The return
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I started this blog as an unofficial vehicle for interesting statistical
information. When I retired, I let it lie fallow. I'm going to post here
period...
Gender Wage Gap By State - Census Bureau
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If you need a reason to start a business, the gender wage gap may be a
factor. The Census has created a new visualization of the disparity between
male ...
It takes a lot of practice
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A friend asked: “If you had the chance to ask three different people
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The one req...
Faded road markings cause concern
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Q: Can someone at New York state tell me why the DOT doesn’t use a better
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no ref...
Goodbye but NOT farewell
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Using the words which Roger used in his intro for the last post of round
20--- Z
*With joy, we'll dream away each sorrow, With love we'll live for each...
Alan Moore's Twilight Proposal
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Introduction by Alan David Doane:
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Empowered Minds: Celebrating Women in Research
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SUNY Researchers Making an Impact Here at SUNY, we have no shortage of
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The Best Films of 2023
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Martin Scorsese, left, Lily Gladstone, and Robert DeNiro all received Oscar
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Getting Ready To Die
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Getting Ready To DieNo, as far as I know, it’s not imminent, but you never
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Petitioning season cut short
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Political "petitioning season" for U.S. Congress, NYS Assembly, NYS Senate,
and a host of other positions, was cut short. Like all the other things
that...
Eagle Scout Project
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Rutherford neighbor Krish Soni is getting started on his Eagle Scout
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Just now, Marge and I are doing a bit of adventuring. The next adventure
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See you i...
It Changes
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Living with Lupus and Fibro and Asthma is often not so much 'one day at a
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This...
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye…
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Well, kids, this is it. I’m leaving first thing tomorrow morning. My visits
home will be few and far between, and when they happen, they’ll be
exclusive...
Spring is here?
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As far as the pro peloton goes, it’s on! I watched the Tour of Flanders
today, and it was one of the best races I’ve ever seen. “Looking back, you
get a b...
Modern Types-Ronald Searle,Geoffrey Gorer
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With the recent attention given to Ronald Searle's 90th birthday and new
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The book is titled Modern Ty...
A busy day taking care of stuff
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Yesterday was a very busy day filled with errands and taking care of
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April Photo Challenge: Point of View
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April was a blur, much like most other months. I’m not sure who thinks
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AmeriNZ 414 – Circus clowns
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Today I start with a brief catch-up, but my main topic is about a new
opinion poll that has very bad news for the NZ’s 3-way coalition
government. I provid...
Our Blood – Not Theirs
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With the caveat that I’m intentionally being a bit provocative, I’d like to
say that… Regarding the well being of this country, violence might be
necessary...
Bedfordshire, the hay, and the sack
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Inspired by Anatoly Liberman's *Take My Word for It: A Dictionary of
English Idioms* (which I've reviewed for the *International Journal of
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1, 2, 3, 4: You Can Count On It
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Up the stairs, count the steps1, 2, 3, 41, 2, 3, 41, 2, 3…Crap, it didn’t
come out even, it’s eleven But 1-2-3-4-1/ 2 /3-4-1-2-3 will have to do; the
middl...
Here we are at 21.
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Happy 21st birthday, Johnny Bacardi Show!
Probably won't begin writing here again anytime soon, but hey, if you like
my stuff I have a Substack now and...
Check me out!
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Over the years I have collected a range of recipes to help me lose weight.
I attend Slimming World and achieved my target weight in November 2022.
Read...
This is The End (a follow-up)
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I wrote yesterday about my possibly retiring this space in favor of
migrating all of my blogging to ForgottenStars.net, because of Reasons. I
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18 and life, you got it
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It's the 18th of April, and that means it's the anniversary of Mia's
accident - 18 (!!!!) years ago today, we were in the crash that damaged her
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Sunday Round-up
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Wash your mouth out
In these ultra-hygienic days, Russian artist Yulia Popova has come into her
own by making models of foodstuffs out of soap. What makes y...
I believe ..Religion
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Written by the Rev.Jeannette van der Veen-Bosgra
I believe in a world where all people can live in happiness,
and that I too have a duty to create such a wo...
Tough Day
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A few weeks ago, I turned 38, and I am still under the scrutiny of
strangers in public. One would think that once you're out of grade school,
middle school...
Change
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Group Reading “The only thing we have in this world that is utterly and
intrinsically ours is our integrity.” ~ Mira Grant One- to find the
universal eleme...
Retro Y'all!
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Still jumping. In place, mostly. Someone should do one of these rap battle
style brags about being a junker. Seriously. Big sale at the Peddlers Mall
today.
X is for XMAS
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*MERRY CHRISTMAS (XMAS) EVERYONE!*
I thought I'd put a link to the top 100 Xmas songs for 2017 so you could
click on it and play anything your heart d...
The Myth Memers
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One of those little questionnaires just to dip a toe back into blogging.
Took this from Chris Hull's Facebook.
1. Do you make your bed? No.
2. The first c...
Now available in paperback!
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*Sharp: A Memoir*. William Morrow & Co, 2012. Print.
We lost 4 members of the Guilford High School Class of 84: David Ciardello,
Richard Eaton, Ronnie Burn...
No parallel
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Get a good look at these: Whence they came: After seeing that incredible
glow-in-the-dark Zac Posen dress that Claire Danes wore at the 2016 Met
Gala, Lori...
ABC Wednesday: The Importance of Being Bored
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When I was growing up, you being bored was your problem that you were
responsible to rectify. As children we learned never to be bored- or at
least not t...
Monday PSA: The Pioneer of the Pole
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Click on the image for the full ad As promised, the second of two
Antarctica themed PSAs. Today: “Pioneer of the Pole.” Just like last week,
this is from D...
Final Act
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Dear Followers of Berowne's "Savage Reflections." I'm very sorry to have to
inform you that my father, John Savage, passed away on December 26, just a
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Friday Post - Your services are no longer needed
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Heads will roll
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Age is a State of Mind, Somewhere Near Nebraska
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What a year it has been! After surviving the odometer rolling over to 40, I
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The End of a Long Day
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You know those days where all you really want to do is change into your
pajamas and curl up on the couch while you decide which comfort food would
mak...
#Freaking Out -AND!
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Calmly completely freaking out about my move. AND! I quit smoking. I feel
this qualifies me to have an opinion on how to do it.
So I am calmly completel...
Gaze Upon My Works and Snicker, Part 53.
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[image: DP700-F365028]
Another quickie sketch at work, because I wanted to draw Pandora A in a
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Every red-blooded boy loves cyborgs. Half-man, half-robot, what’s not to
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“My daughter’s 5th grade school photo.. She was not impressed.” (submitted
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Episode 326: The WGA Strike
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One by one, Ken goes over the many issues the WGA is fighting for and why
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The dopamine jail of joke Twitter
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I’m home from vacation and the Planet Funny promotional engine is slowing
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Rex Smith: Free speech, pulpit speech and tax laws
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Mixed Results for The Rules
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Well that was an “interesting” Emmy Awards. There were enough surprises to
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Mom Has Stacked Dinner Party Roster
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GOLDEN, CO—Their eyes widening in amazement as the 43-year-old rattled off
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Week 17 NFL Picks
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Last week’s 10 wins leaves me with 153 wins. Weak season. Sorry. Week 17
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It’s that time of year again! Time for you to nominate and vote for your
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Obama’s speech coverage on NPR
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What were the people at NPR thinking? The coverage of President Obama’s
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2PP132 – 16 May 2020
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This episode was delayed, yet again, because Arthur didn’t have enough
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You may have noticed that you haven’t heard much from me lately. That’s
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This is your very first post. Click the Edit link to modify or delete it,
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This article originally appeared in the 10.29.15 issue of Metroland.
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Wednesday, April 08, 2009
L is for Liberia
I have long been fascinated with the western African nation of Liberia. I have a friend at my former church from Liberia who has traveled back to her homeland a number of times in the last 25 years, when it was safe to do so.
Looking at the map above, there were only four countries on the whole continent that were independent when I was born; much of the rest were colonies of Europeans. Sudan was controlled by an Anglo-Egyptian combo, and the Union of South Africa, as it was then known, controlled Southwest Africa, now Namibia. And it wasn't that long ago before that Ethiopia had been taken over by Italy before and during World War II.
So what IS this place with a flag very similar to that of the Unites States, an island of liberation in a sea of colonies in west Africa with a capital named for a U.S. President? And what is the relationship between the countries of the red, white and blue? The roots of what came to be known as Liberia came from an unlikely mix of people who formed the American Colonization Society. From the Wikipedia post: "Supporters of the ACS may be divided into three main groups. The first consisted of those who genuinely felt that it was the best solution to a difficult problem and might lead to a gradual emancipation. Another smaller group was a pro-slavery group who saw removal as an answer to the problems associated with 'dangerous' free blacks. Perhaps the largest group of supporters was made up of those who opposed slavery, but did not believe in anything remotely resembling equality of the races." Thus, the Society was supported by an unlikely combination of free blacks, abolitionists and slave holders, though by no means a majority in any of those groups.
The "settlement of freed slaves from the US in what is today Liberia began in 1822" with the active and tacit support of American political leaders. "By 1847, the Americo-Liberians were able to establish a republic." But there was, for many years, tensions between the resettlers and and the folks native Africans who were forced to accept them. It didn't help that those who once had been in the Western Hemisphere and their progeny tended to look down on the natives.
From the CIA World Factbook: "William TUBMAN, president from 1944-71, did much to promote foreign investment and to bridge the economic, social, and political gaps between the descendents of the original settlers and the inhabitants of the interior." This was facilitated by the United States, which "began providing technical and economic assistance that enabled Liberia to make economic progress and introduce social change. Both the Freeport of Monrovia and Roberts International Airport were built by U.S. personnel during World War II."
Unfortunately, the last couple decades of the 20th Century found the country rife with instability. "In 1980, a military coup led by Samuel DOE ushered in a decade of authoritarian rule. In December 1989, Charles TAYLOR launched a rebellion against DOE's regime that led to a prolonged civil war in which DOE himself was killed. A period of relative peace in 1997 allowed for elections that brought TAYLOR to power, but major fighting resumed in 2000. An August 2003 peace agreement ended the war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles TAYLOR, who faces war crimes charges in The Hague related to his involvement in Sierra Leone's civil war." Indeed, just this month, Taylor's lawyers asked for a U.N. tribunal to acquit their client of all charges.
"After two years of rule by a transitional government, democratic elections in late 2005 brought President Ellen JOHNSON SIRLEAF to power...President JOHNSON SIRLEAF, a Harvard-trained banker and administrator, has taken steps to reduce corruption, build support from international donors, and encourage private investment...The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) maintains a strong presence throughout the country, but the security situation is still fragile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn country will take many years." Despite the history, the United States does not appear to have a "special relation" with Liberia, as the United Kingdom, for instance, has with the Commonwealth or the French has with some of its former colonies. *** I'm taking a wild guess that no one in the ABC Wednesday group picked Liberia, no? ROG
I just happened to run in to your blog and wanted to comment. I have just returned from Liberia the beginning of April 09' after visiting one of my children who is posted there. She has been there nearly three years. I spent two weeks. You are right, it is a fascinating country and I left with a desire to go back. The country is still Post Conflict but the president of the country is trying hard to make positive changes. The infrastructure leaves much to be desired. I traveled outside of Monrovia and the countryside is beautiful. The red clay roads, the lushness of it all. Yes, there is still poverty but riding through the countryside I did not see any malnourished children. I would recommend you read President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's book entitled This Child Will Be Great. This book will give you an marvelous perspective on the history of the country and where she would like to take the country. By the way, my father was a librarian. He graduated from the first Library Science Class at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
I also wanted to mention that the UN Mission, USAID, U.S. Military ( in Liberia to train the Liberian Army), The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and many, many, many others including the Chinese are all in Liberia trying to help get this country back on its feet. There are alot of NGO's ( Non-Governmental Agencies also in the country. The key is to educate the populous and create employment opportunities. Because of the Civil War, an entire generation was not educated as all the schools were closed. As I said, I left with a desire to return, and yes I too am totally fascinated with this little country. I'm waiting to see what the President will say although our Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did tell Madame Sirleaf that she hope to visit Liberia and of course formwer President George W. Bush visited the country in February 2008.
6 comments:
Interesting post! You may be right - so far I have seen no other posts about Liberia. :)
I do think you win the prize for Liberia. its a strange, exotic country that we don't hear much about. Interesting post.
Excellent post. A couple of years ago, I noticed a typo on a library promo poster. It read "Ask a Liberian."
Interesting .. isn't Liberia the place that allows so many non-Liberian ships to register there and sail under its flag?
I seem to remember that the Torrey Canyon was registered in Liberia.
I just happened to run in to your blog and wanted to comment. I have just returned from Liberia the beginning of April 09' after visiting one of my children who is posted there. She has been there nearly three years. I spent two weeks. You are right, it is a fascinating country and I left with a desire to go back. The country is still Post Conflict but the president of the country is trying hard to make positive changes. The infrastructure leaves much to be desired. I traveled outside of Monrovia and the countryside is beautiful. The red clay roads, the lushness of it all. Yes, there is still poverty but riding through the countryside I did not see any malnourished children. I would recommend you read President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's book entitled This Child Will Be Great. This book will give you an marvelous perspective on the history of the country and where she would like to take the country. By the way, my father was a librarian. He graduated from the first Library Science Class at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
I also wanted to mention that the UN Mission, USAID, U.S. Military ( in Liberia to train the Liberian Army), The United Nations High Commission for Refugees, and many, many, many others including the Chinese are all in Liberia trying to help get this country back on its feet. There are alot of NGO's ( Non-Governmental Agencies also in the country. The key is to educate the populous and create employment opportunities. Because of the Civil War, an entire generation was not educated as all the schools were closed. As I said, I left with a desire to return, and yes I too am totally fascinated with this little country. I'm waiting to see what the President will say although our Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did tell Madame Sirleaf that she hope to visit Liberia and of course formwer President George W. Bush visited the country in February 2008.
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