wages.
	Fair Trade guarantees women access to health care, child care, representation and freedom from harassment so they are able to play leading roles in their families and their cooperatives.
	Fair Trade helps families keep their children in school. With added revenues from Fair Trade, parents can pay tuition, set up scholarships, and give the gift of education in isolated communities.

Allegory of Plato's cave -Animated version

This is a perfect animation for children. Oh yes, a little philosophy will not hurt!!!Use a little Starwars' analogy with Luke Skywalker learning about the force from Obi won Kenobi. Luke's knowledge of the force did forever change his knowledge of the world. Do not forget to mention that members of the republic, the senate and even the Jedi order are only looking forward at the shadows on the cave walls while Palpatine “Darth Sidious” manipulates the shadows. And of course the Siths are people driven  by desires of power rather than reason!!To conclude bad guys are immoral because they are ignorant and do not see beyond the force..That will be enough. If you need more quote Master Yoda's wisdom!

The allegory of the cave inside our homes, communities to Chilean miners

After the condemnation to death of Socrates for impiety and corrupting the youth, Plato wrote many dialogues hoping to describe a perfect government. I guess a government that would have spare Socrates. In the Book VII of The Republic: It starts with an allegory on ignorance and knowledge. Socrates imagines male prisoners since their childhood in a cave. They are chained so they only see the walls of the cave and the shadows projecting the reflections of people and objects that are outside. The men never knew that these shadows are taken for reality. When the first prisoner is freed, he is forced to look toward the light. At first his eyes were burning. He preferred the darkness, and comforting shadows. Slowly he locates people, the moonlight and stars. Finally, the man looks at the sun; he understands that it is the cause of all the shadows projected.  This allegory expresses all of Plato’s philosophy. It is about the soul, morality and idealism of a supreme good. We as a community are supposed to join for the supreme Good.  According to Plato evil is only a mistake done due the ignorance of Good. That is why the republic should be a reflection of a thriving community under the leadership of the philosopher “elected” by us.

Once again, the allegory of Plato's cave is at the core of the long and painful rescue of Chilean miners.  In contrast, this men know reality,  the have a raw  knowledge of life under the republic. The are miners!!! Everyday, they go down the cave and risk their life to live without chains. However there are already enchained  in the invisible cage but they have chosen to fight for their children and families. According to news, now that they are close to freedom, nobody wants to be the first. And everyone wants to be the last.The ruff accession to reality scares them. And this seclusion must have exacerbated their sense of communities within the community. The wisdom they gained  makes it unbearable to pretend otherwise because it is equally difficult to  acquire and transmit such knowledge. I want to believe that their altruism and compassion is catalyzed by the refusal of being the first out.  Of course, their unity is a stellar symbol of the supreme  good. We should be humbled and inspired by them!!Nevertheless, deep down you know that they have to faced reality with a new mind, different  fears, and dreams. They have changed. And their realities did not. At the end, no one will care and they probably will have to go down the cave again. While many pretending leaders will have time to contemplate more ideas.

For the rest of us that are not locked miners. We  tend to enter caves as well. Our caves can be internet, television, shopping, consummation, recreation, name it and even dreaming. It can definitively be pleasurable because we have access to so much rights and goods. However let us not be enchained in our realities, and find comfort in the communities within the community. The allegory of the cave is even inside our homes, now and then do not forget to stare at the moonlight and the stars. And keep on worshiping the morning sun because this is it! Let us pray for them...

Same Moonlight for our dreams.

From Wikipedia:
After "returning from divine contemplations to human evils", a man "is graceless and looks quite ridiculous when – with his sight still dim and before he has gotten sufficiently accustomed to the surrounding darkness – he is compelled in courtrooms or elsewhere to contend about the shadows of justice or the representations of which they are the shadows, and to dispute about the way these things are understood by men who have never seen justice itself?"

Neckties: bent swords in urban jungle

While watching a documentary on wars and civilizations, my friend joked that the suits are modern version of armors, and the neckties are reminders of swords. I was impressed and intrigued.  So I did some research. It has a military origin. In 1630s Croatian mercenaries were enlist to support Louis XIII of France and Cardinal Richelieu against the Duc de Guise and the Queen Mother, Marie de Medici.  Of course Parisians loved it. And in glimpse,  the Croatian word "Hr̀vāt" became "cravat" deriving from the French "cravate," a corrupt French pronunciation of "Croat". It became a trendy must in Europe, and then English  adopted the style in 1660 when Charles II returned to England from exile. The cravats stayed in style but the trend was preserved by “maccaronis”. Funny word but pejorative to fashionable male from “the Italian word maccherone – a boorish fool in Italian – and said that anything that was fashionable or à la mode was 'very macaroni” Cravats, neckties became known as ties only after the battle of Waterloo in 1815. The weird part is that I visited Waterloo as a child. And I was so impressed by the officer uniforms. Maybe that is why I love military jackets so much, they have that perfect combination of style and distinction…In conclusion my friend was right. And I love his analogy of ties as bent swords kept around the neck to stylishly portray the warrior within in this urban jungle.

Same Moonlight for our Dreams.

Sting - Desert Rose

Enjoy this old duet from Sting and Cheb Mami!

Here the lyrics
[ lai......... lai… lai… aa^ … pa … aa^ … pa… ma… pa…
lalima de afrina de nin hau husain' wah^ ho ya ho ya husain di^ di^
de nin hau husain' wah^ ho ya ho ya husain di^ di^
de nin hau husain' wah…….. ali ya husain di di]

I dream of rain {yele e yele} [ husain wah^]
I dream of gardens in the desert sand [hus…ain wah ]
I wake in pain {yele e yele} [husain wah……… ]
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
I do fire {yele e yele} [oo…. oo……]
Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
And in my flames {yele e yele} [ ho ho ho……]
Her shadows play in the shape of man's desire
This desert rose {yele e yele}
Each of her vails a secret promise
This desert flower {yele e yele}
No sweep perfume ever tortured me more than this { 5 }
And now she turns {yele e yele}
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams
This fire burns {yele e yele}
I realize that nothing as it seems
I dream of rain {yele e yele} [ ho ho…… ho]
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain {yele e yele}
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
I dream of rain {yele e yele}
I lift my gaze to empty skies above
I close my eyes this rare perfume
Is the sweet intoxication of her love

[Aa ma na ma na ma na ma na na ma
aa……. Pa…….
aa …………
aa^ ………
aa^………
aa…………]

[lai….. ma^…. pa ma^ …. pa ma pa ]

{yeh………} I dream of rain {yele e yele} [husain wah^]
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain {yele e yele} [ husain wa……]
I dream of love as time runs through my hand [I wa^…..ke in pain]
This desert rose {yele e yele}
Each of her vails a secret promise + [vails a secret prom.……]
This desert flower {yele e yele} + [o^……….]
No sweep perfume ever for tortured me more than this +
Sweet desert rose {yele e yele} + [swwee…… desert rose yele e yele]
This momery of eden haunts as all +[ of eden haunts……..]
This desert flower this rare perfume +[This desert flower this rare per^...fume]
Is the sweet intoxication of her fall. +[Is the sweet intoxication of her fall]

[he oo……… he oo…….. he oo…….
ali ya…… mohomadali….
ali ya………. mohomadali
ya…………
yo………. ………...]

Paulo flores - poema do semba

Paulo Flores  is from Angola grew up in Portugal. His semba resonates with everybody hardships in life with death, deception, happiness,singing, dancing,freedom, joy, hope and dreams. Semba is a poem. It is a poem in you. Enjoy and dance a little…:)

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson.

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration(1910s to 1970s) by Isabel Wilkerson. I saw her interview on the PBS. Like she says, it is a classic American story. She interviewed hundreds and chosen three people from different decades and regions. I love how she presents this great migration as “immigrants in their own country”. Wilkerson emphasized on the distinction of “Emigrants with an E because they were actually leaving one place for another place that they hoped would be better”. The author is powerful and the message can reach out to all classes, races, and cultures. She offers a comprehensive story about leaving the South. In my opinion, it is a deep exploration of the immigrant mind. It is not just a classic American story because we can all related to the need of better education for our children and freedom. I love the subtility about the migration itself. People did not want to become “somebody”. They had modest goals. They had the will, the determination that made them go beyond.  The migrations were about rights not the desire of power. She also pointed out that these migrants were usually married couples, or families. And they always send money back home for the relatives. It is the immigrant mind. It is that bitter sweet silence struggle between the will, the conscience and the heart. Professor Isabel Wilkerson did a great job. It is a brilliant epic story that exposes this part of history. I am buying this book! I am sure it will be a stunning painting with all the flavor of soul, blues and jazz.
Same Moonlight for our Dreams
THE WARMTH OF OTHER SUNS by Isabel Wilkerson (SNEAK PEEK)

Metamorphosis to the butterfly within our soul

On Sunday, we walked to the farmer market for a last farewell to summer before fall moves in. It seems that everybody decided to do the same. My son was gazing at a yellow butterfly in a busy parking lot. Then a lady in her hybrid SUV drove over the butterfly… And right there, I had to go find the butterfly for a proper burial. It was a fast ceremony. My son made a hole, put the fragile body in and covered it with soil. Then we said our goodbyes. As a mom, I told him that the butterfly's energy was transfered to him because he tried to rescue it from the car…Yes, I did!!! Over dinner, he shared his story. To make it easy, we said that it just happened and a butterfly life spam is so short anyway. He was relieved and said he was happy that he is not a butterfly.Yes, indeed… We pulled the “it is life” card!!

In introspective, we are butterflies. We see ourselves as magnificence divine nymphs getting ready for an astonishing triumph in our lifetime. However we used to be eggs and wandering caterpillars.  In our chrysalis stages were reluctant to see the world because we are just too busy getting ready for that fabulous journey. Our gradual metamorphosis is a beautiful and painful stage. It requires awareness and consciousness. When the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, it rests while pumping the blood to the wings. It takes three to four hours to master flying. And then it is time to explore, find a mate, reproduce, live and die. If the butterfly is lucky, it will die in peace at the end of a spectacular journey.

We have a longer spam life but we are all going trough the metamorphosis within our soul. No matter what lays a head we must have faith, hope and believe in life.  We must get ready to live and inspires all the wandering caterpillars, and fragile chrysalis about the ultimate audacity to just be. So let us rest, master flying, and keep on dreaming of many amazing flights. Life is a satirical prose. It is life.Just live because you never know when a hybrid SUV will interrupt your flight!

Same Moonlight for our Dreams.

by pageofbats

 

Nelson Mandela: The Authorized Comic Book

Perfect for a second grader and up!!
Written by The Nelson Mandela Foundation. Art by Umlando Wezithombe. Here
Yes...The drawings are ok not great but the message is grandiose!!!
"Like most graphic novels produced with educational intent, the art takes a far second to the didactic text in this graphic biography of the South African icon. It's tough to criticize a book created to contribute to the ongoing canonization of the still-living Mandela. The intent is clear from the lack of individual creator credits, since who actually wrote these words and drew these pictures isn't important to the Mandela Foundation; what matters is that this is an authorized, approved biography created in a format to attract the attention of younger people, those who might not have been alive during the decade when Free Nelson Mandela was a politically important chant....Mandela was born in 1918, and the book will be released on his 91st birthday. "

Fair trade-Online by SERRV

According to the website, it is a non-profit!!! If we must keep in mind that we are a global community, let us not forget that we are a global economy. And if a little of our spending can support artisanal crafts and small farmers so be it. "SERRV is a nonprofit organization with a mission to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support  to artisans and farmers worldwide."
Here some items for fair trade gifts!!!
Shade of Gold Earrings-Phillipines at $12
Crimson Power Cuff-India at $10
Sonoke Bracelet-Indonesia at $4
Seascape ring-Chile at $11
Sea Waves Tote-Vietnam at $28
Sisal Trivet Set-Rwanda at $20
Cau Vong Bowl set-Vietnam at $21

Dreaming of Burundi

My mother is going back home after 38 years of exile and migrations!!! She is going back to Burundi!!I am so happy that her dream came true. And that she will see her mother! I wish I could have been with her. Until next time, I am dreaming of that land I belong. I am dreaming of that day... Today one of my dreams came true as well.  I am forever grateful...Thanks!!!

 Pictures from
by Eclectic Al
by rowanseymour
by carlos bobillo barbeito
by polafol

Stone Baby-Lithopedion

This post is for my dear father. At seven, I knew everything about natural childbirth. Sometimes I would see mothers give birth squatting in the hospital hallways. Childbirth was beautiful, real and so unreal. One day, I found out that my father did operated on a woman with a stone baby. Of course I begged him to let me see that stone baby. After seeing the stone baby,I was sad and amazed by biology. My dad told me that for decades the dead baby was in her belly, it became stone to protect her from infection. My dad was my super hero, he is a super hero. I told him that the stone baby looked more like a frozen chicken.  And when my dad ask for my treasure box to store his lithopedion. I felt like he made me his most valuable assistant. I was proud and more understanding of his passion for medicine.And when we moved, we took the stone baby with us. It became part of our family. I associated that stone baby with my father passion for medicine and it helped me  forgive his absences.Papa, I love you. You are the best!!!
More on Lithopedion

Stone Baby by Chad Nelson  

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

I finished it!!! It is an exquisite, sublime, deep and  rich novel. I want to thanks Emily and Katie for sharing this amazing book with me. It is better than a great movie. It is a learning experience with all the crispiness and crunchiness of  life. On top of it you have science, medicine and diseases. I was in heaven!!I grew up in hospitals and like many among us, I wanted to be a doctor. The author captured so many of my memories about sickness, death, migrations,exile and hope.It shows how intimacy is so powerful and mysterious. It is a great great novel, good job Dr Verghese!
"Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon at a mission hospital in Addis Ababa. Orphaned by their mother’s death in childbirth and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Yet it will be love, not politics — their passion for the same woman — that will tear them apart and force Marion, fresh out of medical school, to flee his homeland. He makes his way to America, finding refuge in his work as an intern at an underfunded, overcrowded New York City hospital. When the past catches up to him — nearly destroying him — Marion must entrust his life to the two men he thought he trusted least in the world: the surgeon father who abandoned him and the brother who betrayed him.An unforgettable journey into one man’s remarkable life, and an epic story about the power, intimacy, and curious beauty of the work of healing others."

Lauryn Hill - I Gotta Find Peace of Mind

Peace!

Ayo - "Life Is Real"

Happy Friday!!!

Kimpa Vita a non violent activist 1684-1706

I watched Joan D'arc last week. Of course I had to Google for an African version. Enjoy!
"Kimpa Vita known also as Dona Beatrice was born in 1684 in the Kingdom of Kongo. Magnified by some historian as a kind of “African Joan D ‘Arc” with whom they share only the same end and fate. She is the first woman who fought the European domination of Africa. At age of 20, she started her non-violent action to restore her Kingdom destroyed by the Portuguese. She stands firmly and fought against both local and transatlantic slavery. She led thousands of people to rebuild and to repopulate Mbanza Kongo, the capital, whereas the Kongo’s King Pedro IV, imposed by the Catholic Church, had taken refuge in the mountains. In July 2, 1706, the catholic priest “fathers” Bernardo da Gallo and Lorenzo da Luca burned her into a stake, with her companion and their baby, according to rules of the “holy” Inquisition. Later, in 1739, some of her followers, sold in America, carried out the revolt well known as the “rebellion of Stono” in South Carolina, and her teachings inspired the action of the Kongo slaves, during the revolt which led to the independence of Haiti in 1804. Nowadays, Dona Beatrice is remembered as a prophetess and a symbol of the non-violent resistance in Africa, inspiring many political and religious leaders in the Congo and Angola. Therefore in regard of her dedication to fight oppression in all it form, we decided to name our publishing project after her name: Kimpa Vita Press & Publishers
The Kimpa Vita Press & Publishers is exclusively a non-profit publishing company dedicated to promote understanding, knowledge, equality through giving the opportunity to the often less heard people to have a say in the events and affairs of their society and the world at large"

Relativity, cyclical time in a linear temporality.

The Western notion of time is mostly linear and progressive. The Eastern notion is cyclical and infinite. If you are a following one of the three major monotheistic religions, you must view the concept of time as being linear.  From creation to our absolute end of creation, time is limited and finite. In my opinion, our individual life is a singly infinite sequence but we must remember that Life is a double-infinite sequence. It means that “it has neither a first nor a final element” So I do believe in a cyclical time in a linear temporality.  In some way we are avatars of “Life” in our very own linear temporality.  If you look at your parents, relatives, or children, that very individual temporality is extended to a greater cyclical dimension.

 Each generation implies a succession of deaths, births or rebirths. The movement is eternal. Besides we must accept Einstein’s theory of relativity as a testament of creation. Our cosmos is not static, so our temporality is flowing but it is indeed linear. The universe expansion indicates the direction in which time flows.  With Einstein’s famous equation E = mc², which reveals the equivalence of mass and energy. It is implies that the universe is not eternal because the thermal distribution in the cosmos is uneven. In a way, our differences in this global community are proofs that our universe is not eternal. And as cyclical as linear it is this is it. Moreover, time itself does not exist without space and matter. Then in my linear temporality: I am here because I am and this is my eternity. And in my cyclical time I accept my place and its infinity.

According to Descartes in the discourse of the method on God existence is a fifty-fifty gamble but either way you will die. And if you reason… only a God, a creator transcends infinity and eternity. Personally I must believe in God to trust science. And I have faith in humanity. I am enjoying my relativity in my cyclical time in my linear temporality.  I am also proud that I do not forget how time is relative. Honestly what is the point of having a watch if you never have time? Time is a precious gift! I want to take this instant to say Thank you!! Thank you, to everyone for everything you done, did, doing, do and will do. Thank you!!!

Peace Day 2010 September 21

The UN international Peace day is on September 21. Yes, just one day, just 24 hours in 192 UN members states. A tiny break to focus on peace and life saving activities!It is a day a ceasefire and non-violence. We are all supposed to commit to take action toward peace. I will commit on finding some inner peace and take a pacifist approach all day. I will also remember my grandfather who died many moons ago in a civil war. And I will share some food with someone in need because it is obviously impossible to be non-violent when you are starving!! It is in few days. If we can follow a "just do it" to score in some games we should be able to "just do some" for peace. Mahatma Gandhi said that “Nearly everything you do is of no importance, but it is important that you do it”. A tiny break is nothing but important!!!




The Tookie Protocol for Peace A Local Street Peace Initiative by Stanley Tookie Williams
"There is no quick-fix remedy for the gang epidemic.
Here on death row I have discussed a street gang truce with individuals from different age groups, geographical locales, gangs, and mentalities. I discovered that my ideological and philosophical outlook on peace was in step with perspectives of the newer and the older generation. I also realized it is illogical to create a peace not based on an individual and collective improvement of the lives of community members. Failure to establish a truce that includes a social agenda will cause any negotiation for peace to relapse into war. I am convinced that peace is possible, despite the many lives that have been lost from years of youth gang warfare. This document is designed to assist those whose aspirations are to create a cease-fire, end gang violence and restore social order. Pessimistic individuals may quote the English translation of the Latin phrase, si vis pacem, para bellum – if you desire peace, prepare for war. But I strongly disagree.    Real peace will conquer war."

Artsy Peeks: Coffee Paintings

By Dirceu Viega

By Bobsmade on deviantart

Life is an infinite sequence of bridges.

In high school mathematics had a huge place in my life.
I had dreams and nightmares full of numbers, trigonometry, sequences, series, geometry, and signs to the infinite. It was a constant struggle with victories and defeats. I was looking at mathematics as a reflection of my life. If I could not overcome difficulties and find the solution, I will never accomplish my dreams. I was not a brilliant student just smart and hardworking. And math was like a divine test that will predict which schools or programs will accept me. My future depended on mathematics. The best advice I had was from a teacher. He said that math is a reflection of my confidence that I have to work hard and trust myself because he believed in me. Bless his heart for that! 

My sophomore year in college; I was determined to thrive in math. So I could  prove to myself that I will be more than fine in life. And I did very well. For the first time I blossomed under that mathematical breeze. However I foolishly neglected other subjects because I desperately needed to conquer math's hills just once. Nevertheless nothing can take that victory away from me. 
And I realized that life was an infinite sequence of bridges. It is a succession of events that we do not control but we use probabilities to predict our actions. When we are young it is all about randomness and we learn from the results, then we know what to expect and predict more or less with wisdom. However it is a succession of bridges that we must cross because time does not halt for our consideration.
And no matter how you cross each bridge you will cross all of them. Sometimes we do not want to cross because the bridge does not look stable or solid, and we are afraid of the other side. Fog may blur our visibility, or sunshine may glare our sight but we will crossover like others before us. 

Our individual life is a singly infinite sequence but we must remember that Life is a double-infinite sequence. It means that “it has neither a first nor a final element”. So we must be gentle with ourselves and remember that we are children of the Universe. We must enjoy each step of the process and still believe, hope, dream, and keep faith.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity_Bridge
Pics:Uploaded on December 11, 2009 by Tall Guy

Le Voyage De Plume/ Little Polar Bear by Hans de Beer

“Plume or Feather” is a cute little polar bear. This story puts the child in the little polar bear perspective. It is about the discovery of new world from his native land to Africa. From his beloved all white world, the little polar bear find out that other colors do exist.In his journey he befriends a hippopotamus. With his help he will go back home. It is a beautiful story.  It is a cute story and also a powerful message of solidarity and friendship.

Another A+ from us.

Just Share a dream

I was walking through an orchard of white Chinese peaches the one that have an almond flavor. It could see small pink grapes, the one that have a raspberry flavor, as well as olives trees. The orchard was surrounded by avocado trees and mango trees. It was raining. I was enjoying each step in the warm rain. It was an African sky with a luxurious fiery sunset. It could feel the emerald abundance in the red soil with my bare feet. It was a mix of all my dearest memories from my African, Tropical, Mediterranean and Californian experiences. I could smell my mother’s warm wild raspberry jam. I was grown but I had that sweet peace fullness from childhood. I walked back home with a care free indolence, knowing that my loved ones were waiting for me. I was happy and blessed. It was a blissful dream.

If dreaming is all I have. Well it is already a lot. So far I have been blessed.

Fell free to share a dream…

Same moonlight for our dreams.
Peace!

Within the Four Seas: Introduction to Comparative Philosophy by Ulrich Libbrecht

 Oh my! Oh my! I just found this book online!! I will look for it at the library. Seriously, comparative philosophy!!! I am so exited I had to share... Ulrich Libbrecht is a belgian philosopher and a writer in comparative philosophy. He started as a math teacher. I understand how a math lover did fall for the beauty within the different models of thinking. I hope to find out that we are united in our differences.

"Our world has evolved in such a way that we can no longer reduce it to just a market - it has also become an «agora», where philosophers exchange world-views in order to understand one another. Europe has lost its position at the centre of the world and should stop pretending it holds the one true religion, philosophy, economy and science. Instead, we should turn our attention to fulfilling the dream of Erasmus reflected in his statement: "I wish to be a citizen of the world". First and foremost, we should learn to play fair when comparing different cultures and not rely on exlusively western criteria. This book explains how a comparative model, based on the paradigm-free axes of energy and information, accommodates the current world-views of Taoism, Buddhism and Rationalism - representing Chinese, Indian and Western heritages respectively - and shows how science and religion interrelate within such a global framework"

"Yeye Ndiye" by Dela

One more song from Dela! Enjoy!

From Kenya :Muthoni

  Also named the Drummer Queen, Muthoni is from Kenya.I like her voice. By mixing English. Kikuyu, and Kiswahili; She brings multiple dimensions to her poetry.And her talent remind me of my Kirundi challenge.I am still working on it...Sorry to my specials readers and please accept this gifts!!

My "green" urban patio garden

It is the result of our summer project. We did buy plants from a farmer market at one dollar each or two for a dollar. Then to keep this project on the frugalicious side, we used old storage boxes and plastic bags for potting. And voili, voilà...we have one bell pepper and tomatoes. For a first timer, patio gardening is fun, relaxing, and calming. However, I have to perfect many skills  by next summer to have a composed salad and strawberries for dessert! In this current gardening revolution, patio gardening is not impossible. Only if you are ready to commit and invest more than 15 dollars. Even if you do not feast on your garden. You can at least enjoy the gardening and  gaze at the beauty of growing vegetables, blossoming flowers and visiting insects. Besides, according to Voltaire,"we must cultivate our garden"!!  I see my gardening as my attempt to connect with nature and slow down.  At the end, I deeply appreciate the work of farmers around the world. Thank you!!!
Until next time, keep on cultivating...

Koi and the Kola Nuts : A Tale from Liberia by Verna Aardema

We did love this book! The story is everything my mother did teach us about being kind to everyone because life is mysterious. Besides the illustrations from Joe Cepeda are amazing!! It is a great read, funny and cute. A perfect book to read aloud. And it is even better if you play the african accents!!! Definitively A+ from us.

"Koi returned late from his hunting trip and learned that his father, Chief Ogumefu had died. What's more, the village Wise Man had divided the royal possessions among Koi's brothers. All that was left for Koi was a kola tree. Koi picked the nuts and set out to explore the world. Along the way he met a snake, some ants and a crocodile all of whom ask for his help which he gladly gave. Koi then met Chief Fulikolli who told Koi he could marry his daughter and gain half his chiefdom if he could succeed in three challenges. While at first they seemed impossible, those he helped along the way help him in return. Aardema has enhanced this Liberian tale she first published in Tales from the Story Hat (1960) with ideophones (words that mimic the actual sounds)."

O Último Pôr-do-Sol by Lenine

Enjoy this song from Lenine a Brazilian Singer... 

Artsy Peeks of the week

Eleanor Rubin in "Dreams of Repair"

Peter Gikandi at his amazing blog!

Howard Zinn: A people's history of American empire: a graphic adaptation

This Book is from Howard Zinn. He is a a professor activist. In Wikipedia, it is mentioned that he wanted to be remembered "for introducing a different way of thinking about the world, about war, about human rights, about equality," and "for getting more people to realize that the power which rests so far in the hands of people with wealth and guns, that the power ultimately rests in people themselves and that they can use it. At certain points in history, they have used it. Black people in the South used it. People in the women's movement used it. People in the anti-war movement used it. People in other countries who have overthrown tyrannies have used it."

"Adapted from the bestselling grassroots history of the United States, the story of America in the world, told in comics form Since its landmark publication in 1980, A People’s History of the United States has had six new editions, sold more than 1.7 million copies, become required classroom reading throughout the country, and been turned into an acclaimed play. More than a successful book, A People’s History triggered a revolution in the way history is told, displacing the official versions with their emphasis on great men in high places to chronicle events as they were lived, from the bottom up. Now Howard Zinn, historian Paul Buhle, and cartoonist Mike Konopacki have collaborated to retell, in vibrant comics form, a most immediate and relevant chapter of A People’s History: the centuries-long story of America’s actions in the world. Narrated by Zinn, this version opens with the events of 9/11 and then jumps back to explore the cycles of U.S. expansionism from Wounded Knee to Iraq, stopping along the way at World War I, Central America, Vietnam, and the Iranian revolution. The book also follows the story of Zinn, the son of poor Jewish immigrants, from his childhood in the Brooklyn slums to his role as one of America’s leading historians. Shifting from world-shattering events to one family’s small revolutions, A People’s History of American Empire presents the classic ground-level history of America in a dazzling new form."

Between ‘the rock’ and a hard place by Caroline Muscat

Immigration issues and problems in Malta! Powerful and interesting  article.
Here the full version from the Malta independent Online

When Suleiman committed suicide in the dormitory he shared with other migrants at the Marsa Open Centre,it was a wake-up call to those who witnessed it. Now, two young men dare to hope in a life that has no meaning. Alidu Osman and Abshir Abdala are among the exiles of the modern age. They live between a lost past and a changing present. In their journey between different worlds, they are at home in none. Their greatest fear is despair; the same kind of despair that consumed Suleiman. Coming from entirely different backgrounds and completely diverse social contexts, they have nothing in common except one goal – a future.


Their predicament is difficult to understand. It is almost impossible to imagine a life where the only certain thing is the here and now. In such a life, hope and ambition are futile. Relationships are a luxury. Even self-respect is difficult to preserve.
“I do not know who I am,” says 22-year-old Alidu, looking down at the floor. He left Ghana five years ago, too young to know what the journey held in store for him. Instead of escaping to a future, he is now stuck in a present that never ends.


His friend Abshir even regrets leaving war-torn Somalia: “I jumped from the frying pan into the fire. I have no future here”. “The discrimination around me makes me a prisoner of myself. I have built my own boundaries to avoid embarrassment,” says the 31-year old husband and father of two children he has not seen in over a year. In Malta, the two men have become friends. Together they now form part of a movement for change. They have hope in the Migrants’ Network for Equality they launched earlier this month with the support of 12 local non-governmental organisations and 26 university academics.


They want to be an active part of Maltese society, contributing positively to the debate on migration. Their first action was to write a letter to Justice Minister Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici. It was signed by representatives of communities in Malta coming from Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, Ghana, Niger, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Sierra Leone.


In their letter, the message is simple: “While we are fully aware that life for us can never be easy, as most of us left our families and belongings back home and are now in the difficult process of starting a new life in a foreign country, we are conscious of the fact that certain factors related to policy are making our life harder and resulting in much suffering among many of us.”


They ask Dr Mifsud Bonnici to review policies on documentation, movement within the European Union, asylum procedures, discrimination, accommodation and employment.
“Maybe the Justice Minister doesn’t know the real conditions we live in. If they are brought to his attention, he can do something about it,” says Alidu, betraying an innocence even injustice could not dent. The letter was sent almost three weeks ago. “We have not received a reply yet. Perhaps they are busy,” he adds. They have not even received an acknowledgment.
In the meantime, their message extends beyond the silent walls of the Justice Ministry. Their concerns reflect a wider problem related to rising xenophobia and racism in this place that is lovingly, or not so lovingly, referred to as ‘The Rock’.


A lesson in humanity
...
All he has is nostalgia for a past, fixed time, when his identity was rooted in a community. It is a past to which he can never return. Both his parents are dead, and Alidu says he is wanted.

A convenient truth
...
In its report last year, ECRI confirmed that “people under humanitarian protection and refugees faced racial discrimination in accessing various services and exploitation in the labour market”. The Commission also noted that the detention policies put in place by the authorities to respond to the challenges of irregular immigration were “seriously reinforcing perceptions of immigrants as criminals and increasing the levels of racism and xenophobia among the general population.”


Abshir’s situation is one example. In Somalia, he was a full time biology teacher. He lived his life setting a good example to his students. When he was forced to leave, he sent his wife and children to Kenya for safety, while he attempted to use his skills and education in Europe so his family could at some point gain freedom.
When he arrived in Malta, he was confined to the detention centre where he became ill and had to be taken to hospital. He was handcuffed for the journey and constantly accompanied by an officer.
“When they put the handcuffs on me, I was shocked. Handcuffs are put on criminals. Suddenly, I am the one wearing them. When we entered the hospital waiting room and I saw everyone looking at me, I understood what they were seeing. I turned to my officer and told him to take me away. I could not bear it,” he says.

...
If the problems related to such double standards escape the attention of those same authorities entrusted with handling migrants’ concerns, how is it possible to expect a society that is free from prejudice? It is an infectious attitude that culminates in the often-repeated phrase targeting migrants: “If you don’t like it, go back to your country”.
...

Moving on
Abshir is grateful that his time in detention was a relatively short one. Due to his particularly vulnerable situation, he was let out after four months. Those who arrived with him on the same boat, in February of last year, are still there.
“The detention centres do not stop people from making the journey from Libya. All detention does is promote suffering,” he says, shaking his head. He cannot, and will not, accept that things do not change.
“I believe change can come. It may take long, but it can come. All I wanted was peace and freedom. I have peace, but not complete freedom because of the social segregation surrounding me. I have to be part of the community to contribute to it,” Abshir insists.
He finds the authorities’ silence particularly disturbing. The most recent case involving the rescue of 55 migrants from his country is impossible to ignore at this point.


...
That change starts to happen when every individual who witnesses discrimination refuses to turn away. Change is possible when citizens demand it from their elected representatives. How a state deals with immigrants should be a measure of its social and political health.
Migration has always been a core process of global politics and historical change. The theme of migration has been part of the collective human narrative for as long as there has been recorded history. Its roots lie in poverty, economic deprivation, persecution and failed states.
It is simply not possible to ignore the world’s dispossessed.

What about: How the Earth was formed?

This "what about" series  are for and from my seven years old son. Now that we have the continents down. He asked about the formation of Earth. And he wanted to know the cool details. Here is more for your little ones,when collision, accretion, and plaques tectonics are not enough to explain speculation of the early  Earth formation.  After my brief explanation, he said "Maman? The planet Earth is a giant sleepy volcano,made of hot hot lava, explosions can happen and God knows what happened for real". Well, I am definitively subscribing to few science magazines, such as Odyssey and Ask. Until that time I want to thank You tube...
 Enjoy!

Pakistan:Natural disasters and political ballroom dances

In the Express tribune, George Fulton wrote Cry wolf. In my opinion, he gives a good analysis on the current situation in Pakistan. In short, everybody is too broke to help. People do not trust a foreign government.  Many fear corruption and misuse of aid. His analogy to Cry Wolf is sad but captures the international feeling.

Here a good quote from the article: “So why the pitiful response? One reason has to do with the nature of the natural disaster itself. Earthquakes and tsunamis are sexy. They make for good TV. They expose the extent of their devastation for all to see. Death and destruction are instantaneous. And as the pictures are beamed around the world they engender an emotional response. Floods disguise and submerge their devastation. Shots of water do not generate a similar heart tug for the viewer. Floods are silent, and often long-term, killers.” Yes, marketing is the key to everything.

I believe that the crumbling economy does not help. However it consolidates the hypocrisy in vigor. While so called political friends perform different ballroom dances, snobbing and carefully choosing dance partners; we tend to forget that mother earth imposes the tempo. Natural disasters are part of the music, sexy or not, here they come.

Romani-Gypsies :The refugees within

On December 14, 1950, the UN established the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The UNHCR coordinates international action to protect refugees and resolves refugee problems worldwide. “Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. It also has a mandate to help stateless people.”

As a child, I used to believe that all stateless and homeless were synonyms for refugees. Virtually, everyone has the rights “to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another state”. And if you are lucky you can find safe refuge within your state.  In a previous post, I talked about my experience with the gypsies. Lately the French government is closing gypsy encampments across the country. And many others European countries are discretely surfing on this racism wave. It is so hypocritical for a country fanfaroning the idea human rights for over 200 years. Besides I was thinking that The European Union allowed you to freely travel within the union regardless of your citizenship of origin. I know regulations and laws are necessary. However, I would like to point out that Europe should remember Auschwitz. Yes!!! Romani-Gypsies were the first to be placed in camps. Under the Vichy government, France deported 30,000 Gypsies to Nazi concentration camps.

So I deeply appreciate that “the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination criticized the French government for a lack of political will' in tackling mounting acts of racism.”  Maybe gypsies should be labeled “nomadic stateless refugees”. Once again I would like to say that I am a Gitana, a gypsy, a traveler, refugees, and I am here. And let us not forget it is the same moonlight for our dreams.

The Lost Horse : A Chinese Folktale , English, Soft Cover by Ed Young

This is a Chinese folktale that takes place among the nomads in Northern China. It is sweet and beautifully illustrated. There is a certain softness, delicateness that it is soothing. It gives the necessary relativism about disasters and the gratefulness expected for blessings. This story is about contentment, faith in fate and providence. It is excellent.  Ed Young offers us a perfect tool to explain the mystery and beauty of life. 

Enjoy!!

The soul of exile - Mona Ki Ngi Xiça by Bonga

In my opinion, this song of Bonga is the soul of exile.This one is for all the traveling birds in this global community. When nostalgia resides in our nests. Life's mysterious melody reminds us that beyond our dreams;these children of ours will stay here when we gone.Forever immortal in their hearts, we can  open their eyes to this beautiful world with love. We are different but the same. We are all urban refugees and distant relatives. To you all...
Same Moonlight for our dreams

MONA KI NGI XIÇA

(The Child I’m Leaving Behind)

(Barceló de Carvalho “Bonga”)

Bonga - 1972

Also recorded by: Ruy Mingas

Attention! I’m in mortal danger

And I’ve already warned you

She will stay here and I will go away

This child of mine

Evil people are after her

This child of mine

On a tide of misfortune

God gave me this offspring

That I brought into the world

And she will stay here

When I am gone

I am free by Kunline

To my Brother David...
Thank you!!

I am invincible beyond the visible

Emotions are intense

Love without nuances

Where everything commences

Where reigns the ultimate happiness

No more bitterness

No more guess

I throw myself into the blue

An intense silence reigns

No more fear in my veins

Far from the insane parade

Within the waves I am not afraid

Finally my heart beats

I am free.
From Journal 3: May03, 2002

Perseverance by Derek Redmond

Beautiful.....the true spirit of the Olympics.
It is an universal message.

The Feasting in the Ramadan

According to Wikipedia:
Fasting is intended to teach Muslims about patience, humility and spirituality and is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadan, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

However, there is the feasting in this fasting month. Everybody is looking forward to share delicious meals. Cooks are chasing for special recipes, as well as perfecting all culinary skills.

Here a $30 wonderful gift for all the special chefs in your kitchens.
Happy Ramadan! Bon Ramadan! Ramadan Mubarak!

"This Serving Tagine is formed entirely of clay which was painted and glazed. This original and beautifully handcrafted.Tagine adds a touch of something different and colorful to your gourmet meal and delight your guests.A tagine is like a casserole dish used in Morocco. It consists of two parts; a base unit which is flat and circular with low sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that rests inside the base during cooking. The cover is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving.All tagines are handcrafted by Moroccan artisans, resulting in truly unique pieces that may vary from the image shown."All measurements are approximate.

• For best results, wash by hand if needed.

• 9 1/2" h x 8 1/2" diameter

• 3 lbs

Aug 09,2010 International Day of the World's Indigenous People

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of the World's Indigenous People is observed on August 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population. This event also recognizes the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection. 

Let us celebrate indigenious cultures!!
Great website:Censored News Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights News Publisher