Do I look happy? Yeah, exactly.

But… good news for me! Come early May, I will finally be off the hook. My owners will have a baby to torture with this sort of stuff!

It seems like my owners are pretty excited about this news too, although I’ll let them tell you more about it themselves later.

As for me, I’m enjoying my stay at what I’ve come to refer to as my Ohio vacation home. There are so many rooms to sniff, and a yard too. And I don’t get abandoned as much during the day. And despite an accident on white carpet, they still give me lots of treats. And most importantly, there are no costumes whatsoever.

]]> http://www.travelorders.com/2010/11/17/abbey-has-an-announcement/feed/ 13 http://www.travelorders.com/2010/07/25/benin-in-the-news-2/ http://www.travelorders.com/2010/07/25/benin-in-the-news-2/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:06:25 +0000 Alex http://www.travelorders.com/?p=1033 Continue reading →]]> A peak into what’s going on these days in Benin…

CNN: “Accusations of child witchcraft on the rise in Africa”

BBC: “Benin – democracy, the Chinese way – or voodoo?”

Bloomberg: “Benin’s government seizes cars, buildings and money from executives of ICC”

Afrique en Lingue: “Benin lifts dissolution of national football team”

NPR: “A Russian Milestone: 1st Black Elected to Office“

I’d say something like 49% of what comes through is actually about a place called Benin City in Nigeria. It’s a rubber industry hub. Lots of fascinating news about that. (Riiiight.)

Another, say, 49% of what pops up are blog entries by Peace Corp volunteers throughout Benin. These can indeed be interesting, but they don’t of course give me much historical or political content, which is what I really want.

It’s only every few days or so that a real news article comes through.

Here are some of the most recent:

NYT: “From West Africa, a Recipe for Spicy Trans-Atlantic Funk”

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, from Benin, belongs on the very short list of the world’s greatest funk bands. More than four decades into its career, most of them spent touring Benin and nearby West African countries, the 10-man orchestra made its blistering North American debut on Sunday night at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College as part of the Lincoln Center Festival… (Click here to read more.)

Bloomberg: “Benin Dismisses and Arrests Minister of Security for Fraud”

Benin dismissed and arrested Security Minister Armand Zinzindohoue for his involvement in a finance company that took deposits from people and hasn’t returned the funds, Work Minister Gerard Kuassi said. President Thomas Boni Yayi on July 8 fired Zinzindohoue, who was arrested yesterday after a commission of inquiry found he was involved in the company, known as ICC Services, Kuassi told reporters in Cotonou, the country’s commercial hub, today… (Click here to read more.)

Al Jazeera English: “Anger at France Bastille Day parade”

France has staged its traditional Bastille Day parade amid criticism from human rights groups at the invitation of some African leaders. Soldiers from 13 African nations marched through Paris on Wednesday to mark 50 years of independence from French colonial rule. … The parade saw fighter jets fly over the city, followed by African troops marching down the Champs Elysees avenue, headed by an all-female unit from Benin. (Click here to read more.)