I THINK MINING

Absence of fresh content so far this week is explained by the fact that I am travelling across country with my daughter and three grandkids on route to Iowa from California. At a KOA in eastern Colorado, I have managed to connect to the internet and post this piece. This morning we traversed the Rockies via I70 and passed all those old mining towns that are now fancy ski towns. I had a deep discussion with my daughter who informed me that the US produces more milk and milk powder than it uses or for that matter can give away to needy countries where inefficient and corrupt systems preclude its proper distribution. Then she gave me hell for saying we are using up too much farm land for housing development. Her basic point was mines do much the same and for much the same reasons: so people can live better. Then a smart alek gradnson weighed in on the arguement and I knew I had lost. So we will all have to await my return to Vancouver next week to post some really unassailable arguements.