Food, Food, Food, Everywhere but not enough to Eat

The Article "The Scarcity Facility", by Stephen J. Scanlan, J. Craig Jenkins and Lindsey Peterson, describes the issue of food scarcity around the world. It opens peoples eye's by showing clear information that shows data from the last couple decades. It is important to inform the public that the real problem is not lack of food which is what many people think. The article shows this by showing that we actually have an access per person. The concentration of the food stays in rich countries and the majority of starving are in poor. The article also describes that the majority of the starving are women, children and minorities. What is interesting in the article is that some of the poorest countries in the world are exporting the highest percentage of their food and have the most hungry.

This is where I draw the line I think this is wrong. I personally think that if your people are hungry why are you begging for help when you are making the problem worse. This is the problem with corrupt governments in poor countries, they have so much control the people suffer from it. This is one of the eleven points the ONE campaign wants to change is governments corruption the way to do this is through education. I also think there has to be a help yourself mentality and that if we are providing funding it needs to be monitored otherwise it will be used to corrupt even more issues.

Is our funding being used correctly?

Is there a way for countries to be independent?

How much help is to much?

What is the biggest cause of hunger?

Food Stamps

I have just recently read an article in the New York Times on the increasing use of food stamps in the United States. The article really goes into detail on multiple sides of the issue. They explain how stamps have progressed through the years and have now become easier to get. All people seem to use food stamps however, in the majority it seems minorities, especially African American and single mothers seem to rely on them the most. Since the recession the use of food stamps have greatly increased and the need has gotten even greater. The positive thing for people that needs stamps is the government has yet to want to stop growing the program the only problem with that is that it causes more debt. For example during the Bush administration they change the requirements and changed the name hoping for more people to take the help. The article also seems to state that the stigma around food stamps has also diminished. Meaning fewer people are being ridiculed for being on a government program.

I believe that the stigma of being on food stamps is still prevalent. The reason for this is that some people abuse the system and don't put in an effort to make money to offset food stamps. If only the people that truly needed the system used it I think the stigma would be non exsistant. I believe in the need for the system but I think it needs stronger regulations to be effective.

Should food stamps be more regulated?

Who should be in control of food stamps?

Is their a better program than food stamps that could be developed?

McDonaldization

In the a brief article I recently read on McDonald's in society the author draws a parallel between our culture and the changing fast food marketplace. It seems to the author that clearly the American culture is more worried about speed and convenience than health and quality. In other words we have become a quantity not quality system. This had seemed to be a well developed trend considering the author compares it to many happenings in everyday life. For example he relates McDonaldization to the constant mechanization of the culture. Day in and day out we have more and more ties to machines to do things for us.

Some people believe that this is a emphasis on cheapness is a horrible thing and a detriment to a culture. I believe that what the market demands should happen. This is why today you begin to see more and more healthy food in the market place. If this trend continues I believe that fast food establishments such as McDonald's will have to start subbing in new healthier choices. The way this happens is you vote for what you want with your dollar, so far we have ask for speed and convenience and taste. This is just begging to shift and I think if it continues and is not just a fad McDonaldization will fall.

Is McDonald's a negative in society? How much control do they actually play in shaping it?

Do you see quantity trends continuing or stopping?