#stop acting like other residents are deliberately going out of their way to sabotage your project when in reality most people are fine

[witchstone]

can i not even be a part of a whatsapp group about our local nature conservancy without that jumped up wannabe estate group in our area punting their shit

[holosoftheoldrepublic]

Falling

           He watched her as she carefully arranged her red hair around her horns, gathering the strands to clip them together at the back of her head, although a few locks always managed to escape to fall before her ears.

           Tawa-ret, once the apprentice to Darth Baras, although a Lord in her own right now, examined her reflection in the mirror, eventually deciding that her appearance met whatever standards her approval required, and turned to him with a soft smile. “Are you ready, Quinn?”

           Once, he’d been disturbed by the familiarity; for a number of reasons but mostly because she was an alien, a red-skinned Zabrak with the striking black tattoos that they were best known for. That Darth Baras had taken her in as his favoured apprentice had been bad enough, but she’d taken an instant liking to him that he’d had to bite his tongue and suffer through her flirtations.

           He’d underestimated her abilities, expecting her to fail at her first hurdle, and had been amazed to see her breeze through the obstacles as if they weren’t even there. Even after recalculating, she continued to surprise him with what she could accomplish, and all in such a small time frame. By the time her mission on Balmorra came to a close, he could even admit to a grudging respect of her abilities.

           He had expected that to be the last of their interactions.

           “Ready and able, My Lord,” he replied with a slight bow, not missing the dramatic roll of her eyes as he did so.

           “Honestly, Quinn, you really do need to lighten up,” she said with some amusement. “There’s no need to be this formal with the woman whose bed you’re sharing.”

           Not something he had ever expected to do. “I’ll do my best, my Lord.”

           “I do have a name, Quinn.”

           “And it is a lovely name... my Lord.”

           She sighed. “I suppose I should be grateful that you don’t call me “My Lord” in bed.”

           “Yes, I have been quite remiss in my formalities on that front,” he said, maintaining a straight face, if barely.

           She shot him an annoyed look, and he smiled slightly in response.

           When Darth Baras had released him from his service, he had expected that to be the end of it, but the Sith had had other opinions on the matter. While Tawa-ret and some of her associates —a Pureblood Sith named Byz, and a Cathar woman who he had yet to learn the name of and whom he suspected was in Imperial intelligence — remained on Balmorra to help Darth Lachris subdue the planet, he had been looking for new postings to apply to. His career had suffered greatly the last ten years, and he had been eager to restore it.

           And then Baras had contacted him again, to have him take his place on Tawa-ret’s ship to keep an eye on his apprentice, and his loyalty to the man who’d salvaged his career was such that he had accepted without question... although inwardly he had not been happy with the idea.

           He had waited for Tawa-ret in the hangar bay her ship resided in, acting as if he could think of no better way to help the Empire than under her command, amazed at himself that he hadn’t choked on the words he was saying to an alien.

           “It’s a good thing you’re cute, Imperial,” she muttered, “Or else you might find yourself in trouble.”

           “I would hope my abilities as a soldier would be more of a deterrent to trouble than my looks, My Lord,” he said mildly.

           “Hmm.”

           Quinn wasn’t sure when his feelings towards Tawa-ret had changed. He’d carefully rebuffed her advances at every turn, citing military regulations, even though he knew they didn’t apply to her... or that she wouldn’t care, even if they did. At the very least she never pushed the matter, even if she never dropped it entirely.

           Time and familiarity had a way of changing things, however, and soon he had found himself — much to his horror — drawn to the dynamic woman. She was confident and awe-inspiring in her abilities; powerful and fierce, but she was not prone to the selfishness and cruelty of most Sith... for the most part.

Above all, she put the good of the Empire first, even if it caused her difficulty. She would never waste a resource because of one failure, something that would doom an Imperial to a painful death under any other Sith, but she didn’t tolerate deliberate sabotage and in-fighting.

           All things that he held in high regard.

           And in spite of himself, he found her attractive, too, if prone to some very inappropriate choices in garments. Or lack thereof; she seemed to despise pants, and for the first while he spent a great deal of time looking up. Zabraks were considered near-humans, and they had more in common with humans than not. Her eyes were a lovely shade of green that almost seemed to sparkle when she was merry and darkened when feeling intense emotions.

           Her eyes were often dark, when watching him.

           Quinn offered his arm to her. “May we depart, My Lord?”

           “I suppose we must,” she said, taking the offered arm. She was slightly taller than him, made more so by the heeled boots she wore, and a part of him felt that it was appropriate that he was always looking up to her. “I would rather be fighting than going to these nonsense society events.”

           “I would say that a society event is easier on my nerves, but considering who will be there...” he murmured.

           She laughed, leaning into him. “I think the battlefield is safer!”

           He’d never thought he’d be so worried about her safety. Of fearing that one day, she wouldn’t move fast enough, or he wouldn’t be good enough, and she’d be lost to him. He’d already thought he’d lost her once, when Baras had turned on her, fearing she’d move against him, having grown more powerful than anyone could have anticipated.

           Too powerful to be taken out by such a cowardly trick, as it turned out.

           Now she was the Emperor’s Wrath, and Hell bent on revenge on her former Master. And a bit about the good of the Empire in there, too, she was quick to point out.

           Quinn hadn’t been sure where he stood, then. Since he was travelling with Tawa-ret, was he considered to be a disposable asset? Was he to meet the same fate as so many of Baras’ spies and agents, many of whom had met their end at Tawa-ret’s own lightsaber? He could have left her service, but what good would it have done?

           And by then, he’d already started to develop feelings for her.

           “I still don’t think it’s wise to go,” he said, frowning slightly. “Baras might not directly act against you, but that doesn’t rule out indirect action... it only takes a moment to poison your drink...”

           “You worry too much, Captain,” she waved him off. “I have you to watch out for me, don’t I?”

           “Of course, My Lord.”

           If only she knew he wasn’t as safe as she thought he was. He hadn’t had to wait long to find out where he stood with Baras. He had soon contacted Quinn, on a private, encrypted channel, and instructed him to keep an eye on Tawa-ret and pass along information on what she was doing and where, and with who.

           And, ever-dutiful, ever-loyal, he had obeyed, even as his two loyalties tore him apart. He had owed everything to Baras, even the relationship he now had with Tawa-ret. What was he to do?

           You are a coward, Malavai. You don’t want this to stop, so you don’t tell her, even though there’s only one end now: your death, and her hurt. Stupid enough to carry on his double life, his warring loyalties, but not stupid enough to believe he would ever ultimately win. One day Baras would call on him to strike, and he would.

           And even as her heart was breaking, Tawa-ret would end his life.

           “I hope that Vette will behave,” Tawa-ret sighed as she punched in the codes to open the Fury’s doors. “Jaesa has experience in navigating high society from her time in Alderaan, at least, and Pierce has the benefit of being a man in uniform. And not too bad looking.”

           He didn’t even try to hide his grimace.

           She laughed, pleased at his petty jealousy. She always liked it when his base nature wore through his strict military bearing. She kissed his cheek. “I think we’ve tarried long enough; if we take any longer, I’m sure Vette will have set the entire place ablaze.”

           “You’re the one who got... distracted,” he said delicately.

           “Takes two to be “distracted”, Quinn,” she said impishly, and tugged him along. “Perhaps if we’re lucky, we can find a closet to get “distracted” in later!”

           As they made their way out of the space dock, Quinn savoured the feel of her arm through his, the way she walked just a bit too close for propriety, the sound of her voice, the smell of her perfume, the darkness of her eyes as she watched him.

           Until the inevitable, bitter end, Quinn would not take moments like these for granted. He would commit them all to memory, and bring them with him to whatever lay beyond.

[naijanotes]

New Post has been published on https://naijanotes.net/obasanjo-writes-buhari-full-text/

Obasanjo Writes Buhari: Full Text

I am constrained to write to you this open letter. I decided to make it an open letter because the issue is very weighty and must be greatly worrisome to all concerned Nigerians and that means all right-thinking Nigerians and those resident in Nigeria. Since the issue is of momentous concern to all well-meaning and all right-thinking Nigerians, it must be of great concern to you, and collective thinking and dialoguing is the best way of finding an appropriate and adequate solution to the problem. The contents of this letter, therefore, should be available to all those who can help in proffering effective solutions for the problem of insecurity in the land.

One of the spinoffs and accelerants is the misinformation and disinformation through the use of fake news. A number of articles, in recent days, have been attributed to me by some people who I believe may be seeking added credence and an attentive audience for their opinions and viewpoints. As you know very well, I will always boldly own what I say and disown what is put into my mouth. But the issue I am addressing here is very serious; it is the issue of life and death for all of us and for our dear country, Nigeria. This issue can no longer be ignored, treated with nonchalance, swept under the carpet or treated with cuddling glove.

The issue is hitting at the foundation of our existence as Nigerians and fast eroding the root of our Nigerian community. I am very much worried and afraid that we are on the precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be possible to hold danger at bay. Without being immodest, as a Nigerian who still bears the scar of the Nigerian civil war on my body and with a son who bears the scar of fighting Boko Haram on his body, you can understand, I hope, why I am so concerned. When people are desperate and feel that they cannot have confidence in the ability of government to provide security for their lives and properties, they will take recourse to anything and everything that can guarantee their security individually and collectively.

For over ten years, for four of which you have been the captain of the ship, Boko Haram has menacingly ravaged the land and in spite of government’s claim of victory over Boko Haram, the potency and the activities of Boko Haram, where they are active, remain undiminished, putting lie to government’s claim. The recent explanation of the Chief of Army Staff for non-victory due to lack of commitment and lack of motivation on the part of troops bordering on sabotage speaks for itself. Say what you will, Boko Haram is still a daily issue of insecurity for those who are victimised, killed, maimed, kidnapped, raped, sold into slavery and forced into marriage and for children forcibly recruited into carrying bombs on them to detonate among crowds of people to cause maximum destructions and damage. And Boko Haram will not go away on the basis of sticks alone, carrots must overweigh sticks. How else do you deal with issues such as only about 50% literacy in North-East with over 70% unemployment?

Herdsmen/farmers crises and menace started with government treating the issue with cuddling glove instead of hammer. It has festered and spread. Today, it has developed into banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and killings all over the country. The unfortunate situation is that the criminality is being perceived as a ‘Fulani’ menace unleashed by Fulani elite in the different parts of the country for a number of reasons but even more, unfortunately, many Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are friends of Nigeria attach vicarious responsibility to you as a Fulani elite and the current captain of the Nigeria ship. Perception may be as potent as reality at times. Whatever may be the grievances of Fulanis, if any, they need to be put out in the open and their grievances, if legitimate, be addressed; and if other ethnic groups have grievances, let them also be brought out in the open and addressed through debate and dialogue.

The main issue, if I may dare say, is poor management or mismanagement of diversity which, on the other hand, is one of our greatest and most important assets. As a result, very onerous cloud is gathering. And rain of destruction, violence, disaster and disunity can only be the outcome. Nothing should be taken for granted, the clock is ticking with the cacophony of dissatisfaction and disaffection everywhere in and outside the country. The Presidency and the Congress in the US have signalled to us to put our house in order. The House of Lords in the UK had debated the Nigerian security situation. We must understand and appreciate the significance, implication and likely consequences of such concerns and deliberations.

No one can stop hate speech, violent agitation and smouldering violent agitation if he fans the embers of hatred, disaffection and violence. It will continue to snowball until it is out of control. A stitch in time saves nine, goes the old wise saying.

With the death of Funke, Chief Fasoranti’s daughter, some sympathetic Nigerian groups are saying “enough is enough”. Prof. Anya, a distinguished Nigerian merit Laureate, has this to say “We can no longer say with certainty that we have a nation”. Niger-Delta leaders, South-Eastern leaders, Middle-Belt leaders and Northern Elders Forum have not remained quiet. Different ordinary Nigerians at home and abroad are calling for different measures to address or ameliorate the situation. All the calls and cries can only continue to be ignored at the expense of Nigerian unity, if not its continued existence.

To be explicit and without equivocation, Mr. President and General, I am deeply worried about four avoidable calamities:

1. abandoning Nigeria into the hands of criminals who are all being suspected, rightly or wrongly, as Fulanis and terrorists of Boko Haram type;

2. spontaneous or planned reprisal attacks against Fulanis which may inadvertently or advertently mushroom into pogrom or Rwanda-type genocide that we did not believe could happen and yet it happened.

3. similar attacks against any other tribe or ethnic group anywhere in the country initiated by rumours, fears, intimidation and revenge capable of leading to pogrom;

4. violent uprising beginning from one section of the country and spreading quickly to other areas and leading to dismemberment of the country.

It happened to Yugoslavia not too long ago. If we do not act now, one or all of these scenarios may happen. We must pray and take effective actions at the same time. The initiative is in the hands of the President of the nation, but he cannot do it alone. In my part of the world, if you are sharpening your cutlass and a mad man comes from behind to take the cutlass from you, you need other people’s assistance to have your cutlass back without being harmed. The mad men with serious criminal intent and terrorism as core value have taken cutlass of security. The need for assistance to regain control is obviously compelling and must be embraced now.

A couple of weeks ago at a public lecture, I had said, among other things, that:

“In all these issues of mobilisation for national unity, stability, security, cooperation, development, growth and progress, there is no consensus. Like in the issue of security, government should open up discussion, debate and dialogue as part of consultation at different levels and the outcome of such deliberations should be collated to form inputs into a national conference to come up with the solution that will effectively deal with the issues and lead to rapid development, growth and progress which will give us a wholesome society and enhanced living standard and livelihood in an inclusive and shared society. It will be a national programme. We need unity of purpose and nationally accepted strategic roadmap that will not change with whims and caprices of any government. It must be owned by the citizens, people’s policy and strategy implemented by the government no matter its colour and leaning.

“Some of the groups that I will suggest to be contacted are: traditional rulers, past heads of service (no matter how competent or incompetent they have been and how much they have contributed to the mess we are in), past heads of para-military organisations, private sector, civil society, community leaders particularly in the most affected areas, present and past governors, present and past local government leaders, religious leaders, past Heads of State, past intelligence chiefs, past Heads of Civil Service and relevant current and retired diplomats, members of opposition and any groups that may be deemed relevant.”

“The President must be seen to be addressing this issue with utmost seriousness and with maximum dispatch and getting all hands on deck to help. If there is failure, the principal responsibility will be that of the President and no one else. We need cohesion and concentration of effort and maximum force – political, economic, social, psychological and military – to deal successfully with the menace of criminality and terrorism separately and together. Blame game among own forces must be avoided. It is debilitating and only helpful to our adversary. We cannot dither anymore. It is time to confront this threat headlong and in a manner that is holistic, inclusive and purposeful.

“For the sake of Nigeria and Nigerians, I pray that God may grant you, as our President, the wisdom, the understanding, the political will and the courage to do what is right when it is right and without fear or favour. May God save, secure, protect and bless Nigeria. May He open to us a window of opportunity that we can still use to prevent the worst happening. As we say in my village, “May God forbid bad thing”.

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO July 15, 2019

Released by Kehinde Akinyemi Special Assistant Media.

[upshotre]

Again, Obasanjo Writes Buhari Says Killings Can No Longer be Treated With Nonchalance

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written another letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, expressing worry over incessant killings across Nigeria. According to him, the issue of killings can no longer be ignored or treated with nonchalance. He said it can not be swept under the carpet or treated with cuddling glove. The elder statesman in the letter also warned that Nigeria is tipping towards a dangerous cliff and only the president could forestall such a looming disaster. He was however quick to add that the President cannot handle the situation stressing the need for a joint effort to tackle the menace. If we do not act now, one or all of these scenarios may happen. We must pray and take effective actions at the same time. The initiative is in the hands of the President of the nation, but he cannot do it alone.   He, therefore, urged the government to open up discussion, debate and dialogue as part of the consultation to proffer solutions to the problem of insecurity confronting the nation. Read full statement below… OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI I am constrained to write to you this open letter. I decided to make it an open letter because the issue is very weighty and must be greatly worrisome to all concerned Nigerians and that means all right-thinking Nigerians and those resident in Nigeria. Since the issue is of momentous concern to all well-meaning and all right-thinking Nigerians, it must be of great concern to you, and collective thinking and dialoguing is the best way of finding an appropriate and adequate solution to the problem. The contents of this letter, therefore, should be available to all those who can help in proffering effective solutions for the problem of insecurity in the land. One of the spinoffs and accelerants is the misinformation and disinformation through the use of fake news. A number of articles, in recent days, have been attributed to me by some people who I believe may be seeking added credence and an attentive audience for their opinions and viewpoints. As you know very well, I will always boldly own what I say and disown what is put into my mouth. But the issue I am addressing here is very serious; it is the issue of life and death for all of us and for our dear country, Nigeria. This issue can no longer be ignored, treated with nonchalance, swept under the carpet or treated with cuddling glove. The issue is hitting at the foundation of our existence as Nigerians and fast eroding the root of our Nigerian community. I am very much worried and afraid that we are on the precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be possible to hold danger at bay. Without being immodest, as a Nigerian who still bears the scar of the Nigerian civil war on my body and with a son who bears the scar of fighting Boko Haram on his body, you can understand, I hope, why I am so concerned. When people are desperate and feel that they cannot have confidence in the ability of government to provide security for their lives and properties, they will take recourse to anything and everything that can guarantee their security individually and collectively.   For over ten years, for four of which you have been the captain of the ship, Boko Haram has menacingly ravaged the land and in spite of government’s claim of victory over Boko Haram, the potency and the activities of Boko Haram, where they are active, remain undiminished, putting lie to government’s claim. The recent explanation of the Chief of Army Staff for non-victory due to lack of commitment and lack of motivation on the part of troops bordering on sabotage speaks for itself. Say what you will, Boko Haram is still a daily issue of insecurity for those who are victimised, killed, maimed, kidnapped, raped, sold into slavery and forced into marriage and for children forcibly recruited into carrying bombs on them to detonate among crowds of people to cause maximum destructions and damage. And Boko Haram will not go away on the basis of sticks alone, carrots must overweigh sticks. How else do you deal with issues such as only about 50% literacy in North-East with over 70% unemployment? Herdsmen/farmers crises and menace started with the government treating the issue with cuddling glove instead of a hammer. It has festered and spread. Today, it has developed into banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and killings all over the country. The unfortunate situation is that the criminality is being perceived as a ‘Fulani’ menace unleashed by Fulani elite in the different parts of the country for a number of reasons but even more, unfortunately, many Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are friends of Nigeria attach vicarious responsibility to you as a Fulani elite and the current captain of the Nigeria ship. Perception may be as potent as reality at times. Whatever may be the grievances of Fulanis, if any, they need to be put out in the open and their grievances, if legitimate, be addressed; and if other ethnic groups have grievances, let them also be brought out in the open and addressed through debate and dialogue. The main issue, if I may dare say, is poor management or mismanagement of diversity which, on the other hand, is one of our greatest and most important assets. As a result, the very onerous cloud is gathering. And the rain of destruction, violence, disaster and disunity can only be the outcome. Nothing should be taken for granted, the clock is ticking with the cacophony of dissatisfaction and disaffection everywhere in and outside the country. The Presidency and the Congress in the US have signalled to us to put our house in order. The House of Lords in the UK had debated the Nigerian security situation. We must understand and appreciate the significance, implication and likely consequences of such concerns and deliberations.   No one can stop hate speech, violent agitation and smouldering violent agitation if he fans the embers of hatred, disaffection and violence. It will continue to snowball until it is out of control. A stitch in time saves nine, goes the old wise saying. With the death of Funke, Chief Fasoranti’s daughter, some sympathetic Nigerian groups are saying “enough is enough”. Prof. Anya, a distinguished Nigerian merit Laureate, has this to say “We can no longer say with certainty that we have a nation”. Niger-Delta leaders, South-Eastern leaders, Middle-Belt leaders and Northern Elders Forum have not remained quiet. Different ordinary Nigerians at home and abroad are calling for different measures to address or ameliorate the situation. All the calls and cries can only continue to be ignored at the expense of Nigerian unity, if not its continued existence. To be explicit and without equivocation, Mr President and General, I am deeply worried about four avoidable calamities: abandoning Nigeria into the hands of criminals who are all being suspected, rightly or wrongly, as Fulanis and terrorists of Boko Haram type; Spontaneous or planned reprisal attacks against Fulanis which may inadvertently or advertently mushroom into pogrom or Rwanda-type genocide that we did not believe could happen and yet it happened. similar attacks against any other tribe or ethnic group anywhere in the country initiated by rumours, fears, intimidation and revenge capable of leading to pogrom; violent uprising beginning from one section of the country and spreading quickly to other areas and leading to the dismemberment of the country. It happened to Yugoslavia not too long ago. If we do not act now, one or all of these scenarios may happen. We must pray and take effective actions at the same time. The initiative is in the hands of the President of the nation, but he cannot do it alone. In my part of the world, if you are sharpening your cutlass and a mad man comes from behind to take the cutlass from you, you need other people’s assistance to have your cutlass back without being harmed. The madmen with serious criminal intent and terrorism as core value have taken cutlass of security. The need for assistance to regain control is obviously compelling and must be embraced now. A couple of weeks ago at a public lecture, I had said, among other things, that: “In all these issues of mobilisation for national unity, stability, security, cooperation, development, growth and progress, there is no consensus. Like in the issue of security, government should open up discussion, debate and dialogue as part of consultation at different levels and the outcome of such deliberations should be collated to form inputs into a national conference to come up with the solution that will effectively deal with the issues and lead to rapid development, growth and progress which will give us a wholesome society and enhanced living standard and livelihood in an inclusive and shared society. It will be a national programme. We need unity of purpose and nationally accepted strategic roadmap that will not change with whims and caprices of any government. It must be owned by the citizens, people’s policy and strategy implemented by the government no matter it’s colour and leaning. Some of the groups that I will suggest to be contacted are: traditional rulers, past heads of service (no matter how competent or incompetent they have been and how much they have contributed to the mess we are in), past heads of para-military organisations, private sector, civil society, community leaders particularly in the most affected areas, present and past governors, present and past local government leaders, religious leaders, past Heads of State, past intelligence chiefs, past Heads of Civil Service and relevant current and retired diplomats, members of opposition and any groups that may be deemed relevant.” The President must be seen to be addressing this issue with utmost seriousness and with maximum dispatch and getting all hands on deck to help. If there is a failure, the principal responsibility will be that of the President and no one else. We need cohesion and concentration of effort and maximum force – political, economic, social, psychological and military – to deal successfully with the menace of criminality and terrorism separately and together. Blame game among own forces must be avoided. It is debilitating and only helpful to our adversary. We cannot dither anymore. It is time to confront this threat headlong and in a manner that is holistic, inclusive and purposeful. For the sake of Nigeria and Nigerians, I pray that God may grant you, as our President, the wisdom, the understanding, the political will and the courage to do what is right when it is right and without fear or favour. May God save, secure, protect and bless Nigeria. May He open to us a window of opportunity that we can still use to prevent the worst happening. As we say in my village, “May God forbid bad thing”. Read the full article

[wumblr]

i made an offhand remark about interpreting lost shoes as a message from god -- even weirder than that, i actually got a couple asks about it, so i'm gonna try to answer both in one go (they were probably the same person but anons don't get reply notifications anyway)

it's called circumstantial scrying or divination by synchronicity and it is risky business, particularly if you're already prone to things like ideas of reference or delusions of grandeur or manias or paranoias, so readmore with caution, and remember you can always discard a belief if it doesn't serve you. (belief is just a thought you keep thinking)

it doesn't require a belief in god or a belief that that's where the messages are coming from (or even that they're messages at all) -- but it probably does require some stable faith in your own ability to interpret, or at least a curiosity to start navigating that.

what i mean is, if i encounter things that make me suspect synchronicity while i'm off minding my own business, if my mind bothers to bring some phenomenon to the forefront of my consciousness like that, then i try to be very open to that sort of red flag. it doesn't even have to be a mystical process at all -- maybe psychological-magical, like the mysticism all resides in a belief that there is some yet unknown quality to the mind, maybe something that could be scientifically defined but hasn't been. something powerful.

not to bring up that maya deren quote again but: if you draw power from the known (mainstream society, religion, psychology), you are normal, you are natural. but if you draw power from the unknown (isolation, esotericism, that undefined power of the mind), you are abnormal, you are supernatural: you are the witch. the witch is fearful precisely because she reminds us that things will survive without us and our laws, that there is a deep well of power so far beyond the structures we daily interact with, that one day it will inevitably consume us and everything we've ever known. (entropy, if nothing stranger gets there first.)

like, i know all that's happened is i saw a marginally out of the ordinary thing twice today, and twice isn't even a legitimate pattern. it's just a cognitive bias that gives me pause any time anything happens twice, and that bias has been evolutionarily beneficial but not always useful...

knowing that doesn't necessarily invalidate any wisdom i might bring back up from the mines. perhaps it's not the object itself that matters but the interpretation. you can divine anything, so choose well.

i'm beating around the bush here a bit on purpose because i want to show the kind of ambiguous foundation this school of magic is built on. it must be! it's precisely not knowing whether you're talking with entropy or with god that opens the door. it's honing in on that unknownness and widening it.

religion tries to coax you into "knowing" or defining god -- this kills it. the more characteristics you give the thing, the more precise conceptual location you find for it -- the more bulk of it you exclude. do not give it borders.

so, more specifically, i'm receptive to lost shoes because i have past synchronistic experience with them: one time i was walking in a really painful slightly too small pair of shoes and i had barely finished saying "damn, i wish i could just... find a more comfortable pair of shoes" before i practically tripped over a pair of more comfortable slightly too large beige toms. so the act of seeing an abandoned shoe on the ground has like... an electrical conductivity playing across the surface of the thought for me.

i haven't really done the story justice (or this idea of conceptual electrical conductivity) but it's probably one of my top five instances of almost mastering deliberate manifestation, in addition to the associated cinderella brainwash, so there's a lot of stuff rolling around in my head when i see a lost shoe.

the act of seeing two different shoes, one on each side of the river, after getting stood up for a date, is fucking smarmy, and i would like god to stop now. i haven't finished figuring out what i'm supposed to figure out from this yet, so this isn't probably the best case study, but here are a couple other instances of circumstantial scrying:

i found a white rose on the ground, and in retrospect i should have seen the color and not just the flower -- if it had been a red rose i might have ended up where i thought i was headed, but i wish i had seen that it was a flag of surrender.

five years ago i made a prediction and took a gamble, and it's working out creepily well. i was about a month off. i'm taking this as an indication to proceed

the shoe thing weirds me out particularly because it comes on the heels of a day or perhaps a week of... not just fruitless but self sabotaging efforts. i thought for a long time about what i wanted to eat and went directly for food that ended up making me puke; i thought for a long time about what i can do to produce more wholesome results in dating and went directly to a noshow; i spent years studying the mystery only to find myself hardly improved, if any different at all... now you're drawing my attention back to this, precisely as it is very patently not working? why? stop.

this is the part where i need to add a disclaimer, and i think it's going to be something like... that door i mentioned earlier, the one that opens at points of synchronicity, and opens more if you don't define it too thoroughly? on the other side is a completely different modality of being, commonly termed madness. this is a sticky problem mired in the way we view and treat madness, not as a door but as a flaw. and i have a lot to say about all the human potential that's been wasted by not treating breakdown as if it were a form of (dangerous) magic, but not now.

i don't think it's possible or practical or advisable to open the circumstantial scry often. i might even say i don't think it's advisable to try to do it at all -- it does itself to you. you can't cause it, you can only notice it.

but it is certainly possible to follow it to useless thoughts or dangerous behaviors or serious instability, so that's the word of caution. i think that heightened sense of receptiveness is related to adrenaline, maybe a side effect of it or a trigger for it, so it's got real potential to become a destructive spiral. like, as you see more, you get more unnerved. the more unnerved you are the more you see. it's a portal to another world.

maybe i'm overthinking it, maybe it's just an overwrought version of "try to learn from the things that happen to you," but it feels bigger than that, one more layer removed, like what are these puppet strings made of?

it's the same sort of dance as the one people refer to after experiencing ego death: once you get a sense of it, you sort of learn to decide whether to jump into the game or not at any given moment. do i interpret this? was it synchromystic? what did it feel like? at what level do i engage with this? the shoes? yeah, okay, i'm gonna be yelling at the abyss for a couple days about this

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Full Text of Obasanjo's Open Letter To Buhari, 2019

I am constrained to write to you this open letter. I decided to make it an open letter because the issue is very weighty and must be greatly worrisome to all concerned Nigerians and that means all right-thinking Nigerians and those resident in Nigeria. Since the issue is of momentous concern to all well-meaning and all right-thinking Nigerians, it must be of great concern to you, and collective thinking and dialoguing is the best way of finding an appropriate and adequate solution to the problem. The contents of this letter, therefore, should be available to all those who can help in proffering effective solutions for the problem of insecurity in the land.

One of the spinoffs and accelerants is the misinformation and disinformation through the use of fake news. A number of articles, in recent days, have been attributed to me by some people who I believe may be seeking added credence and an attentive audience for their opinions and viewpoints. As you know very well, I will always boldly own what I say and disown what is put into my mouth. But the issue I am addressing here is very serious; it is the issue of life and death for all of us and for our dear country, Nigeria. This issue can no longer be ignored, treated with nonchalance, swept under the carpet or treated with cuddling glove.

The issue is hitting at the foundation of our existence as Nigerians and fast eroding the root of our Nigerian community. I am very much worried and afraid that we are on the precipice and dangerously reaching a tipping point where it may no longer be possible to hold danger at bay. Without being immodest, as a Nigerian who still bears the scar of the Nigerian civil war on my body and with a son who bears the scar of fighting Boko Haram on his body, you can understand, I hope, why I am so concerned. When people are desperate and feel that they cannot have confidence in the ability of government to provide security for their lives and properties, they will take recourse to anything and everything that can guarantee their security individually and collectively.

For over ten years, for four of which you have been the captain of the ship, Boko Haram has menacingly ravaged the land and in spite of government’s claim of victory over Boko Haram, the potency and the activities of Boko Haram, where they are active, remain undiminished, putting lie to government’s claim. The recent explanation of the Chief of Army Staff for non-victory due to lack of commitment and lack of motivation on the part of troops bordering on sabotage speaks for itself. Say what you will, Boko Haram is still a daily issue of insecurity for those who are victimised, killed, maimed, kidnapped, raped, sold into slavery and forced into marriage and for children forcibly recruited into carrying bombs on them to detonate among crowds of people to cause maximum destructions and damage. And Boko Haram will not go away on the basis of sticks alone, carrots must overweigh sticks. How else do you deal with issues such as only about 50% literacy in North-East with over 70% unemployment?

Herdsmen/farmers crises and menace started with government treating the issue with cuddling glove instead of hammer. It has festered and spread. Today, it has developed into banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and killings all over the country. The unfortunate situation is that the criminality is being perceived as a ‘Fulani’ menace unleashed by Fulani elite in the different parts of the country for a number of reasons but even more, unfortunately, many Nigerians and non-Nigerians who are friends of Nigeria attach vicarious responsibility to you as a Fulani elite and the current captain of the Nigeria ship. Perception may be as potent as reality at times. Whatever may be the grievances of Fulanis, if any, they need to be put out in the open and their grievances, if legitimate, be addressed; and if other ethnic groups have grievances, let them also be brought out in the open and addressed through debate and dialogue.

The main issue, if I may dare say, is poor management or mismanagement of diversity which, on the other hand, is one of our greatest and most important assets. As a result, very onerous cloud is gathering. And rain of destruction, violence, disaster and disunity can only be the outcome. Nothing should be taken for granted, the clock is ticking with the cacophony of dissatisfaction and disaffection everywhere in and outside the country. The Presidency and the Congress in the US have signalled to us to put our house in order. The House of Lords in the UK had debated the Nigerian security situation. We must understand and appreciate the significance, implication and likely consequences of such concerns and deliberations.

No one can stop hate speech, violent agitation and smouldering violent agitation if he fans the embers of hatred, disaffection and violence. It will continue to snowball until it is out of control. A stitch in time saves nine, goes the old wise saying.

With the death of Funke, Chief Fasoranti’s daughter, some sympathetic Nigerian groups are saying “enough is enough”. Prof. Anya, a distinguished Nigerian merit Laureate, has this to say “We can no longer say with certainty that we have a nation”. Niger-Delta leaders, South-Eastern leaders, Middle-Belt leaders and Northern Elders Forum have not remained quiet. Different ordinary Nigerians at home and abroad are calling for different measures to address or ameliorate the situation. All the calls and cries can only continue to be ignored at the expense of Nigerian unity, if not its continued existence.

To be explicit and without equivocation, Mr. President and General, I am deeply worried about four avoidable calamities:

1. abandoning Nigeria into the hands of criminals who are all being suspected, rightly or wrongly, as Fulanis and terrorists of Boko Haram type;

2. spontaneous or planned reprisal attacks against Fulanis which may inadvertently or advertently mushroom into pogrom or Rwanda-type genocide that we did not believe could happen and yet it happened.

3. similar attacks against any other tribe or ethnic group anywhere in the country initiated by rumours, fears, intimidation and revenge capable of leading to pogrom;

4. violent uprising beginning from one section of the country and spreading quickly to other areas and leading to dismemberment of the country.

It happened to Yugoslavia not too long ago. If we do not act now, one or all of these scenarios may happen. We must pray and take effective actions at the same time. The initiative is in the hands of the President of the nation, but he cannot do it alone. In my part of the world, if you are sharpening your cutlass and a mad man comes from behind to take the cutlass from you, you need other people’s assistance to have your cutlass back without being harmed. The mad men with serious criminal intent and terrorism as core value have taken cutlass of security. The need for assistance to regain control is obviously compelling and must be embraced now.

A couple of weeks ago at a public lecture, I had said, among other things, that:

“In all these issues of mobilisation for national unity, stability, security, cooperation, development, growth and progress, there is no consensus. Like in the issue of security, government should open up discussion, debate and dialogue as part of consultation at different levels and the outcome of such deliberations should be collated to form inputs into a national conference to come up with the solution that will effectively deal with the issues and lead to rapid development, growth and progress which will give us a wholesome society and enhanced living standard and livelihood in an inclusive and shared society. It will be a national programme. We need unity of purpose and nationally accepted strategic roadmap that will not change with whims and caprices of any government. It must be owned by the citizens, people’s policy and strategy implemented by the government no matter its colour and leaning.

Some of the groups that I will suggest to be contacted are: traditional rulers, past heads of service (no matter how competent or incompetent they have been and how much they have contributed to the mess we are in), past heads of para-military organisations, private sector, civil society, community leaders particularly in the most affected areas, present and past governors, present and past local government leaders, religious leaders, past Heads of State, past intelligence chiefs, past Heads of Civil Service and relevant current and retired diplomats, members of opposition and any groups that may be deemed relevant.”

The President must be seen to be addressing this issue with utmost seriousness and with maximum dispatch and getting all hands on deck to help. If there is failure, the principal responsibility will be that of the President and no one else. We need cohesion and concentration of effort and maximum force – political, economic, social, psychological and military – to deal successfully with the menace of criminality and terrorism separately and together. Blame game among own forces must be avoided. It is debilitating and only helpful to our adversary. We cannot dither anymore. It is time to confront this threat headlong and in a manner that is holistic, inclusive and purposeful.

For the sake of Nigeria and Nigerians, I pray that God may grant you, as our President, the wisdom, the understanding, the political will and the courage to do what is right when it is right and without fear or favour. May God save, secure, protect and bless Nigeria. May He open to us a window of opportunity that we can still use to prevent the worst happening. As we say in my village, “May God forbid bad thing”.

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO July 15, 2019

Released by Kehinde Akinyemi Special Assistant Media.