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The Boardman acreage requires incredible amounts of water and fertilizer.  Few seem to understand that it is a giant hydroponics project. Long ago the poplar grown there was supposed to be a good wood for paper production - ignoring all of the research in the Southern US that it is not a species companies really want.  Boardman has soaked up tons of money on one "plan" after another to make it profitable.  This whole biofuels issue does nothing but create high salaries for entrepreneurs.

What biofuels research should concentrate on are small plants in major cities to convert restaurant waste like vegetable oil to fuel. 

The research also shows that to take increasing levels of biomass from forestry operations hurts the long term productivity of forest soils.  Basically site index goes down as the land is stressed by decreasing levels of organic matter.  We should be leaving as much OM on clear cut sites as possible. The slash should be left on the land.  Even if burned on site, the ash acts as a fertilizer.  This is common knowledge. 

These biofuels "experts" are basically wasting our tax money. 

posted 2 years, 2 months ago
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The cost to the rest of us in these death row cases would pay for health care for thousands of people.  In cases where murder has been committed far beyond the shadow of a doubt, the criminal should be given two more years of life and then terminated. 

posted 3 years, 2 months ago
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When will the media learn to cover disasters properly?  What upsets me about this show and the media in general is the gross inexperience of the interviewers.  It sickens me that the media thinks that somehow tons of food and water can be handed out in a matter of hours.  AS with Katrina there is this totally misguided illusion that help can be given instantaneously.  The US was on top of this Haiti crisis in a way that is a miracle in and of itself.  Yet, the US media in Haiti have gotten all emotional and distressed and out of control.  Having been in some countries like Haiti I can tell you from personal experience that helping in good times can be horroriffic.  Mark my words that Haiti will get only more complicated as the corrupt government starts to smell money and makes accusations against aid groups.  Believe me. You ain't seen nothing yet.  I see the media as making things worse in all too many cases. 

posted 3 years, 3 months ago
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As a Vietnam Vet I could not agree more.  When I returned I can still recall how people had wonder "where have you been?"  It was as if I'd gone to Europe on vacation or something.  Later on I became one of the rare vets to get a PhD and become a professor.  Once in academe it stunned me how few vets were professorial faculty.  Vets do not fit the "diversity" mold.  There is still resentment within universities toward veterans. 

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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My typing error in last statement... it should say "or are veterans discouraged from becoming professors?"  sheesh!  :-) 

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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Why do so many veterans shun becoming university professors?  Or are veterans discouraged from becoming veterans?  Universities love to discuss and play upon issues of "diversity", yet one finds few actual veterans serving as professors.  As a professor who served in Vietnam some 40 years ago this month it has been a long slog.  Amazing to me has been the actual prejudice that still exists toward veterans and even the wish of faculty senates to get rid of ROTC.  When I run into vets getting out I find it sad that the first thing they think of is being a "cop".  The last thing on their mind is being a professor and bringing a whole new perspective on veterans like Graham Green and others.  Vets don't know that some of our best writers and artists were, in fact, vets. Or know that the founders of FedEx are Vietnam vet fighter pilots!   So, why so few vets as university profs????

Dr Robin Rose, Professor, Oregon State University

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
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