opnet [OpNet] Africa

[Guest]

Such a shame that Ethiopia has come so far yet its neighbors seem to still be caught in constant fighting and feuding.

Now Novas are being drawn into the fighting. This has spiraled out of control before and it's going to happen again.

Why isn't anyone doing anything? Dictators have been ousted before, why is this so different?

If a couple of Teragen psychopaths could get a bomb into Sao Paulo, how hard would it be for Uganda to get a few into nearly anywhere?

Does anyone have a clue what's going on with the Africa situation?

[Stheno]

The same thing as has always happened in Africa: other people are using the local powers as proxies.

"Teragen Psychopaths" did not smuggle a bomb into Sao Paolo - at least, not the bomb you are referring to.

Bombing baseline cities is counterproductive.

If you wish to know what is going on in any given situation, what you really want to know is who is responsible and what are they doing.

Ask who gains.

[Jager]

I take it you are talking about Sub-Saharan Africa?

The Congo is 'ruled' by a group of novas, but the leader is slowly going insane.

Nigeria has a dictator, but he seems to be doing a good job for the baseline population. Atleast, he has been able to build-up something of a national identity.

As for the rest, most of West Africa has been torn up in a decade of proxy combat and guerilla fighting. Much like today, outside economic concerns are willing to lay down the funds to distablize 'nationalist' governments for their own financial well-being. Add to the mix various ethnic and religous problems, and the whole region is a mess.

South Africa is getting by, but is walking a fine line between keeping a lid on its own internal conflicts and Utopian aid. Seems that giving the UN a big stick hasn't been as good as some people thought it might.

As for the central and southern African states, not much is known (kind of like todays Western view). Still, it seems unlikely that any of them have been able to make significant strides in entering the "First World" as major players.

It is safe to say, the developed world continues to use Africa as source of raw materials. The association with brushfire wars has made it unlikely any of them would get the capital needed to become an industrial or technical power.

[Guest]

I like Africa, It's got character...and lots of places to hide the bodies.

[Guest]

Africa is the homeland. Back before white man's clock remembers, some shit went down there. The first man, the first black man, rose up from his cromagnon cousins and then the shit got all wild. I can feel it in the streets of Johanisburg, just like it started in Africa it starts again. That's why there's all this shit going down, Africa is the homeland. Africa is the Begining. And the end always starts at the begining.

[Guest]

Will somebody please kill this fuck-knuckle before I have to get up off my couch and nuke his sorry behind.

[Jager]

Lucious, Homo Erectus came out of Africa. That is the great-grandpappy of us all. Cro-Mag came out of the Middle East and they now think that Peking and Java man were seperate evolutions (not CroMagnan).

As for the whole South African thing; huh?

Do you know what you call a native of south africa? Its a bushman. Follow him up with the a virtually extinct group called the Hottentots. After that, you have the Dutch/Boers. Yeah, white men. The Bantu speaking tribes didn't roll across the Vaal until the start of the 18th century, killing or displacing the local Africans along the way. The various tribes were so busy killing one another, they didn't realize how dangerous the Europeans were until it was too late. Some rebounded back, northward, but all that did was make late 19th century colonization that much easier.

In my experience, African Nationalism exists primarily in the minds of African intellectuals and non-Africans. The majority of Africans I have met seem to feel that most africans are quite happy with their tribalism and their native governments seem quite happy keeping it that way. By playing on tribe off against another is how most of the governments stay in power. If you don't believe me, read some of the national on line publications. Look for the tribal referrances. To most African politicians, improving their tribes status is the key to success, not a national agenda.

As for slavery; tell me this. How did 1,000 white guys round up and ship 10 million black slaves from West Africa?

The answer is, they didn't.

The European slave trade started off with Morrocan Arabs buying/capturing black slaves along the Niger valley and using them to lug salt and gold across the Saharra. They then sold the slaves to the Spanish and Portugese. Not to be outdone, the Portugese sailed down the coast and started getting their own slaves. They set up stations and started trading guns and trade goods to the locals for slaves. Once they ran out of the local enslaved population, they simple went to war with their neighbors to get more, setting off a vicious cycle that would last over 300 years.

Certainly, other Europeans got into the trade, but it was primarily Africans enslaving and selling other Africans. Some African empires fell because of it and others profited and rose. Before you start sqwaking about the "White Man" though, realize who put the shackles on who, okay? I won't even go into the Arab Slave trade in East Africa.

If you want to rally people by telling them how another group is their enemy, fine. It worked for Hitler (the Jews), Lenin (the rich), and countless other great world leaders. Rarely, they actually do some good, but mostly they just get a whole bunch of people killed.

[Guest]

Jager's got the right of it (again).

Goddamn it, I hate agreeing with people. Especially people under sixty. It's bad for my reputation. And my heartburn.

Demonising other groups worked for all kinds of groups in the past...it still happens in the Balkans. Hell, Utopia (and there's an irony for those who know their literature...) do the same thing with the Teragen these days.

Basically, Africa is a fucked-up place full of fucked-up countries full of fucked-up rich people who are arranging for everyone else to kill each other so they can stay rich and powerful. Occidental colonial powers and slavers had a great deal to do with it...but so did the native peoples.

Nobody has clean hands, and anyone who tells you otherwise has an agenda. Probably a fairly unpleasant one at that.

A little short on detail, but I think that about covers it.

A bit off-topic, but the old Alzheimer's is getting to me again...

[Guest]

Jager,

As you may have surmised by now, I was not blessed with the greatest levels of education. Now I ain't singin the blues about this and I ain't askin for no handmedowns. But the projects of Chicago are not exactly what you'd call an educational learning facility. Hell, I cheated on every damn single test I took when I was training to be T2M. So you'll have to forgive me when I get my facts incorrect. Ol' Lucious is 100% passion. 200% somethin else. But you're the second smart man that's pointed out how my people sold themselves out and I guess all that comes down to is the rich sellin out the poor. class struggle and all that jazz. Last gentleman was a baseline who'd hired the elite Acropolis to beat my ass down for a mistake I made. I think I'm gonna have to talk to this man again. I don't know what I'm sayin, but I don't think I'm humbling myself for sayin thank you for your time.

Peace out

oh yeah, Hazzard, anytime, anywhere, let's roll.

[Jager]

Thanks Lucious. I have a great love of history.

Living and Pride. Everyone has to find their own balance of the two. No pride, and life ain't worth living. Too much pride, and your life won't last too long.

Snow, I am alot older than I look. I have had the good fortune to be trained by people much wiser than myself and I was lucky enough to actually listen to most of it. In my younger days I had way too much pride, didn't have nearly enough fun and ended up having too many regrets. I don't intend to fuck it up again.

[Guest]

Jager, you left out Alice...nice girl...pity she's been dead such a long time, I like 'em more gooey.

[Jager]

So, Hazzard, what is the history between you and Lucious? Don't tell me you went out of your way to make another friend?

[Guest]

Jager, do you really want me to abuse you? I can be arranged you know.

[Guest]

Anyone who wants to kill Hazzard who has not already received a number please join the end of the line.

Who doesn't want to kill Hazzard. He's a mass murdering psycho. The world will be a better place without him. It would be nice if someone would actually get him rather then talking about it.

I do my best, but I am still just one person.

I don't want to sound like Father Ryan, but the sooner his contaminated corpse is exterminated the better it will be for everyone.

I live in hope for that day.

[Apep]

I like Hazzard.

[Jager]

What exactly do you like about him?

Hazzard, forget Alice.

[Apep]

He amuses me to no end. Ever since his comment about the headless corpses especially. I cant get the image of him having a little tea party out of my head. Just picture him at the head of the table "would you like some tea with your crumpets?"

oodles of radioactive love

[Guest]

Now there's a girl after my own heart, come to think about it she'd probibly settle for my intestines in a jar.

I was at a great tea party the other night, I dug up Jim Morrison, Elvis and Slider and had a wail of a time. Elvis couldn't hold his drink but thats what happens when you ain't got no intestines. Slider still has it if you know what I mean

[Jager]

So, had Morrison lost any weight?

On a serious note, Slider wasn't buried in that grave. It was a synthetic tissue construct that decayed 12 hours after the funeral. The person who told me that is a pretty reliable, if a bit ghoulish, forensic scientist. Just a little FYI.

[Guest]

Thats fine Apep.

Just imagine that scene again, only this time, imagine that the headless body is someone you care about. Your mother, your father, anyone.

Can you understand what it must be like for some mother to see such a scene and see their child (he's kills everyone, there are no innocents) decapitated corpse sitting there, knowing she can do nothing about it.

There is nothing to like about Hazzard.

[Apep]

You're under the impression that I care? I don't think Hazzard is going to kill anyone I care about, and if he does then it's their damn fault for getting in his way. He's certainly not going to kill my parents, probably not anyone I care about either. Yes, he is a psychopath. I never said I agreed with him, I said he amuses me. I'll like who I want to.

[Guest]

Heh, heh, heh. Attagirl Apep, you tell that nasty Bag-Boy. Wait a minute, who says I wont kill anyone you care about? I'll bloody well kill whoever the fuck I like!!

Say, what is your parents address anyhow? Are they at home at the weekend? I'd like to send them a Fathers Day present.

[Jager]

Apep, please, oh please respond to this one. By all means send him to your 'home' address. I am sure the people who raised you would be pleased as punch to have ole Hazzard drop by. We could show up later and pick up the pieces.

[Apep]

Oh Hazzard, I only meant that you couldn't kill anyone that I care about. Although Ashnod would give me hell if I gave you her whereabouts, my grandfather on the other hand could use the workout, he lives in Anchorage.

Sorry Jager, as much as I would like to send him to my 'home', there would be no one to greet him. I've already , um, dealt with those bastards

[This message has been edited by Apep (edited 06-15-2001).]

[Jager]

...and you were probably too kind about it.

[Guest]

Anchorage eh? I remember that place, drove through it once on the way to a mass murder. Drove through is the wrong word now that I think about it. They must have rebuilt.

[Apep]

They've had to rebuild lots of times.

[Jager]

Hazzard, weren't you flying through at the time? I didn't see whoever busted on you so hard, but your form during your tradgectory was...interesting. The pained look on your face was also memorable. I guess we won't be having any little Hazzards running around, will we?

A Pointer for the rest of you: If you are going to start a fight with 6+ members of T2M, bring some friends. Don't try it alone. As for Hazzard, he doesn't have any friends, except maybe Apep, and that is probably because she hasn't been party to his affections (or is that afflictions) yet.

For the rest of you, if you are trying to ignite four volcanoes in the Northwestern U.S., setting of a planetary catastrophe, expect some univited guests. That was your plan, wasn't it, Hazzard?

[Hugin]

Setting off volcanoes? Sounds like Hazzard has watched a few too many James Bond flicks. Volcanoes Hazzard? Sounds very baseline of you. I expected better.

[Guest]

Volcanoes? Small time stuff Jager. If you are going in for wholesale mass murder of baselines you've gotta be more creative than that.

Must have been someone else you saw Jager, I only travel in my Nuclear Powered Winnibego. As for friends, its true I always get mad and melt them eventually but you'd be suprised who you can find me with.

Now if you'll excuse me I've got a marriage to break up and a congregation to kill.

[Jager]

Not Hazzard, huh? Okay, now I am worried. For all of his "Fat, Cracklin' Cosmic Power o' the Gods" that he possesses it is married to the attention span of a sadistic five year old. The major reason we aren't all dead (majorly tainted death machine) and Hazzard is still alive (who can predict him?).

A few weeks back, a buddy of mine in Idaho said that someone was feeling around the local siesmic fault areas. Seems like someone was looking into the same region of the Great Cauldera Explosion that wiped out most life in Central North America around 160,000 years ago and plunged the world into another Ice Age. I don't know if this was "small time" or not? I guess being unable to Warp, Teleport, Fly, or even run really, really fast 'limits' my perspective.