Quote of the Day

A little bit of background before I give you the quote.  My uncle called me the other night and asked me what Consumer Reports had to say about the Dodge Charger.  My initial reaction before even looking was that it likely would get low marks on reliability.  Sure enough, it did.  Dodge\Chrysler makes some great looking cars, but they have really dropped the ball on quality over the years.  Here's a quote from this Consumer Reports blog entry that further backs that up.

About ten years ago I asked Bob Eaton, then Chrysler’s chairman, why the company had so many product-quality problems. He replied, “Well, unfortunately, in our last reorganization we fired everybody who knew how to make a car.”

Thursday Thoughts

A few things going on within the last day or so that have caught my attention...

 

Comcast's new high speed modem

From this article:

Comcast Corp. Chief Executive Brian Roberts dazzled a cable industry audience Tuesday, showing off for the first time in public new technology that enabled a data download speed of 150 megabits per second, or roughly 25 times faster than today's standard cable modems.

The cost of modems that would support the technology, called "channel bonding," is "not that dissimilar to modems today," he told The Associated Press after a demonstration at The Cable Show.  It could be available "within less than a couple years," he said.

Wow!  150 megabits!

But, there is one thing - that last paragraph I quoted above.  Sure, the modem might not be expensive, but don't fool yourselves people.  Comcast will charge a LOT MORE for this service.  I'd love to have 150 mbs, but I'm not going to pay something crazy for it.

 

Dale Jr Leaving DEI

It's all over the news today.  Dale Jr has decided to leave DEI, the company his dad built, and is going to drive from someone else next year.  Reason being that Jr and his stepmom couldn't agree on negotiations for a new contract for him.

This will shake up NASCAR for sure.  Every other owner in the sport realize what Jr's stepmom apparently does not.  Jr is the biggest commodity in NASCAR.  Well, actually, Jr IS NASCAR.  Without him, NASCAR would not be nearly as popular as it is today.  Letting him go is foolish.  I think it's safe to say that DEI will be out of business in a couple of years.  Really sad.

 

Where's Jesse and Al?

Last night on American Idol, they ran a segment where they showed childhood pictures of the remaining contestants.  While showing a picture of herself, Lakisha said something to the effect of, "I had a nappy fro...".

Um...

So a few weeks ago, Don Imus used very similar language to describe some players on a women's basketball team and he loses his job.  Lakisha says it and no one cares??  I understand that Don Imus did put a derogatory term at the end of his statement, but everyone knows he got fired for using the word "nappy".

I didn't blog about the Imus situation at the time because I did think his remarks were stupid and everyone knew that.  I didn't have much to say that had not already been said.  Should he have been fired?  Of course not.  Should Lakisha be dragged out in front of the media like he was?  Of course not.  That's not the point.  The point is the double standard.  Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton may say they are trying to put an end to all insensitive remarks regardless of who makes them, but they really aren't.  This is just more proof.

Yep, must be about race

So this morning I'm listening to the radio on my way into work.  The sports reporter comes on and mentions that there was a new controversy in the NBA.  Apparently someone did a study and found that white referees call more fouls against black players than they do against white players.

...

Let's just think about this for a minute.

...

...

Most of the athletes in the NBA are black.

...

Most of the referees in the NBA are white.

...

...

Um...Am I missing something?

...

So I searched the internet this morning and found the article, which you can read here.

According to their numbers, black athletes make up 83% of the playing time on the court.  And 68% of NBA officials are white.

I should mention here that they said that black refs call more fouls on white players also.  "But that tendency was not as strong".

Two points:

1.  I don't claim to be a statistician or anything, but I really don't see how you can draw a fair conclusion about this when the percentages are that high in both areas.

2.  Did anyone bother to check to see if THE PLAYERS WERE ACTUALLY GUILTY OF A FOUL??!!!!!!  Come on people!  Who the heck cares if more fouls are called if they are legitimate fouls??!!!

 

I really can't believe this is news today.  The New York Times should be ashamed for even printing something that is a clear attempt to divide the NBA and it's fans over race.  The NBA has enough issues as it is.  No reason to add this on top of it.