I just wish that the government would say we are going to do a "Go To The Moon" or "Manhattan project" style project to wean us from foreign oil in the next 5 years. It can be done now. Plug-in hybrids can probably get 100 miles/gallon for the majority of daily drivers (I don't really know the conversion of kwh to barrels of oil, ton of coal, though). Hydrogen fuel cells have proven worthwhile -- just need to learn how to do high-volume production (and the filling stations). It seems to me that the brunt of this probably needs to be borne by the automobile driver. Trucks need the "power" that diesel can give (opinions?).

I think the whole corn-based, sugar beet conversion to ethanol has/will become a disaster due to food costs. Let's see, massive flooding in mid-west farms, corn being planted instead of wheat has cut into our wheat stocks, super-fungus destroying our wheat -- I see food prices spiraling out of control in the next year or two.

The major problems that I see for a new "Manhattan Project" are
a) the American government has already bankrupted us -- where will the funding come from
b) multi-national firms have a lot of power to influence politicians -- there will be a bigger push to drill more instead of switching
c) Tons of pain for the average American.
d) Probably tons of other problems, too.

Oh well, it is always darkest before the dawn.

Kevin


"Good science comes in peer reviewed journals. Conspiracy theories come in YouTube videos. "
Kevin @ bandcamp: Crows Say Vee-Eh