[fastpat]

Originally posted by Sweeny Todd
Yes. It's really stupid. First, 1.5 billion gallons only represents two-tenths on one percent of the fossil fuels used in the US.

Second, ethanol production is terribly inefficient. I don't know where you read that it isn't but it obviously came from the gumment. If they didn't offer incentives industry wouldn't make it.

Next, mankind has practically no effect whatsoever on the carbon dioxide balance in the atmosphere, at least from the supply side. Before you call me a whack job, you might remember that Mount Pinatubo spewed more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every 10 minutes than mankind has in its entire existence. Pinatubo erupted for weeks. Do the math on that one.

Now, personally, I believe that we are beginnning to have an effect on the co2 sinks in the form of deforestation, but I'm not sure. So what credential do I have that lets me make these observations? None, really. Although I was a researcher at NASA's Atmospheric Remote Sensing Lab for a couple of years in grad school.

Your last statement, I don't really know about it.

Also, I think you'll find if you do the math (I haven't) that, in the required quantities, corn is a scarce resource.

My take on ethanol is that it falls into the same category as gay marriage, abortion rights and stem cell research. It's candy that politicians use to distract you from the real issues such as war, US foreign policy, the constant erosion of our rights and the fact that we no longer elect people to office based upon their stance on real issues. It isn't debated or stated, and that's the real problem.

That's my two bits and remember, now that no child gets left behind, they're all qualified to work at McDonalds.

H

I couldn't have said it better, only longer.