A Whole Lotta Bulls***

This sounds like a neat idea, and may very well be worthy of study:

BAXLEY, Ga. (AP) — A southeast Georgia dairy has received $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to install a system that converts manure into energy and fertilizer.

F. Stone Workman, USDA's state rural development director, presented a ceremonial check for $200,060 to Wright, Whitty, Davis Dairy of Baxley on Wednesday.

"This project can put manure to work for us by providing an alternative energy source," Workman said.

The bad thing is that project is being funded by federal tax dollars. The federal government has spent gobs of money studying "alternative energy" sources over the years, but rarely has that investment yielded any product that can compete in energy markets without government subsidization. Studying alternative sources may be good for determining the feasibility and "how-to's," but unless newly developed sources can compete with cheaper ones already available, the market's answer will always be the same - a resounding "no."