Welcome to days 17-29 ( I know, I know) of the 100 Days in the news project. For 72 more days I will be pulling news stories from my Google reader and making artwork about it!
Today’s sources are pulled from:
The BBC’s Africa Report
Stories are pulled from Oct. 11th through the 22nd and are too numerous to list, but head to the link and I assure you that you will uncover them.
Today is a reality check and a work flow check. Sometimes I develop a strategy for tackling some task that is simply too process oriented. I get bogged down in my tried and true method and I stop being inventive. Strangely I become loyal to a way of doing something and I take it personally if I realize I need to change.
I have recently been drawn into a wonderful collaboration with a friend that has pushed around the way I’ve thought about teaching and sharing information in general. Even though some of my tried and true methods have served me well, my collaborator has been kind enough and flexible enough to take the time to help me begin to rethink the way I structure my explanations of material and work flow. This is no small task. I find myself clinging to my way of saying and doing things like a senior citizen to a rotary phone.
For today’s project I tackle information from a blog suggested by my dear friend Ben Kinsley who suggested I add it to my Google reader several weeks ago. Africa is a great example of one of the things I think I never have time to consider. I am trying to ask myself to address all facets my life with the question:
“What do I think I don’t have time for that I really could find an intelligent, clever way to include?”
This hits on everything from eating homemade meals, to excersize, friends,reading, making, and on and on.
Today I find a way to put myself back on track with my day to day reading and responding. For 12 days I have fed news articles from the BBC line through Wordle. Below images from the twelve days is my 12 sentence skim about what I think is going on in Africa. Readers are encouraged to share their own interpretations which will be posted in the comment feed.
My news breif of Africa’s current status:
1. The southern region of Africa is in a state of political conflict.
2. Jordaan is Experienceing and economic crisis that will impact the world.
3.The mobile phone company Orange will launch a company in Uganda.
4. Sfaxien scored a goal in the second half of a game.
5. Mr. Mugabe struck a deal with finance in the direction of power-sharing.
6. Somalia has pirates with warships off their coast!
7. The Ethiopian Government sent troops and peacekeepers to deal with Mogadishu Islamists.
8. South Africans encountered bullying in their work place.
9. The UNHCR helped Africans at refugee camps.
10. Aids Minister Barbara Hogan desperately wants an HIV vaccine.
11. New rebels are fighting in the congo town of Bunia.
12.Mr. Mugabe is working with the Zanu-PF and MDC to handle foreign, government and food affairs.
(note: These are my best summaries based on looking at the Wordles. It doesn’t mean they’re right!)
cost of materials: $0
amount of time spent: 2hrs
amount of fun had: 10!!! Thanks Wordle!!!
Special thanks to Turadg Aleahmad for helping me update my blog and for offering continual technical support throughout this project.
