I was never sold

Being born and raised in Indiana (blech!), I never really bought the whole argument about ethanol and how it would save us big money at the pump.

First, I want a total release from all need for foreign oil, even if that means we still have to deal with some European dependence. I think if we or they found a way to do it...the other continent would probably adopt the technology post-haste.

But, being a boy from Indiana, I saw the many, many, many fields of corn every time I drove a whopping 20 minutes in my car in ANY direction (this despite living in one of the biggest cities in the entire state). Yet, as a boy who was taught a tiny bit about agriculture, we know that soil has a need on occasion to be rested...it gets planted out. Eventually all the nutrients are gone and it takes a few cycles to get those back, I think wine makers know this as well as they typically give sections of vineyards a year's rest (but, I could be mistaken).

So, lets assume I am mistaken and this doesn't in fact happen. Still, we are expecting corn, this little tiny corn kernel, to provide enough fuel to fill every car in the country...without running out, or without taking a serious hit to the economy...I don't think so.

The ethanol idea is a bust, and it's hurting our economy, because while fuel temporarily went down, the cost of foods due to scarcity has gone up. Chicken, cows, all eat some form or corn if I am not mistaken, which as that cost goes up due to demand in fuel, the cost to feed the cows and chickens goes up, which then causes the very cost of the chicken, cow, milk, eggs...ALL to go up by leaps and bounds.

So, ethanol is a bust, it should be stopped. Any subsidies should go further into research. Solar panels won't cut it yet. Hydrogen cars...that's a possibility, though I'm needing more information because the last serious article I read on hydrogen cars didn't sound positive. Cars running on electricity? Yeah...because we have so much of that to go around. Pay no attention to the soon to come rolling blackouts in California because they have no energy to use their air conditioners.

Final note as a person who abhors NASCAR racing: I'd love to see an actuarial study on the cost-efficacy of the money pumped into the economy through the people buying products, as opposed to how much it's costing American to waste fuel to have cars drive in a freaking circle for thousands of miles. I'm just sayin'.

Okay, fair is fair. As a BoSox mega-fan-whore. Perhaps they also are wasting fuel to fly to freaking Tokyo, Japan. You've got me there!