Fuel for thought
Mood:  on fire
Tonight I found myself on the Yahoo boards once again spouting my opinions. Actually, my continual need to explain my viewpoint, particularly on the Yahoo boards, helped me decide to start blogging. Although as a blogger with a site you basically not responding or debating an issue you are just putting your opinion out there for others to respond to.

With that said, my topic was ethanol, as congress is considering adding more ethanol requirements. Ford is already putting out flexible fuel cars that will take E85, 85% ethanol fuel and KART or the Indy series already uses methanol powered race cars. For that matter some people are able to run cars on leftover cooking oil, I guess a form of bio-diesel. Yes ethanol has some problems like it takes energy to make and distill, but that energy doesn't have to come from gasoline, it could come from cleaner burning natural gas or other alternative fuels. Ethanol does not poison the ground water, possibly destroying aquifers for a lifetime, like MTBE and does reduce smog.

If we combined flexible fuel and hybrid technologies we could begin to turn the tide on pollution and reduce our dependence on the middle east and big oil. Some people claim that ethanol is too expensive, then why is it going for $1.20 per gallon and gasoline $2.00 per gallon.

Some people cry that the hydrogen economy is coming and the fuel cell is the savior. Perhaps, part of that is true. Mercedes Benz is already working on a flexible fuel combustion engine car that will take hydrogen or gasoline it seems the necessary infrastructure could be phased in.

I just wish we would start thinking about the future and not the profits of today.

Another day in MN
Mood:  quizzical
This week was pretty amazing one state senator came out and pictures came out of another in the bushes. The senator that came out Republican Paul Koering, from northern Minnesota came out as gay after a gay marriage ban vote.

The senator in the bushes was Republican Michelle Bachman, the state senator from Stillwater, (and the Bush administration's darling for a national senate seat) that was trying to push the gay marriage ban through. A statewide group of protesters and citizens for fairness for GLBT couples were outside while Michelle wanted to get a peek without being noticed. After having a hand in stopping a bonding bill from passing last year (by trying to force a vote on the marriage ban), I am surprised she shows her face at all.

Both senators say that they want the voters of Minnesota decide, which in theory sounds ok. But there is a great disparity between generations on whether gay marriage should be banned and a constitutional amendment would basically take away the rights of the younger and future generations that are more tolerant to decide this for themselves.