Double Dream Hands!

Food production a bright spot in gloomy economy

This article by Dinesh Ramde discusses the positive things that are happening in food production even in the middle of a recession. For example, there is a growth in sales and facilities in the cheese and dairy industries. Farmers are also buying 27% more equipment because construction costs have gone down. Regarding cheese makers and distributors, John Umhoefer says their expansion is simply because cheese is a recession food. The director of Michigan's Department of Agriculture says that agriculture has helped keep the state together as they struggle with the "manufacturing downturn".
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/11/15/national/a000035S61.DTL

Hunger and Food Security in the United States

In this article/blog by Amanda Bensen, she talks about the disturbing statistics of people that go hungry and are "food insecure" in the United States. Did you know that every 1 in 4 American children experience hunger on some sort of level? In 2008 14.6% of all households or 49.1 million people experienced food insecurity. It was a significant increase from previously reported data and the highest level reported since the study began in 1995. Shockingly, the number is even higher at 21% in households with children. In the article Bensen questions how this could be happening in our nation whereas our problems "pale" to the prevalence of malnourishment in developing countries. We are in quite a recession, but does that mean all of these people and mainly children, need to be going hungry in our nation?

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2009/11/17/hunger-and-food-security-in-the-united-states/

Vanishing topsoil will lead to food crisis Saturday, July 10, 2010 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer

(NaturalNews) All the world's topsoil is set to vanish within the next century if current patterns do not change, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Sydney and presented at the Carbon Farming conference.

"It could be as little as 60 years and that is a scary figure because it is not obvious that we have time to reverse decline and still meet future demands for food," researcher John Crawford said. "It is not an exaggeration to say that soil is the most precious resource we have got, and ... [we] are not up to the task of securing it for our children, never mind our grandchildren."

The soil-depleting effects of chronic mismanagement, including overuse of plowing, overapplication of synthetic fertilizers, poor erosion control and unsustainable farming (such as in former tropical rainforests), are being exacerbated by global warming and development. Coupled with a growing world population, this poses a recipe for food disaster.

The study found that in Australia, soil is being lost five times faster than it is regenerating through natural processes. In the United States, it is being lost 10 times faster. In Europe it is being lost 17 times faster, and in China, an astonishing 57 times faster.

In September, Sydney, Australia experienced its worst dust storm in 70 years.

According to Crawford, restoring soil requires improved management techniques such as minimizing plowing and allowing soil to lie fallow with cover crops. The United Kingdom has introduced an initiative encouraging farmers to protect soil through methods including using less fertilizer.

Yet it may take decades for these efforts to bear fruit, and the rate of soil loss may still outstrip even this accelerated renewal.

Loss of topsoil has significant implications for global food supplies and prices, which are already reeling from rising populations and changing climates. In 2008 and 2009, grain shortages and record high prices led to civil unrest in more than a dozen countries.
http://www.naturalnews.com/029176_topsoil_food_production.html
Sources for this story include: www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agricultu....

Severe Drought is felt, makes Chinese shout for water spout and plant sprout!

This article speaks upon the topic of a pivotal lack of rainfall in China which has affected more than 229 million acres of grain-producing provinces in the northern region. This terrible drought has left 1.85 million stock animals and 3.7 million people in the region without drinking water, according to the national Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. Due to this event the federal government is designating $15 million for farmer relief, and enacting an epic plan to divert billions of cubic meters of water from the Haihe, Huaihe, Yangtze and Yellow rivers to the country's north, because drastic times call for drastic measures.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025917_water_droughts_food.html

Food Security

This Article is about farmland that is being lost each year. There is about 75 millions of farmland lost each year due to industrialzation, urbanization and enviromental degradtion. Due to the amount of farmland lost it resulted in hunger lost. Land grabs are impotant because people want to be able to feed there own population.


http://food.change.org/blog/category/food_security

Slaughterhouses and Processing

In this article, the author talks about slaughterhouses and food saftety. 80% of all of the courties meat supply comes from four top companies, and since they are so large, the government can do little to keep an eye on them. Since the companies are so large, it is easier for the meat to become infected with E. Coli, Salmonella and other animal-related diseases. The author also explains the horrible conditions these slaughthouses are in and how dirty and unsafe they are for the workers. Since the slaughterhouses are so filthy, it explains how many people become sick andeven die to the contaminated meats.

http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/processing/

Collapse's Michael Ruppert explains the role of petroleum in food production.

In this article Michael Rupert explains the role of petroleum in the production of our food. He explains the process of how our food is grown and what really goes into making it. He explains all the chemicals that are being put into our food and how each one is bad for us. The overall food production with the amount of energy we use is very wasteful.

http://www.straight.com/article-270447/vancouver/collapses-michael-ruppert-explains-role-petroleum-food-production

Compostable crisp bags look and sound conventional, claims Innovia.

This article is about Boulder Canyon Natural Foods and new bags for its All Natural Kettle Cooked Potato Chips line allows the snack maker to set a positive example for the industry as well as “educating consumers on key issues and enabling them to play a role in improving the environment by diverting waste away from landfills.” And the packaging supplier said that the new bags look, feel and sound the same as traditional, non-compostable crisp packs, but contains over 90% of renewable contents.

http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/On-your-radar/Sustainability/Compostable-crisp-bags-look-and-sound-conventional-claims-Innovia

Pennsylvania Senate Race 2010

The Pennsylvania race for the Senate seat is looking like it will be awarded to the Republicans. Pat Toomey (R) has the lead with 48.1% of the vote while Joe Sestak (D) has 43.4% of the vote. Even though Sestak had recently put in some negative things about Toomey in his commercials, with only one full day remaining until voting day, it would be a fair amount of ground to make up if Sestak was to win. However, through out the whole race, although at times it has been close, Toomey has always kept the lead. So this Republican popularity probably has not come as a shock to the people of Pennsylvania.

Analysis of Job Creation between Boxer and Fiorina

This article explains how Senator Barbara Boxer and opponent Carly Fiorina feel about job creation in the state of California.
Carly is opposed to tax increases on hard-working Americans, which will only further slow down economic recovery and expand government even more.
Boxer has voted for more than $1 trillion in higher taxes over her career in Washington. Some of the higher taxes she’s supported include the gas tax, the income tax and the death tax. And, she’s opposed expanding tax credits for adoption and children.

Carly has called for a two-year payroll tax holiday to give small businesses and start-ups an incentive to hire unemployed workers.
Boxer has repeatedly supported higher taxes on small businesses and entrepreneurs, inhibiting them from growing and succeeding.

Carly believes government can best support economic growth by getting out of the way of small businesses and entrepreneurs that are trying to grow and hire.
Boxer voted for an $862 billion big-government stimulus plan that cost taxpayers money; but since its passage, California has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Carly has proposed creating “Jobs for Americans” Zones that will help lure manufacturing jobs back to America through targeted, substantial federal tax benefits.
Boxer has supported increasing regulations on American companies, making it harder for them to do business in the United States and driving jobs overseas.

Carly opposes the largest tax increase in American history scheduled to go into effect January 2011. This tax increase will cost the average middle-income family in California more than $1,600 every year.
Boxer supports this tax increase and has made no proposal as a U.S. senator to ensure it does not go into effect.

Carly is opposed to tax increases on hard-working Americans, which will only further slow down economic recovery and expand government even more.
Boxer has voted for more than $1 trillion in higher taxes over her career in Washington. Some of the higher taxes she’s supported include the gas tax, the income tax and the death tax. And, she’s opposed expanding tax credits for adoption and children.

Carly has called for a two-year payroll tax holiday to give small businesses and start-ups an incentive to hire unemployed workers.
Boxer has repeatedly supported higher taxes on small businesses and entrepreneurs, inhibiting them from growing and succeeding.

Carly believes government can best support economic growth by getting out of the way of small businesses and entrepreneurs that are trying to grow and hire.
Boxer voted for an $862 billion big-government stimulus plan that cost taxpayers money; but since its passage, California has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Carly has proposed creating “Jobs for Americans” Zones that will help lure manufacturing jobs back to America through targeted, substantial federal tax benefits.
Boxer has supported increasing regulations on American companies, making it harder for them to do business in the United States and driving jobs overseas.

Carly opposes the largest tax increase in American history scheduled to go into effect January 2011. This tax increase will cost the average middle-income family in California more than $1,600 every year.
Boxer supports this tax increase and has made no proposal as a U.S. senator to ensure it does not go into effect.

http://www.carlyforca.com/job-creation-carly-fiorina-vs-barbara-boxer/

Kentucky: Paul 15 points ahead of Conway

This article from the liberal blog: Talking Points Memo, states Republican Rand Paul is 15 Points ahead in the polls in front of Democrat Jack Conway with a 3.1% margin of error.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/ppp-poll-goodbye-time-for-conway-as-rand-paul-way-ahead.php

Boxer and Fiorina Debate Part 2

">

The second part of the debate etween Senator Barbara Boxer and opponent Carly Fiorina includes questions with topics such as health care, taxes and tax cuts, illegal immigration and the drug crisis involving California's border, the outsourcing of jobs, furthering children's education, and the country's debt problem. Right now the polls stand Boxer leading with 47.6% and Fiorina trailing with 43.7%.

Barbara Boxer vs. Carly Fiorina Debate Part 1

This video is the first part of the debate between Senator Barbara Boxer and opponent Carly Fiorina. Boxer is a 3 term senator who served in the house of Representatives beforehand, and was the first to set up after school programs for children and for veterans the first ever casualty care center in California. Fiorina believes under Boxer the country will continue to fall downhill. She believes in small business tax relief, which Boxer has voted against every time it has been proposed. However Boxer was one of twenty-three who didn't vote for the war in Afghanistan, she believes in helping a nation, not rebuilding it. She also believes that teaching jobs shouldn't be cut, and that teachers should be in the classroom teaching our children, and Fiorina agrees.

Polls and Blogs

Salon, a noted liberal blog, recently published an article naming five Tea Party candidates who will destroy the GOP. One of the five is Christine O'Donnell who is the Republican candidate in Delware. Follow the link to read the full story. http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/10/19/tea_party_kill_gop/index.html However, a columnist for Town Hall reports on the slander and "Kultursmog" surrounding O'Donnell. The article also discusses some bizarre facts about Chris Coons, the Democratic candidate. http://townhall.com/columnists/EmmettTyrrell/2010/09/30/more_on_the_delaware_race/page/full/
Chris Coons now leads 55% to 37%

Rand Paul vs. Jack Conway in Kentucky Senate Race

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2019138_2019132_2027862,00.html

Coons and O'Donnell on Health Care

Chris Coons and Christine O'Donnell, canidates in Delaware, have a debate about the recent health care bill.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRTaUxij3fg

Hey, we're all invited!!!!1111!!!

Welcome my peeps.

Slow job recovery

Here's an interesting post from Kevin Drum.  It includes a graph showing the slow climb out of the dramatic job losses of the last two years. Thanks teenagers for helping with the economy!http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/10/todays-grim-employment-report

Welcome y'all!

Welcome to the Period 4 blog.  This is your perch in the cloud for your thoughts on the stuff we do in class.  Impress us all with your 21st century skillz.