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Let’s see. The price of oil and fuel went up sharply and Congress subsidized ethanol production. In the higher priced fuel market, a marginally profitable alternative energy source became more economical with a subsidy. Food became more expensive due to increased fuel costs plus increased scarcity. Now, the UN and others blame the U.S. for causing food shortages.

Like hell. Oil producers effectively encouraged the U.S. to become more energy self-sufficient and the U.S. responded by diverting food carbon into energy production. We have a classic example of unintended consequences beginning with the manipulation of energy prices.

Subsidy of alternative energy production is probably a mistake because subsidies hide real economics and distort profitability, however, the despots-R-us UN is delusional in blaming the U.S. for causing hunger.

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Meatspace

“This bit of net-jockey jargon denotes the real world of physical space, where your pasty, withered frame languishes in a drab cubicle — as opposed to cyberspace, where your Second Life avatar rests its buff, rippling bod on a beach while sipping a mojito in virtual Cabo San Lucas.”

i.e. This blog will go static while we travel to Far East meatspace for a few weeks at the end of the year.

And this from a friend, “Sometimes the gleam in their eyes comes from the light bouncing off the back of their skull.”

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(click to enlarge) 

Circle Track, February 2008.

How to counter Islamic extremism

By Abdurrahman Wahid ( Gus Dur )

The Age, Wednesday, April 10 2002

There are two great challenges for reform of education that have to be addressed if Muslim society is to respond meaningfully to the threat of terrorism. Most Muslims are strongly opposed to acts of violence, in any form, undertaken in the name of religion. Consequently, it hurts us to constantly see the name of Islam, “the religion of peace”, linked with international terrorism. Nevertheless, as Muslims we must face the reality that if we fail to address the challenges before us we will find ourselves constantly confronted with accusations of harboring terrorists - regardless of how fair those generalised accusations might be. If, however, we are prepared seriously to address these two challenges, people such as Osama Bin Laden will find increasingly little solace or support in Muslim society. Sadly, at the moment within the Muslim world we do have groups that justify violence on the grounds that they are defending Islam against the tyranny of the uncivilised West. We need to undercut the kind of thinking that justifies such simplistic assertions, in order that those who advocate terrorism will find no refuge in our communities. (more…)

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search for aircraft

Contributed by: Marv Maul on 10/4/2007

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(click to enlarge)

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