Drew Dowdell

1) We paid $180b to own 80% of a company with a market cap of $3.3b and that has outstanding liabilities of $807b. For comparison, with $180b, the Feds could have purchased the entire liabilities side of GM's balance sheet and had about $3b in change. 2 a.) AIG has a poor chance at making money again. Their name is permanently tarnished. They've had to take down their sign on their NYC headquarters. They have about as much chance of making money again as Enron does. BTW, I also use the term "making money" very loosely. AIG never "made" money....... they "made up" money sure... but most of the money "made" by them was imaginary. 2 b.) If by a "long time" you mean two years... then sure. GM had a quarterly profit of $891 million dollars in 2Q 2007. Net income, excluding one-time items, was $1.4 billion. 3 a.) Catastrophic to whom? DeutcheBank? Royal Bank of Scotland? Barclays UK? That's where the bailout money went. Of the 15 banks that AIG made payouts to, only 4 were US based. All of which already received TARP funds. 3 b.)General Motors, it's dealers, suppliers, and affiliates employ millions of people. The hit on employment in this country and others would be catastrophic. Not even Toyota wants to see GM liquidated because in the process it would take out suppliers that Toyota relies on. The quickest way to kill Ford and Chrysler would be through an uncontrolled G.M. bankruptcy. You don't think that would be catastrophic? 4.) If $180b were to be extended to GM as a long term, low interest loan. The government would get it's money back, with interest, Iaccoca style. We are getting a grand total of $0 back from AIG... because they weren't loans. So sure.... I'm all for "keeping it real"

uhmm.. I'll take your truck and your money.

Victory gardens are "in" this year....

Did I miss something? When did Toyota announce a Camry Solara Convertible Brougham?

I like the thought process in this thread. "Oh No! Evil corporations are going to control the masses for fun and profit!" Now if I were to suggest regulating and taxing those corporations in a way that manipulation of the masses is no longer profitable. "Why do you hate America and want to punish the successful!?!?!!!@11111!!?"

How's this for concern? Human population cannot grow indefinitely. There needs to be some sort of plan to limit population growth relatively soon. The earth simply cannot continue to support our current way of living at the rate our population is growing. You may only take 700 - 4000 sq feet of living space on this earth, but it take acres and acres and acres of land to support you.

So I take it, 68, you'll be out with your rototiller (V8 pushrod, rear tine no doubt) in a few weeks getting ready to grow your own? Let's keep the asshattery to these two threads you've started please. Any new ones will be deleted.

2010 Camaro First Test Roundup Motor Trend, Car & Driver, Jalopnik each test the new Chevy Camaro. Here are the links to all three in one tidy package. Motor Trend First Test: Camaro Car & Driver tests the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Jalopnik - 2010 Camaro First Drive Cheers and Gears Camaro Review hub

I bet I know someone who can.... but he's been a bit... uh... mute lately.

Get what you like. Get another GTO, get another T/A.... get me an '85 Toronado.

Considering that guy still has a job to do over at the W-body, G-body, and Lordstown production lines..... he has some catch up work to do first before turning his attention to the superior product.

certainly wasn't big enough to impress me.....

If you need to destroy a classic, that's what CGI is for.

Either there was something wrong with the Ecotec they were driving or they are yet another moron that expects electric car smoothness out of everything they drive.

I vote for car A.... but then again I have information not offered in this thread.

Waaaaay too early. If it goes on sale in April 2014 it should be at the January 2014 NAIAS. "Here's the hot new Cadillac ATS....", "oooh ahhh", "And it'll be available in showrooms in just 3 months."

Well, if it's due for production in 2014, we should have seen the concept at this year's NAIAS.

Now that's a BMW that I could get into..... Does it have thirty twelve speaker surround sound?

Are there still plans to sell this in the EU?

I think a very very base LS with the steel wheels and rally stripes would be a blast to have.

GM could make a fully working model of Christ and you'd still complain that the water to wine function only dispenses merlot.

In terms of capability they are all fairly close. In terms of style, the Accord(sedan) and Camry need to go back to the drawing board. The Malibu is doing it's share to help bring GM back. It is selling, retail, at a much higher pace than the previous model. The Accord has gotten too large. It needs to be downsized a bit and Honda add a car above the Accord to go up against Avalon, Maxima, Taurus, and a future Impala.

What's wrong with another CTS?