Diverting wealth to federal projects usually ends in waste
Re: “Federal biofuels panel packed with ‘green’ subsidy winners,” June 26
While I applaud private initiatives to fund research for potentially promising new alternative fuels, the recently exposed funding debacles at the Departments of Energy and Agriculture show exactly why the government funding of enterprise almost always ends in waste and scandal.
Perhaps the technocrats over at Team Obama need a refresher course in corporate ethics, but common sense alone will tell you that people are less responsible when playing on the House’s money — no pun intended.
As Lachlan Markay notes in his investigative report, the Biomass Research Development Board has awarded tens of millions of dollars in grants to companies for biofuel-related projects on the taxpayers’ dime. Less apparent is the fact that several large grants have been handed out to corporations with direct connections to the panel’s board members.
In one glaring example, the Department of Energy channeled a $99.2 million contract in 2010 to Archer Daniels Midland for the production of carbon sequestration technology for biofuels producers. Not surprisingly, ADM’s vice president for biofuels and biochemical research sat on the advisory committee.
Beyond the clear-cut ethical missteps at play here, one would hope those business executives in charge at the Biomass Research Development Board would understand the folly of diverting private-sector wealth into federally funded pet projects.
Worthwhile ventures will attract funding on their own merit. Leaching off private-sector wealth to the benefit of feel-good, green energy boondoggles only disrupts the efficient allocation of resources in the economy.
Will Stemberg
Boston, Mass.
If you’re a Scorpio, you’re not a crab
Re: “Star Gazing,” June 25
I normally do not read the horoscope, but I noticed in Monday’s paper that the “Star Gazing” column reversed the traditional images of a scorpion and crab with the associated astrological signs Scorpio and Cancer, respectively.
While both arthropods, scorpions are chelicerates whereas crabs are Brachyuran crustaceans (albeit with the exception of the horseshoe “crab,” which shares the subphylum Chelicerata with scorpions).
Laszlo Pentek
Arlington
Prenatal surgery reinforces humanity of unborn
Re: “Bright light of the week: Fetal oral surgery,” June 24
Kudos to Drs. Ruben Quintero and Eftichia Kontopoulos for successfully removing a tennis ball-size tumor from Lyna Gonzalez’s mouth when she was just 17 weeks’ gestation in her mother’s womb, likely saving her life.
There have been tremendous and fascinating advances in fetal surgery over the last 30 years. These advances include removing cardiac and urinary tract blockages, installing shunts to relieve fluid pressure in the lungs and brain, removal of various tumors, and diaphragmatic hernia and spina bifida closures. It is amazing what pediatric surgeons can do to help the preborn survive.
These medical advances also reinforce the humanity of the preborn, which many people still willfully deny.
John Naughton
Silver Spring
