Facing Kilima Mbogo

On Death

2005-10-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

"Let me be clear. It's not a matter of if pandemic influenza is going to occur again, it is going to, it is absolutely going to." - Dr. Gregory Poland

So I ask, as you prepared to meet your makers? And by makers I mean, your ancestors, of course. This pronouncement on top of everything else I live in fear of has lead me to prepare for my final days. I have increased my prostrations to kilima mbogo. I do not think this is an over-reaction, but let me count for you the things lately that have been competing for the pleasure of doing me in.

Natural Disasters:
Hurricanes, storms, and damned Earthquakes!! - really though, these can happen anywhere! My heart goes out to the thousands of people dead and those left behind.

Deadliest Contagious Diseases: SARS, Avian Flu
The flu has left Asia now and is spreading. Since I live in the states I am concerned that there are no vaccines, and not enough medicine to go around. And since I travel weekly on buses, taxis, and planes, I feel like I am particularly exposed.

[break] Lou Dobbs has everyone at this terminal enthralled by taking on the 'Corporate Elite'! He is going off on the Delphi CEO who said that American employees are overpaid and management are underpaid. Looking around the faces of the poor workers...they were eating it all up. Poor souls, that includes me[break]

Ok back to Death.

Terrorism:
The administration has been re-hyping the danger of walking around cities like DC...not to mention the risk of getting myself photographed and added to some security list for visiting my shawarma dealer.

AIDS:
It is still causing havoc...and my degrees of HIV separation are at an all time low. At least with this one, I feel like I have some control..but you never know.

So, you see, things are not as they used to be. Smooth sailing.

New iPod Flea, see new york times

2005-10-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

Still being lazy about posting. But check this New iPOD ad.

Please let me know if you have trouble viewing it..

Hilarious! - "Curry & Rice Girl"

2005-10-07T10:27:00.000-07:00

You must check this out by MC Vikram and Ludakrishna Curry & Rice Girl

I've been lazy, but hopefully I will do a back to life soon...

Running barefeet is the latest technology...what?!

2005-06-24T05:09:00.000-07:00

So Nike is now selling the 'Free', which in ads they profess is like running barefoot.

Two things that must be said; one it is most certainly not free, and two what the fuck!! Come on, Nike is now telling me it is best to run barefoot!!!

My plan for the last month has been to do the best thing for my gut and do some old fashioned roadwork. So I started reviewing the latest running shoes in order to make sure I got the latest, best researched clogs. Recently Adidas came out with the computerized shoe, New Balance followed with a motion control show and of course Nike Air Max 2004 (not the year but the version)...all near and around 200 bucks!

Man, the rationalization was in full force until I saw the ad of all these athletes running barefoot, playing foota barefoot, like I used to back in the day. Basically, with old soccer and rugby injuries, I need a good shoe to prevent injuring these aging bones, right? For the last 20 years Nike has been telling me about the research they put into developing the best shoe and I believed. And now, with no fanfare or press release announcing the shut down of research facilities and factories, I see people prancing across my TV with nothing on their feet, free.

Surely Kenyans had something to do with this, right? We who win 40% of all world class long distance races...ok ok, we win them all. And don't most of our runners start out barefoot...don't many prefer it? At the Kenya National Atheletics Championships, aren't many in competition and winning barefoot? Someone tell me that we are beginning to own all aspects of the sport we clearly dominate.

I refused to reward Nike buying those Frees, and took my money elsewhere. I won't be back until they apologize for all those years of suckering me.

See NYT : Kick Off Your Shoes and Run Awhile

Also see: Running Barefoot.org

Running start

2005-06-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Hi all. The weekly report with my Kilimambogo viewpoint starts now.....let me join the show and tell.

So here goes...I saw the BET documentary on the Funk Brothers yesterday. It was cool to see the musicians behind the stars coming ouf of Hitsville. It reminds me of how amazing watching talented musicians play live is. I try to get to a jazz club or live band joint every once in a while. And large concerts don't count..that is a different deal altogether. The more intimate the joint the better. A couple of shows come to mind Masekhela in Brooklyn, The Funky Meters in New Orleans...and Funk Master Flex blew my mind at a club near Canal Street. I mean there is DJing and DJing! I have never looked at DJing the same way again. I try to get around, and funny I seem to only remember the shows in New York and in New Orleans!! Are these the best cities for the very best live music? Chicago is good. Memphis was good... Anyway...I hope I keep this up.