Recent Comments:
Ryan O'Neal Arrested -- Shot Fired {TMZ}
Feb 4th 2007 4:37PM Good thing the judge sentenced that kid so severly when he was involved in the drunken boating death of his friend, Coppola's son ... Imagine! COMMUNITY SERVICE! Really made an impression on the entire family, we can all now see ... Wonder what kind of "side deal" Coppola and O'Neal made to keep the kid out of jail ... ?
Indy Car Legend Busted for DUI {TMZ}
Jan 29th 2007 2:00AM Those of us who know Al and the family and know what they have gone through ... and how Al was abused by his drunken dad and uncle for so many years ... Well, everyone is very upset ... Also many insiders are REALLY mad at Al Jr. for doing this AGAIN ...Burt he has a lifetime of 'monkey's on his back called "The Unser Family"...Race car drivers definitely have 'addictive personalities'. Their gateway 'drug', of course, is adrenaline. Add to the mix the kind of depression which Al Jr. has suffered from his whole life, and you have a person with some tough, tough problems to overcome. His first stint in rehab ended early; I think he left after only 5-6 days. Perhaps he'll take this chance to try again. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers. This guy is one of the greatest race car drivers (in many different forms of racing) of all time. It's not his fault he was raised by a bunch of drunken rednecks in an Albuquerque junkyard! Look at it this way: The family has probably made $100 million or more through racing and related activities --- and they STILL live in Albuquerque! What kind of mind-set (and torture for the kids) is that?!? Don't go easy on him at all, but --- Knowing the family and Jr ... Al is a nice guy with a lot of problems which no one addressed until recently. And he's DEFINITELY in a milieu which discourages introspection...One of the most macho, unforgiving and violent environments, in every way, any of you could possibly imagine ...
Meguiar's exec claims he was fired over religion {Autoblog}
Jan 29th 2007 1:51AM Brad Greenwood (and others)-
Atticus divorced the daughter YEARS before he was fired. As one other poster here put it (and got it right-on!) ... Atticus divorced her because she was cheating on him (something I didn't want to mention, but someone else did) and Barry kpet him on his CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER position (he wasn't in the mail room, folks) because he built the company into much more than it ever was ... And it was a solid company to begin with. And I see where some people this discussion into something totally other than what the topic is about, so it's become a bit boring ... Why is it some people can't say anything (and in my experience, they are usually Libertarians, Ayn Rand kooks or right-wing christians) without it lasting a minimum of 12 poorly-written pages? Hey! Calm down! It's a joke!
Also, according to the LA TIMES, Barry apparently not only fired people due to their personal beliefs, but also trained his company's Human Resources people in how to ask 'trick' questions in an attempt to find out if the interviewing prospective employee was "christian" or not.
Let's not lose sight of the TIMES piece and the quotes from the attorneys involved.
My guess? This will end with a settlement and some sort of civil rights action against Barry, calling for a settlement with the government, too.
Cops black flag Little Al! Unser Jr. arrested for DUI {Autoblog}
Jan 27th 2007 4:08PM Mike-
There already IS an "impaired driver" event as you suggest. It's called NASCAR. He he heee!
Meguiar's exec claims he was fired over religion {Autoblog}
Jan 27th 2007 4:07PM El Norte-
Barry's grandfather founded MEGUIAR'S in Pasadena, CA, as a furniture wax company, over 100 years ago. His dad developed almost all the car products (and chemicals they sell to the car-makers, which is where the B-I-G money is). Barry inherited the whole kit-and-kaboodle, knows little about his own products (or anything automotive-related) and clearly, some feel, is trying to use the company and its employees for "other" purposes. Now time (and the courts ... and consumers) will tell.
Cops black flag Little Al! Unser Jr. arrested for DUI {Autoblog}
Jan 26th 2007 10:52PM Those of us who know Al and the family and know what they have gone through ... and how Al was treated by his dad and uncle for so many years ... are very upset ... Race car drivers definitely have 'addictive personalities'. Their gateway 'drug', of course, is adrenaline. Add to the mix the kind of depression which Al Jr. has suffered from his whole life, and you have a person with some tough, tough problems to overcome. His first stint in rehab ended early; I think he left after only 5-6 days. Perhaps he'll take this chance to try again. God belss him and keep him in your thoughts and prayers. This guy is one of the greatest racers of all time. It's not his fault he was raised by a bunch of rednecks in an Albuquerque junkyard.
Meguiar's exec claims he was fired over religion {Autoblog}
Jan 26th 2007 10:46PM Here is the complete LA TIMES story (cut and paste into browser):
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-christian23jan23,1,5065941.story?coll=la-headlines-california
We have known Barry and the family for over 20 years. This lawsuit does not surprise us at all. Atticus is a good guy who divorced the daughter many years ago; his firing had nothing to do with that.
Automakers to depend on marketing more to compete {Autoblog}
Jan 18th 2007 2:07AM As someone who spent years literally "learning at the knee" of one of the greatest automotive marketers of all time, and ghost-wrote his successful book a few years back ("Glory Days" by Jim Wangers), I can tell you that there's a small problem in automotive marketing these days ... That is, a huge percentage of the people in the industry do not know the DIFFERENCE between "advertising", "promotions" and "marketing". Even with great product, and we all know Product is King, poor or misdirected marketing or a lack of understanding of what marketing really IS will doom any product ... Diamond ring, perfume, SUV ... You name it.
Yes, brush more often.
Prius to get big brother with 2.5-3L engine {Autoblog}
Dec 29th 2006 8:45PM Drove our Prius from the Palm Springs, CA area to Santa Monica and back today. Averaged 43.6 mpg, running consistently for two hours between 85 and 100mph on the I-10. We have a 5-year old first generation model. Apart from a jammed tape deck (that's how old the car is...a tape deck!) NOTHING has gone wrong on the car ... NOTHING GONE WRONG, after 35,000 miles. Show me the US-designed and built car which can do anywhere near the same and I'll buy one ... maybe ...
GM 'car czar' Lutz says it's the design, stupid {Autoblog}
Dec 28th 2006 8:25PM I *am* driving a Solstice GXP right now and, let me tell you ... That car is going to be respoonsbile for selling a LOT of MX5's, simply becauyse there are so many things WRONG with the GXP ... including everything that was wrong with the base Solstice (that inexcusable convertible top system, for the most obvious) and even more, like a loud 'ticking' coming off the turbo and drowning out the radio when the top is up. For *35* years I've been hearing GM prss flacks saying, "You just wait ... Roger Smith (or fill in the name) has us on the right track and our victory is just around the corner!".
All of you who are clearly so self-satisfied with GM falling into the #2 position worldwide should appreciate Lutz and Wagoner ... They'll keep the company's downsizing process right on the money!
