So much bad news

I've been browsing around the web a little this morning and a couple of news stories really struck me. Check out this link to Google for a brief snapshot of whats going on in Niger at the moment. For a better analysis than I can give The Big Drought has highlighted the issue in a succinct way.

I have in recent times began to read historys of Africa, and have found myself becoming increasingly interested in the causes and reasons behind the wars and famines on that continent. We all give ourselves a pat on the back when we donate a couple of quid whenever there is a crisis like the one developing in Niger right now, or the continuing crises in the Sudan, Zaire or any where else you might of heard about recently. But very few people realise where these problems have come from and most people think it is because of natural disasters at most.

I'm not an expert just because I've read a few books and I'm not going to preach here about my opinion on this subject, but what I would like to do is to encourage people to start learning about the reason Africa is in such a bad way. I think that a better understanding of the cruelty and exploitation visited on these people may give us ideas about how to make a lasting difference there. And we still need to keep the donations flowing and campaigning for real and lasting justice - and that is where campaigns like Make Poverty History show their worth.

Other news that struck me today was the story about the Mother who sold pictures of her children in the bath on E-bay. She claims she did not recognise any potential danger in her action and she just wanted to raise money so she could visit her daughter who is living in the States. Maybe the woman is at her wits end and beyond desperate but honestly with all the hype in the media about Paedophiles on the internet there is no excuse for ignorance on this question. At least maybe this story will mean other people who show "cute "pictures of their kids in all states of dress and undress will err on the side of caution in future. For the sake of their children if for nothing else.

I've also just seen that three underground lines have been closed in London due to, so the reports say, the setting off of detonation devices. We'll have to wait to see if this is any more serious than the first reports indicate. We were only discussing this morning here in work how places like London and Turkey should be safer to go to now as terror attacks rarely happen so soon after each other. I hope we're not wrong.

I appologise for the rant by the way I think yesterday's hangover has caught up with me today and I feel unlike my usual chirpy self, which has been compouned by all the bad news, but my theory is better out than in!


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