So apparently, in 2012, the city of Timbuktu was occupied by Muslim extremists. Since Timbuktu used to be a city of scholars, it's got a lot of old manuscripts. The extremists tried to destroy the writings that they deemed "blasphemous," but they didn't have much success - largely because the most valuable manuscripts are personally owned and scattered among the people that live there.
This article is about some of the people who've made it their mission to preserve these artifacts. One of the points made in the article is that they're trying to make digital copies of the manuscripts in case anything happens to the originals. Things like insects and water damage remain a threat to even the best-kept writings, after all.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Paint the Town Pink
When I looked for an article to post about, I tried to find something that wasn't in the top cluster. I was looking for something that was unique, interesting, and not likely to be posted by someone else. I also wanted something that wasn't depressing - we hear enough bad news already.
This is what I found.
Apparently, there had been pink paint appearing on abandoned buildings in Johannesburg (South Africa) over the summer. Just a few days ago, the person in charge of the project made himself known. He's an artist from New York who came to the city for a different project, but noticed the old buildings and started to find out more. Apparently, a lot of them have squatters living there, many of whom are forced to pay "rent" to people who don't even own the buildings. They don't usually have water or electricity, either.
As it turns out, housing is a real issue in South Africa. A lot of people live in makeshift houses or other similarly unstable dwellings. Certain parts of Johannesburg also have a serious problem with crime, and the housing situation seems to contribute to this. So this artist decided to start painting buildings pink, choosing the color because it seemed a good choice to represent safety. He and a team of over 30 people got together and started the project, with the intention of drawing attention to both the abundance of abandoned buildings and the living conditions of those who make them their homes.
There have been mixed reactions to the project, but it seems like most of the reception has been positive. It's also harmless - the paint washes off if anyone wants it gone, and most of the buildings already have graffiti elsewhere.
I think it's a cool idea, myself. Not only does it make the dull, broken-down buildings look more lively, it also draws attention to a cause that doesn't seem to get the attention it should.
This is what I found.
Apparently, there had been pink paint appearing on abandoned buildings in Johannesburg (South Africa) over the summer. Just a few days ago, the person in charge of the project made himself known. He's an artist from New York who came to the city for a different project, but noticed the old buildings and started to find out more. Apparently, a lot of them have squatters living there, many of whom are forced to pay "rent" to people who don't even own the buildings. They don't usually have water or electricity, either.
As it turns out, housing is a real issue in South Africa. A lot of people live in makeshift houses or other similarly unstable dwellings. Certain parts of Johannesburg also have a serious problem with crime, and the housing situation seems to contribute to this. So this artist decided to start painting buildings pink, choosing the color because it seemed a good choice to represent safety. He and a team of over 30 people got together and started the project, with the intention of drawing attention to both the abundance of abandoned buildings and the living conditions of those who make them their homes.
There have been mixed reactions to the project, but it seems like most of the reception has been positive. It's also harmless - the paint washes off if anyone wants it gone, and most of the buildings already have graffiti elsewhere.
I think it's a cool idea, myself. Not only does it make the dull, broken-down buildings look more lively, it also draws attention to a cause that doesn't seem to get the attention it should.
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