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Kenyan blogger and Africa’s resident environmental guru, AfroMusing (http://www.afromusing.com/blog/?p=211) points to a post on using African deserts as hubs for solar energy. The idea is that the Sahara, which is some 9 million sq km and the Kalahari which is 900,000 sq km, could be used as solar energy farms to supply cheap electricity for the continent. AfroMusing quotes Anatole France, who wrote:

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

This is definitely one technology we should all dream of - dream hard and believe so that it may come to pass.

Nigerian blogger, Oro (http://www.gbengasesan.com/blog/?p=78) introduces yet another web technology innovation - Talkr. Talkr allows bloggers to convert their written posts to podcasts using computer-generated voice.

“I think its a really cool tool for bloggers (and media houses that have compatible websites) to use because we can now conveniently rest, assured that those who may be visually impaired can still have access to news and informative/educative/entertainment (someone tongue-twisted this to read “edu-info-tainment”) resources.”

Ugandan blogger, Undo (http://undo.blogspirit.com/archive/2006/03/30/caliber-swimming.html) takes us on a boat trip to the Kalangala District of Uganda. Kalangala is made up of some 84 islands in Lake Victoria.

“At this point, it became evident that I stop looking back to the reference point of my emergence, to explore something other in these waters, having lost it all…to some aspect of nature…the horizon I had religiously referred to determine my fate...being a collection of wild wave after another offering no comfort when…looking, trying to perceive the existence of a lost piece of existence, I ended up looking at a green embrace like canvas wafting in an endless gesture, fluttering in a slow afternoon wind…ending as a straight lining at the edge of where the water and cloud discreetly met. Marking the beginning of my imagination, replicated on the faces of all that were pondering the distance being lost, making the flat earth theory more pronounced.”

Sotho guest writing on Mzansi Afrika (http://mzansiafrika.typepad.com/mzansi_afrika/2006/04/did_we_steal_yo.html) takes up a comment by another blogger, Juan, responding to Sotho’s previous post entitled “Affirmative action”.

Juan obviously fails to grasp racism or possibly he is just a refusnik and writes:

“How did whites deny them (Black South Africans) education? By tying them up and not allowing them to learn? Since when did it become our responsibility to educate other cultures? Since you advocate so strongly that your culture is equal to mine, give me proof of where you invented something or built something that we can’t or couldn’t?”

Sotho’s response is:

“Black people have undergone quite a lot at the hands of white people. White people have undergone very little at the hands of black people, all over the world, but especially in America and in South Africa. I've always been amazed at how the transition from minority government to majority government did not turn uglier. There's of course the question of farmers getting killed. While that tragedy cannot be overlooked, I'm happy that there has been no all out bloodbath. From 1652 when Jan Anthoniszoon Van Riebeeck arrived till 1994 when Mr de Klerk stepped down, nastier things than you can imagine were meted out to the black population. That's 342 years, Juan, or three centuries and 42 years. And you can't take 12 years (1994 to 2006) of practically no ill-treatment!”

Freedom for Egyptians (http://freedomforegyptians.blogspot.com/2006/04/for-democracy-and-freedo...) reports on a clash between members of the liberal party Al Wafd, whose headquarters was stormed by “thugs and gang members” - followers of Nomaan Gomaa. Gomaa is the deposed leader of the Al Wafd party and after a 10-hour battle that included gunfire was arrested by police.

“The acting party leader Mahmoud Abaza and prominent member of the party Munir Fahkry Abdel Nur complained that the police looked idly on as Gomaa and his supporters stormed the compound. Nur said: ‘There were 50 policemen this morning and all they did was phone for ambulances as they looked idly on and Gomaa fired his gun.’ Abaza said: ‘It's an act of madness. Someone who is mentally sane does not open fire on journalists simply trying to do their work.’ Gunshots were fired as Gomaa and his gang removed employees of the party and of its official newspaper. Witnesses said Gomaa himself fired shots at Wafd journalists.”

Black Star Journal (http://blackstarjournal.blogspot.com/2006/04/unlike-his-victims-taylor-g...) reports on Charles Taylor’s first day in court in Sierra Leone and lists the 11 charges against him including: use of child soldiers, abduction and forced labour, physical violence, sexual slavery, rape and murder. On suggestions that the trial may be moved to the Hague, he writes:

“Some people would've preferred Taylor be allowed to remain in exile and impunity in Nigeria so as to 'ensure the peace' of Liberia. This was a false choice. Pres. Sirleaf said that the decision to extradite Taylor was a 'hard decision which ensures the long-term safety of the Liberian people and the security of the state.”

Music blog, Sound Roots (http://soundroots.org/2006/04/mondays-mp3-hugh-masekela.html) posts on celebrating the birthday of South African musician Hugh Masekela who was 67 on the 4th April.

“He has worked with many of the greats (Fela Kuti, Paul Simon, Abdullah Ibrahim, Bob Marley, Herb Alpert) and for a time was married to South African icon Miriam Makeba…When you think of Masekela, you have to think not only of his music, but his role as something of an ambassador-at-large for South Africa (and specifically, black South Africa). The stories he tells in his songs capture snapshots of life, past and present, for ordinary South Africans.”

* Sokari Ekine produces the blog Black Looks,

* Please send comments to [email protected]