ETHANOL

CNN says, "Ethanol ' the answer,' auto execs tell Bush" Really? Not so much. Tom Lasorda is the CEO of the Chrysler Group. LaSorda said, "We think this is the answer for America to lower our dependence on foreign oil."

We think this is the answer to lower our dependence. Two key words. I think many things, and I know fewer. And the lowering of something, the diminishing and decreasing, is not the same as the vanishing of the dependence.

Rick Wagoner is the Chairman and CEO of General Motors. He says, "This makes a big difference. There's nothing that can be done that can reduce the curb of growth of imported oil, and actually turn it down, like using E85."

Difference, reduce, turn it down. Them are key words, aren't they now. Mm-hmm, indeed. Kind of like turning down the volume on a stereo, you can make a big difference by reducing the volume when you turn down the knob. But until it is turned off then you still have sound.

CNN reported, 'Automakers said they could make half of their cars and trucks capable of running on alternative fuels by 2012 if there is enough availability and distribution of E85, an ethanol blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.'

Key words? Capable, if, alternative, enough availability. The United States of America has about 170,000 fuel-filling stations now. 1100 offer E85.

I don't portend to have the solution, but one such contributing factor to creating solutions is motivation. Personally, I'd be lacking motivation to buy an E85 vehicle (for its Ethanol-running qualities) when there are few stations that can meet its need. Those stations are unmotivated considering the fact that people don't want to buy the cars that need the stations. It's a two-directional circle. And manufacturers are, meanwhile, lacking serious motivation - or legislation - to produce the cars that stations can't fill and people don't need to buy.

Somebody will have to get down to business about this business.