Posts tagged Detroit
December 13, 2008
· Filed under business, development, economics, green living, politics, public transporation, renewable energy · Tagged Better Place, business, denmark, depression, Detroit, development, DONG energy, Electric cars, energy secretary, ladysmith black mombazo, nobel laureate, shai agassi, steven chu, wind farms
I know Detroiters are depressed right now. The Titanic is sinking and there aren’t any lifeboats, or life preservers, or lifesavers (go Ladysmith Black Mombazo)… The region is running scared. Just remember, cockroaches still run around post nuclear fallout. Maybe bloggers are like cockroaches…
Developments abound! Seriously folks. After a forest fire, all the new life that springs up from the earthy floor (watch Planet Earth Forests) … or after a long winter, spring happens. I know all that gooey positivity doesn’t pay January rent, but let’s set up the mindset. Attitude is altitude.
Steven Chu, Nobel laureate in Physics, pro environmental veteran, new Energy Secretary and coordinator of climate policies. We’ve got a green thumb in the white house. This is sweet because new ideas will be heard, good ideas will be picked up, the more ideas the better, and then we’ll get to pick (let America decide, call in and vote). New ideas = more ideas = better.
DONG Energy and Wind is opening a huge addition to their windfarm. Ten more turbines have been added to an existing farm of twenty allowing Denmark to power 35,000 homes with wind power. DONG Energy and Wind are putting up an offshore windfarm in 2009. Get in on that goodness.
And finally, smart people unite. The Detroit auto model is so 20th century. (Which is why it’s failing in this, the 21st century.) There’s hope. I’ve already written about Better Place but I’m going to again because the idea is so big and amazing that I’ve become an electric car grid evangelist already. Shai Agassi worked as a software exec in Silicon Valley and along with his crew of smart people has come up with a fantastic idea to change the world. One hold up to the electric vehicle concept was the battery- how to recharge, how long would it take, where would this happen etc. Agassi changed the entire question. Understanding that everyone would need to recharge, he figured that recharging stations should be quick and easy- so he decided that at every station, the battery could just get swapped with a new full battery. Brilliant. In and out fully charged. His company, Better Place, has contracts in Hawaii, will test in Israel and Australia and is getting bigger and bigger by the minute. Agassi sees a future for us all in new ideas using this technology stuff that we all love. Shaken, not stirred. And the result will be a profitable cocktail for us all. Sustainable mobility guys, sustainable mobility.
December 11, 2008
· Filed under business, development, economics, green living, politics, public transporation, renewable energy · Tagged Better Place, big 3, car companies, denmark, Detroit, detroit business, Electric cars, future, new car models, new york times, Palo Alto, tel aviv, vision
Thomas Friedman strikes again. He wrote a fantastic op-ed in NYT, as he tends to do, about a possible future for the auto industry. Forward thinkers unite. (Even Huffington is picking it up, that’s how awesome he is.)
“…someone in the mobility business in Denmark and Tel Aviv is already developing a real-world alternative to Detroit’s business model.”
Someone was bound to do it.
Check out Better Place, from Palo Alto, California, they’re building an electric car network and it’s gonna happen in Hawaii first. (I already wrote about how amazing Hawaii is looking about now with Gov Lingle’s green energy collective negotiating strategy for change…)
All I have to say to all the depressed, scared, oh woah is me Midwesterners- stop freaking out and get involved. Change gonna come. We all hope for sooner rather than later. If you don’t have the Vision to see, talk to someone who does. We’ll bat away all of your excuses and nay saying. (I practiced over Thanksgiving, I’m really good at it.) There are better ways of doing everything and while you might be too old to switch gears, we have a whole energized movement of younger, capable individuals who are ready and willing to collectively step to the plate and figure all this crap out. The best thing you can do, Bush et all, is get out of our way and let us get to work. It’ll happen sooner and more quickly thank you think.
Don’t bail out the dinosaurs. Give 34 great ideas a billion dollars each. Let America decide.
December 9, 2008
· Filed under business, development, politics, public transporation · Tagged big 3, car, commute, congressional hearing, Crysler, Detroit, Ford, GM, mpg, Wagoner
Do you know how close I was to railing against the Big 3 AGAIN for their STUPID stunt? Why on earth would you DRIVE to DC in the best hybrid models you’ve got in your arsenal if they only get 60% of the MPG that the Toyota Prius gets on average? For the record, Robert Nardelli drove the Aspen Hybrid SUV, 22 mpg highway/20 city, Ricky Wagoner drove the Malibu Hybrid which clocked in a barely respectable 24 mpg highway/ 26 city, and Alan Mulally drove the Escape Hybrid with 31 mpg highway/34 city. What’s WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE??? The Prius gets FORTY FIVE (45) mpg AVERAGE. Being this frustrated is exhausting- especially in the wake of Detroit people who cry about legacy and family and all the soft reasons to keep the big three going… Someone else needs to remind them that this is business, not personal. I’ve tried, no one listens to me. I may not be a physicist, mathematician or stats person but those number are pretty easy to interpret. Detroit cars= bad. Pathetic showing for America…
However, GM has put out an ad apologising to everyone for sucking so much. Yes, that’s right, a corporate mea culpa for being greedy and not looking out for the needs of the consumer and allowing their giant massive corporate structures to be removed from a functional course which, as we all are aware, could spell disaster for an entire region of the United States.
Thier ad made me feel a little better. They admit that I’m both right and not out of line for mentioning that fact.
So now what?
December 5, 2008
· Filed under business, development, economics, green living, politics, public transporation, renewable energy · Tagged Auto companies, bailout, Big Three, business, cars, Crysler, Detroit, Ford, GM, green, Heidi Klum, Jennifer Hudson, LinkedIn, new york times, reality tv, target market, the future, the internet, the SOLUTION, transportation, Trump, unions, vote, Wagoner
So I’m reading the New York Times review of today’s congressional hearing, you must read it. and I’m coming up with THE SOLUTION. Congress is debating all of the reasons to NOT bailout the Big Three that we’ve all been thinking about. The companies aren’t competitive. They haven’t been for a long time. The unions… (I can’t even go there, unions are such a good idea in theory…) Their product line is inconsistent with the needs of today (my consumer generation) and the people running the show think that it’s impossible to figure it out in time. (As was suggested by the “tight calendar” line.)
Hey, I think to myself, that’s my money honey! I have a BETTER idea. (Actually, I believe many intelligent people have better ideas. You can probably find a few of them here in the bloggoshere. FYI, I love how Adrianna Huffington pronounces ‘bloggoshere!”)
What ELSE could we do with 34 billion dollars BESIDES give it to a crappy company. (This is business, it’s not personal. Ten cents for everytime you’ve heard that line…)
How about fund 34 of the best ideas for new green transportation (independent and community centric) with a billion dollars each. Idea makers, lawyers, promotions people, sales people, producers, developers, engineers, advertisers, web people, (I could go on) start your engines! What do you think will happen??
Alright- before the reveal- I don’t have a good name for this yet, you know, something catchy, quirky, with alteration… feel free to write in with ideas…
AMERICAN TRANSPORT THE TV SHOW!!!!! Yes!! I said it!! Make a reality tv show about our collective future. It would be SO AWESOME! As every intelligent reader knows, if there are 34 good ideas put on the MARKET, only the best idea will survive to change the world. Or maybe a few of them will. Who knows, this is live tv, I mean, economics. The penultimate businesses will be voted of the island, the market won’t support them/America knows best. The market naturally chooses the ideas that make the most cents/sense. Great ideas surface like dot coms and blogs and only the best survive/ inspire audience participation. (Well, except the Jennifer Hudson fiasco.) A billion dollars is enough to get the process rolling and we can document it all, show it to America and we can call in and vote. No, I’m actually serious. We vote on the best singers, the best dancers, Trump fires the crappiest employee, Heidi K tells the worst designer that he or she is out, even crappy chefs get chopped up, ON TV! Let’s talk future transportation. Let’s document it. Let America Vote/Buy. I mean, we are the target market, right?
I’d watch. I’d call in, or text, or whatever. If texting fees apply, maybe that can become a slush fund to the winner or something. I actually think this could be the best idea I’ve ever come up with. This would be the coolest show, so many people would get jobs. These are my people. We all need jobs!! Real jobs. Crackberry style jobs. Green adverting dollars…. Green fashion… Oh ya, did I mention that it’ll be good for the planet?
This is team building baby. The bigger the ideas, the bigger the discussion, the better the outcome after everything is thought out. I’m glad that congress isn’t just a Yes Man for the Big Three. Way to debate you guys. Points to Wagoner for a great statement, it’s just lacking proof… My way is better. It’s a huge idea. Mind blowing actually. But- we can do it. Seriously.
Alright, the idea’s out now. If anyone wants to collaborate, I’m right here. Just think, you could save me from law school.
December 4, 2008
· Filed under business, development, economics, education, family, politics · Tagged bailout, bankruptcy, big 3, brazil, Detroit, Gettelfinger, Gore, Hummer, Mitch Album, mumbai, West Wing
This is what happens when you get sucked into West Wing drama, the TV show, sixth season, just as Santos gains momentum and wins California. TV prewrites history, but the New York Times already did a piece on that.
So I’ve been facebooking all the best articles regarding the Big Three, keeping track of public opinion, intelligent opinion (obvious not the same thing) and any kind of compromises or possible SOLUTIONS that are floating through cyberspace. One guess at which of the three is LACKING BIGTIME.
Here are a brief rundown on people’s thinking:
My source inside the GM finance department is preparing for the congressional hearing that has to take place before GM gets any money. My sister and Mitch Album cry of double standards and hypocrisy. I totally disagree. When a company is able to downsize by 30% and keep up functioning, that company is undeserving of extra cash. Most companies don’t have 30% worth of wiggle room. Second, any company that makes BAD products should be washed out by the market. As I mentioned before, there is absolutely NO REASON why anyone should be advertising H3s (Hummers) in Detroit. I realize gas has returned to cheap prices (holy shit by the way) but way to miss the giant flaming letters written on the wall. Don’t you remember like 3 months ago when gas cost $4.55 a gallon? I do! I’m poor! That was DIFFICULT to say the least. There’s no fucking way I’m buying a Hummer. I refuse to buy a new car that has fewer MPG than the Prius. I’m definitely not the only one. The first company to make a cheap new renewable car wins. If it’s not an American car, fuck you. I’m a savvy consumer. I’m not going to Think Ford First if Ford doesn’t deserve it. And don’t tell me the market changed too rapidly to keep up. That’s the easiest excuse in the book to shoot down. Also, we all know gas prices are going to shoot up again- the world is running out. Maybe not today or tomorrow but soon. And for the rest of our lives. So let’s deal. Now.
Sir Gore said it best when asked about the bailout: GORE: “Whatever assistance might be forthcoming should be focused on speeding the changes that are absolutely essential to ensure that our companies are competitive in the global marketplace. “ Isn’t that what I just said?
A retired GM engineer attempted to impress me with the cross configuration and high technology of a plant. I’m not sure if he was trying to detail how difficult it would be to restructure or not. But I found an article that proved him wrong, if in fact that was his aim. GM restructured plants to comply with Brazilian demands for clean engines. Here, read about it, it’s obviously possible.
And finally, the fiscal Conservatives want the Big Three to declare bankruptcy so that they can destroy all of their contractual obligations and start again. Detroit fears the utter collapse of their entire region and a depression as most if not all of the region is in one way or another connected to the auto industry. But maybe that is the best option. We’ll just have to see who writes intelligently about the bankruptcy possibility and I’ll put it up. So far it’s been mentioned to me by an ultra Conservative blogger, but before I go into details I want something with clout.
In conclusion, Detroit, stop whining and change. If you need someone to offer some positive assistance to help usher in a new era, which HAS TO HAPPEN ANYWAY, I have no problem deflecting all of your negativity and helping you begin to think in a positive and progressive way. This could be the best thing that could happen to the auto industry. Tap into all of your talent and turn the oil tanker around. I know it’ll take 30 or so miles to just slow down but if you have the will, you can make a speedboat turn to the better, greener future, save your own ass, create a product that Americans’ll buy and help out the planet.
Do you know how fast the entire world heard about the Mumbai terrorist attacks? I heard it on Twitter and watched it on a live feed at the same time from my bed. That’s pretty instantanious. Obviously, we can make the information needed to do the deed fly around the world pretty fast. We can do anything we put our minds to. I heard the gunshot on November 4th. Go.
PS- Gettelfinger is too old to properly negotiate. Get some new blood in the room. Seriously. He should retire and let the changes get figured out by my generation. We have the energy to do something radical. He’s just plain old and stuck in his ways. One hundred dollar bet he has no idea what facebook is.
August 30, 2008
· Filed under business, development, economics, politics, renewable energy · Tagged change, Detroit, fear, McCain, Obama, renewable energy
Midwestern conservatives who marry young and work proudly for nothing because jobs just aren’t available, are afraid of the possibilities of change. It’s understandable, they inherited their mental deficiencies from their parents and sometimes just aren’t strong enough to cast of that legacy of fearfulness. But change is gonna come, son The first question a fearful, impoverished, intelligent Midwestern individual might demand could be “What might change mean to me?” Could that mean there’s an alternative to living off my husband and job desperation? (Yes, but at the moment it requires moving out of Detroit.) What could that look like? It’s possible that business might once again open in Detroit. Hasn’t happened for a while but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the future.
Gore said it best, in order to strengthen our economy and raise our level of security, America depends on a climate policy befitting of the 21st century and all of the incredible possibilities available and becoming available to us.
Even with the threat of removing the lacking incentives for green research, the renewable energy movement exists and is chugging forward. Perhaps one day the government will really get behind the work needed to re-green our planet which will stimulate our economy, create jobs and add more fresh air to our smoggy atmosphere. (Even in LA! Gasp!)
Want to learn more? Renewable Energy has the power to revolutionize the world as we know it and it’s moving forward every day. Check out my favorite website to learn tons of great things about the green sector. It’s uplifting and possible to change. People work for it every day. So to the stuborn, clueless Midwesternern “independents”, listen to your lady Hillary: No way, No how, No McCain. Vote for Obama!
August 28, 2008
· Filed under business, economics, education, politics, solar energy · Tagged Detroit, DNC, economy, Montreal, REC Solar, solar energy
And then there was one. After live-at-home holdout got shipped out to Germany to handle business there, the lone conservative real estate developer remained. Living in a “starter house” in Ferndale, he and his wife have established themselves quite comfortably in the Detroit area. Real estate development is his family’s business.
Practically every individual of my graduating class left the greater Detroit, Michigan area. Many went to State or Michigan for university, great state schools, smart move guys, moved back home after graduation and lived around town, but very quickly thereafter the majority moved out of state. The economy or lack thereof, induced a second flight. With no work in Detroit, off we went to Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, I guess Florida… Some have returned to take over family businesses. But for those born without the entrepreneurial spirit and labor of their families to fall back on, determined high school graduates departed to achieve their potential elsewhere. (Thank you to my Facebook network.)
I moved to Montreal for school at age 17. Oh Canada, how I love thee. Beautiful nature smack dab in the middle of everything. It’s green with grass and trees and city floral arrangements. We recycle; we use the metro and our beautifully functional legs. (We walk and we wear heels.) There are dogs and bicyclists wearing miniskirts using the bicycle path in the middle of the street in the afternoon. Helmets mess up our hair; it’s a dare to auto drivers to watch out for us. Because we’re on bicycles, our brains are important and we get hurt easily. Tamtams happens every Sunday, the spontaneous gathering of likeminded Montrealers who just want to chill for the afternoon in the park, listen to some drumming, dance a bit, duel a bit, juggle, drink, guitar, tightrope walk… You know, the usual.
Then a second flight. All McGill students left Montreal after they graduated. To Toronto, Memphis, Vancouver, Boston, New York… English speaking young professionals couldn’t find work in our magical city due to a language barrior. Difficult times for Anglos. It’s a big deal when you can’t pass as a French speaker.
I thought I’d like LA. The sun always shines… through a layer of smog…Good friends, hard work almost rewarded; definitely a struggle under tons and tons of beautiful garbage. A non-existant public transportation system… Voluntary emissions reduction, just do it.
Although I should highlight this fact even more, everyone should know that MySpace and REC Solar have teamed up to present a solar recharging station at the Democratic National Convention. This is huge. Go recharge your Ipods, video cameras, cell phones, laptops or any other plug-in you’ve got- it’s renewable, it’s like plugging into a perpetual fusion reaction, it’s free. Also, pick up some information on REC Solar because they’re dominating in the race to heal the world. Making money and saving the planet- it’s totally possible.
