The gates of Sony shall not stand

Traditional games for me

Should we call it righteous indignation or holy anger?

Now, I am no fan of what others might call serious computer games that try to imitate reality, simulating the most gruesome aspects of evil committed by human-beings in the quest for some cheap thrill.

The most I have done with computer games is Chess, I did try Monopoly many years ago as graphics resolutions switched from EGA to VGA - that was real come-alive stuff, if you had ever worked with CGA on those now antique IBM monitors that weighed a tonne.

Nowadays, I play Sudoku on my PDA phone, I am climbing up the levels, I enjoy having my brain ticking away on things like that.

A new game has had a major entertainment company incur the wrath of the church - The Anglican Church - that is, in Manchester . The game called - Resistance: Fall of Man uses the backdrop of the interior of the Manchester Cathedral for a shoot-‘em-up game - Do these people have no restraint, are they so inured to the sensitivity of digging up this kind of seemingly sacrilegious act?

License to kill in church

Sony would have us know that all the necessary permission to use the setting of the church in their game was granted. Presumably, they met up with the Bishop and said, we are planning this seriously violent game that we believe would make it to number 1 in the gaming charts, the church can have a percentage of the takings as we use the altar for a bullet-to-heart sacrifice - I think NOT!

Cynically, one can say that Sony did plan to cause this uproar to drum up essential patronage for their game considering the travails of battery recalls they had last year as well as the late launch of their latest games console.

The title - Fall of Man - is ironically the Genesis of the concepts of Christianity; Sony cannot now pretend it was not their intention to seek a respectable religious establishment to exhibit their computerised art of unrestrained murder, it is not reality but it is engaging enough.

Utterly insensitive

The insensitivity of the matter stems from the fact that there have been a number of violent murders in Manchester recently, the cathedral then served as a meeting place to remember and honour the victims, the cathedral in a sense has both been denuded and desecrated by Philistines - uncircumcised in ethical comportment.

As the church leaders demand an apology and a withdrawal of church depictions from the game, one wonders if as a Japanese company, Sony would have had the temerity to depict a Shinto Shrine in this manner when one of the things you should not do there is to engage in activities that makes great noise - Quick! Fit the silencers.

Like Jesus said then, the Church has been built on a rock and the gates of Sony would not stand against it - In fact, this might just be the allegory for the Fall of Sony - Can they repent? I think not; can they be redeemed? Not with filthy lucre - by their acts have they begun to bring on their own downfall - No, I shall not cry - To Hell! They scream and I am not in a pulpit yet.

NB: Wanted! Developers to craft Judgement day - New game by the Church of England featuring the demise of Sony.

Rescue our cities from these louts

The louts from England

One only has to walk into Amsterdam on a Thursday night, yes; you do not have to wait till the weekend to observe the spectacle and nuisance.

My countrymen from England have arrived for a stag weekend what is know as the Bachelor’s Eve party in more polite circles. The cacophony, the raucousness and drunken behaviour is just a complete turn-off, we residents would hardly be found in the centre apart from when we are tour guides.

Amsterdam however is not the only city to suffer from this loutish display everything antithetical to the English gentleman, Dublin at one time trying to ban these sullen troops from destroying the friendly atmosphere of their city.

Dope, booze and sex

These cities however offer different delights with Amsterdam leaving the many quite worse for wear. They dope up on cannabis which is considerably more potent that their local brands and try out the space cakes which leave them completely spaced-out, from Thursday night they might be too out of it to the point of missing their flights on Sunday afternoon.

Then the booze, drinking so much that it would be like fish drowning in water, excess is excess on these trips, the sights are too sorry to behold.

Cheap flights fallout

The advent of cheap, no-frills flights has helped allow the swarm of undesirable behaviour and probably undesirable characters to normally genteel locations. Now, I am not against people getting around the world or even just Europe by air, they should just leave their bad attitudes at home – there was a time that these people could not even afford to travel to the seaside in England – well, some flights are so dirt cheap you wonder if they are sat in church pews beside the fact that they almost have to pay for oxygen at high altitude.

Just about 2 weeks ago, a group jetted off to Bratislava, as the Eastern European cities have become some of the hot budget destinations and they must be wondering if they want that sort of crowd.

Caught and fraught

The groom stripped naked and jumped into the fountain in front of the American Embassy, something he probably would never do whatever his state of mind at Trafalgar Square in London.

In what I would call unusual Eastern European efficiency – now, I do not know much about them – he was picked up by the police, put in the slammer, fast-tracked through the courts and very well onto a two month prison sentence.

The parents have brayed and bawled about legal representation, access to phones and other exculpatory issues, well, I would hope this would serve as a serious deterrent for the chap was on the verge of missing his wedding on which his nouveau riche relations had expended close to £20,000 – as if I care an iota.

Anyway, the young man has been set free after his local Member of Parliament waded into the matter seeking mitigation and clemency. The father has also unreservedly apologised for his son’s behaviour – and rightly so.

Rescue our cities

I would hope that the police in my city, Amsterdam and those in other cities that get invaded by marauding nonentities would be a bit firm-handed on these miscreants such that a message is sent out that we would not condone these attitudes – there is no reason for our city centres to be abandoned because of the anti-social behaviour of visitors feeding on drugs, alcohol and sex.

The other fact is, being English does not confer automatic immunity from police action or harassment, neither does it allow for people to flout public order and decency laws with impunity - what you will not do in England is probably not allowed here too.

When you get caught, the police would most likely not speak English to you even if they can, you probably would not have that phone call to your solicitor, they might not have a number for the embassy or consulate and if you have really broken the law, being a foreigner is not a “Get out of jail free” card.

So, be warned!

Reserved: A room at LA County Hilton

Mom! Mom! Mom! She screamed

Great hysteria accompanied the circus that is Paris Hilton where privilege and celebrity has now been visited by the full weight of the law on a situation that had become untenable.

Paris Hilton will return to jail for the full 45 days of her sentence for the violation of her parole.

I have kept my peace for quite a while especially when before entering jail she had already received a sentence reduction to 23 days. She reported for jail early and she was out in just over 72 hours to house confinement.

The County Sheriff who in ways has acted against the wishes of the judge granting a reassignment to home confinement because of a supposed medical condition which presumably can be treated by jail doctors might well be held in contempt and also be remanded in his own jail.

Basically, when you pander to privilege you might get burnt seriously. One thing that grates everyone that watches this drama is the way the American justice system is skewed, slanted and inequitable. There however was a time when the Sheriff, District Attorney and Judge answered to the big man in the city and did his bidding. One wonders who had not been paid off in this matter - Shocking really.

Jail is only for the poor and unknown

Like Alan Dershowitz said years ago during the trial of a Kennedy clan suspect for murder - Everyone is innocent until declared broke - maybe we can paraphrase that and say, jail is only for the poor and unknown.

There is one hotel in Thailand where people of all races congregate at with the benevolence of the Thai authorities; it is called the Bangkok Hilton, should we now rename the Los Angeles County Jail - LA County Hilton?

In the UK, we have a fully drugged up George Michael who drove to a delirious halt at a traffic junction in his expensive Mercedes Benz car given a 100 hour community service and a two-year ban - sometimes you really can get away with anything if you are a big enough celebrity - doesn't it make you want to be famous just for the sake of it?

The star performs at Wembley Station tomorrow - As Ladies and Gentlemen go Outside for Freedom - everyone just has to Listen Without Prejudice.

Need to finish this Masters course

The course itself

Having completed the core part of my academic studies for a Master of Science in Information Technology, I have found that I have somewhat ground to a halt in terms of commencing and completing my thesis.

So far, the coursework covered Computer Structures, Project Management for IT, E-Commerce, Security Engineering, Computer Communications, Advanced Topics in IT (Human Interfaces, Distance Learning, Agents & Wireless Computing), Computer Forensics and Object Oriented Java Programming.

Privacy, Security and Trust

Throughout the course, I have been quite sensitive to the issues of security and privacy, one area I felt I could work in was an aspect of developing algorithms for creating and determining levels of trust beyond just challenge/response authentication.

For instance, we know the standard answers to questions like address, date of birth or mother's maiden name. All this kind of information can easily be taken from your rubbish bins especially if you do not shred all traceable material that you throw away.

Shred it all

I always shred every addressed paper before recycling, windowed envelopes in the Netherlands have postcode franking pertaining to a particular address, our entrance bells would usually have our names then link that to the fact that it is business envelope a particular company.

You can begin to build a profile, or at least, you have given the miscreant a head start of sorts.

However, if the questions change to knowledge-based information like what buses go past your house? If you have lived somewhere for 5 years, you can hardly be oblivious of that. Probably, your age you next 2 birthdays or colour of your front door - use the responses, response times and correctness to establish a threshold of acceptable trustworthiness proving you are communicating with the said person.

What to do?

All sorts of ideas running around in my head but I have hit the proverbial writer's block, I do not think I would be able to develop enough material in this area for an M.Sc., it appears the ideas and material are more suited for an M.A. or M.Phil - this because I need to develop test scenarios for the theories I propound.

Being a freelance consultant, it I difficult to latch onto some project where I work and adapt it for the purposes of a Masters programme, in fact, since there is no sponsorship the free agency can have you a bit listless.

I suppose another concern is simply that my coursework puts me in line for a distinction; I must get an A in the thesis to confirm that - the times that drive us at time can be so silly.

Like some friends would say, get on with it, I suppose it is now time to finish this thing and move on to the next project.

Obasanjo does Pírìgìdì in Christian Theology

Open learning visitor

How can one not be afforded another dig at OBJ, it appears he has enrolled at the National Open University of Nigeria, which presumably is a Distance Learning university of sorts.

I do remember General Yakubu Gowon after being overthrown in 1975 also returned to school at the University of Warwick ending up with a doctorate in something I cannot care to remember.

Interestingly, he arranged to visit the premises where every person of importance from directors, deans and a deaconess (yes, church offices are official appellations in Nigeria) was arraigned in sycophancy par excellence falling over themselves to indicate the ex-President would not receive preferential treatment, but then the timetables and curriculum would be arranged for his convenience.

Why does he just not get a private tutor if he so requires tailored tutorials and scheduling?

We all now know his matriculation number is NOU060323192 and it would not be a give away if a question demands answers based on his experience in which case he might have to start with - When I was the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria - or better still, a codeword in the answers that makes the lecturer toast if ...

Obviously, no impropriety is to be expected, though he did lament having to spend two and a half hours in traffic - maybe the ex-President suddenly realised something about the country he has ruled for a total of 11 and a half years - Scary! But such are the trappings of privilege, a disconnection from your constituency.

Probably the right course

Anyway, I do regret to inform you that he is doing a Post Graduate diploma (Pírìgìdì in Nigerian parlance) in Christian Theology - maybe this one opportunity arises for a man to practice what he preaches.

I know, I know many would have wanted him to enrol in the Democracy programme where courses like Electioneering 001, Rule of Law 010, Anger Management (Vindictiveness module) 112, Conducting Fair Elections 003, and Legacy Building through Effective Governance (Includes the Knowing when to leave module) 101 amongst orders would not have been lessons too late for any Nigerian.

This is not to rubbish the course his is embarking on because restitution is part of the Christian message, one just wonders how he can made things right - probably by dropping out of political circulation altogether especially through the peddling of influence as party chairman.

Does Ichabod now live at the Vatican?

Holy See saw naught and did zilch

The irony should not be lost on you my readers, no, not at all.

What is this thing about the Pope caught in a security scare?

The Pope was having his usual Wednesday "walkabout", albeit in his Popemobile when a young man vaults over an embankment to approach the Pope, he clung to the vehicle for seconds before he was subdued by the security personnel - whatever was on his mind never saw fruition - maybe.

The more serious issue here is the realisation that whilst the Pope might be the head of an established church, his office does not seem to have the fantasy of the miraculous, maybe even hazard the occupation of palliative comfort.

In other words, we have a spiritual head who really is a political power commanding a quality of authority, a president, head of state or monarch would just as well require an entourage and the same retinue of personnel.

I would presume in Jesus' day, He would have sensed the incident, just as the woman with the issue of blood caught His attention because he felt virtue (miraculous power) had been tapped from His being and not so much for she having tugged at his garments - it would appear from the video footing, the Pope was completely oblivious of the event, or maybe even practically unperturbed.

The risk of faith

The young man however might have taken the risk of faith hoping to touch and latch himself to the Popemobile with the desire that he might be whole - that however might have been thwarted by the overzealous courtiers who deny people of Papal blessings in the guise of security and protection.

The man has also been handed over to the mental health authorities where the Master might have used the opportunity to minister grace and healing.

The mental health authorities are most likely going to put the poor chap in a strait jacket where he might have thought he would get the one touch of the healing hands of the Pope - Security again gets in the way of the Vicar of Christ on earth.

For the young man, at the Vatican, maybe miracles are impossible but a referral happens in an instant.

All that security and all makes you wonder where that amazing power of the Church now resides, not the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail nor does the authority of compassionate healing appears to be in the vision of the Holy See today - Alas! Ichabod now lives in Rome.

Pope in danger - All panic.

Yar'Adua on Power - a whimper, a bark or a roar

Just the slimmest of chances

I think by now my healthy scepticism concerning the ability of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua to excel as president and ruler of Nigeria is all too well documented, now, a few notes to polish that view.

One in some ways is ready in to give him the benefit of doubt, this should and must not be read as giving him a chance, chances have already been used up long before he assumed the post he now occupies; I would expect he hit the ground running to ensure that we do not continue to view him from the perspective of someone who assumed office under a big gloomy cloud of underhand and dubious political machinations.

There are some who say he has got a lot to offer, well, it would be interesting to see on what grounds that assessment has been made, I see no particular track record that allows anyone to arrive at the premise with any objectivity - because if it is on what he did in Katsina State, financial prudence is not enough a basis for understanding and grappling with the serious developmental issues of Nigeria.

Fast tracked beyond results

In reviewing his achievements as governor of Katsina State - one effusive biography (written in typical Nigerian parlance) reads thus - "It is reported that his commitment to fiscal prudence had resulted in the management of Katsina State's resources from a point of indebtedness to a reserve of about N6.5 billion.

He is reported to have achieved this feat while investing in areas that touched the lives of the people directly. These include education; health; portable water; road, and micro-credit scheme to assist farmers. In education, primary school enrolment rose from a mere 460,000 in 1999 to over a million."

Like a fellow blogger friend (Chippla) once said in conversation - honesty is not enough - I would agree, the presidency of Nigeria is not some priesthood, it is a serious executive job that requires genius political skill and visionary direction and the harnessing of resources to goals that militate against the norm of the typical Nigerian way of doing things.

The power outrage

When I visited the Yar'Adua/Goodluck campaign website months ago (The website has since disappeared, one wonders if the issues disappeared with the website); one of the topics that received much coverage was that about the electrical power problems in Nigeria.

The transformation of NEPA (Nigerian Electric Power Authority) to a supposedly more efficient entity called the PHCN (Power Holding Company of Nigeria) has not done much to address the infrastructure deficit and problems where after a $10 billion cash injection during the Obasanjo years, the power problems are even worse.

I use the phrase "cash injection" rather than investment because it would appear the money never really addressed the problems, it might however have lined many pockets - who knows?

So, in a meeting with PHCN managers, the President has set down a task for these managers to handle with this comment - "You people should better be ready to come up with plans before I declare a state of emergency in that sector", he would no more take excuses.

Now, help me here - is this to say there have been no plans yet to address this issue all this time?

This is no new problem

This tough talk really does not impress me - before he declares a state of emergency in that sector - well, any idiot would have seen that that sector was long past having a state of emergency declared - maybe I am just being a bit flippant here.

This is not some new national problem nor is there a new management in that organisation, if they have yet to produced a game plan to begin to address electrical power problems, then we should have new hands on the deck to take this matter more seriously.

Then another manager suggests they are up to the task if the money is there - so what happened to the $10 billion that was thrown at the problem before? What is to guarantee that another cash injection would not fall wholesale into the bottomless pit of impropriety, corruption, graft and inaction?

Aspects of problem resolution

There are serious issues with the power infrastructure in Nigeria, first is the issue of planning and demography, the census unfortunately would not help where people and their facilities do not reflect the realities of the ability to supply the demand and consumption.

Then the matter of security for installed infrastructure has to be addressed such that cables and pylons are not vandalised or stolen for other nefarious activities.

After this, there is a cost to providing this infrastructure and delivering electricity to businesses and private premises - usage metering has to be properly recorded and revenue collection has to improve.

New pricing models have to be considered like do you have a flat charge for supplying a village or a building regardless of occupants and let the chiefs, heads of households or landlords determine how the people are levied according to the facilities they use?

Then the research and development of alternative energy sources like solar and wind energy, probably even the use of fossil fuels, I cannot honestly advocate the use of nuclear power because of safety consciousness and probably vulnerability to saboteurs just as we have with our oil installations.

President Yar'Adua clearly understands that this power issue is critical and fundamental to socio-economic development in Nigeria, this is a good start - I just hope that it is not another reincarnation of PHCN (Problem Has Changed Name) - one this issue, the President might have whimpered, barked or roared - time will tell.