Small Farmers Won't Be Planting Rice Soon
PHOTOS:
1) A new rice variety developed by IRRI; 2)Vietnam rice being unloaded from a cargo ship; 3)NFA Rice in a warehouse - what shortage?; 4)An IRRI Techie inspects her specimens; 5)An MF tractor my company sold to IRRI; 6)A farmer carrying seedlings on the way to the farm. (Photos courtesy of IRRI's Flickr site)
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I wrote this originally as a comment to Ellen's blog post entitled "Looming Fertilizer Shortage".
I was prompted by what I saw in the news last night. It was about a farmer who belongs to a group that plans to skip the next palay (rice) planting season. Though the focus of the news was only about the high cost of irrigation, I'm sure it's not the only reason they are doing so.
Seeds, the high end variety that is, I am told have been suspiciously missing since there are tons of Gloria’s “hybrid” variety rotting away in some NFA warehouse government is pushing Central Luzon farmers into buying. The natural course is that the regular seeds will demand higher prices OR they buy the cheaper but riskier hybrid which, when attacked by virus, kills wide tracts of palay-planted farms in a matter of days.
Next, irrigation. Farmers have been complaining about the cost of electricity used to pump water into their fields. At P9,000 per hectare, this amount reflects very high energy cost per hectare compared to our neighboring countries. Fuel price increases is one of the culprits here. Another is the incompetence of Napocor in managing its assets that is pushing maintenance costs sky-high thus, more expensive power.
We go now to fertilizers. Sulfur and pyrite (fool’s gold) are abundant but unmined. Sulfur mining in particular has been somewhat restrained after 9/11 since large volumes of sulfuric acid may be considered WMD. We have huge stocks of Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potassium. Especially phosphate, since we have the whole phosphate rock-island Republic of Nauru supplying us with the raw materials should our own resources get depleted. Hey, we have even convinced them to relocate in that building at the corner of Buendia and Makati Ave. should the 5,000-man island-nation sink down the Pacific due to over-quarrying. We have Joe Concepcion, as Cory’s Trade Secretary, to thank for (for once) for securing our phosphate supply for at least half a century. I don’t understand why we have a shortage in urea, though. Putting plastic containers in Bayani Fernando’s disgusting pink urinals all over the Metro would be enough to gather urea raw materials. I think.
Post-harvest. The same effects that the high cost of energy have on the service charge of paddy hullers, dryers, separators and polishers. I won’t be surprised farmers would go back to the primitive bilad-bayo-tahip method just to make a modest return. We can also include here the cost of renting hand-tractors or even just the cost of maintaining one, if they own it. Or cheaper still, get a carabao!
Ditto for transporting the crops.
What this all sums up to is a gi-mongous cost increase in rice production amidst a steady NFA buying price of P14.00.
The farmers won’t survive in this situation. I’ve just been to Subic the last weekend and judging by what I saw all throughout Bataan, Zambales, Pampanga and Bulacan, the farmers are in no hurry to prepare the soil for the May planting season. They’d probably wait for the rains before plowing and harrowing to save on tractor rental and irrigation cost.
Wow! We’ve just been teleported back to the 19th century!
(8~D)
Labels: Crisis, Farming, Images, Rice
Crazy Political Jokers on Late-Night US TV
I have to give it to the Americans, the way they make fun of their leaders in the wittiest of political satire (or the extreme distastefulness in many cases) if you had them here, lawyers will have a field day with libel cases. My personal favorite is Daniel Kurtzman whose blog is updated with the latest quips from late-night TV hosts like David Letterman, Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart and others, is a great source of the latest jokes on political scandals and sleaze.
The past weeks' jokes centered mainly on the Obama-Clinton primaries, with Hillary getting the most flak out of lying about her "landing amid sniper fire in Bosnia", and Obama's anti-American pastor. We also saw the sex-scandals of the the neighboring governors - New York's Elliot Spitzer and New Jersey's Jim McGreevey, and later on David Paterson, the blind guy who replaced Spitzer.
Spitzer, we all know, was caught by the FBI wiretaps as Client No. 9 who paid prostitutes costing up to $5,000 an hour from Emperor's Club. Just a few days ago, a Brazilian madam claims Spitzer paid to watch couples having sex.
McGreevey, resigned after he was caught sending sexy emails to an assistant and later admitted he was gay. His assistant also claims he had threesomes with the ex-governor and his wife.
The new NY Gov, Paterson, a few hours after swearing in also admitted to having several extra-marital affairs and the wife, surprise, admitted similar things, too!
Also in the compilation is Sen. John McCain, the Republican shoo-in whose age is the target of most jokes.
There is some sprinkling about Bush, Cheney, and some others.
Here goes, enjoy!
"I guess this is good news. Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has reportedly entered therapy for a sex addiction. Spitzer said his therapy is going well, and that his therapist has a fantastic rack." --Conan O'Brien
"In New Jersey today, there were dangerous winds, with gusts up to 50 miles an hour. The winds were so strong that they blew former Governor McGreevey off his chauffeur." --Conan O'Brien
"Well, of course, this Sunday is Easter. Of course, Easter is that very, very holy day when Christians around the world honor a 2,000-year-old Jewish man who is not Larry King." --Conan O'Brien
"A big insurance company just announced they will give $10 million to anyone who can invent a car that gets 100 miles per gallon. Meanwhile, Exxon says they'll give $11 million to anyone who kills that guy." --Conan O'Brien
Aren't you proud of America today, ladies and gentlemen, that we're fighting for the Supreme Islamic Council? That's why we sent our troops there. And Bush said even though the Iraqis are fighting the Iraqis, luckily, a civil war has not broken out." --Bill Maher
"Sinbad was the one who busted her on this. He contradicted her whole story. Boy, what a pair they make, huh? A once popular celebrity from the '90s whose star is fading fast and Sinbad." --Bill Maher
"More problems for Governor Eliot Spitzer. The New York Post reporting that he has been identified as a long-term client of a second call girl ring called Wicked Models, and his favorite call girl was $1,000 an hour, a girl named Kristin 'Billie' Davis. You know what this means? He was cheating on his hooker with another hooker. Oh, man. In guy world, that is the lowest!" --Jay Leno
"The mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, has been charged with perjury after he got caught sending his chief of staff text messages about having sex. Yeah. He's also being investigated for having strippers at the mayor's mansion. And, of course, people are shocked. Detroit has a mayor's mansion? They're calling this the worst thing to come out of Detroit since the Ford Pinto." --Jay Leno
"Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama vacationing now in the Virgin Islands. It's been a while since anyone's used the words 'Democrats' and 'virgin' in the same sentence. You just don't hear that these days." --Jay Leno
"I love this story. I saw it in the paper today. Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer will explore whether he has an addiction to sex. Oh, shut up. Is sex really an addiction? Is it a disease? Do you think it's a disease? Huh? I mean, I've heard people call into work sick. Can you call in horny?" --Jay Leno
"And it's getting worse and worse for Governor Spitzer. Now, a Brazilian madam has come forward to say that Eliot Spitzer paid her to watch other couples have sex. You know, this whole thing could've been avoided if you put a peep hole in the lieutenant governor's office. That way, he could've watched David Paterson have his affairs and saved five grand an hour." --Jay Leno
"In more serious news, big controversy last week after State Department officials looked at passport files of all three major candidates. Turns out, they got a hold of John McCain's Social Security number. Got his social security number. You know what it is? Three." --Jay Leno
"Well, here's the big brouhaha. Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson ... still thinks he's loyal to the Clinton family, despite endorsing Barack Obama. Loyal. He just endorsed Barack. Even Bill was more faithful to Hillary than that." --Jay Leno
"Actually, the reason this is such a big story is that Bill Richardson was a member of the Clinton cabinet. And Clinton adviser James Carville ... on Good Friday, he called Bill Richardson a Judas. Called him a Judas. Well, you know, there are a lot of biblical references in this race. Now they're calling Bill Clinton 'Jonah' because he was once swallowed by a whale." --Jay Leno
"Yesterday in New York, everybody was in the Easter spirit. As a matter of fact, former governor Eliot Spitzer, he was in the Easter spirit. He spent the day with someone named Bunny." --David Letterman
"Did you hear about this? Two State Department employees were fired -- this is a bit of a scandal -- because they were looking at Barack Obama's passport file. Not only that, but the same person was also looking at John McCain's Civil War records." --David Letterman
"This week, John McCain received a warm welcome in Israel. He was in Israel. You know, he is hugely popular in Israel ever since he stood with the Jewish people against the pharaoh. They've never forgotten." --Jay Leno
"Have you heard about this? Playgirl magazine made an offer to Eliot Spitzer to appear naked in the magazine. Isn't that unbelievable? I tell you, you know who really wants to see that spread? Former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey." --Jay Leno
"In Tibet, the rumor is the Dalai Lama might be stepping down. Yeah, it turns out he was Client Number 11." --Jay Leno
"The good news is ... on YouTube, the Obama speech now is getting watched more than the clips of the pastor. ... The bad news is that it's still far behind the footage of Spitzer's hooker on 'Girls Gone Wild.'This chick is everywhere. I swear to God, she won 'American Idol.' ... The last person to get this famous for f------ some idiot was Kevin Federline." --Bill Maher
"And now the New York Post says that Eliot Spitzer is in therapy for sex addiction. I'm not sure he really understands the process. Today, he requested an analyst with really big tits." --Bill Maher
"And today, John McCain was in England, where he visited his birthplace, Stonehenge." --Jay Leno
"Well, we have former presidential candidate John Edwards on the show tonight. He ran a terrific campaign. His No. 1 issue, of course, was the poor and those who live in poverty. Or, as we call them now, Bear Sterns stockholders." --Jay Leno
"And that high-priced call girl, Ashley Dupre, the one that was having sex with Governor Spitzer, has reportedly lost a $1 million offer to pose nude because old nude photos have popped up on the Internet. So let that be a lesson to all you young women out there. Don't ever think of posing nude until after you're a successful hooker." --Jay Leno
"Vice President Dick Cheney also in Iraq this week. Cheney told the Iraqi government that their leaders have to show some progress on both their domestic and economic fronts. And the Iraqis said to Cheney, 'Uh, you first.'" --Jay Leno
"Bush also went on to say that Bear Stearns is just going through a tough time and victory's just around the corner. ... I don't want to say Wall Street is in financial trouble. You know who's in charge of Bear Stearns right now, you know who's running it? Britney Spears' dad." --Jay Leno
"Interesting fact came out today on the new $5 bill. It turns out it used to be the old $10 bill." --Jay Leno
"As you know, yesterday, Barack Obama gave a big speech on race, and there was one heckler in the audience, kept screaming crazy stuff the whole time. Turns out it was his pastor." --Jay Leno
"One of the women Paterson had an affair with was a state employee. He said he tried to end the affair, but since she was a state employee, there was so much paperwork involved, it was just easier to just keep banging her." --Jay Leno
"As you know, Governor Paterson is legally blind, which has gotta be an advantage when you're having an affair. This way, when your wife catches you in bed with another woman, you go, 'Honey, I thought it was you.'" --Jay Leno
"According to a new study by scientists at Clemson University, almost 3,000 bacteria are transferred every time you double-dip something. More bad news for New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey." --Jay Leno
"That's the other big scandal on the East Coast. A male aide to former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey says the governor's wife should have known he was gay, because they all used to have three-way sex together. As he called it, a 'McThreevey.'" --Jay Leno
"So, let's see, Jim McGreevey was having three-ways. Eliot Spitzer was having sex with prostitutes. The new governor, David Paterson, was having an affair. You realize the only politician in New York not getting any sex -- Hillary Clinton." --Jay Leno
"Are you fold excited about March Madness? You know, here's how it works. We go from 65 to 32, then to 16, and then to eight and -- well, no, no, that's -- those are Hillary Clinton's superdelegates." --David Letterman
"I was thinking about this today. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and what a contest for the Democratic presidential nomination. Kind of exciting, isn't it? They've got a lot in common. Hillary and Barack have a great deal in common. Both are lawyers, both are senators and neither one is sleeping with Bill Clinton." --David Letterman
"There are technically now so many sex scandals in New York, it's hard for me to keep track of them. Are you having the same trouble? ... Every day you pick up the paper, there's a new revelation. This is the latest. Today, it was revealed that Eliot Spitzer's call girl, Ashley Dupre, appeared in a 'Girls Gone Wild' video when she was 18. Yeah, when asked about it, Ashley said, 'That was during my embarrassing pre-hooker days.'" --Conan O'Brien
"It's now being reported that the former governor of New Jersey took part in several threesomes involving his wife and his chauffeur. Yeah. So, it's your move, Spitzer. --Conan O'Brien
"I'm sick at heart over the disturbing revelations about the newly installed New York Governor David Paterson. Evidently, he cheated on his wife as well. But specifically what disturbs me is where he cheated [on screen: news anchor saying, 'The Daily News says Paterson carried out the affair at the Days Inn on New York's Upper West Side']. The Days Inn up on Broadway and 94th? I mean, the man is blind. You know that heightens his sense of smell. I hope he at least put one of pine tree air fresheners around his neck. Governor, if you are going to indulge, indulge. Cheating at the Days Inn is like going off your diet for a tootsie roll ... at the Days Inn." --Stephen Colbert
"Did you folks get drunk on St. Patrick's Day? I think maybe I had a little too much to drink yesterday. I don't remember what happened exactly, but I woke up this morning between former Governor Jim McGreevey and his wife." --David Letterman
"Vice President Dick Cheney, you know where he is right now? He's in Baghdad. He visited there. While he was in Iraq, he said that it's a successful endeavor. At least I think that's what he said. It was hard to hear over the explosions." --David Letterman
"There was one bit of good news for the economy earlier today. At the last minute, a large investment bank was rescued at the last minute. It was adopted by Angelina Jolie." --David Letterman
"This is the latest on the Spitzer scandal. Details are still coming forward. It's been reported that the prostitute involved in the Eliot Spitzer scandal was once hired by Charlie Sheen, but Sheen is denying it. Yeah. Because it turns out Sheen has an air-tight alibi. He was with three other hookers at the time." --Conan O'Brien
"John McCain's daughter is in the news. John McCain's daughter says that a lot of guys don't want to date her because her dad makes her too high-profile. Yeah. That's part of the reason. It's also because McCain's daughter is 63 years old. ... Her name is Mable. She was a nurse in the Korean War. Lovely girl." --Conan O'Brien
"Even President Bush starting to get worried about this economy being out of control, you know. I mean, gold is over $1,000 an ounce. Oil, $1,100 a barrel. Hookers, $5,000 an hour." --Jay Leno
"I've been watching that John Adams miniseries on HBO. You seen this? Boy, it's really good. You know, it's fun to see all the Founding Fathers. They're all in it. John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John McCain" --Jay Leno
"A Happy St. Patrick's Day to everybody! Amazing, over 300 sober people. You never see that on St. Patrick's Day. Everybody's wearing green. The only place you didn't see any green today, Wall Street." --Jay Leno
"Another political sex scandal in the New York area in the papers today. Unbelievable what's going on lately. This is the latest. A man who used to be the chauffeur for New Jersey's former governor, Jim McGreevey, is claiming that he used to have three-way sex with McGreevy and his wife. Yeah. True story. When asked about it, McGreevey said, 'That's a lie. I would never have had sex with my wife.'" --Conan O'Brien
"It was an exciting day up in Albany. At the governor's mansion earlier today, women were outside of the governor's mansion wearing buttons that read 'Kiss me, I'm $4,000.'" --David Letterman
"I don't know if you are aware of this, but tragedy at the St. Patrick's Day Parade. Mayor Bloomberg -- what's his first name? ... Yeah, was marching in the parade and he was hit, hit by a jumping stockbroker." --David Letterman
"A lot of American dignitaries visiting the Middle East. Senator McCain, running for president, is in Iraq. ... Of course, he remembers Iraq when it was known as Mesopotamia." --David Letterman
"It looks like the Democratic field really starting to get narrowed down. For Democrats, it's going to be Barack Obama versus Hillary. So, it's a black man or a white woman. You know, this is the same decision Michael Jackson has to make every morning of his life." --Jay Leno
(8~D)
Labels: Bush, Late-night comics, McCain, Obama - Clinton, political humor, Political Satire, US
