The American Spectator

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Ethanol Fires

3.4.08 @ 12:01AM

FIRE SALE
Re: Eric Peters' Archer Daniels Meltdown:

Kudos to Eric Peters for the most appropriate and most resonant historical allusion that I have yet seen in TAS. Given the context, I couldn't suppress a howl of delight at his felicitous use of the old Spanish Inquisition phrase, auto da fe. Needless to say, the Spanish Inquisition had nothing to compare with our latter-day environmental Torquemadas that are predicting the immolation of the entire planet, not to mention creating the circumstances for individual immolations from ETOH. Even Dostoevsky would have been impressed, I dare say, with Mr. Peters' phraseology. He made my day!
-- Kent Lyon
College Station, Texas

Putting out Alcohol fires simply requires copious amounts of water. Water and Alcohol mix quite easily, unlike gasoline. If anyone has watched a CART or IndyCar race knows that all teams have 5 gallon buckets of water around as part of their fire safety regimen. When a fuel fire happens the contents of these buckets is thrown on the fire. I've not heard of any large conflagration in the pits of since going to alcohol as a fuel.
-- Roger Thompson

Sadly, the environmental wackos succeeded in interfering with free markets and convincing us that ethanol was the answer to our environmental problems. Instead we have a product, ethanol, that costs more to produce, uses gas to be produced, burns less efficiently than gasoline, reduces engine life and produces no less emissions. And that it is made from corn has boosted corn prices from $2.50/bushel to over $5.00/bushel. Since "corn is king" wheat and soybean prices have also doubled. Food prices are in the process of doubling as a result. Is ethanol worth it? Ask yourself the next time you are at the grocery store.
-- Howard Lohmuller
Seabrook,Texas

While I share your views on the lunacy of addressing the energy issue with bio fuels, as a career firefighter for nearly thirty years I have to offer insight and comment on your assertion of the increased danger of ethanol with respect to increased suppression/extinguishment requirements.

Ethanol, as all alcohols, is considered a polar solvent and does pose unique conditions for extinguishment. Conventionally, the foam formulas used through- out the fire service are of a 3%/6% composition. This allows the fire fighting crews the option of using a 6% solution on ordinary hydrocarbon liquid fuel sources or a 3% solution on polar solvents and alcohols by dialing different proportioning settings. Ethanol actually does not pose a serious fiscal or operational difficulty for us as firefighters. In recent training with ethanol fuel spill fires, we discovered that the ethanol burned with color (yellow/orange) and could be effectively extinguished by diluting the fuel to 50% or less through the addition of water. Because water only does not provide the vapor suppression benefit that foam does, care had to be taken to prevent re-ignition. Our training demonstrated the 3% proportion of foam to be extremely effective. Notwithstanding, there are other reasons to discourage the proliferation of ethanol fuel use.

Unlike straight gasoline, ethanol presents a unique corrosive threat to conventional tankers/piping. It is of concern to firefighters that should demand (or governmental requirement) outpace the ability to upgrade tankers and piping shipping and dispensing of ethanol could occur under less than safe conditions.

Our instructor also expressed concern about "home brewers" attempting to concoct their own ethanol. Needless to say these amateurs would not follow optimal safety parameters. I certainly would not appreciate answering a call to a residence or business where some jamoke is attempting to make his own fuel!

I hope this is helpful. I truly enjoy your online articles. Keep up the good work.
-- Randy Pickrel
Castle Rock, Colorado

The negative points made by Mr. Peter's about ethanol are on-the-mark except for the following statement, "Think about race cars that run on alcohol fuels. The fires are extremely hot, and the flames invisible." Racing cars were fueled with methanol, not ethanol, and methanol flames are invisible. However, ethanol, the component of liqueurs, burns with a visible flame, think of a brandy or Grand Marnier flambe'. Ethanol also provides the gentle flame under a fondue pot. Ethanol serves many useful purposes but Scientific American described biofuels, including ethanol, in a recent article as "Biofuels are Bad for Feeding People and Combating Climate Change." February 7, 2008.
-- E. Patrick Mosman
Pleasantville, New York

LIKE PEAS AND CARROTS
Re: The Prowler's Republicans and Catholics:

As a "practicing" Roman Catholic, allow me to opine as to why "So Called Catholics" will vote Democrat. Unfortunately, in a nut shell, here in America, Catholics don't seem to take their doctrine to heart. Sadly, that would also apply to the American Bishops and Priests. Let's just go over two of the Ten Commandments: Keep Holy the Sabbath Day. Well we know many Catholic's seem to think that only applies to Christmas and Easter Masses. Wrong of course; however even students who must attend Mass in order to receive their confirmation, need only attend a percentage of masses! What type of message does that give the youth of America? How about no commitment and no worries, just go when you can. For non Catholics, please allow me to educate you. We go to Mass every Sunday to partake in the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. To lessen the value of attending mass weekly, as instructed by our Lord, is to lessen the importance of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Scripture.

Next would be the obvious, "Thou Shall Not Commit Murder." Well, tragically there are Catholics who support the destruction of the Baby in the Womb, abortion and partial birth abortion, and euthanasia, and who fight tooth and nail to keep it legal. Two infamous Catholic politicians, John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, not only support abortion, but use it as their litmus test against pro-life politicians and future judges. Do you really believe they adhere to the Catholic Doctrine? No, if they did, they would not only reject ABORTION they would do all they could to be informative as to the absolute destruction, here and for eternity, it causes to all associated with it.

Finally, again, I put some of the blame on the "American" Catholic Church. They have succumbed to the LIBERAL viewpoints for the past forty years. They have allowed horrible sins within the church to go unchecked (i.e., sexual predators, theft, left leaning causes, etc. etc.). Their luke warm sermons, have run their course. You know the sermons, God loves you so, everything is OK. Well, as Pope Benedict so wisely put it "RELATIVITY is the BIGGEST EVIL WE FACE RIGHT NOW;" and when pressed by the liberal media, that if the Church didn't become more receptive to abortion, gay marriage, etc. etc. the Church would loose all its members. Pope Benedict so wisely replied, "If there is only one True member of the Church left, he is the one who will bring it back up." So the American Church itself, must do a soul searching transformation, and then, and only through God's Grace, the flock will come back into the true fold. To come back to its true profession of faith, true Catholics will renounce both parties if they profess false doctrines, i.e., unnatural forced death and the propagation of secularism and socialism. Neither party is immune to corruption, as no religious organization is. However, to ignore the corruption of its soul, is to enable corruption of its soul. A true follower of the Church will not and should not endorse any group who goes against their sacred religious teachings. To do so, is to continue the downward spin of our earthly domain.
-- Joellen M. Arrabito
Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

The discussion in "The Prowler" on Republican outreach to Catholics brings up two points:

Letter to the Editor

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