Defective Condoms in South Africa

So here is the thing- South Africa has one of the world's highest rate of HIV infection; and this leads to almost 1000 (ONE THOUSAND) aids related deaths every day in South Africa!
The government - has not always been kind to those infected, however they do allow for condom distribution in order to slow the spread of the disease.

So in order to help - a government official decided to take a bribe and allowed defective condoms to be purchased!

Surprise - he wasn't put to death!

Really- should we care about Africa- when the Africans do not seem to care about each other?

-Yes

-But WHY

- Because it is what Jesus would do.
- and Because there are corrupt officials everywhere - in some countries they even call bribes 'contributions'

how do You spell GENOCIDE? D-A-R-F-U-R

I heard the song "for What It's Worth" today and I thought about the reprehensible situation in Darfur. There is no reason for this to be happening, the world has had several dances with genocide and it seems that everyone is short on caring. Poor people, those without voices and political connections, those with nothing to trade are being murdered like mange afflicted dogs.
There is absolutely no reason for this to be happening. The Bridge of Hope Ministry in Ohio, pastored by Rod Parsley has been trying to help these poor people for years now. We send out few dollars to buy children from the Muslim overlords and we help with a few dollars to help women who were raped and brutalized and we wait- Everyday there is a new danger for these people- God's people. Everyday ministries like Bridge of Hope ask us to give a little to help but the help does not stop the new and vulgar ways men have practiced to maim and to murder. NOW WHAT!

Christians cared and acted long before the Sudanese Government had to acknowledge the atrocities, and certainly long before our government even commented at length about the murders and rapes and destruction. Long before Condelesa Rice appealed to the congress for their attention to this matter- Long before the Congress chose to do nothing. You see- even if the Sudanese Government can give us key members of Al Quida -it is morally out of bounds for us to give them what appears to be tacit approval to murder peoples' bodies and souls; I am so sad I could cry-

We will one day beheld accountable for the sins that we chose to ignore. One day we will be asked why we did nothing. I do not know what to do- but I tell you, it is one of the things that keep me up at night. Children are dying, women and men are dying and they die thinking that they, are nothing in this world. Villages are burned into the sands as I sit here and wonder what I can do.

Do you have any ideas? Will you share them with me?



Buffalo Springfield
For What It's Worth
Stephen Stills, 1966


There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down

If you're murdered and you're in Darfur- is it genocide?

The facts are these:
The people of Darfur are being hunted, raped and slaughtered.
The world is ignoring genocide- again.

Hey Mister ! Vegansexuals do not eat nuts!!

Everyday I see or hear of some pot full of nonsense in the world. Today it was the vegansexuals- these paragons of critical thought do not have sexual relations with meat eaters, because they consider that the bodies of meat eaters are basically cemeteries for all the dead animals that they have eaten.
OY!!

Why do some groups insist on the deep end of the dirty pool - Seriously!

China and Mattel

I suppose the title of this entry should be China and corporate America; given the latest massive toy recall is further proof that this off-shoring of labor is a really bad idea. As a cynical consumer I really do believe that Mattel knew about this lead paint problem and the use of high powered magnet since 2002 - yes the toy recall extends to 2002.

The chairman of Mattel really does expect that the average American parent will believe that after all those years, they were simply duped and now yikes- they have to protect the children. Sadly he is correct- a few days after the recall, I saw an interview with a mother of five who felt unsure as to what she will do. She did not want to discard the toys until she was sure of what was going on!

As a mother- I was stunned- The makers of the toys listed what was under the recall, yet this American Mother was not sure of her next move. Sheesh it is no wonder what harmful and deadly tricks corporations can pull and simply walk away smiling.

My daughters - after watching the news report and checking the list went upstairs immediately; I then found them separating all the questionable toys - the girls are 10 and 11. The children even discarded their many Barbies out of protest, they even had their three year old brother helping.


Children are not attached to things, it is the parents who push cheap baubles at them, only to then wonder how their children become so focused on material things.
We do not allow our children countless toys, but we will present them with any book they need or want. Our children need to learn the art of thinking, in order to recover from a society of adults who are unable to make a reasonable decision.

This idea that Americans need cheaply produced goods in order to continue growing this hungry consumerism baby is insane. Many rush to the stores to stock up on every painted plastic crap they can get their hands on in order to amuse children who simply need love,attention and a few good books.

China has now become a driven marketplace, and only those who drive her can effectively disengage from her. We do not need under priced Barbies and every toy reflective of every Disney or Pixar compilation. We need children who are engaged in learning and exploring their innate infinite curiosities.
The problem now is not just the lead and the magnets- it's the lies:

It's all China's' fault
Really- it's China
We appraised them of our standards and they ignored us...
Blah Blah lie lie lie!

Many Americans are at heart- (even with the lady in New York beckoning others (like Me)to her lovely shores)- transparent
So now China is the evil destroyer of young American brains, and the poor fellows and ladies in the corporate offices- the ones who structured the deals and were required to test the standards- have been misused by the evil Asian bastards.

Americans need to wake up and realize that we are our own homeland security. It is our job to respond immediately to any offense against our children. We need not wait for clarification from a corporate tool who really does not care. We are responsible and if we feel that corporations do not have our best interest at heart ( hint: they don't) we should separate them from our purse strings.

Perhaps for Christmas this year or for the next special gift we could offer our children books. We do and they love us all the same

Seriously!

America’s infrastructure report card for 2005
From the American Society of Civil Engineers National

• Aviation, D+
• Bridges, C
• Dams, D
• Drinking water, D- oy OY!
• Energy (national power grid), D
• Hazardous waste, D
• Navigable waterways, D-
• Public parks/recreation, C-
• Rail, C-
• Roads, D
• Schools, D
• Security, I
• Solid waste, C+
• Transit, D+
• Wastewater, D- WOW
• America’s Infrastructure GPA: D

Sleeping Soundly at Night: OY!