[extropy-chat] A Grim Vision ...?

[Samantha Atkins]

On Apr 11, 2007, at 8:45 PM, Morris Johnson wrote:

>
> We need not look farther than the massive trial of bio-energy this  
> year in North American agriculture.

Basing bio-energy largely on corn will be a colossal failure with the  
side-effect of driving various food costs higher.  A later side- 
effect will be a lot of farming business problem, calls for subsidies  
and bail outs and so on.  It is very predictable.

>
> Fertilizer takes petroleum. Crops can go to food or fuel subject  
> only to market drivers.
> crop Inputs are being diverted to energy over food.

Do your bio-energy as much as possible using fast growing weeds that  
take little in the way of such inputs.

> Some food sectors will have to adjust economics, marketing, or  
> simply reduce available  food supply.

Yep, as long as we are stupid enough to turn a primary, relatively  
high input, food into ethanol.

> North americans will not starve in 2007, but will consumers revolt,  
> will changes to diet occur , will consumption patterns and
> personal budget decisions adjust and if so how fast?
> The other question is .. how stable a long term pattern is this.
> Is it a  paradigm shifted or a fad?

It is a meaningless sop that will enrich many "in the know" and  
various opportunists while in the long run making a valid timely  
energy solution less likely in the US.  DOA

> Is the shift just starting with more evolution on the way  or is it  
> more fixed in stone?
>

Fixed in stone?  Only until the next Directive comrade.

- samantha