In this post there will be no sarcasm or rants or negative opinions. I will simply offer you as well as anyone you are close to a very safe and happy holiday season. We are leaving a year that has not been full of positive news but I am sure you still could compose a nice list of things that took place since the last holiday season. We have all had our challenges but forget them as you get together with family and friends with nothing but smiles as we look forward to the New Year.
Personally, 2008 was my best year ever despite some down moments. More than anything I am still employed and have weathered a health scare. Leaving 2008 I am in great shape and feel as if my career is actually headed in a good direction. Only time will tell if both those things are true. Honestly – I believe this is all up to me.
From a blog perspective - thanks much for reading and commenting here. It has been fun for sure. I will hopefully step up more in 2009 with this and maybe - just maybe - broaden my horizons with topics.
I look forward to 2009 where I don’t have any specific goals as much I simply look forward to seeing what the New Year will bring me as well as those around me.
Here is hoping you have lofty goals and you for sure achieve them before the next holiday season. More currently, I hope Santa brings you something nice.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Enough hours in the day? Guess not...
I heard over the weekend and discovered it being discussed here. Retailers are now staying open 24 hours. I am trying to figure why this is at all necessary. The biproducts of our instant gratification society never seem to end. Is it not enough that these stores already have extended hours of service during the holiday? Is it enough you can purchase anything you want from the confines of your home on your computer at anytime you want from anywhere? Nope - you can now do your shopping physcically at 3:30 AM. Personally speaking, that is simply not natural. I am usually in need of sleep at that hour. This is especially true if I have been at al productive during the day. Plus I am somehow capable to manage my time to do my shopping during regular shopping hours. I am very sure I am missing something.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
More Auto Relief thoughts
I have watched and read a fair amount of coverage related to the loans being given to the Big Three US Auto companies. I have been bothered a fair amount because the reporting and opinions leave a fair amount to be desired – and I am being very nice leaving it there.
The first item is the work bench where a UAW member who is laid off gets 95% of their pay during that time. First, they will get subpay from their employer after they receive unemployment benefits from the government. In other words, the auto company will make up the difference between unemployment to get to that 95%. They are giving a complete 95%. On that same topic, current hires to the Big 3 auto companies will not enjoy that benefit and only 10000 benefit from that number now. That number will tail off as those UAW members retire.
Another number that will tail off in time will be the amount the Big Three Companies will give out in pensions as retirees pass away. For some time (probably ten years) new employees are not eligible for pensions and have been maintaining their retirements through 401K plans. The money going toward pensions in twenty years will be significantly less than it is now. I bring this all up to show the changes that many people are demanding have been well in place for quite some time.
For all the talk of the UAW having to renegotiate their contract even though they have made countless concessions, I think what has not been requested and should be is a COMPLETE list of costs to making a car. I have actually looked for this and asked around and the consensus – nothing exists. If you can find one, I would be very intrigued to look at it. The point I am getting to here is I don’t know how you can ask for more concessions when it is not even known what other opportunities a company has to cut costs. Keep in mind that despite supposed costs in making a Toyota or Honda being lower than US Auto companies, they are losing money and halting production as well here in the US. That makes another set of arguments from the pundits almost null in void.
The Big Three Auto companies have as a while cut down their employees drastically in the last fifteen to twenty years. Much of the analysis has simply ignored it and put out blatant opinions showing the lack of understanding with an industry that has made strides. They are being asked to com
OF course the last thing that gets my ire is the belief that more than anything all types of effort needs to go into hybrid and electric cars. This is all happening while I drive around and the American consumer still likes driving their SUV. Government has a great belief the consumer wants fuel efficient vehicles and before too long it will be the only legit viable option. Is oil going away? Is there a tremendous shortage right now? Is it real expensive? Outside some outlandish speculation that took place this summer with oil futures, prices have been relatively stable and right in the range of consumer pocketbooks whether they drive small economy size cars or something that resembles a fashionable Winnebago.
I have more points that should be made but I will save them for another time like measuring the geographical impact of letting the Big Three going bankrupt.
The first item is the work bench where a UAW member who is laid off gets 95% of their pay during that time. First, they will get subpay from their employer after they receive unemployment benefits from the government. In other words, the auto company will make up the difference between unemployment to get to that 95%. They are giving a complete 95%. On that same topic, current hires to the Big 3 auto companies will not enjoy that benefit and only 10000 benefit from that number now. That number will tail off as those UAW members retire.
Another number that will tail off in time will be the amount the Big Three Companies will give out in pensions as retirees pass away. For some time (probably ten years) new employees are not eligible for pensions and have been maintaining their retirements through 401K plans. The money going toward pensions in twenty years will be significantly less than it is now. I bring this all up to show the changes that many people are demanding have been well in place for quite some time.
For all the talk of the UAW having to renegotiate their contract even though they have made countless concessions, I think what has not been requested and should be is a COMPLETE list of costs to making a car. I have actually looked for this and asked around and the consensus – nothing exists. If you can find one, I would be very intrigued to look at it. The point I am getting to here is I don’t know how you can ask for more concessions when it is not even known what other opportunities a company has to cut costs. Keep in mind that despite supposed costs in making a Toyota or Honda being lower than US Auto companies, they are losing money and halting production as well here in the US. That makes another set of arguments from the pundits almost null in void.
The Big Three Auto companies have as a while cut down their employees drastically in the last fifteen to twenty years. Much of the analysis has simply ignored it and put out blatant opinions showing the lack of understanding with an industry that has made strides. They are being asked to com
OF course the last thing that gets my ire is the belief that more than anything all types of effort needs to go into hybrid and electric cars. This is all happening while I drive around and the American consumer still likes driving their SUV. Government has a great belief the consumer wants fuel efficient vehicles and before too long it will be the only legit viable option. Is oil going away? Is there a tremendous shortage right now? Is it real expensive? Outside some outlandish speculation that took place this summer with oil futures, prices have been relatively stable and right in the range of consumer pocketbooks whether they drive small economy size cars or something that resembles a fashionable Winnebago.
I have more points that should be made but I will save them for another time like measuring the geographical impact of letting the Big Three going bankrupt.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Getting back into the swing of things
It is interesting how things change. I tried to put a new entry here every couple of days but as you see I have failed miserably the last few months for several small reasons. One reason is there being alack of inspiration. I can sit here and regurgitate what you see on the news but who needs that negative hammer to hit them even more.
Well what has hit my fancy…
Regardless of what you think of Jay Leno it has to make people chuckle when you think about the irony of him moving to the 10 o’clock slot. The irony is the networks are now bringing you variety television. Folks – that is what they were doing seventy years ago. It is way cheaper programming and breeds loyalty way more than written dramas which at this point have exhausted pretty much all story lines ten fold. The only question – who will be next star chosen and how soon?
The Lion’s season ends soon - two weeks. They are 0-14 but they have a chance of winning of the final two games – home against the New Orleans Saints and on the road against the Green Bay Packers. The long and short of it – the season will mercifully end soon. We will just have to wait and see if the Ford family is that apathetic toward winning or if they do really give a damn.
Now I don’t go to the mall or just out shopping that much but I will let you know that from one man’s personal perspective – the crowds are for sure down this year. This based on about two and a half hours in two different malls over two days. If the White House gets the money to the auto companies before the weekend, the malls will be over the top busy. The people will believe they have been given a gift and it is time to spend. I will be happy to have most of mine done with almost all of it online.
Do you think Microwave slippers are a good idea?
It is official and obvious – someone needs to think of a better system for picking those who replace leaving Congress people than this awful appointee system. The Illinois governor did not handle it well. (On a side note – he is one of the creepiest people I have ever seen out there). As for Hillary’s New York Senate seat, Caroline Kennedy is vying for it. Someone who has NEVER ran for office and people think she is qualified due to the last name on her birth certificate. Newsflash – this is not a monarchy Kennedy’s.
The Detroit News and Free Press have decided to provide home delivery on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. They are going to work on getting a majority of their readers to go through the Internet. There is for sure a place for daily newspapers in our community as well as all cities in this country. They will be able to offer stories and coverage for local events that you otherwise would not get through TV or national focused news sources. Don’t kid yourself and think this is happening due to the Big Three issues. This has been in the making for some time and will start taking place with other newspapers. In this day and age of instant gratification and a tremendous need for information, the newspapers had to adjust to the times. The one saving grace – the News and Free Press have done their best to keep writers on staff in order to give their own flair or the coverage. This has not been the case with most newspapers as they have decided to outsource their story writing giving off a very canned and impersonalized approach.
Well what has hit my fancy…
Regardless of what you think of Jay Leno it has to make people chuckle when you think about the irony of him moving to the 10 o’clock slot. The irony is the networks are now bringing you variety television. Folks – that is what they were doing seventy years ago. It is way cheaper programming and breeds loyalty way more than written dramas which at this point have exhausted pretty much all story lines ten fold. The only question – who will be next star chosen and how soon?
The Lion’s season ends soon - two weeks. They are 0-14 but they have a chance of winning of the final two games – home against the New Orleans Saints and on the road against the Green Bay Packers. The long and short of it – the season will mercifully end soon. We will just have to wait and see if the Ford family is that apathetic toward winning or if they do really give a damn.
Now I don’t go to the mall or just out shopping that much but I will let you know that from one man’s personal perspective – the crowds are for sure down this year. This based on about two and a half hours in two different malls over two days. If the White House gets the money to the auto companies before the weekend, the malls will be over the top busy. The people will believe they have been given a gift and it is time to spend. I will be happy to have most of mine done with almost all of it online.
Do you think Microwave slippers are a good idea?
It is official and obvious – someone needs to think of a better system for picking those who replace leaving Congress people than this awful appointee system. The Illinois governor did not handle it well. (On a side note – he is one of the creepiest people I have ever seen out there). As for Hillary’s New York Senate seat, Caroline Kennedy is vying for it. Someone who has NEVER ran for office and people think she is qualified due to the last name on her birth certificate. Newsflash – this is not a monarchy Kennedy’s.
The Detroit News and Free Press have decided to provide home delivery on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. They are going to work on getting a majority of their readers to go through the Internet. There is for sure a place for daily newspapers in our community as well as all cities in this country. They will be able to offer stories and coverage for local events that you otherwise would not get through TV or national focused news sources. Don’t kid yourself and think this is happening due to the Big Three issues. This has been in the making for some time and will start taking place with other newspapers. In this day and age of instant gratification and a tremendous need for information, the newspapers had to adjust to the times. The one saving grace – the News and Free Press have done their best to keep writers on staff in order to give their own flair or the coverage. This has not been the case with most newspapers as they have decided to outsource their story writing giving off a very canned and impersonalized approach.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Good Quote...
Found reading Detroit News this afternoon -
Franklin Roosevelt's words: "The strength of this nation shall not be diluted by the failure of the government to protect the economic well-being of its citizens."
Very true words.
Franklin Roosevelt's words: "The strength of this nation shall not be diluted by the failure of the government to protect the economic well-being of its citizens."
Very true words.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Appears my spam filter is not working....
or someone is trying to tell me something!
Subject - Want to Beat the Bloat?
From - Ultimate Colon Cleanse
The best part is someone spent time sending it out. I wish I had that time!
Subject - Want to Beat the Bloat?
From - Ultimate Colon Cleanse
The best part is someone spent time sending it out. I wish I had that time!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Back with some thoughts....
Well well well… I did in fact take a hiatus though far from intentional…Some random thoughts from the past few weeks…
Trivia question – What percentage of homes in the United States are owned without mortgages? I will get back to this later.
I have not blogged since the election. One is completely unrelated to the other – I assure you of that for sure. What I will tell you is the pick of Hullary Clinton is a very interesting one. It is only made only more interesting by the endorsement of none other than Rush Limbaugh. One thing is for sure – like him or not – Obama will try his best to distinguish himself and not try old failed ways of doing things.
So let me get this straight – banks are arbirtrarily given money hand over fist with no plans and no requirements for how they are going to use the money to help out the American public and loosen up the business to business credit. The autos – who have been shrinking their business for years now and have been dealing with many arcane anti industry laws from the federal government have to beg and plead.
So I am clear I will not tell you I think the auto companies have been great but there is WAY more than meets the eye with them and the situation they find themselves in right now.
I think a sad thing may take place this spring – the NFL will remove the Thanksgiving game from Detroit and schedule another team. I hope management understands how pathetic their organization looks right now.
The Lions fan should hope Bill Ford Jr. is able to step in and do what he did with Ford Motor. In that instance he was able to bring in Alan Mullay from Boeing - someone who was successful in the manufacturing industry. Money should not be an object. They should list the best candidates – cross check them with some different people – and go after them one by one. The painful reality – they may not do it.
Ken Cockrel said on the news last week things were looking good for expanding Cobo, the site of North American International Auto Show. Things need to move faster. Nissan along with several other companies have pulled out the 2009 show. This is something that would be a good use of Federal tax dollars.
I did not work Friday and had the TV on one of the business networks. They were doing the whole “Black Friday” live shots from the mall. Of course they had some people mentioning what the hot gifts are so on and so forth. One fine individual – store employee – though Ugg Boots are “timeless pieces of fashion.” I for sure am not a fashion expert but plead with America this is not the case. From a male perspective – Ugg Boots are one the most hideous things and should not be worn out side the house.
The answer to trivia question – 50% of homes in the US are owned and have no mortgages. This is strange because much of the credit issues have to do with too many subprime mortgages and people going through foreclosures. Well 3% of mortgages going into foreclosures which is 1.5% of all home in US. Logic says some banks went WAY overboard with the subprime mortgages and certainly have a balanced portfolio.
Oh well enough from me – I will be back way sooner.
Trivia question – What percentage of homes in the United States are owned without mortgages? I will get back to this later.
I have not blogged since the election. One is completely unrelated to the other – I assure you of that for sure. What I will tell you is the pick of Hullary Clinton is a very interesting one. It is only made only more interesting by the endorsement of none other than Rush Limbaugh. One thing is for sure – like him or not – Obama will try his best to distinguish himself and not try old failed ways of doing things.
So let me get this straight – banks are arbirtrarily given money hand over fist with no plans and no requirements for how they are going to use the money to help out the American public and loosen up the business to business credit. The autos – who have been shrinking their business for years now and have been dealing with many arcane anti industry laws from the federal government have to beg and plead.
So I am clear I will not tell you I think the auto companies have been great but there is WAY more than meets the eye with them and the situation they find themselves in right now.
I think a sad thing may take place this spring – the NFL will remove the Thanksgiving game from Detroit and schedule another team. I hope management understands how pathetic their organization looks right now.
The Lions fan should hope Bill Ford Jr. is able to step in and do what he did with Ford Motor. In that instance he was able to bring in Alan Mullay from Boeing - someone who was successful in the manufacturing industry. Money should not be an object. They should list the best candidates – cross check them with some different people – and go after them one by one. The painful reality – they may not do it.
Ken Cockrel said on the news last week things were looking good for expanding Cobo, the site of North American International Auto Show. Things need to move faster. Nissan along with several other companies have pulled out the 2009 show. This is something that would be a good use of Federal tax dollars.
I did not work Friday and had the TV on one of the business networks. They were doing the whole “Black Friday” live shots from the mall. Of course they had some people mentioning what the hot gifts are so on and so forth. One fine individual – store employee – though Ugg Boots are “timeless pieces of fashion.” I for sure am not a fashion expert but plead with America this is not the case. From a male perspective – Ugg Boots are one the most hideous things and should not be worn out side the house.
The answer to trivia question – 50% of homes in the US are owned and have no mortgages. This is strange because much of the credit issues have to do with too many subprime mortgages and people going through foreclosures. Well 3% of mortgages going into foreclosures which is 1.5% of all home in US. Logic says some banks went WAY overboard with the subprime mortgages and certainly have a balanced portfolio.
Oh well enough from me – I will be back way sooner.
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