The Next Depression?

[hooligan]

GritsAR is where I am

 

[MRNpoultry]

Isn't bio-diesel made out of corn and soy beans, I heard that it was just as bad as gasoline since it takes 2/3 a gallon of oil to make one gallon of bio-diesel. I am for bio-diesel correct me if I am wrong about the 2/3 part.
I am 100% sure about bio-diesel being legal I saw this on the news.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks Hooligan; but since it says that I am from SW Arkansas right under my avatar I think rosalind was being sarcastic.

At any rate, taken from an article in the Dec. 07/Jan. 08 issue of Mother Earth News entitled 'Veggie Oil Vehicles and the Law':

- Fuel taxes on "traditional" fuels (gasoline, petroleum diesel) help fund the building and maintenance of roads used by veggie oil cars. Using vegetable oil as a fuel without paying fuel tax on it is considered tax evasion.
- All states have a fuel tax of some kind and the federal government also taxes fuels, but enforcement of tax laws regarding vegetable oil as a fuel are inconsistent. When it comes to biodiesel, which is basically chemically processed vegetable oil that mimics petroleum diesel fuel, federal tax laws are straightforward: You've got to pay taxes on it no matter where it comes from.
- If you buy veggie oil that is intended to be used as fuel, the taxes have already been paid by your supplier.

More info @ www.biodieselnow.com

So in the future, I'll know to be more specific before posting a response. Yes, you can use bio-diesel, IF you are willing to fill out the necessary registration forms for the gov't. and pay the taxes on what you make and use. What I was trying to respond to is the idea that some people have that you can just get some veggie oil from your local Mc D's and process it for your vehicle and not involve the government in it at all.

Better?

 

[MRNpoultry]

I see what your saying now.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Quote:
bio diesal is just vegtable oil that MCd's use for there fries. ethanol is corn and soybeans

 

[carugoman]

According to my county agricultural agent-Okaloosa County,FL; since my property and primary legal domiciliary residence is zoned R-3;residential/agriculture,I am permitted to produce up to and including 400 gallons;per adult in household, per quarter year; for personal and or agricultural usage purposes,provided I have 1.) passed the state required HAZMAT/MSDS safety course available online,2.) obtained a valid state issued permit allowing me to produce,store and use bio-diesel based fuels,3.) pay all applicable state and federal fuels and excise taxes.

When Rudolph Diesel was developing his engine design,over a century ago,opportunity arose that he met and discussed with G. W. Carver,using peanut oil as the fuel of choice for this engine. Their motivations were to free farmers from the drudgery of agriculture by mechanizing the industry and the farmers would be able to grow their own fuel.

 

[GwenFarms]

Quote:
Part of the commitment we would be making would be NOT to work for those three days, unless you could get there by foot, or alternate transportation. My dh drives for a living too. We would just make the sacrifice. Any protest lacks conviction without a sacrifice being made. The fact that the majority of businesses would shut down and product would not be moved is the big attention getter, not the lack of revenue from fuel sales.

 

[birdnutz]

I agree with Gwen farms on this one. I've discussed this with other people. If the Americans stayed home from work for even 1 day it would get some attention. It would be the only way the americans could have the next revelution(sp) in theory. But would it collapse the economy?And how would you organize such an event?
We're looking into building our own wind generators. Wyoming has lots of that to spare. The braking system is the only thing that has us stumped. I personally don't believe ethenol is the way to go. We're already seeing this in the rise of corn and wheat prices. So instead of paying at the pumps,we're paying at the grocery and feed stores. Since the rise of beef prices we've eaten alot of chicken and pork. But that is going to go way up also. No easy answers,but one conclusion. The average joe will pay for it out of our pocket books.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

This may be a little off subject buit there is a song in a movie that goes "freedom isn't free. It cost folks like you and me" That song is true. How do you build a wind generator? Do you have plans I could look at? we want to do solar energy as well

 

[PurpleChicken]

I could write a book here but will refrain. I do want to make some points.

Everyone should agree that conserving energy, and producing some of our own food
and energy is a good thing.

Now:
1-Ethanol does go bad. It has a short shelf life. This may be because of the additives.
2-Biodiesel costs more money and energy to produce than it gives back. It's also
cr@p. It yields less energy. Yea, I'd love to find an old Mercedes diesel and convert
it to bio. It would be a fun project and a learning experience for my son, but it won't
do anything for our planet. I'd love to, and plan on building an electric car out of an
old MG and charge it off solar panels or the grid, but that too is no answer.

The only positives of ethanol and biodeisel I can see is reduced dependance on
foreign oil.
3-The new low sulfer diesel fuels is horrible and seperates, causing huge maintenance
expenses and reduced efficiencies.

At this point in history, nuclear power combined with hydrogen production, is our
best bet. No, it's far from a perfect solution.

Sorry, but all the alternate energy people claiming it's going to save the world
are idealistic, ignorant, or simply lying. Follow the money.

Back to the original topic:
I doubt a depression is on the way. Fuel prices are definately depressing though.
This is cyclical and will pass. Unemployment is at 5%, a historically low number.
Inflation is rising but in check. The stock market and real estate markets are still
way overvalued. This too shall pass.

I hope people understand, regardless of democrat or republican, conservative or
liberal, that politics are at play here.

Keeping a few months supply of energy and fuel is ALWAYS a good thing to do.
Natural disasters or a major terrorist attack are much more likely than a great depression,
something the government will simply not let happen.