In the United States, one of the basic passport requirements is the age of the holder. This is because; passports issued to people of different age groups are valid for different time frames. Passports issued to persons who are sixteen and above are valid for ten years, while passports issued to persons who are fifteen and above are valid for five years. Renewal of passport requirements dictates that the passport should have expired and that the above period has been exhausted.

A passport can be renewed either by mail or in person. However, in most cases, passport requirements dictate that renewal should be in person. The only cases where a passport can be renewed by mail, is if the passport was issued to the holder when he was either of or above the age of sixteen, in the last fifteen years, if it has not been destroyed or damaged, and was issued in the holder’s current name. For the passport to be renewed by mail, all these conditions must be existent. Otherwise, it will have to be renewed in person.

In order to renew a passport, an application has to be made. The application is made on form DS-82. This form is the only recognized form, which can be used for applications for renewal of passports in the United States of America. The form has instructions about how it should be filled in and what should accompany it. All you need to do is ensure that you fill it in correctly and that you furnish all documents required of you. It is necessary to note that this from can be downloaded from the internet, from various sites that offer it. The form can also be accessed from passport offices that are around the country. Accessing the form is usually free of charge; however, the application itself has an attached fee.

Also, pertinent to note is that the passport requirements dictate that it can be renewed from any part of the world. The holder just needs to go to the Embassy of the United States in the country where they are living, and they will have their passport renewed. However, for people living in Canada, the passport has to be renewed by mail. The form for renewal contains an address, which is used for renewal of U.S passports by people living in Canada.

In most cases, the application for renewal will take about four weeks, after which you can expect to get your new passport by mail or otherwise as will be communicated to you.

AIDS in South Africa

Though the entire African continent has suffered greatly because of the AIDS/HIV epidemic, South Africa has possibly been affected more than any other country in the world. It is generally believed AIDS in South Africa is more prevalent than any other place on Earth. The impact of AIDS in South Africa can be measured at first glance when considering the drastic change in death rates in recent years. In a course of ten years, the death toll nearly doubled, with the most staggering change having to deal with the 25 to 49 age range.

In 2006, 41% of all deaths were comprised of adults in that age range. Though all of the deaths can not be attributed to AIDS, it is undeniable that the impact of the disease is very much so related to the amount of deaths in South Africa. Furthermore, out South Africa’s entire population of 48 million, about 12% has been reported to have HIV/AIDS. Numbers such as these can not deny that AIDS in South Africa is beyond being a health concern; AIDS in South Africa is an epidemic, with the threat of affecting the entire globe. It is painfully clear that something must be done in order to address the AIDS epidemic in South Africa.

Though treatment with those with HIV/AIDS is clearly a priority, there should also be efforts behind the idea of overall prevention. The practice of safe sex or abstinence should be integrated more vehemently, as a method to curtail the rising death tolls due to AIDS in South Africa. Though the use of condoms and safe sex practices are not entirely guaranteed to prevent the transmission of STD’s from partner to partner, they are the best way to control it. Research has shown condom use is highest among younger people, and the numbers decline as age increases. About half of the men and women in the age group most affected by AIDS, ages 25-49, claim to use condoms on a regular basis. Though this is proof that safe sex practices and education are being implemented and adhered to, the other half of the population in the age group is not.

Simply put, not enough South African people are using condoms when having sex, and that is still contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS, and consequently, the death tolls as well. This is proof of several factors when considering the efficiency of safe sex practices and the spread of AIDS. Firstly, it is clear that safe sex education is being implemented and is being adhered to by some of the South African population. The most afflicted age group seems to be the one group of people using condoms with more regularity than others. This also proves that older generations will tend not use condoms or other safe sex practices. Regardless of the reason, this is a factor that needs to change. Secondly, though safe sex education is helping the AIDS situation in South Africa, other tactics must be considered for its impact is simply not enough. The involvement of the rest of the world will seem to become more important in developing new ways and methods to help put an end to the AIDS pandemic in Africa, specifically in South Africa.

AIDS Epidemic in Africa

The AIDS epidemic in Africa has been a health concern that has created a global health concern in recent years. Some of the numbers and statistics regarding AIDS in Africa are quite staggering and only seem to continue to rise. The AIDS epidemic in Africa has made much more of an impact on the continent than anywhere else on the globe.

Currently, there is an estimated 22 million people who are living with the HIV virus in the African continent; this number constitutes about two-thirds of total amount of people affected by the virus in the entire world. More heart-wrenching is the fact about 14 million children have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Facts such as these should produce an overwhelming alert and concern for the current health state of the African people. Furthermore, the effect of the AIDS epidemic in Africa is one that has consequences not solely restricted to the second-largest continent in the world; this health issue is one that is bound to produce global consequences, regardless of how long they may take to make themselves known or apparent.

The reasons for AIDS being as prevalent as it is in Africa are many. However, the underlying concern is simply that many of the population do not have access to receive proper care. A weakened economic state can not provide for the proper measures of health care to all of those afflicted with HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, the means to provide for proper methods of restricted the spread of the virus are also quite apparent; the numbers and previous examples will continue to show that spread of AIDS in Africa is bound to continue unless the appropriate measures are taken to educate and treat the people of Africa. The impact of the AIDS epidemic in Africa can not simply be measured by death tolls; the impacts have a much broader effect on the entire population.

AIDS has delivered severe blows to the economy as well as education, agriculture, industry, and human resources. The fact of the matter is that the AIDS in epidemic in Africa is no longer a health concern that does not impact the rest of the world. Certain steps must be taken by the world community in order to find a way in which to contain and reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa, as well as trying to reduce the staggering death tolls in the continent. The path toward improving the AIDS situation in Africa is a long and difficult one.

It has become painfully obvious that the African people can not do this on their own; the rest of the world has a responsibility as members of the human race to do all that is possible to help those afflicted with the disease in Africa, and hopefully, raise more awareness regarding the dangers and the prevention of spreading AIDS. Other countries who have the resources and man-power to commit to such a cause are constantly trying to find ways in which to involve the masses to rally behind such an important issue.

African Health

It is no new knowledge that African health is one of the biggest concerns for the people of the second-largest and second-most populated continent in the world. With over a billion people, African health has become a global priority. Nations around the world are constantly trying to urge people to the health issues and dangers that the African people are suffering due to lack of resources. African health is not an issue that concerns only the African continent, but it is in fact an issue with global impact and ramifications.

However, one of the biggest concerns to address is the fact that even though people know that African health and well-being is certainly a concern at the global level, the general public and the masses simply are not made aware of the actual problems people are experiencing in Africa. Though the internet can provide for a wealth of information regarding African health issues, there is no concentration of the subject matter to be found; the information is spread out through various sources, making it much harder for the information and knowledge to be readily available and accessible. However, the positive aspect of the internet being the main source of African health-related topics is that the consolidation of this information is a more viable possibility now that the African continent is slowly but surely becoming more technologically advanced.

In providing for more internet-accessible information for its people and the rest of the world, the awareness of African health issues can be made more generally available to the public. Though there is a growing and numerous list associated with diseases and other maladies that are current African health issues, some of the most prevalent are: cholera, dengue, ebola, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, tuberculosis, and malnutrition. It is important to note that some of these diseases and health concerns are issues that can be eradicated from being huge concerns. The fact of the matter is that some of these diseases would not afflict people at the rate the currently are if people had more access to available and proper medical facilities.

The economic state of many of the African people does not allow them to receive the necessary and proper healthcare that would not only help rid of some these diseases, but also allow the prevention of them becoming epidemics. Cholera and malaria, for example, are diseases that can be controlled by means that do not necessarily involve healthcare in terms of availability and affordability. Cholera and malaria are two health concerns that could be appropriately avoided if certain measures were taken or certain health regulations were implemented effectively and correctly. However, as with anything else, things are easier said than done.

The fact is that though the methods to help prevent or treat these diseases are simple by most country’s standards, they are simply not always viable in Africa. African health issues then prove to be a concern that is more complex when taking a deeper consideration. That is why the people of the world must be able to access the necessary information in order to find ways, however simple or easy, in which they can help address the African health concerns.

African Laws

African laws can be deemed to be as unique as the various civilizations and cultures the continent has birthed since the early days of man. Though a may be argued, it can be said that African law itself is inherent to the particular cultures and tribes it governs. Though there may be African laws that coincide with what may be considered a modern legal system, many of the tribes and civilizations in Africa will often rule themselves based on laws that have governed their people throughout history. That is not to say that some tribes or cultures are exempt from following or adhering to laws as imposed by a geopolitical and modern legal system, but rather they tend to rely on their own laws when dealing with matters are strictly related only to the people within said tribe or civilization. Many of the African laws that exist have been influenced by the continent’s long history of colonialism.

The best example of this is apparent with South Africa. South Africa was occupied by British and Dutch settlers. As these settlements began to develop, many of the settlers naturally began to enforce and establish their own laws, as they were in their homelands. Thus, much of South African laws will tend to reflect the legacy of its foreign settlers, and has come to be known as Anglo-Dutch law. That is not to exclude the possibilities that tribes within South Africa do not employ their system of laws, but rather they have assimilated their customary laws to work within the larger framework of the civil law.

The irony behind this is that some African laws are in fact part of some the oldest-known legal systems in the world. The basic concepts of justice, truth, and order can be found at the center of the Ancient Egyptian legal system. It is safe to say that some of the basis for many of the legal systems implemented throughout the world can trace their origins to some the African laws still in place today. Some of the African law systems of the tribes and cultures of Africa that were created thousands of years ago are still used as the main legal system today. The Somali people of Africa have their own unique legal system that has proven to still be effective rather than outdated, and in certain instances, can resolve problems quicker than modern civil law. The Somali people operate under their own legal system and civil code, where the elders of the tribe act as judges. The judges then help assess the situation and provide for reasonable solutions using previous cases of similar matters as precedents.

Though a seemingly simple manner in which to apply a legal, system, the Somali people have shown that their legal system is one that is just as effective when it come to resolving problems within their tribe than our customary modern laws. African laws have proven to be as diverse as the people in the continents tribes and cultures, yet also proven that even though they may be centuries old, are still effective in governing their people.

African Art

African art is a vast collection and study of artworks that have originated in the continent of Africa. In recent years, this has also been used to describe the artwork of the African Diasporas, as to include areas of the world where African culture, though not native to the land, is an important part of the people’s culture such as found in Brazil, the Caribbean, and the United States. The study of African art is one that encompasses a wide range of different styles, often varying according to particular regions of Africa, tribes, cultures, and civilizations. Though the body of artwork is vast and unique to certain people and locations in Africa, African art as whole is found to have general and unifying themes or characteristics. One that is most common is the emphasis and concentration on the human figure.

For the most part, the human figure has been at the center of all African art. The human figure has been used to depict a wide range of topics, whether living or dead. Often, representations of gods and deities were given the human form so as to give them a certain quality that would not render them completely ethereal and more realistic. In other instances, they simply would represent the people of a particular culture or tribe, depicting various social occupations or trades, such as hunters, warriors, shamans, or chiefs. Another key feature to African art is an overall emphasis on sculpture and three-dimensional artworks. This is evident in the many sculptures and busts used to represent various kings and other important figure-heads of African societies and cultures.

Even though there are artifacts and African art in two-dimensional forms or mediums, they are often fashioned to be experienced in a three-dimensional way. A reason that much of African art tends to be three-dimensional is based on the fact that much of it is crafted and created with the purpose of actually being used. Because African traditions seem to be based upon some sense of performance, such as ceremonial dances and religious masks, it makes much sense that a large body of African art is three-dimensional.

Performance art is central to many of the ceremonial and religious functions of certain African cultures and civilizations, thus making African art itself important in the workings of any given society. Much of African art is not simply constructed for an aesthetic purpose, but rather to have an actual function. An example of this can be seen in African masks, where they serve a central purpose in religious, social, and ceremonial rituals and may considered important to everyday social functions.

Though African art may seem too complex and vast to understand at first glance, the various types and styles can be more easily appreciated and studied once it can be understood that African art was there for a higher purpose than art for art’s sake; rather, African art was created to serve as a functional aspect within a particular culture or tribe that could prove to be essential within the social structure and functionality of any given group.

African Rituals

African rituals are complex and many number, which makes studying and understanding them a difficult task. African rituals can all vary depending on a particular tribe or culture, and they all have a specific purpose. Generally speaking, African rituals tend to be religious in their nature. However, religion itself is a concept to apply to African culture simply because that there is no set or determined religious ideology or belief; certain African tribes will have a specific religious ideology or practice that is unique to only them.

Though there is much of a varying degree to religions in African culture, they all will often share common features or ideas. The main commonality has to deal with the fact that they do not differ in their basic idea from other religions found in the rest of the world. Often, there will be one central God-like figure, with other lesser deities and spirits. These deities will often be worshipped through various types of rituals, which may include sacrificial offerings, libation, magic, dancing, drumming, chanting and other rituals that may be indigenous or unique to that particular tribe or religious belief.

More often than not, African rituals will vary upon geographic location as well. Sometimes, many African rituals may not necessarily serve a specific religious function, but rather they act as actions of good faith. For example, there exists rituals for building new homes, herding and hunting, transfer of leadership, etc. Though many of these types of rituals may have religious ties, they may not serve a specific religious function. African rituals will often vary upon their actual practice. Certain deities or spirits have specific ritual guidelines to be observed, such as the object of sacrifice, time of the day, week, month, or year to make a certain sacrifice, the use of specific costumes and ritual regalia, etc. African rituals are extremely specific, and require each aspect of the ritual to be followed exactly in order for it to serve its purpose as intended. Certain African rituals are used to make a connection between natural and supernatural worlds.

Magic and witchcraft are important aspects in African ritual. Those who practice magic or witchcraft within a particular tribe or culture are often highly-positioned members in the hierarchal arrangement of their society. The magicians or shamans are often consulted to help solve problems and provide advice for it is believed they have a higher understanding of the occurrences in nature and the supernatural alike. Often, many African rituals are viewed as cruel and unnatural by people of the Western world. Some examples may include branding, scarring, piercings, and other types of body modifications. In many cases, such rituals of body modification are used to denote a member of society to have a special place in their society.

For example, those who are to be considered of a warrior clan will often receive scars given by war chiefs as signs of accomplishments or having displayed honor or bravery in a specific situation. In other instances, these types of rituals are used in terms of castigation or punishment, where a member of society has to bear a physical mark in order to show that he/she has committed some sort of crime. African rituals exist in various forms and types, and the study of them allows for a better understanding of African cultures.

African Masks

African masks play an important role in the various cultures and tribes found throughout the African continent. Generally speaking, African masks are used in intricate religious ceremonies as a way to conjure or communicate with spirits or ancestors. Visually and aesthetically speaking, masks will differ not only from culture to culture, but also in the intended purpose of each mask. Furthermore, African masks will also vary in the types of materials used to construct each individual mask. In many African cultures and tribes, they have an appointed member attributed with the purpose of designing and fabricating the masks. This person is usually referred to as an African tribal artists.

Each tribal artist is expected to perfect specific carving techniques associated with its various social and religious connotations and apply them to each individual mask, depending on the intended purpose of that mask. Typically, a tribal artists learns his skill by becoming an apprentice of the master tribal artists. More often than not, it takes many years for tribal artists to master his art through rigorous training. In many African cultures and societies, the task is passed down from father to son, through generation after generation.

The African tribal artist is a respected member of his/her community because of the important role African masks play in their culture. African masks are made from a number of different materials, but some of the most commonly used include wood, bronze, ivory, terra cotta, and textiles. African masks often represent animals as well as specific deities. Furthermore, the complexities of African masks not only relate to the intricate and varying religions and belief systems found in Africa, but specifically to the way the are constructed.

For example, Temne Tribe will often use masks that have small eyes and mouths. The reason that they are made in such a manner is to represent humility and humbleness. This goes to show that not only are African masks devised out of religious origins, but the actual manner in which they appear also has a specific purpose or idea that is trying to be communicated. African masks are used in ceremonies that are in their own nature very expressive and complex. These rituals often involve specific dances and chants that are believed to establish a form of communication with certain spirits or ancestors. The role that African masks play in rituals is quite apparent, but the rituals themselves are so complicated that many who study African culture have yet been able to fully grasp. A reason for this is that many of the tribes and cultures that use African masks tend to keep their rituals secret.

Because these rituals have an important religious and social function, tribes people will often not divulge much information to outsiders regarding their nature and/or purpose. Though the role a type of African mask may play in a particular ceremony or ritual may not always be understood, the aesthetic qualities and workmanship employed in creating these wonderful masks can allow them to be considered real works of art.

African History

African history and African heritage are topics that are crucial in the study of the human civilization. Not only is the study of African history important as it relates to the rest of the world, but furthermore, it is also one of the most extensive and complex to undertake. The African history and African heritage can trace back their roots to what is arguably the single most important piece of human history. It has been concluded that man originated somewhere in the eastern regions of the African continent.

Africa, in fact, can be considered to be the birthplace of the human race. This simple yet important fact are not only crucial in African history, but also in the history of man and of the Earth. Though there has been much to study in terms of artifacts and other important pieces of history left behind, much of African history is still very much an elusive, complex, and difficult concept to explain. Much of this is due to the fact that there is not very much of African history that was committed to writing. For the very few exceptions left behind by the Ancient Egyptians of other early civilizations, it seems that most of African history and heritage has relied on its people to provide for an extensive and complex oral history.

In addition to having scarce written sources of historical context, Africa’s different cultures and tribes have their own different and unique versions of their people’s history. It has been studied and documented that in certain tribes or cultures, there will be an elder responsible for the history of his/her people and is given the task of passing down that history to future generations. In some instances, the oral history of a certain tribe or culture has been known to take days or even weeks to verbally recount the origins of a particular group of people or tribe.

Though oral history accounts may prove to be extremely useful in some occasions, their very nature provide for a complex system of learning the historical beginnings of African history. Oral history accounts are not only important because they offer one of the very few frameworks that scholars have to work from, but also because they preserve an important essence of its culture. Oral history itself is very much an important facet to African culture, and it provides for a certain sense of beauty and artful depiction of the various languages and dialects that would be lost in written accounts of African history and African heritage. It is interesting how the very history of Africa is contained in an aspect of its culture and heritage that itself is a crucial part of that same history. Without the ability to study the oral history of Africa, much of its key and important aspects of cultural understanding would be lost because of the fact that each account of oral history is unique, and provides for source of information and knowledge that is otherwise limited by the use of the written word.

Africa

In more recent times, Africa has been in the news in a different light. Unfortunately, any news regarding Africa tends to concentrate on the negative aspects that the government, people, and culture have suffered throughout past decades because of extreme poverty levels and diseases running rampant throughout the continent. It is no surprise that because of its lack of resources, Africa is constantly being reported in the news as a horrible place to live. However, in a change of tone, recent news having to do with Africa seems to be in a more positive light. South Africa will play host to one of the most widely-viewed sports in all the world and its most prestigious championship event, the World Cup. Soccer–or Football, depending on where you are geographically–is the sport that has the most popularity in nations throughout the world. Save the United States, Soccer is the most participated-in sport, so much so that it is infused with the inherent culture, specifically in Latin America and Europe. Every four years, the World Cup becomes a worldwide event where nations rally behind their home team in a display of patriotism and nationalistic pride. In June of 2010, the World Cup will come to South Africa, hopefully bringing a much needed economic stimulus to the nation, and possibly even the continent itself.

The 2010 World Cup will undoubtedly bring commerce and tourists to South Africa, and by doing so, provide for a different outlook on how the world views the well spring of human civilization. The World Cup event creates for a unique opportunity for Africa to show that it has more to offer than just sad and expected news from one of the world’s most poor continents. There is much culture and natural beauty that Africa has to offer, and hopefully with the World Cup, it can be put in display by highlighting one of its nations in South Africa. The World Cup has the unique ability of bringing nations and countries together in friendly competition and in doing so, hopefully not only put the spotlight on a naturally beautiful country, but also bring a keen sense of awareness to the rest of the world.

Though South Africa is bound to be displayed at its most beautiful and best, once a champion of the world is declared, it is important not to lose sight that the nation and the rest of the continent can still use the help of the rest of the world. The sports spectacle is bound to generate a much needed boost in the economy for South Africa, but people’s efforts to help should not end there. Hopefully, the 2010 World Cup will not only provide a truly amazing experience for the South African people and the rest of the world, but also offer an opportunity to bring people together in an effort to provide the continent much needed help in the future. Hopefully, the World Cup can generate enough of a touristic and commercial interest that will continue much further after a new world champion is to be crowned.