Geography of the Lost and Found

 Saddlebrooke Rotarian Gary Fuller spoke at the January 10th lunch about a subject that is at the center of any Rotarian's heart, global peace. Fuller's career found him, in part, conducting analysis for the U.S. Government about whether there are signs that can predict when a country was about to experience turmoil or even revolution. The kind of lawlessness that can affect the world. The latest example being the Arab Spring.

Fuller, a student during the 60's college protests and U.S. riots discovered over years of research that there is one consistent when things take a wrong term on a national level for any country. Interestingly it does correlate with the 60s obsession with over population, but not in the way you may think. What Fuller found is that when a country's population of 15 to 24 year olds reaches 20% or more there is a "youth bulge." (a term coined by Fuller)."I discovered that you can look 20 years out at population growth and birth statistics," said Fuller, "and predict unrest in the future."

 This phenomenon is new, since WWII, when modern medicine lowered mortality rates for infants. Add to this over population of young people a lack of jobs, land and higher education and it is a formula for revolution or terrorism. 

Fuller shared a number of interesting facts about world population trends in general, noting that India would have the largest population in the next 50 years, as China will start to loose population by 2025. 

 After a myriad of questions from the audience, Fuller ended by offering sales of the book "The Trivia Lover's Guide to the World: Geography for the Lost and Found," which he authored.

Amazon describes the book as:Gary Fuller’s entertaining and engaging guide enhances geographic know-how with good, old-fashioned fun, using trivia to open up new worlds of knowledge for all readers. Often dismissed as unimportant, trivia here highlights issues that are far from trivial, pondering, for example, what peaceful country requires citizens to keep guns in their homes? what continent contains at least 75 percent of the world’s fresh water? and why aren't New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia the capitals of their respective states? An inveterate traveler and geographer extraordinaire, Fuller provides extensive background, clear illustrations, and thorough explanations for each intriguing question, carefully grounding the text in practical geographic concepts. Both enjoyable and enlightening, this book challenges today’s global generation to truly get to know their world.