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Blowing hot air on wind power
T. Boone Pickens is being lionized for his efforts to legislate a transformation to “eco-friendly” wind energy. In reality, his policy prescriptions would create new energy, economic, legal and environmental problems, and carry a price tag of over $1.2 trillion. He would billions, while taxpayers and right-fo-way owners would get stuck with the risks. Full Story >>>
Drill here. Drill now. Drill ANWR.
“We can’t drill our way out of our energy problem.” This daily mantra underscores an abysmal grasp of economics by the politicians, activists, bureaucrats and judges who are dictating US policies. If only their hot air could be converted into usable energy. Full Story >>>
America's Native Criminal Class
There is no distinctly native American criminal class, Mark Twain observed – except Congress.
A century later, government power and intrusiveness have increased exponentially – and special interests have adapted by employing lobbyists who can navigate Washington, explain technology to tech-challenged members and staffs, persuade legislators that provisions are vital (or disastrous), and give clients “a seat at the table” where subsidies, mandates, taxes, preferences and penalties are meted out. Full Story >>>
Jim Crow Energy Policies
The US civil rights revolution of the 1950s and ‘60s was one of the greatest social and political liberations in history. It gave African Americans and other minorities new opportunities and new levels of success in virtually every walk of life. Full Story >>>
Still feeding the world
During the “Eat This” segment of their docu-comedy series BS, Penn Jillette beat Teller in a round of their “Greatest Person in History” card game. Penn needed just one card: Norman Borlaug.
This Iowa farm boy and University of Minnesota agriculture graduate lived Thomas Edison’s maxim to the fullest. “Invention,” Edison once remarked, “is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Dr. Borlaug did most of his 99% in the sweltering fields of Africa, India, Mexico and Pakistan. Full Story >>>
Global warming tax hikes heading your way
America is in the throes of a major housing and financial downturn, soaring food and energy costs, rising unemployment and near recession. But legislators, bureaucrats and presidential candidates are falling all over themselves to restrict fossil fuel use, advance climate change legislation – and thereby increase energy prices, oil imports, and costs for families and businesses. Full Story >>>
Beyond Food and Fuel: The Role of 21st Century Agriculture
Keynote Address
by Hugh Grant, Monsanto Company
at the Opening Session of The World Food Prize Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium
Des Moines, Iowa, October 18, 2007
Over the next two days this august group – the World Food Prize group – will have a rare opportunity to look at the challenges of meeting the ever-growing demands of food and fuel. Full Story >>>
Green Power - Black Death
European consumers are shunning food imported from Africa , and supermarkets are labeling African products with stickers marked "air-freighted," to reflect assertions that they are contributing to global warming. As more Africans are impoverished, because they can no longer sell their products, Europeans are eating produce grown in hot houses, thanks to fossil fuels, and going about their business and on vacations in cars, buses and airplanes. The hypocrisy is callous and unforgivable. Full Story >>>
Poisoning the Economy
Schizophrenic legislators are enacting “stimulus” bills, at the same time that they are doing everything possible to DE-stimulate the economy … with counter-productive energy, land use, climate change and environmental policies. America needs to foster sensible energy development, and prevent passage of more bills that would cost jobs, reduce economic opportunities and roll back civil rights progress. Full Story >>>
The Truth about Alternative Energy
85% of America ’s total energy comes from fossil fuels. Over half of its electricity comes from coal. Gas and nuclear generate 36% of its electricity. Barely 1% comes from wind and solar. Because millions of acres must be covered with towering wind turbines to generate enough electricity for a large city, on a scale sufficient to meet the electricity needs of a modern society, wind power is just not sustainable. We need a healthy dose of reality before we let Congress pass any more “energy” bills. Full Story >>>
The Social Responsibility of Profits
“The social responsibility of business,” Milton Friedman famously said, “is to increase its profits.” Responsible companies do this by providing goods, services and technologies that society needs and values … doing so legally and ethically … and offering superior quality, lower cost, greater reliability, outstanding customer care and other benefits, while protecting the environment. That’s how they are able to support other activities that we applaud as “good deeds” on behalf of their communities. Full Story >>>
An Opportunity Squandered
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation held its annual legislative conference in Washington , DC . A keynote session was supposed to offer a three-hour discussion by top energy experts, and “bolster the relationships between the energy industry and African-American community.” It was an embarrassment, an opportunity squandered, dominated by a Member of Congress who monopolized the event and left less than an hour for the discussion. Full Story >>>
May You Freeze in the Dark
Reopening gold mines in Romania , under modern Western standards, would create thousands of jobs in Rosia Montana and surrounding areas, and clean up the horrific environmental legacy left by decades of mining under the Communists. But radical activists oppose the project. In December they sent some of Romania ’s poorest citizens typically rude Season’s Greetings: May you freeze in the dark. Full Story >>>
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