Making Good...

Looks like you're going to be needing those heavier coats this morning in the Heartland...it's tickling the freezing mark here, and it's only supposed to go up to somewhere (over the rainbow?) into the 40s today...but the skies look to be clear and sunny.
And with that forecast behind us, let's see what forecasts lie in FRONT of us
*** First up, the Wifeymobile has returned to our garage in good repair...finally.
Runs like a champ and NO leaks whatsoever.

And wouldn't you know it...we can blame the ENGINEERS at GM for the added repairs to the Caprice.
Without getting too technical, allow me to elaborate...
Seems that the DISTRIBUTOR cap is located (on this 4.3L V8 engine) VERY close to where the water pump is (most all other engines have the distributor on TOP of the manifold), so when you remove the water pump assembly, coolant runs onto that cap. And if there is a bad SEAL on that cap, the result is a car that feels like it's "missing"...runs rough, so you have to swap out the distributor cap AND the rotor.
I know the distributor (cap and rotor) is located on the top (rear) of my V6, and other vehicles I owned were also located there.
I never had a problem working on any of them.

Anyhow, with that swap-out done, and the replacement of the water pump and radiator, the car again runs as before, sans leakage.
And Yeoman's repair shop will cut a check for the rental car...so THEY are making good on their word, and my TRUST has been restored in their ability to perform the jobs required and with good dispatch.
Oh, btw...thanks GM...BETTER MOTORING THROUGH ANGST, I suppose should be your NEW "catch-phrase".
And along those vehicular lines....
*** The hit UK show TOP GEAR (yes, the ORIGINAL version) aired a special last night (on BBC America) Titled:
 FIFTY YEARS OF BOND CARS.

Everything from the Sunbeam Alpine (which was actually RENTED from a local woman, due to budget costs for the movie, at the price of 12 shillings...PER DAY) from Dr. No to the Range Rover in SkyFall (to which the venerable Aston martin DB5 makes a well-timed appearance).
All the gadgets were featured, but the show neglected a couple vehicles.
For example, in Casino Royale, Daniel Craig initially drives to the hotel in the Bahamas in a rented Ford Mondeo sedan. It's there we manages to win another man's Aston Martin DB5 in a poker game, but THIS one has no gadgets AND is LEFT-HAND DRIVE (unlike the car seen in Goldfinger, Thunderball, Goldeneye, and Skyfall, which are proper British RIGHT-HAND DRIVE...)
Hey, must be nice to own TWO classic DB5s one left-drive, one right-drive...SAME color, too...how remarkable is that?
Still, the show was pretty good, and well worth the watch, since Daniel Craig and Roger Moore were both interviewed. They also spoke with the stunt drivers and director of several of the movies, showing HOW the scenes were set up.
Definitely a good program.

*** Add to this the fact that SKYFALL has become the largest-grossing Bond film (to date) with a U.S. weekend topping $88.4 million bucks (which one can add to the already $321 million in the prior ten days that the movie made after it's UK debut).

The studio looks to be making good on a promise of another decent movie in the franchise.

I would imagine this will insure a few more outings with MI6s agent 007.
*** The investigation into Gen Petraeus's "after-hours maneuvers" keeps getting more "involved", doesn't it?

Seems the FBI is checking out ANOTHER general (in theater), one General John Allen, who apparently had contact with the "third person", one Jill Kelley, a (socialite) woman who received threatening emails from Paula Broadwell, and reported THAT to the FBI.
Man, you take away the UNIFORMS...and the "politics", and you've got a month's worth of episodes of One Live To Live...!
It would appear as if only the tip of this iceberg has been revealed.
*** And that gets me thinking about the TRUE nature of why all this is coming out NOW, and if ANY of our military leaders were truly compromised...or WILL be in the future?
Think on some facts, if you please...

We have a person in the White House that was raised by commies, mentored by anti-Americans, and befriended by radical progressives.
And this person has seen fit to keep close to him others of a like mind.
Saul Alinsky, Karl Marx, Bill Ayers, Frank Marshall Davis, Jeremiah Wright, Tony Rezko...the list gets longer the more you look about.
But perhaps THIS video link might shed some light on this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_BDRQPYAnQ
I watched this last night (it runs a little over 9 minutes), and was more than a little disturbed by all that has been uncovered (and has yet to be either confirmed OR denied by those involved).
Like I said, it's no longer a conspiracy THEORY...it's "Just the Facts".
Now I say all that to say this:
*** If you look at HOW this country is being "changed", and in what direction it's being steered, consider what is needed to accomplish such a task:

1) Find a way to control the media...
2) Find a way to control education...
3) Find a way to control health care...
4) Find a way to control the military...
Then, you control the citizens completely.
Of these four essential parameters needed for HEGEMONIC dominance, all but one are well in play.
And here's the link for the definition for hegemony:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Hegemonic
We've seen that the indirect approach to control seems to be working for the progressives in America.
It's been happening ever so slowly, over the past 100 years, and many of us weren't even aware of it.
-- But think about #1 - the MEDIA, and how it's predominantly LEFT in nature.
It's not just TV news , but newspapers as well, and even an infiltration into TV shows and movies. Harder to find the truth.
When the media touts what the government (or someone in the government) is doing is JUST and RIGHT, without regard to the OTHER side of the coin, or not taking into consideration any effects from whatever cause is levied, that's BIAS.
-- Regarding aspect #2, our educational system is run by UNIONS, and they are also VERY left-leaning, so you know that history books aren't going to be as truthful as they have been in the past - THAT is already occurring across the country. We cannot seem to embrace any form of individual exceptionalism, but rather have EVERYONE become a "winner"...with a FEEL GOOD attitude for mediocrity. Doesn't seem THAT American, does it?
-- As to #3, we ALREADY have that thrust at ALL of us, thanks to the leftist agenda, in the name of "fairness", but at what cost?
We already KNOW it WILL cost employers (and employees through fewer hours and layoffs) and will cost the elderly in ways we can't imagine...but it IS "fair" for all...just like in a communist state.
-- It's here at #4 these progressives have a hard time...HOW to subvert our military?
Well, you could find some "dirt" on some LEADERS, get them to resign, and replace them with people of your OWN (read more left-leaning), and thereby change the way the military operates, or even supplant it with a NATIONAL POLICE FORCE (this would also take of current state and local law-enforcement in many ways).

If you notice, I didn't mention about CHANGING THE LAWS, and with good reason.
The person (or persons) at the TOP of this rancid food chain are capable OF changing the laws in a myriad of ways, not the least of which is the Executive Order. Doing this does an "end-around" Congress, and can erode our own CONSTITUTION slowly, but inevitably.
And by changing the laws, you can better affect those OTHER FOUR items I mentioned above.
-- Change the law to allow ONLY the LEFT POV from the media (and control the Internet).
-- Change the law to mandate teaching to testing with more TEACHER (than student) evaluation. Then change the curriculum.
-- Change the law so that everyone gets health care, regardless of the monumental cost to taxpayers, employers, hospitals and doctors.
-- Change the law to allow a more "mercenary" military without the need for citizen soldiers (National Guard).
If that doesn't instill enough FEAR into the populace, introduce something MORE FEARFUL into their lives...
Such as...a PANDEMIC.

And, since you already control health care (and the pharmaceutical industry) produce the cure AFTER a percentage of the citizenry have succumbed to whatever disease you created.
By THEN, if the people aren't fearful enough to be controlled, they'll probably be dead, and no longer a worry, anyway.
Sound a bit horrific?
Well, it IS happening...block by block, bit by bit, person by person.
The framework for such a scenario is being assembled as we speak
How prepared and how schooled will you be by seeing this, and then attempt to do something about it?
*** As long as we have "Obama Claus" in the White House, scores of people will flock to the realm of the "Big Gimme", and that will be my new phrase for the future - The Big Gimme - with apologies to Raymond Chandler.

As long as you GIVE people free stuff (and don't care who has to pay for it in the process), you will be able to control THAT portion of the populace...the trouble is, those folks don't even see it coming.

Slavery is slavery (and control)...doesn't much matter if those chains are made of iron, steel, cell phones, or food stamps...it's all the same.
And the leftists are "making good" on this.
While some might call it dependency, it needs to be called for what it really is.
It's not about poverty, it's about being "entitled".
That's NOT what this country is about.

And that's the God's honest truth.

Be well, make a difference to someone, and...

Stay SAFE out there, America.