On this week's show we looked at some of the benefits of putting in a little time each week to exercise or work out.Regular exercise and physical activity are extremely important and beneficial for long-term health and well-being.Exercise is also a great stress reliever. Regardless of age or sex,exercise is a cheap source of mental stress and strain.
The Mayo Clinic (one of the best hospitals in the world),recommends physical activity as way to stimulate brain chemicals. They say that working out leaves you feeling happier and more relaxed. Not to mention that you'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression.
Very often we get caught up in the cycle of our busy lives that we don't set time aside to exercise. Many people blame their busy schedules at work or school. But we all know that you can only pull that off for so long before the effects start catching up with you.

We are all guilty of putting off exercising because of just plain laziness. You just don't feel like you have the mental and physical energy and so you postpone a gym session or jogging with friends. To many people,the only motivation to exercise is so that they can show off their bodies. Now i have no problem with that,we all like to look good. However if that is the sole reason you exercise,you are missing the point,because exercise's primary reason should be to stay healthy mentally and physically. I say mentally because some of those that exercise 'just to look good'often have deeper underlying image issues,and that is a whole other subject we will explore in another show.

So for those who like to blame your busy schedules,here is some advice on how to get back on the exercise train. Remember that you don't need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but physical activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories!

On this episode of Upfront,we explored ways to deal with differing opinions. Many times in our personal and professional lives we encounter ideas and opinions that we don't find agreeable. The way we handle ourselves and others matters because it shows how open we are to different points of view. First of all, it is wrong to think that your ideas or opinions are always right. If you are that type of person,then you have more issues than you think.
First of all it is important to remember that we have to respect those that we don't share the same opinions with. In being passionate about our opinions,we can close our minds to the fact that the other person has a valid point. That denies us the opportunity to learn something new sometimes helpful. We should also have the courage to disagree with those that are in places of power and authority. Most importantly,when we hit that stalemate,lets agree to disagree!

The current global financial crisis has affected many sectors of African economies.Since governments are often the biggest employers the millions that depend on it for work have also been affected.African governments usually have to subsidize their budgets with foreign aid. Now that much of that aid has dwindled as a result of the global crisis, many governments have either laid off people or can't afford to pay their employees. There has also been a hiring freeze--no new employees added to their payrolls. That means that the thousands of graduates or young people who were bound to join the workforce are left on the streets wondering what to do next.

Since much of our education in Africa is grounded in theoretical pedagogy,the skills gained after twenty years education to look for employment in the public sector,many of these young people never explore the option of creating their own jobs. There is a lack of that spirit of entrepreneurship.It is not ingrained in them that such an option exists. So not only are the youth not prepared,the socio-economic impediments are often insurmountable.

On the show this week we looked at some of the issues and hurdles involved in starting a business in Africa. Many of the young people we spoke to said that they don't have the necessary security required by banks to give as collateral for them to secure a start-up loan.
However we can't be stuck in that skewed paradigm,so we wanted to come up with some ideas based on young entrepreneurs who have successfully broken into the private sector with business ideas that have not required those big bank loans. It is about the right ideas,vision,management,customers,products etc. One of the people who broke this cycle writes that the first question you can ask yourself is how to get off the ground in your entrepreneurship bid. Ian Mvula provides a roadmap to starting your business in Africa:

He says that if you are the type that waits for the government or some donor agency to give you free grants and handouts, then you are on the wrong thought pattern. He warns against that 'the disillusionment of lack of free handouts that block the unleashing of your potential,' With or without the financial backing, 'just take the plunge.'

Change your perception and rid the misconception of entrepreneurship. There is a tendency to ridicule entrepreneurs especially beginners. In African countries, business starters are variously demeaned with titles like "briefcase businessmen" "jua kali artisans" and "wheeler-dealers", among others. But do you know that those simple individuals who started many successful corporations in the US did so with a single idea in a briefcase? What you need to remember is that entrepreneurship is about making money and having fun doing so.

Be creative. Do not go into a business venture just because someone else seems to be doing well in that type of business. Innovating, differentiating and finding something unique are the buzz words here. After you have identified a viable and creative concept, you can now start writing and planning your business strategy.

With all that good advice Ian has been able to build the first private public payphone (card operated) business in Southern Africa, the first cyber cafe, and several other ventures.

This week we were treated to a couple of unscripted moments of uncouth live theater. From Rep. Joe Wilson to Kanye West,humanity as a collective hit a new low. But even as we cringe at the outbursts of these morons,we can't help but hit the replay button on our YouTube. And that is the genius of Kanye West and others. They know that no publicity is a bad publicity.

We all love train wrecks,their insanity makes us look normal. But what makes the Kanye West douchey actions genius,is that they feed into the media frenzy. It is nothing but a publicity stunt. We are in constant awe of our pop cultural figures. Artists like Kanye have exploited this in the guise of eccentricity. So,his lunacy is an act of marketing genius that seeks to make him relevant by inserting him in a news cycle that loves a good circus.

Kanye knows that our media outlets are obsessed with popular culture and will not waste a good tantrum to talk about the riots in Uganda or the drought in Kenya. So as the pundits spend all day admonishing his actions,he is busy reaping the benefits of free publicity; appearing on Leno and other talk shows and maybe get a reality show on VHI titled 'Kanye is a mad raving lunatic'with its own spin offs.

If you think i am wrong,look at Rep Joe's campaign fund. He has already made 2 million dollars since calling the President a liar in congress. There is money to be made with this type of craziness, and we make it possible by consuming it like our morning lattes. So as you watch the train wreck that is Kanye go off another cliff,just know that this is a calculated rant under the guise of outrage, designed to make controversy and headlines...and ultimately rake in a bunch of cash

This week on Upfront we looked at African's attitudes towards disabled people. In developed nations like the US,there are guarantees that people with disabilities will have equal opportunities to employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.
However it is evident in many African countries that because of the existing prejudices and stereotypes towards handicapped people,governments have been slow to implement policies that accord them give full rights.

In a region facing unique challenges in fighting poverty, people with disabilities will automatically be disproportionately represented. Their numbers are rising due to conflict, malnutrition, natural disasters and HIV/AIDS. With disabled people invisible in development initiatives, hundreds of thousands of people who see themselves as potential and willing contributors to family and national economic activities are instead relegated to the margins of society where they are a perceived as being a burden. The result can be devastating, both to the individual and to the economy.

On Upfront a couple of months ago, we talked about dating. We explored some of the challenges in the dating game and some of the things that make it hard to hold down a relationship. We also promised to explore further the issue of long distance relationships.

Now we know that it is hard enough to make local relationships work, so imagine being separated by miles, States, and sometimes even an ocean. When it comes to long-distance relationships the name of the game is prioritizing what’s important to the both of you. If it’s family or a relationship that you find occupying the top spot, great, but you’ll have to sacrifice your career a little bit. If you are both career-oriented people and can put your relationship on the back burner for a while, then a long-distance relationship may be for you. It’s all about weighing the ups and downs associated with what you want from your life. It is also about trust. There is need to trust that your partner is fully committed to the relationship. Often long distance relationships will fail because one of the people in the relationship feels like they are the only ones investing themselves in the relationship. Now because of distance we know that it is hard for the physical fulfillment of the relationship,however equally important is the emotional investment counts as much.

There also has to be some sort of established time frame. The distance in miles should not equate to time. That means that you are able to rejoin each other soon.Basically there is supposed to be some end in sight. No one likes to be separated from those they love and care about. For the very few who say that they enjoy long distance relationships--they probably shouldn't be in one.