Today's Feature

Powers Museum Summer Storyhour.

The Powers Museum, 1617 W. Oak Street, has several upcoming events beginning tomorrow with a repeat of last year’s popular Summer Storyhour Program. This program features storybooks from Marian Power’s childhood (1905 to 1915) and toys from the Powers collection.

At 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 18 the storyhour will spotlight Robert Williams Wood’s nature analogues on flowers, birds and other animals. Coloring sheets adapted from his books will be available to all attending.

The museum will hold a special Sunday opening on July 20. As part of the "Entertaining Carthage Through the Years" exhibit, a silent movie originally featured at the one of the local theaters will be shown at 2:00 p.m. after a short presentation on movie theatres in Carthage’s history. The museum will open at 1:30 p.m. for this event.

Another storyhour will be presented on July 25th at 11:00 a.m. featuring play cooking and the "Mary Frances" books. A special recipe will be given to all participants during that presentation.

I think one of the biggest breakdowns ‘tween generations is being bored. I hear frequently that a big problem with teenagers is this state of mind. I can vaguely remember a time or two when that thought may have crossed my mind, but it never was a lingerin’ problem. On the contrary, the "problem" I was faced with has always been havin’ enough time to do the stuff I thought was important at the time. ‘Course a lot of times that was prob’ly pretty’ borin’ stuff.

They say that a good portion of bein’ happy is based on expectations. If you expect to make a dollar and ya get two, you’re happy. If ya expect to make four and only get two you’re sad. ‘Course nowadays, if ya expect ta buy anything with two dollars, you’ve lost touch with the borin’ facts of reality.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

CLICK and CLACK

TALK CARS

Dear Tom and Ray:

I had my oil changed recently and now have been told by my mechanic that the oil change place stripped the oil plug and I need a new oil pan. I have a Lexus RX 300. The oil change people think they have adequately fixed it by putting a larger plug in, but the Lexus dealer tells me that is not adequate and I need a new oil pan because it is a vital part of the care and may leak again, especially with subsequent oil changes. I don’t know what to do. Help! --- Candace.

RAY: I’d side with the dealer in this case, Candace.

TOM: There are ways to "patch up" a stripped oil pan. An insert is probably what your oil change guy used.

RAY: There are different kinds of inserts. There are inserts that cut new threads into the pan, there are rubber drain plugs that expand once they’re in the hole, and there are self-tapping drain plugs that make their own new, threaded hole in the oil pan.

TOM: Most of those will work.

RAY: I’d have the Lexus dealer replace the oil pan. You don’t want to have to worry about your oil leaking out and your engine seizing.

TOM: It’s going to be very hard for you to demand that the oil-change place pay for it. Oil pans usually get stripped over time, particularly when mechanics overtighten the plug instead of changing the gasket and being judicious in tightening it.

RAY: Everyone’s afraid of undertightening the oil plug, with good reason. They tend to go too far in the other direction.

TOM: You can show them the receipt for the oil pan and ask if they will contribute toward the repair.