Some newses

I am in the middle of a loooong explanificatory post, but in the meantime here are some newsy things I have been thinking about, chortling at, and/or sighing over. Partly just to put them somewhere that isn't loads of open windows, and partly in case you want to read them too.

The global crisis in food prices and availability, while it has been brewing for a long time, has finally sidled into the media spotlight and hence into general consciousness. Working as I do at an agricultural research institute, where these issues are perpetually on our minds, I think this is a very good thing. Whilst not all the efforts people make end up making things better, and there are lots of challenges and no easy solutions, I hope that people - decisionmakers especially, but all of the rest of us too - are realising how crucial agriculture is to our existance, and beginning to place it accordingly at the centre of their consciousnesses and agendas. A fundamental reassessment of our relationship with the land and our environment, and what human life is really for, and what it means for outcomes to be good and worthwhile... this would be nice too, but I'm not putting money on it.

So, the BBC has a pretty good introduction to the food crisis here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7340214.stm
And one among many distressing warnings of the results:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7398750.stm
It is horrifying that almost half of Indian children are already malnourished, and the mechanisms for the long-term magnification of suffering - people forced to drop a daily meal, take girls out of school - are stark.

On the other hand, a positive agricultural story from India. I am naturally a sceptical beast, but it seems that market and other information by text message can really help small farmers:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7385542.stm
(Though of course the poorest farmers can't afford food, let alone phones.)

Talking of cynicism, using construction rubble to make parkland seemed like a really smart idea, until the comments on this story led me to consider that it could be either good or bad for biodiversity:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7310211.stm
This particular project certainly looks pretty manicured. Sad to think that just because it's green and pleasant doesn't mean it's got soul.

Another interesting story out of India - recycling as a small-scale enterprise rather than an industrial process - another paradigm for how things can work?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7354977.stm

The latest in Mexico's ongoing saga of drug-related murders:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7393443.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7399795.stm
These events have really got me thinking about the impact of drugs in Mexico. I am absolutely positive that without illegal drug smuggling Mexico would have much, much less murder, kidnapping, police corruption, political corruption, and crime and violence in general. It might be able to turn the corner on the road out of its appalling mess of corrupt, theiving, unaccountable institutions and build the country it should be, with all its natural and cultural and human wealth. Yet another reason to just say no, kids. Or radically rethink legalisation.

On a serious note, chocolate teacakes are QUITE CLEARLY biscuits and not cakes, though from the table it seems like it's more important what kind of biscuit/cake you are:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7340101.stm
Mmm, what I'd do for a Tunnock's teacake...

Or, three-headed coconut palm anyone?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7358713.stm
I love that people don't just work on the most important staple crops, but somewhere in the world everything has its research centre - and there is something intrinsically endearing about coconuts.

And apparently the world contains colossal squid. Not just giant, colossal. Awesome!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7374297.stm

This story, about the man in Venice who got arrested for photographing women's bottoms made me laugh (my officemate thought I was weird):
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7397426.stm
Obviously he's a creep, but at least he's a hilarious creep...

This sweet little old man, what he managed to do to two porsches, and how nice the garage staff were about it make me smile inside:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7347339.stm
The best of us odd island folk I think.

And finally, "Vatican says aliens could exist". Possibly the best headline ever.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7399661.stm