Comments on: Food Costs Spiking http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/04/food-costs-spiking Loaning brain cells to those in need since 2003 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:11:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Chief http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/04/food-costs-spiking#comment-30449 Chief Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:50:57 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=3835#comment-30449 The only problem I have with Nuclear Power is the same problem I have with airlines. Both industries are "for profit" and they skimp in Safety. The only reactors I have been around have been operated by the U.S. Navy. Neither profit nor safety was ever an issue. The only problem I have with Nuclear Power is the same problem I have with airlines. Both industries are “for profit” and they skimp in Safety. The only reactors I have been around have been operated by the U.S. Navy. Neither profit nor safety was ever an issue.

]]> By: DM Metzger http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/04/food-costs-spiking#comment-30375 DM Metzger Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:02:00 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=3835#comment-30375 <blockquote>As a gallon of ethanol only has 70% of the energy of a gallon of gas, making ethanol is about a break even proposition. Let’s harness the sun or the wind.</blockquote>It's issues like this that make me a strong proponent of generation 3+ nuclear power plants. They have little to no waste (depending on the generation of the plant), no particulate or greenhouse gas pollution, and could easily replace <strong>all</strong> of our coal/LP power plants with enough leftover capacity to power an electric car economy. It'll never happen, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't.

As a gallon of ethanol only has 70% of the energy of a gallon of gas, making ethanol is about a break even proposition. Let’s harness the sun or the wind.

It’s issues like this that make me a strong proponent of generation 3+ nuclear power plants. They have little to no waste (depending on the generation of the plant), no particulate or greenhouse gas pollution, and could easily replace all of our coal/LP power plants with enough leftover capacity to power an electric car economy. It’ll never happen, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t.

]]> By: Chief http://commentsfromleftfield.com/2008/04/food-costs-spiking#comment-30369 Chief Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:33:14 +0000 http://commentsfromleftfield.com/?p=3835#comment-30369 A four and a half percent increase ? ? As Col. Potter would say, "Horse hockey." We gotta be talking a 10 % increase this year. And ethanol? It has got to be the stupidist idea since the "pet rock." As a gallon of ethanol only has 70% of the energy of a gallon of gas, making ethanol is about a break even proposition. Let's harness the sun or the wind. In 2000 corn and soybeans both had about 72.7 million acres harvested and wheat had about 53 million acres harvested. In 2007 corn acreage harvested increased to 86.1 million acres while soybeans dropped to 62.8 million acres harvested and wheat dropped to 51 million acres. All figures come from the ARS (Agricultural Research Service). A four and a half percent increase ? ? As Col. Potter would say, “Horse hockey.” We gotta be talking a 10 % increase this year. And ethanol? It has got to be the stupidist idea since the “pet rock.” As a gallon of ethanol only has 70% of the energy of a gallon of gas, making ethanol is about a break even proposition. Let’s harness the sun or the wind.

In 2000 corn and soybeans both had about 72.7 million acres harvested and wheat had about 53 million acres harvested.

In 2007 corn acreage harvested increased to 86.1 million acres while soybeans dropped to 62.8 million acres harvested and wheat dropped to 51 million acres.

All figures come from the ARS (Agricultural Research Service).

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