http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ar72qVkZLylM

This is bad news for America from many aspects in my opinion.  We should refine oil here, drill our oil resources here in the states, not support a government which competes with free enterprise, and not forfeit American jobs.  I hope this country wakes up to the fact that we can safely extract and transport oil from any of several of our vast resources in the U.S., even the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.  The Alyeska pipeline in Alaska

http://www.alyeska-pipe.com/Default.asp

has proven since 1977 that we can protect the environment and get the oil we need.  We have resources in the lower 48, too, that we’re not using.  Refining that oil here would save everyone a bundle in the long run.  As we develop alternative energy and fuel-enhancing equipment for vehicles we will use less oil, but we shouldn’t just wait around for that to happen; Americans’ jobs and tons of their money are going out the window in the meantime.  After looking at the Alyeska Pipeline website, you may consider how one seldom, if ever, hears this info in news media reports or discussions.  Why not drill America’s existing fossil fuel resources?  Then motivation for building new refineries here in America would blossom, along with American jobs, while the price of oil went down, making inflation less likely, and we wouldn’t wind up buying gasoline from foreign refineries, or supporting governments that compete with free enterprise.

This time the trip was just around town, so getting it home was easier.  When this has occurred it generally requires either driving it in second gear at 50-55 mph, or nursing it home in first gear, in which you approach high rpms at low speeds, it may more easily overheat, and driving in low gear is audible for some distance, so one receives much unwanted attention.  I took it to get a transmission flush, because once before this procedure had resolved a similar problem when the original transmission was apparently stressed by engine overheating.  The fluid was dirty then; this time I found that the level and quality of fluid was good, so flushing was unnecessary.

The place at which I was going to have the flush done asked me about the transmission, since there are nearly 170K miles on the van.  I let them know it had been rebuilt, and they said they could have done it cheaper than the $1900 I paid; they could do it for $1500.  Right away I thought “scam”, but then the manager said to check with the place that did the work, then with his company if it weren’t resolved. 

I have temporarily (lasting from less than a day to several weeks) solved this problem by unhooking the negative battery cable for five (5) minutes and then reattaching it.  This clears the TCM, namely, the transmission control module, and allows the vehicle to drive smoothly in all gears once again.

I had already checked with the place that did the transmission rebuild,  and now knew that the fluid was clean.  The symptoms reminded me of what used to happen when a part called the modulator valve went out.  TCM’s have taken their place.  The “check engine” light had been showing,  so even though this ‘98 Grand Voyager was now over ten years old, it still could be checked with a scan tool.  Computers have been on vehicles for more than a couple of decades.  I thought it over and decided to “bite the bullet” and purchase a scan tool.  I bought an Actron.  I found two codes; one, P1776, the other P440.

The P1776 code translates to “solenoid switch latched in L-R (low-reverse) position.”   The P440 code indicates an evaporative emissions, or EVAP, problem.  This can also cause the engine to run roughly, another factor in shifting gears smoothly.  I believe that several factors may help cause this “hiccup” in the TCM; spark plug wires that need replacing, and/or EVAP (evaporative emissions) problems, because they make the engine less efficient and cause it to run roughly, and finally perhaps ABS problems, because on several occasions when this problem occured I noticed the ABS light came on and the brakes spontaneously “shuddering”, or quickly and repetitively being applied and released, which would stop or subside to a degree when the brakes were applied.  I had  experienced brake caliper problems just prior to the TCM problem and this also seemed to help trigger not only the TCM hiccup but the ABS problem as well.  All interesting facts (to me), but I was glad to find that unhooking the negative battery cable for a few minutes cleared up the gear-shifting problem each time.  Much cheaper and much less trouble than buying/installing a new solenoid, solenoid switch or Transmission Control Module.

There are several ways to perform a defragmentation of your hard drive  in Windows XP.   Simply open the Start menu, then Programs, then Accessories.  Click on ”System Tools” then click on the icon for Disk Defragmenter.   Generally Drive or Local Disk C:  will be the one you want to highlight; if it is already highlighted simply click on “Defragment”, and it will analyze your drive, and immediately defragment it if there are no errors Scandisk needs to fix.    A second way to defragment is to locate the My Computer icon, double-click on it and then when its window opens, right-click on the C:  drive.   Go to properties, left-click on it and a window with tabs will open.   Click on the Tools tab, and that will open to reveal both Scandisk (error-checking) and Defragmenter (defragmentation).  Click on “defragment now” and the defragmenter window will appear displaying all existing drives on your computer.   To run Scandisk, which checks your drive for errors and also fixes them, follow the same procedure.  Simply click on “check now” to run error-checking, or Scandisk.

A third way to run Disk Defragmenter, or any executable program, for that matter, is to schedule it to run when it is most convenient, with Task Scheduler.   Left-click on the Start Menu Icon, then go to Accessories, click on System Tools, then on Scheduled Tasks.  Click on an already queued task, or the icon that reads, “Add Scheduled Task,” and follow the directions from the Wizard.

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

13 And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

15 For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

As you know, oil was priced in the $20’s for a long time, then in 2003 started moving upward out of that range fairly quickly to the $40’s, double its normal range, by ‘04.  Oil prices then made their way up to vacillate in the $70’s by Sept 07.  Oil’s price doubled again in less than a year!  In my view, it helped to promote and intensify an economic-damage domino effect from losses created by unethical lending on a massive scale to obviously unqualified and/or speculative house-buyers.  This economic-damage domino effect also dealt a punishing blow to the world economy and shook the world’s confidence in America as a disciplined world market leader. 

An interesting anecdote is that oil/gasoline prices have spiked downward while heading into the Christmas buying season, in ’03, ’04, ’05 and ‘06. The exception was ‘07, as oil moved from $60/bbl to nearly $100/bbl, while gasoline prices also increased.  This year alone, from July to the last part of November, oil prices have gone down as much as $100/bbl!  Here is an often-used link that provides graphing for up to six years of fuel price history in Chicago, but potentially any locale:

http://www.chicagogasprices.com/retail_price_chart.aspx

So, it is clear that speculators have helped drain the economy as the prices went up, and the profits from $147/bbl oil as prices fell.  This is rather disconcerting, since no one seems to be able to quite pin down who these people are, or how they could have been allowed to make such a mockery of free markets, especially America’s. 

Now, oil and fuel prices are somehow returning to around twice their inflation-adjusted $20-30 range!  Measures must be taken to reign in commodity speculators and whomever their helpers are, before they sap the world economy again.  And drilling vast American fuel resources must take place soon, to further America’s independence and economic stability.

We need leaders with the guts to at least expose the reasons why speculators were allowed to drain the world economy with impunity.  We need leaders who will focus their energies on changing the laws allowing unethical lending to the unqualified, and unethical commodity manipulation, that really amount to price-gouging, which most people see as just another type of theft. 

Now that everyone under the sun wants part of the TARP, who is going to make certain it is held in trust for only mortgage-backed securities?  Who will put their collective foot down to use Americans’ every tax dollar for their original intended use alone?  After all, it’s our money, not the governments’.  Another major question remains:  Whatever happened to Chapters 11 and 13 for bankrupt companies?  The airlines have repeatedly reorganized, and we all know how crucial they are to the economy.  Why can’t “the big three” reorganize, just like the airlines did, even while fuel prices kept rising far beyond any reason?

Isa 55:6-9

6 “Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Only God can save.

John 3:16-17

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Acts 2:36-39
6 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Phil 3:7-21

7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
(from New International Version)

 Click 3 times for full-size

rmnp-summit-at-sundance-mountain-to-estes-park-co.pdf

Our family’s favorite getaway is Colorado, due to its majestic mountain beauty and temperature difference from Texas.  It is such a relief to drive up into the mountains and out of the often over 100-degree heat here in the summers (and occasionally spring and autumn).  We normally have occasion to travel during the summer, so when we think of travel then, it is either to visit relatives or get away by ourselves.  Sometimes in June there is still snow left on the slopes near Breckenridge, Colorado, and our kids and we have enjoyed sliding down those slopes on makeshift sleds, throwing snowballs, and other snow frolics.  We like to stay in Frisco, because it is centrally located between Dillon, Silverthorne and Breckenridge. 

Occasionally we will venture up to Estes Park by way of Rocky Mountain National Park.  We did this on our last trip and saw some elk we don’t normally get to see.  They are tame to the point of being a bit pushy or forward about getting a snack from passersby; after all, isn’t that why you came?  My wife used to visit Colorado with her family growing up, and really feels like she’s been to Colorado when she has visited Rocky Mountain National Park.  It is not without its dangers, however, and driving at night during a storm or even clouds can be a little scary.  One time we were traveling with my wife’s parents toward Estes Park at night through RMNP and, as mountain passes can be, the weather changed, and we drove into some thick clouds where it had been raining.  The clouds were so thick we had to slow the car down and hold a flashlight outside the car in order to clearly see the road (no fog lights), and we stayed toward the center line after we had noticed the intermittent guardrail with a steep dropoff to our right. 

Finally, we made it down through the clouds and fog, almost a mile lower in elevation from the 12,300 ft. apex of Rocky Mountain National Park,  down the winding roads and switchbacks, finally able to see the lights of the city, then down into Estes Park where we had motel reservations.  We thanked the Lord for keeping us safe on our trip.  It could have turned out much differently.