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October 09, 2008

I Want To Believe

Huh:

General Electric, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission, qualifies as a financial company worthy of protection from investors betting against its stock. But that’s not the message General Electric spins to shareholders...

GE Capital Services, as the financial arm is called, holds the rest of the group’s top-notch businesses hostage...GE Capital’s financing needs could put the whole company at risk.

Well, I'm sure if GE bore any responsibility for the current financial panic, Saturday Night Live would have run a sketch about it. That's what the show is all about: pure comedic honesty. As SNL's producer Lorne Michaels says, "We only have the one agenda: We'd like [people] to watch the show." So the only reason SNL is blaming everything on women, gay men, blacks and Jews is because it's really their fault. It's funny 'cause it's true!

(thanks to Rupa Shah for the LA Times pointer)

—Jonathan Schwarz

Posted at October 9, 2008 07:56 AM
Comments

Well, if GE goes under, SNL goes under too, because GE owns NBC. Now THAT would be funny.

Posted by: Bob at October 9, 2008 09:56 AM

This situation is similar in significant ways to what happened to Westinghouse, once a very proud example of American excellence in technology and manufacturing. When that company vanished it harmed a lot of people in Pittsburgh - all because the company CEO couldn't or wouldn't do simple math. Terrific fucking shame.

On the other hand, this adds to my desire to castrate investment bankers with a sharpened slide rule.

Posted by: Aaron Datesman at October 9, 2008 12:01 PM

Rupa- that link is amazing. Thanks

Posted by: steve at October 9, 2008 01:26 PM

Not related to GE/SNL, but I wanted to pass on a couple of Bio Char links before I forget about them.

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/4522

http://climatecorps.org/b/biochar-a-k-a-terrapreta/

Posted by: Bruce F at October 9, 2008 02:01 PM

hey aaron, we could start a show... "who wants to castrate a billionaire?"

Posted by: almostinfamous at October 9, 2008 02:07 PM

@ almostinfamous - Now that's populism I can get behind!

Posted by: Aaron Datesman at October 9, 2008 03:09 PM

Bruce F: I'm at parts gathering stage now on building an oil drum design of my own. Thanks for the link, always room for better ideas.

Posted by: Mike Meyer at October 10, 2008 12:25 AM