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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Road Walker who wrote (303222)	9/15/2006 6:02:43 PM
From: RetiredNow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1572383

Hi John, you know I love articles like this and I think Friedman is one of the few clear thinkers with respect to alternative energy and the Middle East. Thx for posting. However, when I read this stuff, usually I just want to sit down and cry with frustration. Sometimes the answer is just so obvious, and yet, we can't get our leaders to see the solution that is sitting right in front of them. I'm almost bald from pulling my hair out over the US's idiocy when it comes to oil independence. So simple to achieve, and yet, we do little to nothing. We're watching the freight train barrel down on us, we love life and want to live, yet we don't just step out of the way. What is wrong with this country and our leaders?

To: Road Walker who wrote (303222)	9/16/2006 3:31:45 PM
From: tejek	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1572383

Too late — oil at $70 a barrel has done just that. One of the most promising of those alternatives is ethanol, an alcohol fuel made from corn, sugar cane or any biomass. I came to Brazil to try to better grasp what is real and what is not in the ethanol story, because no country has done more to pioneer sugar ethanol than Brazil. My impression, after talking to a range of Brazilian experts, is that not only is ethanol for real, but we have not even begun to tap its full potential. With just a few technological breakthroughs, Brazil really could be the Saudi Arabia of sugar and we could actually achieve that energy dream of getting “barrels from bushels.” It is said in articles I have read that oil below $60 makes it more difficult for alternative energy sources to pencil out. I don't know how true that is........just an observation. A second observation is that ethanol over time screws up the engine....clogs the valves? Have you heard anything along those lines? Finally, I find it remarkable the renaissance underway in Brazil. You know its only been since the mid 80s Brazil has had a democratic gov't. Prior to that, it was in and out of rightwing military dictatorships. In the last 20 years, it has slowly drifted left. Given this country's penchant for interference in the affairs of other countries since WW II, I wonder how much of the instability in S. American gov'ts has been due to behind the scenes interference by the US. I hope not. In any case, Brazil has come a long way in the last 20 years. I read somewhere that it is now the 10th largest economy in the world...........that's pretty amazing if its true.