ADEREMI'S NOTEBOOK

Jean Charles de Menezes (0)

Aba boy met Jean Charles de Menezes;

I had met this guy once in my house. We had a problem with the lighting in our loft, and wifey knew someone at work that was familiar with this very good Brazilian electrician.
….
A day later, when the identity of the suspect became clearer, and when it appeared that the wrong guy had been shot, wifey called from work sobbing. The guy that had been shot was the one that came to have a look at our loft a few months ago.

2005 World Aids’ Day (0)

This year over 200,000 Nigerians died of AIDS and there is currently a HIV population of 4.5 million people (source). Another source estimates that 300,000 Nigerians died in 2004. As one would expect, poor health service, associated stigma and lack of sex education for young people are the factors that have contributed to spread of HIV in Nigeria.

Things are improving slowly but more needs to be done and the 14th International Conference on HIV / AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) to be held in Abuja next week should hammer home a few points (via abujacity).

Mental Acrobatics poses a good question, “How do you tackle AIDS as an African writer/writer who happens to be African/blogger of African origin/African blogger?”. Owukori interviews Rose, who shares her personal experience of living with AIDS:

At the time it was simply a death sentence and I was told that I would probably be dead within a year. This year turned into two, three, four five and now its 19 years.

The interview illustrates the topical stigma attached with AIDS.

Don’t assume everyone knows about AIDS, at least that was what Adrian found on his recent trip to Zimbabawe:

I’m in my thirties whereas each of the others were at least fifty. The conversation started with one of the men saying ‘ I don’t know what is happening to all our young people in this country. They are all dying.’ I was stunned by his words. I knew all about the conspiracy of silence that surrounds HIV/AIDS but this did not seem like a man in denial. The other men nodded in agreement. None of them knew what was happening to their youngsters either. I wanted to scream at them ‘They are dying of AIDS for God’s sake!!!’ but I said nothing.

He also has some moving stories about the state of the health service in Zimbadawe and the carefree attitude of a friend toward unprotected sex (via sokwanele).

Lanre Lawal (0)

Lanre Lawal, founder of The Design Jockey Sessions, an experimental graphic design and multi-media company emerged as the winner of the British Council’s Inaugural International Young Design Entrepreneur of the Year 2005 (IYDEY) Award decided in London.

London Blast (0)

I can confirm that I am still around. I work very close to Liverpool street station and a couple of my friends had to be evacuated from the building adjacent to the station. I understand everyone is safe. As I walked home from Liverpool street to Lewisham (for most of way - used DLR partly), it was interesting to see Londoners just standing around the pubs talking with a pint of lager. For me it showed support that “we will continue our lifestyle no matter how many blasts go on here”. I am encouraged, so I will do my part by smiling all day.

Wedding and Name changes (3)

Earlier in the week, I posted about diamond rings, this thime it is about wedding and name changes. Over at Metafilter [via Kottke], there is an ongoing coversation about name changes after wedding. It is interesting that over 80% of the comments supported not changing the wife’s surname to her husband’s. I always thought that a compound name would be cool but my wife not taking my name, I am not sure I will be too pleased. I will probably get over it but c’mon Mr and Mrs MyName sounds better than Mr Myname and Mrs Hername.

Another 15% said that the male kids will get the father’s name and female kids will get the mother’s name. That is not just unacceptable.

If you happen to marry spainish person, the name change will be even more interesting.

Am I being old fashioned here? I was slightly comforted by this comment.

Home sweet Home (0)

Some of my best moments growing up were also the years I spent in boarding house during my secondary school days at FGGC, Abuloma, Port Harcourt. Boarding school was a life changing experience and the friends I had there will always be in my heart.

I also spent some time studying at the Federal University of Tech Owerri. The community life on Campus was very refreshing. We had Christian fellowships, common rooms for relaxation, bukas (food joints) and there were so many activities going on campus.

I thought it would be the same atmosphere when I got to England but I was in for a rude awakening. I had to fill up my emotional vacuum by keeping in touch with friends back home and reading letters from my family over and over again.

Source

I thought I was the only who did such things when I first came to England (reading letters from my friends over and over again to keep me going).

Outsourcing Skilled Work (0)

An article on outsourcing from The Times stated:

Up to 15,000 well-paid City jobs could be lost to India over the next five years, according to research that gives warning of a willingness by firms to outsource complex roles to low-cost economies. The displacement of between 10,000 and 15,000 financial services jobs by the end of the decade would add to the flood of low-skill call centre and back office administration jobs that have already been shifted abroad.

If all the jobs eventually go to India (any low-cost economy), UK will begin to have an increased unemployment rate - this in turn will mean that there is less money in the system for financial institution to manage as more people will barely have enough to survive, talk less of investing. This is slightly extreme as most City firms will have a good spread of business around the world and may not experience this.

I think it is more interesting to think about the implication for the low-cost economy (ies). The theory of supply and demand suggests that in the long run, as the demand for skilled workers increases, their pay demands (including benefits) will also rise and after a period it is possible that this will match the expected salary level of a UK/US-based financial analyst.

The reason for this is that as all this job transfer/outsourcing occurs, these low-cost economies will develop further and government (well, politicians) will try to gain supporters by offering incentives such introducing increased pension benefits, minimum pay, and special insurance to ensure healthcare is available etc. This will be achieved through taxes or passing a bill enforcing certain employment laws.

I can go a step further and say “the company will move such jobs to other low-cost economies when the associated cost saving disappears” - I am not sure this will be economical. Is outsourcing here to stay?

Help Tsunami Victims (0)

Various aid agencies involved in recuse efforts in the aftermath of Tsunami disaster at the weekend in which at least 120,000 people lost their lives and millions remain homeless are still accepting donations.

Quick Links
Disasters Emergency Committee
Red Cross UK
American Red Cross Disaster Relief
Tsunami Help Needed Blog
Google’s Tsunami relief page

Single and Looking (4)

Single and looking? Look no further. Phoenix has a post on the Bible’s Top 5 Ways to Get a Wife.

3. Find a man with seven daughters and then impress him.
“The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. But some shepherds came and drove them away. Moses got up and came to their defense and watered their flock.” When the father found out what Moses had done, he told his daughters to invite him to break bread. Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah in marriage (Exodus 2:16-21)

I am still working on that.

All I got is $14 (2)

From 14bucks, the mission;

My goal is to take $14 and turn it into $1,000 in one year with low risk and a minimal amount of work.

Could work but I will be interested to see the investments and how they work. Ideally the quickest and yet the riskest would be in the stock market in one of the so-called growth stocks. Then again the low risk profile means none of that. [no poker games or lottery tickets allowed either]

The whole point of this project is to experiment with capitalism. I’ve always believed that here in America, success can be had for anyone willing to strive for it. I’m hoping to train myself - through this small project - to constantly seek out opportunities to better my own situation. The $1,000 goal I set was just enough to make me wonder (and apparently you, too) if I could actually do it.

Food for thought while you do the dishes.