Rumor has it, gas prices are supposed to climb to $3.50 a gallon or something crazy like that by this Memorial Weekend. That coupled with our increased heating costs over the winter... I tell you. This energy crisis is becoming a bit of an irritant.

I've given some thought to alternative ways of heating my home and supplying power. I've read a few fantastic articles on ways of solar-heating water and such, which is cool.

I had considered setting up an ethanol-manufacturing rig, but it looks like I'll have quite a bit of trouble making that happen. Long story short, it would take 400 gallons of mash (that's basically fermented fruit/vegetable pulp) to make 35 gallons or so of fuel-grade alcohol. And that 400 gallons of mash would need to come from a LOT of fruits/vegetables... and I'm no farmer. And then what the heck would I do with that all the waste product? I guess a farmer could mix it up with cow and chicken feed. So... yeah. No ethanol production from me. At least, not on a scale that'll be useful.