It is very sad. I think there should be some sort of community kitchens where some of the women are employed to cook healthy meals (or men)..especially for the coal miners who went to the mines with candy bars and mountain dew. I think, and have always thought, there should be restrictions on Food Stamps so they can buy a few treats, but mostly nourishing foods, real foods that need cooking.

They definitely need home ec classes, home repair classes, vocational education in the schools. They need some positive attention for their skills...some of them were singing quite well..their endurance, their willingness to work in the mines, which I hope they won't have to in the future...I would far rather see some sort of ecologically safe strip mining than send men and women down in the mines.

There are Heifer projects to bring back some small agriculture..think what goats could do there..and Mudcat has a Heifer place to donate...

The Mountain Dew situation is seriously bad. A statewide high tax on soft drinks, combined with a subsidy for milk and vegetables and fruits could go a long ways...

It was a very good but tragic show. Of course, there were terrible drug problems and a whole drug economy, which will drive out other businesses, retirement income, etc. mg