Fuel

Fuel prices have been going up at such a rate they are getting lots of press, especially in this weak economy. Gas went up 40 cents a gallon in most locations around here Thursday morning. Diesel prices are hitting truckers hard and one of my friends just posted a $735 bill he paid to fill his truck. It will hit farmers hard in a month or two when we start planting.

Ethanol and biodiesel has expanded supplies of fuel in the US and kept grain prices at a profitable level for the farmers growing them. The livestock farmers consuming them feel the pinch, too. It's a cutting edge sword if you grow grain and livestock as to which is making you the most money but beef and pork are record high prices, too.

It looks like we have a chance at E-15 becoming standard from what I am reading. I think that is a good thing for the country. We are producing enough oil now in North America that is being exported and staying at E-10 won't prevent that. We need all the fuel and good jobs in North America we can muster.

We found that article on The Coming Jobs War and it makes good sense. Author Jim Clifton believes it is the key to peace and happiness versus misery and war. He says we have plenty of inventions that needs to be sold and that we need more "intrapreneurs" than entrepreneurs or innovators. It makes sense to me. The more small and middle sized companies we have up and growing the better off we all will be.

Indivisible is a popular new book written by a protestant and a catholic. It talks about how Christians need to join together against new laws that affect our founding religious beliefs. Farmers are talking about The Sociopath Next Door in the Cafe today. Both add fuel to the fire!

We need to look at electric rates too as they are going up. American Electric Power just stirred up a hornets nest when they raised rates to the east of us so much they got questioned and PUCO found too many errors in meter readings and billing. DP&L sent us a letter where we could lock in 6.9 cents per KWH until 2014 and I think we better do that.

More and more companies are having to scrub coal burning stacks with lime due to their schedule on the Clean Air Act. That costs them more money but starts new sources of synthetic gypsum we farmers can spread on our fields to increase air and water movement in our soils.

Happy birthday to Aunt Jane who is 90 today. That is quite a feat. I was sad to learn I have lost 3 former coworkers recently, all in their 60's.

Life is quick and as precious as fuel.

Ed