Video: IAF Hits Rocket Launchers

Amazing video from Israel's air force showing Hamas' rocket launchers being destroyed on the ground.



These primitive rockets, with no guidance abilities, are being launched wildly into Israeli towns. They are a classic terror weapon, like the buzz-bombs of the Luftwaffe.

"Happy New Year" in Different Languages

Guys, in a few days we will meet year 2009.

"Happy New Year" in Different Languages

Afgani: Saale Nao Mubbarak
Afrikaans: Gelukkige nuwe jaar
Albanian: Gezuar Vitin e Ri
Armenian: Snorhavor Nor Tari
Arabic: Antum salimoun
Assyrian: Sheta Brikhta
Azeri: Yeni Iliniz Mubarek!
Bengali: Shuvo Nabo Barsho
Bulgarian: Chestita Nova Godina
Cambodian: Soursdey Chhnam Tmei
Catalan: FELIÇ ANY NOU
Chinese: Xin Nian Kuai Le
Corsican Language: Pace e Salute
Croatian: Sretna Nova godina!
Cymraeg (Welsh): Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Czechoslovakia: Scastny Novy Rok
Denish: Godt Nytår
Dhivehi: Ufaaveri Aa Aharakah Edhen
Dutch: GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR!
Eskimo: Kiortame pivdluaritlo
Esperanto: Felican Novan Jaron
Estonians: Head uut aastat!
Finnish: Onnellista Uutta Vuotta
French: Bonne Annee
Gaelic: Bliadhna mhath ur
Galician [NorthWestern Spain]: Bo Nadal e Feliz Aninovo
German: Prosit Neujahr
Greek: Kenourios Chronos
Gujarati: Nutan Varshbhinandan
Hawaiian: Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew: L'Shannah Tovah
Hindi: Naye Varsha Ki Shubhkamanyen
Hong kong: (Cantonese) Sun Leen Fai Lok
Hungarian: Boldog Ooy Ayvet
Indonesian: Selamat Tahun Baru
Iranian: Saleh now mobarak
Iraqi: Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit
Italian: Felice anno nuovo
Japan: Akimashite Omedetto Gozaimasu
Kabyle: Asegwas Amegaz
Kannada: Hosa Varushadha Shubhashayagalu
Kisii: SOMWAKA OMOYIA OMUYA
Khmer: Sua Sdei tfnam tmei
Korea: Saehae Bock Mani ba deu sei yo!
Kurdish: NEWROZ PIROZBE
Lithuanian: Laimingu Naujuju Metu
Laotian: Sabai dee pee mai
Macedonian: Srekjna Nova Godina
Malay: Selamat Tahun Baru
Marathi : Nveen Varshachy Shubhechcha
Malayalam : Puthuvatsara Aashamsakal
Maltese: Is-Sena t- Tajba
Nepal: Nawa Barsha ko Shuvakamana
Norwegian: Godt Nyttår
Papua New Guinea: Nupela yia i go long yu
Pampango (Philippines): Masaganang Bayung Banua
Persian: Saleh now ra tabrik migouyam
Philippines: Manigong Bagong Taon
Polish: Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
Portuguese: Feliz Ano Novo
Punjabi: Nave sal di mubarak
Romanian AN NOU FERICIT
Russian: S Novim Godom
Samoa: Manuia le Tausaga Fou
Serbo-Croatian: Sretna nova godina
Sindhi: Nayou Saal Mubbarak Hoje
Singhalese: Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Siraiki: Nawan Saal Shala Mubarak Theevay
Slovak: A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovenian: sreèno novo leto
Somali: Iyo Sanad Cusub Oo Fiican!
Spanish: Feliz Ano ~Nuevo
Swahili: Heri Za Mwaka Mpyaº
Swedish: GOTT NYTT ÅR! /Gott nytt år!
Sudanese: Warsa Enggal
Tamil: Eniya Puthandu Nalvazhthukkal
Telugu: Noothana samvatsara shubhakankshalu
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish: Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubbarak Ho
Uzbek: Yangi Yil Bilan
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Tan Nien
Welsh : Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Video: Johns Hopkins Mousetrap Car Slalom

Remember that mousetrap powered car project you had to do in high school physics class? At Johns Hopkins University, engineering freshmen have to go the next step and make a mousetrap car that does a slalom and then drives straight to the finish line. Video below, hat tip to If It's Got An Engine. When I was in school, none of my engineering professors were as cute as the one in the video.

GMAC Bank

I was looking around at who had the best CD rates in our ever-lower interest rate era, and I found that GMAC Bank has very nice rates, 4% for 1 year, compared with the average of 2%. I am planning on taking them up on it. 4% 12 month CDs are not growing on trees right now.

Now, before you shout that GMAC may go bankrupt, and eat my deposits, know that GMAC Bank is FDIC insured. So even if GMAC did go bankrupt, and GMAC Bank is a division of GMAC, FDIC would step in, and in a few days I would have my money back.

This is in contrast with the GMAC Demand Notes (5.25%) or Ford Motor Credit's Interest Advantage (3.9-4.2%), which are unsecured loans directly to the companies. If you are invested in GMAC Demand Notes or Ford Motor Credit Interest Advantage, you should re-evaluate your tolerance for financial risk right away, because I am guessing that you are investing money you consider "safe", but what you are buying is basically a junk bond.

And, by putting money in GMAC, I can help GM by providing badly needed cash to their lending arm, and helping support the Detroit auto industry.

There are some downsides to GMAC Bank. It are online-only, so if you want to be able to talk to a human being about your account, the only option is the telephone. It also doesn't support direct connection through Quicken or Microsoft Money, if you want to download transactions you have to use the manual download feature on your account page.

Note: GMAC did not sponsor this post or influence it in any way.

Windshield GPS MN

Did you know that it is against the law to mount accessories (such as GPS) to the windshield in Minnesota, and recently was in California?

Read here about Minnesota.

California law changes in January 2009 to allow GPS units, but they must be located at the lower left or lower right corner of the winshield.

In other news, Minnesota is considering a law to require Minnesotans to tie their shoes with double-knots, to prevent accidental tripping.

Star Wars Republic Commando On Vista

I recently bought Star Wars Republic Commando, a Lucas Arts squad based shooter. It wouldn't run on my machine ("SWRepublicCommando.exe has stopped working").

I got it running by doing two things: first, I set SWRepublicCommando.exe to run as administrator. Second, in the game, under the graphics settings, I set "bump-mapping" to low.

New Taurus Spy Photos

Autoblog has some good spy photo shots of a modestly camouflaged 2010 Taurus.
The interior looks nice, and looks like it has a lot in common with the MKS interior (notice the steep rake of the center stack). Also notice the Sony audio system.

Photos courtesy of Autoblog

See all pics here.

This is a crucial product for Ford, after the flabby sales (<100K annualized) of the current 500/Taurus. The Taurus should be Ford's flagship. It looks to me like it will be a contender, though we don't know what will be under the hood yet. Will it be the 3.5L V6 from the Edge and Flex, or will it be one of the GTDI engines, like the upcoming 3.5L Ecoboost?

It is also quite a bit more exciting to look at than its closest rival, the Toyota Avalon (yawwwwn).

The Bridge Loan Terms

Here are the terms of the bridge loan announced by President Bush this morning.

Fact Sheet: Financing Assistance to Facilitate the Restructuring of Automobile Manufacturers to Attain Financial Viability

Purpose: The terms and conditions of the financing provided by the Treasury Department will facilitate restructuring of our domestic auto industry, prevent disorderly bankruptcies during a time of economic difficulty, and protect the taxpayer by ensuring that only financially viable firms receive financing.

Amount: Auto manufacturers will be provided with $13.4 B in short-term financing from the TARP, with an additional $4 B available in February, contingent upon drawing down the second tranche of TARP funds.

Viability Requirement: The firms must use these funds to become financially viable. Taxpayers will not be asked to provide financing for firms that do not become viable. If the firms have not attained viability by March 31, 2009, the loan will be called and all funds returned to the Treasury.

Definition of Viability: A firm will only be deemed viable if it has a positive net present value, taking into account all current and future costs, and can fully repay the government loan.

Binding Terms and Conditions: The binding terms and conditions established by the Treasury will mirror those that were voted favorably by a majority of both Houses of Congress, including:

• Firms must provide warrants for non-voting stock.
• Firms must accept limits on executive compensation and eliminate perks such as corporate jets.
• Debt owed to the government would be senior to other debts, to the extent permitted by law.
• Firms must allow the government to examine their books and records.
• Firms must report and the government has the power to block any large transactions (> $100 M).
• Firms must comply with applicable Federal fuel efficiency and emissions requirements.
• Firms must not issue new dividends while they owe government debt.

Targets: The terms and conditions established by Treasury will include additional targets that were the subject of Congressional negotiations but did not come to a vote, including:

• Reduce debts by 2/3 via a debt for equity exchange.
• Make one-half of VEBA payments in the form of stock.
• Eliminate the jobs bank.
• Work rules that are competitive with transplant auto manufacturers by 12/31/09.
• Wages that are competitive with those of transplant auto manufacturers by 12/31/09.

These terms and conditions would be non-binding in the sense that negotiations can deviate from the quantitative targets above, providing that the firm reports the reasons for these deviations and makes the business case to achieve long-term viability in spite of the deviations.

In addition, the firm will be required to conclude new agreements with its other major stakeholders, including dealers and suppliers, by March 31, 2009.

Note the inclusion of the UAW-busting requirements for competitive wages and work rules, but also note that these are negotiable! This means that when Obama and the more-Democrat congress are seated in 2009, they can soften the blow to the UAW, which I am sure they will try to do.

There is no explicit mention of a "Car Czar", but it would seem that someone would need to be in charge of over-seeing the agreement. It isn't clear if Paulson will be the man, or if another person will be appionted to 0versee the program.

President Bush Speech on TARP Loans

Recorded this morning by your auto blogger for your watching pleasure. See below for transcript.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. For years, America's automakers have faced serious challenges -- burdensome costs, a shrinking share of the market, and declining profits. In recent months, the global financial crisis has made these challenges even more severe. Now some U.S. auto executives say that their companies are nearing collapse -- and that the only way they can buy time to restructure is with help from the federal government. This is a difficult situation that involves fundamental questions about the proper role of government. On the one hand, government has a responsibility not to undermine the private enterprise system. On the other hand, government has a responsibility to safeguard the broader health and stability of our economy.

Addressing the challenges in the auto industry requires us to balance these two responsibilities. If we were to allow the free market to take its course now, it would almost certainly lead to disorderly bankruptcy and liquidation for the automakers. Under ordinary economic circumstances, I would say this is the price that failed companies must pay -- and I would not favor intervening to prevent the automakers from going out of business.

But these are not ordinary circumstances. In the midst of a financial crisis and a recession, allowing the U.S. auto industry to collapse is not a responsible course of action. The question is how we can best give it a chance to succeed. Some argue the wisest path is to allow the auto companies to reorganize through Chapter 11 provisions of our bankruptcy laws -- and provide federal loans to keep them operating while they try to restructure under the supervision of a bankruptcy court. But given the current state of the auto industry and the economy, Chapter 11 is unlikely to work for American automakers at this time.

American consumers understand why: If you hear that a car company is suddenly going into bankruptcy, you worry that parts and servicing will not be available, and you question the value of your warranty. And with consumers hesitant to buy new cars from struggling automakers, it would be more difficult for auto companies to recover.

Additionally, the financial crisis brought the auto companies to the brink of bankruptcy much faster than they could have anticipated -- and they have not made the legal and financial preparations necessary to carry out an orderly bankruptcy proceeding that could lead to a successful restructuring.

The convergence of these factors means there's too great a risk that bankruptcy now would lead to a disorderly liquidation of American auto companies. My economic advisors believe that such a collapse would deal an unacceptably painful blow to hardworking Americans far beyond the auto industry. It would worsen a weak job market and exacerbate the financial crisis. It could send our suffering economy into a deeper and longer recession. And it would leave the next President to confront the demise of a major American industry in his first days of office.

A more responsible option is to give the auto companies an incentive to restructure outside of bankruptcy -- and a brief window in which to do it. And that is why my administration worked with Congress on a bill to provide automakers with loans to stave off bankruptcy while they develop plans for viability. This legislation earned bipartisan support from majorities in both houses of Congress.

Unfortunately, despite extensive debate and agreement that we should prevent disorderly bankruptcies in the American auto industry, Congress was unable to get a bill to my desk before adjourning this year.

This means the only way to avoid a collapse of the U.S. auto industry is for the executive branch to step in. The American people want the auto companies to succeed, and so do I. So today, I'm announcing that the federal government will grant loans to auto companies under conditions similar to those Congress considered last week.

These loans will provide help in two ways. First, they will give automakers three months to put in place plans to restructure into viable companies -- which we believe they are capable of doing. Second, if restructuring cannot be accomplished outside of bankruptcy, the loans will provide time for companies to make the legal and financial preparations necessary for an orderly Chapter 11 process that offers a better prospect of long-term success -- and gives consumers confidence that they can continue to buy American cars.

Because Congress failed to make funds available for these loans, the plan I'm announcing today will be drawn from the financial rescue package Congress approved earlier this fall. The terms of the loans will require auto companies to demonstrate how they would become viable. They must pay back all their loans to the government, and show that their firms can earn a profit and achieve a positive net worth. This restructuring will require meaningful concessions from all involved in the auto industry -- management, labor unions, creditors, bondholders, dealers, and suppliers.

In particular, automakers must meet conditions that experts agree are necessary for long-term viability -- including putting their retirement plans on a sustainable footing, persuading bondholders to convert their debt into capital the companies need to address immediate financial shortfalls, and making their compensation competitive with foreign automakers who have major operations in the United States. If a company fails to come up with a viable plan by March 31st, it will be required to repay its federal loans.

The automakers and unions must understand what is at stake, and make hard decisions necessary to reform, These conditions send a clear message to everyone involved in the future of American automakers: The time to make the hard decisions to become viable is now -- or the only option will be bankruptcy.

The actions I'm announcing today represent a step that we wish were not necessary. But given the situation, it is the most effective and responsible way to address this challenge facing our nation. By giving the auto companies a chance to restructure, we will shield the American people from a harsh economic blow at a vulnerable time. And we will give American workers an opportunity to show the world once again they can meet challenges with ingenuity and determination, and bounce back from tough times, and emerge stronger than before.

Thank you.

Bush's Comments At AEI

President Bush gave an interview to the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, today in which he revealed some of his thoughts about the automotive industry. If you want to read the whole thing (and you should), it is here.

MR. DeMUTH: You'll be surprised that I have several questions about the auto bailout. (Laughter.) Let me put it in the context of this discussion. Isn't the Detroit bailout an example of interest groups thinking they can get a better deal from the executive branch than from the Congress?

THE PRESIDENT: That's an interesting way of putting it. First, let me take a step back--I haven't made up my mind yet, So you're assuming something is going to happen. (Laughter.) This is a difficult time for a free market person. Under ordinary circumstances, failed entities--failing entities should be allowed to fail.

I have concluded these are not ordinary circumstances, for a lot of reasons. Our financial system is interwoven domestically, internationally. And we got to the point where if a major institution were to fail, there is great likelihood that there would be a ripple effect throughout the world, and the average person would be really hurt.

And what makes this issue difficult to explain is--to the average guy is, why should I be using my money because of excesses on Wall Street? And I understand that frustration. I completely understand why people are nervous about it. I was in the Roosevelt Room and Chairman Bernanke and Secretary Paulson, after a month of every weekend where they're calling, saying, we got to do this for AIG, or this for Fannie and Freddie, came in and said, the financial markets are completely frozen and if we don't do something about it, it is conceivable we will see a depression greater than the Great Depression.

So I analyzed that and decided I didn't want to be the President during a depression greater than the Great Depression, or the beginning of a depression greater than the Great Depression. So we moved, and moved hard. The autos obviously are very fragile and I've laid out a couple of principles. One, I am worried about a disorderly bankruptcy and what it would do to the psychology and the markets. They're beginning to thaw, but there's still a lot of uncertainty.
I'm also worried about putting good money after bad--that means whether or not these autos will become viable in the future. And frankly, there's one other consideration, and that is, I feel an obligation to my successor. I've thought about what it would be like for me to become President during this period. I have an--I believe that good policy is not to dump him a major catastrophe in his first day of office. So those are some of the considerations that we're weighing.

What was the question on autos? (Laughter.)

MR. DeMUTH: The President-elect said--

THE PRESIDENT: Oh, you said Congress and the executive branch.

MR. DeMUTH: Yes, yes.

THE PRESIDENT: Well, just remember a majority of Congress voted for a plan that we thought was a good plan. It didn't get the requisite votes in the Senate in order to move it on, but there was a majority vote if you add up the House and the Senate. So the Congress, in one way, expressed its will for a way forward with some--with a plan, or a strategy for viability.

MR. DeMUTH: But there must be some question in your mind whether the two political branches are better at bankruptcy restructuring than a bankruptcy court. I mean, we do have a law.

THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely.

MR. DeMUTH: Do you think when everybody stops--

THE PRESIDENT: I think under normal circumstances, no question the bankruptcy court is the best way to sort through credit and debt and restructuring, no question. These aren't normal circumstances, that's the problem. This is a hard issue for political people, because people never know how bad it could have been. And so the decisions you make are easy for people to say, why did he do that? Why is he wasting our money on this? Or, why is he doing that? Because without a catastrophe, the reasoning doesn't, it just doesn't really make it down to the grassroots.

People look at, "My money being used because Wall Street got excessive." And I make the case that I didn't want to do this. It's the last thing I wanted to do. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to do it, because it would make life worse for you. We lost 533,000 jobs last month. What would another million jobs lost do to the economy? What would that do to the psychology in markets? What would that do--how would that affect the working people? And so as you can tell, we're all in, in this administration. And if need be, we'll be in for more.

So, bottom line, "normally bankrupcy would be best, but now is not normal. I haven't made up my mind yet what to do".

Update:

Bush said basically the same thing this morning, when he announced loans from the TARP for GM and Chrysler.

IIHS Crashes Small Cars

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, IIHS, is an insurance industry funded organization which does its own crash tests, in parallel to the NHTSA. IIHS' tests are more severe than NHTSA's, and are much harder for automakers to score well on.

For example, in the latest round of small car crash tests, the Chrysler PT Cruiser fared miserably in the IIHS side impact test, which uses a high barrier to simulate a mid-size SUV or pickup truck hitting a passenger car in the side. However, the PT Cruiser got a 4 star rating for side impact from NHTSA.

Project cop car

Project cop car

Top Gear Reviews Tesla, Breaks It

This is a hilarious segmeent from BBC's Top Gear show, in which Jeremy Clarkson evaluates a Tesla roadster, and breaks 2 of them. The first one overheats its motor, and has to be parked for a while, and the second one has a brake failure. Clarkson also reports that he only got 55 miles range out of the car.



This shows how difficult it really is to be in the car business and build a quality product--there are more ways for cars to break than they have parts. Even starting with an existing platform (Lotus Elise), the Tesla apparently isn't ready for mass market use.

2Wire Gateway Problems

Ugh.

The last few weeks, my 2wire DSL gateway (model 2701) has been behaving very badly. I can run wired all day long, no problem, but if I used 802.11b or 802.11g connections, the gateway actually drops the DSL link at random intervals. Sometimes it will run a few minutes, sometimes it will only run a few seconds.

I have googled until my eyes are dry looking for solutions, but so far, nothing concrete. Lots of people report the same sort of problem, and the only answer I can seem to find is "use a different router".

Anyone out there have the same issue?

If I find something, I'll post it here.

Update


I have determined that the problem is with the 2wire gateway. If I use a Linksys router and turn off the wi-fi on the 2701, I have no problems, and no dropped access. My 2wire box must have an issue with running 802.11b/g and DSL.

I spoke to AT&T (India) which forwarded me to 2Wire (Phillipines). 2Wire indicated that they could not find anything wrong with my gateway. I asked them if they could arrange a replacement, and they said they normally would--but since I bought my unit second hand, the warranty does not transfer.

My solution is to use the DSL modem part of the box only, and use a separate Linksys wireless router for the wi-fi. So far so good.

So be warned, 2wire won't honor their warranties unless it is original installed equipment!

Call The White House

It is not surprising that when presented with a length of rope by the Senate Republicans, the UAW chose not to hang itself.

There isn't much else we can do. I urge everyone to cares about the U.S. auto industry, its suppliers, and the broad economy in general to contact President Bush right away and ask him to save GM and Chrysler, at least until Obama can get into office and take up the task.

Ronald Reagan saved Harley Davidson. I hope Bush isn't remembered as the president that killed GM.

White House telephone: 202-456-1414
White House email: president@whitehouse.gov

A Little Machiavelli?

The situation with the Republicans being ready to trash the domestic auto industry reminded me of something I read when I was in college and a lot smarter than I am now.

From The Prince, Chapter 8 (Project Gutenberg):

Hence it is to be remarked that, in seizing a state, the usurper ought
to examine closely into all those injuries which it is necessary for him
to inflict, and to do them all at one stroke so as not to have to repeat
them daily; and thus by not unsettling men he will be able to reassure
them, and win them to himself by benefits. He who does otherwise, either
from timidity or evil advice, is always compelled to keep the knife
in his hand; neither can he rely on his subjects, nor can they attach
themselves to him, owing to their continued and repeated wrongs. For
injuries ought to be done all at one time, so that, being tasted less,
they offend less; benefits ought to be given little by little, so that
the flavour of them may last longer.

Or, restated somewhat, if you must do something ugly to the people, do it quickly all at once, get it over with, so that you can start rebuilding your reputation over time by doing beneficial things gradually.

So if you are a Republican and you just lost a big election, now is the time to do damage and break things you want broken, because you have a few years before your next chance at power.

Maybe Dead...

Senator Shelby (R-AL) and 4 others have threatened to filibuster the bridge loan bill. There are 49 Republican senators, and 51 Democrat/Independents. But of the 51, 3 are off duty: Biden, Clinton, and Obama. It isn't clear if the Democrats have enough support to get cloture, so there is a good chance that the Southern Republicans will get their wish--Chapter 11 for GM and Chrysler.

Here's the video: CNBC

The Southern Republicans are determined to bust the UAW. Here is the outline of their plan. An excerpt (red text is my emphasis):

What We Should Be Doing: The American Automotive Reorganization and Recovery Plan

Hard Benchmarks:

On December 2, the Big Three presented to Congress their plans for restructuring. While the plans included laudable goals, too few details were provided ...

The Big Three must lock in the restructuring they have promised in a matter of weeks, not months or years. Congress should instead establish firm benchmarks and a tight timeline for restructuring. Such benchmarks will include for example requiring that by March 31, 2009 each company should reach agreement whereby:

•The companies’ creditors agree to a framework to reduce each company’s indebtedness by at least 1/3.

•The UAW holds to concessions already made and further:
o Concedes the elimination of Supplemental Unemployment Benefits;
o Concedes elimination of the Jobs Bank Program;
o Agrees to either reduce company retiree health care obligations or otherwise convert a portion of such obligations into equity; and
o Agrees to reduce wages and benefits to the levels paid by non-Big Three manufacturers.

A Process for Reaching Expedited Agreement, Instead of Nationalizing America’s Auto Companies

Because of the many legal and contractual hurdles to restructuring, the companies are urged to accomplish their restructuring through the use of a pre-packaged bankruptcy or another mechanism to bring all stakeholders to the table for an agreed-upon determination of their future. It is important that these stakeholders reach reasonable compromises amongst themselves. Creating a government bureaucracy or a “car czar” to arbitrarily pass judgment on the thousands of details involved with a restructuring is akin to nationalizing the auto companies.

Interim Financing: Insurance, Rather than a Taxpayer-Funded Bailout

The Big Three may need some form of interim financing as they finalize their restructuring. In normal economic times, if their restructuring plan is considered viable, such financing should be available in the private market. Because of the current credit crisis, limited assistance may be appropriate in the form of insurance, rather than a taxpayer-funded government bailout that replaces private investment. We propose that the government provide insurance, funded by the participants with a modest FDIC-like fee, which would cover up to 50 percent of the losses of new investment in the case of default, helping to unlock immediate private investment (not unlike debtor in possession financing). Such insurance would expire on March 31, 2009. This proposal ensures that taxpayers are protected and provides a powerful incentive for the Big Three to quickly implement their restructuring plans.

So they are basically saying, 1) break the UAW, and 2) soak the creditors, while offering a 50% insurance policy against default to try to attract private investment.

It's the "private investment" part that worries me.

Luxury Vehicle

1. 2003 Ferrari F60 Enzo

Features:
Alarm, Air Conditioning, 2 Door, Hard Top, Automatic Transmission


2. 2005 Ferrari Superamerica

Features:

Power Steering, Power Windows, Power Brakes, Power Seats, Power Mirrors, Power Door Locks, Cruise Control, Tilt Telescoping Wheel, Leather Interior, Alarm, Air Conditioning, CD Player, AM/FM Stereo, 2 Door, Convertible, Automatic Transmission

3. 2003 Ferrari 360 Modena Berlinetta F1

Features:

Power Steering, Power Windows, Power Brakes, Power Seats, Power Mirrors, Power Door Locks, Leather Interior, Alarm, Air Conditioning, CD Player, 2 Door, Hard Top, Automatic Transmission

4. 1992 Ferrari 512 TR

Features:

Power Steering, Power Windows, Power Brakes, Power Mirrors, Power Door Locks, Cruise Control, Tilt Telescoping Wheel, Leather Interior, Alarm, Air Conditioning, CD Player, AM/FM Stereo, 2 Door, Hard Top, 5 Speed

5. 1996 Porsche 1993-98 911 (993) C4

Features:

Power Windows, Power Seats, Power Mirrors, Power Door Locks, Cruise Control, Leather Interior, Alarm, Air Conditioning, CD Player, AM/FM Stereo, 2 Door, Sun/Moon Roof, 6 Speed

----------------------
From:
Luxury Car Network

Jakarta Motorcycle Show 2008 ,Yamaha News

Jorge Lorenzo dan Narita Brothers

Meriahkan Jakarta Motorcycle Show 2008

Ada yang spektakuler di Jakarta Motorcycle Show 2008 yang digelar di JCC Senayan Jakarta. Stand Yamaha yang hadir di pameran akbar ini juga menampilkan berbagai sajian hiburan dan tampilan teknologi mutakhir Yamaha yang menjadi idola paramuda pencinta motor berkualitas dunia.
Yamaha kembali menampilkan beberapa zona yang pasti akan menjadi inspirasi bagi pengunjung yang menyukai Teknologi, Sport, Modifikasi, untuk melampiaskan ekspresi kreativitasnya.

Stand OTOMATIK

Menampilkan motor-motor otomatik yang sedang menjadi trend para biker yang ingin tampil dengan motor eksklusif. Menawan, dan menjadi inspirasi buat komunitas pencintanya. T-Max ikut juga tampil di stand ini. Juga Model motor Hybrid FC yang mengusung teknologi ramah lingkungan.

Stand APPAREL & AKSESORIS

Beragam apparel dan aksesoris buat tampil keren dengan motor modif yang bisa dirancang secara sederhana tetapi tampil beken. Aksesoris khusus Mio dan Vixion juga akan melengkapi penampilan eksklusif para pemilik Mio dan Vixion.

Stand Motorsport

Motor 46 Valentino Rossi (World MotoGP Winner) dan 48 Jorge Lorenzo ( Rookie of the Year MotoGP 2008 ) akan menjadi daya tarik paling menawan diantara motor-motor lain bagi pencinta sport. Ditambah hadirnya R-1 yang ‘full’ sporty dan V-Max yang gahar.

Stand Teknologi

S3+. Pengunjung bisa menyaksikan sebuah konsep motor masa depan. S3+, generasi motor model sport bertransmisi otomatik dengan tampilan karakter sporty dan hitech. Tampilannnya yang sarat nuansa agresif dan tegas, sangat berbeda dengan jenis motor otomatik manapun.

Stand Modifikasi

Hasil Modifikasi kreativitas para modifikator Indonesia yang telah memenangi Kontes Modifikasi Cuzztomatic II tahun 2008. Dan juaranya mendapat kesempatan mengunjungi modifikator handal Thailand beberapa waktu lalu. Ini bisa menjadi inspirasi bagi para pencinta seni kreatifitas teknologi modifikasi.

Penampilan Perdana

Vega ZR. Vega Generasi Baru yang selalu dinantikan kehadirannya, siap menyambut para pengunjung di garis depan. Tampilannya yang makin mantab, menjanjikan Keiritan BBM, Ketangguhan Mesin, dan Kehandalan Performanya.

---

Jumpa Pembalap Dunia MotoGP
Jorge Lorenzo, 6-7 Nopember 2008

Para pencinta MotoGP akan menjumpai langsung pembalap Team Yamaha di stand Yamaha. Temui sosok berkharisma ini di Stand Yamaha pada tanggal 6 dan 7 Nopember.

SPEKTAKULER

NARITA BERSAUDARA yang memiliki reputasi internasional, akan menampilkan atraksi mendebarkan Trick Riding spektakuler dari Jepang di Stand Luar Yamaha (arena parkir). Berbagai rintangan akan ditaklukkan dengan mudah dengan menampilkan keahliannya memainkan atraksi bersama motor trial yang menawan hati pengunjung. Sarat dengan nuansa "Free Styler" yang menjadi inspirasi berkreatifitas bagi para pencinta Free Style.

Hiburan: Fashion Show - Street Magician - Charity Show - Cappoeira - Free Style Soccer - Street Ball - Free Style BMX.

Hiburan Musik: ALEXA - ECOUTEZ -TIKET - JAMAICA CAFÉ - NEO.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Not. Dead. Yet.

Thousands of people in the metro Detroit area are breathing a cautious sigh of relief this weekend, after news broke that Congress and the Bush Administration are negotiating a compromise measure to give a loan to GM and Chrysler to keep operating until the Obama administration is seated.

The whole mass has been a fascinating, and depressing political show. I listened to a few hours of the hearings over the last few days, and pompous arrogance of some of the members of Congress was infuriating. Even the sympathetic members, such as Chris Dodd (D-CT) offered ridiculous and unhelpful advice, such as suggesting with a straight face that maybe the Detroit 3 could retool their plants to build mass transit products such as busses and rail cars. "The truck and SUV plants you are closing... these have pretty long wheel bases, don't they?" said Dodd, who apparently acquired a manufacturing engineering degree somewhere, secretly.

Then came the spectacle of Maxine Waters (D-CA) complaining that dealers, specifically small dealers, specifically, minority dealers, were being hurt by all the cuts, and inquiring what the Detroit 3 were planning to do to protect the dealers. This at a time when many commentators, and many other members of Congress correctly realize that having too many dealers their hurts profitability, and reduces the efficiency of the service and distribution divisions.

But the most delicious part of the political battle, for me, was the brawl between Bush and the Democrats on where to take the loan money from. Bush said from the beginning that the financial bailout money ($350 Billion now, $350 Billion later, maybe) was for protecting the financial system, and that Congress should rewrite the Advanced Technology Manufacturer Vehicle Assistance Program (aka "section 136") law to allow that money to be used for bridge loans. The Democrats wanted Bush to use money from the financial bailout money, and to save the ATVM loan program for fuel economy retooling.

Bush stuck to his guns (he is very good at it) and forced the Democrats to make a painful choice: do nothing, and throw the UAW under the bus, or cave, and anger the Greenies. From the Detroit Free Press:

A breakthrough on the long-stalled rescue came when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yielded to President George W. Bush on a key point: allowing the aid to be drawn from a fund set aside for the production of environmentally friendlier cars.

And, at the 11th hour, the Democrats wisely decided it was the Greens who should be thrown under the bus.

May it always be so.

The Mighty Lincoln Towncar!

I was reading Autoblog's nice summary (here) of the November sales results, and I noticed that Lincoln did surprisingly well compared to the other luxury brands. Lincoln's sales declined only 8%. By comparison, Lexus lost 35%. The only brand to have a smaller decline was Subaru.

So I went and looked at Ford's sales number details for Lincoln, on Ford's media web site.

(Click for full size image)

Lincoln did well because of two models: MKS and, of all things, Towncar. MKS came out of the gate strong, becoming Linoln's best selling vehicle, better even than the cheaper MKZ. And somehow, Ford managed to sell 200% more Towncars than a year ago. In fact, if Towncar had sold the same as last year, Lincoln's sales numbers would be down 20% instead of 8%!

Towncar had better year-over-year results than Subaru Forester (+63%) or BMW's Mini (+43%). I didn't take the time to dig through the other car maker's sales numbers, but I am willing to bet that no single model had a better year-over-year result than Towncar.

I wonder what Ford did to sell them like that... BOGO?

The Demise of Pontiac and Saturn

Update: I have a more recent post on this subject here.

The pundits were predicting that GM would have no choice but to plan to cut brands, and so it wasn't a surprise that they announced, effectively, the end of Pontiac and Saturn. We don't know what a "niche brand" Pontiac will look like, but it might be limited to roadsters and Australian transplants.

Saturn is probably just dead, because there isn't much there to sell. When Saturns were assembled at their own plant, it may have worked, but now that they are variants of other GM models, built in shared plants with shared parts, it doesn't seem like there is much to sell. "Strategic options" seems to me like it means that Saturn will be put down like Oldsmobile.

I wrote 3 years ago that GM should kill Pontiac and keep Buick, you can read the earlier post here. And GM did some things to improve Pontiac, by bringing out the audacious Solstice, and the G8, and the upcoming Sport Truck. But they also shot themselves in the foot with such decidedly unexciting vehicles as the G3, G5, and Torrent. The G6 is a handsome car that just needs some sportier tuning, in my opinion. The Vibe has the same problem--it is a decent car, very practical, but not very exciting to drive.

Saturn is unfortunate, because GM worked very hard to give them a sharp, well defined character and fresh products. The Aura won NA Car of the Year with its sharp looks and much improved interior. The Astra, a Euro transplant, is also a sharp car with good handling. But somehow, the brand just couldn't take off.

I hope GM recycle's the Saturn dealer network, because they are what gave Saturn half a chance to begin with. I shopped for one once, and I liked how I was treated.

Volkswagen

Wolfsburg, 19 September 2008 - Forty years have passed since Volkswagen presented the VW 411, at that time the company’s largest and most powerful model yet, to some 200 journalists in Wolfsburg. The journalists had earlier put the VW 411 through its paces on the new Volkswagen proving ground in Ehra-Lessien, testing the vehicle’s equipment and performance. Volkswagen built 367,728 units until production ceased in July 1974, and 416 of these are currently registered as old-timers.

The ads claimed there had never been a VW like this before. And they were quite right. This was the very first model with a unibody, a four-door option, more space than any other Volkswagen and a longer wheelbase than the Beetle. A newly-designed, powerful, 68 bhp air-cooled 1.6 liter boxer engine mounted in the rear of the VW 411 was robust enough even for long journeys at a maximum speed of 145 km/h. The innovative sporty chassis with MacPherson strut front suspension and rear suspension with double joint axles also used in the Porsche 911 made sure the car held the road well. The midsize saloon featured “the luxury of a luxury car”. Available with either a Normal or an L equipment line, “Wolfsburg’s biggie” offered customers space and ride comfort, enhanced safety, a total 570 liters of luggage space in front and rear and an optional automatic transmission.

The history of what was known as the Type 4 began in 1962 as development project EA 142. The economics of series production, which began in February 1967, were based on the sale of 822,500 vehicles over a four year period with daily production of 1,000 units. The price of the VW 411 ranged from 7,770 to 9,285 DM.

Compared to the VW 1500/1600 launched in 1961, the VW 411 was noticeably larger and better equipped. Volkswagen aimed to establish the new vehicle in the upper midsize segment which was beyond the reach of the Beetle and the Type 3, and to expand the market position in the long term by broadening the model range. For this reason, the publicity concentrated on technical innovations and the high level of comfort as well as highlighting typical Volkswagen characteristics such as quality, economic efficiency and service.

In the run-up to the market launch on October 5, 1968, dealers, the press and customers responded positively to the VW 411. Once the car had come to market, problems with the clutch on the first models delivered and an increasingly negative press curbed sales prospects. The most common complaints from customers related to engine and driving noise, the engine’s limited output and what was perceived as an unaesthetic front end. Since over 80% of VW 411 buyers were already Volkswagen customers, the vehicle failed to win new customer groups. As a result of these marketing problems, which could not be remedied by sales incentives either, Volkswagen sporadically lowered production to 75 vehicles per day.

The company introduced an improved version, the VW 411 E, for the 1970 model year. Electronic fuel injection boosted engine output to 80 bhp and the front end, which had given the model the nickname of “Nasenbär” (coati), received a facelift. The VW 411 E Variant, provided even more space for luggage, and this estate version was soon selling twice as well as the hatchback saloon. Type 4 exports to the USA began in 1971, and the car sold better than expected there, soon accounting for roughly 40% of total sales. A further new and improved model called the VW 412 followed in 1972. Production of the Type 4 at the Wolfsburg plant continued until 1973, when the production line was relocated to Salzgitter, and production at Volkswagen of South Africa commenced in 1969.

Even though the VW 411/412 did not break any sales records, the model nevertheless has an important role to play in Volkswagen’s automobile history as the last large series model with air cooling and a rear-mounted engine. A 1966 prototype is on display at the Automuseum Wolfsburg. The Type 4 has by no means been forgotten. Type 4 fan clubs in Germany and abroad have been presenting their lovingly preserved automotive rarities at a stand at Techno Classica since 2005.

Source: Volkswagen Press Release

A Black Black Friday

This is a tragic Black Friday. Maybe the whole "black friday" thing should be re-thought.

In New York, a Walmart employee was crushed to death by a crowd that broke down the doors to the store.

And, in an unrelated but equally tragic incident, the hostages that were being held at the Mumbai Chabad House were murdered, along with scores of other innocents. This really hits hard in the Jewish community. Chabad is a charismatic sect of Hassidic Judaism that has as its mission to reach out to Jews all over the world. They set up "Chabad Houses" in cities all over the world, so that Jews that are traveling away from home can find a place to have a kosher meal, study, pray, or just rest. All are welcome, irregardless of affiliation or level of religious observance or knowledge. Killing a Chabad Rabbi and his wife is utterly barbaric, because they are the epitome of kindness and hospitality.

An American art professor and his 13 year old daughter were also killed in one of the hotel attacks. Alan and Naomi Scherr were eating a late dinner together at the Oberoi hotel.

Somehow, the death of innocent people reall puts a damper on my commercial spirit. I don't feel much like shopping at this point, do you?

Great sale at Zenni

Do you have problems with the vision or you want have new style in eyeglasses.is that effectively correct your vision? Often times, prescription glasses do correct vision but it's not everyday that optometrist/opthalmologist gives you trendy ones.here i have a good news for you, here are Holiday Glass Frames From Zenni Optical.the Glasses frame is very unique and fully stylish.i think it is cheaper than in any another places in the web market.the news spread very fast, this store have many collection of eyeglasses, They do have a collection of The popular online eyeglasses shop, Do you know that their products were reviewed by consumer reporter Melissa Painter in Deal or Dud’s archive shows in media. Zenni Optical is one of great store to buy your stylish, high quality, safety, and comfort eyeglasses yet come with unbeatable low price.Now Zenni Optical have great promotion for you, the promotion is $ 8 Complete Rx Eyeglasses.all you need is just pick glasses that most fit to you and pay it.it is cheapest ever price, i hope you like it.dont try to buy the best eye glasses ever

Happy Thanksgiving!

To my readers, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving!

I think Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday of all, because it is just the right mix of spirituality and patriotism, with awesome comfort food thrown in for good measure. Thanksgiving is a day to take a pause and think about the stuff that really matters, and to be grateful to our Creator for what He has given us. It doesn't matter if you believe in Hashem, the Trinity, or Allah; even if you don't believe in a Creator, and don't like roast turkey, hey, you're still welcome at the table. That's what makes America great, and why we should be thankful for her.

Dark days are looming for Detroit. There are going to be layoffs, plant closings, dislocations, bankrupcies, and foreclosures, at a horrible pace. But we have a lot to be thankful for, nonetheless. And we will pull through, eventually.

This is a generous land, full of generous people, blessed with natural wealth, and a tradition of law and liberty. I thank God for it.

Latest Incoming Cars

Sedans

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2009 Nissan Altima

2009 Mazda MAZDA3

2009 Hyundai Sonata

2009 Toyota Corolla

2009 Subaru Legacy

Coupes

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2009 Nissan GT-R

2009 Ford Shelby GT500

2009 Nissan Altima Coupe

2009 Honda Accord Coupe

2009 Volvo C30

Sports Cars

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2009 Audi TT

2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder

2009 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

2009 Dodge Charger

2009 Mazda RX-8

SUVs

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2009 Volkswagen Touareg 2

2009 Nissan Pathfinder

2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee

2009 Kia Borrego

2009 Lexus RX 350

Convertibles

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2009 Pontiac Solstice

2009 Ford Mustang

2009 Tesla Roadster

2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder

2009 Dodge Viper

Wagons

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2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

2009 Volvo V70

2009 Dodge Caliber

2009 Audi A3

2009 Saab 9-3 SportCombi

Vans

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2009 GMC Savana Passenger Van

2009 Toyota Sienna

2009 Dodge Grand Caravan

2009 Hyundai Entourage

2009 Chrysler Town & Country

Trucks

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2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 2WD

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2009 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab 2WD

2009 Dodge Ram 1500 Regular Cab 4X4

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Luxury

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2009 Cadillac CTS

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Hybrid

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2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid

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2009 Ford Escape Hybrid

2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid

2009 Cadillac CTS New purchase now

2009 Cadillac CTS New purchase now!

three Model of 2009 cadillac CTS
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SFI Picture
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SFI
Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes

$35,905

$33,571

3.6L V6 263HP

16/25 mpg
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SIDI Picture
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SIDI
Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes

$38,205

$35,722

3.6L V6 304HP

17/26 mpg
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SFI AWD Picture
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SFI AWD
Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes

$39,105

$36,563

3.6L V6 263HP

17/25 mpg
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SIDI AWD Picture
2009 Cadillac CTS 3.6L SIDI AWD
Pictures, Features, Specs, Dealer Quotes

$40,105

$37,498

3.6L V6 304HP

17/26 mp
Estimated Payments:
$718/month* find current rates

Rebates & Incentives:
Cash Back / Special Financing more info

Standard Engine:
3.6L V6, 24 valve, 263 hp @ 6400 rpm

* 6 speed manual (standard) or 6 speed automatic transmission
* 18 mpg city / 26 mpg hwy
* Green Rating: Unavailable

Honda CBR 150

Spek detail dari Honda CBR 150
Detailed Specs of Honda CBR 150 ADA disini

It is said that Casey Stoner, Australian MotoGP rider started out on a Honda CBR150. What is the Honda CBR150 technical; the CBR150 comes with a 4 stroke, DOC 4 Valves, water-cooled 149.4cc engine. The cylinder bore is 63.5mm and the stroke is 47.2mm (We can several other smaller cc motorcycle from Honda with the same bore), the compression ration is 11:1 and the ignition is by CDI Direct.

The standard spark plug is an NGK CR8E, but seen also CBR150’s with a Denso U24ESR-N.

The transmission of Honda CBR150 comes with a 6 gear transmission, with a gear ratio from 3.038 for the first gear and a ratio of 0.923 for the last (6th) gear. Honda is using a wet, multiple disk clutch type for this motorcycle.
The dimensions of the bike are 652mm wide by 1,910 in length and 1,065 mm high. With a wheelbase of 1,286mm, all this specification indicates that it is a well-suited motorcycle for some road racing.

The dry weight of the bike is 115kilograms; the full fuel tank capacity is 10 liters unleaded gasoline octane 91 and up.

We need to keep focusing on performance that’s affordable. This keeps us from manufacturing some tailor made individual parts to get the exact performance needs; also changing the bore or coating the cylinder bores with a Ceramic Coating is off they all fall out of the budget.

Okay looking at the standard bike, we are thinking what can we change to get at least some better performance. In the corner of my eye I see my girlfriend walking around with a block of aluminum, assuming that we are going to make a whole new cylinder. But after a quick telephone call with the bike owner, we concluded that it was far out of the budget.

So without the manufacturing of custom made parts we are restricted to the exhaust pipe, air-intake and carburetor. The exhaust pipe is the easiest part, we just bough a racing exhaust set. The air-intake was also easy; we just made the holes bigger so the air can flow much easier into the carburetor. Adjusting the main carburetor main fuel jet, and keeping track on the max and idle performance we got almost 32km/h more speed out of this bike. As we where examined the bike we also found that the chain and sprockets had to be replaced, as the bike clearly ad some more power we selected a small rear and a few teeth bigger front sprocket. The bike was now a fast little monster.
Upgrading a Honda CBR-125R to a CBR-150R

Modify & MaintenanceAs the Honda CBR-125R get more popular, the Honda CBR125 is Britain's top-selling motorcycle for several years. The Honda CBR-125R is a fantastic road legal learner bike perfect for first time rider.

The Honda CBR-125R with its Liquid-cooled, two-valve, single-cylinder, four-stroke, 124.7cc engine produces enough power to get first time riders experience the feeling of riding a sporty bike. But after about one year, most Honda CBR-125 owners want to sell the bike as the 13 horsepower engine doesn’t provide enough power.
But why sell the bike, if you can for as little as 10,000 Baht (217 Euro, or 294 US$) can upgrade the big to a CBR-150R, with original Honda parts. The differences between the Honda CBR-125 and his bigger Thai brother the Honda CBR-150 is only the cylinder, piston and cylinder head assembly.

Buying the original Honda CBR-150 part is for people who plan to visit Thailand for a holiday no problem at all, it is not uncommon that foreigners buy this ‘150cc upgrade kit’ says a shop owner who also shows us quickly several more Honda CBR upgrade variants starting from 130cc to all the way up to 195cc. This third party bore-up sets are even cheaper then the original Honda 150cc set.

The shop owner explains us that with the 195cc bore-up kit, which includes a sport camshaft, piston, cylinder, cylinder head assembly which includes larger DOHS 4-valves and an un-limited ECU/CDI with a simple manual, the modified Honda CBR can produce twice the amount of horsepower compared to the stock Honda CBR-125.

Just when we want to leave the owner of the shop, points out that with more power ‘over 26 horses’ we also need to consider other modifications. And he shows us racing front forks and Brembo brake assemblies with disc brakes that are much larger then standard on the Honda CBR-125. Other stuff we get to see are rear swingarms, racing, air-filters, exhaust pipes, gas rear shocks, and the guy is not stopping ….we need an excuse to get away…

Bailout Debate, Part 2a: More On Corporate Jets

A few data points to consider:

According to the Center for Responsive Politics (http://www.opensecrets.org), in the last several years, Rep. Gary "tin cups" Ackerman (D-NY) has accepted $31,131 in lobbyist funded travel.

Since 2006, Nancy Pelosi has accepted $29,361 in lobbyist funded travel.

From 2005-2006 Harry Reid has accepted $43,879 in lobbyist funded travel.

Nancy Pelosi was given a Boeing 757 so she could fly herself and her retinue from San Francisco to Washington D.C. non-stop, "for security reasons".


Will Speaker Pelosi downsize her plane so she will appear more modest to the taxpayer, who is directly funding her travels? Maybe she could fly commercial?

The New Mazda 3: Happy Happy Happy

I have always been a fan of the Mazda3, which is a spunky little car that doesn't make you feel like you are an underachiever for driving a compact car.

But when I saw the face of the new design, blech.

From this angle, it looks good:

Image courtesy of Edmunds

But from this angle:

Image courtesy of Autoblog

It just looks so damn happy. To me, "zoom zoom" should have a touch of mean, not a huge toothless smile flying down the road. In a way, it reminds of me some Japanese anime critter. Just make the side mirrors into big flowing ears.

For contrast, here is the old one, not quite as happy:

Image courtesy of Edmunds

Bailout Debate, Part 4: Alternatives

Cheap loans are not the only way to aid the domestic auto industry, there are some other policies that might be a big help in the longer term, and insure the success of the short term loans. Here are a few:

1) Encourage demand. Congress could offer tax credits for people who buy a new vehicle (it could be only for fuel efficient vehicles, to pacify the Democrats). Congress could make interest on new vehicle loans tax deductible.

2) Limit supply. If we placed import tariffs on certain foreign manufacturers who are determined to be unfairly supported by their governments, or whose governments don't allow free entry to U.S. made cars (Hyundai/Kia, for example), we could help domestic car sales. Or, perhaps, import tariffs on car makers who do not meet CAFE standards (BMW). Ronald Reagan is credited with saving Harley Davidson by slapping a 45% import tax on foreign made motorcycles.

3) Buy vehicles directly. The federal government could go on a buying spree, and replace most of its fleet of official vehicles with new ones. It could also give grants to the states to do the same. Consider all of the cars and trucks that the military, police, and other agencies must have.

4) Ensure availability of car loans. The government could take steps to require banks who have accepted TARP funds, and who are in the car loan business, to write car loans to people who have jobs and reasonable credit scores.

Bailout Debate, Part 3: Motivations

I think that some of the motivations behind the mostly Republican anti-bailout and mostly Democrat pro-bailout positions are not the ones commonly being discussed.

The Democrats want to loan the Detroit 3 in part because they owe the UAW big for the recent election victories. If the Detroit 3 slide into Chapter 11, the UAW will be hurt very badly, as an oganization. The Democrats, and Obama in particular, have a goal of making unions stronger (card check). Says Newt Gingrich:

To reward the unions that helped produce its electoral victory, the newly empowered Democratic Congress is proposing that American taxpayers pony up $25 billion to bail out the Detroit Three automakers, Ford, GM and Chrysler.

The House Democrats have written loan legislatio which has strings attached (you can read it here), which require the Detroit 3 to make "greener" cars:

‘‘(1) achievement of the fuel efficiency require10
ments and commencement of domestic advanced
technology vehicle manufacturing as authorized in
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007;

The House legislation also bans excessive executive compensation and "golden parachutes", which is more populist pandering and soak-the-rich, as usual.

The Republicans don't want to loan the money outright, but instead keep demanding that the Democrats re-write the already passed (and previously commented on by me) Advanced Technology Vehicle Manfacturers Assistance Plan to remove the environmental requirements, and spend the money as aid right away. This is because they want to jam the environmental lobby, I suspect.

The Democrats want the original $25 Billion ATVMAP left in place, and another $25 Billion carved out of the TARP funds. So, sort of unmentioned in all of this, is that the Democrats are really advocating for $50 Billion in low-cost loans--$25 Billion now, and $25 Billion later.

Some Republicans and conservative commentators are saying that Chapter 11 protection is a smarter choice for the Detroit 3, so they can shed their legacy obligations. What this really means is, "let's stick it to the UAW".

Bailout Debate, Part 2: Corporate Jets, SO WHAT?

Several of the Representatives brought up the fact that, gasp, CEOs of big companies fly in corporate jets.

Rep Ackerman (D-NY):

"There's a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into D.C. and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hand. It's almost like seeing guys show up in the soup kitchen in high hat and tuxedo...Couldn’t you all have downgraded to first-class or at least jet-pooled together?"

Look, these guys are payed like $5000/hr. I can see how it would be silly to have them waste time going through security pat-downs at Detroit Metro. You want them kept busy.

How many of the congressmen have accepted free rides in the "private jets" of lobbyists? How many have used taxypayer funded military transport?

And what about this private jet here, the Obama express?


Hitting the CEOs for flying corporate planes is nothing more than grandstanding and class warfare.

That being said, apparently the CEOs don't have anyone with half a brain working for them in PR--surely, some in the business could have predicted that the press and Congress would jump on them if they showed their high status.

Bailout Debate, Part 1: GOP is CRAZY

There is so much I'd like to write about the Washington debate over making an emergency loan to the Detroit 3 that I don't have remotely enough time to do so. But I'll throw up a few thoughts over the next day or so.

Part 1: The GOP is CRAZY*.

The Republican party just got kicked to the curb by the American voting public. Not only did Obama win, resoundingly, but the Republican party managed to lose seats in the House and Senate, and is in danger of not even being able to filibuster effectively, because of a very slim 1 or 2 seat bulwark.

The GOP lost partly by losing the closely contested states of Ohio and Indiana. Which happen to be big automotive states.

It is nearly impossible for the GOP to put together a winning electoral map without Ohio.

Forget economics. Even of the Republicans are right (I don't think they are) that Chapter 11 protection is the best road , if the Democrats manage to stick in the voting public's memory that Bush and the Republicans fiddled while GM burned, the future gets dimmer in the midwest for the Republican party.

And if the doomsayers are even half correct, and a collapsing GM takes down suppliers, and other companies with it, if the Midwestern unemployment and home foreclosure rates skyrocket--the Republicans are dead.

DEAD.

Because people will remember who was in power when it started, and they will remember who sat there during the committee hearings and shook their fingers at the CEOs and lectured them that Chapter 11 was the best for everyone. And if people start to forget, the Democrats will gleefully remind them.

If the Republicans want to have a chance at regaining power any time soon, they had better come to the table with better ideas for the Detroit 3 than "let them fail, then we'll sort it out".

*I write this as a registered Republican, and former campaign volunteer (2004).

5 top car 2008

This car was created 24 units per year worldwide. This car wed two big names in the automotive world, the group Zagato design and manufacturer sassis topnotch C12. Spyker C12 Zagato shows the effect of aerodynamics and sharp from all angles.
Price: USD 650,000 or Rp 6.3 billion
Engine power: 500 hp
Acceleration to 60 miles: 3.8 seconds
The top speed: 320 km / hour

Top 5 motorcycle 2008

5 new cars

Honda Odyssey EX , Honda Accord,Cadilllac STS, BMW 5 Series, Audi A6

New concept car

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