So, I've been settling in to my new home well. Admittedly, as I saw, all the action is down in Abidjan and Abengourou is a bit slower pace. It's relaxing though and as there is ready internet here, I have no complaints. There really aren't too many choices in landline internet and as far as I know, Aviso is the only one in these parts.

At $45 USD a month for 1.2Mb down and 384Kb up, as internet goes in West Africa, it's pretty reasonable and so far, pretty reliable. Yes, there are times when it is slower than others, but that just makes me have more of a purpose in online activities. The farting around aspect in being online gets largely reduced.

The only problem I'm having (and this is where the request for help comes in) is that this package came with this clunky USB modem to connect with. There are two and at times more of us who need to use this connection, so this simply won't work as it is a one to one setup.

From the US I brought two ADSL modems (a Zxyel and a Brightport) as well as an Apple Airport Express. I figured that at least one of the modems would work and that the Airport could be set up with a PPPoE connection to bypass this whole USB modem garbage. It turns out that this doesn't work and I'm stumped. In theory, everything should be happy. The Airport is set up and everything gives the appearance of connecting. The modem has a solid DSL light and seems to be happy. But, when it comes to actual browsing; nothing. Pages don't resolve, nor do attempts to ping outside addresses.

At this point, I'm kicking myself for bringing the Airport because, while compact, easy to carry, and hapy to switch between 120/240v, it is also without a great many options and I can't configure the WAN side of things as I would like to. So, is it the case that I need to spend another $100 of Aviso blood money to get their router/hub (which is the upgrade to this USB modem) or is there simply some setting somewhere that I'm not aware of?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and earn a Flag or Castel (the big one, not the small one mind you) upon sucessful wifi-ification of this connection. Thank you!

It was absolutely justified if the traders in the new Ashaiman-Ghana market refuse to pay their tolls.This is because the illegal hawkers and vendors around the market sell their items to buyers before the buyers get into the designated market area.But it is quite commendable that this menace is being tackled.It really depicting the real Ghana.FREEDOM AND JUSTICE

This is a sample post entered when this blog was first created on Maneno. It exists only to show how the system works. The author can edit or delete it if they choose.

That importation of second hand cars is not a very big business.

Ethiopia has no port, the goods come through Djibouti, Port Sudan and Somaliland.

Am sure the port of Mombasa will get business if we can sort out road issues.... The great North road is mid way..

If you want to know the co-relation between human rights and Freedom Of Information (FOI) get this book. For deeper details on co-relation between FOI and other ares such as intellectual property and data protection, you may find it elsewhere. This book is good for beginners.

FEMNET, the African Women's Development and Communication Network, has launched a book, examining freedom of information legislation and its role in enhancing women's rights in Africa.

The book comprises case studies from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia and attempts to show how the lack of legislation on FOI has impeded women's right to demand transparency and good governance.

Written in a clear and simple language that is easily understood by those who are grounded in tech and those who are not, the book identifies ways women can benefit be demanding greater access to information from the government as well as the public sector.

Out of all the countries studied, only South Africa has enacted the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) in 2000. The Act is part of more than 800 pieces of legislation since the fall of apartheid, mainly calculated ti address inequities, imbalances and social injustices that had previously existed.

In the countries profiled, the right to freedom of information was seen more like a domain for the media to demand and not the general population. In this case, women have not lobbied hard to have the FOI laws enacted.

While identifying the slow legislative mechanisms in most countries, the book identifies ways women can compel their governments to act.

One legislative glitch which may have hindered the speedy enactment is the constitutional provision on freedom of expression. In this regard, most countries define FOI as part of the wider constitutional guarantees, yet the countries may retain other repressive pieces of legislation.

For instance, in Kenya, the FOI bill is still pending in parliament; the government claims freedom of expression is well provided in the constitution, yet it maintains the archaic Official Secrets Act, which gives government institutions the discretion to decline information requests.

The book is an important resource for organizations that want to deepen their knowledge in advocacy and the nexus between women's rights, FOI and development.