Why are we rich?

One of the questions asked by people interested in International Development is "why are some countries rich, when others are poor?" Some answers here:

Britains child slaves

Breaking a Conspiracy of Silence

I am writing to you in desperation because we have lost ten of our best qualified nurses and midwives to International NGOs who do not support us during the training but who snatch the best from us with salary offers that we cannot match. Somehow, we seem to have become victims of our success because our nurses are the best in the country. We train four times what our hospital needs but still cannot cover the demand for good and responsible nurses.

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/23372

(New York Review of Books, Sue Halpern).

Slump pushes world hunger to 40-year high

The increase in the number of hungry people is not a result of poor harvests but is due to high food prices – particularly in developing countries – lower incomes and lost jobs.

"The rising number of hungry people is intolerable," said FAO director-general, Jacques Diouf. "We have the economic and technical means to make hunger disappear, what is missing is a stronger political will to eradicate hunger forever."

U.K. Independent Newspaper

* News * Technology * Google Google joins push to send Ugandans vital information through their mobiles

AppLab will give millions of Africans access to health advice, farming tips and trading services using only a mobile handset

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jun/29/google-launches-applab-in-uganda

I.T. goes Green

Information Technology goes green.

There are a lot of environmental issues concerning I.T.; a major concern is disposing of old hardware, which can contain toxic substances. This article in PCMAG.COM reviews eco friendly laptops, desktops, monitors, and disk drives:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345704,00.asp

More roads in Africa ?

Does Africa need more roads, more railways, or both ?, (or neither ?);

This article in the UK Guardian suggests that more roads are needed; China is investing in building more railways. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/katineblog/2009/apr/09/african-road-investment

Ecological debt: no way back from bankrupt

While most governments' eyes are on the banking crisis, a much bigger issue - the environmental crisis - is passing them by, says Andrew Simms. In the Green Room this week, he argues that failure to organise a bailout for ecological debt will have dire consequences for humanity.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7988648.stm