At the very time he's at the Republican National Convention wowing FReepers with his "what a Republican is..." speech, he's signed a bill to work toward locking up all the private land in 1/5th of CA and blowing smoke up everyone's differential about the "Hydrogen Highway!"
Can't anyone here see how totally absurd Arnold truly is in his bad-acting roll as a "Republican?" Would any of you do business with such a huge "bait and switch" artist? Or would you call the DA and have him charged with GRAND LARCENY???
I want some credible answers from consistent conservative FReepers, right here and right now!!!
Yes.
Would any of you do business with such a huge "bait and switch" artist?
No.
I want some credible answers from consistent conservative FReepers, right here and right now!!!
Some credible Freepers have been posting supporting arguments for over a year now to expose the folly. But the drum beats on. I'm glad to see the Reason Foundation aid in exposing the Hydrogen boondoggle... now they need to Follow-The-Money!
The basic concept for fuel cells was discovered in 1839.But 164 years later, the alluring prospect of replacing the internal combustion engine with devices that generate electricity from an environmentally benign chemical reaction still lies far in the future.
In the meantime, though, Firoz Rasul found a way to make lots of money from fuel-cell technology. The former head of fuel-cell pioneer Ballard Power Systems Inc. of Burnaby, B.C., who stepped down as CEO last month but remains as chairman, sold or transferred some $30 million worth of Ballard shares to family trusts and charities over the past three years.
During his 15-year tenure as CEO, Rasul was also handsomely compensated in salary and bonuses, managing at least once to appear atop the list of Canada's best-paid CEOs. In 2001, he collected $9.9 million in pay. Rasul's haul in 2002 was $5.9 million. Included in that sum, Ballard said last week, was a tripling in Rasul's bonus because of his success in meeting goals he had set for himself, such as the development of a five-year business plan.
Ballard is the sort of company where the CEO not only gets extra marks for planning ahead, but is compensated in line with Big Five bank chairmen in a year in which his company's stock plummeted 48 per cent and the annual loss deepened to $148 million, bringing to $403 million Ballard's total losses over the past four years.
(snip)
Toronto Star, Apr. 27, 2002
Enriching themselvesCanadian Corporate News, Oct 2, 2001
CEOs often pocket outrageous sums regardless of how company performs(snip)
Firoz Rasul heads Ballard Power Systems Inc. of Burnaby, B.C., a developer of fuel cells that has never turned an annual profit. The publicly traded firm has racked up total losses of $196.6 million (Canadian) in the past three years, culminating in a loss of $96.2 million last year alone. Just the same, Rasul last year earned a bonus of $191,314 on top of his salary of $551,248, even as the company was laying off 200 employees in a productivity drive.
Ballard Acquires XCELLSIS Fuel Cell Engines and Ecostar Electric Drive Systems
from DaimlerChrysler and Ford, DaimlerChrysler and Ford increase commitment and investment in Ballard(snip)
* Ballard's leading position in fuel cell intellectual property will be extended from 550 patents issued or pending to over 1,200 patents issued or pending, covering almost 500 distinct inventions.
Canada.com, March 7, 2004
Hydrogen fuel-cell goals moving closer, industry insiders believe(snip) Coincidentally, Firoz Rasul, chairman of Ballard Power Systems Ltd., the Vancouver fuel-cell pioneer, this year took over the rotating chairmanship of the California Fuel Cell Partnership, the small but influential business-government coalition that helps set the development agenda globally.
Rasul says he expects to meet with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger next month about beginning the $200-million project, a key piece of infrastructure needed to make fuel cell-powered vehicles practical.
BLD.TO BALLARD POWER SYSTEMS INC Toronto BLDP Ballard Power Systems Inc NasdaqNM
Is that Tommy McClintock I spy under the desk?
"I want some credible answers from consistent conservative..."
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Well, Arnold has not been at it long enough to be judged...certainly some of the things he will do, and how he will do them, may or may not be to our liking (as a resident of California) but he has a mandate. He will be judged on whether or not he fixes the state's problems.
If he fails to do that, he will be working hard on Terminator 4. Time will tell -- I am cutting him some slack since he was handed a very large bucket of horse excrement to deal with.