Abbott and Costello - Math

This is exactly the same kind of "math" the banks and financial institutions are using!! Even my dyslexic jumbled math and failure at Algebra 1 - tells me this is questionable?

Moon in Saturn? (not) 1999 Saturn SC1 – A troubled history

It's white – it's benign looking to be sure. 1999 seems like a lifetime ago, but back then all I wanted in “wheels” was good front wheel drive transport that got decent mileage. My internet reviews showed that Saturn had a reasonable reputation in the industry...sooo. That should be the end of the story, but due to the fact that from 1999 through nearly 2004 I was unwell enough I did not even drive 3,000 miles a year – I got taken to the cleaners!! regarding this lemon of a vehicle.

At this late date I write this all down since last winter I discovered the inside of the passenger compartment had major water leakage. And I always had “moisture problems” inside the windows. But due to my health issues and the major move to a new home (in a state where my health insurability would be protected) this “new problem” was not addressed until now. To digress - part of this delay was because I had a major leak inside my newly purchased condo (about which both the realtor & owner lied on the disclosure agreements). 2007 was a blur of tearing out a six foot square of my living room ceiling (on the 6th of 8 floors mind you)... and attendant schlock workmen spewing slurry on my first time brand new carpeting – and uniformly covering my new living room
furniture with paster dust.

No wonder I did not get to the car's newest problem... I would say.

Below this entry you will find copies of the 1st Saturn Dealer repair – a REBUILD to the engine at 29,000 + miles (out of warranty) costing $2,059.17 and again a subsequent bill showing the additional repair replacement of a defective rocker arm – work done by an excellent local garage...
another several hundred dollars.

So I owned the car from 1999 through 2005 only putting 29,749 miles on the innocuous looking car, when I developed a catastrophic engine knock. I should digress and say that back in the 1970's my second husband and I had owned a sports car repair garage and during those years I not only learned much about engine and transmission repairs, but also about cars in general...so I have never considered myself a true novice since.

The steel on steel knocking was no mere “ping”... it was a jaw-dropping and heart skipping sound of real trouble. I knew it. But I also knew the car was well out of warranty despite it's mileage due to it's AGE. So, I proceeded to a local garage that I trusted... with ethical hard-working
real mechanics who knew their stuff.

I asked Pete to remove the valve cover to the engine (for the 1st and only time it had ever been removed on the car) – give it a visual look over – and call me. My wake-up call the next day wasn't a good one – not that I was expecting a “Hallo... can't see a thing.... looks OK to me. Can't be anything serious!” kind of call... My friends all know I am one of those folks with my own personal – black cloud, so: Pete said – “Hey! Get over here and have a look. We have all looked. We called another service station – their mechanics all came over...none of us can believe it!! There is an ENGINE PIECE missing!! Really!!! Never seen this sort of thing before!!! Wow!! The piece is called a “Valve Lifter Guide” and you can see it is missing without us touching the engine at all!!!”

aaargh I went over. I did not own a digital camera at that moment, and sadly was up to my eyeballs in a life catastrophy problem: my mother having just been installed in a nursing home – by her doctor. Since 2002 besides my own problems – all I had attended to was my mother's deteriorating condition – doctors, emergency rooms...and a partridge in a pear tree.

Pete did take photos of the engine with the cover to the engine off – but they did not come out well enough to use them - plus it was middle of the winter – with 2 feet of snow on the ground. Pete naturally wanted the Saturn dealer to work with this repair since it was a “factory defective” parts issue. I agreed, but would have preferred Pete make the repairs.... cheaper no doubt, and certainly done with due diligence. However

I did, naturally contact Saturn. What ensued is nothing new to women living on their own – in the world of men. I wrote a Certified Letter to the heads of Saturn – spoke to their Customer Service Reps – as well as to the head of my local dealership. That local dealership is owned and run by a man who also owns MOST OF the dealerships in that pretentious horrid town – who has a terrible reputation with nearly all his customers, unless they also belong to his Country Club and are
part of – the monied ruling class. I personally contacted him myself – trying to maintain my composure in the midst of issues with mother. Naturally I NEVER did speak with Beans (much less meet with) - he diverted my call to his son-in-law, who voiced platitudes and blew me off besides. As an only child, with no other family even living in that area – or even willing to lend a hand or word...I tried to stand up for my rights and myself.

Long story short but Saturn did send in a “factory technical representative” for a going over of the engine and matter – along with the technical rep at the dealership. The Saturn dealership SERVICE MANAGER however – would not allow me to be present – for that conference...and in fact was surly and unpleasant with me. But that would be my word against his, wouldn't it? I did the usual female thing when I returned home that day. Do I need to say it.

So I obviously could not go get another car. They did try to get me to trade this bum in on a newer vehicle... taking on more car payments --- and another “devil you don't know compared to the
devil you do”... which I soundly refused. In 2005 I had been out of work with my medical problems since 2002 – fighting insurance cancellation, etc. So, I went through with this $2,059.00 repair... only to have more trouble surface in the form of a bad ROCKER ARM in 2006 – which may or may not have been one that was bad, or going bad, at the time of the 2005 engine rebuild ... (or was a replacement part that was in turn itself, bad). Who knows. I did not call that dealer again needless to say. Saturn sent me a "fruitcake" (somehow doubly insulting in view of circumstances), and a car mug [who cares] for my $2,059.17.

So August 2008 will include another go round with a glass specialist trying to solve the buckets of water the car leaks into the passenger compartment and also in the trunk. This fellow was so kind, and so normal in talking with him – I have confidence that he will, fix this issue. If I am lucky and he does – I will write him and his business up on the internet because finding honest repair people
is more than, a shot in the dark. And kindness? Isn't that what the world and people, should be about? Where is Peter Sellers when you need him!

1999 Saturn SC1 Repair Bills and Mileage

The "Morgan's Garage" bill - From an honest true blue reliable shop with skilled workmen.

Self-Indulgence, Ego and Perpetual War

Childhood memories hold a jumble of unrelated mental blurbs, everything from certain toys you had or bad cases of poison ivy, to curiosities about photos in your parents albums.
Vividly I can only imagine now, what memories and unforgettable times my parents surely had in Manila during WWII. This photo is of my father standing with another American officer and an Australian (on the plane itself) which had already been ransacked for mementos by other servicemen. In the Army medical corps, my father dealt with water sanitation for his unit and the unmentionable STD's (which he did speak to me about when I was old enough). But other than a total disdain for war in a general sense, he did not want to speak about the war - period.
Later years when Viet Nam was happening, both my parents spoke with horror of the realities Churchill had spoken of - that we would be doomed, and in fact repeating past mistakes, in going into other wars in the first place. Both parents questioned the necessity of that war - and my mother of course questioned the war in Iraq from it's start.
Weekly I sigh at hearing callers to C-span, with anger in their voices, shaming others in this country for "not supporting the troops" and other such admonishments. Even though we have all repeatedly stated that our non-support of "war" has NO connection to a "non-support of troops"... still these misperceptions persist. And as Eisenhower said - it is our military industrial complex - combined with a throughly entrenched corporate culture supporting only the greed and avarice of a few people now holding all the straws - that has emptied our coffers, as well as sucked up oil resources (as if Hummers and tanks don't abuse gasoline?).
So we consider engaging in Iran - and/or engaging in the Georgia/Russia fracas? What can we be thinking? The country is bankrupt - everything from the housing debacle (pushed by legislation loosening regulations on the banking industry brought to you by the likes of Phil Gramm started during the Reagan administration), to the nearly bereft of all logic - tax laws allowing most corporations to pay 0 or minuscule taxes.
And yet those very military/industrial folks and their mindsets still seem to believe that when we no longer have a middle-class to pay taxes (since we are paying more of them than any other group)...that things will still be fine? Except for the corporate farmers, our mom & pop farmers are going belly-up in huge numbers. We have horrid numbers of people forced to swallow their remaining pride and apply for food stamps - the food banks are mostly empty and struggling besides? What is wrong with everyone. Open your eyes!! Except for writing down my total disdain for what is happening, has happened, and what is being proposed...and always voting - as always it is the people in power who have to make changes! We need a total change. And at this late date we have to put our own country to rights starting with bringing jobs back home, creating a healthcare system for everyone, and working out how to care for all the veterans and their lives that have been wrecked by the greed and avarice of the men at the top. All this without even mentioning the total decimation of the country of Iraq and the millions of lives we have brought to an end. Lastly do we really BELIEVE we have any right to tell Russia what to do, after the things we have done in Viet Nam and in Iraq? As a nation we are overdue to connect the dots from what have been our own actions/reactions...and the fiscal and psychological results both abroad and at home.

Can You Hear Me Now? Liars, con men & creeps

When my mother's pension fund sent a notice through of a considerable lowering of her monthly income several months back, it nearly hit dead-on, the expected raise in rates of the nursing home. That sum now equals about $7k per month, without medications or other extras, or her medicare and insurance premiums. We are 3/4 the way through year four now.

lalalalala So many people are STILL not listening. lalalalala Like many other bloggers, I started tuning in and reading through massive financial blogs in order to keep my own head above the sand. Personally I would prefer to have an idea whether or not tomorrow was the day my arse was being blown to smithereens...so I can cover my eyes, or attempt to hobble away with my bad knee joints! Apparently far too many other folks - are in the ostrich category.

Except for Democracy Now! and the world of bloggers, the media by and large are still covering piffle including the latest advice about how to invest your money for retirement. ALL of the people I count as friends, do not have any spare dollars to invest, in anything. Many are early retired and struggling to work out how to keep "some kind of" health insurance - or how to plan for next winter's heating bills. I fall in this category and have lived with being uninsured or under-insured most of my mostly-working life.

The yachts at the club near my building, stayed moored at their slips all Spring and Summer - few ever were out cruising the bay. Most of the Spring and Summer for my friends and family brought a reassessment of current finances and a cutting of most unessential expenditures. I've been shopping at the Dollar Store and Wally World since 2002 when I lost my last job...so I've been ready a long time. However,

Sitting on one's yacht, bobbing about moored at a slip, still beats what July 08 brought to me personally. Through a friend here I was introduced to a man, she thought, she knew well. Divorced, grown children - and a seemingly good sense of humor - he seemed a possible person to date and/or have fun with - back in March that is. It's end of July now and he's done a runner, catching me completely off guard. Since I refuse to be victimized (which is how I feel) I will give him some press here. Women of Maine watch out for a 61 year old man from Scarborough who frequents and buys/sells toys at the flea markets in and around the area. He swore not only that he loved me - but that he would be faithful - and never ever leave me.

He runs on his monthly cash - having no credit cards - and at tax time - did not have his money to pay his taxes. Like the new partner and woman in his life I thought I was - I loaned him the money. Yes - he did pay it back. But I now suspect that is just "part of his routine": to gradually gain the woman's confidence and then, take financial advantage. To me directly, he spoke of other women he had been involved with - including intimate details about them that no one would wish publicized. As his partner, to be told these kinds of details I viewed as very unwell...and I did tell him that because he also seemed to find his revelations about these other women, funny somehow. His habits and behavior was often very coarse and I was trying to steel my way through much of this, thinking he had been alone quite a while.

He habits not only the flea markets but sales and also goes to regular church suppers (often with one of his mature sons) - always trying to find gold or silver to purchase -- and toys. He's mostly bald, over six feet tall and wears ball caps with I BUY TOYS emblazoned on the cap. From the bottom of my heart I believe he is a very practiced and artful con man. He is also quite a creep. No one swears love and devotion and constancy and walks out on someone they have declared a "partner", without ever even having a proper good talk with the person - except someone who fits into one of those categories. Be aware and be warned. Don't play ostrich regarding your life.