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I am beginning to miss home, you know. I am missing listening to or watching newspaper reviews in the mornings on both radio and television.

Do you know the word “telly” does not exist in the vocabulary of the Americans? It must be British English then.

I miss relaxing over three or four of my favourite newspapers and dissecting the news as reported from the pens and eyes of some of our celebrated journalists.

Oh, and don't I also miss News File on JOY FM on Saturdays? It is a shame not to be able to tune in on line — it is a bit too early for me over here on holiday.

Great programme though. As for food, no, I do not miss much because my favourite yam and palava sauce and “red, red”are in abundance here. The plantain here even looks healthier.

When I was leaving Accra mid June, I was buying two fingers of medium size plantain for one Ghana Cedi.

Over here, I am getting three to four (any size) fingers of ripe plantain for one American dollar.

How come? It is time for the African Americans over here to switch to local food items in these times of high food prices.

I love going to the Malls not because I have the money to shop. The Malls feel so cool with air condition all over, plenty of food courts, bathrooms and seating areas for those of us who want to get out, see a bit of fashion and can still pause for some comfort.

The friendliness of shop assistants in America is such a delight. As if they do not have personal problems nagging them.

You enter a shop and before you are aware, someone is already saying hi. They don't stop there. They even ask how you're doing today.

Before the cashier takes your money, he or she has already unnerved you as you dig into your purse. As you walk out, whether you purchased something or not, you are guaranteed one more nicety — “have a good day”.

Customer service — they really understand it over here. I wish I can fly it over to my motherland where buying at a shop is like them doing you a favour.

The only place you get quality customer service with decency is of course in the markets where our women sellers beg you to buy and are always ready to thank you for purchasing from them and will even leave their wares to carry your item to your car.

That service has always struck me. Kudos to our market women. I love them.
I have been trying to catch up on home news. I have been busily googling wwwghanaweb.com and sometimes Ghana News to catch up on what home news I am missing.

I must commend those newspapers and radio stations that are in touch with their readers and listeners and doing so well by bringing on line the news on daily basis.

I was on the Internet the other day. I read a Daily Graphic news item on utility disconnections at week ends. I must commend myself for the level of my IT skills and knowledge.

Of course, my former employer played a huge role in this. By the way, John McCain, the Republican Presidential candidate, does not have IT skills; he is only now learning to get familiar with Internet use so he can connect with the younger electorate.

He has never used the email. His opponents are making capital out of this and as usual, his strategists are busily defending.

According to the story I read from Graphic on Line, the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has reminded service providers that it is illegal for consumers of water and electricity to be disconnected for non-payment of their bills at week-ends and public holidays.

The story reminded me of something I read in USA Today a few days ago. The front page lead story had a banner headline, “Utilities cut off more homes”.

To be honest, I wasn't sure if I was reading a USA Today or the Daily Graphic. Electricity disconnections in the US of A for non payment of bills?

As the story unfolded, I was shocked by its contents. There is now a record number of shut offs as many more customers of utilities, including even moderate income households fall behind on their utility bills, hence disconnections.

The service is typically restored within days after customers work out payment plans.

Maybe relatives back in Ghana should go easy on demands from their sons and daughters out here for all you know as the Electricity Company of Ghana cuts defaulters' lines for non payment of bills, their Aburokyire relatives are also sleeping in darkness and in the cold. No where cool.

Statistics provided in the newspaper report that I read are even more intriguing. According to the story, in 2007, 14.3 million households were estimated to have owed $4.3 million in unpaid utility bills.

In 2008, the figure has risen to 15.6 million households owing $5 million in utilities. Eh, America too?

In the wake of the soaring world food prices, America is also facing huge challenges just like any other nation. Yes, they are not superhumans after all. Remember they ask God to bless America? In God they truly trust.

Another newspaper headline that caught my interest read, “As food costs soars, it's back to basics for meal planners — Gardens stews and a new focus on creativity.”

The story brought back memories of the statement made by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, sometime in May or so suggesting that Ghanaians should go back to the basics and start developing greater interest in our own nutritious staples.

His suggestion provided a huge chunk of meat for some critics to chew and digest.

Back to the story published on the front page of USA Today on July 8, 2008, a family who lives near Kansas City has turned to the land, planting hundreds of vegetables and relying on their own chickens for eggs.

According to the story, another family spoken to said they had reverted to living on beans, stew and soups and cutting down on eating at restaurants.

So, the Asabee's “prescription” of no more fried rice and chicken has some support elsewhere in America.

I bet he can come and start his Mfantsiman seat campaigns from here — what a shame the Representation of the People's Amendment Law (ROPAL) is on hold.

Some information I have picked up to share. Did you know that in the wake of the world challenges on food, food prices in America climbed four per cent in 2007, the biggest annual increase since 1990?

Prices are projected to rise from 4.5 per cent to five per cent this year. USA Today has been conducting its own opinion polls on the food crises in America.

When the paper asked some of its readers, they said that for years, they dashed through the grocery store blithely grabbing whatever they needed and did not realise how high prices had gotten until they took a hard look at their budgets.

Some of the people spoken to are busy in their gardens planting their own potatoes, corn, peas, beans, tomatoes, peppers and carrots.

Some are even adding orchids with fruit trees such as pear, apricot, apple, plum and peach.

Indeed, the Presidential candidate for the Great Consolidated People's Party(GCPP), Mr Dan Lartey, would have been declared a prophet of glory in this land if he was to stand as an independent Presidential candidate to challenge Senators McCain and Obama.

Or better still, Obama's Vice-Presidential candidate. Everyday, I stare at all these cornfields in this Mercer County and regret how we in Ghana are missing out on countless opportunities as far as food production is concerned.

But talking about Presidential candidates, I do hope all is well at all fronts back home.

I really have been enjoying a bit of quiet from the “heeis” and the “haas” of home politics. That is one thing I am not missing at all.

Over here in America, the political campaigns of both Barack and John are picking up. Honestly, aren't all politicians the same breed? And the electorate?

I am beginning to conclude that the value is the same no matter where the politicking is taking place.

They are all promising their electorate the moon and offering very few solutions as to how to tackle some of the woes facing their people.

Both McCain and Obama are on the promising spree – better life after Junior George Bush and Americans are listening.

Their slips are being captured on candid camera and the media are tearing them apart. Yes, another look alike lots.

The campaign strategists are working around the clock turning to the defence of their bosses.  Continued    Source: Vicky Wireko

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