no third solution

Blogging about liberty, anarchy, economics and politics

Category Archives: Michigan

Didn’t Take Long

July 20th, 2007

Last month, Farmer Jack grocery stores closed a bunch of Michigan locations. Then they sold 23 of them – 20 to Kroger and a handful more to local chain, Hollywood Markets (HM should update their website to reflect the new stores, which have been open for 10 days now).

As I was walking out the door this morning, I heard the TV-voice say something about a congressional inquiry as to why Kroger didn’t buy any of the Detroit-proper Farmer Jack stores, which also closed. I’m not sure what the point of such grandstanding is – I suppose it’s in their defective nature to huff-and-puff about things which are entirely outside their jurisdiction and comprehension.

I’m unable to find any stories verifying this, at the moment, but I’ll follow up ASAP.

“We Want to Save the American Auto Industry…”

July 2nd, 2007

OK. Stop paying people to not work!

Many of the Flint jobs bankers worked in a plant that no longer exists, the sprawling Buick City complex that closed in 1999.

General Motors Corp. has paid them between $70,000 and $85,000 annually.

They also received health care, which ups the total significantly. I’ve blogged extensively about collective bargaining, work rules, and the so-called jobs bank.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that worldwide capacity to produce automobiles is something like 90 million units, whereas global demand is in the neighborhood of 60 million units. This is a disequilibrium of epic proportions. There’s not much more that I can say about the fate of American manufacturing – it needs a complete overhaul, and paying people for a job they haven’t done in 10 years is nothing short of retarded.

Selling the Farm

June 20th, 2007

Just an update to today’s earlier post: Kroger Co. reached an agreement to buy 20 Metro-Detroit area Farmer Jack stores. This includes the location, the closing of which I was earlier lamenting. I was hoping another large chain would buy them out, and give Meijer some competition – but more importantly, give me a choice of where to shop.

Unfortunately, Kroger does not intend to buy any of the locations in Detroit proper. I can’t say I blame them.

no third solution

Blogging about liberty, anarchy, economics and politics