DarkStar Spouts Off

Government Motors Goes Bankrupt, Part 2

I wrote that GM should go into bankruptcy to get the opportunity to relieve them of the obligations they currently have. Even though this appears to be happening on Monday -- I'm writing this Sunday evening -- I don't like that fact that it is happening in the way that it is happening.

Normally, a company goes into bankruptcy based on the decision of the executive leaders, sometimes a company goes into bankruptcy because an investor or group of investors, forces the company to go into bankruptcy. And although the government is now part owner of GM, I still think it is wrong for the government to force GM into bankruptcy and under the conditions that it is doing so.

First, anyone who believes in the U.S. version of capitalism, even if they have problems with it, should really have a problem with bond holders and common stock holders being placed at the end of the line to get paid. Additionally, since when should the government force a company to give a large equity stake in the company to the employees or VERY worse yet, to major unions of the company?

Even though bankruptcy is the major "get out of financial jail" reset card, having the company work out its deals with its creditors, with a government judge overseeing it is one thing. Having THE GOVERNMENT force the deals is quite another and this IS a major blow against capitalism as the U.S. practices it.

But, once again, it's the executive board of GM that approved GM asking the government for the money and then accepting the money. Again, I remember a saying by some communist who said that communists didn't have to defeat capitalism, all they had to do was provide enough rope for the capitalists to buy so that they hang themselves.

That's how I see it.

[ UPDATE ]

I forget to mention something very important. When the government put the union and the government, itself, in front of the bond holders, the government, essentially, destroyed the underpinnings of the stock market.

Government Motors Goes Bankrupt, Part 1

The initial question is, what was the original auto company bailout money for if GM goes bankrupt any way? If I were a cynical person, I'd say the initial bailout was intended to get the government hooks into GM so that the government could dictate to GM to build "Smart like" cars and stop building Suburbans.

Of course, then the question would be, how could a family of four do grocery shopping in a midget car?

GM should have never taken the money. The sitting CEO, CFO,  President, and the entire board needs to be sued by stock holders for being irresponsible in the area of fiduciary responsibility.

Moving And Settling

We moved into the new house and are getting that straight.

I settled on the sale of the old house with MUCH last HOUR, literally, drama, but that's done.

Still real busy but I will comment on Goverment Motors going into bankruptcy!

To My Black GOP Brothers and Sisters...

In your glee and rapid fire shots you are taking at Colin Powell, I'd like to ask you pure "conservative" idealists a very simple question: When a conservative Black man ran for the Republican presidential nomination, how come you didn't all get together and back him, one Mr. Alan Keyes?

Neighborhood Diversity

I brought a house that was foreclosed. The house is in a neighborhood that we looked at a few years ago and recently but couldn't afford to buy into, until now.

When I went online to look at the tax records for the neighborhood, I noticed a LOT of "Middle Eastern" type names. When I drove around, the people I saw confirmed it. Two neighbors across the street dress like they are from India. The house I brought appears to have been rented out to multiple people at one time. Each bedroom had front door entry type of locks. From the mail, they were "Muslims/Arabs looking" names.

I've seen Africans, whites, and Blacks. A Black family was first to introduce themselves. A white woman across the street kept walking by while I was doing stuff with contractors or home inspection, slowing down and looking hard at me, so I spoke to her and said hello. I need to introduce myself to her and the "Indians" across the street.

Another neighbor and her husband are from a Slavic country, but I don't remember the name of the country. She gave me the run down on the homes for sale status. My house was the last house on the market and the last foreclosure, so she's happy because the neighborhood home values should stabilize. (She won't be happy when she sees the tax records and how much I paid for it).

The neighborhood I'm leaving is integrated, with whites and Blacks being about equal, with Africans, Caribbeans, "Middle Easterns", and Asians rounding out the place. But it's a more planned community, so you can really do a good WALK or RUN unlike in my new neighborhood, although the school system in my new neighborhood is MUCH better than what I'm leaving.

I never cared about the racial makeup of a neighborhood, as long as it was "nice" and has a nice economic and social and mental class of people. So, I'm shocked when people have asked about the diversity of the new area I'm going to live in. In all, I really don't care. If it's "diverse", it's a "bonus."

Spouting Off On: Dick Cheney

Please consider this.

Vice President Dick Cheney continued to say that Iraq was involved in the 9-11 attacks on this country. This is AFTER President George W. Bush had stated Iraq was NOT INVOLVED in the 9-11 attacks. Now, Cheney is saying the harsh interrogation technique used against captured terrorists saved thousands of lives. Not only that, but he is challenging President Barack Obama to release the material to substantiate what Cheney has said. This is where I ask you to consider what is being said.

First, I have to assume Cheney lied about Iraq because the president was saying otherwise. Next, he knows that if the information obtained from the interrogation is highly classified, so asking Obama to release that information would place classified information into open domain, with the possibility of causing more damage to our national security. Next, if Obama did it, and other information affecting our security were release, he or most likely others, would say Obama damaged national security by releasing the information.

So, I'm forced to ask, is Cheney being honestly concerned about national security or is it politics?

Notre Dame, Seeing Both Sides

I see both sides Notre Dame inviting President Obama to speak and why it should or should not do so. So, I have a question: Would the Pope or an official from the Vatican refuse to give Obama an audience or offer something in the manner of a gift if the opportunity arose?

And here is a follow up: Why or why not would the action be appropriate?

Ray Dee Oh, Part 2

The Radio Bizness

Radio stations currently pay royalties for the records they play to publishing companies. So, why shouldn't they pay royalties to the artists?

Fundamentally, that's the question that I keep coming around to answering, they should pay royalties to the artists, because that is part of a copyright scenario, correct?

This is especially true when I think about the radio stations/personalities caught engaging in payola and the companies NOT caught engaging in payola. Tom Joyner, a business partner with Radio One, and Larry Young, a morning talk show host on WOLB, a Radio One station, have done a great job in explaining how this will affect radio stations. While I understand that the royalty rates may put radio stations out of business, and I understand how radio stations may not be willing to "break new artists" because they will pay royalties for songs that may be a bomb, aren't radio stations getting a real good deal right now?

When things were going well, they played "hot songs" and put on radio personalities that did a good job and were able to charge decent advertising rates. Now things are not going as well, and the radio stations are put behind a rock and a hard place.

Does the estate of Mary Wells deserve to get some royalty money? Yes.
Isn't it the record company's responsibility to pay that royalty? Yes.

Why aren't they doing it now?

BTW, a few years ago I found out why there are not many raps with Motown songs used in the mix. The reason is, Barry Gordy charges one of the highest, if not the highest, licensing fees in the industry to use songs in the Motown catalog. Ain't Barry Gordy ripping people off, STILL?

Ray Dee Oh, Part 1

The Music Bizinis

"Everyone" knows that the record company is set up in a way that they make most of the money from record/CD sales and even if a record sells one million copies, the recording artist may get 10s of thousands of dollars, vs. hundreds of thousands or millions from the direct record sales.

Remembering what "Left Eye" said on the MTV show that discussed the behind the scenes actions of TLC, when they signed the deal, they signed to about 4 points a unit, meaning 4 cents on every CD sold. Money "given" to them by the record company was front money for production and studio time. It was loan. The record company ALWAYS get's "their" money first. When the artists finally get some money, they still have to pay agents, band members, and other people who work for them. AND they have to pay taxes.

When the artist goes on the road to tour, EVERYTHING the record company pays for, they get back, plus interest. The tour bus and driver, the hotel rooms, the clothes, ALL of it. And because the money goes to the record company FIRST, the artist see little of anything.

So in the current "save Black radio" campaign, why is the cheating of artists by the record companies not being mentioned much?

More to come.

Quickie On Colin Powell

With all of the Republican reaction to Colin Powell's statements, I find it interesting to see what happens when a Black Republican appears to step off the Republican plantation.

Nasty Is...

Nasty is...

Going into a public rest room, hearing "plop plop plop" while that same person is on a cell telephone, TALKING.

Nasty and inconsiderate is...

Going into a public rest room, hearing "plop plop plop" while that same person is using a laptop. How do I know? I'm waiting and dude flushes, comes out, and the Mac laptop is on and open.

I don't even know if dude wiped himself!

Surveillance Question

I have a question concerning surveillance.

If police can "tail" a person without a warrant, isn't tailing a person with the use of a GPS without a warrant the same thing?

Wanda Sykes

Her performance at the White House Correspondent's Dinner was probably more appropriate for her club act than for the dinner. But even with that, the "cries" over her comments about Rush Limbaugh are way out of order.

If the same people didn't complain when Rush Limbaugh "joked" that heroine users should OD and die, then they have no standing to complain now.

Thankful For My Wife

I'm thankful for my wife.

She is really a good woman and she has my back. During the house sale prep, new to us home prep, and stay at home duties, she has come through like a champ. All men should be as lucky.

Miss California

I agree with Miss California, Carrie Prejean; marriage should be between a man and a woman. Anything else should be called something else.

I find it interesting that Miss California was called "the C word" by a gay man who is famous for ... what is he famous for? I find it interesting that Miss California's breast enhancement has been made public but even MORE interesting is the fact that the California pageant organization PAID for it. I find it interesting that the pageant organization knew about her "risque" pictures earlier but NOW it is an issue.

Because of the pure nastiness directed towards her is uncalled for and it's too bad that the organization has legitimate grounds to relieve her of her duties, because if they did it, now it would look like she was relieved of her duties because of what she said vs. what obligations she is not doing.

I'm not saying that those who disagree with her should not criticize her. I'm saying that the criticism for her comments should be better than the garbage they are saying now.

Caught By The Magic

Caught up in the hype

Jack Kemp

How many Repubs who praise Jack Kemp criticized him for outreach to Blacks? RIP

On Holiday

Getting jacked by Mickey Mouse & friends