Ha, my mechanic just e-mailed me to ask how my alternator replacement is and to tell me that he’s online. They also have his bio and stats online. Look at all he knows. I love this guy.

Go figure. I’m at a mini retreat for a summer event we do called OGN in a really nice hotel and my alternator goes on in my truck as I’m pulling into the parking lot. So, last night I went out to see how difficult it will be to replace it. The alternator is right in front, right on top, but I can’t find the tension adjuster for the belt. So, after looking for 20 minutes I finally gave up and tried to find the answer by googling it. No luck. Then, I ran across this site that I submitted my question to at like 10 pm, and $9, and an hour and a half later, I had a diagram and an explanation of how to do it from a mechanic. You also don’t pay until you get your answer and one that you’re satisfied with. That’s awesome.

I surfed around and they have what they say are “professionals” in many fields (medicine, carpentry, autos, etc) who answer your questions for a small fee. Cheapest mechanic I ever had… and the answer was cheaper than buying the manual myself. Cool.

Welp, Journey is now in the 21st century and the messages are live via podcast. Cool. Here’s the link.

TIME MAGAZINE posted this statistic in it’s “numbers” section of this weeks magazine on the feb. 5, 2007 edition:

345,000= number of people worldwide who died of measles in 2005, down 60% from 1999, beating a goal set by the United Nations.

16 cents= cost of measles vaccine which is often unaffordable in the 3rd World without underwriting from charities and foreign governments.

DO THE MATH…. this amounts to less that $55,200. THIS MAKES ME WANT TO SCREAM!

How do I reconcile this statistic with this text in 1 John?

The fact that someone could die for lack of 16 cents is asinine on numerous levels… Regardless of whether foreign governments are to blame or not… surely there are believers with material posessions within reach of all of these people. Where in the world can I send 16 dollars to save 100 people’s lives?