9/5/06

photos (and events ) that changed the world

I received a really captivating gift from I-mei about a month ago: the collection "photos that changed the world". The photos and the stories behind them are riveting as expected. The selection of events are a tad centered aound the western world but then again 1) so is the target audience and 2) that is the reality of the world today: western-centered. A sample of the pictures are available here. Many of the pictures are related to some events discussed in the Gavroche Awards (Tianamen, Cambodia, Mandela...)
So why bringing that up now ? 2 reasons:
1) Even on the blogosphere, and even with the globalization process, our interest are all mainly centered around our own community, our people, our culture. However, once in a while, some events transcend our restricted community and remind us that we are all part of this small place called earth. Those photos are the concrete evidence that some actions can touch us all in the exact same manner.
2) the 5th year anniversary of september, 11th is fast approaching. Since that day, I think it is safe to say that everyone's way of thinking and planning have been altered (even if you don't live in a western country). And since that day, at least 4 more events (and photos) will most certainly be added to a newer edition of the boook. Case in point:











("In the deep" Crash soundstrack)
I am still shellshocked by the succession of tragedies in the past 5 years. To those sad photos would be added pictures of the London and Mumbai bombings, the Darfur disaster and the AIDS pandemic....believe me, I am not trying to bum everyone out. I am just trying to position properly in history the magnitude of those recent events. And their impact on all of us is indeniable, maybe it is a small world after all.... I am almost certain there is a glaring omission but I cannot think of one right now.


12 comments:

  1. I know what you mean. This is becoming such a scary world. I wonder what things will be like going into the future and what kind of a world I have brought my son into...

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  2. Anonymous4:54 AM

    Salut,
    Sympa ton blog.Je passe vite fait après qu'on m'ait parlé de toi (une amie qui est l'ami de l'un(e) de tes ami(e)s...lol) Cette amie (Ramya pour ne pas la citer) n'arrête pas de me demander ce qu'est le "Malagasy whistle"...et moi je n'en ai aucune idée. Je suis bien malgache mais je suis né en France et ai toujours vécu là-bas alors ma connaissance est limitée en ce domaine (je sais honte à moi!).

    Pour info je vis actuellement en Malaisie (retour aux sources si je puis dire).

    Au plaisir et bonne continuation...

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  3. > rohini, sweet of you to come visit and drop a line ! Without being overly pessimistic, the last few years have been worrisome; I did not even mention the War in Iraq and the Lebanon crisis...However, the future cannot de so grim if more well balanced children are raised in a loving home such as yours. They will right the course of this ship in the proper direction.
    > David, salut a toi, Malagasy en pelerinage sur la terre des ancetres :). Ah le "malagasy whistle" ! Parfois imite, jamais egale ;) !Signe de reconnaissance pour la diaspora malgache mais qui est certainement un peu vulgaire car l'origine du son a la base est un gros mot. Cependant nombreux comme moi, ont presque oublie le sens pejoratif et reagissent tres positivement a ce son. Je ne connais pas ton ami mais je peux imaginer qui est l'ami en commun. Merci a lui/elle de t'avoir aiguille de ce cote du monde et reviens nous vite car nous sommes tous friands de nouvelles en provenance de la terre des ancestres :).

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  5. oui, je suis le amis en commun. Ramya est ici.

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  6. >Mosi, Ben Voila ! :). We should do the 6 degree of separation thing, could be fun :). Just checking Ramya's blog, nice!

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  7. yeah try typing "condoms" on her blog search thingi as well as "coco"... those are really good.

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  8. il est certain qu'il est dans l'interet des medias de dramatiser les choses pour attirer le plus de monde. Si la France s'y met aussi pour les menaces d'attentats....;). Mais tu vois, je pense que le danger le plus urgent,c'est justement la desensibilisation parce qu'il y a trop de mauvaises nouvelles. Je pense que l'on peut se passer de savoir que l'alerte terroriste est au rouge tous les matins (qui est invitation a la peur injustifiee) mais on ne devrait pas etre indifferent a l'immensite de la souffrance causee par le Tsunami. Je leve mon verre au prochain journal sans mauvaises nouvelles ;) PS: Marylin en jupette fait partie de ces photos ;)

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  9. >Jogany, my pleasure, happy to see that things are moving along for you. let me know how it goes and come back soon ;) !
    >harinjaka, c'est un truc de ouf cela. Il me semble aussi que c'est une femme mais elle se contredit assez souvent alors je ne suis pa sur. Si elle a vraiment des enfants et qu'elle va au bout de ses intentions, c'est extremement triste...apparement son frere est mort le 11 sept ce qui expliquerait ses choix...si ce n'est pas un canular, ca ressemble fort a un appel au secours.
    Enjoy your week-end to the fullest still !

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  10. Anonymous10:59 AM

    OK...i've been tryng to post this comment on your page and it keeps giving me some crap about how i can't comment on a non beta blog! So, i amn logging in as "other" just to post this :)


    hey there...thanks for dropping by my page! And err...i've no clue what are saying in these posts coz they are all in French! BTW, David takes offence that he might be part of the great malagasy cloning process and insists that he is unique! And he just went and shaved his head off and looks a bit like a Mid eastern Terrorist!:)
    And he still hasn't figured out that what the Malagasy whistle means.

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  11. Hello ramya,
    Thanks for stopping by, sorry for the french posts: My dad has been giving me fits about me ostracizing him (with the english posts thing) so I am trying to balance it out...not doing a good job, hey ? I have been trying to use the new beta as well but the shortcomings outweigh the advantages so far....(new template, no hacking possible). Tell David that we should be proud because we Malagasy manage to make human cloning and genetic engineering obsolete. Ahead of (the science)curve, if you will. Your queston about the malagasy whistle inspired a friend (http://harinjaka.com) who promised to have the whistle on mp3 soon and maybe rename his blog accordingly :). It's a basic rallying sound for Malagasy abroad. When we think we may have passed a "potential" malagasy, we whistle a distinctive sound that everyone knows. If the person turns around and nod, he/she is Malagasy (except if he is a senior citizen and then he may object to such behavior). That's about it in a nutshell.

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  12. > Ramya and David
    here is the whistle:
    http://harinjaka.com/media/MP3/Malagasywhistle.mp3
    courtesy of harinjaka at
    http://harinjaka.com/weblog/

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