New York Movie Prices in Accra?

We were all set to see the film Avatar tonight. It had great reviews and seemed like a lovely diversion from the gloomy Christmas spirit of 2009. Where else in Accra can one see fresh releases such as Avatar on a wide-screen with crystal-clear surround sound but at the Silverbird Cinema at the Accra Mall? 

Any  Silverbird regular knows that they charge GHC10.00 ($7) for a movie which many people consider quite steep. I was among those "many people" but had come to accept that the price wasn't coming down anytime soon. My first trip over to Silverbird to see Quantum of Solace was so enjoyable I blogged about it.

Anyway, I had trouble finding movie times for Avatar online so en route to Tema this morning, I stopped by the Accra Mall. I found the perfect movie time (6:05pm) but just when I was leaving, my eyes fell on a small notice at the empty ticket desk. It read something like: 

"Due to circumstances beyond our control -blah-blah-blah- management would like to announce effective 18th December 2009 the following increases in ticket prices...."

Indeed. Adult tickets are now going for GHC 15.00 ($10.71) while there are discounts for students, senior citizens and children. What?!! Suddenly, Avatar at GHC15.00 without drinks and popcorn did not seem worth it! I called up Daixy whom I was supposed to see the film with and told her about the price hike. She was at the mall later and called me back to confirm that I was not hallucinating when I read the notice, there was actually a 50% price hike.

 "Well", she said "We can always go dressed as Seniors!". I laughed but hmmm maybe it is not such a bad idea!

Out of curiosity, I went online to see how much Avatar would cost at  AMC Empire 25 in the middle of Times Square New York. You get the full movie experience plus the hustle, bustle and bright lights of the city that never (ever) sleeps!

Watching Avatar tonight at the AMC Empire 25 would set you back $12.50. If you were to take the subway into the borough of Brooklyn, you could watch it there for $9 at the Bay Ridge Alpine Cinema. Does the Silverbird price hike sounds like a case of New York movie prices in Ghana?!

In defense of Silverbird, I do understand that they are MAJOR costs associated with bringing a brand-new release such as Avatar to Ghana. The company has to seriously recoup on their costs. However, I'm still wondering... doesn't raising the price of tickets by 50% scare away a number of potential customers who would be helping with the cost recovery? Has the Silverbird management carefully considered that raising the price to this level will not affect their core market? Perhaps that is the case. Clearly, I am not part of their target market. I would rather be watching a film at New York prices in New York than watching a film at New York prices in Ghana at a Ghanaian salary! 

So how are people entertaining themselves in Accra these days? Am I the only one suffering from persistent acute boredom? Hmm... is it too late to make it to the Samini Experience Tour tonight?

Sinterklaas is coming to town: The most cringeworthy time of the year!

Every year around December 5th, the Dutch celebrate 'Sinterklaas' or the feast of St. Nicholas. St Nicholas was a bishop living centuries ago and is the patron saint of children and sailors. He is also the predecessor of that jolly fellow with  the white beard that we know as Santa Claus or Father Christmas. I spent Christmas 2007 in the Netherlands  and was surprised to find that  'Sinterklaas' is a popular celebration for Dutch children. I was even more shocked and appalled when I set my eyes on Santa's  little helpers.

Historically, St. Nicholas was accompanied by black servants so as part of the Sinterklaas celebrations, Dutch people dress up as Santa's helper Black Pete (Zwaarte Piet). Around the time of Sinterklaas you are likely to find dozens of people wearing 15th Century garb, a black curly wig, black face paint, red lipstick and  of course gold bling. In the Netherlands they call it harmless fun for children, in America they call it Blackface. Blackface in 19th/early 20th century  America was basically white actors impersonating and caricaturing black people in popular performances called Minstrel shows. Such performances were laden with stereotypes of clappy,  happy black people who were always dancing, singing, perhaps nibbling on some watermelon. You know, all the things us black people luuuv to do!

So back to Sinterklaas in the Netherlands, was I more distressed that this archaic practice was still  being carried out with such glee in one of the most liberal parts of the planet? No, I was far more bothered that nobody found anything wrong with it!! According to the Dutch, there is no racial element in the  Black Pete portrayals and he could be any colour; yellow, green or purple. I also annoyed  that people told me that I was offended because I was too Americanized and had become overly-sensitive as well as politically correct. So my question is, would you find Black Pete offensive? 

 Black Petes in Leiden The Netherlands, 2007

Real Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?

I should admit straight away, I really did not like the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I found it loooonnng , sleep-inducing and utterly confusing. But... I did find the concept of being able to erase someone or painful memories from your mind really appealing! Like life imitating art, scientists have actually been able to make erasing specific memories possible in rats. Other science types have gone further and been able to do the same thing in humans using chemical-free behaviour therapy.

At first I thought it was a great idea but now I'm alot more skeptical. Aren't memories good for our learning and development? Don't bad experiences, bad people, bad relationships create danger signals in our head and help us avoid making the same mistakes twice? What memories would you earmark for deletion?

Finding Hidden Tracks: A Nation Progressing or Regressing?

Work is preventing me from procrastinating. Or is it procrastinating is preventing me from working? Regardless, I seem to be caught in a befuddling vicious circle.

Anyway, two days ago, we went on a work-related field trip to the town of Nsawam 30 minutes north of Accra . Nsawam is famous for:

• Being the first large town in the Eastern Region on the Accra - Kumasi road
  
• Scary high volume traffic
  
• Pineapples. Mmm...love that Blue Skies juice
  
• An infamous medium security prison
• Being the place where trains come from. 

No, they don't make trains in Nsawam but if you happen to live anywhere near a railway track in Accra , you may catch a glimpse of a rusty locomotive chugging slowly past. The train apparently starts in Nsawam and ends in Accra.

On a map I got from the Ghana Survey Department (above), I noticed that the railway line did not end in Nsawam  but seemed to be heading north beyond Nsawam right off the map. Where was it going? 

As we drove along the Densu River in the area north of Nsawam, I wondered "where the @#$@#$# is that railway line?". Finally, a nice lady who took us around one community pointed out the railroad. We were actually walking on it:

 The dead, gone and long-forgotten railway line  

 

Apparently, in its heyday, the railway line used to run all the way to Kumasi. That was decades ago! Imagine; decades ago we had a railway line bringing  fresh produce from that place they call The Hinterlands into Accra. Alas, that does not happen anymore. Produce is brought strictly by road.

   

Long abandoned railway station on the old Nsawam - Kumasi line 

This has gotten me reflecting; as a nation, is Ghana slowly progressing or just rapidly regressing?

World AIDS Day 2009

Some have observed that there is growing global indifference when it comes to the fight against HIV/AIDS even though the epidemic continues to rage on. As part of World AIDS Day 2009, I just wanted to highlight some figures from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV (UNAIDS) to reflect on how the HIV/AIDS epidemic has impacted on our world:

• Since the beginning of the epidemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and 25 million people have died of HIV-related causes.

• In 2008, some 33.4 million [31.1 million-35.8 million] people living with HIV,
• 2.7 million[2.4 million-3.0 million] new infections and
• 2 million [1.7 million-2.4 million] AIDS-related deaths.

• In 2008, around 430 000 [240 000-610 000] children were born with HIV, bringing to 2.1 million [1.2 million-2.9 million] the total number of children under 15 living with HIV.

• Young people account for around 40% of all new adult (15+) HIV infections worldwide.

• Sub-Saharan Africa is the region most affected and is home to 67% of all people living with HIV worldwide and 91% of all new infections among children.

• In sub-Saharan Africa the epidemic has orphaned more than 14 million children

Sobering facts and harsh realities. 


Also in the news about HIV/AIDS in Africa:

• South Africa's Jacob Zuma praised for new AIDS approach
  

• South African army fights HIV stigma by allowing HIV positive South African soldiers to be  to be deployed overseas if they pass a battery of fitness tests.
  

• Uganda proposes death penalty for HIV positive gays. 

• Women and girls remain the worst affected by HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 60 percent of the overall HIV infections.
  

Progression and regression in the fight against HIV on the continent?