The licorice root serves great medicinal purposes, from alleviating bronchial infections and hoarseness, to relieving peptic ulcers.

Can I tell all of you, I don’t understand?

OK, I don’t understand…

Back when I was a kid, the stories of engineers and science whiz guys that had found ways of getting 50MPG out of a gasoline engine and then being snuffed by car and oil companies ran rampant. In fact, a story in Popular Science touted the developmental process that would allow an engine to run on a 50/50 mix of alcohol and water. I was astounded, stunned. I could not believe that this type of thing was being developed only to be shut down by the oil producers and car manufacturers. It just didn’t make sense.

I don’t see an alcohol and water hybrid running around. Guess it was just too complicated for the auto makers. Either that or the guy who invented the technology is helping out a concrete column that holds up a building somewhere.

Any of you remember these things? Carburetor changes to improve mileage by 60%? Engine modifications that would allow for increased fuel efficiency and three to four times greater range? Transmission developments that would make a two or three cylinder motor feel like a small V8 engine? The mind boggles…

I don’t see any of those types of vehicles running around. Of course, I don’t see my car of the future running around either… you know the one that would do toast and coffee in the morning, drive by itself, and provide all the occupants with movies and local T.V.? OK, that last part is at least true.

What I don’t understand is why all these great ideas, true or not, are not being promoted/investigated by car manufacturers and oil companies right now? The oil thing I can imagine. The 11th commandment is: Thou shalt not take any bit of an oil executives income (let the flame wars commence). But U. S. car manufacturers cannot be happy with the way thier SUV and light truck divisions have taken a deep nose dive in sales as of late.

So these great ideas go to the “Great Idea Graveyard” because of… stupidity? Laziness? What?

How about this current event.

How about this event that is not so recent.

I’m sorry. I don’t see an energy crisis. I see an “Old fart’s who manage large automobile companies who can’t get a clue” crisis.

Maybe I’m daft. I sincerely hope that the X Prize foundation’s new challenge will kick start something.

I’m a dreamer. And my dream is that the minds and science of my country will come up with a viable alternative to oil as a device to move the masses (anyone remember Disney’s “People Mover” or “The Monorail”?). Maybe, not even an alternative… maybe something that would work in conjunction with today’s internal combustion engine. This new motive option would revolutionize an industry, save an economy and provide something other than bad news at 6pm.

In the event that we do that, we can shout from the highest mountain that we have become energy independent. We can sing out that we are the country that’s on the leading edge of technology, and we stand behind our research and development. Manufacturers of this technology will stand at the bully-pulpit and sound off that they were responsible. And that would be OK with me.

Of course, with all that shouting and singing, we will need a whole lot of licorice to sooth our sore throats.

Until next week…