Know Magic

Due to historic spikes in unemployment rates, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has augmented its funding to food banks by $100 million. The New York Times reports the move as an upshot of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Feeding America, in a survey released July, reported an unprecedented demand for “emergency food assistance” from its low-income respondents. It was reportedly 30% higher than the previous year.

This sum funding comes on top of the $250 million in annual funds given by the USDA to America’s food banks. To date, the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program has budgeted $29.4 million for pork; $25.2 million for cheese; $15.8 million for poultry; $15.5 million for canned fruits; and $13.3 million for peanut goods. It covers food banks, soup kitchens, pantries, and similar relief agencies.

Clyde Fitzgerald Jr., an executive director at Second Harvest Food Bank in North Carolina, seconds the motion. “The increased demand is so strong and so sustained,” he said. “This hasn’t been like a little blip. We’ve been at this for twelve months.”

For GAP Food Bank director Pari Blackman, hunger has taken its toll on unemployed Californians, many of whom had enjoyed steady income for years. She said 400 families now line up to their Rancho Cucamonga bank each week, compared to just 240 in 2008.

There were no F1 Online indications that Hamilton suffered any abuse on Sunday.
But the incident brings back memories of 15 months ago when a group of people with their faces painted black, sporting curly wigs and T-shirts adorned with the words "Hamilton’s family".
It caused outrage worldwide and prompted the FIA to launch an anti-racism initiative, EveryRace.
Circuit bosses in Barcelona were warned they risked losing their place on the calendar should there be a repeat.

Hamilton became a figure of hate within the country after former team-mate and national hero Fernando Alonso complained publicly in 2007 that he was receiving inferior F1 Tickets compared to the Briton at McLaren-Mercedes.

At the time, the Spanish fans’ animosity was linked to the fact that Hamilton had been involved in a bitter row with his then McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso throughout the 2007 season that culminated in the Spaniard’s departure from the woking based team that is McLaren previous led by Ron Dennis.

Motorsport’s governing body says it is investigating after a member of the crowd with a blacked-up face was filmed at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
The pictures showed a man with a blacked-up face, arms and hands, wearing a McLaren T-shirt and holding a Formula 1-style steering wheel.