AskDong

The personal finance blogs have been awash with suggestions on how to drive more efficiently. The foremost solution is to drive slower. Jack Caffertty at CNN.com have even gone as far to suggest that U.S. bring back the 55 MPH speed limit. At first blush, lowering the speed limit does nothing to actually benefit the the poor commuter. As is, drivers always have the option of driving slower and therefore putting a smaller dent in the wallet.

In reality, this is much harder said than done. This weekend, I drove nearly 200 miles from Boston to Western Mass and back. Since turning 30, I’ve shed a few pounds but apparently only in my right foot. I’m a slowpoke. I’m also cheap. So it should be no surprise that I turned on my way back machine and drove like I was living in the 70s. I tried to keep my speed under 60, and failed. On the most part I was still the slowest car on the road.

So while on the surface it seems almost absurd to mandate a speed limit for greater fuel efficiency when every driver has the option of driving slower, the fact is it’s often difficult for drivers to do so. Traffic operates more efficiently when the majority of the cars cruise at about the same speed. Currently that cruising speed is easily over 70 MPH. As a result it’s not only difficult to drive at 55, but often times dangerous. A car driving slower than the traffic around is not much different from a car driving substantially faster than the traffic. I felt it. As I cruised at 55-60 MPH, I had cars passing me left and right. It was almost like I was weaving in and out of traffic. I had the option of staying in the left most lane, but if there are frequent exits that’s not a safer choice.

While I remain agnostic to the idea of lowering the speed limit, I do believe that a big part of the solution to the current energy crisis, and long term goal of energy sustainability is energy efficiency. Driving slower isn’t going to solve the problem, but it could be part of the solution. It’s also unclear if 55 MPH is the ideal speed as different vehicles have different optimal point.

Last night, I watched Clinton’s and Obama’s speeches after the Pennsylvania primary. There wasn’t too much new in the speeches. Watching Obama’s speech, however, I couldn’t help but notice three young men in a row sporting very prominently Abercrombie and Fitch T-shirts. At first, I didn’t think too much of it.

As the crowd cheered and banners were raised, I became suspicious. Thoese three men were less than enthusiastic. They lifted their Obama signs half heartedly, and clapped without vigor. I started thinking about the recent incident when Comcast paid attendees to take up the good seats at a FCC hearing. That was bad, but this if Abercrombie plants are in my opinion worse. Here’s a link to a video from CNN, and make your own judgment.  I just wrote the other day of the blurring of entertainment and advertising.  What I saw last night was the blurring of politics, public discourse, and advertising. If I were Obama, I would be immensley upset that my stage had been co-opted for product advertising.

If it were any other clothing company, I probably would not be as suspicious. However, Abercrombie and Fitch has a history or controversy, ranging from nudity to racism. I wouldn’t be suprised if that the three Abercrombie men were intended to stir controversy and free advertising for which I too am guilty of as I write about it.

I think there is a place for advertising, and consumerism even. There’s nothing inherently wrong with companies wanting to spread knowledge of their products. In the same light there’s nothing wrong with people wanting to buy those products. However, I increasingly feel that we as a society have crossed an invisible line in which consumerism has become an ends on itself.  Andy Warhol would be proud.

Yesterday, I received yet another inquiry from a certain wealthy individual seeking help with “a large sum of money”, $28.5 million to be exact. I’m not sure who they think they’re tricking with these emails, but I certainly don’t plan on being one of them. Normally I wouldn’t think too much of the email, but I was astounded by the lack of guile in the email.

Normally these emails are from some individual in Africa, Asia or Eastern Europe. The story of hardship and bureaucracy sound on the fringe of plausible. The email yesterday was from gentleman in the Netherlands. The Dutch have not been know for their oppressive and imperialistic ways in centuries. Sure, there is currently some ethnic strife between what has been of the more liberal European populations of the past century and recent Muslim immigrants. These conflict however are pale in comparison to the tales of corruption that are rampant in other parts of the world. I would not expect a Dutch citizen to require the help of an individual like myself to get at money that is legally his.

Regardless of the exact tale. It’s not important since it’s not true anyways. What really shocked me was the moniker this is supposed millionaire went under, Joe Smith. I mean can you get any more fake than that?

Walter Updegreave got what I thought was interesting question from a reader about buying a 1st home in Silicon Valley. The reader is 27 year old guy living at home who’s managed to put 80,000 into CDs and Money Market Funds. 80,000 would be plenty for downpayment on a very nice home in many parts of the country. Silicon Valley is not one of these places. Personally, I didn’t care much for Walter’s suggestion to the guy. He basically suggested that the poor guy should move. Relocation should be a consideration, but I strongly believe that finances should not be the primary driver in deciding where one lives. So what should someone who lives in one of these sky high markets do?

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I have a relatively small set of blogs I link to, and I’m looking to add to the list. The blogs I’ve included I think are useful and well written, and am looking for more well written and useful blogs in the personal finance space. If you’re interested in exchanging links please contact me, and I will review your site and hopefully we’ll make an exchange of links. Though, it’s not like I’m in any place to make demands with my humble limited release blog.  So if you’re interested just contact me via the contact form.

I reserve the right to archive links as blogs become stale. A blog that does not care to update itself is not a blog I care to actively associate myself with.