View from Across the Pond
By: John Strak
My book list for Christmas
It’s that time of year again, Christmas. And it’s also my 52nd Blog for meatingplace.com.
The two events have conveniently come together and, having served my time with one full year of blogs now in the archive I think I deserve a rest. This week I am going to sign off with a rather different sort of blog. I am going to leave you with a look at my book list for Christmas – and a few thoughts on each of my choices.
Here’s my list in no particular order….
The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley: a must read for anyone who wants to be reminded of how we have always used science to improve the human condition in the past – and how it can solve many of our current problems.
Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World by HRH Prince Charles The Prince of Wales: a book for anyone trying to understand how those distrustful of science and modern methods see the world, and an alternative philosophy.
Fool’s Gold by Gillian Tett: the most convincing and readable account I have found of how the bankers messed us up.
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin: Darwin’s original work has it all, including some insights into how we all have to adapt to survive. Being bigger or smarter never beats being able to adapt in the long run.
A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World by William Bernstein: a riveting and very readable review of how international trade has developed since prehistory. Bernstein shows how the trade in products and goods has had an impact on the world we live in today – and how it has made us all richer, and, perhaps, more vulnerable.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak: narrated by Death itself and wonderfully written by Zusak this book is a celebration of how words can support the individual and sustain the human spirit. It’s set in the Second World War but the story has timeless relevance.
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know by Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE: this book looks back on a life lived at the very limits of human endeavour. Fiennes gives the reader an insight into his adventures of a great British eccentric and achiever. Entertaining, inspiring and completely nuts. After you have read this no challenge will ever seem too big!
I leave you with my choices of what I want to read over the holidays and I know you will have many choices of your own. Whatever you read and wherever you are I wish you happy holidays, a peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year – and the time to read some books.
Industry News U.S. beef, pork exports boom in October
By Tom Johnston on 12/14/2010
Exports of U.S. beef and pork in October respectively rose 37 percent (to $375.3 million) and 9 percent (to $407.8 million) in value compared with the same month last year, according to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Beef surge pushed the year-to-date total to $3.28 billion, exceeding the total of $3.26 billion for the same period in record-setting 2003. Every major destination apart from Mexico experienced a significant increase in purchases.
“With two months of results still to come, we anticipate the possibility of setting a new export value record this year,” USMEF President and CEO Phil Seng said in a news release.
October results, meanwhile, put U.S. pork exports only 3.5 percent behind the all-time record pace of 2008 in terms of value. Mexico, the largest volume market for U.S. pork, already has broken the single-year value record ($762.3 million) it set in 2009. However, Mexico’s 5 percent tariff imposed on U.S. pork in retaliation for the cross-border trucking dispute has limited the potential in that market.
“While USMEF is please with the market penetration we have achieved in Mexico and the new opportunities we have developed, we can’t take this success for granted,” Seng said. “This market is more critical to us than ever, and we need to keep working to resolve this trade impasse.”
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