There have been nine new publications added to the Forum and the first one can be found in the UAW national, regional and local specific topics portion. The article is a release from the Associated Press reporting a company that is hoping to buy General Motors Co.’s stamping plant in Indianapolis plans to brief workers on its contract proposal this Sunday.

Three new posts have been placed under the GM, Ford and Chrysler tab. The first article comes from the Detroit News Washington Bureau. It tells that Ford Motor Co. is recalling 462,750 1998-2003 Ford Windstar minivans over concerns that rear axles could corrode and fail. The second article is a release from the Associated Press stating that a historic Ford Motor Co. plant that churned out millions of Model Ts could be opened up for tours and host a visitor’s center for Detroit-area auto tourism under plans by a community development group. The third article, also from the Associated Press, reports that Ford Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. are investing $350M in their joint venture plant in Thailand to revamp production of pickup trucks.

One new post has made it into Hodgepodge. The article comes from the Wheels section of the New York Times. It reveals that in a plume of salt crystals, students from Ohio State University’s Center for Auto Research watched their electric-powered racer make history. The Buckeye Bullet 2.5 averaged 307.7mph in back-to-back runs on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats, obliterating the previous record of 245.5mph set in 1999.

TGIF: This means that it time for this week’s edition of bcb monitor meds. We post articles like these in hope that there will be some little piece of information that that will catch your eye and help make your retirement years healthier, happier and longer. There have been three new posts placed in Medical, Dental and Vision. The first article comes from an AARP Health Bulletin. It reports that results from three large-scale studies, including one study presented at the Alzheimer’s Association 2010 International Conference in Hawaii, add to the evidence that drinking moderate amounts of coffee and tea may be good for your health. I don’t drink as much coffee now that I am retired, but I still love it with my morning newspaper. The second article, also an AARP Health Bulletin, states that with the blazing sun in full force this summer, shielding your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays with sunglasses is essential for protecting against cataracts and other eye problems in older Americans. Even though I am retired, I don’t consider myself to be “older”. But I have been diagnosed with early onset Macular Degeneration of the eyes and have been told that it is a must for me to wear sunglasses, with proper UV protection, at all times when out in the sun. The third article came to me from my best friend’s wife, who has been a nurse for at least 30 years. It tells of the signs to look for if you suspect that someone may have had a stroke. It tells what to look for and what questions to ask and that there is one new sign to look for, the tongue.  Our philosophy at Blue Collar Benefit Monitor is that true health care reform must start at home through maintaining a healthy diet, getting plenty of exercise, keeping regular medical, dental and vision checkups and by quitting smoking.

One new post has been added to the Opinion category. The article comes from the Smart Money Magazine. It tells of companies with defined pension plans and ones with 401k plans. With most of the public in awe of retirees with pension plans, those who hold them are quietly becoming casualties of the tough economy. This article can also be found in the Pension and VEBA news section.

We at Blue Collar Benefit Monitor hope that all of you have a great weekend and as always, we truly thank you for your continued support.