Sudan Removes Limbs of Criminals

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This article reported on Sudan, a country in Africa punishing it's criminals by cutting off the hands and legs of convicted criminals.  These punishments are based on an interpretation of Islamic Law.  Recently some doctors have refused to carry out the orders to remove the hands or legs of these criminals, claiming it would make them break the Hippocratic Oath to protect patients.

It however, was most interesting that some people in Sudan are not alarmed by this and are even make public statements regarding the normalcy of their practices.  Recently Sudan's Deputy Chief Justice announces that they may start to train judges to cut perform the amputations if doctors continue to refuse to carry out the orders.

This article was a pretty good example of the extremely different ways that cultures think from each other.  In our culture this is a very inhumane way to treat any human, even if they are a criminal.  However it appears they find this to be a very normal practice that is not only legal, but encouraged. So in the United States we are in a heated human rights battle over homosexuals being allowed to marry, in Sudan they are still stoning women on counts of adultery.  Definitely extremes in what is cultural acceptable.

More Woes from North Korea

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This article was about North Korea threatening nuclear strikes on the US.  The UN Security counsel was upset at the nuclear tests North Korea has been doing and put sanctions on them.  "The sanctions enraged the North further ... it ratcheted up its threats, suggesting it could carry out a pre-emptive nuclear strike on the United States."  North Korea definitely is trying to make a statement.

North Korea is threatening nuclear warfare on the United States, kind of a big deal, but I thought it was interesting that in my daily life I don't feel the effects of this.  Nothing has changed for me.  It didn't make a difference that some country was treating harm to my country.  It's weird how war is that way.  I hope things simmer down so I don't ever have to experience the trauma that war in your own country brings.

Horse Meat used in Nestle Products

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I know a few people already posted about this last week, however this week the European Horse Meat problem struck a little closer to home so I thought I'd write about it.

My father works for Nestle and worked for Stouffer's frozen food for several years, it is a company that I trust for good quality food.  When I heard that they had horse meat in their frozen meals I was a bit disappointed that a company I trusted would allow horse meat into their frozen meals in Europe.

I also thought about how crazy work would be for the quality assurance managers in Europe.  My dad works in quality assurance and even when small problems happen it can be time consuming.  I can only imagine the effect of a problem that has hit international news would be to the quality assurance managers and probably other managers in the company.  Anyway, for the sake of my commitment to Nestle, I figure I'll just blame the company they were getting their meat from and not Nestle.

North Korea Nuclear Weapons

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Yesterday North Korea conducted it's 3rd nuclear test, which the entire world looked down on, including China, the United Nations, and the United States.  I was surprised that even China looked down on this, because it seems we disagree with them so often.  However, the most surprising part of the article was the quote from North Korea about WHY they are conducting these test.  "The test was carried out as part of practical measures of counteraction to defend the country's security and serenity in the face of the ferocious hostile acts of the US, which wontedly violated the DPRK's legitimate right to launch a satellite for peaceful purposes."

I didn't do any research on what exactly the US did in regards to their satellite launch, however I believe that nuclear testing is a bit of an extreme response to that.  It seems that if you are going to do something that extreme, you wouldn't admit it on your national news.

Nigerian Sex Trafficking

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The Global Post featured a 3 part series on sex trafficking in Nigeria today.  It told about how people would trick uneducated and poor women in Benin City and other small towns in Nigeria into "borrowing" money to travel to Europe to work as a nanny.  They would participate in a "curse" that said if they didn't pay back the money they would die.  It sounded as if many of the girls jumped at the opportunity of a better life, without a thought that they may have been lied to.  When they arrived in Europe instead of being taken to their promised jobs, they were brought to a prostitution home and told they were to repay their debt via prostitution.

The series included 3 sad stories of girls who had escaped.  It also said that most of the girls who went were uneducated and very poorly educated.  While some do repay their debt, most are sent back to Nigeria penniless, others never return.

Jedy-Agba, the executive secretary for Nigeria's National Anti-trafficking Agency said, "It is big enough to be a source of concert to both the Nigerian government and the international community."  It is such a problem worldwide.  It is unfortunate there are so many problems with so many awful things going on through out the world.  It would be great if we could solve them all.