Hydraulic fracturing is a hot-button environmental and economic issue that has people in North Carolina and the entire nation deeply concerned.
Commonly referred to as "fracking", hydraulic fracturing involves the pumping of "millions of gallons" of water and chemicals as deep as 10,000 into the ground to create pressure. This pressure breaks up bed rock and thus releases its reserves of natural gas that can be used as a source of energy. http://www.propublica.org/special/hydraulic-fracturing-national
In theory, this sounds like a simple procedure that can provide a great untapped energy source for many Americans.
However, the process of extracting this gas has many concerned about the environmental implications.
Among many states trying out this new venture, Pennslyvania has fracking wells across its state, which have been succesful in collecting natural gas.
Many say that this comes at a price, however.
A study done on 60 water wells near fracking sites across the state have shown levels of natural gas contamination. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fracking-for-natural-gas-pollutes-water-wells
"Methane concentrations in drinking water were much higher if the homeowner was near an active has well," said Robert Jackson, environmental scientist from Duke University.
There are seemingly extreme yet common examples of such contamination's effects, "I saw a homeowner light his water on fire."
Chemicals such as butane and propane were other contaiments found in drinking water. such chemicals have the potential to pose great health risks.
In North Carolina, the debate is ongoing as to whether the practice of fracking is safe for the general public or not.
Currently, fracking is banned in the state.
A decision to lift the ban on fracking will heavily affect certain North Carolina counties more than others. Counties like Chatham, Lee, and Moore seem to be natural gas "hot spots". http://wunc.org/programs/news/archive/Nli101811_Fracking.mp3/view
The North Carolina Preservation Network has made their opinion loud and clear: fracking should not be allowed in the state, ever. To them, the risks such as ground and surface water contamination, air pollution, and strain on local economies are reason enough to keep the ban in place. https://secure3.convio.net/nccn/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=731
Some, on the other hand, believe that the benefits of fracking can be great and potential damages can be corrected, "Further regulations have to be put in place for us to feel overly confident in doing this in a safe way,” http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/10243004/
Things are changing, as the state moves towards investigating fracking's effects further.
Recently, the state legislature passed a bill that allows for a study, that must be completed by May 1, 2012, that tests the environmental effects of the procedure. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/07/idUS294056914520110607
The study is underway and the results will be crucial in the state's decision about whether or not to allow the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing to take place.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Bill Gates of Africa: Herman Chinery-Hesse and his Ghanian Tech Revolution
To most people, the tech giants of the world are corporations like Microsoft, Apple, and IBM. Make room for one more that will soon be able to rival these Silicon Valley staples: theSOFTribe, founded by 43 year old Ghanian Herman Chinery-Hesse.
Born in Dublin to Ghanian diplomats, Chinery Hesse lived a privilaged life that allowed him to have numerous childhood homes such as Geneva, Zambia and Uganda.
Despite moving around the world, his family maintained a deep aligence to their true home in Ghana.
Growing up, Chinery-Hesse had a mild interest in school. He was good at it and had a special talent for math and science, but was not enthralled by it.
Like many young Ghanians from wealthy families, he was sent abroad for his high school and college education.
For the next few years, Texas became his new home.This time in his life proved to be pivotal for his future.
While in the United States, he considered himself somewhat of an outsider. He was frequently teased with racist remarks, such as the n-word, from both whites and blacks, "America is the most racist place I've ever been."
His experience was not entirely bad, however. Being in a rural part of such a developed country opened his eyes to the possibilities of entrepenurialism.
He saw underdeveloped regions transform within years, which gave him hope for the future of Ghana, "I saw open spaces where there was nothing but cows, and then four years later, it's a whole community." Thus, his time in Texas ignited a spark within him, "It was my entrepreneurial conversion...I realized that the opportunities were everywhere."
After completing his degree in engineering, he came back to his native Ghana. At a graduation party, he announced to family and friends that he was home for good and they all thought he was crazy. People who had the opportunity to study abroad were usually trying to find a way out of Ghana, not a way to come back.
Looking around him, he realized thart his country was devoid of the technological infrastructure it needed to develop independently, "Technology is the only way for Africa to get rich. We don't have the proper infrastructure and we can't compete in manufacturing."
To help remedy this problem, Chinery-Hesse turned to the world of software.
He started small but yet ambitious. He began his work not in any sort of office, but in his bedroom of his parents house on his PC.
His first job was to write code for a program for a travel agency in Accra.
After having this accomplishment under his belt, he dreamed bigger and asked to take this to the next level. Thus, Chinery-Hesse and his high school friend Joe Jackson developed this original software into a more sophisticated sales tracking program.
Together, they started making a small name for themselves and they moved on to bigger and bigger projects.
Next, they were writing programs to computerize large chicken farms. This evolved into an inventory management system which they were late able to sell to grocery stores across Ghana.
He and his partners knew that they had something very special coming together.
Thus, in 1991, they officially founded their first software company called theSOFTribe. They became pioneers: their company was the very first software company in Ghana.
Specializing in highly efficient yet simple products, theSOFTribe became the largest software company in Ghana and certainly one of the biggest in West Africa. It employs around 100 people and has an ever expanding list of clients such as major global corporations like Ford Foundation and Nestle.
Establishing such a succesful software company is an accomplishment in any country due to the presence of giants like Microsoft and Apple that seem to dominate the industry.
Doing it in a country like Ghana is even more impressive, given the country's troubled economic past.
Due to repressive government economic policies, between the years 1970 and 1990, Ghana's GDP fell 2.1% oer year.
Despite this, he was still able to establish a name for himself as one of West Africa's economic giants.
The company continues to grow, with many new products soon to be released such as "Black Star Line" (BSL for short) which is a website designed to be similar to amazon.com and paypal.com. It is essentially an online marketplace for African entrepreneurs to sell their products and crafts. The site will also allow them to receive payments from the online payment method from computers or mobile phones (which is very conducive for African markets being that most people have cell phones over PCs). The aim of the site is to raise the quality of life for African craftsmen and women by allowing them greater access to global markets, "This system is going to allow someone living in a village who makes 20 sweaters a week to export them at $10 a sweater...that's $200 a week."
Herman Chinery-Hesse's vision is ever-expanding. He hopes to utilize the power of IT to transform development in Africa,"If Africa mises the current global IT boat, there may never again be an opportunity for rapid wealth creation on the continent."
The sky's the limit for him, and he is just getting started.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/26/tech/herman-chinery-hesse-technology/index.html?hpt=wo_bn7
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20081001/meet-the-bill-gates-of-ghana.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/specials/1631_judges/page5.shtml
Sunday, January 29, 2012
A Struggle Cut Short: David Kato and the Fight for Gay Rights in Uganda
January 26, a mere 3 days ago, marked the 1 year anniversary of the tragic death of the Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato.
His death brought grief to many around the world who saw this man as a true hero.
David Kato boldly fought for the equality of his fellow members of the LGBT community in Uganda, a country where homosexuality is a legal offense and can, in some cases, be punishable by death.
Born on February 13, 1964, to a conservative family in rural Uganda, David Kato had a love of knowledge from the start.
He used his intellect to propel him into the best schools in the country.
His education fostered his dreams of being a teacher one day.
To pursue this, Kato moved to South Africa to search for a job in 1992.
Here, he was surprised to be welcomed by certain Christian churches that did not shun him away because of his sexuality, but instead accepted him openly. This had a profound affect on him.
Also while in South Africa, his passion for social justice and equality was awakened.
During this time in the country, the brutal apartheid was in place. David was angered by the institutionalized system of racism that was ingrained in every aspect of life. He could not sit aside and watch his fellow Africans suffer the way they were. Thus, he joined the fight for the end of apartheid.
Such an end came two years later in 1994.
This was an incredible triumph for mankind, leaving millions inspired.
To David, if the government instituted system of racial segregation and brutality could fall in South Africa, then perhaps, with a similar struggle, the system of oppression against the LGBT community in Uganda could fall too.
On fire, David returned to Uganda in 1998.
He quickly began working to bring down the walls of homophobia that were corrupting his beloved country, "We are really going back into Amin's regime."
David fearlessly held televised news conferences in which he urged for LGBT civil rights. This was taking an enormous risk, considering the relative prevalence of violence committed against open homosexuals in the country, especially in Kampala, the city where he lived.
His next move was to co-found SMUG, Sexual Minorities Uganda Group. This organization served as a means of support and a literal home for members of the LGBT community, open or not, who needed protection or just a place to be themselves.
Though safety was an urgent and legitimate concern, David never wanted to hide, "If we keep hiding, they will say we're not here."
He wanted to detach feelings of shame from the LGBT community. He wanted people to celebrate who they were, as shown in the rainbow flags sported around his compound, "My rainbow, it's a symbol of solidarity of the unwanted people of Uganda. So I really love this."
It was when a Ugandan tabloid newspaper, without permission, published the names, pictures and addresses of local gays and lesbians in their publication that David's career of activism took full affect.
He recognized the great danger this posed for gays and lesbians who were called out in the newspaper (he was one of them). In order to protect their privacy and their very lives, David sued the newspaper.
This lawsuit got the attention of the nation, which in turn highlighted the country's anti-homosexuality bill that was up for consideration in Parliament.
This bill, if passed, would make those accused of "aggravated homosexuality" or of being a "serial offender" homosexual subject to the death penalty. It would also allow anyone who failed to report to the police someone that they suspected to be homosexual liable to persecution.
In the face of all of this attention, David remained true to his original cause.
The international community rallied around him, as he gained followers all over the globe.
However, the attention came with a deadly price: on January 26, 2011, David Kato was beaten to death in his home.
He remains an incredible figure for tolerance, peace, and acceptance.
His legacy will forever live on.
R.I.P. David Kato. February 13, 1964-January 26, 2011.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/opinion/they-will-say-we-are-not-here.html?_r=3&ref=africa
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-dr-nancy-wilson/david-kato-a-hero-of-hope_b_1232137.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13392723
http://www.smug.4t.com/
His death brought grief to many around the world who saw this man as a true hero.
David Kato boldly fought for the equality of his fellow members of the LGBT community in Uganda, a country where homosexuality is a legal offense and can, in some cases, be punishable by death.
Born on February 13, 1964, to a conservative family in rural Uganda, David Kato had a love of knowledge from the start.
He used his intellect to propel him into the best schools in the country.
His education fostered his dreams of being a teacher one day.
To pursue this, Kato moved to South Africa to search for a job in 1992.
Here, he was surprised to be welcomed by certain Christian churches that did not shun him away because of his sexuality, but instead accepted him openly. This had a profound affect on him.
Also while in South Africa, his passion for social justice and equality was awakened.
During this time in the country, the brutal apartheid was in place. David was angered by the institutionalized system of racism that was ingrained in every aspect of life. He could not sit aside and watch his fellow Africans suffer the way they were. Thus, he joined the fight for the end of apartheid.
Such an end came two years later in 1994.
This was an incredible triumph for mankind, leaving millions inspired.
To David, if the government instituted system of racial segregation and brutality could fall in South Africa, then perhaps, with a similar struggle, the system of oppression against the LGBT community in Uganda could fall too.
On fire, David returned to Uganda in 1998.
He quickly began working to bring down the walls of homophobia that were corrupting his beloved country, "We are really going back into Amin's regime."
David fearlessly held televised news conferences in which he urged for LGBT civil rights. This was taking an enormous risk, considering the relative prevalence of violence committed against open homosexuals in the country, especially in Kampala, the city where he lived.
His next move was to co-found SMUG, Sexual Minorities Uganda Group. This organization served as a means of support and a literal home for members of the LGBT community, open or not, who needed protection or just a place to be themselves.
Though safety was an urgent and legitimate concern, David never wanted to hide, "If we keep hiding, they will say we're not here."
He wanted to detach feelings of shame from the LGBT community. He wanted people to celebrate who they were, as shown in the rainbow flags sported around his compound, "My rainbow, it's a symbol of solidarity of the unwanted people of Uganda. So I really love this."
It was when a Ugandan tabloid newspaper, without permission, published the names, pictures and addresses of local gays and lesbians in their publication that David's career of activism took full affect.
He recognized the great danger this posed for gays and lesbians who were called out in the newspaper (he was one of them). In order to protect their privacy and their very lives, David sued the newspaper.
This lawsuit got the attention of the nation, which in turn highlighted the country's anti-homosexuality bill that was up for consideration in Parliament.
This bill, if passed, would make those accused of "aggravated homosexuality" or of being a "serial offender" homosexual subject to the death penalty. It would also allow anyone who failed to report to the police someone that they suspected to be homosexual liable to persecution.
In the face of all of this attention, David remained true to his original cause.
The international community rallied around him, as he gained followers all over the globe.
However, the attention came with a deadly price: on January 26, 2011, David Kato was beaten to death in his home.
He remains an incredible figure for tolerance, peace, and acceptance.
His legacy will forever live on.
R.I.P. David Kato. February 13, 1964-January 26, 2011.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/opinion/they-will-say-we-are-not-here.html?_r=3&ref=africa
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-dr-nancy-wilson/david-kato-a-hero-of-hope_b_1232137.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13392723
http://www.smug.4t.com/
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Interview with Gabriella Kostrewa
This morning, I had the pleasure of interviewing my friend and classmate Gabriella Kostrewa in our News-writing class.
We talked about everything from our favorite hobbbies, books, ways to stay in the loop, the state of journalism today, and ways that we see us using journalism in the future.
We first started by talking about our things we love.
For her, the first subject was hockey. She loves everything about it, from the players (her favorite is Sidney Crosby, who to her "has a passion for the game that no other player can match") to teams (the Carolina Hurricanes being the best), to just about everything. She is the biggest hockey fan I have ever meet, "I just love hockey, there's no if ands or buts about it".
The next big thing with her was politics, "I love to talk about politics, specifically American politics. I just find it so fascinating." Her passion for the subject comes across very easily from just talking to her for one minute about it. It became clear that politics is a major force in her life.
I then thought it would be interesting to ask her about an interest that she thought would be surprising to most people. The subject then shifted from American politics to Hollywood, "I love Hollywood gossip. Everyday I read Perez Hilton and US weekly. It's my guilty pleasure." I think many girls (and boys who maybe would just never admit it) can agree with her on this one.
The subject of the interview was supposed to be about the written word, so I decided to easse into the topic first by asking about a written work, no matter the form, that has particularly impacted her in some way.
She then told me about the book "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsch. She was inspired to read this non-fiction work by her parents right before her junior year of high school.
What she loves about the book is not that she could not put it down neccesarily (which she says was the case with series such as the Hunger Games and Harry Potter) but that it "talks about God creating you, loving you...it makes you reconsider how you see yourself in the world." She said that she cannot say that it is her favorite book, but it certainly got her thinking.
I decided to change it up for a second and I asked her about a fun random fact. For her, it is that she can recite the entire preamble to the United States Constitution (which she preceded to recite in the form of the School House Rock song).
The conversation then changed to the topic of news and journalism, as I first asked her about where she likes to get her news from two of my favorite sources as well, CNN and the New York Times.
She likes CNN to get her fix of basic news and headlines, while she also appreciates their international news section.
On the other hand, she likes to read the New York Times if she wants to read something in depth about a particular issue.
In terms of journalism figures, she really admires Shepherd Smith from Fox News because she finds him extremly personable and not to mention hysterical.
Still on the topic of journalism, I was curious to see what she thought is the biggest problem with the industry today. I found out that to her, the problem with the industry is the journalists themselves, "My greatest problem is that a lot of journalists are not doing their job. They include too much personal bias."
She explained to her that she sees the job of a journalist as being one of an educator. They are not supposed to try to sway the audience in any way or towards any sort of decision.
Finding this subject particularly interesting, I asked more about things about the industry that irk her. Again, the subject of bias came up, "I abhor the liberal media bias."
I was curious to know what networks in the field she thought were doing a good job, or at least close to a good job, of keeping it neutral. According to her, PBS and Politico do a good job of this.
For the most part however, she likes to get around the bias by navigating her own way through the news world, "I usually feel that between the New York Times and Fox I can figure a place for myself."
Gabriella Kostrzewa is a girl of deep passion for the things she loves. She truly believes that journalism's power to communicate can be used as an educator.
She hopes to utilize this power in her future so that whatever the subject, she can help people comprehend this crazy world a little bit better "so people can walk away and say they learned something."
Gabriella Kostrezewa
We talked about everything from our favorite hobbbies, books, ways to stay in the loop, the state of journalism today, and ways that we see us using journalism in the future.
We first started by talking about our things we love.
For her, the first subject was hockey. She loves everything about it, from the players (her favorite is Sidney Crosby, who to her "has a passion for the game that no other player can match") to teams (the Carolina Hurricanes being the best), to just about everything. She is the biggest hockey fan I have ever meet, "I just love hockey, there's no if ands or buts about it".
The next big thing with her was politics, "I love to talk about politics, specifically American politics. I just find it so fascinating." Her passion for the subject comes across very easily from just talking to her for one minute about it. It became clear that politics is a major force in her life.
I then thought it would be interesting to ask her about an interest that she thought would be surprising to most people. The subject then shifted from American politics to Hollywood, "I love Hollywood gossip. Everyday I read Perez Hilton and US weekly. It's my guilty pleasure." I think many girls (and boys who maybe would just never admit it) can agree with her on this one.
The subject of the interview was supposed to be about the written word, so I decided to easse into the topic first by asking about a written work, no matter the form, that has particularly impacted her in some way.
She then told me about the book "Conversations with God" by Neale Donald Walsch. She was inspired to read this non-fiction work by her parents right before her junior year of high school.
What she loves about the book is not that she could not put it down neccesarily (which she says was the case with series such as the Hunger Games and Harry Potter) but that it "talks about God creating you, loving you...it makes you reconsider how you see yourself in the world." She said that she cannot say that it is her favorite book, but it certainly got her thinking.
I decided to change it up for a second and I asked her about a fun random fact. For her, it is that she can recite the entire preamble to the United States Constitution (which she preceded to recite in the form of the School House Rock song).
The conversation then changed to the topic of news and journalism, as I first asked her about where she likes to get her news from two of my favorite sources as well, CNN and the New York Times.
She likes CNN to get her fix of basic news and headlines, while she also appreciates their international news section.
On the other hand, she likes to read the New York Times if she wants to read something in depth about a particular issue.
In terms of journalism figures, she really admires Shepherd Smith from Fox News because she finds him extremly personable and not to mention hysterical.
Still on the topic of journalism, I was curious to see what she thought is the biggest problem with the industry today. I found out that to her, the problem with the industry is the journalists themselves, "My greatest problem is that a lot of journalists are not doing their job. They include too much personal bias."
She explained to her that she sees the job of a journalist as being one of an educator. They are not supposed to try to sway the audience in any way or towards any sort of decision.
Finding this subject particularly interesting, I asked more about things about the industry that irk her. Again, the subject of bias came up, "I abhor the liberal media bias."
I was curious to know what networks in the field she thought were doing a good job, or at least close to a good job, of keeping it neutral. According to her, PBS and Politico do a good job of this.
For the most part however, she likes to get around the bias by navigating her own way through the news world, "I usually feel that between the New York Times and Fox I can figure a place for myself."
Gabriella Kostrzewa is a girl of deep passion for the things she loves. She truly believes that journalism's power to communicate can be used as an educator.
She hopes to utilize this power in her future so that whatever the subject, she can help people comprehend this crazy world a little bit better "so people can walk away and say they learned something."
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
My Top 5 Websites
note: these are in no particular order
1. The first wesbite I'd like to express my love for is invisiblechildren.com. This website is the online home of the non-profit Invisible Children that uses media, particularly the art form of expertly crafted and highly artistic documentaries, to raise awareness about the atrocities commited by the rebel leader Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistence Army across East and now Central Africa.
For those who love and follow the work of Invisible Children, the website is a great place to keep up with what they are up to. The short update videos could never be described as even remotely dull. Each one, being about 2 minutes long, is a beautiful narrative in and of itself about the work being done in the office and on the ground. One can easily tell from the videos that their staff puts time and effort into making sure that each one informative yet visualy and audibly beautiful and insanely creative.
Besides being a great resource for the history of the conflict and the organization's current operations and projects, the website also has an excellent blog that features world news updates, fascinating book reviews, a look into the underground music scene, and beautiful pictures.This part of the website features pieces that are sometimes relevant to the mission of Invisible Children and Africa in general, but sometimes not. It is just a great place to discover new things and stay in the loop.
In all, I love this website because of its ability to inform and inspirre through breathtaking spunk and creativity.
2. My next favorite website is relevantmagazine.com . This website is essentially the online version of the magazine and offers a lot of the same articles that would be featured in the print version, plus a lot of bonus articles and reviews, as well as videos that can only be found online.
The tag line of the magazine is "God.Life.Progressive Culture." This sums it all up.
The God section of the website is not exactly what one would expect. It is not simply a place full of links to articles re-writting and explaining the same old Bible verses. No, this section offers fascinating articles that address many issues that are not usually talked about in the life of young Christians.
For example, one such article entitiled "Even Jesus Wept" explores the question of the place of grief in theology. Is God emotionally affected by our everyday behaviors and the general tragedies of our world?:
"But what happens when you see God as immutable—as unchangeable? What happens when you see God as impassible—as emotionless?
So many Christian traditions believe God is utterly unable to change and unaffected by emotion, unprovoked by the behavior of the world He so loves. Should it be a surprise that so many of us become unmoved and emotionally repressed? That we temper our joys and bury our sorrows?"
Another thought provoking article in this section is about the battle between faith and reason that is played out in the minds of many in our society.
The Life section of the website offers poignant articles about general subjects such as the nature of relationships, as well as beautiful pieces on our changing world such as articles about the pros and cons of the Occupy Movement and a review of the effects of 9/11, 10 years after the tragedy.
"Sept. 11, 2001, was a startling reminder of just how suddenly and completely our lives can change—how easy it is on a Tuesday morning, under a brilliantly blue summer sky, for a small group of strangers to alter the course of our stories—and how quickly we can veer from action to reaction, and from unbridled optimism to something else."
Lastly, the Culture section of the website offers current reviews of the latest music, books and movies.
They review both underground and mainstream work, such as the Icelandic band Sigur Ros's new album entitled "Inni" and a Q&A with the cast the recent hit "The Muppets" (which is an excellent movie by the way).
3. www.cnn.com is another one of my favorite websites. I know that news sites can be tricky, because everyone has their own definition of what is biased and what is not. In my opinion, all news sites are biased in some way. However, one must stay informed some how.
I like CNN's site because it, to me, has a diversity of articles in terms of issued covered.
This is especially true when one looks at their world news section, which has a balance between political and social issues. I also like how one can scroll down and see the news divided up by world region, so that if one desires, they can concentrate on a specific part of the world.
I also really enjoy the sections of the website that are dedicated to CNN's mission of fighting modern day slavery. In a section called "The CNN Freedom Project" that features in depth articles, as well as videos to accompany them, about the many facets of modern day slavery, including sex slavery and the use of child slave labor to produce chocolate in many parts of the world.
Lastly, I find the site's "Belief Blog" very enlightening. It features a wide array of articles and opinion pieces a like, such as pieces about religious freedom and the Supreme Court and the effects of 9/11 on American religiosity.
In all, I think the diversity of CNN's website makes it a real stand-out.
4. www.pandora.com is an amazing musical resource. Getting a free account with pandora opens the door to discovering so much music that is seldom played on your usual top 40 radio. Though one can create stations according to one's own taste, the algorithms used make it so that one is sure to stumble upon old and new gems that one has not heard before.
It can also be a great place to listen to throw-back songs that take you back to the good old days. I am currently experiencing that with my new N*Sync station.
5. Last but certainly not least is www.ultimateguitar.com. This is a great resource for guitar players who have not yet perfected the art of reading and interpreting traditional sheet music and applying it to guitar just yet (aka where I am with guitar).
It is essentially a search engine where one can type in the name of a song and a list of items appears that has the title of the song various artists who have such a song.
When you see the one you want, it links you to the lyrics and the guitar chords needed to play the song.
Granted, one must figure out the strumming and/or picking pattern on his or her own, but getting one's hands on the chords needed is a huge help.
I recommend this song to all guitar players!
1. The first wesbite I'd like to express my love for is invisiblechildren.com. This website is the online home of the non-profit Invisible Children that uses media, particularly the art form of expertly crafted and highly artistic documentaries, to raise awareness about the atrocities commited by the rebel leader Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistence Army across East and now Central Africa.
For those who love and follow the work of Invisible Children, the website is a great place to keep up with what they are up to. The short update videos could never be described as even remotely dull. Each one, being about 2 minutes long, is a beautiful narrative in and of itself about the work being done in the office and on the ground. One can easily tell from the videos that their staff puts time and effort into making sure that each one informative yet visualy and audibly beautiful and insanely creative.
Besides being a great resource for the history of the conflict and the organization's current operations and projects, the website also has an excellent blog that features world news updates, fascinating book reviews, a look into the underground music scene, and beautiful pictures.This part of the website features pieces that are sometimes relevant to the mission of Invisible Children and Africa in general, but sometimes not. It is just a great place to discover new things and stay in the loop.
In all, I love this website because of its ability to inform and inspirre through breathtaking spunk and creativity.
2. My next favorite website is relevantmagazine.com . This website is essentially the online version of the magazine and offers a lot of the same articles that would be featured in the print version, plus a lot of bonus articles and reviews, as well as videos that can only be found online.
The tag line of the magazine is "God.Life.Progressive Culture." This sums it all up.
The God section of the website is not exactly what one would expect. It is not simply a place full of links to articles re-writting and explaining the same old Bible verses. No, this section offers fascinating articles that address many issues that are not usually talked about in the life of young Christians.
For example, one such article entitiled "Even Jesus Wept" explores the question of the place of grief in theology. Is God emotionally affected by our everyday behaviors and the general tragedies of our world?:
"But what happens when you see God as immutable—as unchangeable? What happens when you see God as impassible—as emotionless?
So many Christian traditions believe God is utterly unable to change and unaffected by emotion, unprovoked by the behavior of the world He so loves. Should it be a surprise that so many of us become unmoved and emotionally repressed? That we temper our joys and bury our sorrows?"
Another thought provoking article in this section is about the battle between faith and reason that is played out in the minds of many in our society.
The Life section of the website offers poignant articles about general subjects such as the nature of relationships, as well as beautiful pieces on our changing world such as articles about the pros and cons of the Occupy Movement and a review of the effects of 9/11, 10 years after the tragedy.
"Sept. 11, 2001, was a startling reminder of just how suddenly and completely our lives can change—how easy it is on a Tuesday morning, under a brilliantly blue summer sky, for a small group of strangers to alter the course of our stories—and how quickly we can veer from action to reaction, and from unbridled optimism to something else."
Lastly, the Culture section of the website offers current reviews of the latest music, books and movies.
They review both underground and mainstream work, such as the Icelandic band Sigur Ros's new album entitled "Inni" and a Q&A with the cast the recent hit "The Muppets" (which is an excellent movie by the way).
3. www.cnn.com is another one of my favorite websites. I know that news sites can be tricky, because everyone has their own definition of what is biased and what is not. In my opinion, all news sites are biased in some way. However, one must stay informed some how.
I like CNN's site because it, to me, has a diversity of articles in terms of issued covered.
This is especially true when one looks at their world news section, which has a balance between political and social issues. I also like how one can scroll down and see the news divided up by world region, so that if one desires, they can concentrate on a specific part of the world.
I also really enjoy the sections of the website that are dedicated to CNN's mission of fighting modern day slavery. In a section called "The CNN Freedom Project" that features in depth articles, as well as videos to accompany them, about the many facets of modern day slavery, including sex slavery and the use of child slave labor to produce chocolate in many parts of the world.
Lastly, I find the site's "Belief Blog" very enlightening. It features a wide array of articles and opinion pieces a like, such as pieces about religious freedom and the Supreme Court and the effects of 9/11 on American religiosity.
In all, I think the diversity of CNN's website makes it a real stand-out.
4. www.pandora.com is an amazing musical resource. Getting a free account with pandora opens the door to discovering so much music that is seldom played on your usual top 40 radio. Though one can create stations according to one's own taste, the algorithms used make it so that one is sure to stumble upon old and new gems that one has not heard before.
It can also be a great place to listen to throw-back songs that take you back to the good old days. I am currently experiencing that with my new N*Sync station.
5. Last but certainly not least is www.ultimateguitar.com. This is a great resource for guitar players who have not yet perfected the art of reading and interpreting traditional sheet music and applying it to guitar just yet (aka where I am with guitar).
It is essentially a search engine where one can type in the name of a song and a list of items appears that has the title of the song various artists who have such a song.
When you see the one you want, it links you to the lyrics and the guitar chords needed to play the song.
Granted, one must figure out the strumming and/or picking pattern on his or her own, but getting one's hands on the chords needed is a huge help.
I recommend this song to all guitar players!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Redemption Songs: Peter Mawanga and His Music of Hope and Change
Here are two truths about Africa, among many of course, that are ubiquitously recognized: Africa is a land of intense, vibrant cultural traditions and yet a land that is no stranger to immense suffering. One can call these truths stereotypes because, in a sense, they are. However, there is no denying either of them.
I failed to mention yet another truth: Africa is a land full of hopeful and powerful leaders using their gifts to make a difference.
All three of these truths are exemplified in the incredible story of a Malawian musician named Peter Mawanga.
Peter Mawanga was born into a Malawian missionary family, who discovered his amazing musical abilities when he was a very young boy while traveling in Zimbabwe. They arrived in the Hararre airport during a chaotic time during the nation's fight for independence. While everyone was flustered by the hysteria, a young Peter calmed the seas by bursting into a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace. Onlookers were amazed by his perfect pitch and elegant style. This was just the beginning.
While incorporating his love of singing into his everyday life through his involvement in various choirs, growing up, Peter also cultivated a talent for playing the guitar. He became known across his community for the passion with which he played.
At the end of secondary school, Peter attended university to study a vigorous ciriculum of mechanical engineering.
Despite this, he held onto his musical dreams and recorded what he described as a "playful" album while in school in 2002.
While using a pseudonym, Peter's debut rhythm and blues album experienced extraordinary success.
What appealed to people the most was his penchant for "being a voice to the voiceless" and sharing many truths that were usually brushed under the rug. The album's hit song "Amakhala hu Blantyre" sparked controversy, as it highlighted many of the stark and difficult contrasts between urban and rural life, essentially dismentaling the "city paved with gold" ideal of urban life.
After realizing his power to expose truths through his craft, Peter decided to leave school to pursue music full time.
His next album, "Zanga Zo Zama" represented his return to a musical style that truly reflected his taste: a mix of Afrovibes, traditional African traditional rythms, and modern instrumentals incorporated into the arrangements. This album too garnered much acclaim, as it was hailed as being "inspirational, introspective, spiritiual, and socially conscious"
Peter Mwanga's musical success is not the only thing that makes him a true stand out for Malawi and Africa in general.
This incredible artist felt a yearning to use his gifts to remedy some of the issues plaguing his native land: the tragic effects of the AIDS epidemic.
Malawi has one of the highest AIDS rates in the entire continent, and thus the world. This epidemic not only ravages the human body, but also the human community by leaving many without mothers, fathers, brothers sisters, friends, lovers, neighbors, etc. This disease has managed to seriously threat and in some places destroy the social cohesion of many communities.
Peter was particularly interested in addressing the plight of children, specifically AIDS orphans who in many cases had no other choice but to become street children.
This inspired him to found the organization Talent of the Malawian Child in 2004. This is an innovative organization that mentors orphaned and vulnerable children through education and music workshops.
In his own words, while addressing members of the UNC community last year, Peter described his work, "We have also kids, you know, children that live in the streets. We have orphans who are HIV positive. We want to make sure that children like those are supported. They eat in the streets most of the time, and they're always begging in the streets."
It was this that ispired him to address the suffering he saw around him by deciding to act, "That is the reason I decided to create an organization called Talent of the Malawian Child."
Peter was sure to incorporate his love and passion for music in order to make positive change in his community and share this passion with others, "Bascially what we do is scout the streets for talent, whatever little talent these children have and try to nurture this talent by taking them into training."
He focuses not just on cultivating musical skill, but also academic ones as well, "Also, getting them into primary schools and secondary schools so then can practice their talent while they"re learning...to turn them into role models for other children."
One of Peter Mawanga's most recent projects was the creation of a collabortation album with a past UNC student named Andrew Finn Magill.
Entitled "Mau a Malawi", this ground-breaking album has a strong conceptual element behind it: each song is an expression of the actual stories of individual people affected by the AIDS epidemic in their own deeply personal ways. Through song, Peter and Andrew were able to "write music for the voiceless".
Both wanted to focus on the effects of the stigma sorrounding the disease on everyday people that could be anyone's family member or friend. They wanted to show how this stigma attacked one's self of pride and position in life, "In my country, it's an issue of stigma...when you're HIV positive, it doesn't matter how productive you are...people start to shun you from certain responsibilities. Certain doors will begin to close."Thus, their common interest lead them to a collaboration, "Andrew was looking for a Malawian musician who he could collaborate with."
This collaboration birthed the album "Mau a Malawi", which used personal narratives and turned them into powerful, moving songs. The proceeds went to assist people suffering from the disease and its social effects, "...it's a fundraising album to assist people who are living with HIV/AIDS who have lost their role in the community."
Peter Mawanga's story, one of creativity and compassion, is one of the many examples of Africans celebrating themselves and their culture, while working to make their homelands, their Africa, a better place.
links
http://www.storiesofaids.com/
I failed to mention yet another truth: Africa is a land full of hopeful and powerful leaders using their gifts to make a difference.
All three of these truths are exemplified in the incredible story of a Malawian musician named Peter Mawanga.
Peter Mawanga was born into a Malawian missionary family, who discovered his amazing musical abilities when he was a very young boy while traveling in Zimbabwe. They arrived in the Hararre airport during a chaotic time during the nation's fight for independence. While everyone was flustered by the hysteria, a young Peter calmed the seas by bursting into a beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace. Onlookers were amazed by his perfect pitch and elegant style. This was just the beginning.
While incorporating his love of singing into his everyday life through his involvement in various choirs, growing up, Peter also cultivated a talent for playing the guitar. He became known across his community for the passion with which he played.
At the end of secondary school, Peter attended university to study a vigorous ciriculum of mechanical engineering.
Despite this, he held onto his musical dreams and recorded what he described as a "playful" album while in school in 2002.
While using a pseudonym, Peter's debut rhythm and blues album experienced extraordinary success.
What appealed to people the most was his penchant for "being a voice to the voiceless" and sharing many truths that were usually brushed under the rug. The album's hit song "Amakhala hu Blantyre" sparked controversy, as it highlighted many of the stark and difficult contrasts between urban and rural life, essentially dismentaling the "city paved with gold" ideal of urban life.
After realizing his power to expose truths through his craft, Peter decided to leave school to pursue music full time.
His next album, "Zanga Zo Zama" represented his return to a musical style that truly reflected his taste: a mix of Afrovibes, traditional African traditional rythms, and modern instrumentals incorporated into the arrangements. This album too garnered much acclaim, as it was hailed as being "inspirational, introspective, spiritiual, and socially conscious"
Peter Mwanga's musical success is not the only thing that makes him a true stand out for Malawi and Africa in general.
This incredible artist felt a yearning to use his gifts to remedy some of the issues plaguing his native land: the tragic effects of the AIDS epidemic.
Malawi has one of the highest AIDS rates in the entire continent, and thus the world. This epidemic not only ravages the human body, but also the human community by leaving many without mothers, fathers, brothers sisters, friends, lovers, neighbors, etc. This disease has managed to seriously threat and in some places destroy the social cohesion of many communities.
Peter was particularly interested in addressing the plight of children, specifically AIDS orphans who in many cases had no other choice but to become street children.
This inspired him to found the organization Talent of the Malawian Child in 2004. This is an innovative organization that mentors orphaned and vulnerable children through education and music workshops.
In his own words, while addressing members of the UNC community last year, Peter described his work, "We have also kids, you know, children that live in the streets. We have orphans who are HIV positive. We want to make sure that children like those are supported. They eat in the streets most of the time, and they're always begging in the streets."
It was this that ispired him to address the suffering he saw around him by deciding to act, "That is the reason I decided to create an organization called Talent of the Malawian Child."
Peter was sure to incorporate his love and passion for music in order to make positive change in his community and share this passion with others, "Bascially what we do is scout the streets for talent, whatever little talent these children have and try to nurture this talent by taking them into training."
He focuses not just on cultivating musical skill, but also academic ones as well, "Also, getting them into primary schools and secondary schools so then can practice their talent while they"re learning...to turn them into role models for other children."
One of Peter Mawanga's most recent projects was the creation of a collabortation album with a past UNC student named Andrew Finn Magill.
Entitled "Mau a Malawi", this ground-breaking album has a strong conceptual element behind it: each song is an expression of the actual stories of individual people affected by the AIDS epidemic in their own deeply personal ways. Through song, Peter and Andrew were able to "write music for the voiceless".
Both wanted to focus on the effects of the stigma sorrounding the disease on everyday people that could be anyone's family member or friend. They wanted to show how this stigma attacked one's self of pride and position in life, "In my country, it's an issue of stigma...when you're HIV positive, it doesn't matter how productive you are...people start to shun you from certain responsibilities. Certain doors will begin to close."Thus, their common interest lead them to a collaboration, "Andrew was looking for a Malawian musician who he could collaborate with."
This collaboration birthed the album "Mau a Malawi", which used personal narratives and turned them into powerful, moving songs. The proceeds went to assist people suffering from the disease and its social effects, "...it's a fundraising album to assist people who are living with HIV/AIDS who have lost their role in the community."
Peter Mawanga's story, one of creativity and compassion, is one of the many examples of Africans celebrating themselves and their culture, while working to make their homelands, their Africa, a better place.
links
http://www.storiesofaids.com/
Thursday, January 12, 2012
About the blogger
Hello! I'm a sophomore at the wonderful University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who is an aspiring Jounrnalism and African Studies double major and creative writing minor. As you can tell from the previous sentence, I have a lot of different interests and I hope to someday find a career that can combine them all.
Although I am not sure exactly which track within the Journalism school to take just yet, I want to study journalism because I truly believe that stories, no matter how they are communicated, have such a unique and ubiquitous power to inspire people to strive for positive change. This is something that is extremly relevant to today's volitile world. Thus, studying journalism will give me the tools to communicate a story effectively.
I want to immerse myself in African studies simply because I want to learn as much as possible, while I am still in school, about the continent from which my family is from. I call Bethesda, Maryland (a town just outside DC) home, but both my parents were born and raised in the East African nation of Uganda. Thus, growing up, my family instilled a great love and appreciation of Uganda through summer trips there and various cultural events at home.
Although I love that country, I am eager to learn more and more about the continent because it has so much to offer: over 50 countries busting at the seams with various languages, ethnic groups, dances, foods, folklores, and traditions. One day, no matter what I career path I choose, I hope to do work that is in some way relevant to this wonderful continent.
Lastly, I want to study creative writing because I have always been more of a right side of the brain kind of girl. I want to foster the skill of being able to communicate and cultivate a creative idea that can inspire and delight people.
Although I am not sure exactly which track within the Journalism school to take just yet, I want to study journalism because I truly believe that stories, no matter how they are communicated, have such a unique and ubiquitous power to inspire people to strive for positive change. This is something that is extremly relevant to today's volitile world. Thus, studying journalism will give me the tools to communicate a story effectively.
I want to immerse myself in African studies simply because I want to learn as much as possible, while I am still in school, about the continent from which my family is from. I call Bethesda, Maryland (a town just outside DC) home, but both my parents were born and raised in the East African nation of Uganda. Thus, growing up, my family instilled a great love and appreciation of Uganda through summer trips there and various cultural events at home.
Although I love that country, I am eager to learn more and more about the continent because it has so much to offer: over 50 countries busting at the seams with various languages, ethnic groups, dances, foods, folklores, and traditions. One day, no matter what I career path I choose, I hope to do work that is in some way relevant to this wonderful continent.
Lastly, I want to study creative writing because I have always been more of a right side of the brain kind of girl. I want to foster the skill of being able to communicate and cultivate a creative idea that can inspire and delight people.
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