In an incredibly odd and ironic interview with Larry King, Michael Moore came across as something of a free market capitalist.  When discussing the big three US automakers, Moore had the following to say:
Moore: Well, what really went wrong is that General Motors has had this philosophy from the beginning that what’s good for General Motors is good for the country. So, their attitude was we’ll build it and you buy it. We’ll tell you what to buy. You just buy it.
Eventually, the consumer got smart and said, ‘You know what, I’d like a car that gets a little better gas Read the Rest…

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Volkswagen certainly has their nitch here in the US.  I know that anytime I think of some one sipping a latte in a Starbucks while checking out the lastest episode of “The Office” on their mac, I further know that when that person leaves, they will be driving away in a VW.  The automaker has some pretty unusual beginings.  Many people may not know that Hitler more or less created the VW beetle, and that it was meant to be the “people’s car” for Nazi Germany.  It is with this in mind that I always get a chuckle when I Read the Rest…

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If you are in the position to get a new car you may be in luck.  Since the auto market has been down prices have dropped accordingly.  So your odds of getting a quality auto at an affordable price are much improved.  With this in mind, Car and Driver has come out with their “10 best” list for new cars.  Marketwatch.com reported the list as follows:

Following are the 2009 Car and Driver 10 Best winners (in alphabetical order), followed by the number of times each model has made the list:
BMW 3-Series/M3 (18)
Cadillac CTS (2)
Chevrolet Corvette (15)
Honda Accord (23)
Honda Fit (3)
Infiniti Read the Rest…

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Well it looks like the United States isn’t the only country that is getting ready to bail out an auto manufacturer.  Germany’s Adam Opel GmbH is now looking for a federal bailout package from the German government.  The AP is reporting the following, which may sound familiar:
Chief Executive Hans Demant said that the guarantees would help not only to secure jobs in Germany, but ensure the company’s future across Europe.
“The goal is to safeguard Opel’s competitiveness even in this difficult global situation,” he said.
The Economy Ministry in Berlin said it was already in contact with Opel, which employs approximately 25,000 Read the Rest…

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In Mondays’ article I came out against what I believe will be Obama’s support of the big three American auto makers.  The UAW has been a huge influence on American politics and their support of Obama is a very clear indicator of this.  Another clear indicator came November 18th in the form of lobbying on the part of the auto manufactures for higher tariffs.
In an unusual show of solidarity, the Big Three auto makers have joined forces in urging the United States Treasury to uphold a 25 percent tariff on imported sport-utility vehicles and mini-vans.
A decision by the Deputy Treasury Read the Rest…

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I am sure that by now everyone has heard that the American auto industry is looking for a bailout, well technically they are looking for another bailout since they had previously already sought a bailout…does that make sense?  My personal sentiment is “let them fail.”  This view was echoed in a news report of which I can only remember the line “they already failed 25 years ago, it’s just that no one told them.”  I think the story may have come from NPR, but I am not totally sure.  However, the fact remains that the auto makers in this country Read the Rest…

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As far as I am concerned, any tax break is a good tax break.  The German’s must share my views since their recent stimulus plan includes tax breaks on cars.  The New York Times is reporting that:
The package, which amounts to about 2 percent of Germany’s gross domestic product, includes tax breaks on purchases of cars, loans to small and medium-size businesses and money for roads.
Some are saying that the German plan is not aggressive enough to affect the economy but I tend to disagree.  Germany has taken the very wise step of reducing taxes to fuel economic growth instead Read the Rest…

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I wrote a blog a short while back that looked at the danger of licencing drivers 16 years of age and under.  The stats are pretty clear that kids of this age are disproportionately involved in accidents.  Something that I failed to look into was the teen drivers who are unlicensed but drive anyway.  Marketwatch.com has come out with a story that looks at the accident and fatality rate of these young unlicensed drivers.  The Marketwatch story says:
According to national traffic fatality data, this group is disproportionately involved in fatal crashes. The 2006 National Young Driver Survey (NYDS) of more than 5,500 teens Read the Rest…

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The Fraunhofer Institute for Information and Data Processing IITB has developed new software that will enable multiple cars to make maneuvers in unison-think “the blue angels on four wheels.”  The idea, however, is not intended for mere skeptical, but rather to help in accident avoidance.  Sciencedaily.com suggests that if you find yourself in the middle lane of a highway, and all of a sudden a child jumps out in front of you, that you can swerve your vehicle while the software will kick in and swerve the vehicles around you in unison.
Sounds like a pretty interesting idea, but I have my Read the Rest…

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Each morning, I try to go for a run. However, once I exit my apartment complex, I have to cross five lanes of traffic just so that I can run on the sidewalk. You see, there is no sidewalk on my side of the street. This is, perhaps, one of the bizarre things about living in Cary, NC that I’ve noticed. I’m not sure what the reasoning behind it is, but for whatever reason, it appears as if they only build sidewalks on one side of the street!
What to Do?
I tried searching around to see who Read the Rest…

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