Africa is often described as a continent rich in natural resources, but the deeper story is about who controls those resources, who profits from them, and how much value remains in African economies after extraction. The continent holds enormous deposits of gold, diamonds, cobalt, copper, uranium, oil, natural gas, platinum, iron ore and other minerals, alongside major agricultural resources such as cocoa, coffee, tea and cotton. These resources have made Africa central to global trade for centuries. Long before modern multinational corporations arrived, African gold, salt, ivory and other commodities were moving through extensive regional and international trade networks. During European colonial rule, however, the extraction of African resources became closely tied to systems designed to benefit colonial powers, with raw materials frequently exported while industrial development and manufacturing remained limited within the colonies.
That history still matters today. Having valuable resources does not automatically make a country wealthy. The real economic power comes from being able to process, manufacture and add value to those resources, create skilled jobs, negotiate strong contracts and ensure that local communities benefit from the wealth beneath their land. A country that exports raw minerals and then imports finished products made from those same materials can capture far less economic value than a country that develops the industries needed to process them. This is why Africa’s resource wealth should not simply be celebrated as proof of abundance. It should also raise questions about ownership, infrastructure, trade agreements, taxation, corruption, industrialization and who ultimately benefits. Africa has never lacked resources. One of the biggest challenges has been turning that enormous wealth into broad and lasting prosperity for the people who live on the continent. #BlackHistory #AfricanHistory #Africa
Yes: handwriting still matters.
A new study has confirmed that writing by hand activates far more complex and widespread neural networks in the brain than typing, underscoring its importance for learning and memory.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology used a high-density EEG cap with 256 electrodes to record brain activity in university students. They found that the intricate, sensory-rich movements involved in handwriting, especially cursive, trigger highly synchronized brain waves across extensive areas of the parietal and central regions. These coordinated patterns are strongly linked to memory formation, cognitive processing, and encoding new information.
In contrast, typing, which involves repetitive, simpler finger movements, produced significantly less neural connectivity and engagement. The difference was striking: the brain appears much less active during digital writing.
The researchers conclude that the unique motor and sensory experience of holding a pen plays a key role in brain development and learning. As a result, they argue that handwriting instruction should remain a core part of education to support deeper comprehension and cognitive growth in the next generation.
[ “Handwriting vs. Typing: A High-Density EEG Study on Brain Connectivity During Learning” — Norwegian University of Science and Technology (published in Frontiers in Psychology, 2025)]
@VinylAngel Problem is the franchises, and I say this this because I've experienced it, with kfc, chicken Licken, Pedro's and etc, I Pretoria I know for a fact that I buy my chicken Licken at Sunnyside, best that one, I have to go Arcadia for KFC and Pretoria west for Pedro's