Also lets not forget that these are the very people who loved and cared for us ensuring our very survival. I find it down right disgusting how we treat these people and MS Windows has a unique responsibility because it exists only by the hard work and diligence of the emerging computer generation.

But aren’t old people a pain in the ass!

I guess that depends on you…

And remember one day the old people will be you. Assuming you live that long.

Oldies and technology

I thought this was interesting because it shows how older people interact with todays technologies.

This guy is actually pretty savvy.

Mac OS

Ubuntu

Windows 8

To allow us (either individually or with help from others) to solve our own issues.

We found through working a 4th that we where not really looking for an answer at all. Not only where we not looking for an answer but we where afraid of the real question…

What am I afraid of?

Its time to find out.

What:

So here is what happened.

I went to get my car inspected at this garage close to my house that does inspections and lube jobs. The only reason why i picked it was because it was close to my office and there where plenty of places to eat with in walking distance. So I drop the car off and walk around checking out where to eat at. The place I was going to go was closed that day so it was across the street at the “Back Nine” for lunch. The caesar was really good and I flipped through a copy of the Dalas Observer while I munched away.

After about 40 minutes of hanging out I made my way back to the shop. There was some idiot parked out infront of the garage in a suburban blocking my path to the door. I look over at my vehicle (a 2008 honda fit) and notice that the hood is up and the person inspecting the car is poking around inside.

The individual inside the suburban tells me that they are almost done with the car (40 minutes to inspect a car with a compatible onboard computer). They discovered, while doing the inspection, that my front pads needed replacing. Luckily for me they where running a special on ass rape this month. For only $100 they would replace the front break pads. He also informed me that the need for this was dier as my present pads had gone below 10% and would soon be destroying my rotors.

The great thing about break jobs is that the new pads run about the price of a tank of gas and on many modern cars the procedure takes about 20 minutes.

I thanked him for the information but informed him that I needed to get back to the office and finish my day. He told me again during check out that it was very important to have it done now. His shop would provide me with a loner vehicle if I needed one but the procedure was very quick.

Once again I thanked him and left.

Now I knew that he was most likely full of it. But since I had not done any work on the brakes of this vehicle myself I figured that I would just change the breaks myself.

So I ordered the new pads off Amazon for 30 dollars and just spent about an hour putting them on. It was my first brake job on this car so I took my time with it. Not to mention Mr. Frank was busy bothering me and running off with my snacks.

Well as you can see from the images below that the pads where far from needing replaced. I was upset at first but then I was shocked at how cheap a persons integrity is these days.

Thankfully I walked away because up until that point I had done a number of things wrong so I figured I would post some ideas for others who may be wary mechanics.

What to do:

So here are my opinions on what everyone should do when receiving work from a mechanic.

1) Assume they are lying

If you have not worked extensively with this mechanic it is ok to be suspicious. We all want to trust people because in todays world we want to think that most people are honest because that means we are living in a safer society. Many people are honest but trust is a commodity like anything else and should earn like anything else of value.

Even if you have gone to this place several times. If the issues are continuous or unresolved it is probably time to try someone else.

2) Watch them

It is ok to check someones work if you are paying for it. Do not leave your car unattended if at all posible.  Yes the lounge areas are very nice and generally have TV and drinks for free but the cost of that comfort may be in the $100s or even $1000s of dollars if they are running a scam. The mechanic is less likely to do something shady if the customer is closely observing his work.

3) Pay for Diagnosis

Before any work is done inform the mechanic that you will be taking the vehicle somewhere else to be repaired. It is likely that they will  claim that the cost of diagnosing the problem will be increased because they are not doing the work themselves.

For example: to diagnose a faulty flywheel (part of the ignition system) it is required that they inspect the fly wheel. This will involve some billable hours. Pay them. Remember a dishonest mechanic will cost you a lot more.

Something that is a common occurrence is that the mechanic may find other issues when doing work on your vehicle. NEVER, EVER, EVER! have this fixed at the shop that finds the problem. EVER! Have them right up a diagnosis and tell them you will take it somewhere else to get it repaired.

4) Documentation

Write down everything. Also get receipts and invoices that are signed by the someone at the facility that is working on your vehicle. Be sure everything is itemized including billable hours. Mechanics generally have reference books that show how long a procedure should take and what the level of complexity is. This dictates how much they should charge to have it done. Do not except “I tweeked it.”, “We ran into some problems.” or “It took longer then we thought.” (It shouldn’t have.)

5) Take any parts that where removed

If they replaced your brake pads ask for the old ones. This does not apply to fluids. If the replace a damaged part have them show you the original and where it was damaged. If possible bring it with you otherwise photograph the part.

6) Education

Learn about your vehicle. Learn how certain things are done. Learn the locations of common parts of your vehicle. If you are having your breaks done (or and inspection) there should be no need to open the hood.

7) Use your Smart Phone

We all have a wealth of information and a full suite of documentation tools at our disposal. I something seems fishy then use it.
Document

Lots of pictures
Audio recordings
Video

Google

Look up parts.
Look up part costs.
Familiarize yourself with how it is replaced

The more documentation the better.

But wait I don’t want to be a pain in the ass!

First off lose that mentality. You are not being a pain in the ass you are trying to find a good mechanic. A good mechanic wont care and once you have had several positive experiences with them you can back off. The disreputable ones will balk and squirm. If you need help bringing it up try these.

“I am sorry can you go through the work you did again I will never remember that and I am sure you wont mind me recording it because my (insert significant other either fictional or otherwise here) will be hounding me with questions about this.”

“So this is the (insert part repaired) you replaced out of my car? Would you mind if you explained to me again what was wrong with it so I can video it for my (significant other). He/she goes crazy for this stuff.”

One of the things they like to do is show stuff on the car. At this point it is not inappropriate to pull out your camera and film it.

If they have issue with you filming, documenting or anything else that is reasonable for work you are paying to be done or that has already been done STOP! If the work has not been done pay them nothing and leave quickly. Take any documentation you can with you.

If the work has already been done refuse to pay unless they comply. Go to your vehicle immediately and refuse to budge. At this point they have two choices. Handing you a zeroed out invoice and letting you leave or talking to the police. They are not allowed to physically remove you. They can refuse to release the car until the work has been paid for but if they are not allowing you to document proof of what they said they have done they have no write to hold the car. It is more likely that they will balk cry and wine. They may say something about company policy or state regulations. Don’t engage in these arguments they will either comply or the police will be summoned. They will have to summon them anyways if they want you removed from their property in any state because they are holding assets you own.

Hope this helps… and remember we are not trying to catch the bad ones but find the good ones.

Should your discover a bad apple review them on the following sites. This will cost them money.

Google Maps

Goggle allows you to review business and index them on their maps. Many people do read these.

Yelp

Mobile app and website that indexes places of interest and reviews.

Where:

4017 Belt Line Rd
Addison, TX 75001

Whats not to love about Ruby Rhod. Chris Tuckers portrayal of a futuristic uber celebrity was a little shocking because his flamboyant femininity combined with an obvious sexual appeal to the female gender strikes at our vary notion of male virility and machismo.

Some people still debate if we have a disease… they most have not met to many addicts or they would know the answer.

In essence we worry so much about not getting our needs met that we sabotage the very ways that God provides them to be met.

Many of us have asked these very questions and found no answers. Perhaps it was that we where to busy running to find them or perhaps we just didnt know the right questions. The steps are for those of us that want to know the answer to these questions and find a solution. If you are ready for the answers to these questions then you are ready to find a sponsor and work the steps.

The steps only ask you to do the one thing you have always been terrified to do. Look at yourself. You might just find out that you are not what you thought you where. You may eventually find that you like yourself… life is perception… so change how you view yourself and change the whole world.