Newsflash

Melaneimoon · Jul 7, 2005

A few days ago, there was another remarkable news broadcast here.

One topic: In a country in Africa (forgot which one), 1 child out of 5 dies because of the lack of drinking water.
Immediately after that came the topic: In the USA there has been a hot-dog devouring contest.

I think that speaks for itself, doesn't it.

Famine · Jul 7, 2005

Why?

Did the contestants poison the water table in Africa?

TwinTurboJay · Jul 7, 2005

OWNED

Ev0 · Jul 7, 2005

It's a sign of the times... there is suffering all over the world, and a very good portion of the western world just doesn't give a damn.

Famine · Jul 7, 2005

Why assume that people in a hotdog-eating contest in the US don't give a damn about suffering - or are even Westerners? The winner was Japanese - and could well have given his prize money to UNICEF...

barryl85 · Jul 7, 2005

Ev0
It's a sign of the times... there is suffering all over the world, and a very good portion of the western world just doesn't give a damn.

Why should they? - how do you know that any1 of the contestants hasnt donated to Africa's Poverty Crisis? Why should they stop having fun because others are suffering? should we all sit around with our head hanging low? dont think so!

Britains donated money for the Tsunami Appeal - my girlfriends dad paid £1000 alone to it - to find out that 1p to every £1 that was sactually sent went to the appeal - so wats the point unless you are going to physically hand it to them personally???

I for one arent going to lose any sleep over it, we done our bit by donating some money - no need to take it any further than that.

Duke · Jul 7, 2005

If you don't think that the Western world is a large part of why there's any safe drinking water at all in Africa, you should study up. Save your little ironic juxtapositions for something that's meaningful.

FoolKiller · Jul 7, 2005

The problem here is that the western world does put money into Africa, billions in fact, and it disappears before it ever reaches the people. The true problem is many corrupt governments that take the money and let the people starve and then blame the western world.

See here for a more intelligent description of what I am saying.

The other issue is environmental activists have forced pesticides such as DDT to no longer be allowed. That was a chemical commonly used in the US and virtually wiped out malaria here but Greenpeace and other activists began a campaign that essentialy stated that it is in your body and must be bad, but there has never been any scientific study to support this, in fact scientists testified just the opposit at EPA hearings. After its use was banned in the US then USAid and the UN both banned the use of DDT and any hope Africa had of ending the malaria epidemic, which kills millions every year, was crushed.

For more on that see here and here.

In all honesty, the only way to truly help poor Africans without all out war and regime change in most countries is to smuggle the goods in and hope that no officials seize them after you are gone. The other countries that are honestly trying need some international policy and regulatory changes from more than just the western world to help them. Without these issues the plagues and famines could have probably been ended years ago with eth billions they already receive today.

ledhed · Jul 7, 2005

Melaneimoon
A few days ago, there was another remarkable news broadcast here.

One topic: In a country in Africa (forgot which one), 1 child out of 5 dies because of the lack of drinking water.
Immediately after that came the topic: In the USA there has been a hot-dog devouring contest.

I think that speaks for itself, doesn't it.

So why are you wasting time ? You should be running over to Africa with water shouldnt you ? When you are done there are some homeless people in NY that want to see you along with some Refugees in Sudan that also need your help .

barryl85 · Jul 7, 2005

ledhed
So why are you wasting time ? You should be running over to Africa with water shouldnt you ? When you are done there are some homeless people in NY that want to see you along with some Refugees in Sudan that also need your help .

ha ha - nice one 👍

Melaneimoon · Jul 7, 2005

foolkiller79
The problem here is that the western world does put money into Africa, billions in fact, and it disappears before it ever reaches the people. The true problem is many corrupt governments that take the money and let the people starve and then blame the western world.

Very true! On the other hand, I would also not believe that the western world would do anything (giving money in particular) without profiting from that one way or another.
"Avant l'independace = après l'indépendance"

ledhed
So why are you wasting time ? You should be running over to Africa with water shouldnt you ? When you are done there are some homeless people in NY that want to see you along with some Refugees in Sudan that also need your help .

I notice that a lot of you read my post as being particularly criticising towards the USA and those contestants in particular. Well ofcourse 'wasting food' is still different from just not helping. I was not saying that it is the contestant's responsibility to help Africa.
I just think it's really ironic news. I mean, obviously there is SOMETHING wrong, but the casual way things are dealth with (in the news) is quite odd.
It reminds me of how the commerce would promote unserious films and tv material, because serious contect would make the commercials look bad.

code_kev · Jul 7, 2005

Hotdog eating contest? Who the hell would want a contest to see how much offal they can eat!?!?!

Swift · Jul 7, 2005

Melaneimoon
I notice that a lot of you read my post as being particularly criticising towards the USA and those contestants in particular. Well ofcourse 'wasting food' is still different from just not helping. I was not saying that it is the contestant's responsibility to help Africa.
I just think it's really ironic news. I mean, obviously there is SOMETHING wrong, but the casual way things are dealth with (in the news) is quite odd.
It reminds me of how the commerce would promote unserious films and tv material, because serious contect would make the commercials look bad.

You want to know what's really sad? If you would have put the preceding quote in your FIRST post, then you would've had a pretty viable and interesting discussion point. But the way it's posted it looks like an attack on Western Civilization.

Just thought I'd through that in there.

Newsflash

Melaneimoon

Famine

GTP Editor, GTPEDIA Author

TwinTurboJay

Ev0

Famine

GTP Editor, GTPEDIA Author

barryl85

Duke

Keep 'em separated

FoolKiller

Don't be a fool.

ledhed

Ultraextreme sanity

barryl85

Melaneimoon

code_kev

Swift

GT Sport is looking good...

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