Much of the food being sold in the middle aisles of the supermarket -- the aisles that weight loss experts tell people trying to lose weight to avoid as much as possible -- contains corn processed into "modified food starch."

Does the national addiction to junk food increase the price of real food?

If only we could make cars that run on Cheetos.

That would present Americans with some tough choices, eh?

"... both men were very careful to confine their "3 percent" references specifically to the impact of corn-based ethanol.

The Bush Administration is not confused about anything. They are deliberate and intentional in all their well crafted spin and lies of omission.

Omitting key impacts of ethanol to get a lower number is not plausibly deniable. Unless you are somewhat slow.

Today the Bush "Energy Department" released a report showing coal/oil etc. energy use to go up 50% in the next 30 years. They show no mitigation by either improved efficiencies, clean technology or less useage. They also predict $186 a barrel oil 22 YEARS from now.

The oil price estimate is very low - as some are predicting $200 in a year. And the expectation that fossil fuels will continue to churn along as they do now is also quite indicative of their attitude. They also estimate a 51% greater carbon footprint.

Environmentalism to these people - McCain and Bush - means biofuels from corn, 'clean' coal, shale oil mining, nuclear and more drilling. It just extends the financial life of their main contributors. Hang 'em.

You do realize that the oil is separated from the soybean meal prior to being made into biodiesel. Amount of soybeans left for livestock feed, tofu, textured vegetable protein, and fake vegetarian meatlike products: 100 percent.

Corn has nearly tripled in price in the last year? Does it matter if their numbers are 3 or 5%? (Yes)

Its quite possible that this low number is leveraging the price of corn. However, food processing companies can absorb the added cost. (Big big point here)

Eventually they may stop selling processed food altogether, (deflation means product is not going to market, and todays crude oil inventory report is bad, a build in supply and lower capacity utilization). Remember when Alcoa shuttered its biggest aluminum plant, and sold the energy contract, and made a profit?

However rather than collapse the economy, food production will head offshore, (but protectionism, and lax regulation pose a real problem. The Bush people killed the dollar hoping it would revive American manufacturing. It didn't. Eventually the rush offshore will stop, and then what?

In the corn for ethanol debate, diverting corn for fuel is the equivalent of closing down a factory, and selling back the energy that factory was going to use. (After Alcoa we started buyng Aluminum from overseas) Will all your cornflakes be made in China in ten years? Probably. The food industry is going to get the Walmart challenge; lower your prices, your profit margins, or move offshore. (Just more of the same)

As has been duly noted by many, the actual value of corn in a box of cornflakes is only about a nickel. Where's the rest of the $4 coming from? (Jack knows, Jack in those Jack-the-Box commercials says, "why is oil so expensive, it's just laying there in the ground?")

what we need is the energy equivalent of the 99 cent taco..

the ethanol boondoggle will squeeze the foodmakers, and provide more energy. (Where does it end, now that even our government has gotten into the act? specifically the ANTI-TRUST ACT, but will the American people complain? Not if means lower prices..)

As food prices rise, and the commodities that make up our foods, the price of processed food (packaged tortellini, cheese flavored goldfish crackers, Cheetos, Rice-A-Roni, Mac and Cheese, canned soup, cornflakes, microwave popcorn, you name it) will also rise. All that modified food starch (which I'm just as guilty of consuming as the next suburbanite) just won't make economic sense.

What a concept that we'll go to the store and buy things like flour, cornmeal, beans, vegetables, meats, and spices.

Just as the rising price of oil makes us do what we should do anyway (ride our bikes and take public transit), the rising prices of food commodities will make us do what we ought to be doing anyway--eating less processed food, eating out less, and cooking at home from real ingredients.

Stop eating AND using all fuel. Everything accomplished since the Renaissance should be eliminated.