The "Airhead' Motorbike

At the National Center University of Taiwan, some interesting research has built a prototype motorbike that runs entirely on compressed air as the power source, creating zero pollution. However, this early prototype can only hold enough compressed to travel about 3/4 of a mile currently. The project needs far more research, however is the first baby steps towards building a possible future generation of motorbikes that produce zero pollution, powered by alternative sources.

The compressed air notion for alternative power is closely similar to that Midi air powered automobiles built in Europe. And Zero Pollution Motors hopes to be able to market a $18,000 hybrid compressed air/ gasoline car in the U.S. within about a year in the U.S. , that is able to travel up to 35mph on compressed air alone.

Since automobiles or trucks are able to hold much larger air tanks than motorbikes, the experiments in automobiles have proven far more successful so far. However, the Taiwan experiment is a novel use of the technology in motorbikes.

Hey, suddenly being an "Airhead" is a good thing.

Iraq Signs Major Oil Deal With China

In it's first major oil deal with a foreign country since the American and British effort to bring down Saddam Hussein, China will end up winning a $3 billion contract to develop oil in Iraq. It is the first major foreign oil deal in the nation in the last 35 years. The China National Petroleum Company will be allowed a 20 year contract to develop oil in Iraq's Southern Wasit province according to the terms of the major deal.

Interestingly, while it was well known that the 2003 George Bush effort to topple the Saddam Hussein regime was all about putting Iraq's oil under "International control" according to Paul Wolfowitz's own words, China seems to have so far emerged as the biggest winner for all that effort and bloodshed.

Instead of putting more oil on the world market from Iraq from the Bush war in Iraq, production still lags below the pre1991 war levels, although oil production now is nearly as good as days prior to the 2003 effort to topple Saddam Hussein. Oil prices actually nearly doubled to around $4 a gallon as a result of this war at one point, the war only lowering overall oil production levels from Iraq. Rather than providing more oil or cheaper oil, the Bush premise to create war in Iraq to get more oil effort failed on both counts. Traditionally most colonialist wars in poor nations have been all about getting the poor nation's national resources to benefit wealthy interests in nations such Britain, France or the United States.

The American war effort in Iraq has cost at least $683.6 billion dollars so far, and cost the U.S. 4,321 dead, and left 31, 156 American service persons wounded. Americans paid the huge costs of this war, had their sons and daughters come home in body bags or in wheelchairs, but China will see the benefits of the oil from Iraq. Way to go George Bush. Mission Accomplished.

Breaking News: The Jackson Family Found Alive, But Broke

Unfortunately the family of Michael Jackson really failed to effectively invest or manage their money very well despite huge success, leaving the family mostly in serious financial straits. There were reports that Michael Jackson might have died with up to $400 million in debt. And reportedly, at least one pharmacy business had a difficult time collecting a prescription drug bill owed by Jackson for over $100,00o for some time. Another story claims that Michael Jackson might have used up to $48,000 in prescription drugs some months. Michael Jackson also lost primary ownership of the Neverland Ranch with all of his money troubles. But the financial problems for the Jackson family don't just stop there.

Janet Jackson is the best at money management and raising income compared to all the other family members, and she bought a home for her parents because the mansion owned by her parents was facing possible foreclosure, and she didn't want her parents to become homeless. And stories exist that claim that workers at the mansion haven't been paid a salary in months by the elder Jacksons. Both of Michael Jackson's parents have declared bankruptcy before, and the father only makes a little money by promoting some girl groups. In fact, the elder Jackson used the death of Michael Jackson as an opportunity to promote his latest smalltime struggling record business to a national audience.

Latoya and Robbie Jackson both have wealthy businessmen in their lives, allowing them to survive financially. However, one brother Marlon merely stocks groceries and lost his home to foreclosure. Tito Jackson has a small time blues band he formed which does shows for as little as just $500 a show, hardly a fortune. Randy Jackson, who is three years younger than Michael makes a few bucks working as a tire changer. However, he unfortunately duped three friends of Michael Jackson to take out home equity loans on their homes to allow Michael Jackson to pay lawyers when he was charged with sexual abuse. Michael Jackson failed to repay these friends, leaving them in a financial mess. Great way to treat good friends, huh?

Jackie, the oldest son of the Jackson family started a largely failed Internet clothing business that went nowhere, and has only struggled financially since. And Jermaine Jackson, is at least $5 million in debt for state and federal tax liens and has declared bankruptcy back in 1995. Reports are that he doesn't work. Unfortunately, his job acting as family spokesman at the passing of his younger brother, Michael, was probably the most work that he's seen in some time.

Despite having so much money at one time, few of the Jackson family members managed or invested it very well. Instead they merely squandered away huge amounts 0f money on Jewelry, mansions, automobiles or other foolishness and are now essentially broke. It is unfortunately a sad portrait of poor money management where no one seemed wise enough to hire an accountant or a financial advisor to preserve their cash assets. Now few of them have much to show for all of the money they once had.

A Creepy Creepy True Story

Yesterday, when I drove past a very old business district here in Portland, Oregon with my brother past an old funeral business, my brother told me how he used to do car repair work for the funeral director there. So we went on talking about the business. Then I was shocked to hear an outrageous true story about this funeral home.

One day a gang member who died an unnatural death was killed in a shooting came in to the funeral home for preparation. And when the director came in to prepare the body, he just about jumped out of skin, because there was a ghost walking through the room. This funeral director was in pure shock. It was the first and only time this happened in all his years of work on so many deceased persons.

I know that the Sci Fi channel features some programs like GHOST HUNTERS, but I never cared to really ever watch a full episode. I've never really given ghost stories very much interest myself. But, man oh man, is this a creepy true story. I even heard that some old Navy ships have claimed to have ghosts on them as well. Anyone here have any true ghost stories to relate? This is really weird stuff I never really thought was serious before.

A New EU Tax On Disabled Persons

Unbelievably, the EU commissioners are now moving ahead with plans to impose a new 10% tax on mobility scooters imported into Europe, often manufactured in the United States. But some like physicist Stephen Hawking are angry as this will dramatically boost the costs to handicapped who now have to pay around 2,500 pounds for disability scooters.

The EU commissioners plan to lump disability scooters in the same league with sports car imports or other motorized vehicles so that they can add the new tax on disabled persons for these American imports for use by the handicapped.

In the UK, the government already gets around 6 million pounds a year on additional taxes on the estimated 25,000 disability scooters imported or sold.

Like Iran, Iraq Well On The Way To Dictatorship As Well

The sham election in Iran, and the brutal suppression of the prodemocracy demonstrators in Iran reviewed Iran is little more than theocratic-military dictatorship. Unfortunately, many of the same signs are also present in Iraq as well, where Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is well on the way to becoming little more than just an Iranian backed dictator. Al-Maliki has built a network of security agencies that only report to him for one thing. Further, al-Maliki has steadily reduced any political rivals through his use of police, military or any secret agencies he directly controls.

While Iraq is supposed to have elections in 2010, expect them to be far less free and open than those elections in past. Ahead of this election, al-Maliki has built up a system of bribes and payoffs to various tribal leaders who are political allies of his. The fact of the matter is that the worse fears of al-Maliki have now proven true. He has slowly built up the political, police and military apparatus to make his government into a Iranian supported, Shiite religious dominated military dictatorship where there is little possibility of free elections in the near future. With an American pull back from the cities, expect al-Maliki to operate with far less restraint now. Iraq's government is merely a near carbon copy of the same sort of fundamentalist-military rule as in Iran.

A further problem is that the Al Dawa Party that al-Maliki is the public figure for is little more than a fundamentalist Shiite organization so closely aligned with Iran, that Iran could easily replace al-Maliki unless he follows their will. Al-Maliki is hardly the Iraqi nationalist that he publicly claims himself to be. It is all just window dressing for a near puppet leader of Iran's corrupt dictatorship. Iran couldn't win the 1980's war. But Iran gained control over Iraq's government because the U.S. made that path easy when George Bush toppled Saddam Hussein.

The fact of the matter is that when George Bush calculated to topple the dictatorship Of Saddam Hussein In Iraq, there was little real planning to make Iraq a true democracy or to prevent fundamentalist religious elements from establishing another government much like Iran. Originally an American oversight committee worked with a coalition of political rivals to Saddam Hussein. However, gradually a group of Shiite fundamentalists emerged under the Al Dawa Party label, with a heavy religious clerical background with many from Iran. Now al-Maliki sits atop this fundamentalist religious organization as their public relations man, which isn't that much different than the role Ahmadinejad in Iran. And with less future American oversight, you can certainly expect far more human rights abuses to take place, and for the Shiite controlled government to further suppress more Sunni political rivals.

The religious-military government of Iraq has essentially locked true moderate Iraqi political leaders like former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and his moderate democratic nationalist and secular political party allies from any meaningful political role in Iraq. Allawi was a true secular democrat and a true reliable ally for the United States to trust to make the nation into a modern secular Muslin nation much like Turkey. Instead, with so little political planning, coupled with little military planning for a long occupation of Iraq, the 2003 George Bush invasion of Iraq really had little planning other than a military plan to topple Saddam Hussein. There simply was not good plans to replace a Saddam Hussein dictatorship with the real mechanics for a real and durable democracy. Allawi still remains the one best hope for secular democracy in Iraq, however has no viable path back to power because his ability to politically compete has been effectively blocked by the Al Dawa control of the election machinery.

A further problem is that the Obama Administration wants to concentrate on other hot spots right now like Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and North Korea. But the problems in Iraq will not improve on their own, and with even less U.S. influence, the Iraqi government will become less responsible and only behave just well enough to continue to gain billions in American aid. However, while the government has plenty of money due to oil revenues, corruption among elected officials in the al-Maliki government makes plenty of this money disappear into thin air.

Meanwhile, the economy of Iraq continues with serious problems, with few jobs, and still just only a few hours of electrical service a day even in many places like Baghdad. More clean water is still needed. However, with billions in oil revenues only disappearing into government corruption prevents progress on many of these critical fronts. Further, the Kurds in the North continue to concern our U.S. ally in Turkey with their expansionist goals to eventually expand their empire into parts of Turkey and hurt this important relationship with this important NATO ally.

The ghosts of the George Bush Iraq War fiasco will continue to haunt both the Obama Administration and the United States public many years. At some point, most Americans are going to realize that Iraq and Iran are far more similar than they are different. Neither is a real democracy, both are in fact religious-military dictatorships controlled by Iran. The more than 4,000 American lives lost in Iraq didn't really achieve too much more than replacing one dictator in Iraq with another one. That's supposed to be progress?