Avoiding catastrophe: Obama's plea for stimulus bill and other top headlines

An excerpt from President Obama's press conference on Monday. I missed the press conference last night. I've heard mixed reports about it. How did he do?




Other headlines snatched from the Web:

Economic crisis comes first Washington Post coverage of Obama presser

Heart shaped potatoes hit shelves The Mirror
Supermarkets are to introduce an ideal treat for Valentine's Day romantics - heart-shaped potatoes. The unique roasting spuds grown in France are now allowed to be sold in Britain after an EU ruling banning the sale of misshapen fruit and vegetables was scrapped in November.

Napolitano: recession could help efforts to curb illegal immigration FoxNews

Grapes on Wal-Mart floor cause $50K in injuries, suit says From The Record
Betty Gomerac was shopping at the O'Fallon Wal-Mart on April 23, 2007, when she fell on grapes that were spilled in the aisle, according to the complaint filed Feb. 4 in St. Clair County Circuit Court. Because of the fall, Gomerac was made sick, sore, lame, disordered and disabled, received injuries to the soft tissues of her cervical, shoulder and lumbar area and incurred medical costs, the suit states.

Markey pushes climate change legislation From FT
Mr Markey said the debate in Congress was no longer focused on whether to pass climate change legislation but on how much to spend on it. His committee’s goal is to complete legislation by Memorial Day so it can go to the House floor.

Access to local food sprouting on the Web Portland Press

Dubbed the Maine Street Marketplace, the delivery system is the latest initiative by Maine farmers to meet the growing demand for locally grown food, fueled by concerns over global warming, high energy prices and food safety.Brenner and Penny Jordan, co-owner of Jordan's Farm in Cape Elizabeth, are leading the initiative, along with the Greater Portland Council of Governments; Cape Farm Alliance; Threshold to Maine Resource Conservation and Development, and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Cumberland County.

Multivitamins disappoint Newsday
Researchers suggest to get nutrients from food: vitamins do nothing to prevent cancer or heart disease. Score for fruits and vegetables....

U.S. relies on states for food safety inspections From AP

State investigators performed more than half the Food and Drug Administration's food inspections in 2007, according to an AP analysis of FDA data. That represents a dramatic rise from a decade ago, when FDA investigators performed three out of four of the federal government's inspections. The Agriculture Department is responsible for meat and dairy safety.

Increased inspection responsibilities have not been accompanied by big spending increases in many states responsible for the bulk of the nation's food production.

The FDA covers some costs for states to perform inspections. But in Pennsylvania and Ohio, for example, each state's own food safety spending increased only slightly since 2003, less than the rate of inflation; in California and Massachusetts, just barely more than inflation; and in New Jersey, spending has remained about the same. Those are among states with the largest numbers of food-processing plants.

Pentagon reports troop obesity up USA Today
From 1998 to 2002, the number of service members diagnosed as overweight remained steady at about one or two out of 100. But those numbers increased after 2003, according to the study, and today nearly one in 20 are diagnosed as clinically overweight.





21 supermarkets fined in NY for selling expired foods From Newsday:
Whole Foods hit for more than $12,000

Growers and buyers pack house for MDA event From American Farm
A buyer-grower meeting attracts near 180, spurred by interest in local food

Produce is foodservice focus QSR
Leaders from Produce Marketing Association (PMA), National Restaurant Association, and International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) have joined forces on a multi-phase project to identify opportunities to increase fresh produce use in foodservice to promote healthy lifestyles.

Canadians pay wide range in prices for healthy foods CBC news
Research from Heart and Stroke Foundation..
"Healthy eating is in danger of being out of reach for many Canadians, a problem which may only get worse given the current downturn in the economy."

UK official: recession could be worst in 100 years Reuters. Yet this Bloomberg columnist published in Seattle PI says we aren't headed to a depression.

Buying organic "well worth the cost" From Natural News

An Armyworm invasion - what if? Dennis Avery in American Daily

Senate stimulus bill lacks E-verify reauthorization News release from FAIR

U.S. dairy farms in crisis Reuters
Many of the more than 60,000 dairy farms in the United States have been cutting costs, selling off their cows, or leaving the dairy business altogether as milk prices plummet 35 percent in just the past two months while dairy farm operating costs remain uncomfortably high.