Life as it goes

Have you heard of Google Zeitgeist? It is a list of trends in search terms published every year by the search giant. Zeitgeist is a German term for "spirit of the time", and Google Zeitgeist is supposedly a compilation of what the world population's timely interest during the year.

So, in case you didn't know about Google Zeitgeist, now you do. "Well then, so what?" You might ask. Well, the 2006 Zeitgeist is out. Without surprise, ever-popular social networking oriented sites (e.g. myspace.com, metacafe.com, wikipedia.com...) top the general list. My surprise came when I read the "current events" category where people were most interested in "where is Togo" (the World Cup probably had a lot to do with that.) Perhaps this shouldn't be a real surprise after all; Less than half the people I've met ever knew where our Country is located.

Togo is wining all sorts of curious supporters for the Fifa world cup 2006 championship in Germany. See for yourself ...=> Watch the videos here

Edwige Madze Badakou won the Miss World Cup contest. Media credit bbc.co.uk

Togo may be destined for glory at this month's FIFA World Cup soccer championship after all. Just a day after Togbui Assiogbo Gnagblondjro III, self-proclaimed Togo's voodoo chief, predicted glory for the country at the world cup, a Togolese beauty, Edwige Madze Badakou, won the pre-tournament beauty contest.

Miss Badakou is a student, 24 years old and won the Miss Togo national contest in 2004. Her new Miss Mundial title comes with a $2,557 cash prize and the use of a convertible car for a year.

At least now, just in case Togo doesn't come anywhere close to glory in the actual soccer tournament, Togbui Gnagblondjro will have this glory to point to as evidence to the validity of his predictions. Then again, he was as specific as to say that "Togo will definitely beat South Korea and France to get to the next round". So I guess there is no way out ... if only he hasn't been so specific.

During the nearly 4 years I've being out of Togo, there hasn't been a single day when I felt more home sick than today. God knows I wouldn't have missed today's beautiful celestial event in the sky of my home Country for anything else.

For reported 6 full minutes, the sun was completely eclipsed by the moon. Day turned into night. This is such a rare event.

Despite the apparent beauty of the phenomenon, it is said to be very dangerous for the naked eye.

Boy wearing protective special glasses. Media credit: republicoftogo.com

For once, it is refreshing to hear that the Government did the right things to inform and protect the population. Authorities imported hundreds of thousands of pairs of special glasses that consumers cleared rapidly from shelves in the capital, Lome. But villagers in the interior won't have access to the eyewear and officials called on them to stay home. Even so, a nation-wide information campagne was caried out weeks before the event. "Please, do not go out and keep your children indoors on solar eclipse day," was health minister's message broadcast on state television.

I'm just sad I missed the whole thing ... ;-)