United Autoworkers, Detroit, and your hard-earned dollars

Just read yet another account of how extravagant the Detroit automotive complex has become, what with lavish retirement plans, first-rate health care, unemployment compensation at up to 95% base salary, and $75 an hour pay rates .. now it's the multimillion dollar retreat on Michigan's Black Lake with its own designer golf course. The story reports that union dues built this brothel-like palace for union leaders and top brass .. all from your own dollars which you've spent on overpriced, fuel-hungry American rides.

It looks like the government's gonna fund this glutenous monster's habit too .. much to our chagrin. We all know who's in bed with whom these days and, frankly, it hasn't come as much of a surprise that the big three's gonna get their bailout (that's right - B A I L O U T) despite the fact that most Americans oppose it. We all knew it would happen.

I'm gonna make this one short and sweet instead of harping on how miserable this bailout is from a moral standpoint. Here's the deal:

Even with the money Uncle's gonna take out of our pockets and give to Detroit, we can still kick 'em in the pants and force them into the bankruptcy enema they need so very badly. And it's a simple solution: Just don't buy a new American car for the next two years. Get something from Toyota or Nissan; they make some really nice cars and trucks and you get more for your money. After all, you won't be funding any Black Lake retreats.

Vote with your feet, people. If Detroit hits an all-time sales slump through 2010, they'll have no choice but to finally morph into the industry they should have been all along. Hit the mute button when the Chevy commercials come on; turn the page and skip looking at the Ford truck ad in the paper, and change the station when Chrysler starts that crap on the radio. Don't even look at their products and they won't be able to romance you.

In the end, when you finally do get around to considering buying a new American vehicle, you'll have a better choice than you ever thought possible because they will have reinvented themselves. Won't be a choice.

Don't buy another American vehicle until Fall of '10. It's just that easy.

GalaxyArmyNavy poor internet vendors

This is the kind of online vendor I try to stay away from. I placed an order and paid for it and that was the last I ever heard from them other than a confirmation of the order .. no tracking number, no order status, no replies to EMails, no communication at all. When I telephoned them, the phone rang five minutes before it picked up, the assistant was typical New York brusque and he told me he needed to call the factory to get a status. Huh? Presumably, they have no modern inventory network in place .. and after being placed on blank hold about ten minutes, I hung up and called him again. The assistant's response, incredibly, was "I think it's been shipped". Clearly, he just wanted to get rid of me or the factory didn't know what they're doing either. After a full week, I still had no order status update on the website's joke-of-a-status-page other than 'processing' and really no idea if I'd ever get my product.

Finally got through on the phone again on the eighth day and the assistant Stanley confirmed that they don't have the item in stock and it's back-ordered. Although I have provided ample contact information to them, GalaxyArmyNavy never telephoned or EMailed to advise me of this difficulty. I then demanded a refund and the assistant agreed and sent an EMail to that effect. That was my first ever message from GalaxyArmyNavy on this issue.

Had I not intervened, I might still be waiting to receive my product.

As I have no faith in these people, I have opened a Paypal dispute issue, just to document it all and ensure it gets resolved through Paypal. If I have no reply by the end of the week, it escalates to a Paypal claim.

GalaxyArmyNavy online vendor has banker's hours .. typical 8 hour days Mon-Thu, a half day on Fri, and the weekend off; that usually indicates a poor work ethic right there. Once they have your payment, they just don't want to have anything to do with you from then on. They are a bloated, high-volume, big-time vendor that's overgrown its service department and probably couldn't care less as long as the money's rolling in.

I've posted this account just in case anyone is considering doing business with this vendor and is smart enough to do a search on 'em first .. my recommendation is find another vendor who'll treat you better.