Two items caught my attention in the local paper yesterday.
The first: President Festus Mogae has already moved into a luxurious house in a new development, a residence supplied by his countrymen and countrywomen. He gets a sweet deal: a Mercedes to drive him around, a 4-wheel drive station wagon and a van; first-class air travel in Botswana; four trips abroad a year and he can decide the per diem for him and his wife; plus he can decide his per diem housing allowance from here on out. He also gets to set his entertainment budget and has his own security force.
Mogae's much loved in Botswana, and he's on a tour of the country. The tradition is that an outgoing president travels throughout the country on a sort of farewell tour, to bid adieu and allow the citizens to thank him for his service. They give him lots of gifts, especially cows and goats. The farewell tour takes him to Maun on March 13 (hmmm. ides of march?) and I'm sorry I will miss it. Posters were up on bulletin boards throughout the village that said to come and bid "our beloved president" farewell. Can you imagine that in the U.S.?
The other striking story was in the entertainment section. A photo showed a white haired old man, waving what looked like a cane, and dancing up a storm. Others behind him were dancing, too. Turned out this old guy must be quite the star. His name? VOMIT. He used to be an Afro-pop star but then turned to "ragga tunes," which, sadly, I'm not sure what they are. Reggae? Ragga? As far as I know I haven't heard VOMIT's songs interspersed with Teddy Pendergrass tunes, but I'll let you know how they sound if I get the pleasure. The story had a few lines that were quite good: "'None of my albums have done so well for me. I thought Mthshidiso was the real deal but this one has gone beyond my imagination,'" Vomit said proudly. He used to believe that the corporate managers were not giving him any jobs because of his name Vomit but all that has changed."
You heard it here first. Vomit is on the move up the ladder, with his songs becoming hits "especially at parties and weddings."
Anyone in the U.S. planning nuptials and need a wedding band, Vomit's your man.
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