Why can't the Democrats be more Democratic?

Let's be honest here - the 2008 Presidential election is pretty much sewn up for the Democrats, whichever candidate they choose.

Or, at least, it would be if they didn't continue being such idiots about the whole thing!

The longer this primary drags out, the more chance the Dems have of blowing the whole shooting match.

On the other side, you've got to hand it to the Republicans. They are an incredibly focused and capable political machine. They've accepted the idea of doing whatever it takes to achieve victory; including compromising their conservative polemic and standing behind a man like John McCain (who crosses party lines on several key issues.)

They're a losing party with a winning strategy.

Dumbo Dems

What's highlighted by the skirmish for the Democratic candidacy is just how undemocratic the Democratic party really is. A lot of the angry rhetoric conservative pundits throw at the Democrats compares them to 'Stalinists.' Normally I find that comparison laughable - but dammit if there isn't a grain of truth buried in there somewhere!

Take, for instance, the decision to disenfranchise Democratic delegates from Michigan and Florida.

Those states chose to bring their primary dates forward, in order to make their state more important in the selection process. For breaking 'the rules' the Democratic party removed their right to send delegates to the Democratic Convention. They basically stopped their votes from counting.

Hardly very democratic!

Secondly, take the concept of the Super Delegates. These are 'important' Democrats, like state governors and the like, who have a 'bigger' vote than the standard Delegates at the convention. Basically, all Democratic Delegates are created equal, but some are more equal than others.

In a close knit race like the battle between Hillary and Obama, the Super Delegates are 'king makers.' Whatever the election results declare, the Super Delegates can go in and reverse the decision if they don't like it.

Again, hardly very Democratic! What's the point of having months of state-wide primary elections if the Super Delegates can swoop in and change the final count if they feel that democracy hasn't provided the 'right' answer.

And that's the core of the issue, isn't it? Despite being called the 'Democratic' party, the Democratic party elite are determined to control the electoral process so they end up with the result they want - the will of the voters be damned.

The fact that we're only two months away from the Democratic Convention and we're no closer to having a definitive winner has shown the American public only one thing - that the Democratic party is incapable of governing itself. Is that really the sort of organisation we want governing the country?

Unless the Democrats get united and organised, the answer to that question will come on election day.

Self Help Books...

The publishing industry makes an enormous amount of money publishing self-help books. From promising to make you thin, to outlining your route to fame and fortune, you can find self-help books on pretty much any topic - written by authors with varying degrees of credibility.

I'm not a huge advocate of self-help books, but there have been three that have had a definite impact on my life and so I thought I'd mentioned them here.

Raising Your Interest Levels

When I was younger, my father bought me a book by Edward De Bono called "How to Be More Interesting" - which certainly raised a few interesting questions at the time (i.e. 'Hey, Dad. Are you implying I'm boring?')

But actually, it turned out to be a very good guide not to becoming more interesting yourself, but using a few simple techniques to become interested (or at least animated about) any topic under the sun.

Basically, you could sit down at a dinner party next to anybody - Donald Trump or Ted the Dustman - and use the techniques De Bono outlined to stimulate a conversation about what interests them. By asking intelligent questions about the things they liked talking about, you automatically cultivate the impression of being 'more interesting' - at least to them!

Raising Other People's Interest Levels

My brief career as a Lothario was inspired by a book I bought myself after leaving university, called How to Make Anyone Fall in Love with You by Leil Lowndes.

This book outlines the science behind attraction - and how somebody in the know can manipulate it. From adjusting your body language to adopting a different way of communicating (mirroring people's words) and even unlocking the power of eye contact, Leil's book explains how to go about making yourself more attractive to the opposite sex.

Remarkably, some of the tricks and science in Leil's book worked - but more remarkable than the romantic successes I had with it were the vanilla ones. Leil's book actually contains pages and pages of positive body-language advice that can help you just appear instantly - and wordlessly - more likable to anybody - not just a potential romantic partner.

Raising Youself

One book I wish I'd read a decade ago is Dale Carnigie's famous How to Win Friends & Influence People. First published in 1937, this book is the daddy of all self-help literature and has sold over 15 million copies, sticking on the New York Times bestseller list for an entire decade.

The success of Carnigie's wonderful book stems from following his own advice within it's pages. Carnigie outlines the essential way to motivate anybody to do something - by cultivating their desire (instead of nagging or threatening them.) It's by instilling that desire that Carnigie succeeds in getting the reader to embrace the very simple guidelines he suggests for interacting with your fellow man.

Don't criticise or complain. Give honest appreciation and interest. Avoid arguments. Simple ideas - 'no-brainers,' almost - that we're all too often willing to ignore to pursue our own ends.

By reading and following Carnigie's advice, you don't just become a more likable and influential person. I honestly believe you actually become a better person. Or, at least, one who's more aware of the world around him and the motivations of people you interact with.

Choices

There are so many self-help books out there - some with big name endorsements (who's Oprah sponsoring this week) or famous authors or celebrity names attached.

When it comes to well written, practical and effective books, however, I can't recommend these three highly enough. I can't promise they'll change your life - the only person who can do that is you. What they can do, however, is deliver practical, helpful advice in a concise and entertaining way. At the end of the day, that's all a self-help book needs to do - hence the 'self' in the title.

Parenting Advice from John Adams - A How Not-To Guide

With parenthood just over a month away, I've been spending a lot of time wondering if I'm up to the challenge. In many ways, I still feel like a kid myself.

Thinking about parenting has made me take an interest in other people's relationships with their kids - and my continuing interest in the history of America got me thinking about John Adams - Founding Father and second president - and his relationship with his children.

On the surface of it, most people would probably imagine John Adams to be a wonderful parent. After all, he himself had a reputation as a grumpy, pessimistic but scrupulously honest man and his oldest son, John Quincy, went on to become president of the United States himself a few years later.

But not many people know that John Adams had four other children, two girls and two boys. Sadly, his youngest daughter died in childhood, but his other three children lived to adulthood and the way their lives turned out paints a pretty dim picture of Adam's parenting skills.

The most obvious example is Adam's second child, Charles. A sweet and kindly child, he was pressured by his father to follow family tradition and enter Harvard, before pursuing a career in law. Charles, however, was far too free-spirited and artistic for the constraints of the legal profession and hated being forced into a career he didn't want to pursue. He'd much rather have been a farmer back in Boston.

John Adam's surviving daughter, Nabby, was likewise a sweet and intelligent young woman who wanted to marry a young man by the name of Royall Tyler. John Adams would have none of it and forbade the marriage - forcing his daughter to dutifully marry one of his father's colleagues, Colonel William Stephens Smith.

Nabby probably had good reason to be reluctant to marry Smith. He was an excellent soldier, but a miserable businessman and they spent most of their marriage in debt. The man Nabby had wanted to marry, Royall Tyler (whom John Adams had considered unlikely to make anything of himself) went on the have a very successful career as Chief Justice of Vermont and was one of the first accomplished American playwrights.

Youngest son Thomas was also not cut out to be a lawyer, but was forced into the business by his overbearing father. Despite early success, his legal career led him into debt - eventually forcing him to move into his parent's home with his wife and seven children. They lived the majority of their lives totally dependent on his parents.

Even John Quincy Adams, the 'success story' of the Adams family, was berated and belittled by his father for many years - warning him: "You come into life with advantages which will disgrace you if your success is mediocre. And if you do not rise to the head not only of your profession, but of your country, it will be owing to your own laziness, slovenliness, and obstinacy."

John Quincy rose to the challenge and become one of America's most noted presidents - but the effect his upbringing had had on him was noticeable even to himself. John Quincy admitted that his upbringing had left him "a man of reserved, cold, austere, and forbidding manners."

John Quincy's life story is familiar to most Americans. The fate of his siblings, however, is not. Charles Adams, after being virtually renounced by his father, died of alcoholism at just thirty years old. Nabby lived only thirteen years longer, dying in poverty after a long battle with cancer. Thomas Adams lived with his parents until he, too, drank himself to death in 1832.

So what went wrong? How did an inspirational American like John Adams prove to be a wonderful parent to the fledgling United States, but such a miserable one to his own flesh and blood?

Some people blame his New England puritanical sensibilities. Although not a particularly religious man, John Adams was filled with a rather Protestant predilection for criticism, both of himself and his children. He and his equally overbearing wife, Abigail, constantly berated and belittled their offspring and as a result, Charles, Thomas and Nabby were all noted for their lack of confidence and self esteem.

Perhaps this is why they surrendered to their father's pressure to follow marriages and careers that made them unhappy.

It's not even as if John Adams had been a particually good parent in other regards. Charles Adams, in a rare moment of self-confidence, confronted his father once about how he was so critical and demanding of his children, while at the same time such a frequently absent parent. John Adams had spent many years abroad, in the courts of France and England, and the correspondence he occasionally wrote to his children tended to be full of unwanted 'advice' and criticism.

All in all, it's a very tragic story - more so because of the nature of John Adams himself. Although not a very likable man - he admitted to Thomas Jefferson that he was "obnoxious and disliked" - Adams was a principled man of scrupulous honesty who was immune to the temptations of corrupt politics. Although he crossed swords with most of the Founding Fathers, including Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, they all regarded him with immense respect.

Even when it comes to his children, Adams clearly just wanted the best for them. He wanted his sons to pursue the career that had given him such success and notability. He wanted his daughter to make a good marriage to a man who could support her. All the overbearing pressure he put on his children's lives was well intentioned.

But part of growing up is finding your own path in life and pursing what makes you happy. If John Adams had loosened the reins a little and allowed Charles, Thomas and Nabby to follow their own destiny, perhaps their lives wouldn't have had such a tragic outcome.

I've been very lucky. My parents have supported my ambitions, even when they haven't always agreed with them. I hope that whatever my child is, I'm going to be able to encourage them to pursue their dreams too, whatever they may be.

Bastante es bastante!

Okay, it's time America cut this Spanish-language appeasement crap.

I'm sick to death of it. I'm sick of the fact that Bank of America sends me my credit-card statements in Spanish (despite four complaints I've made) and I'm sick of every sign, leaflet, document and television program having Spanish translations or subtitles.

America is an English speaking country. American-English, to be precise, and if you're expecting to live here, you damn well ought to make a stab at speaking it.

It was Mr Noah Webster, following American Independence, who defined 'American English.' He wrote the essential American dictionary, the Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language.

If I've got to sacrifice my British idioms to fit in here (saying gas instead of petrol, 'zee' instead of 'zed') I don't see why my fellow immigrants feel compelled to demand that Americans accommodate their ignorance of English.

I worked in Paris for four years - and certainly didn't expect to get business done in any language other than French while I was there. When I arrived, I barely spoke a word - but I made the effort to learn. These days, I might not be the most graceful linguist, but I certainly know enough to get complex things done.

Not so our Spanish-speaking friends in America! Vile nationalist organisations like La Raza are promoting the idea that not accommodating Spanish-speakers is racist. What rubbish! By that logic, tourists in New York are being discriminated against daily because signs aren't in French, German or Japanese.

What really gets my goat is the attitude some pro-Spanish speakers have. After gently explaining to one fellow immigrant that I didn't speak a word of Spanish, she snootily responded: 'I think it's rather ignorant not to learn a second language, no?'

Her smile soon faded when I explained my fluency in French - and a basic grasp of German I still vaguely remember.

The fact is, American English defines the United States as much as the Stars and Stripes or Declaration of Independence. When Noah Webster established the spelling and grammar that differentiated American English from it's British cousin, he set a precedent.

"The appropriate standard for the American language," argued Webster, "is the same republican principles as American civil constitutions."

In this belief, Webster created 'Americanized' English, replacing "colour" with "color", substituting "wagon" for "waggon" and printing "center" instead of "centre." He also added newly invented American words, like "skunk" and "squash", that didn't appear in British dictionaries.

He created a new language to suit the newly created American Republic.

In the United States, we rightly celebrate our differences and enjoy an enormous amount of freedom to live the way we choose to. What makes us truly American, however, are not the differences, but the few things we have in common. The English language (or the American version of it) is one of them.

By refusing to learn American English - and demanding that the country accommodate their own language - millions of immigrants are taking the opportunities and freedoms given to them by American society, but refusing to consider themselves a part of it.

Growing old disgracefully...

It's never been cooler to be a septuagenarian.

What with John McCain running for the presidency and Harrison Ford running from the Soviets (in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,) it looks like hitting 'the third age' isn't the handicap it used to be.

I can't wait to see the new Indy movie. Some people treat the 'elderly' with such disdain - forgetting that they've done things and seen things that would blow their socks off.

By the time my father was my age, he'd lived in Jamaica, done the Milan to Turin run in under an hour, driven a Land Rover to Pakistan and helped build a nuclear power station. In comparison, my life's been pretty tame.

Hopefully, seeing Indy practicing his uniquely destructive brand of archeology once again (after a nineteen year absence) will help educate us snotty youngsters that a few creaks and rattles doesn't mean the machinery's ready for the scrap heap.

In the words of Indiana Jones himself - "It's not the years, Honey. It's the mileage."

Law & Disorder

Having watched many episodes of Law & Order, I understand Detective Logan and Briscoe's frustration when District Attorney Jack McCoy tells them they don't have enough evidence to drag a suspect into court.

But there are cases in which life doesn't imitate art, such as wildly popular rapper R Kelly finding himself in court on 14 charges of producing child pornography - which could land him prison for 15 years.

If he's guilty of those vile charges, he's getting off lucky with a decade and a half behind bars.

But the case isn't exactly watertight. Law and Order's Jack McCoy would never approve.

The primary evidence is a grainy video-tape, supposedly filmed in the late nineties and showing R Kelly having sexual relationships with a 13 year old girl (who's now in her twenties.)

The problem? R Kelly's lawyers say it's not even him in the video - the subject's face is never clearly seen and there's a suspicious mole on his back that R Kelly says proves it's not him.

Even worse for the Chicago District Attorney's office, the alleged victim refuses to testify against R Kelly and likewise denies that it's her in the videotape.

This leaves the question - who are the stars? And if they're not Kelly and his 'victim,' what's this tape doing as the primary piece of evidence in a child pornography trial?

There's not even any evidence that the female 'star' of the tape is underage. Concensus amongst those who've seen the tapes is that she certainly doesn't look it.

I'm not a fan of famous people getting lenient treatment for their crimes - but I'm also not a fan of famous people getting dragged onto court with less-than convincing evidence. It highlights serious lapses of judgement within the American legal system.

The Chicago District Attorney have a spotlight on them at the moment. They need to respond by putting together an utterly convincing case based on firm evidence. So far, they've failed miserably.

Polite

I think the major problem with any form of long-term human relationship is that 'familiarity breeds contempt.'

Specifically, the better some people get to know each other, the worse they treat them.

Generally, we're all pretty polite to strangers - but some of us can be outrageously rude to family and friends.

We make an effort to impress people we've just met - but we're bitchy to people we know intimately.

How come people say 'please' and 'thank you' in a coffee shop, but don't dream of saying it over the dinner table?

I think, to be brutally honest, the way people act behind closed doors, amongst the company of their closest family and friends, is how people really are - and sometimes it's not very pretty.

"Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." Eric Hoffer

"Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are." Author Unknown

Dicky Bird

There's at least one member of the local wildlife who's willing to defy the squirrel mafia. This Robin Red-Breast has taken up proud occupation of the garage and won't fly off even when I climbed up the steps to take this picture.

I still say Ava would have made short work of him.

'Cops and Rodders' Classic Car Show

I've been too busy to post my pictures from the North Brunswick Classic Car show, sponsored by Malouf, the local car dealership. So finally, here they are!

It was in support of the local emergency services and a very pretty girl was walking around with an adorable dog taking donations.


The show itself was interesting. Unlike the Flemington Classic Car show, there were a wide variety of cars on display including many modern vehicles and lots that were modified in a way the classic-car purist might frown at. This Corvette with wing-style doors was a prime example.

There were also plenty of cars from my vintage, including quite a few Camaros that were the same age as Tiffany III. There were a couple of the latest generation of Firebirds and even an '88 Trans Am that didn't look that much smarter than mine!

Here's a very sexy Camaro from the seventies - just the sort of car I used to lust after.

This Ford F40 shouldn't even qualify as a classic car! It's a modern reinvention of the endurance-race classic. But it was lovely.

This Thunderbird was fascinating because it was 'unrestored.' That meant chipped paint and the odd ding - but not much considering the car was nearly sixty years old!

Right next to it was the restored version - which looked beautiful (but I secretly preferred the dented version.)

And, of course, no 'cops and rodders' show would be complete without some Hot Rods to enjoy.

This is a Dodge Viper truck, just like my brother-in-law Justin has.

This coupe (pronounced 'coop') had fold-up seats for extra passengers - as long as they didn't mind getting wet! Next time you're in your air-conditioned back seat, be thankful!

Compared to the Flemington show, the Cops and Rodders event was a little more low-key, but I enjoyed the cars they had on display a bit more. These were 'real' classic cars. The sort that got taken out and driven on a regular basis. That's what it's all about, if you ask me.

California Supreme Court gives Thumbs Up to Gay Marriage

The California Supreme Court has overturned a state law banning gay marriage, declaring that it violates the state constitution.

But despite that fact, conservative groups in California are pushing to amend the state's constitution to add a clause: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

My question is: Why?

I mean, seriously... Why bother? Why is it so important to conservative idiots like the National Organization for Marriage to ban same-sex couples from committing to a life-long relationship?

You don't have to like it. You don't even have to condone it. But this is America and one of the most fundamental rights is that of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'

The US Supreme court even recognized that: "Under our Constitution, the freedom to marry, or not marry, resides with the individual and cannot be infringed by the State."

Two people of the same-sex getting married does not affect me in the slightest. It doesn't have any impact on my life whatsoever. Since nobody's life is altered in any way by the right of same-sex couples to get married, why should anybody have to right to oppose it?

By supporting gay marriage, I'm not advocating homosexuality or what conservatives laughingly refer to as 'the homosexual agenda.' All I'm doing is supporting an American's personal freedom. The right to make their own decisions.

I find it hypocritical that so many conservatives vote Republican - the party that's meant to protect Americans from the government interfering in their personal choices.

Conservatives demand the right to bear arms and the right to practice whatever retarded religion they want. Yet when somebody else demands their rights, like two consensual adults deciding to have a committed relationship, the conservatives want to the government to stick their oar in.

What these idiots don't realise is that they're weakening their own positions. After they've empowered the government to decide who can and can't get married, they'll find themselves in a much more vulnerable position when it comes to defending their own rights.

Second amendment gun-nuts and fundamentalist religious loonies really ought to be reaching out to the gay community instead of attacking it. They're both actually fighting the same battle. The conservatives are just too stupid to realise it.

Philadelphia in the Rain

There are probably better ways to enjoy America's Constitution City than stuck in the hard shoulder of I-95 in the pouring rain. But that was how Philly welcomed me this morning.

Suitably disgraced, my formerly reliable chariot went off for a new starter motor and I went off to work in the downtown district of the birthplace of the American Republic.

Now people say a lot of bad things about Philadelphia. So far, I think it's a lovely place.

One of the older cities in America, it's beautifully designed and the buildings in the centre of the city are gorgeous. Elegant sky-scrapers, historic museums, ritzy art galleries and tree-lined boulevards that glisten in the rain (I'd have preferred more glistening and less rain, but I can't get everything, can I?)

What's more, the people in Philly are different.

Now I've always had a fondness for New Yorkers (I married one, didn't I?) But from the breakdown driver to my Camaro obsessed mechanic, everybody's been incredibly nice to me. There's just a different attitude here - like people are willing to say hello to you before they demand what they want.

Of course, it's not New York. The pizza's not as good, it costs $30 a day to park here (rather than $30 an hour) and the public transport's provided by authentic 1940's trams, rather than urine-scented subways.

But while New York is the gateway to America - where a million American dreams began - Philadelphia is where the American Dream got started - when 13 fledgling colonies met in congress to sign the Declaration of Independence and give birth to the American nation.

The unassuming red-brick building where the Continental Congress signed this historic document is less than two miles from my hotel. I'd visit there tonight, except my boss suggested I didn't roam the streets on my own after dark!

For I was blind...

I've been on doctor's orders to steer clear of the computer screen for the last couple of days - which explains my lack of blogging. But I'm back now - and better than ever.

On Thursday, I had LASIK laser eye surgery to correct my severe short sightedness. For most of my life, I've never been without a pair of glasses stuck to the end of my nose... but no longer.

On Thursday afternoon, Tina drove me to the surgery in Princeton and I went through an uncomfortable, but painless and very brief procedure and then I was driven home and went straight to sleep.

Twelve hours later, I woke up and could see.

Perfectly. As if I was wearing glasses or contact lenses.

It was nothing short of miraculous. In less than half a day, I had gone from barely being able to see things five inches from my face to having better eyesight than Tina (as I spent the day annoying the hell out of her by reading every single sign in sight.)

Currently, my eyes are a little tender and I have two huge blood spots in them, but apart from that, I don't seem to be having any problems (touch wood.)

And I can see. Better than when I wore glasses.

LASIK. Nothing short of miraculous.

The Fuel Crisis and Firebirds...

Petrol crept up another 3 cents at my local Exxon station last night, which increased the heat on my gas-guzzling '85 Firebird.

But actually, my morning fill-up brought cheerful news. After cleaning the carbs out this weekend, along with cleaning the air filter, I'd managed to squeeze a whole extra mile-and-a-bit a gallon out of the old girl. I've added some additive to her fuel as well, which should hopefully see things improve even further.

But it made me think even harder about the gas crisis and what's to be done about it. I went online to find out about ethanol and how realistic it would be to convert my Firebird to run off E85 (the 85% ethanol fuel mixture that's the highest percentage allowed by US law.)

Well, the answer is - Not Very (realistic, that is.)

Only because New Jersey does not have a single ethanol pump in the entire state. There are 6 within 200 miles of here, but they're all in New York or Pennsylvania. Considering my 14 gallon tank only takes me 200 miles, it's not practical to consider switching to moonshine quite yet since I'd run out of juice driving there or back.

But there was good news!

Firstly, that ethanol is selling for about $1 less than regular gas, so if I was able to make the switch (and there was a source of fuel near me) it would actually prove to be cost effective. Previously, because of the cost of corn, the subsidies to farmers and the tariffs of imported ethanol, E85 ironically cost the same (or more) than regular gas. Now OPEC's got too greedy and priced themselves above the alternative.

Secondly - there appear to be no practical issues about switching my Firebird to ethanol.

Firebird Fuel Frenzy

Ethanol works in pretty much the same way as petrol - it's injected into the pistons and ignited with a spark, turning the crank and powering your wheels.

The only major difference is that the mixture of air/fuel needs to be richer and the timing needs to be adjusted, so the fuel ignites slightly earlier. With fuel-injected cars, making the 'shift' to Ethanol can be as simple as just filling your tank (since even my '86 Lincoln Town Car had an on board computer which could vary the fuel mixture.)

My Firebird gets it's fuel from duel-barrel Holley carburetors, though, which is a mechanical bit of kit that can't adjust itself to handle the new fuel. In order to switch to ethanol, the carb's jets need to be increased by between 25/40% and the automatic choke adjusted to increase the mixture. Basically, you need a new set of carbs - which would set you back about $500.

But that's it!

Horror stories about ethanol eating rubber hoses and gaskets are increasingly being debunked, as more and more converted cars run for hundreds of thousands of miles without running into problems. In actual fact, because of the gas crisis of the mid seventies, many car manufacturers have been producing cars robust enough to handle the switch to ethanol as early as the 1980's (just in case it ever happened.)

But that brings us back to the original problem - where the hell am I going to find fourteen gallons of ethanol every time I need to drive somewhere?

The Ethanol Enigma

My brother's a very smart chap and has been educating me on the logistics of ethanol and it's production, plus how it (unfavourably) stacks up against biodiesel.

For America, ethanol is not the answer. Even if all our corn got diverted to fuel production, we could only domestically produce about 20% of America's demand for gas.

Plus, that would send food prices rocketing. Corn on the cob would be a luxury item.

However, just because ethanol doesn't solve America's gas crisis, it doesn't mean it won't solve mine! My brother caught my imagination by mentioning the idea of home fuel production - and how wouldn't it be wonderful if farmers and truckers could 'brew their own' biodiesel or ethanol at home.

Screw the farmers. What about me?

Home Brew

Well, amazingly enough, the answer to personal fuel-production already exists - and it's hitting the open market this month.

Fascinating website Change2E85.com is unveiling the EFuel100 Micro Fueler.

Basically, it's a backyard still that makes fuel instead of whiskey. Using sugar or animal feed (once it's broken down with yeast) the EFuel100 Micro Fueler can produce ethanol for as little as a dollar a gallon. What's more, the unit costs $10,000 (which might be reduced if the government gives tax credits) and can sit in your back yard right next to your garage.

Now it's not perfect. The machine runs off sugar and at the moment, the American government slaps a huge tariff on imported sugar, making it cost about 20 cents a pound wholesale. Cost-effective fuel would only be possible if sugar was sold 'at cost' instead of safe-guarding the subsidized American farmer.

Also, you need to get a licence for a still like this (in case you turn to moon-shining) and only property owners are allowed to have one.

But given the right circumstances, there is nothing to stop somebody buying a still and producing their own ethanol fuel - pretty much making themselves independent of foreign oil and the greedy oil companies.

The Future

It's fair to assume that the next generation of passenger vehicles will be powered by electricity and oil itself will be a dying industry. But for classic car enthusiasts, or gun-toting survivalists, the thought of producing your own fuel sounds very appealing.

Unfortunately, with a baby on the way and other expensive realities to consider, I'm not really in a position to drop ten grand on a 'home stil'l to bio-fuel my Firebird. But it's nice to know that the technology already exists to lift the yoke of the oil companies.

Already, more and more people are striking out for energy independence. Maybe, in the not-too distant future, I can be one of them.

If you're interested in the realities of alternative fuel, please go and check out Change2E85.com to find out how YOU can make the switch!

Obama's Upper Hand

Speaking of elections, stupid people are still under the belief that the next president can do something about gas prices.

With the price of petrol spiking even higher (my local station raised the cost of regular by 3 cents overnight) many people are starting to feel the pinch - but what can a president do about the price of oil?

Well, short of a time machine and a decision not to invade Iraq, not a lot, really. OPEC has the oil-industry by the throat and I can't see petrol prices ever dropping down to their pre-Iraq lows (the heady days when it took just $20 to fill a Firebird's petrol tank.)

The fact that they're powerless to do anything about it hasn't stopped presidential candidates McCain and Clinton jumping on the 'gas price' bandwagon and making what must be the most stupid election pledge of all time - to drop the federal tax on gasoline sales.

Here in America, there are two tiers of taxation. Federal, which hits everybody, and State, which only effect people from a particular state. That's why people from New Jersey pay $3.50 for a gallon of regular petrol while it's $3.93 in neighbouring Pennsylvania.

Federal tax - the stuff McCain and Clinton want to drop for three months during the summer, cashes in at around 18 cents a gallon. They have no control over State taxation, so the most they could reduce fuel prices would be 20c - meaning every time I fill up my Firebird's tank I save about $2.50. Over the course of the summer, that will save me a grand total of fifty bucks (which is not going to make or break the bank.)

The fact is that I, like millions of other residents of the United States, don't really care about the odd 20 cents here and there. We want the price of petrol to drop down to what it was before we invaded Iraq - kicking around at about $1.50 a gallon.

Nothing's going to bring those prices back again - certainly not a three month moratorium on petrol taxation. I'd rather a candidate tackle the real problems behind the energy crisis, instead of trying to fool us into thinking they're doing something positive by throwing us a few nickels and dimes.

Only Barack Obama has stood in opposition against the idea of dropping taxation on gas - and that gives him a lot of credibility in my book. He sees the scheme for what it is - and he also sees that the average American voter isn't as easily bought off as McCain or Clinton think they are.

Election Fever 2008!

I haven't had a post about the election in ages - because it's been pretty boring so far.

John McCain might as well be sitting in a hammock drinking cocktails, since his job is done. He's wrapped up the Republican primary and a good job too, since fundamentalist nutjob Mike Huckabee and crazy mormon Mitt Romney would have been scary if they'd been given a shot at the White House.

I like John McCain. His age doesn't worry me, since he's only slightly older than my dad and papa is still sharp as a lick of paint. McCain also wins points because the extreme left despise him (labelling him 'McSame' and accusing him of being 'Bush Mk.II) only slightly less than the extreme right of his own party despise him (calling him a 'leftist' and a 'token Republican' for crossing party lines on certain issues.)

If the far left and the far right can't stand him, he's probably doing something right.

As far as the Democrats go... well, that whole scene's a bloody mess, isn't it?

Republicans are rubbing their hands together at Obama and Clinton locking horns. This whole battle should have been over long ago, but plucky old Hillary is refusing to let Obama win and that's dragging the primary on... and on... and on...


On the face of it, Obama's got her licked. He's got the majority of delegates on his side and is clearly the most popular candidate. Hillary isn't going out without a fight, though, and has awkwardly managed to win states like Florida (even if it didn't count) and Pennsylvania, which are the 'swing states' that will win (or lose) a Presidential election.

The more bitter the battle gets, the more damage Clinton and Obama are doing to each other's chances of victory in the Presidential election.

The consensus is that Hillary will have to use her support amongst the 'super delegates' to secure the candidacy - and if she does that, she'll have basically disenfranchised every person who voted in the Democratic Primaries (since she'd have rejected the popular vote and won through political clout alone.)

If Hillary does that, I can't see how she'd hope to win the 2008 Election.

Are these the most misguided people in America?

Fresh from the casual elimination of 10,000 Burmese people, you'd think God would be far too busy to hear the prayers of American car-owners - but that hasn't stopped a Washington man called Rocky Twyman from forming 'Prayer at the Pump' - a church group aiming to bring down petrol prices by the power of prayer.

"Lord, the prices at this pump have gone up since last week. We know that you are able, that you have all the power in the world... Lord, come down in a mighty way and strengthen us so that we can bring down these high gas prices."

Rational people across America are slapping their foreheads and groaning in exasperation.