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Show Thursday, December 3, 1998 The Daily Utah Chronicle 3 One Billon of World's Poor Will Challenge 31st Century Charles Sorensen Chronicle News Writer World poverty is the biggest problem facing society in the 21st Century, according to a University of Utah science department professor emeritus. of James Mayfield, the Center for Humanitarian Outreach and Intercultural Exchange, gave a presentation titled, "Challenges of World Poverty: A Look to the year 2020" at the Hinckley Institute of Politics Tuesday. Mayfield said communism was perhaps the biggest threat to the world in the 20th century, but that world poverty will be the "biggest challenge in the coming century." He said there are billion people living "a life of misery" in absolute poverty. Mayfield defined absolute poverty as lacking schools, health clinics and other basic necessities. Mayfield said the situation is getting worse instead of better, despite over $200 billion that has been spent to fight world poverty since the 1950s. He said that 30 years ago, 70 percent of the world's wealth was controlled by the richest 20 percent of the population. Now, said Mayfield, the wealthiest 20 percent of the population controls 80 percent of the wealth. Mayfield said the poorest 40 percent of the world population has gone from controlling 18 percent to 15 percent of the world's wealth during that same period. This change in wealth distribution, combined with the projected population growth, will have disastrous effects, according to 1 30-ye- ar May-fiel- d. breeds radicalism," Mayfield said. "When people have too much time on their hands, they are prone to listen to new "Poverty ideas." America's wealth. "They will begin to think it's unfair for so few to have so much," said Mayfield. He said this could lead to terrorism against the United States. In addition to political and social unrest, Mayfield also said the increasing poverty will lead to new strains of disease. "Most of the new strains of diseases are mutating in underdeveloped areas," Mayfield said. "And a lack of sanitation in those areas will breed new forms of disease." Mayfield said he believes the problem can be solved before it gets worse. He outlined his plan, which is based on five principles of sustainable development. The five principles are: Less money, defined and conceptualized by local people, need for local participation and problem ownership, accountability and concern for local culture. He said most programs of the past did not take these principles into account, but the ones that did succeeded. Mayfield's plan involves identifying districts of 100,000 people where 80 percent live in absolute poverty. He would assign one rural development facilitator for each district and a staff of ten people working for the facilitator. The facilitator would be in charge of networking with nongovernmental agencies working in the district and obtaining funds from the private sector. There are five areas of interest for the 10 staff members, and each problem would be the domain of two staffers. The areas are: health, literacy, income development, environment and cultural enhancement. He said that with $1 million per year, over a period, he could affect the lives of 20 million people. "There are about 50 d jets at Hill Air Force Base," said. "They cost $30 million each. All I need is one jet." Jpr m mmffi mum fiiteSte lig&tmm v mm 20-ye- ar Mayfield said that with the prolif- eration of worldwide media and technological advances, inhabitants of third world countries may become angry and jealous of mm May-fiel- UFOS continued from page 1 The abductee were hypnotized and then taken back in time to h the subconscious the time of their abduction that they could not remember. Most of the government files concerning UFOs and alien abduction were closed until the Freedom of Information Act released hundreds of documents. Because of the peculiar ideas presented to the public in the lecture, Hastings opened it by saying, "The only ticket of admissions here this evening is an open mind." Hastings said that almost all of the UFO sightings had been near a military base, major power source or near the site of nuclear weapons relive-throug- Tim a facility. "The UFOs have demonstrated a distinct interest in this nation's and Russia's nuclear arms," Hastings said. During the Cold War there were sightings of UFOs in Russia on the same nights as there were sightings here, Hastings explained. There is plenty of evidence that "nonconventional aircraft" are out there, Hastings said. When we find out the truth nobody knows. "It may be tomorrow or in 50 years. The truth is, all in all, we're in for an interesting future." mmw Earn university credit from any spot 581-880- 1 on earth. www.dce.utah.eduinstudy |