We live in a Five Star World, yea, right.

Well once again we are back to "the rest of the story" as Paul Harvey says, the complete truth. So when we hear and say Five Star rating we naturally assume the very best, the creme, the top. Well sorry to burst your bubble while that may be what the intended is supposed to imply,  in my opinion a Five Star rating means nothing, nada, zero in reality.

So this measure we are supposed to use is in reality incomplete. Yes, just like the statistics the government gives us it tells a story but is it the right or whole story or just the story they want us to accept? In my opinion just a marketing ploy to in influence you into using their service or product. Ok, here we go again, I have to spell it out. Yes like the cattle [bovine] walking up the ramp at the slaughter house, just follow the rear in front.

As example, I suspect we have all heard of that 5 star hotel rating they hand out to the supposedly upscale hotels. However have you ever gotten there only to be disappointed? How about that 5 star car dealer who provides repair and maintenance that just doesn’t fix the problem and then there is the ever popular five star crash rating.

Yes it is that which is supposed to entice you and educate you into making an informed decision. So lets start with the hotel. A famous named hotel chain was selected on recent trip north. The pictures on the web looked great [probably taken when it was just built] the ratings were 5 star, who gave them that who knows and in the end we left after spending about 1 hour finding out the five stars was evidently not applied to that location. Need I go into what we found or didn’t? Let me just say we opened the door only to find people in the bed. Yes don’t believe it, a simple error in keys they said. We won’t go into other examples we experienced. So check out just how old that rating is and who gave it before you book. False advertising, please give me a break, read the fine print as they say.

Now lets go to auto repairs. Ok when you find one that lives up to their rating please let me know. Perhaps oil and tire changes but that sign saying certified whatever, in my opinion is useless. Yes they sat in a class for a week and were handed a piece of paper. Once gain where the tire meets the road, you shall know them by their works. What they do or didn’t do. Rhetorically one might suppose it means one can wonder hither and dither taking their time, getting another cup of coffee and extending the repair time. As for fixing any problems, well I’ll give you this advice, in my opinion make a reservation for the return trip before leaving because you will need it for that new problem that never existed until after you brought your car in for service. Call the manufacturer you say? Ok send me what you are taking I need a real trip. Oh, and by the way, if you happen to be buying a car, check on the drivers door where it was made. If it says made in Mexico, leave it. Now that is another opinion based on hard experience.

Now they do sell cars as well. Yes 5 star rated crash tested cars.. What they don’t tell you in that little gas and fuel efficient 5 star car is don’t get plowed into by anything larger. They don’t explain it is a controlled and limited test. Yes just like tire warranties. Is it good information. Certainly but it means nothing in real life. For the most part outside of about 10 vehicles out of the multiple hundreds actually have rear seat or side ratings anywhere near that 5 star. There are a few but not many. You would be shocked at some of those $40,000 sedans that have a one rating or three rating and the haves driving them are totally oblivious to it. Think not then check your out on the NHTSA site.

I will say those $40,00 cars have all the bells and whistles to protect the occupant. The air bags, brakes and other safety features one gets to have because they have. Why, they can afford the safety like everything else. So in reality if you are a have the hell with fuel prices. It really does not impact them. All a write off on the ledger of life. We average Joe types well we get to perhaps buy that ½ sized, if you can ever get financed. You know that they advertise for about $16,000 but actually will cost you about $3000,00 more if you want to add safety and security features. Yes and they fail to tell you that it still won’t help if hit by one of those large SUV types or trucks. Yes the simple truth if you do your homework.. Everyone driving around "thinking" differently while the facts and the truth are the truth. Sadly you don’t know until you need to know and then it just may be too late? It really is just the plain and simple law of physics, matter, inertia.

Now one would think that is one car company could design a car with a 5 star rating others could as well? You would think this is a priority? You would think fuel efficiency is a must these days? Well think again. Yes and know this, if you decide to go around the block and trade that same car you just purchased in for a different one, they will be happy to give you auction price. Hey aren’t they there to help and after all they are that 5 star dealers, aren’t they?

Now I would be remiss if I didn’t say there are dealers who live up to that rating or even exceed it. But please don’t kid yourself into thinking all. Come on down to the West Coast of Florida and I can point out quite a few right here in my local neighborhood. Yes and they even say they are your friendly local dealer. Local maybe by nature of location. The owners far removed in most cases and even if local far removed from the average Joe’s and friendly?.

So how does this all translate into the economy. Well frankly it is a microcosm in my opinion of our society today. We accept mediocrity, do not dare threaten the powers that be, after all, "who do we think we are, don’t they know we are nobodies and how big they are?

Yes, you average working poor Americans as you are closing that deal remember that cow walking up the plank and don’t forget to Moo one last time. It just might be the last thing they will listen to.

Robert T. Melaccio Sr. 2008 Copyright ©2008 Robert Melaccio