Here is the Rigid story.

[Maverick]

Emerson Professional Tools & One World Technologies to Partner on RIDGID? Power Tool Line Agreement to Build On 80 Years of RIDGID Brand Heritage ST. LOUIS, MO, July 1, 2003 ? Emerson Professional Tools, a business of Emerson (NYSE: EMR), today announced efforts to enhance the manufacturing and marketing of Emerson?s RIDGID? brand bench top and stationary woodworking power tool products. Under the agreement, One World Technologies (OWT), a wholly owned subsidiary of TechTronic Industries Company Limited (TTI) (HKEx stock code 669; ADR symbol TTNDY), will supply these RIDGID? brand tools, leveraging the strengths from each organization in engineering and quality manufacturing. The tools will be built to meet the high standards established by Emerson that customers have come to expect from the RIDGID brand name ? hallmarks such as reliability, durability, best-in-class manufacturing, industry-leading design and professional quality. ?This new partnership and business model will further enhance an innovative line of power tools that already has the respect of end users everywhere,? said Pat Sly, Emerson executive vice president and Emerson Professional Tools business leader. ?RIDGID tools have long been recognized as superior products within the industry, and this agreement will strengthen that position.? The Home Depot is and will remain the exclusive hardware home center retailer of RIDGID bench and stationary woodworking power tools, as well as wet/dry vacs, hand tools, pumps and plumbing/pipefitting tools. With a well-established reputation in the power tool industry, OWT will leverage its record of innovation, product development and leading capabilities in manufacturing logistics and distribution. Strict adherence to RIDGID quality standards will be maintained as the companies transition production. ?This is quite an honor for One World Technologies to manufacture these bench top and stationary tools,? said Bob Freitag, Executive Vice President of OWT. ?In fact, the new line will include improved features and benefits consistent with RIDGID?s reputation for meeting and exceeding the needs of professional contractors. This is a win-win for all parties, and we?re excited to help ensure that the RIDGID brand continues to be a success for The Home Depot,? Freitag continued. Tool users can expect the new line of bench top and stationary power tools from the partnership to begin appearing in The Home Depot stores this August. Emerson will continue support the full RIDGID line and will remain a significant manufacturer of RIDGID wet/dry vacuums, hand tools, and other products for The Home Depot. The new partnership also impacts technical and after-sales service for the bench top and stationary woodworking power tools. RIDGID has always enjoyed an excellent reputation for service, and this agreement will expand and improve performance in that area. New services include nationwide two-day UPS part service for faster turn-around, triple the number of available local service centers, and a dedicated, full-time staff to answer technical woodworking tool-related questions. As always, customers can call 1-800-4-RIDGID (1-800-474-3443) to speak with a RIDGID technical representative and obtain service part ordering information or visit

An additional tool free number,

1-866-539-1710, is also available to further facilitate customer inquiries. Emerson Professional Tools brings together technology and engineering to design and produce some of the highest quality tools and equipment in the world. From wet/dry vacs to the industry?s best-selling pipe diagnostic system, key brands include RIDGID, Knaack, and Weatherguard. Emerson Professional Tools is a business of St. Louis-based Emerson a global leader in providing innovative solutions to customers in electronics and telecommunications; process control; industrial automation; heating, ventilating and air conditioning; and appliance and tools. Sales in fiscal 2002 were $13.8 billion. Founded in 1985, TTI is one of the largest and fastest growing manufacturers of professional and do-it-yourself home improvement products. The company manufactures power tools, gas and cordless outdoor power equipment and floor care products such as vacuums and deep cleaning extractors. The products manufactured by TTI are sold under its own industry leading brands and under other internationally recognizable brand names under an OEM basis. The company employs over 12,000 employees worldwide. The company has enjoyed continuous growth since its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1990, achieving double-digit growth for the past eight years.

[Maverick]

Emerson Professional Tools & One World Technologies to Partner on RIDGID? Power Tool Line Agreement to Build On 80 Years of RIDGID Brand Heritage ST. LOUIS, MO, July 1, 2003 ? Emerson Professional Tools, a business of Emerson (NYSE: EMR), today announced efforts to enhance the manufacturing and marketing of Emerson?s RIDGID? brand bench top and stationary woodworking power tool products. Under the agreement, One World Technologies (OWT), a wholly owned subsidiary of TechTronic Industries Company Limited (TTI) (HKEx stock code 669; ADR symbol TTNDY), will supply these RIDGID? brand tools, leveraging the strengths from each organization in engineering and quality manufacturing. The tools will be built to meet the high standards established by Emerson that customers have come to expect from the RIDGID brand name ? hallmarks such as reliability, durability, best-in-class manufacturing, industry-leading design and professional quality. ?This new partnership and business model will further enhance an innovative line of power tools that already has the respect of end users everywhere,? said Pat Sly, Emerson executive vice president and Emerson Professional Tools business leader. ?RIDGID tools have long been recognized as superior products within the industry, and this agreement will strengthen that position.? The Home Depot is and will remain the exclusive hardware home center retailer of RIDGID bench and stationary woodworking power tools, as well as wet/dry vacs, hand tools, pumps and plumbing/pipefitting tools. With a well-established reputation in the power tool industry, OWT will leverage its record of innovation, product development and leading capabilities in manufacturing logistics and distribution. Strict adherence to RIDGID quality standards will be maintained as the companies transition production. ?This is quite an honor for One World Technologies to manufacture these bench top and stationary tools,? said Bob Freitag, Executive Vice President of OWT. ?In fact, the new line will include improved features and benefits consistent with RIDGID?s reputation for meeting and exceeding the needs of professional contractors. This is a win-win for all parties, and we?re excited to help ensure that the RIDGID brand continues to be a success for The Home Depot,? Freitag continued. Tool users can expect the new line of bench top and stationary power tools from the partnership to begin appearing in The Home Depot stores this August. Emerson will continue support the full RIDGID line and will remain a significant manufacturer of RIDGID wet/dry vacuums, hand tools, and other products for The Home Depot. The new partnership also impacts technical and after-sales service for the bench top and stationary woodworking power tools. RIDGID has always enjoyed an excellent reputation for service, and this agreement will expand and improve performance in that area. New services include nationwide two-day UPS part service for faster turn-around, triple the number of available local service centers, and a dedicated, full-time staff to answer technical woodworking tool-related questions. As always, customers can call 1-800-4-RIDGID (1-800-474-3443) to speak with a RIDGID technical representative and obtain service part ordering information or visit

An additional tool free number,

1-866-539-1710, is also available to further facilitate customer inquiries. Emerson Professional Tools brings together technology and engineering to design and produce some of the highest quality tools and equipment in the world. From wet/dry vacs to the industry?s best-selling pipe diagnostic system, key brands include RIDGID, Knaack, and Weatherguard. Emerson Professional Tools is a business of St. Louis-based Emerson a global leader in providing innovative solutions to customers in electronics and telecommunications; process control; industrial automation; heating, ventilating and air conditioning; and appliance and tools. Sales in fiscal 2002 were $13.8 billion. Founded in 1985, TTI is one of the largest and fastest growing manufacturers of professional and do-it-yourself home improvement products. The company manufactures power tools, gas and cordless outdoor power equipment and floor care products such as vacuums and deep cleaning extractors. The products manufactured by TTI are sold under its own industry leading brands and under other internationally recognizable brand names under an OEM basis. The company employs over 12,000 employees worldwide. The company has enjoyed continuous growth since its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1990, achieving double-digit growth for the past eight years.

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[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

The name on my table saw and drill press both say "RIDGID"; not "RIGID. I hate to be the Spelling Police but enough is enough.

[Maverick]

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Why didn't you say so? Happy New Year!

[Maverick]

Same to you. Have a good un.

[Dave Balderstone]

The piano has been drinking, my necktie is asleep And the combo went back to new york, the jukebox has to take a leak And the carpet needs a haircut, and the spotlight looks like a prison break And the telephoneÕs out of cigarettes, and the balcony is on the make And the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking...

And the menus are all freezing, and the light manÕs blind in one eye And he canÕt see out of the other And the piano-tunerÕs got a hearing aid, and he showed up with his mother And the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking As the bouncer is a sumo wrestler cream-puff casper milktoast And the owner is a mental midget with the i.q. of a fence post Õcause the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking...

And you canÕt find your waitress with a geiger counter And she hates you and your friends and you just canÕt get served without her And the box-office is drooling, and the bar stools are on fire And the newspapers were fooling, and the ash-trays have retired Õcause the piano has been drinking, the piano has been drinking The piano has been drinking, not me, not me, not me, not me, not me

-- "The Piano Has Been Drinking", Tom Waits

[Gerald Ross]

I'd love to hear that one. I like his version of Waltzing=20 Matilda.

--=20 Gerald Ross Cochran, GA

Everyone must row with the oars he has.

[Dave Balderstone]

It's on "Small Change". A quick search at mp3.com turnas up but the server isn't responding at the moment.

[Unisaw A100]

I believe it went, "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy". It certainly trips off the tongue better.

It was Waits and I heard him say it on Fernwood Tonight.

UA100