In Lieu of an Automobile Manufacturer Bailout

Here's an idea that I've been bouncing around in my cranium ever since I heard that auto makers want a ($25 billion) part of the bailout package making its way around in congress.

There's a massive void in the automotive market place, where people increasingly want affordable, dependable, and green vehicles. They would preferably be simple and cost-effective when it comes to maintenance, be carbon neutral, or better yet, carbon negative.

So my proposition is this; let the auto manufacturers have their money, with the caveat that they must BE PRODUCING automobiles that meet the above criteria within five years, otherwise they will be required to pay back any funds allotted to them from the bailout package, or be forced to close their doors.

We, as Americans, have the engineering skill to accomplish this with VERY little effort. There's no reason that we should not be leading the way when it comes to innovation in world technology.

This kind of contract with the auto makers would save jobs that might otherwise be lost, and possibly create more jobs. If they're successful at accomplishing their goals, they've then created an economic force, where people will be essentially breaking down the doors to get their hands on one of these vehicles. Jobs, money, restoration of our place in the world technologies market.

What doesn't make sense about this?

Found a stranger passed out on our back porch

Well that was an odd way to start our Sunday!

About 6am I heard some noise - a little *bump* or something. Shirley was - and still is - asleep. This will shock her when I tell her later. Anyway, I took a peek out to our lanai - the patio area around the pool in the back. There was a gentleman passed out just outside our sliding glass back door - mostly prone but with his head leaning at what looked to be a very uncomfortable angle up against the wall.

Stepping outside, I asked who he was. No response. Asked another time or two and he stirred. I asked where he lived. This might have been when he slowly made his way to a standing position. He said, "right here", gesturing palms down as though patting the ground a few feet below. I replied, "Dude, you don't live here. This is my home. Where do you live?" Again the same gesture with the same words, "right here".

Great. I was guessing that the gent was extremely intoxicated, but figured it was also possible that he was mentally challenged and lost. Either way, he did not seem to pose a threat to others. But I was worried that he'd fall in the pool; I did not want to have to fetch a semi-conscious individual out of the water.

Putting a hand on his back, I gestured to a chair a few paces away and invited him to have a seat over there. I went back in and dialed 911 (police). The dispatcher remained on the phone with me until the police arrived. While on the phone, I described the gent: white male, about 30 years old, approx 5ft 8inches, 180pounds. Was wearing light-colored slacks and a red t-shirt with the word "Random". How appropriate. As the operator and I chatted, I could see the gent's shadow through the closed drapes. He was now trying to open our sliding glass door (which I locked again when I went back in after our initial meeting). He was first trying to slide the door, then was trying to lift it out of its tracks.

It turns out that he lives nearby. Apparently he'd taken a cab (so glad he took a cab instead of driving!). The dispatcher - and then the police - told me that they'd had a report that a cab driver dropped a passenger off just a bit earlier, and the passenger had been a tad confused. I brought the 2 officers through the house to the back. They were able to assist the gent with finding where he really lives ...which is not "right here".

We know a number of our immediate neighbors -- the folks next to us on either side, and next to them, and next to them. We know the folks who live across the street and next to them, the folks who live behind the folks across the street, and the folks who live behind us. This gent lives in the area, but not quite that close. So he most likely was able to get the cab driver to the general area, and then whether the cabbie decided he'd had enough of the passenger, or the gent really believed that he was seeing his house ...he ended up on our lanai.

Some of our friends, relatives, acquaintances probably would have chosen to go outside carrying a firearm, and I could see something like that taking a very sad twist. On the other hand, this gent could have been armed and dangerous (he wasn't), so perhaps it would have been better if I had just called police without engaging him.

The one thing of which I am confident is that this gent is going to feel terrible (in more ways than one) when he awakens after a few hours of sleep. For now, one of us is going to grab a shower and a cup of coffee, and try for a more normal start to the day. I am thankful that things worked out ok :)

President-elect OBAMA!

Here is the front page from our local newspaper this morning (there are 2 local papers, we subscribe to the one that is less conservative :)

And in spite of the intense anger I feel toward the Bush administration for the devastation they have inflicted upon our country and upon the world ...I do feel hope. I am working on releasing my anger. It is important to instead channel that anger for positive works. There is so much work to be done.

Hey! How about Florida, huh? See, we can get it right! There were plenty of problems ...especially here in Hillsborough County. In spite of the challenges, however, millions did whatever it took to get their vote cast. For many, that meant standing in line for hours. In my own Hillsborough County, there were many who were presented with only the first page of what was supposed to be a two-page ballot. There were scanning machines that failed to work. The machines in the local precents were supposed to communicate their tallies to the central County office, but had to instead be brought in to the office for the counts to be taken. The stories are many, not just in our county. BUT the determination of the voters was far more powerful than the challenges, and that determination paid off.

After a rather stressful day yesterday, when I didn't know if I dared to let myself think that Obama could truly become our next President, we gathered with friends to watch the election results come in. We were amazed and pleasantly surprised to see the place PACKED (this pic was taken rather late, after about half of the folks had gone home). This pic does not show all of the folks outside in the patio area, or in the large banquet room in the back ...all gathering in hopes of seeing Obama announced as President-elect. And the cheering and the screaming and the tears and the hugs were such a release of the pent-up stress and fatigue and the energy of the past very many months of working for this and hoping for this and yet trying to remain prepared for the devastating disappointment that we felt 4 years and 8 years ago.

But this time was different. This time we thought we could maybe get this done if we worked hard enough.

YES WE DID!

Vive President OBAMA!

Now Is The Time For Celebration!!!

Jimmy Buffett come to Tampa for Obama

 I've never seen Democrats as organized and dedicated as I have during this election season. No candidate of any party has ever raised so much money from such a large number of donors (during September, the average donation was US$86). The sustained, disciplined, enthusiastic work from an army of volunteers on the Obama campaign and on the many down-ticket races has been no less than phenomenal.

Well, in an effort to thank so many for their work, and to give everyone a little recharge time before the final couple of days of campaigning, Jimmy Buffett came to Tampa today and put on a free concert :)

I'd never been to a Jimmy Buffett show before, and even with the cold (for Tampa) temperature (upper 60's F) -- it did feel like a little bit of summer time. The camera-phone pics here don't show it, but Buffet did bring the beach ambiance to life, running through an hour or so of tunes from his vast library of songs ...sung while barefoot in a bright yellow t-shirt and blue baggie surfer shorts. Too cool.

A few more pics from the amphitheatre:
  

  

If, come Wednesday morning, we learn that Obama has lost the election, it most definitely will not be for lack of effort from the volunteers! Here's hoping that Wednesday morning brings us a feeling of hope and optimism and accomplishment ...in stark contrast to 2000 and 2004.

Thank you Jimmy Buffett, and Vive Obama!!!