The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind

Headnote

But generating energy from this natural resource will take more than a clever set of lyrics.

STUDENTS OF THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE, based on the 1962 Bob Dylan song, know that it originally had to do with rhetorical questions about war, peace and freedom. The implied answer, Dylan tells us, is out there in the wind, but we have to embrace it. But my question has more to do with our current quest for energy, wind energy in particular.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is trying to limit crude production to raise prices-and their revenues. Russia's only export of note, from a national revenue perspective, is crude oil (not that Russian caviar isn't important). China, India and Australia are producing crude oil, natural gas, etc., more than ever. And, of course, here in North America the oil shale business is booming due in part to investment by Wall Street. Thus, the actual cost of energy, sans regulatory and tax influences, is lower and more available than I...