Current Events 10/11

In the October edition of Consumer Reports, I found an article that brings some sad news about the possibility of using ethanol as an alternative fuel source. To clarify, in the recent past people have been talking about hauling in our fuel from the breadbasket of America so we don’t need to rely on Middle Eastern oil. The original diesel engine was supposed to run on corn anyway so why not try it again? Those pink fluffy clouds of optimism which I’ll admit I floated my hopes on too, vanished as news of their efficiency came to light.

This article I’m afraid has no clear author to speak of; however whoever it is has a wide variety of sources ranging from ethanol plant owners to professors of ecology to 50 experts. Mr. Whoeveritis also throws a heaping scoopful of numbers. It leaves the reader confused and this reader was reminded of math class. The basic argument is ethanol 85 gets ten miles to the gallon, is just as pricey as gas per gallon, and the country lacks the number of farmers to grow it. However it does promote ethanol 10, a 1/9 mix of ethanol and gasoline, and ethanol is still good for the environment, however hard to get.
In the end I’m forced to face the truth that ethanol may be only in our distant future. For all the numbers Mr. Whoeveritis makes a good point. I’ll give him points for being informal, none for clarity or brevity, and points for good points. This onion I’m afraid is difficult to cut...