Something no one else can afford

The central word of this post is AFFORD, which is usually hard to explain in other languages or to give a synonym. Let's use the word then in our discussion here in as many ways as possible.



A few days ago US president Barack Obama launched the BRAIN project to discover the mysteries of the human mind. An ambitious project that will probably reveal how we think, how we learn, and how we remember. This will consequently lead to discovering cures for disorder and dementia like Parkinson and to helping research with stem cells. 

What do you think: Is this a project that they can't afford to implement? How important is it now for our society that is getting older and older?

  Of course, there are many questions when a project of that magnitude is launched:

• Is it technologically and financially viable?
• Do laboratories want these people to get cured or is it in their interest to make sure people need to buy the medication?
• Will there ever be something like the Bubonic Plague, which destroyed nearly half of the European population during The Middle Ages?
• What will 
  old age
  be like with so many people healthy?
• What is something everyone would like to do in their old age?
• What else will they discover - a cure, a medicine, a vaccine, a new treatment, a therapy, a surgical procedure, a method, a drug
  
  
• Is it never too late, even for terminal patients?
• Do you believe in miracle workers, healers and shamans? What's the difference between to cure and to heal?
• Did you know that t
  he syrup used in the liquid for Coca-Cola was medicinal?

Yesterday, one of the great leaders of our time passed away

There is so much that can be said: 

The Iron Lady

Liberalism: privatization of state companies

First and only female prime minister of the UK

Went to war against Argentina over the Falklands

Baroness

Pioneer

Thatcherism

She suffered from Alzheimer

What do you think: Could Thatcher have afforded to adopt different economic measures at the time of her government?


Now think of ...

Something priceless = invaluable

e.g. works of art, freedom, your son’s first smile

something you have that nobody else has

something you can’t afford e.g. I can’t afford to spend two hours in traffic everyday. I can’t afford to buy an apartment right now

something you can’t stand e.g. I can’t stand impolite people. I can’t stand liars

calling collect 

wearing costumes at Carnival or at a theme party

Words related to KING:

kingdom

royal

majesty

queen

castle

princess

nobles

lands

feudal lord

ceremony

crown

throne

Now watch the video to get the words mentioned.

Now, over to you: is there you something you can AFFORD to do without?