Your Factory Warranty could Save you Money!

By Dave Trux

Many auto repair shops will perform work on cars that are still under factory warranty, but you should proceed with caution. Why? Not long ago, we had a customer who had some timing chain work done for around $2,700. She became a customer of ours after she became suspicious of her previous shop. One day, I had mentioned that there were some things that were recalls that we may want to do, now that we started taking care of her car. When I mentioned the timing chain, she said just had that done by another shop and she paid $2,700 for it. Come to find out it, this was covered under her warranty and the shop owner knew it!

Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you have a car that’s less than 7 years of age, it doesn’t hurt to call the manufacturer to see if any proposed repair is covered under your warranty. Most people don’t know that some components of an engine or a car actually carry, by federal mandate, a warranty much longer than what the manufacturer’s normal factory warranty is. So, they may see that they have a problem with a certain component of a car and end up covering it under warranty. If you have any questions or doubts, don’t be afraid to ask!

Don’t just limit this question to your repair shop. Get a second opinion. We make it a priority to know about these things as much as possible. For example, if we have a car that comes in that was built in 2009 that has 70,000 something miles on it and it needs major engine work, I’m going to go back to the manufacturer and say, “Hey, this is a little out of the ordinary, is this something you will cover?” If that doesn’t work, a quick web search will turn up the truth.

We’ve also had people come to us and say, “I need to replace this timing chain and I heard it was covered under warranty.” From there, we can council them on what to do. I don’t think most people know that there could be things that are covered under a service bulletin that go beyond the standard warranty, especially if it’s a defect in the car’s design. If a component in your car breaks, like the door handle, if it is still under warranty, the manufacturer will have to fix it. 

Make Everyday Thanksgiving

By Bob Cox

Thanksgiving is a time of the year where many of us celebrate the things we are grateful for with the people we love. The tradition of gathering with the entire family around a feast that includes a golden brown turkey with all the trimmings is something I participated in during the first four decades of my life. Then one day, my wife Diana suggested that we break tradition by paying a visit to “The Happiest Place on Earth”…Disneyland!

At first, I thought she was joking, but when I realized she was serious, I felt inspired to throw caution to the wind and experience a new adventure. As it turned out, we had a blast from morning to night, running from ride to ride until we closed down the park while sipping on hot chocolate with blurry eyes and cold hands.

Disneyland on Thanksgiving Day became our new family tradition for the next several years and we thoroughly enjoyed all the good times. After a few years of staying local, we planned to go back to The Magic Kingdom this Thanksgiving until we got the results of Diana’s biopsy on October 5^th. When the results came back positive, we were both shocked. Neither one of us thought she would be diagnosed with breast cancer. The irony that October has become breast cancer awareness month was not lost on us.

When I had everything regarding the magazine taken care of except my article; on the evening before our deadline, I asked Diana if she had any ideas about what I should write about, she said, “No, just let go and sleep on it. The answer will come to you in the night like it always does”.

When I awoke the next morning, I told her that the one and only thought that came to me was to write about our diagnosis. I knew she wouldn’t want me to share this with the world as she is an extremely private person. At first, she was opposed to the idea for that reason and also believed it was too heavy and negative, especially when the holidays are meant to be a joyous celebration with family and friends. When I told her that I thought there was a way to bring the two experiences together, she gave me her blessings.

From the first time I met this amazing, inspiring, compassionate and loving woman 20 years ago during a LeTip business meeting, every day feels like Thanksgiving. I’m not saying that we haven’t argued passionately on more than a few occasions over matters large and small, because we have. What am I saying is in spite of, or more likely because of these disagreements, we have learned more about each other and have grown closer with the passing of each second. She is my best friend, my soul mate and the love of my life and I will be forever grateful for every moment we’re together.

Are we scared or worried that she may not survive? No. We understand the danger were in but neither one of us is afraid of death. We’re not trying to be positive or courageous; we just happen to have an absence of fear.

How on earth could we possibly not be afraid? Because Diana and I are wholeheartedly convinced that death is not the final chapter in our soul’s existence. Growing up, my dad, who suffered from a variety of health related issues, including heart disease, was everything to me and the one person I loved more than life itself. For 23 agonizing years, I was a slave to the morbid fear of what life would be like without him. When he finally passed away from cancer, I felt the presence of his warm and loving spirit just as strongly as I felt so much love for him and from him. Can I prove that his spirit lived on long after his last breath? No, not any more than I can prove how much we loved each other. What we feel is what’s really real.

Does this mean that Diana and I are lying down and giving up to the ravenous monster that’s invaded our home? Absolutely not! We’re confident that the key to beating any “disease” is to starve it out by depriving it of the things it feeds off of (toxins and stress) and then overwhelm it with “ease”. That means we plan to do even more of the things that bring us joy, peace and happiness by embracing life’s simplest pleasures and do them “Conehead Style”: In Mass Quantities! We will also endeavor to eat healthier and build our immune systems to starve the beast out while avoiding any negative emotions like deprivation.

I believe the secret to living every day like its Thanksgiving is to spend as much time as possible with the people we truly love and respect, appreciate all the blessings and good times we’ve had and avoid mourning the things we’ve lost. Fear has no part in any feast or joyous occasion and your life; my friend, deserves to be celebrated! 

Do not break the Chain

By Brad Isaac

Years ago when Seinfeld was a new television show, Jerry Seinfeld was still a touring comic. At the time, I was hanging around clubs doing open mic nights and trying to learn the ropes. One night I was in the club where Seinfeld was working, and before he went on stage, I saw my chance. I had to ask Seinfeld if he had any tips for a young comic. What he told me was something that would benefit me a lifetime...

He said the way to be a better comic was to create better jokes and the way to create better jokes was to write every day. But his advice was better than that. He had a gem of a leverage technique he used on himself and you can use it to motivate yourself—even when you don't feel like it.

He revealed a unique calendar system he uses to pressure himself to write. Here's how it works.

He told me to get a big wall calendar that has a whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. The next step was to get a big red magic marker.

He said for each day that I do my task of writing; I get to put a big red X over that day. "After a few days you'll have a chain. Just keep at it and the chain will grow longer every day. You'll like seeing that chain, especially when you get a few weeks under your belt. Your only job next is to not break the chain."

"Don't break the chain," he said again for emphasis.

Over the years I've used his technique in many different areas. I've used it for exercise, to learn programming, to learn network administration, to build successful websites and build successful businesses.

It works because it isn't the one-shot pushes that get us where we want to go, it is the consistent daily action that builds extraordinary outcomes. You may have heard "inch by inch anything's a cinch." Inch by inch does work if you can move an inch every day.

Daily action builds habits. It gives you practice and will make you an expert in a short time. If you don't break the chain, you'll start to spot opportunities you otherwise wouldn't. Small improvements accumulate into large improvements rapidly because daily action provides "compounding interest."

Skipping one day makes it easier to skip the next.

I've often said I'd rather have someone who will take action—even if small—every day as opposed to someone who swings hard once or twice a week. Seinfeld understands that daily action yields greater benefits than sitting down and trying to knock out 1,000 jokes in one day.

Think for a moment about what action would make the most profound impact on your life if you worked it every day. That is the action I recommend you put on your Seinfeld calendar. Start today and earn your big red X. And from here on out...

Don't break the chain!

Brad Isaac is a lead software programmer and blogger. You can read his motivational strategies every day on his goal setting blog, Achieve-IT!

The new iPhone

By Alika Salazar

Apple just released two new products: The iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. These new models have a number of upgrades over the previous models (The iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus). Here are some of the most significant upgrades:

3 D Touch: With a single press, you can do things that were never possible before. It senses how deeply you press the display, letting you do all kinds of essential things more quickly and simply. It also gives you real-time feedback in the form of subtle taps from the all-new Taptic Engine.

Faster Processer: The iPhone 6s is powered by the custom-designed 64-bit A9 chip. It delivers performance once found only in desktop computers with up to 70 percent faster CPU performance and up to 90 percent faster GPU performance, great for all your favorite games and apps. You can now navigate faster and go to a new message in one click instead of three.

Improved Camera: The new model went from 8 megapixels to 12 megapixels for even sharper photos. It also has 4K video, which is up to four times the resolution of 1080p HD video. You can also enjoy Live Photos, a new way to relive your favorite memories. It captures the moments just before and after your picture and sets it in motion with just the press of a finger.

Increased Durability: The enclosure is made from a new alloy of 7000 Series aluminum, which is the same grade used in the aerospace industry. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus bent real easily, so they made the housing stronger and thicker.

Advanced Security: A highly advanced fingerprint sensor is now faster and better than ever. Touch ID makes unlocking your phone easy and secure.

Faster LTE & Wi-Fi: The iPhone 6s features LTE Advanced with speeds up to twice as fast as the previous generation. It also lets you do things like browse the web and download apps at speeds up to twice as fast, too.

If you decide to buy this amazing new phone, be sure to protect your investment with a protective case and/or glass screen protector. We have plenty to choose from in all three stores and they are very affordable. Cases start at just $9.99 and glass screen protectors start at just $24.99. And we also have glass screen protectors for iPad and Samsung products. The iPad glass screen protectors start at just $34.99 and we install them for free! 

A Pain in the Atlas

By Bob Cox

The first time I hurt my back was when I was a 21 year-old college student. A buddy from a statistics class had this annoying habit of admiring his own physique a little too much for comfort, so I figured the best way to shut him up was to look even more ripped than him. I proceeded to ramp up my workout routine by adding more and more weight to my barbell until I accomplished my goal.

The cost of that gain was pain, excruciating pain! Eleven years later, an x-ray from the doctor’s office revealed a herniated disk in my lower back. It felt like King Kong had been squeezing me like a banana. Over time, I learned a valuable lesson: It’s better to feel great and look okay than it is to look great and feel like an abused piece of fruit! So I made several major positive changes in my life, which included adjustments to my workout routine and handling stress proactively and have enjoyed a mostly pain free existence ever since.

This past month; however, I made not one but two bone headed decisions, which allowed the 50,000 pound gorilla back into my life. I went up slightly in the weight that I normally use because my dumbbell wasn’t available (My stupid ego wouldn’t allow me to wimp out and go down in weight), which was just enough to stress out the muscles in my lower back. A week later, at the end of a long day delivering magazines, several copies fell to the floor and in an exhausted state, I stretched awkwardly to grab them and wham, my back was twisted tighter than that rope King Kong used to pull Fay Wray back into his arms.

After a week of unrelenting pain and stiffness with no relief in sight, my wife Diana suggested that I call Dr. Blakely, who had recently helped her by significantly reducing the chronic pain in her back, neck and shoulders. I followed her sage advice and got an appointment for the following day.

After a thorough questionnaire, consultation and several x-rays, Dr. Blakely found not one, but three disks in my lower back that were too close together, causing those disks to pinch even more nerves. On top of that, she discovered that my spine was extremely curved and my atlas, which is the bone that rests between the skull and spine, was out of alignment. She believed that by fixing my atlas, she could straighten out my spine and relieve the pain in my back.

After just two weeks, I’m feeling much better! I would say about 75% better as I’m able to do all the things that many of us take for granted, like putting water on the cooler, tying my shoes and picking up the morning newspaper without unbearable pain and stiffness. I’m confident that Dr. Blakely will continue to help me get my back back (Sounds like a movie line from Mars Attacks) and my life back. Thanks Dr. Blakely and please tell King Kong to find another banana to squeeze!