Last week in the DRC

Did some traveling around The DRC …Lubumbashi, Kinshasa and others ….

Planes and automobiles …no trains 🙂

Hotels and Dusty Roads

…and of course the odd cigar … or two …

© 2018 michael d emmerich

© 2018 mikesnexus.com

Not Yet

it's not dark yet
it's not tomorrow yet
the sun has not set yet
no need to fret yet
nothing to regret yet
you have not broken yet
so no need to fret
.....
yet ....

© 2018 michael d emmerich

© 2018 mikesnexus.com

 

Are Religions threatening our very existence?

I penned a post in October 2015, “Is Religion the Greatest Threat to World Peace?” it is now almost 3 years on… do I still feel the same way?

Is Religion the greatest threat to world peace

As I read the newspapers and peruse the headlines, I see that the situation re my perspective of 2015 is no better, in fact it is (in my opinion) far worse. I write this not from an atheist, agnostic or even a religious perspective, but rather from a catholic humanistic stand point (I am using the term catholic here in its purest sense – meaning universal, the whole). There are far to many political, religious and social organizations driving agendas which are contrary to tolerance, critical thinking and reasoning. We are been won over by dogma, superstition and an understanding of the world not based on logic, science, evidence and rational empiricism.

kant-categorical-imperative

Politics has become meshed with religion, were we can no longer tell the difference; the separation of church and state is (almost) no more … this division of religious and political power, is intended to prevent the abuses of power from both sides and the subjugation of justice.  This is not particular to any one religion or country, but just part of a wider picture that see happening across our planet.

So take a read of the article I penned in 2015 … and share your thoughts … I will close with the quote, which I used to open that article…

With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil;

but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg

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A White Feather

 Inspired to write a poem on peace (after a friend reminded me, by wishing me Happy Peace Day), seeing as the 21st of Sept is the International Day of Peace.

a white feather fell from above

doves circle and soar

a bullet whistles past

blood drips from the bough of a tree

peace in our time is the mantra

can it be believed



cowardice, faith, protection, bravery

peace, needs a chance

so many messages, to which do we cleave

hope from a bygone era

past, present or a probable future

don’t shoot the messenger



white doves circle and soar

hoping they do not perish, bringing their message

doves cry, and hope dies when children perish

may they be lifted on the wings of peace

upwards to a burning sky

to a place with no name



the sun sets on a world in disarray

how many more white feathers need to fall

from a torn and shredded sky

as the tears of doves past rain down

are they at peace?

I can only dream that they are
......

© 2016 /  © 2018 michael d emmerich

© 2016 /  © 2018 mikesnexus.com

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Ambulance Today – Autumn Edition 2018

The Autumn Edition for 2018, has hit the shelves, its live now on Ambulance Today. Click on the link below to download and read the magazine and my article on page 41 & 42.

Clinical innovation and technology in medicine and its challenges in Africa

Ambulance Today Autumn Ed 2018 .pdf

Ambulance Today Autumn Ed 2018 – Flip Digital

The magazine’s focus is on technology in medicine:

CLINICAL INNOVATION SPECIAL: Are you getting the Right Dose of cutting-edge technology needed to improve your patient-care?

Within this Clinical Innovation Special you will find a special report from Nashville-based EMS Healthcare Solutions. One of their leading products, RightDose, offers a unique solution that takes the guesswork and calculation out of medication administration. Also well worth reading is the feature on renowned UK ambulance manufacturer, Cartwright Conversions, which highlights their continued commitment to clinical innovation within ambulance design with their very rapidly-growing and impressive range of clinically-based ambulance modifications. The article on “The use of Mechanical CPR Devices in a Pre-Hospital Setting” is a fascinating read .. amongst so many others in this edition.

To all the followers of this page, if you want to see an article written about any specific aspect of Emergency Care on the African continent, or get me to interview a key role player, drop me a mail. Equally, if you have any news items you would like us to run either in our magazine or on our daily-updated global ambulance news website please make contact.

To my fellow passionate EMS friends across the world, I trust you are enjoying this journey, as we continue to explore this fascinating continent. Till then be safe out there and stay passionate – Enjoy!

Ambulance-today1_zpszzgqa0zv

Autumn

falling leaves drifting down

colours of rust passing by

days grow short

nights become cold

winters song is calling



tis the season of life

for remembering, reflecting

taking pleasure in past abundance

a time of rest, as life wanes

or so it should be



branches are bare and twisted

pain etched across the bark

a new beauty emerges

in the quiet, new portals open

new journeys await



upon this threshold we stand

harvesting what’s left of life

and the fruits born overtime

hoping this elixir will suffice

to sustain the last leg of our journey

© 2018 michael d emmerich

© 2018 mikesnexus.com

autumn leaves

Shattered and Drawn

love gone to waste

lost never to be replaced

myriad shattered reflections

broken and lost connections



ice bullets, cutting straight and true

turning all my tears to blue

strewn with guilt

enfolding me with its emotional quilt



that jig-saw visage

reflecting through the passage

of a shattered past

stares back as one outcast



futility of anguished tears

failing to wash away the fears

leaving in its wake

one battered, bruised

shattered and drawn

© 2018 michael d emmerich

© 2018 mikesnexus.com

 

New Seasons

the shadow of beauty is regret

as we lose today

we gain tomorrow

for in sleep

we break the chains

that bind us to yesterday

we awaken unbound and unfettered

to our winter past

emerging into a new spring

bursting to blossom
© 2018 michael d emmerich
© 2018 mikesnexus.com

blossoms 2

This Past Week in the DRC

Flying in to work ….. Big Blue Sky …love it …

Sun Sets and rises …and a cloudy moon … love the colours of Africa

Out and about and relaxing after a days work….

© 2018 Michael D Emmerich
© 2018 mikesnexus.com

My Poetry is â€¦..

neither a shout

nor a scream

not a whimper

or a whisper

….....

but an eruption

of emotion

from within

….......

once released

it plots its own path

and passion

towards darkness

or light
...

© 2017 michael d emmerich