Aug 31, 2012

Matt Taibbi: The Secret to Mitt Romney's Fortune? Greed, Debt and Forcing Others to Pay Bill - YouTube


Published on Aug 30, 2012 by democracynow

DemocracyNow.org - A new article by reporter Matt Taibbi in Rolling Stone sheds new light on the origin of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's fortune, revealing how Romney's former firm, Bain Capital, used private equity to raise money to conduct corporate raids. Taibbi writes: "What most voters don't know is the way Mitt Romney actually made his fortune: By borrowing vast sums of money that other people were forced to pay back. This is the plain, stark reality that has somehow eluded America's top political journalists for two consecutive presidential campaigns: Mitt Romney is one of the greatest and most irresponsible debt creators of all time. In the past few decades, in fact, Romney has piled more debt onto more unsuspecting companies, written more gigantic checks that other people have to cover, than perhaps all but a handful of people on planet Earth."

Related Links:
Mitt Romney, "a hypocritical jerk",  "a destroyer of American Jobs", "vulture capitalist" ....    Monte & Eileen Hines

Aug 28, 2012

Why I am no longer a Creationist - YouTube


About atheistcoffee

I'm no longer a creationist or a Christian... these videos are some of the reasons why.

I don't really have anyone to talk to about this stuff because my family and friends are all fundamental Christians like I was.... so I thought this may be a good way to start discussions and be able to finally get it all out there.

Worth watching, form your own opinion... 
With Regards and Respect,
Monte & Eileen

Chris Hedges: Sacrifice Zones of America


Published on Aug 28, 2012 by AgendaStevePaikin

Chris Hedges calls them "sacrifice zones," huge pockets of impoverished America on the verge of cementing a permanent underclass. The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist has teamed up with cartoonist Joe Sacco in his latest project "Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt" to shed some light on this issue. He joins Piya Chattopadhyay for more on his warning.

Aug 27, 2012

Hines Farm Nature - Sunset, Whitetail Deer, and Wild Turkeys - August 26, 2012


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Sunset after 2.25 inch rainfall Sunday - August 26, 2012


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Whitetail Deer and Wild Turkeys - August 26, 2012

Nature smiling with welcome rain Sunday, August 26 ...!   Monte & Eileen

Study: 40% of Food In America Is Wasted - Farm Progress

Published on: Aug 27, 2012

The Natural Resources Defense Council released a report this month examining the food chain's inefficiencies, including losses on the farm and in the household, finding that more than 20 pounds of food per person per month is wasted in America.

The study, "Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food From Farm to Fork to Landfill," found that 2% of grain, 3% of meat and 3% of milk is lost during production. An estimated 20% of fruits and vegetables are also lost.

Further, 2% of grain, 2% of meat and .25% of milk is lost through handling and storage or postharvest causes. The highest loss percentages, however, lie with the consumer. The study estimates that 27% of grain products, 12% of meat and 17% of milk is wasted by the consumer.
TRASHED: Managing losses throughout the supply chain could decrease the total amount of food that is lost annually.

The study says food lost on farms falls into two categories: food that is never harvested, and food that is lost between harvest and sale.

"Given the variation and risks inherent to farming, it is difficult for farmers to grow exactly the amount that will match demand. In addition, growers may plant more crops than there is demand for in the market in order to hedge against weather and pest pressure or speculate on high prices. This further lowers prices in bumper crop years, leading to more crops not warranting the cost of harvest," the report explains.

Labor shortages and food safety scares can also lead to losses in farming. The group estimates that 32% of the tomato crop was lost in 2008 following a salmonella scare that was eventually discovered to be unfounded. And, limited labor could mean limited harvests.

An estimated 15% of wheat is left unharvested, while 6% of fruit and other vegetables are left unharvested, according to the NRDC. This accounts for at least 97,000 acres.

NRDC says tax credits in Arizona, Oregon and Colorado are now helping to curb losses by donating to state food banks. The increasing popularity of farmer's markets is also easing losses by allowing growers to sell good-quality products that may not appearance criteria as specified by retailers.

Food loss continues into other parts of the food chain, including packaging, grocery stores, restaurants and households.

The study explains that sell-by dates, overstocked shelves and prepared foods are the largest contributors to food waste at grocery stores. In the United Kingdom, grocers have already began to experiment with loss control by ethylene-absorbing technology to produce shelves, improving forecasting for promotional items or running "buy-one-give one-free" programs.

To address the problems explained in the study, NRDC recommends the U.S. government conduct a study for food losses within the food system. They say key actions should include clarifying date labels, proper meal planning, using leftovers creatively and implementing public awareness campaigns.

"Americans can help reduce waste by learning when food goes bad, buying imperfect produce, and storing and cooking food with an eye to reducing waste," the study says.