My Africa Today

The Hebrew/Israelites and The African Slave Trade How Do the two Relate?

2008-08-26T10:45:00.000-07:00

The Hebrew/Israelites and The African Slave Trade How Do the two Relate?By Chawviv ben Yisrael

In school, in history classes, students are taught about the African Slave Trade: how the black people were taken from the Continent of Africa to be slaves; how the black people were captured and raped and robbed of their culture; how the black people were forced to accept the religion of their captors; and how the black people had to, and still do, live according to the customs of their slave masters.

But did slavery all start on the continent of Africa? Were Hebrew/Israelites part of this slave trade? Were the Hebrew/Israelites even in Africa? And were the Hebrew/Israelites in Africa during the time of the African Slave Trade? .

George E. Lichtblau, author of "Jewish Roots in Africa," said "Claims of a historic presence of Jewish communities in certain regions of Africa, notably West and Southern Africa, seem esoteric when first mentioned. This presence goes back not just centuries, but even to biblical times." How many children know this? Mr. Lichtblau also said, " . . . the subsequent scattering of a Jewish presence and influence reaching deep into the African continent is less widely acknowledged." Why?.

If everything is left up to the school systems, black people in America will continue to live in darkness, especially, concerning the slave trade and its connection with the Hebrew/Israelites. There is a connection!.

First, it should be understood that the Hebrew/Israelites are black people. If that's not clear, please read "The Hebrew People of the Bible, What Color are they?" This will clearly explain what our captors do not want you to know. .

All through the biblical history of the Hebrew/Israelites, you will read how they disobeyed God, their Father, the God of Israel. In that the children of Israel are His only son (Exodus 4:22), they had to be disciplined by their Father, the Creator ofheaven and Earth, for their wicked deeds..

How did God discipline his children being a spiritual and not a physical being?.

The spanking that the Children of Israel received was through being defeated on the battlefield and by being taken into captivity by the nation or nations that their father, the Creator, raised to power. For example: Judges 2:11&14 says, "The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord . . . and the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that plundered them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies." Judges 3:7&8 says, "The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord . . . Therefore the anger of the Lord burned against Israel and he sold them into the hand of Kushan-rish'atayim, king of Aram: and the children of Israel served Kushan-rish'atayim eight years." And, Judges 3:12-14 says, "The children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel . . . And he gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amaleq, and went and smote Israel . . . So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab, for eighteen years." So as you can see, the discipline came through the other nations by the God of Israel..

As the Children of Israel continued to do evil, and the God of Israel continued to bring other nations against them, knowing that they were going to be persecuted, and forced to serve another nation, they would run into other countries trying and thinking they were fleeing from their captors, that the Lord their God had raised and strengthened against them..

Although, the children of Israel was constantly wicked, they were already warned by the God of Israel that if they disobeyed Him that they would be cursed. As the Christians have the book of Revelations for their last book, the Hebrews have the book of Deuteronomy for their last book of revelations. And their curse is thoroughly outlined in Deuteronomy 28th Chapter. I am not going to quote the 28th chapter because it is very lengthy. But, please read it!.

There were several times when the Israelites, out of defeat, ran for shelter, and the Bible and other history books of the Jews hold the specific details of this matter. .

Second Kings 18:9-13 says, "And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hosea son of Elah King of Israel, that Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it. And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, (that is, the ninth year of Hosea king of Israel) Samaria was taken. And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes: because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them. Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took them."

Knowing that king Shalmaneser did carry away Israel, and that king Sennacherib did take Judah into captivity, did any Hebrew/Israelites try to escape their wrath? Did any Hebrew/Israelites run into other countries? Is it all possible for them to have also run into Africa? I say Yes!

Solomon Grayzel, a white Jewish historian, wrote in his book, "A History of the Jews," in the ninth century CE (AD), a man appeared in north Africa among the Hebrews there, his name was Eldad from the tribe of Dan, he was a Danite. He said the members of his tribe had escaped Israel after Sennacherib had conquered Israel, and other Hebrews from other tribes also live in the land from where he came from.

Menasseh ben Israel, the author of "The Hope of Israel," said in his book there were Hebrew/Israelites that had been scattered into the Americas since the time of Sennacherib.

Mr Lichtblau, the writer of "Jewish Roots in Africa," speaking of the Jews said, "Pressed under sweeping regional conflicts, Jews settled as traders and warriors in Yemen, the Horn of Africa, Egypt, the Kingdom of Kush and Nubia, North African Punic settlements (Carthage and Velubilis), and areas now covered by Mauritania. More emigrants followed these early Jewish settlers to Northern Africa following the Assyrian conquest of the Israelites in the 8th century B.C.E...."

And, Rabbi Dahton Nasi, the author of the "Basic Jewish Studies Handbook," has placed the Hebrew/Israelites all over the African continent.

Shalmaneser king of Assyria and Sennacherib king of Assyria were not the only kings to have come up against Israel. Another very important time in the history of the Hebrews, and I say important because the Temple was destroyed for the first time, is when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon came and took Israel and destroyed the temple.

Here too, we tried to escape persecution and ran into the continent of Africa. Mr. Lichtblau statement above goes one step further, when mentioning the emigration of the Hebrews to Africa during the conquest of king Nebuchadnezzar. It says, " . . . and again 200 years later, when Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians, leading to the destruction of the First temple."

So, again two hundred years later the Children of Israel ran into Africa trying to flee persecution.

The people, not wanting to serve king Nebuchadnezzar, went into Egypt, even after they were instructed by the God of Israel, their Father, not to. Jeremiah, the prophet, in chapter 42, 43, and 44 tells the people that God said to stay in Babylon because he would be with them. But instead, they went to Egypt and when Jeremiah caught up with them in there, he said, due to them not listening to the God of Israel, he was going to push king Nebuchadnezzar into Egypt and take it and them.

I don't know what my reaction would have been if I had been informed of this by the Prophet. But as Rabbi Nasi stated in his handbook above (regarding this situation, and something I do agree with), "This warning would cause many Israelites to migrate deeper into Ethiopia and the Sahara desert."

After serving the Babylonians for 70 years, the Hebrews returned to Israel to rebuild the kingdom. Thinking that they would have known how to act, they had to be disciplined again because they wouldn't listen to the word of God.

In the year 334 B.C.E., Alexander the Great, came down from Macedonia and took Babylon, Egypt, Israel, and other areas that were occupied by the Persians. After Alexanders death, his kingdom was divide and the Hebrew/Israelites caught trouble again.

Around 176 B.C.E., king Antiochus ruled the Greek Kingdom and came up against Israel. Approximately two years later, the king attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the city, burned it down, and took the women and children captive. He also wrote a decree to all of his kingdom that the people should give up their particular practices and be as the Greeks, to be as one people.

The king told the Hebrews to "put a stop to whole burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings at the sanctuary, and to break the Sabbaths and profane the feasts and to build altars and sacred precincts and idol temples and sacrifice hogs and unclean cattle; and to leave their sons uncircumcised and defile themselves with every unclean and profane practice." The king made it known to the Hebrews, if they did not obey the command, they would be put to death. After the Greeks came, the Romans and around 70CE destroyed Jerusalem again. The Romans, too, refused to let the Jews circumcise their boys, observe the Sabbath, and study the laws of the God of Israel. Here, too, the Roman government said if we were to do the things that we are commanded to do by the God of Israel, that the Hebrews would be put to death.

The restrictions on the Hebrews forced them to emigrate in even greater numbers than before. Rome's vengeance forced the Hebrews that lived in Cyrenaica, which was approximately a hundred thousand and a million in Egypt to flee into the south of Africa and the west of Africa. Solomon Grayzel said, "such is the explanation how the Sahara desert first acquired Jewish tribes . . . "

But it wasn't always another kingdom that forced the Hebrews to flee their homeland.

The first three centuries of the Christian Era weren't easy for the Hebrews. There was a lot of confusion between the Hebrews and the Christians due to instigation by the Roman government saying the Hebrews killed Jesus. And, that false accusation has followed the Hebrews even until this day. But, at that time it did force the Hebrews to flee from persecution, while at the same time we also fled from the Christians due to forced conversion. It was a do or die situation. You either accepted Christianity or you died.

Next was the rise of Islam some several hundred years later, 6th or 7th century. Islam was gaining some dominance but not enough to convert the Hebrews. Mohammed sought the Hebrews, but the Hebrews didn't want to have anything to do with Islam. Eventually, a choice was given to the Hebrews either Islam or die by the sword. The threat of the sword was definitely carried out by the command of Mohammed, killing the Hebrew males and selling the Hebrew women. After the death of Mohammed, his successor (Abu Behr), with a tighter grip than Mohammed, continued with the caravan.

Africa wasn't the only country where the Hebrews dwelled because of them fleeing their captore and wanting to live a life of freedom. Spain and Portugal, to name a few, were two countries where the Hebrews tried to leave.

Life for the Hebrews in Spain was fair until January 2, 1492. This is the year that king Ferdinand and queen Isabella signed an order to deport the Hebrews out of Spain. Christianity had taken a strong hold in Spain and Ferdinand and Isabella approved the expulsion because the Jews were secretly maintaining their faith as Moses had instructed them and not embracing the Christian religion.

Ferdinand and Isabella gave the Jews until August 1, 1492 to get out of Spain or suffer severe slavery for sure. When August 1, 1492 arrived, a great number of Jews had departed Spain, returning to the northern and western parts of Africa, fleeing to the Caribbean islands, and fleeing into Portugal. "But the last group of Jews did not leave until August 2, 1492," said Rudolph Windsor, author of "From Babylon to Timbuktu."

This date should sound familiar to the world because this is the date Christopher Columbus set sail for the New World. And their were Jews on board his carriers. The Jews that stayed behind in Spain were either forced to convert to Christianity, be a slave, or die by the sword. The Jews that fled into Portugal were allowed to stay for thirteen years but no longer, to the year of 1505. To this date, there are a number of dark-skinned Hebrews in the Caribbean Islands, practicing and living the laws of Moses.

When 1505 arrived, the Hebrews that had stayed behind in Portugal were forced into being slavery by the order of the governor of Portugal. Also, the governor gave permission to import the slaves, those negroes, those Hebrews into the Caribbean islands and the West Indies.

But Spain and Portugal weren't the only culprits in this matter. The African people also played a part in the captivity of African slaves.

Although the slave trade began in 1441, at the hands of the Portuguese, it wasn't until 1619, when the first slaves were reported in English America, said Richard L. Green. He went further to say, "The participation of countries in the African slave trade became so profitable that slaves were viewed as black gold' and beasts of burden."

Black gold and beasts of burden is how Affonso I, king of the Congo, must have viewed the Hebrews of Africa because he gained a great deal of wealth from the slave trade. It is noted that Mvemba Nzinga, who was baptized Affonso I, ruled as the Mani Congo (king of the Congo) from 1506 to 1543. "Affonso I attempted to control the slave traffic," and by 1530, at least 5,000 slaves were exported annually from the Congo, said Mr. Green. Richard L. Green is the publisher and editor of "A Salute to Historic African Kings and Queens."

Of course, Affonso I, the king of the Congo, in the continent of Africa, wasn't the only king to get involved in the slave trade. There were other kings in Africa that did it out of profit, and their were some kings that were pitted against each other by the Europeans. But either way it goes, the Hebrews went into slavery by the hands of the kings of Africa and by the hands of the Europeans.

This document makes the connection between the Hebrew/Israelites and the African Slave Trade and explains how and why the Hebrews emigrated or rather fled to the continent of Africa. At the same time, it explains how the Hebrews got caught up in the slave trade. Many of the black people in America want to associate themselves with the African continent, when in fact it actually has nothing to do with the black people of America.

The history of the black people doesn't stop at Africa. There is more to black people than that. Take the time to study black history, and don't stop at Africa. Why, because it will be you who will make a difference in this world..

DJIMON HOUNSOU

2008-08-26T01:17:00.000-07:00

DJIMON HOUNSOU
Once a year, actor Djimon Hounsou visits his family in Benin, where he recently helped rebuild his childhood home. "The goal of the African people is to become self-sufficient," says Hounsou, who served as a consultant on our portfolio, otherwise "sometimes it does feel like the white man's burden. Some of the efforts need to be implemented by Africans who do good for the continent. Then people can see that their own people can really make a difference. We are not looking for a handout.

Djimon Hounsou supports: The ONE Campaign

36 Methods of Mathematical Proof.

2008-08-15T10:17:00.000-07:00

Proof by obviousness

"The proof is so clear that it need not be mentioned."

Proof by general agreement

"All in favor?. . . "

Proof by imagination

"Well, we'll pretend it's true. . .

Proof by convenience

"It would be very nice if it were true, so . . .

Proof by necessity

"It had better be true, or the entire structure of mathematics would crumble to the ground."

Proof by plausibility

"It sounds good, so it must be true."

Proof by intimidation

"Don't be stupid; of course it's true."

Proof by lack of sufficient time

"Because of the time constraint, I'll leave the proof to you."

Proof by postponement

"The proof for this is long and arduous, so it is given in the appendix."

Proof by accident

"Hey, what have we here?!"

Proof by insignificance

"Who really cares, anyway?"

Proof by mumbo-jumbo

" (B Ì P ) , $ (C Î W )

Proof by profanity

(example omitted)

Proof by definition

"We define it to be true."

Proof by tautology

'It's true because it's true."

Proof by plagiarism

"As we see on page 289......"

Proof by lost reference

"I know I saw it somewhere......"

Proof by calculus

"This proof requires calculus, so we'll skip it."

Proof by terror

When intimidation fails ...

Proof by lack of interest

"Does anyone really want to see this?"

Proof by illegibility

(scribble, scribble) QED

Proof by logic

"If it is on the problem sheet, then it must be true!"

Proof by majority rule

Only to be used if general agreement is impossible

Proof by clever variable choice

"Let A be the number such that this proof works. . "

Proof by tessellation

"This proof is the same as the last."

36 Methods of Mathematical Proof

Proof by divine word

"And the Lord said, 'Let it be true,' and it was true."

Proof by stubbornness

"I don't care what you say-it is true!"

Proof by simplification

"This proof reduces to the statement 1 + 1 = 2."

Proof by hasty generalization

"Well, it works for 17, so it works for all reals."

Proof by deception

"Now everyone turn their backs. . ."

Proof by supplication

"Oh please, let it be true."

Proof by poor analogy

"Well, it's just like . . . "

Proof by avoidance

Limit of proof by postponement as it approaches infinity

Proof by design
If it's not true in today's math, invent a new system in which it is.

Proof by authority
"Well, Don Knuth says it's true, so it must be!"

Proof by intuition

"I just have this gut feeling. . ."

Untapped: The Scramble For Africa's Oil .

2008-08-13T04:31:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from the book Untapped by John Ghazvinian Published by Harcourt, Inc.; April 2007;$25.00US; 978-0-15-101138-4 Copyright © 2007 John Ghazvinian

Since 1990 alone, the petroleum industry has invested more than $20 billion in exploration and production activity in Africa . A further $50 billion will be spent between now and the end of the decade, the largest investment in the continent's history -- and around one-third of it will come from the United States . Three of the world's largest oil companies -- the British-Dutch consortium Shell, France's Total, and America's Chevron -- are spending 15 percent, 30 percent, and 35 percent respectively of their global exploration and production budgets in Africa. Chevron alone is in the process of rolling out $20 billion in African projects over a five-year period.

The overwhelming majority of this new drilling activity has taken place in the so-called "deep water" and the "ultradeep" of the Gulf of Guinea , the roughly 90-degree bend along the west coast of Africa that can best be visualized as the continent's "armpit." Its littoral zone passes through the territorial waters of a dozen countries, from Ivory Coast in the northwest down to Angola in the south, and a good deal of its geology shares the characteristics that have made Nigeria a prolific producer for decades. Indeed, a number of unexpectedly productive fields have been discovered in the Gulf over the past decade. But although the Gulf of Guinea has lately been sub-Saharan Africa 's most exciting region for the oil industry, it is hardly the only "prospective" part of the continent (to borrow the industry term). The parched semideserts of southern Chad and southern Sudan have recently added hundreds of thousands of barrels a day to global markets, and a growing chorus of voices is now touting the East African margin as the industry's "next big thing."

But be it east or west, jungle or desert, it is a safe bet that where the drillers go, the politicians, strategists, and lobbyists are not far behind. Washington in particular has taken a keen interest in Africa 's growing significance as an oil-producing region since the headline discoveries of the late 1990s. In December 2000 the National Intelligence Council, an internal CIA think tank, published a report in which it declared unambiguously that sub-Saharan Africa "will play an increasing role in global energy markets," and predicted that the region would provide 25 percent of North American oil imports by 2015, up from the 15 percent or so at the time. (This would put Africa well ahead of Saudi Arabia as a source of oil for the United States .) In May 2001 a controversial and fairly secretive energy task force put together by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney declared in its report: " West Africa is expected to be one of the fastest-growing sources of oil and gas for the American market."

In the following months, a group of congressmen, lobbyists, and defense strategists came together under the umbrella of the African Oil Policy Initiative Group, and began preaching the message that the Gulf of Guinea was the new Persian Gulf, and that it should become a strategic priority for the United States, even to the point of requiring an expanded military presence. A series of well-placed articles in the American media followed, some breathlessly announcing the inauguration of a new Middle East off the shores of Africa . Before long, the influential Center for Strategic and International Studies had chimed in with a couple of reports, its most recent, in July 2005, claiming that "an exceptional mix of U.S. interests is at play in West Africa's Gulf of Guinea ."

During these years, a number of prominent lawmakers in Washington began getting excited about the possibility of shifting some of America 's oil dependence from the Middle East to Africa . One former senior official charged with African affairs recalls Kansas Senator Sam Brownback rushing up to him one afternoon in October 2002, positively glowing with excitement. "What do you think about bases in Africa ?" Brownback asked. "Wouldn't that be great?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

But does Africa measure up to the hype? After all, the entire continent is believed to contain, at best, 10 percent of the world's proven oil reserves, making it a minnow swimming in an ocean of seasoned sharks. Africa is unlikely ever to "replace" the Middle East or any other major oil-producing region. So why the song and dance? Why all the goose bumps? Why do so many influential people in Washington let themselves get so carried away when they talk about African oil?

The answer has very little to do with geology. Africa 's significance as an oil "play," to borrow the industry lingo, lies beyond the number of barrels that may or may not be buried under its cretaceous rock. Instead, what makes the African oil boom interesting to energy security strategists in both Washington and Europe (and, increasingly, Beijing ) is a series of serendipitous and unrelated factors that, together, tell a story of unfolding opportunity.

To begin with, one of the more attractive attributes of Africa 's oil boom is the quality of the oil itself. The variety of crude found in the Gulf of Guinea is known in industry parlance as "light" and "sweet," meaning it is viscous and low in sulfur, and therefore easier and cheaper to refine than, say, Middle Eastern crude, which tends to be lacking in lower hydrocarbons and is therefore very "sticky." This is particularly appealing to American and European refineries, which have to contend with strict environmental regulations that make it difficult to refine heavier and sourer varieties of crude without running up costs that make the entire proposition worthless.

Then there is the geographic accident of Africa 's being almost entirely surrounded by water, which significantly cuts transport-related costs and risks. The Gulf of Guinea , in particular, is well positioned to allow speedy transport to the major trading ports of Europe and North America . Existing sea-lanes can be used for quick, cheap delivery, so there is no need to worry about the Suez Canal , for instance, or to build expensive pipelines through unpredictable countries. This may seem a minor point, until you look at Central Asia, where the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, stretching from Azerbaijan through Georgia and into Turkey , and intended to deliver Caspian crude into the Mediterranean, had to navigate a minefield of Middle East politics, antiglobalization protests, and red tape before it could be opened. African oil faces none of those issues. It is simply loaded onto a tanker at the point of production and begins its smooth, unmolested journey on the high seas, arriving just days later in Shreveport , Southampton, or Le Havre .

A third advantage, from the perspective of the oil companies, is that Africa offers a tremendously favorable contractual environment. Unlike in, say, Saudi Arabia, where the state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco has a monopoly on the exploration, production, and distribution of the country's crude oil, most sub-Saharan African countries operate on the basis of so-called production-sharing agreements, or PSAs. In these arrangements, a foreign oil company is awarded a license to look for petroleum on the condition that it assume the up-front costs of exploration and production. If oil is discovered in that block, the oil company will share the revenues with the host government, but only after its initial costs have been recouped. PSAs are generally offered to impoverished countries that would never be able to amass either the technical expertise or the billions in capital investment required to drill for oil themselves. For the oil company, a relatively small up-front investment can quickly turn into untold billions in profits.

Yet another strategic benefit, particularly from the perspective of American politicians, is that, until recently, with the exception of Nigeria , none of the oil-producing countries of sub-Saharan Africa had belonged to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Thus they have not been subject to the strict limits on output OPEC imposes on its members in an attempt to keep the price of oil artificially high. The more non-OPEC oil that comes onto the global market, the more difficult it becomes for OPEC countries to sell their crude at high prices, and the lower the overall price of oil. Put more simply, if new reserves are discovered in Venezuela , they have very little effect on the price of oil because Venezuela 's OPEC commitments will not allow it to increase its output very much. But if new reserves are discovered in Gabon , it means more cheap oil for everybody.

But probably the most attractive of all the attributes of Africa's oil boom, for Western governments and oil companies alike, is that virtually all the big discoveries of recent years have been made offshore, in deepwater reserves that are often many miles from populated land. This means that even if a civil war or violent insurrection breaks out onshore (always a concern in Africa ), the oil companies can continue to pump out oil with little likelihood of sabotage, banditry, or nationalist fervor getting in the way. Given the hundreds of thousands of barrels of Nigerian crude that are lost every year as a result of fighting, community protests, and organized crime, this is something the industry gets rather excited about.

Finally, there is the sheer speed of growth in African oil production, and the fact that Africa is one of the world's last underexplored regions. In a world used to hearing that there are no more big oil discoveries out there, and few truly untapped reserves to look forward to, the ferocious pace and scale of Africa 's oil boom has proved a bracing tonic. One-third of the world's new oil discoveries since the year 2000 have taken place in Africa . Of the 8 billion barrels of new oil reserves discovered in 2001, 7 billion were found there. In the years between 2005 and 2010, 20 percent of the world's new production capacity is expected to come from Africa . And there is now an almost contagious feeling in the oil industry that no one really knows just how much oil might be there, since no one's ever really bothered to check.

All these factors add up to a convincing value proposition: African oil is cheaper, safer, and more accessible than its competitors, and there seems to be more of it every day. And, though Africa may not be able to compete with the Persian Gulf at the level of proven reserves, it has just enough up its sleeve to make it a potential "swing" region -- an oil province that can kick in just enough production to keep markets calm when supplies elsewhere in the world are unpredictable. Diversification of the oil supply has been a goal -- even an obsession -- in the United States since the Arab oil embargo of the 1970s. Successive U.S. administrations have understood that if the world is overly reliant on two or three hot spots for its energy security, there is a greater risk of supply disruptions and price volatility. And for obvious reasons, the effort to distribute America 's energy-security portfolio across multiple nodes has taken on a new urgency since September 11, 2001. In his State of the Union address in January 2006, President Bush said he wanted to reduce America 's dependence on Middle East crude by 75 percent by 2025.

Copyright © 2007 John Ghazvinian

Top 10 Craziest Science Facts You Didn’t Need To Know

2008-08-13T03:20:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Craziest Science Facts You Didn’t Need To Know

1. You can Hypnotize Chickens

by S0Cal

A chicken can be hypnotized, or put into a trance by holding its head down against the ground, and continuously drawing a line along the ground with a stick or a finger, starting at its beak and extending straight outward in front of the chicken.

If the chicken is hypnotized in this manner, it will remain immobile for somewhere between 15 seconds to 30 minutes, continuing to stare at the line.

2. You can have an erection once dead

A death erection (sometimes referred to as “angel lust”) is a post-mortem erection which occurs when a male individual dies vertically or face-down – the cadaver remaining in this position. During life, the pumping of blood by the heart ensures a relatively even distribution around the blood vessels of the human body. Once this mechanism has ended, only the force of gravity acts upon the blood. As with any mass, the blood settles at the lowest point of the body and causes edema or swelling to occur; the discoloration caused by this is called lividity.
Sorry, no photo for this one!

3. Your hand can have a life of it’s own

Alien hand syndrome (or Dr. Strangelove syndrome) is an unusual neurological disorder in which one of the sufferer’s hands seems to take on a life of its own.

AHS is best documented in cases where a person has had the two hemispheres of their brain surgically separated, a procedure sometimes used to relieve the symptoms of extreme cases of epilepsy. It also occurs in some cases after other brain surgery, strokes, or infections. The HAND is after you!

4. Don’t laugh too much, it can kill you

Fatal hilarity is death as a result of laughter. In the third century B.C. the Greek philosopher Chrysippus died of laughter after seeing a donkey eating figs (hey, it wasn’t THAT funny).

On 24 March 1975 Alex Mitchell, a 50-year-old bricklayer from King’s Lynn, England, literally died laughing while watching an episode of The Goodies. According to his wife, who was a witness, Mitchell was unable to stop laughing whilst watching a sketch in the episode “Kung Fu Kapers” in which Tim Brooke-Taylor, dressed as a kilted Scotsman, used a set of bagpipes to defend himself from a psychopathic black pudding in a demonstration of the Scottish martial art of “Hoots-Toot-ochaye”. After twenty-five minutes of continuous laughter Mitchell finally slumped on the sofa and expired from heart failure. His widow later sent the Goodies a letter thanking them for making Mitchell’s final moments so pleasant.

5. A weapon could make you Gay

Gay bomb is an informal name for a potential non-lethal chemical weapon, which a U.S. Air Force research laboratory speculated about producing.

In one sentence of the document it was suggested that a strong aphrodisiac could be dropped on enemy troops, ideally one which would also cause “homosexual behaviour”. So that’s how they got Saddam!

6. It’s true, Men can breastfeed

The phenomenon of male lactation in humans has become more common in recent years due to the use of medications that stimulate a human male’s mammary glands.

Male lactation is most commonly caused by hormonal treatments given to men suffering from prostate cancer. It is also possible for males (and females) to induce lactation through constant massage and simulated ’sucking’ of the nipple over a long period of time (months).

7. Bart Simpson’s Tomacco ( Half Tomato Half Tobacco) was possible

A tomacco is originally a fictional hybrid fruit that is half tomato and half tobacco, from the 1999 episode “E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)” of The Simpsons; the method used to create the tomacco in the episode is fictional.

The tomacco became real when it was allegedly produced in 2003. Inspired by The Simpsons, Rob Baur of Lake Oswego, Oregon successfully grafted a tomato plant onto the roots of a tobacco plant, which was possible because both plants come from the same family.

8. It’s OK to have a third nipple

A supernumerary nipple (also known as a third nipple) is an additional nipple occurring in mammals including humans. Often mistaken for moles, supernumerary nipples are diagnosed at a rate of 2% in females, less in males. The nipples appear along the two vertical “milk lines” which start in the armpit on each side, run down through the typical nipples and end at the groin. They are classified into eight levels of completeness from a simple patch of hair to a milk-bearing breast in miniature.

9. You can die on the Toilet

There are many toilet-related injuries and some toilet-related deaths throughout history and in urban legends.

In young boys, one of the most common causes of genital injury is when the toilet seat falls down while using the toilet.

George II of Great Britain died on the toilet on 25 October 1760 from an aortic dissection. According to Horace Walpole’s memoirs, King George “rose as usual at six, and drank his chocolate; for all his actions were invariably methodic. A quarter after seven he went into a little closet. His German valet de chambre in waiting heard a noise, and running in, found the King dead on the floor.”

10. .Picking one’s nose and eating it might be healthy

View Mikkel Elbech’s map

Taken in a place with no name (See more photos or videos here)

Mucophagy (literally mucus-eating, also referred as picking one’s nose and eating it) is the consumption of the nasal mucus, boogers, and other detritus obtained from nose-picking.

Some research suggests that mucophagy may be a natural and even healthy activity, which exposes the digestive system to bacteria accumulated in the mucus, thereby helping to strengthen the immune system.

H.H Shah Karim Aga Khan

2008-08-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

6 September 1963 - The Opening of Nurses Home in Nairobi with President of Kenya Jomo Kenyatta and Ismaili nurses

Prince Sadruddin - Deputy U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees presented President Kenyatta with a new recording of the "International Piano Festival", the proceeds of which were to benefit refugees from all over the world. The festival featured many famous international musicians.

March 1981 - Hazar Imam with Kisumu Mayor Ezra Gumbe and Nyanza P.C. Francis Cherogony

H.H Shah Karim Aga Khan with President Nyerere share a joke. Welcoming the Tanzania leader to the opening of the New IPS Building H.H said he was deligthted that people of Tanzania had once again overwhelmed re-elected Ar. Nyerere as President.

You know you're African if...

2008-08-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

You know you are a TRUE African IF

1) You can eat rice everyday for a week without getting tired.

2) Your event starts 4 hrs after the start time on the invitation card/flyer

3)Your mother (living in the U.S) is a Nurse

4) You like Reggae more than the people from the Carribean

5) A discount is not enough, you want things for FREE

6) 90% of the international calls you receive are from people asking for money

7) You know the names of at least 2 different international calling cards

8) Everytime you get into a fight, you always ask the person "Do you know who I am?" and the accent comes out.

9) Taking trips to Islands and warm places don't impress you (Your homeland was HOT ENOUGH!)

American women will bring out the WORST in you.

2008-07-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

Feminists believe that all men are evil abusers.

When a man abuses them, deep down they feel a creamy sense of satisfaction. Their belief has been validated.

Therefore they carefully craft a life, and surround themselves with people who will create more of this abuse.

Thus further confirming their belief structure.

This type of mentality has been studied and explored by countless psychologists, and is well-understood by all people with common sense.

Also, there is a more dangerous issue, here.

Men are very "susceptible" to women's opinions of us. Let's face it guys, when we get married, we are very likely to start changing in response to our woman's needs. We can't help it...her emotions are so strong, and our sense of responsibility to her is so deep, that we can't help but slowly become the man she envisions us to be.

That can be good, or bad. A man who is married to an angry feminist will often become more abusive, fulfilling her expectations of him. She accuses him of shit he didn't do...finally he thinks "well, if she's going to treat me like a scumbag, then by golly I should just go ahead and be a scumbag."

On the other hand, a man who marries a loving woman (who trusts men) will usually become more worthy of trust, thus fulfilling her expectations of him.

The old cliche of "behind every great man is great woman" is so true.

Men, choose your wife carefully. Her mental image of men will probably become your destiny. Avoid women who think badly of men (which as you know, includes the vast majority of American women).

American women have been born and raised in the corrosive negative world of feminism. They can't help but think like a feminist and view the world like a feminist.

So they have learned to always emphasize the negative things about men, never the positive. In any given opportunity...

instead of saying "he's protective" they'll say "he's oppressive"

instead of saying "he's smart" they'll complain "he demeans my intelligence"

instead of saying "he's hard-working" they'll say "he's obsessed with work"

instead of saying "he's confident" they'll say "he's an ego-monster"

The bottom line...every one of your qualities will be spun as a NEGATIVE, not a positive.

Of course, they don't do this when you are dating. All women put up a good face early on. Later, after a few years of marriage, suddenly the real woman will emerge, and you will subjected to negative diatribes about you, day in, day out, like a constant weight on your shoulders.

So when you marry a feminist, you will slowly change to become the bad man that she sees. All the negative aspects of you (which you've probably learned to suppress and minimize) will suddenly start to crop up again. Eventually you'll say "well, fuck it, if she's going to attack me for a bad habit anyway, I might as well indulge in it."

She will bring out the worst in you.

And of course, she'll be happy, because then she can scamper off to her feminist-asshole friends and say "SEE! We're right! Men really ARE as bad as we've said!"

Top 10 Popular Used Car in Tanzania

2007-12-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

1.SUZUKI / ESCUDO
2.TOYOTA / COROLLA SEDAN
3.TOYOTA / LANDCRUISER PRADO
4.TOYOTA / RAV4
5.TOYOTA / MARK II
6.ISUZU / BIGHORN
7.TOYOTA / HIACE
8.MITSUBISHI / PAJERO IO
9.HONDA / CR-V
10.LANDROVER / DISCOVERY

Google, Yahoo Sued For Stealing Names From Tanzanian Tribes

2007-11-27T22:35:00.000-08:00

If you liked our report on the bizarre handwritten lawsuit against Google from a guy worried that his social security number was too similar to Google's name, here's another one for you. Once again, special thanks to Eric Goldman for passing this one on. This time, at least, most of the lawsuit is typed (there are some handwritten parts at the end), though, there are numerous typos. The lawsuit is being filed against both Google and Yahoo by a guy who is apparently being detained by Immigration services in Houston. He claims that both Google and Yahoo stole their names from Tanzanian tribes -- and now they should pay up. Specifically, he claims that Google took its name from the Gogo tribe and Yahoo took its name from the Yao tribe. Conveniently, this guy happens to be a descendant of both tribes. He's merely asking for both companies to pay $10,000 each to every member of both tribes, going back three generations. Simple!

While it is true that many companies are using foreign words (Swahili is especially popular) in choosing company and product names (Kijiji, Joomla, Renkoo, Wiki, Tafiti, Jambo, etc.), both Google and Yahoo have pretty well-documented histories of their names, and the names of these Tanzanian tribes clearly have nothing to do with either one. Not that the guy doesn't try: "The court is now been asked to answer a common sense question: Is "Google" much more related, semantically and lexically, with "Gogo" or with "Googol"?" Once again, the chance of this lawsuit getting anywhere is basically nil (even if they had taken their names from the tribes, which they clearly did not), but as Goldman points out to us: "There is, of course, a serious problem here about the courts getting clogged up with lawsuits brought by prisoners/detainees with too much time on their hands and nothing to do but file lawsuits, and companies having to spend money to stomp out these lawsuits." In the meantime, this seems mighty close to life imitating The Onion।

Genetic Nondiscrimination Bill Stalled in U.S Senate

2007-11-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

With several private companies launching businesses to provide customers with unprecedented access to their genomes' secrets, legislation protecting people from genetic discrimination is more timely than ever. But Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahama) is single-handedly stalling federal legislation to do just that.

The Senate passed earlier versions of the bill twice before, but they were blocked from coming up for House floor votes. This year, the House passed it by a bipartisan landslide, but Coburn has held up the legislation in the Senate, saying it could place too much strain on businesses.

"We're not really clear on what Coburn wants, because his excuses don't make sense," said the bill's original sponsor, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-New York). "But if this bill got to a floor vote in the Senate, I think it'd pass almost unanimously."

Coburn spokesman John Hart said his boss supports the intent of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, known as GINA. Coburn voted for a nearly identical bill in 2005, but now says the bill's language exposes employers to too much liability. Supporters of the bill see Coburn's new beef as another in a string of inconsequential objections to the legislation.

23andMe, Navigenics and Decode Genetics have recently launched programs to scan individual's genomes and provide access to the information online. Customers will have to spend a for 23andMe's service.

In the absence of federal legislation, most states provide some degree of protection against discrimination. Many have gone further, explicitly providing genetic-privacy protections. Alaskan law (.pdf), for example, says DNA samples are an individual's private property. Still, companies offering personal genome scans, as well as biotechs offering genetic diagnostic tests, worry that their businesses will not gain traction without a federal law.

Slaughter introduced GINA in the House 12 years ago, but Republican leadership repeatedly blocked a vote, even as it passed the Senate twice. Under this year's new Democratic majority, the House passed GINA, 420-3 (H.R. 493), and it appeared ready to sail through the Senate (S. 358). But Coburn, exercising a prerogative available to all senators, placed it on hold, which requires a supermajority of 60 senators just to bring the bill up for a relatively rare floor debate.

An internal memo obtained Thursday from Coburn's office said the senator's make-or-break objection was the possibility that an employer who provides health insurance for its workers could be sued both as an insurer and as an employer. That means employers could be hit for much higher damages than insurers.

Representative Slaughter said she'd never heard that particular objection from any company in 12 years of campaigning on behalf of GINA. "But it's pretty creative," she said.

Coburn is a physician. He picked up the nickname "Dr. No" from pundit George Will, because of his frequent contrarian positions and use of the hold prerogative. Coburn has consistently opposed bills that enable lawsuits against businesses and his fellow medical doctors.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and trade associations like the National Retail Federation are GINA's main opponents, claiming it would spur frivolous lawsuits.

Michael Eastman, executive director of labor policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, applauded the Senator's move to stop the bill.

"Coburn has been willing to put his name out there," he said.

Kenya: Raila gets Clinton advisor for campaigns

2007-11-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

South Africa national anthems.

2007-11-07T18:29:00.001-08:00

South Africa - nationalanthems.info

South Africa

Words by: Enoch Sontonga and Cornelius Jacob Langenhoven
Music by: Enoch Sontonga and Marthinus Lourens de Villiers
Adopted: 1994

At the time that South Africa's multi-racial system of government was adopted, there were two anthems in use among the people, divided by the old racial lines. "N'kosi Sikelel' iAfrica" (God Bless Africa), written and composed by Enoch Mankayi, which also has the same melody and nearly the same words as the anthems of Tanzania and Zambia, (and, formerly, Zimbabwe), was popular with the black population since it was first composed in 1897 for Mankayi's music students. The song was quickly adopted as the "people's anthem" and made the anthem of the African National Congress (ANC), a group that would become the first majority black political party to lead the country. The white South Africans, however, had been using "Die Stem van Suid Afrika" (The Call of South Africa) since the 1920s on an unofficial basis, and was made the state's official anthem in 1957. Even though the latter anthem was seen as too closely tied to the apartheid system by the majority black population, it was decided in the interim to make both anthems the national anthem, "God Bless Africa" was usually played in its entirety followed by the complete "Die Stem".

In 1997, the two anthems were combined, starting with "God Bless Africa" in Xhosa, followed by Sesotho, then a few lines of "Die Stem" in Afrikaans, and finishing the anthem with another few lines from "Die Stem" in English. (The English lines actually do not appear in the official English version of "Die Stem", but are an abridgement of the last few lines of the first verse, with the words slightly altered to reflect South Africa's new freedom.)

Special thanks to: Ermano Geuer for some of this information.

See also: South Africa (1957-1994).

Zendesk. Help Desk 2.0.

Tanzania says ‘08 tourism earnings to pass $1 bln

2007-10-31T23:11:00.000-07:00

Tanzania, popular for its wildlife and beaches, expects tourism earnings to exceed $1 billion in 2008 thanks to marketing in North America and Europe.

“This year, we are going to embark on an aggressive marketing campaign in our major source markets,” Peter Mwenguo, managing director of the state-run Tanzania Tourist Board, told Reuters on Friday.

—-snip—-

Mwenguo said the accommodation problem was being tackled.

“For instance in the Serengeti there are four new areas that are being offered for investment for lodges. Already there is a lodge being constructed,” he said.

“I know the Aga Khan Group is due to put up three new properties in the southern part of Tanzania.”

The Aga Khan Group has shares in Serena Hotels, which has two hotels and four lodges in mainland Tanzania and one hotel on the semi-autonomous archipelago of Zanzibar.

Tanzania’s visitors come to enjoy its beaches, scale Africa’s highest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro or watch animal migrations, to and from Kenya, in its renowned Serengeti National Park, in the north of the country.

Tourists also have a chance to pursue sport hunting, which Mwenguo said brings an average of $14 million in licence fees.

Reuters Africa

Nigerian banks begin eating into South African dominance

2007-10-30T19:26:00.001-07:00

Africa is changing and it is not just $11.7bn of Chinese investment in
recent years that is making a difference. Nigeria’s banks are bulking
up as a result of central bank governor Charles Soludo’s new capital
requirements, and are becoming bigger and stronger through multiple
mergers and acquisitions.

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10 REASONS WHY THE VOTE SHOULD NOT BE FOR RAILA!.

2007-10-29T09:38:00.000-07:00
10 REASONS WHY THE VOTE SHOULD NOT BE FOR RAILA!!!!!!!!

WOULD YOU MAKE PRESIDENT A MAN WHO NAMES HIS SON AFTER A DICTATOR?
Raila�s son, Fidel Castrol Odinga, is named after the world�s longest serving dictator. Fidel Castrol (the Cuban head of state) is the communist who turned Cuba into a third world slum. Why should this be a point of concern for Kenyans? Fidel Castrol (the Cuban head of state) is Raila�s role model. Raila is a communist and a dictator at heart. If we make the mistake of giving him the presidency now he will never let go. This guy will be a life president.

RAILA IS A TRIBALIST AND PARTICULARLY HATES KIKUYUS PASSIONATELY
When someone says something is not about money, it usually is about money, when they say something is not about power, it is about power. Raila is denying -without being accused, at least publicly - that he hates Kikuyus. His earlier comments tell a different story. Remember the comment he made that Uhuru was the only good Kikuyu when they were both in ODM?

Raila tries to defend himself with quips such as �even my son (Fidel) is married to a Kikuyu�. Lets all remember the rumors that were flying around that Raila was actually opposed to the wedding/marriage on tribal grounds! He saw it as a betrayal by his own son. When the young Odinga held his grounds, Raila had no option but to play along to avoid a public spectacle.

Raila is accusing the PNU of creating Raila-phobia among the Kikuyu. Raila is creating Kikuyu- phobia among everyone else as did Moi throughout his rule.

A SYSTEM IS ACCEPTABLE TO RAILA ONLY WHEN IT FAVORS HIM
Let�s go back to Kanu�s infamous Kasarani One. The blatant Injustices were being done to Kamotho, Saitoti and the rest; they were being robbed of their positions in what Kamotho referred to as �uchaguzi wa kupiga makelele�. Since things were going Raila�s way, the great defender of the oppressed did not raise a finger. A few weeks later when the same injustices were to be done to him � Raila � in Kasarani Two, he was running all over the place crying foul. Had he been President Moi�s choice, would he have said anything?

A more recent case is when Kalonzo and Raila were both in ODM-Kenya and the party was trying to come up with the best formula to pick its presidential candidate. Kalonzo favored consensus while Raila said delegate were the only way. He made all manner of threats if the delegates system was not going to be used. Then, Raila and Ruto ambushed Kalonzo at Ruto�s house and tried to arm-twist him into agreeing that Raila be president, Kalonzo be VP and so forth. Kalonzo refused, but Raila and Ruto mischievously went ahead and leaked news to the media that Kalonzo had agreed to a �winning formula�. The point is that Raila was ready to agree to the consensus method only if he was going to be the presidential candidate. After Kalonzo�s refusal, Raila was latter insisting on delegates while Kalonzo stuck to consensus. Kalonzo later intelligently posed, �The meeting in Ruto�s home, was that a delegates conference?�

Ask yourself this: would there have been �the pentagon� is Raila had not been made the presidential candidate. The only reason why Raila agreed to the nominations at Kasarani was because everything had been agreed upon beforehand. The �Nominations� were just for show.

�KIBAKI TOSHA� WAS JUST A STRATEGIC MOVE
�Kibaki Tosha� statement was not an act of martyrdom as Raila would like to have us believe.

When Raila and the LDP brigade left Kanu, they had two choices: either join forces with the best established opposition outfit at the time, NAK or become politically irrelevant. Why Raila chose to go �Kibaki Tosha� way had nothing to do with his love for Kenya or his love for Kikuyus as he claimed during the launch of his presidential bid in Uhuru Park . It was the most appealing (and may be only) choice he had at the time. Consider this:

i) Raila and the LDP team could not have gone it alone � they had tried in �97 before the �Cooperasion� � and failed.

ii) The then opposition � NAK perceived Raila as a traitor. The only way he could change this perception was through a seemingly selfless act.

iii) Raila wanted to take his revenge on Moi � the only way to do this was to make sure that Moi�s �Project� did not succeed � even if it meant joining forces with the tribe he hated most. An enemy of my enemy is my friend.

iv) Raila felt he could extract his pound of flesh from the tired and desperate Mwai Kibaki�s NAK group � as he did through the infamous MOU, which was simply unimplementable.

DON�T POINT YOUR DIRTY FINGERS AT MY SPOTS
ODM is a story of a corrupt family that brought down the molasses plant among other ills. It is a story of bishops who lie without battling an eyelid. It is about people who brought down parastatals such as the Kenya National Assurance. Now since all the scum is defecting to ODM and ODM has no vetting policy for its civic and parliamentary candidates � how can ODM tell us they are going to make a difference?

RAILA SEES CAPTURING THE PRESIDENCY AS AN END UNTO ITSELF
If you have ever listened to Raila�s famous football commentaries, the �goal� is usually Raila getting the presidency not what he plans to do for the people of Kenya with the presidency.

Raila has been consistent about one thing: his hunger for power. This should not be confused with struggle for the country or for the people of Kenya . Raila has never told us how he plans to use power to better our lives. All Raila is doing now is to make all manner of promises to everyone. Here are some of them:

a. Constitution within 6 months

b. Make Ruto Executive prime minister within 6 months

c. Majimbo

d. Free primary and secondary education

e. 13% economic growth (he promises double the current growth rate)

f. Reduce taxes

g. Make Mombasa a free port like Dubai

h. Dual carriage way roads throughout Kenya

i. Free housing for slum dwellers

j. Employment for all

k. Eradication of poverty

Quite a nice list, isn�t it? But there is no mention about how he is going to achieve these things. Saying that he �knows where the money is going to come from� is not enough.

Take the constitution for example. If its making is going to be a people driven, all inclusive process, how can he guarantee that all the interested parties are going to agree on one document within six months? Is he going to ram whatever he likes down our throats in the name of giving us a new constitution? Remember Kenyans are not going to accept any constitution without a referendum.

Take the free secondary and primary education. How are we going to pay for the education and reduce taxes at the same time without running to the donors? And if we go to the donors, isn�t that what we are trying to run away from?

Let�s be wary about these extravagant promises. Remember: a pessimist is an optimist on his way back from the casino.

RAILA WILL MESS UP THE NSE AND THE ECONOMY
Raila sees the NSE as a symbol of the Kikuyu dominance of the economy. He would like to bring it down as soon as possible. This is why he labeled it a hub of insider trading and money laundering. His reason of doing this is that he will have enough justification when tearing it apart.

ODM is portraying the PNU as a bunch of people who know nothing about constitution making. The PNU is painting the ODM group as a bunch of people who know nothing about the economy. I don�t know much about constitution making, but I know that Raila appears to understand very little about the economy.

�Chungwa ni chungu�

RAILA�S SUPPORTERS A DANGEROUS BUNCH
"My definition of a free society is a society where it is safe to be unpopular."

These are the words of Adlai E. Stevenson Jr.

Anybody who is not pro Raila is seen as an enemy by Raila�s supporters. Several cases in point are what happened to Tuju, Nasleem and Livondo in different instances in Kisumu and Kibera. Just imagine that happening in the whole country. All the democratic space we have gained over the last few years will go down the drain. Any anti-Raila comment in the radio, on the street or on TV will earn you a proper beating if this man was president.

The tragedy here is that Raila has never condemned this behaviour by his supporters which means he condones it,i hate to say he is tribalist!!!.

Now imagine such people in positions of power. If you need a preview, remember how Gor Sunguh handled Nicholas Biwott during the Sunguh read committee on Ouko. Sunguh shouted down Biwott and hardly allowed him to say anything. In the end all he managed to do is to make Biwott appear like a modern day saint.

I LOVE KENYA
Giving the government to this Raila will be the biggest mistake of our lives. We will be throwing away the gains made so far. Raila�s extremism is not good for the Country. With Raila in power, tribalism will be felt in every aspect of our lives starting with the plot or kijiji we live in. The words �our government� will no longer mean what it means now. The bragging has already started with utterances like �the government is going to be ours� being said by members of a certain community. The cartoonist Gado captured the mood perfectly in a recent issue of the Daily Nation. Whatever you do, make sure you vote. Make sure you vote against Raila. Vote for anyone but Raila. Let�s block this communist from ruining our country. The age of dictators in this Kenya is over. Let�s keep it buried.

RAILA CANNOT BE TRUSTED

We know very well that thousands of Kenya lost their lives in the 1982 attempted coup and that raila was involved somewhat,his toture by moi was called- for,for this reason i mean which sitting president wuldnt want to punish such an act of over throwing the govt.
The controversial Armenian brothers Artul margayan were his friends he knew them first introduced them to kibaki's kinsmen.
Raila studied i russia ,he is famous even in countries you wuldn't magin like the balkan states,with communist systems of governing a principle that he adores.

I would like to know how Raila feels about the following issues. If he became president will he:

Assure John Githong�o of his security and give him his job back?
Put his portrait on our money?
put to bars or pardon all alleged corrupt leaders some of them in Odm like Hon. Ruto?
How will be his relationship with u.s.a and u.k?
What will be his relationship with Kenyan muslim??he seems to be confused religiously.

Some advice for Raila and ODM:

"If the attack is going well, it probably means you are walking into an ambush."

- Murphy�s Law:

"IS THE WORLD PREPARED FOR TWO LOU PRESIDENTS? RAILA .ODINGA AND BARRACK OBAMA?".........Quoted Prof. ALI MAZRUI

The writer is a very concerned Kenyan.

Sambaza this people. May God bless Kenya and rescue us from the jaws of Raila and ODM.
.........AMEN

SOURCE: http://www.kenyanlist.wanderi.com/klist-view-listings.php?listings_by=5
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BLACKWATER: THE RISE OF THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL MERCENARY ARMY

2007-10-26T10:45:00.000-07:00
On September 16, 2007, Blackwater contractors, during a complex confrontation in downtown Baghdad, shot and killed Iraqis in the crowded Nisour Square.

The FBI and State Department are currently investigating the incident, yet it further sheds light upon a growing private sector security force in Iraq and elsewhere, that many fear has not been held accountable to the same degree as have US military officials.

Jeremy Scahill has been covering Blackwater for THE NATION and other publications for more than three years. He is a Puffin Foundation Writing Fellow at The Nation Institute, and is the author of BLACKWATER: THE RISE OF THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL MERCENARY ARMY, published by Nation Books. He is also an award-winning investigative journalist and correspondent for DEMOCRACY NOW!.

According to THE NEW YORK TIMES, there are between 160,000 and 180,000 private contractors in Iraq, including about 30,000 armed security forces. Blackwater employees represent about 1000 of these armed contractors. There were only about 9,200 total private contractors during the Persian Gulf War.

Few Americans had even heard of Blackwater before March 31, 2004, when four of its contractors were ambushed and brutally killed in Falluja, and days later, a US siege of the region began. It was "what would be one of the most brutal and sustained US operations of the occupation," explains Scahill, who believes the US Military response to the killings sets a dangerous precedent.

Before the September 16, 2007 confrontation, Blackwater employees had been implicated in similar incidents involving questionable force, including in December 2006, when a drunk Blackwater contractor allegedly shot and killed a bodyguard for Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi. The contractor was subsequently fired by Blackwater, yet was sent back in the region with another private firm.

"[State Department] officials said that Blackwater's incident rate was at least twice that recorded by employees of DynCorp International and Triple Canopy, the two other United States-based security firms that have been contracted by the State Department to provide security for diplomats and other senior civilians in Iraq," writes THE NEW YORK TIMES.

Still, as Blackwater's founder Eric Prince reminded Congress a few weeks ago, "Blackwater personnel are subject to regular attacks by terrorists and other nefarious forces within Iraq." As the WALL STREET JOURNAL reports, "The company has said it has done 16,000 missions for the State Department since June 2005, using its weapons just 1% of the time." And recently two Blackwater helicopters helped evacuate the Polish Ambassador to Iraq after his convoy was attacked.

But questions about accountability still abound: when mistakes are made, to which rule of law should contractors answer, military or US criminal law? Officials in the State and Defense Departments are currently debating this very question.

Blackwater's State Department contract expires next May, and according to the AP, officials in the Department intend to "ease out" Blackwater since many share "a mutual feeling that the Sept. 16 shooting deaths mean the company cannot continue in its current role." Yet according to the WALL STREET JOURNAL, even if Blackwater was forced to leave Iraq, they would simply be replaced by another private security firm, since the State Department does not have the personnel available to step in:

"'There's just no way our system could handle trying to get hundreds of new people trained and sent to Iraq,' said a State Department official. 'That would be a multiyear process.'"
Guest photo by Robin Holland

Published on October 19, 2007
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The Faces behind HIV/AIDS In Africa.

2007-10-24T10:01:00.000-07:00
Seventy per cent of adults and 80 percent of children with HIV/AIDS live in Africa. The total number of Africans living with HIV or AIDS has reached 25.3 million, and during the year 2000 alone, 2.4 million Africans died of HIV-related causes.

Here are some of the faces behind the statistics.

Villagers in Masogo, Kenya attend a funeral for a suspected AIDS victim.

Family and friends pay their respects to a dead relative in Masogo, Kenya, an area with an exceptionally high AIDS rates.

A suspected AIDS patient rests in bed at her home in Masogo, in western Kenya. Many of the villagers are HIV-infected but few acknowledge it because of the stigma of AIDS.

A religious healer in Lagos, Nigeria talks to women infected by HIV. Without access to medical treatment, many Africans put their faith in spiritual cures.

A prostitute stands outside her home in Nairobi, Kenya. She is one of a small group of prostitutes at the center of AIDS research because they fail to become infected by HIV despite repeated exposure.

Family members visit a patient at the main hospital in Kinshasa, Congo. Almost half the patients in this ward have AIDS.

A girl holds her baby sister at the edge of a sugarcane field near Hlabisa in South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province, one of the world's worst AIDS hotspots. AIDS has left many children here without parents.

A sick woman sits at home with her son at a housing project in Kinshasa, Congo for people affected by AIDS.

A man with terminal AIDS-related tuberculosis sits on his hospital bed in Gulu, northern Uganda.
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History of Tanzanian Cartoons.

2007-09-30T07:18:00.000-07:00

In the past decade, the art of cartoons and comics has really taken off in Tanzania. At present there are dozens of cartoonists, some of whom are well known throughout the country. From the 1960's on, a number of artists prepared the way, and their names are cited by today's artists as essential influences (also see the excellent history of cartoons in Tanzania at the Worldcomics website).

Cartoon (right): If you register for voting, don't forget to vote for me! If you do, I will make sure it will rain every day.
- We are tired of those false promises!
(Christian Gregory, in Uhuru of 14 August 1980)

Among the early cartoon characters was Chakubanga, drawn by Christian Gregory for Uhuru newspaper from 1967 on. Stylistically, the cartoons of Philip Ndunguru made a big impact. The characters he created, such as Madenge, Komredi Kipepe and Lodi Lofa, live on in today's humour comic magazines. When he passed away in 1986, other artists were needed to draw in Ndunguru's style. That's where Ibra Radi Washokera came up, and after him John Kaduma.

Initially, Sani controlled the market of humour mags but when Kaduma switched to Bongo magazine, competition intensified. In the mid 90's, Kaduma moved again to Tabasamu. By the time he died, all the comic magazines had come to prefer the new Tanzanian style of drawing. Other popular cartoon artists that emerged in the 80's and 90's include Gayo, whose Kingo cartoon strip became quite popular throughout East Africa.

Cartoon (left): This is the ninth day that I haven't drunk, it seems like I am no longer an alcoholic.
- Without a doubt you were simply broke all the time! I know this...
(Christian Gregory, in Uhuru of 5 May 1980)

THE AGE OF POLITICAL CARTOONS
Ours is to caricature people, politicians especially. But this doesn't mean that government officers should come after us with big sticks. Nor should newspapers editors manipulate us
- Kenyan cartoonist Maddo (Paul Kelemba)

In the late 90's, the comic magazines and newspapers publishing cartoons got fresh company from the cartoon weeklies of Sanifu, Risasi and others styled on the same ideas. They were instant hits and created a new outlet for the expressions of more openly political cartoonists such as Masoud Kipanya, Kijasti and Fred Halla. Their views didn't go unnoticed: both their audience and the subjects of their cartoons agreed that cartoons present a powerful message.

Masoud explains how the opportunities for cartoonists changed:
"Let me say 5, 6, 7 years back we used to have a lot of cartoon publications. We started with Sanifu, after that a lot of newspapers came up. At Business Times we had Sanifu but it was published nearly every day. And by then a lot of artists had a place to show their skills, to air our views.
By then we were doing political cartoons. The government took us as these people are just playing, you see. But then the impact started to be seen. Because cartoonists became the voice of the poor people. We predicted things, spoke to the politicians, we told them things, we made them understand what is happening, what they were supposed to do as politicians, as leaders.

For the past 10 years I have seen the impact, I got feedback from the people saying that Massoud you are doing great, at least we see you are talking on our behalf. People seem to understand, the politicians sometimes also change, whenever they look at these artworks they feel ashamed to be drawn. So some say: we are not gonna [cause] any problems, because otherwise I will be punished in the newspapers. So I think the impact has been there and I think it will always be there.
As cartoons became more popular, some cartoonists were faced with restricted artistic freedom. Mickey recalls: "I used to work with Business Times and Majira newspaper in the past and I used to freelance as a cartoonist. Professionally I was not an artist, but out of interest, when Sanifu was first published inside Majira newspaper - it used to be published once a week on Sunday. In the first four issues I used to take part in the publication. We were quite free to express ourselves. But these days we are too limited. And this is because the truth is always powerful. Even if someone has got maybe economical or political power, but the truth is more power[ful] than that. So you find that cartoonists are taken as people who are threatening those people who are abusing power. And when it comes to justice they say that all people are equal before justice there is fairness. But there are some people who are above the law."

The cartoonists who have gathered in PACT have good hope that the internet will help them to freely discuss matters that can't be discussed in the Tanzanian papers. As Masoud puts it: "There are so many things that are taking place in the world right now, in Tanzania and the world. I'd like to talk about these things, Nathan, Mickey and Fred as well and the rest of the cartoonists. To me at least I have a space though I am being censored. But some of these people don't have a place where they can express for the benefit of society."

Partly based on interviews with Fred Halla, April 2003, and with Masoud Kipanya and Mickey, February 2002
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Fear of bio-theft at centre of the storm

2007-09-09T11:00:00.001-07:00
Fear of bio-theft at centre of the storm
By JOHN MBARIA
Special Correspondent

As KWS exudes confidence over the deal, critics have asked it to tread with caution, particularly because it does not have the capacity to catalogue the extent and nature of the country’s biological resources that might be of industrial value and will be banking on Novozymes to supply such knowhow.

They point to the numerous instances of Kenya’s biological wealth having been stolen from the country’s nature reserves even with KWS personnel on the beat there.

One example was when industrially important microbes (or extremophiles) were stolen from Kenya’s Lake Bogoria and other Rift Valley lakes in 1992 and ended up being patented by a California-based company, Genencor International. This newspaper carried the story of how the microbes were used in manufacture of industrial enzymes that were then used to give blue jeans a trendy, faded “stonewashed” look, while others were used by a US multiproduct giant, Procter & Gamble, in the manufacture of one of its Tide detergents.

Last year, a 42-page document released by a US-based non-profit organisation, Edmonds Institute, reported that the microbes are now owned by Genencor, for which they have generated $3.4 billion in annual sales.

It further said the actual collection of the microbes from the Kenyan lakes was made in 1992 by an unnamed British researcher and later patented by Genencor.

According to the report, the Kenya government did not get a cent even after filing a suit against the company in US courts in September 2004 for compensation. But KWS Director Dr Julius Kipnge’tich told The EastAfrican that they are still negotiating with Genencor. “Negotiations are still going on,” he said, adding that if the negotiations failed to yield results, KWS would explore other options including taking “legal measures.”

Invariably, after developing industrial products from natural materials sourced from Kenya and other African countries, global biotech giants have been reluctant to share the billions with these countries even after being exposed. This has been a highly contentious issue related to the development and commercialisation of biological resources (bioprospecting) throughout Africa.

The Edmonds Institute’s report also detailed how one of the biggest drug manufacturers in Europe, Bayer of Germany, acquired a strain of bacteria from the Ruiru Dam in Central Kenya, and ended up developing a drug that is able to inhibit the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream of diabetic patients. The report said that although the drug had generated over $300 million by the end of 2004, Kenyans got nothing.

With all this history of sharp dealing, observers are now wondering why KWS failed to wait for proper legal and policy guidelines to be put in place before signing the MoU. The EastAfrican has learnt that the Science and Technology Ministry has been spearheading the drafting of a policy and a Bill to regulate how organisations like KWS enter into agreements with international biotech companies.

The policy will apparently offer a “radical” way of tackling past and ongoing bio-robbery in Kenya and detail guidelines on how to enter such agreements. When implemented, the law will also make it possible for Kenyans to take public bodies to court if they believe that the latter have played a role in the spiriting away of local knowledge and technology or have aided bio-theft.

But Dr Kipng’etich says the MoU with Novozymes was guided by the Kenya Access and Benefit Sharing Regulations issued by the National Environment Management Authority last year. He also says the deal adhered to the provisions of the Wildlife Act (Cap 376) and is also “in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity, which Kenya ratified in 1992.”
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The Kroll Report : The looting of Kenya.

2007-09-01T05:29:00.000-07:00

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World Entrepreneur Awards - The South African Chapter

2007-09-01T05:09:00.000-07:00
Stephen Saad – Aspen Phamacare Holdings Limited
Stephen Saad has reason to be proud. In little longer than seven years he has made Aspen Pharmacare, Africa’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Stephen’s greatest achievements in the healthcare sector relate to his pioneering ability in combating HIV/AIDS. Stephen has secured voluntary licenses from multinational pharmaceutical giants for the manufacture of desperately needed antiretroviral (ARV) medicines. Aspen is one of only three pharmaceutical companies worldwide to be selected by the Clinton Foundation as capable of manufacturing antiretroviral (ARV) medicines at the stipulated quality and price.
In addition to this, Aspen’s manufacturing facilities have recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as being suitable for the manufacture of generic anti-retrovirals to meet the needs of President Bush’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The President’s organisation has pledged $15bn to assist developing countries as they address the crisis of HIV/AIDS over the next five years.
Aspen presently has a market capitalisation in excess of R5 billion and is Africa’s largest pharmaceutical manufacturer and the continent’s largest manufacturer of generic pharmaceutical products.

Koos Bekker – M-Net
Koos Bekker is the visionary who dreamt up M-Net. In 1985 M-Net was one of the first two pay television ventures to be created anywhere outside of the United States. M-Net broke even in 1988 and the group has since grown into one of the most successful pay television operations worldwide.
Koos overcame some initial mistakes and several hurdles to make it work. From this base he then led the launch of Supersport, MultiChoice across Africa, MIH internationally, M-Web, Irdeto in Holland, the creation of the cellphone operator MTN, the drive into China with the conception of SportsCN and the buy-in into Tencent (QQ), as well as the recent setting up of Entriq, a broadband technology provider in San Diego.
All these companies fall under what is today known as MIH Holdings, which operates pay television and Internet subscriber platforms in Africa, China, Thailand, Greece and Cyprus. They constitute some 80% of the total value of the Naspers group, the biggest media group in Africa by far, which Koos now heads up.

Glenn van Heerden – Avis Southern Africa Limited
Glenn van Heerden not only embodies the cheery personality of the Avis brand in South Africa, but is also a pioneer of car rental and fleet services in our country.
Avis Southern Africa, one of the leading Car Rental Agencies on the continent, was founded some 37 years ago in Bloemfontein by 25-year-old Glenn and a colleague named Noel de Villiers. With a fleet of only three cars and R20 000 worth of loan capital, they started a business that is today a household name.
Avis is now spread out in most of southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Avis Southern Africa’s operations also span countries like Norway and Sweden, and it ranks as the largest licensee outside the USA in the worldwide Avis group. It runs a rental fleet of some 20 000 cars, and its leasing arm has more than 60 000 vehicles under management.
In 2003, during a period marked by delistings from the JSE, Barloworld acquired Avis, worth R2,2bn. Van Heerden, who was CEO and later chairman of Avis, is now a non-executive director of Barloworld Motors.

Pam Golding – Pam Golding Properties
Pam Golding regards her availability and her vast network, built up over 45 years of personal contact, as her most valuable attribute in business.
After having worked for Syfrets for five years, Pam started her business on her own with no capital in the midst of economic uncertainty. At that time the political situation in South Africa was driving foreign investment out of the country and the property market was deemed to be a very high-risk investment for both buyers and sellers.
Founded in 1976, Pam Golding Properties has grown from being a single woman “out-of-my-garage”-property business, to a leading South African organisation employing over 1 800 people.
Today Pam Golding Properties is South Africa’s premier property group, boasting a turnover of R9,7bn in residential sales in 2004. Providing the international investment community with credible South African business infrastructure, Pam Golding Properties currently has operations in 3 European countries as well as franchises in several Southern African countries.

Dempsey Naidoo – PD Naidoo & Associates

Dempsey Naidoo left South Africa in 1976 under trying circumstances and won a United Nations scholarship to complete his engineering degree in the UK. On his return to South Africa in 1981, Dempsey worked for mining giant Anglo American where he was invited to join Anglo’s prestigious Executive Training Scheme.
It was during this time that Dempsey realised that he needed to make a contribution to black technical advancement.
With the help of his wife Jackie, and the support of businesspeople in Lenasia, Naidoo established a part-time community organisation. The role of the organisation was to comment on technical issues in black townships and to serve as a forum for black technical people to get together and share their dreams and aspirations. The business people supported the organisation by giving it engineering work in the area. This resulted in Dempsey leaving the security of a flourishing career at Anglo American to start PD Naidoo & Associates and all money generated by the company in those early days was reinvested in order to grow the business.
Today PD Naidoo & Associates, a consulting engineering firm, employs over 300 people, has 11 offices in South Africa and offices in Mozambique, Mauritius, Botswana and Angola.

Raymond Ackerman – Pick 'n Pay
“Building a successful business is 90% guts and 10% capital”. This is the firm belief of Raymond Ackerman, founder and Executive Chairman of what is today the most successful retail supermarket chain in South Africa, Pick ‘n Pay.
In 1967, Raymond left an established retailing firm in Cape Town and started a retail corporation with the purchase of four small shops. Under his leadership, Pick ‘n Pay grew rapidly and in the 1970s branched into the hypermarkets that offered South Africans one-stop shopping. Pick ‘n Pay is now one of South Africa’s pre-eminent FMCG retailers, consisting of over 450 stores including 121 supermarkets and 14 hypermarkets. Operations are in food, clothing, and general merchandise sectors as well as financial services. The company operates throughout South Africa, southern Africa and Australia.

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The visionary that brought us M-Net: Koos Bekker’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs

2007-09-01T04:44:00.000-07:00
We’ve all heard of M-Net; most of us grew up watching K-TV, then came Carte Blanche, the Sunday night movie and satellite TV. But what about the man behind it all?
Koos Bekker went to the US in the 1980s to do an MBA and wrote his thesis on pay television. Then he came back to South Africa and, with the help of Naspers and a few other media companies, started M-Net.

In 1997, Bekker became the CEO of Naspers which then owned most of the initial M-Net company (Electronic Media Network).

Since then, he’s grown the group into a multinational, multi-channel (DStv) media house that has operations in China and South America, and is Africa’s largest media company. Naspers also owns pretty much all the Afrikaans daily newspapers in the country (Beeld, Rapport, Die Burger), some English ones (Daily Sun), almost every magazine (from FHM to Huisgenoot) and the “24” brands (News 24, etc). Oh, and they own 30% of cellphone messaging service MXit.

He is not your average entrepreneur.

For one thing, he is currently on sabbatical – not something CEO’s usually do when the company is roaring ahead.

But as he explained to us late last year: at the age of 54, he has already been the CEO of a JSE-listed company for 16 years.

He is also unafraid to admit that he has faults, “People often get stale in their later quarters. You know, many presidents of the US, for example, had a poorer second term than a first term. I think you start believing your own wisdom and you lose your daring. So I’d like to refresh myself. But also there are many interesting things in media, and what tickled me particularly are Korea, Japan and the West Coast of the States, where young people are inventing new technologies. So I’d like to spend some time there.”

It is this sort of understanding of self and the desire to constantly innovate that comes through in his discussion of entrepreneurship.

Asked, if he defined himself as an entrepreneur, he told Tycoon “I think entrepreneurs are not very good at explaining themselves I think what makes them entrepreneurs is something that maybe you don’t even yourself recognise it could be a defect, for example, Bill Clinton’s father was a drunk; sometimes a defect creates a need to compensate by showing the world.”

He adds that probably the worst environment in which to nurture an entrepreneur is in a happy, well-balanced family “Where do you develop your will power or your skill in getting out of trouble if you have no challenges? You have to be tossed challenges regularly and in fighting those challenges you learn how to control your self and then you learn how to run a company,” he says.

In order to be successful though, you need to learn how to take the punches and keep on coming. “You have the loneliness of the king, you might have a team of people around you, but if things go really bad, they all look at you and if you panic the business goes down the drain,” he says, adding, “Quite often entrepreneurs don’t care very much what the world thinks but they have one thing in common and that is the ability to take knocks and keep smiling.”

But sometimes the punches can be useful, “If we have a success all we learn from it is how smart we are and we carry on doing the same thing the next morning and we don’t learn anything but, if we mess up, we can learn some very valuable lessons.” - Geoff Candy
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Jacqueline Novogratz: Tackling poverty with "patient capital"

2007-08-21T05:08:00.000-07:00
Jacqueline Novogratz is pioneering new ways of tackling poverty. In her view, traditional charity rarely delivers lasting results. Her solution, outlined here through a series of revealing personal stories, is "patient capital": support for "bottom of the pyramid" businesses which the commercial market alone couldn't provide. The result: sustainable jobs, goods, services -- and dignity -- for the world's poorest.

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George Ayittey: Cheetahs vs. Hippos for Africa's future

2007-08-21T04:35:00.000-07:00
This grab-you-by-the-throat speech by Ghanaian economist George Ayittey unleashes an almost breathtaking torrent of controlled anger toward corrupt leaders and the complacency that allows them to thrive. These "Hippos" (lazy, slow, ornery) have ruined postcolonial Africa, he says. Why, then, does he remain optimistic? Because of the young, agile "Cheetah Generation," a "new breed of Africans" taking their futures into their own hands.

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