The Bleeding of the Stone

This was my first time reading this book and it has turned into one of my favorites of the semester. I found this novel to be a bit confusing at times with the mixed up timeline and the unusual names. Asouf, the main character, was my favorite character and the life he lead was inspiring.
It was odd to read about Asouf and his family when it's compared to the other readings we have done this semester. Most of the other novels we have read were about the community or showed aspects of it. This novel was more about the individual and ones inner thoughts and turmoil. Asouf and his family lived in the desert and had little to no interaction with other people. This was his fathers belief and doing. From what I understood it seemed that he found this the only way to escape the evils of others. Based on this life of secluction Asouf did not know how to deal with other people and when he did he was to shy to talk. For this is mother called him a girl, it didn't really help the situation.
Another theme I found in this novel was that of biblical thought or comparison. The author Ibrahim Al-Koni could have based this story off of the bible. There are stories or references to things such as the great flood, Cain-the murderous brother of Able, crusifiction, the endless deserts and there were also many biblical quotes. Al-Koni did a spendid job intigrating these examples into his novel. I liked it because it shows us that Christianity has been picked up in Africa and with things such as this novel, it is spreading and being accepted.

Energy Consumption in Africa

When Africa is compared to other continents we can see that it has the lowest energy comsumption rate. Even thought Africa uses energy in all of its day to day activites it's rank as a third world country places it at the bottom of the totum poll in comsumption. But that doesnt mean it's not the rest of the world they to have to deal with economic development, basic living standards and the need for energy.The rates of energy consumption are constantly changing due to things such as advances in technology or population growth. Since technology isn't as advanced in Africa many still rely on wood and charcoal as a source of energy. But, even with those changing rates Africa just can't compete with the more developed continents. Africa also holds the rank as lowest in the world average TOE (ton of oil uquivalant) they only have 0.6 ton per capita. "This is three times less than the average, seven times less than in Europe and fifteen times less than America." (ADEA-ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY IN AFRICA)

According to the US Department of Energy (1991):Per capita modern energy consumption has been declining over the last 10 years and is set to decline even further as population continues to increase and electricity generation continues to show a downward trend. The generation of hydrogen-based electricity has dropped by more than 20 per cent in the past decade.

According to the ADEA: If one considers that the Republic of South Africa accounts for 40% of Africa's energy consumption on its own and that North African countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt) also have a relatively high level of demand, this means that the average consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa is so low that it does not make possible the economic development required to reduce poverty.

A few plans have been put into action for developing energy in Africa. There are going to be attempts to bring populations who have been left out into a commercial system of energy. There are going to be attempts at numerous actions to make this happen. They hope to make produce that would be easier to recycle while promoting natural gas consumptions which is an abundant reource in parts of Africa. These are just a couple of the plans that are hoped to go into effect.

Waiting for an Angel part 2

There are two themes that really stuck out to me in this novel. To be honest I don't really know if we can call them themes but the subject of religion and how Africans have worked numerous values of the American social culture into their own lives.

Christianity seems to fill these characters hearts and beliefs for even when they are at their darkest moment there is some sort of biblical reference or comparison made. The most powerful bibical reference I found was when Lomba was taken out of solitute to help the warden but in return the warden doesn't release him for his own selfish reasons. "He was just man. Man is his basic, rudimentary state, easily moved by powerful emotions like love, lust, anger, greed and fear, but totally dumb to the finer, aquired emotions like pity, mercy, humour and justice."(pg. 41). We all have a self vain running through us and we can see this in the quote made, we are just man.

In the chapter, "The Angel," we are given many glances as African Christian views there is even reference to the winged angel with flight. The man who is shot and killed talks about death and the beliefs of christians as if he could feel no pain, as if the angel were blocking him from the harshness of reality." He made his death out to be heroic or christian like, he compared it to the christians in the Colosseum. Thought I disagree with the idea of waiting for death, asking for it, I found his faith to be inspiring.

Religion wasn't the only thing that stood out to me it was America and Europe in Africa. African people, or at least the ones in this novel seem to be seeking the comforts of other coutries achievements. They were finally able to dream, to obtain their desires. Bola's sisters wanted jobs (broadcasting for CNN, a fashion designer) that not to long ago Africans could only dream of. It gives me hope hearing these dreams. Because now, unlike a time not to long ago, they have a chance at reaching them. Though there are still not every family is as well off as Bola's but it's a start.

Waiting for an Angel part 1

This was my first time reading, Waiting for an Angel, and so far I've found it to be disturbing but informative. The writing style threw me off a bit at first with a bit of character confusing and story placement. For those exact reasons this books seems more powerful than it would be if it were written with a single storyline through time. Coming in behind that I find the characters to be the mutually interesting and informative.

Lomba from what i've already witnessed is a man of many stories and great talent. I found the poetry to be very powerful in meaning and are a great way of showing emotion. The part in the first charter where he places an S.O.S. his poetry is a desperate but beautiful way of showing how he knew he wasn't going to escape, "It was just a message in a bottle, thrown without much hope into the sea..."(pg39). The cells here both on a regular day or a day in solitude are a place of hell that for these people inescapable.

In the second chapter, the story of "The Angel," though I do not yet know who the character is; I can't help but dislike him. I did like the story of the fortune teller but the way this character faced death seemed wasteful to me. Yes, he may have felt death coming but he did not have to walk right into it. All I could find in this character is weakness and to much trust in the "beliefs/predictions" of another.

Oil in Africa

The excavating of oil from Nigeria and other countries in Africa has become a new trend in the past few years. The oil from these countries is popular because it's seen as "sweet" crude that has low sulphur content. Due to these factors it is easier and cheaper to refine into gasoline and other products. And, finally, the transportation costs are lower than getting if from the Middle East.

Now, as we all know this new found source of fuel/oil has its ups and downs. The African people are the ones who see these ups and downs, not us. You may ask where all the money goes because lord knows there is a great deal of it. Sadly, large amounts of the income makes its way into the hands of the ruling richer classes rather than the lower more in need groups. When calculated out more than 50% of the population receives less than $2.00 a day. Now not all of the wealthier people and groups keep the money for themselves. There are some activists out there who have pushed to use oil money on improvement of education, health and infrastructure. There is even an African Infrastructure Foundation in place with the goals to:

"To operate and carry out activities as a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) in a most efficient manner towards providing first class services to the African community and African and international development organizations to sustain Africa's development infrastructure with the purpose of improving the quality of the environment and enhancing socio-economic development through the principles of sustainable development. We believe that when Africa's infrastructure are conceived, developed, managed and governed sustainably, there will be sustainability in the quality and health of the environment, enhanced socio-economic development and sustainable poverty reduction. "

Though there are organizations such as this placed to try and better Africa that doesn't mean we'll see immediate results or even any at all. Right now the main issue of disturbance is that of corruption within Africa and its oil trade. There is an estimated 45 percent of oil stolen or wasted in Nigeria's oil along. There are often criminal gangs or rebels who sabotage oil lines daily in the delta. Pipelines can be cut or tapped in many ways but the most common are ways are with hacksaws and funnels. This stealing my help out the individual but it is killing the nation. Oil is not only causing pollution and the death of sea life but also is taking the lives of the African people by way of murder. We must reexamine if we are doing this for the right reasons, not just for the convenience.

Videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_Sg8sXjJcM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbrCzDOfmyc