Food Going to Waste

Not Enough to Eat

People are going hungry everyday. According to Poverty.com 

About 21,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes, according to the United Nations. This is one person every four seconds, as you can see on this display. Sadly, it is children who die most often. Yet there is plenty of food in the world for everyone.

So Much is Wasted

Remember when mom would try to coax us to eat our vegetables or chipped beef with, "Don't waste your food! Think of all the starving people in China." A friend of mine had a snarky answer, "Name four!" I never would have gotten away with that one.

Apparently the food waste problem is much larger than we thought. According to an article in the Salt Blog by NPR's Alison Aubrey, nearly half of the food produced in America goes to waste.

The UN estimates it is a $2.6 trillion issue. 

Some are Willing To Help

A huge portion of the produce grown in the US is thrown out because it is imperfect. The produce could be donated, but it is cheaper for the farmer to simply throw it out, According to Aubrey's report seven states offer incentives for farmers to donate the food. The hope is that there will be more.

You can find out more by going to Aubrey's blog, including information about the grocery chain that will feature less than perfect produce in its stores.

To Tackle Food Waste, Big Grocery Chain Will Sell Produce Rejects

Why should we care?

The bottom line is that it costs our country more to ignore hunger than it does to do something about it. Check out this video from No Kid Hungry. 

Here's how No Kid Hungry breaks down the costs of hunger.

According to the Center for American Progress, the annual cost of hunger or its threat (i.e. “food insecurity) includes:

• $130.5 billion: Illness costs linked to hunger and food insecurity in America.
• $19.2 billion: Value of poor educational outcomes and lower lifetime earnings linked to hunger and food insecurity in America.
• $17.8 billion: Value of charitable contributions to address hunger and food insecurity in America.

Nobody should be going hungry. As individuals we can only do a little. As a community we can do a lot.

The Parable of Baltimore

Jim Wallis recently wrote the Parable of Baltimore. The problems there are long-standing. They go back to the 50's when manufacturing started to leave the city. The good paying jobs that supported so many working class people are gone. The solution is inclusion, not exclusion. Working together...being fair...is good for the economy.

Baltimore's Flash Point

The story behind the violence in Baltimore was so much more than the riots. Pictures of the burning CVS and cars were all over the news. Community leaders were calling for cooler heads. Cable news anchors were wringing their hands over the violence. Wolf Blitzer was wondering why the protesters couldn't be more like Martin Luther King, Jr...failing to discern the difference between the protesters and the rioters. How could this happen?

The reasons are the same as those that caused the riots of the mid to late 60's. Too many people living in our cities are being marginalized, pushed to the edges. Their voices are not being heard resulting in increasing frustrations. Poverty rates in Baltimore are far above average for the United States. Joblessness in the neighborhoods affected by the riot is around 19%.

Long Standing Problem

The Kerner Commission report of 1968 looked at the riots of 1967 and concluded this country was headed toward two Americas....One Black and One White...separate and unequal. From the report were three most intense, deeply held grievances that an investigation found were causes of disorders in the black neighborhoods of several American cities.

• Number one - police practices. 
• Number two - unemployment and underemployment. 
• Number three - inadequate housing.  

Reaching a Consensus

The question is how much have things changed in almost 50 years? Not a lot. The perceptions of the residents and the concerns among the citizens in our poorest cities remains the same as they were in 1967. E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution and David Brooks of The New York Times talked about the protests in Baltimore on NPR's All Things Considered. They agreed that the programs put in place after Kerner Commission report may not have gone far enough. To an extent they disagreed on how to approach the problem, but they agreed that there must be a renewed effort to solve the problems created by long-term poverty. It was a consensus between a conservative and a liberal. 

Jim Wallis Offers a Baltimore Parable

The Parable reads in part:

"The undeniable fact that these neighborhoods that are "left out" of jobs, education, and family in our society are overwhelmingly black and brown neighborhoods is a testament to America's lingering "original sin" of racism...

 So if we just focus on the "riots," or even just on policing behavior, we will not be addressing the root causes of these problems.  This is the parable of Baltimore, one that we need to learn from if our responses are ever to be as deep as the problems are. And admitting that the things we accept and don't accept do indeed have to do with race is a first honest step."

If we're about making a change...it starts with the person you see when you look in the mirror. Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' MLK,Jr.  As an individual we can make small difference. As a community...the change can be exponential. This does not mean that the government is off the hook. Quite the opposite when you consider we are the government. Dr. King was willing to hold the government's feet to the fire.  He expressed quite clearly that government can help end discrimination and poverty.

"We will place the problems of the poor at the seat of government of the wealthiest nation in the history of mankind. If that power refuses to acknowledge its debt to the poor, it would have failed to live up to its promise to insure "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to its citizens." (From A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr.)

Building Community

Late last week I was asked to read scripture at South United Methodist Church. The request came about the time I was formulating this blog. The service that day was about building a Christian Community. The lesson was from Romans 12: 1-8. The lesson focuses on the gifts all of us have from God. It is important to understand those gifts are not the same for all people. We are a diverse group, but through our diversity we are stronger.  The point is if we work together bringing our individual gifts with us...the community benefits.

 6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

The Cost of Discrimination

The message is that we can become stronger as a community...working together toward the common good. The community means all of us. That includes those living in poverty, and those being discriminated against because of our biases. We are underutilizing our resources by excluding through discrimination. In 2013 the Kellogg Foundation published a report that stated that if health service and educational services were made more equal and the average income of minorities were raised to the level of whites, the total earnings of US workers would increase by $1 trillion dollars. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would rise by $1.9 trillion by 2030.

We can change the outcomes if we become inclusive and work together.

More on the Kellogg Foundation report can be found by linking to "The Case for Racial Equity."

Autism, Like Race, Complicates Almost Everything

Autism...like race complicates everything...

There's an interesting and revealing essay by Alicia Montgomery about her experience caring for her Autistic son. Her situation is complicated by the fact that she and her son are African American. Her fear is her son's lack of social graces will get him in trouble. When her son acts out in anger...she fears he will become the next Travon Martin.

Through it all she feels lucky because of her support system but wonders about those who do not have support. Treatment is expensive and the costs most often fall entirely on the parents.

Check out her story and what she has been able to accomplish with her Autistic son at the NPR blog site
Frontiers of Race, Culture and Ethnicity.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/04/12/301814519/autism-like-race-complicates-almost-everything

Did Texas Make A Mistake in Capital Case?

There's news today that another man was wrongfully put to death in Texas. Carlos de Luna was executed for the murder of convenience store clerk, Wanda Lopez, in 1989.

Questions About Another Texas Execution

In a blog from NPR's Mark McDermott is about the de Luna's case. The Columbia Law School's Columbia Human Rights Law Review has posted on-line a 400 page multi-media report that says it was a mistake to have put Carlos de Luna to death. The report concludes the case was based on one eyewitness report and de Luna was not give adequate defense.

The lead prosecutor in the case, Steve Schiwetz, has not read the review. He told the San Antonio Express-News today that he dismisses the authors' conclusions.

When I read about these cases and the reaction of prosecutors I'm always reminded of Pete Seeger performing "What did You Learn In School Today?"

SuperPACs and dirty politics

Chris Weigant's article in the Huffington Post gives us a quick historical guide to dirty politics. Dirty Politics is nothing new but, it is being taken to a whole new level by the money being spent by SuperPACs. Weigant says in his article, "The only real difference in 2012 may be the sheer amount of money being spent on the outside groups. Citizens United has opened the floodgates for such money to pour into these "unofficial" campaign organizations, and they will be spending hundreds of millions of dollars before we all head off to the polls in November."

I once had a discussion with the head of NPR news about the possibility of using interns to gather news. He pointed out that in Washington everything is spun. Without professional journalists there would not be a way to discern the truth. Since then journalism has fallen on hard times. Newspapers have become shells of their former selves as they lay-off staff and in many cases just close shop. Fewer journalists are watching and, there are many who prefer that.

Planet Money had a two part series on money and politics last week. Especially revealing was the second segment where a lobbyist was pulled into a congressman's private office. He was asked about a contribution to the congressman that was late. The money was buying access.

Bill Moyers recently wrote about his efforts to get media outlets to reveal who's paying for these ads. Right now you can go to the station and look at the public file. He wants easier access to make the process more transparent. "The FCC is scheduled to vote on their proposal on April 27, and on Monday its chairman, Julius Genachowski, walked into the lion's den -- the really nice one in Las Vegas -- and addressed the NAB's annual convention. He noted that, "Using rhetoric that one writer described as 'teeth-gnashing' and 'fire-breathing,' some in the broadcast industry have elected to position themselves against technology, against transparency, and against journalism."

The negative ads are effective and have a huge influence on opinions and how we vote. Most of these ads at best promote a point a view. At worst they are deliberately inaccurate.

DIY Project Could be Deadly

One of the topics that has come up on Bruce Barber's Real Life Survival Guide is The Home Improvement Quandary. How do your prioritize you home improvement projects?

As a weekend warrior who has tackled many projects, there is one I'm glad I never got around to.
We have a tub that was installed in the 70s. I know because it is dark brown. We've often thought about changing the color of the tub rather than replacing it. That would be the green thing to do.  Well, maybe not. There's a stripping chemical that you can buy at the home improvement center that takes off the old finish and allows a new finish to be applied. The caution on the label warns that you need plenty of ventilation. That might be an understatement.

CDC: 13 Deaths Tied To Bath Refinishing Chemical

NPR carried a report last week from the AP that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning Thursday about using a common paint-stripping chemical to refinish bathtubs after tying it to 13 deaths in 10 states. All of the deaths were among professional refinishers. Despite the warnings about ventilation, the fumes overcame the workers.

Another Tour Winner Loses Title

There was a time when I thought I was pretty good at bike racing. I was faster than most in the sprints but, not world class. It was in the distance races that I became aware of the difference. My body could not hold up to the grueling effort it took to compete for more than 50 miles.  I think because I was young, I thought I could do anything. I even identified with "Breaking Away."

 Because of that early interest in bike racing, I follow the Tour de France each year. My interest was rekindled when Greg Lamond won the race. He was first American and non-European to win the race.
Lamond retired from racing when he discovered he could no longer compete because of the doping going on in the sport. He decided he could not do that.

It was announced today that Alberto Contador is banned for two years after finding the Spanish cyclist guilty of doping, a decision that will strip the 2010 Tour de France champion of his title. American Floyd Landis lost the title in 2006 after testing positive for testosterone. In turn, Landis accused Lance Armstrong of doping. The investigation against Armstrong has just been abandoned. 


I still think about racing and the adrenalin rush in the sprints. I even take my 1978 Super Course out sometimes. The bike really flies. I can still move pretty fast for a geezer. 


I feel a little sad that my youthful idealism is tarnished by the drug scandals. I hope Dave in "Breaking Away" never lost his idealism.


There's more on the ban at NPR.

Autism's Reach

I'm interested in autism because it directly affects my family. Because of that interest I'm always looking for more information about Autism. Increasing my understanding helps me in my relationship with my family. There was recently a story on NPR about a man with Asperger's. In an interview with David Finch he relates that he did not discover his diagnosis of Asperger's until he reached 30. He's written about his life with Asperger's and how it is affecting his family. The diagnosis has opened up a lot of possibilities for him.

http://www.npr.org/2012/02/03/146342668/best-practices-learning-to-live-with-aspergers

Further down on the page is a story about how some of those diagnosed with Asperger's are not happy about being put on the Autism Spectrum.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123527833

I'm a member of the board for Focus Center for Autism. The mission of Focus:

Specializing in the treatment of children and adolescents who are on the Autism Spectrum, have anxiety disorders, experience processing and social learning difficulties; and who are otherwise, as we like to say, "creatively wired and socially challenged".

You can find out more about Focus at their Website and on their Facebook page.

Learning to Value Introverts

Introverts...are they shrinking violets...doomed to be the wallflower at the dance?  The person who never speaks up...or takes risks? Is he the guy that is afraid to ask the girl he likes to the prom. Hardly. That person is shy. There's a difference.

There was an interview on All Things Considered tonight with Susan Cain who wrote the book "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking." Cain points out in the interview "Introversion is really about having a preference for lower stimulation environments. So it's just a preference for quiet, for less noise, for less action. Whereas extroverts really crave more stimulation in order to feel at their best. ..."


I've taken the Myers Briggs more than once. I'm an introvert. (I'm an INTP.) It means I'm driven from within. Susan Cain's book is about valuing differences and appreciating the different ways people think. Some Introverts include Gandhi, Joe DiMaggio, Mother Teresa and Bill Gates.


Check out the interview on NPR's Website.

The Effects of Rejection Piles Up

This morning on Morning Edition they continued their series on college grads who have been looking for work. Today they featured Melanie Singer who has been looking for work as an accountant for about a year.

Underlying the frustrations of looking for work is the damage to self esteem as the rejections (in many cases you never hear back) pile up.  "At the time, she said she always wanted to put the blame on herself when the rejections came. Was she not qualified? What could she do better? Did she do something wrong? Thinking about it now, 18 months later, Singer's eyes well up with tears."

"I feel like I've grown up now and become that independent individual," she says. "So it's a much better feeling than feeling like you're hopeless and living off someone else."

Searching for a job in this market is wearing. So many, like myself, have been underemployed or unemployed for a very long time. Employers can receive 100's of applications. Networking helps. So does a strong support group. Volunteering helps rebuild self-esteem. As do the many small jobs I've picked up. Those small jobs have come from networking and my support groups. But, nothing beats employment in the areas we've been trained for. 

There are other stories you can link to in this series.

Related NPR Stories

Aspiring Writer Questions Value Of English Degree June 1, 201

Study: College Grads Unprepared For Workplace May 28, 2010

Economy Seems Bleak For Graduating Law Students May 21, 2010

On-The-Job Training While Unemployed May 18, 2010

New Jobs For A New Decade Jan. 8, 2010

Phoebe Snow

I was listening to Hearing Voices from NPR last night. In one of the segments they were remembering some of the notable people who passed in 2011. Among them, Phoebe Snow. In a loose sort of way I have a connection with her. Of course, her music touched me. Poetry Man was like nothing else on the pop charts when it was released in the mid-seventies. It drew me to her music. What touched me more was her devotion to her daughter, Valerie Rose. Valerie Rose was born with severe brain damage. Instead of sending her daughter off to an institution, she chose to pull back on her career and devote her time to Valerie Rose.

At first, I missed her music. Later I came to understand her decision...then admire it.
There's a really good article about her life in The Guardian. If you get a chance to read it, please do.

My life's experience has led me to two organizations that are devoted to the welfare of children, the Village and Focus Center for Autism. The Village for Families & Children, Inc., is a private, Connecticut non-profit human services agency. It is committed to building a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children. Focus is a year-round licensed, clinical Extended Day Treatment Program specializing in the treatment of children and adolescents who are on the Autism Spectrum.  Among the things they do is to help children with autism learn social skills.

My part is small. What The Village and Focus are trying to do is not.

Would Reagan Win Today?

A story on NPR looks at the real Ronald Reagan. Many Republican Candidates are trying to wrap themselves in the Reagan mantle.  The story by NPR's Guy Raz suggests Reagan would have trouble winning the nomination today.

• In 1986 Reagan eliminated a number of deductions which, in essence, raised taxes.
• In 1986 Reagan granted amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. 
• In his 1985 Reagan proposed the exemption of federal income taxes to those living at or below the poverty line.

Ads from super PACs would be asking, "Who's side are you on?

Kumbaya

A song about social justice...about building consensus has become the victim of snarky dismissive comments that mirror the political dictum...no compromise.

According to a piece Linton Weeks on NPR, Kumbaya was originally used by African Americans asking god to intervene on their behalf against their oppressors. It was later used during the civil rights movement. The song was treated in a straightforward manner, held up without irony as a ritual of reverence, a soft-voice anthem of togetherness. That togetherness is being ridiculed in our political world. Compromise is considered a weakness.


You can find out more at the NPR website.


Sources cited include Michael E. Ross and Samuel G. Freedman.

Twinkies May Be In Our Past

Hostess has filed for bankruptcy. Critics are saying Hostess changed to late. Wonder Bread fell out of favor long ago. The company is blaming its pension and medical benefits obligations, increased competition and tough economic conditions. There's a lot more on this story at NPR.org.

Did you peel off the frosting on the cupcakes first? What about sucking out the filling on the Twinkie?
You could also ball up the bread and it would stay that way making for a wonderful projectile to throw at siblings. There were a few that stuck to the classroom clock. (I plead innocence)

Diet and ADHD

NPR's Food Blog highlights a report from the journal "Pediatrics" about food and ADHD. Elimination diets were touted just a few years ago but, it has been found that elimination of junk food alone is not that effective. Diet can be complimentary to treatment. According to Benjamin Prince, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital tells us kids with ADHD usually need medicine and good diets.
There are three elements to a good diet:


Eat a protein-rich breakfast.
Cut back on sugary treats and processed foods.
Fish oil and omega-3 supplements.


You can find out more by linking to the blog (the salt) and, you can listen to the story. There's a link on the blog. It was aired on Morning Edition.


Stories about childhood learning and behavior are an interest of mine. I'm currently on the board of Focus Center for Autism. If you are too please check out their Facebook page and website. 


Focus needs your support. While there click on the donate tab to find out more. 

Singing Therapy and Brain Food

Two of the most emailed stories from NPR last week dealt with brain health. The most emailed story was about the use of singing therapy to help stoke victims speak again. Story by Richard Knox is in their Health Blog.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is using a a type of singing therapy to help with her speech.
The therapy is being used on patients who had damage to the left side of the brain. Therapists and patients are trying to teach the right side of the brain to facilitate speech.

Dr. Gottfried Schlaug, who heads a study on singing therapy in Massachusetts says a surprising amount of recovery is possible. He also reports good results working with autistic children and people with Parkinson's disease who have trouble speaking.


The second story about brain health asked, Is There Really Such A Thing As Brain Food? Rob Stein's article for the NPR food blog poses the question, can certain foods or the proper diet protect your brain from diseases like Alzheimer's. There are studies that suggest the right foods like fish were less likely to have their brains shrink. On the other hand, "those who ate a lot of food containing trans fats — found in margarine, some packaged food, fast food and baked goods — tended to experience more brain shrinkage and score more poorly on the thinking and memory tests."


 There's a caution in the article. A lot more research is needed.

Coconut Water: It's about the image.

The new "it" drink is Coconut Water. Wasn't pomegranate juice the big thing last year...or the year before.
NPR's Planet Money looks at the phenomena of coconut water. As one consumer says, "The only thing that really counts is image." "If people see me carrying around this coconut water with my yoga mat this will show that I like yoga and I'm really conscious and enlightened."
Studies about the benefits associated with coconut water suggest those benefits are overstated. Check out this article in the Huffington Post. Coconut Water Health Claims Not Supported, Study Says
For the consumer quoted above, it's more about the image. Carrying around the bottle of coconut water is an important accessory. 
It's a lot like when I lived on the East Side of Milwaukee. The Sunday accessory that was at the coffee shop or the bookstore was the Sunday Edition of the New York Times. In fact, living on the East Side may have been an image thing. 
A twelve pack of coconut water is running $24 on-line.
The story is a part of their series, "What's it been a good year for..."

Reversals on Health Care Mandates

Reversal On Health Mandate Came Late For Gingrich And Romney
It can be hard to find where candidates actually stand on issues during elections. NPR's Julie Rovner reports in NPR's Health Blog that both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have reversed their opinions.
In fact, Gingrich supported Romney's Massachusetts plan.
You can read more on the blog.

Good King Wenceslas: advocate for the poor.

The Good King

Tom Manoff filed an interesting story in NPR about The Duke of Bohemia, King Wenceslas. The carol has been one of my favorites for a long time. (even more fun that the wassailing tune). Wencesals was an early advocate of social justice and an early Christian. The last line of the carol sums up the King's Christian mission. "Ye who now will bless the poor / shall yourselves find blessing." 
Perhaps, a good reminder for the 1% or, at least the politicians who claim to be their champions.
Take a moment to listen to Manoff's report on NPR.

The Evil Bother

According to an article in Wikipedia he was the duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935. His younger brother, Boleslaus the Cruel, was complicit in the murder. A group of nobles allied with Boleslaus plotted to kill him. The King was invited to a feast. At the feast three of the nobles attacked him. His brother is said to have Wenceslas through with a lance.
There's more about Wenceslas and traditional caroling in the second hour of today's "On Point."

Wait, Wait on BBC America Reviewed

David Hinckley of the New York Daily News reviews NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell which airs Friday in BBC America. His conclusion is Wait, Wait is perfect for the radio...not television. Hinckley says the TV version does not have as much life as the radio version.