In one of the least surprising announcements of the season (coming in not too far behind "It's cold" in most of America), the folks over at Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research are saying that high gas prices are causing many new car shoppers to spend less. The reason, "shoppers spend less on self in order to spend more on others," KBB said in a statement. Almost half (44 percent) of "in-market new-vehicle shoppers are looking at cars they normally would not have considered due to the pain at the pump." The winners are crossovers, sedans and hatchbacks. The losers are SUVs. KBB's study found that Americans are also eating out less and buying fewer "non essential retail items" thanks to the more-than-$3-a-gallon prices. KBB conducted the study during the first week of December.

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

A father and his kids caught Santa Claus on video driving an SUV and they uploaded the video to YouTube. Why is Santa driving an SUV? He is giving his reindeer a rest, of course, which one child repeats in a very funny way. Some of the commentators on YouTube have noticed that the vehicle is not an SUV but a Minivan, that a child that small should not be in the front seat and that the kid in the back is not wearing his seat belt. Not mentioned in the YouTube comments is that Santa could have chosen a car that does not contribute to the melting of his homeland as much or maybe could have taken public transport. While I've got my soapbox out, perhaps eating fewer cookies might help with his weight problem too. Maybe I am over thinking this wonderful little moment?

Happy Holidays everyone!

[Source: YouTube]

The traditional pardoned White House turkeys were delivered by a Flex Fuel Ford F-150 running on E85. The turkeys were named "May" and "Flower" and not "the names the Vice President suggested, which was 'Lunch' and 'Dinner,'" joked President Bush. The turkeys were delivered by Hotel Washington bellhops, in dog carriers, at 8:10 am to the waiting Ford F-150 as camera crews from Toyko TV and NBC News recorded the entire thing. The Ford drove two blocks to the White House.

Ziad Ojakli, Ford's group vice president for government and community relations, said "Corn is the turkeys' fuel and the truck's. ... Ford is pleased to provide the getaway vehicle in the turkey-cade." After the pardoning ceremony at noon, the turkeys in a dozen-car motorcade, escorted by 5 police motorbikes and a police car with sirens on, drove to Dulles Airport. The turkeys are going to Disneyland. Yes, Disneyland. They are going to be grand marshals of Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[Source: Detroit News]