Category Archives: fools ‘n frauds

$14.7 Billion Volkswagen Diesel Fraud Settlements

The plea bargain requires Volkswagen to spend up to $10.03 billion to compensate consumers under the program. In addition, the VW will spend $4.7 billion to mitigate the pollution from these cars and invest in green vehicle technology. Continue reading

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Fiat Argentina Removes Owner Manuals that Insult Women

The booklet in Argentina given to every new vehicle owner said: “If a lady’s skirt is too short, we recommend that she travel in the backseat to keep our concentration.” It dug the hole deeper by saying “if the skirt is not that short but you tend to have a wandering hand, she should also travel behind.” Continue reading

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German Motor Transport Grants Fix on Dirty VW Diesels

Such an inexpensive fix is not possible in the U.S. where emissions standards are much tighter, and regulatory authorities – it could be argued across the EU – are not in the pocket of auto companies and major suppliers. Continue reading

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U.S. Treasury Issues Inversion Regulations. Is It Too Little, Too Late for Catching Corporate Tax Cheaters?

Under current law – obviously written by corporate lobbyists – following an inversion or foreign takeover, a U.S. subsidiary can issue its own debt to its foreign parent as a dividend distribution. The foreign parent can then transfer this debt to a low-tax foreign affiliate. The U.S. subsidiary can then deduct the resulting interest expense on its U.S. income tax return at a significantly higher tax rate than is paid on the interest received by the related foreign affiliate. Continue reading

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Teamsters Protest United Airlines at PGA Shell Houston Open

Don’t Loot Mechanics’ Healthcare & Profit-Sharing” and “No Contract – No Flights,” during the opening round of the PGA Shell Houston Open. United is the airline sponsor of the PGA tour. Continue reading

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VW America CEO Michael Horn Out in Dirty Diesel Scandal

Thus the history of sudden death departures at VW in North America continues. When sales previously slumped, Horn became CEO after the abrupt resignation of Jonathan Browning when VW brand sales fell in 2013. The decade before VW said it would triple sales here in 10 years. The lack of trucks and SUVs doomed the plan from the start. Continue reading

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Volkswagen CEO, other Execs Knew of Diesel Scandal Months – if Not Years – Before Public Exposure of the Fraud

The German defense appears weak to AutoInformed (caveat we know little about German law) because former CEO Martin Winterkorn on 27 July 2015 discussed with Volkswagen employees the diesel emissions problem at a regular meeting about “damage and product issues.” Herbert Diess, Volkswagen passenger car CEO, was also present. Memos were sent more than a year earlier. Continue reading

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The Un-luck of the Irish – St. Patrick’s Day Drunks

St. Patrick’s Day – when it’s said everyone is Celtic – is sometimes heartbreaking because of drunk drivers behind the wheel. NHTSA says that during St. Patrick’s Day from 2009 to 2013, there were a total of 276 lives needlessly lost in drunk-driving crashes. Continue reading

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FAA Wants $200,000 Fine for Unsafe Conditions at Detroit Wayne County Airport – DTW

Unless successfully challenged – highly unlikely – once again beleaguered taxpayers will be picking up the tab for illegal behavior at an airport that has a long history of malfeasance and criminal behavior by Democratic politicians who control Wayne County. Continue reading

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Winterkorn off Porsche Exec Board over VW Diesel Cheating

This is the latest development in the growing and company-threatening crisis at Volkswagen Group because of its deliberate diesel emissions fraud perpetrated on several continents by now disgraced engineering and management groups. Continue reading

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FAA Fines Drone Operator SkyPan $1.9 Million

SkyPan operated the aircraft in a careless or reckless manner to endanger lives or property, the FAA alleges. Continue reading

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Volkswagen Investigation underway for Deliberately Violating Diesel Emission Rules – $18 Billion in Fines Coming?

A sophisticated software algorithm on VW and Audi diesel engines detects when the car is undergoing official emissions testing, and turns full emissions controls on only during the test. Continue reading

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No Fixes in Sight for Highway Trust Fund or Decrepit US Roads

Bentsen suggests a series of political impossible actions… Continue reading

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Screw US Workers! Trade Policy Fails Again

Imports of auto parts, engines, vehicles through May 2015 increased to $112,315,000, a dismal job-destroying record. May at $29,462,000 was a record as well. Continue reading

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MI Proposal 1 on Roads, aka Prostitution 1, Resoundingly Defeated. All Politicians involved Need to Resign Now

All the politicians involved in this irresponsible pork-ridden fiasco should resign immediately – including local government officials who subsequently supported this sham because they would benefit from the pork – because they are clearly not representing the voters and above all are clearly and arrogantly out of touch with them. Continue reading

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