Preparing for a Better Tomorrow

Most coverage about Afghanistan in today’s media is about the endless violence and pointless deaths every day. What’s more important and meaningful in the country is the education of the children and their future. Every country across the world has its own beliefs and values that differ from the next country, but one belief is universal worldwide, and that belief is “knowledge is power.”

Though Afghanistan is an impoverished territory that is ridden with corruption and day to day extremism, many people there are still positive minded and looking forward to the future because of the opportunity for learning. Needless to say, the citizens there are serious about their children’s education and want to progress as a nation.

Optimized curriculum alone inside the classroom will not push education in Afghanistan into overdrive. To speed up the process, access to the World Wide Web is more than a necessity, it is vital for the new generations of people in the country. With this essential need, organizations like Film Annex have stepped up to the plate with mind, body, and soul to help out.

Just this month a fourth Internet classroom was built from the floor up with everything from furniture to full computer and network hardware. And this was just at one school, Qowaye Chahar Zarehdar. Film Annex’s efforts to establish the internet inside school classrooms continues on beyond this location. Current progress is moving forward to build internet classrooms inside Hatifi High School as well, which is also in Herat.

With more and more schools gaining this much needed access to the internet, every time a new internet classroom opens the brighter the future looks for Afghanistan. This may be hard to believe with the constant drama there, but brains will beat out the ignorance in the long run.

www.filmannex.com/webtv/seundatraylor

The Tale of A Basketball Wife & A Football Player

All we can say is damn! We thought the Kim Kardashian marriage ended fast; the marriage between Evelyn Lozada and Chad Johnson/Chad Ochocinco, or whoever he's supposed to be made that marriage seem like an eternity. When will these men learn, you can't turn a Reality TV h-- into a housewife. And a man who's had his own reality show (T.Ocho Show) so to speak, can't be trusted.

So when Chad and Evelyn got together initially, some people thought it was a cute couple (for TV) and others thought, really? Truth be told, she's just another pretty face benefiting from America's sad fascination with watching peoples lives on TV. Oh, we can't forget she was engaged to former NBA player Antoine Walker. Maybe that counts for something. But technically, she's not even a basketball "wife." 

Her website meta description on Google search says she "is one of the most sought after reality personalities to date." Sought after for what? Toot it and boot it! Perhaps Chad Johnson was sprung for whatever reason, but a smart man wouldn't have married her. In 1990, Bell Biv Devoe said you can't trust a big butt and a smile. Ain't nothing changed. 

Ok enough about Evelyn. Chad isn't really too great himself these days. Reports have it that this whole drama actually started because of him and his possession of extra "helmets." Furthermore, his career in the NFL has went belly up for the most part since 2008, with a somewhat descent season in 2009. He stunk like a week old dead body last year while playing for the New England Patriots. So they sent him to the coroner's office, aka free agency. 

The Miami Dolphins decided to give him a chance and signed him in the off season. Then soon as WWE star Chad Johnson headbutted his wife, the Dolphins cut him immediately once the news hit the press. Now he's waiting for the legal process to run its course as Evelyn has filed for divorce. In addition, VH1 has canceled the premier of the couple's reality show due to air next month. 

Back To The Future

While many Afghan citizens are excited about the current progress in the country and potential for the future, just as many are also concerned about what the future holds. This is because NATO forces and the U.S. Military announced 2014 would be the end of major military involvement. When the Afghanistan War begin in 2001, constant violence became just as normal as putting shoes on every day. Whether it was sniper attacks, suicide bombings, rocket attacks, kidnappings, poisonings, or executions each day brought the expected unexpected. Civilians across Afghanistan were killed in high numbers weekly, both intentionally and accidentally.

The last couple of year’s significant improvements came about in terms of violence in Afghanistan, when NATO military members successfully trained Afghan men to handle security issues as military personnel and police officers throughout the country. The training provided allowed Afghans to handle various security matters without assistance from NATO. This type of success amongst other things led to the announcement of the 2014 withdrawal date. In addition to the situation on the ground improving, education in Afghanistan also vastly improved. Schools in the country have been rebuilt, renovated, and provided with better curriculum. Some school classrooms have even gained full access to the internet.

Though the overall standing of Afghanistan made a change for the better, the country is still not perfect and continues to have an uncertain future past 2014 once NATO completes a significant troop drawdown. Some Afghans fear that without a strong coalition presence the Taliban will be go back to their old ways and gain control of the country once again. One reason that gives Afghan citizens this type of feeling is because recently 14 Afghan police officers surprisingly joined the Taliban. The period of time from 1996-2001 saw the Taliban run everything from the government to the topics covered inside the classroom. Then once the U.S. and NATO military coalition entered Afghanistan, things in the country changed for the better. After the coalition leaves, will things make a turn for the worse?

www.filmannex.com/webtv/seundatraylor