ALBONE

  Hello all. Just to let you know that future ALBONE posts will be on my personal website: robertooduor.com Check it out here: https://robertooduor.com/

Even more speculations on what  life will be like in the future. To close out 2025, I'm going to finish up on my 25 predictions on things I think will happen by 2050. You can read part I  here  and part II  here . So let's get to it. 21. Cable TV will be practically extinct. When I was a kid, my parents would pay for TV subscriptions and I would watch channels like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon on weekends. That era has been nearing its end over the last few years, as streaming giants like Netflix, Disney+ and HBOMax have taken over the entertainment space. By 2050, people will probably be talking about cable TV the same way we talk about flip phones. RIP Saturday morning cartoons. 22. More high school graduates will choose vocational-based alternatives to university. I saw a YouTube video which highlighted how more young Americans are choosing to specialise in 'trades' as opposed to going to university. As we approach 2050, I expect this trend to increase globally...

  A young Kenyan’s  perspective on the  latest Conference of Parties. So, the 30th COP (Conference of Parties) concluded last month in Belém, Brazil. It was quite eventful, but not necessarily in a good way. Protesters made their voices heard at the event, expressing pent-up frustrations at governments for treating the Amazon rainforest like a cheap commodity. As a young man from a country in the Global South, someone who’s seen the effects that events like severe droughts can have on vulnerable communities, I also feel frustrated at the lack of action on the environmental front by governments.   Personally, I feel like COPs are more of a talk show than anything. The said ‘parties’ frequently make vague agreements which are often either forgotten about or abandoned entirely. To combat anthropogenic climate change, concrete, practical steps need to be taken to transition towards using sustainable and renewable energy sources.   However, certain bodies, such as ...

Can Christmas and business go together? It's December. Christmas is almost here. But let's be real, the Christmas buzz has been around for weeks, if not months. Decorations go up in early November. Stores begin offering Christmas deals soon after. Coca-Cola Santa, Christmas songs playing nonstop in supermarkets (my condolences to anyone who works in retail), it begins to look a lot like Christmas long before the 25th of December. This is something that has irritated me for years. Christmas is my favourite holiday, a great time of the year. But it's more than just an excuse to get presents and eat nice food. As a Christian, Christmas is a significant celebration; it's a time to commemorate the birth of Jesus. The fact that our society has reduced Christmas to nothing more than a commercial event, which is all show with little substance, is something that irks me. However, this isn't a black-or-white issue. People need to buy decorations, cards and gifts for Christmas...

 Celebrating with family and friends and taking   time to express gratitude should be more  common. Each year, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November (Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October). The holiday was first celebrated in the early 15th century in what is now Massachusetts. The English colonists (known as Pilgrims) of Plymouth celebrated a harvest festival alongside the native Wampanoag people in 1621. From then on, the Pilgrims would continue celebrating Thanksgiving; it was a time to give thanks to God for favours they had received, share food with their community and enjoy themselves. Thanksgiving was eventually made a national holiday in the USA and is still celebrated to this day. Even though I am not American and don’t live in the States, I really like the idea of Thanksgiving. Having a holiday where family and friends can reunite and eat delicious food (roast turkey, apple pie and stuffing sound SO g...

Religious persecution is wrong. It's about time we did something about it The words “Christian persecution” may call to mind the martyrdom of believers in Ancient Rome or perhaps more recent events, such as the oppression of Christians under communist regimes in the Soviet Union or China in the 20th Century. But the truth is that Christians are still being attacked and killed for their faith. Despite the fact that we live in an era characterised by an increasing respect for human rights, Christians are the most persecuted religious group in today’s world. Sadly, mainstream media often pays lip service or outright ignores the plight of millions of people who are subject to attacks simply for being Christian. In Nigeria, terrorist groups attack churches. In countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, converts to Christianity are forced to practice their faith in secret or leave their homes, as being known to be a Christian is akin to a death sentence. Unfortunately, governments in su...

We will all have to face death someday, so we might as well come to terms with it.                 November is a month associated with death. Think about it. In the Northern Hemisphere, November is a time when trees shed their leaves as autumn progresses. Many plants will eventually die as winter begins in December. Mexicans and a few other Latin American communities celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on the first two days of November.  On the 1st of November, the Catholic Church celebrates All Saints' Day, remembering all those who have died and are in Heaven. The following day, All Souls Day is celebrated, where Catholics remember all the souls in Purgatory. The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November towards praying for the dead.  On November 11th, nations around the world remember the armistice that ended World War I, a conflict that took millions of lives. Veterans, those who gave their lives in armed con...

From three-day weekends to holographic technology, the future has a lot of potential. I'm back! I wrote a blog post a while back on 10 things I think will happen by 2050 (In case you haven't read it, you can do so  here ). So here's a list of 10 more of my predictions for the next 25 years. 11. A four-day work week will become the norm in several organisations worldwide. As a result of multiple factors, including an increasing shift to working remotely and demands from various labour and employment groups, companies and organisations have experimented with a four-day work week model. Studies have shown promising results, with observed improvements in mental and physical health, as well as stress reduction. The idea is still very much in its infancy, but a lot can change in 25 years. By 2050, we may just see a global shift towards a four-day work week, which entails a three-day weekend. Sign me up! 12. Anti-AI Trade Unions will be widespread. People have already begun to voi...

 Paying my respects to a Kenyan legend. On October 15th 2025, Raila Odinga passed away at the age of 80. His death was a blow to Kenyans. Raila Amolo Odinga was not just a politician. He wasn't just a Prime Minister.  He was a maverick. A fighter. A hero.  As a Kenyan Gen Z who hails from the same region of Kenya as Raila (Siaya county), I know some things about him, but not a whole lot. The first time I heard about him was when my parents and a friend were discussing the 2007 elections (I was four years old at the time). I'm not old enough to remember how Raila was in his political prime; but from what I've heard from my parents, he was a force to be reckoned with.  Raila was the son of the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga. Jaramogi was a key player in Kenya's struggle for independence and became Kenya's first Vice President. The phrase "like father, like son" clearly applied to Raila. He was a strong advocate for a multi-party political system, which seemed l...

 My takeaways from the life and canonization of Saint Carlo Acutis. There is a canonized saint who liked Nutella. That is amazing. On September 7th, 2025, Pope Leo XIV canonized Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. Both Carlo and Pier led holy and inspiring lives, but there's something about Carlo's story that resonates with me personally as a young Catholic living in the 21st Century. Just to give you a 411 on Carlo's life in case you don't know about him: He was born on May 3rd, 1991 He was Italian and lived in Milan with his parents He had a passion and talent for computer programming He died of leukaemia on October 12th, 2006 What I find inspiring about Carlo's life story is how...regular and relatable it is. He went to school like most kids. He wasn't that good at soccer (me too!).  He liked playing video games.  I mean...the man had a GameCube.  Yet Carlo was a really good kid. He wasn't perfect, but who is? One of his teachers remembers that he som...

 Nuclear fusion, lab-grown beef, trillionaires...and more! Bonjour, tout le monde. It's 2025. We're halfway through the 2020's and a quarter-way through the 21st Century. In my opinion, life on Earth is still a bit...normal. Now, that's not a bad thing. Life's good for a lot of people. I'm grateful for life. But I'd have imagined that 2025 would feel more...futuristic. Where are the lunar bases? Where are the flying skateboards? Yes, we've had a few major developments over the past few years, such as the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the public sphere, but it would be cool if we got some more futuristic technology or development. I thought I'd write a post with 25 things I think will happen by 2050. Now, I'm not a scientist. I mean, * ahem* I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics, so I'm  technically  a  social  scientist  (who cares?) , but my predictions don't have much empirical evidence to support them...

 A few thoughts on how to keep going in life. The APA (American Psychological Association) Dictionary of Psychology defines motivation as "a person's willingness to exert physical or mental effort in pursuit of a goal or outcome." Well, sometimes, that willingness simply isn't present in sufficient quantities, or isn't there at all. Motivation is something I'm sure everyone has struggled with at some point. We don't want to keep working on that project. We don't want to start washing the dishes. We don't want to get out of bed early. But things have to be done. So how do you stay motivated? Well, I'm struggling to find the answer myself, but I have a few ideas. It's advisable to start small. Say you want to learn a new language. Well, practicing for an hour each day would be good, but that's rather difficult if you're a complete beginner. So start with say, 10 minutes each day. Then after a week or two, maybe add another 10. You...

 Whether by land, air or sea, there's lots of ways to get where you wanna be. Happy New Year!  December was two months ago. It's quite a travel heavy month worldwide. Many people are on holiday and take their time to visit family and friends or go on vacation somewhere. For those of you who have had the experience of taking a flight, how do you find it? Personally, I find flying to be quite an engaging experience; meaning that you have to be engaged the entire time. You need to know where your passport and other travel documents are at all times, monitor the time so that you don't miss your flight, etc. There's so much to do both before and after your flight; I find the flight itself to be the least stressful part of the entire experience (but that's just me). All you gotta do is sit down and do something until you arrive at your destination. Then there's road trips. These can be more fun than flying due to the reduced level of preparation and the increased flex...

 Sharing some thoughts on a charming little film.  I re-watched Marcelino, pan y vino (‘Marcelino Bread and Wine’) with my family recently. Even though it was probably over a decade since I’d last seen it, I remembered most of the plot as it’s pretty straightforward. I’d say the film’s strongest point is its simplicity. [OBLIGATORY SPOILER WARNING] Set in 19th-century Spain, the movie mostly takes place in a Franciscan monestary, where one monk discovers an orphaned baby left outside the monestary, the titular ‘Marcelino.’ The monks decide to raise Marcelino like a son and the rest of the movie follows Marcelino’s childhood. The attractive part of the film to me wasn’t necessarily Marcelino’s exploits, but the lives of the monks. The simple life of prayer and work is one I found quite interesting. It’s good to be reminded of the different ways in which communities around the world can live. Being a monk isn’t easy (but who’s life is?), but it’s certainly meaningful. Pablito Ca...

An attempt to remind ourselves what Christmas is all about. I'd like you to imagine that your birthday is coming up (if it is actually is, happy birthday in advance!). You've been looking forward to your birthday for a while: it's a day to celebrate with your friends and family. It's not like this is the only day where you spend time together, but it still is special. About a month or so before your birthday, you notice that your family members have begun to put up decorations. As much as you're looking forward to your birthday, you can't help feeling a little perturbed at their early preparations. Your family have started preparing invitations as well. Finally, the day arrives. Once you reach the party venue; you hear sounds of music and laughter. Excited; you try and enter but...the door's locked. You knock on the door repeatedly, but no one comes to open it  You try calling for help. No answer; not even on your phone. No one can hear you over all the nois...

I share my thoughts on an African financial framework. The phrase 'black tax' is one which I've heard several times. However, I didn't understand what it meant until I found out the definition a few weeks ago. The idea of black tax is that any successful black individual has an unwritten obligation to provide financial support to his or her family members. The term originated in South Africa, but the concept is one I'm very familiar with as a Kenyan.  Although I haven't began employed work yet; I have seen professionals constantly being called upon to provide support in one way or another to close relatives, extended family members and even people they aren't related to. This framework makes sense in an African context: African countries tend to be more collectivist; where support is important, particularly at the community level. Various fundraising initiatives that are carried out in Kenya come to mind: WhatsApp groups dedicated to raising funds to support...

Our devices make our lives easier, but that doesn’t always mean they make them better. Sometimes I think we really take for granted what technology allows us to do. I’m living in Thailand at the moment, and I sometimes use taxis to get around. Once, I was in a taxi and the driver needed to check something on his phone (probably directions to where we were headed). He spoke into his phone in Thai, and his speech was converted to Thai script on his screen. Text-to-speech has been common place for a while, but thinking about the fact that the driver’s phone was able to process Thai blew me away, as Thai is a character-based language. The internet has made our lives easier in so many ways. Google Translate has helped me overcome the challenging language barrier in Thailand. Information that would have taken a trip to a good library to acquire can now be found with a simple online search. We can communicate with anyone across the globe as long as we have a stable internet connection or mobi...

 We may have different views on religion, but respect is something we can all agree on. Let's just get straight to it; the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony crossed a line. During the ceremony, there was a live performance which was staged to recreate Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper.  I didn’t watch it (and I wouldn't advise anyone to), but the performance was said to be a disgusting farce which mocked one of the most important moments in the New Testament of the Bible: Jesus' Last Supper with His Apostles. This event centres around the Institution of the Eucharist; Jesus' Ultimate Gift to His followers. The Last Supper is commemorated by billions of Christians every Sunday in the Mass and marked in a special way on Holy Thursday before Easter.    Following backlash on social media, the Olympic Committee later apologized for the performance, but I feel that this incident is emblematic of a larger problem in our society today: a general lack of respect for Chr...

 It takes a brave man to acknowledge his vulnerability. June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Over the last few years, there has been a welcome increase in discussion around mental health, particularly men's mental health. Unfortunately, the centuries-old stigma surrounding men's mental health still persists, as if having a Y-chromosome somehow prevents you from being emotionally vulnerable. Men don't cry? Yeah, no, we do. Men don’t feel anxious? Nope. Jesus Christ, the literal definition of a Perfect Man, was in such mental agony the night before His execution that he sweated blood (a rare condition known as hematidrosis). There are a plethora of negative societal consequences for not allowing men to talk about their mental health: such as more instances of domestic violence and higher rates of depression. According to WHO, annual suicide rates for males globally (12.6 per 10,000 people) are over twice as high as those for females (5.6 per 10,000 people).  This nee...

 Standing up for what's right is rarely easy, but it's necessary. Over the last couple of days, there have been numerous protests held in various Kenyan counties over the proposed 2024 Finance Bill. The Bill is part of the Kenyan government's annual budget and is in its final stages of deliberation. The reason so many Kenyans have taken to the streets and to social media to protest against the Bill is due to the numerous tax hikes it'll introduce on basic commodities and services. Furthermore, if the Bill is approved, it will result in a loss of digital privacy amongst Kenyans by granting the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) immunity to data protection laws. Like many other Kenyans, I feel as though this Finance Bill is the straw that broke the camel's back. Over the last few years, Kenya has seen a large increase in taxes. Whilst this is somewhat understandable (as there has been a global recession of sorts over the last few years and Kenya is pretty deep in the debt ...