My Joy Online, a Ghanaian media outlet, asks if God abandoned the country’s soccer team in its game against Uruguay last Friday. What is most striking to me are the responses to the question. Overwhelmingly, they express sympathy with the team, especially Asamoah Gyan who missed an easy penalty kick that would have won the game for the Black Stars. In the US, people would malign Gyan mercilessly. These Ghanaians seem more angry about media criticism of Gyan. This is an admirable reaction to a disappointing loss.

Red Card for Fifa! Go Black Stars!

Ghana knocks US out of World Cup – for the second time in a row. I don’t like to see the US lose, but I do like to see Ghana win. Way to go Black Stars!

Uphill battle for the Black Stars. Tough one for me – I don’t want to root against my own country, but I don’t want Ghana to lose, either.

My virtual vuvuzela. Tough match against Germany.

Patrick Bond blows a loud vuvuzela in FIFA’s ear. For what its worth, I agree with him. South Africa will probably lose money on the World Cup and why South African taxpayers should be on the hook for financing the stadiums and infrastructure for the games while the profits go to FIFA is beyond my comprehension.

PS: Go Black Stars! Make those Aussies wish they never came to South Africa!

The Mikocheni Report has a spot-on post on the terrible traffic in Dar es Salaam. The city is seriously out of control: massive population growth + no new roads = traffic nightmare. Where I disagree is that the traffic situation in Dar is idiosyncratic. The traffic in Dar reminds me a lot of traffic in Nairobi a decade ago, or in Accra and Cairo today. Rather than being special, Dar es Salaam today is an excellent example of growth without government.