Illegal Immigrant Youth 'Come Out' for Reform

Barry Estabrook - 'Tomatoland' - How Industrial Farming 'Destroyed' The Tasty Tomato : NPR:

Lucky for us, we’re enjoying fresh Georgia tomatoes at the moment. But this story on commercially grown tomatoes from Florida explains why so many of the tomatoes we get in grocery stores lack flavor:

If you bite into a tomato between the months of October and June, chances are that tomato came from Florida. The Sunshine State accounts for one-third of all fresh tomatoes produced in the United States — and virtually all of the tomatoes raised during the fall and winter seasons. But the tomatoes grown in Florida differ dramatically from the red garden varieties you might grow in your backyard. They’re bred to be perfectly formed — so that they can make their way across the U.S. and onto your dinner table without cracking or breaking.

From June 1: Colonel Koba Bochoroshvili of the Georgian Border Police in a convoy, somewhere over Kakheti, on the way back from bringing troops to border posts along Chechnya and Dagestan

I submitted some photos to CNN yesterday for an iReport and when I got home from work, I received an email from the Assistant Producer of CNN International asking if they could use my photos for a future gallery on Georgia! They really liked my photos and want to use them! I am so excited to be recognized as a serious photographer with talent and to be included on such an important news site! But more importantly, I’m excited to have such a good industry contact! Perhaps this will lead to bigger and better things! It’s a great day to be me!

See the photos see the photos they will be using here! 

This is Pearl the Pelican. I met her while I was on vacation in St. Simons Island, GA.

SONG Virginia SOMOS Georgia Solidarity EventRepublican mayor in the South becomes unlikely advocate for immigrants - CNN.com:

Excellent story by Catherine Shoichet of CNN:

[Conservative Republican Paul] Bridges [mayor of Uvalda, Georgia] is one of more than a dozen plaintiffs suing Georgia and its governor, trying to stop the state’s new immigration law. They won a reprieve Monday when a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of the law scheduled to go into effect July 1.

More from June 1: commuters and border patrol, hitching a ride down the mountains, somewhere over Kakheti, Georgia. With the roads closed for winter, the border police helicopters are the only way for villagers in the high Caucasus to get medical help and more.

Illegal Immigrant Youth 'Come Out' for Reform:

What these students are doing is really, really brave and great. 

BUT WHY WOULD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE NEUTRAL) ADD THAT COMMENT ON HOW IF THE STUDENTS STAY IN AMERICA THEY WILL BE TAKING AWAY JOBS?????

ARGH. This is supposed to be a story on how these students are speaking up for themselves and you have to go and add that? It’s disgusting. They are standing right in front of you and you still refuse to see the issue with a human aspect.  

Photo

Germany's Greens on course for federal government:

Green Party in Germany has settled in as 2nd strongest party in the wake of Fukushima - new blog post.

Karma charmeleon

Flickr: Air Berlin Airbus A320 D-ALTD (by 64N21W)

Day 1: Traveling

I left on June 11 at about 4:30 pm EST and arrived in Berlin around 8:00 am in their time making it a 9 1/2 hour flight. Then I connect to arrive in Munich.

I liked Air Berlin. They are very nice. The person checking me in at the counter in Miami was the same person to scan the tickets to let us in the plane. So, he remembered me, smiled, and greeted me again. I thought that was nice, granted, I stick out so I am not so difficult to recognize, but it was nice of him. :)

The flight attendants were good as well. I guess the ones for international flights are more happy with their position than the domestic ones. They were willing to go back and find my meal even though I slept through when they were serving it. (Although, I should have remained asleep since the food was not so good.)

Although, it was kind of funny. I was sitting next to this French backpacker guy. He is dark skinned as well, but I guess the people assumed we were together, so they were handing me two of everything while he was asleep, and I’m just there like, Umm, I don’t know this guy…we don’t even speak the same language.

Sleeping on the plane was awkward. Usually, I would flirt with the person next to me so that I can lean on them, but I don’t like the French so much (I’m sorry, I’m an awful person, yes). The douche behind me, was like raging a kicking crusade on the back of my seat. I think he figured I would put it up if he kept kicking, so I made it lower. Usually, I am not such a dick, but it’s a 9 hour flight.

Most of all, I was scared that my luggage would not arrive, it was checked all the way to Munich, so I did not even have visual verification that it left Miami. It was nice to not have to physically walk it through border control, though. I hate that.

Anyways, I forgot my blanket and bus pass holder, which is too bad, since they would have been useful. I missed them while I was freaking out over the luggage limit of 8kg for the carry-on (17 lbs). Although, it did not matter so much. It was liberating to travel a little lighter, though. But I was freaking out the whole time, I asked some random person at passport control if it went through, but of course, language barrier. I learned the word for luggage, though.

Oh and to connect, the terminal was in a different building. I had to leave and walk a long ramp. Berlin airport is weird.

Connecting flight was 10 minutes late. So I was certain that my luggage was not going to arrive since it finally showed up, and we boarded very quickly. The plane seemed pretty new. It was a Boeing something or the other.

Oh, and another thing interesting was the photographers leaning over the barbed wire airport fence to take photos. That would not be allowed in the US.

Anyways, when I got to Munich, the bags took forever, but when they came out I was SOOOOO relieved.

Then I needed to figure out where I was going. No one was there with a sign, and I had no clue who was picking me up. But they found me.

Details on the people I’ve met are to come.

Tchüs!

Germany