Auto Car Tips

In a lawsuit filed at the start of November, an employee in a plant run by two giant automakers, General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp. complained that her supervisors allow serious defects in their produced vehicles. The defects the worker said includes faulty seat belts and braking which can jeopardize the safety of the driver and passengers.

The case was submitted to the Alameda County Superior Court in California. Working at the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. for 23 years now, Katy Cameron, a certified auditor complained that the admin ignores her defect reports on vehicles since 2005.

Cameron filed the lawsuit last November 6 and she is seeking for unspecified damages for resistance against an alarm and intentional infliction of emotional misery from NUMMI, Toyota Motor Corp., Toyota North America and General Motors Corp.

The Associated Press revealed that the damages allowed by the companies to be passed over includes broken seat belts, faulty headlights, inadequate braking, mirrors falling off, engine oil leaks and steering wheel alignment problems. These neglect of the automakers sets the lives of the would-be vehicle owners, they are not yet certain whether these defects actually caused accidents.

After Cameron had blown the whistle of the defect spots, her superiors had shown vengeance in various ways. Cameron, who was an expert in quality test had been demoted twice, she was also accused of being crazy and violent. The company subjected Cameron to a series of mental test as a way of destroying her credibility to hide the rotten flaws. One executive at the NUMMI, the companies’ joint venture based in Fremont, California even threatened to fire Cameron and even went to the personnel department for Cameron’s dismissal.

“NUMMI has done everything in its power to try to break Cameron psychologically and force her from the workplace,” the lawsuit said. “Cameron is an American hero who will not be silenced by multibillion dollar corporations at the expense of hardworking American consumers and families.”

Since her reports, Cameron had been undergoing maltreatment in her work place. It was too much for her to handle and she ended up filing a medical leave to undergo treatment for stress. The lawsuit said that the auditor had already been experiencing depression, fatigue, insomnia and panic attacks.

Tokyo based Toyota refused to comment on the issue because it is still under investigation. However, last Tuesday Toyota said that they are “tackling quality problems as a top priority”.

Lance Tomasu, spokesman for NUMMI also was silent regarding the lawsuit. But Tomasu said that quality is their priority when making vehicles.

“The success of our vehicles in the marketplace is a strong indication that our customers appreciate the quality of NUMMI-built cars and trucks. Nevertheless, we will investigate these claims thoroughly,” the statement said.

No statements were released by General Motors Corp. (maker of Saab tail light guards in the U.S.).

How many of you have seen the movie ‘Pink Panther’ or ‘Dr Strangelove’ ? Not many, in the younger age group, i suspect. I myself have seen it up teen times. Peter Sellers was a funny character in most or not all of his films. In the modern day, he would have been like another Jimmy Carey, i suppose. He started out with a few British comedies before going into the Big Screen in Hollywood. Peter Sellers died of a heart attack back in 1980.

One movie that really stood out from his acting career in my records would be, The Party. Directed by the famous Blake Edwards. Made in 1968, this movie evolves around a series of gags and comical routines that unfold within the confines of a swanky Hollywood Studio Chief’s house party. I remember Peter Sellers playing the role of Hrundi V. Bakshi, a polite Indian actor who finds himself accidentally being invited to the producer’s house party. Why an Indian actor you ask? I have no idea myself. This guy literally only gets three steps from the front door, before things start going wrong for him.

The Bumbling Hrundi, is a likeable and a sympathetic fellow, such an earnest fellow he is that the last thing on his mind would be to create havoc at this party. But not long after, you will know that all too well, not only is he going to get into difficulties despite his good intentions but those same good intentions will get him into the most absurd and amusing situations and this doesn’t stop right till the end. Adding the laughter together with him, watch out for the hilariously drunken Butler (played by Steve Franken). Similarly, the slapstick escalates gradually by having characters repeatedly falling pratfall into the swimming pool, a brightly painted elephant joining the guests’ list and a sea of soap bubbles.

I think this film is not just for Sellers fans, but will cater nicely for even the new audiences of all ages. I highly recommend you to

get this movie and put it into your collection.

Final word, “Hysterically Funny”.