A Simple Solution To Pain At The Pump?

NBC Dateline ^ | 5/7/06 | Stone Philips

[khnyny]

Pain at the pump is the price of this country’s addiction to oil. Americans are feeling it intensely—outraged over oil company profits, fearful that another hurricane in the gulf, or a terror attack in the Middle East is all it would take to send prices even higher.

But what if there was one solution to all of this? Something that could solve America’s energy crisis, strengthen our national security, and help save the planet at the same time?

Vinod Khosla: I looked, did my research and found this was brain dead simple to do.

Stone Phillips, Dateline anchor: Is it going to mean spending less at the pump?

Khosla: Absolutely. The consumer would be paying a dollar a gallon or less.

[khnyny]

Apparently, Brazil is oil independent by using ethanol or oil/ethanol combos. Flex fuel GM and Ford car sales are actually UP in Brazil. If a virtually third world country (sorry Brazil) can get its energy act together, what is stopping US?

[jiggyboy]

"Every third fill-up, I drive off without paying!" ?

[mysterio]

I'd believe it could work if dateline had not backed the plan. If that show were off the air, we would have about 250,000 less new laws passed each year.

[mnehring]

The funny part about the calls for us to be like Brasil (re ethanol) is that they are cutting down the rain forests to make the sugar cane farms for their ethanol supply. It really has the enviros heads spinning... lol...

[Talking_Mouse]

Infastrusture. Ours is both bigger physically and much more embedded.

[khnyny]

"Every third fill-up, I drive off without paying!" ?



Then you must be an oil lobbyist.

[George W. Bush]

Ethanol, Brazil-style.

As soon as we moved to mandate it, you'd see OPEC slash oil prices.

[khnyny]

I would rather invest in new infrastructure than give money to terrorists.

[jiggyboy]

LOL no just having some fun with the teasing excerpt.

[bondjamesbond]

Our oil infrastructure is insufficient to meet our current needs. The opportunity for market penetration is there.

[khnyny]

"As soon as we moved to mandate it, you'd see OPEC slash oil prices."

It would be fun to watch OPEC squirm. I'd like to seem them become more and more desperate, lol.

[khnyny]

I was impressed with Vinod Khosla's credentials, track record, and knack for research.

[Physicist]

The simple solution is to carpool if you can. It won't solve the country's energy needs, but it will save you the gas money.

[BikerGold]

According to real experts, if every SUV built during the SUV craze had be diesel

the USA would NOT have to import one drop of Saudi oil...

[Smokin' Joe]

Our oil infrastructure is insufficient to meet our current needs. The opportunity for market penetration is there.

So is the opportunity to develop more domestic oil infrastructure, and get rid of some of the very artificial barriers which make that development more difficult than it should be.

[camle]

i tried ethanol when it first came out in the 80's. ruined the engine of a brand new car.

never again.

[khnyny]

"The simple solution is to carpool if you can. It won't solve the country's energy needs, but it will save you the gas money."

That's a great idea. I try to walk wherever I go, as much as I can.

Saving gas money though, is only part of the problem. Being energy independent and stopping the flow of funds to countries that sponsor and/or support terrorism is a bigger goal.

[Talking_Mouse]

Amen.

It is going to take some time to change our infrastructure, but it can be done. We, as a country, made the switch from leaded to unleaded gas. Since the oil companies are the ones producing ethanol, it will not be a loss of profit to them to introduce ethanol at the pump.

The ethanol using jeeps should come out next year. In about 3 years my current Wrangler should be driven into the ground. I will be getting one of the ethanol using Wranglers then.

I would much rather support a midwestern corn crop then either Venezuela or the House of Saud.

[khnyny]

I'm sorry you tried it in the 80's and it ruined your car. To put it in perspective for you, back in the 80's, you and I would not be talking to each other right now.

I think technology has obviously changed and improved in the last 25 years.