Drama Llama Strikes again

Ahh, to be a "celebrity" in this world would be amazing. Guest shows, talk circuit, people following your every move.

Being caught in lie after lie and still trying to blame everybody else. Poor Carrie Prejean, if only she would have had the common sense to not act offended when the past is released about her. For somebody claiming the moral high ground, she sure is taking the low road a lot lately. Lied about nude pictures, lied about a sex tape, insulted half the people in California. Actually, of all the things she has done, that is the one I respect from her. Sure her opinion on gay marriage pissed off half the world, but at least she was honest and true to herself over that.

Unfortunately, her honesty fell to the wayside on other details.

Oh, and she made quite the fool of herself on Larry King last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R0a9xq6uek

Attn Car Dealers: Games you play

You would think after the beating the auto industry has received, that they would be a little less likely to be playing the same tired old games that turned people off in the past. Let me give you some advice on how to get more business, and how to not have people get mad and walk off the lot.

Advertisement. Advertising through online postings, your own websites, or even sites like craigslist greatly can increase your visibility. And I realize you want to the person to call or get on your lot so you can unload your sales pitch. However, one thing you must absolutely realize is people search online first. We will compare prices and models with other lots. If you don't have the following information, you won't even get a second glance.

1. Price Price Price! For the love of all that is shiny put the price of the car on there. I don't care what you think, or how you try to get cute, but putting "Ask for price in person" is not going to get me or most people to your lot. And when somebody calls and ask for the price, blowing them off with "its a value, not a price" just pisses me off. Its not a value, its a tool, its a car, its a price. Put it up there. If you are worried about your prices being higher then others, look at your business model and quit being greedy. A truck with 200k miles, dents and bangs all over it is not worth $9,000 no matter how you spin it.
2. Mileage. Put the mileage on there. Low miles to you may not be low miles to the next person. Sometimes there is miles with no price, sometimes price with no miles. Both need to be clearly indicated.
3. General information. Is it a manual or automatic? 4x4 or 2wd? V8 or V6? This is the very important information. Things like floor mats and options like that are not as important. That can be added or changed for little or no money, the others is a deal breaker.

These three things are crucial for internet shoppers, and I have many a time passed over a potentially good deal because this information is not available.

Next step, when you get them in the lot, listen to what they say. Don't automatically have a car that is "perfect" for them. I will walk off and not look back once this crap starts. If you don't have what I want, be honest. I will ask you for your card and exchange information with you at that point because you were honest. If you try to sell me something I didn't ask for I am gone.

If for some reason you don't have the price on the car ( a big no-no) and I ask for a price, tell it to me. Don't give me a line about needing to ask your manager, or needing me to fill out some paperwork. Give me the price. There is a lot on Clinton Hwy I recently walked out on because nobody would tell me the price. I got a huge spill about it depends on the color of the sky at the time, and the polar alignment of Venus and Mars. Maybe it was something else, I tuned them out when they started their preprogrammed speech. The funny part was watching the sales manager come running out asking me to come back in. Anyway, neither here nor there but sales managers, makes sure your salesmen have updated price sheets.

Assuming the buyer gets through all this, the next part is the haggling. I think a few people enjoy it, some go just to do it, personally I despise it. It takes forever, and a lot of running on the legs of the salesman running back and forth to the sales or finance manager. Personally I think they have a poker game going on in the back of the office, and its just an excuse to go play a hand. I can't give any advice on this, except when somebody starts to haggle, just take them to the decision maker and let them duke it out.

Dealers have received my advice, now buyers, here is some for you. If you are 2 months late on 6 credit cards, have 2 repossessions and a pending foreclosure, be honest with the salesman. Some lots have financing that can help, others don't. But if you lead the salesman on and waste his time, and their finance departments time, then they find out all this on your credit report, you lose all bargaining position. When you great the salesman, tell him what you are after(car, truck, etc) also tell him your financial standing, along with any positive( been on the job 12 years). Let the salesman know up front what they are looking at. It helps everybody for you to be honest.

Buying a car does not need to be a stressful endevour. Once you find a lot/salesperson you trust, it makes it easier. There are several lots I have been too that I haven't bought from, but because of the nice sales people and their business ethics, I will someday buy from.

• Preston at Lance Cunningham Ford. I have bought 2 cars from this gentleman, and the experience is always awesome
• Cars Etc in halls TN. I have yet to buy from here, but will at some point because they are upfront and honest in all the dealings I have had with them.
• Cogdill Dodge I have bought from before, and may again someday.

I obviously am not going to post the ones I had problems with( all I need is some greedy lawyer trying to sue me) but use your head when shopping.

Condemnation for Rape Watchers

By now most people have heard of the tragic gang rape that occurred in California. A girl was gang raped for over 2 hours outside of her school homecoming dance. Not only is this disgusting and tragic enough, what makes this even more horrifying is police believe up to 10 people stood around and watched it happen.

How dare you call yourselves human and watch this young juvenile girl get repeatedly raped. Police believe up to 4 or 5 actually raped her over the course of 2 hours, and that several people stood and watched and did nothing! Did nothing! Did none of you scum have a cell phone that you could have dialed 911 with? Did none of you bother to run to the school for help? Why are none of you coming forward now? How would you feel if that was your friend, your sister, your daughter and you found out about it?

Its horrible enough she was raped, even worse by multiple people, but even inconceivable that it all happened while people stood and watched, and even a couple may have participated as well. This is a sign of whats wrong with this country. If even one of you had any balls, or any courage this poor girl would not be in the shape she is in, and the dregs of society that did this would all be in jail now, or at least identified.

How do you sleep at night, or look yourself in the mirror? I hope none of you are sleeping at all, and every second of every day is filled with the horror of what you witnessed, and that your conscience has finally awoken and is making your life a living hell. You can ease it somewhat by coming forward and telling what you know!

Know that every problem this young girl suffers is your fault, know that every bruise, every second of mental anguish is your fault. You may not have done the deed, but you stood by and allowed it to happen, which is as bad as those who did the deed themselves.

Prayers go out to this young girl, her family and friend, and many hopes to the police investigating this that they will catch not only the participants, but the cowardly watchers as well. I hope the prosecuting attorney goes after them all.

Swine Flu Emergency

So now we have a swine flu emergency, penned and brought into effect Friday night. What do they know we don't? They aren't even testing for, nor reporting swine flu cases anymore. This move among many others seems to be either a smokescreen or a front runner for something else.

Smoke screen? What could it be a smoke screen for? The H1N1 has never been as deadly, or transmittable as seasonal flu, so why the big fuss? How did a vaccine get on the market this fast? Why does the H1N1 show signs of genetic modification? Some reasonable theories of mine are there is something else out there that has been, or will be released in the near future. They now have a good idea of transmit time to get a disease spread almost world wide in merely a weeks time. This appears to have all started in one general area. Imagine now if something that was this infectious was released in several locations? In my opinion, this was a test run of something. Perhaps it is merely being used as an example of how bad health care reform is, and how much they want to cram their version of reform down our throat. Perhaps more sinister, but one thing everybody can agree on is the baffling amount of press response this gets. Enough to overlook other things going on.

One thing to remember and to look for, is when the media gets a whiff of something and they all focus on it(balloon boy?) there is something going on that will not be covered.

The government promised over 100 million vaccines by October, which they have fallen very short of. Why? Some additional studies showing more problems with the vaccine? Not enough problems with the vaccine? Or did it look just too dang obvious that this "vaccine" was developed, tested, and manufactured in 4 to 5 months?

Yes, some will read this and blow it off as a grand ole conspiracy theory, and that's fine. However if only one person reads this and ponders "what if" or looks a little harder at news reports and medical reports and reads between the lines, then its worth it.

Think for yourselves, and don't take any thing the government, the media, or other people tell you as fact.

Resistance is Futile

Ah Star Trek, the Next Generation gave us the borg, and the beginning of the popular, resistance is futile, you will be assimilated. Those were the first words through my head this morning as I read this wonderful tidbit.

"Dozens of the nation's largest insurance firms must decide whether to honor a request from House Democrats for detailed financial records, part of an investigation into executive compensation and other business practices in an industry that opposes President Barack Obama's health care proposals." Source

So here is the short of it, the insurance companies have been opposing Obama's pet reform plan, so now the white house is going after the insurance companies. Sound familiar? First the banking industry, then the auto industry, now the insurance industry. I know Obama's stalewart followers will hoot and holler saying its time to bring the wealthy to their knees. I say, keep the governement out of the private sector. While this is going on, more jobs and homes are being lost, and Obama is just smiling and telling everybody its going to be ok, his plans will work. Sorry, they aren't.

Its time to keep some of those campaign promises, be honest. Tell the American people the truth, of how the economy is borked. Tell them about the immenent failure of banks coming soon. Tell them about the new record deficit. Tell us about the record debt this country has.

Time for real honesty.

H1N1

Swine flu, H1N1 season is about to start, according to the CDC and WHO. Well, about to start as in they guess it will be starting based on seasonal flu. The internet is full of horror stories, conspiracies, facts and fiction concerning this next round of the flu. There are rumors of forced vaccinations, martial law, the military joining in, etc etc. New information comes out daily.

Personally, no I will not get it, even if it is "required". The only time I have been vaccinated against even the normal flu, was over 10 years ago, and it made me sick as a dog. But the H1N1 is a different beast. It appears to be genetically created, combining avian flu, swine flu and human flu together. While there is no proof, hard proof, there is reason to believe so based on the variations contained there in.

Here is some of the latest news from the vaccinations and other internet rumors.

The vaccination is deadly. Well, there is proof starting to appear from this, and not just from internet conspiracty forums. The vaccination comes from a diseased monkey and apparently has several nasty side affects. One of the side affects is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) which causes paralysis, lack of breathing, and death.

Forced Vaccinations. This is already occuring in some parts of the world, even in the USA.

1. Greece has mandatory vaccinations.
2. England is planning on it.
3. New York City is requiring it of health care professionals(this in my area as well, my mother was informed of this)

None of the links I am providing are from conspiracy sites, most are from mainstream media, which I try to find at all times.

Martial law: As of now, aside from refusing to repeal the Bush Administration freedoms and laws concerning this, there is only speculation concerning martial law. A CNN article concerning military being used is started this, and the forced vaccination speculation in the US.

So, from a non conspiracy point of view, there is things happening here in even the US that will give pause to all but the most hardened skeptic. Just remember, keep your hands washed, eat healthy, and if you are sick, with a fever, the flu, or anything, stay home away from other people, we dont want your germs.

Health Care Reform

Health care reform is looming large in the news, and seems to be a make or break issue for President Obama. The depths to which this is being pushed, is dividing the nation. Obama's supporters have always been among the most passionate and fervent people in the country, so they are taking it upon themselves to be the front runners in his latest campaign.

But at what cost? The country is being divided daily, and while not to blame, they are a part of the problem, as is the extreme other side of the view. Celebrities(I use that term loosely) such as Rush and Glen Beck have whipped the anit-Obama supporters into just as violent frenzy. It doesn't matter which side is right or wrong, nor does it matter which side starts it, its time for the American people to end it.

This country has, since 9/11, been dividing based on any number of factors. The war on terror, the economy, the election, the loss of constitutional rights, health care reform, housing, jobs, and even the role of normal Americans in this new world we are entering.

Before anybody goes to protest or support at a rally, there are some simple things one needs to do. First, read the bill in its entirity before asking questions or getting inflamed. You may find that your view point is just factually wrong. Become an informed, not inflammed protestor.

Remember the person whose view differs from you is not unpatriotic, racist, idiot, left/right wing nutjob, liberal stoogie, or any other term people use to group those who do not share their viewpoint into. Attack the topic, not the person. They have a family and loved ones, and may be scared about the reform just as much as you are.

Last, keep it civil. There is enough violence, and if things are not drawn to a halt there will be even more division in the country.

Health care reform is needed, desperately, but lets be honest, its not something that should be done all at once, nor pushed and rushed. And please, the questions and concerns needs to be addressed, and answered honestly, not shrugged off as stupid or not worthy of time.

As Americans, we have the right to make our voice heard, but please, do so in a civil well thought out manner. Violence only creates more violence.