[win2kpro]

"When millions of people are going hungry, it's a crime against humanity that food should be diverted to biofuels," said India's finance minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, in an interview. Turkey's finance minister, Mehmet Simsek, said the use of food for biofuels is "appalling."

Good article;

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1208..._us_whats_news

[pyritechips]

Yeah there is a looming food crisis but of course people either don't know or don't care.

Here is another article about it: http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/food/prices.html

[Bastiat]

Maybe we should trade the grain for oil?

I've maintained and been pooed pooed by the resident semi-intelligentsia that food is the major resource of this planet not oil. Any country that can not feed its own citizens will never be a world power. China, for example, is losing tillable land at an alarming rate.

[pyritechips]

Originally Posted by Bastiat

Maybe we should trade the grain for oil?

I've maintained and been pooed pooed by the resident semi-intelligentsia that food is the major resource of this planet not oil. Any country that can not feed its own citizens will never be a world power. China, for example, is losing tillable land at an alarming rate.

Yes, food is the primary "fuel" of human kind, not oil. To use food to produce so-called "green" fuel is pure folly. There is a net loss in such policy.

[Bastiat]

Originally Posted by pyritechips

To use food to produce so-called "green" fuel is pure folly. There is a net loss in such policy.

The net loss is only to those countries that can not make up the difference, those that have excess capacity, such as Canada, can have the best of both worlds....a source of cleaner fuel and food. Simply.....don't fudge with farmers.

[pyritechips]

Yes, it is emerging nations like India and China that are putting the squeeze on world food supplies while Canada, with only 33 million people, are exporting like crazy, much to it's profit, but if the current trend continues there will be less and less to export.

[Bastiat]

Originally Posted by pyritechips

Yes, it is emerging nations like India and China that are putting the squeeze on world food supplies while Canada, with only 33 million people, are exporting like crazy, much to it's profit, but if the current trend continues there will be less and less to export.

My point exactly.....should you wish to checkout the CIA Factbook you will find that neither China nor India can feed their own continuing to grow population. And, what makes it worse is they both are losing land that could be used to grow food. If you are a politcal leader that has to be a major concern for your country.

[pyritechips]

Yes, to have a "food deficit" is a decidedly crippling factor for any emerging nation. The books have to balance and they can't if whatever gain an emerging nation earns is sucked up to pay the debts of supplying the basic necessities of life.

Here is another thought. How does it look to other nations when the gluttons of America, Canada and Europe suck up precious and much needed food supplies merely to produce fuel to power our SUV's?

[Bastiat]

Originally Posted by pyritechips

Here is another thought. How does it look to other nations when the gluttons of America, Canada and Europe suck up precious and much needed food supplies merely to produce fuel to power our SUV's?

Your premise is incorrect, there is no "glutton" in the US or Canada nor do we suck up food supplies. We grew it we can determine its use. Food is a commodity just like oil or nickel or wood, nothing more nothing less. We don't tell India what to do with tea nor China with rice so why should we be told that we are "gluttons" for using our commodity how we deem fit?

[ekim68]

In a way we've had transportation pretty cheap over the years. And, that's contributed to the gluttony of energy. Up until about 40 years ago our downtown was the place to go and it wasn't far. Soon the shopping malls on the outskirts of town were built and they made it easy to get to on the freeway. Nowadays, as gas prices go, I'm not going to those malls...I know I could bike ten miles, and I do sometimes, but it used to be cheaper.

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by ekim68

In a way we've had transportation pretty cheap over the years. And, that's contributed to the gluttony of energy. Up until about 40 years ago our downtown was the place to go and it wasn't far. Soon the shopping malls on the outskirts of town were built and they made it easy to get to on the freeway. Nowadays, as gas prices go, I'm not going to those malls...I know I could bike ten miles, and I do sometimes, but it used to be cheaper.

Maybe it will revitalize our downtowns!

[LuckyStrike]

You know the United States and Canada both produce a surplus of grains and oil seeds with respect to our domestic consumption even after using some for bio-fuels.

Instead of vilifying the U.S. and Canada, why not vilify Africa. Africa is a vast natural resource rich continent. Africa should not only be able to feed itself, but be a major exporter of food. It is not able to feed itself, much less be a major exporter of food. This is due to bad governments. It is bad governments all over the world, in Africa, in South America, in China, in Eastern Europe, etc, etc, that are to blame for the food crisis. The United States and Canada, with their highly productive free market economies have not only subsidized their own populations with cheap food due to our abundant productivity, but also the rest of the world.

Just imagine if the United States and Canada had socialist economies with government controlled collectivized farms such as in the former U.S.S.R. or China. Then the world would really be starving.

[bassetman]

Originally Posted by LuckyStrike

You know the United States and Canada both produce a surplus of grains and oil seeds with respect to our domestic consumption even after using some for bio-fuels.

Instead of vilifying the U.S. and Canada, why not vilify Africa. Africa is a vast natural resource rich continent. Africa should not only be able to feed itself, but be a major exporter of food. It is not able to feed itself, much less be a major exporter of food. This is due to bad governments. It is bad governments all over the world, in Africa, in South America, in China, in Eastern Europe, etc, etc, that are to blame for the food crisis. The United States and Canada, with their highly productive free market economies have not only subsidized their own populations with cheap food due to our abundant productivity, but also the rest of the world.

Just imagine if the United States and Canada had socialist economies with government controlled collectivized farms such as in the former U.S.S.R. or China. Then the world would really be starving.

I believe Africa has a raun problem!

[LANMaster]

Originally Posted by LuckyStrike

You know the United States and Canada both produce a surplus of grains and oil seeds with respect to our domestic consumption even after using some for bio-fuels.

Instead of vilifying the U.S. and Canada, why not vilify Africa. Africa is a vast natural resource rich continent. Africa should not only be able to feed itself, but be a major exporter of food. It is not able to feed itself, much less be a major exporter of food. This is due to bad governments. It is bad governments all over the world, in Africa, in South America, in China, in Eastern Europe, etc, etc, that are to blame for the food crisis. The United States and Canada, with their highly productive free market economies have not only subsidized their own populations with cheap food due to our abundant productivity, but also the rest of the world.

Just imagine if the United States and Canada had socialist economies with government controlled collectivized farms such as in the former U.S.S.R. or China. Then the world would really be starving.

Something to ponder as the US looks to possibly select a leader that espouses a far more Socialist doctrine for the future.

Bravo!

Brilliant analysis.

[steppenwolf]

coca cola controlls water in 3rd world companies-did i read that at killercoke.org?

so its the companies that controll the world not governments?