Auto Graphs
* You probably sit around all day Monday-morning quarterbacking about why the Big 3 are hurting in sales and posting nonprofit numbers. But we bet you hadn't thought that maybe GM's problem was because it spent $17 million in 2005 on impotence drugs. Viagra and Cialis prescriptions were covered by insurance plans as a "lifestyle drug." Guess you know what these workers had decided on for the red pill/blue pill debate (maybe because sales were limp).
* Ford is running a Greener Miles program, which will allow drivers to go online and create a personal emissions report. (Please note: That does not read "personal-emissions" with a hyphen, so stop cackling like an idiot.) Users will be able to calculate C02 output for one year, then have that info go toward supporting production of renewable energy. What, a carbon-offset log is difficult to comprehend in two sentences, especially when one of those is simply a fart joke? Just go to www.terrapass.com/ford.
* Toyota USA just got its first American president.
* Remaking K.I.T.T.: Knight Rider is coming back, this time to the big screen (or probably the small screen, when you wait to watch it on cable).
Nick with The Decider at the California Fuel Cell Partnership, part of an $88 million Department of Energy program on zero-emissions fuel cells. Mere seconds later, he was
* USA Today says New York state legislators are thinking long and hard about requiring breathalyzers on all vehicles by 2009.
Things to Do With Your Jeep
July 22-23, Friends of the Rubicon - trail repairs and maintenance, California, www.delalbright.com/rubicon/rubicon.htm
August 19, Flatlanders 9th Annual 4x4 Fest, Randolph, Kansas, www.flatlandersjeepclub.com
August 19, Lake Tahoe Hi-Lo's 19th Annual Poker Run, Markleeville, California (30 miles south of South Lake Tahoe), laketahoehilos.com, 530/573-0587
August 19-20, Friends of the Rubicon - trail repairs and maintenance, California, www.delalbright.com/rubicon/rubicon.htm
September 1-4, Maryland Jeep Club Second Annual Charity Ride, Paragon Adventure Park, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, www.marylandjeepclub.org/charity06/
Does your club have an event happening in 2006? Tell us, we can't read minds. Make it simple and follow this format:Name of event?Date of event?Location/city/state in which the event will be held?How can readers find out more info (Web site and/or phone)?Send those tidbits to Jp Magazine, Things to Do with Your Jeep, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, or e-mail jp@primedia.com (make sure your subject line is "Things to Do with Your Jeep").
Nick with Dieter Zetsche, DCX's chairman and a man Time magazine named as one of 100 People Who Shape Our World. He was also named one of Jp magazine's People Who Shape Their Mustaches Really Interestingly.
Where in the World is
We used to think Editor Cappa had the oh-what-a life, what with Tech Editor Hazel picking the hardened grease out from under his nails before meetings, or FNG Pete carrying him to said meetings by rickshaw. But it's his brother who seems much more important. He somehow managed to get past our spam filter when he e-mailed a couple of photos, which, at first, we thought was a weak attempt at nepotism to get his Jeep in Jeep Shots. As if. And then after we looked at them, we wondered if he mistakenly thought the department was called Jeep Big Shots. Either way, we were sort of impressed that he managed to get snapped with a U.S. president and the chair of DaimlerChrysler, whereas Editor Cappa's brush with greatness to date has been Elvis. An impersonator. Chinese.