BLOGGERS UNITE FOR HUNGER

BlogCatalog members and Heifer International are partnering to call for the end of world hunger and start of hope on April 29. All we ask is that you join thousands of other bloggers and write a post about world hunger on April 29. You can make a difference.

• Right now, more than 500 million people are living in "absolute poverty" and more than 15 million children die of hunger every year.

• World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the population is underfed and another third is starving.

• Even in the United States, 46 percent of African-American children and 49 percent of Latino children are considered chronically hungry.

Organizations like Heifer International are the solution. Every day in April, Heifer International is lifting people out of poverty by providing communities with livestock and agricultural training to improve lives and inspire hope. What can you do?

• Join this event and add a badge to your blog before April 29.

• Watch for upcoming news releases and topic backgrounders.

• Visit Heifer International to learn more about Pass On The Gift.

• Make a small donation or take some other action to end world hunger.

THE ECONOMY OR THE ENVIRONMENT?

There are those who would have us believe that resources and actions must be devoted to solving the world’s financial crisis at the expense of all else. These same people would also have us believe that addressing the issue of climate change and the environment must be put aside in light of this new priority. A recently released poll indicates that the issue of climate change has dropped to position number 20 as far as issues concerning the American public. It is clear that the economic stress has taken a bite out of concern for the environment. However, can we afford to lose sight of what is happening to the climate? Are the issues of the economy and the environment really separate issues? Can we have one without the other?

What is currently going on in the environment? Keeping in mind that everything is happening faster than scientists have predicted, a brief snapshot is as follows: Major Arctic and Antarctic shelves have collapsed which may make it possible for land glaciers to now slip into the ocean; Major rivers around the world are losing water; Icelandic glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate; the Bering Sea may soon be ice free in the summer; The magnetic North Pole is rapidly shifting; the oceans are being depleted of fish; tropical diseases are moving further north and south from the equator; species are dying off at an alarming rate (this time period has been labeled the 6th great extinction); the earth’s population may have already reached its sustainability limit; bird migrations are changing; storm severity is increasing; wildfires are more frequent; droughts and crop failures are spreading; sea levels are rising; drinking water is disappearing, and need I go on?

How can anyone possibly believe that we can address economic issues at the expense of climate change issues? Economies run on resources. If the forests go, there is no wood for houses; if the fish die, there is no fishing industry; if re-emerging diseases start killing everyone off, there is no one to buy the products; if storm severity keeps increasing, all the insurance bail out money is wasted; if crops fail, there is no agricultural industry. Industry would have us believe that getting the economy back on track is achieved by giving more money to banks and freeing up credit. The sad part is that politicians have bought into this argument and they keep giving them more money, but the economy still worsens. They do not want our precious dollars to go into new green companies or concepts because they are not yet prepared to gobble up those dollars. And a result, they have convinced many that it comes down to a choice, the economy or the environment.

President Obama has taken a more holistic approach to solving our major public policy issues. He seems to understand that you cannot treat the disease with a Band-Aid. All facets of life are interrelated and the health of the whole is equal to the sum health of the parts. What will it ‘profit’ us to regain an outdated economy at the expense of quality of life? Are we that selfish that we are willing to sacrifice the planet for a few more years of buying junk? The change that is coming is coming fast. It is not centuries away. It is happening now and may soon, if it has not already, be beyond the most valiant efforts to alter. The brain cannot function without a heart; the economy function without an environment. By our continued focus upon the things of life, we are losing any notion of the essence of life. It is way past time to put away our childish things and to concentrate upon a world at peace with itself and its environment. Blessings to the Earth!

THE MAN OVERBOARD

We certainly live in uncertain times. And yet, there are those who offer words of great wisdom and advice to see us through. Darrly Hagar is just such a man who has opened the book of his life to share, inspire and teach. Regardless of our circumstance, we can forge ahead to build a new life and a new reality. All that we really need to do is listen and learn from those who are paving the way, through their own life stories, to guide us away from the negative and into a more positive world where nothing cannot be overcome.

Darryl Hagar, author of The Man Overboard, will share his story of being a merchant marine and working on 900' tankers and the extra curricular activities that led his life for over 25 years.
The Man Overboard is a vivid account of one man’s tumultuous 25 year round-the-world odyssey, shrouded in the haze of drugs and a sea of alcohol, punctuated by indulgence, abuse, fear, illicit sex, violence, and frequent jail time.
Clean and sober for four years, and retired from the shipping industry since 2005, Hagar has dedicated his life to helping others find the path to recovery through public speaking, and leading group sessions in colleges, churches, high schools, prisons, hospital recovery centers and other settings.
About The Man Overboard
Drawn in by the compelling tales and sometimes exotic settings, readers will be shocked at this glimpse into the little-exposed epidemic of addiction at sea, and will come away amazed there aren’t more shipping disasters like the Exxon Valdez. But it’s the drama when Hagar returns home and his struggle through recovery that makes the book real and relatable. A broken relationship, nearly losing custody of his son, and alienation from his family and friends are just some of the costs Hagar pays and portrays faithfully in his 590 page memoir The Man Overboard.


The Man Overboard; Darryl Hagar; Trade Paperback; 590 pages; 6” x 9”; Publication Date: March 24th 2009


About Author Darryl Hagar
Darryl Hagar is passionate about his recovery and committed to helping others find the strength and support needed to reclaim their lives from the insidious affects of addiction. As a motivational speaker, Darryl has addressed hundreds of groups and shared his message of empowerment and responsibility. Today, Darryl adds the title of author to his resume with the release of his memoir, The Man Overboard “How a Merchant Marine Officer Survived the Raging Storm of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction”.

A graduate of Maine Maritime Academy, class of ‘85, Hagar went to sea as an Able Body Seaman with Military Sealift Command where his role focused on ship maintenance, maintaining mooring lines as the ship’s cargo was loaded and unloaded, and steering the ship in and out of port. After a year-long stint with Crest Oil Tankers, in 1987 he moved on to Maritime Overseas Corporation and gained the designation Third Mate where he was responsible for standing the bridge watch, supervising the able body seaman, ensuring shipboard safety practices were adhered to and was in charge of running the ship’s pumps and valves during the loading and unloading process.
Promoted to Second Mate in 1990 Hagar attained his professional goal of becoming the ship’s navigator. The navigator’s primary role is laying out the voyage, maintaining charts, radar and other electronics and includes the responsibility of ship’s radio operator. Moving on to Alaska Tanker Company in 1999, Hagar earned Chief Mate status. He retired from the industry in 2005.
Darryl Hagar is a native Mainer and a graduate of Maine Maritime Academy. He rose through the ranks to attain Chief Mate of Motor and Steam of any Gross Tons Upon Oceans. Clean and sober for four years, and retired from the shipping industry since 2005, Hagar lives in recovery and hopes to reach people in crisis and help them on their voyage to sobriety.

Watch a video from one of Darryl's speaking event - http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2009/01/man-overboard-by-darryl-hagar.html

Watch an interview with Darryl Hagar - http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2009/03/darryl-hagar-interviewed-on-wcsh6-in.html

JESUS DID NOT DIE FOR YOUR SINS

The following is an excerpt from my post on http://wakinggod1.blogspot.com

It is interesting to study and look up words in the Bible. For example, if you look for the word “saviour” in the Bible, these are the only references in the four Gospels: LUKE 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my SAVIOUR: LUKE 2:11 city of David a SAVIOUR, which is Christ the Lord; and, JOHN 4:42 is indeed the Christ, the SAVIOUR of the world. None of these words were spoken by Jesus and none specifically say that Jesus is saviour. Luke and John say that Christ is the saviour, but did they mean Jesus or were they referring to the concept of God within man, the Christ in each of us, is a saviour?
I am sure that fundamentalist, most whom have probably not even bothered to do this kind of search, would insist that “of course the reference is to Jesus” and it does not matter that Jesus never called himself the saviour. I think there is a great stretch of imagination and wishful thing here.
If you look for the word “save,” there is no reference that Jesus died or gave his life to “save” you from your sins.

If you want to read more, go to the site mentioned above.

A CASE FOR ECONOMIC PROTECTIONISM?

Ecuador recently imposed trade restrictions that put tariffs on certain imports. The cry has gone out that this is “protectionism” and hinders free trade. Economists around the world have become fearful that such actions may be followed by other nations as a tool to boost sagging national economies. The questions to be asked are what are so bad about some form of protectionism? Is economic globalization really that great? Do such actions really hurt a free market economy?

Ecuador uses the dollar as its currency. With our economy in the dumps, there is little wonder that a nation like Ecuador would have concerns. According to some in Ecuador, the tariffs, while slowing imports and hurting those companies that rely upon foreign goods; the tariffs have been a boon to locally based firms. Is this a bad thing? Is it wrong not to depend on foreign imports to meet local economic demands?

We hear a lot of talk about free trade. But how free are the global markets? In a perfect world, firms producing products should be able to sell their products anywhere without fear of trade restrictions. The theory being that those with the best product for the best price gets the sale. However, the world markets are far from free. While many products in the U.S. come from China, they are not from Chinese companies which are paying their employees decent wages. They are often from American companies who pay the Chinese workers dirt cheap wages. We are all familiar with sweat shops and child labor abuse in foreign nations. Are these the features of a free economy?

In colonial days the economic system was called mercantilism. Mother countries exploited their colonies for their raw materials and then made the colonies buy finished goods from them. Next came imperialism, where powerful nations extended the spheres of economic influence and once again, controlled the businesses and markets of other nations. Now we call it globalization, where mega-corporations exploit the economies of third world nations. In both mercantilism and imperialism, the systems were overtly run by the exploiting country’s governments. In globalization, support for exploitation is more covert and hidden under the mantra of free trade. We are all too familiar with the mass exodus of U.S. manufacturing and service sector jobs to Asia and Mexico. This was done because wages in those nations were pennies a day and business regulations almost non-existent. In the absence of tariffs, the products are then sent back to the base country at prices far below those of local firms. Clearly, the globalized world economy is under the control of the few.

So, back to Ecuador. With trade restrictions, local farmers are doing better. Local manufacturers are doing better and overall, locally based firms are growing. Who is hurt? Those companies that exploit foreign workers and undercut local trade. In a capitalist economic system, trade barriers are touted as an anathema. Nations that tax imports are called the dirty word, ‘protectionists.’ Until such time as there are universal labor laws, fair wages, uniform business regulations and monitoring and equitable access to labor and resources, the so called ‘free market’ system is simply not free at all. If a nation has the capacity and the resources to produce products locally, why should their businesses be undercut by unscrupulous and foreign corporate giants? Certainly, if a product cannot be produced locally, markets to import such products should be free and open. Business and labor, competing freely and on equitable terms is a worthy goal. But, I do not want my clothing produced in child sweat shops. I do not want most of my food imported from foreign nations that have no environmental regulations. I have no issue with bananas from Panama, we can’t grow them here. I have no problem with hand painted dishware that is reflective of a foreign culture. I have no problem with bamboo products from China. The point is, to me, globalization should not be just a new name for imperialism. It should be a system that allows nations to freely exchange products that are best produced by each nation under a truly free set of rules and regulations. Protectionism may not be all that bad after all and it just might bring home jobs that never should have left.

OBAMA AND FDR: A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY

There are many who are comparing the actions of President Franklin Roosevelt with those of President Obama regarding the handling of our economic depression. I use the word depression because if we are not there, we will be soon. The following is a brief summary of FDR’s actions:

“FDR declared a "banking holiday" to end the runs on the banks and created new federal programs administered by so-called Alphabet Agencies. For example, the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration) stabilized farm prices and thus saved farms. The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) provided jobs to unemployed youths while improving the environment. The TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) provided jobs and brought electricity to rural areas for the first time. The FERA (Federal Emergency Relief Administration) and the WPA ( Works Progress Administration) provided jobs to thousands of unemployed Americans in construction and arts projects across the country. The NRA (National Recovery Administration) sought to stabilize consumer goods prices through a series of codes. Through employment and price stabilization and by making the government an active partner with the American people, the New Deal jump-started the economy towards recovery (fdrlibrary.maris.edu).”

Many Republicans argue that FDR’s actions actually prolonged the depression in the 30’s, created a new era of ‘big government’ and stifled the ‘free’ economic market. Many on the right of the political economic spectrum also say that Obama will and even should fail because he is not focusing on the economy. Instead, he is wasting time dealing with such silly issues as healthcare and education reform, stimulating alternative energy production and being concerned with environmental issues.

Our bodies, life, politics, economy and society are holistic. You cannot separate the parts from the whole. If a person is ill, it is necessary to examine not only the immediate symptom, but all factors that contribute to the illness. A heart attack may be the result of a combination of diet and stress in one’s life. While you can ‘treat’ the immediate issue of the heart attack, if the other issues are not resolved, the likelihood is that the heart attack will occur again. Issues in politics and society are holistic. Poverty cannot be solved simply by giving people money. Concerns regarding family values, cultural traditions, employment history, education and even health come into play. Obviously, very few politicians get elected or are effective if they only deal with single issues and not the complete array of problems confronting our society.

One cannot solve our economic crisis simply by focusing on banks. We have already seen that to be true. We cannot solve the crisis by focusing on credit; that has been obvious. Those who say focus on the economy only are the same ones that had no problem with giving money to the banks and who also have big problems with new rules or regulations. After all, we do not want to disrupt the ‘free’ economy. I am not really sure what economy they refer to. If by free they mean let business do as they please, one cannot help but see that this very attitude created our current issues. Do they mean that business should be free to have their products produced in Chinese sweat shops? Do they mean that business should be allowed to produce crap that must be replaced soon after the purchase? Do they mean that business should be free to destroy the basic eco-fabric of the planet in order to keep profits and bonuses high? Do they mean free to charge usurious interest rates? Do they mean free to convince you that you need products that have no lasting value? By focusing on the economy do they mean to simply deal with the issues of huge corporations, at the expense of the small businessman?

In order to deal with our economic crisis, I think president Obama is right. Our economy is not AIG or CitiBank. A truly functioning economy is based upon an educated consumer. People must be healthy to be productive. We cannot continue to destroy the environment else we may have profit, but no world in which to spend it. Some would argue for the quick fix. This will not work. Our issues are to complex and too braid to think we can go back and do things the way they were done in the past. Our economic body must be addressed holistically. FDR saw this in the 1930’s. Was he totally correct? Maybe not. However, he saw that the depression required more than just fixing banks. Yes, we have to deal with energy, the environment, agriculture, education, healthcare and a total review of our economic rules and regulations if we are to have any chance of reviving our economy. If we do not do these things now, there may never be another chance in the future.

BANKRUPTCY: NO HARM, NO FOUL

While numbers are not current, total personal bankruptcies rose 29% in 2008 and business bankruptcies rose 41%. Chapter 7 bankruptcies rose 36%. The headlines are replete with job layoffs reaching record highs, downsizing, bailouts, and general economic chaos.
For the consumer facing personal economic collapse, the motto should be, “no harm, no foul.” Look, if the leading corporations and banks in the world cannot make ends meet, why should there be any expectation that consumers can keep their financial ship afloat? We all know that we, the consumer, are wasting billions of dollars by trying to save huge corporations and financial institutions. They are killing us with interest rates, foreclosures, and zero credit. These problems have been generated by corporate greed, ignorance and basic stupidity.
Yes, we must take on the responsibility of our actions. We allowed ourselves to be duped by mass marketing and our own sense of greed. However, fair is fair, at least it should be. The large corporations are taking what little we have and what do we get in return? Layoffs and no credit. Actually, we do not need or even want more credit, we want out of debt. Why should the wealthy few still make their millions while the consumer has a hard time feeding their families? Why should the few take more of our money while we struggle to make ends meet? Why must the corporations get all of the bailout money and the consumer get nothing?
They tell you not to file bankruptcy because it will hurt your credit. What credit? Give money to corporations and there is no problem. Suggest giving money to people and they say, “Oh, that won’t work.” This is all madness. We have forgiven debts of foreign nations, paid corporate debt and given our dollars to banks that use it to buy smaller banks. What would happen if the government said, “We will require that all consumer debt will be reduced by 50%?” What would you do with all of that extra money? That’s how you get the economy moving.
So, for all of you that are worried about going into bankruptcy, don’t. If it is good enough for Wall Street, there is nothing to be ashamed of. The so called brightest economic minds have no clue how to end this crisis. Trust me, clear your debt and watch the credit card offers inundate your mail box. Is this what we want? No. But, feel no shame, there is no foul in taking care of your families.