Please Note:
The text of the story below has not been changed because there's been a lot of activity about this post. So let me leave the post pristine and make corrections here.
Yes the monkey's really did eat the vinyl top.
Please note that what I refer to as a Chrysler 300G is really a 300M. I always called it a Chrysler Gold. I don't know why but the color, and this is important, was GOLD on both the cars. Very important to note this.
Also, the first leased Chrysler 300M was a model AFTER 1997 but before 2000. I believe it was a 1999 but cannot find the paper's for this vehicle so husband I agreed on this model year. Chrysler 300M's were not made before 1998, so a reader tells me.
Didn't want anyone to think I was lying.
And I still don't know what kind of car my husband has except it's a navy blue thing.
The Mystery of the Peeling Paint
The entire tale will someway, somehow, become part of a book I shall write. For now, let me share the mystery with yon intelligent readers. Perhaps someone else has suffered my godawful fate.
It’s about the leased car. Well, actually it’s about four leased cars, two of which were the exact same manufacturer, model and color. These would be the last two cars I’d leased, Chrysler 300G’s they were, coming off a two year lease from a customer who put many miles on them then re-leased to me, an individual who doesn’t drive all that much under a scenario that allows the leasing company to gain a full four years on a car and for me a cheaper monthly lease payment.
I’d also leased two other cars from this same lessor, the lessor having once been my employer but that’s a whole nother story. The other two cars were leased by me for the full four years and were different models all together.
The point being they were leased by me, returned by me at the end of the lease and yes there was that matter about the monkeys eating the vinyl roof on the Chevy Caprice but again, another story.
As provided by the lease, I am to be assessed for any extreme usage beyond normal wear and tear. For the first two cars there was no problem except for that monkey and the vinyl roof thing. A minor charge assumed within the new lease payment.
It was only with the Chrysler 300G’s that there were major problems. Here I am, beaten and bloody and recently assessed damages in the thousands by the leasing company for return damage beyond normal wear and tear.
I’ve leased four cars from the same company for twenty years now although as some of yon readers might know, recently I went out a bought a new Jeep Liberty, God Bless America.
In fact I likely would have leased yet another vehicle but I was told firmly that the Merryland leasing company didn’t want to do business in Delaware for extra tax returns, etc. And with me their only Delaware customer, well it wasn’t worth it. Thus upon return of this model year 2001 Chrysler 300G I had to either buy another vehicle of find another lessor.
I was assessed damages upon return of the 1997 model Chrysler 300G for some very serious scratches all over the hood of the car. Yes, they were there. I could plainly see them. It appeared for all the world that two or three cats had a serious fight on the hood of my car. Although I’d leased two other cars while living in that same house in Merryland, I shrugged and ate the charges. The scratches were there, right before my lying eyes. I figured maybe the many squirrel-rodents resident in Critter Cove decided to dance nightly upon my car.
It didn’t then occur to me that husband, who has a little navy blue thing of a car NEVER had one scratch upon his hood even though he parked it right next to mine every night.
To my dismay, after leasing the 2001 model Chrysler 300G for two years with a half year extension, aren’t the SCRATCHES ON THE HOOD AGAIN!?!?!?!
THIS Chrysler (same color as the last Chrysler) had been rarely driven and garage-kept for almost the entire time of its lease.
I had to turn the car back in. Even though I was a loyal customer of over twenty years, the leasing company sent me an astronomical bill for damages.
Now folks I knew about the scratches so what was I to do? There they were sitting on the hood of the car and I couldn’t deny them.
I fret and lose sleep for a few weeks. How is it that I leased two cars from the same company, no scratches on the hoods, then all of a sudden two cars end up looking as if washed in a sharp acid bath? With the second car kept in a garage almost the entire lease and with husband’s car, a small thing should be kept as a spare, sported no scratches at all?
Yes I did.
I did a Google search and boom, TADA, guess what?
It would seem that Chrysler has a peeling paint problem they are keeping under wraps.
I perused the web sites about Chrysler and their peeling paint problems for many an hour. There is even currently a class action suit for the benefit of all suffering Chrysler owners. The company, it seems, is quietly settling out of court for the squeaky wheel complainers but have not issued a national recall.
Paint Problem Site 1
Paint Problem Site 2
For it would seem that what began as scratches on my Chrysler 300G’s ends up in lightning jagged horrors like those pictured below.
For a period reported from as far back as the early 90’s up until 2002 it would seem that Chrysler has been painting their vehicles with what is essentially fingernail polish. After a few years the paint begins to peel in the form of scratches. Given more time the scratches turn into lightning bolt shaped strips of missing paint. Jeeps, ladies and Gems, were often victims of the peeling paint.
It will take a while to sort it all out. I want to make sure that my new Jeep is covered with decent paint and naturally I will have to have a nice long talk with that leasing company. Already I’ve been charged and paid for “scratches” that I did not inflict and they’re now demanding thousands more for a garage kept vehicle driven less than ten thousand miles a year.
Those “scratches”, ladies and gems, are the result of driving the vehicle on the road and NOT nasty squirrel-rodents dancing upon them.
Shall keep all yon readers posted. For I may have to do up a nice big Blog entry publishing this leasing company and the car dealer associated with it. They are really quite big in the Maryland area.
I only want them to treat me fair.
Time Magazine Makes Mistake?
From the web site below, when I last checked, it would seem they posted a parody of an Ann Coulter protest. Although the whole thing could be an elaborate hoax it is nonetheless funny.
Notice the verbiage on the protest signs.
“Communists for Kerry”
“Saving Iraqi children from tyranny costs too much”
“Criminals for Gun Control”
and way in the corner, something about murdering owls.
It is alleged that someone doctored up a real protest picture with the above hilarious captions and somehow Time magazine posted it on their web site. I’m not sure if it was used in their print edition though they did recently do a cover story about beloved Annie.
Was Time Fooled?
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Best Restaurant in the World?
Came upon this and pondered what the best restaurant in the world would serve. To my chagrin, this great restaurant serves sardine on toast sorbet and bacon and egg ice cream.
Now folks, somebody out there must think we are really dumb. Else somebody’s got the money flowing between this Restaurant magazine and The Fat Duck.
No wait. Maybe folks like sardine sherbet and hey, bacon and egg ice cream, it has a certain ring.
From Yahoo.com
The Fat Duck, in a village in Berkshire, west of London, won the coveted title of top dining spot at The World's 50 Best Restaurant's 2005 awards on Monday night, which also featured 13 other restaurants in Britain alone.
Critics, however, argued that the annual list -- compiled by the magazine Restaurant and chosen by more than 500 chefs and experts -- was more of a guide on good places to eat rather than the best the world has to offer.
Comprising entries from mainly developed countries, France had eight restaurants inside the top 50, while the United States only had six.
Asia was notably lacking in representation at the awards in London, with just one restaurant in Hong Kong, called Felix, coming in at number 49.
Owned by chef Heston Blumenthal, The Fat Duck in Bray wowed the judges with original dishes such as sardine on toast sorbet and bacon and egg ice cream.
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Taking a Poke at the Out-of-Control Judiciary
Received this in my in-box. It’s a sample letter that could be sent to your senator concerning the problem with our Judges Who Would All Be Da Pope.
If you’re just as worried about judges who command legislatures to pass laws legalizing gay marriage, as done recently in Massachusetts, or forcing death upon disabled persons, Florida there, then print it out or copy into an email and send it to your senator.
Sometimes it takes the public just chipping away and chipping away.
April 18, 2005
Honorable XXXXX XXXXXX
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator:
We, on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of active supporters of Move America Forward, are requesting your support for President George W. Bush’s nomination of John Bolton as United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
The President is entitled to his nominee for the post of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and he has selected a man who is both qualified and experienced to carry out the important foreign policy responsibilities incumbent with this post. The perilous nature of the world today necessitates a strong and forceful advocate of American interests, especially when representing our nation’s interests at the United Nations. Mr. Bolton’s record is impeccable in this regard.
We grew up at a time when the United Nations was considered the best hope for mankind to avert world wars and sustain a lasting peace for future generations. We know that many Americans have participated, at some point in their life, with efforts to aid the United Nations missions – whether as children collecting small change for UNICEF during Halloween, or through assistance efforts to help the victims of the South Asian tsunami. We have been grateful for those success stories where killer diseases were eradicated, and always hopeful that UN peacekeepers would restore peace and civility in some of the world’s most unstable and dangerous regions.
Unfortunately, the record of the United Nations in the past two decades has been very disappointing overall, as the UN has turned into a gathering place for the worst representatives of civilized society. Despots, dictators and tyrants have formed voting blocs in the United Nations General Assembly, seemingly intent on advancing an anti-American agenda. The U.S. has been ridiculed endlessly by UN member nations and officials because of their contempt for our nation’s economic prowess and military strength – even mocking our own heritage of promoting freedom.
The Rest Here
Along that same vein, forgive me for recommending a book that I have not yet myself read. But I heard The Great One, Mark Levin, during a recent interview on Rush Limbaugh. Goodness just him discussing his book “Men in Black” captured my riveted attention. For Mark has documented so many of the great fallacies of our vaunted Judges. Who, as it turns out, put their pants on every morning same as everyone else.
I do fully intend to read Mark’s book but I always wait until a book is available in my taxpayer funded library. When I read it I will give it a review but just by Levin’s interview with Rush he had me mesmerized.
The Apprentice
Narrowing down to the final four, there are some comments about recent events.
I don\'t understand how Donald could fire Angie and not Chris in the previous show. Donald, for some unexplained reason, kept giving Chris chances. Perhaps it\'s because he\'s made a lot of money. However, what DT fails to realize is that there isn\'t always a positive correlation between the amount of money someone earns and their intelligence/education. If anyone took the time to read Chris\' bio they\'ll see that the chap has worked for his dad\'s real estate business since dropping out of college. How smart do you have to be to do that? The chap is immature and out of his league leading teams or being a cross-functional member of a team. He also has serious problems communicating, presenting, and nurturing colleagues. He should have been fired weeks ago.
Kendra won over America with the way she single-handed designed and produced the brochure. Tana disappointed, and Craig has some unresolved issues. I think he has problems conceptualizing ideas other put forward.
Alex totally messed up by not taking a picture of the front of the car, especially since Chris specifically directed him to take that picture. Alex is weak and it\'s begun to show. Eventual winner Kendra.
~~~~~~~~~~
Angie absolutely deserved to be fire. She choked under the pressure and couldn\'t handle it. He also wanted to get rid of her earlier. While Chris should have been gone weeks ago, Angie was the worst on that task.
As far as Kendra, this week she proved she is smart, creative and a very hard worker. She also showed she is a poor leader and that\'s what Trump is hiring. I would want her working for me, but not in charge of too much. Look at how Craig handled the team with his box. Yes, he\'s rude at times, but he motivated them all to get behind his idea when they were ready to quit on him. That is leadership, but he\'ll probably do poorly in the interview process if he\'s around for it.
I think Tana and Bren will do good in the interviews if they make it through. Thank goodness they cut the final down from three hours but one isn\'t enough. They need a one-hour competition and then a one-hour wrap-up.
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Up until this week I liked Tana. Kendra deserves to win this competition. Craig is so rude to Kendra. Tana did nothing to help make that brochure for Solstice and acted like it was all her idea. Craig also did not add anything to help Kendra. They both were nothing but obstructionist in this project. They both set back and let her do all the work. What kind of integrity do either of them have?
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Tana, Craig and Alex diminished themselves this last episode. Tana espeically disappointed me and she was my #1 pick. Alex was my # 2 pick but he either didn\'t care or was careless.
I\'m getting a stronger and stronger sense that people aren\'t willing to play for their project managers as much as you would expect them to.
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Tana certainly fell down on the job this week. I had thought she just might win but not after this last performance. Meanwhile, Kendra\'s stock has definitely risen. Her brochure was great.
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I don\'t think Alex will come in #1. The fact that he took a nap during his team\'s project lowered him in Trump\'s eyes.
I think it\'ll go down like this:
#2. Bren
#1. Kendra
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I have to agree that Kendra should be in the top two - esp after this week\'s show.
But Alex? Sure, he\'s avoided conflict and flown \"under the radar\" for this long, but WHAT has he really done that has been exceptional?
And what\'s up with The Donald firing Angie over Chris last week?!
I mean - Come On!
Angie has displayed her abilities week after week after week. Chris on the other hand, has displayed his inability to control himself.
And that\'s critical in the business world, not to mention a CEO position or in the corporate world. IF it\'s anything the corporate world values more than anything - is predictability.
Perhaps The Donald sees a little of himself in Chris, and excuses his weaknesses - but that\'s a reflection of bias, and I\'m sure Mr. Trump is much wiser than that to do that sort of thing in \"the real business world\" (right?)
And as for \"people skills\" and the ability to motivate people... Kendra hasn\'t displayed this ability. She\'s displayed a little more immaturity than I\'d prefer to see as one of my executives leading others.
We\'ll see what Kendra does in next week\'s episode to see if she\'ll fold or flourish under pressure when she goes head to head with Craig, who openly displays his sexist opinions when he deals with Kendra.
Up until this time, the camera seemed to enjoy showing Kendra with her jaw dropped in shock or exhuberance. But she certainly displayed her talents this time around with an amazing brochure, and the commercial that Pontiac did for the solstice seemed like a hand-in-hand match.
She certainly has a job in advertising after this show - that\'s for sure. I wanted to hire her after I saw that show.
I\'ll take a hard-working, go-getter, don\'t take no for an answer person over a sleepy, \"I\'ve got to get my rest\" kinda person any day and twice on Sunday.
But - she still did impress me in MANY of the shows up until this point. So the real question is... what will she do in the remaining few episodes to prove her abilities or show the world she\'s not willing to \"go the distance\" when it comes to her convenience.
I was a huge fan of Tana until this show when she happy admitted her limiting beliefs about \"requiring\" sleep, as well as her taking all the credit for an idea and a job that was obviously not hers.
That\'s SO not cool! And the first time someone displays a lack of integrity is the moment they lose all credibility in my book.
Perhaps she really was getting sick, and was just not \"herself\" but her fake smile is exactly what I can\'t stand seeing women do in the business world.
After all, if you don\'t like something I do - just tell me!
Am I Right?
No mamby-bamby nonsense. Just tell it to me straight up and let\'s deal with it. Otherwise, don\'t be fake. :-( MAJOR points lost in my book - because before this week - she was a CLEAR Winner in my eyes. Mary Kay, MILF all the way is what my husband and I both agreed to. But...
I\'ll do something I never do in \"the real world\" is I\'ll give her another chance, assuming she \"took a pass\" on this task b/c she thought she was going to lose, and therefore, why try hard anyway? Let\'s see what she does next week.
If I were in The Donald\'s shoes (which I\'m glad I\'m not, b/c that would mean I\'d be still living in New York, instead of in Hawaii, I\'d like to see Tana and Kendra go head to head in the last episode.
So HELP me if two more men are in the final two. To me, and I think to the rest of the TV viewing audience, the men in this group are weak compared to the women who have displayed their abililities over and over again, and led their team to victory.
And for those of you who may think it\'s just a \"woman\'s issue\" - trust me - it\'s not. I\'ve been a fan of the winners from the two previous episodes. It was clear each of the male winners had talent, intelligence and integrity.
(Although I really would have loved to see Troy win the first one - but I think Mr. Trump is less of a risk taker than he\'d like to admit to.)
For once, I not only think there are two well deserving women who should be qualified as the final two - I ALSO think seeing two women go head to head will be quite entertaining to the American audience.
Esp since more often than not, when women fight - they fight HARD in business. They take no prisoners, and aren\'t afraid to pull hair. :)
Go Tana and Kendra...
or... if I predict The Donald\'s next move... it\'s more like:
Go Alex and Tana... we\'ll see though.
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And This Interesting Assessment
…of the Great Rush Limbaugh
I understand the word "dittohead" to refer to someone who is a follower of the sainted Maha Rushie, the all-knowing, all-caring, all-sensing El Rushbo. All this came about as the result of the fact that the mainstream liberal media (MLiM) oppressed the minds and hearts of the American people with their distortions, falsehoods, half-truths, trivialities and endless, endless, overweening self-satisfied arrogance for many, many years. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, the American people heard on the AM RADIO the voice of the sainted El Rushbo, speaking truths out in the public arena which hitherto these oppressed people had only heard reverberating within the confines of their own minds. When one has a thorn pulled from one's flesh, one feels a surge of relief pass over one's entire body. This was the sensation that many downtrodden Americans experienced at the sound of the Enlightened One's voice.
Of course, the mainstream liberal media, (MLiM), and their dupes, rushed to slander the sainted Maha Rushie and his followers, saying that the sainted El Rushbo filled the empty heads of his followers with ideas of his own concoction. Whereas, in fact, the Enlightened One was giving affirmation to what had all along been within the minds and hearts of those who consented to be his followers. It was affirmation, as if during racial segregation one might come upon a black male, whom law and custom have always insisted must be referred to as "boy", and one were to say to him "Sir, I see you are a man." It was affirmation. Thank God Almighty that what was deep within me has finally come to see the light of day! It was liberation in the fullest sense of the word, a bestowing of liberty and power. If Lincoln freed the slaves, Maha Rushie freed the slaves of the MLiM.
Of course, those newly freed slaves rushed forward to kiss the hands of their Rescuer, or at least to blow him a kiss across the ether, repeatedly calling in to the sainted Maha Rushie and saying "Thankyou, thankyou, for expressing truths in the public places which have so long oppressed me, for I have thought I alone carry them around within me." But the sainted Maha Rushie, being naturally modest, and sensing perhaps that these endless and repetitious expressions of joyful gratitude might be BAD FOR RATINGS, sought to curtail this flood, by magnanimously saying "Henceforth, limit your praise of me simply to saying 'ditto' " But all understood, except the humorless dark-minded MLiM and their dupes (unimaginably there are still such), what ditto meant. When someone comes along and gives voice to what has long been within the hearts of the people, they spontaneously cry out DITTO.
J. Rzrezsk to Fishtalk
1 comment:
{yawn} :-)
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