One More Thing To Worry About

"My definition of an expert in any field is a person who knows enough about what's really going on to be scared." ~ P. J. Plauger

In late May North Korea tested a nuclear device.

A May 31 story by Time journalist Robert Baer began, "It's not what we know about rogue states and their nuclear bombs that should scare us — it's what we don't know. North Korea's test of a nuclear device on Monday may not have come as a surprise to Washington, but only in the sense that Washington knew Pyongyang was defiant enough to set one off. Beyond that, truth be told, Washington is completely in the dark about North Korea's intentions. It can only expect the worse and hope for the better."

Then there's the nuclear activity in Iran. In recent speeches President Obama has defended the right of Iran to have nuclear power, despite fears in some camps that they are simultaneously developing nuclear weapons. Some paint this picture with very dark pigments as if it were something new, but remember that it was the U.S. that helped the Shah develop nuclear power during its "Atoms For Peace" program in the 1950's. This was long before the Ayatollah threw out the Western blasphemers during the Carter era.

I do not know what to think about the North Korea news. The news that did scare me last week was that the Taliban army was approaching Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. It's hard, from this distance to know what these news accounts mean. Pakistan's President, Mr Asif Ali Zardari states that it is a real threat only if the West does not help Pakistan keep democracy stable over there.*

In other words, send money. Are we being extorted? Is this a bribe? "Help our country and you will be able to sleep better at night." That's what it sounds like to me.

Then there are those Pakistanis who are still bitter that they lost their three wars with India. Most Americans don't even remember those wars because two (1965 and 1971) were during our own Viet Nam distraction. Today both nations are armed with nukes. And with the Taliban army apparently eyeballing the Pakistan arsenal, there really might be something here to worry about.

For now, I have plenty of other things on my plate, and there's nothing I can do about it anyways. It kind of makes you wonder how many other threats there are out there that we don't have a clue about.

* "Nukes could fall into hands of Taliban if democracy fails" HinduTimes Online

Food Crisis Update

It sure is nice to wake up in the morning with a refrigerator full of food. That's a luxury not experienced by a large portion of our world. Let's not take it for granted.

This is my weekly periodic update on the current state of hunger in our world. The causes vary, but the consequences are the same. Children suffer and die from malnutrition that makes them vulnerable to disease. Here are three countries with serious issues even as we speak. (or rather, as I speak, since I occasionally talk out loud when I am writing.) The situations in these three countries were highlighted in a Minneapolis Star article this week.

North Korea: People are possibly starving to death as food rations continue to be slashed. The army of more than a million stopped military exercises in order to help raise crops. After three years of non-assistance, the U.S. is resuming food aid, which experts predict will arrive too late. An estimated 200,000-300,000 people may starve to death without aid, according to sources in Seoul.

Somalia: Because of deteriorating conditions and armed conflict, as well as rising global food and fuel prices, plus severe drought, the country is experience a serious crisis.

Ethiopia: According to the article, "Ethiopia's top disaster response official said 4.5 million Ethiopians need emergency food aid, about a million more than thought."

The irony is that much of the aid that is provided to these nations and their communities is doing more damage than good. Sometimes free food arrives and the local farmers who have worked to grow crops lose out because they cannot sell their food. In other words, the blessing is disruptive and while making food available for some it hurts the livelihood of others.

In other situations, there are U.S. mutual funds whose investors profit from the hardships caused by the food crisis. The mutual funds loan money to local people, but at exorbitant interest rates. The "free money" seems at first to be just what the poor family needed, but these people often do not understand the fine print associated with this "generous" loan. The damage is heart rending, though U.S. investors feel good because their money is being used to fund organizations purportedly helping the world's needy to get them on their feet.

Add to these challenges the problems of political corruption, deep seated hatreds, violence and despair... and you have a bad brew. The people living in the world's shadows have much to overcome. Step one is enough nourishment to survive another day. But this is only step one. The need is far more vast... and deeper.

For information on how to help make a small difference in the war against hunger, visit Farms International
"Doing Good That Is Good."