jafidler is right in that there is much creative & intellectual talent still in detroit on account of the big three...but keep in mind that the demise of those companies is not necessarily the same as the demise of that talent base.
the silver lining to the collapse of gm & ford (chrsyler is already dead for all intents & purposes) is that it would allow a new car company (or possibly mulitple companies, even better) to emerge from the leftover pieces free of the legacy costs that have haunted these companies for the past 30 years. in all likelihood, those new companies would be located right back in detroit. and they could quickly get on with the business of making automobiles that respond to consumer demand as well as energy & environmental trends. it would be a much leaner & more competitive detroit.
the people that are going to hurt most from the automobile collapse are those who have either already retired or are about to retire. it will be very unpleasant for them to see their retirement finances & livelihood suddenly wiped-out. probably the shock of that alone will be enough to cause a few catastrophic heart attacks amongst the old-timers.
i agree with puddles(who is still alive.) also when you really look at it the market share of the big three ain't that bad. they sell or sold a lot of vehicles. it s jus that they used to have all the market.
it's odd that lindorff (author of article vado just linked to) would lump the banking & auto industries so conveniently into the category of "too big to fail" when they are drastically different. for one thing, the auto industry has clearly been on the outside looking in as far as wash DC is concerned. bush has totally shut them out for years and only recently has the mood shifted with obama moving into the white house.
secondly, several of the big banks the he refers too (such a morgan chase, bank of america, etc) are actually in decent shape at the moment and are in good position to continue sucking up weak & failing smaller competitors. it's just part of the plan, i.e., the continuing centralization of power within the washington/wall street axis.
personally, i'm of the opinion that if it's "too big to fail" then it needs to fail. is the united states itself "too big to fail?"
I agree on that one... If it's too big to fail, then it's too big to exist.
Speaking of cars, I really miss my '97 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I realize that, given my strong advocacy of public transit and my concerns about global warming, this makes me a fucking hypocrite and a horrible person, but lately I'm wishing I hadn't sold my Jeep last year. It was a great car (very reliable and very comfortable, despite its horrible gas mileage), and I miss being able to take a long drive outside the city just for a hell of it. Yeah, there's Zipcar and rental cars, but those options have their own hassles. I'd probably look into getting another Jeep if I had somewhere to park it, but that's probably not an option for as long as I'm living in NYC.
In other news, I had my annual review this past week, and I think it went reasonably well... No word on what sort of raise and/or bonus I'll be getting, but at this point I'll be happy just to keep my job.
And in randomly coincidental news (given our recent discussions), NPR has a story up today to help illustrated the interconnectedness of the new global economy: A Strange Shortage
At first it would seem that the teeth should be able to tear off as much of these reptilian remnants on our fingertips as they want with no problem, since teeth are covered with an enamel coating that’s the hardest material in the body and can be propelled by the jaw muscles to generate close to two hundred pounds of pressure per square inch. Chomp! It’s enough to crack a good-sized chicken wing, so surely should do for the pitiful protein strands that make up the nails.
That, however, ignores the way nails writhe and twist when the cuspid crunch comes; the underlying battle is not really as mismatched as it seems. The nail’s protein writhing diverts the toothly force down along the whole length of the nail, and leaves almost none to cut across sideways at the particular point of impact. Human nail has a resistance to fracture forty times greater than that of stone or brick because of this twist.
The simplest way out, of course, is for an attacking tooth to take one *quick* snap when the nail is not expecting it - before the recalcitrant writhing can begin. Why then do confirmed nail biters forgo this opportunity for success, this single moment when a dry and most brittle possible nail has the greatest chance of succumbing to their oral advances? Why do they instead dribble and slobber over the objects of their attacks, rolling the nails and even whole fingertips around in their mouth, chomping a little bit here, gnawing a little bit there, but never going at it in the most scientific way that would win them their apparently greatly sought-for prize?
The answer must be that the nail is not the real object. Rather the pitiful goo-producing loll of the fingertips around the lips, gums, and teeth must be what provides the motivation. And there’s support for this. One single roll of one nail inside the mouth sends electrical signals firing solidly in a wedge of brain tissue in the sensory cortex - the sense receptor portion of the brain - that stretches for 1-1/4 inches across, a target that’s lots bigger than the mere 1/8 inch of brain tissue in the same sense reception center that is responsible for all stimuli from the genitals.
It's from a book that influenced a lot of my thinking in grad school. sadly, I don't know the source. Sound familiar, anyone?
I have the strongest fastest growing fingernails around. I'm not a bitter and I do have to wack them off at least once a week. I have no idea why or how, but I do always make a special effort to trim them before I go to meetings where I know my hands will be in view of people. When I forget or get side tracked and a woman gets a glimpe of them there is usually a favorable comment, which I usually tell them it has been a whole week since I trimmed them. Mrs. B she wants to swap hands with me. Just a kinda crazy thing like the weather here today...62 degrees and the sun set awhile ago.
snook metrosexual by chance? I cut my nails like clock work, and also get the occassional compliment for their groom. Although I'm a little off put at the moment because I have an ingrown on my ring finger <- do you think it is a sign?
That text is a lie. My nails rip at the slightest provocation. I can barely wear sweaters as a single snag on some stray wool fiber is enough to rip away the top 1/16" of any of my ten. My body has had to memorize very specific movements designed to keep my nails away from any fabric while I put on and take off my clothes. It doesn't work anyway. I'm constantly ashamed of the ripped short stubs when I have to point things out with clients or boss.
sarah I'm sorry about your layoff. Take the advice of everyone here. You have a project with your church, maybe you can approach a firm with it and use to count towards your IDP. otherwise chin up... you'll make it through it all
Wellm
I just got back from a wicked hip hop show.
Kidz in the Hall, Little Brother and Murs....Awesome. Good or even bad hiphop so rarely comes through my town.
Also could you make it to a lecture period
Dammit!!! SH I am so sorry to hear about you getting layoff. I agree with Atechno, take your church project to another firm, I'm sure there is one out there willing to take it and help get your IDP reqs.
manta - I'm right there with you in the nail dept. Although I must admit since starting ceramics a while back I no longer like growing my nails too long. Drives me absolutely batty.
outside air so bad in los angeles that people are advised to stay indoors. i mean ashes are in the air. pretty bad. if you have asthma you are fucked. i don't, knock on wood. sorry to hear job losses.
one good thing is that online communities have grown so much and everybody informed real time. as someone who experienced this kind of situation at least three times, tighten your seat belts and hang in there this will pass too.
woke up to a cat in my face.
made some coffee in my french press
listened to a bit of npr
did some research on the bracket project.
watched a bit of the talking heads on the sunday talk shows
made more coffee
took shower
see below...
anyway indy basically sucks as a city. in most citys if you live downtown like i do. its no problem walking or at least taking a short drive to a used bookstore and maybe lunch at a bistro etc. well here you got to drive ten freaking miles to some strip mall surrounded by other strip malls surrounded by chain restaurants etc. it sucks although i did find a book of essays and an eight cd set of baroque music plus a copy of the four seasons. the latter cost only a buck.
watched second half of colts game while eating an egg sandwhich
making black bean chicken chili...
I got up, went to my church which is one mile away, had coffee at the coffeeship across the street afterwards (the owner had a good wood fire going in the fireplace and plenty of italian magazines to browse in the chairs in front of it), then had a lazy lunch at this fantastic new orleans-style restaurant over in andersonville where we walked up and down the street and popped into all the vintage places. I found a sofa and chair I want hands down but can't currently afford. Instead I bought a set of basswood snowflake ornaments cut/burned with a lasercutter (very beautiful, intricate patterns... although it irked me to pay $25 for something I could have made myself for $2 if I bothered to do it) and tried to buy a great vase (just the size I was looking for!) marked $1 at the re-sale shop for $0.85, all I had on me. They wouldn't go for it sadly.
Now I'm cleaning house and getting ready to go for a games-dessert-and-drinks party at a friends'. I'm trying to enjoy as much of my days as possible given the amount of layoff stress during the workweek.
vado I'm similarly jealous, whilst I don't have to drive ten miles (there's a strip mall less than a mile away) with the terrain many times you do have to drive. And there's a shortage of quality book stores around. Sad really, I think I'll stop off at one of my favourites tomorrow.
Oh has anyone gone to see the new James Bond (apparently someone did, biggest opening of a Bond film) Anyway there happens to be a big sequence at the ESO Hotel in the Atacama desert, Chile, by Auer + Weber. That's the building below in case you may not know...
Archi,
Yeah i posted a link in the news section a couple days ago.
I didn't previously know about the "Residencia" but the idea if awesome. It seems to almost be like an Eden Project in the sense of creating a controlled climate, for habitation. The long profile views of the building make it seem a lot more beautiful in my opinion than either aerials of the entire structure or the interior....
I haven't seen the movie yet but am definitely looking forward to it.
As for the lay-off, so far, yeah, it was just me. I handled it very well. I didn't cry until I got home, and I even shook their hands and said it'd been a pleasure. I asked them to call if work picked back up, and they said they would.
Beta, I like your map, but couldn't figure out how to pin my locale.
Husband wants to continue to send Abe across the street to the sitter. He says that Abe shouldn't have to suffer cause I lost my job, and he does love going over there; he has friends. Besides, it'll give me time to put together a portfollio. I know, but I never made one cause I've been working at the place I was since my 3rd summer in school. I might have to post my results on one of those portfollio threads to see if you'd hire me, based on what you see.
SH - Your lay off seems pretty odd to me. I was uder the impression your firm actually had a lot of work. Good luck on the portfolio, I'm sure it'll look great.
You'd think that the firm had put itself into the perfect niche for a faultering economy - Cemeteries, Mausoleums, and funeral homes. No matter the economy, people are still going to die, and heck, if hte economy got too bad, the deathrate might go up as well - which would be good for business. But, I guess the clients got scared, and banks weren't lending, so they all halted projects, and they all happened to be my projects. I did ask "why me?" and was told it was just bad luck, cause it was my projects that got halted.
Something good is sure to come of it anyway. Its not like I loved going into work everyday, so maybe it was time. I know its the profession, but I HATED drawing RCPs and Power Plans, and Door and Window details. Every now and then, I'd get excited about something, and really apply myself, like when I got to draw a building section at 3/4 scale (it was a tiny structure), but mostly, it was dull work.
check it out, myself & some internet friends are going to getmcodonald's to start serving budwieser in an unprecedented dispay fo american patriotism!!!!
I've been super busy... I'm in the middle of putting together a lecture for my kidlets today. Speaking of which, have been meaning to blog about the teaching portion of my schooling forever and never find the time to! But today I'm teaching them about static vs. dynamic layouts, how to use the grid in a non-boring way, when to break the grid, how beautiful white space can be, all kinds of fun stuff.
There's also something else that I'm dying to talk about, but I'm going to hold off because I don't want to jinx it. So that's probably kept me from posting a bit.
WonderK - Do you mind posting the election map link that you had as your default message on gmal chat? I want to see something on it but can't find it via google. Many, many thanks.
I would just like to say I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hate drawing up exterior elevations of a multi floor building. Peace out!! On my way home. YAY!
I filed for unemployment. Did you know they make you contact 5 people a week? And you have to apply every two weeks for payment, and they put it onto a debit card acct. Crazy, huh.
Thread Central
i'm alive
jafidler is right in that there is much creative & intellectual talent still in detroit on account of the big three...but keep in mind that the demise of those companies is not necessarily the same as the demise of that talent base.
the silver lining to the collapse of gm & ford (chrsyler is already dead for all intents & purposes) is that it would allow a new car company (or possibly mulitple companies, even better) to emerge from the leftover pieces free of the legacy costs that have haunted these companies for the past 30 years. in all likelihood, those new companies would be located right back in detroit. and they could quickly get on with the business of making automobiles that respond to consumer demand as well as energy & environmental trends. it would be a much leaner & more competitive detroit.
the people that are going to hurt most from the automobile collapse are those who have either already retired or are about to retire. it will be very unpleasant for them to see their retirement finances & livelihood suddenly wiped-out. probably the shock of that alone will be enough to cause a few catastrophic heart attacks amongst the old-timers.
i agree with puddles(who is still alive.) also when you really look at it the market share of the big three ain't that bad. they sell or sold a lot of vehicles. it s jus that they used to have all the market.
it's odd that lindorff (author of article vado just linked to) would lump the banking & auto industries so conveniently into the category of "too big to fail" when they are drastically different. for one thing, the auto industry has clearly been on the outside looking in as far as wash DC is concerned. bush has totally shut them out for years and only recently has the mood shifted with obama moving into the white house.
secondly, several of the big banks the he refers too (such a morgan chase, bank of america, etc) are actually in decent shape at the moment and are in good position to continue sucking up weak & failing smaller competitors. it's just part of the plan, i.e., the continuing centralization of power within the washington/wall street axis.
personally, i'm of the opinion that if it's "too big to fail" then it needs to fail. is the united states itself "too big to fail?"
I agree on that one... If it's too big to fail, then it's too big to exist.
Speaking of cars, I really miss my '97 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I realize that, given my strong advocacy of public transit and my concerns about global warming, this makes me a fucking hypocrite and a horrible person, but lately I'm wishing I hadn't sold my Jeep last year. It was a great car (very reliable and very comfortable, despite its horrible gas mileage), and I miss being able to take a long drive outside the city just for a hell of it. Yeah, there's Zipcar and rental cars, but those options have their own hassles. I'd probably look into getting another Jeep if I had somewhere to park it, but that's probably not an option for as long as I'm living in NYC.
In other news, I had my annual review this past week, and I think it went reasonably well... No word on what sort of raise and/or bonus I'll be getting, but at this point I'll be happy just to keep my job.
And just in time, right after I put plan B into motion this past week, we got some layoffs at our firm. Not me, but a few others.
And in randomly coincidental news (given our recent discussions), NPR has a story up today to help illustrated the interconnectedness of the new global economy: A Strange Shortage
It's short and is a good illustration!
I came across this photocopied text today:
At first it would seem that the teeth should be able to tear off as much of these reptilian remnants on our fingertips as they want with no problem, since teeth are covered with an enamel coating that’s the hardest material in the body and can be propelled by the jaw muscles to generate close to two hundred pounds of pressure per square inch. Chomp! It’s enough to crack a good-sized chicken wing, so surely should do for the pitiful protein strands that make up the nails.
That, however, ignores the way nails writhe and twist when the cuspid crunch comes; the underlying battle is not really as mismatched as it seems. The nail’s protein writhing diverts the toothly force down along the whole length of the nail, and leaves almost none to cut across sideways at the particular point of impact. Human nail has a resistance to fracture forty times greater than that of stone or brick because of this twist.
The simplest way out, of course, is for an attacking tooth to take one *quick* snap when the nail is not expecting it - before the recalcitrant writhing can begin. Why then do confirmed nail biters forgo this opportunity for success, this single moment when a dry and most brittle possible nail has the greatest chance of succumbing to their oral advances? Why do they instead dribble and slobber over the objects of their attacks, rolling the nails and even whole fingertips around in their mouth, chomping a little bit here, gnawing a little bit there, but never going at it in the most scientific way that would win them their apparently greatly sought-for prize?
The answer must be that the nail is not the real object. Rather the pitiful goo-producing loll of the fingertips around the lips, gums, and teeth must be what provides the motivation. And there’s support for this. One single roll of one nail inside the mouth sends electrical signals firing solidly in a wedge of brain tissue in the sensory cortex - the sense receptor portion of the brain - that stretches for 1-1/4 inches across, a target that’s lots bigger than the mere 1/8 inch of brain tissue in the same sense reception center that is responsible for all stimuli from the genitals.
It's from a book that influenced a lot of my thinking in grad school. sadly, I don't know the source. Sound familiar, anyone?
I have the strongest fastest growing fingernails around. I'm not a bitter and I do have to wack them off at least once a week. I have no idea why or how, but I do always make a special effort to trim them before I go to meetings where I know my hands will be in view of people. When I forget or get side tracked and a woman gets a glimpe of them there is usually a favorable comment, which I usually tell them it has been a whole week since I trimmed them. Mrs. B she wants to swap hands with me. Just a kinda crazy thing like the weather here today...62 degrees and the sun set awhile ago.
lb that's from the "total guide to llama toenail and pad care" should be in everyone's library!
snook metrosexual by chance? I cut my nails like clock work, and also get the occassional compliment for their groom. Although I'm a little off put at the moment because I have an ingrown on my ring finger <- do you think it is a sign?
nail biters freak me out though for some reason
That text is a lie. My nails rip at the slightest provocation. I can barely wear sweaters as a single snag on some stray wool fiber is enough to rip away the top 1/16" of any of my ten. My body has had to memorize very specific movements designed to keep my nails away from any fabric while I put on and take off my clothes. It doesn't work anyway. I'm constantly ashamed of the ripped short stubs when I have to point things out with clients or boss.
that's gross, lb.
Well, I got to join the Layoff Layoff forum. Not sure what I'm suppose to do now.
That sucks... Here's hoping you're able to find a new gig before too long.
Maybe you need to eat more protein, manta, to strengthen your nails!
Sarah, I'm really sorry to hear you're part of the layoff crowd. Damn, you guys, things are getting scary, for real.
that sucks sarah!
sarah I'm sorry about your layoff. Take the advice of everyone here. You have a project with your church, maybe you can approach a firm with it and use to count towards your IDP. otherwise chin up... you'll make it through it all
Wellm
I just got back from a wicked hip hop show.
Kidz in the Hall, Little Brother and Murs....Awesome. Good or even bad hiphop so rarely comes through my town.
Also could you make it to a lecture period
Dammit!!! SH I am so sorry to hear about you getting layoff. I agree with Atechno, take your church project to another firm, I'm sure there is one out there willing to take it and help get your IDP reqs.
manta - I'm right there with you in the nail dept. Although I must admit since starting ceramics a while back I no longer like growing my nails too long. Drives me absolutely batty.
Happy Sunday All- time to get back to housework.
Sarah, enjoy your time with the little man Abe.....it only happens once in a life time that is Abe growing up...don't worry be happy!
sorry to hear about the layoff, sarah.
Crap! Sarah I'm sorry. As I said on the other forum you are in good company though. I have never heard of such widespread job losses...
outside air so bad in los angeles that people are advised to stay indoors. i mean ashes are in the air. pretty bad. if you have asthma you are fucked. i don't, knock on wood. sorry to hear job losses.
one good thing is that online communities have grown so much and everybody informed real time. as someone who experienced this kind of situation at least three times, tighten your seat belts and hang in there this will pass too.
sorry to hear it, sarah, but snook's response was my first as well: quality time with the little one!
so many people have been laid off around town it's awful. so far we're ok. so far.
Thoughts, anyone?
Happy Birthday Cameron
don't get too down guys!
a typical vado sunday...
woke up to a cat in my face.
made some coffee in my french press
listened to a bit of npr
did some research on the bracket project.
watched a bit of the talking heads on the sunday talk shows
made more coffee
took shower
see below...
anyway indy basically sucks as a city. in most citys if you live downtown like i do. its no problem walking or at least taking a short drive to a used bookstore and maybe lunch at a bistro etc. well here you got to drive ten freaking miles to some strip mall surrounded by other strip malls surrounded by chain restaurants etc. it sucks although i did find a book of essays and an eight cd set of baroque music plus a copy of the four seasons. the latter cost only a buck.
watched second half of colts game while eating an egg sandwhich
making black bean chicken chili...
I got up, went to my church which is one mile away, had coffee at the coffeeship across the street afterwards (the owner had a good wood fire going in the fireplace and plenty of italian magazines to browse in the chairs in front of it), then had a lazy lunch at this fantastic new orleans-style restaurant over in andersonville where we walked up and down the street and popped into all the vintage places. I found a sofa and chair I want hands down but can't currently afford. Instead I bought a set of basswood snowflake ornaments cut/burned with a lasercutter (very beautiful, intricate patterns... although it irked me to pay $25 for something I could have made myself for $2 if I bothered to do it) and tried to buy a great vase (just the size I was looking for!) marked $1 at the re-sale shop for $0.85, all I had on me. They wouldn't go for it sadly.
Now I'm cleaning house and getting ready to go for a games-dessert-and-drinks party at a friends'. I'm trying to enjoy as much of my days as possible given the amount of layoff stress during the workweek.
SH,
Sorry would have said something sooner but was semi-drunk last night and didn't pay attention to earlier posts.
Hope everything works out. I am sure it will as you are awesome! Was it just you?
How did everyone's Sunday go?
I read the Sunday Times, made some awesome Weuvos Rancheros and had champagne cocktails for a late brunch. Yeah!!1
beta, I like the map. Go with it.
Orhan it's awful, isn't it. It wasn't this bad last year, for sure. I blogged about it and the Prop 8 protest yesterday here.
thats what i'm talkin' bout manta!!!
vado I'm similarly jealous, whilst I don't have to drive ten miles (there's a strip mall less than a mile away) with the terrain many times you do have to drive. And there's a shortage of quality book stores around. Sad really, I think I'll stop off at one of my favourites tomorrow.
Oh has anyone gone to see the new James Bond (apparently someone did, biggest opening of a Bond film) Anyway there happens to be a big sequence at the ESO Hotel in the Atacama desert, Chile, by Auer + Weber. That's the building below in case you may not know...
I'm so sorry Sarah.
Archi,
Yeah i posted a link in the news section a couple days ago.
I didn't previously know about the "Residencia" but the idea if awesome. It seems to almost be like an Eden Project in the sense of creating a controlled climate, for habitation. The long profile views of the building make it seem a lot more beautiful in my opinion than either aerials of the entire structure or the interior....
I haven't seen the movie yet but am definitely looking forward to it.
Strangely silent on here this morning.
Air quality is better here today but the fires are still burning.
Hopefully everyone is just busy with work and not getting laid off.
Happy Monday TC!!!
chile is so hot right now
Isn't Heuvos spelled with an H? Maybe not.
As for the lay-off, so far, yeah, it was just me. I handled it very well. I didn't cry until I got home, and I even shook their hands and said it'd been a pleasure. I asked them to call if work picked back up, and they said they would.
Beta, I like your map, but couldn't figure out how to pin my locale.
Husband wants to continue to send Abe across the street to the sitter. He says that Abe shouldn't have to suffer cause I lost my job, and he does love going over there; he has friends. Besides, it'll give me time to put together a portfollio. I know, but I never made one cause I've been working at the place I was since my 3rd summer in school. I might have to post my results on one of those portfollio threads to see if you'd hire me, based on what you see.
SH - Your lay off seems pretty odd to me. I was uder the impression your firm actually had a lot of work. Good luck on the portfolio, I'm sure it'll look great.
You'd think that the firm had put itself into the perfect niche for a faultering economy - Cemeteries, Mausoleums, and funeral homes. No matter the economy, people are still going to die, and heck, if hte economy got too bad, the deathrate might go up as well - which would be good for business. But, I guess the clients got scared, and banks weren't lending, so they all halted projects, and they all happened to be my projects. I did ask "why me?" and was told it was just bad luck, cause it was my projects that got halted.
Something good is sure to come of it anyway. Its not like I loved going into work everyday, so maybe it was time. I know its the profession, but I HATED drawing RCPs and Power Plans, and Door and Window details. Every now and then, I'd get excited about something, and really apply myself, like when I got to draw a building section at 3/4 scale (it was a tiny structure), but mostly, it was dull work.
Hello
check it out, myself & some internet friends are going to getmcodonald's to start serving budwieser in an unprecedented dispay fo american patriotism!!!!
SH,
I think you are right. Woops!
Also, kind of quiet today huh?
I've been super busy... I'm in the middle of putting together a lecture for my kidlets today. Speaking of which, have been meaning to blog about the teaching portion of my schooling forever and never find the time to! But today I'm teaching them about static vs. dynamic layouts, how to use the grid in a non-boring way, when to break the grid, how beautiful white space can be, all kinds of fun stuff.
There's also something else that I'm dying to talk about, but I'm going to hold off because I don't want to jinx it. So that's probably kept me from posting a bit.
WonderK - Do you mind posting the election map link that you had as your default message on gmal chat? I want to see something on it but can't find it via google. Many, many thanks.
I would just like to say I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hate drawing up exterior elevations of a multi floor building. Peace out!! On my way home. YAY!
I filed for unemployment. Did you know they make you contact 5 people a week? And you have to apply every two weeks for payment, and they put it onto a debit card acct. Crazy, huh.
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