Hungry Americans vs Hungry Malaysians

Americans: Obese yet Hungry?
When I first visited this country, I was astounded to see so many big people. Obesity is a huge problem afflicting more than one in three Americans.

Obesity affects pets in the US too. Meet Obie the 77 lb daschund. Photo: WRCBTV.com

So, I'd least expect to find people hungry here in the USA. And yet there are. One in six Americans are hungry. That's about 50 million people. Of these, 8.3 million are seniors and 16 million are children.

Non-profit organizations like Meals on Wheels provide one million meals to seniors who need them each day. And Feeding America's network feeds 37 million Americans every year.

Malaysians: No problemo?
Are Malaysians less hungry?

• Google turns up only one article on 'Meals on Wheels' for Malaysia and it isn't really even comparable to the Meals on Wheels in the US. 
• In contrast to the 1 million meals delivered daily by Meals on Wheels, Kechara Soup Kitchen feeds 1800 homeless and urban poor (walk-ins) in Kuala Lumpur weekly. 
• Malaysia was chosen to be the Asia HQ for Stop Hunger Now because "Malaysia does not experience severe hunger" and its "vibrant economy creates a middle class - there is a culture of service..." (Allen Renquist, Stop Hunger Now). 

I don't buy that
(That Malaysians are less hungry than Americans).

A Surprising Find
Guess what: Malaysians and Americans are equally hungry but not severely hungry. An FAO publication "Undernourishment around the world" gives the 'depth of hunger' for both Malaysia and the United States as '140 kcal' (deficit).

Oh, and there are hungry Americans who are obese! Hunger contributes to Obesity.

My two sen
Information on where hungry Malaysians can find food assistance is meagre. I tried the Welfare Department of Malaysia's website, but couldn't find information on applying for monetary assistance or food stamps. I don't think the concept of 'food stamps' actually exists in Malaysia.

I think hunger in Malaysia is simply not highlighted as a serious issue as it is in the US. Americans seem to be taking better care (or at least attempting to) of their hungry.

What do you think?

Driver's Test: FAIL AGAIN

I didn't even make it out of the parking lot this time.

I failed Parallel Park.

I don't even know how I could fail parking. Twenty years of driving, twenty years of parking experience.

I blame the posts. These posts mark the parking box. You must park inside the box without bumping any post.

FAIL

I use cars as my guide when I park. I don't know how to use posts as my reference point. The last time I used a post as my reference point was in my drivers test in Malaysia 20 years ago.

So how?

Moving on.

Dad, my accompanying driver, gets back into the car.

Dad:  I didn't know you don't know how to park!
Me:  (Thanks Dad)...
Dad:  Let's go practise in town.

We drive to town. Dad picks out a spot between two really expensive cars. I obediently parallel park.

Amazing!

Dad: Hmm... It's perfect.
Me: I know. I know how to park.

SIGHHHH!!!!

I have one more chance at taking this test.

Poor Parents Who Can't Pay Child Support Are Jailed: Kick them while they're down!

I'd never known you could be jailed if you didn't pay child support. Here in the US, 1.7% of the jail population are men who didn't pay child support.

One of these men was a war veteran, Lance Hendrix, who after returning from service, was unable to find work and fell behind on his payments. He was put in jail. (Read the article HERE and a civil class action lawsuit against the state of Georgia HERE). That just seems wrong on so many levels, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't actually know someone like that.

So, this friend of mine, also a veteran who served in Iraq (and whom we all are convinced suffers from PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), loses his truck driving job right as his marriage falls apart. His child support payments are $481 a month. He goes through a few more truck driving jobs, none of which pay as much as his former one - actually not even enough for him to survive off. 

A year later, he is put in the slammer for not paying child support. He is released three months later, with worse PTSD from having to be on guard all the time against threats from other inmates. His driver's license is suspended to punish him for not paying child support. So now, he can't drive trucks anymore. He can't drive, period. 

He manages to find work washing dishes at a restaurant, 30 minutes walk from his parents house, where he now lives. He makes about $400 a month. He can't make the child support payments, let alone feed himself.

This dilemma is 'solved' because after a month washing dishes, he is incarcerated again for - you got it - not paying child support. Three more months in jail (and even worser PTSD). Oh yeah, I nearly forgot to mention - the child support payments continue to accrue while he is in jail. He could have been at least making some money washing those dishes! And of course he lost his job as dishwasher since he was jailed. 

He is so, so far behind in payments now it's ridiculous. His next court date for - that's right - failure to pay child support - is coming up again. He's knocking on every door, asking for work, but zilch. 

How do you even begin to help someone like that?

And yet, we are trying. Our darnedest.

xo Gracie