SHIFTING GEARS

SHIFTING GEARS - NEW FOCUS - THE PLEDGE

Due to medical reasons, I have had to leave the auto parts store.

As a member and Ambassador of the Pickens Plan, http://push.pickensplan.com/ I am now focusing all of my attention towards The Picken's Plan and alternative and renewable energy.
http://naturesenergy4u.com/

There is an Energy Independence Pledge involved with the Picken's Plan that I feel every red-blooded American should go to the Plan website and endorse:

"We will no longer stand by and watch as America's national security and economy become more dependdent on the unstable foreign nations that we rely on for nearly 70% of the oil we use each day.

We spend nearly $700 billion every year buying foreign oil, which represents the greatest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind.

The new President and the 11th Congress need to enact an energy plan that reduces our foreign oil dependence by at least 30% within 10 years.

This plan must include proven American technology and resources; the development of new energy sources; and the expansion and modernization of the national electrical grid to transport renewable energy to homes and businesses.

Delaying any further means tacit support for continuing America's addiction to foreign oil.

I join with T.Boone Pickens and his army of supporters in calling for an Energy Independence Plan to be enacted within the first 100 days of the new administration".

The Second "Rain-Forest" - ALGAE

As a member and ambassador of The Pickens Plan (http://www.push.pickensplan.com/), I have learned of CNG, solar, ethanol and wind as alternative energy sources. The most promising and unique source that I have come across, is pond scum. You know that icky looking green, globby mass of yuck floating on top of a pond. This is algae - what could be the answer to our fuel problems.
Algae for commercial use is grown in a Algae Photo BioReactor and the link below is a video of a BioReactor system in Texas:
http://cc.pubco.net/www.valcent.net/i/misc/Vertigro/index.html

Algae is the fastest growing organism/plant on the planet. Depending upon the type of algae, 50% of it's body weight produces "lipids" or vegetable oil.
Corn will only produce about 18-20 gallons of oil per acre per year.
Palm will produce between 700-800 gallons of oil per acre per year.
Algae will produce over 20,000 gallons of oil per acre per year - when grown in an open pond system. Much, much more when done in the bioreactor. If we took 1/10 of the state of New Mexico, converted to vertical reactor algae production, we could meet all the energy demands of the United States.

Algae, like all plants, require carbon dioxide, water with nutrients and sunlight for growth. The bioreactor technology is ideal for locations adjacent to heavy producers of carbon dioxide such as coal fired power plants, refineries or manufacturing facilities, as the absorption of CO2 by the algae significantly reduces greenhouse gases.

A Photo Bio Reactor (PBR) is a system that provides an artificial environment for photosynthetic organisms (Algae) to perform a chemical conversion. Scientists and engineers have been developing several types of photo-bio reactors (PBR’s) over the past fifty years to grow microorganisms that are used in a wide variety of applications. Cultivated algae cultures can be used to produce human food, animal feed, health food, therapeutics, chemicals, fuel, hormones, and fertilizer.

The link below shows actor Alan Alda at a Photo Bio Reactor at MIT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnOSnJJSP5c

I asked a fellow Pickens Plan friend of mine, Frank "Palani" Cipriani of BioFarms Hawaii, "why isn't more being done on the oil production side?"
His response; " My take is the "Laws of Economics & the Law of Perpetual Motion theory", as applied to an INDUSTRY based on an "Oil-algae" is the basic stumbling-block. In order to better understand this, let's look at a comparison of another algae and market; Spirulina platensis for Nutritionals; a blue-green "super-food" according to the literature.

I've cultured Spirulina, my wife and I have eaten it on a daily basis for years, the market is under-fed, keeping the prices up. I pay $40/lb. for whole dried product for our consumption. Is a pound of oil-alga worth $40/lb.?(the extracts of Spirulina's pigments and compounds are very valuable for a number of Markets..... So, the problem state-of-the-art Algal-oil Production Lines face is scalability in the most cost-effective manner, how to achieve perpetual "bumper-crops" of oil-alga to balance out the comparative cost of production of Bio-oil and make it worth while doing....on an Industrial-scale.Meanwhile we; (my Company) continue to look at Bio-prospecting of a wide range of Algal-species, for harvesting of targeted Compounds, Extracts, and Bio-products for a variety of Products for Mankind's benefit; "the mind boggles" at the potential!" (Pharmaceutical Companys have referred to Algaes as "The Second Rain-forest"). For more information check out - http://www.biofarmshawaii.com/

NEW REPLACEMENT FOR FOREIGN OIL

Reprinted from "The Plan" - PickensPlan.com

Natural gas and bio-fuels are the only domestic energy sources used for transportation.

Cleaner

Natural gas is the cleanest transportation fuel available today.
According to the California Energy Commission, critical greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas are 23% lower than diesel and 30% lower than gasoline.

Natural gas vehicles (NGV) are already available and combine top performance with low emissions. The natural gas Honda Civic GX is rated as the cleanest production vehicle in the world.

According to NGVAmerica, there are more than 7 million NGVs in use worldwide, but only 150,000 of those are in the United States.

The EPA estimates that vehicles on the road account for 60% of carbon monoxide pollution and around one-third of hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions in the United States. As federal and state emissions laws become more stringent, many requirements will be unattainable with conventionally fueled vehicles.

Since natural gas is significantly cleaner than petroleum, NGVs are increasing in popularity. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach recently announced that 16,800 old diesel trucks will be replaced, and half of the new vehicles will run on alternatives such as natural gas.

Cheaper

Natural gas is significantly less expensive than gasoline or diesel. In places like Utah and Oklahoma, prices are less than $1 a gallon. To see fueling stations and costs in your area, check out cngprices.com.

Domestic

Natural gas is our country's second largest energy resource and a vital component of our energy supply. 98% of the natural gas used in the United States is from North America. But 70% of our oil is purchased from foreign nations.

Natural gas is one of the cleanest, safest and most useful forms of energy — residentially, commercially and industrially. The natural gas industry has existed in the United States for over 100 years and continues to grow.
Domestic natural gas reserves are twice that of petroleum. And new discoveries of natural gas and ongoing development of renewable biogas are continually adding to existing reserves.
While it is a cheap, effective and versatile fuel, less than 1% of natural gas is currently used for transportation.

The Mechanics

1. Generate 20% of our electricity from wind power.
2. Use wind power to replace natural gas.
3. Use natural gas as a transportation fuel — replacing foreign oil.

We currently use natural gas to produce 22% of our electricity. Harnessing the power of wind to generate electricity will give us the flexibility to shift natural gas away from electricity generation and put it to use as a transportation fuel — reducing our dependence on foreign oil by more than one-third.

How do we get it done?

The Pickens Plan is a bridge to the future — a blueprint to reduce foreign oil dependence by harnessing domestic energy alternatives, and buy us time to develop even greater new technologies.

Building new wind generation facilities and better utilizing our natural gas resources can replace more than one-third of our foreign oil imports in 10 years. But it will take leadership.
On January 20th, 2009, a new President will take office.
We're organizing behind the Pickens Plan now to ensure our voices will be heard by the next administration.

Together we can raise a call for change and set a new course for America's energy future in the first hundred days of the new presidency — breaking the hammerlock of foreign oil and building a new domestic energy future for America with a focus on sustainability.

You can start changing America's future today by supporting the Pickens Plan. Join now.

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.