CARBIZ

But you should be prepared to live or die by your own MERITS, not the merits of some union and what they negotiate for you and yours! Yes, there will always be someone willing to work for less, but does that mean they can do the job as well? I have a friend who used to be in management in another country. He was making a damned good living, but due to his English he is now a cleaner. He started off at $8 an hour, but as his skills grew he changed companies twice and is now making $13 an hour with full benefits. When he quit his job at the cleaning company where he worked, the property manager in the building where he worked freaked out. By the time he got home there were 6 messages, from the property manager, superintendent, president of the board of directors and others - all begging him to come back. The Board convened a special meeting and hired him directly to work for the condo board. That is demand. He is only a cleaner but the best damned cleaner they have ever had. This friend is my spouse and he busts his ass because he knows he must. And when he goes back into management in a year or so, I have no doubt he will be running the company in a few years.

There is a helluva lot of nitpicking going on here, boys and girls. FIRST OF ALL - Cardinal rule #1: Thou shalt judge a vehicle by the standards of the class that it is in, not the class of vehicle YOU would buy. Chevrolet is a CONSERVATIVE car company. Corvette aside (and most of us realize that the Corvette really has no business being a Chevrolet - that may be sacrilege, but true!), you are not going to see many trailblazing vehicles in this company. Remember, if you want to sell 500k units, you have to be all things to all people, not by being cutting edge. Pontiac should be more cutting edge, but let's leave that for another thread. USA1, I suspect you would have bitched that the original Riviera or Avanti was bland, too. This car blows away the Camry - and I sell those, too. If you look at the classic IMpalas of the '60s, they weren't cutting edge. They were just clean, well-priced and appealed to a helluva lot of people. The Impala isn't supposed to stand out. The G-6 should stand out. The Solstice should stand out. The Impala should just look good in a crowd and I believe it does. Just last night I had a husband and wife (and he was about 5 years younger than God) stagger out of their '96 Olds 88. After they stopped complaining about the demise of Oldsmobile, they had a full page ad from the Toronto Star in their hand of the Impala. The Star, which hates everything GM, recently did a gushing article on the Impala - they even said it was better than the Accord or Camry. If they say that, believe me, it must be true because they hate us. These people were here to see the Impala. He loved it. She clearly doesn't want to part with her Oldsmobile. I doubt a 25 year old couple is going to buy an Impala. As gorgeous as the SS is, it will still mostly appeal to people of my generation who grew up on bigger cars. If GM was smart, the Optra would be better aligned to the younger crowd.

I am experiencing the same problem on my computer at home - all pictures posted by C&G are blocked on my computer, but pictures posted by members are fine. I know it has something to do with my settings and not C&G because my computer at work is fine.

I had my first sexual experience in the back seat of a '57 Plymouth (Christine!) when I was...well, I won't say how young I was, but the car was fairly old at the time and wasn't driveable, just sitting in the back 40 behind the barn. It seemed better than the proverbial hayloft. Still, I am a GM fan. I was young and impressionable, yet I resisted the temptation to go over to the dark side (Chrysler.) I crashed a '55 Ford through the fence beside the house when I was 6. We had a lot of old cars when I was a kid. I dunno, I guess that's why I love cars so much. Could also be why I like guys so much, too.

Cmattson, bringing our grandparents into this doesn't help. My grandfather worked at 3 jobs to keep my grandmother in fur coats and a new car every 2 years! As an aside here, one of the problems with or Society today is our EXPECTATIONS. We expect a house in the suburbs with central a/c, 3 bathrooms, 4 bedrooms, a 2 car garage with 3 cars in the driveway. We EXPECT to winter in Florida, spend 2 weeks at Eurodisney with the kids and spend $150 on a damned pair of Nikes! Consumerism is what is killing us. Did or grandparents vacation in Florida? They were lucky to have one car, one B & W TV (no cable yet), one bathroom - hell, their house, bought in 1953 didn't even come with a lawn or a driveway. And pick up a vintage catalog - a refrigerator in the early '50s was a luxury. Dishwasher? Forget it. Microwave? NOt invented yet. Did anybody even own an air conditioner until, maybe, twenty five years ago? And look at our cars! My grandfather's last car before he dropped dead in 1968 was a Studebaker wagon. No a/c, maybe an AM radio - would be lucky to have power steering and power brakes. Times have changed and so have the jobs. Get an education, learn to market yourself so you can work yourself to death and your wife can live off your life insurance for the next 30 years.

It is interesting though that the Century or Olds Calais would be a better used car buy than the Lumina or Grand Am of the same era, not because the cars were any better but because of the demographics of who bought them and cared for them. Odds are, someone older bought the Buick and would have driven it easier and spent the money on maintenance. The Chevy would have a greater chance of having been abused and not serviced as well by the owner.

Paolino, don't give up on the bar or club scene....you never know who you might meet. I go there just to dance (yeah, even at 44) and 3 1/2 years ago, I spotted a tall, dark man who was just as shy as I was. After more than an hour of dancing around each other (and my heading off with friends to another side of the place), I finally had the nerve to make eye contact, smile and tell him my name. He was (is) from Brazil. He had been in Canada for 3 months. He had 3 months of English so it was a funny, confusing night. He would never have been there except an acquaintance dragged him. (An acquaintance that I had earlier mistaken as a jealous boyfriend that nearly scuttled our ever meeting.) It truly was Fate that we met. I was getting over a nasty break up after 10 years with the same guy that had shot my nerves and self esteem all to hell. I was horribly lonely at the time, but also very bitter and jaded. Claudio is kind, sympathetic and the warmest, most honest and decent man I have ever met. We met from across the globe. Truly, he got me through hell and I probably wouldn't still be here if I hadn't met him when I had (I was on a downhill spiral with...how shall I put it, illegal substances). I truly believe that love will find you when you are least looking for it. Just make yourself available to new experiences.

I guess it all depends on whether you are an optimist and believe that the sheer buying power/economic weight of America can drag China and India up to our level and what a wonderful world that would be OR the pessimistic view in which China and India become direct competitors for diminishing world resources (such as oil, steel, etc.) and eventually overtake America in economic strength, due to their sheer population numbers. This is only a fear of mine, not necessarily backed up by any real hard numbers, but where would the world be if 1.2 billion Chinese and 1.4 billion Indians decide they all want refigerators (and they still use freon, boys and girls), microwaves and 2 cars in the driveway? The Chinese middle class is already larger than the entire population of the United States. Anyone thinking, say 25 years into the future, or just the next election/board vote?

Perhaps in the 70's when GM had 50% market share they didn't care. Or maybe my 13 year old really bad hand writing was illegible. (I didn't get my first typewriter until 1975.) It is good to see that their PR department takes this stuff seriously. I was a big Chrysler fan for decades and part of the reason was how generous they were with the glossies when I was a kid.

I have to admit that it looks pretty suspicious that the U.S. went from zero space program in 1957 to the moon in only 12 years. If you compare that progress to what they've accomplished in the ensuing 36 years - well, we should have colonies on Mars by now. I guess the world should thank Russia for the Space Race. However, conspiracies aside, if Nixon couldn't keep Watergate under wraps for a couple years, how could NASA have pulled off such a coup? It is amazing what some people will believe. At Science North in Sudbury, Ontario, they have (had?) a spine of a brontosauras (or whatever) hanging in the main atrium. It's, what - 25 meters or so long? When I visited there about 15 years ago with my (then) boyfriend, he declared that it was fake. He added that dinosaurs were fake, too. I was flabbergasted. He (then a practicing Pentecastol) said that dinosaurs were a New Age myth. That's what they were teaching in his church. Again, I countered: how could thousands of scientists around the world keep such a huge conpsiracy under wraps for 135 years and nobody blew the whistle? And what is that black ooze we are pumping into our cars?

The don't sell Scions up here in the hinterland (thank God), but every person I've seen in a PT Cruiser has an oxygen mask on. I used to think that car was cool until it became the hit of Happdale Acres. And the Element is the ugliest damned vehicle EVER. It makes the Aztek look like a first generation Riviera - timeless and cool. I don't care what age buys one, they all need to have their eyes checked.

I started in 1974 writing to the Big Three and pestering them to send me stuff. Chrysler and Ford were awesome. GM was cheap. Chrysler would send me their entire press release kit with B&W photos of every single car they made. GM would send me a form letter. I even have an entire glossy photo set of the Cirtoen SM back when they used to sell vehicles in Canada. I used to keep all my Motor Trends, R&T, C&D, etc. I threw a lot of them out about 6 years ago when I moved. I kept the ones with articles on cars I liked (like a "shoot out" between the IMperial, Lincoln and Cadillac in 1975. You folks with a collection out there, don't you notice that the media were always touting the Big Three's "comeback." Comeback from what? Anyone collect "dinky toys?" I kept all mine, dating back to the mid-60s. Unfortunately, when I was really young my friends beat up on some of them. I have hotwheels and small toy cars from the early 70's that are still mint.

Does anyone know if Chrysler sold a lot fewer minivans in Canada after they dropped the Plymouth line entirely? They had the same problem in Canada: they had the #1 selling vehicle in their minivan line, but because the Caravan and Voyager were "different" names they had to report the sales differently. ONce they dropped the Voyager, they had the #1 selling vehicle. But did their overall sales drop immediately? I personally think that brand confusion just pisses customers off. When someone comes in here looking for a new Vibe, they often get frustrated that they have to drive up the street to a Pontiac dealer. How many just move along to a Toyota instead? Don't laugh: in certain markets Chevrolet is the underdog.

In this market, the Avalon is way too much money and their "base" car is not base at all. No, the Camry is shopped against the Impala here. I have to say I haven't really come up against the 500 yet. I've seen a few around but it appears that in the GTA the 500 isn't doing very well. The "imports" are very strong here. The IMpala is getting a lot of interest. The Toronto Star review a month ago really helped. I think the car will take off once more people see it around.

BROCHURES? You guys got BROCHURES? WOW. Misprints or not, at least you got some! We're still waiting for ours. Maybe they have a bunch of Chinese workers making 5 cents an hour using white out on the rest of the brochures. Maybe that's why we are still waiting.

If you want to see PC run amock, read anything printed in the gay press. We get it up to our whazoos (okay, that wasn't meant to be lewd). For example, although most people would agree it isn't acceptable to not hire someone because of their sex, race, color, etc. , what about personal ads? There was a stink recently in one of our local gay rags that people were being "offensive" in their personal ads by saying things like "prefer white male" or "no fats or fems." When I read the controversy I was horrified. What, it is now racist because you won't sleep with someone of a certain race? Everyone has their preferences, I am sure. What would be the point in emailing/phoning or whatever 15 candidates if half of them turned out to be Asian and you just weren't into that? Sure, there is a tactful/polite way of letting someone down, but PC is taking over governments, councils, etc. Sometimes it is laughable; other times, almost horrific. (BTW, all of this is just observation: I am happily married to the same guy for 3 1/2 years. None of this involves me directly - at least not now.)

Well, speaking as a Canadian, I remember reading an article (wish I could remember where, probably at StatsCan report in the Toronto Star) that said anybody who retired before that period (which would've been about 10 years ago, I think) would collect $1.30 for every dollar they put into Canada Pension. The next level was for people retiring in the next few years (from then) who would break even. After that, I believe the period was about 2012 or something like that, anybody retiring would only collect .83 for every dollar they put in. Many people who are on retirement for the past decade or so did not pay into the various pensions what the workforce are expected to put in today. And many pensions got wiped out by the dot com bust a few years ago, something which nobody saw coming. (Although any idiot that bought Nortel stock when it shot through the sky should have been shot!) Again, the Big Three agreed to these huge pensions when their market share was stable and when the three of them were competing against each other. Now they are dealing with 5 Japanese competitors - all 5 of whom are completely insulated from interference on their own home turf, I might add.

Bill Gates is laughing all the way to the bank. Everyone brags that computers have come such a long way. Really? I got my first computer in 1987. It was an IBM PS2. It cost me $7,000 for 1 20 meg hard drive and less than a meg of RAM. PCs were "plug and pray" in 1987 and they are still today. This computer cost me $2,000 3 years ago. I just spent $800 on upgrades and nothing EVER works the way it is supposed to. There are days when I just wished I had an old IBM Selectric typewriter! If GM built cars the way Intel, MS, HP, etc. build computers - well, I am sure you get the idea. A tune up would cost a quarter of the price of the car because you'd have to replace the engine!!! As far as I am concerned, they should send them ALL to China!

I don't know if GM would have the guts to do this. It is brilliant, though. We all know that it is the public's PERCEPTION of GM's vehicles (and the media being a blow box for Toyota) that is the real hurdle. I use this all the time. We own a Toyota store and I have walked many customers over and cross-driven the Corolla. The Cobalt rides better, handles better and has a lot better features than the Corolla. Any UNBIASED consumer would come to that conclusion. I've even used it on the Mazda 3, although less successfully. Putting the F-150 in the show room next to a Silverado would be another coup; however, most salespeople don't have the technical skill to pull it off. I am all for guerilla marketing. I used it very successfully in my previous life when I ran my own business. I wiped out 7 competitors in a few years by being consistent, fair and getting the message out. Price never sold anything. It only helps move dated prodcuct.

But if they won't work, who cares? I just don't get it: if I lose a customer to Honda or Toyota - oh, well, at least I tried. But when someone buys a Hyundai I just don't get it. They have consistently been at the bottom of everybody's quality rankings for TWENTY years. Why are they even still in business? I would rather buy a 5 year old Honda, then a new Hyundai. Same quality anyway.

Thank God Hyundai has made all those airbags standard now. I feel much safer, especially if the airbags don't realize I am there. Occupant classification? Is that, like: 1) Moron you are stuck in a 60 month lease and will get nailed $1,200 to "recondition" the vehicle. 2) Idiot you fell for the line "0 down/$179 a month, didn't you? 3) Stupid Yes, you did pay $16,000 for a car that will be worth $3,000 when you finally own it. 4) Loser 5 year, bumper to bumper warranty? We had to, of course. Disclaimer: My apologies to any morons, idiots, losers, stupid people or losers who take offense at being associated with a Hyundai product.

I agree the little guy needs protecting - to a point. But when it becomes a case of the tail wagging the dog - no. Government unions are a menace because in many cases there is no competition for their services and the belief is there that government are a deep trough of money. If you really get into the theory of it, the workers controlling the company is pure Communism. Capitalism dictates that labor is just another commodity and should be liquid, transferrable and expendable. Obviously, somewhere in the middle lies the perfect society. And we ain't there yet!

As was discussed on another thread here, nobody's job is safe anymore. Everyone should be constantly upgrading to make themselves the best they can be and keep your contacts and feelers open at all times. A friend of mine worked for Equifax for 22 years, then suddenly the entire company outsourced itself to IBM 22 years! He got a nice package and shown the door. At his age (late 40s) good luck! Now Equifax is a shell company but they cut their expenses; boy, did they ever. However, at least the jobs stayed in North America!

If you can't laugh at yourself then you must be a very unhappy person. I am sick of celebrating diversity! Let's celebrate what makes us the same! Political correctness comes from the same cancer that is spreading the Victim Society or Blame Someone Else Because I AM a Loser brand of thinking. And don't get me started on stereotypes! All stereotypes have a kernel of truth at their center. They may end up being distorted or exaggerated by time, but there is some truth. Besides: I am gay and I know more gay jokes than most people. My ex from a long time ago was black (well, he is still actually black, but he was my boyfriend - ah, nevery mind!) and he used to call his mother the N-word. (Probably still does!) Politcially correct my ass!

Although the airline industry got whacked with 9/11, a general downturn in international air travel, increased security costs and now soaring fuel prices, we are seeing in interesting mix of events occurring that are resulting in these bankruptcies - not the least of which is corporate greed. Deregulation of the skies may seem great to the consumer, but what we are seeing is that the unions can give and give, but there are no guarantees. Perhaps (and I am only throwing this out there) bankruptcy laws are too lenient. A lot of bad management decisions can be overcome by bankruptcy - and do any of the members of the Board lose their homes? I read with some astonishment today that Sears has sold off its credit card business and may pay out $2billion in a dividend. I thought: isn't Wal-mart pretty much kicking their ass? Wouldn't the $2billion be better spent on other things? And isn't most of their profit coming from the credit end of the business? Where will Sears be in few years? Wall Street is allowed way too much latitude. The Board only looks at the next few quarters, never beyond that. Shareholders are too demanding. They want results now. Ironically, many of the union pension funds are those demanding shareholders. Slight conflict of interest, eh?