July 11, 2005
The Spice Girls, guns and ET-Francs
Here is a rough round-up of posts I've really enjoyed from Ethiopia's A-list (i.e. only) bloggers over the past couple of weeks.
Addis Ababa Rocking Fun Zone describes what is probably the most complicated film plot in history. "Yarefed Guzo" is an Amharic movie about a woman who wants to be a singer but has to endure a string of tragedies. In just one twist:
The brother is taken to jail and it turns out falsely because the son of the rapist was in the bar at the same time and either out of shame or loathing for his father, he strangles him when the singer's brother is not looking.
Alvise Forcellini has posted some amazing photos of Ethiopia on Flickr. (I know it's not really a blog).
Ethiopundit led a brave but doomed campaign to get Bob Geldof to include The Spice Girls in the Live8 concert line-up. I was with him all the way on this one.
[Geldof] has banned the Spice Girls from Live 8 after they were teased about a reunion and participation...This cruel and capricious decision was made so that really serious and politically relevant artists whom the leaders of the G8 will definitely pay attention to - like Outkast, Destiny's Child, Black-Eyed Peas, Linkin Park, Alicia Keys, Eminem, Madonna, Sir Paul McCartney, Coldplay, Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, Will Smith, Stevie Wonder, 50 Cent, Youssou N'Dour, Jamiroquai, A-ha, Duran Duran, and Mary J Blige - can have more time on stage.Please Bob Geldof, put the Spice Girls on before it is too late!
Satisfy my soul (ego) has proved once again that he shares my entire music collection, with a series of posts referencing everyone from Johnny Cash to The Smiths and Bob Dylan. The latest post is about a nasty confrontation with Ethiopia's special forces at a family funeral.
My first enjoyment of holding an AK came at the age of ten when it was cheaper to buy an AK than a toy gun. My first satisfaction of killing my opponents with an AK was during my university years where so many precious hours were well wasted playing counter strike. My first holdup with an AK came two weeks ago. Here is how the last one happened.
It picks up on the huge amount of guns on the streets of Addis Ababa, and the general suspicion of cameras.
Weichegud! ET Politics regaled everyone with a wonderful description of a typical night out in Paris with France's Ethiopian community.
Anyway, at the restaurant… which, by the way, prominently featured the dual theatrics of a stick-up-their-butts maitre d' and sommelier, turned out to be pretty good, and it got better when sexually repressed sommelier managed to crack a smile when he found out we were Ethiopians. He regaled us with stories of how his uncle was one of the service people that the British government gave Emperor Haile Selassie during his exile in Bath. Who knows? But at least he got all the details correct…There were a couple of Satre/Rimbaud-quoting ETs snuggling in the corner and they ended up joining us, as did their Satre/Rimbaud quoting friends who materialized almost out of thin air and kissed everyone at the table upon their arrival. (They are friendly, these ET-Francs.)
After that comes the recitation of an Amharic poem and her memories of growing up in Ethiopia. All amazing stuff.
I would have included my wife in this run down. But she hasn't posted anything for weeks.
If anyone out there wants to join in, you can set up a blog for free - and anonymously - here and here.
Posted by aheavens at July 11, 2005 4:50 AM
Comments
There's now a blog aggregator for all Ethiopian blogs: http://planet.tezeta.org/
Posted by: Tezeta Zerihun at July 11, 2005 5:36 AM
Bale national parks have soem of the most amazing faunas and florasI have ever enjoyed in Ethiopia.
Posted by: tyrel at July 11, 2005 7:11 AM
Wife, what wife, you mean to tell me you and Amber are married, I actually had a crush on Amber although I had never met her in person :))
Posted by: henok at July 15, 2005 10:39 PM
Hi Andrew
can u take a look at my blog too I think U will like it I am Information Ethiopian Information student in Japan.
cheers
www.naniinc.blogspot.com
Posted by: senay at July 20, 2005 2:49 PM
you read Weichegud's blog (http://weichegud.blogspot.com) and all you got was that lousy quote? wiy wiy!! talk about missing the boat, Andrew-nefsu! Here's one for you:
ET Wonkette wrote:
I am no international aid worker/policy wonk who gets paid too much money for shuffling paperwork and nodding off at conferences about eliminating poverty—oh, you… you’ll be hearing more about that from me later!
I am just your average Ethiopian trying to understand Ethiopian politics. These blogs will be my entrée into a place that is, truly, more unsightly than an overweight, middle aged megalomaniac driving a yellow Corvette.
Welcome to my world, and these are my observations and rants, not in that particular order."
She rocks, aydel?
Posted by: Barbie begebeya at August 1, 2005 11:38 PM