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Thursday, September 24, 2015
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Njeri Kareithi: Are You Man Enough? by Kelvin Kaesa
Njeri Kareithi: Are You Man Enough? by Kelvin Kaesa: Who is a man? Mwanaume ni? Mwanaume ni wallet? Mwanaume ni effort? Men are all that And double-caps bold highlighted headlines on ...
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Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now
Friends:
One of the big drivers of global affairs in the 21st century may be a single sentence: “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah; and Muhammad is His messenger.”
For over a billion Muslims worldwide – including the many peaceful Muslims you and I know – this is the Muslim profession of faith known as the Shahada. But the Shahada is more than a personal credo. For an unknown percentage of Muslims, it is also a political rallying cry and mission statement achievable only through violent jihad.
This intra-Islamic struggle for the soul of the Shahada is far more significant than the so-called clash between Islam and the West. It’s a struggle rooted in the dramatically different ways Muhammad recruited followers at Mecca (peacefully) and at Medina (violently). Which side wins will determine if Islam is primarily an invitation to piety or a compulsory political movement.
We in the West have an enormous stake in how this struggle plays out. We cannot remain on the sidelines.
That’s why I’m speaking out. In my New York Times bestselling book, “Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now,” I identify five precepts central to Islam that have made it resistant to historical change and adaptation. Only when the harmfulness of these ideas is recognized and repudiated will a true Muslim Reformation be achieved. If not, hope for a Muslim Reformation dies, and the rest of the world will pay a high price in blood spilled and freedom lost.
Confronting political Islam on its own terms is not easy. It means disabusing ourselves of clichés about the “religion of peace.” It means facing up to those teachings of Muhammad that, if applied literally, simply cannot be reconciled with a free society. And it means open debate about reforming this proud religious tradition.
Such debate is a bedrock of academic freedom. So is drawing conclusions – even controversial ones – consistent with findings. I’m fortunate to enjoy this freedom. Many of my fellow dissidents do not.
I’m raising my voice on their behalf because Islam is at a crossroads. Muslims need to make a conscious decision to confront, debate, and ultimately reject the violent elements within their religion.
I invite you to read my book. And I welcome your comments, criticisms, and questions.
Sincerely,
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Fellow, The Future of Diplomacy Project
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Harvard Kennedy School
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Fellow, The Future of Diplomacy Project
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Harvard Kennedy School
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
15 Sites to improve your french, even for adults…
Voici une sélection de sites permettant aux adultes d’améliorer leur français gratuitement et sans s’ennuyer. Grâce à ces sites, le français devient un jeu, chacun peut avancer à son rythme, de chez soi et sans complexes…
Pour les personnes dont le français n‘est pas la langue maternelle, il est préférable de commencer par les sites spécialisés dans le FLE (français langue étrangère), ils sont conçus pour apporter les bases nécessaires (voir dans la liste).
A noter que certains sites ont une connotation très « scolaire » (classement du contenu par niveau scolaire), ce qui peut freiner les adultes souhaitant s’exercer. Le meilleur des conseils qu’on puisse donner est de ne pas se laisser complexer par ces « niveaux », l’important est de s’entrainer pour surpasser ses propres difficultés et de revenir sur ce que justement on n’a pas retenu, pas appris ou pas compris à l’école…
A noter que certains sites ont une connotation très « scolaire » (classement du contenu par niveau scolaire), ce qui peut freiner les adultes souhaitant s’exercer. Le meilleur des conseils qu’on puisse donner est de ne pas se laisser complexer par ces « niveaux », l’important est de s’entrainer pour surpasser ses propres difficultés et de revenir sur ce que justement on n’a pas retenu, pas appris ou pas compris à l’école…
Bonnes révisions à tous et surtout amusez-vous ! Un site très complet, pas du tout scolaire et permettant de passer de bons moments en s’exerçant. En passant la souris sur l’onglet « langue française », on accède à un grand nombre de jeux, quizz, vidéos et autres exercices (vocabulaire, orthographe, grammaire, expressions etc.). Les 4 niveaux de difficultés permettent d’avancer pas à pas quel que soit son niveau (également pour le FLE). Autre plus : lien direct vers les dictées de Bernard Pivot et le lien vers les vidéos d’un merveilleux professeur qui nous décrypte quelques bizarreries de la langue française: merci professeur. | |
Des dictées, des exercices et des cours en vidéo pour tout âge et tout niveau ainsi qu’une partie « règles et astuces ». | |
Inscription gratuite. Dictées pour adultes, dictées complexes et dictées issues des annales du brevet des collèges. Le site propose des cours et exercices pour éviter les fautes dans les écrits professionnels et des dictées ludiques. | |
Une multitude d’exercices interactifs ambiance casino (très ludique), des liens vers des cours et une multitude de ressources pour apprendre. | |
Des exercices sous forme de jeux (grammaire, conjugaison, orthographe, vocabulaire, lecture, poèmes). Le site propose d’autres matières | |
Des exercices interactifs sur les fameux homophones (mots ayant le même son mais orthographe différente). | |
Des exercices et leurs corrigés en français, grammaire, communication écrite pour tous les niveaux.Permet de réviser aussi de nombreuses autres matières, avec un conjugueur automatique et un forum (beaucoup de pubs) | |
Surtout pour la rubrique de jeux par niveau de difficulté, à noter un moteur de recherche (vocabulaire, orthographe) et la possibilité de poser des questions. Il est possible de demander la correction d’un texte, c’est gratuit mais sous conditions | |
Un blog très complet pour les personnes dont le français n’est pas la langue maternelle (FLE).Peut également être utile aux personnes ayant des problèmes de lecture, prononciation (entrainement phonétique) | |
« Cyber-magazine » spécialisé FLE et contenant des exercices, tests, jeux pour apprendre le français en s’amusant. | |
Enfin de la phonétique pas ennuyeuse… Exercices sur les syllabes et les sons, recommandé pour le FLE et les personnes ayant des problèmes de lecture, d’écriture des syllabes. | |
Cours en vidéo gratuits (payant si on veut éviter la pub et télécharger) avec quelques tests. | |
Cours, exercices et rubrique communautaire de questions/réponses. | |
Conjugue instantanément n’importe quel verbe de la langue française, même les néologismes : pratique et rapide. Le Figaro propose également ce service sur http://leconjugueur.lefigaro.fr/ | |
Pour ceux qui veulent améliorer globalement leur expression écrite et leurs connaissances en littérature. |
N’hésitez pas à compléter la liste et ajouter vos commentaires.
Monday, August 18, 2014
GfGD Blog Competition: Successes Of Geoscience In Development
Talking
of how geosciences, used in the context of development has brought
about positive and sustainable change, the earth is the foundation upon
which development depends. Development is either driven by resources
from the earth or by land as a resource like in the case of agriculture.
Success of a development process and sustainability of the same
requires meticulous intervention of a geoscientist to define the balance
between society’s demand for these resources, their sustainable use and
need to sustain healthy ecosystems.
Success
stories of how geosciences have played a fundamental role in
development dates back to many years ago. In the early 1930s, a small
village in western Kenya was the scene of a gold rush fueled partly by
the reports of the geologist Albert Ernest Kitson. In its place now, we
have a beautiful town called Kakamega which is the economic hub of the
region. Elsewhere, gold has transformed South Africa and its commercial
hub Egoli – the city of gold to a heaven for gold diggers and investors
to its undisputed status as the continental economic heavy weight –
thanks to geoscientists.
Water has brought happiness to these women (Hudson Wereh Shiraku) |
Courtesy
of geoscientists, Kenya is tapping into geothermal energy and
generating electricity. With the potential of 2000 MW, there is a total
of 127 MW installed capacity and the plant meets 11% of the total
national electricity supply (MoE, 2008). As a result, geothermal use in
Kenya has led to significant socio-economic benefits for the country; a
workforce of 493 persons is deployed at the Olkaria power stations
considerably contributing to poverty reduction. In Naivasha, a
geothermal heat resource is being used in a horticultural farm to
control night-time humidity levels in order to reduce the incidence of
fungal diseases – a successful instance where Geoscience has drawn from
other fields to create a positive change.
Away
from home, geothermal power has also been successfully exploited in
northern African countries, using geothermal fluid for irrigation of
oases as well as heating and irrigation of greenhouses.
In
Israel, the fact that agricultural production continues to grow despite
severe water and land limitations is no accident. It is due to a close
and ongoing cooperation between researchers, extension workers, farmers
and agriculture-related services and industries. Geoscience has been
tapped into by agriculture to ensure availability of water and suitable
soils for farming.
Finally, in Kenya we have what has been humorously referred to as “Oil Mania”.
Kenyans have run a mock with oil exploration all over the country since
oil was recently discovered in the north western town of Turkana.
Though we have to wait for some studies to determine its economic
feasibility, prospects are high and surely geoscience is an important
ingredient of development.
In
view of all these success stories, what would my neighbor who
threatened to disown his son for wanting to pursue a course in geology
against his wish for an educational course do? I suppose he would cover
his face in shame.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Nourish Our People – Nurture Our Planet!
Given the recent concerns about the global agricultural production systems and dwindling food supplies, there are renewed calls for developing productive as well as environmentally sustainable agroecosystems. In this regard, a High Level Roundtable on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture was held in New York from 15th to 16th March 2012 with the purpose of deriving effective actions towards the implementation of ecologically, socially and economically sustainable agricultural and Food Systems....................................
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Friday, April 20, 2012
An increase in mobile use can raise the annual GDP rate in developing countries???
"An increase in mobile penetration can raise the annual GDP
rate in developing countries" Was a headline in one daily. Without looking at the content, my mind went back to what my late uncle told me and what am going through as a phone owner. In the context of my late uncle, this headline does not hold true but its no basis for dismissing. So the question is, what are the necessary conditions for this headline to be true? Leave your comments please
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
African ministers reaffirm ST&I commitments - SciDev.Net
The first African Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for Youth Employment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth has concluded with ministers announcing a range of resolutions to harness ST&I for sustainable development.
Initiatives to solve societal problems in areas such as water, health, information and communication technologies (ICTs), renewable energy and agriculture were also agreed at yesterday's ministerial meeting, attended by 57 government ministers with responsibility for science, technology and innovation,finance, planning and education.
They pledged to use ST&I as a driver for inclusive growth and youth empowerment, with a focus on entrepreneurship, through strengthened support for innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Read more here...African ministers reaffirm ST&I commitments - SciDev.Net
Initiatives to solve societal problems in areas such as water, health, information and communication technologies (ICTs), renewable energy and agriculture were also agreed at yesterday's ministerial meeting, attended by 57 government ministers with responsibility for science, technology and innovation,finance, planning and education.
They pledged to use ST&I as a driver for inclusive growth and youth empowerment, with a focus on entrepreneurship, through strengthened support for innovation and entrepreneurship programs. Read more here...African ministers reaffirm ST&I commitments - SciDev.Net
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