Published by Mr. Contrarian
There are past successes at GM. The relative success of GM’s Europe and Asian subsidiaries shows that. One such article from three years ago shows that GM, given the correct direction, can indeed make small efficient vehicles that people want to buy.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/08/business/van.php
Unfortunately, it chose to continue researching, developing, producing, and selling behemoth guzzlers that no […]
. Nov 23, 2008
Filed under: Automotive, Changing business models, bankruptcy, Big Three, Chrysler, domestic three, Ford, General Motors, GM
Published by Mr. Contrarian
It looks like i’m not the only guy to have figured out that the world works in cycles. Just look at the fashion industry—bell-bottoms have come and gone……….and come again. I’ve seen acid-wash jeans twice now. What’s next?–shoulder pads for womens’ jackets again?
Patrick Bedard is one of the old-hands at Car&Driver. This is one smart […]
. Nov 23, 2008
Filed under: Automotive, Pop Culture, long-term cycles, collector cars, depreciation, fads, in-fashion, inflation, market trends, muscle cars, out-of-fashion, Patrick Bedard, Pop Culture
Published by Mr. Contrarian
The one thing we don’t have in the developed world, is corruption. Having spoken with people who have sold everything and moved to Canada, the one thing they comment on (for example, back in the Phillipines) is the rampant corruption that exists.
This is a mentality that is much like democracy, or the lack of it. […]
. Nov 23, 2008
Filed under: Politics, long-term cycles, chaos, corruption, democracy, Iraq
Published by Mr. Contrarian
Approximately five years ago, i read an article of how one researcher was applying wave theory to traffic jams. The simple premise being that traffic jams could be define with a formula describing a wave. This is a micro-example of my premise being that long-term economic forces shape human behaviours and thoughts over a period […]
. Nov 23, 2008
Filed under: Automotive, long-term cycles, economic cycle, economic wave, Traffic, traffic jams, wave-theory
Published by Mr. Contrarian
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-jfkfade_22met.ART.State.Edition2.4a60df2.html
Yesterday was the 45th anniversary of the assassination of JFK in Dallas. Networks aired the 1991 feature film “JFK” by Oliver Stone. I remember when it was released that it was draped in controversy, and accused of being a less-than-accurate rendition of what really happened. To this day, I don’t think anyone really knows what […]
. Nov 23, 2008
Filed under: Politics, Pop Culture, long-term cycles, Al-Quieda, assassination, Bill Clinton, black ops, CIA, Dallas, George W. Bush, inflation, inflection point, JFK, John F. Kennedy, John Lennon, Kennedy, Lennon, Martin King, Martin Luther King, Obama, Oliver Stone, Osama Bin Laden, Robert Kennedy, Ronald Reagan
Published by Mr. Contrarian
The new urbanism is spoken about frequently, in the same breath as Vancouver. It is more than real-estate and shiny new condos, it also includes all the little things that have been part of Vancouver for a much longer period of time.
This just-published article delves into some of the challenges experienced by other cities as […]
. Nov 23, 2008
Filed under: Real Estate, Abu Dhabi, Ecodensity, Larry Beasley, Michael White, Real Estate, Vancouver, Vancouver magazine
Published by Mr. Contrarian
Students of history will recall that after Japan attacked Pearl Harbour, the US industrial machine mobilized from its depression-induced coma, and pulled out all stops in the production of all sorts of military machinery and equipment. During the Remembrance Day holiday two weeks ago, I watched a TV special that stated the auto-production apparatus of […]
. Nov 21, 2008
Filed under: Automotive, Politics, long-term cycles, china, GM, industrial capacity, military, US Military
Published by Mr. Contrarian
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/gm-is-a-joke/
Fantastic. Even small companies are taking potshots at GM’s profitability. Avon’s market capitalization is greater than GM’s now. Even Amway, if it were a public company, given corporate profits of $1B and a 8x P:E ratio, would also be worth more than GM.
GM is on the ropes, and it’s rapidly falling market value as a […]
. Nov 21, 2008
Filed under: Automotive, Changing business models, bailout, bankruptcy, Chrysler, Ford, GM, restructure, the Big Three
Published by Mr. Contrarian
GM has now become a near-penny stock. GM’s business model is broken, and it could be argued that the unions were overly successful in sucking all the blood out of its employer, GM. The secret to every good parasite is that you’re not supposed to kill your very kind host!!! Not much point being Tommy […]
. Nov 21, 2008
Filed under: Automotive, Changing business models, bailout, bankruptcy, Big Three and China, bloodsuckers, bridge loan, Chery, Chevy, china, China buying Big Three, China buying Ford, China buying GM, China buying Jeep, Chrysler, Ford, GM, inflation, Jeep, loan, monetary inflation, parasites, SAIC, Saudi Arabia, UAW, union, unions
Published by Mr. Contrarian
Like him, love him, or hate him, you have to commend Kevin O’Leary for being brave enough to have an opinion, ANY opinion. I tend to agree with his views on most items. I even like his sense of humour.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070419.wh-mycarporsche-0419/BNStory/specialGlobeAuto
As a car guy, I also admire him for being the few left in North America […]
. Nov 21, 2008
Filed under: Automotive, Kevin O'Leary, automatic transmission, clutch, efficiency, gasoline, Kevin O'Leary, manual transmission, Porsche, Prius, Tiptronic, torque