Long Beach Defense Work Bulks Up Boeing's 3rd Quarter Profit

This was last week, at Long Beach Press-Telegram, "Boeing's 3rd quarter profit tops $1 billion."

Boeing reported a $1.1 billion quarterly profit on Wednesday that beat expectations because of strong growth in its defense business.

The company's passenger jet profit grew more slowly and manufacturing problems have forced it to cut its forecast for deliveries of its two newest jets.

A large share of Boeing's defense work is done in Long Beach and surrounding communities, including production of the C-17 Globemaster cargo jet, satellite research and development in Seal Beach, and engineering and other work in Huntington Beach.

Boeing also maintains a large defense workforce in El Segundo, where crews operate the world's largest satellite manufacturing facility, said Paula Shawa, Boeing's regional spokesperson.

Photo: "Long Beach Boeing C-17 Tour."

Alleged Sexual Assault Reported at Long Beach City College

LBCC President Eloy Oakley sent out a campus-wide notice last night, and the story's hit the local press. See Long Beach Press-Telegram, "Student allegedly assaulted in Long Beach City College restroom":

LONG BEACH - Detectives searched today for a man who followed a student into a restroom at Long Beach City College and assaulted her, police said.

Check both links for further details

Louis M. Cruz, Former LBCC Construction Manager, Convicted, Served Time in Texas for Felony Conspiracy to Commit Bribery

The Los Angeles Times reports on my college, "Former building projects manager at Long Beach City College served time for job-related bribery in Texas."

Officials at Long Beach City College say they do not screen employees of private contractors, such as Cordoba and Gateway.

"We don't want to get into the business of trying to intervene in their hiring decisions," said college president Eloy Oakley. He added, however, that the college's lawyers were looking into whether contractors could be required to conduct background checks on employees assigned to the school.

Oakley said he had no indication that Cruz engaged in any misconduct at the campus. Officials of the L.A. college district said there were no problems with Cruz's performance at Mission College.

Pretty interesting. And note this:

At Long Beach City College, Cruz oversaw construction of a new fitness center, an academic building and other projects.

That "academic building" would be the South Quad Complex:

Yo, Janice Hahn 'Got Me Out'!

From Robert Stacy McCain, "CA-36: Democrats Threaten Legal Action Against Controversial Ad," and "Ladd’s Ad Gets Results." And from Turn Right USA, "Our Response to the LACDP Attorneys."

Democrats are sweating bullets and progressives are escalating allegations of racism.

They're freaking now that the NATIONAL REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE is involved with a new webpage, "Hahn Got Me Out."

And somebody's making death threats, according to Da Tech Guy, "CA-36 Are apparent death threats more offensive than a viral video?"

And in the news, at L.A. Weekly, "Republicans Launch Fresh Attack On Janice Hahn Over Gang Workers."

Meanwhile, Fox 11 Los Angeles stands by its reporting.

Yo, Hahn got me out!

Added: Cool. Linked by AoSHQ, "Special Election in California District 36: Craig Huey Vs. Gangster Moll Janice Hahn." Thanks!

Facebook Revolution: The Democratization of Egypt and Changes in the Middle East

A panel discussion at my college today:

The college may upload the talk to YouTube, and if so I'll post it here.

Long Beach Boeing C-17 Tour

I have a good friend who's a Manufacturing Operations Analyst at Boeing's Long Beach C-17 production facility. He's been with Boeing for years, and he's also a longtime reader of American Power. He invited me for a tour of the plant, and I took him up on the offer yesterday.

I had a great time and learned a lot. Mostly, though, I feel privileged to have had the opportunity. The production crew modeled extreme professionalism, and the plant itself was even more impressive than I'd imagined. Thinking about it, it's almost impossible to consider the end of this place. Here is the apex of American manufacturing capabilities, but history's moving toward a new era, which may not include Southern California combat aerospace. My host indicated that there may be a longer life for the plant than indicated by the more ominous press reports (recall, "The End is Near for Southern California's Conventional Aircraft Manufacturing"), but the Pentagon side of things is definitely winding down.



Here I am at the start of the tour, standing in front of a scale-model layout of the entire facility. Notice that I'm wearing a visitor's identification badge. It was almost like being at a military installation, and the security procedures were first class:

And here's the huge promotional poster next to the entrance there:

Here's some information from the company's homepage:

C-17 Globemaster III -- The C-17 is the world's premier heavy-airlift aircraft and has proven itself as a versatile strategic and theater airlifter in every recent worldwide operation, from Operation Iraqi Freedom to humanitarian relief missions. Worldwide, there are currently a total of 209 C-17s in service. Boeing is under contract with the U.S. Air Force to design, build and deliver 213 C-17s through July 2011. Boeing has delivered 202 aircraft to the Air Force as of September 2010.

My host took me through each production area for every phase of the manufacturing process. It takes about six months for the construction of each finished aircraft. Each unit contains well over a million individual components, including everything from wiring and insulation, from cargo fasteners to jet engines, to the aviation cockpit equipment. It's pretty awesome.

There's a delivery condominium at the south end of the plant. This is where customers will come to take ownership of the aircraft. This suite featured a meeting room setup, with a television monitor here, and along the walls pictures of previous delivery ceremonies:

Then back outside we were able to tour a brand new C-17, on the tarmac and ready for delivery to Charleston. No pictures allowed inside the plane, but on the way back we took this lovely shot:

Again, it was quite a privilege to be afforded this tour, and I thank my host for his friendship and hospitality.



More information a Boeing's Globemaster page here.

Gunman Kills Clerk at Long Beach Liquor Store

This is just three blocks from my college's downtown campus.

And at Long Beach Post, "VIDEO: Long Beach Police Release Chilling Footage Of Deadly Gunpoint Robbery."

Long Beach Police have released chilling photos and surveillance video of the two male suspects who robbed, shot and killed the clerk of a convenience store at 4th and Cherry on Saturday evening.

The images show two Hispanic males in their late 20's or early 30's using a chrome revolver and holding 53-year old Sor Phouam at gunpoint. Only a small portion of the incident is available in the video, but authorities are calling for the community's help in identifying and finding both suspects.

One bystander attempted to leave the store when he saw the robbery but was stopped by the armed suspect. Detectives are asking the bystander to come forward because he may have information about the murder suspects.

The suspects fled east on Cherry Avenue after killing Phouam.

Updates at the link, as well as LBPD tip line contact info.

I'm wondering what Phouam could have done differently. He continues to serve the bystander, and his waving hand motions don't reflect the response of someone taking the gunman's threat very seriously.