But what helped tip the scales was that government researchers put more countries into their land use model (140 instead of 60), which reduced the average penalty and made grain-based biofuels look a lot prettier.

FORBES: U.S., Europe Going Opposite Way On Biofuels

Recent studies of the federal death penalty system reveal that the average cost of defending a capital case are at least eight times those for defense of a non-death penalty case.

FORBES: Book Notes: A Citizen's Guide to Capital Punishment

In 2011, only 48% of the state's residents said they support the death penalty, far less than the national average of 61%.

BBC: Brutal murders spark death penalty debate