A DRACONIAN CHOICE: FOOD OR FUEL

The much touted explosion in the biofuels industry has the agricultural community and consumers up in arms and wondering which way to go – food or fuel. The question is critical in today’s world of growing food shortages and high energy prices.

The recently exploding industry of biofuels – in particular those made with grain – is forcing a choice of whether grain should be diverted to fuel production or kept in its most widely-accepted role of food production. To understand the dynamics of what is happening, we must first understand biofuels and the burgeoning biofuels industry.

WHAT ARE BIOFUELS?

Biofuels can be broadly defined as solid, liquid, or gas fuel consisting of, or derived from recently dead biological material, most commonly plants. They are derived from existing materials which have not had the opportunity to degrade. On the other hand, fossil fuels are derived from long dead biological material. Fossil fuels are derived from materials that have been subjected to the enormous forces and pressures of the earth over hundreds of thousands if not millions of years. Whether recently dead or long dead, both forms are capable of producing energy for consumption.

WHY THE DRACONIAN CHOICE?

Biofuels are limited primarily to providing an alternative form of energy for automotive transport. Since 70% of our oil consumption goes toward producing gasoline to power vehicles, exchanging biofuels for fossil fuels or using some combination of ethanol and gasoline seems logically to make sense. But using biofuels to produce an alternative to gasoline requires that grains normally used in generating either food stuffs or animal feed must be diverted to the business of creating the biofuel, ethanol.

Corn is the primary feedstock for ethanol production. About 18 percent of the nation’s corn crop went into ethanol in 2006—some 2.15 billion bushels. Ethanol can also be made from other grains such as sorghum as well as from “biomass” sources such as corn cobs, cornstalks, wheat straw, rice straw, switchgrass, vegetable and forestry waste and other organic matter. But those sources are much less likely to be used for ethanol production than corn.

Photo Credit: Case IH website – http://www.caseih.com

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

In 2007 year, over 30% of America’s corn harvest was diverted from food to ethanol production, and, ethanol distilleries now running or in the works will pull an estimated 139 million tons of corn from the 2008 corn harvest, according to the Earth Policy Institute. Some estimates put the total amount diverted in 2008 at almost 50% of the corn harvest.

The following chart shows U.S. corn production and use for fuel ethanol for a 26-year time period.

U.S. Corn Production and Use for Fuel Ethanol, 1980-2006, with Projection to 2008
Year	Production	Use for Fuel Ethanol	Share of Corn Harvest Used for Ethanol
	Million Metric Tons		Percent
1980	169	1	0.5
1981	206	2	1.1
1982	209	4	1.7
1983	106	4	3.8
1984	195	6	3.0
1985	225	7	3.1
1986	209	7	3.5
1987	181	7	3.9
1988	125	7	5.8
1989	191	8	4.3
1990	202	9	4.4
1991	190	10	5.3
1992	241	11	4.5
1993	161	12	7.2
1994	255	14	5.3
1995	188	10	5.3
1996	235	11	4.6
1997	234	12	5.2
1998	248	13	5.4
1999	240	14	6.0
2000	252	16	6.3
2001	241	18	7.4
2002	228	25	11.1
2003	256	30	11.6
2004	300	34	11.2
2005	282	41	14.4
2006	273	55	20.0
…	…	…	…
2008 (proj.)	287	139	48.5
Source: Compiled by Earth Policy Institute with corn production from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Production, Supply & Distribution, electronic database, www.fas.usda.gov, updated 13 December 2006; and projection from USDA, Office of the Chief Economist, World Agricultural Outlook Board, USDA Agricultural Baseline Projections to 2015 (Washington, DC: February 2006), p. 35; corn use for fuel ethanol from USDA, Feed Grains Database, electronic database, www.ers.usda.gov/db/feedgrains, updated 13 December 2006; and projection by Earth Policy Institute.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

U.S. government data recently showed there is sufficient corn for the United States to supply itself with food and ethanol through next year, 2009, but the outlook hinges on cuts in exports and less of the grain being used as feed. It is also hugely dependent on good weather in America’s corn country, always a risky bet.

Since I am a vegetarian, I have to acknowledge that the diversion of corn from livestock feed to that of fuel production will not impact me to the extent it will those who incorporate meat as a major part of their diets. Feeding out cattle and hogs takes energy in the form of corn, and, with corn now increasingly being absorbed by the exploding ethanol industry, many Americans will be forced to choose between food or fuel – a truly Draconian choice for which most Americans are ill prepared.

OBAMA AND THE PREACHER PROBLEM

Ah, the newest in a string of unfortunate Obama preacher associations has stepped to the forefront of the national scene. This time it is a Catholic priest, the Reverend Michael Phleger, who decided it was time to step up to the plate and put on a truly disgusting display for all the cheering, hooting religious zealots at the Trinity United Church of Christ – Obama’s church of 20 plus years.

Phleger resigned about two weeks ago from an unpaid position on the Obama campaign’s Catholic advisory council. Is it just coincidence that Obama’s affiliations include these “preachers” who spew such hate and vindictiveness? Is it really possible that Obama didn’t have any idea that these two men of God were so steeped in hatred and vindictiveness? The one was his minister of over 20 years and the other was on a council advising his campaign.

The YouTube clip is incredible. Here we have a grown Catholic priest – a man of the cloth acting like a child. And, the church members hooting, shouting, and cheering his tirade.

And if you are naive enough to think that the African-American community doesn’t condone this outrageous conduct, then just look at the grown adults behind the priest jumping up and down with glee. Too often this election has focused on what has been perceived as racism from the white community, yet watching this tirade, it is quite obvious that the African-American community is replete with racism and sexism as well.

Is it any more excusable than white racism or sexism? Absolutely not. These two ministers should be ashamed of themselves for setting such a hypocritical example for their followers. And Obama needs to explain how it is that he is such a poor judge of people that he has tied himself to these individuals who see hatred as a way of life. Incidents like these only drive wedges between the two camps and will make it all the more difficult to pull together to reach a common goal.

MEDIA DUMPS ON HILLARY INSTEAD OF OBAMA AND McCAIN

A new Gallup poll conducted between May 19th and May 21st verifies what many of us Hillary supporters have said all along – the media has been harsher on Hillary than it has been on Obama and McCain. While the poll found overall that media coverage of all three candidates has been “about right”, those polled were inclined to side with the view that the media has treated Hillary more harshly than the male candidates.

The poll is below:

The poll is only one indicator of the difference in treatment between Hillary and the men. Early on, a nutcracker in the likeness of Hillary Clinton complete with stainless steel thighs made its rounds – and is still making its rounds. Those who hate Hillary laughed and chuckled and thought it was such a “cute” idea. The nutcracker is still available on the internet and is still sold in a number of locations.

If something of the same nature would have been done with an Obama figure who was, say, eating watermelon or picking cotton, the nation would have been in an uproar and the outrage would have probably led to pulling the items. Or, how about a McCain figure in a prisoner of war cage? Citizens would have been outraged.

Of course, there will be those who argue that to do a parody on slavery or sacrifice during war would be sacreligious. But degradation is degradation is degradation. Where is the line to be drawn?

Perhaps the notion that a woman can be tough and smart and ambitious strikes fear into those men – and women – who have low self-esteem. And there must be plenty of them gaging by the comments that have been made about Hillary and her “man crushing” powers.

The nutcracker is but a reflection of how, in reality, we have changed very little as a nation. While we pass laws to ensure equality, and we work hard to put on the face of acceptance, the truth is we still have a long way to go.

TEARING AT THE HEART – OF OUR CITY

Parkview North is deserting the eastern side of the city for the northeast DuPont area of Allen County. The project, which is to begin in a couple of months, has been in the works for almost five years and, no big surprise, received the approval of the Allen County Plan Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals.

A number of years ago, Lutheran packed up and moved to the southwest area of Allen County, leaving only St. Joe Hospital to truly serve the urban core. St. Joe has remained faithful to the City, remaining at its current location and expanding to provide even more services to those still living in the center of the city.

Parkview has simply joined a long line of businesses and individuals who have decided to flee the City, and, in the process, widen the doughnut hole – better known as urban sprawl. With no mandatory regulations to prohibit the moves outward, our city will continue to be pulled apart.

We discuss sprawl constantly, but on one wants to take the necessary steps to curb it because of the politics of doing so. A successful restoration of the urban core – businesses, neighborhoods, etc. – must be complemented by restrictions on subdivision expansion. But restricting subdivisions requires going toe-to-toe with real estate companies, land developers, construction companies, and financial institutions. A pretty tall order that most boards and commissions lack the guts to undertake.

Residents of sprawling neighborhoods tend to emit more pollution per person and suffer more traffic fatalities. Sprawl is also linked with increased obesity since walking and bicycling are not viable commuting options. Areas of urban sprawl are characterized as highly dependent on automobiles for transportation, a condition known as automobile dependency.

Most activities, including shopping, commuting to work, and entertainment, require the use of a car as a result of both the area’s isolation from the city and the isolation the area’s residential zones have from its industrial and commercial zones.

Walking and other methods of transit are not practical. While many of Allen County’s subdivisions have sidewalks, they serve primarily as walkways for mail persons. In many suburban communities, even stores and activities that are close by are contrived to be much further, by separating uses with fences, walls, and drainage ditches.

Until commissions and boards find the courage to challenge the forces that create sprawl, we will continue to see the city pulled apart by the sprawl that continues to affect the restoration of our City’s heart.

The Google Earth map above reflects the sprawl creeping outward to the Allen and Whitley County line to the west of Fort Wayne.

WHERE’S SCHELLINGER?

Obviously, Jim Schellinger has decided to maintain some type of distance from the governor’s campaign since he was defeated by Jill Long Thompson almost two weeks ago. His concession speech did not once congratulate Jill Long Thompson. Here is his concession speech as found on his still-accessible website:

INDIANAPOLIS – Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim Schellinger called his primary opponent, Jill Long Thompson, at 4:15 p.m. to offer his congratulations and concede the gubernatorial primary race.

“We’re disappointed that we won’t get the chance to take on Mitch Daniels in November, but we wouldn’t trade the last 15 months for anything,” Schellinger said. “It truly was an amazing journey for me and my entire family.”

Earlier in the day, when more precincts were still unreported statewide, it appeared that the race was too close to call; however, the vote margin increased by a few thousand votes throughout the day. The final margin will likely be less than 0.5 percent.

“This was a hard-fought race that unfortunately was overshadowed by the presidential campaigns in Indiana,” Schellinger said. “I want to thank my fellow Democrats, my staff and my family for all of their support and kindness. We’ll never forget this experience.”

While the initial sentence indicates that he called JLT to offer congratulations, no where in the website speech does he once mention joining to support her in her bid against Daniels.

In a news conference at the Indiana Statehouse on May 14th, Indiana House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer (D-South Bend), Senate Democrat Leader Richard Young (D-Milltown), State Party Chair Dan Parker and several other state legislators, Marion County elected officials, and party leaders pledged their support to Long Thompson’s candidacy.

My understanding is that he was out-of-state when the Democratic party hierarchy gathered to support JLT at a news conference. You would think at some point though, he would have to come out of hiding and at least announce that he will work with the Democratic party and its nominee. If he doesn’t, it should give those who supported him pause to question his true loyalty to all Hoosiers and not just to himself.

JLT on election night

———————————————————————————

OBAMA’S INDIANA SUPPORTERS NOT INTERESTED IN UNITY IN THE GOVERNOR’S RACE

The following is a clip from the Obama for President “events” website which literally says to Jill Long Thompson – “You support Obama, and we will support you”:

————————————————————————————-

Encourage Jill Long Thompson to endorse Barack Obama! (Organizing)

As Indiana Democrats, we want to “ditch Mitch” and see Jill Long Thompson elected as our next Governor of Indiana. As Obama supporters, we can offer her far more support in her campaign if she’ll offer support to us, as well.

We’re sending a letter, as a group, encouraging her to endorse Barack Obama for President.If you agree, but cannot attend this letter-sending event, please send an email to lpcinforobama@gmail.com and we’ll send you contact information and a form letter that you can send on your own. Of course, we still encourage as many people as possible to attend, in person; we believe in the impact of a group letter.We’ll meet in the large meeting room, downstairs, in the main branch of the La Porte County Public Library.

————————————————————————————–

So this is how Obama supporters want to build unity? By using a slimy coercive tactic to get JLT to support Obama? These supporters don’t even bother to hide what they are trying to do. You support us; we’ll support you. JLT doesn’t need help like this. It only begs the question of what else they are willing to do to get support for Obama.

The two races are separate and distinct in nature. If Obama supporters don’t want Mitch back in, they should support JLT. It has nothing to do with whether or not she supports Obama. I will be curious to see if Obama disavows this tactic.

MORE EMINENT DOMAIN OR VOLUNTARY BUYOUT?

As I drive back and forth to work, sometimes taking the State Street route, I find myself wondering how in the world the curve on State Street between Westbrook Drive and Spy Run will be straightened without removing a number of homes. The curve starts just to the west of Westbrook Drive and straightens out near the BP Station at the corner of Clinton and State.

Here is my question. How is the curve going to be straightened without taking out several homes in the path of the project? The Google Earth view below shows a number of homes in the curve area that sit smack dab in the road of any effort to straighten the curve.

Eminent domain has been a sore spot with property owners since the early days of our country. The Fifth Amendment contains the “eminent domain” or the “takings” clause.

“nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

Historically, eminent domain was to be used for such public uses as constructing schools, building highways, providing public parks and such other projects that are necessary for the public good. Although the government may exercise such takings under the Fifth Amendment, it must also pay just compensation.

Through the years, the use of eminent domain has been broadened to include takings that benefit private property owners – not just the public.

The Grand Wayne expansion here in Fort Wayne was just such a use. The City used the concept of “blighted” to take several private properties – fast food restaurants and a package liquor store – for the purpose of transferring the properties to the private entity overseeing the Grand Wayne expansion – no public use such as a park, a school, or a highway was involved.

Then in June 2005, the infamous decision of Kelo v. City of New London Connecticut, 545 U.S. 469 (2005) was handed down by the Supreme Court. That decision upheld the taking of private property – homes and businesses – by the City of New London, Connecticut, in order to turn them over to the pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer, for the purpose of economic development in the form of creating jobs and increasing the tax base. Of course, “just” compensation was required.

The decision triggered outrage across the country. Many states immediately established commissions to research and prepare legislation to thwart what was seen as an abuse of the eminent domain power.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Now, back to the State Street curve. The Google Earth picture and my own photos show the homes located in the path of the project. The City has already approved preliminary engineering work to straighten and expand State Boulevard between Spy Run Avenue and Cass Street for $772,000 with the total project cost to run around $9,000,000.

So, my question remains, will the City fall back on its power of eminent domain or will the home owners be approached to voluntarily sell the properties? I honestly don’t see the curve being straightened without infringing on the private property interests of the home owners.

If eminent domain is used, how is the straightening of a curve to ease traffic flow a public use justification?

HOW FAR WILL OUR HYPOCRISY GO? JOHN McCAIN AND HIS FANATICAL MINISTERS

Barack Obama has of late taken a great deal of criticism about Reverend Wright and his hate-filled speeches and positions. Out of necessity, Obama has broken the ties with the controversial minister who has been Obama’s mentor, friend, and pastor.

But Obama is not the only candidate with a fanatical minister who spouts a hate-filled philosophy. John McCain has his very own version of Reverend Wright. In fact, McCain has embraced two – count ‘em – two controversial ministers – and they have embraced him.

On February 26th of this year, McCain appeared at a campaign rally in Cincinnati with the Reverend Rod Parsley of the World Harvest Church of Columbus, a supersize Pentecostal institution that features a 5,200-seat sanctuary.

With Mike Huckabee’s success at co opting the religious right, McCain had to do something – anything – to generate support from that sector. His desperation to land the support of right-wing religious conservatives has led him to throw common sense to the wind and to accept the endorsements of the ranting televangelist Rod Parlsey. The following YouTube clip provides a flavor of Parsley’s philosophy.

Reverend Parsley espouses the notion that government funds are being used to support Planned Parenthood, which in turn provides abortions to African-Americans. His remarks are truly frightening as he urges his constituency to believe that this is a government-financed “genocide” of the African-American community.

Yet, when Reverend Wright railed against the government accusing it of creating the AIDs epidemic to exterminate the African-American population, he was pilloried for his comments. See any similarities?

In February, John McCain was also endorsed by John Hagee, another fanatical right-wing minister leading a mega-church located in San Antonio, Texas. The following is a YouTube clip of Hagee’s philosophy.

Here is my question to all Americans as they muddle through this presidential election year. How do we condemn Barack Obama’s minister and leave John McCain literally unscathed even though he is supported by two ministers preaching hate and violence?

I will wager you that Parsley’s views about the war between Islam and Christianity are held more widely than anyone wants to admit. And I will also bet that deep inside, many Americans are willing to buy into Parlsey’s hatred and fear of Islam.

And Hagee? Not much better as you listen to his ravings about various entities including the Catholic Church. Listen to his outrageous comments about the destruction of New Orleans as God’s punishment for homosexual activity.

Twenty years or twenty minutes. Not a bit of difference when you tie yourself to ministers who espouse hatred. Now let’s see if the American people will condemn John McCain in the same manner and with the same venom that they have condemned Barack Obama.

“NO-VOTE” McCAIN – NO FRIEND OF THE ENVIRONMENT

John McCain is no friend of the environment. Although he likes to tout his environmental record as positive, he has consistently missed important votes – votes that were considered critical to environmental well-being.

In the 2007 National Environmental Scorecard released by the League of Conservation Voters, John McCain receives a score of ZERO. McCain was the only member of Congress to skip every single crucial environmental vote scored by the organization, posting a score lower than Members of Congress who were out for much of the year due to serious illnesses–and even lower than some who died during the term. By contrast, the average Member of Congress scored a 53 in 2007. McCain posts a lifetime score of only 24.

Carl Pope, Sierra Club Executive Director, had the following to say about McCain:

“We were appalled two weeks ago when John McCain was the only Senator who chose to skip a crucial vote on the future of clean energy in America-dooming the measure to fail by just a single vote. As it turns out, this was merely the most recent example of a clear pattern of missing the most important votes on energy and the environment–as his abysmal LCV score clearly demonstrates.

“McCain missed votes to save his constituents $499 million dollars at the pump and at least $550 million on their energy bills, while creating more than 10,000 new clean energy jobs in his home state.

The following is the League of Conservation Voters 2007 Scorecard Senate votes, all of which John McCain missed:

• Cloture on H.R. 6, the energy bill (6/21, Vote 225)
• Passage of H.R. 6, the energy bill (6/21, Vote 226)
• Maintaining Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) in H.R. 6 (12/7, Vote 416)
• Taking away giveaways to Big Oil to subsidize clean energy (12/13, Vote 425)
• Loosening public health and environmental regulations on refineries (6/13, Vote 210)
• Undermining the RES with coal and nuclear energy (6/14, Vote 211)
• Offshore drilling in Virginia (6/14, Vote 212)
• Liquid coal (6/19, Vote 213)
• Environmental safeguards for biofuels (6/20, 219)
• Consider global warming for water projects (5/15, Vote 166)
• Appropriately prioritizing water projects (5/15, Vote 165)
• International family planning (9/6, Vote 320)
• Farm Bill subsidy reform (12/11, Vote 417)
• Farm Bill subsidy caps (12/13, Vote 424)
• Eminent Domain for public parks (12/3, Vote 429)

No doubt as the campaign heats up, we will see more of McCain’s inconsistencies. The environment deserves protection, and we need a president who will protect that environment. We don’t need someone who blithely skips crucial environmental votes and who will perpetuate the last eight years of the Bush Administration’s head-turning, wink-wink policies when it comes to environmental protection.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

IS THIS PERSON FOR REAL?

The Vera Bradley “buy and then sell on eBay for a ridiculous amount” sale was held a week ago. I have to admit that I do not get it. I have never attended this madhouse of shoppers who see big bucks in purchasing their limit and then jacking up the price on eBay. Hmm, maybe that is the only reason for attending.

But as I was reading through the Journal-Gazette, I came across a statement that just left me wondering where our priorities lie. Lisa Pearson from Carmel was interviewed at 3:30 a.m. on that Thursday morning. Her comment:

“It’s my first time, and I’ve been training my whole life for this.”

This is absolutely incredible – her whole life? I say get a grip on reality. These are inanimate, cloth items. Perhaps a trip to Myanmar or some other country where people are suffering beyond imagination would clear her mind and give her some sense of reality.