To Kill the Coronavirus : Lee's Binary Theorem

Amidst the Coronavirus crisis, Lee, a research scientist at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, finds a unique way of eradicating the deadly coronavirus. Read more by clicking the following link:
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/to-kill-the-coronavirus-lees-binary-theorem/26313066

How Africa Should Ride the Train of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

How Africa Should Ride the Train of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Phases of Industrial Revolutions (Source: SpaceNews)

All developed countries successfully passed through all the stages of Industrial Revolutions. Underdeveloped countries in Africa are struggling to make a transition from one stage to another. The Second and Third Industrial Phases heavily relies on availability of electrical power. Mass production of goods in assembly lines requires huge amounts electricity. Beside the energy factor, skills and knowledge are prerequisites of Industry 2.0, Industry 3.0 and Industry 4.0. Most African countries have inadequate supplies of electricity. Technical skills and expert knowledge are scarce in most African countries.

The good news is that Industry 4.0 can be powered by batteries and solar panels. At the heart of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) is the Internet. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have boosters or base stations to facilitate communication among devices like cellphones and computers. In addition, there are satellites in space to enable connectivity of all communication devices in the world in real time. Boosters can be powered with batteries, solar panels or generators. Satellites are powered by solar panels and batteries. Solar panels, batteries and generators are cheap sources of electrical power. As such, ensuring that every person is connected to the internet requires little capital.

Governments, ISPs and big business must roll out free internet access in public places like clinics, courtrooms, libraries, hospitals and learning institutions. Those people who cannot afford a smartphone but are in need of accessing the internet will have to be provided with the devices. For example, unemployed youths. Furthermore, people will need to be trained in new technical skills like coding, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber-security, cloud computing, data science and app development. These subjects can be learnt for free on MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses)portals.

If people can be provided with free internet access and free technical skills, the Fourth Industrial Phase will be attained in a short period of time. Africa has the highest youth population in the world and the highest youth unemployment. It is common knowledge that the youths of these days are technically savvy. Empowering the African youth with technical skills and knowledge may spawn entrepreneurship and the next Silicon Valley. Ideally, that may reduce problems of illegal migration to Europe or South Africa. Crossing the Mediterranean Sea in precarious boats is dangerous. Deportation of illegal immigrants is done in a degrading way. In South Africa, illegal immigrants face deadly xenophobic attacks and harassment. These social problems can be avoided by providing employment opportunities to the African youth.

The article is available on Medium at:
https://t.co/s4zvIF1AoA?amp=1

The Black African Conundrum

The Black African Conundrum

The Bright and Green Continent

The Black/White racial labels are misleading at most and derogatory at worst. For instance, the word ‘White’ is associated with virtues like purity and holiness. In contrast, the word ‘Black’ is associated with vices like blackmail and black magic. Other phrases associated with the word ‘black’ are black-sheep, black-market and blacklisted. In reality, no one is ‘Black’ or ‘White’ in the true sense of the word black or white. People are a hue of brown colors.

For that reason, Arabs of North Africa are not labeled as ‘Blacks’. Neither are they ‘proudly African’. Similarly, ‘Whites’ permanently residing in Africa cannot be called ‘Blacks’ and they are also unwilling to called Africans. There are Africans who are light in complexion and calling them ‘Blacks’ is a misnomer. The ‘Blacks’ in America are correctly referred to ‘African-Americans’. Indians and Chinese are not ‘Reds’ or ‘Yellows’. They are collectively referred to as Asians.

We have Maoris of New Zealand and Aborigines of Australia. There are Russians and British people of Europe (the so-called ‘Whites’). The point is, its politically correct to label people according to their place of birth rather than their skin complexion. Classifying people or labeling them according to their skin complexion is one of the root causes of racial prejudice and racial intolerance. The negative connotations associated with the ‘Black’ label also instill feelings of inferiority among some Africans. Hence we have sporadic bouts of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

African women goes to extreme lengths to mimic the ‘White’ standard of beauty. They buy lotion creams to enlighten their skins. They stretch or bleach their hair. Some wear artificial hair like wigs or human hair extensions. All this is done with the ultimate objective of appearing like a ‘White’ woman. Those with the money goes for plastic surgery like the late super-star Michael Jackson. The average ‘Black’ African has a very low self-esteem which emanates from the ‘Black’ label.

Most African parents prefer to give their children English, French or Portuguese names. This is mainly because the former colonizers are still revered by most Africans. The official language of communication is still English, French or Portuguese in most African countries. The colonial language is still the dominant language of teaching and learning. Court proceedings, formal meetings and political rallies are predominantly done in the colonial language.

Major religions in Africa also originated from Europe or Asia. Hence we have the Dutch and Roman Catholic churches. Another vexatious issue of the average ‘Black’ African is on social lifestyle. Newly-wed couples are confounded on whether to have a ‘white wedding’ or ‘traditional wedding’ or both. African traditions and cultures are generally despised as being primitive. The African attire is proudly adorned by people in West and North Africa.

In short, Africans must desist being called ‘Blacks’. They must start emulating their cultures and traditions. Most importantly, the colonial language must be expunged from all learning institutions, business meetings, political rallies or court proceedings. Such changes will not only redress the identity crisis strangling African development, but will go a long way in instilling pride in being African, not being black.

The article is also available on Medium at:
https://t.co/vXlaAcYWPC?amp=1

The Silver Spoon Connection: The Root Cause of Success and Failure in Life

(Downloaded from Warners Antique Silver — Google images)

It is the reality of life that some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Such people generally tend to portray their success in life as a product of sheer hard work. Of course, it is true that some people achieved fame and fortune by working very hard. William Shakespeare aptly summarized how people achieve success in the following words:

“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them”.

There are many books written on the subject of achieving success. For example, Robert Kiyosaki wrote the bestseller entitled ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’. Other popular books include ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill and ‘The 48 Laws of Power’ by Robert Greene. Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson attempted to explain causes of success and failure among nations in their famous book entitled ‘Why Nations Fail: On the Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty’.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently released a document called ‘2019 Goalkeepers’ Report’. The title of the report is ‘Examining Inequality: How Geography and Gender Stack the Deck for (or Against) You’. In the introduction, Bill Gates and his wife had this to say:

“We were born in a wealthy country to white, well-off parents who lived in thriving communities and were able to send us to excellent schools”.

Causes of Success and Failure in Life

(2019 Goalkeepers’ Report — Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

Bill Gates achieved greatness but he is humble and honest enough to acknowledge that part of his success was due to the ‘silver spoon connection’. Other billionaires like President Donald Trump will grudgingly acknowledge that, if at all. The issue of social connections conjures up secretive clubs of rich and powerful individuals. The Bohemian Club, the Bilderberg, the Freemasons and the Illuminati are some of the famous secretive societies patronized by the rich and powerful.

The issue of connections and gate-keeping extends to the world of work. Being the CEO of a blue-chip company has very little bearing with one’s qualifications and experience. It’s mostly to do with your social background — which school, college or university did you attend. Your friends and relatives play a very critical role in landing that coveted job.

India is a country which practices a caste system where members of society are stratified in rigid structures for generations after generations. If you are not part of the ‘silver spoon connection’, you are doomed for life. Cathy O’Nel wrote a fascinating book entitled ‘Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy’. In the book, O’Neil argues that the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution as embodied in data science and artificial intelligence has some unsavory tendencies of perpetuating social and economic inequalities.

Universal social and economic equality will be an elusive dream for centuries to come. However, access to quality education, access to health care, and access to the internet may help to bring down the Gini coefficient among the people of this world. The Gini coefficient measures economic disparities among people in a given country. African countries, and South Africa in particular, have the highest economic inequalities in the world.

The article is also available on Medium at:
 https://t.co/XsKFOEMu37?amp=1

The Mermaid Doctor

The Mermaid Doctor

By
Vincent Dzapasi

They were herding their cattle home
They were thirsty and tired
The cool Blackwater pool beckoned
They couldn’t resist the temptation

The herdboys plunged into the pool
And one of them dived for good
The famed mermaid dived out
And Taku bade his friends goodbye

They ran home to narrate the ordeal
All famed witchdoctors were assembled
And the village elders trooped to the pool
With drums, divine bones and heavy hearts

They sang, danced and ululated
Hoping for the best
Provided no one cried
And the rituals were done correctly

The mermaid would release Taku unharmed
And Taku would be a great healer
The Chief priest went into a trance
And his voice changed

‘Oh revered Makoni, the Great healer!
Your children cries before you
Hear our pleas oh Great priest
Make our son a great medicine man!’

Supplications and divinations continued
Hoping Taku will emerge from the dark pool
It can be two days, two weeks or two months
As long as he came out

With reed growing out at his back
Dressed in traditional regalia
Armed with his bones of divination
Ready to serve his faithful villagers
 

The Patient Peasant

The Patient Peasant

By
Vincent Dzapasi

Toiling in the soiling soil
From dawn to dusk
For simple ends
From simple means

Trusting the seeds to sprout
After fighting it out
From pestering pests,
Stubborn weeds and animals.

Anticipating Thanksgiving day
Courtesy of the heavens’ waters
The fertility of the soil
And the grace of  God.

Admired for their faith
Their patience and perseverance
Simplicity and sincerity
Contentment and selflessness

Unbeknown to sly urbanites
Peasants desire a place in the Sun
To brighten their dreary lives
And to be blessed by the Lord

The African Warrior

The African Warrior

By
Dzapasi Vincent

With a spear in one hand
And a shield in the other
Amidst song, dance and ululation
The mighty warrior is on a warpath

To kill beasts of the jungle
And defeat foes near and far
And conquer lands beyond the horizon
So as to bring pride to the kingdom.

With a pen in one hand
And a book in the other
Amidst the internet traffic
The African youth is on warpath

To acquire ancient and modern knowledge
To defeat illiteracy and poverty
And conquer diseases and petty squabbles
So as to bring pride to the continent.