Archive for December, 2008
Are NGOs the New Colonial Power?
Monday, December 29th, 2008As the U.S. and European governments use non-governmental organizations to dispense aid funds and services, NGOs are wielding greater power in developing nations. And the result, according to development specialist Henry Zakumumpa in Uganda, is not only development, it is a new form of NGO colonialism.
Citing a report in Foreign Policy, Zakumumpa explains that governments [...]
Cambodia’s Canals
Saturday, December 6th, 2008A story this morning about the restoration of Cambodia’s irrigation canals by Thomas Fuller in the New York Times brought back memories of my first experience in Cambodia. It was around canal reconstruction following the genocidal regime of Pol Pot known as the Khmer Rouge.
The canals were destroyed by the secret carpet bombing carried out [...]
Michael Moore and The Transportation Bailout
Thursday, December 4th, 2008Michael Moore’s letter about the bailout of the big three automakers hits the target when he proposes conditions Congress should impose if they are to get the money. Moore writes: “The Big 3 are, from this point forward, to build only cars that are not primarily dependent on oil and, more importantly to build trains, [...]
Did the News Produce Terror?
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008A story on CNN International today discusses the influence of non-stop coverage of the Mumbai incident and asks if wall-to-wall coverage contributed to prolonged terror and created “celebrity terrorists.”
The terrorists had sufficient explosives to do more damage in a shorter time, the story reports, but speculates they took more time and extended the terror–even took [...]
The Gospel of Wealth:Televangelists, Culture and Authority
Monday, December 1st, 2008As I travel, I continue to be impressed with the global reach of television evangelists based in the U.S. propounding the gospel of wealth. I also reflect upon the cultural context in which these evangelists bring their messages. More often than not the message and the context are totally out of sync. The places I’m [...]