It's really curious how simple things can quickly become complicated.
Last time, I mentioned that my loan situation was beginning to play out into a saga even though things were supposed to be as simple as the earth's rotation. Well, a saga it became indeed! This week, I found that my account still reflected a huge deficit (kinda like the U.S. budget). This was regardless of the fact that the lender had advanced a check for the full amount the the University Bursar inadvertently "refunded". I determined that I would get to the bottom of this matter. So, I called the financial aid office; called the Bursar; and then, called the Bank. No one seemed to be on the same page! I was scarcely surprised. The American system works very interestingly when human intervention comingles with mechanical programming. Sadly, I'm at the end of the stick on this one.
Nevertheless, I discovered that the guys at the financial aid office seemed to know better than anyone else what was going on, and after a few days and lots of phone calls, my account is back to credit status. Naturally, it's taken a month to correct someone's inadvertence - 3 days before all my spring records were scheduled to be wiped off! Of course, we shall ignore the small matter that my account now shows that the lender has disbursed waaay more than I actually borrowed! Someday, there will be an accounting to be done. Await my bankruptcy filings should things go awry! I can just imagine them selling of my poor heirloom in Lagos!!! [Shudder...]
The weather in New York has been in rare form this week. It has dropped to the very low 50's and everyone now has a reason to hurry everywhere. As a morbid aside, I coincidentally read somewhere that sexually transmitted diseases are less widespread in their transference during severe weather periods, e.g. in Winter. With this cold, I guess the reason is a no-brainer. Naturally, the nights are the worst. Regardless, it must be some sort of a curse to be alone in the world's most exciting city. But that is how I find myself.
Anyways, I cannot wait until it snows! I still haven't seen the snow - and I've been here (overseas) for over a year. I'm sure when it eventually snows, I shall curse my luck and speak constantly to my Ancestors over the frost. Yet, I'm excited about having a white Christmas!
Speaking of Christmas, I've bought my ticket to Egypt! I'm very excited about that too. For some reason, I thought the pyramids in Giza were far from Cairo. I learned today that they're about 20-odd minutes away from the city. That' s just swell. However, besides the pyramids, I'm very eager to see the temples in Luxor and the statute of Rameses. I will also visit the Boy-King and ask him how come his mystery and gold have confounded sages for ages. Gosh...at this rate, by the time I get back, all my sentences will be punctuated by hieroglyphics!!! [You're envious, I know. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get over it!]
I have to go for a tax conference in Michigan on Friday. It's an OECD conference on tax policy and its relationship to development. I think it might be fun - if one can consider a tax conference as fun. But it's a great opportunity and I never look a gift horse in the mouth!
OMG! I forgot to say - I went to Princeton, NJ over the weekend! It was beeeeauuuutiful! Well, not really. But the ambience was amazing. Some of the buildings were very old - and I love old buildings. Other buildings were designed with the old, gothic-type style to fit in with the pre-existing ancient structures. Our company had a guide who was an alumnus from the mid-90s. He had a clean British accent. He also spoke Italian with panache (the other members of my company were Italian). I asked him where he had schooled and he mentioned Oxford, etc. I thought to myself, "hmm, Princeton, Oxford, NYU...nice". And when I asked how come he spoke Italian so well, he looked around him - surprised - and said, "I am Italian!".
If you have the chance, visit Princeton. It is the top-ranked university in the United States; and, the world. It's faculty is legendary; it's buildings are enobling. Go with your Significant Other, if you have one; go with a digital camera and a sense of curiousity. I think you will enjoy yourself very much. I know I did!
Did I mention that the President eventually declared a state of emergency in that renegade place called Ekiti State, Nigeria? No one can seem to do right in the face of the Nigerian polity. Even though the state was going down into anarchy, people nevertheless criticized the president for effecting emergency powers. If he had failed to act, the same people would have criticized him for the remiss and suspected his motives.
I support the state of emergency. I do not support the President's continuous unilateral actions, however, or the lethargy with which the government engages testy situations. I am glad that Ayo Fayose has lost his S. 308 immunity although he is now nowhere to be found. I hear he has fled to Germany. I hope he remains a fugitive until he owns up to the social injustice of his kleptocracy. The Good Book says, "Have you seen a wicked man? An unjust messenger will be sent against him." Fayose's demise is good riddance to absolute rubbish. Next Chapter, please!
I shall stop venting now. I think I may go down to Thompson St. and play some chess. Or just go on home with my tail between my legs - it is how I spend my friday nights in New York City. Hmm...I guess this is just another weekend when I'll go on dreaming of a'changels.
Cheers!
10.19.2006
Depression setting in...
It certainly was one of those days for me. Or, more honestly, it's been one of those times... the terrible kinda times.
I wish I could detail how I fell into discombobulation [remarkably, that is actually a word in the English language!]. I just know that I got there...speedily.
As things never go in a straighforward way, I found out that someone at the Bursary here is hell-bent on having me owe the school something. So much so that they refunded a large part of the amount my lender provided for my tuition! [Of course, the refund was in error but who cares!] The guys at the health center have a block on my account - not that I care - and so I have to go see them to get a shot for Mumps, Measles and Rubella. Interestingly, I already had two of the three diseases as a kid (which naturally makes you immune going forward, etcetera).
Studying is going in the most terrible way possible - not at all. I cannot seem to stay awake long enough to complete any substantial portion of my work. When I am awake, I don't have any desire to walk through the rationale for making a bootstrap sale a taxable transaction under section 301 or sale/exchange provisions; or why extraordinary dividends are problematic under section 1059. Apparently, December will catch me napping. There will certainly be hell to pay.
I'll run through recent events in the briefest way I can. Kim and his NKorea are still mad and they want to test a second missile; the State Legislature in Ekiti really removed the Chief Justice in the most blatant rape of the Constitution of Nigeria - and no one is doing anything about it; the Dow is constantly hovering over the 11,900 mark and is expected to crack the 12,000 code; the 300 millionth American was estimated to have been born at 7.26am on Tuesday or Wednesday - I forget which and don't care, really; Vladmir Kramnik is now Unified Chess Champion; yesterday (Wednesday) was the 50th anniversary of the "most beautiful (chess) game ever played" - a magnificent gem from a 13-year old Bobby Fisher that altered the world of combinations...and, that is really all the world has had to offer in a while!
[Deep sigh]
I shall have to reach deeper than I've had to in a long time to get myself out of this slump. Unlike some people who have the pleasure of human support to get through the vagaries of life, I am alone. I have only myself. My tears are mine; my worries are mine; my fears are mine. For people like us, strength can only come from within. Otherwise, one withers...also from within.
I wish I could detail how I fell into discombobulation [remarkably, that is actually a word in the English language!]. I just know that I got there...speedily.
As things never go in a straighforward way, I found out that someone at the Bursary here is hell-bent on having me owe the school something. So much so that they refunded a large part of the amount my lender provided for my tuition! [Of course, the refund was in error but who cares!] The guys at the health center have a block on my account - not that I care - and so I have to go see them to get a shot for Mumps, Measles and Rubella. Interestingly, I already had two of the three diseases as a kid (which naturally makes you immune going forward, etcetera).
Studying is going in the most terrible way possible - not at all. I cannot seem to stay awake long enough to complete any substantial portion of my work. When I am awake, I don't have any desire to walk through the rationale for making a bootstrap sale a taxable transaction under section 301 or sale/exchange provisions; or why extraordinary dividends are problematic under section 1059. Apparently, December will catch me napping. There will certainly be hell to pay.
I'll run through recent events in the briefest way I can. Kim and his NKorea are still mad and they want to test a second missile; the State Legislature in Ekiti really removed the Chief Justice in the most blatant rape of the Constitution of Nigeria - and no one is doing anything about it; the Dow is constantly hovering over the 11,900 mark and is expected to crack the 12,000 code; the 300 millionth American was estimated to have been born at 7.26am on Tuesday or Wednesday - I forget which and don't care, really; Vladmir Kramnik is now Unified Chess Champion; yesterday (Wednesday) was the 50th anniversary of the "most beautiful (chess) game ever played" - a magnificent gem from a 13-year old Bobby Fisher that altered the world of combinations...and, that is really all the world has had to offer in a while!
[Deep sigh]
I shall have to reach deeper than I've had to in a long time to get myself out of this slump. Unlike some people who have the pleasure of human support to get through the vagaries of life, I am alone. I have only myself. My tears are mine; my worries are mine; my fears are mine. For people like us, strength can only come from within. Otherwise, one withers...also from within.
10.13.2006
Crazy Men and Legislators
I am thoroughly tired. Unfortunately, I cannot trace the lengths and breadths engendering this lethargy. I am almost so tired that I don't even care why I am tired. Really.
How was your week? Mine was uneventful, except that I recongnize continually that I am sinking deeper and deeper into the closeness of exams - and I am rather unprepared. I sit in my corporate tax class typing away to the sound of Laurie's voice, half the time not knowing what she is talking about; othertimes, sharing a passing care to the intricacies of redemptions, flips, stock dividends, distributions not qualifying as substantial reductions in ownership, and notional bases of attributed stocks... [This is where I hold my head and grit my teeth.]
The week has been eventful for those that are concerned by world affairs. North Korea appears to have tested its nuclear bomb. Kim Jong Il is giving all the small men in the world a bad name...he has made his personal insecurities a national theme. John Bolton (isn't he another of the "small men"?) has been going through fits attempting to pass a resolution through the United Nations. Naturally, Russia and China - perennial foils to the U.S. - are not having any manner of strong terminology in the proposed resolutions.
Talking about the UN, the world ushers in a new Secretary General today. His name is Ban Ki-Moon. And the only things I can think about are two-fold: first, Kofi Annan needs a break from the worst job in the world. Second, what a time it is for Ban to take up such a thankless job!
The high drama in the Nigerian political sphere is rising in extensive proportions. Just when you think the pitch cannot rise, wham! - they surprise you by taking the ridiculous to absurdity. Anyways, there is the low-down. During the week, a "committee of clowns" offered the Vice-President a deal in which he would relinquish his presidential aspirations in exchange for a "soft landing"...essentially, the Attorney General will suddenly realize that his case deserves a nolle prosequi. The Vice-President would have none of the deal. He believes that the next president of Nigeria can only be dictated by God. I agree. However, I don't particularly see the correlation between a presidential aspiration and the commission of an offence. If the Vice-president is guilty of egregious embezzlement, why offer him a deal? If he is not guilty of wild theft, why prosecute him? Ok...enough said.
The more absurd situation is of course, the case in Ekiti. The House of Representatives mandated the Chief Judge of the State to set up a committee to look into the impeachable offences alleged against the governor. Up till this point, they were in conformity with the constitution...and I actually had hope that someone would do the right thing for once. Unfortunately, no one had envisaged that the Chief Judge may be in on the governor's debacle. Apparently, in exercise of his power to appoint the committee, he quietly appointed people who were subtly connected to the governor. Invariably, the governor's position moved from the brink of impeachment to solid stability!
The House wasn't going to sit down - literally - and allow itself be shown up. Well, what did they do? They promptly suspended the Chief Judge! That is, without doubt, the most absurd illegality anyone has attempted under the Nigerian Constitution. Anyways, the House went ahead and found a judge to act in his stead. As the sun sets today, this "acting" chief judge has appointed a new committee to look into the governor's impeachable charges (again). Did I forget to say that the first committee found the governor free and clear of all charges...after 24 hours?! These guys in Ekiti are really something.
I wish I had a calmer way to sign out today. Unfortunately, I shall have to leave you with the madness of Ekiti's government and its dramatis personae.
Ah! Lest I forget, there is a new unified chess world champion! He is Vladmir Kramnik! I shall have to go into mourning since I was silently rooting for the Bulgarian.
Cheers! I hope you had more exciting times yourself, hmm?
How was your week? Mine was uneventful, except that I recongnize continually that I am sinking deeper and deeper into the closeness of exams - and I am rather unprepared. I sit in my corporate tax class typing away to the sound of Laurie's voice, half the time not knowing what she is talking about; othertimes, sharing a passing care to the intricacies of redemptions, flips, stock dividends, distributions not qualifying as substantial reductions in ownership, and notional bases of attributed stocks... [This is where I hold my head and grit my teeth.]
The week has been eventful for those that are concerned by world affairs. North Korea appears to have tested its nuclear bomb. Kim Jong Il is giving all the small men in the world a bad name...he has made his personal insecurities a national theme. John Bolton (isn't he another of the "small men"?) has been going through fits attempting to pass a resolution through the United Nations. Naturally, Russia and China - perennial foils to the U.S. - are not having any manner of strong terminology in the proposed resolutions.
Talking about the UN, the world ushers in a new Secretary General today. His name is Ban Ki-Moon. And the only things I can think about are two-fold: first, Kofi Annan needs a break from the worst job in the world. Second, what a time it is for Ban to take up such a thankless job!
The high drama in the Nigerian political sphere is rising in extensive proportions. Just when you think the pitch cannot rise, wham! - they surprise you by taking the ridiculous to absurdity. Anyways, there is the low-down. During the week, a "committee of clowns" offered the Vice-President a deal in which he would relinquish his presidential aspirations in exchange for a "soft landing"...essentially, the Attorney General will suddenly realize that his case deserves a nolle prosequi. The Vice-President would have none of the deal. He believes that the next president of Nigeria can only be dictated by God. I agree. However, I don't particularly see the correlation between a presidential aspiration and the commission of an offence. If the Vice-president is guilty of egregious embezzlement, why offer him a deal? If he is not guilty of wild theft, why prosecute him? Ok...enough said.
The more absurd situation is of course, the case in Ekiti. The House of Representatives mandated the Chief Judge of the State to set up a committee to look into the impeachable offences alleged against the governor. Up till this point, they were in conformity with the constitution...and I actually had hope that someone would do the right thing for once. Unfortunately, no one had envisaged that the Chief Judge may be in on the governor's debacle. Apparently, in exercise of his power to appoint the committee, he quietly appointed people who were subtly connected to the governor. Invariably, the governor's position moved from the brink of impeachment to solid stability!
The House wasn't going to sit down - literally - and allow itself be shown up. Well, what did they do? They promptly suspended the Chief Judge! That is, without doubt, the most absurd illegality anyone has attempted under the Nigerian Constitution. Anyways, the House went ahead and found a judge to act in his stead. As the sun sets today, this "acting" chief judge has appointed a new committee to look into the governor's impeachable charges (again). Did I forget to say that the first committee found the governor free and clear of all charges...after 24 hours?! These guys in Ekiti are really something.
I wish I had a calmer way to sign out today. Unfortunately, I shall have to leave you with the madness of Ekiti's government and its dramatis personae.
Ah! Lest I forget, there is a new unified chess world champion! He is Vladmir Kramnik! I shall have to go into mourning since I was silently rooting for the Bulgarian.
Cheers! I hope you had more exciting times yourself, hmm?
10.07.2006
An Atypical Day
Friday was interesting - more for me, perhaps, than for you.
I usually try to structure my days so that I have as much free time as possible. I'm a natural loafer...can't snap the habit. Somehow, I managed to get yesterday 'swamped' with things to do. Certainly felt different!
I made it to Laurie's class on time. Her subject is always such a delight...[assuming you have no life, are bent on twisting your mortal mind, are and enamoured by the incomprehensible]! After that, I was scheduled to conference with the charismatic Rosenbloom about a Transfer Pricing paper topic. I hadn't even come up with a good idea for the meeting and I was very worried. I had to rage against the machine when my laptop adamantly refused to get wireless reception - I changed location 4 times just looking for some stray wireless portal to tap into! I'm really beginning to dislike Vanderbilt/Furman for this lack of wirelessness. Don't those buildings know I live on the web...literally???
Anyways, after sweating bullets trying to come up with something impressive to say to Rosenbloom, he turned out to be such a charming man with very little stress. I must say, all I could think about was - 'wouldn't it be nice to earn one of the highest salaries in the academia, teaching one course - which, by the way - is online and comprises recordings of what I taught last semester - and have office hours once a week?!' I think he has a great job. Now, I know what I want to be when I grow up.... [No, no...not a professor. I want to be David H. Rosenbloom!]
After Rosenbloom, I popped up to Financial Aid Services to try to sort out my loan situation [see my last post]. Apparently, someone entered the wrong social security number for me and the wire transfer went haywire [forgive the pun]. I think I may have sorted it out now [minimal effort, I know] but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. One can never tell how things may go - for good or for bad. I'm ready for both of 'em! Yeah!!!
Did I mention that I'm going to Egypt for the holidays? [I can just see your envying looks.] I'm going to Cairo. But I'll certainly drop by in Alexandra and Luxor. If possible, I'll catch up with some luxury at Sharm el-Sheikh. Delightful, eh? Yes, I know....
So, back to the real world.
With my financial aid situation apparently taken care of, I had to pop over to my orientation at the Review of Law and Social Change. There was a whole bunch of people there...which was expected anyways. Afterall, there are over 100 editors anyways. So, I sat there, looking like one of the new kids on the block, trying not to be grumpy. I usually avoid anything that includes "meetings"; especially, when it's not something I'm pioneering! I usually don't like being around people who are already so familiar with each other.
However, it's for the latter reason that I never went to language classes; never started Taekwondo; never joined a club in Undergrad/Lawschool; and, pretty much is the reason why I usually don't know a lot of people anywhere in the world. Which may be why I spend so much time playing chess online and daydreaming! Grrrr. I'm learning to change that.
Ah, talking about chess - two things. Right after the Review orientation, I popped over to Thompson St. to play some chess. [I'll have to tell you about Thompson St. someday!] Also, Topalov won game 8! ...playing with the Black pieces!!! "Impossible, though arth nothing indeed"
When I was done playing chess, I headed for the subway. Just as I was going into the bowels of the earth, I thought..."You're in NYC, it's a Friday night, you're in the mood...and you're going home???" Doesn't make sense to you either, right? I didn't think so. Therefore, I headed back out of the subway and decided to walk the streets.
Well, what did I find? I found a shop with Puma sneakers. It was closed but at least it saves me wondering where to buy those...I need to do some shopping soon. I also walked into an Adult store. I saw a live dildo for the first time! It's not a shop I would like to work in, but I sure loved walking through it.... I passed by a shop where you can watch someone getting tatooed. Some girl was getting a tatoo very close to her .... Now, that was a sight. I also found this cute shop with nice, unique wristwatches. After walking around in squares, I found myself back at the subway entry. So, I took it as a sign and headed on home.
New York is getting colder. The Columbus day holidays are this week so, everything's on sale. It feels like things are on sale every weekend. I'll try to get some reading done today so I can go over to the mall nearby. Who knows who or what might find me!
Alrighty. No morals for today. Cheerie eerie o!
I usually try to structure my days so that I have as much free time as possible. I'm a natural loafer...can't snap the habit. Somehow, I managed to get yesterday 'swamped' with things to do. Certainly felt different!
I made it to Laurie's class on time. Her subject is always such a delight...[assuming you have no life, are bent on twisting your mortal mind, are and enamoured by the incomprehensible]! After that, I was scheduled to conference with the charismatic Rosenbloom about a Transfer Pricing paper topic. I hadn't even come up with a good idea for the meeting and I was very worried. I had to rage against the machine when my laptop adamantly refused to get wireless reception - I changed location 4 times just looking for some stray wireless portal to tap into! I'm really beginning to dislike Vanderbilt/Furman for this lack of wirelessness. Don't those buildings know I live on the web...literally???
Anyways, after sweating bullets trying to come up with something impressive to say to Rosenbloom, he turned out to be such a charming man with very little stress. I must say, all I could think about was - 'wouldn't it be nice to earn one of the highest salaries in the academia, teaching one course - which, by the way - is online and comprises recordings of what I taught last semester - and have office hours once a week?!' I think he has a great job. Now, I know what I want to be when I grow up.... [No, no...not a professor. I want to be David H. Rosenbloom!]
After Rosenbloom, I popped up to Financial Aid Services to try to sort out my loan situation [see my last post]. Apparently, someone entered the wrong social security number for me and the wire transfer went haywire [forgive the pun]. I think I may have sorted it out now [minimal effort, I know] but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. One can never tell how things may go - for good or for bad. I'm ready for both of 'em! Yeah!!!
Did I mention that I'm going to Egypt for the holidays? [I can just see your envying looks.] I'm going to Cairo. But I'll certainly drop by in Alexandra and Luxor. If possible, I'll catch up with some luxury at Sharm el-Sheikh. Delightful, eh? Yes, I know....
So, back to the real world.
With my financial aid situation apparently taken care of, I had to pop over to my orientation at the Review of Law and Social Change. There was a whole bunch of people there...which was expected anyways. Afterall, there are over 100 editors anyways. So, I sat there, looking like one of the new kids on the block, trying not to be grumpy. I usually avoid anything that includes "meetings"; especially, when it's not something I'm pioneering! I usually don't like being around people who are already so familiar with each other.
However, it's for the latter reason that I never went to language classes; never started Taekwondo; never joined a club in Undergrad/Lawschool; and, pretty much is the reason why I usually don't know a lot of people anywhere in the world. Which may be why I spend so much time playing chess online and daydreaming! Grrrr. I'm learning to change that.
Ah, talking about chess - two things. Right after the Review orientation, I popped over to Thompson St. to play some chess. [I'll have to tell you about Thompson St. someday!] Also, Topalov won game 8! ...playing with the Black pieces!!! "Impossible, though arth nothing indeed"
When I was done playing chess, I headed for the subway. Just as I was going into the bowels of the earth, I thought..."You're in NYC, it's a Friday night, you're in the mood...and you're going home???" Doesn't make sense to you either, right? I didn't think so. Therefore, I headed back out of the subway and decided to walk the streets.
Well, what did I find? I found a shop with Puma sneakers. It was closed but at least it saves me wondering where to buy those...I need to do some shopping soon. I also walked into an Adult store. I saw a live dildo for the first time! It's not a shop I would like to work in, but I sure loved walking through it.... I passed by a shop where you can watch someone getting tatooed. Some girl was getting a tatoo very close to her .... Now, that was a sight. I also found this cute shop with nice, unique wristwatches. After walking around in squares, I found myself back at the subway entry. So, I took it as a sign and headed on home.
New York is getting colder. The Columbus day holidays are this week so, everything's on sale. It feels like things are on sale every weekend. I'll try to get some reading done today so I can go over to the mall nearby. Who knows who or what might find me!
Alrighty. No morals for today. Cheerie eerie o!
10.04.2006
Toilets, The Coming of Age (?), and My Never-Ending Saga @ NYU
Toilets indeed!
This was what halted - periliously - the on-going Chess Unification Match between Kramnik and Topalov! Apparently, being down 2 - 0, the Bulgarian's team was beginning to feel apprehensive. Then, it must have dawned on someone that the Russian opponent was visiting the toilet with alarming frequency. The Bulgarians complained to the chess governing body (FIDE) about these visits asserting that Kramnik visited the restroom over 50 times in one game. Remarkably, the Bulgarians didn't say explicitly that the Russian might be cheating. However, as anyone who is in tune with contemporary chess knows, there have been escalations in the rate of 'computer aids' used by players during a tournament allied with powerful transmission devices. This was the implicit complaint by the Bulgarians. As an aside, perhaps, Kramnik is known for his poor health and his visits to the restroom may not be strange at all, all things considered.
Something that has been also remarkable though, is the way public opinion flooded in favour of the Russian; peremptorily dismissing the claims of Topalov and the Bulgarian team. The whole world seemed to scream in protest! Apparently, everyone is tired of the chess schism as well as the psychological warfare that characterizes these high level championship games. Indeed, in the eyes of many, Topalov and the Bulgarian team are now persona non grata! O, to think he was the darling of the chess world not too long ago.
Anyways, the Russian - Kramnik - did the noble thing. He forfeited a point - arising from his refusal to play the following game unless the "unfair" conclusion of the appeals committee was reversed, i.e. that he regained full use of his toilet rights. The score as at today when I write is 4-3 in favour of the Russian. For someone from whom Gary Kasparov could not win a tournament game out of 16, it will be interesting to see Topalov do the near-impossible against Vladimir.
Coming of Age
I was awestruck (well, not really) to see that the Ekiti State legislature had served Ayo Fayose with a Notice de Impeachment (forgive my French)! This is a significant coming of age for a legislative arm of government in Nigeria. Unlike the pathetic Plateau state legislature that refused to investigate Joshua Dariye in the face of overwhelming proof of gubernatorial kleptomania! [By the way, I'm glad you're all in jail now while Dariye is still breathing the air of the free.]
Fayose's story is a silly one. An Area Boy to the core, sparsely educated, and only brought to light by the corrosive and amoral ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Nigeria in a state filled with native-born Professors, one could say the gods washed his hands for him. He was set to eat with kings. But Nooooooo. In typical Nigerian style, he set out to defraud the state fisc. All told, he is accused of looting N5billion [c. $38million]...and he has only been in government for 3 years. If he is guilty of the allegations against him, I hope he finds comfort in jail. He could have stolen $1million and no one would have raised an eyebrow. Afterall, it is Nigeria! But, according to Achebe, he had to steal so much that the village has noticed.
Fayose and others like him - a clique too many to be counted individually - I hope your sins catch up with you. Here. In this time. For the generation you have wronged, the after-life is too far away for your retribution.
My Saga at NYU
It seems like my troubles and challenges never end. Just as I was settling into the mix of my lectures, I got an email from the Bursar today. An email from the Bursar in the middle of semester cannot be a good thing. My account was in deficit - by a whopping $19,000!
With the rash of things that have happened to me in this life, such things do not even bother me anymore. What the Almighty wants to happen will happen. So, I calmly called the financial aid office and told them my problem. Apparently, someone had cancelled half of my citibank loan thereby wiping out my disbursement for this semester! I wonder if this had something to do with my immigration saga from last month.... I also called citibank to see who was not doing their job. Apparently, NYU is at fault - this time.
Well, the good thing about this one is that, nothing adverse will happen until November - assuming there is a delay in the remittance. Secondly, I got the news on a Wednesday! Usually, these things happen on Friday afternoon about 30 mins before all the offices close. Naturally, you never call the right office first and so you only learn who the right person to call is just on the stroke of the last minute of the business day...then, you have to wait until Monday. Very frustrating, life can be.
I know that things can go bad very quickly so I'm bracing myself for a long battle even though I have all the documents to prove the approval for the full amounts. Someone once told me, "after you've made plans, life happens". I totally agree.
Let's see how this saga goes.
This was what halted - periliously - the on-going Chess Unification Match between Kramnik and Topalov! Apparently, being down 2 - 0, the Bulgarian's team was beginning to feel apprehensive. Then, it must have dawned on someone that the Russian opponent was visiting the toilet with alarming frequency. The Bulgarians complained to the chess governing body (FIDE) about these visits asserting that Kramnik visited the restroom over 50 times in one game. Remarkably, the Bulgarians didn't say explicitly that the Russian might be cheating. However, as anyone who is in tune with contemporary chess knows, there have been escalations in the rate of 'computer aids' used by players during a tournament allied with powerful transmission devices. This was the implicit complaint by the Bulgarians. As an aside, perhaps, Kramnik is known for his poor health and his visits to the restroom may not be strange at all, all things considered.
Something that has been also remarkable though, is the way public opinion flooded in favour of the Russian; peremptorily dismissing the claims of Topalov and the Bulgarian team. The whole world seemed to scream in protest! Apparently, everyone is tired of the chess schism as well as the psychological warfare that characterizes these high level championship games. Indeed, in the eyes of many, Topalov and the Bulgarian team are now persona non grata! O, to think he was the darling of the chess world not too long ago.
Anyways, the Russian - Kramnik - did the noble thing. He forfeited a point - arising from his refusal to play the following game unless the "unfair" conclusion of the appeals committee was reversed, i.e. that he regained full use of his toilet rights. The score as at today when I write is 4-3 in favour of the Russian. For someone from whom Gary Kasparov could not win a tournament game out of 16, it will be interesting to see Topalov do the near-impossible against Vladimir.
Coming of Age
I was awestruck (well, not really) to see that the Ekiti State legislature had served Ayo Fayose with a Notice de Impeachment (forgive my French)! This is a significant coming of age for a legislative arm of government in Nigeria. Unlike the pathetic Plateau state legislature that refused to investigate Joshua Dariye in the face of overwhelming proof of gubernatorial kleptomania! [By the way, I'm glad you're all in jail now while Dariye is still breathing the air of the free.]
Fayose's story is a silly one. An Area Boy to the core, sparsely educated, and only brought to light by the corrosive and amoral ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Nigeria in a state filled with native-born Professors, one could say the gods washed his hands for him. He was set to eat with kings. But Nooooooo. In typical Nigerian style, he set out to defraud the state fisc. All told, he is accused of looting N5billion [c. $38million]...and he has only been in government for 3 years. If he is guilty of the allegations against him, I hope he finds comfort in jail. He could have stolen $1million and no one would have raised an eyebrow. Afterall, it is Nigeria! But, according to Achebe, he had to steal so much that the village has noticed.
Fayose and others like him - a clique too many to be counted individually - I hope your sins catch up with you. Here. In this time. For the generation you have wronged, the after-life is too far away for your retribution.
My Saga at NYU
It seems like my troubles and challenges never end. Just as I was settling into the mix of my lectures, I got an email from the Bursar today. An email from the Bursar in the middle of semester cannot be a good thing. My account was in deficit - by a whopping $19,000!
With the rash of things that have happened to me in this life, such things do not even bother me anymore. What the Almighty wants to happen will happen. So, I calmly called the financial aid office and told them my problem. Apparently, someone had cancelled half of my citibank loan thereby wiping out my disbursement for this semester! I wonder if this had something to do with my immigration saga from last month.... I also called citibank to see who was not doing their job. Apparently, NYU is at fault - this time.
Well, the good thing about this one is that, nothing adverse will happen until November - assuming there is a delay in the remittance. Secondly, I got the news on a Wednesday! Usually, these things happen on Friday afternoon about 30 mins before all the offices close. Naturally, you never call the right office first and so you only learn who the right person to call is just on the stroke of the last minute of the business day...then, you have to wait until Monday. Very frustrating, life can be.
I know that things can go bad very quickly so I'm bracing myself for a long battle even though I have all the documents to prove the approval for the full amounts. Someone once told me, "after you've made plans, life happens". I totally agree.
Let's see how this saga goes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
