Jalopnik: conspiracy

Former Toyota Attorney Claims "Ruthless Conspiracy" To Hide Vehicle Shortcomings

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:30:00 EDT

Dimitrios Biller, a former Toyota attorney, has filed a suit against the automaker claiming they illegally withheld/destroyed information about vehicle problems and fired him for wanting to speak out. Toyota wants the suit sealed because of lawyer confidentiality. [CBS News]

Embeded RFID Chips Add Big Brother To New York Driver's Licenses

Mark Arnold — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:40:00 EDT

For just $30 extra, New York state residents can opt for a new Enhanced Driver's License (EDL), complete with RFID chip. But why would you want to shill out that extra coin on top of the $50 you already have to pay for a normal license? The selling point is that the radio frequency identification chip in the EDL allows a humble state ID to act as a passport of sorts. It can be scanned by authorities to identify US citizens entering the state from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean...though we're not sure exactly how you're supposed to get into those countries in the first place without an actual passport. What about privacy and security concerns? Oh, don't worry; the government has measures in place.

Officials say that no personal information will be stored on or transmitted by the chip — only an identification number. But the ~~Ron Paul supporters~~ conspiracy theorists will no doubt see this as another step closer to a totalitarian government. We're no fans of an impending nanny-state either, but what do you think? Do RFID IDs have a legitimate use or will they simply lead to an Orwellian future? [cnet via fashionfunky]

Shadow Government Pinto Rules World From DIA

Murilee Martin — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:30:00 EST

Since we all know the secret world government is located in a bunker complex beneath Denver International Airport, a bunch of puzzle pieces fell into place when I saw this Pinto parked in the DIA rental-car lot. Yes, our cruel overlords use the roof-mounted cargo box on this car to hide their mind-control transmitter. Fortunately, I was wearing my tinfoil Homburg while picking up my rental car, and thus my mind was sufficiently unclouded to capture these photographs.

You gotta figure anyone who has this sign on their car and takes it to the airport during Panic Condition Vermillion... well, they don't worry about The Man, because they are The Man.

And what better disguise for your mind-control antennae than what appear to be diamond-plate patches over common rust areas? Clever, those Cruel Overlords!

The grenade shift knob is a fashion just waiting to hit the mainstream. Cars with column shifters could use sticks of dynamite for the lever.

Yes, a crafty camouflage job... but not crafty enough to fool Los Jalops!

Future RV Sales to Reach into Billions

Mike Bumbeck — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:15:00 EDT

Even with a jittery stock market and a softening housing sector, RV sales are expected to pick up moving into 2008. Active consumers evidently treat RV purchases similar to that of a second home. Even though this second home rolls, interest rates are still deductible! This sales forecast could change if the economy experiences hiccups or a sharp increase in interest rates, unless people disregard a crumbling economy and take to the road Damnation Alley style in a last-ditch RV effort to save America from a post Trilateral Commission world domination conspiracy. [Active Consumers Buying More Recreational Vehicles via SEMA.org]

E85 for All Our Friends: Bush and Lula Party in Brazil

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 12:30:00 EST

President Bush is in Brazil today causing a ruckus, creating traffic jams, and hanging out at at a mega fuel depot touting the new biofuels agreement between Brazil and the USA. Brazil is the world's largest single producer of ethanol, making theirs from sugary cane instead of corn. While chumming around with Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Bush said he wants to promote the trade of ethanol as a world commodity, but has no interest in lifting the 54-cent a gallon tariff on the ethanol already coming to the USA from Brazil. Conspiracy theorists and Senators are already grumbling about the formation of an OPEC-style ethanol and biofuels cartel. – Mike Bumbeck

Bush Hails Biofuels Pact in Brazil [SFgate.com]; Senators Harumph Over US-Brazil Ethanol Deal [Truthabouttrade.com]