I’m back at work. I’m still a bit sick. With my camp induced man flu. And I’m feeling a bit of “cold induced blues”. The best treatment for this condition is to buy something stupid. Like a novelty shirt. Or an oversized coffee machine.
I’m open to suggestions.
For people who know CSS and like ninjas… Buy it here.
Driscoll on multi-site
Last weekend Hilton and Justina (Robyn’s sister and her husband) came up to visit. It was a surprise (for Robyn).
We went to Magnetic Island for a day.
Stopping at the region’s best restaurant – the Barefoot Art Food Wine, and getting all tropical with a coconut… Here are some photos – and here is a photo summary of the day.
How to eat a coconut
Step 1. Find a coconut
Step 2. Find a big stick and whack the coconut to remove the outer shell
Step 3. Remove the husk – this is a three person job
Step 4. Retrieve your big stick and split the coconut.
Step 5. Eat the coconut
I was asked in the last post whether I was aware the audio was so out of sync – no, I wasn’t. But I don’t think it makes much difference given the production values are what they are…
Also, I make no apologies for the terrible voice overs – we were on a budget.
One of my old QUT lecturers reckons the Gordon Ramsay v Tracy Grimshaw feud is either a set up or being exploited by Channel Nine. I’m not so sure – but it could just be a smoke and mirrors ratings grab… he makes an interesting case.
Dr Jason Sternberg, a media lecturer at QUT, said with A Current Affair and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares both being Channel Nine programs, it was possible the whole controversy had been set up in advance.
“A cynic would suggest it was contrived, that there are some pretty clever PR people out there,” Dr Sternberg said.
“And you’re dealing with A Current Affair, so it’s safe to be cynical. They are the masters of underhanded and dirty tactics.
“I would not be surprised (if it was), but there’s no evidence to suggest that.”
There’s been a bit of online chatter about the impact that the financial crisis is going to have on churches – the Sydney Anglican Diocese is perhaps going to wear the consequences more than anywhere else – which is sad, given that they train and resource most evangelical ministries in Australia in some capacity.*
“THE world’s richest and largest Anglican diocese has lost more than $100 million on the sharemarket and is investigating ways to cut programs and ministries across Sydney.”
According to the SMH the losses have been compounded by the fact they borrowed to invest.
“The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, has written to clergy warning that the global financial crisis has caused significant losses. He said the diocese had borrowed money to invest and used the profits to build churches in 2007.”
In hindsight it’s easy to throw stones at that strategy – but is this ever “good stewardship” – the SMH headline makes accusations of “gambling” – which would seem inconsistent with their approach to investment in the business section.
*Though in my opinion too much stays in Sydney (this is purely to preempt accusations of backflipping following the discussion with Izaac a few weeks back…
Perhaps inspired by the “bed goes up, bed goes down” hospital bed – this beanbag is controlled by the whimsical waving of a wiimote. Here’s the original concept drawing…
Beautiful. Applied science. The laziest piece of furniture evolution ever. Amazing.
And you can make your own – thanks to Make Magazine.
The designers called it “the Beancat”…
“The Beancat is an all-wheel drive, battery powered bean bag chair, controlled by a Wii nunchuk. Getting a drink from the fridge has never been so much fun. The low profile drive, frame and controlling hardware are completely concealed so at first glance it’s just a simple bean bag.”
Here’s how you can make your own – complete with detailed diagrams.
Police should spend more time providing deterrents to people who speed and less time pulling them over for “allegedly” running stop signs.
They should install these billboards everywhere…
Found here.
What is it with Etsy users and macabre toys? I can’t complain too much – they’re great blog fodder… sadly this particular item is sold out, but there are other similar products available.
It’s probably the wrong time to be posting this with swine flu hysteria floating in the breeze… but how good would it be to always have bacon breath. Everybody loves the smell and taste of freshly cooked bacon – so why not grab these two bacon accessories and share the love…
Little sister number 2 is 21 today. It’s her actual birthday. She is contemplating a pet turtle as a present from the parentals – here’s a little bit of persuasive multimedia propaganda… featuring our crazy ninja turtle Frankie.
WWJS
Some churches just don’t get it. Particularly American churches – or at least in the case of the American churches I’m about to write about…
Just over a week ago a prominent late term abortionist was shot while attending his church. Those who are anti-abortion will no doubt not be grieving this loss as much as others – but most churches have been quick to condemn the killing (or at least to distance themselves from it).
Not these two…
The first, a church in Kentucky, is having an “open carry celebration day” – they want parishioners to bring their guns to church. Here’s what their “pastor” Ken Pagano has to say:
Speaking about those objecting to his planned celebration he said:
While he may not have made the link to the shooting directly – the journalist did – a link from the story’s intro takes you to the story about the killing.
Then there are those that have glorified in the killing…
I’m sure this is not the sort of commentary the church should be making about current events… nor the kind of mission Jesus gave us in the great commission.
But I propose, in order to take money out of the hands of these dangerous people, that we launch a range of Christian merchandise in the WWJS line – who/what would Jesus shoot… the money raised can be redirected to appropriate organisations like the Red Cross.
June 10, 2009