This comes as no surprise.

Americans, in general, do not want to bailout the auto industry.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28248202

And I am included in those polls. I believe the work of free trade must continue. As this market begins to correct itself, it must weed out those businesses that are failing.

Failures of businesses is what creates new businesses in the first place. GM, Chrysler and Ford may not even exist if it weren't for some company before them that failed. It's the basis of business.

AIG, Wall Street, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Chrysler, GM - they should all be allowed to fail if they can't stay afloat by themselves. I gladly accept the resulting economy post failures because it ensures new and better businesses and better business models to begin and grow.

Americans in general agree with me.

Another bailout for another industry?

The AFL is having some problems. With notice of suspension of the 2009 season, a re-structuring is due. It appears that the slumping economy, and the decrease in fan spending is effecting the AFL in a similar manner to the massive conglomerates of companies who seem to have been unable to control their spending. So in an effort to ensure viability for the future, the AFL will cancel their 2009 season as of Monday, Dec. 15th.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8923318/Arena-Football-League-cancels-2009-season?MSNHPHMA

I think reader JERKIMIA has the right idea with the comment: "Maybe a bail out is in order here."

Indeed - I implore the owners and league elite to immediately contact the United States Government and insist on a portion of the $700 Billion dollar bailout to provide current stability within the league while the restructuring takes place.

Surely, a failure of the AFL would have dramatic and long-term effects on the US economy and will be a direct cause of a future recession. Fans of the AFL are on the precipice of a crash and only through a government sponsored bailout will they survive these trying economic times.

With the government bailout money, of course, will come part ownership of each team to the government. It is clearly the most effective way of preventing what could be a long and deep recession.

Oh, US Government -- Save us all!

Heavy biased media involvement in reporting news

Is the media supposed to be non-biased? Are they supposed to report the news and only the news? Are they supposed to insert their own opinions, reflections, or insight into the stories they publish?

In this article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28166218 They are talking about the Auto Industry bailout bill that failed in the Senate. Would 'failed in the senate' be sufficient?

Apparently not:

"Senate refused to pass a rescue bill" <-- that seems mostly un-biased right? It WAS the Senate. they DID refuse to pass. And it IS a 'rescue' bill. Ok

"The Wall Street bailout fund is one of the few remaining options for ..." hmmm... 'few remaining options'?? Sounds a little like the media is suggesting that the $700 Billion is the 'remaining' (only?) option.

"... and the 3 million jobs it touches ..." This number keeps climbing. It started with the 250,000 employees, then expanded to 2 million, then to 2.5 million and now it's 3 million. Well heck - I drive a car - does that mean it 'touches' me? So I guess it's actually now 3,000,001 - and counting for the sake of selling media.

"Thursday’s implosion followed yet another set ..." Now it's gone from 'failed' to 'implosion'. Who decided to use that word? The 'media'.

And finally:

"The stunning disintegration ..." 'stunning' 'disintegration'. huh? What? I thought it 'failed in the Senate'. Now it's a stunning disintegration. Fascinating.

And I stopped reading at that point. I was hoping for an un-biased article detailing the status of an ill-founded (because I'm not media, I can insert my own opinions here) auto industry bailout bill.

However, to finish that last quoted line:

"The stunning disintegration was eerily reminiscent of the defeat of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout in the House, which sent the Dow tumbling ..."

If, indeed, the failure of that first attempt to pass the 'government-at-will' bill, 'sent the DOW tumbling', and, according to this paragraph, it appears it was the ONLY reason the DOW tumbled, then when it passed a few days later - how is it that the market didn't jump? Further - even after the passage of that bill, how are we still descending in the markets?

I think the media is so 'non un-biased' it's sickening. I believe this article is CLEARLY pumping for the passage of this auto bill. Why? Simple. Because it means MORE articles about it, and all the things that will come after it - due TO it. - and that is a simple calculation of job security and increased revenue of ad clicking on their sites.

How about this:

"The Senate did not pass the first attempt at an auto industry bailout bill."

Auto industry: the new wall street/mortgage industry

Apparently, 'wall street' and 'housing' as it used to be defined no longer exists. What was once billed as a housing mortgage bailout bill of $700 Billion taxpayers dollars, that, under the not-so-keen eye of the American government, has now morphed into a wall street bailout, is morphing - yet again. That's right - the government is taking the money that was 'given?' to them and doing what they want - this time, bailing out another industry.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28166218

It is inconceivable to me how far the government as taken this bailout. How is it that $700 Billion taxpayer dollars is now being used to bailout the auto industry? Why will taxpayer dollars be paying retirement for these people?

Maybe I should have payed better attention, but I don't remember that $700 Billion dollar bill saying that the government could do whatever they wanted. I guess I better read the next one.

Happy Birthday to me!

Today is my birthday. I turn 33 years old. I am offically 1/3 the way to 99 years old. I am OK with that. Age aint nothin' but a number. I'm still very young at heart.

Auto Bailout - Now $34 Billion Dollars!

As long as large and failing companies are asking the government for bailouts, the auto industry figures they may as well ask for more. Their original request was $25 Billion Dollars. Now they are asking for $34 Billion. Maybe they think by not flying in their private jets, congress would be more likely to give them more money.

uh. no.

However, I've been thinking quite a bit about this auto industry bailout and I think my mind might be changing. Nothing in concrete yet, but maybe changing.

First, the US auto industry saw this day coming for years and years and continued to put off the needed changes. These changes include a change to smaller, far more fuel efficient vehicles and a major cutback on gas guzzlers and union pay. I won't take time to discuss my thoughts on Unions. For now, I'll leave it with the thought that, if you stopped working - would you like to be paid up to 95% of your salary even though you aren't working? Yeah, me too. Maybe I'll join the UAW. But - not that - not now.

The US auto industry should have made these changes years and years ago and yet neglected those changes. Now, they are ailing and need some help. I am very much against giving big companies big money to fix their big mistakes. But I'm starting to think that the auto industry could use a lesson being taught.

My hope is, the change from private jet flight to hybrid vehicle driving is barely a small first in a large line of changes that need/should take place in the industry.

While I don't believe the failure of one or more of 'The Big 3' will cause 2.5 Million job losses as has been reported, I do believe that there will be some economic fallout that will result. To stave off some of the bad times that could come, I'm starting to think we SHOULD bailout these big companies - BUT - only under strict terms, with heavy enforcement of said rules.

Further more, this bailout should be a loan only. I don't like the idea of the government getting a stake in these companies. In essence, the government is deciding for Joe Public, where he will be investing his money - that he hasn't even made yet. No thanks - I'll invest my own money in my own time in my own places.

If 'The Big 3' can accept strict rules and regulations, and the UAW went away, and the companies paid the money back - I'm thinking we should give them enough to restructure and start building what we want - instead of what they want. Thus preventing serious job losses and the economic Armageddon that has been so heavily pushed by the media.

Random issues

Here are a few thoughts:

#1 - turning your ankle is a bad idea.

#2 - Cleaning out your parents house is a little emotional, but not as bad as I thought it would be.

#3 - I am getting very excited for where the gas prices are, and where they should be going.

#4 - I got a raise at work and am VERY happy to have a job, in this bad economy.

#5 - Having a close family has no alternatives.

#6 - Uhaul has issues.

#7 - US Auto Makers need to learn their lesson by not getting any money.

#8 - I'm afraid that a pension bailout is on the way too. Soon, the government will take over all financials. That scares me.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I've got lots to say about several things, but I've been so busy at work that I haven't had a chance. I'll get back to it.

Will Washington "Abandon" Detroit?

Oh this gets my goat.

Today on the MSN homepage, is the headline: "Will Washington Abandon Detroit?"

What? Abandon?

I think the headline should read: "Republicans get smart - Auto Industry out of luck, out of time for needed change."

Washington isn't 'abandoning' detroit if they don't give them billions of dollars, anymore than washington is 'abandoning' ANY company by NOT giving them money. At what point did NOT giving away taxpayer money becoming 'abandoning'???

Truth is - the republicans just MIGHT get smart enough NOT to pass this. It is NOT the responsibility of the American Taxpayer to ensure a dinosaur business model and concept stay what some might consider 'viable'.

So where does the media, (in this case MSN) get the right to suggest such a thing? Whatever happened to impartial news? How is it that the news/media is allowed to comment on somethings, but choose not to on others?

The media was clearly part of the fear mongering / panic pushing that got the $700 Billion dollar bailout. Maybe they plan on switcing to be a 'bank' so that they can get money too??? And here they go again.

Chrysler's got a deal for you.

I'll preface this post with a quote from the article referenced:

"As a private company, Chrysler can do whatever it wants when it comes to compensating its executives."

Still....
http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/archive/2008/11/14/chrysler-gives-bonuses-asks-for-bailout.aspx

"The company had no idea that its industry was headed for collapse, ..." uh huh - its a company that makes cars. Cars use gas. Gas is from oil. Oil is a natural resource the likes of which are said to be dwindeling. Did they not know this? Did they not know that the world needs to move to a cleaner, more renewable power source? Maybe they missed the memo.

If indeed: "The industry is asking for $25 billion in low-cost government loans. " and it truly is loans, then perhaps this isn't such a big deal. But my guess? This will be a bailout just like the 'now-becoming-frequent' government intervention. In the end, the government will get a stake in the companies. And by 'government', I really mean, the American Taxpayer.

Oh to be an executive. Do nothing - get paid LOTS of cash - and walk away rich while the company goes under. Oh to be an executive.

$25 Billion wasn't enough, apparently

It appears Obama is 'taking charge' early, a shame he's pushing for the wrong things!

http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/archive/2008/11/13/obama-floats-50-billion-automaker-bailout.aspx

The auto industry requested a $25 Billion dollar bailout. How kind of our soon-to-be-president to double the offer and push for $50 Billion.

It must not be HIS money he is trying to spend - oh - thats right ... Its the taxpayers money.

My letter to Mike Simpson

The form that it allowed me to fill out had a static 'honorable Mike Simpson' preceeding the text field that allowed me to enter my comments. I wrote this:

-----------------------

Can I remove the 'Honorable' that preceeds your name from this letter? Because I surely do not honor anything about your recent voting habits.

I am DISGUSTED. Disgusted with the measures the government has taken to withdraw power from the people and place it squarely in the hands of corrupt politicians.

I have written you twice about being very saddened by your voting FOR this ... hmmm.. what should we call this obscene bill now? Cause it isn't a mortgage bailout bill. It isn't an economic recovery bill. It isn't a bank bailout bill.

oh - I know. Lets call it the 'Government at will' bill. That has a nice ring to it. Because really, you voted to give the government $700 BILLION taxpayers dollars FOR WHAT!?!?!?? They don't know - nobody knows because the government is just doing whatever the $*&@ they want with it!

THIS is what you voted for? THIS!!!!

I voted against you. I have no idea who I voted for but I voted against you.

Now the government wants to pay health care for the auto industry. What about MY health care - are you going to pay for mine? naw - you're probably too busy making backdoor deals with the auto industry - or the banking system - or, heck - probably working directly with satan!

So - after all that - I'll sum it up with this:

Please. Represent me. Stop representing yourself and the big business that is greasing your palm.

Represent me. Do something - ANYTHING - to make the people you pose to represent, proud of you.

- Johnathan


-----------------------


No, you don't have to be so explicit, so mean, so anything. But Please whatever you want to say - contact your representative today.

Democrats for auto industry bailout

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27686318

Wow - I've never owned stake in any car companies. Now I will! The deomcrats seem very willing to use my money to buy the auto industry. After all - they own the banking system - why not the auto industry. Lets see - I noticed Best Buy took a cut in their futures - I've never owned stake in that company either - maybe the government can buy into them.

Wait - I have any idea, how about the government buys ALL the businesses in the US! 'Cause they are WELL on their way.

What? You didn't want a stake in the natural resource hogging carbon dioxide spewing US auto industry. TOO BAD!

Please contact your representatives TODAY! Tell them what you think of all this crap! I'll even make it easy for you: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml.

Why are we keeping this woman alive?

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Nixzmarys-Mom-Gets-Up-to-43-Years-in-Prison.html

"The mother of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown was sentenced ... for doing nothing as the ... child lay dying in their home."

"Some jurors visibly cringed and wept when shown grim crime-scene photos from the room where Nixzmary was bound to a chair, starved and forced to urinate in a litter box. She was so malnourished when she died that she weighed only 36 pounds -- about half the weight of an average girl that age."

What in the !*#@ are we doing keeping this woman alive? WHY is the American taxpayer now going to have to PAY to #1 - keep the woman live, #2 - pay for all her meals, #1 - pay for the prison in which she will live, #4 - etc.. etc.. etc..??

WHAT??? WHY WHY WHY!!!

Consider this: a 7 year old girl, beaten to death by her mothers husband, Cesar Rodriguez. Why?

"He is serving 29 years on a manslaughter conviction for delivering the fatal blow after Nixzmary was caught stealing yogurt."

WHY are these two people being allowed to stay alive? A 7 year old little girl!!!

Why?

The only place I can find comfort in this is knowing that these two people will burn in hell. Burn In Hell! And for that I am grateful. May all who willingly injure children be swiftly thrust down to hell.

More government mind-changing

I .. AM .. LIVID!


"Troubled assets will not be purchased"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27677764

Remember back to the day when the government wanted to purchase bad assests off the books of big (dumb) companies? Remember when they touted a massive, ill-founded, american people despised financial bailout plan? Remember that 700 Billion dollars and the promises that were made? Remember how it was supposed to get the markets moving again?

Yeah, those were the good ol' days.

I know that I have previously mentioned how they were changing their minds and were planning on using some of the money on buying banks -- oops. I mean, buying stock in banks to bolster them up, but this is it now - This Is It.

"Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Wednesday the $700 billion government rescue program will not be used to purchase troubled assets as originally planned."

wow - i'm so surprised. NOT!

In fact, everything that was touted in the 700 Billion dollar bailout plan was absolute - complete - entirely - and totally .. GARBAGE. All of it. All. Of. It.

Our politicians, the ones that represent the people of America. The ones that we did (or did not) vote for. The people who DID NOT listen to the American people, in essance, passed a bill that now says 'the government can do whatever they want with 700 BILLION dollars'.

It's not a bailout bill anymore. It's not a mortgage bailout, not a bank bailout, not a big company bailout. Its now been changed to a 'do whatever they want'.

So what are we to do about it? Contact your representatives. Not that it will do us any good - we all saw how well they listened when they passed the horrid thing in the first place.

ugh.

I'm off to email my 'representative' (and that term is now VERY fluid).

Did you know you own part of AIG? -- again!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27640655

"The government on Monday provided new financial assistance to troubled insurance giant American International Group, including pouring $40 billion into the company "

GIVE * ME * A * BREAK

I'm really not so hot at math, and I try and avoid it most of the time. I have a computer for a reason - I have a calculator and Google. What more could I need when it comes to math?

But let me try:

According to the Motley Fool, AIG originally received $85B in bailout money. Apparently this was not enough, so they received another $37.8B in October. Now that November has rolled around, why don't we offer up another $40B, just to be safe. We'll re-evaluate a new amount to give AIG when December comes in, if we even make it that long.

Ok - so math... oh my head hurts... uh ---.. I think thats One Hundred Sixty Two (plus) BILLION dollars.

I'm sorry - I can't comprehend that. 162 Billion dollars is too much for me to understand. In the mean time: Congrats - you own lots of AIG now... Except you can't get your money back (nor had a say in giving it).

Something is wrong with our chlidren.

5:45am can't be normal. 5:45am is a bad time to start a day. 5:45am is exactly 35 minutes before my alarm goes off. 5:45am can't be a normal time for our children to start rolling out of bed.

There is something wrong with our children. Did we, as parents, do something wrong that gave our children the idea that they need to be getting up so early? Every morning, we fight the 'get up' time with all 3 of our older children, and here is the dilemma:

Our youngest, we try to keep asleep at least until 7:30a, preferably 8a. But at 6a, when the other kids have long since started to roll out of bed, I have to choose; do I keep them quite, but up? Or do I make them stay in bed until 7a (their normal, allowed, time to get up)? If I force them back to bed and they throw a big stink, they could wake up the baby. And that would be bad, too.

I recognize that in a number of years, the challenge will be reversed and we will be unable to get our children out of their beds in time for school. But for now, I can not understand what pushes them to get up so.dang.early.

If you have any ideas that do not involve chains, whips, gags, sleeping pills, medicine or sharp pops on the head, please feel free to share. Until now, we've been able to avoid the these methods, but golly - we sure would like to sleep in a few minutes past 6am...

Voting today

I've been hearing lots about the polls, been hearing a lot about Obama opening a wide lead. I've heard how McCain is hoping for a comeback/upset. Every news agency in the US has talked about the polls. But I think the polls will turn out to be quite skewed by the end of today.

I believe we are going to see a huge turnout of people voting FOR 'the black guy' or AGAINST the 'black guy' - what was his name again? Or voting FOR the female VP or AGAINST the female VP. Names don't matter- positions don't matter, affiliations don't matter.

It's a shame people think that way. The more I hear (am forced to hear about it), the more I am hearing Obamas name and I am getting the sense that he may take it. But at the same time, since we are voting for 'a black guy' or a 'female VP', I think the polls will not have gotten a full idea of all of the voters. My guess is the polls polled the same type of people they poll every election year, but this year there will be lots of 'other' people come out of the woodwork to vote and they have not been polled - probably ever.

So while I sense Obama make take the lead, I can't be sure and I SURELY dont trust any polls. I guess we'll know by the end of today.

yeah - I got spanked.

Last night, Monday Night Football, represented the last game of this week of Fantasy Football. wow. I got destroyed this week. Both of my teams failed miserably. The first team I created got a measly 43 points. 43 points! I have weeks where only two players can make that much!

A win with team 2 would have put m3 squarely in first place in my league. nope. I got beat - and bad! I note that this was not a good week for many fantasy teams, but both of my teams got beat 'extra' bad. Looking forward ---- looking - next week we'll hope for something a little better.

Fantasy Football

Last year, at the offering of a friend, I joined a Fantasy Football league for the first time in my life. I knew very little about it, and little enough about the NFL players to know that I was not going to do well. I got very lucky in the draft and picked up some pretty good players (namely Tom Brady) and ended up having a really good season. I ended 4th of ten due to a few really bad last matchups. But enjoyed it and setup at the beginning of this year too.

The first week was a nightmare - I had Tom Brady and he got injured early. It was clear that it was going to be a bad year for that team. So, at the end of that week, I quickly setup a new team, in a different league. With the players I got, I was excited for my possibilities.

It has not turned out well. My second team goes into this week 2nd of 10, but my first team is at a lowly 9th. After this week ends, I'm sure they will both drop even more. Last year must have truly been 'beginners luck'. I'll let you know how things continue through the rest of the season.

"It's because he doesn't love us!"

We asked the kids to go in and clean our daughters room today. I set my timer for 30 minutes and told them I would have to come in and boss them around until it was clean if they didn't have it done when my timer went off. They didn't get it done in the time frame so I stepped in the room and started telling them what they needed to do. After a bit, my daughter neared a nervous breakdown and started crying because she didn't want to clean anymore. I was sitting on the couch (next to her door) when she said "It's because he doesn't love us!"

Yeah - that's probably it. Oh, someday she'll understand that we do those things BECAUSE we love them.

Collect and Combine

I am shutting down my old blogs and going to combine them into this new blog. I have a link to each of those older blogs from my profile page. Posts regarding issues that normally would be added under those blogs will now be all combined into this new blog.

Everyone else is doing it.

I rarely do whatever everyone else is doing. But I suppose I can blog just like everyone else.