The Ethanol Papers - Paperturn manuscript - Flipbook - Page 486
Consequently, in her universe, Ms. O'Sullivan only offers vanilla ice cream - if I
may use an analogy.
I, however, live in a universe that has vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, pistachio,
coffee, peach, mango, and spumoni ice creams. My universe also features additional varieties of energy fuels; some of which are better, safer, healthier, and
cheaper than abiotic fuels (the so-called fossil fuels). This is not to say that
there's no value to reading "WINDFALL," because it does provide some good
historical information and explanations of oil price and supply cycles - which
may have some relevance if you happen to exist in a vanilla universe.
By all rights, any examination of "new energy abundance" should include a copious review of all energy sources and fuels that we have available; just as any
serious discussion of ice cream must include all flavors and applicable ice
cream substitutes such as sorbets and ices. And if the new energy abundance
translates to greater American strength, it should be because our re-discovery
of domestically produced ethanol, for example, has allowed us to be free from
dependence on any other country for our energy.
Unraveling "WINDFALL"
Historical cycles information aside, Ms. O'Sullivan undermines the veracity and
perspicacity of her message right from the start. On just the second page of the
preface (page X), she writes that petroleum oil fuels brought forth "...a surge of
game-changing innovations, including the internal combustion engine and the
tank..." This incorrect comment echoes a false statement that I have heard Dennis Prager (and other petroleum oil sycophants) make on several occasions
when he proclaims "Thank God for fossil fuels" and then asserts that our high
standard of living from modern inventions was made possible because of gasoline and petroleum diesel fuel. Perhaps this is why he was so generous with
his appraisal of Ms. O'Sullivan's book.
Let's be clear, there have been no mechanical inventions that were brought
about by the invention or availability of gasoline and petroleum diesel fuel, especially not the invention of internal combustion engines. Petroleum kerosene
became the dominant liquid fuel due to exorbitant taxes placed on alcohol (ethanol) production beginning in the American Civil War. Gasoline and petroleum
diesel fuel did not even exist at the time of the invention of the internal combustion engine. There was nothing about petroleum-based engine fuels that made
them better fuels than the alternatives, except price. But even the lower price
of gasoline and petroleum diesel fuels were not responsible for any life enhancing machines. And in those industrialized regions of the world that were not
