Wednesday, March 31, 2010

On the ground reporting on food distribution efforts in Ayiti (Haiti)

"Food for Life is the ONLY food relief organization in Haiti, that buys locally grown produce. Even United Sikhs sends a truck to the Dominican Republic every day, to buy Dominican AND imported food at half-price from markets in Haiti."


The Mountain of Food - Rice, Vegetables, Konbits and NGO’s


See also:

What you can do.

As an independent volunteer in Ayiti, I am on the lookout for good organizations to work with, and I found a great one on March 1. It’s called “Food for Life”, and it’s one of only two small foreign NGO’s in Haiti (the other is United Sikhs), that cooks and serves hot food to people living in the “Abrits” camps.
Yes people! With hundreds of millions raised for Haiti, the World Food Program (WFP, called “PAM” in French and Creole) and every other Food distribution organization, gives out DRY food to people without homes or jobs! Many camps receive no food at all. Rice prices, in particular, have gone through the roof, as the WFP bought so much of it from wholesalers, then distributed it to organizations that hoard it and/or leak it to resellers, choking the market and profiteering from the disaster like crazy.
wfp-rice
In the meantime, the Haitian government has sent the Prime Minister to talk to Obama, asking for financial resources to create jobs, instead of (or at the same time as) sending “Food Aid”. That is a great idea, except that money is even more prone to corruption in distribution than food. The “Work for Food-Cash” program is highly touted by the United Nations, to compensate people for clearing buildings and other post-disaster labor jobs. Ayiti needs permanent jobs, not BS for NGO’s to make themselves look good and then leave when the Shock Value of the earthquake wears off.


Read more @ The Mountain of Food - Rice, Vegetables, Konbits and NGO’s

tags: haiti, relief effort, agriculture, NGO,

Haitian Led Reconstruction & Development

See also:

What You Can Do.

US-led Haiti disaster relief is a disaster for many. Support Haitian-led relief efforts.

Our Belligerent Government is Already Massaging its Haiti Message...





A compilation of recommendation documents from several Haitian civil society and diaspora conferences, organizations and coalitions.


March 29, 2010


Below are common strategy points as well as process guidelines that are raised in multiple documents, both for immediate relief efforts and long-term reconstruction and development efforts:



SHORT-TERM RECOVERY


•  Provide locally or regionally produced emergency food aid with coordinated and equitable distribution
in both urban and rural areas of need.

•  Preparation for the imminent planting season by the procurement and purchase of tools and culturally
appropriate seeds, as well as by providing agricultural training for displaced persons.


•  Support for shelter and temporary housing for internally displaced people, including adequate food,
clean water, appropriate shelter for the rain season, medical services and psycho-social support.


•  Protection of human rights of especially vulnerable populations, such as women, children, displaced persons and people with disabilities, including security strategies to prevent gender based violence, documentation of human rights abuses, and provision of universal, non-discriminatory access to support and resources.


    Read more @ Haitian Led Reconstruction & Development

    tags: haiti, NGO, relief effort, earthquake

    Where have the March birds gone

    http://birdinginegypt.blogspot.com/

    Tuesday, March 30, 2010

    Barack Obama and the Jim Crow Media: The Return of the Nigger Breakers By Ishmael Reed

    Mr. Reed, tell us how you really feel, LOL! Dag, Ismael Reed is bringing the pain. I don't have a problem with the title but given the current political climate he might be mistaken for a tea bagger rather than a brilliant cultural critic and novelist. GI

    See also:

    "Precious"--again: Jared Ball interviews Ishmael Reed

    What Obama would have us ignore.



    Featured books

    Read more @Baraka Books

    barack obama, Ishmael Reed, media

    For the Manman (Mothers), Ayisyen (Haitian) Hiphop Style

    This one is dedicated to the manman (mothers).

    From Ayiti (Haiti) with LOVE.



    "You're always there when I need you" to view click on video below or here

    tags: haiti, music, hiphop

    Monday, March 29, 2010

    Attn New Yorkers: Autobiography of Malcolm X Book Discussion, Tues 3/30/2010 (dap @ tracy)







    --------------Book Discussion Information-------


    TITLE:
    The Autobiography of Malcolm X

    DATE:
    Tuesday, March 30th 2010 @ 6pm - 8pm

    PLACE:
    Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe
    www.huemanbookstore.com
    2319 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
    New York, NY 10027-3612
    (212) 665-7400

    DIRECTIONS:
    A,B,C,D Trains to 125th St (next to the Magic Johnson Theater)


    tags: Malcolm X, new york

    The Standard:The day Kenyans sang national anthem 8 times (dap @ Jacky)


    The day Kenyans sang national anthem 8 times
    Published on
    By James Waindi in Bydgoszcz, Poland
    It took Kenya 11 good years to win the 12km senior men’s race, but when the victory came, it came in style.

    Kenyans living in Poland who flocked the Myslecinek Park to support their team, some coming from as far as Warsaw which is one hour by air, were not disappointed as the Kenyan anthem played a record eight times on Sunday afternoon during the 38th World Cross Country Championships.

    Apart from winning the coveted 12km men’s title that had proved to be elusive over the years, the team under head coach David Leting managed also to bag all the other gold medals at stake in the competition, which included individual and team title and in the process dwarfing archrivals Ethiopia and the other 62 countries that participated.



    Caleb Mwangangi Ndiku winning the 8km men’s race
    The last time Kenya had a similar feat was 26 years ago in Budapest, Hungary. Repeating the achievement has been a tough task over the years. Mercy Cherono opened the party, leading a 1-2-3-4 sweep in the first race of the day — the junior women race which Kenyans last won in Mombasa 2007, then Caleb Ndiku staged a similar feat in the junior men’s race as Emily Chebet soared high in the senior women’s event, before Ebuya put icing on the cake.

    "It is great to hear your anthem played in all the prize giving ceremonies. We worked hard for this and we deserved it," said Leting.
    "Winning could be easy but defending is certainly the toughest task. So we have to lift our heads up and ensure we maintain the standards," said Leting.

    Kenya’s anthem was the only one played in the entire competition as they swept all the key prizes on offer.

    Read entire story @ The Standard | Online Edition :: The day Kenyans sang national anthem 8 times

    tags: athletics, sports, kenya, track and field, poland

    Sunday, March 28, 2010

    washday

    I now know why these people go begging  they need soap powder to wash the cuddlies.
    .
    This farm is right in the middle of the village its a pity they do not spend more time washing the live animals,




    its quacking up time.
    A New York lawyer went duck hunting in eastern North Carolina. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer's field on the other side of a fence. As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an older man asked him what he was doing. The lawyer responded, "I shot a duck and it fell in this field, I'm going to retrieve it."
    The old farmer replied. "This is my property, and you are not coming over here."
    The indignant lawyer said, "I am one of the best trial attorneys in the U.S. and, if you don't let me get that duck, I'll sue you and take everything!
    The old farmer smiled and said, "Apparently, you don't know how we do things here in North Carolina. We settle small disagreements like this with the NC Three-Kick Rule."
    The lawyer asked, "What is the NC three-Kick Rule?"
    The Farmer replied. "Well, first I kick you three times and then you kick me three times, and so on, back and forth, until someone gives up."
    The New York attorney quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take the old southerner. He agreed to abide by the local custom.
    The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the city feller. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy work boot into the lawyer's groin and dropped him to his knees. His next too kicks caused the lawyer so much pain that he just about gave up. However, the New York lawyer summoned every bit of his will and managed to get to his feet and said, "Okay, you old redneck southerner, now it's my turn."
    The old North Carolina farmer smiled and said, "Naw, I give up. You can have the duck."

    Afro-American Response to the Occupation of Ayiti (Haiti) 1915-1934 by Brenda Gayle Plummer

    Posted by the Ghetto Intellectual on 3/28/2010

    Dig it!



    If viewing from Facebook Notes, click here. (Note: There are several thought-provoking essays in this book including a comparative look an Du Bois and Garvey and an essay on Black Nationalism during the Italian-Ethiopian war. Click on the index to view them).


    [photo: source]

    tags: foreign policy, imperialism, geopolitics, haiti, african american

    New book about Nkrumah launched

    posted by the ghetto intellectual on 3/28/2010


    Dig it!

    See also:

    Kwame Nkrumah videos


    myjoyonline.com
    Professor Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State, on Wednesday launched a book titled 'Nkrumah for Young Reader's in Accra.

    The book compiled by the Socialist Forum of Ghana offers the youth the opportunity to appreciate the life and struggle of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and also his involvement in the fight against neo-colonialism.

    Speaking at the event, Prof Awoonor said Nkrumah did not only seek to free Ghana from exploitation but also fought against imperialism and neo-colonialism on the African continent and other continents who suffered from such evils.

    According to him, the book highlights the dreams and ambitions Dr Nkrumah had to unite Africa and other continents that were under the yoke of imperialism.

    He urged the youth to patronize the book and read it since the book had the right contents to guide them into the world of the greatest African of the Millennium.

    Dr Nii Lantey Blankson, who spoke on behalf of the Publishers Association, said Ghanaians were suffering from inferiority complex and loosing hope in ourselves because "we hardly understand the philosophies of Nkrumah."

    He said the book would help "us regain our lost confidence because it is based on the plans and policies of Dr Nkrumah to identify and solve the problems on the African continent."

    Dr Yao Graham, Third World Network, who reviewed the book, said the launch of the book symbolized the beginning of the volume of work the Nkrumist needed to do to enable the youth know the true historical facts about Nkrumah.

    He urged all Nkrumists to take it as a challenge to set the records straight by showing the elementary facts and philosophies of Nkrumah.


    Source: Ghana News

    [photo: source]

    tags: kwame nkrumah, pan african, ghana

    11th monkey introduces the pandas

    My newest creatures are a couple of pandas, Sachi and Peanut. I think they’re adorable!
    Sachi the Panda loves mini muffins and playing volleyball. Peanut the Panda loves fried bananas and walking barefoot. Sachi already found a friend to hug her, but Peanut is still looking for a new friend and he loves hugs too.

    Pambazuka - African Renaissance, reloaded

    posted by the ghetto intellectual on 3/28/2010

    Dig it! 


    Last I heard, the official unveiling of the African Renaissance Monument was scheduled to take place on 4 April 2010--the 50th anniversary of Senegal's independence from France. I wish the author had made more of an effort to present both sides of this controversy. The pan-African symbolism of this project will be lost on my Senegalese homies who believe that Prez Wade is out of touch with his citizens. Its difficult to measure the positive impact, if any, of these sorts of projects. But, like the author, I find myself wishing that our leaders would put more energy in solving basic problems like housing, access to clean water, food security, jobs etc. GI




    The old man, the behemoth and the impossible legacy


    By Amy Niang




    Senegal’s Mr Wade claims to be the African president awarded the most academic degrees. The well-rounded professor’s favourite sport is, unsurprisingly, the production of bright project ideas. President Wade has the knack for grandiose and extravagant ideas, from high-speed underground trains that serve the congested suburbs of Dakar to motorways that connect African cities from Dakar to Addis, to name a few. However this time, he has decided to give full sway to his fertile imagination and give concrete shape to it.

    The 
    Monument of the African Renaissance is a 164-foot giant that juts out above one of the 328-foot tall twin hills of the capital (Les Mamelles). It defies New York’s Statue of Liberty (151 feet) and Christ the Redeemer (328 feet) in Rio de Janeiro. A strong and muscular African man has his arms wrapped around a woman aloft and holding a child resolutely pointing towards the future. For Mr Wade, the monument conveys a ‘message of dignity for Senegalese and Africans.’ President Wade sees himself as a moral guide, a messiah. So it’s perfectly natural and befitting his role as doyen of African leaders to dream for his people, to envision a prosperous future for the continent and carry his vision forward into posterity. For Wade, the monument is such an (another) Omega master plan. It must be difficult for the mind that fashions such a gigantic creation not to feel like a demiurge!

    As the only one of the proponents of the African Renaissance movement still serving as president – former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Thabo Mbeki are the two others – Wade feels he needs to imprint his legacy on a continent that hasn’t fully captured the extent of his genius. Oblivious to the way the Senegalese feel about the faults that punctuate his ten-year administration, Wade is curiously apprehensive about his image internationally. He seems little concerned about the present, but is quite keen on leaving to posterity the cult of his greatness.


    Read more @ Pambazuka - African Renaissance, reloaded

    [photo: top and bottom]

    tags: Senegal, abdoulaye wade, african renaissance

    Tales from my Hood: Inglewood reaches tentative settlement in police shooting

    I remember when this story broke.

    Imagine that you are sitting in your car chillin' with your homies, eating burgers, listening to music, playing the dozens when police officers shoot up your car, killing you best friend, because they claim to have heard gunshots from somewhere in your general vicinity.
    GI


    latimes.com

    Inglewood reaches tentative settlement in police shooting

    City will pay $2.45 million to settle civil suit with families of three men shot by police in 2008, one of them fatally. It was one of several such incidents that year that sparked community outrage.

    "A Times investigation, published more than two months before the federal inquiry began, found that Inglewood officers repeatedly resorted to physical or deadly force against unarmed suspects. According to law enforcement records reviewed by The Times, Inglewood police shot and killed 11 people, five of them unarmed, between 2003 and 2009."


    By Andrew Blankstein
    5:47 PM PDT, March 23, 2010


    The city of Inglewood will pay $2.45 million to settle a civil lawsuit brought by the families of three men who were shot, one fatally, by police officers who mistakenly believed gunfire was coming from the vehicle the men were riding in, according to a tentative settlement.

    Michael Byoune died from his wounds, and driver Larry White and passenger Chris Larkin were injured in the shooting by Inglewood officers May 11, 2008, outside a Rally's restaurant. Jacqueline Seabrooks, chief of the 190-member police department, described the incident at the time as "a very tragic outcome."

    Carl Douglas, an attorney representing the victims and their families, said he was pleased by the settlement, adding that it brought "some measure of justice" to the victims. "Three young men who had done absolutely nothing wrong had their lives changed forever," he said.

    "No amount of money will ever bring back Michael Byoune to his family, but hopefully, through his death, the city will make changes that will help all of the citizens of our community," Douglas said. "For that reason, his death will not be in vain."


    Read more @ Inglewood reaches tentative settlement in police shooting - latimes.com

    [photo: source]



    tags: police brutality, inglewood, racism,

    Saturday, March 27, 2010

    Birding in Egypt

    This little tyke is one of the reasons why birding is not a pleasure this side of Luxor,  here he is the other side of the waterway  because I purposely took this route after the hassle from the kids a few days ago. this is the little bugger that started throwing stones at the bird I was photographing. he tried throwing stones at me  but I was two far away. look  at the anger on his face.  its not that I want to go back to this rubbish dump again anyway. much nicer places to see the birds  but I was hoping to get a better photo of the  Clamorous reed warbler.



    Not so many species about today could hear many with their calls. but they where playing hard to shoot
    Like this Striated Heron  This lifted right in front of me 4 times as I followed it up the water way. the only shot I got was about 100 yards away then it was gone again.
    .
    Lots if the Crested Lark about in the sugar fields  but only this one stopped close enough to get a shot at  and then it was 50 yards away, 
    .
    The farmers were inundating the crop fields today so there was an abundance of Cattle Egret and a few Little white Egrets.   after seeing these photos on the blog I notice that there are 3 speicies of egret, see if you can.
     and which is the 3rd species


    .





    .
    something spooked them in this field  most likely a rat  as I am quite close to the rubbish that is dumped from the city along this waterway. 


    .
    Just the one Little White Egret in this flock. 


    .
    Those that did not fly to another field perched themselves in the date palm
    notice how the are not watching me but whatever spooked them in the field. 


    .Closer to my flat. one of the young Kestrels there are two of them still here  the parents seem to have left not been seen for a few days now.  
    .
    I like this shot of the pigeons,   Identical flight 
    .
    The cock  has some nice colours when the sun hits the feathers around its neck. 
    .
    The 3rd  Egret     the Great white Egret Egretta Alba.

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    The History of White People - By Nell Irvin Painter - Review - NYTimes.com

    posted by the ghetto intellectual on 3/27/2010


    see also:

    Author Examines 'The History Of White People'

    Black is the New White: Paul Mooney


    Dig it!




    Published: March 25, 2010

    Nell Irvin Painter’s title, “The History of White People,” is a provocation in several ways: it’s monumental in sweep, and its absurd grandiosity should call to mind the fact that writing a “History of Black People” might seem perfectly reasonable to white people. But the title is literally accurate, because the book traces characterizations of the lighter-skinned people we call white today, starting with the ancient Scythians. For those who have not yet registered how much these characterizations have changed, let me assure you that sensory observation was not the basis of racial nomenclature.


    Some ancient descriptions did note color, as when the ancient Greeks recognized that their “barbaric” northern neighbors, Scythians and Celts, had lighter skin than Greeks considered normal. Most ancient peoples defined population differences culturally, not physically, and often regarded lighter people as less civilized. Centuries later, European travel writers regarded the light-skinned Circassians, a k a Caucasians, as people best fit only for slavery, yet at the same time labeled Circassian slave women the epitome of beauty. Exoticizing and sexualizing women of allegedly inferior “races” has a long and continuous history in racial thought; it’s just that today they are usually darker-skinned women.


    “Whiteness studies” have so proliferated in the last two decades that historians might be forgiven a yawn in response to being told that racial divisions are fundamentally arbitrary, and that deciding who is white has been not only fluid but also heavily influenced by class and culture. In some Latin American countries, for example, the term blanquearse, to bleach oneself, is used to mean moving upward in class status. But this concept — the social and cultural construction of race over time — remains harder for many people to understand than, say, the notion that gender is a social and cultural construction, unlike sex. As recently as 10 years ago, some of my undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsinheard my explanations of critical race theory as a denial of observable physical differences.



    [Photo Sources: SThevyne  and NYTimes]

    tags: white history, stuff white people like, race

    A new year

    The Japanese year starts in April, that is when the new school year and business year starts, so lots of things change. For our school that means Sachi is leaving and being replaced by a new Japanese teacher. Of course, we had to have a farewell/welcome party to celebrate this!
    Of course, I’m sad Sachi is leaving but I’m excited for her and her new job. And I made her ‘Sachi the Panda’ to accompany her on her new adventure, and she really seems to like the little panda. And it’s always fun to get to know a new teacher and I’m sure Yuka will fit in well at our school.

    Palm Sunday

    This  what i think is some kind of mosque is built on the narrowest piece of land possible in the Centre of the old part of Luxor town its about 4ftx4ft, 

    .
    this mosque is on the main bus route through town not sure why they have a road checkpoint police tower next to it. but they do rather strange things here in Egypt. 
     
    .
    The rear of the new  build Coptic Church as seen from the railway line in Luxor.

    .
    Palm fronds these are being sold  for Palm sunday  as its a big event in the Coptic callender.
    I may go to the church tomorrow see  why they sell the fronds.  knowing the copts  maybe they put it down for the baba to walk on,  would not surprise me they put more emphasis on prayer to Mary  than the savior.
     but saying that they have a very strong faith. after all they put up with from the Muslim in this country,
     and Copts were here a few hundred years before. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copt
    Copts are Egyptians whose ancestors embraced Christianity in the first centuries after Christ.
     

    One week ago in the this Coptic Church  the second building in the frame.
    the Priest was forcibly removed  from his office and dragged downstairs by the secret police  the bully boys of the guvorner of Luxor Dr Samir Fawak. the priests wife was molested.   this was done in front of several witnesses  of whome some took photos  the police confiscated every camera and mobile phone within seeing distance. and took all the films and sim cards away.   a bit like Adolf Hitlers Nazi tactics in ww11.
    The reason ?  they want the Church down to continue the work on the 50 million dollar  avenue of the Spinx
    and yet they have refurbished the Mosque  that sits on the  stone walls of the Luxor Temple. this place had a convenient fire in 2006 .  and the Luxor City council allocated American aid for it to be updated??


    .
    The  Mosque was dedicated to the first Muslim in Luxor,   Looks real nice now  especially electrically lit up at night not with candles as it would have been for centuries  a few years after  they put electric in  it caught fire.
    .



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