jeudi 10 avril 2003

Fragmentation bummer "I had another disc explode a few years ago. However, I find it concerning. How, in the hell, is it possible that this happens to someone MORE THAN ONCE???" The illustrated woes of a man who spins his CDs to bits (via Cory at Boing Boing - in "places I go"). 11:28:38 AM  link   your views? [] Odds on Obasanjo The Nigerian giant faces a huge "test of democracy" this weekend, with legislative elections due to kick off a series of votes at all levels of government. In its "front page" intro to a story about what radical Afrobeat icon Femi Kuti, son of the late, fabulous Fela, thinks of it all, the Beeb says "Nigerian star urges young to vote in April's general elections". Sadly, when you read the story itself, this is not what the star of the Shrine is saying at all! It's more a case of "politics matters, but plus ça change..." At allAfrica, many stories pave the path to the polls: most of them for aficionados only, I reckon, but sound groundwork, much of it from a couple of the best of Nigeria's own papers. Olusegun Obasanjo is tipped to retain the presidency, despite many leaks in his party's umbrella, defeating his rival Muhammadu Buhari, but Nigerians know this ultimately comes down to a scrap between one former military dictator and another. For all the problems ahead of the vote, and heaven knows they've been numerous, our team at the scene reckon there's a good chance it'll be (relatively) all right on the day. I hope they're right. It's afterwards that the trouble could start (not without an echo or two of another big oil nation where some people still want to put a general in charge, at least for a while, and bugger the United Nations). Wole Soyinka richly deserved a Nobel Prize for some of the finest and at times funniest writing out of Nigeria. Among other famous men, Ben Okri is also a splendid, often magical read. 11:05:18 AM  link   your views? []

nick b. 2007 do share, don't steal, please credit under artistic licence terms; contributing friends (pix, other work) retain their rights.