the world out there

I am not much of a news junkie. Usually I find that the news doesn't tell me about the people and how they live and what they see and do. Usually the news seems to be a propaganda tool, part of the "media" brainwashing that goes on in our world today.

In the last few days though certain events stay in my mind

South Sudan is now independent. How amazing is that! After generations of slavery to Khartoum. It seems to me that people (not governments) from all round the world just wouldn't give up and made this happen. People who wouldn't let the agony in Darfur disappear into a news black hole, people who watched on Google Earth for troop movements and the like during the referendum, people who continued even after their leader Col John Garang was killed in a helicopter "accident".

Space Shuttle Endeavour will be the last shuttle into orbit this week. How, I wonder, can the American people let their space programme die? I know it costs money, good heavens I am an accountant. But so much was born out of the space programme... miniaturization, computers, microwaves, communications, Hubble. Who will lead us in development and space research now? The Chinese? Beyond my dismay I am simply sad that these workhorses are being retired with nothing to replace them, and seemingly unappreciated.

Prince William and Catherine are on a tour of Canada and the United States. They have no choice but to live their lives forever in the spotlight. They are going to make mistakes, they are human after all. I pray that they will receive tolerance and understanding.

I wonder at the Greek government who impose terrible austerity on their people without tackling the bloated civil service. Small wonder as it is the civil service who design the policy and they, naturally, protect themselves. Global economics reduce me to perplexed dismay much of the time ..... and seem to concentrate on greed, protectionism and passing the buck - its ok so long as I don't have to pay.

The Chinese Government is developing high speed rail networks for all of China. I don't know too much about China but I wonder at their priorities. People still starve in China. Will this rail network help them?

Well that's my round up of world news....what stories catch your eye?