2005 SLK
©2004 May not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the author. This includes publishing at other websites.
NOW WHAT?
Okay, Curt, you've just won Mercedes' highest award for sales and customer satisfaction. What are you going to do now?
I'm going to Disney World!
February 4-9
Thus I'll be out of the orifice on those days. It's the "value" season, meaning the off season, and I wangled a room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge (The Redhead's favorite) for about half price.
The usual request to come in and buy something from me before or after these dates, not on these dates applies.
Thanks
My thanks to everyone who bought a car from me in 2003 and helped me accomplish this.
NEW CARS FOR 2005
Product Launches for Calendar Year 2004
Though the release dates haven't been finalized yet, MBUSA plans to launch the SLR, redesigned SLK, face-lifted C-Class, 45-state E-Class diesel, CL65 AMG, and SL65 AMG in 2004.
The S-Class will NOT be replaced this year. The new S-Class should be a 2006 model and come out some time in 2005. Normally the new CL is a year later.
I expect the new ML to be out in 2005 along with the new GST and redesigned G-Class.
The E-Class and CLK-Class are new as of 2003, so they'll
be here a while, ditto the SL-Class.
2005 M-CLASS
The 2005 M-Class will arrive early. This model year will reveal a new Special Edition version of the M-Class that will be available on both the ML350 and ML500.
The overall goal is to offer maximum value and flexibility while enhancing the image of the M-Class in order to create momentum for MY05.
Highlights of the new "Special Edition" include:
· Power Dome hood (from ML55)
· New 17" thick 5 spoke wheels
· Sport Seats (from ML55)
· Accessory Side-Step Running Boards
· Choice of a new, Matte finish Burl Birch (a light colored wood) - standard with Java interior - or Dark Burl Walnut
· 6 Available exterior colors (4 metallic - includes one special color - and 2 nonmetallic) - available with all interior colors.
The M-Class lineup benefits from two new exterior colors, one exclusively for the Special Edition, and one which is entirely new to the Mercedes-Benz Brand lineup:
· Pewter (code 723) - exclusive on the Special Edition M-Class
· The brand new "Silver" (Code 775 - name TBD)
· Deletion of Capri Blue
PHONE STUFF
(From a Mercedes Training brochure)
V60i Phones:
Previous information that the phone would be GSM compatible was incorrect. A GSM version of the V60i handset will not be launched. Instead, a new handset model will be launched during the first half of 2004 that will offer tri-band GSM operation. The new GSM handset may function in the USA and abroad depending on location and the customer's choice of service provider. Also, a color display version of the V60i is not planned.
Three New V60 Handsets
We have 3 new V60 handsets. Here's why:
These handsets are all Enhanced 911 Service compliant and designed for operation on CDMA carrier networks. Enhanced 911 Service provides information about the location of wireless callers seeking emergency assistance through a capability known as Automatic Location Identification (ALI). A new range of compatible cradles will be released that are backward compatible with all previous V60 series handsets.
Details:
1. As of January 1, 2004, existing CDMA handsets will no longer be eligible for new number activations because they are not Enhanced 911 system compliant.
(A talk with Verizon resulted in this: "If a customer comes in with a non E911 phone, we'll activate it, but we won't be able to sell them." We've managed to get 2 non-E911 phones activated, but they were ESN swaps, not new accounts.)
2. Existing non-Enhanced 911 System compliant handsets are still eligible for ESN swap activations for repair replacement use.
3. As of January 1, 2004, new number CDMA carrier activations must be made with the new V60s and V60x handsets described below.
4. The new V60s/x CDMA handsets also require the use of the new cradle models described below for proper operation.
5. Existing V60i handsets for TDMA carriers are already Enhanced 911 Systems Compatible and are not subject to activation restrictions.
V60s-The New Verizon CDMA Handset
This replaces the current V60i Verizon parts. A new cradle is required to accommodate the charging requirements and new physical shape of the Verizon V60s.
Please note that as a result of the FCC E911 mandate, Verizon Wireless will only activate E911 compliant handsets for new accounts beginning January 1, 2004. Non-E911 compliant handsets (StarTAC, Timeport, V60, and V60i (CDMA) can still be used for ESN transfers for current customers only in the case of warranty repair exchanges. However, non-E911 compliant handsets cannot be used for new customers purchasing a Mercedes-Benz Hands Free Communication System and transferring their ESN.
V60x-Sprint Handset
We haven't had a Sprint handset before. Now we do.
V60x-AllTell CDMA Handset
We don't have AllTell here, but the same things apply as the Verizon Handset.
V60i-AT&T Wireless and Cingular TDMA Handsets
These are fully E911 compliant and will continue to be offered.
What this means to you:
You can continue to use your phone. If it's a Verizon phone and you drop it in the toilet and need a new one, you'll need a V60s and a new cradle, because we can't sell you a V60i. If you sell your car, the new owner might have to get a V60s handset and cradle to activate it. As of now, if he has a Verizon account, he'll be able to activate the phone as an ESN change.)
Cingular and AT & T customers are unaffected-so far.
Curt's Comments
(You think you're confused? I get more complaints about
phones, especially old car phones, than about cars. I get nothing out of
selling phones but headaches. But I'll still continue to help clients with
their phone needs and problems.)
AN ML EXPERIENCE
My son Christopher just returned last night to Seattle from a 3 week visit to Austria, snow and ice everywhere. He shared a cab back to his apartment after a wait in line of about 1-1/2 hours, because of treacherous driving conditions, (2:30 a.m.). The cab could not negotiate the hill leading to his apartment, so Chris had to contemplate a 30 minute walk up the hill with 3 large suitcases and a couple smaller ones. (One of the suitcases belonged to his fiancée, and you can imagine its weight. Luckily, she remained in Austria, coming over on a later flight). It was necessary to stash one large suitcase in the snow covered hedges, while trundling the others up the hill. On the way, he saw 4-wheel vehicles sitting abandoned by the side of the road. A large tree limb had fallen, crushing two cars, blocking one section of the road. He made it to his apartment, and had to decide how to retrieve the last suitcase, at the bottom of the hill. His trip from Austria to Seattle was made via Amsterdam and Houston, and traveling in steerage, his only sustenance had consisted of peanuts and soda water. His larder was bare, having been emptied in preparation for the 3-week absence. So, tired and hungry, he decided that the only way he was going to be able to retrieve the bag at the bottom of the hill would be to try to take his ML320 down there to get it. The ML had been sitting outside in the elements for those three weeks, and was covered in snow and ice. He wiped away as much snow as he could, got into the ML, and it fired right up. He left it running for a while to melt some of the ice from the windscreen and rear window. The rest of the story is uneventful. He made it down the hill and back up, the only drama having to do with excursions around abandoned Nissans etc. He has often complained to me that his car payments were too high, and that he should never have leased the ML320. Today, he told me that it is worth every penny he has spent on it!
I guess that most of us don't get to use the true off-road capabilities of our MLs, but last night, Those capabilities made a believer out of Christopher!
Gordon Phillipson
THE ZERO MILES MYTH
"I want a new car, one with zero miles on it. That car's used! It's got 50 miles on it."
I've been hearing variations of that for a while, 22 years or so. There is no such thing as a zero mile Mercedes-Benz, but there can be a "zero" miles BMW, or at least there used to be. Here's why.
When Mercedes are built, the odometer supplier is required to test speedometer/odometer units prior to shipping them. To properly test them, they run them through one mile. Thus the odometer is put into the cluster with 1 mile showing. Then the dash unit itself is tested by Mercedes, and it results in an odometer reading of 2.0.
Now it's put in the car on the assembly line (by a robot).
At the end of the assembly line are several booths with chassis dynamometers in them and technicians. Every car is run through a series of tests and stays there until it passes all of them. Since there are several booths, this doesn't slow down the assembly line).
Then the car is prepped for overseas shipment and driven to the train waiting outside. In Bremerhaven it's driven off the train and onto a Ro-Ro, a Roll-On, Roll-Off ship.
At the U.S. Port, it's driven off the ship to the Vehicle Preparation Center. At the VPC all cars are tested again and driven. Some get more extensive testing. These will have a little sticker explaining how many miles they put on it there.
Then it's put on a transporter and trucked here. The technician here will drive it at least a mile.
So it's hard to have zero miles with all that testing and moving.
BMWs?
Sometimes they arrive at dealerships with, say, 999999
showing on the odo. They're built with odometers that will need some driving
to get it to zero. Usually they have positive mileage showing, but not always.
This story is old. BMW might do it differently now.
EURO DELIVERY NOTES
743
743 lucky people picked up their new Mercedes at the factory in calendar year 2003. That's not enough. The experience is too positive to be restricted to so few.
5% SavingsFLASHNOW 7% (after the print version deadline)
To encourage more European Deliveries, Mercedes-Benz USA has instituted a new pricing structure for the European Delivery Program. Effective with the 2004 model year, the following models will receive 5% (NOW 7%) customer savings from base MSRP price--C-Class, E-Class, SLK and CLK Coupe (AMG models excluded). FLASHS430 and S500 added!
Models Available:
The following models are available for bona fide tourist orders:
C230 Sports Coupe, C320 Sports Coupe, C230 Sports Sedan, C240 sedans and wagons, and the C240 4-Matic sedan and wagon C320 sedan, sports sedan, and wagon and 4-Matic sedan and wagon, E320 sedan, wagon, 4-Matic sedan and wagon, E500 Sedan, and 4-Matic sedans and wagons, E320CDI sedans, SLK 230, SLK 320, CLK320 and CLK 500 COUPES, S430 and S500 sedans and 4-Matic sedans, All of these cars come out of cars allocated for European Delivery and are not charged against the dealer's allocation.
Not Available
The G-Class and M-Class are not available for European Delivery.
Additional Models
The models you don't see there might be had on European Delivery. Let's say you want an SL500 on European Delivery. While the car is scheduled for production with the intention of sending the car to the dealer, we transfer it to European Delivery. Due to the short availability of some of the niche cars this makes European Delivery more difficult, but not impossible. I've managed, and I've gotten niche cars (SLs, S600, etc.) for European Delivery that didn't count against our allocation. This is where experience counts. I've been doing this since 1981.
Stuff in the trunk
We've had an occasional customer buy something at the Mercedes-Benz Boutique when they pick up their car at the factory, such as floor mats or car covers. This is great. They have some things we can't get here.
BUT YOU CAN'T PUT THEM IN THE TRUNK AND EXPECT TO EVER SEE THEM AGAIN. No matter what the E.H. Harms agent tells you. They might note them on the car's condition report, but the shipper or U. S. Customs will remove anything not on the Confirmation of Order/Invoice.
Also the German first Aid kit and European Warning Triangle will be removed since these items do not meet US requirements. A US version of the First Aid Kit and US standard equipment floor mats will be put in the trunk of the car (meaning you'll have 2 sets of floor mats.) Thus you should put your warning triangle and first aid kit in your checked luggage and bring them with you if you want them.
Buy from me
I sold most of the European Delivery cars sold by Star Motor Cars last year. I've been doing European Deliveries for over 20 years. I know all the tricks, and the people at the European Delivery department know me. I do my best to insure the best European Delivery experience possible. You can buy from any dealer, even initiating the sale online, but you won't get my experience, suggestions, and help. I sell more Euro Delivery cars than the average dealership, and I know how to make them go smoothly. It does make a difference.
REDESIGNED SLK
All-New Roadster Offers Aggressive Styling, Driving Performance and Sophistication
MONTVALE, NJ Mercedes-Benz today provided a first look at the totally redesigned SLK-Class roadster, which will make its retail debut in the U.S. in late 2004. The original SLK shook up the small roadster market when it was introduced in 1997, winning a number of prestigious automotive awards including North American Car of the Year.
The new head-turning SLK roadster incorporates design cues from Formula One race cars of the past and present. The sharp nose, long hood and steeply raked windshield emphasize the new SLK's more aggressive, dynamic character. Beneath the hood lies a powerful new 3.5-liter six-cylinder, four-valve engine, while a new suspension and braking system deliver a new level of driving performance. The retractable hardtop has been re-engineered to open and close faster than ever before, and incorporates a pivoting rear window for increased trunk space. The 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK will make its official North American debut at the New York Auto Show in April 2004.
HPD MISUSES NEW LAW
Last month you'll remember I told you about a new law that requires you to slow 20 mph or change lanes when you're in the lane of a stopped emergency vehicle with its emergency lights flashing.
According to the Houston Comical, HPD is being accused of giving tickets to motorists who pass an emergency vehicle with its lights OFF.
Luke Ball, state coordinator for the National Motorists Association said a friend was ticketed even though the emergency lights were not flashing on the police car he passed, and other drivers called his association to complain about their tickets.
Ball said that he would like the city to refund fines and court costs and to apologize to the drivers who were ticketed. I figure this will happen just after I win the SASS World championship or Hell otherwise freezes over.
HPD will now be giving warning tickets until the department makes public service announcements explaining the new law. So start watching TV at 0300 so you can see the one ten second blurb on channel 61.
MISC RAVINGS
All's Fair in Revenue Collection
Homeless advocates were outraged in Kissimmee when police officers dressed as vagrants to catch people running red lights. The officers pushed shopping carts, wore fake teeth and shabby clothes and carried small cardboard signs that said "Sheriff's traffic sting in progress." Despite the warning, they nabbed 171 drivers.
Quote
"The difference between death and taxes is death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets."
Will Rogers
Incident
One Saturday I received a call from a couple who had bought a new Mercedes the evening before. It was covered with oil. They were convinced the engine had dumped all of its oil. I asked if the Low Oil warning had come on the screen. No. Very strange. I told them to call TeleAid using the wrench button, and we'd get it towed here.
Monday morning before anyone else had gotten here, they were here demanding details of what was wrong and what we were going to do, and they wanted a new car.
We had a technician look at the car. Valve cover gasket failure. Loss of oil, less than 2 quarts, out of 8.5. No damage, fixed in an hour or so. We washed the car. The customer still wanted a new car. Tom Jinks, the sales manager, found another one and did a locate. We didn't have to take the car back. This was pure customer service. The customer was sure there was a law giving them 3 days to bring the car back. No, there isn't. But we hadn't registered the car, and they didn't put many miles on it, no harm, no foul. Certainly nothing to keep the car from finding a happy home.
At other stores? Who knows.
FOX
Fox News is talking about another homicide bombing in Israel. The reporter is talking about the smell, like a butcher-shop. Flashback city. Short of, maybe a fire like the nightclub fire that killed 100 or so, I don't know of anything more horrible than cleaning up after people have been blown to bits. Come to think of it, we cleaned up a Chinook crash that had made "crispy critters" out of a company of Vietnamese and their advisors. It's a toss up. The smell's pretty bad there, too. Either one is one you won't forget, and if you encounter it again, your mind will snap to that incident. I'm okay, though, because my mind can't figure out which incident to snap to.
I just wish people would leave the Israelis alone. If there's a people who don't deserve to be the whipping boys of all the nutball groups in the world, it's them. It's not as if it's a new thing. Israeli airborne take an oath at the scene of unspeakable horror perpetrated on the Jews. "Masada shall not fall again."
California Bans Sharp Minds
Apparently California has banned sharp things. I heard from a reenactor who couldn't get his 1879 era bayonet and scabbard into the state. With the comments that keep coming from the nutball entertainers, we don't have to worry about any of them being banned.
The Penalty for Stupidity?
This morning on TV an athlete who had killed a chauffeur was being interviewed by Rita Cosby. He contended it was the gun's fault. He took a over and under shotgun off the wall, broke it open, and alleges that when he closed it, it discharged. Let's see, how many stupid things can we count? 1) Storing a skeet shotgun loaded. It's not the home defense gun. 2) Leaving the shells in when showing it to someone. 3) Pointing it at someone when closing the action-if this is what happened. His wife said they would prove in court that this particular weapon had a history of such ADs. My thought was, "So?" Rule 1: All guns are always loaded. Rule 2. Never cover the muzzle with anything you're not willing to destroy. Rule 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until the sights are on the target. 4. Be sure of your target (and backstop). Guilty, your honor. What's the maximum for stupidity in that state?
INSIDER STORIES:
Another MB store sold some cars to a drug dealer. The guy had a record company for a front, rap, of course, so he built up credit, and they ran an S500 through MB Credit. Then one day he was shot outside the car, and one of his "posse" left the scene in the S500. They found the posse member and asked about the car. "I don't know nuthin," of course. Then the record company came out with another album, and the S500 was on the cover. They went to the FBI for help in retrieving their car. The FBI explained that, indeed, they were looking for the car, but since it was bought with drug money, they could forget ever seeing it again. Ca-ching.
Same store: Last December a wholesaler wanted to buy a car from us, S500 I think. He didn't want to pay sales tax. This used to be legal. I used to sell A J Foyt cars, and he put dealer plates from his Honda store on them. Texas changed the law a few years back. Now only franchised dealers can buy without paying the tax. He said he'd go to another store and get it. He did. They filed an out of state tax affidavit (Tax fraud?). We may lose business, but we're straight as an arrow.
Cat T-Shirts
It's my cat's world. I'm just here to open cans.
We got rid of the kids. The cat was allergic.
Cats regard people as warmblooded furniture.
RESOLUTIONS
Let's see, for 2004 I'm going to get all my resolutions together before January 1 and publish them for all to see so I can try to live up to them.
What's that? February?
Never mind.
On the other hand-
If I were trying to put together resolutions, here's my list:
1. "Don't get mad." Mr. Spock was right, not Dr. Spock, who screwed up a generation of kids, no, the pointy-eared guy played by Leonard Nimoy. He minimized emotions. I'm all for most of them, but the one to avoid is anger. I just can't get mad. The old adage of "let your anger out" doesn't work. Now I've just got other people mad at me, or I look like a jerk. Holding in your anger doesn't make you seethe. It makes the anger go away because you'll forget it and move on to a more useful emotion, like lust.
All emotion needs to be out of driving. Someone cuts you off? Back off. Give him room. Don't honk. Don't make gestures. It's not my job to chastise him for his idiocy. The guy ahead didn't move until the light turned yellow, and I'm stuck for 3 minutes? Just sit through the light. It won't be the last. Get over it. The purpose of my trip is to get where I'm going without an accident. On time would be nice, but it's better to get there. Anyway, there'll be another idiot in 2 minutes. I can't kill them all. I don't carry that much ammunition, and anyway, I'm running out of places to hide the bodies.
2. "Don't hurry." Colonel Couch used to tell us that. "Don't hurry, even in combat. It'll get you killed." Colonel Couch was a hard-nosed, tough Infantry officer, 6'6" and all muscle. Perfect wasn't good enough for him, and no excuses were accepted. One day his helicopter landed at Bo Duc, a compound on a hill, with the helipad on the side of the hill, not the greatest helipad. The Huey was still settling when his Vietnamese counterpart, a 5' tall general, jumped out and hurried up the hill. Colonel Couch jumped out and hurried after him-and ran into the helicopter blade.
I might not have listened too well during the lecture, but the practical demonstration got my attention.
3. Don't sweat the small stuff. Details are important, but if they don't get handled, the world will go on. Straighten things out as best you can and continue to march. (The saying we had in Vietnam was right. Bleep it and continue to march.)
4. It's all small stuff. Look back at the things that bothered me 10 years ago. Do any of them matter today?
5. Don't do anything grossly stupid. Sometimes when driving, or just in life in general, the smallest mistake gets heavily punished. Most of the time it doesn't. But every fatal accident I've investigated or studied has involved someone doing something grossly stupid.
6. Pay attention, even if you can't pay anyone else. The old bit about "Situational Awareness" applies whenever I'm out of the bunker at Castle Rich.
7. Pet the cats and dog more often. The dog appreciates it. The cats tolerate it, and I feel better.
8. Something to take the mind off work is important, like a hobby. Try to put half an hour into the workshop a night to decompress. If I don't have time for that or I am too tired, try one ounce of very cold Tanqueray Gin, tonic, lime, and ice accompanied by cat petting for as long as the cat will tolerate it. One weekend a month should be spent immersed in something completely different from work and more relaxing, like, say live bomb disposal or hostage negotiations. It's not hard to find something more relaxing than this job. If the opportunity to do either of those doesn't present itself often enough, I'll settle for dressing funny and shooting at innocent steel targets, at least until the "Society For the Preservation of Steel Targets" starts threatening to throw tofu at me again.
9. No hobby is more important than spending time with The Redhead. She's easily kept happy. All I have to do is give her all of my time and attention all the time and buy an occasional nice dinner, preferably daily.
10. Remember "No good deed goes unpunished," especially at work.
11. I'd like to add "Don't work too hard," but this business demands it. When times are good, you have to be at work all the time. You can't afford to take time off. You might miss a customer. When times are bad, you have to be at work all the time. You can't afford to take time off. You might miss a customer. As one of my sergeants used to say, it's a carborundum. Yeah, but I'm used to it. There are nights when I can't sleep because I'm too wound up or worried about work, but it's not because I've had to do anything I wouldn't want to admit to the guy in the shaving mirror. (Does that mean guys wearing beards are less trustworthy? I need an NIH grant to study that. $10 million for a 2-year study would answer that.)
12. Overtip. This makes at least 3 people happy, The Redhead because she thinks it's generous, the waiter, and me.
One of Bear's first photographs
Bear's last photograph
Merlin's last photograph
Arthur Pendragon, shortly after arrival
LETTER TO BEAR
Well, it's been a year since you left us, and 10 months since Merlin joined you. The year of grief has been pretty bad, but I won't dwell on that. Instead I'll talk about Arthur Pendragon, who has assumed your job as senior male kitty of Castle Rich. He is, of course, quite different from you, but similar in many ways. He is a beautiful cat in all respects, as you were. He visits us at 0400-0500 as you did (or is, perhaps, possessed by your ghost at that time), but usually quite gently, often sleeping on The Redhead's pillow. He is getting hungry, methinks, because when one of us gets up, he insists we put his food down. As you know, the food dish is normally on the countertop in the bathroom to keep it away from Browning. Artie, of course, as is appropriate for a male cat of his age, has no trouble getting up there. But when he was brought home he couldn't. Thus we put his food in a certain spot on the floor. Now he wants his food in that spot. So when we get up, or even earlier, we have to put it in exactly that spot, ditto when we come home from working hard all day in order to buy cat food, Pounce, dog food and dog treats. (Sometimes we have money left over for people food.)
Browning loves it when we feed Artie there. Sometimes we forget that the dish is down, and he gets a bowl of delicious cat food.
Artie has occasionally done your trick of sitting on the shelf by the shower in order to make it easier for us to pet him. Even more than you, he requires petting to be on his terms. If he doesn't want it, he won't tolerate it. When he wants it, we must cease all other activities until he is finished. When I come home he will graciously allow me to pet him for a few minutes before he decides he has done his duty for the day.
In order to prevent him from eating my Cheerios, I have resorted to pouring him his own bowl of milk. He has, to an extent, the same drinking problem you did, getting milk in his mane. He doesn't like for me to clean it up, though, as you did-or I guess you just tolerated it.
He gets an A in "Sitting in the window and greeting" when we come home. He meows and paws the window while we come in. I believe you have taught him well.
He has improved in two other key senior male kitty required skills. His purr is still quiet most of the time, and hard to provoke. B-. He will lie on his back in my lap when in the mood, but the circumstances must be right. A-. Unfortunately he doesn't lick noses. F. He licks fingers and hands. A. He is also quite fond of butter and all butter substitutes, licking it out of the tub when allowed. Thus I tried putting a butter substitute on my nose, and he licked it for some time. I will explore this training method more. So far it has only worked when I put butter on my nose, and that's just too silly to do often.
Instead of scaring us by getting out and roaming the neighborhood as you did, he prefers to scare The Redhead by playing near the upstairs balcony. He fell off once, but, of course, landed on his feet without damage other than to my ears and The Redhead's composure.
He is very gentle, never using his claws except to sharpen them on his designated scratching post. No, not the $125, 4 ft. kitty condo or your scratching post, the wicker breakfast nook chairs. As a result, though, he is more intimidated by Browning than you were. I remember when you were quite small Browning growled at you, and you did five or six kitty karate chops (left pawed) on his nose before he could react. I also remember when you were so perturbed by him that you bit him on the leg and drew blood. If Artie would do that, Browning wouldn't try so hard to steal his Pounce.
He entertains us constantly with cute poses and actions as you did. He is quite photogenic and allows me to torture him with the flash a lot as you did.
The breeder said he looks quite contented. He should. He has a female cat to harass as you did (Emerald), all the Pounce and high quality cat food, milk, cheese, and butter he wants, and, of course, luxurious accommodations. He has taken Browning's bed. We had to buy Browning a new one. He also has two people who love him and dote on him as we did you.
All in all he is doing well. Your efforts at making him more Bear-like are appreciated. Of course we miss you and Merlin, and I look forward to seeing you again.
Curt Rich February 2004
THINGS THAT DIDN'T FIT IN THE SNAIL MAIL VERSION,
LINKS, ETC.
Why Helicopter Pilots Get Extra Pay:
Why Fighter Pilots Get Extra Pay:
How Dishwashers Really Work:
Yes, sir, this Mercedes will, indeed, hold 9 Rottweilers in the trunk
From 20/20 (actually from the 20/20 Website condensed from John Stossel's report on myths and lies):
But let's remember the facts: the top 1 percent of Americans - those who earn more than about $300,000 a year - pay 34 percent, more than a third of all income taxes, and the top 5 percent, those making over $125,000, pay more than half.
And:
Myth No. 3 - Guns are Bad
America is notorious for its culture of gun violence. Guns sometimes do cause terrible harm, and many kids are killed every year in gun accidents. But public service announcements and news stories make it seem as if the accidents kill thousands of kids every year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, fewer than 100 kids 15 and under are killed in gun accidents every year. Of course that's horrible, and I understand why demonstrators say we need more gun control.
But guess what? The Centers for Disease Control recently completed a review of studies of various types of gun control: background checks, waiting periods, bans on certain guns and ammunition. It could not document that these rules have reduced violent crime.
he government wants to say things like the Brady Gun Control Law are making a difference, but they aren't. Some maximum security felons I spoke to in New Jersey scoffed at measures like the Brady law. They said they'll have no trouble getting guns if they want them.
A Justice Department study confirmed what the prisoners said. But get this: the felons say that the thing they fear the most is not the police, not time in prison, but, you, another American who might be armed.
It's a reason many states are passing gun un-control. They're allowing citizens to carry guns with them; it's called concealed carry or right to carry. Some women say they're comforted by these laws.
Many people are horrified at the idea of concealed carry laws, and predict mayhem if all states adopt these laws.
But surprise, 36 states already have concealed carry laws, and not one reported an upsurge in gun crime.
Good stuff! I'm sure John Stossel will have fun in
his new job, whatever it might be. Amazing that the left-wing ABC allowed
that on the air.
LINKS:
http://www.405themovie.com-funny 3 minute movie.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/angel.asp -- President Bush at Christmas
http://img1.photobucket.com/albums/1003/woodchuck68/Firewood.jpg-Rules for Chopping Firewood
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,109670,00.htmlAthletes and Guns