Hi MM > >Anyway, about this "funny" - what is it they say about coincidences? > >One coincidence is a coincidence, two coincidences is suspicious, > >three coincidences is enemy action. Something like that. > >I remember it as: Once is happenstance, Twice is Coincidence, Three >times is enemy action. Or something like that. Fleming-Bond.
Or something, yes. Bond, I'd forgotten that. I'd forgotten him, actually! Thanks. >Anyway, I agree with your discussions of the pros and cons of >conspiracy theorizing. > > >Still, I doubt it. Even if so, I'd say it's too late, we're too > >widespread. > >This is a very dangerous assumption, given the level of power of the >enemy. It is dangerous, yes, and I agree with your reservations. But we are very widespread, and I doubt even any of us here could estimate even remotely how much biodiesel is being made on the quiet by homebrewers in the US, and elsewhere. On the quiet in that though it's not illegal as ethanol was during the Prohibition, most of them are rather quiet about it, apart from the campaigners. We've had messages here from people who say they don't talk about it unless they're sure the other person is genuinely interested. It's hard for a bureaucracy (and/or a corporation) to take effective action against something they can't estimate. What's it costing us? We don't know. Oh, well then... The kerfuffle over small-scale registration is a good indicator that we're below their radar screen. Still, I agree with you. >The EV advocates in California assumed they'd "won" when there >was some court-ruling re-enforcing the ZEV mandate. I looked at their >attitude and assumed they were in trouble. As it turns out, they >were. Assumption of victory in the face of the Oil Lobby is, in my >view, an indication of a probable loss. Oh, I don't assume victory, not at all, and I wouldn't set too much store on a court ruling. I just get the idea we're out of control. I do like being out of control! > >Even tracing methanol sales, waste oil collection, etc, > >as someone just suggested - any real crackdown, would demand huge > >resources, more than it's worth, and put them in the awkward position > >of finally having to explain just why they're victimizing people > >who're probably doing more to save carbon and the environment than > >they are. Politically, it might be a hot potato. Anyway, at best, I > >think enforcement nets maybe 10% of any contraband, usually much > >less. The attraction of the illicit, plus a certain dissatisfaction > >with central government, might even encourage it. I think it did work > >that way during Prohibition didn't it? Didn't consumption go up? > >And in some cases the absolute scum of the Earth (Capone, et. al.) >rose to the top. In the case of Prohibition of "Drugs", even worse >has happened, entire national economies have been damaged, thousands >of lives and more have been ruined and so forth. Yes, as Kirk pointed out, and I know that's true. The Prohibition is an interesting comparison, quite often made, but perhaps it's not a very good one, beyond a certain point. There are so many other issues at stake with biodiesel, especially that, unlike Prohibition, we'd very much occupy the high moral ground, not the government. I believe we could make them hurt enough on that account before it got too far, certainly long before any such scum as the Scarface of Biodiesel had any chance to rise to the surface. And not so many spooks interested in biodiesel, unlike drugs. Though they're certainly interested in oil. >Anyway, I agree that there's reason for optimism about the Biodiesel >situation, but I don't know how this latest "crackdown" on the >"evildoers" will play out. If indeed that's what it is. It's all a bit confused at the moment. The message forwarded from World Energy was a bit confused, not clear what's from them and what's the forwarder's comment, and I can't track the original down, and the message about Oz might also be confused - I think the BBC piece was about the UK, not Australia. Not sure though. But yes, there is cause for optimism, cautious optimism. Foward march but keep your powder dry. Best Keith ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Plan to Sell a Home? http://us.click.yahoo.com/J2SnNA/y.lEAA/MVfIAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
