Happy New Year!

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Sometimes we have felt like we were spinning out of control this year. I wish we had looked this good while we were at it. Life (and Space) can be beautiful no matter what happens...Spiral Galaxy (Hubble telescope pic)






We have an interesting year to come in 2009.

The Sombrero Galaxy
(Hubble telescope pic)

Good luck to all in every endeavor you attempt...

It's Christmas Time, Again

Christmas time is here again. Gifts will be given, lights will be strung, and people everywhere will have good-will in their hearts. This year people will be cutting back because of the economy. Less spending is not good for the overall financial health of our nation, but maybe reining in the extravagance will be good for our mental and personal health. Christmas giving has gotten to be way too much anyway. Maybe the crisis on Wall Street, with the banking industry, and with the Big Three automakers has made us look at ourselves and made us realize we are indeed a nation of excess. Even people who are not in fear of loosing their jobs are cutting back and are spending less. This could be a good thing...

The gift of helping others may get a big boost, especially when we see how lucky we really are, and how we need to stick together to get through this financial mess.

Good wishes to all, and peace on earth...

Senate Balks at Bailout

The auto industry bailout is not a done deal. The UAW has refused to give concessions in pay and benefits. At one time I would have applauded the UAW move, but watching more and more Americans lose their jobs has given me less tolerance for the highly paid auto worker.

I look at how much a policeman makes, or a teacher...

and I wonder...is this fair??

If the auto industry wants to be competitive, the auto industry will have to be like any other business and trim it's budget when necessary. Don't expect the rest of the country to be sympathetic when the rest of us have to deal with budget cuts as a way of life.

I realize that there is a trickle down effect. When the auto industry doesn't prosper, it effects many others down the road. The industry needs to realize that there are many others (who do not make the guaranteed high wages) who are effected by their industry. Somehow I don't think these lower paid workers are very happy when the auto workers aren't willing to give a little during times like these.

My Dad was a "Ford Man"

My father was a loyal "Ford Man." He couldn't understand why anyone would want to buy any other kind of car. He often preached "Buy American."

Is that so wrong?

But what about free enterprise? Choice? Getting to buy the best product for the money?

No one wants to encourage protectionism in the global economy of today, but should we offer incentives to buy American? Maybe instead we should just encourage the auto industry to make a car we would be interested in buying. If the problem is the auto industry's lack of responding to the market, why are we bailing them out???

Americans should be just as proud to say they bought a new Ford as my father used to be. The know-how is there, the research is there, and the ability to make a more fuel efficient car is there.

Get with it, Big Three.

GM, Chrysler, Ford Bailout

The Federal Government has somewhat agreed to the bailout of GM, Chrysler, and to lesser extent Ford. Everyone has their hand out. What we must not forget is that we, the taxpayers, will be paying for the mismanagement of these huge companies.

No one wants to see these companies go under or to see jobs lost; but a lot of belt tightening is necessary and changes have to be made.

If the Federal Government is expected to bail out all these companies, what is expected in return? Do these companies want to be publicly owned or do they simply want to be rescued every time the books can't be balanced? There must be accountability. Their new partners (The Fed and the American taxpayer) deserve to have input to what they are planning. Since Chrysler didn't learn from past mistakes, why do we expect them to do any better this time.

The "Big Three" need to wake up. How can they be so out of step with what we want in a car? Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Audi, VW, Honda...How do they stay afloat?

Every business has layoffs. How can we justify the "job bank" for auto workers, when other Americans are simply out of work and having to look for a new job. Maybe benefits and wages need adjusted or frozen. I work under a "topping out" system of salaries...I don't like it, but I still have a job.

We all need to balance our books; that has been our problem as a country. We keep spending regardless of our resources. This should remind us all that eventually the piper has to be payed.