And here's a sign that perhaps the price of food is starting to pinch. The Today show ran a segment on how to cut your food bill:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13905784/

Plus you'll never get pulled over for drink driving as they'll be no petrol.

Although drunk cycling isn't a good alternative either, unless someone comes up with a bike with an airbag.

Just a couple of comments about the Kunstler article:

I happen to live in Missouri as well.



The plastic amounts to a couple of large (yard waste?) size garbage bags. It's a minor waste of petroleum, in my opinion. Does one need to generate silage in a plastic bag? No, but evidently the old-fashioned way of making silage is unacceptable to the writer as well. Read on, below.



Buying less-than-perfect cattle is actually a great way to "recycle". I think the small farmer is actually better off doing this than the factory farmer. I know plenty of people who do this and produce much better beef than the factory feedlots.



and



and



Making silage is a time-tested method of preserving excellent cattle fodder. To suggest making silage is "a new stench" leads me to wonder whether the writer is actually a farmer or has any real farming experience. Now, to defend him, I think that feeding a combination of (apparently) composted chicken manure and wood shavings is completely unacceptable. Silage, on the other hand, is an excellent and commendable foodstuff for cattle.



I drive about 50 on the interstate or expressway, and try to maintain 40 in town, where possible. Driving 60 mph is wasting fuel, in my opinion. Most vehicles, including Mr. Farmer's, are much more fuel efficient around 45 mph. Slow down, Mr. Farmer, if you're serious about saving energy.



The truth is that this is completely untrue. No money was taken from Medicare funds (general revenue, GR) and given to the highway department (MoDOT). In fact, because of gas tax revenue, MoDOT has plenty of money. The budget was cut on the GR side because the damn government was spending money it did not have.



Absolutely true, except for where the money originated, which was not so-called "Medicare funds". I don't completely understand the need for tenth-mile markers either, except for improved response time for the Highway Patrol. They won't have to search for the accident, or whatever, as long if the location is between two tenth mile markers. I know, believe me if you can, it's harder than one thinks to track down an accident on the interstate.



True, cables are being installed. It is untrue that the cables are a perfect height for SUV's to roll over; anything less than a 15 foot high, five foot thick wall is not going to prevent all median cross-overs. The safety advantages have been documented, and I'm personally glad to see them installed. It's completely untrue that the cables are falling apart.



"Snow markers" were installed. Many are still around. They were an experiment I think, and probably very inexpensive to install, judging by the longevity. The markers amounted to a piece of cheap plastic about 3 feet tall with a reflective surface at the top. They did make it easier to see the edge of the road surface (actually, the shoulder) in inclement weather. I drive all over the state, and I personally thought they were an improvement on the "fog lines".

To each his own, but this article (letter) was definitely slanted. I question whether it was written by an actual farmer.

We have a big garden, can a lot of food for the winter, and eats lots of gourmet-style meals.

We try to buy all our food from our neighbors, as little as possible from the supermarket. Our big drawback is dairy, since we don't have a cow and so far, no neighbors to buy milk from.

I'd say we eat out about 10 times a year, and it rarely lives up to fresh, locally grown food.

This is true for me. Since about 2000 or so I've stopped going out to eat much. It used to be I'd eat out nearly everyday, at least for lunch.

Now, for budget and other reasons, I don't eat out nearly so often. No big deal, I like to cook. There are also many foods (factory farmed) that I don't want to eat or support.

Cheaper and healthier to cook your own food, though I do miss going out to eat.

My parents were very frugal and when I was growing up the only time we went out to eat was for our birthdays (sometimes) or when we were on the road (vaction) - just a few days out of the year. So after moving out I went though a decade long phase of eating out all the time because I could... but now I find myself drifting back towards my childhood and doing most of my own cooking.

Naw but it resonated with the intended audience.

As you point out, the writer’s lack of knowledge, not to mention the ewww! factor labeled him at first glance, for me at least and I don't got much knowledge.

Our family has had to cut back on trips to restaurants of late. When we do go out, it's usually to places that offer coupons like two entrees for price of one. I like cooking, but I often have eight people staying for dinner (kids bring friends), so going out for dinner occasionally is a treat. We have found that going out anywhere, whether it's dinner, a movie, bowling, recreation centers has really become expensive and hard to find the money for, so we're trying to engage in more low-cost fun.

I lot of people we know have less money for going out now than they had, say, a couple of years ago; however, here in Alberta the popular restaurants and attractions still have brisk business.

I'd say that's the economy reaching the tipping point. It's similar here in the UK, but perversely, right now I have more money than I ever had before (which is not saying much, anyway).

Exactly, Doly, my husband's and my combined incomes are higher than they've ever been but there is less disposable income, even though we're fortunate that we have a small mortgage. Energy costs in Alberta are quite high (and will be higher still starting this month). Also, as the family's designated grocery shopper, I've noticed food prices climbing steadily. We're working on finding more things for our teenagers to do that are low-cost or free, while still keeping them busy and out of trouble.

I know this isnt dining, but the six flags in st.louis has been dead for over 2 years now. It use to be packed, but now you hardly have to wait for any ride. They keep spendings millions on new rides , and it isnt helping. My non PO wife even notices it.

Cows digest cellulose and need a protein source. If the cows eat it and gain weight on it, it must not be THAT bad. I don't know of any parasites that can be transferred from chickens to cows, at least none that would affect beef or milk production. A lot of animals eat the feces of other animals (or even their own) - I think it's just repellent to humans.

DK

A lot of animals eat the feces of other animals (or even their own)

Is that why burger joints have staff toilets but NO connection to the drainage system?

"Do you want fries with THAT?"