First Blog

  Think agriculture. In the last few centuries, it has helped the world far more than all the TVs, computers, and other electronic advances.  Over the centuries, agriculture has not only provided food, fiber, and other basic necessities of life but has also contributed immensely to economic development, population growth, and social stability. Agriculture remains the cornerstone of human survival and development. One of the greatest foresight of our (ancient) politicians was the creation of land grant universities, a result of Morrill Land-Grant Acts, which were passed by the United States Congress in 1862 and 1890, and their resulting colleges of agriculture , science, and engineering. Their work is now feeding the world.   Also, the family farm helps us maintain knowledge about the frailty of the human condition, as these folks live in a world of uncertainty, depending on the weather far more than us city slickers. We all live with uncertainties of many kinds, but with extra mone

The greatest contribution of the USA.   The USA has produced remarkably to the world over the past century or two.   Include construction, metals production, electronics, machinery, nuclear energy sources, aviation, medicine, and more.   Which is the greatest?   And the answer is …  Agriculture.   American scientists have developed the disease resistant crops, fertilizers, and farming methods currently feeding the world.   Without all this chow there would be no now – as we know it.   ---------------- Today’s math problem .   Let’s say the prime interest rate is 5%, and it goes up to 5.5%. Clearly the interest rate is up by 0.5%.   But, in going from 5% to 5.5% the increase is really 10%.   So which is it? Up by 0.5% or up by 10%?   And the answer is… Both.   It depends on what and how you’re counting.   In the 0.5% increase we are discussing the net increase in the borrowing percentage.   But in the 10% increase we are discussing the percentage increase of the percen