The meaning of empathy

'I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person'
                                                                                                                              - Walt Witman

Corruption: the bane of Nigeria's greatness

Corruption is the bane of Nigeria's greatness. It is the one single most important contributor to the sorry pass in which this potential giant has found itself. It hurts when these Western guys lambast and lampoon Nigeria but the truth is the country positioned itself for such ridicule.

Receiving an international package in Brazil is highly problematic

Receiving an international package in Brazil is highly problematic and this does not befit the 7th largest economy in the world. The fault appears to lie, not with the postal service per se but with the customs. Taking delivery of your international orders in Brazil is a herculean task especially if it does not fall in the category of those exempted from custom duties (e.g. orders for educational institutions). Apart from generating income for the Government, I do think they are doing well at all and the Government should look into this. Brazil is a tourist destination with a large number of foreigners at all times of the year. Some are there temporarily while others are there for longer periods. These foreigners as well as Brazilians will engage in international transactions of one kind or the other. 

Welcome to December

Power Lines

I think I agree with President Obama on this

President Obama reportedly told his Chicago audience that Americans have no right to complain about his immigration policy stating that the only Americans who can legitimately object to immigration are native Indians.

While I do not subscribe to an all-comers affair without any form of regulation, I have always thought that apart from the native Indians, all Americans are immigrants. The only difference is that some arrived earlier than others.

The greatest thing in the world II

The contrast

Love is what can heal the world. Love is what can heal wounded hearts and mend damaged lives. Love is what can heal you. Whether showing Love or being at the receiving end, it leaves everyone better. The power of Love is awesome. But remember, it is God's kind of love; pure, unpretentious and non-exploitative. 

     Paul begins by contrasting Love with other things that men in those days thought much of. I shall not attempt to go over those things in detail. Their inferiority is already obvious.

     He contrasts it with eloquence. And what a noble gift it is, the power of playing upon the souls and wills of men, and rousing them to lofty purposes and holy deeds. Paul says, "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." And we all know why. We have all felt the brazenness of words without emotion, the hollowness, the unaccountable unpersuasiveness, of eloquence behind which lies no Love.

Life is precious, respect it (Video)

This actor Varun Pruthi video shared by Trishank Reddy is very instructive. I don't know the origin of the phrase "third world countries" although "developing countries" is the preferred term now; it appears to me that many third world countries are really third class although some are quite better. See video after the cut.