Thursday 19 November 2015

"I WORK WITH A DEAD MAN'S CERTIFICATE"

"During my early university days I got carried away by extra activities which pretty much cost me academically and even if I am among the best in my department my grades suffered, as a result my CGPA was embarrassing to say the least.

Upon resuming 300 Level, a good friend of mine did not resume, after a few weeks I was worried as you would expect so I traveled down to his family's house to inquire since his number was not going through and I was told about his sad demise. He had an accident which cost him his life. I was saddened by what had happened because he was really good and was most probably the 4 best student in the department, strong CGPA, a 3.8, he was really good not just academically but he had pure natural talent and the way I see it was the hope of his family.

On my way back so many thoughts were running through my mind....my result is poor and there's absolutely no way I can improve on that and still graduate with a 2.1 or even a 2.2 so I made a resolution.

On getting to the hostel I reflected on the whole thing and decided not to tell anyone but our course adviser. My friend was not the type that socialize, some persons in the department don't even know him that well. He does all his things low-key, he's a very private person so I made an arrangement with our course adviser where I managed to convince him that it will be a shame if his hard work is allowed to go to waste and amount to nothing, as usual with financial persuasion he allowed me to write his exams, I wrote both our exams until graduation where I graduated with a 3rd class and him a 3.1.

To cut a long story short, I did a change of name and began using his result; all this without anybody's knowledge but me and our course adviser.

It was very complicated but somehow I managed to use his result and even studied abroad with it, got my masters and other professional certificate before I got a 6 figure job  and came back home.
Ever since I got back I have been doing really well for myself and I have gone as far as taking good care of his family financially as well as training his siblings in school and presently sponsoring 2 in the university. I rented an apartment and bought his dad a car, I know it will never suffice for what their son may have done but I'm only trying the little I can to compensate for their loss as well as for pretending to be their son without their knowledge.

About 8 months ago I met a girl and we fell in love, we've been dating and 2 months ago I pooped the question and she accepted. We've been making our wedding arrangements but ever since I feel I have been hiding my real self from her and decided to tell her what I did many years ago. Initially there was no reaction but then this week she came to me and said she cannot get married to a fraud and gave me back the ring.

I'm scared and confuse she may ruin everything, she may reveal my secret which obviously will get me fired and most definitely a jail time. I don't know what to do, I have tried to reason with her and have done way too many explanations but she's not bulging. I don't want to go to jail and I don't want to lose my job. I'm really confused."

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Do You Know That Keeping Your Phones Near Your Head Is Dangerous?

"Five girls in the 9th grade in a school in Denmark carried out a really interesting experiment which attracted so much attention from people worldwide. The graphics that were put on the Internet induced a stormy reaction of many scientists, biologists and also experts on radiation from England, the Netherlands and also Sweden.

The experiment involved the youths monitoring seeds from similar plants which they planted in two spaces at the same temperature level, both facing the sunlight and watered with equal amounts of water. In one area, they positioned the router for a wireless network that produces the same kind of radiation as an ordinary mobile phone, and the other, they placed in a space where there was none.

After 12 days, the germinated seeds alongside the router had not expanded, as some of them were mutated or totally dead. The plants arising from the seeds that were in a space without radiation advanced generally and also were entirely healthy. The young scientists wanted to draw attention to how mobile phones, which the majority of us keep near our besides and close to our heads during the night, hinder rest as well as focus but such a thing was impossible to determine in an institution, so they decided to show them by using the plants.

Since they saw the results of the experiment, they had not slept with their phones next to the bed anymore. “It’s scary that radiation has such a negative impact on living creatures, and also everyone must take note of this. In the evenings, turn your phone off or place it somewhere else. Additionally, turn your computer off prior to going to sleep”, states Leah Nielsen, one of the young researchers.

From this experiment, it confirms how harmful radiation is. It is advisable to keep your phones away from you throughout the night while sleeping and reduce its usage even during the day."



9 SUCCESS HABITS OF WEALTHY PEOPLE THAT COST ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Here are nine (9) habits that successful people cultivates that keeps them going smoothly. Perhaps, adopting these habits might lead you to success as well. 

1. They meditate
Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, told The Huffington Post in 2013 that "Meditation, more than anything in my life was the biggest ingredient of whatever success I've had." Dalio, however, is not alone. Oprah, Rupert Murdoch, Russell Simmons, Arianna Huffington, Bill Ford and Padmasree Warrior have all attributed mediation as a huge component to their success.

Taking care of your body and mind by relaxing, exercising, healthy eating and getting enough sleep are all ways to improve your chances of success.

2. They wake up early
President Obama, Richard Branson, Jack Dorsey, Larry Schultz, Tim Cook and Xerox CEO Ursula Burns are known to be early risers. How has this attributed to their success? Because early risers are able to start their days ahead of everyone else by responding to others, exercising and finding some personal time, early risers also tend to be happier and are more proactive.

3. They network
Successful people realize the importance of networking. In fact, research has found that networking can lead to people performing better at work and increases the chance of landing a job. Networking helps successful people to be more innovative. According to Dale Carnegie’s classic “How To Win Friends & influence People,” successful people rarely complain or criticize. They are sincere and try to be empathetic.

4. Keeping themselves busy
Successful people are rarely idle. Achievers like LBJ and Robert Moses were known to work 60-65 hours per work. Elon Musk works a whooping 80-100 hours per week and has said, “That's the type of work ethic an entrepreneur needs to have.”

5. They know when to say "no"
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” - Warren Buffett

Successful people realize that by saying "no" to negativity, extra work and activities that waste time, they can focus on increasing their productivity. If they say "yes" to everyone or everything, they’ll be too distracted and will not accomplish tasks that have to be done.

6. They don’t watch TV, they read
According to Thomas Corley, author of "Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits Of Wealthy Individuals,” 67 percent of rich people only watch TV for one hour or less per day. Corley also found only 6 percent of the wealthy watch reality shows, while 78 percent of the poor do.

Additionally, 86 percent of the wealthy love to read with an impressive 88 percent claiming that they read for self-improvement for 30 minutes or more per day.

7. They write to-do lists the night before
Successful people are known for writing their to-do-lists the night before so that they are able to set priorities for the following day. They number their lists as well to identify which tasks are the most important.

8. They set goals and visualize
Joel Brown interviewed a number of high achievers for Entrepreneur and found that “Ninety-five percent of the successful achievers I have interviewed practice writing down their goals, plans, or visions for success on a regular basis.” Successful people do this the night before, or first thing in the morning so that they are prepared to tackle the challenges that await them.''

9. They manage their money
Successful people have gotten where they are because they were able to manage their finances well. This means that they invest their money wisely, look for new opportunities and set aside emergency funds. They are more generous and willing to donate to those who need help.

There is an old saying that luck and preparation always meet opportunity. The most successful people set themselves up for success by preparing all the time. Successful people expect luck will find them, and it usually does.

Get up! Rise up! and aim for success!

Tuesday 17 November 2015

WAYS LOW INCOME EARNERS CAN MAKE THE BEST OF THEIR EARNINGS

It is a known fact that a substantial percentage of Liberian Graduates and undergraduates  are Unemployed, and from the few that do have jobs, many of them are underemployed and payed stipends that barely see them through to the end of the month. Here are 10 ways you can maximize your low income.

1. "Cut your cloth according to your size". Acknowledge the fact that you earn a low income, don't spend above your means. Minimize your spending as much as possible. Bare in mind that your current status is only for a while, you will blow eventually.

2. Try as much as possible to ensure you do not spend too much on transportation. Transportation as we all know takes up a great chunk of ones earnings most of the time. If possible find someone who owns a car and plies your office route, and tag along with them. You have to be jovial, and make them like you, so that you wont be a burden, but rather good company.

3. If you are ever going to break out of your tight financial situation, and not be the type of person who lives from hand to mouth, you need to develop a culture of saving, yes! you need to save. No matter how little, you can make up your mind to save between 10 and 20 percent of your earnings. In the event that you lose your job, or an emergency comes up, you will have something to fall back on.

4. Pay your Tithe and Give cheerfully. The saying "Givers Never Lack" is one of the most accurate sayings ever. Try it and you will be surprised, it works like magic!

5. Dedicate a Fraction of your stipends to self development. Your chances of getting a better paying job will definitely increase if you have more skills, certifications, etc.

6. Check your Relationships!! Guys, is your girlfriend milking you dry? Girls, is your boyfriend feeding on you continuously? The hard truth is that if you are going to move ahead, you need to cut off those that are constantly pulling you back. If they truly cared about you, they wont keep demanding, knowing fully well you don't earn that much.

7. Stop The Children before Marriage thing. Ladies and Gentlemen,stop having children by different mothers/fathers before marriage. As a low income earners it doesn't help your situation in anyway! it rather brings you down financially and morally. If you take your time to get settled,choose a determined woman/man to make your better half,both of you can work hard and manage the little income received to give your children a better life. It relieves of the stress associated with financial burden.

8. Stop Visiting Beer Parlors ! Every evening on my way from work,i see so many cars packed at various joints. Men and women drinking beer and others. I always wonder,how much are they making that they have chosen to make it habit to visit the bar every evening?  Erase the mentality that such men are big men. To me,they are brokers! Calculate how much you spend at the bar every day by a month and think if u had saved such amount,what useful project can it cover.

Lastly,spend on what you need instead of what you want!!! These are the wheels you need to drive to get to success land.

Degrees Are No Longer Enough: It's Time To Learn A Skill


Today, and once again, I'm writing on a very familiar issue. Degrees are out rightly overrated - especially down here in Liberia.

This system churns out thousands of graduates every single year, and almost all of these graduates have the same mindset of seeking and getting a job somewhere. Whether or not we accept it, the JOB MARKET is overcrowded and government won't give everyone a job. Actually every serious government should be more concerned with creating a supportive and enabling environment than creating jobs for its people.

Every individual has a talent and a passion, and their wealth and fame lies in their vigorous pursuit of those passions and talents.

It's about time everyone begins learning a skill OR start to develop some latent ability within them. There's nothing wrong with adding a skill to your degree. It could be learning plumbing, professional driving, wiring a house, tailoring, selling, carpentry, painting, fashion designing, etc, or it could developing some soft skills like becoming a great communicator, writer, or even becoming a motivational speaker or personal development expert.

I had gone to give a safety briefing to some contractors and other management staff some months ago. After the briefing, one of the managers approached me, appreciated the manner of the talk and asked, " are you a motivational speaker?". Of course I sad NO. And she enthused I would make a good speaker if I could put my heart into it.

I laughed away the talk, but the speech replayed later in my mind as I was preparing to retire to bed in the evening. I Googled on the topic and started to read almost all the materials that came up. That was how I started on the journey to personal development and motivational speaking.

Months later, I went to give a give a talk to some youths at a church. Although I refused to take a dime but I left there very fulfilled and I know I'm on my way to adding another skill to my skill pool. In this era, there's no limit to the skills we can acquire.

At the moment, an old man is fixing some plumbing works for me. As we talked, he told me how he's been looking for youths to assist in learning that skill, but none has shown any interest.

As an undergraduate or graduate, you can still make plans towards learning a skill while on campus or at home wasting time and waiting for the millions pay job. Skill is the way forward. No great nation ever took skill development for granted. It's time to learn a skill. Any skill can be a temporal source of income. Men are losing their jobs; competition is fiercer now than ever. Even if you're seeking to be the best in your chosen field, you can still add a skill. Any skill. WAKE UP LIBERIANS!

PRODUCTION OF TOILET SOAP


Toilet soaps are soaps that are mainly used for bathing and as such must be foamy and have very nice fragrance with attractive coloring. It must also feel good on the skin. 

EQUIPMENTS REQUIRED


FORMULATION TABLE
Chemicals required and their quantity
Palm kernel oil 3 LITRES
Caustic soda 1 KG
Coconut oil 2 LITRES
Bleached palm oil 1 LITRE
Silicate 1 LITRE
Colourant TO TASTE
Perfume TO TASTE
Titanium dioxide
Glycerine

PROCEDURE
Prepare the caustic soda solution as done in the laundry soap

Pour all the oil into the mixer and start heating

When it is warm, add colorant and mix properly till uniformly blend

Add the caustic soda solution and continue boiling and stirring

When all have blended, add sodium silicate and turn off the heater

When the temperature drops, add the fragrance

Stir slowly and pour into molds

Allow to harden for 6-8 hours

Shape, stamp and package for the market


FOR MARKETING, YOU CAN START WITH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, CHURCH, WORKPLACE, MOTOR PARK, OR HOUSE TO HOUSE MARKETING.

PRODUCTION OF POWDERY DETERGENT

Powdery soap are mostly used in the washing of cloth, mopping of floors and many other applications that the user might deem fit. You are advised to ensure that you keep strictly to the formulation.

FORMULATION TABLE
Chemicals and the required quantity
Palm kernel oil or fatty acid 4 LITRES
Caustic soda 1 KG
Soda ash 2 KG
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) ½ LITRES
Ammonium 30 MILI LITRES (MLS)
Industrial salt (Na2CO3) 150 MLS
Colourant TO TASTE
Perfume TO TASTE
Foaming agent 250 MLS
Sulphuric acid 30 MLS

PROCEDURE
Prepare the caustic soda solution as described in the production of laundry soap and ensure that the density is at the stated value.

Allow to stand for three days (72 hrs) minimum. You can allow it to stand for more than three days if you want but should not use when it is not up to 3 days.

The reason why some powdery detergent is corrosive is because the caustic soda did not blend long enough in water before starting the production process.

Add the soda ash to the caustic soda solution and stir very well until uniformly blended

Pour the palm kernel oil into the mixture and add the colourant while stirring vigorously (only in clockwise direction) till it blends well.

Add the hydrogen peroxide, ammonium, industrial salt, fuming agent and the perfume into the mixture above.

Pour into a dryer for drying or spread under the sun to dry

After drying pulverize or grate and then sieve.

Package into sachets for the market