Rock N Roll Will Never Die

Crossposting from My Inspiration.

1. Maroon 5 - 08 Maroon 5 - Goodnight Goodnight (4:03)
2. James Morrison feat. Nelly Furtado - Broken Strings (4:15)
3. Avril Lavigne - Falling Down (3:54)
4. Avril Lavigne - Im With You (3:44)
5. Avril Lavigne - Anything But Ordinary (4:11)
6. Avril Lavigne - Things I'll Never Say (3:44)
7. Avril Lavigne - How does it feel (3:45)
8. Avril Lavigne - Nobody's home (3:32)
9. Bon Jovi - Always (5:54)
10. Bon Jovi - Bed of Roses (6:34)
11. Bon Jovi - You Give Love a Bad Name (3:44)
12. Breaking Benjamin - The Diary of Jane (3:22)
13. Breaking Benjamin - Until the End (4:15)
14. Bruce Springsteen - THE RIVER (5:00)
15. Bruce Springsteen - HUNGRY HEART (3:20)
16. Bruce Springsteen - BETTER DAYS (3:44)
17. Bruce Springsteen - STREETS OF PHILDELPHIA (3:16)
18. Bruce Springsteen - SECRET GARDEN (4:27)
19. Bruce Springsteen - BLOOD BROTHERS (4:34)
20. Bruce Springsteen - across the border (5:29)
21. (04) Bruce Springsteen - Nothing Man (4:23)
22. Bruce Springsteen - My City Of Ruins (4:59)
23. Brian Adams and Tina Turner - It's only Love (3:17)
24. Bryan Adams - Can't stop this thing we started (4:29)
25. Bryan Adams - Summer of '69 (3:13)
26. Santana Feat.Chad Kroeger - Into The Night (3:40)
27. Carlos Santana - Game Of Love (ft. Michelle Branch) (4:15)
28. Carlos Santana - 04 - You Are My Kind (Ft. Seal) (4:19)
29. Carlos Santana - Why Dont You And I (ft. Chad Kroeger) (4:35)
30. Carlos Santana - Feels Like Fire (ft. Dido) (4:39)
31. Coldplay - In My Place (3:46)
32. Coldplay - The Scientist (5:08)
33. Coldplay - Clocks (5:06)
34. Coldplay - Green Eyes (3:41)
35. Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head (5:49)
36. Coldplay - Shiver (4:58)
37. Coldplay - Yellow (4:27)
38. Coldplay - Lost! (3:55)
39. Coldplay - 42 (3:57)
40. Coldplay - Viva La Vida (4:01)
41. Coldplay - Violet Hill (3:42)
42. Coldplay - Strawberry Swing (4:09)
43. Coldplay - Death And All His Friends (6:18)
44. Coldplay - What if (4:57)
45. Coldplay - White Shadows (5:28)
46. Coldplay - Fix You (4:55)
47. Coldplay - Talk (5:11)
48. Coldplay - Speed of Sound (4:48)
49. Coldplay - A Message (4:45)
50. Coldplay - Low (5:32)
51. Coldplay - Hardest Part (4:25)
52. Coldplay - Swallowed by the Sea (3:59)
53. Coldplay - 'til Kingdom Come (4:10)
54. Counting Crows - Round Here (5:32)
55. Counting Crows - Mr. Jones (4:32)
56. Counting Crows - Time and Time Again (5:14)
57. Counting Crows - Sullivan Street (4:29)
58. Dido - Don't Believe In Love (3:52)
59. Dido - Quiet Times (3:16)
60. Dido - Grafton Street (5:57)
61. Dido - Us 2 Little Gods (4:48)
62. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (4:57)
63. Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet (6:08)
64. Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing (5:53)
65. Evanescence - Going Under (3:34)
66. Evanescence - Bring Me to Life (3:57)
67. Evanescence - My Immortal (4:24)
68. Evanescence - Tourniquet (4:38)
69. Evanescence - My Last Breath (4:07)
70. Five for Fighting - Superman (3:47)
71. Five For Fighting - The Beautiful (5:48)
72. Five For Fighting - The Riddle (You & I) (3:53)
73. Five For Fighting - 100 Years (4:11)
74. pink confetti.wma (3:47)
75. Freshly Ground - I am the man (5:03)
76. Freshly Ground - Vanish (5:26)
77. Freshly Ground - I'd like (6:31)
78. Freshly Ground - Doo be doo (5:21)
79. Freshly Ground - Things have changed (4:23)
80. Freshly Ground - Father please (4:09)
81. James Blunt - 1973 (4:40)
82. James Blunt - Same Mistake (4:58)
83. James Blunt - Carry You Home (3:56)
84. James Blunt - I Really Want You (3:30)
85. <Unknown> - jennifer knapp - A Little More (Acoustic) (3:28)
86. Jennifer Knapp - A Little More (3:24)
87. Jennifer Knapp - Come Freedom Come (3:29)
88. Jennifer Knapp - Fall Down (4:16)
89. Jewel - Stand -21St (3:13)
90. Jewel - Run 2 U -21St (3:37)
91. Jewel - Leave The Lights On -21St (3:21)
92. Jewel - 2 Find U -21St (3:14)
93. Jewel - Fragile Heart -21St (3:31)
94. Jewel - I wont walk awa (4:46)
95. Jewel - Standing Still (4:30)
96. Jewel - Till We Run Out Of Road (4:46)
97. Katie Melua - Mary Pickford (3:12)
98. Katie Melua - What I Miss About You (3:48)
99. Katie Melua - If You Were A Sailboat (4:02)
100. Katie Melua - In My Secret Life (4:23)
101. Katie Melua - Nine Million Bicycles (3:15)
102. Katie Melua - Piece By Piece (3:24)
103. Katie Melua - Just Like Heaven (3:35)
104. Katie Melua - I Cried For You (3:38)
105. Katie Melua - I Do Believe In Love (3:00)
106. Katie Melua - Sometimes When I'm Dreaming (3:38)
107. Keane - Somewhere Only We Know (3:57)
108. Keane - This Is The Last Time (3:29)
109. Keane - Everybody's Changing (3:36)
110. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (3:56)
111. Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone (3:08)
112. Kelly Clarkson - Behind These Hazel Eyes (3:18)
113. KT Tunstall - Other Side of the World (3:34)
114. KT Tunstall - Suddenly I See (3:21)
115. KT Tunstall - Through the Dark (3:49)
116. Lene Marlin - Hope You're Happy (4:19)
117. Lene Marlin - One Year Ago (4:51)
118. Lene Marlin - Sitting Down Here (4:17)
119. Lene Marlin - Unforgivable Sinner (4:18)
120. Lene Marlin - Where Am Headed (4:33)
121. Linkin Park - Somewhere I Belong (3:33)
122. Linkin Park - Breaking the Habit (3:16)
123. Linkin Park - Numb (3:09)
124. Maroon 5 - This Love (4:26)
125. Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved (4:17)
126. Maroon 5 - Sunday Morning (4:11)
127. Michelle Branch - Everywhere (3:38)
128. Michelle Branch - All You Wanted (3:35)
129. Michelle Branch - I'd Rather Be In Love (3:55)
130. Natalie Merchant - Build A Levee (4:47)
131. Natalie Merchant - Golden Boy (4:12)
132. Natalie Merchant - Frozen Charlotte (5:23)
133. Natalie Merchant - King Of May (4:09)
134. Natalie Merchant - Ophelia (5:10)
135. Natalie Merchant - When They Ring The Golden Bells (9:33)
136. Natalie Merchant - San Andreas Fault (3:58)
137. Natalie Merchant - River (5:32)
138. Natalie Merchant - Where I Go (4:00)
139. No Doubt - Don't Speak (4:23)
140. Oasis - Wonderwall (4:20)
141. Oasis - Champagne Supernova (7:29)
142. Peter Gabriel - Don't Give Up (6:33)
143. Peter Gabriel - Mercy Street (6:21)
144. Peter Gabriel - Blood Of Eden (6:37)
145. Puddle Of Mudd - Blurry (5:06)
146. REM - Losing My Religion (4:28)
147. R.E.M. - The Great Beyond (4:12)
148. R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts (5:20)
149. Robbie Willams - Feel -21st (4:23)
150. Robbie Willams - Come Undone -21st (4:38)
151. Robbie Willams - Me and My Monkey -21st (7:12)
152. Robbie Willams - Better Man (3:22)
153. Robbie Willams - If It's Hurting You (4:10)
154. Robbie Willams - Rock Dj (4:18)
155. Robbie Willams - Singing For the Lonely (4:31)
156. Robbie Willams - Supreme (4:18)
157. Robbie Willams - Somethin' Stupid (2:50)
158. Robbie Willams - Heaven (3:04)
159. Robbie Willams - Jesus in a camper van (3:38)
160. Robbie Willams - Man Machine (3:32)
161. Robbie Willams - Millenium (4:09)
162. Robbie Willams - No regrets (5:08)
163. Robbie Willams - One Of Gods Better People (3:34)
164. Robbie Willams - She's the one (4:18)
165. Robbie Willams - Win some lose some (4:17)
166. Rod Stewart - Run Back Into Your Arms (3:29)
167. Sarah McLaughlin - Fallen (3:40)
168. Sarah McLachlan - Stupid (3:23)
169. Sarah McLachlan - Perfect Girl (4:43)
170. Sarah Mclachlan - Sweet Surrender (4:00)
171. Sarah McLachlan - World on fire (4:22)
172. Simply Red - So beatiful (4:58)
173. Simply Red - Say you love me (3:41)
174. Simon Webbe - No Worries (3:29)
175. Anouk - One Word (4:01)
176. Racoon - Laugh About It (3:30)
177. 3 Doors Down - Here Without You (3:54)
178. U2 - One (4:37)
179. Staind - So Far Away (4:06)
180. Staind - Epiphany (4:16)
181. Staind - It's Been Awhile (4:24)
182. Staind - Outside (4:50)
183. Sting - Fields Of Gold (3:36)
184. Sting - When We Dance (5:55)
185. The Calling - Adrienne (4:51)
186. The Calling - Wherever You Will Go (3:50)
187. Calling The Calling - Things Will Go My Way (4:00)
188. Calling The Calling - Anything (4:02)
189. Cardigans - Communication (4:25)
190. Cardigans - You're The storm (3:51)
191. Cardigans - A Good Horse (3:14)
192. Cardigans - And Then You Kissed Me (5:59)
193. Cardigans - Couldn't Care Less (5:27)
194. Cardigans - Please Sister (4:33)
195. Cardigans - For What It's Worth (4:16)
196. Cardigans - Lead Me Into The Night (4:28)
197. Cardigans - Live and Learn (4:13)
198. Cardigans - Feathers And Down (4:26)
199. Cardigans - 03.45: No Sleep (3:39)
200. Cardigans - If There is a Chance (4:10)
201. Cardigans - For The Boys (3:24)
202. <Unknown> - Animal Instinct (3:31)
203. The Cranberries - Linger (4:34)
204. The Cranberries - Ode to My Family (4:30)
205. The Cranberries - When You're Gone (4:58)
206. The Fray - How to save a life (4:24)
207. U2 - If God will send his angels (4:33)
208. U2 - Beautiful Day (4:10)
209. U2 - Stuck In A Paddle (4:32)
210. U2 - Elevation (3:47)
211. U2 - Walk On (4:56)
212. U2 - In A Little While (3:39)
213. U2 - Wild Honey (3:46)
214. U2 - When I Look At The World (4:17)
215. U2 - Miracle Drug (3:59)
216. U2 - Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (5:09)
217. U2 - City Of Blinding Lights (5:47)
218. U2 - All Because Of You (3:39)
219. U2 - Man And A Woman (4:30)
220. U2 - Crumbs From Your Table (5:03)
221. U2 - One Step Closer (3:51)
222. U2 - Original Of The Species (4:41)
223. U2 - Yahweh (4:22)
224. U2 - Bad (10:39)
225. U2 - With or without you (4:40)
226. Blink 182 - I Miss You (3:47)
227. Selah - You Raise Me Up (5:02)
228. Vertical Horizons - I'm Still Here (3:51)
229. Vertical Horizon - Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning) (4:30)
230. Vertical Horizon - Everything You Want (4:39)
231. Vertical Horizon - Finding Me (4:32)
232. Vertical Horizon - Send It Up (3:42)
233. Vertical Horizon - We Are (4:01)
234. Vertical Horizon - You're A God (3:57)

In Search of Knowledge

The most important things I have learnt in life have not come from the classrooms; they have come from the words written down by men and women throughout the ages. They have come from humanity itself. Hence I have a strong belief that any well rounded individual must have a desire to learn, a love of words, written or spoken and an intellect that serves to define first the world and the individual's place in it. I have always fancied myself as someone with the ability to multi task so I find myself reading several books at once, trying to follow different events at home and abroad and letting my mind wander every which way. Anyway here's a list of material that I have recently consumed, are consuming and plan to consume.

"A Power Governments Cannot Suppress" by Howard Zinn is the best book I have picked up in a while. It touches on some of the biggest issues in the world today from America's foreign policy under the Bush administration to such grand themes as war and peace. It is an excellent read for anyone who desires to understand how western governments work and the role of civil society in any country in the world.

Ryszard Kapuscinski's "Travels With Herodotus" is perhaps one of the most inspiring books I have read this year. He was a polish foreign correspondent who reported from all corners of the globe in the decades before the internet brought the world that much closer. He saw civilization like few people did at the time and his tales simply stir wanderlust in me. One reviewer of the book simply says it is "A final gift, a call to wander widely and see deeply."

"An Intimate History of Humanity" by Theodore Zeldin is lying on my table. I had barely gotten to page 50 when I picked up Mr. Zinn's book and had to leave this for a while. It is however a compelling read so far, the title alone rouses my curiosity. I picked it up from my aunt just before I left for Cambodia and on the first page is a note from the previous owner to a friend; "Dear ____, A book I'm very fond of. Hope you'll enjoy. Love Wolfgang." I am compelled to find out why Wolfgang, whoever he may be, is very fond of this book. I will let you know when I am done with it.

"Al Jazeera: The Story of the Network That Is Rattling Governments and Redefining Modern Journalism" by Mohammed El-Nawawy Adel Iskandar is without a doubt recommended reading for anyone with journalistic aspirations. It points to the future of global news networks while telling the story of a people much maligned in the west and their aspirations for peace.

There is a program run by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) called Open Course Ware (OCW). It is a free publication of MIT course material that reflects almost all the undergraduate and graduate subjects taught at MIT. It is not a degree-granting or credit bearing initiative, however you can work through the materials at your own pace and in whatever manner you desire. It is for those of us who simply desire the knowledge and could care less about the piece of paper that is called a degree. When I decided that I wanted to become a writer, I took a short trip to the OCW website and downloaded the course materials for a degree in literature. That is how I come to be reading John Milton's "Paradise Lost" and Homer's "The Odyssey" among many others. The former is considered a seminal book in classical literature for many reasons, not least of which is its deconstruction of religion and its role in human lives. I have barely begun book one but even going through the introduction is a lesson in history and literature that is priceless. Of the latter, the first paragraph is enough to strike you with wonder, it goes thus;

"Tell me, O muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after he had sacked the famous town of Troy. Many cities did he visit, and many were the nations with whose manners and customs he was acquainted; moreover he suffered much by sea while trying to save his own life and bring his men safely home; but do what he might he could not save his men, for they perished through their own sheer folly in eating the cattle of the Sun-god Hyperion; so the god prevented them from ever reaching home. Tell me, too, about all these things, O daughter of Jove, from whatsoever source you may know them."

 

I have a collection of BBC's all time top 100 best novels; it contains such masterpieces as George Orwell's "1984", Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment", Tolstoy's "War and Peace", Hermann Hesse' "Siddhartha" and many other wonderful tales. I figure that by the time I am done reading all this stuff I will have honed my skill as a writer and then I will proceed to tell my tales. Why? You may ask. Why put all this garbage in your head? Well, it's simply because Stephen King told me, in his book "On Writing", that if I desired to write and do it well, I could do myself a favour by reading a lot and writing a lot.

 

I have a desire to understand the Middle East, I am curious as to why this place that is the home of these religions that purportedly teach peace is not peaceful. I want to understand every side and make up my mind whose cause I sympathise with. So I went and found myself Mehran Kamrava's "The Modern Middle East: A Political History Since The First World War". I will be telling you tales of what I learn, I am absolutely sure it will be worth the time. Incidentally the Israeli foreign minister was in town recently and he urged Uganda to use its position as non permanent member of the UN Security Council to pressure Iran on nuclear weapons. How do we make up our minds if we do not know the history?

I have been reading newspapers a lot, something I never imagined myself doing. I am addicted to the news as I've confessed before. Your blogs are a source of knowledge, humor, beauty and the occasional madness. I enjoy them thoroughly especially Tumwi, Greenfinity, Princess, Chanel, Miss Cheri, Heaven, Spartakuss, Lulu, Basics, Streetsider, Nevender, Baz, Antipop, Liz, TMS Ruge, TRP, Normzo, Sleek, and many more.

I recently joined a mailing list called I-Network and it's amazing the amount of information and expertise available in this forum. I am tracking all sorts of ICT related issues from here. There are discussions about the so called broadband, the fibre optic backbone project run by the ministry of ICT, mobile operators' service standards, ICT laws being discussed and passed in parliament and lots more. I discovered from this mailing list various job opportunities, reports like the NSSF audit, parliament's approved budget for the ministry of ICT, a new local magazine called "Enterprise Technology" and many other things.

I am currently looking for books about Afghanistan, The German View of WWII, Iran, Japan and most importantly a good analysis of our history since independence because I need to apply my mind to the Buganda question and the issue of Federo. I also desire to explore the oil question, how others have dealt with it and how we can learn from them. One of my dreams is to write a collection of tales that I can say is the world from my point of view and of those that have bore witness.

My Country Burns!

Why? At the end of the day at least fourteen people are dead. It may seem, at least to the rest of us, that they have given their lives in vain. Their deaths may be referred to as unfortunate by the world and then quickly forgotten. But for those they leave behind, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and all manner of loved ones, the pain has only just begun. We should all feel it; we should all share the blame for their deaths, we should all learn from the mistakes that have been made.

On the face of it, it seems the riots were simply about a power hungry kingdom and an increasingly authoritarian government. The government and many others would have us believe that the Mengo based kingdom is to blame for the mess. I say look harder at the facts.

First and foremost, the decision to restore monarchies in Uganda was taken against many calls to do otherwise, the law governing these cultural institutions is supposed to ensure that they do not engage in partisan politics. Yet here we are today and these very Kingdoms threaten to bring us down. Why is it that they have come to have so much political power? How did they get to this point? What plans did our leaders put in place for such an eventuality? Did they see it coming? The truth is that the very people who said that these kingdoms should not have political power are the ones who went ahead and gave it to them. Political power is simply having influence over the people’s vote and because it was nothing more than a political move to restore these institutions, they in essence inherited this power. Further courting of these institutions by politicians has ensured that this power grow to what it is today. The situation simply brings one thing to light, that our leaders have been myopic and selfish. In pursuit of short term goals, perhaps driven by greed, they have made decisions that have impacted the country negatively. They have displayed a lack of foresight, the kind of which we expect from those that lead us.

Second, the idea that those engaging in the riots were simply opportunistic hooligans who wanted to pillage is nothing short of naiveté. Any self respecting citizen who is engaged in profitable economic activity does not simply take to the streets for anything less than the defence of human rights. The fact that the bulk of today’s youth can be considered hooligans is evidence of the failure of our government to create a thriving civilized society. It is common knowledge that things out there on the streets are tough, that some in places of power and influence are corrupt, that government has done a lot more to divide us than otherwise. Contrary to what you, the elite, may think, there is a lot of anger out there. Many people feel that the government does not work for them; they feel that it’s simply not enough to be honest and hardworking. The idea that one must know someone in a position of influence to get ahead is prevalent in our society. We have developed a thieving culture and perhaps before we point to the young man on the street and call him an opportunistic thug, we should look first at ourselves. It is not hard to see why any message of a different future would appeal to the youth and perhaps that is where these kingdoms get their political power, they appeal to the people and offer a different future. The government is aware of this and that is why something as simple as a king addressing his subjects gives them sleepless nights, they realise that it threatens to erode support for the ruling party. If the government was doing right by these young men and women, there would be no need for something as simple as “Buganda Youth Day Celebrations” to incite the kind of violence that unfolded in Kampala and around the country.

Third, the lack of respect for the rule of law is prevalent in our country. This is because the institutions set up to create, apply and enforce the law have been compromised. Our faith in them has been undermined by those without integrity and we have come to believe that recourse to the law and those sworn to uphold it, is at best futile. We all know that among our leaders are those who have engaged in activities contrary to the law of the land and still they walk free among us, unapologetic, unashamed and unrepentant. It is not hard to imagine what kind of message this sends to the average Ugandan. This disregard for the rule of law has been translated down to the very last of us. Some have resorted to apathy and hopelessness; others who cannot bear to be indifferent have resorted to violence and the very lawlessness that they seek to fight. It is simply wrong and we must find a way of addressing these issues in a civilized manner.

In the midst of the rioting I engaged the police officers in conversation and from that I gleaned the simple fact that they are inadequately trained for the job. I have no doubt that the government is doing something about this but I think it could do better. One police officer remarked that he was willing to shoot anyone who attempted to throw bricks at him while another however, had resisted taking such a course of action despite his life being threatened by the angry rioters. If you had seen the size of the bricks being thrown you would understand the former’s sentiments and applaud the latter’s conduct. These situations sometimes get really ugly and the policemen and women find themselves fighting for their lives, all because people have lost respect for law and order. This phenomenon is evident in our daily lives, in any traffic jam there are always those who feel their business is more important than others’ and proceed to make other people’s lives harder. There is a belief among us that once you know someone in high places, you can flout the law to your heart’s content. A good number of us have gotten into arguments that have ended with one party asking “DO YOU KNOW WHO I KNOW?” and proceeding to make various phone calls to so called security operatives. We need to empower our policemen and women so that they can serve and protect us. We need to first and foremost give them the kind of respect we desire from them.

Fourth, there is a lack of inspirational leadership. I have been looking around, for someone in my generation who aspires to lead the nation and I am yet to find one of you. Our leaders have failed miserably to inspire us, you will find when you talk to the youth of the nation that we have gone out there to borrow the heroes of other lands. We seek inspiration from without because our very own fail us. Most people, both young and old, feel that there is no viable alternative to President Museveni. Why? How is it that in twenty six years the entire nation has failed to produce just one person that we can rally behind? The opposition would have you believe that they can do a better job but looking at their leadership, the divisions within, we are left with a lot of doubt. Perhaps that is why many of us resort to the old adage “better the devil you know...” I have always had a lot of respect for President Museveni, but I am beginning to think that my faith is misplaced. A simple glance at an article in the Weekly Observer titled “Why President Museveni will give Mengo Federo” reveals that his principles are always shifting to suit his needs. His recognition of the Obusinga cultural institution is a departure from whatever he believed when he stated that he would not be blackmailed by the people of Kasese into making unprincipled decisions. Now he makes these decisions and we are left to wonder whether he simply plays political games or has become wiser and learnt something he did not know before, something so important that he has had to change his principles. It is only natural for a human being to acquire new knowledge and change old beliefs based on this knowledge, but we must ask ourselves whether we require anything less of our leaders than steadfastness in their, and by proxy, our principles. The idea that what transpired the last couple of days was simply the result of political games is as scary as it is appalling. Our leaders should not play with our lives in such a manner.

Fifth, it would seem that the government has failed to appropriately plan for such situations. The government would have us believe that there are evil masterminds behind any sort of demonstration and have in light of that enacted laws that bear the hallmarks of authoritarian regimes. In the event of a riot, there should be a system for disseminating information from the government that lets the people know what is happening. The police could even simply set up an SMS service that is recognised and trusted by all. This would ensure that everyone knows that the government is doing all it can to minimise the loss of innocent lives. We should embrace the technology available to us. You have to wonder why someone in that place called “above” whence come orders to arrest certain people has not yet thought of this. Surely there are brighter minds than mine being applied to these matters! At least, I hope so. The people reserve the right to assemble and associate freely, some of us have abused this right by engaging in acts of violence that lend credence to the government’s decision to infringe upon these rights. We need to work hand in hand with the government to make sure we have an appropriate strategy for these situations.

Finally, our greatest enemy is apathy. There is a lot of it out there and it saddens me. When the riots were underway, I took a breather from my duties as a citizen journalist and had a chat with my friends. I could not believe how unconcerned they all were. It seemed as if the chaos did not have anything to do with them. I told them that this violence represented far bigger concerns that just Mengo and the government. I told them that there is a lot of bitterness out there and any self respecting citizen should pay attention. There were reports that some people were being targeted because they had “long noses” which meant that they hailed from lands other than Buganda. The tribal and religious divisions among us threaten to lead to chaotic times not dissimilar to those of ages past and there is no doubt that the government has enacted policies that have greatly exacerbated this problem. It has become clear that fragmentation of the country has served little else than prop up the ruling party and benefit the well connected while the ordinary Ugandan slips further into poverty and desperation. We must all wake up to reality; we can no longer afford to be indifferent. Even those of you who have no desire to engage in partisan politics should realise that it is up to us the people to fix our nation. Our leaders can only do so much if each one of us does not give to the other the very rights we reserve for ourselves. People have died, let their lives not go unnoticed; let us learn from these things. Let us remember the dead.

Soundtrack:
U2 – Walk On

WordPlay

Scrabble with Lulu and Streetsider was nice, apparently it was a friendly but at one point no one was smiling. They know some English and Streetsider wasn't even putting in any effort. I'm looking forward to the real deal, so I'm polishing my word list. Lulu has promised to host the championships at her place, complete with lunch cooked by Flavia, an aspiring chef. As soon as the details are hashed out, I'll let u guys know.

In other news, I have decided to push my brain to the limit. Apparently human beings use about 10% of the available brain power at any one time. I'm not sure about the research but it seems the human brain is still much of a mystery to us. Anyway I have decided to consume anything that my mind finds interesting, which means that I will be reading and analysing a lot of stuff. If my mind goes south, I'm sure I'll appreciate some visitors in the asylum, though I'm certain Streetsider will join me at one point.

I just got through the NSSF audit report, its mind boggling the crap these so called educated bastards get up to. It makes for some depressing reading. I'm also in the process of doing a website for the mayor, yup, our very own Seeya. I have many ideas for it but it remains to be seen if he's up for them, you know how these politicians can be. Apparently he's off to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, probably to secure some funding for his next campaign; I hope he gets enough to pay me handsomely for my services!

I am looking for a good book about Uganda's history since independence, I know there are tons out there but I need one that will give me a feel of the people at the time. Anyone know a good one?

For our children and our children’s children

Dear little girl,
Welcome to this place of beauty, wonder and knowledge. We here are your people and we dedicate our words and deeds to making this life as fulfilling for you as it can possibly be. You come to us at a time of great change, heralding the dreams of tomorrow and giving us a reason to hope. You signal our rebirth as a people and we can only hope that we do right by you. May you "live long and prosper."
Your crazy uncle,
Rhino

There is a new life among us, a little girl. Nicole and David Nagimesi are the proud parents of a bouncing baby girl. She is not yet named because David and Nicole are the "happy go lucky" kind of people who will get round to it when the time comes. I told David that I had to have my own special name for her and I am thinking of something that means "rebirth" because it resonates perfectly with my life. It amazes me that I am a part of this moment; I did not see myself experiencing it. I imagine that these new parents are filled with excitement and joy; they have set about starting a family, one of the most joyous and fulfilling endeavours of life. The decision to bring a new life into this world is one that I have decided to pass up; I have had a hard enough time being responsible for myself that I don't feel adequate to parent another life. Perhaps I will always live vicariously on that part, like my good friend Lisa Fields. Be that as it may, I cannot help but imagine what it feels like to be a parent. To come to the realisation that you are solely responsible for another life must be overwhelming and yet euphoric. I love this child and it's simply because she is my fellow human being, we have the fortune or misfortune of sharing the same planet, I am bound by nothing less than natural law to love her. I want her to grow up in a world that is peaceful, a place that affords her the best chance at becoming the person she was meant to be. I look at the world I live in now and I feel that I must change something about it, that I must do my darnedest to make it that much better for her. I dedicate my life to such endeavours and perhaps I am too idealistic but I must try, at least for her, for our children and our children's children.

Lockerbie: Truth, Realpolitik and the future of International Law

I have been doing some reading, Stephen King says that the spark of a writer is innate, the most important thing an aspiring writer must do is read a lot and write a lot. Yes! I have been doing some reading and now I come to share.

The political fallout and international debate surrounding the release of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi seems to be centred on the possibility of "under the table" deals between the United Kingdom and Libya as well the morality of releasing a convicted mass murderer from prison. Most in the west, not least of who are the families of the victims of that heinous act, believe that Megrahi's release was an injustice, a view that is shared by many around the world. Having tried to read as much information as there is available in the public domain concerning the trial, conviction and subsequent appeals, I have come to the conclusion that the furore concerning this man is aimed at keeping us in the dark as regards the truth surrounding this case.

The media, especially in the west, has chosen to highlight Megrahi's release on compassionate grounds as a possible outcome of trade negotiations with Libya, downplaying the circumstances surrounding his appeal. I have already stated my views concerning his release but what I have discovered is far more important than the question of financial deals and moral significance. At the heart of matter is a test of the independence of judicial proceedings in the international political arena. To quote the one person at the trial of whose independence we can be assured, simply because he was the representative of the people, the UN international observer, Dr Hans Köchler,

"Whether those in public office like it or not, the Lockerbie trial has become a test case for the criminal justice system of Scotland. At the same time, it has become an exemplary case on a global scale that its handling will demonstrate whether a domestic system of criminal justice can resist

the dictates of international power politics or simply becomes dysfunctional as soon as "supreme state interests" interfere with the imperatives of justice. Fairness of judicial proceedings is undoubtedly a supreme and permanent public interest. If the rule of law is to be upheld, the requirements of the administration of justice may have to take precedence over public interests of a secondary order, such as a state's momentary foreign policy considerations or commercial and trade interests. The internal stability and international legitimacy of a polity in the long term depend on whether it is able to ensure the supremacy of the law over considerations of power and convenience. Contrary to what skeptics and the advocates of the supremacy of realpolitik try to make us believe, the basic maxim of the rule of law is not fiat justitia, pereat mundus but fiat justitia ne pereat mundus –'let justice prevail so that the world does not perish."

 

It would be folly of us if we did not right this wrong; we who wish to teach the world that there can be a lasting peace among us should not be party to such acts as denying an accused person the right to examine evidence brought forth against his or her person. Why is it that our leaders will not comment on these matters of great import? All they can say of the matter is that this man's release is "highly objectionable!"

Dr Hans Köchler's article in the National Law School of India Review appropriately titled "The Lockerbie Trial and the Rule of Law" should be brought to the forefront of the matter, discussed and addressed. Let us make peace with each other, let us be truly compassionate and then perhaps this tragedy will have served to teach us something, to make us better people.

I'm off to read about the Middle East, Uganda, Afghanistan, Rwanda, America, Japan and of places here and there.

Witness

“Though their history does not remember the oppressed, her words will not be forgotten. While I am travelled, his spirit will wander far farther than he has ever been. Intimate accounts unveiled for the world to see. Witness, documentaries to open your eyes, at this time on Al Jazeera.”

Witness
19:00 GMT
Al Jazeera

Land of the Brave

The decision to release, on compassionate grounds, the man accused of taking part in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland has caused a lot of uproar around the world and especially the West. A lot has been made of the decision with many suspecting the Scottish government of carrying out secret financial deals with the Libyan government in exchange for Al Megrahi's release with disregard to the victim's families and international law. This they say is a miscarriage of justice. It is not difficult to see why anyone would imagine secret deals took place behind closed doors. In a world where material wealth is exalted above all else, the idea that one man, no matter the consequences, would uphold his values and beliefs, and do the job his people called on him to perform is considered a display of naïveté unbecoming of today's political reality.

Personally I believe that Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill should be hailed for upholding the very ideals that we so often profess but fail to live up to. In a world where greed has compromised most upstanding world citizens, it is refreshing to see a display of such qualities that are reminiscent of the great John Adams who stood up for the rule of law when it was perhaps the most unpopular thing to do. He wrote in his diary after the defence of Captain Preston and his men that:

"I . . . devoted myself to endless labour and Anxiety if not to infamy and death, and that for nothing, except, what indeed was and ought to be all in all, sense of duty..... The Part I took in Defence of Capt. Preston and the Soldiers, procured me Anxiety, and Obloquy enough. It was, however, one of the most gallant, generous, manly and disinterested Actions of my whole Life, and one of the best Pieces of Service I ever rendered my Country. Judgment of Death against those Soldiers would have been as foul a Stain upon this Country as the Executions of the Quakers or Witches, anciently. As the Evidence was, the Verdict of the Jury was exactly right."

MacAskill, it would seem, having no other recourse than the law and his humanity did what he perceived was right, something that should stand out as an example to all who profess such ideals as compassion for your fellow human being. Those who perceive it as a victory for terrorism should look hard at the facts and realise that it is instead a victory for democracy and liberal ideals.

Everyone seems to be disgusted by the fact that Al Megrahi was given a hero's welcome back home in Libya. Instead of attempting to understand why it is that these people would embrace a convicted mass murderer in light of international rebuke. There are so many misunderstandings and divisions between the Arab people and the West that ordinary politicians cannot address but which only ordinary citizens can resolve and heal. The attempt to boycott all things Scottish in protest is as foolish as it is unjustified simply because many wonders have come from the true "Land of the Brave" not least of which is penicillin and in doing so, you would seek to punish those who attempt to show the way forward. You would be no different from those that perpetrate these very acts of terrorism against civilians in the hope of punishing their leaders.

The Multi-Ethnic Movement

I was reading Prof. Mahmood Mamdani's presentation at the Abu Mayanja Annual Lecture and I was moved by the man's eloquence and his grasp of fundamental issues. The gist of his lecture is simple, that we are at a crossroads.

"I believe that we are today at a national impasse.  Everyone knows that the Movement that came to power with the promise of 'fundamental change' in 1986 turned around and promised 'no change' in the multi-party elections that followed the adoption of the new Constitution in 1995.  On its own admission, the Movement had a modest vision of change, limited to the realization of security: 'at least we can now sleep'.  Having achieved this goal, at least in most of the country, its vision was exhausted.  Its energies now appear to be invested in preventing change, an objective that no one in history has ever succeeded to achieve.

The Opposition is narrowly focused on the question of exercising power.  Impatient to rule, it regularly protests the ruling party's failure to observe the two term limit on the exercise of presidential power as no less that a subversion of the spirit of the constitution.  But the Opposition does not observe the two-term rule in its own ranks.  It has failed to practice what it preaches."

He delves into the most niggling political issue in the country with surgical precision and gets to the heart of the matter. We are divided and there are those who threaten to divide us further for their own selfish motives. These very people have forgotten what we have given for this unity; our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters have died so that we may be united. Those we have elevated above us as our leaders seem to be leading us in the wrong directions. He simply says that

"Today the situation is ripe for a national alliance between all those who are determined to resist the politics of fragmentation, regardless of political party, or region.  This alliance needs to be based on two recognitions: first, the demand for federo is today the forefront of that resistance; second, this demand needs to be articulated in an inclusive manner, as indeed it was in the Luwero Triangle."

I cannot pretend to have answers in the form of government policies that should be adopted to address these issues, but it would seem that someone needs to remind our leaders that first and foremost the people must be listened to. My belief in that cardinal principle of democracy, that "Vox Populi, Vox Dei" leads me to the realisation that the people must speak. We must say what we think and feel about these things. The time for apathy and ignorance is past, now is the time to speak up and be heard!

It occurs to me that we who aspire to tell tales do so in the hope of changing lives, of making people better. Mamdani's words have inspired me to start a movement. It seems that "The Movement" we lent our names to is going astray and there is need for new energy, vision and leadership. We must help our leaders to govern better and the only way we can do that is by holding each other accountable for word and deed. We must lead by example and practice what we preach. Those of us who hold dear the belief that we are all one people, that the fundamental precepts of democracy are right and true should practice what we preach. Let us acknowledge that simple fact, that no matter where you come from, no matter who you are, you are above all else a human being. Thus we shall begin "The Multi-Ethnic Movement" that we have been called upon to start.

My life is such that I have come to realise how nothing is out of reach if only you have the ability to dream. It is interesting that it has taken me all these years to realise something so simple and true, that no matter what, your dreams will always be yours. I have hope that tomorrow will be a better day and I am doing my bit to make it so.

In brief, I came to tell you that we are starting a movement of peace, a revolution if you will. Let us give the people a voice and see if it truly is the voice of God. I invite all of you who so desire to be a part of it, all you have to do is be the change you want to see in the world. Perhaps that will be our legacy, we as Africans. Perhaps we are the ones destined to give the world the true meaning of peace and humanity shall forever remember us as such. Let us make history people and begin a true "Multi-Ethnic Movement".

PS: Anyone who has information on starting a Civil Society Organisation please send me an email at krays_ug@yahoo.co.uk. I would appreciate your thoughts on this because I cannot do it alone.

PPS: Whoever has a book by Prof. Mamdani and wouldn't mind me borrowing it, holla at me. I'm off to attend a wedding, will tell you about all that later.

Israel’s “Just” War on Gaza

How can you justify a war in which 83% of the people killed were civilians? And then to attempt to silence the voice of the people by such rubbish as whom their friends are. Such insolence! If the truth is to come to light then you must let every person involved speak, the men and women who fought this war must speak and we who were there will speak for the dead. Thus will you be judged by your peers and either vindicated or damned.

Wish You Were Here

Let's go
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell
Blue skies from pain
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail
A smile from a fair
Do you think you can tell
Did they get you to trade
Your heroes for goals
Hot ashes for trees
Hot air for a cool breeze
Cold comfort for change
Did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in the game

Whether you listenin to hip hip-hop
Or you tuning to rock
Refugees on your box
We gonna take over your blocks

Lets go
How I wish, how I wish you were here
Were just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl year after year
Runnin over the same old ground
But have we found the same old fears
Wish you were here

Whether you listenin to rock
Or pumpin the hip hip hop
Refugees on your box

Critics dont mistake this for just any cover tune
I'm a take y'all to the dark side of the moon
Kickin in my moms room this song was just a thought
A young refugee labelled, jus come with a passport
Dad used to tell me about the American dream
My dream was waking up the projects
A young teen listening to hip hop
My brother tune me into rock
Put me up on pink floyd and banned from the British blocks

Whether you pumpin the hip hop
Or you tuning to rock
Refugees on your box
We gonna take over the blocks
From NJ to BK to the UK

........Wyclef Jean

Vox Populi, Vox Dei

I watched in dismay as the UN Security Council expressed "serious concern" about the extended detention of Myanmar's Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It is interesting to note how this decision highlights the state of affairs on the international scene today. Britain and the US have always condemned Myanmar's military leadership as illegitimate and branded the generals violators of human rights. China, the west's biggest economic partner has always had dealings with the Burmese generals and has largely helped keep the country afloat as well as shielded from UN sanctions. China insists that Myanmar's sovereignty should be respected and the people allowed to determine their own fate. The reality on the ground however is different, with absolutely no free press in the country; it has become next to impossible for the people to voice their opinions. In fact, international news networks have no presence in the country and rely on "Citizen Journalists" like "Burma VJs" to get news from the country. Analysts say it has become increasingly difficult for these independent voices to keep the news coming out as the military government has cracked down on their activities, forcing some of them to flee into exile.

The UN's so called non binding document expressing serious concern is nothing more than a show of words. It is simply the world saying to the people of Myanmar that "we've heard about your problems but money rules!" The west cannot afford to go against China especially in these times of a global economic recession where it has become the west's biggest lender. The US recently strengthened ties with Beijing with various bi-lateral trade agreements and despite stating that it would pursue the issue of human rights, it remains to be seen if Washington will convince Beijing to pay more attention to such matters. It seems that money and influence compromises integrity even or most especially in the highest corridors of power.

For the people of Burma/Myanmar who struggle to bring the truth to light, the UN statement is mere lip service that they have been given before. For a people who increasingly feel that there is no one left to speak out for them, the hope that the people of the world will stand with them is that much further. These events should perhaps give other would be champions of peace food for thought, for we who are peacemakers do what we do with the belief that we speak for the people, for "The voice of the people is the voice of God."

Coming Alive!

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive."  Howard Thurman

Bridal Shower!

Yes! I went for a bridal shower! "Why?" they ask, "Why the hell not?" I have a desire to have as wide a range of experiences as possible; I actually find that most people are scared of new things, of breaking old customs that don't make sense anymore, of stepping out of their comfort zones and learning. Me, I want to know more, my excuse is that I want to be able to incorporate these experiences into the things I write.

Anyway, I walked in at about 8:30 and found Jaq (who invited me!), Barbara (whose shower it was), Brenda, Angela and a bunch of girls, most of whom I knew. Apparently I was the stripper! I was anxious of course, this was forbidden territory and many a man has ventured here and perished! Leaving behind only tell tale signs; discarded belts, shoes and the like. I settled down quickly, helped immensely by the punch! I think punch should be the official party drink from now on. This was the most ballistic punch ever! I could not understand why everyone seemed sober especially the bride! Jaq set about fixing that and I got down to the talk thing. Tracy, Joan and the punch provided all the necessary ingredients. Tracy was not forthcoming with the kb; all I could learn was that she works in one of those reputable financial institutions (banks) and that she had to work the next day. More punch, food and then it was time for the "Ssenga".

My friends are hip; they get tired of these traditional things, some of which don't make sense anymore. So it came to pass that I was the "Kojja", so armed with that "ka towel" thingy and mob kb I set about educating. I went Buddhist Zen, stressing how no matter what advice anyone gives you, loin cloth and all, at the end of the day, the most important bit is the kb between two people. No sooner had I finished that statement than I was bombarded by questions from all over the place. "What if you tell him this and he does theat?" "What do you do when he keeps doing the same shit you don't like?" "Can I replace my guy with a dildo?" Okay that last one is a joke, but seriously, what the hell do you guys do to these women? Interestingly it was the married ones that had the most questions. I am not a person who handles groups well; I am more comfortable in a one on one situation so I lay back and let the punch take me! Thankfully everyone else seemed to have succumbed to it and people got up to all sorts of things that culminated with some French guy stripping! More punch and more kb with Linda, Brenda, Jaq, Harriet and Angela. Oh and one of the French guys promised me a story good enough for some of our leading dailies, so I will be following that up. Plus I have a court date with Brenda; I want to see if guys be doing 'Boston legal' stuff in there. Somehow we managed to transport ourselves and litres of alcohol to 'Bead for Life' which is not bad at all! I think most of us wrapped up the night shortly after that. I went to a friend's car to be easy and fell asleep. I have to say that Bugos has the harshest mosquitoes ever; they chewed me like vampires at 'Bloodfest09' and now my arms look like I'm recovering from chicken pox.

I have to say this for bridal showers though; I think more guys should be invited because I got the feeling that people actually have serious stuff they want addressed and the Ssenga can only tell you so much. As for the sex talk, I will be conducting practical demonstrations wherever and whenever necessary! Don't feel shy!

Beer Ni Bora

On Friday, a couple of friends and I decided to try out this Nakumat proggie. Basically, you drive to Nakumat, buy eats and cheap beer, chill in the parking lot with music and engage in conversation. It was nice plot and was almost ruined at the end by money grabbing policy wonks. See, we didn't have empty beer bottles, so I asked the guy at the counter if I would be able to get my money back on returning the empty beer bottles. He said it was okay. So we bought the beer and proceeded to while away a good chunk of the night. When we were ready to depart, I collected the bottles and armed with my receipt went to rescue my money from other people's pockets. When I got to the returns counter, I was told by a one James that I could not have my money back. That according to company policy, as long as they had gotten their hands on your money, you were never seeing it again. I was free to pick any item from the supermarket of equal value. I tried to argue as eloquently as I possibly could, stating the facts as they were

1. I was not informed of this policy before purchasing anything from the store and this is in violation of consumer rights
   
2. I did not desire any other item from the supermarket
   
3. No, I did not want to keep the "voucher". I was leaving the country and I wanted my money!
   
4. I was informed by the clerk at the checkout counter that I would be able to get my money back, though he was denying this.
   
5. I had all the relevant documentation i.e. receipt
   
6. I had witnesses, although they were all pretty drunk
   
7. I was pretty pissed and would possibly do all in my power to expose the company to negative publicity (never mind the fact that I cannot even get my friends to read the shit I write)
   

I was on the verge of causing a scene when James suggested that I could get more beer instead of my money. What? How could I not have thought of that earlier? I had just wasted a good 15 minutes standing up for consumer rights and all he had to say was "more beer". I grabbed two cans of Heineken and gave up my fight. I have done my bit for consumer rights. "BEER IS BEST"

Commenting 2

I thought I would write something about BHH but Nevender beat me to it. All I'm here to say is that I agree with Number27, those first three paragraphs are art, and then come the artists. You, my dear sir, are without a doubt an artist par excellence. It was ballistic painting that damn picture with you guys. Another day, another time! Um who remembers the URL for Santo's blog? And what say you guys we move the next BHH to a Friday or even Saturday and some place with mob seats? Someone promised us a house party or some such thing, Lulu, bring the cameras next time, we have all the lights and action. Ugandan Insomniac, some of us be as if wanting to meet you but you never show. I'm off to write a damn book about your country people. Later!

The Power of the People

Dear President Obama,

We here in these places you call the third world would like to know something from you, where do you stand? In this struggle between powers that be and the people, where do you stand?

The people have elected a leader, the leader has done something wrong, and the military has usurped his power. The usurpers have arrested him and denied him due process; they have exiled him from his home and thereby broken Article 9 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a document I know you and I hold dear. The leader has cried out to you and asked for your help to free his people. I know it is within your power to help and if you have taken these tenets to heart as I have then the course must be clear. You know the cost of failing to help will mean that these people will become the next martyrs of democracy, and their blood will be on all our hands because those of us who could did not help.

We watch you, we listen to you. You tell us that we are the generation that can make a difference; that we can move towards a more peaceful world. We want to champion these causes and we watch you for inspiration. We are enthusiastic about your efforts in the Middle East and hope you succeed where many have failed. Please show us the way and tell us where you stand, be and do the things that you believe are right.

Best Regards,
Raymond

PS: This is all about the people of Honduras

Setting the News Agenda

I am obsessed with the news; I finally understand why our parents and grownups used to watch news those days. Remember? You'd be dying to watch some interesting stuff on TV and they would come and switch to something like CNN or 9 O'clock news on UTV. Local news is still lousy, except NTV's with Rosemary, she has mob steez. For those of you who don't know what steez are, it's the colloquial equivalent of style. It goes way beyond appearance and includes such things as demeanour, IQ, attitude and a host of other things. Anyway, I like her steez. Back to the point, I like news especially world news. For some reason I am that guy who is obsessed with what's going on out there. Perhaps it's because I have a vision of a future where all mankind is at peace and I like to know how we will get there. More importantly, I find that the news is a great source of inspiration. If you don't believe me, light up a joint and watch Al Jazeera. And that is why I am here today, to tell you about Al Jazeera, that it is, without a doubt, the best international news channel out there.

Most of us have grown up watching and reading news presented by the western media. We are accustomed to CNN, BBC, VOA, DW and the like. We have always had the western view of the world. This was made very clear to me recently when I told my friends that Al Jazeera is the best news channel. One of my friends asked whether it was the one owned by Osama bin Laden. I wasn't shocked because I had managed to consume every bit of info I could get about this news network. I learnt that during the early days of the war in Afghanistan, Al Jazeera was the only news network with reporters allowed behind enemy lines. Its journalists had been reporting from there for a while that they were the only ones trusted by some of the Taliban to report the news objectively. Graphic images of the impact of the US led invasion were availed to the world and understandably there was shock and uproar especially among the Arab nations. The US and its allies cried foul, they claimed that Al Jazeera was intentionally turning the Arab peoples against them by portraying them in a bad light. This wasn't helped by the fact that Al Jazeera was the first to air Bin Laden's famous interview after the 9/11 attacks. It was accused of being a mouthpiece for the Taliban and other Islamic extremists. The Bush administration and other western governments went to great lengths to discredit the news network, failing to see it for what it is; the first Arab news network free from government influence.

Al-Jazeera grew out of the termination of a contract in April 1996 between Rome-based, Saudi-owned Orbit Radio and Television Service and the Arabic TV division of BBC News Service. A disagreement between the Saudi Arabian kingdom and the BBC News Service concerning editorial independence led to the Saudi investors' abrupt withdrawal of financial support only twenty months after the deal was signed. It was reported that the Saudis pulled the plug following an argument over the broadcast of a special documentary about executions in Saudi Arabia.*

Al Jazeera executives solicited and acquired funding from Qatar's progressive emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and then proceeded to recruit the now jobless BBC staff. These were people trained in the Western journalistic tradition with expert knowledge and understanding of Arab politics and audiences. Armed with the editorial spirit, freedom and style of the BBC, they set to work on building an independent and non partisan news network free from government scrutiny, control and manipulation.

Al Jazeera has since become the forum for political and social debate across the Middle East, angering virtually all Arab governments from Morocco to Syria. Many of them have recalled their ambassadors from Qatar in protest of unfavourable news coverage, demanding that the emir rein in the news network. The emir has maintained that Al Jazeera operates independent of government control, keeping the highest journalistic standards possible. These governments realising that network enjoys the highest popularity in the Middle East have attempted to court it for more favourable coverage.

Al Jazeera's mantra is "the point of view and the other point of view". The network believes in everyone having their say, even going as far as inviting Israeli officials to debate issues with their Arab counterparts, something previously considered taboo in the Arab world.

For me, Al Jazeera presents the view of an outsider looking at the west. It analyzes the values and impact of democracy presenting issues within Western borders that Western media would most probably not highlight. It analyses the impact of the West's foreign policy in all corners of the globe. Shows like "Faultlines" take a critical look at American society, highlighting instances where the government has gone wrong and could do better. "Witness" is another favourite of mine, a 30 minute special that highlights the plight of marginalised groups around the world such as black farmers in America or the Uighurs of Xinxiang province in China. There are tons of special reports that show you the world in a new light, especially the Middle East and without this independent voice, there are things that we would never have known. Like the alleged war crimes committed by Israeli in the recent "War on Gaza" because when the Israeli military started its campaign, all news networks were refused entry into the warzone and only those networks with staff already in Gaza could get accurate information. I particularly like "The Listening Post", a show that highlights areas around the world with the little or no press freedom.

I realise that I could go on and on, if I haven't already, but Al Jazeera rocks! I think Africa needs to come up with its own network news channel to address all these issues that we seem to keep having. Why should we wait for some foreign media to tell us that people are starving, that these diamonds and this oil will kill us all if we don't get our acts together? Why?

* Source: Al Jazeera – The Story of the Network by Mohammed El Nawawy and Adel Iskandar, Westview Press 2004

Peace, Love, Sex, Freedom and Rock n Roll

See, I have this affliction; I have become addicted to kb. Perhaps it's because I want to spend as little time in my head but then again, how will I write? I have come to a realisation that there is nothing more intimate than thought and so I inquire about other people's thoughts. I have had interesting conversations with many of you and I hope to have many more. For example, I didn't know that the longer a girl goes without sex, the less the urge to fornicate. For us guys, the longer we go, the worse it gets and we end up doing all sorts of things. Like that booty call to your ex which you know will complicate everything. Seriously, I think a large part of our brain is set aside for sex and all that goes with it. Some aspiring philosopher friends of mine have actually come to the conclusion that life is all about sex. I agree, but sandwiched by four other things, a five way if you will. Enough of that, on to the baby shower.

I thankfully arrived after all the ooohs and aaahs at baby clothes, big bellies and other things in that galaxy had gone down. Eats and drinks were available in plenty, as well as "conversates" as Arnold would say. I proceeded to get intimate, high and hearty. Elle B, you have too much kb, it's not fair to everyone else. We should hang out more. Several beers, samosas, frankfurters and words to the good, we headed to other places i.e. Bubbles. Normzo, a piece of advice, baby showers are definitely not hunting grounds. It was full of newlyweds, engaged couples, expectant mothers and those married with children. It is the wrong place to hunt for a hook-up. The conversation though is nothing short of interesting, from baby tips to wedding tips and other things. One happy newlywed could not understand my zeal to evade institution of marriage for as long as possible.

"Bubbles" was amazing as usual, though I was too inebriated to be a credible judge. All I know is that at the end of the night I was running up Acacia avenue after a barefooted girl who didn't appreciate anyone telling her what to do.

And then comes Saturday and I had two parties to attend. Here's a simple rule about parties, if you find yourself at party 1 and you're having a good time, by all means stay there. Anyway, first stop was Penny and Trish's house party which was good and then got better after I inhaled a few puffs of some herb. I was with Jorge and the missus. The missus happens to know many interesting people and I met Abid who introduced me to the concept of being "punch drunk". You pick a glass, preferably a big tumbler, then you go adding a bit of whatever drink is available at the party, you end up with the most exquisite punch ever and when asked what you're having, you can confidently say "I'm drinking everything at the party!" if you're still in charge of your vocal chords. Under no circumstances should you add Amarula or Bailey's unless you prefer a yoghurt based beverage. Abid is the kind of guy who walks around with an idea book; he recently started an e-zine aimed at working class people like you and you and you. I've read the first two issues and they're interesting. You should holla at him for a copy. Stella where's that email you promised me?

So we left the party still alive and kicking and headed to the ends of the earth for a birthday party that unbeknownst to us was in its death throes. Along the way we picked up the missus' friends and proceeded to spend the better part of an hour trying to find this party. It was in Kyanja! By the time we got there, it was done, so we got down to doing the dusting. I have been reliably informed that everyone enjoyed the dusting. There are pictures which unfortunately I can't show you, I might not last the week if do. It was off to "Bubbles" after that and then home.

My love for kb ensured that I ended up getting home on a bajaj sandwiched between the pilot and another guy smoking some herbs. I'm off this herb stuff for a while, seriously! Streetsider how's that going?

Jq, this bridal shower stuff sounds interesting, how bout you holla at me.

There's too much stuff in my head, I'm off to put it down.

Proggie!

I'm off to attend a baby shower! Apparently it's always a girl thing, my excuse is that I'm doing research. Delving into the minds of these exotic creatures we call women. What does one do at a baby shower? Will let u know how it goes! Enjoy the weekend people, and if anyone is at bubbles I will be sure to run into you. Plus "Harry Potter 6" that's wknd plot. Va va vooooooom!

Idle Times

Moral Ambiguity

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine the other day. He finds himself in some sort of moral dilemma. Should he do something that he feels is the right thing to do and then lie about it because he also feels that is the right thing to do? I've found myself in this place before and to tell the truth I have told my fair share of lies. So I told him that if you feel that this is the right thing to do, then by all means do it. But your actions will be judged and validated by those who will hold you to account. So you must speak the truth to these people, you are bound by honour to do so. I will try my darndest to follow these words. I will attempt to speak only the truth and see if it can truly set me free.

Do What You Have To Do

Thank you Darlkom for cluing me in to this song, it is moving me.

What ravages of spirit
Conjured this temptuous rage
Created you a monster
Broken by the rules of love
And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do
And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do ...
And I have the sense to recognize that
I don't know how to let you go
Every moment marked
With apparitions of your soul
I'm ever swiftly moving
Trying to escape this desire
The yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
The yearning to be near you
I do what I have to do
But I have the sense to recognize
That I don't know how
To let you go
I dont know how
To let you go

A glowing ember
Burning hot
Burning slow
Deep within I'm shaken by the violence
Of existing for only you
I know I can't be with you
I do what I have to do
I know I can't be with you
I do what I have to do
And I have sense to recognize but
I don't know how to let you go
I don't know how to let you go
I don't know how to let you go
...................................................Sarah McLachlan

Representing Sironko

All the way from the land famous for "Imbalu" and other things (I don't know what?) I present one who is known as "Wagidoso Wanasolo".

In Memoriam

Natalya Estemirova

For all the fallen and forgotten heroes, we shall continue the fight. Now that you have passed us this mantle, we shall wear it with pride and continue the fight until each and every one of us takes to heart the rights of his fellow human being. You have not died in vain!

Commenting

@. This is my reason for putting my comments here besides it being my blog. I don't know wh@t this k@ thing me@ns, but I keep seeing it on other people's blogs. Each time I use it I wonder whether it means "at" or "for each" and then my mind races all over the place. I'm not up to scratch on this k@ thingy so please someone enlighten me, pleeeease.

ScotchBiscuits, you blow me away! You and that damn pastry just blow me away! Good luck with the exams.

Mr. B2B, we try. We try to put down the words as they come to us, one at a time.

Carsozy, on any other day I would feel too modest to accept but what the heck, I'll have some of that "artistical genius" stuff as well.

African gurl, here's some advice you don't get when you're stepping into the world. "Find the things that make it all worthwhile and point your compass there, all else will be okay."

Fiona, where have u been hiding? I need one of those long emails. I am on a hunt for kabozi. I guess I am in the process of evolution, it is a wondrous thing!

State of the Nation

I have never imagined myself as a political pundit or some such thing. I don't buy newspapers and I would be hard pressed to tell you who my member of parliament is. However of late I have found myself wanting to know more. It occurs to me that I do not know my country, like many I have developed apathy towards it and as such my people. I have decided to embark on an investigation of this nation. I want to know things about you my people. I want to know your dreams, hopes and aspirations as a country. Where do you want to go? What do you want to achieve? What is our stand on local and global issues? Does our government have the people of this nation at heart? How patriotic are we? What are the things that divide us? How can we end poverty? I want to know what you think. But first let me tell you what I know and think about Uganda.

Our nation will turn 47 this October. Apart from the outstanding highlights, I have a vague knowledge of our history. I know that there are perhaps way more than 30 distinct ethnic groups in Uganda. This division along tribal lines has been exploited by those who have sought power over us and I can't help but feel that we need to get past this. I know that discrimination in all its forms has manifested itself in our society time and again. This has undermined our unity and led us down some dark roads. I think that over the years things have changed, with each new generation, old notions and customs have been laid aside as obsolete and irrelevant. However, these divisions persist, even among a single tribe; there are some who will not embrace the fundamental human rights of freedom and equality.

There is a love of peace among us. Perhaps it is because many of us still remember the dark days of turmoil and the tyranny of evil men. A greater part of this country has known peace for some time now. We would not see it change. We have however failed as a nation to bring peace to all. Our brothers and sisters have for years endured the ravages of a senseless war caused as far as I can tell by the ambitions of a madman and those who follow him, willingly and unwillingly. It is a stain on our nation and we should each feel the blood that has been shed on our hands.

There is something about this peace that we have. I think that many of us do not see it as something that we have a right to. We feel that it has been granted to us by a government that has the image of an all knowing father. The idea that things could change peacefully is so foreign to us that we live in fear. This fear perpetrated by some of our leaders and propagated by those among us who should know better, cripples us. It leads us to behave in ways that take us backwards instead of evolving as a nation.

We have developed apathy towards each other. I have been guilty of this for a long time and perhaps it is the fear but for my part I have been ignorant for a long time. I have not cared to know about things that have not involved me or affected me directly. Oblivious to the fact that everything is tied together, I have not cared about things I have perceived as beyond my sphere of influence. Many of us live like this; we believe that the best way for us to survive is to become as independent as possible. We forsake all forms of fellowship and abandon the true meaning of humanity. Empathy becomes something as alien to us as disease. It is considered weak to care, to give a damn, to feel. We have always been known for our sense of community, kindness and friendship. I can't help but feel that we are losing these values.

I could tell all that I think about the economy, politics, and other things but I cannot presume to bore you that much. At least not yet anyway, so here is my suggestion. If you can, find a topic that you feel passionate about, investigate it as much as you can and write something and send it to me at krays_ug@yahoo.co.uk. I am going to stroll around and see what I can find out, then I'll try and aggregate all that I have gathered and we shall have "the state of our nation", at least through our eyes. I actually think that this is perhaps something that should be done by someone with more credentials than I, but I am Ugandan and damn proud of it.

You Make Me Believe

Nostalgia Revisited

I am of this world,
Earth, Wind, Water and Fire
Of the beyond,
I have an intense desire
I am guilty of the sins of man
All shades of colour under the sun
Red blue and sometimes cyan
My fate is not beyond the clouds
Nor am I destined for hell's hounds
A flower of these gentle grounds
I must sway to life's sounds
I must climb the mountains
Sail the calm and the stormy seas
Walk through the dark forests
And dance on the flower filled leas
And when my dance is done
I must take my place in the mud
Forever under the sun
For I am of this world.

Metamorphosis

I used to believe that when you died, everything was wrapped up. There was nothing that came after. You just lived the best you could. How can I believe that now, now that you are gone from here? I cannot face life with this belief; it will not keep me going. There must be something more that transcends us all and of all that I have before me I choose love. I choose you. You make me believe!

Life Owes You and Me

One day in the midst of my phase of teenage rebellion, I got into an argument with my uncle. I told him that despite his statement to the fact, I did not think he understood how I felt because he had never known how it feels to lose a mother. Angered beyond reason he calmly told me
"Raymond let me tell you something, I owe you nothing, the world owes you nothing. I only do this because your mother was my sister and I loved her."

I have gone through life with those words seared in my memory. One of my uncle's long lasting lessons is that I should expect no kindness because I am not owed it. For a long time those words taught me that I should do all in my power to expect any sort of kindness. I should start the process by being kind and I guess that is what they will always mean to me. My uncle was not the kind of person to say something that mean. We parted ways at some point after that. I saw him many years later at my grandmother's funeral. He got up to give the eulogy and broke down halfway through. I was standing in the back shedding my own tears and I could not help but feel that now he knew how it felt. I have always wanted to have a chat with him. To say thank you for the lessons, sorry for the trouble and to ask him why he did not bother to sit me down and teach me about love and kindness.

Despite carrying that memory with me, I have come to know that I should expect something of life. As sentient beings each and every one of us knows and feels things. I have known and felt profound love and life has taken it from me. It owes me. It owes us as humanity because we feel each other's pain, even the pain of those that time has forgotten. It owes you and me peace and happiness and we are here to collect.

CouchSurfer!

When all the world is young, lad,
And all the trees are green;
And every goose a swan, lad,
And every lass a queen,—
Then hey for boot and horse, lad,
And round the world away;
Young blood must have its course, lad,
And every dog his day.

When all the world is old, lad,
And all the trees are brown;
And all the sport is stale, lad,
And all the wheels run down,—
Creep home, and take your place there,
The spent and maimed among:
God grant you find one face there
You loved when all was young.
.............................Charles Kingsley

On Religion

How does a religion that has a God that is forever at odds with the Devil teach the language of the peace makers? If one who is charged with making the peace should look up to God and find that even she or he has not yet made peace, what does one do? If we who are peacemakers are truly the children of God, then we are come to make peace with you and he who brings "The Light".

The Sound Of Silence

I heard a voice, a girl was singing.
She took the stage and sang her song.
It was a sad love song, a song for me.
I listened when the song was done, for the voice.
I heard the sound of silence.
I listened and heard the sound of life.
It sings a song, a song for love.
It bids me come home and find peace there.

E Pluribus Unum

Excerpts from President Obama's speech at Cairo University

I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles - principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

On Violent Extremism
The Holy Quran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism - it is an important part of promoting peace.

On Peace in the Middle East
For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It is easy to point fingers - for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought by Israel's founding, and for Israelis to point to the constant hostility and attacks throughout its history from within its borders as well as beyond. But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.

Too many tears have flowed. Too much blood has been shed. All of us have a responsibility to work for the day when the mothers of Israelis and Palestinians can see their children grow up without fear; when the Holy Land of three great faiths is the place of peace that God intended it to be; when Jerusalem is a secure and lasting home for Jews and Christians and Muslims, and a place for all of the children of Abraham to mingle peacefully together as in the story of Isra, when Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed (peace be upon them) joined in prayer.

On Nuclear Weapons
I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons. And any nation - including Iran - should have the right to access peaceful nuclear power if it complies with its responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That commitment is at the core of the Treaty, and it must be kept for all who fully abide by it. And I am hopeful that all countries in the region can share in this goal.

On Democracy
I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.

That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people. Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election.

But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.

This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they are out of power; once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others. No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy.

On Religious Freedom
People in every country should be free to choose and live their faith based upon the persuasion of the mind, heart, and soul. This tolerance is essential for religion to thrive, but it is being challenged in many different ways.

On Women's Rights
Our common prosperity will be advanced by allowing all humanity, men and women, to reach their full potential. I do not believe that women must make the same choices as men in order to be equal. And I respect those women who choose to live their lives in traditional roles. But it should be their choice.

For You Who Are Afraid
I know there are many, Muslim and non-Muslim, who question whether we can forge this new beginning. Some are eager to stoke the flames of division and to stand in the way of progress. Some suggest that it isn't worth the effort, that we are fated to disagree and civilizations are doomed to clash.

Many more are simply sceptical that real change can occur. There is so much fear, so much mistrust that has built up over the years. But if we choose to be bound by the past, we will never move forward. And I want to particularly say this to young people of every faith in every country. You more than anyone have the ability to reimagine the world, to remake this world.

All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart or whether we commit ourselves to an effort, a sustained effort to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children and to respect the dignity of all human beings.

It's easier to start wars than to end them. It's easier to blame others than to look inward. It's easier to see what is different about someone than to find the things we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path. There is one rule that lies at the heart of every religion, that we do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

This truth transcends nations and peoples, a belief that isn't new, that isn't black or white or brown, that isn't Christian or Muslim or Jew. It's a belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilization and that still beats in the hearts of billions around the world. It's a faith in other people. And it's what brought me here today.

We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written. The Holy Quran tells us, Mankind, we have created you male and a female. And we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.

The Talmud tells us, the whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace.

The Holy Bible tells us, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth.

Thank you. And may God's peace be upon you. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

 

 

#14 and so on...

Sometime last year I was telling you about some things I have learnt so far. You know, those things that you must discern yourself as you trudge through this merciless yet amazing thing called life.

14. Words are the filler and glue of life

The precepts of Buddhism are called "The Four Noble Truths" and the first of these is that "Life is suffering". Life like anything else in it is apt to fall apart; it disintegrates and is in constant need of repair. Just like that nice shine on your car, that closet door or that favourite pair of heels, it breaks apart and some pieces fall off, gaps are left and somehow we must find the tools to fix it. Words, both said and unsaid, they are the things that keep our lives together. Use the damn things.

15. There is something that comes after

Woody Allen once said "The chief problem about death, incidentally, is the fear that there may be no afterlife- a depressing thought, particularly for those who have bothered to shave. Also there is the fear that there is an afterlife but no one knows where it's being held."

I have that fear but not because I like to shave (I do hope though that when I check out, I've bothered to do some pruning, no one likes an overgrown bush.), the fear is primarily because there are those who have gone before that I must meet again. Also there is the fact that I need everything to level out. The one I was brought up to believe in has too many loopholes for the wicked and also sounds eternally boring. I prefer instead to think of it as the next great adventure, an unknown that will be revealed only after the curtains go down on this one. I have long held the belief that it does not matter where you're going after but what you do here and that I still hold true. In the words of Robert G. Ingersoll,

"Is there a God?
I do not know
Is man immortal?
I do not know

One thing I do know, and that is, that neither hope, nor fear, belief, nor denial, can change the fact. It is as it is, and it will be as it must be.
We wait and hope."

16. To be the best

This is a philosophy that I am yet to fully develop, this is what I have so far and I welcome any form of debate.

Each and every one of us has a sacred duty to be the best person that we can be. Some of us because we perceive that life has been more unfair to us than others, walk down paths that lead to harm and destruction, of ourselves and others. Some of us because we do not perceive our unique individuality choose to merely exist rather than live. And then there are those of us who think that this individuality means that we must be independent rather than interdependent.

You are all unique and that is something that you must never forget, that no matter what anyone else brings to the table, you bring a blend like no other. Upon realising this fact you must be ready to accept each other's uniqueness and perhaps even celebrate it but you must also realise that there is a common humanity that binds all of us. Then you must look inside and find the answers to these questions.

• If you could do one thing that at the end of the day would make your entire life, each and every experience, worthwhile, what would it be?
  
• If you could champion one cause in life, what would it be?
  
• What are the things that make you truly happy in life?
  
• What does giving mean to you and why do you do it?
  

If you can find these answers, then choose a path and walk it, even if it be less travelled, straight, narrow, crooked, wide or otherwise. Choose your path and become a better you, one who is purer of thought and heart than before.

17. Listen to the voices (not the ones in your head)

I know a number of people who don't enjoy a good book. It's still a mystery to me but we are different like that. I believe that there are lessons to be learned from those who have long since moved on and those of us that are still here. I yearn for knowledge and I cannot imagine greater teachers than the countless dead and living alike, my fellow human beings, so I listen to what they say. I listen and then decide whether to take their lessons to heart or give my own merits for thinking otherwise. One of us once said "There is no good in war except its ending", I believe him but clearly some of us don't. When I think about those that have an aversion to the written word, I wonder how they find the knowledge that we all seek. I remember reading Ingersoll's "Why I Am an Agnostic" back when I was disentangling myself from the clasping folds of religion and thinking that here was a kindred spirit. Perhaps it was just an affirmation of what I had to come to believe but it was good to know that someone had once asked the same questions of themselves and it was also good to know what they thought. Okay, I'm rambling but "listen to the voices".

If I Could Be Where You Are

Where are you? Are you part of everything now? Do you know it all? Do you stand before an old God, your worth being measured? You, who is worth more than all the empires of the world. Do you wait, in a place of some pope's design, for the faithful to will you to the pearly gates? Do you flap your wings and fleet from flower to flower in search of nectar? Do you hear the sound of her wings and taking her hand walk into a world of your own devising? Are you out there, on some far flung rock in this infinite constellation, embarking on another journey? Do you simply sleep, that peaceful sleep of the just? Do you patiently wait the tables for many a wayfarer at Worlds’ End? Do you wait for one to share the journey that comes next? Where are you?