PAUL RANTS

Posted by Paul at November 20th, 2008

Why does General Motors still make Buicks?

Is there really any demand left for Oldsmobiles?

Seriously. GM has a quarter of the market share they had when I was a kid, but in all those years they never stopped making Buicks and Oldmobiles — that nobody buys.

And who does Ford think they’re fooling with the Taurus? A Ford Taurus with all the extras costs two thousand dollars more than another, better, equally loaded car in the same class, the Toyota Avalon. And the Avalon comes with the Toyota brand, well known for quality. The Taurus comes with… what exactly?

But instead of allowing these companies to fail, taxpayers are expected to write them a big fat check. That way, all those responsible for driving the world’s biggest auto companies in to the ground will keep their jobs, and um, restructure.

Restructure? Shouldn’t they have done that 15 years ago? It’s our fault they became bloated and refused to innovate, that they chose to ignore hybrid and clean fuel technology in favor of gas guzzling trucks? It’s our fault their employees jobs are now at risk?

UPDATE: GM hybrid due in late 2010 Nine years after the Prius.

Posted by Paul at November 5th, 2008

We have witnessed a stunning rise to power. Nobody knew who Barack Obama was a few years ago – this lanky, confident newcomer to the national scene, with his impressive speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention. No one could have guessed he would launch such a well organized, lucrative campaign. Never mind McCain and the legacy of Bush; what kind of grit and focus does it take to rise from the ranks and beat the Clintons at their own game, on their own turf? To become the 44th President of the United States against every conceivable personal attack, including outright racism and accusations of treason? With the middle name Hussein. In a nation culturally and politically divided.

There has been no one of his background before, no one who climbed as quickly, no one who raised as much money, no one who attracted such big crowds.

Sure, he was in the right place at the right time. The economic meltdown helped him win. And sure, George W. Bush was a pretty bad president. But this is something that didn’t seem possible in my lifetime. Yet he’s my age. It’s hard not to be proud. But I don’t envy him. He carries our dreams.