2 Broadcaster Press March 26, 2019 www.broadcasteronline.com Dave Says New Technology Time To Fix The Real Problem Dear Dave, I’ve heard you tell people to avoid debt consolidation companies. Why do you think debt consolidation is such a bad thing? Tom Dear Tom, The main reason is that debt consolidation makes you feel like you did something to really change your financial world when you didn’t. That’s part of the catch. Believe it or not, I hear people all the time Dave say things like, “I took out a loan, and paid off all my debt!” No, you didn’t. All you did was move your debt around. It’s still there! In cases like this, the biggest issue remains because you didn’t do anything to address the real problems— you and your behavior. When you have debt, the number of payments you have left isn’t the problem. The problem isn’t interest rates, either. The problem is the person you look at in the mirror every day. Until you get mad enough about your financial situation and the real reasons for it—until you fix you and your behavior—you’ll never make any progress toward Tell them you saw it in the winning with money! —Dave RAMSEY Broadcaster! Tell them you saw it in the Broadcaster! 624-4429 www.broadcasteronline.com When Can We Buy A New Car? Dear Dave, My husband and I are following your plan, and we’re in the middle of saving up our emergency fund. When do you recommend buying a new car in the process? Do we have to wait until we’ve finished all the Baby Steps? Alanna Dear Alanna, I never advise buying a brand new car, unless you have a net worth of at least $1 million. At that point, you’ve got enough assets that you won’t get rocked by the ridiculous depreciation that comes with buying a new vehicle. Now, you don’t have to drive a beater until you pay off your house or anything like that. I advise people to drive the minimum they can in terms of a car until they complete my first three steps. Baby Step 1 is a beginner emergency fund of $1,000. Baby Step 2 is paying off all debt except for your home. Baby Step 3 is fully funding your emergency fund with three to six months of expenses. After you’ve accomplished these first three steps, then you can move up to a nicer car. Notice that I didn’t say move up to a new car. I want you to save up cash, and get a really nice used car. That’s what the typical millionaire does, and I want you to model your financial behavior after people who are in the position you want to be in some day! —Dave * Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com. Floodwater: Road Crossing Hazards Tell them you saw it in the Broadcaster! 201 W. Cherry, Vermillion 624-4429 www.broadcasteronline.com By Alvaro Garcia water depth, strength, and if the road is SDSU Extension Agriculture and Natural firm and safe to cross. It is sometimes Resources Program Director & Professor difficult to assess the risk of crossing, If you are among those who take and a typical mistake is to misjudge the precautions, quit golfing, and look for water's depth and the soundness of the shelter during a thunderstorm, think underlying surface. about the following statistic. According The Federal Emergency Manageto the National Weather Service, twice ment Agency (FEMA) shares these tips as many people die each year from flash on water depth: 201 W. Cherry, Vermillion floods in the U.S. compared to lightning! 1.Six inches of water reach the botFlash floods pose an inherent danger tom of a conventional car. because of thewww.broadcasteronline.com 2.At one foot deep, the conventional force of the running water. A water current of just six inches passenger car will start to float. Bear in deep can throw you off balance with mind that, according to the U.S. Georelative ease. It can also carry debris logical Survey, one foot of water carries and other inert objects that can make a force of 500 pounds. Thus, there is a wading through even more hazardous. great likelihood that the water current According to the National Weather Ser- will sweep the car away. The water can vice statistics however, the majority of sweep you away as well should you dethe casualties (64 percent) happen in cide to step out of the vehicle. cars, compared with outdoor recrea3.At two feet, the running water will tion (22.5 percent) or homes/buildings sweep a vehicle down current almost (9 percent). right away. We all have places to go—be sure to First thing’s first. get there safely! If we are crossing and the running During flooding, and when driving in water starts to sweep the vehicle, the the countryside we oftentimes encoun- first thing to consider is to avoid ending ter a creek or stream running on top up trapped inside the vehicle. Before of the road. Things that should imme- calling for help, unbuckle yours and the diately come to the driver’s mind are: other passenger’s seatbelts, unlock the Tell them you saw it in the Broadcaster! 624-4429 Carpentry, Decks, Windows & Doors, Refinishing, Drywall, & Ceramic Tile Romsdahl’s Repair & Remodel 605-670-2161 Cell phones were new, and the university made me carry one because I was the director of internet systems. They wanted to be able to get hold of me if something went wrong, which, with the internet in its infancy, it often did. Messages from my office phone were also routed to my cell phone and beeped me at the most inconvenient times. Sometimes technology is so annoying. Shandy’s messages always beeped me at the worst times of all. Every time I had a test in my class, Shandy had some emergency come up. She would call and leave a message on my phone just before the test closed. For the first exam, my phone beeped just as I was trying to get my young children asleep. I picked up the phone and hit the play button. Shandy’s voice came on, and she was breathing hard. “Hello, Professor Howard. This is Shandy. My friends and I are at a park forty miles from campus and someone in our group broke her arm. I ran to this pay phone to call for medical help, and after I called them, I realized I should call you to let you know I won’t make it back to campus in time to take the test. I hope you will let me take it tomorrow.” This was always a tough spot to be in. The student may or may not be telling the truth. I tended to err on the side of trust, so the next day I called the testing center and gave them the information needed to let Shandy take the test. I hoped that would be the last time, but when the second test came, there was a similar phone call. My phone beeped in the middle of an important meeting. Few others had cell phones, and everyone stared at me. It was another call from Shandy. “Hello Professor Howard. This is Shandy. I was coming home with some friends from a game about ninety miles from campus when we came upon a wreck. We helped the people get out before the car caught fire and treated them for shock until paramedics arrived. Afterward, we pulled into this gas station so I could call you. There is no way I can make it all the way back to campus in time for the test. I hope you will let me take it tomorrow.” Things didn’t quite add up, but I had no proof to the contrary, so I called the test permission in to the testing center. But then I called the Honor Office and asked them if they had received any concerns about Shandy. They said they had, but nothing that anyone could prove. Two more tests had the same thing happen. My phone beeped at inconvenient times, and Shandy had had an emergency. But I was getting more suspicious. Still, I couldn’t prove anything, so I called the testing center for her permissions. Then, one day, there was a knock on my office door. I opened it, and there stood a man holding two phones. “We have upgraded the phone system on campus, and everyone is getting new office phones,” he said. “You also get a new cell phone.” “What’s wrong with my old phones?” I asked. “I don’t really know,” he answered. “But apparently they don’t work well with the new equipment.” He set up my office phone, handed me the new cell phone, and left a small brochure on how to use the new features. I put the small brochure in my wallet. I didn’t have time to deal with new technology, and I knew how to use a phone. But then came the day after the next test closed. My phone beeped while I was on a date with my wife. I was annoyed when I had to use the brochure to figure out how to get the message. It was Shandy again. “Hi Professor Howard. This is Shandy . . . “ Her message was the same as usual. She said she was two hours away from campus and had had an emergency. When she finished speaking, I was just about to hang up when a computer-generated voice came on. “This call originated from McKay Library extension 7042.” I paused, somewhat stunned. Shandy had called me from on campus, and now I knew for sure she wasn’t really miles away. Maybe technology is not so annoying after all. PRECISION PAINTING •Interior •Exterior •Commercial •Residential Quality Workmanship, Reasonable Rates 20 Years in Business Free Estimates doors, and open the windows. This will help you be ready in case the car ends up getting dragged into deeper water. Do not attempt to contact emergency help before increasing your chances of exiting the car. Every second counts at this point! If you fall in the current, you are going to get soaked in frigid water, so it is important to understand what the risks are if it happens. The body's cold shock response happens first and usually between 2 to 3 minutes following immersion. The time it takes for it to occur varies between individuals, and it is usually associated with body mass. Heavy-built subjects will tolerate cold water longer compared to their skinnier counterparts. A state of panic with gasping and hyperventilation characterizes this stage. The first thing a person needs to do is to remain as calm as possible, in an attempt to get his or her respiration rate under control. People that are afraid of water are predisposed to enter this stage sooner, as panicking compounds the problem. Be aware that a course of water running over the road can turn into a very dangerous, even life-threatening situation if you attempt to cross it with your vehicle. There is likely no place one needs to get to that urgently as to risk life. The best advice? “When in doubt back out!” By Daris Howard Since 1983 CLINT TUCKER 624-4621 Prairie Center Townships Board of Supervisors will meet on Tuesday, April 9th at 7pm at the Township Hall to discuss recent water issues in our township. Matt Olson, Clerk Sump Pump City Ordinance Sump pumps have been installed in many Vermillion homes to remove groundwater collected by foundation drains and thereby prevent water damage to basement walls and floors. This water is not polluted and does not require any treatment before being discharged to a waterway. Sanitary sewers, however, collect waste from homes, other buildings and businesses. This waste must be treated prior to discharge to a waterway. The discharge of sump pumps to floor drains and to indoor plumbing can result in hydraulic overloads of the sanitary sewer. When sewer lines become overloaded, sewage can back up into homes and businesses. Therefore, it is against Vermillion City Ordinance to discharge a sump pump to the sanitary sewer system. We want to protect all homeowners from sewer backups. To do this we need everyone's cooperation to ensure sump pumps are not discharged to the sanitary system. If you have any questions concerning the proper discharge of sump pumps, feel free to contact Wastewater at (605) 677-7077 or wastewater@cityofvermillion.com. • AUTOMOTIVE COLLISION REPAIR • PAINT • FRAMEWORK • GLASS REPLACEMENT HOURS: M-F 9AM-6PM SAT 9AM-12PM 1205 CARR STREET • VERMILLION • 605.670.0471 BlainesBodyShop@gmail.com SALE 9 W. Main Vermillion 2600 Sq. ft. of Commercial Property With Full Basement Paul Hasse 670-1068 Buying, Selling or Renting connect with area landlords, renters, home buyers and home sellers with the Broadcaster classifieds! 201 W Cherry Vermillion 624-4429