After decades of bad decision making, the top of GM...

finally saw the light and figured out a way to make cars profitably...

GM stock 10 year chart

While GM is begging the government to throw more money in their bottomless pitt, which will be used to pay for an incompetent board and overpaid union workers, the car manufacturers that don't get any bailout money have to cut costs:

Honda drops out of Formula One racing to cut costs

If the US government doesn't stop interfering in the market place we won't have a recession, but a full fledged DEPRESSION, which would make the "Great Depression" look like a walk in the park.

I was able to find a picture of the senators at the GM, Ford, Chrysler hearings:

Arizona Leads The Nation With The Biggest State Deficit

Lots of states are facing severe budget problems. But only Arizona can say that its problems are the very worst.
The National Conference of State Legislatures released a survey today indicating that Arizona faces a budget deficit representing 24.2 percent of its general fund, easily outpacing No. 2 New York, which faces mere 20 percent reductions.
Rounding out the field of aneurysm-inducing budgets are California (18 percent), Wisconsin (17.2 percent), Minnesota (14.7 percent) and Kansas (14.5 percent).
"While the data we collected from state legislative fiscal officers are pretty sobering, our discussions with legislative leaders tell us that they expect the problem to only get worse," said William T. Pound, NCSL’s executive director, in a total Debbie Downer of a press release.
LINK

If you ever think on visiting us here in the Phoenix region, it is good to know that

Health Magazine named Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport, America's healthiest airport.
A panel of expert judges gave the airport "…rave reviews for its commitment to a comfortable, low-stress experience for flyers," according to Health Magazine.
The airport received extremely high marks for its healthy dining options and the magazine states that, "the airports bathrooms are widely known as some of the nation's cleanest."
LINK

Soon coming to a country near you

The fortis shareholder meeting, it's in Dutch but I guess everybody knows what they are saying...


LINK to Stock Quote
I read somewhere that 1 in 5 Belgians had shares of Fortis ... the other 80% is indirectly (pension funds) shareholder.

Thanksgiving pics 2 / 2

This is the most funny thing I have ever read

From the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe:
As Monetary Authorities, we have been humbled and have taken heart in the realization that some leading Central Banks, including those in the USA and the UK, are now not just talking of, but also actually implementing flexible and pragmatic central bank support programmes where these are deemed necessary in their National interests.
That is precisely the path that we began over 4 years ago in pursuit of our own national interest and we have not wavered on that critical path despite the untold misunderstanding, vilification and demonization we have endured from across the political divide.

You can't make those things up: LINK

Thanksgiving pics 1 / 2

Amazing

A must SEE

With 8.5 trillion dollars, you can PAY OFF half of the mortgages in the US!!!

Commercial Paper Funding Facility
Federal Reserve
$1.8 trillion

Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program
FDIC
$1.4 trillion

Term Auction Facility (TAF)
Federal Reserve
$900 billion

Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM), Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE), and Ginnie Mae
U.S. Treasury / Federal Reserve
$800 billion

Treasury Asset Relief Program (TARP)
U.S. Treasury
$700 billion

Total USD International Currency Swap Lines
Federal Reserve
$688 billion

Money Market Investor Funding Facility
Federal Reserve
$540 billion

Other Loans: Primary Dealer Credit, etc.
Federal Reserve
$288.7 billion

Citigroup (NYSE: C) Guarantee
U.S. Treasury / FDIC
$306 billion

Hope for Homeowners Act of 2008
U.S. Treasury
$304 billion

Term Securities Lending Facility (TSLF)
Federal Reserve
$225 billion

Term Asset-Backed Securities

Loan Facility (TALF)
U.S. Treasury
$200 billion

Economic Stimulus Act of 2008
U.S. Treasury
$168 billion

Paid to JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM)

to Settle Lehman Brothers Debt
Federal Reserve
$138 billion

AIG (NYSE: AIG) Bailout
Federal Reserve
$112.5 billion

Bear Stearns Brokered Sale
Federal Reserve
$26.9 billion

Total: $8,597,100,000,000

Source: fool.com

The US broke a new barrier a few days ago, 30 million people in the US now receive FOODSTAMPS. They get about $100 a month.
Total welfare for the people who need it: 3.6 billion a year
Total welfare for the bankerbuddies: 8600 billion

The ORGY of US consumer spending: Black Friday

"They kept shopping. It's not right. They're savages"
- Kimberly Cribbs, witness to the death of a Wal-Mart worker as a crowd of American consumers bum-rushed a Wal-Mart, November 28, 2008



Well, we won't have that problem next year with jobless rates in double digits!
"Keep the American debt dream alive, shop till you die!"

Why was the US looking for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

When the weapons of mass destruction were right in front of their own eyes...

Tucson pics 4 / 4

I will post pics from Thanksgiving in the next few days.

Meanwhile on the planet Mars

They've opened the most expensive, exclusive hotel EVER, the Atlantis (Dubai)




Cheapest room is about $370 a night in June. That's not too baD CONSIDERING THERE WAS NOTHING THERE IN 2000. They had to built the island...

Excellent timing, excellent name

The first four door Porsche, the Panamera!

Tucson Pics 3 / 4

There was a cycling race in Tucson. The police doesn't close down roads, cyclists have to use the right lane :-)

Armstrong didn't participate ... they test on drug (ab)use

Naomi and Lisa went on a 90 minute horse walking trip.

The worst performing REAL 'HARD asset in the world

Rhodium

$10 000 in July 2008, now 4 months later, -91.5% ... $850

Just an example how devastating those last few months were.

and ... the USA goes all in

Bush admin., Federal Reserve pledge $800 billion to loosen credit for consumers, businesses
The latest federal moves raised U.S. commitments to contain the financial crisis to nearly $7 trillion.

At this rate, the government needs a bailout: We can't afford the Citigroup deal(the government's credit is disappearing)

It's all or nothing now.

The "evil look" baby

It doesn't solve anything but it offers some relief (for me personally anyway)

Ah, the good ol' days, when the US only had a $4 trillion national debt...

Obama 2008, the aftermath