The Benefits of Traveling the World

I’m currently reading Lunatic Express by Carl Hoffman, a gift sent to me by my sister, Mary Ellen (thank you, again!)

It’s a relatable (for me, anyways) true story of a travel writer who embarks on a trek, the only goal of which is to experience transport by the world’s most dangerous means, in other words, transport the way most of the world’s nearly 7 billion people move from place to place.

At one point the author’s 17 year old daughter Lily flies to Lima to join him during her spring break from high school. They boarded a rickety old bus for a 450 mile journey that would take 36 hours, through the rain forests and over the Andes Mountains on single-lane, winding, clay roads.

Here the bus has taken a brief stop for the driver to urinate and have a bite to eat:

I wolfed down a quick meal of rich, gamey chicken  soup ladles from a pot big enough to throw a couple of toddlers inside, sitting on a wooden bench the width of a single two-by-four under a ragged blue tarp. Lily didn’t want any, but the chef could spot a hungry, nervous girl and brought her a bowl, insisting that she eat, which she did under the pressure of a mother, even if it wasn’t her own. Then, as church bells pealed, we piled on an even older bus. "Aren’t you afraid you’ll get sick?” said Carleton (a Canadian tourist who was clearly in over his head at this point), shaking his head. “I’m starving, but there’s no way I’m going to risk eating that!”

I looked at Lily and we laughed. “See how brave you are!” I said, secretly praying she wouldn’t get sick. As soon as the sun went down, roaches swarmed out of the curtains; they fell into Lily’s lap, crawled into my coat, scurried under our feel. It was black outside, the bouncing headlights illuminating dirt road and sheer drop-offs. Lily was scared; I felt bad for her and proud of her. I hoped she’d love the journey, but even if she didn’t, at least I knew she’d remember it and feel, perhaps only later, strengthened by it. That she’d learn that the world was big, rich, complex, sometimes dangerous, always interesting. That you could hide from it or explore it and embrace it in all its complexities.

Amen.

Life Without Electricity

In the rural parts of Ghana life is very different than in the cities. And as you move north, away from the capital, away from the concentration of population and industry conditions change. I should note, however, that certain characteristics apparent in these people, who live in a village without electricity, are also visible in city dwellers, a certain blend of hopefulness and optimism along with resignation to fate. (hat tip to my dad for the video)

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True Journalism

(Updated Below)

A free and independent press is an essential component for a functioning democracy – one that is appropriately people-centered. In 21st century America the so-called ‘fourth estate’ is failing us. Dominated by corporate-owned, profit-driven firms, modern media has become a ratings circus, a mix of eye-catching headlines and commentary aimed at polarizing the audience in an attempt to generate loyalty.

Jeremy Scahill is an independent journalist and author best known for his investigative reporting into the actions of private security firm Blackwater. He was recently awarded the “Izzy Award” for outstanding independent journalism. In an interview with alternet.org he does a wonderful job describing the proper role of a free and independent press:

I would define an independent journalist as someone that's totally un-embedded when it comes to their relationship with the powerful. In other words, you don't get into bed with any political party. I'm not a Democrat; I'm not a Republican. I'm a journalist. It means that you don't get in bed with the military, with the CIA, or wealthy corporations, and you don't compromise your journalistic or your personal integrity in the pursuit of anything, including a story.
I believe that the way independent journalists are most effectively able to conduct their work is by maintaining their independence from the powerful. I don't hob-nob with the powerful. I don't count among my friends executives or other powerful people. I think it's important for independent journalists to not be beholden to any special interests whatsoever.
On the flip side of that, it's the role of independent journalists to embed themselves with the victims of U.S. foreign policy -- in the case of U.S. journalists -- or domestic policy. What I mean by that is to actually go out to where the people live who are most affected by these policies -- be it Afghanistan or the slums of the United States. You have to be un-embedded from the powerful and you have to embed yourself with the disempowered, because I think part of our role as independent journalists is not only to confront those in power, but to give voice to the voiceless.

Can you imagine the conflicts of interest that arise when Katie Couric or Chuck Todd shares a glass of Champaign with the Obama press secretary at the White House Christmas Party? Apart from the obvious insider’s club that is created, do you really think 6 and 7-figure earning media personalities are able to relate to the rest of us, or to the billions around the globe who are affected by our actions?

During my stay in Ghana I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of Ghanaian journalism. Though not as ‘polished’ as their American counterparts, journalists here do a much better job of focusing on the concerns of the people. Reporters cover issues such as access to clean water, corrupt customs and police officials, and dangerous or unsanitary working conditions, all without pandering to government or corporate interests. Beyond refreshing, it has been nothing short of eye-opening. A reminder of what journalism can and should do for a nation.

Back in the US, and around the world, there are many ‘Jeremy Scahills,’ embedded with the disempowered, helping their voices to be heard. Unfortunately their reach is limited, and moreover, all but drowned out by the braindead megaphone (.pdf) of corporate media.

Update

With perfect timing for my posting, salon.com blogger Glenn Greenwald offered this today:

Every now and then there are little vignettes that capture what Washington really is:  an insular, incestuous, fundamentally corrupt royal court, populated -- as all sickly imperial capitals are -- by political and media courtesans and other hangers-on.

Click here to read the rest

Protect Yourself

I have spent a lot of time in Ghana helping people with their computers. I have helped people clean their computers of viruses and malware. I’ve installed security software, operating systems, and utilities. I’ve repaired damaged folders and drives. I’ve consulted(made decisions) on what type of computer to purchase, and I’ve tutored colleagues and friends on computer use – from using a mouse and setting up email, to creating PowerPoint presentations and editing movies.

Computing in Ghana is just coming of age. Internet access is quickly improving here, evident by the number of Net Cafes springing up. Home computing is a bit less common, but still occurs – usually through mobile networks (the cost of home broadband is prohibitive for most: anywhere from $25 to $50 a month for a connection that would have American users tossing their computers out the window). Many home computers are purchased used, hand-me-downs from the UK and US – one I worked on recently still wore its ID tag from Heinz Corporation, others have the marks of academia or government. The sellers of these devices normally sell from road-side stands or cramped, closet-like offices. “Buyer Beware” prevails.

Technology is expensive here. Massive import tariffs, high shipping costs, and the inability to buy online in Ghana combine to pinch supply. Many Ghanaians turn to the Diaspora to buy computers abroad and ship or carry them back home. Some enterprising folks are able to acquire a bulk supply of computers, then work to market them at schools and universities. I’ve seen two such efforts take place here during my time. Their prices seem to be fair – for the Ghana computer market – with prices running about 10-30% higher than the US market. This markup seems to cover the cost of acquisition, leaving only a slim profit margin. For specialty hardware – routers, card readers, projectors – prices are much higher, often 2 to 3 times higher than in American. I recently looked for a wireless router and found asking prices to be in the $140 range. Similar equipment might run you $50 in the US.

But acquisitions aside, three more problems plague computer users in Ghana – and likely in many other developing countries as well. First, computer owners have invested a huge share of their incomes to acquire this technology. To buy a new, but run-of-the-mill, laptop many have to cough up a sum equal to, or more than, their entire monthly pre-tax income. And, as computer users know, technology in this sector quickly becomes outdated, so upgrades and replacements become a huge burden too.

Second, the cost of acquiring software is prohibitive: Operating systems, office suites, anti-virus. I’ve seen more pirated versions of Windows, Office, and Norton in 5 months here than I have in the rest of my life. In fact, apart from a few brand new computers, I think every one I have come across is running a cracked version of one of these three softwares. In most cases, pirated software either doesn’t work properly (for instance, most cracked versions of Windows will not allow patches and security fixes from Microsoft) or is riddled with viruses. It’s a crude analogy, but completely accurate: The vast majority of portable drives (flash, pen, or thumb drives) carry viruses. If you aren’t using protection in the form of a working, updated anti-virus program, you will become infected. Practicing safe-computing here is a must!

And third, the dawn of the cyber-era in Ghana is coming more than a decade into the Internet Age. This means computer users here are entering a world that is rife with threats from experienced online crooks and bullies – and I’m talking advertisers. If you have been surfing the web for a few years, you probably have learned to differentiate between a valid link to desirable information, and a sponsored link that will take you to a vendor’s portal. Often there are subtle clues that help us spot the dark cyber-alleys: links whose text is slightly different in styles or size than the rest of the page; a tiny, well-hidden disclaimer noting “ads sponsored by Google”; a difficult-to-spot ‘x’ that allows the user to close the advertisement; or sometimes the ad’s location on the page (along the top of side banner). But a new computer user, entering a cyber market that’s as unregulated as the wild west, has little chance of emerging from these dangerous digital alleys unscathed. Spyware, adware, malware, trojans, worms, spam, phishing…all out there waiting for the unsuspecting surfer to fall into their trap.

Take these problems as one and you have a daunting challenge facing Ghanaians trying to join the digital age. In a dangerous world one needs the savvy to avoid danger, the tools to protect themselves when they do encounter a problem, and the resources to repair any damages done, none of which most Ghanaians can claim.

 

(In a later post I plan to detail some steps, and free tools people in LDCs or the US can and should use to protect themselves from digital threats.)

Clear and Present Danger

The weather here has been notably abnormal this year in Ghana. When I arrived in December I was told to expect Harmattan – the annual prevailing wind shift to the north, bringing Saharan dust and “low” humidity to the coastal region – and that it would last until March or April. Well, it never came. Instead, these months have been marked by warm temperatures (low-to-mid 90s), high humidity (low 90’s at night), and very little rain.

Harmattan is supposed to end with the rainy season and temps begin to fall into the low-80s.

Since we had no harmattan I guess all rules are off. Now it’s mid-April, and we haven’t seen the rain, and temps are only going up!

Check out the heat index table below. The black lines shows today’s combination: