Saturday, August 26, 2017

What a Wonderful World

What a Wonderful World by Marcus Chown could have been titled to something like amazing facts. If you would like to delve into a science book that doesn't require a master or higher degree to understand, this is your book. What a Wonderful World deals with the seen and unseen world.

Most science subjects and books are painful to read. Chown's material is not dumbed down. But rather plain talked, without speaking consistently through technical terminology. The excitement and humor of the author are felt in every chapter. Everything from the creation of the world, through evolution to the modern day, is covered.

Marcus Chown is a science and cosmology expert. He's studied in both the United Kingdom and the United States. His writing is generally for those outside the halls of full-time science study. Very recommended!

Death of the Harley Dyna?


Saturday, July 29, 2017

2018 Indian Motorcycles


The 2018 model list is out. While we're not seeing anything hugely sourced from scratch, it looks like they're taking design/color more seriously than they did with their last MC effort. I believe this bike starts at $37k.

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Friday, March 24, 2017

The Shack (the book/the movie)

The main character in The Shack is consumed by anger after losing his daughter to a serial killer. In this book a conversation with God is started. Author Paul Young takes the reader on a journey of forgiveness.

A large portion of this book is dialogue between the main character and God as “papa.” Dark hidden memories make us. The dialogue involves that secret place everyone keeps hidden where they bury their pain.

This book is complex and hard to relay into a simple description for someone who has not read it. It was recently made into a movie. Many book to movie transitions don’t turn out well. This isn’t one of them. If you’ve read the book, you want to see the movie. If you’ve seen the movie and want to explore this story more, then you must read the book.

 

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Maimonides on Teshuvah: The Ways of Repentance

Maimonides on Teshuvah: The Ways of Repentance by Henry Abramson.

Maimonides was a Jewish writer from the 11th century. He codified principles of the Jewish faith that are still used today. Teshuvah deals with repentance. This is about Maimonides views and my first read from Henry Abramson.

I stumbled on this work by accident. In a nutshell this is exploring one angle of Jewish & Judaism's perspectives on repentance. I'm sure there's many other views on this inside these circles. In this there's a process to repentance and how restoration is performed to a victim, depending on the harm and hurt caused.

I won't go into this too much, as you need to read the book to grasp what the author is conveying. Another topic of note this book trails into is freewill and spirituality. How much free will do humans have versus how much influence does a God have. That might sound like a familiar topic, and struggle that's often debated in other circles.

The book closes with the love of God isn't fully in the human heart until one becomes obsessed with God. All your heart, and all your mind. It's part of the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-6.

At the end of the book the author asked if his scholarship was up to a readers expectations. Yes, it was. Above and beyond!

 

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Trump: The Art of the Deal

Its been out for years. You've been curious. Now I've read it. Trump: The Art of the Deal, by the now President of the United States.

The book advertises if you’re going to think, think big. If you are looking for a book that is a deal tutorial, this isn't it. This books mostly reveals the thought process and major turning points a young Donald J. Trump took in building his business and wealth. If you want an in-dept book on deal making, I would recommend additional books.

There's a few gems in this book a person can learn for managing teams, projects and handling the antics of people where big money is involved. While this book is old, without a doubt it shows the beginning leadership abilities for someone who would later attain the highest office in the United States.

If this book is accurate, doubters beware. He's not stupid. He's not scared to fight. He's not easily intimidated.

 

Sunday, February 5, 2017

ISRAELOLOGY: The Missing Link In Systematic Theology

The book Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology is over 1000 pages. I’ve been trying to complete this book for the last few months. Today was the day, done!

Israelology covers an array of questions and challenges. I’ll try to put this it in a nutshell. It’s a look at the theology of Israel past and present through the Christian belief system.

When the basis for protestant and evangelical Christianity was formed in the last few centuries, the relationship between European groups and Jews was hostile to put it mildly. But it didn’t start there, hostility had already been cemented deep within the medieval Roman Catholic church from which these latter groups sprang.

Originally Christianity was a sub-sect of Judaism and the majority of original Christians were Jews. Today aspects surrounding all of this is not appreciated or an adequate understanding widely known. The author challenges many traditional perspectives and cliches. If you are not interested in Christian theology, don’t even try and read this. You won’t finish it.

I’ve taken this bio from Amazon.com about the author Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum.
Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum was Born September 26, 1943 in Russia, after his father was released from a Communist prison. Even though he is Jewish, his father was accused of being a Nazi spy when he fled Poland from Hitler. The Fruchtenbaums escaped from behind the Iron Curtain with help from the Israeli underground. They resided in Germany from 1946 to 1951, where Arnold received orthodox Jewish training. The Fruchtenbaums immigrated to Brooklyn in 1951, where they first came in contact with the American Board of Missions to the Jews (now Chosen People Ministries). At age 13, Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum became a believer in the Messiahship of Jesus. Arnold's father strongly opposed his beliefs, however; he allowed Arnold to continue associating with and learning from other Jewish believers until the family moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Once in Los Angeles, Arnold was forbidden to read the Bible, attend Christian meetings, or have anything to do with Messianic Jewish groups. Arnold, however; continued to maintain contact with Jewish believers…

Monday, January 23, 2017

Meals from Mars - A Parable of Prejudice and Providence by Ben Sciacca

Disclaimer: 
Warning, I like to ride motorcycles and it’s a problem. Sometimes the NWRoadrat character will step out of reality into make-believe, satire, fiction and even act badly. He also does product reviews. If you would like yours reviewed, please contact me through this blog.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided a complimentary copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own. For those in the United States the aforementioned statement is for compliance with FTC rules.

I finish reading a soon to be released book Meals From Mars, A Parable of Prejudice and Providence today, and of all places in a waiting room. It’s a story that makes you think. With all of the tension between individual people today, classes and groups, this author is couldn’t have arrived soon enough.

Race and discrimination are two subjects that most are at a disadvantage with. I often don’t know how to address them myself. It seems like if anyone talks about it, arguments start and it makes it worse. This leaves people wanting to avoid these subjects. More often than not, there’s an appearance of the agitators controlling the ground game.

Meals From Mars doesn’t offer a feel good plan. It doesn’t offer a quick fix. I do think it offers an explanation how we got where we are today and a direction on how to possibly turn it around if people will talk, and listen.

The books author is trying to start a more constructive dialog. It’s asking people to be open about their differences. And for people realize we’re different and to accept those differences. It's OK to be different.

A few memorable lines from the book that are quite haunting,

“…violence is a curious thing, and it requires great scrutiny. On one hand, it is the currency of the powerful, of the bully, of the agitator.”

“…it is also the cry of the dying and of the downtrodden. It’s a last gasp…”

Author Nadine C. Keels (Prismatic Prospects) has also reviewed the book. She made a good point about the book remarking, “...it raises questions without trying to tell the reader exactly what to think.” If you would her full perspective, her review is here.

A highly-recommended book because no one else is addressing this subject like Ben Sciacca has.



Monday, January 9, 2017

Victory Motorcycles Autopsy


A few years ago I was already starting to ask the questions about a future here.

Here's a few samplings of a models I test rode. I've missed the Kingpin since it was axed to make room for Indian. The Kingpin was one of the finest power cruisers I've ridden.

White Victory Kingpin I test rode.

Red Victory Kingpin I test rode.

Red Cross Country (with added trunk) I test rode.

Advertising swag I picked up.
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