Avian Flu Scare Takes Off · ...So Much Trust · Support in Fight Against Hunger · Haiku O'The Week ·

Don’t get scared … yet. As the ion-backed, media-hyped, get-me-an-onscreen-analyst scare of the season. Unlike with Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration will not be able to offer us “we’ll get it right next time” or “we’ll have a committee look into what went wrong” — they get one shot. While potential exists for the deaths of millions of people, at this time only 65 people have died from the virus. According to the World Health Organization, “all evidence to date indicates that the [Avian] virus does not spread easily from birds to infect humans.” In fact, despite the small number of human infections, the WHO’s threat level has not changed. It is still at phase 3, meaning a “virus new to humans is causing infections, but does not spread easily from one person to another.” Moral of the story — if you do develop a cough after some chicken parmesan, refrain from freaking out. –Damian Joseph

Despite backlash from the most vociferous conservative voices, South Carolina’s political leaders are supporting President Bush’s nomination of Harriet Miers. According to an article that ran in The Post and Courier, Sen. Jim DeMint has stated, “My confidence is based not only on her convincing resume, but my trust in President Bush.” Furthermore, the Greenville News reports DeMint as stating, “It’s going to have to come down to, do we trust Bush on this one.” Lindsey Graham is also pledging his support. In a recent press release, Graham stated, “President Bush has made a solid pick for the Supreme Court … her legal experience combined with her life experience makes her a solid choice.” It seems that the debate over whether to support Supreme Court nominations based on “presidential trust” will not be without passion. CNN taped Graham telling opponents of Miers’ appointment to “Just shut up for a few minutes and give the lady a chance to find out who she is.” –DJ

Former chair of the Lowcountry Food Bank Archie McRee has left his position to head the newly-created Growing Food Locally program. This program is set to work in conjunction with the Food Bank by means of securing locally-grown food for the people they serve. The new program could be critical for the local economy; by cutting transportation costs, it creates local jobs while also saving at-risk family farms. “We live in one of the most agri-rich areas in the nation, but the majority of our food is trucked in from 1,600 miles away.” McRee wants to reverse his claim by guaranteeing local farmers an outlet to provide fresh and nutritious food at a greater rate of distribution in the 10 counties served by the Food Bank. Growing Food Locally already has the support of 10 local farmers and Clemson University and will buy food directly from the producer and immediately turn it over to the shelters and soup kitchens in our area. In some instances, the raw produce will never even have to pass through the Food Bank’s warehouse, and McRee hopes that in three years, 50 percent of the total food being distributed will be either fruits or vegetables. McRee further believes he is helping to establish a new (or resurrecting an old) form of economics that will keep locally-earned profit in the Lowcountry. The biggest hurdle McRee sees for this program is not the production or distribution but, sadly, convincing people to eat nutritionally. “South Carolina has such a history of obesity and fried cooking that the educational side of this program is the biggest problem.” — Neal Sakash

Wilma, last storm named
Next, Alpha through Omega
Someone build an ark!