[Marilyn]

Shada, I am so with you on this!!! I share your concerns, and Diana, I share your concerns as well. I'm concerned about punishment our country may receive. With government interference in our lives, where will it end?

I spoke with the manager of a company today that is/was planning on building 4 ethanol plants in Texas. They were announced, the land is there, permits have been obtained, but the mortgage crunch causing economic uncertainty and the combination of high fuel costs and floods resulting in the rising corn prices have the projects on hold and they may be completely cancelled. Banks are unwilling to offer millions of dollars of financing for these ventures when they are already strapped from forclosures and with concerns over the future of corn prices. The ethanol plants were going to help our economy by 1. reducing our dependance on foreign oil, 2. creating jobs for both construction and for permanant operation and maintenance, 3. helping suppliers of materials for construction and maintenance, 4. increasing the tax base in the counties where they would be constructed resulting in more funds for schools and other needs. It's like a catch 22. We can't afford not to build them and can't afford to build them.

We were hoping to sell them valves which would also help the economy.

I don't know the answer. Just wishing there was something that we could do. I'm not sure anyone is really listening. We're not the ones running this country.