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Honda Civic tops Canada’s list of most stolen cars
Honda Civic tops Canada’s list of most stolen cars
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Wednesday, November 22, 2006
The 1999 and 2000 year model Honda Civic SiR tops the list of Canada’s most stolen cars.
Consumer popularity also assures the cars will be popular with thieves. Its the second year in a row the Honda SiR has topped the list.
Rick Dubin Vice President of Investigations for the Insurance Bureau of Canada said “The Civics are easy targets.”
Dubin said that once stolen, the cars are most often sold to “chop shops” where thieves completely dismantle the vehicles. The automobile’s individual parts are worth more than the entire car.
The sheer numbers of the cars and their lack of theft deterrent systems make them thieves’ preferred choices.
1999 and 2000 Honda Civics do not come with an electronic immobilizer, however all Hondas from 2001 and onward are equipped with an immobilizer. Immobilizers will be mandatory on all new cars sold beginning September 2007. The devices enable an engine computer to recognize an electronic code in the key. If the code in the key and the engine don’t match exactly, the vehicle can’t be started.
In third place was the 2004 Subaru Impreza, while the 1999 Acura Integra came in fourth, with the 1994 Honda Civic rounding out the top five.
In sixth place, the 1998 Acura Integra, and the 1993 Dodge Shadow completed seventh.
When asked why early model vehicles are selected, he said that, “auto thieves continue to find it easier to steal older vehicles lacking an IBC-approved immobilizer. We’ve seen this trend developing for several years, and these results confirm it.”
Another Honda automobile, the 1996 year model Civic filled eighth place, with the 2000 German Audi TT Quattro in ninth.
The American 1996 Chevrolet/GMC Blazer rounded out the top ten.
None of the above cars had an electronic immobilizer.
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Initial Review Of Gap Analysis In ISO 14001
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A fundamental concept of the ISO 14001 EMS Standard is continual improvement of environmental performance. Before you can plan for improvement, you must first determine the current state of the organization s environmental programs.
The initial review or gap analysis is, in itself, a microcosm of a well-organized approach to the entire ISO 14001 EMS development process. Each specification of the standard must be reviewed, including policy, legal requirements, training, objectives and targets, operational control systems, document control, auditing, management review, and corrective action.
The review should take into account the culture, products, marketing strategies, and other specifics of the organization. In all cases, consideration should be given to the full range of operating conditions, including possible incidents and emergency situations that may be encountered.
The ability of suppliers and subcontractors to comply with the Organization s EMS program and applicable regulatory requirements should also be evaluated. It is strongly recommended that the initial review consider energy use, financial accounting, and information systems so that these issues may be integrated into the EMS program.
To effectively begin the Initial Review, several things must happen. First, Management should issue a company-wide announcement of intent and endorsement. This should include estimates of the time required to complete the Initial Review, and time required to complete the entire project. Second, the project leader should be identified and vested with ample authority for completion of the project.
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The Initial Review is a review of all pertinent documents, from which an accurate plan is designed for the EMS Gap Analysis.
All information from the review, including deviation from regulatory requirements and adverse impacts on the environment, should be identified along with policies, programs, procedures, training and work instructions, and operational controls.
A portion of the project team should begin to assemble a registry of appropriate regulations identified during the Initial Review. All pertinent national, state, local and self-subscribed requirements should be assembled. They should be compared with identified environmental impacts.
An Initial Review is also important in ensuring that EMS design is compatible with all current organizational management structures and operations wherever possible. This is especially important where the EMS interfaces with the site s existing health and safety, accounting, computer systems, purchasing, energy utilization and other management programs. The focus will be to achieve operational efficiencies that ensure environmental improvements and maximize cost reductions.
Initial Review outputs will be:
An EMS Gap Analysis Design that details where existing environmental management procedures must be further investigated to determine conformance with the Standard.
A review of the site s overall environmental management strengths/weaknesses.
A schedule of events for the Gap Analysis.
The gap analysis allows for a quick but comprehensive assessment of the facility s existing environmental management practices and procedures, and compares them
with the requirements of the Standard. To perform the Gap Analysis, a standard template tailored for that specific purpose is used. The template is a questionnaire with a three way scoring system, which develops a final rating of the current programs of the site as they compare with the sections of the Standard. The score from this questionnaire and investigative template identifies which areas of the EMS might be enhanced to improve environmental performance and comply with the Standard.
Based on the results of the Gap Analysis, the project schedule and design may require modifications. Modification should precede further systems development. Using the results of the Gap Analysis, the EMS developmental process can now begin.
This may involve modifying existing procedures, adapting other business procedures such as those designed for health and safety, accounting, or risk management to environmental utilization. At certain points, new procedures will be required.
Prior to embarking on EMS development, always remember that the more flexible your EMS is, the easier it will be to implement and the more flexible it will be in the future.
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American football coach Lloyd Carr retires from Michigan
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007
University of Michigan Wolverines head coach Lloyd Carr, who had coached the college football program for thirteen years, announced his retirement from the coaching profession, effective after the Wolverines’ bowl game.
“Yesterday was one of the most emotional days of my life,” Carr said at his press conference, referring to when he informed his team of his retirement. “I’ve cried more tears than I knew I had. I’ve never laughed so hard in my life. There’s so many memories. It was a wonderful day.”
During his tenure at Michigan, Carr won five Big Ten Conference championships and a national championship in 1997. He had a disappointing 1-6 record vs. Jim Tressel’s Ohio State Buckeyes, though his overall record vs. Ohio State was 6-7. Carr’s last victory over Ohio State came in 2003. He amassed a 121-40 overall record while at Michigan and ranks seventh among active coaches with a 75.2 winning percentage.
There has been a lot of speculation, even before Carr’s retirement, regarding who would become the next Michigan head coach. Current Louisiana State University head coach Les Miles is viewed as the top candidate to replace Carr.
Observers see Les Miles as the front-runner despite his recent comments. “I want to stay just where I’m at,” Miles said. “I don’t want to think about it. Don’t want to envision it. I want to go forward and prepare.”
