Thursday, January 22, 2009

Headlines and Other Random Thoughts

Thain resigns from Bank of America
This guy does not have a very good track record. How the heck does he keep getting jobs?


'Flying Car' Goes to Market
My first thought on this was: where can I get one? Then, hard on the heels of that thought was: this is one impractical mobile. I mean, you can't land it just anywhere. You have to use an airport. Sure you can just fold up the wings and drive it away... but still, highly impractical. There aren't that many airports and the ones you might use are not always near where you want to go...
Also, on a purely selfish note, I'm not sure I want those things flying all over the place. There are enough idiots on the roadways, who needs them in the air? Flying all over the place, buzzing people's houses, shopping malls, sporting events?

On the other hand... the first computers were not at all practical, either. And look at us now. I would not want to be without mine. In fact, last time mine was in the shop I felt like a part of me had been amputated. I was totally dysfunctional. Amazing how many times a day I jump on here, not to express myself, but to look things up. Find a recipe, when I need new ideas for a meal. Check the side effects of meds that the doc prescribes for me or a member of my family. Find out what time it is in New Guinea, just cause I'm curious that way. :) You get the point, I hope.

Army: Negligence caused GI's death
This is just sad. On so many different levels.

Conspiracy Theory???
Perhaps I'm just suspicious. Maybe I'm one of those crazy folks who sees bogeymen behind every tree and shrub... I just hit on this today while they were discussing the GOP senators putting a delay on Eric Holder's confirmation. I was like, "What the frick are they thinking? We NEED an AG! But that brings to mind the fact that we haven't actually had a fully functional AG office in 8 years.
Then they started talking about the fears of some of the fine Republican Senators that people who might have tortured detainees in the course of following orders might be open to prosecution if Holder is confirmed. And that made me think... what are they really afraid of? Of being prosecuted themselves? What did they really know about the process? When did they know it? Or... perhaps this is a deeper game? Maybe they suppose that if the American government does not prosecute or at least charge Bush and Cheney and Rummy, et al, with war crimes then the UN will. And if the UN tries to come in here and tell us what to do, then you all know that everyone is going to get up in arms and refuse to go along with it and so on and so forth...
Can't you just see the brouhaha over that? That would turn the average, man on the street American (half of whom did vote for GWB, TWICE!) into rabid, ravaging animals. You know it would. And then, voila! Bush is an American Hero. And it puts Obama in a most difficult position. And it gives the GOP a chance to retake power in 2012. How's that sound for a conspiracy theory? Pretty good, eh? Hey! That would make a great book or movie, no?

Shamwow!
The dude says in the commercial, "Made in Germany. And you know the Germans make good stuff." or something quite similar. And I find that very offensive. He says it like... we don't make good stuff here in America. Oh, that's right, we don't make anything here in America, anymore, good or bad. Still, the dude is offensive (what's with that stupid headset looking thing he wears. He even wears it in the commercial for that chopper thing he's doing now. I guess he's trying to become the next Billy Mays. I, personally, would not purchase anything from either of them. I'm not going to purchase anything from anyone who yells at me. That's just rude. And I'm also not going to purchase a cleaning product from someone who doesn't look like he bothered to take a shower before filming the commercial. The guy just looks unclean to me. Just my opinion. But the Germany thing really ticks me off. I'm sure someone here in America could manufacture something just as good. Except that small manufacturers have mostly been bought out by huge conglomerates that move all the jobs overseas where they don't have to give the workers any benefits and can get away with paying them a pittance for their labour. Cause it's all about the "bottom line", ya know? Gotta make that buck so the moguls can get their multi-million dollar bonuses and the company can make a huge profit and then not pay any taxes on it.... but I digress... sorry... :)

Okay, I'm off to watch Pitch Black with Thomas. See ya later... :)

4 comments:

Mr. Mike said...

Flying cars? In James Bond movies they look cool, in reality I have to agree with your assessment that people already have a hard time driving on the road. Adding flying to that would be a nightmare. A bunch of uninsured flyers accidentally ramming trees and decapitating pedestrians. And even with all that sky I bet we still end up with tailgating.

I'll have to pay more attention to the Shamwow infomercials, I missed the comment about Germany. Good one about how we don't manufacture anything in America anymore :)

Some Kinda Wonderful said...

I have to say, Mr. Mike, tailgating was not one of the bad things I thought of when I pictured mad flying motorists dive bombing my neighborhood. But you are right, I'm sure that would happen right along with all the rest. Oh My God! Can you imagine "sky rage"??!! Not a good thought.

Anonymous said...

I understand what you meant (the german stuff thing).
But - this is just what we guys here (yepp, I am german) build our industrial image on. German stuff only sells as quality stuff, thats just marketing. Of course you or country xy produces good quality as well. But this german-quality-slogan-thing is simply sth that survived during the last centuries (and I am actually quite happy about it *haha*, because our economic situation is not going that well too - so please buy german quality *lol* I'll buy sth american in return ;-)).

Arsenette said...

Hubby knows people who bought the shamwow and adore it :) I don't care where it's made :) LOL at the sky rage.. I just keep thinking of the Bruce Willis movie "Fifth Element" and the traffic congestion there! LOL