Travel.Advisor.com

I take many road trips, often on routes I haven't traveled, to places I haven't been, and often in a large motor home. Many trips are for business, so I need to get to the right place at the right time. I rely on a computer to plan the trip, then drive the trip. Little GPS receivers are cute, cheap, helpful -- but limited. But fortunately, my vehicle has plenty of space for a laptop that is visible to the driver. So I drive with computer-based, GPS-controlled map/navigation software running on a big computer screen.

There are two major software products in this category, Microsoft Streets and Trips, and DeLorme Street Atlas USA, and I think one strongly out-classes the other. Here's what and why...

Here's an excellent article from an odd source: Karl Rove. Printed in the Wall Street Journal, this piece exposes the economic nonsense of both Obama and McCain when it comes to raising taxes on oil companies. Good stuff.

I've been suspicious about all the exhortations to save gas by driving slower. Of course, it is true -– to some degree. But just how much? And what's that savings worth per hour?

The recession is upon us.

While still not official, most agree that we are in an economic downturn. Unemployment is rising, housing prices are plummeting and energy costs are soaring. As a result, in this election year, the federal government is offering tax rebates (admittedly ill-advised) to lessen the pain.

But in California, politicians think there are only two times to raise taxes -- good times and bad times. Oddly enough, this is one of those times.

Six Items – Five on San Diego fires, last one on home prices.

Boomer Advisor is published by Advisor Media at our office in San Diego. For several days we lived the nightmare known as Firestorm 2007, later called the Witch Creek Fire (though it was actually several fires in different places). Our office wasn't threatened, unlike the Cedar Fire of 2003, which burned to just a block from us. None of our San Diego-area staff was harmed and their homes all survived.

But it was a scary situation. Wild fires raged in various areas of the county, and they stopped more by luck -- a change in winds -- than by anything people could do.

This time:
1. Win a Nobel Peace Prize. Al Gore did it – you can too!
2. Bring Back Gray Davis! He Would Be Better than Arnold.
3. Media bias? Yes, But Perhaps Even Worse Is Reporter Laziness.
4. I Mean It! Gray Davis WAS a Better Governor than Arnold. Just Ask Gun Owners.
5. Further Proof Arnold Is a Terrible Governor. He Lied About Supporting Open Government.
6. The Hidden Cost of Depreciation in Public Works.
7. Trolleys FAR More Crime Ridden than Buses.
8. Portland, the Smart Growth Model for Central Planners, Gets Thoroughly Debunked.