tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27084238620184054172024-03-14T01:04:14.838-05:00I Always Sign Your NameNonsense of lifeRay Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.comBlogger218125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-5428713784009522982010-08-20T11:10:00.002-05:002010-08-20T11:13:14.702-05:00It's been a non-summerWe didn't plan a family vacation this summer. The oldest scored a college summer school scholarship. The youngest, we were thinking she would need to repeat some high school classes. When we finally planned a couples-get-away, then I managed to mess up my back! We had to forget the trip. Now, we are a few days away from moving eldest back to the dorm, public schools starting up, and the heat of Texas in August. Maybe later in the fall......Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-5496064219355898832010-04-30T10:16:00.006-05:002010-04-30T10:33:51.154-05:00New used car<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S9r2YaPGBAI/AAAAAAAAAyk/qKUen8XF2tQ/s1600/it+followed+me+home.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S9r2YaPGBAI/AAAAAAAAAyk/qKUen8XF2tQ/s320/it+followed+me+home.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465951996987442178" /></a><br />I've been driving my 1999 F250 Super Duty truck since May of 1998. Ford did some introduced-half-a-year-early that year. It served us for 12 years and 180,000 miles. We are keeping it to move kids to college, haul junk with, tow trailers with and such.<br />But if I kept driving it another year, it would be over 200,000 miles. It's also expensive to operate. 14 quart oil changes, $10 oil filters. And I do it myself and it still cost $45 every 3000 miles. Then the cost of diesel fuel is about 30 cents higher than regular gasoline. So this past winter I started shopping. I noticed a used Mustang convertible on a dealer lot. It was still there several months later. I'd spent that time shopping other cars, test driving my parents old Honda. Which they traded in on a 2006 Solara convertible. <br />One Friday morning, I told the wife that I was ready to buy. Her only reply was "not that convertible". That's like throwing the red flag in front of the bull.<br />I got it at a great price. Considering that it only has 15000 miles on it, is Ford Certified, which means it has a full factory warranty for 4 more years and up to 100,000 miles. It's also a blast to drive.<br />Wife drove up the day I brought it home and thought I was playing one of my tricks on her. Until she saw our checking account! I'd paid cash up front. <br />We took the car with the top down to dinner that evening and then on for our <strong>H</strong>ot-<strong>D</strong>ate-<strong>F</strong>riday-<strong>A</strong>t-<strong>W</strong>al*<strong>M</strong>art. Funny, the next week, I was getting into her 2008 red Corolla for HDFAWM, and she grinned and said "let's take the Mustang again".<br />She then proceeded to liken the interior "mood" light, to a Lava Lamp.<br /><br />You know you've been checking out car lots when your truck is in a Craigslist Ad for one of the local dealers!! The F250 Crew was me driving by checking out the Mustang they were photographing.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S9r2YmCRcAI/AAAAAAAAAys/-IP2n5QlCoU/s1600/1FAFP45X04F129741-3c.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S9r2YmCRcAI/AAAAAAAAAys/-IP2n5QlCoU/s320/1FAFP45X04F129741-3c.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465952000154890242" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And here is our "Ford Family Photo". clockwise from the green car. <br /><br />Green 1969 Mustang Coupe. Dad bought it in 1971. I learned to drive on it.<br />Orange 1970 Mustang Mach 1, 428 Cubic Inch Cobra Jet with Ram Air. One of the last of the Muscle cars. The thing is brutal to drive. I bought in in 1991 as a non-running basket case.<br />Red, 2008 Mustang GT convertible. My new daily driver.<br />Green 1999 F250 Super Duty crew cab. retired to occasional use.<br />And the enclosed trailer and the flat bed trailer. For hauling junk around. <br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S9r2ZH4VFTI/AAAAAAAAAy0/qmaEiv4eBBk/s1600/Ford+family+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S9r2ZH4VFTI/AAAAAAAAAy0/qmaEiv4eBBk/s320/Ford+family+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465952009239991602" /></a>Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-5005111990905637612010-03-20T22:34:00.004-05:002010-03-20T22:38:43.007-05:00In search of the Holy Windshield wipers<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S6WUdnS5gnI/AAAAAAAAAyc/EnnaACd-Ees/s1600-h/monty-python-and-the-holy-grail-ver1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 215px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S6WUdnS5gnI/AAAAAAAAAyc/EnnaACd-Ees/s320/monty-python-and-the-holy-grail-ver1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450926160487219826" /></a><br /><br />I replace our windshield wipers blades every fall. That way they are in great shape for winter and our rainy spring. They then get cooked in the heat of a Texas summer. This past October, I went to purchase some from our local <a href="http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/home.oap">O’Reilly</a>. They didn’t have the replacement blades and convinced me to buy entire arm replacements. And then convinced me that I needed the new, improved, Aero, dynamic tension (sounds like a line from <a href="http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0073629/">Rocky Horror Picture Show</a>), blades. <br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S6WUHfVgvJI/AAAAAAAAAyU/k028wldvahc/s1600-h/RockyHorrorPictureShow_Photo14.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S6WUHfVgvJI/AAAAAAAAAyU/k028wldvahc/s320/RockyHorrorPictureShow_Photo14.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450925780393573522" /></a><br /><br /><br />Within about a month, those suckers started streaking worse than the pair they had replaced!<br /><br />So this Saturday, with a cold front in, rain, snow, I decided to try NAPA for replacement blades and not entire arms. I took my two old pairs with me. NAPA told me they didn’t have the replacements. I decided to try a different O’Reilly. That’s when the conversation got surreal.<br /><br />Him: “Can I help you?”<br />Me: “I’d like to buy replacement inserts for either of these pairs of windshield blades” (I had the original Ford blades and a set of Anco’s that had been on it for years.<br />H: “I don’t think we will have them. You have to buy the whole arm”<br />M: “I did buy the whole arm from your other store. They are three months old and streaking already”<br />H: “That’s just the way it is in Texas”.<br />M: “…….in the summer, sure…not in the winter”<br />H: “why do you want to replace them?”<br />M: “I told you, they are streaking and they are only four months old”<br />H: “So you”<br />M: “Look. I wish to purchase replacement inserts. If you don’t have them, fine, I’ll try your competion”<br />H: “I’ll look”<br /><br />LO AND BEHOLD, he found the holy grail! The $20 “blades” that lasted one month and started streaking, have been replaced with Inserts that only cost $6. <br /><br />Another racket.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-49219101805042707692010-03-04T11:41:00.003-06:002010-03-04T11:53:00.971-06:00Orienteering and Old Cars<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S4_ysmk2QQI/AAAAAAAAAyE/jltghk5_pAc/s1600-h/control+at+lbj.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S4_ysmk2QQI/AAAAAAAAAyE/jltghk5_pAc/s320/control+at+lbj.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444837322597482754" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S4_ysDtaBXI/AAAAAAAAAx8/ctxOCBr5Lwo/s1600-h/P2150112.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S4_ysDtaBXI/AAAAAAAAAx8/ctxOCBr5Lwo/s320/P2150112.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444837313238140274" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S4_yr9oPIBI/AAAAAAAAAx0/kEgZHfalybQ/s1600-h/fire+at+lbj.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S4_yr9oPIBI/AAAAAAAAAx0/kEgZHfalybQ/s320/fire+at+lbj.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444837311605841938" /></a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S4_yrfZWkiI/AAAAAAAAAxs/la9r7Kd_fok/s1600-h/lbj+gene+in+snow.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S4_yrfZWkiI/AAAAAAAAAxs/la9r7Kd_fok/s320/lbj+gene+in+snow.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444837303490351650" /></a><br />It's been a hectic month. Classes and new projects at work. Orienteering two days in Athens Texas. Mr. G and I are course setters and meet directors at the next <a href="http://www.ntoa.com/">North Texas Orienteering Association </a>Dillo-Goat. It is in <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/grasslands/">LBJ National Grasslands</a>, which is mostly forest and hiking/horseback riding trails. We were up there about three days over a two week period. Even in the snow!<br />There was even a fire north of us in the grass lands. Someone must have been cold in the snow. <br />We also got the truck stuck in the mud after the snowfall.<br /><br />Then the old 1969 Mustang decided to give me some trouble starting one day after I'd already driven it about ten miles. When I got home, I took off the air cleaner and found lots of leaking fuel. The carburetor gaskets had given out. I got a rebuild kit and rebuilt it. But it still doesn't run correctly. I traced down 41 year old vacuum hoses were all leaking. Replaced those. The battery cable broke. Replaced all those. The spark plugs were old and fouled. Replaced those. It was funny but except for the carb kit and the battery cables, I had the parts "on the shelf" already!<br />It still isn't running right. It seems to have developed a vacuum leak, which must be in the carb. I've disabled the choke, since it didn't work anyway. And now have plugged the air passages to the choke. I'll see if that helps.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-46103819444984373192010-02-09T21:12:00.003-06:002010-02-09T21:19:38.162-06:00We are such geeks<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S3IlXpytMXI/AAAAAAAAAxk/8C7sWZfYrfg/s1600-h/work+laptops.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S3IlXpytMXI/AAAAAAAAAxk/8C7sWZfYrfg/s320/work+laptops.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436448788475359602" /></a><br />I'm taking a class at work. My old Dell laptop, which is up for replacement in four more months, doesn't have enough horse-power to run the labs in the class. I emailed my boss. He told me to come get one of the new laptops. We'd then reformat my old one and hand-it-down to the next contractor. So in the middle of the class, I'm dashing back and forth working on copying over all data and applications from my old laptop to the new one. Missing the labs in the class, but oh well. Tonight, I brought home both laptops and fired them up next to each other. There were still a few files to copy, IE Favorites, emails and such. <br />I took the above photo of our table with side-by-side laptops, flash drives, IPODS charging.<br />I then took a photo of four feet away, where the home PC is, the wifes work PC also.<br />I didn't both to then turn around and take ANOTHER photo of another desktop and old laptop we rarely use. I didn't take a photo of the college daughters room either. With her desktop in it. Which she hardly uses since she got a new MacBook for school.<br />All told, four laptops and three desktops. <br /><br />And yes, I use my drummers Roc-N-Soc chair to sit in. <br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S3IlXL4aGMI/AAAAAAAAAxc/5dXh_jj7eYk/s1600-h/home+and+wifes+laptop.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S3IlXL4aGMI/AAAAAAAAAxc/5dXh_jj7eYk/s320/home+and+wifes+laptop.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5436448780446210242" /></a>Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-11130791784720336402010-01-28T13:23:00.003-06:002010-01-28T13:25:25.742-06:00My tires exploded<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S2HkcYHz3JI/AAAAAAAAAxM/GFGARKkgVvo/s1600-h/mustang+no+tires.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S2HkcYHz3JI/AAAAAAAAAxM/GFGARKkgVvo/s320/mustang+no+tires.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431873801748208786" /></a><br />About a year ago there were stories in the news about people having old tires on their cars and how the tires age, even when not in use, and become unsafe. I filed it away for forgot about it. About a month back the story was back in the news. I did some research and started attempting to look for DOT date codes on our antique cars. <br /><br />First car. Our 1969 Mustang coupe. I put four new bias ply tires on it. In about 1984! I remember bias tires were hard to get even then. Radial had taken over. The date codes on these four Goodyear’s, didn’t even have the same format as the write ups for checking tire age. Given they were put on 26 years ago, and might have been two to four years old then, it was time for new shoes! The spare tire in the trunk was also a Smithsonian-worthy relic. It was a “Buccaneer” tire that I think was a gas-station brand. I think my dad put those on around 1974. I was tempted to hit it with a hammer and see if it would shatter.<br /><br />Second car. Our 1970 Mustang Mach 1. I restored that car in the early 1990’s. The tires on it are Goodyear reproductions of the original bias-ply tires. But this is 2010, so even those tires are 16 years old.<br />Neither of these cars is driven all that much, maybe 1000 to 2000 miles a year, so the tires never wear out. But they start getting hard, small cracks appear in the treads and such.<br /><br />So on one of my Car Forums I query about peoples tire age. One guy reported that his 15 year old tires started coming apart at 35 MPH in his neighborhood and he had trouble getting it parked, even at that slow speed. I tend to get mine out on the freeway by us and get up to 70! A tire issue at that speed would mean a crash and possible a totaled antique car. The recommendation on the Mach was to take off the reproduction tires, coat them with a quality rubber protectant and store them under a blanket in a cool and dark place. Use them only for big shows where “original” counts. I took that advice. I purchased four BF Goodrich Radial and four brand new Magnum style rims.<br /><br />On the coupe, I just purchased five radials. It isn’t shown that much and the original type tires, are not even reproduced.<br /><br />The most fun was attempting to figure out just what tires would fit these old cars. The coupes original size was “6.95X14”. Those types of specifications were going away in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. The Mach is an example, as the original size is “F70X14”. Except that nomenclature also went away when they went to metric and then P-Metric, and whatever they are at now.<br /><br />We wound up with a 205X70X14 on the coupe. That is a bit fatter than original, but about the same height as stock. We went with a 235X60X15 on the Mach. Seems to be what most of the Mustang parts houses and individuals get to fit. Those are a bit shorter that stock, but wider also. Plus, they look great. <br /><br />The top picture is the coupe up on jack stands in our shop. All five wheels were getting new soles.<br />The bottom photo is the Mach. You can see the original tire still on the car and the new Magnum wheels and tires stacked up awaiting me to switch them out. <br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S2Hkc3UF0OI/AAAAAAAAAxU/0eCZ_m3c7hI/s1600-h/magnum.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S2Hkc3UF0OI/AAAAAAAAAxU/0eCZ_m3c7hI/s320/magnum.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431873810121216226" /></a>Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-20697344167268044962010-01-11T15:06:00.004-06:002010-01-11T15:11:40.104-06:00Arctic Orienteering<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0uTbllgzVI/AAAAAAAAAw8/7LYtdnjZSps/s1600-h/P1090105.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0uTbllgzVI/AAAAAAAAAw8/7LYtdnjZSps/s320/P1090105.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425592278253096274" /></a><br />The <a href="http://ntoa.com/">North Texas Orienteering Association </a>held the first meet of the new year this past Saturday. Earlier in the week an Arctic cold front moved in. We saw the lowest temperature we’ve seen in thirteen years. Typically at this meet, there would be upwards of 400 people. I’m not sure we had 100. Most of the school districts prohibited outdoor events, so the schools had to cancel. <br />So at 7:30 AM Saturday, I was picking up Mr. G and Mr.T. No, not that Mr.T. <br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0uTJx8Zg0I/AAAAAAAAAw0/h-EzbaAbiEQ/s1600-h/mr_t.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 255px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0uTJx8Zg0I/AAAAAAAAAw0/h-EzbaAbiEQ/s320/mr_t.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425591972332667714" /></a><br /><br />It was somewhere between 8 and 13 degrees. We loaded up orienteering clothes, warm clothes to change into, multiple coats, lunches and such. We headed north. Yes, North. The orienteering event was held at <a href="http://www.camp-james-ray-bsa.org/">Camp James Ray Boy Scout ranch </a>near Pottsboro Texas. The camp is just to the south of Lake Texoma on the Texas – Oklahoma border. We were glad that there wasn’t much of a north wind!<br />We arrived at the camp about 9:15. We headed to a pavilion to use the restroom and checked the temperature. It read 22 degrees, but it was lying. We were surprised the bathroom was open and warm! We ran into the head ranger and he said they had lost power that morning but it was back on. He said he was heading out to see how the campers had fared overnight. <br />We headed to the old dining hall to see about registering. Usually there is a line for registration. This meet with hardly anyone there, there was zero line. We could have started competition early, but choose 10:15. That would give us time to put on some Arctic clothes and use the restroom one last time before venturing out into the frigid woods.<br />So at the start it was strangely quiet. Not the normal hoard of people, just a few in each class heading out. <br />I took my start and took about two hours on the course. I had trouble with only a few of the controls, and not near the trouble I could have had! By about the one-third point, I actually took off my hat. I left my gloves on, as my hands were warm but not hot. I was wearing some cotton Jersey type gloves from the hardware store. I had cut off about half of the left thumb so my thumb compass would fit. I’d also cut off half the left index finger. That way I could feel the map and work the compass. <br />I got back and Mr G and T were both finishing up their lunches. We were sitting in the scout medical trailer, which was comfortable with coats on. I went ahead and changed into regular non-sweaty clothes. We headed into the dinning hall again and talked with some other people who were thawing out. <br /><br />But first I took a photo of the frozen BS swimming pool.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0uTqCkTN1I/AAAAAAAAAxE/Ptbpjz2rrao/s1600-h/P1090102.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0uTqCkTN1I/AAAAAAAAAxE/Ptbpjz2rrao/s320/P1090102.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425592526550808402" /></a><br /><br /><br />About 2 PM, Mr. G asked someone if they might move up the awards from 2:30. They were planning to do that but then asked us if we could help out with retrieving all the orienteering control bags and electronics out in the woods. They usually have a school help out with registration and they also retrieve all the control bags out in the woods. Since there were three of us, they sent us to the farthest control points! We decided to leave right away, as they would just hold any medals we might win for us to return. <br />We drove out to one point. Then parked my truck at one of the gates and headed off cross country to find the controls and retrieve the equipment. We take a NTOA backpack with us to stash the gear in as we retrieve it. <br />We hit most of the controls with only small issues. But the fifth point was something! We attempted to follow a fence line, but then failed to find the ruined fence off it that we needed to follow. It took over an hour to find the one point!<br />By the time we got back, it was 4 PM, the sun was getting awful low on the horizon and the temperature was dropping again. Down in the forest, it never warmed above freezing.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-80765703757457077192010-01-07T13:41:00.002-06:002010-01-07T13:42:19.697-06:00Obama Announces New Stimulus!!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0Y5DrUFOmI/AAAAAAAAAws/F9W7GhviuGo/s1600-h/ap_airline_security_100105_wl.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 112px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0Y5DrUFOmI/AAAAAAAAAws/F9W7GhviuGo/s320/ap_airline_security_100105_wl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424085536543685218" /></a><br />President Obama announced today that he has signed Stimulus Funding in the amount of $20 Million Tax dollars, funding the use of Doctors of Proctology to be cross trained in airport security.<br /><br />In related news, by filling out a simply card and attaching a check for $50, the results of your exam can be mailed to you.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-54963128422635694502010-01-03T21:19:00.002-06:002010-01-03T21:24:11.141-06:00Walking<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0FfTIbDRRI/AAAAAAAAAwk/moGTPmlRZrk/s1600-h/old+alton+bridge.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/S0FfTIbDRRI/AAAAAAAAAwk/moGTPmlRZrk/s320/old+alton+bridge.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422720208613885202" /></a><br />I walk about three miles, six days a week. Today, I decided to head out to a hiking trail and get a change of view. I usually do our city trails, which winds along under some major power lines, next to soccer fields and such.<br />So I headed out the Denton County, Old Alton Bridge. You can park there and there is a 2 mile, each way, hiking trail. Off I went. Took me 55 minutes. I jogged some heading back. Some of the trail was thick mud and some water to miss. What was strange was the trail then dead ended into a new major highway they are building in the area. <br />When I got back to Old Alton, I yelled for the ghost to show himself. The fishermen were not amused. I looked around as another trail is supposed to head south, toward our home. I didn't find it and was loosing daylight. I got in the truck and looped around the lake to where I know the south end of the trail was. It was too dark by then. <br />Checking the USFS maps, I'm glad I didn't attempt it! They are about eight miles from the Old Alton bridge, to where the park would be! That is a day hike, not the hour I had!Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-55354250926972355262009-12-23T19:55:00.002-06:002009-12-23T20:00:41.766-06:00Frustrating dayIt started on Monday. Our internet router, just died. Called up the provider and they 2-day the new router to use.<br />I connect to the very weak and unsecured connection at our neighbors. The downside is that I can't connect to work over an unsecured connection. <br />So today is Wednesday. I'd hoped to work from home, but with out a connection, couldn't do. So I go in. I then spend two frustrating hours attempting to connect. They pushed out some new logon script and it hung up my machine. I couldn't connect at all. I called up the help desk, they open a ticket and tell me I'm not alone and that I should try connecting, at work, over the Wi-Fi. I try that and that won't connect either. I call them back and he finds out that my machine wasn't set up to connect to the firewall, wireless, at work! He tells me to just connect to the internet and open a security request.....and. I heard the light bulb light up when he realised that without a connection, I couldn't connect to open the wireless connection request!!<br />I told the boss I was heading home. At least I'd had my email at home!<br /><br />Thankfully, the router showed up and I was able to reconnect.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-49540323897630394462009-12-18T11:24:00.002-06:002009-12-18T11:26:47.756-06:00An Al Bundy moment<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Syu7IyQtTKI/AAAAAAAAAwc/vEmj1Zyom4g/s1600-h/Al+Bundy.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Syu7IyQtTKI/AAAAAAAAAwc/vEmj1Zyom4g/s320/Al+Bundy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5416628736448351394" /></a><br /><br />Yesterday we had an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Bundy">Al Bundy </a>moment.<br /><br />I’ve been working from home all week taking an online IBM class. The wife took the kid to high school yesterday. When she arrived back home she mentioned stopping at the local <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/">Star Bucks </a>and talking with one of the ministers from our church. I waited for her to finish.<br /><br />“Where’s my star yucks?” I asked.<br /><br />“You don’t like Star Bucks” wife responded.<br /><br />“True. I find it bitter and over priced” I said.<br />Followed by my Al Bundy moment.<br /><br />“Just like marriage” I said.<br /><br />The couch was surprisingly comfortable.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-13468481978778533462009-12-15T10:49:00.002-06:002009-12-15T11:00:49.265-06:00Up-selling idiotsMy eleven year old <a href="http://www.ford.com/">Ford</a> truck got recalled along with a lot of Fords. The issue is that a cruise control valve can leak some brake fluid and with a spark, have a fire. Ford solution is a fuse-link, which will trip/burn/blow if the short happens. You'd loose your cruise control, but not burn up the car/truck. So I called a local dealer, check the parts are in and they can fix it. They were just great to deal with. I dropped off the truck and they gave me a ride home. A few hours later, they called with the "up sale". What a load. They think we are all idiots. In their attempt to sell me something, they showed that they are the idiots.<br />My truck has a <a href="http://www.knfilters.com/">K&N air filter </a>on it. These are a cotton fabric in a mesh. You CLEAN them about once a year. You spray on their cleaner, wait a bit, gently brush off the gunk, repeat if needed. Once clean, you rinse with some warm water and set it in the sun for a time to dry. You then apply some of their oil to the cotton and put it back in. I even have a big STOP sticker on the air cleaner housing, which states that it is a cleanable filter. <br />Ford thought it was dirty and needed REPLACED.<br />Um, now, they always LOOK a bit dirty, when they are doing their job and catching dirt in the reddish oil. <br />I guess they couldn't read the big sticker saying DO NOT THROW AWAY. <br />So they then decided to tell me how the connectors for the Air to Air inter cooler (my truck is a turbo diesel, after the intake air is compressed, which heats it, they pass it through a radiator to cool it) were oily and needed replaced. I just said "NO". Seems they didn't think: 1) 1999 (but 11 years old), truck. 2) Diesel 3) Oil leaks after 175000 miles. 4) the Connectors are not the CAUSE of the oil, especially when all that is passing through them is AIR.<br />They think all customers must be idiots.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-82061192464755568342009-11-10T12:46:00.007-06:002009-11-10T12:54:06.043-06:00Las Vegas bathroomsThe bathroom at the <a href="http://www.mandalaybay.com/">Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas </a>was a bit different than the normal places we stay at. It was very nice, but still different.<br /><br />Case in points. <br /><br />The bathroom had a tub, two sinks, a stall shower and a separate room for the toilet. In that room was a telephone. I figure that was so you could ring down to the casino cashier and check your winnings. Or call the spa for your afternoon make-over. Or call down to one of the bars and order up someone……….<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Svm1kEECyEI/AAAAAAAAAwU/8thOgfUt08c/s1600-h/toilet+phone.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Svm1kEECyEI/AAAAAAAAAwU/8thOgfUt08c/s320/toilet+phone.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402548859178240066" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Next case in point was the shower soap. It had bits of something in it. I tried to figure it out, but never really did. It could have been coconut husk bits. But the soap had no scent to it at all. Perhaps when Grandma was making up that batch of soap she forgot to strain out the bacon bits from the grease. Or the last option was that <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137523/">Tyler Durden </a>made it. You don’t want to think about what those bits of fuzz were. <br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Svm1jkGLsQI/AAAAAAAAAwM/yT-WeXIUTNY/s1600-h/furry+soap.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Svm1jkGLsQI/AAAAAAAAAwM/yT-WeXIUTNY/s320/furry+soap.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402548850597277954" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br />And the last point was a High Definition TV attached to the wall by the sinks. Dangerous with a razor in your hand and <a href="http://theview.abc.go.com/">The View </a>on. I wonder how many men have turned that HDTV on while shaving and then were found dead when the maid came by. <br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Svm1jL1CI5I/AAAAAAAAAwE/ov7j-mn7Q9o/s1600-h/bathroom.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Svm1jL1CI5I/AAAAAAAAAwE/ov7j-mn7Q9o/s320/bathroom.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402548844082897810" /></a><br /><br />Maybe the maids should check twice a day. Once after "The View" and again after OprahRay Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-8293933983365354222009-11-03T20:19:00.007-06:002009-11-03T20:49:15.181-06:00Leaving Las Vegas<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SvDo9UbHGDI/AAAAAAAAAv8/QImWSmlWOWs/s1600-h/airport+and+mandalay.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SvDo9UbHGDI/AAAAAAAAAv8/QImWSmlWOWs/s320/airport+and+mandalay.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400072093369309234" /></a><br />So last Thursday I got up in Vegas, ate breakfast at the IBM IOD conference, attended the 8:15 AM session and then checked out of the <a href="http://www.mandalaybay.com/">Mandalay Bay </a>and headed to the airport. <br />It was interesting in that when I left Mandalay, the flight was on time. An hour later, after the taxi ride, the boarding pass mess, the security line, the tram ride, and arrival at Terminal D, the flight went to an hour delayed. Due to weather at DFW airport. So I had nothing to do but email, surf the Internet, eat a <a href="http://www.quiznos.com/subsandwiches/">Quizno's</a>, and read a book.<br />Items noted on the airplane.<br /><br />1) To the lady with the over sized soft sided luggage that looked like a pregnant guppy, no, no way did you fit that into the "check to see if your carry on will fit". You can act all ticked off and all, but all you really did was delay the flight and a hundred people, another 10 minutes while you tried THREE overheads, as if one would magically be large enough to hold that bag. The guy who first pointed out that your guppy bag was five INCHES to wide to fit, was right the first time. No amount of shoving your bag into a Playtex 18 Hour girdle would fix that.<br /><br />2) As we were waiting to taxi onto the runway I fired up my IPOD. ZZ Top's Viva Las Vegas roared on. Strange.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lXh3VLraixA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lXh3VLraixA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />3) Most everyone was awake going TO Vegas. A third of the plane was snoring on the return flight.<br /><br />4) Having a Rock and Roll band on the return flight was cool. They were all very polite gentlemen, even with the guppy-bag lady.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-16674859164151186832009-10-29T14:43:00.000-05:002009-10-29T14:45:02.839-05:00Attend a week long IBM seminarI’ve been in Las Vegas all week attending the <a href="http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/conf/">IBM Information On Demand (IOD</a>) conference. I’ll post some other blogs about all the events on this trip. But one person at the conference kept showing up in my sessions. This guy sat in the back and read the newspaper half the time. Rustling his papers and only half paying attention. I wondered what his boss and company would think. They paid IBM about $2000 for him to attend and learn about new technology, they paid his airfare and hotel. He didn’t care. He was too busy reading the paper.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-41584466116861130812009-10-13T12:42:00.001-05:002009-10-13T12:46:36.696-05:00This company needs to find another marketing company<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yzlWihoYO7Y&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yzlWihoYO7Y&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />They are an electrical repair company. They have a crappy jingle, then they add some person who is supposed to represent an electrician. Looks like Farmer Ted to me. Someone needs to switch the farmer's head with the pumpkin. <br />And then at the very last second of the advertisement, they have a FLASH! Looks like the same electrical shorting flash which would make a homeowner want to hire an electrician! Not AFTER they SHOULD have fixed it!!Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-61121962029349608102009-10-08T15:13:00.002-05:002009-10-13T12:41:32.535-05:00My Weekend of unexpected car issues – day 2So on Sunday wife and I did church and headed to the grocery store. While on the way I asked her if she also needed to stop at Wally World. There were a few items I needed, truck oil filters and printer cartridges. But we decided not to stop yet. It takes a left turn into and out of the place, through a construction zone. I would return later on, via another road where I can make a protected left and a right turn. So we proceed on to the grocery store and then home. I did a few chores and then decided to head back to Wally World before lunch. I head out and get into my truck. I turn and wait for the diesel “wait to start” light to turn off. I turn the key and am greeted with a slow “rraaaww…rraaawww…CLICK CLICK CLICK”. Yes, dead batteries. The Ford F250 diesel takes two batteries to start it. I get out and get back into the wifes Corolla and head to Wally World.<br /><br />After I get back I changed into my old work clothes and go out and disconnect both batteries. I then perform a load test on one battery. The load tester basically doesn’t even know it is hooked up to a battery. I try and put my battery charger on it and it won’t register either. That one was DOA. I load test the second and it has about 9 Volts instead of 13. I put it on the charger and then remove the alternator. The last time both batteries had died, it was caused by the alternator failing. <br /><br />Then I headed inside to grab some lunch. I also called my car buddy again! Daughter and her car were gone. The wife would be leaving to visit her father in Big-D and my other car was sitting inside the trailer with a DOA transmission! My car buddy had some time to spare.<br /><br />So he picked me up and we decided to go to the O’Reilly’s first and have the alternator tested. It tested DOA also. Twice. Then the parts guy went looking for the part. And looking, and looking. Soon, half the sales people were looking for the part. Their computer showed they should have had two. They couldn’t find even one. So he called his other store and they made sure they had their hand on it! So we headed off to that store and picked up the alternator. $185.<br /><br />We then headed to the local Firestone. I’d called them up as they were listed as a site for the brand of battery I had and mine were only two years old. We get there and the guy tested both batteries. One was DOA and the other showed “charge me and re-test”. He then said that we’d NEED THE RECEIPT to warrantee or pro-rate the batteries! I’d wished he’d said that before we drove over there! So we head back home. Unfortunately, I only find a receipt showing one battery. And it was for about five months earlier than the punch-out deal on the tops of the batteries. I then remembered what had happened two years back. The alternator went out, but the now-out-of-business-mom-and-pop car parts place and just replaced them for me. No paperwork at all. So we present ourselves back at Firestone with one receipt. The guy who first helped us was GONE TO LUNCH! At 3 PM in the afternoon when they closed in two hours! So the next guy does a “By the book” deal and finally decides that I’m not going to leave until he at least pro-rates the batteries and I get two new batteries. We then repeat the ordeal of Saturday.<br /><br />Him: “What car are these on?”<br />Me: “None, the <em>truck</em> is home, dead, awaiting these batteries”<br />Him: “so you are going to carry these out?”<br />Me: “sort of. I plan on putting them into the back of my friends truck first”<br />Him: “what are these from then?”<br />Me: “OK. Punch in my phone number, xxx-xxx-xxxx. You’ll find that the other guy already has all this in your computer system”<br />Him: “oh, yeah here it is”<br /><br /><br />I was about ready to ask him if he needed to know the color of the truck, the one sitting in my driveway with the dead batteries!<br /><br />But we finally get the two batteries and head home, $118 poorer. That was pretty much a buy-one, get one free deal. Except if they’d used the punch-outs on the batteries, they should have replaced them under warrantee. See the batteries were right at two years old and they are fully replaced in the first two years. <br /><br />He hadn’t bothered to even look at the punch outs, nor did he bother to punch out the one’s on the new batteries.<br /><br />I finally get home, after two hours of running around and FOUR trips to three different stores. I put in the new batteries and place them on my chargers. I put on the alternator. Thankfully, it is easy. Release the tension on the serpentine belt. Remove the small wire connector, remove the 10MM bolt for the main wire, remove three 14MM bolts and lift it off. I’d taken it with me, so all I had to do now was put it back on and make sure the serpentine belt went on all the pulleys correctly. <br /><br />So the uneventful weekend wound up with almost $400 spent for a tire, alternator and two batteries. <br /><br />I finally finished up and headed for my walk. I got back home just in time to see the Dallas Cowboys, lose another one.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-58702394836475706922009-10-07T15:27:00.002-05:002009-10-13T12:41:11.654-05:00My weekend of unexpected car issues – day oneSo this past weekend I didn’t have a whole lot of items to take care of around the house. <br />Here it was:<br />1) check the tire pressures. <br />2) Change the air filters in the “new” part of the house<br />3) Get my car friend over and we push my Mustang into the enclosed trailer<br /><br /><br />Estimated times to completion (ETC)<br />1) About one hour for the tires (see below)<br />2) About 10 minutes, start to finish for the filters<br />3) About 45 minutes from hooking up the trailer, to pushing the car and disconnecting again. <br /><br />Here is what really happened:<br />Item one, where I check tire pressures. We have five cars and two trailers. One car was gone. I still checked the tire pressure on the wife’s car (5 tires), my truck (5 more), two Mustangs (8 tires total, I ignored the spare tires), two trailers (8 more) and a spare for the trailers. 27 tires total. But then Saturday afternoon, I remembered that the wife’s car needed the tires rotated. I figured that wouldn’t take long, an hour tops. Except when I got to the left front, there was a hunk of missing rubber! That was not missing that same morning. So at 4 PM I called up Goodyear to check on a replacement tire. Yes, they have one. Then it gets stranger. You see, they have electronic forms to fill out and there must be a LOT of mandatory fields. <br /><br />“Color” the service writer asks me me. <br />“Black….oh wait, the CAR or the TIRE I just rolled in here?” He wanted the car color. I guess that makes it easier to find the car when they send the 16 year old kid with the grease on his pants out to find your car. <br /><br />“How many miles on it?” <br />“28000, I guess. Remember IT’S AT HOME!”<br /><br />“So…the car isn’t here?” the service guy asks.<br />“No. I just took off the tire and brought it in”.<br /><br />The look on his face was pretty funny. Like he’d never heard of such a thing. What I suspect he was really ticked about was that they couldn’t get grease on the seats, and declare that I’d need a new air filter, or my blinker fluid was low or some other nonsense. <br /><br />I’ll give them credit, he had the tire on and off the rim in 10 minutes and I was headed back home.<br />Wife confirmed that she’d smacked a curb up at the drive in bank lane.<br />So the hour long tire pressure check, became a rotation and a new tire. Two hours and $118 spent!<br /><br />Item two, where I change air filters. Actually, this was pretty uneventful. Except I totally forgot to do it until about 11 PM Sunday night. I did the filter change in my jammies, but I didn’t flash the butt-crack to anyone. With our new HVAC system, the other major filters are up in the attic now. But you only change or clean them twice a year. Earlier in the week I’d been up there to check them out.<br /><br />Item three, where we push the Mustang into the trailer. I decided to quit messing around with the transmission repair and just trailer the car down to the transmission shop. So after lunch on Saturday, I called a car buddy and he came over 30 minutes later. That gave me time to hook the truck up to the trailer, get the junk out of the trailer and then move it all and have it ready. My shop is about the highest point on the property, so we had a nice slope to let the car roll down. The only heart stopper, was as I tried to turn the Armstrong-Steering and line up the car to the trailer. Except I wasn’t IN the car! The car rolled a foot up the drop down door on the trailer and slowly rolled back. We’d done really well, but needed to move the car a few inches one way. We pushed the car up the hill and got it lined up and then pushed it into the trailer. After that I pointed out that one of the four trailer lights wasn’t working. So he and I take that off and decide to make a trip to the RV place and see about a new light. I was hoping to just change the bulb, but the lamps are sealed units, making them water proof. This also gave us a good excuse to take his 1970 Mustang Mach 1 out and terrorize old people. Wait….we ARE old. Oh well. His Mustang always attracts a crowd. We get to the first RV place and they don’t have the lamp. The salesman didn’t think anyone would. It seems that there is planned obsolescence on these and the trailer was “more than 10 years old”. We decided to fire up the hot rod and try another trailer store. Same story, second verse. Finally, we decide that maybe the <a href="http://www.northerntool.com/">Northern Tool </a>store might have something. Strike three!!! But we did get some week-trimmer string and got to look at all the tools in the place. Tool stores and <a href="http://www.victoriassecret.com/">Victoria’s Secrets</a>, stores where men will actually browse. <br />We gave up on the trailer light and he drops me back off. After I backed the trailer up so it was out of the way, I decided to get my test light out and check on the wiring. YEP! The wiring was bad, causing the one lamp not to work! It took me about 10 minutes to rewire it. Oh well, we got to drive one of the old cars about. <br />Three hours, mostly driving around. <br /><br />The next item wasn’t on the list, but cost the most in time, money and frustration.<br /><br />To be continued……Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-54725095624004275332009-10-04T21:06:00.002-05:002009-10-04T21:25:25.474-05:00One of those moments in the Cosmo'sIt was a cool rainy weekend in North Texas. I had car and truck issues all weekend, but by 4 PM Sunday, departed on my walk. I planned on doing four miles, but went the full five miles. On the way back, I had one of those strange happenings.<br />I was walking along and Elvis came on the IPOD, singing All Shook Up.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AqsX7xQWRoU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AqsX7xQWRoU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />But then my IPOD is on Shuffle. And the next song is Dire Straights, Calling Elvis!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bODwgw9Lw0Q&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bODwgw9Lw0Q&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Reminded me of the stoner's in College. You remember the song Never Been Any Reason by Head East. All the stoner's would always get all spacey when they would reminisce about when the line in the song was about breaking glass and CRASH, a bottle would break.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DyoknbvXlwM&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DyoknbvXlwM&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-46782691926822454862009-09-29T12:59:00.000-05:002009-09-29T13:00:57.288-05:00You know you have been Orienteering when…1) You find yourself getting lost in the woods<br />2) You find yourself backing up to “relocate” yourself someplace you can find in the woods and on the orienteering map<br />3) You spend two hours completing the course, upset that you took that long<br />4) You find that only a few people finished the same course any faster than you did<br />5) You feel much better when two of those faster than you, were MUCH younger<br />6) You drink two Gatorades, finish the water in your carry-along pack and drink another bottle of water and do NOT need to use the bathroom<br />7) You hang around for awards because it might be the only time you get one<br />8) You don’t want to really win the school bus they raffle off at the awards<br />9) You’d not mind winning the socks they raffle off. Your’s are sweat soaked.<br />10) You change clothes in the back seat of your truck<br />11) The back seat of your truck looks like a gym bag exploded in it. Mostly because it did<br />12) You spend hours studying the orienteering map, trying to figure out the best way to navigate, and trying to remember where all you messed up at<br />13) You get home and toss all your wet and muddy clothes into the washer. You forget to clean off the mud, sticks and leaves from the cleats in your shoes<br />14) Your wife asks you just what you put into the washer, why the water looks like mud, and those sticks seem to just float around on the top of the water<br />15) When you finally take off your underwear, more sticks and leaves fall out<br />16) You pack up the two compasses you carry with rubber between them, so they don’t mess each other up<br />17) You look forward to the next event<br /><br />Yes, the <a href="http://www.ntoa.com/">North Texas Orienteering Association</a> has started their year. Actually this past weekend was the second event, but I didn’t make the first one. I’m ticked off that I’ll probably have to miss the next one also. And the one after that is a “B” meet, two day event. I’ll have to keep my head on better to survive both of those days.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-17406671005998203592009-09-17T14:02:00.002-05:002009-09-17T14:06:07.488-05:00In progress - transmission install<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SrKIi_9SwpI/AAAAAAAAAvs/LJKcALmxeMw/s1600-h/transmission+install.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SrKIi_9SwpI/AAAAAAAAAvs/LJKcALmxeMw/s320/transmission+install.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382514639526609554" /></a><br />This last Sunday my friend came over and we started installing the C4 transmission. He helped muscle it into place and aligned. He stayed for four of the six bolts from the transmission into the motor, for one of the torque converter nuts(we need it further bolted up, and the starter installed to rotate the motor to align the rest), and the support cross member.<br />So last night since it was RAINING again in Texas, I installed a few more items, the starter and such. It's getting closer. I hope to finish it up this weekend and get it out of the garage for a drive.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-55584651318512390692009-08-31T13:46:00.001-05:002009-08-31T13:51:09.838-05:00The tranny transplant that didn't happen....yet<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SpwbiQOmuFI/AAAAAAAAAvk/pywebGbp4Ag/s1600-h/c4+transmission+rebuilt+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SpwbiQOmuFI/AAAAAAAAAvk/pywebGbp4Ag/s320/c4+transmission+rebuilt+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376202330459256914" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SpwbhUXsnxI/AAAAAAAAAvc/4Ql_36YCZnE/s1600-h/c4+transmission+rebuilt+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SpwbhUXsnxI/AAAAAAAAAvc/4Ql_36YCZnE/s320/c4+transmission+rebuilt+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376202314391265042" /></a><br />So we have been a bit busy moving the oldest daughter up to college. In between, I got the C4 Transmission for my Mustang rebuilt. I forgot to tell them to NOT paint it. I had to strip off the paint, mask off some parts and repaint it so it is close to how they looked from the factory. <br />I also spent a few hours running new stainless steel transmission coolant lines and getting 40 years of grease and gunk off the underside of the car. <br />Yesterday I went ahead and tried to see if I could get the car up and the transmission in place under it. That part went fine, but then my jacks were not cooperating and I couldn't safely get the transmission close enough to actually bolt it to the engine. <br />It will have to wait until a friend can assist.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-2683860457947861682009-08-24T12:54:00.003-05:002009-08-24T13:02:40.212-05:00Life changesThis past weekend was one of those times when you pause and say "did that really just happen?" <br />Our eldest has now moved to a college dormitory! We did that on Sunday. We got home from church and she had already filled the foyer with her boxes. By 2 PM we were up in Denton, and parked in a dirt lot next to the Honors dorm. She got checked in and a room key and we checked out a big cart to use to transfer everything. We only made two trips and had her all moved in. A young man from Denton Bible Church walked up while we were unloading the truck and volunteered to haul something. Mission work by the church. We spoke to him since we knew his pastor had health issues. We had the eldest moved in and wife and I went to see about paying the bill, since all of UNT's online bill pay, seems screwed up. Unfortunately, there were closed for the day. I tried again Sunday evening and it worked! Wife and I then walked about the campus and down to a Sack N Save to pick up a few items for her. We then went back home with a short list of other items needed. Printer cable, ethernet cable, hooks and such. <br />Hard to believe she is now up at the dorm. Classes start on Thursday, but she is staying up there, getting settled in, meeting people, checking out the campus.<br /><br />And then today (Monday), the youngest had her first day in High School. She was a bit apprehensive about it, but will do fine.<br /><br />Somehow with all that going on, I was still able to work on my newly rebuilt automatic transmission. It is almost ready to go back into the car. I need to crawl under the car and install the new transmission cooler lines and clean up a few other items.Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-37298541031986364472009-08-17T10:14:00.004-05:002009-08-17T10:22:07.686-05:00Sunday, A day of rest<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Sol0RrrjdQI/AAAAAAAAAvM/3w1pvqr23mE/s1600-h/69+coupe+front.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Sol0RrrjdQI/AAAAAAAAAvM/3w1pvqr23mE/s320/69+coupe+front.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370951877748028674" /></a><br />Sometimes. Sometimes you get a wild hair and take a transmission out of a car.<br /><br />First we need to rewind about 6 weeks, or 15 years. I have a 1969 Ford Mustang. It has been a member of the family since 1971. I quit driving it on a regular basis in about 1983. It has the small V-8 engine and an automatic transmission, a C4 in Ford vernacular. The shift linkage on the C4 goes through the side of the transmission case, where it has a seal to keep the transmission fluid inside. Unfortunately, the seal can only be serviced from inside the transmission. The shifter rod is actually designed so that it is above the normal level of fluid in the pan. But when you quit driving the car and let it sit for some time, then the torque converter, which is the device hooking the motor to the transmission, slowly drains its fluid back into the transmission pan, raising the level of the fluid up to the shifter seal. Result? A small seepage of transmission fluid on the floor. <br />15 years ago, I’d drive the car on a weekend and park it. It would take about six days before the seepage would begin, and then it would only leak maybe a bathroom Dixie cup of fluid. That went on for about 14 years. <br />This year I started to notice that I’d drive the car on a Saturday, and by Sunday, there was already fluid leaking. <br />About six weeks ago I decided to do a dirty nasty task and change the transmission fluid and filters in both the old Fords. We also have a 1970 Ford Mustang Mach1. Changing transmission fluids on old Fords is about my least favorite task on them. Ford pinched penny’s for years and never installed drain plugs on the transmission, as it isn’t a regularly required task. Most people just take it in to a shop. Not me. I lie on the floor with the car jacked up and start loosening the pan bolts. That causes the fluid to start leaking out. All over your arm and floor. But that is how it is done. So I change the filter and fluid and hope that some of the leaking on the C4 is from the pan gasket. Well some of it might have been, but you couldn’t tell it from how much was still leaking all over the drip pan under the car. <br />I hit the internet to see if there are some write ups on replacing the shifter seal with the transmission still in the car. I found a few write ups. Unfortunately, the task requires again draining the fluid, and then removing the shifter body from inside. So a few weeks back, I go back under the car, transmission fluid running down my arm, but I get the shifter body out. Except my car has a kick down linkage that also passes through the shift rod! That is in the way of getting to the large nut which holds the shifter arm. The shift rod can’t be removed, as the main gears are in the way. In disgust, I bolt everything back together. I pull out 40 years of maintenance records on the car and start looking around to see if there was ever any work done on the transmission. I can’t find any records about the transmission, except fluid and filter changes. I crawl back under the car the next weekend and start inspecting all aspects of the transmission. I find 40 year old Ford tags and markings. I also realize that the transmission has multiple leaks. Not only the shifter shaft, but the modulator valve is leaking, and it seems that the torque converter is also leaking. I decide to remove the transmission and take it to a shop for a rebuild. <br />So the next weekend I climb under the car and start loosening and removing all the parts so I can remove the transmission. I also call a local shop that has been in business since the late 1950’s and they confirm they can rebuild antique automatic transmission.<br /><br />So this past Sunday another car friend comes over and we work on some parts for his Mustang. We mess with that for about an hour and then he convinces me that with his help, we can have the transmission out of the car in a little while. So we head under it, him on one side and me on the other. About two hours later, the transmission is lying on the floor. No injuries were sustained, which is always a good thing. The only broken parts were the transmission coolant lines. We tried to get the one off we could reach, but after 40 years, the steel line and the nut that holds it to the transmission, had become one with each other. The steel line twisted and cracked. The other line has to be removed when the transmission is lowered a few inches. Since the coolant lines are sold in a pair, I made the executive decision to use a pipe cutter and just cut the line off. I’ll have to order new lines and plan on getting stainless steel lines. <br /><br />So I need to order some parts, the fluid lines, plus a new steel vacuum line. I don’t have to replace the vacuum line, but might as well at this point. Plus a new transmission mount, which is rubber and had about dissolved from 40 years of use and leaking fluids. <br /><br />So after 40 years, I have to spend $475 to get the transmission rebuilt. <br /><br />Should I call up <a href="http://www.ford.com/">Ford</a> and complain?<br /><br />The photo is the C4 transmission and the torque converter in the back of my truck, ready to be dropped off at <a href="http://www.hacklertransmission.com/">Hackler Transmission</a>. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Sol0R2LXBzI/AAAAAAAAAvU/gs5siOL6f0I/s1600-h/c4+transmission.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/Sol0R2LXBzI/AAAAAAAAAvU/gs5siOL6f0I/s320/c4+transmission.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370951880565786418" /></a>Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708423862018405417.post-23989773058456468402009-07-30T10:25:00.003-05:002009-07-30T10:30:25.414-05:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SnG8D-e8ijI/AAAAAAAAAu0/japgwqfvfuA/s1600-h/allied+american+ac+trucks.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SnG8D-e8ijI/AAAAAAAAAu0/japgwqfvfuA/s320/allied+american+ac+trucks.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364275407673395762" /></a><br />HVAC repair <br /><br />We have had four service calls on our home air conditioning this summer. <br /><br />The first was when we returned from vacation at the end of June. The “old” part of the house would not cool below 80 degrees. I called out a company, but they charged us $200 for two pounds of Freon. <br /><br />Two weeks later and the “new” part of the home, the compressor was not running when I returned home from work. New is relative, as the system is 10 years old. Just the day before the compressor quit, I was at a friend’s house and three of us were talking about HVAC repairs. The other guy had his home built 13 years back and the AC had never really worked well. He had contracted a local Trane dealer to “do over” and was very impressed with the professionalism, the work and the energy savings. So when I got home and that unit was not running, I gave them a call. I explained the issue and they said it would be $200 for them to come out now, since it was after 5 PM already, or $175 the next day. I picked the next day. We could set up some fans and turn down the “old” part to try and cool some of the “new” area. About 6 PM, the phone rang and it was the service technician. He asked for the symptom, and then said that if he drew a line between where he was, and his house, we were on the way and would it be OK if he came now? If not, then it would have to be after 1 PM the next day. I told him I didn’t want to pay for off-hours, but he said NO PROBLEM, this was his choice. So, 20 minutes later he and his helper show up, and in 15 minutes the unit was back among the living AC units again. I was impressed. Then he handed me the bill. $157. CHEAPER than they had said. I paid them and told them I’d want a bid on replacing the older system, but later in the fall. They said to just ring them when we needed. <br /><br />Two days later and I get home and again the old part of the house is not cooling. I called them again. They came by and sure enough, the unit was again two pounds low on Freon. It was leaking it at the rate of two pounds in three weeks. It was just the middle of July, in Texas. The technician climbed up into the attic and looked over the system. Bad news, which was expected. The coil up in the attic was leaking. It was 14 years old. The outside compressor was 19 years old and the furnace was original, 25 years old. The fan in the attic was also squeaking badly, even after he oiled it. I told him about my friend and how please he was with their Trane system, and he went to work on a bid. He asked some questions about the home size and such and then came up that we needed a 3.5 ton unit, not the 3 ton we had. Except in the new energy efficient unit, they only had 3 and then 4 ton units. I opted for the 4 ton, which is a really neat compressor. It is really two, two ton units. The “intelligent” systems in it, can work alternating compressors on mild days, and both at full capacity on really hot days. I also opted to go from a 16 SEER to a 20 SEER unit, with a 10 year warrantee. Since we have two asthmatics in the home, I also added a clean-air filtration system. Built into the unit, it was $400. Adding it later would be $600 plus installation. So we signed up for a full system change scheduled for July 23. It was July 15, so we all crossed our fingers that the system would limp along eight days.<br /><br />Two days later, the system AGAIN refused to work. Since we were under contract for the new system, the HVAC company came right out, no charge, to trouble shoot us. He found some relay had overheated and shorted out, due to the fan bearings being so bad. He had a used relay on the truck and wired that in to attempt to get us into the next week. <br /><br />So that was FOUR service calls, by two companies, in three weeks time!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SnG8Ev1QBNI/AAAAAAAAAvE/KpK3WHIIqXw/s1600-h/new+ac+in+truck.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SnG8Ev1QBNI/AAAAAAAAAvE/KpK3WHIIqXw/s320/new+ac+in+truck.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364275420920284370" /></a><br /><br />On the appointed day for the system change out, three service trucks rolled up. Along with a pickup truck loaded with all the new equipment. There were five service technicians and the owner of the company. They then proceeded to unload the gear and crawl up into the attic and over the outside compressor to remove all the old gear. About 9:30, I went out and they had all the old gear sitting on the garage floor. I offered them some <a href="http://www.gatorade.com/default.aspx#/products">Gatorade</a>. Then there were two discoveries that had the technician’s eyes wide! One technician decided to dump the rust out of the furnace. He got a small bucket and asked one of the other guys to help him pick it up and dump it. It HALF FILLED the bucket with rust. One of them made another comment about that being about the worst he’d ever seen. The owner cracked me up with his reply. “That unit has been in that attic since before YOU were born!” But then the owner noticed something and asked for a screw gun. He went about removing the natural gas control valve from the furnace. Even his eyes got wide as they started singing “Burning down the house!” The inside part of the control value, had evidence of a fire! He said if it had burned a hole in the gas line, you’d see our house on the evening news with the attic blown off. <br /><br />They finished their <a href="http://www.gatorade.com/default.aspx#/products">Gatorade</a> and went back to work putting in the new gear. <br /><br />The next wide-eyed moment was an hour later. Since the new compressor was larger than the old unit, it required a new breaker in our fuse panel. The owner was attempting to get the old fuse out and I was watching. It didn’t pop right out. When he got it out and examined it, it also showed signs of being over heated! There was some light corrosion on the fuse and also some plastic fatigue from heat! Another round of “burning down the house”. <br /><br />Around 12:30, they were almost all done. We were down to just one truck, two technicians and the owner. He started the new unit up. With it’s built in electronics, it would actually sense things and tell them to add or remove Freon. It was 84 degrees in the house at 12:30. At 1 PM, we heard the one compressor shut down. The temperature was already dropped to 78 degrees, heading to the thermostat setting of 77. A few minutes later, and we were at 77 degrees and the unit shut down. It had pulled it down so fast, they actually had to lower the temperature a few more degrees to take some more readings and tune the system. <br /><br />We are beyond impressed. I can’t wait to see what our electric bill will drop to. My friend said his dropped in half, but we still do have the “new” part of the house running with an older AC system. If you are about the Flo-Mo-HV-Lake Dallas area, check these guys out, <a href="http://www.alliedamerican.net/">Allied American Service</a>. <br /><br />I plan to have them out again this fall to replace our worn out duct work. <br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SnG8EdNhB-I/AAAAAAAAAu8/chjQZ7SCZcg/s1600-h/new+ac.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ucDWUEQ7CQ8/SnG8EdNhB-I/AAAAAAAAAu8/chjQZ7SCZcg/s320/new+ac.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5364275415921788898" /></a>Ray Janeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14965985187123647698noreply@blogger.com0