A CALL TO ARMS - THE PICKENS PLAN

This is not a call for the militia to grab their stockpile of guns, knives, swords, etc. This is a call to arms with knowledge. Armed with knowledge we can accomplish much. In this segment, I shall attempt to cover the basic rules of journalism, by covering the who, what, when, where, why and how to be armed.

WHO? Who is needed? Volunteers - You are needed. Your relatives, your friends, your neighbors, wherever they may be. Many numbers are needed. Right now (as of 5:00 p.m.) there are over 137,883 volunteers. Many more are needed. It needs to be in the millions. With numbers, we can make a difference.

WHAT? What is needed? Volunteer for what? Your time to learn, your knowledge to communicate to others by word of mouth, by phone, by computer. By writing your politicians. A very good friend and fellow scouter, now deceased, once said, "volunteering is the rent that you pay to live in a community".

WHEN and WHERE? When am I needed? Now. Now more than ever. Whenever you go to work, to the store, to the gas station (especially the gas station), anytime you are in public and have the opportunity to converse.

WHY? Why am I needed? This is a golden, grass roots opportunity to make your voice heard. To let the politicians, local, state and national know that enough is enough. You've probably seen the commercial on television. It starts out by saying:

"Every year we're sending almost $700 billion out of our nation's economy to foreign nations for their oil. That's four times the annual cost of the Iraqi war and almost one-and-a-half times the projected U.S. deficit for 2009. It ends up in the pockets of a few friends and a lot of enemies. Last year we sent more than $300 billion to countries controlled by oppressive or unstable regimes. We are killing our economy at the same time that we are propping up our enemies". I can think of 700 billion reasons why.

HOW? How can I make a difference? By joining. By becoming united. These are the "United States" after all. How do I join? How much does it cost? I have inserted a link to "The Pickens Plan" website. There is no cost. To coin a phrase from my very good friend "The Google-Man" Jim Cobb... "it doesn't cost a dime, dollar or peso to join".

Please consider it. Go to the website, click on the Plan and watch the videos. Please join. America needs you more than ever now. Arm yourself with the knowledge and get involved.

Belts, Belts and Nothing But the Belts

A sad fact now days is most drivers do not pay any attention to their automotive belts - until they break. What good is a belt anyway? They only turn the fan that draws air through the radiator, operates the water pump and power steering pump, transmits power from the crankshaft to the alternator to keep the battery charged, and takes care of running that luxury item on hot days...the air conditioner.

The automotive drive belt provides the lowest cost means of power transmission from one rotating shaft to another. No need to check these pieces of rubber periodically, right? I mean, they only have to contend with flexxing around different pulleys at thousands of rpm's, endure the harshest effects of weather, from freezing cold to broiling heat. Not to mention they are constantly exposed to water and dirt splashed up from the road, but also to the hot, oily conditions of the engine compartment.

Causes of Belt Failure

Today's belts must endure multiple stresses such as rapid acceleration (lead-foot-itis) and deceleration, extremely high temperatures and smaller diameter pulleys. (Not to mention having to contend with mice and squirrels crawling under the hood and gnawing away at the belt). And you thought you were stressed out!

The most common cause of belt failure is from heat. This results from belt slippage which is either caused by low tension, oil lubricants, or dirt on the belt and/or pulley. The heat can cause the belt to crack and break and also transfer from the rim of the pulley to the accessory drive shaft and "cook" the bearing lubricants. This result is damage far exceeding the belt replacement.

So, how often should I inspect my belt(s)?

The average life of a belt is four years. A good rule is to replace the belt(s) every four years regardless of what their condition appears to be in. Belts that operate under adverse conditions have a tendency to wear out sooner, should be checked frequently and replaced whenever there are signs of wear or deterioration. A good rule of thumb is to inspect the belt(s) monthly. This will help avoiding dangerous situations such as an overheated engine and the loss of power steering. The belt(s) should definitely be checked when performing an oil change.

What Should I Look For?

When inspecting the belt(s), make sure the engine is off and disconnect the battery if the vehicle has a thermostatically controlled electric fan. Inspect each belt in several places, gently twisting it to be able to inspect the sidewalls and the bottom. Check for these conditions: (Most apply to V-Belts)

1. Separation

2. Glazing

3. Oil / Grease Soaking

4. Tensile Break

5. Cracks

6. Uneven Ribs

5. Jagged or Streaked Sidewalls

Common Radiator Hose Problems

When was the last time that your hood to your car was opened and you checked your radiator hoses? Very recently, I hope. If not, this needs to be done real soon, unless you enjoy being stranded out in the middle of no-where. Steam spewing from under the hood is not a happy sight. Many hose problems are caused by high heat temperatures under the vehicle's hood. How can this be prevented?

All automotive hoses should be checked at least once every six months to be certain that they are operating properly. The best rule is to replace coolant hoses whenever you change the coolant/anti-freeze. (What? I need to change the coolant?) Yes, this should be done roughly every two years. This includes changing the heater hoses. Now, let's check out the hoses.

First, let's check both the upper and lower radiator hoses for cracks (which is characteristic of either heat or ozone damage). Cracks in the cover of the hose are not always considered heat damage. If the hose has cracks, but is still soft and not hardened, the problem could be due to ozone, found in heavy air pollution areas.

Next, the worst enemy of automotive hose is oil. This can come from the engine, power steering, brake system or various lubrication lines. Any of these fluids will cause the hose to swell and become soft and gooey. Some hoses could even have bubbles or bulges.

Another source of hose damage is abrasion, scuffing or gouging. This could be caused by the hose either encountering road debris (rocks, sticks, etc.), rubbing up against a bracket or other metal surface, or belt gouging.

To check coolant hoses, with the engine cool, feel the hoses immediately after starting the engine. The hoses should become pressurized and hot within minutes. If not, there is a problem with the cooling system.

These are all normal maintenance checks that should be done religiously to prevent any damage to your vehicle. It's just like getting a check-up from your doctor. The more you maintain your vehicle, the more it will perform for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Happy Motoring! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Safety Issue: Check Your Tire Valve Stems

Faulty rubber tire valve stems recall expanded

The recall of millions of faulty tire valve stems, produced in China, has been expanded. The rubber replacement valve stems in question may crack prematurely and cause tires to lose air quickly. At high speeds such rapid tire deflation can cause a serious crash.

Tech International, tire accessory distributor of Johnstown, Ohio, originally recalled model TR-413, which was manufactured for Dill Air Control Products of Oxford, N.C. by Topseal Shanghai Auto-Parts Co. Ltd. in China. The company said at that time the intial recall involved as many as six million valve stems.

But Tech International has now expanded the recall to include five additional models—TR-413CH, TR-414, TR-415, TR-418 and TR-423—manufactured between August 2006 and November 2006. Tech Int'l did not say how many of those additional models of valve stems it has distributed. As many as 30 million of the TR-413 valve stems had been shipped to the North American market.

An investigation by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

of the valve stems was opened on May 15.

Most consumers will have a have a hard time figuring out with any certainty if they have any of the defective valve stems on their tires, however. That's because once a valve stems is installed, the only way to check to see if it is one of the suspected models is to dismount the tire from the wheel and inspect if from the inside.

Vehicle owners should conduct a visual inspection of their valve stems to check for cracks. To do this, remove the hubcap (if there is one) and move the top of the stem around, checking for any sign of cracks in the base of the stem where it meets the wheel. To aid in checking, use a flashlight for better light while moving the the stem around.

If a valve stem is found to be cracked, have all four valve stems replaced by the dealer where the tires were purchased/installed.

Be certain to check the tire air pressure and inspect the rubber valve stems for cracks at least once a month.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES

The United States imports more than 60% of its petroleum, two-thirds of which is used to fuel vehicles in the form of gasoline and diesel. The demand for petroleum imports is increasing. With much of the worldwide petroleum reserves located in politically volatile countries, the United States is vulnerable to supply disruptions.No matter how efficient conventional vehicles become, some of the gasoline and diesel needed to fuel them will need to be imported. I posted a blog on Big Oil that was quite negative. That was done for a reason. Our country needs to curtail it's dependence on oil.

Hydrogen is one of the answers.

Hydrogen can be produced domestically from resources such as natural gas, coal, solar energy, wind, biomass, and nuclear energy, with the potential for near-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Once produced, it generates power to highly efficient fuel cell vehicles without exhaust emissions. Hydrogen holds the promise for economic growth in both the stationary and transportation energy sectors, along with the end to the nation's "addiction to oil."

Impact on our Health

About half of the U.S. population lives in areas where air pollution levels are high enough to negatively impact public health or the environment. Emissions from gasoline and diesel vehicles—such as nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter—are a major source of this pollution. Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles emit none of these harmful substances. Their only emission is H2O—water.

The environmental and health benefits are even greater when hydrogen is produced from low- or zero-emission sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear energy and fossil fuels with advanced emission controls and carbon sequestration. Because the transportation sector accounts for about one third of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, which contribute to climate change, using these sources to produce hydrogen for transportation can slash greenhouse gas emissions.

Marketing

The potential market for hydrogen vehicles is enormous, but the opportunities don't stop there. Hydrogen and fuel cells can power stationary applications such as backup generators, and grid electricity production. They can also compensate for the intermittency of renewable energy production. For example, wind generators can produce hydrogen when winds are high and electricity demand is low. When the wind slackens or electricity demand peaks, fuel cells consume the stored hydrogen to provide grid electricity.

For more information, please visit http://www.eere.energy.gov/

The Great American Rip-Off

Millions of Americans now days are living from paycheck to paycheck. Many have had to give up health insurance, life insurance, had their homes foreclosed, lost their livelihood, gone into severe debt, or other tragic scenarios. Why? Because of the greed of our politicians, BIG OIL and their investors. Most Americans draw minimum wage or have to survive from tips in the service industry. When the price of fuel continues to climb, something has to be cut from their budgets.

Of course the fat cats in Washington D.C. don't have to worry about that, they're too busy embarking on their five-week vacations. Big oil cats and their investors are too busy to be bothered with such trivial matters as it may interfere with their golf game.

August 1, 2008 - Exxon/Mobil reported second quarter earnings of $11.68 BILLION, the largest profit from operations ever by any U.S. corporation. Revenue rose 40% to $138.1 billion - up from $98.4 billion in the year earlier quarter.

Europe's Royal Dutch Shell reported a 33% jump in second quarter earnings to a mere $11.6 billion.

Record quarters were also reported for Conoco Phillips, Chevron Corporation, BP PLC, and French company Total SA. These six major international oil companies topped over $50 billion in combined profit for the first time ever.

The American Petroleum Institute, the industry's trade association, claimed Big Oil earnings are not out of line compared with earnings in other industrial sectors!
WHAT??
Here's the kicker...Investors expected even bigger profits. Apparently, it doesn't matter if it just happens to bring the nation to it's knees in doing so.

We still have someone in the White House who claims that our country is not in a recession. Of course, being an oil man himself, I guess he can't see the forest for the trees. Recession? No. On the skirts of a Depression? Quite possible. Thanks Big Oil!