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CarSpace Alternate RouteTurn off the nav system, crumple up that MapQuest printout, and let's find out where the next random turn may take us! Aug 31, 2009 - Just Eat It
Rejected watermelons -- those with misshapen, scarred or discolored rinds -- may soon be the newest ethanol feedstock, according to new research released this week. That's good news for watermelon farmers, who routinely leave 20 percent to 40 percent of their crop in the field because of rind defects. Estimates say 360,000 tons of watermelons were wasted in 2007 because of blemished rinds. "We're trying to assemble the equipment at this time, and as you know, the crop year for watermelons is on right now, so we're in good shape for next season," said Jim Rausch, president of Common Sense Agriculture. Rausch said the traveling ethanol plant will be capable of producing up to 200,000 gallons of fuel annually. Well golly gee. 200,000 gallons of an inefficient fuel per year that won't reduce our consumption of oil one iota. Run the numbers folks. We use approximately 385 million gallons of gasoline per day in the U.S. The yearly output of this watermelon fiasco would be 0.05% of one day's fuel use. Food is not fuel for our cars. And with each "discovery" like this that becomes more obvious.
Mar 9, 2009 - Just Say No
Corn does not make a good fuel for our vehicles. The heavily subsidized industry has succeeded in reducing the mileage of my vehicles by a solid 10% from the instant ethanol-blended fuel hit my tank. Someone is going to have to explain to me how a 10% blend of ethanol that forces me to use 10% more fuel is reducing my consumption of oil at all. It's certainly not saving me any money. But now, the nation's ethanol producers are urging the Obama administration to raise the 10 percent limit on ethanol in motor fuel to 15 percent or more, a move they hope will create new demand at a time when many distilleries are idle. "This is about jobs, energy security for America, improving the environment and meeting our legal responsibilities under the 2007 energy bill," said retired Gen. Wesley Clark, co-chairman of a group of ethanol firms called Growth Energy. Brilliant move Mr. Clark. Take something that doesn't work and force us to use more of it? Read the entire article at washingtonpost.com
Jan 21, 2009 - Boondoggle
Useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly; an effort that brings no compensating gain, a waste; mindless dissipation of natural resources. U.S. ethanol maker VeraSun Energy Corp, which filed for bankruptcy protection in October, said on Tuesday that 12 of its 16 ethanol plants are in "hot idle," or ready to operate, but not currently making the alternative motor fuel. Most definitely a boondoggle. Read the entire article at Reuters.com
Aug 17, 2008 - Tell Us What You Really Think Ted
Sunday, August 17, 2008 Greenies, what in God's name were you thinking? Oh, that's right. It feels good because it sounds good. And that is all that matters. Consequences be damned. Such an inconvenient truth. The same gaggle of clueless Democrat and Republican senators who raised hell to create the ethanol hoax, including presidential candidate John McCain, recently urged the fantasy-driven Environmental Protection Agency to back off enforcement of their legislation to ramp up production of ethanol. Agri-welfare brats are going nuts, I'm sure. Even the terminal big government maniacs at Rolling Stone magazine and the ultra left New York Times have admitted how the entire ethanol joke is out of control. Respected economist Walter Williams recently declared, "Politicians, farmers and ethanol producers know they are running a cruel hoax on the American public. They are in it for the money." With the nanny state bloating at the hands of the liberal Congress, government subsidies at a rate of 51 cents per gallon of ethanol will end up costing tax payers a whopping $3.5 billion this year for the 7 billion gallons expected to be produced. Corn is a grossly expensive crop to grow. It takes more than 1,700 gallons of water to grow enough corn to produce one gallon of ethanol. This uniquely high water content of ethanol is dangerously corrosive to standard gasoline pipelines, so it must be delivered to all destinations by truck or rail, creating a ridiculously cost prohibitive overhead. Once ethanol finally finds its way into our gas tank, that same water content can ruin engines, making it even more destructive. Another disturbing little ditty to add to the ethanol scam. Even after ethanol subsidies have ravaged our pocketbooks, as fuel it is at least 20 percent to 30 percent less efficient than gasoline. Based on laws pulled out of the dark, gloomy recesses of mindless bureaucrats, the United States is required to produce and we are forced to burn 36 billion gallons of this snake oil by the year 2022. That is five times our current load of 7.5 billion gallons. With 33 new ethanol plants being built right now and 60 more up and coming, this runaway freight train is on a collision course from hell. America is the fourth-largest exporter of rice in the world. U.S. farmers have more than 30 million acres in corn production this year, which means fewer acres for rice, beans, wheat and hay. Economics 101 tells me that supply and demand will force prices up for all those commodities and dramatically reduce our exporting capabilities. Can you say "lose-lose"? Who came up with this game plan, Willie Nelson or Michael Moore? Ted Nugent is a Waco-based musician and television show host. Come on Ted, don't hold back like that.
Aug 10, 2008 - Running On Empty
On the trip down from State College, PA to Williamsburg, VA my mileage was 32.7 mpg using "unblended" fuel. That was a little lower than I normally get on the highway no doubt due to the full load of 4 adult sized passengers plus luggage, but still not too bad. I even got 32.1 running around the WIlliamsburg area with no trip being longer than 13 miles. On the return trip we had to stop for fuel just north of Richmond and had no choice but E10. Same roads, same highway cruising speeds, same load. Filled up when we got back home with 9.8 gallons and had covered 296 miles. That's 30.2 mpg or a 7.6% decrease in mileage. And I paid exactly the same price for the blend as I did for regular unleaded. Now I know there are those of you out there who are true believers who say that there's no way this is happening because of ethanol and you couldn't be more wrong. Time to put down the Kool-Aid folks.
Jul 30, 2008 - All That Glitters
Ethanol policy was, to quote the Harper government, a "win-win." Actually, it was a lose-lose policy for all but corn producers, who, naturally enough, have rallied furiously to protect their good fortune. Douglas Auld, in an extremely well-documented paper for the C.D. Howe Institute concludes, "It is clear from the evidence to date that there is no consensus regarding the efficacy of corn-based ethanol either to reduce GHGs or reduce overall energy demands." The road to some nasty places is usually paved with good intentions. It's time to stop the car and take a look at the map again. Read the entire article at The Globe and Mail
Jul 27, 2008 - Something To It?
“Why Do You Put Alcohol in Your Tank?” demands a large sign outside one gas station here, which reassures drivers that it sells only “100% Gas.” In response to customer complaints about ethanol, some gas stations are beginning to advertise ethanol-free gas. One compares its “100 % Real Gas” with its competitors’ gasohol, or ethanol gasoline. “No Corn in Our Gas,” advertises another station nearby. Along the highways of this sprawling prairie city, and in other pockets of the country, a mutiny is growing against energy policies that heavily support and subsidize the blending of ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, into gasoline. To be honest I thought I was imagining it when I first noticed it, but after several tankfulls on both of our vehicles, and the absolutely insignificant price difference between regular unleaded and the blend, I'm making every effort to not pump the stuff into my vehicles. Looks like I'm not alone. Read the full article at the NY Times
Jul 24, 2008 - Amber Waves, Rising Tide
Take ethanol. A possible alternative to oil for fuel, but before you could snap your fingers we were rushing headlong into thinking all we had to do was turn all our food into fuel and issuing government mandates on how much had to be produced by a certain date, all seemingly without regard to the obvious effects and problems of efficiency. And heaven forbid you question ethanol. Why you must hate the planet or worse yet, you love the oil companies. My own experience with ethanol is less than impressive. An "up to 10% blend" lead to an almost 10% decrease in mileage and the blend only cost about 2.5% less per gallon. That's not saving anything. It's not saving me money. It's certainly not saving any gasoline if I have to put more fuel in my vehicle to travel the same distance. This seems a nightmare of our own creation. The governor of Texas has asked the EPA to temporarily waive the regulations requiring ever-increasing amounts of ethanol to be produced and used. The EPA has posponed their decision that was due today because it needs more time "to review more than 15,000 public comments and consult with other departments." At least it sounds like they're going to consider that maybe this whole idea needs a little more thought before we put it into full production. Read more at the NY Times and Associated Press
Jul 17, 2008 - Survey Says...
While most automakers have shifted production to focus on smaller vehicles, nearly 70 percent of consumers want the companies to invest more in existing and emerging powertrain technologies, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Alternative Powertrain Study . The study found that the percentage of consumers who are considering a gas-electric hybrid vehicle is up to 62 percent today versus 50 percent a year ago. However, consideration for flex-fuel E85 capable vehicles -- those designed to run on gasoline or a blend of up to 85 percent ethanol -- has decreased 5 percent from 47 percent last year to 42 percent now. I don't find that last result on flex-fuel very surprising given my own experience with ethanol. My 2007 Nissan Versa has consistently gotten me 32-33 mpg in my normal everyday driving and 34-35 mpg on the highway. I found myself far from home, with an almost empty tank in a stange land where the only gas available was E10. So I filled up. My immediate reaction on the highway was that I didn't have as much power, but I dismissed that as my imagination and took a wait and see attitude. Over the course of the next two days I ran out that tank of E10 driving 99% highway miles and cruising speeds. I filled up with unleaded regular and did my mileage calculation... 30.8 mpg Back to my local driving on the next tank, including most of the miles being driven by my youngest daughter who just got her permit and is learning to handle the clutch and 6-speed, and my mileage bounced right back up to 32 mpg on the next tank. and the tank after that was a fraction uner 33 mpg. So I took a roughly 10% hit on my mileage using a fuel that cost $3.89 versus $3.99 per gallon. My wife commutes 42 miles to work and some of the stations she normally fills up at near work have started selling "the blend" and we're getting similar results on her Altima. And there's no price difference at those stations. Guess I'm going to have to plan where I'm buying fuel from now on because ethanol isn't going in my tank if it can be helped.
May 10, 2008 - Ask Dub Schwartz!
Time to put down the KoolAid Joe. Been paying attention to the news lately? Seems that turning food supplies into fuel for cars might not be all it's cracked up to be. The factories producing ethanol might use half of the US corn crop this year trying to meet the mandate. But that doesn't seem to bother worshipers at the Church of Ethanol. So what if supermarket prices for cereals, meat, eggs, and dairy products all get driven up? We're getting off of oil right? Blindly rushing into anything generally ain't good for you, or me. Alternative fuels are a good idea. But we should leave the corn on the cob for use at our summer picnics!
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