Porsha911gt3

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Posts posted by Porsha911gt3

  3. Posted

    And to think the other day, I passed a dedicated HUMMER dealer up here in Rochester and was like holy sh!t I gotta visit there

    Goodbye to gas-guzzling Hummer H1

    Friday, May 12, 2006; Posted: 8:01 p.m. EDT (00:01 GMT)

    DETROIT, Michigan (AP) -- The 2006 model year will be the last for the Hummer H1, the hulking, gas-guzzling status symbol that has attracted celebrities and off-road enthusiasts but has drawn the ire of environmentalists.

    General Motors Corp. announced plans Friday for the H1, which is the foundation for the automaker's Hummer brand.

    Based on the military's Humvee, the about 12,000 put on the road since 1992 defined the Hummer name.

    "It's a reflection of where we're going with the Hummer brand," Hummer general manager Martin Walsh said of the decision. "The Hummer DNA still resides in the Humvee. ... It will always be the core from where we come."

    GM expects the last H1s to be built next month.

    Walsh said Hummer plans to focus on models with broader appeal instead of the niche-market H1.

    Since taking over the Hummer name in 2000, GM has introduced the still hefty H2 and a midsize H3 sport utility vehicle.

    The H1 gets about 10 miles per gallon, but Walsh said rising gas prices didn't factor into GM's decision. He noted that H1 buyers typically have been less sensitive about gas prices than most other drivers.

    Auto analyst Erich Merkle with the Grand Rapids consulting company IRN Inc. said the decision fits with steps GM has taken to bring the Hummer brand to more mainstream drivers with the H2 and H3.

    "They're going to continue moving Hummer in that direction," Merkle said. "It's a great brand. There is a lot that can be done with that in terms of leveraging its ruggedness and toughness."

    Merkle added that the kind of drivers who buy the H1 don't worry about things like gas prices.

    "It's really one of those over-the-top vehicles," Merkle said. "It doesn't really have much of a place in everyday society. You can't put it in the parking ramps. Parking spaces can't accommodate it."

    The H1 attracted well-heeled drivers looking for a military-style vehicle with an intimidating stance.

    For the 2006 model year, the H1 was offered as a high-performance H1 Alpha that costs about $130,000 to $140,000.

    The vehicle first was marketed to the public as the Hummer in 1992 by AM General, which also makes the military version.

    Under a 1999 deal, GM bought marketing rights to the Hummer name and called the vehicle the Hummer H1.

    Hummers often have been associated with celebrities who owned them, such as actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

    California's governor was AM General's first civilian customer, buying a custom-made conversion of the military model as well as civilian production models.

    Last year, GM sold 374 H1s, down 16 percent from 447 in 2004.

    AM General, which builds the H1, H2 and Humvee in Mishawaka, Indiana, said in a statement that it doesn't plan to cut any jobs as a result of the decision. GM said workers there were expected to be shifted to military production.

  4. Posted · Edited by Porsha911gt3

    Hey everyone, I was just wondering if any departments in the tri-state area have any damaged composite SCBA bottles. I am looking for bottles that are beyond repair, Since there is no longer a use for the damaged bottles, I was wondering if you would be willing to donate them to me, I am starting a large research project on them and I need some to cut apart and analyze. Once again I am looking for the Newer COMPOSITE 4.5 style Bottles, the size or brand does not matter.

    If anyone knows of any bottles or has any bottles, let me know by posting, PMing or emailing me (bmt387@gmail.com)

    Thanks

    Brian

  6. Posted

    I don't think this should be a forum to obviously bash specific departments. However, it is a good point to bring up. I think the issue of educating the public on department spending should also include the issue of educating the public on what their departments do - In my department we ran 1729 Fire/EMS calls for 2005. I bet if our 19,000 community members knew about those numbers they would all of sudden appreciate us more than they already do. I bet if they knew the amount of training time that was completed they would appreciate us more (again not to say they don't already). The fact is the communities are under-educated in many regards. My district is currently investigating the use of an updated, simple sign that alerts the public to the number of runs. Not a bad way to educate. As for educating the public on spending I agree a report should be issued annually. However, the fact that donations and fundraisers do go to social events should not be looked down upon - after all it's a nice way to show some appreciation to the countless men and women who put forth a great deal of their free time. As for unnecessary apparatus I couldn't agree more that does get out of control - It does need to be monitored.

    Along the same lines, although we try to get the word out there, If you ask half the people in our town they think we're paid, We have 100% Volunteer plastered on everything, but all of the new people that are moving into our area from westchester and NYC don't care.

  7. Posted

    So are you saying that because it's "bad news" they shouldn't publish it either? Kind of hypocritical, isn't that?

    First of all, that is REALLY ANOYING, and I am not saying that because it is bad news it should not be published, I am saying that the Poughkeepsie Journal very rarely publishes the good news that comes out of the public safety community. If its bad news fine they can publish it fine, but where is the good news when it happens, O yea thats right good news doesn't sell. Once again this is not just steming from this article it has happend over the years.

  9. Posted · Edited by Porsha911gt3

    I really don't know anything about this, but I can say that over the years or reading the Poughkeepsie Journal I have noticed that they don't really publish any good that comes out of the public safety community. Good old Poughkeepsie Journal, unless its bad news they don't publish it, or unless the get the right picture to make firefighters look bad (City of Poughkeepsie Fire a few months back), they don't publish it either, but hey no news is good news right. They always seem to leave out the major incidents around the county and how well departments handled them, but when they can bite there teeth into something juicy they will. This is really just from personal experince that I have noticed this, not so much within the fire service mostly because I have been in it for less than 2 years so I can not and will not comment on it from that aspect.

  10. Posted

    State spending $6M on Orleans ethanol plant

    David Tyler

    Staff writer

    (May 8, 2006) — SHELBY — New York will spend nearly $6 million to help a company open what is billed as the first state-of-the-art dry mill ethanol plant in the state.

    Western New York Energy, LLC, plans to spend $87.4 million to build on 144 acres in the town of Shelby, Orleans County. Construction is expected to begin in June and be completed by early 2008. The plant will produce 50 million gallons of ethanol a year and create 58 jobs, officials said

    Gov. Pataki, speaking at an appearance at Shelby Town Hall, said the plant will help make New York a leader in alternative energy production and help wean the country from dependence on foreign oil.

    "It is just, in my view, tragic that in the 21st century we still have that dependency," Pataki said.

    Pataki also said as many as 500 jobs would be created in ancillary industries such as transportation and agriculture. The plant will use 20 million bushels of corn a year, with 6 million of those expected to come from New York state.

    The state support includes $3.1 million to help rail and other transportation access at the site, $435 thousand in the form of a grant, and Western New York Energy also will be eligible for up to $2.5 million in renewable energy production tax credits. The plant site also is in a tax saving Empire Zone.

    The Shelby plant is one of at least three ethanol projects being planned around central and western New York. A coalition of corn growers plans a 50 million-gallon-a-year plant in Seneca County. The coalition is currently trying to decide whether to place the plant in Seneca Falls or at the old Seneca Army Depot in Romulus.

    Northeast Biofuels has proposed a 100 million-gallon-a-year plant in Fulton, Oswego County.

    As the price of gasoline continues to rise, ethanol has become a more economically attractive option for producers. General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. have launched ambitious campaigns to market ethanol-powered vehicles, which have helped public awareness of the products.

    New York's strong heritage in agriculture, chemistry and engineering also make it an attractive place to build such plants, experts say.

    Distillers' grains and carbon dioxide, two byproducts of ethanol production, also are in high demand.

    Pataki has proposed bringing alternative fuels to New York State Thruway rest stops and cutting taxes to make the fuel drastically cheaper than gasoline.

  11. Posted · Edited by Porsha911gt3

    I order to have one in your car, don't you have to be "authorized" meaning, being in the "field: of medics, firefighters etc?  I was told years ago, you couldn't carry them around in your car.  Has this changed??  Thanks.  I'd appreciate knowing.

    In NY as far as today's "field programable" scanners, there is no such thing as being authorized they're illegal to have in a personal vehicle, being in the "field" just gets you on the better side of a cop when he pulls you over and sees it, they usually will cut you some slack if you are in the "field." If you have an old scanner that is not field programable and you only have fire and ems channels, that may be legal, I don't know. Certain people are allowed to have them, such as peace officers and licensed HAM radio operators. Chiefs and officers can have them, but they usually just have radios.

  13. Posted

    You'd think with all the serious accidents that happen in that area of the parkway they'd do something. Unfortunatley, nothing will happen until one of the family members of the higher-ups in the DOT are killed or injured there. Its a sad reality.

    Wait a sec, its not just the family of the DOT it is any higher up in the town that has enough say (MONEY). Take for example the reason that the crossing on the Taconic were shut down in Dutchess County. Did they need to be shut down, yea probly but the real reason that they were shut down was one of the School officials family members ran the stop sign at carpenter road and got killed, but even though there were several others killed there it took someone with enough "status" to be affected then the whole word stops for them. Good old world we live in. :o

  16. Posted · Edited by Porsha911gt3

    I can't believe some of you still buy into that old "The USPS has the right of way" myth/urban legend. Show me where it states that in any state V&T laws, or where any federal statute overrides the state.

    In the meanwhile, read this: http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/fourway.asp

    Check the Constitution I think (know) it says there that the federal government out ranks the state or local governments :blink::P then again the goverment does tend ignore constitution these days **cough cough** Patriot Act. But besides that yes it is an old blue law that really doesn't hold much anymore

  17. Posted

    Well not in Westchester, but up in East Fishkill (Dutchess) we cover about 54 square miles, with a population of around 30,000. We have 4 main Fire Stations, 2 sub-stations and our district headquarters/training center. Overall we have about 40 peices of apparatus to cover such a large area. We also have a Rescue Squad, Fire Police, Special Operations teams, Fire Investigation team, and a Support Group. We are completely volunteer with about 300 members total.

  18. Posted · Edited by Porsha911gt3

    I definetly agree with you on that one. It is the Hudson Buffet and it's in Fishkill NOT East Fishkill. It is in the Fishkill Outlet Center

  19. Posted

    From CNN today

    Ford to help drivers pay off their pollution

    Drivers can pay clean energy firms to remove the same amount of pollution cars create.

    DETROIT, April 26 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co. said it will give consumers concerned about harmful greenhouse emissions an opportunity to invest in clean energy projects via a new Web Site that will calculate suggested investments based on the amount of carbon dioxide produced while driving.

    In a program called "Greener Miles," which is expected to be announced on Thursday, consumers can go to the Web Site to calculate the amount of carbon dioxide produced in one year of driving. The Web site will then suggest an investment linked to the cost of producing an amount of clean energy equivalent to the carbon dioxide produced.

    Ford is partnering with TerraPass, a group that helps finance solar, wind and methane-driven energy projects, for the project, Niel Golightly, director of Ford's sustainable business strategies, told Reuters in an interview.

    "We know that there is a growing number of customers out there that are starting to raise questions about this whole subject of climate change and energy security... and looking for things they can do to address it," Golightly said.

    The consumer contributions -- ranging from $29.95 to $79.95 annually depending on the type of vehicle, amount of carbon dioxide emitted and miles traveled -- will be invested in U.S.-based projects such as wind power energy or making power from dairy farm manure.

    An average car produces between 10,000 pounds and 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, Tom Arnold, TerraPass chief environmental officer, said.

    The initial projects that would benefit from contributions from Ford buyers are a wind farm in Ainsworth, Nebraska, and Haubenschild Farms near Princeton, Minnesota, which converts manure into electricity, he said.

    In exchange, consumers get a sticker for their windshield verifying the offset of carbon dioxide the vehicle emits.

    Ford said it has no plans to run a broad-based advertising campaign for the initiative.

    Instead, Ford dealers will be given brochures on the project and consumers will be directed to the Web site from several Ford product sites, Arnold said.

    Arnold said it was hard to say how many consumers will participate in the project.

    Ford Chairman and Chief Executive Bill Ford, great-grandson of the company founder and a lifelong environmentalist, has made efforts to portray the automaker as an environmentally aware "green" company.

    But the company and Bill Ford have often been the target of environmental groups that decry the company's dismal fuel economy record.

    Golightly said Ford is also working to improve the fuel-efficiency of its fleet, investing in alternative-fuel vehicles and working to reduce emissions from its factories.

    The Greener Miles project "is a very incremental part of our overall climate change policy," Golightly said. "This is an opportunity for us to engage our consumers a bit more."

  20. Posted

    I know it does not come out until tomorrow (April 28), but we always get prereleases for everything up here at college. Anyway I watched it last night and I had very mixed feelings. I can tell you this and also ask you this; do not pay to see this movie, I know that some of the money is going towards the families of the victims, but this is just making some movie company rich. Some people may feel that it is wrong to watch it period and I completely understand why. It was a decent movie, but somethings are a little far fetched to give it a better plot.

    Just my 2 cents

  21. Posted

    Senate panel calls for abolishing FEMA

    Bipartisan investigation finds disaster agency beyond repair

    Wednesday, April 26, 2006; Posted: 11:00 p.m. EDT (03:00 GMT)

    WASHINGTON (AP) -- The nation's disaster response agency should be abolished and rebuilt from scratch to avoid a repeat of government failures exposed by Hurricane Katrina, a Senate inquiry has concluded.

    Crippled by years of poor leadership and inadequate funding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot be fixed, a bipartisan investigation says in recommendations to be released Thursday.

    Taken together, the 86 proposed reforms suggest the United States is still woefully unprepared for a disaster such as Katrina with the start of the hurricane season a little more than month away.

    "The United States was, and is, ill-prepared to respond to a catastrophic event of the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina," the recommendations warn. "Catastrophic events are, by their nature, difficult to imagine and to adequately plan for, and the existing plans and training proved inadequate in Katrina."

    The recommendations, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, are the product of a seven-month investigation to be detailed in a Senate report to be released next week.

    It follows similar inquiries by the House and White House and comes in an election year in which Democrats have seized on Katrina to attack the Bush administration.

    President Bush will visit Louisiana and Mississippi -- which bore the brunt of Katrina's wrath -- on Thursday.

    The inquiry urges yet another overhaul of the beleaguered Homeland Security Department -- FEMA's parent agency -- which was created three years ago and already has undergone major restructuring of duties and responsibilities.

    It proposes creating a new agency, called the National Preparedness and Response Authority, that would plan and carry out relief missions for domestic disasters.

    Unlike now, the authority would have a direct line of communication with the president during major crises, and any dramatic cuts to its budget or staffing levels would have to be approved by Congress.

    It would also oversee efforts to protect critical infrastructure such as buildings, roads and power systems, as well as Homeland Security's medical officer.

    But the inquiry calls for keeping the agency within Homeland Security, warning that making it an independent office would cut it off from resources the larger department could provide.

    The proposal drew disdain from the Homeland Security Department and some critics, with both sides questioning the need for another bureaucratic shuffling that they said wouldn't accomplish much.

    "It's time to stop playing around with the organizational charts and to start focusing on government, at all levels, that are preparing for this storm season," said Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke.

    Former FEMA director Michael Brown said the new agency would basically have the same mission as FEMA had a year ago, before its disaster planning responsibilities were taken away.

    "It sounds like they're just re-creating the wheel and making it look like they're calling for change," Brown said. "If indeed that's all they're doing, they owe more than that to the American public."

    But Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican who led the inquiry, said the new agency would be "better equipped with the tools to prepare for and respond to a disaster."

    Describing FEMA as a "shambles and beyond repair," Collins said the overall report "will help ensure that we do not have a repeat of the failures following Hurricane Katrina."

    Many of the rest of the recommendations were far less dramatic, ranging from creating a Homeland Security Academy to better train relief staff, to encouraging people and state and local governments to plan for evacuating and sheltering pets during a disaster.

    Most of them offered common-sense reforms, like better coordination among all levels of government, providing reliable communications equipment to allow emergency responders to talk to each other and ensuring urban evacuation plans are up to date and adequate.

    Concluding that FEMA was seriously underfunded, Senate investigators called for more money for disaster planning and response at all levels of government. They did not specify, however, how much money was needed and skirted around whether the federal government should be providing all the funding.

    The recommendations also called for clarifying responsibilities for levee maintenance -- highlighting the structural weaknesses of the New Orleans flood walls against Katrina. They also urged better contracting procedures to avoid waste or fraud in the rush to get aid to disaster victims.

    "There is no federal dollar that is spent on disaster relief and recovery for which the government is not accountable to taxpayers," the recommendations said.