One Good thing about this Recession

As I sat upon my couch last night, quietly passing time with my wife, watching television, it occured to me that there is more than negative to this current recession. Oh sure, there is plenty of negative that can be spoke of, but I'm tired of the bad news, so, allow me to explain one good thing about this recession.

As one of my previous blogs noted, there are a LOT of bad television commercials out there. At times, the commercial will end and I stare, dumbfounded at the TV wondering - What the heck? I've never been much of a television watcher, not much of a 'boob tuber'. But I have noticed that commercials seemed to have been heading down a very dark road. No, the 'Dark Road' I refer to doesn't relate to 'Sex sells', as a catch phrase we all love to use, even though that is getting worse and worse.

No - What I'm referring to is the pure lack of quality of content. The commercials of last year were just plain bad all around. With very few 'shining stars', maybe that is why my TV watching hours plummeted last year.

Now, back to the point. So as I sat on my couch watching nothing particular, it hit me that commercials are getting good? Not just superbowl good, but good all around. The quality of the editing, the quality of the content (content is king), the quality all around. There were several commercials last night that literally had me LOLing.

Yes, finally, commercials are improving. The 'sore spots' are going away and more stand out as plain good commercials. For example, the Ocean Spray Cranberry commercials, already a bright spot, are getting even better. Last night the newest one I have seen shows the young boy with 'visual aids'. Funny, funny, funny.

Yes. Commercials are getting better and I believe it is directly related to the current recession. As companies have cut back funding for advertising, they have cut out all the lame riff-raff that built up in early 2008. If they are going to spend some very tight money on advertising, they are insisting on quality. This is very good for us watchers. Bad content gone - good content back. Further, commercials will continue to improve as the recession lessens and we begin to come around. Unfortunately, I'm sure this is a typical cycle the ad industry goes through so the days of really bad commercials will be back.

Maybe by then I'll just throw out our TV.

English!?

I refer you to my parents blog to read this:

http://csduncans.blogspot.com/2009/02/english.html

Absolutely hilarious!

Economic stimulus bill passes Senate hurdle

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29106540/

"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed to deliver a bill to President Barack Obama's desk within days, ..."

"He said passage would mark "the first step on the long road to recovery.""

I thought the first step was the passage of the $700 Billion screwup - I mean, bill.

"This is a spending bill, not a stimulus bill," said Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Republican.

I agree - this is just another chance for the government to approve additional spending at the cost of taxpayers, without any input by those same taxpayers.

Just wrong. It didn't work the first time, and we are paying for it - why would it work this time, at a significantly higher price tag? it won't.

Bailout Reloaded - Here we go, back.

I read this article today:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/JubaksJournal/on-the-way-a-bigger-broader-bailout.aspx

Bailout II: another attempt at saving the economy by using taxpayers' dollars. This will end the same way as the first. The author, Jim Jubak says:

" Paulson's Bailout I proposed that the government buy these assets, which was why it was called the Troubled Asset Relief Program. But when push came to shove, the Treasury abandoned the idea in favor of injecting capital directly into banks -- and insurance companies and credit card companies and the financing arms of car companies and . . . "

uh huh - so, they proposed, sold it, then changed their minds. Politics - government - nothing new.

ut now they are proposing it again - yes, the exact same concept as Bailout I. Anyone care to set odds on the changes of them actually doing what they say?

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.