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Adept wrote:QUOTE (Adept @ Jul 9 2011, 02:13 AM) Currently we are "helping" by delivering lots of free food and clothes. That means that local producers can't compete. Why buy a t-shirt of local cotton when the europeans / americans are giving them away for free. Same goes for farming.

If we want to help, we need to buy the stuff from local producers, not used Africa as a dumping ground for our surplus.

That is quite a loaded thing to say; If a politician proposed such a thing his opposition would have a field day demonizing him by saying stuff like "Oh, he wants to stop aid to poor starving people, how despicable!" Add that to the fact that agricultural companies and such probably get subsidized and/or get a lot of incentives to send their "surplus" over to Africa, I bet many lobbyists would have a field day too. In addition, having a sudden surplus of food would likely cause food prices to go down in Europe/North America, and we couldn't have that now could we? God forbid westerners should have to pay less for stuff.



Oh, and somebody would inevitably bring up racism.

But to stop sending so much stuff to Africa (considering how it doesn't seem to have been all that helpful) is a good idea anyway, I guess. At least, in theory.
I invoke the "give a man a fish..." story.

Spinoza wrote:QUOTE (Spinoza @ Jun 30 2011, 03:25 AM) Does anyone here know enough Latin to confirm the Roman name "Africa" means @#(!hole?

Nope it doesnt. Africa comes from Avringa or Afri, wich is a name from some old african tribe, "Berbere" ( I dont know it exactly translation to english) who used to live in the northern part of said continent. The name Africa started to be used by the romans after they conquered Cartage to designate provinces northeast of Tunisia and Argelia. And some time later when the europeans at the XVI century needed to advance inside the continent everything was named "Africa".

At least in portuguese "Africa" means exploit, feat, bravery, something difficult
to perform.

Other than that, honestly I think each culture should be left alone with their beliefs. Its because of such reactions and crap about "right" and "wrong" that now and than wars happen.

Archangelus wrote:QUOTE (Archangelus @ Jul 9 2011, 11:41 PM) in portuguese "Africa" means exploit

I realize that a different use of the word "exploit" is meant here (the noun, not the verb) but the irony is astonishing.

Camaro wrote:QUOTE (Camaro @ Jul 9 2011, 09:36 PM) TINSTAAFL

TANSTAAFL <-- you got close

Adept wrote:QUOTE (Adept @ Jul 10 2011, 10:38 AM) TANSTAAFL <-- you got close

from that webpage:
QUOTE "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" (alternatively, "There's no such thing as a free lunch" or other variants) is a popular adage communicating the idea that it is impossible to get something for nothing. The acronyms TANSTAAFL and TINSTAAFL are also used.[/quote]

So I'm still right.

Adept wrote:QUOTE (Adept @ Jul 10 2011, 03:38 PM) TANSTAAFL <-- you got close

Ain't --> Is

Camaro was just using proper english.

The meme was started by R. A. Heinlein, and he deliberately spelled it TANSTAAFL you punk kids. Respect your Sci-Fi history! It's like arguing that ok is spelled wrong and can quite as validly (if more so) be spelled oc.

Oh, a rose by any other name FCS!