100 South Mill Avenue

So many mouths to feed, and so few cattle. Guess what happens when demand outstrips supply like this?

Tyson Foods cuts 1,500 jobs

http://www.azcentral.com/php-bin/clicktrack/email.php/7745290

The Associated Press
Jan. 25, 2008 05:28 PM EMPORIA, Kan. – Tyson Foods Inc., the world’s largest meat company, said Friday it would end beef slaughtering at its Emporia plant, [in] response to overcapacity at slaughter houses [...] “There continues to be far more beef slaughter capacity than available cattle, and we believe this problem will continue to afflict the industry for the foreseeable future,” Bond said. “We estimate the current slaughter overcapacity in the industry to be between 10,000 and 14,000 head of cattle per day.” [...]
Tyson also said the company didn’t see signs of growth in the fed cattle supply over the next two to three years, and that high grain prices spurred by the demand for corn-based ethanol also contributed to their decision to cut jobs in Emporia.

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I encourage you to read the entire story linked below. My first impulse was to be enraged at the abuse of regulatory authority to harass the Urban Campfire owner–and I still believe that was wrong. But I also believe that sheltering vagabonds on his property overnight is shortsighted on his part. (Even if they are helpful to him.) What do they do all day, between enjoying the breakfast he feeds them and bunking down on his patio at night?

Restaurant battles smoke, homeless complaints

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/107243

Ed Taylor, TribuneRobert Stempkowski thought he had a good deal going when he opened his Urban Campfire restaurant at 921 E. University in Tempe last summer.
[...]And he cooks his meat and vegetables in an outdoor wood-burning oven, or smoker, which wafts a spicy aroma around the neighborhood and draws customers.
[...]But not all of his neighbors are happy campers. Stephen Austin, owner of the next-door Shell service station, said the smoker also causes a haze that settles over his business on cold mornings, resulting in complaints by customers.
Also Stempkowski provides breakfast to the homeless, and some homeless people have camped overnight on Austin’s property and dumped their belongings there.
Austin said he complained to Stempkowski about the vagabonds, and they agreed to stay on the restaurant property.
[...] Stempkowski considers the repeated smoke complaints and inspections to be “harassment.” [I]nspectors did not find any smoke violations when they responded four times in three days last week.