The black market is going white.

"As many as 10,000 albinos are in hiding in east Africa over fears that they will be dismembered and their body parts sold to witchdoctors, the Red Cross said in a recent report." Scores of albinos are in hiding after attacks in Tanzania and Burundi. The fate of albino people born in Africa is like a double-edged sword. Because of their appearance they are terribly discriminated against and alienated in society. Yet also they are prized as being seen as having special powers because of their skin color. This is in a very literal way like keeping a lucky rabbits foot in one's pocket. In some regions of Africa it is thought that the body parts of albinos will bring good luck and wealth. This may be all well and good, but the people who believe this do not intend to leave the body parts on its owner...Attackers chop off limbs and harvest organs in order to sell them to witchdoctors. Since 2007 over 50 albinos in Tanzania and 14 in Burundi have been killed because of these superstitions.

This is quite the terrible trend. If you are familiar in any way with the "witch" slayings in Nigeria, all sorts of terrible incidents are happening across the globe and quite under the radar. People, even children, are pointlessly being murdered due to the superstitions of witchdoctors. These albino slayings are happening in rural areas where police force is limited, but authorities are doing what they can now that the issue has been brought to their attention. Aid shelters are educating the refugees on proper skin care due to their high risk of skin cancer, and also with finding indoor employment.



"Even before the killings began two years ago, albino people in tropical Africa suffered an array of afflictions that made physical survival a desperate struggle," said Salif Keita, a Malian albino singer and human rights activist. Albinism is a little known aside from its physical attributes. Aside from being a genetic condition that leads to little or no pigment in the eyes, skin and hair, it is also a lifetime battle. There's the constant heightened risk of skin cancer, irregular eye development and even blindness. Not to mention the social implications of often looking completely different from family members.

The good news on this heart-breaking issue is that so far 7 people have been convicted and hanged as a result of illegally murdering and selling Albino body parts. As of right now dozens more are awaiting trial and hopefully will soon be convicted. The Red Cross continues to help aid the thousands that have made their way to the shelters that have been set up in both countries. Hopefully now that this issue is out in the open, more people will be able to saved from this dangerous trend.

I may be a leo, but you, you're a lurker.

With the explosion of technology came Facebook; the substitute [or compliment] to real social interaction. Undeniably this force has sparked quite the blossoming social society. Much like real life, the friends we collect along our social networks can be categorically placed into groups. We've got the "overly excited Christmas card senders", the "I heard from a friend who heard from a friend who talked to your mother that you go your wisdom teeth out, get well soon" people, "I just had a baby isn't it so cute??? when its actually not but I'm still going to spam your mailbox with postcards of my kid" people and so on. Bloggers like Brandon Griggs have noticed that just like we categorize the people around us, our Facebook friends can also be judged simply by the content of their status'. In his article The 12 most annoying Facebookers he dichotomizes all those people you know you're friends with.


Here's a simple run down:
1.The Let-Me-Tell-You-Every-Detail-of-My-Day Bore.
2. The Self-Promoter.
3. The Friend-Padder.
4. The Town Crier.
5. The TMIer.
6. The Sympathy-Baiter.
7. The Lurker.
8. The Crank.
9. The Paparazzo.
10 The Obscurist.
10.The Chronic Inviter.

[// Pic irrelevant - It's Paris Hilton, a purse dog and a surfboard]

But what happens to those friends who don't mold to this list of common status offenders? They can't just be absorbed into the abyss of Facebook status obscurity. Their nonsensical updating must be categorized! This may be my ADD/OCD speaking for me, but there seems to be a few more categories in which to place these friends in.
From my observations to you:

The overactive status liker- You've seen these people. Similar to simple Facebook lurkers, these are the friends who go around and randomly "like" the status' of others. No comment, no conversation, often times its not even relevant for them to "like" the status that they have chosen to "like"...making it in turn even more unwelcome. To obtain this title it has to be a habitual action. Liking not just one status, but every single one in a non discretionary manner.... 27 times over. "[so & so] had a great night last night!" <---insert creeper "like" here. Whaaat? That makes no sense.

The Party Posse- These are the self proclaimed party invite crew. Facebook status' were made to advertise what bangin' party they're planning on hitting that night, for these folks. With these people, you never know what their lives are like between the hours of 9am-5pm, but once the evening rolls around, let the parties begin! "AWWWYAAAA there's a party toNIIIIGHt"...."Gonna get crunkkk at *** tonight!! Yeaaaaa" [actual status']. Because the world actually wants to know all the parties you can fit into a weekend.

The Lyricists - These are my kind of people. Instead of posting the monotony of one's day, why not post a tiny tidbit of an insightful song? They often speak for themselves in summing up your day, for if you feel the need to post some lyrics, you must be feeling it at the time. I find this a creative outlook for status expression. "Leave the epic poem on its yellow page."...."There is no hope to lose or heart to give, saying I'm out of mind and always on yours<3" [actual status']

The fountains of mysterious wisdom - This speaks for itself. It's alllll those friends who post the most random nonsense. Not quite obscure, but certainly not sane either. "It's like my heart is trying to hug my brain!"...."I don't cut it or curve it, I slang it and serve it" [actual status']


Remember kiddies, "Facebook is a great tool -- and a reminder of why some people get on your nerves." If you can't think of anyone, YOU are that annoying person for one reason or another.

Those who share, care.

If you have immersed yourself to any degree in the world of music, you undoubtedly have your own personal collection on your computer. With the exponential explosion of the ipod onto the music scene, everyone has an Itunes library these days. Here you can hoard music to your hearts content by obtaining tunes through many a fashion. You can take the commercial route and hand over 99 cents a song [$1.29 for Top-chart songs and those deemed popular], or you can venture down the road of file-sharing. If you're not familiar, you've really been missing out. Through torrenting and other Peer-to-peer sharing outlets you can obtain just about anything you could ever imagine with the click of a button. There is continuing controversy over the validity of "sharing" music files, yet this outlet is growing in popularity. And frankly the truth is, those considered "Illegal downloaders" Buy more music. I've seen it first hand. "People who are music superfans do more of everything to do with music: they see more live shows, listen to more radio, buy more CDs, buy more botlegs of live shows, buy more t-shirts, talk about music more, do more downloading -- all of it." Nix the radio part, I don't necessarily find that relevant. But as for the rest of that quote, I find this conclusion entirely true. True lovers and devotees of music often lend just as much of their money to what they feel passionate about, as they devote to being under the influence of the tunes themselves. "The people who file-share are the ones who are interested in music," said Mark Mulligan of Forrester Research. "They use file-sharing as a discovery mechanism." This is exactly what it is. It is a risk free way to trial music, which can later evolve into a avid following of musicians and artists.

Countries such as Australia have already taken actions against illegal downloading by restricting those who offend the policies of their internet access. But does this actually benefit the music industry? Having family from Australia, I know what a separated world its like living in this country. Everything is delayed, more expensive and very VERY different. Hard copy CDs can be exponentially more. If you can't download music to trial it [or even pay for the music and download it online], how informed is one going to be in the music world? How can you then go to concerts? Buy merch? How often do people blindly buy CDs without first hearing the music? The percentage is small.

There has been some talk of America adopting similar policies regarding this file-sharing phenomenon. This would never get far. At least it shouldn't. Music downloading is a frontier of discovery and without it, the music industry would not flourish as it does today.