Bait and Switch

I just finished reading this book. Now if you want to get a good theological discussion going just bring up the Nephilim. These men of renown/giants of old characters appear in Genesis, Numbers and Enoch.

Genesis 6:4
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

At work a discussion came up between the U.F.O. crowd and the rabid Baptists. There are a few different credible interpretations of that scripture. However, the alien-abduction crowd has latched on to this verse.

So I got a novel out of the library called "Nephilim". I read about three hundred pages of the novel and realize it's a Christian novel. It was pretty good, and since I usually only read non-fiction I was surprised to actually finish it. I then noticed it was published by Zondervan, a Christian publisher. I think I liked it because it was so far out it didn't get heretical like the Left Behind series; since the Nephilim isn't the church splitting issue that the second coming is.

It reminded me of a coworker who was reading a Christian Romance Novel. Of course the two guys in the OR get hold of this literary masterpiece and start reading it. Now it wasn't Justine but it sure wasn't Jane Austen either. It was sort of like a Harlequin Romance without all the adjectives. Betty Baptist is getting all defensive about her little paper back book. She is insisting it's a serious piece of literature. My buddy then asks her what's the difference between a romance novel versus a Christian romance novel. She is thinking when my buddy says "the difference is that in a Christian romance novel the guy on the cover with his shirt unbuttoned is wearing a three inch cross on his chest." Perhaps a Christian novel is good when you don't realize it's a Christian novel until the last few chapters.

It was worth a shot

The Bars-Leak worked for about a week. I can't deny reality any longer. After seventeen years and 160,000 miles the Old's need a radiator. The seam where the upper hose goes in is opened up. It makes sense, since that is where the hottest water and steam enters the radiator. When I bought the car it had 79,000 miles on it. I drained the cooling system and what came out was rusty water that one would expect from a steam boiler. I'm in for a pound now so I'll keep it til the Spring.

Snake Oil

American Thinker: Let Me Translate: We Don't Believe Him - or You.

This is such a great article. Slowly that part of the population that only tasted the Kool-Aid and didn't swallow are realizing what a bunch of phony ass-clowns are running the government. We are not buying it anymore. The only people that believe their crap is the same bunch that sends money to Joel Osteen and drink magnetic spring water. Now when you lose credibility you lose relevance. When you lose relevance, the only thing left is coercion.

Socialism, it cures everything from hang-nails to lumbago.

Now You See Them

The Asheville sound has invaded Fletcher. Now You See Them played to an appreciative crowd at the Feed and Seed. There wasn't a clogger to be found within ten miles. The audience, although not large, was very amiable and appreciated this high energy band.

Snake Oil

The Oldsmobile has sprung a leak in its radiator. Now the Burgundy-Bomb is starting to look like a money pit. I have staved off a new exhaust system for four years but struts, brakes, power steering hoses, and heater hoses have set me back about a grand this year. When I saw that little puddle of green I freaked out. A new radiator is about $300. I planned on selling the car in May before its next inspection. I don't think I can schmooze that original muffler past the mechanic one more year. Last time I said it was my son's car who was in Saudi Arabia serving his country and explained how I promised to keep it on the road till he came home.

Then I remembered "Bars-Leak". I used it once before. CP had this 74 Duster when we met. Before we went on our honeymoon I decided to look under her hood. Well, her radiator hoses had all these stalactites hanging from them and they were as squishy as dog pooh. I changed her hoses and then noticed a tiny little leak in the radiator. I put in can of Stop-Leak and sent her on her way. CP was about 20 minutes into her 50 mile drive home to Long Beach when she overheated. The Stop-Leak turned her radiator into a cinder block. I poured water in the top and a half hour later not a drop came out the bottom. To this day she gets agita when I work on her car. Usually she say things like "did you remember the brake shoes this time" or "did you put the radiator cap back on?"

So, I opt for the cheap fix and put some Bars-Leak" in the Olds. I'm thinking, "So what if it clogs the radiator? It's shot anyway." But, I'm concerned about my heater core. It has about as much flow as the coronary arteries of a 40 pack-year smoker. I'm concerned about it clogging. My answer is to use a vise-grip as an aortic-cross-clamp and keep the goo out of the core until I drive awhile. Sort of like keeping the contrast-dye out of the kidney. So far the leak has stopped. I'll just have to wait until fall to see how much of the heater core I had to sacrifice. Hopefully this will buy me six months to a year. I only drive the car about 4,000 miles a year.

Urban Family To The Rescue

Bruno is not your usual dog. Bruno is a foundling, or better yet, a drop off. It seems our little neighborhood is known for its kindhearted animal loving single older women. A few years ago Bruno was dropped of in doggy Nirvana and nursed back to health by Sandy our next door neighbor. Sandy had to go to D.C. for her daughter's bridal shower so Bruno needed to be taken care of. Since Bruno is a rescue, Sandy wouldn't consider boarding him; he may suffer from P.T.S.D. if placed in a cage.

However, Sandy has a joint custody agreement with her friend Mike concerning Bruno's ownership. This makes it easy because Mike can step up and take care of their boy for the few days that Sandy is in D.C. Now Mike has had a few major heart attacks this year and has miraculously staved off the grim reaper. No sooner does Sandy's plane land at Reagan Airport than Mike is admitted to the V.A. Hospital with CHF. This could be a major catastrophe, except that on the way to the V.A. Mike calls Carol and punts Bruno's care to her. Bruno's care is quite an elaborate system of walks, treats, verbal assurances, commands, rituals and rewards.

Carol, faced with this crisis, mobilizes the urban family. Ruth, Marsha, and herself all go over Bruno's care-plan and divide the work. Bruno is now enjoying the love and care of three women. Sandy is able to enjoy her time in D.C. knowing that the special man in her life is being taken care of royally. And Mike---has anyone bothered to see how he is doing in the V.A.?