Maija Puddle.com

… and listening to some Russian music.
So lately I feel the news shouldn’t be read first thing in the morning, maybe not even right before bed. Not really a way to start the day, or to end the day. Sometime in the middle of the day in between some yummy food, and a meeting to see a good friend I’ll squeeze in the daily headlines. I’m just waiting for some kinda good news I guess, maybe a Olympic medal for Canada? I like reading warm fuzzy stories like Acts of Kindness blog on the Toronto Star website. Hopefully not asking too much but it would be nice to read perhaps a balanced amount of good and bad news. So I guess a lot of really great news would then be needed.
So I’ve been filing my head with stories of Albinos in Tanzania, after speaking with a friend who just returned from Mwanza. She was obviously shaken after meeting with some albinos and hearing horrific stories. Her view of the peaceful city she used to live in seems now slightly tarnished. This year in Tanzania 19 albinos including children, have been murdered and bodies mutilated. Even a parent has killed their own child. There is a widespread belief reinforced by local witch doctors that albinos contain super powers, and that by bringing an albino body part back to a witch doctor will result in getting whatever it is they are looking for; success, wealth, healing etc. The president of Tanzania has tried to combat this by sponsoring an albino woman to the Parliament, not exactly sure what that will do but its a start I suppose. At least recognizing the problem and trying to do something about it. Albinos in Tanzania (affecting approximately 1,200) are living in fear; children are not going to school, people are staying inside or carrying weapons with them. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/world/africa/08albino.html)