HUMOR - Vlog Project with Dad FAIL

CULTURE/SOCIETY - 37 Things You’ll Regret When You’re Old

They say youth is wasted on the young. Are you wasting yours?

1. Not traveling when you had the chance.

Traveling becomes infinitely harder the older you get, especially if you have a family and need to pay the way for three-plus people instead of just yourself.

3. Staying in a bad relationship.

No one who ever gets out of a bad relationship looks back without wishing they made the move sooner.

5. Missing the chance to see your favorite musicians.

"Nah, dude, I'll catch Nirvana next time they come through town." Facepalm.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/37-things-youll-regret-when-youre-old

HUMOR - Great motivation speech!

Georgia Tech Sophomore Nick Selby gave incoming freshmen 10 tips for success. This is the epic ending that is going viral. This speech was given at Georgia Tech Convocation on August 18, 2013.

CULTURE/SOCIETY: Two Sikh Men, Two Lifetimes Of Looking Different

The tragic shooting at a Sikh house of worship in Wisconsin this month has turned the spotlight on the Sikh faith and the nation's Sikh community.

Earlier this year, Surinder Singh and his son Rupinder visited a StoryCorps booth in San Francisco, where they reflected on their own experiences standing out among their peers and neighbors.

http://m.npr.org/story/4516989?url=/series/4516989/storycorps

MY LIFE (and ENTERTAINMENT): My Daughter And “Her Nerds”

Since time immemorial, as far back as anyone can remember, from the dawn of the cave dwellers, a particular group has been picked on and mistreated by the mighty and the popular.

This group has been known by many names - “geeks”, “dorks”, “spazzes”, “losers”... and most notably “nerds”.

But in ONE school, this arrangement is changing! In one school, ONE girl is standing up and saying “No more!”

This is THE story of that girl!


Okay, my daughter isn't heroic as all that... although his friends might disagree. But has seemed to change the way that at least her friends at school are treated.

And what got me started thinking so much about my daughter and “her nerds” was the song below...



I, myself, could relate to this song quite well. I'd been on both sides of the equation, picked on and ignored, as well as ignoring others who were picked on. I'm not proud of that, but I'd be a liar if I told you otherwise.

But my daughter... now there's a completely different story. Although she picked up my compassion, she fortunately also picked up her mother's feistiness and confidence.

And one time when I was listening to this song, I imagined what it would be like if my daughter was the main character of this tale.


Things would be different from the start, I can tell you that!

That first day after the bicycle race, which my daughter would do her damnedest to win, she would go up to that James and say, “Hi, I'm J---. You're going to be my new best friend. What's your name?” It seems like she does this to almost every new nerd that joins her school. Like she's the school's nerd-welcoming committee.

And if the guy wondered what was going on and who the heck she was, she'd just say, “I told you! I'm J---, and you're going to be my new best friend.”

And if the guy should protest and say he doesn't need a new friend or something, she would inform him that's “Too bad!”


Come lunch the first day, James would find himself suddenly surrounded by my daughter and her friends, who she refers to as “my nerds”. My daughter would play master of ceremonies introducing the new nerd to the rest of the group.

Do they know that she calls them “my nerds”? Apparently so. Have they complained about being called that? My daughter told me they did. Her response? “Too bad!”


If James and my daughter went for a walk like they did in the song, she would probably talk with him about being from a divorced home.

But if he tried to tell her that her music was junk, she would most definitely put him in his place.

And soon as he brought up The Sex Pistols... oh boy!

She'd rip into him about how he listens to that old awful crap her dad does! And probably ask him with a sneer if he listens to Violent Femmes and Devo too. And then she'd tell him about how there is new music out there! And that teenagers should be listening to their own music, not their parents'!

Have to admit my daughter has a point on teenagers who listen to their parents' music and nothing from their generation. That's just wrong and kind of sad!


Now, if three guys started picking on James, this would definitely turn out differently!

As my daughter explained: “One guy would find himself himself pushed to the ground. Another would find his face slammed into a locker. And the third would find himself with his arm twisted very far behind him.” Then after a pause, and with a bit pride, “All things I have done to people who have picked on my nerds!”

I should say here that my daughter is not a big girl. She gets some of her stature from her petite, five foot tall mother. But then her mother doesn't take crap from anyone either!

My daughter is apparently known as “the psycho girl who hangs out with the nerds”. And most bullies, it seems, have learned not to mess with her friends.


I will freely admit that I am quite proud of my daughter, The Great Protector Of Nerds. She has the confidence and looks to be part of the popular crowd, but is unwilling to make the compromises. “They're boring! All they talk about are boys, clothes and their hair! Ugh!” Instead she hangs out with the group that willingly accepts all her quirks and eccentricities. And they get a good return investment for letting her in there! Not that she'd give them a choice!

MY LIFE: My Daughter Must Have Had Fun

This started out as a tweet for my Twitter page, but it just became too long. - OlderMusicGeek

Well, my daughter obviously had fun at the overnight camping trip that her after school program had organized. I don't think they camped per se, but rather slept in cabins. But I don't know because I haven't had a chance to talk to her about it. Why haven't I had a chance? Well, let me tell you.

She got home yesterday afternoon and went to her mom's place. I went over to her mom's place later in the early evening to pick her up.

I knocked on the door and there was no answer. So I knocked again. Still no answer. I texted my daughter letting her know I was there. No reply. I called her cell. I got the voice mail. I called her mom's land line. I got the answering machine. I left a message saying I had been there and that I'd see her at home. - I only live a block away. - I tried knocking one more time, but of no avail.

My daughter had sent me a text earlier in the day asking if she could spend the night with a friend. So I called the friend's mother. She said my daughter wasn't there and hadn't even heard about her spending the night. She asked me worriedly where I thought my daughter could be. I casually said she probably just fell asleep and didn't hear me knock.

And sure enough, 45 minutes later, my daughter comes strolling into our apartment saying she had fallen asleep and didn't hear me knock... or call... or text. I told her I assumed as much and didn't worry about then.

Unfortunately, somebody did. We got a call about a half hour later from the mother of the friend asking with concern if I heard from my daughter and knew where she was. I told her she was home and had fallen asleep before, and I apologized for not letting her know.

As for my daughter, when she got to my place, she immediately plopped on the couch and watched tv... and fell asleep shortly thereafter. I suggested she go to her bedroom and watch tv there... twice. Both times, she mumbled something back incomprehensible and fell asleep again within ten minutes.

The third time, I finally made her get up and go to her bedroom.

Then when I went to bed, I checked in on her. She lying fully dressed on a pile of blankets with her glasses on and her mouth open and a bit of dribble coming down. I grabbed what bit of the blanket was loose and covered her up. That woke her up enough to take off her glasses and get covered properly.

And she continued to sleep until I had to leave for work at 7:30 the next morning when I woke her to send her to her mom's. And she barely woke up then!

More posts on my daughter

CULTURE/SOCIETY: My "Tweets" From Twitter

juice_brianne - @OlderMusicGeek I thought I did! Got to start the Register folks off easy, with people they know, I think. 07:49 PM July 23, 2008 from web in reply to OlderMusicGeek @juice_brianne - didn't see you responded to my quip of not including me on list of twitters to follow - see how important it was to me! 06:59 PM July 23, 2008 from web in reply to juice_brianne when leaving africa, i told a friend that mandela was in prison when i got there and was now president-he quipped that our work was done! 06:28 PM July 22, 2008 from web
blog on mandela memories when living near south africa-http://tinyurl.com/57fua7 06:27 PM July 22, 2008 from web
somebody's been staying too late too many nights at a work. there was a mattress in garbage bin at work! 04:46 PM July 22, 2008 from web
@istacie - pandora rules! i even got my daughter into it - and she think it's great! and she doesn't think much of my stuff is great! 05:55 PM July 21, 2008 from web in reply to iStacie
istacie - loving Pandora 10:31 AM July 21, 2008 from web yay! washed clothes and blankets today! haven't put any away... but they're washed. and i got back in time for my guest who didn't show! 10:36 PM July 20, 2008 from web
overheard at work yesterday-"he doesn't have any hair to pull!" "bet he does..." "not going there!" i told the co-worker that she's evil! 08:04 PM July 19, 2008 from web
hey, it's ntate madiba's birthday! if anyone deserves a long life, he does! heck just to make up for 27 years in prison! 09:18 PM July 18, 2008 from web
since i don't know zulu, i'll have to use sesotho - likhomo tseo le manamane a tsona! 09:18 PM July 18, 2008 from web
can tell LOTS of young people use twitter. they've all seen dark knight on the first night! i haven't even seen iron man! 09:17 PM July 18, 2008 from web
@duanewilliams - there's still places you can go without technology. technology isn't far away, but most of the people can't afford it! 09:12 PM July 18, 2008 from web in reply to duanewilliams duanewilliams - @c0nt0iswayne, where can one go in the world and escape technology? And why would one want to do that? Tyler won't be able to call you? 9:10 PM July 18, 2008 from web in reply to c0nt0iswayne
yay! my zune is working! and only after 2 or 3 hours on the phone with the zune people! never again! the next one is an ipod! 09:07 PM July 18, 2008 from web
@sushiday - grey hair at 21? that's what college will do to you! 07:52 PM July 17, 2008 from web in reply to sushiday sushiday - Just found my first grey hair. At the ripe old age of... 21. *sigh* 05:03 PM July 17, 2008 from twhirl
left my webcam out and my daughter found it. less than a day later, it's broken! 01:07 PM July 17, 2008 from web
let our cat in the apartment building hallway when i wash clothes, but she knows that soon as the washer starts to go back in the apartment! 04:13 AM July 17, 2008 from web
other day, our cat was in the hall. my daughter yelled "in" at it. it looked at her like she was crazy. i yelled "in" and the cat zoomed in! 07:22 PM July 16, 2008 from web
@juice_brianne - congrats on you and joe getting the apartment and taking the big step! good luck! 07:08 PM July 16, 2008 from web in reply to juice_brianne juice_brianne - JOE AND I GOT THE APARTMENT!!! 11:34 AM July 16, 2008 from web quietrevolution - @OlderMusicGeek I am still working on figuring out what makes some music, such as much of the Clashs timeless, so my bands can copy! SEH =A+ 11:27 AM July 15, 2008 from web in reply to OlderMusicGeek juice_brianne - @oldermusicgeek Aw, don't be sore! just trying to teach the register people about this 07:21 AM July 15, 2008 from web in reply to OlderMusicGeek
last week, someone said i was tired on saturday-4th of july was friday-and sick monday and tuesday. asked if i had an internet hottie! 03:59 AM July 15, 2008 from web
i told her that i did have an internet hottie, but that angeline and i were trying to figure out how to break it to brad! 03:58 AM July 15, 2008 from web
daughter said, "no offense, dad, but i don't think you could get someone like angeline jolie." she doesn't like overweight data entry folk? 03:57 AM July 15, 2008 from web
@juice_brianne - you didn't recommend following me! i'm so crushed! 03:51 AM July 15, 2008 from web in reply to juice_brianne

@quietrevolution -great song for a fave. i think my fave clash song is safe european home. i just love the harmonies and how it still rocks! 03:42 AM July 15, 2008 from web in reply to quietrevolution

quietrevolution - Hes in love with rocknroll woaahh Hes in love with gettin stoned woaahh Hes in love with JOI G But he dont like his boring job, no. Fav song 07:22 PM July 14, 2008 from web

juice_brianne - @reg_jennifer I recommend following @DMRegister, @dmjuice, @kmunson, @notcarol, @cynthiareynaud for starters! 05:51 PM July 14, 2008 from web in reply to Reg_Jennifer

A link to my Twitter page

CULTURE/SOCIETY and SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY: Oh Baby That Prius Turns Me On Sooooo Much

Well, here are two pieces that I saw on the same topic. - OlderMusicGeek

The Science Friday Blog: New Teen Idol: Hybrid Cars
posted by Ira Flatow on Thursday, May 22 2008

My teenage daughter blew me away last week. She told me that the car that she drives to school has become the "must ride" car in the parking lot, the sexiest, hottest car in the school. The car kids all wanted to jump into.

What was that car? Some souped up, high torque convertible? Nope. It was our three year old Prius hybrid. The car that gets 40 miles per gallon.

As I say, I couldn't believe it. Wow. "Are you kidding your old dad?" "Nope. We drive the hottest car."

If there was any sign of a genuine paradigm shift, it must be this one. Teens and their cars are legendary indicators of national trends and moods. And if the depth of the growing energy crisis is reaching down to the teen/car level, the problem must be even more serious than we thought. Or, we are not giving our kids enough credit for being savvy consumers, who are ahead of us on the energy curve.

I choose to believe it is the latter. It's a ray of hope in this energy morass.

A link to the original post in The Science Friday Blog
A link to The Science Friday Blog itself


EcoGeek: EcoGeeks get all the girls
By Hank Green
Posted Wed May 28, 2008 1:59am PDT

Just in case you needed another reason to care about the environment: It turns out girls dig guys who dig environmental technology.

According to a study conducted by GM as part of this year's Challenge X competition:

• Nearly 9 in 10 women (88 percent) say they'd rather chat up someone who owns the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car.

• Eighty percent of American car buyers would find someone with the latest fuel-efficient car more interesting to talk to at a party than someone with the latest sports car.

• More than 4 out of 10 (45 percent) 18- to 43-year-olds say it's a fashion faux pas nowadays to have a car that's not green or environmentally friendly.

Little did we know we've been fashionable all along! (OK, maybe not me - I'm still tooling around in my old Sentra.) No one seems to have told 80 percent of America that it's actually greener to keep driving your current car than to invest in buying a new one.

Nonetheless, this study is good news. And when I buy my first new car (never!), I'll be sure to let everyone know how green it is.

GM's Challenge X is a yearly competition among college students to make GM vehicles more efficient. This year's competition had students from 17 universities "re-engineering" Chevy's Equinox to make it more efficient and reduce its greenhouse impact, while retaining consumer appeal.

Solutions the students put together included using alternative propulsion systems like fuel cells and hybrid technologies, and using alternative fuels like biodiesel and ethanol.

This year's winners are from Mississippi State. They increased the fuel economy of the Equinox by almost 40 percent with a hybrid-electric biodiesel engine.

That's hot.

Via press release

A link to the original article

CULTURE/SOCIETY: Latest "Tweet" from Twitter

to help my ex - who's going to school days and working nights - i agree to take our daughter tues-sat night! ugh! no weekends for a while! about 1 hour ago from web

A link to my Twitter page

CULTURE/SOCIETY: When and When Not to Say I Love You with a Tween Daughter

This is from me, not reprinted from somewhere else. - OlderMusicGeek.

A while back, my daughter and I were running late. I dropped her off at her school's front door. As she ran out of the door, I yelled, “Bye, I love you!”

My daughter ran to the front door, but stopped half way, walked back to the car, and knocked on the window.

Thinking she forgot something, I lean over and open her door. I look at her quizzically.

She leans her head, looks at me, and says, “Um, yeah... I would appreciate if you wouldn't yell that.”

Then she closed the door and headed back to school.


But I found this can be used to my advantage.

My daughter and I were in a store and got into a kicking fight. I had had enough and told her so – of course, after I got in the last kick! :)

My daughter, obviously, did not want to leave it there and tried to kick me again.

I told her, “If you kick me one more time, I'm taking you to the front of the store, giving you a big hug and telling everyone here just how much I love you!”

She put her hands up in surrender, stepped back and said, “Okay, okay, I'm done!”

A man next to us laughed when he heard that.


Unfortunately, I found that this is practiced with sexual discrimination.

When I pick my daughter up at her mother's, she is always shouting, “Bye, Mom, I love you.” And her mother yells back that she loves her too.

So I asked her why her mother can yell I love you, but I can't.

“Yeah.... That's because she's Mom and you're Dad.”

“So just because she's Mom, she can yell I love you and hug you?”

“Well, not in public!”

So apparently there is a limit even for Mom!


Oh, and my darling daughter, if you're reading this,

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And big hugs to you too!

CULTURE/SOCIETY: My Daughter as Prey (Don't Be Sick People!)

This is from me, not some reprinted article. - OlderMusicGeek

My daughter, a while back, was talking about how her and her classmates learned of the dog breed known as the shih tzu.

Of course, they had a blast with that. Apparently, making the usual jokes of stepping in a shih tzu and what-not.

So I told my daughter, "It's a good thing that you guys didn't hear about the breed, fukka tu."

My daughter looks at me really shocked and surprised. "Is there really a breed like that?!"

Not being able to keep a straight face, I told her no and waved her off.


But this reminded me of a time when she was much younger. We were driving on the interstate and we saw some cows.

"Look, Daddy, cows!" shouted my daughter in excitement.

"Oh yeah, I see them," I answered in mock excitement.

"Are those real cows?"

"Oh, no. The real cows died years ago and have been replaced by robot cows."

With some confusion, my daughter went, "Ohhh."

But my then wife happened to be in the car and she called me on it. She might not have known that much about America, but she wasn't about to accept robot cows!

So I had to admit to my daughter that the cows were real.


When I told some co-workers about these two incidents, one of them said, "She's not your daughter! She's your prey!"

CULTURE/SOCIETY: 1967 Vs 2007

I have received this piece of crap in the mail at least 3 times now, if not 4. So the next person who sends it to me is getting this as their response. My responses are in italics. - OlderMusicGeek

1967 vs. 2007

Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.

1967 - Vice principal comes over to look at Jack's shotgun. He goes to his own car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.

2007 - School goes into lock-down, and FBI is called. Jack is hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

This is, of course, so silly. What kind of idiot thinks a kid would use a gun on other kids in school. Everybody knows that could never really happen.

And even if it did, nobody would blame the principal for letting a kid have a gun at the school!

And people are traumatized, who cares. Let them fail classes or be too frazzled to teach properly!

These are the same kind of idiots who want us to spend money reinforcing buildings because they actually think someone would fly an airplane into them!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1967 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends.

2007 - Police called. SWAT team arrives. Johnny and Mark are arrested and charged with assault. Both are expelled even though Johnny started it.

Yeah, let kids fight. We know that's the best way to solve our problems. Especially since kids carry knives and guns now.

And Mark was probably perfectly innocent anyway. Like when kids fight in a family. We know ONLY ONE is COMPLETELY at fault!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1967 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He returns to class, sits still, and does not disrupt class again.

2007 - Jeffrey is diagnosed with A.D.D. and given huge doses of Ritalin. Be comes a zombie. School gets extra money from State because Jeffrey has a learning disability.

Once again, we all know violence is the only way to solve a problem!

And we know all kids on Ritalin are zombies and never do better in class.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his dad gives him a whipping with his belt.

1967 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.

2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is placed in foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist convinces Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself, and their dad goes to prison. Billy's Mom has affair with psychologist.

Like I said, violence is of course the answer. It's better for a kid to grow up with a parent who beats the crap out of him than with foster parents. Everybody knows that!

And all that abuse is just made up anyway! It never really happens. And when one kids, we know that the others are almost never abused. The abuser just concentrates on one.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scenario: Mark has a headache and brings some aspirin to school.

1967 - Mark takes aspirin in lunchroom and headache goes away.

2007 - Police called. Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. Car is searched for drugs and weapons.

These idiots who thinks kids would use a gun on other students also think that kids would bring drugs in aspirin bottles and share them with other kids. Where do they get this crazy stuff?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scenario: Pedro fails English in high school.

1967 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given a diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.

Well, of course, all the foreigners who have come American never learned English here. That's why we all speak Lakota and Apache and Hopi.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a fire ant hill.

1967 - Ants die.

2007 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Homeland Security, and FBI called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates parents; siblings are removed from home; computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad goes on Terror Watch List and is never allowed to fly again.

I love having kids blow things up. Nothing like losing a few fingers to learn a lesson!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher who hugs him to comfort him.

1967 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2007 - Teacher is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces three years in state prison. Johnny undergoes five years of therapy.

Once again, these same fools who think kids would shoot at other kids and give other kids drugs – think that a teacher could do something sexual towards a student. When have we ever heard of anything like that happening?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

AND PEOPLE WONDER WHY THIS COUNTRY IS SUCH A MESS ... DUHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Exactly duh! Don't people know that running from guns, getting beaten up by bullies and parents, getting addicted to drugs, and sexually abused builds character! Sheesh!

CULTURE/SOCIETY: Holiday Gifts Pave the Way to Self-Sufficiency

This was a Christmas article I found using Netvibes. It got the article from Topix, which got it from Irin. If that doesn't make sense, don't worry about it.

Anyway, the article involves the country in Africa that I lived in for a few years. So I reprinting the parts about the country here. You can click here if you link to the complete article. - OlderMusicGeek

Holiday gifts pave the way to self-sufficiency

TURUPU, 24 December 2007 (IRIN) - When Mamanuel Rampai heard she would receive a free pig for Christmas a few years ago, purchased by an anonymous donor in the US through an aid group's online gift catalogue, she all but dismissed the present.

But the gift, a seven-month-old sow named Pinki, has since made her a role model for other pig farmers in her rural community. "I've learned so much about how to care for them, because they've become a livelihood," Rampai, 43, told IRIN.

Rampai lives in Turupu, one of Lesotho’s many remote mountainous villages and used to survive on the occasional sale of a chicken and during periods of drought was dependent on international food aid. Her life mirrored the economic stagnancy of the other 80 families in her village, hard hit by the combined effects of poverty, food insecurity and HIV/AIDS.

"Life was difficult for my family," she said in front of the cinder-block home she shares with her seven children. "School fees cost 1,300 Maloti (US$194) per child per year. I couldn't pay for all of them to go to school every year."

Rampai's fortunes changed when the international charity World Vision gave her Pinki. In the last 16 months, Pinki's proven to be an income-generating resource, producing 24 piglets, which Rampai has sold at various points of development to earn between 150 Maloti (US$21) and 1,000 Maloti (US$145) each.

"I never expected I could earn this much by raising pigs," Rampai said in front of Pinki's sty.

Funds for Pinki were donated through World Vision's gift catalogue – which allows charitable shoppers to 'buy' symbolic presents for impoverished communities. An individual donor can choose dairy goats in Malawi, alpacas in Ecuador, and in this case – pigs in Lesotho. A charitable online shopper in the US clicked their mouse and paid $195 to cover the cost of the pig, which World Vision then granted to Rampai.

Changing lives
The grants though are not symbolic for beneficiaries such as Rampai. Next year, she expects to have the funds for her 20-year-old daughter to complete high schooling and hopes that her daughter will continue her education at a university in neighbouring South Africa the following year.

She's also sees hope for her own future. "I want to have a highly improved life when I am an old lady, so my life gets easier in old age," said Rampai.

Nine other families in her village were given pigs at about the same time. So far, they've given or sold a number of piglets to needy neighbours, and sold older offspring to the slaughterhouse in the capital, Maseru. In little more than a year, the group has raised 10,000 Maloti (US$1,445). A portion of this is used to support the village's five children orphaned by HIV/AIDS with school uniforms and materials – a condition all recipients agreed to when they received the pigs. The rest of the earnings are divided between them.

Village chief Mathato Leluma told IRIN these were the area's first entrepreneurs. "The way they are regularly feeding the pigs, and even fetching water from far away during the drought. It shows they're determined to make it a success."

However, the grant project has created tensions within the village. "When we see that people are jealous, we encourage them to form the same kind of group," said villager Molulela Ramanyaka, 29. "And we ask them to buy our pigs."

Other members are dreaming big; they see Turupu becoming a key pig farming community in the coming years.

"Right now, we have to go all the way to Maseru to reach a slaughterhouse. That's two hours away," said 38-year-old Makhabela Macheli. "My wish is that in 10 years we'll build our own slaughterhouse to serve this area. And, yes, I want to be the boss."

Sustainable growth
World Vision Lesotho says of all its operations, the small capital investments supported by the gift catalogue are the most life-changing, because they are run by individual families.

"This project is strong on sustainability because it targets the household," said Hape Matli, operations director of World Vision Lesotho. "Everyone takes care of their own projects, compared to when we pool people together."

World Vision still supplies feed for the pigs. Matli says she would like to design a model in the future where beneficiaries take full financial ownership of the project more quickly, which may entail more training in business skills. Matli said group members often do not know the fair market value of their livestock, so they may not earn as much as they deserve.

"If I could talk to the donor in America who made this possible, one thing I'd say is that I'm very thankful for the help they've given us. Because this has improved our lives," Rampai told IRIN.

gw/go/tdm
Theme(s): (IRIN) Economy, (IRIN) Food Security

A link to the complete article at the Irin website

A link to all my Christmas and holiday posts

Happy Christmas and/or Boxing Day and/or Kwanzaa and/or Hannakah and/or Bodhi Day and/or Sanghamitta Day and/or Shabe Cheleh and/or Makara Sankranti and/or Junkanoo and/or Dong Zhi and/or Toji and/or Soyal and/or Yule and/or Seva Zistane and/or Alban Arthan and/or Long Night and/or Mean Geimrech and/or Brumalia and/or Dies Natalis Solis Invicti and/or Saturnalia and/or Lenaea and/or Wren Day and/or Tekufah Tevet and/or Winter Solstice and/or ChriFSMas and/or any other December or winter solstice holidays i missed!

Oh, and Bah Humbug to those who don't celebrate the holidays! :)

HUMOR and CULTURE/SOCIETY: American History Quiz

Yeah, I still clearing out my emails! This one is from Ernest T Spoon. - OlderMusicGeek

It was the first day of school and a new student named Pedro Martinez entered the fourth grade.

The teacher said, "Let's begin by reviewing some American history. Who said 'Give me Liberty, or give me death?'"

She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Pedro, who had his hand up. "Patrick Henry, 1775."

"Very good!" apprised the teacher. "Now, who said, 'Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth?'"

Again, no response except from Pedro: "Abraham Lincoln, 1863."

The teacher snapped at the class, "Class, you should be ashamed! Pedro, who is new to our country, knows more about its history than you do!"

She heard a loud whisper: "Screw the Mexicans!"

"Who said that?" she demanded.

Pedro put his hand up. "Jim Bowie, 1836."

At that point, a student in the back said, "I'm gonna puke." The teacher glared and asked, "All right! Now, who said that?"

Again, Pedro answered, "George Bush to the Japanese Prime Minister, 1991."

Now furious, another student yelled, "Oh yeah? Suck this!"

Pedro jumped out of his chair waving his hand and shouting to the teacher, "Bill Clinton to Monica Lewinsky, 1997!"

Now, with almost mob hysteria, teacher said, "You little jerk. If you say anything else, I'll kill you!"

Pedro frantically yelled at the top of his voice, "Gary Condit to Chandra Levy 2001."

The teacher fainted, and as the class gathered around her on the floor, someone said, "Oh, we're in BIG trouble now!"

Pedro whispered, "Saddam Hussein, 2003."

Finally a student threw an eraser at Pedro, someone else shouted "Duck!"

The teacher, just waking, asked "Who said that?"

Pedro responded "Dick Cheney 2006!"