Yearly Archives: 2008
Who Should Bail Out the Auto Industry?
The other day Laurie David, writing at the Huffington Post, suggested that the oil industry rather than the us government should bail out the auto industry:
“The best idea I’ve heard in the last few days comes from an unlikely source, the actor Ashton Kutcher on the Bill Maher show, who repeated the suggestion that the auto industry go meet with the oil industry – their partner in crime – and ask them for a bailout. At least we know ExxonMobil can afford it.”
Laurie and Kutcher are partially correct. The oil industry is a partner but, alas, it is not the only partner and not even the main partner.
The big 3 were at their normal and largest trough, congress. The difference now is that the play is visible to the rest of us. Normally the industry’s subsidies are indirect, yet massive, and by some strange perversion of perspective we do not typically lay the consequences at the feet of the auto industry which is much broader than the big 3, the oil industry or their federal, state and local government accomplices.
A subsidy example: like it or not, the thousands of miles of concrete spread across previously fecund land that the vehicles require to be useful are massive subsidies to the auto industry.
A consequence example: over 40,000 people/year die in the US as a result of traffic accidents. Unfortunately, these deaths are diffuse; one or two or three at a time and widely dispersed geographically. We ignore them. Yet, after a concentrated 3,000 die in the World Trade Center the country goes to war.
This is not the only subsidy nor are the fatalities the only consequence.
The appropriate approach begins with not a bailout but eliminating all subsidies at all levels of government…starting with, but not ending with, auto industry subsidies.
In time we will, then, start seeing the best results socially and economically. Amongst other things the former fat cats will no longer get to feed at the public teat; income disparities will start diminishing; legislative types will spend most of their time at home; lobbyists will go in search of real work; government can get back to basics, e.g., providing an accessible judicial system.
Nah, No Problems In the Auto Business
it’s just that no one is buying…even at half price…..or better…
Why buy now when it might be 3 for the price of one next week…you know, deflation mentality.
Via Planet Money
Friday Ark #218
We’ll post links to sites that have Friday (plus or minus a few days) photos of their chosen animals (photoshops at our discretion and humans only in supporting roles). Watch the Exception category for rocks, beer, coffee cups, and….?
Visit all the boarders, Link to the Ark and check back for updates through Sunday afternoon!
You can board the Friday Ark by submitting your post here, leaving a comment or a trackback to this post or emailing fridayark AT themodulator.org.
You can find previous editions at the not quite up to date Arkives page.
Cats
- Sisu: Tiny and Babe and Tiny
- Elms in the Yard: Friday Cats
- Why Now?: Friday Cat Blogging ~ So Long
- The Poor Mouth: Oscar
- Blog d’Elisson: Her Ebon Splendor
- Manx Mnews: Finally Friday ~ Fierce Fighter Day
- It’s Morning Somewhere: Friday Cat Blogging featuring Five Kitties
- No Deep Thoughts: Friday Cat Blogging ~ Sawyer
- Texas Oasis Furbaby Friday ~ Passive solar heat
- Shrimp and Grits: Tom Between Two Turtles
- Cat Whisperer: Is It Christmas Yet?
- Joseph Palmer: Friday CAt Blogging ~ Miko and T-Chan
- Real Art: Friday Cat Blogging: Phil and Reine
- Take Joy!: Gray Cats In A Row ~ Serena and her mother Ocie
- Snail’s Tales: Cats of Istanbul – Part 2
- Life from a Cat’s Perspective: Samantha & Mr. Tigger-Fierce Fighter Friday
- Middle Fork: lady Last Summer
- anniemiz: Friday Cat Blogging ~ Shelf Life
- Imeowza: Finally Friday ~ Warming Moki
- Mind of Mog: Finally Friday ~ Cece
- bloggg: Friday Kitten Blogging ~ La La La!!!!!
- Watermark: Friday [New Kitten] Cat Blogging boarded 11/22
- Cats In Maryland: Weekend Cat Blogging #181
- Mercury Rising: Friday Cat Blogging boarded 11/22
- CatSynth: Weekend Cat Blogging #181: ~ More Luna in Exile boarded 11/23
- House of Chaos: A Carious Life boarded 11/23
Dogs
- Val’s Bien: Agility Trial in Springfield
- Wanderin’ Weeta With Waterfowl (and Weeds): Dog in a Creek chasing rocks
- Duck Pond: Friday Night Dog Blog ~ Another Afternoon: Cooper joins Sasha and Dexter
- The 4 Musketeers: My handsome Ebi! BOL
- Mountain Musings: Fridays are Golden ~ Lucy, Ellie and more
- Dead Dog Walkin’: My Boy
- 10,000 Monkeys and a Camera: Friday Creature ~ Nonnie
- Pet Chatter: Animal Communication: Do dogs protect children?
Other Vertebrates
- A Houseful of Rabbits: Goldie
- Southern Beale: Jungle Blogging IV
- First Draft: Friday Ferret Blogging
Birds
- Birdchick Blog: The Rio Grande Valley!
- Wanderin’ Weeta With Waterfowl (and Weeds): Very bad photos of good birds
- Nature Tales and Camera Trails: Northern Shrike
- Birdfreak Birding Blog: Phriday Photo ~ Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Living the Scientific Life: Sanderlings, Calidris alba and more in Birds in the News #152 and Finnish Lawn Ornaments
- Cascade Exposures: Female Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
Invertebrates
- The Daily Kos: Marine Life Series – Dumbo Octopus
- Pharyngula: Friday Cephalopod ~ Out of the shadows it comes
- Myrmecos Blog: Friday Beetle Blogging ~ Priacma Bleach Beetle, Priacma serrata
In Memoriam
- x
Didn’t Make It
- Paleoblog: Eileanchelys: Oldest Aquatic Turtle
- Catalogue Of Organisms: Butterflies Before there were Butterflies
Exceptions (inclusion not guaranteed)
- x
Extra, Extra: All Ark boarders are invited to shout out at the Friday Ark Frapper Map.
Cat folks: remember to submit your links to:
- Carnival of the Cats which goes up every Sunday
- The 244th edition, 11/16, is up at The Catboys Realm
- The 245th edition, 11/23, will be hosted by Artsy-Catsy
- Weekend Cat Blogging which goes up every weekend
- The 180th edition, 11/5-16, is up at CatSynth
- The 181st edition, 11/23-11/24, will be hosted by Cats In Maryland
- Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos which goes up every weekend
- The 71st edition, 11/16, is up at Diamond’s Lair
- The 72nd edition, 11/23, will be hosted by Mind of Mog
- Do go shout out at The Catbloggers Frappr Map
Birders: I and the Bird: A Blog Carnival for Bird Lovers is published every 2 weeks.
- The 88th edition, 11/13, is up at Aimophila Adventures
- The 89th edition, 11/26, will be hosted by Bird Ecology Study Group
For the spineless: Circus of the Spineless. A monthly celebration of Insects, Arachnids, Molluscs, Crustaceans, Worms and most anything else that wiggles.
- The 34th edition, June, is up at Gossamer Tapestry
- The 35th edition, July, will be hosted by TBD
Dog folks:
- The Canine Carnival hosted by Pamibe is on hiatus
- The Carnival of the Dogs hosted by Mickey’s Musings
has been out of operation since July 2007
For other current carnivals check out The Blog Carnival and The TTLB Uber Carnival
Happy Fourth…
…blogiversary to Bryan at Why Now? who already has a hobby