NEWS BLACKOUT re bugs in Toyota's software causing sudden unintended acceleration

"Anyone who wastes their time on the US media is a brainwashed idiot, a danger to humanity." Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, from his article, "America Totally Discredited."

National disgrace when consumers have to depend on trade journals, bloggers, and social media for the facts. Especially when it's a matter of life and death.

Renowned computer expert Michael Barr spent 18 months examining Toyota's software relevant to sudden unintended acceleration. His findings convinced an Oklahoma jury to find Toyota guilty, underscored with a declaration that the Recall King acted with "reckless disregard" in its response to a faulty electronic throttle system. The jury was ready to calculate punitive damages when the Recall King suddenly saw fit to settle, avoiding what may well have been punishment consistent with the kinda stuff levied against big tobacco. The kinda stuff Toyota's friends in Congress and NHTSA shoulda come up with years ago. Punishment based on the wealth of the corporation as opposed to amplified slaps on wrist designed to wow the average consumer. A gang like Toyota needs what they were likely on the verge of gettin' in Oklahoma: a woodsheddin' in the billions 'steada the millions.

The Recall King is hastily moving to settle hundreds of remaining cases - can anyone imagine why? - in a "global settlement" given the green light by our ever vigilant legal system. Conjures up recollections of corrupt corporations too big to fail, surviving at the public's expense. But this time, more than money is at stake.

An at-risk public has a right to know about the incriminating evidence Mr. Barr found. Especially since other computer experts are speaking out in favor of his conclusions. This is not the time for silence in the name of protecting Toyota. This is the time for fundamental fairness to the public. As with engine failures in MR2 Spyders, such fairness certainly hasn't been offered by Toyota. And regarding sudden unintended acceleration, not by Congress, and not by NHTSA. Dirty rotten shame when the taxpayin' public has to uncover facts and seek recourse through expensive, time-consuming, emotionally draining lawsuits because government agencies are beholden to the industries they're presumably set up to regulate.

Where is our "free" press? Why haven't there been lengthy articles focusing on the gist of what happened in Oklahoma? Headlines making sure an at-risk public can put in proper perspective Toyota's sudden rush to settle hundreds of remaining lawsuits involving sudden unintended acceleration. Adding insult to injury, a USA Today article - ostensibly addressing Toyota's current problems with heated seats - made it sound like the sudden unintended acceleration issue had been conclusively related to nothing more than driver error, floor mats and sticking gas pedals. Hard to believe such stories - how many more are being circulated? - are published out of ignorance. I sent e-mails to reporters with Minnesota's Pioneer Press and Star Tribune newspapers, both of which took keen interest when efforts were made to get local resident Koua Fong Lee out of prison after his Toyota sped out of control, people died, and the economically challenged immigrant was railroaded. I suggested followups informing the public of Michael Barr's findings and any bearing they might have on Lee's lawsuit, which the Recall King is trying to get dismissed. My e-mails were ignored. Reuters continues to ban me from commenting, and then there's this "story" about the University of Iowa's $17.2 million "driving safety research" grant. Another bona fide hack job, making it appear as though sudden unintended acceleration is all about driver error. No mention of Michael Barr's findings, and no reply to my e-mail explaining that it's time for media to quit focusing on "driver error." The "grant," incidentally, came via Toyota's "settlement" for economic loss claims over sudden unintended acceleration. And that settlement too was prompted by Michael Barr's findings.

In a superb article, "Toyota's killer firmware: Bad design and its consequences," Michael Dunn, writing for engineering journal Design News, provides a summary of Mr. Barr's findings:

• Toyota’s electronic throttle control system (ETCS) source code is of unreasonable quality.
• Toyota’s source code is defective and contains bugs, including bugs that can cause unintended acceleration (UA).
• Code-quality metrics predict presence of additional bugs.
• Toyota’s fail safes are defective and inadequate (referring to them as a “house of cards” safety architecture).
• Misbehaviors of Toyota’s ETCS are a cause of UA.

In what sense, pray tell, do we have a "free" press?

It will be interesting to see the "presstitute" media's response - or lack thereof - to the upcoming EE Times conference featuring a keynote address by none other than Michael Barr himself. Evidence of the respect Mr. Barr's colleagues have for his conclusions about Toyota's software. An occasion that should make national news, top spot. But don't hold your breath.

Next thing ya know, it'll be said that America is nothin' more than a tacky little corporate-controlled police state.

Update 2/7/2014 - Thanks to #Whistleblower Daily News for headlining this post.

Update 2/10/2014 - Toyota is reported to be on the verge of a billion dollar settlement to end the federal criminal investigation involving reporting procedures for sudden unintended acceleration complaints, concerns about mail fraud, wire fraud, and whether stockholders were misled. Nothin' like buyin' yer way outta hot water. Stay tuned.

Update 2/11/2014 - Minnesota's Star Tribune newspaper - referenced in this blog post - is refusing to publish a comment I submitted this morning (it's now 4:50 PM EST) exposing the news blackout regarding Michael Barr finding bugs in Toyota's software causing sudden unintended acceleration.

Updates 2/12/2014 -
> Software problems have now prompted a major Prius recall. Other models are also on the list, and some of the issues involve SKID control. Toyota's software problems sure are lending credence to Michael Barr's findings. Bloomberg has removed a comment I made to that effect a few moments ago regarding their article about the Prius recall. Bloomberg's censorship of my comments is nothin' new.  

> My comment putting Toyota's current software problems in proper perspective re USA Today's article is being repeatedly removed. Toyota can't stand the truth. 

CNN censors my comments

I figured I'd been blacklisted a short while back when I attempted to post a comment critical of the Marines for gunning down unarmed men (one in a wheelchair), women, and children - including a two year old toddler - at Haditha, Iraq. Despite e-mails goin' back and forth for days twixt me and CNN - talk about a runaround - somehow CNN never did manage to get me logged in.

Now this.

I saw CNN's story about a late breaking disclosure regarding Recall King Toyota's ongoing problems with sudden, unintended acceleration, scanned the comments, and noticed that - strangely enough - I was already logged in. Cautiously optimistic that a previous glitch had been corrected, I submitted a somewhat less than favorable comment about the ol' Recall King, and sure-enough-wouldn't-ya-know-it a message popped up that the comment had to be moderated before being posted. Recalling my experience with Reuters, I expected the comment to be censored. Just to make sure, I monitored for awhile, and yes - good ol' free speech lovin' America was on the move again. COMMENT CENSORED.

Of course, I'll expose such blatant repression to some degree by bloggin' about it and spreading the word otherwise as best I can. Bottom line is that Internet censorship demonstrates American cowardice and deceit. The same kinda stuff that's responsible for lettin' a bunch like Toyota kick folks around in the first place.

For cryin' out loud, Uncle Sam: If the "home of the brave" is gonna have free speech, let's have it. If not, at least have guts enough to say so.

Update 3/2/2012 - I submitted three additional "comments" to CNN: #1, a link to this blog post, #2, a copy of my Facebook post, and #3, a copy of my tweet. Of course, none were published, but I think CNN got the message. 

Wired for censorship

Here we go again. As visits to this blog approach the 10,000 mark (probably closer to 13,000 if you include visits before the counter was installed), there seems to be an increase in efforts to censor comments I submit on articles regarding Toyota.

The latest instance bears an eerie resemblance to the censorship by Reuters. Last week, I read an article published by an outfit called Wired.com and decided to comment on Toyota's absurd marketing program whereby a woman was literally terrorized and has now won a court decision allowing her lawsuit to go forward. As with Reuters, I initially had difficulty logging in, even if I tried to do so using my Facebook or other accounts. After requesting password assistance, I finally got logged in, submitted my comment, and got the "comment subject to moderation" message. The comment was blocked, and submitted a second time with the same result.

So I e-mailed a complaint titled "Censorship re 9/12/11 Toyota cyberstalking article" to Kim Zetter, the person who wrote the article, stating "My comment was blocked, and I find this totally inexcusable, especially after reviewing some of the comments that were approved. If moderators are going to block comments, they should start with those that contain four letter filth and various other forms of offensive language." Interestingly enough, Zetter is billed as a "senior reporter at Wired covering cybercrime, privacy, security, and civil liberties." Emphasis most certainly mine.

Apparently, Zetter either didn't get the message, was too busy to reply, or agrees with the decision not to publish my comment. Whatever. At this time, still no replies.

Beware of Wired. They're the kinda folks who apparently don't see anything objectionable about anonymous commentary spouting four letter filth and insults, but are willing to block comments stated in a businesslike manner, devoid of obscenities, and accompanied by the writer's real name. Blatant, inexcusable censorship has become business as usual in America. And that's a real shame.

Update 9/20/2011 - I dropped wired.com a link to this post via another comment, and of course I got the "subject to moderation" notice. No problem this time. I think they'll get the message.
Update 9/20/2011 - Facebook has censored this post from Posts to Public. Glad I got it out on Twitter.

Reuters, closed session summits, and Toyota

If there's any so-called news organization I'd hate to have to depend on for facts, it would be Reuters.  So it caught my eye when I read that Reuters was sponsoring a "Rebuilding Japan Summit," featuring "closed door on-the-record sessions."  My interest was further piqued when I read Reuters' summit report publicizing comments by Toyota Executive Vice President Yukitoshi Funo.  The report offered a rosey assessment of the company, omitting items such as recalls totalling 14 million units, record setting government fines for delays in reporting defects, a federal grand jury investigation, and a zillion lawsuits alleging coverup.  Is this kind of "summit" genuine journalism?  Or a cleverly contrived form of censorship? 

Lately it seems there's been a sudden surge in mainstream media articles intent on ignoring facts and portraying the Recall King as some sort of innocent bystander.  Meanwhile, the Toyota defect parade marches on with numerous recent recalls and the punishment of an engineer-turned-whistleblower in Vietnam.  Guess I musta missed Reuters' "coverage" of the situation in Vietnam. 

What Toyota, Japan, and the good ol' U.S.A. needs is something along the line of a "Toyota Engine Failure Summit" featuring reps from MR2 clubs along with past and present Spyder owners who lost thousands when their engines suddenly fell apart.  Anyone who signed the ongoing oil sludge petition would also be invited to tell their stories regarding Toyota's "class action settlement." Bigwigs from Toyota, a few select congressmen, and representatives from the Department of Transportation would be on hand to field concerns, assured that the entire event would be nationally televised.

Somehow, I don't think that's the kind of summit Reuters would like to see.

Reuters bans my comments re Toyota

Reuters news organization has informed me that my account has been "banned from commenting."  This comes as no shock, because Reuters has previously removed my remarks regarding Toyota.  This is, however, the first time I've been banned per se from expressing my opinion on a website.

The way Reuters' ban came about is interesting.  A few weeks ago, I submitted a comment critical of the Recall King.  It was published, but immediately removed.  I resubmitted a time or two with the same result, whereupon I exposed Reuters' blatant censorship on Twitter and Facebook and submitted copies of the posts to Reuters via another comment, which, of course was never published nor did I expect it to be.  Apparently, however, Reuters took notice.

Yesterday, I submitted a comment on Reuters' article regarding Toyota's latest recall of 333,000 units - RAV4s and Highlanders - for an airbag defect.  What I immediately encountered was difficulty signing in, even if I used my Facebook account.  So I finally requested password assistance and got logged on.  Then I submitted a comment rakin' Toyota over well deserved coals for their never ending parade of defects.  But unlike before, the comment wasn't published, even temporarily.  Instead, I got a message that the comment would be "moderated."  Apparently, that's Reutersese for "censored."

So I waited an hour or two - not expectin' much - and again fired off a complaint tweet and a post on Facebook exposin' Reuters' rebuff of free speech.  Then - like before - I attempted to send Reuters copies, and that's when I immediately got the message that my account had been banned from commenting.  Yessir, I'll bet ol' Reuters already knew about me exposin' 'em again on Facebook and Twitter, and decided to throw a tantrum by just flat out bannin' my remarks altogether.  "That'll teach the guy to get smart with a kingpin of mainstream media such as Reuters."

If it weren't for serious issues of free speech, Reuters' childish response to my opinions about Toyota would be downright funny.  Do they wish to control the dissemination of newsworthy information?  Or is it merely hubris confounding common sense in the age of the Internet?  Hard to say at this point, but it sure makes a body wonder what kinda relationship Reuters has with Toyota.

Rest assured, Reuters, that I'm not anywhere close to intimidated.  I'll be exposin' the likes of you and Toyota every chance I get.

Update 4/23/2011 - Reuters must have complained to Facebook, because when I referenced this blog post, Facebook blocked the information from Posts by Everyone.

Update 4/24/2011 - Today I referenced this blog post again on Facebook, and the reference was published in Posts by Everyone.