One only needs to take a quick glance around to notice that there are very few true gentlemen(like me Sean..lmao) remaining among us. In times past, a gentleman was much appreciated and being gentlemanly was a noble thing.

Alas, things have changed in today's society; some for the better and some for the worse. One thing that particularly irks me is the lack of good taste and etiquette most guys are guilty of at the turn of this new millennium.

I'm not saying that men should act like robots and be slaves to etiquette, but some basic good manners will go a long way in helping you during your ascent to the top.

What I've done is compile a quick list of tips that will help turn even the most blundering fool into a proper gentleman. Follow these simple tips and I can assure you that people will perceive you as a man of good breeding and taste, hence a man they wish to associate and conduct business with. Not to mention the fact that the ladies are always quite pleased to meet a real gentleman.

Always be polite
Even if you don't like someone, there is no need to lower yourself to their level. Be polite and courteous; show that you're the better man.

Do not curse
Swearing is a big no-no. It shows that you don't have the vocabulary to express your thoughts appropriately. Furthermore, it is always very crude and impolite to be vulgar.

Do not speak loudly
When you speak loudly, it raises the stress level among company. It always implies that you can't reason with people and rely on "brute force" to get your point across. It also draws attention -- negative attention.

Do not lose your temper
When you lose your temper, you are showing everyone that you can't control your emotions. If you can't even control yourself, then how can you possibly control anything else? Keep your cool at all times (it won't be easy but it is worth the effort) and people will take positive note of your levelheadedness.

Do not stare
Ogling someone is the equivalent of psychological aggression. You don't want to intimidate people for no reason.

Do not interrupt
Let people finish what they are saying before adding your comments. Interrupting others is a sign of poor etiquette and a lack of social skills. If you want to come across as egotistical, you can do so by constantly interrupting.

Do not spit
A lot of men do this almost subconsciously. Spitting is very crude and not too pretty to look at. Do not spit in public unless you want to look like you were raised in a sewer.

Respect your elders
In fact, you should respect others as you would like them to respect you. I am specifying elders because it seems that today, young men think they know it all. Well, they don't. Just think of yourself five years ago... you're much smarter and experienced today, aren't you? Of course, yet you thought you knew it all five years ago.

careers of the future
From shoeshine boy or rocket scientist to plastic surgeon, every profession has its fifteen minutes of fame. Unlike the cyclical pattern of the fashion industry, this pattern follows one of constant change rather than modification and recycling of professions.

It goes without saying that the hot jobs now will not be so hot ten or twenty years down the line. Just think back to the mid 70's and even 80's, when nobody would have imagined that the majority of households would own personal computers before the turn of the millennium.

We know what has happened to professions in the recent past, but what will happen to certain industries in the years to come?
understanding the past
During the depression, who would have thought that 30 years later, astronauts would be walking on the moon? Who would have guessed that in the 80's and 90's, people would actually start paying for water that comes in a bottle? Or how about buying a cellular phone to increase "reachability"?

The constant changes and needs of humans make for continuous modification in the workforce necessary to support these alterations. If more women want to get a breast augmentation, then more surgeons must fill the void and meet the demand. And we certainly know that whenever there is a dollar to be made, people will line up for it.

With the advent of the quick technological changes, people need to dig for their own opportunities to make it big. Everyone is a millionaire at heart, but few actually have the bank account to back it up.

College students that have been hammering on computers for as long as they can remember are indeed creating their paths while helping to make history. Following the logic that you must understand your history to foresee the future, this will allow you to make history in the future.
going on your own
Look at big names like Steve Jobs, Michael Dell, Charles Wang, and Jeff Bezos, who have all made millions by looking into the future with their ingenuity and innovative minds. Just look at what Jeff Bezos has to say about his career: "Work hard, have fun, make history."

Even with all that is being said and done, which jobs will slowly disappear? And which jobs will become increasingly popular?
out with the old
Which type of jobs would you expect to see vanish in the near future? A recent issue of Time Magazine stated that certain jobs are bound to disappear in the coming years. Stockbrokers and auto dealers are but a few examples of the potential jobs that will become obsolete.

The wave of professions that will face extinction revolve around those of middlemen. As the Internet now offers a direct gateway to purchase a vast majority of products and services, the middleman is becoming obsolete. A perfect example is the online discount broker that is slowly eradicating the conventional stockbroker.

Time Magazine also points out the fall of mail carriers, as well as insurance and real estate agents. Even the use of printers will fade, as people will prefer saving documents on hard drives rather than in folders stashed in a filing cabinet.

Even teachers will see their jobs become affected, as distance learning is becoming more popular with the use of online classes and electronic grading. But with all these potential jobs slowly being erased from the market, which jobs of the future will be in demand?
in with the new
Jobs like tissue engineers and data miners will become increasingly popular. On one hand, with the popularization of cosmetic surgery, new techniques will need to be researched and more physicians will need to set up shop along the avenues of Rodeo Drive.

Knowledge engineers are likely to grow in importance, as the quantity and availability of data is constantly increasing. Search engines and online directories will only continue to swell in their amount of readily available data for surfers to categorize and research.

What is likely to happen to those old "Mom & Pop" corner stores? They will likely cease to operate as they make way for larger and more centralized retail outlets that offer everything from your grocery needs and prescription drugs, to minor automobile repairs. If you think these days are still far ahead, then take a good look at Wal-Mart.
follow the trend
The best way to get a head start with professional trends is to follow the new programs of study offered in various colleges across the country. If the nation needs some more doctors, institutions will boost their medical programs by allowing more students to enter this field of study.

Just take a look around you and observe the profession of choice for Americans: law. A few years ago, when everybody seemed to be suing everybody else for everything under the sun, who do you think benefited from it? The colleges' law departments of course.

These institutions work like any other business; if there is a demand, they supply the goods.

So before you go out and begin a field of study or before you decide to leave your job and take up that career of your dreams, stop to think about it. Look at the current news, follow the global trends and read, read, read.

Publication Date: 10/22/2007

As the election day nears, there are a lot of political activities going on.

Kenyans should be wary of current MPs, who are coming back to ask for votes armed with inducements.

Their biggest weapon is the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) money.

They will talk of having built schools, roads, bridges and many other things. But the public should know that the MPs did not do these things with their money. The money used was taxpayers’.

Others hope to benefit from euphoria like it happened in 2002.

They are waiting to hang on the coat tails of a popular presidential candidate in a particular region to get back to Parliament.

I hope Kenyans have learnt a lesson.

Publication Date: 10/22/2007

If there is a country that needs a lot of prayers, it is Sudan.

However, peace and harmony will never prevail in Sudan if other African leaders do not come on board to ensure the Sudanese remain united.

Before signing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) deal in 2005, the region was engulfed in civil wars.

Innocent people lost their lives, others were wounded as property worth billions was destroyed.

The peace deal gave the Sudanese new hope.

Now, the peace deal is under threat.

President Omar Bashir and his southern counterpart Salva Kiir should be cautious lest the country disintegrates.

It is high time the two embraced and preached peace, unity and love.

For the sake of enhancing peace, not only in Sudan, but also across other regions, I call upon other African leaders to team up expeditiously and address the causes of all the conflicts.

Story by ZAWADI BIRYA
Publication Date: 10/22/2007

IT’S SAD TO NOTE THAT DECADES after independence, countless innovations and educational advances, African women seem to be exactly where they started many years ago.

This is not in social, political or economic terms, but in terms of the way they view and feel about themselves as black women.

I am sure I’m not the only black woman who cringes every time a certain beauty product advert shows a black woman struggling to find a job but being unable to do so because her skin is too dark.

However, she soon discovers a product that lightens her skin in just a few weeks and voila! She lands her dream job and is immediately asked out on a date.

As insulting as I find this advert, the truth is that it reflects our own views — that if a black woman is not light-skinned enough, she is not attractive.

Over the years, as Hollywood and fashion magazines have continued to gain influence in our world, the standard of beauty for black women has expanded to include not only light skin, but a small nose, flat stomach, a slim body, big boobs, as well as cascading hair.

Of course, most of these things go against the nature of black women who are inherently characterised by chocolate skin, wider noses, voluptuous bodies, as well as afro-hair.

However, the views represented in this advert continue to be reiterated in black societies worldwide, as it is reflected in black movies, music videos, television shows and magazines.

It seems that no matter how successful we become as a people, we continue to be insecure about the way we look and subsequently unsure about our worth, which leaves me wondering: what is it that took place in our history to make us hate ourselves so much?

Can we blame entirely the influence of colonialism or have we as black men and women failed to instil a sense of cultural pride and racial health in our children?

EACH YEAR, BLACK WOMEN IN their thousands spend millions on hair weaves, relaxers, diet pills as well as skin lighteners. Not all of these things are harmful, although some cause serious health problems, and could even lead to death.

However, the manner in which we use these things reflects our insecurity as black people.

We strive to reach a standard of beauty that is as ‘‘white’’ as possible, simply because we have bought into the myth that we are not good enough as we are.

This hype has been generated by fashion magazines, movies, and even some carefully crafted scientific theories that claim the black race is genetically inferior to other races.

Most of the blame can also be apportioned to black people — not only for continuing to buy into lies about themselves, but also for forgetting their history.

Why is it that fewer and fewer black children, even adults, know about the black heroines and heroes of the world like Mekatilili wa Menza, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King? These were beautiful black women and men who shaped the world.

If it was up to me, every house with a young girl would have a poster of Prof Wangari Maathai, Alek Wek and other black successful women so that our children can look at these women with hair, noses and skins like theirs, who are beautiful, intelligent, successful and happy.

Let’s make a change, sisters, and learn to love ourselves as we are (nappy hair and all) and teach our children to see the beauty and brilliance that God placed outside and within us.

Ms Birya is an aspiring communication specialist