Day: August 16, 2008

Questions for the time.com article: Why Africa Is Still Starving


In response to the article TIME has on Why Africa Is Still Starving, a number of questions came to mind:

1) Is Africa still starving? All of Africa, or just a part of it? The article mentions Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. While these are signifigant parts of Africa, they are not all of Africa, and I don’t think all of Africa is starving. A more accurate title might have been “Why Northeast Africa is Still Starving”.

2) Is aid from the west a key contributor to the problem? Reading the article, it seems that way to me. However, this article on the Economist.com indicates something else: “too many people eking out a living on too little land, depending on rains that can never be relied on”. At least in Ethiopia. Somalia and Kenya are not mentioned in the Economist article.

3) Are all three countries having the same problems? And are Uganda or the Sudan — nearby neighbors — having the same problems?

It is a good article. It is good to search for and read other sources and to think critically about the situation, too.

(Map linked to is on economist.com’s web site and is associated with the article mentioned)

The Solar Cooker Project

Jewish World Watch is involved in a number of humanitarian efforts. These are all important, but one that caught my attention was the Solar Cooker Project. By using a very simply designed technology (the solar cooker, pictured above) not only are the women of Darfur can reduce their need for firewood, but they are also less likely to suffer violence as they leave the camp.

I hope the violence ends soon. I also hope this technology continues to be used. It seems like a wise use of “green” technology.

I would encourage you to go to the site here and find out more information as well as how you can help.

P.S. I found out about it on the TIME web site. The video they use is very similar to the one at the JWW site, but for some reason, the voiceover is different. The video at TIME is good, but the JWW site has much more information.

The greatness of Milorad Cavic

While Michael Phelps is achieving great things at the Beijing Olympics, so is Milorad Cavic. Winning a silver medal in an Olympic event is a great thing in itself. Almost beating Phelps at his prime is even greater.

However, what also impresses me about Cavic is his sportsmanship. It is a virtue too undervalued. It can be associated with losing, and is sometimes faked. However, I think Cavic is a winner who showed true, great sportsmanship. His reponse to Phelps just barely beating him is very impressive. To see what I mean, go to the official site of Milorad Cavic and see.

He’s a great guy. May he continue to do well. And may other emulate him both for his athletic abilities and for his sportsmanship

How Wings are Attached to the Backs of Angels

How Wings are Attached to the Backs of Angels is a wonderful animated (short) film by Craig Welch and the National Film Board of Canada (nfb). The nfb has a reputation for releasing great animation such as this. “How Wings…” reminds me of Edward Gorey, but it stands on its own.

See:

Note: this film comes in standard and high quality. The high quality shows through here, so watch that version.

The Psychedelic Furs sing Heaven

While many of the videos from the 80s seem…well, so 80s.. this one has always seemed timeless to me. It’s quite a simple video, but the water and the motion and the minimal setting make it captivating. I also wondered what it must have been like to be so cold — see their breath — and yet so soaking wet.

Great band, great name, great song. Enjoy Heaven (how could you not?):