World food aid at 20-year low, 1 billion hungry

[Liberal_in_LA]

Source: reuters

World food aid at 20-year low, 1 billion hungry

LONDON (Reuters) – Food aid is at a 20-year low despite the number of critically hungry people soaring this year to its highest level ever, the United Nations relief agency said Wednesday.

The number of hungry people will pass 1 billion this year for the first time, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) said, adding that it is facing a serious budget shortfall.

To date the WFP has confirmed $2.6 billion in funding for its 2009 budget of $6.7 billion.

"This comes at a time of great vulnerability for the hungry," the WFP said in a statement.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090916/wl_nm/us_food_wfp;_ylt=AnNxFIF_YqjWazJpKgNYqLOGWo14;_ylu=X3oDMTJlYnYxM28wBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMDkwOTE2L3VzX2Zvb2Rfd2ZwBGNwb3MDNQRwb3MDNQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA3dvcmxkZm9vZGFpZA--

[lamp_shade]

1. I believe it. Hardly a day goes by that I don't receive some plea for donations to help feed the

world's hungry. I try to help a little, but the demand appears to be much greater than even a year ago.

[saigon68]

9. U.S. Response "Let's bomb the fuck out of them"

Food pantries here are oversubscribed.

What do we do? Why start 2 or 3 wars for "Robust Democracy" (whatever the fuck that means)

[unhappycamper]

15. This pic sez it all.

[humus]

2. "blood of the land in my voice"

MORE THAN 4 MILLION MEALS TO BE PROVIDED DURING HOLIDAYS

Bob Dylan will release a brand new album of holiday songs, Christmas In The Heart, on Tuesday, October 13, it was announced today by Columbia Records. All of the artist’s U.S. royalties from sales of these recordings will be donated to Feeding America, guaranteeing that more than four million meals will be provided to more than 1.4 million people in need in this country during this year’s holiday season. Bob Dylan is also donating all of his future U.S. royalties from this album to Feeding America in perpetuity.

Additionally, the artist is partnering with two international charities to provide meals during the holidays for millions in need in the United Kingdom and the developing world, and will be donating all of his future international royalties from Christmas In The Heart to those organizations in perpetuity. Details regarding the international partnerships will be announced next week.

“When we reached out to Bob Dylan about becoming involved with our organization, we could never have anticipated that he would so generously donate all royalties from his forthcoming album to our cause,” said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America. “This major initiative from such a world renowned artist and cultural icon will directly benefit so many people and have a major impact on spreading awareness of the epidemic of hunger in this country and around the world.”

Bob Dylan commented, “It’s a tragedy that more than 35 million people in this country alone -- 12 million of those children – often go to bed hungry and wake up each morning unsure of where their next meal is coming from. I join the good people of Feeding America in the hope that our efforts can bring some food security to people in need during this holiday season.”

Christmas In The Heart will be the 47th album from Bob Dylan, and follows his worldwide chart-topping Together Through Life, released earlier this year. Songs performed by Dylan on this new album include, “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Little Drummer Boy” and “Must Be Santa.”

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 25 million Americans each year, including 9 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks supports 63,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit feedingamerica.org.

http://www.bobdylan.com/#/news/christmas-heart-be-released-october-13

[The Stranger]

17. Hey, now shouldn't he be making a Hanukkah album?

(I KID, I KID!)

Relax, I love Bob Dylan. I'll probably buy the album. Although it may be a bit surreal to listen to him sing "Here Comes Santa Claus." Sounds like a discarded SNL skit, but I digress.

I support this.

[Wilms]

3. K&Arrrgh. n/t

[Tanuki]

4. Some concrete ways to help....

even if you can't afford to send money, please take a look...

http://www.thehungersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=1

[The Stranger]

5. OVERPOPULATION is the biggest problem we face on the planet.

When I post this, everyone tells me, "oh, famine and war will naturally eradicate the problem."

Then you get this. Why not ADDRESS the OVERPOPULATION problem before you have millions of people starving to death. Is it because the Duggars think God wants them to act like rabbits (or bacteria)?

If there were half as many people on the planet, and the birth rate was maintained constant, there would be plenty, the oceans would not be depleted, the air and water polluted, the planet overheated.

[Hannah Bell]

6. "If there were half as many people": you first. oh, you meant those *other* people.

world fertility rate = 2.55/woman. most of the world at or below replacement. only significant exception = africa, the poorest continent.

[The Stranger]

12. Oh God, not you again. You're the one with the religious fixation on intentionally overpopulating

the planet, who couches it in a faux progressive argument that really overpopulation is not the problem but overconsumption, as if the two are not related -- that's you, right?

The world's population is increasing exponentially, and every one of those new persons is going to need not just food and water for life, but transportation, clothing, amenities, and a job, and all of that is obliterating the planet.

Can't you for once just come out and say that you are in favor of the Duggars-type collective mass suicide?

[WriteDown]

7. The solution to the world's problems begin at home. nt

[The Stranger]

13. uh, sure. So the world is everyone's home. So let's start with the world.

(What a bizarre non-sequiter, but whatever).

[WriteDown]

18. Everyone needs to do their part....

You seem averse to your part though.

[The Stranger]

19. I live on this world, so if I am asking the world to do it's part, that would include me.

Logic.

Can we get back to the problem of Overpopulation?

[The2ndWheel]

8. We wouldn't have this many people on the planet

if we didn't give ourselves the ability to support this many people on the planet.

[Nihil]

11. Guess what?

The OP is pointing out that we didn't "give ourselves the ability to support
this many people on the planet" indefinitely ... and it is now getting
close to the time to pay the piper ...

[The Stranger]

14. I think the original post directly contradicts whatever it is you're trying to say.

If millions are going to starve, then, no, we didn't "give ourselves the ability to support" them.

[lagavulin]

10. The answer then is even MORE industrial corn/soybean farms...

...after all, these roundup-ready monoculture GMO "family farmers" keep insisting on their government subsidies because, after all, they're 'feeding the world'!

Well evidently the world needs WAY more corn oil and extruded breakfast cereals. Oh, and indigestible animal feeds for all the massive new CAFOs we should also be building on our nation's watersheds.


//Did I use the sarcasm font? I meant to use the sarcasm font. And the bitter-snear italics as well...

[Hannah Bell]

16. Now look into why. Hint: not global warming, not lack of land, not

any of the things they tell you.

Hint 2: trade agreements

[Quantess]

20. Sorry to be so cynical, but overpopulation is a problem, as well.

How can we work this conundrum? Oh, maybe, with birth control? No Way, that is Satanic.