Electric Stone Age

After weeks of delight from the 24-hour electricity that we’ve experienced, we’re back to normal—candles and home electric management. Though the latter sounds like a minor course in college, it’s actually a fancy-shwancy term for “save electricity!”
To the estranged reader there, let us introduce you to the Electric Stone Age. Here in Haiti we have a word for electricity; it’s EdH a.k.a. Electricité d’Haïti. It comes in 8-hour rations from the dangling power cords along the streets. You might be wondering how we could survive without 24-hour electricity? It’s simple, in this country we’ve evolved with this, uh, exotic situation.
Because the situation is oh so exotic, people were forced to electrify themselves. So, after the 8-hour rations go, our nifty houses start running on their batteries. These batteries either charge with diesel generators, solar panels or when the 8-hour ration comes with a Dolby Digital surround sound Ou gen EdH announcement from the neighbourhood. You would be surprised what these batteries could power up, say a household with a monster TV, air-conditioning units and a UFO satellite dish?
There is more. This Electric Stone Age is actually built on an industry! From EdH to gas stations. Generator, solar panel and inverter suppliers, and of course their paired set of technicians. Then there is maintenance and stuff like that. It’s not surprising how other businesses arise from it. Imagine those who sell gadgets. There would be no market for them if there were no electricity. Even the common man benefits from this, it’s normal to see a guy in a corner with a car battery offering to charge your phone or iPod. We could go on and on describing this exotic situation to you, but we'll cut The Electric Stone Age here.

...and to the hardworking guys at EdH, nice try and thank you for the quickie. The efforts are commendable especially after the 7.o you-know-what.

Football is Therapy

Hello world! You know what’s more important than your dog, football! Seriously! It brings a mountain of Haitians to cheer their favourite team and bring about world peace! Okay, probably not world peace but football is a part of Haitian life as much as rice&beans. Here in Haiti, we take football seriously. Game schedules spread across town faster than you can say goal! Wherever there’s a TV, you’ll find eyes glued to it, moving together with the ball and don’t be surprised if you hear someone shouting “monte volum la!” (Turn up the volume!), from the head peeping over the garden wall to watch the match on your tiny TV. Though, even if you can’t see the game, you’ll still hear it on radios. An entire business is even based on football. Big bets are made whenever there is a match. Restos with TVs are packed. And don’t even get me started with Team Brazil and Team Argentina, oh, people go bonkers for those teams!
It is like a religion; people gather together as one, raise their hands, cheer and shout. Gooooooal!

This is why we need to ask FIFA to dedicate the 2010 World Cup to Haiti. Avid fans need to cheer their favourite team!

Football is Therapy.


(edited: 29 March 2010, 15:41 )