(FORTUNE Magazine) - Grassing Up . . .

To the Editor:

One item was missing from "How to Beat the High Cost of Gasoline--Forever" (Feb. 6): the energy cost of growing, processing, and transporting ethanol. Without the federal subsidy, would this biofuel be cost-effective? Would Archer Daniels Midland be in this business? Considering all the energy-intensive steps from planting to gas station, will this biofuel be a net producer or consumer of energy?

EDMUND O'SHEA

Arlington Heights, Ill.

The story does address this objection to ethanol, but so many letter writers raised it that we welcome further discussion in an online forum at fortune.com/ethanol. For other views, see below.

. . . and Topping Off

I drove an ethanol-fueled car to work in São Paulo in the early '90s. I never understood why Brazil's ethanol program wasn't featured in every U.S. press debate about alternative fuels. Brazil is a case study in a proven way to reduce oil addiction. The first step would be to lower or eliminate the tariffs on Brazilian sugar-cane ethanol, which would make a huge difference at the pump.

CARLOS RICARDO

Ridgefield, Conn.

I'm a car nut, and turning over my Mustang GT for a hydrogen fuel-cell car would make me want to take my life. I hope automakers are creating ways to retrofit flex-fuel technology, both for collectors and those who can't afford new vehicles--and who are probably suffering most from high gas prices. Retrofitting might even make money.

SCOTT GEHMAN

Carlisle, Pa.

Star Power

Your headline "Star Power" (Feb. 6) on the story about those with CEO potential perpetuates what is wrong with business today. I don't want to minimize the accomplishments of the fine men and women in your article, but anyone who works for an organization knows that a company's success is not about one "great" person. Success is about many people accomplishing great things.

STEVE KNIGHT

Colton, N.Y.

Corrections

In "Deadly Caution" (Feb. 20), we said Merck had not yet sought a U.S. license for its rotavirus vaccine; it has, and received FDA approval after we went to press. We also implied that Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb withdrew Pargluva from the market; rather, its approval was delayed indefinitely.

Due to improper identification by Getty Images, in "Going a Long Way to Collect a Debt" (Feb. 20), the photograph captioned as President Denis Sassou-Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo was in fact a picture of Niger President Mamadou Tandja.

FORTUNE regrets the errors.