All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

The Day in Gun Violence – NYTimes.com

“Sturm Ruger, the largest gun manufacturer in America, gives $1 to the N.R.A. for each gun sold.”

It’s no wonder that the organization, which actually used to spearhead gun control legislation, wants the fewest possible regulations on its chief moneymaker. Here is today’s report.

—Jennifer Mascia

A 13-year-old boy is dead and a 17-year-old boy is in serious condition following shootings outside a convenience store in Newport News, Va., early Tuesday. Lutrell Kittle, 13, was shot once in the upper body while standing in front of the store; he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Several minutes later, the 17-year-old was shot multiple times in his upper and lower body. Police are investigating.

via The Day in Gun Violence – NYTimes.com.

Raw Milk from PA Dairy Sickens 5 with Campylobacter | Food Safety News

At least five people who drank raw milk purchased from The Family Cow dairy in Chambersburg, Penn. have fallen ill with Campylobacter infection, according to the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture and Health.

Based on reports of illness, state agriculture officials collected samples from the dairy on May 17 to test for Campylobacter. Those samples were confirmed positive on Tuesday.

Officials have asked the farm to stop selling milk until further notice. The dairy sells directly to customers from the farm, as well as from retail stores around Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.

The milk is sold in plastic gallon, half-gallon, quart and pint containers labeled “raw milk.”

Milk from The Family Cow dairy, sometimes called Your Family Cow, made headlines for another Campylobacter outbreak in early 2012. Milk from the dairy was found to have sickened at least 80 people, making it the largest raw milk outbreak in Pennsylvania history.

via Raw Milk from PA Dairy Sickens 5 with Campylobacter | Food Safety News.

Smithfield To Be Acquired by Chinese Meat Processor

Smithfield Foods Inc. announced May 29 an agreement to be acquired by Chinese meat firm Shuanghui International Holdings Ltd. The “merger agreement” values Smithfield at approximately $7.1 billion, including the assumption of Smithfield’s net debt, or $34 per share in cash, a premium of 31 percent over Smithfield’s closing stock price on May 28.

The agreement already had been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. Shuanghui International is the majority shareholder of Henan Shuanghui Investment & Development Co. (www.shuanghui-international.com), which is China’s largest meat processing enterprise and China’s largest publicly traded meat products company as measured by market capitalization.

“This is a great transaction for all Smithfield stakeholders, as well as for American farmers and U.S. agriculture,” said C. Larry Pope, pres/CEO of Smithfield. “We have established Smithfield as the world’s leading and most trusted vertically integrated pork processor and hog producer, and are excited that Shuanghui recognizes our best-in-class operations, our outstanding food safety practices and our 46,000 hard-working and dedicated employees. It will be business as usual — only better — at Smithfield.

via Smithfield To Be Acquired by Chinese Meat Processor.

Rockets from Syria hit north-east Lebanon | News , Local News | THE DAILY STAR

Syrian rebels claim responsibility for bombarding Hermel, a stronghold of Hezbollah, in repsonse for the party’s involvement in fighting alongside the troops of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

via Rockets from Syria hit north-east Lebanon | News , Local News | THE DAILY STAR.

Support for Assad spills into Lebanon – sigh

Settlers uproot olive trees near Nablus | Maan News Agency

Israeli settlers uprooted over 300 olive trees near the village of Awarta southeast of Nablus on Wednesday, a local official said.

The Israeli liaisons office told its Palestinian counterparts that over 300 olive trees inside the fences of Itamar, settler-monitoring official Ghassan Daghlas told Ma’an.

He said the trees were within the settlement’s boundaries but belonged to Palestinians.

Daghlas described the incident as a “new crime” against Palestinians and accused the Israeli army standing by instead of protecting civilians under occupation.

via Settlers uproot olive trees near Nablus | Maan News Agency.

If this were Palestinians uprooting Israeli trees, what would the police and army be doing?

The White House Kitchen Garden Summer Harvest | Let’s Move!

Today, a group of student helpers joined First Lady Michelle Obama for the summer White House kitchen garden harvest. For this harvest, the First Lady invited children from two New Jersey communities that were affected by Hurricane Sandy and invited back all the children who helped plant the garden in April so they could see the fruits of their labors. First Lady Michelle Obama and the students got their hands dirty picking produce from the garden.

via The White House Kitchen Garden Summer Harvest | Let’s Move!.