News – Worries for the NGOs

General

The ‘War on Terror’ has had and will have a profound effect on how nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s) do business. Many fear for their independence and it becomes harder to maintain neutrality and focus on humanitarian aims. What will be the fate of humanitarian NGOs as this goes on?

The most influential Macintosh computers put out. A little tidbit for the 20th anniversary of Apple’s Macintosh line.

A study says farmed salmon has more pollutants in it than those caught in the wild. But there is more to this than that. Don’t be scared from salmon, read the article and get the details.

XYZ RGB, a six-person company in Ottawa, helped Peter Jackson bring LotR to life. They’re now bidding on taking part in digital character work for films based on the Chronicles of Narnia. Peter Jackson also wants them to work on his next film, King Kong.

Explainer details why Kashmir is so hotly contested between India and Pakistan.

Today’s Papers has the FDA deciding to continue the ban on silicone implants, Clark looking to soften his image for the lady voters, musing Bush’s plan for our space future and more in the one page news.

Iraq

A ‘bicycle bomb’ hits a mosque, killing six. Rockets are fired at a Baghdad hotel used by westerners and US solders raid houses looking for militants. Your typical day in Iraq as of late.

60 Iraqis were released yesterday instead of the promised 100. Driven past waiting relatives and press, who didn’t really know who was being released. The released prisoners were left a mile away, under a bridge. All considered, this is a seriously botched attempt at reconciliation. #1. There was no announcement of who was to be released. #2. The mad dash past the relatives at the prison and press was pointless since the press would find them regardless of how far they were driven away. #3. Not meeting the number stated to be released is bad in and of itself. I wonder, in the end, if 500 will be released or if that number too will degrade into a lower number.

Israel/Palestine

Israeli intelligence sources say that Syrian plans that flew humanitarian aid to Bam, Iran returned with Iranian arms for Hizbollah. It will be interesting to see if anything can confirm this. I’d prefer a second opinion, really.

Nineteen left dead and dozens of buildings damaged in the wake of a botched Israeli hunt. Their brutal search for Naif Sharekh has done nothing more than lay the seeds for further aggression against Israel.

Iran

Iran’s former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani states the obvious. Being nice with one hand and smacking someone around with the other won’t make them like you. Case in point, how the US deals with Iran.

US

The terror alert is dropping form orange to yellow. For what that matters.

Bush wants to put a colony on the moon! Then have manned missions to Mars. Tell me, where is he going to get the capital for these grand ventures? It’s obvious he plans to have another term as he won’t accomplish either of those ends this year. Don’t mistake me, I’m all for furthering our reach into space, but I don’t think now is the time.

The job situation remains lukewarm. Sustained job growth hasn’t come yet. Hopefully it will soon, I have some friends who need greater working opportunities.

This year’s flu season might be peaking. I surely hope it is. Too many of the young dying because of it.

The latest Dean feeding frenzy is his comment four years ago about the Iowa Caucuses.

“If you look at the caucus system, they are dominated by the special interests, in both sides, in both parties,” Dean said on the Canadian television show The Editors. “The special interests don’t represent the centrist tendencies of the American people, they represent the extremes.”

They might well b e. Most of the political spectrum is ruled or at least heavily influenced by various special interests. It’s an unfortunate fact of politics in general. Those with the money to sway opinions will do so, regardless of the mainstream of the nation.

Bush tries to find of criticism on education. Smart or too little too late?

Musing the free trade butter (FTB). There should be a limit, I think, to free trade. But where should that limit be and how large?

Chatterbox continues to monitor the Medicare briery bi, adding a third version of the story just to up the confusion.

Amusements

Fark Photoshop Challenge: The “Informal Anarchic Federation” {who is letterbombing EU politicians} doesn’t have a logo, let’s give them one

Doctor Brings Cadaver Arm For 5th grade Show And Tell

Newgrounds: Patriot Pig 1

Newgrounds: Mr Ambiguous – Is he straight or is he gay?

Newgrounds: Strategy Guide New Years!