Sleeplessness Thought

During my coundn't sleep hours last night this thought popped into my head:

Do Catholic Churches need a liquor license to be able to serve wine during communion?
Followed by:

Do they ever get underage drinking checked?

Senate Holds China As A Mentor To American Auto Industry

Senate use's China vehicles as examples of what American Auto Makers should
strive for.

The senator was vexed. The U.S. auto companies were resisting attempts by her and other Senate well-meaners to impose a radical rise in fuel efficiency by 2017. Why can't they be more like the Chinese, she complained. Or to quote Sen. Dianne Feinstein precisely: "What the China situation, or the other countries' situation, shows is that these automakers, in all of these countries, build the automobile that the requirements for mileage state. And they don't fight it, they just do it."

Guess she hasn't seen the latest crash test information on Chinese vehicles.

Yes. That is how things work in Communist Party dictatorships. It is odd to hold up China as a model of corporate-government relations. It is also poor salesmanship. Just a week after Feinstein made that statement, the Brilliance BS6 sedan -- "a car with which (China) wanted to conquer Europe's automobile market" -- failed a German crash test so miserably that it might be banned from Europe, reported the European news agency AFX News. "It was the second time in less than two years that a Chinese-made car has failed the test, following the spectacular failure of the Landwind sport-utility vehicle made by Jiangling Motors 18 months ago."

Guess a rise in deaths is easier to swallow as long as we get better gas mileage and cleaner air.

Look at the major provisions of the bill. First, a mandated 40 percent increase in fuel-efficiency standards for automobile companies. What's wrong with that? Apart from the safety issue, there is the issue of cost. Car prices will rise. That could in turn drive one or all of the Big Three U.S. auto companies, all reeling financially, into insolvency.

Or the dimise of companies that employee hundred's of thousands of AMERICANS.

That's the great attraction of ethanol, too. Another free lunch. The Senate bill mandates a quintupling of ethanol use by the year 2022. That might be a good idea; but it also has costs. With huge tracts of land now being turned over to grow corn for fuel, the price of corn already is rising, as is the price of other foods whose cropland has been taken over. The beauty of ethanol? It hides the price of purported energy efficiency in the most unlikely of places -- your Corn Flakes.

Or your grocery bills.

I have no objection to paying more to reduce our dependency on foreign energy. But it is hard to conceive of a more politically dishonest and economically inefficient way to do it than with mandates that make private industry do Congress' dirty work, hide the true cost of energy efficiency and perpetuate the fantasy of the tax-free lunch.

Congress is telling us to do as they say not as they do, because they never really feel the impact of their decisions.

But this time, unemploying thousands and thousands of Americans, Congress
just might feel the pain come election time.

Everyone remotely related to the Auto Industry is watching this bill very closely because it passage will effective their lives more than just a raise in vehicle prices.

The Dumocrats really need to start listening to the people they are "serving"

Now It's Fish

When is the American population going to take these threats from China seriously?

Now it's Fish from China ...

The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it will detain imports of Chinese farm-raised catfish, shrimp and other seafood to make sure the shipments are free from harmful residues.

"We're taking this strong step because of current and continuing
evidence that certain Chinese aquaculture products imported into the
United States contain illegal substances that are not permitted in
seafood sold in the United States," said Dr. David Acheson, FDA's
assistant commissioner for food protection.(emphasis mine)

They are finding "substances" in the fish that are not allowed, hmmm
sounds like the dog food problem all over again.

The FDA said that based on its sampling of imported Chinese seafood from October 2006 through May 2007, it "repeatedly" found shipments were contaminated with antimicrobial agents that are not approved for this use in the United States.

Bacteria

FDA officials said there was no immediate health threat because of the low level of the drugs, but they could cause harm if consumed over a long period.

"In order to get cancer in lab animals you have to feed fairly high
levels of the drug over a long term," said Dr. David Acheson, the
FDA's assistant commissioner for food protection. "We're talking not
days, weeks, not even months but years. At these levels you might not
reach that level, but we don't want to take a chance."

That is what they said about the dog food also.

China Thinks We Are Stupid

It is time to start holding Foreign companies that import defective product
into the U.S responsible for their actions.

And just because they go through and American company they should still
ultimately be held responsible.

Because next time instead of thousands of pets dying it could be people.

The New Jersey tire distributor which has acknowledged that up to 450,000 tires it purchased from a Chinese company are defective said it doesn’t have enough money to conduct a voluntary recall.

In a letter to federal regulators dated June 11, Foreign Tire Sales
Inc. of Union, N.J., told officials at the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it was “not in a position” to
conduct a recall.

The American company that imports these defective Chinese tires are saying
they can not pay for the recall, so does this mean the up to 1 million
tires that have been imported in are not going to be replaced? People
can't afford to go pay another $400 for a set of tires, so they won't replace
them and that means they will still be on the road, which is a disaster
waiting to happen.

FTS officials say Hangzhou Zhongce has failed to provide information that would allow FTS to determine exactly how many tires, and which batches, have the problem, according to a filing with NHTSA.

I would have to say that the U.S. is also at fault for this, how can the U.S.
allow imports into this country without being able to trackback to production
dates or lots?

FTS on May 31 sued Hangzhou in U.S. District Court in Newark, charging that its tests found that the tires may fail earlier than those originally provided by Hangzhou, and that a recall would put FTS out of business. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and an injunction that would bar Hangzhou products from being imported.

The lawsuit was reported Monday by the Wall Street Journal.

Officials at the Chinese manufacturer reject FTS’s claims about tread
separation.

“We have not found the faults cited by FTS,” said Hangzhou Zhongce
officials in a written statement. “We believe this is merely an
effort by FTS Co. to stir up a fuss due to this lawsuit.”

FTS said it became concerned about Hangzhou tires in October 2005
amid an increase in warranty claims and began talks with the Chinese
company, and then commissioned its own tests.

Why the hell is the NHTSA is letting the Chinese get away with this, why
are they not demanding the Chinese maker put up or shut up? Testing has
been done showing that the strip is missing, which the Chinese have admitted
to not putting in to make more of a profit. And now they are denying anything
is wrong with their product when testing has been done and has shown the
saftey strip to be missing. The Chinese like we are stupid.

They also admitted to putting melamine in the dog food to make the protein
appear greater then it really was.

I am not kidding when I say the Chinese are out to kill us, they are posioning
our pets on purpose, eliminating saftey features, using outlawed paint on
kids toys.

WAKE UP AMERICA

The Hangzhou tire case is the latest scandal involving the importation of Chinese products to the United States in recent months. Earlier this year, tainted pet food, lead-coated children’s toys and toxic toothpaste imported from China were found to be defective. According to the New York Times, Chinese products now make up about 60% of products that are recalled.(emphais mine)

60% of everything from China is being recalled, 60 PERCENT.

People this is an epidemic, don't be complacent on this. Demand that
China be held responsible for their actions. Demand rules and regulations
for their products, demand that incoming product be inspected for safety
before being allowed to be sold to consumers.

Because the next thing you buy that says "Made in China" could kill you.

China Is Going To Make Sure They Kill At Least Some Americans

But first they are starting with Europeans ...

China's Brilliance BS6 is a recent entry into the European market, positioned as a premium-style import sedan at a budget price. Well, after seeing the videos of the car undergoing crash testing using Euro NCAP guidelines at the ADAC (Germany's AAA, essentially) test center, one thing's certain: buyers get what they pay for.

I can't believe Europe even let this vehicle be sellable, must not have done crash testing on it before letting it loose on it's citizens.

The BS6, as currently constructed, appears to a complete piece of crap. The horrifying 40 mph offset frontal crash test video shows damage that can be described as catastrophic at best. The A-pillar collapses and folds up like a cheap suitcase, forcing the driver's door to pop largely out of its frame, while the lower portion of the car buckles like it's made of recycled pop cans. We wouldn't want to be the driver's legs...or any other part of him for that matter. To open the mangled door afterwards, the ADAC techs needed to use a huge crowbar to get it to budge. ADAC notes that the pedals intruded a foot and a half (32 cm) into the driver's space, while the IP moved in almost 8 inches (20 cm). Needless to say, the BS6 failed the test, garnering just 1 star.(emphasis mine)

When a reporter uses the words "piece of crap" "horrifying" and "catastrophic" you might be a little scared.

The side-impact video's no picnic, either, as the driver's upper body takes the impact so hard, the injuries sustained would likely prove fatal

Prove fatal .... they are selling a vehicle that in a 40mph crash the driver and most likely the front passenger would DIE.

Enough said ...

You can view more pictures and the actual crash test video at this site.

China Trys Harder To Kill Americans

When Ford ran into the tire seperation issue, they were being lambasted nightly
on the news. It was all one heard about for months on end.

Bet you didn't hear anything about this one:

A recent lawsuit arising from a fatal auto accident in Pennsylvania is pointing toward another potentially hazardous Chinese import, this time tires.

The accident occurred last August, when a steel-belted radial on a
cargo van carrying four passengers allegedly experienced a tread
separation -- the type of problem that prompted the big Firestone
recall of 2000 -- causing the driver to loose control and crash.
Two passengers were killed, the two others injured, one severely.

They already know why the tire seperation is happening. But how can that
be you ask, it took months and months for Firestone to figure it out, what
was Firestone stonewalling us?

Nope ..

The tire's U.S. distributor -- Foreign Tire Sales Inc. of Union, N.J., says that it discovered a safety feature it had specifically asked the manufacturer to include was omitted from up to 450,000 of the tires imported from China's Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. since 2002. FTS has notified federal safety officials that a recall may be necessary and that it believes other U.S. distributors have been selling identical tires, which could account for up to another half a million tires.

CHINA DIDN'T INCLUDE SPECIFIC SAFETY FEATURES, THEY KNOWINGLY LEFT THEM OUT.

Well, ok, lets just recall all those tires ..

FTS says it doesn't have the resources to pay for the recall itself and that it can't even clearly identify the specific tires because the Chinese manufacturer has failed to provide the distributor with the identification numbers of the tires that were manufactured with the missing safety feature.

China has no identification system to figure out which ones are bad.

So maybe this will finally prompt China to start making better products ...

An official of Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. reached late Monday evening in China said: "We are aware of this matter and we are now in the process of responding to the lawsuit. Production and sales at our company remain normal."(emphasis mine)

Nope, business as usual.

This will not stop until we stop buying defective, deadly imports from China.

Not A Great Way To Start The Week

It was about 4:30 AM when the dog just had to Pee, so Mr Weenie gets up and takes the dogs out to be watered and everyone comes back to bed.

About 4:45AM our Burgular alarm beeps ...

I shoot up, instantly awake ... Mr Weenie, alot slower in coming to...

Mr Weenie says call the police, I call and tell them our burguler alarm went off and they said they will send the police (I hear bugulary in progress in the background), she stays online with me and asks questions like "do you hear sounds, do you know which door, have you looked out the window, don't go downstairs, etc" until the Police arrive.

The police look around outside and don't see open (re broken) windows or doors so they come to the front door and Mr Weenie goes down to great them.

They look in every closet, every room, behind furniture, and the basement (which I hear Mr Weenie and policeman downstairs talking about the finishing off of the basement we are doing) and they don't find anything.

Thank-god ...

One of the reasons why we actually called the police was because last week we found a cell phone charger on our patio, which meant someone was on our patio last week while we were at work and the other reason is that we have juvinile deliquents that live behind us and who have been karted off the jail more than a few times.

So the police leave, Mr Weenie gets ready for work and leaves and I go back to bed with the dogs.

I am lying their facing the window, couldn't sleep so I roll over facing towards the door and realize there is a green light blinking (the light on our alarm system is green when not set) so I look at the alarm and it's red (means its set) and then look up.

The freaking smoke alarms have green lights on them, normally they are a solid color. So I am trying to think why is it blinking then I remember that when the batteries are now it will blink green to let you know they need changing ...

I also remember THAT THE SMOKE ALARMS BEEP WHEN THE BATTERIES ARE LOW ...

Crap ... that is what the beeps were ...

It will beep every 3-4 hours to remind you to change the batteries.

The smoke alarm beeps sounds EXACTLY the same as the door open beeps on the burgular alarm.

I feel real embarassed now ...

But let me tell you, I have been putting off taking the CCW class but the "scared shitless" feeling I had waiting for the cops to come put jesus into me and I will be registering for that class this week.

Senate Dictates Darwin's Laws

So, do you think 3,000 deaths per year is a good trade off for higher fuel economy in your vehicle?

The Senate apparently thinks so ...

A giddy Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and her team of senatorial engineers dubbed their press conference to announce the passage of radically higher mileage mandates "The Senate Takes a Bow," so proud were they to have finally stuck it to the Big Three automakers.

But it will be consumers who'll pay for Feinstein's folly.

But making those cars and trucks more fuel efficient will inevitably make them lighter, or perhaps it's better to say deadlier.

Federal estimates indicate that current fuel economy standards result in an additional 2,000 highway deaths each year because they were achieved by taking weight out of vehicles.

Jack up the mandates by the nearly 50 percent required in the Senate bill, and it's fair to assume those 2,000 extra deaths will become 3,000 a year.

Would you still think it's such a dandy trade-off if someone you love is among that higher number?

Congress always manages to escape the consequences of its actions.

We blame oil companies for higher gasoline prices driven up largely by state and federal policies.

We blame greedy corporations when jobs move overseas because oppressive government regulations and taxes make profits impossible.

And Congress is betting we'll blame car companies, and not politicians, when the high-priced vehicles on the dealer's lot don't meet our needs and desires or, worse, put our lives at risk.

So who will you blame when a loved one is killed in a lighter weight vehicle for the sake of increased fuel economy?

Henry Reid Doesn't Walk the Talk

Henry Reid, the one who is leading the crusade to put the American Auto Makers out of business and forcing Americans to drive light weight, fuel efficent small vehicles certainly isn't taking his own advice to heart.

Yet a call to the senator's office finds that he tools around DC in a Chevy Suburban, GM's biggest SUV weighing in at 5800 pounds and guzzling 15 mpg

He also has one back in his drive in Nevada.

Kiss my ass you f**king Self-centered, egotistical jackass.

E85 Not Miracle Cure

Q. My vehicle operates on E85. The manufacturer's estimated range is 229 to 330 miles with a tank of E85 versus 312 to 474 miles with 10 percent unleaded/ethanol blend. So E85 provides 70 to 73 percent of the miles per gallon that gasoline does. If you drive 15,000 miles and average 25 m.p.g. using gas, the lower cost for E85 (40 cents a gallon less) doesn't compensate for the lower mileage.

A. You are preaching to the choir. We've noted several times that vehicles run on E85, the blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, get up to 30 percent less mileage than they do with the 10 percent blend. So motorists have to do a little homework and determine the mileage they are getting with a 10 and 85 percent blend to see whether the lower price makes up for the lower mileage. The advantage of E85 is not better mileage, it's lower emissions and a small step toward reducing dependence on foreign oil.

Congress is really pushing E85 as the cure to America's indulgence of Oil, yet
what they do not ever mention is that you have to use more E85 to go the same
distance as regular gas.

The only thing E85 does is have less emissions, it is not the "cure" for oil dependance.

Senate Finds Scapegoat For Gas Prices

Global warming and America's dependence on foreign oil have become issues that no politician can afford to ignore.

The fear and respect the industry enjoyed has been replaced by finger
-wagging lectures about getting with the times and building "relevant" products.

"This whole thing has nothing to do with energy policy, CO2 or the environment," General Motors Corp. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz told The Detroit News on Friday. "This is purely punitive; the 'big business haters' finally giving us our due for decades of 'colluding with oil companies' and 'forcing the U.S. public to buy big SUVs.'

"Make no mistake: these people hate us and want to inflict pain."

That is right, Congress can't ignore gas prices because their constituents
keep calling them about it so since they can't "get" big Oil they are taking
it all out on the American Auto Makers.

They also don't understand that the Auto Makers are not forcing people to
buy big SUV's and Trucks, people are buying big SUV's and Trucks because
they want them. The Senate feels you should not have a choice but should
be forced to buy small vehicles. If the House passes this bill that option
to buy what you want will be taken away, you will be forced to buy small
vehicles because that is all anyone will be able to make.

"Gas prices, and people thinking somehow that a vehicle of the same size can be made to consume less gas," Levin said.

Automakers said if the measure becomes law, it will force them to make
dramatically smaller vehicles and have an impact on sales.

"Ultimately, the public will pay the price," Lutz said.

Harry Reid (Dumocrat) and Nancy Pelosi (Head Dumocrat) feel that Auto Makers
should beable to make big SUV's and Trucks get the same mileage as small vehicles without much change (they probably also believe the water for fuel myth also) are talking through their asses.

Vehicles will be made dangerously lighter weight and the cost of meeting these
unrealistic fuel ecomony raises will have to be passed onto the public, at the
cost of several thousands of dollars.

Senate Hates American Auto Industry

The only reason for this big push is so they look like they are doing
something about gas prices, since they can't peg the high gas prices on
big Oil. So instead they are beating the Auto Industry into a pulp, with
the American Auto Industry being the main focus of their hatred.

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid used harsh language to say that senators didn't find automakers credible suggested auto companies "misrepresented the facts" at time.

"We don't believe you anymore,'" Reid said. "The answer is we've had
enough. It's time the American automobile manufacturers join with the rest of the world in recognizing that people want to buy more fuel
efficient cars."(emphasis mine)

Toyota, Honda and 9 other Auto Makers are on the side of the American Auto
Makers saying the Senate is setting unrealistic expectations and will cost
Auto Makers Billions of dollars to meet those standards.

So it isn't just the American Auto Makers "lying" about the unrealistic
expectations of the do-gooders in the Senate.

General Motors spokesman Greg Martin expressed the company's disappointment.

"In their rush to do something, Congress should take the same oath as
doctors: 'First, do no harm,'" Martin said. "We'll continue to press our
case hard that we can work with them to get improved fuel economy levels
without the unintended costs to the industry and consumers."

Dave McCurdy, president and CEO of the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers -- the trade group that represents the Detroit Three,
Toyota and BMW among 9 automakers -- offered a conciliatory statement.

"Automakers support improving national fuel economy standards,
" McCurdy said in a statement. "This is a long process, and we are
continuing to work constructively to develop reasonable fuel economy
standards that are affordable and preserve the cars and light trucks
that farmers, tradesmen, business owners, outdoor enthusiasts and
families need every day."

Ford and Toyota also made similar points.

Toyota's group vice president for government and industry affairs,
o Cooper, said the Senate bill would be "extremely challenging" for the
Japanese automaker.

"The 35 mpg target in the Senate energy bill represents a very
aggressive target for automakers," Cooper said. "Toyota will continue
to work constructively with lawmakers and remain involved in the process
of passing workable legislation." (emphasis mine)

This bill is eccecially the Senate telling people they are not allowed to own
trucks or SUV's and that everyone should be driving electric vehicles.

Not to mention that one of the major ways to increase fuel economy is to
take weight out of vehicles. Taking weight out of vehicles means not using
steel but using aluminum and other such materials to make the vehicles, which
will make the vehicles less safe.

US Sacrafices US Workers For Cheap Korean Goods

The US has gone to bat for fair and free trade, to bad they made sure Korea was the one that got the better deal.

The U.S.-Korea FTA fails the most elementary test of any reasonable trade deal: It's not reciprocal.

The U.S. currently has a $14 billion trade deficit with South Korea, of which $11.6 billion is accounted for by a deficit in auto trade. Yet, this agreement does nothing to fix this imbalance.

The U.S. has promised to eliminate or phase out tariffs on cars and pick-up trucks -- but Korea won't take meaningful, enforceable action to eliminate the non-tariff trade barriers which have shut U.S. vehicles out of their market for years.

Yep, the US makes sure free trade doesn't hinder incoming product, but
never makes sure the other country follows the rules set.

$11.6 BILLION dollars worth of Auto's come into this country from Korea
but Korea only allows a few thousand American Auto's to come into it's country, not every year. They also make it difficult for Korean's to buy American vehicles, imposing huge taxes on buying them but ostracing them for not buying
Korean vehicles.

The U.S.-Korea FTA will put thousands of good-paying U.S. manufacturing jobs at risk. Just as disturbing, the treaty states that the U.S. will in the future "consider" including goods manufactured in the North Korean industrial zone of Kaesong.

This would mean importing goods made by workers who labor as indentured servants for one of the world's most repressive regimes.

The U.S. Korea FTA does not include core labor rights as an enforceable
part of the agreement. Our colleagues in the Korean Metalworkers union
are routinely harassed and jailed, and the U.S. should not grant increased access to our markets to a country that does not respect universally recognized labor rights.

So the US is allowing little better than Korean slaves to make goods, while
being jailed and beat and let them import those goods into the US.

National Take Your Dog To Work Day

Today is National Take Your Dog To Work Day, sponsered by Pet Sitters International.

It is to promote ownership and recognize pets in animal shelters that need humans.

And no, I was not allowed to bring my dogs to work today.

Todays edition of Doggie Blogging we have the ears edition!

Maggie is doing fine, we go in tonight for a check-up and hopefully we will beable to take her off the medicine they are giving her.

Congress Punishing Auto Industry

Congress seems to think that the Japanese Auto Makers do no wrong and the American Auto Makers are evil and doing everything possible to destroy America.

Here we have the Democratic majority -- propelled by the biases of Rep. Ed Markey's Massachusetts and Speaker Nancy Pelosi's California, among others -- pushing sharply higher federal fuel economy rules and the right of states to regulate greenhouse gases, whether any of it is technically achievable or economically sensible.

Not one Congressperson who is against the American Auto Industry has really investigated facts, they take facts that have not been proven feasible and When the Auto Industry tells them they are not feasible Congress says they are being uncooperative.

But isn't the car and truck market already doing what Congress is trying to shove down the industry's throat? More fuel-efficient cars, hybrids and car-based SUV-style vehicles account for a bigger chunk of sales each month while sales of passé monster pickups and SUVs keep sliding, thanks to higher gas prices.

Even Toyota, that erstwhile division of Greenpeace, has trouble with all the
greenhouse gas blanketing Capitol Hill and driving its mad rush towards "energy independence day" next month. In today's Washington, appearing to do something about climate change is more important than what you do or whose livelihood it might impinge.

Yep, it's more popular to be on the Climate Change side then the do what is possible side.

To hear the ritual denunciations of Detroit's metal, you'd think General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler were the only automakers building big, gas-guzzling SUVs and pickups, but you'd be wrong. A look at the EPA's green guide shows, for example, that V-8-powered pickups from GM and Ford deliver slightly better fuel economy than Toyota's Tundra.

You read that right, Toyota's gas guzzlers are worse for the environment than the American gas guzzlers. But Toyota being Congress's darlings they will make up lies to cover that fact up.

To listen to all the sanctimony about hybrids, you'd think only Toyota, undisputably the market leader, is in the gas-electric hybrid business. You'd be wrong, as the Ford Escape, Saturn Vue and, soon, hybrid SUVs from GM attest.

Who needs inconvenient truths when half-baked perceptions will do?

That's right, the American Auto Makers do make Hybrid vehicles.
And lets not get into the facts about Toyota not using true mileage tests to arrive
at their hybrid mileage. The Prius only gets 60mpg in Toyota's mind, other true mileage tests show the Pruis only averaging 48mpg.

Hyperbole? Perhaps, but how helpful it is to have Congressional leaders braying to a captive press corps about Detroit "not building the cars people want" or Detroit "building nothing but gas guzzlers" or Detroit "building junk" -- all demonstrably untrue.

You would think Congress would support American business's rather than trying to destroy them. Because with the lies they are telling and the push for unrealistic fuel expectations that is exactly what Congress is trying to do, destroy the American Auto Industry.

Congress Hates Auto Industry

Congress is more interested in promising things to make them look good then in proposing things that are based in reality.

The battle for fuel economy regulations is being played out in the halls of the
Congress as we speak. They are trying to play up the recent gas price
hikes as being the fault of the evil automotive industry unwillingness to make
cars use gas more efficently.

What's so infuriating is that Washington's hostile attitude is rooted in the myth that Detroit is doing nothing to make its products environmentally friendly.

Here's the truth: The auto industry spends more on research and development -- $21 billion a year -- than any other segment of the economy.

Fuel efficiency has nearly doubled over the last 30 years, while tailpipe
emissions decreased almost 100 percent.

General Motors, which offers 24 vehicles that reach 30 miles per gallon or
better, spent $40 billion over the past 10 years to meet federal regulations,
or twice its current market capitalization.

And yet Nancy Pelosi in the House and Harry Reid and Dianne Feinstein in
the Senate saw fit last week to lecture the automakers on their laziness and
resistance to change.

The bill in Congress right now pushes what the Congresspeople feel gas economy should be at, reguardless of technology. The are pulling data out of their asses and feel any opposition from the Automakers is unwillingness to make fuel economy better and being in cahoots with the evil oil companies.

The June 12 article on possible new automobile fuel-efficiency standards, "Safe cars versus fuel efficiency? Not so fast." draws largely on studies by experts in fields outside the automobile industry. The thrust of the article, that the industry is stonewalling on improved fuel efficiency, fails to consider the economic feasibility of the necessary changes. There is a vast difference between technological and economic feasibility.(emphasis mine)

Developing new vehicles and engines to meet sudden increases in fuel-efficiency standards requires many billions of dollars. And many billions would be required because there are very few cars of any size that can meet the suggested 35 m.p.g. standard, much less a manufacturer's fleet of vehicles capable of that level.

They are getting all their facts and data from people who don't even work in the
automotive industry. That would be like asking me for data about the medical industry.

Yet Michigan Congresspeople are working hard to get a proposal out there that is technological possible.

Ridiculous, yes. But it's the prevailing notion in Congress. And that explains why Stabenow, Dingell and the Michigan delegation are in the distasteful position of fighting for legislation that will add new and excruciatingly painful regulatory burdens on automakers.

Dingell is moving a fuel economy bill in the House, and Carl Levin in the Senate
that pushes the automakers to their absolute technological and financial limits.
The proposal represents the single greatest regulatory burden ever imposed on an American industry.(empahsis mine)

The Michigan members of Congress would nearly kill the patient to save it. But
the bills are aimed at heading off even harsher measures sure to be fatal.

The Single Greatest Regulatroy Burden EVER .. think about that, no other industry is being told to regulate their business more than the auto industry on fuel.

Think about all the things with motors or burns fuel, yet it's only the auto industy
being whipped for greenhouse gases and ozone burning products.

But that historic embrace of higher Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards is not enough to quiet the mob. Led by California Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Henry Waxman in the House and Dianne Feinstein in the Senate, many in Congress are demanding more, more, more of an industry whose survival is already uncertain.

Congress has an obligation not to regulate beyond the industry's capability to comply.(emphasis mine)

That says it all, congress should not regulate an industry out of business, which they are heading to do with there proposals. It would lead to 1 in 7 Americans losing their jobs because that is how many people in America are directly and indirectly related to the American Automotive Business.

Congress needs to start looking at what the American people want from their vehicles and not what they feel the American people should have in a vehicle.

Really, When Is This Shit Going To Stop

I swear there is a dark cloud following my ass around.

This morning at 7:30am Maggie had a seizure.

On the way to the vet she had another in the car.

She's doing fine now but the vet, for precautions, put her on Phenobarbital.

The vet said to bring her back in a week to check to see how she is doing and then make a decision to take her off the meds or to keep her on for now.

They say they are non-fatal and may never happen again or my happen next week or next year.

It's a wait and see now.

Yep, They Were F**king With Me

I had my interview today and it seems the Gods were f**king with me.

The interview with the manager took all of 30 minutes, he asked a total of 4 questions and I asked 6 questions. It's not good when you ask more questions then the interviewer.

I did not get good vibes, he just didn't seem interested in doing the interview. Aloof might be the word I am looking for.

The HR guy was nice and took me on a tour. I got to see bunches of Tanks of all sizes and in all stages of assembly. That place is only a prototype shop but he still said they have the largest tank population east of the mississippi :)

They said it would probably be a month before they make a decision because they only started interviewing but would let me know either way. I don't think it's going to be the way I want it to be.

Back to the drawing board ...

LALOLKFATYK

Found this over at blog momma Tammi's World, thought I would throw it up on here.

LALOLKFATYK which stands for “Learn A Lot Of Little Known Facts About Those You Know”

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Unfortunately yes, the Beatles song ... Michele My Belle. My parents claimed they didn't have a name for me and on the way to the hospital that song came on the radio and wala ... my name. Or course it's spelled differently, oh and I hate hate hate when people sing to me, blech.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
This Afternoon

DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Use to and every now and then. The arthritis has gotten into my hands so my writing is getting pretty bad, especially in the morning.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Liverwurst or Bologna. Yummy!

DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
Two, twins ... of course they have fur and four legs but none the less they are my kids and the only kids I will have.

IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Depends on the day.

DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Hell ya, it's part of my personality.

DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
No, lost them in 3rd grade.

WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
With my fear of heights? Um, no.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
I change, right now it's Peanut Butter Captn Crunch.

DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Most of my shoes have velcro (hey buying kids shoes has its advantages ya know) or are slip off. My tennies are tie and yes I untie them before taking them off.

DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
I like to say I am a 90 pound weaking, minus the 90 pounds.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Any kind of chocolate.

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Their aura. No, I am not a freak or weirdo but I can sense people and it's usually the first thing I notice about them.

RED OR PINK?
Definately Pink, red washes me out because it's to strong of a color for my skin tone.

WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Right now, just about everything.

WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My Dad, especially with Fathers Day around the corner. I have come to dispise that day.

WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Tan Crops and Brown T-Shirt

WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Wendys Buffalo Chicken

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The hum of the fan on the laptop

IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Cornflower

FAVORITE SMELLS?
Freshly bathed puppy

WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Mr Weenie to discuss how my interview went.

FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Baseball and College Football

HAIR COLOR?
When littler use to be blackish, then turned brownish, now brownish with dark brown and redish/blondish highlights.

EYE COLOR?
Light bluish-green, but darkish blue with the contacts in.

DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
See answer above. Yes, since 10th grade. I am too vain not to wear them.

FAVORITE FOOD?
Yes

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy Endings, scary movies give me nitemares for weeks.

LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Ummmm, Dodgeball.

WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Brown t-shirt

SUMMER OR WINTER?
Definately Summer, hate all other seasons that are not at least 85 degrees in temperature

HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs, definately.

FAVORITE DESSERT?
Yes

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Scandals by Penelope Nerl ... its a smut book, my vice.

WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Don't use one

WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?
Detroit Tigers game in rerun (they played an afternoon game)

FAVORITE SOUND?
Opening of a chocolate wrapper

ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Neither, blech ...

WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Fresno, California. Visted my aunt the first summer of college.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
You will have to ask Mr Weenie that ;)

WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Detroit, Michigan

Big 3 Want 30% Paycuts

The big thing in the news around here the past couple days is the leak from the Big 3 that they want the UAW to take a 30% hit in wages and benefits during the upcoming contract talks.

Of course sides have been taken and name calling abundent (mostly from the white collar to the blue collar).

Detroit's Big Three, facing their worst crisis in decades, are seeking unprecedented concessions from the United Auto Workers union in a bid to narrow what they say is a $30-an-hour labor-cost disadvantage against Asian rivals like Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co., auto executives say.

Yesterday's articles all said it was only a $25/hour disadvantage. Guess by the
end of July when the contract talks unoffical start it will be upto around $50/hour.

In recent years, the union has agreed to work-rule changes and benefit cuts for its retirees designed to save the auto makers billions of dollars a year. However, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, who declined to comment on the coming negotiations, has argued his workers shouldn't bear the entire cost of Detroit's restructuring.

Especially when the line workers don't manage, design or engineer the vehicles.
I still don't see how you can blame the line workers for consumers not wanting
to buy the ugly assed designs Ford has.

Not to mention the fact that over the past 3 years consessions have been given up and last year the contract re-opened and a wage consession was given. But of course nobody is ever going to hear about wage consessions from the UAW. That would make the UAW sound cooperative and caring.

GM, Ford and Chrysler have eliminated about 70,000 UAW jobs over the past two years through buyouts and other means. The three, which currently employ about 210,000 of the UAW's 520,000 active members, say they pay union workers $70 to $75 an hour, when wage, health-care and pension expenses are factored in. By comparison, according to Big Three estimates, Toyota and other Asian auto makers, pay $40 to $45 an hour (yesterdays articles claimed it was $50/hour at their U.S. plants, which together employ about 62,300 nonunion workers.(emphasis mine)

Gee, I wonder why the Big 3 have a larger costs then the Asian Auto Makers, they employee almost 4 times the amount of people then the Asian Auto makers. Employee more people, costs are going to be larger. And since actual wages are the same, it's the benefits that the Big 3 are paying out that makes the difference. And again, back to the fact that the Big 3 employees more people means they have larger benefit costs.

All three domestic auto makers "will move investment in plants and people outside the country" if they don't bring U.S. labor costs in line with those of Toyota and the other foreign auto makers, the executive said.

First off, I would love to see them move all their plants outside of the U.S. I can
guaran-damn-tee it would never happen. And even if they did, who the hell would they have to buy their products. If you lay off the people who are actually buying your products there is nobody that will beable to buy them. Because getting rid of the line workers and plants will not effect just them but will effect all the suppliers that supply that plant. Because if they move all plants overseas you don't expect them to keep the U.S. suppliers do you? Nope, so then your, by proxy, laying off all the workers at suppliers. So that would be approximately another 840,000 people.

Threats are not going to work and it makes you look like a spoiled child.

The Big Three's competitive problems extend far beyond labor costs, a point UAW bargainers have made in the past and will likely make again. Union leaders have said the auto makers should invest more in improving the quality and design of their vehicles.

Again, the line workers don't manage the company nor do they design or engineer the new vehicles. Build what people like and they will buy.

With this new revolution by the Big 3, the contracts talks should be very interesting and if Management pushes to hard for huge cuts they will have a huge strike on their hands.

Management will not own up to the fact that it's their mis-management and bad
decisions that are the brunt of the problems facing the companies right now. I
think if they owned up to that the UAW would be more understanding and willing to work with management, but management keeps saying all their problems are because of the UAW and their wages.

Mr Weenie and I talked about this yesterday and agreed that if management is not willing to budge on their 30% paycut demands they can go to hell, even if that means the company goes out of business. Just because they get paycuts doesn't mean overnight they are going to have good looking vehicles that people are dying to buy. They will still have the problem of ugly vehicles that nobody wants to buy, paycuts will never change that. And I can guarantee that if they get paycuts, management will immediately get huge raises/bonues to celebrate their accomplishment of getting those cuts.

So to review, if they want huge paycuts they can kiss our ass.

New Dog Collars

Looks like Lance and Maggie might be getting these soon:

They are found here

Rules for Interviewing

Dear Potential Employers,

Since I am applying for positions within your companies and some of you are actually calling me back I thought I would put together some guidelines on how to make things easier for both of us.

1 - Yes, my name is spelled different, no I don't know why my parents decided to punsh me with the wierd spelling. Commenting on it only makes me hate you even more.

2 - Before dicussing the job any further I have two questions so as not to waste
your or my time. Please don't scoff at those questions. If your company is a two
hour drive for me or our salary requirements differ there is no reason to talk
to you anymore.

3 - When I say I have no problem with travel, I mean it. Asking that same question more than 3 times is a fishing expedition for information you are not allowed to ask or I will answer. No problem what so ever with travel should tell you the answer to the question you are not allowed to ask.

4 - Please read my resume and cover letter before calling me. Asking me stupid
questions that could be answered by simply reading my resume will avoid me thinking you are an ass.

5 - Relating to the above statement, asking me if I have accounting or cost
estimating experience will also make me think you are an ass. What part of
Quality Engineer do you not understand.

6 - Setting me up for an interview that has nothing to do with Quality and not
telling me about it will again piss me off and make me think you are an ass.

7 - Calling me and saying you want to set-up an interview and then never finding the "time" to set said interview up will ... well you know the drill

8 - Having HR tell me one thing about the job and then during the interview you
tell me the opposite about the job pisses me off. Please get together on what the
job entails before calling me for an interview.

9 - I will kiss your ass only so much during an interview, don't try to get any more than I am willing to give.

10 - Please do not use the extra strength Crest White strips before our interview, your shockingly white teeth freak the hell out of me.

11 - Saying I will not relocate means just that. Do not think you can talk me
into it.

12 - Do not spout off your political views during my interview. I am interviewing
for a position with a politican and most likely your views do not mesh with mine.

13 - I can spot a diveristy interview a mile away. Make it as short as possible and stop wasting my time.

Thank-You,
Respectfully your potential employee.

Are The Gods Smiling On Me Or Just F**ing With Me?

I got a call and an email yesterday.

A company found my resume on monster, they like what they see and without even speaking with me asked me to come in for a face to face interview.

For a Supplier Quality Engineer position.

OUT OF THE AUTO INDUSTRY.

I talk with the guy, he gives me directions on how to get to their website to read the job description and apply so they can make the interview request formal.

Go to the website, look up the job number he gave me ...

And the job description is nothing that I have ever done, hell it doesn't even resemble anything a Quality Engineer would do.

I was dejected ...

I emailed him back asking if I had the right job number ...

No I didn't, he gave me the wrong one, gave me the right one and I look and the job description is everything that I have done.

So I interviewing for this job next Friday.

This company gives, fully paid, all it's employees every other Friday off. And the Fridays that they do work, they shut the place down at 4pm.

This company is a defense contractor that works on land systems (think humvees, and the such). I would be working with the ARMY and MARINES!!!

I think I may have died and gone to heaven.

Working Quality with SOLIDERS AND MARINES ... AND they will be paying me to do that.

Could this be the job that I have gone through hell the past year for?

I hope so !!!!!!

How Geeky/Nerdy/Dorky Are You?

Your Score: Modern, Cool Nerd

69 % Nerd, 69% Geek, 47% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Nerd and Geek, earning you the title of: Modern, Cool Nerd.

Nerds didn't use to be cool, but in the 90's that all changed. It used to be that, if you were a computer expert, you had to wear plaid or a pocket protector or suspenders or something that announced to the world that you couldn't quite fit in. Not anymore. Now, the intelligent and geeky have eked out for themselves a modicum of respect at the very least, and "geek is chic." The Modern, Cool Nerd is intelligent, knowledgable and always the person to call in a crisis (needing computer advice/an arcane bit of trivia knowledge). They are the one you want as your lifeline in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (or the one up there, winning the million bucks)!

Congratulations!


Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in any of the following:

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Professional Wrestling

Love & Sexuality

America/Politics

Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Stolen from Ogre

JD Power Initial Quality Awards

The 2007 JD Power Initial Quality Awards came out today. Initial Quality is the first 3 months of ownership. Owners are surveyed on their thoughts about their new vehicle.

Results:

Ford Motor Company wins 14 vehicle honors, more than any other automaker. Five vehicles are top segment performers. Ford’s recently launched vehicles are among industry’s best performers. Four brands – Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar – place in top 10, all significantly above industry average.

Ford Motor Company has the most top-quality vehicles in the industry, according to a customer-based initial quality survey released today by J.D. Power and Associates.

In the research firm’s 2007 Initial Quality Study (IQS), Ford Mustang, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln Mark LT and Mazda MX-5 Miata swept their vehicle segments for top honors.

Overall, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury nameplates placed among the top 10 nameplates, with Lincoln in 3rd place, Mercury in 8th place and Ford brand in 10th . Jaguar ranked 6th.

Ford Motor Company received 14 total vehicle honors, more than any other automaker. In addition to the five first-place winners, the following vehicles also were recognized:

Second-place winners:

Ford F-150 LD: Large pickup
Lincoln MKX: Midsize premium MAV
Lincoln Navigator: Large premium MAV
Third-place winners:

Ford Fusion: Midsize car
Ford Econoline: Van
Ford Five Hundred: Large car
Mercury Montego: Large car (tied with Five Hundred)
Mercury Mountaineer: Midsize MAV
Volvo S80: Midsize premium car
The company’s overall ranking in the survey climbed to 4th place from last year’s 7th, helped in part by the performance of Ford’s recently launched vehicles.

Wixom Assembly Plant received a Platinum Award, recognizing it as the industry’s best-quality performing plant worldwide. This marks the first time since 1999 that a North American assembly plant has received J.D. Power’s top award for producing vehicles yielding the fewest defects.

So all you people driving foreign vehicles saying that you drive them because they are better in quality then the american vehicles can kiss my big, white ass!

Friday Doggie Blogging

A couple sundays ago (mothers day I think) we finally took the puppies to the Bark Park (dog park for you lay people).

They had a freaking blast, the bark park we go to has a small dog area so the small dogs arn't run over by the big dogs.

Of course Maggie was a bully and would bark at all the other small dogs, I swear she is a big dog in a small dog body.

We went again this monday and after the small dog area we took them over to the big dog area just to see how they would react. Maggie was being a bully in the small dog area so we thought the big dogs would put her in her place quickly, which they did. Maggie whined after the big dogs barked at her.

They loved running and everyone was commenting on how fast they were, they flew, litterally!

The pictures are from the first visit.

The first picture is of Maggie and Lance playing with a puppy Rodesian Ridgeback.

Next we have Lance and Maggie doing lots of sniffing (and peeing)

In this picture you can see Lance standing by the guy sitting on the bench in jeans, Lance thought it was daddy.

In this picture you can see Lance after he realized the guy he was by wasn't daddy and took off towards me. Also in the background you can see Maggie (yellow shirt) rolling around on something that smelled good to her.

And this one is my favorite. It's hard to get a good picture of them when they are running and you can see that Lance is actually flying.

And the next picture is just for blog pappa Harvey, I know you missed these Harvey

Oh and I made Maggies outfit, isn't it cute!!!!