With all of the stuff that you have around the house, what are you giving this winter season? Sonya Harris from Circle "S" Home Daycare and Ralph Campagna from Off the Street Club joined us to discuss giving toys to children and coats to those who do not have warm items to wear in the cold. Call me tonight at 877-358-CLTV if you would like to give a coat to a worthy cause.
Gail MarksJarvis and Diane Yamazaki are my guests on Garrard McClendon Live as we discuss thieves in cyberspace and the best websites for shopping. A stick up in a parking lot may be a violent act of power, but crafty emails and phishing are also ways of getting taken silently on a computer. See Gail's "On Money" blog.
Are all websites safe?
Can I get refunds from a website?
Where can I get the best deals?
Is eBay a reliable place for great deals?
Watch "Garrard McClendon Live" to get the inside on web shopping safety and the best deals. Call the show at 6 p.m. - 877-358-CLTV (2588).
The unemployment rate is 10.2% and I need to know why our country is not creating and keeping jobs? Could it be our shift to a service economy from a manufacturing base? Could it be massive outsourcing? What about the remarkable number of manufacturing jobs overseas?
Is Obama to blame?
Call me tonight at 877-358-CLTV. Garrard McClendon Live on CLTV.
Shocking statistics hit me today concerning 30 years of national data. The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine released an analysis food stamp recipients and it appears that 49% of all U.S. children and 90 percent of Black children will be on food stamps at some point durign childhood.
Although I was taken aback initially, these stats aren't hard to grasp. A family of four, with take-home pay not exceeding $22,000 per year, is eligible to receive food stamps. There are thousands of families in this situation and we must be sympathetic to the needs of our children.
Two issues: are children, whose parents receive food stamps, getting adequate nutrition? And do we have to stimulate the economy so that fewer Americans are recipients of food stamps?
Call me tonight with your thoughts on food stamps and the American dream. 877-358-CLTV. Cornell sociologist, Thomas Hirschl and Chicago Food Bank Executive Director, Kate Maehr, join Garrard for the conversation.
College Credit seminar for students is on the agenda as Chicago treasurer, Stephanie Neely, joins Garrard on CLTV.
Can you get a job in this tough market? Where to look? Should you switch careers? Gail MarksJarvis joins Garrard discussing the job market.
Garrard talks to car salesman, Charles Burns, about the Car Allowance Rebate System. Will you buy a car this weekend?
AP
Time ran out on those who were thinking of cashing in their clunker for a new car - but you may get another chance. The government is thinking of continuing the program, but is it worth another 2 billion dollars? Yes indeed. If car sales see a boost from a program that takes older gas guzzlers off the streets, then the program is successful.
Auto dealerships and manufactures will see a prominent boost in sales and production. Will you trade in your clunker for a new car?
Foreclosure erasure is on the way. Take a look at what you missed on GML. Darren Duarte from NACA and Attorney Deadra Woods Stokes explain the steps to avoid foreclosure.
Save your house by attending NACA's big event at McCormick Place this weekend. The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America is having the Save the Dream Tour from July 24 through July 27th. You can get assistance on restructuring your mortgage so that you can save your house from foreclosure. For more information, click NACA.
Who's Hiring?
DePaul University's School of New Learning is hiring a writing instructor. For more information and an application, click DePaul.
Courtesy: Chrsyler
I am saddened to hear that nearly 800 Chrysler dealerships will be closing their doors. Jobs will be lost, but if this will help Chrsyler to rise like a phoenix from the ashes, then it may be best.
Laying people off is never pleasant. American automakers are struggling to find a mix with design, pricing, and customer loyalty - and until they find the right mix...expect more dealership sunsets. I do have an issue with service departments charging huge labor costs to put your vehicle on the computer diagnostic machine. Why is every trip to service $100 plus? The only thing under $100 is an oil change. See
I fault dealers for their greed in charging a fortune for labor. But fewer dealerships may have the opportunity to price gouge more, because of scarcity. So to all of you "Pacifica," "Town and Country,"and "300" owners, plan for a longer trip for maintenance and get a second job to pay for service at your friendly-not-so-local Chrysler dealership. Where's Iacocca when you need him?
Photo: Garrard McClendon (Continental AutoSports-Hunsdale)
I took a photo of a Maserati today. I wanted it, but took a look at the sticker. Granted, the Maserati is far more affordable than a Porsche, Lamborghini, or Ferrari, but shelling out over $75K for transportation is still beyond me.
But look at the color and excitement of this vehicle. It screams fashion, opulence, and confidence. But on the other end of the "beauty scale" is the Smart Car - a Mercedes Benz product that is just larger than a bicycle. It gets better than average gas mileage for a sub-compact, but would you want to drive it? Yes, I would. Parking space problems are non-existent, and you can still feel cool with the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Basic transportation meets a tuna can.
Which would you rather drive - if these were your only choices?
A Maserati for $80,000 plus, or a Smart Car for sub $15,000 ?
