Blogs

On losing the lives we built (homes)

September 3, 2010 by warriorPoet

A friend of mine lost her home yesterday to fire.
Thankfully, no one was at home so losses did
not include life. It does however include things
that were priceless.

We often take that place we call home for granted.
We complain it is too cramped, needs renovations
or repairs or simply wish it were a different place. {Read more}

Who "cares" about Health

September 2, 2010 by warriorPoet

A man is using a grinder and blacks out, because his blood sugar is
low. He gashes his leg with a four inch dig that is bleeding profusely.
His father rushes him to Casualty at around 8 pm.

When he arrives he is bleeding but he is concious. A nurse administers
a gauze dressing as he is still bleeding. He is then told to sit and
wait, which he does FOR THE NEXT 5 HOURS.

During this time, he sees heart cases being seen to, a gunshot wound is
rushed in and 12 pregnant women are brought in. Apparently, pregnant
women must be first processed by CASUALTY before sending foward.

He continues to leak blood on the floor, through the bandage till just after
1 AM, when he is seen by an Attending. The Doctor at that point removes
the dressing and is shocked at the damage, asking how it occured.

He then proceeds to probe into the open wound with his fingers, to FINALLY
see if any stray metal fragments have been left THEN administers anesthesia
(local) and antiseptic, indicating he should be warded.

The wound is deep and open so around 25 stiches are required to pull together
the flesh and tighten together. This is very excruciating and time consuming act,
during which local stopped working.

After that, he is passed to a nurse, who DISCHARGES him and he goes home.
The reason for his accident, the blackout apparently forgotten in the process. He
leaves around 3AM to return home. This is health "care".

On the other side of this equation Drs Kerryn Brahim & Safeeya Mohammed-Bhagan
and the team at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the same hospital took time and
effort to personally champion the cause of premature babies. {Read more}

Former Acting Commissioner of Police James Philbert (Retired)

September 2, 2010 by Christian Khabay

With all this talk as to why Mr. James Philbert was fired, my own belief that we are a nation of imitators and followers is being proven each additional day this issue continues to hog headlines. One commentary says:

Whatever Mr Philbert's failures in his stint as police chief; he cannot be accused of conducting himself unprofessionally.

The commentator in his own words has acknowledged “Mr. Philbert’s failures…” but his professionalism is sound. So, based on this are we to conclude that once you perform professionally but fail in performance you ought not be fired? As likeable, approachable and media–friendly a CoP is, he’s being paid by the state to perform his duties effectively and deliver positive results. Under Mr. Philbert’s watch the bad has significantly outweighed the good. The simple fact is that given Mr. Philbert’s seniority in the TTPS (and he is the most senior) his competencies are not in line with the escalating demands of the office of CoP. This in itself justifies this administration’s and the previous one’s decision to expand its search for someone who has the capacity and experience to deal with this virtually impossible situation.

  {Read more}

Is HP making MAS in T&T?

September 2, 2010 by Edmund Gall

The Hon. Minister of Education and the Hon. Prime Minister have both attempted to allay concerns expressed through media questions following reports of Hewlett Packard's (HP's) US$55 million settlement with the US Department of Justice (DoJ) yesterday.  The fears seems to arise from HP being accused of being involved in kickbacks, which in T&T parlance is most often indicative of some Minister or Party-in-Power representative getting undue state funding.

On analysing publicly available information, it appears that the US case differs from the T&T contract in key elements, enough to suggest that the risk of similar kickback charges in T&T is low or non-existent.  However, there are some questions relevant to T&T.  First though, a summary of what happened in the US.

What are the charges that led to the HP/DoJ settlement? {Read more}

What does Independence mean to you?

September 1, 2010 by Edmund Gall

We often use foreign quotations but occasionally someone in T&T creates a gem worthy of praise.

Of the many responses to the question posed in this article's title, the most touching to me for fluency, rhythm and meaning that surpasses and belies its brevity has been:

'Take the image of a maypole. Everyone in T&T is holding a string with his name on it. What we're trying to do is make the perfect weave. That is what Independence is about.' - renowned T&T artist LeRoy Clarke

So poignant, I almost paused breathing to think about it. If you understand his words, you'd wonder at the immense power they contain. Make it happen.

Happy Independence to our Republic!

August 31, 2010 by Christian Khabay

Pomp, pageantry, fire-works and scared dogs. Not necessarily in that order of merit but essentially the Order of Trinidad and Tobago (formerly the Trinity Cross). The recipients of this year’s National Awards are:

 The Order of Trinidad and Tobago

Kamalludin Mohammed

Karl Hudson-Phillips QC

Pundit Krishna Maharaj (posthumously)

Wahid Ali (posthumously)

CHACONIA MEDAL GOLD

Executive director Gregory Ramkissoon (Community Service)

Retired banker Ronald Harford (Business)

Masman Brian Anthony Mac Farlane (Culture?)

Head of Maha Sabha Satnarayan Maharaj (Religion)

Retired biologist Prof Julian Stanley Kenny (Environment Conservation)

Former MP and Minister Errol Mahabir (National Service)  {Read more}

The New Mimic Men (Part 1 1/2)

August 31, 2010 by Christian Khabay

1. Latoya Woods
2. The Prime Minister’s Top Ten ranking.
3. The CoP’s salary.

I am the person I never wanted to be...

August 30, 2010 by warriorPoet

In the beginning, we all have dreams of being
the best at what we hope to do. We find passion
in simply doing what we like to do... Like kids
banging on a drum...

Then ambition overtakes our dreams, we decide to
do what we like to. That desire changes the focus
from simply doing to trying to do well... Like a
child learning to play music...

Eventually, we realise that in order to do well
we must have sacrifice. Thus what we like and want
now becomes what we must work hard at doing... Like
a teen starting a band...

One day, by chance, opportunity or simply that hard
work, we find success. We relish that feeling and
the recognition it brings... Like a young person who
plays his first concert...

Over time, we become addicted to that feeling and
need to keep exposing ourselves. Thus we do things
that will keep us popular, we may not like... Like
an artist singing songs they havent written...

Now we are living the dream, have the desire we wished
for and the fame we longed for. We have fans, groupies,
people who listen to us and believe what we say... Like
an icon who has gotten recognition beyond music...

This is the time, we now have our audience, we want to
show them what we feel and simply say our message. Sadly,
we have forgotten what we once had such passion for...
Like a star who has lost touch with their roots...

That is how we become the person we never wanted to be,
the one who people aspire to become. If only they knew
what happened to you, would they stay true? Like you, I
suspect they would seek success too... {Read more}

Pass on Facebook Places

August 29, 2010 by warriorPoet

Facebook recently launched "Facebook Places". Depending on your settings any "friend" can find out where you are when you log in or comment. This is supposed to allow you to 'see' people who are nearby.

In addition, you or ANY friend can TAG you at an event and enayone who is checked in nearby among your "friends" can see your position highlighted

It gives the actual address & map location of where you are as you use Facebook. These days you can never really know who your "friends" are.

This is not just an invasion of privacy but can have severe concequences
to you personally, especially if you add "friends" you dont really know.

To remove this go to top right menu "Account", then choose "Account settings",  click "Notifications", scroll down to "Places" and uncheck the 2 boxes 'Tags me at a Place'  & 'Comments on my visits to Places' THEN click 'Save Changes'.

Now go back to the menu "Account", then choose "Privacy Settings", click "Customise settings" (it will be in blue). Scroll down to the section "Things I share" Unclick ENABLE in 'Include me in "People Here Now" after I check in... Visible to friends and people checked in nearby'

Continue scrolling down to the next section "Things others share" and select DISABLED to the label 'Friends can check me in to Places'

Dont want someone knowing more or less EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE when you are posting... or even have your "friends" tagging where you are!

That sets a dangerous leak of information, especially for you younger ones and females...You all be careful now and thanks for the heads up Cindy PS The DEFAULT settings is that this is enabled.

wP

A Note To The Minister of Education: No, Tim, You're Wrong.

August 27, 2010 by Taran Rampersad

According to this Trinidad Express article:

EDUCATION Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh says the $83 million to provide laptops for successful Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) pupils is not as exorbitant as some people believe.

He said the cost worked out to approximately $4,000 per computer, which had a number of special features, and Government was able to lower costs by eliminating the middle man...

Nonsense¹. First of all, $4,000 a laptop is exorbitant for laptops for children - that equates to roughly $625 U.S. per laptop. The 'special features' really aren't that special - they are customizations of existing software that can be done with a few clicks of a button. There are really no 'special features'. So, remember '$625 U.S.' and check pricing for individual laptops on Amazon.com. 'Special features'? 

I suppose you don't realize that we have the specifications for the tender (available in this post). {Read more}