What If Black America Were a Country?

[Teddy B 17,252]

Yeah, I'm going to wager ExExpat is Army. If he was a Marine, he would have said so.

[Dan and Judy 614]

I don't think he even reads the words on the page. Some people are just angry inside for whatever reason.

Atychiphobia

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I think NB is talking about me, but joking. It was a reference to AJ saying someone doesn't like black people.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Zimbabwe is a prime example ... Just look at the farms. ... before and after...

Zimbabwe's policy of seizing white-owned farms and handing them over to black workers has cost the country £7billion in lost production over the past decade, it has been claimed.

The extent of the agricultural collapse in the former British colony - once famed as the 'bread-basket of Africa' - emerged hours after the UN said it needs half a billion dollars in humanitarian aid this year.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2022014/Mugabes-land-seizures-white-farmers-cost-Zimbabwe-7bn.html#ixzz3GMEUjx2W

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

How about naming a country who's affairs were not disturbed that is still not doing well.

Just like how we keep meddling in the Middle East. Where has this gotten the people there and their economy? Nowhere.

Everything isn't a black and white category even though your little mind think it is.

[Darnell 8,479]

How have things worked out in Liberia since its creation?

That's really my study-binge for this weekend.

I swear.

[Expat1 971]

How about naming a country who's affairs were not disturbed that is still not doing well.

Just like how we keep meddling in the Middle East. Where has this gotten the people there and their economy? Nowhere.

Everything isn't a black and white category even though your little mind think it is.

A short report from the Middle East: The economy seems to be fine. At least in the GCC. Pick somewhere else maybe?

[Dan and Judy 614]

Zimbabwe is a prime example ... Just look at the farms. ... before and after...

Zimbabwe's policy of seizing white-owned farms and handing them over to black workers has cost the country £7billion in lost production over the past decade, it has been claimed.

The extent of the agricultural collapse in the former British colony - once famed as the 'bread-basket of Africa' - emerged hours after the UN said it needs half a billion dollars in humanitarian aid this year.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2022014/Mugabes-land-seizures-white-farmers-cost-Zimbabwe-7bn.html#ixzz3GMEUjx2W

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

They are victims of global warming caused by the white man.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

A short report from the Middle East: The economy seems to be fine. At least in the GCC. Pick somewhere else maybe?

Well in that case, Nigeria and Ghana have good economies. They are examples of a majority African country doing well.

[GandD 5,966]

Most countries along the equator have a hard time. Disease is rampant in tropical climates, high calorie crops like corn, rice, wheat don't grow well. It's one of the large reasons places in Africa/Central America struggle.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Most countries along the equator have a hard time. Disease is rampant in tropical climates, high calorie crops like corn, rice, wheat don't grow well. It's one of the large reasons places in Africa/Central America struggle.

That damn equator really messes things up.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

Most countries along the equator have a hard time. Disease is rampant in tropical climates, high calorie crops like corn, rice, wheat don't grow well. It's one of the large reasons places in Africa/Central America struggle.

Just spent a month near the equator. Did not see a rice field anywhere

[Penguin_ie 5,997]

**** One post removed for TOS violation- "Post Content intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a broad demographic or group of people identified by a unifying trait or characteristic (discrimination). For instance, racist or sexist content may be considered hate speech.". This is a very delicate subject, so please be careful how you post. ******

[lostinblue 1,989]

Most countries along the equator have a hard time. Disease is rampant in tropical climates, high calorie crops like corn, rice, wheat don't grow well. It's one of the large reasons places in Africa/Central America struggle.

Must be the global warming thing or something ... They went from being the bread basket of Africa to begging for food. Certainly not a management situation. ... correct.

[Karee 4,191]

Just spent a month near the equator. Did not see a rice field anywhere

Because they import a lot of rice

Philippines abandons timeframe for rice self-sufficiency

The Philippines has shifted away from setting a target date for its plan to be completely self-sufficient in the production of rice, a senior government official said, likely keeping its doors open to imports beyond the current goal of 2016.

That will be welcomed by key supplier Vietnam, which is looking to follow up on a string of deals to ship a total of 1.5 million tonnes of rice to Southeast Asia's biggest importer of the staple grain.

It could also be good news for Thailand, which wants to offload rice from a controversial stockpiling scheme at the heart of political turmoil in the country this year.

"I'm happy with 90- to 95-percent self-sufficiency (in 2016) and then we import the rest," said Francis Pangilinan, head of food security for the Philippines.

Pangilinan, appointed two months ago by President Benigno Aquino, added in an interview with Reuters that no new timeframe would be introduced for 100-percent self-sufficiency.

Critics have long said the Philippines' rice self-sufficiency goal, earlier set for 2013, was unrealistic. The target seemed even more remote after swathes of paddy were hit by drought or ravaged by typhoons, including last year's Haiyan.

While bumper harvests in other countries have stoked a global rice glut, prices in the Philippines have been pushed to record levels by the typhoons and as the government clamps down on smugglers looking to avoid hefty taxes.

"Part of the reason for the spike in (local rice) prices was precisely because we missed our sufficiency targets," said Pangilinan, with the official title of Presidential Assistant for Food Security.

"There was this tendency to downplay our import requirements, and therefore we did not import as much as we ought to, which created a tightening of supply."

The country's agriculture secretary has said the country achieved around 97 percent self-sufficiency in 2013, but many observers are sceptical of that figure.

The Philippines was Asia's fourth-biggest rice importer in 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and was the world's eighth-largest.

ANY MORE?

Pangilinan said the country could buy more rice this year in the wake of its deals with Vietnam.

A government panel will meet on July 16 to discuss local rice supply and whether more imports will be needed, he said. The panel will factor in the possible return of the El Nino weather phenomenon in the third quarter, which in the Philippines could mean drought followed by strong typhoons.

Pangilinan made a surprise announcement last month that the Philippines would import an additional 200,000 tonnes of rice from Vietnam to boost thin state stockpiles and stabilise retail prices that have fanned inflation pressures.

The National Food Authority, under Pangilinan's remit, has doubled the amount of cheap rice it is releasing into local markets to stabilise prices, and this will continue during the lean production season from July to September, he said.

And the country will likely buy rice early for next year.

"Before the end of the year, we should be able to discuss ... and look at initial numbers in terms of our requirements for 2015," he said.

Pangilinan wants the private sector to take the lead next year in importing rice, but he said the NFA would keep shipping in to bolster buffer stocks.

The Philippines will loosen restrictions on rice imports starting next year by reducing tariffs and increasing the volume the private sector is allowed to buy overseas.

He also said he was open to scrapping a price subsidy scheme for local rice farmers and would propose that the government absorb the NFA's estimated $3.7 billion debt, part of a set of reforms he would like to introduce in the next two years.

A huge chunk of the NFA's debt is money borrowed to pay for rice imports.

"I am open to the proposal to remove the price subsidies, but the government should still help farmers bring down the cost of production," Pangilinan said.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/09/us-philippines-rice-imports-idUSKBN0FE0K820140709

[Darnell 8,479]

How have things worked out in Liberia since its creation?

mostly ok until the mid '70s - some piker name Doe messed it all up...