Posted on 09/30/2004 5:15:07 PM PDT by Republican Extremist
Use a Gerber multi-tool myself .Made by Gerber legendary blades,makers of some the finest fighting & work knives around.
Same here. I originally bought it over the Leatherman because I can get it out and get the pliers deployed one-handed.
The BuckLite Tool can also be opened with one hand, if you "twirl" it like a Balisong knife. The company included a small printed statement in the package which espoused Christian beliefs, IIRC. Anyone know if Buck continues to do that?
The Gerber opens with a simple flick of the wrist. "Twirling" may look neat, but when you're wedged into a tight wiring closet, or laying on a floorboard with your feet on the seatback and one arm buried up the the elbow behind a dash panel, simplicity rocks.
Dear Sir or Madam:
I assure you I have personally read your e-mail. However, due to the volume of messages received, I cannot give a personalized response to each to you.
However, here in a nutshell is a general response:
Because I publicly stated how I am going to cast my vote, almost all of you have threatened a boycott against my company.
So be it.
I took a position, and now I will accept the consequences.
I am still going to do my absolute best to make great tools and hope that you and all Americans, of every political affiliation, will find them of value. If not today, someday.
Tim Leatherman
President
Leatherman Tool Group, Inc.
------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Kerry / Edwards
To Whom it May Concern:
I just read that the Leatherman Co. and it's owner is supporting Kerry / Edwards in this years election.
You just lost a customer....and I will be very vocal in letting my friends and family members know where you stand.
You are certainly free to spend your money however you see fit.........And so am I.
Sincerely,
Osage Orange
I quit buying Levis b/c of their anti-american/anti-gun stance. They feel it everytime I go shopping.
So when everything is inside a national park/monument/refuge/wilderness area and nobody can get to it, how many products will be needed by your customer base. Cascade designs makes great products and a crappy company to work for. A few of their employees took part in the fleecing of the NW taxpayers when the Kingdome roof repair ballooned from 6 million to 60 million dollars by pretending to work at supervisory jobs while really working at Cascade Designs.
Phone: (503) 253-7826 Toll Free: (800) 847-8665 Fax: (503) 253-7830
Too bad.
Modernizing the sale of mineral rights? More details please.
I used to own several Leathermans. I finally realized I didn't use all those things and switched to Benchmade knives - still my favorite brand of knives. Also switched because the Leatherman didn't hold a decent edge.
Didn't like Gerber - had used some years ago and thought them poorly made. Bought a knife about 4 months ago because it was on sale - liked it so much I bought another Gerber knife last month. Much better than I remember them - not as good as Benchmade, but a great value for the price!
Haven't used Gerber multi-tools, but if they are on par with their new knives then they would be well worth checking out.
I am glad I did not see Buck Knives on the list of Kerry supporters.
I know what John Kerry is. I also know that birds of a feather flock together. So, knowing they support John Kerry tells me all I need to know about them.
Like I wrote The CEO of Home Depot regarding their suport of CBS and Dan Rather:
Your support of proven liars reflects on you. I must do business with individuals that I can trust their word. You continue to support of CBS and Dan Rather tells me that you and them share the same values, therefore, I wil do no more business with your company.
Oh, really? I wonder why MOST of these people who are endorsing the two Johns are on their board?
Lee Fromson, president of Seattle-based Cascade Designs and The Outdoor Industry Association board president.
Outdoor Industry Upset By Bush Environmental Policies
Expressing growing opposition to President Bush's environmental policies, leading executives of over 30 major outdoor equipment manufacturers and retailers released a letter last week condemning Bush's rollback of America's public health and environmental laws.
At almost the same time, a growing number of elected officials from communities with strong outdoor-oriented economies have begun speaking out against the administration's assault on public lands and the environment.
In a letter delivered at a press event in Oregon City, OR, leaders of companies such as Columbia Sportswear, Cascade Designs and Vibram warned that "President Bush has promoted policies that...endanger the future sustainability of our national parks." [1]
"We are here today because the Great American Outdoors is in serious jeopardy and if we fail at protecting the outdoors then our businesses will fail, our health will fail and we will leave future generations with air they can't breathe and water they can't drink," said Lee Fromson, president of Seattle-based Cascade Designs, Inc., a leading manufacturer of outdoor equipment.
"Protecting our parks and open space is essential to the health of my business, the outdoor industry at large and to the many states whose economies depend upon tourism and recreation, not to mention the millions upon millions of Americans who enjoy the Great American Outdoors each year," added Peter Bragdon, vice president and general counsel of Columbia Sportswear. [2]
Industry leaders decried the impacts of every component of Bush's environmental agenda. They cited the weakening the Clean Air Act, the elimination of protections for public lands such as the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, and severe budget cuts to the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The outdoor industry has become a major player in the national economy in recent years, generating over $18 billion in direct annual revenue and billions more through related tourism, travel, lodging, and other economic activity.
States with large expanses of public lands and forests are enjoying the benefits of the surge in outdoor sports and recreation. A recent study by the Sonoran Institute found that western communities with the highest proportion of protected public lands also enjoy the most diverse economies, greatest job and income growth and best standards of living in the region. [3]
Because of this, the Bush administration's weakening of public lands protection in the West has brought about an angry backlash from elected officials in areas close to these lands. Efforts to open roadless areas of national forests in Colorado to oil and gas drilling have upset local governments, who say the administration is ignoring their pleas to protect public lands.
The oil and gas industries, working through its former employees who now occupy top posts in the administration, have sought permission to drill in the HD Mountains and Thompson Creek roadless areas in the southern and western parts of Colorado. Local communities, whose economies no longer rely on extractive industries, are opposing the move.
In a recent exchange with Forest Service officials at a public hearing, James Harrmann, mayor of the southern Colorado town of Bayfield, asked why the Forest Service was ignoring the concerns of local governments. He ended by quipping, "What do I have to do, run for Congress?"
OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
4909 Pearl East Circle, Suite 200
Boulder, CO 80301
Tel: 303.444.3353
Fax: 303.444.3284
info@outdoorindustry.org
Mountain Gear
N. 730 Hamilton
Spokane, WA 99202
Customer Service:
800 #: 800.829.2009
Phone Number: 509.326.8180
International: 509.444.3341
Fax: 509.325.3030
E-mail Address: info@Mgear.com
Oh crap! Time to get my Doug Ritter custom knife instead!
Columbia Sportswear
United States Residence:
# For general questions please call 503-985-4000
# For warranty issues please call 800-547-8066
Peter J. Bragdon – Vice President/General Counsel and Secretary
Mr. Bragdon became Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company in July 2004. Previously, from 1999 to January 2003, he served as Senior Counsel and Director of Intellectual Property for the Company. Mr. Bragdon served as Chief of Staff in the Oregon Governor's office from January 2003 through June 2004. Before joining Columbia, from 1993 to 1999, Mr. Bragdon was an attorney in the corporate securities and finance group at Stoel Rives LLP.
FWIW, the response to my letter to Columbia said that there are other executives of the company that support President Bush. Said that the president of Columbia Sportswear (Timothy Boyle) has publicly and financially supported President Bush. I checked on Opensecrets to confirm the financial part. It shows a $2,000 contribution to Bush this year. (BTW, he contributed $1,000 to Gore for the last election.)
Columbia says that they will not as a company endorse a candidate.
Make of it what you will, I guess. Columbia should have made sure that their executives are not using the company's name to promote a candidate. Maybe they'll learn from this. Their stance is definitely different than the one taken by Leatherman.
As for me... right now I'm undecided about buying from Columbia again. The Columbia brandname has now been associated with trying to defeat President Bush, and you can't unfry an egg.
I need a new one since my Uncle Henry was confiscated when I tried to carry it on to an ONT==>ATL flight. Oops...
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