Friday, 27 February 2009

Seven deadly sins

The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, are a classification of the most objectionable vices that were originally used in early Christian teachings to educate and instruct followers concerning (immoral) fallen man's tendency to sin.

They are: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

The Catholic Church divided sin into two principal categories:
1. "venial", which are relatively minor, and could be forgiven through any sacramentals or sacraments of the church, and
2. the more severe "capital" or mortal sin. Mortal sins destroyed the life of grace, and created the threat of eternal damnation unless either absolved through the sacrament of confession, or forgiven through perfect contrition on the part of the penitent.

There is nowhere in the Christian Bible that a specific list of the Seven Deadly Sins is given, although lists of virtues contrasted with lists of sins are found in certain books of the New Testament, such as the Epistle to the Galatians. The modern concept of the Seven Deadly Sins is linked to the works of the 4th century monk Evagrius Ponticus, who listed eight "evil thoughts" as follows (Refoule, 1967):

Gluttony; fornication; avarice; sorrow; anger; discouragement; vainglory; pride.

The first three of these sins, as Refoule explains, link to lustful appetite; anger links with the irascible; and vainglory and pride link with the intellect. Some years after Ponticus, in 590 AD, Pope Gregory I (Pope Gregory the Great) would revise this list to form the more common "Seven Deadly Sins".

The sins

1. Lust
Lust (or lechery) is usually thought of as excessive thoughts or desires of a sexual nature. Giving in to lusts can lead to sexual or sociological compulsions and/or transgressions including (but not limited to) sexual addiction, fornication, adultery, bestiality, rape, perversion, and incest. Dante's criterion was "excessive love of others," which therefore rendered love and devotion to God as secondary. In "Purgatorio", the penitent walks within flames to purge himself of lustful/sexual thoughts and feelings.

2. Gluttony (Latin, gula)
"Excess"
(Albert Anker, 1896)Derived from the Latin gluttire, meaning to gulp down or swallow, gluttony is the over-indulgence and over-consumption of anything to the point of waste. In the Christian religions, it is considered a sin because of the excessive desire for food, or its withholding from the needy.

Depending on the culture, it can be seen as either a vice or a sign of status. Where food is relatively scarce, being able to eat well might be something to take pride in (although this can also result in a moral backlash when confronted with the reality of those less fortunate). Where food is routinely plentiful, it may be considered a sign of self-control to resist the temptation to over-indulge.

Medieval church leaders (e.g., Thomas Aquinas) took a more expansive view of gluttony, arguing that it could also include an obsessive anticipation of meals, and the constant eating of delicacies and excessively costly foods. Aquinas went so far as to prepare a list of six ways to commit gluttony, including:

Praepropere - eating too soon.
Laute - eating too expensively (washedly).
Nimis - eating too much.
Ardenter - eating too eagerly (burningly).
Studiose - eating too daintily (keenly).
Forente - eating wildly (boringly).

3. Greed (Latin, avaritia)
Greed (or avarice, covetousness) is, like lust and gluttony, a sin of excess. However, greed (as seen by the church) is applied to the acquisition of wealth in particular. St. Thomas Aquinas wrote that greed was "a sin against God, just as all mortal sins, in as much as man condemns things eternal for the sake of temporal things." In Dante's Purgatory, the penitents were bound and laid face down on the ground for having concentrated too much on earthly thoughts. "Avarice" is more of a blanket term that can describe many other examples of greedy behavior. These include disloyalty, deliberate betrayal, or treason, especially for personal gain, for example through bribery . Scavenging and hoarding of materials or objects, theft and robbery, especially by means of violence, trickery, or manipulation of authority are all actions that may be inspired by greed. Such misdeeds can include simony, where one profits from soliciting goods within the actual confines of a church.


4. Sloth (Latin, acedia)
More than other sins, the definition of sloth has changed considerably since its original inclusion among the seven deadly sins. In fact it was first called the sin of sadness or despair. It had been in the early years of Christianity characterized by what modern writers would now describe as melancholy: apathy, depression, and joylessness — the last being viewed as being a refusal to enjoy the goodness of God and the world God created. Originally, its place was fulfilled by two other aspects, acedia and sadness. The former described a spiritual apathy that affected the faithful by discouraging them from their religious work. Sadness (tristitia in Latin) described a feeling of dissatisfaction or discontent, which caused unhappiness with one's current situation. When Thomas Aquinas selected acedia for his list, he described it as an "uneasiness of the mind", being a progenitor for lesser sins such as restlessness and instability. Dante refined this definition further, describing sloth as being the "failure to love God with all one's heart, all one's mind and all one's soul." He also described it as the middle sin, and as such was the only sin characterised by an absence or insufficiency of love. In his "Purgatorio", the slothful penitents were made to run continuously at top speed.

The modern view of the vice, as highlighted by its contrary virtue of zeal or diligence, is that it represents the failure to utilize one's talents and gifts. For example, a student who does not work beyond what is required (and thus fails to achieve his or her full potential) could be labeled slothful.

Current interpretations are therefore much less stringent and comprehensive than they were in medieval times, and portray sloth as being more simply a sin of laziness or indifference, of an unwillingness to act, an unwillingness to care (rather than a failure to love God and his works). For this reason sloth is now often seen as being considerably less serious than the other sins, more a sin of omission than of commission.

The sloth, a South American mammal, was named after this sin by Roman Catholic explorers.


5. Wrath (Latin, ira)
Wrath (or anger or "Rage") may be described as inordinate and uncontrolled feelings of hatred and anger. These feelings can manifest as vehement denial of the truth, both to others and in the form of self-denial, impatience with the procedure of law, and the desire to seek revenge outside of the workings of the justice system (such as engaging in vigilantism) and generally wishing to do evil or harm to others. The transgressions borne of vengeance are among the most serious, including murder, assault, and in extreme cases, genocide. Wrath is the only sin not necessarily associated with selfishness or self-interest (although one can of course be wrathful for selfish reasons, such as jealousy, closely related to the sin of envy). Dante described vengeance as "love of justice perverted to revenge and spite". In its original form, the sin of wrath also encompassed anger pointed internally rather than externally. Thus suicide was deemed as the ultimate, albeit tragic, expression of wrath directed inwardly, a final rejection of God's gifts.


6. Envy (Latin, invidia)
Like greed, envy may be characterized by an insatiable desire; they differ, however, for two main reasons. First, greed is largely associated with material goods, whereas envy may apply more generally. Second, those who commit the sin of envy resent that another person has something they perceive themselves as lacking, and wish the other person to be deprived of it. Dante defined this as "love of one's own good perverted to a desire to deprive other men of theirs." In Dante's Purgatory, the punishment for the envious is to have their eyes sewn shut with wire because they have gained sinful pleasure from seeing others brought low. Aquinas described envy as "sorrow for another's good".

7. Pride (Latin, superbia)
In almost every list pride (or hubris or "vanity") is considered the original and most serious of the seven deadly sins, and indeed the ultimate source from which the others arise. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive than others, failing to acknowledge the good work of others, and excessive love of self (especially holding self out of proper position toward God). Dante's definition was "love of self perverted to hatred and contempt for one's neighbor." In Jacob Bidermann's medieval miracle play, Cenodoxus, pride is the deadliest of all the sins and leads directly to the damnation of the titulary famed Parisian doctor. In perhaps the best-known example, the story of Lucifer, pride (his desire to compete with God) was what caused his fall from Heaven, and his resultant transformation into Satan. Vanity and narcissism are prime examples of this sin. In Dante's Divine Comedy, the penitents were forced to walk with stone slabs bearing down on their backs in order to induce feelings of humility.


(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 27/02/2009)

Stress 'vis-à-vis' Ageing

The ageing of Presidents

President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete has commented more than once about the loneliness of the office of the President. He said once you are President, you are all alone and when you meet presidential staff during working hours, the answers that you get when you try to initiate a discussion is always ``Yes, Mr President.``

The incumbent President of the United Republic of Tanzania, now in his third year in power, still appears healthy and strong.

However, there is no doubt that the rigours of office, endless functions and state dinners, loss of friends and the weight of sensitive issues are having an impact on him.

A worried State House aide once confided: ``This President never rests. He has no weekends. He is always busy, meeting people until midnight.``

When he stepped into the conference hall at State House for his first press conference, a smiling, youthful president that he was, literally gliding as he walked, appeared ten years younger than his calendar age.

At the moment, the youthful look is somehow sustained, but there is less and less of the constant, natural smile that is his trade mark. At times, the smile appears a little bit official.

When you watch him closely, he is getting more and more of an elder, and his facial expression sometimes betrays the burdens of high office that he always carries.

Founder President Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere, when discouraging people not to rush to occupy the hot seat of power at State House, said:

``The State House is not a place to rush to. You have to pity the person who occupies that office because of its immense burdens.

When you are driven around, you see a lot of hungry people, whom you do not know how you can help.``

The aging of presidents has become the topic of the day in the United States, when Dr. Michael Roizen, founder of www.realage.com, stated that presidents can age at a rate of two years for every year they are in office.

An AFP dossier on the matter reads as follows: ``As one of the world`s most powerful and influential positions, the American presidency comes with a lot of control and prestige - but it also can bring premature aging.``

Talking about Bill Clinton, the report said: ``When he came into office, his real age was about six years younger than his calendar age.

When he finished, he was about 10 years older than his calendar age, and he had a bad heart.``

On George W. Bush, it stated: ``The last medical information we have on him is from March or April, but from what we can see, he was aging at a rate of two years for every one.

``Remember, he had a good exercise program, just as Barack Obama does, but the stress still takes its toll.``

Going back to African presidents, it is not easy to access to their health records, far less to know if they ever get sick.

There is a story concerning Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni (62), who celebrated his 23 years in office last month. Two years ago, he turned up for a meeting with President Kibaki in official dress but wearing sandals and socks.

The photo that appeared in the local Ugandan press raised question about this uncoordinated dress. The nearest speculation was that his foot had a problem but there was no official explanation about it.

Others argued that it wasn`t the first time the president did that to high profile guests, ruling out the possibility of any sickness.

However, there were those who suspected that whatever the problem was, it was related to ageing.

Several Dar es Salaam residents, who were invited to comment on the matter, generally agreed that the burden of the Presidency is unlike any other job.

However, Magesa Beno, (25) a University student, had different views. He said: ``Much as a President has a tough job, it does not reach a point whereby he can lose his weight because of workload. The president is assisted by advisers who give him a helping hand.``

Benno added: ``A president who leads a country with no political turmoil has nothing to worry about. How can his health deteriorate?

I really do not know why presidents should age quickly. Presidents should appear younger than their actual age.``

On the other hand, Macha Joseph (27), a marketing officer, commented: ``A president is full of stress because of the duties he has to attend to.

He has to look after all the officers under him. Sometimes, he becomes unpopular for mistakes committed by his subordinates, while others do not deliver to his level of satisfaction``

Joseph added that a district commissioner who recently spanked teachers in Bukoba ``could cause a president to run mad.``

“A crumbling economy is enough to make the president sorrowful. When the oil prices go up, his blood pressure goes up with the prices.

The most difficult thing is how to please his countrymen whenever natural and non-natural calamities occur,`` Joseph said, adding that acute shortage of food could upset the physical and psychological wellbeing of a president.

``Sometimes, he has to part with his friends on matters of principle. Do you think it is easy for President Kikwete to see senior people he knows languishing in remand prison?``

Another commentator, Amos Raimos (25), said a president had many responsibilities which could cause his health to deteriorate. ``When a country is at war, it is the president of that particular country who bears responsibility. In the first place, he is the one with the power to declare war.``

Rashid Gotta of Mwenge said: ``The opposition and NGOs may at times speak bad things about a particular country`s administration to the outside world thus smear a country`s democratic credentials abroad.

It takes a long time for a tarnished image of a country to come back to normal. A president has to stomach all such occurrences,`` he said.

Raymond Mtoha (24), an educational centre executive, had this to say: “There are times when the President’s orders are not implemented.

That could upset him.
“The current spate of albino killings could make a president go mad. The killings have smeared Tanzania’s human rights image.

How to normalize the situation is all vested in the hands of his administration.

He has to answer questions about the situation whenever he travels abroad. All these are a headache to a committed president like Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete.``

He added that scandals like those of EPA were enough to make a president become crazy.

Raymond Kichenje told The Guardian that he sympathized with presidents of developing countries like Tanzania. ``It is better for one to be a president of developed country than to be of a developing country,`` Kichenje said.

He added that it was very difficult to administer people in a poverty stricken country. ``In developing countries, everyone has a problem and thinks it is the president who is the cause of his or her misery.

In a country like ours, one can go to see the president just because he is not assured of his next meal.``

SOURCE: Guardian,
2009-02-26 11:03:54
By Bernard Mapalala and Lucas Lukumbo

Wednesday, 25 February 2009

Haters*

A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all
their time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.
They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever
good enough! When you make your mark, you will always attract some
haters…That’s why you have to be careful with whom you share your
blessings and your dreams, because some folk can’t handle seeing you
blessed…

It’s dangerous to be like somebody else…

If God wanted you to be like somebody else, He would have given
you what He gave them! Right? You never know what people have gone
through to get what they have.

The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but
they don’t know my story… If the grass looks greener on the other side
of the fence, you can rest assured that the water bill is higher there
too!

We’ve all got some haters among us! People envy you because you can:

Have a relationship with God
Light up a room when you walk in
Start your own business
Tell a man / woman to hit the curb (if he / she isn’t about the right thing)
Raise your children without both parents being in the home

Haters can’t stand to see you happy, Haters will never want to
see you succeed, Haters never want you to get the victory, most of our
haters are people who are supposed to be on our side. How do you handle
your undercover haters?

You can handle these haters by:

1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are *(VERY IMPORTANT!!)
2. Having a purpose to your life? Purpose does not mean having a job.
You can have a job and still be unfulfilled. A purpose is having
a clear sense of what God has called you to be. Your purpose is not
defined by what others think about you.
3. By remembering what you have is by divine prerogative and not
human manipulation. Fulfill your dreams!

You only have one life to live…when it’s your time to leave this earth,
you ‘want’ to be able to say, ‘I’ve lived my life and fulfilled
‘my’ dreams,… Now I’m ready to go HOME! When God gives you favor, you can
tell your haters, Don’t look at me…Look at Who is in charge of me…’

Maya Angelou

...............................................
*Hii poem/shairi imetungwa na mtunzi maarufu Maya Angelou. Mjue kuwa hata waMarekani weusi wanatatizo kubwa ya chuki na wivu. Msidhani hiyo tatizo iko Afrika tu!
*************************************************

Source: Chemi Che-Mponda Blog

Monday, 23 February 2009

Disability Discrimination should be eradicated!

Disability charities have expressed anger after a number of parents complained that a one-armed children's TV presenter was frightening their kids. Skip related content
Related photos / videos One-Armed CBeebies Host 'Scaring' Children Cerrie Burnell, who was born with one arm, began co-presenting Cbeebies 'Do And Discover' slot with Alex Winters last month.

She has a broad range of success as an actor, both in the theatre and on television.

But parents on online forums have claimed she 'frightens' their children.

Poster Barry wrote: "Is it just me, or does anyone else think the new woman presenter on Cbeebies (Cerrie Burnell) may scare the kids because of her disability?

"I didn't want to let my children watch the filler bits on the bedtime hour last night because I know it would have played on my eldest daughter's mind and possibly caused sleep problems... and yes, this is a serious post."

Other posters suggest the BBC employed Miss Burnell to 'score points' and accused the channel of positive discrimination.

But the vast majority of comments have offered support to the presenter, who they describe as 'lovely' and 'talented'.

"As for Cerrie, I think her being 'disabled' ensures that children are exposed to 'different' people and situations," wrote 'Caligula' on the Digital Spy forum.

Sue Stokes, from the charity Reach, said they were appalled by the negative reaction.

"We are appalled that parents are talking on behalf of their children," she said.

"Children don't notice the differences. The parents need to think about how they would feel if it were their child born without an arm.

"It is great for children with disabilities to see people like them on the television."

A BBC spokesman said nine official complaints had been made about Miss Burnell, who has a four-month-old daughter.

CBeebies controller Michael Carrington said she is 'warm and natural'.

"It's a big ask to entertain millions of children every day," he said.

"We think that in time all mums and dads and children will love her as much as we do."

Miss Burnell was disappointed by the criticism but welcomed the discussion.

"It can only be a good thing that parents are using me as a chance to talk disability with their children," she said.

"It just goes to show how important it is to have positive disabled role models on CBeebies and television in general."


source: yahoo news website

Nov 04, 2008: Remarks from Sen McCain

SEND JOHN McCAIN YOUR THOUGHTS

Remarks from Senator John McCain
November 4, 2008
Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.

My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer in my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day, though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

It is natural tonight to feel some disappointment, but tomorrow we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again. We fought as hard as we could.

And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.

I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends. The road was a difficult one from the outset. But your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I am especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign. I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign. All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude, and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also, of course, very thankful to Governor Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I have ever seen and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength. Her husband Todd and their five beautiful children with their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign. We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly month after month in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.

I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life. And my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

I would not be an American worthy of the name, should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century. Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama, I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.

And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history, we make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.



Paid for by McCain-Palin 2008
www.JohnMcCain.com



source: www.johnmccain.com

Monday, 16 February 2009

Uwanja Mpya wa Taifa uko tayari sasa

JK akabidhiwa Uwanja

Rais wa Serikali ya Jamhuri ya Watu wa China, Hu Jintao jana alizindua na kukabidhi Uwanja mpya wa Taifa ulioko, jijini, Dar es Salaam kwa serikali ya Tanzania.

Rais Jintao alikabidhi uwanja huo kwa Rais Jakaya Kikwete katika shughuli iliyofanyika uwanjani hapo kuanzia saa tisa alasiri.

Uzinduzi huo, ambao pia ulifanywa kwa pamoja na Rais Kikwete na kushuhudiwa na viongozi mbalimbali akiwemo Rais Mstaafu wa awamu ya tatu, Benjamin Mkapa, ulifanyika jijini Dar es Salaam jana.

Rais Jintao alisema ujenzi wa uwanja huo, ni kiashiria cha ushirikiano mkubwa uliopo kati ya serikali ya China na Tanzania na kwamba nchi yake imekuwa ikifadhili miradi mbalimbali ikiwemo ya sekta za uchumi, afya na miundombinu.

Akimkaribisha Rais Jintao kuzungumza na hadhara hiyo, Rais Kikwete, ambaye alizungumza kwa lugha mbili za Kiingereza na Kiswahili, aliishukuru Serikali ya China kwa msaada huo.

Alisema kuwa ujenzi wa uwanja huo ulifuatia ombi lililotolewa na Rais Mstaafu Mkapa, kwa Rais Jintao mwaka 1998 wakati alipofanya ziara nchini humo.

Alisema yeye ndiye aliyesaini mkataba huo wakati huo alikuwa ni Waziri wa Mambo ya Nje na Ushirikiano wa Kimataifa na leo hii ndiye aliyefungua kwa pamoja na Rais Jintao.

Alisema uwanja huo ni kumbukumbu nzuri ya kihistoria ya ushirikiano kati ya Serikali ya Jamuhuri ya Watu wa China na Tanzania.

Hafla hiyo ya takribani saa mbili ilipambwa na vikundi vya ngoma za kitamaduni, bendi ya muziki na nyimbo za kichina ambapo Rais Jintao na Rais Kikwete mara baada ya kumaliza kuzindua uwanja huo walipeana mikono na baadhi ya wasanii.

Mbali na hafla hiyo kushuhudiwa na Rais Mstaafu Mkapa, wengine walioshuhudia ni Waziri Mstaafu wa awamu ya Tatu, Fredrick Sumaye, mawaziri na viongozi wengine wa Serikali na chama.

Uwanja huo ulianza kujengwa mwaka 2005 una uwezo wa kuingiza watu wapatao 60,000, una vikolombwezo kibao vikiwamo televisheni kubwa, chumba cha kinachoweza kutumika ofisi ya Rais na vyoo vipatavyo 3000.


SOURCE: Nipashe 2009-02-16 10:04:36
By Sharon Sauwa

Friday, 13 February 2009

Charles Robert Darwin

Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882)

Throughout 2009, the BBC is celebrating the life and work of Charles Darwin with a variety of special programmes. Find out more at bbc.co.uk/darwin.


Charles Darwin was a British scientist who laid the foundations of the theory of evolution and transformed the way we think about the natural world.

Charles Robert Darwin was born on 12 February 1809 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire into a wealthy and well-connected family. His maternal grandfather was china manufacturer Josiah Wedgwood, while his paternal grandfather was Erasmus Darwin, one of the leading intellectuals of 18th century England.

Darwin himself initially planned to follow a medical career, and studied at Edinburgh University but later switched to divinity at Cambridge. In 1831, he joined a five year scientific expedition on the survey ship HMS Beagle.

At this time, most Europeans believed that the world was created by God in seven days as described in the bible. On the voyage, Darwin read Lyell's 'Principles of Geology' which suggested that the fossils found in rocks were actually evidence of animals that had lived many thousands or millions of years ago. Lyell's argument was reinforced in Darwin's own mind by the rich variety of animal life and the geological features he saw during his voyage. The breakthrough in his ideas came in the Galapagos Islands, 500 miles west of South America. Darwin noticed that each island supported its own form of finch which were closely related but differed in important ways.

On his return to England in 1836, Darwin tried to solve the riddles of these observations and the puzzle of how species evolve. Influenced by the ideas of Malthus, he proposed a theory of evolution occurring by the process of natural selection. The animals (or plants) best suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on the characteristics which helped them survive to their offspring. Gradually, the species changes over time.

Darwin worked on his theory for 20 years. After learning that another naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace, had developed similar ideas, the two made a joint announcement of their discovery in 1858. In 1859 Darwin published 'On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection'.

The book was extremely controversial, because the logical extension of Darwin's theory was that homo sapiens was simply another form of animal. It made it seem possible that even people might just have evolved - quite possibly from apes - and destroyed the prevailing orthodoxy on how the world was created. Darwin was vehemently attacked, particularly by the Church. However, his ideas soon gained currency and have become the new orthodoxy.

Darwin died on 19 April 1882 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.


source: bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/darwin_charles.shtml

Monday, 9 February 2009

Matokeo ya Mitihani kidato cha IV 2008

Kilimanjaro yafanya kufuru matokeo kidato cha nne

Shule za mkoa wa Kilimanjaro zimeongoza katika
kundi la shule 20 zilizofanya vizuri katika matokeo ya mtihani wa Taifa wa Kidato cha Nne yaliyotangazwa jana na Baraza la Taifa la Mitihani, ambayo mwaka huu ufaulu ni wa asilimia 75.8.

Taarifa ya Baraza hilo iliyotolewa kwa vyombo vya habari jana na kusainiwa na Katibu Mtendaji wake, Dk Joyce Ndalichako, jumla ya watahiniwa 233,848 walifanya mtihani huo Oktoba mwaka na waliofaulu ni 168,420.

Katika kundi la shule 20 bora zenye watahiniwa zaidi ya 35 na chini ya 35, mkoa wa Kilimanjaro umeingiza shule sita, ukifuatiwa na Iringa ambayo imeingiza shule nne Dar es Salaam, Singida, Pwani na Kagera zikiingiza shule mbili kila moja. Wakati Mbeya na Tanga zimeingiza shule moja kila moja.

Dk. Ndaliachako katika taarifa yake kinyume cha miaka ya nyuma ambayo hakufanya mkutano na waandishi wa habari kutoa tangazo hilo muhimu, imezitaja shule kumi bora zenye watahiniwa 35 au zaidi kuwa ni sekondari ya wasichana ya St. Francis ya mkoani Mbeya iliyoshika nafasi ya kwanza Marian Girls ya Pwani nafasi ya pili St. Joseph-Kilocha Seminari ya Iringa nafasi ya tatu Uru Seminari ya Kilimanjaro nafasi ya nne na Seminari ya Dungunyi mkoani Singida nafasi ya tano.

Nyingine ni Sekondari ya Wasichana ya Anwarite ya Kilimanjaro nafasi ya sita St. Mary Goreti ya Kilimanjaro nafasi ya saba Sekondari ya Wavulana ya Feza ya jijini Dar es Salaam nafasi ya nane Seminari ya Don Bosco ya Iringa nafasi ya tisa na sekondari ya Rosmini ya Tanga bafasi kumi.

Taarifa hiyo ilitaja shule kumi bora zenye watahiniwa chini ya 35 kuwa ni sekondari ya Scolastica ya Kilimanjaro iliyoshika nafasi ya kwanza.

Feza Girls ya Dar es Salaam nafsai ya pili
Brookebond ya Iringa nafasi ya tatu Bethelsabas Girls ya Iringa nafsai ya nne Maua Seminari ya Kilimanjaro nafasi ya tano Rubya Seminari ya Kagera nafasi sita St. Mary`s Junior seminari ya Pwani nafasi ya saba Katoke Seminari ya Kagera nafasi ya nane Kilomeni Sekindari nafasi ya tisa na St. Carolus ya Singida nafsai ya kumi.

Taarifa hiyo ilitaja shule kumi za mwisho zenye watahiniwa 35 au zaidi ambazo zimepangwa kuanzia ya kwanza hadi ya mwisho kuwa ni: Selembala ya mkoani Morogoro Kilindi ya Pemba Ngwachani ya Pemba Michiga mkoani Mtwara Ummussalama ya Pwani Chunyu ya Dodoma Busi Dodoma Uondwe pemba Nala ya Dodoma na Maawal ya mkoani Tanga.

Kwa mujibu wa taarifa hiyo shule kumi za mwisho zenye watahiniwa chini ya 35 ni Juhudi Academy ya Zanzibar, Mima ya Dodoma, Selenge ya Singida, Kijini ya Zanzibar, Kwamkoro ya Tanga, Kwala ya Pwani, Mtende ya Zanzibar, Ng\'oboko ya Shinyanga, Mbuzini ya Pemba na Sekondari ya Ufundi ya Mwadui Shinyanga.

Kati ya waliofaulu wasichana ni 76,472 na wavulana ni 91,948 na waliofeli mitihani hiyo ni 65,428.

Taarifa hiyo inaonyesha kuwa kuna ongezeko la watahiniwa 3,284 waliofaulu mtihani huo ikilinganishwa na idadi ya waliofaulu mwaka jana.

Hata hivyo, taarifa hiyo ilisema kuwa asilimia ya ufaulu inaonyesha kushuka kwa asilimia 10 kutoka asilimia 85.9 ya mwaka juzi hadi asilimia 75 kwa mwaka jana.

Katika ubora wa ufaulu, wavulana wameongoza kwa waliopata daraja la kwanza na kuwaacha wasichana mbali.

Takwimu za Baraza hilo zinaonyesha kuwa wavulana waliopata daraja la kwanza ni 3,743 wakati wasichana ni 1,578.

Katika matokeo ya mwaka 2007 wavulana waliopata daraja la kwanza walikuwa 4,349 wakati wasichana walikuwa 1,900.

Taarifa hiyo ilisema watahiniwa 41,018 waliofanya mtihani wamefaulu katika daraja la kwanza hadi la tatu ikilinganishwa na watahiniwa 44,348 waliopata madaraja hayo mwaka 2007.

Kwa upande wa ubora wa ufaulu katika masomo ya lazima, wavulana wameongoza katika kufaulu wakiwa ni 56,172 ikilinganishwa na wasichana 40,459 waliofaulu.

Katika somo la Hisabati wavulana waliofaulu ni 26,532 kati ya watahiniwa 85,625 wavulana waliofanya mtihani huo, wakati wasichana waliofaulu ni 11,145 kati ya wasichana 69,214 waliofanya mtihani huo.

Kwa upande wa somo la Kingereza wavulana waliofaulu ni 57,122 kati ya wavulana 86,158 waliofanya mtihani huo, wakati wasichana waliofaulu ni 41,314 kati ya wasichana 69,522 waliofanya mtihani huo.

Katika somo la Baiolojia wavulana waliofaulu ni 46,183 kati ya wavulana 85,510 waliofanya mtihani huo, wakati wasichana waliofaulu ni 25,385 kati ya 69,121 waliofanya mtihani huo.

Wavulana wameendelea kuongoza pia katika somo la Kiswahili ambapo waliofaulu somo hilo ni 69,051 kati ya wavulana waliofanya mtihani huo na wasichana waliofaulu ni 57,960 kati ya 69,512 waliofanya mtihani huo.

Kwa upande wa somo la Jiografia wavulana waliofaulu ni 55,449 kati ya wavulana 86,002 waliofanya mtihani huo wakati wasichana waliofaulu ni 36,256 kati ya wasichana 69,505 waliofanya mtihani huo.

Taarifa hiyo ilionyesha kuwa wavulana wameongoza pia katika somo la Civics ambapo waliofaulu walikuwa 56,172 kati ya wavulana 86,112 waliofanya mtihani huo, wakati wasichana waliofaulu ni 40,459 kati ya wasichana 69,527 waliofanya mtihani huo.

Kwa mujibu wa taarifa hiyo, ufaulu kwa masomo unaonyesha kuwa watahiniwa wamefanya vizuri zaidi katika somo la Kiswahili ambapo asilimia 81.5 ya watahiniwa wamefaulu.

Ufaulu katika somo la Hisabati uko katika kiwango cha chini ambapo ni asilimia 24.3 tu ya watahiniwa waliofaulu somo hilo.

Baraza hilo limesitisha matokeo ya watahiniwa 5,135 ambao hawajalipa ada ya mtihani na kwamba yatatolewa mara watakapolipa.

Pia limesitisha matokeo ya watahiniwa 495 kutokana na wakuu wa shule husika kutolipa ada ya watahiniwa pungufu ya 35 hadi hapo watakapolipa ada wanayodaiwa.

Baraza hilo pia limefuta matokeo ya watahiniwa 347 kwa kubainika kufanya udanganyifu katika mitihani.

(SOURCE: Nipashe, 2009-02-09 10:10:02 Na Joseph Mwendapole)

Mapinduzi ya kijeshi sio mazuri -Jakaya Kikwete

TAARIFA KWA VYOMBO VYA HABARI

RAIS Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete jana, Jumanne, Februari 3, 2009, alizima jaribio la kubadilisha msimamo wa Umoja wa Afrika kuhusu mapinduzi ya kijeshi katika Afrika, akisisitiza kuwa kamwe hakuna mapinduzi yoyote ya kijeshi mazuri duniani.



Katika mchango wake uliokatishwa zaidi ya mara nne kwa makofi na mamia ya wajumbe waliofurika katika Ukumbi wa UNCC-ECA mjini Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, kuhudhuria Mkutano wa 12 wa Kawaida wa Umoja wa Afrika (AU), Rais aliwaomba viongozi wenzake wa nchi za Afrika kuwa wakweli katika kujadili masuala muhimu ya maendeleo na ustawi wa Afrika.



Rais Kikwete aliungwa mkono katika hoja yake na baadhi ya viongozi waandamizi wa Afrika akiwamo Rais Idriss Deby wa Chad, Rais Yoweri Kaguta Museveni wa Uganda, na Waziri Mkuu wa Ethopia, Zenawi Meles na hivyo kukatisha mjadala huo.



Rais Kikwete aliingia kati kuzima jaribio hilo baada ya Mwenyekiti mpya wa AU, Kanali Muammar Gaddafi wa Libya, akiungwa mkono na Rais wa Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade kuwasilisha pendekezo kwenye mkutano huo wa kuzirejeshea tena uanachama nchi za Mauritania na Guinea, ambazo zimesimamishwa kwa sababu ya mapinduzi ya kijeshi.



Katika mchango wake, Rais Wade alisema kuwa mapinduzi hasa ya Guinea ni tofauti na mapinduzi mengine ya kijeshi, na kuwa utawala wa kijeshi wa nchi hiyo unaungwa mkono na wananchi.



Rais Wade alitoa uzoefu wake kuhusu utawala huo wa Guinea baada ya kuwa ametembelea nchi hiyo na kudai kuwa aliona jinsi wananchi wa nchi hiyo walivyozitokeza kwa wingi mitaani kumpokea na kuonyesha kuunga mkono utawala huo mpya.



Majeshi katika nchi hizo mbili yalitwaa madaraka katika Guinea na Mauritania mwaka uliopita wakati wa uenyekiti wa Rais Kikwete, ambaye mara moja aliamuru nchi hizo mbili kusimamisha uanachama wa AU kwa mujibu wa maamuzi ya viongozi wa nchi wanachama wa AU.



“Nawaombeni wenzangu tuwe wakweli katika kujadili mambo haya. Ni rahisi sana kwa jeshi kuwapanga watu mitaani na wakashangilia. Na hilo haliweza kuwa msingi wa kubadilisha uamuzi wa msingi kabisa wa Umoja huu,” alisema Rais Kikwete na kuongeza:



“Unaweza kufanya lolote ukiwa na bunduki, na niamini mimi kwa sababu nilipata kuwa jeshini. Chini ya utawala wa kijeshi, unaweza hata kuitisha kura ya maoni na kupata asilimia 99,9. Ndugu zangu hebu tuheshimu misingi mikuu ya Umoja wetu kama tulivyokubaliana.”



“Hakuna mapinduzi mazuri ya kijeshi, na lazima tukomeshe utamaduni wa mapinduzi ya kijeshi. Tusirudi nyuma katika miaka ile ya 1960 na 1970. Mtu anayetaka kuwa rais anatakiwa aingie katika siasa na kuomba ridhaa ya wananchi,” alisema, akisisitiza:



“Kama unataka kuwa Rais, unajiuzulu kutoka jeshini.. kama mimi nilivyofanya tena nikiwa na umri mdogo na sasa nimekuwa Rais. Isitoshe, hawa ni watu wanaosema kuwa watakuwa madaraka kwa muda mfupi…lakini angalia yule Lassana Conte wa Guinea aliahidi miaka miwili, akaishia akishikilia madaraka kwa miaka 24.”



Rais Kikwete, kwa hisia na ufasaha mkubwa alielezea historia ya mapinduzi katika Afrika, akitoa mifano ya karibuni zaidi ya mapinduzi katika nchi za Ivory Coast, Guinea, Madagascar na Mauritania. Mwishoni mwa mjadala hata Rais Gaddafi alibadilisha msimamo na kuunga mkono msimamo wa Rais Kikwete na wenzake.



Rais Kikwete aliungwa mkono mara moja na Rais Deby wa Chad ambaye aliwaambia viongozi wenzake: “Kama alivyosema Rais Kikwete, hakuna mapinduzi ya kijeshi mazuri. Tunapoteza muda tu kujadili jambo hilo ambalo tulikwishakulichukua uamuzi….tuache kuzungumzia suala hili, tunapoteza muda tu…”



Naye Rais Museveni alisema kuwa kazi ya jeshi ni kulinda amani ya nchi. “Sasa hawa badala ya kulinda amani ambao ndio wajibu wao wanajaribu kutawala nchi. Hakuna mapinduzi ya kijeshi mazuri na hayajawahi kutokea katika historia. Mapinduzi ya kijeshi ni jam bo lisilokuwa na maana. Ni jambo lisilokuwa na thamani.”



Alisisitiza: “Tokea mwaka 1963, tumekuwa na watu hawa wa kustajabisha…akina Idi Amin. Tutauua Umoja huu kwa mawazo na mijadala ya ovyo na ajabu kama hii. Tuyakatae mapinduzi katika Afrika…na kwenye hili tuko tayari kutofautiana. Hatuwezi kamwe kuzikubali Guinea na Mauritania kurudisha wanachama mpaka zitimize masharti.”



Museveni alisema kuwa yeye ana uzoefu wa kutosha wa kuendesha Serikali zote mbili, ya kijeshi na iliyoingia madarakani kwa kuchaguliwa na wananchi.



“Niamini mimi. Nimekuwa hata mpiganaji wa misituni (rebel). Lakini mchakato wa uchaguzi ni mzuri, unawalazimisha viongozi kufanya kazi. Lakini watu kama Gaddafi wanaukejeli…Ni muhimu kuwapo uchaguzi. Mimi nimeongoza serikali zote mbili, ya kijeshi na isiyokuwa ya kijeshi, najua ninachokisema,” alisisitiza Rais Museveni.



Naye Waziri Mkuu Meles alisema: “Pengine masuala haya ni muhimu lakini siyo ya lazima. Sisi ni viongozi tuache kushinda tunazunguka tu kuhusu hoja zisizokuwa na msingi na kuhusu suala ambalo tayari limeamuliwa. Tuwe na ajenda, vinginevyo tutakuwa sawa na wasusi wa nywele wa jadi katika Ethiopia, ambao kwa sababu wana muda tokea asubuhi hadi jioni, na kwa sababu hawana ajenda, huzungumzia jambo lolote linaloingia kichwani.”



“Hii ni mikutano ya kuzungumzia mambo muhimu na ya maana. Siyo nafasi ya kuja na kupiga picha kwa baadhi ya viongozi,” alisema Meles.

(source: www.tanzania.go.tz/pressrelease/Rais1.htm)