With the concerns rising over high food and commodity prices, and now spilling over into protests and tensions in different parts of the world, a recent policy brief from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) suggests a number of measures that should be taken by governments and international institutions.
The IFPRI policy brief, Urgent Actions Needed to Prevent Recurring Food Crises, was released at the end of March 2011. The authors, Shenggen Fan, Maximo Torero and Derek Heady, point out that the elements of the global food crisis, experienced three to four years ago, are present in the current trends though not yet to the same levels. “Although many parallels exist, certain aspects of today’s world food situation differ from the situation in 2007–2008. Overall grain production and stock levels, particularly in developing countries, are higher compared with the levels then.”
In addition, they acknowledge that the previous crisis and present situation are caused by a complex web of factors which include the development of biofuels from maize, soya beans, sugarcane and other food crops, depreciation of the US dollar, rising oil prices, and extreme weather in major producing countries, as well as events such as drought and wildfires in Russia and floods in Australia. These in turn triggered responses like panic purchases, export restrictions and market speculation.
They observe that studies carried out since then show there are several lessons to learn, which should be used to inform current actions. So, they argue that “to prevent a repeat of the 2007–2008 food price crisis, proactive steps must be taken by governments of developed and developing countries, as well as interested institutions and organisations.”
The first of these actions is to formulate policies and make technology investments in the US and European Union (EU) countries that would encourage the use of non-food inputs, instead of maize and other grains, for the production of alternative fuels. “Reduction of the non-food demand for grains can also relieve some of the pressure on food markets,” assert Fan and his co-authors.
In developing countries, governments are advised to put in place social protection programmes to protect the most vulnerable groups against the effects of food crises. They cite that many countries failed or neglected to do this following the 2007-2008 crisis. In those countries, with no established programmes, it is suggested governments should begin with focusing on geographic areas with extreme hunger, and should draw on best practices from other countries. “Combined social protection and agricultural support interventions can lead to greater impacts on food security than either intervention alone”.
Governments should institute policies and support investments that promote agricultural growth, especially targeted at smallholder farmers. These should increase access to seeds fertiliser and agricultural technologies, lower costs in transport and marketing, improve rural infrastructure, and enable support services like research, extension and insurance. The policy brief notes that “the occurrence of the global food crisis has renewed attention to agriculture and spurred increased investment in the sector”.
Also, the aspect of climate change has implications for agricultural productivity and human welfare. So investments in adaptation and mitigation on top of the political will and commitment are vital things that governments should do to avert future food signs.
At the global level, the suggested measures include the establishment of an emergency grain reserve that would be managed by an institution such as the World Food Programme and stocked with donations from large food exporters as well as producers like US, Canada, France, India and China. While admitting that there would be challenges, the brief says “such a grain reserve system should be started on an experimental scale with relatively small reserves”. It is noted discussions on this kind of initiative have begun among countries of south-east Asia plus China, Japan, and South Korea on an emergency rice reserve.
The publication advocates for a transparent, fair and open global trade to enhance the efficiency of global agricultural markets. It calls for governments to eliminate barriers to trade. The argument is “although export bans may help to secure domestic food supply, they lead to tighter markets for other exporting countries and induce panic purchases by food-importing countries, both of which lead to further price increases and volatility.”
Also proposed is a working group of international institutions that will monitor food production, consumption (including for biofuels), trade, stocks, prices, and policies, as well as energy prices, input prices and financial market speculation. This group will respond in a coordinated way to trigger action against volatile prices and trends that would lead to a crisis.
Global food prices can have substantial impacts on domestic prices in many parts of the world. In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, between June 2007 and June 2008, the average increases in staple food prices exceeded 60 per cent. Sharp increases in the prices of staple foods and uncertainty are particularly harmful for the world’s poorest consumers, who cannot adjust quickly to rapid price increases. “The research-based initiatives described,” the policy brief concludes, “should be a guide for a coordinated effort to stabilise food markets and thereby continue the reduction of hunger and malnutrition worldwide.”
--MWESIGYE GUMISIRIZA
Monday, 25 April 2011
Monday, 4 April 2011
Note to Self: What CAN does, What CAN'T doesn't
A milk vendor used to sell milk on his motor cycle in a town. He was carrying four milk cans, two on each side of his vehicle. One day, while he was calling on a house, two students approached his motor cycle and pushed frogs one each in two cans.
The happy frogs started finding themselves in a tight position. The frog in one of the cans studied the situation. It made a SWOT analysis.
His strength was – to swim effectively in any liquid. He recollects from his "WISDOM BANK" that most difficult times come only for a short time and will not last long. He starts swimming and swimming and finds himself sitting on a butter lump formed due to the churning action of his swimming. He is now safe for a while. When the milk vendor opens the cans for his next call, the frog leaps to his freedom.
The frog in other can does not turn on his attitudinal bulb. He blames the student for his misery and started cursing him. He blames God for making him so small that he can neither lift the lid of the can nor he can drill a hole in the can. With all these negative thoughts, he eventually drowns in the milk and dies.
What is the moral of the story? It is about ATTITUDE.
While the first frog was a ' I CAN' person with a positive mental attitude, the other one was a ' I CAN'T ' person. You can be a "CAN" or 'CAN'T' person. The choice is with you alone. No one except yourself can make you a 'CAN' or 'CAN'T' person.
A Winner is NOT one who NEVER FAILS......But one who NEVER QUITS!!!"
Many people spend their whole life in overcoming their weakness… But they forget it is only possible by strengthening their strengths... Let us work on our strengths such that any problem can be converted into opportunity and be a positive person...If we are positive ....then surely we would be able to see negative energy in others...too.....
When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2000 experiments before he got it to work. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, "I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2000-step process".
The happy frogs started finding themselves in a tight position. The frog in one of the cans studied the situation. It made a SWOT analysis.
His strength was – to swim effectively in any liquid. He recollects from his "WISDOM BANK" that most difficult times come only for a short time and will not last long. He starts swimming and swimming and finds himself sitting on a butter lump formed due to the churning action of his swimming. He is now safe for a while. When the milk vendor opens the cans for his next call, the frog leaps to his freedom.
The frog in other can does not turn on his attitudinal bulb. He blames the student for his misery and started cursing him. He blames God for making him so small that he can neither lift the lid of the can nor he can drill a hole in the can. With all these negative thoughts, he eventually drowns in the milk and dies.
What is the moral of the story? It is about ATTITUDE.
While the first frog was a ' I CAN' person with a positive mental attitude, the other one was a ' I CAN'T ' person. You can be a "CAN" or 'CAN'T' person. The choice is with you alone. No one except yourself can make you a 'CAN' or 'CAN'T' person.
A Winner is NOT one who NEVER FAILS......But one who NEVER QUITS!!!"
Many people spend their whole life in overcoming their weakness… But they forget it is only possible by strengthening their strengths... Let us work on our strengths such that any problem can be converted into opportunity and be a positive person...If we are positive ....then surely we would be able to see negative energy in others...too.....
When Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2000 experiments before he got it to work. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, "I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2000-step process".
Friday, 18 March 2011
9 Things Successful People Do Differently
Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D.
Motivational psychologist, author of Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals
Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren't sure, you are far from alone in your confusion. It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail. The intuitive answer -- that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others -- is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.
Here are nine things successful people do differently:
Get Specific
When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. "Lose 5 pounds" is a better goal than "lose some weight" because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there. Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you'll "eat less" or "sleep more" is too vague -- be clear and precise. "I'll be in bed by 10 p.m. on weeknights" leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you've actually done it.
Seize The Moment To Act On Your Goals
Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it's not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers.
To seize the moment, decide in advance when and where you will take each action you want to take. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g. "If it's Monday, Wednesday or Friday, I'll work out for 30 minutes before work"). Studies show that this kind of planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300 percent.
Know Exactly How Far You Have Left To Go
Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress -- if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don't know how well you are doing, you can't adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently -- weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.
Be A Realistic Optimist
When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation. But whatever you do, don't underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.
Focus On Getting Better Rather Than Being Good
Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality and our physical aptitudes are fixed -- that no matter what we do, we won't improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves rather than developing and acquiring new skills.
Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong; abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.
Have Grit
Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The good news is, if you aren't particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don't have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking -- well, there's no way to put this nicely -- you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.
Build Your Willpower Muscle
Your self-control "muscle" is just like the other muscles in your body -- when it doesn't get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.
To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you'd honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching or try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up or just not bother, don't. Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur (e.g. "If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.") It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that's the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout.
Don't Tempt Fate
No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it's important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it, you will temporarily run out of steam. Don't try to take on two challenging tasks at once, like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time. And don't put yourself in harm's way; many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.
Focus On What You Will Do, Not What You Won't Do
Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g. "Don't think about white bears!") has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior; by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken.
If you want change your ways, ask yourself, "What will I do instead?" For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off the handle, you might make a plan like this: "If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down." By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely.
It is my hope that, after reading about the nine things successful people do differently, you have gained some insight into all the things you have been doing right all along. Even more important, I hope are able to identify the mistakes that have derailed you, and use that knowledge to your advantage from now on. Remember: You don't need to become a different person to become a more successful one. It's never what you are, but what you do.
This post originally appeared in the Harvard Business Review. I got it from www.huffingtonpost.com
Motivational psychologist, author of Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals
Why have you been so successful in reaching some of your goals, but not others? If you aren't sure, you are far from alone in your confusion. It turns out that even brilliant, highly accomplished people are pretty lousy when it comes to understanding why they succeed or fail. The intuitive answer -- that you are born predisposed to certain talents and lacking in others -- is really just one small piece of the puzzle. In fact, decades of research on achievement suggests that successful people reach their goals not simply because of who they are, but more often because of what they do.
Here are nine things successful people do differently:
Get Specific
When you set yourself a goal, try to be as specific as possible. "Lose 5 pounds" is a better goal than "lose some weight" because it gives you a clear idea of what success looks like. Knowing exactly what you want to achieve keeps you motivated until you get there. Also, think about the specific actions that need to be taken to reach your goal. Just promising you'll "eat less" or "sleep more" is too vague -- be clear and precise. "I'll be in bed by 10 p.m. on weeknights" leaves no room for doubt about what you need to do, and whether or not you've actually done it.
Seize The Moment To Act On Your Goals
Given how busy most of us are, and how many goals we are juggling at once, it's not surprising that we routinely miss opportunities to act on a goal because we simply fail to notice them. Did you really have no time to work out today? No chance at any point to return that phone call? Achieving your goal means grabbing hold of these opportunities before they slip through your fingers.
To seize the moment, decide in advance when and where you will take each action you want to take. Again, be as specific as possible (e.g. "If it's Monday, Wednesday or Friday, I'll work out for 30 minutes before work"). Studies show that this kind of planning will help your brain to detect and seize the opportunity when it arises, increasing your chances of success by roughly 300 percent.
Know Exactly How Far You Have Left To Go
Achieving any goal also requires honest and regular monitoring of your progress -- if not by others, then by you yourself. If you don't know how well you are doing, you can't adjust your behavior or your strategies accordingly. Check your progress frequently -- weekly, or even daily, depending on the goal.
Be A Realistic Optimist
When you are setting a goal, by all means engage in lots of positive thinking about how likely you are to achieve it. Believing in your ability to succeed is enormously helpful for creating and sustaining your motivation. But whatever you do, don't underestimate how difficult it will be to reach your goal. Most goals worth achieving require time, planning, effort and persistence. Studies show that thinking things will come to you easily and effortlessly leaves you ill-prepared for the journey ahead, and significantly increases the odds of failure.
Focus On Getting Better Rather Than Being Good
Believing you have the ability to reach your goals is important, but so is believing you can get the ability. Many of us believe that our intelligence, our personality and our physical aptitudes are fixed -- that no matter what we do, we won't improve. As a result, we focus on goals that are all about proving ourselves rather than developing and acquiring new skills.
Fortunately, decades of research suggest that the belief in fixed ability is completely wrong; abilities of all kinds are profoundly malleable. Embracing the fact that you can change will allow you to make better choices, and reach your fullest potential. People whose goals are about getting better, rather than being good, take difficulty in stride, and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.
Have Grit
Grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals, and to persist in the face of difficulty. Studies show that gritty people obtain more education in their lifetime and earn higher college GPAs. Grit predicts which cadets will stick out their first grueling year at West Point. In fact, grit even predicts which round contestants will make it to at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The good news is, if you aren't particularly gritty now, there is something you can do about it. People who lack grit more often than not believe that they just don't have the innate abilities successful people have. If that describes your own thinking -- well, there's no way to put this nicely -- you are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, effort, planning, persistence and good strategies are what it really takes to succeed. Embracing this knowledge will not only help you see yourself and your goals more accurately, but also do wonders for your grit.
Build Your Willpower Muscle
Your self-control "muscle" is just like the other muscles in your body -- when it doesn't get much exercise, it becomes weaker over time. But when you give it regular workouts by putting it to good use, it will grow stronger and stronger, and better able to help you successfully reach your goals.
To build willpower, take on a challenge that requires you to do something you'd honestly rather not do. Give up high-fat snacks, do 100 sit-ups a day, stand up straight when you catch yourself slouching or try to learn a new skill. When you find yourself wanting to give in, give up or just not bother, don't. Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they occur (e.g. "If I have a craving for a snack, I will eat one piece of fresh or three pieces of dried fruit.") It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier, and that's the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on more challenges and step-up your self-control workout.
Don't Tempt Fate
No matter how strong your willpower muscle becomes, it's important to always respect the fact that it is limited, and if you overtax it, you will temporarily run out of steam. Don't try to take on two challenging tasks at once, like quitting smoking and dieting at the same time. And don't put yourself in harm's way; many people are overly-confident in their ability to resist temptation, and as a result they put themselves in situations where temptations abound. Successful people know not to make reaching a goal harder than it already is.
Focus On What You Will Do, Not What You Won't Do
Do you want to successfully lose weight, quit smoking or put a lid on your bad temper? Then plan how you will replace bad habits with good ones, rather than focusing only on the bad habits themselves. Research on thought suppression (e.g. "Don't think about white bears!") has shown that trying to avoid a thought makes it even more active in your mind. The same holds true when it comes to behavior; by trying not to engage in a bad habit, our habits get strengthened rather than broken.
If you want change your ways, ask yourself, "What will I do instead?" For example, if you are trying to gain control of your temper and stop flying off the handle, you might make a plan like this: "If I am starting to feel angry, then I will take three deep breaths to calm down." By using deep breathing as a replacement for giving in to your anger, your bad habit will get worn away over time until it disappears completely.
It is my hope that, after reading about the nine things successful people do differently, you have gained some insight into all the things you have been doing right all along. Even more important, I hope are able to identify the mistakes that have derailed you, and use that knowledge to your advantage from now on. Remember: You don't need to become a different person to become a more successful one. It's never what you are, but what you do.
This post originally appeared in the Harvard Business Review. I got it from www.huffingtonpost.com
Friday, 4 March 2011
Note to Self: All the 5 Signs Are There
This is more of a note to myself (and any reader of this blog who feels this situation). So, I'm posting so that I can keep referring to it frequently.
Five Signs You May Be Sabotaging Your Writing Career
by Writers Relief Staff on 1 March 2011
Many professional writers credit their success to both hard work and to being in the right place at the right time (note: Writer’s Relief can help with the latter!). But sometimes, being in the right place and working hard simply aren’t enough. Unless you’re truly open to success, you’ll have stacked the deck against yourself even before the cards are dealt! Here are five signs that you might be self-sabotaging your own writing career.
Sign #1. Writing doesn’t make you happy anymore. Maybe, at some point, you truly loved your work. But lately, your stories feel flat. You find yourself twitching and getting distracted when you’re supposed to be working, and when you finish a piece, you don’t get that lovely glowing feeling that follows a big accomplishment.
SOLUTION: Get back to basics. Stop and assess where your listlessness is coming from. What used to make you happy about writing that isn’t making you happy now? Make a list of what you love about writing, and read it before you sit down to work. Then, focus on what you love, and let the rest go.
Sign #2. You don’t feel your writing is strong. Perhaps you have many publication credits, perhaps you have none. Either way, you’re feeling down about your writing—and that feeling is leaking into the actual words you write.
SOLUTION. Time to reevaluate how you look at your work. Take drastic measures to do whatever it takes to begin to love your own stories and poems. Ask friends and family to tell you what they like about your work. Make a list of what you like about it. When you love your writing and are confident in your own talent, your chance at success improves!
Sign #3. You sit down to write, but there’s no inspiration to be found. You want to write but your fingers remain quiet on the keyboard. How will you become a well-regarded writer if you’re not writing? You’re caught in a downward spiral.
SOLUTION: Time to reinvigorate your muse—but there’s absolutely no reason to do it alone. Find a local poetry reading series—even if you don’t write poetry, you’ll be inspired. Join a writing group or a book club. Just being around words that inspire you—or even words that fail you and make you long for something better—will revive your muse. Also, consider going to an art museum or a concert, or take a class on glassblowing. Sometimes changing the direction of your creativity, if only for a moment, will reinvigorate your passion for words.
Sign #4. A great opportunity comes your way—maybe a literary agent is interested in a book project, or an editor wants to publish one of your poems, but she or he requests a few revisions. You worry. You worry so much that you end up sending multiple emails to the agent or editor in a single day. You call and pester. When you finally do get in touch with the agent or editor, you’re cranky and suspicious—you question everything. You feel you’re not getting enough attention. You think you’re being mistreated. You wonder why literary agents and editors aren’t taking you seriously and why good opportunities dry up.
SOLUTION: Your nerves may be blocking your path to success. Time to relax—but also to be aware of your own proclivity to botch situations that could help your career. When in doubt, treat people as you want to be treated—with trust, patience, and kindness.
Sign #5: You’ve finished your book, short story, poem, or essay, and after a period of procrastination, you send your work to a handful of literary agents or editors. Rejection letters ensue. You think: Well, I’ll send it out to a few more people, but then you don’t actually do it—or you do very little. Your work, which you suspect is quite good despite your handful of rejections, languishes and remains unpublished.
SOLUTION. Rather than relying on vague goals (I will send out my work), it’s time to make concrete, specific goals and stick to them (I will send my book to X number of agents per week/month). Tell others who will hold you accountable to check in with you and encourage you to stay on track (and remember to be nice to them even when it feels like they’re nagging you). Then, even if the prospects look glum, you won’t lose momentum.
Writer’s Relief can help you if you’re having a motivation problem. We keep our clients writing and submitting. Our system works and gets results!
BOTTOM LINE: This list of five signs of sabotage are symptoms of deeper issues. If you’re self-sabotaging your writing career, it’s time to do some deep introspection. Although you’re going after success, is there something that’s keeping you from getting it? Journal, listen to your own voice, and learn what may be blocking you.
Originally published here
Five Signs You May Be Sabotaging Your Writing Career
by Writers Relief Staff on 1 March 2011
Many professional writers credit their success to both hard work and to being in the right place at the right time (note: Writer’s Relief can help with the latter!). But sometimes, being in the right place and working hard simply aren’t enough. Unless you’re truly open to success, you’ll have stacked the deck against yourself even before the cards are dealt! Here are five signs that you might be self-sabotaging your own writing career.
Sign #1. Writing doesn’t make you happy anymore. Maybe, at some point, you truly loved your work. But lately, your stories feel flat. You find yourself twitching and getting distracted when you’re supposed to be working, and when you finish a piece, you don’t get that lovely glowing feeling that follows a big accomplishment.
SOLUTION: Get back to basics. Stop and assess where your listlessness is coming from. What used to make you happy about writing that isn’t making you happy now? Make a list of what you love about writing, and read it before you sit down to work. Then, focus on what you love, and let the rest go.
Sign #2. You don’t feel your writing is strong. Perhaps you have many publication credits, perhaps you have none. Either way, you’re feeling down about your writing—and that feeling is leaking into the actual words you write.
SOLUTION. Time to reevaluate how you look at your work. Take drastic measures to do whatever it takes to begin to love your own stories and poems. Ask friends and family to tell you what they like about your work. Make a list of what you like about it. When you love your writing and are confident in your own talent, your chance at success improves!
Sign #3. You sit down to write, but there’s no inspiration to be found. You want to write but your fingers remain quiet on the keyboard. How will you become a well-regarded writer if you’re not writing? You’re caught in a downward spiral.
SOLUTION: Time to reinvigorate your muse—but there’s absolutely no reason to do it alone. Find a local poetry reading series—even if you don’t write poetry, you’ll be inspired. Join a writing group or a book club. Just being around words that inspire you—or even words that fail you and make you long for something better—will revive your muse. Also, consider going to an art museum or a concert, or take a class on glassblowing. Sometimes changing the direction of your creativity, if only for a moment, will reinvigorate your passion for words.
Sign #4. A great opportunity comes your way—maybe a literary agent is interested in a book project, or an editor wants to publish one of your poems, but she or he requests a few revisions. You worry. You worry so much that you end up sending multiple emails to the agent or editor in a single day. You call and pester. When you finally do get in touch with the agent or editor, you’re cranky and suspicious—you question everything. You feel you’re not getting enough attention. You think you’re being mistreated. You wonder why literary agents and editors aren’t taking you seriously and why good opportunities dry up.
SOLUTION: Your nerves may be blocking your path to success. Time to relax—but also to be aware of your own proclivity to botch situations that could help your career. When in doubt, treat people as you want to be treated—with trust, patience, and kindness.
Sign #5: You’ve finished your book, short story, poem, or essay, and after a period of procrastination, you send your work to a handful of literary agents or editors. Rejection letters ensue. You think: Well, I’ll send it out to a few more people, but then you don’t actually do it—or you do very little. Your work, which you suspect is quite good despite your handful of rejections, languishes and remains unpublished.
SOLUTION. Rather than relying on vague goals (I will send out my work), it’s time to make concrete, specific goals and stick to them (I will send my book to X number of agents per week/month). Tell others who will hold you accountable to check in with you and encourage you to stay on track (and remember to be nice to them even when it feels like they’re nagging you). Then, even if the prospects look glum, you won’t lose momentum.
Writer’s Relief can help you if you’re having a motivation problem. We keep our clients writing and submitting. Our system works and gets results!
BOTTOM LINE: This list of five signs of sabotage are symptoms of deeper issues. If you’re self-sabotaging your writing career, it’s time to do some deep introspection. Although you’re going after success, is there something that’s keeping you from getting it? Journal, listen to your own voice, and learn what may be blocking you.
Originally published here
Monday, 21 February 2011
Habakkuk the Catechist
Title: Habakkuk the Catechist
Author: Peregrine Kibuuka
Pages: xiv+378
Publisher: Marianum Press Ltd 2010
Price: Shs. 15,000
Reviewer: Mwesigye Gumisiriza
This story has been written over a period of three decades. It started while the author was a secondary school teacher in the 1970s, and then repeatedly shelved over the years. But with continued prodding from family and friends, he eventually completed the task.
It traces the life of Timothy Mwavuwalaba from when the family moves into Loko village, his education at the local primary school and the nearby secondary school. After which he was sent to the seminary to train as a priest, his decision to quit and his life after that which puts him in continual conflict with his father, and includes all the side shows such as his search for a wife, uncovering his father’s secrets and friendship with Phillip Mbutonjawule that add drama, humour and suspense.
When reading this book, one gets a sense of déjà vu. The use of a boy as he narrates his life experiences from a point of naivety and, as he grows up, becoming more aware of his surroundings, the events and his place in them. It reminds one of The Poor Christ of Bomba (Mongo Beti) and The Abyssinian Chronicles (Moses Isegawa)—an African way of life against a backdrop dominated by the Roman Catholic Church, which the author, both pokes fun at and exposes the contradictions between two. However, in what is characteristic in this book, the author takes his time, through long winded detailed preambles, to build the background and the characters.
It is not until towards the end of the sixth chapter that Habakkuk Nakumusana, one of the protagonists, and at the beginning of the seventh that Timothy Mwavuwalaba, the narrator, are fully introduced into the story. It is from then that the perspective of the story telling also changes—from the happenings in Loko and variety of characters to focus solely on the experiences of Timothy and how he relates to the other characters and interprets events. Interestingly, though the title may imply it is about Habakkuk Nakumusana, it is more about his son Timothy Mwavuwalaba without necessarily putting the former out of the picture.
In this way, the author develops a distinct style with a generous dose of humour with simple prose that enables effortless reading. There is also a glossary at the beginning, which explains the Latin and Luganda words that are used frequently in the novel. So even if one is not familiar with these two languages, the glossary comes in handy. However, if one is not familiar with Luganda, the innuendoes in the people’s names such as Nakumusana, Zibulaatudde, Byansobeera, and in the names of places like Njala egobye, will be lost.
There are certain flaws that tend to crop in several Ugandan published books. Despite being relatively well crafted, the novel has a few typographical errors. This adds a blemish to otherwise good piece of work. In this one, the proof-reading has minimised these to a minimum, that it is not easy to notice them. In addition, in the introductory chapter, the author seems to struggle in directing the flow of narration and balancing many ideas within that limited space. Thankfully, he picks up pace in the next chapter and sustains it. At over 300 pages long, this is no mean feat and he needs to be commended.
As pointed in the foreword that people who read it will recommend it to others, I definitely do the same with two-thumbs up. This book is worth your while.
Published in Saturday Monitor (www.monitor.co.ug) 19 February 2011, pg 23
Author: Peregrine Kibuuka
Pages: xiv+378
Publisher: Marianum Press Ltd 2010
Price: Shs. 15,000
Reviewer: Mwesigye Gumisiriza
This story has been written over a period of three decades. It started while the author was a secondary school teacher in the 1970s, and then repeatedly shelved over the years. But with continued prodding from family and friends, he eventually completed the task.
It traces the life of Timothy Mwavuwalaba from when the family moves into Loko village, his education at the local primary school and the nearby secondary school. After which he was sent to the seminary to train as a priest, his decision to quit and his life after that which puts him in continual conflict with his father, and includes all the side shows such as his search for a wife, uncovering his father’s secrets and friendship with Phillip Mbutonjawule that add drama, humour and suspense.
When reading this book, one gets a sense of déjà vu. The use of a boy as he narrates his life experiences from a point of naivety and, as he grows up, becoming more aware of his surroundings, the events and his place in them. It reminds one of The Poor Christ of Bomba (Mongo Beti) and The Abyssinian Chronicles (Moses Isegawa)—an African way of life against a backdrop dominated by the Roman Catholic Church, which the author, both pokes fun at and exposes the contradictions between two. However, in what is characteristic in this book, the author takes his time, through long winded detailed preambles, to build the background and the characters.
It is not until towards the end of the sixth chapter that Habakkuk Nakumusana, one of the protagonists, and at the beginning of the seventh that Timothy Mwavuwalaba, the narrator, are fully introduced into the story. It is from then that the perspective of the story telling also changes—from the happenings in Loko and variety of characters to focus solely on the experiences of Timothy and how he relates to the other characters and interprets events. Interestingly, though the title may imply it is about Habakkuk Nakumusana, it is more about his son Timothy Mwavuwalaba without necessarily putting the former out of the picture.
In this way, the author develops a distinct style with a generous dose of humour with simple prose that enables effortless reading. There is also a glossary at the beginning, which explains the Latin and Luganda words that are used frequently in the novel. So even if one is not familiar with these two languages, the glossary comes in handy. However, if one is not familiar with Luganda, the innuendoes in the people’s names such as Nakumusana, Zibulaatudde, Byansobeera, and in the names of places like Njala egobye, will be lost.
There are certain flaws that tend to crop in several Ugandan published books. Despite being relatively well crafted, the novel has a few typographical errors. This adds a blemish to otherwise good piece of work. In this one, the proof-reading has minimised these to a minimum, that it is not easy to notice them. In addition, in the introductory chapter, the author seems to struggle in directing the flow of narration and balancing many ideas within that limited space. Thankfully, he picks up pace in the next chapter and sustains it. At over 300 pages long, this is no mean feat and he needs to be commended.
As pointed in the foreword that people who read it will recommend it to others, I definitely do the same with two-thumbs up. This book is worth your while.
Published in Saturday Monitor (www.monitor.co.ug) 19 February 2011, pg 23
Friday, 28 January 2011
Graduates can be change agents
by Mwesigye Gumisiriza
Graduation marks a major milestone in the life of anyone who has completed his or her course at the university. The award may be a diploma or a bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree but it shows that the individual on whom it is conferred has successfully completed all the educational requirements for a particular academic programme of study.
The ceremony of graduation also symbolises the “rite of passage” of the graduates from the university into the world. As such, for many, it is the beginning of their lives after school. In our kind of society, it is the “end of books” as we tend to say and we turn our efforts to “making money”. So, the focus turns to getting jobs, acquiring wealth, building homes, starting families and related activities.
But this begs the question: Is this all we can look forward to as we graduate from the university (especially Makerere University)?
Every other Tom, Dick and Harriet in Uganda is more or less focused to having such an ordinary life. So, by graduating from Uganda’s premier university that has also gained international repute, more should be expected from such a graduate. If he or she has been equipped with the skills to use his or her capacities to work, study, comprehend ideas, ask and answer questions, and solve problems, among others; then he or she has great potential. However, this potential can only remain that, if it is not tapped and exploited for the benefit of society.
The other question is who should tap this potential and how should it be utilised for the benefit of society?
Already, graduates are going to be absorbed in the public and private sectors, either self-employed or as employees of the various institutions or organisations. Therefore, they will be working towards achieving the goals of their employers.
In a society like ours, graduates can be change agents through volunteerism and philanthropy, an aspect that has not been given its due attention. A change agent is someone who engages either deliberately or whose behaviour results in social, cultural or behavioural change in Uganda through volunteerism and philanthropy.
Volunteerism is the willingness of people to work on behalf of others without the expectation of pay or other tangible gain. Philanthropy, on the other hand, includes voluntary giving by an individual or group to promote the common good; this can be in terms of time, money and energy.
There are many ways in which graduates can help the communities they will work and live in. For instance, they can mobilise themselves and sensitise the people in Kisenyi slum about the health benefits of living in a clean environment. They could further this and lead by example by buying brooms, shovels and other cleaning equipment to clean up the drainage channels in the Kifumbira area of Kamwokya. Also, just like one would “throw” half a million shillings towards the organisation of a kwanjula or wedding, he or she can similarly use such an amount to purchase mosquito nets for people in Kapchorwa.
Eventually, little by little, such efforts can spread countrywide as more and more communities are encouraged to take up this spirit spurred on the graduates. However, for this to succeed, we have to start today with that small step that will enable us cover that journey of a thousand miles. We will have to look at volunteerism and philanthropy as a service and a duty and not something we do as a hobby or an opportunity for media coverage or a gimmick to get votes!
This is a slightly edited and updated version of an article first published in The Graduate Magazine Vol 1 No 1.
Graduation marks a major milestone in the life of anyone who has completed his or her course at the university. The award may be a diploma or a bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree but it shows that the individual on whom it is conferred has successfully completed all the educational requirements for a particular academic programme of study.
The ceremony of graduation also symbolises the “rite of passage” of the graduates from the university into the world. As such, for many, it is the beginning of their lives after school. In our kind of society, it is the “end of books” as we tend to say and we turn our efforts to “making money”. So, the focus turns to getting jobs, acquiring wealth, building homes, starting families and related activities.
But this begs the question: Is this all we can look forward to as we graduate from the university (especially Makerere University)?
Every other Tom, Dick and Harriet in Uganda is more or less focused to having such an ordinary life. So, by graduating from Uganda’s premier university that has also gained international repute, more should be expected from such a graduate. If he or she has been equipped with the skills to use his or her capacities to work, study, comprehend ideas, ask and answer questions, and solve problems, among others; then he or she has great potential. However, this potential can only remain that, if it is not tapped and exploited for the benefit of society.
The other question is who should tap this potential and how should it be utilised for the benefit of society?
Already, graduates are going to be absorbed in the public and private sectors, either self-employed or as employees of the various institutions or organisations. Therefore, they will be working towards achieving the goals of their employers.
In a society like ours, graduates can be change agents through volunteerism and philanthropy, an aspect that has not been given its due attention. A change agent is someone who engages either deliberately or whose behaviour results in social, cultural or behavioural change in Uganda through volunteerism and philanthropy.
Volunteerism is the willingness of people to work on behalf of others without the expectation of pay or other tangible gain. Philanthropy, on the other hand, includes voluntary giving by an individual or group to promote the common good; this can be in terms of time, money and energy.
There are many ways in which graduates can help the communities they will work and live in. For instance, they can mobilise themselves and sensitise the people in Kisenyi slum about the health benefits of living in a clean environment. They could further this and lead by example by buying brooms, shovels and other cleaning equipment to clean up the drainage channels in the Kifumbira area of Kamwokya. Also, just like one would “throw” half a million shillings towards the organisation of a kwanjula or wedding, he or she can similarly use such an amount to purchase mosquito nets for people in Kapchorwa.
Eventually, little by little, such efforts can spread countrywide as more and more communities are encouraged to take up this spirit spurred on the graduates. However, for this to succeed, we have to start today with that small step that will enable us cover that journey of a thousand miles. We will have to look at volunteerism and philanthropy as a service and a duty and not something we do as a hobby or an opportunity for media coverage or a gimmick to get votes!
This is a slightly edited and updated version of an article first published in The Graduate Magazine Vol 1 No 1.
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Ekitafferi: A Natural Cancer Killer
I received this information through an e-mail from a colleague, and in the interest of spreading the word, below is the story (which i have slightly edited for brevity and clarity).
The soursop or the fruit from the graviola tree (known as ekitaffeeri in Luganda) is a miraculous natural cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy.
This tree is low and is called graviola in Brazil , guanabana in Spanish and has the uninspiring name "soursop" in English. The fruit is very large and the subacid sweet white pulp is eaten out of hand or, more commonly, used to make fruit drinks, sherbets and such.
The principal interest in this plant is because of its strong anti-cancer effects. Although it is effective for a number of medical conditions, it is its anti tumor effect that is of most interest. This plant is a proven cancer remedy for cancers of all types.
Besides being a cancer remedy, graviola is a broad spectrum anti-microbial agent for both bacterial and fungal infections, is effective against internal parasites and worms, lowers high blood pressure and is used for depression, stress and nervous disorders.
If there ever was a single example that makes it dramatically clear why the existence of Health Sciences Institute is so vital to Americans like you, it's the incredible story behind the Graviola tree.
The truth is stunningly simple: Deep within the Amazon Rainforest grows a tree that could literally revolutionize what you, your doctor, and the rest of the world thinks about cancer treatment and chances of survival. The future has never looked more promising.
Research shows that with extracts from this miraculous tree it now may be possible to:
* Attack cancer safely and effectively with an all-natural therapy that does not cause extreme nausea, weight loss and hair loss
* Protect your immune system and avoid deadly infections
* Feel stronger and healthier throughout the course of the treatment
* Boost your energy and improve your outlook on life
The source o f this information is just as stunning: It comes from one of America’s largest drug manufacturers, the fruit of over 20 laboratory tests conducted since the 1970's! What those tests revealed was nothing short of mind numbing.
Extracts from the tree were shown to:
* Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer.
* The tree compounds proved to be up to 10,000 times stronger in slowing the growth of cancer cells than Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug!
* What's more, unlike chemotherapy, the compound extracted from the Graviola tree selectively hunts down and kills only cancer cells.
It does not harm healthy cells!
The amazing anti-cancer properties of the Graviola tree have been extensively researched so why haven't you heard anything about it? If Graviola extract is as half as promising as it appears to be, why doesn't every single oncologist at every major hospital insist on using it on all his or her patients?
The spine-chilling answer illustrates just how easily our health and for many, our very lives (!) are controlled by money and power. One of America 's biggest billion-dollar drug makers began a search for a cancer cure and their research centered on Graviola, a legendary healing tree from the Amazon Rainforest.
Various parts of the Graviola tree--including the bark, leaves, roots, fruit and fruit-seeds- -have been used for centuries by medicine men and native Indians in South America to treat heart disease, asthma, liver problems and arthritis.
Going on very little documented scientific evidence, the company poured money and resources into testing the tree's anti-cancerous properties—and were shocked by the results. Graviola proved itself to be a cancer-killing dynamo.
But that's where the Graviola story nearly ended.
The company had one huge problem with the Graviola tree--it's completely natural, and so, under federal law, not patentable. There's no way to make serious profits from it.
It turns out the drug company invested nearly seven years trying to synthesize two of the Graviola tree's most powerful anti-cancer ingredients. If they could isolate and produce man-made clones of what makes the Graviola so potent, they'd be able to patent it and make their money back.
Alas, they hit a brick wall. The original simply could not be replicated. There was no way the company could protect its profits--or even make back the millions it poured into research.
As the dream of huge profits evaporated, their testing on Graviola came to a screeching halt. Even worse, the company shelved the entire project and chose not to publish the findings of its research!
Luckily, however, there was one scientist from the Graviola research team whose conscience wouldn't let him see such atrocity committed. Risking his career, he contacted a company that's dedicated to harvesting medical plants from the Amazon Rainforest and blew the whistle.
Miracle unleashed
When researchers at the Health Sciences Institute were alerted to the news of Graviola, they began tracking the research done on the cancer-killing tree. Evidence of the astounding effectiveness of Graviola--and its shocking cover-up--came in fast and furious....
....The National Cancer Institute performed the first scientific research in 1976.
The results showed that Graviola's "leaves and stems were found effective in attacking and destroying malignant cells." Inexplicably, the results were published in an internal report and never released to the public...
...Since 1976, Graviola has proven to be an immensely potent cancer killer in 20 independent laboratory tests, yet no double-blind clinical trials…the typical benchmark mainstream doctors and journals use to judge a treatment's value were ever initiated.
A study published in the Journal of Natural Products, following a recent study conducted at Catholic University of South Korea stated that one chemical in Graviola was found to selectively kill colon cancer cells at "10,000 times the potency of (the commonly used chemotherapy drug) Adriamycin....The most significant part of the Catholic University of South Korea report is that Graviola was shown to selectively target the cancer cells, leaving healthy cells untouched.
Unlike chemotherapy, which indiscriminately targets all actively reproducing cells (such as stomach and hair cells), causing the often devastating side effects of nausea and hair loss in cancer patients.
A study at Purdue University recently found that leaves from the Graviola tree killed cancer cells among six human cell lines and were especially effective against prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers...
Seven years of silence broken--it's finally here!
A limited supply of Graviola extract, grown and harvested by indigenous people in Brazil, is finally available in America.
The full Graviola Story--including where you can get it and how to use it--is included in Beyond Chemotherapy: New Cancer Killers, Safe as Mother's Milk, a Health Sciences Institute free special bonus report on natural substances that will effectively revolutionize the fight against cancer.
The soursop or the fruit from the graviola tree (known as ekitaffeeri in Luganda) is a miraculous natural cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy.
This tree is low and is called graviola in Brazil , guanabana in Spanish and has the uninspiring name "soursop" in English. The fruit is very large and the subacid sweet white pulp is eaten out of hand or, more commonly, used to make fruit drinks, sherbets and such.
The principal interest in this plant is because of its strong anti-cancer effects. Although it is effective for a number of medical conditions, it is its anti tumor effect that is of most interest. This plant is a proven cancer remedy for cancers of all types.
Besides being a cancer remedy, graviola is a broad spectrum anti-microbial agent for both bacterial and fungal infections, is effective against internal parasites and worms, lowers high blood pressure and is used for depression, stress and nervous disorders.
If there ever was a single example that makes it dramatically clear why the existence of Health Sciences Institute is so vital to Americans like you, it's the incredible story behind the Graviola tree.
The truth is stunningly simple: Deep within the Amazon Rainforest grows a tree that could literally revolutionize what you, your doctor, and the rest of the world thinks about cancer treatment and chances of survival. The future has never looked more promising.
Research shows that with extracts from this miraculous tree it now may be possible to:
* Attack cancer safely and effectively with an all-natural therapy that does not cause extreme nausea, weight loss and hair loss
* Protect your immune system and avoid deadly infections
* Feel stronger and healthier throughout the course of the treatment
* Boost your energy and improve your outlook on life
The source o f this information is just as stunning: It comes from one of America’s largest drug manufacturers, the fruit of over 20 laboratory tests conducted since the 1970's! What those tests revealed was nothing short of mind numbing.
Extracts from the tree were shown to:
* Effectively target and kill malignant cells in 12 types of cancer, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer.
* The tree compounds proved to be up to 10,000 times stronger in slowing the growth of cancer cells than Adriamycin, a commonly used chemotherapeutic drug!
* What's more, unlike chemotherapy, the compound extracted from the Graviola tree selectively hunts down and kills only cancer cells.
It does not harm healthy cells!
The amazing anti-cancer properties of the Graviola tree have been extensively researched so why haven't you heard anything about it? If Graviola extract is as half as promising as it appears to be, why doesn't every single oncologist at every major hospital insist on using it on all his or her patients?
The spine-chilling answer illustrates just how easily our health and for many, our very lives (!) are controlled by money and power. One of America 's biggest billion-dollar drug makers began a search for a cancer cure and their research centered on Graviola, a legendary healing tree from the Amazon Rainforest.
Various parts of the Graviola tree--including the bark, leaves, roots, fruit and fruit-seeds- -have been used for centuries by medicine men and native Indians in South America to treat heart disease, asthma, liver problems and arthritis.
Going on very little documented scientific evidence, the company poured money and resources into testing the tree's anti-cancerous properties—and were shocked by the results. Graviola proved itself to be a cancer-killing dynamo.
But that's where the Graviola story nearly ended.
The company had one huge problem with the Graviola tree--it's completely natural, and so, under federal law, not patentable. There's no way to make serious profits from it.
It turns out the drug company invested nearly seven years trying to synthesize two of the Graviola tree's most powerful anti-cancer ingredients. If they could isolate and produce man-made clones of what makes the Graviola so potent, they'd be able to patent it and make their money back.
Alas, they hit a brick wall. The original simply could not be replicated. There was no way the company could protect its profits--or even make back the millions it poured into research.
As the dream of huge profits evaporated, their testing on Graviola came to a screeching halt. Even worse, the company shelved the entire project and chose not to publish the findings of its research!
Luckily, however, there was one scientist from the Graviola research team whose conscience wouldn't let him see such atrocity committed. Risking his career, he contacted a company that's dedicated to harvesting medical plants from the Amazon Rainforest and blew the whistle.
Miracle unleashed
When researchers at the Health Sciences Institute were alerted to the news of Graviola, they began tracking the research done on the cancer-killing tree. Evidence of the astounding effectiveness of Graviola--and its shocking cover-up--came in fast and furious....
....The National Cancer Institute performed the first scientific research in 1976.
The results showed that Graviola's "leaves and stems were found effective in attacking and destroying malignant cells." Inexplicably, the results were published in an internal report and never released to the public...
...Since 1976, Graviola has proven to be an immensely potent cancer killer in 20 independent laboratory tests, yet no double-blind clinical trials…the typical benchmark mainstream doctors and journals use to judge a treatment's value were ever initiated.
A study published in the Journal of Natural Products, following a recent study conducted at Catholic University of South Korea stated that one chemical in Graviola was found to selectively kill colon cancer cells at "10,000 times the potency of (the commonly used chemotherapy drug) Adriamycin....The most significant part of the Catholic University of South Korea report is that Graviola was shown to selectively target the cancer cells, leaving healthy cells untouched.
Unlike chemotherapy, which indiscriminately targets all actively reproducing cells (such as stomach and hair cells), causing the often devastating side effects of nausea and hair loss in cancer patients.
A study at Purdue University recently found that leaves from the Graviola tree killed cancer cells among six human cell lines and were especially effective against prostate, pancreatic and lung cancers...
Seven years of silence broken--it's finally here!
A limited supply of Graviola extract, grown and harvested by indigenous people in Brazil, is finally available in America.
The full Graviola Story--including where you can get it and how to use it--is included in Beyond Chemotherapy: New Cancer Killers, Safe as Mother's Milk, a Health Sciences Institute free special bonus report on natural substances that will effectively revolutionize the fight against cancer.
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