Panama, 2009 - really nice time
Chunky Euro Cups
My local Rewe grocery store has a promotion where they give away a free soccer star card for every 10 Euros of stuff purchased. Tonight while waiting in line there was a chunky kid, the kind that wears ‘husky’ jeans, sitting at the end of the check out line leaning on the counter having a chat with the check-out girl. About 11 years old and freckles, kid, not the girl.
Some friends I know are eagerly trying to find Mario Gomes in card form and I’m helping where I can. So tonight I picked up my receipt and my little card packages and then our little fellow sprung into action.
“I’ll take those if you don’t want them,” he said in German (I think).
A kid after my own heart. If you want something have the guts, go to the source and figure out a way to do it. It reminds me of digging to the bottom of cereal boxes or collecting wrappers to wind a prize. I like the initiative.
But I still turned him down.
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]
Haribo golden bear isn’t living up to expectations. Feels bad about it all.
Naturally occurring Dadaist art collage.
This guy takes up a lot of space on the dance floor, but he’s got good things to say. So does Amy Goodman.
(Source: paradoxicalirony)
Leather pants and tough choices at the Haribo Factory Outlet
Bleidorn’s in town
You know John Bleidorn is in Germany when you hear someone asking for the ‘rectum’ instead of ‘rechnung’ when asking for bill.
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]
Horacio Enrique Ruiz is a coffee farmer and president of the Fairtrade certified cooperative San Marqueña in Honduras. He had this to share with our followers. Members of the international Fairtrade system attended the SCAA Event, the world’s largest specialty coffee conference, and met with producers, traders, roasters, retailers and more.
“We are a coffee cooperative San Marqueña southern Honduras. We have been in Fairtrade for around 12 years back when it was known as Max Havelaar, since then we have been in Fairtrade. It really is an economic tool in the lives of our producers because Fairtrade has helped with a fairer price, when prices are falling it’s a guarantee we can continue producing coffee.
“Thank you for collaborating and supporting the small producers, and we will continue working to improve our quality and producing organic coffee.”
You can learn more about Horacio’s cooperative, Cocasam at www.cocasam.com. Their 92 members produce over 6,000 quintales per year (google ‘quintal’ to learn about this coffee term) in Southern Honduras.
in Budapest you see cool stuff like this
The unfortunate child laborers of the Children’s Railway in Budapest, Hungary.
How do farmers get Fairtrade certified? Chiraz Skhiri joined one group in Egypt for their first ever inspection audit….
The farmers gathered round closely in the tent, anxious to hear the auditor’s decision.
Tobhar Small Growers Society had prepared so well for their first FLO-CERT audit. Passing it would mean they could sell their wide range of herbal teas and spices on Fairtrade terms, with a solid framework to negotiate good prices. Fairtrade Premium money would help them improve their productivity, or allow them to build a crèche for the children while the women work in the fields. These are all things that are badly needed: Poverty in the Fayoum and in Abshway area of Egypt is everywhere you look, and left me speechless. It’s a reality that I had experienced in many countries but it was the first time that had seen it first-hand in Egypt.
During the audit, I saw the impact of the Fairtrade Liaison Officer’s work. The farmers were so motivated about Fairtrade, and fascinated by the auditing process. They followed the auditors to every farm, got involved in every conversation, didn’t just rely on the president of the cooperative to answer. They spoke enthusiastically about the Fairtrade principles, what the requirements are and moreover, what they mean to them personally.
And now we’re in the tent for the closing meeting, waiting for the audit results. The auditor breaks the news – 100% compliance, and no non-conformities, a perfect result! Now it is just a question of time before they receive their Fairtrade certificate. It was great to be part of this moment!
Chiraz Skhiri is Fairtrade International’s Regional Coordinator for Middle East & North Africa. She travels frequently to the region to help farmers get Fairtrade certified and find buyers for their products. She also visited producers in Palestine. Read her blog entries here.
