Tuesday, April 20, 2004

Handgun found in congressman's briefcase
It's almost worth going through all that security to know that there is a good chance that our alert security guards will foil a plot by a terrorist congressman.


TheIndyChannel.com - News - Handgun Found In Indiana Congressman's Briefcase
Columbia Teaching Assistants Walk Out - fight for the right to Unionize.

Their union: the UAW.



The New York Times > New York Region > Graduate Students Walk Out at Columbia
Columbia Teaching Assistants Walk Out - fight for the right to Unionize.

Their union: the UAW.



The New York Times > New York Region > Graduate Students Walk Out at Columbia

Monday, April 19, 2004

McDonalds CEO Jim Cantalupo dead of an apparent heart attack.

In the link below from a Wall Street Journal interview distributed to Franchisees, Cantalupo talks about his favorite meal:

"WSJ: Is the double-cheeseburger still your favorite meal at McDonald's?
Mr. Cantalupo: I just had one. It only cost me $1."

I think it cost you a little bit more than that Jimbo.





CEO Cantalupo's Focus On Improving Food, Service Sparks a Turnaround:
McDonalds CEO Jim Cantalupo dead of an apparent heart attack.

In the link below from a Wall Street Journal interview distributed to Franchisees, Cantalupo talks about his favorite meal:

"WSJ: Is the double-cheeseburger still your favorite meal at McDonald's?
Mr. Cantalupo: I just had one. It only cost me $1."

I think it cost you a little bit more than that Jimbo.





CEO Cantalupo's Focus On Improving Food, Service Sparks a Turnaround:

Friday, April 16, 2004

The Ford Rouge Factory Tour

This is more like what I was looking for regarding the Ford Rouge Factory tour in Dearborn.

This tells about the history of the plant. It was a massive beast, 100,000 workers at its peak. If you are going to Detroit for negotiations (or whatever) I would recommend checking this out.


The Henry Ford: Ford Rouge Factory Tour
Ford River Rouge and the UAW organizing movement - a history lesson from Socialist Action
While looking for a site to give further details on Plant tours for the revitalized Ford River Rouge Michigan plant, I stumbled upon this article from the online newspaper Socialist Action. This describes the turmoil at the plant in the course of UAW organizing in 1941.

when anybody asks you why autoworkers make so much money with so little (average) education, just point them here and to other sites which show what the current workers forefathers went through to get good wages and working conditions. And this is at Ford! Even before Ford was unionized, Henry Ford was outspoken about a fair wage for a fair day's work. It was important to him that his workers could afford to buy the products that he produced. How many global companies that hire workers in the lowest wage countries give a hoot about whether their workers can afford what they make?

By the way, I don't know beans about Socialist Action. I don't necessarily agree with what they have to say.

1941: Ford River Rouge
Have you driven to watch a Ford being built lately?

According to the New York Times article below (free subscription required), Ford has begun public tours of one of its Dearborn Michigan factories. The tour is part of the entire Ford Museum experience. It seems very interesting for adults and kids. I can't wait to give it a try.


The New York Times > Automobiles > Driving: History Bows at a Ford Plant

Thursday, April 15, 2004

The Googleteer(tm) and William Hung

Our capped (yes "capped") crusader really came through with this search:

"william hung" and "15 minutes of fame"

about 2,380 hits



Google Search: "william hung" "15 minutes of fame"
New Bootnewt sing-alongs

Newt is long gone, but the Boot-Newt sing-along page continues to be updated with songs even Al Franken would be proud of.

Recent additions include "Richard Clarke Shut up" (sung to the tune of "Start Me Up" and "Condi" sung (of course) to the tune of "Wendy".



The Boot Newt Sing Along Page - Over 2,000 Political Song Parodies
Citigroup posts $5.27 BILLION in QUARTERLY Profit

The same company that has lobbyists permanently squatting in the halls of Congress lobbying for creditor-friendly bankruptcy law changes just posted $5.27 BILLION in profits for one quarter. By my dead reckoning, this makes the company as profitable as the entire global auto industry put together.

Look at another way - the same day, Apple Computer posted $46 million in profits. This makes Citifinancial 115 times as profitable as Apple Computer.


In addition to making megabucks off of high interest rate credit cards in a low interest rate environment, Citigroup has now digested Associates Financial and is making megadollars off of home mortgages that some would call predatory.

Still, if Citigroup's lobbyists have it their way, thousands of working Americans who get behind on Citigroup's credit cards will be turned into defacto indentured servants and prevented from obtaining a fresh start in bankruptcy. That's America folks.

The New York Times > Business > Citigroup Tops Expections With $5.27 Billion in Earnings

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

From the "More than I wanted to hear" file


Jay Leno writing in his Popular Mechanics column about his 1955 Buick that was just restored with a new 620 horsepower engine, a Corvette suspension and other upgrades:

To me, this car is significant. It was what I drove when my wife, Mavis, and I first dated. We went to a secluded spot, and all the normal things happened, and it was great. Then we got married. Years later, we said, "Why don't we try to re-create that special moment?"

He goes on, but do you really want to hear it?

FYI, this car was also featured in Autoweek.

Jay Leno's Garage: Building A Better Buick

Wednesday, April 07, 2004

Waa Waa Recorded Music sales slump 7.6%

The recording industry announced that the sales of recorded music sunk 7.6% last year. Naturally they attriute it to file traders. The real culprit is in the next office over, at the video divisions of the same conglomerates that control the record industry. DVD sales were up 45% last year, a $3 billion jump. The recorded music drop was just $.2 billion.
When I go to Best Buy with $25.00 in my pocket, I have to decide to buy a DVD or a couple CDs. I'm going to go with the DVD every time.
(Actually, I try to buy them pre-viewed at Blockbuster at 2 for $20.00.)

Maybe if the recorded music industry took a look at the sorry state of radio, they'd realize that nobody is buying music because nobody is hearing music.

CNN.com - Music slump: 'Worst may be over'? - Apr 7, 2004

Tuesday, April 06, 2004

AG files suit against Cambridge Credit Counselors

Worcester Telegram & Gazette Online - APN
NCLC "white paper" on problems with Credit Counseling

Credit Counselors get Raked over the Coals in Congress

While I was away, Congress held hearings on abuses in the credit counseling industry. (This is the same congress that wants to push consumers into the clutches of credit counselors through the new bankruptcy bill - but I digress.) Anyway, the head of Ameridebt took Fifth. The head of Cambridge Credit Counseling, Inc., John Puccio begged off testifying, claiming to have had a stroke. This is the same guy who made a $624,000 salary as the head of a "not-for-profit" credit counseling company in addition to the money he made from other related and non-related entities. In separate news, the Massachusetts Attorney General has Cambridge in his sights. I'll prepare a link when one is available



Credit Counseling Riddled With Fast-Buck Promoters, Congress Finds
Bottom Feeders Settle FTC Charges

In the FDCPA consumer bar, debt collection companies that buy charged off debt are called "bottom feeders". They are notorious for threatening suit and negative credit reporting in cases where suits are barred by the statute of limitations and credit reporting is barred by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Two of the biggest buyers of charged off debt just settled with the FTC, Camco and AM Financial.

They'll be back in one form or another.

Debt Buyer/Debt Collection Companies and Their Principals Settle FTC Charges