The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
The Wisdom Of Barnyard Bruke
Greetings, to readers of The Quill,
I hope this paper finds you in a good frame of mind and preparing for spring that is now upon us (at least officially by the calendar).
Easter was early this year, the earliest since near the turn of the century around 1913. Won't happen again this early for over 200 more years.
The robins have arrived and the geese are head'n north daily. With spring work upon us, I'm thinking this might be one of my last letters. There's manure to haul and oats to sow and, my ole bones needs some limbering up till after next fall. It's been fun share'n with you'ns, with a few laughs along the way.
There's been a lot of negative talk lately especially as it relates to this political season. Some promote class warfare-rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
Professor Schiller at the University of Nevada, Reno, pointed out that, while the Census Bureau tells us that the share of the pie consumed by the poor has been shrinking (to 3.4% in 2006 from 4.1% in 1970), the "pie" has grown enormously. This years real GOP of $14 trillion is three times that of 1970.
The absolute size of the piece of pie received by the bottom 20% has increased from $181 billion to $476 billion. Allowing for population growth shows that the average income of people at the bottom of income distribution has risen 36%. While they are not rich, they are certainly not poorer.
In reality, economic growth has raised income for the general sector.
Labor Department data shows that personal consumption spending has risen $2.5 trillion since 2000. More Americans own homes and new cars today than ever before. Laptop computers, i-phones, and flat panel TVs are regarded as necessities rather than luxury items.
I guess if Chicken Little yells, "The sky is falling" long enough and the liberal press repeats it as fact, hard enough-then people actually begin to believe "The sky is falling".
"Figures don't lie, but liars figure," is the old adage according to Cornelius Farkwad.
Another interesting fact is pointed out by Ben Gitlow on ecological issues which have been used as political hay. The Grens of Europe started the issue followed by Rachael Carson, George McGovern, and Al Gore.
1,500 climate scientists, many of whom participated in the preparation of the first IP CC report, objected to the distortion of the report. Professors, such as Richard Lindzen, in the Department of Early Atmospheric, and Planetary Aciences at MIT, challenge Al Gore's assertion of a consensus of global warming.
Science records show periodic cycles occur in which temperatures and C02 concentrations have varied from much lower to much higher than current values.
The liberal press ignores credible climate-scientists, economists, and agriculture experts which give credible alternative explanations for climate change.
Once again, "The sky is falling by Chicken Little".
Recently I read an article, in Top Producer, by John Russnogle lamenting the affects of the high price of feed on the livestock industry. He quotes Jim Long, President and CEO of Genesus, Inc. a Canadian based swine genetics company that sells to producers in Canada, U.S., Asia, Europe, and South American. Mr. Long expressed little optimism to livestock adjusting to the new fuel-driven-demand world. In the food-versus-fuel dilema, his personal belief is that within two years the ethanol support will be gone. The economists just don't make sense. (I suppose it wouldn't to a Canadian geneticist who doesn't have any American corn to sell.)
Anyone that reads the press or watch and hears the news knows ethanol and consequently the corn farmer is under attack. From CNN news to Rush Limbaugh, information is given with undocumented data. And yet there are many jobs created and more, yet farmers, enjoying higher prices for their corn and receiving less government payments.
Big oil initiated the attacks and "Chicken Little" perpetuates the myth about inefficiencies of ethanol, its water usage, and it's adverse affect for food. A box of cereal has ¢12 worth of grain in it, figure it out.
With the dramatic drop in commodity prices prior to Easter weekend, we received a sharp wake-up call to the uncertainty of farming. I imagine cereal prices and bread came down as well. (where's Chicken Little when we need him?)
With Ethanol plants selling ethanol at around $2.20/gallon, it sells thru big oil at the gas station for around $3.35 blended with gasoline. That is in addition to the blenders refund they receive of over ¢50/gallon of Ethanol. Big oil is showing record profits in the billions of dollars.
The top ten petro-giants operating in the U.S. generated $1.4 billion in revenues and more than $200 billion in pretax profits. In the history of global commerce Exxon/Mobil is the most profitable company. Its 2007 profits of $40.6 billion over shadow it's own 2006 record net income of $39.5 billion. And yet they fight the American farmer for his small cut of the pie, and orchestrate a concerted food-versus-fuel debate to retract the farmers gains from the ethanol production.
The "sky is falling" proclaims big oil henchman and paid politicians. And never mind those coming back in body bags from protecting those oil field profits. Cornelius Farkwad and I are very confused by the mentality of it all, but we both agree we have a lot to be thankful for-will leave the negative talk to Chicken Little and the politicians.
See you next winter and have a safe growing season. May the Lord richly bless you for your labors, and worry not about the "Sky falling" syndrome for the Lord is in control and He will tend to the sky as He sees fit. (The liberal press and soothsayers aside)
Your friends,
Barnyard Bruke and pal Cornelius Farkwad