Here is a collection of thoughts and points gleaned after reading through various books. Agree or not, it’s always good to challenge ideas and possible misconceptions. Definitions of Poverty Varies depending on who you talk to. Within Western countries poverty generally refers to relative wealth or income. So if most of the population owns a [...]
28. February 2010
Can You Save a Child’s Life with $100?
About 2 hours south of Metro Manila, Philippines, is a small rural community. I had the privilege of visiting with a few families in the area, and listening to their stories. Lori (above) lives a humble life. The shed-like buildings behind her are her home (to the left), shared with 5 children. Directly behind is [...]
3. February 2010
Join Me For a Fresh Round of Bono-Bashing
I’m not that serious – even though tearing down a tall poppy could provide a great cathartic release. Hating on Bono hit new heights (lows?) recently with AC DC singer Brian Johnston spouting forth his wisdom regarding charity donations: “I do it myself, I don’t tell everybody I’m doing it,” Johnson said. “I don’t tell [...]
10. January 2010
Will the Social Web Save Us?
Twitter and Facebook have become omnipresent. Access is built into almost every wired and wireless device. It’s exciting and it’s creepy. The onset (onslaught) of new technology is so rapid I wonder how many people take time to ponder the broader implications of such rapid changes in communication style. Technology is amoral. The way we [...]
2. December 2009
Drowning in Triviality: Celebrity-Obsession Is Like a Drug
If you’ve managed to sit through an entire TV evening news bulletin, you begin to realise that the word “news” is highly subjective. Much of what is presented as news is really not-news. Not-news is pretty much a combination of overly-long irrelevant sentimental pieces mixed with banal celebrity voyeurism. Just a brief perusal of TV [...]
12. November 2009
2 Realities They Don’t Teach You At School
Remember the Huxtables? They were a fictional affluent African-American family who starred in The Cosby Show. The sitcom debuted in 1984 – the decade of “Greed is good”. Although it has been described as revolutionary (black, American AND rich) – I didn’t really get that bit. I thought all Americans lived in lavish mansions and [...]
26. October 2009
Enraged: The Ugly Face of Suffering
Using shock tactics to invoke a response is questionable, but sometimes a picture conveys so much more than words. The girl in the foreground is Asan Bibi. She is 9. She is from an ethnic minority group (kuchi nomad tribe) in Afghanistan who are tent dwellers. Her family’s tent was fired upon by a helicopter [...]
21. October 2009
What Does a Child of Conflict Think of the West?
This drawing comes from an art therapy session with child refugees. US: “No we can’t say that” EU: “It’s ok this is not my problem” The concept of Somebody Else’s Problem (let’s call it SEP) runs right through society and all issues in the world. Peter Shirley in his book “The Life You Can Save” [...]
14. September 2009
Sick of People Who Want to Save the World?
A recent reader survey mentioned that U2 is one of the most overrated bands, with pundits believing a U2 concert is more of a political rally than a music extravaganza. Fair call – especially when you’re paying serious money to hear music. However at least someone is using their celebrity status to draw attention to [...]
2. September 2009
The Most Brutal Christmas Day Ever
Christmas Day is a strange day. It’s every retailer’s dream come true, with sales in the Christmas period sometimes matching that of an entire year. Ask most people and they’ll tell you: “It’s about family”. However our Christmas days can also be described in negative terms – such as busy, hectic, stress. It gets darker [...]
4. May 2010
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