A Joke a day keeps the doctor away! (07-01-13)

A young man sat close to a lady in a commuter bus. The man sensed an opportunity to 'catch' a friend; so he greeted the lady and tried to strike a conversation. He asked the lady several questions and the lady would only reply with short answers like 'yes' or 'no'. The guy was confused (interested or disinterested? Am i making sense or nonsense?), so he kept quiet.

After a while, the lady said, 'Are you OK?'

The guy quickly replied, 'I'm fine, thank you.’

Then he thought, 'Not so fast. What does she mean?'

"Is she saying, 'Are you OK?' as in, ‘Are you fine? Are you comfortable? Tourist, are you enjoying the bus ride?'

Or
'Are you OK?' as in, 'Your head correct? Abi you dey mad? Are you well? Did you just escape from somewhere?'

Or 
'Are u OK?' as in, 'Journalist, you don ask your questions finish? Politician, you don talk finish?’ (Are you done with your questioning or talking? Are you a  journalist cum politician?)

This guy was confused the more. He decided to remain quiet, after all there's wisdom in silence.

A word a day... (07-01-13)

We don’t see the wind



but we can feel its presence.

We don’t see God


but we can feel His essence.

The Commonality of Humanity; the Things that make us ONE! (5) – Facial Expressions and Microexpressions!

In these series, I've talked about the things that make us one – the commonalities of humanity. The first was on sleep. That was followed with the series on our common birth, our common blood and our common conscience. I’m writing these series to remind myself and others that no matter how different we may be in our actions, words, cultures, religions and the likes, there are things we all share in common. These things do not support evolutionary theories as some would claim. Rather, they support the fact that we were created by a superior intelligence, one Mind in a one God. In this article, I’ll focus on another fascinating subject, facial expressions and microexpressions.

Wikipedia.org states: ‘Facial expressions are a form of nonverbal communication. They are a primary means of conveying social information among humans, but also occur in most other mammals and some other animal species.’ - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_expression

Wikipedia.org also states: ‘There are seven universally recognized emotions shown through facial expressions: fear, anger, surprise, contempt, disgust, happiness, and sadness. Regardless of culture, these expressions are the same. However, the same emotion from a specific facial expression may be recognized by a culture, but the same intensity of emotion may not be perceived.’  -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facial_expression

The import of the above quotes is that we all share similar but not purely identical facial expressions. Irrespective of the causative emotion, we all smile or cry or laugh in the same way, whether you are black or white or brown, rich or poor, educated or illiterate, and so on. If you take a look at the picture of a man in America, a lady in Europe, a wealthy merchant in Asia, a manual worker in Africa, you can tell whether they have the appearance of a happy or sad or angry person. We share similar expressions; although, it may not be wholly identical. Some people may be more overly expressive of their emotions than others. Nonetheless, in the similarities lie our our commonalities.

Microexpressions! Wikipedia.org states: ‘A microexpression is a brief, involuntary facial expression shown on the face of humans according to emotions experienced. They usually occur in high-stakes situations, where people have something to lose or gain. Microexpressions occur when a person is consciously trying to conceal all signs of how he or she is feeling (the person knows how he or she is feeling but doesn't want you to know)… Unlike regular facial expressions, it is difficult to hide microexpression reactions. Microexpressions express the seven universal emotion... Nevertheless, in the 1990s, Paul Ekman (a renowned US psychologist) expanded his list of basic emotions, including a range of positive and negative emotions not all of which are encoded in facial muscles. These emotions are amusement, contempt, embarrassment, excitement, guilt, pride, relief, satisfaction, pleasure, and shame. (Microexpressions) are very brief in duration, lasting only 1/25 to 1/15 of a second.^’ - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microexpression

Essentially, microexpressions are very transient facial or body movements that betray the true intent of someone. It can help tell when someone is lying or withholding an information. Paul Ekman has spent decades doing extensive research in this field and his works was the basis of the American TV series, ‘Lie to me.’ It’s one of the best American series that I have ever watched. In the film, the main protagonist helps to solve crimes by using microexpressions to tell when a suspect is lying. These microexpressions are universal.

This brings me to the subject of the Universality Hypothesis. This was advocated by the pioneers of the evolutionary theory. It advances the idea that since we all share basic expressions; that that in itself supports the teaching that we evolved from animals who also share some form of nonverbal means of communication. I don’t agree with that conclusion. Darwin advocated this theory in the 1870's and since then there has been research into this subject. The irony is that since that time till date there is no evidence of a living animal specie transforming into another specie. What’s the premise of this evolutionary hypothesis? We share similar facial expressions and since they don’t accept the teaching of creation, then it must have been an evolutionary transformation. Can creation explain the similarities in facial expressions? Of course, it does. If different products made by the same company bear some similarities, should we conclude that they evolved from one another? Is it not true and far more realistic and reasonable to say that they were made in one company with one skill set and one set of ideals and objectives? In the same vein, the similarities and commonalities of the human race can best be attributed to the handiwork of a one Mind in a one God. We don’t see the wind but we can feel its presence. We don’t see God but we can feel His essence. We were created in the same way and so we are.

A Joke a day keeps the doctor away! (06-01-13)

There was this man who had a sick wife at home. He left the wife at home; took public transport to a hospital that was several kilometers away. When he got to the hospital, he stayed in a queue to collect a consultation card. Thereafter, he stayed in another queue waiting to see a doctor. When it got to his turn, the doctor asked him, ‘What’s the problem?’

The man replied: ‘I’m not the one who is sick. It’s my wife.’

Doctor: ‘Where is your wife?’

Man: ‘She’s at home. Please, let me tell you her problems so that you can write the drugs she needs and I’ll take it to her.’

Doctor thought within himself: “Wow. This kind of ‘loving’ husband! He won’t mind swallowing the drugs on the wife’s behalf.”

My piece for the day … (06-01-13)

My Penelope!

O my lovely Penelope,

How comely you are.

Your face radiates

In outstanding essence;

The epitome of elegance!

Your voice, oh, so calm;

Your thoughts, so firm!

It echoes in wisdom.

It beams with emblems

Of hope and optimism!

You are a rare gem!

You are nice

Even when I met you briefly once;

Like the taste of ice

On a parched palate!

I don’t mind a ‘7-year’ service;

You are my choice

And you make my heart rejoice.

You are kind.

Your soothing voice is mild.

You kept my mind

In a spellbind

With the power of your being!

Your person, so hard to find!

O pretty one,

My heart for you is one.

You are the one

For whom my heart aches.

My hand trembles

My feet shakes

In anxious wait and distress!

Please, come to thee,

My love!

(A poem for a lost love; Penelope is a pseudonym.)

A Joke a day keeps the doctor away! (05-01-13)

A lady went for a job interview in Nigeria. She learnt that one of the questions asked was, ‘What’s your state of origin?’ She also learnt that there was preference for applicants from a particular state, Imo State; but she was not a native of that state. So, when it got to her turn, she was asked:

‘What’s your state of origin?’

Her reply:

‘My maternal grandfather is from Imo state.’

The Commonality of Humanity; the Things that make us ONE! (4) – Our Conscience!

Every religion talks about it. Philosophers have spent ages debating about it. Psychologists, neurologists and other scientists have tried to explain it. Eminent jurists, lawyers and different national constitutions try to relate with it. Writers of all ages have written about it. We hear it in music, art and motion films. Some called it the ‘voice within,’ others say it’s the ‘inner light.’ Albert Einstein called it the ‘inner voice.’ I’m talking about the conscience. It is something we all have in common. There is no simple definition of it but to guide us on what the conscience is, Wikipedia.org states:

‘Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong.’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscience)

That means that one who has a conscience has the capacity to decide on what is considered right or wrong. All humans have this capacity and to that effect, the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights states:
‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood’
—United Nations, Universal Declaration on Human Rights Article 1
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscience)

The conscience is recognized legally. That is why, a person who refuses to serve in the military on the basis of his faith, his conscience and freedom of thought is called a conscientious objector and anyone arrested on the basis of that and other related issues is called a prisoner of conscience.

Some people reason that if we all have a conscience, then why do many commit horrendous crimes like what happened in US yesterday. Why on earth would an adult male shoot point-blank on kids that are aged between 5 and 10 years of age? Does such a man have a conscience? The fact is that we all have a conscience. That conscience can be modified and altered by exposure to a host of personal and environmental factors. Why do armed robbers, assassins, mass murderers, etc take hard drugs, alcohol and other mood-modifying agents before going out on such missions? They do that because they want to dull or numb their conscience. Some undergo spiritualistic rituals and take blood oaths because they know that people can change their minds on the basis of their conscience and then fail to follow through on their assignments. Some carry out their missions not because they don’t have a conscience but because they are afraid of the repercussions of a failed mission. Sergeant Rogers of the infamous Death squad once said that of those he killed, there was one lady who pleaded dearly for her life. At first, he hesitated. For a moment, his conscience was at work. Later, when he thought of what will happen to him if he failed, he decided to carry out the mission regardless.

There is also the issue of mental illness. There are several mental health conditions that can make the sufferer lose his inhibitions and thus do things that are unconscionable. Even at that, if it’s a treatable condition and such individuals receive the needed help, they can regain their insight and the ability to exercise their conscience. Many of these persons suffer for long upon a realization of the harm they've caused. Soldiers are trained to cope with the agony of war and the kills. They are trained to withstand whatever comes their way. Yet, in spite of that training, many still have post-traumatic stress disorders. Why? They have a conscience. The conscience can be compared to a light bulb and a switch. When you turn off the switch, the light goes off. It does not mean there is no power. The power is there and any time the switch is turn on, the light comes back. Some people switch off their conscience, so to speak. That doesn't mean they don’t have one. Later on, whether they like it or not, the switch is put back on, and they suffer miserably from the guilt of their conscience.

No matter where you are on the earth, when we hear about the horrible deeds of others, we are terrified and shocked because we have a conscience. Even in the midst of wars or disasters, people risk their lives to save others because they have a conscience. Many persons have shown remarkable courage, stood up to dictators, fought against the norms of their society on the basis of their conscience. We are not robots. We were created with free will and with that a conscience that will guide us in the exercise of that free will.

People of all races, nationalities, tribes, religions and from whatever background have a conscience. It is that conscience that has guided people who live even in seclusion from modern civilization to enact laws to protect those who are vulnerable. It is that conscience which God created in all of us that makes us liable and accountable for whatever misdeed we commit. Ignorance of the law is no excuse because we all have an inherent and intrinsic conscience that guides us to distinguish right or wrong. God can call us to account because he created us with a conscience. One conscience! One God!