Thank You, Renewable Bio-Fuel, for the $4 Gallon of Milk

Golden Corn !
Originally uploaded by Lydd_Nel

Short-sighted policies based on the crisis du jour invariably produce many unwanted side-effects--the total of which almost always outweigh the perceived benefits. Thanks to the increased demand on corn for the production of "green" fuel ethanol (which by some accounts isn't any more green than gasoline), milk could soon be $4 per gallon. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Thanks to the world's growing and insatiable demand for energy, the use of ethanol could lead to even more starvation for the poorest populations. Plus, it's hardly any cleaner than gasoline emissions.

Sure, it's not just environmentalism run amok that's driving the ethanol surge. Tight oil production and instability in the Middle East is largely to blame. But even with increased ethanol production, the oil companies are taking the cue to decrease expensive oil production and refining, leaving fuel prices about the same.

I don't know where I'm going with this, except that a lot of people are going to get rich off ethanol (I'm talking to you, South Dakota), and the government will spend billions to ensure it happens, while the rest of the country takes the hit. Bottom line, ethanol is a fake solution to a fake problem.

Freaks and Geeks Makes a Happy Father's Day

I was extremely happy this Father's Day to get the complete series of Freaks and Geeks. Sure, it ran for only a season, but was the funniest, most realistic coming-of-age show I've ever had the pleasure to watch. "Dramedy" doesn't begin to come close.

Let me put down a chunk of the letter from Paul Feig, the creator of the show:

For me, this journey started back in 1998, when I was driving around the country with a very low budget independent feature film I made called Life Sold Separately. As I was out on a long college tour with the film, driving around from state to state in the Midwest, I decided it was time to write something I'd been wanting to write for a while: a one-hour TV show about my experiences in high school while growing up in Michigan. I wanted it to be about the real people I knew, the people I had never seen portrayed accurately on TV or in movies. I wanted to write about the burnouts, or freaks, who were always getting in trouble an yet who seemed to be questioning the world around them more than the school system apparently wanted them to. And I wanted to write about my friends.

I'll be honest. My friends and I didn't consider ourselves to be geeks back then. We knew kids who were nerdy, who were the super smart kids who knew they were going to be valedictorians and eventually run the world, and yet we weren't really a part of that group. We simply weren't that smart. But we didn't exclude them from our group, since our group didn't exclude anyone. Because we never really were a group, at least not as far as we were concerned. We were basically awkward, slightly immature kids who didn't fit in to any other clique. Looking back, I guess that made us a group, which I then chose to call "geeks" when I started writing the script (and, hey, it rhymes with "freaks," right?).

By the way, Paul Feig has made quite a name for himself since Freaks and Geeks, and has had a hand in many projects including directing Arrested Development and The Office, and playing a bit part in an episode of Facts of Life.

If you've never had the chance to watch it, rent it--and then buy it.

Roe v. Wade - Interesting Facts

Logically, the amount of experiences and data supporting the overturn of Roe v. Wade is so overwhelming that it defies logic that anyone can support that monumental act of judicial abuse. This article just adds yet more weight to the side of procreative restraint.

...Roe did substantially increase abortions, more than doubling the rate per live birth in the five years from 1972 to 1977. But many other changes occurred at the same time:

• A sharp increase in premarital sex.
• A sharp rise in out-of-wedlock births.
• A drop in the number of children placed for adoption.
• A decline in marriages that occur after the woman is pregnant.

The basic assertion here is that Roe v. Wade helped eliminate responsibility and inhibitions toward premarital sex. This led to folks producing a LOT more illegitimate babies--even taking into account those who chose to have their children aborted. And we know that single-parent homes, in aggregate, lead to such a host of social woes that it's safe to assume that Roe v. Wade can be blamed for much of what is wrong today--crime, poverty, illiteracy and worse.

This goes way beyond life versus choice. The evidence is clear that society is harmed by the liberalization of abortion.

From the Mouths of Old Coots: Global Warming Wisdom

Reid Bryson, the 87-year-old 'father of scientific climatology,' has offered so many nuggets of global warming wisdom that I can't help but smile.

He's a University of Wisconsin professor emeritus, and he takes a solid stand against current global-warming establishment with a slew of no-nonsense gems:

There is no credible evidence that it is due to mankind and carbon dioxide. We've been coming out of a Little Ice Age for 300 years. We have not been making very much carbon dioxide for 300 years. It's been warming up for a long time."

[Human-caused global warming] really isn't science because there's no really good scientific evidence.

Consensus doesn't prove anything, in science or anywhere else, except in democracy, maybe.

There is a lot of money to be made in this. If you want to be an eminent scientist you have to have a lot of grad students and a lot of grants. You can't get grants unless you say, 'Oh global warming, yes, yes, carbon dioxide.'

There is very little truth to what is being said and an awful lot of religion. It's almost a religion. Where you have to believe in anthropogenic (or man-made) global warming or else you are nuts.

[On Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth:] Don't make me throw up," he said. "It is not science. It is not true.

'Bruce' Beats 'Kendall' - IN YOUR FACE!

Well, after a long hiatus in attending to my most assuredly readerless blog, I'm pleased to report that of all the most popular male names from 2000-2006, Bruce is ranked #478 in popularity - right ahead of Kendall.

It's about time my name got some respect. For too long Kendall and I have been at each other's throats, battling for supremacy throughout the years. Read it and weep!

Next target: #477. Osvaldo, you're going down!

Look At Me!

Here's CIA agent James Spreacker walking to meet his contacts, Boris and Muhammed, at the cafe across the street from the Transamerica Building. The unlucky agent doesn't know his tea is laced with a powerful laxative. Or that the bathroom is out of order. It's not going to be a good day for him.

Today's Anti-Romney Diatribe

And now a word about Mitt Romney from an authoritative source on spirituality and religion.

The press has crowned him the "Dr. Phil of prayer" and "The next big thing in mass media religion." He's the face behind Liveprayer.com, performing "Prayer Requests and Miracles 24 hours a day!" He broadcasts a daily Internet audio and video message prefaced, appended and riddled throughout with pleas for money "to help those that hurt." Let's give it up for the president of Bill Keller Ministries, Mr. Bill Keller!

If you vote for Mitt Romney, you are voting for Satan!

Last weekend Pat Robertson, founder of CBN and Regents University, had Romney deliver the keynote address to the graduates of Regents. Regents is one of the great Christian colleges in this nation and Robertson allowed this cult member to deliver the commencement address. Is he out of his mind?

Romney winning the White House...WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD MILLIONS OF SOULS TO THE ETERNAL FLAMES OF HELL!!! [Emphasis not added]

Thank goodness there are people like Mr. Keller who really exemplify the Christlike attributes of tolerance and love. Funny thing, though, is that he's now being investigated by the government for mixing politics and religion. They could revoke his tax-exempt status for his public opposition to Romney.

So you need to open up your hearts and your pocketbooks and send him more money to help him make up the shortfall.

New Symphony X Album Soon

PLfullcover
Originally uploaded by Senor Velasco

This has been the summer of the sequel--and not just in the box office. I've relished in new works from my favorite author (J.R.R. Tolkein) and bands, including Dream Theater, Rush and now Symphony X with Paradise Lost, to be released on June 26.

Symphony X is a prog-metal outfit with a distinctive penchant for what I call Dungeons and Dragons themes. It's melodramatic, kinda silly and loads of fun. The songs are driving and catchy, and the instrumentation is blazing.

Check out a sample from the new album.

Also, follow the link under the picture to check out the new album art. I think it's one of their best. Makes me want to go on a quest or something.

Look at Me!

Meet Clem. Clem likes to ride his bike. Today he's zipping around the Presidio. He's looking for squirrels to add to his collection. There's room for about 13 more in his freezer. Then he can throw that dinner party he's been planning.

I don't think I'll be biking around the Presidio anytime soon.