20010211 Thanks to slashdot and

20010211 Thanks to slashdot and other comments....

A quick thank you to slashdot for accepting Jasons post on saturday. The result was an incredible 16,000% increase in page-requests compared to saturday the week before. Now I can convince myself that all those people visited because of my birthday!!!

Also thanks to ABC, for a very nice article about our efforts. I love to see my name in the media :-)

And thanks to everyone who helped me celebrate my birthday at geekhalla in Accra yesterday. It was a great birthday, but I am a little dissapointed that you all didn't finish the beer I bought. Now I have to drink it all myself.

Special thanks to Modestu, Hans, Ally, Tim, Jean-Luc and Ethan for the wonderful presents. (If I forgot anyone forgive me, the heat is turning my brain into mush!).

Amongst the things I got:

• a lovely Strawberry Daiquiri consisting of canned Russian Vodka, Strawberry Tang and boiled water. (Ethan really knows how to make the most of available ingredients)
• A beautiful turqoise piece of Kente cloth with the woven inscription "Happy Birthday Thomas" (Thanks Modestu, that is really beautiful)
• A Mary, Mother of Jesus plastic nightlight. (Thanks Tim, forgive me for my lack of ecstatic enthusiasm :-)
• A glass of Nutella (Thanks Ally, nothing like a thick, creamy chocolate substance at 38 degrees Celsius)
• A gift-box of Ghanaian chocolate. (From my fellow countryman Hans, who saw the posting on slashdot, went to this very site, saw the invitation and popped by with a present)
• A Pocket guide to great xxx. (Thanks Jean-Luc, I'm sure that will come in handy when my lovely girlfriend hopefully visits me here)

It was a great party, even though both the water and the electricity went of during the evening. Lots of people, Ghanaians as well as ex-pats, and lots of beer in many variations. Thanks to everyone...

And thanks to Jason, Tim, Peter and Audrey who all rolled over to let me win at pool!