New Web Resource on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria

"Updated daily with the latest information on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria, the new Web site GlobalHealthReporting.org offers an easy and efficient way to stay on top of breaking news, new reports and data, and events from around the world. This free site is operated by the Kaiser Family Foundation with major support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "

Read more.....

World Bank Board Approves Wolfowitz

Mpelembe Network: Business: "The World Bank's board on Thursday unanimously approved the nomination of Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, an architect of the Iraq war, to be the next president of the 184-nation development bank.
President Bush earlier this month surprised the international community by recommending Wolfowitz for the job. Wolfowitz's hard-line foreign policy stance has made him a target of critics at home and abroad. Wolfowitz, 61, will take the helm of the development bank on June 1. "

Google Vs Yahoo

Guardian Unlimited | Online | Ben Hammersley: Second Sight:

" Last month's launch of Google Maps was impressive, but not as cool as Yahoo's placing of live traffic conditions on its map this month. Google's webmail product, Gmail, caused a fuss by offering accounts capable of storing a gigabyte of mail, four times that of Yahoo Mail. No problem, said Yahoo last week, Yahoo mail users can have a gigabyte too. Google's purchase of Blogger gave them a place at the blogger's table, but it has done little with it. Yahoo's blogging tool, Yahoo 360, launches this month, allegedly fully integrated with the rest of the content they produce.
Google has an image organising application in Picasa, sure; but Yahoo just bought Flickr, perhaps the smartest and richest online application ever written. Yahoo has a rich site summary (RSS) aggregator, Google does not. Yahoo has a search engine for online movies, Google does not. Yahoo has quietly launched search.yahoo.com/cc, a search engine engineered to find and index Creative Commons material. To do this, Yahoo must be indexing the web for data called RDF - a highly advanced, potentially powerful technology that Google has said it isn't going to touch. Three-nil to Yahoo.
Yahoo isn't just back in the game - it's winning. How weird is that? "

Chocolate MPire

Behold, the power of the chocolate side........Witness the birth of the Chocolate MPire

Blair is a Liar

If you go to www.google.co.uk, type in liar and click the "I'm feeling lucky", Google at the moment is listing the UK prime minister Tony Blair's biography as the most adequate result.

Rather fitting, and just in time for the general election as well.

Update:

Downing Street or someone else appears to have removed the webpage!

Microsoft Launches Portable TV Service

Mpelembe Network: Entertainment: "Television addicts rejoice: Now you can take more shows on the road. Microsoft Corp. has launched a $19.95-a-year service that lets people download certain TV shows to portable devices such as media players and advanced cell phones.
The Redmond-based software company has already let customers watch free short clips of some shows on Windows-based portable devices.
With the new service, MSN Video Downloads, customers will have access to more content - sports highlights and some shows from Fox Sports, news and business headlines from MSNBC.com and children's programming from Cookie Jar Entertainment.
Users simply log onto a Web site using a traditional laptop or desktop computer. They can download the shows and transfer them to portables.
The service marks Microsoft's latest effort to get people interested in Portable Media Centers and other devices that use its Windows Media Player technology for watching movies and listening to music.
The company's competition includes Apple Computer Inc.'s popular iPod music player."

Terri Schiavo Dies

Terri Schiavo, 41, Dies in Fla. Hospice: "Severely Brain-Damaged Woman's Feeding Tube Was Removed 13 Days Earlier Following Extensive Legal Battle"

A Novel About the Secrets and Silence About AIDS

"As AIDS affects a growing number of women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa, a timely novel has been released by firsttime Zimbabwean author Lutanga Shaba which tackles the subject of women's vulnerability to HIV.
Entitled 'Secrets of a Woman's Soul', the novel recounts the story of Beata, a mother struggling to ensure a bright future for her daughter Linga. Told from Linga's perspective, the novel is based on actual events in Salisbury, as the capital of Harare was known during the colonial era. It moves back and forth in time as Linga, who is preparing to bury her mother, recalls her childhood and the sacrifices made by Beata.
Determined to earn enough money to further the education of her daughter, Beata finds herself forced to have sex with an unscrupulous man in exchange for a job. Ultimately, she contracts HIV.
Without any hint of moralizing - and with unexpected touches of humor- the novel lays bare the fact that calls for abstinence or 'condomising', central to AIDS initiatives for women, often mean little to those who are poor and powerless. "

More from source: Global Information Network ....

Thief Steals Poop From Woman Walking Dog

Associated Press/AP Online: "The hunt is on for a turd burglar. Police in San Diego are searching for a gunman who swiped a bag of poop from a woman out walking her dog.
The woman told police that she was out walking her dog, Misty, on Monday night when a man in his 20s ran up behind her and grabbed the bag she was holding.
When the gunman discovered what was in it, he threw it down in disgust, pointed his gun at the 32-year-old woman and demanded money, San Diego police detective Gary Hassen said.
He then aimed his .22-caliber semiautomatic at Misty and pulled the trigger twice but the gun didn't fire, Hassen said.
The robber ran to a waiting small, silver car and fled the scene, police said."

Fighting for mental space

"Adbusters activist Kalle Lasn is interviewed on another fascinating editon of ABC Radio National's All in the Mind, arguing that we should try and reclaim the 'mental space' increasingly occupied by brands, advertisements and slogans. Lasn argues that our increasingly information rich society is causing psychological interference and inhibiting creative thought, while media manipulation is crushing diversity and eroding our ability to distinguish fantasy from reality."

----transcript

BBC Ceefax online

Live news search engine! http://www.ceefax.tv/

BBC Ceefax online, fantastic! Searchable, clickable and everything.

The End Is Nigh

According to The Guardian online Two-thirds of world's resources 'used up':

"The human race is living beyond its means. A report backed by 1,360 scientists from 95 countries - some of them world leaders in their fields - today warns that the almost two-thirds of the natural machinery that supports life on Earth is being degraded by human pressure."

African Open Day

This event is the first of its kind by bringing together the African community members and businesses including embassies, NGOs and other organisations under one and single roof with the general public. The event sets an extraordinary precedent and it is AMCs ultimate objective to turn it into an annual jamboree.

Click: Africa Open Day (PDF)

Wireless Broadband Launched In Zambia

iConnect has launched High Speed Wireless Internet connectivity in Lusaka, Zambia.

When Marriage Kills

The New York Times Column When Marriage Kills criticises President Bush's program against AIDS in Africa. His program is focusing on sexual abstinence and marital fidelity, relegating condoms to a distant third.

"It's the kind of well-meaning policy that bubbles up out of a White House prayer meeting but that will mean a lot of unnecessary deaths on the ground in Africa."

and adds...

"The stark reality is that what kills young women here (in Zambia) is often not promiscuity, but marriage. Indeed, just about the deadliest thing a woman in southern Africa can do is get married."

Supreme Court Takes on File Sharing, Copyright Law

"Taking up a case that advocates say may shape the future of the Internet and related technology, Supreme Court justices grappled Tuesday with whether the entertainment industry should be able to hold software companies liable when their customers illegally download music and movies in violation of federal copyright law.
In a lively, hour-long session, the justices fired questions at lawyers on both sides of the issue as they struggled to decide whether file-sharing companies Grokster Ltd. and StreamCast Networks, Inc. could be held liable for the illegal activities of customers who copy billions of songs and movies each month without authorization.
The issue has far-reaching consequences, not only for the millions of consumers who use the file-sharing services but for the artists and inventors at odds in the case. " More from source....

Patient With Super-Strain of AIDS

"The city man who is fighting for his life against a possible new super-strain of HIV is responding to treatment but remains seriously ill, city health officials said yesterday."

Superstar Lawyer Johnnie Cochran Dies

Associated Press/AP Online reports:

"Johnnie L. Cochran Jr., who became a legal superstar after helping clear O.J. Simpson during a sensational murder trial in which he uttered the famous quote 'If it doesn't fit, you must acquit,' died Tuesday. He was 67.
Cochran died of an inoperable brain tumor at his home in Los Angeles, his family said. Cochran, who was diagnosed with the tumor in December 2003, was surrounded by his wife, Dale, and two sisters when he died.
'Certainly, Johnnie's career will be noted as one marked by 'celebrity' cases and clientele,' his family said in a statement. 'But he and his family were most proud of the work he did on behalf of those in the community.' "

Dealing With Reality

Watching someone die a slow death kills something in you as well. The stark reality does not bring comfort. This is as painful as it can get....

"I was scared to death to go in there to see her,' Bob Schindler told reporters outside the hospice. 'I plead again with the powers that be, don't give up on her. We haven't given up on her and she hasn't given up on us."

Is there an end to all this? God bless us all.

What Would Jesus Watch?

"Get ready, because this is not a typical newspaper story. This is news about a whole new style of communicating faith.
The deal is this: Some guys in Grand Rapids figured out a hot new way to package practical spiritual messages as DVD movies that give you an inspirational jump-start in 12 minutes or less. Most people have never heard of them or the odd name they've chosen for this line of films: NOOMA. But they seem to be on the verge of taking the religious publishing world by storm. "

Read on....

Last Rites

Schiavo Receives Communion, Last Rites

The Corporation

The Corporation documentary looks at the concept of the corporation throughout recent history up to its present-day dominance.

The documentary questions the sanity of granting so much power to such an institution with the legal obligation to serve the bottom line and no need to account for 'human' values. The film uses dramatic case studies to explore the impacts the corporation has on our environment, our children, our health, our media, our democracy and even our genes - and what people are doing in response.


New York Post Online Edition: sums it up very well:

"The central argument is that corporations, having taken over from the church, the monarchy and communism as the dominant institutions in our society, are corroding civilization with their ruthless devotion to the bottom line. "

Michael Jackson

Michael's got a bad case of a "flu-like illness", but I think his career may be on life-support. While I attempt not be too emotional about what is happening in the Jackson camp, you might want to check out this site.

Legging it

Is there anything new to this; Octopuses Seen Walking From Predators.

Why does it take scientist to live underwater and spend lot's of money to figure out the obvious. Alright, soft robots may be useful in the near future.

It is much, much cheaper just to observe how women subtly walk away from male predators. What can I say? Men will never learn.

The Agony Begins

Whatever religious, moral or legal beliefs you entertain, this is as bad as it can get, this quote from the article Schiavo Parents Won't Fight U.S. Ruling is dishaertening.

"Attorneys for Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband, argued the Schindlers had abandoned all pretense of the law and were simply making 'a pure emotional appeal.' Michael Schiavo says his wife would not want to be kept alive artificially. "

I agree with Terri's husband and yet I have a lot of sympathy with the Schindlers. It is so sad that love has been reduced to a case of legal ruling. Both parties love Schiavo no doubt and we all do.

Reality sucks!

Bloggers Need Money Too

I decided to make money from blogging ever since Google AdSense appeared in the righthand corner of this blog. I even manged to get BidClix to place ads on the comments page.

I have received regular payments from Google every month and the amount covers more than just ISP bills and coffee.

The WSJ online says Many Advertisers Find Blogging Frontier Is Still Too Wild. Think back a few years ago before Google Inc. Didn't the same people say the same thing. When will they ever learn?

Let's Just Be Friends

I have witnessed lots of marriage breakups in my life and all them have been depressing. I have yet to understand how love can just wither away.

There is great joy in seeing loving couples smile away into sunshine. There is great sadness when the same people cannot just get along.

It is sad that Hollywood power couple Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt are officially calling it quits after 4 1/2 years of marriage.

I hope they remain friends.

Bloggers have rights too

I just like this Boing Boing quote:

" thought this was interesting, particularly since the courts seem to have forgotten about that whole First Amendment, freedom of the press thing. After all, our boy Thomas 'these are the times that try men's souls' Paine wasn't a journalist. He was an old fashioned blogger -- leaflets and pamphlet style. "

How To Say "I Love You" In Different Languages

The planet of Apes knows a lot about How To Say "I Love You" In Different Languages.

Imagine saying (in Tumbuka) Nkhukutemwa to anyone. I'm Tumbuka and I'm ashamed to say that I have never used the word in my life!

I guess the chance of saying Nkhukutemwa to a tumbuka woman is well past. I just have to teach my partner speak Tumbuka, I guess.

Hasbro Futulity

A warning to corporate dim-wit slow thinkers. If Hasbro shuts e-scrabble, I'll never buy anything they produce. In addition, I'll will discourage all my friends from buying anything from Hasbro. jasun's blog has a neat suggestion and Hasbro better listen.

Patents Dilemna

I was born in a beautiful country called Zambia. I have lived in the United Kingdom for most part of my adult life. There are a numorous aspects of the UK I really like, sense of humour for instance.

There a few things I really distaste and will not appologise to anyone for it, racism. My main concern right now is intellectual property laws. I'm not an expert in law, believe me, I respect the law.

When I read the article, Indian Passage of Patent Law Slammed , I felt an injustice was being imposed on poor people.

I'll explain. Having learnt my skills in the UK, I know countless ways of producing products or providing services that are widely and cheaply available in the UK, but are just a dream for people in Zambia.

Picture this, I'm made redundant in the UK, and I do not want to spend my life on social security subsistence. So, I decide to go to Zambia with my skills I will employ inorder to make a living.

The question is; do I live in poverty just so I can respect UK patent laws? I think not!

Princess Kasune Zulu

I have a lot of sympathathy and respect for Princess Kasune Zulu. What I find uncomfortable is the way she is being exploited by guilt ridden politicians who cannot face up to their inadequacies. In the AIDS Crusader Resolute in Fight of Her Life article she is quoted as saying:

"Men are the drivers of the epidemic"

Here we go again, blame men! We have an epidemic that has no respect for anyone. Responsibilty, personal care and respect for others will save us all from this scourge.

Men and women are equally responsible.

Schiavo's Last Hours

Doctors have said Schiavo would probably die within a week or two of the feeding tube being removed, which was done March 18 after a judge sided with her husband's argument that she would not want to be kept alive artificially.

Anyone who has watched a loved one slip away in front of them will know the agony and sorrow that comes with it.

In my opinion, the husbands request is paramount. Keeping a human in such a state is cruel not just to Schiavo, but to the rest of us who have to witness this painfully unfair way of existence.

As humans we deserve or at least we should expect a normal to average comfortable lifestyle.

We have to, at some point, let go of what we cherish the most and it hurts real bad.

Schiavo, her husband and all us need a rest. Life is a bitch and then you die.

Happy Easter

This bunny rap animation provides a little fun for easter.

Transparent Screens

The Transparent Screens are a great trick to do on your computer screen background image.

Thoughts of a Dreamer

Thoughts of a Dreamer, the Livejournal of Jeff Weise, the teenager who shot and killed 9 people before killing himself in Red Lake, Minnesota.

How to succeed as a citizen media editor

Online Journalism review discusses the new animal in online newsrooms -- the editor in charge of citizen journalism and blogs. These pioneers share best practices and tips.

Classic maths puzzle cracked at last

A number puzzle originating in the work of self-taught maths genius Srinivasa Ramanujan nearly a century ago has been solved. The solution may one day lead to advances in particle physics and computer security. more details from source.

Canine Birth Control

Forced sterilization isn't the answer for human population control, it's not the solution for dogs. Instead, we should respect dogs' rights as living beings by honoring their instincts and sexuality and provide them with safe, effective Birth Control.

MMD Convention

The Times of Zambia has an insightful analysis on the forthcoming MMD Convention. The article highlights some of the issues the MMD delegates will be considering as they cast their votes for a new MMD party president.

Singer Whitney Houston Enters Rehab Again

Associated Press/AP Online reports:

"A year after her first reported stay in rehab, Whitney Houston has again checked into a rehabilitation facility. 'Whitney Houston has re-entered a rehabilitation facility today,' her publicist, Nancy Seltzer, told The Associated Press Wednesday. She declined to provide details. "

Online politicking receives temporary reprieve

CNET News.com reports on US Online politicking's temporary reprieve:

"Political bloggers would continue to be exempt from most campaign finance laws, according to highly anticipated rules that federal regulators released Wednesday.

The Federal Election Commission also proposed that online-only news outlets and that even individual bloggers should be treated as legitimate journalists and immune from laws that could count their political endorsements as campaign contributions. "

I have been trying get more information on this issue in the Zambian context. If you have any relevant information relating to this topic, feel free to share it.

Banksy

Exterior decorators, called Banksy, appear to be dubbing quotes on public buildings. What's it all about? Find out more about Banksy.

Idle Mistake

The 11 contestants left on Fox's reality hit "American Idol" are getting another shot at stardom.

Apparenty has somthing to do with the phones are assigned to each contestant not being displayed corrrectly.

Umm, perhaps the people at Fox just did not like the outcome, Just wondering.

Moving On

The terror that Jeff Weise of the Red Lake Reservation wrought on his school mates will have far reaching psychological repurcussions on the rest of the students.

The school officials are right to provide Help For Traumatized Kids .

Young people can get over the loss of friends, teachers or even loved ones when there is support from understanding people.

"Once again our people have been hit... but our people are strong," said Ona Kingbird, a Red Lake tribal member. "We'll come out of it."

Peer Impact

Peer Impact is conducting the final beta test and are inviting a select group of online fans to participate.

"Peer Impact is a new online digital content distribution network that will provide legal, peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing services for its members. Its technology offers Peer Impact members a secure online space to purchase and share music and in the near future, other digital content as well. At the same time, Peer Impact strives to ensure that content owners and proprietary rights holders alike, such as record labels, musical artists and publishers, are paid appropriately for all music shared on the Peer Impact network. "

Learn more

Schiavo's "imminent" death

Reinsertion of Schiavo Feeding Tube Denied : "A federal appeals court refused early Wednesday to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, denying the latest emergency request by the severely brain-damaged woman's parents to keep her alive.
A panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals said in a 2-1 ruling that the parents 'failed to demonstrate a substantial case on the merits of any of their claims.'

'There is no denying the absolute tragedy that has befallen Mrs. Schiavo,' the ruling said. 'We all have our own family, our own loved ones, and our own children. However, we are called upon to make a collective, objective decision concerning a question of law.' "

The Real Story Behind the Food Crisis in Zambia

The Real Story Behind the Food Crisis in Zambia MWANANYANDA MBIKUSITA LEWANIKA / Synthesis/Regeneration n.32, 19sep03

Hello Boys!

Hello Boys! Fancy some Swaziland honey? 
Click picture to enlarge

Nevers Mumba For President of Zambia

I have joined the Nevers Mumba For President of Zambia campaign.

Renewing hope, creating vision, restoring national pride is the theme of the campaign.

In my opinion he is what just what the doctor ordered for a sick and frail country like our Zambia. If you wish to join the campaign register here.

e-Scrabble gets Cease and Desist Order from Hasbro

I just joined a e-scrabble last night. I wanted to check the progress of my game only to find that e-Scrabble received Cease and Desist Order from Hasbro.

What a bummer!

Thoughts on Flickr and Yahoo (by Jeremy Zawodny)

I'm a registered member of Flickr and have yet to figure out what to do with it. It is not lack of interest or understanding, merely lack of time.

After learning about Yahoo's interest in Flickr I need to read Thoughts on Flickr and Yahoo (by Jeremy Zawodny).

I get it now, it's web services made simple!

Gmail Going Live April 1st

According to dozens of Google-watchers, Google's ad-driven email system, Gmail is slated to move from beta to live-status on Friday April 1st, one year after it was introduced to a limited number of testers. On its first day, many thought Gmail was an April Fool's joke.

Aural Sex

The 30 hottest things you can say to a naked woman. There a number of lines I have used, wish to use and hope to use. Romance is such a wondreful thing. This is as good as it gets in loveland.

RSS Delivered via SMS

FeedBeep is new service that notifies users of new RSS headlines (based on keywords) via SMS (text message). The beta is now open to anyone (in the U.S. or Belgium) who can access text messages on their phone or mobile device. Registration is free and takes only a few seconds. Feedbeep has more details.

Google Gets a Taste of It's Own Autolink Medicine

Mark Pilgrim of DiveIntoMark.org has written a Firefox extention called Butler that dramatically alters the pages on many Google services. Features include:
* removes ads on most Google pages
* fixes fonts on most Google pages
...
This is cleary an attack on Google's widely condemed AutoLink feature that allows users to change links on your pages to those chosen by Google.

Duct Tape is my life

According to 3M this year’s most important fashion statement is a wallet made from duct tape. The Duct Tape Workshop provides few simple steps for making your own wallet. I'll give it a go one day.

A Search for Life after Deportation

A Search for Life after Deportation is a sad and intriguing experience of a 62yr old American woman whose move to Zambia turned into a nightmare.

In memory of Ramjet

A friend's family pet died a few days ago. My friend who is such a caring family man and considered the pet as part of his family felt distressed, naturally. I have posted the letter he sent to me as a fitting memorial to the greatly missed pet.

My Dear Mates,

It's almost 11 days ago when I recieved the shocking
email of Ramjets' sudden demise from my wife, dear
Jane.
The news truly left me completely at a loss of words!
Here was a friend who had passed away without even the
chance of saying bye or worse still, no picture taken
with him or of him that might help as a memorial of
his charming and pleasant character.

You see, Ramjet died after a 'hit and ran' episode and
the culprit lacked the heart to even rush him to
emergency hospital. I had planned to have a great time
with him as soon as I break after the 1st semester.

I had no one to turn to, no one to relate to who would
understand the depth of my sorrow. I really missed
home then, little Tizhyo and his sister Tapiwa would
have surely been of great help in a time like this.

Lately, I have made friends with Martin, a classmate
and a refugee from the DRC (Zaire), who I help with
his english proficiency. I turned to him to help share
my grief - all I needed was for someone to listen to
me.

I went through some of my fond moments with Ramjet and
how I will miss him so. He was quite helpful as he sat
and patiently listened to my lamentations.
After I felt quite 'downloaded' of my grief, I kept
quiet for a moment.
My friend, Martin, asked me what Ramjet was to me - a
relative, friend, or what? I told him he was more than
a friend, he was any man's best friend!
He asked me Ramjet's occupation - was he a student or
pupil, worker or businessman?
I told him, 'Ramjet was a fine "

What Lies Ahead

A friend recommended this book to me. This what she had to say just to convince me to read it;

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

To My Dearest Sam

Find enclosed, a few pages of "stuff" that I hope will help you find yourself emotionally and mentally.

It is written for women, but I believe you can equally relate to the advice and situations as a man. I read the book myself, two years ago, as I tried to make sense of my miserable marriage. I wanted to get out but didn't know how as I could not imagine living without my husband. I loved him.

These pages gave me strength to make the decision to move on emotionally, and put behind me a person I did not need in my life.

I have just enclosed things I thought are relevant to your situation. I' am acting purely out interest as a friend. Hopefully one day soon, you'll be able to break down those walls, and allow happiness to come into your life.

When I identified my husband as being a sociopath, I said "amen". He had to go. It happens to women, it happens to men too.

I know, it's not easy, but it is possible to move on, to trust and love love again. After all, no man is an island.

Remember;
"A TRUE FRIEND IS ONE WHO WALKS IN WHEN THE REST OF THE WORLD WALKS OUT"

I care- honest

Good luck my friend

Yours
Name withheld for privacy reasons.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My friend passed away a few years ago. Her words are so clear now.

Absolute Power Corrupts

Peggy Noonan sums it very well

What's Left? Shame

The Wapo's attempt at potraying Dubya as a messiah is questionable.

No one has questioned the fact the middle east has been turned upside down.

The shame, indeed the shame, lies in the way the whole thing has been accomplished.

Think about it, anyone can make money either by working tirelessly or by robbing a bank. It's still the same money, only your conscious will assure you of wether you are entitled to it.

Probably the WaPo people should prick their conscious just so they can justify worshipping a dubious hero, no pun intended.

Bubble Boobs

Imagine inflating your boobs by chewing gum? Well, the BBC says Chewing gum can 'enhance breasts'.

Now I know that big boobs are just a huge bubble....gum. My only concern is that bubbles have a habit if bursting. More boobs, please!

Fiona Apple's Nest

Apple, err Itunes is whipping up a lot of apple (Fiona) cream. Why is that
Songs from Fiona Apple's latest album which are widely available on the internet and are being played on the radio, but much to the chagrin of fans, the album can't be bought for love or money.


Down load the mp3 (I)tunes here

Rock's Oldest Joke

Rock's Oldest Joke: Yelling 'Freebird!' In a Crowded Theater. WSJ.com elaborates:

"It's a Request, a Rebuke,
A Cry From the Heart,
A Tribute to Skynyrd"

Zim Barb We ( US)

Here is my attempt to poke fun at the mainstrain media (MSM). We all know Zimbabwe is a disgrace. Mugabe is not fit to be a leader of any country.

My only beef is that while the rest of the white population of world cry foul, the black population does not cry wolf. The reason is simple. Politicians inflict pain on their own populace be it white or black.

White politicians condemning black people is a historical fact that is still being sanctioned by white people.

Black politicians causing grief for white populace is an unpardonable sin. I hate to think that we are missing a very vital element here. It does not matter wether Dubya tortures Iraqis, or Tony Blair imposes poverty on immigrants in his country, or Mugabe evicts white farmers, and on and on and on..

The common denominator is that people are being abused and mistreated. White or black we all feel the pain.

It all boils down to getting rid of bad leaders. The choice is yours, you have the vote.

Ah, Zimbabweans have no choice. Does any of us have a choice?

Read the sad story of a leader gone mad.

And there are plenty of them roaming the planet. God help us all.

Schiavo- Love Hurts

Here is an extra ordinary story of how love can be so conflicting.

God bless Schiavo.

Brawling Democracy

When Somali parliamentarians on Thursday voted against President Abdullahi Yusuf's call for peacekeepers from bordering states lawmakers came to blows in the parliament, currently based in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

Television footage showed several MPs throwing metal chairs at each other, beating each other with walking sticks and others drenched in blood after being struck on the head.

Get Gmail!

I have a few Gmail accounts available for anyone interested. Just send me an email.

Wolfowitz nomination a shock for Europe

FT.com expresses alarm at President George W. Bush's decision on Wednesday to nominate Paul Wolfowitz as the next president of the World Bank marks the second shock this month to Europeans who thought Mr Bush would present a kinder, gentler face to the world in his second term.

Did Black Death boost HIV immunity in Europe?.

Experts argue over whether smallpox or plague should take the credit.

Google Code

Google Code Google's place for Open Source software launched.

Lil' Kim facing jail

It is not looking good for Lil Kim.

"Rapper LIL' KIM is expected to be sentenced to jail time after being convicted of perjury yesterday (March 17) in NEW YORK.

The charges stemmed from her connection with a shoot out between her entourage and associates of a rival hip-hop artist outside New York radio station Hot 97 in 2001. Prosecutors alleged that the singer lied to them during their investigation and during grand jury testimony.

Yesterday the singer beat the obstruction of justice charge, but was found guilty on three counts of perjury and one conspiracy charge.

She faces up to five years behind bars for each count"

People more dependant on Internet for news

The Gwennitt Daily online reports thatPeople more dependant on Internet for news

18 percent of adults reportedly relied on Internet for their political news instead of a mere three percent in 1996. The television news reports also grew from 72 percent earlier to 78 percent. Unfortunately for numerous print magazines and newspapers, the growth of Internet is having quite an impact on their business models. The research study confirmed the decline of newspapers from 60 percent in 1996 to 39 percent last year.

People more dependant on Internet for news

People more dependant on Internet for news

Woman Paid Invisible 'Mermaids' Airfare

Do you believe this story:

"Businesswoman Magrate Mapfumo said she paid $5,000 to fly the invisible mermaids to Harare on the advice of musician Edna Chizema, who is on trial for theft by false pretenses, the state-owned Herald newspaper reported Thursday.

Zimbabwe's Shona people believe mermaids are fearsome enchantresses capable of wreaking vengeance on wrongdoers. "

The Onion | Neverland Ranch Investigators Discover Corpse Of Real Michael Jackson

The Onion unveils the Real Michael Jackson: "Coroners have officially pronounced Michael Jackson dead. From what we can tell, he died between 18 and 20 years ago,' forensic investigator Tim Holbrooke said. 'We are not certain, at this time, who-or what-has been standing trial in that Santa Maria courthouse"

Google's Homage to Mac OS X Vanishes

Update from PC Magazine about Googles' disappearing OS X:

"Within a day of its public debut, a Google Labs project that emulates some of the graphical elements of the Mac OS X operating system is nowhere to be found.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Web page for the project, called Google X, was unavailable. Visits to the Google X URL returned a note that the requested URL was not found on the server. ADVERTISEMENT "

Yahoo! 360

More about Yahoo! 360

This could be interesting.

The UK has the best advertisements.

True to this....

To Blog Or Not To Blog

"What is it (the author? the subject matter? the writing method?) that makes blogging a writing-inhibitor for one author and a writing-catalyst for another?"

rodcorp attempts to make sense of it all:

Jericho Handed Over to Palestinian Control

Associated Press/AP Online reports:

" Israeli troops handed this quiet West Bank town to Palestinian security control Wednesday, dismantling a checkpoint and easing travel restrictions in what was seen as a message to ordinary Palestinians that an informal truce is starting to pay off. "

Is the Tech Market Bubbling Under?

I have been wondering for a while why UK Investors are Nervous of Dotcom Sector:

"Recent events such as the flotation of internet search engine Google have been reviving interest in tech stocks across the Atlantic, although many experts say investor confidence is picking up at a slower rate at home.

Hilary Cook of Barclays Stockbrokers says: 'I think we have already seen a tech boom in the US - the Nasdaq has have a very good run - but the problem is we (in the UK) don't have many quoted tech companies any more.

'We haven't had the basic technology stocks, the Intels, the Apple or Microsoft, to really benefit from the return to favour.'
She says the only thing on the UK market at a technological level was pharmaceutical companies, with accountancy software group Sage the only technology stock in the Footsie.

Hilary adds: 'The environment is massively more favourable but only if the companies want to come to the market. It's not that fashionable to go for quotes again. It's a lot easier just to find a private equity backer, of which there's no shortage. "

What An Appetite

The case of Peter Bryan who pleaded guilty to two charges of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, caused widespread criticism of the mental health services after it was revealed that he had been released from a secure hospital where he was placed after he beat a woman to death.

He had developed an urge to eat human flesh!.

Sentencing him to two life sentences, Judge told Bryan he would never be released because he was too dangerous. How so sad!

Articles African Institute for equal rights on the global market

Hannilie Zulu has something interesting to say about false accounting, "Where Do They Get Their STATISTICS? "

Blogging Beyond the Men's Club

this interesting article has some serious flaws.

"Since anyone can write a Weblog, why is the blogosphere dominated by white males?"

No, no, white men have a club, clique culture. That's just way they have been trained or educated. Condenming people for who they are is, in my opinion, wrong. Blogging is about self-expression be it from woman, man and whatever colour you are.

It is no secret that white males dominate, I would not lose sleep over it. Shit stinks in whatever colour. Trying to change the "white Male psyche" is giving to much credit to people who do not deserve it!

Blogging Beyond the Men's Club

this interesting article has some serious flaws.

"Since anyone can write a Weblog, why is the blogosphere dominated by white males?"

No, no, white men have a club, clique culture. That's just way they have been trained or educated. Condenming people for who they are is, in my opinion, wrong. Blogging is about self-expression be it from woman, man and whatever colour you are.

It is no secret that white males dominate, I would not lose sleep over it. Shit stinks in whatever colour. Trying to change the "white Male psyche" is giving to much credit to people who do not deserve it!

How tunes get stuck in your head

Chaka Khan's hit song "aint nobody loves me better" has been ringing in my head ever since it hit the airwaves in the 80's. I have been to numerous discos and parties since then, and whenever this track is played, it still attracts hordes of young and aged disco dancers to behave like they are in love. Frankly, i still like the tune. I have never figured out why out of all the good music that is released daily, with impunity, this Chaka love song still stirs my mood.

The BBC highlights How tunes get stuck in your head. It sounds plausible.

Come on all together now, " Aint nobody...."!

Why Google isn't what it used to be

Matt McAlister has a problem with Google. In his attempt to explain
Why Google isn't what it used to be, he effectively exposes his weakness.

Quote:
"The AutoLink debate seems more like the catalyst for venting frustration in a perception shift than a real complaint about the technology. Google was once the enabler of open market conversations, a doorway to a future where innovators could circumvent the establishment on the way toward improving the world we live in. But there's something about this new feature that changes all that.

Product launches such as Orkut, Gmail, Image Ads, and Google News all stripped away the once-thick varnish of credibility and trust that Google commanded amongst the digerati. They bought closed software tools companies like Blogger and Picasa. And then Google went public. The true intentions of the company's founders became obvious to everyone. They want to be rich! How rude!"

Okay, power corrupts, and the folks at googleplex are not immune to that. The whole Internet game is fuelled by new ideas and not sour grapes. In human terms we all reach an optimum level and then we allow others to carry on. It is like a relay, make the most of your window of opportunity and pass it on.

I think we are now getting a lot of cry babies who wish they could have done better. Get over it, and try something else!

If Google is wrong on this one, it will be only a matter of time before the crash-land just like anyone else before them. Let IT be a force for good!

Bill gates game

Start.com is a new innovative web service that I can't quite figure out what it is all about. In my limited Internet experience, I think, it is just a bookmark website. Like bookmarking favourites in windows internet explorer.

Only one thing wrong with it, it only supports windows explorer, cool tool though. Let's see how Bill Gates moves from here. After I lost thousands of bookmarks when I was compelled to reformat my hard-drive, I've always cursed Windows. This is quite interesting, Billy wants his goat back.

Google is not going to take this lying back, Game on!

Letter to the FEC

Re: Upcoming FEC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking governing political activity on the internet

million yen for having a baby

Associated Press/AP Online says:
"How about getting paid 1 million yen for having a baby? To combat a shrinking population, a small town in northern Japan has decided to give a cash award worth about $9,600 to each female resident who has a third child, an official said Friday. "

million yen for having a baby

Associated Press/AP Online says:
"How about getting paid 1 million yen for having a baby? To combat a shrinking population, a small town in northern Japan has decided to give a cash award worth about $9,600 to each female resident who has a third child, an official said Friday. "

Extreme Bunny Makeover

 Flash cartoon about the hip new look for Bugs Bunny. Warning -- contains lots of harsh language, mostly bleeped out.

"That's all folks!"

Inappropriate Jokes or racial Jibes

I read a story about Five police officers and four dispatchers being suspended for sending computer messages after a nightclub caught fire joking about the blaze and quoting a line from the song "Disco Inferno" - "burn baby burn."

Associated Press/AP Online adds:

"Dispatcher Ashlye Bauerle wrote, 'You hear that Midtown is on fire!! The roof of a club . . . That's funny! Gives a whole new meaning to the roof, the roof is on fire,' the documents said.......

......The club has a mostly black clientele, and there were suggestions after the fire that the messages revealed racial bias in the department."

Really?

HIV/AIDS and Women's Rights

New Straits Times reports:

"More than 50 per cent of the 3,052 respondents to a
survey carried out by the Malaysia AIDS Council (MAC) believe that women
with HIV/AIDS should not marry and have children.
The respondents were women and teenagers, and 55.3 per cent of them
felt that this should be the case, while 44.6 per cent felt otherwise.
The survey was carried out last December in the Klang Valley, Johor,
Kelantan and Penang.
Most of the respondents were struggling to answer the questions and
this reflected women's lack of understanding about those with HIV/ AIDS
and their rights, Universiti Putra Malaysia Nutrition and Health Sciences "

HIV COUNSELLING

The Irish Times Lifelines article says:

"Voluntary HIV counselling and testing has been accepted practice for more than 10 years. However, uptake has been poor, even among those at high risk, resulting in late diagnosis. Doctors writing in the latest edition of the British Medical Journal feel that HIV testing should be more widely accepted. Just as those at risk of cancer do not receive voluntary counselling and testing before having a chest X-ray, they argue that suspected HIV sufferers should not have to undergo pre-test counselling. The current criteria, they say, may be contributing to late diagnoses and a resultant spread of infection. "

Public Version of Saddam Capture Fiction

A former U.S. Marine who participated in capturing ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said the public version of his capture was fabricated.

British companies fuel corruption in Africa

In the commentary on Bribery and disruption, the Guardian Newspaper blames British companies for fuelling corruption in Africa.

The fact that the British government is a laggard on corruption issues captures exactly why it has so far to go in addressing Britain's responsibility for corruption in Africa.

A National Consumption Tax

Is it better to pay taxes when you make money or when you spend it? That's the fundamental question underlying talk about a 'consumption tax.'
Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan raised the issue this week in testimony before the President's Advisory Panel on Tax Reform.

How Would It Change Things? :

Slaves? What Slaves?

Niger gets the award for the worst "cover your ass" attempt of the year.So they announce they're sponsoring an event where thousands of slaves will be given their freedom. Then they turn around and cancel the event. The reason? Slavery doesn't exist in Niger. Slaves? What slaves? We were joking!

Wicked Wish

What's the world coming to, this wicked_wish post is causing a stir in the blogosphere.

This post is not for everyone. If you're uncomfortable with hearty leftist political opinions, you might want to skip it.

I do not agree with much of it, but the readers' comments are intriguing.

Large and In Charge

The study in Journal of the American Medical Association reveals Data That Suggest Obesity Is Rampant in NFL :

"The former defensive tackle John Jurkovic said he's seen plenty of evidence that players have gotten not just bigger but sometimes fatter, 'big as houses' in recent years because of league pressure to intimidate opponents and win."

The Glamorous Web

Founder of Adaptive Path Jesse James Garrett has a cool feature on
a new approach to web applications:

"If anything about current interaction design can be called "glamorous," it's creating Web applications. After all, when was the last time you heard someone rave about the interaction design of a product that wasn't on the Web? (Okay, besides the iPod.) All the cool, innovative new projects are online."

Google Suggests and Google Maps are two examples of a new approach to web applications that Adaptive Path have been calling Ajax. The name is shorthand for Asynchronous JavaScript + XML, and it represents a fundamental shift in what’s possible on the Web.

Rock on!

The Rise of Dr. Rice

WEB EXCLUSIVE: "NEWSWEEK's Michael Hirsh will discuss Condoleezza Rice's forceful capture of the foreign policy spotlight during a Live Talk on Wednesday, March 9, at noon ET"

What Bush Got Right

People are asking themselves a question: "Could he possibly have been right?"
Here is an interesting MSNBC article and here is a quote:

"If Bush is to be credited for the benefits of his policies, he must also take responsibility for their costs. Over the past three years, his administration has racked up enormous costs, many of which could easily have been lowered or avoided altogether. The pointless snubbing of allies, the brusque manner in which it went to war in Iraq, the undermanned occupation and the stubborn insistence (until last summer) on pursuing policies that were fueling both an insurgency and anti-Americanism in Iraq�all have taken their toll in thousands of American and Iraqi lives and almost $300 billion."

Black boys separate classes plan

Black boys may have to be separated from classmates to help improve school performance, the head of the Commission for Racial Equality has suggested.

Trevor Phillips has lots of bad ideas, I think this is another one. The following comment highlights the folly of such an idea;

Let me get this straight - the Commission for Racial Equality is suggesting what amounts to racial apartheid in Britain? It just confirms my view that the Commission is a very dangerous organisation which has done more to damage race relations in this country than any other.
Steve, Birmingham, England

Private tutions should be encouraged. Esteem amongst boys should be boosted through self effort and motivation.

Oceana Club

Living in a place where rugby rules can be a curse atimes. What I hate most is outsiders taking over over the local pub, though briefly.

You know the feeling when you are simply bored and wish to while away hours at the local pub or cafe and see familliar faces just so you can feel part of a community. Whenever there is a game at this stadium of consipicous monstrosity, it takes about half hour to get a drink!

In my quest for quick relief, not the kind you dirty people are thinking of, I decided to venture out beyond my backyard. I went to a club out of area. I'm no clubbing person, I'm too old. This review on London Oceana Club in Kingston Upon Thames does not spare feeling:

"Once upon a time bored Home Counties teenagers got tired of hanging around the local parade of shops, asking passers-by to buy them Diamond White from the offy and smoking poppy seed spliffs. 'But what else is there?' they cried, desperate for some kind of after-hours entertainment. Which is where Options came in.
Options, in Kingston, was the scene of many a teenage puke and snog for a surprisingly disproportionate amount of Londoners. Renowned for letting anyone in � big groups of lads, chavvy teenage girls, crusties selling acid, even grammar school kids � it soon attracted the attention of the local cop-shop, who wisely left well alone, not wanting the hassle.
But recently, Options was reborn as the 2,500 capacity Oceana, a �6million project boasting two dance floors, five bars, poor security and a serious problem with violence. Kingston's worthies have even formed an opposition group, campaigning to get its license revoked by citing the regular trouble that spills out in the small hours when cheap beer combined with bad music and no discernable public transport system leads to ugly scenes in Kingston town centre.
Worse, one woman was recently raped at gunpoint after accepting a lift following a night at the club.
And I use the word 'club' advisedly, because Oceana is about as far from what most of us would consider a nightclub as possible. In truth, it's a huge student pub with terrible music, overdressed suburbanites and dance floors like cattle markets.
There are many who look for nothing more from their evening out than a Bacardi Breezer flavoured snog and a bottle in the face, and good luck to 'em. But if clubbing has really gone full circle � from cheesy local discos to an exciting and creative counterculture and now back to the mainstream age"

Imagine this, you need a driver's licence or passport to get in. This is human rights violation! I can't be bothered to to argue this sort of people. I give up clubbing, again.

My Dearest Condi

Do not fret. The ex-Canadian foreign minister in an attempt to spit at you has revealed his inadequacy.

Lloyd Axworthy is small fry in international politics. This self anointed messiah of the poor in Canada has no idea of poverty that is rampant in his own backyard.

Canada is a beautiful country, no doubt. I'll make an effort to visit it one day. I'm still upset about not being admitted to McGills University some donkey's years ago because, wait for this, my Cambridge University A-levels were not good enough. Anyway, that's another story.

I think Lloyd is out of order to try and humility the most powerful woman in the world. Whatever folly the US comes up with, at least, they are brave enough to face up to their actions. Wimps are very quick to condemn brave people, it makes them (wimps)feel worthwhile.

Wrong or right, I'd rather deal with a straightforward person rather than a jumped up do-gooder who lives in an ivory tower built on poor people's backs. What cheek!

Do not bother with Lloyd, let him enjoy his retirement paid for by hard working immigrants. In the end truth prevails.

Best Rgds

Lex

Is there anything Google Can't Do?

Google has introduced it's tool,Searching for weather, by web or phone.

While this only works in the US, I think the UK can do with such a useful internet utility. I'm not not going to discuss the UK weather for now, we all know what it is like.

Korn Born Again

Brian "Head" Welch, him of the band called Korn has seen the light. Hallelujah! Korn announced Welch's resignation last month after 13 years with the band.

In his own words:

"Welch said he had become increasingly depressed and drug-addicted in recent years, but that religion helped him quit.
He said he plans to release more music without the band.
'My songs are God saying things to me, him talking to people. He's going to use me to heal people and people are going to be drawn to it, just watch, they will be,' he said. "

This bring to my mind a story about an old school friend who is now a gospel evangelist.

Way to go girl!

Martha Stewart Made the Most of Prison Time.

Anything is Possible

Fred Wilson's excellent post .. technology has made it possible .. Anything Is Possible.

Finding God on your iPod

"Godcasting" is gaining users and listeners:

"Godcasting is the latest advancement in online religion, in which preachers convert their sermons to audio to be heard on portable digital audio devices.
Using iPods or any portable MP3 player, "podcasting" lets people download audio programs that can be listened to whenever they like. It's a form of audio syndication that musicians, businessmen, tech talk show hosts and political commentators like Al Franken have already adopted."

Free Internet Television

TVexe.com is offering free software that enables anyone with broadband Internet connection to watch live worldwide television channels on a PC, free of charge. I have not tried it yet, I think I'll give it a shot soon.

Battle of the Forecourt

MOTORISTS all over the country in the UK are hoping to soon be driving away in an 05-registered car. With the launch of the new registration plate this week, the car-buying season is underway.

Here is a piece on how to get the best finance dealfor your new car.

Pimp my Burger

I like the Pimp My Ride MTV show by Xzibit. Burger King Germany produced a full-length parody of Pimp My Ride, right down to the before/after camera swipes, the theme song, and "4-inch buns." I enjoyed the Pimp my Burger video.

Racist Game of Gladiators

This article from The Independent News states that prison officers at a young offenders institute thought it was funny to lock up conflicting inmates in the same cell, and watch the sparks fly:

"Guards at the young offenders institution thought it was a 'joke' and a 'laugh' to lock up conflicting inmates in a sport they nicknamed Coliseum or Gladiator, an inquiry in London was told. Unsuitable detainees would be pitted together while officers bet on the results. On this occasion the game went 'dramatically wrong' and the psychopath Robert Stewart repeatedly battered Zahid Mubarek, 19, with a table leg."

These people have no shame at all.

Doomsday Scenario For Africans

In its report, "AIDS in Africa," UNAIDS estimated more than 80 million Africans may die from AIDS by 2025. The three scenarios include a best-case situation, a middle-case and a doomsday scenario. They all warn that the worst of the epidemic's impact is still to come.

"There is no single policy prescription that will change the outcome of the epidemic," the report stated. "The death toll will continue to rise no matter what is done."

In otherwords, as Africans we are doomed beyond redemption.I'm just wondering wether this is a polite way of telling Africans not to expect help from UNAIDS and their ilk.

The following part is very disturbing as far as I'm concerned, it places the whole blame on African's behaviour:

"If by 2025, millions of African people are still becoming infected with HIV each year, these scenarios suggest that it will not be because there was no choice,' the report said. 'It will be because, collectively, there was insufficient political will to change behavior at all levels, from the institution, to the community, to the individual, and halt the forces driving the AIDS epidemic in Africa."
According to the report, for Africans to survive they should refrain from sex. Is sex the only way one gets infected? I'll keep a stockpile condoms to last me into 2025 just to see how these scientist and experts got their sums wrong!

And, of course, we do not yet know where this AIDS virus came from. Any ideas wise guys at UNAIDS?

Breast For Sale

Tawny Peeks was Accused of Assault with a Breast . ( Well this was the Famous Breast: )

Blogger Honeymoon Ends

CNET has an important piece warning of the The coming crackdown on blogging. It describes how the Federal Election Commission is beginning the perilous process of extending a controversial 2002 campaign finance law to the Internet.

Meanwhile, here is a post on blogger crackdown in other countries:

"This is the down side of the recent media focus on blogging; the repressive theocrats and dictators of the world also read our media. They perceive a threat to their control of information, and they’re reacting the way these atavistic monsters always do—by attempting to crush the threat at its source.

But this time, they’re going to fail."

accessTunes

accessTunes 1.0 released. accessTunes lets you access your iTunes Library from any computer, anywhere in the world.

Will we ever sleep?

Crisis for the Godless

Atheism as a theoretical position is in decline worldwide,writes the World Tribune.com

A philosopher says; "Atheism, which people have tried to for hundreds of years as 'the ways of reason and science,' is proving to be mere irrationality and ignorance."

McGrath relates in Christianity Today: "With time (atheism) turned out to have just as many frauds, psychopaths, and careerists as religion does. ... With Stalin and Madalyn Murray O'Hair, atheism seems to have ended up mimicking the vices of the Spanish Inquisition and the worst televangelists, respectively."

Peeking Into Google

Urs Hoelzle, Google vice president of operations and vice president of engineering, offered a rare behind-the-scenes tour of Google's architecture on Wednesday. Hoelzle spoke here at EclipseCon 2005, a conference on the open source, extensible platform for software tools.

Racists, Bullies and Abusers

I sat through a BBC undercover documentary last about how staff of a company which runs a detention centre and the in-country escorting contract abuse detainees.

The film showed asylum seekers being assaulted, racially abused and sexually humiliated by guards. Some people are saying that government policy is fuelling human rights abuses and miscarriages of justice.

The guards were enjoying and boasting about torturing other people. Is it in their nature?

KYLIE - AGENT PROVOCATEUR ADVERT

Kylie Minogue's sexy cinema advert has been posted online.

The advert ends with Kylie facing the camera and asking male viewers to prove that the undies are the most erotic, by attempting to stand up.

The advert was made for www.agentprovocateur.com.

Bubba the Leviathon Lobster Dies at Zoo

The Associated Press/AP Online reports:

"He dodged lobster pots for decades, endured a trip from the coast of Massachusetts to Pittsburgh and survived about a week in a fish market. But a trip to the zoo proved to be too much for a 22-pound lobster named Bubba.

The leviathan of a lobster died Wednesday afternoon at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium about a day after he was moved from Wholey's Market, said zoo spokeswoman Rachel Capp and Bob Wholey, owner of the fish market.

'They're very finicky. It could have been a change in the water. You have no idea,' said Wholey. "

Driving in Zambia

The Europecar travel guide websites provides Useful Driving Tips for people visiting Zambia.

Local driving habits can be erratic and road rules are not always strictly observed - so be vigilant on the road

Driving procedures are similar to most countries. Inorder to avoid roadrage or mishaps with other drivers, this observation about Zambian drivers is a must read.

How to Sell Your Book, CD, or DVD on Amazon

Kevin Kelly, him of the Cool Tools, provides 8 easy steps of how to get your book, CD, or DVD listed on the long tail of Amazon:

1 Get an ISBN (for a book), or a UPC (for a CD or DVD). For one book it costs $125, for one CD, $55, for one DVD, $89.
2 Get a bar code based on the ISBN or UPC. Costs $10, or may be included in UPC.
3 Sign up with Amazon, $30 per year.
4 Duplicate your stuff; include the bar code on the outside.
5 Ship two copies to Amazon
6 Send cover scan
7 Track sales
8 Resgister it (optional)

The full details, with how-to tips and links to recommended sources, is expanded here.

Medical Care on the Brink

Tight Standards and Simple Equipment, Not Massive Grants, Could Bring Improved Health in Africa, Journal of the National Medical Association (JNMA) Study Says.

Dr. Eddie L. Hoover and his team reported from their many visits to Africa by the American Medical Team for Africa in the paper "Medical Care on the Brink: The Need for Re-Engineering Healthcare Services in Sub-Saharan Africa." The team found that since communications, transportation and monitoring of hospital and clinical conditions are so poor, western aid agencies and corporations need to rethink how they provide grants and medical technology to the continent.

"The days of just sending $10 million are over,' says Hoover, a cardiothoracic surgeon in Buffalo, NY. 'These facilities need education in sanitation, medical record-keeping, and the basic equipment to test urine and blood for disease. Aid providers and host countries need to impose standards, as well. You can't deal with HIV when local doctors don't have the ability to even measure blood sugar."

Engineers devise invisibility shield

news @ nature.com reports:

"The idea of a cloak of invisibility that hides objects from view has long been confined to the more improbable reaches of science fiction. But electronic engineers have now come up with a way to make one."

Enterprise Blogging

It was only a matter of time before blogging was embedded in business. The WSJ.com gives a more detailed insight into how this trend has come about:

"The blog as business tool has arrived.

Some eight million Americans now publish blogs and 32 million people read them, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. What began as a form of public diary-keeping has become an important supplement to a business's online strategy: Blogs can connect with consumers on a personal level -- and keep them visiting a company's Web site regularly."

Lobbying For Bubba The Lobster

This interesting story of a 22-pound leviathan of a lobster called Bubba has one group called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and another group calling itself People For Eating Tasty Animals vying it's plight.

The owner Bob Wholey gave the lobster to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and philosophically said:
"I don't think you could eat something that big. ... What range of emotions does a lobster have? Greed? Lust? Love? I'm just going to give him to the zoo and hope he lives another 100 years,' Wholey said.
'If you sat down and ate this thing, wouldn't that be a bit shellfish?"

Is Happy Birthday Really Copyrighted?"

Yes! According to Unhappy Birthday. here is an interesting article on the story of "happy birthday to you".

Sexes Think Differently

Scientists are saying this:
"Harvard University president Lawrence Summers has suffered acrimonious condemnation, and may have jeopardized his job, for suggesting that the underrepresentation of women in engineering and some scientific fields may be due in part to inherent differences in the intellectual abilities of the sexes.
But Summers could be right. "

Naturally, he has just proven an obvious point, women are bound to disagree. Talk about a self fulfulling prophecy!

Google or Yahoo

I love google's simplicity and easy access, that's why I spend loads of time using google services.

I have been checking my web visitor stats and, lately, yahoo appears to deliver a lot more than google is managing. My first thought is that more optimisation is required. Then again, if I'm getting so much from Yahoo, should I worry myself with optimising webpages just to please the the googlebot?

The UnGoogle (Yes, Yahoo!) unfolds the details.

There is something about Google that I like, sure. This is just mind boggling; One year later, Yahoo! Search gains on rival Google

Brain Drain: Calls for Compensation

This Brain Drain: Calls for Compensation initiative, though well intended is a damn idea.

Professionals from Africa flee because they are fed up with living on subsistence. I migrated from Zambia and established a near normal standard of living in the UK. I know what I'm talking about.

I want to help my country, sure. But I do not want to starve to death while feeding the politicians' greed. If you want my services,please, pay me accordingly.

I do a lot of voluntary work which does not seem to impress these shallow minded do-gooders.

Sure, we need help. We are not going to get help by holding the British government at ransom. If there is anything I know about the British is that they do not take well to threats or blackmail.

Africans, well zambians, should look after themselves. It is that simple. The Zambian government should learn to use Zambian people at home or abroad.

Feel free to contact me if you require my services!

Pussy In Boots

This was the front page image on WaPo. I don't think that anyone, anywhere, could ask for better imagery. It's the boots that won it!

How Odeo Happened

I just managed to catch up with this article from The New York Times published on 25 february. I think this is going to be huge.

Quote:
"The primarily amateur Internet audio medium known as podcasting will take a small, hopeful step on Friday toward becoming the commercial Web's next big thing.

That step is planned by Odeo, a five-person start-up that is based in a walk-up apartment in this city's Mission District and was co-founded by a Google alumnus. The company plans to introduce a Web-based system that is aimed at making a business of podcasting - the process of creating, finding, organizing and listening to digital audio files that range from living-room ramblings to BBC newscasts."

Honey, I shrunk the dollar

I live on paychecks from the US. If there is anything that peeves me about the Bush government is how they have allowed the dollar to shrink. It is even more frustrating because I cannot even vote in the US!

By George, "Why is the euro worth so much more now, honey?" SPIEGEL ONLINE EXPLAINS..

Living in Europe and working for an American paymaster is becoming increasingly unattractive.

Oral Sex Epidemic

Oprah addresses the Alarming sexual behavior among children:
"Times have changed: children as young as twelve are having oral sex."

The Fickle Economy

Los Angeles Times reporter Peter G. Gosselin delves into an American paradox:

" Why so many families report being financially less secure even as the nation has grown more prosperous. The answer lies in a quarter-century-long shift of economic risks from the broad shoulders of business and government to the backs of working families. Safety nets that once protected Americans from economic turbulence - safeguards like unemployment compensation and employer loyalty - have eroded or vanished. Familes are more vulnerable to sudden shifts in the economy than any time since the Great Depression. The result is a daunting 'New Deal' for many working Americans - one that compels them to cope, largely on their own, with financial forces far beyond their control."

Mess O' Potamia

The Carpetbagger's Report on Blessed are the warmongers talks about one Republican lawmaker who seems anxious to start another – this time, with nukes.

Horror of horrors, this speech was delivered in a church!

Am I the only one to notice that the religious fanatics rule the world?

Sex Tourism

Here is the US Intelligence report shitlist. This is a long list of human rights violations that the Bush's US government hopes to correct.

Being Zambian, naturally, this statement was poignant;

"State promotion of tourism drives the predatory interests that promote sex tourism and sexual exploitation of underage girls for prostitution"

The Visit Zambia 2005 campaign is in danger of turning Zambia into a hub for sexual predators, if not so already.

Street Life -

The Fortune sez Apple's stores have become zeitgeist beehives

"Whereas the older generation still thinks it strange to own a Mac, the younger generation may consider Apple a core brand for their digital lifestyle,"

The digital lifestyle, for now is hotter. And it will always be way cooler.