So you're outraged that we're not outraged by the lack of outrage about dying children.

It's just that disproportionate interest in matters of emotional significance is an old, old story which goes to the heart of human psychology. Why did media obsess over O.J. Simpson and JonBenet Ramsey and ignore millions of other murders? Why do we care when a few western tourists are kidnapped in Algeria while millions are dying in Congo.

People react to narratives, particularly narratives that they can relate to. That's why the micro-loan program you wrote about directed your money to a specific individual and told you her story. The most efficient way to do it would been just to put your money in a fund, but then you would have been less likely to donate.

As for the media, they just report on what interests us. If you were to title this post "Malnourishment and disease kill African children" instead of "Pirates? Are you kidding me?" I expect that you would not receive as many clicks.

So my advice to you, fellow member of the media, if you want to generate interest in issues of social justice, is to tell good stories.

Nothing like attacking Western interests to get the world to pay attention to you.

Agree about negotiating with the Islamic movement. Unfortunately, the movement is more extreme than it once was, and I'm sure how open to negotiation they are or how well they'd be able to work with secular interests. I fear that the only available alternative to anarchy is a Talibanesque regime. That would improve stability, as Taliban did for Afghanistan, but at the expense of women and could offer a safe haven for militant jihadists.

That's fascinating and troubling, Donal. Thanks for the link. I wonder if this kind of arrangement will become more common. I don't think that the problems are quite as clear cut as you suggest. Madagascar is more democratic and less corrupt than many other African nations. Neither Madagascar nor Nigeria has a "strongman" like Mugabe. Conflating them belittles the real successes that these nations have had. But there is a ruling class that will reap most of the benefits, as has happened in Latin America. Still the deal will provide much needed capital to the country, and assuming that Korea hires locals, some compensation will go directly to the farmers. Finally, with a true democratic government and international stature, Korea may be more responsive to human rights pressure than Madagascar itself.

There are serious issues of concern though. You're right about the threat to the environment. Furthermore, the price of food is likely to go up locally, so even if the Malagasians have more money, they may be able to buy less with it. Moreover, if Malagasians are excluded from management, they won't develop local expertise, and the arrangement will truly be nouveau colonial, or even nouveau feudal. Furthermore, the system may be replicated by undemocratic powers like China and Russia who could cut deals with third world regimes that are much more corrupt and totalitarian than Madagascar.