I saw a story on CNN titled "Boy, 5, hoping for new foot" --- and the first thing that came to mind was how funny it would be if the headline were changed by adding just one extra letter:

Boy, 5, hopping for new foot

Yes, I know; I'm going to hell for that one. :-)

In other related news, Happy belated Christmas, and an early Merry New Year to you all... see you all in the new year (if I survive my homework, work1 and work2 load!). I'm working at Disney on New Year's Eve and Day, if anyone wants to come by and visit; I'll be in Epcot's World Showcase, somewhere. :-)

CNN Story (hopping boy): http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/12/26/hershey.new.foot.for.christmas.wjxt

Open letter to Michigan's Governor Granholm

In response to: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/13/granholm.energy/index.html

Governor Granholm,

Unfortunately, incompetent management and lower-quality products seem to the modus operandi of the Big 3 in Motor City... until these people catch up with the innovations and create products that American buyers want (like Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyunda, Kia and many others have), they will continue to founder.

The unions must be broken (or at least provide significant concessions) so that they can compete on price and hire and fire based on an employee's competence rather than the ability of their union rep to argue against a set of arcane and illogical rules that have stymied any progress on creating a business model that stands any chance of success for the future.

Whilst I agree that having the jobs in Detroit is important, and that the amount of raw materials and product generated in/out of the city are fundamental to the success of the economy there and throughout the United States, her insistence on using the American taxpayer's dollars to bail out incompetence at the automakers is flawed thinking... fix the problems in GM, Chrysler and Ford's management and product lines -- THEN we can talk about giving them my hard-earned money.

As a case in point -- when I went searching for a car this year, I looked for a hybrid that could match up with the Toyota Prius. None could. Every vehicle in the American market failed to measure up. Saturn came the closest -- but since 2002 when they dropped the SL and SC lines, they've had steadily falling sales and even less commitment to their products and vision. Dodge had products and marketing that captured hearts and minds (the Neon commericals come to mind) -- but the product behind it was a failed lark of a vehicle and it is a demonstration of all that is wrong with the American auto market.

Governor, I respect your opinion -- but you need to work with your constituents in Detroit to get them to get back in touch with the American people. Then, perhaps the American people will see clear to help bail them out -- by buying their vehicles instead of writing them a blank check to keep doing (badly) what they've been doing the last several years.

Joe Fox
joe@webcruiser.org

Also posted to CNN's comments on this article.

Passing this along

There's a site giving away a free Obama sticker to celebrate his victory. It's designed by Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the iconic HOPE poster. And MoveOn's giving them away totally free--even the shipping's free.
I ordered one (haven't received it yet). Their site claims to have given away over 2.5 million as of this moment... Whether I agree with President-elect Obama or not, this is a truly historic moment, and it's a sad individual who can't at least realize and appreciate that. Click this link to get your free Obama sticker:
http://pol.moveon.org/shepstickers/?id=-14612379-rappeTx&rc=

I wonder -- will Barack Obama do the same as George W. did and demand that everyone (especially the press) call him President Bush not Sir or any other title of respect? (If you didn't see/read the exchange, see http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/04/20040405-4.html OR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOCHqfIhA0Q -- time mark about 1:06) Somehow, I doubt it, but time will tell.....

Joe

Tomorrow will be a better day...

I will not always agree with Barack Obama. I will not always like what he will do or stand for, and at times, I may challenge him to follow the eloquent words he spoke this evening, but I can say that after two excellent speeches, I will support our new President and I will work to end the partisan bickering and mindless prattling of politics and work to make the next century as great a move forward as the last century. Yes, we can, and yes, I will.

Tomorrow will be a better day because we can and we will do what it takes to make this country a better place. The burden is now on us all to take the start and the challenge that President-elect Barack Obama has given us tonight, and I'm ready for the challenge.

Thank you to both President-elect and to Senator McCain for being classy and being commited to making this country a more perfect union... You gentlemen have set a standard for leadership for both Democrats and Republicans to follow tonight - I hope that your parties will follow your lead.

God bless Barack Obama, God bless John McCain, and God bless the USA.

YES WE CAN!!!

The Debate

Obama doesn't get it... we don't want to have a Robin Hood system, where he takes from the rich and gives to the poor. We don't want to be overtaxed.

McCain doesn't get it -- governmental control and ignoring a "fair" tax system that balances what the big fish and the small fish pay to a fair level (in other words -- 100% fair -- a percentage system, not based on income, but on spending).

Why don't either of these people represent what the majority of Americans think and believe? These people are incompetent! I'm ready for a third (or more) REAL party to stand up for America.

joe

My first time...

It's my first time using Blogger... I've been all over the rest of the InterWebs, so I suppose it's only right that I waste some neurons here...

In any case, this is where I'll post stuff that's short-term or whimsical; any real dirt on me is on my site, http://www.webcruiser.org. (I'm the Joe, she's the Julie).

Feel free to help me waste the seeming vastness of the Internets (TM) by posting your comments here. :-)

TiK (a.k.a. Joe)