On the Third Hand

John talks to Clem about skydiving. Clem is hesitant because jumping out of plane just for the sake of falling doesn't make a lot of sense, but John insists that such a stunt will make a big difference in Clem's life. Clem says, "You wouldn't lie to me would you, John."  John says, "No way. I guarantee your life will be better, and jumping will be the greatest experience of your life. And better yet, all those people who made fun of you over the years will look at you in awe and Tweet 'OMG, he jumped out of a plane. LOL." So Clem says, "Well, maybe ... How does it work?" "First," John says, "we go up in a plane--" "What kind of plane?" "Why the very best of planes. Big luxurious seats. Drinks served. It will be the greatest experience of your life. Then the instructor will give you a parachute--" "What kind of parachute?" Clem asks. "The very best kind of parachute.

Rant for the Day: I prefer buying a car by comparison shopping and then selecting the dealer who gives me the best price. But a classic dealer tactic is high-pressure negotiation in which they push the buy-now special to keep me from comparing prices and included accessories elsewhere. How frustrating to buy a car and then find your neighbor bought the same car from the same dealer the next day for $500 less. Dealer invoices don't help, because they don't show dealer incentives and rebates. Neither do they show the influence of the bank that actually owns the dealer's stock. If you think that buying a car is complicated, consider buying healthcare. Despite claims to the contrary, IMHO, you can't reliably comparison shop hospitals and doctors. You may put off buying a car for a week while you compare prices, but that emergency bypass is not likely to wait. Moreover, surgeons and hospitals don't have the brand-name consistency of Ford or Toyota. I've yet to