Tom Saari

Car ran great all the way down, cruised around for a day and a half then bam, 2 hours before the wedding dead.  Not getting gas.  It sounded like the fuel pump was sucking in a plastic bag and the car would sputter and die.  I pulled out the fuel pump to check it out, it looked fine.  Someone came by and picked us up for the wedding so we made it there with 7 minutes to spare.

I headed over to autozone this morning to price out a fuel pump and of course the fuel filter.   They did not have my fuel pump in stock so I grabbed the fuel filter.  I rumaged around my sisters garage and could not find anything more useful then a cresecent wrench.  I ended up getting the fuel filter off and the new one on.  I then drained my old fuel pump out and put that back in the tank.  I poured out the fuel filter from the tank side and it seemed like quite a bit of black sand like stuff inside of it.  It been about 20 miles since its been back together and so far runs good.  It should be an interesting ride back up to Gwinn.

That will be the last time I fill up with premium from just a bargin jim’s gas station off the interstate 75, booooooo.

Longest trip for the GTP since I bought it, longest drive with the Sage in the car also.  Sage’s first time over the big Mac-In-Nac.  First Time I saw para-sailors behind boats by the bridge.  Well anyways here is Sage chilling on the way to the bridge and then cooling off, she has the pool to herself this weekend.

Wear it anyways.

I started paying a university tuition in school year 99-00 at $122 per credit hour.  The same university 10 years later in 09-10 school year is $349 a credit hour.  This represents an increase of 286% over 10 years.  With unemployment nearing recent all time highs and the job market being way more competitive are we heading for a tuition/education bubble crash?  What happens when Universities see decreased enrollment coupled with a decrease in tax funding from the states over the next 10 years, will rate triple again?  Could rates hit higher double digit percentage growth?  Overall for Michigan rates have already bordered 10% over the last 10 years.  This can not sustain itself over the next 10 years, the schools, the unions will price themselves out of business using there current model.  Are we as a nation ready to face yet another bubble crash?  Will the government bail out the education industry?  Will the teachers unions make concessions like the autoworker have faced?  Hopefully as a nation we will learn enough from the auto industry to fix the upcoming bubble bursting in education and then in health care.

This plane was piloted by a Russian crew and landed at MQT 2 days ago.  Some got detained, not sure, they took 2 truck loads of jet fuel on there way to Iceland.  They are n0t moving very quickly now…  Those are 2 full size pick up trucks behind it in the picture, they are about the same distance away as the plane, just to give you some perspective on size.

I had a offer accepted on a house in Negaunee.  I am trucking forward on that front.  It is a little more difficult financing since I still own a house in Hancock.  Older house, nice lot,  needs some repairs but real good location for resale in my mind.  I should have some answers from the bank down in after I meet with them and discuss options.  From my numbers it looks like a go in 3-4 weeks.