Traffic Mystery

I don't get much traffic here, it being a 'niche' site and all that. I do appreciate the few that check in every day, you are who I write for. I have found it interesting what draws traffic however slight. Last week I posted a little note about Northrop-Grumman complaining to the USAF about their bid strategy regarding the Next Generation Tanker acquisition ("Shot across the Bow"). It was a simple link to a press release about the release by the USAF to their pricing data in the original tanker contract which they won but was successfully challenged in protest by Boeing.

Within 12 hours of that post I had an upturn of traffic from of all places, Boeing. Seems they must run one of them 'crawler' search engines that looks for anything posted with their name on it. The original hit came from Chicago which is where corporate headquarters are located, about 6-hours after the post going active. Then there was a flurry of activity shortly after the business day started here on the east coast and another flurry an hour later when business opened in the Central Time zone (their Defense division is headquartered in St Louis, MO). I also got hits from Northrop-Grumman and from two US Government computers at the House of Representatives. No word from Lockheed who I think I slammed more than either of the other two contractor giants.

In the post I made fun of the Boeing pricing scheme and I couldn't help myself and bashed Lockheed at the same time. I have never done work for Northrop, Grumman or the combined Northrop-Grumman Corporation. I have had in the past a long business relationship with Boeing, having been a sub-contractor on some work we did for NASA (the conversion of their S-3 was done by a Boeing field team with me as the consulting engineer). It was this long association that allowed me to make fun of the way they price bids. I saw it firsthand.

Now Lockheed on the other hand, well let me say this first; I hate them.

Yeah, I know 'hate' is such a hard word. Let me explain. I had the pleasure of working on one of their products for 35 straight years. The S-3 Viking was assembled by Lockheed in their old Burbank facility. Notice I said, assembled. The sad fact is that Lockheed 'built' less of the aircraft than at least two other manufacturers, the LTV Company in Texas and the McDonald-Douglass Corporation (the very part that is now owned by Boeing in St Louis). I don't remember the specific percentages by these outliers, but Lockheed was responsible for only 17% of what becomes the S-3. To those of us that worked on the aircraft and did not get a paycheck from Lockheed, that 17% is that part that sucks about the S-3. Over my many years of working on the S-3, I made no effort to hide my contempt or hatred for Lockheed the Corporation. I have had many friends and close working associates that worked for Lockheed whom I respect and feel are great at what they do, however there is 'sausage' in the Corporation and you and me the taxpayer get that shaft thing from that Corporation. That I can't stand.

This is not to say that the other two majors referenced above do not do the same kind of 'shafting' however, I never witnessed it nor did I find evidence of intentional 'revenue generators' (or price gouging, take your pick) built into their product. I did participate in the bidding process for my work with Boeing but they never padded it into the stratosphere even when they had the customer over that preverbal barrel. And they did have them over it several times and they never went there. Lockheed I dare say, would have without a doubt in my mind picked the bones clean.

I have nothing but respect for Northrop-Grumman, actually only the Grumman. Over the last 85 years they have built the best Carrier based Aircraft the Navy has ever used. Not just the F-14 which everyone is quick to point out, but there is a long list going back to bi-planes used before WWII. Their demise as an airframe manufacturer is nothing more than stunning and I feel the Navy is poorer for them getting out of that business. Yeah, they still make the E-2 and C-2 but that is it.

So, I am not sure why the interest from the Boeing Company in my little niche, but they swarmed for a couple of hours and they have gone on their way. Good for them.

Now, the House of Representatives, well now, if they come back here looking, Please one of you pass on to my Congress Woman (that would be Allyson Schwartz of the 13^th PA district), Vote NO on HR3200 and that Cap and Trade bill too!

BT: Jimmy T sends.

To Do List – Counter Protest

Yeah time to roll the sleeves up and get into the fray. I have done some small things. I emailed the White House when they were still running their "Snitch" hotline and reported a couple of Web Sites that had 'fishy' information, or at least information that was contrary to what the President was going around saying. These were Nancy Pelosi's website and the AARP website. I am guessing that neither the President or Nancy had read the 1018 page bill nor had they actually tried to coordinate their message to the public. Each one was out there saying stuff that was contradicting the other, bully for them. I love it when the Dem's stick it to themselves. I fingered the AARP because their "Facts versus Myths" page was actually more like "Lie's versus Myths" and they sending me membership packages, so their link went to the White House too.

I have not heard back if the White House is sanctioning either or if they are even investigating. This is becoming a problem with this White House, returning calls that is. I have called them maybe a dozen times trying to get an appointment for an oil change for my Chevy Malibu. What do I have to do, drive down there and get my MAXX into the White House motor pool for service? I guess when the motor seizes it will then qualify as a Clunker and I might qualify for a handout.

So I am thinking it is now time to get more involved at a local level. I joined this local 912 group but they were pretty lame. I think the organizer was mainly interested in 'networking' for a job (he is a marketing guy) and several of the more active were selling bumper stickers, t-shirts and such. I don't be grudge them for wanting to make a buck (we are conservatives, you know the working class), but I thought I was joining one of those reactionary groups, you know get together and stand on the street corner somewhere with handmade signs. But no, this bunch was happy meeting in diners, eating and hawking each other's products (I understand the Marketer hooked up with one of the bumper sticker makers and now I get their mass emails from them).

Now, I live in the PA 13^th Congressional district which is held right now by Allyson Schwartz. She sits on the House Ways and Means Committee which is kind of an important assignment as that is the committee that 'writes' the tax code. I put that in quotes because I really don't think congress critters actually write anything. I think they pimp out their whole job. She is also on the House Budget Committee as well. She is considered a Rank-and-File democrat by her voting record that is when she votes. She only votes 54% of the time. No telling what she is doing for the rest of the time she spends in DC.

To me she would be one that you would want to protest but I can't find anyone interested. She is hiding and not having any town hall meetings nor does it appear is she seeing constituent's one on one either. I have emailed, snail-mailed her and I even used her website to try and get a meeting with her. No doing. I guess it is best to keep your head down when your party is pushing Ugly around like it was sliced bread.

My district is one of those gerrymandered mess's of a district. I live way out in farm country but a majority of the constituents of the district are 50 miles away living in the city of Philadelphia. Solidly democrat, the Great Northeastern part of Philly is where my wife was born and raised until into her High School days when her parents moved the family out into the suburbs. The white exodus that occurred in the late 60's left a lot of abandon homes, business and industrial buildings in this portion of Philly. A lot of the people of the City fled shrinking its overall population and congressional clout. When I first moved here in 1979 the city was the third largest in population in the nation. Today, it's lucky to be the 6^th when the next census occurs. It's been run almost this whole time by Democrats, Mayor and City Counsel. The suburbs around Philly are solid Republican territory but to negate that influence and keep as many Democrat Congress Critters in DC, they jumbled up the Districts. We used to be in the 15^th, but you can see the shape of the district below. What a mess.

Ah well, maybe I'll strike out on my own and stand at the end of Allyson's driveway with my own sign. What to put on it however, what should my message be? I'll have to work on that. I do have plenty of poster board, left over from my daughter's college days.

BT: Jimmy T sends.