If you’re from New York City and were wondering about what impact African Immigrants have on the Big Apple, I advice you take the ferry across the Hudson, if you’re lucky the 76 bus will be waiting for you. Your last stop should be at the public housing section of Park Hill. There is one particularly dominant group of immigrants here. They’re the Liberians. You can take a walk around building 55 Bowen St. here on any weekday especially during the summer elderly women would sit behind wooden tables fill with fresh vegetables, palm oil, including African fabrics, selling as part of the means to pay the bill. With this huge Liberian population in this location, it is no surprise that this group has created a relatively comfortable market for African goods among themselves.
Meanwhile, most Liberians are hard working people. Many of them maintain two jobs in order to meet the growing demand post by the economics. At the end of the day, these people return home to their family as they wait to repeat the same ritual each day. I talked to one anonymous resident about this circular life style and this is what he had to say; “I like Park hill and I don’t think I’ll ever leave this place.” When I asked him why, his answer came quick; “Here in building, #55, I can wake up any time of night and rings someone door bell for water or food and so on, I don’t think I could do that anywhere else.” “We are better off here.
Two days later, an older man in his late fifties whispered to me about the African Refuge; a Staten Island based organic organization with a primary obligation to meet the needs of Refugees, African immigrants and low-income Americans. After few days of visit at the office of the African Refuge Headquarter, and with the help of the Managing Director, who is also a Liberian, it was obvious to me that African Refuge was doing and continues to provide much needed community services. African Refuge had partnered with Universities and Colleges to conduct research relevant to its mission to convene civic-institutions and improve services to the community. The organization also has area for under-privileged youths. African Refuge continues to receive substantial funding for programs and activities from the Citizen Committee of New York, the New York Community Trust, the Staten Island Rotary Foundation, Independence Community Foundations and other Philanthropists. But different from the African Refuge, is the Staten Island Liberian Community Association, one of the oldest and largest Liberian organizations in the city. It was founded in the 1970s in the sparsely furnished one-bedroom apartment in a brick housing project in the Park Hill section. The Liberian Community Association is more political in spectrum and by default every Liberian is a member.
Meanwhile, Liberian communities continue to expand across the United States through the establishment of non-profit entities armed with social and humanitarian objectives that can unite, inform and educate their own people. According to community leaders here in New York City; there are at least 9,000 Liberian residents in New York City, about half of that number lives on Staten Island
To read more check this: www.olmusa.org/index/html
www.africanrefuge.org
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Find The Genius In You. You!!!
Philosophy is defined as the study of the nature and meaning of the universe and of human life. And then there is ‘’Theory’’, which is considered as a formal set of ideas that is intended to explain why something happens or exist. There are improvable Ideas that had survived the ages and are now embedded permanently on the minds of most weaklings and those who can’t research for themselves, but should rather believe in such ideas because it is simply easier.
The saying that genius is never misdirected is wrong and misleading. However, according to one of my private theories, as a state: ‘’everyone is a genius at something.’’ What’s lacking is the equal opportunity that not every child has for the proper academic training. Or that the world has yet to offer more academic discipline in their area of specialty.
Of course, some well known geniuses are famous for their self-dedication to hard work towards their own academic future. A lot more are well noted for great performances and work of extra-ordinary feat even as kids. But also are hundreds of thousands of those great minds, lost each year either to the harsh pressure of society, or simply by the wrong family.
Meanwhile, that genius will emerge regardless of circumstance is a widely held belief. The biographer of the great Indian mathematician Ramanujan, for example, claims that the five years that the young Ramanujan spent in complete isolation from other mathematicians, having failed out of school and unable to get as much as a tutoring position, were the key to his stunning discoveries. But when writing Ramanujan’s obituary, G.H. Hardy, the Cambridge mathematician who knew him best, called that view, held earlier by himself, ‘’ridiculous sentimentalism’’. After Ramanujan’s death at thirty-three, Hardy wrote that the ‘’the tragedy of Ramanujan was not that he died young, but that, during his five unfortunate years, his genius was misdirected, side-tracked, and to a certain extent distorted.
As a boy, no one could guess that one day Albert Einstein would be a great scientist. But today, his name is linked to the famous equation: E=Mc2. He is typically no doubt the most famous genius of the twentieth century that the world has ever known. With his relativity theory, he opened the way for a new kind of science.
By 1948, Einstein had been a world cult figure for more than a quarter of a century. His theory of general relativity appeared in 1916. Astronomers’ confirmation in 1919 that light rays were bent by the sun’s gravity- as Einstein had predicted-brought him fame unraveled by any scientist before or since. Einstein’s political activities-on behalf of the A-bomb and then for nuclear disarmament, world government, the state of Israel- added a saintly aura.
John von Neumann. Born in Budapest to a family of Jewish bankers, Neumann was undeniably precocious. At age six, von Neumann could divide two eight digits numbers in his head. At age eight, he had master calculus. At age twelve, he was reading works aimed at professional mathematicians, such as Emile Borel’s Theory des Fonction’s but he also love to invent mechanical toys and became a child expert on Byzantine history, the Civil War, and the trial of Joan of Arc. He was one of many scientists to contribute to the Manhattan Project from 1943 onward, and the top mathematician on the project.
However, if, if and only if anyone had the power to bring back the past, and is undeniably able to once again give a second chance to the great men of the past, like Albert Einstein, Kurt Gödel, Robert Oppenheimer and others, a chance to re-live their life, but only in a society that lacks the intellectual insight compare to the relatively subliminal, highly intellectual community of today. Can any polemicist argue to prove that each of these men will still grow up to be the star that they once were in their past life? No matter, whatever form of intellectual interest that may exist during the time of their new lives? If Albert Einstein had been born in a society where carpentry is an ‘’upper class’’ career, with nothing better, would he by all means have been the great scientist that history remembers today?
The human brain is the single-most powerful, complicated organ in the universe so far. With its’ multiple functions, we’re able to balance well on a bicycle, feel the breeze, smells the aroma from a nearby restaurant, watch for pedestrians and still be able to remember the way home— all at once. The brain is obviously men’s prized possession. To argue or believe that some people, though normal, may lack the mental ability to master anything, is ridiculous and supercilious. For example, our Earth has so much uneven distribution of natural resources, different weather patterns and many animal and plant species and so on. The brain has similar variation as well. The human brain has unequalled capacities and capabilities. Some brains are able to remember information well while others are so good at learning faster. Some people have the well- above- average high level of concentration, called ‘’free thinkers. ‘’Still, some people have a lot more difficulties concentrating. However, it is only when a particular function of the brain, or cerebrum exceeds far beyond what is considered average that one is noted as a genius. Genius is best described as anyone with an extreme, subliminal mental ability especially with the cerebrum. These variations and patterns in brain functions are obviously the foundation for being a genius or not. Just depend on what category you find yourself in.
Between the legends and empirical facts, there is one thing for sure. That nothing is more beneficial to oneself than a clear-lucid, rational mind. Those which can lead you to decide the right from the wrong, care for someone, respect for others and yearned for similar. Anything beyond this is a pedagogue and therefore, abnormal.
Oh, how sad that some of these so-called polymaths, how they lack contact with the real world. Tales about these ‘’Free Thinkers’’ are terrifying. Beset by shyness, awkwardness, strange mannerisms, and all kinds of physical and psychological tics. It is difficult to know them. Lacking social graces in exchange for knowledge is the best choice or at least considered as such within the intellectual community. Some observed that it is way better to be in the company of a genius than to befriend one. For in their world, there is no such thing as emotion. They are methodical actors, perfectionist with no affinity for anything less than intellectual. Respect them though, for they are the jury and the judges of our world. A world without them is in forever darkness!
The saying that genius is never misdirected is wrong and misleading. However, according to one of my private theories, as a state: ‘’everyone is a genius at something.’’ What’s lacking is the equal opportunity that not every child has for the proper academic training. Or that the world has yet to offer more academic discipline in their area of specialty.
Of course, some well known geniuses are famous for their self-dedication to hard work towards their own academic future. A lot more are well noted for great performances and work of extra-ordinary feat even as kids. But also are hundreds of thousands of those great minds, lost each year either to the harsh pressure of society, or simply by the wrong family.
Meanwhile, that genius will emerge regardless of circumstance is a widely held belief. The biographer of the great Indian mathematician Ramanujan, for example, claims that the five years that the young Ramanujan spent in complete isolation from other mathematicians, having failed out of school and unable to get as much as a tutoring position, were the key to his stunning discoveries. But when writing Ramanujan’s obituary, G.H. Hardy, the Cambridge mathematician who knew him best, called that view, held earlier by himself, ‘’ridiculous sentimentalism’’. After Ramanujan’s death at thirty-three, Hardy wrote that the ‘’the tragedy of Ramanujan was not that he died young, but that, during his five unfortunate years, his genius was misdirected, side-tracked, and to a certain extent distorted.
As a boy, no one could guess that one day Albert Einstein would be a great scientist. But today, his name is linked to the famous equation: E=Mc2. He is typically no doubt the most famous genius of the twentieth century that the world has ever known. With his relativity theory, he opened the way for a new kind of science.
By 1948, Einstein had been a world cult figure for more than a quarter of a century. His theory of general relativity appeared in 1916. Astronomers’ confirmation in 1919 that light rays were bent by the sun’s gravity- as Einstein had predicted-brought him fame unraveled by any scientist before or since. Einstein’s political activities-on behalf of the A-bomb and then for nuclear disarmament, world government, the state of Israel- added a saintly aura.
John von Neumann. Born in Budapest to a family of Jewish bankers, Neumann was undeniably precocious. At age six, von Neumann could divide two eight digits numbers in his head. At age eight, he had master calculus. At age twelve, he was reading works aimed at professional mathematicians, such as Emile Borel’s Theory des Fonction’s but he also love to invent mechanical toys and became a child expert on Byzantine history, the Civil War, and the trial of Joan of Arc. He was one of many scientists to contribute to the Manhattan Project from 1943 onward, and the top mathematician on the project.
However, if, if and only if anyone had the power to bring back the past, and is undeniably able to once again give a second chance to the great men of the past, like Albert Einstein, Kurt Gödel, Robert Oppenheimer and others, a chance to re-live their life, but only in a society that lacks the intellectual insight compare to the relatively subliminal, highly intellectual community of today. Can any polemicist argue to prove that each of these men will still grow up to be the star that they once were in their past life? No matter, whatever form of intellectual interest that may exist during the time of their new lives? If Albert Einstein had been born in a society where carpentry is an ‘’upper class’’ career, with nothing better, would he by all means have been the great scientist that history remembers today?
The human brain is the single-most powerful, complicated organ in the universe so far. With its’ multiple functions, we’re able to balance well on a bicycle, feel the breeze, smells the aroma from a nearby restaurant, watch for pedestrians and still be able to remember the way home— all at once. The brain is obviously men’s prized possession. To argue or believe that some people, though normal, may lack the mental ability to master anything, is ridiculous and supercilious. For example, our Earth has so much uneven distribution of natural resources, different weather patterns and many animal and plant species and so on. The brain has similar variation as well. The human brain has unequalled capacities and capabilities. Some brains are able to remember information well while others are so good at learning faster. Some people have the well- above- average high level of concentration, called ‘’free thinkers. ‘’Still, some people have a lot more difficulties concentrating. However, it is only when a particular function of the brain, or cerebrum exceeds far beyond what is considered average that one is noted as a genius. Genius is best described as anyone with an extreme, subliminal mental ability especially with the cerebrum. These variations and patterns in brain functions are obviously the foundation for being a genius or not. Just depend on what category you find yourself in.
Between the legends and empirical facts, there is one thing for sure. That nothing is more beneficial to oneself than a clear-lucid, rational mind. Those which can lead you to decide the right from the wrong, care for someone, respect for others and yearned for similar. Anything beyond this is a pedagogue and therefore, abnormal.
Oh, how sad that some of these so-called polymaths, how they lack contact with the real world. Tales about these ‘’Free Thinkers’’ are terrifying. Beset by shyness, awkwardness, strange mannerisms, and all kinds of physical and psychological tics. It is difficult to know them. Lacking social graces in exchange for knowledge is the best choice or at least considered as such within the intellectual community. Some observed that it is way better to be in the company of a genius than to befriend one. For in their world, there is no such thing as emotion. They are methodical actors, perfectionist with no affinity for anything less than intellectual. Respect them though, for they are the jury and the judges of our world. A world without them is in forever darkness!
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