April 16, 2009 • 4:47 pm 1
Just in case you haven’t seen this yet, here is proof dreams sometimes do come true. This is Susan Boyle, an unemployed 47-year old woman who wowed the audience (including Simon Cowell) on Britains Got Talent.
If the embedding doesn’t work click to watch in You Tube.
March 15, 2009 • 9:51 am 0
Filed under: campaigns, development, health, social justice, video , human rights
August 29, 2008 • 11:17 pm 1
Please don’t ANYONE show this to my hard-working, dedicated and ultra amazing husband and stay-at-home dad. Challenging deadbeat Dads is one thing but this is just hideously misogynistic and completely not Christian bullshit.
Filed under: Christianity, parenting, video
July 22, 2008 • 11:51 pm 0
I was doing a bit of ‘research’ today, looking for videos on the World Bank and IMF for a tutorial I am teaching tomorrow (I got locked out of the department video library…), and came across this 2002 documentary The New Rulers of the World, by British journalist John Pilger. Here’s part of the blurb from the producers:
In order to examine the true effects of globalization, Pilger turns the spotlight on Indonesia, a country described by the World Bank as a model pupil until its globalized economy collapsed in 1998. The film examines the use of sweatshop factories by famous brand names, and asks some penetrating questions. Who are the real beneficiaries of the globalized economy? Who really rules the world now? Is it governments or a handful of huge companies? The Ford Motor Company alone is bigger than the economy of South Africa. Enormously rich men, like Bill Gates, have a wealth greater than all of Africa.
If you have a spare 53 minutes I strongly recommend you watch this. Unfortunately my class doesn’t so we will just watch the IMF/ World Bank section but I will advise they watch the rest, if nothing else as a counter to the economics stuff they have been reading.
Filed under: development, ethical living, politics, poverty, social justice, video , globalisation, globalization, IMF, John Pilger, New Rulers of the World, World Bank
April 17, 2008 • 4:02 pm 1
I came across this video today while doing some online searching (my PhD is internet- related so it was study…. really), by Michael Wesch, an anthropology professor. It is very interesting, very watchable and very thought-provoking.
Filed under: Thoughts, blogging, life, phd, video , internet, Web 2.0
April 10, 2008 • 12:03 am 0
I have been wanting to watch the movie Black Gold for a while so was very happy to see it on sale at the cultural festival recently. I finally watched it last week, and was glad I did. It is the story of Ethiopian coffee, and in particular the journey of Tadesse Meskela, a man on a mission to get better prices for his coffee farmers cooperative. The movie deliberately and effectively contrasts the poverty of the coffee producers with the luxury of coffee consumers, which makes for very throught provoking viewing.
This is an excellent movie with an important message. But I do have a couple of little complaints. Firstly I think the film would have benefited from a little more explanation of how the coffee markets and price setting worked (although it probably was made with a larger target population in mind then Development Studies post-grads, who may not be quite so interested in the exact mechanisms of imperialistic trade!). It did however convey well the injustice of a system that allows muti million dollar corporations and farmers with starving families to coexist.
The other little niggle is related to the niggle I have about fair trade in general. As can be esily guessed from this blog, I am already a convert to fair trade, however I don’t think it is the panacea for world trade problems and poverty that it is often promoted as. The problems are large and structural, and deeply unjust. They are also political. Trade favours the rich, the consumers, and those with power. And (as the movie does show in parts), those who benefit are not in any rush to change.
At the risk of displaying my socialist tendancies, here’s a good quote from A Very Public Sociologist:
As long as production is subordinate to the market, as long as workers are not paid the full value of their labour power, superexploitation and one-sided development/underdevelopment will remain the lot of Africa. And no amount of consumption with a conscience will change that.
Unfortunately I don’t have any answers. I do strongly believe that fair trade while it won’t save the world it is better than doing nothing. At the very least it indicates some thought has gone into the purchase (mindless consumption is perhaps a topic for another day!), and one producing cooperative/ farmer/ community may be a little better off.
Despite all that I really liked the movie, and highly recommend it (and I’ll be inflicting it on my family and friends too!). And what impacted me the most? I had never realised how much of a hands-on process coffee production is. Berries are hand-picked, and hand sorted so that every bean has been touched by the hands of African (or Latin American or Melanesian…) workers. Literally black gold. Since watching the movie I have been even more careful when grinding and making my coffee in the morning, handling the beans is a tangible link back up the supply chain to some very real people.
Filed under: Africa, campaigns, coffee, development, fair trade, politics, poverty, social justice, video , Black Gold, Ethiopia, trade
December 14, 2007 • 11:11 pm 3
This one has been around for a while but it is a good one. It brings me back to reality when I start feeling sorry for myself.
What caught my attention tonight is that if these statistics are correct only 7% of people in the world have a secondary school education. That puts my PhD plans into perspective. I feel grateful I have the opportunity, and a little guilty about the resources I will consume in the process. This dilemma may help explain why I have ended up in development studies.
Speaking of which, the interview today was very scary- 6 academic/ professor-y types with challenging questions, however overall I feel I did ok. I’m cautiously optomistic but the scholarship is highly compeditive so I’m not holding my breath. I should know either way before Christmas.
Filed under: Thoughts, development, life, poverty, social justice, video , development studies, Minature Earth, phd
December 6, 2007 • 10:04 pm 0
Please watch this teaser then go to the site to watch the whole thing- before you do your Christmas shopping!
Filed under: campaigns, environment, ethical living, health, life, politics, poverty, social justice, video , Christmas, shopping, the story of stuff
June 2, 2007 • 4:51 pm 0
She’s not yet 2 but my little girl is already developing an attachment to the computer, and she definitely has her favourite sites and activities. I thought I’d post them here, if for no other reason than so that I can find them in a hurry!
I was a bit slow finding out about Youtube, my introduction was el Catracho showing his baby animal videos when she was about a year old. The average user is probably still about 10 times her age but there is plenty to amuse her. She really really likes In the jungle (the lion sleeps tonight), and she still enjoys Funny animal videos.
Another favourite is “ Habia un Sapo” by Atencion Atencion, a Puerto Rican group we discovered through Chichi’s Spanish playgroup.
Animals are a recurring them, she loves looking at Cuteoverload, and as it is a blog we can be sure of finding new animal pictures every time we check in.She also loves colouring pictures of animals and there are plenty on these Colouring pages, which we print off one a time for her to scribble on. I’m not sure if this is an environmentally friendly activity but it means we can print multiple copies of her favourite pictures, we don’t have to go out and buy any colouring books.
Chichi has also recently discovered computer games (thanks again to her Papi!), she can spend ages playing CrashBangWallop from Amy’s Games. Somewhat frighteningly, this is a game aimed at babies and toddlers, and provides a rewarding experience for simple banging at the keyboard. It is designed to encourage cause/effect exploration. It works.
As she loves Dora the Explorer we have recently downloaded La Casa de Dora as an alternative to sitting her in front of the tv. She is a bit young to play it properly but enjoys pointing out the various objects.
Now I’m not sure what child development experts have to say about children this young and computers, and I take no responsibility for the results should your child follow any of these links, but I have to say having websites like this certainly helps my sanity especially as we head into a cold grey Wellington winter.
May 21, 2007 • 12:14 am 0
Looks like fun… and really makes me want to travel again.
…and for a laugh- the outtakes.
Filed under: Africa, Latin America, New Zealand, travel, video
PhD candidate in Development Studies, currently doing fieldwork and experimenting with living in Honduras.
