It should come as no surprise to you that I like cars.  And honestly, few (if any) American cars interest me.  Most are just transportation modules that get you from point A to point B…..basically a living room on wheels.  Nipper cars are a bit better (a nicer living room on wheels), with a couple of honest-to-goodness performance cars.  But the Europeans….they’re passionate about their cars.  Ferrari’s, Maserati’s, Lamborghini’s, Aston Martin’s, several German machines.  I get weak-kneed just thinking about them.  Unfortunately they’re all out of my financial reach.  

There are, however, a few cool enthusiast cars that real people can afford, like this little tricked out Mini Cooper S convertible:  

I think I could have a lot of fun with this.  Or how about this ‘lil Audi A3:

See, I could be satisfied with something less than a svelte Italian supercar.  Come to think of it, that last one looks familiar.  Oh yeah….that’s my car.  

Did you know that in some parts of the country, primarily in the older northeastern states, there is a law on the books that says that people are legally liable for the debts of their elderly parents?  It seems that in Pennsylvania (?) a nursing home sued the children of one of their patients for $300,000, a sum supposedly owed them for the care they had provided.  In 30 states this colonial era law still stands.  The kids had to hire a lawyer to defend them, and they won because the law also says the kids are liable if they have the means to pay.  These people were working multiple jobs just to make ends meet and didn’t have the means.  Still, they had to pay a lawyer to represent them.

It’s one thing to feel morally liable for your parents in their later years, but legally liable?  After the health care issue that is now being debated is settled (for better or worse), will elderly care be the next social issue we’ll be facing?  Don’t laugh this off…there are lots of AARP voters out there the #$%%^&* politicians don’t want to disappoint….and the Gubment is gettin’ mighty good at printing money.

What do you think?

S

Remember how TV ads used to be for Doublemint gum, sleek cars, and sun tan lotion?  Then one day the TV people realized we were getting older (and had some disposable income), so they began running ads for Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch, trying to get us to invest there.  Today they’ve apparently decided we’re falling apart, because every other TV ad is for some kind of prescription drug.  

Gotta pee but can’t pee?  They’ve got a pill for you.  Did Bob Dole invent erectile dysfunction?  I’d never heard of it until Uncle Bob told us he couldn’t get it up without his little blue pill.  And how about the side effects for these drugs…yikes!  ”If you have an erection that lasts for more than 4 hours, seek immediate medical attention.”  News flash:  Sitting next to that hot little blond with a last name one letter away from mine, I had an erection for THE ENTIRE 8th GRADE!

Ambien will put you to sleep, but a side effect might be a swelling of the throat.  Yeah, that’s what you would call a deep, permanent sleep.  And some med they advertise for depression might make you have suicidal thoughts.  Umm, isn’t that what the drug is supposed to PREVENT you from having?

I’m guessing the next big direction in TV advertising will be for funeral homes.  That seems to be the natural progression.  Stay tuned.

S