The Capitol at Sacramento and the UC Davis Meat Lab

The highlight of the day was the visit to the state Capitol of California which is just across the road from where we stay, Hyatt, Sacramento. We were taken to the Assembly (lower house) and the Senate (upper house) and then had discussion with the Consusltant for the Senate Committee on Agriculture. A lot of important issues were raised. The budget cut in recent years, the conflicting interests withing agriculture - for instance, citrus groweres do not want bees near them while growing seedless varieties whereas almong growers and bee-keepers would prefer them. The shortage of labour as there have been restrictions on cross-border migration from Southern America.

As the budget is to be decided there were many lobby groups that we saw today. Most important were the teachers who have been reeling under cuts for the last three fours. In fact, last year many teachers lost their jobs and as a result the quality of teaching has been impacting.

The other isues of concern are hunger and homelessness. Almost one in six/seven Americans are facing hunger. And this situation has worsened in the last couple of years. Our discuss with small business and restaurants revaled that business has been poor in the last two years and the difficult part is that they do not see thing being revived in the forseeable future.

We began the day at the University of California Davis Meat Lab where we were told about different processes in slaughtering cattle, lamb, and hog (pig). The United States Departemnt of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors are to be present before an animal is butchered to ensure 'ethical' treatment before being butchered. Well, these are meant to ensure food safety standards. They use some 'foodgrade' chemicals to keep the environment fly free, they keep the digestive tract empty by not feeding tthe animal the previous night to reuduce possibilities of bacteria. After being butchered they are cleaned properly and stored in below 45 degree farhenite to ensure bacteria free environment. An animal can be slaughted under state inspector but that can be used only for personal consumption and cannot be sold in the market.

Meat are graded and those with more fat content and of poor quality are priced the cheapest. These are the ones you will find in fast food and those frequented by the poor leading to greater ill health.  One observed a  homeless man in a bicycle came and put his head into dustbins looking for food. We are in telling times.

Tour of Washington DC

Hello!

I have already been around for more than a day. Yesterday morning went by smoothly with not much of action, but whiling around my time at The River Inn. It is a nice cozy place. The Business and Fitness centre has a gym and and two computers with internet (one of them is not working for the time being), but as there is not much rush, I could spend some time correcting a note in the forenoon and some chatting up.

In the afternoon we went around seeing the place, Washington DC (wher DC indicates formerly district of Columbia). The place itself was built as a capital and started functioning since 1800 (more than 200 years now) and is sandwiched between Virginia (located to its south), with which it is separated by the Potomac river and Maryland (located to its north).

The tour of this historic place (about 210 years only) is different and unique from many other places. They are monuments of democracy. We began our tour from the White House. The place where the President of the United States of America stays and works. It was deliberately built not to so the granduer of a palace meant for Kings because the person (it was always been he so far) is a representative of the people.

The next is the Capitol, the seat of power (or the parliament) constructed on a hill. This is the most powerful institution and the biggest and grandest building of DC. It houses the Congress, comprising the Senate (two respresentative each from the 50 states) and the house of representatives. This is the most powerful institution in a democracy. The people's power. (The irony is that top of the Capitol has an American Indian lady facing east. One story is that it represents justice and equality. From the about 600 American Indian communities perhaps only about 100 ramain. The words justice and equality keeps echoing).

Our next stop was the Jefferson memorial (built after the third President) and espoused as an important contributor to the cause of democracy, he was the principal author of the 'Declaration of Independence', propounded separation of state and the religion and espoused republicanism (liberty and inalienable rights). The cherry trees gifted by the Japanese makes the plae live with cherry blossoms in April and the national festival associated with it durig the onset of sprin is a also a celebration of people's participation.

The fourth stop was Lincoln memorial (built after Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President) who fought against slavery. A very important contribution to the evolution of democracy. It is a culumination of this that today we have Barrack Obama as the President. Long live democracy!

The Capitol Hill and the White House are in a single line, and then the Jefferson memorial and the Lincoln memorial for another line that they cross each other and at the centre stand the Washington monument (the tallest building of DC).

Later in the evening I went to see the screeing of My Prestroika at the National Gallery of Art. This was followed by a question and answer session with the director Robin Hessman and three of the protagonists.

The other things I missed out is Georgetown, the oldest places and cool place to hang out in the evening (will try out some time), the church (one of the largest but not identified with any denomination) and the Smithosonian meuseums (will not have time to visit them, but they are excellent places). As I sign out, I hear that President Obama has announced that Osama Bin Laden is no more. Let us move on with democracy, change and peace.