tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post6674871313629961447..comments2023-08-05T07:24:04.413-05:00Comments on Hope n' Change Cartoons: Halfwits in AmericaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-57268445939725021012012-02-10T10:38:05.675-06:002012-02-10T10:38:05.675-06:00Learned to drive in a Gran Torino.Learned to drive in a Gran Torino.John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-25885191698430604272012-02-10T09:14:27.340-06:002012-02-10T09:14:27.340-06:00To those who want to avoid Government Motors and U...To those who want to avoid Government Motors and UAW...<br /><br />Look into the VW Passat. Made in Tennessee by nearly 3000 non-union workers.<br /><br />Won Motor Trend's 2012 Car of the Year. Base price just under $20K.<br /><br />THAT's the kind of place we need to support with our business.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-52109772609445978362012-02-09T21:06:23.033-06:002012-02-09T21:06:23.033-06:00@John the Econ- I'm going to have to limit mys...@John the Econ- I'm going to have to limit myself to saying "great post" because otherwise I'd need to write a LOT more (in agreement and expansion of your points) than I have energy for right now.<br /><br />@DonSurber- Quandry solved! I'll buy a Gran Torino!Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-4777212741549976492012-02-09T15:53:45.070-06:002012-02-09T15:53:45.070-06:00Gran Torino. Ford product.Gran Torino. Ford product.Don Surberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18019771616171169677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-91486051335382744102012-02-09T14:01:07.678-06:002012-02-09T14:01:07.678-06:00The biggest mistake we've made is purging &quo...The biggest mistake we've made is purging "shop class" from the high schools in favor of "computer class". So now we have millions of somewhat educated people who are capable of writing a Word document and perhaps even building a spreadsheet, but little beyond that. Meanwhile, we have fewer people in America actually capable of physically doing anything. The irony of today's employment situation is that there are actually good jobs out there, but few people skilled enough in basic mechanical trades to actually fill them.<br /><br />As for education: The "education bubble" is entirely the result of government regulation. As both laws and the courts effectively outlawed most forms of "intelligence" testing used by employers by the 1970, colleges & universities became the new filter, as they are not limited as to how they evaluate prospective students like employers now are. For a time, a college degree inferred that you had a certain amount of intelligence, and were capable of following instruction and fulfilling requirements. Meanwhile, governments were happy to subsidize college tuitions both directly, and via guaranteed student loans.<br /><br />Of course, as generations since the 60s now consider a college education nearly a "right" and the money available to make it seem so, nearly everyone goes. The ultimate result is that a BS degree today is barely worth what a high school diploma was a few generations ago. I'm embarrassed to say that my alma-mater pushed out exponentially more "grievance studies" diplomas than for real majors.John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-39093581783474135252012-02-09T11:57:01.666-06:002012-02-09T11:57:01.666-06:00@Emmentaler- spectacular post and exactly right. T...@Emmentaler- spectacular post and exactly right. The only thing I'll add about the problem of steering <i>everyone</i> into abstract and or informational disciplines (besides the fact that not everyone is suited for these areas) is that these are <i>exactly</i> the sorts of skills which are easily outsourced to other countries - which any company that wants to stay in business is going to be forced to do competitively. <br /><br />Per my earlier remark, right now I think a good plumber has a better chance of staying employed than an engineer. And <i>both</i> of them have a better chance than a Philosophy Major.Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-57606527142001083142012-02-09T11:46:58.909-06:002012-02-09T11:46:58.909-06:00...but, on the other hand, "higher education&......but, on the other hand, "higher education" is highly overrated - and WAY overpriced. There's a bubble there-a-comin'. Also if the libs get their way, we'll be a service-only economy, and I really don't see a college professor's role in instructing one in the methods of properly constructing and delivering a burger and an order of fries...<br /><br />As a society, we have handicapped ourselves - and enslaved countless to indebtedness, low self-esteem, and failure - by over-emphasizing the value of a college degree. Worse, we told them that we value ANY college degree. As a result, the unemployment numbers (and Wall Street) are occupied by myriad "educated" folk having absolutely worthless backgrounds in such fields as "Women's Studies", "African-American Studies", and a thousand other "Studies" that hold no bearing on society, and no hope of employment - except within the establishment that produced them in the first place. (It's like academic incest, if you ask me.) Still others got into the system, and couldn't hack it. Now they're the "walking wounded", wandering around wondering why "everyone else is better than they are".<br /><br />Don't get me wrong on the value <b>I</b> put on education: I have two masters degrees (thankfully, they're relevant to wonderful career options, both within and outside of my current field of practice), and hope to one day obtain a doctorate (so I can milk academia as a "perfessor" in my dotage). Yes, clearly: there is a such thing as a good education. But there're also those totally unsuited for both ends of the education system involved today, and there's also the continued need for those who use more brawn than brain. A society so hell-bent on everyone getting a degree is a society will soon find that none of her own want to do the menial tasks, but there aren't enough high paying, high cerebrum positions available to all. Couple that with the "living wage" and minimum wage arguments, and...<br /><br />Huh! Sounds familiar.Emmentaler Limburgerhttp://pateratic.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-65576640243136882302012-02-09T10:27:17.310-06:002012-02-09T10:27:17.310-06:00@John the Econ- This kind of a situation is murder...@John the Econ- This kind of a situation <i>is</i> murderous to self-esteem and creates an unhealthy sense of servitude to the unions who believe the only way to show power is to abuse it.<br /><br />@Pete(Detroit)- The world is changing, and there aren't going to be well-paying jobs for kids who don't get educations. And mind you, I'm not limiting "education" to the three R's...I have all the respect in the world for people who attend trade schools and master a craft. And I wish there would be more emphasis on such training these days - no matter what, you'll never outsource the job of fixing your toilet to someone at a call center in India.Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-40309844635330168142012-02-09T10:16:39.721-06:002012-02-09T10:16:39.721-06:00John, just as worse it's convinced a LOT of pe...John, just as worse it's convinced a LOT of people that they don't need an education to get a decent job w/ high pay. Which is simply not the case. In terms of 'what's wrong w/ Detroit schools', a large part is kids who work at it, study / learn are persecuted for 'acting too white'...Pete(Detroit)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-48640323154444321192012-02-09T09:21:59.645-06:002012-02-09T09:21:59.645-06:00@Stilton, all a story I've heard many times be...@Stilton, all a story I've heard many times before. Perhaps that's why the "Jobs Bank", where laid-off workers were sent to "retrain" or just loaf-around was so popular; it really wasn't much different than being at work.<br /><br />The really sad part is the corrosive effect what such an environment has upon people's self-esteem: There is none. Deep inside, every one of those knows they're a slacker. It's quite difficult (albeit not impossible) to be so deluded as to believe otherwise...John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-49417136267715024712012-02-09T09:13:15.119-06:002012-02-09T09:13:15.119-06:00@Pete(Detroit)- I'll definitely be looking at ...@Pete(Detroit)- I'll definitely be looking at what Ford has to offer because I like the notion of "buying American" when the products can stand up to scrutiny. And I'll also be checking out some Japanese cars, because I've had good experience with Honda, Toyota, and Nissan in the last 30 years.<br /><br />@Coon Tasty- The Honda CRV is on my shortlist to look at. <br /><br />@John the Econ- My short time at Ford was pretty eye-opening. The pay was sky high, and the workload light to (occasionally) non-existent. For awhile I worked the nightshift driving a forklift. There was usually no more than an hour or two of work to do, after which the foreman ordered me to "find a palette back in the warehouse where you can't be seen and go to sleep like everyone else." Fortunately, America's engines weren't "roaring" at the time to disturb anyone's slumber.Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-57600967752363928592012-02-09T06:35:50.803-06:002012-02-09T06:35:50.803-06:00@Stilton, reminds me of that expose' back duri...@Stilton, reminds me of that expose' back during the meltdown where the reporters were following all the assembly workers to local parks where they spent their lunch hour(s) getting wasted, then driving back to work to assemble more crappy cars. I think their defense was that they didn't need to be sober to do their jobs (and drive back and forth).<br /><br />It was pretty much symbolic of the dysfunction that we taxpayers were currently bailing out. No doubt, most of these guys are now working "green" jobs building subsidized solar panels that will be filling landfills in a year or two...John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-50574126591925445162012-02-09T01:33:47.870-06:002012-02-09T01:33:47.870-06:00@SJ - Were I in the market for a new vehicle, I wo...@SJ - Were I in the market for a new vehicle, I would be looking very hard at what Honda has to offer. Sure, the Japanese ones > than the US-made models but, still, Honda has a reputation for quality and reliability that is pretty much unmatched. <br />Sadly, Honda don't sell their trucks in Australia or I'd be driving one of them already. However, my TDi SR5 Hilux creates a nice big carbon footprint, so I'm happy with that.Coon Tastynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-56658677959136938612012-02-09T00:58:28.072-06:002012-02-09T00:58:28.072-06:00Stilt - my PT Cruiser is coming up on 12 yr old, 2...Stilt - my PT Cruiser is coming up on 12 yr old, 210k miles. Got a good one there. Then again, it was made in Mexico, where people still see good paying jobs as a privilege, not a right.. <br />Ford quality (until they started mucking things up w/ stupid gimmicks - I mean link up w/ MSoft? a company who's name is synonymous w/ "crash" - the hell were they THINKING?) anyway, quality was / is edging Toyota. THAT being said, I totally hear you on the UAW issue. One would think they would see it's in their interest to kick the junkies and slackers out, but no, not them! Asshats.Pete(Detroit)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-87360107330895813192012-02-08T23:32:14.633-06:002012-02-08T23:32:14.633-06:00@txGreg- "if they were worse at it (lying) th...@txGreg- "if they were worse at it (lying) they'd be politicians." Great line!<br /><br />@John the Econ- On behalf of writers everywhere, I'm glad to see you giving credit to the writers who make actors <i>sound</i> smart even if they're blitheringly stupid. <br /><br />@SC- Let's just say that if Chrysler does favors for Obama with ads like this, their worries about paying back what they owe taxpayers may "go away."<br /><br />@JustaJeepGuy- Like you, I still like Clint. And here's a true story: when I was a callow youth about a century ago, I worked at a Ford plant assembling steering columns. Every man on the line was capable of doing his own job, and that of the man standing next to him. Which is why one man would clock in every morning and do both jobs, then leave at lunchtime when the other guy came in to do both jobs. Both worked a half day, and received a full day's wage.<br /><br />But a couple of guys decided that even THAT was too much work, and stopped coming in altogether (but had others punch their timecards). This subterfuge wasn't noticed by their (alleged) supervisors until people driving Fords started dying in car crashes because the parts that were SUPPOSED to be installed were missing.<br /><br />The men responsible were fired, and Ford had to do a recall which cost millions of dollars (and settle lawsuits with the families of the dead).<br /><br />BUT...<br /><br />The UAW fought the case, and got the men their jobs back...including back pay.<br /><br />This is why in later years, I've preferred cars assembled by people who will commit Hara-kiri if they screw up.<br /><br />@Emmentaler- Good observation. Yes, Obama IS just an actor who reads scripts written by others.<br /><br />@John the Econ- I vote "both."Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-53389492839217603602012-02-08T22:36:59.826-06:002012-02-08T22:36:59.826-06:00Actor, idiot, or both.Actor, idiot, or both.John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-43729340441904264772012-02-08T21:03:45.894-06:002012-02-08T21:03:45.894-06:00Actually, it's their job to say what other peo...<i>Actually, it's their job to say what other people have written for them to say. That's why most of them sound like complete idiots when they speak for themselves without a script...</i><br /><br />Soooooo then Øbama is just an actor?Emmentaler Limburgerhttp://pateratic.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-55725503036515767212012-02-08T20:49:27.460-06:002012-02-08T20:49:27.460-06:00I bought a Jeep Wrangler in 1989; it was made by C...I bought a Jeep Wrangler in 1989; it was made by Chrysler. I'm still driving it. Chrysler made a good one in 1989. If they had continued to make good ones, they wouldn't have had to be bailed out. Clint got suckered by the Obamunists. It's sad. It doesn't make me like Clint any less, it just makes me hate the Obamunists more.JustaJeepGuynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-616397422279208722012-02-08T16:57:15.394-06:002012-02-08T16:57:15.394-06:00Where does Chrysler get off spending millions on t...Where does Chrysler get off spending millions on that ad when they still owe the American taxpayers for their bailout?SCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-76822172523496135152012-02-08T12:24:20.991-06:002012-02-08T12:24:20.991-06:00@txGreg said "They don't realize that by ...@txGreg said <i>"They don't realize that by definition, good actors are professional liars."</i><br /><br />Actually, it's their job to say what other people have written for them to say. That's why most of them sound like complete idiots when they speak for themselves without a script...John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-61277866458526911782012-02-08T10:03:05.234-06:002012-02-08T10:03:05.234-06:00@AHD,
"...he's a famous actor. He wouldn...@AHD,<br /><br />"...he's a famous actor. He wouldn't lie, would he?"<br /><br />It's sadly funny how many people actually do think this way. They hear some actor spouting off and think it means something. They don't realize that by definition, good actors are professional liars. That's their job (if they were worse at it, they'd be politicians).txGregnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-60234870661660022542012-02-08T10:02:42.488-06:002012-02-08T10:02:42.488-06:00@John the Econ- Great analysis. Detroit's auto...@John the Econ- Great analysis. Detroit's auto industry was <i>not</i> the victim of America's failure to "understand each other" or "the fog of division, discord, and blame."<br /><br />Americans didn't stop buying cars - they stopped buying cars that were overpriced and unreliable. Although you'll never convince me that America <i>couldn't</i> build the best cars in the world if the incestuous relationship between the unions and government was ended.<br /><br />I'm currently (and reluctantly) in the market for a new car...but I'm not even considering anything from Government Motors. And maybe I'm overlooking some fine cars or fine deals - but with an investment this size, I have to deal with someone whose promises and history mean something. And that's not either Washington or the UAW.Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-9063783284207200012012-02-08T08:35:32.892-06:002012-02-08T08:35:32.892-06:00When I saw the ad, I was also a bit surprised beca...When I saw the ad, I was also a bit surprised because Eastwood was always a "Ford" guy. If you look that the majority of the movies he's made, it's almost always a Ford he's driving. That would have seemed more appropriate, being the one domestic manufacturer that did not need or take a bailout...John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-31307033840695654262012-02-08T08:28:27.327-06:002012-02-08T08:28:27.327-06:00America did vote. With their dollars. The free m...America did vote. With their dollars. The free marketplace is the purest form of Democracy in existence. If a product or service sucks, we don't buy it. Pretty simple, really. And people tend to vote far more carefully with their dollars than they do at the ballot box. Clearly, people voted <i>against</i> Detroit, both the city and the products it produced for a reason.<br /><br />Over the 60 years or so, few cities have embraced the Progressive social/economic agenda more than Detroit. By the the 21st century, unions, economic and social engineering, and other government meddling had succeeded in chasing nearly 2/3rds of its population elsewhere seeking a better life, or just a life; 25% of that just within the last decade. That people would wish that same agenda applied to the rest of America is simply sheer insanity.<br /><br />And I can't think of anything more diametrically opposed than the rugged, individualistic gets-stuff-done characters that Clint Eastwood is most famous for, and the micromanaging nanny-statism of the Obama agenda.<br /><br />That the commercial that was basically funded by us (or the Chinese Communists we borrowed the money from) wasn't even filmed in Detroit only ads to the irony.John the Econnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8993108951931633758.post-41309195484933237942012-02-08T08:22:35.547-06:002012-02-08T08:22:35.547-06:00@Spon- I hadn't heard that, but I don't do...@Spon- I hadn't heard that, but I don't doubt it at all. (I mentioned that Clint could still kick my ass, right?)Stilton Jarlsberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14503164551782304564noreply@blogger.com