For the past 22 years the city has been totally uninhabited with the exception of a few (about 300 or so) elderly people who returned to their homes in surrounding villages.

Today Pripyat remains an empty and dreary desert of concrete, wild animals, and rampant flora.  There are plants busting through pavement to reach the sky and wild horses roam free through vast open fields…untouched for 22 years by manking, perhaps for the better.

These are some photos I pulled together from various sources around the interwebs - enjoy!

Photo of the control board at Chernobyl…before the disaster 

(May be from Reactor 3…but not Reactor 4)

Pripyat before the disaster…it was a well-planned city - you can see the Pripyat pool in the backdrop:

Look at this amazing photo of the Pripyat city center…after the nuclear disaster:

The abandoned Pripyat Ferris Wheel:

Children were affected physically and mentally by this tragedy…so many of them got Thyroid Cancer from simply drinking milk that originated from cows that ate contaminated grass…Here are some children drawings that depict the disaster: 

Another child’s depiction

Decontamination Team

Even better prepared

A Child After Radiotherapy

Relics of the Soviet Era…still remain — who would even care to take them down?

Toys are strewn about all over… Items were scattered around by looters in the event’s aftermath.

Rogue art drawn inside the Pripyat pool…that use to stand in city center. 

Life still thrives in Pripyat…twenty-two years later (Chernobyl happened in 1986)…wildlife like these Mongolian horses roam the open fields…and continue to breed 

More wild horses.

Why are there still buildings that are boarded up? The doors haven’t been touched for twenty years!

After evacuation about 300 elderly people returned to Pripyat’s surrounding villages - to continue living their lives, however lonely, in their old homes. This lady went back to live near her son’s grave…he was a ‘liquidator’ - one of the people that went back to help clean up the disaster. 

This was a basketball court:

Pripyat cultural palace…COMPLETELY Abandoned 

Pripyat Central Square — You can see that the woods have come into the city - most of the vegetation pictured is new…and only started growing after the disaster.

The above Images and Information Sourced from these websites :

• Chernoblyee.com - Mark Resnicoff’s well-documented visit to Chernobyl
• A series of photos on English Russia
• Wikipedia page on Pripjat, Ukraine 
• Facts about Chernobyl 
• Pripyat.nu - Photo Resource
• Chernoybl Diary @ IAEA.org
• 26-04-1986 / A movie and photography website about the event
• fotomat.cz / Photos of Chernobyl aftermath
• Subterranea Brittanica site on Chernobyl

The 5%, who are the enlightened divine beings, the poor righteous teachers, having repossessed knowledge of the truth regarding the foundations of life and of oneself, and seek to liberate the 85% through education. (Wiki)

Conflict with Traditional Islam.
In traditional Islam it is the worst form of blasphemy to liken any thing or being to God - so the teachings of the Five Percent Nation are viewed as condemnable heresy.  Five Percenter men refer to eachother as ‘Gods’ and women are called ‘Earths.’  This concept is explained by the above passage that states that 5% of black men are “enlightened and divine beings,” but is made convulted by turning the Arabic name of God, ‘Allah,’ into a simple acronym…according to the Five Percent Nation’s official website:

[...] the blackman is god and his proper name is ALLAH. Arm,Leg, Leg, Arm, Head.

The Five Percent Nation’s logo further distorts the link to traditional, monotheistic Islam, by stating ‘In the Name of Allah.’  The Arabic translation of this statement, “bismillah,“ is probably the most frequently recited phrase in Muslim worship, and it carries intense intrinsic value. That said, the term ‘Five Percent Nation of Islam’ is a paradox in itself.

Appeal to Urban Blacks.
The religion is popular among urban black youth, and serves as a positive influence that distracts otherwise trouble-bound youth from illegal activities, providing a structured purpose to live.  As Gods, they are required to treat their bodies with utmost respect, eliminating any contamination that comes from drug use; furthermore, it is their duty to educate the less-aware and nurture the people of their community…thus reducing the ‘black on black’ crime phenomenon.  In the United States 94% of black homicide victims are killed by blacks each year (US-DOJ).

Accessibility to the Five Percent Nation is increased with the popularity of the religion amongst popular urban musicians like Ghostface Killah, Erykah Badu, and Busta Rhymes.  This allows most followers, who come from disenfranchised communities, to relate their beliefs to success…a success that is unapologetic and embraces a progressive urban black culture, rather than rejecting it.

Negative Perceptions.
While the Five Percent Nation emphasizes the importance of education and self-awareness, it can also be seen as a negative force that discourages equality amongst the diverse communities of the world…the Mentor Youth Street Academy website claims that “We [Five Percenters] do not believe in race mixing”.  This alienation from the larger global community prevents the Five Percent Nation from expanding its reach beyond urban communities where the black race is of majority; thus, preserving the perception that the Five Percent Nation is a cult of the Nation of Islam (which itself is regarded as a cult of traditional Islam).

Positive Perceptions.
But, the other side of the coin allows a totally different, and positive, interpretation of the religion’s notion of extreme self-awareness exclusive to black peoples.  What better way to motivate someone to change their life and improve their surroundings than to provide them with confidence.  As Gods, black men realize that they have the power to change their situation for the better;and furthermore, break free of the vicious cycle of disenfranchisement that plagues the deteriorating African-American communities of the U.S.  In fact…many Five Percenters encourage racial integration and strive to make a positive impact on the social condition of the world at large.

Resources:

• Islam in the Mix: Lessons of the Five Percent - A great paper that addresses the presence of Five Percent culture in popular music
• Los Indios - An interesting and insightful blog by Five Percenter, Sha-King Cehum
• Allah School in Atlantis - A Blog written by a devout Five Percenter, Saladin Allah Atlantis
• The Nation of Islam - not affiliated with the Five Percent Nation

Domestic Reforms.
Some recent changes include the legalization of cell phone usage throughout Cuba, increasing the amount of state land available to private farmers, and the allowance of some citizens to seek title for their homes. Perhaps one of the most impressive moves was today’s announcement that Cuba is abandoning the egalitarian ’same wage for all’ scheme - now all workers will be entitled to compensation based on skill and performance - an essential component of free market capitalism.

Rejoining the International Community.
Domestic reforms are clear within the boundaries of the nation, but Cuba is also taking progressive steps towards improving its international image. Cuba doesn’t want to be the outlier anymore, it wants to make money, improve its economy, strengthen the morale of the Cuban people - and more importantly, they’re realizing that they have to play by the rules to achieve their goals. The European Union is exploring the possibility of providing aid to Cuba, specifically to fund reconstruction efforts in response to the $5 billion in damages caused by recent hurricanes. This is great PR for Cuba since the EU broke off dialogue and imposed sanctions on the nation for arresting dissidents in 2003.

Other recent ‘acts of diplomacy’ include yesterday’s meeting between the French senate and Cuba’s foreign minister, Perez Roque - and the proposal of a visit to Cuba put forth by the prime minister of Spain, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

US-Cuba Relations ‘On The Rocks.’
US-Cuba relations are still just about non-existent, in fact, there is still a lot of animosity in the air. Just last week while George Bush spoke at a fundraiser in Florida he called Cuba a “dungeon” and insisted that “someday Cuba will be free.” The US continues to impose an economic embargo and last month Cuba rejected $5 million in hurricane-related aid from the US. Many US farmers believe the restrictions are hurting their businesses, and citizens of Cuba and US believe that the embargo is an important first step for healthy diplomatic relations. Public opinion polls demonstrate that Americans favor the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba. The argument is that the the US cannot support a government that violates human rights and embraces communism. The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly called to an end to the embargo on Cuba — UN nations voted: 183 in favor and 4 against ending the embargo.

Latin American Solidarity & The Decline of US Influence.
As Cuba becomes increasingly involved in the international community and continues to be shunned by the US, it’s becoming clear that the US is facing increasing alienation throughout Latin America. Latin American countries are turning to one another for support (Venezuela provides 100,000 barrels of cheap oil to Cuba, and in return Cuba is loaning 20,000 medics to Venezuela) and US influence is decreasing at a fast pace. Bolivia is looking to increase diplomatic relations with Russia and Iran. “China’s trade with Latin America jumped from $10 billion in 2000 to $102.6 billion last year.” Brazil’s economy is booming.

  
]]> http://machete.gummyprint.com/cubas-reforms-solidarity-in-latin-america-and-declining-us-influence/feed/ http://machete.gummyprint.com/whats-killing-children-diarrhea-policy-sanitation-and-handwashing/ http://machete.gummyprint.com/whats-killing-children-diarrhea-policy-sanitation-and-handwashing/#comments Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:02:33 +0000 Lateef Abro http://machete.gummyprint.com/whats-killing-children-handwashing-sanitation-and-policy/ Global Handwashing Day, October 15, 2008. A brilliant idea being implemented by the right organization, the United Nations. With diseases flourishing and spreading at a rampant pace throughout the developing world this initiative comes at a most critical moment.

In the U.S. and other ‘developed’ nations diarrhea is something we treat with over the counter (OTC) medications and very rarely seek medical attention - the problem just goes away and one returns to ‘regularity.’ Well, this is not the case in the third-world, where diarrhea is a real threat - it’s a fatal disease; in fact, it is the second most common cause of death for children under the age of five. Globally, about 2 million child deaths (children under five) occur every year. (UNICEF)

Handwashing alone, “at critical times“, can reduce diarrheal diseases by over 40% and respiratory infections by 30%. Governments of lesser developed countries should be focusing on these simple methods of disease prevention. Considering that access to resources is extremely limited in such nations it is still very possible to educate the public in an efficient, effective, and affordable manner. Printing up loads of informational pamphlets and creating micro-websites are great ideas - but people at the bottom of the pyramid have terribly low literacy rates and access to technology is just about non-existent.

—- — — -
Let’s use Pakistan as an example. A nation like Pakistan could realistically implement a nation-wide program, at very low cost, to reduce the diarrhea-related death rate - “250,000 children die of diarrhoea in Pakistan annually.” Since we already have real scientific proof that handwashing on its own greatly reduces the incidence of diarrhea, we are in a good position to assume that even the leanest campaign will save thousands of lives. A recent scientific study published in, The Lancet, and conducted in Karachi, Pakistan proved that children younger than 15 that washed their hands with soap exhibited a 53% lower incidence of diarrhea.

Here’s a concept for Pakistani health officials:

• Recruit 131 volunteers (unpaid, but with expenses reimbursed)
• Assign each volunteer to one of Pakistan’s 131 districts (124 districts + 7 tribal agencies)
• 15 Days to reach 15 pre-determined destinations in each district
• Meet officials and, more importantly, mingle with locals within each destination
• Tell them why handwashing is important. Scare them with statistics. Enthuse them with facts.

I don’t believe this is a case of ‘easier said than done.’ The expenses are rock bottom: Five paid program managers (each managing 26 volunteers); travel expenses for 131 volunteers (fuel, bus/taxi, meals, mobile phones); and that’s it, well pretty much.

Great Resources on Diarrhea and Water Sanitation:

• Rehydration Project
• Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council
• IRC International Water and Sanitation Center
• World Health Organization (WHO) Pages on Diarrhea
• “Diarrhoea and respiratory infections are the main cause of child death in India” - BBC

Source: UNICEF

These dolls are made my a select few niche manufacturers, and likewise, they are purchased by a very specific type of customer. The people that buy these dolls don’t buy them to decorate their bedrooms, they use these realistic-looking rubber creations to replace their real-life counterparts…human babies and women.

Okay, so this is beginning to sound very dark…that’s not my intent - but what is the reason for this? Grown men pose their ‘Real Dolls‘ throughout their homes to simulate typical human behavior like a housewife watching TV from the couch or a girlfriend posing sensually on a bed - where the doll’s owners are able to literally have sexual relations with their nude (or not) dolls. The reborn baby TV special shows ‘mothers’ sewing baby clothes, decorating nursery rooms, positioning their ‘babies’ in car seats, and taking them to the grocery store.

‘Reborn’ baby owners are often mothers that cannot or will not bear their own children for whatever reason and they can also be mothers of deceased babies. The human-like rubber flesh, real baby hair, and life-like faces of their purchased ‘babies’ are replacements for what they have lost or simply cannot produce; nevertheless, their is a group of customers that quite frankly prefer reborn babies over human babies…this certainly seems to reflect psychological imbalances.


‘Real Doll’ owners are often adult males that just don’t want to deal with real women, I can hear the bar jokes already. They custom order these rubber women at rates that start around $6,500 - selecting everything from breast size to skin tone to height and weight. ‘Real Doll’ owners use these dolls as companions and invariably utilize them as sexual objects.

The people that buy these dolls are invariably societal outcasts for one reason or another. They may have experienced some form of trauma (family deaths, sexual abuse, catastrophic relationships, etc.) or quite simply lack the social skills necessary to integrate and socialize into any community. In fact, both reasons for resorting to ‘rubber humans’ are perfectly viable, and the latter can actually be a result of the former.

If anyone out there can lend any sort of insight into this discussion I would certainly appreciate your comments. I am really hoping to get some feedback especially on the psychological aspects of this phenomenon - these life-like dolls also seem to be a great case study for the ‘Uncanny Valley Effect‘ described on Wikipedia:

The uncanny valley is a hypothesis that when robots and other facsimiles of humans look and act almost like actual humans, it causes a response of revulsion among human observers

Resources:

• Reborn Baby Manufacturer (Featured on the TV Special)
• Real Doll Manufacturer [NOTE: NUDITY] (Featured on the TV Special)
• ‘Guys and Dolls’ - Full Length Video on Real Dolls
• The Richard and Judy Show on Reborn Babies
• Baby Gifts:Unique Gift Newborn

In fact, SocialVibe.com and Ammado.com share many of the same ’causes’ . Both websites provide visitors with a wide selection of nonprofits to follow. SocialVibe wins my vote as the most efficient, usable, and well-designed website. The website allows you to ‘join’ as many causes as you wish - once you join a cause you can contribute to the nonprofit’s SocialVibe community by submitting donations, uploading multimedia (photos, videos), writing in a cause-specific forum, and finally, you can share the nonprofit’s SocialVibe page on other social networks (MySpace, Facebook, etc.). The ‘One Laptop Per Child’ cause has a well-utilized page on SocialVibe.

The Ammado.com platform offers just about everything SocialVibe does but not in Web 2.0 form. So the website doesn’t compare to Causecast or SocialVibe in many aspects - it does not have a donation function nor does it provide the ability to share a cause throughout the social-networking sphere; nevertheless, even modern websites fail to adress a primary principle of Web 2.0: ‘Harnessing Collective Intelligence.’

The Social Networking space is certainly saturated with general sites like Facebook and MySpace but it’s good to see this ’cause-centric’ flavor of social networking websites pop up. I only reviewed three of them because they attracted my immediate attention - but there are many useful and effective social networking sites that fall into this category (Max Gladwell has reviewed several of them)…here’s a brief listing:

• Idealist
• YourCause
• Changents
• Change.org
• JustCauseIt

Don’t forget the websites that allow you to build your own custom social network. There are hosted solutions like Ning, and completely ‘white label’ solutions like Crowd Factory.

This nationwide disconnect breeds fatalism, which is common to the region, providing yet another hurdle to political involvement across the social spectrum. In this heartfelt blog post the author states that “we [Pakistan] are the only nation that believes in refurbished leaders.” It’s that very fatalism that ensures political seats for out-of-touch and often unelected officials.

We don’t need to endure several more decades of this to achieve success, nor do we need a violent revolution, and Pakistan’s citizens certainly don’t desire another coup or forced resignation. So what’s the solution…the nation’s leaders must work with the people of Pakistan to remedy the problems that repeatedly earn Pakistan the label of failed nation.

With social, medical, and economical ills crippling the nation it’s difficult to tell citizens to get involved in politics. Any Ideas?

• Download USAID’S Strategic Interim Plan for Pakistan)
• Poverty in Pakistan Wikipedia Article
• Pakistan’s Infant Mortality Rate (67 out of 1000 infants die each year).

If executed effectively the ‘In My Name’ project will prove to be one of the most effective povert-related campaigns ever executed, both online and offline. Youtube’s massive reach (estimated 73.5 million per month) is the main reason for the campaign’s inevitable success. Today’s teens and young adults are spending more of their free time online than watching tv and reading magazines - if any youth-focused marketing campaign is to prove effective it must have a substantial online component. The youthful and tech-saavy demographic that accounts for the majority of Youtube’s daily audience is a huge plus on its own.

This campaign also takes advantage of well-selected partnerships with globally recognized organizations such as Oxfam and the One Campaign as well as popular musicians to include Will.i.am and John Legend.

Finally, on November 1st, Youtube will select the best user-submitted videos and use them to create a mash-up video that will be broadcast to world leaders at the UN General Assembly.

Check out the ‘In My Name’ website here: http://www.youtube.com/inmyname

Nonprofit organizations, constantly suffering a limited amount of resources, benefit from capital funding as well as the image of the partner corporation. Corporations stand to improve their reputation as socially responsible enterprises while developing priceless emotional connections with their stakeholders.

Lately we’ve seen prominent celebrities attaching their names and faces to nonprofit campaigns…these campaigns have in turn achieved levels of brand awareness that rival that of today’s most prominent corporations. Examples of celebrity-cause partnerships are Bono and Product (Red); Angelina Jolie and UNICEF; and who can forget Lance Armstrong and his own cancer fighting organization LiveStrong.

Strategic philanthropy is often contracted out to consultancies that specialize in this niche market - but you don’t have to look too far to find great development officers and directors that work on corporate partnership strategies in-house. Companies that provide cause-marketing and strategic philanthropy services include Business for Social Responsibility, Business in the Community, Cone, and Changing Our World.

And of course, there’s a web tie-in…check out the new startup Causecast.org. Causecast teams up nonprofit organizations with corporate and celebrity sponsors while providing a web platform for donations, promotional media, and social networking. Any 501(c)(3) organization can join Causecast and begin accepting donations immediately - they can also upload campaign-related media, provide real-time campaign updates, and use Causecast’s blogging system.

Click Here for an Update: More Web 2.0 Social Networks for ‘Causes’ and ‘Nonprofits’

Today in the news: Audi has alloted $2.5 million to support the Best Buddies (intellectual disabilities organization) bicycling challenge; Miller Lite raised more than $500,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association; and Olivia Newton-John has partnered with Curves to distribute 1 million breast self-exam aids.

Image Bank: