The U.S. Government is Standing in the Way of Jobs and Health?

   I'm shocked...

Farmers Markets Could Generate Tens of Thousands of New Jobs with Modest Federal Support, New Report Finds

They’re Growing Nationally, but Federal Policies Favoring Industrial Agriculture Hold Them Back

WASHINGTON (August 4, 2011) – Over the last several decades, thousands of farmers markets have been popping up in cities and towns across the country, benefiting local farmers, consumers and economies, but they could be doing a lot better, according to a report released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). What’s holding farmers markets back? Federal policies that favor industrial agriculture at their expense.

“On the whole, farmers markets have seen exceptional growth, providing local communities with fresh food direct from the farm,” said Jeffrey O’Hara, the author of the report and an economist with UCS’s Food and Environment Program. “But our federal food policies are working against them. If the U.S. government diverted just a small amount of the massive subsidies it lavishes on industrial agriculture to support these markets and small local farmers, it would not only improve American diets, it would generate tens of thousands of new jobs.”

UCS released the report just a few days before the 12th annual U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Farmers Market Week, which starts on Sunday, August 7. According to the report, “Market Forces: Creating Jobs through Public Investment in Local and Regional Food Systems,” the number of farmers markets nationwide more than doubled between 2000 and 2010 jumping from 2,863 to 6,132, and now more than 100,000 farms sell food directly to local consumers.

All that growth happened with relatively little help. Last year, for example, the USDA spent $13.725 billion in commodity, crop insurance, and supplemental disaster assistance payments mostly to support large industrial farms, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The amount the agency spent that year to support local and regional food system farmers? Less than $100 million, according to USDA data.

In 2007, the most recent USDA figure, direct agricultural product sales amounted to a $1.2 billion-a-year business, and most of that money recirculates locally. “The fact that farmers are selling directly to the people who live nearby means that sales revenue stays local,” O’Hara said. “That helps stabilize local economies.”

Keeping revenues local also can mean more job opportunities. Last summer, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack asked Congress to set a goal in the 2012 Farm Bill of helping at least 100,000 Americans to become farmers by, among other things, providing entrepreneurial training and support for farmers markets. O’Hara’s report takes up Vilsack’s challenge and argues that supporting local and regional food system expansion is central to meeting that goal.

In the report, O’Hara  identified a number of initiatives the federal government could take to encourage new farmers and the growth of farmers markets in the upcoming Farm Bill. For example, the report called on Congress to:

• support the development of local food markets, including farmers markets and farm-to-school programs, which can stabilize community-supported markets and create permanent jobs. For example, the report found that the Farmers Market Promotion Program could create as many as 13,500 jobs nationally over a five-year period, if reauthorized, by providing modest funding for 100 to 500 farmers markets per year.
• level the playing field for farmers in rural regions by investing in infrastructure, such as meat-processing or dairy-bottling facilities, which would help meat, dairy and other farmers produce and market their products to consumers more efficiently. These investments could foster competition in food markets, increase product choice for consumers, and generate jobs in the community.
• allow low-income residents to redeem food nutrition subsidies at local food markets to help them afford  fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, not all markets are able to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

“Farmers at local markets are a new variety of innovative entrepreneurs, and we need to nurture them,” said O’Hara. “Supporting these farmers should be a Farm Bill priority.”

[READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE]

Jam and Beans

   We were planning to can some more pinto beans this weekend. Then we went to the produce stand where they had ten pounds of strawberries they were needing to unload for about half price.

   We ended up making strawberry jam -- filling the 26 half pint jars we had available, plus another six pint jars. The new food mill pretty much rocks and the chickens appreciated the strawberry pulp and tops. We're set for strawberry jam!

   We figured we could put 16 pint jars in the pressure canner, so we prepped 32 pints (two rounds) of pinto beans to can tomorrow.

   We also made a trip to Costco to stock up on a few things.

   The next bulk purchase will be from the butcher. I fear we may not have an abundance to can or freeze from the garden, but I plan to pick up stuff as needed from the produce stand and can as much local and organic produce as I can over the next couple months. It's going to be a race to get things in the pantry this season.

   I need to start seriously thinking about firewood, too...

The Government's Job Is To Protect Business, Not People

   It's not even news. If bailouts on banks that were "too big to fail" while the average American who is "too poor to give a rat's ass about" wasn't a big enough clue that our government is no longer "of, for, and by the people", take a look at this.

   (To get a bigger picture of what's going on, I would like to refer you to this post and this post.)

Every Mother's Nightmare: Bacteria in Recalled Ground Turkey Is Resistent to Antibiotics
Laurie David

It is... maddening that our so-called "food safety system" is designed to protect giant food corporations more than individuals. Consider this scenario: That package of ground turkey sitting in your freezer right now could be tainted with a the potentially deadly Salmonella Heidelberg bacteria. Imagine for a moment that you served your family a turkey burger tomorrow tonight and that your youngest child becomes violently ill -- the poisoning is so severe that she ends up in the hospital needing antibiotics. The physician comes in -- you're praying for an end to this torture for your child -- and the doctor says the antibiotics aren't working. The Salmonella Heidelberg bacteria raging through your child's body are resistant to not one but several antibiotics -- ampicillin, tetracycline and streptomycin- why?

Perhaps it has something to do with the massive amounts of antibiotics used on factory farms every day. Food Animals use up about 29 million pounds of antibiotics a year, compared to the 7 million used in people. The overuse and misuse of antibiotics on factory farms can lead to the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria, such as Salmonella Heidelberg. You might recall last May when I asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack: "When will the government do something to stop producers from squandering 70% of our antibiotics on healthy farm animals?" And he answered with the question, "How do you basically legislate that?"

Well, Mr. Secretary, one thing you can do immediately is to demand that the Department of Agriculture stop turning a blind-eye to Salmonella contamination in our meat supply. When it comes to routine Salmonella testing in ground turkey meat, according to the Consumers Union, current USDA standards allow 49.9 percent of samples in a test run to be positive for Salmonella -- 44.6 percent for ground chicken. Are you kidding me?

I was astounded to learn that inspectors will not immediately issue a recall if they find resistant-Salmonella bacteria in ground turkey. The USDA and CDC admitted that 4 routine samples of retail ground turkey tested positive for the resistant Salmonella Heidelberg strain between March and June, but they waited until late July to find "proof" that it would make people sick. And it still took nearly a week before Cargill recalled the 36 million pounds of turkey meat, sold under several brands in 26 states. Tough time recalling a product already eaten!! It's not an automobile!

What is going on? I thought the goal of "food safety agencies" was to do something before people get sick. Waiting until dozens of people are sent to the hospital and one to the morgue is unacceptable!

Why would you wait if you have a good idea that the meat poses serious health risks? To save companies like Cargill time and money? What about the pain and suffering of the family members who lost a loved one, or the parents of 1-year-old Ruby Lee? According to the Oregonian, little Ruby spent 7 days in the hospital in June after she was sickened by Salmonella-tainted ground turkey.

Before this recent outbreak, the Center for Science in the Public Interest demanded that the USDA ban the sale of any ground meat that contain 4 known resistant-Salmonella strains that have been linked to outbreaks in the past, including Salmonella Heidelberg. It sounds like a no-brainer to me. They already order immediate recalls for meat that contain the potentially deadly E. coli O157:H7.

Tightening food safety regulations are important. But it is equally important to ensure that the will and resources are there to enforce them. The government can not be afraid or hampered from enforcing the rules designed to protect our health and our children's health! We must empower food safety agencies to not fear the wrath of huge corporations that do not want to be bothered with regulations. Scares like this are proof positive these huge companies can not be trusted to regulate themselves.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE

Displaced

   So, I haven't posted much but news since the Mt. Rainier trip. Here's why.

   About a month ago we discovered some mold on our dining room wall behind the buffet. An hour or so of watching the water meter confirmed that we had a leak. We contacted the landlord who got a plumber out. The plumber found the leak in the hot water line going to the bathtub/shower on the other side of the dining room wall. The leak was tiny but had been going on for who knows how long. Next in was a flood damage specialist who determined the entire floor in the kitchen, dinning room, and bathroom would need to come out as well as much of the wall between the dining room and bathroom.

   We were planning to go to Mt. Rainier the following day, so we arranged to have the demolition team come in then. While we were away it was found that the damage was worse than originally thought. On top of that, a nest of ants had decided that the damp wood made a nice home. When we returned the bathroom was gutted and a significant chunk of the floor in the bathroom and dining room was completely gone. There were five industrial dehumidifiers running and the temperature inside the house was around 100 degrees. Fortunately, we had made arrangements to stay somewhere else.

   We spent a week staying in some friends' house. The timing had just happened to work out that our friends were moving into a new house, but hadn't yet moved completely out of the old house, so we had the place to ourselves. We made regular trips home to take care of the chickens and the garden and to check on the progress of the repair. The dehumidifiers came out after a few days and then the progress slowed to a sudden stop. The insurance company was in no hurry to cut a check and as a result the house sat untouched for over a week. I spent my days off away from home trying out recording software on my MacBook.

   After a week in our freinds' house we had to move to a motel as there had still been no work done on our house. The landlord said he hoped to have the bathroom useable in three days when we had to be out of the motel. At this point my mother-in-law had come up from Portland for a previously planned visit. Three days later, still having not received any money from the insurance company, the landlord bought the materials himself and he and the contractor started on the bathroom. My wife, son, mother-in-law, and I moved to a different hotel.

   The following day we checked out of the hotel and moved back into our home where our landlord and the contractor were still working on the bathroom. It had now been two weeks since we left the house and at 1am our landlord and the contractor left us with an unfinished, but functioning bathroom.

   It is now a week later -- three weeks since we first moved out. We spent the past week still living out of our various bags and backpacks as we tried to get back into a routine. No further work has been done. Our furniture from the dining room and bathroom -- shelves, table, buffet, hutch, etc. -- is still unstrategically littered throughout the house. We haven't heard from our landlord or the contractor.

   I am hoping we will hear from (or see!) the contractor today...

Food Safety In The 21st Century

   This article make a great argument for food safety. It is obviously written by someone in government and not agriculture because it focuses on government agencies, seems to blindly accept the factory farming practices that make food-bourne issues huge problems, and no where suggests that how we manufacture food be changed.

   In the last paragraph, Dr. Blumenthal writes, "Greater attention to reducing food-related infections would save lives and contribute to reducing health care costs as well. The report underscores that today's world of agricultural practices in a global food supply chain require a modern system of food safety inspection."

   I contend that we can reduce food-related infections by moving from industrial food manufacturing where these pathogens thrive and spread, to a more diverse, small-scale, locally-focused agricultural system. Such systems are better for the environment, better for the soil, have the potential to produce better food, would create more jobs in real farming, has reduced incidents of food-borne pathogens, and affects fewer people when there is an issue.

   Of course, there are no lobbyists in Washington for real agriculture.

   Here's the article:

Food Safety In The 21st Century
Susan Blumenthal, M.D.Public Health Editor at HuffPost and Former U.S. Assistant Surgeon General
Written in Collaboration with Alison Gocke

It sounds like a story right out of science fiction: A microscopic killer that shuts down the food supply, cripples a nation's exports, and leaves scores of people dead and thousands more ill. Such an event would seem unthinkable in the modern world of advanced agriculture and medical practice. But it did unfortunately occur several months ago as a result of an outbreak in Germany caused by a deadly, rare strain of E. coli bacteria that sickened more than 4,000 people and killed more than 50.

The strain, whose genome was just recently sequenced by scientists at the University of Maryland, is particularly virulent, carrying a combination of both Shiga toxin (which causes severe gastrointestinal illness like bloody vomiting, diarrhea, and sometimes, kidney failure) and a unique ability to adhere to the intestinal wall. The bacteria -- part of the serotype 0104:H4 -- is thus one of the most rare, deadly E. coli lines in existence. [1]

Over the past five years, from the E. coli scare found in California spinach to the recent outbreak of salmonella in ground turkey, serious and sometimes fatal illnesses resulting from contaminated food have occurred more frequently than expected. Since 2006, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued 39 warnings of multi-state foodborne illness occurrences. [2]

It is estimated that 48 million people are infected by foodborne diseases in the United States each year [3], resulting in $152 billion in medical costs annually. [4] And these outbreaks show no sign of abating; the incidence of salmonella infections alone has increased 20 percent since 1997. [5] With 170 countries exporting food to the U.S., and more than 70,000 food safety violations on food that is imported into America reported from 1998 to 2004 alone, the E. coli outbreak in Germany -- with additional cases reported in France and the U.S. -- shines a spotlight on why the issue of food safety is an international concern. [6]

According to the World Bank, more than two-thirds of countries globally are net importers (i.e., imports exceed exports) of food. [7] The devastating European E. coli outbreak that began in Germany in May illustrates the interconnectedness of the global food supply. From the beginning, the E. coli incident created an international chain reaction: Confusion early on in the investigation of the source of the outbreak led to erroneous warnings about Spanish cucumbers, tomatoe, and leafy greens as the source of infection. [8] As a result, Russia suspended food imports from all member countries of the European Union. [9]

However, upon further investigation, public health officials from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) now believe the source of infection to be sprouted seeds (a category of germinated seeds that includes fenugreek, lentil and bean sprouts) imported from Egypt and purchased by a German company. [10] The infected seeds were then sold to Britain, which in turn sold them in France, where reports of infections from the same strain of E. coli as that found in Germany surfaced a month ago. [11] The outbreak even reached the United States, with six confirmed cases of Americans infected by the German strain. [12] According to the European Food Safety Authority, the Egyptian seeds -- more than 11 tons in total -- were shipped around the world, purchased by 54 companies in Germany and disseminated among at least a dozen other European countries. [13] Investigators are now working to locate the remaining shipments of Egyptian seeds to prevent further disease outbreaks.

This incident highlights the fact that agriculture in the 21st century involves industrial-sized farms and corporations harvesting their products from all corners of the earth, and selling them across the globe, crossing national borders. This makes the issue of food safety much more complex. The good news is that many serious foodborne illness outbreaks are preventable; an efficient and effective food safety agency that monitors farms and factories, maintains an effective epidemiological and emergency response team, and provides up-to-date, accurate information to the public in the face of an outbreak can go a long way in reducing the spread of disease and its related costs. Unfortunately, this type of agency is the exception rather than the rule, including in America.

Until recently, the food safety mission of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was focused on response rather than prevention. The FDA had little authority to inspect food production at all levels of the supply chain, issue guidelines for proper cultivation of produce (thus reducing outbreaks at their source) or verify that food imports came from reliable growers. The agency could only suggest that infected foods be recalled -- it had no powers to require companies to remove their products, even if they were found to carry diseases. [14] And for three years now the FDA has been requesting additional funds to increase inspections of foreign foods, claiming that the agency does not have the resources to meet the demand. [15]

Furthermore, the creation of a seamless system of food safety programs is impeded by the split functions between the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for the inspection of meat, eggs and poultry under the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), has had its own issues with implementation of food safety procedures. Approval of regulations for the inspection of six strains of E. coli found in beef -- known as the "Big Six" -- have stalled in the White House Office of Management and Budget, leaving some experts wondering whether the U.S. meat industry is vulnerable to E. coli outbreaks. Consequently, a number of ground beef businesses have begun testing for E. coli at their plants. This is possible because tests created and used by the USDA have recently become commercially available. Scientists are now working to develop a new kit that would test for the German E. coli strain as well. [16]

The FDA does not have procedures in place to test regularly for the Big Six strains of E. coli either, which can also be found in produce. [17] The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the USDA and the FDA often overlap in their duties. For instance, although the USDA's mission is confined to inspecting meat, poultry and some eggs, with the FDA regulating all other foods and drugs in the U.S., a simple frozen pepperoni pizza would fall under the jurisdiction of both agencies. As a result, almost 1,500 food establishments are inspected by both the USDA and the FDA. The overlap creates inefficiencies in the system and could delay responses in the case of a serious foodborne illness outbreak. [18]

Fortunately, steps forward in fixing life-threatening problems in food safety prevention and response in America were taken this year with the passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) in January of 2011. The legislation, the first serious reform for U.S. food safety since 1938, brings the FDA's food safety authorities into the 21st century [19], with new powers for the agency to require prevention-based checks across the food supply; standardize inspections for food producers; mandate food recalls in the case of an outbreak; and improve coordination among the FDA and other government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the CDC. [20]

The FSMA also addresses the international component of food safety: Under the FSMA, the FDA is given the authority to require importers to verify the quality standards of their suppliers, to refuse admission to imported food if the foreign facility refuses to allow an FDA inspection and to require certification that imported food is in compliance with food safety requirements. The legislation also mandates more frequent inspections of foreign food suppliers, with inspection quotas increasing each year after the FSMA is implemented. [21]

Additionally, the FSMA aims to harmonize some of the shared responsibilities between the FDA and the USDA. The legislation calls for increased coordination between the two agencies under the categories of food vulnerability assessments, private sector coordinating councils for agriculture and food defense, laboratory networks and data sharing, and decontamination and disposal standards. Although the legislation does not change the jurisdiction of either agency, it requires that the USDA and FDA, along with other agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), collaborate on a National Agriculture and Food Defense Strategy. [22] The FSMA is a much-needed step forward in protecting Americans from foodborne illnesses and, hopefully, reducing the costs of outbreaks in terms of productivity loss and economic impact.

But now the FSMA faces a whole new hurdle: the movement in Washington to tighten the reins on federal spending. This year, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to cut the 2012 FDA budget by $87 million dollars -- that's $87 million less than the FDA received last year, and $226 million short of what's needed to enact FSMA. [23] The House also proposed cuts to the Food Safety Inspection Service of the USDA, which is responsible for the inspection of meat, poultry and eggs. [24] The proposed cuts mean that the FDA will struggle to keep up with its inspections as well as maintain a coordinated and speedy response system in the case of an outbreak. It also reduces the likelihood that the FDA will have the resources to establish the new FSMA system to inspect imported foods. That means that foreign suppliers may not have to meet the same food safety standards as do domestic farmers. [25]

The FDA is not the only agency involved with food safety to face budget reductions this year. The House of Representatives has also proposed cuts to the Food Safety Inspection Service of the USDA, which is responsible for the inspection of meat, poultry and eggs. [26] In addition, all funds were cut for the national foodborne pathogen monitoring program overseen by the USDA, known as the Microbiological Data Program. This program is considered by many public health officials as one of the first lines of defense against foodborne illnesses in the United States, because it screens fruits and vegetables for common pathogens like salmonella and E. coli. [27] The Microbiological Data Program has regularly screened around 15,000 produce samples a year for the past ten years, as compared to the 1,000 samples spot-checked annually by the FDA. In the past two years alone, the program's screenings have led to 19 product recalls. [28]

The looming budget cuts have prompted a warning from the FDA. Recently, the agency released a special report entitled Pathway to Global Product Safety and Quality. The document underscores that the current food safety infrastructure is simply unable to support the inspections required to keep contaminated foods from entering the U.S. market. This is in part due to the fact that imports of food and drugs to the United States have increased six-fold over the last ten years. Almost 80 percent of medication ingredients,75 percent of seafood, and 60 percent of fruits and vegetables consumed in the United States come from other countries. And though FSMA takes these statistics into account -- requiring the FDA to inspect at least 600 foreign food suppliers over the course of a year -- the report says implementing the task will be impossible without additional funding. [29]

The FDA report also emphasizes that food-borne illnesses result in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. [30] A recent nationwide outbreak of Salmonella sickness (resulting in the recall of 36 million pounds of ground turkey produced in an Arkansas meat plant) underscores the seriousness of food poisoning as a public health threat in America.

Greater attention to reducing food-related infections would save lives and contribute to reducing health care costs as well. The report underscores that today's world of agricultural practices in a global food supply chain require a modern system of food safety inspection. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a long-awaited step towards improving our country's food safety system. The recent E. coli outbreak in Europe, the high incidence of food-borne illnesses in the United States as illustrated by the latest Salmonella outbreak and the FDA's report highlight why adequate resources are urgently needed to fully implement the FSMA, and why food safety must be made a national priority in the United States and around the world.

For more information, visit foodsafety.gov.

Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, M.D. (ret.) is the Public Health Editor of the Huffington Post. She serves as Director of the Health and Medicine Program at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress in Washington, D.C., a Clinical Professor at Georgetown and Tufts University Schools of Medicine, and Chair of the Global Health Program at the Meridian International Center. She served for more than 20 years in health leadership positions in the Federal government in the Administrations of four U.S. Presidents, including as Assistant Surgeon General of the United States, the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of Women's Health, as a White House Advisor on Health, and as Chief of the Behavioral Medicine and Basic Prevention Research Branch at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Blumenthal has received numerous awards including honorary doctorates and has been decorated with the highest medals of the U.S. Public Health Service for her pioneering leadership and significant contributions to advancing health in the United States and worldwide and was the recipient of the 2009 Health Leader of the Year Award from the Commissioned Officers Association. Admiral Blumenthal has been named by the National Library of Medicine, The New York Times and the Medical Herald as one of the most influential women in medicine and as a Rock Star of Science by GQ by the Geoffrey Beene Foundation.


Alison Gocke, an undergraduate at Princeton University, serves as a Health Policy Intern at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress in Washington D.C.


[1] http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1106920#t=article
[2] http://www.cdc.gov/outbreaknet/outbreaks.html
[3] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-04/food-safety-funding-battle-looms-as-obama-prepares-to-sign-reform-bill.html
[4] http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-03-03-food-borne-illness_N.htm
[5] http://dpc.senate.gov/docs/fs-111-2-55.html
[6] http://dpc.senate.gov/docs/fs-111-2-55.html
[7] http://www.google.com/url?
[8] http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/64d387da-912e-11e0-9668-00144feab49a.html#axzz1P6QnmIE4
[9] http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2811%2960846-5/fulltext?rss=yes#
[10] http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/07/naming-names-in-eu-e-coli-outbreak-fair-game/
[11] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/27/world/europe/27ecoli.html?scp=2&sq=e.%20coli&st=cse
[12] http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5irpE8YEZQLrnnhmdwxTN-VWlZuqg?docId=41ebabe49fe243e1a4331b5ccd2ac0b0
[13] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/06/business/06seeds.html?_r=1&hpw
[14] http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FSMA/ucm247559.htm
[15] http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/healthday/080115/us-food-safety-the-import-alarm-keeps-sounding.htm
[16] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/16/business/food-companies-act-to-protect-consumers-from-e-coli-illness.html
[17] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/opinion/05Benedict.html
[18] http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-05-213
[19] http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/food/safety/2010-12-03-foodsafetyQA03_ST_N.htm
[20] http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FSMA/ucm247559.htm#records1
[21] http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/FSMA/ucm237934.htm
[22] http://dpc.senate.gov/docs/lb-111-2-57.html
[23] http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/06/02/as-europe-reels-from-e-coli-problems-with-food-safety-in-the-u-s/
[24] http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/06/02/as-europe-reels-from-e-coli-problems-with-food-safety-in-the-u-s/
[25] http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/food-safety-advocates-decry-fda-cuts/2011/05/27/AGzY7yEH_story.html
[26] http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/06/02/as-europe-reels-from-e-coli-problems-with-food-safety-in-the-u-s/
[27] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/05/microbiological-data-program-e-coli-screening_n_890165.html
[28] http://www.latimes.com/health/ct-met-pathogen-program-20110704,0,2683563.story
[29] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/21/health/policy/21food.html?scp=2&sq=fda&st=cse
[30] http://dpc.senate.gov/docs/fs-111-2-55.html

[READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE]

Super Bacteria? Fighting Resistance Could Be Trickier Than Thought

   This hit a couple days ago. I want to draw attention to this sentence:

   "Other broad areas of focus when it comes to preventing antibiotic resistance include limiting the use of antibiotics in farm animals, including pigs and cows."

   You don't say...

Super Bacteria? Fighting Resistance Could Be Trickier Than Thought
Catherine Pearson

A process thought to hamper antibiotic resistant bacteria, one of the world's most pressing public health problems, might actually make them stronger, according to a new Portuguese study that could signal a dramatic shift in our understanding of bacterial resistance.

Though much is still unknown about the exact mechanics involved, bacteria become resistant to antibiotics via chromosomal mutations and the incorporation of new genes, sometimes from other bacteria.

Researchers had believed that the acquisition of new genes conferring resistance has come at some cost to the bacteria, making it tougher for them to reproduce and survive.

But the authors of the new Portuguese study found that when already resistant bacterial cells obtain another antibiotic-resistance gene from a small piece of DNA called a plasmid -- a development that has been thought to have some cost to the host -- the cells sometimes divide faster than before.

Francisco Dionisio of the University of Lisbon, one of the study's authors, said the results, which focused on the bacterium E. coli, were unexpected.

"It is as if your PC with a mistake or bug in the operating system began to run faster after receiving a computer virus," Dionisio explained in an email to The Huffington Post.

"This happened 52 percent of the cases studied," he added. "And we expected zero percent!"

Other experts echoed Dionisio's surprise.

"It has always been an understanding that the acquisition of these resistant genes comes at some cost, so that the bacteria that have picked up these extra genes have extra baggage, so to speak," said Dr. Arjun Srinivasan, associate director for healthcare associated infection prevention programs at the Centers for Disease Control. "That this might actually make them more fit and able to divide more quickly is a real change."

But the good news for resistant bacteria isn't good news for public health. The findings suggest that curbing antibiotic resistant bacteria -- already a top public health issue, according to the CDC -- may be even more difficult than previously thought. Dr. Jan Patterson, president elect of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, called the results "concerning." She added that the results could signal a shift in future research and control efforts.

"The finding brings up that just controlling antibiotic use alone is not going to take care of the problems of emergence and persistence of resistance," Patterson said. "We might have to start looking at other ways to fight bacteria, like inhibiting production of plasmids or inhibiting how bacteria divide."

To her knowledge, Patterson said little or no research has been done in that area. In the meantime, she pointed to methods like hand hygiene as a means of limiting the spread of resistant bacteria, particularly in hospitals, where the number of resistant strains is on the rise.

The CDC has identified improving in-patient antibiotic use as priority. It says that 50 percent of antimicrobial use in hospitals is "inappropriate," meaning antibiotics are used when they are not needed or they are administered the wrong dose. Increasing use of antibiotics increases the prevalence of resistant bacteria in hospitals, a recent CDC report stated.

Other broad areas of focus when it comes to preventing antibiotic resistance include limiting the use of antibiotics in farm animals, including pigs and cows.

"The prophylactic and potentially careless use of antibiotics on such a large scale provides perfect breeding ground for drug-resistant strains," said Gunnar Kaufmann, assistant professor of chemical immunology at The Scripps Research Institute.

Such efforts to curb antibiotic use and increase things like hand washing in hospitals will have to suffice for now, the experts agreed, as the public waits for more research on exactly how antibiotic resistance works to be funded so that it has a better chance of being stopped.

"Medicine is a study in humility," Srinivasan of the CDC added. "We learn every day that something we thought was true is not correct. A study like this simply calls upon us to recognize the fact that we don't know everything we need to know yet. We need more investment in these problems."

[READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE]

   So the CDC says we don't know everything we need to know yet. Still, we genetically modify crops and pump livestock with chemicals all in the name of efficiency (which really boils down to the almighty dollar). I've said it before and I'll say it again: the problem is not that we don't have enough food or the means to transport it all over the world, the problem is that we don't have the desire to share it with folks without money. We don't want to do things the natural way they've been done forever because there's not as much profit in it.

   We are literally killing each other to make a buck.

Food Knowledge Is Health Power

   While I don't agree 100%, I'll take knowledge where it comes and I believe most of this is spot on. The thing I am most intrigued by is that it is written by the owner of Dole, a company that brings to my mind canned and processed foods. I may have to look closer at the ingredients next time I'm in the supermarket...

Food Knowledge Is Health Power
David H. Murdock
Chairman and owner, Dole Food Company, Inc.

People are constantly asking me: What do I eat? What should they eat? What should they do to help avoid disease and live longer? In the past 30 years I have undertaken to learn all I could about proper nutrition. This is why I created and built the North Carolina Research Campus, bringing together the brightest scientific minds from eight universities, including Duke, UNC, NC State, among several others. Through the Dole Nutrition Institute, we aim to "feed the world with knowledge" with our books, award-winning newsletter and videos as they become available, social media and our new contemporary blog.

Because of this, my good friend Arianna asked me to revive the blog I started two years ago. Specifically: Would I discuss the healthy way I live and the information I have gathered in my 88 years about the importance of retaining a healthy life through diet, exercise and lifestyle? I agreed because my belief is that knowledge is power, and too many people feel powerless to know what they should eat for proper nutrition and thereby change their eating and exercise habits.

My own recipe for longevity includes considerable amounts of fruits and vegetables. An additional major responsibility for the maintenance of our bodies is regular exercise; at least 4 to 5 times a week. I do not take pills; do not have any need nor use for aspirin, and certainly do not use any supplements. Everything I need comes from my fish and vegetarian diet. I personally like to juice up several different kinds of fruits and vegetables -- bananas, pineapples, red bell peppers, apples, carrots, celery, broccoli, spinach, parsley, tomatoes and cucumbers, to name a few. Skins and peels of all fruit and vegetables -- including pieces of banana peels and citrus rinds -- because there is much more nutrition in any of these areas that are touched by the sun.

Basically, I personally eat a substantial breakfast each day consisting of varieties of: Unprocessed whole grains (like oatmeal), plenty of fruit and vegetables -- berries, banana, pineapple -- and topped with nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, any kinds of nuts). Frequently I have an egg white vegetable omelet. For lunch and dinner I like to have a fish like John Dory, Dover sole, salmon, black cod or sardines, all of which are rich in omega-3. These are accompanied by a salad and/or vegetable soup -- and often both. For snacking I like to have popcorn, of course without butter or salt.

I have not eaten this perfectly all my life. But the loss of my beloved wife, Gabrielle, to cancer 26 years ago, and the deaths of two of my sons in tragic accidents brought home to me the preciousness of life for all of us. I resolved to take better care of my own health -- and spend effort to help others live healthier, longer lives as well.

Despite all the advanced medical knowledge and developments, Americans are more and more unhealthy every year. 66% of the population is either overweight or obese. Diabetes cases have tripled in the last 30 years. Heart attacks, stroke, various cancers and liver ailments have been linked to excess weight. We take pills to solve all the diseases we are creating. Major medical operations have become routine, much due to improper eating. All of this in turn sends health care costs through the roof. Yet by focusing on simply managing disease symptoms and care costs, we distract ourselves from the root of the problem, which is that we have historically been eating by our taste buds rather than our minds. We take better care of the maintenance of our cars than we take care of the maintenance of our bodies.

The purpose of this and future blogs will be to provide health recipes for a longer life. In my first blog, "A Recipe for Longevity," I recounted some of the healthiest fruit and vegetables (in my second blog I expanded on nuts).

My plant-based diet plus fish is to credit for my low blood pressure, high energy and robust immunity. Many of the people I work with that are half my age complain that they feel tired all the time. I tell them: Look at what you're eating, how much you are exercising and how much sleep you are getting.

[READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE]

The Climate Change "Hoax"

   A couple things for the climate change disbelievers...

Climate Highlights 
(from FarmProgress.com)
Several locations broke all-time high temperature records. On June 26, Amarillo, Texas, set an all-time high temperature record of 111 degrees F, breaking the record of 109 degrees F set just two days prior. On June 15, Tallahassee, Fla., also recorded an all-time high, 105 degrees F. For the month, 42 U.S. locations tied or broke all-time maximum high temperatures.

The expansive heat across Texas resulted in an average temperature of 85.2 degrees F, which was 5.6 degrees F above normal, surpassing 1953 as the warmest June in 117 years of records. This was the fourth consecutive June in Texas with temperatures at least 2 degrees F above the long-term average.

Both Louisiana and Oklahoma (tied) had their second warmest June. Georgia tied for it's third warmest. It was the sixth warmest for Arkansas, Delaware (tied), Florida, Mississippi, and New Mexico.

Along with the heat, parts of the Southwest through much of the Southern Plains and Gulf Coast experienced a continuation of intense drought. New Mexico had its driest June on record while Arizona and Oklahoma had their fourth driest.  June was the fifth driest in Texas and the ninth driest in Florida.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 63% of the Southeast was in moderate-to-exceptional drought at the end of June, compared to 51% at the end of May.  In the South, the percent area in the worst category of drought, called exceptional drought, rose from 28% to 47%.

Above average wildfire activity continued across the Southern tier of the U.S. Nationwide, 1.35 million acres burned during the month, bringing the year-to-date acreage burned to approximately 4.8 million acres -- the most on record for the period -- and more than twice the decadal average.

Precipitation was much above normal in most of California, resulting in the state's wettest June on record. Heavier-than-normal precipitation and prolonged snowmelt during the spring caused June flooding in Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Washington. The greatest flows on the Missouri River forced record amounts of water to be released from Fort Peck Reservoir in Montana.

Cooler-than-normal temperatures prevailed in the West, Northwest and the western High Plains. It was the 12th coolest June for the Northwest.

Other highlights

Both Oregon and Washington (tied) - and the Northwest Region - had their coolest April-June period on record. Meanwhile, the South had its second warmest and the Southeast its third warmest such period.

Record warmth dominated Texas during the past three months. A total of 14 states, mostly in the South and Southeast United States experienced an average April-June temperature among their 10 warmest.

Record precipitation caused by a persistent storm track across the northern U.S. drove the wettest April-June period in the High Plains and the Ohio Valley area. Within the Ohio Valley area, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan had their wettest April-June on record.

For the year-to-date period, three drought-stricken states - Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas - had their driest January-June on record. In that time, Louisiana was 11.72 inches below its 20th century year-to-date average 29.16 inches. Texas was more than eight inches below its average of 13.83 inches and New Mexico was nearly 3.5 inches below its average of 4.68 inches at this point in the calendar year.
[READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE]

   ...and if that isn't enough for you, add this to the equation:

Food price gains in 2012 hinge on weather

By Matt Andrejczak

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Don’t expect price relief at the grocery store anytime soon. Food inflation will persist in 2012, the U.S. Agriculture Department indicated in an updated forecast released Monday.

Food prices next year are expected to increase 2.5% to 3.5%, compared with 2011’s projected 3%-to-4% gain. Still, the cost of food at supermarkets and restaurants will remain “slightly” above the long-term historical average of the past two decades, the USDA food-price forecasters said.

“Price levels in 2012 will hinge significantly on weather conditions in the American Midwest during the remainder of July and into August and September 2011,” USDA food economist Ephraim Leibtag said in the report.

“Because current USDA forecasts are based on a normal weather scenario, sustained heat or drought conditions resulting in reduced supplies and intensified inflationary pressure would result in revised USDA forecasts,” Leibtag added.

[READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE]

   I sure am glad we're all focusing on the Federal budget and the economy!

How to Turn Republicans and Democrats Into Americans

How to Turn Republicans and Democrats Into Americans
An insider’s six-step plan to fix Congress
By MICKEY EDWARDS

ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED, American voters went to the polls in November 2010 to “take back” their country. Just as they had done in 2008. And 2006. And repeatedly for decades, whether it was Republicans or Democrats from whom they were taking the country back. No matter who was put in charge, things didn’t get better. They won’t this time, either; spending levels may go down, taxes may go up, budgets will change, but American government will go on the way it has, not as a collective enterprise but as a battle between warring tribes.

If we are truly a democracy—if voters get to size up candidates for a public office and choose the one they want—why don’t the elections seem to change anything? Because we elect our leaders, and they then govern, in a system that makes cooperation almost impossible and incivility nearly inevitable, a system in which the campaign season never ends and the struggle for party advantage trumps all other considerations. When Democrat Nancy Pelosi became speaker of the House, the leader of the lawmaking branch of government, she said her priority was to … elect more Democrats. After Republican victories in 2010, the Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said his goal was to … prevent the Democratic president’s reelection. With the country at war and the economy in recession, our government leaders’ first thoughts have been of party advantage.

This is not an accident. Ours is a system focused not on collective problem-solving but on a struggle for power between two private organizations. Party activists control access to the ballot through closed party primaries and conventions; partisan leaders design congressional districts. Once elected to Congress, our representatives are divided into warring camps. Partisans decide what bills to take up, what witnesses to hear, what amendments to allow.

Many Americans assume that’s just how democracy works, that this is how it’s always been, that it’s the system the Founders created. But what we have today is a far cry from what the Founders intended. George Washington and James Madison both warned of the dangers posed by political parties. Defenders of the party system argue that parties—including Madison’s own—arose almost immediately after the nation was founded. But those were not parties in the modern sense: they were factions uniting on a few major issues, not marching in lockstep on every issue, large and small. And while some defend the party system as a necessary provider of cues to voters who otherwise might not know how to vote, the Internet and mass media now make it possible for voters to educate themselves about candidates for office.

What we have today is not a legacy of 1789 but an outdated relic of the late 1800s and early 1900s, when Progressives pushed for the adoption of primary elections. By 1916, all but a handful of states had instituted the “direct primary” system, under which a party candidate was selected by a public vote, rather than by party leaders in backroom deals. But the primaries, and the nominating conventions, were open only to party members. This reform was supposed to give citizens a bigger role in the election process. Instead, the influence of party leaders has been supplanted by that of a subset of party activists who are often highly ideological and largely uninterested in finding common ground. In Delaware in 2010, a mere 30,000 of that state’s nearly 1 million people kept Mike Castle, a popular congressman and former governor, off the general-election ballot. In Utah, 3,500 people meeting in a closed convention deprived the rest of the state’s 3 million residents of an opportunity to consider reelecting their longtime senator Robert Bennett. For most of the voters who go to the polls in November, the names on the ballot have been reduced to only those candidates the political parties will allow them to choose between. Americans demand a multiplicity of options in almost every other aspect of our lives. And yet we allow small bands of activists to limit our choices of people to represent us in making the nation’s laws.

I am not calling for a magical political “center”: many of the most important steps forward in our history have not come from the center at all, including women’s suffrage and the civil-rights movement, and even our founding rebellion against the British crown. Nor am I pleading for consensus: consensus is not possible in a diverse nation of 300 million people (compromise is the essential ingredient in legislative decision-making). And I’m not pushing for harmony: democracy depends on vigorous debate among competing views. The problem is not division but partisanship—advantage-seeking by private clubs whose central goal is to win political power. There are different ways to conduct elections and manage our government—and strengthen the democratic process. Here are some suggestions designed to turn our political system on its head, so that people, not parties, control our government.

[READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AND SIX STEPS TO FIX CONGRESS HERE]

Trip Report: Mt. Rainier, July 17-19, 2011

   I had been hoping to do a backpacking trip in the Olympics this weekend, but the weather just would not cooperate. After consulting the maps and trail guides we decided our best two options were Dosewallips on the east side or Obstruction Point a little further north. Then we learned the road to Dosewallips was washed out and Obstruction Point was under six feet of snow and not accessible by about three and a half miles. After a little more looking to find another option in the Olympics we turned to our recent excursion to Mt. Rainier and decided on the option of camping up at Longmire and doing day hikes from there. Disappointing in that we have recently outfitted ourselves better for backpacking, but under the circumstances we were happy to wait for better weather.

   Of course, the day before we planned to leave two unforeseen events conspired against us. The first was a minor disaster that meant spending most of the day with the landlord, a plumber, and a repair company. That's a whole other post, but the end result is that I got no packing or prep done at all. The second thing was the weather forecast dramatically changed from a 10% chance of rain to 40%-60% over the three days. We have enough experience with this area to know that means we have 100% chance of getting wet. My wife is a pretty good sport, but camping, hiking, AND being wet is a combination that would likely equal her final outing of the season and maybe even a hard sell next season. We bit the bullet and decided to book a room. The National Park Inn at Longmire was full, so we found a cabin just outside the park entrance. Now the backpacking trip had turned into a cabin vacation with hiking excursions…

   On Sunday we arrived at the Gateway Inn around 3pm. After getting checked in to cabin #1, sorting out our gear, and a meal from Gateway's restaurant, we entered the park and drove up to Longmire. We decided we had just enough daylight to make the Rampart Ridge Loop. It was a more difficult uphill climb than we anticipated, gaining about 1300 feet in just over a mile. By the time we arrived at the viewpoint overlooking the Longmire complex we questioned whether we should press on or turn back. We had already spent about half the daylight we had and were only about a third of the way. Since the hard part was behind us, we decided to press on.

   The trail was beautiful. After another mile or so we came upon the junction with the Wonderland Trail. I pulled out my camera to take a picture and started hearing mosquitoes. Just before coming to the Wonderland Trail, the path made it's way around a swampy pond, obviously the breeding ground for these little bloodsuckers. I got one photo before my wife exclaimed that the mosquitoes were covering me. They smelled blood and swarmed. By the time we were able to get away from the mosquitoes I had eight bites on my neck and face. My wife got a couple bites on her face and hands. Our son was untouched. Unfortunately, the rest of the hike was an itchy race against the impending darkness and our near-full bladders.   As we neared Longmire I noticed a trail marker in the other direction indicating a trail to Paradise, 5.7 miles. Hmmm... We ultimately returned to Longmire, utilized the restrooms, and made the drive back to our cabin.

   By the time we got to the cabin, showered, and dressed, it was almost 9:30pm and the Gateway's restaurant was closed. We decided to drive toward Ashford and see what was available. After driving about 6 miles we came on a country store that was open until 11pm. We picked up a couple things and headed back to the cabin for the night.

   Monday morning the sun came in through the windows and rousted my wife and I early. We let our son sleep while we looked over maps, discussed the day's options, packed up, and snacked on granola and trail mix. We decided to head up to Paradise and check out some trails there, starting with Dead Horse Creek. Upon arriving at Paradise, we set out on Dead Horse Creek Trail, which was buried under eight feet of snow. The mountain was currently at 600% normal snow cover. We didn't even make it to the Nisqually Vista before deciding we were ill-equipped for the conditions and turned back. Feeling a bit discouraged, we went to the Paradise Inn just as the dining room was opening for lunch, so we got a table and reconsidered our plan for the day.

   While having lunch one of the servers, Doug from Wyoming, stopped by our table and suggested we head over to the Ohanapecosh area and check out the Grove of the Patriachs and the Silver Falls Trails. Excellent! We had a new plan. After lunch we got in the car and headed east down the mountain.

   The parking lot was full at the trailheads, so we parked in the overflow area just beyond the lot. Here is one major difference between the Olympic National Park and Mt. Rainier National Park: Mt. Rainier gets a lot more tourist traffic. I have become used to going out for a Sunday-Tuesday excursion and seeing few, if any, people after the first day in the Olympics. Here it was Monday and it was crowded with people from all over the world!

   I voted for taking the Silver Falls Trail first and no one vetoed. The trail is a gradual decent to Silver Falls, only about 0.3 miles from the trailhead. We watched the falls for a while and snapped some pictures before continuing on the loop. The loop goes about a mile and a half along the east side of the Ohanapecosh River to Ohanapecosh Campground and then back up the west side of the river. I was not aware the the campground is a full-on, eight-loop, car-camping and RV set up until we arrived, but the restrooms were a welcome surprise.

   Unfortunately, my wife's new hiking boots were beginning to hurt her feet, having not yet been broken in. We took a short break before slowly making our way back up the other half of the loop. By the time we arrived at the trailhead my wife was not up for hiking the Grove of the Patriarchs. I guess we'll have to do that one next time.

   We took our time driving back through the Ohanapecosh, Paradise, and Longmire areas, pulling over frequently to take photos.

   Back at the cabin, we showered and got online to consider our options for dinner. After reading reviews for our options within a reasonable distance, we opted for the Copper Creek Inn & Restaurant. When we arrived the place was packed and we were told there would be a short wait. Totally understandable -- it appeared we hit the dinner rush. We browsed the gift shop which featured all kinds of blackberry foodstuffs and our table was ready in surprisingly short order. The place is pretty small, but still they seemed understaffed for the amount of business they had. At one point the crowd seemed to thin and we thought the rush must be over, but only minutes later the place was packed again. It was also very hot inside. If I had it to do over I would ask to sit outside. Still, dinner was good, as was the overall experience.

   We returned to the cabin and I made a suggestion for the following day: how about my wife and son drop me off at Longmire and I make the hike up to Paradise while they explore the tourist attractions. I would meet them at Paradise and we could have lunch before heading home. My wife's feet were sore from her new shoes and my son was thrilled with the idea.

   Tuesday my wife was up before me and was half packed before I was even awake. We loaded up the car, checked out of our cabin, and made our way to Longmire. At the trailhead I put on my pack loaded with the ten essentials and started up the trail. I estimated two and a half to three hours, give or take, to meet my wife and son at Paradise.

   My first setback was only a tenth of a mile up the trail when I second-guessed myself and thought I had possibly chosen the wrong trail. I went back to the ranger station at Longmire and verified that I had the correct trail, I merely needed to walk a little further to the junction for Narada Falls and Paradise. That cost me some time.

   The path up to Cougar Rock runs between the road and the Nisqually River. Since it's only about a mile and a half from Longmire to Cougar Rock, there were many hikers from one or the other along the way. At Cougar Rock the trail takes an immediate right across the Nisqually River, but I missed the turn and inadvertently explored the Cougar Rock area some before returning to the trail and realizing my mistake. This was my second setback.

   From here the trail leaves the road and takes a more direct route to Narada Falls following the Paradise River. I began to gain some elevation. Again, since the section of the trail from Cougar Rock to Narada Falls is only a few miles and includes Carter Falls along the way, I came across many hikers along the way. One thing that I noticed is that very few hikers I came across were what I would consider to be adequately equipped for wilderness hiking. Granted, a hiker here is rarely, if ever, more than a mile or so from a trailhead, road, campground, etc. and there seems to be no end of other people to rely on if something were to go wrong. Still, in my mind, it's an unusually wet and cold summer, it's the wilderness, and stuff can go wrong. I was amazed at the number of people I saw walking around in cotton shorts, cotton t-shirts, cotton socks, a pair of shoes, and nothing else.

   Let me take a minute to review the ten essentials for any hike, no matter how short you intend it to be:

• Map
• Compass 
• Sun protection
• Extra food & water
• Extra layers
• Headlamp/flashlight
• First aid kit
• Whistle and/or signaling device
• Fire starter
• Knife

   These lists can very from source to source (the original list coming from The Mountaineers in the '30's), but the idea is to be prepared in the event one gets lost or injured. Chances are good that no one hiking between Longmire and Cougar Rock is going to wind up having to spend a night in the wilderness. Even if one were to break a leg and be unable to walk, chances are pretty good someone would be along soon to get help and the road is right there. Still, wouldn't it be nice to have a whistle to blow to try and get someone's attention or something to put on when it starts to rain? Speaking of rain, cotton kills. If you're out hiking and it rains or you fall in the water, cotton will hold onto that water and drop your body temperature. There are many natural and synthetic fibers that are much better suited for outdoor activities.

   Just sayin'.

   Back to my hike…

   By the time I arrived at Narada Falls I had about 40 minutes before my three-hour estimate to arrive at Paradise was up. The trail from Narada Falls is only 1.2 miles, but I knew it would be steep and I knew there would be snow and I would probably be late. What I didn't know was that the entire trail from Narada Falls to Paradise was buried under several feet of snow. Fortunately I had my map and compass and was able to stay headed the right direction even if I was unsure about where the trail was supposed to be. After about a half a mile the trail comes to the road where it crosses the Paradise River and then continues north to Paradise for 0.7 miles. I came out on the road only 100 feet or so from where the trail actually was. From there it was just a matter of following the compass and any foot prints and pole holes I could spot. It was a steep incline and the snow did not make things easier.

   I finally spotted the roof of the Paradise in about three and a half hours after my family had dropped me off -- a half hour longer than I estimated. Considering the setbacks, I felt pretty good about it. A red fox sitting along the trail just off the road watched as I left the trail and crossed the parking lot to meet my family.

   After finding my wife and son in the lobby of the Paradise Inn, I dropped off my pack in the car, we had lunch while we shared our experiences of the previous few hours, I changed my clothes, and we headed for home. On the way out we saw several hoary marmots near the side of the road.



   I made note of three major differences between Mt. Rainier and the Olympic Mountains on this trip. The first one I talked about: there are a lot more people at Mt. Rainier. Also, the trails where we were seem to be a lot less isolated. In the Olympics you can literally walk for days without coming up on anything more than a rustic ranger outpost or a small, primitive camping area with a pit toilet, maybe bear wire. On Mt. Rainier (at least in the areas we saw), unless you head toward the summit it seems rare to go a mile or two without coming across some car-accessible attraction. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I tend to prefer a more secluded experience. Last, the terrain at Mt. Rainier seems to be more extreme. The Olympic National Park has more than it's share of steep hikes and scenic vistas, but it also has many trails that are more mild with relatively little elevation change. My family has enjoyed backpacking and hiking these less extreme areas. We were hard pressed to find trails that weren't strenuous for my wife and son on Mt. Rainier.

   For myself, I still want to hike the 93-mile Wonderland Trail that circles the mountain. Maybe next year...

People Are Literally Dying To Not Pay High Power Bills

Massive heat wave spreads across United States
By Barbara Goldberg
NEW YORK, July 21 | Thu Jul 21, 2011 2:25pm EDT

(Reuters) - Crowds flocked to waterfronts and swimming pools on the U.S. East Coast and in the Midwest on Thursday to try to cope with a massive heat wave that has killed at least 22 people this week.

The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings for wide areas of the central and eastern United States, saying the combined heat and humidity could push the "real feel" temperature to 115 Fahrenheit (46 Celsius) through Saturday.

By Thursday afternoon in New York City, the thermometer hit 91F (33C) but it felt more like 112F (44C), according to AccuWeather.com.

With the promise of refreshing ocean breezes, Boston's whale-watching ships and high-speed tourist boats sold out their trips by mid-morning.

Cooling centers in Richmond, Virginia, and New York City welcomed overheated residents and a truck labeled "Water Fountain on the Go" cruised Manhattan streets, offering to refill water bottles to keep residents hydrated.

Electricity utility Con Edison (ED.N) said scattered outages were likely in New York in coming days with demand expected to hit all-time highs.

Unhealthy smog levels triggered by the heat were reported in Chicago, where residents were asked by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to reduce polluting activities such as idling vehicles and mowing lawns.

By the weekend, the heat wave is expected to cover half of the United States and affect nearly half of its 310 million people, AccuWeather.com forecaster Mary Yoon said.

"What makes this heat wave so impressive is the pure size and longevity," said Yoon.

'DANGEROUS HEALTH RISK'

Longstanding records in Philadelphia and other cities may melt away by Friday, when temperatures are expected to spike. The low pressure system that barreled east was expected to bring powerful thunderstorms with hail to northeastern states.

"Do not take this threat lightly," the National Weather Service warned on its website, noting the extreme temperatures are particularly dangerous for the elderly and the very young.

"The length of this heat wave will pose a very real and dangerous health risk to these at-risk groups and those that do not have access to air conditioning."

In the central United States, where the high temperatures have killed nearly two dozen people, more deaths were tied to the heat.

An elderly woman whose body was found in her bedroom in St. Louis, where a working air conditioner had not been turned on despite 99F (37C) temperatures, was determined on Wednesday to have died of heat stroke.

Similar causes of death were reported on Thursday in Kansas City, Missouri, where a woman in her early 80s died, and in Hutchinson, Kansas, where three elderly people were found dead in separate homes on Wednesday.

Of the people who died in Hutchinson, one had a ceiling fan and another, a 76-year-old man, had an air conditioner.

"He had an air-conditioning unit in the window but didn't use it because he didn't want to pay the electric bill," said Hutchinson Police Sergeant Thad Pickard. (Additional reporting by Bruce Olson, Lauren Keiper, Kevin Murphy, Karin Matz and Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Jerry Norton and John O'Callaghan)

[READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE]

Books On Genetically Modified Foods

   One of my most popular posts is Arguments Against Genetically Modified Foods, which details the United Nations' three major concerns regarding GM foods.

   I am happy to see that there is such interest in the subject -- climate change has the potential of being the biggest issue mankind has ever dealt with and how we feed ourselves is intrinsically linked.

   Since the interest is there, I am posting some books on the subject for those who might wish to dig a little deeper: