Like it or not, ethanol won’t go away

For those easily frustrated by how state policies too often go awry, look away now.

The failed experiment that involved ethanol-infused gasoline is stalled — again — with even a new legislative mandate to repeal the experiment failing. To recap: In 2006, state lawmakers mandated that gasoline be a 10 percent ethanol blend, in hopes of creating a new biofuel industry from the dregs of sugar cane. But the forecast $100 million, 700-jobs industry never came; the ethanol is largely imported. Legislators last year finally eliminated the ethanol requirement.

Alas, federal renewable-fuel standards now make it cost-dubious for refineries here to convert back to ethanol-free gasoline; customers, of course, would bear the brunt at the pumps. So for now, with consumers content with relatively low prices, it’s idling time with ethanol-blend gas.

Waiting anxiously for whales to return

Hawaii is drawing more tourists than ever, with one puzzling exception — humpback whales. For reasons as yet unclear, our favorite cetaceans have not been showing up in their usual numbers at this time of year, according to those who keep track of these things.

Among the theories we prefer: The whales are just spending more time feeding in northern waters before making the 2,000-mile journey here — maybe because of El Nino, or because their population has risen, so there’s more competition for food. We just hope they haven’t chosen a new place to winter.

No doubt the official whale-counters — not to mention our two-legged tourists and whale-watching cruise operators — will keep an anxious eye peeled for the tell-tale spouts.