And now we get serious

It's hard to know what to think about the political life of our country.  I think it's all too easy for those of us who celebrated the results of the last major election cycle to be complacent, especially since it's hard to find any coherent or "compelling" narrative within the right-wing that might galvanize or spur us into action.  At the same time, it's easy to contemplate the relative fragility of our nation, economically, politically, socially, internationally, et cetera.  So while our preference would be for more aggressive policy-making, especially in the realms of energy, climate change, environmental protection, and especially civil rights, I think we also need to remember what is at stake this fall.  To be frank, the stakes are more Michele Bachmanns and John Larsons.  Last week, she claimed that Obama is turning America into a nation of slaves.  Meanwhile, Rep. Larson famously apologized to BP for being shaken-down by the Congress after they succeeded in (to quote Wait Wait) "turning the Gulf into the world's largest Jiffy Lube."  And a large win also means more wind in the sails of Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and the gang.

The Republican Party, a party who have, in the aggregate, drifted so far from their founding principles that it's hard to think of today's Neo-Conservatives as true Eisenhower or Lincoln Republicans (a heritage they readily claim, by the way), is highly volatile.  Their Chairman, Michael Steele, is under siege - most recently for claiming that the war in Afghanistan was a war of Obama's choosing.  Many right-wing congressmen are torn between historical allegiances (to big banks, big oil, and big business) and the recent, and rather obvious, revelations of largess, excess, and appallingly little concern for the societies in which these companies operate (Rep. Larson?). 

So, as the Tea Party and the Grizzly Moms and the Restoring Honor Rally folks make more noise, I feel some concern about the things they're saying.  It is clearly easier to dismiss Glenn and Sean and Rush and Sarah and the rest, rather than listen to what they preach.  But then I read a column today that pulled-together a large collection of some particularly horrifying propaganda from some of the right-wing media and political leaders.

It was written by Tim Wise, who is an author, most recently of Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity.  And his blog post at the The Red Room is simply amazing.

Black Power's Gonna Get You Sucka: Right-Wing Paranoia and the Rhetoric of Modern Racism

Adjectives to describe my reaction to this article are at once plentiful and inadequate.  It's appalling and sobering and infuriating and depressing.  But, perhaps you'll find it inspiring?  Read, please.  Then share.

Irony in Sustainability, Friday Edition

[Ed. Note: This is like the 5th time I've posted this. Sorry. Technical difficulties. Please enjoy your regularly scheduled programming.]

Clearly I love food, and sustainability.  Equally clearly, I feel pretty strongly that making food expensive is not a great way to make it sustainable.  So, then, you can understand the mixed emotions I have over the following totally awesome if it weren't $1,000 per seat event this fall.

The Heirloom Vegetable Auction at Sothebys:

"Just in time for the 2010 harvest season, Sothebys New York will host the inaugural Tri-State Heirloom Vegetable auction, The Art of Farming, on September 23, 2010. This first-of-its-kind event will celebrate edible heirlooms and the art involved in their creation."

Now, I'll admit, there's not much use in a starting a movement without wealthy patrons.  Just ask GAVI, Michelangelo or the Catholic Church.  And there's no better way to hook those patrons than with an exclusive event, just for them, that auctions off equally exclusive activities for their children.  It's just too bad that it's so expensive that the demographic that need a food revolution the most can't afford to think about going to this event.  In other words, those who can afford a seat at this event already buy hormone- and pesticide-free, locally grown food, and shop exclusively at Whole Foods.  Meanwhile, the people who have to travel 50 blocks for healthy food options get another McDonalds.

What redeems this event - and I sound more negative than I feel, I'm sure - is the following:

"The Art of Farming will coincide with and kick-off the 2010 Eat Drink Local week in New York City, the annual celebration of the local food chain, co-produced by Edible magazines and GrowNYC. All proceeds from the event will benefit the GrowNYC New Farmers Development Project, which identifies, educates and supports immigrants with agricultural experience to become local producers and establish farms in the region, and The Sylvia Center, a program that inspires and teaches children to eat well through hands-on experiences at Katchkie Farm and in school and community centers all over New York City."

GrowNYC is way cool.  They're the people who bring us the NYC Greenmarket. And the NYC Greenmarket kicks serious ass.  Why?  It provides locally grown, healthy food options smack in the middle of neighborhoods where produce is only available at the corner store.  Further, you can use food stamps to purchase foods at the Greenmarket.  So, again, super cool.

So, if this is how we fund THAT initiative, then I think this $1,000 per seat auction is a great idea.

Inspired by Spring

I'm a fan of good bourbon.  Further, I'm a fan of Maker's Mark bourbon, as I visited their distillery a couple of years ago and enjoyed their hospitality.  The brief story:

I was moving across country from Seattle to Providence, RI with my father, and friends Carly and Brandon.  We had my trusty old Volvo and the bright yellow Penske 16' moving van.  Woo hoo!  The drive from Seattle to Providence, however, was interrupted by a southern sojourn to the glorious state of Kentucky, in which we sampled Bon Tiki Mini Mart fried chicken (known to be the best in America), the famous Lexington Hot Brown sandwhich, and a distillery tour at Maker's Mark.  Unfortunately, when on a tight schedule, one has little time for summer road construction.  So when repairs to the Kentucky interstate made us miss the last tour of the day, we were so sad.  So sad.  And yet, upon hearing of our plight (and our great pilgrimage), we were taken on our own little tour, after hours, gratis.  What hospitality!  Well, anyway, since then I've had a bit of a soft spot for the ol' Maker's Mark.

Well, I was thinking about Maker's Mark, pilgrimages, and my not-so-secret desire to grow my own bourbon ingreedients some day, I felt compelled to write the following short piece:

 

A reading from Ryan's Letter to the Kentuckians:

And I did go unto the Makers and make known to them my skill. Unto them, I did say: "Go forth into the land, you men and women,and gather in thine arms the golden wheat and barley of thy fields, discard the chaff, and add to it the wheat that grows red in Winter.
Mark me well when I say unto thee that ye shall add no rye to thine grains, for it is the mark of inferiority and tool of a shoddy craftsman. Instead add these grains, I tell you, to the the cool, sweet spring waters that flow forth, by the grace of Dixie, from the ground in this land. Into a large Vat shall ye pour this Holy elixir. Heat it, I say, slowly, for many days and nights. Drain ye the liquid, and pass it through yon copper tubes and pipes, heated with purifying flame. Visit the cooper, and have made a barrel of such quality, toasted to perfection, and made ready to be filled with thine Spirits. Wait now children, for the Still waters must becalm, for 10 summers. Great patience will be rewarded, I tell you.

If you do this, if you heed my words, and heed them well and true, unto thee shall be delivered the greatest of gifts: a golden ambrosia so Healthful and Right, that all shall know its power, even by scent. You shall call it: Bourbon. See ye this Mark? Affix it to thine vessels, o Makers of Dixie, that all shall know its power. In time, the people of distant lands shall hear, and perchance, even partake of your Bourbon. When they do, they will feel compelled to embark upon a Great Journey, across the mountains, from whence your sweet water flows; across the plains upon which your grains grow. To thine door, shall they Journey. And ye shall welcome them, these weary travelers, with arms and doors flung wide. Unto them shall ye say: 'Behold, road-worn traveler, the Mark of the Makers. Ye have traveled long and well, and thine deliverance is at hand. But take heed: to step through these doors and to partake of the Bourbon is to be transformed. If ye stay with us this night, on the morrow shall ye depart an agent of the Makers, burdened to spread the Gospel of the Bourbon through the land. Aye, cross this threshold and ye shall become an Ambassador.'"

And the Makers made the Bourbon, affixed their mark to the vessels, welcomed the travelers, and spread the Good News of the Bourbon far and wide.  And it is good.

It's April... Let's talk gardens

I've run into a few interesting gardening and growing articles in the NYT from the past few months.  Here's a sampler:

There's this fascinating article on the history (and uses) of horseradish.

Also this from last month on the "future of food growing" through aquatic gardening. 

And, finally, this piece of interesting news.  Apparently, the Vertical Farming idea (pitched, among other places, here by a professor at Mailman School of Public Health) is taking off in some new federal construction.  Super exciting!

Can YOU Find the Incongruity? – Federal Student Loan Program Edition

It's a favorite past-time for many, I'm sure. Finding fallacies in the recent arguments made by Republican congressmen and women about these CRAZY Democrats taking over the country...well, it's like shooting fish in a barrel: "death panels", out of control debt (apparently the debt was under control until now), and my personal favorite "Keep the Government out of my Medicare".

Therefore, in what I'm sure will be a regular series (if I spent the time), let's play Find the Logical Fallacy!

I'm sure you are readily aware that a rather major piece of legislation was passed and signed into law this week. Well, as an added bonus, the Democrats added student loan reform to the bill. Well, the Republicans can't let this slide, can they? I mean, Big Banking is completely OPPOSED to any overhaul of the Federal Student Loan system. Is it possible that the Insurance Industry AND Big Banking might get hit with the same bill? Yes. Cue sputtering lawmaker. 

"The Democratic majority decided, well look, while we're at it, let's have another Washington takeover," said Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee and a former federal education secretary. "Let's take over the federal student loan program." 

Darn Democrats! What right does the government have getting itself involved in the Federal student loan program? I mean, really?! The absolute GALL. I'll bet they've got their eyes on food stamps next.

Let's take a peek at the, apparently, non-government run, privatized Federal Student Loan Program…

Background:

Interest Rates. The Federal Funds rate is at, what, 0.25%? My savings account is paying me less than half a percent. My long-term savings rate was just lowered to 1.2%. Hell, I got an email this week offering 3.25% mortgage from ING. I heard a lecture from a man at the NY Federal Reserve last week in which he noted that some economic indicators suggest a negative interest rate might be needed to correct our current situation. 

Yet student loans are capped at an astonishing 6.8%! And that's for the low-priced Stafford loan! If you need to borrow more than $20,000 per year – which, in case you're curious, is less than half the TUITION at Columbia this year (forget food, books, rent…) – you'll need a Federal PLUS loan, whose interest rate is, depending on your financial institution, around 8-9% interest, which starts accruing immediately. The math is astonishing.

Commercial banks and Student Loans: Essentially the Feds provide subsidies to commercial banks to get them to loan to students. In fact, the Feds ALSO assume the RISK of the loan. So the commercial bank is subsidized to (a) find students who need loans, (b) offer them a loan at 6-9% interest, (c) collect that interest, PLUS the Federal subsidy, and – finally – (d) should the student default, these banks then turn to the Feds, who reimburse them for the loan amount. Apparently this system is more efficient because it takes the overwhelming task of marketing and customer service from the Feds and gives it to these banks. If my tone isn't clear enough, I don't agree. Neither does Rep. George Miller, (D-CA), "Why are we paying people to lend the government's money and then the government guarantees the loan and the government takes back the loan?" Good question, Congressman.

When Obama signs this health care reconciliation package student loan reform becomes law. And it will become law without any support from Republicans. This may be attributed to the fact that it's tacked onto the reconciliation package for health care… which is the political equivalent to a basketball team comfortably leading a game, late, whose opponent insists on a full-court press with less than a minute. What do you do? Beat the press, toss the ball above the rim, and flush home a nice two-handed jam for ESPN, just in this case you make the NYT. 

The GOOD news about this reform is that it saves money (CBO says $61 billion), gets the profiteering out of paying for education (at least from the banks; school tuition is another ball-game), expands the Pell Grant program and makes it easier to pay back loans. In a move of shocking simplicity, students will no take out loans through the colleges' financial aid offices, instead of using a private bank. 

The bad news: it doesn't start to affect students until 2014. Nonetheless, I'd call this a net win.

As a parting thought, look at this little gem in the same article: "In lobbying fiercely against the overhaul, the private banks argued that it would eliminate jobs, even though the government will hire many of the same banks on a contract basis to service the loans and perform other back-office administration. Furthermore, the banks said that with the government as the only lender, students would not get the same level of service." 

Have they ever tried calling themselves?  Perhaps they have and are just still on hold.

Gummy Glory

It's an intriguing title for an exponentially more intriguing subject. Vague enough? First, points to Nicole for exposing me to the latest glory of teh intarwebs. This is not only mind-blowing, but crazy. We could also use the title: "When is a gummy bear actually a gummy Megatron?"

Next, cue deep-voiced movie announcer guy: In a land, where snack food is king… One man is on a journey to reshape the chewy, fruit-based candy industry.

Over at the website Pimp That Snack (oh yes, that's its title), there is a magical tale. A tale of ingenuity, of dedication and of too much free time.

I implore you to read it. Now. Right here.

When Statistics Blow Your Mind

I am an apologist for statistics. It's time for everyone to accept that. I have.

I love stats. I also fear stats. Statistics are easily manipulated – indeed, in this post-modern world one could argue that all statistics, by virtue of being measured, are manipulated. I'm sure that I'm not the first person to wonder about Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle as it relates to social indicators. Concepts like "teaching to the test" and "gaming the statistics" exist because people attempt to achieve a statistical gain – in, let's say, student intelligence as measured by a test – at the expense of meaningful advancement. It's what happens when the numbers become more important than what they try to describe.

I think the power of statistics, though, is when they help us to understand a particular dimension of a difficult or complex problem. Hidden complicating variables can obscure a seemingly obvious connection between simple events. The challenge to consider all the complicating factors is a thrilling mental puzzle. Using 14^th Century England as an example – because, why not? – it would seem that the significant decline in exports witnessed in the middle of the century might be attributed to the outbreak of the Hundred Year's War. But with regression analysis, one can see that other factors include poor harvests from a changing climate and -- quite significantly -- over-taxation by the English Kings (Marriott, 1999, pg. 30).

Mostly what I love about statistics (and numbers and indicators and regressions and all of the rest of it) is that it is so interesting to find multi-dimensional connections between events or actions that seem, perhaps, intuitively related but are not proven to be related in that way. Then, with an intelligent model and some good data, suddenly everything becomes clear! It's that move -- from intuition to illustration – is where the magic is for me. It's where people have epiphanies that lead to brand-new research.

[Of course, when one suspects an intuitive link, and goes hunting for results, one will invariably suffer from confirmation bias and a myriad of other statistical ailments. Let us put those aside for another post.]

The reason I'm writing today [instead of studying for my macroeconomics midterm] is that I was recently reminded of Hans Rosling, a Swedish MD/MPH who does some pretty cool stuff at his site Gapminder. He speaks regularly to TED (the "Ideas Worth Spreading" people) about a number of global issues. In this particular video, he's discussing the relationship between HIV/AIDS prevalence and Income. I think it's a pretty good example of what happens when a compelling speaker finds persuasive data and develops a simple, elegant way to demonstrate an outcome. Essentially, this is the highest and best use of statistics, to my mind:

So carve out 10 minutes, and enjoy Hans Rosling.