Timing Belts, the Nitty-Gritty

Timing belts - The Nitty-Gritty

Oh, no! My belt just broke! Will my pants fall down? Good news: No! 

What is a timing belt, anyway? First of all, a timing belt is a source of mystery to many folks. They find themselves wondering, "Does my car have a timing belt? Where is it located? When should it be replaced? What happens if I don’t replace it? If I don’t have one, what do I have?" 

The timing belt is one of many crucial parts of the engine. It is a black, circular rubber belt, with a specific number of teeth.  The belt’s teeth are turned by gears which also have a specific (but different) number of teeth. This causes the belt to turn the internal engine parts together in synchronicity. It ‘times’ the internal moving parts of the engine and keeps the valves from hitting the pistons. It also makes sure the fuel, air and spark are delivered at the proper times to make the engine run. Some belts turn oil pumps and coolant pumps. There are even cars that have more than one timing belt. The belt moves, turning the gears, which in turn, turn other internal engine parts.

Some vehicles do not have a timing belt (mostly found in older cars), but all engines must be 'timed'. This is accomplished by different methods, such as a timing chain, or by gears. 

Why not wait until it breaks – then replace it? Because, although your pants won't fall down when your belt breaks, the car’s engine will stop running. That's right. Your car will stop. Believe me; this type of event never happens at the perfect place or the perfect time. (For example: Anywhere on Highway 17.)

What symptoms indicate that my belt may break soon? Bad news: there are no warning signs. Timing belts do not normally make noise or give any other warning prior to breaking.

When should I replace my timing belt? Recommended maintenance intervals for the timing belt vary (from 60,000 to 105,000 miles) depending on manufacturer and type of engine. Most belts last for their designated lifetime – as long as all related components last, including belt tensioner(s), idler pulley(s), water pump, and miscellaneous oil seals. In other words, the components related to the belt need servicing and/or replacing at the same time the belt is replaced. Otherwise, the new belt may fail prematurely due to oil contamination or just mechanical failure. Yes, it is important to repair those oil leaks!

I did not do this maintenance, my belt broke and my car stopped. What's the big deal? Once it breaks other dreadful things can happen. For example, if your car has an "interference engine", the pistons hit the valves - causing them to bend; bent valves = broken engine = big dent in pocket book. Your entire engine will require dis-assembly and all the parts that got bent will need to be replaced. 

Water Star Motors recommends that you avoid this potential major engine repair by attending to regular maintenance: simply replace your timing belt according to the recommended schedule. And save hundreds of dollars in potential future labor costs by having the related components serviced at the same time a new belt is installed!

I need to find out about my timing belt! What now? Call your local professional auto repair shop like Water Star Motors 831-457-0996. We look forward to researching your needs and providing you with the information and service that will resolve your automotive problem(s). 

Audi Makes Synthetic Diesel from Co2 and Water

Audi Makes Synthetic Diesel from Co2 and Water

Working with Joule, Audi has developed a new recipe for renewable diesel fuel: Extract carbon dioxide from the air; use wind and solar green electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and apply high heat and pressure until the hydrogen combines with the CO2 to form "blue crude."

The crude is then converted into pure synthetic diesel fuel, which is free from the sulfur and aromatic contaminants typically found in petroleum diesel. The synthetic diesel fuel also has a high cetane number for easy ignition, and can be blended with fossil diesel. 

However, perhaps the most significant fact about Audi's synthetic diesel is that the fuel is completely carbon neutral. The amount of carbon dioxide released when the fuel is burned equals the amount consumed when the fuel is made.

Synthetic e-diesel is just one element of Audi's e-fuels effort, a project to create renewable and carbon-neutral fuels using environmentally friendly production processes. Audi's project also involves the exploration of other synthetic alternative fuels such as e-ethanol, e-gas (methane) and bio-isooctane (bio-gasoline).

Audi's tests have shown that e-fuels burn more efficiently and produce fewer emissions than petroleum-based products. a glass window so engineers could see how the synthetic fuels performed under actual operating conditions. Part of their testing creates simulated conditions inside an engine in a pressure chamber at up to 15 bar and temperatures of 350 °Celsius. A special camera scans the spray at intervals of 50 microseconds to record how the fuel behaves during the injection process, as only a clean mixture preparation process will assure optimal combustion.

The optical research engine has a glass window so engineers could see how the synthetic fuels performed under actual operating conditions. This test setup reveals the processes that are otherwise hidden by the metal walls of the cylinders. A small window made of quartz glass enables engineers to observe the fuel’s behavior in the cylinder and how it interacts with the airflow in the combustion chamber.

During each of up to 3,000 revolutions per minute in the research engine, a minute amount of fuel shoots into the glass cylinder is compressed and ignited, and the exhaust gas then expelled. The engineers mix a tracer that glows when stimulated with a laser into the e-fuels. The laser-induced fluorescence process thus highlights those places in the glass cylinder that are particularly bright as being where most of the fuel is. Using a high-speed camera, the combustion process is captured with time-lapse photography.  

The investigators found that unlike fossil fuels, the composition of which varies depending on their place of origin, synthetic Audi e-fuels are pure fuels. Thanks to their chemical properties, fewer emissions are generated when they are burned. They do not contain any olefines or aromatic hydrocarbons. As a result, the synthetic fuels assure a more effective mixture preparation process, cleaner combustion and lower emissions.

These processes are still in a developmental phase and large-scale production is a long way off. Liquid e-fuels have an advantage of easily being distributed through the existing vehicle fueling infrastructure.

Audi operates a research facility in Hobbs, New Mexico for the production of e-ethanol and e-diesel in partnership with Joule. At this facility, Joule’s Helioculture platform uses engineered microorganisms which use water (brackish, salt or wastewater), sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce the high-purity fuels.

Audi also has an e-gas project in Werlte, Germany underway as another component of its e-fuels strategy, as well as a new partnership with Global Bioenergies on bio-isooctane (bio-gasoline).

Click here for your appointment today. Your Serene, Green Auto Repair Team www.WaterStarMotors.com

Running Like New

From Residue to Running Like New

How a Fuel System Cleaning Can Restore Your Engine

Whether you put too much food down the garbage disposal (we prefer composting), too many leaves fall into the gutters or grandma's famous tuna casserole left your oven covered in an unknown greasy substance, things stop performing at their optimal level unless they're cleaned. The same is true for your car's engine.

Residue gets left behind in your engine every time you turn off your car. Any time an engine shuts down, it goes through a 'hot soak'. A hot soak is when your engine is still producing heat and there is no air flowing through it to cool it down. During the 'hot soak' period, fuel residues become thin deposits called gum and varnish. with time, these this residues accumulate and bake into rock-hard carbon deposits, which can be very difficult to remove.

The hard carbon deposits cause a multitude of problems with engines. these include hard starts, stumbling, loss of fuel economy, increased emissions and reduced performance.

To unclog your gutters, all you need to do is remove the leaves, use some oven cleaner to remove the mystery grease from your oven. But how to clean the deposits from your engine? Regular fuel system cleaning as a preventive maintenance can address the fuel deposit-related problems before they require expensive repairs, including engine dis-assembly and part replacements. 

Our favorite product is BG 44K Fuel System Cleaner. We recommend using it annually (12,000-

15,000 miles). It is a standard part of our maintenance services for our customers. This is poured into your fuel tank (good to have a full tank)and as your car runs, the product will clean throughout, helping to remove those harsh deposits and improving vehicle performance.

There are no negative side effects what so ever when you use a quality fuel system cleaner. We also carry a BG fuel System cleaner for diesels as well. (By the way, BG can only be purchased through auto repair facilities.) 

Click here for your appointment today. Your Serene, Green Auto Repair Team www.WaterStarMotors.com

Being 'Cool' Again

Coolant System Explained (Part two of two)

Last week we discovered a pool of ‘green blood’ under the car…Is it an Alien’s? 

As we learned in Coolant System Part 1, that "green stuff" is not some weird alien blood (although to some, a car may seem like an alien)! It is anti-freeze – also known as coolant.

What does Coolant do? Coolant performs a number of important roles in keeping your vehicle on the road. Its primary function is to cool engine parts around the cylinder walls and cylinder head where your car’s fuel is burned; that is, where combustion takes place. The engine needs coolant circulating through it continually; without it, the combustion chambers reaches temperatures over 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (RED HOT, in other words).

Its secondary responsibilities are to heat the inside of your car (via the heater) and to keep corrosion from forming in the radiator, engine, and heater core.

How does the coolant circulate? Coolant is kept moving along by a pump (misnamed as ‘the water pump’). A well-functioning water pump is essential because, as you know, idle coolant is the devil’s playground! (HOT, HOT, HOT!) J

As coolant (designed to not boil until it reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit) circulates through the engine, it carries heat away from the cylinder walls / combustion chambers to the radiator. The anti-freeze cools down as it flows through the radiator. It then repeats its cycle of flow - back to the cylinder walls, picking up the heat to expel once again to the radiator.

The thermostat is what regulates the coolant temperature by controlling how fast and where the coolant goes, maintaining the cooling system's proper temperatures at a cool 190-200 degrees.

Needless to say, the cooling system needs to be kept in good working order: coolant performs essential roles in keeping your vehicle on the road and comfortable (warm and toasty). Proper maintenance is required.

Water Star Motors recommends that you repair all leaks immediately, take care of your water pump, and REPLACE COOLANT every 2-3 years. (As exotic as it is, and although some coolant is advertised as lasting for up to ten years, coolant has a relatively short life span; experience tells me that 5 years is max and 2-3 years is best.) A good, professional "Coolant System Flush" – replacing the entire contents of the cooling system – is a great investment for your car’s health.

[Please note: many kinds of coolants cannot be mixed with other kinds. Be sure to consult a professional if you are not absolutely certain what kind your car currently has. Also, please be aware that in the world of cars, things are constantly changing – including the color of coolants; they now come not only in green, but red, orange, blue, and even purple!]

In closing: We highly recommend regular ‘green blood’ transfusions for your 'Alien' – that is, regular cooling system maintenance – to promote long life and happiness.

And no, even though it may bleed ‘green blood’, your car really is not an Alien; you can think of it as just having a preference for green ‘cool-aide’.

Click for your appointment today. Your Serene, Green Auto Repair Team - Water Star Motors

How 'Cool' are you?

Coolant System Explained (Part one of two)

Do not open radiator cap when hot

There’s a pool of ‘green blood’ under my car…Is it an Alien’s?...Should I be concerned?

Imagine; you've finished your food shopping, go out to put your groceries in your car and you notice a small river of green liquid oozing from underneath. “Yikes! Is that green stuff coming from my car???”

That "green stuff" is not some weird alien blood (although to some, a car may seem like an alien)! It is anti-freeze – AKA coolant.

GET THAT LEAK FIXED right away if you are concerned about keeping your car running, and  or about keeping the environment and  or animals safe! The loss of coolant often leads to overheating of your vehicle’s engine.

Coolant smells and tastes sweet. We DO NOT recommend tasting your coolant – NEVER taste it – but you need to know that animals are attracted to the sweetness of spilled coolant, and it can potentially cause their demise if they drink it. (A "pet-and-environment-friendly coolant" is available. It is also green in color – and a bit pricey.)

While we have established that the "green stuff" is not alien blood, you also need to know that it is not merely colored water. Appearance can be deceiving! Handle it carefully. Coolant is made with ethylene and propylene glycols that are manufactured from natural gas and crude petroleum (non-renewable resources). It has additives such as corrosion inhibitors, ph buffers, and anti-foaming agents. Without all those additives, coolant cannot do all of its jobs well.

Besides being poisonous in and of itself, coolant becomes increasingly toxic while circulating in your car, as it then is contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, chromium, iron, copper and zinc.

Water Star Motors has all used coolant picked up to be recycled! This recycling process is regulated by standards set by the automotive industry.

Helpful tip: DO NOT open the radiator cap on a car with a hot or overheating engine…the coolant is under pressure and could scald you.

Coolant can also leak into the interior of the car (on the floor by the passenger’s feet) if a leak develops in the heater core.

Side Note: During the hot season when the car’s air conditioning is being used there will often be clear water found under the car. This is the condensation from the air conditioning unit removing the moisture out of the car’s interior. Do not panic, this is normal.

Stay tuned –Coolant System Part 2 will be in the next Rock, Paper, Car.

Click for your appointment today. Your Serene, Green Auto Repair Team - Water Star Motors

Air Conditioning Explained

Heat Wave!

ARE YOU HOT?!  
Air Conditioning Explained

Your car's ‘skin’ of steel and glass is not only protective and beautiful, but it also attracts and stores a tremendous amount of solar (radiant) heat in the passenger compartment.

Removing this trapped heat requires a very efficient system. The Air Conditioning (A/C) system is a combination of mechanical components plus a chemical medium (Freon – not a psychic) whose sole purpose is to move heat from the interior to the exterior of the vehicle.

Your car’s air conditioner uses Freon Refrigerant to cool the air internally. Freon acts a lot like water. As liquid Freon warms up it evaporates into a gaseous state (vapor), and then, as it cools down, becomes liquid again. As the Freon changes from a liquid to a vapor it heats and cools the air.

What path does Freon take? When you dial the temperature in your car to Cold the Freon moves through the Receiver-Drier (see diagram) which collects moisture and dirt.

Air Conditioning System

After the receiver drier, Freon turns into vapor inside the Evaporator where it chills and takes the heat out of the air. The evaporator is located inside the car.

Then the vapor travels back to the A/C Compressor (in the engine area) where it gets compressed. Then the Freon flows to the condenser.

Next the Condenser condenses the Freon back into a liquid state – creating heat under the hood, in the engine compartment. The condenser is located in front of the radiator. As the Freon completes its circuit by traveling back to the Evaporator to become vapor, it chills the air.

As you notice in the visual aide, there is quite an infrastructure of hoses to carry Freon to the various A/C components: there is approximately 24 feet of very fancy hose with special crimpings and fittings.

An air conditioner has super high pressures – up to 500 psi (‘pounds per square inch’). This is about 20 times the air pressure in your tires or 10 times the pressure of water as it comes out of your faucet.

In order to perform properly, your car’s air-conditioner requires that all of the parts be functioning correctly. Working on A/C systems requires (by the B.A.R.) special equipment, training and certification. Water Star Motors, of course, has all of this and more!

A note on Freon: Currently, all new cars have Freon type 134A. (environmentally friendly). Transition to environmentally friendly Freon began in the late 80’s. Older cars have the Freon R-12 (the O-zone Killer).

Water Star Motors is running an air conditioning special.

Humorous Guide to Retirement Options

You might still be reeling from taxes this year, but there are many retirement options. Here is a guide to help you make the right choice.

You can retire to Phoenix or Tucson, Arizona where...

1. You are willing to park 3 blocks away because you found shade.
2. You can drive for 4 hours in one direction and never leave town.
3. You have over 100 recipes for Mexican food.
4. You know that "dry heat" is comparable to what hits you in the face when you open your oven door.
5. The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

OR

You can retire to California where...
1. You make over $250,000 and you still can't afford to buy a house.
2. The fastest part of your commute is going down your driveway.
3. You know how to eat an artichoke.
4. You drive your rented Mercedes to your neighborhood block party.
5. The 4 seasons are: Fire, Flood, Mud, and Drought.

OR

You can retire to New York City where...

1. You say "the city" and expect everyone to know you mean Manhattan .
2. You think Central Park is "nature."
3. You believe that being able to swear at people in their own language makes you multi-lingual.
4. You've worn out a car horn. (If you have a car.)
5. You think eye contact is an act of aggression.

OR

You can retire to Wisconsin where...
1. You only have four spices: salt, pepper, ketchup, and Tabasco .
2. Halloween costumes fit over parkas.
3. You have more than one recipe for casserole.
4. Sexy lingerie is anything flannel with less than eight buttons.
5. The four seasons are: winter, still winter, almost winter, and construction.

OR

You can retire to the Deep South where...

1. You can rent a movie and buy bait in the same store.
2. "Y' all" is singular and "all y'all" is plural.
3. "He needed killin" is a valid defense.
4. Everyone has 2 first names: Billy Bob, Jimmy Bob, Mary Ellen, Betty Jean, Mary Beth, etc.
5. Everything is either "in yonder," "over yonder" or "out yonder." It's important to know the difference, too.

OR

You can retire to Colorado where...
1. You carry your $3,000 mountain bike atop your $500 car.
2. You tell your husband to pick up Granola on his way home and so he stops at the day care center.
3. A pass does not involve a football or dating.
4. The top of your head is bald, but you still have a pony tail.

OR

You can retire to the Midwest where...

1. You've never met any celebrities, but the mayor knows your name.
2. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor.
3. You have had to switch from "heat" to "A/C" on the same day.
4. You end sentences with a preposition: "Where's my coat at?"
5. When asked how your trip was to any exotic place, you say, "It was different!"

OR

FINALLY You can retire to Florida where.

1. You eat dinner at 3:15 in the afternoon.
2. All purchases include a coupon of some kind -- even houses and cars.
3. Everyone can recommend an excellent dermatologist.
4. Road construction never ends anywhere in the state.
5. Cars in front of you often appear to be driven by headless people.

Air Filters Part 1 of 2

Air Filters Part 1 of 2

BREATHING - good for you and good for your car.

The function of an air filter is similar to that of the hairs in your nose. They filter out dust and dirt particles, pollutants, etc. before the air flows into the engine. Air flows from the air filter through the intake manifold into the engine where it mixes with the fuel. The ‘stoichiometric formula’refers to the optimum air to fuel ratio: 14.7 parts of air to every one part of fuel. That is a lot of air.

Do all cars have filters? Yes! Old cars – 1960’s and below had oil bath filters. Now cars have dry paper filters which look like mini accordions.

How often should I replace my air filter? Depending on driving conditions, your air filter should be replaced every 10,000 to 30,000 miles. Clean, high-quality air filters ensure full engine performance. They clean the intake air reliably and are resistant to humidity, heat, oil and air pulsations in the intake process. Timely air filter replacement pays off. With new air filters, fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 10%.

Besides using more fuel (pain at the pump), cars with plugged air filters also create more emissions at the tail pipe. The overall performance is negatively affected. The worse case scenario would be that the filter becomes so dirty that the dirt escapes into the engine causing engine damage. Clean air filters prolong engine life. Similarly, people with emphysema (lung problem) do not operate at their full capacity. Second worse scenario, it could actually stop your car from running.

I've seen worse

Imagine the road conditions your car has to put up with. There is dirt and trash on the roads which gets whipped around by the vehicle in front of yours. Then your car gets to breathe it all in. We've seen candy wrappers, paper, wood, dirt, leaves, pine needles, etc. lodged in people’s old air filters.

Garaged cars will occasionally find rodents who have deemed the air filter as the best place to start a family or camp out. They bring acorns, dog food, cozy shredded paper…all of the amenities of a happy rat or mouse, into the air filter and housing. One real problem that can occur in this circumstance is a horrific smell if the critter dies somewhere in your car. Ugh!

There is a product on the market called K/N high performance lifetime air filters for cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Initially they are more expensive, but they are designed to last a million miles and with better air flow. They are made with 4-6 sheets of cotton gauze layered between two sheets of aluminum wire mesh. This media is then pleated and oiled. It is recommended to wash and re-oil once every 50,000 miles. We mention this product because of our Green stance we take in our business. Imagine the positive impact on our landfills if every car in the world converted to a lifetime air filter during regular maintenance. 

Stay tuned to the next edition of Rock, Paper, Car where we will talk about Cabin Air Filters.

Stress Reduction

Stress Reduction Tip

A young lady confidently walked around the room while explaining stress management to an audience with a raised glass of water.

Half Full? Half Empty?

Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, “Is this glass half empty or half full?”

She fooled them all, "How heavy is this glass of water?" she inquired with a smile. The answers called out ranged from 8 oz to 20 oz.

She replied, "The absolute weight does not matter.

It depends on how long I hold it:

If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.

If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.

If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.

In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "And that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on."

"As it is with the glass of water, you have to put your burdens down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we are refreshed, we can either find the solution to resolve or be able to carry on with the burden for a while longer.

Happy Earth Day!

So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up tomorrow.

Make mountains into molehills. Make large problems into smaller ones.

20 Things to Think About

Humorous ways to think of things:) 

1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue!

Am I a Pigeon or a Statue?

2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

3 * Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

4 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker..

5 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

6 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

7 * It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

8 * Never buy a car you can't push.

9 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

10 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

11 * Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

I see you. Say, "Cheese!"

12 * The second mouse gets the cheese.

13 * When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

14 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

16 * Some mistakes are too much fun to make only once.

17 * We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.

18 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

19 * Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

20 *Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!*

Certifiably Green

Green Business Logo

Certifiably Green!                
    

Henry and I believe strongly in the ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ principle. Long before starting our business, 20 years ago, we were dedicated to protecting our planet through Green practices. When the opportunity to become a Green Certified Business arose we said, “Pick us! Pick us!” We were the first Green Certified Business in Santa Cruz County. That was April 2004. Now the City of Santa Cruz has taken over the program and we have now re-certified for the third time.  Interested in being certified as a green business? 

One key change in becoming Green was to replace all of our light fixtures with new, more energy-efficient ballasts and bulbs. This saves about $60 per month in our electricity bills. The energy usage difference after upgrading was 5kwh/day less.

Horsepower or Watt? A watt is a measure of power which is the flow rate of energy per time. A kilowatt is 1000 watts. A compact fluorescent light bulb uses only 23 watts to produce the same amount of light as a 100 watt incandescent light.  Horsepower  relates to the car industry. One

Percheron Horses pull a walking plow

horsepower is equiva1ent to how much work per time a medium sized horse can produce pulling a plow. One horse-power = 746 watts. A person in good shape can produce about ¼ of a horse power (200 watts). So if you hook your exercise bike to an electric generator you could power 2 light bulbs or a light bulb and a TV – But for only for as long as you keep pedaling!

Wow, if each American household swapped just one light bulb for a compact fluorescent bulb, the energy savings would be equivalent to 300,000 barrels of oil per day!

The Greening process: We improved our habits of recycling cans, bottles, cardboard, metal, etc. We held a recycling training meeting with our staff. We added places in the shop and office where paper can easily be recycled. In our office, we print on the other side where applicable.

Other simple changes: We put mulch around our plants in front of the shop; switched to bulk recycled toilet paper from Coast Paper; put a water restrictor in the sink, and a low flow flapper in the toilet.

Please, we urge you; “Listen to your auto mechanics when they say they have found any fluid leaks. Do the right ‘green’ thing and have them repaired!”

Think about the philosophy, ‘cars can be immortal’. Instead of junking your car after a few years consider them as potential life-time partners.

By far, the most economical way to “produce energy” is not from oil, natural gas, bio-diesel, hydroelectric power, solar power, wind power, or fuel cells, etc. but by conservation. In other words, it’s far more economical to turn down your thermostat or carpool to work, ride a bike, turn off the hot tub or hang the clothes out to dry than it is to drill another oil well, build another dam or put up another wind turbine farm.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!  What can you do today to help our planet?

 

Sage Mechanic on Balance

WSM Shooting Star

Balance: 

We are looking for balance in our lives. Balance is different for each person. Being able to accept what is is balance.

Acceptance of what is does not mean that there is no striving for the betterment of self. It means to embrace what is and to see everything from the lighter side of self.

When your meditation is balanced your heart opens - allowing room for more. 

Yin Yang Heart

Puns For Educated Minds

PUNS FOR EDUCATED MINDS

1. The fattest knight at King Arthur 's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too

Raccoon with Cat - Very Punny

much pi.

2. I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island, but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian .

3. She was only a whiskey maker, but he loved her still.

4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from algebra class, because it was a weapon of math disruption.

5. No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery.

6. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

7. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

8. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

9. A hole has been found in the nudist camp wall. The police are looking into it.

10. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

11. Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

12. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. One hat said to the
other: 'You stay here; I'll go on a head.'

13. I wondered why the baseball kept getting bigger. Then it hit me.

14. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said: 'Keep off the Grass.'

15. The midget fortune-teller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large.

16. The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned veteran.

17. A backward poet writes inverse.

18. In a democracy it's your vote that counts. In feudalism it's your count that votes.

19. When cannibals ate a missionary, they got a taste of religion.

20. If you jumped off the bridge in Paris , you'd be in Seine .

21. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger.'

22. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One turns to the other and says 'Dam!'

23. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

24. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.' The other says 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes, I'm positive.'

25. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

26. There was the person who sent ten puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.