Republic of TOGO

stamp: 300 francs

year: 1996

reptile: turtle - Puxidea mouhoti

Zwischen Afrika und Europa spannen Anja Nduka, Larry Nduka und Raymond Ekpe ein Netz. Die Knoten des Netzes bestehen aus emotionaler Verbundenheit, familiärer Zugehörigkeit und aus materiellen Verpflichtungen. Verankert ist das Netz in Deutschland, Nigeria und Togo.
Manche bezeichnen diese Art Verknüpfungen als Entwicklungszusammenarbeit, verstehen sie als Folge globalisierter Lebensverhältnisse und/oder Migrationsbewegungen. Für Ekpe sowie Larry und Anja Nduka gehört es zum Alltag, sich zwischen verschiedenen Kulturen und zwischen gegensätzlichen wirtschaftlichen und sozialen Standards und Lebensverhältnissen zu bewegen; und es hinterlässt Spuren: Mit Harry Roos von „now – Hilfe für Straßenkinder“ unterhielten sich Anja und Larry Nduka von „africare“ und Ekpe vom „Entwicklungsprojekt für Frauen- und Kinderhilfe in Afrika“ über das Thema: „Wenn das Engagement zur Bürde wird: Eine-Welt-Arbeit zwischen der Last der Betroffenheit und dem Druck zur Professionalisierung“.

„Ich habe in Togo als Lehrer gearbeitet und habe Menschen leiden sehen; es ist meine Berufung zu helfen“, berichtet Ekpe knapp. „Ich gehe immer weiter“, ergänzt er und klingt dabei wie sein eigener Motivationstrainer. Welche physische und emotionale Last das jahrelange Engagement Ekpe abverlangt, wird deutlich, wenn er sich zwischendurch müde über die Augen fährt und erzählt: „Meine Frau ist böse, weil ich keine Zeit habe.“ Vor allem durch die örtliche Kirchengemeinde erfährt Ekpe Unterstützung. Manche Kollekte ist bereits dem „Entwicklungsprojekt für Frauen- und Kinderhilfe in Afrika“ gewidmet worden, um unter anderem die Ausbildung junger Frauen in Vokoutimé östlich der Hauptstadt Lomé finanzieren zu helfen. Über die Jahre hat Ekpe Kontakte zu Menschen aufgebaut, die seiner Arbeit vertrauen und ihn mit Sachspenden unterstützen. Das bedeutet, dass er die Gegenstände eine längere Zeit lagern und Geld für den Transport des Containers einwerben muss, bevor er ihn nach Togo verschiffen kann. Für manchen Handgriff in der Vereinsarbeit wünschte sich Ekpe tatkräftige Unterstützung durch andere MigrantInnen, doch „viele haben ihren Job und der Kühlschrank ist voll, da besteht kein Interesse, zu helfen“.
Die Schwierigkeit, das Interesse der MigrantInnen für Vereins- und Kulturarbeit zu gewinnen, kennen auch Anja und Larry Nduka, die sich in einem Dorf im Südosten Nigerias engagieren. „Die Heimat der Familien ist jetzt hier, aber die Kinder müssen doch etwas über das Herkunftsland ihrer Eltern erfahren“, wünscht sich Larry Nduka, „doch viele Westafrikaner wollen das gar nicht und wenn wir sie einladen, kommen sie nicht.“

„Mit unserer Vereinsarbeit wollen wir den Menschen in Ekpiri Ala-ala helfen, dem Dorf, in dem die Großeltern meines Mannes leben. Außerdem wollen wir mit unseren Veranstaltungen, wie afrikanischen Festen, einen Beitrag für ein tolerantes Miteinander und gegen Rassismus leisten“, sagt Anja Nduka. Die Zurückhaltung gegenüber der öffentlichen Beschäftigung mit dem Herkunftsland erklärt sich Anja Nduka mit dem Wunsch von MigrantInnen, nicht mit Not, Leid und Korruption des betreffenden Landes in Verbindung gebracht zu werden. „In der Presse fehlt bei der Berichterstattung über Entwicklungsländer meist das Positive“, weiß Harry Roos zu berichten, der sich in einem Projekt mit diesem Thema auseinandersetzte. Diese Einschätzung teilt Anja Nduka, die erlebte, dass sie sich bei MigrantInnen für ihr Engagement rechtfertigen musste: „Es geht uns gar nicht so schlecht und Du schadest unserem Image“, sind Argumente, die sie zu hören bekam. „Solche Verallgemeinerungen helfen uns nicht weiter, natürlich hat jedes Land seine Probleme, auch wir hier in Deutschland – und doch schicken die meisten MigrantInnen Geld nach Hause, um die Probleme der Menschen dort zu lindern.“
Wird ihrem Engagement in Deutschland oftmals mit Skeptizismus begegnet, erfahren Anja und Larry Nduka, Raymond Ekpe und Harry Roos in den afrikanischen Ländern viel Zuspruch. „Die Menschen in Südafrika haben uns ermutigt und uns Gottes Segen gewünscht“, erinnert sich Harry Roos, dessen Verein ein Tageszentrum für Jugendliche in Kapstadt betreibt. „Wir sind nicht weit weg in der Hauptstadt, sondern vor Ort, wo wir mit den Menschen sprechen, ihre Wünsche und Bedürfnisse kennen und helfen“, so erklärt sich Larry Nduka die Anerkennung auch durch die nigerianischen Bezirksvertreter. „Die Regierung in Togo unterstützt das Projekt“, berichtet Ekpe froh und und schöpft nicht zuletzt aus diesen Ermutigungen die Kraft, mit der Vereinsarbeit fortzufahren. „Die Belastungen für die Familie sind hoch und manchmal schaue ich dann ein paar Tage auch nicht in meine Mailbox“, sagt Anja Nduka nachdenklich, um dann fortzufahren: „Wir haben unseren Reichtum auf Kosten anderer erworben und wir müssen davon wieder zurückgeben.“

Source:Agence Savoir News

Les élections présidentielles sont prévues le 28 février 2010 au Togo. Très attendu par la communauté internationale, ce scrutin retient  également l’attention d’un grand nombre de médias internationaux dont la Radio France Internationale (RFI). Présente à Lomé dans le cadre de la grande finale du “Prix découvertes RFI/2009″,  la Directrice déléguée de cette Radio Geneviève Goëtzinger a accordé une interview à l’Agence Savoir News dans laquelle elle dévoile les dispositions prises par son organe en vue de la couverture de ces élections, le rôle de RFI en Afrique et le renforcement en cours pour la couverture de l’actualité africaine.

Propos recueillis par Stéphanie MENA

Savoir News : RFI est depuis quelques jours au Togo où elle parle politique à trois mois des élections. Est-ce un défi ?

Geneviève Goëtzinger : C’est toujours un défi. C’est notre métier. On couvre toutes les élections partout dans le monde. Donc, on couvrira l’élection togolaise de la même manière qu’on couvre les autres, c’est-à-dire avec honnêteté, en donnant la parole aux uns et aux autres de manière équilibrée en rendant compte des débats qui vont s’exprimer durant la campagne électorale. Il n’y a pas de raison que les antennes de RFI soient coupées durant les élections. On a aujourd’hui un correspondant au Togo qui est extrêmement crédible dans sa couverture, équilibré dans son travail, et on renforcera avec des équipes venues de Paris pour couvrir l’élection togolaise, car elle est extrêmement importante.

Savoir News : Quel est le rôle de RFI sur le continent?

Geneviève Goëtzinger : RFI est une radio d’informations avec une double vocation. C’est la seule radio aujourd’hui qui parle du Monde à l’Afrique, de la globalité du monde, qui a cette capacité là, du fait du nombre de ses correspondants. Elle parle également de l’Afrique au Monde, parce que RFI émet partout, quels que soient ses vecteurs de diffusion.

Savoir News : Est-ce qu’un renforcement des émissions dédiées aux pays africains est envisagé?

Geneviève Goëtzinger : Les émissions dédiées à l’Afrique sont déjà très importantes. C’est une radio panafricaine qui parle de l’Afrique du Sud au Bénin, de la Côte d’Ivoire au Togo, de ce qui se passe en Somalie au Mozambique par exemple. C’est essentiel. Cela dit, on réfléchit pour notre nouvelle grille à une tranche qui serait davantage dédiée à l’Océan Indien et on essaye de se renforcer dans certaines langues africaines dans lesquelles on sait que nous sommes attendus. On a lancé il y a un an et demi le Haoussa, qui est un grand succès et on espère lancer le Swahili (Kenya) en 2010.

Savoir News : Les Togolais ne comprennent pas que RFI ne soit pas diffusée sur le territoire français.

Geneviève Goëtzinger : Ils ont raison de ne pas comprendre. RFI est la seule radio internationale qui existe en France. Pour l’instant, on ne peut l’écouter qu’à Paris. La bande FM est déjà très chargée. Il n’y avait pas de possibilité. Toutefois, RFI est candidate à une nouvelle norme de diffusion, la Radio Numérique Terrestre, ce qui va permettre à RFI d’être diffusé dans les 19 plus grandes villes de France.

In case you are thinking of purchasing the new global version of Amazon’s Kindle for Christmas, be aware that there are still quite a few places that the global version will NOT work.  I was disappointed to find that the new version still will not work in my country.

Apparently the new global version will only work in SOME countries.   I thought it would be helpful to most expats to have a complete list of which countries it will, or will not work in (below).

It’s also interesting to note the PATTERN of groups of countries where the Kindle doesn’t work–some countries probably lack satellite coverage or delivery systems, while others probably don’t WANT readers to be able to download whatever they want by satellite.

STARRED (*) countries marked below indicate that Kindle needs to be ordered from a SPECIAL PAGE on the Amazon site.

The Global Kindle version DOES work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Aland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia*, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Boznia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozembique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,  Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands – British, Virgin Islands – U.S.,  Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The Global Kindle version does NOT work in (as of Dec. 2009) the following countries:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctica, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Guinea, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of, Korea – Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (including the Western Sahara), New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn, Qatar, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan,  Yemen.

Nature and Animal Conservation

 

     Preserving species and their habitats is important for ecosystems to self-sustain themselves. Yet, the pressures to destroy habitat for logging, illegal hunting, and other challenges are making conservation a struggle.

Visit : http://www.globalissues.org/article/1…

 What is Biodiversity ?

 

    The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth.

   

    Appropriate conservation and sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to any approach. Almost all cultures have in some way or form recognized the importance that nature, and its biological diversity has had upon them and the need to maintain it. Yet, power, greed and politics have affected the precarious balance.

Does it really matter if there arent so many species?

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play.

For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

Who Cares?

  Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions

It is feared that human activity is causing massive extinctions. From various animal species, forests and the ecosystems that forests support, marine life. The costs associated with deteriorating or vanishing ecosystems will be high. However, sustainable development and consumption would help avert ecological problems.

 

  

November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The white ribbon has become the symbol for the day.

Click on the picture to join the Community

Você é apaixonado por Futebol? Então não deixe de conferir a super promoção da Netshoes para as camisas Puma.

Pensando em presentear seus clientes neste Natal, a loja preparou preços imperdíveis para as camisas de seleções da marca.

Nesta categoria você encontrará as mais variadas camisas, como a famosa camisa azurra da seleção italiana ou as mais difíceis de se encontrar no mercado como as das seleções do Togo, Israel, Tunísia, Angola, Bulgária, entre outras.

Lá você encontrará modelos a partir de R$79,90.

Esta é uma boa oportunidade para você que coleciona camisas, ou até mesmo para presentear alguém, e por que não a si mesmo?

Aproveite a promoção das Camisas Puma da Netshoes! Acesse aqui!

L’articolo è di Francesco Laghezza.
La Seconda Biennale d’arte di Lodi è visitabile fino al 29 novembre presso l’ex chiesa di San Cristoforo in Via Fanfulla, ai seguenti orari: dal martedì al venerdì dalle 16.00 alle 19.00, sabato e festivi dalle 10.00 alle 12.00 e dalle 16.00 alle 19.00.

Si è inaugurata alcune settimane fa la Seconda Biennale d’Arte di Lodi organizzata dall’Associazione Monsignor Quartieri, che già con la preziosa rassegna annuale “Carte d’arte” ha portato in città artisti di grande interesse, due fra i tanti: Federica Galli e Giancarlo Vitali.
La mostra si propone di offrire uno spaccato dell’arte attuale, seppur limitata ad artisti operanti, nella maggior parte dei casi, in Lombardia. Non nascondo che avevo visto la prima edizione della rassegna nel 2007 e mi era sembrata confusa e fortemente autoreferenziale; questa seconda occasione mi fatto invece, un’ottima impressione.
La mostra raccoglie le opere di 32 artisti tutti, tranne in pochi casi, presenti con opere interessanti e talvolta importanti.
Cominciamo dal ricordo, che poi vuol essere un omaggio, a tre artisti lodigiani scomparsi nel corso del 2009, il primo è Giuliano Mauri, immenso ed ancora misconosciuto anche fra i lodigiani, ricordato non con una sua opera ma con la citazione, più formale che ideale, presente nel dipinto di Mattia Montemezzani giovane artista che pare aver ritrovato l’estro creativo che sembrava aver smarrito, almeno ricordando le opere esposte in san Domenico la primavera scorsa.
Il secondo artista ricordato è Enzo Vertibile di cui vengono esposte due nature morte di gusto espressionista; infine l’ultimo ricordo è quello di Luigi Volpi presente con due tele realizzate con un realismo quasi fotografico ma mai stucchevole.
Veniamo all’artista premiato da questa rassegna; si tratta di Giuseppe Rivadossi scultore e designer di qualità altissima, già apprezzato da Testori, presente in san Cristoforo con sculture e oggetti di design, opere importanti che ci fanno immergere nel suo universo (qui il suo sito web).
Occorre ora proseguire per cenni e tutto ad un fiato, in maniera forse troppo elencatoria ma che in fondo è l’unica che ci permetta di dare conto di tutti gli artisti invitati. Nella nostra passeggiata in mostra troviamo le opere di Agostino Arrivabene che propone una pittura figurativa altamente simbolica e sempre figurativi sono i dipinti di Tindaro Calia. Interessante è l’epico quadro di Michele Cannaò che ricorda lo spirito di “Guernica” di Picasso ma ridisegnata da Enrico Baj; molto forte ci appare l’installazione della Cavallotti, dedicata ai bambini di Beslan, sacrificata nel suo allestimento nell’abside della chiesa; vi sono le sculture di Mauro Ceglie, lodigiano, negli ultimi tempi molto esposto ed apprezzato, che ricordano, forse troppo, le opere di Giuliano Vangi e di Francesco Messina, altre sculture di minor enfasi sono quelle di Chiarenza. Un’artista presente con un dipinto importante e di grandi dimensioni è Pierpaolo Curti con un paesaggio lacustre realizzato con le consuete cromie melanconiche mentre Franco de Bernardi presenta dipinti astratti realizzati su vetro con intrugli alchemici; di tutt’altra tempra sono le scelte di Vittorio Emanuele che propone opere figurative troppo fotografica tanto da apparire iperrealiste; Fernanda Fedi propone in mostra un’installazione composta da sette trittici lignei di cui però ci sfugge il significato. Espone dipinti informali Tiziana Felisi, che però appaiono ancora troppo dipendenti da modelli pittorici che l’artista sicuramente conosce, Burri e Fautrier su tutti, e che danno un senso del già visto. I paesaggi di Andrea Ferrari Bordogna risultano piacevoli ma appaiono legati da una parte a certa grafica illustrativa e dall’altra al pittore Salvo. Le sculture astratte di Yan Sil Lee ci portano in una dimensione culturale assai diversa dalla nostra, mentre Bernardo Luino propone scorci figurativi di grande interesse. Ugo Maffi prosegue la sua indagine sulla realtà e ci offre, in questa mostra, risultati di grande qualità; di diversa levatura appaiono le cose di Pier Manca, artista che ha intrapreso un percorso, dopo gli inizi vicini al realismo impegnato di matrice guttusiana, francamente difficile da comprendere e ne da l’ennesima prova con i dipinti a collage qui proposti. Notevoli sono le tele astratte di Bruno Missieri in cui l’autore sembra ripensare alla pittura gestuale di Hartung proponendo comunque risultati significativi; ci sorprende il monumentale dipinto di Angelo Palazzini surrealistico e piacevole, altre sculture propone Franco Pizzi. Luigi Poletti espone due paesaggi cristallizzati e rassicuranti mentre Marco Sudati ci rasserena con opere festose e giocose. Enrico Suzzani propone un dipinto costruito con l’assemblaggio di diverse piccole tele che non sono altro che suoi appunti figurati di un viaggio alle isole Eolie; i dipinti di Luigi Timoncini sono l’espressione di una figurazione complessa e attenta; riconoscibili appaiono i dipinti di Togo carichi di forti colori che ci portano in luoghi lontani.
Arriviamo ora ad un dipinto, quello di Felice Vanelli, che rappresenta sicuramente il punto più basso di questa mostra, una gigantesca, almeno nel formato, “Resurrezione” realizzata con il solito manierismo a cui ormai, nostro malgrado, ci ha abituato da almeno due decenni; Abele Vadacca è presente con sculture dalle forme astratte e Alberto Venditti propone un dipinto figurativo con una frammentazione dell’immagine quasi a parer futurista. Conclude la mostra una scultura distrutta di Christian Zucconi espressione della quarta fase di un processo detto “Kenoclastico” che verrà svelato in maniera più completa in una mostra che si terrà nel 2010 al Castello Sforzesco di Milano.
Il pregio di questa seconda “Biennale d’arte di Lodi” è stato quello, a mio parere, di cercare di mettere a confronto la produzione di artisti locali con quella di altri che, per scelte e fortuna, hanno una visibilità più ampia; credo che questa possibilità offerta sia rara in Lodi dove tutti sono affannati a promuovere quasi sempre realtà locali e che raramente propongono confronti.

football in South Africa

The first thing people ask me when they learn that I’m from Togo, is whether or not I know Emmanuel Adebayor. This is  usually always coming from guys. Some people then ask me whether or not I play soccer football. I tell them no. Here’s one of those experiences from childhood that affects you so much that the main elements of it never leave you, even if some of the details get fuzzy over time.

I remember that I was staying at the house of some family friends during the mid-day, because there was about an hour break between the first part of the school day and the second part. I must have been around 7 or 8. I left the house to go get some plantains for lunch. On my way back, I saw a group of boys playing soccer (or football) near the front of the house.Even though they took up the whole street, I was determined to get home. So, I walked besides them, careful not to run into them.

And that’s when it happened. Someone kicked the ball, and missed the net entirely…but not my head. Just imagine it! Ball meets  head, hot plantains go flying and don’t miss my head either….A throbbing headache and a few tears later, I was fine. But I had a fear of flying balls ever since.

And that’s why I don’t play football…er…soccer. Or maybe it’s because I have terrible hand/eye coordination and I tend to over-think things…Either way, I appreciate but I don’t play.

Amazon's Global Kindle Reader

I heard that Amazon now has a global version of Kindle. I was disappointed to find this morning that the new version still will not work in my country.

Since I’ve wanted one for some time, but have been waiting until they got a version that would work in my country, I checked out their website this morning, only to be disappointed again. Apparently the new global version will only work in SOME countries.

In case you are thinking of purchasing the new Global Kindle for a Christmas gift this year, since the new version will only work in SOME countries, I thought it would be helpful to most expats to have a complete list of which countries it will, or will not work in.

STARRED (*) countries marked below indicate that Kindle needs to be ordered from a SPECIAL PAGE on the Amazon site.

The Global Kindle version DOES work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Aland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia*, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Boznia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozembique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands – British, Virgin Islands – U.S., Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The Global Kindle version does NOT work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctica, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Guinea, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of, Korea – Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (including the Western Sahara), New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn, Qatar, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Un equipo de ocho profesionales sanitarios, siete de ellos del Hospital de Elda, han realizado 264 consultas y 43 intervenciones quirúrgicas de traumatología y cirugía plástica (28 de ellas a niños) en Togo, Ghana y Benin.

Según la Conselleria de Sanidad, estos médicos pertenecen a la ONGD alicantina Oasis y han participado en una expedición humanitaria entre el 16 de octubre y el 4 de noviembre a estos países africanos para atender diversas patologías.

El equipo desplazado contaba con especialistas en cirugía ortopédica y traumatología, cirugía plástica y reconstructiva, anestesiología, enfermería y auxiliar.

Ésta es sólo la última acción de la citada ONGD ya que durante los últimos siete años han realizado un total de 1.545 consultas y 193 cirugías, 144 en niños.

Las patologías atendidas con más frecuencia en estas zonas de África han sido retracciones por quemaduras, secuelas en rodilla y pie por poliomelitis, deformidades, úlceras, labio leporino y fracturas.

Más información: Adn.es

5) Nome non Pervenuto, Mago

Agosto 1992, un rivoluzionario tentativo di far incidere il proprio nome a lettere indelebili nella storia della magia si è inspiegabilmente concluso in tragedia: il nostro eroe è stato travolto e dilaniato dal treno che cercava di fermare con il pensiero. L’abracadabra non e’ bastato, e il mago (o presunto tale) e’ rimasto ucciso mentre cercava di fermare un treno con i suoi poteri paranormali, evidentemente non particolarmente efficaci…

4) Daniel Hoevels, attore teatrale

Dicembre 2008, Daniel Hoevels, 30 anni, attore teatrale, ha rischiato la morte dopo aver messo in scena al Burgtheater di Vienna un suicidio. Infatti il finto coltello con cui si doveva tagliare la gola sul palco era invece vero. Hoevels è caduto in una pozza di sangue mentre il pubblico, ignaro della verità di ciò che stava accadendo, applaudiva l’”effetto speciale”. Secondo i medici l’attore si è salvato per miracolo, la lama avrebbe potuto recidere un’arteria e provocarne la morte.

3) Eroe Sconosciuto, Cassiere

Aprile 2009: un toro scappato da un vicino mercato di bestiame ha fatto irruzione in un supermercato di Ballinrobe, County Mayo, nel Nord Ovest dell’Irlanda. L’animale ha superato le porte scorrevoli e, infuriato per motivi personali, si e’ lanciato tra scaffali e clienti, ferendo un cassiere che incautamente si trovava nei paraggi e il proprietario dell’allevamento di bestiame giunto sul luogo per cercare di far ragionare la bestia, prima di scappare via. Molti i danni materiali, ma nessun ferito grave, la cosa migliore: il filmato!

2) Diciotto imbecilli, Collaudatori

Marzo 1993, diciotto morti al collaudo degli amuleti anti-proiettile. E’ finito in tragedia il collaudo di alcuni amuleti preparati dagli stregoni di due tribu’ del Togo. Nelle intenzioni dovevano rendere invulnerabili dai proiettili, ma durante l’esperimento e’ esplosa una sparatoria che ha fatto 18 morti e centinaia di feriti.

1) Ryan McGeeney, fotografo

Il 13 luglio del 2008, durante il Goldel Gala di Roma Salim Sdiri, campione francese di salto in lungo fu colpito dal giavellotto lanciato dal finlandese Tero Pitkamaki. Per Sdiri ferite serie al fegato e al rene destro e una carriera compromessa. Ebbene il nostro amico può affermare con fierezza di non essere l’unico ad aver affrontato una sorte del genere. Ryan McGeeney. fotografo, colpito a una gamba da un giavellotto, ha mantenuto la calma e con grande professionalità ha continuato a fare il suo lavoro scattando immagini al proprio arto ferito.

È accaduto durante un torneo studentesco di atletica nello Utah, Stati Uniti. Mentre i medici gli prestavano soccorso, il fotografo Ryan McGeeney continuava a fotografare la sua gamba prima di essere trasportato in ospedale dove gli è stato estratto il giavellotto. Per il fotografo 13 punti di sutura, nessuna particolare lesione a tendini e legamenti, ma un servizio fotografico di grande effetto.

Incidente raro, ma non rarissimo. A parte Sdiri, lo stesso incidente, era capitato a Roman Sberle, campione olimpico di decathlon ad Atene, colpito alla spalla da un giavellotto durante una gara in Sudafrica, nel 2006, anche una giudice d’atletica, Lia Mara Lourenco, fu colpita al piede da un giavellotto. Fonte: gazzetta.it

De belles soirées ont été organisées dans les bars Nouveauté et Madiba à Lomé par Lydia Ludic Togo, au début du mois de novembre 2009. Des tee-shirts, casquettes et parapluies ont été distribués et ont réjoui tous les joueurs.

Les joueurs réjouis de Lydia Ludic Togo

In the comments section, the brilliant James Schipper notes:

Some white countries are not very attractive, but whites can create attractive places, while so far we have not seen one black-dominated country that even remotely resembles Switzerland. This means that, it there is freedom of movement between black-dominated and white-dominated countries, there will be a massive flow from the former to the latter.

Europe has now around 700 million people and low fertility while black Africa has around 800 million and high fertility. Already there is constant illegal immigration from Africa into Europe. If nothing is done to stop this, Europe may eventually become a mainly black continent. I think that the white nationalists are quite right to warn about that.

James’ comment is absolutely right-on. This is exactly what is occurring in Southern Europe as we speak. He’s also correct that only the WN’s and the Right seem to be raising a fuss about it.

The entire European Left has gone insane on this question, and the Far Left, such as Italian Maoists who regularly send me communiques, are the most deranged of all. The Italian Maoists’ main issue seems to be to let all of the African illegal immigrants stay in Italy and get legalized. They’re obviously pro-Open Borders as the whole Western Far Left is. So they’re basically advocating a mass invasion of Italy by Black Africa, at which point Italy will become unrecognizable and will transition to a Black country. I can’t put into words what a terrible idea this is.

To which tulio responded that most Africans want to stay in Africa, and there are probably more Whites in Africa than Africans in Europe. Sure, but the Whites in Africa are not a problem and if anything, probably help the place out. Mass movement of poor, uneducated Africans into Europe is another matter altogether.

So the fact the flow goes in both directions is sort of irrelevant as it’s good in one direction for the hosts and bad in the other.

Clearly, not all Africans in Europe are bad news. A friend of mine is from Togo. He is one of the most brilliant people I have ever known, and he is Black as the night. He went to Morocco, got a degree there (and had a great time as a Catholic in a Muslim country) then went to France since he spoke French. He went to more college classes in France and graduated with honors. He was instantly snapped up by an IT firm.

This guy is so smart that he regularly works with MIT graduate students in computer science on IT stuff that is so cutting edge that I can’t make heads or tails of it. He now has a nice job in Brittany, France, and he is usually in a corporate meeting of some sort. He’s also been very popular with the White girls in France, but that’s another matter. He managed to get his sister into France too. Guys like Coco are great for France, but most Africans in Europe are not like this guy.

It’s true that most Blacks are staying in Africa, but African (Black African, not North African) immigration mostly to Southern Europe is seriously out of control. It’s kind of sad in a way because a lot of them are coming on boats, and they have to turn them back. The boats are coming to Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Malta, etc. Malta at this point is so overrun it’s almost a disaster zone. Black Africans are all over Ibiza, filling up the Internet cafes with Nigerian scammers. Almost all of the Black Africans in these cafes are Nigerian criminals.

The Black African population in Italy in Greece is a huge problem like the illegal Hispanics in the US. The countries are dominated by liberal fuckheads so they don’t want to kick them out, but the Africans can’t really live there legally. Everyone knows they are illegals, but no one really does anything about it. Kind of like this stupid-ass country! A lot of the Africans are just squatters and whatnot. Many of the Nigerians have formed criminal gangs in Italy, where the Mafia is now whacking them off as competition.

The Europeans are too nice for their own good, kind of like us.

Mass camps of immigrants are in the north of France trying to make it to the UK, where the welfare pickings are a lot better. They periodically make mad rushes for the boats to the UK. Police come in and tear down the illegal camps, but they set them right back up again. Black Africans in France are already a serious problem, and they are committing tons of crime, especially rape, including gang rape (the Black and Muslim specialty crime).

It’s sad and pitiful that these boats are heading to Europe but they really need to be turned back. Have you heard of the book The Camp of the Saints? It really is something like that, and it’s happening as I write this.

In West African nations like Senegal, boats regularly leave for Spain and Portugal.

As an aside, White nationalists like to ridicule Africans by saying that they were too stupid to even figure out how to get to Madagascar, but this is apparently not true. They did get to Madagascar a long time ago, but then I guess they forgot how to build boats to go there anymore.

That is, there was an ancient hunter gatherer population of Blacks (Mikea) who could only have gotten there by boats when the Indonesians landed, but the more modern agricultural Blacks in Africa at the time did not have the maritime knowledge to figure out how to get there.

At any rate, my point is these historical arguments are sort of stupid. Who the F cares how backwards East Africans were 1,700 years ago?

My point is that nowadays anyway, even totally backwards West African Blacks are capable of building and steering boats that take them all the way from Senegal to Spain. Not bad. The take home point is that pre-contact Africans may have been backwards, but post-contact Blacks are much more advanced. That they are more advanced due to contact with other cultures or even White cultures is not that relevant. Cultural diffusion happens!

I got invited to a couple of French classes last week to talk to students about Francophone Africa. Given that I only have (limited) knowledge about one country, I reluctantly accepted to go, to answer the questions that I can and refer them to sources for those questions I have no answer for. I had my “livre de contes”, my stories and my “pagnes”. I really enjoyed the first class, because the students were so energetic and eager to ask questions. I was able to answer most questions to the best of my ability. We talked about Politics, Education, Food and the conversation slowly came around to “Music”.

I asked them what they think about when they hear about African Music, many students mentioned “drums”. We joked about the Lion King image people had about African music, along with Kumbayah. I remember kids in middle school, teasing me by walking behind me, singing the songs from the Lion king…pests…

So, I ended up talking to them about the influence of Hip-Hop on cultures around the world. I think they knew about French rappers, but many of them didn’t have a concept of non-French artists rapping in French and other languages. It was quite a good conversation. I was able to show them these videos:

Bisso Na Bisso: Show Ce Soir

Magic System: Ki dit mie

Toofan: Parler Parler

Un nouveau jour au Togo