Counterfeits

It should be fairly well known that in our affluent society there are many counterfeit products on the market such as designer jeans, wristwatches, toys and tapes. Still we choose to purchase these illegal items because of price or prestige in the “name brand” label.

Now a government agency functions to investigate these violations and, if the counterfeiters are caught, large fines and imprisonment are imposed. This is as it should be. The above products are not life-threatening, and many consumers will say, “So what?” However, the agency reports that a contractor supplied defective engines for GM products and that high-strength bolts for wing-to-fuselage attachment on Boeing 747s have been found to be of low strength and counterfeit.

As a traveler in both modes of transportation I would like to hear a word from GM and Boeing that quality control inspectors discard such items. Let us hope none of these counterfeits are in our cars or in the aircraft we fly. This is serious and life-threatening.

R. CHRISTENSEN San Pedro