(Imagine if there would have been a high incidence of HIV/AIDS when Captain Cook and his sailors arrived…instead of syphillis getting spread from horny sailors to disease free islanders (and wiping out a significant portion of the healthy population i.e. sexually active and able to resist European invasion) the sailors would have returned to Europe…
Month: September 2005
Seu Jorge's "Cru"
Speaking of Rio, hopefully Jimmy Page has learned a thing or two from the street kids. Seu Jorge used to be one of them. His first album, Carolina, debuted in 2001. He later appeared in the powerful film City of God and provided the awesome Portuguese-language covers of Bowie tunes on the soundtrack to The…
City of Zeppelin
BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Zeppelin’s Page made Rio citizen Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page has been made an honorary citizen of Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro for his work helping its street children. The legendary rocker was presented the honour at Casa Jimmy (Jimmy’s House), which Page opened in 1998 and has so far…
Party for Peace in Liberia as experience faces off against celebrity
(Liberia’s “Iron Lady,” Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, could become Africa’s first elected female president. She was once a supporter of Charles Taylor, the former Liberian leader hiding out in Nigeria after being indicted for war crimes by the Special Court in Sierra Leone. But, she says she broke with him years ago and I think I believe…
South African grandiloquence and prolixity
(When I arrived in Africa recently, my bags did not. The South African airline that remained in possession of my bags sent me the most amazing apology note, before proceeding to do nothing. This followed after the purser on the flight apologized for the lack of peanuts by announcing his regret that he did not…
BBC NEWS | Americas | A hurricane by any other name?
(One forecaster used to name storms for politicians who “wandered aimlessly and displayed erratic behavior.” Maybe we can revive that tradition…. kg) “If we go beyond Wilma, we’ll use the Greek alphabet,” said Nanette Lomarda, head of the Tropical Cyclone division at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). BBC NEWS | Americas | A hurricane by…
Your Secret Confession
(Thanks for pointing this link out to me Eminem. I’m looking for your confession but don’t seem to see it, maybe it’s already in your lyrics…cd) Your Secret Confession
India's rent-a-guest wedding agents
(submitted by KG) BBC NEWS | South Asia | India’s rent-a-guest wedding agents India’s rent-a-guest wedding agents Indian couple getting married An agency has been set up in the Indian state of Rajasthan to rent out wedding guests for couples keen to boost numbers at their marriage. In Rajasthan weddings are huge family events –…
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Aborigine 'Alco' slur is avoided
(submitted by KG) BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Aborigine ‘Alco’ slur is avoided Aborigine ‘Alco’ slur is avoided Australian police working in Aboriginal communities have withdrawn new uniforms after they appeared to poke fun at many Aborigines’ problems with alcohol. New South Wales police ordered 50 green vests for Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers – known…
Cuba Creates International Disaster and Epidemic Brigade – Prensa Latina
Cuba Creates International Disaster and Epidemic Brigade – Prensa Latina Cuba Creates International Disaster and Epidemic Brigade Havana, Sep 20 (PL) The world now can count on a medical brigade willing to provide services anywhere there is an epidemic or catastrophe. # Cuba to Further Improve Health Statistics, Fidel Castro Says The Henry Reeve International…