Friday, November 03, 2006

[scum rises] enough to make you haggard

The key comment on this Haggard issue comes from JC Himself: Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, who resigned Thursday after denying an accusation by a male prostitute that the pastor paid him for sex over three years, is either an innocent man framed by those who would destroy the church … or else he’s of the devil’s party and a shining example of the adage ‘the scum always rises’. Time will tell. To say the Christian church is riddled with scum is a truism. To say that this negates the Christian message is either naïve or something worse.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

[insulin] don’t mess with the keys to good health

Insulin crystals

In 1996, the Zone diet was popularized through, amongst others, Joyce and Gene Daoust [Warton, Del Mar, CA]. The theory was that excessive carbos produce excess insulin, which in turn causes heart disease, hypertension, stroke, high blood cholesterol and triglycerides, and diabetes. The solution was to consume 40% carbos, 30% protein and 30% fat in each of five or six balanced meals over the course of one’s day. Dr. Phil Maffetone [3ba060$8ce@newsbf01.news.aol.com] added that perhaps half the population [including athletes ] was insulin resistant to some degree. There were some unresolved questions about this theory.

[steorn] quinlan about to become billionaire

Enormous claims: In 2003 Steorn undertook a project to develop more efficient micro generators. Early into this project the company developed certain generator configurations that appeared to be over 100% efficient. Further investigation and development has led to the company’s current technology, a technology that produces free energy… meaning never having to refuel your car or recharge your mobile phone. Black Quill is a devotee and says: A couple of months back, Steorn was the most searched-for item on Technorati, but of late there is only a silence. I want to know why the major energy suppliers don’t buy it up and shelve it and why nothing more has been heard but I hope it is real and that Quinlan makes a packet.

[thor’s quiz] try these for size

1.......In what war did the crucial Battle of Bunker Hill take place?
2.......The ancient region of Nubia is in which two modern countries?
3.......In which century did the Black Death reach Britain?
4.......Air Force One is the US President's plane. What is Marine One?
5.......At the beginning of the War of American Independence, what was considered to be the 14th colony?

6-10 and answers here.

[china] one truck cuts 28 000 people’s water

Something like this would make front page news anywhere else in the world. As it happened in China, it barely rated a mention. An oil truck overturned on Thursday October 26, dumping 33 tons of wash oil into a river in north China's Shanxi Province, and contaminating an estimated two million cubic meters of water, forcing water supplies to nearly 28,000 people to be cut. Investigations show that the overloaded truck, which had a capacity of only 31.5 tons, overturned due to a brake failure. Meanwhile, an oil spill in the Songhua Riverhas been brought under control and will not threaten drinking water in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, state authorities said Saturday. Just thought you might like to know. Stop yawning.

[us economy] all's not roses approaching christmas

Wal-Mart, Target and Gap are heading for poor Christmases. Wal-Mart says it expects its November figures to be "approximately flat", Gap was among the poorest performers with a 7% fall in like-for-like takings and Target achieved a 3.9% rise but missed estimates of a 4.2% increase. The economy’s expansion of only 1.6% during the third quarter was the weakest rate since the first quarter of 2003. Julian Jessop of Capital Economics said he saw a 30% chance of a recession occurring. "Considering oil prices have fallen and the strength of the stock market, confidence should be very strong but the fact that it is not suggests there is something else going on." Lowered oil prices and a slowing housing market have been blamed by some.

[thor’s day] all souls day

Welcome to the Sumerian Enlil’s, the Babylonian Marduk’s, the Greek Zeus’, the Roman Iuppiter’s and Thor’s Day. May it be happy and productive for you. Today is also All Souls Day, when we remember the souls of the departed, of any colour and of any persuasion. Today is the day to remember our grandparents, parents and any others we miss and as such, maybe you'd agree it’s an important day in the calendar.

[defending the west] falling at the final hurdle

[ Photo of window in St Peter's Basilica]

Melanie Phillips, Minette Marrin, Johnathan Pearce and Tom Paine are hardly Christian apologists and yet look where they’ve independently found themselves. Melanie Phillips says: The crucial insight here is that only a strong indigenous faith has the capacity to resist Islamisation. That is why the collapse of Christianity in Britain and Europe and its steady replacement by secularisation is so catastrophic for the defence of the west. Read what the others have to say.

[mount of olives] precepts for living

Here are the words, just the words, minus anotation and minus the hard-sell: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Continued here.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

[iceland] thou shalt not steal thy neighbour’s hotpot

The District Court of North Iceland last Thursday sentenced a man in his twenties to two months prison for stealing a hot pot from a patio but he might escape imprisonment if he manages to stay on the right side of the law for three years, as reported on mbl.is. The hot pot was stolen from the patio of a summer house in February 2006. As it had yet to be glued to the patio, the thief could remove it with a crowbar. The thief was tracked down after an observant citizen contacted the police in Akureyri. Yet to be glued? Crowbar?