—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 28, 1973
10
Reassuring Power Cushion
A pamphlet published by The Chase
Manhattan Bank entitled, ‘‘Outlook for
Energy in the United States to 1985"
presents an exhaustive analysis of energy
consumption trends and potential energy
sources of all kinds - coal, -oil, natural gas,
nuclear, etc. The pamphlet’s foreword
contains a few paragraphs pertaining to
our dependence on energy that are
startling reminders of what that small light
switch on the wall signifies.
It is pointed out that, “Because there
would be virtually no agricultural activity
without energy, very little food could be
produced And the food could not be
cooked even if it were available. Lacking
energy, homes and all other buildings could
not be heated - or cooled. Except for
walking, there would be virtually no means
of transportation without energy - not even
bicycles could be manufactured. Private
automobiles, aircraft, trains, trucks,
busses, ships, and rapid transit systems
We’re Better Off Than We Think
Higher beef prices - a particularly sharp
thorn in the side of most household food
budgets - have been caused by many
things Relatively heavi demand for feed
grains due to foreign sales, weather
delayed harvests, and the general
progression of inflation continually fired by
federal government deficit spending have
had their effect One of the' most important
factors is high consumer demand for beef.
And here is the key point Supply and
demand in the marketplace set the price
for beef regardless of farmer-rancher cost
of production
As an authority in the industry has
pointed out, beef, unlike most manufac
tured products, has a fluctuating price
level It goes both up jand down. When
supplies are reduced " prices tend to rise
because consumers are bidding against
each other for available meat.” Higher
prices provide the incentive for farmers
and ranchers to invest in bigger herds and
“If we suppose that the taxpayer or his
tax service spend four hours on the
average on each return, the total time
amounted to the horrendous total of 300
million man-hours, or the equivalent ol
150,000 men working 40 hours a week for
50 weeks a year—, “ Mr. Milton Friedman is
said to have remarked, according to an
Otter Tail Power Company publication,
“and this does not include the time spent
by employees of business enterprises in
withholding taxes and preparing W-2s or
by high-priced lawyers and accountants
advising clients on tax matters or by the
governmental employees on the other side
of the Internal Revenue desk.”
The National Safety Council has noted
that safety belts are now available to about
seven out of eight of all passenger car
occupants, but the belts are being used
only about 40 percent of the time, on the
average. As a consequence, slightly more
than one out of three car occupants are
indicated to have been using their safety
belts at any given time. Current in
formation indicates that if all' passenger
car occupants used belts at all times, such
use would save 8,000 to 10,000 lives an
nually.
“A man should always consider how
much he has more than he wants, and how
much more unhappy he might be than he
really is.”—-Joseph Addison.
Grassroots Opinion
xxx
xxx
would all be baited. Neither people nor
freight would be able to move.. Most of the
activities of governmenf could not be
carried on if there were no energy. Schools,
churches, hospitals, doctors, and dentists
could not function effectively . . . com
munication would cease."
In the light of the foregoing, some figures
released by the Federal Power Commission
on electric energy reserves are comforting.
During the winter of 1972 and 1973, the
FPC forecasts that only two regions of the
country will have less than 25 percent
reserves - the Southeast and the West. The
Southeast, the FPC estimated, should have
a 16 percent _ excess of supply over
demand, and the West should have 20.9
percent These reassuring figures reflect
the continuing determination of the
vestor-owned electric industry to carry out
its primary obligation of meeting U.S.
energy demands When the chips are down,
there is no alternative either for the in
dustry or for the nation.
expand their facilities. The effect of this is
to increase supply which, in the long run,
has the effect of bringing lower prices. All
this is going on right now, but it takes 20 to
24 months to produce a 1,000 pound
feedlot-finished steer ready to be sold to a
packer US beef production has been
boosted 2 5 times in the past 20 years, and
it is estimated it will have to be doubled,
again by the end of the century. This can be
done, but those who raise beef cattle will
have to make enough from their effort to
pay their cost of production plus enough
profit to encourage them to expand herds
and production facilities
Now is the time for a little patience, a
little shopping judgment and effort and an
understanding of the incentive-producing
free market forces that can be counted on
to continue to produce the meat abun
dance to which we are accustomed. Also, it
should be kept in mind that Americans still'
pay less of their income for food than any
other people in the world.
The Kansas Power and light Company
reports an interesting development in the
coal industry. In a company publication it
was said that, “Scientists at the U.S.
Bureau of Mines’ Coal Research Center are
looking for ways to use fly ash, the waste
product of coal-fired boilers. Some 20
million tons of fly ash accumulate every
year, largely from electric power
generation. One use holds promise of
making winter driving safer. Preliminary
tests indicate that when about two pounds
of fly ash are formulated with tire tread
rubber, traction and skid resistance on icy
roads are improved, yet the tire’s wear
properties are not impaired.”
CLAYSVILLE, PA., RECORDER: “The
world of business is a mystery to too many
of us and more companies should un
dertake programs to acquaint students
and the general public with their
operations."
NEW ALBANY, MISS., GAZETTE; “A
friend offers these statistics revealed at a .
meeting where women were surveyed on
their feelmgs.about deceptive packaging in
retailing Unexpectedly, the survey showed
that 15 percent of the women tinted their
hair ; 38 percent wore wigs; 80 percent
wore rouge; 98 percent wore lipstick; 25
percent had on eyeshadow; 22 percent
false eyelashes: 93 percent wore nail
polish: and 100 percent approved a
resolution condemning any kind of false
packaging "
> v ’ i
/ r
€,-> -,f-r WZ- v," •’ -
I NOW IS
*S ,J ' 11 ( - ' /
I THE TIME . ..
$
Corn planting time is at hand
and some fields have already
been planted. Growers are urged
io take time to have their plan
ters dropping kernels at the
desired rate. Don’t forget to allow
for some mortality due to birds,
insects, etc. Also, com for silage
can be planted 10 percent thicker
than corn for grain on most
farms. The use of insecticides at
planting time is a good way to
control such insects as cutworms,
rootworms, and stalk borers.
Some of these insects have been
giving considerable trouble in
recent years. The treatment at
planting time is a good time to get
this protection. Further details
on corn insect control is found in
the 1973 Agronomy ,Guide.
To Recognize Stage
Of Maturity
Forage crops are growing
rapidly and some may be ready
for harvesting in the next few
weeks. Winter rye for silage
should be cut when the head is
emerging from the top of the
plant. Other winter grains may
be cut at their top feeding value
after heading, and when in the
blossom stage. All grasses are
best when cut at heading tim,e.
Mature plants may give more
total ppunds but will not contain
as much real feed value.
Legumes should be cut in the bud -
to early blossom stage on
established stands. New Alfalfa
Thomas, the one whom we call
“Doubting . . The facts are
simple: while he was awaythe
other disciples claimedto have
been,visited by the risen Jesus.
Thomas found that too good to be
true and refused to believe his co
workers. So dubious was he, that
he announced that he would be
lieve only when he could touch
and feel this apparition.
When Jesus returned again to
the upper room, he challenged
th.e startled disciple to go through
with his .tests and see for himself
whether or not he was real. Most
people assume that Thomas then
did touch the wounds of Jesus, a 1...
... .. though the writer,'John, gives us
no such evi dence. In fact, as John
in Mat+tiow’s ai** records it, as soon as Jesus has
mnS 1 S alw/ given him the challenge, Thomas’s
™ n - I doubt is overcome and he pours
lJ!? n SJfnl1 ITOh out overdue confession: “My
school or confirmation class: Lord and my God!”
Blessed are the poor in spirit, *
for theirs is the. Believing without seeing
kingdom of hea- Jesus uses the slowness of
ve “‘ Thomas’s faith to lay down a
Blessed are great principle; the higher bless
those who mourn, edness comes to those who can
for they shall be believe without proof... “Blessed
comforted. are those who have' not seen and
Blessed are the ye t believe”,
meek, for they This may seem strange to us
r«. n and many of us may well assume
earth ... Etc. Be- j s an invitation to believe reck
, ... ca H? e i , we may ?°* iessly, but it is not. It is based
on the assumption that we cannot
of that word blessed, the New afford to live on only that which
English Bible it as j s definitely proven. There is so
4 ’ ‘ an ?T^ ay s much more to life than that.
EnghshVers.on makes it “Happy often the greatest realities are
’ ’• V are . P °° r^ n those that require some sort of
spirit . . .’’/“How blest are the “j e ap'-of-faith.”
poor in spirit... ). Even if science'were able to
Oo not be faithless prove most of the claims of the
THE LAST
BEATITUDE
Lesson for April 29,1973 -
lackgreund Scripture; Matthew 16:13-
16; John 20 24-31, Acts 16:25-34;
Romans 10*5-13.
Dsvationa) Reading: Psalms 46.
Yet, as well known as these
beatitudes are, there is still an
other one that is often overlooked
by most of us. It is found, not in
the Sermon on the Mount, but in
one of the resurrection appear
ances of Jesus as recorded in the
Gospel According to John. It is
the last of all the beatitudes of
Jesus given to his disciples.
We know the familiar story of
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
To Plant Corn
Carefully
should be showing at least 25
percent of the plants in bloom.
Quality hay or silage has always
been very important but this year
with the higher values on protein
feeds, top quality forages are
most important. The Extension
“Silages and Silos’’
is~available from our Extension
Office and includes helpful
suggestions regarding proper
time of cutting.
To Be Careful
With Left-Overs
After the planting season, left
over seeds and chemicals should
be carefully stored for later use,
or discarded. The seeds from
crops such as corn and oats
should not be fed to livestock of,
any kind; if these seeds were
purchased from a seed dealer or
if they were treated,with any
fungicide or insecticide, they are
not to be fed to livestock. They
should be kept away from
children and aU livestock. Sur
plus fertilizers or chemicals must
be stored safely in a dry place
and again out of the reach of
children and animals. Fertilizer
should be stored in a dry place
and not on earthen or concrete
floors. Pesticide safety is very
important at all times.
Christian faith, there would still
be a need for faith. Man cannot
live without faith; deprived of it,
he withers and dies. It is that fact
that makes the last beatitude so
powerful: “Blessed as those who
have not seen and yet believe”.
(John 20:29).
(Based on outlines copyrighted by the
Division of Christian Education, National
Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S A
Released by Community Press Service.)
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