The afiivé Group

The UN World Food Programme Delays Food Airlift to Somalia

Lola — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:52:35 +0000

It's hard to even correctly blog about what's happening to our brothers and sisters in the Horn right now. Famine, caused by severe drought, has struck parts of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and most of Somalia with over 10 million people labeled as "food insecure." To make matters worse, the BBC reports that food aid that is supposed to be en-route to be distributed within Somalia is being delayed on account of administrative reasons.

Excerpt from BBC article:

The BBC's Andrew Harding says getting aid deeper into Somalia "is very slow, very complicated and... very dangerous"

The UN World Food Programme says it is delaying airlifting food to Somalia's capital for administrative reasons.

It was to be the first airlift of food aid since the UN declared a famine in two areas of Somalia last week.

Islamists, who control most of Somalia, have banned the WFP from their areas and thousands of people are fleeing towards the capital in search of food.

Somali Foreign Minister Mohamed Ibrahim has warned more than 3.5 million people "may starve to death" in his country.

To read the entire article, click here.

Iman, Somali-born fashion icon and Save the Children ambassador, also weighed in, describing the situation in Somalia as getting worse.

We did some additional research on what brought about the famine and found a very informative website, Earth Observatory.Nasa.Gov. A few notes from the site:

The crop grown during this period [in the region] is typically planted in March or April, when the first rains of the year fall. In 2011, the rains were late, falling in late April and May, and inadequate. The crops were planted late and are only now being harvested. In southern Somalia, currently the most severely impacted region, the harvest is expected to be 50 percent below average, says the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). Pastures are also sparse, putting stress on livestock.

The poor harvest and lack of pasture in July compounds existing food security problems. The previous crop, harvested early in the year, was also poor. In Somalia, the harvest was less than 20 percent of the average harvest, and people began to run short on food in April. Another bad harvest reduces food availability even more, which means that food prices will likely rise more in the coming months.

Over the past three months, tens of thousands of people have died in Somalia, and, as the image shows, the current harvest is unlikely to bring relief. Ba

The food security crisis is the worst since 1991-92, says FEWS NET. The drought behind the crisis is the worst in the region in the last 60 years, with some areas experiencing one of the driest years on record.

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I knew it was bad, but I didn't know just how bad until reading that. I wonder if there's any way an individual can get involved with relief efforts. Even if its financially supporting an organization that's trying to bring aid. If anyone has any suggestions, please note it in the comments section below.

Sunday Thoughts on Greatness – July 24, 2011

Lola — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 23:17:59 +0000

I've been asking God lately, for some guidance on what exactly I'm supposed to do with this life gift He's given me. I look at folks who say they've known since exiting the womb what they want to be and by the time they're 24, they're in the Hall of Fame for their profession. That's all well and good...but what about me, who's wanted to be everything from a lawyer to a hair salon franchise owner. lol, what do I do? So I've been asking God for guidance. Show me a sign or something to let me know what I need to do to be at the level of some of the business people I admire the most - Oprah, Richard Branson, Jay Z, Felix Dennis, etc. - are on. Today, I got some insight.

Before I go into the answer, I'll tell you how my day went. I got up early to get a ride to church. Got there a few hours before first service, so I checked my blogs to see what was going on in the world. Came across this Jay Z and Kanye West mini documentary on the making of the Watch the Throne album:

Aside from being a fan, I couldn't help but think two things:

1) These two are being exactly who they are. Yes, they're making lots of money, but more important is how they're doing it - using their naturally endowed gifts. Like that's what they've decided they were built to do. So they do it. And have a good time too.

2) Kanye west really believes every word that comes out of his mouth. And I respect that.

Watched the vid, then heard the Word (message for today). It was entitled, the Voice of Faith. Basically, Pastor talked about how change in your life, begins with you. Not with you begging God to change your life. But you believing in your heart that your life is changed, confessing that belief into existence, and walking by faith, creating your reality based on the new belief in your heart. Here's the audio from today's service:

Voice of Africa

{To begin- press "Play" on the Audio Player - if you have any problems, let us know}

I've been reflecting on it all day and I've come to the conclusion that greatness comes from:

1) Being the best version of exactly who you are. Using the gifts you were given, the delicious mix of likes, dislikes, talents, abilities, quirks and creativity, to create the reality you want.

2) Believing in yourself. Not that esoteric, high in the sky, corny stuff, but a real change of heart. A real "I was born to do this" kind of thing.

I think for me, practicing number two will be the hardest because I have a sub conscience fear of failure. I won't lie, I generally don't like doing things I'm not damn near perfect at. We all have our things. But that's the spice of life, right? Figuring it out, being open to insight, moving ahead, making mistakes, learning, loving, living.

Still blurry on a few things...but I know afiive is part of my story. I'm a little Kanye with my belief that we're all superheros (all black everything), so I'm just going to continue to rock with that. And have a good time with the girls, doing it.

What do you think? Where does greatness lie for you? What does it mean to you?.

Ghost-Riding in Soweto

Toushi — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 01:13:13 +0000

Oftentimes, when I hear of ghost-riding or spinning, the first thing that comes to mind is the E-40 song "Tell me when to go" or the hyphy movement in the Bay Area of California. Little did I know, my brothers and sisters in Soweto were joining the movement.

Though once considered an illegal activity, the youth of Soweto enthusiastically look forward to the sounds of revving engines and screeching tires. With music thumping in the background, crowds cheer on their favorite drivers. Spinning has become a celebrated sport where no trophies are won, only street credit is given. From afiive, we say cheers to another form of self-expression, just be safe wiping hard!!

Check out the video from CNN above. What do you think?...going to be spinning soon?

No Money = No Elections in Zimbabwe

Toushi — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:39:17 +0000

Basically, Zimbabwe is not going to be able to afford it's presidential election this year unless it gets a huge financial boost asap. The country's Electoral Commission is struggling financially to put on the big event; and they've only received about $8.5 million dollars from the country's treasury to run it.

Summing up from the CNN article, the Electoral Commission Chairman has reported that it's basically barely above water and the elections will likely be postponed until 2012. The problem is mainly due to a power-sharing failure between Mugabe's Zanu PF party and Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change, MDC. Under the power-sharing deal of 2008, both parties agreed to a referendum for a new constitution prior to general elections. Unfortunately that deal failed, leaving the people of Zimbabwe with an uncertain future.

So family, here is my question, do you all think that it is truly a lack of funds which is delaying the elections or is it another attempt by Mugabe to hold on to power, which could lead the country into a state of violence like we saw in 2007?

Hotdog Stands and Tips for Starting Your Business Now

Lola — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:38:20 +0000

Mmm, had to share this article from Inc. with you because it's a topic that continually bothers me - the dreaming of a business vs. the actual starting of a business. Dreaming, is by far, the easier thing to do. No matter where you are, it only takes a moment to slip away into "perfect business land" where you start daydreaming about how wonderful and practical your business is. If you're anything like me, day in and day out, you build the biz in your head, adding new features, editing current stuff, changing design, spotting new potential partners, silently insulting potential competitors, thinking in your head, I can do better. The funny part is, while you're dreaming, they're doing. Hence they're winning. The INC article provides some insight on ways to help you get started and move from thinker to doer. Check it out after the click.

As Jen Hosser writes:

As a serial entrepreneur, I've had my share of new business ideas and (nerd alert!) I find it fun to think about them. Many don’t last longer than it takes me to say, "Hey, it would be cool to (insert idea du jour)." But occasionally an idea sticks with me. I find myself dreaming about turning it into a business. But actually taking the first steps can feel intimidating, even when I’ve done it before.

So that's when I think about something my grandparents used to say to each other. My grandmother would begin happy hour with, "I'm thinking about having a drink," to which my grandfather would reply, "Stop thinking and start pouring!" That philosophy never fails to inspire me to make an easy move to get going.

Here are some pointers to get you building your business now:

Take a step, any step. One of the things that makes starting so hard is that there's so much to do. It's overwhelming. So just pick something—anything—and do it. You'll feel good getting a task done and then be encouraged to take on another one. Before you know it, you're on your way. I usually start with something I like to do, and can get done in one sitting. For example, since I'm a product person, I will write a quick description of what the product offering will be. Then I'll add who will buy it and why. I won't sweat it if it's not perfect (see the next point) because I can change it later. Now I feel pretty darn good because I got started.

Keep it simple and forget perfect. Jason Fried of 37signals, a Chicago web company, says this best:

"If you're opening a hot dog stand, you could worry about the condiments, the cart, the name, the decoration. But the first thing you should worry about is the hot dog. The hot dogs are the epicenter. Everything else is secondary."

Figure out what your hot dog is, hold the (perfect) trimmings for later and you'll find starting gets much simpler.

Don't reinvent the wheel. There is no need to build something from scratch that you can rent, lease, or (better yet) use for no or low cost. For example, when you are building your website, consider using WordPress or Blogger rather than having a custom-coded website built. The "off the shelf" tools are much cheaper, faster, and easier to use while you're learning what is needed for your business.

For Steps 4 and 5, click to read the rest of the article.

What's your take on the situation? Opinions in the comments section below.

Video: Kanye West Signing Dbanj and DonJazzy to G.O.O.D Music

Lola — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 11:09:53 +0000

Ahh, I've been holding out on you people. As soon as I walked in to work yesterday, my colleague/gidi culture consultant J, put me on to this vid of Kanye West signing Dbanj and Don Jazzy to his music label G.O.O.D Music. Best part of the vid for me? Seeing Kanye sing along to Scapegoat (starts at 3:10). Major moves for the entertainers...on both sides of the ocean. Watch the video after the click.

So - what did you think of the pending collabo? Is this the future of Africa's music scene? or is this just a one off? Opinions in the comments section below!

Tune in to Smooth FM 98.1 Tomorrow – I’m On

Lola — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 05:59:36 +0000

Got a chance to sit down and chat with Fisayo over at Smooth FM 98.1 Lagos last week. The segment is being replayed tomorrow, Tuesday, April 19th at 12:30p. More about what we talk about after the jump. In the Small Business segment, Fisayo and I talk about ideas for entrepreneurs in Nigeria - where to get your ideas, what are some of the first moves to make when implementing your ideas (registration vs. testing it out), etc. I even throw out an idea that I'm currently working on that relates to finding housing in Lagos. Tune in and let me know what you think!

Artistry – Ms. Noble

Lola — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:06:13 +0000

Art is a reflection of soul. Loving this Untitled piece by Farida, aka Ms. Noble. View another after the click.

Appreciating the greenage.

MI Official Video – Undisputed

Lola — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:10:28 +0000

"Undisputed" was the first track I heard off the MI 2 album before it exploded on Twitter. Glad MI didn't take to long to put out a video for it. Check out the video and his white suit swag after the click.

So, what do you think? Enjoyed it? What you expected? Fly or Faux? - Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Lil Wayne Interviewed by Paris Hilton – Interview Magazine

Lola — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:32:58 +0000

Andy Warhol's Interview Magazine brought together Lil Wayne and Paris Hilton for its April Issue. Along with Interview contributing editor, Dmitri Ehrlich, the two vibe about prison time, music and more. Click for snippets.

On Music:

HILTON: So you said you've been rapping since you were 8 or 9. Do you remember your earliest rhyme?

WAYNE: I honestly don't. I remember some parts of it. I remember the content of what I was rapping about, but I definitely don't remember the first rap. But I remember where my head was at and what I was thinking about and things like that. I just wanted to be like Cash Money. That's all it was. At the time, though, I think I was more fixated on groups like Another Bad Creation and Kris Kross and stuff like that.

HILTON: I know that you helped discover Drake, and now he has become one of hip-hop's biggest names. What potential did you see in him and what have you been able to impart to him from your own experiences?

WAYNE: When I first heard Drake, I already knew that he had potential beyond my imagination, because the kid was singing and rapping-and he was rapping real well. So that's kind of an odd mixture-like, you don't get somebody very often who is real good at this and real good at that. So that's when I already knew that he was gonna blow up, right there. He would've done it-with me or not-I just wanted to make sure it was with me. And the main thing I've told him, or taught him, for lack of better words, is just to stay humble and remember who you are throughout it all, because there's gonna be moments in every single day when you'll have to go back to that person and reflect on that person. You have to self-reflect. If you forget who you actually are, then what's the use of even looking in the mirror.

HILTON: When you're writing lyrics, do you ever worry about being offensive, or that you'll kind of have to, like, edit them?

WAYNE: No. That's one thing about me, and I think that's what most of my fans enjoy about me, that I don't hold nothing back. I do exactly what I want to do, and say exactly what I want to say. Sometimes I consider the fact that I have a daughter, but I also think about the realities of the world, and just let her know that this is the reality and this world is crazy and there are people out there that are a certain kind of way. I mean, once I get through that hump, then, like I said, I just say what's on my mind.

HILTON: Who do you make music for?

WAYNE: I make it for my fans, honestly. I make it for my fans.

HILTON: One thing I've noticed is that a lot of rappers, if you say to them, "Why are your lyrics about money, sex, and violence?" they'll say, "Well, we're telling it like it is. We're being realistic." But if you want to do something different and fresh, how do you do that?

WAYNE: You have to be an overall different type of person. Music is a reflection of who you are, and if those things that you mentioned are what your music is all about, then I guess that's who you are. I mean, I think it's just that simple. You have to be someone who is able to speak about different things. I speak about what I speak about, and I guess that's because I'm a crazy-ass nigga. [Hilton laughs] Kanye [West] speaks about a lot of different things, but that's because of who he is. You have Jay-Z, and he speaks about more corporate things, and I'm quite sure he's a pretty corporate guy. But I guess it's all who you are.

EHRLICH: Who do you like to listen to?

Honestly, I don't listen to nobody else's music but my own. It's kind of like sports to me. You don't see Kobe Bryant at a LeBron James game-he just works on his own game. And that's what I do. I only listen to me, so I can criticize and analyze and all those things.

On Being Different:

HILTON: While you were in prison you released another album, called I Am Not A Human Being. What does that title mean?

WAYNE: It's just saying that I'm not the same as other people. I don't think the same. I don't do the same things. I just feel out of this world sometimes.

HILTON: Do you believe in horoscopes?

WAYNE: I've read horoscopes before and what they say about Libras. But I would actually love to not be what somebody writes down-I don't want to be described. I don't want you to be able to read something and say, "This is how Wayne is." I'd rather you meet me and decide. I'd rather be different, basically. So, yes, I've read the horoscopes, and I see what they say. But I'd rather be something else.

On Prison Time:

EHRLICH: I was reading that during your last month in prison, they put you in solitary confinement for having an iPod or something like that. I've heard that being in solitary is the most torturous thing in the world. What was that like for you?

WAYNE: For me it was okay, because it just meant that I was alone with my thoughts. There were times when it was pretty tough to be by yourself, and to have no television, no sort ofnothing. That was kind of tough. But I didn't have to be in there long. It was just a month. I was okay. I did fine.

EHRLICH: So literally a month without talking to any human beings except the guards. You're totally isolated?

WAYNE: Nah. There were guys next to me and things like that. You could speak through the walls and stuff. It wasn't totally silent like you would think it is.

EHRLICH: Can you still work out when you're in solitary? Do you get time in the yard?

WAYNE: Yeah, yeah. I got an hour in the yard every day, so I was able to do all those things.

HILTON: I had to do 24 nights in solitary. [Hilton was held in a separate cell as a safety precaution.]

WAYNE: Oh, so you know how it is.

HILTON: Yeah, I know how it is.

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To read the entire interview, pick up a copy of this month's Interview Magazine, or check out more of the excerpt on the site.