Opposition activists in Togo have scored a victory with the resignation of Faure Gnassingbe, but their work is not done. There were more protests in Lomé, demanding the full restoration of constitutionality of the government. And in the Togolese police reacted in the predictable way, with teargas and violence. With Faures retreat, Abass Bonfoh, became […]

This is good news for Togo! Faure Gnassingbe finally relented and stepped down, yesterday. Now the speaker of the parliament, Abass Bonfoh, has replaced “Baby Eyadema.” This puts Togo back into compliance with the original, pre-coup constitution. The good news is that now the sanctions against Togo have been lifted and there should be elections […]

A while ago I bought this nice, bright-red mobile phone that can also take pictures. Today, I finally figured out how to upload the pictures directly to a public website for all the world to enjoy :)! I registered my phone with my Yahoo! account and then I shared my Mobile Uploads album with the […]

At least for Hunter S. Thompson it is. I just finished watching the movie for the 56243th time. God … Johnny did good! Goodbye to the crazy old man, the original blogger, gonzo journalist, whatever …. Peace be with you on your final trip. And, Jesus!, this country needs another Malcolm X! [UPDATE] HST’s May […]

The Diastode website published a detailed legal analysis of the constitutionality (or rather lack of it) of the installation of Faure Gnassingbe as the Togolese head of state. The analysis, by the human rights academic DR Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, concludes that the international community has to stand up against the illegal acts of the Togolese military […]

After all, Faure Gnassingbe gave in to the pressure, and announced that there will be presidential elections within 60 days in Togo, the BBC reports. Sounds like Ecowas will send election observers.

In an their LA Times editorial Taking Child Slavery Out of Valentine’s Day, Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Eliot L. Engel (D-N.Y.), touch on an important issue that needs much broader attention: the refusal of major chcolate manufacturers to stamp out child slavery in cocoa production. However, they miss one important aspect of this issue. There […]

The Togolese army may yield to intense pressure from Togo’s neighbors,the BBC reports. If the rumors are true that elections will soon be held in Togo, it will be a very positive and hopeful sign for democracy and human rights in West Africa. That is, provided the elections are free, and are monitored carefully by […]

These guys: Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems, sell a $800 conversion kit to turn a diesel vehicle into a greasecar that runs of pure vegetable oil! Makes a lot of sense – after all the original Diesel engine was designed to run on peanut oil. Burning veggie oil dramatically reduces emissions, and uses a renewable resource. […]

Eight thousand protesters in Paris braved a chilly, windy day in Paris to protest the coup d’état in Togo, Le Togolais reports (in French). 300 protest in Abidjan In Togo, more demonstrators were killed in clashes with the police.

Looks pretty good …. … and runs on vegetable oil (20 percent, for now).

In violent clashes in the Bé neighborhood of Lomé three protesters were shot dead by Togolese police, and dozens wounded, South Africa’s Independent Online reports.

With regional powerhouse Nigeria in the lead, West African nations are increasing the pressure on Togo’s leadership, while an opposition rally in Lome is violently broken up by Togolese police. OCHA IRIN and the BBC report that officials from ECOWAS and the African Union are denouncing the recent coup in Togo sharply. The tensions increased, […]

Today, I finally bought my new car, a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI. Two weeks ago, our mechanic confirmed that our 1995 Plymouth Neon had a blown headgasket. So I started shopping for a replacement. I found mine on Autotrader.com, for sale from a private seller in Cary for a very reasonable price. They had […]

AlterNet contributor Dana Larsen probably was smoking some spinach herself, when she wrote this hilarious analysis of Popeye’s drug-related symbolism: During the 1920s and ’30s, the era when Popeye was created, “spinach” was a very common code word for marijuana. One classic example is “The Spinach Song,” recorded in 1938 by the popular jazz band […]

… in 71 days 14 hours 18 minutes and 33 seconds, that is. Ellen MacArthur just broke the non-stop singlehanded round the world record set just a year ago by Francis Joyon. She crossed the finish line off Ushant, France, after sailing her 75 foot trimaran B&Q solo around the world. Ellen sailed 27,348 miles […]

President Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo died yesterday at age 69. He was one of the original African dictators of the post-colonial era. This is his legacy in a nutshell: Born to a peasant family in northern Togo, the young Sergeant Eyadema seized power in 1967 after staging one of Africa’s first coups soon after Togo […]

The Vendeé Globe is drawing to a close after the first three sailors reached Les Sables d’Olonne. It took the winner, Vinent Riou on PRB, 87 days 10 hours 47 minutes and 55 seconds to finish the 23680 miles around the world, solo, at an average theoretical speed along the course of 11.28 knots (22 […]