Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Against Toyota, GM Needs to Mind the Gap

A good look at the other gap, the price discount that GM has to have just to compete with Toyota.

Friday, February 24, 2006

U.S. missile defense radar passes test

Spoke too soon. Good thing we're wasting our money something useless and ineffective when we could be tagging containers or something important.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

WSJ.com - Security Gaps Already Plague Ports

What is the deal with this? Why does Homeland Security not take this seriously. On a related, but not germane poiunt, what happened to the anti-missile plan?

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Tribune committee approves 3.1% raise for FitzSimons | Crain's Chicago Business

Ridiculous. The way that the CEOs of this country are ripping the people off. What about the stock options and "other compensation"? It's basically moved from an "ownership society" like the Prez wants to the "make the rich richer" society. This country has always prided itself as a meritocracy and one where individuals get to rise to the top. Here it looks like a payoff.

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Blagojevich coming to Stroger's aid | Crain's Chicago Business

Makes for strange bedfellows :) I don't think this is good for Claypool. I wish I knew what was really going on in the backrooms with Stroger, the Mayor, Claypool, and Blago. It seems that their are too many coincidences, but I can't seem to make the story come out right.
Administration Critics Chafe at State Dept. Shuffle

The strategic problem with this is the loyalty of the bureaucracy is being tested from what's best for the country to what's best for the Bush Administration. Obviously there is going to be infighting and political disputes, but the way that they have been undermining decades of Department protocol is bad for the department, bad for the President and worst of all for the country.

Thursday, February 16, 2006

A Way to Cut Fuel Consumption That Everyone Likes, Except the Politicians - New York Times

This is a great/old idea. It is politically difficult to implement and needs to gain traction with someone with the guts and the political experience to get it through Washington. An ex-President or some senior Senatros in Congress could at least get the conversation started. Some one with no further political ambitions and a true patriot.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

FRONTLINE: the meth epidemic: map - the reach of meth | PBS

I know it's beating a dead horse, but I can't help myself .... check out this map. It show the progression of Meth through the US from the West Coast to the East. Surprise, surprise Congress won't do anything about it because no one in NYC or DC knows about Meth. Not that I read everything, but their has only been one major article about Meth that I have read in the last decade (New Yorker piece about gays, Internet, and Meth).

My only problem with this wonderful documentary is how this balances against other Frontlines that feature drugs, like the Drug Wars. Does this mean that Frontline is against Meth, but for decriminalizing all drugs? I know, different directors and different documentaries, but a little inconsistent?
Changes Ahead for a Theater Near You - New York Times

This sounds great, although folks that don't have access to the Internet (or wouldn't even think about buying a movie ticket using a computer) will have a tough time adjusting. it might be easier to get folks used to the idea of reserved seating first?
Three Killed as Pakistani Cartoon Protests Intensify

I'm sure someone has written about this already, but IMHO, these protests are based in somethig other than the Koran, Cartoons and Muhammed. It's the anger toward those that have more. It's anger about their living conditions and poor prospects. Not that they know what else their is, but that they know it can't be worse than what they got. Or could these lines of anger be geared toward the West regarding something else?

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Bush's Social Security Sleight of Hand

He tried to sneak this thru the new budget? Where's the front page headline on this? This is huge and maybe the final stake in the heart of the New Deal. Not to say that this will go through Congress, but this underhanded way of doing this only buries the Prez more.
Boehner Rents Apartment Owned by Lobbyist in D.C.

Cronyism in Washington? I hope that this engenders some real reform. Whatever ....

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Tribune chief's pay outpaces company performance | Chi-Town Daily News

This is a great article. I've always been fascinated by performance and pay. While the President can destroy the world he's paid a relatively small sum, even counting the speeches afterward, he's probably still making a lot less than FitzSimmons.

BTW, shame on the Trib for likking this story. It's a good one that seems fair and well-balanced.

Monday, February 06, 2006

Terrapins Hang In There, Then Fall to Wolfpack:

"'We were right there in the end,' Strawberry said. 'If we had done a couple things to tighten up, we definitely could have won this game. As long as we play hard, we can play with anyone in the country. We played hard today.'"

This guy is looking like he's in the Big Dance. The problem is that they have got to get 20 wins and go .500 in the Conference. We need some wins and can't lose to the Clemsons and Miami's of the ACC.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Utah Town Has Question About President: 'What's Not to Like?'

An good look at the political life in small town America. Makes you think about what life in the rural areas are like.

I saw a movie, the Real Dirt on Farmer John this weekend.

http://www.therealdirt.net/

It was good, but I had some serious reservations. First is that this is a total ad for his business in some ways. That being said, it is effective and the thought behind CSAs is a good one. The other thing is that he is a true non-conformist in a small town. The cunundrum is interesting because at one point the film laments the loss of small town rural farmers, and later the film criticizes the small-mindedness of the community. The paradox is worth examining more, but the film fails to do that. This is true of many places where individuals and the community are at odds. Main Street is a great novel that exposes this conflict in a small Minnesota town.