the weather outside is frightful
but the caribbean is delightful
as long as we get to go
let it snow, let it snow, let is snow
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Then came the snow
Another snow day today - although I did go out in the car as far as he gym and was again impressed by the manners of the little Suzuki and its ability to make light of snow covered hills that got the better of other cars.
It's a weird snow. Small ice pellets that rattle as they hit the ground, covering you in crystals of pure cold before you've taken a step.
I'd love to say that it's beautiful... but it's not. It's just murky.
Oddly too there are three vehicles out clearing the parking lot outside but not one clearing the road. Which is why I'm at home arranging calls de conference
It's a weird snow. Small ice pellets that rattle as they hit the ground, covering you in crystals of pure cold before you've taken a step.
I'd love to say that it's beautiful... but it's not. It's just murky.
Oddly too there are three vehicles out clearing the parking lot outside but not one clearing the road. Which is why I'm at home arranging calls de conference
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Never simple
So we're planning Xmas in the Caribbean. Hurrah.
And what happens?
Well first we get a trio of huge storms that threaten to shut down the airports, delay all flights and generally keep us here.
Then we get temperatures of -24C threatening to freeze the wings off any plane before it takes off.
The dog develops a stange choking / sneezing / belching / farting motion that stinks out the house and threatens to have her excluded from daycare.
And work gets busy.
I tell you all I need now if for Jude to come down with leprocy, for the UK to declare war on the hotel that we're heading to and for the airline to introduce a punitive 'baldy' tax and I'm done.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
And what happens?
Well first we get a trio of huge storms that threaten to shut down the airports, delay all flights and generally keep us here.
Then we get temperatures of -24C threatening to freeze the wings off any plane before it takes off.
The dog develops a stange choking / sneezing / belching / farting motion that stinks out the house and threatens to have her excluded from daycare.
And work gets busy.
I tell you all I need now if for Jude to come down with leprocy, for the UK to declare war on the hotel that we're heading to and for the airline to introduce a punitive 'baldy' tax and I'm done.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Nervous glances
So last night's snow storm - and the predictions of two more to come have me glancing at the weather channels more nervously than a prom queen at her date as he uses his brother's ID to check into the motel/
It was bad.
Saturday is going to be -19C and worse.
Luckily Jude's car is up to the journey... and I'm up for it.
Get us the hell outta here
It was bad.
Saturday is going to be -19C and worse.
Luckily Jude's car is up to the journey... and I'm up for it.
Get us the hell outta here
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
My last Ford post - I promise
I know - I'm becoming a Michigan bore.
But I work with people who work with Ford and therefore I'm closer to the facts than I have been before. So here are four things that America should know about Ford, but doesn't
Ford's don't fall apart
It's not just industry stats that show this. Or Initial Quality surveys. The 'bible' Consumer Reports magazine now says that Ford's reliability "is on par with good Japanese automakers such as Toyota and Honda"
It also says that on quality Ford is continuing "to pull away from the rest of Detroit."
Ford makes the safest cars in America
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave Ford more 'top safety picks' than any other manufacturer.
Ford also has more 5 star crash ratings than any other manufacturer
For is pretty hot on Technology
Sync is exclusive and makes your phone, your i-pod and pretty much your life voice activated. The new Fusion Hybrid has the most advanced dashboard display oin the US, safety technology is lightyears ahead. My Key will allow you to program the car to limit more reckless teen driving behavior
Ford's aren't gas hogs
The new Fusion will be the most fuel efficient midsize in America. The hybrid kills the Camry.
The Escape hybrid is the most fuel efficient SUV on the planet.
The V6 Mustang gets 26mpg highway (31mpg UK)
The Focus equals the best mileage out there too... the 2.0L gets 35pmg (42 UK) on the highway according to the EPA, compare that to the 1.5L Honda Fit which gets 33pmg
Enough. I'm sad I know.
But I keep hearing how the domestics are dinosaurs
"Barely in the 21st century"
Then I look at the F-150 truck that uses RFID tracking to remind you if you've left a tool behind at a job, allows you access to your office computer via a fully hooked up 'in truck office' screen, at Sync, at Hybrid and at the upcoming EcoBoost engines and I think - "why isn't anyone calling these people out?"
Normal service will be resumed tomorrow
But I work with people who work with Ford and therefore I'm closer to the facts than I have been before. So here are four things that America should know about Ford, but doesn't
Ford's don't fall apart
It's not just industry stats that show this. Or Initial Quality surveys. The 'bible' Consumer Reports magazine now says that Ford's reliability "is on par with good Japanese automakers such as Toyota and Honda"
It also says that on quality Ford is continuing "to pull away from the rest of Detroit."
Ford makes the safest cars in America
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave Ford more 'top safety picks' than any other manufacturer.
Ford also has more 5 star crash ratings than any other manufacturer
For is pretty hot on Technology
Sync is exclusive and makes your phone, your i-pod and pretty much your life voice activated. The new Fusion Hybrid has the most advanced dashboard display oin the US, safety technology is lightyears ahead. My Key will allow you to program the car to limit more reckless teen driving behavior
Ford's aren't gas hogs
The new Fusion will be the most fuel efficient midsize in America. The hybrid kills the Camry.
The Escape hybrid is the most fuel efficient SUV on the planet.
The V6 Mustang gets 26mpg highway (31mpg UK)
The Focus equals the best mileage out there too... the 2.0L gets 35pmg (42 UK) on the highway according to the EPA, compare that to the 1.5L Honda Fit which gets 33pmg
Enough. I'm sad I know.
But I keep hearing how the domestics are dinosaurs
"Barely in the 21st century"
Then I look at the F-150 truck that uses RFID tracking to remind you if you've left a tool behind at a job, allows you access to your office computer via a fully hooked up 'in truck office' screen, at Sync, at Hybrid and at the upcoming EcoBoost engines and I think - "why isn't anyone calling these people out?"
Normal service will be resumed tomorrow
Monday, December 15, 2008
A little about detroit
People keep telling me all about The Problem with Detroit. Mainly they want to tell me all about the problem with the auto industry. I've stopped listening to that one - mainly because the conversation is based on prejudice rather than evidence and I'm too old and too weary to spend time arguing opinion.
One quick example of this though. Car and Driver just reviewed the new Ford Fusion Hybrid. It's great they said.
In fact what they said was
"The first thing you need to know about the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid is that it’s the best mid-size hybrid sedan on the market. Yes, that’s right: it wipes the floor with the Toyota Camry hybrid."
In their tests it drove better, was more fun and got an overall 3mpg better than the Toyota.
The first comment in the thread that followed?
" i would still pay a little more for a more refined and better mileage Toyota Camry hybrid"
People are LITERALLY blind to news of US superiority, it's so surprising people just block it out. And that, rather than 'decades of mismanagement' is why the industry may be doomed. Well that and some really crappy Chryslers.
Anyway that's not the point of this one. The point of this post is 'the problem with Detroit' or rather the problems in Detroit.
Why the hell isn't congress talking about THIS?
The first thing you need to know about Detroit is that it's losing people - fast. This started with the move to the Suburbs in the 1950s. The highways went in, the streetcars came out and about 10% of the population left for the leafy surrounds. The 60s saw the city lose another 9% of its population. The city lost another 20% of its population in the 70s. The 80s saw another 15% fade away and the 90s yet another 7.5%.
At its height Detroit was home to 1.27% of the US population. By 2000 it was home to 0.34% of the population.
Why are people fleeing?
Well Marvin Gaye thought that he knew way back in the 70s
Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God knows where we’re heading
Where we were heading was to a place where compared to the national average you're
7 times more likely to be murdered in Detroit
4 times as likely to be robbed
5 times more likely to have your vehicle stolen
4 times as likely to be assaulted
As of 2005 Detroit became the poorest city in America too.
47.8% of children live below the poverty line (then $19,000 annually for a family of 4) This year average HOUSEHOLD income dropped almost 21% to $29,109 - that includes ALL people working. Not one suburb or area posted an income gain
In terms of health Detroit is the 5th most obese city in the US with many areas now designated 'health deserts' - places where fresh food isn't freadily available.
Forbes voted Detroit "Most miserable city" based on unemployment (around 8,5% before the economy hit the toilet), violent crime and Superfund sites.
Commute times are good but we have some of the worst roads around - and as you can see from the image above our train station isn't exacly spick and span.
So why post this? I don't know. I'm just sick of being told that the problem with Detroit is that auto execs have private jets. No the problem with Detroit is that it's a city that's been abandoned to poverty, crime and ill health. A city that's literally being allowed to crumble. A city with huge issues - and huge potential that's being left to fester.
Sure America loves to hate Detroit, to hate its cars and to scoff at its miserable weather. But the decline of Detroit should stand as a warning to the rest of the country. What happened here can happen anywhere. And you don't even know about it. You look the other way - and try to stop the change in your pockets from jingling as though we're beggars standing between you an a $4 coffee.
The problem with Detroit isn't the businesses that it has left. It's the fact that Detroit has been abandoned. And that's a crying shame.
One quick example of this though. Car and Driver just reviewed the new Ford Fusion Hybrid. It's great they said.
In fact what they said was
"The first thing you need to know about the 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid is that it’s the best mid-size hybrid sedan on the market. Yes, that’s right: it wipes the floor with the Toyota Camry hybrid."
In their tests it drove better, was more fun and got an overall 3mpg better than the Toyota.
The first comment in the thread that followed?
" i would still pay a little more for a more refined and better mileage Toyota Camry hybrid"
People are LITERALLY blind to news of US superiority, it's so surprising people just block it out. And that, rather than 'decades of mismanagement' is why the industry may be doomed. Well that and some really crappy Chryslers.
Anyway that's not the point of this one. The point of this post is 'the problem with Detroit' or rather the problems in Detroit.
Why the hell isn't congress talking about THIS?
The first thing you need to know about Detroit is that it's losing people - fast. This started with the move to the Suburbs in the 1950s. The highways went in, the streetcars came out and about 10% of the population left for the leafy surrounds. The 60s saw the city lose another 9% of its population. The city lost another 20% of its population in the 70s. The 80s saw another 15% fade away and the 90s yet another 7.5%.
At its height Detroit was home to 1.27% of the US population. By 2000 it was home to 0.34% of the population.
Why are people fleeing?
Well Marvin Gaye thought that he knew way back in the 70s
Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God knows where we’re heading
Where we were heading was to a place where compared to the national average you're
7 times more likely to be murdered in Detroit
4 times as likely to be robbed
5 times more likely to have your vehicle stolen
4 times as likely to be assaulted
As of 2005 Detroit became the poorest city in America too.
47.8% of children live below the poverty line (then $19,000 annually for a family of 4) This year average HOUSEHOLD income dropped almost 21% to $29,109 - that includes ALL people working. Not one suburb or area posted an income gain
In terms of health Detroit is the 5th most obese city in the US with many areas now designated 'health deserts' - places where fresh food isn't freadily available.
Forbes voted Detroit "Most miserable city" based on unemployment (around 8,5% before the economy hit the toilet), violent crime and Superfund sites.
Commute times are good but we have some of the worst roads around - and as you can see from the image above our train station isn't exacly spick and span.
So why post this? I don't know. I'm just sick of being told that the problem with Detroit is that auto execs have private jets. No the problem with Detroit is that it's a city that's been abandoned to poverty, crime and ill health. A city that's literally being allowed to crumble. A city with huge issues - and huge potential that's being left to fester.
Sure America loves to hate Detroit, to hate its cars and to scoff at its miserable weather. But the decline of Detroit should stand as a warning to the rest of the country. What happened here can happen anywhere. And you don't even know about it. You look the other way - and try to stop the change in your pockets from jingling as though we're beggars standing between you an a $4 coffee.
The problem with Detroit isn't the businesses that it has left. It's the fact that Detroit has been abandoned. And that's a crying shame.
Last week in the office
It's the last week before christmas... kinda. Last year I came in and did some stuff on the couple of days before Xmas Eve and was entirely alone.
This year I'll be in Turks and Caicos and of course I'm sure that the office will get busier than the snizzy durinbg a convention.
Still I'm doing what I can to clear the decks and repave them with holly and with good cheer. Ho-ho and indeed ho.
Windier than you could imagine here - I have no idea what's going on but I do like watching people angled at 45 degrees into the wind - turns the world into a participatory version of the Smooth Criminal video.
Erm, that's it. Not a great post but then whaddya want from me, huh?
This year I'll be in Turks and Caicos and of course I'm sure that the office will get busier than the snizzy durinbg a convention.
Still I'm doing what I can to clear the decks and repave them with holly and with good cheer. Ho-ho and indeed ho.
Windier than you could imagine here - I have no idea what's going on but I do like watching people angled at 45 degrees into the wind - turns the world into a participatory version of the Smooth Criminal video.
Erm, that's it. Not a great post but then whaddya want from me, huh?
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Off to a camera event
With nothing to do here and the skies a deadly gray Jude and I are heading out to Redford near Livonia where we're told there is a camera sale and model shoot going on.
Now with Redford is hardly UP (Upper Pensinsula non Michicaneerites) it's also not Ann Arbor. So the $5 entry might actually give you the right to SHOOT the model. Which would of course make for some spectacular photos - especially were people to use high velocity rifles.
Worth the chance I think...
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