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Jeff Manuel

@jeffmanuel.bsky.social

1.4K followers 800 following 1.3K posts

Historian of Energy, Technology, and the Environment; Professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; Coauthor of the forthcoming book “Ethanol: A Hemispheric History for the Future of Biofuels;” Public and Oral History Practitioner. jeffmanuel.com

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Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 21h

It's the official publication day for ETHANOL: A HEMISPHERIC HISTORY FOR THE FUTURE OF BIOFUELS. Want to know why the US turns 40 percent of the corn crop into fuel? How the US and Brazil became the world's two largest ethanol producers? Tom Rogers and I have answers.
www.oupress.com/978080619601...

Ethanol - University of Oklahoma Press

Though ethanol, a liquid fuel made from agricultural byproducts, has generated controversy in recent years—good or bad for the environment? a big-ag boon o...

www.oupress.com

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Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 1m

Years ago, Gabriel Rosenberg had an essay arguing that Twitter (and social media, in general) is best thought of as a sandbox MMORPG. I think this is a useful way to thinking about social media's relationship to "real life."
bearistotle.substack.com/p/twitter-is...

Twitter is a MMORPG

Playing Games With Strangers, Part 1

bearistotle.substack.com

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 17h

Thank you!

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 20h

Thanks! Proud to join you on the University of Oklahoma Press's list.

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 20h

Thanks! Agreed.

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 21h

Ethanol - University of Oklahoma Press

Though ethanol, a liquid fuel made from agricultural byproducts, has generated controversy in recent years—good or bad for the environment? a big-ag boon o...

www.oupress.com

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Reposted by Jeff Manuel

Fredrik Albritton Jonsson @fredrikjonsson.bsky.social · 1d

Hi Jeff,
I have a book on the making of Britain's fossil fuel economy in the works, which should be out next year if all goes well. In the meantime, I warmly recommend Emma Griffin's introduction to the Industrial Revolution and Maxine Berg and Pat Hudson's book on slavery and industry.

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Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks, Fredrik! I look forward to reading your book next year. The Griffin and Berg & Hudson books look perfect. I don't keep up on the non-energy British literature, so I appreciate the recommendations from an expert.

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks, Robert. Despite its strengths, Malm's book is probably a bridge too far in this case. Appreciate the lead on Fredrik's book, though!

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 1d

Didn't know about this one, thanks!

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 1d

That's a great suggestion. Thanks!

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 1d

Historians: if you had to pick one accessible text for an undergraduate student starting to explore the early British Industrial Revolution, what would you recommend? TIA
🗃️

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Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 2d

Through social media, we’ve created a digital version of “primates flinging poop at each other,” too.

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Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 2d

That one episode about ethanol subsidies has been a huge pain for me as a scholar writing about, well, ethanol subsidies.

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 2d

Jane Friedman, the guru of all things publishing, has a nice post with everything you’ll need to create an author site.
janefriedman.com/author-websi...

How to Build an Author Website: Getting Started Guide | Jane Friedman

All authors should build and maintain a website to support their career. Here's a step-by-step list of considerations and steps to begin at any skill level.

janefriedman.com

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Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 3d

I don't know the total beverage alcohol volumes offhand, but the web tells me the entire US beer market shipped ~6B gallons of beer last year. This is versus 16.2B gallons of fuel ethanol.

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Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 3d

It's a good question. They're different supply chains. The US has worried about moonshiners since the early days of alcohol fuel (early 1900s) and required fuel producers to add a denaturant (like benzene or methanol) to fuel alcohol.

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 3d

No worries. You’re right that in the US ethanol was one of several oxygenates that came out of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. If you want a more detailed history, I’ve got a great book for you to check out 😉
www.oupress.com/978080619601...

Ethanol - University of Oklahoma Press

Though ethanol, a liquid fuel made from agricultural byproducts, has generated controversy in recent years—good or bad for the environment? a big-ag boon o...

www.oupress.com

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Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 3d

Wait, what’s the lie? Genuinely trying to understand your question.

Jeff Manuel @jeffmanuel.bsky.social · 3d

I have to say that since reading Fressoz’s _More and More and More_, I’ve become skeptical of these charts. When you consider that 40% of the US corn crop is turned into transportation fuel today, it suggests it’s not quite such a neat story about the decline of fodder!

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