Torsten's blabla

1st Party in Accra

2011-10-16T21:06:00.002+03:00

Well, I bought too much food and too much to drink and fewer people than expected came. The non-existing decoration of my apartment was criticized and everybody was gone by 0:30 a.m. and the apartment cleaned at 1:00 a.m.

Since there are too many bottles of beer and liquor left, I will throw another party soon.

Technicians in Accra

2011-06-05T06:52:00.004+03:00

This morning, I was astonished. At around 06:30 am I woke up and my cell phone was ringing in the living room. I went there and found out that the technician, who was supposed to connect me to the landline yesterday, tried to reach me at 06:30 am on a Saturday... I then called him and learnt that he would be at my place at 10:00 am to connect me to the telephone line. Well, he came at 12:05 pm.

I have no idea why anyone would try to call someone at 06:30 am on a Saturday. I wonder, who is going to call on Sunday morning :-)

Apartment in Accra

2011-04-17T16:04:00.002+03:00

It is Sunday, April 17th - my sister's birthday - and I am still in my hotel room. Why? Good question. I was supposed to move into my new apartment last Friday...

However, yesterday it was still just partly furnished, dirty (probably never cleaned...), without water and electricity. Considering the advance lease payment for 12 months, I am a bit aggravated.

Well, but it does not come unexpected.

Also, when I wanted to buy the basic household equipment, which I need, the big South African supermarket chain could not accept my credit card. Thus, I could not even move to my new apartment, even if I wanted except if I wanted to sleep on the bare mattress :-)

Back to Africa.

2011-04-04T01:11:00.000+03:00

"Everything in Africa bites.
The lion bites, the mosquito bites, the tse tse fly bites.
But what bites the most is Africa herself,
and when she bites,
she never lets you go."

Source: unknown - at least to me.

Soon, back to the "bush" :-)

2011-02-06T19:15:00.001+03:00

I am still in Germany...

2010-09-27T01:41:00.001+03:00

Ugandan Newspapers

2005-12-04T11:36:00.000+03:00

In Uganda, pictures are not always linked to the text in the newspapers. A striking example is today's article about the courtmartial of Col. (rtd.) Dr. Kizza Besigye in The Sunday Vision.

Well, I wonder, whether I find the article related to the picture, too ;-)

Contact Details of Nalubale Rafting

2005-11-25T23:56:00.000+03:00

For any inquiries for Nalubale Rafting, please contact Thomas@nalubalerafting.com or bookings@nalubalerafting.com!

I am so much looking forward to going rafting with them again!

Snow in Frankfurt

2005-11-25T23:35:00.000+03:00

Nalubale Rafting is on the web!

2005-10-29T02:00:00.000+03:00

So for all those, who were actually looking for some exciting pictures of the amazing white water rafting on the river Nile with the great team of Nalubale Rafting (Kampala / Jinja), please check out www.nalubalerafting.com

Check them out and book a trip with them! It is really worth it!

2005-10-17T10:06:00.000+03:00

The reason, why I did not sleep well tonight.
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2005-10-16T21:02:00.000+03:00

I'll buy one, too.
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Refresher Dive Course

2005-09-15T00:47:00.000+03:00

Awesome!
It was just awesome!

I love diving! It is really like cycling: You do not forget how to do it. I loved it! And I will probably do it again in a lake - as soon as possible!

I admit, I forget some details but I had a great instructure. She was very patient and a very good teacher. I really believe women are better trainers. Call me a feminist ;-)

Forgot to mention...

2005-09-13T17:08:00.000+03:00

... I'll post on torstengermany.blogspot.com from now on.

My departure with Emirates...

2005-09-08T10:01:00.000+03:00

... was – well, yes – interesting.

According to the scale, I had 48kg in my two bags and of course “some” books in my trolley, which was not weighted. Thanks to the wide network of friends of one of my former colleagues, there was one gentleman, who was supposed to help me out, i.e. ensure that I had not to pay the excess luggage. Unfortunately, the person at the check-in counter was not informed about this pre-arranged deal. So I had to start negotiating with him.

If you wonder why, I did not want to pay the extra luggage: 1 kg cost 22.67 USD, so 28kg more cost “only” 634.67 USD. I guess, it is understood that I was not willing to pay that much, although I still had not used my moving allowance by then.

It was not really a negotiation because after the exchange of few arguments, he fully concentrated on my tickets and suddenly he waived me to him and he whispered: “Okay, sir, I understand you. Give my 200.00USD and I let you through.” I thought: “Well, this is not okay, but let’s give it a try – it is the first bribe I pay.” But I had not finished my thought, when he said: “Oh, our supervisor saw me. Now you have to talk to him”. No wonder! It took him ages to hand over the boarding passes.

Well, then I started negotiating with the supervisor. After the usual part, when I refused to pay at all, GTZ has a 40 kg luggage allowance on Emirates[1], pretended not to have any dollars/shillings, only credit cards, etc., I admitted, that I had some dollars left, which I intended to use in Duabi (I thought I could appeal to his company loyalty but in vain). He demanded those (he still wanted me to pay 635 USD). I said, well, sir I do not have that much money with me… I could only offer 300 USD against receipt. By that moment I realised that my initial excitement about bribing my way through was wrong! I needed a receipt. There would be no reimbursement without any receipt! So I was in desperate need for a receipt. He said, that that would go without saying but he had to insist on more dollars. I said how much, and he replied 500 USD at least for I had 28kg more than allowed but I was Skyward Silver Class member. I agreed on paying 350 USD by threatening him with no shopping in Dubai… It went back and force until he clearly marked an end to our discussion by insisting on more: “340 USD. Sir, you must at least pay 340 USD.”

Okay, this is time to take a breath. I offered 350 USD. He demanded 340 USD. What is wrong? It was like my negotiation of my previous rent, when the Indian manager demanded less than I was willing to pay. It must be something, which only Ugandans will understand.

So, I paid 340 USD, he gave me my receipt. Everything was fine, I thought. But unfortunately, I forgot about the other gentleman, who was supposed to guide me through the check-in procedure, without any troubles… He was still there and insisted on guiding me to the gate. If you now Entebbe International Airport, you know that there is no need for any additional guidance. But since that gentleman works for the handling service company, I could not be impolite without risking “losing” my valuables in my checked-in suitcase and bag. Therefore, I was prepared to pay him a “service fee”, which he kindly accepted, when we sat on the bench… Man, I was sweating! Was it enough? Did I embarrass him? Was my luggage on its way into the plane? Would everything arrive safely in Germany?[2]

The stewardess from Entebbe to Nairobi was pretty and we were flirting until she had to get off the plane… Ah, bad timing and bad accent. She was Australian.

The flight to Dubai was okay. There was an idiot in the seat next to me, who preferred to stick his elbow into my side. I made him understand to not doing that…

In Dubai we parked again far away from the airport building. Therefore, there was not much time for shopping. I hurried to the watches and asked the shop attendant for three specific watches, which were all out of stock. Having saved a lot of money, I hurried to the gate, where this young lady stroked through my reserved emergency exit aisle seat and instead wrote down another seat number. I was annoyed until I learned that I was just upgraded to business class!!!

And business class was really a treat of its own. I love it…

I arrived in Germany very relaxed and it took me only 35min to get out of the plane, collecting the luggage, withdrawing EUR from the ATM, finding a taxi and arriving home.[3]

Now I am looking forward to flying back to that wonderful place...

[1] This is actually true but sadly my ticket was issued before they signed an agreement on it. But the gentleman from Emirates in Entebbe denied that such an agreement exists.

[2] To cut a long story short: Yes, it was the fifth and eleventh item on the carousel.

[3] What happened else in Germany, will be posted on my German blog: torstengermany.blogspot.com

Farewell

2005-09-05T11:37:00.000+03:00

It is time to say farewell to Uganda! And I hope it will only be for a short period of time. The past few days have just been to emotional.

Thanks for the nice time, my friends!

Good bye!
Bis bald!

Report on the Goat Races!!!

2005-09-05T11:05:00.000+03:00

How were the Royal Ascot Goat Races?
It was hot. Yes, and one can easily see it on my face. It is red. I guess I had a minor sunstroke. But, it was also funny. I enjoyed the day and the night - although I did not drink anything during the whole event. It was just at Rouge, where I had two drinks and I do not know how many waters.

And it was a successful day: The Cartel won 2.4M UGX. One of our goat came in first, and two came in second.

And it was lovely to have most of my friends around me and to meet so many new nice people.

And it was nicely organised. We had a wonderful breakfast, a nice after-party and always nice company.

I will probably copy a former colleague's tradition to return every year to the Royal Ascot Goat Races!

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. Therefore I hope that my friends will forward the pictures to me...

And Bielefeld exists!

2005-08-30T11:22:00.000+03:00

I accidentially found this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bielefeld

Ndali Lodge (2)

2005-08-29T09:50:00.000+03:00

The weekend was fantastic!
We had such a blast. I would definitely do it again. Although, I might consider doing the tourist stuff, too next time. Well, because this time there was no opportunity to do the chimp walk or anything else. We arrived late on Friday, had our first drinks before dinner, continued drinking during our poker session, went to bed in the early morning hours, had breakfast/lunch, went to Fort Portal to a party, went home, played poker, slept, had breakfast/lunch, reviewed a business plan and went home to Kampala. There was just no tim for a anything else.

Among the other guests in the lodge was a very highly ranked representative of the diplomatic corpse and his wife and on of his daughters and therefore, we were told to behave. And that was what we did. However, their daughter decided freely to stay longer in Fort Portal and nobody asked her to become (sea) sick during our ride home (I am glad, she did not vomit!!!) and nobody forced her to play poker with us…. And she scared me to death and caused almost a heart attack, when she kept on raising my bets, while I had four aces on my hand.

And I like the owner of the lodge. He is funny chap, although, I do not understand his taste of women but since we did not agree on whether Angelina Jolie or Jennifer Anniston is more attractive. However, we therefore agreed that we could go out without interfering into each others’ hunting area.

An additional toothbrush in the bathroom...

2005-08-25T08:41:00.000+03:00

Do you have a spare toothbrush at home? I do have one, yes, just in case I need to replace one. But would I use two at the same time? No, I won’t. Well, the mystery of the additional toothbrush in our bathroom will probably continue and as long as my personal freedom and the amount of hot water is not going to be adversely affected, I will not complain… ;-)

So, there are only 12 days left in this country. Hm. When, I came here I counted the days to my departure, too. However, in those days there was another motivation behind it.

Ndali Lodge (1)

2005-08-24T12:18:00.000+03:00

Okay, since there are only few days left, I will not follow my usual pattern this weekend. I will not be at Bubbles, neither will I be seen at Rouge. I will be close to Fort Portal at Ndali Lodge.

I get used to being away from Kampala… Well, I have to since my flight will be on September 6th.

Blogger for Word 1.0 - a test

2005-08-23T16:50:00.000+03:00

This is test whether the MS Word add-on really works.

Sunburn

2005-08-17T12:02:00.000+03:00

I am almost two years in Uganda and I have had only three sunburns. This is unfortunately no sign for regular appllying of sunlotion but rather the poor proof of a life in a window-less office ;->

Yesterday, I finally watched Garden State. I liked it despite the very "American" happy-end. Well, aren't we all looking forward to those happy ends although we know that the real life is quite different and more complicated?

Speaking of complicated. I am still not sure, where I will spend my life for the next few years. Since both of my current employees have not moved yet, I applied for a dream job in another town in Germany. The likelihood that I will be chosen is pretty slim. But hey! I managed to submit another 7MB of application documents and the HR manager sounded very nice on the phone. Cross fingers for me!

If I ever come back to Uganda, I will bring proper Nivea creme. The one I bought here made me very "shiny"... I looked terrible - not that that would be unusual, but I mean even more terrible.

On Satruday night, my roommate finally comes back for his home leave! I must say that I made a good choice moving into his house. He bears my mood swings, doesn't go on my nerves and he knows how to behave... Well, I have just another three weeks left until I move back into my apartment in Frankfurt...

Online Courses

2005-08-16T10:25:00.000+03:00

Since, I keep on complaining about my deteriorating French, I signed up for an online "course" at
http://u.about.com

I think it is a nice idea.

Movie: "The Island"

2005-08-15T09:02:00.000+03:00

Okay, whether you like that genre or not, the film is a must just for reason:

Scarlett Johansson

I decided that she is going to be the mother of my children :->

Wild Water Rafting the Nile with “Nalubale Rafting” - a must in Uganda!

2005-08-15T08:37:00.000+03:00

I had a wonderful day on the river Nile on Saturday. I went on a full day rafting trip with “Nalubale Rafting”, a new rafting company in town. It was just great fun the whole day long – despite some near death experiences ;-) But I admit it is a stupid idea to try to swim a waterfall upstream and to check out the toughness of stones underwater with your shoulder and knee – but hey, now I know how my clothes feel in the washing machine ;-)

The whole trip was extremely well organised. We were picked up at Blue Mango and when we arrived at the company's beautiful premises in Jinja, the breakfast¹ was already ready. During the trip most people could have another valuable hour of sleep (or however else they wanted to treat their hangovers).

After a short but comprehensive safety instruction and the hand over of the brand new “personal” equipment (helmet, life jackets and paddles), we headed off to the river shore, were we boarded the rafts. Unfortunately, not everybody was allowed to enjoy the rafting... Two Ugandan ladies, who could barely swim, were asked to do the trip on the safety boat. A wise decision, considering the fact, that they already screamed, when they had to jump into the calm water where we started.

I do not want to describe each rapid, water fall etc. Everybody should go and enjoy it on their own! It is just an awesome experience and I will definitely do it again. Next I will do a kayak course and a two day rafting trip. And I will definitely chose “Nalubale Rafting” again. I prefer them to their main competitor adrift. Adrift is not bad (definitely better than the other two (?) rafting companies), but Nalubale is just more personal, and they have a better concept for their trip. They do not stop for lunch. You have yummy sandwiches, fruits and water on the boat. Thus, you do not get bored on the long stretch after lunch without rapids etc.

1Breakfast was tea/coffee, delicious pancakes and fruits.

Governor voted best drinker?

2005-08-12T11:11:00.000+03:00

I do not agree with the following squib! I absolutely do not agree with it. The best drinker must be this huge mzungu teenager, who drinks 15 (fifteen!) shots at once out of a big glass and can still stand and talk. Well, but since that teenager is not a Ugandan...

Anyway, when I read that gloss, I could not resist to start smiling... :->

Tumusiime Mutebile voted best drinker
QUESTION: TB, this Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile chap, isn’t he the governor of Bank of Uganda? That aside TB, is it also possible we could refer to him as just Emma, because Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile is a bit of a mouthful to keep throwing out.
Okay, Emma it is then, and he is the governor of Bank of Uganda. Emma, so it happens, is the toast of the nation, after being voted the top drinker in the land, according to a report in one of the Sunday papers.

I thought Emma was all into figures, interest rates, Treasury Bonds — that sort of thing. So, I don’t see how drinking comes into it.

Remember, Emma does not spend his free time pouring over spread sheets and pondering about interest rates. After jobo, and if time allows, Emma, just like you and I, will look for a place to go and have a guzzle.

TB, do you have any idea where he might go for a guzzle?

I have never seen him at Yakobos, The Deep in Ntinda, Just Kicking in Kisimenti, Little Mama Bar or Capital Pub in Kabalagala. He is above that. He probably goes to Sheraton Hotel, Kabira Club or Speke Resort Munyonyo.

And what might those drinks be TB? A Tyson Waragi, Eagle Larger or a Senator beer?

Please. Can you see Emma guzzling down a Senator? Emma has been known to quaff wine but he usually prefers Johnnie Walker whisky; black if not blue, which goes for sh36,000 a tot.

Why would Emma want to spend sh36,000 on a tot of whisky? With that money, he could buy himself a crate of beer and still have some change for a couple of spare ribs of pork at Yakobos.

True, but as I said earlier, Emma is a refined man.

Anyway, getting back to the point, you said Emma was voted top drinker in the land. Could you pour more light on that?

According to the report in the papers, Emma can really hold his guzzle. He is not like you and I, who catch five bottles and start merrilysinging. Emma apparently can handle a serious session and still do his sums before he goes to bed. And while we are still nursing our hangovers in bed the following morning, he is already in office deliberating over interest rates with not so much as a hangover.

That is impressive. Who were the other top drinkers in the land?

Other notables included Kahinda Otafiire, Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, Capital FM’s Alex Ndawula, pastor Okudi look alike Patrick Oyulu, my colleague Kalungi Kabuye, Pamela Kangwagye, among others.

Any last words of wisdom?

Anybody who has seen Emma drink will certainly agree that he is talented. I hope he opens up a drinking school when he retires, because according to research done by the Australian National University in Canberra, people who drink are better thinkers than teetotallers. Ever wondered why Emma was the darling of the IMF and World Bank when he was secretary to the treasury and why he was elevated to governor, Bank of Uganda? Think about it!

SOURCE
The New Vision

Published on: Wednesday, 10th August, 2005 by tbukumunhe@newvision.co.ug

Radio station closed

2005-08-12T10:40:00.000+03:00

I could not resist to comment on it: It sucks. I get sick. It really contradicts all my liberal ideas. How can you close a radio station?

Monitor's Kfm radio closed

THE Broadcasting Council (BC) yesterday indefinitely closed Kampala’s K-FM radio station, a subsidiary of the Monitor Publications, saying it breached sections of the electronic media law.

At 4:18pm, K-FM, formerly Monitor FM, was closed. The last item to be aired was a song, Ndiku Digi by Ngoni.
The radio was taken off air as the programme, The Edge, was running.

Before the song, Conrad Nkutu, the Managing Director of The Monitor Publications, read on air the letter from BC secretary Okullu-Mura.

The letter, titled ‘Suspension of broadcasting license’, said, “Following receipt of numerous complaints and listening to the recording of your programme, Andrew Mwenda live of August 10, 2005 aired between 7:00pm and 8:00pm, the Broadcasting Council has discovered that the programme offends the minimum broadcasting standards enshrined in the first Schedule of the Electronic Media Cap 104/2000.

“The Broadcasting Council has decided to accordingly and with immediate effect suspend your broadcasting licence in order to carry out further investigations into the matter.”

The letter, served by two BC officials, was copied to the minister of state for information and the Inspector General of Police, Katumba Wamala.

“As a law-abiding company, we have chosen to comply and we shall proceed to take KFM off air as we pursue the matter with government authorities,” Nkutu said after reading the letter and then apologised to advertisers.

He said the closure was unexplained and lacked legal authority. “We shall do everything possible to return to air,” he said, adding that he was surprised by the closure because Mwenda was yesterday due to host the state minister for information, Dr. Nsaba Buturo.

Earlier on, Buturo told The New Vision that the BC had visited K-fm station to collect the recorded programme where on Wednesday Mwenda hosted presidential assistant on political affairs Moses Byaruhanga and Aswa MP Reagan Okumu.

The topic that night was, “Can government justify today’s public holiday?”

Wednesday was a public holiday in honour of seven Ugandans who died alongside Sudanese First Vice-President Dr. John Garang in a helicopter crash on July 30.

During the national prayers at Kololo Airstrip, President Yoweri Museveni referred to Mwenda as a small boy and blasted him for reportedly publishing stories prejudicial to regional security and ordered him to stop henceforth lest he clamps down on The Monitor newspaper.

The BC action triggered a mixed reaction from the staff at the Monitor headquarters in Namuwongo, a Kampala city suburb. While some looked pensive, contemplating their next move, many just laughed off the move, saying it was expected. Others mingled with journalists from other media houses who had gone there to pick the news.

While all this was going on, an apparently disturbed Mwenda was swaying in a black leather swivel chair on the fourth floor that houses Nkutu’s office. Sources said he was under strict orders not to talk to the press.

Sources said the Government was angered by Mwenda’s statements that were interpreted as demeaning the person of the President and the presidency.

During the prayers at Kololo on Wednesday, Museveni threatened to close newspapers for meddling in security issues.

On the talk-show, Mwenda said, “We shall be playing the voice of Mr. Yoweri Museveni in his attack on me and I am going to launch a counter-attack on him.” He then played a sound bite from Museveni’s speech:

“I am the elected leader of Uganda, I therefore have the ultimate mandate to run its affairs. Now, I will not tolerate a newspaper which is like a vulture. When people are crying, the vultures are happy. Any newspaper which plays about with regional security, I will not tolerate.

“I have been seeing this young boy, Mwenda, writing about Rwanda, writing about Sudan, writing about the UPDF, he must stop. And this other paper called The Observer, (writing) what has been said in the army. ... this is not how a country is run. Red Pepper also, I thought those were young boys busy with naked girls, now if they have gone into regional security, they must stop. These newspapers must stop or we shall stop them from writing. If they want to continue doing business in Uganda, they must stop interfering in security matters.”

Mwenda then shot back, “First of all, no one is going to stop, at least me, I am not going to stop. If he closes the newspaper and I am out of the job, I will seek his job. I will get him out of Nakasero (State House), take him to Rwakitura (Museveni’s country home)...If the man wants me to vie for his job, let him come and close the Monitor,” Mwenda said as he chuckled away.

Byaruhanga tried to interrupt him, “Fine, you continue doing what you are doing and wait and see.” But Mwenda retorted, “Does your president know that he has no power to close a newspaper for even one day? Does he know that he has no legal power? I think Museveni’s problem is, he is seated in State House where all of you in the movement, he says jump and you ask ‘how high?’, shout and you ask ‘how loud?’”

In a spirited defence, which turned out to be a shouting contest, Byaruhanga said the President would not close the papers personally but had asked the Attorney General to look into the matter.

Moments later, Mwenda moved onto the demise of Garang. Pinned by Byaruhanga that some of his articles posed a security threat, Mwenda replied:

“Are you saying it is The Monitor which caused the death of Garang? Or it’s your own mismanagement. Garang’s security was put in danger by your own government. Putting him, first of all, on a junk helicopter. Second, at night, third, passing through Imatong hills, and you know that Kony has stinger missiles, surface-to-air missiles, five, when there was bad weather.

“But are you aware that Garang died on the Imatong hills where you have always complained Kony is? Are you aware that your government killed Garang through incompetence? You caused the death of the man out of incompetence,” Mwenda charged, prompting Byaruhanga to interject, “I would rather you withdraw that.”

“I can never withdraw that. If the Police call me, I will say the government of Uganda, out of incompetence, led or caused the death of John Garang. They put him on the plane when it was already late. The President said that plane has the capacity to detect bad weather 100km away. Why couldn’t they detect the bad weather...?” Mwenda asked.

SOURCE
Author: Emmy Allio and Steven Candia
Published in The New Vision on: Friday, 12th August, 2005

Phone interviews and other things...

2005-08-12T08:27:00.000+03:00

I had a phone interview yesterday. My first one ever! It was interesting. I thought it would be tougher and I was honestly considering the methods suggested by my esteemed colleagues from the States:

Interviewer: “So, you know that the job requires utmost familiarity with the various business process re-engineering methodologies. Could you name your favourite three approaches with its respective pros/cons and your conclusion for a self selected example.”

Me: “Yes, with pleasure. I have always liked the BPR theory and I was thrilled when I could apply the various methodologies for the first time ....uh, hello, hello, ... Are you still there? Hello? No, I do not speak Spanish! Go out of the line, I have an important interview.”

Interviewer: “Yes, I hear you. Can you hear me? I am listening! Continue. I can hear you.

Me: ” I can barely hear you... Hello? Hello! Damn, this line is dead, hello,hello....”

[I hang up]

Okay, that was the plot. But fortunately, I was not asked anything in this regard. They indeed thought, I would be well qualified. However, they asked the other more obvious questions:

Why am I in Uganda?
What do I do here?
Why do I want to go back to Frankfurt to the bank?
How would I contribute to the business area's success?
And why do I want to work for that particular group?

And the worst question was the last one. I had to be partly insincere. I was told to be it. I told my HR officer, what I wanted to do and she said I had to be more open and flexible. So, I found some good arguments, why I wanted exactly that job. They actually sounded pretty reasonable – for me. However, my interview partner asked the right questions and concluded hundred percent correct that I would be better in other areas, which happened to be exactly the ones that I once listed as my favourite positions. So, I really liked him and I will – if I happen to get another job or if they conclude not to take me – tell him how right he was.

My CV has so far been pretty straight forward. Although I keep on saying that being in Uganda in my current job was something advantageous – it is not. It fits. But whatever will come next will be somehow crucial. I will decide what I will do the next decades now. I definitely have to finish my Ph.D. soon, in order to have a back up solution.

I told a good friend of mine recently, that I somehow envy them. They all stayed or returned to my home town. They have this stability in life that I am somehow longing for. Right now, I feel being in equilibrium with me and my environment.

Speaking of equilibrium: I learnt yesterday that this amazingly funny girl from Canada will leave this country soon. Well, I hope she follows her friend's example and returns. Or, that she really found her Mr. Big in South Africa. She would indeed deserve it. So, another one will be gone soon.

And in a few weeks, I will have to give my farewell speech. Or maybe not: Saturday, I will go rafting on the Nile with this new company ;-)

But will I miss a country, in which a private radio station is closed for broadcasting critical or shall I say publicly controversial opinions which is not fully in line with the government's opinion? I hold back with a comment on this for a while...

I was actually again very surprised, when I came back from another South Park evening on Tuesday and I saw those groups of soldiers in camouflage uniforms and on Wednesday, when I saw this big gun mounted on Hummer¹. I mean, they even stopped me with my bicycle this time. I could not “cruise” up and down on Upper Kololo Drive that time. It used to be the best place to have a look at the functions on the Airstrip.

1A car, which I would not mind driving at all – just to compensate other physical deficiencies ;-)

Open Office and a new room mate...

2005-08-08T12:14:00.000+03:00

OpenOffice

This is a premiere. I am using OpenOffice Writer to write this blog. Why? Well, I heard that its functionality is as good and comprehensive as the commercial equivalent MS Office. And indeed, I am positively surprised. Its look and feel is almost identical and so far, I did not miss any functionality. Moreover, it is for free. I think I am going to use it for while and if I do not miss anything from the Office package and if I do not have any compatibility problems, I am going to stick with it. Especially since I am planning to buy two new computers soon.¹

New room mate

Oh, since Saturday, we do have a new room mate. What shall I say? There are always some surprises... I do not like people who consider everything as common good and who disregard privacy. It is not that I do not mind if someone uses my mp3-player, bike or reads my books. However, I appreciate it if I am asked before. Well, 24 days left until I can enjoy my own apartment again.. And it is hopefully only a matter of time before I ship my whole stuff back to Uganda.²

1 Well, I want to have a smaller laptop with a higher resolution, which I can carry with me and a high-end desktop for my “home office”.The latter will have a 19” flat screen as well as a DVB-T receiver so that I can watch and record TV shows and films on the PC. Moreover, it will be my wireless access point etc. Ah, I have already outlined. I will be able to remotely access the thing and thus, when I am still at work and some favorite shows, I could access my home computer and start recording it. Ah, day dreams and a computer prospect and a nice combination...

2 Okay, this is the reality check for my previously outlined day dreams. I will then of course not buy additional computers. This would be simply stupid. AND I HATE MOVING !!!

This government in unbelievable…

2005-08-04T08:47:00.000+03:00

... but at the same time so normal for this country: a combination of good intentions and poor planning and worrying execution: the public mourning day in honor of the victims of the helicopter crash.

So this government decided to announce a public holiday Wednesday in the late afternoon – for Thursday! Initially the rumors were that the holiday would be today. So on Wednesday, not being sure, what to believe, I asked everybody when I went home, whether the rumor was true. When I called my boss, he confirmed that the GTZ had received a memo from the ministry announcing a public holiday for Thursday, thus I went out[1] and at like close to midnight, I was told that it was not a public holiday. Great. So apparently, the government cancelled the holiday at around 9 p.m.

What is this? Is it a test to check, whether people believe and do whatever the government tells them? And what is about the people who went upcountry to their kin in the villages? Who is to blame them to believe the first official announcements? If the real public holiday is tomorrow, they have two days off. Hm. That makes me thinking. Neither do I have a radio and nor a TV. How am I supposed to know that I should be in the office yesterday? So, I should have stayed in bed and kept quiet.

So this government decided to announce a public holiday yesterday in the late afternoon – for today! I went home, asked everybody, whether the rumour was true, called my boss, he confirmed, I went outand at like close to midnight, I was told that it was not a public holiday. What is this? Is it a test to check, whether people believe and do whatever the government tells them? A reaction speed test?

And what is about the people who went upcountry to their kin in the villages? Who is to blame them to believe the first official announcements? If the real public holiday is tomorrow, they have two days off. Hm. That makes me thinking. Neither do I have a radio and nor a TV. How am I supposed to know that I should be in the office today? So, I should have stayed in bed and kept quiet.

[1] Actually, that other French speaking lady wanted to meet me. But then she cancelled it and postponed it for three weeks. Interestingly I keep on reminding me on my friend, who met this French lady in Atlanta ten days before we all left the U.S. and now they live together in Frankfurt. Isn’t that cool?

I knew it...

2005-08-03T17:16:00.000+03:00

I could also simply delete the previous post and forget it. Why? Well, I did dare to contact that lady and what happened! Correct, she will be on leave just shortly before I leave. Well, maybe the god(s) will send me back to Uganda sooner than I think.

So, I think I should call it a day and remember the wise thoughts and recommendations of my best friend at the university: Behave like a Striker and never let go and give up.

But I will stick to the more wiser:
If you love something, let it free.
If it comes back to you it's yours,
if it doesn't it never was!

This may now sound "desperate" but it is not I call it realistic ;-)

Days to wait until she calls….

2005-08-03T13:52:00.000+03:00

Well among the blog ideas that I had before, there were those thoughts about the time that apparently has to pass before a woman calls a man.

On Saturday I received two text messages from a very good friend of mine who intended to forward my mobile phone number to one of her friends including a characterisation of me in colloquial French.[1] Well, a couple of months ago, the same friend wanted to set me up with her but I politely refused (Why?). So, we met again on Friday and it was really nice talking with her. Anyway, so I now know that she asked for my mobile phone number. But does she call me? No, of course she has not. She does exactly what I usually recommend to my female friends and my sisters. She lets me wait. But what is its intrinsic value? There is none. Okay. There is one. I become nervous. So the plan has indeed worked out so far.

Surprisingly, I took the initiative to text my friend[2] and asked for her number. I had to, because she leaves for West Africa today… She kindly provided it but what am I going to do now? Well, if she does not call, it would also be fine. She is gorgeous, intelligent, funny, speaks French and everything but as usual I have already been wondering, whether it could work out.[3] I hate it. I really have to consider every single outcome/development, really everything before I make any move. But I have not learnt my lesson yet. This time I turned down an invitation for a probably nice party on Friday just to have time for a possible kind of date even before I even spoke to her. Isn’t it just insane? Yes, I guess it is.

[1] Okay, I confess it. I immediately understood, what she told her about me. My (passive) French is not that bad. In addition I asked my best friend (who lived and worked in Paris for long time) for his translation and both were identical.

[2] My friend asked me yesterday, whether her friend already called me.

[3] And indeed, it could - somehow possibly.

Weltpolitik hautnah

2005-08-01T09:24:00.000+03:00

Yesterday, I was triple-booked for dinner (or more precise around dinner time), but politics helped me solving this co-ordination exercise:

Barbecue with some (official) Americans, (birthday) dinner with a very nice French friend and dinner with friends. To cut a long story short: I ended up with a barbecue, which ended early; an orange juice while I handed over the brithday gift and a dinner with friends (although I skipped the starters).

And what was the reason? Some phone calls. The first vice president of Sudan was missing... So, the barbecue ended earlier than expected, my friend became extremely busy calling N.Y. etc and my dear friends were so kind to accept my apologies to joining them after their starters.

And this week another friend will leave me... I hate it.

"The Upside of Anger" - A great movie!

2005-07-27T08:59:00.000+03:00

Awesome! I loved it. Admittedly, I just trusted my dear colleague, who liked it so much that he watched it again. It is a chick flick – admitted – but a great one! I can highly recommend it. It is really great acting. The non-verbal parts are the best (and the younger actresses are gorgeous). There are lots of lines, which are just hilarious. I could barley stop laughing and therefore felt sorry for the other people around me. Well, who cares… Okay. I do.

The previews were also promising. I will definitely go and see the one with the treasure divers and of course the new one with Bruce Willis. But I will probably have to watch them in German unless my local cinema in Frankfurt-Griesheim has not introduced un-synchronized films.

"Die Wirtschaft befreit die Menschen von der Arbeit"

2005-07-26T16:17:00.000+03:00

Aus der Stuttgarter Zeitung vom 02.07.2005
http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/stz/page/detail.php/949236

"Die Wirtschaft befreit die Menschen von der Arbeit"

Götz Werner, der Chef der Drogeriemarktkette DM: Deutschland braucht ein Bürgergeld und nur noch eine Steuer

Alle Politiker sind sich einig: Das wichtigste in Deutschland ist die Bekämpfung der Arbeitslosigkeit. Die Drogeriemarktkette DM ist ein Unternehmen, bei dem seit Jahren neue Stellen geschaffen werden. Doch im Gespräch mit Sönke Iwersen überrascht der Gründer Götz Werner mit ungewohnten Ansichten.

* Herr Werner, wie wichtig ist Ihnen die Schaffung neuer Arbeitsplätze?

Überhaupt nicht wichtig. Sonst wäre ich ja ein schlechter Unternehmer. Als solcher habe ich meine Aufgaben zu erfüllen.

* Wäre es nicht Ihre vornehmste Aufgabe, Arbeitsplätze zu schaffen?

Ich muss wirklich sagen, dass ich dieses Gerede von der Schaffung neuer Arbeitsplätze langsam nicht mehr hören kann. Warum wird dem so wenig widersprochen? Die Wirtschaft hat nicht die Aufgabe, Arbeitsplätze zu schaffen. Im Gegenteil. Die Aufgabe der Wirtschaft ist es, die Menschen von der Arbeit zu befreien. Und das ist uns in den letzten 50 Jahren ja auch grandios gelungen.

* Sie finden Arbeitslosigkeit grandios?

Moment. Noch keine Generation in Deutschland musste jemals so wenig arbeiten

und hatte gleichzeitig einen solchen Lebensstandard wie wir heute. Als ich ins Gymnasium ging, hatten zwei Kinder in der Klasse einen Fernseher und bei zwei Kindern in der Klasse hatten die Eltern ein Auto. Bei meinen Kindern heute gibt es wahrscheinlich zwei Elternhäuser, die keine zwei Autos haben. Und vielleicht zwei Elternhäuser, die keine zwei Fernseher haben.

* Aber der Wohlstand kommt doch von Arbeit, nicht von Arbeitslosigkeit. Wie schaffen wir es, dass wieder mehr Arbeitsplätze entstehen?

Das ist nicht die Frage, die sich ein Unternehmer stellt. Kein Unternehmer überlegt sich morgens, wenn er in den Laden kommt: Wie kann ich heute möglichst viele Menschen beschäftigen? Allein die Vorstellung ist schon absurd. Die Frage lautet umgekehrt: Wie kann ich mit einem möglichst geringen Aufwand an Zeit und Ressourcen möglichst viel für meine Kunden erreichen? Wie kann ich den Laden besser organisieren? Und besser organisieren heißt immer, Arbeit einzusparen. Das ist ein absolutes unternehmerisches Prinzip.

* Aber Herr Werner. Sie haben bei DM in den letzten Jahren doch selbst tausende von Arbeitsplätzen geschaffen.

Ja schon. Aber unser Unternehmen ist deswegen erfolgreich, weil es produktiver ist als andere. Weil es produktiver ist, wächst es. Weil es wächst, schafft es Arbeitsplätze. Aber die gehen zu Lasten der Arbeitsplätze bei den Unternehmen, die weniger produktiv sind.
Volkswirtschaftlich gesehen führt Erfolg bei gesättigten Märkten immer zum Abbau von Arbeitsplätzen.

* Sie halten fünf Millionen Arbeitslose also für einen Beweis der Leistungsfähigkeit der deutschen Wirtschaft?

Zumindest ist es ein Ausdruck der Produktivitätsentwicklung. Und eine Produktivitätsentwicklung ist immer ein Fortschritt. Ich erinnere mich daran, dass meine Mutter 1959 einen VW-Käfer bestellt hat. Da betrug die Lieferzeit 13 Monate. Können Sie sich das heute noch vorstellen?

* Kaum.

Sehen Sie. Und Anfang der 70er Jahre warb die Post mit dem Motto: Fasse dich

kurz. Der Grund war, dass ständig die Leitungen belegt waren und die Leute sich die Finger wund wählten. Stellen Sie sich mal vor, die Telekom oder Vodafone würden heute mit solchen Werbesprüchen kommen. Das ist gar nicht denkbar.

* Sie wollen sagen, dass es uns heute besser geht als früher.

Wir leben quasi in paradiesischen Zuständen. Denn wir sind heute in der Lage, weit mehr zu produzieren, als wir sinnvoll verbrauchen können. Ein
Beispiel: Wäre die Wiedervereinigung 20 Jahre früher gekommen, hätte es in Deutschland riesige Mangelerscheinungen gegeben. 1970 war die Wirtschaft noch nicht so weit, mal eben 17 Millionen Menschen mitzuversorgen. 1990 funktionierte das doch erstaunlich glatt. Niemand im Westen musste einen Mangel erleben.

* Dafür sind heute im Osten 20 Prozent der Menschen arbeitslos.

Ja, schlimm genug. Aber diese ganze Diskussion um die Bekämpfung der Arbeitslosigkeit führt ins Nichts. Und jeder, der etwas von Wirtschaft versteht, weiß doch eines: Die Zeit der Massenarbeit ist vorbei. Ich war gerade in Island. Doch hat mir ein Fischer erzählt, dass die Isländer heute dank Fabrikschiffen mit einem Viertel der Arbeiter vier mal so viel Fisch produzieren wie vor 30 Jahren. Verstehen Sie? 75 Prozent der Leute werden einfach nicht mehr gebraucht. Solche Beispiele gibt es überall. Unsere Fähigkeit, Dinge zu produzieren, übersteigt unseren Bedarf, Dinge zu konsumieren. Das ist eine ganz einfache Tatsache, und keine Arbeitsmarktreform kann daran etwas ändern.

* Trotzdem fordern Politiker, Wirtschaftsverbände und Gewerkschaften ständig

bessere Rahmenbedingungen, damit mehr Arbeitsplätze entstehen können.

Ich weiß. Aber wir müssen uns doch fragen: Was ist eigentlich die Aufgabe der Wirtschaft? Es gibt zwei Aufgaben. Die erste: Sie muss die Menschen mit Gütern und Dienstleistungen versorgen. Und nie in der Geschichte hat die Wirtschaft diese Aufgabe so gut erfüllt wie heute. Wir sehen doch den totalen Überfluss. Obwohl die meisten Fabriken längst nicht ausgelastet sind, wird alles produziert, was man sich wünschen kann.

* Produziert schon. Aber die Leute haben nicht genug Geld, es zu kaufen.

Aha! Jetzt kommen wir zur zweiten Aufgabe: Die Wirtschaft muss die Güter nicht nur produzieren. Sie muss die Menschen auch mit ausreichend Geld ausstatten, um zu konsumieren.

* Ausstatten? Für Geld muss man arbeiten.

Ja, ja. Und wer nicht arbeitet, soll auch nicht essen, nicht wahr? Dieses Denken sitzt immer noch tief in den Köpfen. Aber damit kommen wir heute nicht mehr weiter.

* Also wollen Sie das Geld einfach verteilen? Das ist doch naiv.

Meinen Sie? Lassen Sie mich bitte auf folgendes Phänomen hinweisen: Warum gehen in Deutschland Baufirmen zu Grunde, obwohl es im Straßenbau dringenden Bedarf gibt und wir die Leistung erbringen könnten?

* Weil der Staat kein Geld hat, die Firmen zu bezahlen.

Ja. Aber dieser Irrtum kommt zu Stande, weil alles immer durch den Geldschleier gesehen wird. Der Lebensstandard einer Gesellschaft hängt doch davon ab, wie viele Güter sie produzieren kann. Nicht davon, wie viele sie finanzieren kann.

* Nicht?

Nein. Nehmen Sie die frühere DDR. Dort gab es Geld im Überfluss, aber man konnte sich nur sehr wenig kaufen. Also was ist wichtiger: Das Geld? Oder die Güter?

* Was also schlagen Sie vor? Die Maschinen arbeiten, und der Staat verteilt das Geld, damit die Bürger konsumieren können?

So ähnlich. Wir brauchen das bedingungslose Bürgergeld. Eine Lebensrente für

jeden Bürger. Selbstverständlich können solche Veränderungen nur schrittweise über einen längeren Zeitraum eingeführt werden.

* Wie hoch soll dieses Bürgergeld denn sein?

Hoch genug, um die Grundbedürfnisse zu decken. 1300 bis 1500 Euro.

* Schöne Idee. Und wie wird das finanziert? Sagen Sie jetzt bitte nicht, wir

brauchen mehr Steuern.

Keine Angst. Ich bin dafür, alle Steuern abzuschaffen. Bis auf eine: die Mehrwertsteuer.

* Und wie hoch soll die dann sein?

Das könnten bis zu 48 Prozent sein.

* Sie machen Witze.

Nein. Zählen Sie doch mal alle Steuern und Sozialleistungen zusammen. Da haben wir doch schon eine Staatsquote von rund 48 Prozent. Wenn die nur noch über die Mehrwertsteuer zu finanzieren wäre, hätte das riesige Vorteile.

* Welche denn?

Die Mehrwertsteuer ist die einzige Steuer, die den Wertschöpfungsvorgang nicht behindert, nicht bremst, nicht verzerrt. Das heißt: die ganze Produktion wird steuerfrei gehalten und es kann unbehindert investiert werden.

* Also noch mehr Entlastung für die Unternehmen und noch mehr Belastung für die Verbraucher?

Nein. Einfach mehr Klarheit und mehr Fairness. Ich weiß, dass Politiker unterschiedlichster Couleur fordern: Wir müssen die Reichen besteuern, die Unternehmen müssen wir besteuern und damit den kleinen Mann entlasten. Das ist eigentlich eine Lüge. Warum? Weil Unternehmer und Unternehmen faktisch keine Steuern bezahlen.

* Da werden Ihnen einige Unternehmerkollegen widersprechen.

Jammern gehört zum Handwerk. Aber jeder Unternehmer weiß, was man mit Steuern macht: Man muss sie einkalkulieren. Alle Steuern, die die Unternehmen zahlen, fließen in die Preise für die Produkte ein. Letzten Endes zahlt immer der Verbraucher.

* Was wäre also der Vorteil, alle Steuern in der Mehrwertsteuer zusammenzufassen?

Na, der ganze gewaltige Verwaltungsapparat des Staates würde zusammenschnurren. Denken Sie mal daran, wie viele Beamte ihre Zeit damit verschwenden, die Steuern zu erheben, auszurechnen und zu überprüfen. Das wäre alles überflüssig.

* Welche anderen Vorteile hätte Ihr Plan?

Dass die Importe endlich mal richtig besteuert werden. Die billigen Textilien aus China oder Rumänien kommen doch nur so billig hier an, weil sie nur mit einer Mehrwertsteuer von 16 Prozent belastet sind. In jedem Produkt stecken Infrastrukturkosten. Aber die Infrastruktur in Deutschland ist natürlich teurer als die in China. Anders herum würden die deutschen Exporte extrem attraktiv, weil sie von Steuern völlig unbelastet wären.
Außerdem würden die Arbeitskosten extrem sinken, weil ja das Bürgergeld auf die Einkommen angerechnet würde.

* Wie soll das funktionieren?

Nehmen wir an, eine Krankenschwester verdient 2500 Euro. Nach Abzug des Bürgergeldes von 1300 Euro müsste das Krankenhaus ihr noch 1200 Euro bezahlen. Sie hätte danach gleich viel, aber ihre Arbeitsleistung wäre für das Krankenhaus viel leichter zu finanzieren. Das Bürgergeld würde die arbeitsintensiven Güter und Dienstleistungen entlasten und dadurch den Arbeitsmarkt enorm beleben. Insgesamt würden die Preise dadurch gleich bleiben, denn der Staat müsste ja das zu zahlende Bürgergeld über die Mehrwertsteuer wieder refinanzieren.

* Aber wer wird denn in Zukunft noch arbeiten, wenn er für 1500 Euro auch zu

Hause bleiben kann?

Sie unterschätzen den immateriellen Wert der Arbeit. Viele Menschen haben sehr viel Spaß an ihrer Aufgabe. Denken Sie auch an alle sozialen Berufe und die ganze Kulturarbeit. Da gibt es einen riesigen Bedarf in der Gesellschaft, der endlich finanzierbar wäre.

* Und die langweiligen, die unangenehmen Jobs?

Die müssten dann eben höher entlohnt werden, wenn wir sie benötigen.
Natürlich wird es dann zukünftig Berufe und auch Unternehmen geben, denen es schwer fallen wird, Menschen zu finden. Warum? Weil ja die Menschen dann nicht mehr arbeiten werden, weil sie müssen, sondern weil sie in ihrer Arbeit eine Sinnerfüllung erleben. Und auch, weil es ihnen Spaß macht.

* Herr Werner, alle sprechen von der Krise. Wer Ihnen zuhört, könnte denken,

es geht Deutschland ausgezeichnet.

Das stimmt ja auch. Unser Land hat noch nie so viel Wohlstand produziert wie

heute. Wir haben nur Schwierigkeiten, den Wohlstand zu verteilen. Das sind wir einfach nicht gewohnt.

* Also keine Krise?

Jedenfalls keine Wirtschaftskrise. Die Frage, die mich wirklich umtreibt, ist eine andere. Wir steuern auf eine Gesellschaft zu, in der die Arbeit verschwindet. Und die Frage ist nur, was die Menschen dann alle mit ihrer Zeit anfangen. Das ist eine Kulturfrage. Das Problem, das wir haben, liegt nicht auf dem Arbeitsmarkt sondern eigentlich in der Kultur. Leider ist dieses Thema im Bewusstsein der Gesellschaft kaum vorhanden. Aber genau hier müssen wir ansetzen.

Again: Merriam-Webster explains a German word

2005-07-26T09:04:00.000+03:00

I should have a word with the editor from Merriam-Webster’s “Word of the Day” newsletter. They explained again a German word and this not even fully – at least if you wanted to use it in Germany. The word or rather expression was “Gesundheit!”. It used to be and partly still is used as the German equivalent of “Bless you!”. However, it is not polite to say it any more, when someone sneezes. Instead the person who sneezes is supposed to beg pardon for it (i.e. in German “Entschuldigung.” or “ ’tschuldigung”).

Well, let’s see what today’s word will be.

Rather than the newsletter, I actually look forward to the daily British and American English expressions on my white board. The overall top list is still lead by “mutton clothed as lamb” and “Do you think that I have an overriding concern for a rodent’s derriere”.

I am actually thinking about my departure. I already know when I want to leave and when everything shall be picked up etc. And if everything turns out as it should, then I will only work for two days in September and start fresh again on October 4th in a new job in Frankfurt. Well, unfortunately, I will still have to plan my birthday party… I do not think that I get away with it the Ugandan way: wait until the last minute, buy some crates of beer and let the rest be a surprise. I still do not know, whether it will be in Frankfurt or in Bielefeld. Traditionally it has to be in Bielefeld. But then I will have to cope with all those family related troubles (ignoring the fact that I may have to host friends from Frankfurt, too…)

I honestly hope to see my best mate from Kampala soon again. I am kind of missing him and – not only if he manages to move back to Uganda – I also envy him.

Demonstrations last week

2005-07-25T14:26:00.000+03:00

On Thursday, I witnessed the demonstration of the Democratic Party. Fortunately they were not chased away with tear gas this time. And well, of course the Movement rally had not to fear anything. It was just annoying, because my friends and me could not move as freely as we were used to in our residential area.

Moreover, Friday morning, I was kind of trapped in the Movement Rally for the Referendum. Well, while I was in the car, I was able to take some pictures with my mobile phone (finally found any use for this usually useless feature). Later, I wanted to take proper pictures with my my digital camera. However, the soldiers did not allow me to take any pictures from the crowd on the airstrip. Well, and there are certain things I do not do and among them there is "messing with soldiers who carry automatic weapons".

And, maybe someone can tell me, why the soldiers positioned machine guns on tripods (you know, those that Sylvester Stallone used to hold in each hand) and had rocket granade launchers every 15-20m at Wampewo Avenue and Upper Kololo Terrace? What did they fear? Me? A German brick shithouse equipped with a phone and a digital camera on a mountain bike? And why did they hide their weapons under green blankets?

BTW I: My bruises still hurt. I should not trust everybody, who is older than me. My common sense should hve told me that it was a stupid idea to swim in those rapids, when the water level is so low.

BTW II: Yesterday, I experienced the first power cut since I am in Uganda.

Hairy Lemon Weekend

2005-07-25T11:24:00.000+03:00

I admit, I was not the greatest fan of the idea to spend a long weekend on a remote island. However, I loved it. It was a fantastic weekend with very nice friends. I enjoyed it very much. And since I am a bit busy today, I feel so free and copy the "report" of a friend instead of writing my own. I hope he does not mind sharing a slightly edited version with even more people (I wondered to whom that email went, since the number of primary recipient exceeded the number of "travellers" by far).

So, please find below, what my friend said about the weekend.

"Hello all!

Just got back from our weekend at the Hairy Lemon "resort" on the Nile River. Below is a picture of our intrepid travelers playing poker (Texas Holdem) around midnight on Saturday. Note that P. lost with his King and 7 of clubs showing so prominently in the picture!

Friday afternoon, the first four campers headed out from Kampala around 11. Well, actually, it was the kind of start that has driven dad's crazy since the dawn of time. Our TARGET start was 11, but we had to change cars, then oops L. wanted to go back home and drop off his wallet, then drover through a rowdy demonstration in support of changing the constitution (a move opposed by the West, so of course the 4 white guys in a car kept a low profile while inching through the marchers!),petrol stop, then gee, it's already 12:30, let's stop at Rwenzori Coffee House for burgers. Then 1:30 rolled around, and our lighter-skinned South African compatriots decided they needed sun cream, so off to Shop Rite. Finally, 2ish we were on the road. Found the very poorly marked Hairy Lemon with just 2 wrong turns (and a very Austin Power's like 56-point turn on a narrow dirt road by me). Moved into our comfy tents, then changed into swimming costumes (as the Britons would say) and into the Nile.

Someone has the brilliant idea - hey, let's jump in up here, so we can float down all those neat looking white caps in that narrow channel there. Surely there can't be loads of jagged rocks just under the surface causing all those cool waves! See, I'll go first!

20 minutes later we're up at the main lodge, putting betadine lotion over our many cuts and scratches that are bleading profusely (at least it's the Nile we were in, I mean, what could possibly be in an African river that could cause an infection!). True justice - L. got the worst of it. So we spent the rest of the afternoon wallowing like hippos in the shallows off the island, then dinner, many rounds of the card game Bullshit (thanks to my nieces, who jsut taught it to me last month) and a game similar to poker but surely not poker because we could never quite remember the order of the hands (does a straight beat a full house?) Bed at midnight (and up at 3 for jet-lagged L.).

The rest of the gang arrived in the afternoon on Saturday, so more time in the Nile (the OTHER rapids, the ones without the rocks), then volleyball in about 3 feet of water in a still bend in the river. Dinner, then many cocktails, beers, more poker, more bullshit, then 2 hours of steadily detiorating drinking games (all secrets revealed must die with the participants). Capped off around 2 AM when an extremely drunk, belligerent Scot (didn't catch a WORD he said) joined the party. That was our cue to break it up and hit the hay.

Up early today for the drive back, and now taking it easy. (More so for the South Africans, as there 3 o'clock flight home this afternoon has become a Thursday morning flight due to a general strike at South African Airways!)

Never a dull day in Uganda!"

Finally found an answer

2005-07-21T10:15:00.000+03:00

The decision, whether I want to stay or to go is made[1]. I guess it is time to move on – or shall I rather say “back”? I like “to go back”. So, I will definitely go back to Uganda and maybe in a few years’ time even to this kind of business. Who knows? But when I consider my thoughts from a few months ago, I have to conclude that certain things are still valid.

I am not the right person for this job. I am questioning the adequacy of certain projects, I am cynical, I am demanding justice in case where political reasoning has to be applied, I cannot see suffering people and so on and so on.

So, it is good to go back. I have enjoyed doing something completely different – which reflects my nature: I am interested in many things and I like to try out new things. The job has been interesting, the experiences in Uganda great… Oh, I sound as if I would leave tomorrow…

By the way, I even learned to cope with situations like this one… I have been waiting for 30 minutes for a person to show up for a scheduled meeting…

[1] Admittedly, with the help of some outside factors. Why is politics so complicated and why is there so much red tape in German ministries? This is sometimes just unprofessional.

7MB - 3hours

2005-07-20T17:16:00.000+03:00

I think this is a new record... It took me three hours to send out my job application. And probabaly it will not go through - for whatever reason... I wished I could just print everything out, put it in an envelope, and ship it. But this is just not possible in this remote place.

I am really looking forward to working for a real bank again...

I am sad.

2005-07-20T08:40:00.000+03:00

My best friend is just taking off to the London. I will surely miss her, her late calls and text messages... And soon my other best friend will leave. I am really sad.

Honestly, there are not many reasons left to stay here. I know there may be new friends. But doesn't this diminuish the value of the previous friendship? Is it possible to an unlimited number of friends? I do not hink so. In order to be a "real" friend there must be a special connection of some kind. Is it possible at all to have friends at a place, where everybody leaves after a certain period of time?

Well, at least she had some nice few last days in Kampala and she was awarded an upgrade to business class this morning - this is the least she deserves. I will really miss her.

I hate being here in the moment. If I could, I would rather leave now than later. And I could not even say why.

A good initiative: www.guluwalk.com

2005-07-15T09:02:00.000+03:00

I hope that this initiative draws attention to the miserable situation in Northern Uganda and maybe (I am such an optimist...) some politicians with influence can do something to improve the children's situation up there. However, for the time being, I just appreciate that someone abroad cares about the children of Nothern Uganda.

Please sign the petition on: www.guluwalk.com

A special kind of war against terrorism...

2005-07-14T11:44:00.000+03:00

I have just received this email:

It basically calls all women to show up naked on the street next Saturday at 2 p.m. and all men should sit outside their houses watching the women walking around. The reason being (according to the mail): it is a capital sin for a moslem to see a naked woman which requires comminting suicide... So, then this would lead to the complete demolition of the Taliban terror forces - wonder, why George W. has not had this brilliant idea yet. Possibly, because it would also cause some moral questions for the Evangelicans... But maybe he call the his fellow Evangelicans before and ask them to wear very dark sun glasses or one may find to strike a deal with the Boss for the war against terror is a holy one and therefore some unusual means should be allowed, shouldn't they?

Apropos axis of evil... I attended the unofficial french 14 July party and I was surprised that they listen to so much Vienna Waltz music but barely anyone could dance it. Apart from that it was just ridiculous. The bar had no ice cubes, no unfrozen water bottles, no tonic water, no change, etc. I wonder who chose that location.

Diese Aktion verdient unsere Unterstützung
Wir alle wissen, dass es eine Todsünde für einen Taliban-Mann ist, eine nackte Frau zu sehen - er muss dann Selbstmord begehen... ausgenommen es ist seine eigene Frau. Deswegen werden alle Frauen aufgefordert, am kommenden Samstag um 14.00 Uhr auf die Straße zu gehen, total nackt. Damit helfen sie der Regierung unidentifizierte und unerwünschte Terroristen (sogen. Schläfer) zu identifizieren. Es wird empfohlen, mindestens eine Stunde nackt in der Nachbarschaft umherzugehen, damit der beste Anti-Terror-Effekt zustandekommt. Alle Männer werden gebeten, vor ihrem Wohnsitz in einem Liegestuhl Platz zu nehmen und die nackten Frauen anzusehen, auch Du!
Damit beweist Du, dass Du nicht Mitglied der Taliban bist. Auch zeigst Du großen Mut, nackte Frauen zu sehen..... auch wenn es nicht deine Eigene ist.
Selbstverständlich machen die Männer das nur, um ihre Frauen im Kampf gegen den Terror zu unterstützen!
Weil Taliban auch keinen Alkohol akzeptieren, sollte ein kaltes Bier in Deiner Hand die deutliche und gesunde Anti-Terror-Haltung zeigen. Die deutsche Regierung weiss diesen Einsatz der Bürger sehr zu schätzen und dankt auch dir schon jetzt für deine Hilfe im Kampf gegen den Terror.

Es ist Deine verdammte patriotische Pflicht, diese Mail weiterzuleiten.

Some of the reasons, why I am so terribly tired today...

2005-07-11T10:04:00.000+03:00

Part one:
Rouge's Birthday Party
http://www.kampalalive.com/2005/28/rougeparty.html
I am still wondering, when I met my friend there and why we then went to their place where we ended up drinking some Scotch.

Part two:
Our Party

Part three:
A Friend's Good-Bye Dinner(-party)
Everything started with these delicious hors d'oevres and a glass of champagne (actually German Sekt - but nobody knows the difference) a glass of Port wine and then it just went on and on and on.

Part four:
Why did I decide to watch Lord of the Rings (II) yesterday at 9.00 o.m.? Well, after the exciting expedition to Mutungo. I had to take a really, really bad dirt road and I am still surprised that the car made it. I am even more surprised that I found out that it is actually easier to drive on those dirt roads in the night. One can then focus on the road - given that your car's light work properly.

I am too old for this. This week I will not go out!

Hm. Does not look that much...

2005-07-10T16:01:00.000+03:00

For me, it is still a surprise that those few crades of various kinds of beverages were enough to serve (or shall I rather say fill up?) our guests. Just look, there are still three full crades of beer. I was tempted to take a picture of the mess on the veranda before we cleaned it but that would have been disgusting.

Self-praise is inappropriate, I know...

2005-07-09T04:43:00.000+03:00

... however, I think we threw an awesome party. From 7 p.m. until like 3.30 a.m. And despite around 100 guests we have still something to drink... I guess I overestimated the thirst of our guests - or just bought too much.

However, every party is just as good as its guests and I am so happy that they all came. Thanks!

Now, I am terribly tired and it is just Saturday morning...

Wieder einmal mein Senf zur Entwicklungshilfe

2005-07-07T14:56:00.000+03:00

Also, hier nun noch einmal einen Link zur Entwicklungshilfe. Es ist ein etwas älterer Artikel, der aber (leider) seine Gültigkeit noch nicht verloren hat. Leider sind mir die Schilderungen nun noch viel Vertrauter, weil Freunde und Bekannte in dem Bereich arbeiten.

http://zeus.zeit.de/text/2003/17/Aethiopien

Ist eigentlich der Fall öffentlich bekannt von dem Piloten aus dem Gebiet der ehemaligen Sowjetunion, der auf dem Weg in den Sudan Hilfsgüter vom WFP über Dörfer/IDP-Camps abwarf und auf dem Rückweg einen kleinen Abstecher machte, einen Jagdflieger bestieg und dann die vorher mit Lebensmitteln und anderen Hilfsgütern versorgten aus der Luft abschoß? Ich weiß nicht, wie viel Glauben man solchen Geschichten schenken darf. Da ich aber den Menschen gut kenne, der mir die Geschichte erzählte, und er den Piloten selber traf, halte ich diesen Vorfall für real. Leider.

419 Spam - An self experiement (I)

2005-07-06T22:40:00.000+03:00

Okay, I confess, I could not withstand the temptation to reply to those promising mails from Nigeria and this time, I even ended up in a conversation with someone. However, we reached a point where I am not sure, whether I should proceed or not...

So far, I have really enjoyed playing the dumb idiot who believes everything and whose questioning of statement/facts was just shallow and moreover, who even obeys and discloses his fax number (so far I have not received anything).

Frightening to know that there are indeed people out there, who believe they could make a quick buck or two with it, isn't it?

Since I am on a business trip (see below), I have still some time to make up my mind and decide, whether I disclose some more secrets about me in order to get a share of that huge amount of money ($10.5M).

-----Original Message-----
From: laarni laarni [mailto:
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2005 11:03 PM
To:
Subject: ATTN:Schlink.

Lieber Herr,Schlink.

Wie sind Sie heute? Ich bin Dr. Frau, Laarni laarni, ein guter Freund zu Spät (Herr Roy J. Schlink)
Nationalität von Ihrem Land, das ein ausländischer Bauunternehmer/Ingenieur mit Chevron Ölfirma in Nigeria vor seinem unzeitigen Tod war.

Am 27. Tag von Sept 2002, es wurde zu mir berichtet, dass mein Freund, und seine Familie in einem Örtlichen
Flugzeugabsturz an Kano Staat verwickelt wurde, alle Bewohner im Flugzeug haben ihre Leben, leider auf diesem gleichen Flug waren andere Würdenträger verloren, wie der Sport und eine Vielzahl von anderen sich Kümmert. Die Folgenden Websites könnten auf verwiesen werden:
http://www.usafricaonline.com/ngrkanocrash.html
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/05/05/stories/2002050503070101.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1968616.stm

Da dann ich mehrere Erkundigungen zu Ihrer Botschaft gemacht habe, irgendein von meinem Kunden sich zu
befinden, hat Familie, dies auch hat sich erwiesen als erfolglos ausgedehnt. Nach diesen mehreren erfolglosen
Versuchen habe ich entschieden, seinen Verwandten/Geschäftspartner durch das Internet verfzuolgen, irgendein
Mitglied von seiner Familie sich zu befinden, aber nutzlos, deshalb ich habe Sie oder irgendjemanden berührt,
die bereit zu sein können. Ich habe Sie berührt, beim Beanspruchen des Fonds zu helfen, als der nächste Angehörige/Geschäftspartner zu meinem späten Freund bevor der Fonds, unbrauchbar durch die Bankleitung
erklärt zu werden, wo diese riesigen Einzahlungen logiert wurden, und meine Ländersteuereinnahmen
Beauftragen.

Besonders die NIGERIANER FINANZ BANK, wo das verstorbene ein geschätztes an ungefähr US$10. 5 gehabt hat Millionen Dollar, die Leitung von der Bank hat ausgegeben mir eine Notiz, den nächsten Angehörigen zu versorgen//Geschäftspartner oder das Konto beschlagnahmen zu lassen und hat zu die Steuereinnahmen innerhalb der nächsten vierzehn offiziellen Arbeitstage erklärt Beauftragt.

Ich garantiere Sie, der dies unter einer legitimen Anordnung durchgeführt werden wird, die Sie von irgendeinem
Bruch vom Gesetz in meinem Land schützen wird.

Die besten Beachtungen,
Dr. Frau, Laarni Laarni.

Okay, and here is the English translation. Done within second, thanks to http://translate.google.com/translate_t And no worries, the style is as bad as the German original ;-)

How are you today? I am Dr. Mrs., Laarni laarni, a good friend to late (Mr. Roy J. Schlink) nationality of your country, which was a foreign building contractor/engineer with Chevron oil company in Nigeria before its untimely death. To 27. Day of Sept 2002, it reported to me that my friend, and its family in a local aircraft crash at Kano state were entangled, all inhabitants in the airplane to have their lives, unfortunately on this same flight were lost other dignitaries, as the sport and a multiplicity of others worry. The following Websites could be referred to: http://www.usafricaonline.com/ngrkanocrash.html http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/05/05/stories/2002050503070101.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1968616.stm made there then I several inquiries your message to find any from my customer has family, this also proven as unsuccessful expanded. After these several unsuccessful attempts I decided, its relative/business partner by the InterNet traced to be any member of its family but useless, therefore I affected you or somebody, which can be ready. I affected you to help when stressing the fund when the next member/business partner to my late friend before the fund uselessly by the bank line to be explained where these enormous deposits were logiert, and my land tax receipts assigning. Particularly NIGERIANER FINANCE the BANK, where the deceased an estimated on approximately USS10. 5 millions dollar, the line of the bank had spent me a note let the next members to supplying/business partner or the account seize and as the tax receipts within the next fourteen official working days avowedly assigned. I guarantee you, which will be accomplished this under a legitimate arrangement, which will protect you of any break of the law in my country. The best attentions,

RE: ATTN:Schlink.

Von: Small German Brick Shithouse <>
In: laarni laarni <@teenmail.co.za>
Datum: 01.07.05 - 08:05

Dear Mrs. Dr. Larni,

I fear I cannot offer you any support for I am not aware of any next of kin with that name.

Yours sincerely!

-----Original Message-----
From: laarni laarni [mailto:@teenmail.co.za]
Sent: Friday, July 01, 2005 12:14 PM
To: Small German Brick Shithouse
Subject: KINDEST REGARD.

DEAR MR,SCHLINK.
GOODMORNING AND THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSE.BE IT AS IT MAY,I
UNDERSTAND YOUR PLIGHT AND FEAR AT THIS POINT.WELL IF YOU
CAN JUST HEAR ME OUT?
IAM VERY SURE THAT LATE ROY J.SCHLINK IS NOT RELATED TO
YOU BY ANY MEANS,IAM ONLY ASKING YOU TO ASSIST ME WITH A
FOREIGN ACCOUNT FOR THE TRANSFER OF $10.5M.ANY ASSISTANCE
GIVEN TO ME BY YOU WILL BE REWARDED WITH 35% OF THE TOTAL
SUM.I NEED NOT TO WRITE MUCH,IF YOU DONT MIND CAN WE SPEAK
ON PHONE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER,FORWARD YOUR TEL/FAX NUMBERS
SO THAT MY ATTORNEY WILL GET INTOUCH WITH YOU.TILL THEN I
AWAIT YOUR URGENT RESPONSE.

DR.MRS,LAARNI LAARNI.

RE: KINDEST REGARD.

Von: Small German Brick Shithouse
In: laarni laarni <@teenmail.co.za>
Datum: 05.07.05 - 07:59

Dear Dr. Laarni,

I am not sure, whether I can accept your honestly generous offer. I chatted with my lawyer about the case (just briefly because he was very busy and I did not want him to charge me, you know how those lawyers are), and he warned me to pretend to be of someone's kin if indeed I am not. So I do not know what to do.

How is the legal situation in South Africa?

Yours sincerely!

-----Original Message-----
From: laarni laarni [mailto:@teenmail.co.za]
Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 1:45 PM
To: Small German Brick Shithouse
Subject: TEL/FAX NUMBERS FOR EASIER COMMUNICATION.

DEAR MR,SCHLINK.
GOT YOUR EMAIL AND HAD TO WRITE YOU BACK ALTHOUGH I SENT A
MAIL TO YOU TODAY.I MADE IT CLEAR IN MY SECOND MAIL TO YOU
THAT MY ATTORNEY WILL TAKE CARE OF EVERY DOCUMENTATION IN
THIS TRANSACTION AND WHY THEN ARE YOU AFRAID AND MIND YOU
THE MONEY IS IN NIGERIA NOT IN SOUTH AFRICA,YOU CAN CONFIRM
FROM MY FIRST MAIL TO YOU.
SO MR,SCHLINK IF YOU DONT MIND LET ME HAVE YOUR TEL/FAX
SO THAT MY ATTORNEY WILL CALL YOU SO THAT HE CAN COMMENCE
WITH THE PROCEDURE CLAIM.I WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO
RECIEVING YOUR RESPONSE.I NEED YOUR TEL/FAX NUMBERS
SOONEST.KINDEST REGARDS.
DR.MRS,LAARNI.

RE: TEL/FAX NUMBERS FOR EASIER COMMUNICATION.

Von: Small German Brick Shithouse
In: laarni laarni <@teenmail.co.za>
Datum: 05.07.05 - 19:14

My fax no is +49 (1212) 516……, however I am on a business trip and might not be able to get back to you very soon.

I assumed you were in South Africa based on the email address you are using. It has the ending "za", which I thought would stand for South Africa (a wonderful country by the way).

Kind regards

THANKS FOR YOUR FAX.

Von: laarni laarni <@teenmail.co.za>
In: Small German Brick Shithouse
Datum: 06.07.05 - 12:16

DEAR MR,SCHLINK.
IAM VERY DELIGHTED SEEING YOUR FAX NUMBER BUT STILL I NEED
YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR COMMUNICATION.MR,SCHLINK I WILL
BE GLAD TO SEE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER IN YOUR NEXT EMAIL.
I,KNOW IAM ASKING YOU FOR TOO MUCH BUT OUR AIM IS TO HAVE
A HAPPY LIFE.SO IF YOU DONT MIND KINDLY SEND YOUR TELEPHONE
NUMBER,AGE,OCCUPATION,MARITAL STATUS AND HOME ADDRESS OR
OFFICE ADDRESS SO THAT MY ATTORNEY CAN COMMENCE WITH THE
PROCEDURE.MANY THANKS.

DR.MRS,LAARNI.

"Cut back development aid"

2005-07-04T22:21:00.000+03:00

An eye opening interview with James Shikwati, a Kenyan economist about the desastrous impact of development policies of the West, corrupt leaders and exaggerated horror scenarios about Africa:

http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/0,1518,druck-363375,00.html

I hope that it will be published in the English edition, too. In the meantime, you may have a look at his English publications: http://www.isil.org/resources/lit/disaster-foreign-aid.html

For the German voters...

2005-07-04T21:09:00.000+03:00

Dear German readers, please consider the following theses on the economic situation in Germany:
http://www.welt.de/data/2005/06/30/739120.html?s=1
http://www.rrz.uni-hamburg.de/IWK/appell.pdf

If Germany is to get the turnaround, then the German people has to cope with the economic truth. Socialistic rhetoric does not help. We need to learn to accept that we cannot afford the present level of wages and social insurance. All politicians who will run for a seat in the Bundestag (IF there are going to be elections in September) and who make different statements, are liars and should be prosecuted. How dare they telling voters lies on the necessary political decisions to improve our poor economic condition.

Der perfekte Grill-Samstag

2005-07-04T21:01:00.000+03:00

American-English translation might follow...

Der perfekte Grill-Samstag mal chronologisch geordnet aus der Sicht eines Mannes.
10.00 Uhr: Aufstehen
10.05 Uhr: Blick auf das Außenthermometer 20 oder mehr: TOP!
10.06 Uhr: Blick aus dem Fenster. Blauer Himmel und Sonne: OBER-TOP!
10.10 Uhr: Frühstück (aufgetaute Brötchen) und Zigarette.
10.30 Uhr: Klo gehen und ordentlichen Bob in die Bahn werfen 11.00 Uhr: Turnhose, Tennissocken und Badeschlappen anziehen und den Hof fegen! Oberkörper nackt. Handy nicht vergessen!!!
11.30 Uhr: Das feine Pülleken haben wir uns jetzt aber verdient!
12.00 Uhr: Altglas und Altpapier zum Container bringen.
12.10 Uhr: Das Grillen beschließen. Ehefrau mitteilen: "Sollten grillen!"
Danach etwas streiten, ob Gäste einladen oder nicht. Anschließend Gäste antelefonieren oder ansimsen.
13.00 Uhr: Formel-1-Training gucken!
13.30 Uhr: Wegnickern (Ermattet vom Pülleken und vom Streit mit der Ehefrau)
14.30 Uhr: Wachwerden vom Blagengeschrei.
14.35 Uhr: Rein ins Auto und ab zum Supermarkt (Oberkörper nicht mehr nackt)
14.55 Uhr: Wir kaufen: 5 Sixpack Thüringer, 20 Schnitzel , 15 Bauchfleisch,
5 Kisten "KÖPI" (Ist Pflicht beim Grillen) , jeweils ne Stiege Kümmerling und Feigling,
2 Baguettes und diverse Klein-Cerealien, Saucen, Silberzwiebeln, Gürkchen, Eimer Kartoffelsalat...
Die Holzkohle kaufen wir für teuer Geld an der Tanke, weil im Supermarkt schon ausverkauft war. Scheiße, wir verpassen die Bundesliga! Jetzt aber Gas!!!
Ist ja Samstag!
Warum lachen die beiden Schnösel im Z3 nur so dämlich? Doch nicht etwa über unsere Badeschlappen? Blöde Schwuchteln!
15.30 Uhr: Zurück zu Hause. Vorbereitung abgeschlossen. Rest macht Schatzi.
Manfred von gegenüber steht vor der Tür, kommt zum Bier- und Premiereschnorren vorbei (Bleibt bis 2.00 Uhr nachts!). Fußball fängt an.
Das Pülleken haben wir und jetzt aber verdient!
18.00 Uhr: Stefan und Carmen kommen samt Köter und Videokamera. Stefan muss schon leicht einen sitzen haben, denn Carmen durfte heute den 3er fahren! Naja er wird wohl auch Bundesliga geguckt haben.
18.22 Uhr: (Wir haben 18.00 Uhr gesagt!): Bollek und Steffi sind da. Und...
Dennis, das Mistblag! Er beginnt ohne Umschweife, Köters Geduld durch das Hinhalten und Wegziehen einer rohen Bratwurst auf die Probe zu stellen, doch nach einem wütenden Knurren und einem leichten Schnappen nach Dennis Waden haben wir dank Köter erst mal ne ganze Weile Ruhe.
18.45 Uhr: Schatzi bringt das Grillfleisch und den obligatorischen Salat, ich schmeiße das Fegefeuer an. Gar nicht so leicht, aber mit Hilfe des Reservekanisters aus Stefans 3er geht s dann doch noch.
19.00 Uhr: Über dem ganzen Wohngebiet schwebt eine einzige Qualmwolke. Alle grillen. Alle saufen. Die ersten gröhlen schon den "Westerwald".
19.15 Uhr: Die erste Fuhre ist fast fertig. Nur noch ein Spritzer Bier auf den Rost, hach, was duftet das lecker!
19.20 Uhr: Steffi hat ihr Bratwurst verdrückt und behauptet, sie sei satt...
Sie wischt ihre Fettfinger in der Serviette ab und nippt an ihrem Mineralwasser. Dumme Kuh. Spielverderberin. Aber kein Wunder, seit einer Stunde hatte sie Baguettestückchen in die Knoblauchsauce gedippt und ununterborchen geradezu orgiastisch "KÖSTLICH" geplärrt. Jetzt macht sie auf Diät. Egal, wir anderen fressen, was das Zeug hält.
21.25 Uhr: Das letzte Schnitzel ist vernichtet. Köter lutscht die letzte Bratwurst. Mistblag Dennis ist glücklicherweise eingeschlafen, ich hatte ihm ein Körnchen in seine Fanta gemischt. Zwei Reihenhäuser weiter prügelt sich der Mehmet mit einem alten Oppa . Ich serviere Kümmerling. Die Damen bleiben bei Feigling. Steffi nippt immer noch Mineralwasser. Immerhin hat sie in der Zwischenzeit ihre Bluse aufgeknöpft und die Titten hängen fast raus!
22.13 Uhr: Bier is alle (ich hatte Manfred nicht einkalkuliert). Steffi muß ihr Wasser mal kurz beiseite stellen. Sie ist die einzige, die noch fahrtüchtig ist und zur Tanke muss.
22.15 Uhr: Stefan holt Gitarre von drüben. Wir singen erst "Bolle" und anschließend "Wir lagen vor Madagaskar"...
22.30 Uhr: Müssen kurzfristig auf härtere Sachen umsteigen, bis Steffi mit`m Bier zurück ist...
22.42 Uhr: Steffi is zurück.
Das Pülleken haben wir uns jetzt aber verdient!
22.57 Uhr: Manfred zeigt Popo. Carmen filmt.
23.41 Uhr: Stefan kotzt in die Fuchsien.
23.57 Uhr: Keine Lust mehr zum Singen. Legen AC/DC s "Highway to Hell" auf und drehen Volume auf Max
00.02 Uhr: Wo zum Teufel sind meine Badeschlappen?
00.14 Uhr: Bollek fällt um.
00.36 Uhr: Die Polizei ist da. Hauptmeister Karsunke (auch ein Griller!) und Oberkommisar Böckwemser. Müssen AC/DC ausmachen...
01.48 Uhr: Die Polizei geht. Jetzt ist auch der Kümmerling alle (muß ihm morgen meine Knöllchen bringen). Steffi fährt die ganz Bagage nach Hause.
02.00 Uhr: Schatzi geht ins Bett, ich schleppe Manfred rüber in seinen Vorgarten. Pinkelt in Sandkasten.
02.02 Uhr: Sind bei Manfred im Partykeller, das Pülleken haben wir jetzt aber verdient!
02.34 Uhr: Wieder nach Hause. Krabbel ins Bett, wecke Schatzi und frage:
"Poppen??????"

UND GENAU DESHALB BRAUCHEN WIR HIER SCHNELLSTEN EINEN GRILL !!!

My first ticket fine for speeding...

2005-07-04T10:14:00.000+03:00

My first speeding ticket fine. Only 14km/h faster than allowed. Was not even worth it.
Moreover, if I were in Germany, I would refuse to pay. There was not enough notice for the speed limit. The speed limit was outside a residential area and too close (100m) to the 80 km/h section.

Dilbert and women

2005-07-04T08:41:00.000+03:00

I like today's Dilbert - that is nothing new. I usually like the cartoons. Today's cartoon shows nicely how applying linear logic reasoning can lead to wrong conclusions.

All (new) boyfriends[1] are sexy and handsome[2] until the initial excitement is gone. But to conclude that one should not date handsome and sexy men is a bit short-sighted… Well, but I also sympathize with Dilbert. I would of course be good for “us”, if attractive young ladies would consider dating the ordinary, slightly over-weighted, “nice” men, too ;-)

But it is also worth commenting on the apparently stringent logic presented above:[3]
For instance most financially broke private households are divorced. Lending to couples is therefore risky. From a bank’s perspective, it would therefore be advisable not to lend to married couples because they are most likely to get divorced and thus financially broke.

[1] Apart from those, who are just chosen for materialistic or physical reasons. Those are obviously another category of boyfriends.

[2] I admit both lies in the eyes of the beholder and for neither of the both attributes general objectivity can be claimed.

[3] “If it rains, the street will be wet.” Does this also imply that “If the street is wet, it has rained before”?

Internet and Driving in Kampala

2005-07-02T15:52:00.000+03:00

I did it. I drove a car in Kampala. I did not want to but today I dared to sit down behind the steering wheel and I drove from Kisimenti to the Sheraton, back to Garden City and finally back home taking the Jinja Road. I survided, and so did my sub-landlord however, the car had to suffer a bit. I have to work on the coordination of the left foot and the left hand. Changing gears was sometimes a bit too loud and I did not expect to have so much car left from me - well, but I will master these little challenges, too.

Since an hour, I have a trial access to MTN's YelloAccess. To put it mildly: I sucks. I mean technologically fascinating - no doubt about it, BUT: It is terribly slow.

Visa for Ugandans

2005-07-01T16:54:00.000+03:00

If you read the daily newspapers regularly – especially the letters to the editors – you may realize that Ugandans do not feel treated very fairly if their visa applications are rejected. Especially the Visa Section of the British High Commission has been accused of deciding and behaving unfairly for they do not always give reasons for their decision and for not refunding the application fee. Furthermore, it is often cited that people do have to start queuing in the early morning hours in front of the building which houses the Visa Handling Service.

Well, there are my two cents worth on it:

I have never seen a queue in the early morning hours and I had been able to see the V.H.S. building from my room for almost 20 months.
It is an application fee. That fee must be paid for the application. It has nothing to do with the outcome. That one is a statistically independent event – okay, not necessarily, if you follow the proper application requirements and processes it is deterministic and should lead the granting of a visa to the UK

The application fee is not a bribe. This might sound surprising to some people in this neck of the woods, but it is a truth…

If someone does not get a visa it is probably because

One tried to cheat – and do not say, this sounds unreasonable. I personally witnessed cases in our embassy…
Did not follow the proper process.
Did not hand in all documents required.
Did not fulfil the visa requirements.
Did not come in time.

I might sound biased, but I am sure, this comes close to the truth...

Anyway, I do not want to work as an officer in the visa section of any embassy in Uganda. Okay, maybe in the one of those less favourite travel/immigration destinations of the Ugandans. I do not want to start guessing which countries those may be, but I would bet North Korea would be one of it… But I also would not like to live and work for the North Koreans, either.

So, another eventful weekend lies ahead and I wished I had a clue, where I will be in two months time.

Ah, and it will be a weekend with internet at home. I am wondering how this MTN thing will work. If I post tomorrow, it works. But since even my senior American colleagues complain, I fear I will just use the service for free as long as possible and then hand it back without subscribing to it.

Riots on the Street in Kampala

2005-06-30T11:32:00.000+03:00

I was not sure, whether anyone has not yet heard about the “strange” behaviour of the local police forces. I guess they wanted to play around with their “toys” and thus used rubber bullet guns and tear gas wildly and in huge quantities against demonstrators whose only weapons were the placates expressing their political point of views regarding the intended changes to Uganda’s constitution and sticks and stones – if at all…. To put it mildly, it is a bit odd to use such massive force. But what shall you expect in a country, where just sentences are seldom[1] and lynch murders for pick pocketing is not uncommon and where police men do not attend psychological trainings and that kind of things.

Speaking about demonstrations in Uganda: Usually it is only a bunch of young people who run too fast, whose placates cannot be read, whose shouting cannot be understood and who would be stupid to attack the supporters of the ruling powers or/and the police forces.[2] So, I ask you: Do they pose any thread against anybody? Do the heavily protected riot police officers would have to defeat them in such an inappropriate manner?

What is a worrying sign for me is – and I almost do not dare to say that – not the violent police action. No. Actually, it is the undemocratic decision taken by the people in charge who did not permit this demonstration. This would have been a great opportunity to show the world that Uganda is developing towards a democratic society, which allows the opposition to speak out in public. However, I guess it is still a long way to go.

If I would be asked whether I am pro or against the third term, I would always answer the following (and be in line with most “official” expatriates in this country):

Whatever decision regarding the constitutional changes be made, it should be democratic and according to the rule of law and representing the free will of the Ugandan people. If the majority of Ugandans decide that the current president deserves a third term, then this shall be the case. However, if the opposite is demanded by the majority of the people then this vote must also be respected and peacefully followed.

Considering the language used by M7 supporters, I doubt, whether a transition to another president would be peaceful. And I am also not sure, whether there is any “good” alternative for M7. But that is fortunately not my business for I am not an Ugandan, who has to vote.

The following Item wasDelivered to the "Africa-English" Service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. (http://www.irinnews.org):

KAMPALA, 28 June (IRIN) - Police on Tuesday used tear gas and water cannons to disperse dozens of demonstrators in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, who had taken to the streets to protest against a plan to amend the constitution to remove presidential term limits.

The protestors claimed the plan was intended to allow President Yoweri Museveni to seek another five-year term in office.

They carried placards and banners denouncing the proposal by some members of parliament to remove a clause in the constitution that limits the president's tenure to two five-year terms, ahead of elections in 2006.

Under the current constitution, Museveni, who seized power in 1986 after waging a five-year guerrilla war against previous regimes, cannot run again because he would have served two terms as an elected president.

Kampala police chief Benson Oyo Nyeko said the organisers had defied a police order not to stage the demonstration.

"They wrote to us yesterday [Monday] asking for permission to hold a demonstration," Nyeko added. "The permission was not granted but they insisted on going ahead, so we had to stop them as they marched towards parliament," he said.

The police had cordoned off the Constitutional Square in the city centre from where the organisers of the demonstration planned to start a procession on Tuesday, the day parliament was expected to end its debate on the amendment.

The organisers, however, convened in another part of the city before beginning their march towards parliament.
"Several of our youth have been arrested and I am now going to the police to plead for their immediate release," Olivia Kamya, an official of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change party, said.

"We shall not stop," Kamya added. "We shall either die, be beaten up and maimed or we shall be free."

One placard read: "Uganda is destined for doom if Museveni is to be allowed to stand again."

MPs opposed to the constitutional amendment are outnumbered in the 300-member parliament, but they have dominated debate.

"You are going to open doors for the military option of getting to State House," Odonga Otto, an opposition MP, warned during the debate.

Local government minister Tarsis Kabwegyere said, however, that there was no reason to worry as democracy had been entrenched in Ugandan politics.

"Under this government, we have entrenched democracy, weakening the routes of dictatorship," he said.

Museveni has not openly declared his intention to run for a third term. However, several senior government officials - believed to be closely allied to the president - are leading the controversial parliamentary campaign to lift the limit on presidential terms.

[ENDS]

[1] By the way: I recently read about a case in the U.S. where a man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for stealing a TV set from a white man. The thief is black and the crime took place in the sixties. So, we should also never forget where we come from and how long it took “us” to reach the current level democracy.

[2] Actually, I suggest some proper demonstration training in Europe. If they want to get the full scope experience of how to demonstrate peacefully and violently, I propose a trip to Berlin^st. This would be a life-time experience which would cover every aspect of demonstrating. I suggest the same for the police forces because at the same time, I also think that the police forces in Berlin are one of the most experienced in Germany. They underwent a tremendous transition form a police force similar to the one in Uganda as of today to a psychologically trained and well behaved – that is my personal opinion.

On Lesbianism and Divorced Women

2005-06-29T09:02:00.000+03:00

There are some things that have made me furious and among them there is this strange and for me unexplicable attitude towards homosexuality and the depriving situation that women face. In yesterday’s The New Vision were examples for both.

One was on the gossip page, where the local “high-society” reporter, Timothy Bukumunhe[1], reports about the two rugby games, which tool place last Saturday. I do not care about that game a lot. I mean it is more interesting than soccer but I do not give a shit about it. What was remarkable about that gossip reporter was more the way he described the way Ugandan rugby fans called the defeating Kenyan women rugby team members.[2] Apparently the Ugandan fans asked the female Kenyan players, whether they brought their girlfriend and whether they came to enjoy the physical proximity to their (female)[3] Ugandan competitors. And that was apparently considered as an extremely rude offence.

Isn’t it just too ridiculous to waste any space in a newspaper for it.[4]

Another, and more serious issue, is the treatment of women in marriages. A horrible story was in yesterday’s The New Vision. It was about the marriage of a woman with an MP and her battle against/with the institutions which are supposed to help her. Apparently, there remains a lot to do in improving the situation of women/mothers, who are abused by their husbands and who seek justice after divorce. To cut a long story short, there is no support for the woman and no institution feels responsible for her. So, the father and divorced husband can do whatever he wants. Disgusting!

[1] Do you recall him? It is the same reporter who was invited to the orgy on an island.

[2] And I have to assume that he has stuck to the ethic rules for Ugandan journalist, so what he wrote is the truth and nothing else…

[3] The first “female“ in this sentence was to point out that I am talking about the women’s game. The second “female” in the sentence is not that nice any more. I wanted to allude to the observation that not all of the female players would also necessarily qualify as swimsuit models – which is probably not intended and necessary but considering the goal to achieve equal gender opportunities, I have to conclude that women can and do go to watch Rugby because of the attractive outward appearance of the players whereas men can have a beer or uncommon (physical) preferences if they find female rugby players attractive. This is somehow gender insensitive. N.B.: This is basically a quote from a British lady, who was wondering last Friday, why any men would want to watch a women’s rugby game if they are a) significant others (i.e. homo-, bi- or heterosexual partners of a player), b) parents or siblings, or c) black and hitting on the white female players.

[4] Unless, you do not have anything else to write about…

Oh, how true it is....

2005-06-29T08:49:00.000+03:00

Found this in today's inbox:

Dead iPod Remembered As Expensive
VENTURA, CA—A third-generation, 30-GB iPod, serial number AP356372, died early Monday morning at age 2. "I'll never forget all the great music it used to play during my workouts," said the late iPod's owner Sarah Zartman at a brief memorial held over the junk drawer. "It was convenient, portable, and really pricey—almost $500." Zartman said that, had she known the iPod's lithium-ion battery would have such a short lifespan, she might have spent more time listening to it. AP356372 is survived by a BlackBerry.
Source: The Onion

Unfortunately, this is true. The batteries suck.

Women are strange

2005-06-28T09:28:00.000+03:00

So, recently I posted that I was so happy for one of my best friends having a girl friend. I explicitly waited some weeks before I added her name in my PDA (no, I do not mean public display of affection gallery but my personal digital assistant - unfortunaltely the general wisdom of the Americans came up with the same abbreviation for two completely unrelated things). Anyway, back to the topic. This lady decided to break up the relationship because: She does not want to have a distant relationship over the summer time because she could not meet her friends as often as without a boyfriend.

Sorry, but there are some things wrong. First and foremost: There is not such thing as a summer, where she lives. And if I were a her, I would rather visit my friends place in Munich, whenever I could, than staying in her ugly corner of the country. Anyway, considering her educational background, I should not be surprised... "computer sciences". Maybe, she prefers to spend time in her dark room's corner instead of enjoying the parks and lifestyle cafes and restaurants and lakes and mountains in and around Munich together with my great best friend. I simply do not get it. He is such a wonderful person. Why does he always run into such strange women? I should go back and do what I am best in: Matching couples ;-)

No pills against Lovesickness?

2005-06-27T18:25:00.000+03:00

There are I came across an internet site, where you can by pills against lovesickness. Seriously. It is even written on the package: http://www.liebeskummerpillen.de/start.html

If you are wondering, how I found this site: I was asked to buy a certain song online. But since I was not sure anymore about the title and the group, I googled both and ended up with a link to a forum for people suffering from lovesickness and out of curiosity I clicked all my way through to the "root" of the site...

Anyway, I am hungry....

Separate Cold and Hot Water Taps in the UK

2005-06-27T18:09:00.000+03:00

Can anybody please explain why the Brithish Empire has not brought forward any engineer who was able to apply common human sense and combined the cold and hot water into one single tap? And why is it that no British engineer thought about putting both taps closer together. I mean come on, this is not brain surgery. Or is it me who is just too stupid to understand this bath room secret. can anybody disclose the secret how H.E. the Queen herself washes her hands without burning the left one and freezing the right?

Home sweet home...

2005-06-27T11:47:00.000+03:00

Finally I made the big move - okay and finally the sun was shining and I had time to take some pictures before my usual and delicious Sunday morning brunch at the ARA.

And thanks to my sub-landlord, I could even enjoy a wonderful dinner (though without meat) ;-) Thank you!

Showers and Internet and basic Furniture

2005-06-24T10:06:00.000+03:00

Finally, I found out why I liked to move into a house with "nothing". I think it was a kind of attempt to find out what my basic needs are.

I know it:

power and running hot and cold tap water...
bed with cotton bed covers
any reading lamp
my laptop
my books and papers
wardrobe
book shelves
working refridgerator
simple desk or table
any chair
basic internet connection
very well working shower

So, for now, I have everyhing despite the desk/table, chair, internet connection and the well working shower. Tomorrow, I will buy a table and a chair and in the afternoon, I should get a trial internet access. However, what will remain on my wish list is the well working shower. I have to add at least five more minutes to the time I usually spend in the bath room (at that has never been short) to remove all shower gel, shampoo and what else one uses.

But interestingly, there is nothing else, I really need or would miss. And that was exactly, what I had in New York. I should try it out next time I live in Frankfurt again. Hm, okay. Admitted I have never been a fan excessive furniture.

My dream home is a loft with parkett and almost no furnture (bed, dressing room, table, desk, chairs, sofa, TV, internet and a simple kitchen with a big refridgerator...)

Living in a house without TV and Internet plus my two cents worth on "Mr. & Mrs. Smith"

2005-06-22T11:20:00.000+03:00

It is fantastic. I finally do not call wildly surfing the internet "doing research" any more. I concentrate on the papers etc already readily available on my laptop and get things done.

As regards to the TV: I do not miss it. There is a cinema in town and I have movies on the laptop, too. So, if I need some distraction, I can get it. Yesterday e.g. I saw "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" - that was poor German TV niveau. There was a minimum plot, nothing really unforeseeable and well I did not realize the frequently cited "special tension" between the two actors. And the story was also bad. Okay, admittedly the sound system was terribly working so me and others did not understand all dialogues properly - maybe there was some hidden messages, which I am not aware of... The story: Two assasins are married with each other and both of them not knowing what the other really does for their living, both are bored and visit a counselor. Then, someone decides to kill both of them and orders each of them to kill the other... So far so good. The happy end is - And I hope, I may disclose it here: Both live happily ever after, because they found out that one is a masochist and the other a sadomist. So.... And why did the Ugandan media council not intervene in this case?

Today, I will see "The Interpreter"... Hope, it will be better.

Short update

2005-06-20T08:46:00.000+03:00

Saturday:
Moved into the house, prepared my bike, watched "Lost in Translation" and went to bed

Sunday:
Woke up at 4.15 a.m., waited until 5.45 a.m. and started the cycling part of the Triathlon at 7.30 a.m., went home at 1.30 p.m., had a shower, did not sleep, read newspapers and a book, had dinner at Le Café de Paris with a (very) nice French friend and had to speak French to whole evening...

Monday morning:
Am still terribly tired...

House:
wonderful.
No TV, no internet, no fridge - if there is one thing I hate, it is warm beverages...

Moving

2005-06-18T15:23:00.000+03:00

Moving is something that I hate. You must leave a place you are used to and you go to a place, where everything is unfamiliar, empty, unprepared etc. It is not that you go home for some time, you just to your "new" home. And this "new" is something, which I prefer as an attribute for my electronic toys but not for my home...

Anyway, I will let you know about the first night in the new home...

What I am definitely going to miss will by my nice view, my nice neighbour, and I will miss most my internet connection.

One come, one gone.

2005-06-16T23:46:00.000+03:00

Today, I was happy for one of my best friends and sorry for another. One has found a nice girl friend, the other broke up. But the latter confirmed me that everything was okay and it was based on a mutual agreement and I indeed believe what he said. We spoke on the phone for quite some time and I am convinced that it was the best for both of them.

And my other friend has really deserved this luck and I wish them all well. He is such a nice and caring person and we have gone through thick and thin and his last girl friend was such a vulgar asshole, so he really deserves better. I am really looking forward to meeting her. Maybe they are coming to Uganda... I would like to have my friend around. I miss all of them.

ICQ and Blog Comments and other Writing

2005-06-15T23:32:00.000+03:00

Have you ever been contacted by a stranger on ICQ? Usually those a women with strange entries in their profiles like "Town: !§=E)!RF"O§"!=)"$1" or similarly strange combinations of signs, numbers and letters (sometimes also in Hebraic, Chinese, Kyrillic etc.). I usually deny the contact without any reasons - yes, I am selective ;-)

Well, recently, I was contacted by someone with - surprisingly - decently normal entries. Therefore, I accept the contact (still not knowing the sex) and it turned out to be a nice conversation. Even better. I was in German, so did not have to think before writing ;-)

And I had been thinking about uninstalling ICQ, because my friends now turn to Skype and MSN Messanger. But now I will keep it.

Today, I also received my first comment from someone, I do not know, who regularly reads these lines. This was also surprising. I still cannot believe that anybody might be interested in the strange thoughts of an overweighted, technical gadgets loving, single (but not searching - have I found yet?...) middle-aged man, who is in a kind of quarter-life crisis (shall I enter the humanitarian aid world...) and who is not sure whether the decision to move into a house was a wise one (no worries, dear colleague, I will move in on Saturday and I will enjoy it. I just hate moving.) So, where was I stuck? Yes. I have unknown readers.

I also hope that my Doktorvater will like what I have edited. I am far behind my schedule for my Ph.D. and I am not sure, whether I will can allocate more time to it. Yesterday, I wanted to update my bibliography and I ended up being taken out by a neighbour because she wanted company and a reason for not working too late. Today, I wanted to start early on the bibliography update and the editing of the letter/email to my Ph.D. supervisor (German: Doktorvater). But guess what? Yes, I had dinner with one of my American colleagues. Okay, I asked him for a reference letter before, so I could not turn down his invitation to dinner. I just think, I will have to learn to say "No".

Speaking of saying "No": I did clearly signal a "No" recently, and I am still proud of it - but I will not mention the occasion here. Just so much it was just a completely inappropriate offer, which still causes me some headaches. Those who speak German or know someone who speaks German, may check out the respective attempt of a logic decision making process in a previous blog.

Supersize me - no thanks

2005-06-15T23:13:00.000+03:00

Finally, someone - no not someone: The New York Times reveals what I have been preaching for years. Fashion is not made for small brickshit houses like me. Being 5.55 (1.69m), I hardly find any fashionable cloths, which fit.

Okay. Admitted. Whoever has seen me, knows that I am not so much into fashion. But in principle I would like it. Oh, now I sound stupid. Okay, another attempt. When I want to buy blue jeans (yes, I like them!), it is hard to find some, which are not designed for androgynous men. Fortunately, a lovely female fellow student took me on a shopping tour, when I came back from the U.S. in 2001. She showed me an amazing fashion shop, which immediately showed me stuff I liked. Furtermore, the salespersons and my friend decided what would look good on me and even now, some four years later, the same salespersons recognise me and I really enjoy shopping there.

But when it comes to business outfits, it had been a nightmare until I changed to tailor-made suits. Okay, this sounds snobbish, doesn't it? Of course, I do not wear them (often) in Uganda. Actually, I almost never wear a suit here. Just a pair of trousers, a shirt and a neck tie.

Speaking of shopping: I am still undecided on whether I should buy a real watch, therefore I postponed the decision until December. Based on the place I will work at by then (and the salary), I will make a final decision, whether I will make me a nice Christmas present or not.

And did you watch "Supersize me"? I watched it on the plane from Nairobi to Dubai the other day. And guess, what I had for lunch in Dubai? Right!. A Quarterpounder, French fries and a big Coke ;-)

New Department

2005-06-14T22:51:00.000+03:00

Well, since just recently, I am in this new department and it is so familiar. Men making commonly known jokes, deals, tickets, rates, quotes - all those very familiar vocabulary. I am back into trading. Unfortunately, "only" as an advisor. However, it makes me thinking again about what I should (or shall I say will) do from September onwards.

Months ago I met a peacekeeper and I really appreciate their work (I mentioned it before) and I had a look at their website... But actually, I think, I would not qualify for them. My profile is just too different. Had I studied what I initially wanted... Well, but it is too late to complain about it, I guess.

Nevertheless, I appreciate to be among "men" again, which whom I can speak about favourite beer sorts and other favourite liquors and who are looking forward to a beer (or more) after office on next Friday. Before, I was surrounded by born again christians, who - I assume - did not really appreciate my life style. I like to have some drinks on the weekend but (un?) fortunately I can always remeber what happened the next morning. But instead of going to church, I like to run in the morning and read the newspapers.

So, I guess, I will have some good laughters with the new colleagues, although their expectations will cause some sleepless nights... It is indeed a challenge!

Ever thought about buying a watch?

2005-06-12T23:22:00.000+03:00

I do not mean a usual 60 EUR Swatch, I mean a real watch. A watch you buy and give to your son[1]. So I have been tempted to buy one for years and now I have bought this watch magazine which portrays two of my favourite candidates… Well, basically it means no holidays[2] this year. And there is also the common “rule” that one never buys an expensive watch but get it as a gift. But lacking a significant other[3], I think I can disobey this general convention and buy one, can’t I?

[1] Or if you are in the lucky position to have more than one, you can buy more than one „real“ watch, isn’t that cool? And for the girls, you may have to find something different unless they like men’s watches, which is probably not very likely.

[2] My last „real“ holiday was ten years ago in Norway. I do not count the short trips and the trip after graduation. The latter was not really relaxing: Eight male graduates on a small Greek island…

[3] This should NOT be read as „I am desperately looking for someone“!

Hm, what shall I write about?

2005-06-12T18:17:00.000+03:00

I am happy. I do not why, but since I am back, I enjoy being back home again. Everything and everybody is so familiar.

What has not changed is my terrible failure to remember names. I cannot help it. On Wednesday, I spoke with someone and could remember her name and on Friday again but yesterday, I did not know her name any more. Unfortunately, she and her friends still knew my name. What a shame. So wird das nie was mit den Frauen - just kidding. There has no further intention been involved. She has a boyfriend in New York.

Yesterday, we wanted to join the Mexican party at the Marines' House. Considering the start at 4 p.m. (for the kids), it turned out to be over at 7.30 p.m., when we arrived.

Anyway, I trained my French during a nice dinner (admitted: I trained it passively by just listening), during which I learnt a lot about the complexity of humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. So, it was basically the first hand experiences about which I read before. Shocking, eye opening and thrilling. I wished I could say the same about my job...

Another shocker after midnight: The Sheraton seems to pick up business on the weekend again. Astonishing.

War in the DR Congo

2005-06-11T14:56:00.000+03:00

When I was in Germany, I was surprised to find the situation in the DR Congo portrayed in various publications. From the F.A.Z. to the German edition of the Playboy, they all wrote about the forgotten war in the Congo. This morning, I found a more analytical article in the Economist compared to e.g. the one in the Playboy (well, this is not really surprising since the latter is only famous for its interviews, isn't it).

However, instead of comparing these completely different publications, I would like to focus your attention on another forgotten cruel war, which should have stopped years ago. Just read the following excerpt and judge yourself:

"Congo: Africa's unmended heart"
(...)
Even by the standards of war, some of the atrocities in eastern Congo are shocking. Zainabo Alfani, for example, was stopped by men in uniform on a road in Ituri last year. She and 13 other women were ordered to strip, to see if they had long vaginal lips, which the gunmen believed would have magical properties. The 13 others did not, and were killed on the spot. Zainabo did. The gunmen cut them off and then gang-raped her. Then they cooked and ate her two daughters in front of her. They also ate chunks of Zainabo's flesh. She escaped, but had contracted HIV. She told her story to the UN in February, and died in March.
(...)
The Economist, 9th June 2005

Some friends of mine are regularly on peacekeeping mission in the DR Congo and the company I currently work for advises two universities in the DR Congo, thus I have had an idea of what has been going on there. However, I fear that the situation might not improve soon. And given the fact that there shall be election within the next 12 months (well I am pessimistic and do not believe that there will be an election by the end on June), the (artificial) equilibrium will be destroyed and I fear that war will break out again. Unless, the peacekeepers use their weapons and/or western investors send mercenaries...

Okay, and now I realise that I should go back and read some "good" books to get my peaceful mind back in order... I am astonished how many times, I became angry reading about "failing" or slowly progressing peace mission and my first idea has happened to be intervention with brute force instead of seeking compromises through negotiations.

Is this a sign of:

wisdom, i.e. negotiations will always fail when different tribes/people have troubles in Africa?
desperation, i.e. no other means of conflict resolution has been successful?
ignorance, i.e. let them kill each other?

I am not sure. I just want them to realise that one can live with each other peacefully. But what if they stop their violence? How can on ensure an sustainable peace knowing that some of the fellow Congolese were involved in the war and killed? Is it really possible to forgive them? What about the next generations?

I am German and I am still surprised and happy that we were forgiven by most and I do not want a genocide or any other act against humanity to happen again.

Why can't we just realise that a liberal society, where everybody respects each other, is best for all of us? Why do people still enforce their will with pure force? And why do I consider to intervene with pure force, too?

If I had a weapon and had witnessed the inhuman acts of the soldiers as cited above - I honestly would not know what I had done... I would proabably have lost my temper and I believe it would be just. Nevertheless, I admire everybody on peacekeeping missions. But please do intervene if non-combattants are attacked. I believe they deserve undoubtedly protection, and this encompasses in those cases the killing of the attackers...

News about Northern Uganda on IRIN

2005-06-10T18:04:00.000+03:00

Today it was Uganda Day on Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). There were eight articles about the situation in the North of Uganda on IRIN. I recommend to read them all. It reflects the challenges posed by the amnestie granted for those rebels that surrender and the problems faced by former LRA child soldiers when they come back to their villages. Furthermore, there are also interviews with the President and a prosecutor from the ICC.

http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=47568&SelectRegion=East_Africa&SelectCountry=UGANDA

Feminism

2005-06-10T00:12:00.000+03:00

Finally, I "found" a feminist, who reflects my points of view... It reflects a well balances liberal school of thoughts. Finally:

http://www.ifeminists.net/index.php
http://www.lewrockwell.com/mcelroy/mcelroy-arch.html

Joke: Blond girls and emails

2005-06-08T15:03:00.000+03:00

Ein Mann gräbt gerade seinen Vorgarten um, als seine Nachbarin, auffallend hübsch, aber auch auffallend blond, zu ihrem Briefkasten gerannt kommt, diesen öffnet und anschließend laut wieder zuknallt. Der Mann denkt sich nichts böses und schuftet weiter, bis Sekunden später die Blondine erneut erscheint, wieder den Briefkasten öffnet und ihn ein weiteres mal laut zuknallt. Der Mann ist leicht irritiert, arbeitet jedoch weiter. Als dann aber die Blondine ein drittes mal zur Tür herauskommt, den Briefkasten öffnet und lauter und wütender als je zuvor zuknallt, kann der Nachbar seine Neugierde nicht mehr weiter zügeln und fragt: "Gnädigste, haben Sie ein Problem?" "Das will ich meinen", ruft die Blondine voller Wut, "mein Computer behauptet felsenfest, ich hätte Post!"

Joke: Roles in marriage

2005-06-08T14:57:00.000+03:00

Ein junges Paar in der Hochzeitsnacht. Der Mann, ein muskulöser Protz, schmeißt seine Hosen auf das Bett und sagt: "OK, zieh dir diese an!" Sie tut es und sagt: " Sie passen nicht, sie sind viel zu groß!"

"Genau", sagt er. "Ich bin der Mann in der Familie und hab die Hosen an. Das darfst du niemals vergessen!"

Sie wirft ihm ihr Höschen hin: "Versuch doch diese einmal!" Das Höschen geht bis an seine Knie und nicht weiter. "Verdammt!" sagt er. "Ich komm nicht rein!" "Genau!" sagt sie, "und so wird es auch bleiben, bis Du deine Einstellung änderst !!!

Coldplay X&Y

2005-06-06T18:07:00.000+03:00

This is a fucking brillant album. Awesome!

When we were young...

2005-06-06T00:28:00.000+03:00

I love it. I have received this one several times I can still enjoy it and that is why I post it:

Vor 20 Jahren...
Als ich noch ein Kind war, haben mich die Erwachsenen immer zu Tode gelangweilt mit ihren ätzenden Abhandlungen über ihre eigene ach so harte Jugend, und wie schwer sie es hatten auf dem 25 Kilometer langen Fußmarsch zur Schule jeden morgen, Hin- und Rückweg immer bergauf und barfuss in ganzjährigen Schneestürmen die jüngeren Geschwister huckepack zu den einräumigen Schulgebäuden tragend und trotzdem immer ein glattes Einser Zeugnis gehabt trotz ihres Vollzeitjobs nach der Schule in der Fabrik für 35 Pfennig die Stunde um die Familie vor dem Hungertod zu bewahren!

Und ich hatte mir geschworen, wenn ich erwachsen werden würde, den Jugendlichen niemals so einen Bullshit aufzutischen wie schwer ich es hatte, und wie leicht die es haben................

Aber...
Nun, da ich das reife Alter von 30 erreicht habe, kann ich es nicht mehr verleugnen...
Die Jugend von heute hat es so verdammt gut! Ich meine, verglichen mit meiner Jugend lebt ihr im Traumland Utopia! Und ich hasse es zu sagen, aber ihr Kids von heute wisst gar nicht , wie gut Ihr es habt!

Ich meine, als Kinder hatten wir kein Internet. Wenn wir was wissen wollten, mussten wir in die Bücherei gehen und es uns verdammt noch mal selbst raussuchen!

Und es gab keine Email. Wir mussten tatsächlich Briefe schreiben, mit einem Stift auf Papier! Und dann mussten wir den ganzen Weg zum Briefkasten um die Ecke gehen und es dauerte manchmal eine ganze verdammte Woche, bis das Teil ankam!

Und da war kein MP3 oder Napster! Wenn du Musik klauen wolltest, musstest Du zum Plattenladen gehen und dir die Riesen-Platten selbst stehlen! Oder wir mussten den ganzen Tag am Radio warten um Lieder auf Kassetten aufzunehmen und dann hat der Moderator ins Ende reingelabert und alles versaut!

Wollt ihr wirklich wissen, was hartes Leben ist? Man konnte nicht einfach Sex downloaden! Du musstest einen Penner mit ´ner Flasche Schnaps bestechen, um dir einen Playboy vom Kiosk zu besorgen! Entweder so, oder du musstest dich mit den Damenunterwäsche-Seiten aus dem Otto Katalog begnügen! Das waren deine Möglichkeiten.

Wir hatten nicht diesen ganzen technischen Kram wie Anklopfen beim Telefon. Wenn du telefoniert hattest und jemand wollte dich anrufen, war besetzt! Und wir hatten nicht diese Display-Teile auf dem Telefon. Wenn's klingelte, hattest Du nicht den blassesten Schimmer, wer dran war. Konnte Dein Boss sein, Deine Mutter, Dein Drogendealer oder ein Geldeintreiber, du hattest keine Ahnung, musstest abnehmen und das Risiko eingehen...

Und Handys hatten wir schon gar nicht! Um was mit Freunden zu besprechen, mussten wir da hinlatschen, wo unsere Eltern uns nicht hören konnten.

Wenn die Straßenlichter angingen, hatten wir zuhause zu sein, sonst gab's den Arsch voll!

Gar nicht zu reden von den modernen Spielkonsolen mit hochauflösender 3D Grafik und 895 Megadings Sound und so. Wir hatten mit Glück einen Atari mit Spielen wie Space Invaders und Asteroids und die Grafiken waren schlicht Scheiße! Du warst ein kleines Quadrat auf der Scheibe und musstest deine Fantasie benutzen! Und nix mit verschiedenen Levels oder so. Immer und immer das gleiche Bild.

Im Kino gab's keine ansteigenden Sitzreihen. Alle Reihen waren auf einer Ebene und wenn vor Dir ein Großer saß, hast Du nix mehr gesehen!

Klar, wir hatten dann auch Farbfernsehen. Aber da waren 3 Sender, das Erste, das Zweite und das Dritte. Einige hatten auch DDR 1 oder ORF. Aber wir hatten kein Kabel und keinen Videotext! Du hast in die Hörzu gesehen, wenn Du wissen wolltest, was es gibt. Und es liefen schon gar nicht den ganzen Tag irgendwo Musikvideos wie auf VIVA oder MTV. Nein, wir mussten verdammt noch mal warten bis Peter Illmann mit seiner Formel 1 jeden Samstagabend uns die neuesten Hits servierte.....

Versteht ihr kleinen Arschgesichter eigentlich, was ich sage? Das ist genau, was ich meine. Ihr Kids von heute habt es so verdammt gut. Ihr kleinen verweichlichten, verwöhnten, undankbaren Biester habt es viel zu einfach heute.

Vor 20 Jahren hättet ihr keine 5 Minuten ausgehalten!

Leaving Germany... again...

2005-06-05T23:58:00.000+03:00

I am about to leave my apartment in Frankfurt again. I am kind of sad. I like sitting at my late "first" mom's home office desk with the ugly and uncomfortable office chair. Sometimes I am wondering, why I keep them. I do not know why, but there are few things from her left and once I decided to keep it. I have never asked my parents and they never questioned, why I have both. But apparently they have not bothered.

I am not indifferent any more. I know what I want... until I am back in Kampala... I like having my honest friends around me. People I can trust. There are not many of this kin in Uganda and some of them will leave soon. That makes me sad.

I hope that by 17th September 2005 (our second and bigger reunion), I will know, where I will work from October onwards. As I said, right know, I would love to go to the office on 12 Taunusanlage, B tower, 37th floor... Well, we will see.

Tomorrow, Coldplay's new album will be released. I am going to buy one. I will have to cut my stay at the office short in order to have sufficient time to do the last time shopping for my colleagues and also some remaining items for myself. What I have not found and will probably not find is an Egyptian dress, which is unfortunate. So, I will not go there. I do not want to be the only uncool guy without a fancy custume.

Reunions

2005-06-05T20:04:00.000+03:00

Yesterday was the day of reunions.

First, I met my former dancing partner and she still looks as good as some years ago, albeit her three year old son (, who seems to be a very active boy...). Well, all those thoughts and feelings were immediately back... Funny. It was as if nothing has ever changed. Okay, there is now the little boy. Funnier. Last time I saw him was just shortly after my graduation and he was always crying on her arm but not when I held him.

Later we had our 10 years school reunion. I had been indifferent until I was picked up by my friend. Then I became kind of nervous, because I did not know what to expect. But it was great. It was a very nice evening and I am looking forward to our next reunion in September.

Being a Banker in Frankfurt

2005-06-03T09:51:00.000+03:00

I love it. It is all so familiar. The Fressgassfest with men in suits, the ladies in business dresses. And all those beautiful women everywhere... Ah... I ran around in a beige suit yesterday, met some bankers, went shopping in the sun, had a Coke in a posh café and in the evening I ran with some other 58.000 people the JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge.

Today, I have another meeting with my previous employer. Again another day in a suit...

I enjoy Frankfurt. It is a pleasant life if you are here for holidays and interviews only. But it gets tough, when you have to work here. The area I had a meeting with yesterday will be restructured (i.e. people will leave the department/bank), internal competitors strive for more business and do not stop interfering with your business area, mobbing is common, working late/party hard is a must, time for family and friends is scarce but hey! No risk no fun & We are still young!

Hotel Ruanda

2005-06-01T16:12:00.000+03:00

There are probably a lot of movies which one should not watch in a plane if you are sensitive[1]. One of them is definitely “Hotel Ruanda”. I had never intended to see this movie for a good reason. I knew what I would expect and how I would feel about it: Sad, deeply moved and horribly angry. And I was right.

Accidentally I started watching the movie and I could not resist watching it. It started with so very familiar scenes. The same landscape, buildings, cars, etc. It was so similar to Uganda. It was all so familiar. And then all of a sudden (at least for me) the horror started and nobody from the international community intervened. Well, why should they? They had no interest. That was the explanation given in the movie.

And I felt ashamed. I have never been an uninformed person. I have followed the news, yes. But did I care? No, I would be lying if I confirmed. I did not care. I did not!

God, I would nobody ever again experienced such massacres again. I would never ever again the west stay out of the terror hiding behind diplomatic statement like: “Yes we observed acts of genocide.” Jesus, why do those people in charge not use their common sense and intervene for mere humanitarian reasons?

But maybe I am bigot, too. I know about the situation in the North of Uganda and all the other crises regions and do I do enough or even anything against it? I feel extremely helpless.

I am now happy that the movie is over. I had been crying almost constantly during the last hour of the movie or so. But I did not feel ashamed about it. I mean, what human being cannot be touched by watching it.

I honestly hope that this will never ever happen again. But at the same time, I fear that it is still everyday practise in several parts of the world and nobody intervenes. This is just too unfair. It is not just…It is not human…

How can those murderers been called human beings? Do they deserve to be treated, i.e. judged like human beings? Yes. They must, otherwise this vicious circle that needs to be broken. And that is one of the many reasons, why the Bush administration is wrong in having Guantanamo Bay (and maybe even more detention centres we are not aware of.

Please let us stop this! Let it never happen again.

[1] Or more precise: If you tend to start crying if you see people in miserable sitautions.

Bielefeld! I am coming!

2005-05-31T14:06:00.000+03:00

Just three days left until I will be back to my home town. I am so much looking forward to it. Admittedly, I also look forward to the two and a half days in Frankfurt. I really need to get out of this village. Sometimes I feel like being a kindergarten being surrounded by some childishly behaving people. Anyway, I believe the short break will bring everything back into the right perspective.

Welche Reaktion ist richtig?

2005-05-30T22:17:00.000+03:00

Angenommen (völlig losgelöst von irgendwelchen realen Situationen...) die Freundin oder um es noch komplizierter zu machen eine offensichtlich angetrunkene "gute Bekannte" eines Freundes baggert einen an. Wie sollte man regieren?

1) "Angebot" annehmen?

2) Freund erzählen?

ad 1) Nein. So was macht man nicht.[1]
ad 2) Hm.

1) Man erzählt es nicht

a) Freund meint es nicht ernst

i) Sie tut es wieder

(1) Es wird entdeckt – MIST, Freundschaft in Gefahr

(2) Es wird nicht entdeckt – MIST

ii) Sie tut es nicht wieder – irgendwie okay

b) Freund meint es nicht ernst

i) Sie tut es wieder

(1) Es wird entdeckt – okay, Freundschaft in Gefahr

(2) Es wird nicht entdeckt – irgendwie okay

ii) Sie tut es nicht wieder – irgendwie okay

2) Man erzählt nicht

a) Freund meint es nicht ernst

i) Er spricht mit ihr – kleinere Beziehungskrise

ii) Er spricht nicht mit ihr – psychologisch schlecht

b) Freund meint es ernst

i) Er spricht mit ihr

(1) Beziehungskrise

(2) Trennung

ii) Er spricht nicht mit ihr

(1) Sie tut es wieder

(a) Es wird entdeckt – okay, Freundschaft nicht in Gefahr

(i) Beziehungskrise

(ii) Trennung

(b) Es wird nicht entdeckt – irgendwie okay, aber Beziehung hat einen Knacks

(2) Sie tut es nicht wieder – irgendwie okay, aber Beziehung hat einen Knacks

So, und nun muss ich eigentlich nur „Kosten“ und Eintrittswahrscheinlichkeiten zuordnen und dann die Optionen mit den geringsten erwarteten „Kosten“ wählen. Dummerweise ist das reale Leben nicht so einfach wie das Modell.

Ich rede mir im Moment ein, dass ich alles missverstanden habe… Oh, hatte wohl doch einen realen Bezug…[2]

[1] Insbesondere wenn man nichts von der Person will, und sie nicht besonders attraktiv findet.

[2] Dumm nur, dass ich noch ziemlich nüchtern war…

Cheap Weekend

2005-05-30T08:22:00.000+03:00

That was an astonishingly cheap weekend!

Although I had dinner every day, I went out etc., I just spend merely 40.000 UGX for drinks.
So, it obviously pays off to drink water instead of drinks every now and then and being invited for drinks instead of inviting. It goes without saying that it is still obscene if I compare what I spend when I go out with the average Ugandan salary.

Short home leave

2005-05-29T23:53:00.000+03:00

I am honestly looking forward to be able to take a break from this kindergarten here. I need some normal people around me for at least one weekend. It is not a general complaint but I just need a break from some things into which others want to get me involved. I hope that things will be sorted before I come back. Hm, just remebered that others will also leave the country for vacation/business trips. Hm, so I guess my hopes are futile and I have to rely on time and others.