‘Real News from The Blaze’: Don’t Laugh at N. Korea, We’ve Got Our Own Failed Tech Projects
- Posted on April 13, 2012 at 6:59pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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North Korea’s attempts to bolster their war chest have both irritated and amused the western world. The far-eastern nation’s slow march to nuclear power suffered a humiliating setback Thursday, as an Unha 3 rocket intended to be launched into space lasted only “about a minute” before falling to pieces. While the mainstream media is busy stoking the schadenfreude over North Korea’s failure, Real News opened Friday taking a look at our fair share of recently failed technology projects in the U.S., including the bailout-bolstered GM experiment with the Chevy Volt .
This week General Motors announced that it is in the process of developing another new hybrid car. The announcement comes following an explosion that injured 5 workers at the Alternative Energy Center in Warren, Michigan, where GM develops batteries for vehicles like the Chevy Volt.
While GM recorded record profits of 7.6 billion dollars last year, its profits have dropped three consecutive quarters (Q2, Q3, and Q4 of 2011) and its market share is at a 90 year low. With the government still in control of Treasury-indebted GM, why would they be doubling down on the technology that has actually lost money for the company?
Real News panelist Andrew Wilkow is especially unimpressed by GM’s profits when they are still in debt to the Treasury Department under the auspices of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which has recently enacted pay freezes for several GM executives including its CEO Dan Akerson.
Considering the up-and-down success of GM since the bailout, Buck Sexton suggested that if he were in control of the Romney campaign, he may make the case that Obama has engaged in a shoddy restructuring that is not working as well as it should.
“There are cracks in this short term success story” added Matt McCall.
Listen to the “Real News” panel discuss the up-and-downs of TARP-financed GM:
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blackyb
Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:44pmYes, they probably even have a real citizen for president in North Korea. We are no one to laugh at anyone letting this ignorant man into our WH playing president and disrupting peoples lives with old hippie agendas presented by the likes of thugs Ayers, Obama, Holder,Sharpton, Farakhan, Jackson, Pelosi, Van Jones, and cohorts. This country has outdone itself in stupidity when our Congress sits up there on their drunken azzes and fails to make this man be vetted. It is time to arrest Obama and Eric Holder. Past time, so don‘t be laughing at anyone elses’ lack of being able to do something when this happens in a country with a non citizen being in our White House setting policy and blurring the lines of the three branches of Government.
Report Post »G-WHIZ
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 11:37amAll Obama’s investors get richer, and all the GREEN JOBS COMPANYS necessarily FAIL.
Report Post »BillFan
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:40amYou don‘t compare an Inept government company run by obama’s lackeys to a country. The U.S. is
Report Post »number one in missles and space vehicles.
DoTheMath45
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 9:27pmGM makes so many light trucks that the only sensible research project should have been a mid-sized diesel engine, smaller and more fuel-efficient than the 6.6 TurboDiesel. This is pure pandering to the Californicators who claim to be green, yet suffer from an amazing level of dieselphobia! As for cars, wouldn’t you be better of doing a barely legal rip-off of the Suburu Impressa or Mitsubishi Lancer? Small cars only sell when the also bolster great handling and performance. If you can’t equal Suburu in difficult road and off-road racing, you will never regain the #1 position in car production.
Report Post »myptofvu
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 8:40pmHey if Obama can get gas to $50 a gallon the Volts gonna look like a pretty sweet deal
Report Post »paladin42
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 12:49pmI buy the cars that I feel offer me what I wanted at the price I am willing to pay – regardless of country of origin. I came to that procedure based on 2 facts:
1) Milton Friedman‘s analysis that if we dont buy foriegn products they don’t have the money to buy ours – so it isn’t really hurting the American economy – we should be making what we’re best ant any they should be making what they are best at and everyone wins.
2) Years ago I bought one of the first Chrysler minivans. Made in America! as Ioccoca said. Except that mine was assembled in Canada and had a Mitsubishi engine in it.
Now I drive a toyota asd my wife a Nissan. I will NEVER buy a Govt Motors car.
Slightly off topic…. here’s a blog site from a couple of college kids with a pretty good way of looking at things and a good sense of humor (disclaimer: I know one of them pretty well, he’s one of the very few conservative kids at Tulane). Please take a minute to check it out, read several of their posts, leave a comment or two, and pass on the link if you like it. Thank you.
http://neumankenterprisesmedia.blogspot.com/
Report Post »joe alexich
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 11:48amJust look at these Democrat’s that are making our decisions in this country.Very,very sad.We have to do better.Vote in the best candidates this fall.
Report Post »1956
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 6:58amI received a letter from GM recently. When my father was alive, he worked for GM. They used to give an employee discount to anyone in the immediate family while the employee was alive. Now, they are offering that same employee discount to the family members, even though dad (and mom now) are dead. They are desperate to sell cars.
I wouldn’t own a GM car now even if it was mandated.
Report Post »Belchfire V-8
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 2:15pmI own a 96 3/4 ton CHEVY Suburban. It fills the truck slot on our farm. There is NOTHING that our Asian friends build to take it’s place. I wish that Obutthead would remove his minion’s control over GM. I still crave a new Vette, and like the current Camaro. If they would stop wasting money on worthless hybrid technology and focus on things that people would buy, they more than stand a chance. I won’t but ANY new 3/4 ton truck because I don’t need “mortgage” payments.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 6:08amA thrown Rock can kill you just as dead… as a Nuke!
Report Post »KyleD
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 5:05amThis is kind of a lame point. You’re comparing the development of, probably, 30-50 year old technology being developed by another country’s government that is using it to politically intimidate everyone in the region to workplace accidents of a (semi) private company concerning brand new technology that is just being produced to be bought by others.
It’s called serendipity. A problematic country tries to flex its muscles and ends up just hurting itself. It’s something we can laugh about.
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 3:17amYou mean turning a business over to the control of the unions doesn’t seem to be working just think this is what OWS is about.
Report Post »What you can’t force a bad product on consumers without a mandate ?
Batteries are very dangerous and unstable uncontrollable when things go wrong (Think of it as a self contained nuclear reactor)
I have experienced battery explosions and it is deadly.
ScienceIsNotEvil
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 11:09pmSelf contained nuclear reactor? Sorry but no as a battery is a chemical reaction not a nuclear reaction. So, in the future, if you don’t know about something look it up. Do not lie to make yourself look smart when you have no idea what you are talking about.
Report Post »knucklebusted
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 12:13amI’m no rocket scientist but maybe they used the wrong kind of wood!! LOL
Report Post »Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 8:58pmI’m not laughing but I am happy. Every dollar that North Korea wastes on failure is one less dollar that can be used for something that works. I hope they utterly bankrupt their despicable nation trying to play in the big boy’s league.
Report Post »shadisadie
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 2:19pmthey already have bankrupted their country…they depend on china and now, iran for the meager supplies of oil that they get…why do you think nk is dark at night…hmmm could it be that they have nothing to run their generators that produce electricity?their people are starving..the “rich elite” in nk think having rice to eat 3 times a day is living high on the hog… this is a failed state and what is worse…this is a state that is run by an archaic mentally ill logic and ideology foisted on the people by the Kim family and their cohorts, who are nothing but terrorist and torturers, who control the population through fear
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 7:48pmBelieve me , I am not laughing. There is nothing as dangerous as a cornered animal.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 7:14pmCurious? Why did my computer security advise me of a “ clickjacking ” when I went on this site?
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