Indiana Jones
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(This is a sticky post, please find current news items below) By Issai Ginro in Salubrity |
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"Twister", the UK version
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Sunday, 11 May 08 - 11:48 AM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in nUTcASes |
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"Sunshine!"
TV news is playing in the background whilst a group of scientists are gathered round a table quaffing pints of Guinness.
Newsreel is showing hordes of panic stricken people fleeing. "Several counties have reported glimpses of sunshine, as yet unconfirmed. Residents are however being advised by the Health and Saftey Executive to stay indoors in case they get sunburned..."
"Hey we got one people!" screams one of the scientists, "...and it's an F4!!!"
"WOOHOO!!"
"Have we got our disposable cameras and thermometers ready that we got from Woolworths this morning? Bottles of Guinness? Factor 12 suncream? Extra bottles of Guinness just in case? OK everybody then let's get in the vehicles and ROLL!"
Jumping into their hired taxis they race to the scene - "Dammit we got here too late! The cloud cover has come back!"
"Just a minute...there's a light breeze!!! It's coming back!!! Quick everybody get under cover!!!"
Everybody runs around screaming, looking for shelter from the light breeze and the imminent break in the cloud cover which will expose them to sunshine.
"Quick!!! Save the Guinness!!! Don't let it get above room temperature!!!"
The taxi drivers turn around and start to drive away, leaving the scientists stranded. "We can't stay here" the drivers say, "HSE have made it quite clear that sunshine can cause tanning and even sunburn in extreme cases, and it's written into our contracts under Health and Safety guidelines not to be exposed to this sort of danger. We're off!"
佚斎 銀狼On a lighter note...
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Saturday, 10 May 08 - 10:45 PM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in Salubrity |
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Wore myself out today.
Because it's so hot, which drains you of energy, I split my two and a half hour workout into two. So I did the first half about mid-morning, finishing at mid-day. Changed my clothes as they were now drenched, and then charged around for a couple of hours doing all the housework. Then I did the second workout, finishing about 3pm. Had a bath as I haven't got a shower curtain and had no desire to flood the bathroom, got some grub, then walked a five mile round trip to town (part of it uphill) to get my shopping, slung it over my shoulder and then walked back home. To say I was glistening slightly by then would be something of an understatement, lol, but at least it gave me a good cardio workout.
Back into the bath (and yes I did empty the bath the first time round and no I hadn't left it just in case I wanted to re-use it 
) and then flaked out for an hour or so.
I'm bored now.
However, I have been looking at this site - Leather Journals - and I'm drooling. Well, not literally you understand otherwise I wouldn't be able to be typing this as my keyboard would look like someone had tipped a tub of slime over it.
But I love writing and have loads of notebooks going back years scattered around the house. I saw these journals and I'd love to have one. Or two. Or three. With my Bday coming up I might spoil myself. But I can't decide which one as I love them all. I've narrowed it down to about three different ones though, for the moment:
1.
2.
3.
"...but who is that on the other side of you?"
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Saturday, 10 May 08 - 10:02 PM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in Ratiocination |
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The title, and the quote in full in 'Today's Thought' in the sidebar, is from T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland.
We all have some baggage, and most of the time we are unaware of it. We learn to live with things and move on, put it out of our minds and let the past stay dead and buried. Live and learn, we say. Live and learn.
Occasionally someone jogs your memory and brings something to the surface again and that is when you realise that sometimes, the past is constantly present, walking alongside you. Quietly, like a hooded phantom. And you hadn't even been aware, until now.
For several days I have been wondering whether to write a post in relation to the notice in my sidebar about someone called Mrs Carr. However, I can't. It brings too much to the surface that I would rather stay buried. People in the NHS who are willing to sacrifice patients, even if it means they die, purely to safeguard their own careers and hide their own dishonesty and incompetence no matter the consequences to the innocent. I was treated like a piece of filth.
Luckily I have an excellent GP who grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let me go, so determined is she to help all the patients in her care, proving that there are dedicated and good doctors as well.
But it still walks beside me, like so many other things, and I'd rather let it fade away as it will do in time. So if you wish to learn more about Mrs Carr and her plight then please visit this blog: Calum Carr
I think a number of us can look in the mirror and ask ourselves "...who is that on the other side of you?"
佚斎 銀狼"This is a Christian country"
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Friday, 09 May 08 - 12:02 PM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in Ratiocination |
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I have lifted this in large part from Cranmer, who has brought this to our attention, so both my apologies and thanks go to him in equal measure.
There was a debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday 6th May about the blasphemy laws, of which the entire debate can be read here: Hansard which includes Gerald Howarth's (MP). I read through the debate myself in large part and found this by Anne Widdecombe to be very pertinent:
I should like to give what I think is a good illustration of the dangers of getting rid of our blasphemy laws, which apply very specifically to the Christian religion. We all remember the outbreak of outrage among the Muslim community when the Danish cartoons were published. If ever one wanted an example of a propensity for civil strife, one had it there. However, the point that I consider more relevant is that it served to demonstrate that Christianity does not receive equal treatment in our country. I was one of the worshippers who arrived at Westminster cathedral shortly after some of the Pope’s remarks had been rather badly misinterpreted, and I was confronted with banners being held by members of the Muslim community proclaiming, “Jesus is the slave of Allah—Islam will conquer Rome”: not one or two banners from one or two lunatics but a very large number. The police were there, but they did nothing. I do not, in fact, advocate that they should do something, because I am, as I have said before, a big believer in free speech. However, let us suppose the reverse and that I was stood outside a mosque with a big sign saying, “Allah is the slave of Jesus—Rome will conquer Islam”. I would be up before the bench before one could say “Jack Robinson”, or “Danish cartoon”. I could not do that—I do not think that the Minister would deny that—but they could. That, to me, is a clear demonstration that Christianity would not, as my hon. Friend the Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) said, receive equal treatment.
But the following is what Cranmer has reproduced and I give it here, Gerald Howarths contribution minus the interventions, again with deepest thanks to Cranmer for raising this subject as it is so important.
“I am a simple sort of chap, and a member of the Church of England. I think I am the first member of the Church of England to speak in support of the maintenance of this law—a view I have come to on balance, not slavishly.
“I start from the premise of my hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk (Mr. Bacon) that this is a Christian country and that we owe everything to our Christian tradition. This nation has been forged and fashioned down the centuries by its Christian tradition. Every Act of Parliament is prefaced by reference to the support of the Lords temporal and spiritual and the Commons assembled. That indicates that our Christian faith has played a hugely important part. Therefore, while I have enjoyed the frivolities of this evening’s proceedings, we should be under no illusions that a serious issue is at stake. I am afraid that I am not interested in the Joint Committee on Human Rights or the European Court of Human Rights; I am interested in my views and beliefs, which are profoundly held and shared by a lot of people in this country.
“There is a message coming through here, particularly from the hon. Member for Cambridge (David Howarth), who treated us to something that was more in the way of a Cambridge union debate than dealing with the practicalities of the concerns of the people of this country. Those of other religions who have come here down the centuries have done so in the full knowledge that this is a Christian country. One of the reasons why they come here is that our Christian faith is a tolerant faith—one that allows mosques to be built and that allows people to observe their traditions, to bring those traditions with them and to practise them. It is a mistake that some of them should now assert that, because they have come here in rather large numbers, they should be entitled to overturn centuries of tradition in this country. That is a mistake that we should resist…
“The hon. Member for Cambridge suggested that people less exalted than us are in fear that their Christianity is under threat. He is absolutely right - they do think that, and they are alarmed that the Government of the day appear to be completely preoccupied with minorities and take no account of their genuinely felt concerns. What they are looking for is somebody who is going to stand up for their concerns and articulate them in simple language, saying, “This is a Christian country—this is the way we do it here. My friend, if you don’t like it, go and do it somewhere else.” It is all perfectly straightforward.
“The Minister relied, as Ministers of course do, on the assertion of the Government’s new religion, which is discrimination: anything that is discriminatory is to be resisted, if not completely rejected. Her case is completely destroyed. Of course the law of blasphemy is discriminatory—but then, as was pointed out to her, so is the fact that the Church of England is the established Church. That discriminates against everybody else. It is a discrimination that unless one is a member of the House of Hanover, now the House of Windsor, one cannot ascend to the throne. That discriminates against every Eagle, every Smith, every Howarth in the land. Discrimination is there; it is in our midst. We are discriminating every day of our lives; we discriminate when we go to the shops. The idea that the Government should somehow rest their case on discrimination is a mistake and indicates that they are going down the wrong track.
“Furthermore and as has also been pointed out, we have Christian prayers in this place, which you, Mr. Speaker, of course preside over. I have been waiting for the day when there are calls to end this practice. I shall resist that for all the reasons I have just given; we should maintain these traditional prayers…
“Clearly, this is an undisguised attempt at promoting the case for the disestablishment of the Church of England. One of the reasons why this is a serious issue is, as my hon. Friend the Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) expressed it—he did so articulately, as ever— because some Christians feel under threat. However, the promotion of the Church of England as the established Church in this country is important for other reasons. I can tell him that a Jewish headmistress, whom I was sitting next to at a lunch—I believe that it was for the Conservative Friends of Israel, so a huge number of people attended—said, “It is very important to our school that there continues to be an established Church, because it provides some protection to us in the practising of our religion.” That message must not be forgotten.
“Talking of messages, my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone) rightly pointed out that we are dealing not simply with a law that is perhaps anachronistic and perhaps has had difficulty being interpreted in the courts—I am at one with the view of my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) that a lack of will was the reason why “Jerry Springer: The Opera” escaped what should have been a proper prosecution that led to conviction—but with a law that is symbolic.
“The act of abolition in which the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon wishes to rejoice will send out a signal to the entire nation. It is a dreadful time for this House to indicate that it no longer feels that religion is important and that the Church of England has a central role to play in our life in this country. It is a time when we desperately need to reassert moral values in this country. The fact that the archbishops have deserted the field is unfortunate, because that again sends out the wrong message, but my simple role in the Church is as a mere church warden. The Minister is wrong to suggest that no drift to secularisation is likely to flow from this proposal, because that is what will happen—indeed, it is happening—and it is an important time to reassert moral values.
“Furthermore, this act of abolishing the law of blasphemy also carries with it a risk that nothing is sacred in our country and that nothing ought to be given some sort of special protection. Our children will not understand if this House says that it is not important, because why then should anything be sacred? That would send a dreadful message to the young people of our country…
“I think that this is no time to be abolishing the law of blasphemy. I say that not necessarily because prosecutions of tomorrow will be denied, but because abolition would send a dangerous signal to this nation at a very difficult time for it.”
Would that we had more people in Government of the calibre of Gerald Howarth.
佚斎 銀狼Women
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Friday, 09 May 08 - 04:50 AM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in nUTcASes |
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Bought a new charger for my daughter's mobile. Few days later, after I'd given it to her, kept trying to get hold of her but phone was never answered. Finally I got through to her and said "I've been trying to get hold of you for days. Why haven't you been answering the phone?" Her response, "See? I told you I needed a new phone charger!"
......
佚斎 銀狼
Summertime?
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Thursday, 08 May 08 - 06:39 PM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in Pneuma |
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I had a two hour workout today, and was going to go for a run but changed my mind as it was too hot. I've had heatstroke before, lol, so wasn't going to risk it again. So I went out for the afternoon instead, and the new leaves on the trees are such a brilliant green I wished I'd had my camera to capture that look, but alas, I forgot it. Then again there is so much bare flesh on display, and not all of it pleasant, that perhaps it was a blessing in disguise. I wanted to take a picture of all the cherry blossom on the trees a couple of weeks ago but it was pouring down with rain every day and so I missed that as well. I must remember to carry it with me in future, just in case.
To me it isn't officially summertime until the housemartins arrive, and I'm not talking about the 80's rock band here, but those cute little birds that migrate northwards at this time of year. And they aren't here yet, that I have noticed.
I've always loved these little birds, and they're so friendly and fearless. When it's going to rain the midges that the housemartins feed on are weighted down by the moisture in the air. So you then find that the housemartins come down almost to ground level at times trying to catch them. Where my daughter and I used to live there was a stretch of trees around which the housemartins would be swooping and diving, chirping, and appearing to play chase with each other at times as well. So I'd take my daughter and stand in the centre of the area the housemartins were flying.around. Naturally they'd fly away at first. But as we stood there quietly first one, then two, and then the whole lot of them would come back and fly all around us singing and chirping and it used to enchant my daughter. Sometimes the birds used to fly right up to us to take a look, at face level, and then at the last second they'd fly to one side. Absolutely magical.
佚斎 銀狼Spot the differences
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Thursday, 08 May 08 - 01:38 AM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in nUTcASes |
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Are you bored? Got time on your hands? Try this then:
Can you spot the three differences between these two pictures?
Go here -> Spot the three differences
佚斎 銀狼Music
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Tuesday, 06 May 08 - 10:31 PM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in Pneuma |
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"Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak" (William Congreve. Source: The Mourning Bride. Act i. Sc. 1.)
If I have friends round they don't like me playing classical music as they say it's depressing. Personally I find it calming and at times inspirational, especially chorus. Those of you who like to watch movies, particularly Russel Crowe ones, might recognise the Cello Suite.
If the links to download the music don't work then please let me know.
佚斎 銀狼
BCP
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Sunday, 04 May 08 - 08:46 AM (GMT) By Issai Ginro in Pneuma |
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Thought I'd just meander a little down the alleyways of my mind, wander into the library, and dip into a few of the books festooning the shelves.
I had an argument with someone a few weeks ago about the Book of Common Prayer. For the record I am Anglican with Orthodox leanings and the person I was arguing with is a Reader in the CofE.
I look around at all the mix and match worship in the CofE today and I despair to a certain extent. If I walk into a church today the services appear to be so varied that they necessitate volumes and volumes of printed out sheets, for every service, which is not only a huge waste of resources and money but also has the immediate effect of making the newcomer feel like an outsider due to the fact that every church seems to have its own style of service that leaves the visitor totally confused.
I used to look at the BCP and the attempts to replace it with something 'modern' as being necessary. But having spent a number of years trying to find something, and seeing the powers that be trying again and again (and failing) to recreate a modern alternative that comes even close to the unifying, respectful simplicity of the BCP, I have given up and gone back to it again. And for that I get castigated.
Well, castigate me all you like but I am not some old stick in the mud, and have looked at this from as many angles as possible and been happy to be proven wrong. But if something isn't broken, as the saying goes, don't fix it. The BCP gave a very reverential form for communal prayer, with the congregation knowing that they could have walked into any church in England and have been able to join in without any feeling of confusion. It's been translated into so many languages, even Japanese. Additionally, it united the church in England in exactly the way the church is supposed to be united, with worshippers around the country praying the same prayers at the same time, as one unified body. Now look at it. It's like walking into a supermarket.
One of the prayer books that has interested me is a translation of the Anglo-Saxon 'Book of Cerne', but it's enormously difficult to get hold of that so I have to settle for some of the prayers that have been published from it. The Anglo-Saxons were extremely good writers and I think any prayer book should incorporate prayers written by them. Just for the record and in case someone might be interested, here is the Lord's Prayer* in Anglo-Saxon and sometimes I say it out loud. It has a very nice sound to it:
So yes, after a number of years I have gone back to the Book of Common Prayer, and that's where I plan to stay.
And then there's all this nonsense about 'The Peace'. Well actually it's just a handshake and it's absolutely ridiculous. Can you think of anything more lukewarm and off-putting than a limp-wristed handshake in place of what is supposed to be a demonstration of christian love? I'm not advocating anything other than that if they are going to perform some kind of ritual then go back to basics and perform the kiss of peace as practiced by the first christians, just a kiss on the cheek. But no, apparently I'm wrong for advocating something that the 1st century christians practiced and insisting we do it too, lol. And I think that just about says it all doesn't it? Welcome to the Archdruid of Canterbury's new age church. Lukewarm and empty.
*Lord's Prayer
I'll write it out here in the modern alphabet, and then follow with a very rough and ready literal translation. You can see by that how little English language has actually changed and how many words we still use although their meaning or spelling might have changed a little.
Fæder ure
thu the eart on heofonum,
Si thin nama gehalgod.
To becume thin rice,
gewurthe thin willa,
on eorthan swa swa on heofonum.
Urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg,
and forgyf us ure gyltas,
swa swa we forgyfath urum gyltendum.
And ne gelæd thu us on costnunge,
ac alys us of yfele.
Sothlice.
Our Father
Thou that art in heaven
Be thine name hallowed
To become of thou richer
To happen thine will
on earth so so on heaven
Our daily loaf sell us today
and forgive us our guilts
so so we forgive our guiltors
And do not lay thou on us tribulation
but aloose us of evil
Truly
Today, the expression 'so so' is generally used to denote something inconsequential. One thousand years ago it was used to denote emphasis and therefore importance. The word 'sell' also had a different connotation than it does today. One thousand years ago it simply meant to give something into somebody else's possession, whereas today it means to obtain something at cost. You can also see where Middle English got all those thee's, thy's, thou's and thine's from.
佚斎 銀狼... More items are available in my News Archive
