Grubsnart Retep

boost for the small farmer

2008-07-02T12:17:00.003+02:00

I know it's work, but it's my work and I'm proud of it... (For the record, I prefer the term "spokesperson".)

MOZAMBIQUE: Boost for the small farmer

Photo: IRIN

Women prepare maize-meal for a WFP feeding programme for orphans in the Mozambican capital, Maputo

JOHANNESBURG, 1 July 2008 (IRIN) - In an effort to build a long-term source of food supplies in developing countries while boosting small-scale agriculture, the World Food Programme (WFP) will soon begin buying food from local farmers in Mozambique.

WFP spokesman Peter Transburg told IRIN that under the five-year Purchase for Progress Programme (P4P) launched in Mozambique earlier this year, the agency hopes to build a supplier base for cereals and pulses comprising at least 3,000 small-scale farmers in Mozambique. The programme will become fully operational by October 2008...

. . . read the full article . . .

buying the white house...or at least the nomination

2008-06-03T16:44:00.003+02:00

So, I'm not backing any particular candidate for any particular party in the marathon-up to the election of the most powerful leader in the world, but for the past few months I've been getting near daily emails from both Barack and Hillary encouraging me to support their bids for the Democratic nomination.

It seems that things will finally be all wrapped up this week, but I was still shaking my head yesterday at the ridiculousness of the economics that characterizes our "democracy". Check out (image above) Hillary's last ditch plea for support in her latest email...

Now, I'm not so naive as to think the process isn't almost entirely about who has/raises/spends more money, and I don't mean to single Hillary out entirely, but, come on!

"Every dollar you give will help Hillary win the nomination." What ever happened to good, old fashioned votes winning nominations?!

I'm seriously disgusted.

But not so disgusted as to ignore an economic opportunity of my own surrounding this election -- with so many of my non-American friends rightfully interested in who is next in the White House, my absentee ballot in November might just represent the highest bidder. After all, it's the American way.

xenophobiaphobia

2008-06-02T10:36:00.005+02:00

The xenophobic violence in South Africa during the past couple weeks that has left 56 people dead has had a big impact on the poor Mozambicans and other foreigners living and working there. Over 34,000 Mozambicans have fled home to Mozambique and more are expected. From this side of the border where we have not seen the violence firsthand and where senseless retaliation against South Africans has so far been avoided, thanks in part to politicians and church leaders urging good behavior, I have to admit a bit of uneasiness about welcoming back our prodigal children.

Not to be overly stereotypical or anything, but the tens of thousands of returnees are largely poor Mozambicans who were eeking out livings selling pirated DVDs on the streets of Joburg or slaving away in gold mines (i.e. "stealing our low-paying jobs!"). The first few days back home in Mozambique may give some relief to be safe and joy to be back with family and friends, but pretty soon, these tens of thousands of poor Mozambicans who left their homeland to find better opportunities are going to realize that the DVD and electrical adapter street vendor jobs are all taken and that other gainful employ is about as hard to find in Mozambique as presta-valve mountain bike tubes.

To put a fine point on it, it seems that there will very soon be even more poor and desperate people at least in Maputo. And yes, I am suggesting that crime will go up. And based on the security reports I'm encouraged by my employer to read and heed about the kinds of misdeeds performed on a daily basis in some nearby South African cities, I am not really worried about my car's blinkers and side mirrors (since bolted down) going missing again. I'm worried about my entire car going missing, with me, shaking as one does after facing the barrel of a gun on the side of the street, desperately repeating the license number of the car driving away from me and then wondering why I didn't focus more on the carjackers' features than on a number I already know.

All this to say that the acts of xenophobic idiots (suppose that's just redundant) will certainly affect more than just those who were there to witness and flee the atrocities.

This whole situation is a shame most South Africans are frustrated about as they struggle to build the country's reputation as much as its economy in a post-apartheid era. But frustration and indignation among South Africa's non-poor aren't going to calm this storm. The Government had better get things under control soon (and this certainly means, you know, easy stuff like better wages and conditions for the poor and disenfranchized...) or it risks setting off a lot of retaliatory fires against its citizens in neighboring countries, including Mozambique.

Either way, this episode of senseless violence is already an ugly stain on South Africa's improving standing and does nothing to lend any hint of success in the lead-up to the first Africa-hosted World Cup in 2010. Even hard-nosed, it-must-be-held-in-South-Africa FIFA is a bit worried.

I admit, the dynamics of my stolen side mirrors and possible political ranker and violence between international neighbors, as well as the potential that South Africa could lose its World Cup hosting job are pretty fantastically different in scale and impact, but at least the latter two situations should be high in the minds of Mozambican and South African policy makers (not to mention all that other stuff about providing basic social services and a living wage to their citizens...).

working on it

2008-05-26T10:23:00.003+02:00

Here's a link to a little something I put together on WFP's response to the flood emergency in Mozambique earlier this year. Mine is the 9 April 2008 photo gallery.

During a February visit to the flood zone, road access wasn't an option to get to Mutarara District, so we opted for bicycle taxis across the 4km Dona Ana railroad/pedestrian bridge.

And since it was going back empty to pick up more emergency supplies, we talked our way on to a WFP-managed Ukranian MI-8 helicopter for the return leg. Somehow I thought just being in the heli would make me look cool. Apparently not.

Finally, here's a favorite of a contracted driver getting a very close look under the hood of his truck.

fill 'er up

2008-05-15T15:34:00.004+02:00

(2006 photo of me at a "hand crank" gas pump in rural Mozambique.)

Nothing earth-shattering for my first post in too long, but this is an interesting tidbit from the Mozambique Information Agency (sounds kind of Big Brother doesn't it? Well,...) about the place where I live. Sometimes I am just amazed at how Mozambique reminds me of the pre- rural electrification life my grandparents describe from 80 years ago in the U.S.

43 PER CENT OF FILLING STATIONS ARE IN MAPUTO

Maputo, 8 May (AIM) – There are 227 filling stations in Mozambique – but 43 per cent of them are concentrated in Maputo City, according to the Deputy Minister of Energy, Jaime Himade.

But on Thursday Himade guaranteed that this situation is about to change since the government intends to expand the network of fuel pumps into the countryside, and there are a series of investors interested in opening filling stations in the rural districts.

Speaking at the opening of a seminar in Maputo on safety regulations for filling stations, Himade said there was “a lot of interest, albeit in an isolated way” in opening rural filling stations. Investors had come to recognise the huge inconvenience caused by the shortage of fuel pumps in the districts. Furthermore, Himade argued, this pushed the price of fuel up the rural areas.

The chairperson of the National Energy Fund, Miquelina Menezes, recently told AIM that the government plans to invest around three million US dollars on installing solar-powered filling stations in rural areas. In an initial phase, at least 20 such filling stations will be build in Sofala, Manica, Cabo Delgado and Niassa provinces.

This expansion in the network of filling stations should be accompanied by legislation that will ensure better quality of service and greater security for the people who use the stations.

The Ministry of Energy is thus working to overhaul the current safety regulations which were drawn up in 1958 and 1962.
(AIM)

being born a woman

2008-01-23T11:58:00.000+02:00

In addition to actually not being violent yourself, sign on to support more macro efforts to end violence against women.

free rice

2007-11-06T08:29:00.000+02:00

Feel smart (or dumb) and good all in a few clicks.

FreeRice, from the same creators of Poverty.com, has two goals:

Provide English vocabulary to everyone for free.
Help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

Not bad.

fim do mundo

2007-11-02T08:27:00.000+02:00

My colleague, Jeronimo, took this photo of "Kiosk End of the World" on a recent trip we took together and had this to say about it...

"When you see this Quiosque, you are in Mapai, Chicualacuala, one of the poorest regions of Mozambique. Once there your faith on the world having an end becomes stronger."

these men have bad hearts

2007-10-22T12:01:00.000+02:00

Ever wanna play God? I do.

"One man holds your hands, the other one grabs your legs, and one puts his hand over your mouth," Beatrice Misat, a resident of Mugunga Two camp for displaced Congolese told IRIN. "If you are lucky, they leave you after they rape you." And if not? "They torture you with wooden sticks when they are finished," Misat said. "Then you start bleeding."

Hey, I never said this was a feel-good blog, and I know I've written about this hell before, but get over it. All I've ever said is that things aren't always straightforward. And sometimes they are beyond our wildest ideas of wrong.

Since I'm not God or Spider-man (the latter being my preference for this particular justice task) and I'm still sitting so far removed from this scourge of humanity, I'll cast my blogstones until such a time as humans get better hearts or God gives me a turn at the wheel.

yum!

2007-10-10T19:17:00.000+02:00

Far be it from me to encourage anyone to frequent fast food restaurants, but if you're gonna do it... consider going to KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silver's and A&W during World Hunger Relief Week, 14-20 October 2007.

In-store and online contributions will support the World Food Programme's work to get food (NOT burgers, tacos and fried chicken, mind you) to hungry people around the world, including in my neck of the woods. More info.

into the wild

2007-09-27T22:54:00.000+02:00

Here is a list of what I did on Saturday in the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area of northern Minnesota.

Awoke to the sun streaming into my tent.

Paddled my canoe around all the islands and coves near my campsite.

Collected firewood.
Caught five fish and let them all go.
Watched a kingfisher catch two fish and eat both.
Saw and heard a pair of loons.

Saluted a bald eagle that flew over my island.
Went swimming.
Napped in my hammock and awoke to the barking of otters.

Watched the sun set and the moon rise simultaneously.

Built a big fire.

Saw no one.
Talked to no one (except when I said out loud about myself, "you lucky bastard!")

Did not check my email.
Woke up at 3am to pee and saw a shooting star.

What a great day.

FAQs about kitesurfing

2007-09-01T13:53:00.000+02:00

Since I picked up kitesurfing last year, I've been asked a lot of questions about my newest pastime. Here are a few of the most frequently asked, with answers.

1. Is it hard to learn to kitesurf?
Yes. But I'm pretty sure anyone with average athletic ability and big enough...guts...to get over the fear factor can learn to kitesurf. Take a short course for a few days with good wind and good instruction and you'll be on your way. Then, it's like everything else: Practice.

Here's a demo video on kitesurfing basics.

2. Does knowing how to wakeboard or surf help you learn to kitesurf?
Yes. And so does windsurfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, waterskiing and a variety of other such sports. But the key -- more important than the boarding/surfing -- is learning to fly the kite. Mastery of the kite and a feel for handling the wind are critical.

3. Is it 'kitesurfing' or 'kiteboarding'?
Both. Technically, kiteboarding could refer to all forms of boarding with a kite (i.e. on water, sand or snow), so kitesurfing is more specific to the kind that I do on water.

4. How is it different from windsurfing?
Windsurfing has a sail attached to a larger board. Kitesurfing uses a kite attached to the person and a smaller board that is basically like a snowboard (see my photo at top).

5. Aren't you afraid of sharks?
I used to be. But from the moment I first took a kite to water, I forgot all about sharks. Plus, Beira (where I learned) and Maputo (where I live) bays don't have any sharks (knock on something). Going south to Durban or Cape Town (where the kitesurfing is reported to be fantastic) might make me think twice, but it's just more incentive to stay on top of the water as opposed to in it.

6. Isn't kitesurfing dangerous?
Yes. Kites these days are extremely safe (safety releases, exceptional stability, etc.) and they are nearly foolproof (and many are fools who do it...), but from the second you open your kite on the beach to when you put it back in the bag, full attention is required -- both for you and others around. A good instructor will teach you an hour of safety measures before you even get near a kite.

7. How did kitesurfing start?
I don't know. Look it up.

8. What is your favorite kite?
I've only ever owned one kite (North Vegas 14m) and flown just a few others, but I'm pretty sure the one I just bought, which is being shipped to me as I type, is my favorite. :-) The 2008 North Rebel. Check it out.

The movie for the 2007 Rebel is good too.

9. Is kitesurfing expensive?
Yes. But money is fleeting, priorities are personal and everything is relative, isn't it?

10. Are you doing massive jumps and super phat tricks?
Not a lot (and not always intentionally) but more and more. The beauty is, I can spend hours just "mowing the lawn" -- going up and back and up and back -- and love every second of it.

11. How does it feel to kitesurf?
All in all, the sensation of "taming" two of nature's most powerful forces (wind and water), knowing all the while just how insignificant I am to these elements, is unspeakably enjoyable. Not quite flying, not quite walking on water, but pretty close to both.

For your viewing pleasure, I've posted below some kitesurfing videos (I'm not in them).

A. It almost seems illegal how much fun this guy is having. N.B. He's flying my new kite.

B. And just so you're aware of what it takes to get as good as that guy...

C. I leave you with some footage of which fantasies are made...

battle at kruger

2007-07-09T12:56:00.000+02:00

This "Battle at Kruger" footage is as good as anything you'll see on the National Geographic channel (coincidentally, Mozambique is the "Place of the Week" on the NG website).

Wish I could say I shot it myself in nearby Kruger National Park.

P.S. Seems I'll be staying in Mozambique for another year, extending your chance to visit...

i want to ride my bicycle(s)

2007-06-04T20:31:00.000+02:00

At one point during my bike ride last Saturday morning, I looked up and saw a zebra. True.

In fact, throughout the 33-km Imvelo Challenge mountain bike race that I did in Swaziland over the weekend, I also saw warthogs and impalas. And if I hadn't been so concentrated on the scintillating single-track, the muscle-mashing uphills, the bone-jarring downhills and the magnificent mud everywhere, I might have also seen some kudus, hippos, crocodiles, wildebeests and nyalas that are also at home in the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary.

In addition to the fantastically technical course, the scenery, the 54 kph that I reached down one breakneck descent, and my respectable ninth place finish, my favorite part of the race was the vertical climb down into and then up out of the narrow and winding "Hippo Trail" gorge. Would have been very interesting to meet a hippo in there...

This was probably the most enjoyable two hours and five minutes I've ever raced. Absolutely lovely.

Some of the wildlife... (thanks to Maielle for the pics)

Also, check out the photo of me and friend Amy after a sprint triathlon we did in Durban at the end of April. The race officials were obviously more impressed with the fact that we drove the six hours from Maputo than they were with the fact that my name is not Tim. Maybe I should have put my name on my shirt like Amy did.

Finally, here's me and my shiny new (actually used) road ride! I'm not at all embarrassed to say that I almost slept with it the first night I had it home. Yes, I do now have two bicycles. And yes, some of my possessions do bring me immense pleasure.

kaká for hungry children

2007-05-23T07:58:00.000+02:00

Being a much bigger fan of English football than Italian, you would think I'll be cheering on Liverpool and not AC Milan during this evening's EUFA Champions League final. But when my boy, Kaká, starts dedicating the game to the hungry children of the world, what choice do I have?! I'm a sucker for hungry children.

WORLD’S LEADING FOOTBALLER DEDICATES GAME TO THE CAUSE OF GLOBAL HUNGER

Rome. Kakà, a player widely regarded as the best in world football, has dedicated his participation in the UEFA Champions League Final tomorrow to the cause of hungry children. Kakà combines his role as an attacking midfielder for AC Milan and Brazil, with work as an Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

When he steps out onto the field for AC Milan in their match against Liverpool at the Olympic Stadium in Athens tomorrow evening, Kakà will have just two things on his mind: “Obviously, Wednesday night is all about winning the Champions League trophy for AC Milan,” he said. “But personally, I also want to dedicate my appearance in the Athens final to the cause of hungry children.”

As WFP’s youngest Ambassador Against Hunger, Kakà has used his profile as a successful international sportsman to draw attention to the challenge of addressing global hunger.

“As professional footballers, we are very privileged,” said Kakà as he prepared for the final in Athens. “From time to time we have a chance to help others because of who we are and what we do. I want to use my position as a WFP Ambassador Against Hunger to make more people aware of the challenges of feeding hundreds of millions of hungry children in some of the poorest, least developed parts of the world.”

“It’s an incredible asset to have the world’s best player in the world’s favourite game on our team,” said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran. “Kakà has shown that he can combine the skills and dedication needed to be at the very top of the game with a commitment to a worthy humanitarian cause.”

Kakà’s dedication of the Champions League final follows the decision earlier this year, by Paul Tergat, the world marathon record holder -- and another WFP Ambassador Against Hunger -- to dedicate his participation in the 2007 Flora London Marathon to the cause of hungry children.

# # #

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: on average, each year, we give food to 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs, including 58 million hungry children, in 80 of the world's poorest countries. WFP – We Feed People.

drew something

2007-05-11T14:25:00.000+02:00

Who would have guessed that the kid who kissed E.T. would grow up to advocate for the world's hungry poor? (Then again, who would have guessed that the little grubsnart who threw dirt at a passing car because his brother told him to would grow up to work for the world's hungry poor?)

Welcome aboard, Drew! Check it out.

the politics of an empty stomach

2007-04-16T10:47:00.000+02:00

Not to steal any of Zambia's New York Times thunder, but this excellent recent article about hunger and poverty and health and food aid politics and cash-strapped WFP programmes could just as easily have been written about Mozambique, Zambia's southern African neighbor.

Even as Africa Hungers, Policy Slows Delivery of U.S. Food Aid.
Read it and weep.

(If you object to signing up for a free NYT subscription, which you may have to do to read the above linked article, you can at least check out the photos associated with the article by going to the NYT World page and looking for the "Hunger in Zambia" slide show.)

relatives to buy

2007-04-09T13:07:00.001+02:00

The situation in Zimbabwe is dire, to say the least. Here's an excerpt from a blunt 06 April LA Times article on the subject entitled, "Barely able to live, too poor to die."

A young Bulawayo doctor named Nqobile Ncube said many of those who end up in hospitals have little chance.

"You do your ward rounds and you see a patient," Ncube said. "He's in the same condition as the day before. Why? He's not been given the drugs. He is trying to find relatives to buy the drugs for him.

"You go to the next patient. He's dead. It's written on his card, 'Fluids not available; relatives to buy.' It's just 'relatives to buy, relatives to buy, relatives to buy.' "

Full article here.

a better human(itarian)

2007-04-03T10:46:00.000+02:00

Earning my International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance meant spending the past four weeks studying, working, eating, drinking, dancing, playing, sleeping (and not sleeping) and swimming in Lake Geneva(!) with this crowd.

Thanks to the course directors and faculty and to my 40+ newest friends and colleagues, I feel that not only do I now have a "license to operate" as a humanitarian worker, but I also feel like a better person. Not bad for a modest course fee.

Here's a great little video put together by a fellow classmate. It's obviously geared toward those of us who attended the course, but it'll give you some idea of what we were up to. I even make a few appearances in it, including two shots of me filming myself...

long list

2007-03-25T01:12:00.000+02:00

Wow.

100 dead and over 450 injured from random, uncontrolled explosions at a weapons depot in Maputo due to the heat(?). Watch Reuters video here.
The list of what ails Mozambique just doesn't get any shorter...

HIV/AIDS (as high as 26% in some areas)
Extreme Poverty
Floods
Drought
Cyclones
Earthquakes
Land mines
Hyper-sensitive weapons caches in heavily populated neighborhoods near the Maputo airport

What next?! A blizzard? Heaven forbid.

sasuke - ninja warrior

2007-03-13T13:15:00.000+02:00

I love this kind of thing. The Wiki entry describes the logistics, but the video says it all. Apparently (don't believe everything you read on the www), this guy is a 34 year-old fisherman.

humanitarian this, humanitarian that

2007-03-11T12:27:00.000+02:00

A month is nearly up since my last post, so you had to expect that I'd be back with some bit of trivial drivel to keep this blog legitimate.

In case you weren't aware, I've been busy at work during the past two months responding to floods in the Zambezi River valley of Mozambique as well as to the cyclone that hit the central provinces of Mozambique two and a half weeks ago.

Ah, but I've been sweetly relieved of emergency duties for the month of March by a previously planned training in humanitarian assistance in Geneva. So, here I am in the cool, spring Swiss weather at a chateau just outside Geneva putting some theory behind the work I've been up to in recent months and years. With one full week of lectures, research and group work under my belt, I am nothing but pleased with the course. It's not every month you get to rub elbows with some of the greats in the humanitarian sector (e.g. long-time Under Secretary-General of the UN, Peter Hansen, and the legendary course Director himself, Larry Hollingworth -- nice description and quote about a third of the way down this page -- to name just two!). My classmates are equally interesting people from whom I'm learning a lot, and it's great to have this exceptional opportunity to remind myself why I'm in this field and how I can best contribute.

In the meantime, I'd be remiss if I failed to report that I satisfied my urge to ski last Sunday with a half day of zooming down the slopes in Avoriaz, France. It's been over two years since I last skied and nearly that long since I was last in snow and cold weather. I feel much better now.

the main reason I'm bloghorrific these days

2007-02-12T21:43:00.000+02:00

magically delicious

2007-01-16T10:32:00.000+02:00

Haven't done your good deed for the day yet? Well, here's your chance.

By following the instructions below, you won't help end oppression in the world or find a cure for cancer, but you will feel really good about the fact that even if you can't go to Hawaii, you're giving a young, happy, wholesome couple from Minnesota just that chance!

My long-time buddy, Chris Peterson, who was once the spitting image of Ralphie from A Christmas Story, is one of the Minnesota Vikings' Official Lucky Charms, and an email from you could help him and his lovely wife win a 5-day all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii and the Pro Bowl in February. No kidding.

So, if you're feeling of especially goodwill, send an email from every account you've got to: goodluck@vikings.nfl.net with Lucky Charm #4 - Chris Peterson in the subject line.

Oh yeah, and do this by midnight (US Central Standard Time) of 18 January 2007.

back at it

2007-01-16T09:19:00.000+02:00

My blog holidays have been fun, but the fact that all three of you readers have now issued complaints about grubsnart's barrenness during the past weeks has prompted me back into action.

To begin 2007, and while I further collect my thoughts, I happily point you to a recent post on Scott Adams' consistently interesting Dilbert Blog. Enjoy.

how to eat fried centipedes

2006-11-21T13:41:00.000+02:00

So I'm sitting at lunch today with colleague Celso, minding my own business and bowl of bean soup, when I started to feel a tickle just below my left knee. Recognizing the cool and solid feel of something more substantial than an ant or a fly, I gingerly shook my pants leg to release what I figured must be an errant lizard.

To my surprise, out plopped a wriggling, dragon-looking centipede! It made a hasty escape to the bushes before I or my lunchmate could land a foot on it.

My science teacher Dad (a.k.a. Tarantula Bill) will be very disappointed to know that a few minutes later, as I finished my soup, I spotted the critter climbing a nearby tree and paralyzed fifty of its legs with one swift kick. The other fifty stopped squirming when I smooshed it into the dirt.

Not only did I ruin a perfectly good specimen, I also didn't really manage to properly identify the polypedal myriapod. But, according to the image seared on my brain of what dropped out of my pants, and with verification from my local lunch crowd about the venomous nature of this variety, I'm inclined to think it was the Alipes sp. "Red Feather-tailed" centipede (pictured). It definitely wasn't a Trachycormocephalus or a Scolopendra cingulata. That much I know.

According to this site, the Alipes wanders the savanna/grasslands of East Africa; is aggressive and fast; and has "medically significant venom, for advanced, professional keepers". Unlike Atrax, I didn't wait around to hear the thing hiss or rattle. Sorry, Dad.

hell on earth

2006-11-15T18:06:00.000+02:00

Normally a chipper fellow, I find that following the news really gets me down. Stories like this one, Hundreds of thousands raped in Congo war, leave me astounded that anyone can imagine a supernatural hell worse than the one hundreds of thousands ... millions! of women live everyday.

My head's not clear enough to do the ugly math, but that's roughly the equivalent to the entire population of Hell, Michigan getting raped 1,150 times.

Oh, the humanity.

food for life

2006-11-14T09:25:00.000+02:00

Coming from me, these two recent articles may sound a bit like tooting our own horn, but what is good as food for thought to you and me is food for life to millions of real people.

Food aid: No solution, but better than nothing

Hunger the next big enemy in war on AIDS

come a long way

2006-11-07T16:08:00.000+02:00

Here's a little news piece, similar to last year's, that I came across somewhere or other...

ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR WORLD RECORD MARATHONER AND MILLIONS OF CHILDREN WORLDWIDE

New York – The United Nations World Food Programme warmly congratulated its Ambassador against Hunger, top record holder Paul Tergat, on his performance today in New York where he finished third place in the world’s most prestigious marathon race.

"We congratulate Paul on this wonderful success. He has shown again what a fighter he is, and we salute his humanitarian work on behalf of WFP,” said WFP Executive Director, James Morris.

“Paul fights on behalf of hungry children since he knows firsthand what it means to go to sleep hungry. We could not have a better friend -- Paul is an inspiration for all of us,” said Morris.

Paul Tergat was only eight years old when he started receiving daily free school lunches from WFP in his poor home village in Kenya. Tergat has often said those meals changed his life forever.

“WFP’s school feeding changed my life and the lives of many other young people in Kenya. School feeding gave us the opportunity to attend school, and to grow up so we could contribute to our communities, our country and the world at large,” said Tergat before today’s race.

Since becoming a WFP “Ambassador against Hunger” in 2004, Tergat has used his running career to raise awareness about hungry children worldwide and WFP’s school feeding program. As a hungry child in the drought and poverty-stricken district of Baringo, Kenya, he struggled to walk the three miles to school. School meals – which nourish children while increasing enrolment and attendance - allowed him to continue his education.

Last year, WFP provided school meals to 21 million children in 74 countries.

“There are many millions of children around the world who do not go to school because they do not have enough food. That is just shameful. We need to give them the opportunity to go to school, and to learn more. Remember one thing: education is the key to life. And without education, it's very difficult to make the wise choices which are going to define a child’s life,” Tergat said.

“We are so proud that Paul is our partner and our Ambassador. He is such a humble and good man. Paul’s life story shows that with a little extra help, we can make a huge difference in a child’s life. A daily meal at school from WFP has helped him become what he is today: the fastest marathon runner in the world. He works so hard to help hungry children in Africa and we deeply thank him for that,” said WFP’s Morris.

In 2003 in Berlin, Germany, Tergat became the first man to run the marathon in less than two hours five minutes – a world record still standing three years later. Paul finished Sunday’s race in 2:10:10 hours and earned a bronze medal, making him a contender in the inaugural year of the World Marathon Majors – a new series offering a prize to the top male and female runners in five marathons world-wide.

sunday bloody sunday by w

2006-11-07T10:16:00.000+02:00

Just when I was gettin' all down on humankind, this creative effort reminded me that homo sapiens are actually pretty amazing (and sometimes overly idle) creatures. Thanks to Bauer for sharing.

the worst part of us

2006-11-06T10:59:00.000+02:00

Khalid Adem told the Georgia court that sentenced him to 10 years in prison that he did not cut off his daughter's clitoris when she was two. Every fiber of my being wants to believe him, since genital mutilation (especially female) is near the top of my "worst human behavior" list. It fits in the broader, malicious category of pain, scars and death to another in the name of tradition/religion. Humans can sometimes really suck.

ipod mix 4

2006-10-30T08:27:00.000+02:00

Imagine my delight the other day when I popped in my new iPod Mix 4, a hastily made, random mix of good stuff from L's iPod in New York. By sheer coincidence, I've now got two of my top ten favorite song lyrics on the same CD.

"Gravedigger, when you dig my grave, could you make it shallow, so that I can feel the rain?"
--Dave Matthews Band, Gravedigger. Sample here.

"I could never sleep my way to the top, 'cause my alarm clock always wakes me right up."
--They Might Be Giants, Hey, Mr. DJ, I thought you said we had a deal. Sample here. Also enjoyable is this list of Everything I needed to know I learned by listening to They Might Be Giants.

in my backyard

2006-10-21T10:29:00.000+02:00

Some pics I took last weekend in Kruger National Park in South Africa a few hours from here.

This seaview shot is from my apartment balcony, which, for the record, I consider my front yard.

the dark ages

2006-10-19T17:19:00.000+02:00

I wonder if there was a similar news report of a deadly Hepatitis outbreak in Gemena (DRC) in '87 or '88 when I had Hepatitis A near there. It's less than 20 years ago, but since it was pre-Internet and I can't find anything about it from a cursory Google search, I have this sensation that it occurred hundreds of years ago. There's not much humorous about this wicked virus, but it was pretty cool for the week when my pee looked like Coke.

world food day quiz

2006-10-16T20:30:00.000+02:00

See how you fare (remote pun remotely intended) on the hunger quiz posted by the BBC on the occasion of World Food Day - October 16, 2006. I missed numbers 2 and 8. And I call myself a world food guy!

While I'm at it... for a clever but sobering look at the blight that is hunger, watch this PSA detailing the "No Food" diet. For an equally sobering, but more familiar (if you're into world or American football), check out these spots with Ronaldhino, Freddy Adu and some NFL players.

food force

2006-10-10T15:58:00.000+02:00

I meant to highlight WFP's Food Force video game in one of my earliest posts on this blog over a year ago, but never got around to it. I'm not doing it now just because it's my job to handle press releases like the one below, but also because the game is pretty fun. Download and try it for yourself. And no, WFP doesn't use this as a training or recruitment tool. If it did, there would be about a million highly qualified 11 year-olds vying for my job!

WORLD’S LEADING HUMANITARIAN VIDEO GAME: NOW IN SEVEN LANGUAGES

ROME – This week, the world’s first humanitarian video game -- “Food Force” -- will be available in seven languages following the launch of French, Hungarian and Chinese versions. These will join the Japanese, Italian and Polish editions already available, and the original English game launched in mid-2005.

The games are being released in the lead up to World Food Day, 16 October.

Food Force is an educational computer game created by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to teach children about the problem of hunger and the importance of humanitarian aid work. The game, which is targeted at children aged 8 to 13, is available as a free download from www.food-force.com.

“Food Force is clear evidence that with the right medium, an issue as invisible and distant as hunger in the developing world can trigger interest and support in countries where too much food is the high profile problem today,” said Neil Gallagher, WFP’s Director of Communications. “Positive reactions from children, teachers, parents, game specialists around the world have surpassed all our expectations. We are thrilled that Food Force has crossed so many borders.”

The English, Japanese, Italian and Polish versions, which were launched over the past 18 months, have totalled over 4.5 million downloads to date, making Food Force a major success story in the educational gaming sector.

All Food Force language versions have been made possible through donations from game industry leaders and international organisations. The French game was supported by the computer and video game publisher Ubisoft, and will be launched in Paris on 15 October. The Hungarian version, which will be launched in Budapest on 13 October, has been financed by the European Commission’s development agency, ECHO. The Chinese Food Force, which was built on a pro-bono basis by one of China’s leading media companies, Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, will be presented to the public on 19 October.

# # #

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: each year, we give food to an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs, including 58 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the world's poorest countries. WFP -- We Feed People.

WFP Global School Feeding Campaign – For just 19 US cents a day, you can help WFP give children in poor countries a healthy meal at school – a gift of hope for a brighter future.

azerty love

2006-10-04T18:22:00.000+02:00

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The French girl next to ,e is video skyping her good)looking boyfriend; Qlejqndro; zho is
trying zith qll his chqr, to convince her to visit hi, in Spqin: Their co,,on lqnguqge is English; though itùs no doubt qn azerty version:

Iù, off noz to eqt q crepe qnd ,eqnder qround la Tour Eiffel: A bientot, mes amis.

it's all about phalanGes these days

2006-09-20T15:09:00.000+02:00

The doc who wiggled and pulled my left big toe didn't put it like this, but my radiologist buddy confirmed that there's an "intra-articular fracture of the distal medial aspect of the proximal
phalanx of the left great toe." I'm sure you agree.

I broke my toe. Not while kitesurfing or playing soccer. Not in an amazing bike crash or difficult yoga pose. It was art that broke my toe. Literally.

Last Thursday morning one of L's small framed paintings slipped from my hands as I carried it downstairs to be packed for my move. True to a long-held fear, my footballer's instinct to slow falling objects by "trapping" them with an extended foot finally manifested why this is such a bad habit. The initial pain of the impact on my bare left foot was blinding. Even so, I didn't think it was broken for the first few days, nor did Dr. Wiggle-It when he probed it on Monday, but the x-ray is pretty clear, even in bad lighting.

Except for kitesurfing this Saturday and walking around New York for the next two weeks, I plan to keep the toe as immobile as possible, elevating it often and rubbing it gingerly with pain and swell-reducing creams. I have Dr.'s orders to wear sandals all the time, which is appropriate since the summer is heating up nicely here in the southern hemisphere. Maybe I'll rent a wheelchair for L to push me around New York in...

And before you get your undies in a bundle, the painting landed face-up and suffered no injury. Grateful for your concern.

gettin' around

2006-09-15T06:34:00.000+02:00

See the pretty pictures of places I've been. There was a time when my countries surpassed my states, but now it seems I've got only 25 of the former and 40 of the latter.

Admittedly, several of the states and countries were pass-through experiences of less than 24 hours, but I usually tried to take note of something interesting that happened in each place. For instance, when L and I drove through New England in a day, we made a point of stopping in each state - I even bought a jacket at the outlet mall just across the border in Maine. And how can I forget the old man that talked my ear off about how unhealthy McD's is while we ate breakfast at a McD's in OK during my Greyhound trip from TX to WI? Notably, the border guard between Peru and Bolivia tried to get my last $20 by insisting there is a "fee" for staying in Bolivia for less than 24 hours. And so on.

create your own visited states map

Not sure why, but I'd really like FL to be the last state I visit.

create your own visited countries map

Will add two more countries by the end of the year, but that's getting ahead of myself. Please do note, however, that Monaco and Vatican City are so on my map.

marking their territory

2006-09-13T14:48:00.000+02:00

I'm such a sucker for news that involves wild animals. Fortunately for me, I live in Mozambique where the animals are as wild as they come, and human-animal interactions are commonplace in the forms of eating people's crops and adrenalizing trips to water sources. It now seems some elephants are dissatisfied with the arbritrary political delineations chosen by the colonials, and they mean to rectify the situation. Read on.

MOZAMBIQUE AND ZIMBABWE MARK THEIR BORDER

Maputo, 12 Sep (AIM) - Technical commissions of Mozambique and Zimbabwe are to work together to put back in place two border marks between the two countries, which have been moved from their corrrect position, reports Tuesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".

To this end, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding in the town of Songo, in the western Mozambican province of Tete on Sunday. Working in the field, technicians from both sides found that two of the marks along the stretch between Pafuri and the Save river have been moved from their exact points.

They believe that this is the result of natural causes, such as rains or erosion, or of large wild animals, such as elephants.

One of the marks has shifted two metres inside Zimbabwe, and the second five metres, also inside Zimbabwe. The two commissions also found that there are not, as yet, any conflicts resulting from the building of infrastructures or the opening of fields in the area where the marks have been moved from their original positions, because the area covered by these two marks is not inhabited.

The two teams also agreed to add some extra border marks where the distance between the existing ones is too long. The Mozambican commission includes technical staff from the
Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Interior, Justice, Finance and Agriculture.
(AIM)

simple-minded justification

2006-09-11T15:02:00.000+02:00

On my way to work this morning, I thought about my cherished (Mitsubishi Pajero) "Jack" in this sense... Sure, it's nice to have a 4x4 (cool-sounding term for an SUV) for weekend trips to the beach and for any rainy season travel outside Mozambique’s urban areas, but my justification for owning this rough 'n' tough machine crystallized the third time my perfectly new CD skipped between my house and work -- as long as my commute contains terrain rough enough to interrupt my tunes, I'll feel good about owning and using this gas-guzzler.

the other day

2006-09-06T23:13:00.000+02:00

The other day I was driving in downtown Maputo behind a guy on a scooter who was behind a closed-bed Toyoto pick-up. Stopped at a traffic light, I glanced up to see the guy on the scooter grab a fistful of shirt of the thief running by him. Desparation won the tug-of-war as the thief managed a panicked escape, short several buttons. Seems he had reached in and snagged something from the open passenger window of the Toyota. Major kudos to the scooterman, not only for living my motorized dream, but also for attempting to thwart some of the bastardity of humankind. If he'd succeeded, the other day would have been a dark one for the opportunist living in a culture that treats thieves with all due pain and humiliation, before handing them over to the police.

And with this story, I avoid going over a month between posts, while, at the same time, coming full circle on my first year of blogging. So be it.

freak olympics

2006-08-06T13:26:00.000+02:00

This tongue-in-cheek suggestion to official-ize a "Freak Olympics" certainly seems like the next logical step. Considering the success of its undeniable predecessor, it's amazing the bewildered financiers of American entertainment haven't yet demanded an openly drug-enhanced sports extravaganza to further dull our senses. Shame and denial could be a thing of the past!

congo can make it

2006-07-28T11:21:00.000+02:00

If you're as exasperated with frickin' professional sports these days as I am, then let's think about something else.

On Sunday, 32 candidates (now that's what I call a democratic election!) will duke it out in the DR Congo's first-ever presidential election. Those of us who are interested (including Kate and Ingrid, whose blogs I just found today) await and hope that Congo can make it.

UN Mission to Congo's deputy, Ross Johnson, reiterates the importance of a long-term commitment to the country. "I'd like to hope that the international community will see the value of sustaining this investment (in Congo)... Peacekeeping may be expensive, but try war, it's a lot more expensive."

He also points out the risk that if the humanitarian community withdraws or scales back in the Congo too soon, the country could slide back into conflict. A 1998-2003 war had already killed an estimated 4 million people through violence, disease and hunger.

For reference , 25 lovely US states have a population of less then 4,000,000. Think we'd miss any of them?

what he said

2006-07-25T07:29:00.000+02:00

I'm in full agreement with what my buddy, Jim, wrote about this year's Tour. I'll just add another photo of the guys.

remarkable ride

2006-07-21T08:41:00.000+02:00

As you may know, I was looking forward to Stage 17 of the Tour de France because the course ran through Albertville where I once lived.

Per the live updates that I followed during the day yesterday, I knew Albertville would be an afterthought, as American Floyd Landis tore up the course and pulled himself back into contention to win the entire race. What an amazing way to get his first-ever stage win in the most grueling bicycle race in the world (after RAAM, of course...which reminds me that I need to do a post about my friend doing RAAM last year).

This post-Lance Tour has been great. It ends in Paris on Sunday, so catch the final exciting days if you can.

both photos from www.letour.fr

why bush should swear more

2006-07-20T12:59:00.000+02:00

I generally steer clear of politics in this blog and, whenever possible, in life, but this article on Slate about the US President's little cuss is quite good.

Thanks to Lil' Boobs for sharing. No, I do not have a link to Lil' Boobs...

countdown in congo

2006-07-19T00:27:00.000+02:00

This UN-initiated website contains everything you always wanted to know, and some that you perhaps didn't, about the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly known as Zaire, and even more formerly as the Belgian Congo) .

From the site's intro: On 30 July, the Democratic Republic of the Congo will democratically elect a new government for the first time in 45 years. This special page provides you with an insight into one of Africa's largest countries; a place of poverty amid natural riches, haunted by conflicts but filled with life and hope.

le tour de pierre

2006-07-18T13:21:00.000+02:00

The Tour de France's 17th and 18th stages will have the riders zooming through two places where I've lived.

On Thursday, July 20th, the peloton will ride through Albertville, the little alpine town where my family lived in 1985-1986. And as much of an impact as we made on the place, it is rather better known for hosting the 1992 Winter Olympics. Either way, it was clear during my only other visit to the ville in 2002 that it hasn't changed much from the quaint and pretty place I remember.

The road the TdF riders are likely to take through town runs within sight of our former fourth floor (troisième étage) apartment. It's a main drag that my brother and I rode our bikes on many times. In fact, I've got some great memories and a couple scars from the pavement there. Like from the time I wiped out on my way to school.

Picture a ten year-old on his small-framed, 3-speed sprinting ahead of his two "rivals" in order to be the first over the final sprint checkpoint. One second I was flying past them, and the next, I was face down in the loose sand that spoiled my sprint. Unfortunately for me, my closest rival was too close behind to avoid using my fallen bicycle as a guardrail over which he launched himself in a nearly identical plunge. The scrapes I'd already self-inflicted were enhanced when my friend landed directly on top of me, our bikes in a tangled heap behind us. Like an Australian speed skater, my brother calmly rode up to our pathetic pile and let me ride his bike the rest of the way to school while he dragged my crumpled heap with its bent rear rim. What are big brothers for if not to feel sorry for you for pain they didn't inflict?

On Friday, July 21st, the TdF leaves the Alps and buzzes along the southeastern edge of Geneva, where Leah and I lived in 2003. The route, at Gaillard and Annemasse, passes within a few hundred meters of our former 10th floor balcony. I don't have a good bicycle crash story here, but I frequently rode my (non-motorized) scooter across the Gaillard border between Switzerland and France to buy groceries and get my hair cut.

If you've read this far, then I reward you with a tip on one of the world wide web's greatest features, Google Earth. Download it (for free, and get the Beta Version 4) and then click to view the Tour de France routes using Google Earth. This way you can see the places I wrote about above. Enjoy.

zidane lives long

2006-07-13T21:03:00.000+02:00

I am now completely over Zidane's bone-headed head-butt of Marco Materazzi in the World Cup final last Sunday.

All things considered, Zidane is the most phenomenal footballer of the last 10 years, he deserves his World Cup 2006 golden ball award, Italy won the World Cup, and the whole thing is, sad to say, over.

Now that I'm ready to comment on the incident, there seems to be no need. Plenty of smart and stupid things have been written about it in the last few days. Nobody with any sense really thinks this non-sensical act will tarnish Zidane's stellar career, and most people still adore him -- perhaps even more now that it's clear he's actually human. The creative reactions of the masses have been funny, hilarious, LOL, ridiculou s, catchy and downright fun (my personal record is 3,520 red cards...).

The question about what Materazzi said to provoke Zizou is interesting tabloid fodder but entirely irrelevant (maybe that last part is redundant). Nothing, nope, not even a jibe about 'yo mama', merits such a foolish reaction. Don't get me wrong, I can think of dozens of situations in which head-butting someone would be appropriate. But then and there was not one of them. Zidane simply lost his head for about 3 seconds. That's it. Sport brings out the best and worst in people. Two of my most enraged moments in life occurred on soccer fields... football pitches, if you will. But those are stories for another post. This one's about Zidane's out-rage-ous indiscretion.

Last night in his interview, Zidane apologized to the people who may have seen the incident (um, that covers about one sixth of the world, maybe half by now) and talked us through the episode. But he clearly hasn't fully owned up to his mistake, apparent by his use of the "he started it" excuse. He's sorry he might have offended, but not for doing it. Pretty classic non-apology really.

All done and said, who cares? No one lost a limb, the two will probably kiss and make up someday, France did not lose the World Cup because of this, and Zizou can retire in wealth and peace knowing that he "defended" his family's "honor" and gave years of joy to his fans.

As for me, I have to agree with the head-buttee, Marco Materazzi, "Zidane was always my hero. I admire him greatly."

the olden todays

2006-07-13T11:29:00.000+02:00

Sometimes when I read about development in Mozambique, I feel like I'm listening to my grandparents' stories about growing up in the US Midwest 80-90 years ago.

MORE FUNDS FOR RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

Maputo, 12 Jul (AIM) - Norway and Sweden have signed an agreement of "delegated cooperation" whereby Norway will provide additional funds for rural electrification in the central Mozambican provinces of Sofala, Manica and Tete, through a project in which Sweden plays the leading role.

The Mozambican and Swedish authorities had signed an agreement on this project in 2004, under which Sweden provided 174 million Swedish crowns (24 million US dollars). According to a Tuesday press release from the Norwegian embassy, the additional funds pledged by Norway amount to 50 million Norwegian crowns (8.2 million dollars).

The extra funds will be used to rehabilitate the transmission line between Tete city and the coal-mining district of Moatize, to upgrade power supply on the outskirts of Chimoio, capital of Manica province, to extend the transmission lines in the Manica district of Barue, and to build a new line between the towns of Chemba and Sena in Sofala.

The project, scheduled to last for a further three years, will be implemented by the publicly-owned electricity company, EDM, and the electricity used will come from the national grid based on the Cahora Bassa dam on the Zambezi.

where is Mr. Yuck when you need him?

2006-07-12T11:59:00.000+02:00

Update of post, 20 July 2006:

Also from Mozambique's official news source (and a cheeky reporter):

FATAL LIQUID WAS METHANOL

Maputo, 19 Jul (AIM) - Laboratory analysis has shown that the liquid that killed ten people and blinded five others in June in the central Mozambican province of Zambezia was methanol (also known as methyl alcohol, or wood alcohol), reports Wednesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".

Fishermen from the islands of Dogoro and Naputa, in the district of Pebane, found the methanol in two drums floating in the Mozambique Channel, where they must have been dumped by a passing ship. They dragged them ashore, opened them, and deduced from the smell that this was an alcoholic liquid. It was 25 June, Mozambican independence day, and so the fishermen decided to add the unknown intoxicant to their local celebrations.

Methanol has many uses - as an antifreeze, a solvent, or a fuel, for instance - but it happens to be highly poisonous. When it reaches the human liver, it breaks down, producing formic acid and formaldehyde. The latter destroys the optic nerve, causing blindness.

Some members of the local community advised against drinking something which had been fished out of the sea. They made the eminently sensible suggestion that advice should be sought from a teacher or a government official. Those who advised caution were shouted down. Their opponents argued that the teacher would bring along all his friends to consume the "free drink", thus leaving less for them.

On this occasion greed proved literally fatal. For there are no health units on these remote islands. When the drinkers began to show signs of poisoning, help was sent for - but it took four days to reach a health post and bring nurses to the islands. By that time nine people had died. The nurses immediately ordered the evacuation to Pebane town of 46 others who had serious eye problems. The majority recovered their sight - but, despite treatment in the hospital in the provincial capital, Quelimane, in five victims the blindness was irreversible.

It seems that the difference between life and death in this case was whether or not the fishermen diluted the methanol. Some added water to the methanol, others mixed it with locally made spirits (distilled from fruits or cane) - but some drank it neat.

Those who died were apparently from this group. Islanders who spoke with "Noticias" complained that if the nurses had arrived earlier, lives would have been saved. However, the Pebane district health director, Noe Massango, said that the health team arrived late, because the information reached Pebane town late. Such is the state of communications in this part of Mozambique. (AIM)

**************************************************

From Mozambique's official news source:

UNKNOWN LIQUID KILLS NINE, BLINDS FIVE

Maputo, 11 Jul (AIM) - Nine people died and five have been blinded after drinking an as yet unidentified liquid found in containers floating in the high sea, off the coast of Pebane district of Pebane, in the central Mozambican province of Zambezia.

The case occurred on 25 June when a group of fishermen found two drums each containing 200 litres of the liquid floating in the sea. They dragged the drums ashore to the island of Drogo, where they opened them, and discovered something which, from its smell, was clearly alcoholic.

25 June is Mozambique's independence day: and so the fishermen and their community decided to celebrate by drinking the contents of the drums. By the time the local government was notified, nine people had already died, and the health authorities launched a campaign to encourage all those who had drunk the liquid to come forward for treatment disintoxication.

Mobile health brigades were sent to Drogo island, and samples of the liquid they collected have been sent for laboratory analysis. Zambezia provincial Health director Veronica de Deus, cited in Tuesday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias", said that 52 people were blinded after they ingested the liquid. 47 of them recovered their sight after treatment in the Pebane local hospital. But in the other five cases, the blindness seems permanent. Three were referred to the hospital in the provincial capital, Quelimane, but after failed attempts to cure them they were discharged.

The health authorities have warned communities against consuming anything that has been dumped at sea and then washed ashore. Although the liquid has not yet been identified, from its effects it would seem to be some form of industrial alcohol that the crew of a passing ship threw into the Mozambique Channel. Zambezia provincial governor Carvalho Muaria visited Pebane on Monday to present the government's condolences to the relatives of the victims.
(AIM)

zizou to speak

2006-07-12T11:22:00.000+02:00

It's been an emotional roller coaster for me the last few days since the head-butt. (Have I mentioned that I love this game?) In fact, like for much of the world, the butt has overshadowed the outcome of the game/Cup for me. I would have been over the fact that France lost within a day or so. Getting over the disppointment in a hero has taken me longer.

Zidane means to speak about the incident tonight. I'm all ears.

viva italia!!

2006-07-09T23:43:00.000+02:00

This belongs to Italy for the next four years. Congrats to the Azzurri!

N.B. I simply have no comment yet on Zidane's butt-headed head-butt. I'm still in schock and horror... Mais pourquoi?! Mais pourquoi!?!

jumping for joy

2006-07-08T19:24:00.000+02:00

While waiting for today's third/fourth place game between Germany and Portugal and tomorrow's FINAL between Italy and France, thought I'd share the strangest photo I've seen so far during this World Cup.

Italy's coach and goalie are jumping for joy somewhere in the vicinity of the defeated Ballack from Germany.

fine art

2006-07-04T12:49:00.000+02:00

All this recent sports viewing has not dilluted my taste for the even finer things in life. For instance, Leah's updated website is about the best thing on the internet these days.

But not even the prettiest arrangement of pixels can capture the dynamism of her work, so I highly recommend you make an effort to get to a vantage point where you can smell the oil medium, "feel" the texture of the watercolor paper, "taste" the cadmium red swirls and see the sheen of enamel on mylar. The experience of being near her work (and if you're lucky, her) is terrific.

In New York, you can see it at her upcoming shows. In the Detroit area, she's featured at Biddle Gallery. Otherwise, come visit me and I'll show you what I've got on my walls.

le tour

2006-07-03T21:16:00.000+02:00

Just because I'm in the midst of my quadrennial sports nirvana, doesn't mean I haven't noticed that the Tour de France is in full force. Indeed, since the World Cup is now allowing me a few days between games, I'm able to catch a two-hour recap of the day's race while I blog. Not even a last-minute drug scandal that removed several of the favorites* can diminish the excitement of this great race.

Have I mentioned that I love South Africa's greatest invention - SuperSport - all 8 channels of it? SuperSport wisely broadcasts live commentary by Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwin, the dynamic duo of cycling commentators. They are as entertaining as ever, and if just listening to them isn't enough, try this PnP Bingo game.

Vive le Tour.

*N.B. Lance did not drop out due to the drug scandal. Um, in case you've been asleep for the last year, he retired after seven straight victories of the Tour. Here's a gratuitous shot of The Man.

Zizou

2006-07-02T06:59:00.000+02:00

Update on this post:

Enjoyed this quote from Zidane's playmate, Frank Ribery, concerning the maestro's performance against Brazil:

"That was just typical Zidane; it didn't impress me any more than that. The only difference was this time I was next to him on the pitch. And I can assure you he does everything a lot quicker in real life than on TV."

Two enthralling matches on Saturday, but Zinedine Zidane's (aka Zizou) sublime performance against Brazil was the individual highlight of the tournament so far. The French press have led the exaltations, so there's not much for me to add, except, Vive Zizou! Vive la France!

Have I mentioned that I love this game?

o fenômeno

2006-06-27T23:17:00.000+02:00

Was thrilled tonight to watch Ronaldo make history with his record-breaking fifteenth World Cup goal! He warmed the bench in 1994, dazzled in 1998 and starred in 2002. He's heavier and slower than his former self, but "The Phenomenon" still has a nose for the goal. With Brazil still favorites to play (and win) three more games in 2006, he's got time to extend his well-deserved record. All the photos are of today's goal, in case you're wondering, and can be seen here.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLl!!!!!!!!

2006-06-25T11:32:00.000+02:00

Maxi Rodriguez' goal last night to beat Mexico in overtime is the goal of the tournament so far. Brilliant for its timing in the match and sublime execution. Futbol commentator Andres Cantor is probably still screaming.

text message SOS from hungry refugee

2006-06-23T10:05:00.000+02:00

Interesting case and commentary on the use of ICTs in poor and turmoiled Africa.

UN News Service (New York)
June 22, 2006

The mobile phone bleeped twice. The text message was short: we are hungry, you must help. The recipient: the London office of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). The sender: a Somali primary school teacher in an arid refugee camp in Kenya who fled violence in his homeland as a boy 15 years ago...

Read the rest of the story here.

not only England cries

2006-06-21T15:43:00.000+02:00

The news that Michael Owen is out of the Cup after wickedly twisting his knee in last night's entertaining 2-2 tie with Sweden is not just sad for English fans. The kid who dazzled in 1998 has since proven to be a prolific striker for club and country, a class act soccer player (footballer, as it were) and an all-around nice guy. It's a cryin' shame to see him out of action. Here's to a speedy recovery.

P.S. I've decided that reaching arbitrary ages like 21, 30, 40, etc. is not what will make me "feel old." Instead, it'll be when I'm older than every player in the World Cup. If we keep getting the occasional Roger Milla (Cameroon legend) in the tourney, then I've got well over a decade of "feeling young" left.

at the UN, how we envy the World Cup

2006-06-21T14:29:00.000+02:00

My boss (many times removed) offers this quite eloquent and wishful comparison of the World Cup and the United Nations.

How We Envy the World Cup
By Kofi A. Annan

"You may wonder what a Secretary-General of the United Nations is doing writing about football. But in fact, the World Cup makes us in the UN green with envy. As the pinnacle of the only truly global game, played in every country by every race and religion, it is one of the few phenomena as universal as the United Nations. You could even say it’s more universal. FIFA has 207 members; we have only 191.

But there are far better reasons to be envious..."

Read the rest here.

keep your pants on, Ricky

2006-06-20T13:13:00.000+02:00

Portugal goalkeeper Ricardo on his decision to remove his gloves during Portugal's win over England on penalties during UEFA EURO 2004: "That wasn't something planned, it was totally spontaneous. But for the team to qualify I would even take my trousers off!"

(text swiped from here, photo from here)

so much for being a millionaire anymore

2006-06-20T09:47:00.000+02:00

Here's an official news report about the upcoming introduction of Mozambique's "new" currency. This oughta be fun!

AIM NEWS CAST, MONDAY 19/6/2006

SAMORA MACHEL RETURNS TO MOZAMBICAN BANKNOTES

Maputo, 19 Jun (AIM) - The Bank of Mozambique has decided to put the face of the man who led the country to independence, and was Mozambique's first President, Samora Machel, on the new banknotes that will come into circulation on 1 July.

These notes are part of the currency reform whereby the national currency, the metical, will lose three digits. Thus the current 1,000 metical coin will be worth one metical "of the new family", as the central bank designates the new notes and coins. The largest existing banknote, for 500,000 meticais becomes worth 500 "new family" meticais.

This is a simple operation of dividing by a thousand, and the central bank and the government both insist that lopping the last three zeros off the notes and coins is not equivalent to introducing a new currency.

At current exchange rates, there are about 25,000 old meticais, and hence 25 "new family" meticais, to the US dollar. The governor of the Bank of Mozambique, Adriano Maleiane, unveiled the new notes on Friday. There are six of them, with the face value of 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20 meticais.

All the notes bear the face of Samora Machel. The last time Machel's face was seen on banknotes was in the mid-1980s, on the 5,000 metical note. At that time, prior to the massive devaluations of the currency of the late 1980s and early 1990s, this was the highest denomination note - but it has long since disappeared from circulation.

Many will regard it as deeply appropriate that, in this year, which marks the 20th anniversary of his death, the face of the founder of the Republic reappears on the national currency. No living person is shown on any of the notes, which also carry images of the country's wildlife. Unlike the present notes, the new ones do not show the national emblem - the emblem is a subject of some controversy because opposition parties object to the inclusion in the emblem of a gun (an AK-47 rifle).

The new coins have the face value of 10, five, two and one metical. There are also smaller coins for 50, 20, 10, five and one centavos (the metical has always been divided into 100 centavos, but with calculations in recent years done in the millions and billions of meticais, nobody has bothered much about centavos). The coins are all circular, with the exception of the one metical coin, which is heptagonal.

On all notes and coins, the name of the country, "Republic of Mozambique", has been replaced with the name of the issuing authority, "Bank of Mozambique". Asked about this change and the omission of the emblem, Maleiane simply pointed out that the central bank has never been under any obligation to put the national emblem or the name of the country on the banknotes.

The old banknotes and coins are not being withdrawn immediately from circulation. Between 1 July and 31 December both the old and the new notes and coins will be legal tender, and all shops and services must display their prices in both old and new meticais. But since the banks will only be issuing their clients with new notes and coins, it is expected that these will soon come to dominate the economy.

As from 1 January 2007, the old notes and coins can no longer be used in transactions - but during the ensuing year they can be changed for new meticais at any bank. As from 2008, however, anyone who still has the old notes can only change them for new ones at the Bank of Mozambique itself.

The new notes were launched on the 26th anniversary of the replacement of the colonial currency, the escudo, by the metical, on 16 June 1980. Maleiane took the opportunity to urged Mozambicans to conserve banknotes properly. He pointed out that the central bank spends about two million dollars a year in printing new notes to replace ones that have been damaged or destroyed. "That's a lot of money for a poor country like ours", he said.

He thought that, with the new notes, the replacement costs could be halved. This is partly because more coins are likely to be used in transactions, and partly because the new notes are of better quality than the old ones. Maleiane added that the use of modern technology also made the notes safer: he believed they would prove very difficult to forge.

(AIM)

Quick fixes are not enough

2006-06-20T09:06:00.000+02:00

Here's a very interesting commentary on food aid and development in Africa in the Guardian Unlimited. The comments following are worth reading too.

In related matters, Mozambican President, Armando Guebuza, recently offered some inspiration during a 'pep rally' in southern Mozambique.

(AIM) NO-ONE WAS BORN TO BE POOR - GUEBUZA

Maputo, 7 Jun (AIM) - Nobody in Mozambique, or indeed the world was born destined to be poor, declared President Armando Guebuza on Wednesday.

He told a rally in Machava, a suburb of the city of Matola, at the end of a four day official visit to Maputo province that poverty is an evil that derives from the weaknesses of all Mozambicans in terms of production. He stressed that, with the immense natural resources that it possesses, Mozambique should, in principle, be able to produce everything that it needs, but did not because of poverty.

Taking issues as drought and water shortages as his example, Guebuza said it was time Mozambicans stopped watching the available water drift past them, unable to use it, when the country possesses people with the knowledge and skills needed to retain the water. "It doesn't make sense that today we have the knowledge to forecast the weather, and we have the techniques to increase production, yet we remain poor", he added.

Guebuza declared that doctors don't use their diplomas to cure patients - they use the knowledge they have acquired. "To eliminate poverty we must put our knowledge into practice", he said. But to end poverty, the President continued, it was first necessary to believe that it could be ended. The solution would not drop from the heavens either - it was necessary to work for it.

"Luck never comes to us - we must know how to look for it, in order to stop living off alms", he said. There were enemies to be combatted en route - these, he said, included corruption, whereby state resources were diverted to fill the pockets of a few individuals, and the red tape and apathy found in offices that ought to be attending to the needs of the public. While such problems persisted, the fight against poverty would not advance, warned Guebuza.

Matola citizens attending the rally complained to the President about crime in their city, the state of the roads, the unemployment facing even well-educated people, discrimination
practiced by banks in granting loans, and low wages for teachers, among many other problems. In response, Guebuza said Mozambicans should work collectively for development, without discriminating against anyone, and nobody should imagine that they can solve problems on their own.

As for unemployment, which some people pointed to as the root cause of crime, Guebuza said that all those who were without a job, before turning to crime, should ask if they had really exhausted all possibilities of employment, including working the land. "Production frees the people", Guebuza declared.
(AIM)

el niño

2006-06-19T23:41:00.000+02:00

Too early to tell if Spain will achieve beyond their normal selves in this World Cup, but they're certainly impressive so far. Not leastly, 22 year-old striker, Fernando Torres (aka El Niño), who is loving his well-deserved ranking as current top scorer in the Cup with three to his name. In honor of his three goals and his early brilliance, I post my top three favorite Torres photos so far.

(photos all from www.fifaworldcup.com)

at long last!

2006-06-09T18:09:00.000+02:00

FIFA World Cup 2006

while I was sleeping

2006-04-06T12:01:00.000+02:00

It's not really an excuse for not blogging more regularly, but I've found that having my laptop stolen makes me many times less likely/able to communicate with the outside world.

Indeed, I had a break-in last Thur. around 3am. I was sleeping soundly upstairs, and my guard was sleeping soundly at the front of the house. A couple scroungers climbed up the short wall at the side of our house between ours and the neighbor's yards, hopped up on our veranda and proceeded to break one bar of the window grate at the weld point (see photo). They then bent the bar up, creating just enough space for a person to squeeze into our living room where pretty much all our valuables were sitting in plain sight.

I imagine that only one person came inside and he handed stuff out to the, at least, three others in the group. They managed to snipe our laptop, DVD player and satellite TV controller box, plus the remote controls for the DVD, TV and satellite TV controller.

My unarmed guard, using his dormant extra-sensory receptors, woke up at some point, went to the side of the house and saw the klepto bastards (pardon begged for sensitive readers). He started yelling and they all fled with their loot.

Still sleeping soundly to the whir of my AC, I was unaware of the events in my living room until my guard entered my otherwise securely locked house through the same window that the thieves had used (our doorbell was fried in a recent power surge...another story for another time). He woke me from my sweet dreams so I could start my nightmare.

I surveyed the scene, cursed many times, talked to my guard and the growing crowd of neighbors and cursed again. It seems being robbed and then woken up at 3:15am is what it takes to get me to swear up a storm... Who knew?

I called the police at 3:30. And again at 4:00. And again at 5:00. And again at 6:30, this time berating the operator for waking him up four times during his early morning shift. He eventually confided in me that they couldn't send a squad to investigate because they had no fuel for their car. Unsurprised, but still pissed, I demanded his name and to speak to his supervisor. He wisely and cheekily told me his name was "Police" and that his supervisor would only be in at 7:30.

Eventually, a colleague brought a community police officer friend of his to my house for details. It's said that this guy knows all the thieves in the surrounding neighborhoods. He has a reputation for recovering stolen goods and for unmentionable brutality to perpetrators (and potential perpetrators). Just the man I want on the job.

The regular police also eventually sent an officer for details after I had been to the station, and after they had bought fuel for the car. Later that evening, I went back to the station to sign the triplicate copies of my typed up (yes, with a typewriter and carbon paper) report. I ended up signing the report by the glow of my car's dome light, since the police station had no electricity. They ran out of electricity credits and didn't have money for more... I'm supposed to call them in a week to see if they have any news. For the record, we have no theft insurance.

So, as you can imagine, I was/am quite upset about the break-in and the loss, especially of the laptop, which is my veritable lifeline to a big part of my life. Even so, there are a couple threads of silver lining in this event to which I'm holding dearly. Sure, I've been doused with a bit of reality but I didn't win the $500 Breakfast Optimists Club scholarship for nothing.

First, the "they don't deserve the hands they have" thieves (call me a nice guy, but not a pacifist) were unarmed and made no threat to my or my guard's person.

Second, my guard woke up.

Third, my guard woke up just before the robbers, may they rest in turmoil, got away with my modem and my laptop bag, which contained my digital camera and an obscene amount of local cash that I would have spent on plane tickets the day before had the airline's computer system been up and running (another story for another time). They literally ditched these last items outside the house on the veranda. Note in the photo that they also missed my Mac wireless router, several of Leah's paintings and six seasons of Seinfeld! Idiots.

Fourth, the sheister heisters also left behind the laptop power cord, without which the computer will last about 3 minutes. I figure it won't be until the computer makes it to Zimbabwe or Maputo before someone will find the right Toshiba power cord for it.

Finally, I'm particularly glad Leah wasn't here when this happened. Glad she's safe in that big, scary city of New York.

I'm now reinforcing the window grates and moving to a very expensive armed guard service, which purports to provide insurance for stolen items. There you have it: the good (see silver lining above), the bad (my short-timer guard), and the ugly (the bunch of brazen bandits).

Maputo to Beira road trip (part last)

2006-03-15T23:04:00.000+02:00

As promised, here are more photos from my trip to and from Maputo last month.

my sweet, new ride

I braved the crocodile warnings (serious) and went down to the Save River to collect a sample for my water collection. I'm slightly left of center in the photo.

no crocs in sight . . . anything for a water sample

came back with my sample and all my limbs

no electricity, no problem. just put a handle on the gas pump and crank away

some friendly faces at the gas station

one of these kids is not like the others...

quakes, take two and three

2006-03-15T22:33:00.000+02:00

Today's quakes here in central Mozambique were lesser on all counts, but if this keeps up, Mozambique is going to get a bad reputation for natural disasters...

Mozambique: Further Aftershocks Felt

We felt the second tremor here in Beira, which was significantly smaller and shorter than the (now downgraded) 7.0 that we felt a few weeks ago. There are no reports of damages or injuries. Most people thought it was a passing bus while some others claim it was the new and improved vibrate mode on their cell phone. This type of humor is quite common here where people are used to natural and human disturbances over which they have no control and little recourse.

Here's a map where having the biggest dot isn't a good thing.

Maputo to Beira road trip (part one)

2006-03-08T23:03:00.000+02:00

A couple weeks ago, I flew to Maputo to pick up our "new" car. This is a first installment of some of what I saw along the way.

Beira from the air. The Pungue River empties into the Indian Ocean here.

Our house is in the red circle. The mid-town golf course (flooded at present) is toward the center of the photo, with downtown Beira further up along the river. The port, Mozambique's busiest, is along the river in the top right. Click to enlarge the image.

About halfway along the 15-17 hour drive between Maputo and Beira is the resort town of Vilanculos. Known for it's beaches and South African tourists, I can confirm that both are nice and accessible. Vilanculos is also the main access point to the famed Bazaruto Archipelago. I didn't get there this time around.

...in case you wondered what that white sand and blue water was, they've even labeled it for you in some places.

moz earthquake, parting shot

2006-03-04T11:32:00.000+02:00

A final post here about last week's Mozambique earthquake, now measured as a 7.0 on the Richter Scale. These things only happen every 100 years here (hopefully), so bear with me if I seem fixated on this moving event.

Perhaps I'm fixated because the relief response to this quake is part of my job. In fact, last weekend I got a chance to visit the area near the epicenter in Espungabera, a small district capitol near the border with Zimbabwe. Being as remote as it is, I was impressed with how lively and well-structured the little town is.

The town itself suffered very little damage, but I took a few shots of houses that were rattled and partially damaged.

According to people we spoke with, including the guy who owns the bar pictured below, the residents were very scared during and in the hours after the quake, but that life has quickly returning to normal.

Red tiled roofs are generally associated with Europe, but notice the interesting tiles used to cover this bar in Espungabera...

moz quake news roundup

2006-03-02T20:26:00.000+02:00

I hope you weren't waiting on me to get your news about the earthquake that happened here last week, but if you were, here's my take on some of what appears on the World Wide Web about it. These first two are accurate updates.

Mozambique: Earthquake OCHA Situation Report No. 2

Mozambique: Teams out to assess extent of earthquake damage
(see my next post for more on this)

And now for the fun stuff, most of which gives me the distinct impression that the people writing it might not be anywhere near the quake area, or in Mozambique at all for that matter...

1. Quake: 'I thought I was drunk'
This article has a few gems of quotes and information, including the fact that former President Mandela slept right through the tremor in Maputo.

I didn't think I was drunk like the person quoted in the title, but I too had thoughts of tired delirium in the first couple seconds. I was awake past my bedtime after all.

The quote about Beira, "Nothing more than a strong gust of wind is necessary to make some of the buildings in this town collapse" is a little exaggerated, but there are definitely some structures that make it seem like this wasn't, in fact, the first earthquake in Mozambique for at least a generation. True, however, is the fact that, "Here, most people have to make do with very little."

Among other things true and false, this article suggests that "'total panic' reigned in Beira the night of the quake. This isn't true, but I can't vouch for the report that there were "naked and half-naked people in the streets." I, for one, managed to cover myself modestly before I made it outside and I didn't see any of my neighbors naked either... fortunately.

2. Powerful Quake Sends Thousands Fleeing
Four things stand out to me in this otherwise copycat (AP) CBS News article. First, the fact that power was out in Beira on Thursday morning is no indication that we had an earthquake.

Second, the man who jumped out of a "third floor window of a Beira hotel" did break his back, but, according to a report and photo today in the local paper; he is doing well and looks to make a nearly full recovery. What's most interesting about this from a local perspective is that the man, in fact, jumped out of a window of the Grand Hotel, the squatter-inhabited hotel where he lives! The Grand Hotel was the jewel of Beira 30 years ago, but was abandoned when the Portuguese left their southeastern African colony. It is now home to dozens of poor families, most of who moved to Beira from rural areas. See my photo of the Grand Hotel.

The third and most incongruous piece of information in this article is the report that "A little girl tripped and fell as she rushed downstairs from a seventh floor apartment in Espungabera [the town nearest the epicenter]..." Having been to the small, remote district capital Espungabera (come on, just sound it out), I can guarantee you there are no buildings there with seven floors. See my next blog post for some photos of Espungabera.

Finally, I've never heard of the J.J. Constantino of the World Food Programme who's cited in the article.

3. Quarke [sic] tests region's disaster preparedness
My favorite line from this article is, "...someone had managed to get onto the Internet and found what had happened." That's a bit like turning the light on to see if you blew the candle out. Given, most people here have never experienced an earthquake, but it didn't take the Internet to tell us what had happened in the minutes after the shaking stopped. In fact, I searched high and low during the half hour after the quake for information online and came up dry.

It's also rich that the title includes a still uncorrected typo.

4. Lucky Escape
I appreciate the patronizing tone the author takes at the end of this article about Mozambique's apparent narrow escape from major destruction. "...it once again reminds us of the awesome power of nature, and that we ignore this at our peril. It is a lesson we would do well to remember."

5. Toll in Mozambique earthquake rises to four
This "news source" really likes its photos (there might be a PG-13 rating for this site). Apparently the AP article they re-published wasn't spicy enough for Pravda readers, so they added a "Mozambique earthquake" photo. Only problem is, the photo is almost definitely not related to the earthquake in Mozambique. Their is no report of quake damage on the scale depicted in the photo, and nearly all the structures that did collapse or have walls fall were mud and stick houses in rural areas where power lines are few and far between. I can't be sure, but I would bet that the picture wasn't taken anywhere in Africa.

6. Colonial past aids Mozambique in surviving quake (seems you may have to register to read this one now)
This Chicago Trib article suggests Mozambique suffered less damages than it might have because the Portuguese used strict building codes to construct their colony, and because the epicenter was located in a sparsely populated rural region where people build their homes out of relatively flexible materials of mud, stick and thatch. The latter is true, while the former is at least interesting.

earthquake in Moz (2)

2006-02-24T00:04:00.000+02:00

The USGS confirms that the earthquake that shook us last night was a magnitude 7.4 on the Richter Scale. According to Richter, this classifies as a "major earthquake" that "can cause serious damage over large areas." Fortunately, and astonishingly, the confirmed damages so far have been superficial at most.

The Scotsman reiterates the reports that two people have died as a result of this earthquake, though this has not yet been confirmed by the Instituto Nacional de Gestao de Calamidades (Natural Disaster Management Institute). Later today, INGC will issue its report from assessments done throughout the country yesterday (23rd). The UN is also on the case, and my office is certainly standing by to respond as necessary in the days ahead.

The guy in this IRIN article whose first thoughts during the quake involved "the arrival of Jesus Christ, witchcraft and robbers" (presumably he didn't mean he thought robbers and witchcraft had arrived with Jesus) is not unlike many people I talked to today who were very confused by the shaking we got. Something so weird as the undulation of the very thing we consider most solid provokes a lot of confusion. Californians might be used to this uncanny feeling, but Mozambiquans are not. Me neither.

earthquake in Moz

2006-02-23T09:12:00.000+02:00

Indeed, there was an earthquake in Mozambique last night -- 7.5 in fact! My house felt like a boat on the open water for a while.

No official reports yet of death, injuries or damages, though Reuters mentions two quake-related deaths. Here's another report on the tremor.

More to follow on this...

if you build it, they will cross

2006-02-21T23:22:00.000+02:00

The proposed $80 million bridge over the Zambezi River in central Mozambique should offer untold enhancements to the region and to the country in general. Started a couple decades ago, the bridge construction stopped during Mozambique's war years. (see one early abutment in the photo below)

Last December, Mozambique's President laid the "first stone" for the new bridge (see photo below), and, with it's new construction contract now signed, it looks like people and trade will be able to cross the mighty river with a little more distance between them and the crocodiles. No kidding.

forgotten, but not gone

2006-02-12T22:09:00.000+02:00

I figure a good time limit between posts before a person loses their blogging license is about a month. So, without much of great interest to write, I hereby update my blog and ensure that my right to publicly express remains intact.

To spice up this update, I include some random photos of recent times.

on the side of a hospital: HIV positive, HIV negative, it doesn't matter, we are all equal.

Why did the monkeys cross the road?

During Mozambique's post-colonial conflict (part civil and part foreign-supported war, which ended in1992), the warring factions did a lot of very bad things...and a few very strange things. For instance, in an effort to disrupt traffic and the economy, one group conscripted the local population to destroy the railroad lines. As you can see, they did an amazing job of it, flipping it completely over, railroad ties and all!

on the ferry across the Zambezi River

kids in Caia

evening sky

this guy's good

real good!

nerd

for Michiel

2006-01-16T13:44:00.000+02:00

Michiel, I thought you would enjoy these photos of an old friend and your old stomping grounds in Sofala...

road to Marringue, much improved since you were here

on the Ponte de Dona Ana to Mutarara

in Mutarara

also in Mutarara

ferry across the Zambezi River in Caia

on the ferry across the Zambezi River, note the thunderstorm behind

Zambezi River

in Chemba

in Chemba, $1 = 24,500 MZM

hopeful news for the new year

2005-12-30T08:17:00.000+02:00

"JOHANNESBURG, 29 December (IRIN) - Food security is likely to improve in Mozambique as desperately needed rains signal the end of the dry season, but food aid will remain crucial for the next few months, humanitarian workers warn."

Read the rest of the story at...
Mozambique: Household food security set to improve

christmas and hunger

2005-12-20T08:22:00.000+02:00

Here's a passionately written article from PRAVDA.Ru about hunger and the Christmas season.

21 million African people hungry this Christmas

Concerning the line about how many children "are shivering hungrily in the cold" this Christmas season, the author seems to forget that Southern Africa, which constitutes a large part of the world's hungry, is particularly hot this summer season... Also note that they use "my" Africa image on the page.

Here's a option to involve yourself in the hunger problem - http://www.wfpgiftofhope.org/.

landscapes

2005-12-18T15:33:00.000+02:00

Recent travels had me in some remote but gorgeous areas of central Mozambique. If not for untold numbers of venomous snakes, crocodiles and the ever-threatening leftover landmines (especially in this part of Mozambique), these places would be brilliant for an adventure race or just to explore further.

more shirts

2005-12-16T14:54:00.000+02:00

Here are a couple more American t-shirts I spotted recently.

I haven't outright asked anyone to take their picture because of their shirt, but have instead opted for surreptitious shooting. The first shot below is an exception, although I wasn't totally honest with the guy about why I wanted his picture. As such, I've focused just on his River Cruise t-shirt.

This guy was clearly passionate about his Lone Star state.

at a theatre near you

2005-12-12T16:23:00.000+02:00

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Beira had 6 functioning movie theatres. Popular American and Bollywood movies could be seen with Portuguese sub-titles on any day of the week. Several of my friends here were regular attenders back in those days and often recount to me (scene by scene) the old Westerns they saw 8 or 9 times. Clint Eastwood's Man with No Name trilogy was hugely popular when it hit Beira screens and played for months in the theatres.

In contrast, Beira today has only one regularly functioning movie house. It's a massive, Maputo-based theatre with stadium-type seating that shows relatively recent American movies with Portuguese sub-titles for $1.60. Each movie runs for a week at 3pm, 6pm and 9pm. Apparently, however, movie-going is not what it was.

Last week we went to the matinée of Goal! only to find that when the lights went down, we were the only ones in the place!! We were floored that in a city of nearly 500,000 people and only one movie theatre, we were the only two people interested in watching a big-screen movie (a soccer movie no less!) on a hot and muggy Saturday afternoon.

BTW, the movie was over-clichéd and predictable, but we quite enjoyed it. It certainly wasn't as good as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, so maybe that explains the low attendance.

minced meat

2005-12-07T12:19:00.000+02:00

Very interesting recent article from the Mozambique Information Agency...

MINCED MEAT REJECTED AFTER CANNIBALISM RUMOUR

Maputo, 30 Nov (AIM) - A large number of HIV-positive people in
the central Mozambican province of Sofala are refusing to eat
minced meat from the United States, following a rumour that the
meat is of human rather than animal origin.

The anti-AIDS project TCE (Total Control of the Epidemic)
has been distributing the meat to HIV-positive people in Dondo,
Buzi, Nhamatanda and Gorongosa districts, only to find many of
them refusing it.

The TCE distribution of the mince is intended to boost the
nutritional status of the beneficiaries, since it has long been
recognised that good nutrition is vital in keeping alive those
infected with HIV.

"But the beneficiaries say it's human meat, and so they're
refusing to eat it", said the TCE national coordinator Tomas
Muane, interviewed by the Beira daily "Diario de Mocambique".

He insists that the mince is highly nutritious. "according
to the indications supplied to us by the donor", and that those
who have accepted the meat appreciate it.

But others believe the rumour. One person who should have
been a beneficiary, Marta Rachid, told the paper "I can't eat it
because they say it comes from human beings".

Another, Custodio Sanduzane, said "a group of people came to
our houses telling us that it wasn't for human consumption, and
should only be eaten by animals".

The meat was donated by the American Soya Association, which
has also provided soya for distribution to HIV-positive people.

TCE has set up 50 "community restaurants" which provide HIV
infected people with soup made from the mince. TCE has 240
community activists who regularly visit HIV-positive people in
their homes, giving them food, and teaching them how to live with
the disease.

(AIM)
pf/ (292)

foreign aid and Mozambique

2005-12-04T12:26:00.000+02:00

From the Mozambique Information Agency...

FOREIGN AID CANNOT REPLACE MOZAMBICAN WORK

Maputo, 30 Nov (AIM) - Foreign aid to Mozambique can never
replace the work done by Mozambicans themselves, President
Armando Guebuza warned on Wednesday.

In his State of the Nation address to the Mozambican
parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, Guebuza noted that this
year's drought has affected over 800,000 people, who have been
obliged to wage "a titanic struggle to lessen the impact of this
disaster on their families and their communities".

He placed the response to the drought within the broader
context of the fight against poverty, which he described as a
"new epic of liberation".

"The friendly hand of international solidarity", Guebuza
said, "should be seen as complementing, and not as replacing our
own efforts to see Mozambique free of poverty".

This conviction, he stressed, had driven his government's
approach ever since it took office in February.

"We want Mozambicans to put themselves in the front line of
this struggle", he said. "That way, our international cooperation
partners, and all those who wish Mozambique and its people well,
will feel more encouraged to support us, when they see that we
are completely committed to the battle against poverty".

Guebuza added that, during his tour of the provinces earlier
in the year, he had found "worrying situations", some of which
were rooted in red tape, corruption, crime, and the spirit of
apathy and drift in the public administration.

Others, however, "result from poor use of the resources that
surround communities, and a failure to take a pro-active attitude
in response to natural disasters".

The government had worked to eliminate unnecessary red tape
and to simplify procedures, notably through the "one stop shops",
where citizens can obtain all the documents they need for
authorisations or licences in the same place, without a paper
chase through offices scattered across an entire provincial
capital.

But such innovations were just part of the changes
necessary: Guebuza also stressed the human side, in the need for
civil servants to act as "facilitators".

The President also expressed serious concern at the
continued spread of AIDS despite massive prevention campaigns.
The last figures on the epidemic, from epidemiological
surveillance undertaken in 2004, indicated that 16.2 per cent of
the population aged between 15 and 49 was HIV-positive - or one
in six adult Mozambicans.

Guebuza said that a better strategy is needed in order to
contain the epidemic. Methods were required that, within
Mozambican cultural practices, would prove more effective in
getting across "our message that AIDS kills and that there is no
cure".

(AIM)
pf/ (421)

roadside signery

2005-12-03T19:12:00.000+02:00

Thought I'd share some of the road signs that I see when I'm out and about in Sofala and Manica provinces.

Leave malaria outside the net. Sleep inside a treated mosquito net.

Presumably in English for the many Zimbabwean truck drivers who run the route between Zimbabwe and Beira.

Here's the Portuguese version.

Danger Mines!
Much of Mozambique has been systematically demined, but there are still some pockets left to be done. In fact, demining is not 100% effective anyway, so people still discover mines left over from the war for Independence and especially from Mozambique's long "civil" war that ended in 1992. When stopping for potty breaks along the roads, I'm always warned not to go too far.

This sign is posted in the middle of nowhere along the road to the district of Muanza. It suggests that you can pick up an mCel (Mozambique Cellular) signal at this point. You can't.
In fact, even the district capitol, like many in the central provinces, doesn't yet have mCel coverage either. But, also like in many places, there is a "mCel tower under construction" sign suggesting it's coming soon.

...more signs and other roadside scenery to come.

gas prices around the world today...

2005-11-28T20:12:00.000+02:00

...okay, just in a few select places in the world.

St. Louis, Missouri - $1.85/gallon

Newport, Minnesota - $1.97/gallon

Freemont, Nebraska - $2.05/gallon

Ada, Michigan - $2.12/gallon

Beira, Mozambique - $4.43/gallon

[(29,300MZM/liter = $1.17) * 3.785 = $4.43/gallon]

the champ

2005-11-27T19:50:00.000+02:00

I was first introduced to The Champ nine years ago at wilderness camp by Canadian Dave from Guelph, Ontario. Seems The Champ had been a local radio station personality for years and Dave could do (to our virgin ears) an amazing impression. Here's how Rock 101 describes The Champ...

The Champ is the undefeated Boxing Champion of the World, now retired after being in maybe one too many boxing matches.

With his charming innocence and ignorance, The Champ continually misunderstands most comments made to him by people he encounters and his usual entourage of characters. What happens next usually includes a flurry to the solar plexus.

The Champ is back on Toronto-area airwaves and you can hear him here (doesn't work with Firefox). Turns out I like Canadian Dave's version better, but its still worth a listen. By the time you've heard 3-4 stories you've pretty much got the gist of The Champ, but that's right when you get hooked in and want to hear more. Enjoy!

Here's a couple good ones to start with -- Chimp Treefort, Champ Mobile

this neighborhood stinks

2005-11-26T18:23:00.000+02:00

No literally -- our neighborhood smells really bad from time to time.

One of the un-endearing things about Beira is the occasional stink of burning garbage. Most neighborhoods in our area have dumpsters that people generally use*, but in lieu of a regular pick-up schedule by the city sanitation crew, the garbage is simply burned in the dumpster (it spontaneously combusts for all I know).

Our neighborhood dumpster happens to be across the street from our house...

(The three guys in the middle right of the photo, and the dozen or so other people out on our block, have seen me do a lot of curious things, but photographing the dumpster must have taken the cake.)

*Beira's dumpsters are some of the best surveilled real estate in town. Unless you deposit your garbage in the middle of the night, there will almost invariably be one or two people who go straight to the dumpster as soon as you walk away to see if you left anything that can be reused. In fact, you don't have to be out of sight. You can stand and watch them climb into the dumpster and dig through your garbage if you want. They don't seem to mind. Call it recycling. The garbage around the dumpster is more a result of this recycling process than bad aim.

the shirt off your back

2005-11-20T15:49:00.000+02:00

One mildly funny thing about being in a place that receives foreign aid of all kinds is seeing (especially) shirts that are clearly out of place. Now, I’m not talking about the 50 Cent, Eminem and brand-name apparel that abound everywhere. That’s just a case of American and Asian mass marketing.

What I’m talking about are the second-hand, American-centric shirts that are worn in a variety of fashion statements by people who are generally unaware of their origin and meaning. For instance, in a remote part of northern Ghana, I saw an “Another Oregonian for open and fair elections” t-shirt on a poor, old woman who clearly didn’t know, or care, where Oregon is. Another t-shirt I saw recently on a young girl read, “American by birth, Antichrist by choice.” Anyone who’s traveled to Africa no doubt has had a number of similar sightings.

Lately, I’ve seen several shirts in particular that bring me back to my Wisconsin roots. First, there are at least 3 Brett Favre jerseys running around Beira. This is particularly surprising since most people I know in the States who own Favre jerseys covet them among the best pieces of their wardrobe. (Go Pack.)

Two weeks ago while out in a remote village, I came across Bill, who must have worked with my wife’s uncle at Trane Company in the town of my birth, La Crosse, Wisconsin. Certainly, he didn’t order his shirt from the Trane online store. See my surreptitiously taken photo below.

Finally, last week in the middle of nowhere on the main north-south highway between Beira and Maputo, I spotted a kid wearing an Awana shirt! He didn’t have as many pins and patches as I did at his age. I got to snap the below photo when we stopped behind his truck at a construction stop.

the system of (fisher)men

2005-11-17T15:29:00.000+02:00

Near the hard-to-reach Indian Ocean beaches in Machanga, there lives a clan of five fishermen brothers and their families. Last week while on a visit, I ventured - with a gaggle of curious children in tow - through a lot of mud to see the sea at low tide. On our way back to where we'd left our car, we stopped to chat with three of the fishermen brothers. After a bit, I realized the crowd of children around us had grown considerably, so I jokingly asked the brothers if these children all belonged to them. They glanced around and nodded in the affirmative. Shocked, my colleague asked how many kids they had between the five brothers. They looked at each other quizzically and one finally told us that it must be more than 50. Fifty! we exclaimed.

He confessed with a smirk, "According to ‘the system of fishermen’ we each have a few wives."

Dude, your system is called polygamy.

Mozambique has been struggling for years with the issue of polygamy and the increase of domestic rights for women in general. The Government's Family Act of 2003 (other article) went a long way in this regard, but the gap between policy and practice is a wide one in a country (read: world) where women are oppressed in the name of tradition and culture.

where there are no lions

2005-11-16T15:06:00.000+02:00

As we drove past a troop of scurrying monkeys the other day (look closely at the photos), the driver informed me that, "In places where there are monkeys, you can sleep outside because there are no lions." Good to know.

The (formerly world) famous Gorongosa National Park is just a couple hours from Beira. On several of my trips so far to the communities in and around the park, I’ve seen monkeys and antelope. We’ll head deeper into the park sometime soon to see the lions, elephants, buffalo, zebra, leopards, birds and all the rest.

it's what's for dinner

2005-11-12T14:22:00.000+02:00

During lean times in Mozambique, such as now after the severe drought of the last few years, people resort to eating, among other things, wild roots. Some of the wild roots people eat are highly poisonous, even lethal, if not prepared correctly. Many require days of boiling and drying before they are edible, and none of them offer much nutrition.

Below is a little display of some of these wild roots found in the district of Muanza.

N’tsanguze: Vegetable/seed used as a food resource in times of food scarcity. Highly poisonous when incorrectly processed. Collected in locality of Pedreira.

N’tsulo: Tuber used as a food resource in this time of scarcity in the district of Muanza. Collected in Pedreira.

Dhindiri: Highly poisonous (even lethal when incorrectly processed) tuber used as a food resource in times of food scarcity in the district. Collected in Nhamacola.

M’pama: Tuber used as a food resource in times of scarcity in the district of Muanza. Collected in Nhamacola.

me and my colleagues

2005-11-11T14:01:00.000+02:00

bicycle nation

2005-11-08T13:14:00.000+02:00

This photo (a lucky point-out-the-car-window shot) is among my favorites from my time so far in Mozambique. You don't have to be here long to realize that Mozambique is a bicycle nation. No matter the distance or the number of passengers or the weight and awkwardness of the cargo, the bicycle is the perfect sustainable means of transport here. I'll post more bicycle shots here as I take them.

goodwill champion: Paul Tergat

2005-11-06T20:26:00.000+02:00

photo from the NYC Marathon website

Kenyan marathon runner and world record holder, Paul Tergat, narrowly edged out South Africa's Hendrick Ramaala in the final meters of the NYC Marathon today. Keep in mind that these two had just basically sprinted for over 26 miles!! An amazing finish to a great race.

Ah, but this sweet victory for Tergat is also sweet for all of us at WFP and for the hungry poor everywhere. Tergat is a goodwill ambassador for WFP and never ceases to make the case for ending hunger and poverty in the world. He himself used to receive WFP food aid as a kid in Kenya. A remarkable story and a remarkable champion.

the world we live in

2005-11-05T20:52:00.000+02:00

Leah and I celebrated "donie day" today like we often do on Saturdays. We don't have a Mr. D's Donuts (where donie day started when Leah was a little girl) here in Beira, but the local So Bolos bakery is a decent substitute.

For 120,000 meticais ($4.60) we can get two tasty espresso drinks and four freshly baked pastries.

As we sipped and nibbled, we thought about the meager breakfast we might be able to get at Starbucks for the same amount of money. We also marveled that our donie day breakfast bill was almost the amount that one of our house guards (and his family of 7) pays in monthly rent for his small, two-room abode. With regard to wealth disparities, we'd be prime candidates for MTV's (Mozambique TV, in this case) "The Fabulous Life of..."

The world we live in doesn't cease to make us feel uncomfortable and fortunate.

BBC's Situation Report

2005-11-02T13:09:00.000+02:00

Here's a sort of situation report (known in the biz as a 'SitRep') by the BBC about the southern Africa food crisis .

Urgent appeal for Africa's south

And here's an unpretty picture...

the bright continent

2005-10-28T14:38:00.000+02:00

Anyone who's heard me philosophize about Africa has heard me refer to it as "the bright continent" in opposing reference to its moniker "the dark continent." Years of living in Africa have made me an Afro-optimist. I believe in Africa's ability to overcome the harshest of human misery that has generally cloaked it for centuries. Africa, for the most part, is a very bright place. Africans, for the most part, are very bright people, in intellect and personality. I believe Africa has a bright future.

Niall FitzGerald, Chairman of Reuters, agreed in this June 2005 editorial "A continent's success stories go unreported"

small Africa for other purposes