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Cherokee Winds
Their handmade products are made in small batches to ensure that your family and theirs only get the best. They use the best ingredients they can get their hands on. They are not 100% organic but very close. Their products change with the seasons.
Mazonia-Braidwood State Fish & Wildlife Area
1,700 acres of grassland, brushy draws and shrubs on 2,801 acres. Hunting, fishing, picnicking and more.
Second Time Around Antique Market
Quality antique furniture, fireplace mantels, pier mirrors, glassware, dinnerware, toys, vintage wicker, collectibles. Furniture restoration available.
Polk-a-Dot Drive In
The Polk-a-Dot Drive In was founded over 50 years ago has become one of the most memorable attractions along Illinois Route 66. Stop in and see the collection of memorabilia and enjoy a great meal.
Planes, Trains & Automobiles - Sun Motel
An uptight businessman who is desperately trying to get home for Thanksgiving finds himself partnered with an easy going shower ring salesman who is on a journey of his own. The film was shot extensively in the Chicago suburbs. One of the most memorable scenes takes place when the two are forced to share a room at the Braidwood Inn (now the Sun Motel) in suburban Braidwood.
Blackberry Oaks Golf Course
This 18-hole course is par 72.
Heritage Bluffs- The Grille Room
Daily specials, casual atmosphere in the Grille Room Restaurant at the Heritage Bluffs Golf Course. Patio area, meeting room available and banquets. Lunch from 11 - 2.
I & M Canal State Trail
The I&M Canal Trail offers 61 miles of picturesque hiking and biking trails that follow the historic route of the I&M Canal from Channahon to LaSalle. The Trail also boasts Illinois' longest continuous snowmobile trail, and is a favored route for cross-country skiers.
Heritage Bluffs Golf Course
Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club has been one of Chicagoland's highest rated golf courses since it opened in 1993. It offers a challenge for the serious player and fun for the more casual player across its rolling acres that offer scenic beauty unlike most Chicago-area courses. Everyone can find a length to suit their game from our four tee boxes that stretch the course from 5000 to over 7100 yards.
Manor Motel
Free High speed wireless internet. Free HBO and Showtime. Jacuzzi rooms available. Spacious rooms and guest laundry.
Lone Star Restaurant
Open 7 days a week at 6:00 AM serving breakfast, lunch & dinner. Family restaurant with cocktail lounge. Serving homemade food and chef's specials. Excellent food, friendly service, great prices. Serving our area for more than Thirty years.
Dollinger Family Farm
October brings pumpkins, hayrides, corn maze, train rides, farm animals, and fun. Also come see our Civil war reenactment the third weekend in October. Warrior Dash Midwest in June. On site gift shop.
Carbon Hill School Museum
The original 1893 schoolhouse displays hundreds of original artifacts depicting immigrant turn-of-the-century life of families, businesses, and coal mines. Original items include the jailhouse iron doors, soccer trophies and bocce balls, coal mining tools, furniture and household items, old store supplies, Illinois coal reports, maps and plats, and plenty of family memories; there is something to interest everyone.
CITY:Coal City
Prairie Bluff Public Golf Club
Prairie Bluff is located on 237 acres of rolling terrain and is framed with prairie grass, which adds to the golf course's overall challenge and beauty for those who play here. With four sets of tees, 10 lakes and more than 40 bunkers, golfers of all skill levels will find a good challenge. At Prairie Bluff, you will enjoy our beautiful 10,000 square foot clubhouse that features a pro shop, banquet hall & bar. Beyond serving as a fabulous golf facility, Prairie Bluff is an ideal location for breakfast, lunch, dinner or cocktails. Prairie bluff's learning center offers a 10- acre driving range, short game area with bunker, putting green, private and group lessons. Let Prairie Bluff host your next golf outing!
CITY:Crest Hill
Giovan's Restaurant & Pizzeria
The complete Italian family dining experience. Family owned and operated.
CITY:Crest Hill
Public Enemies - Stateville Correctional Center
The Feds hunt notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson during a 1930s crime wave. The restored period exterior of Chicago's Biograph Theater, site of Dillinger's infamous demise, is featured in a pivotal scene in the movie.
CITY:Crest Hill
Siegel's Cottonwood Farm
Siegel's Cottonwood farm is a fourth generation working farm established in 1909. In the spring and early summer, the farm is open with a garden center featuring flowers, shrubs, and plants. From June 1st thru October, the farm is available for company picnics, group outings, corporate events and fundraisers. In the summer when the crop is ready its extra sweet corn. In the fall its Pumpkinfest time on the farm with playlands, cornfield mazes, new fun attractions, climbing wall, gem mining and much more. And then there is the award winning haunted prison, "Statesville."
CITY:Crest Hill
Roberts Sewing Center
Illinois' largest quilting fabrics store. 7,000 bolts of cotton fabric, classes, sewing, quilting. Sales of Pfaff and Viking brand and industrial machines. Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Tues & Thurs 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM. Repair all sewing machines handled on-site.
CITY:Crest Hill
Bring the family to Merichka's Restaurant in Crest Hill, and try a signature menu item that area residents have loved for many years – the famous Poorboy steak sandwich, smothered in garlic butter on French bread. Stories abound of fans who move away, and upon returning to the area for a visit, head straight to Merichka's for a poorboy! Owned and operated by the Zdralevich family since 1933, the restaurant continues to serve its customers on traditional red-and-white-checked tablecloths in a casual setting. The affordable menu offers tasty onion rings and fried mushrooms, jumbo hamburgers, veggie burgers, steaks, chops and surf-and turf; fried chicken, crabmeat-stuffed shrimp, Canadian walleye pike, Atlantic wild salmon and much more. Top off your meal with a bottle of domestic or imported beer, wine by the glass, a soft drink, coffee or tea – and save room for one of Merichka's tasty desserts.
CITY:Crest Hill
DNA Athletics
Come to DNA Athletics to get outfitted in comfortable, durable shoes and accessories so you can focus on your fitness, not your gear. Whether you're a casual sportsman or a serious athlete, our knowledgeable staff will help you find just the item you're looking for. Drop by our store to try on our clothing or test our shoes on our in-store treadmill. If you lead an active lifestyle, you depend on your shoes and gear to perform under pressure. Our shoes, clothing and accessories are top of the line – made to last by the world's leading manufacturers.
CITY:Crest Hill
Classic Inn
28 rooms
Super 8 Motel - Dwight
2 story motel, 30 rooms, some truck parking. Pet friendly.
First National Bank of Dwight
Famed architecht Frank Lloyd Wright designed and engineered this bank in 1905, and it is the only one of his three designed banks still standing.
Prairie Creek Library
The library was originally built in 1896 as a carriage house, and later transformed into a treatment and recreation building for the Keeley Institute, a well-known alcohol rehab center in the late 1800s.
The Windmill
The Windmill was built in 1896 to supply water for the Oughton estate and grounds, which later became home of the Keeley Institute, an alcohol rehab center.
Historical Society Museum/Alton Railroad Depot
The restored railroad depot, designed by Henry Ives Cobb, is now the home of the Dwight Historical Society and is still an operating Amtrak train station.
The Country Mansion Restaurant
The original structure was built as a boarding house in 1891. It was purchased and moved to its present site in 1895. In 1977, the home was purchased by the Ohlendorfs, remodeled and opened as The Country Mansion. Eight or more need reservations.
Renfrew Park
6-acre park donated to the village in 1891 by David McWilliams, the first banker and business person in the community. It is named after the Prince of Wales, Baron Renfrew, who visited the area while on a hunting expedition in 1860.
Lion's Lake
This new lake is located on old Route 66 at the southeast edge of Dwight. Donated to the village in 1994 and improved with funding from local organizations, the lake offers a beautifully landscaped picnic are, fishing, and a bike trail. Open year-round.
Dwight Country Club
Welcome to Dwight Country Club. Located just 70 miles southwest of Chicago, DCC offers a quality golf and dining experience set in the quiet and calm of the cornfields of Central Illinois.
Whispering Pines of Dwight
Bed and breakfast with a beautiful, quiet country setting on a heavily wooded three acre lot. Breakfasts include international recipes. Charger ports for electric cars.
Ambler's Texaco Station in Dwight
This circa 1940s Texaco station was once a thriving service station but now serves as a Route 66 welcome center. The station is listed on the National Register of Historice Places and has been awarded fundng through the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program to be restored to look like it did in the 1940s.
Pioneer Gothic Church
Built in 1857, this church is a fine example of Carpenter Gothic Architecture. Pointed arched windows and doors as well as board and batten frame construction characterize this style. King Edward VII worshipped at the church in 1860, while on a hunting expedition in the area. The church was named as one of the "150 Architectural Treasures" in the State of Illinois by the Association of Illinois Architects in 2007, and is listed on the National Historic Register.
Old Route 66 Family Restaurant
Enjoy a full selection family style menu at the Old Route 66 Family Restaurant. Delicious Reuben's, Melts, Wraps, Burgers & Salads...so follow the Mother Road to great food & service...you'll be glad you did! Free Wi-Fi
Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery
This cemetery was named after the 16th president of the United States, and was designed to serve approximately one million Chicago metropolitan area veterans.
Prairie View RV Park
Small campground located in a country setting near Chicagoland Speedway, Historic Route 66 and a 25 mile hiking/bike trail. Business hours are 8:00am - 1:00pm.
Two-Cell Jail in Gardner
The historic Two-Cell Jail was built in 1906. It has been restored by the community and holds a strong presence near Gardner's downtown area. Visitors are now encouraged to "go behind bars" and have their own photo taken.
Streetcar Diner
A 20th century Kankakee streetcar was moved to Gardner in 1932 to serve as a diner. In 1937, the streetcar became a cottage and playhouse. It was moved behind the Riviera in 1955 and is still there today. It was restored ty the Route 66 Association of Illinois and inducted into the Route 66 Hall of Fame in 2001.
Fairfield Inn South - Joliet
Built for business or leisure traveler. Indoor pool/hot tub, complimentary breakfast.
Motel 6 North
Complimentary coffee 6-10 AM. Guest laundry facilities, free HBO and ESPN. We will leave the light on.
Super 8 - Joliet North
Indoor pool, Jacuzzi suites, free high-speed internet, complimentary breakfast, guest laundry.
Elks Motel
Weekly rates, easy access to I-55, outside entrances for all rooms, quiet atmosphere.
Fairfield Inn & Suites Joliet North/Plainfield
Fairfield Inn & Suites Joliet North/Plainfield is located just off I-55. This Marriott hotel is conveniently located off I-55 & Rt. 30. We offer exceptional friendly and quality customer service! Group and extended stay rates available.
Super 8 - Joliet South
Continental breakfast, Rialto Theatre, casinos ½ mi. away, queen beds, cable, and in-room coffee makers.
Joliet Area Historical Museum
Travel through time and space! Walk through a replica of the I & M Canal, window shop on a turn-of-the-century street, take a virtual ride on a replica trolley, live the legend of Route 66, land on the moon in a walk-in simulator, and experience space exploration and the Apollo missions. Temporary exhibits change often in our Special Exhibition Gallery. There's always family fun in our discovery room, and remember your visit with a souvenir from our Gift Shop.
Joliet Iron Works Historic Site
Joliet Iron Works Historic Site features 0.59 mile of paved trail that provides a self-guided interpretive tour of the site's historical significance. Take a free, naturalist-led tour of blast furnace ruins. Reservations are required.
Splash Station Waterpark
Railroad-themed, outdoor water park featuring a 6 person racing slide, body slides, tube slides, lazy river and zero depth pool.
Slovenian Women's Heritage Museum
This museum was established to preserve ethnic Slovenian heritage and honor the immigrants who settled the Joliet area.
Joliet Mosaic Walking Tour
Take a self-guided walking tour of the magnificent murals, sculptures and mosaics found throughout Joliet's city center.
Bird Haven Greenhouse and Conservatory
Lord and Burnham designed this historic greenhouse featuring a tropical house, cacti room, show house and outdoor gardens.
Cemeno's Pizza
Est. 1976, serving pizza, pasta and home made Italian dishes. Family owned and operated.
Chicago Street Bar & Grill
Bar and grill serving lunch with daily specials until 8pm on Fridays.
Syl's Restaurant & Lounge
Fine dining specializing in prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, chicken, ribs, and chops. Private dining rooms available. Specialize in serving groups. Menu information on website. Dinner M-Th 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM, F-S 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Sun 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Dinner For Two Specials Sun-Thurs $22.95, Fri & Sat $31.95 Ask for "Dinner for Two Special Menu"
Diamond's Family Restaurant
For breakfast, lunch and dinner. Includes omelettes, skillets, crepes, sandwiches, steaks, fish and more.
The Reserve at Harrah's Joliet Casino
A steak this good is, well, rare. At our Steakhouse, The Reserve, you find sizzling new dining options like Trio Crusted Filet, in addition to spectacular steaks and pasta dishes. Pair them with a fine wine and savory side dish for a spectacular evening.
Renaissance Center
The Renaissance Center is a restaurant and banquet facility. Open on Wednesday for themed lunch buffet and Friday night fine dining. Available for business meetings, corporate events, anniversary parties, weddings, banquets, showers and special events.
Sandwich Shoppe
Homemade food and daily specials. Tour groups welcome, catering available.
Al's Steakhouse
Serving Joliet and Communities for 50 years. Warm atmosphere specializing in char-broiled steaks & seafood. Superb Sunday brunch (regular menu available.) Friday night seafood buffet (regular menu available.) Extensive wine list. Private rooms for all occasions. Open Sun 10:00 AM, Mon-Sat 11:00 AM
Forest Preserve District of Will County
Biking and running trails, bird watching, camping, cross-country skiing, sledding, outdoor ice skating, canoeing and rafting and fishing. The district office provides all information on preserves and issues picnic permits.
CPX Sports
A 143-acre extreme sports park featuring paintball, mountain bike trails, skate park and monthly airsoft games. Available for open or private play year round. Visit www.cpxsports.com or call 815/726-2800 for more info.
Empress RV Resort
Twelve-acre RV resort. Good Sam club.
Inwood Ice Arena
Open public skating. Skate rental and concessions.
Race View Farms RV Camping
RV, camper and car parking during major races at Chicagoland speedway and at Rte. 66 Raceway.
Martin Campground
Overnight and long-term RV parking.
Woodruff Golf Course
Opened in 1921, Woodruff is an 18-hole sporty course with hilly terrain and a clubhouse.
Wedgewood Golf Course
This 18-hole golf course is known for its hilly terrain, and features a clubhouse.
Joliet Slammers
The Joliet Slammers are a professional baseball team based in Joliet, IL that play in the independent Frontier League. Home games are played at Silver Cross Field in Joliet. They are the 2011 Frontier League champions.
Route 66 Raceway
This racing and entertainment facility features concerts, NHRA drag racing events and demolition derbies.
Inwood Golf Course
Inwood offers a lighted range, pro shop and concessions.
Joliet Public Library
Inwood Park
Inwood Park is located southwest of Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center. The park has tennis courts, fitness trails, a playground and picnic area. Horseshoes and bocce ball are also on the grounds.
Downtown Joliet
Downtown Joliet is experiencing an exciting resurgence in entertainment options and business opportunities. Downtown Joliet serves as the city's main municipal center.
Jacob Henry Mansion Estate Dinner Theatre
Located on the Jacob Henry Mansion Estate, guests are greeted with our famous family hospitality, homemade meals and heartwarming musical productions. Lunch matinees and dinner shows are complimented by itineraries that include tours of our other historic properties, or excursions into Joliet's vibrant downtown. The Jacob Henry Mansion Estate Dinner Theatre welcomes groups with onsite motorcoach parking and handicap accessibilty.
Best Budget Inn
A great locationin Joliet with Indoor pool and whirlpool.
Comfort Inn North - Joliet
Indoor pool and hot tub. Fax, copier, business classroom, 24 hour coffee.
Comfort Inn South - Joliet
Newly renovated, only moments away from: Empress and Harrah's Casinos, Route 66, Chicagoland Speedway and shopping. Free The Wall Street Journal and 24-hour coffee and tea in the lobby. Be sure to relax in the indoor heated pool and spa. Enjoy our free hot breakfast featuring eggs, meat, yogurt and fresh fruit, cereal and more, including your choice of hot waffle flavors! Business travelers will appreciate conveniences like free wireless Internet access, and copy and fax services.
Hampton Inn I-80
Newly remodeled hotel features expanded lobby, fitness center with Precor equipment, pool, and whirlpool. Enjoy our complimentary hot "on the house" breakfast & complimentary wireless internet.
Holiday Inn Convention Center
This AAA Diamond hotel is only minutes to nearby shopping Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway. Tweeter center, 40 minutes from Midway and 45 minutes O'hare International.
Hollywood Casino Joliet
Live in the moment at Hollywood Casino Joliet and experience heart-pounding gaming action, thrilling entertainment, an on-site hotel and a wide variety of dining options!
Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel
Featuring 1,100+ slot machines, most Video Poker in town, 25 table games, and WSOP Poker room. Experience exceptional dining at the Reserve steakhouse and luxurious comfort in our hotel.
Ramada Limited South - Joliet
Close to Hollywood & Harrah's Casino's, Rialto Theatre, First Midwest Bank Amphitheater and Route 66 Raceway. Ask about special rates.
Louis Joliet Mall
Louis Joliet Mall features four department stores and over 120 specialty shops. Step into Macy's, JCPenny's, Carson Pirie Scott or Sears to do some of your shopping and then don't forget to get a bite to eat in one of our many restaurants. You are sure to have a great time in the Louis Joliet Mall!
Jacob Henry Mansion
Elegant National Historic Landmark offers unique Victorian setting for weddings/receptions. Groups and tours welcome.
Leisure Lake Resort
Resort with 212 campsites, in-ground pool, 24 acre stocked fishing lake, 2 acre beach, on-site convenience store, activities throughout the year and much more.
Tri-Country Stockdale Company of Joliet, Inc.
For over 30 years, Tri-County Stockdale Company of Joliet has focused on quality products, backed up with the highest standards for customer service. Our landscape division is striving to grow with your needs. Additionally, our new retail facility continues our focus on landscape products, with the addition of lawn ornamentation and, as always, our personal service. Plus, we are excited to offer expanded selections in our bird seed & feeders, pet feed, soy candles & seasonal gifts.
Unique Antiques
Since 1988, a one-owner store with a 2,000 square foot of antiques and collectibles from pocket watches to furniture. Open last 2 weeks of each month. Closed Sunday & Monday.
Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park
On historic Bluff Street along the waterway in downtown Joliet, this park features free summer concerts, lush grounds, outdoor bandshell and indoor theatre. Office hours: Monday - Thursday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm and Friday 8:00 am - 12:00 noon.
Haunted Trails Restaurant & Entertainment Park
Perfect setting to raise your spirits! 14 acre park offers 3 go kart tracks, two 18-hole mini golf courses, batting cages, laser tag arena, rides, 100+ games, restaurant w/ private dining room plus private 5 acre picnic grove for company picnics and groups up to 2,000.
Hampton Inn - Joliet I-80
Feel at home at Hampton Inn – Joliet I-80. Conveniently located off of I-80 and Houbolt Rd, you'll find a warm welcome and award winning customer service. This Joliet hotel is within ten minutes of downtown Joliet IL and near two riverboat casinos.
Hampton Inn - Joliet I-55
Joliet Hotel
Best Western Joliet Inn & Suites
Green Eco-friendly practices, complimentary hot breakfast, new indoor heated swimming pool area, spa, large atrium with a sundeck, retractable roof, a meeting room for up to 40 people, spacious rooms with microwaves, refrigerators and free high speed wireless internet access.
Joliet Prison Park
Once you arrive, a huge steel and barbed wire entry sign will beckon you into a park unlike any other. Information kiosks on site offer an insight into the prison's past and inmate history, as well as the famous films that have been shot here.
Public Enemies - Joliet Prison
The Feds hunt notorious American gangsters John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson during a 1930s crime wave. The restored period exterior of Chicago's Biograph Theater, site of Dillinger's infamous demise, is featured in a pivotal scene in the movie.
Hollywood Casino RV Resort
The only casino in northern Illinois to offer an on-site RV Resort. Open seasonally, our RV park has all the conveniences of home, including water and electric hookups, as well as beautiful landscaping, laundry facilities, showers and restrooms.
Hollywood Casino Hotel Joliet
100 Room Hotel and a 80-spot RV park offering complimentary hot breakfast and WiFi. Complimentary shuttle service between hotel and Hollywood Casino-Joliet.
Hampton Inn - Joliet (I-55)
Built for the business or leisure travelers. Indoor pool and whirlpool, "on the house" hot breakfast, and FREE high speed internet access. All of this is backed by 100% satisfaction guarantee!


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As we reported previously, GM aims to be a leader in onboard 4G LTE connectivity and has begun selling 2015 models equipped with the technology. To date only Audi has provided onboard 4G, appearing first in its newly redesigned 2015 A3 sedan. A 4G LTE connection in the car has broader and probably more meaningful implications than onboard Wi-Fi, such as fast delivery of navigation and traffic data and, eventually, the capacity to update onboard multimedia or even car functions wirelessly. But for now, the focus is on the OnStar hotspot, to which up to seven devices can connect.
Related: 2014 Chevrolet Impala: Five Surprising Features
GM is making the hardware standard on most of its models, even the tiny Chevrolet Spark, though the goods will come later in the 2015 model year to the full-size truck-based models: the Chevy Tahoe, Suburban and Silverado; GMC Yukon and Sierra; and Cadillac Escalade. Other vehicles that can actually fit seven humans, the full-size crossovers -- the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia - will wait until the 2016 model year. GM says some of its base work-truck pickups will be sold without the hardware.
New-car buyers will enjoy a free trial of three months or 3 gigabytes. Then, just like mobile device data plans, the cost will depend on expected usage. Existing OnStar subscribers get a price break for the smaller data plans. (Though the hardware is standard, most OnStar services remain subscription-based.)
Data/Month (subscriber)
Data/Month (non-subscriber)
Owners who don't opt for the monthly plan can spread it out over a year or go for a day pass (24 hours) should the demand arise, say, for a family road trip, allowing multiple passengers to tap into the network rather than use their own data plans or do without. (GM cites a study saying roughly 90 percent of tablets are Wi-Fi-only or don't have active data plans.)
Data/Duration (subscriber)
Data/Duration (non-subscriber)
AT&T provides the service, so consumers who already use the carrier can pay an extra $10 per month to tap into their Mobile Share Plan from the car.
While 4G LTE is new, Wi-Fi in cars is not. We've experimented with 3G-powered hotspots in earlier models from Audi and other brands, and the problem has been clear: It's just too slow. Especially when you have a smartphone or tablet with its own 4G connection, connecting to the car's 3G Wi-Fi proves frustrating and pointless. A 4G LTE connection should change that, so we look forward to testing the OnStar system in the coming weeks.

subset: commoncrawl


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How Northwest hijacked Minnesota
Kurt Kulschar knew he was going to lose his job long before the layoff notice actually arrived in April 2003. Kulschar was a member of the Airline Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) and an employee of Northwest Airlines, where he had watched co-workers get the notices for several years. He survived two rounds of layoffs--a big one following 9/11, and a smaller round the airline blamed on decreased traffic with Asia following the outbreak of SARS. Even though Kulschar, who is in his mid-30s, had been with the airline for eight years, he knew he didn't have enough seniority to survive a third round.
Strictly speaking, Northwest's contract with its mechanics doesn't allow for layoffs, so the airline had invoked a clause called force majeure. The provision allows for exceptions to the contract in the event that a "greater force" introduces unforeseeable and unavoidable complications: natural disasters, acts of God, and, unfortunately for Kulschar, war.
Technically, the Iraq War was the reason Kulschar was being laid off. But like most of the mechanics working in the hangars at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, he believed the real issue was the financially troubled airline's plan to increase the amount of maintenance being done overseas by cheaper, nonunion workers.
There were things Kulschar could have done to avoid immediate layoff. He could have accepted reassignment to a less desirable Northwest facility, perhaps at New York's La Guardia airport. But it would only have postponed the inevitable, and maybe not for more than a few weeks. Kulschar's heart wasn't in it. "When it ended, I was nine months on the third shift," he recalls, most of it over a nasty winter. "It was cold, and when those hangar doors open, it gets colder. You're climbing around in aircraft, moving them; it's physically demanding."
Far from being glorified grease monkeys, airline mechanics are highly trained. Kulschar went $40,000 into debt to earn a bachelor's degree in aviation technology. He holds a commercial pilot's license, a dispatcher's license and, most important, an airframe and power plant license, which makes him personally responsible for the safety of the passengers on every plane he declares airworthy. It's such a heavy responsibility that federal law requires licensed mechanics to report safety issues, even repairs not completed to their satisfaction.
"I'm still accountable for repairs I did over the eight years I was there. There are 747s flying over the Pacific right now that I worked on. My A&P number is on them," he says. "A voice inside me said, 'That's it.' I saw the direction management wanted to take it. I saw where it was going. Northwest knew from the way the seniority list runs they lost a lot of good guys."
Northwest has laid off 4,100 AMFA mechanics since 2002--1,900 of them in the Twin Cities. That's 40 percent of the maintenance workforce, a much bigger hit than the airline's other unions have taken. Another 900 mechanics will be cut before the end of the year. Many of the laid-off technicians have found new careers. Their cross-training in electrical engineering, structural engineering, pneumatics, hydraulics, and other high-tech specialties has made them attractive to Minnesota's expanding medical device manufacturing industry, hospitals, refineries, amusement parks, and other employers. Unfortunately, few are earning anything near the $50,000 to $70,000 a year with benefits that they made at Northwest.
The losses don't just affect the mechanics. In the last 15 years, Minnesota taxpayers have repeatedly been asked to help the hometown airline. The rationale each time was to keep good jobs here. In 1991 and again in 1994, Northwest promised to maintain 17,883 jobs in the state and to create 2,000 more mechanics' positions in northern Minnesota in exchange for massive taxpayer-funded bailouts.
The vast majority of the mechanics' jobs never materialized, however, and the airline's employment is now well below the agreed-upon level. More than half of Northwest's current maintenance spending is with outside firms. With the demolition of one of its Twin Cities hangars later this year, even more work may be outsourced. The airline already performs heavy maintenance on its larger jets in China and Singapore. If industry analysts are correct, in coming years many more planes could be serviced in India and in Central and South America.
Northwest's argument is that without massive cuts to the cost of labor, it can't survive skyrocketing fuel costs, much less compete with low-cost competitors employing nonunion workforces. The airline notes that the trend is industry-wide and says its outside contractors are held to the same high standards it has for the mechanics it employs.
"We are forced to compete with low-cost carriers on price," says Northwest spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch. "We are also forced to compete on cost, and one way low-cost carriers achieve low costs is by outsourcing maintenance. Some outsource all of their heavy maintenance, and the standards are the same no matter who does it and where it's done."
But a growing chorus of voices, including AMFA, federal regulators, and the self-styled architect of the 1991 bailout, U.S. Rep. James Oberstar (D-Chisholm), say maintenance is the wrong place to look for fat to cut. Two federal studies have found that outside contractors don't get enough scrutiny.
At the same time, some state lawmakers are angry that the airline is back, asking for more. In late August, Northwest asked the Metropolitan Airports Commission to finance an expansion of the airport, relocating Northwest's competitors to the smaller Humphrey Terminal and giving NWA and its partners a monopoly on the main Lindbergh Terminal. Quickly and without soliciting public input, the MAC adopted the plan. When a Fridley senator proposed putting a moratorium on the expansion long enough to let the state examine the proposal in more detail, Northwest accused the mechanics' union of muddying the political waters.
Right now, Kulschar is the 243rd person on his union's recall list. By the time the three-year window in which he has the right to be hired back closes, his position is likely to be well over 1,100. Even on the off chance he gets recalled, Kulschar isn't sure he'd go. In addition to the psychological pressure that comes with making sure it's safe to fly every plane passing through the hangar, he doesn't want to contend with the instability.
"It was hard to see myself walking away from aviation," he says. "But if I really needed to turn a wrench on an aircraft, if that really defined who I was, there were things I could do. I just realized it's not going to get better any time soon."
AMFA is hardly the only entity to have accused Northwest of deception and political hardball in the past decade and a half. On May 3, 1991, the front page of the business section of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution carried a short news story lamenting Northwest Airlines' decision not to locate a new hub at the city's airport, Hartsfield. Following Eastern Airlines' bankruptcy, Northwest had been the only airline with any interest in taking over the idled jets, the maintenance hangars, and the 33 darkened gates. Reviving the hub would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, the newspaper reported, and the new tenant would find itself in direct competition with Delta, which flew 440 flights a day out of its Hartsfield hub.
It was a bleak year for the airline industry. The country was in the midst of a recession. Eastern had shut down in January of that year, and the writing was on the wall for Midway and Pan Am. America West, one of the most promising airlines to start up in the 12 years since deregulation, was operating in bankruptcy; Continental and TWA soon would, too. Northwest was in better shape, but not by much: Two years earlier a leveraged buyout by investors led by financiers Al Checchi and Gary Wilson had left the airline with a debt-to-equity ratio some analysts placed as high as 30 to 1. (Northwest wasn't the only airline affected by the leveraged-buyout frenzy of the late '80s. One airline analyst went so far as to tell the New York Times that "there were several airlines whose debt levels, combined with their business prospects, put them in worse shape than Northwest.")
In short, Checchi couldn't afford the new hub, industry analysts told the paper. It was simple economics, the officials explained. The U.S. Justice Department had agreed to let Northwest buy Eastern's gates at National Airport in D.C., and the airline hinted that it was working out a sweet deal for a maintenance facility in economically depressed northeastern Minnesota.
Northwest's coup, the paper hinted, was worthy of Machiavelli. "There would be some irony if Northwest has satisfied its East Coast ambitions through the Washington National hub," reporter Scott Thurston noted. "The airline used its professed interest in the Atlanta hub to get Eastern's gates at National in a bankruptcy auction last winter. The Justice Department said the National gates should go to Northwest, which was not the highest bidder, to keep a major 'spoke' of Eastern's Hartsfield hub in the hands of an airline interested in restarting Atlanta."
The flirtation with Atlanta was nothing compared with the political feat Northwest was hinting at. Even as Hartsfield's administrators were resigning themselves to selling off the C concourse one gate at a time, Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson was ramming through legislation laying the way for $838 million in grants and loans from the state and the Metropolitan Airports Commission to Northwest. The rationale for the unprecedented public financing package: The airline would keep 17,883 jobs in Minnesota and create 2,000 more by building maintenance facilities in Duluth and Hibbing.
Not just any jobs, either, but well-paying union jobs with good benefits--jobs that paid enough to seem to justify economists' "multiplier effect" argument: that each new job in turn creates work for squads of grocery store clerks, pharmacists, car dealers, restaurateurs, and others who provide goods and services to the prosperous families, as well as industries that supply the maintenance facilities.
It took another eight months of bitter, acrimonious politicking, but in the end Northwest got its sweet deal. But by the time the checks were cut, the airline was in such a deep crisis that it not only began using the money to repay its creditors, it demanded and got $900 million in temporary wage reductions from its workers.
In December 1992, a month after the unions agreed to wage cuts, Northwest canceled a pending $3.5 billion order for 100 new Airbus jets. It was significant in part because those planes were projected to provide a critical portion of the traffic at Minnesota's new maintenance facilities. The writing was on the wall, but a year and a half passed before Carlson, Oberstar, and airline officials announced they had drastically downscaled the 1991 agreement. Under the terms of the revised deal, Northwest would build only a scaled-down repair station in Duluth, and turn the engine overhaul facility planned for the Iron Range into a reservations center. The number of jobs to be created in northeastern Minnesota fell from 2,000 to 950. And only 350 of them were well-paid mechanics' positions.
The new deal granted the airline a number of potential outs. Northwest would not be prevented, it said, "from reducing or changing its Minnesota employment, operations, or facilities (other than the location of NAI's corporate headquarters) in response to force majeure, business conditions, technological changes, and statutory or regulatory changes."
According to files kept by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, Northwest's reentry into the stock market in March 1994 kicked off three consecutive years of record profits. In December 1997, Northwest announced it would send its jets to a French overhaul facility. The company also paid off its loan from the MAC.
Northwest also maintains that it has complied with the agreement when it comes to job creation and retention. "The agreements allow the company to reduce Minnesota employment in response to changing business conditions as long as such reductions are proportional to Northwest's domestic systemwide employment reductions," a company vice president explained in the employee newsletter.
The lawmakers questioning Northwest's current airport expansion plans aren't ready to concede that the airline has lived up to either the letter or the spirit of the deal. To date, they note, the company has paid only interest on the state's portion of the aid package. Northwest still owes Minnesota and the MAC $400 million, part of it financing for a past airport renovation.
Airlines have long contracted out at least some maintenance work. According to congressional reports, carriers and cargo companies outsourced 37 percent of their maintenance work in 1990. By 1996, the figure had grown to 46 percent. Today the amount of work contracted out varies: After making a decision to bring much of its contract work back in-house, American outsources 20 percent; Alaska Airlines and America West hire out 79 and 77 percent, respectively.
According to federal statistics, Northwest outsourced 31 percent of its maintenance in 1996. By 2002, the level had risen to 44 percent. One of the things the company hopes to win in the current contract negotiations with the technicians' union, the Airline Mechanics Fraternal Association, is the right to send out even more work. Right now some Northwest planes are overhauled in China and Singapore. If the airline wins the right in current contract negotiations to increase the proportion of maintenance dollars it spends with contractors, AMFA officials expect to see work go to repair stations in Latin America.
Outsourced maintenance work can be 30 to 40 percent cheaper than work performed by in-house mechanics. Some of the savings reflect the fact that it's cheaper to use foreign labor or nonunion or unlicensed domestic technicians. Some of the savings arise from efficiencies. A repair station that works only on one kind of plane or one kind of repair invests in fewer parts and tools, for instance.
Increasingly, mechanics employed directly by airlines are responsible for inspecting in- and outbound planes, making small or immediate repairs, and sending them on their way. Much of what's being outsourced is specialized work, including the periodic major overhauls legally required on commercial aircraft. (Commercial aircraft have to be torn apart and rebuilt at regular intervals, a process that takes weeks and costs several million dollars.)
"While costs for outsourced maintenance are lower than for in-house maintenance, quality and safety are not compromised," Northwest executives explained in the employee newsletter "ePassages." "Just as Northwest's foreign passengers and competitors often represent multinational corporations, Northwest's international maintenance vendors are large, worldwide operations, performing maintenance for many large airlines. Northwest selects them because of their world-class management, control systems, and technical ability. These vendors receive stringent oversight from Northwest, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and local regulatory authority such as the JAA in Europe."
Two federal agencies, Congress's General Accounting Office and the Department of Transportation's Office of the Inspector General, have been highly critical of the amount of oversight U.S. officials and airlines have over maintenance contractors--especially overseas repair stations. The Federal Aviation Administration certifies maintenance facilities, but studies by both agencies have shown that FAA inspections are few and far between. When inspectors do visit repair stations, they frequently miss safety violations.
Nine years ago, a maintenance contractor at Miami International Airport improperly stowed oxygen generators in the cargo hold of a ValuJet DC-9. The generators caught fire and the flight crashed into the Everglades, killing 110. The National Transportation Safety Board faulted the FAA, which vowed to make changes. But a July 2003 Transportation Department report found dramatic disparities in the oversight of in-house maintenance operations versus that applied to contract facilities.
In fiscal year 2002, the FAA conducted 400 inspections of in-house maintenance facilities at one major airline, but just seven inspections at the airline's contractors. (The report did not identify the airline, but noted that it outsourced 44 percent of its maintenance.) The FAA is required to inspect non-airline repair stations just once a year; because of the logistics involved with performing an inspection in another country, regulators' visits to foreign repair stations are never unannounced.
"When we visited 12 domestic and 9 foreign repair stations, we identified problems such as mechanics using incorrect aircraft parts and outdated maintenance manuals during repairs, and performing improper calibrations of tools and equipment at 18 of the 21 (86 percent) repair stations reviewed," the inspector general's report notes. Inspectors also reported that 88 percent of files reviewed at overseas repair stations were "incomplete or incomprehensible," that some foreign repair stations subcontracted work out to facilities that were not certified by the FAA, and that the FAA had no idea how much work was being done by the foreign facilities. (A separate investigation, undertaken by reporters for the Charlotte Observer, found that despite the trend toward increased outsourcing, inspections of outside repair stations actually fell by 20 percent between 2000 and 2002.)
In addition to poor oversight, sending maintenance work overseas or hiring nonunion domestic contractors raises other safety issues. Often, licensed technicians are used only to supervise unlicensed mechanics. Unlike U.S. mechanics who work directly for airlines, mechanics at repair stations don't undergo FBI background checks or drug and alcohol screening.
In 2002, AMFA claims, a mechanic at the Singapore facility under contract to Northwest was arrested for suspected al Qaeda ties. "Northwest said that this arrest was on the military side of the base, while its planes are repaired on the civilian side," says AMFA National Director O.V. Delle-Femine. "But we do not find this sufficiently reassuring; presumably security is even tighter in the military operation."
Last month 27 alleged illegal immigrants were arrested at a Greensboro repair station. Six were full-time employees of the contractor, and the rest worked for a temp company. (Three turned out to be in the country legally, but are still being held for other reasons.)
Attorney Lee Seham represents AMFA, and often defends mechanics who have been fired or disciplined for refusing to cut corners. Without the FAA or a union backing them, Seham fears technicians at outsourcers won't blow the whistle on shoddy maintenance.
"As a labor attorney, I can tell you that a critical element of the U.S. airline industry's safety has been American freedom and rule of law," he says. "Even at major airlines, with strong union environments, mechanics have been disciplined and terminated for refusing to release un-airworthy aircraft into revenue service."
There's a perpetual tension between aviation technicians and the people who employ them, and for good reason. Airline managers want the planes fixed--but they also want them back out of the hangar quickly enough to stay on schedule. Mechanics say they often feel pressure to "pencil-whip" a plane, to sign its maintenance card too hastily.
"If 'pencil-whipping' happens in the USA, you can imagine what happens in the context of authoritarian regimes where a growing share of aircraft maintenance is being performed," Seham says. "You cannot pretend that a Chinese aircraft technician, or one in El Salvador, for that matter, has any choice but to do what he is told."
In 1994, Indiana and Indianapolis shelled out $800 million to construct a huge, new, 248-acre, state-of-the-art maintenance facility for United Airlines at Indianapolis International Airport. In exchange, United was supposed to create 6,300 jobs. The airline hired only half that many people before abandoning the facility in 2003. The state and city, which now own it, have been scrambling to fill the empty hangars.
After agreeing to overhaul the facility and coming up with a series of incentives costing as much as $15,000 per job, Indiana taxpayers finally lured two new tenants, both maintenance outsourcing companies, according to the magazine Overhaul and Maintenance. In addition to airline contracts, one of the two companies hopes to find machine shop, sheet metal, and composite work. Even though the new jobs pay about half as much as the old ones, the first job fair staged by the new tenants attracted 3,600 résumés. According to Airline Business, many of the applicants were former United workers.
Back when former Governor Carlson and Representative Oberstar proposed the Northwest-Minnesota deal, Art Rolnick, senior vice president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, was one of the first and most vocal skeptics. Rolnick asked Al Checchi why the state should finance the bailout. It was obvious what was in it for Northwest, he says. The state's interest rate was then 8 percent, whereas the market would have charged a corporation in as poor shape as the airline 20 percent. "Checchi just kept saying, 'It's a very good deal, it's a win-win,'" he recalls.
In the end, not only didn't the Northwest bailout create 2,000 jobs, it served to discourage competition, Rolnick adds. "The biggest problem with what we did is it gave Northwest a monopoly," he says. "A fortress hub makes for significantly higher prices and makes us more vulnerable. [Competition] would have made the [1998 pilots'] strike less debilitating. That the state has allowed this monopoly is very questionable."
Rolnick never believed the talk that Northwest would abandon Minnesota, a bit of scare rhetoric widely circulated by proponents of the state aid package at the time. "We have a vibrant economy and obviously the notion that we would not have planes coming in and out isn't true. Someone would have bought it," he says. "What matters is that we have an airport."
Northwest's unpaid loan notwithstanding, Minnesota's political leaders show signs of lining up to throw money at the airline once again--even though the resulting enhancement to Northwest's monopoly position would likely do local air travelers no favor in terms of prices. In October, Northwest proposed an $860 million plan to expand the airport dramatically in the next 15 years, and to give a complete monopoly on the main terminal to Northwest and its business partners KLM, Delta, Mesaba, and Continental.
As laid out in "Vision 2020," the expansion would "simplify airport access by moving all non-SkyTeam airlines from Lindbergh to the Humphrey Terminal in one move." Within the next two years, Northwest's competitors would be relocated to the smaller Humphrey terminal, which would gradually be expanded by 12 gates. The MAC would also build 46 new gates at the Lindbergh terminal and, eventually, a 400-room hotel.
The MAC, which adopted the plan with virtually no public discussion, is promoting "Vision 2020" as an engine for economic growth. Commission documents claim that the expansion would create 40,000 permanent "direct, indirect, and induced jobs" for the region by 2020 and an increase in "personal income" of $2.5 billion. The expansion would be paid for by funds the MAC projects collecting between 2004 and 2030.
The plan's critics say the MAC is just manipulating numbers to produce a rose-colored picture. "Indirect and induced" jobs are theoretically created by increased spending on the part of new airport workers and by a high degree of presumed overall growth to the local economy sparked by airport improvements. But it bears noting that the MAC's forecasts are based on pre-9/11 levels of growth in traffic. During past airline industry slumps, Northwest has balked at paying the fees the MAC anticipates using to underwrite the expansion. If that occurs, metro area taxpayers could be left paying the bill.
And if the mechanics are right, none of those 40,000 jobs would go to aircraft technicians. Twenty-five of the new gates would be built on ground vacated by tearing down a Northwest aircraft maintenance facility, to be replaced with a new Concourse H. (The other 21 gates would be added to the G Concourse.) Northwest has said that the repair station, known as Building B, will come down whether the expansion proceeds or not.
Angry that taxpayers are being asked to back a plan that would contribute to the outsourcing of their jobs, the mechanics last year began talking to state lawmakers about slowing the MAC's pace. Most of the organization's 15 commissioners are appointed by the governor; the chair is Vicki Tigwell, a Pawlenty associate and the ex-wife of disgraced gubernatorial candidate Jon Grunseth. (Pawlenty and Tigwell both came under fire two years ago for their involvement with a long-distance telephone service provider accused of deceiving consumers in seven states.)
Pawlenty was quick to go on record as calling "Vision 2020" vital to Northwest's continued health. But a number of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle aren't so sure. "It took 30 years for us to spend that much on light rail. The MAC is proposing to spend that much in a matter of months," says Sen. Satveer Chaudhary, a Fridley DFLer. "It's a very secretive organization that won't respond unless pushed, and an organization that's not accountable to anyone but the governor, even though its work has a statewide effect."
In January Chaudhary introduced legislation to put a moratorium on the expansion plan and Building B demolition pending public discussion--including a review of Northwest's compliance with past promises to the state and MAC. Northwest refused to attend the bill's first few hearings, arguing that it was an improper forum for airing a labor dispute. The Senate Transportation Committee passed the bill and voted 12-1 to issue a subpoena to Northwest CEO Doug Steenland.
Four days later, former Sen. Doug Johnson registered as a Northwest lobbyist. A DFLer from Tower, Johnson played a major role in pushing through the '91 and '94 bailout deals. Days after his appointment, another Senate committee voted to table the bill.
No one from Northwest was present the night the bill died, but the case for expansion was instead pressed by Vicki Tigwell. "Northwest has this outstanding $270 million loan from '91 which says that Northwest's hub has to be here," says Ted Ludwig, president of AMFA local 33. "Tigwell said that some economic development authority somewhere could come in and pay that loan off on behalf of Northwest and then they could leave. Tigwell also said that the MAC has no control over other airlines, that they could merge into one big airline and we'd have no control over it." (Tigwell's comments may prove particularly resonant in light of rumors that one of Northwest's long-term plans is a wholesale merger with the U.S. airlines in its "SkyTeam" alliance, Delta and Continental.)
When Steenland appeared before the Transportation Committee on April 12, he defended outsourcing but failed to mention that 600 more mechanics would be laid off the next day. The company was grounding 30 older DC-9s and, as a consequence, closing three maintenance lines--one here and two with outsourcers. The planes in question are gas-guzzlers and require more intensive maintenance than others in the company's fleet.
Steenland also breezed past news that two days before, part of a reverse engine thruster weighing 200 pounds had fallen off a Hawaii-bound Northwest DC-10 and into a field in Inver Grove Heights. Steenland told the senators that union mechanics had installed the part.
The episode angered AMFA's Ludwig, who was suspended from his mechanic's job in March for publicly displaying parts he claimed had fallen off another plane as a result of shoddy outside maintenance. Union mechanics did install the reverse thruster, one of the components that slows airplanes on landing, but he says its maintenance had been outsourced to a repair station in Texas. "The bolts on those things have been known to wiggle loose--something we know," he complained. "But that plane's not ours to maintain anymore."
No one questioned Steenland, however. "The Senate bowed to Caesar yesterday," Chaudhary complained. "At the moment it seems government isn't going to do anything for these workers and about Northwest's monopoly."
Outsourcing not-withstanding, a shortage of mechanics is predicted by the year 2008. If this sounds paradoxical, consider the effect of the elimination of 40 percent of a union shop: When the next round of layoffs is completed, the average age of a union mechanic at Northwest could go from 53 to 62. At that age, technicians aren't going to retrain, like Kurt Kulschar.
Nor are they anxious to see their sons and daughters follow in their footsteps. Airplane mechanics are like cops and firefighters in that multiple generations often follow the same career path. These days, veteran mechanics are urging their kids to run the other way.
In the wake of the Northwest bailout, Minnesota colleges scurried to beef up aviation technology training programs. Enrollment peaked during the 1994-1995 school year. Thief River Falls had more than 500 students that year; a program in Winona was overflowing, too; Minneapolis Community and Technical College had more than 300 students, according to George Hoxie, faculty coordinator of the MCTC aircraft technician program. "We overshot," he says. "Northwest was gonna build in Duluth and Hibbing, the beer was always cold, and there was always apple pie."
Hoxie's program, run by MCTC but located at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie, now has 19 students. Enrollment at Winona is about the same, while Thief River Falls has about 40 students. Adapting to the changes in the industry isn't cheap or easy. The training programs need to have an idea who will be hiring graduates several years out. They need to have the right aircraft for students to work on, the right tools and other equipment and, of course, space and teachers.
Hoxie's hoping for a class of 18 to 20 next fall; he has no doubt the market can absorb that many graduates. "There is a very strong corporate aviation community in Minnesota that acts as a buffer. Even when Northwest isn't hiring or is laying off, we can place our graduates. We just have to change our target," he says. "Minnesota is unusual in that Northwest is such a driver in this market, such a big dog."
The outlook is especially bleak for the mechanics, but Northwest hopes to cut wages and benefits for most of its employees. The airline's stated goal is to carve $1 billion a year from its payroll. But Northwest probably will not be reducing executive compensation as part of that fight.
In October, Northwest CEO Richard Anderson announced he was stepping down to take the number-three job at UnitedHealth Group in Minnetonka. His compensation from 2001 to 2003 at Northwest had totaled $6.5 million. (Three other executives, including Anderson's successor, Steenland, earned almost as much.) Northwest was poised to continue to lose money, however, while UnitedHealth's fortunes seem limitless: According to Star Tribune accounts, revenues are expected to reach $45 billion this year and $50 billion next year. Its CEO earned $94.2 million in 2003.
And then in March, late on a Friday afternoon after the stock market's closing bell had rung, Northwest announced that Al Checchi was stepping down from its board of directors. During the previous three months Checchi had sold 1.5 million of his shares in Northwest for $11 million. He still owns 3.26 million shares.
Doug Henwood is the editor of the Left Business Observer and a longtime critic of the 1978 deregulation of the airline industry. He doubts that the potential fixes being discussed by the industry and policymakers would make much of a dent in commercial aviation's problems. "On the one hand, there's pressure toward monopolization and price-gouging. But also at the last minute they want to fill those empty seats, so we have these fare wars," he says. "Bankruptcy, lowering wages, and getting rid of debt: I think we will see some combination of that. But this has been the story since deregulation.
"The whole rationale for deregulation was that fares were too high and they were restricting availability," he argues. "But fares didn't decline nearly as much as people thought." Federal statistics show that the financial hemorrhaging since deregulation has been so bad that the industry is very close to having lost money over the entire history of commercial aviation, he says.
"This is so far off the political agenda it's hysterical to even suggest it, but we have to think about why it was regulated in the first place," Henwood continues. "No one will acknowledge that this industry is extremely messed up and has been a disaster. No one is willing to say as much. But an industry that is unable even to withstand a fuel-price spike is in real trouble."
Reporting contributed by City Pages news intern Em Murphy.
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Home > Hobby Electronics > Boards/Projects
SparkFun Electronics SparkFun Electronics Ardumoto Motor Driver Shield
This is a motor shield for Arduino that will control two DC motors. Based on the L298 H-bridge, the Ardumoto can drive up to 2 amps per channel. The board takes its power from the same Vin line as the Arduino board, includes blue and yellow LEDs to indicate active direction, and all driver lines are diode protected from back EMF. Control for motor attached to OUT1/2 is connected to digital line 12 (direction A) and digital line 3 (PWM A). Control for motor attached to OUT3/4 is connected to digital line 13 (direction B) and digital line 11 (PWM B).
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Earl and Edna Flint of San Jon, N.M., celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with a reception Saturday at the San Jon Community Center.
Hosts for the event were the couple's children and grandchildren.
Flint married the former Edna M. Thrasher on Sept. 21, 1929, at Bard, N.M. The couple previously resided in Wichita, Kan. They have lived in San Jon for 66 years.
Flint is the retired owner of San Jon Auto Parts and a former mayor of San Jon. He worked at the Boeing plant from 1941-45 during World War II. Mrs. Flint is a retired postal worker.
Children of the couple and their spouses are Violet and Harold Heiers of Perryton, Richard and Polly Flint of San Jon and Clyde and Faye Flint of Cle Elum, Wash.
The couple have 10 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
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Is there a parameter that can be passed to wp_list_categories, to get a certain number of posts from each category? Or a plugin that does something like that? A similar question was in the Wordpress support forum, but it doesn't do exactly what I want.
The code that thread links to seems very close to what you are describing - looping through categories and retrieving some amount of posts for each.
If you want to integrate posts into
Some example code, I am not entirely sure it handles nesting properly:


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I thought this sink looked cheaper than it does in the pictures. Also the outside is not finished. Just the inside is finished. It seems sill to me since you see the outside more.
Very satisfied with purchase, professional quality, only bad thing is You will have hard time finding matching faucet. Brushed nickel is close but not it.
I could not decide between the silver or this piece so I ordered both on a Monday and received both the next day. I was disappointed the sinks were too large for my vanity. The product resembles the photo down to the hammered details. It is so worth the price. Fantastic Customer service with assistance in returning. Highly recommend
Fabulous ( although no directions came with it for installation). We put it in an old dry sink- which we tiled with black subway tiles. This vessel sink is just the best!
The sink arrived as described on website. I am hopeful that plumber will be able to install it as site describes. It has a silvery patina and is heavier than I would have thought; which is good, by the way! No problem with shipping and it arrived without damage.
- How did the color on site compare with the actual product? great!!
- Please tell us about the quality of the product. Great quality; have ot installed it yet, but time will tell.
- How accurate was the on site description of the product? spot on!
It is pewter so I should have known it wouldn't be real shiney. It is still a nice, unique peice for my bathroom and I love the fleur-de-lis design. Note that the hammered portion doesn't reach all the way to the drain hole. It is smooth near the bottom 1-2 inches from the drain. It would be more attractive without that feature but still a good value and looks great with black granite.
- Did the color match the color displayed onsite? yes
- How is the quality of the product? good
- Did the description onsite accurately describe the product? yes


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I'm writing an application that needs to hold around forty 44 kb JPEGs in memory at once. I've heard that applications can use around 22 megabytes before triggering a low memory warning, so I'm pretty sure it should be able to do this. However, once I pass around a megabyte loaded, these messages start popping up in the console:
Mon Jun 8 16:37:19 unknown configd[21] : kernel memory event (90), free: 374, active: 1736, inactive: 959, purgeable: 0, wired: 6260 Mon Jun 8 16:37:20 unknown configd[21] : kernel memory event (95), free: 363, active: 876, inactive: 492, purgeable: 0, wired: 6241 Mon Jun 8 16:37:20 unknown SpringBoard[22] : Memory level is critical (5%). No apps to kill. Will kill SpringBoard Mon Jun 8 16:37:24 unknown SpringBoard[22] : Jetsaming SpringBoard...
Then it dumps me back to the home screen.
Here's the code I'm using to load the images:
#define NUM_IMAGES 40
@interface MyClass : NSObject {
UIImageView* imageView;
UIImage* loadedImages[NUM_IMAGES];
- (void)initImages;
@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UIImageView* imageView;
@implementation MyClass
@synthesize imageView;
- (void)initImages {
int i;
for (i = 0; i < NUM_IMAGES; i++) {
loadedImages[i] = [UIImage imageNamed:[NSString stringWithFormat:IMAGE_FORMAT, i+1]];
imageView.image = loadedImages[0];
Is there something I'm doing wrong here? Can iPhone applications really only use a megabyte of memory?


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Indian Institute of Science invites applications for IISc. Summer Fellowship
in Science and Engineering for SC/ST Students – 2011
ST/ST students studying I year M.Sc in science disciplines (Biological
Sciences/ Physics, Chemistry/ Mathematics) or III year B.E./B.Tech or equivalent
degree, during the academic year 2010-11.
IISc. will evolve a suitable criteria for selecting the candidates for the
IISc. will provide: Traveling allowance equivalent to II Class train
fare from College/residence to IISc. and back.
Free board and lodging (on shared basis) at IISc.
Fellowship of Rs.5,000/- and a book grant of Rs.1500/-
Features of the Programme:
Selected candidateswill work with one of the IISc Faculty members and learn various
techniques used in research for a period of one month during May-June 2011.
the Department of Physics proposes to carry out research in the areas of
Condensed Matter Physics and High Energy Physics. In condensed matter Physics,
magnetism, semiconductors and DFT methods for band structure studies are some of
the areas of interest. Some of the areas of interest in High Energy Physics are
B Physics, Neutrino Physics and Astro-particle Physics. The Department is
currently offering Ph.D (Physics) in the areas mentioned above.
Applications are sought from suitably qualified and highly motivated students
willing to pursue research in the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad in
the following Research Area of the Physics:
Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, invites applications for
admissions in the following areas of the Chemistry.
Applications are sought from suitably qualified and highly motivated students
willing to pursue research in the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad in
the following areas of the Chemistry:
In realization of the need for training better quality technicians to meet
the large scale industrialization of the country, the ministry of Human Resource
Development (the then Ministry of Education), Government of India established
four Regional Technical Teachers' Training Institutes (now National Institute of
Technical Teachers Training & Research, NITTTR at Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai
and Kolkata in 1967. The Institute at Chandigarh is one of these four NITTTRs,
started in collaboration with Royal Netherlands Government (upto 1974). It was
designed to meet the requirements of developing polytechnic education in the
northern region covering the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Delhi and Union Territory
of Chandigarh. The Institute is registered under the Societies Registration Act,
1860 and is managed by a Board of Governors.
The admissions of the eligible candidates to B. Tech program of
the institute will be based on merit in any one of the following entrance exams
(SET, IIT-JEE, AIEEE, MHT-CET). The admission will be carried out through
open counseling, in which the candidate has to be physically present on the date
of counseling along with his/her original certificates. The details of the
counseling procedure and documents required will be available on the institute's
Applications are invited in prescribed format for the following assignment in
a purely time bound research project undertaken in the School of Basic Sciences
of this institute.
Name Of Post: JUNIOR RESEARCH FELLOW (JRF )
IIT Bhubaneswar invites applications from the Indian nationals for filling up
of the following posts on direct recruitment / transfer on deputation
including permanent absorption and / or contract basis:
Name Of Post: Junior Engineer (Electrical, Civil)
Applications in the prescribed form
are invited for the P.G. Common Entrance Test &
Admission into various P.G. and P.G. Diploma Courses offered by Osmania
University (in
its constituent and affiliated colleges), for the academic year 2011-2012.
M.A. in AIHCA, Arabic, Economics, English, Hindi, History,
Islamic Studies, Kannada, Linguistics, Marathi, Persian, Philosophy, Political,
Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Sanskrit, Sociology, Tamil, Telugu,
Theatre Arts and Urdu; M.Sc. in Applied Geochemistry, Astronomy, Astrophysics,
Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Science, Electronics,
Environmental Science, Forensic Science, Genetics, Geography, Geoinformatics,
Geology, Computational mGeophysics, Geophysics, Mathematics, Microbiology,
Nutrition & Dietetics, Physics, Nanoscience, Statistics and Zoology; M.C.J.(1
year course), M.C.J.(2 years course), B.L.I.Sc., M.L.I.Sc., M.S.W., M.Ed.,
M.P.Ed., M.Com., M.Com.(I.S.), M.F.C and P.G.
Diploma Courses in PG Diploma in Digital Information Management, Applied
Linguistics, Archival Science and Manuscriptology, Child Psychology, Functional
Hindi and Translation,Taxation, Geographical Cartography, Management of
International Business, Museology,Urdu Paleography, Psychological Counseling and
Advanced PG Diploma in Bio-Statistics.
The eligibility criteria and other rules and regulations are
given in the Information Brochure. Candidates appearing for the final year of
the qualifying examination during 2010-2011 are also eligible to apply. 5%
Supernumerary seats in each course in University constituent colleges are
available to the candidates from outside Andhra Pradesh under National
Integration Quota (NIQ).
Application form along with the Information Brochure can be
obtained from i) Osmania University Press, Hyderabad ii) University College for
Women, Koti, Hyderabad iii) Nizam College, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad iv) PG
College, Opp. Fire Station, Near Parade Ground, Secunderabad v) The Principal,
University College. Telangana University, Dichpally, Nizamabad vi) The
Principal, University College, M.G.University, Panagal, Nalgonda and vii) The
Registrar, Palamuru University, Opp. Police Head Quarters, Mahabubnagar on
payment of Rs.100/- in cash (candidates can register upto four subjects in one
Applications are invited for the position of Project Fellow (one) in a UGC
sponsored project. The details of the project are as under:
Applications are invited from the eligible candidates for the post of
Assistant Professors in the following disciplines of this Institute in the scale
of pay of ` 15,600 – 39,100 with AGP of ` 6,000 (Revised) on All India Basis.
The applications can be obtained directly or through post by sending a Demand
Draft drawn in favour of The Dean, PAJANCOA & RI, Karaikal – 609 603, from any
one of the nationalized bank for a value of ` 1,000 for the general candidates
and ` 500 for SC /ST candidates or can be downloaded from the website and sent
along with the required Demand Draft. The vacant positions are:
The Karnataka State Eligibility Test (K-SET) center, University of Mysore,
Mysore will be holding the Test on 17th JULY 2011(Sunday) for determining the
eligibility for Lectureship in various Universities/Colleges/Institutions of
Higher Education (Government/Aided/ Private) in Karnataka State. K-SET center
will conduct the test in 26 (twenty six) subjects (listed under item no. 6) at
11 (Eleven) selected Centers (listed under Item no. 7) spread across the
Karnataka State.
Applications are invited from male Indian citizens for appointment to
Group 'B' post of Sub Inspector /Junior Engineer (Civil and Electrical) in
the Border Security Force , Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India in the
pay scale of Rs. 9,300-34,800/- ,Grade pay 4,200/- with usual admissible
allowances. The post is temporary but likely to become permanent.
CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, established in 1958,
is the apex R&D institute for mechanical engineering and allied disciplines
under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
which is an Autonomous Body under the Government of India. The Institute has
started a two years Post Graduate Research Programme in Engineering under the
auspices of AcSIR. The Institute is also offering 2 years Post-Graduate degree
in Mechatronics in collaboration with Bengal Engineering and Science University,
Sibpur and other CSIR Institutes. The present priority areas of research of the
institute are: Robotics & Mechatronics, Microsystem Technology, Rapid
Prototyping & Modeling, Clean Energy, Farm Machineries, Residual Life
Enhancement, Advanced Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, Simulation & Modeling
and Chemistry & Biomimetics.
A Walk-in-interview will be conducted in the Committee Room of CMERI,
Durgapur at the above address during 5th – 6th April,
2011 to select candidates for engagement as 'Project Assistant'
& 'Project JRF(GATE)" under various projects. The vacancy position may
vary either way even across the disciplines and projects.
The procedure for seeking admission to MBA, MCA and M.E./M.Tech./M.Arch./M.Plan
Degree Programmes for the academic year 2011 – 2012 consists of the following
two steps:
Name of the Institution offering the courses:
Name and address of admitting authority:
For admission to Professional Degree courses included in this prospectus, an
applicant must fulfil the following criteria:
NATIONALITY: Admission to professional courses in State of Goa is open
to Indian nationals fulfilling the eligibility criteria under various
categories. Non-resident Indians holding Indian passport may also apply for
seats reserved under NRI category. Foreign Nationals and Persons of Indian
Origin holding non-Indian passport must apply to Govt. of India.
AGE: An applicant to Degree courses in Medicine, Dentistry and
Homoeopathy must have competed the age of 17 years on or before 31st December of
the academic year of admission to become eligible for admission to First Year.
No age limit, minimum or maximum, is specified for admission to Engineering,
Pharmacy and Architecture.
The Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) will conduct
its Common Admission Test (CAT) 2011 across
the country on April 2 & 3, 2011 for admission to B.Tech. and
postgraduate courses. Candidates can download their hall ticket from website.
Applications are sought for three Junior Research Fellows (JRFs) leading to
Ph. D. position at DA-IICT and SVNIT, to work on research project sponsored by
Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. Candidates may visit the
project website at
http://intranet.daiict.ac.in/~mv_joshi/ for information about the overall
project activities.
The main campus of the Institute is in Koramangala, Bangalore, whereas the
Hosakote campus, near Bangalore houses the Centre for Research and Education in
Science and Technology (CREST). The main observing facilities of the Institute
are located at Gauribidanur, Hanle, Kavalur and Kodaikanal.
Application Form to appear for interview
(for those who have qualified through JEST/NET/GATE)
Microsoft Research India PhD Fellowships support PhD students at Indian
universities while they pursue doctoral education in computer science and
related areas. The fellowships are awarded after a rigorous selection
process that includes application, letters of reference, and selection by a
panel of leading researchers.
For each academic year, Microsoft Research India awards five PhD Fellowships.


text:
- Forum posts: 2
Jan 13, 2014 3:59:42 AM via Website
Jan 13, 2014 3:59:42 AM via Website
I am a developer on AndroidPIT. After the payout in August 2013 to my paypal account, I haven't received a single payment after that even though credit notes are produced from your side. I have also emailed you guys to firstname.lastname@example.com on Jan 1st and sent support message a few days later but I haven't received a single answer since even though it's said to be answered in 24 hours max. Can you take a look at it? It's getting frustrating.


text:
Everything needs a beginning, so here we go ;) #helloDribbble
This is the TextEdit application icon design for my boss.mac system set (http://www.fif7y.com/2012/boss-released/) i've taken lots of time to find an interesting concept for the apps and think i'm finally holding something i like... feedback more than welcomed.
note: i'll be shooting a 3point shot today with a couple more app concepts to follow
2nd (iPhoto) is here : http://dribbble.com/shots/762404-Boss-iPhoto
3rd (AppStore) is here: http://dribbble.com/shots/762408-Boss-Appstore
and be sure to view them in @2x !
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Show and tell for designers
What are you working on? Dribbble is a community of designers sharing screenshots of their work, process, and projects.
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Skip to comments.Obamas Blocking of New Power Plants Triggers Nationwide Blackouts
Posted on 02/04/2011 1:06:52 PM PST by Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!
Fury as hospitals hit with outages while post-industrial collapse of America accelerates
The rolling blackouts now being implemented in Texas and across the country as record cold weather grips the United States are a direct consequence of the Obama administrations agenda to lay siege to the coal industry, launch a takeover of infrastructure under the contrived global warming scam, and help usher in the post-industrial collapse of America.
(Excerpt) Read more at nation.foxnews.com ...
We are quickly reaching third world status.
Anyone who is surprised by this should get their head examined.
Someone posted a thread yesterday. I will go find it. And I kid you not it was a politico media fluff piece protecting Obama on one of the many things and I KID you not they blamed Bush!
IMAGINE if this happened when Bush was POTUS
No co-pay though!
I agree that 0bama's energy policies produce a net negative atmospheric pressure (they suck,) but he's only been in office for two years. No policy of his regarding power plant construction would have made any difference today, because it takes much longer than two years to build a power plant and get it online.
All according to plan...
I just saw the Austin Tx. video I posted abobe and they actually proudly said that Mexico is helping TX with electricity but the drudge report I believe says Mexico reniged that KIND offer.
It is Bushes fault!
Wish someone would go treasure hunting in the Becca Valley
The windo she is broken and the cold is coming in.
If some one doesn't warm us I'll be froze down past my skin.
But if I wait a day or two the cold will go away.
and we don't need no coal plant on such a sunny day!
Man-yana, man-yana! Man-yana is good enough for me!
*** as record cold weather grips the United States are a direct consequence of the Obama administrations agenda to lay siege to the coal industry,***
Reminds me of an old movie THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE when a witch stole the sun and the earth got cold.
not Fred Flinstone's
not George Washington's
not George Bushes
FAILED and FAILING ENERGY POLICIES
They are a result of
Hey Zero, how's that second term looking! Too much hopey/changey crap & the crap is hitting the fan!
Racing towards third world status....THANKS TO THE ASSCLOWN IN THE WHITE HOUSE!!!
So he's achieving his goals. Why should he care? He will make sure he keeps OUR White House at 78 degrees.
All caused by a President Power Outage!.....
Politico should be tarred and feathered and marched out of this country. They are a despicable disgrace.
The republicans should pass resolutions calling for Obama to stop blocking these plants from being built.
Give him a week to respond, then pass legislation requiring him to stop blocking these plants.
The 'rat senate will block the legislation, but you get three media opportunities to highlight Obama's No Energy plan: The resolution, the legislation, the defeat in the senate.
That's his goal.
McCain praises Obama daily.
A simple, basic question. If planned power outages are planned what happens when hell freezes over in the great state of Texas during one?
The problem in Texas may wells have been exacerbated by the dependence on wind energy. On February 28, 2008 rolling blackouts in Texas similar to what they are currently experiencing were narrowly averted when a weather front idled most of the state's wind turbines. The current cold has outstripped the state's generating capacity and my bet is the wind turbines were largely idle as the cold conditions often do not produce high winds.
I know, they all are nascar sponsored earmarked pimps but a select few.
Thanks. Makes sense. No one to blame really but maybe Bush because it is his home state. These things happen so together we will thrive.
Put T Boone Pickens in one of them their wind turbines. Another General Electric scam.
Now imagine millions of electric cars using the system too
This cold spell is the canary in the coal mine. We will be paying massive amounts for future energy when we can get it.
If people would just open their eyes,
they'd see the long train of usurpations
pursuing invariably the same object of
reducing us under the absolute despotism of communism.
ALL of TV supports him so he could probably win. We need to get 5 states to pass laws ASAP to require a BC and make it IRONCLAD.
AGREED AND I AGREE WITH THE GREAT RJ I was just being a robotic MSM listener smartass in my last post. I apologize to all.
His policies may trigger future blackouts, but as I said previously, it takes longer than two years to build a power plant and put it online.
That's the first half of the sentence.
"The rolling blackouts now being implemented in Texas and across the country as record cold weather grips the United States are a direct consequence of the Obama administrations agenda to lay siege to the coal industry, launch a takeover of infrastructure under the contrived global warming scam, and help usher in the post-industrial collapse of America."
Can I find that on PPV or just tune into CNN?
TCN Journal
[ December 23, 2010 ]
EPA will issue climate-rule permits in Texas, feds tell state officials
Texas stands alone among the states in refusing to be involved in implementing the new greenhouse rules, which are scheduled to start taking effect on Jan. 2. Earlier this month, a federal appeals court turned down requests from Texas and other litigants to block the regulations until legal challenges are decided.
Formal EPA action to assume control over the climate-related part of the federally-authorized state permit program will happen on or about Thursday, Dec. 23, the federal agency told the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the states chief pollution-regulating agency, in a letter dated Tuesday. The EPA only rarely takes such a step.
Under the new EPA rules, air permits required when large industrial plants are constructed or undergo major changes must include limits on greenhouse gases with other, previously regulated pollutants. The greenhouse regulations will apply to large facilities including power plants and oil refineries. Texas officials estimate that about 167 projects in the state will be affected in 2011.
Obama and Clinton Did WHAT? Nothing to see here move along
they have no agenda. Oh wait Bush did it.
thats about right
"So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can. Its just that it will bankrupt them because theyre going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas thats being emitted."
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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(based on 1469 reviews)
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Most Liked Positive Review
Finally, a quality frig!
I had just bought a DIFFERENT whirlpool frig last year. From the start we had problems with the shelves not fitting on the ledges in the frig, freezing veggies in the frig and melting...Read complete review
I had just bought a DIFFERENT whirlpool frig last year. From the start we had problems with the shelves not fitting on the ledges in the frig, freezing veggies in the frig and melting ice-cream in the freezer, the black plastic trim on the bottom never fit well and would fall off all the time if you stepped on it or bumped it. That frig was a top freezer model. We had local repair men come out to the house who said the temperature readings were within normal. (go figure??_really?) but the large meat drawer was replaced twice and the shelves always slid around on seemingly too small ledges which were not strong enough to hold up such dependent shelves.Anyway, I was shocked and elated when the local store called on our behalf to whirlpool. Whirlpool said they would replace the frig. Since I wanted to stay away from all those bad features (full length meat drawer, weird sliding shelf that supposedly makes room for tall items but only really slides at the wrong times, poorly designed shelves, bad temp control) I decided to go with a completely different style. I took a huge risk because there was only one review of this item ANYWHERE. I could not read any other feedback despite my attempts at looking on tons of websites. I was relieved and happy when the frig arrived.Much more solid frame, plastic foot shelf that extends across the bottom of the refrigerator was strong, shelves that are strong and don't slide around, well controlled temperatures everywhere, and very spacious.I am so happy with Whirlpool that they gave me another frig. Very impressive customer service! I gave the FEATURES a 4/5 because the shelves in the freezer cannot be moved and there is only one humidity gage for the veggie and fruit drawer. I had to dock it somewhere otherwise you may think that it is perfect! (which it seems like now but Im sure it will have its ups and downs).(PS. I did not want an ice dispenser on the door because I read on other reviews of other products that sometimes the ice just shoots out. I thought I would avoid the whole issue and just bought the accessory ice maker to be installed later. I also did not want to get drinking water from the frig because we have already paid for an expensive reverse osmosis system connected to our kitchen sink.)Basically, this frig is much more sturdy and well made. Clear plastic drawers may be a bit flimsy but time will tell. Believe me, this is light years away from the frig we had before.And the stainless steel is beautiful, so is the LED lighting inside!
Most Liked Negative Review
Poor product
We are disappointed with the Whirlpool refrigerator we purchased; however, we are not venting about it we are trying to be factual.We purchased our refrigerator/freezer model WRS342FIAM in May...Read complete review
We are disappointed with the Whirlpool refrigerator we purchased; however, we are not venting about it we are trying to be factual.We purchased our refrigerator/freezer model WRS342FIAM in May 2013, the factory promised the seller that delivery was for June 2013, finally delivered August 2013. It is now July 2015 and it died in June 2015, 22 months after install. Cause of death: The cooling closed cycle leaks and can't be repaired. If you perform the aritmetic calculations you will find that the cost to own this machine was over six (6+) times our expected cost using the MSRP published on the Whirlpool website. We did not get a good deal.We purchased this model because we have a limited space for a refrigerator, and it was the only model available at the time that fit the space with the features we want. At this writing it is one of many models available to fit the space and on one appliance rating website Whirlpool is still listed as the most reliable model, so we are still considering the Whirlpool brand.Whirlpool has what they call a "loyalty program" wherein they offer, people like us who have suffered a loss due to their product, a price break if we purchase a replacement unit from them. That includes all of the brands Whirlpool now manufactures. If we take the Whirlpool offer on this model from their "loyalty program" with the five year extended warranty it will be less than fifty dollars less than if we buy it from one of the big box retailers and the big box five year extended warranty program covers more issues. First, the machine has not lived up to our expectations (fact). Our previous experience with refrigerators has given us expectations of at least a decade of service and up to twenty-eight years from a new machine. 22 months does not come near meeting that expectation.Second, the Whirlpool loyalty program is nearly worthless (opinion).Third: if we decide to purchase one of these again, we would buy the five year warranty and buy from the big box retailer because the warranty will be needed and the big box protection program is better than Whirlpool's.
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Just the right size
By D Allen
from Skippers, VA
I purchased this within the last 30 days. It was the perfect size. I live in a double wide and had only 33 inches wide with the height also being constricted due to an overhead cabinet. It was great to find a refrigerator the perfect size. It has worked very well, maintaining a good temperature throughout the freezer and fridge portion. Glad to find it!
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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By Ed the RN
from Bronx, NY
We got this unit a few weeks ago when our old fridge gave up the ghost and due to its age, wasn't worth repairing. Thus far, we're extremely pleased with it. It looks great in stainless and has features we were not sure we'd be able to get (for example, ice/water dispenser) due to spatial limitations in our small kitchen. OK...I still have to run the water line for that one but from our experience thus far, I don't expect problems. We needed some minor factory service on it. One of the side panels in the freezer was damaged, apparently by a power tool during installation at the factory...Yeah, someone was a little careless and sloppy. Whirlpool sent a tech to the house pretty expeditiously and he ordered the part and replaced it in no time....End of issue.Yeah, I would have preferred a larger unit, say 26/28 cubic feet but for those of you with spatial considerations like us, this worked out ideally. Oh, and the temperature controls are spot on. Set halfway, per recomendations, beverages are ice cold and stuff in the freezer is like a rock.
Great Fridge
By Ty
from Hartford, CT
Bought this month ago and so far so good.
Good replacement
By Mom4all
from Springfield, VA
After 2 previous refrigerators that had to be replaced after a short time--do to problems with the ice makers --we got this one. It does not have the water/ice dispensers on the door--which we thought might be part of the earlier ones we had. So far--after a month--no problems!
Great for smaller family
By none
from North Carolina
I replaced an old frig that was also a side by side. This frig is functioning well for me. Plenty of room inside and on the doors with very roomy bins. Freezer loses a bit of room with ice maker in there but that is ok I need the ice.
Perfect refrigerator for a smaller space
By Junebug
from Roanoke, Va
We purchased this to replace an older whirlpool and love it! It is quiet while running with the temperature controls working perfectly and the lighting is great! The only downside, as with all refrigerators, is the icemaker is rather loud when dropping the ice.
Nice features
By Mesquite Kay
from Mesquite, TX
The refrigerator is very nice. The ice and water in the door work great. I had to buy this size in order to fit into the cut-out in my kitchen and unfortunately it is not very roomy.
Needed an update , last one was 27 years old !
By Jon
from Columbus, Ohio
I got the refrigerator that was the same dimensions exteriorly , but the insides are smaller ! A little disappointed !!!
Great ice maker
By JP
from Cuthbert, Ga
The products came the new home
It works
By ZenJen
from Seattle, Wa
Makes funny noises when you close the doors and pings when it kicks on but it keep things cold.
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It looks like you wrote your own search to return these results. Is there a way to filter out categories in the returned results?
It looks like you wrote your own search to return these results. Is there a way to filter out categories in the returned results?
Ok.. it's a technical solution that involves hardcoding the plugin, but it works until the next revision. I really like the output of this plugin, but HAD to hide a couple categories due to my customized WP categories.
You'll need to know your category IDs..
Edit the plugin sf.php file and around line 861 you'll see before that
foreach($results as $result)
My categories to hide were 10 and 13, so my code that I inserted at that point is:
$catoutofloop = get_the_category($result->ID);
$catID = ($catoutofloop[0]->term_id );
if ( ($catID != "10") && ($catID != "13") )
You'll then need to close your if statement, so find around line 950 at this point
$posts[] = $pst;
And add one more closing backet after that, so the updated code will end:
$posts[] = $pst;
return $posts;
I hope this helps someone. The developer told me this will be in the next release.
Great plugin!
Can I exclude all search results except for posts and pages?
Guys, all you need is in the settings of the plugin, you can exclude and include any category, post, tag etc..., please check the settings robgundling before touching the code, it is already there
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