Showing posts with label starvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label starvation. Show all posts

Wednesday, 10 August 2011

Just What is Going On In The World?

We have riots in the streets of London, Al Shabaab fighting to keep western aid from reaching millions of starving people in Africa, stock markets around the world on a roller coaster ride from hell, mass killing going on in Syria and an American president who has failed his people on the economy, just to name a few.

It is a world in turmoil, the likes we probably have not seen since the second world war and it doesn't look like it will get better any time soon.  Which begs the question, what can we do to fix things?  My common sense solutions below.

Our world for the most part has been living life like socialists for far too long. Even the right side of the political spectrum has been giving free hand outs far too often.  We need to get back to our roots, where people were not afraid to put in an honest days work, raise a family, and expect nothing from government unless it is an unforeseen circumstance such as drought, hurricanes, earthquakes and the like.  Far too often we look to government to step in when times are tough, instead of rolling up our sleeves and getting to work like our forefathers did.  If we truly want change we have to look inside ourselves and decide that change has to start from within.  We are the ones who need to change, we need to stop with the handouts, dig deep and get things done!

Solution for anarchy in London and everywhere else.  Make the people pay for their actions!  Too long have we allowed this kind of stuff to go on without serious consequences.  Sure, have your peaceful demonstrations but if you get out of line you are going to jail, it is that simple.  How many of these people would be out doing what they do if they knew that they would get much, much more than a slap on the wrist?  If the justice system actually enforced the law these people would be looking at years in jail.  It is time to make the justice system work the way it is supposed too and stop pandering to the far left.  This will bring people back down to earth and make them accountable for their actions.  The use of rubber bullets, tear gas, and other methods should be allowed as soon as the police see actions like this ongoing.  These anarchists will soon fall in line, or at least learn how to have a peaceful demonstration.

Starvation in Africa.  This can be called a man made disaster, yes the drought is out of our hands but the price of food has also played a very large roll in this.  The price of food is being driven by the countries such as China and India as well as others.  But also adding to this is the use of food products being used to produce fuels.  This action, especially in the U.S. and Canada has made grains much more expensive which in turn boosts costs of feeding livestock and other meats.  What needs to be done, especially in the States is a move to a more efficient product such as switchgrass.  This stuff can be grown anywhere and does not consume as much energy to produce biofuels.  The energy needs of the U.S. can also be alleviated by drilling for fuels at home.  There has been too much of this "not in my backyard" B.S. and for generations the U.S. has not allowed energy companies to drill some very large economical areas that would dramatically decrease the country's dependence on Middle Eastern oil.  This would mean jobs, taxes and much much more for the U.S. economy, something they dearly need.  But first the left need to get the hell out of the way and let the people who actually want to help the country do their job!  There is enough natural gas in the U.S. to last generations, which will buy them enough time to develop other means of energy that are currently under development.  It is a band aid on the problem but one that could tie them over until these new energy strategies come to fruition.

The U.S. economy and it's affect on the world as a whole.  The powers that be in Washington need to start working for the people and not for their own political agendas.  There needs to be serious cuts to spending, not this piece of junk that they tabled last week which does nothing to cut their debt.  It in fact allows the debt to grow to 20 trillion dollars by the year 2020.  20 Trillion Bucks!!!  You think things are bad now, just think what their debt rating will be like by 2020!  Everything needs to be cut, the people just need to wake up and realize that they will have to do with less.  Less government handouts, less entitlement spending, less government employment opportunities and yes, less unions and their constant drag on a nations ability to compete on the international stage.  But this goes back to the change we need to find within ourselves, it starts at home and then you can hold your politicians accountable.  The Nancy Pelosi's of the world need to be run out of politics and vote in someone who will make the tough decisions, not the easy ones that will garner a lot of votes.  It is this way of thinking that has gotten us into this mess and it needs to change or the mess will just keep piling up.  The people in the U.S. need to also get over the "I don't pay tax" way of thinking.  In order to get this debt paid down a national tax on consumption is a must.  Everyone pays it on goods and services, not just the rich, and middle class.  The nice thing about a consumption tax is that it is a fair system that will tax the rich way more because they obviously would consume much more than the lower classes.  The national consumption tax would bring in un-foretold amounts of income to the federal government and help them get their great country back on track.  Tea Party, GOP, DEMS, it doesn't matter who you are, get your act together and do what is right for the country!

The Middle East uprising has been a missed opportunity for the west to show that we are behind our fellow brothers and sisters.  Our politicians are too slow to react and typically the reaction is not strong enough to prove solidarity.  We need actions, not just words.  Add in the U.N. which is being run like a kangaroo court and needs to make wholesale changes in order for it to be legit once again.  The security council laws need to change to make it majority rule instead of giving the permanent members the ability to quash anything that they disagree with.  It is either that or do away with the security council and let the vote happen between all member nations of the U.N. where 50% plus one means action.  This ability by Russia and China to hand tie the security council from recommending action is ridiculous and has made the U.N. the laughing stock of the world.  It no longer is legitimate and unless changes happen it will remain this way.  For far too long the U.S. and it's allies have had to police the world at it's expense.  If any action is needed in the world it should be international law that all expenses are shared by those who are part of the U.N. and then all money recouped by the country that has needed the help.  Then the trillions of dollars the U.S. spends in taking action would come back the the U.S. people, sounds fair doesn't it?  It has cost the U.S. a trillion dollars or more going into Iraq and Iran to liberate them, should this money not be paid back over time?

These are just some common sense solutions to a few of the world's problems, there are many more problems of course but these are the major ones right now and if these changes are made the world's economy would have a chance at stabilizing and the markets would return to normal.  Again, it is time to hold our politicians accountable and right the ship before it gets consumed by the wave of socialism.

Thursday, 28 July 2011

Africa Needs Your Help!

Donations are being matched dollar for dollar by the Canadian Government.  So please, donate today as there could be as many as 500,000 children dead of starvation by September.  UN has finally moved in to keep the Islamic rebels away so hopefully all aid will get to where it needs.  $10 can feed a child for 10 days, so give what you can and spread the word to family and friends.


Red Cross Canada www.redcross.ca
Red Cross USA  www.redcross.org
 

Horn of Africa Drought

Donate to the Horn of Africa Drought Appeal
A cycle of severe droughts has led to a humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa (which includes Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Uganda). It is estimated that nearly 11 million people have been affected, many fleeing their homes and are now left with limited access to food, clean water and shelter.
Humanitarian assistance is urgently needed as alarming levels of acute malnutrition and death continue to rise among vulnerable groups including children under five and pregnant mothers.
The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has a strong presence in the Horn of Africa and is actively scaling up operations to meet the urgent needs of affected communities. But it is now in an extreme situation and more funds are urgently needed to address this growing crisis.
The Government of Canada will generously match the donations of individual Canadians from July 6 until September 16, 2011. Government of Canada funds will be placed in a relief fund for East Africa that will be administered by the Government and will support humanitarian efforts in the region. Now is the time to make twice as much of an impact on the lives of many vulnerable people in the Horn of Africa.
Money raised will go to support the work of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in the region, both providing emergency relief and helping people recover their livelihoods. The Horn of Africa Drought Appeal will cover numerous countries in Africa including those currently affected and potentially affected in the future



Africa’s Silent Starvation Crisis

The food crisis in Africa is the world’s “most severe humanitarian emergency,” writes the CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. And yet, she says, it has garnered little attention.


How well we recall the jarring broadcasts and heart-rending scenes of orphans in Haiti, whose families and homes were wiped out by the devastating earthquake. These images are deeply etched in our memories, thanks to intensive and sustained world media coverage. As a result, they helped generate an outpouring of support from the public.
Now shift to the Horn of Africa, where more than 2 million children’s lives are in danger as a result of an enormous food crisis, brought on by drought and regional conflict. There is comparatively little media attention. This catastrophe is not on the public agenda. It urgently needs to be.
What is happening in Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti is nothing short of a calamity. As a result of the worst drought in 60 years—exacerbated by civil conflict and soaring food and fuel prices—tens of thousands have died, and millions more are malnourished and at risk of death. It is the most severe humanitarian emergency in the world. A massive human dislocation is taking place, with thousands of families trekking across the region to refugee camps in Kenya. Some children are so weakened by malnutrition that they are dying en route to the camps.
But, this time, the world is not watching. Unlike an earthquake, tsunami, or severe storm, this is not the kind of emergency that happened overnight. Those types of disasters, which spring upon us suddenly, have resulted in large-scale media attention, which, quite understandably, can jolt public awareness and response.
Nor is this the type of disaster that can be easily covered. The Horn of Africa is far away from where the cameras are, from where most newspapers and magazines post correspondents or maintain staff. Cutbacks in foreign media coverage over recent years have contributed to a news vacuum in these remote parts of the globe and, in turn, to the public’s unawareness of the scope of human tragedy.



East Africa Famine
Farah Abdi Warsameh / AP Photo

There have not been many images of the nearly 400,000 people in a crowded refugee camp in northern Kenya. And they are the “lucky” ones. Sustained by food, therapeutic nutritional supplies, and clean water provided by UNICEF and other international humanitarian agencies, their chances of survival are far greater than the millions outside the camps who are fighting for their lives every day.
With the support of governments and donors, we can save the lives of children and other victims of this drought. Americans are a generous and compassionate people. The response to the earthquake in Haiti was tremendous. And the media played a huge part.
There have not been many images of the nearly 400,000 people in a crowded refugee camp in northern Kenya.
Now, we need the media to bring home the appalling story of a mother having to make the “Sophie’s choice” of which child to feed—a sickly baby or a still-mobile pre-teen. But despite the misery, there is hope as well to encourage people to take action. There are babies being nursed back to health with a high-protein peanut butter paste provided at UNICEF-supported feeding centers. But let us be clear, those feeding centers and that peanut paste are there due to the generosity of educated donors. Donors who read, listen, and watch the news. Social media can, of course, also provide considerable attention. But those sites, too, have been largely silent as Africa’s worst food crisis in 20 years escalates.
The news media is an indispensable force in marshaling public attention and support for our success as aid organizations in coping with humanitarian crises—but so is everyone who consumes the media. All of our voices need to be heard. The responsibility for action lies not only with media. We all have the power to call attention to this colossal tragedy and try to stop it. And the sooner that happens, the more lives can be saved. A disaster of this magnitude should not have to be sudden, spectacular, or nearby to rise to the top of the world’s agenda.