Thanks to bbc.co.uk I was able to analyze and take in this article that showed how much of an influence Eliot Elisofon's photos changed the US perspective in Africa. People in Africa, before Elisofon's photos were seen as people depicted in Tarzan as the video explained which was very demeaning to the African way of life. Africa is its own image and is prosperous without the help of anyone. Elisofon just captured the prosperous moments by the magic touch of his camera leaving behind 80,000 pictures at the time of his death. He just simply wanted to teach people that they needed to proud of their background and should never be ashamed to show what they grew up in.
This article was almost sentimental to me because my sister is a professional photographer, so I know the importance of a picture. If the picture is sentimental then it will truly change your perspective to what emotions lie in the photograph. People are represented like the world revolves completely around them in a snap of an image. Of course 80,000 pictures will change the American perspective of Africa, but it will also revolutionize the meaning of their practices and rituals. People start to think and dig in when they become as curious as looking at a picture of a particular person or place.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
African Gaming trucks
Thanks to polygon.com I found this article on gaming in Western Africa. Not many get to experience the use of video games due to poor conditions of the area. Internet just really isn't supported in Western Africa for users to play multi-player games. This is where gaming trucks come and hold gaming events for people to mainly participate in tournaments against each other to have that competitive feeling. Most of the pictures shown on the sight show people locked into the game and not focusing on the photo shoot they were used in. They were feeling like they were in the game and somewhere besides their own life.
This is a really awesome concept which is why I chose this article. To simply drive around to different areas to hold video gaming tournaments to anyone who wants to play. This gives African people a chance to experience something they may not have experienced without the form of technology popping in and out of the area. Not only the African people, but Americans are still in awe from what video game systems can bring to entertainment and I can't even fathom what it would be like never experiencing the same form of entertainment previously. It is an experience that I'm sure they will never forget because they have fun playing with friends or others around them competitively.
This is a really awesome concept which is why I chose this article. To simply drive around to different areas to hold video gaming tournaments to anyone who wants to play. This gives African people a chance to experience something they may not have experienced without the form of technology popping in and out of the area. Not only the African people, but Americans are still in awe from what video game systems can bring to entertainment and I can't even fathom what it would be like never experiencing the same form of entertainment previously. It is an experience that I'm sure they will never forget because they have fun playing with friends or others around them competitively.
African Cricket
Thanks to espncricinfo.com i was able to find this article about the future of the South Africa cricket team. The South African cricket team has been performing well and would like to keep this game play going into next year to compete in the 2014 world T20 which is a mere 15 months away. The Team of South Africa is confident the way they are playing now and hope to get more one-dayers throughout the season to keep this gameplay going. They even requested they have more one- dayers to the cricket scheduling committee who also agreed that they needed more. This will thus enhance their performance for the 2014 world T20.
This article sparked my attention because I am a huge sports fan as far as American sports go. Seeing that cricket is one of the main sports in South Africa due to its British influence, then it must be one of the most influential sports on South African culture. The article alone tells about the passion the community has towards the sport and for their team representing their country. I believe that sports are a direct way to bring the community together in any situation which is why you'll see pickup games of soccer, basketball, baseball, football, etc. in any country you'll go to. It is a way for people with the same belief to come together to enjoy the momentous occasion of a sport.
This article sparked my attention because I am a huge sports fan as far as American sports go. Seeing that cricket is one of the main sports in South Africa due to its British influence, then it must be one of the most influential sports on South African culture. The article alone tells about the passion the community has towards the sport and for their team representing their country. I believe that sports are a direct way to bring the community together in any situation which is why you'll see pickup games of soccer, basketball, baseball, football, etc. in any country you'll go to. It is a way for people with the same belief to come together to enjoy the momentous occasion of a sport.
Promising Future Ahead
Thanks to bloomberg.com I found this article that tells of a promising future for not only the thriving country of Nigeria, but all of Africa. The article tells of Dangote Inc. which is the most thriving business in Africa owned and managed by Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote. Dangote plans to invest 16 billion dollars into gas, agriculture, and cement in multiple African countries. The essentials of them will transition Africa into a booming economy. In Africa, gas runs all means of electricity, so establishing plants to produce the gas will provide the area with better power for the future businesses that are planned to come with the investments of Dangote Inc. Agriculture is being invested by Dangote for "reverse integration". They plan on both producing and selling rice and sugar which will open up the opportunities for businesses. And lastly, cement is being invested in because the business places are meant to have cement so Africa will modernize and transition to a better economical continent. Dangote inc.'s shares have risen 56% altogether making it worth 21.5 billion dollars.
This is a great influential step to establish a better working economy in Africa. These investments will help open up businesses that have job opportunities awaiting for African people looking for work. This interested me because this was the sort of boom factor Africa had when they traded salt blocks and ivory to neighboring countries. This is a huge step forward for Africa and Nigeria alone since it is the country the corporation originates. This also ties into my previous blog about the opening of fast food places such as Johnny Rockets, Burger King, KFC, and Hardees because it proves that these businesses could be provided with the essential cementing and gas for their business. Sugar and rice would also be cheaper to buy locally instead of importing them across the world to be delivered at high costs. This ultimately gives Africa a stepping stone to a bright future.
This is a great influential step to establish a better working economy in Africa. These investments will help open up businesses that have job opportunities awaiting for African people looking for work. This interested me because this was the sort of boom factor Africa had when they traded salt blocks and ivory to neighboring countries. This is a huge step forward for Africa and Nigeria alone since it is the country the corporation originates. This also ties into my previous blog about the opening of fast food places such as Johnny Rockets, Burger King, KFC, and Hardees because it proves that these businesses could be provided with the essential cementing and gas for their business. Sugar and rice would also be cheaper to buy locally instead of importing them across the world to be delivered at high costs. This ultimately gives Africa a stepping stone to a bright future.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
AIDS progression
I chose this article from care2.com. This article suggests that the fight against AIDS in Africa is progressing significantly. Statistics from this article have shown that 22% decreased from the amount of deaths related to HIV/ AIDS. The article gave three reasons as to why progression is successful now. It is because of 3 reasons including : 1)antiretroviral drugs 2)circumcisions 3)treatment of pregnant women. Drugs have been up and coming in popularity and further studies have advanced the treatment of the drugs significantly. Circumcision just helps prevent infections that linger. And treating pregnant women correctly so they do not spread or get HIV/AIDS.
This article is of great value since HIV/AIDS was a whole section in my African Cultures class which is also the main reason as to why I chose it. I believe that a cure for AIDS is coming. It is in our generation or the next one because of the progress we've made thus far since we can look back to the 80's when no one had a clue what HIV/AIDS was. The epidemic was a scare when icon Earvin "Magic" Johnson was diagnosed with the illness. Magic Johnson was a star in the NBA during the time of his diagnosis. People were scared to play basketball with him because they didn't know the extent of the illness. People expelled him from their lives because they didn't want to catch HIV/AIDS. This is proof that 30 years can make a difference on developing a cure for any illness. Along with HIV/ AIDS, diabetes is very close to a cure. Other illnesses such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Gehrig's disease, etc are under experimentation to find a cure.
This article is of great value since HIV/AIDS was a whole section in my African Cultures class which is also the main reason as to why I chose it. I believe that a cure for AIDS is coming. It is in our generation or the next one because of the progress we've made thus far since we can look back to the 80's when no one had a clue what HIV/AIDS was. The epidemic was a scare when icon Earvin "Magic" Johnson was diagnosed with the illness. Magic Johnson was a star in the NBA during the time of his diagnosis. People were scared to play basketball with him because they didn't know the extent of the illness. People expelled him from their lives because they didn't want to catch HIV/AIDS. This is proof that 30 years can make a difference on developing a cure for any illness. Along with HIV/ AIDS, diabetes is very close to a cure. Other illnesses such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Gehrig's disease, etc are under experimentation to find a cure.
Present Day African Colonialism
This article was found on online.wsj.com. This article was very unique to me because of its context. I chose this article mainly because I could link the idea of the article to African Colonialism which is what we previously talked/ discussed/ studied in my African Cultures class. In this day corporate industries are looking to expand and have no where else to go, except for the only continent without many industries. I bet your guessing Africa, and you would be correct. The spread on industries like burger king inc, yum foods, Johnny Rockets inc., etc are making a move into Africa. This article is centered around Johnny Rockets, Burger King, KFC, and Hardees. This is a step up in Africa because not everyone may be used to a business atmosphere. The article explains that selling burgers are harder in Africa than the US because of the price of importing the product.
This picture was taken by the associated press and depicts what the newly built Johnny Rockets is like in Nigeria (Associated Press)
This picture depicts the price difference between that of the US and Africa (Associated Press)
As the picture above shows the prices are significantly higher in Africa, which is considered to be the poorest continent by some. Another problem that occurred for companies were the water shortage of their location. The specific company would have to make a well just to get a source of water for the restaurant. And lastly, not many Africans are used to eating pizza like Dominos. In the Dominos that were built in Africa only 2 of the 76 surveyed employees had pizza before in their lifetime. Therefore, the head manager sent his management to Manhatten to observe what it's like to maintain a pizza business.
This article was interesting to me because it reminds me of the modern day colonialism. In the African Colonialism era, people rushed into Africa because of its land and resources. Today people are rushing into Africa to start fast food businesses and profit from African consumers. As far as the higher pay for the product is one coming or them. Not everyone will be able to afford a $14 burger from Johnny rockets because it is simply too expensive. Company owners and CEO's are simply targeting those who can and will because of the temptation to buy an American burger in Africa.
Apartheid- Era Africa
This article is the connection we can make between the United States and Africa itself. I found this article at theatlanticcities.com. This article is a representation of what it was like to live in apartheid Africa. Like the United States before the civil rights movement, black people were subjected. Blacks were subjected in a different way though. Apartheid is simply following segregation in a manner of racial inequality. Instead of being called black, they were simply called non-European. The whites were generally labeled as European. This article was mainly posted to see what times were like during the arrest of icon Nelson Mandela in the 1960's. Like the Unites States many blacks weren't allowed to sit on the same benches or buses as the European people. The thing that separates Africa from the United states during the apartheid era was citizenship. South Africa simply expelled all blacks citizenship during the nationalist party takeover in 1948.
How is this just? To what extent would this possibly asset a community or a nation itself. How would one ever be able to raise his/her children in an area full of the black race and simply say you are superior to them. In my eyes this is an unjust idea. I understand times were different, however there is no grounds on the ability to call someone superior or inferior. To make matters worse it was the Europeans that stormed into South Africa with intentions to spread European Nationalism across the world. In Africa, countries are rebelling and still under influence so the Europeans in the late 40's did a terrible job of establishing and spreading Nationalism. I thought this article was a great thing to look into to connect the two histories of South Africa and the United States. This article made me think that if times were so different in the 60's , then what will it be like 50 years from today?
How is this just? To what extent would this possibly asset a community or a nation itself. How would one ever be able to raise his/her children in an area full of the black race and simply say you are superior to them. In my eyes this is an unjust idea. I understand times were different, however there is no grounds on the ability to call someone superior or inferior. To make matters worse it was the Europeans that stormed into South Africa with intentions to spread European Nationalism across the world. In Africa, countries are rebelling and still under influence so the Europeans in the late 40's did a terrible job of establishing and spreading Nationalism. I thought this article was a great thing to look into to connect the two histories of South Africa and the United States. This article made me think that if times were so different in the 60's , then what will it be like 50 years from today?
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