This Canadian is a bit of a maverick in the auto industry. He built an ill-starred sports car, and then imported Yugos. The best thing you can say about Yugos is: “I never owned or drove one”. Oh, also: “they were cheap, in all meanings of the word.”

According to the CBC Malcolm has a new venture, he going to import and sell cars made in China by the Chery Automobile Company.

He just needs to sign a deal with WalMart Tire Centers and they can sell them with offers like: “Buy four tires and we’ll throw in a Chery.” Maybe the deal should be with Baskins-Robbins?

Len at Dark Bilious Vapors has an example of why Kelly Freas will be missed. If you have never seen his work, go, enjoy.

The BBC reports that Microsoft is debuting security tools, virus software and spyware software. The programs will be free initially, but, of course, after you have installed them, they will start charging you for up-grades.

They wrote the buggy operating system and tools that make easy virus writing and spyware possible, and now they are going to charge you to deal with the problem.

There is a reason for not paying fire departments based on the number of fires they put out.

Just read this CNN report on a Texas murder trial to understand why neither George Bush, Alberto Gonzales, or any other politician or lawyer from Texas should be allowed a position of trust with the laws of the United States. If this is “justice” in the state of Texas, they can keep it.

I’m particular about the people I will loan my tools. There’s nothing worse than letting someone have a wrench that you inherited from your grandfather and have it returned bent. I only trust them to people who know how to use them properly.

According to this Reuters story the Reserve forces are in trouble.

The U.S. Army Reserve, tapped heavily to provide soldiers for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is “degenerating into a ‘broken’ force” due to dysfunctional military policies, the Army Reserve’s chief said in a memo made public Wednesday.
“I do not wish to sound alarmist. I do wish to send a clear, distinctive signal of deepening concern,” Lt. Gen. James Helmly said in a Dec. 20 memo to Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker.

You go to war with the army you have and then you grind it to dust. Nice going Rummy.

The Australian Prime Minister announced the commitment of one billion Australian dollars for a five year program to help the nations struck by the tsunami.

Mr. Howard announced the package early this morning, calling it “the single largest aid contribution ever made by Australia”.

The package consists of equal parts grant assistance and highly concessional funding, and is in addition to previously announced aid to Indonesia and other nations hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami.

I’m sure that CNN wasn’t being petty publishing this report on Fox News generosity.

Media conglomerate News Corp. also announced a $1 million contribution to tsunami relief and reconstruction and pledged to match employee donations dollar for dollar. News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch called on his U.S.-based media companies to make print and air time available to solicit donations.

Oh, the White House has said that George W. Bush has donated a total of $10,000 to various charities.

The CBC notes Tucker Carlson’s “retirement” from CNN. I was wondering why they would be interested until I got to the bottom of the article.

In November, Carlson also famously interviewed maverick Canadian MP Carolyn Parrish on fellow host Wolf Blitzer’s program Wolf Blitzer Reports.

Ostensibly a discussion of U.S.-Canadian relations, the segment digressed into a showcase for Carlson to outline his belief that Canadians spend a lot of time dogsledding.

“I don’t think every Canadian is dogsledding at all times but I do think there’s a lot of dogsledding in Canada,” he said after Parrish challenged him. “Yes, I do think that’s true.”

Congratulations, Tucker, you join Triumph the Insult Dog among a select group so obnoxious that they annoy Canadians.