Unfortunately, not much given the outcome of most online petitions. But I get your point and I agree with it. <br><br>XO = education = change<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Feb 26, 2008 at 9:02 AM, John Kintree <<a href="mailto:jkintree@swbell.net">jkintree@swbell.net</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">In 1980, Paul Ehrlich, the author of _The Population Bomb_,<br>
bet Julian Simon that prices of metal commodities would<br>
increase by 1990. Ehrlich thought that the rapidly growing<br>
human population would soon exceed the life supporting<br>
capacity of planet Earth. Simon argued that improvements<br>
in technology would increase the capacity of Earth's<br>
resources so that shortages and higher prices would not occur.<br>
<br>
Ehrlich lost the bet. The prices of all five metals he picked<br>
were lower in 1990 than they were in 1980.<br>
<br>
In seven of the last eight years, including 2007 during which<br>
world grain production reached an all time high, world grain<br>
consumption has exceeded production. World grain stocks<br>
are falling, and grain prices are now rising rapidly.<br>
See Chapter 2 data at: <a href="http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/PB3/data.htm" target="_blank">http://www.earthpolicy.org/Books/PB3/data.htm</a><br>
<br>
There have recently been reports of regional shortages of<br>
fertilizer, and of farmers hoarding fertilizer to ensure<br>
adequate stocks for the next growing season. There are<br>
also reports of farmers withholding rice from the market in<br>
order to sell at even higher prices in the future. It is easier<br>
to manipulate prices during times of tight supply.<br>
<br>
All is not bleak. One of the most encouraging things<br>
happening in the world these days is the One Laptop<br>
Per Child project. Why is that encouraging? What good<br>
does Internet access do for a child who does not have<br>
food to eat?<br>
<br>
In the marketplace, a penniless child has zero demand. It<br>
doesn't matter how great the need might be. In a monetary<br>
economy, having zero money means having zero demand.<br>
<br>
Suppose a petition was placed on the Internet to use the<br>
world's grain to feed children instead of using it to fatten<br>
cattle before the slaughter, and instead of using it to<br>
produce ethanol fuel for fat SUVs. And, suppose we let<br>
children in developing countries use their XO laptops to<br>
sign their names to this petition. Would that have any<br>
impact on the distribution of the world's grain? Should it?<br>
vanguard,<br>
John Kintree<br>
4043 Delor Street<br>
St. Louis, MO 63116<br>
314-351-7454<br>
<a href="http://home.swbell.net/jkintree/islt/" target="_blank">http://home.swbell.net/jkintree/islt/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
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</blockquote></div><br>