What, no pony too?

In another example of conclusive proof that America is going to heck in a handbasket, a woman in Lexington, KY has filed a lawsuit against a local radio station claiming that a contest she won was fraudulent and that the station is in breach of contract. One of the station’s DJ’s ran a contest where the 10th caller would “win 100 grand”. Naturally, the actual price was a Nestle’s 100 Grand candy bar, not $100,000 in cash. So the woman feels deceived, and like any good American, she files a lawsuit and sues.

Now I’m not about to rip on her for suing. The FCC does have rules against these kinds of "misleading" contests, so I presume she’ll win or that the station will settle. My issue is what she said in an interview for the story: “Before her family went to sleep that night, Gill says, she promised her children — ages 1, 5 and 11 — that they'd have a minivan, a shopping spree, a savings account and a home with a back yard.”

Here’s the problem with that. If you win $100,000, the government will take about a third to half of it right off the top in taxes. So now she’s at $66,000 – best case. Figure $20K-$25K for the minivan (she buys a relatively cheap new one) and she’s got maybe $30 grand left after taxes and fees and whatnot on the car. Take away another $5-10K for your shopping spree and savings, and you’re left with about $20 grand will not buy you a house with a backyard in Lexington. It won’t even get you to a 20% down payment. I’ve been to Lexington, and sure, it’s cheaper than Chicago – but it’s not that cheap. It’s just sad that people have no idea how to manage money. No wonder everybody is up to their ears in credit card debt.

Side note: On my way into work this morning, I saw a Toyota Echo driving down the street by a young BCWB*. It was “pimped out” with the fake spinner hubcaps and copious Mardi Gras Beads on the rear-view mirror (Actually, doesn't sporting mardi gras beads signal to the world that you flashed your top to get them? Am I to believe that he scored those showing off his man-boobs?). I laughed so hard I cried a little. I’ts hard to understand the humor in text, I know – but he just looked so proud of himself… “Yeah, it’s an Echo, my own little rice burner. 100 horses ready to throw down. I did all the accessories myself just like I saw on that episode of Pimp My Ride. Got my bling bling on the mirror. Spinners, and a game boy wired in the back seat. Check out my sound system. 2-speaker FM radio…*with* cassette. Awwww SNAP!”

*Baseball Cap Wearing Bohunk

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