Auto Troubles As I mentioned in my Facebook status earlier this week, I took my van in for service because it has been running rough. I wanted to get it in good shape before I go get the inspection updated.
I got some pretty bad news: One of the 6 cylenders only has about 75 PSI compression, where they should have about 175. The only option for my 10 year old Nissan Quest minivan is an engine rebuild - at a cost from $3,300 - $4,300. Since the van would only be worth about $4,000 - $5,000 in top shape, and since ours is definitely not in top shape, it would have been a losing proposition.
It still drives, and the A/C still works - but it probably won't last long with a cylender misfiring. And it's probably not good for the environment either.
As a last ditch effort - and perhaps a a rebellious streak of wishful thinking, I bought a can of some oil additive that is supposed to restore compression. At $5 a can for "Liquid Rebuilt Engine", it's worth a try.
There will soon be a rollout of a new federal program that will provide stimulus dollars to trade in clunkers like mine. If I understand it correctly, Uncle Sam might give me a $4,500 rebate towards a new car or lease as long as I hand over the van for scrapping, and get something with at least an extra 10 miles per gallon over the 18 MPG that the van was rated for.
On an unrelated note: Van for sale: 1999 Nissan Quest GLE, Leather interior, captains' chairs, 3 row movable seats, power everything, disc changer, V-6 5 engine. Needs a small amount - just a little itty bit of work. Make offer. Email ses (at) whosplayin dot com.
New Car? Although Mamask8z has been wanting a jeep, we both realize it is impractical at this point. Yesterday we did some online shopping and looked at the Toyota Yaris. I'm not sure what we'll ultimately end up with. I just want something durable.
If you are a Democrat in a Red State, and you don’t necessarily fit a stereotypical image of one, then something you get used to is the occasional assumption by your more rabid right wingers that everyone around them agrees with their partisan way of thinking.
Being a white guy, with no visible tattoos or piercings, having a short haircut and clean shave and dressing fairly conservatively, I get to hear a lot of things that people wouldn’t normally say if they knew they were in mixed company.
While I am used to that, I don’t know that I can ever accept that kind of assumption in a taxpayer-funded forum such as a City Council meeting, School Board meeting, or Congressional Town Hall meeting. All of these forums are places where citizens and their elected leaders come together at government expense to discuss ideas and policy, and share information about what is going on.
Tonight's Council meeting is the first meeting at which newly elected Councilman John Gorena will sit.
After the invocation and pledge of allegiance, the first order of business was to award the Library the 2008 Library Directors Award.
Mayor Ueckert presented a declaration that July 2009 is Parks and Recreation month.
The Mayor also recognized members of the Texas Baptist Men (Denton County Chainsaw Unit) and Fellowship Church for their work assisting in cleanup of damage from the June 10th storm debris.
Next was the appointment and oaths of office for reappointed and newly appointed members of the city's boards and commissions:
Joy Bunnell - Library Board, Place #1 Michael Duvall - Old Town Design Review #5 Bill Peck - Old Town Design Review Architect Margie Rochelle - Park Board, Place #3 Laura Wise - Animal Services Advisory, Place #4 Nicholas Rudolph - Animal Serv #5 Tamela Bowie - CDBG #1 Thomas J. Gilmore - CDBG #3 Jim Gallegos - Planning and Zoning #2 Browning - Place #9 (didn't hear this one) Tom Jensen - Zoning Board of Adjustment #1 Leroy Vaughn - CDBG #5 Alvin Turner - P&Z #4
The Council then went into a closed session to discuss appointment of Mayor Pro Tem and Deputy Mayor Pro Tem
Update: BradBlog is reporting that several sources in Alaska are pointing to a possible indictment on embezzlement charges:
One logical place to start looking is the affair that has Alaska political circles buzzing: an alleged scandal centered around a building contractor, Spenard Building Supplies, with close ties to Palin and her husband, Todd.
Many political observers in Alaska are fixated on rumors that federal investigators have been seizing paperwork from SBS in recent months, searching for evidence that Palin and her husband Todd steered lucrative contracts to the well-connected company in exchange for gifts like the construction of their home on pristine Lake Lucille in 2002.
It is important to note that there is no mainstream media mention of this yet, and no federal corroboration of the story. Even if it were true, an indictment is not a presumption of guilt.
What do you think? Take the poll below and let us know:
" Last week, during the early evening hours, federal law enforcement agents, assisted by local authorities, took part in an arrest procedure known as, Operation Community Shield. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and officers from the Lewisville Police Department coordinated a raid on the Blue Goose restaurant in Highland Village."
Administration Plans Will Help Cut Pollution, Grow Economy
Washington, D.C.--President Obama today announced new energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs--standards which could obviate the need for the amount of energy produced by 14 dirty coal-fired power plants. The president also announced plans to speed up the release of some $346 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding devoted to the development, deployment, and use of energy-efficient technologies in residential and commercial buildings. The Sierra Club offered the following comments in response.
We took 2 hours of video at Michael Burgess's town hall meeting on Saturday. While I've not yet been able to get the whole thing edited and distilled down to something YouTube-able, I thought you might like to see this one.
Recently there was a bit of "controversy" because at the 6/18 Swearing-in ceremony for newly elected Councilman John Gorena, there was a lack of quorum for approximately 15 minutes, delaying the ceremony. Gorena had brought in a bunch of family and guests to witness the ceremony.
Councilman Watts was out of town, and Councilman Tierney had an emergency at his restaurant. Tierney did show up and the swearing in (or affirmation) did occur.
In a recent blog posting by former Mayoral candidate Winston Edmondson, Councilman Tierney (who was challenged by Gorena last year for his seat) was accused of being discourteous and tacky. Lathan Watts, who was absent, was not mentioned. It takes 3 Councilmembers to constitute a quorum. One seat was vacant due to Ueckert's election to Mayor.
Councilman Watts moved to hold the meeting on June 18th at 7 o' clock. Several councilmembers can be heard to be confused about whether it was 7pm or 7am. When Watts confirms 7pm, Tierney expresses concern that he can't commit to 7pm because Thursday nights are busy at his restaurant:
Councilman Tierney: "Oh, no that doesn't work for me, but if you have a quorum..."
Mayor Ueckert: "All we need is a quorum..."
Councilman Watts: "Right, that's..."
Mayor Ueckert: "I will be here whenever you determine."
Councilman Watts: "I'm asking for 7pm - it's after normal business hours... it's easier ... I understand Councilman Tierney's predicament... if we have everybody else."
So, what we have here is Councilman Watts actually making the motion to hold the canvass at 7 pm because it's easier for his schedule. Then he was unable to make it. Councilman Tierney clearly stated that he would be unable to do it.
Still, Tierney tried to make it, but as he mentioned to the Lewisville Leader, he had a large party of about 25 guests come into his restaurant at that time. Tierney runs a lean staff and was unprepared for that many guests.
Still, while things were melting down at his restaurant, he peeled away for a few minutes to go down to city hall and approve the canvass so that Gorena could be sworn in.
What might be better in the future is to canvass the votes in one meeting, and swear in the incoming councilman at another later meeting.
In November of 2007, I wrote about a new political party, the Get Out of Our House (GOOOH) Party. Just recently, founder Tim Cox sent me a couple of copies of his book, "Revolution! Get Out of Our House".
Though I don't think there is any danger of me leaving the Democratic Party, I must say that I'm intrigued and impressed with the out-of-the-box thinking that Tim Cox and the GOOOH supporters embrace. The GOOOH party is more about changing the order of business than it is about a specific platform.
I've started reading it, with the hopes of posting a review at some point. Since I have two copies, I'd like to give one away to a reader.
If you are interested in reading the book, and wouldn't mind providing some commentary, let me know and I'll give you one of the books.
Recently on his campaign website, former mayoral candidate Winston Edmondson alleged that the City of Lewisville was hiring illegal aliens via the contractor it chose for the Serendipity Village street improvement. Edmondson went down to the worksite at Kent Dr., and attempted to speak to some workers, whom he says he could not understand. Based on the inability to understand them – and one would presume that the workers in question probably appeared to be Hispanic – Edmondson leaps to the conclusion that they must be illegal.
"Not a single worker spoke English. When I attempted to ask the workers at Kent Dr. just a few days ago, I was again thrust into a modern day Babel, as I could not understand a single worker. Imagine if there were some emergency at the site. The English speaking residents wouldn't be able to communicate with any of the workers. That's not good.
As citizens, we've been asking our city leaders to do something about our illegal alien problem and we've been told that the city is doing everything it can do. We know that's not true. I thought they were simply being negligent, but now I see that they're actually complicit."
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