When is a Business Too Big?

The recent bailouts are deemed necessary because the business involved has become large enough to threaten the well being of the country's economy. Oh yes, it matters how they got there and the schleps involved should be held accountable and maybe some oversight rules changed. Free enterprise is wonderful thing except when it gets to a point where a boardroom can make decisions that threaten everyone's well being. Companies like AIG, GM, etc are at that point thanks to deft management skills so remedies are sought at our expense which is all well and good (I'm too busy to pick out a card to send so billions will have to do). But the "when is a business too big" decision is still open as far as I can tell and like gay, drug running, job stealing illegal immigrants streaming across our borders to destroy their former country (I'm in Texas ya know..the front lines!)and our marriages, the problem festers.

"Willis, you're full of shit" you say! Yes, that and margaritas but I do have a point....it's here somewhere....hold a second.....still looking......not under the WMD from Christmas, dammit......okay here it is! FedEx is about to cancel 15 Boeing 777's assembled right here in America if the congress enacts legislation to make it adhere to NLRA (National Labor Relations Act) versus the RLA (Railway labors Act). The effect on FedEx:

"Since FedEx was founded as an airline in 1971, it has fallen under the jurisdiction of the RLA, which forces railway and airline workers to go through a long arbitration process before taking work actions and bars the formation of localized unions. Rival UPS, considered a trucking company, falls under the NLRA, which allows workers to organize on a local level and has fewer barriers to work actions."

The effect on Boeing and GE (engines):

"Avondale Partners analyst Donald Broughton wrote in a research note that "thousands of jobs" at Boeing and GE could be affected if FedEx were to cancel its 777F order."

I'm not here to sell unions, bash management, or sell the converse of either of these options. But why the hell wouldn't somebody figure out by now that FedEx isn't a railroad and UPS isn't just a trucking company? Neither operate railroads and both operate trucks and aircraft. So as far as a business entity; UPS = FedEx anything else is anti competitive right? Except when a company gets "too big" (told ya I'd get there). So now the choice is to restrain all the workers at FedEx from a free union, screw labor at Boeing, or allow an unfair business advantage FedEx at the expense of UPS.

Wanna guess you gets the rump rocket regardless how this turns out?

Rick Perry, Taking a Stand

Texas governor Rick Perry was initially considering rejecting all the stimulus money headed to Texas for a day or two then relented and decided to accept it. Yesterday (after deep thought I'm sure) his office issued a press release rejecting the portion of the money that would extend unemployment benefits. This is about $550 million out of the $17 billion available to Texas. The effects of his decision screams a hardy Texas “EAT ME” to over a quarter of a million people so Perry can take a stand against a little more than 3% of the total funds that the federal government is recklessly sending to Texas (This is Texas ya know; we could use that money to build walls along the southern border with Mexico, build a “White House” of sorts for Chuck Norris, or even do worthwhile stuff like relocating the Willis Tower.) It is projected that about 300,000 Texans will be out of work by the end of this year and the state’s portion of the unemployment money is projected to be close to broke by this fall. Keep in mind the 300,000 unemployed doesn’t consider the families involved. In order to keep it stupid, one of our two worthless senators, Kay Hutchinson (although she is slightly less worthless than Cornyn who is a total fuckin tool) is going to run for governor against Perry in 2010 and she says:

“With the state unemployment fund dangerously close to falling below the legal threshold, it is imperative (he) does nothing that potentially burdens small businesses with higher taxes in tough economic times or pushes those who have recently become unemployed and their families into further economic peril.”

So with Perry flipping the finger at anyone out of work and our future looking bright with Kay straddling the fence (at least she will be out of Washington....no worries, we’ll elect Harriet Miers or Karen Hughes), I guess its up to our republican controlled state legislature.

Don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t important to vote in local elections! Dammit, it has consequences.

I Can Haz Tower?

This must be part of the stimulus bill! Really, I had no idea that I would be getting my own tower! From the looks of this thing, it'll be a bitch to move to Texas and its much too far to commute so I guess I'm moving to Chicago.......AND, everyone is invited! The rent's free until the bastard is full. I, of course will have the top floor suite where I plan on installing a tee box platform kinda like Tiger Woods had in Dubai a few years ago. I'll be slicing balls over downtown.

I'm sure I'll have to deal with some paperwork so I'll keep everyone posted about the date of the grand opening! Hot damn!

Updated: Now that I've sobered up (a little), this appears to be a question of "if" so I changed the title to reflect that small nuance. Maybe Sears knows who I am, wants to take full advantage of the moniker "willis" and doesn't really plan to give it up (hey Sears, I got your tower right here!). More importantly, my friend Eddie has brought up some valid points in the comments that I hadn't considered which may effect if I want this thing. My neighbors may be real pissed but if I can't hit a golf ball off of it........willis has priorities and tolerances, don-cha-kno.

A Compass?

There's a handy two volume set of manuals that no one should be without for sale on Ebay . Oops, looks like its gone but some of the more useful pages are posted at a well respected "medical site" that you can copy and keep near just in case.

I post one of them below so that in the event of an emergency you won't have to refer to this site or its links for immediate help. Everyone needs to be careful out there, dammit! I am more than a little curious about the discovery of a compass. I hope no one is loss in there.

Sometimes the Obvious Escapes Me

I think The General has picked up on something here.

Jesus' General: (Bristol - Levi) + Joe the Plumber = Camelot#links

"Pro Life" Warped Beyond Reason

A particularly nasty set of events in Brazil where a 9 year old girl, raped and impregnated by her step father with twins, was excommunicated from the Catholic Church along with her Mom and the doctors........the step father, not so much. Go read.

I'm Sorry Rush

The sensitive folks at the DCCC have begun to feel a little remorse over Limbaugh getting kicked around so they set up a template for everyone to contribute to this humanitarian effort.

I'm Sorry Rush - Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

Doublecross

Not to be out done by the new Sagemont Baptist Church 170" cross . The Grace Community Church is planning two ginormus crosses to be located near I-45, one at the north end of Houston and the other at the south. Everyone knows two 150 footers is better than one 170 footer although this does leave the eastern and western portals to our city exposed.







The Sagemont cross is more than a cross though in that it includes:

"an amphitheater and 2,500 square foot platform that is open around the clock, is part of the Living Proof Project which they describe as "landscaping that includes a master-planned design complete with two lakes, prayer garden, and places to meditate and worship God the Creator" and "a beautiful new building that will house a 2,400-seat worship auditorium, adult discipling rooms, prayer room, bookstore, library, coffee shop, reception area, foyers for fellowship, fabulous restrooms, wide halls, and much more. This 120,000 square foot building, designed by Shanks Architects in Dallas, will allow Sagemont to embrace our core value of excellence as we worship together and equip people for life and service."
Anyone know what "adult discipling rooms" are?

Up in the panhandle of Texas, (near a town called "Groom") they have one that is 200 feet tall. These are all privately funded so our taxes can be applied to more useful ventures like Wall Street.

Some folks are against these monuments as they are visible from local homes and highways. I, for one, know they perform a valuable service in that I've never heard of any vampires even close to these areas.