I was born in Uganda years ago (I won't say how many). The country has been through a lot. My family emigrated to the United States as Idi Amin's bloodthirsty regime imploded in the late '70s. There was civil war afterwards. Hundreds of thousands of Ugandans died as a result. Since 1986, however, President Museveni has brought peace and stability as well as relatively democratic multiparty elections. The press is free. And during the 1990s, per capita income growth averaged 3.2 for the decade (6.9% per annum). Good times.

Although I am not a superstitious person by nature, I take it as a good omen that the first rhino calf was born in Uganda in two decades. The value of rhinoceros horns caused poachers -- unchecked during the civil wars -- to run wild, decimating, in the process, the native population of that majestic animal. The present Ugandan rhino population -- six -- is a sign that things are looking perhaps up for "the pearl of Africa." They have not been able to determine the sex of the calf as of yet. "The calf is three days old, but the mother is too protective. So, it is difficult to get close to them to establish its gender," Angie Genade, the executive director of Rhino Fund Uganda told NewVision.co.uk. Word is that it will be named Barack if it is a male and Michelle if it is a female. How's that for good old American soft power?