Well, here it is, another Christmas sitting at home by myself. This time, I have company;
1. Egg Nog martini - my own invention...that means no specific recipe, just has booze in it, and its in a martini glass (I ran out of Cranberry martiniis)...
2. Crackers and Brie...with some Hungarian salami (I won't be kissing anyone, so its ok...)
3. My computer, with iTunes on loud...(Goddo playing now)
4. PokerStars, trying to win the big one...
Kids went home yesterday, after our Christmas on Saturday...they did enjoy the Xbox 360 and Rockband 2...even I enjoyed my time on drums and air guitar...lol
All alone on Christmas Eve? How are you spending your Christmas Eve for 2008? I hope better than I am spending it...
Merry Christmas, everyone!!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Auto Bailout? No Thanks...
I can't keep my mouth shut anymore. With the governments ready to dole out taxpayers' cash, someone from the Fed coffers has to listen to the population.
The big 3 are going to be filing for bankruptcy in 6 months for the following reasons;
1) The infusion of billions will not change the reliability/appeal of the vehicles. The same cars will still come off the line with the same perception of reliability, even if they are green.
2) The cost that puts the big 3 at a disadvantage is the legacy costs of the retirees. The UAW/CAW have not stepped up to the plate to offer concessions in this cost, that will still exist, no matter what kind of car they produce, which will still be passed on to the consumer in our next purchase.
3) The fact that the union has "offered" and agreed with a two-tiered wage system in a previous contract shows that they know that union workers and retirees are getting way more than they deserve.
4) The union/management have not given up enough of their own stake in the survival of the company. I haven't seen anything in the news about anyone of them taking a 10% pay cut to make the company survive.
5) The hourly rate of older union workers is ridiculous. The current wage of $30+ an hour for a high school drop out, and the sense of entitlement of this wage, is disturbing.
6) Any bailout will result in the population shunning dealers and salesmen, as if they were diseased. Car salesmen were already close to the bottom of the food chain...having them fleece the consumers after a bailout will definitely turn people off.
7) Even with the bailout cash, the Jobs Bank of the Big 3 will still exist.
8) The same players at each of the Big 3 will still be in command...therefore, vision and strategy will still be the same 6 months from now.
Giving the cash to the domestic automakers, is throwing good cash after bad. I would rather see them go belly up, and see a stronger player emerge from the bankruptcies.
Trust me, bankruptcies will prevail, and you can bet that the end will occur middle of 2009...the taxpayers will not forget the government that gives in to the bailout. I will never buy a domestic vehicle again if the bailout happens.
Someone tell me again why the other companies (Toyota, VW, Honda, Hyundai, etc.) don't need handouts????
The big 3 are going to be filing for bankruptcy in 6 months for the following reasons;
1) The infusion of billions will not change the reliability/appeal of the vehicles. The same cars will still come off the line with the same perception of reliability, even if they are green.
2) The cost that puts the big 3 at a disadvantage is the legacy costs of the retirees. The UAW/CAW have not stepped up to the plate to offer concessions in this cost, that will still exist, no matter what kind of car they produce, which will still be passed on to the consumer in our next purchase.
3) The fact that the union has "offered" and agreed with a two-tiered wage system in a previous contract shows that they know that union workers and retirees are getting way more than they deserve.
4) The union/management have not given up enough of their own stake in the survival of the company. I haven't seen anything in the news about anyone of them taking a 10% pay cut to make the company survive.
5) The hourly rate of older union workers is ridiculous. The current wage of $30+ an hour for a high school drop out, and the sense of entitlement of this wage, is disturbing.
6) Any bailout will result in the population shunning dealers and salesmen, as if they were diseased. Car salesmen were already close to the bottom of the food chain...having them fleece the consumers after a bailout will definitely turn people off.
7) Even with the bailout cash, the Jobs Bank of the Big 3 will still exist.
8) The same players at each of the Big 3 will still be in command...therefore, vision and strategy will still be the same 6 months from now.
Giving the cash to the domestic automakers, is throwing good cash after bad. I would rather see them go belly up, and see a stronger player emerge from the bankruptcies.
Trust me, bankruptcies will prevail, and you can bet that the end will occur middle of 2009...the taxpayers will not forget the government that gives in to the bailout. I will never buy a domestic vehicle again if the bailout happens.
Someone tell me again why the other companies (Toyota, VW, Honda, Hyundai, etc.) don't need handouts????
Thursday, April 10, 2008
CNN Half Truths – US Illegal Immigration
It never ceases to amaze me on CNN’s reporting on their website. The latest article to get me riled up, talks about a Mexican illegal in Kansas.
What is wrong with these people? If you enter the country illegally, you face the consequences of your actions. Period. In the story, the illegal’s wife knew that he was in the country illegally, but decided to make a life with him and marry him. I am not condemning their relationship, but there is one thing I will condemn…when the wife pleads “racism”, and charges that the US government is anti-Hispanic. What a joke. What gives people the right to bypass the legal process for any procedure, whether it be for citizenship or any other presumed “right” of existence in the US?
Get over it, Kecia Marquez…either play by the rules, or go to Mexico and be with him. There is no in-between or special circumstance I see, that allows you or your illegal husband to bypass the system. He entered illegally, and you are both suffering the consequences.
And CNN, show a little more discretion on how the article is written…I expect your journalism to be unbiased, and report facts only…not tearjerkers supporting undeserving whiners.
What is wrong with these people? If you enter the country illegally, you face the consequences of your actions. Period. In the story, the illegal’s wife knew that he was in the country illegally, but decided to make a life with him and marry him. I am not condemning their relationship, but there is one thing I will condemn…when the wife pleads “racism”, and charges that the US government is anti-Hispanic. What a joke. What gives people the right to bypass the legal process for any procedure, whether it be for citizenship or any other presumed “right” of existence in the US?
Get over it, Kecia Marquez…either play by the rules, or go to Mexico and be with him. There is no in-between or special circumstance I see, that allows you or your illegal husband to bypass the system. He entered illegally, and you are both suffering the consequences.
And CNN, show a little more discretion on how the article is written…I expect your journalism to be unbiased, and report facts only…not tearjerkers supporting undeserving whiners.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
lol...had to share...
After a long night of making love, the guy notices a photo of another man on the woman's nightstand by the bed. He begins to worry.
'Is this your husband?' he nervously asks.
'No, silly,' she replies, snuggling up to him.
'Your boyfriend, then?' he continues.
'No, not at all,' she says, nibbling away at his ear.
'Is it your dad or your brother?' he inquires, hoping to be reassured.
'No, no, no! You are so hot when you're jealous!' she answers.
'Well, who in the heck is he, then?' he demands.
She whispers in his ear, 'That's me before the surgery.'
'Is this your husband?' he nervously asks.
'No, silly,' she replies, snuggling up to him.
'Your boyfriend, then?' he continues.
'No, not at all,' she says, nibbling away at his ear.
'Is it your dad or your brother?' he inquires, hoping to be reassured.
'No, no, no! You are so hot when you're jealous!' she answers.
'Well, who in the heck is he, then?' he demands.
She whispers in his ear, 'That's me before the surgery.'
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Funny for the week...read post before looking at picture!!!
Don't you just love it when teachers' good intentions run amuck!!! An elementary school class started a class project to make a planter to take home to their parents. They wanted to have a plant in it that was easy to take care of, so they decided to use cactus plants. The students were given greenware pottery planters in the shape of a clown which they painted with glaze. The clown planters were professionally fired at a class outing so they could see the process. It was great fun. They planted cactus seeds in the finished planters and they grew nicely, but unfortunately the children were not allowed to take them home. The cactus plants had to be removed and replaced with ivy prior to being given to the parents. The teacher said cactus seemed like a good idea at the time!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Able-Bodied Olympic Athletes Disadvantaged?
I am not surprised at the recent ruling on Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee who was barred from able-bodied competition in January. Tests done on the performance of his carbon fibre “blades” has shown that there is a disadvantage against able-bodied runners, by returning energy to the sprinter. This would allow Pistorius to expend about 25% less energy than an able-bodied sprinter, for a given race.
The Olympics are a competition, based on the raw capabilities of a human, without the aid of devices, drugs or changes to the human form. By racing with “blades”, this essentially would allow “bionics” to take over. Who is to say that the surgical implant of titanium prostheses wouldn’t taint the capabilities of competitors?
I am glad that the IAFF ruled against Pistorius, and I hope that the Court of Arbitration for Sport upholds the same ruling. We have enough problems with “performance enhancers” in professional sports…we don’t need the Olympics to be tainted as well.
The Olympics are a competition, based on the raw capabilities of a human, without the aid of devices, drugs or changes to the human form. By racing with “blades”, this essentially would allow “bionics” to take over. Who is to say that the surgical implant of titanium prostheses wouldn’t taint the capabilities of competitors?
I am glad that the IAFF ruled against Pistorius, and I hope that the Court of Arbitration for Sport upholds the same ruling. We have enough problems with “performance enhancers” in professional sports…we don’t need the Olympics to be tainted as well.
Monday, January 07, 2008
An Increase of 10% in Imported China Toy Costs a Scam
Based on all the recalls last year on exported Chinese toys for lead paint, an article from the CBC website mentions that the price of Chinese toys is going to increase by about 10% this year.
Another cash grab from the consumer. Toy companies are claiming that there will be increased costs for quality control, to check for lead. I have one question for the toy execs…what quality control were you doing before the recalls? Do we not have laws about lead content allowed in paint already? This is not about establishing a new element in the product safety category, or even lowering allowable lead content in paint; it’s about adhering to an existing standard, to which the toy companies should have been following all along.
If there has been an established standard for lead content limits in paint, then all the companies need to do, is to make sure that their suppliers are following their supply agreements.
Saying imported toy costs will increase for increased quality control means that all their quality control departments have not been doing their jobs from day one. I suggest that the toy companies start holding their own internal QC departments accountable for allowing this to happen. We already pay for proper QC with these companies; we don’t need to pay anymore.
If a Chinese company supplies “out of spec” material, then sue them for the extra cost of the recalls…don’t ask the customers to pay.
Another cash grab from the consumer. Toy companies are claiming that there will be increased costs for quality control, to check for lead. I have one question for the toy execs…what quality control were you doing before the recalls? Do we not have laws about lead content allowed in paint already? This is not about establishing a new element in the product safety category, or even lowering allowable lead content in paint; it’s about adhering to an existing standard, to which the toy companies should have been following all along.
If there has been an established standard for lead content limits in paint, then all the companies need to do, is to make sure that their suppliers are following their supply agreements.
Saying imported toy costs will increase for increased quality control means that all their quality control departments have not been doing their jobs from day one. I suggest that the toy companies start holding their own internal QC departments accountable for allowing this to happen. We already pay for proper QC with these companies; we don’t need to pay anymore.
If a Chinese company supplies “out of spec” material, then sue them for the extra cost of the recalls…don’t ask the customers to pay.
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