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Re: GM
The White House will have a press conference at 11:55 EDT to about 12:15, followed by a GM press conference. Both expected to be carried by most media outlets - this according to GM Retirees News this AM.
Duke;
Sleep well. You won't miss a thing. If Obama is true to form, it won't begin until another hour or so after that, depending on how many Soap Opera's he can pre-empt.
The name Jim Nelson rings a bell, but I can't put a face to it.
Stu Fox
I'll be in the air by 3:25 pm on my way to LGB and LAS so may have to leave for the Airport during the broadcast. Hate to miss it.- Top
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Re: GM
That may be the last quoted price on the "old" GM stock you ever see.
Many recent big corporation bankruptcy filings occurred on Sunday. I would make an even odds bet that GM will file this Sunday, so there will be no trading of the stock on Monday, and the shares will likely end up worthless.
Various meetings are scheduled through Saturday, but I doubt if they will result in any revelations.
Corporations are like people. They are born but tenuous, sometimes grow to powerful adults, but always end up in declining old age, and then die. History is full of them.
Look at the steel companies and most of the US railroads from the early days of GM. They were the big players in the Dow Jones Industrial and Transportation (actually back then it was the "Railroad Index") indices for most of the twentieth century, but most of them are now long gone.
Look at the computer industry after it went through its first consolidation stage circa 1990 - like the auto industry in the twenties and thirties. Anyone remember DEC? Compaq? I actually worked for DEC back when they were number two in the industry going after IBM? Who would have ever guessed!
I can now say that three of the four companies I worked for during my proferssional career (not counting the USAF) are out of business, and this includes GM. The only one left of my "old four" is IBM. The other one that went out of business was a small CAD/CAM company that none of you likely ever heard of. Fortunately IBM is the only one where I earned a pension, and it is currently paying.
Sometimes I think we'd all be better off if we were stone age hunter-gatherers. Think of native Americans before the arrival of Europeans. They actually had a pretty good life - as long as they were healthy and Buffalo roamed the plains, they had ultimate freedom!
DukeLast edited by Jim W.; June 1, 2009, 01:29 PM.Each day is a gift, respect it, and enjoy it as if it were the last!- Top
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Re: GM
After buying GM only for the last 35 years , I'm damned to be able to see another five years of patronizing General Motors products. I was looking forward to the Chevy 'Volt' But I have to wonder where this 'Electricity' which we're all going to plug our cars into at night, is going to come from. In the summer, when I turn on the AC, my electric bill hits new highs every year. Now I'm expected to plug in a automobile as well? And with the antiquated electric gird we have in this country I'm dumb founded by the accepted view? Maybe there's something I'm missing here ?Last edited by Jim W.; June 1, 2009, 09:17 AM.Each day is a gift, respect it, and enjoy it as if it were the last!- Top
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Re: GM
One reason I have lost touch there is so many of the engineers have been let go by the new owners. I can't imagine how they are able to operate without these key people. The people that they have moved up to replace them are those that I thought would never amount to much as they were the types that always reinvented the wheel instead of checking the archives. They tend to waste a lot of time solving problems that had already been dealt with years ago (we all know the type). They also look to gain recognition by cost cutting in critical areas such as piston rings (big recent problem).
Stu Fox- Top
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Re: GM
I have spent 40-years in the electric transmission and distribution business. Don't worry about the electric grid. In most places in the country the increased load of electric cars will not make a difference. Remember that it is unlikely that 100,000 electric cars will magically appear next week, next month or even next year. Some locations will need to reinforce the grid, but they should be doing that anyway.
Be more concerned about how you will recharge the electric car. Not everyone has a garage to pull the car into. How will it be recharged at the curb? In the apartment complex parking lot? Consider the homeowner's association take on THAT! More importantly, how will they work in the cold of the north? Until those kinds of questions can be answered there is no need for concern about the electric utility infrastructure in the near term.
However, in the mean time a wise, well run, utility will be preparing for the possibility of increased load from this. The so-called smart-grid technology will allow consumers more control of their electric use, and time-of-day pricing may drive much of the electric car load to the overnight time when, in most cases, the electric grid is less loaded.Terry- Top
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Re: GM
Gas is on its way up. Our Comander In Chief has said that we must keep gas at 4 to 5 $ a gallon with tax increases this way the money is not going to the evil oil company's and encourage us into fuel efficient viehicles ( like the 22 person bicycles that you see in Vietnam even a spot for your goat). The electricity that will power all of our new cars just comes out of the wall like magic.Last edited by Jim W.; June 1, 2009, 09:33 AM.Each day is a gift, respect it, and enjoy it as if it were the last!- Top
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Re: GM
This will cover most typical trips, including at least one way to work for most Americans.
If battery reserve drops below a certain level the IC engine/generator is started and provides the wattage for the traction motors and recharging the batteries.
I think it's a good architecture. There is lots of capacity on the current electrical grid for overnight charging since night time power consumption drops dramatically, even in the heat of summer.
Duke- Top
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Re: GM
I have spent 40-years in the electric transmission and distribution business. Don't worry about the electric grid. In most places in the country the increased load of electric cars will not make a difference. Remember that it is unlikely that 100,000 electric cars will magically appear next week, next month or even next year. Some locations will need to reinforce the grid, but they should be doing that anyway.
Be more concerned about how you will recharge the electric car. Not everyone has a garage to pull the car into. How will it be recharged at the curb? In the apartment complex parking lot? Consider the homeowner's association take on THAT! More importantly, how will they work in the cold of the north? Until those kinds of questions can be answered there is no need for concern about the electric utility infrastructure in the near term.
However, in the mean time a wise, well run, utility will be preparing for the possibility of increased load from this. The so-called smart-grid technology will allow consumers more control of their electric use, and time-of-day pricing may drive much of the electric car load to the overnight time when, in most cases, the electric grid is less loaded.- Top
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Re: GM
Yeah Wayne, I'd much rather stick the money in the pockets of some fata** CEO that already has more money than he knows what to do with or someone like China or Korea so we can help them become stronger. Or the Saudis if they decide to get into the market. WAIT, aren't we bitchen already about lining the pockets of those oil barons?? I don't believe it is the answer for our government to become the automaker CEO's but I also don't think we completely wipe out the US automakers and buy foreign cars. But if I or ANY of the rest of us knew the right answer we would be alot richer than we are.- Top
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Re: GM some good news
Corvette plant will stay open
By MIKE ALEXIEFF, The Daily News, malexieff@bgdailynews.com/783-3235
Monday, June 1, 2009 11:53 AM CDT- Top
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