h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Good question, Mala. I've never understood that sort of thing - it's not that far removed from 'poverty tourism' really. An exception can be made for actual technology transfer, where the locals get shown new ways to manage water supplies or build stronger structures or whatever.

Yes, but that requires people with work experience, not some "volunteers" who are given busywork so they have something for their CV

I have a friend who's a civil engineer. He got his first construction site experience helping build a reservoir in South America, but he was actually using expertise the locals didn't have...

Dad ended his career working for a company that set up demonstration farms in the Middle East, showing the locals how to grow crops without irrigation - something we South Australians are rather good at on account of having a State that's 90% desert. That sort of thing I can see the point in. Random do-gooders dropping into perform basic tasks, on the other hand, is just strange.

My Uni flew in a lot of Afghani engineering students to teach them to build half-timbered houses and steel trusses based on the same principles - because they're earthquake proof. And then they can spread that knowledge back home. I thought it was a very good idea.

Going there and building one for them probably wouldn't have had the same effect...

help people help themselves is always a good idea

this reminds me: years ago i was told the late north korean leader kim il sung took it even further: he is said to have refused help from soviet engineers and the like with words like "if we do not learn to develop our country by ourselves we will always stay behind you"

that may be taking it a bit too far (and the poor state north korea is in seems to prove it) but there is *some* sense in it anyway

Yes, there's some sense in it - but it also sounds like someone in genteel poverty saying 'we don't need your charity'. Sometimes it might be charity, but sometimes it's just plain old sharing, isn't it?

Yes. One of the 'career options' P considered was going out armed with solar panels, wind turbines, hydr-power stuff to 3rdWorld countries, teaching them how to install them...

But he has a farm to run also; so needs someone to look after that when he's away (which he is at the moment; in Norway); so unless he's got a reliable WOOFFer or someone like me staying behind, it's a bit impossible.

Mal, are you still thinking of visiting? If o, when would be best for you? We have another lady, from Vienna also visiting in (probably) early March, she speaks German, but not much experience of farming; you might help each other skills wise & the guest room is big enough for two beds & various clutter!

Lambs are due in April; Spring is lovely here.

Ivan; i rattled tins for Red Cross in France, plus was donating monthly to Médicins Sans Frontières & Amnesty International. Can't afford to donate on aregular bsis now, since i am not getting any income whatsoever, apart from what P kindly gives me, which i spend on booze, cigs & for him, another year to go till i get "habitual Residency"; then the Social Welfare people better be prepared for a battle for back-payments!

My own fault really for being honest & stating i had come via France, despite having a British passsport.

I agree that often those who have been through such stuff themselves are the ones who actually donate, whether with cash, time or effort.

"Give a man a & you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish & you feed him for life"

zdt

I thought it was "teach a man to fish and he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day"

Or, 'Teach a man to fish and you won't see him all weekend, and when he does turn up he'll smell funny'.

Another possibility is that if you give a man a fish he'll give you a funny look and slowly back away - especially if it's just some bloke you've wandered up to on the street unannounced and foisted a fish upon.

Now what was that line about history repeating - first as tragedy, then as farce?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/27/2802327.htm?section=justin

Another 'religion' foisting itself upon Haiti. This one's like voodoo, at least, but it's less rational.

Well, at least he's brought some food with him.

If they can reconnect damaged nerves; they can use me as an extremely sceptical guinea pig if they wish.

*Gets to work building landing strip on the field.*

zdt

oh

but as T&Y said at least they brought food with them, i'm vary about the medicine though

Now we have a bunch of Jesus-freaks apparently stealing children from Haiti.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/01/2806972.htm

What's all this about? Thoroughly misguided compassion, or trying to 'save' the poor ickle kiddies from voodoo, or what?

*Makes no comment as it will become a fierce rant*

*nods*

Can't say much more myself. Think I'll have a beer...

Please join me.

Hmm, a beer at 9 in the morning? Well, why not. I'll take the redish one.

Good choice.

(Nothing wrong with beer for breakfast. It used to be perfectly normal, four or five hundred years ago... Besides, it's really just a cereal product.)

I'll take anything that's going, please, since i'm out of all of them & waiting for the local supermarket to deliver, they're not answering the sodding phone, the road is iced up so they probably won't deliver anyway & i have just ONE cig left, donkey is hee-hawing for food, can't contact P, no idea where on the planet he is & the bloody fuel is running out.

I think i shall pop over to Haiti & announce that the Irish pagans are adopting/abducting several thousand kids & see what happens. If i take the donkey, dress in blue burqa, they may believe i am the virgin Mary or Mother Teresa (since that's actually my RL name, i may get away with it.)

zdt