Edwin Black, The Plan and the Honda GX

[Edwin]

Dear All: I am only a temporary visitor to this forum, and not a blogger. I cannot be relied upon to see or reply as most would. Some posts were made by regarding my coverage of the GX in The Cutting News which can be found at www.thecuttingedgenews.com. "Honda Hunkering Down" was one of three recent stories regarding the GX and Clarity just syndicated. These stories are drawn from my newly recently book The Plan: How to Rescue Society the Day the Oil Stops--or the Day Before which can be viewed at www.planforoilcrisis.com which has been praised publicly by many alt fuel experts and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. No one needs to purchase the book--find it at any library. Explore the site. Form your own conclusions.

Honda's Eric Rosenberg made some remarks and these are now locked by the moderator. But this would be a good time for a clarifying and context providing comment from me. I am an investigative reporter with a very public track record. You may discover anything about me at www.edwinblack.com. Form your own conclusions. For a half-decade, I have been loudly promoting every aspect of both the GX and Clarity--as well as all other alt fuel modalities. Please see Internal Combustion at www.internalcombustionbook.com.

You should all know that I very much know these people at Honda: Eric, Steve and others. I know them for years. There are all good, decent people who care about this country. I have gone coast-to-coast and appeared in many TV and radio interviews promoting the company for its alt fuel efforts. Unfortunately, even though I am a life-long Honda driver (red Del Sol cantilever roof, thank you) and recognized front line supporter of CNG vehicles of all types, I must cover the news independently and factually to the best of my ability. Everything I have written about Honda is here restated.

Eric and the fine Honda people may have a different take on the facts and how they fit together and the big picture. That is their entitlement. In the meantime, I must cover and will continue to cover Honda as I covered GM, Ford and others--and as dispassionately and incisively as possible. Neither of those Detroit firms liked my coverage, but they have reacted with professionalism in their public discourse. I assure you, my coverage of Honda and the auto industry will continue--the good and bad of Honda's program. But as it does, bear in mind that Honda needs public engagement to do the right thing. Hope this helps.

edwin black

[Curtis]

Re: Edwin Black, The Plan and the Honda GX

Everyone has a viewpoint, and being in America (still) we encourage the freedom to express yourself in this forum. I would think anyone, anywhere, should have the right to make their point heard, or disagree aloud, within the limits of the law, and without fear of threat.

If you have a valid point, present evidence that you are right. If you don't, then conceed that you have not made your case to the mass' and dismiss yourself like a gentleman.

[Edwin]

Re: Edwin Black, The Plan and the Honda GX

Were you addressing me with your post?

[wrenchmonkey]

Re: Edwin Black, The Plan and the Honda GX

Dear All: I am only a temporary visitor to this forum, and not a blogger. I cannot be relied upon to see or reply as most would. Some posts were made by regarding my coverage of the GX in The Cutting News which can be found at www.thecuttingedgenews.com. "Honda Hunkering Down" was one of three recent stories regarding the GX and Clarity just syndicated. These stories are drawn from my newly recently book The Plan: How to Rescue Society the Day the Oil Stops--or the Day Before which can be viewed at www.planforoilcrisis.com which has been praised publicly by many alt fuel experts and nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. No one needs to purchase the book--find it at any library. Explore the site. Form your own conclusions.

Honda's Eric Rosenberg made some remarks and these are now locked by the moderator. But this would be a good time for a clarifying and context providing comment from me. I am an investigative reporter with a very public track record. You may discover anything about me at www.edwinblack.com. Form your own conclusions. For a half-decade, I have been loudly promoting every aspect of both the GX and Clarity--as well as all other alt fuel modalities. Please see Internal Combustion at www.internalcombustionbook.com.

You should all know that I very much know these people at Honda: Eric, Steve and others. I know them for years. There are all good, decent people who care about this country. I have gone coast-to-coast and appeared in many TV and radio interviews promoting the company for its alt fuel efforts. Unfortunately, even though I am a life-long Honda driver (red Del Sol cantilever roof, thank you) and recognized front line supporter of CNG vehicles of all types, I must cover the news independently and factually to the best of my ability. Everything I have written about Honda is here restated.

Eric and the fine Honda people may have a different take on the facts and how they fit together and the big picture. That is their entitlement. In the meantime, I must cover and will continue to cover Honda as I covered GM, Ford and others--and as dispassionately and incisively as possible. Neither of those Detroit firms liked my coverage, but they have reacted with professionalism in their public discourse. I assure you, my coverage of Honda and the auto industry will continue--the good and bad of Honda's program. But as it does, bear in mind that Honda needs public engagement to do the right thing. Hope this helps.

edwin black

Don't take it too hard Edwin. The majority of this site's members practically (expletive removed by moderator) to the GX; and Honda in general. Anything that might not reflect kindly on this object of their lust, is not well received in this environment.

You basically told them all that their most coveted and cherished centerfold is actually a man--or at the very least, has some sort of nasty disease. You're ruining their fantasy!

[Beej]

Re: Edwin Black, The Plan and the Honda GX

My problem with the article in question is that it seemed to have a clear agenda. Many points were stated as "fact" that simply aren't true (at least from other things I've read.) The role of journalism, at least it used to be, was to present facts. An article that presents a specific view point or agenda is not news, it is an editorial and should be presented as such.

It's not that I'm against apposing view points, I just think it appropriate to back up claims and present accurate information. There were several instances in the article that seemed like the only investigation of the matter was to quote other articles that were saying the same thing. Many times the lines from these articles are word for word. Doesn't appear like much investigating has gone on.

I'm a business man, I work in the stock market all day long and have a bottom line point of view. When a business says it doesn't make sense for them to move to a certain market or go thru with a particular deal, I take it that they have run the numbers and made their decisions based on that. Not that a vast conspiracy exists. That's just my starting view point on stuff like this.


And 'monkey - thanks for your daily dose of negativity. Don't know where I'd be without it.

[wrenchmonkey]

Re: Edwin Black, The Plan and the Honda GX

Again, it doesn't have to be that selling it "doesn't make sense" in that it's not a viable vehicle. It also makes sense that they are holding things back so as not to compete too heavily with their other vehicles with wider profit margins.

The GX seems to be more of an advertising campaign than anything else. They don't have to make them available in order to tout that they have the "Greenest Car".

It fits nicely with their "Green" advertising campaign. That doesn't mean that they actually want these things to go mainstream.

You try and put it off as the only reason this whole thing could be true, is that theres some huge international conspiracy going on. It's probably much simpler. They just don't want to compete. The GX "project" is just a big tax write-off for Honda. Makes sense to not sell too many of them. No conspiracy needed!

Oh, and btw, I've gotten a couple of PMs from people who took that "daily dose of negativity" for what it was, and actually got a laugh out of it.

Cheers.

[Edwin]

Re: Edwin Black, The Plan and the Honda GX

Beej--you may thought I was doing was quoting "other articles," but the article in question made clear I was extracting verbatim and building on my own information in The Plan, and two other articles running just a page away in TCEN for the past few weeks. I was quoting myself. This was "continuing coverage." Moreover, I routinely and repeatedly call Honda for comment, expansion, contradiction etc. That is my duty. All of my published information from The Plan, except for the newest tiny bits of reporting in TCEN, was vetted by numerous experts who reviewed book before publication and then the meat of the articles. Pls go to www.planforoilcrisis.com. Most of my work is footnoted and a crew of about a dozen independent footnoters, researchers and documentation checkers ensured that every word was factual and could be backed up. Other editors who syndicate my work worldwide use their own independent expertise. Careful pre-publication checking is my standard operating procedure. I used the same method in chronicling the genocidal conduct of IBM, Carnegie, Rockefeller, Ford's alliance with Hitler, and GM's alliance with Hitler. None of them could dispute the truth. All of these published works speak for themselves, have been well-vetted and are award-winners. Investigative journalists are not permitted a second chance. They must get it right the first time. If not, we are threatened with libel in five minutes. That has never happened to me in 40 years. I like to say: "I tremble before I type." I recommend all those engaged in publishing in all formats from print to fora do I as I do. Double standards don't work well. To that point, I have a global track record of going the extra mile to ensure that my work and everything about it is truthful and factual. That is my duty. At the same time, I am a fierce defender of fair comment and free speech. All journalists live with this dual obligation every moment of every day. For further insight into my personal views, feel free to visit
http://www.ibmandtheholocaust.com/hollerithdenial.php and click into the PDFs.

Anyone who needs to find out how the rules apply in their locale, can consult locally. In my cases, I publish in 60 countries and all rules everywhere regarding careful factual reporting apply to me.

To close... I wrote my post to remind people that just because Honda has these issues on GX does not mean they are not a terrific company staffed by devoted people. Perhaps in the heat of the moment, a mistake was made by one person and the company is sorry. If I personally have a hidden agenda, it is that Honda succeeds, our country succeeds and the members of this forum devoted CNG succeed in the struggle to get off oil. I hope you won't mind if I leave it at that.

For those who wish to engage me personally over coffee, I am on 40-city tour, you are all invited to any of my public events. The schedule is at http://www.edwinblack.com/tours.php. Good luck with CNG and this forum.
edwin

[John Mitton]

Points made, thread closed.