Reggae and High-Life Brewed From African Pot - Ekow Alabi Savage

Ghanaian musician, Ekow Alabi Savage

Music is inspirational, even if the lyrics are in a foreign language; it still draws people to the dance floor. One of Africa’s musicians who has gained international recognition with his sweet blended Reggae and Highlife is German-based Ghanaian musician, Ekow Alabi Savage.

At the time when Africa’s dream of autonomy was slowly becoming reality and the first President of Ghana joined the youth to build a modern nation, Ekow Alabi was born in Ghana in the city of Cape Coast, once the capital of the "Gold Coast.”

He began playing drums at the tender age of five years. After studying all types of African drums and percussion in Accra, he easily started playing the local Highlife, Calypso, Jazz, Soul, Gospel, and  R and B.

At the age of 14, he founded a school band called "ANABO," working with their favorite rhythms like reggae, highlife, and calypso. He soon became "the small boy drummer," playing with famous bands like "SWEET BEANS BAND" in Ghana. Later, he played with internationally known African bands and musicians like Manu Dibango and Fela Kuti.

In the late 70´s he moved to Germany, playing with internationally known artists like George Darko and Pat Thomas. There, he rejoined his old schoolboys (friends) to form the first Afro-Reggae band in Berlin and Germany, "Roots Anabo.” The band created its own rhythmical style called SUNLIFE MUSIC and toured most of the famous music festivals during the European summers.

In 1984, his band performed at the Reggae Sunsplash Festival in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where they met Glen Browne, a Jazz bass player, and Ibo Cooper from “THIRD WORLD” who joined the band to record songs for their album "Civilization” in the Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston.

In the late '80s, when the group was taking a break, Ekow Alabi joined Berlin´s first multicultural and multilingual hip-hop band, "REALITY BROTHERS". There, he met producer Tom "Serious" Lee. Together they recorded Ekow’s first solo album, "Return to Zion,” as well as two videos.

During his musical career, he performed with international musicians like Ziggy Marley, Kojo Antwi, Manu Dibango, Fela Kuti, Cedric Him Brooks, Eeka Mouse Black Heritage, Africa MMA, and Vitamin X, and, in the past five years, with Jimi Tenor.

With Vitamin X, he recorded five albums from 1990 to 2000. Together with the international Finnish Jazz musician Jimi Tenor and the band “Kabu Kabu,” they fused Afrobeat with Jimi´s Jazz vision and performed this fusion at many concerts. 

Alabi also tours in Europe as well as in Africa with Brothers Keepers and Bantu. He is continuously expanding his extraordinary talents in other areas, like teaching and giving percussion workshops.

Ekow is currently working on his new album "Going for Gold” featuring Mariamu Morris, Djatou Toure, Beezy, Aly Keita, Crimeldo, and many more under the production of  Tom Lee Pettersen. 

On tour, Ekow would take the opportunity to present songs from his last album and put up a great performance to entertain his fans in Germany and Europe.

For live performance, concerts, and festivals, contact Ekow’s management at info@ekowmania.com order booking@ekowmania.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWVQOe3NEKI

http://www.ekowmania.com/

https://www.facebook.com/EKOWMANIA?fref=ts

DIVORCE AND SEPARATION- CAUSES MANY ARE NOT AWARE OF

Young couple cooking at home

Falling in love is a wonderful and magical experience between two people. The chemistry is strange and sometimes very complicated but the experience differs in many ways, however, the commonest are happiness, restlessness, and strong emotions. 

Falling in love with someone doesn’t always guarantee a successful marriage or living together. Frankly speaking, according to statistics, many are getting a divorce more than living together.

 

To build and support successful marriage or relationships, many partners read books written as a guide to a successful and marriage.

 

Despite hundreds of books counseling couples, lovers are constantly in pain, emotionally and psychologically affected by painful love affairs. 

 

The causes of divorces or separations vary, lack of attention, sex, cheating, quarrels, financial matters, and many others attribute to going separate ways. 

 

However; few things many never thought of as a destroyer of marriages is the lack of cooking at home and lack of prevention of early sex in teenage relationships.

 

Many couples' friendships began at school as teenagers before they settled. In principle, it is always good for people to study and know each other very well, before entering into relations or love affairs. 

 

But on moral issues entering into relationships as teenagers isn’t a wise thing to do. Children as young as thirteen and fourteen indulged in caressing and kissing. This is seen as normal in advanced countries but in Africa, it is not permitted.

 

Most of these early relationships end up in separate ways or living together but when they finally get married, love isn't as strong as before. That’s where the problems begin. In this case, the marriage doesn't go far. Why? 

 

The reason is simple and logical, both have seen their nakedness too much as teenagers to the extent that they no longer value their precious bodies as adults.

 

Since no more happiness, the essence of enjoying a happy relationship is completely ruined. Here the dignity and the worthiness of the woman have been neglected by the man. It is always the man that causes the breakup because he wants something new. 

 

Many start to cheat and stayed late at work in illicit love affairs. A woman or man may find real happiness in life, marriage, living together, or in relationships when they enter into a love affair as adults than as teenagers.

 

Any man or woman who doesn’t know how to cook before getting into a relationship or marriage may not fully enjoy the relationship. 

 

There is always a guarantee for a happy marriage when one of the partners know how to cook but if both can’t cook means the marriage may have a bleak future.

 

Imagine a family depending always on fast and tin foods. How would a husband feel after a day’s hard work, comes home to sit behind the dining table and be served with tin spaghetti with that marshy tomato sauce? Many enjoy that but that’s a health hazard.

 

A man facing such a situation may never be happy. Some may speak against it but many hide the way they feel when upset. Since he can’t live with that any longer he starts to seek his interest in other places. 

 

That’s where the cheating starts. If the one he is seeing can provide him those delicious meals he is missing from his previous partner, the relationship automatically comes to an end.

 

It is therefore very essential for both men and women to learn or know how to cook before getting into a relationship or marriage. Getting familiar with cooking isn’t a difficult issue. 

 

There are thousands of books and adult schools for cooking. The time factor is always an issue.

 

Many may not have the time to go to a cooking school after work. Here a cooking book is very useful. Just follow the instructions on how to cook and next you see the delicious meal on the dining table. 

 

You may not be perfect at your first attempt but remember practice makes a man perfect. 

 

Besides, cultivating the habit of cooking at home saves a lot of money. I am happily married for the past twenty-six years. When my wife is busy at work, I do the cooking for the children. 

 

This is the only way to share the secrets of why our marriage is stronger than ever. I am a very good cook besides my writing career.

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Immigration: Europe Doesn't Make One Rich Overnight. That's The Simple Truth

Books by Joel Savage

Through cultural diversity, I would like to share my experience as an African writer with you. Joel Savage is a freelance writer who enjoys the challenges of creativity and adventure. 

I arrived in Europe as an illegal immigrant a couple of years ago. One of my sleeping places was the central train station in Rome. I worked as a houseboy and raised enough money to come to Amsterdam. 

It was during my efforts to get papers that I landed in detention. After getting my papers, I decided to write my stories as books.

There are many people in Africa eager to sell all their properties with the aim of coming to Europe. Through the media, I have encouraged people to read my books before making the decision to come to Europe. 

Many think Europe makes one rich overnight, but I use my books as a teacher, educating the masses on how difficult it is to be an illegal immigrant in Europe.

On immigration issues, on how to educate Third World Countries about the difficulties of being an illegal immigrant and prevent them from coming to Europe, I'm available to share my experience. 

I always ask how I can be useful to educate desperate Africans willing to come to Europe at all costs when Europe doesn't make one rich overnight?

https://www.amazon.com/author/joelsavage-1957

GLOBAL COOPERATION FOR A BETTER AND SAFER INTERNET FOR CHILDREN

                         

A lineup of some of the speakers at the Child Safety online Conference


The fresh, amazing discovery of ICT facilities, including the internet and television, has brought comfort, happiness to our homes and facilitated the development in education, communication, and business sectors throughout the world.  


Unfortunately, the pollution of the internet has brought misery, mishaps, abuse, trafficking, and sexual predators lurking around the internet and putting the lives of children in danger.

To make the internet a safe place for children, Microsoft, Disney Club Penguin Company, The Walt Disney Company Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, under the platform of Forum Europe, co-organized a day conference on November 12, 2013, at the Renaissance Hotel in Brussels.

It was an event to discuss and address risks faced online by children in both Europe, developed and developing countries, with solutions and strategies to help children and young adults stay safe when on the internet.

Around the table for discussion were distinguished professionals who have experience in child issues. Among them was Mr. David Miles, Director of EMEA. Family Online Institute, Mr. Robert Madelin, Director General for DG Connect, European Commission, who gave the keynote presentation. 

Doreen Bodgan-Martin, Chief Strategic Planning and Membership Department, Sabine Verheyen,  Member European Parliament,  John Brown, Executive Board Member, eNACSO, and Ambassador Sylvia Poll, Deputy Permanent Representative (Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations Office of Geneva), Sarah Taylor, Head of Creative Economy, and Bojana Lobe, Assistant Professor: University Ljubljana and EU Kids Online.

Children are actually never aware or understand the potential dangers on the internet until they become a victim. The excellent speakers each painstakingly addressed the participants on the hazards and the misuse of all emerging technology, which includes cyberbullying, masturbation, and abuse by online predators, sexual kissing, and exposure to inappropriate content, including self-harm, racism, suicide, hate, adult pornography, and child prostitution. 

In an attempt to fight against internet abuse to protect children, many governments, including Britain, have come out with preventive measures. For example, the UK’s biggest internet service providers have agreed to the filters scheme, meaning it should cover 95% of homes. 

Other measures announced by the prime minister included new laws in regard to videos streamed online in the UK will be subject to the same restrictions as those sold in shops.

The debate was tense as journalists and other media representatives asked challenging questions. Do parents actually know what the children are busy with on the internet? Providing tools and safeguards to protect children online is part of the conference solutions. 

Here, it is essential for both children and parents to have a very good understanding of the potential risks available on the internet for children and to carefully control what the children are doing on the internet.

If children aren’t aware of the risks on the internet and parents are, then what schemes, resources, and other tools are available to help educate kids from an early age on the risks they may encounter when online? How can these risks be spotted and what action to be taken?  

Manuela Matra, Project Officer, inclusion, skills, youth, European Commission, Lucy Woodward, Interactive, Live Services Director, The Walt Disney Company, Jacqueline Beauchere, Chief Online Safety Officer, Microsoft, and Tommaso Bertollotti of the University of Pavia immensely contributed to these topics. 

Even though internet dangers are difficult to detect since they are uncensored, progress has been made in tracking down the internet-violating criminals and pedophiles to face justice and imprisonment.  

Some of the measures include Software paired with a child’s social network account; monitoring activities on whatever platform the network is accessed, and setting up institutions that deal with such issues.

The conference came to an end with Mr. Fred Langford, Director of Global Operation, IWF, Jean-Charles Schweitzer, Senior Specialist, Child Sexual Exploitation Team, European Cyber Crime Center, Erik Barnett, Attaché to the European Union for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Uwe Manuel Rasmussen, Legal Counsel, Microsoft, on issues dealing with a global strategy to combat child abuse material and inappropriate content issues. 

Silence fell in the conference hall when one of the speakers narrated a thrilling story involving child abuse and the way the investigation was successful in bringing the culprits to justice.

What did participants learn from this significant conference? On the issue of Child Safety's importance, I quote “It’s not just about protection through the action of others by the way; it’s also about empowering kids to protect themselves. Children are fascinated by the internet. 

I am convinced we can create a better internet, one we don’t have to choose between being educational, safe, or fun. We can have all three of these aspects if we accept the idea that protecting children is a shared responsibility. 

Children, parents, teachers, technology companies, and child welfare organizations all have a role to play. I see my role as bringing people together to enhance the quality of our actions.” – Neelie Kroes, European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda.

ALEX AURORA OF FANBOX DEFRAUDS MEMBERS TO FINANCE HER EXPENSIVE HOLIDAY TRIPS

Alex Aurora

The world is becoming harder and harder financially. Many have designed ways and means to get easy money from people who easily succumbed to scams and frauds. One of such social websites, well-orchestrated, siphoning hundreds of dollars from innocent people, is Fanbox. www.fanbox.com.  

Fanbox has been successful in tricking members into joining the site and sending e-mails of false earnings, but no one has ever claimed of received any earnings. One of the females who claims to be a success coach and finds her way to interact with members requesting fPL fees for the earnings is Alex Aurora.

Any intelligent person should know immediately that this is a scam. How could one earn $3,000 theirand be requested to pay IPL monthly fees to protect you? Earn money. That amount is enough for Fanbox to take that IPL fee from it.

Alex Aurora on one of her expensive holiday trips

Unsuspecting members pay the IPL fee, and then it follows monthly and monthly without ceasing. Many who had fallen victim to this fraud, without earning anything, quickly cancel their credit card details for a new one or go to their PayPal account to stop further payments.

Money stolen from members ends up in the wallet of Alex Aurora (Who even knows if she uses her real name), and she uses it to finance her expensive holiday trips abroad. On her page on Fanbox, you often read 'Alex Aurora earned this $..., tricking members to believe that she is reaping what she earned from Fanbox.

Please, this is the only media I can use to make things clear to you. Don't fall prey to these false earnings. Keep away from this website. A word to the wise is enough. Seeing is believing. On this blog are pictures of Alex Aurora enjoying her holidays at the expense of unsuspecting members. 

SCOTT HASTIE's 'MEDITATIONS' INSPIRATIONAL POEMS OF WISDOM

Scott Hastie

Scott Hastie is an author and poet based in the Hertfordshire countryside, which is only a thirty-minute commuter ride from London. 


The village where he lives and works is also only a mile or so from a key junction onto the M25, which offers fast access to the capital’s four principal airports at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and London Luton.

Born in Edinburgh, Scott Hastie was brought up and educated in Berkhamsted before college studies in Brighton. Several small press editions of Scott Hastie’s poetry first appeared in the early 1970s, at a time when he was also editor of the college magazine for Sussex University and Brighton Polytechnic (1974–75)

These early anthologies prefaced the first substantial hardback collection of his work, Selected Poetry (1991), which soon found a core audience with its broadly romantic themes, celebrating love and the beauty of the natural world. 

“To write and sell poetry at a profit these days is a minor victory and a major achievement.” Scott’s words gently unlock and force you to face and look at the world with a little more optimism. There are moments of deep joy and others that take your breath away with simply incredible honesty.

Life is a complicated journey with happiness, mystery, and sadness. At times, we need inspirational poems to help us renew ourselves and be filled with the strength to fulfill our life's purpose. 

That’s where Scott Hastie’s ‘Meditations’ comes in. A remarkable book recommended to both teenagers and adults.


http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Hastie/e/B001KCDKQ8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

JEROME DUFOSSE MARLEY, A MUSICIAN WITH A UNIQUE SKILL

Jerome Dufosse Marley



Many musicians create something unique to make a difference. Jimi Hendrix was a talented guitarist who could play the American National Anthem with his teeth. Eek - a - Mouse is a prolific reggae star who created a unique style of singing, which instantly gave him international recognition.


One musician who has created something different in the field of drumming and has made a name for himself is Jerome. He is a musician who expresses his talent through incredible drumming feats since 1996, when he left his native France to live in England. 

Jerome's talent, which is combined with visual performance and the use of the body to convey the emotion of his music, is well-reviewed by the British Media.

Born in France on May 7, 1966, Jerome was inspired by diverse music in the early stages of his music career. As a big fan of Bob Marley, inspired by his music and lyrics, Jerome changed his name to Marley. 

In entertainment, he is seen as a different musician, due to his ability to play drums in an unusual way, 360 degrees, which has never been done or tried by any musician.

'The Jerome Experience' is a musical skill to be remembered for his talent behind the drum kit. His latest adventure is about to be unveiled as mad and different, as he likes to be described, by creating a concept of a show by playing the drums upside down in a rotating hamster wheel, powered by an electric motor.

It is unbelievably different and awesome to see one of the many shows performed by Jerome. He is proud of the one he did last year, competing with other 798 drummers as an event organized by 'StickittoMS', which raised almost £100,000 for Multiple Sclerosis.

The Jerome Experience is available to participate in live concerts and festivals. He invites everyone to join the Jerome Experience project. Do you want to be a fan of Jerome? He is on Facebook.

E-mail:jeromedufossemarley@gmail.com

http://www.thejeromexperience.co.uk

http://www.tjeproject.co.uk

  

Frustrated Mobistar Company Suspends Customers Numbers

Mobistar, one of Belgium's telephone companies

The global economic crisis that followed the 11 September attacks was so severe that many companies went bankrupt, and those that survived are still recovering.

One such company that has lost many of its customers and is still losing is the telephone company 'Mobistar'. As the telecommunication market increased, it became a competition. 

Many are offering better and affordable rates to target customers. Apart from Mobistar are other phone companies such as Ortel, Base, Proximus, Belgacom, and Lyca.

Many users, especially foreigners who communicate with families at long distances, started shifting from Mobistar, whose call rates are very expensive compared to other affordable telephone companies. 

Take 'Lyca' for example, someone can use a 5 Euros credit to speak to his family in Africa, for about ten minutes, and still have a leftover call credit of about 2 Euros 50 cents.

This is totally impossible with Mobistar, even if one buys 15 Euros worth of credit card. Because of this problem, many foreigners face, many consider buying credit from Mobistar a waste of money. 

Those using Mobistar have no choice but to buy a 5 Euro credit once a month or in two months.  

After a series of warnings from Mobistar that they will suspend my number, an act to intimidate users to buy credit, they finally suspended the number 0497/024967, which I have used for the past thirteen years. 

If Mobistar thinks this is a good strategy to lure users to buy credit, then I am sorry they are wasting their time; moreover, they are going to lose a lot of customers more than ever.

Why would one buy credit worth 15 Euros but can't speak to his family in Africa for ten minutes, when 5 Euros from Lyca can do the job? 

Suspending my number can't intimidate me into going running to any of the Mobistar offices to negotiate or buy a credit. 

Thanks to the amazing discovery of the internet and Skype, I will send my new number to my family within a few days.

MY LIFE AND MY BOOKS

Joel Savage

Joel Savage is a freelance writer who enjoys the challenges of creativity and adventure. Growing up in an environment where he sees the experiences of hard living and suffering deepens his understanding and knowledge to start writing. His work is considered to be a pure genre of creative nonfiction. 

He studied at Ebenezer Secondary School and Accra High School and later studied at the Ghana Institute of Journalism in Accra. His first book, “The Writer Died’’ which focuses on his father’s childhood and adult experiences, reveals the ordeal of a neglected child.

His second book, “Road of Agony,” reflects on his life as he struggles to take care of the welfare of his family after the untimely death of his father. 

As a passionate writer, Joel records his life experiences as a roofless illegal immigrant sleeping at the central train station in Rome and shifting camp to Amsterdam, only to be incarcerated in his third memoir, “Overseas Chronicle-The Rome and Amsterdam Experience.”

Leaving his wife and a year-old child in Africa for nine years, they finally joined them in Europe. But the happiness of the family turned into a nightmare as his wife was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer. Those days of sorrow are recorded in Joel’s fourth book, “Heart of Endurance.”

Having dedicated his life to writing non-fiction books, Joel’s amassed experience and skills from previous publications, enabling him to write his fifth book, "Little Boygium-Wonderful Experience" about his life in Antwerp, as he tries to integrate as a forklift driver, whilst he writes his books between scorn, underestimation, and racism.

“AIDS Doesn’t Discriminate, So Why Do We?” is Joel’s sixth book. The book, which is dedicated to HIV/AIDS victims worldwide, eliminates the fears of caring for such patients and brings the human side to the forefront. 

The writer, a Belgian national and member of the 'Flemish Journalists Association, currently lives in Antwerp with his wife and three children.

Joel Savage is a freelance writer who enjoys the challenges of creativity and adventure. Growing up in an environment where he sees the experiences of hard living and suffering deepens his understanding and knowledge to start writing. His work is considered to be a pure genre of creative nonfiction.

http://www.amazon.com/Joel-Savage/e/B008SCTYI6

HUMAN RIGHTS AND POETRY

A Study of Ugandan Women Poets: Susan Kiguli and Mildred Kiconco Barya By Shallon Maureen Atuhaire

"Human Rights and Poetry" is a study of the contribution made by Ugandan women poets and the extent to which these women writers have advocated for human rights beyond and above women’s rights in their society. 


The study focuses on the works of two distinguished women poets – Susan Kiguli's "The African Saga" and Mildred Kiconco Barya's "Men Eat Chocolates but They Don’t Say" and "The Price of Memory: after the tsunami." 

This writer identifies the human rights concerns addressed and lessons learned, examines the effectiveness of the stylistic devices used by the poets, and makes interesting conclusions regarding human rights advocacy in Kiguli and Barya’s poetry. 

Although the two poets differ in style, language use, and presentation, the study establishes that their contribution to the field of poetry and development of their society reaches well beyond the confines of women’s rights and cuts across almost all universal human rights concerns.

Available at http://www.amazon.com/Human-Rights-Poetry-Ugandan-Mildred/dp/3848413221

A Blue Million Books' interview with Joel Savage

Featured Author: Joel Savage

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Joel Savage, author of Overseas Chronicle—The Rome and Amsterdam Experience, is here today with Virtualbookworm Publishing to talk about the book and writing in general.

About the book:

The Roman Catholic priests continuously abused the young boys they had provided accommodation for, and in Amsterdam, the liberal laws on drugs have destroyed a lot of people so that there are walking dead on the streets.

In Amsterdam, the police have successfully impounded hundreds of kilos of drugs that are brought into the country through the airport Schiphol, yet marijuana and other harmful drugs find their way into the coffee shops for customers. Where do those drugs come from? Who is controlling it? The government, the army, the police, or the queen?


Interview with Joel Savage

Joel, how long have you been writing, and how did you start?

I have been writing since I was a teenager. I grew up in an environment where I witnessed the experiences of those dying in desperation, and it deepened my understanding and knowledge to start writing books inspired by true events.

What do you like best about writing? 

Writing has been my passion. It may be a hereditary thing since my father was a journalist and writer. 

What’s your least favorite thing?

I don’t have any least favorite thing, but I feel restless when a particular book I’m working on is left uncompleted.

Do you have another job outside of writing?

Yes, when I am not behind my desk, I work as a cleaner or sometimes as a forklift driver to support my family.

How did you create the plot for this book?

I was aware of the subject I wanted to write about, and since it falls in the genre of non-fiction, I made the book very interesting to read, letting the reader feel that he or she is witnessing firsthand.

Do you outline, write by the seat of your pants, or let your characters tell you what to write?

Having the story in mind, I just plan the outline, and the story continues as the book is inspired by true events.

Did you have any say in your cover art? 

I love being creative and adventurous.  I, therefore, design the cover illustration of every book I have written.

What books have you read more than once or want to read again?

The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale

What’s your favorite line from a book?

There was advice to a certain lady to refrain from thinking to prevent wrinkles from forming on her forehead.

Tell us a book you’re an evangelist for.

The Devil that Danced on the Water by Aminatta Forna.

What do you do to market your book?

I write little feature articles on my blog relating to my books before they are published.

Joel, tell us about your favorite scene in the book.

When I was invited by the police in Amsterdam for my documents, I went without any idea that I was going to be arrested and thrown behind bars. The police told me, “We knew that woman more than you; she takes money from foreigners under the pretext of helping them.” I couldn’t say anything.

What song would you pick to go with your book?

I don’t have any song that suits my case, but I remember that time the African-American musician R. Kelly’s lyrics, “I believe I can fly,” supported me spiritually through faith to survive.

Who are your favorite authors?

Norman Vincent Peale, Aminatta Forna, Jeffrey Archer, and Ryszard Kapuscinski.

What were your favorite books as a child, as a teenager, and as an adult?

Books inspired by true events.

Which author would you most like to invite to dinner, and what would you fix him? 




Harrison Ford. I will first ask him what he likes best.

Do you have a routine for writing? Do you work better at night, in the afternoon, or in the morning?

I write when time is available. It can be morning, evening, or even at midnight.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

At home at night.

Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do when it happens?

At the moment, I haven’t experienced any writer’s block because I’m still working on other scripts.

What’s one of your favorite quotes?

“Whatever happens to me benefits me, because it educates me morally and spiritually.”

What three books have you read recently and would recommend?

Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, by Jeffrey Archer; My Laugh Comes Last, by James Hadley Chase; and Cry, My Beloved Country, by Alan Paton.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Watch a favorite program on television.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?  Australia

If you could take a trip anywhere in the world, where would you go? 




United States of America

What are you working on now?

My new script, The Passion of Reggae and African Music.

The Book Connection Guest Blogger Joel Savage

The book connection

 

Everyone has objectives, but not everything goes as planned for those who want to achieve something unique in society. I am one of them. I missed part of my education after the sudden death of my father. It occurred to me that if I really wanted to further my education, the only option was to travel to Europe. 

 

I wasn’t greedy, thinking that Europe makes one rich overnight, but I had an idea that if I succeeded in integrating legally, I could follow my dreams since they have the best educational facilities and good teachers.

Upon arrival in Europe, I realized that going to a foreign country could be very difficult in regard to financial aspects and visa applications, but nothing was more difficult than gaining legal immigrant status in a foreign country.

 

Like Paul’s missionary journey to Rome, I found myself sleeping in rough places, including the central train station and a deserted food factory. Rome might be a strong Catholic city, but it views foreigners, especially blacks, as people from an unknown, strange planet.

At the mission houses, amongst other foreigners, we continuously witnessed the abuse of young boys by the priests and the constant stealing of money from our letters that passed through the mission’s office, because we had no resident address. In Rome, I went to a school run by the ‘Caritas’ [Charity] under the umbrella of the Vatican City.

 

I could read and write Italian very well, but that didn’t help to facilitate my status as a legal immigrant. The continuous degradation, racism, and discrimination forced many immigrants from Africa to leave Rome as illegal immigrants, but I stayed, hoping for the best; however, the situation never changed.

After working as a houseboy to an Italian journalist, I saved enough money and moved to Amsterdam, leaving behind a year-old child and my wife in Africa. Holland is a multi-cultural country and far ahead in development and integration.

 

Unfortunately, the hard immigration policies and liberal laws on soft drugs have encouraged others to do hard drugs, thereby having a drastic effect on many people, including illegal immigrants. I saw the disastrous effects of drugs on many, but they turned a blind eye and pretended they didn’t know what was going on because the free sales of drugs are like a catalyst that sustains the tourism industry.

This was something I wanted to avoid, and the only way to prevent falling victim to depression and drugs was to fight for my documents after almost four and a half years as an illegal immigrant. One thing I didn’t understand was the drug issue.

 

The Dutch drug force in the past and present has successfully arrested drug couriers in the city and at Schiphol, the airport, but the coffee shops sell drugs, including marijuana, to customers without impunity. Who then supplies drugs to the coffee shops? This was a question I never found the answer to.

I never encourage crime or violence. I fear these two acts, and therefore, try my best to live a clean life. But to upgrade my status to a legal resident, I was involved in a serious crime, leading me to be behind bars. A Surinamese woman collected money from me with the promise of helping me get my papers. I didn’t know her, but I trusted her.

 

According to the police, she was a criminal preying on illegal immigrants. I was thrown behind bars for several days while my passport was with the immigration police. It was likely they were preparing my documents to be deported, as I foresaw my deportation to Africa to be very close.

One day, while behind bars, I had no bath and food for the whole day, even though every day the cell was opened for me to wash and be served food. The next day, when they served me food, I asked them why they had failed to give me my food the day before.

 

The officer thought I was joking, but he quickly realized I was speaking the truth. According to him, I was a very quiet person; therefore, the officers on duty failed to realize that there was someone in the cell. Because of this mistake, they gave back my passport and set me free. Today, I am a married Belgian national with three children.

 

Overseas Chronicle: The Rome and Amsterdam Experience

http://www.amazon.com/Joel-Savage/e/B008SCTYI6

Belgium diplomat thrown out of golf club for wife breastfeeding a baby

The Belgian couple and the baby

A Belgian diplomat says his family was bounced from a White Plains golf club and treated like terrorists, simply because his wife was breastfeeding at a table and he was carrying a black backpack. 


Tom Neijens, 36, and his wife, Roseline Remans, 34, stopped by the Metropolis Country Club on June 8 and asked if they could
 
Have lunch even though they weren't members.

Staffers gave the Harlem family permission to dine on the terrace, where Remans said she discreetly bared her bosom to feed her daughter, Luka. A female manager swiftly intervened to nip the feeding in the bud.

She said, ‘Please leave immediately, you are disturbing the members,’ ” Neijens, first secretary of the Belgium Mission to the UN, told The Post. Neijens said it would only take a few minutes, but Remans was told to finish in the restroom.

“You don’t ask a person to have lunch in the restroom — why would you ask a baby to have lunch there?” Neijens said.

Minutes later, the Greenburgh Police Department arrived. Detective Scott Harding allegedly yelled, “Close the doors!” and two other diners were told to leave the terrace.

“He was walking as if he were acting in a Western movie,” Neijens said. “He had one hand on his gun, one hand on his Taser.”

Neijens said the officer warned the couple they were trespassing and said some people at the club thought they were terrorists because of their black backpacks.

When Remans, on the verge of tears, questioned why terrorists would breastfeed at a ritzy club, the cop allegedly replied, “In Sri Lanka, babies are used by terrorists.”

Harding changed his tone when Neijens revealed his State Department-issued ID. “You have to understand, this club has had terrorism threats in the past,” the cop said. The family was escorted out through a back door.

Days later, the diplomat sent an e-mail demanding an apology from Metropolis general manager Tracy Fraus and assistant general manager Audra Vaccari.

“I am deeply worried about your staff if they cannot distinguish between a European couple looking for a quiet place to breast-feed a baby and suicide terrorists carrying a backpack,” Neijens wrote.

Fraus declined to comment.

Neijens and his family are moving to Ethiopia in the next few weeks.

Lt. B.J. Ryan, a spokesman for the Greenburgh PD, called the incident a “cultural misunderstanding” — and said it was Neijens who fumed, “You must think the baby is a terrorist.”

Culled from The New York Post, July 7/2013