Some real life nasty stuff that actually hurts people is happening in the world if you can bear to tear yourselves away from JR/RB for a second.

[Callisto]

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7701269.stm

Really, an alien reading the In The News section of MN would (rightly) think that we have our priorities all wrong. No news has been discussed this week apart from endless threads about 2 pathetic, insecure men. How bizarre when there is the US election, credit crunch, Pakistan financial meltdown, etc etc to discuss. Perhaps you could all stop agonising about irrelevant crap and put some of your energies into something that actually matters?

[darkpunk]

oh chill out...it's friday..

[expatinscotland]

it's also Halloween!

yes, Halloween.

and these chaps on This Morning can sing!

ooooo, i like them!

[Iloveautumn]

Callisto:

An interesting comment by Johann Hari in the Independent about the Congalese civil war which basically says we should all care/feel guilty about it because it is the developed world's demand for commodities which is a major cause. (Congo is a very resource rich country with lots of mines.)

[http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-how-we-fuel-af ricas-bloodiest-war-978461.html]

[Iloveautumn]

www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-how-we-fuel-africas-bloodiest-war -978461.html

[Callisto]

Yes, there was something about this on R4 this morning as I recall, that the major players are big money corporations who can afford to employ the various army factions. It actually suits these corporations (and governments - I think China is very guilty of this) because they can extract the minerals without regard for displacing people or damage to the environment. It is very difficult to boycott through buying power also (unless one boycotts the actual nations/corporations involved and have you tried boycotting Chinese goods?) as it is next to impossible to trace manufactured goods back to raw materials.

[Callisto]

That article is so depressing. I obviously mis-heard on R4 this morning. Or maybe the Rwandan businessmen are fronts for corporate involvement. I know that China has thrown vast amounts of money at Africa.

[ewwwmy2shoesarefullofblood]

those poor people.
I saw the news earlier and it looked horrid

[unknownrebelbang]

Callisto, after finishing the rather demanding dayjob, coming home to three teens/pre-teens, and listening to DH offload about his demanding day/night/weekend job, etc etc etc, a bit of meaningless gossip does me the world of good.

Oh, and we discussed this issue at work in rl.

[MrsMattie]

I have been watching a news item about the Congo tonight and am just so distressed by what is going on . It is just utterly, utterly grim. I feel like I really must do something more than sit on my arse shaking my head and getting all teary. But what?