Book Of Norm

Sorry for the repeated updates, but on a big news day (and it is a BIG news day) ultimate has manged to be the 4th most read article on the NYT. Granted, this is at least in part to the fact that every ultimate players across the nation is looking at it, but I am still really impressed. Hopefully this is one step towards generating more coverage of the most exciting team sport in the world = )

As I talked about last night, it is amazing to me how interwoven Obama is with the operation and running of Chrysler. This is not the pres turning to a titan of industry and telling him to save the company, this is the pres trying to be a direct part of the leadership of private companies. Ok, all that said, here is the autoblog breakdown of what happened today for Chrysler, with my commentary. Blame it on the creditors – President Obama cited Chrysler's creditors' refusal to accept a debt-for-equity swap as the main reason filing for Chapter 11 was the only option left. (Yes - but the deal was terrible for creditors, and would have royally screwed them. The UAW had to give up some benefits, the creditors would have to have given up over 90% of their debt - I think that was the number). Chrysler divided – 55% will be owned by the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA), 10% shared proportionally between U.S. and Canadian governments, 20% owned by Fiat. (Again, true...

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Never really been a fan of Maureen Dowd, even when she gave the Colby commencement speech for my class. Her latest op-ed is a real class act though. She imagines what Cheney says in a closed-door meeting about the torture of prisoners. Here is her take: “Those insects weren’t even poisonous,” Cheney growled. “Facial slaps? Abdominal slaps? Throwing a naked man into a wall? Kid stuff. Those methods worked. They kept us safe for seven years. Safer than with that delicate Hawaiian orchid in the White House. America is coming across as weak and indecisive. Just when Rummy and I had stomped out that ‘Blame America First’ flower-child culture, Obama has dragged it back, apologizing profusely all over the world for the country he’s running, canoodling with greasy dictators, kissing up to those weasels in Europe, which is only free today because of our military. Friends and foes alike will be quick to take advantage if they think they’re dealing with a Creamsicle.” The best part is... I mostly...

Article about women's ultimate in the NYT. Its actually pretty good, though for some reason it showed up under "Fashion & Style - Fitness" rather than "Sports." Ultimate Frisbee Takes Off Andrew Davis DISC JOCKEYING Action in the Canada-United States Ultimate Frisbee match at the world championships last August. comments (10) Sign In to E-Mail Print Reprints Share Close Linkedin Digg Facebook Mixx MySpace Yahoo! Buzz Permalink By BONNIE TSUI Published: April 29, 2009 WHEN Susan Batchelder first played Ultimate Frisbee, 11 years ago, it was with the ultimate hippies. Skip to next paragraph Related Trying to Catch a Game? (April 30, 2009) Enlarge This Image Andrew Davis Enlarge This Image Andrew Davis IN PLAY Women’s participation has helped the sport grow rapidly. Readers' Comments Share your thoughts. Post a Comment » Read All Comments ...

It seems that Jay and I are of a like mind on what is really of value right now from Pontiac, and what will be missed with its passing. What I did not really know (since I was not really around during the Pontiac heyday) was that it actually was an innovator at one point: Jay Leno Says Goodbye to Pontiac: A Tribute to GM’s Performance Brand If you haven't heard, Pontiac is no more . In an exclusive story for PM, Jay Leno looks back at the 83-year-old brand, focusing on Pontiac’s historic muscle cars and surprisingly innovative technology. By Jay Leno Published on: April 28, 2009 (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) I was always a fan of those "Wide Track" Pontiacs of the '60s. When I was a little kid there was no sexier wheel—either in the aftermarket or in regular production—than the 8-lug Pontiac wheel. I remember first seeing them around 1962 on some of the big Bonnevilles. My mom’s Falcon had fo...

Reading assignment: this article from the NYT. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/30/business/30auto.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=print It struck a cord with me as something that has gone deeply and terribly wrong. It is wrong because in the article it is clearly accepted that the US Government has just as much right to make decisions, give opinions, and decide what is best for Chrysler as the management of Chrysler does, or the bondholders do. In fact, from the tone of the article it is quite clear that the administration, and Obama himself, are closely and directly involved in the operations and details of the collapse of Chrysler. While some say this is justified because of the extraordinary circumstances, never before has the US Administration been so interwoven with the fabric of American business. We are leaning dangerously close to the authoritarian style socialist state of Atlas Shrugged: and just as in the book, it is all in the name of "the people....