It wasn't me!

Kalyaburo, as they say in my part of the country, ‘entonge etakuniga’ (don’t choke on your food, read popcorn); for the drama in Uganda right from the media siege to Sujusa’s missives is a joke that is refusing to go away and one is bound to choke on their meal at the rate that it is playing out!

However, I doubt that this saga is of the significance that it has claimed, but I believe that government lacks a serious Public Relations machinery to combat such incidents and ends up playing in the hands of the so called victims.

To that later; first, let us look at the man in the limelight. General David Sejusa aka Tinyefuza aka Tinye.

I believe that never in the history of Uganda, has much emphasis been put in a name. Sejusa or Tinyefuza translates to ‘I don’t regret’ while Tinye means (it wasn’t me).

Sejusa for most part of the guerrilla war of the 1980’s ending in 1986 with the usurpation of power by the NRA, was a key player and a member of the inner command structure, albeit a stretch of time (September 1984 – March 1985) spent in detention for insubordination.  During the Northern Uganda uprising of the Lakwena’s and later Kony, Sejusa was a blunt tool used by government to bring the North to its knees and he was the architect of the scorched-earth approach against the LRA and the Northern Uganda populace.

Later on after the famous fall out with his boss over his utterances on Nov 28, 1996, when he told the parliamentary committee on Defence and Internal Affairs in a testimony, that the war in the north was not ending because of mismanagement and inefficiency of the army, he was ordered to appear before the High Command. He refused and instead applied to resign, writing to the president that;  “…I know my own faults very well and I do not suppose I am an easy subordinate; I like to go my own way.”, he found himself in courts of law, and subsequently on katebe (read redundancy). Writing later to apologise to his commander in chief the humiliated General says; “you know that I am stubborn and a pain in the ass” (not his actual words, but you get the gist).

Sejusa was after the eating pie humiliation brought back in favour and was pronto sent to his blunt tool duties; to do what he does best. You all remember the black mambas saga at the courts of law which the High court judge termed the rape of justice. Much later he would preside over the police high handedness in the blockage of the walk to work demonstrations in Kampala.

The most recent typical Sejusa stunt was when the current Kampala Chief Executive Jennifer Musisi was threatened with death over a house eviction by our very own General. And I believe that this is the incident that rubbed him the wrong way. He must have expected some protection from his mentor and commander in chief. Wasn’t he after all using the premises to execute his blunt tool duties at the whim of his boss? Wasn’t this his duty station? Of course the boss would rein in Jennifer and all would be duty as usual.

Unfortunately, whether pre-planned or not, Museveni’s attention was turned to his blue eyed girl Jennifer. Sejusa was evicted, and that must have hurt!

How does one try to understand such a two faced individual? Sejusa; I don’t regret! Well, the name says it all. After falling out (not for the first time) with his boss, he ran to the court of public opinion and cried wolf. Internally as his name suggests he doesn’t regret his actions but expects us the masses to sympathise with him.

I will make a fuss, throw a tantrum and later on, the public will sympathise with me!

How else do you explain his apology to the president during his daughters wedding: “It was as if I was possessed because I received advice from some circles but I later woke up to my senses and made a turn-around. I am prepared to work with you even more,” he added: “Everyone here, please join me to thank the President for forgiving me, because he accepted my apology.” Typical, I say! Immediately when the money purses are drying out, he creeps back with a public apology to his mentor asking for mercy? No regrets!

Where was he when the army hierarchy was fighting with the same Tumukunde that he is referring to in his most current missive? I know where! Sitting with the army high command drafting the rules! Sejusa – no regrets!

The only time we are going to see this gentleman come out showing any semblance to regret, is when his very own livelihood is at stake. Forget the youth; forget the soldiers that he wants us to focus on. This is about Sejusa and his new found predicament.

Given a few years of exile where the monthly stipend for an asylum-seeker in the UK is not more than £280 equivalent to Uganda Shillings One million, we are bound to witness another about-turn from our ‘hero’ seeking for a renewed lease of tenancy on the feasting table.

What is at stake is the generalisation of the issues raised by the General namely; the Muhoozi project, the dissatisfaction in the army and personal interests of an individual riding on the sentiments of a disgruntled society.

Which brings me back to the issue of government’s public relations; which is either deliberately lacking or definitely lacking. I will prefer to go with the later, mainly because government has already shown its hand by the crude media siege saga and consequent demonstrations which in our famous Uganda style, go hand in hand with tear gas and police high handedness. Sejusa one government nil!

The solution in my opinion is two-fold. Government can come out with a dossier on the General, pointing out his shortcomings (tricky if some incriminate Government), publically sack him from his post and demote him to a lower rank (Major or worse?) while at the same time recalling him from parliament. High-handed? Not at all! You will find that all these remedies are catered for in whichever instruments governing the different sectors that this General served in. This is a full frontal attack that will shock the General because it is a language he understands. Settling the score through suffocating the media is collateral damage which makes the General come out on top. Bring the battle closer to home; where it hurts. Make it personal.

On the other hand, ignore the man and hope that he will fade away! Target everyone else that seems to support him passively or actively! A folly I would advise against, because you know what? This is exactly what he expects Government to do. And guess what? So far, they have fallen right in his trap!

Kalyaburo, I advised you not to choke! This saga is still playing out! How it ends depends on the public relations capability of the two warring parties. So far, the winner has no regrets. Well, it wasn’t him!

Amazing!

This leaves me wondering why I keep kicking myself! Damn! This guy is cool!

The amazing past!

How many singers can you spot? If you spot more than 10, consider yourself a genius!!

I can only spot four: Orlando, Juliana, Jimmy Katumba, and Sweet Kid! Beat that!

Is your partner the one for you?

Amanda May

“So, what do you do?” and “Where are you from?” aren’t exactly the most scintillating questions to ask on a date—nor do they actually give you any juicy information about the person sitting across from you. If you really want to know whether you’ve got good chemistry and long-term potential here, you need to probe harder than that. But what kind of questions do you ask? Here, we asked three dating experts to help us dig through all the small talk to come up with five no-nonsense queries that reveal a lot more than they let on. Don’t worry, there are no right or wrong answers. “You’re not looking for your clone,” says Laurie Seale, author of The Questions to Ask Before You Jump into Bed. “You’re judging whether someone shares your values and goals to see whether they’d be a good long-term partner.” And if not—if his or her answers are so wacky and opposite of what you believe that you don’t think you’ll last through the next 50 minutes, never mind the next 50 years—then at least you’ve had an evening of interesting conversation!

Questions that reveal if you're a match:

Question 1: “If your company gave one-year paid sabbaticals, what would you do for that year?”

Maybe they’d run off to a remote island in the Pacific, start their own business, or spend their days working in a soup kitchen. Whatever your date answers, “This is a very revealing question, and a perfect one to ask on a first-date,” says Seale. “It reveals your date’s true passions and priorities, showing you whether they’re selfless, selfish, or overly ambitious.” You’ll also learn what this person cares about but isn’t making time for right now. “Your follow-up question should be, ‘Are you doing anything like that right now?’” says Seale. “Obviously they can’t spend every day in the soup kitchen, but do they volunteer on weekends?” And who knows—maybe you’ll wind up bonding over your secret desire to track down rare African birds or start your own Klezmer band.

Question 2: “Will you share an embarrassing moment with me?”

Is she secure enough to laugh at the time she gave a huge work presentation with ketchup on her shirt? Can he share the embarrassment of falling on Rollerblades while trying to impress an ex? It’s not the actual activity that matters—you want to know whether he / she can be vulnerable around you early on. “If he / she admit to, say, trying out for Pop Idol and bombing big-time, at least you know they don’t take themselves too seriously,” admits Diane Mapes, author of How to Date in a Post-Dating World. And remember: If someone’s willing to share their private failures, you need to be ready to share some of your most embarrassing moments as well. In fact, it’s probably best if you spill the beans first, and one easy way to do that is to say “First dates make me kind of nervous, but I always remind myself it pales in comparison to the time I took a crack at being a footie goalie—and caught two balls in the face!”

Question 3: “If your house were on fire, what’s the one thing you’d make sure to save?”

Want to learn whether your date is sentimental or practical? Find out whether he’d rescue his grandfather’s pocket watch or his laptop, says Sharyn Wolf, author of So You Want to Get Married: Guerilla Tactics for Turning a Date into a Mate. “This question gives you a sense of what’s valuable to someone, and whether your values coincide,” she explains. Make sure to ask why they’d grab that particular item—you may found she’d grab her college diaries because those were amazing years when she learned (and recorded) so much about life, or that he’d grab his vinyl record collection since he adores being a DJ at parties. And if you’re wondering how you bring up such an odd topic, consider an opener like, “I have a lot of interests and hobbies, but what’s truly close to my heart is fishing. In fact, my tackle box is the first thing I’d grab if my house were burning down. That, and my first edition of Jack London’s Call Of The Wild. How about you?”

Question 4: “What’s the biggest misperception people have about you?”

Maybe your date will say that everyone thinks he’s snobby and stuck-up, when he’s really just shy. It’s a good thing to know—especially if you’ve been sitting across from him thinking just that. “You’ll get a sense of how the person views him or herself,” explains Wolf. “And it gives you the chance to take a step back and rethink your opinion of them.” This is a great first-date question, particularly if you make the disclosure first, says Wolfe. Say, for example, “Sometimes people think I talk too much, but I just tend to babble when nervous. Is there anything you do that you think gives people an off-base first impression of you?” This gives you the opportunity to clear up any misperceptions your date might have about you, while also helping you know your “real” date without having to pry.

Question 5: “What’s the one life experience you want a do-over on?” Here’s your chance to learn a juicy tidbit about your date’s past: Does he secretly wish he went to culinary school instead of law school? Does she rue the day she gave up her pet cat to clinch that great “no pets” pad? Everyone’s got some regrets, and they speak tons about someone’s character. Not sure how to segue into this heavy question? You’re best off warming them up first with your own confession, whether that’s how you wished you’d taken a year off after college just to travel or had quit a bad job before it became a really, really bad job. Just say, “I’ve pretty happy with how things are going right now, but the one thing I always wished I’d done differently is _______. How about you?”

Writer Amanda May has written for Redbook and other publications.

Let's Talk Sex!

By Robert Chu, Ph.D., L.Ac

Sex feels good. And the proper amount of sex can help maintain you physical and emotional health. But balance is the key. Both having too little or too much sex can lead to unhealthy conditions.

As a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, maintaining balance in all life's activities is what I strive for... in myself and in my patients. Let us look at the effects of too much sex, too little sex, and what the proper amounts should be, based on your age and condition.

How Much Sex is Too Much?

The theories of Chinese medicine warn of the dangers of having too much sex. A person could become what is called, in Chinese medicine, kidney jing deficient. Jing refers to the main essence fluids of the body, distilled from what we eat and drink. Jing is stored in the kidneys – the batteries of the body. It gives us energy and healthy internal systems. In fact, we are born with enough essence to ensure a lifespan of 120 years. Problem is, we exhaust it through our poor eating, poor rest, lack of exercise, unstable emotions, stress, disease and by having an unhealthy amount of sex!

Signs and symptoms of kidney jing deficiency include a weakening of the bones, loss of hair, a graying of the face, loosening or loss of teeth, low back soreness, weakness of the legs (particularly behind the knees), poor memory, loss of libido, impotence and a general lack of sexual desire. If you are suffering from any of these signs and symptoms, perhaps you should consider if too much sex is killing you, or at least weakening you.

With too much ejaculation, jing is depleted from the body. As a man ages past his middle years, the excessive loss of jing (semen) can have the disastrous effects described above. The young can engage in frequent copulation, but the middle aged and elderly should only release semen infrequently.

There is a classic text on Chinese medicine called Su Nu Jing. It was published almost 2,000 years ago and suggests that to maintain health, a man should have a certain amount of ejaculations according to his age and health. At the age of 20, if a person is in good health, it is suggested that two ejaculations a day is reasonable. Moreover, having one ejaculation every four days is the minimum necessary to maintain health.

The chart below suggests the guidelines from that classic text:

Age	Good health	Average Health	Minimum
20	2x Day	1X Day	Every 4 days
30	1x Day	Every other day	Every 8 days
40	Every 3 days	Every 4 days	Every 16 days
50	Every 5 days	Every 10 days	Every 21 days
60	Every 10 days	Every 20 days	Every 30 days

Of course, these are rough guidelines and should not be strictly adhered to. At least it gives you an idea of the frequency a man should have sex in order to maintain good health and balanced emotions. Of course, the converse is true, that no sex at all can cause resentment, depression and anxiety... which could possibly lead to long term disease.

Now, the average 20-year-old male who is engaging in masturbation three times a day in college is probably overdoing it. This could possibly affect his grades (poor memory) or affect his collegiate tennis match (with weak knees and sore low back).

The 40 year old executive thinking of having that affair with the nice 24 year old intern might want to consider if he is in good enough health to survive an extramarital affair. He could wind up suffering from hair loss, aging of the face, low back soreness, weak legs, poor memory, loss of libido, impotence, and lack of sexual desire that could cost him his career and his health... not to mention his marriage!

How Much Sex is Too Little?

Sex is important for relationships, not just emotionally, but for the organ systems as well. Ladies, when men tell you they feel like they are dying from lack of sex, it's only partially true. In reality, the choked up emotions and lack of connection can cause him to suffer the Chinese Medicine syndrome known as liver qi stagnation.

According to Chinese medicine theory, the liver functions to move the qi (life energy) freely in the body. Liver qi stagnation, then, is when there is a pathogenic flow of the correct qi manifesting in some of the following signs and symptoms: feeling of distension in the chest and hypochondrium, sighing, hiccup, melancholy, depression, moodiness, unhappiness and feeling of a lump in the throat. Often the etiology of this syndrome includes emotional problems, a state of anger, frustration or resentment.

If this condition persists, it can grow into what is called liver fire. The signs and symptoms associated live fire include irritability, anger, shouting, ringing in the ears, temporal headache, bitter taste in the mouth, dream disturbed sleep, a red face and red eyes. This is the result of long-standing emotional states of anger, resentment or frustration. This can cause problems like high blood pressure, tinnitis, insomnia, migraine headache and the like.

Good sexual relations are a part of good health. Overdoing it can be detrimental to health, and we have found that too little sex can also have an negative effect on health. My advice: Be happy and be wise in the ways of lovemaking.

Hat tip: Josh Nkuru

Mozart's Symphony No. 40

WOW - genius!!



Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan

Everybody hates Bush! LOL

Pirates' luxury lifestyles on lawless coast

And who said that crime doesn't pay?!

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) -- Somalia's increasingly brazen pirates are building sprawling stone houses, cruising in luxury cars, marrying beautiful women -- even hiring caterers to prepare Western-style food for their hostages.

And in an impoverished country where every public institution has crumbled, they have become heroes in the steamy coastal dens they operate from because they are the only real business in town.

"The pirates depend on us, and we benefit from them," said Sahra Sheik Dahir, a shop owner in Haradhere, the nearest village to where a hijacked Saudi Arabian supertanker carrying $100 million in crude was anchored Wednesday.

"The oldest man on the ship always takes the responsibility of collecting the money, because we see it as very risky, and he gets some extra payment for his service later,"

These boomtowns are all the more shocking in light of Somalia's violence and poverty: Radical Islamists control most of the country's south, meting out lashings and stonings for accused criminals. There has been no effective central government in nearly 20 years, plunging this arid African country into chaos.

Life expectancy is just 46 years; a quarter of children die before they reach 5.

But in northern coastal towns like Haradhere, Eyl and Bossaso, the pirate economy is thriving thanks to the money pouring in from pirate ransoms that have reached $30 million this year alone.

In Haradhere, residents came out in droves to celebrate as the looming oil ship came into focus this week off the country's lawless coast. Businessmen started gathering cigarettes, food and cold glass bottles of orange soda, setting up small kiosks for the pirates who come to shore to re-supply almost daily.

Dahir said she is so confident in the pirates, she instituted a layaway plan just for them.

"They always take things without paying and we put them into the book of debts," she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "Later, when they get the ransom money, they pay us a lot."

For Somalis, the simple fact that pirates offer jobs is enough to gain their esteem, even as hostages languish on ships for months. The population makes sure the pirates are well-stocked in qat, a popular narcotic leaf, and offer support from the ground even as the international community tries to quash them.

"Regardless of how the money is coming in, legally or illegally, I can say it has started a life in our town," said Shamso Moalim, a 36-year-old mother of five in Haradhere.

"Our children are not worrying about food now, and they go to Islamic schools in the morning and play soccer in the afternoon. They are happy."

Despite a beefed-up international presence, the pirates continue to seize ships, moving further out to sea and demanding ever-larger ransoms. The pirates operate mostly from the semiautonomous Puntland region, where local lawmakers have been accused of helping the pirates and taking a cut of the ransoms.

For the most part, however, the regional officials say they have no power to stop piracy.

Meanwhile, towns that once were eroded by years of poverty and chaos are now bustling with restaurants, Land Cruisers and Internet cafes. Residents also use their gains to buy generators -- allowing full days of electricity, once an unimaginable luxury in Somalia.

There are no reliable estimates of the number of pirates operating in Somalia, but they must number in the thousands. And though the bandits do sometimes get nabbed, piracy is generally considered a sure bet to a better life.

NATO and the U.S. Navy say they can't be everywhere, and American officials are urging ships to hire private security. Warships patrolling off Somalia have succeeded in stopping some pirate attacks. But military assaults to wrest back a ship are highly risky and, up to now, uncommon.

The attackers generally treat their hostages well in anticipation of a big payday, hiring caterers on shore to cook spaghetti, grilled fish and roasted meat that will appeal to a Western palate. They also keep a steady supply of cigarettes and drinks from the shops on shore.

And when the payday comes, the money sometimes literally falls from the sky.

Pirates say the ransom arrives in burlap sacks, sometimes dropped from buzzing helicopters, or in waterproof suitcases loaded onto tiny skiffs in the roiling, shark-infested sea.

"The oldest man on the ship always takes the responsibility of collecting the money, because we see it as very risky, and he gets some extra payment for his service later," Aden Yusuf, a pirate in Eyl, told AP over VHF radio.

The pirates use money-counting machines -- the same technology seen at foreign exchange bureaus worldwide -- to ensure the cash is real. All payments are done in cash because Somalia, a failed state, has no functioning banking system.

"Getting this equipment is easy for us, we have business connections with people in Dubai, Nairobi, Djibouti and other areas," Yusuf said. "So we send them money and they send us what we want."

Widow killed by husband's coffin!

A widow has been killed by her late husband's coffin in a freak accident on the way to his funeral.

Brazilian Marciana Silva Barcelos, 67, was on her way to the cemetery when the hearse she was travelling in was hit by another car.

The coffin was thrown forward by the impact and slammed into her head, killing her instantly.

Her husband Josi Silveira Coimbra, 76, had died the night before from a heart attack at a dance.

The driver of the hearse and Barcelos' son suffered minor injuries.

The accident occured in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's Southernmost state.

£5000 left in charity shoes returned!

I didn't know that such goodness and honesty still existed!

A charity shop in the US has returned £5,000 to a man who mistakenly donated the money with a pair of old shoes.

The cash was discovered by a Bulgarian immigrant on her first day at the Goodwill store in Illinois.

Teodora Petrova turned over the money to management after finding it in a shoebox.

The $7,500 (just over £5,000) was bundled in large denominations.

The Glen Carbon store then prepared for the difficult steps of tracking down the shoes' donor.

Fortunately, scraps of paper left in the box gave enough hints to help Goodwill to locate the family.

The donor apparently also called the donation store's office, guessing he was the source of the cash.

The shoes belonged to the man's recently deceased parents.

The Goodwill store said he didn't want to be identified.

The family has offered Ms Petrova a gift for her honesty in turning over the money.

Who laughs last.......!

Man 'tried to sell' albino wife!

Police in southwestern Tanzania say they have arrested a man accused of attempting to sell his albino wife.

The man was allegedly planning to sell his wife to two Congolese businessmen for around $3,000.

Albinos have been living in fear in Tanzania after a series of killings due to a belief their body parts can make magic potions more effective.

At least 27 people with albinism have been killed since March, including a seven-month old baby.

President Jakaya Kikwete ordered a police crackdown on those involved in the killings, and 170 witchdoctors have since been arrested.

But BBC investigations suggest that some police are being "bought off" in order to look away when such crimes are committed.

Angry parents

Rukwa regional police commander Isunto Damian Mantage said the fisherman was arrested following a tip-off from an informer, according to the Daily News newspaper.

His wife was not aware that he was planning to sell her off, police say.

Mr Mantage says the wife's angry parents have decided to take back their daughter.

The businessmen managed to escape arrest, and are suspected to have fled back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The police have asked Interpol to help track them down, the newspaper reported.

The recent attacks on albinos have been linked to witchdoctors who are peddling the belief that potions made from an albino's legs, hair, hands, and blood can make a person rich.

Albinism affects one in 20,000 people worldwide, but in Tanzania the prevalence appears to be much higher.

The Albino Association of Tanzania says that although just 4,000 albinos are officially registered in the country, they believe the actual number could be as high as 173,000.

A census is now underway to verify the figures.

Obama's Inner Circle Shares Inside Story

A must read!

(CBS) When Barack Obama began thinking of running for president two years ago, he turned to a small inner circle of political advisors from his 2004 Senate campaign. Like Obama, they were talented, laid back and idealistic with limited exposure on the national stage.

But with the candidate's help, they orchestrated what some consider one of the most improbable and effective campaigns in American political history. They took a little-known senator with a foreign sounding name and almost no national experience and got him elected as the 44th president of the United States. They did it by recruiting and vesting millions of volunteers in the outcome, by raising more money than any campaign in history, and by largely ignoring that their candidate happed to be a black man.

---

When President-elect Obama gave his victory speech Tuesday night in Chicago's Grant Park, he was quick to give credit. "To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics,” the president-Elect said, “You made this happen.”

Who was Obama talking about and how did they do it? Ninety minutes after the speech ended, 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft sat down with them in a Chicago hotel suite. It was 1.a.m. Wednesday and the reality of it all was just beginning to sink in.

"We just left Grant Park. What are you feeling'?" Kroft asked.

"Little numb. A little tired. A little overwhelmed," David Axelrod, Obama's chief strategist and political alter ego, replied.

The group also included David Plouffe, the camera shy campaign manager and field general who made it all happen. "Yeah. I mean, it's been a 22-month road, and a lotta twists and turns. But you know, I think he filled the stage tonight," Plouffe told Kroft.

There was senior aide Robert Gibbs, who was always at Obama's side, his former and future press secretary. "And it was fun to watch all the people come out who've been part of the campaign. And…," Gibbs rasped, clearing his throat.

He told Kroft he lost his voice "within the last few hours."

And finally Anita Dunn, a relative newcomer who handled communications, research and policy.

The only person missing from the brain trust was the candidate himself.

How big a role did he play in this campaign?

"Well, no one had a bigger role, you know. The great thing about our campaign was we didn't have a lotta discussion about what our message was or what he wanted to do," Plouffe said. "From the beginning, he knew exactly what he wanted to say. And it's one of the reasons we were successful. A lotta campaigns will spend hours every day wondering about how to change their message. And he was pretty clear about what he wanted to say, where he wanted to take the country, and either people would accept it or they wouldn't."

It began 22 months ago on a frigid day in Springfield, Ill., almost it seemed on an impulse. There was no money and no real organization - only a vast untapped reservoir of disaffected voters and potential volunteers.

"This campaign can't only be about me. It must be about us. It must be about what we can do together," Sen. Obama said in the February 2007 Springfield speech.

Axelrod recalled, "When we started the campaign, we met around a table like this. And there was just a handful of us. You know, we started with nothing. And Barack said to us, 'I want this to be a grassroots campaign. I wanna reinvigorate our democracy. First of all I think that’s the only way we can win and secondly I want to rekindle some idealism that together we can get things done in this country,"

Asked if they seriously thought Obama had a shot, Plouffe told Kroft, "We thought he had a shot. I actually think we knew what big underdogs we were. And he got into this in a very unusual way. Most people plan this from years. They spend a lotta time in Iowa and New Hampshire planning for it. We got into this very unconventionally."

"We planned for days days…," Axelrod joked.

"For days," Plouffe replied, laughing. "And in many respects, that made it challenging. But I think we were better for it. Because we were more agile. We were not afraid to take risks. And we didn't have the stifling pressure of expectations."

"My fundamental concern for him wasn't whether he had the capacity, 'cause I think he's the smartest guy that I've ever worked with or known," Axelrod said.

"But it was whether he had that pathological drive to be president. You know, so often, what defines presidential candidates is this need to be president, to define themselves. He didn't have that. And, you know, we told him, 'You're gonna have to find some other way to motivate yourself.' And he did, which was what he could do as president."

Continue reading story here>

Calzaghe wallops Roy Jones Jnr!

It's been a bad week for the old guys - first John McCain, and now Roy Jones Jr. In both cases, you didn't have to be Nostradamus to predict the result.

What did the fight at Madison Square Garden in the early hours of Sunday morning prove? That Joe Calzaghe is one of the greatest fighters Britain has ever produced and that Jones' best days are long behind him. But then most of us knew that already.

What it did reveal is that the pride of Newbridge, still blowing like a whirlwind at the age of 36, has got plenty left in the tank. What price a swansong at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium next summer? I'll lay you 2-1.

Calzaghe said in his autobiography that he thought Jones was "washed up" three years ago after shocking knockout defeats to Antonio Tarver (twice) and Glen Johnson. He revised his opinion in the build-up to this fight. But he was right first time.

For the first four rounds some journalists ringside thought they might be witnessing a Garden classic, to rank alongside Robinson-LaMotta and Ali-Frazier. But from the sixth round on Jones was just another Garden ghost. As Jones said later, "Joe's pitter-pats were harder than I thought".

However gratifying it was to see Calzaghe put in a virtuoso performance at the "mecca of boxing", you'd be a hard-hearted fight fan not to feel sad at seeing the once untouchable Jones lumbering forward with hands held high, bloodied, just waiting for the final bell to toll.

Continue reading this story here>

A legend is dead! RIP Mama Africa!

South African singing legend Miriam Makeba has died aged 76, after being taken ill in Italy.

She had just taken part in a concert near the southern town of Caserta, the Ansa news agency reported.

The concert was on behalf of Roberto Saviano, the author of an expose of the Camorra mafia whose life has subsequently been threatened.

Ms Makeba appeared on Paul Simon's Graceland tour in 1987 and in 1992 had a leading role in the film Sarafina!

Ansa said she died of a heart attack.

'Mama Africa'

Ms Makeba was born in Johannesburg on 4 March 1932 and was a leading symbol in the struggle against apartheid.

Her singing career started in the 1950s as she mixed jazz with traditional South African songs.

She came to international attention in 1959 during a tour of the United States with the South African group the Manhattan Brothers.

She was forced into exile soon after when her passport was revoked after starring in an anti-apartheid documentary and did not return to her native country until Nelson Mandela was released from prison.

Makeba was the first black African woman to win a Grammy Award, which she shared with Harry Belafonte in 1965.

She was African music's first world star, says the BBC's Richard Hamilton, blending different styles long before the phrase "world music" was coined.

After her divorce from fellow South African musician Hugh Masekela she married American civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael.

It was while living in exile in the US that she released her most famous songs, Pata Pata and the Click Song.

"You sing about those things that surround you," she said. "Our surrounding has always been that of suffering from apartheid and the racism that exists in our country. So our music has to be affected by all that."

It was because of this dedication to her home continent that Miriam Makeba became known as Mama Africa.

Hat tip: BBC News

Living with the dead

An elderly woman has been living with two skeletons and a badly decomposed body of her siblings in a suburb of Chicago, one of whom may have died at least 20 years ago, authorities said on Saturday.

The remains were found covered by sheets in various parts of the house in Evanston on Friday but no foul play was suspected.

Authorities said one of the siblings was last seen alive in the 1980s, the second in 2003 and the third in May.

The woman living in the house, described as "upwards of 90 years of age," was cooperating in the investigation and was taken to a facility for care.

Authorities, who did not release the names of the deceased, said a care worker had alerted them to the situation. Autopsies were due to be performed on Saturday.

As reported on Yahoo News

Obama toasting Rahm

These two will make a formidable team!

His origins - be inspired!

No 44

Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan

Black church burnt after Obama win!

By Milton J. Valencia for Boston.com

Fire began hours after vote, prompting fears it was arson

A predominantly black church under construction in Springfield was destroyed by fire early yesterday, just hours after Barack Obama's landmark victory, triggering concerns that the building was purposely set ablaze in a possible hate crime.

The blaze started at Macedonia Church of God in Christ at 3:10 and caused an estimated $2 million in damage.

Church officials pledged to rebuild, but the concerns that their building was targeted dampened a mood that had been so uplifted in the night of Obama's historic win to become the nation's first black president-elect.

"This was a special time in our nation's history, but I also know not everybody was happy and celebrating," said Bishop Bryant J. Robinson Jr., head of the church. "After 71 years of being an African-American, you know these things happen."

Located on King Street, the church was moving to the site at 215 Tinkham Road, where the fire occurred.

Fire officials were quick to emphasize that the blaze remains under investigation, but the unknown nature of the fire triggered an inquiry that will involve local and state investigators and federal agents with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is standard procedure for the ATF and local and state officials to investigate after a place of worship burns, and the FBI agreed to assist because of the unknown cause of the blaze.

"I want to caution people not to jump to conclusions and to allow the investigation to take its time and allow the investigation to follow the evidence trail," said state Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan.

He acknowledged that the congregation could be wary considering the fire's timing, but said investigators have not fully examined what happened. Coan said investigators will inspect the building today using accelerant-sniffing dogs, and detectives will also interview people in the neighborhood. He said the investigation could be a lengthy process.

"Clearly, a fire that occurs in a house of worship, with the close proximity to national events yesterday, is something in the mind of investigators, but it's most important we not reach any conclusions based on the circumstances of those events, but rather allow the evidence to lead us to the conclusion," Coan said.

Responding firefighters found the steel and wood-framed structure fully engulfed.

Firefighters worked to prevent the blaze from spreading to houses, said Dennis G. Leger, a Fire Department spokesman. He said two garden sheds had minor heat damage.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries, Leger said.

The church, with a construction price tag of $2.5 million, had been more than 75 percent complete, Robinson said. But nothing inside could have sparked a fire on its own, he believes. The electrical system had not been installed.

No one had done anything inside that could have started the fire, he said. Instead, he fears the building was targeted, with the timing of the fire too coincidental to make it random.

"Somebody came in there with an agenda of their own, I believe," Robinson said, recalling days of black churches being torched in the South.

"I've seen segregation. I've seen Jim Crowism," he said. "We've come quite a ways, but we're not that perfect union yet. There's obviously a remnant of that kind of behavior still being practiced, for whatever reason."

The congregation had seen some resistance from the suburban neighborhood when construction was proposed, but the opposition was centered on having such a building in a residential area, and was not related to its 250 members, neighbors said.

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the fire, regardless of the cause, is heart-rending for the community. He said he met early yesterday with Robinson, an old friend of his family, and promised that the city would assist with the rebuilding while a task force conducts an extensive investigation.

"Obviously, it's a tragic event," said Sarno, who attended the groundbreaking for the church a year ago.

"It's a sensitive situation. Any house of worship would be a sensitive situation, and that's why it's imperative the experts do their investigation."