Elections in the United States

Election System in the United States

The United States has a federal government, with elected officials at the federal (national), state and local levels. On a national level, the head of state, the President, is elected indirectly by the people, through an Electoral College. Today, the electors virtually always vote with the popular vote of their state. All members of the federal legislature, the Congress, are directly elected. There are many elected offices at state level, each state having at least an elective governor and legislature. There are also elected offices at the local level, in counties and cities. It is estimated that across the whole country, over one million offices are filled in every electoral cycle.

Part 1: How the President of the United States is Elected 

Part 2: The electoral college explained

Part 3: Levels of election

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Part 1

How the President of the United States is Elected 

Start with the Constitution. The basic process of selecting the President of the United States is spelled out in the U.S. Constitution, and it has been modified by the 12th, 22nd, and 23rd amendments. Many additional steps have been added over the years, by custom and by state law -- the process has changed quite a bit over time.

Who Can Run? The President and Vice-President are elected every four years. They must be at least 35 years of age, they must be native-born citizens of the United States, and they must have been residents of the U.S. for at least 14 years. (Also, a person cannot be elected to a third term as President.)

How Do the Political Parties Choose Their Candidates? That's up to the political parties. Most political parties hold conventions, which are large meetings attended by "delegates." Some delegates are selected by state "primary" elections, some are selected by state caucuses (very much like primaries, except with public voting instead of secret ballots), and some are chosen for their prominence in the party. A majority of delegate votes is needed to win the party's nomination. In most cases, the delegates let their chosen presidential candidate select a vice-presidential candidate.

Candidates for President and Vice-President Run Together. In the general election, each candidate for President runs together with a candidate for Vice-President on a "ticket." Voters select one ticket to vote for; they can't choose a presidential candidate from one ticket and a vice-presidential candidate from another ticket.

The Electoral College. The national presidential election actually consists of a separate election in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia; in these 51 elections, the voters are really voting for "electors" pledged to one of the tickets. These electors make up the "Electoral College." (In most cases, the names of the electors aren't written on the ballot; instead the ballot lets voters choose among "Electors for" each of the tickets, naming the presidential and vice-presidential candidates each slate of electors is pledged to.)

Each state has the same number of electors as it has senators and representatives (there are two senators from each state, but the number of representatives depends on the state population in the most recent census). The District of Columbia, although it isn't a state, also participates in presidential elections -- it currently has three electors.

The People in Each State Vote for Electors in the Electoral College. In most of the states, and also in the District of Columbia, the election is winner-take-all; whichever ticket receives the most votes in that state (or in D.C.) gets all the electors. (The only exceptions are Maine and Nebraska. In these states, just two of the electors are chosen in a winner-take-all fashion from the entire state. The remaining electors are determined by the winner in each congressional district, with each district voting for one elector.)

The Electoral College Votes for the President. The Electoral College then votes for President and for Vice-President, with each elector casting one vote; these votes are called electoral votes. Each elector is pledged to vote for particular candidates for President and Vice-President. In most elections, all the electors vote in accordance with the pledge they made; it is not clear what would happen in the unlikely event that a large number of electors violated their pledge and voted differently.

Normally, one of the candidates for President receives a majority (more than half) of the electoral votes; that person is elected President. That candidate's vice-presidential running mate will then also receive a majority of electoral votes (for Vice-President), and that person is elected Vice-President.

If There's No Electoral College Winner, the House of Representatives Chooses the President. In the rare event that no presidential candidate receives a majority of the electoral votes, then the President is chosen instead by the House of Representatives, from the top three presidential vote-getters in the Electoral College; each state delegation in Congress casts one vote. (The Vice-President would be chosen from the top two vice-presidential vote-getters by the Senate.)

This is bizarre! Does it really work this way? Yes. There are many arguments pro and con the Electoral College, but this system does guarantee that the person elected President has substantial support distributed throughout the U.S. The Electoral College has also been a major factor in the United States' long-term political stability.

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Part 2

The electoral college explained

Millions of Americans voted for Barack Obama as president on Tuesday, but he was in practice be chosen by an electoral college, the somewhat baffling and Byzantine system unique to the United States.

The important thing to remember is that the college is not a place but a process, in which each (presidential) candidate's goal is to reach the winning mark of 270 votes out of the total 538 in the college.

The system does involve real people, called electors, who are distributed among the 50 states and the District of Columbia according to the size of each state's Congressional delegation. These vary greatly: California is the largest with 55, while the likes of sparsely-populated Alaska and Montana have only three.

Although the results are known and declared on the night – barring any legal disputes – voters are in fact only indirectly voting for a president.

The constitution decrees that each state's electors should meet in December (on the first Monday after the second Wednesday) in their state capitals and the cast their votes for president and vice-President.

The electors are typically local political leaders chosen by their parties. In 30 states they are required to reflect the popular will, but in others they have been known to deviate and choose another candidate or make a protest abstention vote.

Most states have a "winner-take-all" system that awards all electors to the winning presidential candidate, although Maine and Nebraska each have a variation of "proportional representation".

The system was designed with two goals. Winner-take-all was intended to strengthen the political clout of the south, which had lower voting populations but economic power. The college's electors were supposed to act as guarantors in case the masses made a bad choice in the eyes of the elite.

The problem is that the winner of the popular vote doesn't necessarily win the electoral college.

In 2000 Al Gore won 500,000 more votes than George W Bush but lost the electoral college by five votes.

Millions of voters can feel somewhat disenfranchised. In 2008, more than five million voted for Senator John McCain in California, but had no impact in terms of the electoral college. The election is always concentrated on swing states where the population is habitually divided between the two major parties.

Criticism on Electoral College

The electoral college has long been criticized, for several reasons. It has been criticized for being undemocratic compared to a direct system of election. Another criticism is that it creates inequality between voters in different states during the presidential election. Usually, only voters in swing states determine the outcome of the election and as a result, it is claimed that the vast majority of Americans, who live in non-competitive states, are largely ignored by political campaigns. If the electoral college were abolished and if the whole country were treated as one district for Presidential elections, then the result would not depend on crucial swing states. It also creates inequality in that the populations of very small states, which have a minimum of 3 Electoral college votes, are overrepresented compared with voters from larger states. For example, Wyoming has a population of 493,782 and 3 EC votes, 164,594 people per EC vote. California has a population of 33,871,648 and 55 EC votes, 615,848 people per EC vote. Abolishing the college and replacing it with a national direct system would also prevent a candidate from receiving fewer votes nationwide than their opponent, but still winning more electoral votes, which last occurred in the 2000 Presidential election. Also, the electoral college discriminates against candidates who do not have support concentrated in several states. In 1992, Ross Perot won 18.9% of the national vote, but received no electoral college votes. The electoral college would require a constitutional amendment to be abolished, and since three-quarters of state legislatures would be required to ratify an amendment that would effectively redistribute voting power from many small states to numerically fewer large states, it is thought that an amendment would fail.

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Part 3

Levels of election

The United States has perhaps the most complicated electoral system in the world. Voters are asked to make more decisions and asked to do so more frequently than citizens of other democracies. This Byzantine electoral structure in the US does provide the greatest opportunity for input, but at a cost—by demanding so much of the public it means that many are overwhelmed by the complexity of the system and ultimately fail to vote ("democratic overload").

I. Federal elections

The United States has a presidential system of government, which means that the executive and legislature are elected separately. Article One of the United States Constitution requires that any election for the U.S. President must occur on a single day throughout the country; elections for Congressional offices, however, can be held at different times. Congressional and presidential elections take place simultaneously every four years, and the intervening Congressional elections, which take place every two years, are called Midterm elections.

Presidential elections

The President and the Vice President are elected together in a Presidential election. The election is indirect, the winner being determined by votes cast by electors of the Electoral College. In modern times, voters in each state select a slate of electors from a list of several slates designated by different parties or candidates, and the electors typically promise in advance to vote for the candidates of their party (whose names usually appear on the ballot rather than those of the individual electors). The winner of the election is the candidate with at least 270 Electoral College votes. It is possible for a candidate to win the electoral vote, and lose the (nationwide) popular vote (receive fewer votes nationwide than the second ranked candidate).

II. Congressional elections

Elections to Congress take place every two years. Congress has two chambers.

Senate elections

The Senate has 100 members, elected for a six year term in dual-seat constituencies (2 from each state), with one-third being renewed every two years.

House of Representatives elections

The House of Representatives has 435 members, elected for a two year term in single-seat constituencies. House of Representatives elections are held every two years on the first Tuesday after November 1 in even years. House elections are first-past-the-post elections that elect a Representative from each of 435 House districts which cover the United States. It is correlated with presidential elections or halfway through a President's term.

III. State elections

State law and state constitutions, controlled by state legislatures regulate elections at state level and local level. Various officials at state level are elected. Since the separation of powers applies to states as well as the federal government, state legislatures and the executive (the governor) are elected separately. Governors and lieutenant governor are elected in all states, in some states on a joint ticket and in some states separately, some separately in different electoral cycles.

In some states, executive positions such as Attorney General and Secretary of State are also elected offices. All members of state legislatures and territorial jurisdiction legislatures are elected, state senators and state representatives/assembly members. Nebraska's legislature is unicameral, so only senators are elected. In some states, members of the state supreme court and other members of the state judiciary are elected. Proposals to amend the state constitution are also placed on the ballot in some states.

As a matter of convenience and cost saving, elections for many of these state and local offices are held at the same time as either the federal presidential or midterm elections. There are a handful of states, however, that instead hold their elections during odd-numbered "off years."

IV. Local elections

At the local level, county and city government positions are usually filled by election, especially within the legislative branch. The extent to which offices in the executive or judicial branches are elected vary from county-to-county or city-to-city. Some examples of local elected positions include sheriffs at the county level and mayors and school board members at the city level. Like state elections, an election for a specific local office may be held at the same time as either the presidential, midterm, or off-year elections.

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Fw: How Much Would It Cost to Be Batman in Real Life?

How Much Would It Cost to Be Batman in Real Life?

It would cost $682 million for a real-life Batman to fund his world-saving lifestyle, thanks to the price of high-tech cars, gadgets, his mansion and training, a new infographic says.

The infographic, created by MoneySupermarket.com, looks at how much it would cost to run Batman's empire. The main conclusion? It's not easy on the wallet.

In fact, Batman's collection of vehicles alone cost about $80 million. His Tumbler/Batmobile alone has a price tag of $18 million due to its jet engine, front-mounted machine guns, remote-control system and GPS technology.

Meanwhile, it would cost about $37,000 each year to run Wayne Manor and the Bat Cave. His weapons cost about $10,000 — from a $50,000 TLPS Grappling Hook Launcher to a $15,000 thermal camera and a $5,000 night-vision monocular. Three Batarang Throwing Stars cost about $1,000.

Other pricey accessories include a memory cloth polymer cape ($40,000), ultrasonic bat attractor ($1,000), a retinal projection system featured in his mask ($10,000), forearm blades ($1,000) and custom boosts ($1,000).

Batman's training and education costs vary. Military pilot training would be $500,000, as would training for special firearms and several engineering degrees.

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Electric cars with in-wheel motors

Protean Electric looks to revolutionize electric cars with in-wheel motors

Protean Electric hasn't exactly reinvented the wheel, but what's inside of it is a different story.

The Michigan-based company is set to begin production of compact, in-wheel electric motors that could revolutionize the plug-in car business.

With an $84 million investment from Chinese investor GSR Partners, Protean is building a manufacturing center in the city of Liyang, China, that will have an initial capacity to build 50,000 motors per year and will begin pre-production in early 2013.

Unlike many existing systems that use large motors to drive either a transmission or axles to get power to the wheels, Protean's in-wheel motors are fully housed within the otherwise conventional wheels, which are bolted directly to them.

Versions of the motor measuring 18 inches in diameter weigh 68 pounds and provide 110 hp each, but they can be scaled up to 24 inches for higher power applications. Two or four are used on each vehicle.

Protean's innovative design packages the stationary, permanent magnet at the center of the device while the rotor is on the outside, making it easier for the wheel to be directly attached. Inverters and power electronics are housed between the two, rather than in a remote unit, further simplifying and reducing the weight of the complete system. Each motor is made up of between four and eight parallel submotors, so in the event that one fails the unit can continue to operate until it is serviced.

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Eat this, lose weight

Eat this, lose weight

Dieting doesn't have to mean a boiled chicken breast on undressed iceberg lettuce—really! Some of the most mouthwatering foods around can help you shed pounds and improve your health. Even better? You can fill your shopping cart with these tasty items and never break the bank.

Here are some treats dietitians love—not only because these picks offer amazing (and proven) health benefits but also because they taste great. Read on to learn the smart, delicious ways you can add them to your diet every day.

Monounsaturated fats

Almonds: One of these nuts contains just 7 calories and is crammed with protein and fat (the heart-healthy monounsaturated variety). This powerful combination prevents the blood-sugar fluctuations that can lead to overeating.

Eat them: Raw—whole as a snack or slivered atop salads.

Avocados: This fruit is a great source of slowly digested monounsaturated fat, which releases hormones that help you feel fuller longer. That might be why researchers found that people on reduced-calorie diets that included avocados were able to lose as much weight as those who reduced-calorie diets were avocado-free.

Eat them: Diced on baked potatoes.

Olive oil: It's filled with potent antioxidants that naturally nip inflammation, the cellular damage that contributes to the development of chronic disease. The condiment also is brimming with monounsaturated fat, which helps target belly flab.

Eat it: Mixed with vinegar, salt and pepper for a classic salad dressing.

Protein

Eggs: Two large eggs contain a whopping 12 grams of figure-friendly protein—more than a quarter of your daily needs. In fact, an International Journal of Obesity study found that women who had an egg-based breakfast every day lost more than twice as much weight as those who started their day with just a bagel.

Eat them: Poached over whole-grain toast or hard-boiled as a snack.

Greek yogurt: Not many foods can top this one when it comes to energy-boosting, diet-friendly protein. A 7-ounce serving of this tangy treat delivers about 20 grams of protein. (That's on par with half a chicken breast.)

Eat it: Drizzled with honey or used as a replacement for mayonnaise in tuna salad.

Quinoa: This crunchy grain is packed with protein—about 8 grams per cooked cup—making it especially satisfying. What's more, quinoa is a stellar source of magnesium, a mineral that has been shown to improve sleep.

Eat it: With any dish that you'd normally pair with pasta or rice.

Lean ground beef: Hamburger gets a bad rap, but if you choose a pack that's 85 to 95 percent lean, it can help you shed pounds. How? Its protein naturally preserves muscle mass, experts say, and the more muscle you have, the more efficiently your body burns calories. Australian researchers recently found that women who ate lean red meat six times per week lost about 25 percent more weight than those who skimped on it.

Eat it: In spaghetti sauce.

Pork: People who dined on pork reported filling more full afterward than those who ate other kinds of food, researchers at Purdue University in Indiana found. The reason: A 3-ounce serving of lean pork contains just 122 calories but 22 grams of satiating protein.

Eat it: Ground in meatballs or in chili.

Fiber

Apples: One medium apple is packed with more than 4 grams of filling fiber. No surprise, then, that Penn State University researchers discovered that people who ate an apple before a meal consumed 15 percent fewer calories than those who didn't. Bonus: Apples are a strong source of disease-fighting antioxidants.

Eat them: Whole or chopped, sprinkled with cinnamon and microwaved for a minute to make a low-calorie apple pie—like treat.

Oatmeal: Whether you choose instant or old-fashioned, oats have one of the highest satiety rankings of any breakfast option. This whole-grain food is digested more slowly than most other carbohydrates, keeping blood sugar even and staving off that "I'm so hungry I could eat the fridge" feeling. One cup contains 8 grams of fiber, about a third of your daily needs.

Eat it: Cooked and topped with fruit or added raw to meat-loaf mix.

Black beans: They're high in satisfying protein and provide a heaping dose of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Bonus: Fiber helps move food through your digestive system more efficiently—which can help prevent constipation.

Eat them: Atop a taco salad or mixed into fresh salsa.

Lentils: These legumes are a solid source of soluble fiber, which binds to bad cholesterol, helping to remove it from the body. Numerous studies show that such fiber is a powerful weight-loss aid that fills you up, curbs cravings and helps keep people from overeating. Also, a cup of lentils exceeds your required daily amount of folate— a B vitamin that might reduce the risk of breast cancer in some women.

Eat them: Cooked, as a side with grilled chicken or fish.

Vitamin C

Clementines: At 35 calories each, they're a smart way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Because they're rich in vitamin C, which improves skin tone, they boost beauty and help ward off colds.

Eat them: Solo as a snack.

Grapefruit: The famous diet food actually lives up to its hype. In addition to being low in calories (a half grapefruit contains 37), this morning staple may banish bloat and constipation. Grapefruit also has hefty stores of vitamin C, which has been shown to fight off free-radical damage, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Eat it: Cut into slices and mixed with other citrus for a tangy fruit cocktail.

Omega-3s

Salmon: This seafood superstar is one of the foods highest in omega-3 fatty acids. Best known for improving heart and brain health, omega-3s also have a slimming effect. Studies show they help the body build and maintain more lean muscle mass and thus shed fat faster.

Eat it: Canned (it's cheaper than fresh).

Sardines: Don't overlook these tiny canned fish. They're less expensive than fresh fish (think cod and tilapia), yet still high in protein (one can contains about half your daily requirement). Plus, they're packed with omega-3 essential fatty acids which, along with protein, can aid weight loss.

Eat them: On top of whole-grain crackers or tossed in a salad.

Leafy greens

Kale: At 34 calories per raw chopped cup, this dark leafy green will barely make a dent in your daily calorie count—but because it's full of antioxidants, it can make a big difference in your health. Plus, one study found that women who ate a diet filled with water-rich produce such as kale lost 23 percent more weight than those who didn't. Experts say those foods fill you up better than other picks, quashing the urge to nosh later.

Eat it: Sautéed in 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Spinach: Raw spinach contains a mere 7 calories per cup. Plus, a cup of fresh spinach contains almost 200 percent of the daily recommended vitamin K, which helps improve bone health.

Eat it: Added to sandwiches for extra crunch.

Antioxidants

Blueberries: There is less than one calorie in a blueberry, yet these tiny treats have the highest antioxidant level of any fruit, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture research.

Eat them: Alone or folded into pancake or muffin batter.

Green tea: This drink has been tied to everything from a reduced cancer risk to a longer life, and some studies show that its catechins— potent disease-fighting plant chemicals— give your metabolism a slight boost, helping your body burn calories.

Drink it:  Hot or cold with a drizzle of honey.

Pomegranates: The seeds and red pulp are loaded with folic acid and disease-fighting antioxidants. One large pomegranate has only about 235 calories, making it a good-for-you snack.

Eat them: Alone, or sprinkle the seeds on a salad for a crunchy kick.

Smart snacks

Popcorn: People who eat popcorn consume 250 percent more hunger-curbing whole grains than people who don't snack on it, suggest recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. One caveat: Skip move theater popcorn, which can pack up to 300 calories per cup thanks to the butter topping and the palm oil it's cooked in. Make your own air-popped corn instead (a cup is just 30 calories).

Eat it: Sprinkled with cinnamon for a sweet treat or with chili powder for a spicy one.

Parmesan: Women who eat a daily serving of whole-milk products, such as most cheese, tend to weigh less than those who always opt for fat-free dairy, studies show. Experts credit the conjugated linoleic acid in whole-milk dairy. Scientists say that CLA might help the body maintain more muscle mass, helping people burn more calories. Bonus: This cheese's sharp flavor means you don't need a lot of it to feel satisfied.

Eat it: Sprinkled over roasted vegetables.

Chili peppers: These spicy veggies contain capsaicin, a compound unique to chiles that has been shown to boost metabolism.

Eat them: Chopped and sautéed (cooked chiles tend to be gentler on the palate) and added to tacos, stews and salsas.

Dieting can be delicious! Choose these tasty foods and lose weight, without sacrificing flavor

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Game of Survival

This is a national Geographic Award Winning Video - watch

Hangover Dos & Don'ts

Don’t - Take Acetaminophen
Tylenol (acetaminophen) can wreak havoc on your liver if ingested while intoxicated. The reason is that when your liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, it processes the painkiller differently than it otherwise would, resulting in toxic compounds that can cause liver inflammation and even permanent damage.

Do - Take Ibuprofen
Set your alarm a little early and take an ibuprofen such as Advil in the morning one hour before you need to be a functional human being. Use this remedy in dire emergencies only, like when you’re meeting your new girlfriend’s parents for the first time at brunch and you have a splitting headache.

Don’t — Pound Caffeine
Drinking espresso will not sober you up, nor will it get rid of your hangover. In fact, caffeine can work as a diuretic, potentially making you feel worse as a result of being further dehydrated.

Do - Have One Gentle Caffeinated Beverage
While drinking excessive amounts of coffee or caffeinated energy drinks won’t do much, a single caffeinated beverage can help, by giving you an energy boost and improving mental alertness. Try black tea or one cup of good quality coffee and make sure you drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Don’t - Eat Sausages and Bacon
Though a greasy fry-up that includes sausages and bacon is often touted as the mother of all hangover cures, steer clear of this dietary disaster. While fatty foods will temporarily distract your stomach, you’re not really providing your body with the nutrients it craves after a heavy night out.

Do - Eat Eggs
Eat hard-boiled or poached eggs. Eggs contain cysteine, a substance that can help break down acetaldehyde, a toxin associated with alcohol metabolism and hangovers.

Don’t - Exercise
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that in large quantities, it causes you to lose water and become dehydrated. A major sweat session can result in more dehydration and is therefore not a good idea.

Do - Shower and Relax
A shower will raise your temperature, prepping your body for sleep so you can bypass the most painful part of your day. On the flip side, a cold shower will make you feel more alert. Additionally try a body wash like one from Axe’s new Fixer line to speed your recovery.

Don’t - Eat French Fries and Hash Browns
Though you may temporarily feel better after eating these carbohydrate-rich snacks thanks to the rush of feel-good neurotransmitters they help release in your brain, you may be in for tummy troubles a few hours down the line.

Do - Eat Crackers
Bland foods including plain toast or lightly salted crackers will raise low blood-sugar levels and alleviate feelings of nausea, all without irritating your stomach the way fatty fried foods can. Additionally, to replenish potassium levels, eat fresh fruit like bananas.

Don’t - Do Hair of the Dog
Though it’s a tempting option because it will temporarily make you feel as good as new again, hair of the dog will only prolong your hangover. Initially, because the nastiest part of a hangover is when your blood-alcohol level reaches zero, having another drink will blunt your withdrawal symptoms. In the long run, however, consuming more alcohol will only ensure that you delay the worst to come rather than avoid it altogether.

Do - Drink Plenty of Other Fluids
Mineral water is your best bet to rehydrate yourself after a night on the tiles. As well, reach for sports drinks (to replace lost electrolytes), low-acid orange juice (to replenish your vitamin C levels) and natural fruit juices (to keep your blood sugar in check).

Don’t - Eat Before You Go to Bed
It’s a myth that filling up before bed will “soak up” the alcohol in your stomach. Food has to already be in your digestive system to slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream, so make sure you fuel up before heading out. Picks with a lot of fat, like pizza or steak, that take a long time to digest are your best bet for preventing a hangover later on.

Do - Drink Water Before Going to Bed
Overdoing it on the drinking front causes dehydration, so you need to replenish fluids. If you don’t drink water, your body will take what it needs from your vital organs, including your brain, resulting in a throbbing headache the following morning.

Do the Right Thing
In the end, the only true cure for a hangover is time, as your body simply has to detox. To prevent yourself from being in this heinous situation in the first place, double-fist it on a big night out, downing one tall glass of water for every alcoholic beverage you imbibe. Your body will thank you the next day, and there will be one less embarrassing photo of you on Facebook.

Florida Woman, 90, Behind the Same Wheel 559,000 Miles Later

The last time Rachel Veitch bought a car, gas cost 39 cents per gallon, Lyndon B. Johnson was in the White House and "The Little Old Lady From Pasadena" was a hit song on the radio. Nearly 600,000 miles later, the 90-year-old Florida woman still drives her 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente every day.
Go, Granny, Go.

Veitch, of Orlando, credits her meticulous care and near-obsessive dedication to her car -- she calls it "Chariot" -- as the reason it's still turning over every morning, year after year after year. The retired nurse maintains an exhaustive collection of maintenance records and changes the oil every 3,000 miles.

"When I buy gas, I write down the mileage, the date and how many miles per gallon I got," Veitch told FOXNews.com. "I've never been a destructive person and I've just taken care of everything, except my husbands."

Veitch, a mother of four, bought "Chariot" in February 1964 from a dealer in Sanford, Fla., for $3,289. The car has outlasted her three marriages and has gone through eight mufflers, at least 17 batteries and three sets of shocks. Its odometer recently clicked 559,000 miles.

"My Chariot has never lied to me or cheated on me and I can always depend on her," Veitch said. "My last husband and I divorced in 1975 and he took the 1972 Pontiac we had and I kept Chariot. I'll bet he's traded cars half a dozen times by now and I still have my Chariot, my faithful pal."

Veitch said the classic car — which boasts automatic transmission, frosty air conditioning and a "lousy" 15 miles per gallon — has been featured in several car shows across the country and took her all the way to Pennsylvania in 2007 for her 70th high school reunion. Classmates and neighbors alike are sick of the same old story, she said. "People don't want to talk to me anymore," Veitch said. "They're tired of hearing about my Chariot."

Veitch's dream car saw its lone renovation about 12 years ago, after she got a speeding ticket for going 92 mph in a 55 mph zone. "After that, I put in cruise control," she said. "You can't hold her down, she's a feisty old girl." The car also survived a rear-end collision while Veitch drove along I-95 in Georgia in 1980. She was not injured.

Classic car experts say the 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente would likely sell for about $3,000 in mint condition, or up to $12,000 if it was restored to new. But Veitch says she'll never sell, and she packs a .38-caliber handgun in case anyone tries to take her chariot for a ride without her. "Somebody's going to go down with me if I get in that situation," Veitch said. "I'm not going down alone." Veitch, who will turn 91 next month, said she last renewed her driver's license in 2003 and scoffed when officials told her she did not have to take another driving test. "I said, 'This is ridiculous, you should be testing me," she said. "It's a lot of baloney."

With any luck, Veitch said, "Chariot" will end up in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., a testament to a woman who cared for a single car for 45 years.

Asked if she considered trading in her car under President Obama's "Cash for Clunkers" program, which gives $4,500 to motorists who trade in older cars with poor gas mileage, Veitch replied: "He ain't gonna get mine. I'll die fighting for her."

How We Throw Money Away

As food prices soar and pain at the pump grows to an unbearable level, it's a perfect time to look at the money wasters in our life. So for the third time, we asked our readers what they think are the top ways to waste money. Click through our gallery and see if you agree with this list that we pulled from our AOL message board. Are there worse ways you waste your money?

Convenience Stores
"The reason I refer to convenience stores as "vampires" is because they suck money out of you a little every day. By the end of the month you can't imagine the large amount of money you gave them ... Everything except the newspaper is overpriced in these stores. Even worse is the fact that what they sell is not good for you -- donuts, cupcakes, beef jerky, cigarettes, lottery tickets etc."

Tanning Salons
"I agree on tanning salons [being a waste of money] ... Why not just be what you are? All that tanning will just lead to skin cancer and then you will have an even bigger expense for treatment."

Movie Rentals
"Before you PAY to rent a movie, check first with your local or county library, they have 1000's of movies you can take out for FREE. You are paying for this through your taxes so why not get the benefit."

Disposable Razors
“I'm sorry, but I think it is crazy to spend $10.00 on a razor with blades you throw away and have to spend $10.00 on more blades each month. You can buy a pack of razors for a $1.00 and the whole thing goes in the garbage and save $9.00 or ... spend a little more and buy a good electric razor and save the landfill. Why spend $160.00 a year on blades? You can spend $60.00 one time and buy a good electric razor and have it for 3-4 years and save $580.00."

Pet Clothing
"The prices of pet clothing & accessories are ridiculous. A thread and needle can add a few bells or bows to a collar. A grandmother or friend could knit or crochet a sweater or sew a blanket. A store-bought [pet] sweater could run you $25, or a decorated collar $9 versus a plain one for $4."

Nail Salons
"Routinely spending $60 for a mani and pedi [is a waste of money]."

Eating Out on Lunch Break
"Packing your lunch is not only a healthier choice, but also saves you a good amount of money that could be spent elsewhere. If you're eating out every day, spending about $7 a day, you could save around $700 a year, just by packing your lunch two times per week."

Not Shutting Lights Off
“Not shutting the lights off behind you is one of the biggest money wasters in the U.S. Do all offices buildings work 24 hours? Why can't the cleaning staff turn the lights on and off? Why do buildings need to be air-conditioned at night, especially when there is no one there! Energy saved is energy produced. An average household can save at least 10%-12% off their monthly electricity bills. Offices can save much more!"

Caring for Lawns
"Stop wasting money and resources on feeding, watering and cutting a lawn. Plant trees, bushes and most importantly, vegetable gardens. A lawn is ridiculous. You make it grow so you can cut it down. I've never understood lawn people."

Death Row Inmates
"My biggest issue with wasting money is on convicted murderers [who are] on death row for years, sucking the money out of taxes for horrific crimes that they committed. And we the taxpayers keep on paying each year for thousands of these scum bags! Now, let me tell you how I really feel ... "

Clothes Dryers
"Hang your clothes to dry or use a dryer only for socks, underwear and other small items you would feel odd hanging outside. You can also put a drying rack in the basement. Dryers use lots of electricity and gas, plus ruin your clothes over the long term. Dryer 'lint' is your clothing falling apart!"

Buying a New Vehicle
"You lose a huge chunk of value just driving it off the lot! Buy a 1- to 3-year-old vehicle and you get the same warranties at a much cheaper price!"

Huge Houses
"So many people think that if you have a big house you seem more important. No, you don't. You should buy a house that is the right size for your family. If you have a spouse and three kids you should get a four-bedroom house, not an eight-bedroom house."

Alcoholic Drinks at Restaurants
"It is ridiculous some of the prices [the restaurants] charge. And go ahead and order a margarita, that's where the moneymakers are for the restaurants. Buy two and you could have gone and bought the ingredients to make your own and have a few friends join you at home!"

Over-Packaged Items
"Examples that really bug me are individually-wrapped things, such as cheese. I buy sliced cheese and am perfectly capable of using one slice at a time without extra pieces of plastic to help me figure out how many slices I am using. Quite a few things come in boxes that seem to be almost twice the size of the item ... It also seems like the smaller the item, the greater the chance it will get more packaging to make it look like you are getting more for your money."

Disposable Diapers
"Without a doubt, disposable diapers are a big waste of money, not to say adding to the landfill problem."

Using 'Super Gas' in Your Tank
"Why waste money on higher priced gas? It has no effect on the efficiency of your engine."

Energy Drinks
"Rockstar, Red Bull, Monster ... and so many more. Maybe if people would get off the Internet, stop text messaging incessantly, and go to bed at a decent time of the night, they wouldn't need energy drinks every day to keep them going, which then end up keeping them awake late into the night yet again and causing a vicious cycle. Not to mention the high levels of caffeine are addictive, so people get completely hooked. I know many people who drink 2-3 energy drinks a day at $2-3 each. That's $4-9 a day."

Plastic Cups
"Just use a glass. Why pay for a cup everytime you drink at home? And adding to our land fills??"

Disposable Cleaning Supplies
"Disposable scrubbers, dusters and wipes are the most wasteful items in the store. Swiffer anything, throwaway toilet scrubbers and pop-up wipes are waste in its purest form. Reusable scrubbers, brushes, mops and rags are far more economical and environmentally friendly." Another User Adds:
"You are buying your trash and it's expensive!"

Playing the Lottery
"I cringe when I see elderly people who are cashing their (Social Security) checks then buying their lotto tickets ... I work in a grocery store ... (and see) lonely housewives spending over $50 a day on scratchers and lotto numbers so they can talk to the gals at the service desk about their day/lives/husbands ... I can't see spending hundreds of dollars a month or a week, just to get thrilled over winning $25-50 ..."

The Wedding Industry
"They are making huge money on things like veils. I made my daughter's veil excactly like the veil at the bridal shop that was going to cost us $200. It cost me $7 for some tulle and a couple of combs, and the one I made was actually better made and more finished looking. It took me 45 minutes to do it ... Also (there is) huge money in weddings in general and they only last a few hours ... Keep in mind it is a party that is over in a few hours and you are left with a huge bill to pay."

Convenience Store Drinks
"Buying bottled drinks at the convenience store is the biggest waste of money and adds up fast, if you do it daily!"

Designer Skincare
"The best way to take care of your skin is vitamins, water, sleep, genetics and sunblock. Spending hundreds of dollars on skincare is a waste."

Extended Warranties
"It's a waste of money to purchase an extended warranty for small inexpensive items such as radios, DVD players, vacuums, etc. The manufacturer's warranty is sufficient. Retailers and dealers will always offer extended warranties -- but they are not always necessary."

Brand Names
"We constantly purchase brand names, and I don't mean clothing. Food and medications, just to mention a few. Food brands add marketing and advertising costs just like the big pharmaceuticals. Is Kraft, Goya or Campbell's so much better than supermarket brands? Is Bayer or Advil so much better than "I-don't-know-this-brand" aspirin and ibuprofen. Sometimes it is, but very rarely. Marketing and advertising don't make products taste or work better they just add to the final price of a product."

Luxury Hotels
"Unless you are going to spend 24 hours in your room, why would anyone want to spend $200-$300 a night to sleep?"

Driving a Gas Guzzler
"Buying an SUV or other large vehicle is the biggest waste of money and it will get even worse as oil prices inevitably will keep rising."

Coutesy: AOL Money

The Servers Strike Back

I came across this posting in AOL.

http://food.aol.com/top-11-annoying-restaurant-trends

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Hey, we're pretty easy customers to please. We don't get wacky with special order demands, and always tip pretty darned well. Still, we can't help wishing a few restaurants trends were permanently off the menu. Read on for our thoughts on daily specials, bottled water and the ubiquity of freshly ground black pepper.

Recitation of the Specials
Would it really be so hard to print it out or write it on a board? That way we'd actually remember if the beet 'n chive compote came with the lamb or the duck, and wouldn't have to feel like such a stingy nincompoop for asking the server to say the price out loud.

I'm Sorry, We Just Sold the Last One
Yet you taunted us with the five-minute description just now?

Bottled Water Up-selling
Putting aside the negative environmental impact of all that excess glass & plastic, are restaurateurs implying that the H20 they're using to cleanse the veggies and cook the pasta issomehow sub-palatable, or are they just trying to dunk the customer? We'd rather splash our cash on desserts and apps than pour it out on something that should just flow freely from the tap.

Up-selling In General
While we're certainly sympathetic to waitstaff who, due to the untenable circumstance of sub-minimum wage base pay, rely on percentage-based tips, but really -- if we wanted to start with an appetizer, we would have ordered one.

Every Ingredient
"Organic Peruvian Tangelo Seared Aged Newark Wildebeest on a Bed of Wilted Gowanus Farms Pre-Natal Endive" - We're loco for locavorism and super-psychedfor sustainable organic farming, but it doesn't taste any better just 'cause we know the name of our tenderloin's first cousin and where it went to summer camp.

The 'Tini Suffix
Flirtini. Chocotini. PB&Jtini. Just 'cause it's in the V-shaped glass does not a martini make it. Certainly we're huge fans of the mixological madmen shaking up Lavender Wonderbread Fizzes and Cranberry Clorox Collinses at our favorite gastro-boites, but if there's anything other than gin*, vermouth and an olive or a twistin the glass, it may be a drink, or even a cocktail, but it ain't a 'Tini. (We blame Sex and the City, but that's a whole 'nother story.)

Would You Like Freshly Ground Black Pepper On That?
No. No we wouldn't. And you're scaring us with that Louisville Slugger of a spice grinder.

Trios & Duos
"Heirloom Pork Prepared Two Ways with a Roulette of Seasonal Carrots"
Is the chef hedging his bets? Did he or she run short of some critical ingredient and have to go halvsies? Oneof the bunch is bound to outshine the other, making you wish you'd gotten a stab at a full-sized portion of that instead.

Over-pouring
Attentive service is certainly something to be celebrated, but the slow 'n steady sippers among us are kinda getting corked when we're sharing a bottle of wine with someone who's quicker on the chug than us. If our servers would just give us a chance to catch up instead of topping off after every couple of sips, the whole party might stand a chance of staying sober through dessert.

Prix Fixe Only
We're all for putting our palates in the hands of a capable chef, but do we have to fork over our wallets as well? Prix fixe meals can be a great supplement to an a la carte menu. However,for sharing a meal with folks of far-ranging tastes (not to mention budgets), the inflexibility is often more an ordeal than a deal.

Expensive After-Dinner Tea and Coffee
We get that this stuff isn't free, but when we look over the tab and see that the no-frills cup o' joe guzzled up $6 bucks, we tend to get a teensy bit "tea-ed" off. For that, we could have gone for a Grande Mocha-Choca Ya-Ya Latte at the BigBucks down the street.

And now your favorite Restaurant's Servers Strike Back......

DON'T TALK DOWN TO ME
Quote: "I hate when customers speak down to me like I am a teenager/20-something because I look young. I am 30 years old, and have been serving food for 20 years."
"For those of you who think servers are stupid, ignorant, or somehow below you in class or social standing, etc., let me just say that I am far classier than most people I served. Most of the people I worked with were extremely classy individuals as well. Money does not equal class."

PLEASE DON'T CAMP OUT
Quote: "When it's closing time, please GET OUT. How would you like it if someone came to your office five minutes before you closed and kept you there an extra two hours?"
"Remember that every minute you occupy one of our tables is affecting our income for the night. If you sit for two additional hours chatting after settling up and drinking water, consider compensating us for that time, especially since most good servers will continue to check up on you and refill those sodas and waters. If you buy drinks at the bar and then move to our tables and just sit talking, remember that table represents our livelihood. The longer you sit not tipping us, the less our hourly rate comes out to at the end of the night. Many servers only get between two and five tables to earn off during a shift. If they lose one for a couple of hours to "campers", as we call them, it can make a big impact at the end of the shift."

WE DON'T LIKE RECITING THE SPECIALS, BUT...
Quote: "We used to have our specials typed up on a separate piece of paper that was on the table when the guests sat. 95% of the time, the guests did not see it, or did not care to read it.It is well known that a guest will be more interested in ordering a special when they hear it from the servers mouth."
"Do you REALLY think I want to stand there and recite 10 specials to you, only to have you say "What was the third thing you said?"
"No one pays attention to special boards."

IF YOU CAN'T TIP, DON'T EAT OUT
Quote: "Oh and here's a little tip for those of you who don't know: we don't just want tips for our pocket, we want 'em for the food that Uncle Sam taxes US to feed you. That's right, I get taxed for what I sell. So if you order a huge meal, and then sheepishly tell me that you're sorry but you just don't have enough for a tip, I may smile and say, "That's ok, just get me next time." (Which is exactly what I do.) But inside I'm thanking you for giving me the privilage of paying for part of your meal, and for working for you for free. I'm sure my kids will too."
"Does anyone realize what a waitress/waiter gets paid an HOUR!?!? I work in a restaurant that is like Eat n Park. Make ALMOST $3.00 an hour for wages, but HAVE to pay TAXES on $4.35 an hour! If I do not "bust my butt" and try to get AT LEAST 15% TIP from a table, I am LOSING money!"

JUST TREAT ME LIKE A PERSON
Quote: "I think that a lot of people might really be ashamed of themselves if they could witness their own behavior. for some reason, it has become socially acceptable to treat waitstaff like indentured servants. People should just stop, take away all the tangents and remember that they are dealing with a PERSON, with feelings. It truly is amazing to see how people act, especially when they don't realize they are being watched (or worse yet, when they knowthey have an audience)."
"People seem to totally forget themselves. I have an aunt who is a pretty cool person, until she walks into a restaurant. Is there a sub-culture that gets some secret, subconscious thrill from being able to put themselves on apedastal above another person, just because that person is literally depending on YOU for their very livelihood? Some of the behaviors I have witnessed from restaurant guests is reprehensible, and if some people would stop to chill out and listen to themselves for a minute, they might truly be ashamed."

TAPPED OUT
Quote: "Just so you know, the bottled water service is not meant to rip the money out of your wallets, but a precaution we must take because believe it or not, there ARE people out there who refuse to drink tap water."
"I live in Georgia, and since we are in a drought, it is required by law that I offer you bottled water!"
" As a server I am required -- REQUIRED! -- to ask you if you would prefer bottled or tap water, or I will lose my job. Why? Because some bozos atthe head office ran a report that says the customer will purchase bottled water 75% of the time when I offer it. We all should know that companies are about making money -- which the mark-up on bottled water obviously does."

UP-SELLING IS MANDATORY
Quote: "I'll let you in on a little secret -- we have meetings on up-selling and suggestive selling, and yes we have to go and listen to someone explain the importance of upselling for 2 hours at the butt crack of dawn on a Saturday. Sounds fun doesn't it?"
"All of the restaurants I have ever worked in require the servers to not only up-sell (for example, from tap to bottled water) but also require that they offer specific appetizers, desserts, and alcoholicbeverages. And the consequences for not doing these things can be anything from getting a "bad" section to being fired."

I'M BEING WATCHED
Quote: "At our restaurant (and most other high end major restaurants) we have what we call a shopper. This person basically grades us on our job, without us knowing, and we have to hit several key points. For example, if a couple of people at a table ask for the same glass of wine, we must offer a bottle. And we must tell you about a feature that is off the menu. We must offer cracked pepper. If we do not do this, we are reprimanded and maybe even have some good shifts taken away until you can prove that you are a quality server.
"Anybody can be a secret shopper. If these aren't met the server can be fired on the first offense. think about that next time you think the server might be helping too much. They are not just trying to make more money they also trying to save their job."

PLEASE WATCH YOUR KIDS
Quote: "We would not need to use the sweepers or brooms on the floors, if you and your kids did not act like pigs, throwing everything on the floor, just because you don't have to clean it up!"
"We get tiredof people that allow their kids to throw food everywhere and behave like little animals simply because they don't have to clean it all up (for that big two dollar tip no less)."
"I clean up after kids that are monsters (even puke!). How can you takethem out and let them act like that?"
Please do not let your children run around the restaurant. It's dangerous. Waitresses come by with big heavy trays filled with hot food, and she can't always see a small child.

DEALING WITH CHANGE
(Note - in our blog comments, servers asking if change is needed was the most common customer complaint.)
Quote: "I don't understand the gripes about asking if you need change. I work at a restaurant andif someone has cash (and most of the time I don't know because our checks are in books) I can't read your mind if you have a twenty or a hundred in there and I am not going to look until I get to the register, because it's rude. I ask becausesome people do not need change and get offended if I don't ask. So if you need change say so."
"Many places do not require severs to carry cash on them, SO if you do need change we have to go to the bartender, wait for him/her to see me, wait to give him/her the cash, then wait for it to be returned to me (many times the bartender is busy so this can take several minutes) only to go BACK to your table and have you say "Oh it's for you." I could have helped other tables or done another tasks and could get that change later or at the end of the night. It is NOT our way of asking for a better tip! It is our way of saying "Do you need me to come back to this table anymore?"

WE'RE NOT THE COOKS
Quote: "We did not cook your food. We only brought it to you. It is okay, if the food is not to your satisfaction, for you to tell us this, and we will bring you something else. But please remember we are not COOKS, we are servers."
"A restaurant is not a McDonalds. Our food is not cooked ahead of time so please allow ample time. Most of our food is cooked to order. If your food comes out and its not satisfactory, please tell your waitress. It is her job to take it back and get you what you want, but keep in mind that she didn't cook the food so there is no reason to be nasty about it."
"If you order something well done, duh, it's going to take longer."

We'd like to note that many of the restaurant employees who responded in the blog comments seem to really, truly enjoy their profession and the customers they encounter, and feel that it's just a small minority of patrons who behave badly. Since both sides have had their say, perhaps we all might be more considerate of each others' needs while dining.

Chanakya

Chanakya is a great Indian politician, strategist and writer of 350 BC - 275 BC. He was an adviser and a prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta (c. 340-293 BC), and architect for him to rise to power. Some scholars consider Chanakya to be "the pioneer economist of the world".

Chanakya had composed two books, Arthashastra and Nitishastra which is also know as Chanakya Niti. The Arthashastra discusses monetary and fiscal policies, welfare, international relations, and war strategies in detail. Nitishastra is a treatise on the ideal way of life, and shows Chanakya's in depth study of the Indian way of life.

Chanakya quotes

"A person should not be too honest.
Straight trees are cut first
and Honest people are victimised first."

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"Even if a snake is not poisonous,
it should pretend to be venomous."

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"The biggest guru-mantra is:
Never share your secrets with anybody. !
It will destroy you."

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"There is some self-interest behind every friendship.
There is no Friendship without self-interests.
This is a bitter truth."

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"Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions -
Why am I doing it,
What the results might be and
Will I be successful.
Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead."

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"As soon as the fear approaches near,
attack and destroy it."

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"Once you start a working on something,
don't be afraid of failure and don't abandon it.
People who work sincerely are the happiest.."
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"The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind.
But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction."
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"A man is great by deeds, not by birth."

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"Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them.
By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends."

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"Books are as useful to a stupid person
as a mirror is useful to a blind person."
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"Education is the best friend.
An educated person is respected everywhere.
Education beats the beauty and the youth."

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Some more details @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya