THOR'S DAY RANT: When are you building your Ark?

 

Every once in a while, Christian words trend on X (Twitter). Normally, it's words like Jesus, God, Rapture, or Revelation. Yesterday, the trending word that caught my eye was "Dispensationalism". Wow. That's going deep into the evangelical weeds. 

Most of the comments I saw (before I got disgusted and stopped reading) centered around Israel and how dispensationilism was falsely trying to justify the modern state of Israel's existence. There were some ALL CAPS shouts and condemnations. There was the usual secular/ satannic assertions that the Bible shouldn't be taken literally. 

You may be wondering, what is dispensationalism? It involves dispensations--not the Catholic ones where you buy the right to commit tiny sins, but the evangelical kind where preachers point out that not everything in the Bible is meant for everyone. 

Take Noah's Ark, for example. Genesis 6:14 clearly states "Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch." Verses 15 and on continue with construction details and how the world is going to be flooded, and all flesh will be destroyed... except for those on the ark. 

We obviously can't take Genesis 6:14 out of context. There was one Great Flood. Noah, his family, and a sampling of the Earth's creatures survived it. In Genesis 9:11, God promises not to flood us again "...neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth." 

When Genesis was written, it didn't have Chapter numbers and verse numbers. None of the books of the modern Bible did. Those weren't added until 1555, in the Vulgate Bible (if one is to believe Wikipedia). They were added for ease of reference and study. 

The problem is, people like to treat the bible like it's a book of spells. Citation of specific verses, without the context behind them, is missing. Take for example, Matthew 21:22, which states "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." That doesn't mean God is our magic genie and we can put in orders for new cars, a sizzling steak, or tickets to the latest MCU movie. In Matthew's testimony (the Gospel of Matthew), he tells, in Chapter 21, how Jesus explains to the Apostles (who were marvelling at a fig tree that with a command, Jesus caused to wither away) that what they asked for in prayer, would be provided. The apostles. Not everyone who ever reads the bible. 

That doesn't mean that there aren't verses that can be taken without looking at the surrounding chapter... John 3:16 is a great summation of the Christian faith: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Or 1 Timothy 2:5, " For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;".

When we read the bible, we need to understand that different parts are meant for different folks. The Apostle Paul wrote epistles (letters) to the Churches in Rome, Corinth, and Ephesia. Those writings were put in the Holy Bible and are now called "books". The Book of Romans, as the title implies, was meant for Romans. Duh. However, by reading all three books, we can see how Paul communicated the same message to three different groups. It helps us to understand the message (through repetition) and how we might explain it to different peoples. 

Baptists call this dispensations--things limited to a specific time period or peoples. Like eating Bacon. Bad in the Old Testament, okay in the New (see Matthew 15:11). 

There are, unfortunately, naysayers to this. They argue vehemently that no, the whole Bible applies to everyone, everywhere, for all time. Some of these are the same people who denounce Israel, claiming that the country founded in 1948 is not the same as ancient Israel, that jews have no right to the land, etc. etc. 

My question for these people is this: When are you building your ark? After you put down that bacon? Or maybe after you smear blood over your doorway? Those are all very clearly commands stated in the Holy Bible--even the ESV, NIV, and NLT versions. 

Don't be an idiot. Read the whole Holy Bible and seek out understanding of what it teaches. Or shut up and go build an ark. It might save you from a flood... but it won't save you from the flames of Hell.

THOR'S DAY RANT: Stick to Scripture!

In the 1500s, there was this German priest who wanted to translate the Catholic bible into German, so the average joe could read it. A century earlier, the Gutenberg printing press had made it possible to mass produce bibles, printing them instead of the meticulous rewriting, by hand, that had previously been used to make more bibles. In the course of his study and translation, this priest realized that what the Church was teaching was not what was in the scripture (scripture being a fancy word for the writings of the bible). He objected to the Church's teachings, going so far as to print a letter about what the Church had wrong. This priest's name was Martin Luthor, and he is credited with starting the Protestant Reformation. 

Five centuries and countless denominations later, people are still mis-quoting the Bible, teaching ideas that run absolutely contrary to what the bible says. When modern Christians are told "that isn't what the Bible says" they get offended, responding with statements like "that's what my Preacher said" or "that's what's in my bible".

For example, you might hear many modern Christians (and their preachers) declare that Christ proved he was God by resurrecting himself. That is absolutely not what the Apostles (the guys who followed Jesus and spread his teachings after his resurrection) wrote. Their writings would later be added together to form what is known today as the New Testament--the second half of the Holy Bible. Acts 2:24 specifically states "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." Acts 2:32, 3:15, 13:30, Romans 6:4, Romans 8:11, and Hebrews 13:20 are all quite clear on this topic: God raised Jesus from the dead. Resurrection doesn't make you God. Jesus resurrected people. Even the apostles resurrected people. But, this is just one of many examples of how modern Christians refuse to read the scripture, preferring to listen to what someone else tells them... then repeat false teachings like unholy parrots. 

Imagine if you were a movie critic and instead of going to see a movie before writing a review, you instead read a short synopsis someone else wrote about the movie... or read the comments movie viewers posted online. Is your review accurate? No.

Before you reach for your bible, though--which one are you grabbing? Four hundred years ago, a group of scholars set out to make the best English translation they could, turning to the original Hebrew and Greek texts, rather than Latin, or other english translations. Today, we know this as the King James Version--which some people will say is inaccurate because "King James just wanted a divorce". Not true. King James never divorced. He had one wife, his entire life. 

If you're skeptical that the KJV is accurate is more accurate than the ESV, NIV, NLT, etc. you can actually look at the original Greek and Hebrew at Bible Hub's interlinear bible texts--letting you see the original writings, and literal english translations. For example, in Revelation 10:1, the Apostle John wrote about an angel who's feet were "like pillars of fire". The KJV gets it right, listing "feet", while the ESV, NIV, and NLT all proclaim the angel's legs were like pillars of fire. This might seem like a small change, but there shouldn't be any change. Revelation 22:19 clearly states "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

The bottom line here is that you don't know who is right or who is wrong when you listen to someone else tell you what scripture says. Two preachers with different takes, or different Bibles, both can't be correct. See for yourself. Look at the most accurate translation you can, and maybe cross-reference that with an interlinear bible to see how the Apostles themselves wrote it out. If your preacher knew better than the Apostles, his writings would be in the bible.

THOR'S DAY RANT: Subaru Sucks!

Never in a million years would I have thought I would be putting Subaru in the same category as HP. But, here we are...

Subaru makes, or at least they used to make, excellent cars. Our 2011 Forester has hung in there, providing safe, reliable transportation even after someone ran into it and we had to have extensive work done on it. I have no qualms about my wife driving it to work in the deepest snow or slickest roads our hometown can bring. Even fully loaded, it has more than enough power to safely merge onto the highway. It's a comfortable ride that has never made me worry about "what's that sound" or if it was going to break down.

However, this will be our first, and last, Subaru. All thanks to a Subaru dealer--Bachman Subaru (Louisville, KY), to be precise.

The Forester's AC had gone out--the compressor was seized, but the clutch wasn't engaged--the car was still driveable. Initially, I thought I could fix it myself, and ordered off for a replacement compressor ($180 on Amazon). Then I realized I'd need a refrigerant recovery device/pump, rather than just venting a bunch of R134 into the atmosphere. Prices for those pumps were more than the part, and nowhere locally rented one. Then I hurt my back (worse than normal). I grudgingly let the wife take it to the dealership.

The dealership was initially very nice. They were willing to install the compressor I'd already ordered. Total cost to test and install: $200.00.

Alas, things didn't stay that way. End of day, the dealership informs us that our compressor isn't working--it's making a lot of noise and smoking. They'll have to put on a $1500 OEM (original equipment manufacture) compressor!

$1500?!

A quick search online reveals that no, OEM compressors don't cost that much. I can order off for one for less than $700!!

Social media is no help... lamenting there gets answers like "buy an older car, they're more reliable" or "They have to pay their people's salaries" or "How do you expect them to make a profit?".

Uh, what? It's a dealership... selling cars is their primary source of income. Fixing them is customer support--not a revenue stream.

I get a markup--a small mark up. Like maybe 25% or so. Not DOUBLE the price. That is crazy. It's immoral, and it's just downright wrong.

I guess one commenter had it right: avoid "stealerships".

I had expected better from Subaru. given the quality of the vehicle.

What has this taught me? That, like HP, Subaru's customer support is terrible. So, no, I won't be buying a new Subaru next year after all. I may not even buy anything new... maybe I will look for an older car, and just fix it myself--assuming my back and respiratory issues don't totally sideline me from wrenching anymore. 

I may not know what the future holds, but I do know one thing:

Subaru sucks.

THOR'S DAY RANT: All of us, not each of us!

 

A lot of modern Christians will tell you that God loves you. They will say that God loves them. There's even a song that proclaims "Jesus loves me, this I know, because the Bible tells me so."

That isn't exactly correct. 

John 3:16 states that "For God so loved the world...". As in all of us. We are part of the world. When those words were written, two thousand years ago, we weren't even around yet. The writings of the apostles, in Greek (because English wasn't a thing yet), describe God living the kosmon, a word that can mean world, universe, or inhabitants of the world.

Think of "world" like "team". Surely you've heard that there's no "I" in team?

Many modern Christians will also tell you that God loves everyone. That's definitely not true.  Proverbs 6 tells us things God hates: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet swift in running to mischief, false witnesses, and anyone who sows discord among brethren. 

The bible also tells us that God hated Esau (Malachi 1:3). 

God surely hated the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19)--wiping them from the face of the earth with his wrath. 

Even the book of Revelation (by the same John who wrote God loved the world) tells of what happens when God unleashes his wrath in the future. 

Maybe God does love you, the person reading this. Maybe he only hates some of the things you do: bearing false witness, lying, thinking up evil, and any other wickedness like fornication, murder, and theft. Maybe he otherwise thinks you're swell and is willing to overlook your wickedness.

It is wrong to preach that God is all about hugs and kisses for everyone, overlooking that all of us sin (Romans 3:23) and many of us are just plain evil. Yes, God loved the world so much that He sacrificed His only begotten son (Jesus) to pay the price for our sins, so that we could repent (turn away from sin) and accept God's forgiveness. 

We should never overlook sin and tell anyone that God loves them--we don't know what they do in their private lives or what they think about. We should instead tell people that God wants to love them. That He created them in love.... that He waits to love them. 

God loves ALL of us, not EACH of us. 

Unless he had some major epiphany before he died, it's a sure bet that God didn't love Hitler, or Stalin, or Jeffrey Dahmer, or even Jim Jones. There are lots of people, who, like Esau, have earned God's hatred. The good news though, is that despite what we, or they, have done (or are doing) we don't need God to love us individually to be saved. Christ died for everyone. When he returns, he will gladly accept those who reject sin and accept him as Lord and master, despite any past transgression. 

If you are now evil, or ever have been, God will love you when you accept his son and turn away from sin. Until then, don't kid yourself and keep being evil. 

THOR'S DAY RANT: That isn't in the Bible!

 

Times are tough and a lot of Christians are expecting the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ, any day now. Some Christians believe in the "Rapture", the calling up of Christians, living and dead, into the sky to meet Jesus. This concept is best described in 1 Thessalonians 4:17: "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 

There are arguments within the Christian community as to when this might happen: some believe it will be Pre-Tribulation, some believe mid-Tribulation, and others believe it will be Post-Tribulation--immediately preceding Christ's Second Coming.

Then, there are some Christians (and non-Christians) who argue that "the Rapture is not in the Bible". 

These are often the same people who will tell you that Jesus loves you; that God died on the Cross; and that if you give money to their church, God will give it back to you ten-fold. None of those things are in the Bible. 

Jesus may indeed love you, but the Bible doesn't say that. It mentions people he said he loved. But none of the apostles claimed he said he loved every single human being. Saying Jesus loves you is a guess. 

God (the Father) did not die on the cross--His son did. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) 

And if God has 9x the money you are about to give, why make you give it to begin with? We aren't saved by donating to any church; "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Worse than some Christians misrepresenting what the Bible does and doesn't say is the fact that they use Bibles that have omitted verses from previous translations. Take the ESV, NIV, and NLT translations, which don't include Matthew 18:11; "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." That's a reference to Jesus--who literally (as told in multiple other verses) came to save us from the penalty for sinning. That verse, and many others, are in the KJV--the King James Version.

The Bible wasn't assembled until a few centuries after Jesus' death and resurrection. It tells the story of Jesus, gives us a glimpse of what is to come, and is a guide to Christians of the period, and of the Apostle's followers of how to live and how to preach.

The word "Rapture" isn't in English-language bibles. Neither is the "Trinity". The word "God" doesn't appear in the original Greek writings of the Apostles. Neither does the word "Church". What is in the Apostles' writing is the word "Harpazo" which means to seize, snatch, or take away by force ("harpegesometha"--will be caught away). Today, we English-speakers use the term "Rapture" to describe this event. 

The next time someone tells you something is, or isn't, in the Bible, look for yourself--and be mindful of what translation you are using.

WHY JESUS?

 

As billions of Christians around the world (it’s estimated there are 2.38 billion) prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, this Easter, 2025, a lot of folks might be wondering why Jesus?

Why follow Jesus? 

Why believe that Jesus was resurrected? 

If you do believe in Jesus and his resurrection, why did it happen?

First off, nearly every translation of the Bible specifies that the only way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) “…I am the way the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.”

The alternative to Heaven, of course, is Hell. In simplest terms, if you don’t believe and accept both Christ’s sacrifice for you, and his coming rule over all the Earth, then you’re going to Hell. Forever (Revelation 20).

A lot of folks don’t believe in the resurrection of Christ. Jews and Muslims can’t agree on much, but they agree that Jesus was a real person. Roman writings from the period document that Jesus went around the Holy Lands, preaching and teaching, just as the Bible documents. His existence is not in question.

The Bible is a collection of a number of different writings, written at different times. The New Testament was written by Jesus’ twelve apostles (Paul replacing the traitor Judas, as documented in the Book of Acts). 

After Christ's resurrection, twelve different people all continued to preach, under penalty of death, the Gospel (a fancy word for message) of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for mankind, and his resurrection and ascension to Heaven. All but one of the apostles were put to death for their devotion. The 12^th, the Apostle John, was imprisoned on the island of Patmos for many years for his preaching, then was freed, and is believed to have eventually died of natural causes—continuing to preach the Gospel his entire life.

It seems improbable that the Apostles were lying, knowing they would be executed for their testimony. 

Hundreds of years after the Apostles were all dead, their writings, as well as those making up what we call the Old Testament, were assembled into a single volume, the Codex Sinaiticus. Over the centuries, different translations of this first Bible were created, in many languages (the King James Bible of 1611 being the seventh language translation, English).

Throughout the centuries, the main theme of the New Testament, the death and resurrection of Christ, has remained an adamant testimony of those who witnessed it. Not many other documents have lasted as long. Being that Jews, Muslims, and even secular historians all admit Jesus was real, it’s not that much of a jump to concede that he was crucified and resurrected.

But why was Christ sacrificed?

Pre-Jesus, people of the Jewish religion atoned for their sins by making a blood sacrifice to God. They sacrificed animals, which, for their time period, was a significant payment. Today, people pay thousands of dollars or spend years in prison to make up for crimes. Instead of continuing this tradition (as John 3:16 tells us) God sent his only begotten son to die for us—Christ’s blood was shed to pay the price for all sins. His blood was worth that because Jesus was God’s son, and because Jesus never sinned. He was the ultimate sacrifice and the only man to have lived the righteous life God wishes we all would live.

But again, why did God sacrifice His son?

The Old Testament tells us the story of Abraham, who God directed to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. (See Genesis Chapter 22). Abraham took his son where directed, built an altar, and was ready to perform the action when God interceded. This complete obedience to God by Abraham, even at the cost of his only son, was enough to earn Abraham, and all his descendants, an eternal blessing from God.

When Abraham’s descendants, over the course of centuries, then proved themselves to be nowhere as obedient or righteous as Abraham, God sacrificed his only begotten son: Jesus. This sacrifice opened a door to salvation--not just for Jews, but for non-Jews (gentiles) as well.

Abraham did not put on clothes to look like his son, or try and take his son's place. He didn’t try and trick God. He did as he was told. God did no less. God sacrificed His son.

God appeared multiple times throughout the Old Testament in physical form: his footsteps could be heard walking in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:8), God wrestled with Jacob, in human form (Genesis32); God appeared as a burning bush to Moses (Exodus 3:2); and God appeared as pillar of cloud and fire, leading the Jews as they fled Egypt (Exodus 13).

God did not appear a man named Jesus:

(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

(1 Timothy 2:5) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

This Easter, you will likely hear people proclaim that Jesus is God. That is not entirely accurate, nor is it entirely wrong. The Apostle John explained Jesus’ origins in very simple terms:

(John 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

(John 1:14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

God made part of himself (the Word) flesh—his only begotten son, Jesus.

Part of the confusion on Jesus-as-God is that the word “God” wasn’t even around when the Apostles originally wrote their testimonies (which they wrote in Greek). God is an English word, derived from a German word (Gott), centuries after Christ’s resurrection. Christ referred to who we call “God” as “Father” (Pater, in Greek). He multiple times insisted that the Father was greater than him. And, multiple times, God proclaimed Jesus his son (see Matthew 3:17 and 17:5). Jesus even told his Apostles to pray to “The Father”:

(Matthew 6:9) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

If we think of “God” as more title, and less “nickname”, and consider that Jesus is made from a part of the Father (the Word), then yes, Christ is “God”. More correctly, the bible tells us that Jesus is Lord—master of all:

(Matthew 28:18) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Yes, Jesus, the son of the Living God, our Father in Heaven, is real. He died on the cross, paying the penalty for mankind’s disobedience. One day he will return (1 Thessalonians 4:16) to claim his kingdom on Earth. He will be in charge. If you accept that, and accept him, you will get to live for eternity. If you don’t, you will suffer for eternity.

Don’t wait for Easter, accept Jesus today.

(Romans 10:9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

              

THOR'S DAY RANT: Keep Apologies Simple, Stupid

 

For some people, apologies are difficult. Some folks don't like to admit they're wrong. Some people are embarrassed they've done wrong. And then, some people are just plain stupid and don't realize what they've done. 

Recently, at my day job, a young lady sent out an email in which she made a dig at my expense--stating that yoga would kill me. Well, I do have chronic back pain and multiple respiratory issues. Yeah, good chance attempting yoga would indeed be a bad idea. Unfortunately, she sent this email to everyone at work--instead of the one person she meant. I was reading the email, wondering why she thought we knew each other well enough for her to bust my chops, when it blinked out of existence. Turns out, you can recall emails... and it gives you a report of who was able to see the email before its erasure. Did not know that. 

A little later on, the would-be comedienne came by my office to apologize. I told her it was no big deal, I wasn't offended and that she should never apologize for comedy. But, she couldn't leave it at that. She had to go on and on, explaining how she didn't mean for me to see the email and that she had already turned herself in to HR, and had gone around the office and told everyone what she had done, and was apologizing.

Uh, what?

If only three people saw the email, why tell everyone about it? Moreover, why save the person you think you offended for last on your tour de apology? And why is it such a big deal... it's almost like it wasn't meant as light-hearted ribbing (like men do to each other) but rather a vicious, bitchy comment. 

Hmmmm....

There's a life lesson here. Dingbat should have stopped apologizing when I said, Okay. I wasn't angry, didn't yell, I just shrugged it off. Her continuation about how she didn't mean for everyone to see that lessens the sincerity of her apology. 

When you apologize, keep it short and sweet, and to the point. Don't turn it into a dissertation that smacks more of Freudian slip than friendly discussion. 

Kevin Bacon is Going to Hell

 

(Warning: the below commentary contain spoilers for the new Kevin Bacon show "The Bondsman", now streaming on Amazon Prime)

Kevin Bacon is a great actor, and a hard worker. These two assertions can be proven by showing the tremendous body of work he's done. He's been in so many films, there's a game based on him (Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon). From fighting underground monsters ("Tremors", 1990) to mutant vigilantes ("Xmen: First Class", 2011) he's done so very much. And now, Kevin Bacon is back with a new streaming show on Amazon Prime, "The Bondsman" where he goes back to his Footloose roots to oppose Christianity. Or, at least his character does. 

I am not saying Mr. Bacon is a bad man. From what little I've seen, he seems like a great guy--someone you'd want to hang out with or let watch your dogs. But the problem isn't about good or bad. It's about denying Christ. 

In typical Hollyweird fashion, "The Bondsmen" twists and distorts the gospel, possibly for dramatic effect, but more likely to push the anti-God agenda that's become so blatant in recent years. 

The premise of the show is simple enough, Bacon's character, Hub Halloran, is a bounty hunter, tracking down bad guys who skip out on bail (don't show up for court). Hub is killed in the opening segment of the show, then has a slowish, grisly resurrection. He's then informed he's been resurrected to work for the devil, hunting escaped demons from Hell.

Yes, you've heard this premise before. In 2007-2009,"Reaper" starred Bret Harison as a reluctant bounty hunter forced to work for the devil (played by Ray Wise) to capture escaped souls from hell. Harison's character, Sam Oliver, didn't die, his parents sold him, Rapunzel-fashion, to the devil... although the show later retconned this and revealed that Sam was one of the Devil's many sons. 

Working for the devil again got produced as "RIPD" (2013) staring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges (with a sequel in 2022 starrring Jeffrey Donovan). In this film, Reynolds is a wise-cracking detective, killed in the line of duty and recruited to a kind of Afterlife/Men-in-Black bounty hunting organization, again capturing escaped souls from hell. 

In "The Bondsman" the major differences seem to be that it's hunting demons now--demons who kill, then possess the corpses of victims. There's also a strong theme of "Hollywood Christianity" in the show, with Hub's mother, a devout churchgoer and retired bounty hunter herself, espousing faith in every episode. 

Where "The Bondsman" fails, is its horrible understanding of demons in the Bible and what actually sends a person to Hell. In Hub's case, he went to Hell, after being killed in Episode 1, because (we later find out) he tried to murder someone and accidentally killed a young woman, hiding her body to avoid arrest. 

Yes, murder, whether completed, or just wished for in your heart, is a sin. Pre-Jesus, if you were Jewish, you'd have to make an atonement for your sin (sin being disobedience to God--breaking His rules). But Jesus died on the cross, paying the price for all sins, including those yet to be committed. We today, who sin probably on a daily basis (remember, thoughts can be a sin, as well; see Matthew 5:28), will not go to Hell so long as we (see Romans 10:9) Confess (admit) that Jesus ss Lord and that God raised him from the dead. Romans 10:13 goes on to declare that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

In other words, you have to believe that Jesus died to pay the price for your sins; that he was resurrected by God; and, you accept him as your Lord and Savior. Many christians also add on that you must repent (turn away) from sin. Which means trying not to sin. 

Hub Halloran did indeed turn from his sin of manslaughter (accidentally killing the woman). He definitely doesn't want to do that again. He is ashamed of what he did, and doesn't want to tell anyone--and not just to avoid prison. He does eventually decide to confide in his mother, but she stops him. That sure seems like he wanted to repent. 

Moreover, his mother (played by Beth Grant) doesn't want to know "what he did" to go to Hell. That seems rather odd for a regular church-going, praying, woman to say. She even laments about not making him go to bible study. What her character should have been doing was fretting over Hub not believing in Jesus. That is what sends you to Hell. But, the show dances around the issue of belief, with characters talking about "if the devil is real..." then not finishing up on their thoughts or proclaiming Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. 

Other twistings of the scripture involve a preacher in one episode, who calls out for Jesus' help when a demon comes after him in his Church. It is entirely possible there are preachers out there that don't really believe in Jesus--they believe in filling pews and taking in donations. But when you see a demon and whip out your cross and beg for the Lord's help, odds are you have found your belief. And, Ephesians 6 tells us about putting on the armor of God and resisting evil with prayer. 

Another odd discrepancy in the theology of this show is how Hub dispatches demons. Bullets to their chest don't stop them, but a headshot drops them like George Romero zombies, then they promptly burst into flame. I don't recall Jesus busting out any firearms in Matthew 8 when he sent a band of demons into a herd of pigs, which then stampeded off a cliff to their death. The Bible isn't specific, but I think it's implied the pigs died from drowning, not lead poisoning. 

At first glance, "The Bondsman" is quality entertainment. Kevin Bacon and his co-stars all deliver good performances. The show is paced just right, although it seems to swing back and forth from dark comedy to horror-lite. On a deeper look, it's very disappointing to have messed up when it comes to the scripture. 

I sincerely hope no one watching this show thinks that what they do or don't do will send them to Hell. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8 and 9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Belief in Jesus, accepting him as your Lord, and turning away from sin is the only way to get to Heaven. Yes, as a Christian, you should profess your faith by getting baptized, and follow Christ's example by helping others, but it really is about faith and not actions. It's just that simple.

Hopefully, Kevin Bacon knows this and isn't going to Hell. 

FRIDAY FREE ADVICE: Listen to NoAgenda

 

(No Agenda: A Review)

When it comes to podcasts, there are a LOT to choose from. Back in 2012, when I first started listening to podcasts, there was only a fraction as many as there are today. Over the years, I've tried several. Some sucked, some just quit being made, and some have gotten better and better with age. Then there's NoAgenda.

In 2012, I got introduced to podcasts when I was invited to appear on a local pod (PodCulture) produced by my cousin and some of his friends. They covered mostly nerd stuff, and I had just started out as an Indie Author, self-publishing novels on Amazon.

I didn't really know much about pods at the time--I associated them with Apple, which I didn't really care for (I've been an Android phone user since signing up to be a developer and getting the snazzy, custom Dream edition phone). 

Starting with PodCulture was a big mistake. The team there had great sound quality, had their show formula down, and produced high quality content, free of charge. They weren't in it for the money, they loved talking about nerd stuff. 

After my interview/participation, I began exploring other podcasts. Over the eyars my occasional once-in-a-while listenign became a regular thing. I figured out I could listen to podcasts while working, helping me drown out noise in the office, as well as my ever-irritating tinnitus. 

Last year, I discovered NoAgenda--thanks to my cousin, whose own pod had ceased. I wish I'd known about NoAgenda back in 2012. Turns out, they've been podcasting since 2007!

Right off the bat, I'll, say you need to listen to this one. I believe in the quality of this podcast so much that after over a year of quietly listening, I decided to become an "associate executive producer" and donate to the show. 

That's the beauty of NoAgenda. There's no fee to listen. It's absolutely free. There's no ads, no sponsors, just donations from listeners that keep it going. 

But what is NoAgenda, you might ask? In simplest terms, it's two guys (John C. Dvorak and Adam Curry) pointing out the bullshit modern lamestream media spouts on a daily, nay, hourly, basis. They're kind of like a toned down, tuned-in version of Statler and Waldorf--the two old geezers from the Muppet Show.

Do you really want to listen to a 70-something year old tech guru and a 60-something former MTV VJ? Yes--yes you do. 

Is there humor? Why yes, just like the Muppet Geezers, Curry and Dvorak banter back and forth to (possibly unintended) comedic effect; Adam Curry grew up in the Netherlands. He often fails to understand the euphemisms and old sayings John Dvorak regularly lets rip (for example, most recently, "screaming mimis"). Good stuff. 

The duo presents news clips from around the globe, breaking down what is really being said, pointing out lies, and giving you the rest of the story. Paul Harvey would be proud. 

One of the best advantages to this is that, twice a week, you can catch up on big news, without having to subject yourself to actually watching the news. 

But what about the sound quality? 

I primarily download podcasts via Podbean (free on Android). Most shows I repeatedly listen to sound "professionally" produced, with smooth sound. Bad sound sucks. Some podcasts I can barely make out what is being said, because my tinnitus is louder than the people who are too far away from their microphones. Not Dvorac and Curry. I'd dare say the sound quality is better than that of the FM morning radioshows they seem to enjoy mocking on a regular basis. 

Content? The content is top notch... with one annoying caveat. I don't want to hear Joe Biden, Camel-a Hairbrains, Nazi Pelousy, or any of the other deep state, demoncrat cronies that never stop trying to force their propaganda on the public. I would much rather read what they say than hear their disingenous voices. Alas, NoAgenda does play curated clips, then offers analysis and translation... meaning I have to be subjected to the deep state's audible lies. Thank the LORD it's a pre-recorded podcast I can fast forward through (although it is available for live listening, as its being recorded, if you have the time). 

There's also a large NoAgenda community, both online and in person. Listeners do "meetups", which I suspect are more of my felloe Gen-Xers taking the chance to drink and party, than share like-minded political viewpoints. 

All in all, NoAgenda has been time well spent. If not for making me listen to the Left, I'd give them five stars. Instead I'll rate them: 4.5 out of 5. 

Well done, NoAgenda. I'll keep listening as long as you keep kvetching. 

THOR'S DAY RANT: AI or SI?

AI art, or horror show?

Everywhere you look lately, there's AI this, and AI that. There are even "AI-powered" products. I'm not even sure what that means. One product I saw was a small camera with "AI" to improve video stabilization. I find it hard to believe that AI can be squeezed into a tiny, handheld camera. Doesn't AI take massive server farms or next-generation "quantum" computing? 

I have concluded that AI is not artificial intelligence at all... it's simulated intelligence. "AI" is nothing more than another marketing term to falsely advertise performance that doesn't exist. 

By comparison, let's look at body armor. Body armor (and windows) are often represented as "bulletproof". But they aren't. At best, they're bullet resistant. A Level IIIa vest might indeed stop a 9mm handgun round, but it's not going to stop a bullet fired from a .50 caliber anti-material rifle. Not because of a larger caliber (diameter of the bullet) but because a .50 cal rifle, like the Barret M82A1, has way more powder pushing the bullet. The rounds hit their target at a much higher velocity. And, since it's a rifle meant for shooting vehicles, the bullet is made of a more durable material than a copper-jacketed 9mm handgun round. 

But, "bulletproof" inspires confidence in prospective customers. Resistant... not so much.

This kind of duplicitous wordplay isn't new. Nor does false advertising always rely on words. Look at the ancient Egyptians. They covered up body odor with powerful perfumes, creating the olfactory illusion that they were clean, when instead they were just stinky. People still do that today. 

"AI" is not intelligent. Dolphins are intelligent. The gorilla that learned sign language was intelligent. Dogs are intelligent. My "smart" phone? Not so much. It can't do art on its own, it has to rely on an internet connection. 

Modern "AI" is simulated intelligence. Programmers basically write out scripts for what to do for the "AI" to follow. Deep Blue, the chess-playing computer, wasn't intelligent. It calculated out all the possible moves, then picked the one with the best possible outcome. All based on programming. Programmers are intelligent, not "AI". 

"Simulated Intelligence" doesn't sound that good, from a marketing standpoint. "Simulated" is basically "not-real". Kind of like the old "Great Taste/Less Filling" beer ads not that long ago. Bud Light didn't contain less liquid. Your stomach still filled up the same. It was the calories in the liquid that were less. But "less calories" doesn't have the ring to it that "less filling" does. 

Ask yourself this, if "AI" really was intelligent, why have so many business people proclaimed we were decades away from AI, only to be embarrassed when "AI" is rolled out shortly after their proclamations. 

Don't be fooled. Be more intelligent than "AI". 

Let's Try This Again...

  Welcome to the blog... or, welcome back. My name is C.E. Martin, but I prefer my internet alias of "Troglodad". 

I've been blogging and writing since a little before 2010. If you go back in this site's history you'll see a lot of articles, musings, reviews, and the once-popular "Thor's Day Rants" I used to do. 

In 2012, I got bit by the self-publishing bug and began churning out cheesy New Pulp/Men's Adventure/Supernatural thriller novels. I did 15 novels and alost as many shorter works, which you can check out at my author page on Amazon. 

I've been wanting to come back to writing for a while, but life kept getting in the way. In honor fo the April A-to-Z-Blogging Challenge, I'm back here, ready to write and see what happens. 

Check back often and see what nonsense I've got going on. Or buy a book! Reading is fundamental.

Unlimited Warranties

Just once, I'd like to be able to use a lifetime guarantee. You know the kind I'm talking about: where a manufacturer promises to repair or even replace a product forever. 

Back in the late 80s, I briefly carried a ZIPPO lighter one summer. I didn't smoke, but I thought it was cool that ZIPPOs have a lifetime repair/replacement warranty. I carried it for several weeks, lighting fireworks that Fourth of July and lighting the ladies' smokes when the opportunity arose ... until it fell out of my pocket and I lost it. 

A few years later, while stationed in Germany, I broke the tip off my folding Buck pocket knife, digging in some dirt. I had specifically purchased the Buck because of their lifetime guarantee. But, on base, there were no Buck knives available. I got a replacement Gerber and stashed the broken Buck away, intent on replacing it later, when I was stateside once more. Years passed, my Buck forgotten in a box of junk, until one day in the 2000s when I came across it while cleaning junk out of my basement. I contacted Buck and found out I couldn't get my replacement, as that model knife wasn't made anymore. 

In 1997, I was carrying a Craftsman multi-tool, a present from my wife. I had asked for a Craftsman, as they had that same awesome Craftsman tools lifetime replacement guarantee. I think I carried it about two years before I broke it--snapped the pivot in the needle nose pliers trying to bend some wire for an emergency tailpipe hanger repair. When I went down to the Sears, I was told they no longer made multi-tools--there was no replacement to be had. I ended up getting store credit toward a new Leatherman multi-tool. I chose a WAVE. 

If you're not familiar with the WAVE, let me tell that it is THE BEST multitool. I mean, it's so good, you'll see the Mythbusters using one in early seasons of their show. I think Les Stroud carried one in an episode of Survivorman. It's got more tools than you'll ever need: two different knife blades, a file, a diamond file, scissors (great for cutting fishing line), can/bottle opener, screw driver, pry bar, and even a removable bit driver--and of course, I bought the bit set for that. 

I have carried my WAVE nearly every day, ever since its purchase. It's been useful around the house, the office, and on fishing trips. I thought it would never wear out or break. It's cut wire fence, belt and pulled nails, sharpened pocket knives... I once kept track of everything I used the WAVE for, every day, for an entire month. It was impressive just how useful this multi-tool really was. 

Had my WAVE somehow managed to break, I could have gotten it repaired by Leatherman. While not exactly the no-questions-asked, walk-in-and-swap-it-out warranty of Craftsman tools I grew up marveling at (my father had an eerie ability to break unbreakable craftsman tools), their warranty is nonetheless impressive. What their warranty doesn't cover is loss. 

My WAVE has been missing for weeks--vanished ever since a fishing trip with my daughter and father-in-law. At first, I thought my WAVE was misplaced in the house--I'd washed it in outdoors pants many times over the years (forgetting to remove it from a pocket), or laid it down in an odd place around the house during a project. I thought it might even have gotten kicked under a couch, or wedged into that annoying gap between seat cushion and recliner arm. I even checked my folded up fishing chair, and all my gear, thinking that maybe, on that last fishing trip, I'd tucked it away in the wrong place rather than my pocket, as I normally carried it. 

Regrettably, I have to face the sad truth: I've lost my WAVE, forever. When we were bank fishing, I had set my kid and I up next to a faded, gray picnic table on the lakeshore. There we laid out all our gear and set out fishing. We ended up breaking the line on one of our poles. I recall that in my haste to retie and get a line back in the water, I laid my stainless steel Leatherman down on that  picnic table.

We caught nothing that day--the water was too cloudy and probably too cold. We packed up our gear and headed back to the truck... and I apparently didn't see my WAVE on the table and left it behind. Hopefully, whatever angler eventually found it will get as much use out of this great tool as I did. 

WAVE, wherever you are, my respect. You were an unbreakable tool. You shall be missed. 

Thor's Day Rant: Never Tip Before the Meal is Over

One of the few things my father taught me before we parted ways, was that tips are a reward for a job well done--that good service, where a waitress goes the extra mile, should be rewarded, and that bad service, where they fail miserably to do their job, should not be. 

This lesson came at one of my favorite childhood restaurants: Sizzler (a local steakhouse). Our steaks were not cooked the way we asked. We had to ask for drinks multiple times, and we were given dirty silverware. Our waitress was more reclusive than Howard Hughes once we actually got to eating our meals, only returning to bring us a check. My father rewarded her sullen attitude and pathetic service with an appropriate tip: one penny.

This lesson stuck with me in life, far longer than my father did. I have frequently berated friends and family for not leaving sufficient tips when service has been good. By good, I mean that I never go thirsty (I get plenty of refills), and the waitress actually checks on us more than once.

I look at it this way: I'm paying to not have to cook or do dishes. If I was at home, I'd be checking to make sure none of my family needed more to drink. I'd ask if they needed anything else. I'd make sure my family, or my guests, was having an enjoyable experience and not just shoveling sustenance into their maws like they were at school or in prison. When a waitress rises to that same level of care, I think it deserves a tip.

On the other hand, when a pizza delivery man brings my pie to my door, that doesn't seem like going the extra mile, no matter how far he's driven--it's his job. I don't like to tip pizzaguys, but my wife berates me into doing so (but I only throw in a couple of bucks, not a 15-20%).

Likewise, when I pick up a carryout order from a restaurant, I don't feel compelled to pay extra for the minimum service I'm receiving--but my daughters (often accompanying me for pickup) badger me into tipping. 

Last night, I learned a valuable lesson about tipping.

I was feeling generous and eager to dine on a some Outback Steakhouse carry out--a spur-of-the-moment decision for a surprise dinner during the week (our family normally only eating out like this on weekends and special occasions). 

The curbside girl was young, about my eldest's age. The bill was $88.something. I had only twenties in my wallet, so I decided to let the kid keep all the change. We were brought our food, and went on our way, assuming everything was in the bag.

It wasn't.

At home, we discovered that the plastic forks and knives we asked for (using the online ordering system), one appetizer, and one meal were missing.

Dammit.

The whole point of getting this carry out is that we happened to be near the restaurant and decided to take some food home. Now, we were a meal short--meaning I'd have to go back out, go hungry, or make something else at home for myself. 

I called the store to complain, asking for the manager. Remember, one meal and one appetizer, that's $25.00-- plus the $12 tip I didn't really want to give, and which turned out to be for sub-standard service.

"Alex" as he claimed to be, sounded suspiciously young on the phone to be the manager. I would guess he is a millennial as when I explained the situation there was no "I'm sorry" but rather him wanting to know my name and look at my order. The first thing out of his smart-mouth should have been an apology--it costs nothing, and earns a lot. 

Alex continued to be of no help whatsoever, taking offense when I expressed that he needed to tell his d*mned staff how f*cking mad I was. His retort? "Oh, you want me to cuss at them like you're cussing at me?"

Jesus Christ, you f*cking snowflake, I didn't realize Priests worked at Outback Stealhouse. So sorry to offend with my salty language when I've been defrauded. 

That would have been great to say, but instead I scolded "Alex" about how, as "manager", it was his job to take abuse from angry customers when his people f*cked up. I then told him to get a pen and paper, write down my name and address and mail me a check for my money. 

"We don't do things that way," Hilary Clinton's #1 Fan in Clarksville, Indiana retorted, no doubt adjusting his pussyhat.

At this point, before I went full-on Hulk, got in my car, drove down there and gave the little punk ass bitch the thrashing his parents clearly never did, I simply cussed the sassiest alter boy and hung up. 

Yes, I tried social media shaming Outback--apparently they don't give two sh*ts about social media, as there was no response (unlike most companies that religiously monitor social media to try and win customers back). I also tried to reach corporate. There's no number to call (unlike so many other restaurants).

Say what you will, Chick Fila may not be down with gay marriage, but if a store f*cks up your order, you can contact someone about it. Even Pizzahut has a damned number to call. Not Outback. You have to fill out an online form that Mohinder Ganesh and friends no doubt spend all day trying to translate, and you never get called back. 

What did I learn from all this?

1. Outback sucks. They used to be great, but like so many companies, quality and customer service are forgotten concepts once they reached a certain size.

2. Never give a tip until you know the service has been good.

In fact, I may broaden #2 to "never give a tip at all". There are plenty of jobs out there that never receive tips for going above and beyond: the mailman who has to carry heavy packages to your door... the policeman who gets no respect and puts his life on the line daily... the cable TV installer, who brings all those great channels into your home... the soldier who volunteers to become what is essentially an indentured servant, risking life and limb so you can have the freedom to go to whatever restaurant you want... which, in my case, will never again be Outback. 

Stranger than Fiction: This Book is Cursed!

In November 2018, I released my first non-fiction book on Kindle: a collection of ghost stories and other strange tales I had heard and experienced over the past 50 years of my life-- Stranger than Fiction: A Skeptic's Journey. This very short book (100 print pages) took me about two years to put together, and, looking back over those two years, I have begun to wonder if the book doesn't just talk about the supernatural, but that maybe it is, itself, supernatural--cursed. 

Before I go any further, let me preface this by stating that I am not a true believer in the supernatural. Rather, I am a skeptical believer. I believe, as a Christian, that the supernatural exists--it's in my Bible, after all. What I don't believe is that it is as common as so many television shows, documentaries, blogs, books, and websites portray it to be. I'm not just skeptical of these programs and so many dubious accounts of the paranormal--I'm skeptical of my own fantastical stories, have come up with much more rationale explanations for most of them, instead of just declaring them supernatural. That being said, however, I think this book really is cursed. 

I got the idea for A Skeptic's Journey back in early 2017. I've been a fan of the Fortean for many years. From about 2000 on, I read about it on the internet on lunch breaks to take my mind off the real horrors of my job as an Investigator for the local Prosecuting Attorney. In 2012, I set out to combine my fascination with the fantastic with my desire to write, and began putting out supernatural thrillers on Kindle. I also redoubled my efforts to study and read this modern folklore, seeking out stories I could build upon or borrow from for my fiction. In 2014, I retired from the criminal justice career field, hoping to turn writing into a full time job while I switched to a less intense day job. That's when I began to listen to paranormal podcasts.

Over the past few years of listening, I have been struck by the number of people active in the paranormal community who express a desire to see a ghost, or experience something paranormal themselves. I reflected on this in early 2017, realizing that I have had a great many experiences myself that might fulfill the wishes of so many paranormal hopefuls. I sat down and made a list of these possible encounters and was surprised at the number--having always previously mentally filed them away as "maybes" that made for good story telling, but which I hadn't put much faith in. I then made a list of stories related to me by people I personally know, who themselves claimed to have experienced, first-hand, something strange and "unexplainable". There was enough material, from both lists, for a short book. 

The road from concept to publication has been a long one, but not because of the mundane, every-day problems you might think. I didn't need to find a publisher--I self-publish on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, iTunes, etc. and have for several years now. Writing wasn't a problem either--I've done fifteen novels since 2012. Putting stories into written word isn't hard. Even finding the time wasn't that bad for this project--until a series of unfortunate events began cropping up in my life...

Bad luck is no stranger to me. I've had a number of dilemmas arise over the years with irritating frequency. But they're generally spread out over time, and vary in severity and ease of solving. But not this time...

In Early 2017, right after I decided to write A Sketic's Journey, my daughter was diagnosed with scoliosis at an annual physical check up. This sudden spine curvature was attributed to a phenomenal growth spurt over a one year period, but it definitely derailed my creative process and filled my thoughts with worry. 

Soon after this diagnosis, my wife was in a car wreck. Again, it was a moderate problem--she wasn't severely injured, and our new car (that we'd bought only five months earlier) was quickly repaired. But getting our money from the insurance company (the other driver was at fault) made for a stressful few months. 

During this time, my daughter had to start wearing a back brace. Then she had to start doing regular physical therapy with the hope that strengthening exercises might alleviate some of her spine curvature. Now, in addition to the stress of her diagnosis and my wife's accident blocking my creative process, I had very little time left to actually write.

By Fall 2017, I was finally getting back on track, once more taking notes and wracking my brain to remember all my best paranormal stories. Then it was time for our annual automobile problems. This time, it was our minivan, with a water leak that wasn't hoses, wasn't the water pump, but finally ended up being a cracked radiator--something that took me several weekends, many trips to the auto parts store, and a lot of money trying to figure out. Again, I didn't have time to write--I was too busy being a shade-tree mechanic to keep our minivan running. 

Meanwhile, my bi-annual bronchitis and sinusitis episodes flared up. I attribute these to a scar in my lung I got back on active duty in the USAF many years ago--a result of a rough round of pneumonia. They're regular in my life, and nowhere remotely as serious as men and women who've lost limbs in service to our country. Still, they knock me down for a few days twice every year, and cost me money in co-pays and prescriptions. I decided to once again try and file a claim for Veteran's Affairs disability for my affliction. If you've ever dealt with the VA, you know that even if things go right, they're not an easy organization to deal with.

Claim #1 was closed overnight, while I slept. I had indicated I wasn't done with the online claim and needed to upload more documents. The VA decided that they didn't need to see these documents, and closed the claim while I slept. It was infuriating, particularly given the VA had, in past years told me I hadn't presented evidence of an ongoing problem. With everything else going on, I decided to put this on the backburner for a while. I focused on my daughter, my day job, and every day life. My writing languished for several months.

By March 2018, in between a day job, taking my daughter to physical therapy, and trying to write, I again set out to try and file for disability. Needless to say, four months later, I was still butting my head against the government wall and getting nowhere. 

Then we got really bad news: my daughter's spine had progressed, and she was going to have surgery. 

All creative process was gone at this point, and all my writing projects stalled out. I was sick to my stomach most days, worrying about 12 year old daughter and this major surgery she'd be having soon (a spinal fusion). 

June eventually rolled around, the VA was still throwing up walls of red tape in front of me, and my kid had her surgery. Now began six months of helping her recuperate. Again, I had no time, or interest, in writing. But I pressed on anyway, using my lunch hours at work to hammer out short snippets of my paranormal tales. 

July rolled around, and with it, my daughter's 13th birthday. While the surgery had been successful, it was a somber occasion, as our little girl was still recuperating and needed a lot of help at home. The special day came and went, not much different from most other days since the surgery, save for a cake and presents. But to top  off the lackluster milestone, three days later, our dog died. 

Our dog, Sunnie, was like our third child. We'd gotten her at about 10 weeks old, and showered her with affection for all of her 9 years with us. She too, had a rough life, going blind in 2015 from a mis-diagnosed thryoid condition, and then developing anxiety that meant we had to treat her daily with doggy prozac. Her death couldn't have come at a worse time as we were already on eggshells, hovering over our daughter as she recuperated. 

Things eventually began settling down. My daughter was able to go to school, we adopted a new dog, and I turned once more to writing, intent on an October 2018 release for A Skeptic's Journey, to monopolize on the Halloween hype. But, life got in the way again, a great many little things popping up here and there, and I missed my self-imposed deadline.

Eventually, the book finally was done and I dropped it on Kindle on November 23, 2018, Black Friday, the day before my 51st birthday. I sent out a round of emails to paranormal podcasts, hoping to spread the word about my collection of stories as I'd heard so many authors do on so many podcasts. 

I was fortunate enough to get mentioned on one podcast, then landed an interview on the December 30th, 2018 episode of Beyond the Darkness with Dave Schrader and Tim Dennis. 

While I hadn't priced A Skeptic's Journey to make me any real money, I had hoped to at least share this collection with many people. As of this writing, that plan has failed. In limited Kindle release (free for Kindle Select readers), and priced at $.99, A Skeptic's Journey appears to have been read by less than 100 people. By far, it is the least successful of any book or short story I've previously released. 

Is the book cursed? Was fate/destiny/the darkness trying to keep me from writing it? Or did I just have two exceptionally unlucky years completely unrelated to my writing? Or maybe nonfiction is considerably less popular (on Kindle) than fiction? I don't know, but I'm glad this project is over. I'm ready for my luck to change.