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As a man thinks, so he is. Some people are never. Recent Posts
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CarSpace Alternate RouteTurn off the nav system, crumple up that MapQuest printout, and let's find out where the next random turn may take us! Nov 3, 2009 - Get Out And Vote!
Taxpayers have sunk more than $50 billion in bailout and bankruptcy financing in GM and more than $14 billion in Chrysler this year. About half of the debt was wiped out in bankruptcy at both companies. The government received 9.85 percent equity in Chrysler, and 60.8 percent equity and $2.1 billion of preferred stock in GM, and $13.8 billion in debt obligations between the two companies. Yep, that sure is an attractive IPO. I can't see anything wrong with this plan, can you? Read more at reuters.com AR Index 607.97 +6.68 (+1.11%) Stocks of individual interest Dow 9789.44 -78.52 (-0.80%)
Nov 2, 2009 - What A Difference A Bridge Makes
Not only did they agree to the changes in the contract that put them in line with the deals with GM and Chrysler, they did so by voting 83% in favor as opposed to roughly the same percentage in opposition at the UAW plants. Will Ford start to migrate work to Canadian plants? It's not that long a trip over the Peace Bridge to the competetive side of the falls. Read the entire article at freep.com
Nov 1, 2009 - Rubbernecking
This photo is from the Weird Accidents section. Now that's a pothole!
Oct 31, 2009 - Ask Dub Schwartz!
Just be careful that you don't create a creature that eats your finances alive Marty! Happy Halloween!
Oct 30, 2009 - Let The Celebration Begin
Under the terms of the agreement, Sterling Axle was supposed to get new rear-wheel drive work that would have added about 100 jobs. Now, union sources fear that work will be given to Getrag Corp., a German supplier with a nonunion factory in North Carolina. Local union leaders also were told Ford is considering outsourcing other components made at the plant, where 80 percent of workers voted against ratification. "I don't think people here really understood that the work we had been promised was contingent on ratification," said Sterling Axle UAW member Brian Pannebecker, who voted in favor of the agreement and is now helping to organize a petition in support of revote. Exactly what did you think was going to happen here guys? I'm hopeful in that there seem to be at least of few UAW members who realize that the choice is between "winning" and working. Read the rest of the article at the Detroit News
Oct 29, 2009 - Bark Or Bite?
Steve Collins, president of industry trade group the American Automotive Policy Council, said Wednesday that U.S. officials have told the three Detroit automakers that China is expected to begin an investigation under anti-dumping laws into their business practices as soon as next week. The U.S. auto companies export only about 9,000 cars to China annually, Collins said. GM manufactures and sells more than a million cars a year in China, though those sales wouldn't be affected. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Nissan also export cars to China from plants in the United States, but those won't be included in the investigation, Collins said. As China has been one of the places where auto sales have been growing (a mere 84% increase in September) this kind of feels like the big dog flexing his muscles a bit. Read the entire article at Yahoo Finance
Oct 28, 2009 - Dust Collectors
The trusted magazine Consumer Reports heaped praise Tuesday on Ford Motor Co., which continues to gain momentum in the face of the global recession. World-class reliabilty could mean anything, but when you only score 44% or 4% on anything that's being handed out, especially when others in the class are getting 90%, it's going to be hard to twist that into an ad slogan.
Oct 27, 2009 - Glory Daze
Old Detroit lives! Here, in the week before Ford Motor Co. hopes to maybe, sorta' report encouraging third-quarter earnings, a faction of its United Auto Workers membership is on course to torpedo a revised labor agreement -- proving, yet again, that bankruptcies and painful retrenchments aren't enough to shake some real-world sense into a deeply engrained sense of entitlement. I'm not sure what thought process (if any) is going on in the heads of those union members leading this charge to derail the labor agreement, but they are sadly mistaken if they think the UAW is the power that it once was. This all reminds me of an A&P grocery store that we used to have here in town. The local union went on strike, demanding, among other things, ridiculously higher wages for grocery baggers. And they were not going to budge one inch off their position. The store informed them of the impossibility of their demands and that the store would close if some kind of deal couldn't be worked out. The union voted to not give in, the store closed and has been empty over 25 years. But hey, they stood their ground and faced down the company. Nice moral victory guys. I almost forgot... we're also getting along fine without the A&P, buying our groceries at the other stores that moved in to fill the void. Even Ron Gettlefinger gets it. If the union drives the company into the ground, you can't stock the fridge with a moral victory. Read the rest of Daniel Howes' at detnews.com Meanwhile, in the real world... AR Index 601.28 -11.80 (-1.92%) Stocks of individual interest Dow 9867.96 -224.23 (-2.22%)
Oct 26, 2009 - Suggestion Box
If you've seen pictures of the Volt, you're likely already familiar with its greenish-silvery hue. A contest inviting the public to suggest a name for that color launched Friday and will continue through Nov. 4. People really get hung up on the names of colors, and an "off-color" name can really influence the perception of a color, although in the case of the Volt, the perception of the vehilce may influence the name people might give the color. Faded Bailout Green anyone? Read the rest of the article at wpxi.com
Oct 25, 2009 - Terminal Do-Goodness
Cash for Clunkers put cash in the pockets of new car dealers this summer but left used car dealers scrambling to find pre-owned cars and trucks to sell. The geniuses who thought up Cash for Clunkers didn't think of this unintended consequence either? This is what happens when you try to do something that feels good to "help people". Kind of like when the terminal do-gooder-in-chief signed a bill to restrict interest rate increases from credit card companies. Only problem is he gave them nine months to comply and the letters jacking interest rates before they're restircted are flying all over the place. But hey, that interest rate on my charge card tripling to 29.99% isn't what you meant to happen, right? Keep on paving that road with good intentions and you know where we'll wind up. Please stop trying to help me Mr. President. You're apparently not any good at it.
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