Presley and I picked up the Sprinter this morning. It was ready yesterday afternoon but I was unable to travel to San Jose.

I have to say, other than the cost, the entire deal was not too bad. I took the bus into the dealer, Bishoff Motorcars Mercedes, in San Jose, on a Friday about noon as the check engine light was on. They figured it out and repaired it by Wednesday. In the interim, they gave me a free loner car, a C300 with about 2500 miles on it. It took awhile to diagnose – computers, new dealer, etc. but I was kept advised my Mike, my service rep, of what was going on. My extended warranty from Good Sam did not pay but I am going to ask them to reconsider as I don’t think this was normal wear and tear.

An o-ring, just below what used to be the turbo resonator and is now the attenuator had a tiny piece torn off of it allowing air to be sucked in – hence the initial code P0101.

I have been a little out of sorts for a while. For one thing I am in an EMT course and it is really tough – I just don’t learn as well as I used to – my brain is too full after all these years of multi-media assaults – I need to archive some of the contents. And the bus is still in the shop – I have a  loner car so no problem there but I am used to having some room and my stuff and a refrigerator. What will I do for lunch tomorrow? I am supposed to get it back on Thursday – YAHOO!

Anyway, this clip from friend showed up in my email. These guys need to get green cards and report to Ringling Bros.

Another sign of recession: Fewer babies
That’s what Marilynn  Marionche, from the Associated Press reported. I would have thought just the opposite. No job, hanging around the house, can’t afford to buy a new X-Box game and suddenly one of those commercials where painting the room turns into a luxury beach resort. The idea light bulb appears above your head and bingo! It’s free entertainment time!

Also from the AP
California is to get $1.2 Billion from the Feds. U. S  Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the money will help save or create an estimated 16,500 jobs in California. Did the Chinese just send a shipping container filled with money or did the U.S. print some more. I do recall we are in hock up to our chins so I am not sure how this works. Oh, I like teachers to have jobs. It is a great deal for them and the children but . . . technically, you can’t physically spend what you don’t physically have so the money comes from other countries, like our Chinese buddies, or we just throw the switch and print more.

Finally (This also from the AP – they get a lot of news it seems.)
A former U.S. Army analyst (I am not sure what that is – on TV they do fancy classified work.) was arrested (While at the airport getting ready to board a one-way flight to China, for carrying multiple data storage devices. One contained a restricted Army field manual. Carl Yang previously had had his security clearance revoked due to security violations. He was charged with stealing government property – a misdemeanor. What was on the other devices? When are we finally going to charge one of these schmucks with treason? Since Hanoi Jane we have been letting people off the hook. This guy (A Chinese nationalist BTW.) was spying on us!  And how did he get his original security clearance?

and the beat goes on . . .

A check engine light on Thursday morning resulted in me taking the bus into Beshoff Motorcars on Friday to be checked out. So far they have been unable to find the problem. Most of that delay is no doubt the complicated computer/sensor plan on the Sprinter but some of it must be attributed to their lack of Sprinter experience. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think that is a fault but just the real world. Six months from now things will be much better in the service department.

The service department at Beshoff Motorcars was very nice to loan me a car. I am driving a C300 and it is a lot quicker than the Sprinter! But, both Presley and I hate it. Maybe “hate” is too strong – dislike it immensely – that’s better. Keep in mind I have been driving the Sprinter for the last 44k+ miles so I am totally out of place at street level where a Ford F-100 looks like a Monster Truck in the review mirror. Presley can’t see out of the front windshield and he finds the bucket seat quite unpleasant. It is nice to press down on the gas and be pinned back into your seat but I’ll settle for my high roof – the very first thing I did when getting into the C300 was bump my head on the ceiling. While it isn’t as nice as the Sprinter, the loaner is much better than my normal Enterprise Car Rental car.

Of course, after they figure out the problem, the real question is will it be covered by any of the three warranties I have. Any bets on that?

Dealers should be taking orders now.

By ANITA CHANG

BEIJING — China has just been declared the world’s second biggest economy, and now it has a monster traffic jam to match.

Triggered by road construction, the snarl-up began 10 days ago and was 100 kilometers (60 miles) long at one point. Reaching almost to the outskirts of Beijing, traffic still creeps along in fits and starts, and the crisis could last for another three weeks, authorities say.

In the worst-hit stretches of the road in northern China, drivers pass the time sitting in the shade of their immobilized trucks, playing cards, sleeping on the asphalt or bargaining with price-gouging food vendors. Many of the trucks that carry fruit and vegetables are unrefrigerated, and the cargoes are assumed to be rotting.

And just when I was getting ready to bitch about our government! I think I will give them a 24 hour pass.