Those who are hungry deserve to eat...

[In an effort to highlight what I believe to be the important information from the program, I have edited the transcript...]

The Faces of America’s Hungry

on Moyers & Company… “A Place at the Table”

BILL MOYERS:

...the House of Representatives wrestled over a farm bill because members of congress continued to fight over how many billions to slash from the food stamp program...they got the farm bill through by stripping food stamps out of it completely, to be voted on some other day...again we heard all the clichés about freeloaders who are undeserving of government help, playing the system and living large at the expense of taxpayers. This movie, “A Place At The Table” breaks those stereotypes apart and shows us that hunger hits hard at people who work hard to make a living...

...Kristi Jacobson, one of the film’s directors and producers...Mariana Chilton...teaches public health at Drexel University and is director of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities. She’s also founder of Witnesses to Hunger...

...a rancher and a police officer in Colorado, each struggling to make ends meet. Believe it or not, they have to rely on the charitable food programs sponsored by the church of a local minister...

ADAM APPELHANZ in A Place at the Table:
About a month ago we had three officers, including myself, but however, due to budget constraints we’re now down to just me...I haven’t received a pay raise in four years and what I used to spend on a month in groceries now gets me about two weeks.

I have utilized Pastor Bob’s food bank...The stereotype of food banks is always for the unemployed or the disabled, people that can’t go out and get a job. That’s not always the case. Sometimes in life you just get to points where you need a little extra help.

JOEL in A Place at the Table:
Ranching is a...lot of work...But the way the economy and everything has gone south, I have had to go find another job out of the house. So I work on the ranch from 7:00 in the morning till 3:00 in the afternoon and then at 3:00 in the afternoon till 11:00 at night I go down and clean the school.

...Your kids is the main one and that’s part of the reason I did take a second job, is so I can help buy groceries and put food on the table for my kids.

BILL MOYERS: So, a cop who doesn't make enough money to meet all of his food needs and a cowboy who has to take two jobs to help feed his children...

KRISTI JACOBSON: Sadly they're not the exception, in fact they're very representative. When we were making this film we traveled all over the country and again and again met people who were working and trying to make ends meet but were not able to put food on the table...

MARIANA CHILTON:  ...the press and our legislators have a certain stereotype about who's poor and who's not and this concept of the deserving poor...

...They're often working two or three jobs. Sometimes they'll have to work under the table in order to make ends meet, trying to find side jobs. They're hustling really hard.

And I see the police chief, I see the cowboy who's also taking on that second job. What I see is common among then is a loss of dignity in the work. You can actually work full time and your family is still hungry? There's a very big problem in this country that we are not valuing hard work like we used to.

MARION NESTLE in A Place at the Table: If you look at what has happened to the relative price of fresh fruits and vegetables it’s gone up by 40 percent since 1980 when the obesity epidemic first began.

In contrast, the relative price of processed foods has gone down by about 40 percent. So if you only have a limited amount of money to spend you’re going to spend it on the cheapest calories you can get and that’s going to be processed foods. This has to do with our farm policy and what we subsidize and what we don’t.

MARIANA CHILTON: Hunger and obesity are both forms of malnutrition.

...not getting the right kinds of nutrients for an active and healthy life. If you go back to the definition of food insecurity it means having enough food for an active and healthy life. So when people think about hunger they think, "Oh, it's just not enough food." But actually food insecurity which is a much broader term, much more precise, captures that type of experience where families don't have enough money for healthy and fresh food so they will, in order to stretch their dollar, they'll spend it on soda or on foods that have very high calories. Because they know that their kids are hungry, they have to be able to stretch their dollar in order to fill their own tummies and the tummies of their children.

They know it's not healthy, but they're just trying to figure out what the immediate, the immediacy of hunger. So they eat lots of high calories, salt, sodium. Those are the kinds of things that are not good for an active and healthy life. It's another form of hunger. So you can look at people who are overweight and obese and think maybe they don't have enough money for food, maybe they're anxious about where their next meal is coming from.

BILL MOYERS: You say in the film that there are 50 million people, one in six who are food insecure, who do not have enough good nutrition to thrive.

KRISTI JACOBSON: It's shocking that here in the wealthiest nation on earth we have this many people who do not have either access to healthy foods or nor can they afford it...look at why we have such a large problem, a big problem here in this country.

BILL MOYERS: ...one out of every two kids in this country at some point in their childhood as I learned from your film will be on food assistance, one out of two?

CBS NARRATOR in Hunger in America: ...In this country, the most basic human need must become a human right.

JOEL BERG in A Place at the Table: The 80’s created the myth that A. hungry people deserved it and B. well we could really fill in the gaps with the charities.

JANET POPPENDIECK in A Place at the Table: And so we had a proliferation of emergency responses, soup kitchens, food pantries moving from literally a shelf in the cupboard of the pastor’s office to an operation with regular hours.

LARRY BROWN in A Place at the Table: Something changed during that period of time. There developed this ethos that government was doing too much and more importantly, the private sector is wonderful and let’s feed people through charity.

JANET POPPENDIECK in A Place at the Table: We have basically created a kind of secondary food system for the poor in this country. Millions and millions of Americans, as many as 50 million Americans, rely on charitable food programs for some part of meeting their basic food needs.

MARIANA CHILTON in A Place at the Table: ...The churches and the community groups that do hand out food...that’s just a quick fix, that’s for today and tomorrow and maybe for next week. We call it emergency food? It’s no longer emergency food. This is called chronic use of a broken system...

JEFF BRIDGES in A Place at the Table: ...We don’t fund our Department of Defense through charity...We shouldn’t see that our kids are healthy through charity either.

KRISTI JACOBSON: ...despite all the money that's being raised, despite the food drives, despite the proliferation of these food banks and soup kitchens we still have 50 million people who are food insecure.

...food bank directors repeatedly sharing with us..."We can't do this alone. We need government to play its role." Because it should be an emergency food system...it should be complementing government programs that really address the needs of the most vulnerable.

MARIANA CHILTON: ...Food stamps or SNAP it's called, WIC, Women, Infants and Children, school breakfast and school lunch, after school feeding programs.

...in the health and well being of children and adults...their cognitive, social and emotional development is better. We know that they're less likely to be hospitalized.

...these programs we know have a tangible public health impact. There's no research that shows what kind of impact the emergency food system is having. We know that when about 30 million children are being fed every day in this country through school breakfast and school lunch, that is magnificent. And those kinds of programs need to be protected and to be promoted.

MARIANA CHILTON: ...in our research we know that food stamps do help to prevent hospitalizations, they do promote health, it does help. But the...way that the government calculates how much an adequate meal or an adequate sort of thrifty food basket costs is actually inadequate for a healthy diet. So even if you have families that are receiving the maximum allotment, as if they had no other income, they still can't make ends meet.

Representative James McGovern of Massachusetts

REP. JAMES MCGOVERN in A Place at the Table: I lived on a food stamp diet for a week along with Jo Ann Emerson from Missouri. We did so because we thought that the food stamp benefit was inadequate. Most of my colleagues had no idea that the average food stamp benefit was $3 a day.

I had my budget and I went to a supermarket and it took me an awful long time because you have to add up every penny and it has to last you for a week. And so I did it and I will tell you I, I was tired, I was cranky because I couldn’t drink coffee because coffee was too expensive. I mean there are people who are living on that food stamp allocation. And you really can’t. For us it was an exercise that ended in a week. For millions of other people in this country that’s their way of life; every day is a struggle just to eat.

MARIANA CHILTON: Suicidal ideation, so it's thinking about, "Oh, what does it matter that I live?" It's thinking about killing yourself. These are very depressing and stressful experiences to experience hunger, to see your parents struggling with that and to struggle yourself.

...we are developing a whole half of the country overall...are underpaid, undervalued, unhealthy...

Representative, Republican Representative Steven King of Iowa.

REP. STEVE KING: Handing out benefits is not an economic stimulator. But we want to take care of the people that are needy, the people that are hungry, and we’ve watched this program grow from a number that I think I first memorized when I arrived here in Congress, about 19 million people, now about 49 million people. And it appears to me that the goal of this administration is to expand the rolls of people that are on SNAP benefits. And their purpose for doing so in part is because of what the gentleman has said from Massachusetts. Another purpose for that though is just to simply expand the dependency class.

MARIANA CHILTON: ...There is no evidence that the food stamp program creates dependency.

...they're pinning the problems that we have in this country on people who are poor. If you think about people who are poor really-- you have 80 percent of people who are food insecure are actually working. That means their wages are so low that they're eligible for food stamps.

...Let's talk about corporations and businesses that pay such low wages that they depend on the United States government to add money to those wages through the Income Assistance Programs, like SNAP. So because if you take a company like Walmart, pays their workers so low that their workers are actually eligible for food stamps. Who's dependent on the U.S. government? I'd have to say it's Walmart is the welfare queen here.

KRISTI JACOBSON: ...look at how many corporations and agribusinesses are collecting subsidies out of the same government bill, the farm bill.

...there is an ethos in Congress right now that assisting those individuals who need help via the food stamp program or WIC or school meals is big government and is going to put us into debt. But providing subsidies to large agribusinesses and big corporations is just business as usual.

MARIANA CHILTON:

Somehow when we think about helping people who are poor, many of whom are working, it's there becomes this type of societal vitriol towards people who are poor as if they're not us...people who are poor are all around us. Their children are going to the same schools oftentimes. We need to really rethink about who we are as a country, what does it mean to be an American. If you think about one in five of our children living in households that are food insecure, they're just as American as the rest of us, we need to really invest in our own country and who we are.

BILL MOYERS: ...the Food Stamp Act...1964...the whole bill was only eight pages long..."To raise levels of the nutrition among low income households and to permit those households with no incomes to receive a greater share of a nation's food abundance"...

Arizona governor corrected about statements regarding stopping transplants

Transcripts

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Aired January 7, 2011 - 22:00   ET

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR:

...Arizona Governor Jan Brewer...

...we invited her on the program. She declined...

...Governor Brewer somehow found time to appear over on FOX News.

During that interview, Governor Brewer downplayed the effectiveness of bone marrow transplants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "ON THE RECORD WITH GRETA VAN SUSTEREN")

BREWER: Bone marrow transplants we still cover, if it is a donor given from the -- from the family, meaning that, if your sister would donate the marrow to you, because it's more of a successful rate.

Those that are outside generally, according to our records, we have that 14 bone marrow transplants have been utilized, and 13 of those people did not successfully live long afterwards.

So, you know, these are difficult decisions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER:
...not true. In a letter to Governor Brewer, Dr. Jeffrey Schriber, who runs Arizona's largest adult bone marrow transplant center, writes: "Our data was virtually identical to the national data, with 42 -- with 42 percent alive and apparently cured of their disease."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "ON THE RECORD WITH GRETA VAN SUSTEREN")

BREWER: A lot of transplants are still being provided in the state of Arizona.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST, "ON THE RECORD": By the state of Arizona or privately?

BREWER: By the state of Arizona. The bottom line is, is that we still provide, even with the cuts, heart transplants, liver transplants, kidney transplants, pancreas, and kidney transplants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER:
...Liver transplants are not fully covered under the new system. The patient who died last week, for instance, was denied funding for a transplant because he had hepatitis C.

...transplant groups say they use outdated, even faulty data.

For instance, lung transplants were cut out entirely because Arizona's version of Medicaid said data showed the surgery did not extend life expectancy. According to USTransplant.org, though, which provides the national report card for all major organ transplants, about 66 percent of patients survive at least three years after having the transplant.

...Representatives at transplant programs at four Arizona hospitals wrote her offering cost-cutting measures.

Democratic state lawmakers have suggested dipping into federal stimulus money, $30 million, they say, but they say Governor Brewer has been vague about how much, if any, of that money is left. Some has already gone to fixing the roof on a rarely-used coliseum.

And enough money has been spent on algae research to fund the transplant program two times over. Five families dropped from the transplant list, they have gotten so fed up, they launched a Web site to show just how much money is out there. They say they have identified $2.1 million for Arizona's portion of the settlement with AIG, $6 million in unclaimed lottery prizes, and get this, $1.25 million left over from a recently canceled project to build a bridge to save 250 squirrels, not people, squirrels.

Earlier, I spoke with Arizona Senate Minority Leader David Schapira. He calls Governor Brewer a one-person death panel, also Douglas Gravagna, who needs a heart transplant, was a candidate under Arizona's Medicaid program until the rules were changed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: Senator-elect Shapira, I mean, the governor has asked for ideas on how to make up the budget shortfall. She now seems sort of open to ideas.

But the governor's spokesperson released a statement yesterday that reads in part -- quote -- "The minority leader has yet to produce a single proposal to resolve Arizona's massive Medicaid deficit, only this empty rhetoric."

Have there been proposals submitted to the governor?

DAVID SCHAPIRA (D), ARIZONA STATE SENATOR-ELECT: Well, I think one thing that is interesting, the governor has a serious timing issue on this issue. And -- and -- and, in this particular case, I'm -- I'm not the minority leader. I won't be until Monday. I'm not even a sworn-in state senator yet. And so, you know, they're coming out criticizing saying that, for the last year, they have been asking me, when the -- the minority leader they may be referring to is someone who passed away actually a few months ago.

I actually, even though I'm not sworn in as minority leader, have already presented multiple proposals to them. And, in fact, our caucus will introduce a bill on Monday that will offer up just one of those many proposal.

COOPER: What are some of the other proposals?

SCHAPIRA: I mean, there's lots of things that we can do. The one that we will be offering up Monday, in Arizona, we have an accounting credit where, for retailers like myself, if you file your sales tax on time, you get basically a gift from the state, saying thank you for filing on time. That's -- that's about $10 million. That would -- about eight times as much as the cost of this transplant program.

COOPER: What about the stimulus funds?

(CROSSTALK)

COOPER: Because the governor's office says it's all accounted for. But -- but you think there's another $30 million that could be used for these transplants, right?

SCHAPIRA: Well, the governor has publicly announced all but $30 million of the stimulus money, of -- of how she plans to spend the stimulus money. We did a public records request. And basically she said to us that the $30 million's been spent.

And in the public records request, she kind of generically said, this much money for public safety, this much money for counties and the cities. Those checks haven't been written. And I can't think of -- I can't think of anything more important than -- than restoring funding for these transplants.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1101/07/acd.02.html

9 to 5: Days in Porn, review

I received a "screener" before the DVD will be available to the public.

From their website:

"...It’s a documentary that gives you an inside look into the world of porn by portraying the lives of 10 people from the industry that we spent over a year getting to know."

It was completed in July 2008 so, based on some time frames given throughout the documentary, I assume the filming began around January of 2007. (Keep that in mind as you read about the "newcomer" below...)

Most of the adult businesses are based in California in the San Fernando Valley...also known as "Porn Valley". Since the 1970s it has become the place from which most of the product available in the United States of America has roots. The documentary covers: the companies that produce pornography, the distributors of the product, the producers, the agents, the actors, and the directors.

A husband and wife who are both actors are followed, as well as some who are new to the business and those who have been around since the '70s.

I was very interested in what veterans of the industry had to say...their experiences, suggestions, etcetera...so that I can compare that with those who are currently in the business.

Sharon Mitchell was an adult actress for over twenty-five years, appeared in over two thousand movies, and performed as a dancer. After being attacked by a fan she became a Clinical Sexologist, obtained a doctorate in Human Sexuality, and is a certified counselor (specializing in STDs and Chemical Dependency). She also operates AIM Healthcare, a non-profit organization in Encino (California) that tests for STDs and provides counseling services for issues that are related to substance abuse.

Mitchell makes a point that those who participate in pornography are the misfits and renegades of society. (I agree. And believe that those who enjoy it probably can also wear those labels...)

Another veteran, Nina Hartley, gives her opinions about the business. And "newcomers" have their own opinions...

In this, Sasha Grey is "The Rookie": she began her career in 2006, and this documentary is being made before she became very popular and well known.

Her first agent, Mark Spiegler, is shown as he goes through his day of managing his talent; her at-the-time boyfriend...now fiance...Ian Cinnamon also expresses his thoughts and feelings.

Not surprising is that sisters have worked in the industry together, such as Mia and Ava Rose. To me they clearly love eachother, and Mia gains strength and feels comfortable having Ava around (when she was...you'll understand this comment when you see the scene I'm referring to).

I assume we all expect those who are related to this type of business will be discriminated against. But for someone to have their World of Warcraft account terminated shocked me! It appears to me that Blizzard/WoW was being nit-picky...after learning of her existance in their universe. (Porn stars need guilds, too...)

There's some conversation about the types of expectations that those who are inexeperienced in sexual activities (virgins, et alia) will have based on what they see in some productions. Will they consider what is seen as behavior(s) expected of them, and is considerd the norm? That's a good question.

Three major reasons are given that women work (as actresses) in the industry. As I remember, the reasons were given by Mitchell. I wish all participants in the documentary had been asked why they chose adult entertainment as a career...

There was mention of what actresses aren't warned about before they begin performing, and how some performers can be used and abused: used by agents, producers, etcetera. I wanted to know more about what had happened, and how they were swindled or taken advantage of. I'm sure others who might enter this field need to know this information, as well.

Working hard and planning financially for the future was mentioned, but not examined. Some idea is given about the amount of money that can be earned. But what I didn't learn about, that I'm very interested in, are those who properly managed their business for lifelong financial success:

How much did they make?

How often did they make certain amounts?

What did they do with the money after it had been received?

Who successfully provided for the future, and how did they do it?

If you've wondered what it's like to work in adult entertainment, or have thought about being in the business, this DVD is for you! There are very graphic scenarios, and they need to...and should...be included: the reality needs to be shown with no softening of the view.

Between segments music is played as if it's being broadcast on a radio station. KQDJ is the call sign that was given, but I believe it's fictional because I cannot find any information about it ever existing at the frequency that was announced.

As of the time of this posting, I did not find any information on their website about the music that was used, and where I can get more information on it. Maybe it will later be available...

The runtime is over 90 minutes.

http://www.9to5-themovie.com/

For bonus clips, go to http://blog.9to5-themovie.com/

The DVD can be purchased at http://www.amazon.com/9-5-Days-Sasha-Grey/dp/B003804YQA

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