Aquadrenaline...sizzle with the nizzles

I am not someone given to taking to much risk; but a little bit of adrenaline rush will not spoil. However, by far the best place to get this rush is the ultimate aquatic environment. As I have said earlier, I am in love with water. As Fela talk- "water no get enemy". The most natural human environment is an aquatic environment with man, land, water, animals and air in synchronized oscillations with one another. I see nature when I see water and it puts me at peace with myself. Nothing more relaxing than a swap of clean fresh air, as you zoom across the surface of fresh clean lake water.

That was why last weekend, I went out with friends on one of those adrenaline pumping Jet ski trip. The location of interest was Just for Fun Marina on Lake Conroe, Texas. It was the ultimate boys time out. Armed with desire mixed with valor we took no prisoners as we zoomed at 35-45mph plus on water to momentary bliss and occasional sagacity. Without waxing too poetical, I must say that it was fun and couldn't have been better.

To have a peek at my Aquadrenaline voyage, hit here. By the way, How have you been? How is life today? Have you said "well done" to someone lately? What have you done for mankind lately? What are you doing next? Remember a life without hope is a life without expectation; a life without expectation is one without a future: a future undreamt of is never been given to mankind or earned by any mammal. Till next time: Peace!

Our World: On Darfur, Iran and the Middle East

We live in a troubling world today and above all things the world is in search of peace and quiet. Indeed, I reckon it needs all the help it can get but everyday it seems we just drift from one chaos to another. No part of the world is immuned from crisis- every continent has its rebel group and blood seeking brigand. From street gang banging on the streets of America that takes the life of a college basketball player to everyday drug deal driven murder of citizens, criminals and law enforcement in Mexico and Central America to the rebel groups that span the vast continent to the South of New World. Europe is not free from the shackles of hate either: Ireland, Spanish Basque movement, bombings in Turkey and Italian Mafiosi remind us of a bloody world. Asia and Africa have a fairly larger share of this mystery - with actively fought wars and retribution exhaustively taking the time of governments instead of the real work of development. Today I will examine three of these conflicts.

Darfur: The conflict in the Western part of Sudan is nothing short of genocide. Black people of Sudan have been raped, killed and turned to overnight refugees in their own land by their Arab Northern countrymen that have sought to monopolize the oil wealth of the Black people of Sudan for the Northern and National Islamic Government. Pressure from the world powers in their thirst to get oil deals is making the central government rethink its position albeit from the position of strength. The inability of the Arab League to condemn the madness being wrought on the Animist south by the northern Arabs smacks of opportunism and racism; indeed, while it is convenient for the same Arab League to cry for the people of Palestine they will not do the same for the Sudanese blacks. It is a shame. It is a lesson to Black Africans that on the world stage no one can protect our interests better than ourselves. There is serious need to bring all the leaders of this genocide to justice as soon as the conflict is resolved. Indeed, ideas on a standing force for conflicts in Africa is very good but I also think patronizing. What do they mean by they need standing force? Is it not somehow expecting that we Africans will just take up arms against each other at the slightest excuse?

Why are they just treating the symptoms? Is it not true that the root cause of the persistent crisis in Africa and the resultant underdevelopment, poverty, disease and deaths is a direct result of the evil Berlin conference that drew up for the most part the current variegated political map of Africa as slavery/colonial plantation of Old Europe? Is is not the evil milestone in the history of our continent that lumped together people of unrelated history and of improbable monolithism and then expect them to work together towards a national aspiration based on a foreign concept, document or idea like donkeys fed water at the river side?I think it is high time for a new conference in the mould of Berlin conference now planned, ran and controlled by Africans in Africa for the benefit of all Africans. It might take the pressure of the same world stage technocrat that somehow always amass a superior argument to force African dictators to take more loans from their sub-prime international loan shacks and Shylock monetry institutions going by exotic names like Paris Club and IMF; it will require the cooperation of the world for Africa to re-emerge in it true self. This new conference will look at redrawing the political map of Africa by Africans based on willingliness of neighbors and resources at the disposal of constituent parts. Mini republics whose military can be over run by the police service of another will be a thing of the past and the miniaturization of our continent can also be conscripted to the history books.

This is my new concept of Pan Africanism not the aged concept of African unity that can hardly garner support among common people. If we must be united, we can only unite on our terms not on terms dictated by outsider. May be I am just a dreamer, may be this dream is coming way too early before its time; but who says I cannot dream? I can dream- I can dream of a renewed motherland whose resources keeps it factories humming and its people busy. A continent free of crisis and fracticidal killings and misplaced priorities. A continent we all can indeed be proud of. A continent we can call the last bastion of man at peace with his environment and natures heritage to homo sapiens. That is the Africa of my dream, that is the continent of our aspirations. I can dream.

On the two other crisis I speak of here are my opinions:

1. US refusal to fund Hamas led Palestinian government because of Hamas Refusal to recognize the right of Israel to exists: Arrogantly dumb I say and stupid stubbornness are the words that come to mind.

2. Iran's insistence on Nuclear power: This is what you get when you sacrifice your moral authority by lying to Allies, friends and country men. Even a mad dictator will stand up to you. But can the world suffer a fool for too long? Let us wait and see...siddon look.

Till next time...stay on top of what goes on around you, because whatever goes around comes around.

I am a Gadgetzidimo...Not a Gizmodo

Do you like gadgets like I do? I think I have an addiction- an addiction for electronic appliances. Oh yeas, it started way back. Way back when I blew up the family TV at age 8 and fiddled with live wires from the socket. Indeed, I got shocked a couple of times: nothing serious, just a couple of blood cleansing current (at least so the fable went). I was enthralled with anything that blinked light when I was young, I wanted to know what made gadget tickle. I fiddled with ‘em and I fumbled. Somehow, I think it is in the genes. Father was a perennial “radiotrician”...I used that word to mask his penchant to buy new radios every other fortnight and destroy them by trying to tune them better by opening them up. Somehow, even after old man is past fifty years hitting sixty he still thinks he has a career in electrical/electronics engineering. Over 30 radios damaged, and cassette players destroyed and father is still experimenting his way to the radio store! But I have decided to somehow formalize my genetic bias; yeah...I am an electrical engineer. Not like I could be your next door radio repairer but at least now I know not to touch live wires and get shocked...or at least I know how to acquire a lot more gadget these days.

Being a pragmatic person by nature, the gadgets I acquire are structured after my lifestyle. That is to say, unlike geeks (Gizmodos) whose life is built around their gadgets my gadget is built around my life. That is why I call myself a Gadgetzidimo...more like generalissimo. Yeah, a general and marshal of gadgets. Somehow, I enjoy combining the operability of my gadgets these days. But it just struck me ....which of these gadgets can't I do without.

I have never been a TV person - even though I have a couple, so count that out. The best thing I do with and on TV is to record those documentaries (from Discovery, History, Discovery Times, National Geographic and Military Channel) on my ILO DV-R recorder making them into DVD discs I hope to watch someday on the plane and share with my companion in arms in documentary watching...yeah, you guessed right...my dad. Yeah, my X-Box Console was not good enuf, not until I disposed of it and now I miss it enough to purchase it back. Sorry. But this does not count as much as my beloved laptop. Yeah, nicknamed: Tabular Kingmon. Thou shall not deny me access. My Inspiron 6000 widescreen laptop computer is the bomb. You with the Apple or Sony whateva- congratulations for paying more for less functions. God Bless you. Anyway, my laptop is a favorite- on bed, sitting, working, riding and flying. And guess what? It just does not serve me when I travel. It is light yet because it has a widescreen it is not as portable as I will like. So my dear leather cased Dell Axim PDA comes in handy. Don't jump to conclusion, I have no brand loyalty. Dell just happens to be the only brand in this computer and handheld that combined quality with good pricing. My pragmatic side will be hard to convince to shell out extra $400 for a Sony, HP or whatever expensive brand name that will crash on me faster than my reliable Dell Axim will. With an inbuilt wireless card, my PDA comes in handy when I travel. On it, I can browse do my word processor works and can even play games. It is just a great companion- especially on the beach: where I hop (okay, steal...sorry snoop) on other people's Wi-fi network while pretending to be enjoying the sea breeze. Tried it in Miami Beach- splendid!

But the PDA doesn't come as close to being my favorite gadget i.e. most useful. Yeah, I have a favorite past time- photography. In this direction, my ever ready Samsung 4MP digi-camera is small, portable and practical enuf to get those shots. I must confess that it is cheaper than you will think it costs; but it does way more than it sets my account back...who cares? In combination with my JVC camcorder, it works well to bring back memories. But those don’t even cut close to my favorite gadget. Indeed, my Apple I-Pod Video is a close second. But while this important piece of accessory is by far one of my most expensive, I must say it is worth every dime it costs. Plays video, stores my over 12500 song music library, carries over 300 of my pictures and keep me incredible company when I want to relax and tune out the whole world either at work, home or on the road. My Black Apple Video I-pod is the bomb. And the winner is...? Oh my cell phone. My humble Sony Ericsson k750i is my ultimate "all in one". A camera, camcorder, mp3 player and PDA all rolled in one; it is small, has long battery life and has a beautiful design to complement Sony's reputation for quality as well. And yes, Sony didn't ask me to break the bank for this either. And it serves me just right- most of the pictures on this Blog were taken using my cell phone and most if not all short clips I play on my I-Pod - were from my cell. Its size saves me the hassle and makes it easy to get cameos of actions most people will want concealed- it my 007 James Bond device- clicking and recording silently anything from voice to conversations to pictures and movies. Be careful around me. I love my k750i...and it is officially crowned my most "Practical" gadget from my collection.

I do have a couple of other mundane electronic assets that I will not bug you with but I can't close here without acknowledging my only human gadget. Yes, my first child. Her name is Tan Brisquick. The Tan Brisquick is a special breed of Honda Accord of The Bull Dog Series. My perennial workhorse will drive from Texas to Alaska any day without blinking. And this by way of acknowledgement a show of my gratuity. For without the "Tan Devil" my back will be coal tanned in Texas Summer...all hail the Tan Brisquick. Check out the movie album here.

Indeed, some people (names witheld) ask me why I can't just buy combo devices that do all that I have separate devices for ..but I laugh off that suggestion. Because they just don't just seem to get it. I like each of my gadget for the different things they do. That is why I don't have a "best" gadget even though I have a "favorite" one. Like a parent, there is a lot of sentimental value attached to each of them, and no single device can equally replace these "babies" of mine- so to you Mr. PDA phone- go kiss your pillow good nite cos I am not selling any of these devices neither am I buying your under efficient, poor battery life, expensive multi- tasking anit-christ device. Until I meet you next time...so long.