The following is an entry from my guestbook that I thought was something everyone should know about. Maybe we should all start drinking Pepsi and Arrowhead. I hope that this reached as many eyes as possible. The link to the website and story is on the bottom of this page. Please visit Dan and show your support......and please forward this to everyone you know.

Thank You.......Ellie

CATS & PINK CADILLACS

Record 162
Name: Dan Judd
Website: Mother and Babies saved, Jobs and Business lost
Referred by: Just Surfed On In
From: Pryor, OK
Time: 1999-01-06 22:22:22

Comments: 6 January, 1999 On January 23rd, 1998, a VERY pregnant female cat was trying to avoid stray dogs and survive in the fields near my home. She had obviously been someone's pet, as it was easy to convince her to come in my house. My cat unfortunately made her very nervous, so I took her into my office where she could have her kittens in peace and safety. She did so on February 1st.

Unfortunately for her and her babies, a water cooler made by Oasis Manufacturing and owned by Coca-Cola Bottling started a fire in the adjoining business five days later. I came down to the building while the fire was spreading rapidly through our office, ran inside and rescued her and all the kittens. On February 11th, 1998, an article about the "rescue" appeared in the Pryor(OK) Daily Times. A link to that article appears below. Being somewhat famous, the cat and kittens were very easy to find good homes for. A couple of local guys even made sure they got "fixed" so this wouldn't be a recurring thing.

The mother and her babies all survive and prosper to this day. However, the fire literally destroyed the company's computers, test equipment, and our remaining parts inventory. This, of course, made it virtually impossible for us to continue to produce our product. I was forced to move EPD to a temporary building while this one was being repaired, all the time believing the tales told me by lawyers for Oasis and Coca-Cola that, "They were investigating" and would soon "get back to me."

In ten months time, this has not happened, and I don't expect anything other than more lies and evasions until Oasis and Coca-Cola are given some incentive to fullfill their responsibilities. Since February we have made over 400 calls at our expense, to attorneys and officials for Oasis and Coca-Cola, with no results, other than a pack of lies dressed up as advice to "be patient," while they "investigate." I have borrowed on my home and personal name to be able to keep my few co-workers here. I have been lied to, threatened and harassed repeatedly because I would not "shut up" about these arrogant corporate giants destroying our little business and our jobs as a direct result of these companies' greed.

Since my co-workers, the landlord and the utility company, among others, can't accept "be patient" in lieu of payment, EPD will be forced to layoff its remaining employee on January 28th, 1999. It is amazing to me that these dishonorable corporations and officials actually expect me to "be patient" while I'm preparing to lock the door for the last time. Please take just a few minutes and read this newspaper article in it's entirety. Then please let Oasis Manufacturing, Coca-Cola Bottling, and their minions know what you think of this behavior. I fully expect Oasis and Coca-Cola to retaliate rather than meeting their financial obligations, even going so far as to sabotage my web site. If this site is innaccesible, please let me know, and I will certainly be glad to send the article and details via e-mail.
danjudd@sstelco.com
(link to entire story below).
These people can't seem to comprehend that all we need is the replacement of what they destroyed. Nothing more, nothing less. Perhaps your input will help them understand that. Weird thing about this was that, when I was grabbing those kittens, waiting for stuff from the ceiling to fall in on me, I couldn't actually see them, but I KNEW there were only 6 of them, and I had grabbed seven! For some reason, that struck me as odd, until I realized the mother would certainly be happier with seven than five. :) I never did figure out what the seventh one was. Some kind of dust-covered crud, I guess.

After all that has happened, I realize now that if I'd recovered our computer backup tapes and saved our company instead, those kittens would have surely died. However, Oasis and Coca-Cola would not have been responsible for them either. Oasis is still making water coolers, Coca-Cola is still selling sodapop, fast food and pet food, but everything here is gone. Even if Oasis and Coca-Cola continue to evade responsibility, I will still be proud all that was lost was my hat and our company, and not that mother and her babies. The obvious solution is to "sue their pants off." Unfortunately, we simply do not the time and resources to fight a lengthy battle with Oasis and Coca-Cola. If you would take a little more time and distribute this letter to whomever you feel appropriate, it may help us save our jobs. Not everything goes better with Coke. Or Oasis.

Thank You,
Dan Judd
Electronic Product Development, Inc.

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