The bailout of GM and other companies...

As the demands for bailouts to the left and right increase I have a few observations:

1. If money is to be injected from the government it should be used to buy stakes in the companies, much like the Swedish government bought parts of the banks in the crises of 1991-1993. After the crises is over the company (or the market) gets to buy back the stock and hopefully the taxpayers make some money.

2. One other possibility is to also split up the company in smaller units and thus spread the risk. GM could perhaps be split up in European, American, and Asian operations.

In principle though, I am against using tax payers money to help businesses that are failing. Nobody helps the mom and pop shop on the corner if they go belly up, but GM should get a handout just because they are so big and affect "so many people if they collapse". Well, I am sorry but GM and Ford has had their chance for years. Maybe we should just shut them down and pay peoples wages for a few years while they find new jobs...

Halloween

While having a party at some friends' house and while transporting goods back and forth I noticed a small group of children walking the neighbourhood trying to get candy by knocking on doors.

First though: Oh, ok. Fun. They are out trick-or-treating.

Second thought: Huh? One of them is wearing a cape and the rest are dressed in normal clothes... BORING!!! They should not get any candy at _all_. :-)

Ásatrú adherents get own burial ground

Just read on the SVT-text widget that the asatru adherents in Denmark just got their own burial ground.

I think this is great news. While not a traditional believer myself I think that people should have the right to be buried where they wish to be.

Car repair advice

I thought that I should tell you a bit about my car repair. While on holiday in France, my car was broken into. So, I needed a repair of some dented parts on the car.

I handed in my car to a reputable shop. While I am very pleased with the result I noticed the following when I got the car back:

The emergency jack had been used. Why? And, when they put back the emergency jack, (which is below the spare tire)  they managed to break part of the mechanism that holds down the spare.

My advice to people handing in their car for extensive repairs is: Take out _everything_ that can be taken out. This includes, spare tires, tools, manuals, and so on.