I am an American. I vote. I get the fundamental principles of money; I work, I spend, I manage, I save. I pay taxes, of that I am sure. I pay my mortgage to Washington Mutual like clock work each month. And if I missed but one payment or, simply chose not to make one payment, I - like all other Americans - wouldn't be living in my abode one moment longer.

But after living on the planet for 40 plus years, I still can't for the life of me locate my sugar daddy. My vision is not improving, either!

In recent weeks, let alone the past few years...

> $700 Billion to be spent on the Rescue Plan to the financial and mortage sector - who is your daddy?

> $25 Billion to be allocated to cover bad auto loans - who is your daddy?

> $ 4.0 Trillion dollars in the war on terror - who is your daddy? Btw, Just how many zero's are in 'trilliion'?

> $15 Billion dollar gift to the airline industry in 2001 - who is your daddy?

I must digress: In 2002, Delta Airline's CEO was paid over $13 million in compensation and for year ending 2007, WaMu's CEO, Kerry Killinger was paid $14,364,883. While Mr. Killinger's pay dropped 21% from the prior year, it was not nearly as remarkable a decrease as shareholder's dip of 68%.

So, when and how are these 'bailouts', 'plans', or 'loans' paid back? Do tell? Furthermore, where does all of this money actually come from? If my business doesn't pay it's loan back for one month or two, this is a serious sign of a possible cash flow problem or underlining integrity issue. When I keep spending the business's money, and the financial platform collapses, then, just then, I will surely look even harder for my sugar daddy.

On second thought, may I never find him!

Drive Your Bargain,

Anne

Nothing earth shattering, but I will say this: We live in a fabulous and interesting time. Just a few of this week’s thoughts and instances...

• What products have an inverse effect when the economy and home sales suffer? Give up? Beer and small kitchen electrical appliances like food processors, mixers, and steamers. Sales are on the rise well over LY. With higher gas prices, folks aren’t traveling as far or eating out as much. Nope, they are staying home, cooking more, drinking more, and watching the new fall TV programming and the newest season of the NFL.
• The quintessential, public lesbian of the 21st century, Ellen, will be the new face for Cover Girl cosmetics <http://www.covergirl.com/ellen>. You’ve got to love it – we American sure have expanded. In the spring of 1997, ABC lost millions of advertising dollars as companies, including Chrysler, pulled out and chose not to advertise on Ellen’s 'coming out' show.  Here we are, a decade or so later, and Cover Girl will be previewing the recently married Ellen as its new spokeswoman of choice. Here, Here. ps- And while Chrysler isn’t advertising in this month's issue of the Advocate, Volvo and Cadillac sure are. It’s a new day.
• Gas prices have dropped about .40 cents a gallon over the past month, and now – like THAT, sales of SUV and light pick up trucks are beginning to stabilize. GM and Ford both agree that gas prices will need to get to about $3.00 a gallon for these categories to pick up steam. Who sets these benchmarks in the human psyche of what the gas price needs to be for someone to buy a truck????
• Chevrolet, celebrating their 100 year anniversary, has announced its launching of the Chevy VOLT, <http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/ the electronic car> which hails 40 miles on a lithium-ion battery. The engine can also use an E85 grade of gasoline (85% ethanol & 15% gasoline). Look for a 2010 intro.
• The United Sates, the country we love and may just take many of it's liberties and rights for granted, will enter a new world and a new realm in November. We will either have an African-America President and a Catholic Vice-President, OR, we will have a 72 year old President and a woman Vice-President. Either way you slice it, it’s a fabulous and interesting time. Can you say 1920 and 1965 respectively? Wow!

Anne