National Geographic on Africa

September 21, 2005 12:35 AM

National Geographic has a special issue on Africa out this month. There's also their Africa resource site.
posted by Gyan (17 comments total)

Also, Wired has a special issue about Television!

Maybe you could have looked at the fact that the special issue has no photo on the cover for the first time in 46 years. Or maybe that the editor-in-chief is Chris Johns, a former NG photographer who spent much of his career photographing the continent. Or maybe mentioned some of the major issues the magazine discusses? A single-link FPP is fine when it tells me why I should care about this any more than any other NG issue.

Sorry about the early-morning snarkery. Good magazine. Good issue. Good subject for an FPP. Weak execution.
posted by Plutor at 4:35 AM on September 21, 2005

yep, plutor, that's what we are about.... fuck the quality of the link, we're all about how the fpp is written...

sheesh..

given the choice of a million finely executed fpps pointing to tons of crap, I'll take one crap fpp pointing to something interesting...

Sorry about the early-morning snarkery, plutor, (I hear that putting that sentence in a post makes everything just fine).... Bad comment, pointless critical attitude, bad subject for a response. Weak execution... :)

and...Gyan....thanks...
posted by HuronBob at 4:48 AM on September 21, 2005

I should be glad that he pointed out a widely-publicized special issue for one of the most popular magazines in the world, and provided no background whatsoever? This likely fails the "most people haven't seen it before" guideline. Perhaps I was a bit hasty, though. This is a subject that does warrant discussion, and my first-comment trolling taints what could have been a great thread. If I could remove my complaint comment, I would. Apologies, Gyan and HuronBob and the rest of the MeFiverse, for my itchy trigger finger.
posted by Plutor at 5:00 AM on September 21, 2005

On a related note (and in hopes of salvaging the thread), for more Africa content from NG, see the new National Geographic layer in Google Earth.
posted by mcwetboy at 5:08 AM on September 21, 2005

apology accepted...back to the fpp.. :)
posted by HuronBob at 5:09 AM on September 21, 2005

I zipped through this issue the day it arrived in my mailbox.
posted by sciurus at 5:24 AM on September 21, 2005

I wouldn't have known about this otherwise. Should make some good material for my Africana Studies paper due next week.

THANK YOU DR. GYAN!

I-and-I think Mr. Plutor been in Babylon too long.
posted by Eideteker at 5:42 AM on September 21, 2005

The new layers in Google Earth rock. Nice one mcwetboy!!!
posted by slixtream at 6:06 AM on September 21, 2005

eideteker - just to point out - their Adventure mag is also on Africa this month.
jah.
posted by hellbient at 6:21 AM on September 21, 2005

Also, this issue came out last month. The newest issue — with a cover story on the impending flu pandemic — arrived in my mailbox on Monday.
posted by jdroth at 7:14 AM on September 21, 2005

By the way: the Africa issue is good, and caused me to go on an African kick, devouring books and films about the continent. Lots of good suggestions for further reading/viewing here.
posted by jdroth at 7:16 AM on September 21, 2005

Isn't this the second issue without a picture on the cover?
I thought the first was several years ago with just the word "AIDS" on the cover?
posted by Shfishp at 7:42 AM on September 21, 2005

sfhpishpf, yes, and ironically the new editor is a long time photographer. article here.
posted by hellbient at 8:43 AM on September 21, 2005

One of the best articles about the Africa issue is about the origin of humans. It describes why Africans did not become as "advanced" as the Asians or Europeans. Some of the reasons are, very difficult vegetation to domesticate (no corn or wheat), and therefore Africans needed to keep as nomads; also no tamable animals such as the horse.
posted by dov3 at 9:56 AM on September 21, 2005

Thanks, hellboy.

I think I'll pick up these magazines and Shaft in Africa for a little weekend study session.
posted by Eideteker at 3:38 PM on September 21, 2005

Uhh... I went to the newstand and they already had October out. I'll probably try the B&N or Borders out by the mall later, as they are more likely to have back issues.
posted by Eideteker at 10:27 AM on September 22, 2005

Whoo! Got the second to last copy at B&N!
posted by Eideteker at 7:24 PM on September 22, 2005