Topic: A Bipartisan Crusade Against Ethanol Subsidies

[Gordon]

Gasoline was a lucky, chance happening.  A nearly worthless by-product of an existing system.  Had it not already existed when we were in need of a new power source, it never would have happened, because the cost of finding, drilling, transporting, refining and distributing would have been considered ridiculous.  We would all be riding electric motorcycles right now. 

We're trying to reinvent a wheel that was never invented in the first place.  It was stumbled upon.  What we need is a second miracle to save us from the hole we've dug ourselves into with the first one.   

[BobbyR]

Gasoline was a lucky, chance happening.  A nearly worthless by-product of an existing system.  Had it not already existed when we were in need of a new power source, it never would have happened, because the cost of finding, drilling, transporting, refining and distributing would have been considered ridiculous.  We would all be riding electric motorcycles right now. 

We're trying to reinvent a wheel that was never invented in the first place.  It was stumbled upon.  What we need is a second miracle to save us from the hole we've dug ourselves into with the first one.   

+1
Henry Ford had originally chosen Alcohol as the fuel source for his Cars. Gasoline was a waste product and a bit cheaper, so he was convinced i am sure by the Oil Barons to use gasoline. If he had stuck with Alcohol, we would not be having this discussion, the engines would have been designed for Alcohol and the infrastructure would be in place.

[Terry in Australia]

This was how gasoline was discovered, as a whiskey fancier, I thought it fascinating:

How Whiskey gave us Fossil Fuels, Industrial Empires and Saved the Whales

"In the 1800’s, whales were being decimated for their blubber oil, which was an early source for fuel, heat and light for lamps.  The largest mammal on earth was facing extinction as the demand for blubber oil grew and grew.

Around this time, salt mine owner Samuel Kier was getting extremely annoyed that this oily type substance kept leaking into his salt mine and ruining the salt.  It was costing Kier and many salt mines a lot of money.  One day, Kier took the curious oil, which was actually crude oil, and put it in his whiskey distillery.  When the oil was distilled, it became petroleum, our first fossil fuel.  The birth of oil distillation created industrial empires and gave birth to the modern mechanical age.   

The birth of crude oil in commercial use eradicated the demand for whale blubber oil and whale hunting was reduced to a minimum.  The levels of whale hunting have since been relatively sustainable for our largest and very treasured mammal.  Of course, the discovery of oil lead to many deadly wars, global warming and might actually run out because of our insatiable appetites for Cadillac’s and SUVs, but hey, we can always use whiskey to drink our problems away."

 http://whiskeygoldmine.com/best-whiskey-top-whiskey-forums-single-malt-scotch-irish-bourbon/best-scotch-reviews-ratings/how-whiskey-made-america-gave-fossil-fuels-industrial-empires-federal-taxes-paved-roads-put-man-moon-ended-dark-ages-saved-whales-chemistry-oil-arab-islamic-scientists-george-wahshinton-henry-the-8th/