Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Self Help Africa Annual Change-Maker's Ball
12 Oct 2011 15:30 Africa/Lagos
Self Help Africa Annual Change-Maker's Ball
PR Newswire
NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2011
Please Join Us in Supporting Development Programs in Africa
NEW YORK, Oct. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On October 28th, Self Help Africa will be hosting their second annual Change-Maker's Ball, to support its innovative sustainable development programs in rural Africa. The glamorous black-tie event will take place at Pier Sixty Chelsea Piers, overlooking the Hudson River in New York City.
In 2010, its inaugural year, the black tie event brought together over 350 people from across the fields of business, media, sports, diplomacy, philanthropy, and entertainment.
This year, guests will enjoy a champagne and cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, live and silent auctions, dancing to live music, and 'The Change-Maker's signature cocktail' by mixologist Joann Spiegel. Joann, a regular on Martha Stewart Living Radio, placed 2nd at GQ Magazine's most inspired cocktail competition this year.
The evening will be Emceed by Jehmu Greene, founder and ex-president of 'Rock the Vote', and current Political Commentator and Fox News Contributor.
As with last year, guests will get to celebrate the night with Self Help Africa's Ambassador for Climate Adaption, the former Irish and Lions rugby star, Denis Hickie, further to his visit to Self Help Africa's program in Ethiopia last year.
Denis said of the experience, "I came away so impressed that I wanted to help in whatever way I could. I'm now working with a renewable power company, Mainstream, and when I was asked to publicize Self Help Africa's work in helping farmers adapt to climate change, I knew it was the perfect fit".
An exciting addition to our 2011 event is the announcement of renowned jewelry designer and creator of Gemma Redux, Rachel Dooley, as our Ambassador for Entrepreneurs and Women. Rachel's beautiful collections and unique styles have been seen on many high profile celebrities including Cameron Diaz, Blake Lively, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jessica Alba, Molly Sims and many more celebrities.
We are also proud to announce our Ambassador for Microfinance, Tom Dowling, managing director at Goldman Sachs, and Ambassador of Food Security, Eddie Roche, owner of Roche Brothers Supermarkets. Both bring a world of knowledge and expertise to our organization.
A special thanks to our 2011 Patrons and Prize Sponsors.
For more information please visit http://www.selfhelpafrica.org/selfhelp/Main/Home.asp or call 212.206.0847.
Media Contact:
Sean Schrecengost
For The Perfect Day! Events and PR
SeanSchrec@fortheperfectday.com
201.281.7125
Martha Hourican
Self Help Africa
mhourican@selfhelpafrica.org
SOURCE Self Help Africa
Web Site: http://www.selfhelpafrica.org
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U.S. Documentary on 400th year anniversary of King James Bible
On Oct. 16, Fires of Faith: The Coming Forth of The King James Bible celebrates 400th year anniversary, capturing book's violent birth and enduring influence through historically accurate reenactments and interviews with leading scholars
PROVO, Utah, Oct. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BYUtv today announced that it will present and air the first U.S. television film series on the making of the King James Bible, coinciding with the 400th anniversary of its translation. Celebrated for its enduring and widespread use, the King James Bible has had immeasurable impact on religion, language, culture, art and literature. Yet the road to its influence and acceptance was paved with the horrors of humanity.
Produced and directed by filmmaker Lee Groberg, and written by screenwriter Mitch Davis, the three-part documentary and dramatic feature tells the vivid stories of international politics, intrigue, subversion, bloodshed, fire and the runaway libido of King Henry VIII that led to its creation. The King James Bible's profound impact on faith is captured through more than 130 reenactments filmed in eight different countries at many of the actual sites where events originally took place. A prestigious host of 18 international scholars and religious leaders, from the Universities of Notre Dame and Oxford to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, reveal differing perspectives while confirming that the King James Bible's influence is like none other, and that the importance of the translation goes well beyond religion itself.
"Few milestones in history have greater influence and significance than the translation of the Bible into English," said Derek Marquis, executive producer of Fires of Faith and Managing Director of BYUtv. "We knew we couldn't let the 400th anniversary of the seminal English Bible pass without telling the story of how the King James version came to be and why it has endured. The director, writer, actors, scholars and religious leaders in our film combined to create an extraordinary chorus that transcends any one religion to truly celebrate the most influential book of all time."
Fires of Faith is rife with factual Early Modern Era drama that fictional Hollywood would struggle to concoct. Those who sought to translate "God's message" into the English vernacular were seen as heretics, persecuted and ultimately executed. At the forefront of the saga is British religious scholar William Tyndale, who was responsible for the original translations that make up more than 80 percent of the King James Bible's text. His death by strangulation and burning at the stake under King Henry VIII didn't stop his translated words from ultimately reaching a global audience and enduring to this day.
"The power of the story transcends ideological and cultural boundaries," said Mr. Groberg. "Without exception, every person who contributed to this film – regardless of their own particular beliefs or background – was inspired to help us turn back the visual clock and authentically convey the events. Being permitted to use the historic locations where the story actually took place, such as a 4th century monastery in Israel, 800 year-old English castles and 500 year-old European churches, drew in the hundreds of scholars, actors, curators and crew members who worked on the production. We focused on even the smallest details, to inspire the cast and enable the viewers to feel as if they're witnessing history.
Fires of Faith chronicles the cast of characters that were central to the Reformation, including John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, King Henry VIII and "Bloody" Queen Mary I, ultimately culminating with King James I, and his commissioned translation of the Bible. The film crisscrosses a tumultuous Europe at the birth of religious freedom during a time that seemed to consistently involve the burning of something or someone. In one corner or another, an entire continent was on fire.
Historians, theologians and actors transport audiences to an era when the Bible in English was an unlawful possession and reading it resulted in imprisonment. Translating it was a death sentence. The only way to buy one was, literally, under the table on the black market, the same way someone might buy illegal drugs today.
The film's historical narrative parallels modern day insights and influences in the third and final hour of the series, highlighting its effect on music as well people's reactions to it today.
"The phrases and rhythms of the King James Bible have worked their way into wider Anglophone sensibilities and consciousness in ways that no other translation of the Bible has achieved, nor will likely ever achieve," said Brad S. Gregory, Professor of Early Modern History, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, during his interview in the film.
"There is nothing that compares to the classical English literary resource as the King James Bible," said David Rosen, Rabbi, Chief Rabbinate of Israel during his interview in the film. "The closest thing, of course, are the works of Shakespeare and we do relish and treasure Shakespeare. But it doesn't speak to our deepest commitments, as obviously, the Bible does."
"The King James Bible has an amazing tenacity," said Alec Ryrie, Professor of the History of Christianity, Durham University, England at the conclusion of the film. "It has hung on in the affection of particular churches and of whole peoples in a way that a 400 year old text really shouldn't. I think the King James translators, themselves, would have been amazed that this 400 year old translation is still being used."
Fires of Faith: The Coming Forth of the King James Bible will premiere Oct. 16th on BYUtv, which is a U.S. and worldwide cable/satellite television channel reaching 60 million households.
Specific airtimes are as follows:
Part 1 Fires of Faith: Yearning for the Word
Sunday, Oct. 16, at 8pm ET / 6pm MT & 11pm ET / 9pm MT
Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 9pm ET / 7 MTpm & 12 ETam / 10pm MT
Part 2 Fires of Faith: Martyrs for a Book
Sunday, Oct. 23, at 8pm ET / 6pm MT & 11pm ET / 9pm MT
Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 9pm ET / 7 MTpm & 12am ET / 10pm MT
Part 3 Fires of Faith: The King James Bible
Sunday, Oct. 30, at 8pm ET / 6pm MT & 11pm ET / 9pm MT
Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 9pm ET / 7pm MT & 12am ET / 10pm MT
About BYUtv
Reaching 60 million households in the United States, BYUtv is a global cable/satellite television channel featuring engaging, educational and uplifting content that encourages viewers to "see the good in the world."
Since its launch in January 2000, BYUtv has continued to build an ever-expanding and diverse audience, and has become a powerful tool for sharing enriching entertainment rooted in values and faith.
For more information on the range of BYUtv programs visit byutv.org.
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Adeleke Wins $100, 000 Prize For 'The Missing Clock'
Nigerian journalist, poet and dramatist Adeleke Adeyemi aka Mai Nasara has won the $100,000 Nigeria LNG Prize For Literature for his children's book The Missing Clock.
The Missing Clock, was judged the best among the 126 books entered for the competition. The judges described The Missing Clock as “a genial heartwarming account of how a young boy's simple acts inspire his family to fortune”.
Chairman of the panel of judges, Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo of the University of Lagos and past co-winner of the prize, said “The Missing Clock celebrates ingenuity, hard work and sparkles in its prose.” She called Adeyemi, “a gifted story teller.”
Mai Nasara is the pen name of Adeleke Adeyemi, a journalist and science communicator with interests as varied as film/TV, tennis, poetry, girl-child education and leadership studies. His work promotes a number of causes, from malaria eradication, orphanage funding to long-term scholarship for girls, as well as the history of science, engineering and technology in Africa. Based on his conviction that "the stories people tell have a way of taking care of them," (Barry L. Lopez), he is at work to set up a network of libraries across Africa, starting in his native Nigeria
His first book "The Mandate of MKO Abiola", a play for the radio was published by Nigerian Times International.
Although his win guarantees him about N15 million, Adeyemi said his focus is on making one million copies of The Missing Clock available to readers by next year. He also plans to produce a comic version as well as an animated movie of his story.
“My plan has always been to use this story, which is timely, to help children grow as human beings. This is why money is not my motivation,” he said. “In fact, 10% of all proceeds from sales of the book will be used to fight malaria and promote girl-child education, especially in Northern Nigeria.”
The highly rated Nigeria Prize for Literature sponsored by the Nigeria LNG Limited, was initiated in 2004 to “improve the quality of writing, editing, proof-reading, and publishing in the country”.
The prize rotates yearly amongst four literary genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature.
Click here to order The Missing Clock from Amazon.
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Monday, October 10, 2011
Dark Horse Tomas Transtromer Wins 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature
The largely unknown and unsung Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer was the surprising winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature.
Most of us are ignorant of this 80-year old Swedish poet whose poems have been translated into more than 60 languages so far. One of his latest books is The Deleted World .
Two truths approach each other. One comes from inside, the other from outside, and where they meet we have a chance to catch sight of ourselves.
~ Tomas Transtromer
Bio-bibliography
Congratulate the New Nobel Laureate
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Video Interview with Tomas Tranströmer
Five Poems by Tomas Tranströmer
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The Psychological Problems of the Nigerian Police Force
Nigerian Police Officers on duty
It is Time for Psychological Services for families and Survivors of line-of-duty Police Deaths
The nation currently has a Police Force with no specialized training in professional psychological services nor does it have a system for trauma therapy and grief counseling /psychological outfit for grieving families.
The recent revelation that four hundred police officers lost their lives in the line of duty last year, within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja tells us that more and more trauma deaths of officers remain rampant across all of the states.
On a physical level, the nation lacks a system of life insurance policies for close family members and survivors. There is no Police Health Plan with a package for trauma therapy for families of deceased officers. The traumatically injured officers lack a system-based insurance or long term financial plans to cover their hospital bills and other basic needs. The reported N500, 000 presented to survivors is a one-time deal that families of the dead get, and at best such collected benefit brings a one second aid to the grieving family. Especially, when they could be grief-stricken, depressed, anxious, guilty and angry over the traumatic death of a loved one.
They might be encountering emotional reactions as in flashbacks, nightmares, and undergoing experiences of emotions and physical sensations of fear, sweating, smells, sounds, and pain which could be long term. Traumatic deaths like officers death in the line of duty could result into numbing, being 'on guard, hyper- vigilante, jumpy, insomnia, irritability, and other symptoms like muscle aches, irregular heartbeats, headaches and feelings of panic.
As such other negative coping behaviors could follow as in drinking too much alcohol, using drugs (including painkillers), and smoking cigarette. All these symptoms could fold into a problem called Post-traumatic Stress Disorder – when they go on for too long.
The Police Force lacks a system of death and grief studies, and ‘Family Orientation to Police Life’ which could further make the experience of premature death more shocking to families.
Given the fact that premature police deaths are statistically higher overall compare to many professions, the federal ministry of police affairs should institute a therapeutic system for many grieving families seeking comfort and closure.
The ultimate sacrifice for these surviving families is the murder of their police officers’ husbands, fathers and sons and daughters. Certainly, there will be police officers killed in the line of duty, as such; the use of psychological resources to attain stability and a support system to help the family cope becomes very vital. A line-of-duty psychological treatment for grieving families, peers and colleagues is more meaningful when the kind of benefits collected by a spouse or family is highly sustaining as these post-duty death benefits affects the length and intensity of the whole grieving period.
It is time that the Nigeria Police Force have individual and group counseling and other related services which should be provided at various commands or locations by trained grief response teams across homes and schools. There is need to begin a telephone program where families and peers of the dead leave information in regards to counseling assistance or other needs.
The Nigeria Psychological Association with all of its human resources and assets are ready to assist when called upon by the leadership and the presidency since psychology has stayed neglected for far too long in many of these national affairs.
~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D.
The Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association (NPA). Abuja.
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Mr. President, You Said It All
Mr. President, You Said It All: AT Age 51 Nigeria Is Still In a State of Institutional Collapse Because of Leadership Disorderliness?
Sir, the depth and enduring nature of Nigeria’s institutional woes has proved fertile ground for psychological analysis and guidance. And here is why: Professional psychologists remain vast about the institutional effects of instability in regards to human hardship as in many of life’s grittier issues; among them are hopeless, pain, helplessness and general nostalgia.
Sir, these psychological issues are direct consequences of Nigeria’s disordered and ungoverned politics with ongoing massive negative effect on the masses. Ironically and notably, this same institutional disorderliness brings fraudulent gains to many in charge of our institutions.
Sir, in your speech to mark Nigeria’s 51st anniversary of independence from British colonial powers in a just, open and despondent manner, you talked about institutional and systemic breakdown in the country.
Sir, there was need for you to propose a psychological overhaul of the nation’s institutions, if we are to truly bring about a functioning system of institutions.
Sir, you talked about how our ministers’ offices have been rotated into regular ‘consultation’ rooms. Could this be due to the need for a flamboyant lifestyle which can only persist through corrupt practices in order to feed their lifestyle?
It is not unusual to see on a daily basis how the powerful impoverish the trekking masses and motorized drivers with fleet of publicly issued luxurious cars, with privatized Nigerian police and mounted traffic jams on their way home apparently with their ‘consultation’ yields.
Sir, you talked about Nigerian Doctors, who are mandated to protect lives, habitually end up killing people as they did to my mother, and nobody takes action because the institutions that should control and monitor their activities have apparently become exasperated.
Sir, you talked about the nation running on a deficit budget because the institutions that are in charge of protecting public resources are persistently being affected with leakages, mentally of course.
Sir, there is a reason why many of them frequent your office. As you rightly pointed out the “system” is not working well because many of them could be struggling with a mindset of presidential dependency, which could be a sign of habitual helplessness, yet that is what you have surrounding you.
Sir, you cited lack of accurate census figures and incorrect statistics on the economy as indicators of mass institutional fiascos. Sir, when some of them are sent to helpful lectures, meetings, training programs and similar activities they are either asleep during the lectures, runs way after a short stay or simply disappear from the lecture room. But they expect their supervisors and employees to attend and stay in the meetings. In the process there is confusion, as no one actually knows who is right in terms of information, and no one knows the current state of the art in matters of governance.
Sir, you talked about public workers not coming to work by “8am even though the period of service is between 8am and 4pm”, and you asked how many “directors come to work by 8am”.
Sir, there is value in work so if the ministers, directors and other senior officials could come to work on time the general workers will become more responsible for their own actions and behaviors through good attendance.
Sir, you stated that you are not “going to chase them by carrying a big stick going into the ministries and breaking the heads of the people”. Sir, no one in their right mind wants to see a Hitler type of presidential leadership in you.
Sir, if as “a nation, we have to build strong institutions” as you rightly stated, approaches to institutional indiscipline should be accompanied with successive stiffer penalties. And mandating stiff penalties against those who refuse to participate in best practices in our institutions is only fair. And as a matter of fact, heavy fines on failing ministers and other public leaders could serve as a better chance of avoiding continued institutional collapse.
Sir, as you rightly know many public and corporate leaders remain overly wealthy, while about 80% of Nigerian citizens suffer below the poverty line.
Sir, some of these citizens are in pain and remain in the frontlines of economic struggles, and some are seeking solace by way of unusual behaviors like terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, violent civil unrest, inter-communal tensions, strikes, and prostitution.
Sir, many Nigerians for the first time in their lives feel very vulnerable, and isn’t too proud of the giant of Africa—Nigeria.
Sir, your candid words will certainly give a spiritual lift to many Nigerians and help hit back against a sense of moral and physical decline in our public leaders.
Sir, professional psychology could help our public leaders recognize their strengths and resources for the betterment of their respective institutions.
Sir, the application of the science of positive psychology to improving our institutions could eventually be broadened to the society only if government agencies and leadership focus on integrating scientific and professional knowledge from psychology.
The Nigeria Psychological Association with all of its human resources and assets are ready to assist when called upon by the leadership and the presidency since psychology has stayed missing or neglected for far too long.
~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, jos5930458@aol.com, Abuja
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