patrick.net

bob2356 says

Strategist says

Toyota certainly has no problems. What are they doing right, and why can't we do the same thing?

Gm has the third lowest recall rate .65 over the last 30 years after mercedes .41 and mazda .55 Toyota is number 7 at .80 and Ford is number 9 at .93. Do you want to rethink this statement?

Yea right those terrible gm cars. Top 5 in customer satisfaction year after year, high repeat buyers, low recall rates, #11 in jd powers quality (after 8 luxury makes, mazda, and toyota). Yep they are certainly crap boxes.

Don't let facts confuse you.

Evidence please.

JH says

Ten years ago I worked as an engineer for a 1000-employee bottom tier supplier of the big 3. Every new year we had to manufacture the same products for LESS money. There are 2 ways to accomplish this: become more efficient or cut corners. The latter is far easier. The products we made got shittier each year. We hid out of spec parts (including lots with cracked ABS rings). I know for a fact that suppliers above us did exactly the same. By the time GM etc got the components of an ABS system, for example, there were easily 5-25 suppliers who all cut corners to keep their businesses afloat. And don't blame the unions...the pressure came from the business owner to keep making a profit to cover his golfing habit.

There you are folks......straight from the whistle blower.
Name your reward.

Waitingtobuy says

I am no big fan of GM. Swore I would never buy another and haven't owned one in almost 25 years. However, I caved after driving the Chevy Volt and comparing it to other brands' cars.

Bought it one year ago. After using 8 gallons of gas in one year, and having lots of fun, I think it might be the best car I've ever owned. This car convinced me that GM might be back on track to being a good car company again.

The Volt is the only GM car I would consider buying. It has both beauty and brains.
Good thing about electric cars is very few things can go wrong with it because it has very few moving parts.

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

Stewart is a clown and is distinguished by the fact only that he is almost as pathetic as the network hacks.

Not really, most of the media would have just thrown softballs.

Someone like John Stossel would have done a better job.

bgamall4 says

That is BS. Who gives a shit about nobel prize winners? Nobody. I will tell you that when you hire actors, and not one parent sheds a tear you don't need a lot of evidence. In fact, evidence that does exists points to cover up. The government is still hiding JFK's assassination. Don't be so naive.

https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+sandy+hook+parents+crying&es_sm=91&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=2vWAU_btKtbAoASFgYGYDg&ved=0CCoQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=634

If you convince Bigs, I'll give you a thousand dollars.

bgamall4 says

Strategist says

If you convince Bigs, I'll give you a thousand dollars.

How about a gratuity for convincing you.

You just never give up. You will make a great realtor, stock broker, insurance salesman, what have you. If you sell Toyotas I will let you convince me to buy a car from you.

indigenous says

theoakman says

lol, you named the one group of bondholders that got screwed...oh wait, they weren't a bank. GM bondholders were fleeced.

No, which bond holders, of what company?

Jesus Christ, hows about every bank that failed?

Actually, this moment in time signaled putin it was ok to take crimea..

bgamall4 says

Here is another Zionist asswipe. Not one fucking tear here either. This was about Sandy Hook

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

Now that would have been compelling TV. An informercial for a book that was written to covert high crimes, not so much.

This man is a true american hero.

Strategist says

bob2356 says

Strategist says

Toyota certainly has no problems. What are they doing right, and why can't we do the same thing?

Gm has the third lowest recall rate .65 over the last 30 years after mercedes .41 and mazda .55 Toyota is number 7 at .80 and Ford is number 9 at .93. Do you want to rethink this statement?

Yea right those terrible gm cars. Top 5 in customer satisfaction year after year, high repeat buyers, low recall rates, #11 in jd powers quality (after 8 luxury makes, mazda, and toyota). Yep they are certainly crap boxes.

Don't let facts confuse you.

Evidence please.

You don't know how to use google?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2014/03/26/automakers-with-the-lowest-and-highest-recall-rates/
Look up jd powers and customer satisfaction yourself putz. It's there I assure you.

bob2356 says

That's fair, you certainly wouldn't want to know exactly what happened first hand from someone who fought hard against geitner and paulson insanity. Better to read a third or fourth hand account from someone who had a major part in creating today's mess and now says how terrible it is. I'll read stockton's book soon, it's supposed to be a decent history. But it's hard to take his hypocrisy seriously.

I listened to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vxEbCzs1z4

BTW at 44 min he talks about his interview of Geitner. Of which by his description Geitner has a shit load to hide.

As clearly as Geitner is corrupt Barofsky is not and he is smart.

I suppose a lot of his appeal is that he has not accumulated the transgressions that most in power have accumulated. But I would say the same of Stockman when he was younger and now. The opposite of this is when I look at McCain or Clinton clearly these two have accumulated a bunch, although Clinton is at a lower level of hell.

At 55 min Barofsky does say much of the loans have not been paid back. This interview is from 2012, it may be different now.

A lot of what he talks about is how the big banks have a view of what is good for the banks. BUT he doesn't say much about the same in government. I think it might be a question of "how is the water". An older fish asks two younger fish how is the water today? to which they respond what is water?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrOL-ydFMI

In any case Barosky clearly has integrity but not sure of the lens he views things through.

Not that the right is much better but if you think that the left is not oblivious to the water they swim in think again.

bob2356 says

Evidence please.

You don't know how to use google?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2014/03/26/automakers-with-the-lowest-and-highest-recall-rates/

Look up jd powers and customer satisfaction yourself putz. It's there I assure you.

Keep in mind the "Golden Rule" - Who ever makes a claim gets the pleasure of proving it.
I double checked, yes your numbers are correct. I'm dumbfounded. I still don't believe it - I must be missing something.

http://wallstcheatsheet.com/automobiles/10-car-makers-boasting-the-lowest-recall-rates.html/?a=viewall

http://www.realcartips.com/news/0999-most-least-recalls.shtml

Is the "h" in Geithner now too ashamed to show itself?

A spelling nanny i see, yes very important, who fucking cares?

Okay, if Sandy Hook was a hoax, and 911 a false flag, what does that make Aurora? What about Columbine? What about Fort Hood? What about Giffords in Tuscon?

Maybe this one?

thomaswong.1986 says

We need both.. a good solid structure, but fewer mechanical items.. I dont need a $1000 entertainment system or extensive hoses making it impossible to change a spark plug...

We also don't need power door locks and windows. It's only extra stuff to break. My manual crank windows will never break, but I have already replaced the window regulators on my car with power windows, and have done some on other cars too.

theoakman says

They aren't. This isn't rocket science.

They are, I hope you don't work for NASA...

Defined at 33:50 and 35:50 in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vxEbCzs1z4

theoakman says

Bear Stearns had bonds they owed money on. Lehman had bonds they owed money on.

Lehman went BK, which implies that any bond holders would have been near the front of the line for assets.

zzyzzx says

We also don't need power door locks and windows.

Some of these parts are expensive as hell and not being built anymore.

This is a good interview with Stockman that gives the big picture understanding that is critical about this subject.

In other words the real causes, which is not democrat or republican.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idfBpq80stc

Brilliant

indigenous says

I listened to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vxEbCzs1z4

Good interview. Nice find.

indigenous says

A lot of what he talks about is how the big banks have a view of what is good for the banks. BUT he doesn't say much about the same in government. I think it might be a question of "how is the water". An older fish asks two younger fish how is the water today? to which they respond what is water?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CrOL-ydFMI

In any case Barosky clearly has integrity but not sure of the lens he views things through.

In the book it's much clearer than is possible in an interview. He recognizes and acknowledges the legitimate need for and role of government, but as sigtarp he learned government is first and foremost a bunch of people looking out for number 1. No surprise really, but unless you work extensively in DC (I did once for about 3 years in the 80's, that sucked) its hard to understand how self serving and deceitful everything is.

What scares me is the huge change in politics in the last 30 years. When I was in DC 2-3 days a week it was all like theatre. Everyone played their part and read their lines, but at the end of the day everyone went out for a beer together and had a laugh. Issues got horse traded back and forth, comprises worked out, and things got done.

This is the before the gingritch/rove take no prisoners style of politics. Now it's serious hard core anything goes to win fighting. People really believe their positions (or at least their press), and truly dislike each other. No compromise is possible. Which ever party is in power simply shoves their agenda down the other parties throat. Anyone trying to work out a reasonable compromise is viciously attacked by the loonies at the fringes. A big part of this is the huge amounts of money in the election system any more. The big donors really trying to buy the most influence for pushing their position heavily fund the hard core ideologically pure candidates leaving the moderates sucking wind.

I don't know how this is all going to play out long term, but if the last 12 years is any indication than I would say the answer is very badly.

Strategist says

Keep in mind the "Golden Rule" - Who ever makes a claim gets the pleasure of proving it.

I double checked, yes your numbers are correct. I'm dumbfounded. I still don't believe it - I must be missing something.

What's to miss. If gm didn't make good cars people wanted they would be long gone.

The only thing missed is the usual group of bitching about everything whether they know what they are talking about or not posters who want the world be be like they imagine it to be without any pesky facts to interfere with their fantasy.

zzyzzx says

thomaswong.1986 says

We need both.. a good solid structure, but fewer mechanical items.. I dont need a $1000 entertainment system or extensive hoses making it impossible to change a spark plug...

We also don't need power door locks and windows. It's only extra stuff to break. My manual crank windows will never break, but I have already replaced the window regulators on my car with power windows, and have done some on other cars too.

You don't need lots of things in modern cars. People want or government mandates them, car makers build them. That's the way it is. Don't like it you are out of luck. The 64 buick is never coming back.

bob2356 says

No compromise is possible.

My congressman is retiring at the end of this year for that very reason.

I think what you speak of is a symptom of centralized government. With small government the individual has a position to communicate in a centralized state it is more and more dystopian and the individual gets crushed.

You talk about Gingrich without mentioning Pelosi?

I have come to the conclusion that representative government is not possible I mean 300 million divided by 535, = 1 rep for every 561,000. There is no accountability to the constituents, as you stated the rep is out for himself. This is a common misconception about government, that it is a monolith.

The best we can hope for is less government, but that ship sailed.

The reason for the growth in government is that the US went to fiat money, this combined with mercantilism and the reserve currency status has as Stockman says allowed deficit spending without pain.

So yes the problem has been the FED, which has created the profligacy.

The fed chairman is also subject to the water, and gets addicted to the adulation and power. I'm sure Bernanke thinks he is brilliant ignoring the Fact that he is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

I have one of the recalled cars (cobalt) - haven't had any problems with ignition, but my oil sensor switch (?) has gone out x3, each time a bit past the part warranty period.

When I first got it, the exhaust cam sensor (?) went out about 5 times at 10k miles. They replaced it, but they didn't replace everything they were supposed to and it went out again. The first time that I brought it in they held it overnight... but if you figure out all 5x they held my car hostage almost a month.

The rental car they provided didn't cover the time that they held my car hostage. But that's another story.

There were various "service bulletins" along the way... I grew to learn that meant that they should fix the car if someone brought it in and complained about that specific issue (loose fender that needed spacers to keep it from rattling...).

So now I get a letter telling me that they will fix my car if I call them, but that will get me on a list so I can hurry up & wait for them to fix my car. In the meantime, I'm supposed to drive with only a key and no key ring.

It's hard to feel sorry for GM because they're enduring all these recalls. Supposedly they're trying for "transparency," but I think all these recalls and admissions of crappy designs are only because they've been caught (or are about to be).

The car is a boxy piece of shit that gets great mileage and has given me 100,000 miles in 5 years. It burns oil like there's no tomorrow but I guess I'm doing okay, all things considered.

indigenous says

theoakman says

They aren't. This isn't rocket science.

They are, I hope you don't work for NASA...

Defined at 33:50 and 35:50 in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vxEbCzs1z4

theoakman says

Bear Stearns had bonds they owed money on. Lehman had bonds they owed money on.

Lehman went BK, which implies that any bond holders would have been near the front of the line for assets.

Once again, they slated to get zero dollars. Once again, you have no point.

theoakman says

Once again, you have no point.

It was a question not a point.

elliemae says

It's hard to feel sorry for GM because they're enduring all these recalls. Supposedly they're trying for "transparency," but I think all these recalls and admissions of crappy designs are only because they've been caught (or are about to be).

Perhaps a good solution is to spin off each division. After all GM acquired all these different brands long ago... Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, Opel, Holden. Let each one stand on its own two feet. They are too big to deal with all these issues.

It boils down to the old saw about being interesting or being interested. Look how many young girls walk around with ugly little dogs in order to be interesting. Or people who drive a particular flavor of car to be interesting. Or are politically correct and abhor anyone who is remotely prejudiced towards...

The problem is that this says it is more important to be interesting than to have a viewpoint.

They will say no I just like blah blah

The only way anyone gets anything done is by being interested. This has a lot to do with knowing the water you swim in.

That being said the only real solution is a solution that occurs in nature it is called market clearing. It can occur in an organic way and occurs much like the recession of 1924 (no one has heard of it) or can be gargantuan like next one will be. It will be caused by demographics and an inability to borrow anymore money.

thomaswong.1986 says

elliemae says

It's hard to feel sorry for GM because they're enduring all these recalls. Supposedly they're trying for "transparency," but I think all these recalls and admissions of crappy designs are only because they've been caught (or are about to be).

Perhaps a good solution is to spin off each division. After all GM acquired all these different brands long ago... Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, Opel, Holden. Let each one stand on its own two feet. They are too big to deal with all these issues.

They must stay big. It is their greatest asset. Think 2009. Size is every American corporation's safety net.

Call it Crazy says

bob2356 says

What's to miss. If gm didn't make good cars people wanted they would be long gone.

Did you forget about the bankruptcy??? They would have been long gone if they weren't bailed out by a certain entity....

In reality General Motors is gone. They are now Government Motors.
The irony is...In China, they prefer Buicks and Cadillacs MADE IN USA. It's prestigious.

JH says

They must stay big. It is their greatest asset. Think 2009. Size is every American corporation's safety net.

Im thinking as ATT spun off divisions which became success on their own.
NCR and Teradata come to mind. Fairchilds given another life outside of National Semi. Fairchilds spin offs in early years which created many SV tech companies including Intel, AMD, National, etc etc in turn spin off Applied Materials and other Semi Equipment cos.

Forget safety net and focus on growth... creating new jobs and opportunities.

socal2 says

Bellingham Bill says

Now the GOP's got millions of racists and southern baptists (and crypto-baptist evangelical organizations) locked up.

Ha! I forgot about the raaacist charge.

The libs got nothing but screechy rhetoric trying to scare the girls cause they got nothing to run on or brag about. I expect to hear this all they way until 2016:

SO I think I get your point, but let me ask you, do you think the republicans could win elections without the racists, and evangelicals?

If the answer is no, then would the GOPs platform have to be more moderate ? (that is if they didn't have the racists and the evangelicals).

(translated "moderate" means not dominated by psycho crazy America destroying right wing fringe assholes)

"The libs got nothing but screechy rhetoric trying to scare the girls cause they got nothing to run on or brag about"

actually, this is pretty true, but "the libs" have been out of power since Nixon won in '68.

Carter was no liberal, and neither was Clinton, and taking arguendo Obama as a liberal, he and Pelosi were gated by the lack of 60 (D) votes in the Senate for most of the two years the Democrats held all 3 power centers (and liberals never had 60 votes in the Senate, let's not forget).

So indeed the liberal agenda has been a big nothingburger, at least economically, for a very long time. Socially, liberals did somehow get gay marriage rights advanced this decade, to the surprise of everyone.

We got the conservative versions of health care reform (2010), welfare reform (1996), financial deregulation (1999), free trade (1993), a couple more wars in the mid-east (2001 & 2003).

Whoopdefucking doo.

But of course racism is alive and well in this country. Hell, in my inner self I'm something of a racist at times, how can one not be if one is honest about things?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPX-u0Be0d0

Where conservatives and liberals differ here is what needs to be changed. Conservatives think "got mine fuck you" is the answer to everything. I don't.

In other words, you suck at whatever you do and have a pittance of a salary to show for it.

jazz music says

Another axis of the republican extremist phenomenon is the type that has to deal every day with the miserable owner of small business

Both parties are wholeheartedly Keynesian. That would include the pure socialists. If they are wrong and the fiat money cannot be sustained with the "put your faith in debt" mantra, neither vision of the future will matter.

There aren't enough young people paying taxes to support old people on govt assistance, and yet current policies have employment of young people at an all time low. Real estate prices have young people unwilling and unable to start new houses. Easing credit or passing new legislation to encourage further indebtedness only increases the inability of young people to break out.

Your prices are too high. They cannot be sustained. They will come down or the prices of everything else will rise in contrast. Neither party knows the solution, and both sides trivialize the believers in currency with backing or consistent money supply, because it makes their Social Engineering dreams impossible.

Food prices are finally going to rise in a big way. That's the beginning pressure for wage inflation, and the real estate will not hold it's value, only it's price.

deepcgi says

There aren't enough young people

most every dollar of "govt assistance" goes to young people in the end. Medicare spending -- that's jobs. SSA checks -- that's food shopping and thus retail and wholesale employment.

Now, if the boomers take their SSA checks and buy tanks of diesel to burn up in their RVs 24/7, then my above would be largely incorrect.

But the US demographic profile is nothing like Japan's.

paying taxes to support old people on govt assistance

as for who's paying taxes, let's tax the 1% more, and corporations.

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=BBH

shows that since 2005 corporate profits are 50% higher but their tax expense is lower. Must be nice.

We could raise taxes on the 1% 50% more and they wouldn't notice it, either -- $180B in add'l revenue on a $1.6T tax base, 11% increase. We could use this to pay off the $2.8T SSTF instead of monetizing it like we're probably going to do.

yet current policies have employment of young people at an all time low

"current policies"?

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=BBI

shows manufacturing has lost 6M jobs since 1990. Thanks NAFTA!

Construction is down 2M from the recent bubble peak.

Information jobs are down 1M from 2000 thanks to increasing productivity and offshoring.

Federal jobs are flat thanks to small-goverment conservatism, even though the population has risen ~20% (20M) since 1990.

Current CONSERVATIVE policies is what is killing us, literally in the case of Iraq and Afghanistan.

deepcgi says

That's the beginning pressure for wage inflation, and the real estate will not hold it's value, only it's price

That's my thesis too, but thus far the history of wage increases has shown that rents come along with rising wages.

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=BBN

blue is wages, red is rents, 1969 = 100

Only way housing prices go down is with vacancy factor, and it's tough for Gen Y to sit out in the rain or live like a caveman somewhere waiting for home prices to go down. Landlords really hold the whip hand when supply is tight, and per my population graph above, supply is certainly going to be tight for the foreseeable future.

And, also, real estate valuations only rising nominally is still a big win for investors, since their existing debts and interest burden do not rise along with the valuations.