Hi all,
Anyone who knows me knows that I hate North American cars - particularly Fords.
The Ford Motor Company deserves whatever happens to it and hopefully, what happens to it is nasty, puerile and smells bad. But look, Ford may actually survive what is going on right now, or they may not. Fair enough. If enough people exhibit sufficiently poor cognitive capabilities then they might, just maybe, buy Fords - in that case, the most evil company in the Universe might just, maybe, survive. OK. I can live with that. I might vomit every day for several years but it won't kill me in spite of the fact that everyone who works for Ford or is an executive there is clearly inspired by the Anti-Christ.
Not that I have an emotional attachment here.
But I digress. GM and Chrysler are the issue. GM needs to die. Chrysler too! We should not be spending money on these "corpse companies". Look, if we took $10,000,000,000.00 and invested it in the Employment Insurance plan , would we be able to pay extended EI benefits to all folks laid off if GM and Chrysler were to fold and that includes all the jobs related to "support industries". These guys have to get a clue.
Let me give you an example - here is an interview with the Environment Bozo at GM (a company which defines the phrase "deserves to die") http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/heat/interviews/lowery.html -what is really cool is the "caught in the headlights" look she has when asked about Toyota's advantage in the Hybrid drive train business. The whole show, worth watching is online at:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/heat/
Guess that is it for today. Update you all again soon!
Paul
Monday, February 23, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Well, we now know what Keith Olberman's favorite film is...
Hi everyone,
Let's start off with a great little clip from Countdown, one of my favorite all time political shows. Watch this right through to the end and then ask yourself "What is Keith Olberman's favorite film" - it has a be a favorite - he quoted it verbatim.
Yes, that's right folks - my good personal friend Keith clearly loves the Blues Brothers - he is quoting John Belushi begging Carrie Fisher (oh, be still my beating heart) for his life after leaving her standing at the alter.
Another fun little ditty from Friday's Countdown show - Alan Keyes - major league nutbar:
The only thing scarier that Keyes, is the fact that there are a number of people out there who believe that Obama somehow shouldn't be the President - primarily 'cause "he's a Muslim and isn't American". Well, I am going to make this easy for everyone - here is a copy of Barack Obama's birth certificate - McCain never released his but here is Obama's, released on his web site back during the campaign. Not one person has disputed its authenticity and this is considered an official government document (read the fine print on the bottom of the birth certificat, click it and read the fine print). Jeez - I guess that he was born in Hawaii and that is part of the US, ergo, he is an American Born Citizen, over 35 years old. Sounds like he is qualified to have the big job!
Oh, and the Supreme Court actually refused to hear this case when a similar nutbar brought it forward. When your ideas are not compelling, try lying instead - it doesn't help you at all but it is amusing to those of us who are rational.
Take care, gang. I am all blogged out!
Paul
Let's start off with a great little clip from Countdown, one of my favorite all time political shows. Watch this right through to the end and then ask yourself "What is Keith Olberman's favorite film" - it has a be a favorite - he quoted it verbatim.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Yes, that's right folks - my good personal friend Keith clearly loves the Blues Brothers - he is quoting John Belushi begging Carrie Fisher (oh, be still my beating heart) for his life after leaving her standing at the alter.
Another fun little ditty from Friday's Countdown show - Alan Keyes - major league nutbar:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
The only thing scarier that Keyes, is the fact that there are a number of people out there who believe that Obama somehow shouldn't be the President - primarily 'cause "he's a Muslim and isn't American". Well, I am going to make this easy for everyone - here is a copy of Barack Obama's birth certificate - McCain never released his but here is Obama's, released on his web site back during the campaign. Not one person has disputed its authenticity and this is considered an official government document (read the fine print on the bottom of the birth certificat, click it and read the fine print). Jeez - I guess that he was born in Hawaii and that is part of the US, ergo, he is an American Born Citizen, over 35 years old. Sounds like he is qualified to have the big job!
Oh, and the Supreme Court actually refused to hear this case when a similar nutbar brought it forward. When your ideas are not compelling, try lying instead - it doesn't help you at all but it is amusing to those of us who are rational.
Take care, gang. I am all blogged out!
Paul
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Back in blogland!
Hi everyone!
I have been remiss in terms of this blog for the past 10 days. I was travelling on a short New York vacation, and while I have been keeping my "Prague Blog" up to date - this one fell by the wayside for a little while. My apologies.
OK so, what is going on? Well, lots of good stuff. Barack Obama was here in Canada today - really, for a whole 5 hours!!! Actually, this is probably as it should be. These are the two largest trading partners in the world, sharing the longest undefended boarder, sharing a similar language (for the most part) and a similar culture (ditto) - it is a bit like a marriage. You need to spend time on maintenance but big dates are not necessarily required and the lack therein often forgiven.
Highlights of the visit:
I have been remiss in terms of this blog for the past 10 days. I was travelling on a short New York vacation, and while I have been keeping my "Prague Blog" up to date - this one fell by the wayside for a little while. My apologies.
OK so, what is going on? Well, lots of good stuff. Barack Obama was here in Canada today - really, for a whole 5 hours!!! Actually, this is probably as it should be. These are the two largest trading partners in the world, sharing the longest undefended boarder, sharing a similar language (for the most part) and a similar culture (ditto) - it is a bit like a marriage. You need to spend time on maintenance but big dates are not necessarily required and the lack therein often forgiven.
Highlights of the visit:
- Canada does, in fact, get to pull its troops out of Afghanistan in 2011 - even though we likely won't. Oh, by the way, Lou Dobbs of CNN fame, we have a higher percentage of our total troops in Afghanistan than you do - be nice, we are a really close friend, don't treat us otherwise
- Centralized North American Electric Grid - good idea. Old idea. Way past its prime. But a good idea and really necessary. If we are going to do this by the way, let's make it a Smart Grid
- Oil Sands - bad idea ecologically. Necessary evil as an interim step if we want the US to separate itself from "dicto-oil"
- NAFTA - leave well enough alone
- Barack Obama is really, really popular in Canada - something that his predecessor never was. Of course, he is many good things that his predecessor never was
OK, so Barack has come and gone - now onto NASA- some great news!!!! We have tentative missions to Jupiter and Saturn!!!!!!! This is so cool! OK, so, the brainiacs at NASA and ESA have both been thinking about missions to Jupiter (primarily Europa) and Saturn (primarily Titan) . They have come up with a joint approach which includes two probes to Jupiter (Jupiter Europa - NASA, Jupiter Ganymede - ESA) and a combined effort to Saturn. A link is available, the reading is great: http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=27587
Came across a great interview between PBS NOVA staff and everyone's favorite Conan - the Governator: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/energy/governator.html. Every person who has dismissed this fellow has regretted it. He is a smart guy and is onto something. His approach is very similar to Tom Friedman, someone I have also discussed here with respect to his book Hot, Flat and Crowded.
Well, before I go I feel that must address some sort of religion thing and to that end, I give you some sort of religion thing
This thing doesn't register with me in a way that leaves me with the ability to laugh or cry. I guess I will be simple and say that "you get what you pay for" and, if that is correct, then the word of the lord God is now priced at $39.98. You get what you pay for.
Well, guess that is it for tonight - I will update again, very soon.
Share and enjoy!
Paul
Monday, February 9, 2009
An update and a note to the lovely and talented Karen
Hi all,
You will notice on my last blog I had some published comments. An old friend, Karen, posted me - I believe from across the pond and I would like to take a moment to address a note to her.
"Karen, note received and I am me. Send me your email address (pmackin1959@gmail.com) and we can collaborate as the good lord intended!"
Well, maybe the good lord thinks this is a bad idea but since I don't believe in him, who cares!
Now, onto our regularly scheduled blog!
Running, weight and blood pressure still good, details at http://mackin-prague-2008.blogspot.com/ - that would be the fitness part of the blog dealt with. Note: there will be another chapter of So Fatso, Want to Run a Marathon with Me? with me before the end of March. Stay tuned!
Canadian Politics - my prediction: The Harper Government will fall by year end to be replaced with an Ignatieff government - I do believe that the Carbon tax will make a, very necessary, return. Stay tuned.
US Politics - Obama has a tough road ahead of him with the Conservatives (are there any non-Conservative Republicans left?) but he has the ability to push things through and needs to do it. The world needs this stimulus package and they need to avoid a pending trade war - again, stay tuned.
NASA - much confusion, check out http://www.spacepolitics.com/ - my big thing is that the initial public facing efforts of the Ares program are starting to show themselves. Stay the course, extend the Shuttle and get back to the Moon! Also, you should be aware that HBO Canada is reshowing From the Earth to the Moon in High Definition. If you have never seen this series then you should - I will say no more!
Got to go but I will commit to you all that I will update this blog a little more frequently than I have been. Stay tuned and be cool!
Paul
You will notice on my last blog I had some published comments. An old friend, Karen, posted me - I believe from across the pond and I would like to take a moment to address a note to her.
"Karen, note received and I am me. Send me your email address (pmackin1959@gmail.com) and we can collaborate as the good lord intended!"
Well, maybe the good lord thinks this is a bad idea but since I don't believe in him, who cares!
Now, onto our regularly scheduled blog!
Running, weight and blood pressure still good, details at http://mackin-prague-2008.blogspot.com/ - that would be the fitness part of the blog dealt with. Note: there will be another chapter of So Fatso, Want to Run a Marathon with Me? with me before the end of March. Stay tuned!
Canadian Politics - my prediction: The Harper Government will fall by year end to be replaced with an Ignatieff government - I do believe that the Carbon tax will make a, very necessary, return. Stay tuned.
US Politics - Obama has a tough road ahead of him with the Conservatives (are there any non-Conservative Republicans left?) but he has the ability to push things through and needs to do it. The world needs this stimulus package and they need to avoid a pending trade war - again, stay tuned.
NASA - much confusion, check out http://www.spacepolitics.com/ - my big thing is that the initial public facing efforts of the Ares program are starting to show themselves. Stay the course, extend the Shuttle and get back to the Moon! Also, you should be aware that HBO Canada is reshowing From the Earth to the Moon in High Definition. If you have never seen this series then you should - I will say no more!
Got to go but I will commit to you all that I will update this blog a little more frequently than I have been. Stay tuned and be cool!
Paul
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
World Community Grid Stats
