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THE AWARD OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (B.Sc) IN
Leadership has continued to constitute itself to be a clog in the wheel of progress of Africa towards achieving the objectives of development.
The studies connotes that the major causes of war, political instability, economics crises, military intervention in politics and violation of human rights emanated from leadership. More so, development has eluded Africans because leadership with vision, commitment, patriotism and discipline has not been easy to come by in most African states.
This study tends to trace the trends of leadership and development in Africa vis-à-vis the impediment militating the quest for achieving a sustainable social economic and political development. The Africa continent is arguably the popular continent in the world, and perhaps the poorest continent in the world but she is blessed with abundant human and material resources. What has been lacking in Africa (Nigeria and Congo) is leadership, the emergence of a general accepted popular) leader to mobilize the human and material resources of the countries for the rapid production of abundant agricultural and industrial materials and the provision of good life for the generality of the people.
The work analysis the regimes of successive leaders in Nigeria and Congo from independence to the contemporary time. It provides an inept analysis vis-à-vis their achievements, problems and contributions to the advancement of development in both countries (Nigeria and Congo).However, leadership question remains an unsettled one in Africa.
Since independence, the natural order of development has been disturbed in almost all the countries in sub-Saharan Africa if these events of the first millennia and the post independence era are used as a mirror to gaze at the future then, there is little hope in sight for the continent.
Contemporary political events and socio-economic statistics of Africa do not give any hope for celebration. Rather these events and statistics indicate that a gloomy future awaits Africa politically and socio-economically. Events such as famine, social chaos, economic stagnation, political de-participation, political breakdown, one party rule and military (internal) colonization have become permanent features in the continent.
The predicament of Nigeria and Congo since independence could be zeroed on leadership, a leader with vision and mission had clouded the two countries since independence. The history of great nations the history of great .leaders (general park of Korea, Nasser of Egypt, Deng of china, castor of Cuba), are great leaders that had helped in the transformation and development of their countries.
Yes, these two countries are blessed with human and material resources in all ramifications, yet, the blessings have not reflected in the lives of the majority. What we have is a situation in which few fraction of the population (cliques) shares the wealth of the nation amongst themselves to the determent of the masses, whose only succor is the almighty God. Leadership has been the bane of both countries perpetual poverty. the leaders only have one peculiar motto, self aggrandizement, they are not always kin or development programmers that will benefits the poor but rather the development programmed they embarked on, are only meant to maintain the status quo of the elites.
It is so sad and dishearten that inspire of the abundant resources of these two countries, 90% of their population are still wallowing in abject poverty. The economic down turn has been transmitted wholesale into the social sector in the form of dwindling health care delivery capability and gross under – funding of education among others. The people have not been passive spectators as their welfare levels are washed away. As living standards, decline people have increasingly become restless, calling for greater participation in charting their path of development. This direct challenge to the authoritarian political set- ups that are dotted all over African content has become the major manifestation.
The task of leadership in the contemporary Africa is very complex and attracts public attention. A leader without vision is a fraud on society and a country that is unfortunate to be afflicted with that kind of leadership is doomed to move from one crisis to another. This explains why country like Nigeria and development in Africa revolves around many variables which includes the following.
- Most of the leaders in Nigeria and Congo trends to be corrupt and this tendency negatively affects the growth of their economy.
- Most leaders are indiscipline and thus, makes it difficult for them to control their followers and subordinate.
- Most of the developmental programmers embarked on are not people's orientation in those two countries.
- The leaders have engaged themselves in an unscrupulous act that Shouldn't be attributed to a leader with vision and mission.
- Ethnicity `has been a great impediment to the development of and countries, it is a major factor considered in employment and distribution of most of the resources which invariably hindered development growth.
It is on this note that this study focuses on the relationship of leadership as an independent variable in engineering the pace of development in both countries and perhaps in Africa.
The primary objective of this study is to analyze problem inherent in our socio- political cum economic system which is as a result of leadership and development in Africa.
TO determine how leadership in Nigeria and Congo had contributed to the country's development failures. To access those factors hindering the leaders form carrying out their statutory duties as state office
Nigeria and Congo has been acclaimed as one of the most endowed with natural resources in Africa. Their enormous population and vast land of natural resources cold ideally propel to first rate power in the word under the assumption, the following hypothesis has been adopted.
- if leadership principle are applied, it will propels the whole process of economic and political development.
- the problem of (Nigeria and Congo) is the inability of their leaders to their responsibilities.
- that if the leaders shun corruption, development will be a reality.
- it educates the masses that a leader cannot always act AS he pleases. There are certain conditions which he has to consi9der. Exercising his leadership function involves May people. AS such, he is accountable not only for his own performance but also those for his subordinate, whom are subject to his order.
- this study will also aid in understanding the roles of leadership in development process.
This study its information on secondary sources. My personnel experience, textbooks, papers presented by experts on the subject, magazines, national dailies, journals and libraries.
Analytical approach to social problem is often seen solution to the study of a phenomena. We shall adopt the political economy which is based on Maxian material concept of historical laws of human society and its dynamics as a compliment to its declaration that the entire life of a man, infact his consciousness is determined by his material condition. in the works of Prof. Anikpo 'man' seed to survive explains or determines his subsequent actions like politics, ideas, culture. Another dimension of this approach is its provision for the use of Hollistic approach which will permit us to look at the problems of leadership in Africa in all ramifications.
This scope of work reveals around Africa hitherto Nigeria and Congo the leaders role in development.
The major limitations of this study how related to several unsuccessful attempts which have hitherto been made by a number of individuals, research institutes and government agencies to development to vast resource potentials in the two countries (Nigeria and Congo) but their efforts hand always been married by a multiplicity of factors like.
We shall adopt the political economy which is based on Maxian material concept of historical laws of human society and its dynamics as a compliment to its declaration that the entire life of a man, infact his consciousness is determine by his material condition. In the words of prof. Anikpo 'man' seed to survive explains or determines his subsequent actions like politics, ideas, culture.
Another dimension of this approach is its provision for the use of Hollistic approach which will permit us to look at the problems of leadership in Africa in all raminfication.
In the newly independent state of Africa which Nigeria and Congo is no exemption, the political foods or gains are highly united. The competition over these political assets between various political interest groups is rather strife. Especially in state that is federal and heterogeneously ethnical the system in this case for supports and punishment or deprivation for opponents, has produced deep-seated animosity in many cases between group people and even between categories of kinsman. In the process many African states such as Nigeria and Congo have become fractionalized. Nigeria for instance have consequently grown to be sectional, ethnic oriented, selfish and materialistic as they search for a supportive base for their political leadership activities.
The issue of leadership occupies central position in the discourse of development. Leadership is an abstract and ideal variable in the social development of society. The main approach to understanding leadership is based on the assumptions, subjectivity and colored by the author's orientation, culture as well as personality. As a result the theoretical formation of the leadership concept among social scientists nighlights shifting focus in the orientation1. This goes to show that in the literature available in the concept of leadership, there is no universal theory, various models and schemes have been used to conceptualize this phenomenon due to pervasiveness of the subject, it is one of the most highly researched group variables in the social sciences.
The importance of leadership in society became an issue of vital of discourse in society science with the emergence of the state. the state of nature which was characterized as brutish, nasty, short and poor gradually gave way to traditional society where man gradually recognize his fellow man2. He began to appreciate the importance of his fellow man in his environment and the need to live in a community, gradually he began to realize the need for a leader, the need for a formal protection against enemies and hazards. He further realized that to achieve this in able and dynamic leadership was required accordingly and in his realization of this, efforts were directed in achieving this, what eventually emerged from the traditional society is therefore government, politics and leadership.
A leadership denotes the occupancy of status and the active performance of a role to mobilized more or less organized collective and voluntary efforts towards the attainment of shared goal and objectives3.
Bernard summed up this in a very comparated but simplistic way. To him the concept leadership mean ''the quality of the behavior of individuals whereby they guide people or their activities in organized ''effort''4. By this postulation no group of any size or nature can exist without a leadership. Someone has to organize meeting or determine the course of action or see to its implementation. Someone has to represent the group since not all the members can make decision, there must be a leader that will narrow the whole values of the group to arrive at a tangible decision.
Robert M. Maclever suggest that ''leadership posses the established right within any social order to determine policies judgment on relevant issues and to settle centre versions or more broadly to act leaders or guide to other men5.
Indeed, the sphere of leaders influence can be noticed in their decision-making. The decision determines not only the size but the quality of the group, organization or nation. Leadership plays a very important role the administration of a nation's affairs. This is because a nation cannot function effectively without a leader to direct it, in accomplishing goal.
In fact, A. C. Gibbs has argued that leadership is a part of the problem solving machinery of group6. Every leader must see it that he satisfies the expectation associated with his position or influence.
Another contribution to the situational approach of leadership that of Hashim in which he argued that ''A good and effective leader has to understand his operational environment, the demand of position and strategies to cope with changing situations, failure to monitor the environment leaders to increasing and problems that can destroy every foundation of the leadership7.
In this sociological approach to the study of leadership Max Weber listed there leadership styles namely, the democratic, laissez faire and authoritarian styles of leadership. The democratic leader encourages his followers to actively participate in the group decision making process. A liaises faire leader on the other hand, has a care free attitude to his duties; he allows his subordinates complete freedom without the necessary supervision. This was the style that was exhibited during Nigeria's second republic. While the authoritarian leader uses threats to coerce his subordinates into doing things. Max Weber also speaks of the leadership legitimacy which he also identified three sources of legitimacy. These are traditional charismatic and rotational or legal authority. Whose source is the office of the incumbent.8
From this comparative studies of the three leadership style and sources, White and Lipitt concluded that the democratic leader did participate but actively in group activities while the laissez faire style leader did participate but allowed the followers to have complete freedom. Authoritarian style created aggression and hostility between the leader and group.9
A public administrator, regardless of his level in the bureaucratic hierarchy is a national leader. As such he serves as a common source of authority within his own organization of exercising leadership functions which are inherent in his position. As a leader, he can enhance his effectiveness by knowing and understanding the nature, element and function of leadership, as well as adhering to those techniques and practices identified with effective leadership.
In recent usage the idea that leadership might be reducible to some specific competence or to at list of personal attributes has been almost completely abandoned. The quality of leadership inheres not in an individual but in a role that is played within some specified social leadership concludes that leadership is a relation that exist between persons in a social situation, and that persons who are leader in one situation may not necessarily be in other situations10.
The manifestation of leadership behavior can be observer only in relation to other persons who act in response to the leader and who are collectively referred to as the followers. But in so far as leadership usually arouses opposition as well, this following is not co- extensive with some organized group and therefore leadership is not always integrative A.W. Gowdner emphasizes this point in considering the leader as any individual whose behavior stimulates patterning of the behavior of the behavior in some group who constitute this following but not necessarily the group as previously constituted.10
Another element in usage is the position of contrality in the sense that he is the focal point for the activity of his group or nation. The leader frequently initiates action for the group/nation without waiting for the suggestions of his followers. An example is W.F. Whyte's finding that a follower may originate action for the leader in a pair event (which takes place between two people) but he does not originate that is, he does not initiate action in a set even ( for two or more other) which includes the leader11.
On the postulation that the central influence of leadership must be related to collective action, Lasswell Kaplan proposes that the rank and site identified with the leader and adopts his perspective12.
Leadership is the exercise of power or influence in social collectives, such as groups, organization, communities or nations. None of these associations can exist and achieve its aims without proper leadership.
Thomas Hobbes recognizes the indispensability of a leader in any nation when he wrote:
''The essence of the common wealth, which
(to define it) is one person, of whose act a
great multitudes by mutual convenants one
with another, have made themselves everyone
the author, to the end he may use the strength
and means of them all, as he shall think expedient
for their peace and common defence.13
Leadership has been a very interesting and importance phenomenon in understanding the existence of society thus it has occupied a very important place in the study of science of society. It is for this reason the catalogue of the studies as scholars continue to probe into the nature and character of leadership. Its roles and contribution to stability or Instability of society as well as the development and the under development. It has been the main bane of struggle in society and thus the conflict and contradiction thereof.
From the classical theorist of society to the most contemporary theorist, from the conservative capitalist theorists to socialist radicalism, the source of conflicts is power. The power to control resources imbedded in the leadership. the extent or degree of application of power or authority is indicative of the type of leadership.
this means therefore that the style of leadership of a particular epoch can encourage or rather accelerates the development of the states. this invariably implies, that the level of development in a country will be determined by the type or rather the style of leadership that is in power.
substantial development that embodies the large part of the country's population will only be realistic if only the country is fortunate enough to have a leader with 'vision and mission'
Development is the act process or result of developing. It is a fact or circumstance brings about a new situation either through growth, evolution and / or expansion15. The team development has been variously conceptualized from economic, political, social and national perspectives. All societies do experience development through it has always been uneven and different from one to the other. The reason for the diversity lies in the ecology within which the people developed and the ''super structure'' of the society16. For Walter Rodney, development is an increasing capacity to regulate internal and extremer relationships''.
similarly, it means "the ability to guard the independence of social group and indeed to infringe upon the freedom of others.
Development perceived from economic perspective means growth on per capital basis, the Gross National product (GNP) and the simultaneous reduction in par mortality rate, increase life expectancy, complex network or roads, gigantic buildings, etc. In short, there is an A leader with this character has eluded Nigeria and Congo since increase the good office, has generated controversy as to the method or path head been taken and / or should have been taken: the capitalist and / or socialist paths.17 protagonist of both paths delineated succinctly the consequences of toeing one paths rather than the other. According to professor Nnoli, both path rather promised 'the good life". However, for the capitalist path, its central determining feature is the transformation of labour power of man into a commodity to be bought and sold in the market for gain. In addition, the actual producers of products are separated from their means of production which is controlled by a few people.
For the socialist path, there is no separation of the actual producers (of product) from their means of production. This is concentrated in a social collectively as a whole (i.e the state) values, when produced, are not commodities to be exchanged in the market but to meet the basic needs of the people. Nnoli stresses that the labour are superior to and dominant over those of capital in deciding what is produced, how it is produced and how the product are distributed.
However, an over concentrated on economic development gives an erroneous impression that it constitutes the totality of development. There are also political, social and national development entails the processing of psycho-social reconstruction of people of hitherto diverse nationalities, religious, histories, culture, etc. into a new sense of common belong and shared identity.
Meir sees development as a process of cumulative change that results from positive forces that raise productivity. The role of development planners is thus discovering and promoting these positive forces that raise real income per head, create more employment opportunities, achieve a wider distribution of the gains from development and the National efforts and national resources for foreign ones.
Development planning is an instrument of social and economic progress. It seems from the premise that 'economic development would not, under historic condition existent, take place by itself automatically…….it must be planned.18
All the existing conceptualization of development raise the same point about transforming the physical and social environment with which human beings operate for purpose for enhancing their standard to life. They all assumed that some kind of effort is necessary to eliminate whatever obstacles the militate against the desire of individuals and groups. It appears therefore that development generally is the consistent attempt by human beings to emancipate themselves from both natural and man made obstacles in order to achieve a more fulfilling life. 19
Development is conceptualized here both at the level of individual and at the level of society. At the level of society as whole, development implies the increasing control over the environment, improvement in the skill and creativity of the majority of people, and the attainment of the 'good life'
The united Nations Generally Assembly resolution 1710 (XVI) designated the 1960s as the United National Development Decade and viewed that the objects of the first Decade was to.
'Accelerate progress towards self sustaining growth of the economy of the individual nations and their social advancement so as to attain in each under developed country a substantial increase in the rate of growth, with each country setting its own target, taking as the objective a minimum rate growth of aggregate national income of 5 per cent at the end of decade20.
Our view of development could be ill-conceived and misguided if we equate development with certain artifacts of growth such as national income, cars, roads, good houses, fly-over, iron and steel complexes, airways etc. This issue is whether these things have an immediate bearing on the life of the majority of the population.
Today's conceptualization of development as a multi dimensional process involving changes in structures attitudes, and institution as well as the acceleration of Economic growth, the reduction of inequality and eradication of absolute poverty21 is more preferably to the development of the under developed world which the United Nations wanted to achieve. A pursuit of development along this conceptualization will be in the right direction.
Moreover, available literatures on development are sharply divided on what causes underdevelopment in the Third world. It is in this respect that Hopkins insight are very useful.
Development in popular usage connotes the external socio-economic and political structures and these usually identified with the rich industrialized societies of Europe and North America. In that case, underdevelopment prevails in the poor, un-industrialized areas of the world located mostly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America otherwise known as the third world"23
The curious part is that the third world countries under went centuries of colonialism, and now under going colonialism by the countries of Europe and North America.
These exploitation has caused under development to the third world countries has caused development to the countries of the world located in the North hemisphere.
In accordance with this temper creation, Patrick Heinecke observed that "Nigerian" condition is hidden pace of the industrialized societies, whose accumulated material wealth has been made possible only by the impoverishment of semi-colonial countries like Nigeria.
Africa has been in the depth of a crisis of monumental proportions since the early 1980. This crisis is manifested in various forms. It is a food crisis. Mass hunger and starvation accompanied phenomena decline in agriculture production in some African countries during the 1970s and 80s. Between 1978 and 1981 the annual rate of growth of agricultural production in Africa was 1.9%.
Development thus necessitates an increase in production employment. This implies an increase in the share of the poorer sections of the society in the national product. In particular, development policy must be concerned with preventing the impoverishment of the rural sector-especially of small farmers- as a consequence of growth for an industrialization programme that feeds upon the agricultural labour is by its very nature a self-defeating programme. The agricultural sector generates an overwhelming large proportion of the surplus that is necessary for investment in most poor countries. A reduction in agricultural productivity is a sure sign of an impending decline in domestic resource mobilization. Development policy must therefore encompass an agricultural strategy which promotes the production of the rural producers.
Employment expansion and equitable income distribution are most important element of development policy.
The unprecedented level of inflation in many economics in Africa has seen living standards attained over the three decades of independence practically eroded. The inflation rate for the continent which stood late 12.9% in 1987, had by 1989, risen to 20.95. Africa contributes less than 1% of total world manufacturing added. Her contribution of global trade is equally negligible. This position has its domestic counterpart in the declining welfare levels of the vast majority of the African people.
- Awujo. Element of Management; Apile publishers, Owerri (1991) P. 154
- Mc Gel Recee Sociology: An introductory: Holt pres New York 1980:p.356
- Encyclopedia of social sciences N.Y Macmillian. Comp. Vol. Ix. 1933
- Ekpenyoung S. Element of sociology: African Heritage and pub. Lagos 1993 p. 103-104.
- Maclever R.M.the web of Government. Macmillian New York 1947 p.83
- Gibbs A.C Leadership. Handbook of social Psychology: cam. Vol. 2pp . 877-920 Gardner Lindsay (ed) Aderson Wester 1954
- Hashim Y. (ed) Issues in public sector management in Nigeria Ahmadu Bello University press Zaria 1985 p. 144
- Weber Max. The three types of legitimate rule 1961pp. 11-14 in Amaitai Etzoni (ed) complete organization: A sexidoxicel leaders New York .
- White R, Lipitt R.. Autocracy and Democracy New York Harper and Raw 1960 chap.415
- M Stogdill, personal factors associated with leadership:
- Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan edited with an Intro. By C.B. Maythersona, London 1968 Chap.18.
- Hanks, P. (eds.), Hamlyn Encyclopedia World Dictionary London, the Hamlyn publishing compl ltd., 1976.
- Nnoli, O. Path to Nigeria development. Dakari, CODESRIA BOOKS series, 1982.
- Lange O. (1961), Economic development, planning and International Corporation. Cairo: Central Bank of Egypt.
- Mark Anikpo, "the peasantry and the Dilemma of Nigerian underdevelopment" in pans African social science Review.
- Walter Radney, How Europe underdeveloped Africa, Bedle L'ourverture, London, 1922. Also in Dr. Henry Atapitei, Lecture note on imperialism
- Tadaro N.P Economics for developing world, London, UK. 1982
- Hoppkins A.G., An economic History of West Africa, London 1973
- Mark Anikpo, Op cit, 1996,p5.
- W. Goulner studies in Leadership, New York: Harper Bros. 1950, p.17.
The subject of leadership has always generated much interest and polemics in all human callings, be it in the military, politics, the university or among trade or professional unions. This is because of the importance of leadership in motivating individuals and groups towards desired objectives leading to the establishment of cohesion in any organization. Leadership is an art which must not only be learnt but also practiced. A leader must possess the essential natural potentials and exercise these qualities in each given situation. leadership is part of management. Leaders and managers are a select few among human beings who influence other being to bring out their latent capabilities and integrate individual efforts towards the objective of their organization.
Thus, leadership is the art of influencing people to achieve set-out goals. It is dynamics motivating process. Leaders motivate and guide people towards achievable goals through such management activities as planning, organizing, directing and controlling. When we focus particularly on leadership, then we are talking of a leadership that allows the flourishing of the democratic ideas and and ensures political stability that has been seen as a sine qua non for the overall improvement of the life chances of our people. We are infact, talking of a leadership that shines out like a star and radiates brilliance all round thereby providing light for others in society to see and follow: a leadership that tolerates various attitudes and opinions in society and is thus able to carry the people along on whatever task it sets about.
The pertinent questions are to what extent can one see leadership in Africa as demonstrating the qualities that we have enumerated? To what extent can leadership in Africa be said to have aided the improvement of the life chances of their people?
In order to answer these question we will turn to an examination of the role of the leadership that Africa has experienced from the pre-independence era to date.
The essence of colonialism is so well-known and documented that it requires no further details. Its purpose was the exercise of power by metropolitan authorities for raw materials for their industries and markets for their finished products. With few men on the ground to and their exploitation venture, the colonialists sought a way of using the leadership they could get. However, with education and enlightenment, some African saw beyond their noses and started agitating for some involvement in their country. These agitators started with a desire to have the benefits of the colonial officers and merchants. By the time leadership started co-opting more people to press for their personal demands, the colonial master decided to incorporate them into the scheme of things. It was this class of people that they selected and nurtured as the future governing class of their countries.
Thus, the leadership at independence passed from the British lords to a conservative and reactionary group of people who claimed to have spear headed the struggle for de-colonization but who in fact only stepped into the shoes of the colonial matters. What in fact happened was that though at independence, the physical presence of the imperial power was ceremoniously extinguished, the imperial interest power and influence increased through the instrumentality of the new leaders.
Leadership from an African perspective connotes that leadership is based on ethnic grounds which has remained the bane of Africa till date.
Great leaders like Fidel Castro of cuba and Mao Tse-tung of china has eluded Africa in all ramifications. The china of mao Ise-tung was cut off from the rest of the world for over two decades. During that period it was not solely the fault of the Chinese that the average westerner know nothing of china or knew only its cruel and negative side. Even for the United Nations" china" meant only the small island of Taiwan. Officially, the world had no knowledge of the vast continent china with its more than six million square miles of territory and over one billion inhabitants.
Mao Tse-tung being a great leader of vision, has succeeded in imbuing every Chinese with the meaning and importance of service so that today every Chinese whether he be a civil servant or a factory worker, is proud of the work he does, in developing this spirit. Mao was able to use tradition for his starting point. As john k. Fairbank, sinologist at Haward university, points out, the Chinese are the "most socially minded human beings among the people of the world23 Confucianism and Taoism had taught the Chinese to see themselves always as part of a whole, a people or a state.
Mao introduced one important change. He linked the idea of equality to that of service, thus removing service from its old vertical or hierarchical content and situating it on a horizontal or egalitarian level. In china today, to serve the people mean to regard all as equal, to be at the disposal of our another. The Chinese have taken every means possible to keep this new spirit of service and equality intensely alive and to revitalize it from time to time. Mao Tse-tung is a great leader of rebute the most African's would have love to have.
This is also the theme that has been explored in some details by claude Ake. Like mytelka and Langdon, Ake notes that the African governing classes use political power for their own class and private accumulation4.
Professor Ake also observes that the accumulation by these class has done little to lessen the grip on African economics of international capital. Professor Milliband's observation on this general phenomenon is important enough to be quoted here. In the past, colonial social formation, he notes that the state must be taken mainly to 'represent' itself in the sense that those people who occupy the leading position in the state system will use their power, to advance their even economic interest, and the economic interest of their families, friends, and followers or clients. A process of enrichment occurs, which assumes a great number of forms and leads to a proliferation of diverse economic ventures and activities. In this process, a genuine local bourgeoisie may come into being and grow strong, with continuing close connections to the state and its leading members, who are themselves part of that new bourgeoisie.
African leaders in the colonial era fought zealously to liberate their people from colonialism. They press for support from the masses to accelerates self-determination, they believe they have a right to determine the course of their life. Kwame Nkrumah was of the view that 'Africans should seek first political freedom and every other things would be added to them. What preceded after the independence of most countries in Africa areas that, the great leaders that initiated the struggle for freedom, new made do with their premises of giving a better life to the people. The quick development they promise the masses after independence was never to be but rather they propagate the sufferings of the people. They were only eager to step into the luxurious houses left behind by the colonial masters and perpetuate their wealth to the detriment of the masses. One principal proposition of the post-colonial elite is that the present elite is a unified group with common interest in dominating the poor and directing state affairs to suit its particularistic interest, another is that the post-colonial elite is incompatible with development of the rural poor.
Looking at leadership from an African perspective, one would be forced to believe that politics is now played on ethnic ground, corruption have gone wholesale and self aggrandizement is the order of the day. There are always riot on who to control the state, these struggle sometimes leads to civil war and political instability. They were never bothered about the development of a common man in the street, the only development they sought for is the one that is directly beneficial to their government. The agitation for national unity in the colonial era has been abandon by the leaders and what is now in vague is ethnic unity.
All in all the leadership of Africa have done nothing positive to alleviate the poverty of Africans, but rather they were busy enriching themselves. A continent like Africa blessed with abundant mineral resources shouldn't been languishing in abject poverty when most of their so call leaders are ranked among the richest in world. What Africa needs is a patriotic leader in all ramifications that would articulate the resources of his country for development purposes. A government that would project national outlook and not ethnic outlook is the cry of all Africans for now.
In Nigerian situation, I will not hesitate to say that our main objective is that of development. In this sense, development can be seen in a more rounded sense. It has to be qualitative improvement can be measured in terms of the extent to which our people are able to acquire material goods and services as well as a number of capabilities that give them the psychic feeling of being participant citizens in the process of controlling nature and making nature yield its abundance and being in a position toward dangers from the environment.
The qualities of a good leader include among others, 'humility, honesty, commitment to hard work, ability to conceive programmes of permanent value, firmness, fairness, vision, patriotism and integrity". It is very obvious to say that Nigeria has not been fortunate to have a leader with the enumerated qualities. Because each contender for power, whether at national or regional level, was desperate to retain or gain office. For without office its chances for capital accumulation would be gravely jeopardized, violence and thuggery became synonymous with politics people killed in the fight to gain or retain office. Here, as under colonial rule,26 those in power used their power with little or no restraint to maintain their privileges, and to replace these out of power who wanted to replace them, 27 those who were not in power sought power with the same indifference to the rules of the game'. The ruling parties made it possible for their members to retain their clients by judicious allocation of public services to their constituencies. Constituencies represented by opposition members invariably suffered deprivation, whereas those who supported the candidates of the ruling party were better off.28 such use of the states welfare allocation functions for purely partisan purposes translated into the concentration of social amenities in constituencies of government party supporters.
Nigeria leadership since independence is plagued with self-aggrandizement. For the Nigerian governing class, development is synonymous with personal enrichment, and that the use of state power for this process was theoretically and practically accepted by them. It showed also that to achieve or retain power, ethnic appeals were made. The Nigeria leaders are only concern on developing urban areas. Nigeria rural areas is glaringly underdeveloped. It is……not only economically backward, the gap between it and the urban areas has been widening….' The living conditions of (its inhabitants) have remained virtually unaffected by development effort29. More specifically, the rural sector is characterized by very low or deplorable human living conditions. The majority of its inhabitants hardly meet basic needs of adequate and decent food, health, education and clothing. There are also death of modern social and infrastructural facilities which according to professor Idachaba "consist of physical, secrete and institutional forms of capital which aid rural residents in their production, distribution and consumption activities as well as enhance the quality of life. They include wide range of facilities and services such as roads, electricity, pipe borne water, education, health, agricultural machineries, cooperative and market systems professor Idacha's study, provides a wealth of data revealing great urban-rural disparities in the distribution of these infrastructures in favour of the latter. This is not unexpected given the country's urban biased development policies and strategies inherited from the British colonialists. There is a disproportionate allocation of public resources for urban at the expense of rural development.
The scenario of Nigeria polity from the first republic to the present dispensation is characterized by the struggle to control the "national caek", this struggle has always been intensed among the leaders. The state is an instrument of an economic power because those who hold state power use it for their own economic purposes and the economic purposes of whoever they choose. This use of state power assumes many different forms, including of course the suppression of any challenge to the supremacy of what turns in effect into an economically and politically dominant class. The wealth of the nation does not reflect in the economic and social condition of the people. The wealth of the country is shared among few cliques in the country who uses their power to suppress any form of agitation from the masses.
From the first republic to the present dispensation each government had initiated a developmental programme to alleviate the problems of the masses. But the fact about this developmental programmes is that, it is only an avenue for the government patronage to enrich their selves. It has not in any way brought any tangible development to the masses it was meant for.
Development is only accorded to those in power, the average Nigerian is neglected.
Nigeria leaders have not in any way instituted any meaningful programme that would improve the deplorable condition of the Niger Delta people, where the bulk of Nigeria wealth is generated. Moreso, the general condition of life in the country is in a very pathetic condition. Billions of dollars has been looted by the leaders from the Nigeria treasury which are never accounted for. From Awolowo, Zik, Balewa, in the first republic to all and other regime that came after it, had one way or the other siphoned Nigeria money in all ramifications.
Because Nigeria had never had a patriotic and committed leader, development will continue to be a mirage in all ramifications. The masses will continue to live in squalor while the leaders would have access to the good things of life.
The Congo, in size situation is quite unique in Africa. It shares frontiers with nine African states and stretches from the Atlantic to lake Tangayika. Not only is it larger than any other African States save to Sudan. In economic terms the Congo is potentially one of the wealthiest countries in Africa as the variety of its natural resources is equaled only by Nigeria, Nigeria Algeria and South Africa.
Taking into cognizance that Congo is one of the wealthiest states in Africa one would have thought that development would be in a large scale. This is not to be, because Congo has been plagued with civil crises ever since their independence. Congo was given independence on June 30, 1960 under the leadership of Joseph Kasavubu as president and Patrick Lumumba as prime minister. Both were leading members of the movement National du congolais (MNC), the political paryt that command the largest number of votes in the paliamant. The idea logical problem within the party and between Kasavubu and Lumumba was that the former was pro-Belgians while the later was an ardent anti-imperialism. Another political figure of the drama was Moise Tshombe, the premier of the mineral rich Katanga. He was a wealthy man. Conservative and pro-Belgian. Thus the new Congolese leadership held differing political varies along the entire spectrum. The Congolese independence ended in disaster four days after declaration. The soldier mutiny was joined by civilians who demanded material and psychological reward of independence.
Patrice Lamumba that had a vision of developing the country as never allowed to actualize his dream, he was killed by the America CIA with the help of Kasavibu and Tshombe because he was seen as an anti-imperialism. The economy of the Congolese ass entirely controlled by the imperial powers. Mobutu Sese-Seko took over the realm of affair in 1965 the government of Kasavubu was overthrown by the military. Mobutu brought doom to the people of Congo, he ruled for more than three decades. In his development was a total mirage. Poverty was in a wholesale. The wealth of the country was perpetuated by his family and his cronies.
The country was in a deplorable shape, courtesy of Mobutu self aggrandizement. 90% of the population wallows in abject poverty, this is when Mobutu is said to be the wealthiest man in the world after Shah of Iran. This has been the story of Congo inspite of her abundant resource. The revenue accrue from these resources had never reflected in the lives of the people. Mobutu never believed in the development of the country but rather he believes in perpetuation of wealth.
The government of Kabila that ousted while the leaders are busy enriching themselves the masses are dying of hunger. Civil war continues to strife in these country and the masses are the most affected. The economic condition of the people is nothing to write home about, but this is a country blessed with abundant mineral resources.
Taking a comparative analysis of leadership and development in Nigeria and Congo. We are more or less trying to look at the common features of the two country's leadership and their roles towards development.
Nigeria and Congo got their independence the same year (1960), though from different colonial master, since both countries attained independent development has been a mirage.
Nigeria an Congo are two countries in Africa blessed with abundant mineral resources, but the unfortunate thing about the two countries is getting an ideal leadership, that is committed and patriotic in all ramifications. Empirical data has shown that ethnic politics corruption and nepotism has been the order of the day.
Development has been neglected by the country's leadership are more interested in enriching themselves to the detriment of the masses. Mobutu and Babangida are siemese twins that had ruined the economy of these two countries. The former was in power for over three decades while they later ruled for eight years, amongst themselves they carted away billions of dollars from the country's treasury which invariable accelerated the external debt of both countries. Nigeria and Congo had never had leadership that is compatible with development. The rural powers in these two countries have been neglected and development is a thing of the rich alone.
It is very pertinent to say that Nigeria and Congo are very rich in mineral resources that their citizens could have afforded a luxurious life if they've been blessed with a good leadership. The peculiar problems among these two states are constant struggle on who controls the state, which had always left the countries in chaos. Inspite of various programme institutes by the leadership of both states to alleviate the suffering of the people, development still remain elusive. This is so because this programme is only an avenue for the ruling elites and their cronies to enrich themselves.
All in all the leadership of Nigeria and Congo have never done anything tangible to improve the living condition of their citizens. The developments of the leaders embarked on are only beneficial to them alone. The kind of development the leaders put in place is not commensurate with the revenue of the state, also the people that are in control of the states made perfect use of the state in accumulating wealth for themselves. How do one explain the present scenario of Nigeria and Congo, in the midst of abundant resources, if not for the corrupt syndrome of both nations leadership, which had left the people in perpetual poverty, development a would have been a reality.
- Claud Ake, Explaining political instability in news States JMAS. 11,3619737.358
- See enchoro furgititie offender, PP.104-5; K.W.J Pest. The Nigeria Federal Election of 1959, Oxt. Uni. Pres.
- Olatumbosum, D. Nigeria's Neglected Rural majority Ibadan, Oxford Uni. Press 1985, P.1.
- Idachaba F. Rural infrastructure in Nigeria. Ibadan University Press. 1985, PP4.
- Ibid PP5.
- This manifested in countries developmental plans annual budget allocation and developmental project.
- Raph Milliband, Marxism and politics. Oxford University Press London. 1977, PP108-109.
It has often been argued that the problem of development in Africa is leadership is truly the bane of our development in Africa. The leadership sought every means possible to circumvent the lanes to achieve their personal objective. It has also been said that Africa leadership lacked appropriate and properly defined policy direction, which invariably retard developmental growth. The reason for this is because they have run out of ideas without even knowing it and so they mistake clichés for brilliance and inspiration. This is very serious problem because it is absolutely necessary if a society has to mobilize itself, it has to have vision, for when there is no vision, the people perish, as they say. The fact of running out of ideas is evident in the frequent changing or abandoning of policies and programme.
Development will continue to be a mirage in Africa because the leadership are choosing ineffective externally oriented strategies of development. The reason why they are choosing these externally available for mobilization. We want to develop by the developed countries helping us with more trade, integrated rural development and new international economic order. Our leader want the World Bank, to give us more money and on easier terms. Also they want to west to generously transfer technology to us. It is pertinent to say that all can do for us, in terms of the relationship that already exists. Our success or failure therefore depends on them whether it will be possible for them to transfer more technology and so on. So it is a development strategy which will only succeed if the developed countries are willing to allow it to succeed. This means that Africa leadership are depending on the energies or the mobilization of the people because they alienated themselves from the people; and because the contradictions between them and the people are so sharp that the people are no longer available for mobilization.
The people are now cynical and indifferent. In the so-called ignorance they infact perceive how the system is, and what the possibilities are. Thus at election time, they sure they get their own share. You say it is corruption. No it is not corruption. They are very shrewd. They know that this is the only time they will ever get something. They want to take it while they can. It shows the extent to which the people have gotten cynical and are longer available for mobilization for development.
All in all, the leadership of Nigeria and Congo since independence have not in any way help in alleviating the poverty of the masses, rather they've engaged themselves in wealth accumulation. Inspite of the abundant resources available to both countries 90% of their citizens are living in abject poverty.
Both nations have plagued with bad leadership since their independence. The people have been totally alienated by the leaders and self-aggrandize is the order of the day.
There is need for ethical revolution in Nigeria and Congo. This is to ensure that we inculcate good values in our people to make them shun greed and unbridled acquisition even at the expense of others.
The government at all levels must be accountable to the people always; and must have a substantial measure of popular support. There must be a mechanism for changing the government with or without violence when it becomes necessary to do so.
The government must have sufficient strength stability and competence in public administration to be able to formulate and implement development policies and programmes. A drastic effort must be made to check corruption and management in all its ramifications and at all levels.
There is need for a strong, qualitative and visionary leadership in all aspects of life. Leaders that are out to serve the people and not steal public funds, leaders of the caliber of Abraham Lincoln, Mr Se-Tung, Fidel Cashro etc are a sine qua non for a country's growth and development. When such a leadership emerges in Nigeria and Congo, there will be a change in the entire life of the people.
Appadoria. A. (1979) the substance of politics, (Oxford University Press).
Ake Claude (1973) explaining political instability in New States: JMAS
Adeshina, Rafiu A.(1999) military in politics (Heinemann Educational book Ibadan (Nigria) Plc
Awolowo. O. (1977) problem of Africa: the need for Ideological reappraisal-KwameNkrumah memorial lectures, (Macmillian for of cape coast, London).
David P. Forsythe (1989)Human Rights and Development (Design production Nig. Ltd. Yaba, Lagos,Nigeria).
Ekpebu L.B. (1986) laire and the Africa Evolution Oxford Pres Ibadan Nigeria.
Ekpengyong S. (1993)element of Sociology: African Heritage and Publisher. Lagos.
Enscyclopedia of social sciences (1993) My. Macmillian, Comprehensive volume IX.
Gibbs A.C Leadership Handbook of social Pychology.
Gouldner A.W. (1950) Studies in Leadersship, New York: Harper and Bros, 1950.
Hanks, P. (1979) Hamlyn Encyclopedia World Dictionary, London, the Hamlyn publishing Company Ltd.
Idachaba.F. (1985) Rueral Ifrastructure in Nigeria, Ibadan published for the Federal department of Rural Development, Ibadan University Press.
Infeld Al Politics and government : an introductory perspective published by Ur. Publishing ltd. Benin City Edo State Nigeria.
Mac Ogonor, Handout on Africa International Relation
Nnoli O. (1983) Path to Nigeria development. Dakari CODESRIA Books series.
Olatunbosun D. (1975) Nigerias Neglected Rural Majority, Ibadan, Oxford University Press.
Rodney Walter (1974) How Europe Underdeveloped Africa Washington, Howard Uiversity Press.
Journal of Nigerian Affairs published by: the social science study Group, faculty of Social Sciences, UNIPORT, P.M.B. 5323, Port Harcourt.
Journal of Nigerian Affairs political science Association: studies in politics and society edited by Somni Gwande Tyoden issues No. 7 August 1997.


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More than two million photographs from 34 countries make up the online photography collection launched recently by Europeana, the EU digital platform for cultural heritage.
It allows learning not only about photography itself but also the history of cultures, fashion, entertainment and many other social phenomena.
Euronews took a look at the treasures across the initiative's vast portfolio. First, we explored how Lyon, where our headquarters is situated, looked around 130 years ago. This photo depicts Eglise St. Paul in 1887, taken by famous 19th-century French architectural photographer Séraphin-Médéric Mieusement, with a modern-day image of the same place to make a comparison.
Thanks to the National Library of Romania we learned more about business cards at the end of 19th century. A portrait of each card's owner provides further information and context.
In the 1920s, women began to wear more comfortable clothes, shorter skirts and trousers. Cloche hats remained popular till the mid-1930s. Here are few images from the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam which show the looks of people at the beginning of last century.
Some interesting photographs can be found in the domain of sport and wellness: Here is a photograph of a cross-sectional measuring device that gym visitors could use to keep track of changes to their bodies.
This old-fashioned form of core-training was performed with a fancy pelvis-twisting apparatus, made of wood with velvet trim.
These images are provided to Europeana photography by The Swedish National Museum of Science and Technology.


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Well what a dreary day it is today, me thinks it's a day for making cards and staying at home drinking loads of coffee.
I've decided while I'm on holiday to have a go at a few challenges this week. So I'm entering my latest card into the Passion for Promarkers challenge which is coffee and cream and set by a blogging buddy, the lovely Coops.


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Environmental Services / Custodial Operations Manager 1
Job Code70452
Environmental Services / Custodial Operations Manager 1
- System ID
- 70452
- Category
- Environmental Services / Custodial
- Relocation Type
- No
- Employment Status
- Full-Time
Unit Description
Sodexo's Health Care Division is seeking a Environmental Services / Custodial Operations Manager 2 at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, CA. This position includes a 5k sign-on bonus. Relocation is not offered at this time.
Desert Regional Medical Center is a 385 bed hospital and is the Coachella Valley's only trauma center. One of our most focused activities is on continuous measurement and improvement of our services. The unit operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week with an hourly workforce speaking predominately Spanish. Relocation is not offered at this time.
This position will be responsible for customer and client interaction, custodial inspection measurements, on-going training, quality, safety, pest control and the implementation of best practices. It will also be responsible for infection control compliance, improved services, and timeliness of responses and validation of work quality. Manage and coordinate floor care team and project work.
We are looking for a candidate who:
- is a leader who develops and motivates a team to exceed the expectations of clients and customers in service and the technical execution of a health care housekeeping system;
- has in-depth knowledge of Sodexo ES systems and processes including TRAKKAR, UOS, Gold Check, ENGAGE and black light inspections;
- possesses strong leadership skills and has the ability to work independently to drive program compliance and reach project target dates of completion;
- has 1-2 years previous custodial or housekeeping management experience in a hospital or healthcare environment;
- has the ability to analyze data, present and effectively communicate to all levels within the organization related to training, leading hospital committees and change management;
- has experience effectively managing projects within agreed upon timelines;
- has experience improving patient satisfaction, and driving full compliance to HCAHPS, local, state and Joint Commission standards;
- is proficient with computers and other technology;
- has experience with vendor and contract management, as well as union and contract negotiations;
- has strong financial acumen and budget management experience
The "Hands-On" manager primarily handles day-to-day Environmental Services operational functions and ensures unit level, corporate, employee relations, safety, training, and unit operating systems compliance.
Required: Good working knowledge of state & federal employment law; solid computer skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; good communication and presentation skills; detailed oriented, and well organized.
Preferred: Ability to communicate (speak and write) in English and Spanish will assist in managing this workforce. This is a Day shift with rotating weekends and some holidays.
Position Summary
Provides management oversight for Environmental Services exempt and non-exempt level staff (client and/or Sodexo employees) in the delivery of Sodexo Environmental Service Programs. Ensures Environmental Service programs are in place and functioning according to design to consistently meet all company, client, and regulatory requirements.
Key Duties
-Establishes a safe work environment for clients, customers and staff by ensuring equipment safety and compliance with Sodexho safety and loss prevention programs and by providing safety-related training and equipment inventory and maintenance.
-Assumes GM responsibilities and authority in his or her absence
-Supervises day-to-day work activities by delegating authority, assigning and prioritizing activities, and monitoring compliance to operating standards.
-Ensures compliance with application of all Sodexo Quality Assurance and Regulatory standards within the contractually agreed upon scope of services.
-Establish and/or adhere to defined operating standards, develops and implements quality improvements and ensures direct reports and staff adhere to the standards and expectations.
-Assists with Management of Environmental Service budget by ensuring full compliance to established operating standards, monitoring costs (e.g. labor, inventory, equipment, and material), and taking corrective action as needed.
Qualifications & Requirements
Basic Education Requirement - Associate's Degree
Sodexo is an EEO/AA/Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran employer.
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I decided to spend our negative degree weather day inside scrapbooking. To me the chilly weather just gave me an excellent excuse to spend time at my craft desk guilt free. A winning situation if you ask me!
I have a serious backlog of untouched scrapbooking kits and one of my goals for this wonderfully long weekend, was to break into one of them.
My kit of choice was November's Clique Kit which featured We R Memory Keepers Wildflower collection. When I first saw this collection I loved it immediately, even though it's not typically my style.
It didn't take me long to choose a picture that I felt went well with the collection. I chose it specifically because of all the wonderful colors displayed in our handknit items we are wearing. The orange, green, blue and pink colors are all found in the papers.
To achieve this, I specifically matted my picture in the same card stock (from my stash) as my page border and placed the picture on top of the gorgeous blue and white patterned paper. I then added a slight mint green border (from my stash) on either side to further breakup the picture from the dark floral background paper.
I knew I wanted to add a little something around the fussy cut flower at the top right of the photo and the Pink Paislee gold frame was perfect.
I included a couple of Martha Stewart floral stickers from my stash to add a different texture to the spread behind the floral die cut. Adding a little gold glitter washi tape, the "Life is an Adventure" flair badge and a few additional die cuts from the collection, helped bring everything together.
For the title, I used a combination of the block alpha letters from the Wildflower sticker sheet included in the kit and Amy Tangerine's foam thickers in Kal Barteski from my stash.
Overall, I am really pleased with how everything came together!


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In "Analysis in indexing: document and domain centered approaches" Jens-Erik Mai discusses different approaches used by indexers to determine the subject matter of, and assign index terms to, documents. He argues that, by focusing strictly on analysis of the document and failing to take into account context and users' needs, the prevalent document-centered approach is "problematic." Mai instead suggests a domain-centered approach that shifts the focal point from the document to the context of the domain—i.e., "an area of expertise, a body of literature," or "a group of people who share common goals." This new approach adds to the traditional two-step indexing model of analyzing a document to determine its subject matter and assigning index terms to the document by including analyses of the relevant domain, the indexer's perspective, and user needs prior to examining the document itself. Document analysis, contends Mai, is complex. The overall benefit of the domain-centered approach is that it "offers a framework to manage the complexity" and achieve "effective results." (600, 605, 609)
Mai begins by defining the different approaches used among indexers and discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each. A document-oriented approach, says Mai, attempts to determine subject matter solely from the document itself—context and users' needs are not considered. Differing only slightly is the document-centered approach, which, while still focusing only on the document when defining subject matter, bears in mind users when assigning index terms. Finally, a user-oriented approach calls into question users' information needs both in determining subject matter and in assigning terms. Mai draws upon the work of Hjorland and Albrechtsen by combining their domain analysis theories with the user-centered approach. Domain-centered indexing is a more effective approach, Mai argues, because it provides indexers a "clear frame of reference for making decisions" that is "consistent with users' use of information." (599-600, 609)
Mai differentiates between the two steps involved with document-centered indexing when discussing the weaknesses of that approach. He claims that standard practices can be applied to step two—assigning terms—but, when it comes to defining a document's subject matter, universal techniques simply are not applicable. This is because within a document-centered approach subject matter is based solely on analyses of a document's attributes—title, table of contents, chapter headings, etc.—an ambiguous process, which, according to Mai, is often "left open to interpretation." Since document attributes do not fully disclose subject matter, the indexer is forced to render judgments based on limited information. To do this a degree of "contextual knowledge" is required, which, in Mai's view, provides the warrant for his domain-centered approach. (600-602)
Mai's position on indexing is that context is key. Context is an essential ingredient in developing an understanding of a document's intended uses, which, in turn must be understood before its subject matter can be ascertained. His idea of domain is simply a way to construct the various contexts within which documents are analyzed. Contexts will therefore differ among domains and, so, slight variations in an indexer's approach will be required. User needs and indexer perspectives, according to Mai, are additional parts of the contextual knowledge surrounding a document. When viewed at the document level, his approach works from the outside in, the steps of which are 1) analysis of domain, 2) assessment of users' needs, 3) determination of indexers' roles, and 4) analysis of document's subject matter. Mai presents a very compelling case. The traditional approach, due to the inherent limitations involved with establishing subject matter solely from a document, seems flawed. A broader contextual knowledge of users, indexers, as well as documents seems a better formula for generating more appropriate and practical indexing results. (603-609)


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Lucas won't eat "wet" meat. He also won't eat pizza that is too "sweet" from what he takes to be an overabundance of salt but which is really ripe tomato. He grazes on Blue Bell frozen fudge bars with a measured licking and lapping, an act of gourmandise that, on Jonas' face, appears as a brown smudge.
When Kelly is away shooting on the weekends, they are in the hands of dad, who does not always take age into consideration when feeding young lads. I lavish them with tater tots, but might, in the same meal, frustrate them with curried chicken, the spiciness of which sours faces. But, I threaten them with a withdrawal of Blue Bell and they usually struggle on.
I admit it's kind of sick. But, as I said, I am alone in this wilderness and easily misguided.
A few weeks ago Lucas confessed that he favored American singles over Parma grana and I tasted the fruit of rebuke. I am prepared to dine on it for decades.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Posted by Mark Brown at 10:39 AM
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Mary kate olsen dating heath
have reported that Ledger - whose funeral is set for today - had been dating Mary-Kate.Certainly friends, definitely party pals and maybe more than that, Heath Ledger and Mary-Kate Olsen first met over the summer of 2006, at the time he was living at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood, has learned.like, in terms of where they liked to hang out in New York, what time they would want to go out.Documentary I am Heath Ledger contains footage of the late star before his tragic and untimely death in January 2008.Ledger, 28, and Mary-Kate, 21, first met summer 2006, when he was living at Hollywood's Chateau Marmont."Mary-Kate and Heath were casually dating for three months before Heath's death," a source reveals.The Olsens continued to release direct-to-video films up to the early 2000s, along with starring in the 1995 feature film It Takes Two.
These ventures, combined with an array of licensing deals for their names and likenesses, made Olsen wealthy at a young age.is a former American actress, fashion designer, producer, author, businesswoman, and equestrian.She co-founded luxury fashion brands The Row, Elizabeth and James, and the more affordable lines Olsenboye and Style Mint alongside her fraternal twin sister Ashley Olsen. In this article the NY Post reports that Heath Ledger was dating Mary-Kate Olsen at the time of his death.The article says: "Using a number programmed into Ledger's cell, a nervous Wolozin [the masseuse] called the 21-year-old Olsen - whom law enforcement sources said was dating Ledger - in California." Law enforcement knows MK was dating Heath????


text: Posted on April 11, 2011October 18, 2011 by PattyFind a Happy Place By and large, mothers and housewives are the only workers who do not have regular time off. They are the great vacationless class. ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh Feeling like I *need* something today that's not possible. trying to trust… Advertisements Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading... Related


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Nothing new
There isn't much new to report in the case of missing woman Roxanne Shah. There was another search this week but nothing turned up. This now makes 2 Friday's in a row that Roxanne missed with her grandson. Where is Roxanne?
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why can't someone find her?? anyone see her on any camera anywhere???
This story is dead in the local media. There have been no updates or any statements whatsoever from the Indianapolis Metro Police Dept, who are *supposedly* investigating. Not *one* word. Not one "person of interest". I used to live a few blocks from Roxanne, in a very artsy friendly neighborhood (read gossipy:-) and no one i spoke to from the old hood was even aware that a local is missing. There are no fliers up, nothing. UNBELIEVABLE, in a neighborhood where Roxanne once ran a coffee shop…
This one is really bothering me. The whole story seems hinky. The alleged note said she was going to Southern Indiana (there was no snow there) and her car is found as far NORTH as one can go in Indiana, with knee deep snow.
I wish the Police would give us an update, or at least assure is that they are still investigating – but i am not optimistic.
I saw this post and wanted to comment. Can you or others perhaps get some flyers going? I just read story you wrote and I do not know much about this site. I was just wondering why so many people disappear and never found (some are found, but unfortunately they are dead). I have been an armchair detective for years now and joined many sites for the missing and it seems to keep rising! Scary! I guess I am just as puzzled of how anyone can just "disappear" and no one witnesses this? Unbelieveable…anyway thank you for the information above. I will say a prayer for the missings. God bless us one and all.
I have posted requests for updates on Roxanne's disappearance to the Indianapolis Star and 2 different Indy TV stations. No reply.
I am a rank amateur at forensic astrology but I ran a chart for the approximate time her car was found and it does not look hopeful. Mars (males, anger, violence) and Saturn (restriction and frustration) were prominently in conflict with her natal chart and her point of Nemesis. Loosely interpreted, it seems some part of her personality that has been a ongoing issue brought her into violent conflict with a male and those issues peaked around that time.
Keep up the good work, Kim. Sometimes I feel like I am alone in being really suspicious about this missing lady.


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George acosta emotions
Shame and disbelief were recurring themes on late-night shows the past two nights, as the hosts hurled words at Trump as if they were disgusted editorial writers. Two hosts, Meyers and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, openly called Tuesday for Trump to be cut loose from the Presidency.
- DJ Myosuke Unprepareness
- Various - Sweet Soul Music - 26 Scorching Classics From 1971
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- John Fogerty - Centerfield - Eye Of The Zombie
- The Fontane Sisters with Billy Vaughn And His Orchestra - Hearts of Stone - Bless This House
- Tyyne and Martta - Ryppyrasvaa
- Andreas Oldörp - Lotos
- George Formby George Formby And His Ukulele Leaning On A Lamp Post - Hi-Tiddly-Hi-Ti Island
- Fernand Pollain - Serenade - The Butterfly
- Pete Richardson - Image Of Weakness
- Ernest Atkins - I'm So Happy With The Lord - God Answer Prayer
- Various Raubfisch One - 2008
- Acme Things Of Life
- Various Tesseract Ep
- Mazowsze Zespół Pieśni I Tańca "Mazowsze" Wśród Nocnej Ciszy
- The Marbles - So Many Questions - Do La Zozobra
- Dating Godot Lucky Devil
- Massgrav Too Fast For Ove
- Soft Rocks Disco Power Play 3
- Curtie And The Boombox Curtie And The Boom Box Let's Talk It Over In The Ladies' Room


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When you are in a long-term relationship, you make certain investments in the relationship to help it grow. You give it your time and attention. You are careful to respect boundaries while still pursuing intimacy, trust and friendship. You work through bumps in the road together. You make certain concessions when the other party isn't playing ball and hope they allow you the same courtesy. You never, ever quit.
No. I'm not talking about my marriage.
I'm talking about school. I'm talking about our decision to trust our children to the public school system. To date, only one is currently enrolled in public school and she's going into 5th grade this year. Our last year of elementary. Then…OMG…middle school. [excuse me while I take a moment to stuff that impending reality back into the dark corners of my mind; not to be thought of again for at least a few months…]
The last few years have been challenging. (to say the least) Oh, I'm not denying Munchkin's culpability in creating and/or maintaining some of the drama through which we found ourselves wading. I've posted before about her amazing ability to find the most dramatic situation and implant herself smack dab in the middle of it. I'm also not denying there were things that were just part of another year of getting older, moving on, transitioning into another phase of childhood, etc.
What I AM saying is that there were some parts of the last couple of years where I felt a real sense of partnership and cooperation with the school and parts where I felt like I was dealing with avoidance, passive-aggressive behavior and constant conflict. Again, I will reassert that Munchkin can be something else and she IS entering the phase where she thinks she is more grown-up that she is and following those "little girl" rules are starting to pinch her, but she's not mature enough to handle any more freedom. When she IS given freedom, she usually puts her foot in her mouth or makes some other dumb decision that, upon reflection, should have been foreseen by the adults in charge (ahem…us).
Academically, last year was an enormous catch-up, but the instruction was great. She made up all the ground she'd lost in the jumble of third grade math teachers and she gained and built on the spark ignited for reading and writing. Socially, my gawd I lived for weekends and holidays. I KNOW this is the age where girls hate each other with a venom that rivals the most poisonous animals on earth. Females can be vicious and cruel and we experienced both sides of that equation: Munchkin as victim AND Munchkin trying on the role of the spider. I watched her struggle with the seemingly endless cycle of cruelty. She was unhappy with her own behavior, but not mature enough to navigate away from it or work through it when it found her. I saw a side of her last year I hadn't seen. I hope the experience worked itself out of her system and she is now content to go to school to learn; not be a gladiator. And yes, I know some of this is unavoidable. This cycle lives and breathes and grows freely in "good" and "bad" schools alike; public and private. So, no, I'm not looking at this through some kind of wonderland looking glass. The jabberwocky is everywhere.
Where I am hoping to see some measurable change is in the overall climate of the school. Teachers need to be supported by administration to demand respectful behavior in the classroom. Violence against one another MUST not be tolerated in any way.
Investment. Rather than pull her out and run to another school or district, we are going to stay in the fight and work through it. Because we have a relationship. Because Munchkin must learn that the way to handle your problems is not to run away from them but to roll up your sleeves and work HARD to fix them. Find a way to dialogue on topics you don't understand or approve.
And I'm scared to death.
Scared to be "that mom." Scared NOT to be "that mom." Scared that not moving her to another school is going to automatically doom her to another awful year like I'm on the quest for the holy grail and her experience becomes collateral damage.
I just want to get it right.
This parenting stuff is hard, y'all.


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I often fantasise about a licence to print money. I also fantasise about scantily-clad ladies and plates of cheese and biscuits but that is none of your business. My cheese – my biscuits.
If I really want to do something about the first dream I should introduce a new computer to the photographic world. Nothing too flash, mind – I do not want people queuing up outside my front door trying to get free wifi in the morning. It's bad enough when the cat brings half chewed rats – the last thing I want is half chewed computer geeks.
My computer will be aimed at the seniors market. A computer with large keys. Heated in winter, too, though with the way some products use lithium batteries that should not be a real problem. It will have a smaller than normal screen but with bigger than normal typeface. Hell, we have tunnel vision anyway – all I have to do is get the pixels to steer round the cataracts and I'll be on a winner.
The computer will feature an on/off switch that resembles an old-fashioned light switch. When you flick it, something happens. It will not be necessary to have the thing ask whether you want to shut it off – too many damn questions anyway.
There will be no passwords on the system. None of us can remember squat as it is, and as soon as we memorise a new one the computers change. Even tattooing the password on our foreheads so that we can look into the mirror and remember is futile – the sun spots obscure the numbers and letters. No, to get exclusive entry into the new computer all you have to do is type in the name of the Prime Minister the night after the budget. MUD is a very simple code.
Want to access porn on the net? Want to bet on-line? Want to order pizza or watch videos of Kim Kardashian? Not on this computer. It is factory-blocked for these and thousands of other sleazy and pointless activities. A religious message will be flashed whenever you try to access anything even slightly horrible. When you try to watch Proceedings From Parliament it will make sympathetic noises and call the mental heath department.


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Over the weekend, game designer Monte Cook post a defense of his Numenera mechanic, the d20 system he invented for his newest role-playing game, saying that it's not like other d20 games. He's right, it's not exactly like the other d20 games, but it's pretty derivative and debatable how original the system is. And I think this puts the finger on what I dislike about Numenera: it's not what it claims to be, either mechanical or narrative. The Internet buzzes with praise for this game, and Monte's rabid fan base has swallowed the 416 page rule book hook, line, and sinker. They say it's beautiful; it is – Monte spent a ton of the kickstarter money on art, which is a good thing. They say it's a great setting, and I think it might be, depending very much on what you do with it. A sci–fi fantasy bash up that is equal parts Savage Sword of Conan and Heavy Metal magazine. No one, however, claims it's well written, because it isn't. I've read the rule book, slogged my way through the miserable opening fiction, and trudged through character generation, the game system rules, and the magic items (renamed cyphers). And all in all, at the end of the day, it's just D&D lite with a lot of hand waving.
This isn't bad, but when Numenera is billed as the next best greatest thing since sliced AD&D, I have to protest because it's not. A Goodreads reader accurately commented, "what's all the hype", and I agree. This is fighters, magic-users, and thieves (glaives, jacks, and nanos), who adventure to gain levels (tiers) by collecting loot (cyphers and artifacts collectively known as numenera). The game says it's not about combat, it's not about "killing things and taking their loot", yet examples used to explain the rule system are primarily combat examples. The opening fiction includes combat. The example of play includes combat. Not a combat game? It's totally a combat game. True, characters don't gain experience from killing monsters and taking their stuff, just taking their stuff. So, that's all fine, but when you (the author) tell me that this isn't a game about combat and collecting loot, and then give me a game about combat and collecting loot, I'm a little peeved.
Numenera is a D&D Lite game about fighting abhumans (goblinoids) and creatures (monsters) and finding cyphers (magic items). There is a bunch of hand waving and refusing to explain parts of the game within its own fictional setting. What are cyphers? Um, advanced technology that characters consider magic and don't worry about it anyway. How many cyphers can your character carry? 2. Why only 2? Because more breaks the game and the rules can't handle it. Really. That's what he writes (page 279). Then, in a grand step away from rules-lite mechanics, he includes a complicated chart that a player has to roll against when his character collects too many cyphers, with a decent chance that the cyphers explode and wound the character. So, I'm supposed to collect cyphers, but if I collect too many the game penalizes me? Yes, that is correct. Again, I'm peeved. Monte wants players to play this game a certain way, collect and use cyphers, not merely collect. Well, that's not role-playing, that's puppet-mastering. That's not player choice, that's contrived fiction with a captured audience. And if you want puppet-mastering, if you want railroading in its most obvious, onerous case, read The Devil's Spine, Monte's opening adventure packet for Numenera. It regularly takes away a player's choice and then argues that railroading makes for a better game anyway, because obviously the game writer can write a better adventure that one that might organically develop in play.
And yet, because I'm uncomfortable merely bitching about this game, I will play it! The family gang and I will make characters and play. I could be completely wrong and this could be a great game, and I'm willing to admit that. Even though this looks bad, and reads bad, I will still taste it and report back on the flavor. "Pass me the Kool-Aid, Jim." And if I'm wrong I'll recant completely. I'll personally email Mr. Cook and apologize for badmouthing his game (on my little blog with 15 followers and 5 regular readers – you know who are).
Speaking or rules lite, I was reading The Northern Crusades (Penguin Books, 1997) in preparation for my Baltic Seas campaign, and I read about the Danish invasion of the island of Rugen in 1135, in which they captured the capitol Arkona, destroyed the four-faced statue of the pagan god Svantovit, and forced Christian baptism on the survivors. According to Mr. Mark Shirley, who wrote the Bjornaer chapter for Houses of Hermes: Mystery Cults, the magi (wizards) of House Bjornaer (one of the subdivisions of wizards) have their domus magna (headquarters) on Rugen. Wouldn't it be fun to run a short campaign in which the players are Bjornaer magi dealing with the mundane invasion of their island refuge? I think it would be fun, yes. Will I do it? No. Why? Because Ars Magica doesn't lend itself to quick games, to short flights of gaming fancy. It's bulky, unwieldy, and terribly complex. Just making a character for play takes several hours of not days. If anything needs a rules-lite version, it's Ars Magica.
Think of it; read a compelling sentence in a history book, think it would make a good setting for a few years of Ars campaigning (game-time years, not real years), call up a few friends, and hit the ground running. One of the nice things about early D&D was that it took minutes to make a character. Yes, most of them were similar, but within 15 minutes you and your first-level mates were in the dungeon swinging (and missing) at goblins. What if Ars Magica characters could be made in a few minutes?
So here it is Shrove Tuesday and I'm thinking of what I should give up for Lent. I usually give up ice cream and/or potato chips. Hey, that's a big deal. I don't have any vices any more and ice cream and potato chips are my two remaining indulgences! What if I gave up a little free time as well and in 40 days knocked out a rules-lite version of Ars Magica? Why not. It's totally heretical and the fans will scream – "Where is all the depth!" – but heresy is fun. I remember the days when Ars author Michaël de Verteuil regularly offered heretical advice in his column in Mythic Perspectives, the game's fanzine of the day. (I could be wrong. The game has had many fanzines. But I'm sure it was Michaël.) He was certainly berated for his views – damn fans – but I found them entertaining. So I'll follow in his same ignominious footprints and likely exit stage left, just like he did.