13 things that confuse smart people...

Fascinating read... 13 scientific anomolies that even the smartest scientests on earth can't wrap their minds around.

Numbers One and Four don't suprise me, really - it's amazing what we DON'T know about the human body. Even 100 years from now, historians may look at todays medical community the same way we look at 17th century barbers (with their blood-letting) today.

Canada: Feds reveal farm aid plan

We know the beef industry is in shambles on both sides of the border. But not as many people are aware the grain producers have been whalloped hard in the past year as well.

The Canadian Federal Government just announced a $1 Billion aid package for affected farmers. While a good hunk of change is going to the beef industry, $480 million is going to the grain sector, which is facing the lowest commodity prices in over 25 years.

Why are grain prices so low? A number of factors, undoubtedly. But unfortunately, I don't believe the situation is going to change anytime soon. With the advent of low cost producers like Brazil and China entering the global marketplace, the trend will undoubtedly continue.

What does it mean for an average North American farmer? I'd like to think it means they're going to look at value added alternatives. It's a sad reality, but it's a reality - new fuels for your car, new medicines and new bioproducts are going to come out for two reasons - a) they're just plain cool, but b) because there are very few other ways for the North American farmer to compete.

Little mini chemical and plastics plants will soon be popping up all over your rural landscape. The activists have wisened up and are starting to target the agriculture sector... lets hope the agriculture sector can get past the shortsightedness of short-term financial aid and start addressing the upcoming realities. At the moment, farmers are still considered 'highly credible.' It will be fascinating to see if this continues over the next five or six years...

Watch where you put that horn...

The 'People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (PETA) activist group has never been known for their sane, rationale discourse on the true issues involving animal abuse or treatment.

I don't think they care for one second. They're getting set to run the "Running of the Nudes" through Pampalona, Spain.

Timed to coincide with the annual "Running of the Bulls" event, the media stunt is designed to show how mean it is to the poor bulls.

Like being forced to watch naked animal activists is any LESS cruel...

New plane runs on alcohol

I attended a seminar about 6 months ago on bioproducts and commercialization. The Professor speaking said the big breakthrough in commercial biofuels is going to be in the military aircraft field, for a few reasons...

a) Automobile manufacturers are increasingly focused on hybrid, and not biofuel production...
b) The US military doesn't care about FAA rules and their classifications on aircraft fuel
c) The US military has the money to spend on R&D, and
d) It's politically attractive as a commercial fuel alternative to middle eastern oil.

Well - it's not a military jet, but it is a jet none-the-less... a commercial aircraft in Brazil is the first to use ethanol as a fuel.

Bioproducts and biofuels don't mean much unless they're commercially viable. But steps like this mean commercial viability is very real. And with commercial viability will arrive a whole new set of challenges - like building trust and credibility to a skeptical public.

U.S. cattle ban expected to last a year

This isn't a victory of science. It's a victory of fear and opportunism. The Cattle Ranchers in Montana - one of the few states that are benefitting from a Canadian beef ban, have admitted that their primary motivation behind seeking an injunction to close the border is to protect their increased profits.

It looks like their newfound protection could last another year. That's how long US officials now estimate it will take to lift the injunction as they fight through the court system.

We're starting to venture down the road of irreversible harm here, on both sides of the border. The impact on the Canadian beef industry is obvious. But Americans are hurt too, as auction yards, slaughter houses and processing facilities, which depend on Canadian beef imports, have no option but to close their doors.

This is not a victory of science. Not at all.

Protest Vessel in Trouble - Will blame political harassment???

Wow - the same "so ironic you can't make jokes" line applies, even more so...

Remember the Sea Shepherds? (See the blog entry immediately below.) They said Transport Canada was politically harassing them, because they were refused clearance to leave harbour until their boat was made seaworthy.

The boat finally left, only to take on water and require rescue from the Canadian Coast Guard - a division of Transport Canada.

Word is they've made it back to harbour safely. But there is no word on whether Transport Canada delivered an official "Haha, I told you so" memo.

Do as we demand, not as we actually do ourselves...

Sometimes, the irony is so thick that it's just not sporting to make jokes. This may be one of those times.

Paul Watson is the head of a conservation group called the "Sea Shepherd Conservation Society." Watson was kicked out of Greenpeace back in the 70's for being too violent. He started the Sea Shepherd society to cause damage to ships that are causing damage to the environment because of their fishing practices.

According to www.activistcash.com - "the group has sunk at least ten ships in Iceland, Norway, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, and the Canary Islands. Watson has even sunk his own ships rather than let the authorities take them. And he has spent time in the jails of Canada and the Netherlands. “Any whaling ship on the ocean is a target for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society,” he has said.

Well - Watson may need to look in the mirror. Canadian environmental authorities had prevented his ship from leaving port because it was leaking too much oil and causing adverse harm to the environment.

Transport Canada's spokesperson is claiming "this is all about safety and preventing marine pollution."

Watson's ingenious rejoinder? "We never needed them before."

The group begrudgingly got the needed approvals before heading out to intercept a seal hunt. There is no word if Canadian authorities were able to track them by merely following the oil slick they left behind.

McScience Debunked

Remember "Super Size Me?" It was a documentary by Morgan Spurlock showing what happens by eating McDonalds food - and only McDonalds food - for one month. In the documentary, Spurlock got rounder and rounder, while his blood pressure and cholesterol rose dramatically.

Some suspected the movie may have been politically motivated, given the furor over transfats and several class action lawsuits against fast food outlets. An Edmonton teacher may have proven that point...

Les Sayers ate McDonalds food for one month but rather than gaining weight, he actually lost 17 pounds.

The difference? Unlike Spurlock, Sayers exercised regularly. Spurlock sat on his couch between feedings. But just in case you were concerned, Spurlock has learned his lesson - he's gotten off his couch to embark on a national speaking tour. Some claim he's one of the Generals in the war on fun.

I don't think anyone - Edmonton teachers included - would claim a steady diet of McDonalds would qualify as 'healthy eating.' But will Spurlock and the rest of the citizen army in the war against fast food outlets tell the whole story? That eating anything at all will make you gain weight unless you get off your butt and do some exercise?

Time will tell.