Articles written by Wayne Mclaughlin

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About me - Wayne Mclaughlin

My perspective is one of a 73 year old who remembers the depression and world war II. I completed my degree in civil engineering following a two year stint in the army. From the time I was a youngster, I have been curious about everything that affects me

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Autos > Buying & Selling Cars A woman's car buying guide: 8 of 23

Car buying, like root canals is an equal opportunity experience. After retiring from 40 years of industrial sales, I sold cars for a year at two Ford dealerships and I can tell you that the grind is the same for men and women. In fact, women hold up better than men. A salesman will greet you at the door and take your keys to...
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Our next generation: Are things getting better or worse?: 64 of 116

Will the next generation be able to pay for enjoyment of all the benefits of this generation's progress? Today's (March 24, 2007) New York Times carried a story about the cost of childhood vaccination, a regimen in 1980 encompassing seven shots and three oral doses costing 59 of today's dollars. The current process requires ...
Autos > Buying & Selling Cars How to ensure you're being treated honestly at a dealership: 10 of 15

Reading the articles published here are notable for their lack of insight into car dealership methods and philosophy. After retiring from 40 years of industrial sales, I wanted to try retail and sold cars in a Ford dealership for a year. The warmth of your friendly car dealer could reverse global warming. Since few car sales...
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections Should there be limits on contributions to political campaigns by individuals?: 2 of 3

The Currency of "Political Compromise" The dictionary defines compromise as "a settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by the adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands". Our legislative structure defined by the US Constitution...
Entertainment > TV Genres & Trends Favorite sitcoms: 18 of 26

FUNNY IT'S NOT When I was in high school and college in the fifties, a favorite discussion or debate topic was about pay TV. Television as a popular medium was less than ten years old and in the small town where I grew up, we had two channels and sometimes three depending on the weather. It was strictly a broadcast medium wh...
Autos > Buying & Selling Cars Negotiating tips for buying a new car: 12 of 14

Having retired from 40 years of industrial sales, I decided to see what it was like to sell retail. There is a mystique about the whole car business, so I took a how-to course that got me hired at a Ford dealership. In total, I spent a year at two dealerships which might not seem like enough time to earn my bona fides, but b...
Politics, News & Issues > Environment (Other) Is environmental "sustainability" achievable?: 10 of 11

Environmental "sustainability" will always be sustained. This is what you call a circular reference. We will always do whatever we citizens agree to do. The current "green" fad has never directly focused on the only two important questions - (1) How much shall we spend and (2) What shall we spend it on. It always comes down ...
Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory Did campaign contributions and lobbying by the financial sector contribute to the meltdown on Wall Street?: 5 of 5

Global warming caused the housing crisis. More accurately, the myth that GW is man-made has been the canard used by opponents of carbon-based energy development. When discussing how we ran out of money to pay the mortgage, a two part premise must be laid down before we begin to grope for solutions and try to predict when it ...