But Sales Of $100 Hamburgers Could Soar

ANN April 1st Special Edition: Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have introduced a biofuel that they believe can be a suitable replacement for avgas. Made from the seeds and stems of the cannabis sativa plant, the new fuel has been dubbed GOhWow by its creator, Dr. Moonpi Jones, the Alan Ginsberg Professor of Alternative Biochemistry at the University.

Jones said he got the idea after some of his stash ... that is stock ... was left under some textbooks for about a month. He said when he picked up the books, he noticed the weight had pressed out a small amount of oil, which he found to be flammable. When he woke up several hours later, he ate half a bag of marshmallows and realize he might have hit on an alternative fuel.

The development process has not been easy, though. Jones has had to conduct much of his research clandestinely, getting stock from questionable sources in back alleys at night. And, he says, it is not all of the same quality. "Depends on the dealer ... er ... supplier," he said. "Some of it is top-grade stuff, but other times it's like trying to extract rocket fuel from oregano."

Still, with no shortage of small growers in the northern California region, Jones has been able to refine enough of the alternative fuel to conduct tests on an airplane at a remote airstrip in the California mountains. The test pilot, who would only give his call sign "Squeaky," said the plane ran fine on the cannabis-derived fuel. "I pretty much do all of my flying at full throttle below the treeline," he said. "And the new fuel never gave me a moment's trouble. It's been just as smooth as silk."

Jones' Research Site

In fact, "Squeaky" said he had been using the fuel as a straight replacement for 100LL and found that the engine has been running cooler and "just a bit more mellow." Dr. Jones indicated he was very pleased with the test results. "It's, like, far out, man, you know? I'm, like, all 'wow' and, well, you know," he said. California Governor Jerry Brown is reportedly considering a state grant to Jones to continue his research.

While there seems to be no adverse effects to the engine or occupants of the aircraft due to the cannabis-derived fuel, some airports have reported a surge in sales of hamburgers from their on-site restaurants after the test plane had visited the area, and that a number of line personnel had been caught sleeping behind the hangars.

FMI: www.gohwow.com