Chicago, Arlington House Youth Hostel, Friday, October 21, 6:05 am So here I am again, on another short excursion away from home. I’ve been awake for an hour already and decided the best thing is to get up and put my first impressions on paper. Since there is only a one hour time difference between Toronto and Chicago I decided yesterday I wasn’t even going to change my watch over. So when I came down this morning to use the free computer at the Arlington Youth Hostel in Chicago, I realized it’s not 7 am, but actually, only 6 am. Well, even better, that’ll give me more chance to explore. A trip to Chicago has been in the works for a while. I have been here twice before, once in 2001 with 3 of my friends, and once in April of 2003 to meet my friend Linda who I have known from back home in Austria since we are 10 years old. You realize you are getting old when you can say to someone that you have known them for 30 years… So Linda, who now lives in Indiana, and I decided to reunite in Ch
General Motors is going through a cataclysmic change, one that will certainly pull the company out of its current financial plight or result in bankruptcy, even the possible dissolution of the company. In a quest to right the listing ship, the company is divesting itself of several brands including its share of Isuzu, Fuji Heavy Industries [Subaru], and others. As far as its wholly-owned brands, speculation has been rife that one, two, maybe even three brands might be discontinued or sold. Two of the most talked-about makes for possible divestment are Hummer – the niche military-style SUV brand – and Saab – the Swedish automaker. Although both brands are currently fairly weak, GM has maintained that the two makes will not only survive but receive fresh product and backing. Let’s take a look at two of GM’s most vulnerable brands and what the company may have in store for each one. Saab — Saab enthusiasts have been highly disappointed ever since General Motors snapped up the Swedish aut