New MPG

I just read this quick write up about how the Chevy Volt, which is to be released next year, will have a MPG rating of 230. That's a lot. But that's also the point. I don;t mean to belittle the achievement. I do mean to attract attention to the problem here. I think MPG is only a good measurement of fuel economy with traditional liquid fuels. By branching off and making the volt primarily electrically powered, the Volt uses very little gas, but it does use energy and fuel to move. I think we need an across the board measurement of economy. My first instinct is to measure miles against CO2 output. That would give an industry standard to measure across all types of vehicles: hybrids, gas, diesel, electric, hydrogen, etc. That way you can measure the carbon output and compare. Yes, MPG is useful in figuring fuel costs, but the environmental advantages need a new metric.

Livionia + Walmart 4ever

So Livonia has decided to build another Walmart where Livonia Mall once resided. It seems foolish to me. Its razing one outdated development and installing another. Having been away for years, I didn't even know that they were redeveloping the site. But given a site of that size and location, it seems that another big box, car dependent, pedestrian unfriendly shopping center is doomed to the same fate. Now I realize that Livonia is not urban, but this is a chance to change that to some degree. It could have been a nice mixed use development that could provide citizens with a one stop shop for all their needs. A mixed use condo/apartment with ground level retail/restaurant and some nice open green space and hidden underground parking would be much better for residents and neighbors. It is a relatively dense area for suburbia and it would attract more I think. But who wants to live next door to a Walmart? I mean, look at all the problems of their location at Middlebelt and 696. And that is a more reasonable location with its adjacent freeway access. Its not somewhere people would want to live anyway.

On Cobo Hall

The Free Press is reporting that a deal is nearly done on a new Cobo authority. Detroiters are well aware that Cobo, home to the North American International Auto Show, has been mired in conflict as the City is incapable of running and financing it, but is unwilling to cede control to a regional authority. Suburban leaders want a say in the matter as the Auto Show brings millions of dollars to the region that would be lost should the Auto Show chose another venue, likely in Chicago.

While this is good news, it does not address the concerns that the Auto Show organizers have informed Detroit that they would seek another site for the 2011 show if Cobo is not expanded and upgraded. This is a no-brainer, but finding consensus on how to pay for the deal is like finding the goose that lays a golden egg.

I have to say, I beleivce that Dave Bing, the new mayor of Detroit, probably has a lot to do with this. He is the only player that has changed recently, and now a deal seems imminent. Just goes to show what a successful businessman can do. Plus, the picture in the Free Press is great. Understated power and confidence. Sure beats the bluff and bluster of many Detroit politicians(Kilpatrick, Conyers...).

One thing that I hope Detroit and the new Cobo Authority will look at is the use of the Joe Louis Arena site. Its outdated, and Mike Illitch, owner of the Red Wings, and lease holder of the Joe, has been shopping other options. The city could end the lease, raze the site and use it for expansion of Cobo. With a phased construction schedule, Cobo could remain open the entire time, though at diminished capacity, and could have a grand re-opening for the whole facility with the 2011 NAIAS. Of course, to achieve that, the project has to move now and move quickly. If the will is there, it can be done.

Additionally, the city could trade Illitch the Joe site for the Tiger stadium site. There Illitch could build a new arena complex with a new home for the Wings, and perhaps a theatre, restaurants, and hopefully for Detroiters, a proper grocery store. I'm looking at a Verizon Center/Gallery Place in DC sort of set up.

All this means a bigger better Cobo, the Auto Show stays, the Red Wings get a new facility that is on par with the rest of the organization, and the city gets a big boost from the 100s of millions of dollars that all this would cost. And I bet, if they act quickly, they might be able to get some stimulus cash too. Especially if they also built a rail link between downtown and Corktown along Michigan Ave with expandability to the west for the future.

Some aerial views to help you non-Detroiters:
Cobo and the Joe: what looks like a giant parking lot between the Joe and Cobo Arena from the air is roof parking above the existing Cobo...

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Tiger Stadium out on Michigan Ave has been torn down. This represents a great opportunity for the city.

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And a zoom out of the downtown area to give some context. Below the D in Detroit is Cobo and above the Corktown label is where Tiger Stadium recently stood.

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On Iran

I have been resisting the urge to tell world leaders how to act, as they are the leaders, not me. I have also been resisting the urge to talk about Iran's actions as I may be fueling the fire. That, of course, assumes that anyone will read this. But this morning's article in the Post has pushed me past the point where I can keep it in. Even if I am am the only one ever to read these words, by putting them out there I feel a little better. There is nothing else I can do.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been jabbing at Obama and the west about our 'interference' in their affairs. The thing is that we haven't been interfering. We've been commenting and denouncing violence. Ahmadinejad has engaged in far more critical verbage than that which Obama used. Not only is Ahmadinejad a hypocrite, but he appears to be directly engaged in a diversion. He is pointing his finger at the west when the problem is internal.

He and the Ayatolah have been accusing the west of spreading lies and inciting the protests in Iran. This sort of conspiracy theory is the sort of stuff that makes us throw labels like crackpot at bloggers. All this while they are actively locking up and pushing out foreign press and releasing their own views through state media. If everything they are doing is truely legitimate and follows the law, they what do they have to fear? If everything is above the board, open the records to the public and the international media alike. Show the world definitively that President Ahmedinejad really won the election, and the world, and likely Iranian citizens, will respect the outcome.

By hiding the evidence the regime is discrediting themselves. Iranians and the world at large is suspicious of what occured. The Iranian people have notified the world through their protests and free nations everywhere want transparency for the people of Iran.

While Obama is not a hard line 'decider' like Bush was, he is still the Commander in Cheif of the US Military, and agression toward the US is likely to be dealt with harshly. Obama, thankfully, is much more diplomatic, and I am sure that he, like myself and many others, see through Ahmedinejad's empty rhetoric that just seeeks to veil internal woe and keep his own people in the dark. The people voted and they deserve to know the outcome and feel assured that it is accurate. That is all the US and the west want. That is what the citizens of Iran want. Ahmedinejad needs to grow up and look back at himself and his government and his people and do the right thing. It is Iran that is under the microscope, not the US or Obama.

I urge you to read the article that I linked to above, and any others you may find. Make your own decisions. Let the Iranian people do the same.

Russian novice steals spotlight

the Post has a nice story about Anton Chumachenko, an aspiring small time politician in St Petersburg, who has raised issues about his own election and the apparent fraud that gave him the seat he won. this dude obviously has big brass balls and a sharp mind. he just catapulted himself into the national spotlight at 26, gave himself credibility as an honest player, and discredited the United Russia Party's leaders (Putin), while asserting that the party seeks truth and the rule of law. i would venture to say that this guy is going somewhere, either the Kremlin or Siberia. i hope its the former.

a quick thought on the economy

'spend!' says the liberal.

'cut taxes!' says the conservative.

'what happened to my job?' says more than 10% of Michigan.

there has been a lot of chatter on what is the right or wrong way to fix the economy. like its a sputtering engine. while an engine is complex, the economy is like a million of them that have to work together. they dont have to be in perfect unison, but if 10% of the cars on the road stop, the rest of us are going to have trouble getting to our destinations and some more will run out of gas on the way. so the real question is how to fix a million sputtering engines so that the roads arent littered with lemons.

as i have debated various virtues of spending and taxing and tax cuts and social welfare programs and mortgage relief and bank failures and auto bailouts and wallaby overpopulation i have come to a conclusion, and as a blogger with no credentials, experience, or pertinent education on the topic, i think i need to tell the world, well, maybe just the US for now, what to do.

first, keep up the individual level social benefits. its important that we dont let more of our citizens fall into poverty where they will be a constant drain on the system. you would want it if it was you. but there has to be an end, you cant support people forever. second, dont dump bailout money into a sinking businesses. as much as i root for the big three and against the banks, let the ones that should fail, save the ones that are viable. dont throw good money after bad. third, fix health care. that shit is too expensive. i think part of it is that people cant really shop around for the right service at the right price. you go to the primary care physician that your insurance company tells you to, then to the specialists that he tells you to. that is if you even have coverage and can take care of your health properly. all that will take the burden off of business and consumers relieving stress and the cost. finally, temporarily eliminate or drastically reduce business and capital gains taxes and quit taxing money twice. think of the spending power that would be generated if the tax burden of businesses was half what it is. think of all the capital improvements they could make, all the people they could hire without needing more money. finally, the government needs to get this stimulus money stimulating. get that money moving. when businesses cant spend, the government needs to.

once all these things kick in, and the economy starts humming along again, you wind the taxes back up to replenish the deficit and combat inflation, and cut back on government spending. in the end, youve eliminated bad corporations, strengthened the remaining ones, boosted business in general, and created a health care system that works at a reasonable cost. so there you go congress and president Obama. now get on this shit ASAP, the traffic is getting thick and i only at have a 1/4 of a tank.

LaHood floats mileage tax

while i agree that a mileage tax is a better and more reliable way to fund our roads than a fuel tax, i dont think we should all out switch. the mileage tax would bring revenue to where it needs to be in order to maintain our crumbling roads. but we cant not tax gasoline. the government should raise the gas tax in order to encourage consumers and auto makers to switch to more efficient and greener power sources.

some have envisioned cars with GPS chips to track locations, but there has been a backlash from folks on that. it does reek of big brother and 1984. all cars now have electronic, more or less tamper proof odometers, so, why not include mileage in the fee to register or inspect cars. many states already require and anuual inspection, so let the states look at that, collect a fee, that is then used to maintain the state's roads with federal oversight.

i also think that freight should get some kind of reduced rate, because the idea is not to drive up the cost of goods, but to maintain roads. they shouldnt get a free pass either, because those rigs tear up the roads and we should encourage competition on the rails and through the air.

what say you?

Freep

hey, remember me?

i'm still alive, just been through a couple of real busy weeks.

anyway, Krauthammer is at it again. he's after Obama for not running around all over the world posturing against Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Venezuela. well guess what, buddy. thats what we voted for.

you barely mention the domestic crises that were up against here. i dont think that we need to run around trying to assert our will all over the globe when were reeling from domestic woes. when ive got a cold i dont go out on the street spouting off at the mouth about everything that i dont like. id rather not get punched in the face. and i dont do that anyway.

talk softly and carry a big stick. despite Bush's best efforts, we still have the biggest stick around. Russia, Iran, Venezuela, N Korea all know that if they really provoke us, we will totally fuck them up. at the same time, we dont need to go around picking fights.

i feel like were the big good hearted guy in the school yard who keeps the peace. bullies think twice because were around. but if we go around trying to bully all the bullies, well, we might find ourselves surrounded. we kind of proved in WWII that even the biggest military machine can be brought down if theyre surrounded by a coalition of determined opponents.

were already down, we dont need to encourage our foes to kick us.

uuugh

not even two weeks into the new administration and im already sick of hearing republican whining about the lack of bipartisanship. this is a two way street guys. now i dont sit in the chambers of congress and i dont watch c-span, but all i have heard is bitching from the republican camp.

most recently this comes from the SCHIP debate. democrats added coverage for children of legal immigrants. republicans, for reasons inexplicable to me, were up in arms about it. citizens or not, you want them to contribute to society. if theyre sick and cant afford care the whole family suffers and advancing in any meaningful way is problematic. early care can prevent a lot of problems and give these kids a real chance to help our nation.

wont somebody please think of the children!

how to save the economy.

impose some fucking taxes on ExxonMobil! those bastards raked in over $45 billion in profits in 2008. if EM was a nation, their profit, not revenue, their profit, would put then just ahead of Belarus in terms of GDP at #68 in the world. so, congress, get off your asses and tax these motherfuckers. or at least investigate some shit. there has got to be something up here.