A Disturbing Thought

[Timberwolf]

Until yesterday, I was a supporter of ethanol as an alternative to gasoline. But, being the environmental steward that I am, I can no longer support ethanol as a possible replacement for gasoline/diesel fuel. The reason is global warming...and all you liberals out there had best think about the following.

The first red flag was that I was in agreement with the rabid environmental lobby. Why is it that ethanol is pushed by the environmentalists, in the first place? Because it burns "cleaner" than gasoline...that is, no hydrocarbons are produced in the combustion process. The argument is that since only heated water is exhausted, less greenhouse gases are put into the atmosphere and, therefore, global warming will be counteracted. Horsepucky.

This led to the second red flag. That being, it is a well-known FACT that water vapor is, overwhelmingly, the most abundant greenhouse gas IN our atmosphere and responsible for the lion's share of any global warming that may be occuring. Increasing the level of atmospheric water vapor through automobile emissions, IMHO, is irresponsible in the extreme.

Add to this the fact that ethanol costs more energy to produce than is recovered for usable fuel (absent subsidies) - third red flag - and one has an argument for scrapping the entire program immediately.

Okey Dokey....flame away.

[Naturalized-Texan]

Everything you wrote can be said about using Hydrogen to fuel cars.

[Popperite]

Just that you can't actually increase the level of atmospheric water vapor for a very long time, if any.

[Timberwolf]

So, therefore, we can't increase atmospheric carbon dioxide for a very long time, if any, either.....right?

That being said, what's all the fuss?

[Popperite]

So, therefore, we can't increase atmospheric carbon dioxide for a very long time, if any, either.....right?

That being said, what's all the fuss?

No, too much water vapor in the air will cause rain to release it. That doesn't happen with carbon dioxyde.

[Gonzo67]

NO! WE'LL TURN EARTH INTO FERENGINAR!

(ok, I apologize for the obscure Star Trek reference. For those that do not watch it, Ferengi come from the planet Ferenginar, which is known for being a planet where it rains year round. Non stop. Ok, so I watch Star Trek, SO SUE ME! IT'S MY LIFE!! YOU PEOPLE ARE SO DAMN JUDGMENTAL!)

;)

[Popperite]

NO! WE'LL TURN EARTH INTO FERENGINAR!

(ok, I apologize for the obscure Star Trek reference. For those that do not watch it, Ferengi come from the planet Ferenginar, which is known for being a planet where it rains year round. Non stop. Ok, so I watch Star Trek, SO SUE ME! IT'S MY LIFE!! YOU PEOPLE ARE SO DAMN JUDGMENTAL!)

;)

Rule of acquisition 2345254: Drive your ethanol / hydrogen hybrid cars as much as you can to acquire even more free water.


Yeah I know, the rules of acquisition get lamer and lamer at the end of the list.

[Gonzo67]

ROFL Glad I'm not the only one....

[sunsettommy]

You guys are posting disturbing thoughts.

:grin:

[Timberwolf]

No, too much water vapor in the air will cause rain to release it. That doesn't happen with carbon dioxyde.
So, are you stating that rainfall doesn't "flush" some of the CO₂ out of the atmosphere? And, regardless of the amount of water vapor, the right conditions must be met before it will rain. There have been NUMEROUS occassions, over the years, when the atmosphere has been saturated (100+% humidity) but no rainfall occurred for days...sometimes for weeks.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Ok, so I watch Star Trek, SO SUE ME! IT'S MY LIFE!! ;)

I just knew you had ONE redeeming quality, :thumb: . (Joke!) I'm totally Trekkin' -- Quite astonished that I've located another that actually watched DS9, so many panned it. Personally, I am a fan of the entire ST franchise.

Hope that's not too disturbing a thought, :smirky: .

[Timberwolf]

LOVED DS9, OS, and Enterprise...TNG was OK, but Voyager had something to be desired.

[Gonzo67]

Enterprise was my newest "favorite". When TNG first came out, I was among those that were "pissed". In my opinion, it wasn't the "Enterprise", and that bald freak would NEVER replace Kirk.

But then a friend of mine tricked me into a game of "Drink To The Ship" with Tequila, and after doing a double shot every time the Enterprise showed on screen, I sat through a few episodes, and came to the realization that "this new Trek" ain't THAT bad... (DAMN YOU TASHA YAR!)

But then DS9 came out... again... WTF? A Star Trek where they DON'T GO ANYWHERE? How stupid is this! And they go and throw another "strong chick" up on the screen... (DAMN YOU KIRA NARISE!) and I kept watching it.

Then Voyager came out... Ok, Star Trek, they're moving, but the new aliens were just totally stupid. No danger of me getting hooked on this one... the captain, while a 'strong female" was not all that great to look at. I never once uttered the words "Man that Captain Janeway is hot". So I figured, theres 1 Trek I won't get sucked into and start watching... then... (DAMN YOU 7 OF 9!) They bring in Jerry Ryan as that hot Borg chick... TRAPPED AGAIN!

Then along comes Enterprise. Back to basics, which was cool. And after all that time on Quantum Leap, the new captain was qualified in Sci-Fi, plus, a guy that has a dog named after the coolest of the musketeers (Porthos) can't be all bad. So I gave it a shot. (DAMN YOU T'PAL!) (Hoshi wasn't too bad either). And then I got to liking the newest incarnation of the Trek Saga. Back to the Pre-Kirk days. Was a welcomed change. But then, WTF... SHOW CANCELED! DAMN YOU UN LOYAL TREKERS!

[Popperite]

So, are you stating that rainfall doesn't "flush" some of the CO<SUB>2</SUB> out of the atmosphere? And, regardless of the amount of water vapor, the right conditions must be met before it will rain. There have been NUMEROUS occassions, over the years, when the atmosphere has been saturated (100+% humidity) but no rainfall occurred for days...sometimes for weeks.

The amount of water vapor the air can hold varies with the temperature of the air. The warmer the air, the more water vapor it can hold. If air is saturated (100% relative air humidity) there can be no more water vapor added. If that air cools it will form clouds (clouds are not water vapor mind you) and they might result in rain. On the over all large scale this will keep the water vapor in the air pretty much in balance in the sense that it's an easy mechanism with which the air can rid itself of exess water vapor. Only water does that. There are no CO2 or nitrogen showers for example.
Sure there are ways in which atmospheric CO2 is removed from the atmosphere. It gets absorbed by the oceans and living creatures (mainly plants) but that process is not as effective in keeping a narrowly defined balance as rain does for water vapor. Mainly because it doesn't work as fast and straightforward as rain. I'm not sure if rain (the water variant) "drags" any CO2 along with it, but I can't imagine it plays a very big role in CO2 absorption. Not as big as plants or the oceans anyway.

The amount of available water vapor will however not be influenced in any way by water vapor from ethanol or hydrogen cars. There are enough ways to turn water into water vapor. It doesn't take those cars for that process to take place.

[Timberwolf]

*sigh*

What is the concentration of atmospheric H<SUB>2</sub>O to atmospheric CO<SUB>2</SUB>?

My only point is if one cannot be affected by human activity, neither can the other.
</SUB>

[Popperite]

*sigh*

What is the concentration of atmospheric H<SUB>2</SUB>O to atmospheric CO<SUB>2</SUB>?

My only point is if one cannot be affected by human activity, neither can the other.
</SUB>

I don't see why not. Water isn't the same stuff as carbondioxyde. Their properties are different. You can add CO2 to the atmosphere because it will remain a gas at normal tempreatures and it will just sit there. Water vapor won't.

And the water vapor is "supposed" to be there. It doesn't "add" to the greenhouse effect.

[Gonzo67]

SPARROW FARTS! That's whats causing it... SPARROW FARTS! We need to kill those damn sparrows. They fly from tree to tree, farting like they own the world! DEATH TO SPARROWS! WE MUST END THE SPARROW FARTS!

[Popperite]

SPARROW FARTS! That's whats causing it... SPARROW FARTS! We need to kill those damn sparrows. They fly from tree to tree, farting like they own the world! DEATH TO SPARROWS! WE MUST END THE SPARROW FARTS!

And WHO will eat all the flies and musquitos when the sparrows are gone?

....the eating of which make the sparrows fart in the first place :uhh: ??....

Damn. Now I'm confused:hissyfit: