Ford, Honda in Secret Talks For A Deal?
Ronald Lewis Dot Com Exclusive!
This morning, I discovered an interesting tidbit which led me to believe that Ford and Honda are holding private talks for some kind of deal. A visit from Ford Motor Company’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan give way to this hunch based on these direct keywords: “Ford Honda Talks”. What does this mean? Why would anyone within Ford click on an article I wrote suggesting the sell of Volvo to Honda?
Why would this individual search for hits on Google related to Ford and Honda holding talks? Are they someone who’s aware of these talks? Are they a member of upper management? At this point, anything is possible. Right now, rumors are flying that BMW and Ford are in talks to sell Volvo, but BMW denies any interest in acquiring Volvo.
I should mention as well that I’ve received multiple visits from both Ford and Honda to the article which gave me this interesting lead last July. It’s a noteworthy development considering the source of the inquiry: Ford Motor Company. To back up my assertion of this potential development, I have included the visitor data below:
Americans and Canadians Should Be Entitled To Free Movement
For 21 years, I was a stone’s throw away from Windsor, Ontario, Canada in Detroit, Michigan. However, it was after leaving Michigan that I spent more time in Canada than ever. Now, after years of numerous border crossings and flights into the Great White North, I often question the reasoning behind the lack of cross-border freedom for Americans and Canadians. Specifically, the freedom of Americans and Canadians to live and work without the requirement of visas and costly immigration procedures.
The new measures put in place after 9/11 were just an excuse to trample upon Americans’ dwindling liberties. Now, Americans are not even allowed to re-enter the country from Canada without a valid passport (when traveling by air) or birth certificate (when traveling by ground). Frankly, all of these measures are absurd and they do not make us any safer.
I believe it is critical for the American and Canadian governments to reach an agreement on unifying our nations for the better good of everyone. This isn’t a call for extensions to NAFTA or support for the often-discussed NAU (North American Union). Instead, it’s a call for cooperation and the establishment of trust-based programs to support the freedom of movement that’s enjoyed by American states and Canadian provinces.
If a Canadian desires to live and work in America, he or she should be free to do so without the red tape that currently exists. The same is true for any American. We need to reform our immigration laws and agreements to support cross-border living and working arrangements which do not strain our ability to foster growth and advancement between our nations. We should treat each other as great friends — Not as untrustworthy enemies (which the American government is doing quite well about now). It is my hope that we can realize such change within the next 10 years or less. We live in different times today and with the Internet closing the gap on how we live and communicate, it’s about time that we tear down the arbitrary walls which separate and divide us.
What are your thoughts?
The World Is Searching about the Landmark ‘Credit River Decision’ Case
Why are so many people interested in the landmark Credit River Decision case? I originally blogged about it last year and while I’ve received plenty of interest here, it doesn’t compare to the search engine referrals I’m receiving now about it. It’s a foreclosure case from 1968 where I judged ruled that ‘actual money didn’t back the bank’s loan’.
There are numerous ramblings about the case here on my web site and I invite you to read them to learn more about this little-discussed case. It’s a timely topic considering the state of the American economy and when our nation is facing record foreclosures due to the subprime mortgage meltdown.
The question you should ask yourself is this: Are most foreclosures illegal? According to this case, yes! However, don’t take my word for it. Read the text of the case here and elsewhere on the Internet. There’s plenty of resources to learn about it. Please share it with everyone you know.
This Post Is Made Possible by Amazon EC2 and Windows
That’s right, folks. I am posting this entry via a remote desktop connection to a virtualized server at Amazon’s vast server farm in Seattle, Washington. What am I talking about? Maybe the announcement that Amazon’s cloud computing platform, EC2, is out of beta with Windows support? Yeah, that might be it!
Right now, I feel like shouting at the top of my lungs about how AMAZING this all really is. For only .125 cents an hour, I can now launch as many Windows Server 2003 ‘virtual machines’ as I’d like. I don’t have to worry about licensing, acquiring server hardware or bandwidth. In just under two minutes with a few clicks (I use the ElasticFox FireFox plugin for EC2), I was able to launch a Windows Server with ease and use it remotely from my laptop here at home.
If you’re not already aware, Ronald Lewis Dot Com runs on an Amazon EC2-based Linux server. It not only runs this web site, but many more! It even manages several phone numbers, voicemails and a lot more thanks to my Asterisk PBX telephone system. I’m overjoyed by Amazon’s announcement of their support for Windows. I cannot begin to explain what a wonderful development this is. It’s another step in the right direction for cloud computing and Internet services overall. Do not underestimate my cool demeanor here. At this point, I want to run around Denver proclaiming that this new development is “the future of computing!” I’m truly speechless right now. Speechless. Numbed. Paralyzed. Wow!
How best to sum this all up? AMAZING! Here’s another reason why I’ve decided to use Amazon’s EC2 platform exclusively for all of my web needs. It doesn’t get any better than this. I can hardly contain my excitement. For those who care about technology and read the announcement, you should already know what a big deal this is. This is a defining moment in computing. Cloud computing is the future! Once again, Amazon has redefined an emerging space with exponential potential! They understand where this space is going and are responding intelligently with robust solutions to meet demand.
More to come on this soon. I’m so psyched at the moment that I cannot think straight. This is just amazing. It’s developments such as this that make me realize how wonderful technology is and how it can inspire a new world of innovation and creativity. Imagine the possibilities for developers and startups seeking to make their mark in the world. They can do so without the costly overhead of co-locating servers or spending outrageous fees on Microsoft licenses. This is a game changer, folks. This is serious business. This changes everything.
Halliburton Employee on Oil Pricing: “I think it’s the speculators”
During the final leg of my return from Calgary yesterday, I met a cool, calm and collected man. He spoke with a carefree southern accent and his demeanor was as comfortable as any person could be. As we both admired the vastness of the Rocky Mountain system over random topics, I learned that he’s an oil man who’s employed by Halliburton. We talked about oil rigs, exploration, Colorado’s active gas fields and other related interests.
I figured this was my prime opportunity to pick his brain about oil pricing. I asked, “Who do you believe is responsible for the pricing of petroleum? Is it OPEC? Speculators? Or, someone else?”
He responded, “I think it’s the oil speculators. The fluctuation of gasoline is something I don’t understand. I think it’s wrong when gas station owners increase the price of their reserves, because they’ve already paid for it. That doesn’t seem right.”
While there are probably dozens of causes for the fluctuation of gas prices, I believe the speculators are a huge red flag. Don’t pay any mind to my opinion, I’m just reiterating what I’ve observed and had confirmed by a Halliburton employee.
So, there you have it, direct from the horse’s mouth. That’s a lot to chew on.