Well it's about fucking time. Of course, the way the government is manipulating this process, I really don't think it makes much difference. Aside from establishing a nasty precident for government intervention, elevating the union leaders (the workers, not so much) and lightening the taxpayers' wallets, I fully expect more of the same. The same management ignorance, the same lousy design, the same indifferent build quality and the same red ink.
Anybody else think the "new" GM and Chrysler wont be around by 2020?
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was starred
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was unstarred
A government run GM will operate much like the postal service, somehow it'll stay alive even though it loses money. (Funny how all those taxpayers get stuck with the bill) Since the company will be run by government selected committee I'm sure they'll produce just some FANTASTIC products (America Trabbie or Usada?)
Has a government ever produced a car that wasn't a complete $#!tbox?
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was starred
If FromaBuick6 has to watch one more Chevy commercial, he's going to punch Howie Long in the face was unstarred
Do you realize what this means? The only American automobile manufacturer that won't be under bankruptcy protection, is the very same automobile manufacturer that made Ford Tempos. I am moderately proud of that fact, even though the Tempo has absolutely nothing to do with Ford staying afloat.
I hope it gets a strive for real engineers and this evangelistic hide the pedo beast is over.If you do not know what I mean, go blast the hippity hop in your sideways 800hp 1 liter until death do reality part...like a pedo beast. Hay maybe the 283 can come back at the real 30mpg in 3600 pound vehicles, or maybe the 3 main boxer, or maybe...oh no. World War it might be......
@Blue387: Well I heard some lady say on the radio that with Obama being the prez she didn't have to worry about gasoline no more. So if I were you, I'd go for it while the getting is good.
discontinuuity is tentatively testing the waters of Murlopnik Weekend before plunging again into the fridgid waters that are Jalopnik proper was starred
discontinuuity is tentatively testing the waters of Murlopnik Weekend before plunging again into the fridgid waters that are Jalopnik proper was unstarred
@bearslayer: Good enough...Bearslayer for the win.
The information about this strategy can be attributed from KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov, also known as Tomas David Schuman.
Now, although he is talking about KGB infiltration into the US, the paradigm can easily be adapted to the fall of General Motors.
Stage 1: Demoralization By this term, Bezmenov is not referring to a sense of depression but rather a disconnection from core values, that is, a subversion of the underlying culture that holds an organization together. This stage takes from 15 to 20 years to complete.
Take a look at the core values GM was supposed to have: -Providing truthful information to customers -Being at the forefront of American automotive technology -Producing the highest quality automobiles for a given cost -Providing sustainable profits for workers and shareholders alike
Through poor management, scandal (think "Unsafe at any Speed"), adoption of planned obsolescence, and other ill-informed acts, General Motors became thoroughly demoralized in the Bezmenovian sense.
Stage 2: Destabilization Destabilization refers to the sowing of seeds of internal dissent, with the aim of setting one part of an organization against another. The idea is essentially the old Roman "Divide and Rule" principle, which needs no further explanation here (I'll leave wikipedia to that). This stage takes 5 to 7 years to complete.
In the context of GM, think of only three letters: UAW
Toyota, fully aware of the crippling power that the unions held did everything it could (with a fair amount of success) to avoid unionization, managing to beat GM on labor costs here in its own country.
Stage 3: Crisis
The inevitable result of the preceeding stages is an existential crisis in which the subverted organization colapses in on itself, leaving a readily filled power vacuum. The crisis stage can be set in motion by a number of different flashpoints, be they assassinations, resource shortages, scandals, whatever. This stage takes at most, 6 months to a year.
In the case of GM, the initial flashpoints could arguably include $140/bbl oil, the housing crisis, and the crash of late 2008. Regardless of the initial reason, GM is now in crisis.
Stage 4: Normalization
In the KGB context, this refers to solidifying control of a captured asset. Often this entails disposing of the very revolutionaries who brough about the change in government. The reason for this is that thse parties pose a threat to continued state security, and must be replaced with more manageable thugs.
Take my word for this, you will see the management of GM purged and replaced with a series of looters and well connected vultures, who will in turn be purged and replaced with yet another set of stooges.
@LuciferV8: How to instate communism? Sounds more like how to take over a population no matter what you decide to call the financial system you use to operate with once you've done it.
Communism isn't a system of 'governance' it's a economic system, like capitalism, and like capitalism, in the wrong hands, gets exploited to enslave people.
@SoK: You're absolutely correct about that one. Although Bezmenov has a succinct way of stating it, this wasn't a historically new idea. The British Empire used essentially the same system on its colonies in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Not that I approve of Communism though, its a dysfunctional system with a an inherent propensity to fall into the wronng hands.
06/09/09
Sudden interest in "Wal Mart Greeter" positions up by over 100,000.
06/09/09
05/29/09
Anybody else think the "new" GM and Chrysler wont be around by 2020?
05/29/09
A government run GM will operate much like the postal service, somehow it'll stay alive even though it loses money. (Funny how all those taxpayers get stuck with the bill) Since the company will be run by government selected committee I'm sure they'll produce just some FANTASTIC products (America Trabbie or Usada?)
Has a government ever produced a car that wasn't a complete $#!tbox?
05/29/09
05/28/09
I hear the pain a comin'
It's rollin' 'round the bend,
And I ain't seen the sunshine,
Since, I don't know when,
I'm stuck in Debtors Prison,
And time keeps draggin' on,
But that pain keeps a-rollin',
On down to Wash-ing-ton.
When I was just a baby,
My Mama told me, "Son,
Always be a good boy,
Don't ever build bad cars,"
But I did build some Vegas
And just watched them die.
When I hear that engine blowin',
I hang my head and cry.
I bet there's rich folks making',
In a some big fancy cars,
They've probably got small engines,
And sell better than those' those MOPARS
But I know I had it comin',
I know I can't be free,
But those companies keep a-movin',
And that's what tortures me.
Well, if they freed me from this prison,
If that pension plan was mine,
I bet I'd move out over a little,
Farther down and pine
Far from Debtors Prison,
That's where I want to stay,
And I'd let that lonesome whistle,
Blow me down to Ramos Ar-iz-pe . .
05/29/09
05/28/09
05/28/09
(heart-click)
I miss SC2000.
05/29/09
Heart-clicky.
05/28/09
I might not like the idea of a (any) government running a car company, but honestly there is no other choice, except total chaos.
05/28/09
I made myself sad.
05/29/09
05/28/09
05/28/09
05/28/09
05/29/09
05/28/09
Sorry.
Well.
Actually I'm not.
Serves you dumbasses right for soiling your image and the image of America, Canada, and Europe with SHITTY cars for the past 30 years.
Too bad all those innocent workers have to pay the brunt of it.
05/29/09
All trolls are to report to the latest Bloodcopy post. Stat.
05/29/09
05/28/09
05/28/09
05/29/09
Side note: typing is difficult while intoxicated.
05/28/09
Stage 1: Demoralization
Stage 2: Destabilization
Stage 3: Crisis
Stage 4: Normalization
05/28/09
05/28/09
05/28/09
05/29/09
The information about this strategy can be attributed from KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov, also known as Tomas David Schuman.
Now, although he is talking about KGB infiltration into the US, the paradigm can easily be adapted to the fall of General Motors.
Stage 1: Demoralization
By this term, Bezmenov is not referring to a sense of depression but rather a disconnection from core values, that is, a subversion of the underlying culture that holds an organization together. This stage takes from 15 to 20 years to complete.
Take a look at the core values GM was supposed to have:
-Providing truthful information to customers
-Being at the forefront of American automotive technology
-Producing the highest quality automobiles for a given cost
-Providing sustainable profits for workers and shareholders alike
Through poor management, scandal (think "Unsafe at any Speed"), adoption of planned obsolescence, and other ill-informed acts, General Motors became thoroughly demoralized in the Bezmenovian sense.
Stage 2: Destabilization
Destabilization refers to the sowing of seeds of internal dissent, with the aim of setting one part of an organization against another. The idea is essentially the old Roman "Divide and Rule" principle, which needs no further explanation here (I'll leave wikipedia to that). This stage takes 5 to 7 years to complete.
In the context of GM, think of only three letters: UAW
Toyota, fully aware of the crippling power that the unions held did everything it could (with a fair amount of success) to avoid unionization, managing to beat GM on labor costs here in its own country.
Stage 3: Crisis
The inevitable result of the preceeding stages is an existential crisis in which the subverted organization colapses in on itself, leaving a readily filled power vacuum. The crisis stage can be set in motion by a number of different flashpoints, be they assassinations, resource shortages, scandals, whatever. This stage takes at most, 6 months to a year.
In the case of GM, the initial flashpoints could arguably include $140/bbl oil, the housing crisis, and the crash of late 2008. Regardless of the initial reason, GM is now in crisis.
Stage 4: Normalization
In the KGB context, this refers to solidifying control of a captured asset. Often this entails disposing of the very revolutionaries who brough about the change in government. The reason for this is that thse parties pose a threat to continued state security, and must be replaced with more manageable thugs.
Take my word for this, you will see the management of GM purged and replaced with a series of looters and well connected vultures, who will in turn be purged and replaced with yet another set of stooges.
05/29/09
Communism isn't a system of 'governance' it's a economic system, like capitalism, and like capitalism, in the wrong hands, gets exploited to enslave people.
05/29/09
Not that I approve of Communism though, its a dysfunctional system with a an inherent propensity to fall into the wronng hands.
05/28/09
05/28/09
05/28/09
05/28/09
05/28/09