Good Idea, Joan

[GEMINIGUY]

Joan made an interesting point in another thread "Let's keep the Automobile and work towards really cheap gas."
Now this is nothing new and many of you probably know about this, but there is an addictive in gas which quantity is regulated on the State level. I forget the name of it but when my father was alive gas was 10% of this addictive in my State.
Now, it has been stated that you can increase the addictive to 20%, with the gas being equally effective, and cut the cost of gas in half. All true.
Of course everyone here realizes that States won't change the regulations to increase the addictive. They'd lose in that deal and so would Big Oil. So along that line we'll never really see cheaper gas.
And could someone remind me of the name of that additive? Yes, Google is my friend but after reading Joan's comment I was eager to post this.

[GEMINIGUY]

Ethanol. I knew it started with an E! It took me a while to find it.

[brody]

There's a big problem with ethanol.
Where does it come from?
Primarily corn.
There are two problems with that:

• 1. It reduces the available corn for use in the human / animal food chain.
• 2. And perhaps more importantly, it takes quite a bit more energy to grow and harvest corn and turn it into ethanol than we can get out of it by adding it to gasoline.

There are some potential alternatives on the horizon, though, not here yet:
Switchgrass.
Biofuel and Cellulosic ethanol seem much more promising off of this plant.

[GEMINIGUY]

Eh, the majority of people can't digest corn, check your stool next time you crap after your body "digests" it. lol Why eat something you get no benefit from?

[Elizabeth]

Mad Max...Beyond Thunderdome
"You can shovel pig shit can't you"?
LOL....

Love,
Liz
 

[watcher1]

There's a big problem with ethanol.
Where does it come from?
Primarily corn.
There are two problems with that:

• 1. It reduces the available corn for use in the human / animal food chain.
• 2. And perhaps more importantly, it takes quite a bit more energy to grow and harvest corn and turn it into ethanol than we can get out of it by adding it to gasoline.

There are some potential alternatives on the horizon, though, not here yet:
Switchgrass.
Biofuel and Cellulosic ethanol seem much more promising off of this plant.

Some states want to increase the amount of ethanol mixed with your gasoline from 10% to 15%.  That will mean less miles per gallon and more corn used.

[Elizabeth]

To digest corn (human) it must be ground into almost a meal consistence.
Whole corn will pass through you, just like lettuce (another food product you can't digest (unless you happen to be a ruminant).

Love,
Liz

[staci]

Eh, the majority of people can't digest corn, check your stool next time you crap after your body "digests" it. lol Why eat something you get no benefit from?

Ewwwwwwww

[joan1984]

  You can thank AlGore, among others of his ilk, for Ethanol... would be great, if only it did what was promised... and would be gone now, if only Iowa did not grow Corn, and have the first Primary cycle in our elections.

  AlGore finally admitted he endorsed Ethanol, as 'good for the environment', as a concession to get votes in a number of corn growing states, where they sold excess crops for premium prices, and as it was a requirement in most areas, they had a guaranteed cash crop, the environment be damned.

  Reducing crops sold for consumption, in order to case in on the sale of a required substance, reduces commerce worldwide, removes corn as a crop for feeding masses where masses have nothing to eat. Makes no difference to big corn, or big Politicians, or big Primary voters, seems. Cheap gas is good for the United States, as is cheap energy of any kind, and we need to get out of the way of energy producers, and allow our economy to prosper.

[MissBarbara]

Why eat something you get no benefit from?

Because it tastes good.

[Elizabeth]

Corn and Rice are huge export items for American Farmers as well.
Love,
Liz

[brody]

Why eat something you get no benefit from?

Because it tastes good.

Abso-stinkin'-lutely!   
Besides, corn is a big part of how livestock are fed.  "Silage."

Btw, I *REALY* wish there was a way to edit the "woo" comments.  I hate it when I hit "Continue>" and then realize I have a typo!  <slaps forehead hard />

[phtlc]

There's a big problem with ethanol.
Where does it come from?
Primarily corn.
There are two problems with that:

• 1. It reduces the available corn for use in the human / animal food chain.
• 2. And perhaps more importantly, it takes quite a bit more energy to grow and harvest corn and turn it into ethanol than we can get out of it by adding it to gasoline.

Agreed.

[phtlc]

Eh, the majority of people can't digest corn,

OK I can't disagree with you without knowing all the facts yet this claim is questionable. Do you have a source?

[Katiebee]

People don't digest cellulose very well. The corn kernel walls are cellulose.

[Elizabeth]

People don't digest cellulose very well. The corn kernel walls are cellulose.

You don't digest cellulose at all, again unless you are a ruminant (two stomachs).
Or if you prefer....a cow.
 
Love,
Liz

[phtlc]

People don't digest cellulose very well. The corn kernel walls are cellulose.

But that is why we chew

[brody]

People don't digest cellulose very well. The corn kernel walls are cellulose.

But that is why we chew

Spot on, phtlc!  That's why we chew!  

The fact that all plant material has cell walls that contain cellulose does not stop us humans from snacking on veggies.  It's generally part of what nutritionists call ruffage or fiber.  And like phtlc (and yer mom) said, chew your food!

[GEMINIGUY]

@ Staci - Sorry for that visual! ;-)

@ MissBarbara - You're right, corn does taste good. So does a lot of food that isn't good for ur. Most of the foods that our bodies really need people can't stand.

[redhatlover]

One major problem with alcoholated (ethanol) fuels:  A lot of farm and industrial equipment that is over 20 years old cannot tolerate it as it eats carburetors & fuel pumps.