OT of an OT: Ethanol

[Phoenix-D]

Renegade 13 said:
I think I have a new ambition in life...become the leader of a country. Look how much money they make! Not to mention the fact that it'd be an intereting job.

How much money? hah. The local college football coach makes $100,000 more than the President- before bonuses, which can add up to $400,000 on their own!

[Renegade 13]

Phoenix-D said:

How much money? hah. The local college football coach makes $100,000 more than the President- before bonuses, which can add up to $400,000 on their own!

Still, even a 'mere' $400,000 per year is a hell of a lot more than most people rake in. If a college football coach makes $500,000 plus bonuses, perhaps the college should take a long look at reducing the pay of the coach and maybe using the money they save to make college more affordable for the students who are there to learn not play football...

[Suicide Junkie]

Perhaps a mandatory assasination at the end of the political term?

Wasn't that the idea of some episode of sliders or something?

[Will]

Renegade 13 said:
Still, even a 'mere' $400,000 per year is a hell of a lot more than most people rake in. If a college football coach makes $500,000 plus bonuses, perhaps the college should take a long look at reducing the pay of the coach and maybe using the money they save to make college more affordable for the students who are there to learn not play football...

Except for US universities, football is actually PROFITABLE. Often, football and basketball are the only college sports where the program does not operate at a loss. The extra money those two bring in go straight to paying for all the other athletics at the school, and the coaches get paid a lot simply because if the teams win a lot, the school makes more money! If a coach were to suddenly get $40,000 instead of $400,000, an offer from another school to come win and make money for them would look really good if they offered the $400,000 that used to be the salary. So they get paid a lot to make sure they don't leave. So, to summarize, lots of money for coach leads to keeping a good coach leads to winning more leads to more ticket sales, broadcast contracts, sponsorships, etc. leads to the school being able to afford both the coach and the costs of all the other athletics. And the schools want athletics because students will be a lot less likely to apply if there aren't any *even if they never intend to play*. Fewer students leads to fewer tuition dollars leads to higher tuition for the students that do come or cuts in more areas, both of which lead to fewer students... repeat.

[Phoenix-D]

Renegade 13 said:
Problem is, ethanol has already been thrashed to death. Neat idea, might work on a small scale to reduce overseas oil exports, not feasible as a large-scale oil replacement. Bring on hydrogen!

Hydrogen isn't an energy source. You have to produce it, either by cracking water or other slightly more complicated methods. Either way you need power to do it, which leads right around to the same problem..

[Atrocities]

Rest assured there are a lot of people, most of whom who are far more intelligent than any of us, working on the problem of alternative fuel sources. I will put my faith in their hands, as they stand the best chance at cracking this problem.

[Baron Munchausen]

Atrocities said:
You guys need to learn the golden rule. Nothing means nothing were all going to die. So if you can't effect change, learn to live with what is what and f*** the rest. It don't mean jack for were all going to be long dead and forgotten by the time that it matters. And by then, no one will care. So nuff said, move on.

In other words, don't worry what this crushing debt will do to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Just enjoy the faked affluence now.

[geoschmo]

Phoenix-D said:
Hydrogen isn't an energy source. You have to produce it, either by cracking water or other slightly more complicated methods. Either way you need power to do it, which leads right around to the same problem..

This is true, but it's true for any sort of liquid fuel. Even the energy in oil came from the sun originally through the plants and the animals that ate the plants.

We aren't talking about creating energy here, just converting it from one form to another. Nuclear, solar, wind, and all the others are possible solutions for our electric needs long term when the supply of oil is gone, but unless we can come up with a practical means to store the electricity and recharge that storage quickly electricity will have limited uses as a vehicle fuel.

All forms of conversion have losses. The question is coming up with the most efficent means of conversion possible.

[Thermodyne]

I guess I’ll play the smart ***.

What about when you fuse hydrogen into helium? That gives you energy. And fuel is just stored energy, so wouldn’t hydrogen be fuel? I guess deuterium would be high test and cost more too

[Atrocities]

Baron Munchausen said:

In other words, don't worry what this crushing debt will do to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Just enjoy the faked affluence now.

No, they will pass it on to the next generation just like we are doing now. At least they will have ethonal powered cars though.