Cows did not evolve to eat grass. Cows are adapted to eating a variety of feedstuffs -- the rumen bacteria can break down many things and convert them into rumen bugs which slide out of the rumen and down the line where they are digested. Cows in a state of nature run away from humans. Modern domesticated cows rely on humans to provide them with food. Cows in a state of nature produce a calf a year and are subject to predation and disease which help to keep the population from exploding. Modern livestock agriculture ensures that more calves will survive and that the cows will survive longer. Some are retained in the herd while others -- especially the males -- aren't needed so they are sold as veal calves (from dairy cows mostly) or as feeder calves (from beef breeds) and those calves are fed with an eye toward making money. The only farm I ever saw which varied from this one was the ISKON farm run by the Hare Krishna organization which raised cows for milk and cheese and would not allow any calves to be slaughtered for any purpose. A few of the males were neutered and the oxen used as draft animals. Most of the other males were also neutered -- to make them more docile -- and kept in a separate area where they were feed corn silage and otherwise ignored until they died. At one time they sold the carcases to be processed into meat meal which is used in the manufacture of dog food. Also fed to cows -- until BSE was discovered to be transmissible that way. As for bakery by products including broken cookies with and without chocolate chips, gummy bits, etc. -- they've been fed to cattle for years as have corn distillers grains (high protein, low energy because the starches were turned into alcohol), brewer's grains (similar) and other alternatives. Any feedlot operator (or dairy farm manager) knows about the need to adjust feedstuffs based on what's available -- the computerized ration balancing programs have been around since there were no PC's. The only thing new is that the market for these items is also rising because the demand is up and more farmers have access to ration balancing software.

Long Live Captain Crunch!

Enron was voted the Most Innovative company several years in a row. Just before it went down the tubes.

I'm inclined to agree. IF they do, I can offer a counter-example where they didn't. My son had a series of ear infections during the 1st year of his life and was on antibiotics almost continually from 3 months to 9 months. He also had a serious problem with allergy-induced bronchial infections as well as the odd case of Scarlet Fever. At 23 he's what most people would call "skinny".

"God said I'll make some D N A They can use it any way they want From paramecium right up to man. They'll have sex and mix up sections Of their code they'll have mutations, The whole thing works like clockwork over time. I'll just sit back in the shade While everyone gets laid That's what they call Intelligent Design" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpNoQaB2LT0

I'm sure Reid has inside knowledge -- after all he IS a high-ranking member of the LDS Church and has many friends who would know more about the Romney situation. Obviously he can't have access to the tax returns themselves (that would be a felony) so he can't produce any "evidence" but John McCain (who HAS seen the returns from when Romney was being considered for VP in 2008) has stayed mum on the subject which strongly implies that he knows a little more than we do.

About 15 years ago, I had a yahoo email address and managed to lose/forget the password. There was no recourse so I stopped using that account. Hmmm, I wonder if it is one of the ones that got leaked and I can find it now.

Let's make all the Aussies to move their steering wheels to the correct side of the car and drive on the correct side of the road.

Yeah, right. I'm behind you all the way Steve-0.

I agree. Grammar is a bit like neckties insofar as it is possible to function without one but when you wish to gain admission into establishments where they are required, neckties become indispensable. There are places where precise grammar is needed to reduce ambiguity and establish clear meaning but the primary function of grammar is to establish linguistic register. http://grammar.about.com/od/rs/g/registerterm.htm

There's something that doesn't happen every day, much less only 16 /. posts apart.

Comic Sans in particular can be expected to become more popular.

They know when my power usage changes which may correlate with other activities or I may have timers that control when some events happen. I could be using natural gas or propane for cooking, heating water, drying clothes, heating the house, etc. which would make it hard for the electric meter to discern much in that department. On the other hand, with an all-electric house, I will benefit from the power company knowing demand cycles so they can do a more effective job of balancing supply with demand.

Click the Want button on a person and you hear a version of the Bob Dylan song "I Want You"

Which is counterpoint to granting tax breaks to get people to do something.