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UN Food Programme Releases Game

Posted by Zonk on from the getting-the-message-out dept.

bobbis.u writes "The UN World Food Programme has launched a game (for Windows and Mac) to educate people about their work. Although aimed for children, I'm sure some Slashdotters will enjoy it. It includes six different missions and is a hefty download."

6 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. Children by bobbis.u · · Score: 1, Insightful
    I didn't really think, but I'm sure some Slashdotters are children!


    My submission was "edited": I made an appeal for Torrents - think of the starving children when you are running up the UN's bandwidth bills.

  2. marginalization by mabu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It's really sad to see all the pedantic jokes and offhand comments about the UN and these efforts; people making fun of the UN's use of technology as a diversion from the associated goal of feeding the hungry, but the reality is if there wasn't such an overwhelming amount of ignorance and misinformation being spread about by partisian groups on the UN's purpose and accomplishments, they wouldn't need to release software like this, but unfortunately, many of the sopmoric comments herein show exactly why they do.

    1. Re:marginalization by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The UN food programme has been around for a long, long time. Are you seriously asserting that it was invented solely to divert people's attention from one (very serious) scandal?

      I'll admit that it's likely PR, but what the fuck - what you're suggesting is that the UN is first and foremost interested in corrupt profiteering and maintains humanitarianism as a sideshow. I'll admit that the UN is pretty damned ineffective, but this claim is totally incredible.

    2. Re:marginalization by mabu · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'll admit that the UN is pretty damned ineffective, but this claim is totally incredible.

      Ironically, the majority of the UN's problems are the DIRECT result of the United States making the organization completely incapable of accomplishing much or enforcing important humanitarian mandates.

      It's funny how the U.S. criticizes the U.N. whenever the organization doesn't exclusively promote the US's agenda, and then two seconds later, after veto'ing numerous resolutions, they cite UN sanction violations as a means by which they can engage in preemptive war. And when the UN's members get upset, the U.S. calls the UN "useless" and ignores them.. until the next time the UN's agenda coincides with their own.

      This would be all fine and dandy if this planet were one singular culture and nation, but it isn't. And the UN, while not perfect, is the best attempt thus far to provide a forum for the world's people to work together. It's pathetic for ignorant, small-minded people to marginalize the U.N. when they don't know much about it.

      Because of so much propaganda and misinformation spreading about on the UN, educational programs like this are probably a good idea. They're no counter to the hundreds of hours of right-wing media lies being spread about the organization, but it's a start.

    3. Re:marginalization by Col.+Blackwolf · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It certainly is a start, but it fails to address the root problem. The US, along with everyone else, ignores the UN because they can. The UN, while an organization with lofty, laudable goals and asperations, lacks the infrastructure and means to achieve those goals.

      The real solution is to give the UN the means to actually enforce its mandates and impose its will on nations. And let's be honest, foreign policy is exactly that: imposing one nation's will on another. As it stands now, the UN must rely on the good will of its member nations to provide the means of enforcement, ie military forces.

      And there is the solution. When it comes to the game of nations, force is the only thing that matters, be it military, economic or social. The UN has social force, but that is such a weak force that it hardly matters. And as it is not an actual territory, it is very difficult for it to have any real economic power. That leaves military force as the only viable option. The UN needs its own independant military. Then it will cease to be a national social club and will become the powerful arbitrator it was intended to be.

      Of course, the idea of a UN military is about as likely SCO successfully proving that it owns Linux. But there you have it.

    4. Re:marginalization by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful
      ' Because of so much propaganda and misinformation spreading about '

      "Propaganda" meaning information, opinion, and facts that you do not like. Face it: telling the truth about the UN is a good thing.

      ' They're no counter to the hundreds of hours of right-wing media lies '

      Oho! Paranoid conspiracy theories used to slander anyone who dares to question the authority of the organization which presided over the Serbian holocaust against Kosovo, and has issued many antisemitic proclamations. What a boob.