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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80241822606686316832016-09-08T07:26:10.453+03:00AlKazikAfter a little prodding from close quarters, i am now convinced to keep this Blog, share my day to day experiences, in my quest to seek, find and do what is for the Greater Glory of God, Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam.From work, travel, study, current affairs...all my impressions of the world around me and far beyond will be here. And i hope, with a bit of luck, to keep it alive and updated!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-37480267632634494522013-03-14T01:33:00.002+03:002013-03-14T01:34:29.412+03:00An African Perspective on the Next PopeJust a few hours before the election of Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio, who takes the name Pope Francis, this article offering an African Perspective on the Next Pope, was published in the 'Millenial'.

'Millenial' is a project of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good – an online journal and blog that provides world-class Catholic opinion and analysis on the most pressing issues of our times in politics, religion, and culture. It aims to move beyond partisan and ideological divisions, bringing together all those who support the global common good and the worth and dignity of the human person.

It will be interesting to see how this perspective matches up! Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-24510807665159197142013-03-14T01:04:00.000+03:002013-03-14T01:04:05.279+03:00Habemus Papam!
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus Papam:

 Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Georgium Marium.

 Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Bergoglio

 qui sibi nomen imposuit Franciscum

Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-49696730370615819382012-12-06T00:40:00.003+03:002012-12-06T00:40:46.460+03:00Interview by a Catholic Ecologist: Hope in Africa: Catholic youth work for sustainability A few days ago,i was deeply honoured to be interviewed by William L. Patenaude, a Catholic Ecologist who live and works in the state of Rhode Island in the United States of America.

William (or Bill), is a committed Catholic Ecologist-an environmental engineer who holds a Master of Arts in Theology- a man who loves the Church and is keen to promote care for creation. William writes widely and has a new book, "Catholic Ecology in Orthodoxy, a Culture of Life, and the New Evangelization.", coming soon!

Mr. William Patenaude

Below is his introduction to the e-interview; please click here to re-direct to the full interview on his blog: Catholic Ecology. Thank you Bill for your help with making the efforts of CYNESA known across the US and the world! Asante sana!

Allen Ottaro of Kenya is Executive Director of Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa. At 28, he's traveled and done more than many twice his age. Allen (or Al, as his friends call him) is the face of the African continent's future—a future of thriving economies and cultures as well as the preservation of its identity, its abundant natural, beautiful resources, and its soul.

Al is a true Catholic ecologist. Because he was kind enough to share some of his thoughts and experiences, I am delighted to share them with you.

[Update (December 4): The following interview takes on even more value given recent statements by Bishop Bernard Kasanda of Mbuji-Mayi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bishop  Kasanda has condemned the international community for failing to react to unrest and invasions caused by factions seeking control of mineral and oil resources. Read here for more.]
Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-56134745408105741372012-11-22T23:40:00.000+03:002012-11-22T23:40:28.054+03:00Free Goma!

 Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-12267325265161281162012-07-20T16:06:00.000+03:002012-07-20T16:11:51.684+03:00Salute the African Woman!Something that might be deemed 'strange' happened at the just concluded African Union summit, last Sunday. South Africa's Home Affairs minister, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, was elected after four rounds of voting, the new Chairperson of the African Union Commission, defeating incumbent Dr. Jean Ping of Gabon.

Dr.Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Her election went against the tide for two reasons: the 'voters', were African heads of state and government-an entirely male club, save for Presidents Joyce Banda and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Malawi and Liberia respectively. That Dr. Dlamini-Zuma got these fellows to back her is impressive. Secondly, the AU has laboured to adhere to the so called 'gentleman's agreement' pitting the large AU nations versus their smaller counterparts. In this arrangement, the former were required to 'leave' the AU posts for the latter. This card did not work for Dr.Ping this time round, when South Africa decided that all countries are 'equal' and campaigned hard for its candidate. It seems the other nations concurred by voting in Dr.Dlamini-Zuma. Lastly, the Anglophone-Francophone divide reared its ugly head once again at the continental governance level. South Africa was accused of dividing the continent along language lines. Never mind that English and French are not native to any of the AU member states. Dr. Dlamini-Zuma was quick and smart enough in her rejoinder, stating that she is not 'Anglophone' but Zulu! This for me, was the knock-out punch! Intriguingly, the host, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, missed this AU summit for the first time, nursing ill-health in a Brussels hospital. I can only speculate as to whether his absence was a good omen to Dr. Dlamini-Zuma's election prospects!

Away from the politics and more importantly, a crop of African women leaders is set to shape the destiny and political discourse of the continent.Not many weeks ago, Ms. Fatou Bensouda from Gambia, was elected as the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), succeeding Mr. Luis Moreno Ocampo. She becomes only the second prosecutor in the history of the ICC, which has been labeled by some African statesmen (including former AU chair, Dr.Ping), as being 'an African Criminal Court'. It will be interesting, therefore, to see how the relationship between Ms. Bensouda and Dr. Dlamini-Zuma evolves, as the two institutions interact.

Ms. Fatou Bensouda; ICC Prosecutor.

I already mentioned Mrs. Joyce Banda, President of Malawi and her opposite number in Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. In Kenya, Martha Karua is putting up what is promising to be a bruising battle for the presidency, in a male dominated battle-ground. The boys are running scared!
Early in his tenure, the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, picked Tanzanian, Asha Rose Migiro, to be his number two.
I am sure i am missing quite a number of other African women who are taking the continent and the world by storm. Most memorable though, is the competitiveness that Nigerian Finance minister, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, brought to the race for the World Bank presidency.

Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Again, the United States and the European Union have some sort of deal, that ensures an American and a European always sit at the helm of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund respectively. Still, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, a former World Bank managing director, put up a strong bid for the job, that eventually went to Obama's nominee, Dr. Jim Yong Kim.
I have a strong vibe that we will be hearing from and seeing a lot more African women on the continental and world stage during this decade.

  Africans have reason to look forward to brighter days to come and to salute the African woman!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-36529200884165898012012-07-13T02:34:00.000+03:002012-07-13T02:34:51.162+03:00AfricaI have been reading blogs about Africa these past weeks. However, none of the reads have been as original and refreshing (as well as concrete!), as two interviews given by two Jesuits; the provincial of Eastern Africa, Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator and the Superior General, Fr. Adolfo Nicolas.

Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator,SJ : Good News for Africa

Adolfo Nicolas,SJ: The World Needs Africa

Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-74402259138403782952012-04-24T18:23:00.001+03:002012-04-24T18:23:25.168+03:00Introducing CYNESA!CYNESA - the Catholic Youth Network for Sustainability in Africa- is growing steadily. The young men and women behind the initiative are more than convinced that their mission and agenda is crucial. In this post, i share with you an article that introduces CYNESA- and invite you to be part of this initiative.

CYNESA, the Catholic youth response to environmental challenges in Africa

April 16, 2012

Photo Credit: CYNESA

Allen Ottaro, Ngonidzashe Edward, SJ, and Tafara Ruvimbo Dandadzi
 Despite the large numbers of Catholic youth that the Church in Africa is proud of, there exist only few initiatives addressing environmental concerns that are emerging from, and led by, the youth in Africa. The duty to promote and safeguard the environment is "the responsibility of everyone", as John Paul II pointed. This realization was the subtle beginning of the Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa or CYNESA. Inspired by John Paul II's message for the World Day of Peace 1990, young Catholics from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and South Africa, drawn from and representing university chaplaincies and parish groups, joined up to respond to this invitation.
 In November 2011, faith communities from around the world came together under the banner, We Have Faith – act now for climate justice, to champion for a just and robust outcome of the climate change talks in Durban, South Africa. Young people from several African countries, joined by colleagues from Europe, formed a strong part of this initiative. Indeed, many youth-led environmental movements are present in Africa, spurred on by the stark reality that Africa suffers enormously from the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
 Young people are now identifying the mission of CYNESA as the platform through which young Catholics across Africa can offer a response to the twin challenges of environmental degradation and climate change, from the perspective of Catholic social ethics, paying attention to the most vulnerable. Taking advantage of social media that helped move the initiative, the network aims to respond through:
 Education and awareness creation, by preparing a toolkit on climate change that draws from scripture and Catholic social ethics.
 Networking and advocacy training, by seeking to establish and build relationships with like-minded partners, and to train young Christians in advocacy on environmental sustainability, and to link different initiatives on the continent.
 Encouraging and supporting concrete action plans at the local level, by endeavoring to encourage young people to act in their parishes, schools, and within their youth movements by developing appropriate sustainable practices to conserve resources.
 We welcome partnerships from other organizations already engaged in this mission in Africa and beyond, and hope that the network can be a tool that builds the Lord's Kingdom, by caring for His creation.

Allen Ottaro, Ngonidzashe Edward, SJ, and Tafara Ruvimbo Dandadzi.

 Mr Allen Ottaro is the Founding Executive Director of CYNESA and is based in Nairobi, Kenya. Ngonidzashe Edward, SJ is a Jesuit Scholastic at Hekima College, also in Nairobi. Mr Tafara Ruvimbo Dandadzi is the CYNESA Deputy Executive Director and Regional Coordinator for Southern Africa and is based in Zimbabwe. For more information, please visit CYNESA.

Source: http://ecojesuit.com/cynesa-the-catholic-youth-response-to-environmental-challenges-in-africa/2458/
Spanish: http://ecojesuit.com/cynesa-nuestra-respuesta-al-desafio-medioambiental-en-africa/2463/?lang=es
French: http://ecologyandchurches.wordpress.com/2012/04/18/avec-cynesa-des-jeunes-chretiens-africains-se-mobilisent/

Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-34577761468844145062012-04-24T17:51:00.000+03:002012-04-24T17:51:00.720+03:00The Role of Youth in Advocacy and Governance of Natural Resources in the context of a Green Economy-From Victims to Actors

My last post was about the news that followed after my trip to Bukavu, in the east of theDemocratic Republic of Congo. The main mission of my trip was to participate in an international conference on governance of collective natural resources. I presented a paper entitled, 'The Role of Youth in Advocacy and Governance of Natural Resources in the context of a Green Economy-From Victims to Actors'. In this blog post, i share with you the abstract and introduction of my paper.

Abstract

In June 1992, world leaders met in Rio de Janeiro at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. Also known as the 'Earth Summit' the conference resulted in the Agenda 21, as a comprehensive plan of actions to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.

Principle 21 of the document states that, 'The creativity, ideals and courage of the youth of the world should

 be mobilized to forge a global partnership in order to achieve sustainable development and ensure a better

 future for all.' while Principle 23 states that 'The environment and natural resources of people under

 oppression, domination and occupation shall be protected.' (1)

There is a clear connection between youth as actors in environmental governance that ensures natural

 resources in post conflict zones are protected. However, youth have often been victims of

unsustainable natural resource exploitation in post conflict zones in the Great Lakes region.

The next United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development or Rio+20[1], proposes the shift

 from brown economies to green economies, as well as a new institutional framework for sustainable

 development. This offers a renewed opportunity for youth to be key actors in advocacy and

 governance of the natural resources, as leaders in their communities, towards a green economy.

Presenting the paper to an attentive audience

Introduction

Documented advocacy for the good governance of natural resources can be traced back to the origins and beginnings of the environmental movement in the United States of America. One of the most well known personalities associated with this movement is writer, scientist and ecologist, Rachel Louise Carson, and who I was introduced to early in my Environmental Planning and Management study program. Growing up simply in the rural river town of Springdale, Pennsylvania, her mother bequeathed to her a life-long love of nature and the living world that Rachel expressed first as a writer and later as a student of marine biology. At a very youthful age of 25 and 29 years, Rachel earned an MA in Zoology and became the editor-in-chief of all publications for the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Yet it is her book, 'Silent Spring', which she published while dying from cancer in 1962, and at the height of industrial and chemical pollution and destruction of nature, that won her international critical acclaim and galvanized the environmental movement, shaping the management of natural resources at various levels.

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, in 1972, was one of the key milestones of this movement. Among the key outcomes of this conference was the setting up of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

In 1987, the famous Brundtland[2]Commission report on Sustainable Development was published. The report coined the concept 'sustainable development' and defined it as " …development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." (2)In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), popularly known as the Earth Summit was held in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. The Earth Summit is widely remembered for having enshrined the Agenda 21 principles into the global sustainable development agenda. Principle 21 of the document recognized the importance of mobilizing youth globally, recognizing them as actors in a partnership that transcends geographical boundaries, in the pursuit of sustainable development, which includes the management of natural resources. Principle 23, explicitly expressed the need to protect natural resources of populations under oppression, domination and occupation. While post-conflict zones may or may not necessarily be described as being 'under oppression, domination and occupation', it is accurate to state that the conditions of living in post-conflict zones generally match those described in Principle 23 of Agenda 21. However, post-conflict zones may also exhibit characteristics of great potential in terms of socio-economic growth and a 're-birth' of society, coupled with a greater sense of ownership and responsibility towards the management of natural resources, as a component that fuels and drives this 're-birth'. This paper seeks to examine the role of youth as key actors, especially in advocacy and governance of natural resource management in post-conflict zones, and especially in the context of a green-economy, which is one of the major themes for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, to be held, again, in Rio de Janeiro, in 2012.

The first part will look at the concept of youth and what defines them. The second part will attempt to dissect the various interpretations of advocacy and governance, looking at how youth have been involved at various levels, and how it has been reflected in the management of natural resources. The third and final part will look at what is being proposed as the green economy and the opportunities it may offer for youth to be more effectively engaged in the management of natural resources in post-conflict zones.

[1]The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) is being organized in pursuance of General Assembly Resolution 64/236 (A/RES/64/236). The Conference will take place in Brazil on 20-22 June 2012 to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Rio de Janeiro, and the 10th anniversary of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. It is envisaged as a Conference at the highest possible level, including Heads of State and Government or other representatives. The Conference will result in a focused political document. The Conference will focus on two themes: (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development.

[2]Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland was born in Oslo, Norway, on 20 April 1939. A medical doctor and Master of Public Health (MPH), Gro Harlem Brundtland spent 10 years as a physician and scientist in the Norwegian public health system. For more than 20 years she was in public office, 10 of them as Prime Minister. In the 1980s she chaired the World Commission of Environment and Development (also known as the Brundtland Commission).

Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-10686971043784238382012-02-13T23:44:00.000+03:002012-02-13T23:44:14.095+03:00Bukavu...and the news that followedI was trying to get some rest from a 31-hour bus trip,when news of a plane crash in the Eastern DRC town of Bukavu, started filtering through on the internet. That was Sunday, 12th February.
Just days earlier, Thursday morning, to be precise, i had left Bukavu by bus.
According to media reports, the plane was ferrying the finance minister and senior advisers to President Joseph Kabila, including the Governor of the South Kivu province. Apparently, the foreign pilots were flying into Kavuma airport on Bukavu for the first time. They overshot the runway and crashed, One senior presidential aide died while the finance minister, reportedly sustained serious injuries.

I was more curious about the condition of the Governor. On the evening of the 8th February, i was among conference participants that shared a dance floor with Governor Marcellin Cishambo, at a dinner party hosted at the end of a 3-day conference on natural resource management in post-conflict zones-the subject of my trip to Bukavu.

Governor Marcellin Cishambo (in bow tie) at the opening of the Conference in Bukavu

In fact, earlier that day, i had taken part in a group discussion in which the Governor participated, and even had a chance for a photo-op and a tete-a-tete afterwards. It was therefore a shock to learn that he had been in the ill-fated plane. Thankfully, the Governor's injuries are not life-threatening, even though he will be immobile for several months, if media reports are to be believed. I wish him and his colleagues a quick recovery.

In the meantime, stay tuned for posts on my experience in Bukavu and Rwanda.Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-21311149458609347922011-12-22T23:25:00.001+03:002011-12-22T23:39:34.923+03:00Déjà vu!Déjà vu! Yes, i have experienced it a dozen times over. Eerie. And its happening...AGAIN!
Around this time last year, i was glued to the news, following by the minute, developments in Cote d'Ivoire as they unfolded. Some might remember the post titled 'The country with two presidents'.
This time, its happening even closer home.Africa's second largest country has had elections.Election 'observers' have described the process as fraught with flaws.The Supreme Court, ratified the results announced by the electoral commission, declaring the incumbent, Joseph Desire Kabila, as president-elect. The man has since taken the oath of office, while the country has witnessed heavy security deployments comprising boots and machines. (Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe was the only foreign head of state who attended the ceremony.)

A campaign poster bearing Mr.Kabila's photo

Just like last year, the 'opposition man' Etienne Tshisekedi, has declared himself winner, and is organizing his swearing-in ceremony slated for tomorrow (Friday 23rd December), at Kinshasa's martyrs square. There is potential of many more 'martyrs' being created. We will effectively end up in a similar situation like Cote d'Ivoire's, a year ago. Déjà vu? I wish it were. Only this has happened before.
It is said (and don't ask me by who) that in Africa, incumbents never lose elections. I am happy that Zambia disproved this saying, where Michael Sata is now president and busy implementing his own brand of economics, dubbed 'Satanomics'. But i digress.

Mr. Tshisekedi who has declared himself president and 'issued an arrest warrant' for Mr.Kabila

Why am i so interested in the DRC situation? And why does it seem to me like there is little or no interest at all from 'the international community' (whoever they are!)?
I can only answer the first question. This Christmas, many kids across the world will receive playstations, laptops or iphones from 'Santa' (whoever he/she is). These electronic devices contain capacitors manufactured from tantalum, which is extracted from the mineral coltan. You may or may not remember that statement from this other post: 'Is there blood on your mobile phone?'
The DRC contains some of the world's largest coltan reserves, among a host of other mineral resources. However, the wars in the Congo have seen millions of people die and some of the most horrific and widespread cases of sexual violence against women. Remember the 'rape capital of the world' statement?
While kids in other parts of the world enjoy their 'gifts from Santa', their Congolese counterparts will be enduring the uncertainty that continues to engulf their land-especially when their country ends up with two presidents. And that's what worries and gets me really concerned.

Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-24411461887232595012011-12-21T18:40:00.001+03:002011-12-21T18:42:28.571+03:00East Africa in 2050Recently i read a report about the integration process of the East African Community (EAC) that includes Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. According to the report, the EAC may have a single currency as early as 2015! Never mind that the Euro zone is deep in crisis raising questions about the viability of monetary unions.
So what will East Africa look like in 2050? Here are several scenarios that i stumbled upon a short while ago in 'The East African'. Makes for interesting reading!

SCENARIO 1: THE WATER POWERS

The first force driving border changes could be water and fuel. Virtually all the countries in the region, except Tanzania, face serious water stress in the next few years. Kenya is the most stressed: each Kenyan only has 636 cubic metres of water a year, compared with 1,270 cubic metres in Uganda and 2,035 in Tanzania. As a rule of thumb, hydrologists consider 2,000 cubic metres per person per year as the point when a country is considered "water-stressed", and 1,000 cubic metres as when the situation is critical, and a country is "water-scarce". So Kenya is "finished". Water scarcity is likely to hit Uganda by 2035, and water stress will hit the country even earlier, by the year 2020. At the present rate of deforestation, it is predicted that Uganda is likely to be importing fuel wood by 2020. Nairobi water demand stands at 750,000 cubic metres a day against a supply capacity of 530,000 cubic metres. It is projected that the daily demand in 2020 will stand at 1.6 million cubic metres and climb to 2.2 million cubic metres by 2030. So Nairobi City could collapse. In this scenario, the most successful countries will be the water-rich ones or those that have been smart at environmental management: In this scenario, Rwanda and a resurgent DR Congo could eat up Uganda; and Tanzania will become the regional superpower, swallowing most of Kenya. South Sudan will take a chunk of Kenyan and Ethiopian territory.

SCENARIO 2: THE DEMOCRACY POWERS

The future of most East African nations is uncertain, because the political elite have not arrived at a long-term deal on power sharing and enshrined it in a constitution. As a result, the regimes in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan and Ethiopia all today still need to call out the army or special forces to beat back the opposition. The only country, paradoxically, that has solved this problem is Kenya. It is the only nation in the sub region where, in the past two years, the power class has worked itself into a position where it can hold power through trickery, patronage, and sweet-talking without bringing out the army.
In July this year, Kenya's government became the first in Africa — and one of the first in the world — to be completely data open. It has a level of openness on government data that is higher than the US's. If it can leverage all these into political dividends and the other nations don't sort themselves out quickly, it is easy to see Kenya becoming a Democracy Top Dog and swallowing half of South Sudan, most of Uganda, and a chunk of Tanzania to become a mind-bogglingly expanded nation.

SCENARIO 3: THE RESOURCE POWERS (ENERGY & MINERALS)

When it comes to resources, Kenya does badly, as do Rwanda and Burundi, and Somalia. Rwanda's main resource is natural gas, with 56 billion cubic metres of natural gas reserves. The resource king in the region is DRC. According to a recent report by Africa Business, the country has $24 trillion worth of untapped mineral deposits, which is equivalent to the GDP of Europe and the United States combined. The DRC has the world's largest reserves of cobalt and significant quantities of the world's diamonds, gold and copper. This makes the DRC potentially the richest country in the world. Then there is Tanzania. It has gold reserves of 45 million ounces, and is currently the third-largest gold producer in Africa. A recent geological survey revealed 209 million tonnes of nickel reserves, 50.9 million carats of diamond, and 103 million tonnes of iron ore, as well as 6.5 billion cubic metres of natural gas. Uganda is oil rich, with 1.5 billion barrels of oil reserves. South Sudan too has 3.5 billion - 5 billion barrels of oil reserves.

In this scenario, Tanzania will ingest Burundi, Uganda and DRC would eat Rwanda for lunch, and Kenya would all but disappear, being carved up between Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan. Ethiopia would, largely, remain intact.

SCENARIO 4: THE TECHNOLOGY POWERS

Despite lack of natural resources, a country can rise to power through innovation and becoming a leader in science and industry (as Japan teaches us). In East Africa today, the two nations investing heavily in technology innovation are Kenya and Rwanda. Kenya is now dubbed "the Silicon Savannah".

Rwanda is also investing in IT education, and public health care like no other East African nation. Kenya's private sector medical industry is years ahead of its peers. Kenya's innovative capacity is ranked an impressive 52nd globally [third in Africa after Tunisia at 49th and South Africa at 51st], with high company spending on R&D and good scientific research institutions that collaborate well with the business sector in research activities (Global Competitiveness Report 2011/12, Word Economic Forum). The Global Competitiveness Report also showed Kenya with the second highest number of utility patents (i.e. patents for innovation) granted in sub-Saharan Africa, and fifth in Africa if you include Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, at 0.02 patents per million of the population, which translates into 800,000 patents.

Kenyan operator Safaricom became the first-ever telecom company to create a mass mobile-banking service, setting industry standards now being copied from California to Kabul. By May of this year, Ushahidi, a crowd-sourcing platform developed in Nairobi in early 2008, which is free to download, had been used 14,000 times in 128 countries to map everything from last year's earthquake in Haiti to this year's Japanese tsunami and the Arab Spring.

If technology, innovation and the development of the health industry are the future, then Kenya and Rwanda will chew up Uganda, and Rwanda will gobble up Burundi and a large swathe of eastern DRC. A large part of Tanzania, and South Sudan would become Kenya territory. Interestingly, this is probably the only scenario where Somalia survives. It's a fairly innovative country in communications, so it will survive. It will be reunited with Somaliland and Puntland, and take in the Somali/Ogaden of Ethiopia.

SCENARIO 5: THE ENERGY-AND-FOOD-HUNGRY MILITARY POWERS

The next group of winners could be countries that reasonably stabilise their internal politics, grow their economies and build strong militaries, but have no food and energy to run on. These countries will take account of the rich ones that have resources, but are disorganised, have weak militaries, and chaotic politics.

In this scenario, Rwanda will thrive. Uganda might just get by, but not enough to grow out much. Burundi might survive. Kenya, whose real military strength, it emerges, has been grossly underestimated from what we are learning from its Somalia campaign and with an interesting new political order, will thrive as well as Rwanda. Ethiopia too will do quite well. There are questions about Tanzania in this picture, as there are about South Sudan, and Somalia is a write off. So, Rwanda will expand and absorb DR Congo and its resources. Burundi too will expand considerably into the DR Congo and parts of Tanzania. There will be a small portion of DRC left that Uganda will pick up. Uganda will also pick up a little of South Sudan, but most of it will go Ethiopia and Kenya. Kenya and Ethiopia will divvy up Somalia. Kenya might get a little bite of Tanzania. Whatever the case, Tanzania will shrink.
Source: http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/-/2558/1291160/-/ngqlltz/-/index.htmlAllen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-13929366721343544802011-09-14T18:21:00.002+03:002011-09-14T18:55:16.991+03:00To Wrocław and MollinaToday marks the last full working day of my 7 month internship with the Torun Ecological Association "Tilia".However, the next few days before my flight back to Nairobi will still be quite busy!
I will take the train tomorrow to Wroclaw, and on Friday i will participate in the 19th Annual Plenary Session & Conference of European Environment and Sustainable Development Advisory Councils network. The meeting has actually already started with internal meetings of the EEAC network, which is an independent body that advises the European governments on matters of environment and sustainability, as the title suggests. The conference is also serving as a preparatory forum for the next Earth Summit in Brazil in 2012, popularly known as Rio+20.I am really looking forward to learning a great deal and possibly making some important contacts for the future.
Later on Saturday morning, September 17th, i will take the train to Warsaw where i will stay overnight, before flying to Malaga, Spain on Sunday morning.
Every year, the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe in collaboration with other partners, organizes the University on Youth and Development (UYD).It serves as a forum where young people meet to train and be trained, to share and discuss, and to come up with plans of action, on important development issues of the day.

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This year's theme focusses on the role of youth volunteering for global development.Started in the year 2000, the UYD is hosted at the Centre for European and Latin American Youth (CEULAJ) located in the village of Mollina, 50 kilometres from Malaga.
It seems to me that the common thread running through all these meetings, is a fundamental human desire to make the world a better place to live in. I definitely want in on any initiative that seeks to do that, and hope that i can learn skills, gain knowledge and build friendships, that i can then pass on to other people wherever next i find myself in.Lastly, i found this video and thought it fits in today's blog post.

Maybe you too are already involved or would like to get involved in making the world more just? Perhaps you have ideas or experiences to share? If so, please feel free to get in touch.I'd love to hear from you!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-64294397326426973012011-09-12T23:31:00.001+03:002011-09-12T23:35:13.897+03:00September 12th...
First came the prediction and warning: June 22nd 2008

Then came the tragedy:

...And a shocking display of ignorance from some 'politicians':

...and it all makes me extremely ANGRY!!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-2510726101525489752011-09-12T22:08:00.000+03:002011-09-12T22:08:55.546+03:00Kenyans, Freebies and ImpunityIts a sad day for East Africa.Even before the news of a ferry tragedy in Zanzibar, that killed hundreds of people, over one hundred more lives have been lost in a fire tragedy in Nairobi.Deep condolences go out to all affected, and wishes for a quick recovery to all those hospitalized.
Rescue efforts were particularly challenging in both cases. Both tragedies could have been averted.
In February of 2009, John Ngirachu, a journalist at the Nation newspaper in Nairobi, and a former university colleague, wrote about a looming fire disaster in the Mukuru Sinai slums. He and a fellow journalist reported how residents had resisted attempts to move them from the oil pipeline area in which they were living.

They quoted a local pastor as saying "The Bible says that God is fire," the 45-year-old pastor says. "Well, my church is right on top of the pipeline, and I am always aware of the possibility of a fire outbreak."
It is now September 2011, and a fierce fire did break out...adding to a long list of tragedies that could have been averted. It is a culture of impunity. A culture that has fatal results.Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-78709412005760206892011-09-10T19:28:00.001+03:002011-09-10T19:59:38.118+03:00Another day...and a week coming up!My office-issued laptop no longer detects the wireless network available in the building that has been my home for the past close-to-seven-months now. Wi-fi doesn't seem to be available anyway, because even my phone no longer picks up the signals.
It is Saturday evening, which means i cannot access the internet from the office, which is closed (it was open since my colleagues and i worked today too).The implication is that i have to sit at the reception, where a computer connected to the internet is available. Again, being a Saturday, like many other Saturdays, also means that a wedding party is going on. In fact, when i got started on this post, the newly wedded couple made its grand entrance into the building, which has an excellent conference hall, for their wedding party, and were greeted with rousing applause by family and friends.I no longer own a camera, so no photos to share....sorry!
My room is a few meters from the conference hall. Therefore, when the music starts playing, i will be unable to do much else...other than try to watch a movie...or spend sometime online.But again, the latter activity is only possible at the reception and i am not sure that i want to be here longer.We'll see. Its not the first time anyway!One thing is sure though. I will be waking up really late tomorrow.I am not complaining here;just telling my story!
Tomorrow also marks the start of another week. I sense already that it will be a week full of emotions, ideas and opportunities.On Tuesday evening, my colleagues will say 'goodbye' officially at some ceremony. It (the ceremony) should be simple, i hope, but i know saying goodbye will not. These are men and women that i have shared an office with every single working day, for the past 7 months!We have shared joys, challenges, hopes...and lots of coffee, tea and cake too. It is not easy to say 'kwaheri' to people like these.
Thursday morning will see me catch a train to Wroclaw. I have heard a lot about this city, but was never able to go there. Next week, the European Environmental Advisory Council (EEAC) will host its 19th annual conference at the Wroclaw University of Technology. The Polish minister of Environment will be one of the key note speakers. It will really be an honour for me to be present at the conference. It will be a whole day conference, Friday, and there won't be time left for anything else after. Maybe i'll try to explore Wroclaw by night.
Early Saturday, and i'll be on another train-this time to Warsaw, so i can catch a flight to Malaga, Spain, early Sunday morning.I'll be attending the University on Youth and Development (UYD), in the Spanish town of Mollina, close to Malaga.That will be another week altogether!
For now, its probably time to log-off and retire to my room...a few meters from the conference hall...where a wedding party is in progress...Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-22035692146376522622011-09-08T23:03:00.000+03:002011-09-08T23:03:22.402+03:00Surprising Europe?!With less than three weeks left before i board a flight back to Nairobi, marking the end of my 7-month long experience in Poland, many of my friends have been asking me how the time here has been for me.It is impossible to capture in words, the very rich and diverse moments and relationships that have characterized my stay here.But the conclusion always is'yes, i definitely want to come back...for an even longer period!'
But life has its low moments too, no matter which part of the world you live in.Mine was no exception. And while reviewing and reflecting on the past weeks and months, i stumbled upon a documentary series called 'Surprising Europe'.
The series is running on the Al Jazeera network, and documents the lives of African immigrants in Europe-a window into the experiences that they live with all its joys and pains.It makes for interesting viewing, and i think everyone, immigrant or not, should watch it. Below is a trailer for the series and you can read comments on the series on the 'Surprising Europe' website.

The only thing i am really surpsised about is how fast my time here has gone!!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-83625696346679318112011-07-16T01:00:00.001+03:002011-08-30T19:10:00.427+03:00Modern day Tabu Ley?If you were born in Kenya before 1990 like me, then you know how life was growing up listening to the one and only Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC ) radio. Broadcasts would begin at 6am in the morning with the national anthem and end at midnight, on a similar note.
The selection of music would of course depend on the 'mtangazaji' of the day. These were the pre-mobile phone days, and call-in shows to request for 'tracks' were unheard of. Nevertheless, a daily dose of Congolese music was guaranteed. The likes Franco, Mbilia Bel and Tabu Ley Rochereau were household names.
Tabu Ley was responsible for the formation of the Orchestre Africa International, churning out popular hits in the 70's 80's and 90's.

Tabu Ley Rochereau

This evening i was pleasantly surprised to discover that his son Youssoupha, is into music as well, although of a completely different genre, that would definitely appeal to the post 1990 generation-at least those who appreciate the French language.

And unlike the time in which i grew up, they can listen to Youssoupha's music from anywhere in the world-thanks to the world wide web, just like i did watching 'L'effet Papillon' or 'the butterfly effect'.
History continues!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-59376611420375516572011-07-15T00:01:00.000+03:002011-07-15T00:01:47.602+03:00I'm mad as hell! Then what?Time flies! After a one month hiatus, it feels like a lot has happened. And indeed a lot has happened. The most dramatic being the birth of the world's newest country; the Republic of South Sudan. Speaking of time, the media has been awash with stories of drought and hunger in the 'Horn of Africa', which has been described as the worst in 60 years. That means you'd have to go back to 1951 to find evidence of similar situation.

Estimated food security conditions, 2nd Quarter 2011 (April-June 2011): Food insecurity for the poor and very poor households in northern and eastern pastoral areas is likely to deteriorate to Crisis and Emergency levels (IPC Phases 3 and 4) in July unless urgent interventions are instituted. Though rains in Turkana district were better than in other pastoral areas, food insecurity is similarly deteriorating and is likely to fall to Crisis levels in August. (Fews.net)

However, the fact that the frequency and intensity of droughts has been increasing in East Africa in the past 20 years, has not been lost on many observers.The security situation in Somalia, one of the most severely hit country by the current drought, has made it virtually impossible for relief supplies to reach the population. The result has been a massive inflow of refugees into the Dadaab refugee camp in North Eastern Kenya, which has been under pressure of overcrowding, way before the surrent crisis hit hard. Government officials in Nairobi have been grappling with pressure from civil society groups to do something about sky-rocketing inflation.Members of Parliament are finding themselves in an awkward position, with the new requirement that they pay taxes on theri entire perks. Analysts, think-tanks and busy bodies are engaged in offering 'expert opinion' about 'what went wrong', like they always do, rushing from one seminar to the next.Meanwhile, people are suffering.

Of course a long term solution is necessary. Perhaps it is justified to be angry and mad at the failure to implement policies that could have averted or mitigated the effects of the drought. However, in the interim, people need help. Concrete help! And i want to be part of the solution, which i will tell you about...later.Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-35823066823390609852011-06-11T16:07:00.000+03:002011-06-11T16:07:37.922+03:00Dlaczego nie Polska?

I was sitting in the office drawing up some proposals on networking for my host organization, the Torun Ecological Association 'Tilia', where I am an intern for close to 15 weeks now. Suddenly the Prezes (President) of the Association and the Dyrektor (Director) of the Szkola Lesna na Barbarce (Forest School in Barbarka), appeared. One of my colleagues was getting ready to go out on an ornithological field study with a group of about 25, fifteen year old lads and lasses.

In the spur of the moment the Dyrektor suggested I join my colleague and teach something about Kenya's environment when a theory class on Natura 2000, a European wide environmental protection program, got underway later on, which I gladly did to a seemingly interested audience. At the end of the presentation, one teacher accompanying the kids walked up to my colleague and I as we disconnected the laptop and other electronic equipment from the power plugs. After an exchange of pleasantries she sought to find out what my mission in Poland was, at the end of which, with a perplexed look on her face, she asked, "…but why Poland?!"

I have lost count of the number of times this question has been addressed to me. All in different contexts.

Presentation at a school in Ciechocinek, where the question 'Why Poland?' popped up.

From school children, teachers, colleagues, friends of colleagues…even complete strangers! Once I was relaxing on the grounds of the Szkola Lesna which extends out into the greater Barbarka forest, and therefore serves as a recreation area for the residents of the city of Torun and tourists alike. A group on a family outing sat close by and after about ten minutes or so, one of them said hello and started making conversation…albeit in Polish. I understood enough of what he was saying, and again the question "Dlaczego Polska?" was asked. My attempts at explaining how beautiful the Polish countryside and nature is and therefore attractive especially for a young Environmental Planning and Management professional, seemed unconvincing and probably even confusing. Actually the more I continued to wax lyrical about how warm, friendly and kind Polish people are, the more his face twisted into little shapes that spelt one word in capital letters…UNBELIEVABLE!! He protested in Polish, "…but you've got elephants, and lions and mountains in your country!!" I couldn't find a response to that…even in English.

I suppose the reason I get surprised every time this question is asked, is because I see many positive things about this country. When complaints abound about 'roads' and 'trains' I remark that some countries like the one I am from, has fewer kilometers of tarmacked roads, let alone 'bad roads' and close to non-existent railway network in comparison to what is available here. Besides, it doesn't seem to me that people in Kenya get so surprised as to ask foreigners "why Kenya?".

I really have no problem with the fact that the question is posed to me here. In fact, in a way, I enjoy it and have learnt to anticipate the question. Its just that in my mind, I keep thinking, 'why not Poland?'.

Perhaps next time someone asks the question, I will fire back (friendly fire) and ask, "Dlaczego nie Polska?!"
Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-17844859259166740782011-05-23T21:34:00.000+03:002011-05-23T21:34:16.353+03:00Looking for the lost apostropheBarack Obama will be visiting Poland this Friday, at the tail-end of a whistle-stop tour that also takes him to Ireland, Britain and France.Just this past weekend, i was in the capital Warsaw, but it was impossible to detect or sense anything that felt like the imminent visit of the President of the United States.
Why that probably struck me as odd, is that one month before VP Joe Biden visited Nairobi in 2010, security agencies and city authorities were already turning the city inside-out.
Something else that struck me today was an article about the village of Moneygall in Ireland, where Obama's great-great-great-grandfather on his mother's side was a shoemaker. In a speech, Obama told the crowds that he had come to find the apostrophe that he lost somewhere along the way.'O'bama' tshirts and other merchandise have been selling like hot cake in Ireland.Kenyans from Western Kenya might want to create controversy out of that, since 'Obama' and other names that begin with the letter 'O' usually have their origin in that part of the country.The attempt at 'Irishizing' Obama to 'O'bama' to fit the pattern of other Irish names like O'Toole, O'Reilly and O'Kelly would not go down well with the village elders in K'Ogelo village, where Obama Snr. was born. During his inauguration ceremony, an invitation was sent out from Washington to the Kenyan Boys choir, to provide entertainment.In the following clip, you will see just how at home they were performing a song in Luhya language, (one of the tribes in Western Kenya),praising Obama.

You see, my surname is 'Ottaro', so like Obama i also might want to find the 'lost apostrophe' and rediscover my Irish roots in some village that has two pubs but no bank, no ATM and no petrol station.And wear an O'ttaro tshirt while irrigating my throat with a pint of Guiness.Like O'bama says, it 'tastes better in Ireland!'Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-78544483755641448612011-05-17T01:29:00.000+03:002011-05-17T01:29:16.495+03:00Hakuna Matata na Fairtrade!On my previous visits to Europe, in 2006, 2007 and more recently 2010, i started and ended my trips in Frankfurt am Main. The endings, usually 2 to 3 days before my return flights to Nairobi, were at the house of a friend, Stefan, who runs a Fairtrade shop on Bergerstrasse in the Bornheim region of Frankfurt city.So naturally i found myself spending an hour or so at the shop on each occassion, and was quite delighted to discover soap stone carvings from Tabaka, near Kisii town in Western Kenya. I had been on a field study class project on environmental management plans for the soap stone mining region before, and knew exactly what it took to get the final product ready.

Ursula and Stefan infront of the Fairtrade shop in Bornheim

Well, this year i found myself making a presentation on Fairtrade, at the parking lot of the Forest School Barbarka where i live and work, on World Fairtrade Day, celebrated across the world every 14th of May. This year's theme was 'Trade for all-Fairtrade your world'.I prepared a basic presentation in English; basic means i put in more pictures than words and avoided creating an 'academic sounding presentation' in favour of a more general, easy flowing and colourful presentation.

Winding up the presentation

For the simple reason that i am still learning to communicate in Polish, and was relying on a translator to explain things.I have learnt that this modus operandi takes twice as much time, than if i were to do the presentation in one language.
The weather was abit 'iffy' with clouds hovering over the skies for most of the afternoon, and that probably put a dent in the attendance.The concept of Fairtrade in Poland is also not as strong as in other countries such as Germany, for example, and you will be lucky to find a Fairtrade shop or products in most cities.Nevertheless, we got quorum a little after 15.15hrs and i went through the slides, explaining what Fairtrade is and its contribution, socially, economically and environmentally to producers and their communities, as well as showcasing products from Kenya, from vegetables to flowers to soap stone to tea.The translation bit was a welcome relief as it allowed me to catch my breath and reorganize my thoughts.My colleague, Michał has proven himself, time and again since my very first day here, to be an excellent translator.More helpfully, he had the sense to come to my room and for a brief discussion over a cup of Tanzanian Fairtrade coffee, on the content of the presentation before we started.

The Fairtrade coffee and tea table

Now a few days earlier, the Director of the Forest School, Monika, had suggested that i cook something Kenyan for the audience to sample as part of the day's event. Those of you who have known me longer, can attest to the fact that calling me a lousy cook would be an insult to members of the 'lousy cooking fraternity'.It was no mean feat trying to wriggle myself out of the idea. Eventually i succeeded in convincing (perhaps even confusing!) all concerned that the real typical Kenyan dish was ugali, and getting the ingredients for that would mean flying me to Nairobi and back.And of course being an ecological organization, we are mindful of our carbon foot print and the idea was eventually tossed out the window. However, the director is a shrewd operator. If i couldn't cook, then i had to sing. Fair enough, i thought to myself. But the offer became more tantalizing, when on Friday morning, Lukasz, a colleague who works on the line park or 'parki linowy' as we say in Polish, very calmly broke the news that he plays African drums, and has singers who sing African music.

Lukasz, (in the long-sleeved 'African' shirt) and his team

He offered to back me up with the drums and the background singers. It was an offer i couldn't refuse!
After the presentation, Lukasz and his team performed two songs from Mali and Senegal. Soon it was time to sing 'Hakuna matata', a song in Kiswahili which means 'No problem'.

On stage with Lukasz's team

The backup was simply superb and the result was evident from the thunderous applause of those in attendance.And in the spirit of East African-Polish co-operation, there was free Fairtrade Tanzanian coffee for all.Hakuna matata na Fairtrade!!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-8956756405527611742011-05-12T00:13:00.001+03:002011-05-16T23:16:44.414+03:00Bardzo piękna pogoda!I was done with posting for today, but for some reason decided to return.With a seemingly strange title, that translates into English as 'very beautiful weather'. My uneducated guess reliably informs me that you had already figured that out the moment you saw it-thanks to the wonders of Google translator. Even more beautiful is that i wrote it without external support or reference; fruit of days and weeks of painstakingly trying to learn the Polish language. Now that's a story for another day.
From the corner of the world that i come from (to use an expression Charles Onyango-Obbo created recently), it is either raining or it isn't. End of story. Well, if you live at the coast or in North Horr, you are already used to 30+C temperatures.If you are in Nairobi, Central and Rift Valley highlands, then you know it will be cold around June and July.Cold means between 13 and 18C. No one really bothers to check anyway. You just know its cold, and do the next sensible thing which is to grab a warm coat and drown in an endless supply of hot chai.
So folks on the side of the globe that i was born would sometimes find it perplexing that their colleagues living in regions that experience 'seasons' in the name of winter, spring, summer and autumn, seem to be pre-occupied with weather-based discussions. Indeed, 'prognoza pogody', or 'weather forecast' in the Polish language, forms a very important part of every news segment and commands great attention.
So what's the fuss all about? You see, after a dozen weeks in Poland, and having lived through the transition from winter to spring, i don't have to have a reason to talk about the weather. Its second nature.During the winter i had to learn and get accustomed to a ritual that involved putting on several layers of clothing,including gloves, before stepping out the front door.

then...

The idea is to cover every part of skin that can be covered, as thickly as possible. Once inside another building, the ritual would also involve removing some layers of clothing, since buildings are fitted with heating systems. Day in day out.Days that end at 5pm when it gets dark.That is how to cope with sub-zero temperatures.I am glad i was triumphant...or rather survived.

...and now

Fast-forward to April and the story gets more interesting.Temperatures are more on the +ve side, at least in day time-and it seems that the general mood of people follows suit. Soon, the trees have leaves and there is more colour, a transformation from the winter grey.

...the colours

By May, it feels even better than Nairobi, and the mode of dressing changed long time ago. No more rituals, and the kilos of clothing are tremendously cut down.The days are longer too and it is still bright at 20.00hrs.There is a real transformation. Why would anyone not want to sing, leave alone talk about that?!
I leave you with a song from one of my favourite flamenco singer, Aurora Vargas, entitled, 'La Primavera' or wiosne...spring!

Wherever in the world you are reading this from...including my best friend Emmanuel Ndayisaba in Adelaide...i wish you piękna pogoda!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-82812061645609530552011-05-11T19:04:00.000+03:002011-05-11T19:04:28.132+03:00Help Save Mount Kenya With a Web LinkRecently a colleague at work asked me whether i had climbed Mount Kenya. It was rather embarrasing to listen to myself explaining that i hadn't. Now that's a terrible indictment for an Environmental Planning and Management expert that i claim to be.
The second highest peak in Africa at 5199 metres, Mt.Kenya is also a UNESCO World Heritage site,playing host to a variation of flora and fauna with altitude change.According to information on the UNESCO website, Mt.Kenya's vegetation varies with altitude and rainfall, with a rich alpine and subalpine flora.The evolution and ecology of its afro-alpine flora also provide an outstanding example of ecological processes.

Due to global warming and climate change,12 remnant glaciers and four secondary peaks that sit at the head of the U-shaped glacial valleys, are all receding rapidly.
Several initiatives are however underway to counter deforestation which has disastrous consequences on Mt.Kenya's delicate ecosystem.One such initiative is called 'Tupande Pamoja',a Swahili phrase that means "Let's plant together".The initiative brings 'pamoja' the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the East Africa Wildlife Society, Kenya Forests Working Group, Nature Kenya & Kenya Forest Service (KFS). Africa Point, an online travel agency has pledged to donate one seedling for every 'Tweet' or Facebook 'Like' to be planted on the Mt.Kenya water tower.You can also be a partner by displaying the badge below:

In partnership with africapoint.com

Better still, you can come to Kenya and plan a mountain climbing activity or a visit to Mt.Kenya National park, just like i have resolved to do!!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-90583177306471672652011-05-01T22:59:00.000+03:002011-05-01T22:59:51.147+03:00Non abbiate paura...May 1st 2011...The Beatification of Pope John Paul II. How wonderful it felt today, to be on the homeland of a Saint!And only months after having been abundantly blessed to visit the places of his birth, life and vocation.

Blessed John Paul II

Pope John Paul II was an excellent communicator.He spoke to the world.To a broken world.I never had an opportunity to see him. But he spoke to me.Many times."Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors to Christ."
Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-8024182260668631683.post-10211124587457214002011-04-27T23:03:00.001+03:002011-04-27T23:10:02.544+03:00Salute to my Country Men and WomenOne of the best and most memorable experience for any Kenyan living abroad, i imagine, is to hear their national anthem being played (even out of tune) and see their national flag (which all Kenyans think is the best looking in the world) being hoisted on foreign soil.
For years, Kenyan athletes, men and women, kings and queens of the world's track and field have consistently dominated international races-breaking records, setting new ones and breaking them again when no one else could; effectively guaranteeing and providing those special 'Kenyan-anthem-and-flag-moments' abroad.
In fact, Kenyans have been so successful that my favourite columnist, Charles Onyango-Obbo, writing in the East African, once proposed that they should now allow Ugandans to win- 'in the spirit of East African cooperation'.
Meanwhile, Utrecht Marathon organizers were busy plotting how to lock out Kenyans from their event this year. A point-blank ban would be illegal and was not an option. So they decided they would instead 'offer' 100euro prize money to any non-Dutch passport holder (code name for Kenyan) who won the race, and 10000euros for a Dutch citizen achieving the same feat. Being the clever fellows they think they are, they explained away the whole scenario as a way of 'encouraging' Dutch citizens to 'do well'. What a lame, short-sighted strategy. And an even lamer and blind excuse.
As if to prove just how banal the Utrecht strategy is, Geoffrey Mutai went on to not only win the 115th edition of the Boston marathon, but set a new record, running the fastest marathon ever!

Geoffrey Mutai, world's fastest marathon runner

Caroline Kilel did the honours in the women's race. A week earlier, Kenya had swept the podium at the London marathon.The Paris marathon before that.The World Cross Country Championships in Palmeria, Spain....you get the drift by now.

Another Kenyan, Caroline Kilel, won the women's race

So the IAAF built a high altitude international training camp in Kenya.Foreign athletes flocked to 'acclimatize' and learn the 'Kenyan secret to success'. Years later, they are still learning.Going by recent and not too recent results, it seems to me that they are either learning the wrong stuff....or...Kenyans were 'built' for this business and are in a class of their won. I am more inclined to the latter possibility.

Rudisha: Its a world record!

Last year, a 21 year-old by the name David Rudisha, showed up on the world stage to set a new 800-meter world record...and proceeded to break it after one week. IAAF had no option other than to name him the male athlete of the year 2010. In Nairobi, we joked how Rudisha was 'rudisha-ing' medals back home.Rudisha is also a Kiswahili word that means 'return'.

I can only salute these outstanding men and women, who never disappoint and forever make me proud to be Kenyan!!Allen Kazimierz Ottarohttp://firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Somewhere out there is a media company executive who's his head is stuck neck-deep in the sand. Most executives used to be like him, but he's now the only one who hasn't noticed the huge changes happening in media over the past several years.
For decades, those changes had been forecast to occur sometime during the 21st century, but we thought they would occur much later in this century. Those changes are occurring now, and everyone knows it. Everyone, that is, except this guy who thinks he's in a sand trap near the 17th green and that it's still 1998.
His compatriots are well aware what year it is. Most of them are cowering in the clubhouse, wondering if and how the digital storm will change their game. Nonetheless, many still delude themselves into thinking that the future will be like the past and that they can keep their same balls and swing.
All around them, a storm of headlines screams the changes:
- "S&P slashes NY Times rating to junk"
- "Troubled TV Guide, the Company, Sells for One Dollar"
- "Star-Ledger cuts newsroom staff by nearly half"
- "As the Lines Blur, Digital Ad Agencies Are Taking Lead"
- "Monitor shifts from print to Web-based strategy"
And those headlines are just from this week.
It's no longer a question of if there will be major changes in the media environment — or when. Major changes have begun, and the only questions left are how long the changes will take and what the world of media will be like afterwards.
Most senior media company executives, particularly those over 40, hope they will be short and, at worst, incremental changes. Many delude themselves into thinking the Wall Street debacle caused the current turmoil (such as headlines indicate).
Most senior media company executives pray that their world return to "normal" once the economy recovers in perhaps 12 to 24 months. They hope the current turmoil is merely cyclical and will eventually go away. They remember previous recessions (1980-1982, 1990-1991) that didn't really change their world. Those are comforting thoughts.
Yet the changes now underway, changes that had been forecast for decades to occur this century, are fundamental (or as stock analysts say, "secular") and anything but cyclical or short-term.
We're passing through a great inflection point, when new media business models and new media business practices are no longer an alternative or a sideshow but are the new mainstream of media.
S&P might someday soon rate NYTCo's debt above "junk" level. The "Star-Ledger" might someday hire more journalists. Advertising agencies that don't specialize in digital media might again win major accounts. But media industries will never again be as they were five years ago. The past is over.
Media executives' challenge is no longer how to use new media to do what traditional media did. The shovelware (define) era is over. The challenge now is how to use new media as if traditional media had never existed — to utilize new media's myriad advantages over traditional media.
We no longer live in world predominately of broadcast or printed media and of standalone media outlets. We now live in a digitally networked world of increasingly individualized delivery of metadata-driven, semantic content.
New media business plans and practices that once sounded esoteric aren't scoffed at anymore; they're now the mainstream. Media executives who used to worry that trying something radical online might be a career error are now worrying that their lack of daring online might have been their career errors.
Meanwhile, media companies that once felt wedded to traditional forms of media must learn that divorce is now acceptable, even encouraged for future happiness. For example, one savvy traditional media company is using online-only methods to invade other traditional media companies' market.
Forget about that media company executive who still has his head stuck in the sand. A generation from now, perhaps there will be an online video show like "Mad Men" that focuses on how outrageously unfair, odd, and quaint life in 1990s media companies was. Millennia from now, our media executive's bones, like those of the dinosaurs, will be dug up by scientists who'll try to figure out how he sustained himself, what type of environment he lived in, and how the environmental changes killed him. Perhaps they'll even reassemble his remains with some semblance of accuracy, and our descendents will be able to examine him online.
Traditional media is dead. The future is today. Welcome to a new media world!
Join us for a Consumers and the Influence of Blogs: What It Means for Your Marketing Mix on November 20 at 2 pm EST. Find out how online consumers discover blogs and navigate between them, what kind of opportunity blogs represent for advertisers, and much more!
Related reading
How brand advertisers are fighting ad fraud
Ad fraud is one of the hottest topics in the digital advertising ecosystem this year and for good reason: it's a big problem that is costing advertisers huge amounts of money. Fortunately, advertisers aren't helpless. Here are some of the tools and strategies brand advertisers are using to combat ad fraud.
What's in a name? The ad industry debates "programmatic" versus "automation"
According to eMarketer, four out of every five dollars spent on display advertising in the U.S. this year will transact programmatically. That amounts to almost $33 billion in ad spend. But ironically, what constitutes "programmatic" is still the source of significant confusion among marketers.
Why brands should make the leap to podcast advertising
In an exclusive guest post for ClickZ, Stuart Last, COO at audioBoom, explains who is listening to podcasts, what they are buying, and how brands can capitalize on this behavior.
Has advertising arrived on Google Home?
Google sparked a small firestorm last week as reports surfaced that its intelligent assistant device Google Home delivered an unsolicited advertisement to unsuspecting owners.

subset: commoncrawl


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This property has been removed by the agent. It may be let or temporarily removed from the market
Property Description
Letting information:
|Reduced on Rightmove:
|05 January 2017 (257 days ago)
Full description
Boro Properties are pleased to offer this well kept two bedroom mid terraced property situated in the North Ormesby area of Middlesbrough, consists of living room, dining room, kitchen, two first floor bedrooms, bathroom. This property is to be let out unfurnished.
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Ghirardelli Square & Lombard Street
Ghirardelli Square is a landmark with shops and restaurants in the Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco, California, USA. Lombard Street is a street in the City of London, between Bank junction (the location of Bank tube station and the Bank of England) and Gracechurch Street. /5
Ghirardelli Square Lombard Street San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge Bay Bridge Winchester Mystery House Disney Family Museum Ashton Kutcher After Effects Premiere Pro China Town Rocket Ride
SeagateCreative partner Ross Ching offers up this amazing time-lapse film series called "Empty America." This first film reveals San Francisco, California. From the Golden Gate Bridge to Fisherman's Wharf to Lombard Street to Ghirardelli Square to the Bay Bridge - get a good look at some of San Francisco's most iconic landmarks (wiped empty of tourists and traffic). Ross worked with Thrash Lab to create this series of videos, aiming to show some of the most iconic cities in America — without people. It's a series that was initially inspired by Matt Logue's photo series "Empty LA". Two years ago, Ross took Logue's concept and combined it with what he does best: time lapse photography. Ross' video "Running on Empty" was such a huge success that he wanted to expand upon it but didn't have a budget to do so. Thanks to Thrash Lab's support, the series is now a reality.
Back home from a wonderful getaway to San Francisco. Rocket boat ride, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square & a ride down the crookedest street in the world (Lombard Street) to top it all off. Too much fun :-)
Day in the City with Pops:Ghirardelli Square, Lombard Street, Maritime Ships, China Town, and Golden Gate Bridge.Now WCAL Championship game!
Waterfront's great, Lombard Street's cool to see, Redwoods and/or Alcatraz if you have time, Ghirardelli Square for dessert!
Hung off a trolley, saw Lombard Street, the biggest China Town, the Golden Gate Bridge and now lunch in Ghirardelli Square
Well I had a great time in CA...San Francisco Saw Fisherman's Wharf.Golden Gate Bridge...rode the trolly cars...Ghirardelli Square...I got to drive on Lombard Street ( that is the super curvey rode DOWN HILL..saw really cool home in the city like row houses...Walt Disney Family Museum...John Muir National Park (got to see huge Sequia trees) ...Winchester Mystery House...Drove up to Nappa Valley and went to 3 winery and did some wine tasting...Beringer Winery is very beautiful...Pictures to come later...
Had the whole day off in San Francisco!! Lunch in Chinatown, climbed to the top of Lombard Street (the crooked street), ice cream at Ghirardelli Square, shopping in Fisherman's Wharf and dinner at Pier 39. Great day!
White House North Korea President Trump New Jersey Islamic State Ian Brady Donald Trump Jeremy Corbyn North Carolina Hillary Clinton Oval Office Premier League James Comey French Open Supreme Court Brad Grey Ben Higgins President Donald Trump Saudi Arabia Paramount Pictures Robin Hood Democratic Republic John Oliver Theresa May Emmanuel Macron Paris Hilton Europa League John Mccain Sean Spicer Bob Corker Stranger Things John Legend North Korean White Hart Lane King Arthur Moors Murderer Ian Brady Lindsey Graham Jim Parsons Elon Musk National Vegetarian Week Gigi Hadid Kevin Hart Middle East Game Show Moon Jae Mutual Fund Chelsea Manning Sara Walsh White Sox Loretta Lynn Rhys Jones Pippa Middleton General Election South Africa Long Island Cannes Film Festival Maria Sharapova Selena Gomez Big Bang Theory Stamford Bridge Penn State Guy Ritchie Black Lives Myra Hindley Silicon Valley Jane Austen Melissa Mccarthy Little Boy Blue Normani Kordei Simone Biles World Health Organization Second Amendment John Terry Russian President Vladimir Putin Arsene Wenger West Ham Daily News Venice Biennale Bernie Sanders Las Vegas Kawhi Leonard Kelly Olynyk Roger Federer Aaron Hernandez Sheryl Sandberg Ivanka Trump Michelle Obama Mike Trout Julian Assange Los Angeles Viking River Cruise Barack Obama David Ross United Airlines Wall Street Canary Islands Better Call Saul Isaiah Thomas North America Director James Comey
© 2017


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Lock&Lock Glass 21 cm (8") Plate with Dome Lid
From the makers of the original Lock&Lock comes Lock&Lock Glass made of oven safe borosilicate glass. From the oven to the table!
By Lock & Lock
We're sorry! This product is not available.
Featured Products
Description & Features+
Lock&Lock Glass containers, the original oven safe containers, are essential when it comes to storing, re-heating or even cooking your food. The borosilicate glass container goes in the oven. They are the perfect practical solution for bringing your lunch, storing your leftovers, in few words to use from the oven to the table!
The new plates are perfect for cooking a pie and the dome lid is great for easily storing them afterwards. The Lock&Lock Glass plates are the perfect practical solution for not only your pies but storing your leftovers and preparing individuals meals.
Microwave, Dishwasher and Freezer safe
From the Manufacturer +


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Rumor has it that two major sample sales are set to take place starting this Thursday in NYC. Ladies time to start your early holiday gifting with some footwear love by Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik. You've been warned. Take a look at the details.
Christian Louboutin
Date: Thursday, November 11th, 9a.m.-6p.m. | Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Location: 306 West 38th Street 14th Floor (Btwn 8th & 9th Streets)
Manolo Blahnik
Date: Thursday, November 11th
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m
Location: Warwick Hotel, 65 West 54th Street (at 6th Avenue)
Cash only.


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Jumpsuits also called romper are a piece of clothing that has both top and bottom in one piece. During the futuristic period, the first jumpsuit was designed by Florentine Thayat in 1919. It was a symbol of liberation during this time. This fashion piece later became popular among skydivers and aviators and also served as a go to piece for the working class women during the war. In 1960s, YSL and Norman Kamali revived jumpsuit. Jumpsuits are versatile and come in different style and print from wrap long sleeve to off shoulder. The popular design for this fashion piece is a top attached to a trouser or shorts with a cinched waist. Although many women love to rock this fashion piece including young ladies and kids, not all can wear it and look stylish and comfortable. Finding the perfect jumpsuit that suit your body type is important to achieve the smart and sophisticated look every woman desire. Below are tips to finding a jumpsuit that flatters your body.
Purchase the Right Length
Like most fashion pieces, rompers come in various lengths, sleeves and sizes. For lengths, if you are tall, you can rock sweeping or floor-length jumpsuits. If you are petite, go, for the above the knee rompers. If you have arms worth flaunting, rock it in halters, sleeveless and tube top styles. Long-sleeved are a great option for hiding the not so good arms and they can also be classic piece.
Opt for Solid Colors
When confused about what colour suit you best, choose solid color jumpsuits because they are flattery and look great on every woman. The continuous silhouette created by the single color lengthens the body, and creates a flattering profile. Small prints, a few splashes of color, or color-blocked jumpsuits can also be acceptable if done in moderation.
Get the Perfect Fit and Size
In fashion, getting the right fit is essential especially with rompers. Ill-fitted jumpsuits can make you look sloppy and tacky. Tight fitted ones will highlight your less perfect features. For comfort, choose rompers with loose or draped fabrics. To flaunt your back side, opt for the ones that are clingy around the waist.
Formal or Casual Events? Choose Right
Rompers are great for its versatility; this means that they can fit any occasion both casual and formal - to the beach, club, friends hang out, and church, wedding and even to red carpet events. Soft cotton, knits, soft denims and sporty are a good choice for casual events while silk, embellished, velvet, thick cotton are great for formal events.
Keep up with the trend with our collection of stylish and unique jumpsuits for every woman. Discover huge deals and discounts when you buy or sell ladies clothing on Jumia. Don on a plain Jacket on your fabulous jumpsuits to give you that slimming and classy look or you can try on a haltered neck piece to show off that toned back. On Jumia meet reputable sellers that have a wide range of chic and sassy kinds, check out the green army type, the bejeweled cut, aqua peplum cut, the ruffled strapless cut, you can wear to a picnic. Find affordable and beautiful playsuits on Jumia, Shop now and stand out from the crowd at social gatherings. Show off those hot legs in your F&F playsuit with trendy strappy sandals. Whether you're out on the town or a glamorous night's out with the girls, you'll find the right style. Try out the sleeveless rompers, slim fit or wide leg cuts, give it an edgy look when you pair with strappy heels or wedges. You can also give your jumpsuit a professional look when you throw on a blazer or a jacket on it. Grab this amazing offer only on Jumia.


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So many times I have been reading a wikipedia page about.....lets say...history and end up with about 10 tabs waiting to be looked at which all link to subjects I know I'll find interesting which leads to another 3-4 tabs. I could spend hours just reading.
English#Offtopic #Flood #time #wikipedia
Posting in language:
I usually play a hopscotch paddy-whack with Wikipedia, clicking into one page after another.
Posting in language:


text: Apiece Apart™ cropped tank top Item C6342 Size: All sizes are US sizes. Size Charts Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Prices do not include taxes. Add to Bag Wishlist Add to Bag Add To Wishlist share: size & fit Body length: 16". Product Details Designed in New York City, Apiece Apart is a line of elevated basics brought to life through clean lines, simple shapes, impeccable tailoring and beautiful fabrics. Case in point: this sporty cropped tank with subtle racerback details, nautical-inspired stripes (we never met a stripe we didn't like) and cool contrast tipping. Rayon/viscose. Dry clean. Import. Online only. Item C6342.


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The perfect timing of cats(7 Posts)
Allergictoironing Mon 01-Aug-16 22:36:20
cozietoesie Tue 02-Aug-16 12:59:20
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chemenger Tue 02-Aug-16 14:27:05
TroysMammy Tue 02-Aug-16 15:36:54
Toddlerteaplease Tue 02-Aug-16 16:57:31
Allergictoironing Tue 02-Aug-16 18:47:00
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text:
Silk Boston Fern Bush in Green 23" Tall with 42 Sprays Artificial Greenery
DetailsLarge Silk Boston fern bush in green. For a full, realistic looking plant, simply place in your favorite container.
- 23" Tall
- 42 Sprays per Bush
- 30" Wide at the fullest point
Shipping & Returns
- Economy Shipping: 5-10 business days
- Ground Shipping: 1-5 business days
- Expedited, International, and SmartPost options available at checkout.
- More Shipping Information »
Return this item within 30 days for a full product refund. Return Policy »


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Monitor and Control Windows Startup Changes Easily
Whenever you install an application like FlashGet, Nero, or Google Talk, the application registers itself to run at Windows Startup without even asking. Running too many applications at Windows Startup can make Startup slow. There's no utility included with Windows which can alert you about a Startup change.
Monitoring Window's Startup Changes
StartupMonitor is a small utility which alerts you whenever an application tries to make sure it runs on Windows Startup. It runs quietly as a background process and doesn't even use the system tray. It stops annoying programs from registering themselves without letting you know. Using it you can easily monitor which application is trying to run itself at Windows Startup.
Controlling Window's Startup Changes
Startup Control Panel is a control panel applet that lets you to easily select which programs run at Startup. It's quite easy to use and being less than 100 KB is a must for those who want extra control. One of the main reasons it's better than "MSCONFIG" is that it also shows the "Run Once" programs. "Run Once" programs are those which run only once at Windows Startup, i.e. the next time the system boots.
Using both of them you can easily monitor and control Startup changes. However, StartupMonitor does not need Startup Control Panel, but it's a nice addition.
When you choose not to allow a program to register itself using StartupMonitor, that's program's entry becomes disabled in Startup Control Panel, meaning you can always enable the program later if you want to.


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Targeting hotels, temporary staffing services, and convenience stores, a Dallas community bank says it has the solution for reducing employers' payroll costs: a payroll card.
Texas Capital Bank, a 1999 start-up, is testing a card that employers could use to pay employees in lieu of paper paychecks. The $297 million-asset bank says it hopes service-industry businesses find the card an attractive way to cut their payroll costs and give them a reason to move their accounts to Texas Capital.
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text:
February 23, 2012
WESSON - Donta Pittman scored a team-high 18 points to lead the Jones County Bobcats to a 86-75 win over the Wolves. The Bobcats came into tonight's game needing a win to advance to next week's MACJC State Tournament. Co-Lin finishes the season with a 9-14 overall record, 4-8 in the South Division.
The Wolves held a 31-26 lead at halftime.
Sophomore Jake Reed hit two free throws with 15:23 remaining to give the Wolfpack a 45-37 lead. Co-Lin looked to be cruising along. But the Bobcats went on a 8-0 run to tie the game at 45-all at he 13:05 mark.
Freshman Fred Fairman kept the Wolves close scoring 9 straight points as the Wolves trailed 62-57. But Fairman would commit his fourth personal foul and have to go to the bench with Jones in the lead 67-57 at the 8:27 mark. The Bobcats would go on an 7-2 run to take a 74-59 lead with 5:38 remaining.
Anthony Davis's trey would cap a 11-2 run by the Wolves as they pulled to within 6 points at 76-70, but that would be as close as they would get.
Jones dominated the backboards 47-28. Their bench out scored the Wolves 36-26.
Co-Lin was led by Fairman with a game-high 22 points followed by Anthony Davis with 14 points. LeDarious Davis led off the backboards with 6 rebounds.
Joining Pittman in double figures for the Bobcats were Kelvin Nixon with 16 points and J.J. Bolton with 13. Detrick Davis pulled down 12 rebounds.


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Zobe Records Inks Global Distribution Deal
|Posted on March 30, 2015 at 8:10 PM
|comments (0)
Zobe Records Announces a Distribution Agreement with INgrooves
Zobe Records gets another upgrade to take the music label to new heights!
WASHINGTON DC, March 30, 2015. Zobe Records is joining forces with one of the largest digital music distributors worldwide. With a partnership via REMG, Zobe Records announces a global distribution agreement with INgrooves. This partnership will include digital music distribution with a potential option for physical music distribution by their partner Universal Music Group based upon sales profits of releases.
The joint venture partnership deal will provide Zobe Records with international access to over 600 destinations in over 200 territories worldwide. "It is an honor and a privilege to be able to obtain the same distribution that many major labels have and are currently using within the industry to help take my company to the next level and provide more services and opportunities for my organization to offer to our artists and label partners", states Alonzo Black, the founder/owner of Zobe Records.
About REMG
REMG offers music marketing & label services for the client (artists, managers, labels, distribution) via INgrooves. Artists/Labels can choose to work with a range of specialist support functions, including digital marketing, radio & video promotions, publicity, brand partnerships and media planning. REMG's priority is to cultivate/create an environment that allows the artist/manager/label to compete as if they were apart of a fully staffed label and to achieve the full potential and deepen relationships with new partners for their success. REMG serves as the product manager and based on their history and expertise, they can propel the artist fan engagement and navigate the artist/manager/label through the ever changing marketplace in today's music industry with specialized marketing services.
About INgrooves
INgrooves is a digital media infrastructure company that provides various distribution and marketing services via its INgrooves and ONE Digital divisions. ONE Digital is a proprietary software platform that provides distribution and administration to large distributors, record labels and film production companies at rates far below the industry standard. INgrooves provides clients customized distribution, marketing, promotion, synch licensing and administrative support to help maximize the earnings potential of specific releases or catalogues.
INgrooves is a global distribution, technology and marketing company which provides custom services for artists and independent record labels. The company's three divisions include distribution services, rights services, and INresidence, an artist services division. They utilize a proprietary distribution system and maintain a focus on analytics, and reporting technology.
The company was founded in San Francisco in 2002. Envisioned as a digital record label of the future, it was one of the first independent distribution companies to partner with iTunes. As of 2015, the INgrooves retail network included more than 600 services and storefronts.
In 2008, Universal Music Group (UMG) selected INgrooves's parent company, Isolation Network Inc., to digitally distribute all of their music in North America. In 2010, Shamrock Capital -- an investment fund founded by Roy E. Disney -- made a significant investment in the company, which allowed INgrooves to acquire Fontana Distribution in 2012. INgrooves subsequently expanded their services to include physical distribution.
In 2012, the company launched an Artist Services division, INresidence, a project-based service for established artists and emerging artists releasing music independently. They established a Rights Services division dedicated to music publishing, synch licensing and neighboring rights in 2013.
As of 2015, INgrooves operated offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin and Melbourne.
For more information, check out www.ingrooves.com.
About Zobe Records
Zobe Records is an independent record label created to be a one-stop-shop for the music industry offering great opportunities for the best music talents with a growing roster of music artists, producers, engineers, and DJs. Zobe is also in the process of forming a number of partnerships with music studios and producers around the nation and internationally. Zobe staff has a vast amount of experience, education, and training to provide the support needed to take a talent to the next level as being well connected to many music industry executives, major label A&Rs, and media outlets which will lead the label to much success in the future along with the growing talent roster open to every genre of music. Zobe Records is a single division of parent company Zobe Models & Talents Agency which handles celebrity/artist bookings, management, PR, marketing, artist development, and more along with the company's own film and magazine media outlets.
Zobe Distribution also provides indie-major worldwide distribution for singles, EPs, and albums as a business platform service. These services include not only music servicing but also music video servicing, radio servicing, and more. Zobe Distribution via Zobe Music Group (ZMG) can even provide sub-label/imprint opportunities to the best independent labels, management companies, production companies, and music studios who would like to partner with us to take their organization to the next level and obtain music publishing, distribution, and the marketing assistance that they need. This gives an opportunity to have more of a control of and concentrate more on the artistic creative development, however, this opportunity is only available to those organizations who are truly prepared and have budgets for their sub-label/imprint.
Zobe Record's CEO/Owner (Alonzo Black) was inducted as a member of The Recording Academy (Grammys) and enhanced Zobe Records by obtaining a Universal Music Group New Digital Media Agreement, a YouTube Licensing Agreement, a Google Play Licensing Agreement, a Warner Music Inc New Digital Media Agreement, a Sony Music Entertainment New Digital Media Agreement, and even secured a contract with mega music corporation Viacom/MTV to assist with artist development, music licensing, live performance opportunities, and video broadcasting. Zobe Records is a member of ASCAP with its own publishing company "Alonzo Black Publishing". Zobe Records has partnered with Monahrk Entertainment Firm which is a production company and music placement company that brings to Zobe Records / Alonzo Black Publishing a team of Grammy Winning/Nominated and #1 albums/singles charted producers and songwriters who have obtained numerous placements (sync and master licenses) with major recording artists, commercial clients, and films.
For more information on Zobe Records go to:
We UP Next Productions Presents " A Love & HipHop Night With Steve J and Joseline Hernandez
|Posted on February 17, 2015 at 7:20 PM
|comments (1)
Friday February 13th 2015 was night to remember as Love & Hip-Hop favorite couple came out to Club Reign in Memphis, TN to host this crowd pleasing event. The atmosphere was electric, The crowd was great and the promoters
Brock Luciano B Raw, Phelon Bland, Chris Lil One Taylor, & Kimble He was front and center as they gave us a great party.
Stevie J and Joseline Hernandez as usual did not disappoint.
This footage was brought to you by We Up Next Productions & DEBONHEIR FILMS.


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Baseball-Fenway Park removes fans for racist banner
Sept 13 (Reuters) - Boston's Fenway Park removed four fans on Wednesday for hanging a large banner that read 'Racism is as American as Baseball' during the fourth inning of a Red Sox game against Oakland.
The black-and-white sign was dropped down over the middle section of the Green Monster during the fourth inning.
Red Sox spokeswoman Zineb Curran confirmed the incident to the Boston Globe.
"During the 4th inning of tonight's game, four fans unfurled a banner over the left field wall in violation of the club's policy prohibiting signs of any kind to be hung or affixed to the ballpark," Curran said.
"The individuals involved were escorted out of Fenway Park."
The latest racial incident at Fenway Park comes after Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones said he was subjected to racial slurs during a game in May.
The Red Sox apologized to Jones. (Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
© Copyright Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained in this news report may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of Reuters Ltd.


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Master Plan
The master plan includes the areas of action and strategic development goals, the strategy supported by all players that will enable Brandenburg's metal industry to secure and expand its future position in the market. Projects and initiatives, including lead projects with special priority are processed in the areas of action.
They consider the practical implementation of such cross-cutting issues as materials, production and automation engineering, and clean technologies that are addressed as issues that drive the development and can serve as interfaces of interdisciplinary cooperation across clusters. The master plan will be a living document that is updated and extended.


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There are many lifts between decks. Tours are mostly by transport although there are some walking tours particularly round old towns. The amount of walking is usually advised for each tour.
Yes, big modern ships have a dozen lifts or so covering the 12-14 (or so) decks. There are always excursions offered with minimal (and sometimes no) walking.