The first of many posts that will concern Africa.

It is strange, how far one can go with a little knowledge. When I started to prepare myself for working in Africa this summer, Uganda was just another country for me. But now, after hours with article-reading and discussions, I already feel a kind of closeness to Ancholi people without even have been there (yet). Their situation is just so unfair, so unfair. And: it is as if their grief becomes mine too. Just because I know about it.

Apropos, my friend Agata which is in Rwanda doing research, wrote this tear dripping post on her blog which you should read!

Also from The Economist.

The Hard Life Inbetween.

President Putin to his colleague, Mr. Bush, concerning the possible NATO membership of Ukraine:

“Do you understand, George, that Ukraine is not even a state. Most of Ukraine's territory was “given away” by Russia. "

Along came also a warning : if the country joined NATO it would simply “cease to exist”.

Article from the Economist here.

Why do I bother studying politics?

You realize how messed up the world is when you understand that the only thing keeping us from entering a 3rd World War is actually an arsenal of nuclear bombs large enough to blow up the entire earth thirty times.

That's logical.

From a realist's perspective.

Today I came over some interesting quotes by Henry Kissinger:

-Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people; control money and you control the world.

-The illegal we do immediately. The unconstitutional takes a little longer.

-America doesn't have friends, America only has interests.

And the best one...

-Corrupt politicians make the other ten percent look bad.

Hmm. At least the guy is honest....