$20B Later, Obama Takes Corker’s “Bad Idea”

Back in December, Senator Bob Corker advocated letting GM go through bankruptcy as a way for the company to lose some of the millstones around it’s neck and emerge a stronger company that could stand on it’s own.  Democrat’s decried the suggestion as a terrible idea and “un-American”.

Two bailouts of GM and $20,000,000,000 later, Obama is taking GM to bankruptcy court as the “best solution”.  Wow, why didn’t we see this sooner? We could have saved all that money.

Unfortunately, Obama is not removing millstones so much realizing that the 3rd bailout in 6 months would probably hurt his approval numbers – so he’s calling this government intervention a “structured bankruptcy”. And worse still for the taxpayer, Obama is leading with his strong suit which is politics not profits:

Every decision the feds have made since December suggests that nonpolitical management will be impossible. First they replaced Mr. Wagoner — whom they are nonetheless still paying — with the more pliable Fritz Henderson as CEO and Kent Kresa as Chairman. The latter are good at playing Washington but unproven in making popular cars. Then Treasury bludgeoned the bond holders in both Chrysler and GM to take pennies on the dollar, which will not make creditors eager to lend to the companies in the future.

There’s also the labor agreement that the UAW approved last week, which goes some way toward reducing costs but probably not enough to make the new, smaller GM competitive. The new agreement simplifies some work rules and job descriptions but makes no reductions in hourly pay, pensions or health care for active workers. The agreement must also be renegotiated in two years by an Obama Administration running for re-election and weighing the need to keep Big Labor happy against the risks to taxpayer-shareholders. Who do you think wins that White House debate?

The Administration’s concessions to the UAW also restrict the company’s ability to import smaller, more fuel-efficient cars that it already makes overseas. UAW President Ron Gettelfinger boasted on PBS’s “NewsHour” last week that “we, quite frankly, put pressure on the White House, the [auto] task force, the corporation” to bar small-car imports from overseas. GM is also selling its Opel operation in Europe as part of this restructuring, and the Washington Post reports that one of Treasury’s sale conditions is that Opel’s new owners must stay out of the U.S., and even out of China, where GM’s business is strong… – The Obama Motor Co.

Only 21% Voters For GM Bailout

A Rasmussen Poll found that this is definitely not an area where Obama’s general likability numbers came through on the issue…

Only 21% of voters nationwide support a plan for the government to bail out General Motors as part of a structured bankruptcy plan to keep the troubled auto giant in business.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% are opposed to a plan that would provide GM with $50 billion in funding and give the government a 70% ownership interest in the company.

Even when presented with the stark choice between providing government funding or letting GM go out of business, only 32% of voters support the bailout. Most voters (56%) say it would be better to let GM go out of business.

As on many issues, there is a huge gap between the views of the Political Class and the rest of the nation. By a two-to-one margin, the Political Class says it is better to provide the bailout funding than to let GM fail.

What’s the One Thing I’d Pass On…?

…Spend time in your Bible!

By “spending time” I mean regular, consistent, planned, quality time reading, studying, meditating on & memorizing the Word. Why? Because I can testify after a 32 years of being a student of the Word, there is no better source for life’s challenges. To be sure there are numerous excellent Christian & non-Christian authors to learn from. But “good, better & excellent” are the biggest enemies of the best! The Bible is simply the best. It contains answers for anything you’ll face.

In it you’ll learn why you should work (2Th 3:10, Ecc 5:12), how to work (Eph 6:5-8, Col 3:23), how to be a boss (Eph 6:9, Col 4:1, Mt 5:37, Pr 3:27), how to relate to your co-workers (Mt 5:42, Mt 7:12) & your boss (Col 3:22), and how to find favor before God & man (Pr 3:3,4); how to be a friend (Pr 17:17, 18:24, Jn 15:13) & how to treat your enemies (Pr 24:17, 25:21, Mt 5:44), how to be a son/daughter (Pr 31:28, Eph 6:1-3, Col 3:20), how to be a husband/wife (Eph 5:22-29, Pr 12:4), and how to be a father/mother (Pr 22:16, 23:13, Eph 6:4). You’ll also see how to run a business (Ja 4:13-15, Lev 19:11, Pr 11:1, 16:11), how to make money (Duet 8:18, 1Chr 29:12), how to give away money (Mt 6:3&4, 2Cor 9:7, Pr 3:9), how to save money (Pr 10:5, 30:24&25, 1Cor 16:1-3) & how to spend money (1Tim 6:17-19, Ecc 5:19). It even tells you how to make money in your sleep (Ps 127:2). The Bible explains how to pay your taxes (Mt 22:21, Rom 13:7) & how to drive your car (Rom 13:1,2). It teaches us how to have joy (Jn 15:11, Ph 4:4, Ja 1:2&3), and how to handle sorrow (2Cor 7:9&10, Mt 5:4), how to enjoy life (Mt 6:34, Ecc 5:18, 1Tim 6:17), how to live long (Pr 3:1,2,16, Ps 91:16), how to pray (Lk 18:1, 1Th 5:17, Mt 6:5&6) and how to make decisions (Pr 3:5,6, Ja 1:5, Jer 29:11). It tells us how to have success (Josh 1:8, Jer 9:23&24), and survive failure (Duet 31:8, Is 41:10, 2Chr 20:15, 17, 2Cor 12:9), how to survive the storms of life (Ps 30:5, 126:5&6, 2Cor 4:17), how to avoid temptation (1Cor 10:13, Heb 2:18), and how to have victory over the evil one (2Cor 10:3-5, Ja 4:7). It tutors us on how to exert personal influence (2Tim 2:2, Heb 10:24,25, 2 Thes 3:9), and who is supposed to do ministry (Mt 28:19,20, Eph 4:12). The Bible is clear on how to have sex (Gen 2:24, Heb 13:4), and how to not have sex (1Cor 6:9,16,18, Eph 5:3). It instructs us on how to be rich (1Tim 6:17, Jer 9:23,24, Mt 16:26, Ps 52:7, Pr 11:28), how to be poor (Ja 2:5, Mk 12:43), and how to be content (Ph 4:11-13, 1Tim 6:6-8). It teaches us how to live when we are young (1Tim 4:12), and when we are old (Pr 20:29, 16:31, Ps 71:9, 18, 92:14, Is 46:4) and even how to face death (Ps 23:4, 2Cor 1:9, Ecc 7:1). And finally, it declares how to find God (Jer 29:13, Lk 9:24), and be certain of everlasting life (Rom 6:23, Jn 5:24, 1Jn 5:11-13).

The Bible contains all we need (2Tim 3:16,17), and even promises a blessing for those who take the time (Rev 1:3).

— Daniel Kuban (5/5/09) after being asked for help on a high school graduation speech on mentoring/discipleship (Christian school).

Old School Nintendo – Wii?

mario.jpgSo you love Wii but miss those Old School greats like Tecmo Bowl or the Super Mario that started it all?  Well now there’s a way!  OK a free way.

Since it’s launch you could “Wii Shop” and purchase old school games for $5-10 each to play on the Wii Emulator.  Tempting for some, too costly for most people.  For a $1/game I’d be all over it – but when I can dust off the old NES in the closet for free… spending $100 grabbing my favorite games (again) is just too much.  It’s the principal of re-buying games mostly.

Enter Homebrew!  The Homebrew (Hack) Channel allows you to install non-Nintendo, open source (free) programs to add functionality to your Wii.   The most popular are the console emulators: NES, Super NES, Sega, Atari, etc.  While Homebrew has been around for a while – it required a certain level of tech savy and hassle that kept it out of the mainstream…  however, the latest brew is fairly straightforward.  Note: if you don’t know what a ROM is you can stop reading now.  The rest of you grab a spare SD card, your ROMs and the freeware below to start brewing…

  1. Upgrade Wii Menu to latest (4.0) version
  2. Format  SD card FAT32
  3. Follow Bannerbomb Homebrew Setup Instructions
  4. Once HB is Setup install Emulators
  5. Add ROMs to the proper Emulator folders
  6. Rock it old school