Politics Thread

[Teripie]

I would have prefered the Tuscon but when trading in a car that still has money owed on it, the best way to make anything on it is to trade back to the dealer. A used Kia has more value at a Kia dealer than a different dealer.Were I to just go out and buy another new car, I'd get a full size GMC pick up.
I don't want to trade my little Kia, but hubby hates it. At least he'll drive the SUV occasionally.

[The Meromorph]

That Sportage is a tough little truck.
I know of some used stock for light offroading (always shows up weaknesses - don't even try it with a CRV or a Rav4) and they are very durable, and a lotta fun to drive.

[Teripie]

Um, am I going crazy or did things suddenly turn blue?

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

So... the Canadian government announced a round of budget cuts the other day.

One of the programs that's been eliminated was run by the justice program - they'd provide grants to groups who were pursuing Supreme Court cases on equal rights issues.

The reason the government gave for eliminating the program was "why would we want to pay people to sue the government?"

And still nothing constructive on the environment (besides more cuts, that is) after deciding to throw our Kyoto commitments in the round file.

AND to top it all off, the new street racing legislation was so badly written that it would make ANY race on public property (including the Toronto Champ Car and the Montreal Formula 1 races) illegal.  Not a big deal for everyone, perhaps, but kind of important to me.   

Sometimes I just have to shake my head.

[Aggie]

Makes sense.  The SUV's seem to hold better value for next time around....

BTW, trade-ins are often a bit of a scam... if you can sell off privately, the dealer will usually throw you a similar discount from the "trade-in allowance" if you don't need to finance (or MAY give better financing).  I know with my Hyundai, if I'd had a trade-in worth $3000, I'd have got a $3000 discount, but I had no trade-in (didn't want my crapwagon), so I only got a $3000 discount.   (Edit:  That it's got money left on the financing makes a difference here.  Just saw that.)

Figure out what your old car is worth sold privately (check the papers for similar etc), and go back and prod the sales team for a good price WITHOUT trade-in.  There's not necessarily a lot of room to move on the price, but Kia and Hyundai aren't usually shy about putting the discounts up front.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Want to know how to spell irony? This morning there is a brand new SUV sitting in my driveway. We haven't 100% decided if we'll buy it or not. This came across my desk this morning.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KmsOIjzQ1V8
Hmmmmm.....

That was Hi-lairious!  Thanks for the link & laughs!

[Sibling Chatty]

That video is the latest in a series of things that has friends calling me saying "WHERE did you get that?"

I tell 'em a pirate cat from Florida sent it.

The Korean built small utility vehicles are really indestructable compared with most others. We have video of my Dad driving one in the tiny town across Pusan Harbor where he worked for 7 months on a drillship. One of the guys that was just over there doing repairwork on the same ship got to drive the same vehicle. My Dad's been dead 9 years, he drove it about 12 years ago...and the thing is still running perfectly, with the equivalent of 386,000 miles on it.

Hyundai and Kia are now owned by the same company (and GM bought Daewoo), so there's probably not a lot of differences in the cars, but private sales often give a better return on the investment, and the dealer will STILL give all the same breaks, especially if you look ready to walk away. (My financial life may be hell, but I can buy a car...I coached the guys making the GM sales training video  for the South/Southwest a few years back, and learned a LOT.)

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

I finally got around to finding & watching all (or nearly all) of the Clinton interview.

Was VERY interesting thing to watch - Clinton (as usual) didn't take ANYthing from the Faux News talking-head.

The difference in the stage-presence of the two men reminded me of the difference between a professional and an amateur-wanna-be.  And, to think that many folk look to the wanna-be as an "expert information source" on a daily basis -- Faux News is TOO NICE an epithet for that station.  Back in the days of print, it'd be termed a "yellow rag" or worse.

Anyway, the interview was worth the time it took to locate.  Unfortunately, that link is dead, as of today, else I'd post it here.

...

In other news, Bush was heard whining about the situation this morning on his radio address.  He managed to mention 9/11 yet AGAIN.  *sigh*  why don't people see through that rat-bastard?*



___________________________________

* with apologies to all the fine rat-bastards everywhere.  I suppose one could say, that among all the rat-bastards in the world, Bush is likely either the rattiest or the most bastard.  Or, perhaps both.

So, would it go:  bastard, bastard-er, bastard-est?

Which would make bush:  a rattiest-bastard-est?

Hmmm.

[Sibling Chatty]

Rattiest bastardly bastard.

Apologies to most rat, bastards and rat-bastards, except the one that charged $5 to put air in a low tire...HIM, no apology.

And he's running for County Commisioner in his county. (Incumbent Republican, of course.) We called their Democratic County Chairman and have offered telephone support for his opponent--calling every home in his precinct on behalf of that candidate and any others they want us to push. (My friend Denise used to run the phone room for Dun and Bradstreet's Southern Office sales teams. she's doing the calls.)

We don't be likin' them rat-barsiges a-tall...

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Rattiest bastardly bastard.

Aaah.

Thanks!   

[Sibling Chatty]

You gotta 'member, I KNOW my Rat Bastards...

I've known Tom DeLay over 40 years, and they don't come any Rattier or more Bastardly that THAT.

Ick, I said the TD words in print. Now I gotta go sterilize my hands and keyboard...

[beagle]

Looks like this "Military Commissions Act" is so far to the right as to have upset Swatopluk's favourite right wing historian*, Niall Ferguson.

http://tinyurl.com/gooql


(*, ok that's a scurrilous lie attempting to lure Swatopluk into debate).

[Teripie]

My brother sent me this link this morning. Keith Olbermann really ties into Bush Co over who's at fault for stopping Bin Laden. It's just a pity that the audience for this is so samll. I'm emailing it to everyone in my address book.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7670330327060011282&q=All+the+President%27s+Lies

[Duke]

I've been awfully political latley, for I just made my dramatic return to a debate forum that I used to frequent. Someone on that forum posted a Keith Olbermann clip, I'll see if I can hunt it down.


Duke

[Aphos]

Bill Moyers is returning to PBS with a new series Wed. night.  The first show is on Jack Abramoff and his political wheelings and dealings.