Category Archives: Politics

When I was 16, I listened to Street Hassle obsessively.  On headphones of course because certain lines would have been very embarrassing if my siblings had heard them.  I was transported from my humdrum life as a sheltered upper class … Continue reading →

Way overdue.  Will eliminate possibility of changing two-term limit, and will eliminate clauses referring to Senate, which was never implemented, and that was clearly intended to be a mechnism for entrenching ex-regime loyalists and ex-regime legal political power. Conseil national … Continue reading →

I was listening to my local college radio station today and they played on their blues show “Feast of the Mau Mau” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. I suppose playing it now was intended, given Screamin’ Jay Hawkins career, as a … Continue reading →

Everyone who knows me knows I have strong philosophical objections to corporate movie-making (where a large committee is making decisions in order to maximize revenue).  Why waste my time when there are so many books to read, and auteur movies … Continue reading →

After enjoying Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, I was hoping A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab, which is similarly pitched, would be a good read. Unfortunately it was not… basically written at the Lightning Thief-level, so fine for … Continue reading →

En attendant, il est évident que ce coup d’Etat mort-né a rendu un grand service aux autorités de la transition. Il faut le redire, elles se sont refait une virginité politique alors que visiblement leur popularité était mise à mal … Continue reading →

Chers amis, la liste du vocabulaire s’allonge de jour en jour. Un de mes amis américain a ajouté “to burkinate”= défendre farouchement ses droits fondamentaux. Bravo à tout le peuple burkinabè qui s’est levé contre les “forces du mal, ces … Continue reading →

One of the images that Burkinabè will never forget: Gilbert Diendéré meeting leaders on the red carpet at the airport.  The bully was allowed his face-saving gesture, knowing all the while he is diminished.

We can see only some things from among the many that are happening.  We cannot distinguish among a variety of possibilities. What discerning can we do from what we are seeing? In Texas hold ’em, you do not fold because … Continue reading →

While families and children huddle in their homes, General Diendéré and General Zagré try to talk it out in Ouagadougou, Diendéré in Kosyam (presidential palace) and attached military base, and Zagré controlling the whole city.  ECOWAS heads of state meeting … Continue reading →

From Dakaractu  C’est là que Diendéré a obtenu gain de cause! La caution est là. Et Macky Sall semble perdre de vue qu’en donnant cette caution à Diendéré, ce n’est pas seulement le Sénégal qui la lui donne, mais 15 … Continue reading →

General Gilbert Diendéré has now almost thrown in the towel according to interview with Voice of America, but he never completely agrees, saying repeatedly, “we are in discussions.”  Pointed questions from Idriss Fall. Nice reporting.  Diendéré seems to be hoping … Continue reading →

Events have been unfolding very rapidly during the day in Burkina Faso.  Who knows what will happen this evening.  I thought it might be useful to clarify an issue that comes up a lots in discussions about the crisis. One … Continue reading →

M. Compaoré a donné un bien mauvais exemple. A sa suite, plusieurs pays (Congo-Brazzaville, Rwanda, République démocratique du Congo, notamment) ont été le théâtre d’une dérive politique autoritariste. Leurs présidents ont concocté des projets de réforme constitutionnelle destinés à leur … Continue reading →

Popular resistance to the coup d’état attempt of Gilbert Diendéré of the Presidential Guard unit (RSP) seems to be overwhelming.  There are photos from lots of cities and towns of anti-coup demonstrations and mobilizations.  Chérif Sy, president of the transition … Continue reading →