Valdosta State University graduate Stephen Dupuis (VSU '08) teamed up with UGA grad Stephen Turner to create Defy Thirst, which strives to empower developing nations through sanitation education and the sharing of efficient, inexpensive water filtration technology. It is good to know that our graduates from this university are not only able to earn a living but contribute to solving the problems of the world.

9.0 Earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan

CNBC host Larry Kudlow proudly displays those "ugly American" attitudes which are so in demand today in our broadcast media. My brother lives in Japan, so perhaps I am overly sensitive. My brother is fine but he did say that this is the worst earthquake that he has experienced. He has lived in Japan for at least 25 years now, since the late 1980's.

Hajigak Iron Ore Deposit

France to repay Haiti

Yesterday (July 14th) was Bastille Day, marking a popular uprising which gave birth to the modern French state. According to the website for the Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes, France chose Bastille Day to announce an Outline Agreement for the Rebuilding of Haiti (ACRH). The Agreement calls for cancellation of Haiti's international debt, which has retarded the development of Haiti during recent decades and contributed to the impact of the recent earthquake and other natural disasters. France acknowledges with the announcement of ACRH that the disaster which befell the Haitian people is not simply the result of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake but is partly the result of economic and social policies including the legacy of French colonization.

(The above is my own translation of the text posted on the website for the Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes.) Hat-tip to The Independent, Democracy Now!, and The People's Forum for excellent and timely coverage of the story in English.

Lead Toxicity and Nigerian Gold

Yvonne Ndege reports on severe health effects due to lead exposure among villagers in Zamfara province, northern Nigeria. Six villages have been affected according to Marcel Lagenbach of Medecins Sans Frontieres. The villagers say they will continue to mine for gold despite lead in the dust that is killing their children. Critics accuse the government officials of turning a blind eye and focusing instead on signing lucrative mining deals with China.

The Ban

Lagos up close... and open to interpretation

Sokari Ekine, who blogs at Black Looks, has an interesting essay about Lagos up at the New Internationalist Blog. Sokari reviews a recent television program which focused on the resourcefulness of the poor in Lagos.

In spite of all the current interest, I know that Lagos remains a dangerous place to visit for foreigners traveling from overseas. In fact, I was just speaking with a colleague on the Chemistry faculty here at VSU. He regularly flies in and out of Lagos to visit family. I was telling him that if I traveled to Nigeria I would probably go by way of Abuja. Perhaps the security will improve soon, or perhaps I will make some friends and acquaintances who can meet me when I arrive.

MAKE CHARITY HISTORY!



Dambisa Moyo is interviewed by David Frost on his Al Jazeera program, Frost Over The World. Frost turns surly as he comes to the defense of Bob Geldof and other celebrities who promote charitable causes in the African subcontinent.

Prison Time for American Crooks

Two disgraced former executives of the Willbros Group have been convicted in United States court of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by bribing Nigerian officials. Jim Bob Brown was sentenced in federal court in Houston to one year and one day in prison and fined $17,500 while Jason Edward Steph was sentenced to 15 months and fined $2,000, Further details of the story can be found at All Africa and in the FCPA Blog.

Dirty Gold

Anna Boiko-Weyrauch has created another fabulous radio report on extractive industries and the environment of Africa. This one is about gold mining impacts along the Subri river in Ghana. She posted it on December 18th, and I think that I may have heard it on public radio here in the United States.

Ghana used to be called the Gold Coast and today it's the second largest producer of gold in Africa. Most of the gold comes out of a number of large surface mines. They are all owned by companies from abroad such as Newmont, which stores water and waste from its gold mine behind the Subri River dam. In her report for the Common Language Project, Ms. Boiiko-Weyrauch speaks with Adusah Yakubu from a local advocacy group about health consequences of local environmental deterioration. She also mentions the Responsible Jewellery Council, which certifies gold miners who do a better job than Newmont has done here in Ghana.

More Power without Coal?

Because of "regulatory and legal uncertainties" about the future of coal, the Seminole Electric Cooperative today announced that it has canceled plans to build a new coal-fired power plant at its generation facility near Jacksonville, Florida (St. Petersburg Times, Dec 18th). Earthjustice, an non-profit public interest law firm based in Tallahassee, had threatened legal action on behalf of the Florida Wildlife Federation.

Seminole applied in 2006 for a permit to build the proposed 750 megawatt coal-fired plant, upgrading its Putnam County facility which currently generates 1300 megawatts. Power, an industry magazine, named it as "top facility" for 2009. The Seminole Electric Cooperative also received a Leadership Award from the Council for Sustainable Florida. It's webpage trumpets a "long-standing and continuing commitment to a diverse program of environmental stewardship at its generating stations." According to Earthjustice, Seminole is now proposing to build a natural gas fired plant instead along with a 1 to 5 megawatt solar energy project in southwest Florida.

Congo's Bloody Coltan

Coltan is a dull metallic ore containing both columbite and tantalite minerals. Common in the eastern Congo, the exploitation of these mineral resources is intricately connected with ethnic strife and national politics among Congolese and with their neighbors in Rwanda and Uganda.

Dambisa Moyo!

Dambisa Moyo talks to the Commonwealth Club of California about the problem of aid dependency. Should African countries find alternative ways of financing development rather than turning to foreign aid from the United States and other developed nations?

The Rio Tinto debacle

Shares of Australian mining conglomerate Rio Tinto (RTP) sank on July 8th following the news of the arrest of their employee Stern Hu for bribery and espionage by Chinese authorities. Hu is an Australian national of Chinese ancestry. Australian blogger and economist angel80 adeptly chronicles an intricate merger war between Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton (BHP), and Chinalco (ACH) which led up to Hu's arrest. Stock prices for BHP Billiton and Chinalco do not appear to have been affected by the Rio Tinto debacle, at least on the boards in London or New York. The above chart compares RTP against the PHLX index for gold and silver (^XAU) for the past month.

Okah released but MEND fights on

On Monday, July 13th, Nigeria released Henry Okah, leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), from prison. Although the release of Okah was applauded by the Nigerian Bar Association, neither Okah nor the other MEND activists appear to be willing to forego sabotage, extortion, and murder for legal avenues in resolving conflicts in the Niger Delta.

MEND blew up the Atlas Cove Jetty near the city of Lagos on Sunday, July 12th. That action was initially dismissed as an "operational accident" by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, which may explain Okah's release the following day. The fires and explosions which resulted from MEND's sabotage of the Atlas Cove Jetty claimed five lives. Oil company workers and security personnel were also killed or injured during previous MEND actions, such as the June 6th sabotage of Chevron's facility offshore.

MEND has announced a 60 day "ceasefire" since Sunday's attack, but members have yet to surrender weapons and renounce militancy as requested by President Yar'Adua when he declared an unconditional pardon on June 25th.


Available Resources on the Internet:

- Solomon Sydelle posts about the Atlas Cove Jetty attack at Nigerian Curiosity.

- UPI story about the latest MEND attacks.

- allAfrica story about the MEND attacks on Chevron's offshore operations.

- The News has a brief biography of Henry Okah along with other activists in the Niger Delta.

- a longer biography of Henry Okah from I C publications.

- Bourse has a story on MEND's 60-day ceasefire.

- N.I.M.M.O. has a comical blog post about the amnesty offer from Yar'Adua.

Zelaya on Democracy Now!

Juan Gonzalez and Amy Goodman draw Mel out on his experience being deposed by the Honduran military. Zelaya thanks President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for their strong support for his restoration to power. Zelaya declines to favor sanctions against his country or repudiate Yankee wingnuts who associate him with Chavez and the Bolivarians. Los malos siempre se une!

WHO MOVED MY SOAP?

The Swiss do green jobs right!

A University of Utah student has thrown a monkey wrench into the firesale auction of oil and gas leases held by the Bureau of Land Management on Friday, December 19th. Amy Goodman interviewed Tim DeChrisopher Monday morning on Democracy Now.

This is a year old, but it still rings true. If McCain gets in, we are just going to fall farther behind the rest of the world in terms of technology for both transportation and HVAC.