What can I trade for some dental work?

Published 10:48 pm Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Fair trade: With the economy in the dumper, more people have turned to bartering to pay health care costs. A Bellevue-based trade exchange says bartering for medical and dental services rose 45 percent over the past year.

The Buzz likes the idea but recommends that medical providers refuse to accept zucchini as payment.

Your mileage may vary: General Motors says its Chevy Volt, due in showrooms in late 2010, will be rated at 230 miles per gallon in city driving.

A Chevy Suburban, on the other hand, uses about 17½ gallons of gas to cover 230 city miles.

Thanks to costly battery technology, the Volt will likely sell for nearly $40,000, at least at first. Perhaps GM will accept your firstborn as barter.

Sweeps week: Police in Brazil suspect the host of a reality TV show of arranging at least five murders — killings in which his TV crew, oddly enough, beat the cops to the crime scene.

Let’s hope Nancy Grace doesn’t get any ideas.