Oooooooooooooopennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.

Afternoon here. But not by much.

It’s still morning on the west coast, so here’s an open thread as the world keeps turning...

What? You dare to question that the Earth is stationary in space?

Do you believe in that devil ideology -- science?!?!?!?

Friday. Day off. Need a summer blazer to look professional. Must shop. In a minute.

Amazing what a difference of a few thousand miles and two time zones can make. It's early afternoon here, just past 1pm.

re: #2 zombie

What? You dare to question that the Earth is stationary in space?

Do you believe in that devil ideology -- science?!?!?!?

And here I thought the sun was just Apollo's Chariot, and the Earth was a flat disk.
/

re: #3 Catttt

Friday. Day off. Need a summer blazer to look professional. Must shop. In a minute.

Linen, my friend; linen.

re: #2 zombie

What? You dare to question that the Earth is stationary in space?

Do you believe in that devil ideology -- science?!?!?!?

The earth stopped turning? Did Obama forget to keep us spinning?

re: #7 EmmmieG

The earth stopped turning? Did Obama forget to keep us spinning?

Thanks the barry, the world continues to turn, around him, though.

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

I thought the Devil was in the details?

re: #10 Nevergiveup

I thought the Devil was in the details?

And Flip Wilson was da Debbil.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

My friends all call me Lucifer
When I'm in need of some restraint:

Friday morning open.

Time to open a beer.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

OK, if you haven't thought that Genn Beck was nuts before, this certainly should.

In the last week I've made two blog posts that made it into the mainstream news cycle. And here's the kicker: Neither was on zombietime! In fact, neither had anything to do with politics. It was on a different blog I just started, a different persona.

I've been "leveraging" (God, I hate that word, and here I am using it) my knowledge about how to bascially "create news" from the ground up from the camera to the blog to the bigger blogs to the MSM, and transferring that skill from zombietime to other realms of my life. Amazing how easy it is!

re: #15 zombie

The greatest trick Zombie ever played was convincing the world he didn't exist.

re: #13 Racer X

Friday morning open.

Time to open a beer.

Hell, it's five o'clock somewhere, damnit.

re: #15 zombie

You have been manipulating the MSM?

Interesting.

You are good. Really good.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

So --he's an anarchist?

Black Bloc would entirely agree with that statement, without the theological overlay.

re: #13 Racer X

Friday morning open.

Time to open a beer.

I'll have you know that beer is not just for breakfast.......
:)

re: #9 Charles

Beck is out of his gourd.

The devil is way worse.

LOL

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

Yes but does she wear Prada? //

Great, Beck is going further and further in creating a more disturbed audience. We should ask Mr. Beck why the same government that runs the FCC and also provides subsidized DTV converter boxes for his audience.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

Well, I'm glad we got that cleared up.

re: #18 Racer X

You have been manipulating the MSM?

Interesting.

You are good. Really good.

They are soooo easy to manipulate. I could be a major-league hoaxer, if I so desired.

And maybe I do.

re: #21 Ojoe

Beck is out of his gourd.
The devil is way worse.
LOL

/wait for the 2nd hundred days...

re: #24 zombie

They are soooo easy to manipulate. I could be a major-league hoaxer, if I so desired.

And maybe I do.

Put out the word that journalists taste like chicken...........
/

They are soooo easy to manipulate.

ROFLMAO

re: #19 zombie

So --he's an anarchist?

Black Bloc would entirely agree with that statement, without the theological overlay.

He is just leveraging his knowledge of the MSM--to make himself some more bucks.

This is not a dig at you, I know your motivations are not evil. Beck I think otherwise.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

Glenn Beck is driving on the devil's highways.

re: #24 zombie

They are soooo easy to manipulate. I could be a major-league hoaxer, if I so desired.

And maybe I do.

A good hoax is usually 'one and done'. Make it count.

re: #30 CyanSnowHawk

A good hoax is usually 'one and done'. Make it count.

I thought that once, too, but I fear a second Obama term.

Audio.....

“The government is the devil”: Glenn Beck and Mormonism Redux

re: #29 jaunte

Glenn Beck is driving on the devil's highways.

Sometimes I get the feeling that the rational people will have to retreat to monasteries in the hills again.

Except with a rule for married folks with children too, this time.

re: #24 zombie

They are soooo easy to manipulate. I could be a major-league hoaxer, if I so desired.

And maybe I do.

I double-dog dare you. ;-)

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

*ding-ding* *ding-ding* *ding-ding*

Cranky Old Coot, Arriving

Maybe my grasp of theology is not that great, but my understanding that the two are the same, one is just a name for the other. Like Joe.

re: #24 zombie

They are soooo easy to manipulate. I could be a major-league hoaxer, if I so desired.

And maybe I do.

yup..there's a guy about 47 years old sitting in the White House saying the exact same thing right now....

re: #32 Killgore Trout

Mormon readers (or listeners, as it may be) will probably recognize the last two sentences as a variation on a standard Sunday School theme. The scriptural allusion is to Moses 4:3 (Pearl of Great Price) in which the Lord reveals that in the pre-mortal existence, “Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man.” There’s nothing particularly apocalyptic about the verse or the idea in and of itself. But again, Beck is utilizing the verse as a social commentary on what he views as the twin political threats (socialism and fascism) facing America thanks to the Obama administration. And again, it seems that he is most likely taking his talking points from the political writings of Ezra Taft Benson and Cleon Skousen which opposed Soviet Communism (see here for a sampling of relevant quotes by Benson, noting the similarities to Beck’s own language).

Interesting nuance.

re: #30 CyanSnowHawk

A good hoax is usually 'one and done'. Make it count.

No way. A good hoax is one in which you never get identified. If it's "one and done," then it didn't work, because you got outed.

I've got at least 15 notches, and still counting.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

I may be in trouble with Mr. Beck. I just read a trilogy where the heroes are Saetan, Lucivar, and Daemon. Probably be banned if Mr. Beck had any say.

Last Night a Cheesy Thread, now a sloe one! DRINK!

re: #39 zombie

No way. A good hoax is one in which you never get identified. If it's "one and done," then it didn't work, because you got outed.

I've got at least 15 notches, and still counting.

That who Macarena thing? Zombie did it.

re: #24 zombie

They are soooo easy to manipulate. I could be a major-league hoaxer, if I so desired.

And maybe I do.

The FMSM makes up shit all the time, why shouldn't you have some fun?

Here's looking at you, ojoe: a lovely, clear and sunny late morning in your part of the world....

[Link: www.astro.ucla.edu...]

re: #37 Spider Mensch

yup..there's a guy about 47 years old sitting in the White House saying the exact same thing right now....

You think he manipulated them?

I think they (a) were falling all over themselves for the CHANCE to slobber on him and (b) fell victim to their own PC Nazi bullshit that criticism of him was RACIST.

re: #39 zombie

No way. A good hoax is one in which you never get identified. If it's "one and done," then it didn't work, because you got outed.

I've got at least 15 notches, and still counting.

/A good hoax is one where you get elected.

Change! The Left demanded.

Change? Obama heard.

No change, is what Obama did. Obama keeps Bush era rules on polar bears.

re: #46 brookly red

/A good hoax is one where you get elected.

You, sir, owe me a new keyboard and monitor, plus the doctor's visit for making me laugh a mouthful of coffee through my nose.

re: #31 Guanxi88

I thought that once, too, but I fear a second Obama term.

I said a 'good' hoax. Obama is far from that.

In a country that has people in it that thought that 'Caddyshack II' was a good idea, you are right to fear a second Obama term.

Glenn Beck In A Minute: Our Favorite Moments From Fox's Finest (VIDEO)

re: #44 ryannon

Those mountains get hot in the middle of the day!
Here's a ground level photo

re: #40 Catttt

I may be in trouble with Mr. Beck. I just read a trilogy where the heroes are Saetan, Lucivar, and Daemon. Probably be banned if Mr. Beck had any say.

The Mormons quit tossing printing presses into the river quite a while back. I have never seen a overtly Mormon campaign to "ban" a book.

Am I the only one who has a visceral reaction to Obama's imperious tone when he speaks?
It really grates on me.

re: #50 Killgore Trout

Glenn Beck In A Minute: Our Favorite Moments From Fox's Finest (VIDEO)

These clips remind me why I switched to the Weather Channel. /

re: #45 OldLineTexan

You think he manipulated them?

I think they (a) were falling all over themselves for the CHANCE to slobber on him and (b) fell victim to their own PC Nazi bullshit that criticism of him was RACIST.

he's the one dealing the cards right now..thats all I know...and he's dealing off the bottom of the deck.

re: #24 zombie

They are soooo easy to manipulate. I could be a major-league hoaxer, if I so desired.

And maybe I do.

You should see the movie Abel Raises Cain. Alan Abel is a genius.

re: #15 zombie

Amazing how easy it is!

Zom - It is easy when you've found your niche! The awesome skills on display at Zombietime - getting the story and living to tell it - is a powerful thing. And it should pay well too! Good news for a change from Zombie!

re: #48 FurryOldGuyJeans

You, sir, owe me a new keyboard and monitor, plus the doctor's visit for making me laugh a mouthful of coffee through my nose.

wanna buy some snark insurance?

re: #50 Killgore Trout

Glenn Beck In A Minute: Our Favorite Moments From Fox's Finest (VIDEO)

I'll pass. Saw enough crazy last night on the Ron Paul threads and on my visits to the stalker sites today.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

Come on, have some Sympathy for Obama
(A repost, largely mine with help from Occasional Reader, tfk, and other lizards.)

Please allow me to introduce myself
Im a man of hope and change
I've been around for few short years
But I'm the object of a new faith.

People think I'm Jesus Christ
Bringing hope and change
Made damn sure that no one
Knows what that change will bring

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my (middle) name
But misleading you
Is the nature of my campaign

I went to Washington
When I saw it was a time for a change
Turned the US socialist
The people screamed in pain

I cut back tanks
with my C-in-C rank
while the jihad raged
and our response, it stank

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my (middle) name, oh yeah
Ah, misleading you
Is the nature of my campaign, oh yeah

I watched with glee
While the Reverend Wright
Damned America and
Put down Jews and Whites

I shouted out,
"who's the next Kennedy?"
and made y'all think
it was truly me

Let me please introduce myself
Im a man of hope and change
And I played all the race cards
And threw all my friends under the bus

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But misleading you
Is the nature of my campaign, oh yeah, get down, baby
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my (middle) name, oh yeah
But misleading you
Is just the nature of my campaign

Just as every pol is a criminal
That the spinners make into saints

To end this tale
Elect me President
And I'll lay your world to waste

So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or Ill lay your world to waste, um yeah
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed (middle) my name, um yeah
But misleading you
Is the nature of my campaign, um mean it, get down
Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!
Tell me baby, what's my (middle) name
Tell me honey, can ya guess my (middle) name
Tell me voter, what's my (middle) name
I tell you voters, you're to blame

re: #53 LGoPs

Am I the only one who has a visceral reaction to Obama's imperious tone when he speaks?
It really grates on me.

He sets off my smug alarm!

re: #42 Guanxi88

That who Macarena thing? Zombie did it.

The Who doing the Macarena? Hmm. Could work. Smashing your instruments after playing that abomination would be appropriate.

re: #54 Catttt

These clips remind me why I switched to the Weather Channel. /

Weather Underground? Is that the last cable channel for sane folk?

Another legendary media hoaxer is Joey Skaggs.

www.joeyskaggs.com/

re: #53 LGoPs

Am I the only one who has a visceral reaction to Obama's imperious tone when he speaks?
It really grates on me.

When he does that, I usually start calling him "Mayor Daley".

re: #61 Truck Monkey

He sets off my smug alarm!

Smug is the airborne pollution created at ground level when excessive heating of the air at the surface meets increased O-zone emissions.

re: #60 Kosh's Shadow

Is your real name "Weird Al"? :)

re: #53 LGoPs

Reminds me of Mussolini, sort of.

(I'm not that old, O reminds me of what I've read about M)

There are similarities in pose
O, M.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

From Beck's site, here's the (rambling) context of that:

[How] am I supposed to be a good Christian, how am I supposed to better myself if all of my decisions are made for me by the state. If I can only eat these things, if I can only do these things, if I can only have this much money, if I'm forced to share, how does anyone grow spiritually? How do you become Gandhi if everything is decided for you? If this was the plan of salvation, if this is the plan of heaven, if this is God's plan, why didn't he just go with Lucifer's plan of just, I'll bring every soul back to you, God; you give the glory to me. I'll make sure. I'm not going to give them any choice. I'll bring everyone back. Jesus said, no, no, no, no; go down, let them have free will, let them have choice.
[...]
Did Jesus say when a man asks for your shirt, you give the government your coat, also, and have the government give that coat to the man? No. The government is a middleman. The government is acting in the role of Lucifer.

In short: Beck says that the Obama gummint is like Lucifer in that Lucifer wanted to force mankind to be good instead of letting mankind have free will.

To which I respond: Huh? So Lucifer was all about forcing people to do the right thing whether they wanted to or not? I wonder if this is Beck's Mormon theology showing through, or what?

National Cathedral [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

I'll never understand the concept of protesting a funeral, but there are, in fact, people outside here protesting Jack Kemp's funeral.

Sickos.

re: #51 Ojoe

Those mountains get hot in the middle of the day!
Here's a ground level photo

It's all good: I love that part of the world :-) I used to live not very far at all back in the days. Those images always bring back good memories...

Best of all, is when they aim the TowerCam over the L.A. Basin at night: I've only seen it once or twice, but it's spectacular...

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

Well, Obama is trying to make our lives hell.

re: #69 Throbert McGee

Bwuh? Where did Beck get theological training? Cause that's the oddest interpretation about Lucifer in a long time.

I've been watching Glenn Rynolds slipping into libertarian insanity too. He thinks to this.....
DANIEL DREZNER: Why Libertarians are Skeptical About Democracy.

I don't think Instapundit is actually endorsing the idea but it seems like he found it a compelling enough to link to as food for thought. Has everybody simply gone insane? I take the right blogosphere just about as seriously as the left these days. At some point the crazy tide will have to turn but I'm amazed how far people are willing to go.

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

Sounds like Bobby Bouchet's Mamma.....foosball is the DEBIL!

This is just so wrong:

Under Restructuring, GM To Build More Cars Overseas

re: #69 Throbert McGee

Yes, it is.

re: #69 Throbert McGee

I wonder if this is Beck's Mormon theology showing through, or what?

It seems so. See #32 and 38.

re: #74 Killgore Trout

Killgore, there are days I fear sanity seems to be solely in the eye of the beholder. This week was full of them.

re: #67 Mad Al-Jaffee

Is your real name "Weird Al"? :)

No, and neither is buzzsawmonkey's, as far as I know.

re: #76 FurryOldGuyJeans

This is just so wrong:

Under Restructuring, GM To Build More Cars Overseas

are they gonna be sold overseas?

Phil Continues the good fight against anti-Vaxx posters..
His latest heartbreaking post about a mother that could not afford the Vax is here..
[Link: blogs.discovermagazine.com...]

Phil is good people and stands up to bullshit like the world class scientist that he is.. We need more Phils in this world

re: #78 Killgore Trout

aahhhh. Ok. So it's somewhat fringe theology heavily filled with political interpretation based upon issues of the day.

And I thought my day couldn't get any more confusing.

Was Beck like this when he was on CNN?

re: #81 brookly red

are they gonna be sold overseas?

No.

According to an outline the company has been sharing privately with Washington legislators, the number of cars that GM sells in the United States and builds in Mexico, China and South Korea will roughly double.

re: #53 LGoPs

Am I the only one who has a visceral reaction to Obama's imperious tone when he speaks?
It really grates on me.

Me, too! At my house, if we have the misfortune of hearing him speak, we end every one of his sentences with "So there!"

re: #70 J.D.

Naw, they're Bills fans who want their best player back.

re: #81 brookly red

Now that the UAW is a stakeholder, they want to keep costs down?

re: #57 Conservative in Liberal Hands

Zom - It is easy when you've found your niche! The awesome skills on display at Zombietime - getting the story and living to tell it - is a powerful thing. And it should pay well too! Good news for a change from Zombie!

The operative word here is "should." Sadly, the distance between "should" and "does" is vast.

re: #51 Ojoe

Those mountains get hot in the middle of the day!
Here's a ground level photo

Speaking of hot (it's only 65 up there, according to the Web page), do you know if the observatory has ever been threatened by wildfires?

re: #85 FurryOldGuyJeans

Hmmmmm, is the UAW walking funny?

re: #76 FurryOldGuyJeans

This is just so wrong:

Under Restructuring, GM To Build More Cars Overseas

Holy unintended consequences Batman!

re: #88 jaunte

Now that the UAW is a stakeholder, they want to keep costs down?

O is just coming right out and showing he doesn't give a shit about America unless it is to destroy her.

BTW, Peterson arrived downtown at the courthouse just a few minutes ago. He's going to be arraigned shortly. They've got him dressed in what I hope will be the last duds he ever wears, a red jumpsuit. When asked, the asshole had this to say: "Look at this bling. Look at this nice spiffy outfit".

re: #87 calcajun

Naw, they're Bills fans who want their best player back.

That, I could almost understand.

re: #76 FurryOldGuyJeans

This is just so wrong:

Under Restructuring, GM To Build More Cars Overseas

They build Buicks in China (for Chinese consumption), so it wouldn't surprise me if they started bringing stuff in from there. Buicks are highly regarded in China.

re: #96 Ward Cleaver

They build Buicks in China (for Chinese consumption), so it wouldn't surprise me if they started bringing stuff in from there. Buicks are highly regarded in China.

And every Suburban I've seen in Texas for years was built in Mexico.

re: #94 Honorary Yooper

BTW, Peterson arrived downtown at the courthouse just a few minutes ago. He's going to be arraigned shortly. They've got him dressed in what I hope will be the last duds he ever wears, a red jumpsuit. When asked, the asshole had this to say: "Look at this bling. Look at this nice spiffy outfit".

I'd like to see the look on his face when they show him the needle.

/one can hope

re: #92 CyanSnowHawk

Holy unintended consequences Batman!

Wanna take bets this gets ignored by the FMSM, unlike the legally contracted AIG bonuses?

re: #53 LGoPs

Am I the only one who has a visceral reaction to Obama's imperious tone when he speaks?
It really grates on me.

You are not alone there. Even my 8-year-old, upon hearing The One's voice on the radio, exclaims "Oh no, not Barak Obama again".

re: #97 OldLineTexan

And every Suburban I've seen in Texas for years was built in Mexico.

Fun game: Look at the VIN through the windshield. Starting number 1 = USA, 2= Canada, 3 = Mexico. China can be 4!

/

re: #93 FurryOldGuyJeans

I guess someone should have noticed that's what happens when one countries taxpayers are asked to bail out an international corporation.

re: #96 Ward Cleaver

They build Buicks in China (for Chinese consumption), so it wouldn't surprise me if they started bringing stuff in from there. Buicks are highly regarded in China.

Yeah, but were we the American taxpayers having our taxes thrown at the companies to do such, as is being proposed now?

re: #76 FurryOldGuyJeans

This is just so wrong:

Under Restructuring, GM To Build More Cars Overseas

"It's an almost impossible dilemma," said former labor secretary Robert B. Reich, now a professor at the University of California-Berkeley. "GM is a global company -- so for that matter is AIG and the biggest Wall Street banks. That means that bailing them out doesn't necessarily redound to the benefit of the U.S. or American workers.

"More significantly, it raises fundamental questions about the purpose of bailing out these big companies. If GM is going to do more of its production overseas, then why exactly are we saving GM?"

Lemme guess...

country's

re: #9 Charles

Speaking of the Devil, on his May 5th radio show, Glenn Beck said: "the government is acting in the role of Lucifer. ... The government is the devil."

I'm a minion of the Devil. Of course that's just state government, perhaps I'm a lesser demon minion?

re: #99 FurryOldGuyJeans

Wanna take bets this gets ignored by the FMSM, unlike the legally contracted AIG bonuses?

Only if the UAW decides to go along with it. The FMSM reports pretty much every time the UAW doesn't like the smell of a manager's fart.

Repost from prior dead thread:
The "special relationship" has been special all right.
US policy has successfully prevented Israel from achieving decisive military victories in 1967, 1973, Lebanon and Gaza.
While Israel has historically been largely dependant on the USA for its military technology and supplies, this dependancy has been steadily decreasing while at the same time Israel has increasingly been required to pay full freight for the arms.
With the maturation of Israel's military production capabilities it may finally be time for Israel to call Obama's hand and to tell him to go shove his efforts to dictate the terms of his duplicitous and unrealistic vision of Middle East peace.

I gotta' get my feet back on the ground.

re: #106 DaddyG

I'm a minion of the Devil.

Are your duties largely ceremonial?

/

re: #104 J.D.

Lemme guess...

If you say anything but union payback, *BUUUUZZZZZZZZ*

Another Holy Land Foundation fundraiser pleads guilty

A Holy Land Foundation fundraiser has pleaded guilty in Phoenix to lying to the FBI. Akram Musa Abdallah faces up to eight years in prison when he is sentenced later this year.

The charges stem from statements he made to FBI agents in January 2007, when he denied raising money for Holy Land. He was arrested in August 2008.

If we're going to have Chinese cars, I suggest the tipover minimicrovans they drive along with the deathtrap accordion-like tiny trucks.

Small enough to just bury the deceased occupants in.

re: #76 FurryOldGuyJeans

This is just so wrong:

Under Restructuring, GM To Build More Cars Overseas

Unfortunately, there's no way they will ever be able to compete using American workers as long as the UAW remains intact. UAW workers have effectively priced themselves out of the market. Despite significant progress over the last few years achieving wage parity between new hires and foreign counterparts, there are too many older workers still on the line, and way too many retirees, sucking up cash and benefits at the grandfathered rates. It will be a couple of decades before those disparities are completely flushed out of the system.

So if GM wants to remain competitive, the answer is simple: move production out of the US to the largest degree possible, and as quickly as possible.

It'll be fascinating to watch the UAW take a seat on the board at Chrysler, and possibly GM, in a position where they are answerable directly to the shareholders over the company's profits, and are faced with the stark reality their union has brought to pass. They'll be forced to support draining America's production workforce, or face Federal conflict of interest charges and ouster by shareholders irate over declining share prices.

All may not be lost. Given a couple years of this sort of BS, the country may finally be in the mood to relax draconian labor laws to the point where a new automotive startup can hire non-union workers at a decent - but not insane - wage. And there'll be plenty of potential workers to choose from who will be happy to take such jobs by that time.

Ironically, Detroit may once again find itself a prime location if this comes to pass. The illiteracy rate in the city is currently 50% - fully half the residents can't read, meaning they can never, ever hope to get a job paying any meaningful amount. Line work, however, will remain an option for many in this category. It sure beats a local politician's suggestion that we address this problem by passing out blankets and corn.

re: #107 CyanSnowHawk

Only if the UAW decides to go along with it. The FMSM reports pretty much every time the UAW doesn't like the smell of a manager's fart.

The UAW Leadership is most likely for this, since they can continue the evil corporation screws the innocent worker rhetoric, the rank and file will yet again get shafted.

re: #85 FurryOldGuyJeans

According to an outline the company has been sharing privately with Washington legislators, the number of cars that GM sells in the United States and builds in Mexico, China and South Korea will roughly double.

So what does GM's new stockholder, the UAW, think of this?

re: #111 FurryOldGuyJeans

If you say anything but union payback, *BUUUUZZZZZZZZ*

gmta

re: #97 OldLineTexan

And every Suburban I've seen in Texas for years was built in Mexico.

Suburbans are built in Silao, Mexico, and in Michigan. A small number (reserve capacity) are built here in Arlington. Most of the Tahoes, Yukons, and Escalades are built in Arlington (I toured there a couple of years ago, and also way back in the mid '70s, when they were building Cutlasses, Malibus, and Monte Carlos).

There was an article in the Dallas Morning News the other day, saying that Arlington is staying open one more week than planned (before their summer shutdown), so they can fill 3,400 fleet orders, and 1,000 retail customer orders.

re: #114 SixDegrees

So you're saying they need a community organizer?

/I know of one I don't want

re: #64 Mad Al-Jaffee

Another legendary media hoaxer is Joey Skaggs.

www.joeyskaggs.com/

Interesting!

re: #76 FurryOldGuyJeans

This is just so wrong:

Under Restructuring, GM To Build More Cars Overseas

At the very end of that article.

"If we start making political decisions with the auto industry, we're going to be in tremendous trouble," said Michael Robinet, vice president of global vehicle forecasts at CSM Worldwide.

Oops, too late.

re: #90 Ward Cleaver

Oh yeah, except there are roads all around the mountain top on Wilson, so it's quite protected on top.

We used to watch the red lines of flames work their way up the mountain sides, when we were kids in the school playground, and little bits of white ash would drift in, this was all on the flats about 15 miles away.

The mountains would burn often, fire is part of the natural system there.

re: #85 FurryOldGuyJeans

Have they figured out where they will be sold, then? To be more clear, have they figured out who will be left to buy them?

I am completely geeking out over the new Star Trek movie. I ordered tickets on line for the date with MommyG tonight (she approved). The original series was running during my formative years and something I shared with my Dad.

re: #98 Ward Cleaver

They postponed his arraignment to May 18th. Bail is still $20 million.

re: #114 SixDegrees

I don't disagree with the fundamentals of what you said, but I don't like paying for the very thing the Dems have in the past supposedly been firmly opposed to happening.

This is just so obvious a con as they come.

re: #109 MandyManners

I gotta' get my feet back on the ground.

Gettin' Yo Feet Back on the Ground, East Bay Style

re: #114 SixDegrees

Toyota, Honda, BMW, and others seem to have no problem finding non-union workers in the US.
Of course, they aren't locating their plants in Detroit, either.

re: #76 FurryOldGuyJeans

It's cheaper to build them overseas since they don't have to deal with the UAW. And strangely, GM may be forced to sell its Opel division to Fiat/Chrysler. Again, that makes little sense for GM given that it is one of their better divisions.

The stupidity surrounding the Administration's choices on the auto industry are astounding since they're picking winners and losers solely on what they can bring to Obama politically - not whether it's the right thing to do or not.

re: #123 SixDegrees

Have they figured out where they will be sold, then? To be more clear, have they figured out who will be left to buy them?

/they will be donated to public assistance recipients in Massachusetts...

re: #116 Kosh's Shadow

So what does GM's new stockholder, the UAW, think of this?

I know the UAW will hold board positions at Chrysler under the terms of the restructuring. I don't think this has come to pass at GM yet, although I could be wrong. I thought they were still a more or less ordinary company, except for the fact that they are now hovering just above penny stock territory and are considering issuing a 100-to-1 reverse stock split to address that issue.

re: #69 Throbert McGee

I wonder if this is Beck's Mormon theology showing through, or what?

Just answering my own question: After some preliminary Googling, I'm thinking that Beck indeed had in mind a peculiarly Mormon conception of "Lucifer" when he made that May 5 comment.

Here's a relevant quote from the Book of Moses, which LDS members consider to be canonical Scripture:

1 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and [Satan, then known as Lucifer] came before me, saying—"Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor."

(It doesn't make Beck's statement less crazy or irresponsible -- just puts a slightly different spin on it.)

re: #84 Ben Hur

Was Beck like this when he was on CNN?

I never watched him on CNN, but his radio show is on early in the morning here. I now have to make sure I've turned the radio off before falling asleep, because if I don't, I wake up to his everybody stock up on canned goods 'cause you know what's coming rhetoric, and it is incredibly annoying.

On television, he seems to mostly act like a ten year-old boy, interviewing grownups and mugging for the camera out of their line of sight. One day he made devil horns with his fingers while talking to a guy on a split screen, for example. Or he'll do things like pretending he's Tiny Tim, walking with a crutch and begging.

It's practically impossible to take him seriously. I'd be surprised if many did. He strikes me as sort of a right-wing Jon Stewart, and I think that's what FNC is trying to do with him.

re: #118 Ward Cleaver

Suburbans are built in Silao, Mexico, and in Michigan. A small number (reserve capacity) are built here in Arlington. Most of the Tahoes, Yukons, and Escalades are built in Arlington (I toured there a couple of years ago, and also way back in the mid '70s, when they were building Cutlasses, Malibus, and Monte Carlos).

There was an article in the Dallas Morning News the other day, saying that Arlington is staying open one more week than planned (before their summer shutdown), so they can fill 3,400 fleet orders, and 1,000 retail customer orders.

I tried to buy one in 2001, could not find a single one within rour hours of Houston that wasn't from Mexico. And they were having significant tranny issues with the Mexican-built ones, btw, so I was only trying to avoid ANOTHER vehicle with a bad transmission like my 1990 Dodge Caravan.

re: #84 Ben Hur

Was Beck like this when he was on CNN?

No.

Fox unleashed his inner asshole.

re: #129 lawhawk

It's cheaper to build them overseas since they don't have to deal with the UAW. And strangely, GM may be forced to sell its Opel division to Fiat/Chrysler. Again, that makes little sense for GM given that it is one of their better divisions.

The stupidity surrounding the Administration's choices on the auto industry are astounding since they're picking winners and losers solely on what they can bring to Obama politically - not whether it's the right thing to do or not.

Socialism! It is the same everywhere. This will ruin the US economy (that, and by removing the rule of law, allowing the government to change the rules any time, they're chasing away investment money.)

UH-OH:

The Thugs Win

Via Zero Hedge:

A group of Chrysler creditors opposing the carmaker’s reorganization is likely to disband after two more investment firms withdrew from its membership, a person briefed on the matter told DealBook on Friday.

The withdrawals of OppenheimerFunds and Stairway Capital Management will likely drop the group, calling itself the Committee of Non-TARP Lenders, below 5 percent of Chrysler’s $6.9 billion in secured debt, this person said. That would almost certainly eliminate the group’s standing in federal bankruptcy court.

Ever since the group made public last week, its membership has shrunken by the day as it faced public criticism from President Obama and others. That continued withdrawal of firms led Oppenheimer and Stairway to conclude that they could not succeed in opposing the Chrysler reorganization plan in court, the two firms said in separate statements.

Just another step closer to a Mussolini-style corporate state.

Update: David Skeel argues the Chrysler bankruptcy settlement is a sham sale of the sort that was outlawed in 1938. Except, of course, when the President does it, I guess.

re: #123 SixDegrees

Have they figured out where they will be sold, then? To be more clear, have they figured out who will be left to buy them?

This is not about sustaining the viability of a company, this is about looting the assets and paying off political interests.

re: #124 DaddyG

I am completely geeking out over the new Star Trek movie. I ordered tickets on line for the date with MommyG tonight (she approved). The original series was running during my formative years and something I shared with my Dad.

I've already downloaded a torrent file of the entire movie, from a Chinese pirated-movies site. Want me to send it to you?

re: #109 MandyManners

I gotta' get my feet back on the ground.

This might HELP:

Youtube Video

re: #129 lawhawk

It's cheaper to build them overseas since they don't have to deal with the UAW. And strangely, GM may be forced to sell its Opel division to Fiat/Chrysler. Again, that makes little sense for GM given that it is one of their better divisions.

The stupidity surrounding the Administration's choices on the auto industry are astounding since they're picking winners and losers solely on what they can bring to Obama politically - not whether it's the right thing to do or not.

This is not about basic economics, this is about political payback, as you said.

re: #135 Racer X

No.

Fox unleashed his inner asshole.

Is it FOX, or that he got a pass because he was on CNN. Like Dobbs.

re: #123 SixDegrees

Have they figured out where they will be sold, then? To be more clear, have they figured out who will be left to buy them?

They'll probably give illegal immigrants and welfare recipients guaranteed loans to buy them, as long as they buy GMs and Chryslers.
Based on the Massachusetts plan, of course.

Interesting development with CAIR:

CAIR Co-Founder Retires From Board

FBI has a problem with the Executive Management of CAIR, and now the co-founder steps out? Sounds like progress.

re: #78 Killgore Trout

It seems so. See #32 and 38.

Aha, thanks -- hadn't seen this when I wrote my post #132.

re: #132 Throbert McGee

Beck's statement, in context, is perfectly sensible to a Mormon, IMO.

If the Federal Government will make all your decisions for you, denying your free agency, then it is playing Lucifer/Satan/The Devil's role from the preexistence (another Mormon doctrine).

re: #144 Kolya

Interesting development with CAIR:

CAIR Co-Founder Retires From Board

FBI has a problem with the Executive Management of CAIR, and now the co-founder steps out? Sounds like progress.

We'll see if we're fooled again.
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

re: #136 Kosh's Shadow

Socialism! It is the same everywhere. This will ruin the US economy (that, and by removing the rule of law, allowing the government to change the rules any time, they're chasing away investment money.)

Good point! Thomas Sowell's book "Basic Economics" talks about the problem with Socialism (and any centrally planned economy). If you have a small group of people (think Obama's car czar and his deputy), they cannot possibly react to any situation quickly, or intelligently, especially if varied areas of the economy are involved.

Economics works best when literally tens of millions of people make individual decisions. If I want to buy a pencil, I don't have to know a thing about wood production, graphite production, or rubber production. The quys who make pencils do. And they know about it, and do it because they see an opportunity to sell pencils.

If a central planner has to make all those decisions, we'll end up with a real shortage of pencils.

re: #128 Kosh's Shadow

Toyota, Honda, BMW, and others seem to have no problem finding non-union workers in the US.
Of course, they aren't locating their plants in Detroit, either.

True, that. Once a union gets in the door, though, they're almost impossible to be rid of. Labor law is byzantine, but it distinctly favors the unions, who wrote most of it.

And although those foreign plants pay well and offer good benefits - the communities where they are located love them - you can probably kiss most of them goodbye once American auto manufacturers gut their own domestic production facilities. The only reason they located here in the first place was to tone down the complaints about "foreign made cars"; employing American workers was good politics. Soon, that may not be so compelling an argument, and they'll relocate to places like Mexico or Indonesia where labor is cheaper.

re: #142 Ben Hur

Is it FOX, or that he got a pass because he was on CNN. Like Dobbs.

Not sure. His drama queen antics have increased significantly on Fox.

re: #138 FurryOldGuyJeans

This is not about sustaining the viability of a company, this is about looting the assets and paying off political interests.

Without a company to bleed, the UAW will be cutting their own throat.

And if I were a union boss, I sure as hell wouldn't want a bunch of line workers looking up my address.

re: #143 Kosh's Shadow

They'll probably give illegal immigrants and welfare recipients guaranteed loans to buy them, as long as they buy GMs and Chryslers.
Based on the Massachusetts plan, of course.

Why is it that the picture this makes in my head is an image of a man trying to give himself a blow job?

re: #118 Ward Cleaver

Suburbans are built in Silao, Mexico, and in Michigan. A small number (reserve capacity) are built here in Arlington. Most of the Tahoes, Yukons, and Escalades are built in Arlington (I toured there a couple of years ago, and also way back in the mid '70s, when they were building Cutlasses, Malibus, and Monte Carlos).

There was an article in the Dallas Morning News the other day, saying that Arlington is staying open one more week than planned (before their summer shutdown), so they can fill 3,400 fleet orders, and 1,000 retail customer orders.

Oops, rather than Michigan, it was Wisconsin (Janesville). Janesville closed down in December. One of our friends has a Yukon XL (GMT800 platform) that was built in Janesville.

Just posted under video links:

illusion of superiority

re: #132 Throbert McGee

(It doesn't make Beck's statement less crazy or irresponsible -- just puts a slightly different spin on it.)

I'll jump on this one as one of the local Mormon Lizards.

There are two possible connections in Beck's ideology with the LDS faith. One is related to the quote you shared and the LDS value on individual agency. Any type of unrighteous dominion (seeking to force someone to do what they ought to do voluntarily or worse abuse for selfish reasons) by individuals or organizations is seen as being evil or having its origin "of the devil". Beck's statement the the government "is the devil" could be a clumsy analogy.

The second is in the Book of Mormon narrative where unrighteous individuals in opposition Gods will seek to take over the government and society using secret combinations to get gain. The warning is that we will see these secret combinations (think Mafia, , dictators, gangs, unholy alliances) in our day. Mormons have speculated that these can be everything from pornographers selling their wares to minors to organized conspiracy. Official doctrine does not specify which groups.

The Mormons are like any culture in which you will get a range of responses to our own holy writ including the Bible. In general we tend to be less literal than many evangelical faiths but we have our movements that are waiting for the secret combinations to crawl out from behind every rock. It sounds like Brother Beck is listening to some of those people.

I love the Saints but I won't excuse careless speculation either.

re: #139 zombie
That's OK. I'm looking forward to an exciting date with the Mrs. Thanks anyway!

re: #156 DaddyG

That's OK. I'm looking forward to an exciting date with the Mrs. Thanks anyway!

I was just hoaxing you anyway, to show how easy it is! Give people what they want, and they often need to believe! But, being ethical, you didn't fall for it. If only more people in the MSM were like you...

Zeitgeist Canada

What the...

re: #157 zombie

I was just hoaxing you anyway, to show how easy it is! Give people what they want, and they often need to believe! But, being ethical, you didn't fall for it. If only more people in the MSM were like you...

Good point. And thanks for the complement.

re: #152 SixDegrees

Why is it that the picture this makes in my head is an image of a man trying to give himself a blow job?

Only dogs can do that, or close to it anyway. (I know; we have 7 dogs, 5 are male)

re: #13 Racer X

Friday morning open.

Time to open a beer.

A beer would go down pretty easy right now.
Speaking of which,

re: #160 Kosh's Shadow

Only dogs can do that, or close to it anyway. (I know; we have 7 dogs, 5 are male)

As George Carlin once said, "If I could do that, I'd never leave the house."

I'm pretty sure cats can do that, too.

O/T even for an open thread, but thought I'd offer a heads up for everyone.

Check your credit card records for a mysterious charge from some outfit called "Complete Savings". I never heard of them, never contacted them, never bought anything from them, yet there was a $12.00 on my account.

After 2 days of research I learned that online purchases from FTD flowers and Pizza Hut deceptively sign you up for some sort of program to save on purchases. I'm sure there are other vendors out there using these crooks.

Imagine $12 a pop for every online purchase? That's a huge windfall for these guys. All the complaints I read were charged the same $12 fee.

My bank refunded the fee, and I filed a complaint with the FTC and the BBB.

So anyway, check your credit card statements and bank debit card statements.