Puffs

Did you know, or do you even care ? ? ?

Renewable fuels have been getting a lot of publicity since the new president began his new term in January. The new administration is promoting wind and solar projects in favor of gas, oil and coal types of energy. Think about the cancellation of the Keystone Pipeline that is supposed to be replaced by all those renewable energy sources . . . which are not even planned yet.

I do not reject renewable energy projects, but everyone must be aware that we are going to be spending more money for them versus the traditional sources.

What made me think about this was that in Nebraska, May is Renewable Fuels Month.

A person may not realize it, but Nebraska is ranked No. 2 in ethanol production with 25 ethanol plants across the state. The industry employs more than 1,400 Nebraskans. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, ethanol is currently blended in more than 95 percent of the nation’s fuel supply.

I suspect few Nebraskans realize that 31 percent of our state’s corn is used in ethanol production. From the production of ethanol, we also get distillers grains, a protein-rich livestock feed for cattle, according to the Nebraska Corn Board. To put a figure on the production, it is stated that 2.1 billion (with a ‘B’) gallons of ethanol is produced in Nebraska.

Another ‘renewable’ source of energy from Nebraska is biodiesel. In 2020, 8.3 billion pounds of soybeans oil was used as a feedstock in biodiesel. (Did you see the local news several weeks back that a biodiesel plant is being planned for the Hastings area?

I don’t know of any Nebraskan who would object to this type of renewable energy. It is something that has grown slowly over the recent pass and seems to be progressing along a natural line.

Do you all remember the energy shortage of last winter when Texas had a lot of trouble with their ‘renewable’ energy industry? Well, that is what happens when you go all out for the renewable energy without planning what happens when you shut down all the traditional sources of energy power. In their rush to endorse renewable energy projects they did not allow enough time and thought about how this process would take place. Even with all the government money spent on the renewables, they found out that you have to plan on how those traditional sources of energy will be replaced.

Yup, I care about renewable energy sources. But it has to come as a reasonable program and its most likely going to take a while even if Washington wants to ‘throw’ a whole bunch of money at it.

A O

I’ll talk about one of my favorite ‘Pet Peeves’ this week, that being the national media.

We (Nancy and I) probably spent too much time watching TV, but we do enjoy the national news. To be fair, we try to watch FOX news for about half of the news and then usually one of the three major network news for the other half. All in an effort to get “some” of our news from different sources.

I’m sure you all remember the uproar caused last November when president Trump complained about fraud in the elections. The liberals berated him and anyone else who was willing to listen to him as being something less than intelligent, and just looking for something that didn’t exist.

After that, the question of fraud in the election just simply vanished from the news.

However, last week I received an update from a retired Lt. Col., (USAF), Wendy Rogers, who is an Arizona State Senator. An interesting report on Maricopa County which must be one of the more populated counties in Arizona. She states: the State Senate subpoenaed the ballots from November for an audit. The Democrat-controlled Board of Supervisors fought the subpoena in court and lost. They then tried to ignore the judge’s order, and lost again. Then they tried to throw up administrative roadblocks, only to have them removed. The Arizona Democrats filed for a Temporary Restraining Order to stop the audit. This request was heard by a judge, but he demanded a $1 million bond, paid for by the Arizona Democrat Party. They refused, and the count finally got underway.

I refuse to sit and watch TV news programs all day. That is too much for any sane person to do. However, I feel as if I do watch enough to be aware of most major activities in our county, state, nation and world.

This recount in Arizona . . . I haven’t heard a word about it. ? ? ?

A O