Mother's Day?

Mother's Day. Has it become commercialized?

By Barbara Scott

Today, March 14th, is Mother's Day. I am not sure whether this is celebrated in The Gambia but I know it is elsewhere in the world. I am not exactly sure of its origins but what I do know is that it is a day that no son or daughter would be forgiven for if they forgot it!!

I, sadly, no longer have a Mother but being one myself I can honestly say neither of my two sons have ever let me down. It is not that I expect anything from them but of course it is nice to know that they are thinking of me. The cards or flowers are lovely to receive but most of all it is 'the thought that counts'! Whilst I was shopping in our local town yesterday it was quite astonishing to see the amount of people, both young and old, carrying bunches of (very expensive!) flowers or colorful bags full of chocolates and goodies. Even the most unlikely people like the lad I saw who was covered in tattoos, had a shaven head and looked like the sort of person who even his mother couldn't love, was striding along with a bunch of daffodils (a yellow flower synonymus with Spring), clutching the biggest Mother's Day card I had ever seen! So, has this day become as commercialized as many people think? Yes, indeed it has but it always has been. Nobody has to buy all the expensive flowers or over priced chocolates or the huge cards but most do, no matter how their mother's protest that 'they don't want anything'!

My mother used to be content with a bunch of handpicked wild flowers that my sister and I had lovingly gathered on the day during a walk with our father through the woods near our home. I can still see now the tiny bunches of primroses and violets tied with a piece of ribbon that we used to make. We didn't have the money to buy flowers from the florist but our mother's face when we presented her with these offerings was a picture of happiness. That is what the day is all about. Showing someone who has cared for you and loved you, nurtured you, wiped away your tears, put up with your tantrums and is always there for you, that you love them very much even though through most of the year you don't show it!

BACK TO BASE

Remember in the beginning we jetted into the snow, we melted away at the United Nations where we were almost buried for most of the days in New York. At long last, when we've returned to the JFK airport, the story turned dramatically as 'Mother Nature' sturbornly interfered with our schedule thus leading to the cancelation of our flight.

When I could not understand myself, I turned at the bookstore within the airport to redicover my steam, Andrew Young's new and thought provoking book on the life and times of U.S Senator dogged in a serious sex scandal neatly stucked in the shelves. I quickly grabbed it and once again, read more about the side that we don't know about John Edwards.


I folded the books in my bag, carrying my laptop on one side, holding another plastic bag containing the remainin items required for Tv.

Here I'm back to base and trying to explain the story to the Gambian audience.

'My words were rightly written' - Barbara

My words were rightly written

After my article about the dangers of the social networking sites I felt perhaps I had sounded like a prophet of doom and slightly regretted writing it. However, I feel I am now vindicated because sadly my comments have proven to be only too true.

This week we have been reading here in England about the sad case of a 17 year old girl who was lured to her death by a serial rapist who 'befriended' her on Facebook. He posted an entirely false photograph and identity and, as a lonely and vulnerable teenager, she was taken in and persuaded to meet up with him with fatal and tragic results. It beggars belief that this man was able to hide his true identity, even though he was known to the police, due to our human rights laws! Even our Home Secretary has attacked the site for it's 'irresponsibility'. So what was set up originally as a way of people corresponding and chatting to one another has now become much more sinister. Obviously most people who are on these sites are genuine. Maybe they exaggerate or 'big up' themselves somewhat but only to attract more 'friends' (it has to be said mostly of the opposite sex) but it also has it seedier and more dangerous side which, I for one, find very disturbing. I sometimes despair of the culture of 'social networking' or rather what it is now becoming. Not something I want any part of at all even though I am always being urged to do so. I'll stick to writing my e-mails, phoning my friends and family for chats and ofcourse contributing to your blog.

Blogger's comments:

Well I just don't know whether we should call them 419 ners of cyber criminals, nowadays a lot of people are using the internet to engage in dubious activities. We, the younger generation find facebook, twitter and other social networking sites fascinating but the danger is that we might be communicating with the wrong people thus getting closer to their ulterior motives. Barbara's letter should definately serve as an eye opener for our readers.

Out but still IN

Two interns working at the United Nations Development Programme office in New York said they want to acquire experience while studying hard for their master's degrees in Political Science.

Coincidentally, the two are Africans; one from West Africa and East Africa - Ivory Coast and Ethiopia. I did not understand why they were hellbent on pursuing their post graduate degrees, I did not know where the inspiration was coming from until I set my eyes on these portraits fixed at the entrance of the main UN building.

A number of Africans have held respectable positions at the United Nations, when Egyptian diplomat Boutros Boutros Ghali occupied the post; it marked a turning point in the history of the United Nations at long last African from the Arab peninsular has been appointed to serve in most of the most highest offices on land. Boutros served at the UN from January 1992 to December 1996. May be those interns have been told that one of the best ways of serving the UN is to be armed with a Master's degree so that they too can make their mark like Ghali and Annan.

History was recorded again in 1997 when Kofi Annan another African from sub saharan Africa was appointed to take over from Boutros at the end of his tenure of office. While both of them have played their part very well depending on how you judge them, one can say without any iota of doubt they have stepped aside, working [possibly] in other fields. The point we want to hammer home is that at the United Nations history does not anyway forget them, their portraits and other S.Gs who had served before them are beautifully displayed prominently in the UN building.

History students, and the younger generation who were not fortunate to see them in action would look at them and say, 'this man is from Egypt and that man is from Ghana'

They are out but they are STILL IN.

Robert: THE STAR OF MANHATTAN

Excuse my clique but there is another side to the big apple I could not discover while I was in Africa. 'Where ever happens where ever you have good people there are of course bad ones'

What happened to me last Tuesday at the prestigious Millenium Manhattan Hotel made me to once again beleive that despite our frustrations and fears, the world is still a safe and reliable place to live in. I have been taking memorable pictures of New York City and a number of the people who had been depending on me to print the pictures once I return to the Banjul could not beleive it when I told them the digital camera was lost.
Somehow, I thought all was lost until our Gambian cab driver told me to be optimistic, adding that I would surely see it because nothing in Manhattan get lost. The area, he went on was highly sophiscated for a small digital like the one I'm holding to get lost. The next day when I return to the Millenium Hotel, I told the Commonwealth official that I could not send the photos I had taken because my camera was lost...

Somehow one of my colleagues returned from the lobby, only to tell me to come forward and identify my camera from one Mr. Robert who is a doorman at the Millenium Hotel. I understand from the man that the camera was found on top of the metal bars standing close to the main gate of the hotel. Wow! I exclaimed, I got another man who told me another side of the U.S. Who knows what will happen before I leave the U.S?

THINK AGAIN

The hidden perils of social networking sites.

'I am amazed at how indiscrete some of these postings can be. It is almost as if the person making them has forgotten that they can be read by anyone who has access to their site.' writes Barbara Scott

For someone like me who loves to correspond via the internet and enjoys socialising and exchanging ideas with others, you would think that I would embrace the chance to join a social networking site. Not so! Many of my friends keep asking me to join them on Facebook and are bemused by my refusal to do so. They know that I am computer literate (after having been used to working with them for years) and that I am an avid e-mailer who regularly sends them photos and anecdotes about my life so they don't understand my reluctance. The reason for my reticence is that I have seen too much trouble caused by people 'posting' things on sites such as this in haste and with a total disregard for the consequences.

I am amazed at how indiscrete some of these postings can be. It is almost as if the person making them has forgotten that they can be read by anyone who has access to their site. There have been many cases in England of employers spying on their employees by logging into their Facebook account and finding inappropriate remarks made about their bosses. This has often resulted in them being dismissed. Also prospective employers often do a search to see if the candidates are suitable for the job they are applying for. So I would suggest that anyone who is signed up to, or is thinking of signing up to, one of these so-called 'social networking' sites be cautious about what they put on them. I am sure it can be a fun thing to belong to and believe me I have been tempted myself to join up and have a peek at what is going on in this strange world but I think it is slightly voyeuristic and it doesn't sit comfortably with me. Perhaps it is an age thing. It seems to me that it is a bit like what my mother would have called: "Hanging out your dirty washing in public"!

I was once advised by a very wise old headmaster of mine never to put anything in writing that you wouldn't want your parents to read. At the time, being young and rebellious, I dismissed this as 'teacher speak'. However, having seen the havoc that casual and careless remarks can cause, both legally and emotionally, I would say that he was very right to advise me thus. Used wisely there is probably a lot to gain by becoming part of this world but in the wrong hands there is also a great deal to to be lost.

'Hold it, it is Holi again'

Due to the increasing number of letters we've been receiving through email, I could not help but reply to some of my Indian friends who reminded us about India's social festival otherwise known as 'Holi'.

Last year at this time, I could vividly remember the long walk we made to the Jawarhalal Nehru University and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication where we had stayed while pursuing the Development Journalism programme.

On that day unlike the typical atmosphere we usually see on campus when some of my colleagues would complain bitterly about the attitude of some of the Indians towards the foreign students. The streets were littered with colours, we were told that every March, Indians from various walks of life converged on various locations and display their colours, some would even sprinkle it on you.

For me that day was important at least if anything it symbolised the cultural diversity that virtually every Indian talk about, and above all it was a day full of smiles, dancing and refreshing moments even for lecturers and foreigners. And some people went to suggest that once a girl sprinkle colours on you, then it means she has chosen you. True or false, I don't know.