Article

2008-04-15 Europe

"Let them eat cake" EU to continue bio-fuel goal

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-04-15 04:04|| || Front Page|| [11135 views ] Top

#1 colza = coleslaw? ;)

Posted by Spot">Spot 2008-04-15 08:35|| 2008-04-15 08:35|| Front Page Top

#2 Rapeseed.

What is truly daft is Eurodisney fermenting wheat into fuel ethanol.
Wheat = 40 bushels/acre
Corn = 150 bushels/acre.

Posted by ed 2008-04-15 08:53|| 2008-04-15 08:53|| Front Page Top

#3 UN Special Rapporteur for the Right to Food Jean Ziegler told German radio Monday that the production of biofuels is "a crime against humanity" because of its impact on global food prices.

While as a *true* humanitarian, I somewhat agree with this (at least the cause-effect thingy), but jeebus, there's actually a UN "Right to Food" expert now? You do know that *behind the scenes*, this actually accomplishes their (the radical enviros) goal of "cleaning the air" and controlling/decreasing the world's population. It appears brutal (and against liberals "support of the little man"), but actually is probably a full-court press that these goons agree with to implement their environmental dreams.

Posted by BA 2008-04-15 09:18|| 2008-04-15 09:18|| Front Page Top

#4 Socialist don't support the "little man", they control him. It's all about maintaining their elite status. That's what the EU is all about.

Posted by Jitch, Scourge of the Veal Cutlets 2008-04-15 09:35|| 2008-04-15 09:35|| Front Page Top

#5 "Jitch, Scourge of the Veal Cutlets"
Wow, best name since "Sock Puppet of Doom"!

Posted by Darrell 2008-04-15 09:43|| 2008-04-15 09:43|| Front Page Top

#6 Agreed, Darrell. Fred and the mods must've tapped into the Halliburton Random Nym Generator last night or something.

Posted by BA 2008-04-15 10:18|| 2008-04-15 10:18|| Front Page Top

#7 Has anyone calculated the amount of biofuel that will be gained by burning the bodies of the poor who will die in the coming famines? Biofuel is just the latest scheme on the part of the left to kill off masses of the masses. No matter how you calculate it, the extensive use of biofuels produces a net negative.

Posted by Jack Slineger4174 2008-04-15 10:52|| 2008-04-15 10:52|| Front Page Top

#8 I suspect this whole hog production of ethanol is being done with a set purpose in mind: emergency fuel.

The US imports about 10M barrels of crude a day. Half of this, about 5M barrels, comes from OPEC. So with our petroleum reserves of about 60 days, and increased production, we might be able to get by with *no* OPEC oil. At least for a while.

And there is only one reason for that to happen.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-04-15 10:57|| 2008-04-15 10:57|| Front Page Top

#9 If we put 100% of our corn production into bio-fuel we would only replace 13% of our petro fuel.

Today's Menu: ala carte
Corn Flakes $39.95
Hot Dog $75.00
Hamburger $89.95
New York Steak $259.95
Fillet Mignon $322.50

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-04-15 11:18|| 2008-04-15 11:18|| Front Page Top

#10 I suspect that the whole thing is a bunch of crap. There are not enough vehicles running on biofuels to cause a disruption.

I think we have a combination of (a) folks who prefer other solutions blaming biofuels (b) food exporters in Africa who are now food importers leaving their neighbors hurting and themselves in a desperate plight (see Zimbabwe) causing food redistribution around the globe and thus price spikes (c) the increase in the cost of oil which further spikes the cost of shipping food from here to there.

Posted by rjschwarz 2008-04-15 11:19|| 2008-04-15 11:19|| Front Page Top

#11 Ok so how many must starve so that the Goracle and the other Elites can fly their private jets to exotic places to discuss GloBull Worming?

And what the heck is that dish in the picture? A pot roast or something?

Posted by CrazyFool 2008-04-15 11:21|| 2008-04-15 11:21|| Front Page Top

#12 only 150 bushels an acre for corn?
Some farmers in south central Nebraska average +500.
Perhaps they should study how the Nebraska boys do it?

Posted by 3dc 2008-04-15 11:25|| 2008-04-15 11:25|| Front Page Top

#13 AFAIKT, no one in the MSM has addressed the fact that at least one entire nation (Zimbobland)has gone off-line in less than three years, and will also not address the ridiculous fantasy fears about GM crops.

One other thought that I've been entertaining lately is the the "boutique" food industry that's fashionable in the States right now is disrupting the previous economies of scale available to farmers and shippers.

Posted by Seafarious 2008-04-15 11:26|| 2008-04-15 11:26|| Front Page Top

#14 For those of you who are not OF's like me.

Soylent Green 1973 Set in the year 2022, Soylent Green depicts a dystopian future in which the population has grown to forty million in New York City alone. The water and soil have been poisoned and airborne pollution has produced a year-round heatwave from the greenhouse effect. Most housing is dilapidated and overcrowded, and the impoverished homeless fill the streets.

Processed "Soylent Green" ration wafersFood as we know it todayincluding fruit, vegetables, and meatis a rare and expensive commodity. Half of the world's population survives on processed rations produced by the massive Soylent Corporation (from soy(bean) + lent(il)), including Soylent Red and Soylent Yellow, which are advertised as "high-energy vegetable concentrates". The newest product is Soylent Green - a small green wafer which is advertised as being produced from "high-energy plankton". It is much more nutritious and palatable than the red and yellow varieties, but it is in short supply, which often leads to riots.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-04-15 11:27|| 2008-04-15 11:27|| Front Page Top

#15 www.nebraskacorn.org
January 11 , 2008
The USDA says Nebraska corn producers produced a 1.472 billion bushel crop in 2007. That compares to 1.178 billion in 2006 and 1.270 billion in 2005. Nebraskas crop averaged 160 bushels per acre, a 2 bushel drop from USDAs November estimate.

Nationally, US Producers raised 13.07 billion bushels of corn in 2007. The national average yield was 151.1 bushels per acre.

Posted by ed 2008-04-15 11:39|| 2008-04-15 11:39|| Front Page Top

#16 C'mon GB, tell us how it ends, by 'going home' and being processed into that Soylent Green.
Book version is called "Make Room, Make Room."

Posted by USN,Ret. 2008-04-15 14:12|| 2008-04-15 14:12|| Front Page Top

#17 What *is* that scary thing?
(The graphic, I mean. Not the EU.)

Posted by SteveS 2008-04-15 14:42|| 2008-04-15 14:42|| Front Page Top

#18 Book version didn't even contain Soylant Green however.

I'm a fan of the Saturday night Live trailers for the Sequels. Soylant white (liquid paper) is made of People!
Soylant Green is still made of People!!!

Posted by rjschwarz 2008-04-15 15:20|| 2008-04-15 15:20|| Front Page Top

#19 You've gotta tell them! Soylent Green is people! We've gotta stop them somehow! Movie here

Chuck Heston plays a police detective charged with investigating the murder of a Soylent Inc. board member, one who was killed because he learned a horrific secret. Of course, the phrase "Soylent Green is people!" has entered the popular lexicon so it's no real surprise what that secret is. Will Chuck Heston find the murderer? Will he find out the secret? Will humanity learn that it truly is what it eats?

Watch the Soylent Green Commercial

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-04-15 15:38|| 2008-04-15 15:38|| Front Page Top

#20 Saw the Movie,all things considered a good, but not great film.
Makes you think, and that's the whole idea.

Posted by Redneck Jim">Redneck Jim 2008-04-15 15:53|| 2008-04-15 15:53|| Front Page Top

#21 3dc, what kind of soylent are the Nebraska farmers putting on their corn?

The whole biofuels thingy (at least, ethanol) is a scam. Here in the Southeast, we've been planting TONS more corn in the midst of a drought. In 2006 alone, Mississippi planted somewhere around 10 times as much corn (in acres) than the year before, because they had between 8 and 10 *proposed* ethanol plants in the State being built.

Now, however, the financial side of things has flipped. Just 3-4 years ago, you could get corn at $1.50/bushel and Ethanol at $4.50/gallon. Now, it's the reverse because EVERYONE has switched to ethanol-corn, which is very water intensive, as well as fertilizer (based upon petroleum too) intensive.

I talked to an Ag Professor at UGA (Univ. of GA) who had just come back from the midwest. He said that Illinois and Iowa (our 2 biggest corn States) are now net IMPORTERS of corn to "feed" all the ethanol plants. Now that the financial side of the house has flipped though, many feel that they *overbuilt* ethanol capacity, at least from corn. Some of the southern States are now looking at other *raw materials* for ethanol, such as lumber waste, pine tree cuttings (forestry), and other *organic/non-food* sources.

But, you know it's bad when the beef and dairy farmers of the midwest SHOUT DOWN the heads of the EPA and the Dept. of Ag because of the push for ethanol from corn. Corn prices have risen so high now, that they can't *afford* to feed their cows & hogs, and thus, it affects meat prices. Cause meet effect writ large.

Posted by BA 2008-04-15 16:03|| 2008-04-15 16:03|| Front Page Top

#22 And what the heck is that dish in the picture? A pot roast or something?

I see nuts and celery, looks like cornbread dressing to me. (Good stuff)

Posted by Redneck Jim">Redneck Jim 2008-04-15 16:09|| 2008-04-15 16:09|| Front Page Top

#23 Ed
I did say "South Central NE"
center around this map point

Posted by 3dc 2008-04-15 17:56|| 2008-04-15 17:56|| Front Page Top

#24 GolfBravoUSMC: It's a numbers game. Ethanol can replace up to 10% of the gasoline in a gasoline engine without creating problems. Then there is the strategic reserve, about 60 days worth of crude.

Add to it conservation, and opening the flood gates for new oil in both the US and Canada. It will probably take them at least 60 days to majorly increase production.

So let's say OPEC oil is cut off today. There is a good chance Chavez will also cut off oil. But if he doesn't, that's just another plus. The strategic reserve is directed to the refineries, who are told to operate at full capacity. Retail gasoline is cut with ethanol.

Add it all up, as well as a push to conservation, and the US has maybe six months of kicking the snot out of Iran before we start to feel the squeeze from the lack of 0PEC oil.

Ethanol is just a piece of the puzzle.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-04-15 18:15|| 2008-04-15 18:15|| Front Page Top

#25 I suspect that the whole thing is a bunch of crap. There are not enough vehicles running on biofuels to cause a disruption.

Speaking as a master Mechanic, there's no such thing as vehicles that burn gas only, not only is regular gas mixed 10% with ethanol as a regular thing (Betcha didn't know that) with todays computerized fuel injection systems the requiremens needed to burn 100% alcohol are non-existant, the vehicle's computer makes those adjustments automaticly, you WILL get less mileage because the engines compression ratio is around 8 to 1, where alcohol's best compression ratio is around 12 to 1, but aside rom that (Manufacturing difference only,) you can't do anything about compression without major engine work, at the least, a set of new Cylinder heads with smaller combustion chambers.

But this is an overall bad idea, such high compression engines cannot run regular gasoline, or even the best of premium gasoline, once modified the only fuel it CAN burn is alcohol.

So bst thing to do is mix alcohol with gasoline, that not only strtches the available gas supplies, but alcohol not only raises octane, it's a damn good cylinder cleaner as well.

Best of both worlds, AND IT'S BEING DONE EXACTLY THAT WAY TODAY. (Rant off).

I just get so pissed that people who know nothing about engines and/or fuels spout bullshit and expect to go unchallenged by truth.

Posted by Redneck Jim">Redneck Jim 2008-04-15 19:54|| 2008-04-15 19:54|| Front Page Top

#26 I blame ZOIDBERG [FUTURAMA/Alien Autopsy].

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-04-15 21:18|| 2008-04-15 21:18|| Front Page Top

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