Fresh from Africa

I have a friend in Africa at the moment

I got an email from him this morning He is in Zimbabwe till tomorrow here is couple of interesting things he had to say.

Stop Press: The currency was devalued by 1000% yesterday. Three zeros

were cut off, and new notes came in today – the largest being $Z100m

($A300!). This is much better for handling (we needed a backpack in the

South). Up till yesterday the largest one was $Z100,000 ($A30c!) – but no

news on the underlying inflation rate (reported at 1400% - that’s 1% every

6 hours)

ODD SPOT #3: There has been a report of a man arrested in one of the

larger supermarkets. In the current economic situation, security has been

tightened to prevent an increase in shoplifting. He had tried to carry a

suitcase in. When stopped by the security guard, he challenged the man’s

attempt to take his suitcase off him and store it until he left the shop.

He was told, "I am sorry, Sir, but you cannot take a suitcase into the

store." "Suitcase!", he indignantly replied, "THAT’S MY WALLET!!"