Thursday, December 25, 2008

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas


We put our tree up last weekend. The last step was to put a white quilt around the base of the tree. A certain little black dog took the quilt to mean that it was a bed for her. She proceeded to wrap herself around the base of the tree and shake all the decorations. We eventually got her moved and put some packages under the tree to keep her from returning. Andy, not knowing what a tree was, just hid.

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

A Modern Tragedy

THE TRAGEDY OF THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY:
A Play in Three Acts

Courtesy of Balloon-Juice

Dramatis Personae

BIG THREE, a manufacturer of automobiles
UAW, Big Three’s employee
MITT ROMNEY, an idiot

ACT ONE

BIG THREE: I have plans to build automobiles, but I need labor to do so!


UAW: I will labor for you if you will pay me $40 per hour.


BIG THREE: I will not pay you $40 per hour.


UAW: But I need to save for my inevitible retirement, and any health concerns that may arise.


BIG THREE: I will pay you $30 per hour, plus a generous pension of guaranteed payments and health care upon your retirement.


UAW: Then I agree to work for you!

ACT TWO

UAW: I am building cars for you, as I have promised to do!


BIG THREE: I am designing terrible cars that few people want to buy! Also, rather than save for UAW’s inevitible retirement when I will have to pay him the generous pension of guaranteed payments and health care that I promised, I am spending that money under the dubious assumption that my future revenues will be sufficient to meet those obligations.

ACT THREE

UAW: I have fulfilled my end of the deal by building the automobiles that you have asked me to build.


BIG THREE: Oh no! I am undone! My automobiles are no longer competitive due to my years of poor planning and poor judgment!


MITT ROMNEY: This is all UAW’s fault!