Pratts cracked blade answers........

http://articles.courant.com/2013-02-26/business/hc-pratt-whitney-western-titanium-20130226-1_1_pratt-whitney-f135-military-engines 

Why do Pratt Engines have cracked blades?

 "Pratt & Whitney has determined that some material originating from Western Titanium that may not meet all of the raw material specification requirements has been delivered in P&W products,"   That didn’t take long to figure out……It is almost like Pratt already knew about the problem.

 "As a result," it said, "Pratt & Whitney is conducting the appropriate quality and engineering reviews in accordance with our standard procedures to ensure the safety and integrity of our products for our customers. Although this material may not meet all of the requirements, (It is not a requirement that the engine blades not be cracked?) we believe the parts that may be impacted (Cracked fan blades) meetthe necessary performance requirements for our customers." (I am speechless)

 The titanium was used in the PW4000, PW2000/F117, F100, F119 and F135 engines, the company said. It did not release the number of individual engines that might be affected.  You can bet it is a long long list.

 The sh*tty Titanium that caused the cracked blade is from a company called Western Titanium.

Western Titium is found in what country………..Come on you know the answer……What country is synonymous with sh*tty tainted products which can’t ever be trusted……. 

 Lets say it together.  CHINA! 

 Yay China!

 If there is a tainted product you don’t have to search long to come up with the China as the reason why.

 Since the F-35 will one day be used in combat most likely against China is it really any wonder China is delivering tainted Titanium…..

 http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=46406546

 Western Titanium Technologies Co., Ltd. is based in Shaanxi, China. As per the transaction announced on June 26, 2008, Western Titanium Technologies Co. Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of Western Metal Materials Co., Ltd.

 The most important thing to corporate America is to save money on the front end.  No matter what it means.  No matter how much risk it involves.  No matter what the long term consequences maybe.  If you can save a $1.00 up front (but lose $300.00 on the back end) that is all completely fine.  If lives are put in jeopardy that is fine.  If reputations are put in jeopardy that is fine.  If thousands of people need to lose their jobs that is fine.  Just save a buck.  That is the most important thing.

Newspapers Can't Figure It Out.....

http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2013/02/28/hartford-courant-launches-new-website-sans-pay-wall/

 The Courant, like other metropolitan and local newspapers across the country, has struggled in recent years to retain readers in light of the proliferation of news on the Internet, with its circulation down over 26 percent from 179,066 in 2006 to 131,564 per week this year according to figures from the Alliance for Audited Media and the Harvard Business Journal. In 2011, the paper laid off an undisclosed number of employees. This came after long-running financial difficulties whittled the paper’s news staff down to 135 in 2009 from a high of 400 in 1994. 

Newspapers are stupid. 

 Just stop all printing (which saves lots of money) and put everything online.  Don’t charge readers anything and sell advertisements on web (which is what they are already doing.) 

 Nobody needs a physical newspaper anymore.  Save money on printing.  Save money on delivery.

 I watch my local TV news (and it is offered free) and the TV station still makes money with advertising.  Newspapers should be able to do the same on the web. 

 But if you lay off all your reporters (and your content sucks) then nobody is going to your site.  Then advertisers will go elsewhere.  It is about having a good product.  The delivery method is irrelevant.  Whether it is on a physical piece of paper, or on a computer screen, shouldn’t matter. 

 People paid for newspapers in the past because it was physically printed and delivered to them.  If that goes away there is no reason to charge.  Write good stories and the business side will take care of itself.

Honda Is Back....

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/02/26/consumer-reports-honda-ford-toyota-accord-fusion/1947823/

 the redesigned Honda Accord scored higher than any other vehicle tested by the publication during the past year, regardless of price or type.

 Accord even outpaces German luxury models. "This new model is roomy, nice to drive, well-equipped and very fuel efficient…30 mpg overall and 40 on the highway, which is as good as the tiny Honda Fit," the magazine reports. 

The good showing wins Accord the cover photo spot on the magazine's annual April auto issue, highlights of which were announced today at a meeting of the Washington Automotive Press Association in Washington, D.C.

 CR cites "the car's better ride and improved braking performance. …The interior has also been spruced up…In short, the Civic has improved enough to regain its 'recommended status'."

F-35 Grounded because of Pratt and Whitney screwed up‏

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/22/us-lockheed-fighter-idUSBRE91L10U20130222

The Pentagon on Friday suspended the flights of all F-35 fighter planes after a routine inspection revealed a crack on a turbine blade in the jet engine of an F-35 test aircraft in California.

During a routine inspection at Edwards Air Force Base in California on February 19 inspectors found a crack on a low pressure turbine blade that is part of the F-35's F135 engine.

Engineering teams would remove the blade and ship it to Pratt's engine facility in Middletown, Connecticut, for more thorough evaluation and root cause analysis

In the old days when Pratt and Whitney hired tens or thousands of highly trained Connecticut employees they never had such issues. Now that they employ a fraction of that amount and outsource the rest of the work all over the planet. Now that they insist on employing every cheap incompetent person they can find who will work for slave wages this always seems to be the result. Just like Boeing.

They all do the same thing and they all get the same results. Interesting how that works.

Japan figured out 787 fuel leak.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323549204578319783013656490.html 

The ministry's air-safety regulators concluded that on a Japan Airlines Co Dreamliner, foreign matter had stuck to fuel valves, and coating material had beenimproperly applied, likely causing the valves to remain partly open and allow fuel to leak. 

How is it possible that a coating could be “improperly applied” on a state of the art airplane?  After all Boeing hires the most competent (experienced) engineers in the world…..I don’t understand.  

Oh wait….Boeing laid off all their competent (experienced) engineers because they cost too much money.  Then they hired completely incompetent (wet behind the ears) engineers in countries all over the world.  It saved them a bundle.  Smart business move. 

If only someone could have predicted such foolish behavior would lead to endless problem…..When I say endless I mean it very literally.  If only someone would have had that foresight perhaps there wouldn’t be such a debacle today.  

Oh wait…… there was one guy who predicted it.  Can’t remember what his name is…..but people should really listen to what that guy has to say.

MANDIANT

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gFDg-7S3wsxfHgdwvKQ4T5YlChtw?docId=abb05f1f0c09459a924491fec8bb489a

A private technology security firm on Tuesday described in extraordinary detail efforts it blamed on a Chinese military unit to hack into 141 businesses, mostly inside the U.S., and steal commercial secrets.

Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., Mandiant was started in 2004(Bill Gates sold our the USA in 2003 so this company arrived just in time) by Kevin Mandia, a retired Air Force officer who carved out a lucrative niche investigating computer crimes. Mandiant says it can detect and trace even quiet intrusions, such as the theft of employee passwords or trade secrets that a company otherwise might not be aware is happening.

Mandiant was most recently noted for its work in helping The New York Times trace an attack on its employees' computers to China, following a Times investigation into China's Premier Wen Jiabao. The newspaper publicly acknowledged Mandiant's role in the case.

Companies can be reluctant to call the FBI. Businesses don't want to hand over their most sensitive information — including computers and proprietary data — to the government and would rather maintain control of the investigation. Many companies are less concerned about tracing the origin of an attack than resuming business to make money. They also don't want their vulnerabilities discussed in a courtroom or leaked to news organizations or shareholders, which can happen if the government were involved. Companies like Mandiant have a big financial incentive — and signed confidentiality promises — to keep names of clients secret.

Mandiant alleges that it has traced a massive hacking campaign on U.S. businesses to a drab, white 12-story office building outside Shanghai run by "Unit 61398" of the People's Liberation Army. The report contains some of the most extensive and detailed accusations on China's cybersnooping publicly available, including a timeline and details of malware used.

Being a private company, Mandiant doesn't have to keep its information secret, although it hasn't released the names of the companies attacked. I have the names if you want them. They have been sent out in past emails. 

Mandiant says it was time(I said it was time a decade ago) to call out China for its systematic hacking and that releasing as many details as possible will help security professionals. It acknowledged in a statement that releasing the information was risky because it said the Chinese will change tactics now that some of its techniques are known. Mandiant also said it expects itself to be targeted, beyond what it described as an unsophisticated effort in April to trick some employees into installing malicious software disguised as a draft press release. "We expect reprisals from China as well as an onslaught of criticism," Mandiant wrote.

Mandiant

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gFDg-7S3wsxfHgdwvKQ4T5YlChtw?docId=abb05f1f0c09459a924491fec8bb489a

A private technology security firm on Tuesday described in extraordinary detail efforts it blamed on a Chinese military unit to hack into 141 businesses, mostly inside the U.S., and steal commercial secrets.

Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., Mandiant was started in 2004(Bill Gates sold our the USA in 2003 so this company arrived just in time) by Kevin Mandia, a retired Air Force officer who carved out a lucrative niche investigating computer crimes. Mandiant says it can detect and trace even quiet intrusions, such as the theft of employee passwords or trade secrets that a company otherwise might not be aware is happening.

Mandiant was most recently noted for its work in helping The New York Times trace an attack on its employees' computers to China, following a Times investigation into China's Premier Wen Jiabao. The newspaper publicly acknowledged Mandiant's role in the case.

Companies can be reluctant to call the FBI. Businesses don't want to hand over their most sensitive information — including computers and proprietary data — to the government and would rather maintain control of the investigation. Many companies are less concerned about tracing the origin of an attack than resuming business to make money. They also don't want their vulnerabilities discussed in a courtroom or leaked to news organizations or shareholders, which can happen if the government were involved. Companies like Mandiant have a big financial incentive — and signed confidentiality promises — to keep names of clients secret.

Mandiant alleges that it has traced a massive hacking campaign on U.S. businesses to a drab, white 12-story office building outside Shanghai run by "Unit 61398" of the People's Liberation Army. The report contains some of the most extensive and detailed accusations on China's cybersnooping publicly available, including a timeline and details of malware used.

Being a private company, Mandiant doesn't have to keep its information secret, although it hasn't released the names of the companies attacked. I have the names if you want them. They have been sent out in past emails.

Mandiant says it was time(I said it was time a decade ago) to call out China for its systematic hacking and that releasing as many details as possible will help security professionals. It acknowledged in a statement that releasing the information was risky because it said the Chinese will change tactics now that some of its techniques are known. Mandiant also said it expects itself to be targeted, beyond what it described as an unsophisticated effort in April to trick some employees into installing malicious software disguised as a draft press release. "We expect reprisals from China as well as an onslaught of criticism," Mandiant wrote.

Chinas government hacking building exposed‏

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9879916/Major-Chinese-internet-hacking-base-exposed.html

The Chinese always make it sound like if there is hacking coming out of China it is just individual students doing it and has nothing to do with the government.  That of course is a lie.  Everyone knows it is coming from the government and assisted by Bill Gates.  (A man who belongs in an orange jump suit shackled with leg irons and handcuffs).

It may look like any other Shanghai office building, but experts believe this 12-floor tower is actually the nerve centre of one of the world’s most dangerous military cyber-hacking operations.

American computer analysts have traced over a hundred attacks on government departments, companies and journalists to this one site around 40 minutes outside Shanghai’s city centre, reportedly the headquarters of People’s Liberation Army Unit 61398.

In a 60-page report, Mandiant, (Mandiant is the company hired by the NY Times to research it’s hacking problem.  Sounds like they are real good at what they do.) a computer security company, said it believed that a hacking network named the “Comment Crew” or the “Shanghai Group” operated from the compound.

It said there were “hundreds, and perhaps thousands of people” working inside to breach the security not only of global corporations, but also of foreign power grids, gas lines and waterworks.

While the inner-sanctums of the Shanghai PLA base are off-limits to outsiders, the existence of the military compound is no secret in what is a bustling residential neighbourhood.

China made a strategic mistake going after US newspapers like the NY Times.  Now they have awaked a sleeping giant and the media is going to be laser focused on what China is up to.  Before it was just a few fringe stories and nobody (except me) really paid attention to the looming crisis.  Now the coverage is intensifying and everyone is paying attention.  That is a good thing.

Oil Prices and the Real story‏

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/18/17005861-gas-prices-at-four-month-high-after-32-days-of-hikes-at-the-pump?lite 

Gas prices are up 43 cents in the last 30days.  The industry will give you lots and lots of bullsh*t reasons why gas prices are going up.  There is no limit to the bullsh*t they will tell you.  As long as you keep nodding your head (with a glazed look in your eye) they will keep spouting off reasons.  

The important thing to know is none of the reasons they give you are true.  It is all lies and more lies. 

The reason gas is going up is because the industry wants President Obama to approve the keystone Pipeline.  Obama already said no to most of the pipeline when he was running for reelection (Wink wink). 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/business/energy-environment/obamas-keystone-pipeline-decision-risks-new-problems-either-way.html?pagewanted=all 

The pipeline takes Canadian oil sands oil and delivers it to refineries in Texas.  There it will be loaded on to tankers and floated to China.  

The pipeline helps Canada.  It helps Big oil.  It helps China.  America gets nothing except the risk that the pipeline will spill oil over environmentally sensitive land.  

They will tell you the pipeline will create lots of jobs.  How many jobs does it take to bolt together a pipe?  Not many.  They will tell you that it is safe….. but they always tell you  it is safe until there is oil everywhere.  

Obama needed to please his left wing supporters so he pretended to be against the pipeline……Now he is President for 4 more years and will never run again.  So he is all about saying yes to his campaign contributors in Big Oil.  

The best way to get the public behind the idea is to raise oil prices day after day after day after day for 30 days.  Then when people yell and scream about the cost of gas the industry can point to the pipeline and say “we need this to help with the problem”.  So people will say WHATEVER just do something.  The pipeline will be approved….. which is exactly what will happen in the coming weeks.  Enjoy the show.

Dreamliner to contain the uncontrollable inferno's.‏

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2013/02/18/boeing-to-propose-short-term-fix-for.html

In an attempt to get their 787 Dreamliner aircraft back in the air, Boeing Co. will propose a short-term fix for the battery problems that forced regulators to ground the company's most modern airplane. 

The Seattle Times reported that fix would give Boeing (NYSE: BAC) time to work on a comprehensive redesign of the lithium-ion battery system.  Boeing needs more time…The plane is already 5 years late.  How much more time do they need? 

The short-term solution would include a heavy-duty titanium or steel containment box around the lithium-ion battery cells and high-pressure evacuation tubes that would vent gases outside of the plane in case of a fire.  

So they can’t prevent the fire under the current flawed outsourced design.  You remember the design which came from incredibly cheap workers (from all over the world) who know absolutely nothing about building a plane.  Turns out their piss poor design is a high risk for fires.  Lots of fires….. Since the planes design can’t be modified quickly (It took years and years and years to get the 20 planes currently flying in the air) but maybe they can contain the raging inferno until the plane lands (crashes).  Isn’t that a great solution…..Isn’t everyone going to enjoy their flight knowing under them could be uncontrollable fire happening.  The fire can’t be prevented but maybe containment is ok for you and your family…..   

What a great idea Boeing…..Who wouldn’t want to fly a Dreamliner.  Enjoy your flight.