Satisfy my soul [ego]

The “not so” Great Firewall of Ethiopia (or is it?)

2006-05-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

Meles and Co. controlled ETC is acting like a 10year old who just learned how to use magnifying glass to torture bugs.There are rumors that the Chinese are involved in this censorship fiasco, which I highly doubt. To my knowledge, the Chinese are the best in the business. The Great Fire Wall of China, although not perfect, it the biggest attempt to filter web content in a country with the second largest internet access. To say china is involved in this half-arsed censorship (see comments on previous post) is an insult. Computer savvy friends tell me “the ethionet server can be hacked with a pocket calculator”.

Reporters with out Borders have asked for an explanation from the government. heh! I will give my first born if they get a straight answer.

In any case, now that it’s official that bloggers (and now chatters) have been added to EPRDF’s long list of “enemies of the constitution”, what’s to stop them from rounding us up (of course, those of us blogging form mother land)? What are the chances that the fact I can post this entry with out a problem but can’t read blogger blogs is a trap? Perhaps now is a good time to skim through RSF’s Handbook for bloggers and cyber descendents. if it’s too late for that, like me - i used my gut instincts when I started blogging not to mention being political or irreverent to tyrants wasn’t my reason - It’s time to start pondering plan B.

Always keep a large towel and flip-flops nearby;
Practice how to take beating;
Familiarize your self with the rules of ‘Yeshama’; and
Send a nice photo to Ethan Zuckerman to make a badge that reads ‘Free so-and-so…’

Am I scared? a lil’bit. I have had a run-in with their goons before and it wasn’t what you would call an enchanting experience. but who would turn down a chance to chat with Birhanu Nega about his future plans for the City?

Breaking News: Antiterrorism taskforce cracks mystery blast case

2006-05-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

May 19, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) -After extensive investigation of last Friday’s ninetuple bomb explosions in the capital, the Federal Police Antiterrorism Taskforce today announced that they have linked the incident to a group that calls itself Blogger. The “anti-peace element” has been operating in clandestine to prevent peace prevailing in the country and undermine the constitution.

The taskforce cracked the case after discovering that ‘blog’ actually means ‘bomb’. According to Federal Police Commissioner Workineh Gebeyhu, who explained the process of the investigation told Walta that the words ‘blog’ and ‘bomb’ start with the letter “B” and suspiciously have four letters each. He also added that “’blogger’ is just another way of saying ‘bomber’”. He emphasized that it required the taskforce to work day and night to solve the case.

A press release from the prime minister’s office stated that “the government will not tolerate those who want to disrupt the peace in unconstitutional ways!” PM Meles congratulated the taskforce for the swift investigation adding that he will extend his hands to those who brought the perpetrators to justice.

Addis Ababa residents who we spoke to today expressed their confidence towards the taskforce and the government in bringing criminals to justice. Ato G/Senay Tolosa from Mercato area said that he expects the government to take all necessary means to protect the constitution from “anti-peace particles” adding that “antipeace particles ate his peas”. W/O Minyelushal Kebede form Shiro Meda expressed her appreciation to the task force and hopes that the price of peas stabilizes now that the “anti-peace” elements have been apprehended.

To prevent further atrocities, the group’s official outlet known as blogger.com has now been blocked. From now on bloggers can only commit more heinous crimes only through web based proxy servers that let them remain anonymous.

Based on their accomplishment, the taskforce is now looking into the alleged financing of genocide through the Gene Bank.

put yo hands up in da air

2006-05-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

The Hand

The hand is a very handy thing to have.
The hand can be used to handle things like handbags and hand tools
Hand tools are used to make handcrafts.
“if they don’t find you handsome, at least they should find you handy”
One can lend a hand to some one in need
Lending a hand to someone in need is nice

On the other hand, not all hands are good

A handful of people have the upper hand
Upper hands avoid hand to hand combat
Instead they give hand-jobs to get extra hands
The extra hands are always at hand for the upper hands
They raise their hands when the upper hands want them to
Those hands also get other hands to place hand grenades
Giving handjob to get a hand is bad
Neither is trading your dignity for a handjob
Improper handling of the hand is called mishandling
this is an example of mihandlling.....

(click image to enlarge your penis)

now sing with me…..

we will follow him
Follow him what ever he may vote for
There isn't a scandal too deep
A burden so high it can keep us away

We must follow him
Ever since he touched our genitals, we knew
That near him we always must be
And nothing can keep him from us
He is our destiny

We love him, we love him, we love him
And what he votes, we'll follow, we'll follow, we'll follow
He'll always be our true love, our true love, our true love
From 1991 until forever, forever, forever

Egoportal’s non-Daily Recipe

2006-03-29T12:10:00.000-08:00

Revolutionary Terrorism a la Meles

“A meal fit for the 77^th wealthiest human”

Preparation time : 14 years

Can serve : “the smaller the company, the higher the gluttony”

Ingredients

o 70 million serfs

o simulated democracy made from Maoist ideology as per Albanian revolutionists specification

o nonexistent 7% annual economic growth

o assorted oppositions

o armed drones

o A border dispute with a neighboring country

o Donors with various interests (national security, natural resources, a progressive mate, good-do-ers)

Preparation

- Slow roast the serfs by adding ethnic hatred, famine, poverty, and inept governance

- Marinate Border dispute with a neighboring country (the longer the better)

- Add simulated democracy, assorted oppositions, & nonexistent 7% annual GDP growth and Tenderize donors to extract juices

- remove lumpy opposition as they might make the donor tenderizing process difficult

- If serfs start turning reddish add some armed drones

- Leave the donors that are not being tenderized and work on ones with higher interest.

- If tenderizing still difficult increase the heat using prospects of greasy natural resources and threat of a ‘clandestine terrorist group’.

- if still difficult throw in some bombs courtesy of the marinated border dispute and lumpy opposition

Serving

- While still roasting, pour a wee amount of donor juice on the serfs to cool down, Garnish with anti terrorism task force and serve on government controlled media, save for later.

- Pour the remaining donor juice in a foreign safe-heaven and enjoy at your will.

Bon appétit!

Who said they never listen

2006-03-08T06:25:00.000-08:00

The gradual progression of bomb incidents from night time to day time indicates that the EPRDF government is responding to critics.

When the first two bombs exploded in the middle of the night causing very little damage, no one paid attention ‘cause everyone knew who was behind it. next followed the story of diffusing grenades found in rubbish bins and street corners. we just assumed those grenade belonged to members of the (excessively) armed forces who couldn’t bear all the ammo weight in the scorching addis sun and decided to ditch some of the load.

Now the bombs have started exploding in day light. Still no one claims responsibility and public opinion remains the same. Perhaps more comical.

Reuter’s coverage

“The explosion was caused by a bomb planted in a flower pot outside”

Restaurant Manager

Suspect #1 GLF (Gardeners Liberation Front) the shear wielding, dirt loving, flower smelling menaces

"Luckily none of the restaurant staff were injured except four pedestrians,"

Restaurant Manager

Ya…those no good….non-spending…mooching pedestrians

Walta’s Coverage

“The Commission condemned the acts of what it termed anti-peace forces who have conspired to create the impression that peace does not prevail in the capital city”

Motive: peace must not prevail in the capital city

Analysis: who could possibly benefit from chaos?

Conclusion: it doesn’t need one

Word of advice to the FPATT (Federal Police Anti Terrorism Taskforce “we put the ERROR back into terrorism”) the only incident that is going to convince me that there is a “clandestine terrorist group” in our capital city is if a bomb explodes during an EPRDF central committee meeting leaving no survivors.

p.s. I appreciate every one who commented and emailed me on my failure as Prophet of Change. My whine barrel has plenty more disappointments.

H5N1 is welcome in Ethiopia

2006-02-21T10:38:00.000-08:00

Photo: rift valley birds frolicking with domestic cattle in a wetland near Lake Chamo.

A few months ago I was at a governmental office on work related visit. The time was around when all government offices were undergoing evaluation and “reshuffling” of workers. While waiting for the official I was there to see, I witnessed this conversation between two secretaries:

ጸሀፊ 1 : “የሰራተኞች ግምገማ ሪፖርት ወጣ አሉ”

[S1: “the new employee evaluation reports are here”]

ጸሀፊ 2 : “ተይኝ ባክሽ ሰምቻለሁ”

[S2: “leave me alone, I have already heard about it”]

ጸሀፊ 1 : “ሌላስ ምን ሰማሽ?”

[S1: “what else have you heard?”]

ጸሀፊ 2 (እያለቀሰች):“ምነው ይሔ በዜና እሚወራው የወፍ በሽታ ገብቶ ሁላችንን በጨረሰን”

[S2 (bursting into tears): “I wish this bird disease they talk of on the news comes and wipes us all out”]

From her wish, I gathered the report doesn’t hold much promise for her future job security. On the other hand, her wish could come true. Unofficial reports of dead birds are coming from some rift valley areas. The Great African rift valley, which Ethiopia is part of, is classified by the WHO as having a ‘high risk of avian flu infection’ due to it’s established migratory bird destination. The Ethiopian ministry of agriculture claims that bird flu has not surfaced in Ethiopia, the press release also said the testing kit arrived just last Sunday.

The H5N1 has already been confirmed in Egypt and Nigeria. The rest of the countries in between, especially those within the great African rift valley, have not reported any infections. yet! If you naively assume a semi-straight migratory path between Egypt and Nigeria you will see that the volatile Dafrur region and Chad-Sudan border are in the way. Considering the present situation in those places, a bunch of dead birds are the last of their issues. In fact some would be pleased with an extra hand to make their genocidal wet dreams come true.

Prophet of Change

2006-02-21T04:13:00.002-08:00

Sometimes I forget how vulnerable my schedule is and keep piling one initiative on top of the other. My egoportal is suffering as a result. That being, I have said very little about my socio-work life on this blog.

My situation is a bit hard to explain with out getting in to the past 25years of my life so I will spare you the details. I belong to a family construction business that my father sees as his other offspring. In some ways I am privileged to have a job lined up before I even moved here. In the family business, I am in charge of operations, which involves coordinating different departments to get work going smoothly. In Ethiopia, this task is even harder than it sounds. People avoid responsibility like the plague and they manage to do so by doing the least possible work and giving little care to what they actually do. For this very reason, problems are an every day occurrence and most of my time is spent solving operational problems and petty personal differences between workers rather than doing progressive work. And when faced with continuous problems, it doesn’t leave me much time for the rest of my ambition. My brain gets too tired to even think about it. The very few times like right-now where I say ‘fuck it!’ and spend it surfing the net, blogging or fiddling with new software have dwindled with the undertaking of more and more responsibilities. At the moment I have reached a point where I can’t even separate my work life with the rest. As george costanza would say “my worlds have collided”.

To tell it as a fable. The life of many Ethiopians is akin to members of a fire brigade in a town prone to fire. When they are done with one fire they are immediately off to the next, if they happen to have a fire free day, they are to worn out even make love to their spouses. For them, if it is not putting out fires then it’s not worth doing.

My original plan was to change the work atitude of people. If everyone is encouraged to do their job properly and efficiently, then there is no need for me to solve problems, which will have given me more free time to a point I planned to liberate mine and everyone else’s Saturdays. Joining the rest of society that enjoys a two day weekend. Now I am just glad a day goes by with out something going pear shaped.

My father, who is a workaholic and successful at it, thinks I have lost in touch with reality. He told me once “if I want to be ‘ye’lewt hawaria’ (prophet of change) then I should do it on my own time and not waste others”. For him, years of working like a fire man has left him incapable of compromising and has him deal with the loafers in more autocratic ways. Mean while most people are better-off when dealt with harshly. When you try and show them the better way, they automatically assume that you are trying to exploit them. Trying to run a semi-decent work pace, while being a prophet of change has become a dilemma

A year into professional work life and I am already tied of it. Not just that but I am looking for ways to ditch it. In modern society, retiring is withdrawing from active life after you are drained of your youthful juices. I want to retire with my juices intact so that I can do more of what I enjoy.

Extras

The comments on this Meskel Square post might shade more light on what I am ranting about

Ishmael and My Ishmael by Daniel Queen will have you question your role in civilization.

Tom Hodgkinson is my guru of idleness. Read The virtue of idleness for his humorous take on this social abnorm.

TOE 08 – Connections and TOE 16 - Head full of Ideas assure me that I am not the only one.

The music of Nick Drake and Tom Waits give me strength at times like this

p.s. Revolutions per Beats is off to a good start and still needs your contribution

Public Announcement #2

2006-01-28T00:11:00.000-08:00

“Dir Biyabir Anbesa Yasir “

This just occurred to me.

Hitherto I have kept this blog personal; to keep my word I will keep it this way.

In the mean time, blogs like aqumada are flourishing with so much literary goodness and we need more and more like his.

I am starting a new blog called Revolutions Per Beat solely for the arts specifically music. It’s not actually new. When I registered RpB back in MAY 2005, it was meant to be a sister ~~blog~~ project for the radio show I was hosting back then. When I left Alternative Thursdays, I dropped the idea as a hole up to now.

Unlike, Satisfy my Ego, RpB is open to anyone who wants to contribute:

Articles
Reviews of CDs and Concerts (in Ethiopia or abroad)
Pictures
Any work related afro/Ethiopian music scene.

Anyone who is interested email me - mcminale at gmail dot com

In accordance I am posting ‘a tale of two festivals’ on the RpB.

ps. I will need some help with HTML

A tale of two festivals

2006-01-27T22:11:00.000-08:00

Last week was marked by two festivals each with a different theme, both musically exhilarating and one marked by terror. Here is the story.

TIMKET (January 16 - 18)

Blood thicker than holywater?

Among the followers of Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Timket (Ephipany) is celebrated on January 17^th to mark the baptism of Jesus Christ. Like Meskel, it is the most colorful holiday in the Ethiopian calendar but unlike Meskel it is lasts for three consecutive days making it more of a festival.

Day 1- Jan 16^th, Ketera: All tabots leave their respective church to spend the night outdoors, most preferably near water. The tabots and the priests who carry them are draped with colorful fabrics and people escort their neighborhood church’s tabot to its designated spot. A mass is held in the evening and the church members and other orthodox Christian followers spend the night around the tabot singing spiritual songs.

Day 2 – Jan 17^th, Timket: Early in the morning, prayers are held around the water. The water then gets blessed by a high priest who later sprinkles (hosing down is more common this days) the mass with the (now) holy water. The pool of holy water is opened to the public for a few hours of cleansing sins and splashing around. All tabots, except for Kidus Michael, start their gracefully-slow procession back to their churches. Each tabot is followed by their congregation dressed in white traditional outfit singing, chanting and dancing.

Day 3: Jan 18^th, Kidus Michael (St. Mike) Day. The Kidus Michael tabots that stayed an extra night out return to their churches. The fact there are at least half a dozen Michael Churches in Addis make the day as crowded as the actual Timket day.

My favorite part of the Timket festival is the Music. The hymns of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church are a delight even for a non-believer who is musically inclined. The sullen voices of the priests together with intermittent Ka’chels and drum emanate a dreamy atmosphere impossible to resist. Other more upbeat church songs are also sung and chanted amongst the followers. One not related to the church but is a common musical accompaniment to the Festival is the Harmonica Dance. The dance involves an amateur harmonica player blowing repetitive rhythms while the others clap and dance in a circle.

There is more to this year’s festival. The fact people are agile and they have no other way to let out their angst makes occasions like this the perfect opportunity to speak out. Recall the Great Ethiopian run - the 10 kilometer inner city marathon turned to a non-EPRDF-Authorized peaceful protest. similarly, this year’s Timket had more musical additions; the words of the regular festive songs were changed to anti-operation songs that fiercely criticized the regime and it’s cadres. Clashes between the public and the police were reported throughout the three days resulting in loss of life and scores of injuries.

Meskel square has a nice coverage of the festival plus a photo set from heaven. Reports and reactions on the incidents can be found here, here and here.

to be cont……

How to diffuse a Grenade

2006-01-25T02:04:00.001-08:00

I have seen every Rambo and Delta Force movies enuf times to get an idea of how hand grenades work but I definitely don’t know how to diffuse them. apparently the federal police can.

Ethiopian police report grenades defused in capital

The two grenades that exploded Monday night were said to have been thrown by “some one” in the middle of the night. Now, these grenades are being found in every corner like easter eggs.

This reminds me of a similar story on the new from a few months back. A gift package was sent to a manager of Ethiopian Telecommunication sub city Branch. The Manager who suspects the greasy cellphone-box he orders his guard to take the package to police. at the police station they the unwrap the package and find a pin with a ring hanging from the box. The police immediately call the bomb squad, the whole area gets cleared. the person in charge of defusing “the bomb” slowly approaches the box and pulls the ring. BOOM, he dies on the spot. This story is morally wrong on so many levels.

Addis readers learn more about grenades on wikipedia, it might come in "handy".

Explosions in Addis

2006-01-22T21:56:00.000-08:00

Two bombs went off in Addis last night. One bomb exploded near Teklehymanot Square (aka. somalterA) close to the commercial bank of Ethiopia. I am not exactly sure where the other one is. My sources also told me that no one was hurt by the explosions.

This doesn’t smell like doggie fart. Following the growing number of student protests and last week’s incidents at the Timket festival, EPRDF is hankering for some finger pointing.

Update and Correction: The location of the second bomb is now official. ~~The mofos have bombed my old high school~~ (they are still mofos). A grenade was thrown into Black Lion ~~High~~ ~~School~~ Hospital Student Dormatory in the night. Both incidents involve a grenade.

The Blacklion bombing most probably has to do with a general school strike planned for this week. I expect ENA and Walta to link the student walkouts to a panic caused by a grenade thrown in to a school compound in the middle of the night.

What’s EPRDF’s fixation with grenades anyway?

It’s alright to get caught buying back what you’ve lost

2006-01-17T10:20:00.000-08:00

This is old news worth commiserating about.

German buys back stolen camera on eBay (Reuters, 29/12/2005)

I don’t know what is so special about buying back stolen belongings. I thought that’s what pawn shops and court houses are for??? If anything, the headline should have been more like “Local Crooks Now Use the World Wide Web”. Then again, ebay is just a modern day pawn shop.

There have been a few occasions where I had to buy back what was stolen from me and I didn’t have to visit ebay for it instead I paid a visit to SomaliTerA (R.E.T: somalian district), a shabby quarter right in the heart of Addis. Before the city administration went on a frenzy of leasing prime land to possible developers and kicking out the original settlers, somalitera use to be the place to go for stolen goods, mostly automotive parts. There were stores lining up both sides of Teklehaimanot Road catering to all your needs…Toyota specialist, headlight specialties, rare cars specialists….you name it. The rule of thumb with a car theft is any part can get stolen except for the sound. Parts like the parking lights and side mirrors are a piece of a cake of a job. Unattended valuables on the back seat, like digital cameras are a treat no one could resist. Given more time and cover, your wheels, dashboard and front seats are hot items.

To my knowledge, no one wants to be a victim of theft. There is even a huge business that revolves around making every external part of a car theft proof. I ain’t taking high-tech gadgets here. The process involves putting stucco on screw heads; welding pieces together, wire meshing, basically anything to make the thieves life hard. This days car alarms are becoming more common, the problem is the alarm it self is a target commodity. The fact is there is no such thing as 100% theft proof car. No mater how safe my car is and how vigilant I am there is that one day I succumb to my own clumsiness.

Why didn’t I go to the law? For a few reasons. The simplest are; it’s my own bloody fault and I have no confidence in the justice system - it doesn’t matter where in the world. Here in Addis, the police will right out tell you that it’s wiser to settle it with out their intervention. The not so simple one; this is a line of employment by it self, the people that sell the stuff are not necessarily the thieves; they merely buy it for cheap from those who steal and sell it back to the rightful owner or some one with a similar need for a marginal profit. This is just another struggle for survival in a poor country. Even if I manage to get the police to intervene, it will do nothing but ruin my trust-rating for no good outcome.

Nowadays, Somalitera is nothing but a fenced off barren land with a future of becoming a site for a private hospital (the worst kinds of crooks) but the essence still remains. If you slow down your car on Tekelhaimanot Road, chances are there will be some one knocking your window to ask what you are looking for. If indeed you are in search of your belonging then they ask you when and were it was stolen, if you are lucky they advise you right then “meRkebu Gebtwal” (R.E.T. the vessel with your goods has arrived) then continue to the last remaining crook-land in Addis, American GeBi (R.E.T. American land). How ironic. If the vessel is running late they take your number, nine out of ten times, you will get a call with in 24 hours.

Ethiopian crooks haven’t discovered ebay-terA yet. Just incase they do let’s all keep checking for ‘Freedom’. It was stolen from us a while ago and we have been looking for it in all the wrong places.

Dictator Voyeur

2006-01-12T08:21:00.001-08:00

Care to guess whose?

I hope no one is interested in secretly watching the private parts of Meles or Musevini or Al Bashir or Mubarek. If you are, you are in wrong wrong blog. Try Walta.

In any case, most of us get so lost in our problems we forget to notice what else is happening around us. They say IT has made the world a small place but what good is ‘knowing’ if we don’t do something about it. Ignorance sure was bliss. When it comes to being there for those in need, our world is still a stark planet. I honestly don’t know how to go about helping folks in other countries besides deeping in to my pocket but that’s a whole post on it’s own.

Well, we all remember Rwanda. Dafrur has been a major hotspot since around end of 2004 but it seems that things are far from improving. If humanity wants to keep the human”kind” status then it’s now or never. Otherwise a few years down the line we will be weeping to ‘Hotel dafrur’ or another similar Hollywood dramatization of a disaster we chose to ignore at the time.

The most disgusting part of this is, in most of the situations, the removal of one or a handful of people can solve the problems. I may have made that statement sound too simple but the truth from my current experience, the menaces are smoothly sailing through their sea of dirty deeds.

These couple of websites I found lets us peep in to the dirty doings of dictators, wretched foreign policies and our ignorance to others.

This is a web site I have been dreaming about until I came across it. A website dedicated to dictators. HA!. Some of the dictators in the list are dead and the rest might as well be dead. We are not doing bad either, ethiopia has two delegates. but c’ome on…Hailesselasie and no Megistu? the later had his office built over the Hailesilasies grave after he had him strangled to death. Now that’s creepy. Mengistu currently lives happily in the mountains of Zimbabwe.

This one is a sort of ‘watch blog’ for countries with internal crisis. To access type ‘_____watch.blogspot.com’ just fill in the blank with a country name. So far, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Congo, and Niger have been under watch. This ain’t a complete list but it gives an idea of our world as we don’t know her.

With web sites like these, it will be hard for downpressors like Al Bashir and Meles to find a welcoming neighbor (not even a flaming voyeur). When it’s time for them to go on exile, we will be singing along with Peter Tosh.

…..You can run but you can't hide
telling you all along that day….

Merry Gena

2006-01-06T13:23:00.000-08:00

The Humvee Nazi

2006-01-06T00:24:00.000-08:00

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here my friends. America the mighty has struck the authoritarian EPRDF government with a punishment that is going to make direct aid cut “child’s play”. All hell has broken loose for the rulling party, the day has turned pitch dark in the quarters of Meles Zenawi. oh the humanity... where is the justice in this world

US Amb. Vicki Huddleston announced yesterday…oh…I don’t know how to put this… “the US would no longer sell US Humvee military vehicles to Ethiopia"

Thank you, you beacon of democracy, thank you thank you…..you denier of the Humvee.

In the mean time, the EPRDF central committee held an emergency meeting to discuss the looming catastrophe from the Humvee ban.

Top Ten EPRDF solutions to ‘No Humvee for you!’

10. Confiscate the four civilian Hummers in Addis Ababa

9. Returning diasporas (especially from the USA) can only bring in a Humvee to be eligible for our generous duty free privilege.

8. The Homer (my suggestion)

7. Elephants - they were good enuf for sharpshooters hunting Bengali tigers why can’t the Agazi snipers use them.

6. Al Qaeda (aka ISUZU) - what better way to spite the US than making a truck nicknamed after their arch nemesis the official truck of the Ethiopian army.

5. Who needs Humvees when we’ve got fertilizer?

4. A cart drawn by one horse, one ox, one donkey and one camel. How many horsepowers would that be? (Bereket ‘child’s play’ Simon suggested this one)

3. Wey-ye-yet – a close reminiscent of The Homer but actually exists

2. His Excellency Ato Yaregal Aysheshum - his name says it all (rough translation Mr. He-will-do-it He-won’t-back-out)

1. With all the democracy and development, we will be making Humvees in no time

Tyranny doesn’t like Company

2006-01-05T08:37:00.002-08:00

Back when I was a student, I worked for the university’s fancy catering company. Working at ‘the house’ as we dubbed it was my portal to the cream of the crop of Canada. From the famous David Suzuki to the infamous Mike Harris but one encounter with a famous canuck stands out the most. It was a banquet for law school graduates. The guest of honor for the lawyer infested (sorry wonk;) event was the future prime minister of Canada Paul Martin. For me coming from Ethiopia where we are use to behemoth leaders who fear their own shadow, it was a big deal to be in the same room as future PM Paul Martin. Besides a couple of RCMP officers who were busy chasing hor'dourves, the security was non-existent. PM Paul was going around mingling with every one, munching on every thing passing his way. It was an honor to serve those salmon rolls to PM Paul. that was until he gave me a rather powerful tug looking for more. At that moment, it wasn’t him that needed the protection, it was me and my plate of salmon rolls. Canadian PMs have a reputation for dislocating human jaw.

When we come back to Ethiopia; in my quarter of a century existence, I have lived to see two tyrants and only one situation I could say I came close to one. It was with Mengistu Hailemariam when I was a young lad of seven or eight. I was at the football stadium with my father to see the East Africa Cup final between Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Mengistu was ~100m away. even for my maturing cortex the people between me and Mengistu did not seem like bone-crackin’-gun-slinging cadres. Most were regulars of the Addisaba stadium. I remember that moment when G/Medhin Haile scored the tie goal on the 91^th minute, Mengistu was on his feet shaking his fist. Mind you, when Mengistu starts shaking his fist the next thing to expect is a bottle of red dye (or was it?) and if you know a thing or two about the Red Terror clearing the stadium at mach speed is the wisest choice. But the fist shakin’ that day was nothing but a tyrant expressing his joy.

The thing about Mengistu, despite his tyranny I could say he wasn’t afraid. Sure he had his KGB trained entourage but he still went around the country in his land cruiser visiting his brain children - resettlement villages and state farms. Where ever he went he got ceremonial welcome by kids holding flags and bouquets of flowers with the adults dancing before his face.

Meles has taken fear to a new level. especially ever since the election, going to the bathroom has become a perilous journey; eating has become a task only imaginable in Fear Factor and when it is time to leave his fortressed office and palace, the road of Addis Ababa become the river of Styx. Attending public gatherings is not an option; the people could be infested with a plague that transmits through eye contact. The amount of solders stationed on his path makes the city look like the buffer zone between Ethiopia and Eritrea in times of economic crisis. For his safety, cars get rerouted to unknown destinations and pedestrians get whooshed off the street like flies at GirGiro’s butchery. In Meles’ world children can’t be trusted with flags and flowers. Those items can easily be used as fatal weapons in the hands of the right kid.

Even those born during the EPRDF regime are already learning the meaning of absolute hate at an early age, what else would you expect after such scenes…

Thrust me they ain’t on no school trip [photo courtesy www.ethiopiafirst.com]

What makes all this fascinating is, despite the scarcity of real life contact, Ethiopians know the face of their oppressors like the palm of their hand thanks to the state owned TV station. Most of the time after the 8 o’clock news, there is a not-so-short reportage on the doings of be it Mengistu or Meles. As if they are trying to reassure us that they are doing something worth their position. Gods forbid they go abroad ‘cause then we get treated for a multi part full hour special on their useless trips.

Anyhu..before I finish I will share with you a recent example of tyranny at its finest. PM Meles was in Tanzania attending the swearing-in of the new Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete. Of course his departure and arrival was a pain in the bottom for any one who was around Africa Avenue (aka Bole Road) on those particular times. Unlike Meles, who celebrated his “re-election” not by firing bullets to the sky like any other warlord but by gunning down unarmed civilians, Prez Kikwete took the presidential oath in front of thousands of Tanzanians. You think Meles could learn a thing or two but he was too busy acting cool with his Raybans on. As per usual ETV journalists have tagged along to cover NOT the ceremony but Meles’s gallant trip. Like a local camera man at a 13year old’s bat mitzvah, all they did was follow the PM Meles around. Not only that, they got so distracted by PM Meles’s grace the commentator kept referring to the new Tanzanian president “Prezident Kikiweki”. I kid you not.

The only thing I learned from that particular ETV reportage is that PM Meles needs a...what do you call that thing ferengi's doo....tan. All that being an indoor captive of his own fear has ruined that African luster he had back when he was a "freedom" fighter.

I've never been more alive

2005-12-28T07:38:00.000-08:00

According to Ethiopian mythology the major cause of Hiccups is when you are being mentioned in your absence. it’s not my on my agenda to disprove some thing that’s been tested over generations but I would like to think I am exceptional. Otherwise my hiccups would have left me incapacitated.

It wasn’t so much a retirement from bloggin’. the times I stay quite correspond with increased brain activity. Since our return to the “normal” life, my brain has been going a mile a second. Work is at full throttle and unsettle calmness is at its peak; so is the ridiculousness of our government. Around the time I left they were busy throwing feasts to their drones to congratulate them for their triumph over unarmed civilians

I spent most of the silent times away from the hustle-and-bustle of Addis life. My location changed like PM Mele’s definition of democracy. I was all over the remote south with brief appearances to Arba-Minch and Awassa. I completely managed to detach my self from the happenings of the planet. Mind you this is the first time I went on an extended trip after the banning of the free press and government media as you know gives me a condition yet to be named. On one hand I did it on purpose to think with out any obstructions and to check if the world still revolved with out my knowing the ongoing miseries.

Ever since I took up my political musings, my barrage of blogs come during times of turbulence. Besides the massive dose of hype (the good kind) during those periods, work is either closed or my usual field absentia is replaced with staring in to the cyber world from the window of my lap top. Most of all, there is something tangible about those moments.

At the height of the mayhem in Addis, I replied to an email from a concerned friend using the words “I have never been more alive”. My take on life in Ethiopia has got nothing to do with the quality of life it self, merely it how and what I feel. I obviously feel angry for profoundly obvious reasons. Sad and guilty for having life as usual while those who brought the subject of OUR freedom languish in jail and last but not least, hopeful and happy for I know that a better day is coming sooner or later. never a dull moment!

The good news - EPRDF is enacting the classic skit of self destruction, just pull out your lawn chairs and enjoy the show.

Satan Vs Devil as Judged by Lucifer

2005-12-22T07:49:00.000-08:00

I was preparing a bigger comeback special when I run across this article

Britain suspends aid to Uganda over allegations of human rights abuse

May I be the first to say “what the fun?”

Please don’t misunderstand this as a Ras Mesfin kind of deed. I am not saying we deserve better that our Ugandan brothers and sisters. Then again where is the fairness?

Britain acknowledged the human rights abuse in Uganda and acts on it by suspending direct AID?

Personally, suspending direct aid is not going to have much effect, we have seen it with Mugabe’s Zimbabwe and according to Uganda’s Ministry of Misinformation, we will see it again in Uganda.

“When these people impose their views on us, we do not just succumb to their wishes. That is not the way countries are run."

“they do not listen to us and if our views are not in their interest, then they are free to take their own actions."

ahaa......good old misinformation ministers

The main point here is the acknowledgment it self. What about us, ethiopians who have to live with the violator of violators, liar of liars, the abuser of abusers Meles ‘let’s just kill them all’ Zenawi.

Even meles is trying to out bad-boy every ruthless African leader. here is how he compares to musevini so far:

Museveni charges with treason, Meles charges with treason and genocide
Museveni restricts the free press, Meles just throws all of’em in jail
Museveni’s drones kill one, Meles kills hundreds and argues about the number
Last but not least, Meles won the 2005 YARA prize

When they called this guys new breed of African leaders were they referring to their ability to oppress, kill, lie, cheat and finally conceal the truth.

oh ya, where are my manners! HI everyone.

Public Announcement

2005-11-27T09:39:00.000-08:00

This non-blog status is brought to you by the letters W,O,R & K in collaboration with Unsettle Calmness™, product of EPRDF nuisance

monday blues on a wednesday

2005-11-09T05:47:00.000-08:00

leftovers from last week

I am having trouble writing, too overwhelmed by the “normal” pace of life. thank heaven there is always music to get the feeling across. u unfortunately I dunno how to post music files, even if I do the internet is too slow here..so here is the lyric for Free by goodie mob. i use to use it as an opener for Alternative Thursdays back in my heydays as a flaming radio dj.

Incase you are wondering, everyone is back to work. so am i.

free
lord it's so hard, living this life
a constant struggle each and every day
some wonder why i'd rather die
than to continue living this way
many are blind and cannot find
the truth cause no one seems to really know
but i won't accept that this is how it's gonna be
devil you gotta let me and my people go
cause i wanna be free, completely free
lord won't you please come and save me
i wanna be free, totally free
i'm not gonna let this world worry me

N.B. For pronounced effect, listen to the song. ceelo’s baritone voice will knock ya of yer seats.

lazy but not crazy

2005-11-08T05:14:00.000-08:00

I am all lethargic from sittin at home.

Here is one I wrote back in June about organized protests and Ethiopians. infact if you feel you have the time check out the june archives.

déjà vu?

i will update after I get my brain back from the cleaners.

…..Like a dead dog needs a little nudge

2005-11-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

Just moments ago before I sat to write this, there was machine gun fire close to where we live. When the shots ended it triggered all the neighborhoods dogs, including our neighbor’s that sounds like it’s levitating with its barking powers. Then some more dogs started barking farther and farther and farther until the barking spread all over the lowlands of Addis. What a surreal moment it was to stand in the crisp and quite night and witness the progression of canine alertness.

Everywhere I went the past two month, the political feeling had a similar pattern. Everyone was waiting for the first sign of uprising to come form Addis. The sign came this week, the past few days have left Addis in shock, and the shock wave has now reached all parts of Ethiopia. Ethiopians in all corners have now stood up against the regime. With the free press banned, information from those towns limited to personal contacts, if any; the LITTLE attention the western media gives to the current situation is concentrated on Addis. No matter how many ordinary mortals are gunned down in those places, their numbers and identity will remain unknown.

EPRDF is done for. at this moment in time, Meles and Co. are working on Plan B. their original plan to suck Ethiopia dry for five more years with the people under the barrel of their guns has definitely failed.

Being the rule of nature and me being a nerd, water boils when the vapor pressure exceeds atmospheric pressure. The situation in Ethiopia could boil over from civil unrest to civil war unless the pressure with in the country is matched by pressure from outside. Fact is; the AU is as useless as an asshole on the elbow, we will deal with them once this whole thing is over. Western countries need to stop their horsin’ around. What’s being heard form them so far is a redundant gibberish that urges “dialogue”, “restraint on both sides” and “independent investigations”. It’s too late for that, what Ethiopians need is some one to free them form the belly of the dying machine.

What intrigues me the most is the foreign representatives of Ethiopia who still stand by their programmed “it’s an emerging democracy” remark? It’s time for Ambassador Kassahun and the likes of him to wake up and smell the roses. Step down and Denounce the atrocities committed by their possessor and be granted a resting place for your miserable souls. Your actions can greatly reduce the amount of innocent blood that gets spilled for nothing.

every one needs a final wakeup call…..

Must reads (in addition to the ones already linked)

Ana Gomes’s letter to the EU
First hand accounts: ethioindex, ethiopianreview
Why blood is thicker than water

wireless warriors

2005-11-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

-- ring ring……ring ring… --

“hey…I just heard some shots around my neighborhood, any thing happening where you are…?”

“nah…just smoke from burning tires but I hear there is violence in Tulu Bolo…”

“what about D/zeit anything happening there yet…”

“not that I know of but someone called me earlier about troop movement to kaliti…”

“well..call me if you here anything “

“you do the same…”

-- click --

This is how most of us are participating in the current uprising. not every one who want the change is paying the sacrifice, it the ones with nothing to loose who are perishing out there. most of us just sit in the safety of our homes and commiserate ...

Call me naive but I was expecting a more of a large gathering of protesters taking over the streets, nothing uberly violent, What’s happening right now is not your ideal colored revolution, it more of an urban warfare. There is pocket resistance in every neighborhood, except for bole, which has been unofficially renamed Carter Center. Those who brave the times burn a few tires, throw some rocks, and chant until a truckload of army gets dumped in the area and unload a few cartridges on the unarmed protesters. Those lucky enough to escape the bullets run for their lives and take cover in the side streets of the city. The army goes chasing after them kicking doors, shooting and arresting anyone in their way.

The governments plan is to silence the uprising where it starts before it hits the main streets. There is no sympathy for the dead, the state radio is more concerned about the number of buses damaged.

It’s sickening to think all the killing is done by solders loyal to a hand full of people. it doesn’t take much thinking to realize that they are just as expendable. When the situation gets beyond their control, meles and his cronies will flee the country to live of off the millions they stashed.

-- ring ring…...ring ring.. --

the tipping point

2005-11-02T02:48:00.000-08:00

The patience over flowed yesterday and it continues today but this time it is not limited to mercato and pizza, the whole city is a war zone, I hear gun shots as I am writing this. They rounded up CUDP officials and other civic organization leaders last night. Yesterday’s violence is orchestrated by the EPRDF so that they can put this people in jail. They don’t care at what cost.

They say eight people died yesterday but the real numbers won’t be known for a while. so far nothing on today’s death toll but we hear there are bodies all over the streets of Addis. The people have become too agitated, school kids who were chanting as they were passing on the street throwing rocks at everything, one landed near where I was, at least it wasn’t bullets. The army in disguise of the federal police is using excessive force, their aim is not to scare of the protesters by shooting in the air, once again they are using fatal force.

the situation is only going to get worse. Who knows what’s happening outside Addis.

Tell-a “lie-to-your” vision

2005-11-01T00:19:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2004: VP with his TV

Granted if I had a television set just with ETV, it would have had a nice cactus plant in place of a screen. The occasional TV I get to watch is at my folks where I can actually disappear in over 50 channels of mind numbingly good entertainment. So, for me, the boycotting of ETV is not a choice but more like fate. However, from yesterday’s experience every Ethiopian people should watch ETV.

In a country where the opposition enjoys an overwhelming majority support but the least access to media, a half-hour news reportage on the “wrong” doings of the opposition is not an easy publicity. Intentionally or un-intentionally (HA! I knew that phrase would actually come in handy) the state media is publicizing the steps of the peaceful resistance in details; all you need to do is filter out the propaganda junk, which doesn’t take a genius to do. plus, nothing wrong with some rubbish propaganda to get you riled up for the next day.

For those of you who get to celebrate Halloween once a year, HAPPY HALLOWEEN. For us everyday is Halloween getting spooked by the likes of Meles

Keep on Honkin' in the free world

2005-10-30T11:49:00.000-08:00

picture courtesy of gigposters.com

Despite this weeks debacle CUDP has managed to file their final merger to the NEBE and hold on to your seats….begin the peaceful demonstrations. For now it will start with boycotting government media and relations with EPRDF affiliated business aaaand we get to honk every morning for half an hour (8:00 – 8:30am). Although the latter leaves out the majority of the population who rely on their good foot, I still think there are enuf cars in the city to make the point. Besides, the past few days the city was getting whored up to host another African Union summit. Perhaps this time the band of tyrants will get a real taste of post election Addis.

The plan is to slowly increase the heat. In a very astute move to accommodate the muslim population, the sit-ins and possible all out strikes are held off till after Ramadan.

Of course, EPRDF has already increased the saber rattling. From the sound of tonight’s press release, which I know I wasn’t supposed to be reading, their next disgruntled move will be rounding up CUDP officials and banning the free press. oh my…that would only make things worse…much worse.

The spy who almost shagged me

2005-10-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

the political soap was at it’s climax this week. Both CUD and UEDF were busy solving what could have been disastrous internal problems. alas! two doctors, Dr. Merara and Dr. Beyene were relieved of their duty. It’s got to do with the party joining the mock-Parliament for the sake of Dr Meraras party ONC's survival. I didn’t pay much attention to it ‘cause CUD stole the little attention I have.

CUD’s was worse. They were busy removing a mole everyone knew about. EPRDF media outlet, not Addis Zemen, not the Herald, but the party’s official potty talk weekly, EFTIN was publishing minutes from CUD executive commit meeting word by word. it ‘s a good thing one of the qualities of the CUDP is having no secrets from the public.

the mole was visious this week, and it had a name, Lidetu Ayalew, who every one thought deserved an action figure. The not doctor, not so engineer, Lidetu will still have an action figure, only he will be portrayed as the worst villain of the 2005 election series.

Lidetu’s last minute stance of not making the CUDP merger official not only put the whole thing in jeopardy but it also raised some eye brows. The free press went on to dig deeper in to his intentions and finally linked him an Al Amoudi sponsored EPRDF spy. All those abuses against him by the secret service and police where just part of the drama heh… 75,000 people in his constituency went on to sign a petition that removes Lidetu of his representation. To add to the drama, the NEBE poopooed the electorates demand. Since when did the NEBE care about legitimacy of opposition MPs?

Lidetu on the other hand still claims his innocence and his devotion to the people. But the more he tries to defend him self the more he implicates himself. There is one particular statement about what he would do if the CUDP went with his plans and it fails - “beg for forgiveness”.

He was told to “strategically place” his forgiveness where the sun don’t shine.

the more you toke, the more you rock

2005-10-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

Stoners raise your bongs

study showes that marijuana makes you SMRT

what we did at the parliament (by Right Said Meles)

2005-10-12T11:41:00.001-07:00

Photo: EPRDF MPs during lunch break

I'm too sexy for freedom too sexy for democracy
nothing is going to ruin me

I'm too sexy for the election, too sexy for negotiations
So sexy it hurts
And I'm too sexy for Addis too sexy for Bahirdar
Dire and Awaasa

And I'm too sexy for your party
Too sexy for your party
No way I'm negotiating

I'm progressive you know what I mean
And I do my little trick on the donors
Yeah on the givers on the fork-ers
I do my little mischief on the donors

I'm too sexy for Merara too sexy for Birhanu Too sexy by far
And I'm too sexy for my Bereket
Too sexy for Bereket what do you think about that

I'm a tyrant you know what I need
And I do my little tricks on the ballot
Yeah on the ballot
I shake my little toosh on the ballot

I'm too sexy for my too sexy for my too sexy for my

'Cos I'm a commie you know what I say
And I do my little cant on the media
Yeah on the media on the radio yeah
I shake my little toosh on the Tele

I'm too sexy for hibret too sexy for kinijit
Poor hibret poor kinijit
I'm too sexy for my parliament too sexy for your lives
I will lock you up if you leave me

Ethiopia over a cup of tea

2005-10-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

Let me iterate you with what’s been happening in the past week. I was once again in a better place; it seems the binary gods of this cyberworld have destined me to be in un-wired territories when ever the politicians start acting funny. Ok here we go!

After the oppositions announced the October 2nd peaceful protest, the government… no… the EPRDF…NO NO…THE WEYANNE’S! I don’t even know what to call this morons anymore, deemed it ‘an attempt to topple the government un-constitutionally’ - the constitution oozing with all sorts emerging democratic goodness - and unload their drones in the city, who they kept busy before the Sunday rally target practicing on the outskirts of the city. the oppositions called off the Sunday rally as a result of the ‘heavy blood’ forecast and went on to call a three day sit in during an important week for the government, the AU peace and security council meeting to be held in Addis. In the mean time, Meles Zenawi, the high priest of off our emerging democracy, calls up the ambassadors of donor nations ( UK and US) and proposes…I am hysterically laughing as I say this…A NEGOTIATION! A round table civilized discussion, perhaps with some tea and cookies, and come up to a mid point with the opposition.

is there even a midpoint here?

the oppositions decided to give the offer a shot and call off the sit in, which the state media widely publicized. This whole thing happened between the hours of 6am till 12pm of Saturday, talk about suspense. The saddest part of all this is things was already crumbling on the most important subject of “who caved in and called the damn negotiation”.

perhaps this should be sign to rethink…..but not yet.

The PM , who is too busy at the peace and security meeting wasn’t going to attend the negotiations, instead, Bereket ‘bagdad-bob’ Simon was delegated to lead the ruling party side.

That should have been the end of the beginning, Bereket can’t even negotiate with him self but to my anguish it went on.

eight major issues concerning the future of the country were brought to the table, which doesn’t include….here is one for the giggles…. a unity government. Instead EPRDF suggested absurd negotiation points such as; respect for the constitution (pull down your pants and bend over), a commitment to non-violence (not including target practices in the vicinity of the city limits, mass arrest, harassing members of other parties.) parliamentary procedure (not getting dragged out of a session by military police when ever the speaker of the house thinks you are unsightly )and Access to the media (only one is a camera the other is a machine gun, you guys pick which one we use today).

some one should have thrown the towel right then.

For the next four days a half-assed joint press conference where everyone kept hush hush (and a highly classified document leak) was all we knew about the negotiation until they emerged on Friday, all haggard, telling us it all went pear shaped! Heaven knows we could have used that three day sit in. other than writing my over due reports, the African Summit would have been held in a deserted city.

I am pretty pissed of at the opposition for not seeing this coming and lending the time to EPRDF who is going to use it to scramble for yet another twisted plot. Personally, the more we wait the nastier things are going to get. EPRDF, already in the process of establishing regional governments, is getting cushier and people are getting bitterer.

2005-10-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

monkey see, monkey do

VIVA! platetectonics

2005-09-29T01:56:00.000-07:00

“SURPRISE!” that’s how my halfassed rants are looking like this days. the worst part of it is that the longer the time since my last blog the less motivated I get to post. Quality becomes an issue too. As Neil would say “the more you think, the more you stink”. Somehow I am taking this blogging thing way to seriously. plus, it’s not possible to be a diligent ‘full time geodologist/halfassed carpenter/grease monkey/blogger’. there is one missing in there - ‘a kickass radio DJ’. Unfortunately that title didn’t last to see the 15^th show. I am no more the host of alternative Thursdays, in fact Thursdays are not so alternative anymore. in a way, it’s helped in keeping me unscratched, my folks celebrated the occasion.

aight. more politics less other-topics. Even if it’s not worthy of CNN’s situation room yet, there has been quite the situations roundhere. for one; ever played rock paper scissors (AboSem if you grew up in Ethiopia) with whiny kids that keeps crying it was practice run every time they lose? That is how it feels to be in Ethiopia right now. while still proclaiming that the may 2005 elections is the most democratic election ever ever ever , the EPRDF government have also been trying to convince us the elections was a practice run, adding that the humiliation has been a lesson for them. so far they have hastily embarked on giving tax breaks, a new education policy, land reform…anything to prove they are worthy of another five years. to make things even comical, right around the time the 99% of the way dead Robert Mugabe declared this was his last term for him as president of Zimbabwe, ours here claimed ditto. During an interview, PM Meles declared that five more years is all he wants to reach an orgasm. This is exactly what’s wrong with African leaders; they think it’s up to them to say enuf, no matter how screwy they are. I say power to the people but that doesn’t come easy in Africa.

Remember ‘unsettle calmness’? it’s been lingering around ever since and now it’s hit the roof again. The EPRDF has been playing all sorts of dirty tricks to silence the oppositions. the one that’s going to be a nominee for the “the tricky-dick award for the dirtiest trick of 2005’ will be ‘creating a second political party using the same name, seal, and sellout-x-members of an existing, prominent political party and giving them airtime on the state media to announce their legitimacy’. the party in highlight is the Oromo National Congress (ONC), one of the parties that make up UEDF headed by Dr. Merara Gudina, a man I fell in like with during the televised debates. The leading sell-out is called Weizero? Almaz Seifu, a lady I knew from my childhood going to the football stadium, who screamed like a maniac when ever St. George Beer (now called plain St. George) is loosing. I was hugely surprised to find her in the political circle. She was good at it too until a very strange abduction story surfaced about her. No one knows what exactly happened but she was removed from UEDF executive committee for behavioral misconduct and now she has gone behind their back.

In the mean while, the all oppositions, besides EPRDF-ONC, have put their foot down. they are boycotting the parliament and they demand satisfaction. in fact, last Saturday, the four parties that make up the CUD merged to one, a fatal blow to EPRDF. they were so mad, they gave it front page news on the EPRDF herald.

On the subject of fatal blows, a few real ones landed on plenty of federal police officers and addis-ababians on Tuesday. Wednesday was a holiday, Meskle, the finding of the true cross. As part of a tradition, people have bonfires on the eve to symbolize how the true cross’ resting place was discovered. The biggest bonfire ceremony is held at Meskel Square (not the blog!), which use to be known as ‘Revolution Square’ during the comieedays. After Megistu denied any kind of fire for 17 years except the fire arms that parade on revolution day, it’s original purpose and name was restored in 1992 after EPRDF took power. customarily, the bonfire ceremony is attended by very important people and this year, EPRDF officials including the mayor, president girma - worlds #1 no use president, and the orthodox pope attended the event - so did a couple of hundred thousand agitated addis-ababians. Even my high school home-economics teacher was never boooed like that. not only they got booed, they got chased off the ceremony with a stone shower of biblical proportions. Meskel miracle, the federals didn’t retaliate with bullet showers, they used rocks and batons instead.

Boycotting got followed by CUD & UEDF jointly calling a global peaceful protest for October 2^nd. This is something that the EPRDF did everything in their “power” from happening. Since then, the government has been uttering threats somewhere in the lines of repeating the July 15^thmassacre if the most democratic election ever ever ever is protested. From what’s seen at the Meskel mini-riot, the public has become more hardened since July 15^th, a lot more force might be required to yield. I have very little doubt they won’t use that force either for they have already sharpened their knives for the scapegoat they prepared long ago. Very though choices to be made in the coming few days, it could be the one chance for everyone to sand next to their choice but at what cost? I won’t be getting in to the story about breaking some eggs to make an omelet. Unless everyone is rily careful about how they handle the situation, we might end up killing the chicken her self.

On another news (didn’t I say there’s been lots happening), after six years of dormancy, the border war with Eritrea looks like it’s about to boil over. Both sides have been building up their army around the border and calling for someone to stop them before one ruins the other. GREAT. For the Ethiopian government to go in to war with Eritrea right now would be like attending an orgy while sick with diarrhea. The clowns ruling those countries do not know who to fight anymore, each other or their own citizens.

On the brighter side of life, plate tectonics might put an end to all this non-sense once and for all by breaking part of east africa from the rest of the continent. Several earthquakes in the past two weeks have sunk a mountain and triggered lava flow in the afar region, the lowest point in the Great African rift valley. my time frame for the brake-off is a exagrated, unless EPRDF is in power for the next geological epoch, still fighting with their Eritreaian counterpart.

newyear resolution #1 - no more white wine with coke

2005-09-15T04:31:00.000-07:00

First, melkam B-lated addis amet lehulachihu

The picture is of a fire work display sponsored by Sheraton Addis in celebration of the newyear. Such displays accompany the feasts Sheraton Addis throws every Ethiopian and ferengi newyear. For those who can afford to fork a thousand birr, the feast includes a meal, open bar and all night dancing with a live band, which usually includes local artists and a well known western sensation. So far, saun paul, joe, shaggy and cool and the gang (I know! they are still a gang but I don’t know about the ‘cool’ part) have taken the Sheraton stage at one time or the other.

What makes this year’s newyear bash different is the controversy behind it. To begin with, Sheraton Addis is owned by Sheki Muhamed Alamoudi, a Saudi /Ethiopian billionaire and avid supporter of the EPRDF. I would like to make my self clear here, in a democratic world everyone has a right to support whom ever they want, then again it’s becoming clear as day and night that the last thing our nation is democratic. The question becomes, why would a person in Al-amoudi’s stature support a regime? I can’t say it hasn’t cost him either, the once “respected” billionaire is now just another ‘aDir bAi’ in the public mind not to mention products associated with his companies including Pepsi Cola are boycotted by most. I happen to witness a bar brawl between a waiter and an angry patron who ordered a soft drink and got a Pepsi.

The other controversy maker is the musical line up. of course, what would a controversial newyear year bash be without teddyafro, the musical highlight of 1997 and already on EPRDF’s ‘to ruin’ list. For those in power, some of tedy’s songs are known to cause nightmares involving forgiveness and unity in Ethiopia. Others on the list include, Ali Bira, who until now is known to be not so fond of the EPRDF hence lives in the US. Hamelmal Abate, also lives in the US and word has it she is a common crowd pleaser at OLF, anti-EPRDF gurrila group, fundraising concerts. Final to spice up the deal, Wycliffe came solo to represent MTV.

Teddy was the biggest lure in the box; because of him tickets were selling like it’s the last concert on the planet. Unfortunately, that didn’t last for long. a day before the concert the rumor in town was that teddy won’t be performing on new year eve. the rumor became headline the next day. Angry ticket holders stormed Sheraton Addis demanding a refund and an explanation. Nothing official came from the Sheraton besides what’s already known, teddy’s absence, but word has it that tedy was ordered not to play some of the material from his new album, especially Ja Yasteseryal for it might offend some of the crowd (I guess we know which ones) so he him self withdrew refusing to work under restrictions. Bravo teddy. I wish the rest had done the same, he’s a fellow artist after all.

This is not the first time our leaders put the artistic mind in shackles, we owe the demise of the once thriving Ethiopian music scene to the Mengistu regime. at least he was an all out dictator.

On related news, a play written by Getnet Enyew called ‘wey addis ababa’ has also been banned from the national theater.

As for my new year eve, had a jolly good night playing teddy and all the good stuff on a concrete slab of an unfinished building over looking the whole addis.

yeh.Ever had white wine with coke..?

Hurricane Melew

2005-09-09T05:13:00.000-07:00

Unless I am writing this from the next world this should be a good sign that I am alive. My where abouts shouldn’t be a concern to any of you well wishers out there. I was in better place, just came back from an extended work related roadtrip to the a very nice part of ethiopia, Arba Minch. Everything was grand beside the lack of a portal for my two cents on the happenings of the last two weeks, which can be considered as the Ethiopian Hurricane season, politically of course.

For those of you who follow the current Ethiopian politics this is gonna be old news. the last time I blogged just before I left, the NEBE had declared EPRDF a winner, the prime Minster was announced winner of the first Yara foundation prize and the hype was going down.

While I was away, the European union election observer team, headed by Ana Gomes, now nicked by Ethiopians ‘Anna Gobeze’ (Gobeze = the brave), released their report on what they thought of the elections. Ok. I know the NEBE has other agendas besides running national elections but the EU? Might I wonder what took them so freaking long to release their report? it’s all good tho, the report is just what was needed, it’s like a down pour in the middle off a drought, it definitely came to the delight of many, some thing that would make you say “Anjete Kibe Te’ta” (it drenched my gut with butter) after reading it. According to the EU, the 2005 Ethiopian Elections is a text book example of undemocratic elections

Not all Ethiopian’s guts are drenched with butter, for some, it’s like swallowing a lump of hot amber. I wish I was right there when Bereket ‘bagdad bob’ Simon read the report, if he can. Apparently, a series of editorials came out on the Ethiopian Herald (EPRDF Herald i call it) questioning the credibility of Ana Gomes…. sorry..Ana Gobeze and finally came to an idiotic conclusion that Mrs. Gobeze gets 20% of the money raised in the EU for CUD. I am no fraud guru but I know a few things one of them is that CUD is not Fertilizer Company, and second only PM Meles is known to accept such offerings.

Talk about PM Meles, they say I have been irreverent towards him. in the words of snoop doggy dog…”Whhhy not?”, when you’ve got a prime minister that just keeps on screwing, it’s my national duty to be disrespectful. his latest in his line of ‘ignorant deed at the wrong time’ is thirteen thousand something word letter he published on the EPRDF Herald in three parts each with a different ridanculous title that all together translate to ‘why I am and always will be a power mongering lunatic and my one nut is slightly larger than the other ’. Give us some freaking slack here Mr. PM but you firkin choose these observers your self, the once you deemed unreliable you kicked out of the country and the local ones you revoked their rights. Now we are being told what these people are saying is nothing but a heap of lies. Perhaps officers of the Chinese Communist Party should have done the observing. oh the humanity, you people should have seen the slogans they had on TV in between each news segment and between commercial breaks, it took a lot of effort on not to kick in the screen, classic Dergue. One of them read (of course in Amharic but literally translates to) “what the foreign election observers and journalists are saying is not going to make any difference”. I have a couple of questions for PM Meles .one, does your slogan include Jimmy? two, when you composed that self deprecating epic, were you on your usual belEche? cause man, that’s shit you wrote is too intense for belEche, when did you switch to GelEmso? (

Before the ink dried on the herald, our valiant PM made his way Norway to be proclaimed a modern day Viking and officially get the 200,000$ he plundered together with the fertilizer giant Yara international. At the ceremony, Melew the great offered his bounty be used to help poor school girls in Ethiopia. I bettcha you he was counting on ‘yilunTa’ (a mental condition in Habesha people that makes you do things that you don’t want for the sake of ‘what would others say’) to kick in when he said that - “no no…ere..aydregem..”. but not me, as the saying goes ‘bElt lej eyeBela yaleksal’ (a smart kid cries for more while eating what he’s given), so PM Meles, I suggest you submit the money ASAP, in cash, to someone we can trust (to be chosen) before you embark on yet another painful piece on why your daughter qualifies as a poor student.

Have loads to catch up on.

On the subject of hurricanes and inept leaders, I wish strength for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. As for Curious George, I remember the morning after the election being told that bush won and me going “heh..no worries…either he will get assassinated or impeached”. Now I know for what reason.

got hype?

2005-08-11T22:38:00.000-07:00

The NEBE has finally released the decisive election results

wait wait….i could do better

“guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back
na na nanana. na na nanana.......”

i know I could still do better…

FINAL FUCKINGLY THE FUCKING ELECTION RESULTS ARE IN!THERE’S MORE TO THIS FANTABULUS NEWS, EPRDF WON ENOUGH FUCKING SEATS TO ESTABLISH A FUCKING GOVERNMENT. WHOPDIFUCKINGDO!

pardon my amharic

those guys weren’t joking when they forecasted the same thing a day after the election. Their tenquay must be better than my tenquay.

tsegasaurus words of wisdom: Politics and apple cores can’t stay fresh for long in open air

The UEDF is not accepting the results and is going to fight the NEBE at the supreme court

ATTENTION! Ato Kemal Bedri, you’ve done marvelous job with your chairmanship at the NEBE now the EPRDF needs your usual patronage at the Supreme Court.

If they can’t trust the NEBE what makes them think they can trust the court. Don’t they know already that every place of authority is infested with EPRDF pests? it’s just going to substantiate their victory “hey every one look the opposition is going to court. how democratic of them”

first of the gang to lie!

So the Chinese are the first ones to endorse EPRDFs victory. This is according to a press statement by the communist party.

“congratulations EPRDF for winning your third “democratic” election. then again, what do we know about democracy, we’re just a bunch of commies….muah muah muah…NOW NAME ANOTHER STREET AFTER OUR “TREASURED” FRIENDSHIP! how about ‘Ethio Chinese Friendship Road 2’ muah muah muah”

the rest…..

AU….”shhhh, ya ya good job now, can’t you see we busy trying to score a couple of worthwhile seats in the security council”

US….”those Ethiopians, are they helpful or unhelpful?”

UK…..…”I told you all this wouldn’t have happened if our pubs were open all night….fancy a pint?”

Mr. Clarke….”you know that bereket simon has some nerves…”….

Mr. Carter…. -Gone Fishing, Jimmy -

Mrs. Gomez,…beep...beep....beep...

Russia,….”alright who farted in the submarine?”

hellow, any body else?

France:….”Sunny aaaaand 29 degreez? who neez uhhh sunblock quand you ‘ave uhhhh crepes, oui oui crepes”

Mr. T….”I pity da foo”

Looks like everyone is occupied with their own issues.

What now then?

“…It’s alright to get caught
stealing back what you’ve lost….”

so, who’s up for it?

hey! I just heard loud car honks, could this be the beginning of….lemme go check…...
never mind, they are honking at an old lady crossing the road.

who is for reclaiming democracy?

vroom, vroom,….screeccchhh….honk honk

I will rephrase my question….

who wants to be crushed without hesitation for demanding democratic rights?

wait, what’s that piece of paper every one is holding? could this be the opposition calling for……..lemme go check………….never mind, it’s the form for DV2006

HEY C’MON, somebody gotta be down with uniting this country! can you imagine how COOL that would be? emperor tewodros did it

silence.....

“all men have secrets and here is mine so let it be known…..”

I here by confess I have become a hype-junky. hype gets me going. I said I never liked politics. Things have changed since then, I never knew the polisphere is oooozing with so much hype, I thought I had a supply to last me a life time. Here in the political stink hole I found the mother of all hypes. I was bad, I indulged my self in it like there is no tomorrow. Sadly there is. and a hype less tomorrow. Lately I haven’t been getting my fix, the supply is running low. some people say this might just be the last of it…….

…….must…..get….hyped..

Brother can you spare two dumps?

2005-07-20T05:52:00.000-07:00

So it says on the news that our PM received a Prize.

The award is created for the first time this year by the YARA Foundation (subsidiary of YARA International ASA, world’s leading supplier of mineral fertilizer).

Any one who watches/watched The Simpsons knows ‘The First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence’. good old Burnsy.

Homer "wins" the First Annual Montgomery Burns Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence, a fictional $2000 prize awarded by Montgomery Burns. The name of the "award" was hastily concocted by Burns on the spot in an attempt to convince Homer to sign a waiver freeing the nuclear plant of all liability for Homer's recently discovered sterility.

Why would any one think of giving an award to the most inappropriate person at the most inappropriate time?

The premise of the award is just as absurd as Burnsy’s. “promote green revolution in Africa” what revolution? For the PM Meles, the word revolution induces high fevers followed by extreme brutality; the last word he wants to hear is a revolution, especially a colored one.

Forget the revolution, here is what they said when they stuffed $200,000 in his fat pocket.

“for his contribution to improved food security and human nutrition in ways that also protect the environment” and “[bringing] about political change in Ethiopia, and placed the rural poor first in the country's development strategies”

Improved food security? Political change? Human nutrition? Protect the environment? That doesn’t sound like Ethiopia at all. The last time I checked, over 10m people are awaiting emergency food aid, Meles and his EPRDF buddies have chained them selves to the throne, bullets are not part of a nutritional diet, and fertilizers are no good for the environment.

The name “YARA Prize” is even more absurd than Mr. Burns’ award in the field of excellence, at least for us Ethiopians. Yara in Amharic translates to “he who defecated”. I think I like it. I am not the least bit interested in the PM’s bowl movements but he sure has been verbally defecating on the Ethiopian public. My disinterest in fecal issues is also shared by the YARA Foundation, YARA manufactures and exports mineral fertilizer, not the wholesome organic kind derived from poop.

On the other hand, PM Meles and his EPRDF croons love fertilizers soooo much I wouldn’t wonder if they use some in their morning coffee - of course not ca-ca kind. Besides petroleum products, chemical fertilizer constitutes one of the largest single import commodity. The fertilizer trade has been increasing since the establishment of Sasakawa Global 2000, (the white guy in the pic is Mr. Carter and the black guy is PM Meles) an organization that openly advocates the use of fertilizers, pesticides and GM seeds. Fertilizer becoming such a lucrative line of business, the three EPRDF affiliated trading houses – Guna, Ambasel, and Dinsho – monopolized the fertilizer market by muscling out others like the Ethiopian Amalgamated LTD.

With in the rural community, fertilizer has been used as a way of blackmailing the farmers to vote for EPRDF, which is another luxury they enjoy from the monopoly. When EPRDF realized they didn’t get the farmers vote, which they were counting on, they denied the much needed fertilizer at a critical time telling them “kinijit yistachu” (go ask CUD). Ever since the election they have been harassing farmers to pay them the debt they owe from last years fertilizer supply, the farmers in turn said “le kinijit nEw mEnsetEw” (we will give it to CUD). on top of that, Did I mention they increased the already inflated price of fertilizer?

As for PM’s award for the most verbal defecation in short period…I mean..YARA Foundation Prize; kickbacks and commissions do not constitute awards for good deeds. What ever the hell it is for, in the name of all good and beautiful, he doesn’t deserve it and this I know, the whole Ethiopian public knows and now you know.

Hell ya, I might even be the recipient of the YARA prize next year for the most vulgar blog entry.

In any case, farming is going be all organic this year so do your part by fertilizing a farmer’s field when out of Addis.

Reference:
The Simpsons, Season 3. Episode 24: Brother Can You Spare Two Dimes?

arms “R” us

2005-07-13T06:08:00.000-07:00

I hate to be yegedel mamito (an echo) but this article is worth mentioning since it matches my last blog.

The very people who want to pull Africa out of poverty are the ones who put her in this misery pit in the first place. Surprised? Habits being a bad thing, despite their effort they are making by canceling debts and increase aid, on the side, they are still encouraging bad governance through arms trade.

Poor countries like Ethiopia do not manufacture their weapons, if we could, we wouldn’t be fighting each other like savages, we would be busy making more weapons. The article describes the who and who sold what in the international arms trade as well as who spends what on arms.

BTW, my car got broken in to last night as I was having a pleasant dream, I am in the market for a used AK47 to make sure it doesn’t happen again. any one? hey! G8 dudes, spare an automatic rifle?

P.S. on the brighter side of life Andrew heavens latest blog is about favorite places in Ethiopia. Here is mine - I have a view of this mountain (in the background) form my office and when ever I get furious with work or getting robbed or reading such articles, having a quick gaze at it brings me back to calma. everyone calls it Mt. Wechecha, I call it Mt. Serenity now. i will post a better pic.

who let the guns out

2005-07-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

There is a truism that stands in all modern society “guns don’t kill people, people kill people”. Even before most humans barely knew what guns were Ethiopians had a similar proverb, just substitute ‘guns’ for ‘daggers’ but the idea remains the same - (“negeru nEw enji chUbe sew aygOdam”). Some governments seem to have a hard time understanding this cliché for it’s not their compassion and good governance that keeps them in power. Funny you might say, an Ethiopian MP Hailekiros Tadesse recently said “eliminating nuclear weapons would free the world of all fears”. Mind you, this statement came from someone affiliated with a regime that is holding on to authority strictly by the power of guns.

For us Ethiopians, guns in public places are considered a norm. Unless we see guns in action, their presence is not felt any more than the presence of stray dogs. Since the first “senAder” (Snider Breech-Loader Rifle) made its way in to the country during the time of Atse Tewodros, the ownership of arms in Ethiopia has been culturally significant. Besides the obvious fearsome respect one gets for their gun, it also determined their status in society - the bigger the rifle the wealthier the person. In recent times however, the ownership of guns in a household is not much of a big deal, thanks to the influx of AK47 at the end of the cold war, now every farmer is armed to the teeth.

When Mengistu H/Mariam put together the largest army in Africa he didn’t arm them with broom sticks, his russki pals, who by then were playing with much bigger toys, handed him all the AK47 he desired for not more that an ‘I. O. U.’ letter. When Mengistu fled the country and his army fell apart most of the weapons were an accounted for, the desperate solders were trading in their AKs for an ear of corn. May 1991 saw the AK47 sell of the century, it was a “buy one and use that to get another one” deal. The transitional EPRDF government at the time attempted to convince the public to return all the weapons through comical-ads and house-to-house searches, a few did so because they had no use for more than one, the rest of the weapons ended up in the rural community.

My first enjoyment of holding an AK came at the age of ten when it was cheaper to buy an AK than a toy gun. My first satisfaction of killing my opponents with an AK was during my university years where so many precious hours were well wasted playing counter strike. My first holdup with an AK came two weeks ago. Here is how the last one happened.

After the funeral of one of my uncles the past week. The funeral was held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis. The holy trinity is the most exquisite church built during the time of H.I.M. for ceremonial purposes. Story has it that Indian and Middle Eastern master masons were brought for the construction. The architecture of the cathedral combines the common eastern orthodox domed style with some gothic influence, which makes very unique. On top of that, since the time of the monarchy, the burial grounds are reserved for people of high stature like royal family (including H.I.M), patriots of the two Italo-Ethiopian wars and highly influential people. Just like the church the headstones are meticulously carved. all these characters make the Holy Trinity Cathedral a must see land mark for any one who visits Addis, just make sure not to mistake the Red Berets for priest in ceremonial robe.

The special solders are a recent addition, not only to the church but to the city; their presence has been more prominent since the election. their main purpose is intimidation, besides their mean looks they are armed with automatic weapons the likes of me has never seen before, not even on counter strike. Legend has it they are sharp shooters too, which is their other purpose; I guess they have proved that on May 16, 2005.

After the funeral, I figured I snap a picture of two of the holy-drones in their new habitat so I pulled out my camera, that’s when I got stopped by one of them holding an AK47, who then confiscated my camera and told us to go wait by a wall. I asked him what the problem was; he said there are no pictures allowed. I wanted to say “it is your presence that shouldn’t be allowed not taking pictures of the beautiful church” but that will be considered mouthing of. He told me the matter has to be looked at by his superior and started calling for number seven on his CB radio. So I went by the car and started contemplating the possible outcomes of the situation, the simplest was to go home one digital camera less but the harsh ones were too many.

Twenty minutes later three military dudes, who looked of a higher rank from their uniform, strolled in through the gates; they went and had a brief chat with the first guy. I was given the hand gesture to come over; the meanest looking one asked why I have the camera and I Gave him a very straight answer, “to take pictures”. I guess he got pissed of by my response, he then started going on and on about how this is serious crime and my identity should be looked in details. When he said that, my last remaining hopes of leaving in one piece stated pouring out through my sweat pores. When someone that mean says “your identity should be looked in to in details” he is not suggesting a trip to the social security office. Once again I was told to go wait by the car. I tried to explain that there were no pictures taken and if he wishes I could erase the data from the camera. He was adamant.

More chattering on the CB radio.

After a while, a non military pickup truck drove in to the compound, from it emerged a rather large guy in military uniform. You can tell his superiority from his beer belly. They all went and stifled my heinous crimes to their boss; he then looked my way which I took as a sign to walk over. He asked if it is my camera, I said “yes”, he told me to turn it on, I proudly did. After he saw for him self that there were no incriminating pictures, he handed me the camera back and gave me a warning not to do it again. The mean dude who has been threatening ‘detailed investigation’, I could tell by his looks that he wasn’t pleased by my release. As for me, I left the compound before they change their mind.

For any eventuality….

“don’t take your guns to town son, leave your guns at home…”

J. Cash

Once upon a Sene...

2005-07-01T05:44:00.000-07:00

The dryness of the past two weeks has been a matter of life and death. Literally. Lost two uncles and gained a sibling. The joy of a baby girl was something the whole family has been expecting but the death of my two uncles, who happen to be brothers, in less than a month time has been quite the shock. Even the thought of death, it is the most inevitable, never mind when some one is so frail, yet its human nature to try and avoid it at any cost. The older uncle fell ill not too long ago. He had gone to the states for medical treatment and he passed on while he was there. It took a little over a week for his body to get shipped. Only part of the family knew about his death at the time and did not want the news get out until the body got home fearing the unpleasant anticipation especially with in the elders. So for most of us, it was a double dose of “unsettle calmness”. His younger brother followed a week after the funeral, he was actually the one that wasn’t doing so well for so long, then again, burying two brothers in a matter of a week ain’t the most ideal.

Although life and death lie on opposite sides of the spectrum, they share so many things in common; one of them being the social gathering. It’s during this times you witness the real Ethiopian socio-cultural bond, especially how our society is very occasion oriented. During the mourning sessions, usually the week of the funeral you should expect to find 50 or more people sitting in a tent pitched for this purpose. A lot happens under the canvas, you meet relatives you never knew existed, you form new bonds and if you are lucky you find the love of your life. There will be bundles of people engaged in epic chats with their head ducked towards the chatterer in turn. It’s like a bazaar of conversations – gossip, legend, tragedy, politics, you name it - you just go around until you find the one that suits you, some times pitching in your own tales.

Besides that, we are approaching the end of Sene now (a month in the Ethiopian calendar that falls in June and July). Sene holds a special position in the life of Ethiopians, by now farmers are ready to sow their seeds after tilling their land, students are anticipating the summer break (although it’s actually winter here) that begins at the end of the month and it is budget closing time for governmental organizations. When we were grade school kids, we had a saying that went “Sene selasa ye’aleka mesa” (Sene thirty class monitors lunch). Basically it implies that on that day, Sene 30 (July 7), which is the last day of school, you settle your beef with the class-monitors who throughout the year exposed your misbehaviors to the homeroom teacher; mesa (lunch) being a metaphor for some good old thrashing. It was a curse to be elected a class monitor for that dreadful day will come.

Thanks to the uberly delayed election results, we will have an extra special Sene 30 this year. The NEBE has been promising the final election results the day after Sene 30 – Hamle 1 (July 8). Considering the number of disputed constituencies and the amount the NEBE managed to investigate so far, I wouldn’t be a tiny bit surprised if they hit the snooze button again.

Taking a very daring assumption that it won’t be delayed further more, thinking about what’s in store after that will dehydrate ones brain. Granted! the patience we are witnessing in most Ethiopians who believe the elections are rigged but would rather wait until the final results to have their say is.... truly something. After all, in regular times there isn’t enuf patience in the country to go around for all 70 million of us, most wouldn’t think about driving their car on the shoulder to over take the one doing a 100 in front of them.

As far as I understand from all those hours spent under the canvas, the result of the elections is irrelevant in how things might turn out. Right now, people are fed up with the current regime whose spite based policy of how to run a country has become soooo clear. Beside, the demagogues with in the EPRDF have seen how much they are loathed by the public, there is no other miracle behind the puny amount of shameful votes they got. so if this people are allowed to stay another five years in power, it will make the past fourteen agonizing years look like – ehhhm…if I may borrow a word from our ever so insightful information minister Bereket ‘Baghdad Bob’ Simon on his comment about the relation of their ethio-interhamwe to the Rwandan genocide – “childsplay” DAN DAN DAN!.

So this Sene 30 means a hell of a lot. it’s a day of anticipation and mental preparation For those who are ready to pay the sacrifice and for those who have no care if the sky comes falling down (Boleans, I am gazing your way when I say this) it’s a day of shopping frenzy for supplies to last them for the coming times, who surely don’t wanna spend another extended strike with out their precious…..KinChe.

All I know is that it’s going to be a trashing of a life time for all of us.

anyhu, i guess this means i am still in charge of this blog. i hope there were no coups in my absence ‘cause I still have so much to blog about, like my brief detention by the military. gonna go hydrate my brain first.

trashingly yours

Alternative Thursdays - Week 7 (June16, 2005)

2005-07-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

Revolutions per Beats

[Very very late]

I have always held a firm belief that Ethiopia is a nation of extreme contrasts. When people ask me what it is like where I came from, that’s my usual response. If they want further explanations I go on to list the good and the not so good extremities we boast. What happened in Addis in the past week has just made the growing list.

It was only last week Addis was in uproar that left most parts of the city a desolate. It was last week the brutes unleashed their war machines on unarmed people. Last week most of us were angry. This week it looks as if every thing is back to normal, the public is back to its shiny happy status, but what lies beneath their polished skin is the true Whittington’s beetle in a box - an “unsettle calmness” as the western media calls it.

What’s left from last week is, deep sorrow in those who lost some one, bullet holes in the injured, armed drones that have become part of the landscape and lot of speculations on what happened at the AAU on June 12, 2005 and what lies ahead. In times like this when the state media gives you nothing but nausea, speculations and rumors are all we have. Everyone, including me, have their own take on the situation, only time can tell.

For most of us our speculations are also our wishes. A wish to experience things we have always been told they exist but never actually seen one; like freedom and democracy or a yeti.

now in form of music:

Goodiemob – free (intro)
The white stripes – I’m finding it harder to be a gentleman everyday
REM – shiny happy people
Radiohead – karma police
Guns n’ roses – knockin’ on heavens door
The arcade fire – rebellion (lies)
Interpol – a time to be small
Neil Young – human highway
The doors – riders on the storm
The smiths – still ill
Caribou (aka. Manitoba) – yeti

2005-07-01T05:28:00.000-07:00

the blogs are back in glory

Day 7 : Recent study confirms that there is life in Addis

2005-06-13T05:54:00.000-07:00

Photo: confusion square at full confusion

Alternative Thursdays –Week 6 (June 9, 2005)

2005-06-13T04:31:00.000-07:00

Revolutions per Beats

Dedicated to the people who lost their lives at the hands of the law

“they who wish to hurt you work with in the law”

Morrissey

In Ethiopian culture, regular music in times of sorrow is seen as a sacrilege to the desisted person/persons. For such times there is a special type of music called ‘musho’ and the person who is gifted in the art of musho is called ‘musho awraaje’. The purpose of a ‘musho awraaje’ is to come up with verses about the late person to evoke sad emotions form people who are attending the mourning. Unfortunately, traditional musho hasn’t made it to the recording industry yet, if it had, this week’s revolutions per beats would have been a one hour musho session.

The decision to actually go on with his show came late afternoon. Not having the show will be a cowardly way out and to actually speak my mind during the show in the fortressed FM studio will leave me at the mercy of the federal police.

Solution: skip the dialogues and let the music speak. So I put together a ‘Ferenji musho’ in a CD and while there is still light outside I dropped it of at the studio to the technician in charge.

The show went through. The fact it went through with out any interruption makes me doubt the message got through. For me it was my two-cents for what was happening.

“we're trapped in the belly of this horrible machine
and the machine is bleeding to death”

Dead Flag Blues, GYBE

The entire monologue from the opening song can be found here

PLAY LIST:

Godspeed You Black Emperor (GYBE) – the dead flag blues
Morrissey – the world is full of crashing bores
Pink Floyd – comfortably numb
Buffalo Springfield – for what it’s worth
Ben Harper – Welcome to the cruel world
U2 – ONE
Bob Dylan – masters of war
Fela Kuti – sorrow, tears and blood
Marvin Gaye – what’s going on????

Day 5, 6, & 7: A farewell to SMS/ Finfine Rocking Fun Zone

2005-06-12T07:21:00.000-07:00

Pardon for the lack of daily updates I had gotten you use to. I was out of town on one of the days and the rest I was drinking my self silly to come in to terms with reality. my trip to Debre Zeit town on Friday can be summarized in the words of Radiohead “every thing is in its right place”. D/Zeit ain’t feeling the heat from Addis yet!

Text messaging (SMS) was introduced to the ethio-mobile community back in January. It didn’t take very long for users to adapt to the new technology and start utilizing it for means other than dirty jokes and pranks. One of the most efficient ways the CUD campaigned (see Texting for Votes) was using text messages that required the receiver to send it to at least five other people for the love of your country. After the elections, the amount of txt-msgs had dropped, until this past Monday when university students started being rounded up. Considering the mobile network was at full throttle that day, plus heaven knows what mischief being pulled at ETC, my communication was limited to txt’ing. As the week went on, the network problem worsened to blanking out at certain times of the day. In the meantime the txt-msging turned from informative to uplifting; most texts had a message to pass around on how we can have a subtle resistance to the EPRDF regime. Some notable texts include:

“IYARICO IYARICO, show your anger to the weyane regime by whistling at 3:00pm eth time. pass this message to 2 ppl if you love your ethiopia”, which actually took place on Thursday evening, the screams were heard from piazza, mercato, lideta to 22-mazoria.

“wear black on Friday and Saturday to pay your respects to the 26ppl massacred by the weyanes. pass this msg to 5ppl if you.....” I saw the usual amount of people dressed in black on the street but not enuf to say the msg had actually gotten through. As for myself, I wore a black rock-t (and you will know us by the trail of the dead), this time in reference to the federal police and the army. I even attempted to have a picture taken with members of the federal police, with me wearing my rock-t and them holding their toys, but they refused. Sure would have been “cool”.

Addis readers can add more of the txt-msgs in the comment section; these are the two I recall. anyhu, on Thursday I got a message to delete all the political txt-msgs from my cell phone because the police were doing random checks on the street, which actually sounded like BS but I still did because I was running out of space anyway. After that day I haven’t received nor been able to send a txt-msg. Looks like our generous leaders found out about the role txt’ing was playing in keeping the people connected. It was fun while it lasted.

In other munificent news, the federal government has agreed to put Addis Ababa under the administration of the Oromia region. OK! I have no problem with the city being in any killil (Region) as long as it’s peaceful but the fact this move came in the middle of this turmoil makes me wonder if these people (the EPRDF) aren’t clinically crazy. Oromia region, which refers to Addis as Finfine, has raised the custody question before but were told that Addis is neither a killil capital nor a country capital - it’s a capital for Africans and hence have managed to keep her status as so. Because of this, plus other historical reasons, the home for the African Union (AU) headquarters has been kept in Addis despite Libya’s lobby to have it moved.

This could be interpreted in two ways. One is the EPRDF’s obvious attempt to buy the Oromo people’s votes in the re-elections. The second explanation is another check-mate move in their attempt to drive the country into ethnic cleansing, which they have been forecasting for a while. Either way, (pardon me if I sound like a ‘Neftenya’) this is the most absurd idea. Addis belongs to no one; Addis is a melting pot for all ethnicities and nationalities - that’s why I love Addis, that’s why we all love Addis and we always will! Addis Ababa Rocking Fun Zone will have to change his name to ‘Finfine rocking fun zone’ and that just doesn’t sound fun!

Remember the pardon our generous mayor, Arkebe Equbay, passed out to taxi drivers with fines on the eve of the election. Well, looks like the EPRDF have been holding a grudge since their generosity didn’t buy them the votes they were anticipating. On Friday, the city reneged and revoked the licenses of hundreds of taxi drivers. Since we are on the subject of taxis, the city is seeing more and more blue-devils everyday. I will wait for Monday morning to say for sure if the strike appears to be over.

The happening of the past three days give a new meaning to the outdated term ‘Indian giver’, one who gives and takes as he/she pleases. Shouldn’t it be more like a ‘weyane giver’?

p.s. for the person who asked how the show went on Thursday, let just say it went good for now, more bloggin to come on that.

p.p.s. I sure would like to believe the emperor came in second. thanks for ruining the fun ;)

Day 4: sorrow, tears, and blood

2005-06-09T05:22:00.000-07:00

Mr. Morton: Was it necessary you kill all of them, I only told you to scare them!

Frank: People scare better when they’re dyin’

(1968, once upon a time in the west)

At least twenty two unarmed protesters lost their lives yesterday when they clashed with machine gun wielding army, an army from hell that’s brought to keep the peace of the city as if the brutal federal police aren’t enuf. Well, just like frank, our prime minister has come out to be a brute. Since he is in command of the security forces, his orders were to shoot first and ask questions later. He didn’t want the protesters scared off by shooting in the air or using tear gas and water canons. So much for the most progressive leader in Africa.

No big news today, after yesterdays massacre the city is in relative calmness today but there is still tension in the air. The roads are still devoid of the blue devils that wreck havoc in regular times , the taxi union said they have nothing to do with the strike but the government has threatened to “put the out of use for ever” if they don’t return. Even if it’s not in the regular pace you still see activity in the city which is probably going to decrease as the day goes by, no protests have been reported so far but the stoning of busses has continued. The majority of the stores are closed, some opened only to sell their perishables. Businesses are doing what they were doing yesterday. The selfish ones who were lined up at the restaurant on bole road are still lined up today during lunch hours. All the banks are open. The bank owned by the EPRDF, Wegagen Bank has frozen regular cash transactions. CUD officials have been put under house arrest.

Alternative Thursdays (aka: Revolutions per Beats) is still scheduled to be on air tonight but this time I am actually scared. Scared of being part of the rotten state media that’s airing false propaganda and happy times music as if things are normal. I am scared of what I have on my hands, which is something most of the concerned citizens do not have, I have the power to say what I want to say to thousands of people before they cut me out followed by heaven knows what….

To Strike or Not To Strike: The Saga of Organized Protest in Ethiopia

2005-06-08T07:47:00.000-07:00

The spirit of organized protests has dwindled since the time of the Derg. This fact although it’s real as day and night, needs to be further looked in to as to why. The last organized movement that started with students and went to topple a regime happened in the early 70s. His majesty at the time underestimated the power of students and relied upon his army, which led to the demise of the monarchy. The brutality of the days that followed the revolution, the white terror and the red terror, have made the people unresponsive to any kind of unjust government actions. The very students who led the revolution divided in to two groups and hunted down each other, street of Addis were littered with bodies of the young. Those who survived the day reminisce it as ‘abyot lijo’chuan beLach’ (the revolution ate her own children) and such trauma has left them incapable of voicing their concern.

Leaving aside Mengistu’s iron fist rule, ever since EPRDF came in to power waving democracy to the people, protests have been attempted but none materialize due immediate use of force and lack of uniformity in the public. Here are some highlights of the democratic journey:

Bank workers went on strike after the government suspended their union (correct me if I am wrong). The next day the government ordered the workers to return to their regular jobs or they will be replaced. Like they said, the once that refuse to give up got replaced by new ones who took advantage of the situation and submitted their application at the right time. Guaranteed the government would have accepted a baboon with the right credentials just to spite the protesters.

The second major one is the general business strike called in the light of a very unfair increase on rent. As usual the government ordered the businesses to open or lose their establishment and their license. again, many complied with the order while the once who stood by their demand got thrown out on the street and their places of business were given to advantage takers.

When we get to taxies, they have been a victim of several price increases on fuel that did not consider their buying power. Basically, when ever the taxi union contemplates a strike our good old government starts eyeing their taxi license.

By far the bloodiest one in Addis since the 74 revolution has been the AAU university walk-out demanding the return of their representatives who got sacked and replaced by cadres of the ruling party, including the current AAU president, Prof. Endrias Eshete, who I hope there is hell just so that he burns for eternity. On that day, piazza was a war zone; looting and ransacking took place, police opened fire on protesters. At least thirty people died and hundreds of students were taken to a detaining camp where they spent the next month being put through heaven knows what horrible things. After the dust cleared, students were allowed to return if, and only if, they signed some sort of accord drafted by some knucklehead stating that the students are liable for what happened and they will not do such things from now on.

Other peaceful protests have been staged in other parts of the country that our democratic government managed to crush. You can add the ones I left out in the comment section I just highlighted that ones that came to my mind in no chronological order. The common reoccurring themes you see here are that none of these groups got what they wanted or even got a democratic response, within the groups them selves, not every one was fully committed to their common demand and last but not least the public outside these groups did not react to these atrocities what so ever besides sucking their lips in awe or took advantage of the situation.

The economy plays a major role in the lack of a committed protest. In a nut shell, a strike means there is no flow of goods and services, which are means of generating income for most. The life style for most Ethiopians is hand to mouth, which can’t rily leave them with enuf to eat for the next day to participate in an extended strike. No wonder Africans or people in the third world resort to picking up arms, at least guns generate income. Well, if you are in Addis right now, you will be disgusted by the dichotomy that looms over the city. The people in mercato and piazza (the have-nots) are out on the streets for a common cause: release the kids you rounded up and give us back our democratic rights to voice our concerns on how this sham of an election is going. Why in the fuck are people in bole (the haves) lined up in restaurants like nothing is happening. The least they can do is stay at their home where no one would see them incase their sphincter loses control when things get out of hand in their fancyshmancy neighborhood. the city should have come to a stand still, remember everyone in the city believes in this change, and sometimes change needs sacrifices beyond shoving a piece of paper in to a ballot box.

You shouldn't wonder why EPRDF underestimates the power of the people. This is exactly what they have prepared for. “Sure protests will be staged, not everyone will participate so we will kill what we have to kill and show them who the boss is. Western media will give it a brief attention and go back to other current important issues like MJs never-ending trial and their knocked up pop queen. In the mean while, things will go back to “normal” over here and then we blame the whole thing on the opposition and throw them in jail. voila! It’s another five years for us.” the question is how long will it go on like this?

I won’t finish this with out saying something about the police and the army, who have no sense of sympathy and belonging-ship. The only belonging-ship these drones have is to who ever is sitting on the big chair holding a piece of meat telling them what’s right and wrong. How can they justify the beating and killing of unarmed civilians, their own flesh and blood, because orders are given from above? Remember the largest army in Africa Mengistu put together? it got thrown out on the street in 1991to beg for pocket changes and the people didn’t ignore their plight. Regimes come and regimes go but the people will still be the people.

Day 3: when the fedrals come crashing in

2005-06-08T02:19:00.000-07:00

taxies went on strike as of today, no body knows how long their strike will last considering they buckled down to government orders when they went on strike some years back protesting the price increase on fuel. Still no uniformity in the public, eventho there are hardly any taxis on the streets, the city was more bustling that ever this morning. pavements were overflowing with pedestrians on the way to work. yesterday most governmental organizations passed a memorandum to their employees that they should be at work at their regular time or face the consequence. it’s hard to tell what’s happening with private businesses, most of them are continuing with business as usual behind their closed doors.

Still nothing happening where I am but clashes between the public and the police is intensifying uptown (piazza & mercato). People have put up more road blocks and taxies and buses that did not cooperate to the strike are being stoned and burnet. the federal police and the army is going house to house, crashing doors, arresting mostly citizens the PM Meles termed as ‘adegenga bozene’ (dangerous hooligans), who are basically young people in their late teens and twenties who do not have a job. There is a report a couple of people have been shot by the police around Abinet, which is not far from where I am right now.

Yesterday universities and colleges across the country walked out demanding the release of the release of their counterparts in Addis. The news we are getting from there is varied, the only thing we know of for sure is the heavy army presence in cities and towns were there are higher educational institutions.

At this very moment, the city has become deserted. The rains have started, probably the gods way of stopping the violence but the rains are not going to continue forever.

Day 2:when the fedrals come marchin in

2005-06-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

I highly doubt if I need to start telling the story all over again on top of what’s all over the news including the famous picture of a kid being pounded with a rifle butt by the infamous federal police. The western media finally got what they were hankering for; those savage Africans are at it again.

The federal police reported they only arrested 370 students the numbers however have been tampered for damage control. I say that’s when they lost count, if they can count. Eye witnesses said they saw nine truck loads leaving the AAU compound on the first raid. Give me an f’in break! Nine trucks for 370 students for a brutal raid would be considered a first class transportation to the detaining camp. nobody knows the real figures, not even the police.

While the convoy of trucks was on its way to a detaining camp on the outskirt of the city, students of the Kotebe Teachers Collage (KTC) and area residents put up road blocks with everything they could get their hands on. The clash didn’t last long, they were no match for the heavily armed federal police, once again the police struck with brutality killing one girl and injuring several others. Once more they justified the arrest of 150 students from KTC. still no one knows the real figures.

Today on the news state media reported students clashed with police for reasons not disclosed. they continued to accuse the students of destroying government property which was a truck with no plates, hmmmm…strange I wonder who this truck belongs to…its 4WD…it’s got a machinegun mount on it….wait it’s painted camouflage. I seeeee, it belongs to the ministry of agriculture. On further accusations, they said the roadblocks put by the students caused traffic inconveniences, some parents complained they couldn’t get their kids home from school on time. What about the inconvenience caused by that stupid candle light vigil they held to protest the peaceful opposition protest held over the weekend. I stand here as a witness for the amount of distressed mothers calling the FM station for the whereabouts of their children at 9:00pm. No one mentioned that.

The government takes us for fools but I see where they are coming from. this morning everything was back to relatively normal conditions, buses and taxis were running as usual, if not all some stores are open, 8-5ers were on their usual daily routine. How can they not take us for fools? Does this look like a city where the opposition won 100% of the seats?

Tomorrow would have been the day the final election results are released. This date how ever as been postponed by another month for July 8^th. The National Election Board (NEBE) sought the extension to “clarify” the issues in the disputed constituencies.

What a way to start the extra month of anticipation by an intimidation campaign focused on students thoughtful enuf to realize that time is the ultimate way to stonewash the peoples mindset, students who have always taken the burden for the people. And what a way for the public to pay back the students who stood for rights of everyone.

more stories are unfolding as you read this.

Day 1: breaking rant

2005-06-06T05:18:00.000-07:00

While I am sitting here typing away this blog at the safety of my office on stolen work time, I just heard AAU students are surrounded by scores of solders for unknown reason. form the various reports I get on my cell phone, the chaos seems to have started there in the middle of the night and moved on to piazza and mercato, the two most populated urban locations in Addis. As I am expecting the next client to walk in at any second, stores in mercato that closed fearing a riot are being forced to open by the federal police. This should be the point when you start to wonder where I am. Still in Addis, Five kilometers from the epicenter (AAU). Despite my proximity everything looks awfully normal where I am and this is all the information I have. The radio didn’t mention anything during the midday news. surprised?

May the force be with us. I will keep you posted

Alternative Thursdays - Week 5 (June 2, 2005)

2005-06-06T04:52:00.000-07:00

Revolutions per Beats

Notice I left out the “Part” bit, that’s how it’s going to be from now on ‘cause the revolution is never ending.

When ever I am out seeking service, be it governmental or private, I get this transient but reoccurring thought in my head whether the majority the Ethiopians are ready for real change or just along for the ride. You can see the absence of patience from the restless drivers who long to hear their horn blare to the guy you cuts you in a queue just because he is convinced his matter is more important than yours and then denies you the apology or the gratitude you deserve for letting him go with his unethical deed. Then you have the guards who make you confess your life story before letting you pass to the person you find on a swivel chair who think you are there because you have nothing better to do. Wait! Just when you think you got your idea on two legs, someone will blatantly steal your ground work just because he can’t be bothered to come up with a fresh idea. You see the absence of caring and courtesy in all of them, something that we Ethiopians claim to have in ample amounts. What’s worse is, most, if not all of this people have gone out to exercise their “Democratic Rights” on May 7, 2005. When I started my political rants, I aforementioned change is not something that should be left for the politicians, rather it is up to the individual. Are individual changes we expect to come from the elections?

Individual thinking is the root of radial change, its’ the common dreams we germinate inside us that grow up to link us all. It’s then that we can work on bigger ideas like voting for the “right” person. At the moment, the only common goal we seem to have is ousting EPRDF. Then what? Life will go on the same way until the day we realize nothing has changed then demand for yet another change of regime, completing another stagnant march.

In Ethiopia we have a saying for such situations, “tatbo chika” (muddy regardless of washing), still everyone seems to want new cloth, what is the use of wearing new cloth with out completely rinsing your self.

Play list

The postal service – this place is a prison
Granddaddy – revolution (beetles cover)
U2 – I still haven’t found what I am looking for
Dave Mathews Band – Typical situation
Rolling Stones – Time is on my side
Mohamud Ahmed – Gize’ Degu Neger
Funkadelic – One nation under a groove
Bob Marley and the wailers – small axe
Fugges – Ready or Not
Michael Jackson – man in the mirror

Alternative Thursdays - Week 4 (May 26, 2005)

2005-06-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

Revolutions per Beats: Part 3

I should have mentioned Teddy Afro earlier as he is the very “NOW” thing in Addis but waiting has also got me to digest his new album. Teddy Afro has been an Ethiopian musical sensation for some 6years. My first acquaintance came in a period when I started to get aggravated by the excessive use keyboards in Ethiopian music. It didn’t take me very long to yank his first album Abugida from the CD player throw it in to the condemned pile. I have a very damn good reason for that.

After I moved back, I heard the song “Tarik Tesera” (history is made) he wrote for his sensational match up, Kenenisa Bekele; a 21 year old athlete, and what an athlete, who is expected to replace our one and only Haile Gebresilase. Despite the use of the keyboards, it is a very good song; very timely considering it was right after our two gems, Kenenisa and Haile, came in first and second at the Athens Olympics 10000m, where Kenenisa came spearheading the Ethiopian flood. The story is, Teddy wrote the song right after watching the race while he was still intoxicated with the triumph so he captured his and every other Ethiopian feeling in his lyrics. The music video is a real tear jerker when you see the part where Kenenisa overtakes Haile but refuses to leave him to far behind but Haile gives him the ‘go get them’ nod (sniff sniff). “Tarik Tesera” was a transition point for teddy, since then I can say his music has been conscious of happenings including the one he wrote for bob Marley also in time for the 60^th birthday celebrations. Who would forget the cheesy yet catchy line “Rita Marley, bring the body”.

His recent album is called ‘Yasteseryal’, which translates to “it heals” in reference to the divine, is by far the most socio-politically loaded album to come out in recent years. I didn’t pay much attention when it first came out until I went in the studio for my 3rd week Alternative Thursdays and got a barage of requests to play “Teddy’s new album”. Very irritating at the time nonetheless got me curious. So I got the album, I subdued my hatred for tacky keyboards arrangements, and clicked play.

It is exactly for moments like this why I love to music, to know there is someone somewhere who feels the same way, someone who has been creative with our mutual feelings. The title song ‘Jah yasteseryal’, is not just Teddy’s and my feeling. I need no more explanation for the excessive “teddy’s new album” requests for the song is the feeling of every Ethiopian who is fade up with the misery train we are aboard, fade up of being passengers with no idea of destination, fade up with always expecting change to come from the train conductors. It’s time we take the wheels but prepare our selves for the tracks ahead for The tracks ahead need awareness and patience and positivism and vision. The tracks we’ve left behind should be a lessons and not legend we live of off.

yasteseryal exhaled my expectations in every way. The synthesized sound use although present, the level of detail and songwriter-ship makes it tolerable. Some times the use of cheesy sound clips give the album a comical relief from the deep national trance it puts you in to.

So when I went in to the studio and found out teddy afro is banned from the airwaves, I wasn’t too surprised. In fact I had prepared a substitute song to play anticipating this cheep, oppressive, narrow minded move fearing the enlightenment of the people. As Pink Floyd said “The show must go on” so the show went on with a huge regret not to have included teddy in Revolutions per Beats WHILE I COULD HAVE! i am sorry everyone.

Play list:

Leonard Cohen – Democracy
Catpower – Free
Controller Controller – History
Johnny Cash – Man in Black
The Specials – a message to you Rudy
The Tragically Hip – Natical Disaster
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Rise or Fall
Modest Mouse – Float on
~~Teddy Afro – Jah Yasteseryal~~ Tom Waits – Starving in the belly of the Whale
King Tubby and Soul Syndicate – Leaving Babylon dub
Dub Pistols – World Gone Crazy
Dj Shadow – War is Hell

”NEED” as a Driving FORCE behind the DESTRUCTIVE HUMAN NATURE

2005-05-31T05:25:00.000-07:00

A blog good enuf to rub on your pals face

2005-05-30T12:20:00.000-07:00

The PES has subsided. Hurray to a massive dose of propaganda injected into us by the rusty government controlled media. I am just worried them politicians haven’t got the right amount of dose or even the right composition. Of course that means more complications.

I have boycotted the state Radio and TV! Another report on how some town showed their appreciation for the democratic and fair elections is seriously hazardous to my mental health. The news papers, oh, I am sure they can find better use for the ink and paper, like one of those funny pages in the toike that you rub on your pals face just for gags. Unfortunately, my job partly involves scanning for tenders on the state owned newspapers. I noticed today for the second time in the news papers history, they had a full color page dedicated to May 28^th. The first one was the Monday after the elections, which had a color picture of a zombie from Michael Jackson’s thriller video casting its vote (I thought it was a zombie???) Today’s is even better, a rather large dove seems to be content about either crushing or making off with a ballot box. And the head line “May 28 – Historic Crown of Democracy in Ethiopia” (psst..I think they are referring to the elections) it makes no more sense if you translate it to Amharic. I mean, if they are going to go in to the trouble of making it all pretty, at least they should have someone with a sense of scale and comprehension in charge.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30594804@N00/16423654/">

  The private press, the one thing we got out of this mock of a democracy, are not free of this rot either. they might as well sight their sources to their local “Wukabe” (witch doctor). There is no uniformity in their reporting, its very bias to which side they are on plus rumors, lots and lots of rumors. In turn, these political tabloids have been enjoying enormous success, financial of course, in some cases getting sold out in the morning which means you have to beg or snatch it from the old lady with a rather large umbrella who takes pride of her early purchase.
      I will probably get tenderized for my next comment. For a long time I was convinced PM Meles is a smart man. This is the guy that has Bush and Blair shaking their tails at him like a bitch in heat.  Recently tho, I believe all this confusion is making him….hmmm..dumber?  His recent interview showed his disdain for losing all the seats in Addis and for that he vowed to make life a living hell for the opposition. wait, that wasn’t the best part. after all the votes are cast, rigged, pre-marked and what not, he finally gave an explanation on how his party and his goons have so much smackers stashed up in the safe heaven of foreign banks. If you guessed “they made it during the 17 years of bitter struggle to liberate the country” then you are right. shoot, why didn’t I think of that. after all war is the most profitable business! the scamming, the fundraising, the looting…oh so many streams you can get in to. someone check on how much capital is needed to start a war. Such statement coming just before the 14^th anniversary of their victory and our “liberation” is just another slap on my pretty habesha face.
      May 28^th  1991. As a 10 year old in grade seven at the time, the democracy I experienced was the fact they came in right before the final exams before the summer. The exams were skipped and they took first term marks and added some to it to commemorate the joyous occasion. Seven people came first from my class, sadly I wasn’t one of them. the rest of my recollections include people out in masses hugging tanks to show their gratitude for the liberation. Ethiopians sure love their guests as long as they don’t overstay. now the same people are spitting in their faces.
      Thanks to the ban on public gatherings, there was no victory day parade, no fireworks, no nothing. Instead ETV aired the previous year celebrations plus the usual gory battle scenes. But the opposition, after days of pondering, has found a solution to the “no protest” ban by holding a prayer vigil at mosques and churches, perhaps a request to the almighty creator to strike down the cheater, in which case it will leave us with no leaders or future leaders. up to now, I have always enjoyed the fact the opposition did not dip their hands into religion. The ruling part picking religious institutions to observe the election - just because they have fear of god - was a sure sign to keep away from this territory. From my experience a Kes (a priest) is a person who would cosign a fake death certificate just to indulge in the gluttonous post-fake-funeral services. In fact, if I see a priest and politician in an empty alley-way I will jab my heart out with a dull object. I will add this to my list of nightmares.
     Someone please pass me Addis Zemen or The Herald, my PES is acting up again!



Alternative Thursdays - Week 3 (May 19, 2005)
2005-05-24T05:42:00.000-07:00
Revolutions per Beats: Part 2
     Unlike last show, I had more guts than Attila the Hun when I came up with this weeks play list. The fact nothing but good feedbacks came had a lot to do with it. 
   Similar to last weeks, the songs are my response to the vibe of the week. The first dialogue was about a TV show I watched as a child, which I probably share with the non-amharic speaking folks and a disclaimer for the wrong message others got out of it.
   It was the most popular if not the only children’s show for anyone in my generation. The main host of the show, Aba’ba Tesfaye, was an old but sweet man who always opened the program by pretending he can see our every move through the TV screen. For while I believed him, in a “there is rily a Santa” way. He refers to his fans, the children, as “today’s flowers tomorrow’s fruits”.
   The reason I reminisced about aba’ba tesfaye was because of his habitual message about sharing our seat with the ones standing to watch the show and for the unfortunate ones who couldn’t be accommodated to bunch up together rather than standing separately. I felt this message can be a metaphor for the week we are in. I got a couple of calls condemning me for my disrespect for the old man. ofcourse, that's not what i meant.
 
   There was also a dude who called asking for more music and less yakking. All I can say to him is - I am glad you like the music then again if you don’t like the human touch of the show you have the constitutional right to start a music only radio program ofcourse with commercial breaks. After all, Alternative Thursdays is a show with “a lot to say and plenty more to play”
    Billy Ocean       -     When the going      gets tough
                    Dialogue 
    White stripes     -     Seven      nation army
Public Enemy      -     Don’t      believe the hype
 
                  Dialogue
    Sam Roberts       -     Hard      Road
The Smiths        -     Big      Mouth Strikes Again
 
                  Dialogue
    The Dears         -     Who      are you? defenders of the universe 
My Morning Jacket -     Low down
 
                  Dialogue
    Lauren Hill       -     Mr.      Intentional
M.I.A             -     Pull up the People
 
                  Dialogue
    Dezarie           -     Strengthen your mind
 
                  Dialogue
    Radiohead         -     You      and who’s Army?
 



Post Election Syndrome (PES)
2005-05-20T06:48:00.000-07:00
The word of the week is “Teremes” (ambiguity) and the highlight of the week was PM Meles’s press conference the evening of the election banning any kind of public gathering and putting all security forces under his command for one month. I am confused as to what his intentions are.
     For something that happens every five years the election was pretty disorganized, some polling stations didn’t open till late therefore had to stay open till the morning of the next day, which was a big inconvenience for voters who already had to endure hours of lineup. oh, there were a few polling stations that run out of ballot cards. That being said, the polls went peacefully, nothing major happened besides a few arrests here there, a case of a few thousand pre-marked ballots (someone was kind enuf to help out with the voting) and missing ballot boxes. The military presence in the city has gone down since the election but I still don’t get the need for jeeps with machine guns and rocket launchers mounted on them. 
     Official national results won’t be released till June 7, 2005, twenty three days after the poll date. For now, stations that have finished counting are releasing their results and everyone seems to be claiming victories. The RP has up-ed the claiming-race by giving a press release the day after the election that they have secured enuf seats they need to establish a government. Officially, CUD (kinijit) has won 100% of the seats in Addis and a few other major cities where most of the cabinet ministers of the RP were running. PM Meles could have won by defacto considering he was the only candiadate for his area but the polls still went as scheduled. The one vote he casted for him self could have also been sufficient. The majority of the RP high ranking officials have lost the election. Even our most respected mayor lost despite the last minute pardon he passed out to taxi drivers with huge amounts of fines. What makes their loss more agonizing is the amount of votes they got compared to the OP candidates. A co-worker put it as “it’s like looking at a very not to bright student’s report card”, in most places they got anywhere from 10% of the votes to ZERO. 
     Be it EPRDF wins the election fair and square with the votes they get in rural areas, it makes me wonder how they are going to establish a government with out their “cream of the crop” when there is no potential new comers the public is aware of. Even if these people make it to the federal level because their party won just like the previous election, how are they going to cope with the public rejection? Let’s assume they have sold their shame for a lump of coal and they take their previous posts like nothing happened, would the public sit and look when their vote is put down the drain? gonna stop here, my brain hurts, must be a case of PES.



Alternative Thursdays - Week 2  ( May 12, 2005)
2005-05-20T05:56:00.000-07:00
Revolutions per Beats: Part 1
     After completing the play list on Wednesday night, I sat back and thought about the consequences of going ahead with it, the last thing the fatheads want is more agitation. There is already a list of banned songs posted in the studio; gladly the list is for Amharic songs. What’s worst than a politician is a pissed off spiteful politician.
   I consulted a couple of friends about my plan, including a fellow radio show host, who assured me the sensors are not capable of deciphering such messages.
   anyhu, since I am posting this after the show, it automatically implies that I am alive, not being tortured for my deeds, and still your alternative Thursday host. The best part of the evening was the few phone calls I got from people who managed to grasp the idea of the show. FIGHT FOR YOUR MIND!
   1. Gil Scott Heron - the revolution will not be televised (But no one said it won’t be on the radio! dedicated to ETV)
     Dialogue 
     2. Bob Marley - Rat Race
     3. Bob Dylan - The times they are changing
     Dialogue
     4. Queen - Under pressure
     5. Ben Harper - Fight for your mind
     Dialogue
     6. Buffalo Springfield -  For what’s its worth
     7. Tilahun Gessese - Tchu’heten Betsemune (if you could hear my sorrow)(I figure this would be the one song that would get me in s#$% so it’s dropped from the play list. at least for now)
     8. The Constantines - Shine a light
     Dialogue
     9. Zion I - Presidential Freestyle
     10. Steve Wonder - Mistra know it all
     Dialogue
     11. Antibalas - Big Man
     Dialogue
     12. Marvin Gaye - You are the man
  



2005-05-19T22:58:00.000-07:00

Pardon the dry period. my rants shall return with vengeance


the contenders, the showdown and the rally
2005-05-19T22:46:00.000-07:00
The contenders
     I should mention before any thing that Ethiopia is made up of 70 ethnic groups, each with their own culture and many with their own language but less than a handful make up for 80% of the population (Oromo, Amhara, Tigre, Sidama). Even if the greater number of ethnicities make up for a small portion of the population the over all culture is intertwined. Regardless of their individual population, the constitution allows each group to be represented by political party/parties (Article 39).
     Out of the 52 contending political parties running for office this year, only three are significant enuf for a rant. These major ones are composed of national and local ethnic-based parties.  
     The name in brackets and in italic is the Amharic name used locally
     Ethiopian People Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) (eh’adeg, weyane): Came to power after in 1990 by defeating the communist regime in a civil war that lasted 17 years. EPRDF takes credit for establishing a “Democratic” Government in Ethiopia even tho most of the high official in federal level are of the tigre group, as they are the once who started the armed struggle 31 years ago in Dedebit, Tigray. As a result, the power distribution in the current government is considered by many as Orwellian despite the fact they proclaim all ethnicities are equal. 
    Logo: it's a bee, i will post a pic as soon
   Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) (kinijit): Formed less than six months ago by what use to be independent political parties representing the different ethnic groups. The glue that’s holding together this blend of parties is the common goal of defeating the ruling party in the coming democratic election and establishing a multiethnic central government capable of uniting the country. 
    
   United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) (Hibret): similar aim and composition as kinijit.
 

The showdown 
     Both Kinijit and Hibret came under the spotlight recently after the parties that comprise them announced of their coalition. Before that, the individual parties have done their homework of raising political awareness with in the ethnic groups they represent, while some central figures of the parties took care of high profile tasks in the media and abroad. Their coalition I believe came in the light of the political debates that were given high media coverage as part of the RPs way of saying the election is democratic. I also believe that the RP did not anticipate their move as witnessed from the televised debates where I could day the RP officials were ‘GRILLED’.
     The essence of the debates basically revolved around accusations and further accusations. The RP accuses the OP of being anti-peace & democracy and akin to “Interhamwe”. For those who need an introduction, Interhamwe is the militia that led the Rwandan Hutus in the 1994 genocide that claimed the lives of over a million Tutsis in 100 days. How you might ask? That ‘how’ is a riddle to me and to the Ethiopian public as well except for the one statement we keep hearing from the RP: “if the OP gets elected, it will lead to ethnic cleansing of the unheard of proportions”. I believe this is a serious accusation without any ground; a last minute fear campaign to divert votes to their side since they didn’t do very well on the rest of the debates not to mention their 14 year reputation. In addition, the RP holds a position where they claim they have led this country for the past fourteen years whereas the OP has ‘0’ years of experience governing a country therefore they are the most qualified. 
     The OP on the other hand accuses the RP of not being fair while proclaiming to the world this is an election of a kind where everything is perfect. What’s really happening in the inside is just another authoritarian with a coat of democracy.   And leading the country doing “government” stuff (roads, schools, hospitals, etc…) shouldn’t be a credit; anyone can handle that.  Where is the real change? As for the lack of governing experience, did any of us get tested on multiplication and division when we first went to register for pre-school? We were all judged on our overall activity and ability to grasp on to new ideas.  OPs also attack the homogeneity of the current government, and plan to have an immediate “national forgiveness campaign” for the political parties as well as the people. This will help them establish a government based on individual capability rather than party affiliation.
     Overall the debates lacked a solid platform on all sides. The platforms should encompass strategies to tackle the current issues of the country: population, HIV, the environment and general awareness. For now the poverty issue is common for both sides; the RP says they have done all the necessary preparations to bring not only Ethiopia but also Africa out of poverty (Meles Zenawi, the current PM takes some credit for establishing the African commission together with Bob Gedolf and Tony Blair). However, the OP insist that poverty eradication  is just another ‘cow in the sky’ with the current land policy in the country, which requires all land to be under government control. The land issue has risen outside criticism since the beginning as it does not guarantee the farmer land ownership. 
                The state of the environment in Ethiopia is at a very high risk but I can say almost nothing is being done about it and is not part of the agenda in the current elections. A lesson we Africans learned from the developed world is that the environment is a last priority that follows economic prosperity. Considering the overall state of the planet these are not issues that can wait until we all get stinking rich. In Ethiopia, besides the obvious lack of the funds for environmental protection, there is serious lack of environmental awareness. That is why I have added general Awareness as a main agenda, just like HIV needs awareness, so does the environment. It is also a ‘DO OR DIE’ situation. In addition, I believe a general awareness campaign can also help with the insidious problems that drag the county in to the downward spiral – open mindedness, bureaucracy, and the work culture.
 Rallies
      CUD (kinjit) and EPRDF so far have managed to hold rallies in Addis and other cities in Ethiopia. The ones held in Addis have shed some light on the public’s feeling. 
      The story is, CUD has been announcing their May 8^th rally way in advance while EPRDF announced their rally three days in advance and ironically on May 7^th, one day before the CUD rally. Plus, for people going to the EPRDF rally, city busses were stationed, for free! to bring them from Addis as well as surrounding towns.  To make the deal sweet, everyone got a free t-shirt and a hat and sumthin to make the day worth a while. At the rally, which was held at Meskel square (known as Revolution square back in the communist days) there were over a million people dressed in white t-shirts. The overall atmosphere of the city was very unenthusiastic except the prime minister who took the podium in the style of the former Mengistu, screaming to the top of his lungs. 
      Most of my experiences for the CUD rally come first hand. Unusual for a Sunday, I was out in the wee-hours of the morning on a non-political matter. Even at that time, people had already taken up the streets chanting and dancing, and almost every vehicle on the street was driving with their headlights on, honking and holding a victory sign out the window.  By noon, every street leading to Meskel square was jam packed and the Square was completely covered with people waiting for the 2:00pm CUD rally kickoff.  After lunch, I parked my car at the closest possible point and headed to the rally around the kickoff time. When I got there, for your surprise, the power to the stage was out so the CUD was not able to address their supporters at their scheduled time. Hoping for the power to go back on, people waited around until the storm clouds began closing in. 45 minutes later the power went back on but the rally could not go on because their designated time had passed and it is considered an “illegal” protest if people stick around. When we left, organizers of the rally were telling people to return to their homes and so were the rain gods. By the time I got to a friend’s car, which was 5 mins away, I was drenched to the bone. I could only imagine people who had to march back to where they came from in the absence of free and convenient transportation.
        The CUD rally was one of a kind, never have i seen so many people out to support a political party (estimated 2.5 – 3 million) with out any outside influence but their own conscious.
Some of the great things saw include, people dressed in the EPRDF shirt they got the day before with “te’nant le’kanatera today le’helina” (yesterday for a t-shirt today for the mind) printed on it; bread in a shape of a hand holding a victory sign and edited picture of Jesus showing the ever popular victory sign.  Other very clever forms of protests were used by the supporters some of which I have taken pictures of.
      In the evening, everyone was planted in front of the TV waiting for the media coverage of the rally. Unlike the EPRDF rally and despite the scale, it was given a very brief time slot somewhere at the end of the news. What a shame, but what do you expect from a government controlled media
    



I am long, I am no good, and I am boring. Who am I?
2005-05-10T03:47:00.000-07:00
For the first and last time yours truly is going to rant briefly about the current politics in Ethiopia. I plain hate politics but I am a firm believer in change and I don’t think change is something that’s should be left to politics/politicians rather it’s up to the individual. I will start by briefly summarizing the political history of Ethiopia.
       Despite the fact Ethiopia has theoretically remained a soveirn nation throughout time; the country has been under foreign influence since the first outside contact. Back when independent nations flourished, contact was mostly trade ‘I will give you my guns for your slaves’ and access to other nations. Although I won’t be getting in to it, religion (Foreign & Inside) has also been a major influence on the Ethiopian way of life. 
   The 20^th century has been somewhat different. This time it’s was not just about trade contacts you see. Especially after the end of WW1, the world operated in terms of gangs (who call them selves allies) instead of nations. And the fate of Ethiopia rested upon the hands of the European-colonialist gang (Britain, France and Italy). Everything that happened from then on was up to those three countries, especially the British. The second Italian invasion is not the work of just the Italians, both the French and the British damn well knew what was going to happen; after all they had an agreement. At the same time every gang had their problem, benefit was the main but gang members two-timing with other gangs is also an issue. Hence, the expulsion of the Italians in 1945 was not fully the work of the Ethiopian patriots who managed a similar task once before (Battle of Adwa, 1896), there was also a great deal of British effort since Italy by then was part of the fascist gang (Germany and Italy). If it wasn’t for Ethiopia joining the allies earlier during WWII, the British would have colonized us right after they liberated us from Italy. 
     Now jump to the cold war, with the help of the CIA (the western gang) in 1974 the king got ousted, the monarchy fell and Ethiopia is fresh out of autoclave for more political experimentation. This also caught the eye communist Gang (USSR & Cuba), which made their move during the disconcerted transition period when the eminent border war between Ethiopia and Somalia erupted. The Somali’s with an existing help from the Russians had a major advance but the Russkies weren’t too happy with their new big catch being messed around with so they switched sides. Then came the flow of Russian made weapons, ammunitions, the MIGs, my motor bike and what not. At a snap of a finger the Somali’s were defeated. In the mean time, a new civil war including the Eritrean struggle for independence has taken another step with the help of the US. aha said the then leader Mengistu H/Mariam, so the best way to gain more victories is to stick with the Russians. in that case communism all the way.
 Fast forward to the fall of the Berlin wall. Now the east is weakening so was the subordinate Ethiopian government. Even after 17years of iron fist rule and scores of military assistance from the USSR, victory was far from the their hands. In a scramble to save its regime, Mengistu seeked assistance from Israel and china but none of them could measure up to the Russians. In the meanwhile, hats off to the US, the civil war had reached every corner and the rebels were in control of a considerable amount of the country. Finally in 1990, the EPRDF, the main opposition front took control of Addis Ababa but Mengistu had fled the country just in time with the help of who else but The CIA. Since then EPRDF has been the Ruling Party (RP) and it’s been “democracy” for everyone.   
   Now for the third time since the fall of communism, on May 15 , 2005 Ethiopian’s are democratically going to attempt to elect the party that’s going to lead them till the end of the decade.
       This time the involvement from the opposition parties (OP) is rather strong, which makes the current elections a lil’bit democratic that the previous two. But you still see that ‘power or death’ attitude in the officials of the ruling parties, which means more pushing and shoving for the public, unfair treatment of the OP members and the inevitable rigging of the election it self. 
   However, world politics have shifted in two major ways. One is people in the ‘post communist-mediocre democratic’ countries are starting to realize the full extent of a democratic nation. Second, there is another gang in town, the Asian Gang led by the Chinese. 
       The outcome of recent elections in the former Soviet  Union countries, namely Ukraine Georgia, and Kyrgyzstan has been a major wakeup call for others in a similar situation. At the fall of communism, Democracy was the only available paradigm (when looked at from the advantageous perspective) to be picked up and for that very fact it’s been working haphazardly since then.  In the past year alone, Oppositions in Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan took a stand against the mediocrity plus the unfair elections and mobilized the people for CHANGE. I am sure we are all aware of the outcome of the Ukrainian Orange Revolution, Rose Revolution in Georgia and Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan. 
 Ethiopia is more or less in the same situation, the majority had no clue what democracy was or bothered to ask at the beginning, they just had to fill that empty ideological gap, they were told “Democracy good, Everything else bad”. Once again the Ethiopian public became a Guinea Pig for politics. The one definition of democracy the RP has stood by since their advent to power in 1990 is Article 39 of the FDRE constitution that states “Every Nation, Nationality and People in Ethiopia has an unconditional right to self-determination, including the right to secession” plus the rest of the unkept promises like freedom of speech. What good is secession in a country where you can’t even own your own land? By hook or crook tho the EPRDF have managed to hold on to power up to now.
    
     The Asian involvement in Africa so far has been purely economic, both to their own and to the Africans advantage. Africa needs fast cheap technology and the usual economic kickbacks while the soaring Asian economy needs lots’o’energy and lots’o’ resources. Where else would you look for such supplies but East Africa, where decades of instability in the region have left everything untapped? So far, it’s looking the RP has taken up the Chinese while the OP has the US backup. Here are some of the issues that led me to the previous statement.
  The government      (i.e. the RP) supported China’s      anti-secession law directly contradicting their own Article 39. Mind you the US      did NOT support that act. 
The US      congress acknowledged the human rights abuse in Ethiopia      and insisted on an immediate change.
The      Ethiopian government kicked out US election observers. 
Finally,      the members of the OP are composed of an Elite Diaspora group who lived/live      in the US with      close ties with the US.
 
       When the smoke finally clears, we will get to see who’s behind the curtain. For now the peoples question is for Straight, untainted democracy in order to complete the experiment. or is it? Other obvious questions are; who is going to win? is it going to be a fair and square election? are we going to see another Colour Revolution? is the RP going to tolerate peaceful demonstrations? All are questions only a period of one week can answer. 
   If you have read this far you know the answer to my question. I AM POLITICS. As for that rule of not being political, I guess I’m going to have to break it and keep you posted on the happenings. 
       For more election coverage check BBC, AllAfrica, Reuters and other internet news portals and local blogs Addis Ababa Fun Rocking Zone and Ethiopundit 
   About Thursday’s show; the play list is almost complete and it’s going to be uplifting, revolutionary beats.
     unpoliticaly yours.



extra extra the mighty tsegasaurus roams the airwaves!
2005-05-06T03:42:00.000-07:00
As some of you know, I have been trying to make it on the airwaves on the one and only FM station in Addis. After four months of “Dej tinat” as wE call it in Ethiopia, I had my moment of glory last night from 8:00PM -9:00pm, which is going to be my regular time slot every Thursday.
   For now, the show is called, ‘Alternative Thursdays’. In fact, I was asked for an explanation on why ‘Alternative’. Very simple reason for that, I play some thing out of the regular top 40. Besides, the term Alt- has been the hippest thing in the music industry for a while (Alt-rock, Alt-hiphop, Alt-country, Alt-tribalchanting)  
      My on air name is going to be ‘Mc. Minale’. ‘Mc’ as in ‘Mc Hammer’ but ‘minale’ is an Amharic word for ‘what did he say’ so basically my name is ‘what did the Mc say?’
      I will tell you what i say in the words of Morrissey;
           “Hang the blessed DJ, because the music they constantly                                         play, it says nothing to me about my life”  
      
Play list for the first show:
     Sigur ros – Agetes Byryun (a good beginning)         
   KoS – Mc Murdha (make way for the new skool)                    
   Neil Young – Tonight is the night (fo’ shizzle ma whizzle) 
   Asnaqeth Werku – Mengedenaw Lebe (one of my favorite Ethiopian singer-songwriter, the song has a message to dare your self and do things out of the ordinary)                
   Smiths – Panic (HANG the DJ)                                    
   Zion I – Fools Gold  (why the DJ should be hanged)              
   LifeSavas – Hellohihey (ego ego ego)
   Michael Franti – Everyone Deserves Music (even our enemies, the DJs that should be hanged)    
   Horace Andy – Do you love my music (do ya punk? do ya?)    
   Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven (dylio’s recommendation) 
   Once i get the promised broadband connection Ethiopian telecommunication has been promising us for the past little while, I will post the entire show on mp3 format. 



2005-05-03T07:01:00.000-07:00

meow


would you like  fries with your blog?
2005-04-22T10:32:00.000-07:00
Something that got my attention in the news recently is MacDonald’s proposal to the hip hop community to mention their tasty recycled Chinese news paper sandwiches in their lyrics. Their lousy excuse - they want tap in to the urban community. wooohhhaa…that’s the most absurd music idea since a mole dug a hole in Bono’s soul. True Cadillac, Bentley Benz and all the fancy shmancy glitteratis have managed to sneak in to the urban culture with out even breaking a sweat, thanks to the bling bling era. True it’s better than eating the unflavored news paper but  what more do they need? They might as well forcefully cram their products in to the already corpulent suburb kids. for the love of all good and beautiful some one tell me the meaning of all this.
      Of course, this is not the beginning of the commercialization of hiphop. even from the birth, MCs have ranted how good they look in their adidas and how awsome their sound system is. it is all part of it, hip hop is not just a genre of music, it’s an expression of life style and life style can not be expressed with out mentioning what bonds that specific society, our materialistic society . Doug Pray does a better job laying down this history in his hiphopmentary scratch. Over the years tho, this commercialization has gone way too far; rather than the society they represent, it’s become a showoff of individual prosperity. a very warm welcome to the bling bling era. For this reason, fans turned their faces from the hip hop scene and the critics started devouring what’s left over. Finally they proclaimed hip hop is dead. I never saw any coffin marked hip hop, didn’t hear Rev. Jessie Jackson read hip hop’s obituary and never came across an official death certificates. The only fact is, hip hop’s heritage has been over shadowed with the already burnet out new trash. Under the ash, there still exists hot acts of hip hop enuf to set fire to an entire generation. With out any exaggeration, a mix CD given to me by a friend of mine (SuZ – Big ups where ever you are) is a testimony. This five disk epic completion covers almost the entire era of hiphop, from public enemy to Zion- I. For any one who had given up on hiphop, this mixcd should be the jumpstart and for the unfortunate ones out there who never experienced this wonder - it’s a funky history lesson.
      Looks like my rant has taken a detour from bashing the corporate gluttony propaganda to proving the subtle existence of goooood hip hop. The point here is; what the fat heads are doing is just trampling over the grave of hip hop (for those of you who believe hip hop dead). For us keeners, this is just another display of disrespect of a social phenomenon.  Sure there is no need to advertise fast food, for the term it self is self advertising. In today’s fast paced society ‘fast’ and ‘food’ take a very deep meaning, deep not as in deep fried but deep as in having the time to prepare wholesome food has become a rare occasion. I guess they just wanna show us what they are capable of, they can infiltrate in to a subculture and finally engulf it. Good old hegemony but I just can’t ‘swallow’ the idea of a burger hegemony.
      So my friends, I am sure there is plenty of “starving” artists who are waiting to jump on the idea to get a drip from the MacDonald corporation grease bucket while your local airwaves start serving their steaming, just out of the microwave McBlingBling. In the words of snoop dog ‘Whhhy Not’. I just feel sorry for the likes of Andrew ‘log’ long who let out a shriek and hide in their hole when ever they hear the “I’m lovin’ it” song.
      Damn, I’m even gonna take my chances on this one 
     My lyrics juicer than a bigmac
   More chilled than a Mcflurry
   got cash flowin like a Mcshake
   Just roll in in my Bentley
   and the hoe would go…
   may I take your f’in order!
       
Definitely needs some work, what good is it with out more sprinkle of profanity. btw, If any ass hole tries to use that, I have got it copyrighted and I will send a lawyer for every strand of hair that’s left on your empty brain compartment.
     If I had the opportunity to boycott McDonalds I would, sadly there ain’t any in Ethiopia. no commercial radio stations either, thank heavens for that. 
     crazy ass mofos (changed upon request of a fellow reader)



no humping while i am meowing
2005-04-08T04:32:00.000-07:00
Learned two practical life lessons in the past weeks.
       The weekend before, I was out of town on work related mater. When I got back, I found my lil’bro in a frenzy of excitement, I was curious to know what he was on so I asked the folks at home what got him going. The story is, over the weekend a cat had taken a refuge in the vines and gave birth to five kittens. Unlike my bro, I hid my excitement and went on with my business.
 
 http://photos1.blogger.com/img/146/4253/400/DSC00891.jpg">
       
 Over the next week, I snuck out when ever I am home to take a glimpse of the kitten colony, which got me pretty attached to them as I witnessed their progress from furless to fur-ball stage. The mother being a stray cat, she was busy getting knocked up again - she only comes in to feed them once or twice a day. On Sunday however, I was taking the usual sneak peak when she showed up. I guess the bitch got jealous, she took each of them away one by one and there was nothing I could do about it. Now I know how it feels when a woman walks out on her man taking the kids with her.
      The other lesson is on tragedy and comedy; it happened this past Saturday at a classical concert held by the German embassy.  Concerts in Addis (any kind) don’t happen too often, so I purchased my ticket way ahead thinking it would be a good idea to psudo-satisfy my hankering for live music. The concert being a special event (to commemorate their attempt to take over the world 50years ago, just KD) all sorts of high ranking officials, including the German ambassador and the mayor for Addis were there and had to yak about how the Germans are so cool with their classical music and we are not.
      The German ambassador who is a lady and what a lady, about 6’5”, made a very long speech in German which came up to a quarter of the time when it got translated to Amharic. As she was leaving the podium, instead of going to the back where the stairs were, she took a short cut to the side and took a mighty plunge. The whole crowd sighed at the incident and there were all sorts of commotion for a few seconds, of course all in German. Before I knew it, she was up waving at the crowd and silence turned in to laughter. I dunno if she did it on purpose to add some comedy to her long ass boring speech but it sure would have been a tragedy if she had hurt her self process. I guess the other lesson is, German goods are very strong so always buy German.
      Oh….about the concert, it was very intellectually stimulating so I won’t use words like wicked, kick ass, or rocking to describe it. Let’s just say it was splendid but it was no MMJ or morrisey or the walkmen…. For the curious in mind, check out an Ethiopian composer called Ashenafi Kebede, I my self wasn’t aware of his name till the weekend but one of his compositions called “the shepherd’s flute” is a soundtrack to my childhood.



if you read this, you just renewed you membership to the my funclub
2005-04-07T01:04:00.000-07:00
Although I haven’t been able to verify the source, the rumor is my blog had more hits than the website that hosted Paris Hilton’s educational home video. Appreciate your encouraging comments and yes, I miss you too. 
      It’s funny how missing works, when it actually dose. it is the ultimate blend of human emotions, you put a heap of nostalgia, a dash of love and a pinch of regret , serve that on a bed of memories vualla, you’ve got your self a spicy missala (the metaphoric version of massala, my favorite Indian curry. mmm….curry). Luckily there is no lack for those ingredients on my side, in fact way to much; it’s so spicy it makes me teary.
      The life of a driller doesn’t leave much time for frequent blogging, hence, again like my adversary Paris Hilton the content doesn’t get updated too often, ain’t that a shame.  I don’t do the actual drilling my self, I wish I did tho, my task mostly is to look after a herd of drillers, could call me a ‘drillerherder’. However, in between my hearding I take some time to sit in the shade of a tree and jot down interesting bits of my days to share with you. Sometimes it gets mixed up with the geological blogs I write for work so snippets of it end up in the reports I prepare and some geology might also make in to this blog. I think that’s gneiss.
      My plan after my first groundbreaking blog was to share my experience of house hunting in Addis Ababa. I have decided to hold that back till I actually find me a place as I am finding the process quite aggravating and could not find any humor in it. The thing with such experiences is they are only funny once they are passed, like the time when I and ted almost got killed by a truck, oh man was that hilarious. 
      Other interesting episodes of the past two weeks will be posted shortly, most probably before you even read this one so HOLD YOUR GODAMN HORSES.
    
   P.S. luke, if you read this, I could rily use that shovel now.



blog numro uno : tsegasaurus and riders of the ringroad
2005-03-21T06:51:00.000-08:00
We are 9 days shy for a solid four month, since the mighty tsegasaurus became extinct in Canada. Sure a lot has happened in the past four month but I would have to do some serious remembering to write it all down in one sitting. So I figure, I start by writing about my weekend and in my subsequent blogs I will sneak in what have been the highlights of my stay.
     What a green weekend it has been, ironically it was also St. Paddy’s. Green because, after constant scorching sun, we got a weekend full of rain with an occasional sun shine sneaking behind dark cloud. If there was some way to listen to the plants, you would here them letting out an orgasmic moan.
     Green because, on Saturday we chewed khat  - a leafy narcotic enjoyed in many parts of Ethiopia, those of you who lived in the crack house recall the semi-preserved portion I managed to smuggle on my return from my summer vacation. (link)
     khat makes you feel like the great hulk minus the anger and destruction, the effect of shrooms with out the freaky visuals. however, the amount of chewing evolved to reach that state would compare you to a giraffe (giraffe: a lanky herbivore that dwells in the African savanna). it’s also very sour but very distinct taste, after all how many of us go around munching on strange plants. To sweeten the deal, most people chew chat with peanuts and sugar, the later being responsible for the dental problems in frequent chewers. 
     Back to Saturday’s session; it took four hours of constant chewing to feel the effects followed by almost an entire night of talking. It was fun but it wasn’t real, after a few hours of sleep, I got up late Sunday morning sober but with a sore jaw to remind me of my Saturday night. eating breakfast wasn’t an option considering the amount of pain involved to chew. so I skipped breakfast and took pain killers. Reality sucks. Lesson is; I won’t be chewing khat often considering I like to get my kicks fast –wham bam thank you mam style and I don’t want any villain part in a James bond movie (the return of jaws).
      after an ibuprofen laden breakfast, I decided to ditch my ride (Make: Skoda Model: Felica : Description: an automobile made by a check company that use to manufacture generator and tank parts to the Nazis. the car is still made like a tank and feels like a tank) at home and took a long walk to check out a place that was for rent. The rain had stopped by then but had washed all the mud on to the sidewalks so, by the time I got to my destination I had gained an inch in height. 
      Won’t get in to describing the place I looked at because there will be an entire post on the chronicles of finding a place in addis. My early afternoon trip however had a section (the muddy section) where i had to walk on the side of the new ringroad (an Ethiopian equivalent to the QEW), which deserves a brief rant.
      I drive on the ring road almost on a daily basis but this was my first time to walk by it. Although the speed limit is theoretically 80km/h, realistically it’s comparable to a race track for hares and tortoises. To make things even hellish, like something out of an Atari game, you have constant zipping of humans from one side to another, which actually requires them to jump over two metal fences and a concrete barricade. if you are not extra careful when driving, it’s game over for them. The city’s policy is ‘if you get hit illegally crossing the ring road, consider your self a road kill’.
     On the way back from looking at the place, I wasn’t willing to gain another inch on my already inch tall mudcake and my friend who I managed to drag out of his warm abode didn’t want to get his polished timboots dirty. Our only option to avoid me breaking my neck by falling of my mud platforms and him dirtying his boots, was to walk on the otherside of the ring road, which involves….you guessed it…illegally crossing the ring road. DAN DAN DAN! gladly it was Sunday and there weren’t many automobiles, we waited for the best opportunity and bolted across the ring road by perfectly clearing the obstacles. Ironically, the Ethiopian running squad won the world cross country championship that same day while I and my mate won our lives and clean shoe.
     My jaw felt better after the trip, most probably by the adrenalin rush. I had bite to eat and enjoyed the rest of my Sunday.



why do we blog?
2005-03-21T02:44:00.000-08:00
In my five years stay in Canada, friendships were made and acquaintances were met; lasting connections were made out of those. Time being a silly thing, after the good and bad, we are now separated by an ocean and almost an entire continent.
    Due to the constraints put by the current state of technology (i.e. the absence of a teleportation device) I can’t be there with you as often as I would like to be. so… For the time being, that is till that divine day of my first post migration visit, I give you all a portal in to my expiriences through my blogs, which are going to be made up of writings, photos, cartoons and last but not least music, Plus occasional silence.
   It can’t get any more personal than this, if you wanted more personal communication then you should have married me to keep me in your country, even the boys don’t have an excuse for this, after we all know what Canada offers in the marriage department.
   So, let the new breed of communications commence. keep up to date, pass the word and most of all get involved.
   bloggingly yours
  because we can!