Despite my evil ranting sometimes, I really can be pretty generous with nice things too. ;-)
Here's my free advice to GM, if only they would listen.
1. Do away with Buick. Seriously. Anything that sounds like vomiting is a bad idea. If the old people want "luxury" let them buy a Cadillac.
2. Do away with GMC. All of those cars are just the same as Chevys with different skin. Wasteful repetition.
3. Do away with Hummer. They were just a fad, a passing fancy, mostly for guys who were trying to compensate for lacking something.
4. Do away with Saab. Boring. Nothing special.
5. Do away with Pontiac. This is a little painful for me since I grew up in Pontiacs, and I still have my first car, a 1978 Firebird. But Pontiac has pretty much become more redundancy and nothing very exciting.
6. Keep Cadillac. There will always be some market for luxury, even in a bad economy. Hey, I'd buy an Escalade if I wanted to take on making car payments again, but my car is paid for and that's too good to change right now.
7. Keep Corvette. This is a no-brainer, but they really need to improve their marketing for it. These are consistently highly rated and good performers. But they are also pretty good with fuel mileage. GM should emphasize this fact. Advertise that getting good mileage will never look or feel better, or something like that. Mine can get 30 mpg on long trips and between 22-24 in the 'city', depending on how I drive. ;-)
8. Keep Saturn. Give it a chance. I'm not too familiar with them except the Sky, which is stunningly cute. The other Saturns I've seen on the road don't look so bad.
9. And of course, keep Chevrolet, at least most of them. Maybe eliminate the duds that just haven't moved. And keep the planned 2010 Camaro reintroduction. There is a nostalgia market for that.
Eliminating so many lines will of course result in lots of lay-offs, but that's just the way it will have to be. There is no market for so many cars and it just can't be sustainable for all those people to keep getting paid to make what isn't wanted or needed. As I suggested previously, if the UAW thinks it is so indispensable then let them buy out some of the lines that GM needs to shed.
Obviously, I don't like these bailouts in the guise of "loans" to companies that haven't operated profitably for a long time because of their own bad decisions and poor planning. I do feel a little sorry for the actual factory workers who will lose their jobs, but then again, how bad can you feel for people who have pretty much been babied and coddled in a world that isn't realistic? I've toured the Corvette assembly plant, and some of those people are paid $30+ an hour plus excessive benefits for steering a machine that tightens some nuts and bolts and that's about it.
Maybe the workers should file some class action lawsuits against their stupid bosses? That would be better than demanding money from the government.
Times are tough for all of us. But it can get better if everyone gets their heads out of their asses and accepts that they will have to adapt and adjust instead of expecting everything to always stay the same.
Showing posts with label advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advice. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Hot, Close, and Real
Mood swings, market swings.
Okay, here are my simple solutions.
1. The US automakers really should switch from making so many cars to making parts for new power plants. If we really want to get serious about "energy independence" then we can't really afford to pussy-foot around about it. Do it now. Like right now, not next month or next year. Duh!
2. Forget about "redistributing wealth". There isn't any wealth left to redistribute. Essentially, all the wealth was illusion anyway that has vanished now.
3. Stop lowering the interest rates. How many times do they have to fail to figure out that something isn't working? All those times that Greenspan lowered the rates over the last few years only increased the problems instead of helping anything. You know, in 1990 when I bought my first car the interest rate was 12.9%. As it should have been for someone just getting out of school and just beginning a new job and not having earned better rates with an established credit history. And guess what? I survived. Higher interest rates are a "natural" control over too much credit being extended.
4. Stop pushing people to keep borrowing. Didn't anyone ever listen to their grandparents' advice? Sure, credit is necessary for big purchases like cars and homes, but come on people, stop freaking living on credit! Make do. It's possible and it's necessary.
more to come...
Okay, here are my simple solutions.
1. The US automakers really should switch from making so many cars to making parts for new power plants. If we really want to get serious about "energy independence" then we can't really afford to pussy-foot around about it. Do it now. Like right now, not next month or next year. Duh!
2. Forget about "redistributing wealth". There isn't any wealth left to redistribute. Essentially, all the wealth was illusion anyway that has vanished now.
3. Stop lowering the interest rates. How many times do they have to fail to figure out that something isn't working? All those times that Greenspan lowered the rates over the last few years only increased the problems instead of helping anything. You know, in 1990 when I bought my first car the interest rate was 12.9%. As it should have been for someone just getting out of school and just beginning a new job and not having earned better rates with an established credit history. And guess what? I survived. Higher interest rates are a "natural" control over too much credit being extended.
4. Stop pushing people to keep borrowing. Didn't anyone ever listen to their grandparents' advice? Sure, credit is necessary for big purchases like cars and homes, but come on people, stop freaking living on credit! Make do. It's possible and it's necessary.
more to come...
Too Hot, Too Close, Too Real
This is the mantra that I use to fight off the thoughts I should not entertain. Not that it always works, but the more I do it the easier it gets. Whether or not it actually solves anything isn't really the point, I guess. But maybe the lesson here is that sometimes it's better to pretend things don't really exist or matter, or at least to tell yourself that those things are too intense and overwhelming to approach, even in your mind. I guess it's kind of like when all the elitist "experts" tell the average people not to talk or offer ideas about things they can't possibly understand enough to have a valid opinion. So, the next time I'm tempted to offer any kind of commentary or solutions to all the big problems in the world, I'll just say "too hot, too close, too real" and leave it at that. ;-)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Congressional Term Limits
It just hit me. The best solution and prevention of Congressional corruption and inefficacy is term limits. Let's demand it! Sign a petition if you like.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Coaster Let-down
One should be careful to be less like the Dragster and more like the Millennium Force (or at least like Thunderhead). ;-)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Hot Chocolate
I got this in an email and decided to post it since I haven't been posting much lately, and I like it.
A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a
reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now
retired. During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about
stress in their work, and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the
professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot
chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain
looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to
the hot chocolate.
When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said,
"Notice that all the nice looking , expensive cups were taken, leaving
behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only
the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.
The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot
chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even
hides what we drink. What all of you wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup;
but you consciously went for the best cups...and then you began eyeing each
other's cups.
Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position
in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life.
The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have.
Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate
God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cup.
The happiest people don't have the best of everything.
They just make the best of everything that they have.
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
And enjoy your hot chocolate!
(I think I'll have a cup of that now, with a shot or two of Kahlua. ;-) )
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Dancing Indian Condoms
I think they should be running this Safe Sex video on MTV. ;-)
(update: thought of better title)
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Homemaking 101
Some of my favorite modern homemaking products:
Glad Press'n Seal Wrap
This stuff is just awesome. It's so much better than old fashioned "saran wrap" and Glad says that there are 1000s of uses for it. Well, I don't have time to explore all those, but I can imagine that you can use it for almost anything. I certainly like it and have invented some new uses for myself, such as wrapping wet paint rollers to keep them from drying out while I take a break from painting. Anyway, this is a kind of big step in the evolution of materials for homemakers. ;-)
Swiffer Dusters
These really do work. They pick up all the dust, and it clings to the duster so that it doesn't fall off so that it has to be dusted again immediately. ;-) In other words, they don't just move the dust around and if you just want to do a quick dusting without using furniture spray/wax and a cloth they work great. I've dusted with them just about everywhere, but one caution would be to avoid any delicate items with parts that might get caught on the fibers and fall. My friend broke a favorite collectible when using one a little carelessly.
The Swiffer wet mops are okay, but my floorspace is pretty big and it's inefficient to use them here. I'm usually not a big fan of disposable cleaning products because they seem wasteful and unnecessary, like the disposable toilet brushes. Sure, cleaning toilets is a yucky job, but if the cleaner you use is supposed to kill 99.9% of the germs in the toilet wouldn't it also kill 99.9% of the germs on the brush? It's just a waste of money and resources to use the disposable ones, but who am I to judge people if they want to waste their money on such things? Anyway, the Swiffer dusters might be a modern indulgence, but in my household they are efficient ones. ;-)
Scrubbing Bubbles
I love, love, love Scrubbing Bubbles. And you don't have to keep them confined to the bathroom. They work anywhere. I've even cleaned the inside of the car with them. Yeah, sure, they are chemicals in a spray can, but if they work great that's what really matters. They have been around for a really long time, and I recall the old commercials for them when I was a kid. "We do the work so you don't have tooooooo...." is what they said as they slid down the drain. Cute. In all my years of testing new cleaning products, I've found nothing that is better than Scrubbing Bubbles.
The next installment in the Homemaking series will discuss my favorite floor cleaning machines. I have a particular penchant for these kinds of things.
Glad Press'n Seal Wrap
This stuff is just awesome. It's so much better than old fashioned "saran wrap" and Glad says that there are 1000s of uses for it. Well, I don't have time to explore all those, but I can imagine that you can use it for almost anything. I certainly like it and have invented some new uses for myself, such as wrapping wet paint rollers to keep them from drying out while I take a break from painting. Anyway, this is a kind of big step in the evolution of materials for homemakers. ;-)
Swiffer Dusters
These really do work. They pick up all the dust, and it clings to the duster so that it doesn't fall off so that it has to be dusted again immediately. ;-) In other words, they don't just move the dust around and if you just want to do a quick dusting without using furniture spray/wax and a cloth they work great. I've dusted with them just about everywhere, but one caution would be to avoid any delicate items with parts that might get caught on the fibers and fall. My friend broke a favorite collectible when using one a little carelessly.
The Swiffer wet mops are okay, but my floorspace is pretty big and it's inefficient to use them here. I'm usually not a big fan of disposable cleaning products because they seem wasteful and unnecessary, like the disposable toilet brushes. Sure, cleaning toilets is a yucky job, but if the cleaner you use is supposed to kill 99.9% of the germs in the toilet wouldn't it also kill 99.9% of the germs on the brush? It's just a waste of money and resources to use the disposable ones, but who am I to judge people if they want to waste their money on such things? Anyway, the Swiffer dusters might be a modern indulgence, but in my household they are efficient ones. ;-)
Scrubbing Bubbles
I love, love, love Scrubbing Bubbles. And you don't have to keep them confined to the bathroom. They work anywhere. I've even cleaned the inside of the car with them. Yeah, sure, they are chemicals in a spray can, but if they work great that's what really matters. They have been around for a really long time, and I recall the old commercials for them when I was a kid. "We do the work so you don't have tooooooo...." is what they said as they slid down the drain. Cute. In all my years of testing new cleaning products, I've found nothing that is better than Scrubbing Bubbles.
The next installment in the Homemaking series will discuss my favorite floor cleaning machines. I have a particular penchant for these kinds of things.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Composition and Style 1
I know that my own writing skills have diminished since my school days and that I've slipped into some casual habits that aren't exactly considered 'good writing.' However, in this case, do as I say and not as I do. ;-)
I was fortunate to have some excellent teachers over the years who left me with some strong literary pet peeves. Their focus of instruction was teaching us how to communicate effectively and efficiently. They were wise enough to recognize the little tricks students used to fulfill their word count requirements for essays, etc., without actually saying much of substance. Sometimes that Dickensish flourish of phrases and words is fun and okay, but in general it's best to limit accessory and transitional phrases, especially when using them presents rather illogical connections.
Two of the most common culprits in transitional error are the phrases "needless to say" and "it goes without saying." If it is "needless" or "goes without saying" then don't say it. This was the rule I was taught, and it very much appeals to my logical thinking. The argument presented by my teachers was that when you use those phrases you are essentially nullifying whatever comes next although the intention is to say that something is obvious. Their solution to this problem was to simply use "obviously" or "apparently" or some other single word (or none at all and just say what you are going to say) that is more accurate in describing your next thought. These teachers wanted to instruct us on how to make sure every word we used was essential and supportive of the ideas we were trying to express. Word economy is perhaps a good description of this idea.
For example, here is part of the above message rewritten using those transitions so you can see how it changes the tone and effectiveness:
Hmm, see how annoying and clumsy that sounds? Also, using those phrases gives a tone of condenscension and pretension, even if that is not the intention.
Well, I know I sound like a hard-ass about it, and I'm sorry if that is offensive to anyone. I don't mean any offense at all. I'm just trying to play "English teacher" here and share some of the great things I learned many years ago.
I was fortunate to have some excellent teachers over the years who left me with some strong literary pet peeves. Their focus of instruction was teaching us how to communicate effectively and efficiently. They were wise enough to recognize the little tricks students used to fulfill their word count requirements for essays, etc., without actually saying much of substance. Sometimes that Dickensish flourish of phrases and words is fun and okay, but in general it's best to limit accessory and transitional phrases, especially when using them presents rather illogical connections.
Two of the most common culprits in transitional error are the phrases "needless to say" and "it goes without saying." If it is "needless" or "goes without saying" then don't say it. This was the rule I was taught, and it very much appeals to my logical thinking. The argument presented by my teachers was that when you use those phrases you are essentially nullifying whatever comes next although the intention is to say that something is obvious. Their solution to this problem was to simply use "obviously" or "apparently" or some other single word (or none at all and just say what you are going to say) that is more accurate in describing your next thought. These teachers wanted to instruct us on how to make sure every word we used was essential and supportive of the ideas we were trying to express. Word economy is perhaps a good description of this idea.
For example, here is part of the above message rewritten using those transitions so you can see how it changes the tone and effectiveness:
Needless to say, these teachers wanted to instruct us on how to make sure every word we used was essential and supportive of the ideas we were trying to express. It goes without saying, word economy is a good description of this idea.
Hmm, see how annoying and clumsy that sounds? Also, using those phrases gives a tone of condenscension and pretension, even if that is not the intention.
Well, I know I sound like a hard-ass about it, and I'm sorry if that is offensive to anyone. I don't mean any offense at all. I'm just trying to play "English teacher" here and share some of the great things I learned many years ago.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Why I Love Blogging
1. It's where I can express all my wild ideas and opinions. Back in the day before widespread personal computing and Internet access and blogging, I used to joke with my friends that I'd love to have a newspaper column called, "My Totally Worthless Opinion" because back then for wannabe writers that was as close to blogging as you could hope for. Now I'm a Vicious Momma Hoe and can spread my worthless opinions indiscriminately into the Internet dimension for anyone who cares to catch them. ;-)
2. I've met people from all over the world. How cool this that?! Very! :-) And that they are, for the most part, highly intelligent, educated, and friendly to me is incredibly amazing. Wow, I'm just a housewife in Tennessee, but blogging has put me in touch with people in all walks of life all across the globe. Twenty years ago I never even dreamed of such possibilities!
3. There's an endless supply of amusement about what people are Googling. Example: What happens if your whisker biscuit gets bent. I sometimes feel bad about laughing at these searches because someone is really trying to find out how to fix a bent whisker biscuit. But I just cannot even read the term "whisker biscuit" without cracking up. So, for anyone whose whisker biscuit is bent, I'm very sorry and I sure do hope you find a way to fix it. But I also thank you for giving me a nice chuckle. By the way, my whisker biscuit hasn't ever been bent, that I know of ;-), but I'd say that if it happens it will disrupt aiming accuracy.
Also there have been lots of searches for how to roast pork. My only advice is to take your time. Slow cooking at lower temperatures is the secret to tender, juicy roasts.
2. I've met people from all over the world. How cool this that?! Very! :-) And that they are, for the most part, highly intelligent, educated, and friendly to me is incredibly amazing. Wow, I'm just a housewife in Tennessee, but blogging has put me in touch with people in all walks of life all across the globe. Twenty years ago I never even dreamed of such possibilities!
3. There's an endless supply of amusement about what people are Googling. Example: What happens if your whisker biscuit gets bent. I sometimes feel bad about laughing at these searches because someone is really trying to find out how to fix a bent whisker biscuit. But I just cannot even read the term "whisker biscuit" without cracking up. So, for anyone whose whisker biscuit is bent, I'm very sorry and I sure do hope you find a way to fix it. But I also thank you for giving me a nice chuckle. By the way, my whisker biscuit hasn't ever been bent, that I know of ;-), but I'd say that if it happens it will disrupt aiming accuracy.
Also there have been lots of searches for how to roast pork. My only advice is to take your time. Slow cooking at lower temperatures is the secret to tender, juicy roasts.
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