Philintheblank - philintheblank.net - Phil in the Blank
General Information:
Latest News:
If this works, I’m buying a camel 20 Aug 2013 | 05:45 pm
Just a short update on version 2.0 of our restaurant/catering business. Over the past couple of years, I have made less money than I did as a teacher in Washington, DC. But my current income – a comb...
Venya 2.0: Creating a restaurant sur place in Abidjan 7 Aug 2013 | 03:45 pm
I wrote some time ago about our plans to scale up our food business in Abidjan (for previous posts on the biz, see here). After convincing two additional friends to invest in the project, we are begin...
Some thoughts about Mali’s upcoming election 22 Jul 2013 | 06:39 pm
SOTRAMA in Koulikoro. They don’t come more patriotic than this one. Well, it’s going to happen. Despite the fact that many analysts, diplomats and even members of Mali’s own electoral body have expre...
Red Roofs of Yop City Part III: Abbey and Jula 8 Jul 2013 | 05:12 pm
The following is the 3rd and final part of a piece on Toits Rouges, a neighborhood in the Yopougon quartier of Abidjan. I have spent a lot of time in this neighborhood over the past several years. I h...
Personal Update: Travel Plans for July and Updates on Abidjan Food Biz 29 Jun 2013 | 02:39 pm
On the film set for SOS Democracy sketch comedy that will soon be released. First thing, if you use google reader to read this site, that shit is going away on Monday. There are alternatives, though....
Welcoming Boubacar Traore to my family (of sheep) 24 Jun 2013 | 09:24 pm
After an extended period of mourning following the death of Maimouna – have I shared that yet? Maimouna died. When I asked my partner Arouna what killed her, he said “fresh air.” Well, he said “fraich...
A Photo Essay: Bamako Taxi Interiors 6 Jun 2013 | 04:54 pm
Before you look at Bamako taxi interiors, please consider reading my last post and supporting a grassroots democracy project being led by Malian activists (our campaign ends in 68 hours!). I could eas...
Why this can work 28 May 2013 | 05:19 pm
If we had held these kinds of gatherings in the early 90′s, we would not be in the position that we are today. That quote comes from the dugutigi (neighborhood chief) of Bankoni, the neighborhood wher...
SOS Democracy: how this came to be 15 May 2013 | 12:18 am
Earlier this year, I was emailed by a Malian woman named Coumba. She was trying to get in contact with Bruce Whitehouse about a post he had written, in which I was quoted. His post linked to my site a...
Losing my tubabu pass 2 May 2013 | 11:28 pm
As the words were coming out, I knew I was making a mistake. I knew because I had made the same mistake before, in front of the same friend whose eyes were now widening. “Hεrε sira?” (did you pass the...
