Yesterday, in the L.A. Times, I read a story that made my blood boil. People with the initiative and the where-with-all to make their cars run on vegetable oil, thus saving themselves money and us all fumes, are being smacked down by the state government for not seeing to such things as, oh, a $300 license from the Meat and Poultry Inspection Branch to collect grease from kitchens. Oh, and road tax, God forbid these forward-thinking citizens should get away without chipping in on the road tax normally included in gas pump prices! That would mean their noble efforts might actually be rewarded. Matthew Tiffany had to shut down his Good Earth Grease Haulers because of too much red tape and fines. What was he thinking, trying to help us all convert our vehicles to help work towards a healthier planet? Dave Eck and his fryer-oil cars, why, what a little tax cheat! Even the governor got nailed for running his Hummer on Costco cooking oil (now there's an odd sentence), without paying the state 18 cents for each gallon of oil, which is apparently the law, clearly as a punishment for setting us all an example. more ›