From: Brian Loehr
>  Vegetarianism isn't necessarily a bad thing, though...  If  practised
correctly.

Especially for profits.  By refusing food produced on 2/3 of the earth's
arable land mass ( grazing land unsuitable for more profitable vegetable
crops), one increases the demand for the food produced on the remaining
land.  Because of the multiplier effect, even a small increase in demand
results in substantially increased profits.

After all, why sell corn to cattle for $2.75 per bushel when that same
bushel will yield several hundred bags of corn chips.  If distilled into
ethanol, it can also be sold as an intoxicant ( with substantial tax added )
or as fuel ( with a government SUV subsidy providing tax benefits to
manufacturers of cars and corn).

Not to mention the revenues generated by such a child mentioned in the
article ( vegetarianism is recognized as the leading cause of birth defects,
mental retardation and a wide variety of other disabilities in children) to
the medical, drug, vitamin ( more profitable than drugs), educational and
religious ( having such a child will make almost anyone pray more and
require more counseling) industries.  Making their parents work harder to
support such services is always seen as a virtue in peasant societies.
Harder workers make better citizens - ask any of the famous vegetarian
political philosophers of the 20th century ( Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Pol
Pot, et al ).  All you have to do is convince people that suffering is noble
and rewards are only for the after-life.  Hollywood does this better than
anything else.

Sorry for the rant,
Ray Audette
Author "NeanderThin"