The Mexican oil article is rather disquieting. Looming Energy Crisis In Mexico Stirs Debate is the title, and things don’t get any cheerier after that. I think of Mexico as a country that HAS oil, but while that is true now, Pemex has been enough of a cash cow for the government, according to the article, that reserves could run short as soon as seven years from now. Funding that could have gone into improving long-term oil production has been diverted in a variety of ways. Of course “could run short” is not the same thing as “will run short.” We’ll see.

Here’s another bit: “Despite being a major oil exporter, Mexico imports 40 percent of its gasoline because Pemex does not have the capacity to refine its own crude.” I knew that importation was occurring, but I didn’t realize it was that high a percentage of the gasoline. Oddly, while gas prices at the pump up north have done their big climbs, our prices have only gone up a little. That’s because the federal government here in Mexico subsidizes gas prices at the pump.

Turning to corn, Corn Patches and Dispatches:Notes on a recent trip to Mexico is an article that ranges from milpas (cornfields or small farm fields) to Wal-Mart. Some (but not all) of the comments were interesting too.