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For almost twenty years, Professor Adrian Owen toiled away at the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge before emigrating to Canada where he continued to flourish at Western University in Ontario. He became a superstar when he successfully challenged conventional wisdom –
“ He devoted most of his research to the brain and used sophisticated scanners to study what was going on in the brain. Not very much when it comes to patients in a true vegetative state. They can open their eyes and look around. They can cry, grunt or smile. But they seem unaware of what is going on and are unable to see or to understand speech.”
According to a BBC documentary, it was a supposedly “vegetative” patient, Kate Bainbridge (whose name was misspelt as Brainbridge!!) who provided Professor Owen with his breakthrough moment with blazing headlines all over the world which heralded Owen’s tenacity and brilliance:
“ He showed that it was possible to use a brain scanner to find evidence of awareness. The scanner showed that the patient could react to faces. Indeed, her brain responses were no different from those of healthy volunteers.”
What ensued subsequently was a vigorous debate as to whether that response was “African magic”; a reflex; or a signal of consciousness.
Fortunately, Bainbridge (or Brainbridge) recovered partially from her near death experience while virtually knocking on the gates of heaven. She was sufficiently humble and coherent in her media interviews to give glory to the Almighty and her doctors, led by Professor Owen.
It was Roger Highfield who provided the remarkable witness statement on CNN:
“Unusually for these patients, Bainbridge made a partial recovery from being vegetative six months after the initial diagnosis and described how she was indeed sometimes aware of herself and her surroundings; and was in huge discomfort.”
The lady must have the last say: “The scan was like magic. It showed people I was in there. It found me.”
The truth was that there was no African magic involved. The real challenge is whether the fresh insight into the brain can be applied to fight corruption. That is the gauntlet thrown by the forthcoming Africa Week in Cambridge. However, another dimension was injected when the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte declared on CNN’s “Vital Signs” (interview with Sanjay Gupta):
“There are 3.7 million drug addicts in the Philippines – 3.6 percent of the population. I blame users for the breakdown of law and order (and corruption). 75 per cent of serious crimes are drug-related. I am committed to fulfilling the promise I made while campaigning for election – the eradication of the drugs and corruption menace even if it means killing all drug addicts, traffickers and criminals.”
The promoters of “Africa Week” in Cambridge insist on adopting and adapting science to combat corruption by recognizing the critical role of the following factors:
- Justification
- Pressure
- and Opportunity
The issue of sanctions (or the lack thereof) is an entirely different kettle of fish. It is known as the “Big Bite (of meat!!) Theory” which is predicated on the scale of corruption which would be so massive that there is plenty of room (and money) to take care of everybody, be they friend or foe!!
The sub-theme for this year’s Africa week in Cambridge is:
“CORRUPTION: The Era of Strategic Patience is Over. All other options (military, diplomatic; special operations etc.) are on the table.”
What is probably unknown to the general public is the profound alliance between scientists (both natural scientists and political scientists) in Cambridge, Massachusetts (Harvard University; Boston University; University of Massachusetts; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; etc.), in the United States of America and their counterparts at the University of Cambridge, England.
For them, the common purpose is to persuade President Donald J. Trump that his much touted “America First” with its focus on domestic America is going nowhere unless it is firmly anchored on America First as the supreme world power which recognises the futility of expecting China or Russia to assist it to retain and sustain its primacy. On the contrary, both China and Russia are putative contenders for that very same position and both of them (either individually or jointly) would cynically exploit the willingness of North Korea to threaten America directly.
It is not a mere coincidence that China and Russia are former communist nations while North Korea remains defiantly communist.
The Deputy Representative of North Korea to the United Nations, Kim In Ryong could not have put matters more bluntly when he delivered the message:
“We condemn the US naval build up in the waters off the Korean Peninsula plus the US missile attacks on Syria. It has created a dangerous situation in which thermonuclear war may break out any moment on the peninsula and poses a serious threat to world peace and security.”
That is a direct threat to the global intervention by the United States of America. That is precisely what the Cambridge scientists (in the US and UK) are determined to undergird and circumscribe with a clear vision and robust strategy which recognise and superimpose the US obligation to propagate its core values and fundamental principles as the soul of democracy.
The new “sheriff in town” which Donald Trump launched with great vigour during his campaign has his work cut out in order to tackle authoritarianism as the anti-thesis of the Rule of Law; Freedom of Speech; and Civil Liberties.
Those (China; Russia; North Korea etc.) who are determined to contest against the United States of America for power are armed and dangerous.
Indeed, Kim Jong-un the ruler of North Korea has publicly declared that hisnuclear missiles can hit New York (with Trump Towers as its primary target!!)
This has prompted Mike Pence the Vice President of the United States of America to declare –
“We will defeat any attack and meet any use of conventional or nuclear weapons with an overwhelming and effective American response,
All options are on the table. History will attest the soldier does not bear the sword in vain,”
The scientists are adamant that it is an entirely false premise to postulate that America’s engagement with the rest of the world can be limited to fighting terrorism or corruption. It is an anomaly to embark on a huge battle in a small war. What is at stake is huge and humongous.
J.K. Randle OFR, FCA
