There is a good chance today that you will eat potatoes. Maybe it will be in french fry form at Lunch time, or potato chips with your sandwich, or mashed potatoes as a side dish at Dinner.
Most Americans automatically think of Potatoes coming from Ireland. The Irish do eat a lot of Potatoes. Or Western Europe. Think about all the dishes in German, Polish, French or Russian food that use the noble spud. But it does not come from Europe at all.
The Potato is Peruano. Yes, it's Peruvian. It originated from the highlands of Peru about 10,000 years ago. The native Incas of Peru called it PAPA. They even buried their dead with them. The Spanish brought it back with them to Europe in the 1500's and the love affair began. Since it was easy to grow, many Europeans became familiar with it. Unfortunately for the Irish, it was also prone to a disease called Late Blight and they suffered through the Great Irish Famine of 1845. The English took the Potato with them all the way to Australia. Today, thousands of types of Potatoes exist (even a purple colored variety, I have seen it myself. It tastes like a regular Potato) but most of the Potatoes we eat today comes from a Chilean variety. Yes, as in the country of Chile, the southern neighbor of Peru.
The first type of french fry came from Belgium while the Spanish ruled it for a while back in the 1800's. I had some french fries yesterday as a matter of fact.
So, with all due respect to the citizens of Idaho, or Ireland, or France, the next time you find yourself in the presence of a Peruvian (they come from Peru, not Peruvia) give them a hug and a Thank You. What the heck, hug a Chilean too.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Health Care debate: Where is the transparency?
I remember that the new administration vowed to show more transparency in passing laws and government spending.
In the United States Senate today, Senator Max Baucus (D.,Montana) has convened the Senate Finance Committee to vote on the Health Care Bill. The bill from this body of lawmakers will cost $829 Billion. There are 13 Democrats on the committee and 10 Republicans. Due to having more votes, and the possibility of having a lone Republican (maybe Senator Snowe (R.,Washington) vote their way, the Democrats bill is expected to pass.
Then it gets really interesting. The few nuggets of information coming out of this bill is that eligibility to Medicare will be expanded. Tax breaks would apply to families to help out with the mandated insurance coverage. The Senate Finance Committee version then needs to be reconciled with another version of a Health Care bill coming out of the Senate Health Committee.
It gets better. The House of Representatives under Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.,CA) will have an even more liberal and possibly more expensive version with the infamous "Public Option" version in it.
While the final votes of the final version of these bills are still at least some weeks away, why aren't these bills not on the White House website in a PDF Form? I know that they are hundreds of pages long, but as taxpayers, we will have the burden of paying for all this government "reform". We should be able to read the information and be able to call our representatives to tell them if we do or don't agree with the bills. We should be able to read about all the sweetheart deals and goodies that all the politicians from both parties are adding to the bill as it grows and grows.
If we were truly focused on reform, why don't we focus on the situations when catastrophic medical situations crush families? Why don't we have any Tort reform? The reason most doctors run so many tests on their patients is because if they are ever wrong, the plaintiff lawyers are on the wings, ready to file lawsuits. If you think that it's hard to fight an insurance company with a claim now, good luck if we then replace the insurance company with a bureaucrat that will answer to no one.
This has nothing to do with reform. This has to do with more Federal Government intrusion and control over our lives. We have to remind ourselves that political leaders in fact, work for us, we do not work for them. We are more than piggy banks that they can shake and shake as our tax money pour out.
There has been no change here, just the same government indifference and largess. We should be able to see all the bills and their amendments to have a real debate on this issue.
In the United States Senate today, Senator Max Baucus (D.,Montana) has convened the Senate Finance Committee to vote on the Health Care Bill. The bill from this body of lawmakers will cost $829 Billion. There are 13 Democrats on the committee and 10 Republicans. Due to having more votes, and the possibility of having a lone Republican (maybe Senator Snowe (R.,Washington) vote their way, the Democrats bill is expected to pass.
Then it gets really interesting. The few nuggets of information coming out of this bill is that eligibility to Medicare will be expanded. Tax breaks would apply to families to help out with the mandated insurance coverage. The Senate Finance Committee version then needs to be reconciled with another version of a Health Care bill coming out of the Senate Health Committee.
It gets better. The House of Representatives under Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.,CA) will have an even more liberal and possibly more expensive version with the infamous "Public Option" version in it.
While the final votes of the final version of these bills are still at least some weeks away, why aren't these bills not on the White House website in a PDF Form? I know that they are hundreds of pages long, but as taxpayers, we will have the burden of paying for all this government "reform". We should be able to read the information and be able to call our representatives to tell them if we do or don't agree with the bills. We should be able to read about all the sweetheart deals and goodies that all the politicians from both parties are adding to the bill as it grows and grows.
If we were truly focused on reform, why don't we focus on the situations when catastrophic medical situations crush families? Why don't we have any Tort reform? The reason most doctors run so many tests on their patients is because if they are ever wrong, the plaintiff lawyers are on the wings, ready to file lawsuits. If you think that it's hard to fight an insurance company with a claim now, good luck if we then replace the insurance company with a bureaucrat that will answer to no one.
This has nothing to do with reform. This has to do with more Federal Government intrusion and control over our lives. We have to remind ourselves that political leaders in fact, work for us, we do not work for them. We are more than piggy banks that they can shake and shake as our tax money pour out.
There has been no change here, just the same government indifference and largess. We should be able to see all the bills and their amendments to have a real debate on this issue.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Obama Administration takes wrong stand on Honduras
For all those who didn't follow what was happening last June, you might have heard of a "military coup" in Honduras. The US State department condemned the taking of President Manuel Zelaya to Costa Rica via some help from the Honduran military. On the outset, it sounds pretty sinister. Latin America has a long history of military leaders trampling on democratic administrations, that is a fact. But upon closer review, the military actually protected the Honduran Constitution and it's Democracy.
Let's start at the beginning. Manuel Zelaya was elected democratically as President of Honduras in 2005. Great, good for the Honduran people. But then a problem started to grow. You see, the Honduran Constitution allows for the President to serve only ONE term. It is limited per the constitution, sorry. But Mr. Zelaya wanted it changed. He proposed a national referendum to change the term limits. Problem. Only the Honduran Congress (yes, they have one) has the power to change the constitution. Another problem. Mr. Zelaya is a big fan of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. A leader that while was first elected democratically, has since used democratic means such as referendums to change the consititution. President Chavez has since swept away those pesky term limits in Venezuela. He used demcratic means to destroy democracy.
Back to Honduras. The issue went to the Honduran Supreme Court, (yes, they have one of those too) and President Zelaya lost his attempt to change the constitution. Mr. Zelaya started the crisis by declaring his intent to go forward with the referendum no matter what the Honduran Congress and Supreme Court said. What is a democracy with separation of powers to do? The military had the right to enforce the Supreme Court decision, the Supreme Court publicly stated so. The military picked up the President in his pajamas and flew him to Costa Rica. Not nice, but he was not imprisoned, tortured or beaten, simply removed. The Military did NOT take over. The soldiers returned to their barracks. They is no military junta running the country. Roberto Micheletti, who is of the same political party as Mr. Zelaya, was sworn in as Interim President and elections are set for this November. No military men are on the ballot, Mr. Micheletti and Mr Zelaya are not on the ballot either. The candidates on the ballot have been campaigning since last year.
You would think that the Obama Adminsitration would support Honduran Democracy against a creeping totalitarianism but alas, no. The Obama Administration finds itself in the strange situation of being on the same side of such "champions" of democracy as Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Raul Castro of Cuba. Who is running Latin American affairs for the US? Bozo the clown? Very strange.
Former President Zelaya has since sneeked back into Honduras a couple of weeks ago and is holed up in the Brazilian Embassy. Discussions are ongoing between him and Mr. Micheletti, and I will review the latest info. Hopefully, Mr. Zelaya will honor the presidential term limits but I wouldn't hold my breath. He is the most dangerous of politicians, the ones that stay on beyond their welcome.
Viva la democracia Hondurena!
Let's start at the beginning. Manuel Zelaya was elected democratically as President of Honduras in 2005. Great, good for the Honduran people. But then a problem started to grow. You see, the Honduran Constitution allows for the President to serve only ONE term. It is limited per the constitution, sorry. But Mr. Zelaya wanted it changed. He proposed a national referendum to change the term limits. Problem. Only the Honduran Congress (yes, they have one) has the power to change the constitution. Another problem. Mr. Zelaya is a big fan of President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. A leader that while was first elected democratically, has since used democratic means such as referendums to change the consititution. President Chavez has since swept away those pesky term limits in Venezuela. He used demcratic means to destroy democracy.
Back to Honduras. The issue went to the Honduran Supreme Court, (yes, they have one of those too) and President Zelaya lost his attempt to change the constitution. Mr. Zelaya started the crisis by declaring his intent to go forward with the referendum no matter what the Honduran Congress and Supreme Court said. What is a democracy with separation of powers to do? The military had the right to enforce the Supreme Court decision, the Supreme Court publicly stated so. The military picked up the President in his pajamas and flew him to Costa Rica. Not nice, but he was not imprisoned, tortured or beaten, simply removed. The Military did NOT take over. The soldiers returned to their barracks. They is no military junta running the country. Roberto Micheletti, who is of the same political party as Mr. Zelaya, was sworn in as Interim President and elections are set for this November. No military men are on the ballot, Mr. Micheletti and Mr Zelaya are not on the ballot either. The candidates on the ballot have been campaigning since last year.
You would think that the Obama Adminsitration would support Honduran Democracy against a creeping totalitarianism but alas, no. The Obama Administration finds itself in the strange situation of being on the same side of such "champions" of democracy as Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Raul Castro of Cuba. Who is running Latin American affairs for the US? Bozo the clown? Very strange.
Former President Zelaya has since sneeked back into Honduras a couple of weeks ago and is holed up in the Brazilian Embassy. Discussions are ongoing between him and Mr. Micheletti, and I will review the latest info. Hopefully, Mr. Zelaya will honor the presidential term limits but I wouldn't hold my breath. He is the most dangerous of politicians, the ones that stay on beyond their welcome.
Viva la democracia Hondurena!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)