After reading several conflicting articles about whether ethanol is a viable alternative fuel for cars I was surprised to see a report on Dateline NBC last Sunday about the situation in Brazil. The report said three of every four new cars sold in Brazil have flex-fuel technology that enables them to operate with either gasoline or ethanol, known locally as alcohol. According to reporter Stone Phillips, the key to ethanol's popularity in Brazil is choice. Those who drove flex-fuel cars get to choose every time they pull up to the pump. They check the prices and make their choice. Most drivers choose ethanol because it's so much cheaper that even though they get fewer miles per gallon, it still saves them money. The flex-fuel cars that triggered the ethanol boom were introduced only three years ago. A little online checking found other reports about the Brazil experience on CBS, NBC, Associated Press and The Washington Post.