I was all set to look up the particulars about the actually invention, but Fox News conveniently beat me to it. (Big shock there that their fact checkers were Johnny on the Spot.)

The credit for internal combustion engines generally is given to German engineer, Karl Benz, who designed and built the world’s first practical automobile in 1885. A steam-powered car was invented in 1769 by French inventor Nicolas Cugnot. Americans, on the other hand, are given credit for the mass production of cars.

Still, gaffe notwithstanding, the President did make it clear that he’s committed to seeing the American auto industry survive. He also made it clear he’s committed to alternative energy and reversing global warming. The convergence of the two goals is where I expect to see interesting things happen.

So where’s the current financial scorecard for the Big Three? General Motors and Chrysler have received $17 billion and want another $21.6 billion. Ford is still operating under its own power and hasn’t asked for government bucks yet. Henry may not have invented the automobile, but his company, though hanging on by its fingernails, is hanging on. With economic pundits saying there will be no real recovery until 2010, we’ll wait and see what we have to say on that subject after Obama’s first “real” State of the Union address.

- Letting the engine idle on cold days to warm it up just wears out the engine. Modern oil flows just fine regardless of the temperature.
- Using premium gas every few tanks is just a waste of money. Regular gasoline has the needed additives to keep your engine clean.
- Filling the radiator with pure antifreeze can damage gaskets and that much glycol actually provides less cold-weather protection.

And finally, don’t disconnect the battery when a car is to be parked long term. You’ll face headaches Dad never dreamed of like the engine computer reprograming itself and the need to reset the clock and radio. You may even need to punch in the radio anti-theft code, which probably means a trip to the dealership because you don’t have a clue what that code might be. The modern answer? Trickle chargers.

For answers to more traditional automotive myths see: Your Dad Was Wrong! at rismedia.com.