A call for ending ethanol subsidies

From a Iowan Representative?

I’m impressed. I’ve expressed my opinion on subsidies before, as well as my opinion on ethanol as a fuel source/additive (summary: it sucks).

But if Steve King, from the land of corn Iowa, is calling for an end to corn subsidies, maybe someone important will listen.

Especially given the latest news regarding the state of the earth’s supply of fossil fuels (summary: everything you know is wrong and we probably have enough fuel for centuries).

I’m not saying that we should give up researching alternate energy sources; nuclear energy is awesome and solar power has potential, but the situation isn’t as dire as everyone has been telling us. We don’t have to subsidize technology that isn’t ready for widespread adoption (like electric cars and solar power) until it’s been developed enough for it to actually be cost effective. Cost effective on its own, not cost effective because of tax credits and subsidies and rebates.

We can’t afford to subsidize like we used to (not that we could afford to before, either).

Below Regulus Knoll

Tales of Eternia (released in the US as Tales of Destiny 2 (not to be confused with the real Tales of Destiny 2)) is the third so-called “mothership” title in the Tales of series of games, and was the second installment on the PlayStation.

The American release had its name changed because Tales of Phantasia hadn’t come out in the US; the only experience American gamers had had with the series was the second game, Tales of Destiny (also on the PlayStation).

The game was also released for the PSP; this port was sold in Japan, and a translation in Europe, but not in the US.

Motoi Sakuraba’s compositions have come a long way in the 10 years since Tales of Eternia was released (see what I mean?).

Looks like I was half right.

NCSX has started taking preorders for the Tales of Xillia PS3 bundle, and it’s $599.90, just like I figured it would be.

The standalone game, though, is only $98.90. They didn’t mark it up much at all.

Play Asia has priced the Japanese release at $94.90, but since they ship from Hong Kong instead of NYC, the shipping makes up the price difference.

However, there is still hope; unlike NCSX, Play Asia has also listed the Asia release, and it’s priced as a much cheaper $69.90. If it’s like most other Asia releases, it will still be in Japanese, but there might be a card included with Chinese and English instructions.

Play Asia also has created a page for the PS3 bundle, a page for the Famitsu DX Pack, and a page for the Kyun Character Pack, but they haven’t opened preorders for those items yet. NCSX has yet to create pages for those, or indicate that they will be accepting preorders for them.

Because of the nature of those two deluxe bundles, I imagine that they will be more expensive than usual; any time a premium package is released through an exclusive retailer, it drives the import price for that release through the roof. Instead of being able to buy the game at cost (like NCSX and Play Asia did for the standard release; it’s priced at approximately the converted yen price), they have to import it at retail price and then mark it up to recover their investment.

I’ll probably end up buying the standard release from NCSX; they’ve been very helpful in the past, and they’re good about shipping promptly. Good customer service is important!