King buys 10 BMWs as million live in dire poverty..

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 5:35 pm

King Mswati 111 of Swaziland, one of the world's poorest countries,has spent $540,000 on 10 new BMWs for his 11 wives and three teenage fiancees.

Seventy per cent of Swaziland's one million people live in absolute poverty. Around 36pc are infected with HIV or Aids, the highest proportion in the world.

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:12 am

Wasn't it Polycarp asking what were our impressions of Africa last week?

polycarp · Post by **polycarp** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:49 am

Bothwell wrote: Wasn't it Polycarp asking what were our impressions of Africa last week?

I sure asked Bothwell, but this is an aspect of my continent that I am not proud of. We are indeed cursed with selfish leaders in Africa.

Bothwell · Post by **Bothwell** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:08 am

Polycarp, it was not meant as a criticism, I have travelled to a few countiries on the continent, Morocco, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Sierra Leone and was struck by the sheer beauty and desperation of the continent. It is so rich in everything but it just seems to keep going wrong somehow.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 6:26 pm

StelZ wrote: 14 women and only 10 beemers... looks like they'll have a fight on their hands

Would You be up for it.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 6:27 pm

Bothwell wrote: Polycarp, it was not meant as a criticism, I have travelled to a few countiries on the continent, Morocco, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Sierra Leone and was struck by the sheer beauty and desperation of the continent. It is so rich in everything but it just seems to keep going wrong somehow.Ah but your woman in every port, city day's are nearly over mate:D

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 6:40 pm

capt_buzzard wrote: Ah but your woman in every day's are nearly over mate:D

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 6:43 pm

hmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Post by **kensloft** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 7:29 pm

capt_buzzard wrote: hmmmmmmmmmmmm?
It's too bad that this wasn't taken more seriously. Pointing out the inequities that are engendered by people being kept in ignorance while the leaders loot the till are no joking matter if you live in that region of the world. Now that everyone has had a good laugh about the base motives of the Rich and Powerful in some African nations what are they going to do to help.

It was the Canadian ex-Prime Minister Chretien that said that this century belonged to Africa. I don't think that he meant we should regale ourselves with laughter while the riches are being looted by locaal s that are being supported by the resource thieves known as the multi-nationals.

koan · Post by **koan** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:05 pm

Some cases are more obvious than others. Buying BMWs is hard to hide. Eva Peron and all her shoes. There are other leaders that have been found out for their extravagences or obsessions. Is this not true of, dare I say, all leaders in some form or another?

Where there is much poverty it is a more hideous situation but I find it hideous in all forms and countries how the rich and powerful feed their egos and desires as if their own satisfaction has more value than compassion and humanity.

Post by **kensloft** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:22 pm

koan wrote: Some cases are more obvious than others. Buying BMWs is hard to hide. Eva Peron and all her shoes. There are other leaders that have been found out for their extravagences or obsessions. Is this not true of, dare I say, all leaders in some form or another?

Where there is much poverty it is a more hideous situation but I find it hideous in all forms and countries how the rich and powerful feed their egos and desires as if their own satisfaction has more value than compassion and humanity.
How very true. The only thing that makes it less reprehensible in the west is that we are not starving and living from hand to mouth as our brothers and sisters in Africa are wont to do. It is a matter of time, wich will come with untold death and misery, before people stop feeling superior in the mores with which they allegedly clothe their lives.

The trickle down effect tht mrked the Reagan era has proven itself to be ineffective in the world but amongst the elite of America it was fine. They had more money to flaunt at the poor offering their promises of future delights to the impoverished. If people stopped using money it would certainly put their ideals in a bind.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:35 pm

that was imelda marcos with the shoe fetish....eva duarte peron was into diamonds, furs, couture, and huge wads of cash in swiss bank accounts. she was the princess Di of her time, adored by the working class people. and despised by the upper classes . she and juan were nazi flunkies, many war criminals found happy havens in buenos aires after hitler offed himself. when evita died (young) she was enbalmed, displayed, diefied, moved around the globe a few times, a national obsession. still is.

Post by **kensloft** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:33 pm

lady cop wrote: that was imelda marcos with the shoe fetish....eva duarte peron was into diamonds, furs, couture, and huge wads of cash in swiss bank accounts. she was the princess Di of her time, adored by the working class people. and despised by the upper classes . she and juan were nazi flunkies, many war criminals found happy havens in buenos aires after hitler offed himself. when evita died (young) she was enbalmed, displayed, diefied, moved around the globe a few times, a national obsession. still is.

Did they ever get the cash back from her having died?

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:49 pm

kensloft wrote: Did they ever get the cash back from her having died?
no...she took it with her........ there are no records, the little mole-like swiss bankers adhere to a time-honored tradition. stolen/ pillaged art, nazi wealth extracted from Jewish teeth, family silver melted into bars, somehow found its way to warmer climes.

Post by **kensloft** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:27 pm

lady cop wrote: no...she took it with her........ there are no records, the little mole-like swiss bankers adhere to a time-honored tradition. stolen/ pillaged art, nazi wealth extracted from Jewish teeth, family silver melted into bars, somehow found its way to warmer climes.
And nobody can afford the lawyers to get the stuff back.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:33 pm

kensloft wrote: And nobody can afford the lawyers to get the stuff back.
you'd have to find it first.

Post by **kensloft** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 11:21 pm

lady cop wrote: you'd have to find it first.
D'oh!