[AT] Alternative Fuels-Hemp?

[Sheppard, Charles E]

There is a lot of political and PR resistance to this idea but other countries are already in production of industrial hemp (not the smoking kind!).  Hemp is a great source of fiber, feedstock for ethanol production and as an oilseed.  Hemp produces more oil than soybeans.  Google "hemp fuel" or go to www.hemp4fuel.com  If crude goes to $105/barrel as predicted (Goldman-Sachs Report 3/05) this alternative may be a sound choice for our nation.  I hate the thought of motor fuel costing $4-$5 /gal but, if that's what it takes to get this country more self-sufficient, I'm in favor.  Electric energy must be produced through nuclear technologies and there are several designs that promise inherent safety from meltdown.  Natural gas should be reserved for small commercial and residential heating and for chemical feedstock, not for boiler fuel or for peaking turbines.  The CAFE standards must be raised and hybrid technolgy fully developed;  hydrogen as motor fuel is far in the future.
 
We see this as a personal issue, but it is really one of national security.  China's economy is red hot and they are inflating their currency to maintain the current imbalance of trade (we buy 10% of their GDP; they buy 1/5 of 1% of ours).  They are investing heavily in our U.S. Treasuries which helps keep our interest rates down (and the real estate market up).  Their economy requires half of the world's supply of cement, 2/3 of the copper and 90% of the world's steel.  China's need for oil will surpass our own within twenty years or less.  There simply isn't enough to go around and the known reserves are rapidly dwindling.  There isn't room for two super-powers and limited resources.  We have foolishly pursued a policy of globilization that has resulted in the loss of many thousands of jobs.  Our economy is now asset-based.  We are monetizing (say ditech.com) our assets as a source of income.  Household sector indebtedness is up 20% from the 1990's and is now 90% of the U.S. GDP.  We need an effort more like the Appollo project to get us back on track........all IMHO.