Have you, gentle reader, while walking the aisles of your local supermarket, remarked on the steep price increases in lemons(almost double) and the near-impossibility of procuring lemon juice from concentrate in its distinctive green plastic containers? Well, we did. In fact, so astounded were we by the absence of one of our staples, that we went to another food establishment and were met with the same shelve inadequacy. Conspiracy you say? Far from it! Due to a series of weather-related catastrophes, lemon production has been curtailed severely. Starting with a devastating January 2007 freeze in California to an equally deleterious temperature dip in Argentina, and combined with severe droughts in Spain, all these events have added up to a global shortage of lemons. The latest figures show a worldwide drop from 4,640,000 metric tons in 2006/2007 to 3,675,000 metric tons in 2007/2008. And the forecasts, while slightly hopeful, are only so if certain criteria are met. So if you see lemons and lemon juice, pick ’em up. And remember that this is not the only global shortage we have seen; look at what happened to lentils and rice. Additional information may be found here: Citrus: World Markets and Trade. Reduced Lemon Output Brings Down Total Citrus Production(July 2008); Lemon Shortage Not Over Yet(November 2007); Argentina Citrus Semi-Annual Report(May 2008); Global Shortage Means It’s A Sour Summer Ahead for Lemon Lovers(June 2008); Fruit and Tree Nuts Situation and Outlook Yearbook 2008(October 2008); Sunkist 2007 Annual Report; and Weekly Market Update Report(January 15 2009)
Archive for January, 2009
Global Economy in Crisis
Such is the title of this Council on Foreign Relations site. Included here are interviews, “must reads,” and “essential documents.” This is a worthwhile site, aggregating many of the most important writings/reports on this topic.
2009 Report Card on America’s Infrastructure
Published annually by the American Society of Civil Engineers, this report critically examines 15 sectors of American infrastructure from aviation through wastewater. Unfortunately the cumulative card is a D, with a very troubling rating of D- for the water sector. The Society calculates that it would cost $2.2 trillion to remediate these poor showings for all the sectors. You can also view the 2007 report card for New Jersey; we rate a C-. This CRS report should also be perused – The Role of Public Works Infrastructure in Economic Stimulus.
Holocaust Survivors’ Recorded Interviews
These interviews were conducted in recent years as part of a larger initiative – The Living Memory of the Jewish Community, which is itself subsumed under the National Life Stories Project in England. Over 440 hours of recordings can be listened to. Most interviews have extensive abstracts as well as a full transcript. Visit the British Library’s Voices of the Holocaust section where audio and printed versions of “survivor testimonies” are arranged by topic.
Transcript of Obama’s Interview on Al Arabiya TV
President Obama’s interview on this Dubai-based network is the start of his promise to begin the healing process in the Middle East. To further his goals, the President designated George Mitchell, author of the 2001 Mitchell Report on Mideast violence, as his Special Envoy to the Middle East.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
As was mentioned in a previous post, then President-elect Obama presented his ideas for this act in a speech. Since then much has happened; the House is considering this bill (H.R. 1), while their counterparts in the Senate have placed a version(S.1) on their calendar for consideration. The Congressional Budget Office has released a cost estimate for this act as it was introduced into the House as of January 26. The Senate Finance Committee has released what is known as the Chairman’s Mark(areas for discussion). The White House has made public its own analysis, detailing specific benchmarks and goals to be realized. CRS has issued two relevant reports as well: Economic Stimulus: Issues and Policies, and States and Proposed Economic Recovery Plans. And here is a concise Backgrounder from the Council on Foreign Relations.
Who’s Who in Washington
With the most sweeping staff changes in eight years, there are so many new faces in Washington that it is almost impossible to keep tabs on all of them. The Washington Post has just launched whorunsgov.com, a site carrying profiles of many of these new players. From Hill staffers to former Clinton administration politicos who now inhabit President Obama’s inner circle, this site gives you an insight into who these people are and why they matter. A great place to find information and source documentation. In concert with SourceWatch, another great site for unearthing information of those in power, whorunsgov.com allows all of us to keep abreast of the doings of the movers and shakers whether they are elected, appointed, or otherwise part of the fabric that holds DC together.
Super Bowl XLIII
For those who need some Super Bowl sites to visit, try these: you can get recaps of all the previous games here; trivia games can also be enjoyed; the Census Bureau has its own feature for you to peruse; and visit the official NFL site. Read this 1878 New York Times article about a football match between Fordham and Columbia.
The Macintosh is 25 Years Old
On January 24, 1984 , Apple unveiled its much-awaited personal computer – the Mac. Fronted by an advertisting campaign featuring one the best commercials ever made – “1984” directed by Ridley Scott, the Mac challenged other computer makers with its user-friendly features. See Wired Magazine’s 25 Years of Mac as well as the similarly titled 25 Years of the Mac. Other sites of interest: Making the Macintosh: Technology and Culture in Silicon Valley; PBS’ Triumph of the Nerds; A History of the Personal Computer; Apple’s 1984: The Introduction of the Macintosh in the Cultural History of Personal Computers; and the New York Times on Apple.
What Are Executive Orders?
“An incoming President, who is eager to act quickly on his policy agenda, seeking to modify or overturn certain of his predecessor’s actions, or distinguish himself from his predecessor, particularly when they are from different parties, would find executive orders an effective way to accomplish these objectives.” ( Executive Orders and Proclamations. CRS, 1999, p.11) Sound familiar? Much press has been given to President Obama’s issuance of several major executive orders, which are all available for perusal. Just what is an executive order? “An executive order (EO) is a directive issued to executive-level agencies, department heads or other employees from the President….Thirty days after it is offically published in the Federal Register, an EO becomes law.”(About.com. US Government Info). As can be seen, the President can single-handedly make law, bypassing Congress entirely. Obviously, such power can prove contentious among the three branches of government. And remember that these orders can have far-reaching impact. Just look at President Franklin Roosevelt’s EO 9066 - “Authorizing the Secretary of War to Prescribe Military Areas” – which led directly to the establishment of internment camps for Japanese-Americans. This is a power which needs to be exercised with caution, intelligence, and judgment. The following articles and opinion pieces will allow you access to thoughts from many different angles and also provide you with a good deal of history about this relatively unknown (at least to outsiders) Presidential perogative: The Use and Abuse of Executive Orders and Other Presidental Directives; Executive Orders and Presidential Power(a widely cited article); The Last One Hundred Days(has a solid bibliography); A Majority of One: Presidential Leadership Through Executive Orders(how the use of executive orders aided the civil rights movement); Executive Orders and National Emergencies: How Presidents Have Come to “Run the Country” by Usurping Legislative Power; and this 2008 CRS report – Presidential Transitions: Issues Involving Outgoing and Incoming Administrations(the use of executive orders on both sides of the transition). A searchable data base of more than 3000 executive orders dating back to 1826 is available here.
