Archive for August, 2012
African Perspective on Romney
No surprise that Africans don’t like Mitt Romney. But what is surprising is that they take Obama’s reelection as a given. Romney is not considered a serious candidate. Or possibly Obama is considered invincible, and those of us at home know this is really not the case. But why do Africans think so? The birther [...]
Sheik Aside
Tuesday’s drive-by killing of the jihadist cleric Aboud Rogo in Kenya marks a small if hopeful turning point in the troubled East African coast. Real evidence will never emerge so we are left to speculation, but blogs, rumors and common sense seem to converge this time: the murder was specifically intended to stoke religious and [...]
Terrifying Silence in Kenya
An awful restraint hangs like a veil over Kenyan journalism today, as civil disturbances continue in Mombasa and Wajir. In neither area is the trouble as widespread as some international media have reported: the heavily read International Business Times reported “absolute chaos in the city” of Mombasa, which is absolutely untrue. In fact the disturbances [...]
Three Times Nostalgia
Posted by jimheck in "Modern" Africa, Planning Travel, Safari Lodges on August 27, 2012
Not too many years ago, the Mt. Kenya Safari Club was the magic that made a safari. Today it’s just another resort off the Thika Superhighway. Bidding has opened for 95 of the quarter million dollar residences on the Mt. Kenya Holiday Homes resort, located hardly spitting distance of the Safari Club. Each of the [...]
Renewing [or not] The Strongman
Posted by jimheck in Corruption, Global Relations, History, Politics on August 24, 2012
Last week’s death (unusually of natural causes) of Ethiopia’s strongman Meles Zenawi is an unique opportunity for America to reflect on its impact in East Africa, if not the whole of the developing world. Meles was one of the most ruthless dictators in the world. He was also heavily supported (argue, “propped up”) by the [...]
You Can’t Befriend Somalia without Training
Matthew Wrote: Jim i want to begin providing aid in somalia, would you recomend Garissa a good place to live and creat a relationship with somalians? Matthew – In your straight-forward email, I sense a dogged commitment and very high moral belief in what you’ve decided to do, so far be it from me to [...]
Another Black Day in Kenya
Visitors and citizens alike were horribly killed in Kenya yesterday reflecting a very strained society. As of this morning four tourists are reported dead with several others still in critical condition after a scheduled flight aboard of Mombasa Air Safari LET aircraft from the Maasai Mara to Mombasa crashed on take-off. Forty-eight Kenyans were killed [...]
Leaping out of The Wild
Yesterday eland was photographed in Nairobi National Park. It’s enough to make you believe the wilderness will be preserved! There is hardly anything as anomalous in the wild as Nairobi National Park. Three of its four sides abut some of the highest low-rise human population densities on earth, including some of its most truculent slums. [...]
Malaria Milestone
The greatest of evolutionary battles is between man and his diseases and a recent genetic discovery about malaria gives man a new flank to attack. Malaria is one of the most intriguing diseases in the world, incredibly complex. It is among the greatest killers in Africa, vying every year as the greatest killer with AIDS [...]
Pop Goes the Weasel
Posted by jimheck in Economy, Politics, South Africa on August 17, 2012
The horrible killing of South African miners yesterday is less news than analysis of not just South Africa’s political legacy, but the whole wide world’s. Police conceded that at least 34 admittedly aggressive strikers at a platinum mine in the north of the country were killed when things got out of control. The number is [...]
PETA vs MING
Posted by jimheck in Big Game, Culture, Wildlife Research on August 16, 2012
Yao Ming, the former Houston Rockets skyscraper, is trying to do what no Chinaman has done before : sensitize his countrymen to African conservation. Ming retired as the awkward but successful 7’6″ basketballer last year and has been judiciously investing in a way definitely not characteristic of most sports stars. His current job is filmmaker, [...]
Touring in Laikipia
miriamb@centurytel.net> asked: When is the best time to see wildlife at Mt. Kenya vicinity? What is the cost of a safari there? The “Mt. Kenya” area is usually known as “Laikipia” and is an area with abundant wildlife, but also great ranches and several densely populated cities. North of Mt. Kenya and a bit north [...]
Knight of Power
Posted by jimheck in Egypt, Politics, Twevolution on August 14, 2012
Yesterday, Egypt crowned a new prince. There is nothing for us as secular outsiders to fear of a powerfully Islamic ruler but a lot for the subjects of this new Egyptian strongman to fear. After yesterday’s palace shakeup Mohamed Morsi is Egypt’s most powerful man. Yesterday, he emasculated the two most powerful military men who [...]
Anything for A Buck!
Posted by jimheck in Big Game Hunting, Corruption, Environment on August 13, 2012
Tanzania’s scandals and sheer wastefulness of its bountiful natural resources are legendary. But last month’s incident took the prize. In addition to the world’s second largest single vein of gold, countless copper and recent rumors of off-shore oil, large deposits of uranium were discovered hardly 100 miles from the port of Dar-es-Salaam last year. The [...]
Poopooing Philanthropy
Posted by jimheck in Charity, Foreign Aid, Politics, Poverty on August 10, 2012
Bill Gates’ “Reinvent the Toilet Fair” in Seattle next week illustrates perfectly the limits of philanthropy and why real generosity must come from governments not individual rich people. The Gates’ Foundation work to prevent and cure malaria is outstanding. The battle against the disease is perfect for individual philanthropy for two reasons. But most philanthropy, [...]