The SCO scrawls

Each day, I am confronted by several situations calling for, not just mathematical and logical appeal to surmount. As a supply chain officer in charge of food division, I not only have to cater for the needs of the existing vendors, which are often cunning and necessitating more interrogation to see past the well blanketed presentations, but also imperatively ensure customer taste buds are acquainted with the latest tastes and flavors.

Product sourcing is one aspect of purchasing that begs for more than just a negotiation. Basically, the point of contention is which product is right for purchase. Common knowledge would aver that the product ought fulfill test of demand, quality and price point triad. The retail market is dynamic and overladen with information –factual and true as well as biased and fallacious; vendors, like prophets or witchdoctors overstate their products’ superiority which back the ‘flying off the shelf’ clichéd sermons; and of course there are statutory regulations that have to be latently crutched to at all times.

But I have a category range to consider, perspective of the management to consult, a vendor to make happy, a market to observe, some KPIs to fulfill and some spirits to appease. With the complexity of my factors to consider, nonplussed by the expectations from vendors, the algorithm to arrive at an objective decision point would only burst my natural supercomputer –my head. Its not what I want as I would face judgment for leaving vacant my segment of multiplying and filling the earth.

Retreat from the tough considerations and embark on what would make business sense. It is the business of a business to do business!! Think about it!

Apprised with such Solomonic view, one ostensibly would just pinch and equally massage the vendor to not only sell the positives but also lay naked the shortcomings of the product –from which the true value, significantly business value, would be graspable. Alienated will be the absurdity of the fact that we tend to evaluate products from the intent of their manufacturers and sellers instead of users or potential users –which is more prevalent than our ignorance of the market dynamics. Market dynamics!!

As I ponder, this week, on the above scribbling, I feel indebted to entangle my head, and hands of course, on an excursion to the one thing that holds the world –communication.

Communication –someone will nod in appreciation that this isn’t my area, I know. See you next week!

Mad woman; but still a woman

She had unkempt locks

A mixture of brown and black dreads

As long as they were

Planted on her head and ne’er bothered her

Her face was dull

Dark complexion her skin was

Her eyes soar;

And ugly she looked

Her clothes were in tatters

Many she blanketed herself in

Though from cold she felt safe

Her soul was naked

No companion, no relative

For the busy lots glanced at her

And stride away, no second look

By no means would they see

That beneath the animal looks

Was a living woman

She smoked and laid herself

On a spot she considered home

She was at peace with herself

And bothered not the passers-by

But often smiled to those who cared

To give her a second glance

Her life was just hers

And she did her role in guarding it

She ate and drank

And clothed her skin to live

All which reveal of her

The human being she hid in her

Now she is gone

And the spot is unusual

Like others she’s dead

And she cares not now

Her body be cremated or buried

Is upon the living to bother

The living who passed her by

Those who got irritated on seeing her

Those who pinched their nose

Not to catch stench from her body

And as she goes never to come back

And memories of her fade away

She was in all like them

Although praised on their death

They are buried and forgotten

Insignificant she was perceived

But this fact is irrefutable

Though madwoman, she was a woman

RIP mad woman

The world was never your place

Just like it’s not our place

Good Morning people!!

When the night did last

My hope was at stake

The darkness could not let

Mine eyes see

And the silence of the dark

Set my mind to think

Not of the scariness of the night

But of the beauty of the stars

Stars far away and tiny

And now the morning has come

I can’t help but savor the glory

The rekindled hope on my face

Good morning people!!!

YOU

My skin tells it all

An African I stand tall

My eyelids never fall

To hinder seeing you at all

That’s why, about you I recall

I’ve been out and about

And all I say is utmost honest

To you I make my quest

Although to you I wish the best

In good and bad you rest

Your beautiful head upon my chest

Even at this my hand you’ll let

Caress your hair as you sob, laugh or sweat

In this position am able to see

An angelic face for free

Your tender heart via your eye

Your cheek that tells all

That you are one in a million

Your lips so delicate and calling

And as they part in a smile

What a gap you got

I just can hide the feeling not

In your very self, I found my being!!

'Wanna go around'

The world we live in

is round, so have they said

and it goes around

acquainting me with the knowledge 

whoever goes around comes around

The man am named after

wasn't around a century ago

came to being and then ceased again

and he would say;

as he walk on Gikuyu's soil

'back and forth is the order of life'

that 'that which goes up

settles back on the ground'

my conscious feels cheated 

by the knowledge so proposed

my going up is always short-lived

and coming around so soon

I thirst for time to come

when defied will be the odds

when I'll rise beyond gravity's reach

never to descend again

Then go around,

Never to come around.

Atheism is a Religion

In defining a religion different people would provide different statements depending on one’s orientation of the concept. Religion is often associated with a god who is believed to have more powers than human beings and who grants people favours from his powers. Other people believe in many gods, each possessing different types of powers. The religious people either see their gods, physically in idols or in physical features or they believe he exist but cannot be seen. However, for any concept to qualify as religion there is a set of criteria that it should meet.

First, a religion has narratives which function as the basis of the faith of people in such religion. These stories explain where the world came from and the position of human being in the world. The famous religions such as Christians and Islam believe that God created the world and the human race and that human being are superior to other creations. Secondly, religion has experiences felt by those who adhere to it. People claim to be born again and redeemed from evil when converted to Christianity and others claim connection with the deity during some of the rituals and ceremonies conducted by specific religion.

Another criteria for a religion is social dimension by which, those in one religion believe that people should embrace their faith and it is the basis of the missionary activities and writing books trying to convince others of the truthfulness of one’s religious faith. Each religion also tends to refer its social lives to a source which they believe to be true such as Bible, Quran. They also have prominent people who are believed to have laid the foundation of a religion

Fourth, a religion has doctrines which mean some philosophies and beliefs about the working of its deity. Though often not specific, each religion has concepts which are believed to be advocated by the supernatural and they control the behaviours of people who subscribe to such a religion. Fifth, a religion has ethics; what is good and what is wrong. This works in line with the doctrines such that, whatever is believed to please god is always construed to be good and anything else as wrong. To some extreme cases some people sacrificed themselves or others since they believed it pleased their god or gods.

Finally, a religion has rituals and property they deem sacred. Such property would include houses, temples, caves or art. These serve to represent the presence of a god or gods or even the imagination of how god is like in the case of art. They also have rituals conducted to converts or conducted after some time with the intention of renewing the faith. The rituals could be commemoration of significant point in time in the history of the religion or a stage required for a convert to have a link with the god or gods.

Although other criteria could be highlighted, narratives, experiences, social dimension, ethics, doctrines rituals and property are the main elements that define any concept that is a religion. However, often most people would take religion on the basis of just belief which is just but an element of the entire meaning of religion.

Atheism

Atheism refers to lack of belief in any supernatural being. Some may therefore ostensibly think that atheism is not a religion. However, looking at the criteria set out for a concept to be a religion, atheism qualifies to be one.  Atheism has narratives pointing to evolution theory as origin of the life in earth. The narrative often informed by Charles Darwin theories places human being above other species of life since in the struggle for the fittest; man becomes the fittest since he has the highest level of intelligence. People have reported to be happy after becoming atheists since there is no belief of afterlife and their highest purpose of life is to be happy. Regarding social dimensions, atheists have written several books arguing the non -exists god or gods meaning they intend to convince the society that there is nothing like supernatural being. There being no deity for atheists, they beliefs are based on forces of events such as gravity, earth rotation and ocean tides among other cosmic forces. Biological explanations are preferred to belief in explaining life.

The atheism has philosophies on ethics such as utilitarianism which provide criteria of what is right and what is wrong. Since there is no standard for atheism, most atheists celebrate secular holidays such as public holidays and most recently they have been celebrating Charles Darwin anniversary. Atheism does not hold buildings and other property as sacred but they do to the living things. They place human life above all else as they believe people are the fittest in the struggle for the fittest. However they also advocate for other living things as they view killing them being tantamount to murder.

Therefore, atheism, despite its lack of belief in any supernatural being, is a religion because it has its beliefs, ethics, philosophies, narratives, social dimensions, experiences and ritual just like other religions.

I am born of a woman

Before my eye closes
I wanna tell the world 
that although I do posses
strength and solid look of a rock
I am perceptive of voices
prone to an array of emotions
For I am a mortal born of a woman

when you slapped my cheek
and you do it again
I do not shed a tear
but lower my head not from fear
Its my heart you always tear

when you scream
and throw the pillows at me
in frustration as you always do
to relieve your anger 
that I didn't cause

know this and get it well
its never been, not any one time
so easy as you tend to think
to maintain the calm
that you now enjoy
For I am a mortal born of a woman