Cash for Clunkers. Clunker of an Idea?

I'm sure if you've watched TV you've seen the "Cash for Clunkers" commercials for every Ford, Chevy, and Dodge dealership in your area. While the idea may seem pretty good, there's other factors that I don't see as a benefit to the program, or that it will even boost the sale of new cars.

For one example, my grandparents have a 1994 Dodge pick up. My grandparents recently purchased a new Ford Focus when they traded in their large Lincoln Town Car. Papa needed a smaller car due to the fact he's older and honestly shouldn't be driving in my opinion. I suggested a smaller car would be better. So now they have the Focus and the pick up. The Cash for Clunkers would work for my grandparents for their truck, but my grandparents already bought their small fuel efficient car. My grandpa is the only one that drives, so to buy another small car would be pointless.

Example two. My mom has a 1996 Crown Victoria that she has refused to get rid off. She has a brand new Lincoln Town Car that my dad bought for her birthday last year. My sister and I both have small sedan cars. My dad has a truck. If my parents were to trade in the 1996 Vic, why would we need another car? I told my dad that the 2010 Camaro was on the list for purchase, we considered the trade till my mom said no. So, my parents are keeping Old Vicky instead of bringing home a shiny new Camaro to go next to my Camaro. :( Grr.

Then there is example three. The person that drives a clunker bought the clunker at a cheap price. Clunkers or nicely termed, "Late Models" are cheaper. If a person who drives a late model bought a late model for a couple thousand dollars from a newspaper ad or Larry's Auto Mart, then how can they afford a brand NEW car?

People driving 2001 models and up aren't driving around in clunkers, they're decent body styles now. My sister's car is an 01 Grand Am that looks practically new (minus the few scraps I added when I hit a concrete cylinder in a parking lot). People that drive newer cars have a higher sell back rate than $4,500. If my parents wanted to buy a 2010 Camaro, they don't need an incentive to get rid of their old car to buy one, they have the means to do it.

A person who has enough money to buy a $20,000 car will buy a brand NEW car. I person in a lower income level who is strapped for cash wouldn't even begin to look at NEW cars. $4,500 for a car that is worth $2,000 is a nice offer. But that's only $4,500 off a car that is marked up in sticker price higher for $15,000-$20,000 when you originally could only pay $2,000.

It just doesn't work out.

Whether or not the "Cash for Clunkers" program works to "save" the American auto industry, I doubt the outcomes will be high.

Are you or anyone you know going to trade in your old car for a brand NEW car based on this "sweet, once in a lifetime" offer? Or are you sticking to your cheap, paid for, reliable A to B car?

Every Kid Needs A Hobby

I screwed up in life. Lemonade stand? Oh Steph, seriously, how lame!

I could have made more profit as a kid to go towards Pogs, Barbies, and Hot Wheels. Maybe I could have done better in science if I had the right skills and training starting at a young age. I might have had a little more appreciation for the hard earned dollar if I had made a product that was in high demand and respected on the streets.

Lemonade for 25 cents is not profitable. I thought below the line, I thought like a good little blonde girl. I should have known better when the police would patrol my neighborhood and stop to buy lemonade from me. Although, it really would have been a good cover up.

Maybe if I hadn't spent time as a kid being unproductive, I could have been making meth.

Now that seriously is a pretty good idea. I mean, it not only teaches kids the art of science, but drug dealing is a science in itself. Kids learn the aspects of economics with supply and demand. There's a big demand, small supply. Therefore kids can have 22in spinner chrome wheels on their Big Wheels or tricycles. Kids also learn that safety when using chemistry is important. Always wear googles and make sure you use the right measurements!

Kids also learn that physical fitness is important. They have to be able to run fast and take the punches in case something bad goes down on the deal. So boxing classes would have been more valueable than ballet.

I could have been a pint sized drug dealer, hitting the clubs at the age of 7. Rollin up in my pink Barbie Jeep. I could have ruled recess sitting on the swings while my classmates got high off of my product and Sharpies.

Why was I so...average?

Now we all know, I'm being hugely sarcastic here, so don't say I'm a horrible person for supporting meth. I don't. I just want to be a wise ass and make a joke.

Cameras vs No Cameras at Concerts

Last night I was at the Neko Case concert. She is one of my absolute favorite singer/songwriters. I was so excited when Scott bought me tickets for the concert. So, as usual I took my camera to the concert. When we got there, the security at the front door said no cameras. Well, of course, no Professional cameras, ticket stubs always say that. But no, my cheap Kodak was denied entry, I was so bummed. This had been the first concerts I had been to that you couldn't take pictures at.

There are pros and cons to having cameras at concerts, and I figured it would be best to break this down.

The POSITIVES of Cameras at Concerts.

1. You paid good money to see your favorite act, you're supporting their music. You should be able to take a picture of that artist since you paid to get into the show.

2. It's a keepsake, you document events in your life.

3. It's free publicity for an artist. Someone sees that you went to said artists show, they might be interested in checking out the artist.

4. It keeps fans happy.


The NEGATIVES to Cameras at Concerts

1. Some stupid person thinks they need a picture of each word out of the artist's mouth, hence 5000 flashes are produced in one song by just that one person.

-You go to the concert to enjoy the music, not watch it through a viewfinder of your camera.

2. The artists/musicians don't want to be blinded by hundreds of flashes going of constantly.

-My back up to this is, well, you picked the profession. Fame comes with cameras.

3. Bad pictures.

-Most cameras (including mine) are shitty for concerts. It's too dark and the flash doesn't really help, especially if you're in the last row. Why waste the effort?

4. Embarrassing pictures.

- In the day and age of running celebrities or artists through the dirt, a picture could hurt an artists reputation based on a bad angle or bad timing.


Some artists don't want cameras at their shows because of the "blinding" factor. Some have their own photographers who don't want others to be taking pictures while they're trying to. Copyright issues are also a factor.



What do you think about cameras at concerts? Are you for it or against it?

Would You Give Your Personal Information To A Rapist?

There is one thing that really erks me about Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or other blogging sites such as blogger or Xanga.

Innocent stupidity.

Some people are too trusting that nothing bad will ever happen to them. I have seen on Facebook walls and Myspace comments where people will leave their phone number for that friend. Little do they know that maybe their friend's site is not protected with a privacy lock so anyone can access your phone number.

People give out too much information about their personal lives. Say you talk about living on your own, in an apartment, and post pictures of your new car. Well, automatically someone could figure out what state you live in and even the city. They could then search apartment complexes in your town and drive around if they really wanted to find you. Spot your car, and bingo, they have you.

Do you link your Myspace to your Facebook? Bingo, they have your last name. Having someone's full name is like giving away your social security number online. This means they can search you on Google to find a phone number and home address. Maybe you're under 18, they can find your parents information to find your home address. Google Maps even has a satellite image of your house so they know what it looks like. Google Maps even has a feature called "Street View" with pictures of your house (in some areas). You may have posted pictures of your bedroom with curtains that could be identified from outside. Now the stalker knows where you sleep.

Predators have a different mentality, if they want YOU, they will find you based on the information that you give.

I was stalked online by a creep in my town when I was 17. He found me on Myspace and started a conversation with me. I gave out too much info than I should have, such as where I went to high school and what neighborhood I lived in, I was gullible and naive. He clicked a link I had to my Xanga that detailed what I did during the day. Back then, I was a journal blogger. He knew about my vacation to Louisiana and where I went to church based on a blogring I belonged to on Xanga. He called my house and spoke to my mom telling her, "Is she back from Louisiana?" and then hung up. That night I went to youth group and a suspicious car was in the parking lot of the church driving around, I knew that was the stalker. The police officer said that he probably looked up my phone number in the telephone book and found my address in there too. It was because I had given him my last name.

I deleted my sites and vanished from online in hopes to elude the guy from getting anymore information. Thankfully my family was planning on moving and I graduated high school and went to college. I learned my lesson and advocate to anyone to REALLY be careful what you say, bits and pieces can be strung together over time to create a profile on you and then the predator can find you.

I advise people really to not link your Facebooks to your social networking sites and do not use your last name for anything online. You can go and do all the privacy blocking you want, but that information can get out to anyone just on accident.

In Smokey the Bear fashion, Only you can prevent predators.

Fan Pages on Facebook - Human Stupidity

If there was a fan page (and there probably is if I looked hard enough) for human stupidity, I'd consider being a "fan". Ever since Facebook created their new page design I am bombarded with "Suggestions" for pages that I should join.

Thankfully Facebook allows me to ignore application invites from those certain friends that have 347 applications on their page. I can ignore those group invites too. What I find annoying not only is all the requests for the Fan pages, but what my friends are becoming fans of!

Here's a few goodies that my friends right now are clicking on to become a part of the fan base. Apparently, they feel that if they do not express their fan-ship, you won't have a clue what your friend is like.

My friends are fans of:

Food
Sleeping
Cuddling
Naps
Jesus


Ugh. Really? I put in my status feed this disclaimer : "The next person who becomes a Facebook friend of AIR automatically gets deleted."

Food, sleeping, and cuddling are a given. It's a survival instinct. OF COURSE I'M A FAN OF FOOD, I NEED IT TO LIVE!

The Jesus fan page to me just says sacrilegious. Do you honestly think Jesus would have Facebook? Eh...I'm thinking no.

But anyway, the Facebook fan pages have gotten out of control. They're really pointless. I could see becoming a fan to a celebrity or music artist. But basic needs? Seriously.

I think the Facebook groups are slowly being replaced by fan pages.