Grits, Salvage Cars and Economic Stimulus Checks

LUCAS HAS THE HOOK-UPS!: Despite what a lot of people think, we really don’t get a lot of perks in this business.  No, there are no limo rides to work, no hair or make up people, no Swedish massage after newscasts, none of that.  (only the big shots at the networks get those fancy perks)  But every now and then the newsroom gets all excited if we can snag some free food.

  Today our pal in the mornings, Lucas, reeled us in some very yummy grits and shrimp, thanks to the folks at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.  It was part of tourism week and the Columbia area is trying to show off its best restaurants.  So on behalf of the rest of the morning crew, here’s a big thanks to Lucas for scoring us some chow!

THE TODAY SHOW WARNS YOU ABOUT SALVAGE CARS: A story on the Today Show this morning piqued my interest, it was about people buying cars that end up having salvage titles.  The story profiled a woman who bought a BMW and then later found out the car had a salvage title.  (A salvage title means it was most likely in an accident and the damage was costly enough that an insurance company decides to sell it to a salvage company and cut the driver a check rather than paying to fix it)

KNOW BEFORE YOU BUY: I’ve bought a few cars off Ebay in the past, and have had no problems.  Ebay and most all sellers should specify if the car has as clean or rebuilt/salvage title.  In the Today show story, the woman bought a car from a dealer and did not ask about the title.  The dealer didn’t tell her until after they had her money that the car had a salvage title.  Cars with salvage titles can be rebuilt properly, but it’s up to the buyer to check.  For example, the Today show pointed out that the buyer did not ask for title information before she bought the car.  That’s equal to buying a few pounds of strawberries at the grocery store and not looking at them.  (perhaps the reason they put them in the clear plastic box)   If a car is priced far below what you think it should, chances are something’s up. 

A SIMPLE DIAGNOSTIC CHECK WILL DO: This morning’s Today show story also profiled a family who lost a son because the vehicle he was in had its airbags stuffed with paper instead of the actual bag.  This could have been detected with an easy test called a “diagnostic check.”  A dealer can hook up your car to a computer and it will spit out all the trouble codes.  Any car that does not have proper working airbags will show the code.  In this instance, you can not fool an airbag sensor, disabling an airbag automatically trips off the car code. 

HERE’S A GOOD SALVAGE CAR CHECKLIST, FROM THE FOLKS AT MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19701315/

HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR “ECONOMIC STIMULUS CHECK?”  I put the phrase “economic stimulus” in quotations because that’s what the federal government calls it.  In reality, it’s your tax money that the government is giving back to you.  Remember, it’s an election year at the same time as Washington DC politicians on both sides of the political aisle give us these checks.  As a public service, I’ve compiled a list of things you SHOULD NOT do with your economic stimulus check!  Feel free to add to the list below!

1.       Go to Vegas with entire check in pocket.

2.       Enter any gaming establishment for that matter, including the lottery, with your check.

3.       Go to favorite “watering hole” with said check.

4.       Forgetting spouce’s birthday and then using check to buy plazma TV for “man cave”

5.       Wonder how much entire amount of check will get you at an “all you can eat” buffet.

6.       Trying to bribe parking attendant at USC football game for “really good tailgating spot.”

7.       Offer to buy entire office front row Yankees tickets (will cost a whole lot more than that lousy check!)

8.       Offer to fill up all co-workers cars full of gas (probably will cost even more than Yankees tickets these days!)

9.       Invest check in any company who’s CEO is currently in prison.

10.   Buy authentic “Lizard Man” bodysuit (don’t be fooled, the Lizard Man will not allow his image to be used without his expressed written consent, and also approval of Major League Baseball commish Bud Selig, don’t ask me why, his rules, not mine!)