Best Of Chicago Award 2009

I am pleased to announce that Low Cost Auto Insurance has been selected for the 2009 Best of Chicago Award in the Auto Insurance category by the US Commerce Association.

In recognition of your achievement, a 2009 Best of Chicago Award has been designed for display at your place of business.
Each year, the US Commerce Association (USCA) identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Ford turns in a Profit?

by Larry Lubell
Just when we were all ready to “Write-Off the entire US Auto Industry, Ford Motor Co, posts a profit.
Granted, the margin was small and was a product of a one-time gain of $3.4 billion conected to Ford’s debt restructuring.
Ford’s restructuring was accomplished by way of Reducing its U.S. hourly workforce by about 1,000, in a deal with the U.A.W. Ford also was able to reduce it’s debt obligations by $10.1 billion; which equates to a savings of nearly $500 million / year in interest payments alone.
.“While the business environment remained extremely challenging around the world, we made significant progress on our transformation plan,” Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said in a statement.
Ford’s executive vice president and CFO, Lewis Booth, stated, “Ford delivered a very solid quarter, and our transformation plan remains well on track,” “We strengthened our balance sheet, reduced cash outflows and improved our year-over-year financial results despite sharply lower industry volumes.”
While this might not be time to “Pull out the Champaign,” clearly the results represent a major improvement over last year’s reported loss of $8.7 billion. It points to the very real possibility, that if or when, car sales rebound even to average levels; Ford as well as GM and Chrysler, all appear to have a real shot of returning to profitability. It is quite unlikely that US producers will ever regain the dominance in the American market they once took for granted; they might just have a sustainable future.
This is good news, because of the large number of jobs that are dependant of the the US auto industry. From Manufacturing to design, car Insurance, and repair shops just to stratch the service.

Tags: ford, GM

Palin in 2012

No one political party has ownership of the ideas necessary to move this nation forward.While I am not a Republican, I certainly have family and friends that are proud members of the GOP. Truth be told, many of them are people for whom I have a great deal of respect and admiration. Even while disagreeing, I can clearly recognize that a great deal of thought, research and reasoning went into the formation of their ideas. So much so, that after hearing the quality of their arguments, I will, at times, find myself re questioning some of my own conclusions.

It is no secret that the Republican party counts among it's members a share of the nation's best and brightest minds. It was with that knowledge that I was so shocked when Sarah Palin was selected to be McCaine's running mate.
The first question that came to mind was "Is this is the Best and Brightest star that the GOP can find?"

It wasn't that I felt she was evil or had any bad intent, I just did not understand how can anyone could make the case that she was ready to "Step in" to the job of leader of the free world.The entire state of Alaska has less than one twelfth the population of the Chicago Metro area. She had never met with any world leaders, possessed zero foreign affairs experience, zero Washington experience. Her resume was devoid of any of the usual, expected list of prior government positions that typically accompany one seeking to be a "Heartbeat away" from the presidency. That said, I can understand that there are people that have demonstrated they have achieved the necessary "Skill-Set" through an alternative set of challenges and responsibilities. However we discovered Sarah Palin had never ran a major company, had no experience in international business or been a General in the armed forces.

She had been mayor of a town smaller than the population of many condo building associations, and a newly elected first term Governor. Upon those experiences many deemed her ready to be VP and after the election, ready to run for President of the United States in 2012. But now, by her own stunning admission, she was not even prepared to continue in her job as Governor do Alaska.

Addressing the media from the town of Dillingham, in the "Folksiest costume" contained in her closest (fishing waders) , Palin stated .
"I'm not going to take the comfortable path. I'm going to take the right path for the state," she said of her resignation, which she spun as a matter of progressing in an unconventional way.
"That caught people off guard. ... It's out of the box and unconventional. That's what we are as Alaskans and certainly how I am as a public servant."

This media blitz came out of her need to explain why quitting her job with two weeks notice was not an example of "Quitting" but instead was a "Selfless act" for the good of the people of Alaska.
Sarah Palin says she's not a quitter, she's a fighter, but then added that, politically speaking, "if I die, I die. So be it."

Ok. I understand that she and her administration has been paralyzed by fending off lawsuits. I'm sure that the criticism she has faced has been difficult. I understand that she has an opportunity to "Cash-in" on her fame. I even understand that with a special-needs-child, it might even be a responsible action; so as to put aside the funds that can provide for a better quality of life for that child. Just don't tell me that she is truly ready to be president in 2012.

Larry Lubell

NJ Man Pleads Guilty to 15th DUI

Back when Paris Hilton was spending her few days in jail as a result of her DUI conviction, I remember the out-cry from many that she was getting such a "Light sentence" based on the fact that she was famous.
Few people believed me when I tried to explain, that unfortunately her sentence was not particularly light and in fact that a Non- celebrity would almost never serve a single day under the same situations.

Well a few days ago a resident East Rutherford ,Shaun Campbell went before a judge and stated he been drinking "quite a bit" of beer when he crashed his SUV head-on into a pickup driven by a man and carrying his 4-year-old daughter. Fortunately neither of them were not seriously hurt, but that is owed to a good bit of luck. Campbell's blood-alcohol level was .288 percent, more than triple the state's legal limit. This would be an outrageous crime to require strict punishment, but this was not his "First Offence" in fact it was not his third Offence- Campbell's license has been suspended 78 times in 22 years . If you do the math that means his licence was suspended nearly every three months. This is his 15th DUI Conviction.

I think this clearly shows that this person should be behind bars, and also put the idea that Paris Hilton got off "Light" into real context.

Larry Lubell Can be contacted @ Larry@UrbanInsuranceAgency.comUrbanBlogStart Your Insurance Today Call 1-800-680-0707 for a Free quote or Click www.urbaninsuranceagency.com/quote.php

4th of July is on the 4th

United States Legal Federal Holidays
Complete List of Federal Legal Holidays in 2009

NRS 236.015 Legal holidays; closing of state, county and city offices, courts, and public schools
The following days are declared to be legal holidays for state,
County and city governmental offices


• January 1, 2009 (thursday): New Year's Day [Jan. 1 every year]

• January 19, 2009 (monday): Martin Luther King Day [3rd monday in Jan]

• January 20, 2009 (tuesday): Inauguration Day [every 4th year]

• February 16, 2009 (monday): Presidents Day (observed) [3rd monday in Feb] note: Presidents Day is also Washington's Birthday (observed)

• May 25, 2009 (monday): Memorial Day (observed) [last monday in May]

• July 4, 2009 (saturday): Independence Day [July 4th every year]

• September 7, 2009 (monday): Labor Day [1st monday in Sept]

• October 12, 2009 (monday): Columbus Day (observed) [2nd monday in Oct]

• November 11, 2009 (wednesday): Veterans' Day [Nov. 11 every year]

• November 26, 2009 (thursday): Thanksgiving Day [4th thursday in Nov]

• December 25, 2009 (friday): Christmas Day [Dec. 25 every year]