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Last week, the blowup over Hollywood actor/director Kevin Smith’s ejection from a Southwest Airlines flight sparked a flurry of controversy over the way that larger Americans travel. Southwest, a notable low-cost carrier in the U.S., has a policy stating that obese flyers who cannot fit into a single airplane seat without being able to put down the armrest must purchase two seats, both for their own comfort and for the convenience of passengers seated next to them.

The man who is currently in jail for killing three people with his Toyota Camry could have a whole new defense, thanks to the now-notorious recalls of many Toyota vehicles. Koua Fong Lee, a Hmong immigrant, was convicted in 2007 of killing a man, his son, and his niece.

If you have a car, then you are supposed to have car insurance. It’s just the way of the world. Obtaining auto insurance can be one of the most time-consuming and costly activities undertaken by a consumer, to say nothing of frustrating. You might think that shopping for and buying a car insurance policy is fairly straightforward, but think again: you might be duped by a car insurer who isn’t giving you the full story.

Having poor credit can make you feel like a lot of doors have been closed in your face. One of those doors might be the dream of having your own car. Unless you live in a big city where the excellent and expansive public transportation system makes owning a car unnecessary, having your own set of wheels to get around is practically a requirement these days. If you don’t have the cash to buy a car outright, you will need an auto loan.

The number of auto loan delinquencies and defaults has long been acknowledged as one of the bellwethers of the economy’s condition. In the darkest days of the recession, people were failing to make the monthly payments for their cars in massive amounts.

The US government is acting like the mediator of a schoolyard fight as it tells the press to stop bashing the Toyota Motor Corp. But officials are not stepping in out of the goodness of their heart. They are actually worried about the impact that the further denigration of the Toyota name could have on the already fragile U.S. economy, according to reports. Toyota is currently in the midst of a major drop in consumer confidence.

The beleaguered Toyota Motor Corp. is said to be considering the modification of its proprietary push-button ignition systems, according to an American company representative. Brian Lyons, a spokesman, said that the auto manufacturer has been giving thought to changing the system so that drivers can more easily turn the car off in the event of an emergency, presumably one like the accelerator or brake malfunctions currently affecting many new Toyota vehicles.

If you’ve ever had to deal with an auto break down, then you know first-handed how frustrating and potentially scary this situation can be. But the truth of the matter is this: cars are machines, and machines will inevitably break down. Even the sturdiest, newest car or truck can encounter problems, especially during the coldest months of the year.

Are you, like myself, a Toyota owner? Bad news for us, folks – our Toyotas are losing value at a faster rate than normal as the news of the ongoing company recalls has the Kelley Blue Book (the foremost authority in the pricing of new and used vehicles) devaluing some of the formerly best-selling vehicles in the country at a rapid pace. According to a news story that I read recently, the KBB values of recalled Toyotas have dropped by as much as four percent, or several hundred dollars less on average.

In a surprise to exactly nobody, Toyota has announced the recall of almost a half-million Prius hybrids along with several foreign incarnations of its flagship “green” hybrid vehicle. The vehicles are experiencing brake problems that have caused some drivers to lose ability to stop or slow down their cars over bumpy or uneven roads. The news brings even more shame to the world’s largest automaker, which is still reeling from the recall of more than ten of its best-selling models last month.