Written by: anthonyC, 23 Feb 2013 2:35 PM
From: United States
Seriously?
Haiti has mooched BILLIONS OF DOLLARS over the last few years and they want more?
Hey Haiti.....You invited the UN in. Show some responsibility for once.
From: Jamaica
The UN is directly responsible for the deaths of over 8,000 people. How many of these deaths were children? In some of the photos, you will see little kids dead on sheets soaked with diarrhea. So much suffering and Dominicans have had their number of casualties, as well. Where is the humanity?
The UN should pay restitution to the victims and eradicate cholera from the borders of hispanola. Only a fool would think that a country like Haiti should foot the bill for something that was obviously not their fault.
From: United States
It's OK, Haitianos lives are cheap. I am sure in the near future we will see a paradox of a decision some place else!!!
Hey Anthony, is Haiti supposed to watch how filthy Hindus take a crap? Haiti has much issues, but can't stoop so low to inspect snake lovers rear-ends.
From: United States, Brooklyn
@chilli, deduct all the money and effort put into by the UN in Haiti, and I haiti would end up owing 20 what the UN supposedly owes! bottom line is, don't bite the hand that feeds you; cuz it seems they are the only ones who care about you!!
Written by: IloveDR, 23 Feb 2013 3:42 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
Haiti needs to step up and do their own crap
From: Dominican Republic, NEVER FORGOTTEN, NEVER FORSAKEN!
Is that danny00? Nice tan!
Written by: RonEvane 
, 23 Feb 2013 4:47 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Wow, what a mess Haiti is! Where do you start?
I think the UN has a moral obligation to push its member nations to do something, anything, to prosper the lives of the Haitian people. Especially, the coming generation.
The UN should not be just about keeping the peace during strife, but also preventing the causes of it!
It is obvious that the main cause of unrest anywhere, is the need, or lack thereof, of basic human necessities, such as enough food, clean water and a suitable place to live.
The UN has to help, with member nations directly building the vital infrastructure that can propel Haiti into becoming self sufficient in all of these, or the cycle of trouble and poverty will never be broken.
Several billion dollars invested today, can mean even more saved tomorrow and the lives of many preserved, to perform the work ahead for improving the future of our long-suffering neighbor.
From: Dominican Republic
Jed, huhhummm I mean Ron lol,
'' a Billion dollars invested today could mean millions saved tommorrow " . Maybe you actually have a point , but I think you would be closer to the bulls eye on the scarecrows head if you had said ''should instead of could , because the reality is that Billions of dirty dollars have already passed through the spin cycle at the Port Au Prince lavanderia and ironically , other than our beloved Willy white sheets , apart from the most impressive canvas top high rise communitys equipped with mud hole jacuzzis that the Haitian people are lavishing themselves in, Nobody has seen a dime of it ?
From: United States
Ron, UN never kept any peace! UN always pack up and ran whenever shots are fired. 20% of the loot is immediately allocated for top brass expenditures. If you do the math, those UN members are well paid to do absolutely nothing. UN does not accept resume from qualified individuals, only from lazy bastards who have a nack for failure.
Don't believe for a second the cash, mostly US tax payers, will reach its intended purposes!!!
From: United States, I dont even live inside a house , I haunt one!
Heres the message from the UN to the Haitians , f u you negros go back to the sugar cane fields and get to work!
Written by: synapse, 23 Feb 2013 6:59 PM
From: United States
Let them Rot ! Good for nothing Beggers and thieves!
If Haitians knew what a bar a soap was to wipe there butt, this epidemic wouldn't spread.
From: United States, I dont even live inside a house , I haunt one!
The same goes to you dummy minicans, go sell some coconut water, The un is the sole reason why their is cholera in the island in the first place .
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
The world can use its benevolence to bail out a same specific areas so many times....there comes a time when you must pull yourself by the bootstraps, so to speak, and exercise responsibility for your situation.
I'd suppose that both DR and Haiti have been extremely irresponsible in their procreation rate and stewardship of their land and resources. You have so many guys, some maybe even highly educated, who are contributing to an unsustainable population explosion, and that needs to stop, for the rest of the world is fatigued from continued and never-ending help to those specific sectors.
Somewhere along the line you must assume local responsibility, take care of your own problems and stop standing at the corner with your hand fully extended and asking for aid. We all need to discover the concept of self-sufficiency and consuming within our means. Otherwise, we are just enslaved in perpetuity by the system.
Be responsible!
MJEV.
From: Dominican Republic
D.R Strange love ,
'' Its easy to be self sufficient when your aid giving Uncle Sam hands you a check with a book of food stamps every month for doing nothing more than watching the afternoon soaps after you have reported to the career counseling center down on the corner of third and Elm street each week , but in reality , there really is a census that proves that 85% of the worlds population will wake up tommorrow morning and ask themselves if they will eat as opposed to the Lambones in Obamas kitchen whose only daily dilemma is deciding whether or not they should cash in their stamps at Wendys or Burger King while Doctor Phil teaches them how to win friends and influence people from the 24 inch screen of their flat screen Sony .
Jesus said " to whom much is given , much is required " and until you can ''SHOW ME THE MONEY' that has been altruistically AND RESPONSIBLY donated to Haiti by the billions , I reserve the right to question just what the hell you are talking about ?
Written by: generoso, 23 Feb 2013 8:10 PM
From: Dominican Republic, United States
Haiti must sue the UN in international courts, this is plan B. Haiti and DR had completely eradicated cholera for many years, and that particular strain, was traced to Nepal, the smoking gun evidence is there, and Haiti should sue the UN in international courts ASAP.
AnthonyC- Go f.ck yourself if you still can!
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Dom,
You've answered your own question. I am not my brother's keeper and I've produced only two kids, which is all I could afford, and I've paid for private schooling and medical and everything else and it was everything I could afford, and I am still helping out a bit. Yes, I could have done the 3rd world sort of thing and procreated way, way more kids than I could support-but I didn't. It's called responsibility! You don't let pleasure get in the way of things and you simply don't procreate more children than you could support, for my rights do not clearly begin where yours end. The pleasure is the same, and it is a matter of choices. You want sex without responsibility, then vasectomize yourself, or use some other birth control means and stop procreating and enslaving me. It is that simple. I don't enslave you or expect you to do anything in return, so don't enslave me, no matter how religious your feelings might be.... it's called responsibility!
Shit!
MJEV.
From: Dominican Republic
At last , The professor has returned if for no other reason than to remind me why I camped out on this site as long as I did, while the majority of our supporting cast continues to justify and support the reason I did leave the D.T ghetto 2 years ago and will again .
Hit it G,
wrong or right I was beginning to think that no intelligent life existed on this planet ..
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Dom
You are an enigma, and you've left me puzzled more than once. What the heck is exactly your angle?
Look, I am a traditional conservative, in the sense that I understand that there is no free ride and that you work for what you have, pay as you go.
You live within your means, and I accept no excuses for lack of education and similar.
I am from a school where in is deeply ingrained in us that a man most work for his keep, period. Nothing is beneath my dignity, when it comes to working for an honest living. Having been a rebel since an early age, leaving home much too soon, I've known what is like to pay for your keep. I've done every job imaginable, save for cooking and cleaning toilets, and I've never-ever asked my parents to bail me out. It was a matter of pride. My siblings, however, had the best of everything, and I mean the very best, from schooling to cars and homes and vacations and maids and everything else. I don't envy them, however.
MJEV.
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Dom
Continued:
Look, form my early days, I remember people getting help from my mother and father and insisting on paying back for doing work either at our farm, or home or business, anything from picking produce to cleaning vehicles or delivering stuff or painting or anything else that would give theme a sense of pride, or somehow give them fulfillment in the knowledge that they somehow paid back for what what they received. Those were admirable and proud of people and worthy of admiration, clearly great people who, although they may have fallen into hard time, still held a high level of dignity and pride and understood the concept that a "man must work for his keep" and that, with few exceptions, there must not be any free rides.
MJEV.
From: Dominican Republic
Strange love,
It doesn't take a scientist to read between the lines of a smoking crack pipe , but whatever it is you are trying to break down and convert into liquid form from the trenches of your lab tonight has not been approved by the F.D.A and therefore we here at D.T have agreed that it is not safe for public consumption .
However Strangelove , You still live in a small American suburb called ''paradise '' and atleast you can go to sleep tonight with the comforts of knowing that if the day comes that you cant pay the monthly tuition at the nursery or take the family out to pizza hut this Friday because your corporate American whip cracker cut your hours down to 20, that your Uncle Obama will pick up the tab and ''EVERY LITTLE THING , GONNA BE ALRIGHT''..
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Dom,
My family in DR is way, way better off that I am. They are really privileged and well-off. Look, they would be well-off people by any standards. Good for them, for many of them still work hard for their riches. I am not as privileged, but I got a reasonable inheritance from my parents,which I have yet to claim....I want to torture my siblings a bit-I am that much of a rebel!!!!Right now, they can't figure out as to whether I've abandoned all claims or whether I am playing head games with them. It will all be resolved by year end, however.
MJEV.
From: Dominican Republic
Strange love , You have overdosed
Dont miss the point bro , I am not arguing with your strong work ethics nor against the belief that every man should earn his keep , as even the bible says that '' IF A MAN DOESNT WORK , HE SHOULD NOT EAT'' , but remember , you live in ''a land of opportunity ' , and the Haitians like most of the world do not .. At the very least , you and I can swallow our pride and clean stalls at the 7 eleven and still get government handouts if we had to , but no blame can be placed on the out of work Haitians that truly want to get their hands dirty so they can feed their new borns but cant find a gig scooping doo doo out of a porta pottie at the construction site of Slick Willies future vacation home in Jacmel , and when the fortunate few that do manage to get a seat on the back of the last flatbed leaving P.P for Bavaro, they are accused of stealing pineapples from the Dominican families whose hopes rest on johnny getting a baseball scholarship in L.A
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@DOM,
Fortunately, I am still gainfully employed and Obama does nothing for me, save for confiscating a substantive portion of my income. Likewise for governor Asswipe, aka Cuomo, who lives in the land of "make believe" and simply cannot accept reality, and that criminals would never submit to background checks or registering their guns. What a stupid ass!
This state has become so socialistic, that there shall be no choice but for hard working people to leave, move to other more progressive and well-rooted states. They shamelessly confiscate my hard-earned income for re-distribution. Instead of being ashamed, they often wonder what they haven't taxed. I have five years at most left in this socio-communist state, then I am leaving for some place with more equitable taxation, and where people are actually willing to work for their keep.
MJEV.
From: Dominican Republic
Well ,
Then we see eye to eye . I had posted on another thread that '' never did one think that they would see the day when Gringos and Barcelonians would be setting their sails to the tune of the merengue band at POP airport in hopes of giving their family a better chance of survival "".
But again strange ,
Think about the fact that you can leave the great land of opportunity at 62 years old and while your cursing your old bastard Uncle Sam down here on the white sand beaches with a mojito in your hand, , your living off the fat of the land with no opportunity and your Uncle is picking up the tab for it all..wow...
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Dom,
Can't say you are totally right in your above observations, for I'd have contributed to SS and pension for all of those years of work and, consequently, should expect a paycheck in my retirement years. You know, as perhaps you subtly implied, it's not exactly a gift....rather, it is a distribution or prior contributions, perhaps with some interest, as opposed to situation with the many who are just a load on the system and take money that they really shouldn't be entitled to. Sadly and regrettably, Dominicans are fairly well represented in that category, and not exactly ashamed of it. If you don't believe it, go to Crown Heights or Corona, Queens, and you will see ample evidence of it first-hand.
MJEV.
From: Dominican Republic
'' should expect a paycheck in my retirement years"
And there we have it folks , the great American sense of entitlement and a well deserved Adaboy pat on the back for all we've done to make this nation great .
A very easy tune to sing while the old Haitians are whistling the song of the south out of their culos and MR. blue bird shits on their shoulder as they haul another 8 pound bucket of nails up the ladder in the 90 degree heat and their master delivers another round of silver laddle water shots as he cracks the whip on their lazy nigga asses , threatining to take away their pensions if they dont finish the roof by sun down.
Written by: RonEvane 
, 24 Feb 2013 12:02 AM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gentlemen. This isn’t about work ethic or “picking yourself up by the bootstraps”. Or whatever.
This is about a nation in misery, with no concrete means of support. That the rest of the world has ignored and abandoned to its murky luck.. .Damned shit!
All this has nothing to do with “being responsible” and “knowing” that too many children will make you poorer. It has nothing to do with being “lazy” or” begging” for a handout.
You’re all projecting the privileged upbringings had, by y’all, as compared to these people. And the opportunities presented in your lifetime, in contrast to Haitians and Dominicans, alike.
You’re wrong to think most of us in Hispaniola, have had the life of a rabble-rouser or a world traveler.
If you have never been homeless or hungry, you can’t know what it is to feel hopeless, humiliated and devoid of dignity and pride…..As I've been. Get down from that cloud, Buds, and get real!
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Ron,
Perhaps we could agree with your above points on the privileged upbringing and such. I have no first-hand knowledge of such situation and cannot talk from experience about that. However, that cannot be at the root of the problem, since there are many in DR, especially half the military general corps and many in politics, who have risen on the socio-economic scale and yet hold on to the same set of beliefs they espoused during the period of lesser status. Financial status is not necessarily a discriminant in our thinking and attitudes, or in choosing between right and wrong.
I do not accept poverty as an excuse for corruption, lazyness and lack of ambition.
MJEV.
Written by: pelaut, 24 Feb 2013 8:01 AM
From: United States
"Where is the humanity? "
It's the UeffingN for Pete's sake. Never has been any.
From: Dominican Republic
My problem with this is that if the UN had stopped to screen all it's workers before they stepped into Haiti to help, they then would of had the cries of "your taking to long" "why are you not here helping" and would then be sued for not being there as fast as they could have.
Yes it is very unfortunate that a UN worker travelled to Haiti to help brought Cholera to the island. Suing the UN for this will do very little to actual help the needy, as all that money will not go to where it is very much needed but will all be lost into top pockets and corrupt bureaucracy, while those that need help continue to see nothing but the scraps.
Written by: RonEvane 
, 24 Feb 2013 12:24 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Glomar.
You can't say for sure that the root of the problem is "laziness and lack of ambition".
As a matter of fact, I'm certain most people are hard-working and determined to make a better life for themselves, regardless of their income status.
The main reason for poverty is nothing more or less than illiteracy. Followed by the lack of opportunities found in their respective nations, to reverse it.
Most of us on this board feel our past govts have done very little to fund education. The 4% of GDP allotted for it, as dictated by our constitution, was ignored, and our children suffered. We can only hope our present govt will stay the course or even increase the financial support to grow more numerous, higher educated professionals.
Written by: RonEvane 
, 24 Feb 2013 12:29 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
The difference between Haiti and DR is nothing but the number of formally educated people. We certainly have many more, hence the difference in wealth.
We can argue about much about successful/unsuccessful nations and how they got that way, and without a doubt, the ONLY common denominator is education, or lack thereof.
Education means having the knowledge to acquire power and prestige. No mystery there.
Written by: generoso, 24 Feb 2013 12:33 PM
From: Dominican Republic, United States
In the real world, If physician commits malpractice, then he is liable by his patients and the legal system is structured to compensate his victims.
The UN was irresponsible and careless to allow poorly health screened soldiers from Nepal, doing duty in Haiti, to shit in the rivers and pollute the waters of a strain of cholera, traceable to their native Nepal. The evidence is clear and the guilt is obvious. The UN has been trying to shove this matter, under the rug of world opinion, and their fault in this matter is without question.
Haiti and the DR had to deal with the effects of this imported plague. Haiti with the death of over 8,000 of their citizens, and thousands more affected, and the DR with less mortalities, but considerable financial public health expense.
The "sacred" UN is guilty by all counts and must pay up.
From: United States
Gents, enjoying the much eloquent exchanges, a breath of fresh air. Some of us when arrived here in the good old US of A did sacrifice a few years for a most deserved education. But, we have digressed and regressed from the focal point. Yes, i agree with Gen, Gloma and co. I am a firm believer of pulling oneself by the proverbial BOOT LACE and GEN, yes Haiti needs to explore all legal remedies available. As an ex soldier, I am always concern about the UN screening process. I recall a few Pakistanies were arrested in Haiti, when Aristide was returned for stealing goats. Anyway, is it a UN requirement for those so-called peace-keepers to deficate in every corners of the universe? Or, any acountability for such behaviors? Trust me Quisqueya is a very fortunate paradise, cholorea did wipeout half of the island. If you have had a chance to work side by side with some of those Asian persuations and I mean well paid UN reps, personal hygiene is not a priority. Gloma, i can only afford one.
Written by: RonEvane 
, 24 Feb 2013 1:08 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
I've never been to Haiti, but seen lots of documentaries and pictures of what is like to live there.
Port Au Prince is a cesspool, with open sewers and disease-laden rivers.
We can blame the UN, but we also must admit that if not for the lack of sanitation there, the cholera would not have affected as many as it did in the entire island.
UN member nations, as I said earlier, must avoid corrupt channels and directly go there to help build the necessary infrastructure to, at the very least, prevent something like this from happening again.
Haiti is in a state of utter chaos. It can't seem to be able to govern itself. I'd suggest that the UN occupy it and administer it until such time as educated Haitians can, once again, take the reins to a path of sustainability and stability.
From: United States
Ron, cholerea has been wiped out of the island before those high salaried incompetents arrived with toilet papers and all modern facilities available and chose to crap in the river. It is not like those nepalies did not have a choice, it was pure negligence!!! With all the existing problems you've mentioned; cholerea was not a variable in the equation. Would assign so-called peace keepers in poor health in physically and mentally tasking conditions?? Nooooooooo!!!! In the long term, we do not know if it will reach beyond hipañola or is it a dormant menice waiting to explode in other part of the world where those infested Nepalies have traveled???
Written by: Lautaro, 24 Feb 2013 2:01 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
According to some reports, the plague have already reached the eastern shore of Cuba, but it's very likely that we will never know the magnitude of the disease there, given how tight the regime there is with this kind of info.
Written by: RonEvane 
, 24 Feb 2013 2:02 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
"Transmission occurs primarily by drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the feces (waste product) of an infected person, including one with no apparent symptoms."
- Wikipidia.-
The fact that thousands became ill, and so many died, speaks volumes as to the sanitation infrastructure in Haiti.
While it's true that this disease was brought into the country, the real culprit here is the sorry state of your health system.
In a city with proper sanitation, where water is treated for pathogens, this would not have happened.
So, you're also to blame for this tragedy.
This is a great example of a compelling reason why the UN must run your nation until you're able to do this yourselves.
Haiti is a great nation. I sincerely have nothing but admiration for its people. But for the sake of your future and to a degree, that of the DR, you must do whatever necessary, and go above and beyond in building a future without cholera, misery and hunger.
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Dom,
I see absolutely no feeling of entitlement in my expectation of receiving a pension and a SS check in my retirement years. I contributed to both these funds during my nearly 30 years of work, under the explicit agreement that stipulated a sustained income level in my retirement years. This is not a gift, but a redistribution of contributions made over a lifetime of work.
MJEV.
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Jam,
A sincere thank you from a citizen for your exemplary display of responsibility and self-restraint
in limiting the number of offsprings to the level you could afford. Too bad not to many Dominicans would follow your actions.
MJEV.
Written by: RoyStone, 24 Feb 2013 7:04 PM
From: Australia
glomarexplorer,
++++
Written by: RoyStone, 24 Feb 2013 7:07 PM
From: Australia
The Haitian earthquake was an act of God. So why don't they sue His representative on Earth, the Catholic Church? After-all, Haiti has paid it billions over the years, and nothing to the UN.
Written by: RoyStone, 24 Feb 2013 7:10 PM
From: Australia
The rest of the world should sue UN for not solving the Haitian problem once-and-for-all with a decent epidemic.
Written by: RoyStone, 24 Feb 2013 7:15 PM
From: Australia
It is a government's responsibility to protect its citizens with effective quarantining procedures. The Haitian government obviously can't or won't do it, so why aren't the Haitians begging the UN to take over?
Written by: RoyStone, 24 Feb 2013 7:16 PM
From: Australia
A hypothetical question - if the action against the UN is successful, who actually gets the money, and where will it go from there?
(yes I know, a stupid question)
Written by: RonEvane 
, 24 Feb 2013 7:33 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Interesting thought, Roy. My God, Talk about a riddle! I can’t think through the absurdity. Help!....a brain seizure! ..Aaaaagh, it hurts!
From: Dominican Republic
Really Roy?
You know better than that.. as I answered that already.. deep pockets and corrupt bureaucracy..as it would even here in the DR..
From: Dominican Republic
Can't you get "act of god insurance" now?? earthquakes and plagues? would that be covered under that??
Oh wait I guess they forgot to pay that bill too...
Written by: RoyStone, 24 Feb 2013 7:47 PM
From: Australia
It's simple Ron -
Acts of God, like earthquakes, floods, etc. are clearly defined by insurance companies, and the courts accept they are not liable to pay out for claims for Acts of God.
If the Catholic Church is the legitimate representative of God on earth, then they are financially liable for His actions. If they are not the legitimate representative of God on earth, then they have no authority and have been perpetrating a fraud on humanity for centuries.
Either way they should be forced to pay-up or declared bankrupt, their assets liquidated then wound-up, and their CEO, the Pope, and their directors, the cardinals and bishops, jailed.
From: Dominican Republic
Can't you get "act of god insurance" now?? earthquakes and plagues? would that be covered under that??
Oh wait I guess they forgot to pay that bill too...
Written by: rokete, 24 Feb 2013 9:11 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
WHO CARES !!!!
If this is Haitian news, then this is the wrong news forum.
I thought this was DOMINICAN TODAY.
Just make sure these freaks don't come to this side of the border.
EXPEL ALL THOSE ILLEGAL HAITIANS FROM QUISQUEYA !!!
Written by: RonEvane 
, 25 Feb 2013 3:26 AM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
If humanity can survive the next couple of centuries and if all inhabitants on planet earth can become aware of what is real and isn't, then the death of religion will be total and everlasting.
No more fraud, ideological wars, or dependence on the mystical. Truly free from delusion and deception. ..Amen.
From: United States
Roket, too late, already on your side. I have been to remote area of DR with the assurance I would not meet a single Haitiano. I was wrong; 2 seconds later here come a Haitiano!!! Dem(Haitianos) boys are all over the place. Yeh Rok, I know you've been residing under a rock, your name says it all. Did you smell that boy sitting next to you in that sardines pack taxi this morning?
Goodness gracious, I've attempted to try one of sardines transport mode and my cloth still smell like crap after several visits to the cleaner!!!! OK Rok, I gonna help you remove el ROK so you can smell the coffee and bit of Haitianos under arm!!!! Too late fool, les miserables of Haiti can be found in every nook crany in the DR!!! Hahahahahahah!!!
By the way Gloma, I still shade tears when I look at the deduction section of my paycheck and with Obama, I am doing a good $100 less in my take home than last year!!! All I know, after 40 years contribution?? Don't mess with my SS, it's mine!! I paid for it!!!
From: Dominican Republic
Amen Ron... Should we pray for that day?? hahahhaa
Written by: RonEvane 
, 25 Feb 2013 12:13 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Yes, absolutely, Stillhere.!
God willing, that day will come, and we will be born again!..
From: United States, Fresh Water Paradise-NY Finger Lakes
@Jam,
Yes, we are all definitely taking home much less. You should see what we pay uphere 9upper NYS) for property taxes......my back is arched from bearing the extra load. Every single day of the year these do-gooder bastards in Albany, NY, figure out new ways of usurping my hard-earned income, for one reason or another, or because they simply know best what to do with my money. I am contemplating downsizing my home right now, since both my kids are grown and working hundres of miles away, but the taxing authorities want nearly $15k/yr for a house that is much smaller than mine, about a 30% increase. It seems that the rate is based on 3.8% of purchase price, which is absolutely exhorbitant! Worst thing is that they increase it every year anywhere from 2%-5%, shamelessly!!!!For the life of me, I just can't see spending $1250/mo on property taxes.....I am definitely on my way out of NYS-three years maximum.
MJEV.
Written by: RoyStone, 25 Feb 2013 6:51 PM
From: Australia
I too am an optimist, Ron,
however I have to concede the pessimists have a stronger case.
Religious fundamentalism and Islam are on the rise. Imagine a new Dark Ages : an Internet-based high-tech Inquisition and the Crusades with nukes facing suicide bombers.
Written by: RonEvane 
, 25 Feb 2013 8:54 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
I recently read a very entertaining and insightful book titled:
“Darwin among the Machines” by George Dyson. It tells about the morphing of human and machines.
We as human, have come to the end of our physical evolution. The next step is for machines to be advanced by us, until they can replicate themselves and take the reins of our world.
It talks about Human-machine hybrids, which will forge ahead the case for exceptionally intelligent machines as our logical next-step in evolution.
I doubt much if the future version of ourselves can possibly entertain notions of mythical, magical entities.
100 hundred years into the future will see the end of religion, fanatics, delusion, and utter stupidity.
…If we don’t blow ourselves, first.
From: Dominican Republic
ooooh the singularity... where will god be then?? The day man fuses knowledge and thought into machine... very 2 years it get ten years closer, as quantum computing speeds up it own evolution..
…If we don’t blow ourselves, first. or drown in our own stupidity?
Written by: RonEvane 
, 25 Feb 2013 10:38 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
As we fly at light speed toward our inexorable clash with the future, little can be done to deviate from
this inescapable destiny.
Perhaps "the weak shall inherit the earth", but the strong in mind, will soar to the stars and a rendezvous with what?........Humanity, armed with all-mighty science at his side, and determination to see the face of God, will meet itself and realize we are whom we seek, and the futility of it all..... May God help us!!... He is Us!!
Written by: RonEvane 
, 26 Feb 2013 5:54 AM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
The future can be predictable, or it can be an enigma. It depends on how, and where we choose to go.
Today's actions will determine tomorrow's reality. We can diverge into many paths, or we can merge into one. Do we have the mind to make the right choice?
Written by: rokete, 26 Feb 2013 2:31 PM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
Roy
Have you been drinking that mamajuana, again.
Sci-fi books and movies, will not help in solving the issues of today.
Stopping Haitians from crossing the border,
will stop cholera from spreading on this side of Hispaniola.
EXPEL ALL ILLEGAL HAITIANS FROM QUISQUEYA !!!
LOL
From: Dominican Republic
"Sci-fi books and movies, will not help in solving the issues of today."
That is funny..... considering that a lot of the technology we have today was first conceptualised in si-fi...
satellites. Arthur C. Clarke
bionic limbs. Isaac Asimov
Genetic engineering. Aldous Huxley
speech-to-speech translators. Kim Stanley Robonson
For just a few...
With out even the first one we would not be having this conversation about the "the issues of today."
So all hail Arhtur C. Clarke.. For at the very least . letting people have communication and "help in solving the issues of today."
Written by: RoyStone, 26 Feb 2013 4:52 PM
From: Australia
Very true, stillhere,
furthermore, moveable type, radio, TV, the internet
all meant to enlighten and educate the world
but instead used to titillate and indoctrinate.
Written by: RonEvane 
, 26 Feb 2013 5:12 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Thank you, Stillhere.
I used to read all these visionary authors. I was always fascinated by what the future could bring and what could become reality.
In my humble opinion, Mostly anything is possible. Travel to the stars, unlimited/inexhaustible energy, no more wars, Haiti compensated by the UN for the cholera epidemic/returning home to their side, Dominicans understanding logic, Australians taking over our government and forcing us to attend school/build nuclear plants, Jamaicans teaching us quantum physics, and last but not least; the total abduction of all "charismatic" religious fanatics by God so we may be finally left in peace. Amen. ...We can only hope.
Written by: RoyStone, 26 Feb 2013 6:42 PM
From: Australia
Ron,
You forgot to mention rivers of beer and 72 beautiful virgins each.
Written by: rokete, 27 Feb 2013 3:03 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo
Roy and Ron
Cybernetics would be your best bet for future exploration.
Read the book: Cybernetics by Norbert Wiener 1948
Sci-Fi will create the conditions and technology that will affect us in the future.
However, as far as resolve our present social problems today, have yet to be seen.
Haiti has mooched BILLIONS OF DOLLARS over the last few years and they want more?
Hey Haiti.....You invited the UN in. Show some responsibility for once.
The UN should pay restitution to the victims and eradicate cholera from the borders of hispanola. Only a fool would think that a country like Haiti should foot the bill for something that was obviously not their fault.
Hey Anthony, is Haiti supposed to watch how filthy Hindus take a crap? Haiti has much issues, but can't stoop so low to inspect snake lovers rear-ends.
@chilli, deduct all the money and effort put into by the UN in Haiti, and I haiti would end up owing 20 what the UN supposedly owes! bottom line is, don't bite the hand that feeds you; cuz it seems they are the only ones who care about you!!
Wow, what a mess Haiti is! Where do you start?
I think the UN has a moral obligation to push its member nations to do something, anything, to prosper the lives of the Haitian people. Especially, the coming generation.
The UN should not be just about keeping the peace during strife, but also preventing the causes of it!
It is obvious that the main cause of unrest anywhere, is the need, or lack thereof, of basic human necessities, such as enough food, clean water and a suitable place to live.
The UN has to help, with member nations directly building the vital infrastructure that can propel Haiti into becoming self sufficient in all of these, or the cycle of trouble and poverty will never be broken.
Several billion dollars invested today, can mean even more saved tomorrow and the lives of many preserved, to perform the work ahead for improving the future of our long-suffering neighbor.
'' a Billion dollars invested today could mean millions saved tommorrow " . Maybe you actually have a point , but I think you would be closer to the bulls eye on the scarecrows head if you had said ''should instead of could , because the reality is that Billions of dirty dollars have already passed through the spin cycle at the Port Au Prince lavanderia and ironically , other than our beloved Willy white sheets , apart from the most impressive canvas top high rise communitys equipped with mud hole jacuzzis that the Haitian people are lavishing themselves in, Nobody has seen a dime of it ?
Don't believe for a second the cash, mostly US tax payers, will reach its intended purposes!!!
If Haitians knew what a bar a soap was to wipe there butt, this epidemic wouldn't spread.
The world can use its benevolence to bail out a same specific areas so many times....there comes a time when you must pull yourself by the bootstraps, so to speak, and exercise responsibility for your situation.
I'd suppose that both DR and Haiti have been extremely irresponsible in their procreation rate and stewardship of their land and resources. You have so many guys, some maybe even highly educated, who are contributing to an unsustainable population explosion, and that needs to stop, for the rest of the world is fatigued from continued and never-ending help to those specific sectors.
Somewhere along the line you must assume local responsibility, take care of your own problems and stop standing at the corner with your hand fully extended and asking for aid. We all need to discover the concept of self-sufficiency and consuming within our means. Otherwise, we are just enslaved in perpetuity by the system.
Be responsible!
MJEV.
'' Its easy to be self sufficient when your aid giving Uncle Sam hands you a check with a book of food stamps every month for doing nothing more than watching the afternoon soaps after you have reported to the career counseling center down on the corner of third and Elm street each week , but in reality , there really is a census that proves that 85% of the worlds population will wake up tommorrow morning and ask themselves if they will eat as opposed to the Lambones in Obamas kitchen whose only daily dilemma is deciding whether or not they should cash in their stamps at Wendys or Burger King while Doctor Phil teaches them how to win friends and influence people from the 24 inch screen of their flat screen Sony .
Jesus said " to whom much is given , much is required " and until you can ''SHOW ME THE MONEY' that has been altruistically AND RESPONSIBLY donated to Haiti by the billions , I reserve the right to question just what the hell you are talking about ?
AnthonyC- Go f.ck yourself if you still can!
You've answered your own question. I am not my brother's keeper and I've produced only two kids, which is all I could afford, and I've paid for private schooling and medical and everything else and it was everything I could afford, and I am still helping out a bit. Yes, I could have done the 3rd world sort of thing and procreated way, way more kids than I could support-but I didn't. It's called responsibility! You don't let pleasure get in the way of things and you simply don't procreate more children than you could support, for my rights do not clearly begin where yours end. The pleasure is the same, and it is a matter of choices. You want sex without responsibility, then vasectomize yourself, or use some other birth control means and stop procreating and enslaving me. It is that simple. I don't enslave you or expect you to do anything in return, so don't enslave me, no matter how religious your feelings might be.... it's called responsibility!
Shit!
MJEV.
Hit it G,
wrong or right I was beginning to think that no intelligent life existed on this planet ..
You are an enigma, and you've left me puzzled more than once. What the heck is exactly your angle?
Look, I am a traditional conservative, in the sense that I understand that there is no free ride and that you work for what you have, pay as you go.
You live within your means, and I accept no excuses for lack of education and similar.
I am from a school where in is deeply ingrained in us that a man most work for his keep, period. Nothing is beneath my dignity, when it comes to working for an honest living. Having been a rebel since an early age, leaving home much too soon, I've known what is like to pay for your keep. I've done every job imaginable, save for cooking and cleaning toilets, and I've never-ever asked my parents to bail me out. It was a matter of pride. My siblings, however, had the best of everything, and I mean the very best, from schooling to cars and homes and vacations and maids and everything else. I don't envy them, however.
MJEV.
Continued:
Look, form my early days, I remember people getting help from my mother and father and insisting on paying back for doing work either at our farm, or home or business, anything from picking produce to cleaning vehicles or delivering stuff or painting or anything else that would give theme a sense of pride, or somehow give them fulfillment in the knowledge that they somehow paid back for what what they received. Those were admirable and proud of people and worthy of admiration, clearly great people who, although they may have fallen into hard time, still held a high level of dignity and pride and understood the concept that a "man must work for his keep" and that, with few exceptions, there must not be any free rides.
MJEV.
It doesn't take a scientist to read between the lines of a smoking crack pipe , but whatever it is you are trying to break down and convert into liquid form from the trenches of your lab tonight has not been approved by the F.D.A and therefore we here at D.T have agreed that it is not safe for public consumption .
However Strangelove , You still live in a small American suburb called ''paradise '' and atleast you can go to sleep tonight with the comforts of knowing that if the day comes that you cant pay the monthly tuition at the nursery or take the family out to pizza hut this Friday because your corporate American whip cracker cut your hours down to 20, that your Uncle Obama will pick up the tab and ''EVERY LITTLE THING , GONNA BE ALRIGHT''..
@Dom,
My family in DR is way, way better off that I am. They are really privileged and well-off. Look, they would be well-off people by any standards. Good for them, for many of them still work hard for their riches. I am not as privileged, but I got a reasonable inheritance from my parents,which I have yet to claim....I want to torture my siblings a bit-I am that much of a rebel!!!!Right now, they can't figure out as to whether I've abandoned all claims or whether I am playing head games with them. It will all be resolved by year end, however.
MJEV.
Dont miss the point bro , I am not arguing with your strong work ethics nor against the belief that every man should earn his keep , as even the bible says that '' IF A MAN DOESNT WORK , HE SHOULD NOT EAT'' , but remember , you live in ''a land of opportunity ' , and the Haitians like most of the world do not .. At the very least , you and I can swallow our pride and clean stalls at the 7 eleven and still get government handouts if we had to , but no blame can be placed on the out of work Haitians that truly want to get their hands dirty so they can feed their new borns but cant find a gig scooping doo doo out of a porta pottie at the construction site of Slick Willies future vacation home in Jacmel , and when the fortunate few that do manage to get a seat on the back of the last flatbed leaving P.P for Bavaro, they are accused of stealing pineapples from the Dominican families whose hopes rest on johnny getting a baseball scholarship in L.A
Fortunately, I am still gainfully employed and Obama does nothing for me, save for confiscating a substantive portion of my income. Likewise for governor Asswipe, aka Cuomo, who lives in the land of "make believe" and simply cannot accept reality, and that criminals would never submit to background checks or registering their guns. What a stupid ass!
This state has become so socialistic, that there shall be no choice but for hard working people to leave, move to other more progressive and well-rooted states. They shamelessly confiscate my hard-earned income for re-distribution. Instead of being ashamed, they often wonder what they haven't taxed. I have five years at most left in this socio-communist state, then I am leaving for some place with more equitable taxation, and where people are actually willing to work for their keep.
MJEV.
Then we see eye to eye . I had posted on another thread that '' never did one think that they would see the day when Gringos and Barcelonians would be setting their sails to the tune of the merengue band at POP airport in hopes of giving their family a better chance of survival "".
But again strange ,
Think about the fact that you can leave the great land of opportunity at 62 years old and while your cursing your old bastard Uncle Sam down here on the white sand beaches with a mojito in your hand, , your living off the fat of the land with no opportunity and your Uncle is picking up the tab for it all..wow...
Can't say you are totally right in your above observations, for I'd have contributed to SS and pension for all of those years of work and, consequently, should expect a paycheck in my retirement years. You know, as perhaps you subtly implied, it's not exactly a gift....rather, it is a distribution or prior contributions, perhaps with some interest, as opposed to situation with the many who are just a load on the system and take money that they really shouldn't be entitled to. Sadly and regrettably, Dominicans are fairly well represented in that category, and not exactly ashamed of it. If you don't believe it, go to Crown Heights or Corona, Queens, and you will see ample evidence of it first-hand.
MJEV.
And there we have it folks , the great American sense of entitlement and a well deserved Adaboy pat on the back for all we've done to make this nation great .
A very easy tune to sing while the old Haitians are whistling the song of the south out of their culos and MR. blue bird shits on their shoulder as they haul another 8 pound bucket of nails up the ladder in the 90 degree heat and their master delivers another round of silver laddle water shots as he cracks the whip on their lazy nigga asses , threatining to take away their pensions if they dont finish the roof by sun down.
Gentlemen. This isn’t about work ethic or “picking yourself up by the bootstraps”. Or whatever.
This is about a nation in misery, with no concrete means of support. That the rest of the world has ignored and abandoned to its murky luck.. .Damned shit!
All this has nothing to do with “being responsible” and “knowing” that too many children will make you poorer. It has nothing to do with being “lazy” or” begging” for a handout.
You’re all projecting the privileged upbringings had, by y’all, as compared to these people. And the opportunities presented in your lifetime, in contrast to Haitians and Dominicans, alike.
You’re wrong to think most of us in Hispaniola, have had the life of a rabble-rouser or a world traveler.
If you have never been homeless or hungry, you can’t know what it is to feel hopeless, humiliated and devoid of dignity and pride…..As I've been. Get down from that cloud, Buds, and get real!
Perhaps we could agree with your above points on the privileged upbringing and such. I have no first-hand knowledge of such situation and cannot talk from experience about that. However, that cannot be at the root of the problem, since there are many in DR, especially half the military general corps and many in politics, who have risen on the socio-economic scale and yet hold on to the same set of beliefs they espoused during the period of lesser status. Financial status is not necessarily a discriminant in our thinking and attitudes, or in choosing between right and wrong.
I do not accept poverty as an excuse for corruption, lazyness and lack of ambition.
MJEV.
It's the UeffingN for Pete's sake. Never has been any.
Yes it is very unfortunate that a UN worker travelled to Haiti to help brought Cholera to the island. Suing the UN for this will do very little to actual help the needy, as all that money will not go to where it is very much needed but will all be lost into top pockets and corrupt bureaucracy, while those that need help continue to see nothing but the scraps.
Glomar.
You can't say for sure that the root of the problem is "laziness and lack of ambition".
As a matter of fact, I'm certain most people are hard-working and determined to make a better life for themselves, regardless of their income status.
The main reason for poverty is nothing more or less than illiteracy. Followed by the lack of opportunities found in their respective nations, to reverse it.
Most of us on this board feel our past govts have done very little to fund education. The 4% of GDP allotted for it, as dictated by our constitution, was ignored, and our children suffered. We can only hope our present govt will stay the course or even increase the financial support to grow more numerous, higher educated professionals.
The difference between Haiti and DR is nothing but the number of formally educated people. We certainly have many more, hence the difference in wealth.
We can argue about much about successful/unsuccessful nations and how they got that way, and without a doubt, the ONLY common denominator is education, or lack thereof.
Education means having the knowledge to acquire power and prestige. No mystery there.
The UN was irresponsible and careless to allow poorly health screened soldiers from Nepal, doing duty in Haiti, to shit in the rivers and pollute the waters of a strain of cholera, traceable to their native Nepal. The evidence is clear and the guilt is obvious. The UN has been trying to shove this matter, under the rug of world opinion, and their fault in this matter is without question.
Haiti and the DR had to deal with the effects of this imported plague. Haiti with the death of over 8,000 of their citizens, and thousands more affected, and the DR with less mortalities, but considerable financial public health expense.
The "sacred" UN is guilty by all counts and must pay up.
I've never been to Haiti, but seen lots of documentaries and pictures of what is like to live there.
Port Au Prince is a cesspool, with open sewers and disease-laden rivers.
We can blame the UN, but we also must admit that if not for the lack of sanitation there, the cholera would not have affected as many as it did in the entire island.
UN member nations, as I said earlier, must avoid corrupt channels and directly go there to help build the necessary infrastructure to, at the very least, prevent something like this from happening again.
Haiti is in a state of utter chaos. It can't seem to be able to govern itself. I'd suggest that the UN occupy it and administer it until such time as educated Haitians can, once again, take the reins to a path of sustainability and stability.
"Transmission occurs primarily by drinking water or eating food that has been contaminated by the feces (waste product) of an infected person, including one with no apparent symptoms."
- Wikipidia.-
The fact that thousands became ill, and so many died, speaks volumes as to the sanitation infrastructure in Haiti.
While it's true that this disease was brought into the country, the real culprit here is the sorry state of your health system.
In a city with proper sanitation, where water is treated for pathogens, this would not have happened.
So, you're also to blame for this tragedy.
This is a great example of a compelling reason why the UN must run your nation until you're able to do this yourselves.
Haiti is a great nation. I sincerely have nothing but admiration for its people. But for the sake of your future and to a degree, that of the DR, you must do whatever necessary, and go above and beyond in building a future without cholera, misery and hunger.
@Dom,
I see absolutely no feeling of entitlement in my expectation of receiving a pension and a SS check in my retirement years. I contributed to both these funds during my nearly 30 years of work, under the explicit agreement that stipulated a sustained income level in my retirement years. This is not a gift, but a redistribution of contributions made over a lifetime of work.
MJEV.
A sincere thank you from a citizen for your exemplary display of responsibility and self-restraint
in limiting the number of offsprings to the level you could afford. Too bad not to many Dominicans would follow your actions.
MJEV.
++++
(yes I know, a stupid question)
Interesting thought, Roy. My God, Talk about a riddle! I can’t think through the absurdity. Help!....a brain seizure! ..Aaaaagh, it hurts!
Really Roy?
You know better than that.. as I answered that already.. deep pockets and corrupt bureaucracy..as it would even here in the DR..
Can't you get "act of god insurance" now?? earthquakes and plagues? would that be covered under that??
Oh wait I guess they forgot to pay that bill too...
Acts of God, like earthquakes, floods, etc. are clearly defined by insurance companies, and the courts accept they are not liable to pay out for claims for Acts of God.
If the Catholic Church is the legitimate representative of God on earth, then they are financially liable for His actions. If they are not the legitimate representative of God on earth, then they have no authority and have been perpetrating a fraud on humanity for centuries.
Either way they should be forced to pay-up or declared bankrupt, their assets liquidated then wound-up, and their CEO, the Pope, and their directors, the cardinals and bishops, jailed.
Can't you get "act of god insurance" now?? earthquakes and plagues? would that be covered under that??
Oh wait I guess they forgot to pay that bill too...
WHO CARES !!!!
If this is Haitian news, then this is the wrong news forum.
I thought this was DOMINICAN TODAY.
Just make sure these freaks don't come to this side of the border.
EXPEL ALL THOSE ILLEGAL HAITIANS FROM QUISQUEYA !!!
If humanity can survive the next couple of centuries and if all inhabitants on planet earth can become aware of what is real and isn't, then the death of religion will be total and everlasting.
No more fraud, ideological wars, or dependence on the mystical. Truly free from delusion and deception. ..Amen.
Goodness gracious, I've attempted to try one of sardines transport mode and my cloth still smell like crap after several visits to the cleaner!!!! OK Rok, I gonna help you remove el ROK so you can smell the coffee and bit of Haitianos under arm!!!! Too late fool, les miserables of Haiti can be found in every nook crany in the DR!!! Hahahahahahah!!!
By the way Gloma, I still shade tears when I look at the deduction section of my paycheck and with Obama, I am doing a good $100 less in my take home than last year!!! All I know, after 40 years contribution?? Don't mess with my SS, it's mine!! I paid for it!!!
Amen Ron... Should we pray for that day?? hahahhaa
Yes, absolutely, Stillhere.!
God willing, that day will come, and we will be born again!..
Yes, we are all definitely taking home much less. You should see what we pay uphere 9upper NYS) for property taxes......my back is arched from bearing the extra load. Every single day of the year these do-gooder bastards in Albany, NY, figure out new ways of usurping my hard-earned income, for one reason or another, or because they simply know best what to do with my money. I am contemplating downsizing my home right now, since both my kids are grown and working hundres of miles away, but the taxing authorities want nearly $15k/yr for a house that is much smaller than mine, about a 30% increase. It seems that the rate is based on 3.8% of purchase price, which is absolutely exhorbitant! Worst thing is that they increase it every year anywhere from 2%-5%, shamelessly!!!!For the life of me, I just can't see spending $1250/mo on property taxes.....I am definitely on my way out of NYS-three years maximum.
MJEV.
however I have to concede the pessimists have a stronger case.
Religious fundamentalism and Islam are on the rise. Imagine a new Dark Ages : an Internet-based high-tech Inquisition and the Crusades with nukes facing suicide bombers.
I recently read a very entertaining and insightful book titled:
“Darwin among the Machines” by George Dyson. It tells about the morphing of human and machines.
We as human, have come to the end of our physical evolution. The next step is for machines to be advanced by us, until they can replicate themselves and take the reins of our world.
It talks about Human-machine hybrids, which will forge ahead the case for exceptionally intelligent machines as our logical next-step in evolution.
I doubt much if the future version of ourselves can possibly entertain notions of mythical, magical entities.
100 hundred years into the future will see the end of religion, fanatics, delusion, and utter stupidity.
…If we don’t blow ourselves, first.
ooooh the singularity... where will god be then?? The day man fuses knowledge and thought into machine... very 2 years it get ten years closer, as quantum computing speeds up it own evolution..
…If we don’t blow ourselves, first. or drown in our own stupidity?
As we fly at light speed toward our inexorable clash with the future, little can be done to deviate from
this inescapable destiny.
Perhaps "the weak shall inherit the earth", but the strong in mind, will soar to the stars and a rendezvous with what?........Humanity, armed with all-mighty science at his side, and determination to see the face of God, will meet itself and realize we are whom we seek, and the futility of it all..... May God help us!!... He is Us!!
The future can be predictable, or it can be an enigma. It depends on how, and where we choose to go.
Today's actions will determine tomorrow's reality. We can diverge into many paths, or we can merge into one. Do we have the mind to make the right choice?
Roy
Have you been drinking that mamajuana, again.
Sci-fi books and movies, will not help in solving the issues of today.
Stopping Haitians from crossing the border,
will stop cholera from spreading on this side of Hispaniola.
EXPEL ALL ILLEGAL HAITIANS FROM QUISQUEYA !!!
LOL
"Sci-fi books and movies, will not help in solving the issues of today."
That is funny..... considering that a lot of the technology we have today was first conceptualised in si-fi...
satellites. Arthur C. Clarke
bionic limbs. Isaac Asimov
Genetic engineering. Aldous Huxley
speech-to-speech translators. Kim Stanley Robonson
For just a few...
With out even the first one we would not be having this conversation about the "the issues of today."
So all hail Arhtur C. Clarke.. For at the very least . letting people have communication and "help in solving the issues of today."
furthermore, moveable type, radio, TV, the internet
all meant to enlighten and educate the world
but instead used to titillate and indoctrinate.
Thank you, Stillhere.
I used to read all these visionary authors. I was always fascinated by what the future could bring and what could become reality.
In my humble opinion, Mostly anything is possible. Travel to the stars, unlimited/inexhaustible energy, no more wars, Haiti compensated by the UN for the cholera epidemic/returning home to their side, Dominicans understanding logic, Australians taking over our government and forcing us to attend school/build nuclear plants, Jamaicans teaching us quantum physics, and last but not least; the total abduction of all "charismatic" religious fanatics by God so we may be finally left in peace. Amen. ...We can only hope.
You forgot to mention rivers of beer and 72 beautiful virgins each.
Roy and Ron
Cybernetics would be your best bet for future exploration.
Read the book: Cybernetics by Norbert Wiener 1948
Sci-Fi will create the conditions and technology that will affect us in the future.
However, as far as resolve our present social problems today, have yet to be seen.