Hindsight

by David G. Woolley
Editor's note: those who do not learn history are condemned to repeat it. Turkeys are no exception.

The Thanksgiving fowl is in the news this week. The Moroni, UT feed company, part owner of the Norbest label, will suspend its operations in November. They guarantee plenty of turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday at affordable prices. They had no comment about Christmas.

Economic down turn, flooding, and energy are the culprits. Its a lesson in economics. Twelve percent of the US corn crop was destroyed in June flooding. Its amazing what a few muskrat dens will do to earthen levees along the Iowa, Des Moines and Mississippi rivers right when you need them to stand up and take their water like cement.

Nearly twenty five percent of the US corn crop has been sold for alternative ethanol fuel production. Ethanol producers receive a government subsidy of 51 cents per gallon to refine corn into fuel. There are no subsidies for turkey farmers. They have to refine corn into drum sticks at market prices.

Then there's the US dollar. The poor thing is sliding like a roller-skating elephant on a greased ramp compared to other currencies. The US corn crop has never been so cheap for international buyers. Its never been so expensive for the Moroni feed company. Close to one thousand employees stand to lose their jobs at least temporarily beginning after Thanksgiving and lasting until March when operations are scheduled to resume.

Reaction to the bad turkey news was varied. Some blamed the dollar. Some blamed President bush. Some blamed the democrats controlling legislation in congress. Others saw increased burdens for tax payers supporting the unemployed. There were no positive reactions.

Hindsight: Those who find the silver lining in the storm are usually the ones who find a way to weather well the toughest of times.

Thanks for joining us at the end of yet another Top of the Morning week. Come back next week when posts will include a blog titled Clearly Speaking. Its a look at how to improve clarity. And who doesn't want to be understood anyway? You'll also enjoy a post on the blessings that come from healthy living. That's right. It's the second in a summer of food talk on the Top of the Morning along with some Words of Wisdom thrown in for, well, wisdom's sake. And don't miss the hilarious post about a woman who thought she'd been shot in the head and did all she could to keep her brain from falling out. We're also pleased to present the third Promised Land midweek post where author David G. Woolley goes in depth on the research and inspiration behind the characters and story lines of his Book of Mormon Promised Land Historical Fiction Series. This week on the Promised Land its the ancient Hebrew calendar and how it likely predicted the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Toward the end of the week you'll want to read the patriotic post in honor of our precious freedoms. And don't forget to joins us at the end of the week for another installment of Hindsight.

Until then, Top of the Morning to you.

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Join author David G. Woolley at his Promised Land Website. He is also a weekly contributor to the Latter Day Authors blog and he writes commentary and opinion at the Utah Ranger's Far Post blog