Steve Parker Motoring / The Car Nut

THEY ALWAYS CRASH AND BURN! DR. LAURA'S SON IN POSSIBLE BIG TROUBLE

First off, this has nothing to do with cars. But it's heart-warming, in a perverted kind of "Memorial Day Weekend" kind of way, and I thought we should share it with everyone. We all get some sort of satisfaction out of seeing the self-righteous among us crash and burn. The list of those who have preached to others and then fell into their own garbage is too long for even this BLOG. And they almost always do fail --- These folks are usually "strict with everyone but themselves", as a good friend of mine once put it. Dr. Laura Schlessinger (photo, being strict at the lectern and the right hand of god), the infamous (and, many think, obnoxious) "I am my kid's mom!" radio host who spends her days taking calls from bored housewives who can't decide whether to go to the bathroom or not without getting Dr. Laura's opinion on the situation, has had her share of troubles through the years. She got her first radio job after calling into a radio host who had one of the first "lifestyle" shows on-the-air, a man named Bill Ballance (Google it ... it's fun!). Ballance liked her calls and invited her to the radio studio. They slept together the first night they met (Ballance was married at the time) and thus was a radio career launched. When Dr. Laura, years later, wrote books, made speeches and gave newspaper and magazine interviews, she would sometimes mention her personal "thanks" to those who helped her create a career which supposedly nets her over $15 million annually. But she never thanked Ballance. Laura must have forgotten that Ballance had taken nude photos of her and he posted them on the Internet. So much for "Go out and do the right thing!", huh? Anyway, the good doc now goes on and on about her son, Deryk, who is in the Army serving in Afghanistan, which we think is all well and good. But apparently Deryk was out of the room the day his mommy was teaching values ... Because ... Well, read this (full story at: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drlaura25may25,0,2920422.story?track=mostviewed-storylevel):

Radio talk-show host Laura Schlessinger is appealing to news media outlets to respect her son's privacy   amid an Army investigation into whether he is behind a lurid personal Web page that featured cartoon depictions of rape, murder, torture and child molestation.

The posting on MySpace.com drew the Army's attention after the Salt Lake City Tribune reported this month that the Web page was credited to and included photos of Deryk, the 21-year-old son of the outspoken radio personality known to millions as "Dr. Laura." She can be heard locally (in southern California) on KFI-AM (640). (Photo - Perhaps son Deryk has a collection of the nude photos of his mother, like this one, which were splashed all over the 'Net by a friend who got her started in radio --- And whom she dumped and never publicly thanked).

According to the Tribune, the Web page, which has since been taken down, included a photograph of a bound and blindfolded detainee, accounts of illicit drug use and a blog entry headlined by a series of obscenities and racial epithets.

Laura Schlessinger's publicist issued a statement Thursday stating that the Army "is investigating who is the actual author of the MySpace website." Army spokesmen in Afghanistan, where Deryk reportedly is stationed, could not immediately be reached for comment.

HYUNDAI EXEC SCOOTS FROM USA AFTER DEADLY FREEWAY CRASH; HIS BOSS BUYING FREEDOM IN SOUTH KOREA FOR $1.1 BILLION; TOP EXEC'S SON COMMITTED SUICIDE IN 2003

A sad, sad tale ... For decades now, top-level and middle-management level executives from Asian car companies  have lived in southern California. Very often they live in homes owned by the company they work for, and their stay is often limited to less than five years, because, as  parent company officials will say, off-the-record, they do not want their executives to become "too Americanized". Almost in all cases, the executives are married men with families. The Asian style of doing business, which includes long working hours (with the Asian staff sometimes coming to the office in the late afternoon to be able to communicate with their foreign overseas home offices during the Japanese or Korean work day), as well as these employees staying out for late-night "work" sessions with their upper managers (which often are nothing more than drinking binges several nights a week), eats into their family life in the US just as it does in their own home countries. Very often the wives and children of these executives join private clubs which are made-up of people in similar circumstance, where they can feel comfortable and speak their home language among their own people. Though their children go to American schools, they also often go to Japanese or Korean schools after hours to stay fresh with their home languages. The comings-and-goings of these executives usually matter not at all to the company's American employees, save for the highest-level employees. It is simply one of the more "mysterious" aspects of working for a company with its HQ several  thousand miles of (Pacific) ocean away. Recently, a Korean-staff Hyundai executive based in Orange County, California, and the company itself, has become the target of official inquiries after this executive suddenly left the USA for Korea soon after being involved in a freeway accident which caused the death of a motorcyclist. The story is being covered by the LOS ANGELES TIMES. Below find some of their coverage; the full story can be read by clicking here: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hyundai24may24,1,1240644.story

The family of a professional musician killed in a hit-and-run accident in Orange County filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Hyundai Motor America, alleging that company officials helped one of their colleagues leave the country before he could be questioned by police.

Wylie A. Aitken, an attorney representing the victim's family, said surveillance tapes from Los Angeles International Airport show that Hyundai employees helped Youn Bum Lee become a fugitive, contradicting statements they made to police investigating the crash.

"Justice has certainly been slow in this case," Aitken said, surrounded by Ryan Dallas Cook's parents and three sisters during a news conference at his Santa Ana law office. "But at least we're headed in the right direction."

Cook, 23, was killed in October 2005 when his motorcycle slammed into Lee's disabled car on the Costa Mesa Freeway. Lee, who had been drinking with colleagues shortly before the crash, left the scene and was on a plane to his native South Korea less than 24 hours later, according to police and court records.

Lee was charged last month in absentia with felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated; driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs with injury; and hit-and-run with injury or death.

Cook's family wants other Hyundai employees held criminally responsible for obstructing justice and being accessories after the fact.

In the meantime, family members say, they are seeking answers and justice through their lawsuit.

Steve here --- On a somewhat ironic note, the top executive of Hyundai, the conglomerate which is respondible for at least 15% of the gross national product of South Korea and a major power in Asia and throughout the world, as their car companies, Hyundai, Kia, Ssangyon, Daewoo (owned by GM) and others spread throughout the globe, is said to planning to donate an enormous amount of omney to charity in his home country in anwer to charges that he has engaged in unlawful acts throughout his career. All we can say is --- Nice to know you can build an opera house and buy a "Get Out of Jail Free" card in South Korea! Wonder if something similar will happen "behind the scnes" with this current Hyundai scandal brewing in the USA. Here's the story, reported by the Associated Press in USA TODAY:

Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo, appealing an embezzlement conviction and prison sentence, on Tuesday reaffirmed his promise to donate 1 trillion won ($1.1 billion) worth of personal assets to society.

Chung (third from left in the red tie at the ribbon-cutting for Hyundai's new plant in Alabama with other company and civic officials), who made the pledge last year as part of a public apology and attempt to earn leniency amid a slush fund scandal, said the money will be donated to the public through an independent committee over seven years. The committee will be set up by end of this year, he said.

Chung made the comments during questioning by his attorney at the Seoul High Court at his appeal hearing over a February conviction for embezzling company funds to set up a slush fund. He also answered questions about the donation plan from the presiding judge.

The donated money will be used to build an opera house in Seoul and 12 other cultural complexes across the country, Chung told the court. Chung said he hopes some of the money will be used in projects that can help prevent global warming.

Chung, one of South Korea's richest men, was sentenced to three years in jail for embezzling the equivalent of more than $100 million in company funds and breach of trust.

Steve again -- The Chung family (Hyundai Chairman Chung Mong-Koo in photo at left) and Hyundai have had their share of problems. Chung's son committed suicide in August, 2003, according to this from the NEW YORK TIMES:

Chung Mong Hun, a South Korean industrialist who was the business driver behind the South's policy of reconciliation toward North Korea, died this morning after falling from the 12th floor of the headquarters here of his family company, Hyundai Asan. The police said it was a suicide.

Mr. Chung's body was found by a Hyundai janitor, who saw it crumpled behind the building, and identified by his secretary, a local police officer said.

Mr. Chung, the 55-year-old heir to one of South Korea's largest fortunes, was facing a trial on charges that he secretly passed $100 million in money from the South Korean government to North Korea in the spring of 2000. The payment was said to have been a way to ensure that Kim Jong Il, the North Korean leader, would receive Kim Dae Jung, then president of South Korea, on a visit to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang.

Shortly after the June 2000 inter-Korean summit meeting, the South Korean president received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Mr. Chung, whose father, the founder of the Hyundai conglomerate, had chosen him to handle Hyundai's dealings with North Korea, was one of a number of South Korean business leaders who accompanied Kim Dae Jung on the trip to Pyongyang.

ULTIMATE RACE FAN GIFT --- "RACE FUMES IN A CAN"

We get, probably, 15-20 "new product" press releases a day here at CAR NUT HQ. But rarely do we get one which instantly gets our rapt attention ... One crossed the transom today and we just have to share it with you. Now, we checked, so keep in mind this is NOT a joke, not a late "April Fool's" gag ... This is a completely serious new product ... I have removed the PR guy's contact info because, well, he's getting enough attention as it is ... He's a good guy and I can guarantee you he's already gotten a lot of negative e-mails about this ... Deservedly so? What do YOU think? Well, here goes:

Race Fumes Unveils Product At Lowe’s Motor Speedway With Fitz Motorsports

CONCORD, North Carolina (May 25, 2007) - - Officials from Race Fumes announced today the unveiling of their new exciting product, the real scent of race fumes dedicated to the millions of race fans nationwide.

To kick off their unveiling, Race Fumes has aligned with Fitz Motorsports and former NASCAR Busch Series Rookie-of-the-Year driver David Stremme to carry the Race Fumes logo on Stremme’s No. 22 Dodge Charger during Saturday night’s CARQUEST Auto Parts 300, the NASCAR Busch Series race held at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Race Fumes was developed in the heartland of Stock Car Racing by stock car fans for stock car fans in “Race City USA”, Mooresville, North Carolina located just twenty miles from Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

“Race fans can now experience the excitement of the scent from the convenience of their own home making our product one of the most unique racing products available to the public,” said the President of Race Fumes.

He continued, “We are very excited to launch our product on one of the biggest NASCAR weekends of the season. David Stremme and the Fitz Motorsports team have a great program and have shown to be contender’s week in and week out. We are very honored to be apart of this weekend’s festivities and we’re all hoping for a thrilling performance Saturday night.”

Race Fumes is available in 16 ounce aerosol cans and makes a great addition to race day activities. For ordering information, please visit RaceFumes.com or call 704.859.4772

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S AUTO COMPANIES?

There were a lot of stories about the next-to-final and last-generation Chrysler Imperial. One tale had the car conking out every time it went over a set of railroad tracks (which did indeed happen to me in a prototype, while going over tracks which crossed Pico Boulevard in West Los Angeles, on, naturally, a rainy night, with, probably a new girlfriend out on our first date. Nothing like making a good impression!). Another favorite was that Lee Iacocca had given an Imperial to his buddy Frank Sinatra, in exchange for Sinatra doing a commercial for Chrysler. This probably happened around 1980, when the last real Imperial was made and Iacocca was still at Chrysler (he was there from 1978 through 1983). The final Imperial, an upscale variant of the New Yorker, with a 'throbbing' 150 horsepower 3.8 liter V6, was built from 1990 through 1993. While driving through the desert to Las Vegas, the Imperial gave out on Sinatra and when he finally found a pay phone (this was way before cell phones, kids), he called Iacocca and registered a complaint or two. Iacocca sent a helicopter to pick-up Sinatra and his guest(s), stranded as they were somewhere in the open desert between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Sinatra and party boarded the chopper and a few minutes later were landing on the roof of whatever hotel Sinatra ordered the pilot. In the meantime, no one ever saw hide nor hair of that Imperial ever agin, and for all anyone knows, it's still sitting in that desert, under a few feet of wind-blown sand ... Exactly where it belonged in the first place! (Photo - 2006 Chrysler Imperial concept car's engine bay with Hemi engine cover and Chrysler logo).

One more quick Sinatra tale which has nothing to do with this story: Sinatra made some TV spots for GM in the early '60s, for some then-new Pontiacs. Sinatra, in one of the spots, played a car valet at a fancy restaurant, and also played the ritzy customer he was helping! Fun stuff. GM asked Sinatra what he wanted for doing the spots. Money was nonsensical; he had enough, and didn't need anymore to declare to the IRS, anyway, the way they were scrutinizing him at the time. So he told GM, "You know, I just got a new boat and I need a couple of big V8 diesels for it". They way the story was told to me, by one man who absolutely knew the truth, one morning soon after doing the spots, Sinatra awoke to find two GM diesel engines made specifically for marine use, in crates, on his lawn. No record of his receiving them was ever made inside GM, so there was no reason for Sinatra to ever declare them as a gift or income. Ring-a-ding-ding! (Photo - Frankie as a priest --- definitely in a movie!).

Now Chrysler tells us, through their PR channels, that a new Imperial is on the way. They even showed a prototype at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show (ok, ok ... "North American International Auto Show"). All we can say us: Uh oh. Does Chrysler really need to offer a car larger than their great-selling 300 model? The only engine which would make sense in such as car is (here we go again) the Chrysler V8 Hemi, and with both gas prices and fuel mileage standards changing on what seems an hourly basis, it would seem Chrysler might do better by simply freshening up the proven and accepted 300 with some nice "paint and tape" work, perhaps some NASCAR-y touches in front and on the rear deck ... who knows? But one thing this country does not need is yet another 4,500 pound land yacht with V8 power at north-of-$50,000 pricing. Maybe the folks at Cerberus, Chrysler's new owner, can talk some sense into the marketing folks at Chrysler and let them know that, officially, it is no longer 1979 ... (Photo - Chrysler Imperial concept apprently undergoing undisguised testing in San Francisco).

And then, on the other hand, we have the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro, snapped during recent appearances at some regularly-scheduled southern California car gatherings (Friday nights at Bob's Big Boy in Toluca Lake, Sunday mornings at the Donut Derelicts gathering in Huntington Beach, for example). We really liked this shot of the convertible concept version of the car so thought we'd share it with you, borrowed off one of the many, many active General Motors' BLOGS. Unlike the Imperial, this Camaro makes you smile by just looking at it ... Exactly what every car-maker in the world wants from their products! Not that this is often achieved ... Latest "smile-producing" car we've seen is the fabu-loso all-new Audi R8. GM has a home run here, no one is going to argue that. Surely the small block V8 350cid engine will be offered, but, like the current Mustang, we bet whatever V6 GM may offer in the car will be ... by far ... the most popular engine. The V8 versus V6 mix in the current Mustang is about 70% V6 and 30% V8, typical for pony cars since the Mustang first was exhibited at Ford Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair (and, yes, I was there, too ... Born in Brooklyn, NY and split my time growing up, first, until age 16, in Rockville Centre, on Long Island, NY and then in Santa Ana, California and other So Cal locations from 1970 on). (Photo - Smile! Audi's R8 on the stand at the Los Angeles Auto Show).

BIG WEEK IN THE AUTO BIZ: CHRYSLER SOLD; POPULAR CAR MAGAZINES FIND NEW HOME, TOO

When the dust had settled, it appeared to many analysts that when Cerberus (the investment company which bought Chrysler from Daimler; the name refers to a mythical three-headed dog which guards the gates of hell) paid around $7.4 billion for the company, Daimler was actually paying (or losing to) Cerberus some $1.6 billion just to take the company off their hands. It was a divorce pay-out which shocked people even in Hollywood!

During this past week, also, a company controlled by the 53-year old man rated the 335th richest person in the world by Forbe's Magazine, Ron Burkle, used his Florida-based Source Interlink Cos., one of the largest distributors of magazines, DVDs and music CDs to retailers, paid $1.2 billion for 76 magazines which had been the "Enthusiast Media" division of Primedia. He thus becomes the third owner of what had been Petersen Publishing, created by Robert E. Petersen in Los Angeles over 50 years ago. Burkle's investment firm, Yucaipa Cos., which orchestrated a host of grocery mergers and currently holds stakes in such companies as Wild Oats and Pathmark, owns about a third of Source Interlink, making it the largest shareholder. Burkle is also well-known as a close friend and fundraiser of Bill and Hillary Clinton. The Clintons would often stay at Burkle's Los Angeles-area mansion when on the west coast, and Burkle never seemed shy about the press coverage their visits afforded him and his company. Burkle now owns MOTOR TREND, HOT ROD, CAR CRAFT, FOUR WHEEL OFF-ROAD (one of my alma maters), SURFER and many, many other well-known and very profitable titles. But his company specializes in delivering media, not actually publishing magazines. Our guess? As we've said many times on this BLOG, traditional printed paper versions of those magazines will soon cease to exist; they'll be online and available on CD/DVD only. (Photo - Ron Burkle. We know what he's happy about, or can only guess).

What do these two buy-outs have in common? Analysts worldwide have quite varying opinions on the prices paid and the outlook for the companies bought. Clearly, Cerberus got a bargain, purchasing not just a car-builder but a true American icon. For decades, the silhouette logo of the venerable "Jeep" has been one of the most-recognized pieces or artwork in the world, right up there along with the "Coca-Cola" logo and silhouette of the classic glass Coke bottle, which is still sold in may nations around the world. And that's just one part of the company Cerberus got at, essentially fire sale prices.

The same can not be said for Burkle's purchase of these magazines. Most analysts say Burkle overpaid a tremendous amount for the Enthusiast Media group, which had been up for sale since February. (Pohot below --- Robert Petersen and his magazines). Here's some background --- As we noted on February 9th in this BLOG:

"PRIMEDIA has purchased a Canadian publishing company called VerticalScope Inc., and their  Modified Automotive Group (MAG), including Modified Magazine, Modified Luxury & Exotics Magazine, Modified Mustangs Magazine, and their related event partnerships and websites. Then, the next day, Friday, February 9th, Primedia announces their Board of Directors has "authorized the company to explore the sale" of their Enthusiast Media Segment, which includes more than 75 magazines, 100 websites, 70 events, two television programs, 400 branded products, and such well-known brands as Motor Trend, Automobile, Automotive.com, and other enthusiast pubs such as Equine.com, Power & Motoryacht, Hot Rod, Snowboarder, Stereophile, Surfer, and Wavewatch.com. Why? Because these gal-laden, generally poorly-written books "skew toward a younger demographic", says Primedia's press release on the subject. Also, the sale of the Enthusiast Media Group will be used to "pay down debt" by Primedia, which should make all the employees there feel real good about themselves and their company."

So there is the story as it stands, as of this week.

Chrysler has (again) an American owner; but this is the first time since its inception that Chrysler has been owned by a private firm, not beholding to stockholders. The entire deal rests on Cerberus' ability to negotiate with the United Auto Workers as over $1,200 of the price of each vehicle sold by Chrysler and their various divisions funds UAW contracts which were signed several years ago (and which no one forced Chrysler management to sign). If Cerberus can do what some of the airline companies have done, that is, screw their workers and especially their retirees (the LOS ANGELES TIMES today editorializes that screwing the workers would be better then the company going under ... one has to wonder if a white collar or blue collar employee wrote that), then that is one way to "save" Chrysler. As a very smart person once said, "There is always an easy answer to every problem, and it is usually wrong". We hope the UAW and Cerberus come up with something a bit more original, which does not ruin the lives of even more working Americans.

Cerberus says also that Chrysler will focus much more of their efforts at emerging markets, especially Southeast Asia, Russia and India, where the idea of very basic family transportation for under $3,000 is a hot topic and something which has been promised for those parts of the world for several years by Chrysler, but nothing has as yet come to fruition. This vehicle will almost definitely be built almost entirely of advanced plastics and ceramics, some of which have not yet been developed (especially for internal engine parts). The idea is to make the vehicle inexpensive, lightweight and very strong. Reportedly, much of the monies which Cerberus is using to buy Chrysler is coming from Russian investors.

When it comes to Burkle and his purchase of these magazines, consider that when Robert Petersen sold  all his company's titles to a Wall Street firm about 20 years ago, the firm paid around $500 million for the entire company (less Petersen's properties on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles; reportedly he was the largest single private investor in traditionally expensive Sunset Blvd. land, with many of those investments the work of F.R. Waingrow, who, after 50 years or smore with Petersen, was very publicly fired by Petersen when certain discrepancies were found in the sales papers Waingrow presented to Petersen for his final approval).  Now, just a few years later, Primedia was able to up the cost to over $1 billion. Not too bad. Reportedly, Ron Burkle, Yucaipa's chief executive, pulled the trigger on the purchase only after he had lost out on deals to buy the Los Angeles TIMES, (along with Los Angles land baron and philanthropist Eli Broad) and the Knight-Ridder newspaper chain.

Now, if Ron Burkle wants to be a publisher, he certainly has the successful titles to kick-off his new career. Our bet? No more paper magazines from Burkle after a few more months; e-media only.

REPORTS: CERBERUS BUYS CHRYSLER --- WHO?!?!

Industry reports say Cerberus will announce its purchase of the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep divisions of DaimlerChrysler as early as Monday, May 14th. Who? Cerberus is one of those Wall Street investment firms which buy companies, freshen them up then sell them for profit, if they can. Implicit in these purchases is usually a whole lot of lay-offs, so don't expect the United Auto Workers to stand still for this sale, if indeed it is near completion. At least, to some degree, it would appear that if the purchase does happen, and that could take months or even a year or more to sort out, Chrysler would become an "American" company once again, with profit staying in this country, rather than winging its way east to Germany, as it has been for the past decade or so.

The Wall Street Journal said Chrysler Chief Executive Tom LaSorda would continue to run the company while former Chrysler chief operating officer and Cerberus adviser Wolfgang Bernhard would not have an executive role, but could have a board seat. The paper also said that Daimler would keep a minor stake in the business.

The Wall Street Journal also reported the proposed deal calls for forming a new company to assume the pension and health-care liabilities. Cerberus also is expected to make a substantial payment to DaimlerChrysler, the paper said, citing people familiar with the matter.

New York-based Cerberus is a private investment fund that has built a huge private equity and hedge fund  practice.

It does have some experience in the auto business: General Motors agreed in April 2006 to sell a 51 percent stake in its financing arm, General Motors Acceptance Corp., to a consortium led by Cerberus in a deal worth about $14 billion.

Private equity firms buy controlling stakes in companies, restructure the businesses, and typically sell them two to four years later. They borrow around two-thirds of the money to make their purchases.

Any tension between Cerberus and the UAW would spill over into a deal with Chrysler, where the UAW membership is strong. The union has said that it wants a corporate or "strategic" buyer for the company and not a private equity firm.

IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, IT'S ALWAYS A CAR THING: IS PARIS HILTON GETTING SCREWED? YEAH, WE KNOW ... OF COURSE SHE IS ... BUT THIS TIME BY THE COURT?

Because we've been covering the auto scene in southern California for 35 years, it's only right that we weigh-in on the Paris Hilton story, right? Also, we might as well get her name asociated with our BLOG to try and capture a few more hits, like every other BLOG in the universe ... right? And after all, Ms. Hilton does drive some great cars!

Tim Rutten, in his always-enlightening "Regarding Media" column in today's LOS ANGELES TIMES (May 12), suggests that those involved in reporting the news take a few minutes to do something different when it comes to this week's ongoing fascination with the 45-day prison term given Paris Hilton by a judge in downtown Los Angeles. Rutten says that maybe someone out there, whether in the "real" media or the "celebrity" media (and the line between the two is barely visible these days) take some time to perhaps call the judge's office and check-out his record when it comes to handing out sentences for similar driving crimes.  (Photo - Paris driving her tasteful Bentley).

Rutten correctly points out that with most all editors and producers working on the "real" news (say, NBC as opposed to MSNBC, or the NEW YORK TIMES as opposed to, say, the NEW YORK POST) absolutely blinded by their daily desperate attempts to garner "website hits", there is no difference between the mainstream media and the celebrity media. Rutten points out that the LOS ANGELES TIMES is itself in the process of hiring a journalist (we assume) to cover the "celebrity justice beat", whatever that may be. In fact, with the NATIONAL ENQUIRER, since breaking many stories during the OJ trial which proved true, now considered as "real" as almost any other major news outlet, some industry observers think that only by combining the best elements of traditional journalism with the worst of celebrity gossip, can any media outlet hope to bring readers/viewers in the preferred advertiser demographic (18-49 years) to their publications, whether traditional print or electronic.

And what did Rutten find out, by doing a little old-fashioned "gumshoe journalism" on the Paris case?

"Had such questions (about the time given Hilton) been asked, the reporters would have found that (Judge) Sauer's sentence was unusually harsh for a defendant who had behaved as Hilton had. It was far more typical of the kind of sanction a judge might have imposed on somebody who had violated probation by drinking and driving again, which she did not do. (In that context, it's also interesting that no one bothered to debunk early reports that Hilton also had failed to enroll, as her probation required, in a program to discourage alcohol abuse. In fact, she's close to completing such a program.)"

Pretty interesting, isn't it? We'd imagine a solid majority of "Paris-watchers" think she was being sentenced for at least having been caught again for driving under the influence. As Rutten point out, of course that was not the case.

Rutten also goes on to write: "The harshness of the sentence ought to have loomed larger, when put together with Sauer's unusual ruling forbidding Hilton from paying to go into one of the private jails usually open to suitable defendants with sufficient financial means." Rutten goes on to (correctly) state that these "private jails" springing up around the country (and out of the country, but those are run by the CIA) raise serious and real questions of how criminals are treated in America, and whether the amount of cash they have in the bank has an effect on their overall experience with the justice system (and of course it does ... see above, re: "OJ"). (Photo - An absolutely reasonable amount of media greet Paris Hilton as she leaves court).

So, bottom line, Rutten opines that it appears Hilton was being singled-out by this jurist for her celebrity and wealth, in other words, the judge was using the defendant's social stance "to make an example of her".

Now, around every April 15th (tax day), it seems the Internal Revenue Service makes some huge bust of some rich celebrity involving tax charges. No one ever says that the IRS is making an example of whoever this "victim" might be, but the implicit warning is that "If a big celebrity can go to jail for not paying taxes, then you, Joe Public, had better pays yours!" The reality is that practically no one ever goes to prison for non-payment of taxes, but the IRS would rather you didn't know have bit of information.

Rutten correctly points out that ours is a land of laws and a series punishments created to fit the breaking of those laws. In other words, no citizen in America is to be made an example of by any jurist. Here's what Rutten said:

"... it's troubling that none of the mainstream print or broadcast journalists commenting on the case pointed out that the American criminal justice system does not make examples of people. It penalizes people for specific individual acts and punishes them according to the law. We do not punish one person to instruct others. We rely on the public administration of disinterested and dispassionate justice to educate and deter." (Photo - Paris drives some more).

To view Rutten's complete column, simply click here: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et- rutten12may12,1,7389668.column and Enjoy!

And if your idea of entertainment is to wait for Paris crying her eyes out on Larry King this coming week (almost a sure thing), then you need to spend more time reading real newspapers than watching CNN. Hey ... I've been a guest on THE LARRY KING SHOW, twice in fact ... Take it from me: For a guy who brags that he never reads the books his guests are promoting on his show, he sure has done well for himself. In fact, King, who amazingly is celebrating 50 years interviewing anyone and everyone with his famous softball questions, is probably the world's first true nexus of news and entertainment. And how a near-80 year old Jewish guy from Brooklyn can live happily married with a bleached-blond Mormon is, well ... All we can say is: Good for him! (Photo - This is what Larry looks like under the make-up and hair color --- Kind of snake-like, wouldn't you say?).

And just be glad YOU are not the person some judge (or Larry King's producer) decides to make an example of ... At least not yet! And, yes, we do appreciate Paris' taste in cars, too.

...AND SOME NEWSPAPERS DO GOOD! LOS ANGELES TIMES EXPOSES GEORGE BARRIS!

For decades, George Barris has held sway in the automotive world as creator, builder and owner of many, many of the msot famous of Hollywood's TV and movie cars. From the Monkeemobile to the Batmobile to the General Lee to many others before, after and in-between, Barris' name is the one bandied about when it comes to the best and most memorable vehicles modified for use in movies and on TV shows.

Recently, Barris even had a section of road in front of his North Hollywood, CA office/studio renamed in his honor.

But an article in the LOS ANGELES TIMES by staff writer Bob Pool calls into question not only Barris' claims of creation and ownership of many of these world-famous cars and trucks, but also Barris' entire past. In fact, after reading the devastating piece, many might say that Barris started "creating" his own history many years ago, and together with Hollywood publicist Ed Lozzi, has simply been around so long making so many claims that antire generations of car enthusiasts simply accrpt Barris at his word.

Well, those of us in the auto journo have known for many years that Barris wasn't even the original owner, much less the designer and builder, of many of the cars and trucks he claimed in his stable. Why don't the 'enthusiast mags' write about it? Because none of the car magazines would attack Barris, his name is so revered and "his" cars and trucks on a cover still sells magazines off the rack ... And you definitely can't take that away from him. Also, any of the new auto journos writing for magazines, BLOGS and the new websites, simply do not know the real Barris story.

Thanksfully, the LA TIMES has fulfilled at least one of its newspaper duties ("To afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted") with a great piece on Barris, calling into question many of his claims, and quoting many people in the industry who have waited years to tell their versions of the Barris story. Give the TIMES' story and read then revisit this site to read our take on it. The LA TIMES story can be found at:

http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/local/~3/114067592/la-me-custom4may04,1,7419406.story.

NY TIMES "SCREWS THE POOCH" --- AGAIN

The NY TIMES never makes a mistake. Never. Doesn't matter how many series they run which turn out to be flatly false, or how much their writers play "suck ass" with the Bush administration (ahem ... Judith Miller!) and help our country "go to war" based on a pack of lies ... Nope, just ask any of them, like Norman Mayersohn, late of POPULAR MECHANICS, who now acts as sort-of an "automotive editor" at that wonderful old Grey Lady ... Nope, no mistakes here ...

 

We don’t know how they did it, but the New York Times has seen into the future and the future is not bright for the Nissan Altima coupe. Their graphic department has pegged the Nissan Altima coupe as a 12.4% sales loser for April. The problem is that the Nissan Altima coupe doesn’t go on sale until May 25th. Could they mean the Altima sedan? We suppose they could have meant a lot of things, but the Altima Coupe certainly shouldn’t have been one of them.

We thought highly of the Altima sedan and its hybrid stablemate. We can’t wait to drive the Altima coupe, even if the New York Times says it’s the “Biggest Loser.”

Thank to the folks at AUTOBLOG and WINDING ROAD for catching this, yet another major, embarrassing NY TIMES mistake ... How'd you like to be the NY TIMES sales person who handles the NISSAN account? Ha ha!