On the one year anniversary of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, artists from the U.K. activist group, Liberate Tate, staged an intervention they titled “Human Cost” at the Tate Britain.
- Source: art-for-a-change.com

Below is an email we got from a Kubatana subscriber.

My dream this year is to see a democratic transition in Zimbabwe. I believe as an individual I can contribute towards the realisation of this goal without expecting personal rewards. I want to develop the habit of volunteering towards bettering my family, church and immediate community and society. – Ittai

It is the New Year and I believe most of you celebrated the New Year with a party with your loved ones. It is time to realign your energy. Start the new year by loving yourself because you cannot love others if you don’t start by loving yourself.  Learn to forgive others though sometimes it is difficult to let go of grudges. Sometimes you have to let go off the past and renew your vision. If you were not talking to your neighbour in the previous year because his dog gave you sleepless nights its time to surprise him with a morning greeting. Make your health your first priority every morning because if you fall sick all your plans for the year will fail.

Set your New Year resolutions correctly and be positive, don’t be like me … I have already broken one my New Year resolutions! Choose to be a leader in 2012 and not to always be in the background. If the elections being planned in this country are going to be held this year surprise people by throwing in your name to be voted for, be it for council, parliament or presidential elections. Create an opportunity for yourself in 2012 when others are complaining of economic down turns – who knows maybe you may hit the jackpot!

Have hope that everything will be fine in 2012 and make your dreams come alive.

Happy New Year!

Tickled by this on Poetry International and got some more here.

New York City shows its poetic prowess by using artistic haiku safety signs at heavily trafficked areas. Referred to as “Curbside Haiku,” the Department of Transportation (DOT) launched the campaign in November, 2011. New Yorkers will soon see these creative traffic safety signs throughout the five boroughs.

The brightly colored signs mimicking traditional street safety signs were created by artist John Morse. The colorful artwork is accompanied by a catchy haiku poem about traffic safety. NYC was the venue of legendary poets such as Emma Lazarus, Anthony Hecht and Walt Whitman. As an artists’ mecca, this unique campaign seems to suit the city.

There are 144 signs promoting road safety placed throughout NYC. Each sign encourages safety by focusing on various modes of transportation including walking, biking and driving. The goal is to keep the city streets safe for everyone using them.

According to the NYC DOT, some of the signs are mysteriously fun with an embedded QR code. People with smartphone apps use them to discover the safety message. Some are hung in pairs with an image and haiku text. The idea is to ensure the signs are noticed so safety messages are delivered.

US Embassy Public Affairs Section:
Our office is considering candidates for the Fortune 500/U.S. State Department Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership, a mentoring program for emerging women leaders from around the world, scheduled for April 29 through May 24, 2012.  Applicants must be women between the ages of 25 and 43 who are likely to reach the top levels of their business or NGO sector.  To receive a copy of the application form please email us on hararepas [at] state [dot] gov

LONDON, United-Kingdom, December 9, 2011/ — Legatum (http://www.legatum.com), a private international investment group and Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm, today announced that SECURICO has won the US $100,000 grand prize of the 2011 Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship (http://www.AfricaAwards.com).  Based in Harare, Zimbabwe, SECURICO provides guarding services and electronic security solutions, and is the first security company in Zimbabwe to be ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) certified. SECURICO has more than 3,400 employees, 900 of which are women, making it the largest employer of women in the private sector. The company exemplifies the vital role played by entrepreneurs in creating economic growth, prosperity, and realising opportunity in Africa.

African press Organisation