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Message |
Mark & Michele (Busnut_pd4106)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 8:26 am: | |
Radiation-proof" coach offered in America
Thu Jan 13, 4:42 AM ET
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Two private U.S. companies have designs on building the first luxury recreational vehicle that could withstand nuclear radiation.
Parliament Coach, a privately held company in Clearwater, Florida, which converts Prevost buses into high-end RVs, has partnered with Homeland Defense Vehicles to offer consumers a luxury motor coach that can protect occupants against nuclear radiation from dirty bombs as well as biological and chemical attacks.
The idea is to offer the option on the pricey vehicles to consumers worried about terror attacks, officials for both companies said Tuesday.
"Many people enjoy the RV lifestyle, but we also live in an era when people have some level of fear about terrorism," Parliament Chief Executive Harvey Mitchell said in a statement. "These concerns about terrorism are linked to states where people with RVs like to travel."
The vehicles, costing from $1.2 million to $2 million (640,000 pounds to 1 million pounds), were due to be introduced on Wednesday at the Tampa Super RV Show in Florida.
Parliament takes the Prevost buses, which are like transit buses without seats, and adds a luxury interior that sleeps from two to four people, while also providing such amenities as a satellite navigation system and plasma televisions.
The RVs run from $1.1 million to $1.9 million, including a trailer, Parliament said. The filtration system, which uses positive air pressure, will be an option costing about $100,000, added Parliament, which builds 12 high-end RVs a year.
Occupants could live for several days in the custom-built motor coach, said Daniel Ayres, president and CEO of Homeland Defense, a privately held company based in Newton, Texas, which makes mobile medical and command centre vehicles for universities, county and state governments, and the U.S. Department of Defence.
Last week, Homeland Defense introduced a similar filtration system for the luxury version of the Medium Tactical Vehicle used by the U.S. Army and built by Stewart & Stevenson Services.
The vehicle, dubbed "Bad Boy Heavy Muscle Truck," weighs more than 13,000 pounds, is 10 feet high and 21 feet long, and has a ground clearance of almost 2 feet. Homeland Defense hopes to sell 50 of the Bad Boy HMTs this year at prices as high as $750,000. |
Jim in California
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 10:00 am: | |
Yes, but does that price include interior decoration fit for a Las Vegas whorehouse? |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 12:12 pm: | |
New spin on the '50's bomb shelter, and complete w/an upgraded price tag. Your tax $$$$$$$$$$ at work! You might know, the big funnel, otherwise known as Dept. of Homeland Security, is leading the way in "growing the economy". Is it any wonder we have no money for PELL grants that we might better educate our population. |
t gojenola
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 1:12 pm: | |
It never stops! Governor of Alaska would like to have a nice lear jet or something similar to flit about the country, so has applied for "Homeland Security" funding to buy one, with the stipulation that it would provide multiple uses including those asssociated with terror alerts. His justification in the application is not for an aircraft, but for a "Rapid Deployment Platform."
My new Honda Element may soon sport a designer plate that reads "MY RDP"
tg |
truthhunter@shaw.ca
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 2:13 pm: | |
Not to familar about your tax right-off system down their, but could this eventualy mean a new way for a bussiness owner to have a Luxury Motorcoach (for company use only-of course) as a bussiness rightoff under the pretext of emergency prepareness equipment, like a standby generator or a fireextingisher. Perhaps even have the a rebate to pay for this (have the taxpayer buy you a coach and then right it of on your taxes, better than just livng tax free) My translation of most new tax measures/government spending tend to be a little synical. Up here it seems the corparate enties are able to enjoy a new level of welfare, not just live tax free. Just trying to understand, not bothering to judge! |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 3:27 pm: | |
Corporate life down here is no different than up there. They can already write-off the investment in a new luxury coach. At the same time our dear govt. is considering "limiting" the write off to the common folk for home mortgage interest, about the last dodge the poor folk had left. "Of the people, by the people, for the people"--biggest line of bs going. |
Jim in California
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 3:34 pm: | |
Even the Berkeley City Council now has their own high-end bus conversion!
http://tinyurl.com/6ybx7 |
niles steckbauer (Niles500)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 3:54 pm: | |
Where do we get one of those RDP applications????? - if you can't beat 'em join 'em - Niles |
Merlin Moon (Mrmerlin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 4:02 pm: | |
"Even the Berkeley City Council now has their own high-end bus conversion!
http://tinyurl.com/6ybx7"
Holy smokes !! That's where her bus went. I dated a girl in college with a bus like that. Even has her name on the bumper, "Ms Ho" |
david anderson (Davidanderson)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 8:00 pm: | |
Wow, I wonder if that bus has ever been turned away for entry into an RV park?
It looks like it could be a time machine from the "Back to the Future" movie.
David |
truthhunter@shaw.ca
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 8:46 pm: | |
Someone said
"Where do we get one of those RDP applications????? - if you can't beat 'em join 'em"
Agreed
That is about all that is left, no stopin things so you might just get behind and push. Just maybe then you will influence the way it all falls over! |
James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, January 20, 2005 - 9:37 pm: | |
Trouble with gettin' behind and pushin' is when the damn thing takes off you fall on your face. |
Marc Bourget
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 21, 2005 - 6:38 am: | |
Naw, James
Bet that thing gets 14 MPG! LOL
As long as a guy smokin' the current "chemical batch" is on the bumper, in front of the Air Cleaner intake.
Onward and ??Upward?? |
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