Moby Dick - my reading!

Moby Dick, Or The Whale - book
Herman Melville

A massive story! And, a terrific genre and, writing style plus owesome story telling.

"Call me Ismahel.." the narrator, in my understanding is a wonderful character. I don't know where to place this book: fiction or nonfiction!

The sixteenth or seventeenth century America,  story of a sea farer immigrant, probably second generation, all the way from Afghanistan - his improbable tale is a twisty bizzare fiasco between the Author's yarn and the narrative blurbs!

"Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to Swallow Jonah.." Biblical

In my reading, how do I descern this?

The same Lord probably also prepared this young man Ismahel (Hagar's boy?) - in the Carpet Baggers American generation to follow certain leads and things, go sea faring.

Somewhere in the fiasco of Melville's storyline, the narrator - was like, there were these ancient freak canoes Pacific tribesmen, who, in my understanding dared the Whale and with Spears made a killing!
And, presumably to me, that Argosy sort of finding out - initially sent (Hagar's boy) seeking his first job on the Great White.. Whale unting.

(My extract):
"Finally, I always go to sea as a sailor, because of the wholesome exercise and pure air of the fore-castle deck.. blah blah.

I should now take it into my head to go on a Whaling voyage; this, the invisible Police officer of the fates..
Who has the constant surveillance of me, secretly dogs me, and influences me in some unaccountable way - he can better answer than anyone else.

And doubtless my going on this Whaling voyage formed part of the grand programme of Providence that was drawn-up a long time ago.

It came in as a sort of brief interlude and solo between more extensive performances. I take it that this part of the bill must have run something like this:
"Grand contested Election of the Presidency of the United States. 'WHALING VOYAGE BY ONE ISMAHEL. BLOODY BATTLE IN AFGHANISTAN'".

Though I cannot tell why it was exactly that those stage managers, the fates, put me down for this shabby part of a whaling voyage, when others were set down for magnificent parts in high tragedies..."
(End of my extract)

SHOCKER!
To me, this extract - written by Herman Melville, in the words of the narrator, Ismahel - way back in the 16th or 17th Century seem to have foretold the bloody tragedies of AL QAEDA, TALIBAN and the war with the US ARMY. Played out in the closing years of the 20th Century and, opening years of the 21st Century.

All the more convincing me, that the narrator Ismahel, was a latter-day proxi of Hagar's son!

One needs to revisit biblical Jonah, and trace the exact words God spoke to him and, Jonah's disobedience and, what really transpired on board that ship!
It seems to me that, that ship was a wealth seeker's popular transportation: used by wheat grain traders, spice traders, gold traders, opium smugglers and migrants.

Jonah, running away from God sic.., was the problem! But, panicked ship-mates, threw overboard all the bundle of ambiguous cargo, for fear that something in somebody's cargo was offensive to God - a drama! With God's Whale nearby somewhere in the waters; unknown to all..

My humble deduction is: the men of Salem and New Bedford fighting the whale over the SEVEN SEAS of the global world, made that wealth and, found the medicinal and nutritional solutions for their societies and beyond!
So, what's with COVID-19? - End.

QUANTUM MECHANICS - Discussing solutions: Covid-19

'QUANTUM MECHANICS' - Is the science of the very small. It explains behavior of matter and it's interactivity with energy on the scale of Atom and subatomic particles - so states Wikipedia.

In complete contrast.. to it's predecessor.

'CLASSICAL PHYSICS' - The precursor, is still used in much of modern science and technology.

However, towards the ending of the 19th Century, Scientists discovered phenomena in both the large (macro) and the small (micro) elements that Classical Physics could not explain.

Study interests to descern seemingly challenging inconsistencies between those new phenomena and Classical theories - led to two major revolutions in Classical Physics that created a shift in the original scientific paradigm - the 'Theory of Relativity' and the development of 'QUANTUM MECHANICS'.
Physicists Richard Feynman - says "quantum mechanics deals with nature as she is - absurd".

This "absurdity" amongst other guises, therefore, might prudently give rise to presumptuous uncertainty.

WITH THAT IN MIND..
There is a possible hypothetical question: Could the new virus COVID-19 fall under this definition? And, how might lab scientists deal with 'nature's absurdity' factors - in racing for a quick cure.

MY DISCUSSION

Presumably, yes - as a microscopic element, this new virus might be observed as falling under the 'Quantum Mechanics' definitions, sure.

Because lab scientists already have captured the photographic image of COVID-19. This makes the virus a Quantum Mechanics study and cure research candidate. To further descern the virus and it's 'absurdity' complexities.

How might the lab scientists proceed then?

In my layman view, I see this virus in a bipolar Quantum Mechanics characteristics: as in physics and biology - this dual uni-particle being the classical 'nature's absurdity' Physist Richard Feynman talks about.

At least in my descerning of his meaning, which may actually be something else.. considering that I am only a concerned layman.

Under these circumstances - to determine 'cure' possiblities - one may have to descern (cause) and (effect) and how the virus impact the human body.

On entry into the human body, it doesn't demobilize the nerve center! Already, preliminary report seem to confirm that.

However, like HIV/AIDS, It attacks the body resistance system - disorganizing vitamin C body reserve rendering the respiratory system on the dying side, if you like.

Given that: COVID-19 might be a double character atom; part biological and part physical - however, the photographic image of this atom, seem to suggest something else!
The perfect round shape with short tentacles seem to suggest a non-amoeba and self driving - in substance carriage, like on surface water or any liquid - and still, via the tentacles also self propellant in the air.
Though scientist have the know of it's short life outside or in hot temperature.


How then, does it multiply?

Three or four dimensional structure and, non- amoeba - the image seem to also suggest some kind of independent movement and adoptability or self reproductive - through the tentacles! The microscopic atom might also have sensors.. through those tentacles!
The absurdly - complexed!!

This might imply, the virus COVID-19 bipolar, invisible to the naked eyes, with unique nuclear self drive and self propellant power!

What are it's weak points that lab scientists might explore?

Probably, demobilizing the tentacles! Like attacking a complex allien space ship! END

The Cronological & Practical History - How did we understand it all..

The Cronological; Practical History - How did we understand it all.

Oh
It had started as a debate. Somehow shifted into an argument. Heated into challenges, then ruptured into this massive actions.

One group had said: 'World is flat like a table' and that, if you sailed directly into the setting sun, your ship would hit the perrenial Maelstrom and disappear down the eternal abyss.

The other had said: 'World is round like a ball' and that, should you sail directly into the sunset, your ship would reappear at the Sunrise East.

The dramatic debate built into outright confrontation: on one side were perceived darkness people, while on the other side were lumenaries - people of light. The Illuminati!

Christianity was still young and slowly spreading across Europe. Crusaders  were forming in South Western Europe.
In Portugal and Spain the successions of those Kings known as the 'Catholic Monarchs' inspired and fired-up the debates and arguments.

In the ports of Servilla new industrial development spread: no longer would slaves row boats at the beat of the drum as they had done for centuries.. on the Mediterranean Sea.

Tuplins, Canvas, Twines manufacturing and larger Ocean going Ships were being built along the ports of Portugal and Spain - and, the new industry was spreading across coastal Europe to as far as Italy and Greece: by the time King Phillip II  ascended, the famous Artwork canvas depicting the Blessed Virgin spreading her hands over the Port strewn with the 'Great Whites' was a new Dawn. The age of the farers, voyagers, discoverers was born! Mothered by the blessed Virgin.

By the fourteen hundreds, the assult on the Oceania had moved out 'Ahoy'!

If you went to Mombasa in Kenya today, you would find a notice board posted outside the entrance of 'Fort Jesus' - on it, is written the dates the Portugese built that Fort.

A light house looking to the East! For it was said that the 'World was round' and, therefore 'Great Whites' that sailed out of the Blessed Virgin's ports in Portugal must see this 'light house'! On arrival onto the known 'Old World' - The African Continent, was part of the mapping of that 'Old World'. And, the point of proof that actually the World was round - should the Ships that sailed into the sunset, suddenly appear from the far East.

Columbus, sailed out. Then Amerigo the Italian hit the New Found Land. Batholomew Diaz went round the west coast of Africa and demonstrated the Cape of Good Hope.

We, the African children sat attentively as we learned about Europe in our classes! Mostly, how you understood it, depended on how dramatic your class teacher was!

So that,  finally, out of the five Great Whites to set sail from the Blessed Portuguese Port, Commanded by Ferdinand Magellan - who dies fighting in the Philippines - one ship made that mission of circumnavigation of Earth. Limping back to home port in Portugal. 1519 - 1522.

In a typical grandiosity, as usual, the glory gets taken away! The story perspective gets hijacked!

So that, the Jesus (Magellan) dies in the Philippines!

On the African Eastern coasts Fort Jesus  is embattled! The Mohammedans constantly attack and assult Fort Jesus! It eventually breaks the will of the Portuguese.
The Sultan of Mombasa (Al Hasan) - supported by three Sultans of Somalia, that of Zanzibar, the spice islands of Pemba, Mafia etcetera

Partnered with the trade wind Emirs from around the old Gulf Emirates - fought off the Portuguese forcing them to shift further South to what is now Maputo, Mozambique - the story perspective had shifted!

The Port of Peace: 'Dar es Salaam', earns it's name as volatility engulf Mombasa and Tip-o-tip's Zanzibar. Trade in slaves flourishing - while spice trade peaks in the Islands of Pemba and Mafia. Thus far, I am not so sure we the African pupils got it wrong.

THE NEW ERA:

George Stephenson (1781 - 1848) makes landmark invention that gives old England a new sense of direction. The original prototype steam engine is developed into two massive engines: for the Train (originally designed to run on rails by the inventor) and, for a whole new entirely Iron bodyworks Ocean going Ships.

Then, the Treaty of Berlin happens - 1885.

The scrumble for Africa begins. England already had India under the Victorian Crown.

It was as easy as writing 'one' figuratively, for the British to create the linkage between India and Mombasa - now vacated by the Portuguese.

William Mackinnon and initial partner open-up the 'Mackinnon - Sclater' road, 970 kilometers of hand dug 'Ox-Cart' track from Mombasa to Busia.

Mackinnon, was an early investor into the massive George Stephenson ideas. Barely five years after the Treaty of Berlin, with Mackenzie floated a Royal Chattered 'Colonial Enterprise': IBEAC - Imperial British East Africa Company - 1888.
Mackinnon was to be knighted and, also made the Administrator of Uganda from 1890 to 1894 when IBEAC was desolved by the British Government - prior to the declaration of 'Uganda Protectorate'.

1896 to 1901, the railway lines, built by the Mackinnon/Mackenzie alliances back in Britain, were layed by the British Government - Mombasa to Kisumu.

CONCLUSIVELY

A huge part of this cronological history and, it's overarching spirituality and religious background is kleidioscopic with many cut-out parts.

It is my belief and conviction, that, we Africans suffer loss of base material knowledge here.

Which is why, we do not identify clearly, the values inherent in the infrastructural development and or maintenances. END

FOREIGN CHARITY & LOCAL COMMUNITY...

WORLD EMBRACE - a Canadian Charity, on an outreach program finds us, the people of Paliga a possibility host, for their ideal project.

A first experience for our, a little shy and hugely interested community.

'This is an opportunity, you should hold and value'.. so said Gulu's Chairman L C 5 Ojara Mapenduzi who attended the introductory sessions.

Indeed, if all goes well, my people of Paliga, in Gulu Northern Uganda becomes, like many communities around the Country, a unit in the statistics of foreign investment beneficiaries - Uganda Government's prime program is making accessibilities between organizations and local community even easier and, simpler.

We are duely and diligently trying to shape things between us and, enter the pipeline stages - where we also look forward to government officials playing their parts and help us package our interests and wants.

On the whole, there is enthusiasm - we are also learning each other: the foreign organization and the local community.. this is not a project to be bogged down by pertinent issues and vain individualism. Ours, is an act by two groups: one foreign and one local - pursuant of projects under a legal frame work definitions.
We as the locals, are encouraged that Government prefers that our interests be thus developed on the basis of our common understanding. END

Some reflections on Germany...

Some reflections on Germany

'Die Alter’ – was an aging crime detective, series. Nearly entirely non-violent, a subtle German crime drama whose dragnets by 1980s standard – painstakingly wrapped up into some huge plot of conversant suspense..
To grip you on the edge – till next week!
Too short, so tasty, so gripping and entertaining to even hold attention of minors.. an A+ for a detective drama with little or no violence. The 'Old Fox', (English title) like 'Football made in Germany' were at a German public 5x frontier… a clever design of reprieve; a bailout from the accident; created by hardmanship of NAZI Germany. It was the making of the 'break' and shift of the new gear!
An automatic this time – the German Autobahn reeked of leaded nearly perfumed atmosphere. More than anything else apart from the heavier lanes, to and from work drive of the 1980s were fan-times.. leading European popular magazines said so…
 Certainly, hazards also occurred but, people didn’t have to actually dwell on them; it was the 1980s and, Mentality and the paradigm were on the shift – 20th Century was about to turn into 21st, and the universe was racing itself into another Millennium…
 Around the world there was new thinking, space exploration had picked up; in the US, 'Voyager 1’ was launched 1984.
Impetus for better, greater livelihood were in the making; the races were on and fasting away.. research, design, art and high-tech – promises of tomorrow that was yet to come! Were in the works in 'Silicone Valley' – occasionally the inspiring glimpses reached out to our third world as well. More and more third worlders picked on overseas traveling. O! The 1980s was traveling time. Unsponsored traveling; we Africans went overseas Europe, Dubai and elsewhere to learn or, for those of us not blessed with formality, we went there to experience. We were apparently a different kind of challenge… a decade earlier, another type had travelled Europe from elsewhere around the world. 'Toramolinos' Was a traveler novel I read those years; youth from around the world travelled to that city. The trends setting had began – the baby boomers generation of post Hitler had started it all. The generation of 'terror international' had followed. By the time I went to exile in Germany, the fire and passion of that baby boomers generation were dying down.
Suddenly, slum-bang! 'Berlin Wall' comes down! 1989..
What! And what is happening? Noh nischt!  NATO and the RED ARMY?
'Providentially quiet'
And true as Providence had it, this time the 'Old Fox' country was ransomed! War to the third worlders'
In the early hours of the ‘Crystal Night’ Jesus had said, in his own skirmish of all skirmishes; 'in the.. crow of the Cock… you will deny me!'
There is a privately and individually founded and built Church of the ‘Grand Denial’ with a Calvary scene by it’s throne side… stands grandly by the River Mainz, in Seligenstadt, Germany. I am inclined to believe that, there could have been no other spiritual purposes for an individual founding it. St. Peter’s and Marcellinous is Catholic, though founded privately. It is logical to align German's wartime misfortune to the night spiritually represented by this Church… to me, nothing elsewhere explains it better. Vatican research Authors like old Morris or Brown might someday clarify this part.
What caused the separation and what caused the reunification! Regrettable to me though, was the mindless brutality that took my daughter’s life one winter night, in Berlin – or how she was over many years, primed for that cold night.
Life among the Germans back then, (1986/88) was simple; do as they want you to do. A stoical unmouthed question seem to always hang loose.. what have you come here for? What do you want with us… don’t you see we are what we are.. and you won’t ever fit in it?
'Die Alter’ is without a doubt a humbled giant, he will deeply tolerated you; if he is intimidated a bit, it is by your typically African ignorance. Educated or uneduc'.
But rest assured you will live safe and even VIP life in the old country. Only, never will you get.. your dreams come true 'pound of flesh'– only what you can spend!
That much the 'Old Fox’ is the fox he is. Many a young African have trained in media, law, engineering, Journalism, tourism – returned to African shining stars, only for their light to blink-off! Or amber down to a deem glow.
‘Die Alter' kinmanship is strangely effective; just as you were about to return to your country, you might not feel or know it, but you are defused – there is a long think line.. whatever you do is automatically defused. Ruin is the name of that game! Stigma is that much ruinous – death of Daniela was the mad capper! The illogical bizarreness! Perhaps the hidden underlings!
Even then, there is so much to learn from the 'Old Fox’, best are the things you carry inside your head.. those you can later practice on your own. 'Die Alter’ prefers actually that you do it yourself. Germans don’t very much like hanging-on for dependency purposes sort of thing. Just do your own thing. Then get going – but stubbornly Africans more often like to overstay the hospitality!  For women, the 'Old Fox’ reputably has this soft spot for them – there is always this or that unique situations and, matters arising.. but otherwise, ‘Die Alter’ is very much easy with the African women.
German African development remain at average because, the Old Fox actually do not create stars out of anybody who is not of their kinmanship – it becomes 'corruption' by their principles and policies – meaning that anything given to an individual African, say, will eventually reflect negatively in subsequent years even on the giver! A permanent and evolutionary process of societal Audit.. will eventually find fault with some given values. Your star prize Award might be stained and tainted!
My family and I went to exile in Germany by a grand spirituality design – not by some cheap personal 'nice eating' diaspora interests.
The 'hand that taketh' – in the huge mix, stigma, ransom and things, why be the one to wither-off…
A young German/French lady, was our spirituality tow.. she did the 'Kite’ running back in the early 1980s. In Kampala of the old gun rattled Disco nights – my wife Genevieve, still living in Germany, was still a girlfriend of a few months – and soon to be fresher at Makerere University.
Long story short… French/German chic and I entangle on our bed with Genevieve – morning after, detective staff sergeant Bonny Okot and two (French/German) diplomats in a convoy spot the chic stepping out of the 'Three Stars' hotel near the Railway Station in Kampala and, chic is whisked away to Entebbe Airport. Huck Finn was still dribbling upstairs when it all happened!
(Sam u Gwe..) shoe shiners spill the 'Beans' story…
The dribbling has been going on for some thirty years plus… and to this day Lakery has been in the dark about the white lady in our life… I am moved to share this potion of our life because of the threats on my livelihood. People who don’t know anything in my father's family – are judges with impunity threatening me over matters that are personal to my life and that of my family – they don’t have the mind it takes, to understand the core spirituality involved, yet they persist with their own vainness. I have to say this, because my daughter was MURDERED in Berlin. And, people are sourcing money from the Germans – purportedly as silencer on the matter since I am not man enough to f**k my way into wealth! Ethics of today apparently dictates that, f**King is the undoing of everything that binds us to our suffering…
I think that may be so in the f**King political and other formal ethical fields… however, for some of us who merely made love to our spouses and so never f**ked them to death – we don’t know anything about extraordinary f**King that qualify some one towards graft. I have lost my daughter… however it had not occurred to me that, it all happened so that a few people access wealth – this stigmatism is hurting me!

Personal initiative - hallmark of the Arts

Personal initiative - hallmark of the Arts!

WRITING is an art. I am a little bit dismayed, that some of the things happening in the field of ‘literary developments’ in Northern Uganda Schools, seems to be pre-designated to discourage ‘literature’ among pupils and students in Northern Uganda.

One wouldn’t envisage it otherwise! Given certain negative factors often highlighted in the newspapers.

In the ‘Daily Monitor’ report seen in this picture below, it is disturbing to note that, a Schools ‘Essay writing competition’ targeting lower education and, above all organized by ‘Bank of Uganda’, should end on such a note.

[By Cissy Makumbi – Daily Monitor Monday August 1^st, 2016 – in part reads]:

“GULU – The principal education officer at the Ministry of Education and national coordinator Essay Competition, Mr. George Mutekanga, has said District Education Officers whose schools failed to show up at the Regional Essay Competition will be subjected to disciplinary action. Mr. Mutekanga made the remarks while officiating at the regional essay competition – at the Bank of Uganda, Gulu Branch, on Wednesday…”

It is not so easily believable, that this actually happened in Gulu. The story of writing in the Acholi land Northern Uganda has very fertile roots in the personifications of these great Acholi sons, who did it all in ‘the box’ as it were; poet ‘Professor Okot p’Bitek’ rip (Song of Lawino and others), Professor Ocitti JB rip (Acholi Stories), Professor Dr. Alexander Odonga rip (Acholi Fables), Onyango KuDongo (topics on Luo) and, many others known and unknown Acholi writers, who over the many-many years, were the early generation contributors’ to ‘literary inspirations’ in the Acholi land.    

What moves me to come-out, and weigh-in on this matter, is the simple fact that – going by the little detail report I captured off the pages of the Daily Monitor – the BOU essay writing project should have been fully embraced by the local Schools.

There is certainly no ‘but you see…’ lame excuses here. I am another personification of the fertile roots of writing in the Acholi land, and I did it all outside the box! So how do Acholi pupils and students chicken out of an essay  writing competition?

I think, unfortunately, many people are not telling nothing at all… if that impress upon you anything at all! How do whole and entire regional schools be termed “Dodgers” of a Bank of Uganda essay-writing project? Where do all these proud and ‘GREAT’ fathers, sons and daughters actually materialize? If suddenly, not all their children feature on such schools creative essay writing challenges…

The finding I bumped into sometimes ago and, banked off – only to have reason to recollect it this morning, does not impress me! Nor does it challenge me either. As a writer of a researched book – all these anger me.

One S4 student recently impressed me though – donning a T-Shirt with the inscriptions [School Writing Club] – she instantly grabbed my full attention.

I was walking to Gulu town from the direction of St. Mary Hospital Lacor [my village home side], and so were a group of three or four girls. I strike conversation with the T-Shirt girl…

“I am a member of our School Writing Club because I want to become an Author” she says it so powerfully I, actually laughed and, believed her!

“What is your name?” I ask

“Jud Piyoo” came the toothy all inspired reply – we talked at length and she exhibited character and composure. I liked her straight and felt fatherly to her.

By the time we reached the Customs Corner roundabout, she had passed my basic test on reading, by narrating the “Merchant of Venice”. A child of the arts, I finally conclude and qualified her.  

How then does this Bank of Uganda schools essay writing challenge draw nothing from Gulu schools, but “Dodgers” who must be “punished?” According to the Daily Monitor piece.

“Not all that glitters are gold”! So goes an old adage.

If the story of the Gulu BOU essay ‘dodgers’ might stick, then Gulu and indeed, the sub-region as a whole has a very prickly observer – watching over its literary developments with ill intentions. Or, these might be the new signs and symptoms of a very bad disease killing formal literary developments.  

I am an Author [The Water Trap] who developed as a freelance writer – I walked [off-the box] all my reading and writing life. People who are overcome by their own achievements as [in box developed] – often downgrade me “The Water Trap – was not written by him,” they say! I was for a while psychologically reduced to nothing by the doubting Thomas’s vainglory…

Now I am all positive - these are all non-performers and breeds of the jealous – Sir Samuel Baker SS recently closed down! Some students in jail… aha ha ha… I know these are sons of very proud parents!   

I am self-published, though the Thomas’s want to belittle what I have so far achieved and accomplished, I can defend my own book anytime, anywhere… so really, whose children are the “dodgers” – and who are their bizzare teachers anyway?    Talk about pride and prejudices, in the sometimes-stark stupid fields of education in Uganda… 

Radicalization of an Individual & Radicalism of the Individual

Radicalization of an Individual & Radicalism of the Individual

Sam Mwaka-karama

Long, long before everyone was born to what is now ‘Intellectual knowledge’ – especially here in Africa – the British among the developed, had long since formulated the thinking of how to isolate and, victimize an individual.

The philosophy in this conceptualization assumes, actually rather wrongly, that once isolated the individual victim of the process of radicalization – will [always] mentally plunge into the abysmal characteristic of despair and degeneration. Moreover, cut-off thus, from his normal path in life, the individual begins exhibiting unfriendly… even abusive temperament.

How is this so? In the first concept, the victim is a subject of study among a malicious group of either peers or even just plain stigmatizing haters! The practice in radicalizing the individual is formulated in such a way that the victim individual finds himself the subject of ‘practical jokes’… as in palaver.

Be like – you are walking down the street. Perhaps you are bypassing a coffee shop with an apt name like; [(Bamboo) Bicycle Café] in your home town – like mine is Gulu in Northern Uganda. Or even the Abyssinian [chronicle] café.

Suddenly, as you walk-by – a shower of raucous laughter washes after you accompanied by a single clapping of the palms.

It is familiar – more like some common music played on some Fm Radio station all the time – you don’t even bother to look over your shoulder. It is a group of white skinned people. Yah! You always know they hail from the white man countries abroad – an assortment of either trotters, research students or other individual interest travelers – actual NGO workers and group tourists do not behave like that. You, yet again ignore the ‘virus’ load in their loud conversations.

The overly manifested intellectual malaise is actually the ways and means by which [you] the individual is being radicalized – the well-honed technique is supposedly guaranteed to yield a result! In that you the victim would (as in will…) most certainly turn back and annoyed or more appropriately mad! Hurl back a barrage of vile insults in your own mother tongue – or something.

NOW provoked – the real Men would get-up and, the security personnel nearby would be signaled to deal with you – actually [you] are insulting tourism! Because the lunatic you are, you were heard and seen insulting white skinned men and women who were quietly cooling their tired day, taking [their evening coffee] – so you are a disgrace to your country and people. So thus, radicalized by this well-honed intellectual strategy, you were dumped in jail!

This rather desolate battlefield has seen many an African of the writing ethics… ruined! Once you were identified with short-fused temperament, as researched among your kinship, [you] were considered the easy prey! Therefore, the game begins. I don’t have to name anybody, but history has it that many well renowned African writers of very high educational qualifications have been victims in this trade!

Some African political leaders equally, have been molested by this factor – if some leaders were short-fused, at least one might have been heard shouting back [fake news – fuck you]. Such a leader knows the cocoon of ‘supremacists’ malaise.

But then a TALANTA is a TALANTA… what they, the Supremes imagine were their own spirituality guarded fields of inspirations – have been seal-broken. ‘The New, New World Economic Order’ is founded, on the predictions of the version. The analog Millennium is by-gone! And now 17 years into the digital Millennium – it might be vain actually, to still play clearly outdated games of malice.  

Contemporary Africa, in this digital millennium – may have bypassed their way into working directly with heavy weight American or British or indeed European companies and institutions. This is a point of raw challenge to other more ordinary intellects in those countries… but then it is the path!

Africans are hooked to the European and British football betting mania… how do you [a supremacist] stop those betting millions make and willingly lose money on that International Soccer Industry?

You want an African self made and published Author – drop out of that online book publishing and marketing American company, so that you [the supremacist] gain what?

Don’t you see that one way or the other – the individual you want very much to radicalize – is more and more a real or potential significant unit in the income of those who create such online companies?

 In addition, don’t you see that, your radicalization of the individual - no longer exists; What Ngugi or Wole, or P’Bitek lost as misappropriated by the old African writers’ series are now a bygone.

In that [maybe] they did not produce their work by their own hands [Dictaphones and secretary typewriters etcetera…] – that was different from today’s method of manuscript development and production […S3] or [PhD] we all now have the laptops, Hi Pads and Modems. Add that to a smart phone and, you, the supremacist, might never know how the modern African make his “Smart Money”. Why don’t you stop victimization and radicalization? The old game is up!

Even bad as it were, ‘Radicalism of the Individual’ is, as well bygone – those who made themselves radicals and changed governments – might not ever commonly recur! And, not very many people in Africa want to walk that jungle anymore anyway. Only national mayhem makers of anarchy.***        

  

Café Culture – café life – and now, café death?

Café Culture – café life – and now, café death?

I consider myself lucky [for once], to have been born about five years after the end of World War Two. Going by what several early writers, I have read, did say of the fifteen years after WW II – those fifteen years were said to have been “baby boom” period worldwide. Populations began to explode – and life style came to be definable. Moreover, among them was the “café culture”.

Sidewalk café had become a big thing. In other words it was the new ‘café life’ style.

Journalists and photographers spiced their newspapers and magazines with [life] loaded pictures that gave business to the sidewalk newspaper stalls. Even here in Africa, where I write from – the sidewalk café became the point of popular contact making…

The spot where deals and multi-million businesses were hatched and clinched. The café was a living place – many marriages were sparked at the café.

Out there in the greater world - the dress code also came to be known as pacesetting fashions. With designers often, scripting or doodling their design outlines on the sidewalk café. Landscapers and architects visualized their concepts from the sidewalk cafes.

Great Novelists, men and women, were often spotted candid, brooding over their many-many book plots on the sidewalk café… in all the leading cities of the World.

The compact American suit, Stetson and cowboy boots – were dropped for a pair jeans and T-shirt [James Dean & Marlon Brando] ‘50s looks changed everybody – as we were growing up – to later consume all that in vast literatures of the world and, the Hollywood movies created out of them throughout the 1960s and 70s. We read and watched them all.

……………………………………………………………………

The Internet Café – did not emerge out of the blue, as the younger generations born after the 1960s seem – not to imagine!

The ‘Café Culture’ has a history… it is therein that writers, authors, thinkers, designers, artists, architects and later software engineers evolved.

In the early days of the [personalized] computer, was the [Java script] – the first time I became aware of that software. I was reminded of Java, which is a place somewhere in the vast Indonesian Islands.

Many fantastic ‘Java [movie] Scripts’ shot by Hollywood groups in Indonesia with lead characters like ‘Brad Harris’ sent us lining up the box-office in Kampala Cinemas – that time run by Asians.

So when some two years or so ago, when I re-visited Kampala and, there it was [Café Java] – where now Kampala’s young enjoy each-other’s company, I was amazed in a different kind of way!

Meaning that, I see a lot more than the average – though I am sure, my type of fellows do exist around the world. Those who have lived and survived through the entire post WW II evolution - that characterize the milestones our contemporary civilizations are actually made of or hooked to.

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I am sure though that if ever they exist anywhere in the world [I don’t want to Google out] – anything called [Café Death or Death Café]. Or even enter into or sit on the sidewalk table of one.

Because I believe completely that, the “Café Culture” has always been pro-life. The World’s Arts and Sciences were thought-out and written by very creative writers and authors who were consumers of the Coffee. If ever there was anything called so… then at the background of the founding mind – is HIV/AIDS. I say this without any disrespect to entrepreneurship ideas and principles. Though, even the mad-mad scientist who created the virus might have been or is a consumer of Coffee. Which perhaps to a certain point - justifies the existence of the ‘Death Café’.

       

Racial Privilege & Discrimination is a form of 'roots'denial...

Racial Privilege & Discrimination is a form of ‘roots’ denial…

Sam Mwaka-karama

Probably the most exhaustively analyzed, studied, discussed and written social enigma of modern times is the concept of “discrimination” and distinctly, it is ‘racial discrimination’ that accrue from white privileges.

The disconsolate blind hate among some white skinned people, against the black skin color, initially must have occurred way back down the corridor of human history – probably at some point where the [re-contact] had happened – which would mean that at some much earlier point in pre-historic time mankind may have been of a single skin color, as some early thinkers long since observed.

And perhaps, due to the only known massive continental “drift” and migratory nature and ancient movement of people, some group may have ventured much further than considered normal by the ‘roots’ people and, in the process scaled over into terrains, farness and awesomely spirited panoramic experiences that generations on – cut off this “some group” from the knowledge of its own historical origin. Having gone over the climatic “pigmentation” fringe and blanched-out!

What therefore, otherwise, we humans now experience as ‘racial discrimination’ may only be the friction and fictions of this massive ‘re-contact’ – the gone ‘some group’ that eventually blanches-out in the gone cold trails… as the sciences had it, eons later re-emerges and finds the unrecognizable “roots” and is thrown into a hate stupor – “no you wouldn’t have been our roots” which is the ‘denial…’ at the top of this page.

To me this matter, is probably better understood, not from the principles, but more from the ghostly and ghastly characteristics of the ‘Ku Klux Klan’.

I kind of see that they, the KKK actually could represent some actual ghosts, as seen from their relic imagery, as representing the spirits that polarized the divide between the black skin color and the white skin color… in an attempt, for some reasons, to actually rub-off understanding of the ‘roots’ concept so as to perpetrate the ‘denial…’ and, validate racial discrimination based on the concept and actually realities of “whites privileges”.

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 In the “Tragedian” heavenly German play FAUST, some light is somewhat thrown about… shading a hue over the biblical story of the “dark surfaces” – as the ‘root’ of the light and creation of the physical universe as in “Let there be light…” big bang thing!

Faust also describes “serpent” as the “grand old wine bag Aunt” – so that in my own deductive understanding of what I have read of the German literature is the concept of “Fall of Lucifer” that may hitherto have had an accompaniment only Faust could see; slithering down towards earth in that ‘flash’ under yet unknown ‘dark surfaces’ [curse] circumstancially - there may have been, among the fallen Luciferan Angels – also the drunken old wine bag “Auntie Serpent”!

Deductively understanding it all; in the “Garden of Eden” this Auntie Serpent materializes and tricks Adam and Eve into eating the ‘forbidden fruits’ and, therefore earn for mankind the wreath of God! Exhibited by the Eden curses an presence of an Angel with the burning sword who sees to it that the human ROOTS couple were ‘denied..’ sanctuary in the Garden and banished to very harsh existence we humans all know today.

“The denial…” as an evolving process is therefore probably what we all experience today in all manner of segregate forms of social phenomenology that polarizes into racial biases, privileges and discriminations by scales of inspirational and spiritual favors and disfavors… what are inherent in the materialism of knowledge and wisdom again, by scales of perfections in thought and performances which are all domains of spirituality, we are granted or denied accordingly!

In a very recent Huffington article, also shared on Face Book; this topic ‘racial privileges’ was toyed with by a leading writer – a keyhole view through some awesome solid rock cleft in some vain attempt to see beyond that cleavage and try as it were to look into the bizarre dark and claim the unfathomable beyond. The dark surfaces ‘root…’ $$$    

Author of - The Water Trap - My Homily

Author of - The Water Trap – My own Homily

Below is extract of my book as it is on Amazon Kindle Direct and Create Space. The Water Trap – was first published in Kampala 2009. And the ‘Second Edition Revised’ whose content is here-under extracted was Author ‘Self Published’ on Amazon Kindle Direct and Create Space from November 2013.

Since the book initially came out five years ago and, on Amazon over a year ago, the main subjects of my theme discussions in the book has gone through tremendous impactful changes – in Gulu’s administration and beyond. Though my book dwells on the 7^th and 8^th Parliament – I am happy for the beneficiary communities - to note that the current 9^th Parliament and Local Government Council has exhibited tremendous achievement in planning and implementation works visibly… I believe that given another five more years for the performing Local Councilors – Gulu Municipality is on course to changing into a modern progressive ‘mini-city’ to be. [I am yet to take a personal tour of all the sites I cover in my  researched essay; especially the Oitino Water Dam.

However, even if my book did not make for me any royalties… I am contented that I wrote a ‘Change Maker’! In addition, am more confident of my brain and sure of my mind as healthy and uninfected – a bigger blow to the Avian “Kite Spirit” who made formal education difficult for me as a younger person – having picked on my mind from a tender age. My [resistance] is thus exhibited in this book. I managed to hold out – walking in the wild; ‘outside the box’ as it were. I am happy that; as African Authorship of quality, self-published works picked-up in the first decade of the new Millennium – my non-fiction researched essay is one among those African books that appeared in that first decade of the 21 Century. The powerful Avian “Kite Spirit” with all her ferocious venom hatred can go hang herself on her own Tomato tree – somewhere in her village! Aha ha…

                                                

            The Water Trap                                                         Sam Mwaka-karama

       Second Edition Revised

             Chapter Three

       Pg 42-45 @ Pg 49-52

                 Amazon

Up till the time I submitted the first edition of this book to the USAID and later to the President’s Office, in seeking of funds for organizing that proof-reading edition for major editing and printing production - local leaders and legislators in the area had never openly spoken of this particular water project.

     Though some speeches emanating from the (eighth parliament) and Gulu local leaders about ‘Tochi River Project’ eventually materialized much-much later – in discussions there, after ‘The Water Trap’ was out.

      It actually took me a little bit of time to realize that I shouldn’t have approached USAID with my first edition (imperfect) book material. I am not saying this because USAID refused to fund my book – No!

      I have in my life read lots of materials written by ‘deja vu’ characters hating it all... why in the first place they blundered into America at all. Many foreigners naturalized in the US are virtually walking around in circles with scarf-bands tied over their eyes... and mouths stuffed with all manner of the goodies – I think ‘going to America’ is a great concept, but I also think it is a challenge to the individual; why for instance do people who re-migrate back to their own homeland after long-life in America, turn bitterly against the US?; it does seem to me that something often goes all wrong after living in the USA for a while - I have since resolved to try theoretically to help Africans remove that blind-band from over their eyes! It is reason enough for me regretting having ever sought official funding from a US agency – which help was denied me isn’t the issue.

      The dire reality is - my type of book are what the Americans might fight against - because in it there is a Ugandan African writing language they will never like! To them the good African book ‘must’ be loaded not in the sense mine is, but, in a way of being packaged with opposition-ism and, attack on incumbent governments or, misguidedly addressing human rights from the state machinery versus the ordinary wanainchi point of view. To me that is not our literature!

      The Americans want our analysis perennially quagmire-ed in the 1970s and 1980s perspective that created Museveni’s resistance - this time around the Americans want us Ugandans - turning that old garment inside-out and dress ourselves in them... I think that is the real bull-crap! It is for the center for African studies perhaps... me I don’t like that packaging! I can’t blindfold Africans with that sort of fancy crap! We have to visualize our problems from the more realistic point of view – based on the premise that someday, we won’t need foreign aid and grants anymore. That is when local government will become the focal-point of our development everything.

.           .           .           .           .

The wrong traditionalist kraal-home village tyrant mentality – where the elected local representative – also trapped between certain dubious situations; even if they had noticed the defunct project, long before my first edition of this book, would prefer matters to be referred and reported via the political campaign or security human infrastructure. Just like the old African tyrants used to wait for all matters brought up forward from below…

      So that, information on project matters (like Tochi) carried forward would have a political voter weight bearing – where upon the problem might be introduced during a political meeting…

      And matters thus carried forward with a heralding of provider stakeholders, who thus would foot the seminar bills.

      And the project matter thus discussed would as well become a political argument contention-point. Perhaps a challenge point at the incumbent! Needless to emphasize here, Ugandan oppositions for example have traditionally developed this overview that the incumbent President was always the culprit for all blames in his government.

      Here a legislator of the modern-day, would thus, prefer to look at the now politicized ‘project-matter’ from the standpoint of confrontation with the hitherto ‘unconcerned’ government authorities - preliminarily over the FM radio.

      Instead of the more progressive approach of perhaps calling the attention of ‘The Parliamentary Group’ in conjunction with the District Local Councils… over the issue of revival of the Tochi project – the naïve politicians rumble around over the radio – thereby misleading the people to imagine that government was malicing the people... like in “hidden agenda” so that, the failure of the project is ‘blamed’ on central government – actually the President initially.

       I am not in any way suggesting that central government is not to blame - for what often goes all wrong at local government level. And yet again seen very closely, central government has responsibility to a point - the major glitch there is certainly not at policy level, but more at the technocratic and bureaucratic (rotten-wood) corruption-able  levels - the ‘boom-town rats and the scrawny country rats’ – characterized by the satirical short stories as told by the cock and bull political analysts... in the Ugandan tabloids!

      And then the water management corporation or local engineering officers - have African traditionalist hiccups of their own.

       For example the local decision maker official might not hail from the district… so what he does is sit on the whole project till someday he is transferred away.

But then the legacy (of none-action) he leaves behind, continue to ignore the project, as a result another concept of traditionalism stayed the project say by yet another five or ten more years.

      Cumulatively as it would, this sort of mentality offset or cause to be delayed or often binds the matter onto unclear graying annuls of history - and eventually distorts and causes the loss of meaning, in particular areas of progress and development.

       An element of African ‘bondage to poverty’ by educated traditionalism would have deferred a vital program from being either created or accomplished.

       Low cost housing projects for up-country towns for example are not viable at all; in the first place, most councilors might not understand them and so plan and budget arguments in local council meets might turn into madness…

      Not only that - the amount of water supply needed to build one

Hundred housing units are massive, and then amount needed to maintain its occupancy – here; it is direct element of ignorance that deferred a vital program… so that habitat development as an organized municipality program is relegated.

                     

      Given that on the ground environmentally; Africa still seriously lack knowledge and skills development in the water and waste management sector – and that is the base-mark for stimulating growth and development up country; “create the habitat and you will attract local developers” and development participants from neighboring districts, the region and beyond.

        This little book is a serious proof of this unfortunate fact; that as much as the political class generally seem to think that development is personal to the Executive Head of State; a factor that wrongfully mislead the opposition thinking straying towards violence… the actual and real prospects are held at utility services that work!

        Even with the vastly widespread availability of land.

        For another example - the national water and sewage corporation NWSC couldn’t structure a safer and more viable facility for such a small town like Gulu in this age and times…

       Then how would we ever hope to build our small municipality into a city? Village criers have been shouting of prospects for ‘Gulu City’ a long time now - evidently in vain, as they lack the leader cadre-ship! They lack the vision and local government leadership principles!

       Pece River that runs south along the outer rim of Gulu’s east side down to join with Tochi river is sewage contaminated… and very seriously at that.

       All these factors point towards one direction – that yes! Tochi River water pipeline project was valid, called for and even timely. Back then.

      On the other hand - that it failed was certainly regrettable, however also now that the actual project has been rendered non viable - by factors related to impact of tree planting and perhaps also influences of global warming…

      There might be time enough certainly to update the original water source concept plan. But do we have the ability to take-on that challenge?

       Meaning that the need is seriously there more than ever, to revive the defunct project but with a different water source.

       Something more realistically difficult to ascertain.

       Considering all these factual ‘bondages to poverty’ – that are inconsiderate mentalities that bedevils our African societies and communities.

                                                 

           

    

Our African political class is rooted in arguments over democratic theories contrived by practical experiences of the world’s leading first world countries – in ideologies experienced and written by people whose basic communities and societies were driven into development not by political personality, but rather by extreme climatic conditions and harsh environments that more and more destroyed their citizenry…

       Forcing their intellect to contrive ideas that made life bearable to the citizenry – this meant that the intellectuals created habitat that were conducive to guaranteed livelihood and continuity – in return the intellectuals won the (political) right to rule over the people, since the habitat environment they created called for a orderly, controlled  living by the citizenry.

      Most developed world democracies were cultured along that building

“Masonry” kind of principles and mentality!

      Those who built the conducive habitat environment got the democratic right to

rule over that metropolis!

       It is the orderly living – that drove the European intellectuals to develop the ideologies and, these were ideas that placed control over the life-style of the citizenry built and developed by the nobles…

       What our own African political class learnt in the classroom and evidently are failing all the time in correctly applying to our own communities and societies – so that it has become broadly necessary for foreign governments to expedite their arm into our countries here in Africa and create and supervise programs directly administered to our local peoples by their foreign government accredited and deployed NGOs… 

        What amounts to the passage for foreign NGOs to part-take in the planning and implementation of African rural development, and urban slum-dwelling human concern (health, shelter etcetera) developments and contribute to industrialization by, doing what our own political class actually fail to do - like in Gulu’s endemic water scarcity.

        The challenges to the African academic and intellect have never been more vivid! Real and glaring.

         People looking at themselves as well learned are beginning to slowly realize how actually ill equipped the African engineering experts, political legislators and project planners, managers and developers are.

         Projects fail and dilapidate under their very noses with huge piles of up to five/ten-year-old documents stacked (as pending etcetera) on their desks, and strewn right down to the floor of their offices and beyond.

        And young University graduates roam the streets as the jobless or

Hang around foreign NGOs picking a few thousand shillings as gatherers of research data for foreign students obviously researching for their own degrees – it is all so fake!

       Another bondage to African poverty.

       By absolute lack of open mindedness, at the top of every office in various areas of local human need...

      The absolute inability to fully employ the use of the younger generation – local governments adamantly refuse to expand their ancient offices, as a result they maintain the old inadequate office space and indeed its minimal employment – yet by contemporary advancements in all fields of humanity, they should be employing five to ten times the official workers they restrictively maintain...

      And the boys and girls are growing, hardening, and wasting away into un-moldable young people. Five or ten years on the (dole) jobless list are enough to harden the youthful graduate beyond molding.

      As even more and more are dispensed from the Universities annually, the youth are cumulatively more and more stranded.

      Local governments can’t create larger project work environments that can absorb them and still stimulate scores into the informal activities around – to expand Local Government administrative and management human resources and, enlarge the towns by creating larger habitats... LC 5 should for example have three deputies responsible for various areas of administration and that for development projects.

     Where these graduates might get absorbed.

     Yet there is so much emphasis on national quality education! This apparently is spot-on.

      But then these quality educations don’t seem to bear the quality fruits – obviously not because of wrong executive head of state… but simply because the decentralization, now largely in the hands of the younger people themselves, are trapped in the same legacy left by the older now departing generations!

     Okay, by and large the youth now running their districts are the ones who are not creating the projects likely to expand their playing fields.

     And the young are not doing it because it is the ‘norm’ “you don’t re-discover the wheel” - full stop. You follow the norm!

     If an LC 5 chairman and his local government fail to create the conducive environment for their own government’s work seat – then how would they ever get expanded? The administrative head quarters built by colonialism – can’t hold ten times the workforce it was created for, fifty years down the road. The only logical thing is to collapse it and build a plush new multi-storied structure on the site.

To plan for and build the physical capacity [municipality] for reaping even larger revenue… you would certainly begin by expanding your base – then employing enough human recourse to tackle the planning mechanism for structuring the estates development; with ample manpower to handle the district’s expunction projects… and certainly before you even think of estates, you would have water to tussle with.

      In view of this analysis as a means of driving-home the understanding that - yes! Uganda’s decentralization is still a new-born baby of President Museveni! Call it a grandchild!

      It is imperative to enlarge the perspective a little-bit, to create a much larger sound-boarding parameter that pulls in the central government... those in a hurry will always jump to the conclusion; that it is the ministers who are night-dancing paka-cini behind the Ugandans!  But then come to think of it...

       There is a whole body of qualified men and women in the main area of policy implementation, way down below the minister, the technocratic and bureaucratic levels - why blame the top man - by falsely and stubbornly insisting that “the fish begins to rot from the head” when you know very well that, the fleshy part of the fish is what begins to ferment out of water, if not exposed to either tremendous wind or tremendous sun-heat to accelerate the beginning of a drying process.

      Besides, nobody ever climb the tree from the top - to go-up the tree you have to scale it carefully up from the root, the trunk and, eventually you reach the branches and top.

      Uganda’s biggest problem is there! Central government technocracy and the bureaucratic work forces; while everybody attack the president and the cabinet ministers and, other top officials - most things get bogged-down at the middle of policy planning and implementation. The real ‘nibblers’ who fail the country are actually well known, popular and very smart individuals you won’t ever suspect. Because they are also the most likable people you will meet in Uganda!              

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