Two Very Different Views of Life

This is the kind of news that can bring me to tears. I remember hearing news in the 90's about Ethiopia's Hunger crisis and seeing pictures on TV of babies with swollen bellies and such, but I thought that after aid and help, it had gotten a lot better there. Well, apparently it is bad again. Drought is something we joke about a bit here in our house, because the news proclaims a terrible drought in NC while it is raining almost two or three times a week. I can see that it's no joke and no laughing matter in Africa.

My heart honestly goes out to these babies who are suffering. Just reading about a child who used to be full of life and who now doesn't even bother to swat away flies in his face as he stares blankly ahead, makes me want to vomit. How can life be so different there? 126,000 severely malnourished children, they report. How terribly sad. It's hard for us here to even imagine not living in a place where there are 12 fast food restaurants within easy driving distance, not to mention a few grocery stores with shelves full of affordable food. But these people live in villages where the entire area depends on the crops that they grow. Without rain, there are no crops. Without rain for years in multiple areas, food supply goes way down while demand continues to rise. Most of these people can't afford rice or milk, simple staples that would make all the difference in their lives right now.

On CNN yesterday, that Ethiopia story was the No. 2 most viewed story, 2nd only to an equally heart-wrenching story about a city in Iraq where women are raped and killed by gangs for wearing jeans. But the number 3 story brought me to giggles. A 24 year old pilot for Pinnacle Airlines and his 24 year old flight attendant friend got drunk and decided to "go do it in the woods." I'm sure they were laughing and having a great time when someone in the neighborhood (who probably hasn't gotten laid in months) called the police on them to report their nudity. The poor pilot was found hiding behind a shed wearing only his flip-flops and a wristwatch.

These two horny 24 year old kids were then taken to jail and charged with a number of offenses, probably almost ruining their lives and careers. The airline they work for has suspended them "while the company investigates." Investigates what exactly? They were drunk and horny and decided on a whim to get naked and go into the woods to have sex. Okay, so the lady took a flashlight from someone's car. Jesus. There are people dying of starvation in Ethiopia and all we can concern ourselves with in this country is the crimes committed by two 20'somethings who were just out to have a good time and were not hurting anyone. It boggles the mind.