[AT] quiet list

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----- Original Message Follows -----
From: Carl Tatlock <carllary at gmavt.net>
Subject: [AT] quiet list
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:57:45 -0500

>... Is ethanol a really
>good idea? it seems more of a feel-good solution to  the
>problem than a real answer to oil problem.  Lower price at
>pumps,  but in return lower gas mileage seems to be the
>case?
>
> I expect that pro-ethanol people can shed  some light on
>the subject;   I am always willing to learn.

Hi Carl:

I'm not pro-ethanol, and I am always looking to learn more
too.

My understanding is that corn subsidies have made it quite
profitable to grow corn, to the point that soybeans and
wheat are now going over to corn instead, creating a glut of
corn and a shortage of soy and wheat.  That might be part of
the underlying reason for the higher flour pricing (but
surely there's a lot more going on and I don't have all the
facts).

Ethanol only has about 60% of the energy content of
gasoline, so, clearly you burn a lot more of it in a
vehicle.  The anti-ethanol people claim it takes more energy
to grow, process, and distribute ethanol than you get back
when you burn it.  The pro-ethanol people have a set of
numbers that makes it look better.  It's all in the
assumptions, but I doubt either one of those groups is plain
flat wrong.

Best regards,
Steve O.