News – Better Ways to Deal with Hunger

Africa

The Famine Early Warning System, a crop monitoring agency, warns that Ethiopia is in a downward spiral of dependence on food aid. Basically, it depresses the prices that local farmers can charge, reducing their incentives to invest in better agriculture. What might work better, I think, is to buy food from the locals, to give in addition to food aid we send, that way we can encourage more people to farm, while continuing to make sure no one goes hungry. Eventually, we can step back once enough are producing food. Or something like that.

PW Botha, the former prime minister and president of South Africa during its apartheid era, has died at the age of 90. On a bright note The African National Congress, which was branded a terrorist organization in Botha’s era, was one of the first to offer condolences. Healing and forgiveness is good.

Middle East

Israel launches another major raid into Gaza, this time surrounding the town of Beit Hanoun. The goal? Stop rocket attacks into Israel. Which will end up with the same lack of success as before. Why? Because when Israel moves in, if militants are there they move to the next spot. All that is accomplished is the destruction of innocent life in Gaza, the ruining of livelihoods and the further anger of the people that regenerates any damage that might have been done to the militant groups.

Hamas is urging Britain to back it’s plan for a 10 year ceasefire with Israel as a way to break the impasse over it’s refusal to recognize Israel.

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, says that serious talks are underway with Israel on prisoner exchange. Israel has made no comment on this issue.

Despite warnings of potential health risks, the US and UK continue to use Depleted Uranium rounds in Iraq.

Asia/Pacific

Japan maintains sanctions against North Korea despite their agreement to return to six-party talks.

There is a fear in the US and Australia that there will be a coup in Fiji, as the government and military grow more tense with each other.

Europe

Italian PM Romani Prodi is considering sending troops to Naples to deal with the crime wave there that’s killed seven people in five days. The military against the mob.

In France, Halloween is losing it’s appeal and fading away. It’s seen, apparently, as too American and too commercial/gimmicky.

Another blip in the Georgian-Russian relations biz. I wonder how long until that region settles down.

Americas

John Kerry faces criticism for a joke: “You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t you get stuck in Iraq.” Yeah, another case of foot in mouth disease.

Lame push polling.

General

Studies show Westerners are more promiscuous than those in developing countries.

Brain abnormalities in infants that affect breathing and temperature control may raise the risk of ‘cot death’. This could finally be the answer to the mystery of SIDS. Soon, we might be able to prevent it from occurring, once we understand more.

Hackers are shifting to web video in their quest to screw with your machine.

Explainer looks at why US soldiers can’t marry Iraqis.

The Blogs look at Sen. John Kerry’s remarks about the military, a recent madrasah bombing in Pakistan and Fox’s premature announcement of Studio 60’s demise.

Today’s Papers has NASA’s announcement that it will send a space shuttle to service the Hubble Space Telescope as early as May 2008, a slide shown at a classified briefing by the United States Central Command that graphically illustrates the increasing lawlessness in Iraq and the reasons behind these developments, the removal of some checkpoints in Baghdad and more in the one page news.

Amusements

Some chick named Cindy Margolis thinks she’s the most downloaded person on the Internet, obviously hasn’t heard of Aria Giovanni or Pamela Anderson

“Saw III” gets best review it could hope for

Creepiest town attraction ever greeted with the only proper response

MySpace, the site that couldn’t figure out how to match up a list of known child predators using real names and locations to their database, to implement advanced audio fingerprinting technology to foil illegal music uploads

How do you know the Administration is preparing for Democratic control of the House and Senate? The shredding trucks visiting Dick Cheney’s house

Illinois man promises to sleep with your sister if elected. Really

Florida lawmaker gets good and drunk, starts calling other lawmakers and leaving “N-bomb” messages

What should you do if you’re depressed about three deaths in your family and a failed marriage? Whatever you do, don’t put pictures of your genitalia on women’s cars

Ya hear the one about the deported Polish Mafiosi who gave the slip to New Zealand cops at Heathrow Airport? Yeah, that’s a good one

Having succeeded in making ridiculously large wheels that have spinners, encrusted jewels and gold plating, the industry is doing away with spokes altogether

Mayor hands out fliers that discourage drunk driving, encourage calling sex chat line

Scott Adams: “Voting machines getting hacked means the next president will be chosen by some teenager in Finland instead of deep-pocket, autofellating, corporate sh*tbags. How is that not an improvement?”

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this cat with pumpkins

Fark Photoshop Challenge: You’ve seen “High Times.” Now photoshop another magazine devoted to an illegal activity

Fark Photoshop Challenge: Photoshop this rather busy work of Michelangelo