[Alvin]

Makes you think don't it.?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7583719.stm

Alvin

[Inzvestor]

Only for an instant, until you balance that with some of the richest people in the world running the poorest countries, for their own benefit.

I have been to many emerging and impoverished nations. Whilst they are not wealthy people, many of them are happy (even those below the poverty line) as they often have a great sense of community, strengthened through hardship and suffering, celebrating wildly during the good times and reflecting on that during the bad.

The answer is not throwing money at the problem, but in most cases education. Getting past those at the top is the sticking point though.

[durham-productions]

The comparisons made between the lives of those in rich countries, and those in poor don't work.

I spent much of 2004 and 2005 in Afghanistan, and met a huge number of people who lived on the kind of money we wouldn't bother to pick up if it fell on the floor.

However, they had food, shelter, something to keep them busy, and seemed an awful lot happier with their lives than a lot of people in the UK.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by durham-productions

The comparisons made between the lives of those in rich countries, and those in poor don't work.

I spent much of 2004 and 2005 in Afghanistan, and met a huge number of people who lived on the kind of money we wouldn't bother to pick up if it fell on the floor.

However, they had food, shelter, something to keep them busy, and seemed an awful lot happier with their lives than a lot of people in the UK.

Just one tiny downside to life there.

The average life expectancy for the people in Afghanistan is 44.21 years. A man's life expectancy is 44.04 years, while a woman's is 44.39 years.

Alvin

[PremierPDS]

Al, you should go and do a Public Health and Epidemiology degree, you'd love it. That's what I did at uni- right up your street. Also visited the Gambia on a research trip as part of the course- absolutely fab and by far the greatest experience of my life so far! Love your posts on this kind of stuff!

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by PremierPDS

Al, you should go and do a Public Health and Epidemiology degree, you'd love it. That's what I did at uni- right up your street. Also visited the Gambia on a research trip as part of the course- absolutely fab and by far the greatest experience of my life so far! Love your posts on this kind of stuff!

Once a Red always Red.

Well untill I have saved up enought to be a Tory Free mason.

Some people can think outside the box.

I tend to think outside our tiny little country ,and can appreciate to a limited degree how it must feel to not know whether you will eat the next day.

Let along if the heated seats on your car will work.

I sold a boat to a guy from Gambia.

Never heard from him since.

well it was a bit of a trip in a 16ft cabin cruiser.

Alvin