Archive for May, 2012
Does Your State Have Your Back?
Posted by jimheck in Nigeria, Politics, Uncategorized on May 31, 2012
By Conor Godfrey This poetic essay by Nigerian professor Pius Adesanmi helped me consider the nature of the citizenship I enjoy. I may rail against certain U.S. policies and politicians, but I know that Uncle Sam has my back abroad. If I get hurt, arrested, detained illegally, kidnapped, or otherwise physically or legally incapacitated, my [...]
Memorial Day Holiday
Especially for my readers in Africa, I wanted to explain the absence of a normal blog, today. It’s Memorial Day in America, Monday, May 28, 2012. The holiday is intended to honor the memories of U.S. soldiers who have died in action. It’s similar to the Remembrance Days celebrated in many parts of Africa, and [...]
The Pen..is Mightier
Posted by jimheck in Uncategorized on May 25, 2012
By Conor Godfrey Sex, art, and politics. “The Spear,” a painting of South Africa’s President Zuma with his genitals hanging out of his pants, has all three in spades. Go ahead…look at it. It is art, after all. Provocative South African artist Brett Murray painted the work, in his words, as “an attempt at humorous [...]
In Africa We Trust
Posted by jimheck in Uncategorized on May 24, 2012
By Conor Godfrey Musical selection for today’s blog: Sexion d’Assaut, Africain The experienced traveler or cultural connoisseur must take ever more drastic measures in 2012 to experience something new. A form of cultural convergence driven by globalization and increased wealth has smoothed out many of the wrinkles that once made Confucius’ sphere of influence look [...]
Deleterious or Dynamic Delta?
Posted by jimheck in Uncategorized on May 22, 2012
There is no set price in travel. Prices change constantly, and a question I constantly get is “Should I buy now?” The controversy last month when a Minneapolis television station discovered that Delta Airlines was charging its frequent flyer customers more for the identical booking than (presumably) newer, non-frequent flyer customers underscores how fluid travel [...]
Great White Fool
The Central African Republic is one of the most lawless and corrupt countries on the continent and known mostly today as the presumed home of LRA fugitive, Joseph Kony. Turns out he has some interesting company. The reason Kony is probably in the CAR, routed from Uganda and being hunted down by a posse of [...]
Old Bones Age Well
Mostly praise for PBS’ brilliant production “Bones of Turkana” with only a few important criticisms. It was specially good to see Richard Leakey so relaxed and forthcoming. He is a man who has lived much of his life under attack or siege and a significant part of his non-paleontological public life remains clouded and unexplained. [...]
Similiar Social Circles
Posted by jimheck in Corruption, Kenya, Politics, War on May 17, 2012
Charles Taylor’s demand that the World Court try George Bush is neither hair-brained or facetious and demonstrates the growing globalization of justice. Shortly after Liberia’s former strong-man was sentenced by the World Court yesterday to 80 years for “crimes against humanity” he remarked to the press: “President Bush… ordered torture and admitted to doing so. [...]
Be Careful What You Wish For
Posted by jimheck in Big Game, Economy, Wildlife Management on May 15, 2012
Lion road kill, baby lion attack … two examples this week that we must stop thinking of Africa’s wild animals as human incarnations. Like a hundreds of other tourists daily, at dozens if not hundreds of similar sites throughout Africa, Madelein Querk was looking forward to that special moment this past weekend when she could [...]
Big Gay Brother
Posted by jimheck in "Modern" Africa, Culture on May 14, 2012
Many African reactions to Obama’s gay marriage statement focus on the hypocrisy of the “small government” stand taken by so many conservative Americans. Social issues like marriage percolating to the top of a political campaign for president of the world’s yet most powerful country confuses many in Africa. America is among all known for “freedom” [...]
Leave It To The Kids!
Posted by jimheck in "Modern" Africa, Big Game, Economy, Wildlife Management on May 11, 2012
A 13-year old Maasai boy (genius) who rigged up an electric light device that seems to successfully protect his boma from lions is no longer herding his family’s cows. He’s got a scholarship to one of Kenya’s best private schools! Richard Turere like all young teen Maasai boys was principally responsible for taking care of [...]
Down Now Up Later
Posted by jimheck in Tourism Trends on May 10, 2012
Americans increased their travel to all parts of the world for the first few months of this year, except to Africa. Africa stood out like a sore thumb, declining about 5%. Why, and what does the future now look like? Two months of a statistic does not a trend make, but what is critical is [...]
Hola Hollande! Following Africa?
Posted by jimheck in "Modern" Africa, Economy, Politics on May 8, 2012
Africans are generally pleased with Sarkozy’s defeat by Hollande. To them it suggests that right-wing western policies are on the decline. Virtually all of free Africa is to the left of most western countries. Africa’s incredible economic growth, now an astounding 2-3 times the west, is likely to remain 1 or 2 points higher than [...]
Better Visit The Selous Soon
Posted by jimheck in "Modern" Africa, Ecology, Economy, Environment on May 7, 2012
Bruised but recovered from the embarrassing loss of the Serengeti Highway project, Tanzania looks truly set on creating one of Africa’s largest dams over currently one of its largest game parks. Friday, Energy and Minerals minister William Ngeleja announced during a visit to the area that “This is not a ghost project…Tanzanians will see it [...]
YouTube Won’t Believe
The combined viewers of YouTube videos mocking Invisible Children’s video about Joseph Kony has now exceeded the viewership of the original video. What an infamous mess. But has YouTube corrected a terrible wrong or simply added more wrongs? I really don’t know how to parse my feelings of disgust, anger, sadness, confusion …. I was [...]