Oh the Fickleness of Humanity

Last week saw Germany in an anxious rush to find the source of an e-coli outbreak. The scourge killed 16 people to date and have sickened over a thousand German people. They pointed the finger at Spain first, and banned imports of vegetables from that country. Germany’s first call proved to be wrong however, and it left Spain with over three hundred million dollars worth of fresh vegetables wasted. Spain’s farmers are, for obvious reasons, highly irate at the wrong diagnoses. 

Be that as it may, had the outbreak come from Spain they would have been too grateful to Germany for finding the source before it hit their own fellow citizens. The fact that the cucumbers were not the actual source of the e-coli should give all a reason to sigh in relief. If it were your country, would you not want them to stop it if they thought they found the source? What would Spain’s reaction have been were the tables turned. One can only wonder. 

Crops will grow again, but dead people will not rise from the grave. Therefore, those that judge Germany’s actions should consider this fact. The outrage is about the loss of money. They want to sue Germany. Fickle political agendas and a fickle group of people consider only the economics of these events. Has the world really fallen so far, is the value of money greater than human life?  What about the ill and dying people, do they not feature. Shame on you Spain, you have an emergency fund and by God, you can take out money to help your people.

The whimsicality continues with comments made by people on this subject.  One man says it is because we have farms and breed cattle that this stuff is happening. It should never have come to this. Populated cities and vast farmlands was never part of the design of nature for the planet. He is probably right, but what does it help, it is what it is, and right now, we need solutions. 

Another commentator said that maybe it is time to start looking at the chance of biological attacks. This could be a good conspiracy angle. However, it is only good for a good story. The mode of attack is too slow unless the terror group is trying to make a statement. The question that begs answering though is, why Germany?

Let us hope Germany can sort this problem, because if it spreads Europe might be in deep trouble. We all know if such a disaster struck Europe the economy would be affected, and with it all of us that live on the wonderful blue planet.   

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The Few Rule the Many

President Jacob Zuma visited Muammar Gaddafi once again this week. The talks were to initiate the peaceful resignation of the Libyan leader. The talks went well. However, Muammar is still in power, he is still the cause of many deaths. If that were not enough his actions are influencing the well-being of the whole world, oil prices soar, which in turn cause fuel prices to rise steeply and in turn cause food and commodities to become more expenses. When this process is complete, this one man has taken from every citizen on the planet. 

 

One man influences the economic life of all people. Can this be right? He is a dictator in his own country, but somehow it seems he is dictating the world. Considering this simple fact, we are reminded how all our lives are influenced by the few. Some years ago, South Africans did not know what domestic security was. The few, which is two percent of the population, are hardened criminals. That is nine-hundred and sixty thousand people out of forty-eight million, spread over   one million two-hundred and nineteen thousand and ninety square kilometers, who caused the 47 million others to lock themselves in their houses behind security fences. The few cause a whole nation to live in fear.

For some reason it is imprinted in the minds of man that the few should have sway over the many. It stems from a global mind that came from the era of kings, emperors, and priests. One man caused a world war, and for what. We are so quick to follow a leader without concern for the law of life. When will we see humanity breaking from his mindless bonds? Is it even possible to hope for a world where each person can look on their own hearts, guided by the law of life, and decide within to look out for the best interest of all around them? When dictators will see in themselves how they cause harm to the people and to the world and step away from their actions.  

  

This of course is a futile picture. As long as this world operates on a capitalist mentality where power and possession is the measuring stick of value of life, we will never have a humanity ruled by humanity. We will always need the rulers, the lawmakers, the enforcers, and we will always have those that take advantage of the capitalist system to manipulate those around them for personal gain. The sad truth is seeing ninety-eight percent of the world powerless to change the two percent.

Software - A Pot of Gold for Business

The business that incorporates new technology into its structure is at a distinct advantage from competitors who neglects growth through technology. Software technologies will not only save your company hundreds of dollars, but will also increase the overall productivity in your business. This simple improvement also secures your sensitive data from information heists.

Most business’ have a pile of admin that both staff and management have to wade through.  This process costs you money in the form of stationary. However, technologies that replaces most stationary requirements, saves any business hundreds of dollars.  When staff does not have to write down everything, and management does not have to page through files looking for information, productivity will increase.

Technology reduces repetition and this leads to increased productivity. Filling out a daily calling card decreases time spent on actual calls.  Software technology solves these problems by having forms, reports and schedules already filled. Only minimum input is required by staff or management to update, schedule and withdraw information. This same functionality not only saves time thereby increasing productivity, it also secures sensitive information.

Information is the heart of a business. Without a client base, there will be no business. Staff can steal and sell this information to competitors. With software technology, management can lock information from access, or from being removed from the premises. Encrypted information stored on servers reduces access as you would find on a single desktop.

Considering how one technological improvement can change a business for the better, it is difficult not to look into other areas of technological improvements for a business, to save money, increase productivity and to secure not only information but also the business as a whole. All of which is pointless, unless the staff of the company is not taught how to use the new technologies.  

Government – Annoyance!!

Political parties spent hundreds of thousands of Rand on the national municipal elections. Government spent millions on the inauguration party of newly elected presidents. What is the point when there are people that are really suffering out there? A seventy-year-old man looking after his disabled forty-year-old son lives in a mud hut they erected themselves. Their humble home caught fire and left them without a roof over their head. Where is government or any of these political parties when the average person needs their help?

How much would it cost government to help those that are in such dire circumstances? True, in South Africa we have thousands of people that are in dreadful situations. However, it is incredibly annoying when such suffering takes place under everyone’s noses and government spends money on such nonsensical things as changing the names of streets and towns.

Speaking to the destitute the answer is always the same. They do not give a damn about the names of streets and towns. When they hear how much government spends on these they are outraged. One man’s word say it clearly: “what does that street name do for me? Whether I walk down DF Malan Avenue hungry and begging or down Beyers Naude Avenue hungry and begging it is the same. The name change did not feed me, but the money they spent on this other name would give me food for a whole year.”

When will government and politicians get off their high horses and superficial ideas and start taking care of their people. Why should officials drive five cars, why should they stay in five star hotels? Why should they call and attend all these pointless functions? When will they stop throwing thousands of Rand worth of parties and look after their people? The spend on politicking is exasperatingly high.  Millions of Rand are flowing into worthless agendas that have nothing to do with the economics of the country. This is not only the ruling government this is all active political parties.

Multivitamins – To be or not to be

Multivitamins have been on the market since the early 1900’s. The companies who introduced these tablets went on a vigorous marketing campaign showing how people lack the intake of the full range of multivitamins. At the time, these studies were accurate since most of the population did not have access to a rich variety of food in their diet. Recent studies however, show a few disturbing facts concerning the intake of multivitamin supplements.

The first problem comes from digestion. Surveys of sewage plants revealed an alarming number of undigested multivitamin tablets. Bless the man’s soul who needed to go through all the muck to get his point across. The point is, vitamins are microscopic, and in order for us to take them as a tablet, pharmaceutical companies use “fillers” to give them substance. The filler material digests differently in different people. The vinegar test is a good way to show this problem, tablets taking longer than fifteen minutes to dissolve in a glass of vinegar, will probably not digest properly in the stomach.  Consequently, there are half digested pills, half-absorbed vitamins and a waste of money.

Wasted money is one thing, but when vitamins cause harm, people should rethink the value of taking them. In the “Journal of the American Medical Association,” they warn that antioxidant vitamins increases death by sixteen percent. The National cancer Institute warns against taking two multivitamins a day as this increases the risk of prostate cancer. Further studies showed the sad truth about increased vitamin C intake. This anti-oxidant does nothing to speed up recovery from colds and flu, and has no real value as a cold preventative. Excess vitamin B complex can cause heart disease and heart attacks. Excess Vitamin E can lead to bleeding.

Surely, there are laws in place to protect the consumer against taking too much vitamins – there is, “Recommended Daily Allowance or RDA. However, these laws and guides do not take into account the vitamin-enriched foods available on supermarket shelves. Read the label of a vitamin supplement bottle, and then read the labels of the food consumed for the day. The results are shocking. Most processed foods are vitamin enriched to make them seem healthier. Adding all these additional multivitamin sources plus the supplement, plus the vitamins gained from natural food together, quickly shows the problem - excessive vitamin intake.

Excess vitamin intake conversely does not pass harmlessly through the body in the form of dark yellow urine. The body absorbs these excesses as well and these overload the natural systems and causes damages instead of repairs. When results show excess can cause death, cancers, and diseases, the time has come to take these warning seriously.  

Is there another avenue to supplement the body without running the risk of excess vitamin intake? On the other hand, the body should not suffer from vitamin deficiency either - which also has its dangers? Will there ever be a point where we will get straight answers? Vitamins and minerals are essential for life and health. If they are for life then the obvious conclusion is for them to come from life.

The Harvard Medical school’s health publications bring a hopeful answer. Following a varied, balanced diet will supply all our vitamin and mineral needs, without the need for supplements. Only one vitamin does not come from food - Vitamin D. This comes from the sun on the skin. Office workers who do not get into the sun should take a vitamin D supplement. All other vitamins come from the natural foods consumed. The Harvard paper states there are nutrient-dense foods, which contain all and enough vitamins and minerals.

The following list of foods has to be in your diet for their vitamin and mineral density. (They are not the only foods to eat though)

•  Avocados
• Chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach
• Bell peppers
• Brussels sprouts
• Mushrooms (crimini and shiitake)
• Baked potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Cantaloupe, papaya, raspberries, strawberries
• Low-fat yogurt
• Eggs
• Seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower)
• Dried beans (garbanzo, kidney, navy, pinto)
• Lentils, peas
• Almonds, cashews, peanuts
• Barley, oats, quinoa, brown rice
• Salmon, halibut, cod, scallops, shrimp, tuna
• Lean beef, lamb, venison
• Chicken, turkey

(from:  http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HB_web/can-you-get-all-your-nutrients-from-food-alone.htm)

Consider this, our ancestors never had mineral tablets, but they ate natural food, and they lived long and happy lives. Our fast-food lifestyle is the cause of vitamin deficiency. Yet, the world’s answer to this deficiency (multivitamins) forced us into a state of vitamin excess. The answer to the vitamin dilemma for this modern age is eating real food. Variety of food however, is the essential ingredient to full vitamin intake.  

When Babies are Dumped

The site maintenance worker was about to throw more rubbish into the rubbish compacter when he heard the desperate whimper of a baby. He immediately opened the rubbish compacter and found a wrapped baby lying between the rubble. The child was rushed to hospital and is recovering well from the ordeal.

The father was arrested and is facing attempted murder charges. He dumped the baby in the slide chute into the rubbish compacter. Thank God for little miracles because the machine blocked up and stopped working. What kind of person carries his baby in his arms and throws him away like he would a garbage bag?

Psychological studies on the subject revealed people with low self esteem and an inability to cope or handle stress related to change are prone to such horrific acts. The astounding fact is how psychology excuses these horrid actions by implying the perpetrator had no power to stop his morbid actions.  What is even more disturbing is that psychological evidence can, and has been used, as evidence in the courts to see these people get of scot free.

What is this world coming to if we allow baby killers to walk away from their crime? How far does a society have to deteriorate for people to think they can take a small bundle of life and throw it away like leftovers from last night’s supper?  All of us have become so apathetic to those around us that we cannot see cries for help. We only hear our own voices, taken in by our own problems that we cannot respond to the waling world around us. Sure, we like to comment and give our opinions on all these evils, but when will we stop talking and get involve?

Little babies are dying and we talk. Children are prostituting themselves and we talk. Children are sold as slaves and we talk. Children are abused and we talk. Children are molested and we talk. Those that make themselves guilty of these incredibly sick practices don’t talk, they are the ones doing. They are only a few people yet they are doing, and six odd billion people  in this world cannot stop them because they are talking.