Because Sometimes...You Just Have to Think About it!
While this IS the Holiday Special Edition of the Oklahoma Reporter (and let us be the first to say..."Thanks goodness the summer is over") it wouldn't be "The OKR" if we didn't have a few articles that didn't relate to Thanskgiving and Christmas and such.
Stay tuned (as they say) this November. We will be adding a bunch more recipes to help get you through the Holiday Season. So come on back the first week in November!
 The United Auto Workers Union
By now, we all know that the "Big Three" auto companies are asking the feds for a 25 billion dollar bucket of money to bail them out. And of course, the feds (the democrats not the republicans) have a set of "standards" that they want met before that bucket of money gets passed around.
(Many in the Republican Party don’t want to give the automakers any money. One Senator from Alabama actually would like to see them file Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. Seems he and others have no concept of the trickle down effect that would have on American industry.)
Let’s skip those federal requirements and get right to the meat of this article. The UAW (via their union president) has informed CNN that they are not going to give up anything…you know…. give any concessions on their part regarding the bailout money, etc.
Who the hell does the UAW they think they are?
Let’s go back some forty (plus) years ago to the sixties. It is generally recognized that the never ending strikes by the UAW during the sixties in order to raise their hourly pay rates, retirement and insurance benefits helped to deliver a major blow to the base economy of America. Union strikes for nearly ten years helped to force America into a two-income environment.
For some reason, the UAW still thinks that it is 1955 and America is the never-ending tree of good tidings and perpetual wealth.
But it is some forty-five years after the strikes they levied in the 1960s and early 1970s. The big three automakers are on the verge of going out of business. I think we all know why they are in trouble don’t we?
GM does not have enough money to make it through December of this year. And while the government is willing to place into motion some type of rescue plan for the automotive industry, the UAW is once again making a self-centered stand that will possibly effect all of America.
If the UAW does not concede to give up some of its positions, the government will not bail out the auto industry. And when that occurs…the UAW will be able to look the more than 2.5 million folks they just put in the unemployment lines (including their own membership and retirees) in the eye and say, "Hey, we wanted what we wanted and were not willing to give it up…got a problem with that".
The UAW is a relic of American industry born of days gone by. IN a time when there was a need for workers to be protected regarding wages earned for their labor. Born in a time when the government presented no mandatory employment /labor requirements, and labor laws were almost none existant. But, over time, the UAW has turned into a self-basing monster that cares for nothing but it’s own membership. The UAW doesn’t care that they have driven the cost of manufacturing an automobile in America beyond the world's competitive pricing market. It is all about their pay and their benefits.
Congress of course is not in a mood to play games right now. And you get the distinct impression that the "soon the be President" has a goal to meet regarding this crisis...and the UAW will not stand in his way. The American public is beginning to get "hard on their backs" regarding the initial 700 billion dollars and the now (possible) additional 25 billion dollars needed to bail out yet another industry in America. And will quickly turn a blind eye to the American automotive industry if the UAW continues with its current position.
I have said it before…I say it again…."Where the hell have the adults been while the children have been out playing American business"?
So, while the big three and congress try and negotiate the bailout deal for them, it may become a mute point if the UAW declares that they will not give any concessions.
Can you say Merry Christmas America? The UAW has a present for you.
 Quick Thoughts 11-13-2008
The government should have nationalized the banking industry rather than come up with some arbitrary number of money for a bailout of the credit and financial industry…which admitted they were still falling and saw at least another 20 percent in reduction values. Everybody should have seen the results of that "plan". It certainly didn’t take long before the banking industry cried, "it appears that 700-billion might not be enough".
And, of course, who didn’t see the automotive industry headed off to Washington…crying for bailout money the third time since the seventies. Let’s see…I believe (for example) it was this year that Dodge was advertising their Hemi Trucks. Hemi trucks? Give me a freaking break! What planet is the design team living on at Dodge? Oh yes…I believe that Dodge is on the edge of becoming part of American Industrial History.
Quick Thought: If the government had nationalized the banking industry they would not have had to use 700 billion dollars of tax money as a foundation and platform from which to function. They could have demanded the resignation and replacement of the very executives (that are still in place today) that had led their companies into peril. Many of these top executives are making nearly one million dollars per month.
Taking over the banking industry would have required the government to actually "get in there and resolve the situation". Yet, once again, having congress simply throw money at something…thinking that doing such would result in a resolution…shows the level of incompetence that goes all the way to the core of our country. And by the way…until congress or the government in general actually decide that they are going to take an active, aggressive and legal role in the banking and credit situation…nothing is going to happen. I was amused today watching CSPAN as congress warned a banking committee that if they did not continue to stop using the money they just got from congress (bailout money) to use as funds to buy smaller banking institutions and start using the money to help offset actual loses…they…the congress…were going to get upset and they might (next year) have to pass some laws to control their industry. Brrr…they were shaking in their boots. Give me a freaking break. It was like the older children giving the younger children all the money out of their piggy bank and saying, "Now play nice". Where in the hell are the adults in all of this?
Quick Thought: Every ten years or so the "big three" auto makers head to Washington in some form or another to tell them that are on the brink of financial disaster and need the government to bail them out. If not…then millions of Americans will wind up unemployed. Of course, once again…the big three are making that declaration to congress. I say we go ahead and give them 100 billion dollars…with the following attachments: (1) the moment we give you this money you have to stop making vehicles that get less than 30 miles per gallon (we know the technology is there), (2) you must begin making a majority of your vehicles as hybrids, (3) you must re-negotiate with the unions and reduce your retirement benefits (the first $2,000 of every GM vehicle made goes towards retirement benefits for folks not associated with the production of that vehicle). If this cannot be done…then the government will nationalize the automotive industry set its own standards. It is time to get competitive again and put common sense back into this industry. And as for Dodge and its horrible marketing and production efforts. You might want to advertise one of your cars you've been making for years now…the Dodge Stratus. It gets about 31 miles per gallon…is a bit small for guys over 6 feet tall…but is comfortable ride for five people and has a surprisingly large trunk. To top it off...it is not known to develop a ton of mechanical problems. The down side to the car is...fast enough but then again...not fast enough. You can find them for less than $10,000 fully loaded. Oh…forgot…they are not a Hemi and don’t represent the old line American Brass Balls marketing that has been Dodge for so many years. Hmmm….maybe the American automotive industry should open their eyes and look around. I am pretty sure that Ford and Dodge and GM really need to understand that the average American just doesn’t need to haul three tons of crap and still be able to go 80 mph doing it. We just want something that gets us where we are going…that looks pretty good…has a few little gadgets…and doesn’t cost us an arm and our children’s limbs to drive! If we cannot afford to go out to eat…we sure as hell can not afford to buy a truck vehicle that costs more than our parent’s first house and requires us to work 14% more hours (in a shrinking economy) in order to pay for the privilege of running it.
Peta …now there is a word that should disturb anybody that actually loves and cares for animals. Oh People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals should really stand for the…."We have thousands of animals put to sleep each year and generally only manage to locate less than 50 homes for animals each year"…club.
Quick Thought: Maybe PETA should actually stand for something that is more than a front for people with some serious psychological problems or are second tier actors that need some additional publicity in their lives…or your generally under educated television star that believes her knowledge on all things earthly and ethical is created solely by her wealth…and not by actual knowledge.
Fact of the matter is that PETA has the worst record of animal destruction (the actual gathering and killing of animals) of any animal rights organization on planet earth. (If they want to kill more elephants in Kenya…then they need to hire some folks from PETA….those folks can get the job done)
Maybe the members of PETA should spend some time educating themselves first in what ethical treatment actually means. Then they should plow forth into the world with an real plan to help save animals and help better their lives and better educate the general public to the real meaning of ethical treatment for animals.
Trying to blow up circus trucks loaded with elephants because they had rather see them dead than living in captivity is neither ethical or for that matter…sane. It shows the level of stupidity and deep ignorance that PETA actually represents within its membership and support.
PETA…get a clue!
 Stop Smoking
"Oh I have tried to stop smoking and just can not".
I can not tell you how many times I have heard that one. I smoked for many years and can tell you that for the most part, stopping smoking is pretty much a mental thing once you get past the first few days.
I stopped "cold turkey" as they say. I did it not because of the health issues but….well…let’s see if any of the following has an impact on you.
We are going to base this data on one pack per day.
One pack per day equals:
20 cigarettes per day
609 cigarettes per month
7,308 cigarettes per year
73,080 cigarettes per ten years
146,160 cigarettes per twenty years
Average price of a premium pack of cigarettes is $4.00 or .20 per cigarette
609 cigarettes equals $243.60 spent on smoking
7,308 cigarettes equals $1,461.60 spent on smoking
73,080 cigarettes equals $14,616.00 spent on smoking
146,160 cigarettes equals $29,232.00 spent on smoking
Obviously, if you are one of those folks that smokes 1.5 packs per day…well…the numbers get a bit more impressive.
You would have spent $21,924 the first ten years…and $43,848 in twenty years.
Gee…speaking of twenty years…how about these numbers….$29,232 in ten years…$58,464 in twenty years! Frankly…in many areas of the south…$58,000 to $60,000 is a starter house. And no matter where you live….$60,000 is a solid down payment on a home.
These are the same people (that just cannot stop smoking) that almost always tell folks that they simply cannot seem to save enough money to get ahead. Or, they just don’t know where that extra money goes.
Hmm…I know where it goes.
Apparently you make enough money to simply burn the rest of it. I know I did for many years. What a freaking waste of God given health and hard earned money.
If you smoke in your house…then you can add extra items of expense as such needing to clean your furniture much more often than the rest of us…having your clothes dry cleaned on a more regular basis to keep you from smelling like a damn cigarette when you walk into a room…spending extra money of A/C filters and such. The list is really rather long, costly and impressive.
Oh yes…forget about that "new car smell". It goes away pretty darned fast with you doesn’t it. And there is that cigarette burn on one of the new seats.
More than 50% of the people that smoke complain about dry skin in the winter. More than 90% of those folks would not have dry skin in winter if they were not smoking cigarettes. Smoking dries out your skin!
So add the money you spend on keeping your skin moist in the winter to the entire package…and….there you go!
When it gets right down to it, the real question about smoking is not the health issues. Hell we are all gonna die.
It is about the living issues. Can you actually afford to smoke cigarettes.
You know…be in a financial position to simply piss away $60,000 every twenty years of your life.
If so…take a puff. It’s only money.
To Our Readers
Here is a Shout Out to those folks that read us in The Following 24 Countries Around the World
France, Great Britian, Germany, Italy, Guatemala, Canada, India, Hungary, Pakistan, Gambia, Turkey, Greenland, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Thailand, Taiwan, Jamaica, Sweden, Malaysia, Australia, China, Africa, Spain, South Korea
Here is a Shout Out to those folks that read us in The Following 54 (+) Cities
Los Angeles, Ransom, Oklahoma City, Piedmont, Norfolk, Washington, Atlanta, Edmond, Norman, Minco, Broken Bow, Scranton, Kingwood, Perkins, Sulphur, Kansas City, San Antonio, Austin, Houston, Dallas, Kingwood, Santa Barbara, Roanoke, Detroit, Dedham, Prescott, Mtn. View, Fair Oaks, Frankfort, Lawrence, Marietta, Everett, Duluth, Tulsa, Frisco, Potomac, Corpus Christi, Cleveland, Baton Rouge, Denver, Diana, Strousburg, Mankato, Anchorage, San Francisco, Coventry, Bellingham, Minco, Hobart, Diana, Shawnee, Yukon, Lakebay, Douglass
From The OKR to the nearly 215,000 people world wide that read us...Thanks for reading our little magazine!
 Money Management
A husband & wife are shopping in their local Walmart.
The husband picks up a case of Budweiser and puts it in their basket.
'What do you think you're doing?' asks the wife.
'They're on sale, only $10 for 24 cans,' he replies.
'Put them back, we can't afford them,' demands the wife.
And so, they carry on shopping.
 A few aisles further on along the woman picks up a $20 jar of face cream and puts it in the basket.
'What do you think you're doing?' asks the husband.
'It's my face cream. It makes me look beautiful,' replies the wife.
Her husband retorts, 'So does 24 cans of Budweiser and it's half the price!'
Enjoy our Special Edition!
|
|
