Ebola in Liberia

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's removal won't solve the Ebola problem. Liberians fight among themselves wanting her to be removed while loved ones are dying left and right. The very next victim could very well be your relative, a close friend or neighbor. It is very surprising that so many Liberians are trying to cash out and get something in their pockets instead of eradicating this deadly virus. One thing most forget is that it is not just Ellen who looked the other way in the beginning. Most Liberians did, arguing among themselves, accusing the government for wanting to steal. Come on people, we all heard from many that Ebola was not in Liberia. The government was lying. Well educated Liberians said this too. Stop pointing fingers for once and let all Liberians do the part by being positive or shut up. And those of you who are using such a deadly virus that could wipe out Liberia or West Africa, shame on you, Shame.

Ebola

EBOLA, EBOLA, EBOLA! It has been said by most that the Ebola virus does not like soap and water. One has to come in close contact with a sick person with Ebola via sweat or other body fluids in order to be exposed to the Ebola virus. Does this include sex, kissing, hugging or just touching?

Ebola is a disease that really we (scientists) do not know. Yet it is being said that it is a very weak virus that can't really enter the human body if one knows hygiene, keeping clean with saop and water, something that is not hard for most of us and our friends to do. Using public bathrooms without washing hands, sometimes turning on the faucet, letting the water run without your fingers or hands getting wet. What about washing just one or two fingers in a restaurant after having been out there touching just about everybody and everything?

Carrier? We all are carriers in a sense that if we come into contact with Mrs. Ebola and do not practice sanitation (hygiene.)

Please do not take this as a promotion for Kaiser Memorial Cemetery, because it is not. But as an undertaker, as those of you who have dealt with us, we do not allow any above ground burials under any circumstances. The reason is tombs and graves that are above ground are a health risk for diseases. 97% of the tombs and graves in Liberia and I repeat myself are unprofessionally half-way built, not enclosed properly leaving some way for flies, bugs and other hazardous conditions for the living.

We need to educate our citizens to understand that respecting your loved one is not the big show, but a decent respectable burial location for their remains to rest in eternity.

Stop burying in tombs and graves that come above ground to impress your friends knowing you can't afford to give everlasting care.

We all love our dead and want to show it off, but my people, our dead loved us too and want us to go on until our number is called. Hygiene, hygiene, hygiene.

Aaron Hughes sentenced to life in prison for incest

Former Elko Police Capt. Aaron Hughes was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for incest. Hughes, 41, was arrested in 2008 and charged with incest and using a minor in the production of pornography after sheriff’s deputies found a video file of Hughes and a 17-year-old female relative engaging in sexual acts. 

He accepted a plea deal from the district attorney’s office in January when he admitted to incest and the prosecution dropped the pornography charge.

I'm glad that he is finally seeing justice. Life in prison is not a day too much for this sleezebag.

http://elkodaily.com/news/former-police-capt-sentenced-to-life-for-incest/article_969726ac-df77-11e2-9b43-001a4bcf887a.html

Bury not just anywhere

Dear Liberians and friends of Liberia,

Please help me understand why so many choose to bury their loved ones just anywhere. It just doesn't make sense to me to spend  thousands of dollars on a burial and bury the person in trash at an area that is used as a toilet, a shelter and for drugs.

So many are complaining since Decoration Day, March 13th of this year about not being able to find their loved ones' graves or finding them open without a body or casket in it or even finding someone else buried on top of them.Yet people are still choosing just anywhere as a burial site.

My people the high class program and grand repast is important, but the place you choose to have your mother, father, child, brother, sister, wife, husband, or dear friend is the most important. You need to be
able to find that grave many many years from now.

Liberia is very much still under development.  Many areas will be in disarray pending the future development of the country.  Don't let your love one's grave become a problem in the near future.

Stopped burying on your private property.  Your farm, yard or a piece of land that you own is a no no. Think about it.

My people look around Liberia especially Monrovia.  There are unattended graves everywhere that are being used for unbelievable activity.

Please bury your love ones at a clean maintained cemetery in a secure gave that would be around for over a hundred years.

Don"t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Your friends, the management and staff of Kaiser Memorial Lawn Cemetery.

http://kaisermemoriallawn.com

My brothers and I

Back in the day a praying lady used to always say a family that prays
together stays together. My brothers and I do not usually pray
together and live very far apart from each other. But we stay in
constant contact. We try to text each other every day, mostly to
talk about silly things. Our oldest brother H. Carey always starts
out with "how are you doing my dear little brother Tony" and ends with "I
love you very much." My brother Alex St. James' saying is "how are you
Higgins?" and ends with "take very good care of yourself." Love you. Just
thinking out loud...we do pray together.

Tribute to my late double cousin Sophie Laraine Minor

This is a tribute to my late double cousin Sophie Laraine Minor. If I were asked to summarize your life all I would say is you were the number one family person. You loved your family and wanted only the best for them. I will miss your being my medical advocate. It is so sad to know that I will never talk to you again. You fought the battle and can't say you lost Cous, well done, you are with our Lord. I hope to meet you again. I remember when I was diagnosed with cancer, you gave me so much encouragement and told me what to eat and what not to do. You even called me on your breaks at work to see how I was doing and whether I was eating the right things. Thank you ya. Although I thought you were playing Aunty Dolly or my mom's role, it was all good. Cous, with all you were going through, you still found time to be there for your friends and especially your family. Our days in Paynesville at John and Dolly Minor's house and on Paynes Avenue at William and Alice Cisco's house; those were the days. We would have Bassa Dumpboy at your house and the cook at my parents' house would cook a mess like how Aunt Dolly and my mom would have called it. We got a kick out of it, your Monrovia College days, but most of all how you always looked forward to being someone. Sophie you did it. Even with the war and all the bad things that happened to our Country, you kept going. Now you are going away, gone ahead of us, leaving so many hearts torn apart. Your name is all over Monrovia and Paynesville, both Liberia and the United States.

Sorry for the times we disagreed although I can't remember you and me ever disrespecting each other. But girl you sometimes pushed my buttons. Rest my loving darling cousin. The Liberian saying.....say hi to Aunty Dolly, Uncle John, Cleo, Celestine, Dolly, Buster, my brother Charles, my mother aunt, Alice, Dad, Uncle William, sisters Darlene and Marilyn and brother Tyren. May you all continue to rest with our Lord.

Goodbye cous, sleep well. We all have another angel to watch over us. Sophie, O Sophie, thanks for being my friend. Thank you yah. Rest in forever peace. Like how you ended our conversation LOVE YOU COUS. DIDO.

ADDRESS BY HER EXCELLENCY MADAM ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF

ADDRESS BY HER EXCELLENCY MADAM ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LIBERIA
TO THE 67TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2012

Mr. President;
Mr. Secretary-General;
Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Heads of Delegations;
Distinguished Delegates;
Ladies and Gentlemen:

I congratulate you, Mr. President, and the people of Serbia, on your election as President of the 67th Session of the General Assembly. I assure you of Liberia's fullest cooperation and support as you carry out the responsibilities entrusted to you in steering the affairs of this Session.
I wish also to pay tribute to your eminent predecessor, His Excellency Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser of the State of Qatar, for his capable stewardship of the affairs of the 66th Session and the many bold initiatives undertaken in the interest of world peace during his tenure.

My highest commendation goes to the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who continues to demonstrate sound leadership in the face of new and complicated challenges.  He has begun his second term with renewed vigor and a clear articulation of the priorities which encapsulate the major concerns of the international community.

Mr. President:

The selection of the theme for this Session, which calls for the "Settlement of disputes by peaceful means," could not have been more appropriate.  When we review the state of the world, we see an international landscape checkered by armed conflict, economic crises and environmental degradation. For those who have had the painful experience of conflict, including my own country, Liberia, this year's theme becomes very pertinent.

The cost of conflict in lives and infrastructural destruction makes us doubly appreciative of the value of preventive action to avert conflict.  The need for conflict prevention takes on added urgency, because most conflicts are internal, engendered by marginalization, inequity and injustice.  It becomes imperative, therefore, to identify and remove those triggers of conflict before they explode.
Our Government's efforts to achieve the twin objectives of conflict prevention and peace consolidation are being reinforced through our engagement with the peace-keeping and peace-building architecture of the United Nations.  In an environment of peace, we have prioritized actions aimed at re-establishing the rule of law by building the capacity of our institutions and processes for delivery of justice and security.  We have formulated a roadmap for national reconciliation to ensure that peace is sustainable.

Our development partners, including the UN and its Specialized Agencies, have remained faithful to our national agenda.  They have supported our priority programs for women’s empowerment, increased agricultural productivity and food security, roads and infrastructure and jobs creation.  All of the UN Agencies must be capacitated to provide the support to government programs in these areas. It is particularly critical for the new gender entity, UN Women, which is the youngest among them and whose viability must be assured.

We have made strong strides in gender equality, but much more must be done for girls' education and women’s empowerment.  Tremendous progress has been made in health care delivery.  We are particularly pleased by the recent UNICEF report showing a sharp reduction in the level of child mortality.  However, there are still many challenges to overcome before we can assure universal access to health care.

Mr. President:

Many developing countries, like Liberia, have structured their economies around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While some countries have made considerable progress in reaching some of these Goals, many others will be unable to achieve them by 2015.  There is an emerging consensus that efforts must be accelerated to achieve maximum progress in the achievement of the MDGs over the next three years.

I am honored, and humbled, to have been selected by the Secretary-General as one of the co-Chairs of his High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.  We are mindful of the difficulty of this responsibility, which requires us to propose a framework that builds upon, but goes beyond, the MDGs in the establishment of goals that are ambitious, but achievable.  We know that the results of our work must reflect a broad political consensus of the public and private sectors and civil society as well. We know that defined goals should enable all people in all countries to be freed from the shackles of poverty through development that is sustainable.

Liberia remains fully committed to the ideals and purposes of the United Nations, and believes that the Organization should continue to occupy the center of global governance, by leading efforts to meet our collective challenges to peace, security and development. To meet this objective, the inter-governmental negotiations on Security Council reform need to come to an early and logical conclusion. My Government is encouraged that an increasing number of Member States support the enlargement of the Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, which would ensure a fairer and more equitable participation reflective of the world’s demography. In this regard, Liberia supports the African Common Position, based upon the “Ezulwini Consensus” as adopted by the African Union. [Applauds]

In the same vein, we must ensure that the General Assembly is revitalized to fully assume all the responsibilities entrusted to it in the Charter.  After all, it remains the most representative body of the United Nations. 

Mr. President;
Distinguished Delegates:

The high-level Diplomatic Conference on International Trade in Conventional Weapons, which ended recently in New York, sought to develop the highest possible international standards for trade in conventional weapons. However, strong national positions on this sensitive global issue prevented an agreement on a binding Arms Trade Treaty. Yet, nations of good will and nations which have experienced devastation from illicit trading and diversions of conventional weapons must continue strong advocacy, taking into account the full range of differences and disagreements. We would thereby encourage bilateral consensus-building ahead of new rounds of negotiations. At the same time, we are convinced that the final draft Arms Trade Treaty text, though imperfect and inconclusive, contains essential ingredients upon which future negotiations can succeed.
Mr. President:

We express our deep condolence for the death of the U. S. Ambassador and staff, as well as Libyan nationals, in the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. All nations should be concerned about the spreading of violence in reaction to a film which demonstrates an unacceptable insensitivity to an Islamic faith.  Even in such circumstances, we must all be mindful that democracy requires freedom – freedom of ideas, freedom of association, freedom of religion and, more importantly, freedom of expression. This often results in statements and actions that may offend.  Tolerance, and not violence, is an appropriate response to prevent further violence. Liberia is a clear example that, were it not for our tolerance to the new-found freedom of expression, our country would be back in chaos.
While the majority of our countries are consolidating economic and social gains underpinned by democratic processes, regrettably some parts of our sub-region are still dogged by serious challenges that risk undermining the peace and progress of the entire region.  We in Liberia, like many other countries in the region and the world at large, were particularly appalled by the unconstitutional unraveling, of democratic governments in Mali and Guinea Bissau in the early part of this year; and unequivocally condemned these attempts to seize power through unconstitutional means. Accordingly, Liberia endorses the decisions of ECOWAS aimed at the full restoration of constitutional order in both countries in the shortest possible time.  Liberia enjoins the world community, particularly the Security Council, to buttress efforts of ECOWAS in restoring peace in our region, most especially in Mali.

As Chair of the four-nation Mano River Union comprising Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and La Cote D'Ivoire, Liberia has committed itself never to allow an inch of its territory to be used to destabilize its neighbors.  It is in this context that we categorically condemn all attempts to undermine the peace and democratic gains in La Cote D'Ivoire and are working closely with the Ivorian authorities and UN peacekeeping outfits in both Liberia and La Cote D'Ivoire to protect and consolidate the peace in our two countries. We call on all countries in our region to work in concert so that individuals intent on destabilizing some parts of our region are treated as enemies in all parts of our region.

Mr. President:

We are all part of a rapidly changing world in which the forces of globalization cannot be reversed. Our farming systems have to adjust to unusual weather conditions, our habitats have to relocate from traditional safe areas, our societies have to find responses to the distractions of the demonstration effect. Developing countries, like my own, must make globalization work if we are to achieve our growth targets and lift our people out of poverty.  This means more commitment and effort on our part to create an environment that ensures economic growth based on mutuality of benefits and responsibilities.

Liberia, from its founding, is a complex nation, and the cleavages that led to decades of war still run deep. Our experience clearly shows that success has its pitfalls. Displaced citizens returning from refugee camps in the sub-region, and deportees from around the world swell the ranks of the desperate unemployed, thereby intensifying our vulnerability. Communities long deprived of basic services demand instant attention to their individual needs, thereby straining our capacity. Civil servants lacking a decent living wage for two decades rightfully clamor for more, thereby undermining the budgetary processes.

As Liberia moves forward into its tenth year of sustained peace, we can state with conviction that our country has turned the corner.  Liberia is no longer a place of conflict, war and deprivation. We are no longer the country our citizens fled, our international partners pitied and our neighbors feared.  Our stabilization efforts, over the past six years, have resulted in average annual growth of over 6 percent.
Revenue has more than quintupled; direct foreign investment of over US$16 billion mobilized; an expanded fiscal space through unprecedented debt cancellation, infrastructure reconstruction and institutional rebuilding. More importantly, we have earned our rightful place as a country of hope and opportunity.  The processes of change which have started will continue and will not stop until the country is placed on an irreversible path of sustained peace, growth and development.  Our Vision 2030, resulting from a robust nationwide consultation, is a long-term program for transformation which prioritizes youth development, infrastructure, reconciliation and capacity development.
Yet our Government is keenly aware of the challenges to be faced over the next three years. United Nations peacekeeping forces are gradually being withdrawn from Liberia. In our discussions with various UN teams coming to Liberia – the Technical Assessment Mission in March, and the Security Council delegation in May – we have emphasized the need for a responsible transition, through a gradual process, occurring over a period of 3-5 years. We also seek the alignment of transitional activities with our budget cycle, reflecting Government priorities.

We wish to express appreciation to the United Nations, which has been a very committed and effective partner.  We owe the Organization much gratitude for preserving an enabling environment for peace-building and state-building.

In closing, Mr. President, I wish to note that today, for the first time in two generations, Liberia has a second successive democratic government elected by the will of the people. Despite the distractions, local and external, our people are determined to take their destiny into their own hands, determined that our ambitious goal of making Liberia a middle-income country by the year 2030 will be achieved.

I thank you.

Still here!

Yes I'm still here. I have been very busy. I will have more to say soon. :-)

New Year's Message by H.E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf To the Liberian People

My Fellow Liberians:

Let us give praise and thanks to Almighty God for his manifold blessings upon us as a people and upon our beloved Liberia, now in its ninth year of peace and stability.

2011 was a momentous year for our country. Yet we proved to the world, more importantly we proved to ourselves, that we had reached the level of political maturity to hold democratic, free, fair and transparent elections in our once fractured land.

As I speak to you, my Fellow Citizens, 2012 is upon us - a New Year, a new beginning, a new Administration. The coming of a New Year is a time for reflection, of looking back on accomplishments and of things unfinished. The New Year is also a time for resolutions and looking to the future.

We are proud of the significant progress we made over the past six years: in peace and security, economic revitalization, governance and the rule of law, and in rebuilding infrastructure and providing basic services -the four pillars of our Poverty Reduction Strategy.

We endeavored, in the first term, to address issues that required our immediate attention: to restore growth, mobilize investment, repair broken infrastructure, and to put into place the necessary laws, policies, strategies and systems. We accept that we didn't do all that we wanted; we simply underestimated the scale of the tasks.

Yet, if our people will look around, and remember from whence we started, they will agree that, indeed, we've come a long way. The benefits from the work we've done in the first six years are starting to show. Our pledge is to continue along this path. Having put the fundamentals into place, we are moving forward with the socio-economic reconstruction, development and advancement of our country.

The Liberian people renewed their confidence in our team by re-electing us to a second term. We proudly accept the challenge to work harder to complete what we started but could not finish. It is a welcome responsibility that makes us more focused and strengthens our commitment and resolve to get the work done.

The first priority on our 2012 agenda will be to address the situation of our young, unemployed and uneducated youths. We are emphasizing vocational and technical training as an imperative! Our youths need jobs, but they also need to develop the skills for the jobs that are coming in our mining, agriculture and forestry and, God willing, petroleum sectors. We are confident that the benefits of our natural resources will show results by improving the lives of our people.

At the heart of our national agenda for peace is national reconciliation, which is critical for socio-economic development and progress, as well as for peace, security and stability. National reconciliation will be the catalyst for energizing our people into collective actions for the greater common good and national cohesion.

However, we want to remind every Liberian that we have a constitutional duty to protect the lives and safety of all of our people, and that no one has the right to undermine the peace and stability of the nation.

We appeal to every Liberian to be law abiding, upholding and embracing all that we have worked to achieve. We encourage our people, especially the youth, to look to the future with renewed hope and zeal.

We call upon every Liberian to co-exist in peace and security, in a spirit of reconciliation and national unity. It will require the collective effort of all Liberians to continue rebuilding our country and to ensure that peace, stability and democracy continue to prevail. It is our fervent hope that 2012 will be a year of true patriotism and reconciliation that will accentuate the positive things that unite us.

We will, over the next six years, continue to implement our long-term vision and development agenda; conclude the processes for constitutional reform; expand infrastructure to a larger number of the population; strengthen our natural resources management; and ensure that we retain an open society based upon transparency and accountability.

As a New Year dawns, we pray God's guidance in leading our nation in the direction of peace, reconciliation and development. Let me seize this opportunity to wish Liberians - at home and in the Diaspora - and residents within our borders, a joyous holiday season and a very happy and prosperous New Year.

Remarks by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf at 164th Celebration of National Flag Day

Monrovia City Hall, Wednesday, August 24, 2011

As I look at all the young faces here, it puts me back into the time
I was in your place, when I was going to high school like you. Let me tell you what a day, what one day in my life, at your age, was like.

Got up in the morning about 5:30; first thing you do, you make up your bed. You’re lucky if you got mattress, because plenty time you got the straw one, you have to stir that straw to make sure it was smooth. After that, you go down and you have prayers. Your mother and father made sure you had prayers in the morning. Then you do your share of the cleaning up. You got to do some sweeping; some people have to pull water, whatever it is; then you get dressed for school.

By 7:00, I see the people from CWA; that’s where I was going. 7:00, that first bell rings. 7:15, the second bell rings. If you finish your chores at home, then you start on that walk to be able to get to school. And if you go, and your Ma finds your bed not made up, she sends you back to go and make it up.

7:15, that second bell rings; 7:25, they had what they called the hand bell, and if you still walking to school, you start to run, because by 7:30, that door is closed and if you not there, you go back home. And when you go back home, you going get your beating, because you didn’t finish up to get to school on time.

And so, then, when you go to class, the first thing you do is to go inside the auditorium. You go into the auditorium, again there’s a small prayer and your pledge allegiance to the flag. You had to do that before you got into the classroom.

Then you go into the classroom, of course, one class to the other. Discipline, paying attention! I remember one time I had chewing gum in my mouth, chewing, chewing, chewing. The teacher stood there and looked there and said, who chewing gum
in here? Of course, you try to hold it under your tongue so nobody can see it. And so what he said was, “a gum‐chewing girl and a cud‐chewing cow, seems to me there’s a difference somehow: it’s the intelligent look on the face of the cow.” Wow! I don’t eat chewing gum anymore, because every time I want to take chewing gum, I think about the cow going like this….

Midday, you go and break; you go to the cafeteria. In the afternoon, you do some volleyball; you do some physical education and all of that. Then you get back home to have your lunch, and in the afternoon you’re going either to music class, or to typing class, or to some kind of class to make sure that the whole body, the character, is made. That’s what the old people did to us; that’s what got us where we are today.

There were no video shops, there were no hatai shops. Those are the modern things that you enjoy, and they have their own values – the opportunity to sit and talk. But some of those old‐fashioned values, we need to bring them back.

You know, if you made noise in class, they sent you to the office and you go sit in the office. Sometimes, you got to pump tire. You know what they call pump tire? I don’t know if I’m able to do it self, but you put your fingers like this, and you go down and come up. Or they said pick pin; that one, you had to stand on one foot and put one finger on the ground. But those things made us strong, they really did.

The other day, many of you know, the President of Botswana visited us and he and I were talking and talking about discipline in the schools. He said, “Well, in Botswana, we still use the cane. We still cane students.” I said wow! Today, in today’s world, you still canning students? He said, “Yes.” I said, but how about the
human rights people, they don’t jump down on you? He said, “The medical people told us not to cane anymore on the back because, you know, you could harm the child. But we still cane on the buttocks and today, the very human rights people you’re talking about, they call Botswana the most exemplary State in Africa.”

I didn’t say we will do it, oh. I didn’t tell them anything; I’m just talking about discipline. He also told me, “You know, we still got death sentence on the books.” I say, we too, but the human rights people in all the Scandinavian countries are after us. We must make sure we abolish capital punishment. He said, “Well, in
Botswana, you take a life, we stand to take yours.” Oh! That one, they don’t like that one! We’re on the books, but we are very judicious about it, we don’t believe in that too. But it just to show you that the best performing country in Africa, by any measurement, is a country that instills discipline, and that we ask when there’s an infraction of the laws of the rules of the land.

To you: for your own progress, for your own future, for your own professionalism, some of those old standing habits, like respect for others, like preparing your lessons, by making sure you go to school on time, and in school you apply yourself with discipline. Those are the things that build character. Those are the things that set you up in a place where you will achieve what you want to in this world.

Those are the things that will make you successful where you can compete, not only in Liberia, but anywhere in the world, and you can be what you want to be.

God bless you!

I wanted to repost this speech by H.E. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia.

http://www.emansion.gov.lr/doc/20110824_President_Flag_Day_Remarks.pdf

I just buried my loved one in garbage and human waste!!!

People spend so much time complaining that the cemeteries in Liberia, especially in the Monrovia area, are unfit for burials, yet we the Liberian people keep burying there. Why, what is the problem, what is wrong with Liberians my people....we complain that Liberia is the oldest country in Africa and is still at the bottom of most African countries, yet we do nothing to help build it into a new Liberia. So many are still just thinking about themselves and the close family member or should I say just the ones they care about.

Now could a Liberian tell me why they could consider burying their loved one on Duport Road or Caldwell or some other cemetery or place to bury in the Monrovia area instead of KAISER MEMORIAL LAWN CEMETERY....please help me understand why..because it is not the price because just about anyone or let me say anyone can afford to bury at this modern well kept clean cemetery. There are very affordable basic burial packages all the way up to deluxe packages. Oh, maybe they need all the extra money for the repast. That's the most important thing about burying loved ones in Liberia you know. Some do not even go to the funeral, just show up at the repast for a good time with negativity about the food's taste, what the family wore, whether they cried or looked sad enough and who the caterer is. Wow, huh. Don't you think the most important thing should be giving the dead a secure burial forever in a clean well kept peaceful cemetery?

And funeral homes who are not referring deceased loved ones to Kaiser Memorial Lawn cemetery, what's the problem? Someone tell me what is going on in Liberia with Liberians thinking that Liberians can do nothing right. Liberians are just like all others from every country in the world. Good, bad, smart, stupid, jealous, trouble makers and those who just will not lift their finger to help a good thing if they think nothing is in it for them.

All those who have buried their loved ones at Kaiser...thank you so much for your donation for contributing to the new Liberia as it is being built.

And this thing about burying on the family farm or a piece of land that some member of the family owns is so not thinking of the growth of Liberia and especially that dead loved one. My people, as Liberia grows all of those farms and backyard graves will be destroyed. Liberia will rise again and it has already started. Stop burying your loved one just anywhere because you think nothing is in Kaiser Memorial Lawn Cemetery for you. Something is there for every Liberian and friends of Liberians because it helps make Liberia look good and clean and having much respect for the dead to the entire world.

KAISER MEMORIAL LAWN CEMETERY IS FOR ALL LIBERIANS AND NOT JUST THE OWNERS. It took a lot of courage and hard work for it to be where it is today in Liberia. And by you burying your loved one there, you too own a part of it. Oh wait a minute. It is owned by Liberians and Liberians do not do anything for long. My people, stop the jealousy, evilness and negativity and do your part for Liberia in any way you can.

Help beautify Liberia by burying at KAISER MEMORIAL LAWN CEMETERY in Brewerville. Oh I forgot you own a piece of land somewhere...you too will open up your own cemetery. Oh well Liberian.

Call Kaiser Memorial lawn cemetery at 06800404/077150500 and ask them any question or concern you have instead of spreading head say from pepper mouths who I assure you do not know anything about the owners of this cemetery other than they did not think of it first and they think it's about making money. I assure you the ownership of Kaiser Memorial Lawn is not about making money, rather dong it's part for Liberia. It has been a very tough road with many criticisms rather than help. Bury your loved one there or sign a contract for your own future burial and stop the lies and misinformation about a place that you too could call your eternal resting resting place forever. Visit the Kaisermemorial Lawn website at Kaisermemoriallawn.com or email us at information@kaisermemoriallawn.com.

LIBERIA WILL RISE AGAIN. You just wait and see.

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said she will not run for a second term!!!

President Johnson-Sirleaf did say that she will not run for the second turn. But does she have the right to change her mind? Is there anyone who can do a better job than what she has done? Well, run against her and win. Prove yourself instead of saying she said she will not run for a second turn. President Sirleaf has all legal rights to run for a second turn under Liberia's constitution.

It is very transparent what this lady has done in her very short six years as President of Liberia. Those who say they do not see what she has done do see it, but may not be educated enough to understand that what they see if it is not dropping out of the sky, rather than someone is behind the negotiation. Who got all of the loans that other countries gave to Liberia renegotiated? Do you think that America, England, Germany, etc, etc and the World Bank just decided to wave Liberia's loans if they did not think the present president was doing a good job and had built a good reliable relationship with other countries?

My people, even the great United States has some form of corruption. Liberia has a long way to go...but my people Liberians did themselves the biggest favor when they voted her into office.

These people who do not see what this lady is doing for Liberia...just do not want to say that they do see it or just do not have Liberia at the heart. They just want quick money. Do what you can for your country, not what your country can do for you. All Liberians need to stop being so selfish and jealous. Do your part.

Liberia will rise again and when it does....you, your children and grandchildren will benefit from it.

Stop all of the complaining and do your part. It may look the same, but anything in the interest of Liberia, no matter how small it is may be very important for the growth of the land.

Do something for your country my people, stop looking for negativity. Look for the positive and help it move in a greater direction.

You too can make a difference my people. You too. Say "thank you" to Ellen for what she has done, rather trying to create negativity and mistrust to the Liberian society.

I say to all Liberians, no matter where you live, Liberia is your home. Help develop it, not just take from it.

Education, education, education.

Heartwarming story about saving a whale

What a wonderful story that is. And what a magnificent creature that whale is. It is just unbelievable to me that mankind is still killing whales.

The good old days of Liberia!!!

The good old days of Liberia. Do you remember the Tubman and Tolbert eras? Liberia was on it's way to much greater things. Those two presidents believed that all were equal. They integrated with tribal people and even had children by them. All of this segregation thing is so made up. Liberians are talkers, but they always knew that Liberians are Liberians whether Bassa, Kru, Kpelle etc. or so-called Congo people. That's the real funny part. Everybody has a native side in Liberia, be it that they can speak the dialect or not. The mother, father, grand parents etc. have some form of native Liberian background. Liberians are so mixed they all could be related.

This upcoming election is going to make history in Liberia. I am sure that all Liberians will get out there and vote for what they believe is best for the country and not for who they know will help them if they win. Let all Liberians do the right thing my people. Aren't Liberians tired of being at the poopoo end of the world?
Not trying to tell anyone whom to vote for, but look around my people, there is some form of peace in the land. Of course some officials need to go, but this administration has done wonders for Liberia.

Imagine if the Tubman and Tolbert era was followed by the many great things they did, where Liberia would have been today. Lets all Liberians work together for once my people. Those of you in top offices, knowing that you are scared to say the truth, step down and let someone with balls help grow the economy of this land.

Liberia will rise again, but all Liberians and friends of Liberia needs to stop the corruption and develop this very beautiful rain forest country.

Liberia is on it's way to be where it should be. Congratulations to all Liberians for all they do. Even the negativity is positive in some ways.

My people we all love this land. Lets not destroy it again. Blessings to all Liberians and friends.

The Late Mrs. Antoinette Louise Tubman

Mrs. Tubman was buried in plot # 1051. Click here to visit the Kaiser Memorial Lawn website.

We got him!

Yes, we got him. President Obama deserves a lot of credit. George Bush huffed and puffed about getting Bin Laden, but never did. It took our great President Barack Obama to do what Bush never could. Congratulations to our elite servicemen and women who got it done in the face of danger. They are national heroes and President Obama is a great president.

And to those wackos who are claiming that this is nothing but a conspiracy and we didn't really get Bin Laden, I say get a life. To some people, President Obama can do no right no matter what is is. It's shame that they feel that way.

Ivory Coast

Fanta Bamba, 3, leans on her mother's fruit and vegetable stand, in a market in the Abobo neighborhood of Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Ibrahim Coulibaly, the commander who began the battle to wrest Ivory Coast's commercial capital from soldiers who fired rockets and mortars on a poor neighborhood, said Sunday that a lack of military coordination cost too many lives, infrastructure damage and unnecessary looting.

Japan's emperor makes a historic speech to his nation

It is very rare that Japan's emperor will make a direct address to his nation. It revives memories of the radio speech that his father, Emperor Hirohito made in 1945 to announce Japan's surrender to the allies in World War II. That was the first time that most Japanese citizens had heard the emperor's voice.

The Japanese earthquake

My heart goes out to the innocent victims of the terrible Japanese earthquake. Why God allows tragedies like this to happen I will never understand. Pictures of mothers holding their babies in their arms surrounded by ruin are heartbreaking. It makes you
wonder how in the world will people in a situation like this ever be able to rebuild their lives. So many have lost everything, and now we are hearing that the death toll will be in the tens of thousands.

To make matters worse we are watching a potential nuclear nightmare unfold. The only country to ever have nuclear bombs dropped on it now faces the real chance that their people will suffer from yet another nuclear tragedy of the first order. Earthquake damaged nuclear reactors have had their cooling systems breached, and they may well be in a catastrophic nuclear
meltdown as we speak. This could have a long term effect upon the Japanese people for decades to come. Exposure to radiation can be deadly and it can often cause cancer to appear even years after the exposure. And then we have the very real possibility that the radiation could get into the jet stream and spread all around the world. The whole world could be facing an unspeakable and unthinkable nuclear crisis. Let us all pray that this will not happen.

As the world scrambles to provide assistance to the people of Japan, we should try to use this tragedy as a means to bring all of the people of this planet together as one.

Disasters such as this remind us of how very fragile life itself and be and how helpless mankind can be rendered in the face of the brutal force of nature. With all
of the technological advances accomplished by science in the past century, when it comes right down to it, we are in the hands of God and when in His wisdom he decides to allow something like this to happen, we as a people are helpless to stop it.

If you are able to make a financial contribution to help the people of Japan in their time of need, click here for more information.

Pictures at the beach in Liberia