tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131630292024-03-14T02:54:25.091-03:00wutheringFew things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-50517045856401609062010-04-01T07:55:00.003-03:002010-04-01T08:05:42.974-03:00Hushed helloIt has been a while since my last post - yes i'm still perceptive about the obvious!! I kinda fell out with blogging for a while (only two 2 years), then got excited about facebook; and then got disgusted by the compulsion to broadcast everything i did. When i felt i was turning into a twit, i figured i'd return to blogging. But i was thwarted by technology: apparently google hasn't noticed that a good number of us access the internet via mobile fone. So after all this time, i'm back with fresh angles; trying to string together coherent thoughts instead of churning out disjointed streams of consciousness as i have been doing on facebook!! I wouldn't be here if i didn't have fresh perspective so let me know if i'm rehashing the same thoughts or have progress! stay tunedjinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-43680071669072247552007-06-28T14:09:00.000-03:002008-12-11T22:55:38.365-03:00This shit is bananas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RoP1ZbMfziI/AAAAAAAAABE/tQEyFrjWcfw/s1600-h/Robin-Thicke-rt02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RoP1ZbMfziI/AAAAAAAAABE/tQEyFrjWcfw/s320/Robin-Thicke-rt02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081174621749759522" border="0" /></a><br />If he'd lost the BET award to anyone other than Neyo, i'd have been first to cry racism. But he's still my favourite. Cocaine, cocaine <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RoP3RrMfzjI/AAAAAAAAABM/S6xkDNROR_c/s1600-h/music.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 70px; height: 57px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RoP3RrMfzjI/AAAAAAAAABM/S6xkDNROR_c/s200/music.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081176687629028914" border="0" /></a>jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-86353816845891127382007-06-28T13:11:00.000-03:002008-12-11T22:55:38.709-03:00What i really wanted<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RoPgtrMfzhI/AAAAAAAAAA8/pTPZ4HsiSbQ/s1600-h/spice_girls2400.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RoPgtrMfzhI/AAAAAAAAAA8/pTPZ4HsiSbQ/s320/spice_girls2400.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5081151879897927186" border="0" /></a><br />How to start this almost defeats me. I could go the cheesy zig-zagah-zig route, but some sky news already has that covered. I've thought of trying the spice mama route but i may as well point out that the sky is blue while i'm at it. So i'm going to do it my way - how original!<br />My one and very desperate wish for 1999 has finally come true: The Spice girls are reuniting! Thsi would have meant the world to me back then, but now, after i'm past starving myself to achieve that posh look, it's nothing more than what posh said it is: a celebration of the past. I think it's redundant to celebrate the past, isn't being here enough tribute!! How about taking on the here and now. Cant handle it can you spice girls. Shit, am i pissed?jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-52863505551006541072007-06-26T15:09:00.000-03:002007-06-26T15:29:08.530-03:00The War jargonIf you thought the "one man's suicide bomber is another's freedom fighter" issue was difficult, i did, things just got alittle more complicated with some new jargon: insurgent or guerilla. What's the difference anyway? Why is she writing about this, you ask! Because, my little earthlings, i wanted to post something about the peace effort in afghanistan when i realised i didn't know the proper name for the guys fighting the coalition troops. They are not called guerillas, i was certain of that. But what then?! It came to me, evnetually, but the point had been made!<br /><br />Ps: Does "one man's suicide bomber is another's freedom fighter" argument apply in Iraq and Afghanistan or is it valid only with respect to the middleast?jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-5034798549293715132007-06-26T14:37:00.000-03:002007-06-26T15:03:08.161-03:00The FrayIf you're thinking of anything other than the band, then even i can't help you. Anyway, i recently read a review of The Fray that described the band as coldplay lite. An interesting comparison because Coldplay's been described as Radiohead light, which would make The Fray RH lite lite.<br /><br />That aside, i don't think comparisons with Coldplay are justified, the Fray is more like Snow - open your eyes,close your eyes, can't make my mind up- Patrol, a bad version at that. That said, "How to save a life" is a decent song. And there are a feeeeeww more onthe album but for the most part the sound is monotonous almost to the point of being irritating.(Sorry guys, i couldn't do better than you but surely you can do better than that album.)<br /><br />The same can't be said of Maroon 5's "It won't be soon before long". The new album is if nothing else an evolution. 'Makes me wonder' is wonderfully catchy, i doubt if anyone else could have so delighfully mixed soul and pop/rock. Even my niece can't stop with the 'amymore amymore...'<br /><br />Robin Thicke's 'Evoltion of Robin Thicke' is a refreshing R&B album, almost an oxymoron. Enuff said!jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-72335381993422641972007-06-26T13:40:00.000-03:002007-06-26T14:17:00.619-03:00"We are all in the same family"We are family, really we are. We are the same. Quit saying i am different, no i am the same as you. We grow from the same stem. Don't we? Yes we do.....<br /><br />No, that's not the kind of conversation i've had with my sisters, not even in a parallel universe. What it is, is something bigger: the new foreign policy mantra. <span name="intelliTxt" id="intelliTXT">"(insert country of choice-turkey, Israel, <a href="http://rawstory.com/news/afp/US_Russia_clash_shadows_G8_summit_06052007.html">Russia</a>, Libya....-take your pick) is a democratic country that shares common world and common European values.</span>"<br /><br />Why entire states allow themselves to be maniulated into europeanising themselves is quite beyond me. Why not try the Donald approach, "You're the old world, and we are the new. Now go fuck yourselves!" And if that doesn't work they could always try the chinese india route-reproduce until you have a sixth of the world's population, then flex some muscle - "We're Indians, you can't snub us, who will manage your call centres if you do", "We're china, snub us and you'll be no diffeent from the primitive Africans who have no clothes to wear." Uganda for one is trying that approach, its population is expected to double in the next 20 years. Take that bitches! Excuse me while i go do something for my country-reproduce!jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-60551466132247715562007-06-26T12:56:00.000-03:002007-06-26T13:39:22.049-03:00An officer and a gentleman<span style="font-size:100%;">An officer of the righteous people's army of mother -or is it father- Russia was last week sentenced to a three year prison term by the equally righteous courts of the people of the said mother land.<br />The charge against that officer of the noble institution: the bartering of a conscript in exchange for handsome 30 pieces of silver-</span><span style="font-size:100%;">$2,500 if you are so inclined. A <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6231386.stm">minor charge</a> which shoud have earned him nothing more than a slap on the wrist but for the unfortunate accident, subsequent to the exchange, which left the said conscript </span><span style="font-size:100%;">less a leg and suffering brain damage. Not the officer's fault, surely. The resulting sentence shades light on the flaws thta have crept into the righteous courts of the people. A competent court should not have allowed itself to be influenced by the conscript's injuries, however pathetic. 3 years for bartering! What has the world come to?!!!!!!!!<br /></span>jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-68657928622412457422007-06-20T11:37:00.000-03:002007-06-20T11:42:12.666-03:00The last of the Beckham posts<h1><a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=437164&cc=3888"><span style="font-size:100%;">Beckham puts England back on track</span></a></h1> <!-- end pagetitle --> <!-- begin bylinebox --> <div class="bylinebox" style="margin-top: 8px;"> <div class="bylinetext"> <strong>Egan Richardson in Estonia</strong><br /> </div> <!-- begin presby2 --><!-- end presby2 --> </div> <!-- end bylinebox --> <br /> <!-- begin text11 div --> <!-- begin left column --> <p>England's celebrity value in world football was amply demonstrated here in Tallinn on Wednesday night. The front page of <i>Postimees</i>, the biggest quality newspaper in Estonia was given over to pictures of the visiting England squad. 'England arrive', was the headline, as if they might have got lost on their way to the airport. The stunning 2-1 victory for Estonia in the supporters game staged on the afternoon of the match was also given prominent coverage. </p> <div class="phinline"><img src="http://soccernet-akamai.espn.go.com/design05/images/domr/bechamestonia_g.jpg" alt="David Beckham and Joel Lindpere" border="0" height="200" hspace="0" vspace="0" width="275" /><br /><div style="width: 275px;"><div class="photocred2">GettyImages</div><div class="photosubtext">David Beckham is challenged by Joel Lindpere</div></div></div><p> </p> An increase in security and the thorough frisking given to journalists on their way into the ground caused a few raised eyebrows as well - that hadn't happened in Tallinn before. Given that the game against Russia in March preceded an international incident between the two countries and an organised attack on Estonia considered by some experts to be the first instance of large scale cyberwarfare against a NATO country, it gives some idea of the importance of David Beckham's return and the arrival of England's footballers in Estonia. There were other things on the minds of Estonia's footballing public though, it wasn't simply a case of turning out to see England. The Estonian Football Association presents the 'silverball' trophy to the player judged to have scored the best goal for Estonia in the calendar year, and this year there have been slim pickings for the judges. No pickings at all, in fact, the Estonian national team being goalless in 2007. There are still two games against Andorra to come - so there should be at least one Estonian goal this year but Estonian football fans are a little worried that their goal of the year might be a goalmouth scramble, or maybe a penalty. Last year Tarmo Neemelo won it with a header from three yards out. Such is life for the minnows of UEFA. England boss Steve Mclaren had been anxious to ensure Peter Crouch would play at the Le Coq Arena, as it was felt he was more suited to this type of opponent. His competitive goals for England have come against teams of a similar stature - Trinidad and Tobago, Andorra and Macedonia. Estonia manager Jelle Goes, who announced after the match that he would leave Estonia after his contract ends in November, was sanguine in defeat after the gangly striker scored the second goal. 'How can you defend an Eiffel Tower like Crouch?' he asked. 'You can climb on his neck but then it's a penalty.' This is not to diminish England's victory, they scored more goals in Tallinn than the other contenders in the Group E, but the fact is that this was a routine victory and everyone in the England camp knew it. It's a strange trait of football managers that the more pressure they are under, the smilier they get. Steve Mclaren was grinning widely before the game as he watched the players warm up, occasionally smoothing his hair for the cameras and waving to (possibly imaginary) friends in the crowd. After the game he was curt and dismissive, saying questions about Beckham's future inclusion were 'not for tonight'. Which is all very well, but what message does it send to the rest of the squad? That the manager does not trust them to deal with tiny Baltic countries, but beating Russia home and away might be different? The recall of Beckham, looked at in purely tactical terms, was a success. But it poses some awkward questions about the manager's judgment and about his confidence in his Europe-based players, and indeed his confidence in Beckham given his refusal to commit to including him in future squads. 'Lets just enjoy the win,' he simply said <!---------------------PULL-QUOTE TABLE (BEGIN)--------------------> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td width="4"><spacer type="block" height="1" width="3"></td> <td><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b>“</b></span></td> <td width="225"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b> How can you defend an Eiffel Tower like Crouch? 'You can climb on his neck but then it's a penalty.</b></span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"><b> ”</b></span></td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="4"><spacer type="block" height="1" width="3"></td> <td><br /></td> <td width="225"><span style="font-family:Times,serif;"><i>Estonia coach, Jelle Goes</i></span></td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!---------------------PULL-QUOTE TABLE (END)--------------------> So Steve Mclaren is happy with three points and three goals from what he said was 'always going to be a tough game.' He was rather less forthcoming about what he can do to mitigate the effects of England's poor performances so far. His answers about Beckham's continued inclusion were baffling, given that it was such a humiliating U-turn for him. Unless he believes Estonia to be such a dangerous team that they require special measures, it looks rather like he may have been using Beckham to secure his own position and avoid any embarrassing slip-ups, before reverting to what he privately believes is the best squad selection for England. Michael Owen has no such worries. He is safe in the knowledge that he will be picked no matter what, as the new holder of the record for competitive England goals. He looked slightly off the pace against Estonia, struggling to hold the ball up and make the right pass. After making 13 appearances for Newcastle United in two years, Owen might be on his way to a new club and he obviously intends to use England games to increase his visibility. 'I idolised Gary Lineker as a kid and to break that record is fantastic,' he said after entering the record books. Newcastle will be pleased at increasing the resale value of their injury prone striker. Freddy Shepherd was caught on camera recently offering to 'fucking carry him back' to Liverpool, possibly believing the Chester-born striker to be incapable of getting there independently. Goes was asked about likely qualifiers from the group. His answer twisted and turned and tried to be polite, but in the end it boiled down to the fact that it's probably between England, Croatia and Russia. He was careful to point out that not everyone is under as much pressure as the England manager. His compatriot Guus Hiddink is building a young Russian team and therefore 'qualifying for the Euros isn't a priority, as I understand it.' Of course, England have no such luxury and McClaren knows he has to beat Russia, Israel and Croatia to stand a chance. Mclaren would do well to look at what has preceded him. Beckham often saves England in qualifying and then the nation sweats on the fitness of him and Owen. To all intents and purposes Beckham is back and will outlast Mclaren. It would take a very brave or a very foolhardy manager to drop him after the last two games. We'll see if Mclaren fits either of those descriptions.<br /><br />Apologie to the non Beckham fans. I'm posting this, as with everything else, purely for myself so that when i forget shit, i can return here and remember.jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-90982379966644327112007-06-19T10:56:00.000-03:002008-12-11T22:55:39.332-03:00There's justice in the world<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RnfzXQe13mI/AAAAAAAAAAc/x_Ps-lCKpIM/s1600-h/david-beckham-final-real-madrid-match-08.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RnfzXQe13mI/AAAAAAAAAAc/x_Ps-lCKpIM/s320/david-beckham-final-real-madrid-match-08.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077794685770391138" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RnfzZge13nI/AAAAAAAAAAk/WV8YFt1LndA/s1600-h/david-beckham-final-real-madrid-match-16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qKoKYgf8KHw/RnfzZge13nI/AAAAAAAAAAk/WV8YFt1LndA/s320/david-beckham-final-real-madrid-match-16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077794724425096818" border="0" /></a><br /><h1><span style="font-size:100%;">McClaren can't admit the worth of Beckham</span></h1> <!-- end pagetitle --> <!-- begin bylinebox --> <div class="bylinebox" style="margin-top: 8px;"> <div class="bylinetext"> <strong>Kevin Palmer</strong><br /><a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/archive?columnist=8&root=euro2008&cc=3888">Archive</a> </div> <!-- begin presby2 --><!-- end presby2 --> </div> <!-- end bylinebox --> <br /> <!-- begin text11 div --> <!-- begin left column --> <p>We could call him Steve McClaren's dirty little secret. </p> You know the type. One of those embarrassing personal problems that nag away at you until you are eventually forced to give in and face up to your demon. The only problem for England's beleaguered manager is that his blemish is a touch more obvious than most.<p> His name is David Beckham, the most famous footballer in the world and the man McClaren has been forced to turn to in a bid to rescue himself what all observers believe will be a humiliating sacking should England fail to beat lowly Estonia in Wednesday's Euro 2008 qualifier. </p> While his decision to drop Beckham in the first place was brave and the move to recall the in-form Real Madrid midfielder is equally bold, McClaren is clearly embarrassed by the fact that his first major decision as England coach has proved to be a mistake. Given the chance to prove his own manager wrong in a 77-minute international comeback against Brazil last Friday, Beckham snatched his chance in typical fashion and proved he should never have been away from this ultimate stage in the first place. McClaren could take some credit for this unlikely story, yet you just need to spend five minutes in the company of the ex-Middlesbrough manager to appreciate just how much this whole problem has consumed him. In fact, his determination to replace Beckham's name with the word as 'he' while offered grudging appreciation for his performance in the 1-1 draw against the five-time world champions was sad to behold.<br />'He didn't want his return to be the main focus, I didn't wanted it either and I think it has been key to our preparations,' said McClaren, as he managed to spill a few words about his 'problem'. 'He showed in training exactly why he should be a part of the England squad and it doesn't surprise me. I have seen him play week in week out from Real Madrid and he has been giving that kind of performance time and again. 'He gave us great balance on the right side of our midfield against Brazil. He is fitter and stronger than I've seen him for a long time and when you hear Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello saying he is in the best shape of his career, you have to listen.' Critics of this sporting icon are rarely far away and there will be many who view his England return is little more than a boost to the 'Brand Beckham Inc' publicity machine he is purported to front. However, such claims have been rubbished as he has proved himself to be a sportsman with real character in the last few months. When the managers of both Real Madrid and England decided they could do without a figure who has long divided public opinion, it would have been easy for Becks to take the easy route and prepare for a wealthy semi-retirement with Los Angels Galaxy this summer. Instead, he has defied those who doubted him, forced his way back into the plans of Capello and McClaren and even if his international return is brief, he must feel it was worth it for the reception he received from his Wembley public on Friday. Beckham's name was cheered louder than any other before kick-off and his every touch sparked a rash of flashlights to light up the North London skyline. His delivery from set-plays was as immaculate as ever and when McClaren replaced him late on, the standing ovation he received may have been heard in Madrid. 'He is putting in extra work on the training ground at Real Madrid and it's paying dividends,' continued McClaren, looking increasingly agitated as the Beckham questions continued to flow. 'He takes adversity on the chin, bounces back and his performances merited coming into the team.<br />'Many have questioned my decision to bring him back and there has been a great debate about it all week, but his performances have merited a place in the squad since the New Year. We got a good performance out of him against Brazil.' McClaren's ability to create a PR disaster was exposed again last week as his determination to keep Beckham's return low key led to the cancellation of planned media events last Thursday. His pathetic attempts to keep his recalled midfielder under wraps were never going to work and if he can't handle the reality of working with the game's biggest stars, he really should get out of the kitchen he is frying in. This coach is clearly struggling to handle the superstar in his midst, yet those of us at Wembley on Friday appreciated the positive impact the returning hero has on the sell-out crowd. For the first time in years, the feelgood factor was back for England. Beckham may be a one-trick pony, but his party piece of delivering decisive balls into dangerous areas has brought Real Madrid to the brink of the Spanish title and he did the same for his country as a trademark cross set up skipper John Terry for what should have been a famous winning goal for England. Yet with McClaren persistently dismissing questions about his future in the England squad when he makes his move to LA Galaxy next season, it seems Beckham's return to the international scene will be brief. He will help dig McClaren out of a hole in Tallinn on Wednesday before being discarded again and if that proves to be the case, the folly of the manager's twisted decision making will have been exposed. You just had to listen to the tone of McClaren's voice as he reluctantly praised Beckham and then went on to enthusiastically promote the performances of favourite sons Frank, Stevie and Michael. In the eyes of the fans, Beckham was the star of the Wembley show and not the trio of Lampard, Gerrard and Owen, yet McClaren did his best to argue his point.<br /><p> Ignoring the fact that Lampard was jeered by sections of the crowd as he left the Wembley pitch, the coach portrayed a different view and claimed the Chelsea midfielder's midfield partnership with Liverpool skipper Gerrard was flourishing. 'I can't explain why Frank got the reception he did,' he stated. 'I felt he answered a lot of questions as he did his job with great discipline against a top side. </p> 'People doubt whether Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard can play together, but they proved they could on Friday night. They've only lost one game playing together in the midfield and the discipline and ability they showed gave us the platform to attack Brazil.' McClaren's body language in front of the media is now akin to that of a rabbit caught in glaring scary headlights. He may have started out with the intention of developing solid relationships with the reporters who have buried many an England manager down the years, but this ambition lies in terminal tatters. Maybe he should use the next few days to get a few tips of media relations from the man hailed as the king of spin himself. David Beckham is a useful guy to have around.<br /><br />Reprinted from <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=436100&root=euro2008&cc=3888">Soccernet<br /></a><br />Oaky, i admit; i love Beckham - he's not Zidane(who is), he's famous, he's pretty blah blah blah, what's new! He's made so much of a right foot, defenders mut be glad that's all he's got, that and spades of determination. oh, and the best of spice world - every girl, every girl, spice up your world! People of the world, spice uo your world......jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-27582615447681161742007-05-11T13:18:00.000-03:002007-05-11T13:22:40.326-03:00C’est LuiWoe-yi woe-yi, something’s amiss in the universe! No, it’s not the old suspects: ozone depletion, global warming etc. it’s something else, cataclysmic – an American neo-con, a Bushist, in the Elysee palace, in the heart of Old Europe. Nobel Napoleon!<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><br /></o:p>How did this come about? No, silly, it’s not how it came about that a bushist condescended to take up the leadership of a bit stinky old Europe but how it is that the resentful people of that bit of old Europe came to elect one of those that they hate as only the lowly are capable of loathing their betters? The media sensation surrounding the “situation” in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region> has been so lost in the bubble of denial requisite for surviving such shock that it’s left to me, your dependable, eh, whatever to provide some analysis. Having devoted 2 entire seconds to this issue, I believe I’ve arrived at the explanation.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">(drum roll)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">Mass hypnosis! Yep, so simple an explanation that one could almost overlook it. That’s the genius of it, I suppose. The particulars of its implementation I must, for reasons of global security, withhold. But there was a fatal flaw in the method, it’s effects were limited to the moral, decent, and upstanding lot. It was assumed that these were in the minority so the problem was ignored. But as you may well know, Sarko won a landslide victory, the winningest (if it’s good enough for CNN…) margin of victory of the right wing over the left since the days of general de Gaulle. If you scoff at this explanation, I challenge you to explain how an “ambitious, hyperactive, facist, Bushist, capitalist” could win the Presidency of France even when the saintly madam Royal did her duty, pointed out that he was immoral, indecent, would brutalize France. Even on the very last day if campaigning she warned there’d be trouble in the surburbs. And she was borne out by the riots the erupted after Sarko was announced winner.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">But alas, the majority of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region> is immoral and indecent, and fell under the Sarko spell breaking that of the socialist hypnotists. Sarkozy! The man who proposes that people work for a living, that immigrants adapt to <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region>! Mother France! The man is a fascist, he’s vocabulary consists in the main of the word <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">France</st1:place></st1:country-region>. France, France, France, inexorable, insistent, until the poor immoral majority could not help but take leave of their senses.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">What really gave him the edge were the votes of Marie le Penn’s supporters. Supporter of the far right have no valid concerns, of course. They all are racists, and all their concerns are racist. Anyone who wins their vote is immoral. Had any of Le Penn’s people offered madam Royal their votes; she’d have said,"get behind me satan" and matched on to cue music from the white stripes.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB">But not all is lost, madam Royal will soldier on, protect the French from themselves. “she’ll erect in her mind a mighty staircase, with a dark pit of shame and ruin at the bottom; and down those stairs, she’ll watch him descend.” (When last did you read Dicken’s Hard Times)</span></p>jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-8670185733918784352007-04-17T12:24:00.000-03:002007-04-19T08:54:54.355-03:00ShockerToday, on the BBC, i heard a shocker, shocking enough to get me to post something today, in defiance of my mom's directive to go straight to my home so as to avoid any potential run-ins with vigilantees or the police (shit! an armoured police car just passed outside this cafe, will they be spraying tear gas soon, i wonder! I might be safer with the <a href="http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/560609">vigilantees</a>, i could pretend to be one of them), the rate of inflation in Britain last year was 3.1%(ah gasp!). To put things in perspective, inflation is over 2000% in Zimbabwe(an exact figure is hard to find as the rate rises by the second) , and 1000% <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4765187.stm">Peru</a>. Oops, wrong stats - comfort, and propaganda facts for African Presidents. So the perspective once again: Inflation rates, last year, were 1%, 1.2% for Japan and Holland respectively. Britain's own target rate is 2%. You may be wondering what the repercussions of this shameful state of affairs are to the people responsible, the Bank of England big shots. Will they be fired, demoted, tear gased, tried on trumped up rape charges? Glad you asked! None of the above, actually something worse. The big boss has had to suffer the <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070419.IBEUROPE19/TPStory/Business">Indignity</a> of writing a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer (read that with a british accent - sounds pretty funny!) explaining the dismal inflation rate. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer has his job for reasons other than being the Prime Minister's "best friend", he's got to know that Oil has been about $70 a barrel over tha last year, and that since Britain is not a major producer of oil ...... So the letter is just to humiliate the poor governor - ah, the indignities of being an underling. Well, on the bright side, he can thank his lucky stars that he's not the governor of the Bank of China:L he might have been suspected of corrupt dealings, and shot. Is there a lesson in this for African leaders. Why yes, you guessed it. No silly, it's not that we should shoot people when they fail in their duty, even in the face of uncontrollable forces(greed)! It's that the humiliation of writing a letter with redundant explanations might motivate them to do their jobs better. Ha ha hah hah ha!jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1174920286328793052007-03-26T12:37:00.000-03:002007-03-26T12:44:46.330-03:00Take thatThe South African Protea reject, Kevin Pietersen, just made it to the top of the world <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/6494577.stm">rankings</a>. Hurray for affiramtive action, is all i'll say!jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1174919554371921852007-03-26T11:55:00.000-03:002007-03-26T12:32:34.383-03:00200 years Post End od Slave Trade in the BELast week Britain celebrated 200 years since its parliament declared an end Slave Trade within the British Empire. Some have taken offence at the way Britain has claimed the declaration as an achievement on it's part. Apparently the Brits should shut up and let the victims of the trade speak. While that might be a good idea, i can't help but wonder about what they'll say - something along the lines of "we were in chains but now are free would be appropriate" but we can't in truth say it. We were in chains but are we free? I think not. "Emancipate yourself from mental slavery" sounds good coming from Bob, but it's just a line in a song, nothing more. In the meantime we have unbelievable numbers suffering from hunger, disease, war and so on. But 100 Africans dead barely registers on any radar, not even our own. Our "oppressors" must be shocked, and shamed into saving African lives. The adverts on CNN with their "How dare you enjoy yourself while Africans are starving?" message, the concerts in aid of African Charities, the demonstrations on behalf of poor thrid world countries, the majority of them black, the G8 resolutions on helping poor, poor Africans - none of that shocks us, in fact only rarely is it that the average African is aware of all these goings on on his behalf.<br />Shame is not a word we know of. Not with many of us flocking to sweep the streets and clean the washrooms of Europe - the new African dream, was there ever an old one. But let others be quiet so that we can celebrate our achievement - the end of the slave trade, of indignity. The irony!!!<br /><br />Ps: A bit nebulous, this post - but the first in months so don't say a word, just be grateful(ubiquitous word in African Vocabulary.)jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1164039832148310042006-11-20T13:10:00.000-03:002006-11-20T13:24:37.330-03:00A triumph of people powerYesterday morning, after washing my face, and brushing my teeth, i made myself a cup of tea and proceeded, as i usually do, to my watch my favourite comedy - the BBC news. The headline - A triumph of People power - was brilliant. The people in the video clip that accompanied it was of bearded gentlemen, who appeared to Arab. ...<br />To be continued......jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1164038909568615072006-11-20T13:06:00.000-03:002006-11-27T11:11:58.183-03:00A dream of ..Some people lead charmed lives. Their dreams are sufficiently complex to constitute the plot of a novel – and no, by dreams I mean not thoughts, ideas, and so on, but the expressions of hopes and fears in our sleep. Speaking of hopes and fears, is it just me or is the new British band, The muse ripping off Keane’s sound, it’s lyrics even. When humming The Muse’s “Starlight”, I inadvertently switch to Keane’s Crystal ball. So similar are the songs that it’s easy to drift between them. The muse has mastered everything from Keane’s plaintive “love come save me” tone to the prominent piano. They even use the title of Keane’s first album in Starlight, but use “expectations” in place of “fears”. So complete is the Muse’s imitation that the band would win a place in the Guiness book of 2006 for impersonation act of the year. As exhibit A I have only the song Starlight. But, heck, if people can send other’s children to fight and die in a baseless war, I think 1 piece of evidence is plenty. Incidentally I like the song Starlight quite a bit. I’m only a bit ticked off that Keane lost the EMA best band award to – must I say it. A travesty if ever there was one. Next Oasis will lose to the Killers! What has the world come to!<br /><br />But I digress, considerably! Which I suppose is to be expected when one’s procrastinated blogging as long as I have. I my defence, I’ve been busy. I never thought I’d ever say that but that’s life as guess. Strangest of all is the fact that I quit my job. A move that was designed to allow me to gain more control over my life, but which has failed because servitude has now been replaced by the acceptable indolence that is … - hell I can’t explain it in a few lines so it’ll have to wait, I really am trying not to digress.<br />Back to the dreams issue. Somebody wrote an entire novel based on her dream of Africa – a very long dream it must have been. Another wrote a play about a dream in the mid summer. Those are two instances just off the top of my head, so I really could keep going.<br />I’m not one of those fortunate people. My dreams are pretty episodic, and I’m lucky to recall one let alone piece together a story. I’ve been lucky today. I dreamed, last night, of Michael Essien – midfielder extraordinaire, Chelsea Player, and Ghanaian International. That in itself not strange at all. What was extraordinary is the non amorous nature of the encounter. There was no moonlit walk in givangi gardens, no roll in the hay, nothing! A crazy bitch has taken over my subconscious mind. I know this because on meeting Essien all I talked about was how well he’s playing for Chelski. So extraordinary was the dream that it has inspired my first posting in weeks. I therefore figured that maybe I could post a story inspired by my dream. But I don’t suppose that I’m very creative because I should have come up with something by now but here I am. So I figure I should consult Senor Materazzi who is to pen a book, inspired by the infamous head butt in the world cup final, to be simply title “What I really said to Zidane.” I stand to learn much from a man who can pen an entire book, not a novel but a book, about a 3 minute incident.<br />Now I must go, but before I do, I must thank Oscar and Eric for making me very happy. Thanx guys. I’ll now sign off, I’m awaiting an important call - Biting my nails and looking plaintively and angrily – by turns - at my phone, every two minutes is a big part of that. But before I do, I recommend that y’all go and get yourselves a copy of the album by Freshly ground, the south African band that, along with Colleen Bailey Ray (try and say that really fast), counts as the best new act of the year. java-scripts.netjinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1158941483794626092006-09-22T11:53:00.000-03:002006-09-22T13:11:23.870-03:00London TownI am an African, i wallow, complain, and defer blame; and therefore i am - an African, silly! Yesterday while listening to Savage Garden's Crush and burn, the lyrics, "You can crush and burn, you're not alone." jumped out at me. I got to thinking about the one person i know will have my back if crushed; my best friend. The very same one that has gone off to London town and abandoned me. Yes, abandoned me, left me alone, forsaken me, with Akon's "Lonely" as my only solace. For those of you who have haven't heard the song, listening to has a similar effect, on the nerves, to the sound of nails scraping a blackboard. So you can imagine how i'm doing. Anyway, i got to thinking: I need someone to blame. So who's to blame? ...... Got to go, it's a Friday evening; i have to enjoy the days of my you - "have to" being operative here! Would explain further but there a young man here, bugging me; and if i don't walk quietly away, i just might wring his neck. Peace out y'all.jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1158742146875483682006-09-20T05:22:00.000-03:002006-09-20T05:56:45.530-03:00Priceless!It's been a difficult couple of weeks; i've fallen and gotten so many times that if i have to get up one more time, i'll strike and stay down; and the world will just have to go on without me. And what a catastrophe that would be!! With such lovely thoughts filling my mind lately, it's hardly surprising everything looks so "peachy" or should i say "jack fruity" - Yes, there is a fruit called Jack fruit, it's equatorial. If you've not tried it, you don't know what you're missing - so you can continue in your blissful ignorance.<br />Anyway, where was i! Yes, my troubles: Even the fullfillment of my hopes causes problems. Case in point: i'm dating a guy who is so awesome, that i consider myself to be the luckiest girl on the planet. But i'm wracked with anxiety most of the time, to the extent that I fear my little mind will implode from the deluge of questions, which increase exponentially by the second, in it: will he call, won't he, when will he call, what do i want, how will it work .... Of course i could simply let things go as they will, but then what would i do with myself, relax? I don't think so!<br />But even i these hard times, there are good moments, moments such as <a href="http://www.soccerblog.com/2006/09/video_drogbas_goal_the_goal_of.htm">this</a>, that leave my mind blank for a second, after which i begin to wonder, was it luck or sublime skill that made that possible. That leads my to watch the clip about a million times over, analysing the move again and again and ... And in the end i'm still not quite sure if it was skill or not! And the magic is lost because i tried to look behind the curtain! Damn!!<br /><br />But there more good moments, such as this morning when the bajaji driver asked his customer to board another bajaji so that he could serve me instead. The miffed customer asked him how much i paid him to deserve such preferential treatment. And the bajaji man politely responded, "It's not about the money."jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1156837870719836462006-08-29T04:46:00.000-03:002006-08-29T04:51:10.740-03:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/1600/File0006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/320/File0006.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1155302977880610242006-08-11T10:07:00.000-03:002006-08-11T11:31:48.796-03:00Shame on us<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/1600/00026997.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/400/00026997.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />"DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Upper Congo <br />Swedish missionary and a young boy mutilated by a rubber sentry in the employ of a 'concessionnaire' company in the Upper Congo. The Belgian Congo under King Leopold II employed mass forced labour of the indigenous population to extract rubber from the jungle. As the demand for rubber grew King Leopold's private army of 16,000 mercenaries were given leave to use any method to coerce the population into meeting quotas, including random killing, mutilation, village burning, starvation and hostage taking. This photograph forms part of the Harris lantern slide collection. Alice Seeley Harris and her husband John Harris were missionaries in the Congo in the early 1900s. They produced a collection of images documenting the horrific abuses of the indigenous people of the Congo by King Leopold II's regime. Their photographs formed part of what was probably the first orchestrated multimedia campaign against widespread human rights abuses." <br />Credit to <a href="http://www.panos.co.uk/bin/panos.dll/go?a=disp&t=us\nw-loader.html&tpl=nw-index.html&_max=0&_maxlb=0">Panos Pictures</a><br /><br />Why does horror persist in Africa. 4 million dead in the Congo over the last 10 years, where is the outrage? Why is this still happening?jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1155291569356871982006-08-11T07:15:00.000-03:002006-08-11T11:16:14.983-03:00Yeah!!When Italy won the world cup, some pedantic people said it was a shame; they cited the <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1043804">investigations</a> of <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/5215242.stm">corruption </a>in the Serie A, doping allegations as reasons why the win for Italy was a mockery of the beautiful game. But that's exactly what you'd expect to hear from dated people, paper-pushers, and their kind.<br /><br /><br />it's easy to see why an Italian win was good for football, for the world, for individuals like me. Ladies and gents, i present exhibit A - there's need for only one; this my people is eloquence at its best. It's like David just came to life!! I'll leave you to decide the appropriate response - No touching please!!<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/1600/filename-106.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/400/filename-106.jpg" border="0" /></a>jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1155289489995101392006-08-11T05:55:00.000-03:002006-08-11T11:34:47.286-03:00Hot chick of the dayYou know i was itching to say hot slut of the day - i'm reading way too many blogs! But my powers of self control although increasing diminished are still quite effective. For your tired eyes, i present the hot chick of the day - actually two hot chicks - my cousin Mbabazi, and her daughter Sonia aka Soni. It was taken months ago, Soni is now a year and two weeks old. Her birthday party was last week.<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/1600/Doreen.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/400/Doreen.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I didn't attend because it had rained heavily. Okay, that's the reason i gave. The real reason - because it had stopped raining by the time i would have had to go - is that meeting the same self-involved, insipid people that i met at the last party, and the one before was not sufficient reason for me to drag myself out of bed, and struggle through a two matatu long journey. So i stayed warm and read a play called Majangwa - A promise of Rain. It's a brilliant play by a little known Ugandan playwright called <a href="http://www.alibris.com/search/books/author/Robert%20Serumaga">Robert Kalundi Serumaga</a>(RIP). It is the most interesting play i've ever read. No scratch that, it gives the impression that i have enjoyed some of the plays i've read - i haven't. It's absolutely fantastic! I happen to have come across through the good fortune of being friends with the Playwright's equally gifted son Kalundi Robert Serumaga, whom - in the interest of advancing and preserving the arts and to satisfy my own curiosity about a man who has in my mind taken on legendary proportions - i agreed to help type the script.<br />You're not likely to find anything on google about this playright - There's more to the tragedy of Africa than famine, disease, poverty, famine, disease, poverty. Hopefully, in time that will change. If you're interested in reading the play, let me know; and i'll see about obtaining permission to email it.<br />Have a good weekend.jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1155128519834831632006-08-09T09:05:00.000-03:002006-08-09T10:27:45.526-03:00Just read an email from my fav person in the world, so i'm feeling pretty normal and rearing to do the things that normal people do, like blogging, reading chelsea fc fansites - boy, do i love being a chelsea fan; Chelsea fans fucking rock! - .....<br />In spite this good vibe, i can't help but contemplate why my fav person in the world is such a calming and happifying influence. Why do i suddenly feel like Dorothy - peering behind the curtain at the Wizard. There's a Luganda saying about that sort of thing - i can't actually quote it seeing how my grasp of the Lunguage is only slightly better than my French, but it loosely translated it means that understanding is the antidote to enchantment. Which reminds of something i've been thinking of lately - marriage. It's the antidote to Romance, isn't it? When people are in love, they want to be together all the time, so they decide to get married. When they marry, they get their wish but then the spark dims. Then either they try to get some salvage value out of the enterprise or give in to the deterioration.<br />You're probably wondering why i've been thinking about marriage. No, i'm not getting married; even though i did propose to Morgan today: Morgan is my contact at our ISP. I told him i'd marry him tomorrow if he sorted out our problem - and boy did that work, 5 minutes and i was already seeing results! Don't judge me for charming people into doing what i want - i'm a Libra, i can't help myself.<br />Speaking of Morgan, maybe i should call him - he is pretty fly, and he likes me. Well let's see how long i can keep the misanthrope at bay. I like myself, obviously, but the lil socialite in me sometimes feels a little suffocated, and feels the need to assert herself. Strange how happy i am right now, is it the net, Soni's email? I can't quite figure it out! There's shit going on that should have me pissed, but here - locked away in the small airless, filthy room i call my office - i can confidently say, i have no complaints. Maybe, like Bill Clinton, i'm learning to compartmentalise stuff! While this blessed state is fantastic, it's also a little frightening - shit now i have something to lose!!<br />Where was i? Ah yes, marriage. I've been thinking about it because a few people i know are taking the plunge. Why, i wonder isn't it enough to love someone, and trust that it's enough of a commitment. Why marriage?!!<br />But enough of that, but to the real issue of this post: why does my fav person make me feel normal. My immeduiate thought is that because she's normal. But it could also be that she's not normal. Maybe it's a case of "The Others"! Gosh, i loved that movie!!jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1154514868309309702006-08-02T07:09:00.000-03:002006-08-02T10:37:20.506-03:00Hello y'all, i really should keep my word but with all that's happening lately, i've become a bit nihilistic. What with Mel Gibson, France, Spain and the rest insisting on making displays of idiocy, i can't help but think that we're doomed. In the greater scheme of things blogging then becomes a bit pointless. Happily i have a friend who thinks that my stances on Africa and the middleast are, eh, unAfrican - whatever that means - and is bent on helping me see the light - that we Africans are oppressed, and we should band together with other oppressed people against the big bad western world. So i'm indundated with mail about these issues. Sometimes i respond to these emails - the most annoying ones. Below is my response to this <a href="http://www.newint.org/second-thoughts/12-05-06.htm">article</a> that he sent me.<br /><br />Dear K******<br />I hope you're well. I printed out the material you sent me janna and tookit home - I figure that if you send me something then it merits the serious consideration :-), which I can’t give while using the rightside of my brain. Because the good people at powe company had seen fit to let us have power on the day alloted to us to have it, i was able to read one of them last night. As I read the article on governance, I, like Ahmadinejad, felt the presence of a 6th century grand mufti upon me, and undertook towrite the sort of letter that only we the inspired will. Inspiration not withstanding – because it’s been eclipsed by attentiondeficient hyperactive disorder, and my apathy regarding bad west theories– this letter is not as cogent as it could have been but I’m certain thatyou’ll glean some sense from it. As I read, one thought was predominant inmy mind: What is the west, and what is its nature? What extraordinary entity is this whose methods are infallible, and designs are designs aretenacious and dynamic to the extent that they cannot be countered??<br />Perhaps it’s not so much that the vest is invincible, invulnerable,superhumanly cool entity but that the poor world is inordinately inept. For this possibility, there is sufficient evidence; unless, of course, thefailure to food security in a perfectly fertile country with a climate tomatch, reliable power supply in a country with abundant sun shine, andrivers, convenient access to water in places where it is abundant, decenthousing, passable roads and so on is due to the imposition of westernstandards, which our minds cannot help but capitulate to. Whatever happened to taking all opinion but keeping one’s censure? Which brings meto my next question:To what extent are human beings responsible for their own actions? Thewest may impose preconditions for its charity but it’s not mandatory thatthe “poor” accept it. Everything carries a cost, even charity! To pretendthat it is otherwise is foolish. If the poor accept charity, it’s witheyes wide open, at least with the option of it. If they choose to keeptheir heads in the sand, then they should not go about blaming others forthe consequences; it’s naïve and childish! With this state of affairs Iwonder what the agitation of independence was about! Or is it that wethought we could have self rule without responsibility. If we want thewest to be our guardian, we should forfeit the little matter ofindependence. Otherwise we should quit whining and get on with it. Africans and our apologists have made an art of asking and comprehensivelyanswering the wrong questions so it’s hardly surprising that this articlerages against none issues and not against the circumstances that engenderthem. This author spinning in narrow orbits cannot see beyond them. Thecrux of African problems is not western intervention but the internalweaknesses that facilitate it. We criticise western intervention anddiscount it as self-serving, all the while resolutely avoiding the pinkelephant in the room – our countries are studies in failure. It’s easier to be critical than to be correct, and we criticize because we don’t know how to set about being correct. We dismiss policy suggestions asself-serving, yet propose no workable solutions. To be self-serving is nocrime; even the noblest of things are driven by selfish intent. Wisdomconsisting in keeping oneself from being exploited by the selfishness ofothers; our drivel about self-serving Europeans only serves to show howfoolish we are. We deflect from ideas by attacking their proponents, andthereby doggedly defend our rot never acknowledging that the West canafford to be corrupt, we can’t! If the west is driven by need to minimise immigration, they’re not alone:South Africa, Botswana and a few others do likewise. Ivory Coast is indire straits over immigration. Perhaps those are part of the west.Secondly, we could learn much from the west. Their constant fidelity tothe cause of it’s nations Is something to be admired. If our governments did likewise, we would not be reduced to our circumstances!We continually harp about how we’ve been raped and pillaged, and focus onapportioning blame rather than on finding solutions. That we’ve beenrobbed is incontrovertible but what do we hope to accomplish by going onabout it. Isn’t it oxymoronic that we expect justice from the very peoplethat are supposedly against us. We have no leverage, we’d do better by letting off shouting ourselves hoarse and solving our problems.We must examine the possibility that we criticize the outside enemy because the reality of us being the enemy is overwhelming. I'll not keep you any longer. Bye bye<br />Have a nice day!<br />Joyjinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1152792999247341322006-07-13T08:38:00.000-03:002006-07-13T10:37:49.660-03:00Sometimes you can't make it on your own<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/1600/Lovely%20Joy%20133.0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7884/1146/400/Lovely%20Joy%20133.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Yours trulymaking it with the help of Soni aka bestest friend - Thanx dear. I'll post soon: bn busy with the world cup and a boss, whom am sure is trying to kill me. I'll not go down easy, i'll stay up and fight, today i celebrate my independence day!! Yeah, i can do that coz the dude's on leave till next week! I'm done with his project but i bet he'll say, "you can do better, Joy". And i'll say, "sir, yessir!" or maybe i'll finally explode, who knows. Great guy my boss is - can you sense the passive aggression; my ex boyfriend was a good teacher!<br />Okay guys, i'll post soon. Muffti, wherever you are, i hope you're having a blast!<br /><br />Ps: I just had a tough workout from watching Beyonce's new video, what boundless energy she has! Have anyone one seen it. I recommend it, watch it without sound - it's hilarity itself. What the hell was she thinking!!jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13163029.post-1150378704660333482006-06-15T08:37:00.000-03:002006-06-15T10:38:24.736-03:00ComplimentsIt's a hot, Thursday afternoon, and the England, T&T game is in an hour so it's hardly surprising that i can't seem to focus on the the great world changing work that i should be doing. So I'm cutting myself some slack, and doing something fun - thinking. What am i thinking about you ask! Compliments, expressions of praise, admiration, or congratulation. I have no sympathy for what passes for compliments because most are nothing more than flattery, and the rest forced and unnatural. But that's not to say i haven't received any compliments that delighted me. I present, for your reading pleasure, my 5 all time favourite compliments:<br /><br />5. You need to see a therapist<br />4.Don't you ever shut up. (Or as someone more articulate would have said: You don't have to rage against everything that's unfair.)<br />3.You're bigheaded.(Or as someone else might put it; headstrong)<br />2. You're hard-hearted.<br />1. Since i've known you, i've been more assertive. (You're so pushy it's begining to rub off on me.)<br />1+. My best friend. (Belated happy birthday regards, babe!)<br /><br />Compliment (1) is the inspiration for this post. My colleague just said that to me - something like it only nebulously.jinanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16060987386719386580noreply@blogger.com2