[Leica] : Cell Phone Parts at the Gate - Kabul NOW MAJOR QUESTION?

[wayneserrano at earthlink.net (Wayne Serrano)]

Ted,

Simply and eloquently stated!

-----Original Message-----
>From: tedgrant at shaw.ca
>Sent: Oct 10, 2010 10:17 AM
>To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
>Subject: Re: [Leica] : Cell Phone Parts at the Gate - Kabul NOW MAJOR  
>QUESTION?
>
>
>Hugh Thompson showed::
>
>>> There are many of these hawkers who come to the gate to sell products, 
>>> these two specialize in cell phone parts.  The guard was in need of a 
>>> cover for his phone.
>>> >> Go to:
>>> >> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Hugh+Thompson/Afghanistan_001/Lunch+_amp_+Cell+Phone+Parts++007.jpg.html>
>
>Hi Hugh,
>Very nice for a change seeing three young guys without AK47's slung over 
>their shoulder and eyeing you as though some alien from another planet. And 
>without the usual facial expression of.. "Another infidel to kill when I 
>get 
>a chance look!"
>
>A question came up yesterday while a few folks were having a quiet 
>afternoon 
>looking at pictures from the battle areas of the Middle East and the people 
>of the sub-continent and the question was..... And some neat images from 
>the 
>Summer Olympics.
>
>"THIS IS COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC! HOWEVER MAYBE A LEARNED PERSON OUT THERE CAN 
>ANSWER IT?"
>
>Given North America, Canada & USA were settled by huge numbers of poor 
>people from Europe, farmers and thousands of just plain ordinary everyday 
>folks who struggled to survive the winters like they'd never experienced. 
>And thousands of miles of just huge open plains and mountains of nothing. 
>And yet it evolved into the countries we see today. Big cities, paved 
>roads, 
>great looking shopping and residential areas and beautiful wilderness where 
>we can move about without fear.
>
>AND NO GUNS! Well in Canada it is illegal to carry a gun without a permit 
>from the police. They rarely give permission! Yes we do have some bad ass 
>types who use them for some kind of gang related crap over drugs and 
>hookers. But it's extremely rare and when caught they go to jail.
>
>So how is it we evolved to the thriving modern countries we are, when there 
>was nothing here a few hundred years ago? Compared to the people of the 
>middle east, sub-continent wherever on that side of the world who have been 
>there thousands of years and it always appears they are still wallowing in 
>slums, dirt roads of the past thousand years? And they were there long 
>before anyone sailed to North America with nothing, in many cases nothing 
>but the clothes on their back?
>
>So what was? Is? The defining element that made one part become such 
>thriving countries? While nearly every photo we see from the subcontinent 
>and middle East on the other side of the world, they're still living in the 
>conditions of 2 - 3 thousand year ago. And not any better off? How did we 
>do 
>what we've done in a few hundred years when they've had many thousands of 
>years?
>
>The City of Dubai of course isn't included because it is "modern." Well I 
>suppose it depends whose money is running the operation.
>
>Any answers folks? Well it's a weekend so lets have a break from all the 
>Leica misery! ;-) Please don't msake it too heavy duty and just keep it 
>simple. Thank you
>
>cheers,
>Dr.ted
>
>
>
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