Features
Hope is better than fear
Over the past few weeks in our beloved Ghana, we have grown increasingly concerned about the health of our economic system. Indeed, the eroding effects of skyrocketing inflation seem to be eating away at the value of our currency. The value of the Ghanaian cedi has decreased rapidly during the past 10 months, while the incomes of many individuals have remained the same.
The consequences of this economic sickness affect almost everyone: the young couple’s dream of owning their own home must now be postponed, at least for the time being; providing for the educational and temporal needs of children is becoming increasingly difficult for parents; and the retirement hopes of older couples are being frustrated as savings are used up to pay for the demands of present-day living. The fear of businessmen and women losing their capital due to inflation.
As with malignant diseases which attack the human body, the causes of this economic tumour are complex. No doubt, deficit spending by governments and by individuals is partly to blame. Recent declines in the rate of worker production, along with the great number of individuals in our society who consume without producing, must also bear some of the responsibility for these inflationary times.
These contributing factors must be dealt with in the same way the causes of any disease are handled, like the way COVID-19 was handled: they must be isolated and eliminated as much as possible.
There is, however, one other factor which is more injurious to our economic system than these, and even more harmful than inflation itself. That factor is fear: the fear that the future will not alter the maladies of the present, the fear that the economic structure will collapse altogether, the fear that the traditional values that have made ours a strong and vibrant economic system are no longer relevant. Fear itself is the greatest threat to our economic survival.
The antidote to fear is faith. Not an ill-founded faith which believes that everything will resolve itself, without work or sacrifice, but a confidence which has been personified by tens of thousands of businessmen and women in this country, individuals who have proven that the tenets of free enterprise are sound, individuals who have placed their talents and resources in the open marketplace and have reaped the dividends. It is this faith in hard work, honest production, and open competition that will provide the remedy for our present ills.
Certainly, there are problems ahead and always will be. But we, as no other people in the history of the world, have the resources with which to overcome our difficulties and achieve our aspirations.
There is more knowledge available, more technology, more energy, more of just about everything it takes to be successful. But are we lacking a vital element essential to our success? Perhaps.
A few months ago, a student researcher conducted a poll to determine what Ghanaians hope for most of all. Its findings were something less than inspiring. At the head of the list was, “A better or decent standard of living.” Next was, “Good health for self,” followed by, “Economic stability with no inflation.” The last thing the people surveyed hoped for was “to be a normal, decent person.”
Now, certainly these and the other hopes listed in the survey are desirable, but are they the goals and aspirations that inspire greatness? If the original disciples of Jesus had wanted a better standard of living and good health for themselves above all else, Christianity would have withered under the first hot breath of persecution.
If Shakespeare, Michelangelo, and Beethoven had aspired to nothing loftier than “economic stability,” this world would have been robbed of some of its most beautiful creations.
So, if this survey is at all typical, it points, perhaps, to a creeping malaise of mediocrity. It suggests that we are bothering on cowardice toward life’s challenges, the fear that life’s pitfalls might keep us from living to the fullest.
Ironically, far from being the safest course to follow, this line of thinking often leads to more failure than success. As ancient King Solomon wrote, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
So, let’s catch a vision of our potential and that of those around us. Let us make our hopes equal to our ability. Let’s set stimulating, even strenuous, goals for ourselves and then demand the self-discipline to achieve them. As we do, we will no doubt experience the better life we desire for ourselves and our children.
The future is for real, but it is up to us to decide how we will deal with it.
May we overcome our doubts. May we accept the gift from Him who conquered all fears and said to us: “My peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you. . . Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid.”
Email: samueleghan@gmail.com
By Samuel Enos Eghan
Features
Preventing the brain’s melting point with BOS
The human brain is a complex and delicate organ, susceptible to damage from various factors, including extreme temperatures.
The brain’s melting point, also known as the temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade, is a critical concern for individuals seeking to maintain optimal cognitive function.
Fortunately, the Brain Operating System (BOS) offers a revolutionary solution to prevent the brain’s melting point.
Understanding the brain’s melting point
The brain’s melting point refers to the temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade, leading to irreversible damage.
This temperature threshold varies depending on individual factors, such as age, health, and environmental conditions. However, research suggests that the brain’s melting point is approximately 104°F (40°C) to 107°F (42°C).
The role of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point
BOS, a cutting-edge technology, plays a crucial role in preventing the brain’s melting point. By leveraging advanced neural interfaces and artificial intelligence, BOS monitors and regulates brain temperature, ensuring that it remains within a safe range.
How BOS prevents the brain’s melting point
BOS prevents the brain’s melting point through several mechanisms:
1. Temperature regulation: BOS continuously monitors brain temperature, adjusting neural activity to maintain a stable temperature.
2. Heat dissipation: BOS enhances heat dissipation through increased blood flow and sweating.
3. Neuro protection: BOS protects neurons from heat-induced damage.
Benefits of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point
The benefits of BOS in preventing the brain’s melting point are numerous:
1. Prevents brain damage: BOS prevents brain damage caused by excessive heat.
2. Maintains cognitive function: BOS ensures optimal cognitive function by maintaining stable brain temperature.
3. Enhances brain resilience: BOS enhances brain resilience to temperature fluctuations.
Real-World applications of BOS
BOS has various real-world applications:
1. High-performance computing: BOS enables high-performance computing by maintaining optimal brain temperature.
2. Medical applications: BOS has medical applications, such as treating heat-related illnesses.
3. Space exploration: BOS is crucial for space exploration, where extreme temperatures pose a significant risk.
Conclusion
BOS is a revolutionary technology that prevents the brain’s melting point, ensuring optimal cognitive function and overall well-being. By leveraging advanced neural interfaces and artificial intelligence, BOS monitors and regulates brain temperature, protecting against heat-related damage.
Glossary:
1. BOS: Brain Operating System.
2. Brain’s melting point: Temperature threshold beyond which brain tissue begins to degrade.
3. Neural interface: Connects human brain with digital devices.
Contact Information
virginvtech@yahoo.com
Additional resources:
1. BOS research: Explore scientific studies.
2. Neural interface resources: Discover books and articles.
3. Brain-computer interface communities: Join online forums.
Future directions
As BOS technology continues to evolve, we can expect:
1. Improved temperature regulation: Enhanced temperature regulation mechanisms.
2. Increased cognitive enhancement: Advanced cognitive enhancement capabilities.
3. Expanded applications: New applications in various fields.
By harnessing the power of BOS, individuals can safeguard their brain health and maintain optimal cognitive function, even in extreme environments.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
Features
Lotto wahala and Tuobodom palaver
In Sikaman lotto is not a game. It is a profession, a noble career which people aspire to. It is the highest paying profession after armed robbery and the most widespread job on this side of the Atlantic.
In places like China, lotto is a disease that has no cure. Once you are infected, no doctor on earth can cure you. May be Kofi Larteh, Ghana’s most celebrated magician, can help ease the symptoms, but no definitive cure will be forthcoming.
Coming back to Sikaman, lotto has been the financial messiah of many. That is how people look after their large families, pay school fees, marry two wives and do their own ‘monkey things.’
If you are very poor and you win a lottery, chances are that you will die before you even collect the money. You’ll die out of excitement or you’ll start day-dreaming in the streets and an articulated truck will hit you.
As such, very heavy wins are not recommended for poor people, lest they get listed too soon in the obituary columns.
The sad story is told of a heavy-duty caterpillar driver who had a very heavy lotto windfall of several millions, his first big win after several years.
CATERPILLAR
He was driving the caterpillar home when he saw his son running towards him, shouting. “All your numbers have dropped! All your numbers have dropped! He could not believe his ears.
All the four numbers he had staked had dropped and his son, who had gone to stake them for him, was himself over-excited. The poor caterpillar man just could not handle the good news. He suddenly stepped on the brakes and the caterpillar jolted him a trifle too violently, throwing him off. He landed right in front of the still moving heavy-duty machine and it crushed him flat.
I don’t think the bloke would have died if he had won a smaller amount. Sometimes too much cash is not good for the health.
Seldom, people get too confident and that can also result in a wake-keeping, like that of a man who used his lifetime savings and borrowed extra money to crack the machine with a two-sure that the compiler must compulsory drop or the world will end.
Even the shadows of the numbers or their counterparts were nowhere near the winning numbers. His shock-absorbers crumbled under the weight of the heavy disappointment. He crashed to the floor and started foaming at the mouth. He was declared dead on arrival at the nearest clinic.
WINDFALL
Recently, there was a countrywide lotto windfall, and in Kumasi it was more than a festival. Most stakers had between ¢30m and ¢40 million on two-sure that the lotto magicians had predicted at least three weeks earlier,
Kejetia chop bars were besieged with overnight millionaires, carrying huge appetites induced by Opeimu Bitters popularly called Opeimu Peters. All the meat and mudfish got sold out within an hour and procurement agents had to double up to restock.
While some were celebrating, others were weeping and gnashing teeth. The problem was that, three weeks beforehand, the two sure numbers were declared by all the lotto sorcerers, dreamers, magicians, tellers and all the self-appointed and self-promoted forecasters.
Everybody including 10-year-olds, who staked and lost. The following week, they were advised to continue staking. The faithful did continue but the faithless stopped. All of them lost. In the third week or so, a good number of confident stakers had lost faith in the two numbers. That was when the number landed.
So the windfall was for only those who had the unshakeable faith in the numbers. See what faith can do? It can move dollars. Don’t waver, so saith the holy scriptures.
The faithless indeed gnashed teeth. The winners on the other hand celebrated with a song that is as controversial as the business of lotto. It is a song played by the group called Nkasei and has something to do with a town in the Brong Ahafo Region called Tuobodom whose capital we hear is Jinijini.
I hear it is a derogatory song and the queen mother of Tuobodom got charged and breathed out electric current during her protest on air. She allegedly ended up demanding a mobile phone from Nkasei so that she could communicate with them to settle the matter peacefully, lest wahala.
Well, the song is rising up the charts and Nkasei are making the dough, but should it be at the expense of a whole townsfolk, their forebears and generations to come?
WATERPROOF
Waterproof, the famous comedian, was allegedly given hefty slaps at the Kumasi rail station by some Frafra jingoists who felt he was deriding their tribe. And Bob Okala had to run with his tail between his legs when he was confronted and realised that slaps were going to be visited on his lean face.
Let’s not use words and lyrics to cause discomfort to others.
This article was first published on Saturday July 9, 2005
