Nobody 763

Sunday, April 5, 2009
Nobody # 763

Nobody Asked Me But:

The pictures at the left show that the United States and France differ in their approach to a hands on foreign policy.

Viva la France!

OVERHEARD IN THE CEO LOUNGE

All these layoffs are truly regrettable…………….but necessary if we are retain our salaries and bonuses.<<<

I need help. As you know I have chosen my "Sports Rushmores" for several cities and am trying to come up with a national one to be carved on a mountain somewhere in DC. These four sportspersons need to be identified as national, more than local, heroes. Two are easy - Muhammad Ali and Tiger Woods. But what about three and four? I probably will move the Babe from his NY City mountain to this national monument, because he belongs to baseball even more than he belongs to the Bronx, but that still leaves me needing one more. (Plus a replacement for Ruth in New York.) Please help.<<<

HEADLINES I WOULD LOVE TO SEE, BUT PROBABLY NEVER WILL

P-trade: Dodgers send Juan Pierre to the Padres for Jake Peavy.

McCain admits that Palin was a huge headache and a major mistake.

Michelle Obama named Ambassador to The United Nations.<<<

Are you both a reader and a movie fan? Then you will enjoy the article “Ten Best Screen Adaptations From American Fiction; 1930-1939." It is written by, one of us, Jim Hitt, who has had several books on films published. You will find it in the spring issue of "The Straightjackets," the on-line literary magazine that Jim co-publishes. Here is the link.

http://www.straitjacketsmagazine.com/support4/books.into.films.spring2009.htm

POINT BY POINT - THE PRESIDENT AND THE GENERAL – MOTORS, THAT IS:

Q. Do I want the President “running” GM?

A. Somebody has to. At least he is responsible to the people. The private GM executives are responsible to no one - not even stockholders - or else they would not have made the inferior products that got them into this mess.

Q. Is this designed to save UAW? I don't think so. Neither does the NY Times - (“Now the union will be asked to make even bigger concessions on a new wage and benefits contract and health benefits for retirees.”)

Certainly there must be union give-backs. There have been some already. But why should the workers fall on their swords to bail out mismanagement? Cut themselves? Yes! Suicide? No!

Q. Who are the villains in this auto-opera?

A. Not the government. They didn't create this mess. The CEOs did with a great deal of help from their counterparts in the UAW.

On second thought – actually the government does share responsibility. Had they been tougher on Detroit, had they passed and enforced a hard deadline on cleaner emissions for example, the industry would have been forced to clean up at least part of its act.

In summary: I am all for a leaner, cleaner, meaner GM, but I have zero confidence that it will happen without close government oversight.

We are seeing a long-overdue reversal of the famous Charles Wilson comment – “What’s good for General Motors is good for America.”

If the President does it right it will now be – What’s good for America is good for General Motors.

About time!<<<

PITCHING TO STAN MUSIAL

Here are two pitchers, both Dodgers, who knew the secret of pitching to Stan, “The Man.”

Preacher Roe: "I throw him four wide ones and try to pick him off first base."


Carl Erskine: "I've had pretty good success with Stan by throwing him my best pitch and backing up third."

HITTING AGAINST SANDY KOUFAX

According to Willie Stargell it was "like trying to drink coffee with a fork."

MORE ABOUT “THE CAR DEALER IN CHIEF:”

That’s what David Brooks called Obama yesterday, not without some affection. He gives the President an I for idealism but a D for dreaming the impossible dream.<<<

Since this seems to be grading day, I give the Rush bomb an N for not knowing his history. Limbaugh, in his daily radio rant, said, "There's always been a line, ladies and gentlemen, over which no president would cross with respect to the distinction between the public and private sectors. Obama has now crossed that line where there is no limit to government's destruction of private activity or control over it."

Oh really?

What about during the Depression when FDR placed limitations on agricultural production in a bid to boost farm prices?

Or In 1971 when Richard Nixon sought to roll back inflation by imposing a freeze on wages and prices?

Or when during the Reagan administration bank regulators ousted 10 members of the board of Continental Illinois Bank of Chicago, the nation's eighth-largest bank and recipient of a federal bailout?<<<

THE MOVIE STAR I WILL SEE IN ANYTHINNG

Joe Morgenstern – Wall street Journal - Fred Astaire
David Ansen - Newsweek - Marlon Brando
Manohla Dargis – New York Times - M Monroe, Nichole Kidman
Todd McCarthy – Daily Variety – Francoise Dorleac (Catherine Deneuve’s sister)
Ella Taylor – LA Weekly - David Strathairn
Kenneth Turan –LA Times - Clint Eastwood
Jim Turner – Current – Clint Eastwood, Past – Henry Fonda<<<

TRUTH v THE TORY PRESS

TRUTH: It is reported that the Queen was so taken by Mrs. Obama she even said: "Now we've met, will you please keep in touch?"

TORY PRESS: It is reported that the Queen was so taken by Mrs. Obama she even said: "Now we've met, will you please never touch?"<<<

In the Spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of …….. baseball.

Tomorrow – the season opens. Today – I will tell you how it is going to turn out.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

EAST – Boston. I like their balance. But the Yankees make it close this time.
CENTRAL – Minnesota. Tough call, but again, I like their balance. The Tigers could surprise if their young pitchers make a comeback.
WEST – Angels. But only if their pitchers shake off early season injuries.
WILD CARD – Yankees.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

EAST – Phillies. Hitters playing in a hitter’s paradise.
CENTRAL – Cubs. Excellent rotation, just enough hitting.
WEST – Dodgers. Excellent hitting, just enough pitching.
WILD CARD – Mets. Could challenge Philadelphia for Eastern title.

FYI: Arizona had a major league-low average in ticket prices for the third consecutive year, at $14.31, with Pittsburgh at $15.39, Atlanta at $17.05 and AL champion Tampa Bay at $18.35.

And, finally, guess where this old Yankee hater is going to spend his birthday? (Actually, the day after.) New Yankee Stadium. And I am thrilled!<<<