If you read last week's commentary, it began in Swahili. It ended in sarcasm. It doesn't usually begin in Swahili. Well, something incredible happened since I published last week's commentary. Something that got me to think up the title of this week's remarks. No, I didn't get a flood of e-mails from people in a position to BETTER present important news and information in Spanish as quickly as it is available in English. No, I didn't get one e-mail, phone call, letter or any other type of communication regarding the validity or the lack of logic of what I wrote last week. I also didn't receive any more or less webpage hits on this section of my site, indicating a larger or smaller number of people actually read last weeks commentary online rather than by a forwarded e-mail.
What DID happen was that I was able to find something, once again, that was presented in print and online throughout the United States in English, and so far, as of early this morning, not yet in Spanish. I began trying to recall what REALLY IMPORTANT news occurred in the past few days that was SO IMPORTANT that what I'm writing about today would seem to be something that could either wait or possibly never be considered critical enough to ever report. There was some REALLY IMPORTANT NEWS regarding the Scott Peterson and Robert Blake verdicts. Those two life and death subjects were adequately covered and made available to Spanish-speaking people. But then, in both of those trials -- that were covered at nauseam over the years -- only 3 people died. The article I was hoping would be presented to people who can only read Spanish was something that kills many more people in the U.S. and Puerto Rico each year than just about anything else.
What I waited to see being published in Spanish, as it was in English, was the status report entitled
"The Risk Of Dying In One Vehicle Over Another: Driver Death Rates By Make And Model,"
provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data
Institute.
The report states among other things that the two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003.
I wonder how many people who speak only Spanish are driving a
Chevrolet Blazer COMPLETELY UNAWARE that they are AT GREAT RISK?
It would be interesting to find out during the next year or so how many people who speak Spanish exclusively DIE or are SERIOUSLY INJURED in a Chevrolet Blazer.
Hopefully more LAWYERS than usual are reading my commentary this week.
When I searched Yahoo! NEWS
using the following 4 keywords -- chevrolet, blazer, insurance and institute -- the results showed 50 available online articles:
«Study: Chevrolet Blazer model had highest driver death rate
Star-Telegram - Mar 15 6:35 AM
WASHINGTON - The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
GM's Blazer Ranked Deadliest Car on U.S. Roadways
Reuters via Yahoo! News - Mar 15 12:59 PM
The two-door Chevrolet Blazer from General Motors Corp. has the highest driver death rate of any passenger vehicle on U.S. roadways, a research group with links to the insurance industry said on Tuesday.
GM's Chevrolet Blazer Has Highest Crash-Death Risk, Group Says
Bloomberg.com - Mar 15 8:53 AM
U.S. March 15 (Bloomberg) -- General Motors Corp.'s Chevrolet Blazer sport-utility vehicle had the highest crash-death rate for drivers in an insurer group's study of 199 vehicles, and DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes E-class car had the lowest.
SUVs dominate dangerous vehicles list
MSNBC - Mar 15 4:07 PM
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says your risk of dying in an accident is 30 times greater if you're driving a Chevrolet Blazer than it is if you're in a Mercedes E-Class. NBC's Tom Costello reports on the latest list of dangerous vehicles.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
News Channel 10 - Mar 15 6:12 PM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Is the Car Unsafe, or the Driver?
New York Times - Mar 14 6:33 PM
Is the Car Unsafe, or the Driver? DETROIT, March 14 - One way of reading the new report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is that the Mercedes E-Class sedan has the safest design of any car or truck and the two-door Chevrolet Blazer the worst
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
NBC 5 Chicago - Mar 15 11:14 AM
The Chevrolet Blazer was more deadly for drivers over the last three years than any other vehicle.
Smaller cars have higher driver fatalities: study
CTV.ca - Mar 15 11:12 AM
The type of vehicle you drive may mean the difference between life and death, according to a study that looked at fatal accidents. The report by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analyzed driver-death rates for 199 vehicles.
Skinning The Auto-Safety Cat
Forbes - Mar 15 7:53 AM
It's not just what car you drive that will keep you from harm.
Mercedes E-class wins safety rating:
New Kerala - Mar 15 6:53 PM
[World News]: DETROIT, March 15 : A private U.S. highway safety group has analyzed crash test data and found the vehicle with the safest design is the Mercedes E-Class sedan.
Citizens First Bancorp posts 2004 earnings
Times Herald - Mar 16 4:53 AM
Citizens First Bancorp Inc. reported a net income of $8.2 million, or $1.04 per share, for 2004. Last year, the Port Huron company reported a net income of $12.3 million. The decrease is due primarily to a drop in noninterest income from mortgage-banking activities.
Deadliest Vehicles On Road
WOAI - Mar 15 2:58 PM
Before you head off to work this morning, are you really safe in the vehicle you're driving? A top safety group is out with its list of the cars with the lowest and highest death rates, and it proves size isn't everything.
Daily Edition: Mar. 16, 2005
The Car Connection - Mar 15 6:13 PM
NHTSA chief wants speeding crackdown, Porsche getting four-door?
Cars you can't count on
Bankrate.com via Yahoo! Finance - Mar 10 3:00 AM
If you're among those who delight in the danger of not getting to work or breaking down in the middle of the night, here are the cars you can trust to let you down.
Cars you can't count on
Bankrate.com - Mar 04 5:12 AM
Automotive reliability is the most subjective car issue of all. Consider this. If you drive a $10,000 Ford Focus and the dome light burns out, chances are you'll figure out how to change the bulb and you'll move on.
Study: Chevrolet Blazer model had highest driver death rate
Miami Herald - Mar 15 6:30 AM
WASHINGTON - The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
Study: Chevrolet Blazer model had highest driver death rate
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette - Mar 15 6:40 AM
WASHINGTON - The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
Chevy's Blazer Named Deadliest Vehicle
MSNBC - Mar 15 1:48 PM
The two-door Chevrolet Blazer from General Motors Corp. has the highest driver death rate of any passenger vehicle on U.S. roadways, a research group with links to the insurance industry said Tuesday.
GM's Blazer ranked deadliest car on US roadways
ABS-CBNNEWS.com - Mar 15 10:50 PM
DETROIT - The two-door Chevrolet Blazer from General Motors Corp. has the highest driver death rate of any passenger vehicle on US roadways, a research group with links to the insurance industry said on Tuesday.
GM's Blazer ranked deadliest car on U.S. roadways
AlertNet - Mar 15 1:22 PM
DETROIT, March 15 (Reuters) - The two-door Chevrolet Blazer from General Motors Corp. has the highest driver death rate of any passenger vehicle on U.S. roadways, a research group with links to the insurance industry said on Tuesday.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
NBC 17 Raleigh - Mar 15 5:21 PM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
Action News 8 Santa Cruz - Mar 15 4:20 PM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
The Boston Channel - Mar 15 9:49 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Skinning The Auto-Safety Cat
Forbes - Mar 15 7:45 AM
It's not just what car you drive that will keep you from harm.
Mercedes E-class wins safety rating:
New Kerala - Mar 15 6:53 PM
[World News]: DETROIT, March 15 : A private U.S. highway safety group has analyzed crash test data and found the vehicle with the safest design is the Mercedes E-Class sedan.
Study: Chevrolet Blazer model had highest driver death rate
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette - Mar 15 6:43 AM
WASHINGTON - The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
Study: Chevrolet Blazer model had highest driver death rate
Contra Costa Times - Mar 15 6:29 AM
WASHINGTON - The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
Chevy Blazer model had highest death rate, study finds
Detroit News - Mar 15 11:06 PM
WASHINGTON -- The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
NBC 11 Bay Area - Mar 15 4:40 PM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
40/29 KHBS/KHOG - Mar 15 11:14 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
Channel Cincinnati - Mar 15 11:22 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
The Kansas City Channel - Mar 15 10:13 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
WPLG-TV Miami - Mar 15 11:23 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
Bakersfield Channel.com - Mar 15 11:22 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Smaller cars have higher driver fatalities: study
CTV.ca - Mar 15 11:10 AM
The type of vehicle you drive may mean the difference between life and death, according to a study that looked at fatal accidents. The report by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analyzed driver-death rates for 199 vehicles.
Study: Chevrolet Blazer model had highest driver death rate
Miami Herald - Mar 15 6:30 AM
WASHINGTON - The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
Study: Chevrolet Blazer model had highest driver death rate
Kansas City Star - Mar 15 6:41 AM
WASHINGTON - The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
GM's Blazer Ranked Deadliest Car on U.S. Roadways
Reuters - Mar 15 1:10 PM
DETROIT (Reuters) - The two-door Chevrolet Blazer from General Motors Corp. has the highest driver death rate of any passenger vehicle on U.S. roadways, a research group with links to the insurance industry said on Tuesday.
Chevy Blazer model had highest death rate, study finds
Detroit News - Mar 15 8:43 AM
WASHINGTON -- The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
ChannelOklahoma - Mar 15 11:15 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
WESH 2 - Mar 15 11:23 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
News Channel 10 - Mar 15 10:12 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
ClickOnDetroit - Mar 15 9:45 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
Bayinsider - Mar 15 11:17 AM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Chevy Blazer model had highest death rate, study finds
Detroit News - Mar 16 11:15 PM
WASHINGTON -- The two-door, two-wheel-drive Chevrolet Blazer had the highest rate of driver death from 2000 through 2003, according a study released Tuesday by the insurance industry.
Chevy's Blazer named deadliest vehicle
MSNBC - Mar 15 1:46 PM
The two-door Chevrolet Blazer from General Motors Corp. has the highest driver death rate of any passenger vehicle on U.S. roadways, a research group with links to the insurance industry said Tuesday.
GM's Blazer Ranked Deadliest Car on U.S. Roadways
Reuters - Mar 15 1:08 PM
DETROIT (Reuters) - The two-door Chevrolet Blazer from General Motors Corp. has the highest driver death rate of any passenger vehicle on U.S. roadways, a research group with links to the insurance industry said on Tuesday.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
The KCRA Channel - Mar 15 12:40 PM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates?
NBC 30 Connecticut - Mar 15 12:23 PM
Which Vehicles Have Highest Death Rates? The two-door Chevrolet Blazer has the highest death rate for drivers, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Skinning The Auto-Safety Cat
Forbes - Mar 15 7:44 AM
It's not just what car you drive that will keep you from harm.»
When I searched on Yahoo! EN ESPAÑOL NOTICIAS
using the keywords -- chevrolet and blazer, 22 articles were available -- NONE OF WHICH had anything regarding the English article warning the public about the Chevrolet Blazer -- but it did show people who were injured and/or killed in a Chevrolet Blazer. THESE articles were in Spanish. I have no way of knowing if those who were killed or injured solely spoke Spanish.
Just for the heck of it, I began searching Yahoo! EN ESPAÑOL NOTICIAS for articles in newspapers throughout the U.S. and elsewhere on subjects deemed "MORE IMPORTANT" than warning people about the DEADLY CHEVROLET BLAZER and found the following . . .
Robert Blake
appeared in 236 articles, Scott Peterson
appeared in 56 articles, Jennifer López
appeared in 429 articles, Paris Hilton
appeared in 243 articles and once again, the article warning people about the DEADLY Chevrolet Blazer was no where to be found.
Don't get me wrong now -- I have no problem at all having 429 articles in Spanish to choose from about a Puerto Rican woman with a KILLER SMILE -- as long as there are also at least 429 articles in Spanish about a KILLER SUV.
Also, for those who cannot read in English, it's not likely they will understand or see this article that is available today --
"GM Recalls Nearly 113,000 Vehicles Including The Chevrolet Astro And GMC Safari"
-- as it is also NOT available in Spanish.
Hopefully more JOURNALISTS than usual are reading my commentary this week.
Although the "Insurance Institute for Highway Safety / Highway Loss Data Institute"
website has a "Infomación en español"
section -- it is LIMITED to the following copy:
«El Instituto ofrece al consumidor la siguiente publicacion en Espanol:
Lo que usted debe saber sobre las bolsas de aire Para poder imprimir o leer esta publicacion usted necesita el Adobe Acrobat, Formato PDF.
En adicion, IIHS ha producido los siguientes videos en Espanol:
Reduciendo su riesgo en un accidente (VHS, 10 Minutos) $10.00
Los ninos y las bolsas de aire (VHS, 51/2 Minutos) $10.00
Para ordenar videos o copias de alguna publicacion, por favor contacte:
Communications Department
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
1005 N. Glebe Road, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 247-1500»
Hopefully more people from HISPANIC ORGANIZATIONS than usual are reading my commentary this week.
And speaking of Hispanic organizations, the Council of United Latinos --
Consejo de Latinos Unidos
-- a consumer advocacy group said yesterday that Merck & Co. didn't inform Puerto Ricans of the dangers of its blockbuster arthritis drug Vioxx in Spanish and urged pharmaceutical companies to publish health warnings in that language.
So far, so good. EXCEPT, anyone, any Puerto Rican, who reads their news exclusively in Spanish, has NO IDEA THEY ARE AT RISK or that they are being looked after and protected by the Council of United Latinos. The article,
"Puerto Ricans Weren't Adequately Warned On
Vioxx," is NOT YET AVAILABLE IN SPANISH -- NOT EVEN ON THE COUNCIL OF UNITED LATINOS WEBSITE.
Well, that's all folks! Until next Friday.
Keith
For motivational speeches, conferences, media requests and other things such as eating disorders, you'll have to contact someone else. My only qualifications
for writing a weekly column are based solely upon having a lot of free time, unlimited Internet access and very little else.
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