KaaGee Notes

"The ship that is our Africa is sinking" - Chihombori-Quao   African Union Ambassador calls all African Diaspora Home!   "Berlin 1885: The Division of Africa" H.E. Dr Arikana Chihombori Quao Addressing the African Diaspora in the Americas

On July 1, 1996, exactly twenty years ago to the day, I entered an office for the first time ever in a full-time job and began my career in the corporate sector. On that day as I contemplated what my boss would be like, what work I would be given, and indeed, what was for lunch, I don’t think I would have imagined the journey that lay ahead of me. After twenty years, ten bosses, five moves, four kilos, and a journey that has spanned experiences across many different businesses and countries, I am back where it all began- Mumbai. Did I ever imagine I’d be working in the corporate sector for twenty years? To be honest, perhaps not, but back then a time horizon of a couple of years was long term thinking. As I think back to that twenty-two-year-old me sitting in the reception, waiting to collect my visitor ID badge, if I had the chance, what would I say to myself? Here’s an attempt. Dear me, Congratulations on the first day of this new phase of your life. I’m that wiser, better-loo...

A bit of life advice from Hol: It’s a strange thing to realize and accept your mortality at 26 years young. It’s just one of those things you ignore. The days tick by and you just expect they will keep on coming; Until the unexpected happens. I always imagined myself growing old, wrinkled and grey- most likely caused by the beautiful family (lots of kiddies) I planned on building with the love of my life. I want that so bad it hurts. That’s the thing about life; It is fragil e, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right. I’m 27 now. I don’t want to go. I love my life. I am happy... I owe that to my loved ones. But the control is out of my hands. I haven’t started this ‘note before I die’ so that death is feared - I like the fact that we are mostly ignorant of its inevitability... Except when I want to talk about it and it is treated like a ‘taboo’ topic that will never happen to any of us... That’s been a bit tough.  I just want peopl...

Some people get frozen by that fear of failure. They get it from peers or from just thinking about the possibility of a negative result. They might be afraid of looking bad or being embarrassed. I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it. I don’t believe you can achieve anything by being passive. I’m not thinking about anything except what I’m trying to accomplish. Any fear is an illusion. You think something is standing in your way, but nothing is really there. What is there is an opportunity to do your best and gain some success. If it turns out my best isn’t good enough, then at least I’ll never be able to look back and say I was too afraid to try. Failure always made me try harder the next time. “I visualize where I wanted to be, what kind of player I wanted to become. I knew exactly where I wanted to go, and I focused on getting there.” —Michael Jordan

African Americans are trooping to Ghana as the country marks the Year of Return, in memory of 400 years since the first slave-ship landing In Virginia. An African American professor of African studies Tani Sanchez, from Los Angeles, went on a heritage tour with her daughter this August to honor her ancestors and find her roots. CGTN's Wilkister Nyabwa has that story.  

“ Dwell in possibility ”, borrowed from Emily Dickinson is one theme that is guided me so far and will continue to guide me in the future.  Every single day brings along a world of possibilities and one thing that determines what we see and how we see things is our own attitude. If you look for problems and constraints, you will always find them – even in the best of situations. Possibility thinking is an attitude of seeing things and asking,  “What’s possible here?”  and then working to bring those possibilities to life. Because ultimately all human progress depends on the ability to see possibilities and make them happen. In my own career, the mindset shift from constraints to possibilities has helped me immensely and continues to help. How do you dwell in possibilities? Here are a few things to consider: It starts with the  belief that possibilities (and solutions) exist . It is not about denying constraints but working your way around constraints. ...

Worcester’s first dedicated brewery, opened at  Peppercorn’s Grille and Tavern  in 2010. In 2015, Wormtown Brewery moved to Shrewsbury Street to a facility that could meet the growing demand. The tap room offers an impressive view of the brewing process and features their locally crafted beers on tap. In addition to the bar inside, their patio is open during the warmer weather.

The Korean War Memorial on Worcester Center Boulevard near Washington Square honors the 191 young soldiers from Worcester County who made the supreme sacrifice in the Korean War. A polished black granite wall is inscribed with the soldier's names. Thousands of people attended the dedication ceremony, which was the culmination of an effort that spanned decades. Bronze Statue of American Soldier and Korean Child at the Korean War Memorial A bronze heroic statue of a Korea era American GI and a Korean child was added later. This statue represents the 100,000 orphans saved by the soldiers during and after the war. The child also symbolizes bright prospects for the future of Korea. Educational signs, additional flagpoles and a Walkway of Honor situated in a tree-lined setting were also added to the Memorial. The walkway includes memorial bricks inscribed with the names of Massachusetts' fallen war heroes from Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf, as well as six American news cor...

online history video on the battle of Spion Kop, the bloodiest battle of the Anglo Boer War in South Africa 1899 - 1902, where Winston Churchill reported that up to seven bombs per minute were landing on top of the Spion Kop mountain with massive clouds of orange lydite and that the British soldiers in the trenches were being blown to atoms. Known as the 'Acre of Massacre', it remains the smallest piece of ground on which more men lost their lives in a single battle than any battle fought anywhere in the world… and it is here, witnessing what the human race was capable of, that the seeds of Mahatma Gandhi’s passive resistance took root. Leading up to this moment in history are some of South Africa’s major historical events going as far back as 1652, including: The arrival of the first settlers in South Africa and the origins of the Afrikaner people Conflicts in the history of South Africa: 1652 – 1902 Black/White and British/Boer conflicts in South Africa: 1652 – 1902. The ...

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 9 2019 (IPS)  – Megacities, cities with a population of at least 10 million, are sprouting everywhere in Africa. Cairo in Egypt, Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Lagos in Nigeria are already megacities, while Luanda in Angola, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Johannesburg in South Africa will attain the status by 2030, according to the United Nations. Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire and Nairobi in Kenya will surpass the 10 million thresholds by 2040. And by 2050 Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Bamako in Mali, Dakar in Senegal and Ibadan and Kano in Nigeria will join the ranks—bringing the total number of megacities in Africa to 14 in about 30 years. The number of people living in urban areas in Africa will double to more than 1 billion by 2042, according to the World Bank. The University of Toronto’s Global Cities Institute, which monitors cities’ population growth and socio-economic development worldwide, forecast...

The 10 best stocks to buy for 2019. The stock market is now more than 10 years into a Federal Reserve-fueled   bull run , despite the return of volatility in late 2018 as tariffs and rising interest rates took center stage. While the trade war still concerns Wall Street, the specter of rising rates quickly disappeared. The best stocks to buy for 2019 are strong companies with solid underlying fundamentals, poised to prosper regardless of what the future brings. A diverse array of growth and value stocks, ranging from small- to mega-cap names, all 10 of the best stocks to buy for 2019 look like attractive opportunities for the long-term investor. Here’s a rundown of the top selections. Starbucks Corporation (SBUX) NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) Facebook (FB) Stitch Fix (SFIX) Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B, BRK.A) Centene Corporation (CNC) Apple (AAPL) Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. ( SFM ) DowDuPont ( DWDP )

My son Ernest Jr and myself (Michael) visited the Bancroft Tower as part of our summer outing 2019. The Bancroft Tower, listed on the National Register of Historical Places in 1980, was erected by philanthropist Stephen Salisbury in memory of his friend George Bancroft, founder of the Annapolis naval academy and secretary of the navy. This neo-medieval fantasy building is 56 foot high and built of natural stone, and looks exactly like a miniature feudal castle with a great aspect. It’s worth the climb to enjoy the magnificent view! The Tower is situated in a quiet neighborhood and has a very peaceful air to it.

  As people come and go from our lives, we seldom stop and analyze why; and we don’t realize the influence or effect that this person may have. Generally speaking, we don’t question why, until perhaps something happens and triggers a thought. At that specific moment, you may connect the dots and begin to realize the connection. You may even stop and say, “Oh ~ it’s just a coincidence.” Hmm…do you really believe that? I don’t. I honestly believe that there is a reason, intent or a purpose for everyone we come in contact with. You may not notice it at the time, but once that person appears or moves on, or even someone who comes back after an extended period of time, you begin to think, and perhaps begin to see. What purpose? … you may ask. Well, sometimes you develop relationships with those who can influence you in some way and help you to see a change with your current situation that you may be struggling with. Perhaps they are a teacher, a counselor or simply a friend or...

Beto O'Rourke spoke at the ‘See The Voice, Be The Change’ Vigil, in order to honor the victims of yesterday’s tragic mass shooting in El Paso and the life of Joaquin Oliver. In his remarks, Beto held up the El Paso community as an example of what our country’s future could be if we choose to overcome our divides.

Jesse Itzler is a self-proclaimed adrenaline-junkie taking on and pulling off unlikely challenges such as founding a private jet company, with no experience, after being told he couldn’t and running 100 miles in 24 hours. His fearlessness and boundless curiosity have not only made him a successful entrepreneur but a man likely to die with no regrets. The best-selling author of Living With A SEAL talks about maximizing life’s potential on this episode of Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu. SHOW NOTES: Jesse touches on his fearless drive to try new challenges. [ 2:53 ] Jesse talks about creating opportunities even when lacking experience and hearing “no”. [ 9:23 ] Jesse details his networking process and creating real bonds over time. [ 12:17 ] Jesse shares his experience and lessons from living with monks for 15 days. [ 20:11 ] Jesse and Tom discuss finding your “why” and the value of time as you get older. [ 36:08 ] Jesse reveals the Impact he wants to have on the world. [ 41:58 ] ...