I finished her dress

This dress is testament to how different my life is now that I’m back working 50 hours/week outside the home w/a much less flexible schedule (and another child). My how things change. I bought this fabric on a rainy day in February and this is how long it took to finish it out. But the good news is, nowadays I crave sewing v. dread sewing. And I don’t have to reach deep inside and beg my soul to muster up inspiration nearly as much. A nice switch…and now I even have a little model! Very cool.

(re)New Steelers shirt

This shirt used to be a Men’s XL giant shirt w/a big ‘ole stain at the bottom. I remade it into the above. Sweet! I didn’t design this myself this time, I used the book: 25 T-shirt Makeovers. Cool book. This was very simple and created in less than an hour. I love making things out of old stuff. Fun. And I miss sewing. A lot. So now the Steelers have to win again so I’ll have even more reason to wear this….ah heck, I’ll wear if if they lose too 🙂

In order to change the world, you have to get your head together first. -Jimi Hendrix

Time permitting, watch Andrew Mwenda’s speech at TED. He argues that reducing dependence of foreign aid in Africa will help her thrive, long-term. A convincing notion, but after frantically nodding the head, comes the “Well then, how do we get there?” (Note that Mr. Bono strongly disagrees with Mr. Mwenda; however Mr. Mwenda is Ugandan and Bono is a rock star from Ireland).

There is a pyramid analysis commonly utilized in manufacturing processes. At the top of the pyramid, failure. The bottom pieces are considered symptoms of failure. The lowest point of the pyramid is considered to be the first symptom of failure as well as the point of most effective intervention. The point of the analysis is to determine root cause and how failure can be prevented/minimized.

Applying this analysis toward the removal of African Aid, the first instinct might be to place “Poverty” as the failure. It is the more obvious failure: a breakdown of the system which leaves the majority of the population barely able to survive dire conditions; hungry, sick, and desperate. “Corrupt Government” might rationally be placed at the bottom of the pyramid, as the root cause of Poverty. In the middle would be symptoms such as: Robbery, Rape, Sex Trade, Child Labor, (absence of) Formal Land Ownership, War, etc.

But perhaps “Corrupt Government” should be at the top, and “Poverty” at the bottom. The question is: Does corruption in government cause poverty, vice versa, or both?

How CAN Westerners help effectively, if so many Africans are struggling to survive under this vast umbrella of corruption? (many if not most governments are corrupt to varying degrees; however it’s endemic in Africa). In other words, without a notion of stability is it possible to move forward in Africa? Removal of foreign aid doesn’t seem like an option, or no time soon anyway.

Susan Rose-Ackerman’s book, Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences, and Reform relies on the basic tenet that corruption is the existence of incentives (bribes, also known as “greed”). One would think that if incentives would begin to removed, perhaps removal of foreign aid, which inherently feeds corruption, could begin to be removed, and in turn, initiatives such as primary education, sustainable food programs, etc could begin to thrive.

Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese entrepreneur raised in Egypt, is actually working towards this. He provides monetary incentives for African leaders to be and do “good,” and retire when their time is up. He previously awarded the former President of Mozambique, US$5 million over 10 years and up to US$200,000 a year for 10 years towards public interest activities and good causes. He’s attempting to make it worthwhile to be an above- board leader in Africa, and thus attempting to remove some of the incentives to be bad.

Revisiting the pyramid from before, perhaps poverty and corruption are both root causes of strife in developing countries. Foreign aid acts as a bandage, and Andrew Mwenga, argues it’s the root cause of Africa’s strife. However, until the wound is more fully healed, bandges become necessary to prevent further destruction.

Determining when to remove the bandages, well, therein lies the struggle.

“Love is blind, and greed insatiable”
-Chinese Proverb

on Risk.

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out for another is risk involvement.To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To place your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair. To try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. –author unknown

Risk. I suppose it depends on how much value is placed on what you stand to lose, eh?