The world has reached the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of cutting by half the number of people without access to safe drinking water, five years ahead of the 2015 deadline. While that is good news, millions of people, for instance, still live without a toilet. Not a very sexy topic -- but one which is of great concern if the world is to meet goals on reducing under-five mortality.

EthicalOil.org has a reputation for using just about anything to promote Canada's tar sands. This Monday it was my turn to get 'tarred' as the website's spokesperson Kathryn Marshall declared herself to be on "the very same page" as me. The assertion could not be further from the truth.

Tthere is something compelling about imagining an untapped genius somewhere in Africa, waiting to be nurtured and whose contributions to humankind cannot yet be imagined.

If we'd been paying attention to African artists, musicians and filmmakers, we'd be far less tempted to believe our fond delusions of "good dictators" or "strong leaders" who keep the peace in Africa. We'd understand the level of political instability and where it comes from.