On Ending Hunger. And Poverty

This will likely surprise you. I know it did me.



I saw a quote a couple weeks ago, haven't forgotten it and couldn't agree more.

"There's so much absurdity. Poverty is so absurd." - Frank McCourt, author.

Missouri?

Have you no shame?



If you have any doubt, it's from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual report on food insecurity:

Of all the ways Missouri has grabbed national headlines in recent months, this might be the worst:

Missouri is No. 1 in the nation in hunger.

This distinction can be found in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual report on food insecurity, released on Wednesday.

Never worry about where your next meal is coming from? You’re food secure, like 85 percent of the people in the nation.

Unfortunately, nearly 1 in 6 Missourians, or 16.7 percent of them, are food insecure.

That means that at least once in the past year, in most cases several times, they skipped meals because they didn’t have enough food. Money ran out. Or they got by on less nutrition than they needed just to spread out the food they could afford.

Last year, Missouri ranked 7th worst in the nation in food insecurity. For those more extreme hunger cases, classified as “very low food security,” Missouri had the second highest rate in the country. Arkansas was first. Those with “very low food security” sometimes go an entire day without eating.
That’s bad enough.

But when compared to the numbers from a decade ago, Missouri’s negative change, that is the number of people falling into hunger, is worse than any other state in the nation.
____________________________________________

Not Mississippi. Not Alabama. Not Georgia. Not another poor, Southern state.

Missouri.

Number one in food insecurity.

So, all you representatives in Jefferson City. You want to do something about this?

I mean, instead of regulating women's reproductive rights.

Or trying to ban Federal regulations of guns.

 

Really, does this make sense?

I've wondered this myself many times.

Why does a salad, for pity's sake--a small salad--cost more than a hamburger?

Of course, we know the answer.

The answer is that this is "free-market Capitalism" so companies charge whatever they wish on whatever they choose.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating or suggesting we should have laws making this illegal, far from it.

What I'm saying is that businesses and business people should have morals and practice them in their businesses.

It's not going to happen, not in America but there you are.

Way to go, McDonald's.

Just know, we're not "Lovin' it."

Link: Americans unaware of most obesity risks

Very cool Harvesters news today from Richard Petty and Farmland Foods

FARMLAND FOODS ANNOUNCES $50,000 DONATION TO HARVESTERS AS RESULT OF SUMMER “BACON A DIFFERENCE” CAMPAIGN

Above, from left, Mike Brown, President and Chief Operating Officer; Farmland Foods, Dan Weaver, Harvesters Board Member; George Richter, President and Chief Operating Officer; Smithfield Foods Pork Group; Richard Petty, NASCAR driver and member of NASCAR Hall of Fame. Courtesy: Protential LLC

Partnership provides more than 250,000 meals for Kansas Citians and raises awareness of hunger issues in Farmland’s hometown

Kansas City, MO (October 18, 2012)—Farmland Foods and Richard Petty today presented $50,000 to Harvesters—The Community Food Network as a result of a summer-long campaign to raise awareness about hunger in the Kansas City area. During the “Bacon A Difference” campaign, which ran from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Farmland donated 4.3 cents to Harvesters for each bacon package purchased at participating grocery stores in Kansas City.

In addition, today Farmland Foods donated more than 5,000 packages of signature Hickory Smoked, Thick Sliced Hickory Smoked, Lower Sodium/Less Fat, and Re-sealable Applewood Bacon, helping to ensure families, children and seniors across the region have access to much-needed protein.

“On behalf of Farmland, I’d like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all of Kansas City for their exceptional support of our ‘Bacon a Difference’ campaign this summer,” said Mike Brown, President and Chief Operating Officer of Farmland. “It is through your generosity that Farmland is able to provide a staggering 254,000 meals to families, children and seniors in need in our hometown this fall.”

Beyond today’s donation, Farmland also is raising awareness of Harvesters’ mission by featuring the organization on the legendary No. 43 Ford at the Sprint Cup Series Race at the Kansas Speedway this weekend. If the No. 43 Ford wins Sunday’s race, Farmland has pledged to double the donation to Harvesters for a total donation of $100,000.

“Through Farmland’s partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports, we are taking advantage of this unique opportunity to spread the word about hunger relief efforts to a broad audience,” said George Richter, President and Chief Operating Officer of Smithfield Foods Pork Group.

“We are excited to kick off race weekend with Farmland’s generous donation to Harvesters. Our team is proud that Farmland and Harvesters will appear on the No. 43 Ford at the Speedway this Sunday,” said Richard Petty, legendary racecar driver and team owner.

In addition to cash and bacon donations, Farmland is committed to supporting Harvesters’ hunger relief efforts through ongoing employee volunteering and activation. Since April 2012, Farmland employees have donated more than 400 hours of service to Harvesters. This month has been designated ‘Fight Against Hunger’ month at Farmland Foods. Employees are collecting canned goods and nonperishable items with the goal of overflowing the Harvesters barrels stationed through the Farmland offices in Kansas City.

“Farmland Foods has set a high standard for corporate involvement and demonstrated a company-wide commitment to Harvesters’ mission of feeding hungry people today and working to end hunger tomorrow,” remarked Karen Haren, President and CEO of Harvesters.

About Farmland Foods

Farmland Foods, Inc., based in Kansas City, Mo., provides a broad selection of pork products to retail and foodservice customers in the U.S. and abroad across a variety of categories, including bacon, fresh pork, hams, fresh sausage, hot dogs and lunchmeat. Farmland Foods has a large and growing international business, exporting products to more than 60 countries across six continents. Since its founding in 1959, the company has maintained a proud heritage of working side by side with American farm families. Farmland Foods, which reached over $4 billion in sales in 2011, is a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods.

About Harvesters—The Community Food Network

Harvesters is this area’s only food bank and was Feeding America’s 2011 Food Bank of the Year. Serving a 26-county area of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas, Harvesters provides food and related household products to more than 620 not-for-profit agencies including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, children’s homes and others. Agencies in Harvesters’ network provide food assistance to as many as 66,000 different people each week. Harvesters, which was founded in 1979, is a certified member of Feeding America, a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks, serving all 50 states. For more information, visit www.harvesters.org.

About Richard Petty Motorsports

Richard Petty Motorsports (http://www.richardpettymotorsports.com/), co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, Andrew Murstein and Douglas Bergeron, fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force and STP, and Marcos Ambrose drives the No. 9 machine with primary partner Stanley and DEWALT. In addition, Michael Annett wheels the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team is headquartered in Concord, N.C.

Kudos to you, Mr. Petty, and your organization and thank you. Many thanks to you, Farmland and yes, Harvesters, for sure.

America today

Elderly? Poor? Either? Both? Other?

Tough beans.

(Click on picture for larger, better viewing)

Because we be lovin' us some wars and huge military spending, instead.

Quote of the day

“Nobody cares that Mitt Romney is rich. It’s Romney’s inability to understand the institutional advantage that he gains from the government’s tax code largesse, that’s a little offensive to people, especially considering Romney’s view on anyone else who looks to the government for things like, I don’t know, food and medicine.”
—-Jon Stewart, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"

Water, oil, food--will humankind cooperate together or fight to the death?

I saw this headline last evening and it rather concerns me:

Global Fight for Natural Resources 'Has Only Just Begun,' say Experts

From the article:

"Better economic incentives, rather than ethical considerations and appeals to human morality, are needed to encourage investment in a more sustainable economy, according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen.

Nobel prize-winning economist Amartya Sen told the conference that governments would need to step in, to ensure resources were best distributed.

Speaking at the Re|source 2012 Conference in Oxford, Sen said that so-called 'free markets' could not be counted on to meet all fundamental human needs nor could the private sector be trusted to efficiently allocate the world's natural resources.

“The way to make the financial sector respond is not through moral exhortation, but by increasing incentives,” said Sen. 'The market will respond to price increases,' but world governments are required to intervene and address 'inequality and iniquity' that the market inherently generates."

The way our Capitalism is set up and the way the Republican Party, the Libertarians and far too many Right Wingers and Americans in general see the world and the world economy at present, they wouldn't get this.

Far too many of us wouldn't understand, at least at present, that whether you're talking about water or oil or corn or virtually any other commodity, once there are shortages, the item in concern can't be left to "free markets" alone unless we are willing to literally let people go without and that can, in fact, mean going without food.

Morally, we just can't let it end up being "every man--person--for themselves." We can't.

Besides being immoral, it would inevitably mean the deaths of at least thousands of us, if not millions, nation- and world-wide.

Surely we owe our fellow human beings more than that.

Rather naturally, it reminded me of this quote from the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr:

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."

And the thing is, we'll have to agree to that cooperation across all nations, worldwide.

This will not be easy, ladies and gentlemen.

Link to original article: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/07/12-5

Quote of the day

I say again, we need to get the big, ugly, corrupting money out of our election system and so, our government. Until we do that, nothing will change.

Beautiful music, with a message

If you can listen to this beautiful song, please take the same time to watch--and read--the video.
It has a great and important message.

We are our brothers'--and sisters'--keepers.

(Thanks to Donna--"Just Me" blog--for the link and inspiration).

Quote of the day

"The rich swell of pride, the poor, from hunger." --Sholom Alecheim, Russian and Ukrainian (March 2, 1859 – May 13, 1916). The pen name of Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich, a leading Yiddish author and playwright. The musical "Fiddler on the Roof", based on his stories about Tevye the Milkman, was the first commercially successful English-language stage production about Jewish life in Eastern Europe. Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sholom_alecheim

Quote of the day

"It's interesting how we understand secrets of the universe, but we do not now how to make good functional society in which all people have food to eat and roof on there heads." --Tomislav Veg (Friend of a friend on FB from Croatia).

A "Robin Hood Tax" for bankers and banking

I hadn't seen or heard of this idea--a "Robin Hood Tax"--for and on the banking sector. It's described as a "Campaign video by Richard Curtis that could raise hundreds of billions for public services and to tackle poverty and climate change at home and around the world." Not only is it an excellent idea--and a simple one--but it's being supported and promoted, as you can see, in these wonderful, even funny, brief YouTube videos. And after all, who but the bankers will or would be against it? If administered intelligently and responsibly--which is possible, all you skeptics out there--it could help untold millions of the most needy and impoverished people across the globe. Great food for thought. See more here: http://www.robinhoodtax.org.uk. I can't think of anything that needs to go "viral" more than this video--and idea. (Thanks to reader and "friend" rbbrfsh for showing it to me).

Famine--the real obscenity

So what are we going to do about it? Link:

Quote of the day--on China

"Basically, people now feel nothing is safe to eat. They don't know what choices to make. They are really feeling very helpless." --SANG LIWEI, director of the Beijing office of the Global Food Safety Forum, on rising food safety concerns in China.

Between this--food safety, nationwide over there--and their gross, wholesale pollution and the inability to grant true free speech in China, you have to wonder: these are the people we have to fear?

Links:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/world/asia/08food.html?scp=1&sq=chinese%20food%20safety&st=cse
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/10/world/asia/10writer.html?ref=world

"Vanishing of the Bees" Documentary: maybe we should pay attention?

Coming soon to a planet near you: more ethanol, higher food prices and starvation

An article out yesterday pointed out that a "US Program seeks to increase use of E-85 fuel":

By MICHAEL J. CRUMB, Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa – The federal government wants to increase production and use of a higher blend of ethanol fuel by giving financial assistance to gas stations that install more pumps for the fuel, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in advance of a formal announcement planned for Friday.

Vilsack said President Barack Obama wants the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help ensure 10,000 flex-fuel pumps for E-85 are available across the country within the next five years.

E-85 is a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Current ethanol blends contain 10 percent ethanol. There are 8 million flexible fuel vehicles currently on the nation's roads and 2,300 stations where people can get E-85, Vilsack said.

"The president was pretty clear that he wants to reduce our nation's net dependence on foreign oil by one-third by 2025," Vilsack told The Associated Press. "One way to do that is to increase production and increase use of renewable biofuels."

The "renewable biofuels" are, mostly, to date, made of corn grown here in the US.  That's why the news is out of Iowa, of course.

When I was in college, back in the 70's (note:  40 years ago), my political science professor at the time mentioned how crazy and irresponsible it would be--is--to tie food and food prices to energy and energy consumption.

And you know what?

He was right.

It's crazy that countries all over the world and so, Third World countries, too, would pay higher prices so we can drive our cars in this country.  

As it turns out, it's not just corn, either, but cassava, too, and many populations depend on cassava for food.

The end result?  Here is what is happening:

There is an absolute and direct correlation between the increased use and consumption of crops raised for fuel and their prices, worldwide.

It's insane.  It's irresponsible.  It's misguided and it's dangerous to and for the world's poor and there are millions of them across the planet.

This is yet one more reason we need to do far more research on clean and renewable energy sources, particularly and especially having to do with both passive and active solar through solar panels (passive) and photovoltaic cells (active).  They are, in fact, cleaner and don't cause this kind of gross disparity in food prices across the planet.

Pushing biofuels in order to decrease our dependence on foreign oil made me think of the following picture I saw on Facebook recently:

This is what the effect of pushing biofuels on the markets, in effect, has on the Third World.

I think we want to be better people than this, don't you?

Links:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_vilsack_e85_incentives;_ylt=AiulmHBKdtam1I7Z8PwGAg8V6w8F;_ylu=X3oDMTNkaGZxc2NrBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwNDA4L3VzX3ZpbHNhY2tfZTg1X2luY2VudGl2ZXMEY2NvZGUDbXBfZWNfOF8xMARjcG9zAzYEcG9zAzYEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawN1c3Byb2dyYW1zZWU-

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2011-02-09-corn-low_N.htm

http://www.earth-policy.org/plan_b_updates/2008/update69;

http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=ethanol+and+price+of+food&aq=o&aqi=&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=384aef4afa8e1652;

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/04/foods-hijacked-by-ethanol-its-not-just-corn/236988/

http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/37019/page1/?a=f

Snippets of brilliance and clarity from economist Joseph Stiglitz

Here's your "class warfare", folks.  And I have news for you---we're losing.

A few lines from an article by economist Joseph Stiglitz from Vanity Fair, May, 2011:

Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1%

Americans have been watching protests against oppressive regimes that concentrate massive wealth in the hands of an elite few. Yet in our own democracy, 1 percent of the people take nearly a quarter of the nation’s income—an inequality even the wealthy will come to regret.

The upper 1 percent of Americans are now taking in nearly a quarter of the nation’s income every year. In terms of wealth rather than income, the top 1 percent control 40 percent. Their lot in life has improved considerably... In terms of income equality, America lags behind any country in the old, ossified Europe that President George W. Bush used to deride. Among our closest counterparts are Russia with its oligarchs and Iran. While many of the old centers of inequality in Latin America, such as Brazil, have been striving in recent years, rather successfully, to improve the plight of the poor and reduce gaps in income, America has allowed inequality to grow.


The more divided a society becomes in terms of wealth, the more reluctant the wealthy become to spend money on common needs. The rich don’t need to rely on government for parks or education or medical care or personal security—they can buy all these things for themselves. In the process, they become more distant from ordinary people, losing whatever empathy they may once have had. They also worry about strong government—one that could use its powers to adjust the balance, take some of their wealth, and invest it for the common good. The top 1 percent may complain about the kind of government we have in America, but in truth they like it just fine: too gridlocked to re-distribute, too divided to do anything but lower taxes.


But one big part of the reason we have so much inequality is that the top 1 percent want it that way. The most obvious example involves tax policy. Lowering tax rates on capital gains, which is how the rich receive a large portion of their income, has given the wealthiest Americans close to a free ride. 


Much of today’s inequality is due to manipulation of the financial system, enabled by changes in the rules that have been bought and paid for by the financial industry itself—one of its best investments ever.


When you look at the sheer volume of wealth controlled by the top 1 percent in this country, it’s tempting to see our growing inequality as a quintessentially American achievement—we started way behind the pack, but now we’re doing inequality on a world-class level. 


Virtually all U.S. senators, and most of the representatives in the House, are members of the top 1 percent when they arrive, are kept in office by money from the top 1 percent, and know that if they serve the top 1 percent well they will be rewarded by the top 1 percent when they leave office


With the top 1 percent in charge, and paying no price, the notion of balance and restraint goes out the window. There is no limit to the adventures we can undertake; corporations and contractors stand only to gain.



The rules of economic globalization are likewise designed to benefit the rich: they encourage competition among countries for business, which drives down taxes on corporations, weakens health and environmental protections, and undermines what used to be viewed as the “core” labor rights, which include the right to collective bargaining.


Imagine what the world might look like if the rules were designed instead to encourage competition among countries for workers. Governments would compete in providing economic security, low taxes on ordinary wage earners, good education, and a clean environment—things workers care about. But the top 1 percent don’t need to care.


Of all the costs imposed on our society by the top 1 percent, perhaps the greatest is this: the erosion of our sense of identity, in which fair play, equality of opportunity, and a sense of community are so important. America has long prided itself on being a fair society, where everyone has an equal chance of getting ahead, but the statistics suggest otherwise: the chances of a poor citizen, or even a middle-class citizen, making it to the top in America are smaller than in many countries of Europe. The cards are stacked against them... With youth unemployment in America at around 20 percent (and in some locations, and among some socio-demographic groups, at twice that); with one out of six Americans desiring a full-time job not able to get one; with one out of seven Americans on food stamps (and about the same number suffering from “food insecurity”)—given all this, there is ample evidence that something has blocked the vaunted “trickling down” from the top 1 percent to everyone else.

The top 1 percent have the best houses, the best educations, the best doctors, and the best lifestyles, but there is one thing that money doesn’t seem to have bought: an understanding that their fate is bound up with how the other 99 percent live. Throughout history, this is something that the top 1 percent eventually do learn. Too late.


There's far more of the article I could print here but won't.  I highly recommend it: http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105?printable=true&currentPage=all#ixzz1ImNW3xNn


With thanks and a hat tip to America Blog:  http://www.americablog.com/2011/04/stiglitz-we-have-government-of-1-by-1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Americablog+%28AMERICAblog%29

On Mr. Stiglitz:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stiglitz

Kansas and Missouri, No.'s 3 and 4 on "States with the Deadliest Eating Habits"?

Yikes.

Mississippi, on this list, I guessed.  I thought sure neither Missouri nor Kansas would be on it but there we are:

10 States With the Deadliest Eating Habits

4. Kansas

Grocery Stores Per 1,000 Residents: 0.35 (7th)
Amount Spent on Fast Food Per Capita: $610 (19th least)
Gallons of Soft Drinks Purchased Per Capita: 64 (23rd most)
Pounds of Sweet Snacks Purchased Per Capita: 121 (12th most)

Kansas has some of the easiest access (seventh-best) to stores where cheap and healthy food is available. It is clear, however, that most residents do not take advantage of this, as the state has one of the worst diets in the country. Residents consume the 12th-most sweet snacks per person as well as the 12th-most solid fats -- more than 20 pounds per person. The state ranks 28th in adult diabetes and 31st in obesity -- 28% of the state's adults are considered overweight.

3. Missouri

Grocery Stores Per 1,000 Residents: 0.26 (22nd)
Amount Spent on Fast Food Per Capita: $623 (21st least)
Gallons of Soft Drinks Purchased Per Capita: 65 (18th highest)
Pounds of Sweet Snacks Purchased Per Capita: 121 (17th most)

Missouri does not rank especially poor in any of the metrics considered, however it does rank badly in about almost every one. It has the 11th-lowest rates of adults eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, the eighth-greatest rate of food insecurity, and relatively high rates of soft drink, sweet snack and solid fats consumption. Missouri has the ninth-worst rate of obesity among adults, with 30% having a body mass index greater than 30.

And only Alabama (at no. 2) and Mississippi are worse, for pity's sake.  I can hardly believe this. 

Additionally, so you know it's not some bogus, trumped-up Forbes Magazine article that's putting this out, it's from the "Recent data reported in medical journal Lancet" and it "showed that BMI (Body Mass Index), a recognized measurement of obesity, is higher on average in America than in any other nation."

Note, too, that it's not just an obesity ranking, it's the "deadliest eating habits" And from a medical journal.  Yow.

Not a good list to be one, by a long shot, eh, folks?

Pass the popcorn.

...and butter, while you're at it.

Link to original post:  http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/112083/10-states-with-the-deadliest-eating-habits

Don't forget--Restaurant Week starts tomorrow!

That's right, tomorrow begins Kansas City's second year of "Restaurant Week", benefiting Harvesters, the Community Food Network.

From their website:

10% of the cost of each meal purchased from KC Restaurant Week menus will be donated to Harvesters in an effort to fight hunger in the Kansas City area. In 2010, this event raised more than $55,000, providing some 275,000 meals to our neighbors in need.

Diners can enjoy delcious and budget-friendly meals at 100 participating restaurants during the 10-day event. Select from multiple course prix-fixe menus, with lunch for $15 and dinner for $30.

So if you're going to eat out anyway, please do what you can over the next week to patronize one of the 100 restaurants in town that are participating in this very worthy project.

You can check on your favorite participating restaurant here:  http://www.kansascityrestaurantweek.com/restaurants/

Links:  http://www.kansascityrestaurantweek.com/;  http://www.visitkc.com/;  http://www.inkkc.com/;  http://www.morestaurants.org/;  http://www.harvesters.org/;  http://www.kj.com/;  http://www.discover.com/;  http://www.boulevard.com/;  http://www.kansascity.com/;  http://www.spaceskc.com/;  http://www.pepsirefreshproject.com/; 
http://kansascity.usfoodservice.com/SitePages/Home.aspx;  http://www.theroasterie.com/; 
http://www.kcoriginals.com/;  http://nightlifekc.com/dining;  http://www.opentable.com/home.aspx; 
http://airealmobile.com/

Food prices: Boon for US, starvation for 3rd World

When I first read of the severe drought in Russia and the loss of approximately 20% of their crops, I also read--immediately and more than once--that it would be a boon for America and American farmers. In other words, it would be a boost to and for business. Some of our pocketbooks. What I also knew it would do, however, is be a burden to the poor of the world who depend on food commodities for survival. So what do I see today? An article pointing out just that: UN to Hold Crisis Talks on Food Prices as Riots Hit Mozambique; After violence in Africa and protests in Egypt, Serbia and Pakistan, the UN are to urge action on the rising cost of food The UN has called an urgent meeting on rising global food prices in an attempt to head off a repeat of the 2008 crisis that sparked riots around the world. A demonstrator throws a tire on a burning barricade during riots in Maputo, Mozambique, on Wednesday. Police fired rubber bullets and teargas during protests against rising prices. (Reuters)Seven people, including two children, were killed in Mozambique this week during three days of protests triggered by a rise in the cost of bread. There has also been anger over increasing prices in Egypt, Serbia and Pakistan, where floods destroyed a fifth of the country's crops. So bully for us, right? It's good for our business and money. To heck with the Third World and those poor beggars. Literally. Link to original article: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/09/04-1