Looks like Brockovick sells herself to the highest bidder since she listed herself with the Morris Agency. She apparently doesn't mind pumping up stock prices in violation of the law, so why would she mind pitching for Phony Tony. According to the government, the phony fuel device is as phony as is Phony Tony. Yep, the Phony Tony picked the right person to endorse him. Birds of a feather, flock together.

This whole attempt by Tony Strickland to greenwash his own terrible environmental record just doesn't wash with voters.

Why won't he run a campaign based on what he accomplished in the Assembly? Because there wasn't much. When asked at a recent debate between himself and Jackson to name two bills he wrote that he was proud of, he only could name one he co-authored.

I don't get this outfit. Either they are very dumb or they think voters are very dumb. They use a company charged with stock fraud as an endorser?

I feel very sad for Erin B. She is a woman I had a lot of admiration and respect for. That respect has made her name a household word. For her to use it to promote lies and deceit is beyond my comprehension. What would she have done if her kids were playing in the schoolyard and a cloud of pesticides was hovering over them. Does she realize that the very man she is supporting didn't want to do anything about it.Is she all about the money now, or has Phony Tony convinced her that he is above board? She seemed much smarter than that or she wouldn't have gotten as far in life as she has. I wonder what the Morris company would do if they knew of her questionable actions.

Tony Strickland has spent his political life backed by tobacco, gambling and horseracing interests. It is an astonishing switch to see him suddenly concerned for the environment and walking along a beach instead of spending his time drinking in a sports bar. His voting record on the environment is appalling and his choice of Erin Brockovich to endorse him is even more cynical and phony. Phony Tony does it again!

In all fairness, the company is distinct and separated from its former CEO, Mr. Muller, whom it has successfully sued ( in 2002 ) and who subsequently filed for bankruptcy. It is a bit disingenuous for Jackson's campaign to not fill in all of the blanks since Muller left in 2001 until the present.

In all fairness, the company is distinct and separated from its former CEO, Mr. Muller, whom it has successfully sued ( in 2002 ) and who subsequently filed for bankruptcy. It is a bit disingenuous for Jackson's campaign to not fill in all of the blanks since Muller left in 2001 until the present.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

With the high cost of gasoline and diesel fuel impacting costs for automobiles, trucks, buses and the overall economy, a Temple University physics professor has developed a simple device which could dramatically improve fuel efficiency as much as 20 percent.

According to Rongjia Tao, chair of Temple’s Physics Department, the small device consists of an electrically charged tube that can be attached to the fuel line of a car’s engine near the fuel injector. With the use of a power supply from the vehicle’s battery, the device creates an electric field that thins fuel, or reduces its viscosity, so that smaller droplets are injected into the engine. That leads to more efficient and cleaner combustion than a standard fuel injector, he says.

Six months of road testing in a diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz automobile showed that the device increased highway fuel from 32 miles per gallon to 38 mpg, a 20 percent boost, and a 12-15 percent gain in city driving.

The results of the laboratory and road tests verifying that this simple device can boost gas mileage was published in Energy & Fuels, a bi-monthly journal published by the American Chemical Society.

Photo by Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Rongjia Tao
“We expect the device will have wide applications on all types of internal combustion engines, present ones and future ones,� Tao wrote in the published study, “Electrorheology Leads to Efficient Combustion.�

Further improvements in the device could lead to even better mileage, he suggests, and cited engines powered by gasoline, biodiesel and kerosene as having potential use of the device.

Temple has applied for a patent on this technology, which has been licensed to California-based Save The World Air Inc., an environmentally conscientious enterprise focused on the design, development, and commercialization of revolutionary technologies targeted at reducing emissions from internal combustion engines.

According to Joe Dell, vice president of marketing for STWA, the company is currently working with a trucking company near Reading, Pa., to test the device on diesel-powered trucks, where he estimates it could increase fuel efficiency as much as 6-12 percent.

Dell predicts this type of increased fuel efficiency could save tens of billions of dollars in the trucking industry and have a major impact on the economy through the lowering of costs to deliver goods and services.

“Temple University is very excited about the translation of this new important technology from the research laboratory to the marketplace,� said Larry F. Lemanski, senior vice president for research and strategic initiatives at Temple. “This discovery promises to significantly improve fuel efficiency in all types of internal combustion engine powered vehicles and at the same time will have far-reaching effects in reducing pollution of our environment.�

They could have presented more information, too, about this company's current litigation with several parties and ongoing net losses. Just like Strickland's "company," it's a sham.

Larry F. Lemanski, senior vice president for research and strategic initiatives at Temple.

Rongjia Tao, chair of Temple’s Physics Department

I think Temple University's work is worth watching, the above 2 names look to be quite senior and in respected positions to me.

Energy & Fuels, a bi-monthly journal published by the American Chemical Society (they have published the results)

STWA’s Form 10-Q shows it is currently in default in connection with its payment obligations under the license agreement with Temple University for the technology.

http://msnmoney.brand.edgar-online.com/EFX_dll/EDGARpro.dll?FetchFilingHTML1?ID=6106110&SessionID=Fe8oWE7UTl493r1

Way to go Marie. Phony environmental candidate, corporation that scam stocks and calls itself 'green'. Now that is a real compost pile. Just add that to the pile of failed banks and mortgage lenders on Wall Street for a real smelly mess from Washington Republicans to Ventura County Republican politics. Voters will make the connection.

Yo Helen,

Voters will make the connection between what's going on on Wall Street and Tony Strickland's State Senate campaign? You're in fantasyland now, my dear. You get an "A" for effort on the smear tactics though.

The reality is that while Ventura County voters may detest what's going on on Wall Street and in Washington D.C. right now, they tend to support their local elected officials. Look how strong a showing Elton Gallegly made in the primary election. Tony Strickland is a favorite son in Ventura County politics, whereas, Hannah-Beth Jackson is barely known outside of Santa Barbara.

The results of the poll that will be released soon will bear this out, believe me.

Which push poll would that be? There are two groups doing them now on Strickland's behalf.

Save The World Air says they are, "an environmentally conscientious enterprise focused on the design, development, and commercialization of revolutionary technologies targeted at reducing emissions from internal combustion engines". Yet, they have been around for almost ten years and have never manufactured or sold *anything*. Sounds like just the kind of company Tony Strickland would associate with.

Of course its ok for Jackson to support the fraudulent over billing (stealing) of the State of California (taxpayers) by PP. Sounds like a double standard.

Which brings me to what I've read from you and Herdt. $50,000 for the year of 2007-2008 as an educator. She stopped in 2006-2007 at UCSB but nobody seems to know where she taught after that for $50,000. Please enlighten me for I can't find anything on where she was.

Damien, you have made a false claim here and you know it.

I assume you are referring to the suit currently being pursued by a lawyer with strong ties to the pro-life movement. This suit attacks PP's practice of charging the state Medi-Cal program dispensary fees when issuing birth control products to poor women. These fees enable PP to counsel women on the medications they provide. The state has conclusively ruled that Planned Parenthood did nothing wrong. The LA Times did a story on this.

I am not sure what you are referring to with your other statement. Here is what Timm Herdt wrote in his story:

..."Because she taught at UC Santa Barbara as the university's "public policymaker in residence" from the time she left office in 2004 until last June, she said, she opted for "educator." From March 2007 to March 2008, she reported making $50,000 as an educator." ...

its claimed she earned 50 grand for that year 07-08 but it wasn't at UCSB that ended in 2006-2007....so where was she for that year in which she made 50 grand?

All I know is what Timm Herdt wrote and I take his word for it as he's an excellent reporter. I am sure he checked her income statement filings.

You are just trying to deflect away from your candidate's campaign to run away from his own poor record in the Assembly and reinvent himself for voters.

And here's a fundamental question for the Stricklands' campaign consultants: Why should we vote for a guy whose only recommendation is that he's been involved in a fledgling business for less than a year? No paid employees, unless you count his campaign staff. No technology and in this crazy market, I doubt they'll ever get capitalized even if they manage to get permits from FERC (which I doubt).

This is just a campaign stunt.

Why is he running away from his own record?

So you don't know, I thought you would...ok just going off of what Herdt said. Well he doesn't seem to know either...nobody does.
Just find it odd that nobody knows...that's a lot of money. I mean one class for 50,000

I respect you and your opinion and I'm not here to change that. Just want to know how she made her money as an educator since it seems to be a mystery.

I answered this question before over on Brian's blog. When she taught at UCSB she taught TWO classes as part of the Public Policymaker in Residence Program.

The program facilitated student, faculty and community discussions and debates through team teaching, public lectures, class presentations, conferences and other activities built around the presence of the public policymaker on campus.

I am taking Timm's word for it regarding her statements of economic interest.

Still you won't answer my question about why Strickland doesn't just campaign on his record.

UCSB says they had someone else as a guest professor for last year so I was just wondering why its such a mystery where she made that kind of money.

As for Strickland record:

AB 1740 — Proposed Amendment #13 by Strickland to the Assembly’s version of the 2000-01 budget would have provided $4 billion in tax relief for working families by increasing the $2.7 billion for unspecified tax relief by $1.3 billion.
It would have exempted from income tax all persons with less than $25,000 adjusted gross income; increased the Dependent Credit to $738; provided a tax credit for employee-paid health insurance; and repealed the sales tax on gasoline (Jackson Yes/Strickland No) on motion to kill amendment.

AB 1740 — Proposed Amendment #14 would have provided $545 million in tax relief for lower-income people by exempting people who make less than $28,800 from paying income tax (Jackson Yes/Strickland No) on motion to kill amendment.

AB 95 — Proposed Amendment #7 to the Assembly’s version of the 2001-02 budget would have provided Californians with much-needed tax relief by continuing the three-quarter-cent sales tax reduction through 6/30/02 (Jackson Yes/Strickland No) on motion to kill amendment.

SB 75 — A bill ostensibly intended to enact the 2001-02 state budget, but would have also resulted in a $1.2 billion tax increase for Californians through the automatic reinstatement of a quarter-cent sales tax in 2002. Also contained $120 million for “pork barrel� projects and lacked funding for school-district funding equalization (Jackson Yes/Strickland No).

AB 427 — This raises taxes by deleting the 20-year time limit on initiative-approved transportation sales taxes and, instead, allows the tax to remain in effect for a much longer period of time (Jackson Yes/Strickland No).

AB 1412 — This gives voters in Los Angeles and 34 other cities the power to impose local sales taxes, increasing the tax burden from $119 million to as much as $238 million, depending upon the rate (Jackson Yes/Strickland No).

SB 566 — This allows higher local sales taxes. It permits the combined rate of transactions and use taxes to increase from 1.5 percent to 2 percent for all counties; permits all counties and cities to increase their local transaction and use taxes by one-quarter percent increments by either a majority or two-thirds majority vote, depending upon the tax being for general or special purposes (Jackson Yes/Strickland No).

Just to a name a few...I really don't care about his business and whether it has employees or if it makes money. I don't care that Jackson designated as an Educator when she is a Lawyer who was a "Guest Professor" for 3 hours a week. The many people who I have talked to also don't care what these Candidates designated. My concern is money coming out of my pocket and away from my family. I want the Gov't to spend more WISELY not to spend MORE. I don't want the Gov't to tell me how to live. I don't want either side to have two thirds majority especially the ones who are notorious for raising taxes.

I respect the fact your not into name calling like some others. Off topic question...which gets more hits-Blog about The cross at Grant Park or the Senate Race?

Damien, a lot of what you cite here are amendments to legislation. Here are actual bills Hannah-Beth voted FOR which cut the taxes of our working folks and businesses. This is just a small sample:

Minimum Franchise Tax -
This measure, AB 10 (Correa) eliminated the corporate minimum franchise tax for the first two years of incorporation.

Self-Employed Health Insurance Premiums -
This measure, AB 1107 (Cedillo) conforms to federal law on the deduction for health insurance premiums paid by self-employed individuals.

Capital Gains Exclusion -
State law provided a 50 percent exclusion from income of any gain from the sale or exchange of qualified small business stock held for more than five years that was acquired at its original issuance on or after August 10, 1993, and before January 1, 1999. The bill, AB 1120 (Havice) deleted the January 1, 1999 sunset date, thereby making the partial exclusion permanent.

Vehicle License Fee (Car Tax)
AB 1121 (Nakano) accelerated the next scheduled reduction in the Vehicle License Fee (VLF).

VLF: Out-of-State Trucks
This measure, SB 688 (Burton) (Ch. 76) subjected internationally registered vehicles to the VLF reductions enacted in 1998.

Research and Development
SB 705 (Sher) Increased the research and development tax credit from 11 percent to 12 percent for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 1999.

Oh, and about that gas tax, Hannah-Beth voted for a sales tax exemption for certain diesel fuel uses and Strickland VOTED AGAINST IT.

I just thought I'd mention that one.

And more:

In March 2000, Strickland was traveling around the state handing out dollar bills to drivers who were filling their gas tanks at service stations as a stunt to generate support for his bill to repeal the 15-cent-per-gallon state sales tax on gasoline.

Guess who had the fourth highest charges in the Assembly for gas that year? Tony Strickland, who charged $3,272 on his state gasoline credit card!

The idea to repeal the state gas tax prompted the Chico Enterprise-Record to write this:

"The Enterprise-Record hadn't planned to make endorsements for most of the state offices in the June primary election, but we'll make one exception: Republicans shouldn't vote for Tony Strickland for state controller.

We make that recommendation based on the hare-brained idea he promoted with a publicity stunt this week in Chico. Strickland showed up at a gas station on The Esplanade and handed out money to the tune of 21 cents a gallon, to drivers filling up their tanks. That represents the sales tax on $3-a-gallon gasoline, which Strickland wants to have repealed. The idea's being pushed in a bill carried by his wife, Audra, who succeeded him in the Los Angeles Assembly seat he once held. ...

Why a transportation funding proposal is the centerpiece of a run for the obscure post of controller is bizarre on its face. The fact it's a dumb idea makes it an even more unusual choice...."

The gas tax pays for transportation projects. They need a reliable stream of money, and the state and federal excise taxes on gasoline haven't been enough to keep up with the need.

Electing Hannah-Beth to the State Senate will NOT give them the majority they need to overcome the 2/3 vote in either house.

What you will get by electing this women is a honest, hard worker. She will get things done, unlike her opponent who won't run on his own record, which was abysmal. You will get someone who has not had their campaign finances investigated multiple times, too, like Strickland has. She has incredible integrity.

Oh, and Damien, I could care less about blog traffic to this site. It makes no difference to me. I post things I believe my readers should know.

Is Damien Cooper a one issue anti-choice nut?

Its better than being an anonymous name calling puppet.

Anyways...
90 percent of those do not apply to me nor most middle class people. But good for her. His stunt as its called is also something I couldn't care less about.

BTW
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/oct/01/nafccorrection01/
Still got the Headline they wanted though and that's all that matters to the Star. Another case of poor investigating by Tim Herdt. What is this the third correction by the Star and Herdt.

Senate 19 is one of a couple races that are up for grabs so although it may not solely give them majority, it could contribute to that happening.

You speak highly of your friend and that's wonderful and she is lucky to have you in her corner. I do not get that impression...but of course I don't or I wouldn't of switched parties.

I know you don't care about your blog traffic I was trying to amuse and apparently failed miserably.

I emailed Timm about that one. It was he who asked for the headline correction. The writers write the stories and the copy editors write the headlines. His reporting was sound but he didn't like the headline on it.

When I worked for print I used to complain about the headlines my stories got sometimes, too.

More tax cuts she voted for:
- "S" Corporate Rate reduced from 2.5% to 1.5%
- Dependent Credit Tax Exemption increased from $94 to $294
- AB2879, a teacher tax credit. She authored it; Strickland did not support it.

The point of telling you about the stunt is that in your post you were complaining about Jackson voting against repealing the gas tax. Repealing it would only have a negligible effect on gas prices, but we would lose funding for transportation projects.

Sorry, missed your humor in the sniping.

The writer almost NEVER gets to choose the headline. It is a much underappreciated talent. I would expect Timm did a good job - he always does. I do know he hates it when people lie to him.

How embarrassing for the Star. Again, they've had to fess up to not getting their facts right in a story. But, this should come as no surprise, considering the fact that Howry and the entire editorial board are huge Jackson fans. I fully expect her to get their endorsement, which will be totally anti-climactic at this point.

How did you ever come to the conclusion that the Star had to "fess up to not getting their facts right in a story"? I saw the correction you listed earlier but I thought it was about the headline.

"A headline for a story in Tuesday's B section about a company featured in a campaign ad for state Senate candidate Tony Strickland was misleading. As the story pointed out, the legal problems of the company and its former CEO occurred years ago and should not be linked to its current operations or leadership."

Read for comprehension! The correction was about the headline, not the article itself!

It was the headline writer, not the reporter, you dimwit. The story was accurate.

Well, if the story was accurate, then it doesn't speak negatively about Tony at all. So, what's your points, cheerleaders?

Mongo-Gibson, you are a legend in your own mind. Stick with the Park District, you aren't going anywhere in Ventura politics.

CAP-845,

I guess when someone like you finds himself cornered with the facts the only thing you can do is lash out with the insults and name-calling that have come to define you. I'll just let my previous post stand, since it represents the truth, and let you continue to grovel in the muck, which is familiar territory for scum like you.

Mongo-Gibson, you are one for the asylum. You attack most everything that moves, call people scum and then cry that you have been name-called; one certified weirdo for sure.

You and Phony Tony can't get around the fact that the company is a sham, the "product" doesn't work, and shareholders have been abused out of millions of dollars. A new straw man is attached to the company and now its record is cleansed? Bull! The company is flim-flam just like the endorsement and just like the candidate.

You all need to hold your noses against the gas pipe of one of these gasoline mileage enhanced magnetic vehicles and breath until the sun don't shine. The District will be better for it and the Phony will not have to spend his golden years in Wasco writing all is friends for soap-on-a-rope.

Looks to me like CAP just said "you are a legend in your own mind" and the fellow went into a verbal assault about "grovel in the muck" and "scum like you". I've watched Mongo Flamo attack just about anyone who comes forward with a favorable comment about Hannah-Beth Jackson and nevertheless he is so sensitive to criticism. If it is true that this blogger really wants a seat on the Ventura Council, look out Ventura.

I have every right to defend myself when attacked. Read the insulting remarks from CAP-845 and the other bloggers that are directed towards me, if you don't believe it. If you are actually comfortable defending people who do nothing but roll around in the mud all day, well, that's allright for you, I guess.

For my part, I'll continue to express my views on this blog and others and respond in kind when attacked. That's what I do. Deal with it!

I can hardly wait for you to run for City Council again, Mongo-Gibson. It will be most enjoyable dealing with you directly in front of the voters, instead of having to deal with "mongo" in the blogs.

Marie,

Thanks for writing a guest blog entry about the VP debate for me.