Holy Week.
NPR, Gary Keillor, The Nation editor Mistress Katrina Von Hoofenderfloogle, Kief Ubermann and the We Are the World Usual Suspects are getting the vapors in anticipation of the most holy event of our lifetime: the Installation of Pope Barack I. Keillor on a recent Prairie Home Angst, retold the Gospel story of the sojourn of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem as that of Michelle and Barack to Washington. We agree with the National Review, such an analogy is just creeeepy. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Alexander, chair of African-American Studies at Yale, has been tapped to deliver the Inaugural Poem. According to a background piece at the Atlanta Constitution-Journal, her credentials are steeped in art and politics , the politics of art, and the art of politics. Ahh, shall we close our eyes and swoon in rapture to verses of neo-Socialist Realism? The baking of bread as a political statement? A Man and His Tractor? Will the cornicopia of ethnogendercreeds be given each a moment in the sun during the soliloquy? We'll have a big box of Kleenex on hand to soak up our tears of joy. We will also have box on hand to soak up the tears of grief as the Super-Colossal Extravagonzo Stimulus Cheese Wheel is rolled down Capitol Hill.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
An Early Warning.
It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man who knows what the law is today can guess what it will be to-morrow.
--James Madison (likely), Federalist No. 62, 1788
(courtesy Patriot Post)
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Blockbuster Events of 2008.
Our top four picks for the most universe-disturbing* stories of the year:
Our top four picks for the most universe-disturbing* stories of the year:
- The massive deleveraging of the financial system, the huge devaluing of most financial assets, and the long-coming cardiac arrest of a credit-gorged economy. It was fun while it lasted, eh?
- President-Elect Barack Obama. Hooda thunk it?
- Success in Iraq. Although you could have missed it for the lack of news coverage.
- Turning 50, and the associated psychological seismic activity.
*And indeed there will be time
To wonder, “Do I dare?” and, “Do I dare?”
Time to turn back and descend the stair,
With a bald spot in the middle of my hair —
[They will say: “How his hair is growing thin!”]My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin,
My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin — [They will say: “But how his arms and legs are thin!”]
Do I dare Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse.
- T.S. Eliot, from the Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Rejoice!Isaiah 61:10
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my whole being shall exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Have a Blessed Twelve Days of Christmas!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Impressionable Elites.
This is the term used by Mark Penn, author of "Microtrends", to describe the very busy, wealthy and powerful who can no longer exploit information directly, but now rely on gut and impression, friends' views and opinions, and the judgement of others. Penn suggests that the behavior of this group was an essential catalyst for the Madoff debacle.
This is the term used by Mark Penn, author of "Microtrends", to describe the very busy, wealthy and powerful who can no longer exploit information directly, but now rely on gut and impression, friends' views and opinions, and the judgement of others. Penn suggests that the behavior of this group was an essential catalyst for the Madoff debacle.
Monday, December 22, 2008
The Pope Salutes Astronomy.
Pope Benedict XVI praised the work of scientists in commemoration of the International Year of Astronomy:
Pope Benedict XVI praised the work of scientists in commemoration of the International Year of Astronomy:
...If the heavens, in the beautiful words of the psalmist, 'tell of the glory of God', the laws of nature, which many scientists have studied over the years giving us an ever-better understanding of them, are a great incentive to contemplate the works of the Lord with gratitude".
We would not doubt that John Paul II and Galileo are now in a smiling embrace.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God."Luke 1:26-38
Gabriel has told Mary what is to come to pass - she is to bear a son who will inherit the throne of David. Mary puts her trust in God and commits her life to his service. May we summon an epsilon of such faith and commitment to God.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Good News for Michigan Cigar Aficionados.The Michigan Legislature failed to enact a total ban on smoking in bars, restaurants, cigar bars, and similar commercial private property. This legislation is now dead until the next Legislature is in session.
The organization Cigar Rights of America has been recently formed to help cigar smokers fight the creeping fascism of smoking bans and excessive tobacco taxes.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Academe' Now Squawking for Government Cheese.
Believe it or not, after a few decades of tuition increases well above the inflation rate, colleges and universities want even more money, claiming a hunk'o Uncle Sugar Daddy's Big Bailout Cheese Wheel.
Here's the ten year history of tuition for LSA students at Michigan:
Believe it or not, after a few decades of tuition increases well above the inflation rate, colleges and universities want even more money, claiming a hunk'o Uncle Sugar Daddy's Big Bailout Cheese Wheel.
Here's the ten year history of tuition for LSA students at Michigan:
- 1999-2000 $6335
- 2000-2001 $6515 (+2.8%)
- 2001-2002 $6935 (+6.4%)
- 2002-2003 $7485 (+7.9%)
- 2003-2004 $7975 (+6.5%)
- 2004-2005 $8200 (+2.8%)
- 2005-2006 $9215 (+12.4%)
- 2006-2007 $9725 (+5.5%)
- 2007-2008 $10,445 (+7.4%)
- 2008-2009 $11,035 (+5.6%)
- 1999-2009 +$4700 (+7.4% APR)
When are the administrators of this institution going to face reality? Why do students and their families (or the rest of us, by way of government financial aid) bear the burden, year in and year out, of the academe's dreams of grandeur?
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Artes, Scientia, Veritas.
The Ann Arbor News reports that a University of Michigan professor is under investigation for hiring a female UM law student to...well, to...you know...and it got a bit out of hand. Our hallowed alma mater has reassured us, however, that there are strict rules in place to govern faculty-student romantic relationships, such as the requirement to file a "Conflict of Interest" working plan with the appropriate departments. We are much reassured.
The Ann Arbor News reports that a University of Michigan professor is under investigation for hiring a female UM law student to...well, to...you know...and it got a bit out of hand. Our hallowed alma mater has reassured us, however, that there are strict rules in place to govern faculty-student romantic relationships, such as the requirement to file a "Conflict of Interest" working plan with the appropriate departments. We are much reassured.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Were So Sorry, Guvna' Granholm...
Jennifer Granholm did not make the cut as Secretary of Energy for the Obama Administration, and alas, she must trudge back the Great Lakes State and complete her second term as our governor. It's too bad she was so busy auditioning for Team O; the Detroit Three really could have used her up on The Hill to provide political cover for them as they were pilloried by the many Moronic Congresscritters. In fact, she seems to have been nearly invisible during most of the recent Big Three Crisis.
Jennifer Granholm did not make the cut as Secretary of Energy for the Obama Administration, and alas, she must trudge back the Great Lakes State and complete her second term as our governor. It's too bad she was so busy auditioning for Team O; the Detroit Three really could have used her up on The Hill to provide political cover for them as they were pilloried by the many Moronic Congresscritters. In fact, she seems to have been nearly invisible during most of the recent Big Three Crisis.
So Be It.Tom Brokaw chastised Mr. Obama for continuing to smoke cigarettes. We say: hike up your skirt Mrs. Brokaw, and mind your own business. If the man wants/needs a smoke - and he is an adult - then he is free to puff away. Yes, there are serious health risks, and it's not our choice but his (perhaps we'll encourage him to abandon the coffin nails with a box of Punch Rare Corojos).
Friday, December 05, 2008
Tying the TARP Down.
A recent summary of the confusion about how well TARP is working, where the money is actually going, and the nearly nonexistent oversight of the program. Jim Cramer has reported that AIG is using its wedge of Government Cheese to payoff foreign banks (for credit default swaps?).
A recent summary of the confusion about how well TARP is working, where the money is actually going, and the nearly nonexistent oversight of the program. Jim Cramer has reported that AIG is using its wedge of Government Cheese to payoff foreign banks (for credit default swaps?).
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Cheap Shots at Detroit?
In a recent column Tom Friedman blasted the "Big 2.5", re-treading the usual claims: vehicles not suited for the market, poor quality and fuel economy, poor management, and lack of innovation. He pines for an American automobile industry that works like Steve Jobs' Apple.
Let's look under the hood at some of Friedman's arguements:
Vehicles not suited for the market. The market for vehicles is complicated and fickle. It is not dictated by fuel economy alone, despite the recent panic caused by $4-a-gallon gasoline. The market is a convolution of product capability, quality, economy, safety, and style. In the early 1990s Detroit made an excellent decision about the automobile market: the SUV. A vehicle now nearly despised, the SUV met the needs of many consumers. It could carry several passengers (spouse, kids, grandma, dog) or could carry the bulky loads from trips from home improvement stores. Drivers valued the improved road visibility and the feeling of greater safety over a compact car (although "improved safety" was a dubious claim). And consumers were willing to pay the premium that SUVs imposed in fuel costs in order to acquire the benefits from the vehicle. Some of the aspects that attracted consumers to SUVs were shared by light trucks, which also enjoyed robust sales. The profit margin on trucks and SUVs was substantial, which was needed to subsidize the production of economy cars, needed to reach CAFE requirements.
The market decision to produce SUVs was so successful that the Japanese automakers, finding themselves out in the cold on trucks and SUVs, began producing these vehicles for the American market.
American cars have poor quality and fuel economy. The claim that American cars have lower quality is no longer true (for example, see this article), but the myth is now engrained into the media brain. As for fuel economy, American makers offer mid-sized cars with conventional power plants yielding 30+ mpg (highway), such as the Chevy Malibu, Saturn Aura, Pontiac G6, Chrysler Sebring, and Dodge Avenger (with the Ford Fusion at 29 mpg). American SUVs have improved fuel economy (the Chevy HHR with 30+ mpg; the Jeep Patriot and Compass in the high 20s).
Poor Management. Why then didn't the Big Three switch to a majority offering of small, fuel-efficient passenger cars as the price of oil rose? SUVs and trucks were required to offset the loss in making smaller cars - because of the 2:1 labor rate disadvantage that the Big Three have compared to the Japanese North American operations. During the SUV Salad Days, the UAW staked an uncontested claim to the "record profits": it was just a matter of choosing a strike target and getting it. The blithe notion for Detroit to produce a larger number econo-vehicles ignores the fact that they would lose money on every such car, while the Japanese builders would not.
Lack of Innovation. Please - hybrids are a Green Vanity Vehicle: even after six years of operation, a Toyota Prius will not recover its price premium through higher fuel economy. The Chevy Volt is likely to list for $35K, so it is also a Green Vanity Vehicle. For the short term it is more efficient to increase the fuel economy of the gasoline-powered engine than to plunge into a crash program to develop alternate fueled-vehicles. This is Ford's principal strategy for the next few years. One exception may be making the new fleets "flex-fuel", able to use either straight gasoline or 85% alcohol mixtures. The modifications to make most vehicles flex-fuel is quite cheap, a few hundred dollars.
Have Car CEOs be more like Steve Jobs. Lest we not forget Jobs' NeXT Cube: so innovative in hardware and software, yet so catastrophically uncompetitive in the PC market of the early '90s. Jobs has done well since then with consumers that will accept the stiff Apple price premium and its proprietary hardware and formats. There are analogies to Apple in the car industry: Cadillac, Lexus, Audi, Volkswagen, Mercedes, and other upscale brands, but to map Jobs' business plan onto car making for the general consumer market is naive.
In a recent column Tom Friedman blasted the "Big 2.5", re-treading the usual claims: vehicles not suited for the market, poor quality and fuel economy, poor management, and lack of innovation. He pines for an American automobile industry that works like Steve Jobs' Apple.
Let's look under the hood at some of Friedman's arguements:
Vehicles not suited for the market. The market for vehicles is complicated and fickle. It is not dictated by fuel economy alone, despite the recent panic caused by $4-a-gallon gasoline. The market is a convolution of product capability, quality, economy, safety, and style. In the early 1990s Detroit made an excellent decision about the automobile market: the SUV. A vehicle now nearly despised, the SUV met the needs of many consumers. It could carry several passengers (spouse, kids, grandma, dog) or could carry the bulky loads from trips from home improvement stores. Drivers valued the improved road visibility and the feeling of greater safety over a compact car (although "improved safety" was a dubious claim). And consumers were willing to pay the premium that SUVs imposed in fuel costs in order to acquire the benefits from the vehicle. Some of the aspects that attracted consumers to SUVs were shared by light trucks, which also enjoyed robust sales. The profit margin on trucks and SUVs was substantial, which was needed to subsidize the production of economy cars, needed to reach CAFE requirements.
The market decision to produce SUVs was so successful that the Japanese automakers, finding themselves out in the cold on trucks and SUVs, began producing these vehicles for the American market.
American cars have poor quality and fuel economy. The claim that American cars have lower quality is no longer true (for example, see this article), but the myth is now engrained into the media brain. As for fuel economy, American makers offer mid-sized cars with conventional power plants yielding 30+ mpg (highway), such as the Chevy Malibu, Saturn Aura, Pontiac G6, Chrysler Sebring, and Dodge Avenger (with the Ford Fusion at 29 mpg). American SUVs have improved fuel economy (the Chevy HHR with 30+ mpg; the Jeep Patriot and Compass in the high 20s).
Poor Management. Why then didn't the Big Three switch to a majority offering of small, fuel-efficient passenger cars as the price of oil rose? SUVs and trucks were required to offset the loss in making smaller cars - because of the 2:1 labor rate disadvantage that the Big Three have compared to the Japanese North American operations. During the SUV Salad Days, the UAW staked an uncontested claim to the "record profits": it was just a matter of choosing a strike target and getting it. The blithe notion for Detroit to produce a larger number econo-vehicles ignores the fact that they would lose money on every such car, while the Japanese builders would not.
Lack of Innovation. Please - hybrids are a Green Vanity Vehicle: even after six years of operation, a Toyota Prius will not recover its price premium through higher fuel economy. The Chevy Volt is likely to list for $35K, so it is also a Green Vanity Vehicle. For the short term it is more efficient to increase the fuel economy of the gasoline-powered engine than to plunge into a crash program to develop alternate fueled-vehicles. This is Ford's principal strategy for the next few years. One exception may be making the new fleets "flex-fuel", able to use either straight gasoline or 85% alcohol mixtures. The modifications to make most vehicles flex-fuel is quite cheap, a few hundred dollars.
Have Car CEOs be more like Steve Jobs. Lest we not forget Jobs' NeXT Cube: so innovative in hardware and software, yet so catastrophically uncompetitive in the PC market of the early '90s. Jobs has done well since then with consumers that will accept the stiff Apple price premium and its proprietary hardware and formats. There are analogies to Apple in the car industry: Cadillac, Lexus, Audi, Volkswagen, Mercedes, and other upscale brands, but to map Jobs' business plan onto car making for the general consumer market is naive.
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