hunger

Starving child covered in flies

It appears a lot of people are as sick to death as I am of the World Vision and Tear Fund TV ads featuring starving, fly-infested African children. Read below the fold...

DRONES:

Bipartisan group in US Congress promotes drone killings

Patrick Martin Read below the fold...

Or lunch. Or dinner. This past Monday, food writer and New York Times columnist Mark Bittman began a week-long fast in protest of H.R. 1, a heinous piece of legislation that actually starves poor people:

The budget proposes cuts in the WIC program (which supports women, infants and children), in international food and health aid (18 million people would be immediately cut off from a much-needed food stream, and 4 million would lose access to malaria medicine) and in programs that aid farmers in underdeveloped countries. Food stamps are also being attacked, in the twisted “Welfare Reform 2011” bill. (There are other egregious maneuvers in H.R. 1, but I’m sticking to those related to food.)

Read below the fold...

Citrus

Orange tree

Yes, it's an ordinary, backyard orange tree. But keep reading. Because it turns out that a Southern California woman named Helena Davis came up with an ingenious way to use trees just like this one to help fight hunger . Plus, it's one of those ideas that could work in other areas with different fruit trees or vegetable gardens. Read below the fold...

Acacia baileyana

Acacia

This particular tree is just one of hundreds of species of acacia. Here in Zone 10, several different types are in bloom right now -- entire trees, ten to twenty or so feet high covered with these bright yellow blooms -- spectacular! The blooms last about 2 weeks, attracting all the local bees. But it turns out there's a far more important use for acacias than eye candy. Read below the fold...

As unemployment benefits are scheduled to lapse this week, food banks, already stressed, are trying to get donations stepped up, in an attempt to meet what they foresee as a tremendous increase in need. Many are already in a crisis mode (I know that here in MI, they frequently run out of food early in the month). There are some campaigns, with matching donations happening today, that will match your dollar (Gleaners here in MI), and even match your donation 1 and 1/2 times (Forgotten Harvest here in MI). A good resource for foodbanks is at Feeding America:
http://feedingamerica.org/#
and the article (be warned, Huffpo) on the foodbank crisis:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/29... Read below the fold...

Will I succumb to cabin fever and go stir crazy inflicting my husband with all manner of diatribes about unfeeling fascists and greedy grifters? It's been snowing on and off since last Thursday. Most of the time I could make it into town except last Saturday when it was too icy to travel the 3 miles in to town (Yes, I'm lucky. Some of my friends must drive up to 20 miles to town). That day they closed the interstate from here to Columbus, MT which is about 37 miles. Friday night the snow and ice got serious, but the town was packed. Read below the fold...

Obama went with his family to So Others Might Eat. (Washington Post account)

After Michelle Obama showed up at Miriam's Kitchen their fundraising dramatically increased. I suspect SOME will have the same experience. Just by showing up Presidents can help organizations such as this raise money and recruit volunteers. What would Habitat for Humanity be without Jimmy Carter? Read below the fold...