This is a link to a really interesting guest essay I found on Orson Scott Card’s website.

The basis of the article is to highlight why the Food versus Fuel debate in relation to ethanol and its effect on the food supply is lacking in facts and the current debate does not highlight the real issue of foodstuffs for animals versus food for humans. The article is overall very positive and well worth reading if you want to be educated on the real facts. The links in the credits provide more information such as the presentation provided to George Bush on the benefits of Cellulosic Ethanol to the current crisis with oil and the potential future contributions to the American economy as a result of replacing animal foodstuffs with protein from the cellulosic ethanol conversion process.

Here is a link to a page containing the 47 page presentation called “Why Cellulosic Ethanol is nearer than you may think!”

Dr Dale highlights for example that livestock in the US consume 5 times the total human calorie demand in the US and 10 times the total human protein demand. The land needed to produce the feedstuff for livestock is the greater issue in that it is currently inefficient and could be better met through cellulosic ethanol production.

Of course, we could always just eat less meat and more vegetables and thereby also address the issue of obesity

Check out this article about the worlds largest crucifix to be built . Tom Monaghan is the founder and past owner of Dominos Pizza and created a foundation called the Ave Maria Foundation donating $200 million in cash and real estate after having something called a religious awakening. The sarcasm is intended in this case.

The idea of spending $24 million to build the Ave Maria church and looking for additional contributions to the tune of $5.65 million for items like a bell tower and church organ etc is absolutely ridiculous. Why is it that some religious people have this notion that building something bigger or more extravagent to represent or show their religious devotion is even acceptable from a religious perspective. This guy has a religious awakening and gave up most of his wealth as a result of this awakening and then creates this foundation which as part of its legacy is spending millions of dollars in a building that does nothing but ensure that this man leaves a legacy behind. What is frugal or not ostentatious about that? I don’t get it!

Don’t even get me started on the Ave Maria Mutual Funds which only invests in companies whose operations are in line with the core teachings of the Catholic Church. The idea is to promote morally responsible investing.

So how exactly is it morally responsible to spend this kind of money on the worlds largest crucifix?

Mr Monaghan has spent the time since his awakening promoting the values of the Catholic Church which frankly in this case are lacking. Check out the page wikipedia has on him for more details. These kinds of stories are one of the many reasons why I have no time for organized religion.