SAD NEWS FOR MOPAR WORKERS & ADMIRERS
Noted by Torrey H. Brinkley
Mead, Colorado
The automotive industry woes here in the Winter of 2008 have included some sad news that Chrysler Corporation has lost some of its financial support from Cerberus, the hedge fund giant. Mercedes Benz had severed ties less than 12 months ago with MOPAR. Without help from the US government, will Chrysler be able to stay afloat? As well, if private customers cannot get loans from banks and finance arms, how will dealers sell any of these $20,000 to $60,000 vehicles? Perhaps this is why Chrysler has decided to shutter all 30 of its manufacturing plants for 30 days.
This observer has seen many remarkable changes in design and marketing philosophy in the last 60 years for Chrysler Corporation. While some have always felt that MOPAR had some of the best engineering ideas in the American marketplace, their design department has seemed to be more like a bar of soap in the bathtub: interesting and clever, but hard to truly get ahold of.
Think back over the last 6 decades:
----1947-52 featured Chrysler and DeSoto vehicles with elegant and classic lines. Their grilles and bumpers had no peers in that post-war period. Even more lowly Dodge and Plymouth mirrored this fine-edged look. Interiors also showed nice design and high quality materials.
----1953-56 saw the company with evolutionary styling that was a bit more bolder, yet not winning over the masses. Perhaps the best design was the 1955 Chrysler (with 300 coupe being the best), which marketers labeled "the Million Dollar Look". Plymouth cars were #3 in sales right behind Ford and Chevy in the USA.
----1957-61 With the era of big & tall fins, Chrysler almost took the lead in rocket ship imaging. Nothing was as tall and bold as the 1957 Plymouth, Chrysler or DeSoto fins. But nothing got quite as ugly as the morphing of the 1959 & '61 Plymouth and '61 DeSoto (which was killed after that year). MOPAR gained some fans but lost many others during this period. Keep in mind that VW and other imports were entering our market during this time frame (with tiny & economical cars). The new Plymouth Valiant and Dodge Lancer had an odd European styling that was striking, but hard for many Americans to accept.
----1962-68 This was a period that was called the "Muscle Car Era". Plymouth and Dodge had Hemi engines in many of their high-powered cars, that were designed not to offend, but not exactly to inspire either. The best design from MOPAR during this period was clearly the 1967-68 Dodge Charger. Recent sales of vintage MOPAR muscle cars from this era show that many things were done right. Huge Imperial models were not appreciated then, nor are they much seen as collector cars today.
----1969-81 Several factors served to change the auto industry during the next 12 years: higher gas prices, government safety regulations, increasing competition from foreign automakers, and mounting inflation. Chrysler designers kept a "me-too philosphy" for most of their vehicles, thus not distinguishing themselves from other domestic competition. While MOPAR vehicles grew to the size of small barges, engines were choked down, and too many Chrysler interiors were described as much like a "Las Vegas bordello." Perhaps the best designed car was the 1975 Chrysler Cordoba coupe, having a twin Dodge Charger model. But restrictive anti-pollution controls and poor fuel economy gave the marketers a rough time. The Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare seemed to be a good design, but reliability issues made for tough re-sales.
----1982-93 A government bailout and shrewd leadership from Lee Iococca brought Chrysler from the verge of bankruptcy to re-define itself in the marketplace. All engines were now small 4-cylinders, and size/weights of new Dodges, Chryslers and Plymouths were trimmed way down. Initially the public liked a new cheaper way to drive, but lack of pep and reliability made for a tough sell, when other manufacturers stressed higher quality, bigger designs and more power. Best design for MOPAR was the invention of the minivan, which introduced a whole new segment in America, that gave Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth segment sales superiority for a good 20 years. The Diamond Star car project with Mitsubishi also gave nice Eagle Talon & Plymouth Laser sporty cars for MOPAR showrooms for 1/2 dozen years.
----1994-2004 This was a period when MOPAR designers swung the pendulum back the other way. They decided to make a cab-forward design, with bigger and expansive vehicles. They started a new division called the Eagle, partnering with Mitsubishi to get engines and platforms. These were among the most stylish cars, but marketers had trouble selling cars that were less than reliable, especially in the transmission department. Plymouth did not receive any of the new larger designs, but got stuck with the Neon, a tiny car with plastic engine parts....and soon left the MOPAR scene. Perhaps the biggest design success was the new Dodge Ram pickup truck in 1994, resurrecting what had been a dying truck brand.
----2005-2009 Gradually foreign brands have sucked the life out of most US car makers, in almost all segments, and MOPAR sales had become anemic. Best design change was shrinking the big Chryslers and Dodges down, and the Chrysler 300 series was a big sales success, and the re-introduced Hemi V-8 engines helped sales and excitement (for Dodge briefly, too). But $4 a gallon gasoline choked off that new-found virility among male drivers. MOPAR designers and marketers sadly have no small economical 4-door 4-cylinder (or hybrid) sedan to offer the public. How did they and partners at Daimler not see this need coming? While it seemed like many people liked to buy SUVs, it was not wise for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep showrooms to load up with 11 SUVs and crossovers, without any economical microcar offering.
Can Chrysler executives right this ship in the next 120 days? Stay tuned, but don't bet the mortgage on MOPAR stock.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Bailing Out the Automakers?
Help For the American Automobile Companies
offered by Torrey H. Brinkley
Many and varied are the recent opinions about the condition of the Big 3 American Auto Companies, and what should be done with their financial woes.
Few voices are demanding that GM, Ford and Chrysler be saved from any possible collapse, even if thousands of jobs are lost, and home foreclosures soar any higher in Michigan and Ohio.
---The U.S. Congress, with billions of dollars at their disposal to dole out to financial institutions in dire straights, seem to balk at loaning/giving money to auto manufacturers who actually produce something tangible, that all Americans use and depend upon daily.
---Union leaders scream that up to 3 million jobs nationwide could be lost if production, distribution and sales of U.S. cars & trucks cease, yet union bosses themselves produce nothing, just control things like negotiations & benefits.
---Young workers & students in America have had nothing to do with U.S. cars all along, preferring skateboards, bikes, planes, motorcycles, snowboards and Toyotas/Hondas, and VWs (et al).
---Affluent engineers and urban yuppies also fret not about Chevy, Ford and Dodge products, preferring their jet skis, light aircraft, ski-doos, plus Audis, Porsches, Lexus, BMWs, Mercedes or Italian sports cars.
---America's poor and under-employed certainly can't fathom the job bank centers where idle GM employees go sit, do nothing and collect thousands each month while robots assemble $25,000 Malibus and $60,000 Escalades. If minimum wage folk can barely afford $700 a month apartment rent, they certainly can't comprehend $650 a month car payments (plus $100 a month insurance, $120 a month fuel costs, + tires, repairs and 30% a year depreciation on a newer car).
---U.S. lending institutions have washed their hands of the auto industry and their woes. One by one, banks across America have dropped out of the auto loan business......especially ones who had previously been heavily drubbed by the risky sub-prime housing loans. GMAC, Ford Credit and Chrysler Financial finally realized they couldn't put everybody on wheels.....especially when dealerships were rolling over customers who were $10 to $15,000 upside down in their previous car loans.
Some critics have blamed the Big 3 for bad products, not very economical or often reliable. Others have called for GM or Ford to bring over their European counterpart vehicles (which do have fine engineering and design advantages over most US economy cars). Yet, all such previous imports have flopped in the U.S. market. Besides, the United Auto Workers want to roadblock importing vehciles not made with their "union gloves." The image problem, not so much product design, has been killing the Big 3 recently. Consumer Reports magazine has noted that VW, Mercedes, Suzuki, Kia and Land Rover as much more trouble-prone than typical US products.
U.S. auto manufacturers have done so many things right for over 100 years, and they probably won't fail unless the entire U.S. economy collapses, or the world economy falters. Imagine this:
1) They have provided clean, safe, relaible, comfortable, speedy, personalized transport for rich and poor alike (the poorest driver in a $200 "beater" car shares the same roadway as the driver of a $350,000 Rolls or Bentley, and can arrive at similar destinations in the same time frame.
2) Thanks to American ingenuity, there are private automobiles for families; pickup trucks for tens of thousands of manual labor jobs & industries; sport utilities for scores of athletes & adventure seekers; and thousands of roomy, reliable, minivans to airporter vans for soccer teams & traveling musical choirs; plus fleets full of small, medium & large size trucks to haul food & goods nationwide across roads & interstate highways that connect the entire country!! Ever since the 1960s, many Americans likewise find their identity in the type and nameplate of vehicle they utilize.
3) Few jobs in the USA are not tied into our freely mobile society, compared to the horse-drawn buggy days, or compared to the more isolated localized societies that exist elsewhere. Much employment exists in auto assembly; parts & design manufacturing; service & sales shorooms; our highway departments; contractors building/maintaining garages, driveways, parking lots; our subdivision designers & builders; gas stations & car washes; rental & leasing companies (almost exclusively tied into the Big 3 Auto Companies); auto lending institutions; tire shops & lube centers; automotive computer & navigation systems; marketing, advertising agencies (TV, radio, newspaper, magazines & internet); and all the myriad of customizers of body & engine parts.
If Congress does not choose to bail out the Big 3, what should be done?
a) WAIT. Be patient. Let the US and world economic woes settle down before making rash decisions If the Ford F-150 pickup truck has been the top-selling vehicle in the USA by far for the last 30 years, then why scrap what Americans have been purchasing for something less useful? Remember that gasoline cost $4+ per gallon in early summer, and now we see it priced at $1.60 a gallon in late November.
b) MOVE vehicles the best ways possible. Sell them thru leases, loans or cash deals. We should perhaps consider encouraging businesses and government agencies to purchase autos for use by managers & execs, since they have easier access to cash. The Europeans have been doing this for decades.
c) SAVE money. Ask all Big 3 employees to accept pay cuts (deferred towards better times) from top executives down to union floor workers. Get that $73 per hour cost for a GM vehicle produced down to the $46 it costs Toyota (maybe the UAW would consider doing a little something to help out). Can GM somehow get rid of that $60 billion long-term indebtedness for the health benefits for its current and future retirees?
offered by Torrey H. Brinkley
Many and varied are the recent opinions about the condition of the Big 3 American Auto Companies, and what should be done with their financial woes.
Few voices are demanding that GM, Ford and Chrysler be saved from any possible collapse, even if thousands of jobs are lost, and home foreclosures soar any higher in Michigan and Ohio.
---The U.S. Congress, with billions of dollars at their disposal to dole out to financial institutions in dire straights, seem to balk at loaning/giving money to auto manufacturers who actually produce something tangible, that all Americans use and depend upon daily.
---Union leaders scream that up to 3 million jobs nationwide could be lost if production, distribution and sales of U.S. cars & trucks cease, yet union bosses themselves produce nothing, just control things like negotiations & benefits.
---Young workers & students in America have had nothing to do with U.S. cars all along, preferring skateboards, bikes, planes, motorcycles, snowboards and Toyotas/Hondas, and VWs (et al).
---Affluent engineers and urban yuppies also fret not about Chevy, Ford and Dodge products, preferring their jet skis, light aircraft, ski-doos, plus Audis, Porsches, Lexus, BMWs, Mercedes or Italian sports cars.
---America's poor and under-employed certainly can't fathom the job bank centers where idle GM employees go sit, do nothing and collect thousands each month while robots assemble $25,000 Malibus and $60,000 Escalades. If minimum wage folk can barely afford $700 a month apartment rent, they certainly can't comprehend $650 a month car payments (plus $100 a month insurance, $120 a month fuel costs, + tires, repairs and 30% a year depreciation on a newer car).
---U.S. lending institutions have washed their hands of the auto industry and their woes. One by one, banks across America have dropped out of the auto loan business......especially ones who had previously been heavily drubbed by the risky sub-prime housing loans. GMAC, Ford Credit and Chrysler Financial finally realized they couldn't put everybody on wheels.....especially when dealerships were rolling over customers who were $10 to $15,000 upside down in their previous car loans.
Some critics have blamed the Big 3 for bad products, not very economical or often reliable. Others have called for GM or Ford to bring over their European counterpart vehicles (which do have fine engineering and design advantages over most US economy cars). Yet, all such previous imports have flopped in the U.S. market. Besides, the United Auto Workers want to roadblock importing vehciles not made with their "union gloves." The image problem, not so much product design, has been killing the Big 3 recently. Consumer Reports magazine has noted that VW, Mercedes, Suzuki, Kia and Land Rover as much more trouble-prone than typical US products.
U.S. auto manufacturers have done so many things right for over 100 years, and they probably won't fail unless the entire U.S. economy collapses, or the world economy falters. Imagine this:
1) They have provided clean, safe, relaible, comfortable, speedy, personalized transport for rich and poor alike (the poorest driver in a $200 "beater" car shares the same roadway as the driver of a $350,000 Rolls or Bentley, and can arrive at similar destinations in the same time frame.
2) Thanks to American ingenuity, there are private automobiles for families; pickup trucks for tens of thousands of manual labor jobs & industries; sport utilities for scores of athletes & adventure seekers; and thousands of roomy, reliable, minivans to airporter vans for soccer teams & traveling musical choirs; plus fleets full of small, medium & large size trucks to haul food & goods nationwide across roads & interstate highways that connect the entire country!! Ever since the 1960s, many Americans likewise find their identity in the type and nameplate of vehicle they utilize.
3) Few jobs in the USA are not tied into our freely mobile society, compared to the horse-drawn buggy days, or compared to the more isolated localized societies that exist elsewhere. Much employment exists in auto assembly; parts & design manufacturing; service & sales shorooms; our highway departments; contractors building/maintaining garages, driveways, parking lots; our subdivision designers & builders; gas stations & car washes; rental & leasing companies (almost exclusively tied into the Big 3 Auto Companies); auto lending institutions; tire shops & lube centers; automotive computer & navigation systems; marketing, advertising agencies (TV, radio, newspaper, magazines & internet); and all the myriad of customizers of body & engine parts.
If Congress does not choose to bail out the Big 3, what should be done?
a) WAIT. Be patient. Let the US and world economic woes settle down before making rash decisions If the Ford F-150 pickup truck has been the top-selling vehicle in the USA by far for the last 30 years, then why scrap what Americans have been purchasing for something less useful? Remember that gasoline cost $4+ per gallon in early summer, and now we see it priced at $1.60 a gallon in late November.
b) MOVE vehicles the best ways possible. Sell them thru leases, loans or cash deals. We should perhaps consider encouraging businesses and government agencies to purchase autos for use by managers & execs, since they have easier access to cash. The Europeans have been doing this for decades.
c) SAVE money. Ask all Big 3 employees to accept pay cuts (deferred towards better times) from top executives down to union floor workers. Get that $73 per hour cost for a GM vehicle produced down to the $46 it costs Toyota (maybe the UAW would consider doing a little something to help out). Can GM somehow get rid of that $60 billion long-term indebtedness for the health benefits for its current and future retirees?
Monday, November 3, 2008
Spreading the Wealth Is Easy
How Obama Can Redistribute the Wealth
Once again, it has been uncovered how one presidential candidate plans to convert the USA into a far better place, by re-distributing the wealth of so many rich Americans, into the hands of much poorer, less fortunate individuals. And many of Barak Obama's wealthy, influential supporters are the very ones who have stepped up to the plate, to offer to be the first to give up of their good fortune, to help those in need.
Hollywood Movie Stars:
There are so many of these fine folk who make $10 million per movie and they just don't need all that money. So, they are the first to give generously. Their money will go to support the kids who sell popcorn @ the movie theaters, hairdressers, and cosmetics salespersons at the mall shopping centers. Each actor/actress can support 1000 such young workers. Costner, Cruise, and Spielberg could round up dozens more just like them if Barak calls.
NBA Basketball Players:
These talented young men earn from $1 to $20 million a year, but really don't need all that cash after they get dressed up in their fine gear and shiny bling. The poorest paid NBA star could help support 200 inner city teens with $5000 each. There are about 350 such wealthy NBA players, delighted to spread around their wealth. Blacks helping blacks is a great idea.
TV News Anchors:
They probably don't want you to know that they aren't doing their work for free, but Katie Couric, Matt Lauer and Charles Gibson get paid no less than $15 to $30 million a year for "reading the news" to you, with their liberal top spin on everything. So, we know they'd be willing to part with some of that to support Obama's causes. They could each support 2000 newspaper carriers, gas station attendants and single parents with $10K apiece.
University Professors in our fine liberal institutions, with tenure, receive $100,000 a year + book commissions for teaching 6 hours a week. We're so lucky to have them scattered across our country, relaxing in their pompous "left-wing-for-life" ivory tower positions. (A conservative-thinking friend with a doctorate from Oxford University found that there were 7000 other applicants w/ Ph.Ds for just one opening of a Philosophy professorship. ) If there are 100,000 such profs, certainly many would be willing to contribute something to the day-care workers, kindergarden teachers and school cafeteria workers who get minimum wages, right?
Financial Gurus: like George Soros and Warren Buffet, who both support Obama, must be willing to share some of their billions to help the poor, who just live on Social Security benefits. Each one could double the S.S. income of some 5000 Americans. Oprah, Kobe, Labron and Bill Gates all could do more, if the next President would call.
Isn't this a great country? The nice thing is that none of these donations have to touch the "principal" wealth owned by these model citizens, just one year's wages!!
After these above folk do their part, modeling this generous spirit, then soon all the top insurance company execs, real estate developers, hedge fund managers, doctors and hospital administrators, Washington politicians (the Senate has long been known as the Millionaire's Club), MLB baseball players, NFL footballers, NHL hockey stars, television actors, magazine editors, successful lawyers, for-life judges, and pop music singers will willingly come forth to do the same sharing for those they obviously see in need.
Should the checks be mailed directly to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?
How popular is this "share the wealth philosophy" with those who've participated in such a system? Back in 1969 we were studying overseas with a doctor from England. At that time he wished he could move to the USA, because the prohibitve (socialist) tax rate in the UK was 90% for his income level. Upon moving to Spain in 1978 we befriended an aging, & then depressed, actress, famous throughout all of South America for decades, who had fled Cuba after Fidel had taken her home and possessions.
By the way, have you asked yourself what Barak Obama could have done to help the nation's poor with those $610 million he has spent just trying to get elected president? Certainly all those TV stations running his ads are thrilled to get his millions these last 9 months. This year, more than ever, receiving ten political 4-color flyers in the mail per day causes this observer great pain to know that all those trees have been felled to print a bunch of lies and attacks by one candidate/proposal against another.
While the motivation to share wealth with those less fortunate, in order to build a more equitable society might seem noble, one has to learn from history the pitfalls.
Even the early Church community, fresh from observing Christ's resurrection from the dead & ascension into Heaven, voluntarily gave of its bounty to the Disciples early in Acts, so that no one would be in need. But some few, like Ananias & Sapphira, lied to the Apostles and the Lord, and held something back----and were struck dead by the Holy Spirit. They wanted to appear generous & giving, but instead deceived the church community regarding their true intentions.
We are so foruntate that all politicians today operate with pure motives, desiring only to help others less fortunate than themselves!
---The Brinkleman (not political) Observer
Once again, it has been uncovered how one presidential candidate plans to convert the USA into a far better place, by re-distributing the wealth of so many rich Americans, into the hands of much poorer, less fortunate individuals. And many of Barak Obama's wealthy, influential supporters are the very ones who have stepped up to the plate, to offer to be the first to give up of their good fortune, to help those in need.
Hollywood Movie Stars:
There are so many of these fine folk who make $10 million per movie and they just don't need all that money. So, they are the first to give generously. Their money will go to support the kids who sell popcorn @ the movie theaters, hairdressers, and cosmetics salespersons at the mall shopping centers. Each actor/actress can support 1000 such young workers. Costner, Cruise, and Spielberg could round up dozens more just like them if Barak calls.
NBA Basketball Players:
These talented young men earn from $1 to $20 million a year, but really don't need all that cash after they get dressed up in their fine gear and shiny bling. The poorest paid NBA star could help support 200 inner city teens with $5000 each. There are about 350 such wealthy NBA players, delighted to spread around their wealth. Blacks helping blacks is a great idea.
TV News Anchors:
They probably don't want you to know that they aren't doing their work for free, but Katie Couric, Matt Lauer and Charles Gibson get paid no less than $15 to $30 million a year for "reading the news" to you, with their liberal top spin on everything. So, we know they'd be willing to part with some of that to support Obama's causes. They could each support 2000 newspaper carriers, gas station attendants and single parents with $10K apiece.
University Professors in our fine liberal institutions, with tenure, receive $100,000 a year + book commissions for teaching 6 hours a week. We're so lucky to have them scattered across our country, relaxing in their pompous "left-wing-for-life" ivory tower positions. (A conservative-thinking friend with a doctorate from Oxford University found that there were 7000 other applicants w/ Ph.Ds for just one opening of a Philosophy professorship. ) If there are 100,000 such profs, certainly many would be willing to contribute something to the day-care workers, kindergarden teachers and school cafeteria workers who get minimum wages, right?
Financial Gurus: like George Soros and Warren Buffet, who both support Obama, must be willing to share some of their billions to help the poor, who just live on Social Security benefits. Each one could double the S.S. income of some 5000 Americans. Oprah, Kobe, Labron and Bill Gates all could do more, if the next President would call.
Isn't this a great country? The nice thing is that none of these donations have to touch the "principal" wealth owned by these model citizens, just one year's wages!!
After these above folk do their part, modeling this generous spirit, then soon all the top insurance company execs, real estate developers, hedge fund managers, doctors and hospital administrators, Washington politicians (the Senate has long been known as the Millionaire's Club), MLB baseball players, NFL footballers, NHL hockey stars, television actors, magazine editors, successful lawyers, for-life judges, and pop music singers will willingly come forth to do the same sharing for those they obviously see in need.
Should the checks be mailed directly to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?
How popular is this "share the wealth philosophy" with those who've participated in such a system? Back in 1969 we were studying overseas with a doctor from England. At that time he wished he could move to the USA, because the prohibitve (socialist) tax rate in the UK was 90% for his income level. Upon moving to Spain in 1978 we befriended an aging, & then depressed, actress, famous throughout all of South America for decades, who had fled Cuba after Fidel had taken her home and possessions.
By the way, have you asked yourself what Barak Obama could have done to help the nation's poor with those $610 million he has spent just trying to get elected president? Certainly all those TV stations running his ads are thrilled to get his millions these last 9 months. This year, more than ever, receiving ten political 4-color flyers in the mail per day causes this observer great pain to know that all those trees have been felled to print a bunch of lies and attacks by one candidate/proposal against another.
While the motivation to share wealth with those less fortunate, in order to build a more equitable society might seem noble, one has to learn from history the pitfalls.
Even the early Church community, fresh from observing Christ's resurrection from the dead & ascension into Heaven, voluntarily gave of its bounty to the Disciples early in Acts, so that no one would be in need. But some few, like Ananias & Sapphira, lied to the Apostles and the Lord, and held something back----and were struck dead by the Holy Spirit. They wanted to appear generous & giving, but instead deceived the church community regarding their true intentions.
We are so foruntate that all politicians today operate with pure motives, desiring only to help others less fortunate than themselves!
---The Brinkleman (not political) Observer
Friday, September 19, 2008
Jesus: No Community Organizer
Jesus Was Not a Community Organizer
by Torrey H. Brinkley
Some liberal politicians have recently tried to identify Jesus of Nazareth as a "community organizer." Even certain political candidates of today, who claim to have been "community organizers" cannot properly identify the term, and explain what they did, or attempted to do.
But, to be certain, Jesus of Nazareth, born some 2000 years ago, was not one who came into this world to organize any communities. There have been many attempts down thru the years to pigeon-hole Jesus into being something that he was not.
Even during his own lifetime, folk had trouble identifying what Jesus' life purpose and mission might have been:
--We see that Magi (or wise men from the East) thought that Jesus was born "King of the Jews" (Matthew 2: 2). Matthew puts Jesus' geneology right in line as being the "son of David" (Matthew 1:1), and notes that the Roman soldiers at his death put a sign above Jesus' head at the cross saying "This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews" (Matthew 27:37).
-- Many scholars in the last century noted that Jesus was a good moral teacher, but nothing more. Early on, the writers of the Gospels observed that Jesus was far more than that. God spoke from Heaven, saying "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17). Even the Devil, as he was tempting Jesus in the wilderness, called him "the Son of God" (Matthew 3:3, 6).
--Enemies of Jesus thought he was there to stir up the people, and cause them to rebel against authority. But the Scriptural biographies of his life show that he preached and taught with and about godly "authority", and backed it up by healing their diseases and sicknesses, even curing the demon-possesed, the paralyzed and the lame (Matthew 4: 23-24).
--Some folk think that Jesus just wanted to establish an idyllic religious community, solely contemplating about heaven. Yet, clearly, Jesus spent much time calling "tax collectors and sinners" to be forgiven and transformed (Mark 2:14-17).
--In Jesus' day his enemies did not understand what he was doing, nor did they recognize His power and authority (from God). They accused him of being out of his mind or possessed by Beelzebub (the prince of demons)....see Mark 3:21-22.
--Jesus did not come to organize a small community of people who were needy, so as to make them feel good about themselves. He came to plant seeds of a kingdom of God, that would extend to the furthest corners of the world (Mark 4: 30-31).
--Christ knew that His mission was not to bring "peace" into the world, or to solve community issues. His message and claims were so radical that families were divided. "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents & have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me." (Matt.10:21-22.)
--Jesus Christ was far from being a politician who wanted all people to love and admire and follow him or vote for him. As a matter of fact, He did so many things that caused others to hate and dispise him (Luke 6:22):
+++he warned the rich that they were in trouble (Luke 6: 24)
+++those who foretold the future with lies & deceit were condemned (Luke 6:26)
+++Jesus demanded a kingdom where his followers were to love their enemies, and pray for those who persecuted them (Luke 6: 27-28).
+++Christ actually told his followers to lend & give away possessions (even to total strangers) without expecting anything back in return (Luke 30:36).
+++Unlike politicians who constantly criticise those who diagree with them, Jesus warned everyone not to be a hypocrite, but to beware of the log in our own eye (Luke 6:41-42).
Perhaps no one understood Jesus of Nazareth better than his closest disciple, John, who wrote, in his extensive treatise on Christ's life, that Jesus was not a mere mortal who was born and died, frustrated in not accomplishing his life's goals. Rather John portrays Jesus as:
**He was the WORD of God (come in the flesh) ...John 1:1
**Jesus was the LIGHT of the World (which had lived in darkness).....John 1:9 & 3:19-21
**Christ was, in fact, the sacrificial LAMB of God, who died to take away the sins of all mankind (John 1:29 and 3:16-18).
**For those who are hungry, Jesus is the BREAD of life (that came down from Heaven as did the manna in the wilderness)....John 6:35 and 41, 48-51.
**For those who are thirsty in the community, Jesus says "I am the living WATER" ....John 7: 37-38.
**Many people feel lost and abandoned. Jesus said: "I am the good SHEPHERD" ...John 10:11, and he was willing to die for his sheep.
**When Jesus' good friend had died from an illness, Jesus did not organize an elaborate community memorial service; he brought Lazarus back to life. For he said "I am the RESURRECTION & THE LIFE." .....John 11:25-26.
**Jesus notes that there are a lot of trees in the forest, but His is the one with the right branches and bearing the good fruit. "I am the true VINE, and you are the branches. Remain in Me and I in you, and you will bear much fruit." ....John 15:5
**For people confused by all the rival ideologies and political systems and economic realities in this world, Jesus gave the definitive answer (that almost all public school educators, liberal theologians and politicians categorically reject today), "I am the WAY, THE TRUTH & THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except thru me." ....John 14: 6.
Pilate, the politician, claimed that he did not know the definition of truth (John 18:38). But Jesus claimed to testify of the truth, and that everyone on the side of truth would listen to him.(John 18:23 & 37).
Wise men today still seek him and pay attention to His instruction. The community around Jesus ( the religious leaders, the soldiers, the political establishment and rebellious sinners) all rejected Jesus at the end. They did not like His message, even though he healed their diseases, fed them when they were hungry, and shared about God's great love for them. Those who were humbled, convicted and repentant were grateful for such wonderful transforming news!
Thankfully, Jesus was the "resurrection and the life", and he came up from the tomb, giving life and hope to all who follow Him in grace and truth. (See Peter's observation in Acts 2: 31-33).
Will you cast your vote for King Jesus.......and put aside all pretenders?
---The author served as a church-planting missionary to Spain and in pastoral ministries in Colorado and Kansas.
by Torrey H. Brinkley
Some liberal politicians have recently tried to identify Jesus of Nazareth as a "community organizer." Even certain political candidates of today, who claim to have been "community organizers" cannot properly identify the term, and explain what they did, or attempted to do.
But, to be certain, Jesus of Nazareth, born some 2000 years ago, was not one who came into this world to organize any communities. There have been many attempts down thru the years to pigeon-hole Jesus into being something that he was not.
Even during his own lifetime, folk had trouble identifying what Jesus' life purpose and mission might have been:
--We see that Magi (or wise men from the East) thought that Jesus was born "King of the Jews" (Matthew 2: 2). Matthew puts Jesus' geneology right in line as being the "son of David" (Matthew 1:1), and notes that the Roman soldiers at his death put a sign above Jesus' head at the cross saying "This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews" (Matthew 27:37).
-- Many scholars in the last century noted that Jesus was a good moral teacher, but nothing more. Early on, the writers of the Gospels observed that Jesus was far more than that. God spoke from Heaven, saying "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17). Even the Devil, as he was tempting Jesus in the wilderness, called him "the Son of God" (Matthew 3:3, 6).
--Enemies of Jesus thought he was there to stir up the people, and cause them to rebel against authority. But the Scriptural biographies of his life show that he preached and taught with and about godly "authority", and backed it up by healing their diseases and sicknesses, even curing the demon-possesed, the paralyzed and the lame (Matthew 4: 23-24).
--Some folk think that Jesus just wanted to establish an idyllic religious community, solely contemplating about heaven. Yet, clearly, Jesus spent much time calling "tax collectors and sinners" to be forgiven and transformed (Mark 2:14-17).
--In Jesus' day his enemies did not understand what he was doing, nor did they recognize His power and authority (from God). They accused him of being out of his mind or possessed by Beelzebub (the prince of demons)....see Mark 3:21-22.
--Jesus did not come to organize a small community of people who were needy, so as to make them feel good about themselves. He came to plant seeds of a kingdom of God, that would extend to the furthest corners of the world (Mark 4: 30-31).
--Christ knew that His mission was not to bring "peace" into the world, or to solve community issues. His message and claims were so radical that families were divided. "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents & have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me." (Matt.10:21-22.)
--Jesus Christ was far from being a politician who wanted all people to love and admire and follow him or vote for him. As a matter of fact, He did so many things that caused others to hate and dispise him (Luke 6:22):
+++he warned the rich that they were in trouble (Luke 6: 24)
+++those who foretold the future with lies & deceit were condemned (Luke 6:26)
+++Jesus demanded a kingdom where his followers were to love their enemies, and pray for those who persecuted them (Luke 6: 27-28).
+++Christ actually told his followers to lend & give away possessions (even to total strangers) without expecting anything back in return (Luke 30:36).
+++Unlike politicians who constantly criticise those who diagree with them, Jesus warned everyone not to be a hypocrite, but to beware of the log in our own eye (Luke 6:41-42).
Perhaps no one understood Jesus of Nazareth better than his closest disciple, John, who wrote, in his extensive treatise on Christ's life, that Jesus was not a mere mortal who was born and died, frustrated in not accomplishing his life's goals. Rather John portrays Jesus as:
**He was the WORD of God (come in the flesh) ...John 1:1
**Jesus was the LIGHT of the World (which had lived in darkness).....John 1:9 & 3:19-21
**Christ was, in fact, the sacrificial LAMB of God, who died to take away the sins of all mankind (John 1:29 and 3:16-18).
**For those who are hungry, Jesus is the BREAD of life (that came down from Heaven as did the manna in the wilderness)....John 6:35 and 41, 48-51.
**For those who are thirsty in the community, Jesus says "I am the living WATER" ....John 7: 37-38.
**Many people feel lost and abandoned. Jesus said: "I am the good SHEPHERD" ...John 10:11, and he was willing to die for his sheep.
**When Jesus' good friend had died from an illness, Jesus did not organize an elaborate community memorial service; he brought Lazarus back to life. For he said "I am the RESURRECTION & THE LIFE." .....John 11:25-26.
**Jesus notes that there are a lot of trees in the forest, but His is the one with the right branches and bearing the good fruit. "I am the true VINE, and you are the branches. Remain in Me and I in you, and you will bear much fruit." ....John 15:5
**For people confused by all the rival ideologies and political systems and economic realities in this world, Jesus gave the definitive answer (that almost all public school educators, liberal theologians and politicians categorically reject today), "I am the WAY, THE TRUTH & THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except thru me." ....John 14: 6.
Pilate, the politician, claimed that he did not know the definition of truth (John 18:38). But Jesus claimed to testify of the truth, and that everyone on the side of truth would listen to him.(John 18:23 & 37).
Wise men today still seek him and pay attention to His instruction. The community around Jesus ( the religious leaders, the soldiers, the political establishment and rebellious sinners) all rejected Jesus at the end. They did not like His message, even though he healed their diseases, fed them when they were hungry, and shared about God's great love for them. Those who were humbled, convicted and repentant were grateful for such wonderful transforming news!
Thankfully, Jesus was the "resurrection and the life", and he came up from the tomb, giving life and hope to all who follow Him in grace and truth. (See Peter's observation in Acts 2: 31-33).
Will you cast your vote for King Jesus.......and put aside all pretenders?
---The author served as a church-planting missionary to Spain and in pastoral ministries in Colorado and Kansas.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Sports Fans Are Serious Spenders
DO WE LIVE FOR SPORTS?
observed by Torrey H. Brinkley
The Olympic Games have ended for 2008, and perhaps billions of people worldwide had the opportunity to observe some of the athletic prowess and skills of hundreds and thousands of athletes from countries across the globe. Athletic contests are not new, as even the global Olympic games were begun back in Athens before the time of Christ.
Yet today we could perhaps question whether sports activities have become too dominating in our western culture.There is a proliferation of sports leagues and teams:
--the NBA men's basketball has spawned a women's pro league, and the college NCAA men's basketball goes mad in March all across the USA. Girls college hoops are very entertaining, and high school basketball brings out fans every year in noisy gyms in America.
--the NFL season begins in 32 cities soon for football fans, just as college football gets started as well on thousands of small & large campuses, with aspiring players also practicing at high schools from coast to coast.
--Major League Baseball has one more month left in 30 ball parks in US & Canada, while College World Series and even Little League World Series garnered attention on national TV. Rarely do big city folk know of all the scores of Minor League Baseball teams scattered from east to west coasts, but we do see how skilled Girls Fast Pitch Softball leagues have become.
--The NHL has more Canadian players and fans than in the USA, but big money insures that many folk know who are the best players around. College hockey, youth teams and minor league hockey also has its following.
--Auto racing has fans who watch their sport live from February to November in NASCAR, Indy Car, CORR truck, NHRA drag racing, motorcycle and motocross racing, Monster Truck, ALMS and other SCCA sports car events.
--Fans of golf like seeing men and women play for 3 days every weekend on gorgeous courses worldwide.
--Other fans pay attention to tennis tourneys for both sexes, X-treme sports competition, plus other events such as Beach Volleyball, Track & Field events, and Frisbee Golf.
Today there is a huge FINANCIAL committment required to make sports events happen. Grass-covered fields and lavishly equipped stadiums, uniforms and equipment, travel and transportation to & from venues, advertising & sponsorships are all involved. Sporting goods stores, sports magazines, athletic apparel shops, sports trading cards and other sports memorabilia are just a few ways that folk pour money into sports interests.
One is amazed at all the MEDIA coverage given to these sporting events: first there was just newspaper & magazine coverage. Then radio broadcasts were made of games across the country from the 1920s to the present. Starting in the 1950s one could see a sports contest or two on television. Films were shown of real and then staged athletic contests. But today, we have video games of sports, Wii semi-participation, internet coverage, and i-Phone hookups of contests. Direct TV even boasts some 44 sports channels one can watch (for a price). Sadly, some TV sports channels think that watching people "play poker" is a sport, and they broadcast such nonsense for hours at a time.
In recent years, besides the many spectator sports listed above, there are more PARTICIPATORY sports where folk do more than watch someone else get the exercise. We can gain muscles, endurance and feel accomplishment thru:proliferating golf courses nationwide, swimming, ski resorts, volleyball, basketball, exercise gyms, tennis teams, hiking groups, climbing walls & mountains, hang-gliding, water-skiing, bicycling, and off-roading on wheeled vehicles (with or without motors).
TIME involvement is enormous for for athletes: exercising, training, practices, actual game experiences, with the attendant pre- and post-game analysis. In our Denver area, a rabid fan could watch 420 games a year (times 3 hours each) for our pro baseball team, pro football team, pro hockey franchise, NBA round ballers, plus the college basketball and football games in town.
Even sports MEDICINE helps keep athletes in top shape for the games they play: conditioning, massages, surgeries, braces, and prosthetics are available. Countless sports talk shows on TV and radio even spend hours talking about the injuries, ages and condition of players of the various sports.
A major question might be: Who has time & money to dedicate to following all these sporting events?
1) Do you pretend to follow 200 college football teams, who each play 12 games each "before" bowl games yearly?One of the bigger programs, Ohio State University, has a $110 million athletic budget itself.
2) Are you one of those fans of the 32 NFL football teams who play 20+ games and pay $75 a ticket to watch them get exercise down on a grassy field, while you munch down on over-priced unhealthy food snacks? Total attendance would be 22,400,000 to regular season games, who pay out $1.79 billion in seat prices alone!!
3) Each of the 30 MLB baseball teams plays 162 games + Spring Training + playoffs, meaning well over 2500 contests are waged yearly. A season ticket holder of just 2 average seats would spend $3250 + parking + snacks.
4) Do you want to pay $40+ per game to watch your NBA basketball team for 41 home games? That would be $3280 for two season tickets + parking + snacks, for all that time you've "wasted" watching someone else get a lot of exercise. Folk do that in 32 cities in North America.
5) The 30+ professional hockey teams also play 82 games apiece + long playoff series, meaning a total of over 2500 games played.
6) Do you support a college basketball program for their games? Maybe 250 college teams play as many as 32 games a year + tournaments. That's close to 4000 games, where spectators are paying no less than $20 a night per seat.
7) NASCAR draws typically 100,000 live fans to many of its 40 Sunday races, which yields a cool $240,000,000 in seat revenue alone, plus TV advertising and other major corporate sponsorship donations.
We need to be careful in assessing our priorities in society:
a) Let us not become a nation of spectators; it is better to get some exercise than watch others doing it.
b) A soft society desires to be entertained, something that led to Rome's downfall centuries ago.
c) If we have so much excess leisure time with huge discretionary income, then why are we not showing compassion to the poor & helpless among us & around the world?
d) Since we have seen increasingly obese people in our country, why not push for more exercise for the masses instead of eating junk food while accomplishing nothing productive?
e) We need to be careful not to foster violence amongst spectators watching sports that border on agressive competitiveness. If there were no referees on the field, many games would turn chaotic & barbaric. Many fans in various countries have rioted watching soccer contests in the last 10 years, with ugly and even deadly results.
f) So much emphasis on sports and outcomes has fostered a gambling habit, where sports betting has become a huge industry and an addiction on many college campuses. The number of folk wasting money & time on "Fantasy Football" again indicates too much time & excess money going to something which produces exactly nothing for the good of society.
Are you exhausted yet reading of all the time and effort we regularly put into sports? Imagine that we have been sports fans for over 100 years now as a nation? We do this year after year after year. We have the following to show for all this expenditure of time, exercise and money: voluminous record books, perhaps mis-placed hero worship, and some memorable moments in sports.
Perhaps we need to heed the advice of the Roman prisoner, Paul, who wrote to a young man named Timothy some 1950 years ago, while Roman citizens were cheering on the exciting athletic events in their coliseums, including feeding Christians to the lions,
"For bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable in all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." -- I Timothy 4: 15
---The author was the Sports Editor on his high school newspaper (Chicago, IL), served as a Gym Teacher in San Jose, CA at one time, and taught 150 Spanish youth how to play American baseball while serving as a missionary in Madrid, Spain.
observed by Torrey H. Brinkley
The Olympic Games have ended for 2008, and perhaps billions of people worldwide had the opportunity to observe some of the athletic prowess and skills of hundreds and thousands of athletes from countries across the globe. Athletic contests are not new, as even the global Olympic games were begun back in Athens before the time of Christ.
Yet today we could perhaps question whether sports activities have become too dominating in our western culture.There is a proliferation of sports leagues and teams:
--the NBA men's basketball has spawned a women's pro league, and the college NCAA men's basketball goes mad in March all across the USA. Girls college hoops are very entertaining, and high school basketball brings out fans every year in noisy gyms in America.
--the NFL season begins in 32 cities soon for football fans, just as college football gets started as well on thousands of small & large campuses, with aspiring players also practicing at high schools from coast to coast.
--Major League Baseball has one more month left in 30 ball parks in US & Canada, while College World Series and even Little League World Series garnered attention on national TV. Rarely do big city folk know of all the scores of Minor League Baseball teams scattered from east to west coasts, but we do see how skilled Girls Fast Pitch Softball leagues have become.
--The NHL has more Canadian players and fans than in the USA, but big money insures that many folk know who are the best players around. College hockey, youth teams and minor league hockey also has its following.
--Auto racing has fans who watch their sport live from February to November in NASCAR, Indy Car, CORR truck, NHRA drag racing, motorcycle and motocross racing, Monster Truck, ALMS and other SCCA sports car events.
--Fans of golf like seeing men and women play for 3 days every weekend on gorgeous courses worldwide.
--Other fans pay attention to tennis tourneys for both sexes, X-treme sports competition, plus other events such as Beach Volleyball, Track & Field events, and Frisbee Golf.
Today there is a huge FINANCIAL committment required to make sports events happen. Grass-covered fields and lavishly equipped stadiums, uniforms and equipment, travel and transportation to & from venues, advertising & sponsorships are all involved. Sporting goods stores, sports magazines, athletic apparel shops, sports trading cards and other sports memorabilia are just a few ways that folk pour money into sports interests.
One is amazed at all the MEDIA coverage given to these sporting events: first there was just newspaper & magazine coverage. Then radio broadcasts were made of games across the country from the 1920s to the present. Starting in the 1950s one could see a sports contest or two on television. Films were shown of real and then staged athletic contests. But today, we have video games of sports, Wii semi-participation, internet coverage, and i-Phone hookups of contests. Direct TV even boasts some 44 sports channels one can watch (for a price). Sadly, some TV sports channels think that watching people "play poker" is a sport, and they broadcast such nonsense for hours at a time.
In recent years, besides the many spectator sports listed above, there are more PARTICIPATORY sports where folk do more than watch someone else get the exercise. We can gain muscles, endurance and feel accomplishment thru:proliferating golf courses nationwide, swimming, ski resorts, volleyball, basketball, exercise gyms, tennis teams, hiking groups, climbing walls & mountains, hang-gliding, water-skiing, bicycling, and off-roading on wheeled vehicles (with or without motors).
TIME involvement is enormous for for athletes: exercising, training, practices, actual game experiences, with the attendant pre- and post-game analysis. In our Denver area, a rabid fan could watch 420 games a year (times 3 hours each) for our pro baseball team, pro football team, pro hockey franchise, NBA round ballers, plus the college basketball and football games in town.
Even sports MEDICINE helps keep athletes in top shape for the games they play: conditioning, massages, surgeries, braces, and prosthetics are available. Countless sports talk shows on TV and radio even spend hours talking about the injuries, ages and condition of players of the various sports.
A major question might be: Who has time & money to dedicate to following all these sporting events?
1) Do you pretend to follow 200 college football teams, who each play 12 games each "before" bowl games yearly?One of the bigger programs, Ohio State University, has a $110 million athletic budget itself.
2) Are you one of those fans of the 32 NFL football teams who play 20+ games and pay $75 a ticket to watch them get exercise down on a grassy field, while you munch down on over-priced unhealthy food snacks? Total attendance would be 22,400,000 to regular season games, who pay out $1.79 billion in seat prices alone!!
3) Each of the 30 MLB baseball teams plays 162 games + Spring Training + playoffs, meaning well over 2500 contests are waged yearly. A season ticket holder of just 2 average seats would spend $3250 + parking + snacks.
4) Do you want to pay $40+ per game to watch your NBA basketball team for 41 home games? That would be $3280 for two season tickets + parking + snacks, for all that time you've "wasted" watching someone else get a lot of exercise. Folk do that in 32 cities in North America.
5) The 30+ professional hockey teams also play 82 games apiece + long playoff series, meaning a total of over 2500 games played.
6) Do you support a college basketball program for their games? Maybe 250 college teams play as many as 32 games a year + tournaments. That's close to 4000 games, where spectators are paying no less than $20 a night per seat.
7) NASCAR draws typically 100,000 live fans to many of its 40 Sunday races, which yields a cool $240,000,000 in seat revenue alone, plus TV advertising and other major corporate sponsorship donations.
We need to be careful in assessing our priorities in society:
a) Let us not become a nation of spectators; it is better to get some exercise than watch others doing it.
b) A soft society desires to be entertained, something that led to Rome's downfall centuries ago.
c) If we have so much excess leisure time with huge discretionary income, then why are we not showing compassion to the poor & helpless among us & around the world?
d) Since we have seen increasingly obese people in our country, why not push for more exercise for the masses instead of eating junk food while accomplishing nothing productive?
e) We need to be careful not to foster violence amongst spectators watching sports that border on agressive competitiveness. If there were no referees on the field, many games would turn chaotic & barbaric. Many fans in various countries have rioted watching soccer contests in the last 10 years, with ugly and even deadly results.
f) So much emphasis on sports and outcomes has fostered a gambling habit, where sports betting has become a huge industry and an addiction on many college campuses. The number of folk wasting money & time on "Fantasy Football" again indicates too much time & excess money going to something which produces exactly nothing for the good of society.
Are you exhausted yet reading of all the time and effort we regularly put into sports? Imagine that we have been sports fans for over 100 years now as a nation? We do this year after year after year. We have the following to show for all this expenditure of time, exercise and money: voluminous record books, perhaps mis-placed hero worship, and some memorable moments in sports.
Perhaps we need to heed the advice of the Roman prisoner, Paul, who wrote to a young man named Timothy some 1950 years ago, while Roman citizens were cheering on the exciting athletic events in their coliseums, including feeding Christians to the lions,
"For bodily exercise profits little, but godliness is profitable in all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." -- I Timothy 4: 15
---The author was the Sports Editor on his high school newspaper (Chicago, IL), served as a Gym Teacher in San Jose, CA at one time, and taught 150 Spanish youth how to play American baseball while serving as a missionary in Madrid, Spain.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Candidate's Beliefs Do Matter
Beliefs of The Democratic Candidate in '08'
as observed by Torrey H. Brinkley
ON HARD WORK VS. LAZINESS
"In this country, more than anywhere else in the world, we appreciate the dignity of labor & understand that it is honorable to serve. And yet there is room for improvement, for all over over land there are scattered here & there, young men & young women--and even parents--who still think it is more respectable for a young man to spend in idleness the money someone else has earned than to be himself a producer of wealth. ....We must put the badge of disgrace on the idle person." (p. 201)
AS TO GOOD FORTUNE VS. INFLUENTIAL FRIENDS
"I have been a child of fortune from my birth. God gave me into the keeping of a Christian father and a Christian mother. They implanted in my heart the ideals that have guided my life. When I was in law school, I was fortunate enough to fall under the influence of men of ideals who helped shape my course. I have been abundantly rewarded for what little I have been able to do, and my ambition is not so much to hold any office, however great, as it is to know my duty and to do it, whether in public life or as a private citizen." (p. 167).
THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR FREEDOMS
"The Statue of Liberty was the gracious gift of a sister republic & stands upon a pedestal which was built by the American people. That figure --Liberty enlightening the world-- is emblematic of the mission of our nation among the nations of the earth. With a government, which derives its powers from the consent of the governed, secures to all the people freedom of conscience, freedom of thought and freedom of speech, guarantees equal rights to all, and promises special privileges to none, the United States should be an example in all that is good,and the leading spirit in every movement which has for its object the upifting of the human race." (p. 114)
CHOOSING BETWEEN WAR & PEACE
"Nation after nation, when at the zenith of its power, has proclaimed itself invincible because its army could shake the earth with its tread, and its ships could fill the seas, but these nations are dead, and we must build upon a different foundation if we would avoid their fate.
"I appeal to you to make your views known to the President, that he may be strengthened against the insolent clamour of those who ridicule peaceful methods, and, as if infuriated by the scent of blood, are bellowing for war. "I trust that a life devoted to the public, and overflowing, like a spring, with good, exerts an influence upon the human race & upon the destiny of the world as great as any death in war." (pp. 300, 302, 304)
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BEVERAGE
"All hail to the drink of drinks--to water, the daily need of every living thing."Men cannot afford to be drinking alcohol, for financial and physical reasons. The physical discomfort fails to compensate for any possible pleasure. Again, men owe to their progeny life without any inherited weakness, and lastly, 'man is his brother's keeper', and he is morally wrong in drinking alcohol, for the example it sets the weak." (pp. 314-315)
WHAT IS THE AUTHORITY FOR RIGHT DECISIONS?
"The attack being made right now upon those who stand squarely for the Christian faith of their fathers is not an attack on orthodoxy. It is an attack on religion. If you put the hypothesis of science above the Word of God, I don't expect you to tolerate me."The Bible is the Word of God, and the Bible is the only expression of man's hope of salvation. The Bible, the record of the son of God, the Saviour of the world, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified & risen again, that Bible is not going to be driven out of this court by experts who come in to testify that they can reconcile evolution with its ancestors in the jungle, with man made by God in His image & put here for purposes as a part of the Divine plan." (pp. 348, 361)
.........Yes, these were the thoughts of the Democratic Presidential Candidate who came to Denver, Colorado in 1908. Excerpts were from the biography written by Genevieve and John Herrick in 1925 "The Life of William Jennings Bryan".
as observed by Torrey H. Brinkley
ON HARD WORK VS. LAZINESS
"In this country, more than anywhere else in the world, we appreciate the dignity of labor & understand that it is honorable to serve. And yet there is room for improvement, for all over over land there are scattered here & there, young men & young women--and even parents--who still think it is more respectable for a young man to spend in idleness the money someone else has earned than to be himself a producer of wealth. ....We must put the badge of disgrace on the idle person." (p. 201)
AS TO GOOD FORTUNE VS. INFLUENTIAL FRIENDS
"I have been a child of fortune from my birth. God gave me into the keeping of a Christian father and a Christian mother. They implanted in my heart the ideals that have guided my life. When I was in law school, I was fortunate enough to fall under the influence of men of ideals who helped shape my course. I have been abundantly rewarded for what little I have been able to do, and my ambition is not so much to hold any office, however great, as it is to know my duty and to do it, whether in public life or as a private citizen." (p. 167).
THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR FREEDOMS
"The Statue of Liberty was the gracious gift of a sister republic & stands upon a pedestal which was built by the American people. That figure --Liberty enlightening the world-- is emblematic of the mission of our nation among the nations of the earth. With a government, which derives its powers from the consent of the governed, secures to all the people freedom of conscience, freedom of thought and freedom of speech, guarantees equal rights to all, and promises special privileges to none, the United States should be an example in all that is good,and the leading spirit in every movement which has for its object the upifting of the human race." (p. 114)
CHOOSING BETWEEN WAR & PEACE
"Nation after nation, when at the zenith of its power, has proclaimed itself invincible because its army could shake the earth with its tread, and its ships could fill the seas, but these nations are dead, and we must build upon a different foundation if we would avoid their fate.
"I appeal to you to make your views known to the President, that he may be strengthened against the insolent clamour of those who ridicule peaceful methods, and, as if infuriated by the scent of blood, are bellowing for war. "I trust that a life devoted to the public, and overflowing, like a spring, with good, exerts an influence upon the human race & upon the destiny of the world as great as any death in war." (pp. 300, 302, 304)
CHOOSING THE RIGHT BEVERAGE
"All hail to the drink of drinks--to water, the daily need of every living thing."Men cannot afford to be drinking alcohol, for financial and physical reasons. The physical discomfort fails to compensate for any possible pleasure. Again, men owe to their progeny life without any inherited weakness, and lastly, 'man is his brother's keeper', and he is morally wrong in drinking alcohol, for the example it sets the weak." (pp. 314-315)
WHAT IS THE AUTHORITY FOR RIGHT DECISIONS?
"The attack being made right now upon those who stand squarely for the Christian faith of their fathers is not an attack on orthodoxy. It is an attack on religion. If you put the hypothesis of science above the Word of God, I don't expect you to tolerate me."The Bible is the Word of God, and the Bible is the only expression of man's hope of salvation. The Bible, the record of the son of God, the Saviour of the world, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified & risen again, that Bible is not going to be driven out of this court by experts who come in to testify that they can reconcile evolution with its ancestors in the jungle, with man made by God in His image & put here for purposes as a part of the Divine plan." (pp. 348, 361)
.........Yes, these were the thoughts of the Democratic Presidential Candidate who came to Denver, Colorado in 1908. Excerpts were from the biography written by Genevieve and John Herrick in 1925 "The Life of William Jennings Bryan".
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Distorting the Truth
How The Enemy Chips Away at the Truth
by Torrey H. Brinkley
Many have lamented at the loss of absolutes in our society, and how the truth has been warped and distorted. What was once considered wrong is now OK. What we thought was right is now considered "bad form." Things one could once say are now labeled "politically incorrect." Truths taught in our schools & churches are now just old fables. How did this happen?
The Enemy (of the Truth) has always had a plan to deceive and to bring down the wisdom and guidance from above. His steps to lead us into failure and falsehood are measured, calculating, and appropriate for the time. See how it all started:
Questioning Authority: In the Garden of Eden, Satan asked Adam & Eve, "has God said......?" The Devil didn't think these simple humans had a good memory of the truth of God's commands.
--How often is this tactic employed today by those who deny God's instructions? Educated folk today have tossed out bibical Revelation, and have replaced it with fanciful imaginations.
Denying truth statements: As well, in the Garden, the Serpent flatly contradicted what God had told the first couple, "No, if you eat of the forbidden fruit, you will not die!" God's dictates seemed so harsh, that Satan knew the couple would prefer to hear something softer.
--How quickly & flippantly do modern pagan educators dismiss anything stated in the Bible (whether miracles, origins, commandments or salvation-related)?
Building up the listener: Again, the Deceiver told Adam & Eve that they in fact would become like gods, if they would eat fruit from that one tree. Who wouldn't like the extra benefits from a promise like that, even if it means disobeying God?
--Satan loves to "empower" people who feel cheated by the system or the status quo. The Enemy knows there is strength in numbers, even if it is for the wrong cause or purposes.
Putting God out of the picture: If Satan can convince us that the Lord is not around, & He can't see us, then it becomes easy to justify doing something which we think is just our own little secret. How foolish to imagine that God pays no attention to even the smallest detail of our lives! (Just ask Adam & Eve how hard it was to hide from God.)
--To be sure, God has been removed from the modern classroom, for a good part of 90 years in American public education. The modern news media has not uttered the "God" word since its infancy. Hollywood refuses to acknowledge the presence of God, but loves to enable small boys and young, curvy women with magical "superpowers."
Introducing other objects of worship: From early stories in the Old Testament we see that people considered adoring other gods, even things made with human hands (idols, possessions, the fleshly body, lands, etc.). Even the children of Israel frequently left the God who changed history & overcame laws of nature to follow worthless idols.
--Humankind has been able to invent & create so many fascinating technologies, that they have all but forgotten the God who placed them on this planet, set the Sun and Moon in motion, gave us water & food to eat, and instructed us in how to live in peace, harmony & right living. Yet, no matter what things people worship today, they are empty until they find rest in Christ's love, forgiveness and acceptance. We need the Saviour to heal us, not more glamorous celebrities for us to admire.
Adopting the ways of foreigners: Another pronouncement God gave to Israel was to never accept the false teachings and philosophies and deities of their pagan neighbors. Thru foreign trade, social interaction, and inter-marrying, the Jews easily fell prey to those who carried them off into slavery, torture, abuse and degradation.
--No one person in history equalled the success and wisdom of King Solomon, who gained all the fame & fortune that the world had to offer, but he lost his single-mindedness, his purpose and his eventual kingdom, when he made foreign alliances & took on over 700 wives & 300 mistresses thru the goal of greedy "internationalism." Are we any wiser than Solomon today?
Choosing the wrong battles: It is so easy to get distracted from the right focus & the proper direction, and then to charge after the wrong Enemy. David was such a successful warrior and king that he battled scores of enemies around Israel. God eventually had to tell David that he was not fit to build the Lord's Temple and to restore Jerusalem, because he had too much blood on his hands.
--Today we see so many wrongs in the world, often lashing out against all kinds of enemies, and expend all our energy and resources, that we have no time left for God, His Word, sharing His message, building up other believers, witnessing to our neighbors, or feeding the hungry. A wise general reportedly said, "choose the hill you want to die on." That was bad grammar, but good advice.
Therefore, the end result of this attack on absolute values & truths has led to a dismantling in modern society of these pillars:
1) GOD (of the Bible) has been replaced with any religion, or no faith at all. Some even worship the "Planet".
2) COUNTRY (& its founding principles) has been superceded by a global view of history, issues, economics & planning. Some have abandoned hard work & saving, and instead hope for gambling winnings & government transfers of wealth.
3) FAMILY (as an institution of love, nurture & education) is now shown as no better than any grouping of peoples.
4) MARRIAGE (as something God intended for man & woman in blessed intimacy & mutual strengthening) is scorned as no better than any other relationship or laison (without commitment).
5) MORAL VALUES (especially God-given) are dismissed because any & all ideas should be equally acceptable. Popularity is more important than morality.
6) LAWS & COMMANDMENTS are rejected, as modern man asks "why should anyone else have authority over me ?"
--the author studied under Dr.Francis Schaeffer in Switzerland in 1969, and has served as a pastor in the USA and church-planting missionary to Spain.
by Torrey H. Brinkley
Many have lamented at the loss of absolutes in our society, and how the truth has been warped and distorted. What was once considered wrong is now OK. What we thought was right is now considered "bad form." Things one could once say are now labeled "politically incorrect." Truths taught in our schools & churches are now just old fables. How did this happen?
The Enemy (of the Truth) has always had a plan to deceive and to bring down the wisdom and guidance from above. His steps to lead us into failure and falsehood are measured, calculating, and appropriate for the time. See how it all started:
Questioning Authority: In the Garden of Eden, Satan asked Adam & Eve, "has God said......?" The Devil didn't think these simple humans had a good memory of the truth of God's commands.
--How often is this tactic employed today by those who deny God's instructions? Educated folk today have tossed out bibical Revelation, and have replaced it with fanciful imaginations.
Denying truth statements: As well, in the Garden, the Serpent flatly contradicted what God had told the first couple, "No, if you eat of the forbidden fruit, you will not die!" God's dictates seemed so harsh, that Satan knew the couple would prefer to hear something softer.
--How quickly & flippantly do modern pagan educators dismiss anything stated in the Bible (whether miracles, origins, commandments or salvation-related)?
Building up the listener: Again, the Deceiver told Adam & Eve that they in fact would become like gods, if they would eat fruit from that one tree. Who wouldn't like the extra benefits from a promise like that, even if it means disobeying God?
--Satan loves to "empower" people who feel cheated by the system or the status quo. The Enemy knows there is strength in numbers, even if it is for the wrong cause or purposes.
Putting God out of the picture: If Satan can convince us that the Lord is not around, & He can't see us, then it becomes easy to justify doing something which we think is just our own little secret. How foolish to imagine that God pays no attention to even the smallest detail of our lives! (Just ask Adam & Eve how hard it was to hide from God.)
--To be sure, God has been removed from the modern classroom, for a good part of 90 years in American public education. The modern news media has not uttered the "God" word since its infancy. Hollywood refuses to acknowledge the presence of God, but loves to enable small boys and young, curvy women with magical "superpowers."
Introducing other objects of worship: From early stories in the Old Testament we see that people considered adoring other gods, even things made with human hands (idols, possessions, the fleshly body, lands, etc.). Even the children of Israel frequently left the God who changed history & overcame laws of nature to follow worthless idols.
--Humankind has been able to invent & create so many fascinating technologies, that they have all but forgotten the God who placed them on this planet, set the Sun and Moon in motion, gave us water & food to eat, and instructed us in how to live in peace, harmony & right living. Yet, no matter what things people worship today, they are empty until they find rest in Christ's love, forgiveness and acceptance. We need the Saviour to heal us, not more glamorous celebrities for us to admire.
Adopting the ways of foreigners: Another pronouncement God gave to Israel was to never accept the false teachings and philosophies and deities of their pagan neighbors. Thru foreign trade, social interaction, and inter-marrying, the Jews easily fell prey to those who carried them off into slavery, torture, abuse and degradation.
--No one person in history equalled the success and wisdom of King Solomon, who gained all the fame & fortune that the world had to offer, but he lost his single-mindedness, his purpose and his eventual kingdom, when he made foreign alliances & took on over 700 wives & 300 mistresses thru the goal of greedy "internationalism." Are we any wiser than Solomon today?
Choosing the wrong battles: It is so easy to get distracted from the right focus & the proper direction, and then to charge after the wrong Enemy. David was such a successful warrior and king that he battled scores of enemies around Israel. God eventually had to tell David that he was not fit to build the Lord's Temple and to restore Jerusalem, because he had too much blood on his hands.
--Today we see so many wrongs in the world, often lashing out against all kinds of enemies, and expend all our energy and resources, that we have no time left for God, His Word, sharing His message, building up other believers, witnessing to our neighbors, or feeding the hungry. A wise general reportedly said, "choose the hill you want to die on." That was bad grammar, but good advice.
Therefore, the end result of this attack on absolute values & truths has led to a dismantling in modern society of these pillars:
1) GOD (of the Bible) has been replaced with any religion, or no faith at all. Some even worship the "Planet".
2) COUNTRY (& its founding principles) has been superceded by a global view of history, issues, economics & planning. Some have abandoned hard work & saving, and instead hope for gambling winnings & government transfers of wealth.
3) FAMILY (as an institution of love, nurture & education) is now shown as no better than any grouping of peoples.
4) MARRIAGE (as something God intended for man & woman in blessed intimacy & mutual strengthening) is scorned as no better than any other relationship or laison (without commitment).
5) MORAL VALUES (especially God-given) are dismissed because any & all ideas should be equally acceptable. Popularity is more important than morality.
6) LAWS & COMMANDMENTS are rejected, as modern man asks "why should anyone else have authority over me ?"
--the author studied under Dr.Francis Schaeffer in Switzerland in 1969, and has served as a pastor in the USA and church-planting missionary to Spain.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Auto Sales Changes Each Decade
Auto Industry Experiences Change
by Torrey H. Brinkley
Recent headlines have noted that the automobile industry in the USA is experiencing profund changes. Big pickup trucks and large SUV sales are plummeting, as customers search out newer economical alternatives in the wake of extremely high fuel prices. Overall sales of vehicles in the USA, will drop from a high of 19 million units a few years ago to perhaps under 15 million for 2008. Major manufacturers are wrestling with organizational and financial challenges to help turn a profit in these difficult times.
However, this is not the first time that the auto industry has had to shift gears, re-think their product mix, and move in a different direction from the recent successful past. Look at the historic record to see that automobile manufacturers rarely have had 5-6 consecutive years of continuous profits and smooth-sailing:
**DEPRESSED AUTO SALES. 1929 to 35 was the Great Depression, which wiped out many previously successful auto companies. Money was so tight, that average folk just could not afford to buy a car.
**BRIEF RECOVERY PERIOD. 1936-41 was a re-grouping period, when many cars became sleeker and more modern. Wealthier folk, who had money, did buy cars.
**TANKS NOT CARS. 1941-46, however, brought all auto manufacturing to a halt, as World War II saw U.S. car plants turned into war production facilities. The men went off to Europe & Asia to fight a bloody war, while women went to work on the assembly lines, wondering what the future of the world might be.
**PUTTING AMERICANS BACK ON THE ROAD. 1946-50 saw re-tooling of the postwar plants, with some new attempts to provide Americans with their first cars: Kaiser, Crosley, Frazier, Jeep, etc.
**TRYING TO GET MODERN.1951-54 saw the first major remodeling and restyling efforts, as cars became a major transportation mode west of the Mississippi, & especially on the West Coast.
***STYLED BOATS WITH FINS. 1955-61 brought bigger and wider cars, with growing tail fins, boat-sized bows, and even a few foreign entries coming on the scene (Volkswagen, Triumph, Mercedes, MG and Jaguar).
**FIRST SMALL CAR THRUST. 1960-64 saw some people desirous to get into a new batch of economy cars (not the greatest Falcons, Corvairs and Valiants) to combat the influx of foreign competition (which included Toyota, Datsun, Renault, Austin, Fiat, etc.). There was an explosion of choices in the marketplace, and gasoline cost just 25 to 30 cents a gallon.
**MUSCLE CAR ERA. 1964-72 brought out the horsepower wars, with Muscle Cars & Pony Cars from the domestic manufacturers, and an ever-expanding assortment of foreign sporty cars: Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW, Pantera, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jensen, etc.)
**REGULATIONS & POLLUTION CONCERNS. 1973-78 however, spelled the end of the car fun, as government regulations and a gas crisis, slowed everything down, while anti-smog devices choked off performance. Sales of pickup trucks blossomed, but convertibles all but disappeared.
**GOING SMALLER AGAIN. 1977-85 saw a transition from larger rear wheel drive machines to smaller front wheel drive models. Minivans sprung on the scene to haul families and their gear. These two factors helped saved Chrysler Corporation from sure bankruptcy and closure. Station wagons, however (big, heavy and gas-guzzling), fell by the wayside.
**DESIRE FOR VALUE SEDANS. 1985-90 saw the rise of mid-size sedans in the marketplace (the Ford Taurus and Honda Accord led the way) .
**A NEW THIRST FOR POWER & LUXURY. 1990-2007 saw a return slowly of muscular V-8s for sporty cars, and the introduction of luxury Asian nameplates: Acura, Lexus and Infiniti. Convertibles also came back, and some new smaller station wagons got re-introduced. Sales were almost evenly distributed between pickup trucks, minivans, general sedans, sport utilities and sporty cars.
**SPORT UTILITIES ON THE ROAD. 1998-2004 brought the number of new sport utility vehicles up to 90 offerings. There was a movement away from USA products, with customers increasingly buying Asian and some European cars (and, to a lesser extent, their truck products).
**CROSSOVER POPULARITY. 2004-08 saw the introduction of new crossover SUVs every few months, a growing interest in hybrid powered vehicles, improvements in the Korean vehicles, and Toyota becoming a top sales leader, in car sales particularly.
**DOWN GO THE TRUCKS. 2008 is here, and perhaps this is the first time in 30 years that the top selling vehicles in our land will not be the Ford F-150 pickup truck, followed by the Chevy Silverado. Folk are also quickly dumping their big, heavy gas-guzzling used SUVs, as gasoline costs shoot up to $4 a gallon (the price that Europeans were paying 35 years ago).
Rumors are spreading that some major US manufacturers might soon drop some nameplates and unpopular models. Over the last 50 years, many US auto lines (or captive imports) have been cancelled (AMC, Avanti, Buick's Opel, Bricklin, MOPAR's Colt, DeLorean, DeSoto, Eagle, Edsel, Excalibur, Frazier, Geo, Hudson, Imperial, Merkur, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Plymouth, Rambler, Shelby-Olds, Studebaker, Stutz,etc.), but only Olds and Plymouth had ever been major sales successes.
How can planning departments hope to stay ahead of the potential changes that might come on the world scene? Will there be much response to the Chinese entries into the North American marketplace, with very low quality/reliability ratings so far? Might India also try to export some of its very cheap offerings to the USA? Will ever-higher fuel prices drive most consumers to consider alternative fuel vehicles, or move them into mass transit alternatives? Is technology ever going to get us into above-ground personal transport, as opposed to highway-based vehicles?
Stay tuned; keep your hands on the wheel. Changes are inevitable
by Torrey H. Brinkley
Recent headlines have noted that the automobile industry in the USA is experiencing profund changes. Big pickup trucks and large SUV sales are plummeting, as customers search out newer economical alternatives in the wake of extremely high fuel prices. Overall sales of vehicles in the USA, will drop from a high of 19 million units a few years ago to perhaps under 15 million for 2008. Major manufacturers are wrestling with organizational and financial challenges to help turn a profit in these difficult times.
However, this is not the first time that the auto industry has had to shift gears, re-think their product mix, and move in a different direction from the recent successful past. Look at the historic record to see that automobile manufacturers rarely have had 5-6 consecutive years of continuous profits and smooth-sailing:
**DEPRESSED AUTO SALES. 1929 to 35 was the Great Depression, which wiped out many previously successful auto companies. Money was so tight, that average folk just could not afford to buy a car.
**BRIEF RECOVERY PERIOD. 1936-41 was a re-grouping period, when many cars became sleeker and more modern. Wealthier folk, who had money, did buy cars.
**TANKS NOT CARS. 1941-46, however, brought all auto manufacturing to a halt, as World War II saw U.S. car plants turned into war production facilities. The men went off to Europe & Asia to fight a bloody war, while women went to work on the assembly lines, wondering what the future of the world might be.
**PUTTING AMERICANS BACK ON THE ROAD. 1946-50 saw re-tooling of the postwar plants, with some new attempts to provide Americans with their first cars: Kaiser, Crosley, Frazier, Jeep, etc.
**TRYING TO GET MODERN.1951-54 saw the first major remodeling and restyling efforts, as cars became a major transportation mode west of the Mississippi, & especially on the West Coast.
***STYLED BOATS WITH FINS. 1955-61 brought bigger and wider cars, with growing tail fins, boat-sized bows, and even a few foreign entries coming on the scene (Volkswagen, Triumph, Mercedes, MG and Jaguar).
**FIRST SMALL CAR THRUST. 1960-64 saw some people desirous to get into a new batch of economy cars (not the greatest Falcons, Corvairs and Valiants) to combat the influx of foreign competition (which included Toyota, Datsun, Renault, Austin, Fiat, etc.). There was an explosion of choices in the marketplace, and gasoline cost just 25 to 30 cents a gallon.
**MUSCLE CAR ERA. 1964-72 brought out the horsepower wars, with Muscle Cars & Pony Cars from the domestic manufacturers, and an ever-expanding assortment of foreign sporty cars: Ferrari, Aston Martin, BMW, Pantera, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jensen, etc.)
**REGULATIONS & POLLUTION CONCERNS. 1973-78 however, spelled the end of the car fun, as government regulations and a gas crisis, slowed everything down, while anti-smog devices choked off performance. Sales of pickup trucks blossomed, but convertibles all but disappeared.
**GOING SMALLER AGAIN. 1977-85 saw a transition from larger rear wheel drive machines to smaller front wheel drive models. Minivans sprung on the scene to haul families and their gear. These two factors helped saved Chrysler Corporation from sure bankruptcy and closure. Station wagons, however (big, heavy and gas-guzzling), fell by the wayside.
**DESIRE FOR VALUE SEDANS. 1985-90 saw the rise of mid-size sedans in the marketplace (the Ford Taurus and Honda Accord led the way) .
**A NEW THIRST FOR POWER & LUXURY. 1990-2007 saw a return slowly of muscular V-8s for sporty cars, and the introduction of luxury Asian nameplates: Acura, Lexus and Infiniti. Convertibles also came back, and some new smaller station wagons got re-introduced. Sales were almost evenly distributed between pickup trucks, minivans, general sedans, sport utilities and sporty cars.
**SPORT UTILITIES ON THE ROAD. 1998-2004 brought the number of new sport utility vehicles up to 90 offerings. There was a movement away from USA products, with customers increasingly buying Asian and some European cars (and, to a lesser extent, their truck products).
**CROSSOVER POPULARITY. 2004-08 saw the introduction of new crossover SUVs every few months, a growing interest in hybrid powered vehicles, improvements in the Korean vehicles, and Toyota becoming a top sales leader, in car sales particularly.
**DOWN GO THE TRUCKS. 2008 is here, and perhaps this is the first time in 30 years that the top selling vehicles in our land will not be the Ford F-150 pickup truck, followed by the Chevy Silverado. Folk are also quickly dumping their big, heavy gas-guzzling used SUVs, as gasoline costs shoot up to $4 a gallon (the price that Europeans were paying 35 years ago).
Rumors are spreading that some major US manufacturers might soon drop some nameplates and unpopular models. Over the last 50 years, many US auto lines (or captive imports) have been cancelled (AMC, Avanti, Buick's Opel, Bricklin, MOPAR's Colt, DeLorean, DeSoto, Eagle, Edsel, Excalibur, Frazier, Geo, Hudson, Imperial, Merkur, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Plymouth, Rambler, Shelby-Olds, Studebaker, Stutz,etc.), but only Olds and Plymouth had ever been major sales successes.
How can planning departments hope to stay ahead of the potential changes that might come on the world scene? Will there be much response to the Chinese entries into the North American marketplace, with very low quality/reliability ratings so far? Might India also try to export some of its very cheap offerings to the USA? Will ever-higher fuel prices drive most consumers to consider alternative fuel vehicles, or move them into mass transit alternatives? Is technology ever going to get us into above-ground personal transport, as opposed to highway-based vehicles?
Stay tuned; keep your hands on the wheel. Changes are inevitable
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Denver Hosts Democratic Convention
Democratic Convention in Denver in '08
by Torrey H. Brinkley
The Democrats rally in Denver, Colorado in the hot summer of '08. Politicians and their handlers bring a message of change to the mountain west, noting that this country represents more than just fancy elitist cities, with businessmen in 3-piece suits, cultural snobbery, majestic operas and artistic masterpieces. There are tall jagged mountains, harsh weather extremes, people working the soil, and rugged outdoorsmen. All this and more serves as a buffer "between" the powerful east coast interests and the glitz & glamor of the west coast experience.
Does this reflect today's scenario for the 2008 Democrats planning strategy for the fall election or was it the 1908 convention that chose to come to Denver, which only had 1/10 of its current population?
...Much of Denver's beautiful all-brick downtown district was built up in the period surounding the turn of the 20th century, with stately mansions and impressive government buildings on the major streets.
...Now, as we are fresh into the 21st century, we see another makeover of impressive high- rise towers for business and condo dwellers, nestled among our new sports and arts palaces, all in that same downtown Denver footprint. City leaders are also striving to move away the panhanders and give a fresh coat of paint for all the host of visitors to see.
Note some of the other eery similarities between these gatherings, some 100 years apart:
1) The Dems were putting forth a very eloquent and dynamic candidate in both eras: William Jennings Bryan and Barak Hussein Obama. Although Bryan was considered the most eloquent & dynamic orator of his time, historians note that he was not well-versed nor studied in any particular issue.
2) Each of the candidates seemed to be popular with the masses, with Bryan being called the Populist candidate, fighting against the wealthy East coast businessmen, & decrying the gold standard, while pushing for the silver interests & smaller businessmen to be heard. Obama has brought out scores of youthful supporters to huge crowds around the country, attacking big oil and big business. Yet, not all voters seem to be convinced, not in 1908, nor today.
3) Their speeches seem to be somewhat controversial. Bryan will be remembered in history as one opposing evolution ( the Scopes Monkey trial), while Obama has to keep dancing between words of his pastor, his wife and properly finding himself.
4) A religious tone had entered the debate. Bryan was almost considered a fiery preacher, while Obama has had to fire his pastor (Jeremiah Wright).
5) Democrats had suffered defeats in previous elections....and were hoping for better luck this time. Bryan was a nominee 2 times before. Recently, liberals have been very bitter about George Bush's last 2 election victories.
6) There were recent dramatic breakthroughs in technology. The automobile was very new to the transportation scene in 1908. So many other new inventions were coming on board (the radio and then the airplane, etc.).
...The world's scientific & technological advances today come at such a rapid pace. Even the thousands of miles of wiring necessary for setting up Denver's Pepsi Center is staggering, while individual folk with cell phones and i-Phones can personally shoot messages & photos around the world in seconds.
7) Candidates were from the midwest. Williams Jennings Bryan, Illinois born, actually stayed home during the 1908 convention because he wanted to do some farming back in Iowa. Obama is from Illinois, and earlier tried to help poor urban folk organize, so as not to lose labor jobs.
8) War had been fresh in people's minds to start the conventions. The Spanish American War took place in 1898, while the 9-11-2001 attack on New York City has spawned offensives in the Middle East (Afghanistan & Iraq) that America still fights right up to Convention gavel time.
9) There were some difficulties with Mexico back in 1908: violence, banditos, territorial issues, and shootings. Now, 100 years later, the USA still has major issues still to be resolved with Mexico (illegal immigration, drug trafficking, & people-smuggling).
10) The future of our country is somewhat in doubt, even with all its strength, glory and history. --Back in 1908, the USA was just 40 years removed from its bloody, divisive Civil War. We were just moving into the Industrial Age.
--Now in 2008, we look back some 40 years after the nasty, unruly Chicago Democractic Convention, bitterness of our Vietnam War participation, and the assasination of Bobby Kennedy.
Today we wonder how to confront the Islamic revolutionary movements, plus China's thrust into the global economy, and India's challenges in technology and science.Will this be a turning point election year for the USA, and will the Denver Convention be a time to remember?
Back in 1908 the only rowdy moments were caused by some occasional panhandlers and pickpockets. In 2008, scores of protesters plan to be in our city hoping their voices will be heard and controversy stirred.
The vote that came in after the 1908 convention did not produce a victory for Bryan or the Democrats.
-The popular Republican President, Teddy Roosevelt, had pushed for William H.Taft to be his successor......but that result spelled doom for the Republican party, soon quickly divided.
-Taft had really wanted to become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (and he soon got his wish), after serving as U.S. President 1908-12.
-The Democrats finally gained the Presidency in 1912 with Woodrow Wilson, the progressive candidate, but our country was soon drawn in to World War I. Wilson preached peace, but he underestimated the sin and violence of mankind.
My father was proud of Williams Jennings Bryan, and for 40 years supported the college (in Tennesse) that bore his name. Interestingly, Bryan was later famous for speaking on the Chatauqua Circuit, where speakers and musicians fanned across the country in large open-air tents. One of the only remaining auditorium/tents for this association is in Boulder, CO, where we today can go and hear/see concerts and lecturers. Undoubtedly, Bryan spoke eloquently to the crowds here in Boulder 100 years ago, without the aid of microphones or any electronic aids.
In contrast, when Barak Obama gives his acceptance speech in the Denver Bronco's outdoor stadium, the acoustic challenges, Secret Service protection, parking & traffic nightmares, crowd control, and media coverage of the event is already giving planners severe headaches and potential ulcers.
And all this is just for political show!
by Torrey H. Brinkley
The Democrats rally in Denver, Colorado in the hot summer of '08. Politicians and their handlers bring a message of change to the mountain west, noting that this country represents more than just fancy elitist cities, with businessmen in 3-piece suits, cultural snobbery, majestic operas and artistic masterpieces. There are tall jagged mountains, harsh weather extremes, people working the soil, and rugged outdoorsmen. All this and more serves as a buffer "between" the powerful east coast interests and the glitz & glamor of the west coast experience.
Does this reflect today's scenario for the 2008 Democrats planning strategy for the fall election or was it the 1908 convention that chose to come to Denver, which only had 1/10 of its current population?
...Much of Denver's beautiful all-brick downtown district was built up in the period surounding the turn of the 20th century, with stately mansions and impressive government buildings on the major streets.
...Now, as we are fresh into the 21st century, we see another makeover of impressive high- rise towers for business and condo dwellers, nestled among our new sports and arts palaces, all in that same downtown Denver footprint. City leaders are also striving to move away the panhanders and give a fresh coat of paint for all the host of visitors to see.
Note some of the other eery similarities between these gatherings, some 100 years apart:
1) The Dems were putting forth a very eloquent and dynamic candidate in both eras: William Jennings Bryan and Barak Hussein Obama. Although Bryan was considered the most eloquent & dynamic orator of his time, historians note that he was not well-versed nor studied in any particular issue.
2) Each of the candidates seemed to be popular with the masses, with Bryan being called the Populist candidate, fighting against the wealthy East coast businessmen, & decrying the gold standard, while pushing for the silver interests & smaller businessmen to be heard. Obama has brought out scores of youthful supporters to huge crowds around the country, attacking big oil and big business. Yet, not all voters seem to be convinced, not in 1908, nor today.
3) Their speeches seem to be somewhat controversial. Bryan will be remembered in history as one opposing evolution ( the Scopes Monkey trial), while Obama has to keep dancing between words of his pastor, his wife and properly finding himself.
4) A religious tone had entered the debate. Bryan was almost considered a fiery preacher, while Obama has had to fire his pastor (Jeremiah Wright).
5) Democrats had suffered defeats in previous elections....and were hoping for better luck this time. Bryan was a nominee 2 times before. Recently, liberals have been very bitter about George Bush's last 2 election victories.
6) There were recent dramatic breakthroughs in technology. The automobile was very new to the transportation scene in 1908. So many other new inventions were coming on board (the radio and then the airplane, etc.).
...The world's scientific & technological advances today come at such a rapid pace. Even the thousands of miles of wiring necessary for setting up Denver's Pepsi Center is staggering, while individual folk with cell phones and i-Phones can personally shoot messages & photos around the world in seconds.
7) Candidates were from the midwest. Williams Jennings Bryan, Illinois born, actually stayed home during the 1908 convention because he wanted to do some farming back in Iowa. Obama is from Illinois, and earlier tried to help poor urban folk organize, so as not to lose labor jobs.
8) War had been fresh in people's minds to start the conventions. The Spanish American War took place in 1898, while the 9-11-2001 attack on New York City has spawned offensives in the Middle East (Afghanistan & Iraq) that America still fights right up to Convention gavel time.
9) There were some difficulties with Mexico back in 1908: violence, banditos, territorial issues, and shootings. Now, 100 years later, the USA still has major issues still to be resolved with Mexico (illegal immigration, drug trafficking, & people-smuggling).
10) The future of our country is somewhat in doubt, even with all its strength, glory and history. --Back in 1908, the USA was just 40 years removed from its bloody, divisive Civil War. We were just moving into the Industrial Age.
--Now in 2008, we look back some 40 years after the nasty, unruly Chicago Democractic Convention, bitterness of our Vietnam War participation, and the assasination of Bobby Kennedy.
Today we wonder how to confront the Islamic revolutionary movements, plus China's thrust into the global economy, and India's challenges in technology and science.Will this be a turning point election year for the USA, and will the Denver Convention be a time to remember?
Back in 1908 the only rowdy moments were caused by some occasional panhandlers and pickpockets. In 2008, scores of protesters plan to be in our city hoping their voices will be heard and controversy stirred.
The vote that came in after the 1908 convention did not produce a victory for Bryan or the Democrats.
-The popular Republican President, Teddy Roosevelt, had pushed for William H.Taft to be his successor......but that result spelled doom for the Republican party, soon quickly divided.
-Taft had really wanted to become Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (and he soon got his wish), after serving as U.S. President 1908-12.
-The Democrats finally gained the Presidency in 1912 with Woodrow Wilson, the progressive candidate, but our country was soon drawn in to World War I. Wilson preached peace, but he underestimated the sin and violence of mankind.
My father was proud of Williams Jennings Bryan, and for 40 years supported the college (in Tennesse) that bore his name. Interestingly, Bryan was later famous for speaking on the Chatauqua Circuit, where speakers and musicians fanned across the country in large open-air tents. One of the only remaining auditorium/tents for this association is in Boulder, CO, where we today can go and hear/see concerts and lecturers. Undoubtedly, Bryan spoke eloquently to the crowds here in Boulder 100 years ago, without the aid of microphones or any electronic aids.
In contrast, when Barak Obama gives his acceptance speech in the Denver Bronco's outdoor stadium, the acoustic challenges, Secret Service protection, parking & traffic nightmares, crowd control, and media coverage of the event is already giving planners severe headaches and potential ulcers.
And all this is just for political show!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Surprising USA Car Sales Trends
WHAT HAPPENED TO USA CAR SALES IN 20 YEARS?
as noted by Torrey H. Brinkley
A friend has done some good record-keeping based on auto & truck sales data gleaned from "Automotive News USA" . How revealing to look at sales charts for all models of vehicles sold in the USA for the last 20 years. Lots has changed in the automotive landscape, and now that gas prices are up to $4 a gallon in parts of California for premium fuel, more changes still might appear. After looking at model by model charts, this reader came away with a few observations:
1) Acura's 11 different models have had widely different years when sales peaked. Total sales were just 127,000 in 1988; dropping to 106,000 in 1997; but up to 178,000 in 2007 (thanks to strong sales of 2 different SUV models).
2) Audi sold only 23,000 cars in 1988 in USA ( suffering from that weird accelerator pedal issue); by 1997 sales crept up to 34,000 total. But lots of advertising hype, engineering advances and higher horsepower models have brought 71,000 sales in 2007.
3) BMW once caught Mercedes in USA sales, and are still significant for pricey vehicles. Some 295,000 BMW cars & SUVs sold in 2007. Only 130,000 were sold in 1998. In 1988 they only managed to sell 81,000 car models.
4) Buick has sold 15 different models since 1988. Peak sales years are different for each model. In 1988 total sales in USA were 500,000 units; by 2007 it was down to 183,000 sold, in spite of Tiger Woods' endorsements.
5) Cadillac had 3 different models (of 6 total) that had their best sales years in 1988. Likewise 3 separate models sold most ever in 2005 (out of 10 total). Caddy had 200,000 total sales in 2007 of cars & luxury SUVs; whereas they sold 267, 000 cars only in 1988.
6) Chrysler saw 1988 as its only year to have top sales for 3 unique models. Showrooms pushed out 531,000 sales by 2007 (with a wide variety of vehicle choices inherited from both Plymouth and Mercedes). This was much higher than the 250,000 they sold back in 1988, and only 254,000 back in 1997.
7) Dodge has had 20 different model names sold in the USA since 1988 that are no longer being marketed in 2007. Last year sales of the Ram pickup were off 90,000 from its peak sales year; Dakota was off 2/3 from best year; Caravan was down 120,000; Durango sales were down 3/4 from best year; Viper sales were down 3/4. Yet total sales last year were over 1 million units (including trucks & SUVs)!
8) Ford has 6 car models sold in 1988 that are no longer marketed . Only Mustang sales are still strong as they were in 1988 and 1997. Top sales years for their cars were 1988 and 1990. They make their money on trucks, which sold 1,450,000 in 2007, excluding their bigger trucks, F-250 & larger Super Duty models.
9) Honda saw 2006 and 2007 as best sales years for 5 different models. Accord and Civic are very long-running models in their lineup, still selling very well.
10) Nissan sales were down in all models for 2007, except for Altima and the new Versa. Too many of their vehicles look copied from their business partner, Renault (of France). Nissan still sold 910, 000 vehicles in USA.
11) Oldsmobile enjoyed 1988 with top sales for 6 different models. Evidently GM brass did not care, and decided to ax their lineup soon after that.
12) Pontiac had 2007 as a down year for every model in their lineup, while selling 356,000 total vehicles. They sold 725,000 vehicles back in 1988. Their foray into vans and SUVs has not proved successful, unlike many European and Asian marques.
13) Toyota had 9 different models with their best ever sales showing in 2006 or 2007. Only Avalon, Tacoma,Land Cruiser, 4 Runner and Sequoia were way off. Total sales for Toyota in '07 was double that of 1988, as they attempt to pass worldwide sales of MOPAR (done), then Ford (a year ago) and soon General Motors.
--In general, we see that:
++ Vehicle sales in the USA have radically increased by the Asian marques of Toyota and Honda, with their luxury nameplates catching some of that magic (Lexus and Acura).
++Loss of sales has been noted by almost all domestic manufacturers, most notibly with their sedan sales.
++Even though there are some 90+ SUV models on the market, not all have been successful on the sales floor. At least 21 have been dropped by manufacturers from across the spectrum.
++Pickup truck sales are generally strong when tied to work-related requirements, and much less so for recreational purposes than in years past (as small to mid-size pickup sales are dropping like a rock for every make).
++Consistent improvement in quality and engineering for long-running models has been more productive than simply introducing one new model after another.
++Even though station wagon sales are still not as strong as in the 1960s and 70s, the new cross-over wagon-SUV seems to be a very popular vehicle choice for families who wish to haul passengers & some cargo.
as noted by Torrey H. Brinkley
A friend has done some good record-keeping based on auto & truck sales data gleaned from "Automotive News USA" . How revealing to look at sales charts for all models of vehicles sold in the USA for the last 20 years. Lots has changed in the automotive landscape, and now that gas prices are up to $4 a gallon in parts of California for premium fuel, more changes still might appear. After looking at model by model charts, this reader came away with a few observations:
1) Acura's 11 different models have had widely different years when sales peaked. Total sales were just 127,000 in 1988; dropping to 106,000 in 1997; but up to 178,000 in 2007 (thanks to strong sales of 2 different SUV models).
2) Audi sold only 23,000 cars in 1988 in USA ( suffering from that weird accelerator pedal issue); by 1997 sales crept up to 34,000 total. But lots of advertising hype, engineering advances and higher horsepower models have brought 71,000 sales in 2007.
3) BMW once caught Mercedes in USA sales, and are still significant for pricey vehicles. Some 295,000 BMW cars & SUVs sold in 2007. Only 130,000 were sold in 1998. In 1988 they only managed to sell 81,000 car models.
4) Buick has sold 15 different models since 1988. Peak sales years are different for each model. In 1988 total sales in USA were 500,000 units; by 2007 it was down to 183,000 sold, in spite of Tiger Woods' endorsements.
5) Cadillac had 3 different models (of 6 total) that had their best sales years in 1988. Likewise 3 separate models sold most ever in 2005 (out of 10 total). Caddy had 200,000 total sales in 2007 of cars & luxury SUVs; whereas they sold 267, 000 cars only in 1988.
6) Chrysler saw 1988 as its only year to have top sales for 3 unique models. Showrooms pushed out 531,000 sales by 2007 (with a wide variety of vehicle choices inherited from both Plymouth and Mercedes). This was much higher than the 250,000 they sold back in 1988, and only 254,000 back in 1997.
7) Dodge has had 20 different model names sold in the USA since 1988 that are no longer being marketed in 2007. Last year sales of the Ram pickup were off 90,000 from its peak sales year; Dakota was off 2/3 from best year; Caravan was down 120,000; Durango sales were down 3/4 from best year; Viper sales were down 3/4. Yet total sales last year were over 1 million units (including trucks & SUVs)!
8) Ford has 6 car models sold in 1988 that are no longer marketed . Only Mustang sales are still strong as they were in 1988 and 1997. Top sales years for their cars were 1988 and 1990. They make their money on trucks, which sold 1,450,000 in 2007, excluding their bigger trucks, F-250 & larger Super Duty models.
9) Honda saw 2006 and 2007 as best sales years for 5 different models. Accord and Civic are very long-running models in their lineup, still selling very well.
10) Nissan sales were down in all models for 2007, except for Altima and the new Versa. Too many of their vehicles look copied from their business partner, Renault (of France). Nissan still sold 910, 000 vehicles in USA.
11) Oldsmobile enjoyed 1988 with top sales for 6 different models. Evidently GM brass did not care, and decided to ax their lineup soon after that.
12) Pontiac had 2007 as a down year for every model in their lineup, while selling 356,000 total vehicles. They sold 725,000 vehicles back in 1988. Their foray into vans and SUVs has not proved successful, unlike many European and Asian marques.
13) Toyota had 9 different models with their best ever sales showing in 2006 or 2007. Only Avalon, Tacoma,Land Cruiser, 4 Runner and Sequoia were way off. Total sales for Toyota in '07 was double that of 1988, as they attempt to pass worldwide sales of MOPAR (done), then Ford (a year ago) and soon General Motors.
--In general, we see that:
++ Vehicle sales in the USA have radically increased by the Asian marques of Toyota and Honda, with their luxury nameplates catching some of that magic (Lexus and Acura).
++Loss of sales has been noted by almost all domestic manufacturers, most notibly with their sedan sales.
++Even though there are some 90+ SUV models on the market, not all have been successful on the sales floor. At least 21 have been dropped by manufacturers from across the spectrum.
++Pickup truck sales are generally strong when tied to work-related requirements, and much less so for recreational purposes than in years past (as small to mid-size pickup sales are dropping like a rock for every make).
++Consistent improvement in quality and engineering for long-running models has been more productive than simply introducing one new model after another.
++Even though station wagon sales are still not as strong as in the 1960s and 70s, the new cross-over wagon-SUV seems to be a very popular vehicle choice for families who wish to haul passengers & some cargo.
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