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From the Rich to the Poor (or, What I Learned in Africa)
Published on - March 1st, 2011 (by J.D. Roth)
After 36 hours of travel (followed by twelve hours of sleep), Kris and I are back from vacation. For the past three weeks, we've been exploring southern Africa. With a tour group, we visited South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia. We had a great time, and we learned a lot. It was well worth the expense. In fact, I loved what I saw so much, that I'm eager to return. (On my next trip, I'll probably aim for Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania.)
Because it's now ingrained in my being, I spent the entire trip looking at things through the lens of personal finance. This wasn't tough. We saw a lot of wealth and poverty.
From the Rich to the Poor
On our first day in South Africa, as the tour bus set out from our hotel in Johannesburg to nearby Pretoria, our tour guide interrupted his narrative to say something strange.
"Before we go too far," Brian said, "I want to thank you: Thank you for coming to Africa. Tourism is the biggest transfer of money from the rich to the poor in the world. For every seven people who come to South Africa, roughly one job is created. So, thank you."
I thought this was odd at the time, so I pulled out my notebook and jotted down the quote verbatim. (When I travel, I always carry a small notebook to capture quotes and impressions.) During the course of our three weeks in southern Africa, I kept coming back to this notion, to the idea that tourism isn't exploitive (as I've always believed), but actually beneficial to countries and communities.
Brian wasn't the only one to mention this. Several of our local guides brought up the subject too. On our tour of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held prisoner for nearly eighteen years, our guide echoed Brian's statement. "For every six tour buses to visit Robben Island," he told us, "one job is created. Thank you for visiting." And on the final afternoon of our trip, we took a tour through the "informal settlement" in Langa Township. ("Informal settlement" is a polite term for a squatter camp or shantytown.) Our local guide — who lives in Langa Township — expressed heartfelt thanks.
Despite assurances from Brian and the local guides, I felt guilty a lot of the time. I felt ashamed that I have so much and the people I met had so little. Yes, they were happy and friendly and giving, but consider this calculus:
- We spent three nights in the Victoria Falls Hotel, where the average room costs $618 per night. I'm not sure what our actual cost was — it was probably much less — because we booked the entire trip as a package through a tour company. If we'd paid full price, though, we might have expected to pay $1854 for our time in Victoria Falls.
- According to our local guide, minimum wage in Victoria Falls is currently $250 a month. And right now, nobody can afford to pay that, so workers are only being given a living allowance — enough to buy bare necessities.
So, three nights in this posh hotel cost the same as seven months of local wages. Worse, most Zimbabweans don't even have a job. Unemployment in the country runs at nearly 80%. 80%!! One in five people has a regular job. Perhaps you can see why, despite our guides' gratitude, I often felt ashamed to be there.
The Open Market
On Valentine's Day, my favorite day of the trip, our group experienced three cultural outings.
In the morning, we visited the Victoria Falls open market, where local residents sell hand-made jewelry, rugs, statues, and knick-knacks. Before we entered the market, Brian gave us a piece of advice: "Think of this as a cultural experience, not a shopping opportunity," he said. "And don't just give these folks money. They don't want your handouts. They want to earn a living."
I heeded Brian's advice, and did my best to learn more about the vendors I spoke with. At one stall, Joshua taught me about haggling. He explained how the process works, and where you might use it. (You don't haggle at the grocery store, but you can at the fresh food market.)
I asked how much a carved hippo cost. "Thirty-five dollars," Joshua said. He quickly added, "But that's just my starting price. Now you make an offer." I eventually bought the hippo for $12. I felt guilty for not paying $35.
A fellow called Moreblessing (no joke) talked to me about how his family produced and sold the items he had on display. (His brother had a stall right next to him.)
In Zimbabwe, names are the same as ours — Francis, Richard, Jacqueline, etc. — except when they're not. Some people have African names, as you might expect, and others have names derived from English nouns and adjectives: Reason, Accurate, Blessed, Moreblessing, and Garlic (also no joke). We didn't meet anyone named Precious, though.
Several of the fellows (I only spoke with men) told me that they needed to sell something because this was the only way they could get money to put food on the table. I asked Brian if this were true. "It is," he said. "Some of these guys may only make one or two sales per week."
I bought too many carved hippos, and I wish I could have bought more. No, I don't need a dozen carved hippos — it's just Stuff — but I wanted to help these people. (Some members of our group traded their clothes and shoes instead of using money. Brian says that in many ways, this is more useful to the vendors.)
The Primary School
During the afternoon of our cultural day, we visited the Chinotimba Primary School, where about 25 children sang and danced for us. When they finished, we had a chance to chat with them. (English is the primary language in the countries we visited, another remnant of the colonial past.) One boy was fascinated by my camera, so I let him borrow it; he ran around the room, snapping photos of all his friends.
Before we left the school, we had a chance to donate school supplies. Kris had brought some pens, pencils, small notebooks, and inflatable globes. I was unprepared. I hadn't expected to be so moved by the visit. I pulled aside Francis, our local guide (who had attended this school when he was a boy and now has a daughter who's a student here), and showed him the books I was carrying in my bag. "Could the school use these at all?" I asked.
"Absolutely," he said.
"Even these?" I asked, holding up four digest-sized comic books I'd brought to read on the plane.
Francis laughed. "Yes," he said. "They'll love them. The kids know who Superman is." So, there's a grade school in Zimbabwe that has some comic books from my collection now. The school principal, who collected the money and supplies our group donated, seemed touched and grateful.
Back on the bus, many tour members talked about how sad it was that these kids had so little. Brian tried to squash this sentiment.
"Look at the children," he said. "Are these kids unhappy? I'll wager that you'll see the children are happy. They're happier than any of the children in South Africa. Why? Because everyone is equal. They all have the same Stuff. It's not one kid has an iPod and another one doesn't. They've got nothing, and we know that. But they've all got nothing. They're all the same."
Brian wasn't arguing that it's good for these people to live in poverty. He was trying to make it clear that it's possible to be happy even without a lot of Stuff, and that if you give something to one person and not another, you sow the seeds of envy.
Dinner at Home
In the evening, we made a quick trip to a nearby food market, where we spent a few minutes wandering the stalls, looking at the items for sale. (I found two women who were selling used boxes! Because my family owns a small box factory here in Portland, I asked to snap their photo.)
After this brief detour, we split into small groups. Each group went to the home of a local resident, where we were served a typical Zimbabwean meal. (Actually, it was a little atypical: We were given the equivalent of both lunch and dinner. Plus, our meal contained more meat than the families usually eat.)
Kris and I dined with Blessed and her family, which owns two homes on adjoining properties. "We are a family of sixteen," Blessed told us, "and we are still expanding." She says that "uncles, aunties, misses, cousins" live in these two houses.
Blessed served us hominy in peanut butter, pumpkin leaves in peanut sauce, and sadza with chicken stew. Sadza is a cornmeal pap; it's Zimbabwe's staple food. In fact, Blessed's family eats so much sadza that they buy a 50kg (~110 pound) bag of cornmeal every month. (I think the "mielie pap" we saw in Botswana and South Africa is the same as sadza, but I can't swear to it.) Fish is expensive, so it isn't eaten often, and meat seems to be used as a flavoring agent, not a main ingredient.
As we ate, we talked with Blessed and her two helpers, which included a friend and a cousin. Blessed told us that her family is actually fairly well off compared to many in the area. Doreen, who is eighteen, is nearly finished with high school. She just got her exam results. Because she did well, she'll soon be going to university, and then (she hopes) to medical school. So, in contrast to a lot of what we'd seen on this cultural day, this family seemed to be on a path toward relative prosperity.
This six-minute video mostly features footage from our cultural day.
On the bus ride from Botswana to Zimbabwe, Francis, our local guide, talked about marriage customs in his tribe. Just two generations ago, it was common for men to have several wives. This still happens, but less often, especially in the city. Still, some of the old ways continue. When a man is ready for marriage, for example, he pays a bride price to the father of the woman he intends to marry. This is paid in cattle. (Francis actually called this a dowry, but that's technically not correct.)
When Francis was married, he paid nine cows plus $700 for his wife. Our bus driver Ernest paid seven cows for his wife.
If a young man can't pay the bride price, he pays in installments. If the man is unable to pay the full bride price by the time his own daughters get married, he has to use half of their bride wealth to repay the outstanding debt. And if the debt doesn't get repaid in his lifetime, the responsibility falls to the man's oldest son. In this way, it's possible for complex chains of bride debt to exist.
Francis feels lucky — he has three daughters, which means he will eventually be a wealthy man. (In theory.) One day, he'll have a lot of cattle.
"What do you do with the cattle?" one member of our group asked. "Are they for meat? Do you use them for milk?"
"In our African culture," Francis said, "your cows are your bank. You can't eat your bank. You have to save them."
"What about people who live in the city?" another member of our group asked. "Where do they keep their cattle?"
Brian, the tour manager, explained that in places where it's impossible to keep actual cattle (such as Johannesburg), the bride price has become abstracted. Some pay it in gold coins called Kruggerands. Others buy "bonds" (Brian's word, not mine) that represent the cows. Brian says he's been in homes where the certificates representing the cows are framed and displayed on the wall, like a stock certificate.
Informal Settlements
We ended our African adventure in Cape Town, a vibrant city on the southwestern tip of the continent. We took the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, walked along the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (which is packed with shops and restaurants), and wandered through the Company's Garden and Greenmarket Square.
On our final afternoon, we went on a three-hour tour of the local townships. To quote Wikipedia:
During the Apartheid era, blacks were evicted from properties that were in areas designated as "white only" and forced to move into segregated townships. Separate townships were established for each of the three designated non-white race groups (blacks, coloreds, and Indians)…
Townships sometimes have large informal settlements nearby. Despite their origins in apartheid South Africa, today the terms township, location, and informal settlements are not used pejoratively.
Townships are permanent communities. As part of a township, there might be one or more "informal settlements". You may know of informal settlements by less flattering terms, such as squatter camps or shantytowns.
We spent most of our time in Langa Township, where a young woman nicknamed Sugar (who lives in Langa) described how people work and live. As in any community, there are different levels of wealth in Langa. Some folks have relatively nice homes, with yards and garages and fences; we were told these belong to people who have university degrees: teachers, nurses, doctors and lawyers. These homes would seem small in the U.S., but are positively luxurious compared to the shacks in the informal settlements just a few hundred meters down the road.
Sugar led us on a short walking tour of some of the government-built housing in Langa. We were able to see two homes. I didn't see much of the second because I stopped to talk with a girl in the first house (I couldn't understand her African name, I'm afraid). I started by asking her about her life, but she was actually more curious about me. Where did I come from? Did I like Africa? And so on.
I learned so much from this three-hour tour that I can't possibly share it all here. Besides, you're probably bored after reading this far. Instead, I've compiled this 9-minute video that features Sugar and Sophia (our guides) talking about the daily lives of township residents, especially from a financial perspective. I've done my best to annotate things to head off confusion.
This video is the cornerstone of this entire post.
I wish more of our trip could have been focused on meeting the people. While others appreciated the birds and the animals and the spectacular scenery, I got so much out of our brief interactions with actual South Africans and Zimbabweans.
Guilt is Not Productive
Because this trip was arranged through a tour company, there were a couple of obligatory shopping stops: one at a jewelry company and one at an ostrich farm. Kris and I bought nothing at either place (except pellets to feed the ostriches). Neither of us is interested in jewelry or ostrich leather goods.
Others might have liked to buy something, but didn't feel good doing so. "I'd feel guilty spending $320 on an ostrich-skin purse," one woman said at dinner one night. "Especially after the poverty we witnessed in Zimbabwe. I'd rather give $300 to a family in Zimbabwe and then buy a $20 purse at Goodwill."
As I've mentioned already, at times I felt guilty too. It's hard not to feel guilty when you're staying at a hotel where the average room runs $618 a night — and meanwhile, half a mile from this posh palace, men and women are scratching to make ends meet.
What is my moral obligation to these people? Do I have one? Should I feel guilty for spending money on tourism? Or, as our guides suggested, should I be comforted by the fact that I'm participating in a transfer of wealth from the rich to the poor? What productive ways can I help aside from just throwing money at the problem?
I don't have answers to these questions.
Ultimately, however, I've realized that guilt is not productive. Guilt doesn't accomplish anything. I can't change who I am or the circumstances I've been born into. I've made the most of what I have: I've been lucky, and I've worked hard to build upon that luck. I can't change this, and I can't regret it.
Instead, I feel like it's my responsibility to do something with this hand that I've been dealt. Do what? I don't know — and I'm not sure I need to know right now. As I travel, I'm becoming more aware of the world around me, and I feel like maybe there's something I can contribute to make it a better place. I'm not sure what that something is, but I'm willing to be patient until I discover it.
This article is about Travel
J.D., This post was not boring at all. It was one of my favorites. You give a lot of food for thought. I probably will never travel to Africa, but through you, I just did. And that might be the answer to some of the critiques from Post #43. We cannot learn if we do not encounter — whether in person or through someone else.
I second a recommendation to make loans through Kiva. I also strongly encourage buying fair trade products when you are able (not just to buy Stuff, but if you are going to buy a shirt, for example, buy used, fair trade or locally made; if you are buying chocolate, buy fair trade or not at all). In terms of food, using meat as a flavoring, as you experienced during your "authentic" dinner, can improve you health and free up money that you might decide to give to causes that you believe in. I recommend Mennonite cookbooks like More-With-Less and Simply in Season.
I understand the burning desire to DO something. In my case, I have been increasingly moved by what I have read about human trafficking, and I want to make a real difference (and my goals are high — my heroes are people like William Wilberforce and Elizabeth Fry — people who really DID something during their lives), but I have not yet figured out what to do.
I appreciate your honesty in sharing your complex feelings about the trip. As you and your wife travel more, you might be interested in knowing about a group called Servas International (it used to be called Open Doors) that is an international home stay organization. A person can be a host or a traveler (or both).
Servas (an Esperanto word for service) is dedicated to increasing global understanding, peace, and goodwill, through people meeting people by staying in their homes. It's a budget way to travel (members pay an annual fee, but no money is exchanged in the home stay, though guests often like to treat hosts to a meal out, while hosts generally make several meals for guests). But it's more than just inexpensive — Servas members meet people from around the world and share their lives for a short time.
I've been a host and a traveler (right now, I'm just a host, but am saving up for a big multi-month tour to India in the next few years). I highly recommend it!
Another Kate (@51) – you may want to check out International Justice Mission (www.ijm.org) re stopping human trafficking.
JD, this the most interesting, thoughtful and thought-provoking article I've read here in a long time. Thank you.
(And if I double-post, I apologize. The first time I typed a comment, my web browser closed unexpectedly & I can't see that the comment posted.)
Wow! What a great article. I am amazed at how in expensive it is to have an education there. It makes me want to put as many kids as possible through school that I can. My family and I sponsor 3 kids through World Vision and I never understood how they could do so much with what feels like so little money from us. I will be giving more and more to help as much as I can.
Fascinating, J.D.! I was not bored at all. I'm always intrigued by how others live and what their cultures are like.
I have a serious question, though it sounds silly. With the bride price, what happens if you die before you pay it all back but don't have any sons? Does it get transferred to a daughter, or is it forgiven? Maybe you don't know, but maybe one of your readers might.
Sounds like you had an eye opening experience on this trip. I haven't been to Africa, but with your description, I will have to put it on my list of places to visit some day. The tour sounds like a good tour also. Usually we go our own way when we travel, but we probably will take a tour if we go to Africa.
I have been to Africa 3 times and had similar feelings. It was really strange to me that there was no middle class there. There are the rich and the dirt poor and really nothing in between.
Experiences like these are life changing and offer tons of perspective on how good we really have it in the western world.
This is one of my favorite things about travel — the cultural perspective it gives you. We'd have a lot less people in this country angry about Mexicans being lazy welfare recipients and drug dealers if more of us had been to Mexico and spent some time interacting with the people there. The same would be true of the African stereotype of a backwards AIDS-filled cesspit. Also, the whole notion that America is so great because it is "free". I've never felt any less-free in any other country than I do here, and in fact the opposite is often true. The US is the *only* country that I've ever had to produce government-issued ID in so that I can drink a beer, for example. In Germany, one whole side of the lake was the "nude sunbathing" side. I know some of you are thinking "eww!" but, hey, what do you actually mean when you talk about "freedom"? In Greece, we could tie up our sailboat in any coastal town without worrying about whether we were allowed to use the dock or not. Imagine doing that in the U.S.J.D.'s note: Before I left, I interviewed Laura Roeder for an Entrepreneur piece I'm working on. Our conversation turned to travel because she was leaving for South Africa, too. She mentioned that one of her friends lives in India, but has spent a lot of time in the U.S. This friend agrees with you, Tyler — he thinks the U.S. is the least free place he's ever been. He can't believe some of the laws we have here. Laws against litter? Absurd! (From his perspective.) I recorded that conversation with Laura, so may try to transcribe it for jdroth.com at some point.
I have also traveled extensively and spend a lot of time learning from the local people.
While the poverty in Africa is extreme, as other have pointed out, it's caused by the people in power. They retain the money and aide for themselves.
There is a lot of poverty in our own backyard. Government funded programs have and will continue to suffer from cutbacks, and it becomes increasingly necessary to help those in our OWN communities.
J.D., Great post. Thanks!
I was just telling my fiancee (who reads your blog every day) about how I want to get involved and visit Africa. And just today he tells me about your post. Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I cannot wait to visit and share mine.
Your post has stirred up quite a bit of response! I think (I hope!) its impossible to go to any impoverished area and not come back changed. I had the extreme good fortune to work on a project in a remote area of Tanzania for a week and then travel through some of the country. The difference between working with a NGO and spending time with women and children and then being a tourist was one of the most jarring experiences I have ever had. I will always cherish my experience. The questions that arose for me around my tourism dollars, my relative wealth, my responsibility to the world, are ones I still wrestle with. I've worked in non profit organizations my entire life, believe in philanthropy with all its problems, but believe even more in community– which can only come from actually talking with people and listening to people. Both of which are things you did on your trip– congrats! I hope you'll also work philanthropy and giving into more of your posts here.
Great article. I learned a lot from it.
Thank you for posting this! It was absolutely fascinating to read! I'm glad you told us what the tour guides were saying – that tourism is HELPING those who have little. Sometimes we get so caught up in making the grand gesture (e.g., boycotting) that we fail to see what the actual effects are.J.D.'s note: Despite the assurances of the guides, I still maintain a degree of skepticism regarding this claim. I'm certain that tourism helps THEM, but does it really help everyone in the community? I don't know…
Thank you for the post, it touches on so many things. I think most anyone who has been abroad to a country where there a large disparity in wealth and sees how a regular person lives (and better yet talks to them as a fellow human being) is often forever changed. For me it was as a teenager on a Carribean cruise trip (believe it or not) where when we stayed at Caracas and got a behind the scenes tour from a local which was eye opening. For my husband visiting Haiti as a teen. The quote "travel broadens the mind" the value is not in the buildings, monuments or local scenery though that is nice, but to see how other people live on this world. You don't look at your own life the same way ever again.
I went to Ethiopia a few years ago and came away with many of the same experiences and feelings you express. It really changed my whole outlook on life. Thanks for sharing.
I'm a fan of this blog and I'm from Cape Town, South Africa. Its a pity I missed your intention to visit Cape Town. I would have loved to have met you and showed you around.
JD, thanks for using your platform to write about this. Your best posts always challenge me to reestablish a realistic perspective, whether it is on saving, spending, investing, or giving. I appreciate your help in getting out of debt, and I appreciate your help turning my eyes back to the people who I can help. Your writing has been invaluable to me. All I can say is thanks for sharing!
I always appreciate when trips are taken and discussed. The experience is new, and it's refreshing to hear about the person's travels.
Two of my favorite blogs are from perpetual travelers–andy hobo traveler and wade vagabond journey.
My mentor, Dennis Prager, just returned from Vietnam/Cambodia and it was wonderful to hear his insights.
I'm so so so pleased you had such a wonderful and impactful time.
If you do find a way to try to give back to your African friends on an ongoing basis, perhaps you can take a page from the Yarn Harlot and encourage your readers to do some focused giving with you. She's raised over a million dollars (from knitters!!!) since Dec 2004 for Doctors without Borders. [Of course, knitters take sticks and string and make art. We can do anything ] You can read about her campaign here http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/tsffaq.html
I can't wait to read more about your trip. I think this will affect you in unexpected ways for years to come!
Very good post, instrospective and informative at the same time. This reminds me to some degree of the type of thoughts that permeated my mind when I returned from a trip to China 20 years ago…before it was the China of today. When people were making an annual income that equated to less than $1,000 USD at the time, it was eye opening to me.
Anyway, thanks for sharing this. It would be interesting to see a few more posts on your trip, both lessons learned as well as just your experiences traveling there as a Westerner.
I really appreciate the tone you wrote this article from, and your realization about the uselessness of guilt. I wanted to share my Aunt's experiences with you. She felt similarly, so when she was in her mid-20′s she founded The Hunger Project with some friends. The Hunger Project was and is still unique – they do not give aid, they empower.
They give workshops, training. They go into villages and ask them what THEY need to thrive, and then support them in getting it. They never see people as victims or sad cases, and so the people never see themselves that way.
When you think about empowering the poor, participating in their economy is one of the best things you can do, even if that economy is lopsided (side note: you do need to learn some about the economy first so your money doesn't go to a crime lord, but tour guides usually steer you well)
Honestly, many things The Hunger Project does is to encourage people to participate in the tourist industry, because it is empowering, and it gives them a way to earn their own living, rather than be given aid.
Yes, that hotel was rediculously expensive, but staying there also caused you to interact with the people, spend money, and add to the economy of the area. And that is a good thing.
This site has jumped the shark. Tis a shame..
J.D., What a WONDERFUL post-I've always wanted to go to Africa, but after reading your post, I realize that when I finally achieve this goal, I too want to focus more on meeting people and understanding the culture! I love how Brain and others show tourism in such a positive light.
I may be mistaken, but I thought you previously have not been a big supporter of personally giving to charity (or perhaps this was in reference to when one is still in debt?). Has your trip changed your mind on this subject at all?
At the end, you mention you'd like to do something, but I'm not sure if you're referring to giving. If you haven't heard of them, I wanted to mention two amazing organizations: KIVA and Heifer International–both which are not as much about charity as giving the tools for a person to support himself and his or her family, as well as the requirement to pay back the gift (so it is not really charity). Those who are truly needy don't want a handout-they just need a hand to stand up on their own two feet.
Thanks for the post, JD. I recently got back from a 5.5 week trip to SE Asia, and several of your themes held true.
One of my hobbies is traveling well for a reasonable price. So although I may be staying at international hotels for a large chunk of my trip, I'm usually not paying the asking price.
For instance, my wife and I stayed at a $450/night resort in Krabi Beach, Thailand, for 2800 points + $45 cash each night. In Chiang Mai, Thailand, we stayed at a wonderful 5* hotel for 1600 points + $35 cash. In Bangkok, we did pay cash for an excellent 5* hotel — executive lounge benefits, awesome breakfast, top floor room, for not much more than we would pay for a suburban airport hotel near Dulles Airport, where we live. When I travel in Asia with Starwood Hotel points, I'm able to enjoy a standard that I could never afford back home, and heck, couldn't even afford if I paid the going rate absent some special offers. We flew business class, too, and only paid $2300/ticket.
But one thing that my wife and I constantly wrestled with is the wealth transfer thing. Yes, they have a lower standard of living than we do. But we're not a charity; I work my butt off for my money — I'm not going to just turn around and hand it out for no reason. I haggle, and I don't willingly let myself get ripped off because it might be a relatively small amount for me. I won't pay 300 baht ($10) for something worth 150 baht ($5) just because I'm an American and can "afford" it. I haggle with kids with a clear conscience — I'm not exactly an expert haggler, and if they're willing to sell products with no profit, they'll quickly learn that that is bad business. After all, a fair price is one that *both* parties agree on — not one that parents set and use their kids to manipulate Americans out of more money.
One hard thing to deal with abroad is tipping. It's something that Americans are so used to at home, but not abroad. In Thailand, you hardly leave much of a tip at all in a restaurant. This is doubly true when major establishments add a 10% "service charge" to every bill. But then it's difficult watching folks work so hard, knowing that they're working 6 or 7 day work weeks with family in other parts of the country.
J.D. – thanks for the post. Like many others I just got to travel to Zimbabwe and South Africa along with you.
Your observations about poverty and that Feeling – almost of shame, because you have so much more than the people you are amongst – you described it so well.
And you really nail it when you say that people can be happy because they don't know what they don't have.
I would argue that in the very poorest places, the sense of have/have not can be transcended once you realize that the people there do not even grasp the extent of what you have and they do not.
It gets much more uncomfortable when the differences are less stark, but just as (seemingly) insurmountable. In developing countries like Turkey, the people are well-educated but often have terribly limited prospects. I remember talking to a tour guide, a girl my own age, whose dream was to travel through Southeast Asia for a few weeks or months. That dream seemed so remote to her. While I was living it! (traveling through a foreign country for seven weeks.) Later I met a friend of hers who was stressing b/c she'd lent someone her credit card and they weren't paying her back. It seemed odd…and a very small amount of money to stress over…until I realized that as a nurse, this friend was one of the few people in the village with a steady enough income stream to even qualify for a credit card! And that amount of money was huge for her.
So humbling. And I felt terribly uncomfortable.
77Wonderful post and very interesting to read.
About "guilt is not productive", I think we can refine that notion. Some kinds of guilt can be productive, others can't.
The word "guilt" in English is quite broad, semantically. On the one hand, guilt can be simply the awareness of having done something wrong. Without this awareness we would all be a bunch of sociopaths and we'd probably be extinct already.
Remorse on the other hand is more like what we call "guilt tripping"– an ongoing deep and painful regret that sinks one into paralysis and an emotional personal hell.
Nietzsche had this wonderful thing to say about remorse (this is not a complete quote but it makes the point):
"Never give way to remorse, but immediately say to yourself: that would merely mean adding a second stupidity to the first.–If you have done harm, see how you can do good. "
Now, have you done something wrong? And if you have– how can you do good?
Part of our humanity is that we are able to identify with other people and share their pain. So yes, if we live in luxury while we allow others to live in suffering and deprivation, we are doing something wrong. This is even worse if our luxury comes at their expense. Of course this is not all of JD's personal and individual fault, but we all share an individual burden in this system.
While tourism transfers wealth to poor countries, it is also predicated on the poverty of those countries. There is also wealth being transfered out, to rich countries. Think of blood diamonds, or coltan mining in the Congo (well, Congo is not a tourist paradise, but I digress). So tourism is a starter fund, an entry-level job of sorts, but not a permanent cure to underdevelopment.
So, what can you do to help solve global poverty and address those inequities?
Imperialist capitalism started this mess, but Communism is not a solution. Charity is not a solution either (it's only another band-aid to a broken system and it keeps people dependent on other people's wealth). I'm not aware of too many free-market based solutions, but I'm sure you can research them as a means to "do something good" about the (reasonable) guilt of being rich beyond most of humanity.
And now, Devi'ls Advocate: the people you visited have food, shelter and productive work that allows them to provide for their families. Are they really poor, are they only poor in relation to the comforts you're accustomed to? I think Brian at the elementary school made a good point: the children are happy, healthy, and cared for. Just because they don't have an ipod or 300 plastic toys and fruity loops and soda, it doesn't make them "poor". They might even be richer than rich kids in some ways, able to enjoy life without video games, 5000-channel cable, mouth-rotting candy, and their friends are real, not facebook friends. They get exercise playing outdoors and don't get diabetes at age 11.
JD, I'm going to have to come back and keep reading later. I am getting emotional overload from reading the post (in a good way!). I spent a summer living and volunteering in a small village (maybe 2k people?) in Honduras through Amigos de las Americas when I was 16. It was one of the best things I've ever done . . . but I still feel guilty that I did not donate/leave more stuff there. We were told not to donate or leave anything other than a modest host family gift in our village so that the people there didn't learn to expect things from Americans. I still am sad that I did not mail school supplies as soon as I got back, but I was worried about things being taken in customs.
I know you've written before about not being sure of where to put your charity money. Perhaps this will be a motivating experience — try to research places where your money can do good. I like the Afghan women's institute for that area and the What If? Foundation in Haiti. Find some way to channel your money to help these folks that have moved you.
Thanks so much for the great post, and I hope you continue to share nuggets from this trip and many more.
What do you mean, what can you do to solve the problem of wealth inequality "besides through money at the problem"? We can only give time or money, so if you remove the latter, that leaves volunteering. Somehow I can't see you joining the Peace Corps. It's easier to donate to the likes of Heifer International or similiar charities.
I hope that you find the way you'd most like to help others, but considering your willingness to be "patient" on this-and that fact you didn't buy school supplies in advance when you knew you would be going to an ill-equipped school-I doubt there will be anything coming to fruition.
But I think this is one of the first times where you've shown such support for charity or concern for the less-fortunate on the blog, so kudos for that.J.D.'s note: *I* can see me joining the Peace Corps…
@ Money Maker (#43)
I think you got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.
J.D, one of your best posts ever. And I agree with #21, good idea for giving away some of your hippos! Thank you for sharing your experience. I've also enjoyed and learned from many of the comments.
I really enjoyed your perspective, J.D., and I thought it was extremely well written. I agree with your conclusion on guilt and have felt similar on some of the trips that I've been on. Perhaps the comments here will shed some light on what is the most helpful thing we can do and provide some creative ideas to cope with these problems (and maybe you'll write a post about it in the future?)
I visited Langa township in October, and Sugar was my guide! I learned so much that morning, but it's hard to write about it without sounding treacly.
JD, microfinance is a topic that might interest you. Limited access to credit and banking services can be an insurmountable obstacle. Think of a woman selling chickens in the township — how does she come up with enough money to buy her first installment of chickens? What if she has no collateral for a loan? How does she sign loan papers if she can't read or write? Though not without recent controversy (especially in India), microfinance tries to bridge all of these obstacles, to lift up the poorest of the poor.
Check out Muhammud Yunus's book, "Banker to the Poor". Yunnus is the Bangladeshi Nobel laureate who is generally considered the pioneer of modern microfinance.
If you're interested in learning even more about how microfinance works in the field, Global Partnerships is a Seattle-based non-profit that funds microfinance institutions in Latin America.
I traveled with GP to El Salvador in 2009, and it radically changed my understanding of poverty. Every day of the trip, we spoke to women who'd received loans that helped them start businesses. We tagged along with loan officers as they trekked up mountains and into river valleys to meet with their clients. The last woman we visited had started with a loan of $25, which she used to buy reeds that she wove into baskets; now she nets $120/week from selling her baskets at market. After paying back her first loan, she's used her profits to send her kids to school, and she converted their home from corrugated metal to cinderblock (though still with a dirt floor, no door).
I could go on and on (already have!), but will wrap this up by mentioning that GP offers the opportunity to travel with their group twice a year.
Thank you so much for sharing this story without editing/censoring your thoughts. All the thoughts you've highlighted really resonated with me.
I admit I had not looked at tourism as a transfer of wealth, but that could be because I have not yet visited a country that has a good portion of its citizenry living in abject poverty. Well, I am from one (India) but it's home, and I have learnt to ignore the poverty as a survival mechanism.
Your experience at the Victoria Falls open market happened to me too, in India. I was vacationing in India a couple of years after moving to the United States and wanted to give away several old clothes. The system was that these old clothes would be given to the street vendor who would then give me stainless steel cookware in return (a negotiable exchange rate based on the weight, quality, newness of the clothes being given). I found the exchange rather uncomfortable, wanted to get rid of all the clothes as soon as possible and accept a token saucepan in return. My friend who was watching the exchange pulled me aside and said, 'What are you doing? Stop raising prices for us. She expects a transaction, not a handout – haggle with her, and you give her self-respect and you make sure she values what she has earned.'
And this quote,
"In our African culture," Francis said, "your cows are your bank. You can't eat your bank. You have to save them."
You couldn't have explained better the reason why Hindus (and a majority of Indians) do not eat beef, and why we venerate the cow. Citing religious belief as the reason almost always seems to provoke some sort of pithy, thoughtless response from my counterparts here in the U.S. but perhaps this explanation will be better received.
I'm curious if they talked to you at all about land re-distribution in Zimbabwe, which is essentially the cause of the 80% unemployment rate. I highly suggest reading "When the Crocodile Eats the Sun" – an excellent account of what has happened there. I was also lucky enough to see "Mugabe and the White African" at SIFF last year, but have no idea where you might be able to see it now.
I'm sure you noticed that the currency used in Zimbabwe now is the US Dollar thanks to the astronomical inflation of the Zimbabwean dollar. While in South Africa over Christmas my brother bought a $200,000 note and a $500,000 note that a vendor at a street market had displayed – completely worthless, but fascinating to see and have. A very complicated and devastating situation, and from an economic stand point also extremely interesting.
@79 Ann…
I'm not sure that comment is productive. Putting on my armchair psychology hat (forgive me, JD), I think this is just one of those things that Kris (who did bring supplies) has been saying and demonstrating for decades and JD is just coming around to seeing.
Joining the Peace Corps is a really big change, one that requires spousal buy-in and a place for kitties to stay for a couple of years. There's a reason people tend to do it after college or during retirement.
BUT there's a lot a person can do between nothing and taking a couple of years in a foreign country. Why shouldn't something come to fruition? Peace Corps isn't even necessarily the big end goal and shouldn't necessarily be held up as the "best" option. There are a LOT of ways to help.
I'm just thinking that saying, "I doubt you'll do anything" and "The Peace Corps is the way to go" will result in nothing being done. It's easy to go, "Oh, I will do the Peace Corps in the future" and then never get around to doing anything here and now.
It's been a long afternoon so maybe that doesn't make sense.
But maybe having a long discussion with Kris about ways to go forward is the way to, you know, go forward.
Hi JD…
This is one of the best and influencing article I have read in recent times. I am from a country that is developing and I could connect to most of the things you mentioned. We are very lucky to be living in a country that has all the riches from money to resources. But as you mentioned in your article..even without these, a person can live happily.
I too am "being patient until I discover it". Lets hope that happens pretty soon
A great post, thank you for sharing.
I was stuck at how guilty you felt about spending so much when those around you had so little in Africa, when there are people and areas in your own country, like Native reservations for example, living in circumstances almost as dire… why is it that you are affected by those half a world away and not those in your own country?
If you wanted to do something positive, why not look into ways of starting a library fund for the school you visited or a scholarship program for those struggling to afford the $25 per term term fee?
Thank you for a great article that draws attention to the huge gap between our "western" concept of life and what much of the world experiences. My parents recently moved to Malawi, one of Zimbabwe's neighbors, and their work there reminds me of our incredible wealth on a regular basis (they are directors of a home for 56 children in the capital city). Despite the material lack of most people, there is much joy in the simple things of life. I appreciate the insight you gained on your trip, JD – thanks for sharing!
Nice story JD. Thanks for sharing about your trip.
Great post, great video. I think your tour guide is touting the freshest chickens in the world, not the first!J.D.'s note: D'oh! That would make more sense.
Possible idea for Brian # 19 -
My daughter and grandson have gone with several medical missions to Africa. Their suggestion for making sure contributions actually help the people its intended for is to find a local – or semi-local – group going on a mission trip and donate directly to them. My family has since donated such things as money, eyeglasses,and books. We did the same thing recently for Haiti.
We use "Helping Hands" based in Portland, Or., but I think all parts of the country have these organizations.
Great post J.D.
Thanks for this fascinating look at Africa and your thoughtful take on the lives of those you met.
What a wonderful post! I'm so glad you had this eye-opening experience in Africa, JD.
First time poster, long time reader. I am commenting specifically to let you know not to worry too much about #79′s comment. Look at how there are almost 100 comments on this article, a fascinating discussion about wealth and poverty, happiness, and how we can best help others. And I bet for every comment here there's at least 10 other readers who read your article and mulled its themes over. At the very least, know that you inspired me to donate to charity today.
Didn't have time to read post/comments very carefully, so forgive me if this has been dealt with. I'm wondering if the trip has changed your attitude concerning cash donations, a subject of some previous posts.
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
– Samuel Langhorne Clemens aka Mark Twain (Innocents Abroad)
What a wonderful article! I've never been interested in visiting Africa bafore; heat isn't something I deal well with. But this is fascinating, and might persuade me to do some research – maybe I could travel in June and July, when it's cooler?
I wanted to share an idea with you on poverty and wealth. Compare and contrast the richest people of a couple hundred years ago with the mid-level average folks in the US today: medical care, indoor plumbing, TV, instant communications, food selection at the grocer, central heat & AC, education, opportunities for social advancement, public transportation. The average joe today lives in technological and social wealth beyond the wildest dreams of the kings of yesteryear.
And yet we have folks today who, when reduced to living in fewer than three homes, feel as though they've come down in the world; and we have people who live with nothing more than they need, and feel wealthy beyond imagining.
It seems to me that beyond a basic subsistance level, the ideas of rich and poor are constructed in our minds and our attitude.
Really interesting post JD.
One thing that I'd like to add is that you don't necessarily have to give money to help someone out.
I volunteer for 2 hours a week here in my hometown of Brisbane. My husband, a friend and I volunteer with a family of refugees (9 of them altogether – Mum and Dad and 7 children) from Burma. We help them with their english and any official correspondence they receive and they feed us yummy noodles.
They are a wonderful family and I so want to see them succeed. Donating my time to help them is a real and tangible way of giving back and it doesn't cost anything.
Nice writeup, JD. You're right, guilt isn't productive… but neither are handouts. Many African economists have requested that Western countries stop giving economic aid to Africa because it breeds a culture of dependency. I'm sure it'd be politically infeasible in this country if a white economist said something like this, but we should take note if it's the Africans themselves that are saying this.
Eritrea is the only African country to refuse any type of economic aid from the West and they are the best economic performers on the continent. It doesn't help the hungry children off the street, but systemically, African nations in general need to get their shit together for everyone to benefit.
Great post, J.D. I noticed that the students in your picture were boys, and I am commenting to emphasize the importance of girls' eduction, too. While your trip did not include Malawi, there is an inspiring NGO run between DC and Malawi that focuses entirely on girls' education. It's called AGE (Advancing Girls' Education) Africa, and it can be found at http://www.ageafrica.org. They give scholarships to girls who would not otherwise be allowed by their families to go to school, and they have had wonderful outcomes.
For more about what it's like to live on $1 a day (like many of the residents of the region you visited), see this well-written, first-person account, which resulted in the donations that provided the first scholarships for AGE: http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0706/p01s05-woaf.html
Thanks again for sharing!


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UFA, Russia (Associated Press) -- Jake McCabe and John Gaudreau scored two goals each Thursday, Jan. 3, to lead the United States to the final of the world junior hockey championships with a 5-1 victory over Canada.
McCabe, a University of Wisconsin defenseman from Eau Claire, Wis., put his team ahead with a pair of identical goals, scoring through goalmouth scrambles in the first period.
"It feels awesome, especially in such an emotional game against Canada," McCabe said. "I'm so proud of my team. This was the best game of the tournament for us."
The U.S. team is coached by Phil Housley of South St. Paul, and it includes two Minnesota players, Mike Reilly of Chanhassen, who plays for the Gophers, and Mario Lucia of Plymouth, who plays for Notre Dame.
In the final, the Americans will face defending champion Sweden. The Swedes beat Russia 3-2 in a penalty shootout, with Sebastian Collberg scoring the winner.
Gaudreau made it 3-0 for the Americans, beating Malcolm Subban with a low shot on a sharp counter attack at 22:58. Subban was substituted for Jordan Binnington after stopping 12 of 16 shots, and Jim Vesey extended the lead to four 10 minutes later.
Ty Rattie scored one for Canada with a short-handed goal at 44:03, but Gaudreau scored on another sharp attack with 4:19 to play.
United States goalie John Gibson made 33 saves for the victory.
"The defense played really well, which made my job a lot easier," said Gibson, who made three tough saves when his team
was a man down after Rattie's goal. "If it wasn't for them, we probably wouldn't be here."
The Americans finished third in their group at 2-2 in the preliminary round and routed the Czech Republic 7-0 in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Canada didn't lose a game in the preliminary round and had a quarterfinal bye.
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Environmental Issues: Global Warming
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- Award-winning photographer Gary Braasch undertook his 'World View of Global Warming' project to document the impacts of global climate change, continent by continent. These photographs illustrate his visits to the Earth's polar caps, where temperature changes have so far been the most pronounced.
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Scent of A Woman (1992)
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2 Readers' Reviews
August 11th, 201410:42 am
What a pleasant re view. I love that tango scene. I smile and enjoy its wit and music and dialogue and the charming characters. A great view.
— Mary, CT
September 28th, 20057:30 am
Most people pooh-pooh this movie. Okay, it's way too long and moves at times at a snail's pace & there are way too many scenes that play themselves out needlessly & for too long. It was the beginning of Pacino's over-the-top bombastic acting style that would not completely disappear until "The Insider" seven years later. Seven long years later. But there is no denying that by the end of this film, there wil be a smile on your face. Whether that's for the movie itself or the fact that it's finally over will depend on the viewer.
Basically a road trip/voyage of self-discovery film it is about a young man named Charlie, at a New England prep school on scholarship & Colonel Frank Slade, a former military man, now blinded due to a senseless joke. How they bond and shape each other's lives are predictable, yet throughly engaging.
Except for the end, where a climatic speech is cheered so loudly by everyone that it immediately feels false, this movie feels like the real thing: A crowd-pleaser & a thought-provoker that delights as much at it may infuriate. That Pacino single-handedly dominates this film, pulling out every stop along his way, only adds to either the pleasure or the pain of watching it. Me, I took great pleasure in watching him, the pain comes from the fact that this is what he won his Oscar for, over more superior work like "The Godfather." That sucks.
— pootercheese, Memphis


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By iDiva | November 14, 2012, 12:19 pm IST Work & Life
Trekking: You can enrol your kid for a half day trek or an overnight camp. But make sure that your child should be above the age of four to go for treks. Trekking is not only an adventurous activity for your child, but also ensures that he learns about nature along the way. It is a great way to educate your child about the environment. There are many clubs that organise trekking for children in groups and the best part is some clubs also allow parents to accompany their child on such treks.


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The ADS-B system that is the cornerstone of the FAA's NextGen ATC modernization plan is at risk of serious security breaches, according to Brad Haines, a hacker and network security consultant who is worried about ADS-B vulnerabilities. Haines first outlined his concerns during a presentation he gave at the Def Con 20 hacker conference in Las Vegas in July.
Computer security
Last month I stored the body armor on the top shelf of the closet for the last time, unloaded the gun and put it away, turned in my badge and gave up the donut and free coffee at Dunkin' Donuts. After 20 years as a part-time county deputy I certainly had doubts about pulling the plug–it's a mindset, a way of life. The world is composed of sheep, wolves and sheepdogs: I've always been a sheepdog.
OVIV Security Technologies of France introduced its newest on-ground aircraft security system at NBAA 2011 in Las Vegas. Based in Merignac, OVIV says its Sentinel 280 L will enable operators to manage their own security at any business-jet-capable airport in the world.
Newly released information on cyber attacks against the U.S. government and defense industry suggest that classified information may have been compromised on a grand scale. Web security company McAfee reported last week that at least six U.S. federal government agencies and 13 defense contractors had been attacked as part of a wider operation that penetrated 72 organizations in 14 countries since at least 2006.
Jeppesen president and CEO Mark Van Tine in July questioned the Transportation Security Administration's use of security directives to vastly expand existing security requirements without consideration of the implementation challenges, operational effects and economic burdens these mandates impose on the aviation industry.
Oviv Security Technologies is demonstrating an enhanced version of its Sentinel 100L aircraft security system here at the EBACE show, with displays both inside (Stand 1859) and on the static display. The French company launched the Sentinel 100L in 2008 as a ruggedized, self-contained system secured to the landing gear that requires no retrofit or modification of the aircraft.
Oviv Security Technologies is launching a remote-control option for the Sentinel 100L security system for guarding aircraft on the ground. The new remote control unit has a user interface with a large touchscreen display, providing fast and easy access to all the Sentinel 100L's functions.
Aerospace and defense firms are especially vulnerable to breaches of cyber security, according to a new report from management and information technology (IT) group Accenture. According to Dr.
Establishing stronger cyber security must become a top national imperative, according to industry and government cyber security specialists at a recent FAA/Air Traffic Control Association Technical Symposium in Atlantic City who described–in understandably guarded terms–the general approach certain government and industry organizations are taking.
Web applications used in supporting FAA air traffic control systems are not properly secured to prevent attacks or unauthorized access, warns a report released yesterday by the DOT Inspector General.


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If you're having trouble streaming a YouTube video, you may see a new message from the company blaming your internet provider.
Quartz was the first to notice that YouTube, which is owned by Google, now displays a notification on some videos that explains why streaming might be choppy. The message reads "Experiencing interruptions?" and prompts you to check out this site that rates how well YouTube videos stream when using various internet providers.
So, why are streaming video companies shaming internet providers like this?
One reason is because the FCC has a new proposal that would allow some internet services to pay for so-called fast lanes to consumers. For example, YouTube could pay Time Warner Cable to make people using the provider get the best streaming quality.
However, the concern is that allowing companies to pay for better access gives bigger companies an advantage and reduces competition from smaller startups. In the end, it could allow the big companies to grow even bigger and dominate the market, which is bad for consumers.
Streaming content companies like YouTube and Netflix want to make sure everyone has equal, fast access to their service, and the recent public shaming is their way of letting the public know internet providers are the ones in control.
SEE ALSO: The best smartphones in the world


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A Old Testament Treasures
Week 11 – Dealing with Depression
The Lazarus Life
It all begins on Sunday, August 24th, and we want you to DIVE IN! We will be starting a new series called The Lazarus Life! We are encouraging everyone to walk through this series with a group of friends from FreshStart Church, meeting weekly to discuss your progress. If you have a group that you meet with, great! If not, sign up for The Lazarus Life on your Connect Card, and we will get you plugged in. Don't watch this one from the sidelines…get in the game!
Our next time of Baptism will take place the first weekend in August. If you are desiring to be baptized or would like to discuss Baptism, please see Pastor Scott.
Bookeeping Needed!
Fresh Start for Kids is in need of a bookeeper about 5 hours a week. If you have experience and are familiar with Quickbooks please talk to Pastor Scott or email him at firstname.lastname@example.com


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HomeNov 12, 2012
Project progress
Glass installation is almost complete for Twenty One Clairtrell condominiums in Toronto, Ont.
Owner/construction manager the Rockport Group has completion of the seven-storey, 128-unit project scheduled for late 2012 and it will include a private dining room, lounge area, outdoor terrace, and a guest suite.
The project was designed by Kirkor Architects and consultants are: Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. (structural) and M.V. Shore Associates (1993) Ltd. (mechanical/electrical). Subtrades include: Roni Excavating; Premform Ltd. (formwork); Salit Steel (rebar); CBM (concrete); Mapleview Electric Co. Ltd. and Marli Mechanical.
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A fascinating paper by Winograd and Hais, and published by the Brookings Institution this morning, discusses some striking differences in what appeals to Millenials, compared to earlier birth cohorts, and it got me thinking. http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2014/05/millenials-upend-wall-street-corporate-america-winograd-hais
The authors' focus is…Continue
Posted on January 23, 2014 at 4:41pm 0 Comments 1 Awesome
I was reminded the other day, at a symposium our agency put on for HR staff across government, how important what I like to call "the epistemological challenge" can be. What do I mean by "the epistemological challenge"? Essentially, all the obstacles that exist to knowing, in a deep sense, what one wishes to know. Those obstacles could be with respect to the recency of some type of information, the comprehensiveness, integratedness, or scope of that information, the validity or…Continue
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A recent spate of suicides in Canadian vets from the Afghanistan campaign has drawn attention to the role and challenge of PTSD in vets. Canadian Senator Romeo Dallaire, former head of UN troops during the Rwandan genocide, and the subject of the film/book "Shake Hands With the Devil", crashed his car the other day, after having his own PTSD aggravated by news of these suicides, and spending several days without sleep as a result.
It is within this context that I have to doff my cap…Continue
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I want to talk to you about all the good things going on in your life. Call me at 855-2-AFFIRM. I will answer your call. It is my hope that you will have an affirmative experience.
Getting affirmations from strangers is not for everybody but it may be right up your alley. This world needs some Radical Intimacy Restoration. There are many, truly lonely people yearning for validation and genuine experiences. I don't think technology is the answer. You and I are the answer. We need creative play that will disrupt our habits of passive technology usage.
I create projects that bring people together in messy and wonderful ways that can't exist in a purely binary world. If I nail a board to the trunk of a tree the board is, technically speaking, connected. But that doesn't make it a branch of that tree. Only an intimately connected, living sprout, over time, will become the new limb we seek. Let's grow a new forest in some corner of the universe together!
Something wonderful could happen or maybe nothing that exciting will happen. The element of uncertainty in my projects is part of their value. Have a look at some of the gifts I have given to the world. Keep watching for all of the new ones to come. If you have a moment to spend on your own happiness I encourage you to give me a call.
Affirmative.org began as a phone-based service where people called one another and talked about things they were grateful for. Here is a sample of an actual Affirmative Call made by Anne:


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Business Ideas in the News / August 9, 2010
According to a story in The New York Times, Jane Slupecki with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, took a group of dairy farmers to a brainstorming dinner. She had a small grant to try to find possible solutions to a big, stinky problem: cow manure, tons of it.
Cow poop is cow poop," said Slupecki, who was feeling some frustration at the paucity of workable suggestions. Half in jest, she blurted, "Can't you guys do something with this stuff — make a flowerpot or something?"
Those were fateful words for brothers Ben and Matthew Freund, second-generation dairy farmers who at the time maintained a herd of 225 Holsteins in East Canaan.
Each cow produces 120 pounds of manure daily. Why not grow flowers and tomatoes from cow flops?
It took eight years' development, a $72,000 federal grant secured through Connecticut's Agricultural Businesses Cluster, and countless grim experiments.
Now their manure-based CowPots — biodegradable seed-starting containers — are being made on the farm and sold to commercial and backyard growers who prefer their advantages over plastic pots.
Molded of dried, deodorized manure fibers, CowPots hold water well, last for months in a greenhouse and can then be planted directly into the ground, sparing the seedling transplant shock and letting tender new roots penetrate easily. As the pots decompose, they continue to fertilize the plant and attract beneficial worms.
The Freunds have green dreams far beyond CowPots, though most are too proprietary to divulge. Just one? "Think about golf tees made of composted manure that fertilize greens when discarded."
Photo by NY Times.
Originally posted by Rich Whittle on August 9, 2010 in Inventions.
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Also referred to as East Point, Causeway Bay is a shoppers' delight. This high-density district is home to a large number of trendy stores, shopping malls, the 13-story Sogo Department Store, and Times Square indoor shopping complex. Here, both local and imported fashion labels hang side by side. Many stores are open until the wee hours.
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CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- Nevada's health insurance exchange won't have all the bells and whistles initially hoped for when it launches Oct. 1. But state officials said the glitches should be minimal for consumers and the all kinks worked out by early next year. Officials with the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange say there are some "nice to have" features that won't be available when enrollment begins Oct. 1. An online virtual assistant is in the works and a function to sort insurance plans based on specific prescriptions covered won't be ready. People will have to search each individual plan separately. Officials say hope to have those features up and running early next year.
KTVN-TVPhone: (775) 858-2222Fax: (775) 861-4298
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More than 100 residents met a Saginaw's Ephesus Seventh-Day Adventist Church Friday night to learn the latest about the death investigation of Milton Hall.
Hall was shot at 46 times by Saginaw police on July 1 and suffered fatal wounds.
The Concerned Citizens of Saginaw informed the residents of the latest on Hall's investigation.
"The attorney general office, as we understand, has joined in the investigation with the Saginaw County Prosecutor, now, still today, as we speak, we don't know what the outcome of that state police investigation report is," said spokesperson for the Concerned Citizens group Gary Loster.
Loster is also the former Saginaw mayor and the city's former police chief. He said he wants more answers from the investigation.
"Was it justifiable or was it not? Simply keep the investigation transparent and keep the people aware of what's going on," said Loster.
Loster called for changes to the city managing the police department. He wants to see an oversight on the department, including the Department of Justice and local citizens becoming involved.
But the Concerned Citizens of Saginaw said Friday night the top priority is to hold those in charge accountable. They pledged to keep pressure on the city and state officials until there is a final answer of what happened to Hall.
Copyright 2012 by WNEM (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.


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Coffee is the go to elixir to jumpstart most people's day. Me? I prefer to challenge my brain by performing a somewhat complex activity. Generally speaking this activity is cooking breakfast, showering, and brushing my teeth. Okay, so it might not be Rubik's Cube complicated, but it gets the motor skills working and engages my brain a bit more. Plus, I don't fall off a caffeine cliff later on. But not everyone can afford the time to perform all the aforementioned activities, and perhaps they're not willing to go forgo their morning ritual of consuming a hot beverage.
The Build-On Brick Mug, which I more affectionately refer to as the LEGO Mug, is just the cup you need to wake you up in the morning. It's compatible with LEGO, PixelBlocks, Mega Bloks, KRE-O, or K'NEX Bricks. So in theory any childhood stash of stackable toys should be viable. That, or your kid's.
The mug is BPA free, hand wash only, and holds up to 12 oz of liquid. I particularly like ThinkGeek's version on wheels, though that looks to be a bit advanced for the average builder. That all being said, the edge of the LEGO Mug appears to be a bit on the thick side, so perhaps expect to dribble here and there when you sip your next cup of java.
The Build-On Brick Mug is available now for $20.


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But while high-profile sufferers have helped to publicise the condition, the media coverage has also had a negative impact; leading people in some quarters to question whether it's a genuine disorder or merely a handy excuse for errant individuals. We talked to the experts to find out.
The relationship counselling service, Relate, describes sex addiction as "...the term used to describe any sexual activity that feels 'out of control'. That might be sex with a partner, viewing pornography, masturbation, visiting prostitutes, or any number of other sexual activities."
While the compulsion might involve an action, sex becomes addictive for people in much the same way as drugs or alcohol. During sex, our bodies release a powerful cocktail of chemicals including dopamines. Sex addicts get hooked on this chemical high, but like all addicts their bodies become used to these chemicals as relationship expert Marisa Peer explains:
"Sex addiction is known as a 'process addiction' like gambling, the biochemical element is the release of dopamine in the brain that, in itself, becomes highly addictive and all dopamine addicts need more and more, so a sex addict will need more sex or more partners to get the same dopamine high."
Is sex addiction real then?
Even though it has become increasingly prevalent in popular culture, recognition of sex addiction as a genuine clinical condition is still a bone of contention. There are detractors who have expressed doubts over the legitimacy of the condition, arguing that it is in fact a way of projecting social stigma onto patients, or a symptom of another disorder.
The fact that sexual deviance is still a social taboo and people's sexual patterns are uniquely subjective has also caused contention in the clinical world. All of which means that at the present time there are no recognised clinical criteria through which sexual addiction can be diagnosed.
However, that looks set to change since at home and across the pond in America where sex addiction is widely acknowledged, medical institutions are moving to recognise the condition as a genuine clinical complaint.
What's it like to be a sex addict?
Through Sex Addicts Anonymous, an intergroup designed to help people who suffer from the condition in the UK, I was introduced to Craig (name changed to protect identity), a recovering sex addict.
Craig sought help in 1996 before he was even aware what sex addiction was. He says: "I didn't need a special term to know that I had a problem the chaos in my life told me that I had a problem."
Craig realised he had a problem when he felt he was no longer in control of his actions: "In common with many sex addicts it took me a long time to admit even to myself that my behaviour was doing any harm, but even when I tried to stop I found I couldn't. That forced me to admit that I had a serious problem that was bigger than I could handle alone."
Craig has been on the straight and narrow for a decade now but his addiction took its toll on his private life, leading to the breakdown of his marriage and the loss of a highly paid career, through stress.
He's not alone either. As Marisa Peer says, sex addiction can take many forms but can invariably have disastrous effects on the sufferer's private life:
"Sex addiction ranges from watching internet porn to visiting prostitutes at every opportunity or picking up any type of partner to have sex... Many people find that once they engage in this kind of activity they can't stop and normal sex no longer has any appeal for them. As a result people can lose money, status and the people they love, they also have to endure a huge amount of shame. I have worked with sex addicts who have been arrested for kerb crawling or cottaging with catastrophic results for them and their families."
Do you have a problem?
Being promiscuous is one thing, but being an addict is entirely different, so how can you tell if you have a problem?
"Most sex addicts don't actually enjoy sex," Marisa tells me. "You can tell if you are an addict if you have a compulsive need to seek out and follow a certain type of sexual behaviour, that you feel unable to stop, that gives you less pleasure than you expected, where the thought of the act gives you more pleasure than the act itself. It feels as if it's totally out of control and you continue with it in spite of the consequences."
Relate lists 10 possible warning signs of sexual addiction such as "persistently pursuing destructive and/or high risk activities", "using sexual fantasies as a way of coping with difficult feelings or situations" and "suffering from intense mood swings around sexual activity".
But the biggest problem facing addicts is admitting that they have a problem that is beyond their control. The majority of addicts will not be able to curtail their behaviour alone as they are caught in a cycle that can be extremely hard to break. Instead it is vital that anyone who thinks that they might have a problem seeks help.
While the debate over the clinical definition of the condition has yet to be decided; one thing that's abundantly clear is that sex addiction is all too real for those who are unfortunate enough to suffer from it.
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Singer Luke Bryan won every award he was nominated for, including best artist and album of the year.
Singer Luke Bryan didn't want the American Country Awards to end.
He cleaned up during the fan-voted show, winning everything he was nominated for, including artist and album of the year. His smash hit "I Don't Want This Night to End" was named single and music video of the year.
"Mama, daddy, (Jason) Aldean, thank you for a great year, baby," he said as he accepted artist of the year at the end of the show. "They're saying wrap (up), but I don't want to wrap."
Bryan won a total of nine awards, including two non-fan-voted radio awards. He hit the road on Aldean's "My Kinda Party" arena tour this year, adding fuel to an already hot ticket. Aldean was named touring artist of the year.
Miranda Lambert took home the second-most guitar trophies, with three. She won female single and female video of the year for the song she wrote with husband Blake Shelton, "Over You." It was also named most played female radio track.
The ACAs were full of baby talk. Pregnant Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum mentioned her unborn baby in an acceptance speech for group of the year. She also got an oversized baby sling from co-hosts Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth. New dad Jake Owen took home the guitar for breakthrough artist of the year.
"I just had the most beautiful baby girl two weeks ago, and just when you think stuff's not going to get any better, it just, it's rolling along," he said onstage.
Carrie Underwood won female artist of the year, and a tearful Lauren Alaina won new artist of the year.
Bryan, Aldean, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, and Adkins with Lynyrd Skynyrd were among the high-energy performances.
The third annual ACAs were held Monday at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. They were aired live on Fox.
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J & J's Snug Harbor
Smaller Cooler 2011 Entry #29
Name(s): Jocelyn (4) & Jake (8 months)
Location: Malibu, CA
Division: Shared Room
Room Size: 99 square feet
Tip for Living Small with Kids: Utilize all available space and stay organized! I find that the more you edit down to the essentials, categorize, and label, the neater things stay because there is always a logical, obvious home for everything. Doing this allows not only me to both find what I need and put things away easily, but also my husband, daughter and eventually my son, to do their part in keeping our living space uncluttered and functional. Although with kids, you should allow for a small degree of messy chaos and embrace it rather than fight it. Striving for perfection will literally drive you crazy!
Biggest Design Challenge in this Room: Finding a lighting solution. This room was Jocelyn's alone before Jacob was born; so to transition it into a shared space, the two lamps in the room, the nursing chair, dresser and nightstand were all sacrificed for the new "big girl bed" (i.e. the twin captain's bed). And since nothing could be installed in the ceiling, the lighting had to move up to the walls.
I searched far and wide before I found these stainless steel sconces, which are actual nautical dock lights for outdoor docks and marinas. I had them hardwired and hooked up to individual dimmer switches so they can fully brighten the entire room or dimly light only a corner of it. This is especially helpful when I need to change the baby in the middle of the night while my toddler sleeps! I also just love the authentic "harbor" element they bring to the room.
Favorite Thing About This Room: The shabby chic coastal vibe, with a touch of striped cabana whimsy, and a subtle feel of a vintage beach cottage. My goal was to create a unisex space that felt laid back and time worn; and one that didn't scream "nautical" or "beach-themed" nursery. I chose objects salvaged from the shore (like glass bottles, a local sea fan, seashells from Baja, and a huge sea star I brought home from the Caribbean as a child) and bedding that was neither too masculine or feminine. The twin comforter/sham are a blue & taupe damask with coordinating striped sheeting... I had to buy an extra striped sheet set so the crib bedding and throw pillows could be sewn to match.
But by far my favorite detail is the DIY swing shelves that were inspired by the Pottery Barn Kids version. The original is three feet wide, too big for my space, so I made my shelves in custom sizes using Poplar plywood, white no-VOC paint, jute rope, and brushed nickel handrail brackets repurposed as shelf supports. The one next to my daughter's bed is a bit deeper than the others to act as a floating nightstand, leaving the drawers underneath the bed accessible.
Thanks for your entry Lisa and good luck!
30 Comments
This is really beautiful. Can you share the paint color?
Gorgeous! My favorite entry so far! Can you please share sources for the crib bedding and flooring? Thanks!
I love this! A major inspiration for a shared room that I may be putting together one day, with children that will (hopefully) have about that age difference. :)
Beautiful! ITA w/MemoBaby. This is my favorite entry so far.
This is such a well-thought out space. I love how you have pointed out so many of the conscious and practical decisions you've made in creating this room. It seems like it really works for you, and that is what is most important. Oh, and it's beautiful too!
ok this nursery is wonderful! I love it so much, it's so sweet and simple and calming! Infants and toddlers need a calming environment to learn those important sleeping habits. they don't need to be distracted or over stimulated by too much color in thier bedroom, so I really appreciate that about this room. The only thing that looks concerning is the fragile glass stuff on those shelves, in California...that would make me nervous
Beautiful room - nicely done! Can you tell me where you found the 'If you've come in search of me...' sign?
GORGEOUS. So pretty, so well-designed. Definitely my favorite so far!
Thank you all for your lovely comments!
In regard to your inquiries and observations posted above...
Paint colors: Restoration Hardware Atmosphere Blue and Stone
Crib bedding: I had a fitted sheet, throw pillow shams, toddler pillow cases and a toddler duvet (for when the crib converts to a toddler bed) custom made from a queen sheet set from Rachel Ashwell's Simply Shabby Chic line - "Elegant Neutrals" was the design name, but I believe these striped sheets have been discontinued (I bought them last summer). However, I think the damask twin comforter set from the same collection (on my daughter's bed) is still available.
Flooring: Oatmeal colored berber carpeting, Off-White shag runner in front of the closet, and an Ivory 3x5 Silky Shag Bamboo Rug From Anji Mountain Bamboo Rug Co. between the beds. I LOVE this bamboo rug- it's very eco friendly and looks like a patch of soft sandy beach in the center of the room!
Since the kids toys are located in another part of the house and this bedroom is used for changing clothes, reading a bedtime book, and sleeping only, I wanted it to be exactly how you described, so thank you for your observation! Regarding the "fragile glass stuff" on the shelves... rest assured, these items are firmly secured to the shelves with earthquake putty! But, as a further precaution, I deliberately positioned the shelves offset on the walls (not centered under their names as they could have been placed) as to not be directly above either of their heads.
I found the "If you've come in search of me" sign as well as the "Welcome to the Seashore - When men come to love a Sea Life, they are not fit to live on land" sign (that is above my son's crib) both on Ebay.
The room is gorgeous! Where did you get your daughter's bed?
Great use of a small space. Awesome how you made were able to use the space both for a toddler and a new born... no small challenge. The room has such a cool calming effect as well. What a great space to start life in.
Nice job! Best one so far!
Love this one, best by far!
Oh- I want this room for myself! This is a beautiful space for both of your kids- nice work!
Lovely! The decor is wonderful, but that closet is to die for. Makes me want to go home and organize my 2-year-old son's closet right now!
Very cute SHARED room (different genders, no less)-- a little different, and can be grown into for a good while. I think what really got to me was the part about the dimmer switches, though. Great room, and REALLY great idea for it!
Adorable! Can you share where you found the lights?
Thanks everyone! I appreciate your positive feedback!
A few more answers to your questions...
My daughter's bed is the Atlantic Furniture Mate's Bed with the "4-drawer underbed chest" (there is also a "trundle bed" option) and it is made from eco-friendly hardwood. Google the above name, click the shopping tab, and you will find available retailers.
Thanks! I found the stainless steel sconces at DockLights.com.
Simply BEAUTIFUL. I love the stripe details on one wall and the clean, calming colors that you used. What lucky children to have such a wonderful room to fill with wonderful, little memories!
Lovely room. A wonderful example of thought and creativity in such a small space. #1 Choice!!
Love it. Great use of space and ideas for shared boy/girl room.
Such a lovely and comforting and stylish bedroom for children...#1 choice
This is truly genius at work! Clean and concise!
Love'n the Snug Harbor!
What a BEAUTIFUL room for this sister & brother. You did a great job in that small space. My #1 choice!
Great use of space & color for a mixed gender room with a big difference in ages even. Very soothing paint colors.
Just adorable!
I got to this too late to vote, but wish I could. This is my favourite room that I've ever seen for a child. Thanks so much for sharing :)
Love the sconces, and thanks for sharing the site! *drool*
wonderful cozy room for kids,very functional


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President Barack Obama's efforts to curb gun violence face strong resistance from a divided Congress and powerful gun-rights lobby.
WASHINGTON –President Barack Obama's proposals to curb gun violence face a difficult path through a sharply divided U.S. Congress, where the biggest gun-control fight in decades looms on an issue that has long been one of the most divisive in American politics.
Obama's plan sets up a showdown between a gun-control movement re-energized by the massacre of 20 children and six adults last month at a Connecticut school, and a powerful gun-rights lobby led by the National Rifle Association, which has blocked new action on gun control for almost two decades.
Read more: Obama unveils $500M gun violence package
Members of both parties said Obama's call for expanded background checks for all gun buyers had the best chance of surviving the partisan fight in Congress. Just as clear is that Obama's pitch for Congress to reinstate the ban on military-style assault weapons that expired nearly a decade ago is unlikely to go anywhere.
The odds for a third Obama proposal, to limit ammunition clips to 10 rounds, seem to fall somewhere in between, lawmakers and analysts said on Wednesday.
"If you look at the combination of likelihood of passage and effectiveness of curbing gun crime, universal background checks is at the sweet spot," said Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, a heavily Democratic state where newly enacted gun laws for background checks and ammunition limits mirror several of Obama's federal proposals.
Read more: Poll: 6 in 10 favor stricter gun laws
For the Democratic president, the obstacles in Congress are large. In the Republican-led House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner faces pressure from conservatives to resist even bringing a gun-control bill to the floor.
That is why the gun legislation is almost certain to rise from the Democratic-led Senate. Even there, overcoming procedural hurdles will require supporters of Obama's plan to win over several Republicans while gaining backing from a few Democrats who have supported gun rights and face re-election next year in conservative states.
Democratic Sens. Tim Johnson in South Dakota, Max Baucus in Montana, Mary Landrieu in Louisiana, Mark Begich in Alaska and Mark Pryor in Arkansas are from conservative states with high levels of gun ownership, and all face re-election next year.
Begich, for one, has expressed reservations about a new ban on assault weapons.
The political calculus is such that Obama's plan "is not just dead in the House, it is on life support in the Senate before it even arrives," said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, a former Capitol Hill aide.
But Democratic strategist Phil Singer, also a former Hill aide, said there was a chance that public pressure stemming from outrage over the Newtown, Conn., shootings could force Republican leaders to reconsider their opposition to at least some of the measures – or risk being painted as unreasonable and beholden to the gun lobby.
"It will be very difficult and it will require a tremendous amount of work, but I think that there is a decent chance that it could happen," Singer said. "At this point, it is irresponsible to rule out getting it done. The process has only just begun. I think there is a path forward."
Read more: Texas Rep. Stockman threatens Obama impeachment over gun control
Some analysts were skeptical that anything could be accomplished in Congress, which faces a crush of other legislative priorities, including a looming battle over the budget and raising the U.S. borrowing limit.
Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a gun owner, said he would begin hearings on Obama's proposals in two weeks and voiced support for closing loopholes that allow two of every five gun sales to occur without a background check.
"I would point out that I have a track record of getting legislation passed. There are some who say nothing will pass. I disagree with that," Leahy said after a speech on Wednesday at Georgetown University Law Center.
"I think we can tighten up our background checks. There are a number of things we can do," he said.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has publicly expressed doubts about the prospects for an assault weapons ban, said he was committed to ensuring the Senate would consider a gun bill and that "all options should be on the table moving forward."
Gun-control supporters said the public climate had changed since the Newtown shooting, with polls showing rising support for many of Obama's proposals.
New groups led by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was wounded in a mass shooting in Arizona in 2011, are countering the NRA's lobbying efforts.
The grass-roots campaign structure that propelled Obama to re-election in November will also be used to rally support for the gun-control plan among the president's supporters.
Former White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the campaign's volunteers and email contacts could be put to work against the NRA's extensive lobbying efforts, and that Obama would go into campaign mode to sell his proposals.
"He's got to get out of the White House and travel the country," Gibbs said on MSNBC. "He's got to make his case directly to the people."
Gibbs said it was time to use the campaign's list of supporters for something more than an election. "If the NRA's got a list, then Obama for America has a bigger list," he said.
On Wednesday, Obama made an emotional appeal for support, using imagery of children at risk and assuring gun owners their constitutionally protected right to firearms would not be restricted by his proposals.
"This will not happen unless the American people demand it," he said.
"If parents and teachers, police officers and pastors, if hunters and sportsmen, if responsible gun owners, if Americans of every background stand up and say, 'Enough: We've suffered too much pain and care too much about our children to allow this to continue' – then change will come," Obama said.
Read more: Biden, Giffords, Bloomberg on TIME cover as 'gunfighters'
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