FROM OUR BLOGS

CONSUMERS

Tad more scrimping on dad

Despite the recession, dads can still expect dinner and neckties for Father’s Day this year.

According to a National Retail Federation survey, Americans are expected to spend an average of $90.89 on gifts for dad this year, down slightly from $94.54 in 2008. Total spending is expected to reach $9.4 billion.

The survey found that people will spend the most ($1.9 billion) on special outings such as dinner or a sporting event, but clothing still ranks high among gift-givers, who are expected to shell out $1.3 billion on new socks, slacks and ties. Others will treat dad to a gift card ($1.2 billion), electronics ($1 billion) books or CDs ($548 million), home improvement items ($522 million) and sporting goods ($502 million).

“Along with the usual ties, gift-givers will be looking into items that dad can enjoy with the whole family,” said Tracy Mullin, president of the National Retail Federation. “Retailers will offer specials on new grill sets, sporting and gardening equipment and even electronics as the holiday rolls around.”

When it comes to who is getting gifts this year, the majority of people said they will buy only for their father/stepfather (51.1%).

-- Andrea Chang

From California Consumer: What SoCal shoppers need to know

For more, go to latimes.com/californiaconsumer

OUTPOSTS

Ghost town on chopping block

If you cease funding and maintenance of a ghost town and it crumbles and fades into the landscape, what happens to the ghosts?

Have you been to Bodie State Historic Park in the Eastern Sierra? If so you probably experienced a sensation of time travel and envisioned yourself with a pistol strapped to your leg, walking a dusty street at high noon while waiting for a saloon fight to break out.

Bodie is a genuine gold-mining ghost town where once lived 10,000 people. Now it’s on the list of 220 state parks slated for closure if Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s planned funding cuts are approved, and that leaves one to sadly ponder whether a treasured piece of our past, which requires upkeep, will simply fade into obscurity.

Mammoth Lakes is doing more than pondering. It has determined that closing Bodie and nearby Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve would cost California more than double what it would cost to keep them open.

According to a report on KSRW radio’s website, Sheryl Watson of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, in a memo, stated that closing both parks would save $149 million, but would cost more than $350 million in lost tourism-related revenue.

Mammoth Town Manager Rob Clark told the council that closures of both parks would also diminish sales taxes collected by the state and the town and Mono County’s share of sales and hotel taxes. The council has complained to state representatives.

-- Pete Thomas

From Outposts: Getting the most from the great outdoors

For more, go to latimes.com/outposts

UP TO SPEED

California’s low driving IQ

We’re No. 48!

At least that’s where California ranked among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in GMAC Insurance’s fifth annual National Drivers Test.

GMAC surveyed more than 5,000 licensed drivers throughout the country, asking them to answer 20 questions gleaned from actual state drivers license exams.

Based on the results of the survey, the insurer concluded that 20% of the licensed drivers in the U.S. -- or about 40 million people -- wouldn’t pass a written test if they had to take one today.

The average test score was 76.6%, down from last year’s average of 78.1%.

Drivers in Idaho and Wisconsin tied for first, with an average test score of 80.6%.

New York ranked last with an average score of 70.5%. The only other states that scored lower than California were New Jersey and Hawaii.

Drivers seemed to have particular trouble getting their minds around what to do at a yellow light and what constitutes a safe following distance. The concept of the solid-line lane marker, on the other hand, was familiar to just about everyone, according to GMAC.

A few other factoids:

* Drivers over age 35 were most likely to pass, while young adults ages 18 to 24 had the highest failure rate.

* Men were more likely than women to pass the test, but by a statistically insignificant margin -- 81% to 79%.

* Drivers in the Midwest had both the highest average test scores (79%) and the lowest failure rate (15%). The Northeast had the lowest average test scores (74.5%), and the South had the highest failure rate (41%).

You can take the test yourself at GMAC’s website: www.gmacinsurance.com/ SafeDriving/.

Just for the record, I scored a 90% (so I like to tailgate -- what’s the big deal?).

-- Martin Zimmerman

From Up to Speed: The latest buzz in L.A.’s car culture

For more, go to latimes.com/uptospeed