If you’re not already reading the comments on Simone’s follow up post to the one she took down the other day… then do yourself a favour.
I’ve witnessed other people having long discussions with Mark Baddeley, but never had the pleasure myself up until this one. Mostly because I agree with him on other issues.
Lets just say, not this time…
See if you can catch my veiled homage to Godwin’s Law.
Damien, in my previous post, asked what a Venn Diagram of nailing Jelly to a wall would look like. So here I am, obliging my readers as always…
One of the reasons my biting election coverage didn’t happen as a liveblog, in fact, the only reason, was that over the weekend Robyn and I took off to the Bunya Mountains for a surprise birthday celebration for her father. Who turned fifty.
Sadly, everybody but caught a violently unpleasant case of gastro. I have a stomach of iron. The upside was that I had the pick of the fridge for 12 hours.
I took the camera. The Bunyas teem with bird life. I’m not a “twitcher” but I do enjoy playing with my camera.
We tried feeding the birds – the others enjoyed more success. But they just weren’t that into me.
Robyn took this photo.
On the other “upside” – I picked up one of those three-in-one DVD collections from Woolworths in Dalby featuring Steven Seagal in his aging best.
Steven Seagal is cooler than Chuck Norris.
I’m not a parent. I preface everything I say about parenting with that statement because I know parenting is one of those sensitive topics that people feel strongly about, and I know parenting advice is a dime a dozen anyway. And who am I to comment on how you’re raising your offspring, who is/are no doubt (a) unique and amazing snowflake(s).
But I agree almost entirely with what Simone says – in terms of how I plan to bring up any children that I should happen, if God wills is, to produce with my wife, should she agree with the very strong case I will put forward. Not only does Simone invoke my favourite Biblical mandate – the Great Commission – her son is also cool enough to be lobbying his local MP on humanitarian issues.
As I said in the comments on her post – I think her points are of particular importance for people engaged in Christian ministry (full time or otherwise) who might habitually surround themselves with other Christians. I don’t think you should sacrifice your children for your ministry (or in this case their academic future). But I think public education in Australia is not the basket case we often describe it as (having been the product of some pretty woeful public schools with some pretty excellent teachers on occasion). It’s a bit like our hospitals. We bemoan things in our country that other countries would give an arm and a leg for… learning about imaginary numbers is a luxury (and one I probably could have done without, in hindsight).
So, three days to go. Or something. The Libs launched their latest attack ad today. A timely reminder that J-Gill knifed K-Rudd.
I think it’s bizarre. They list all these facts about Julia. She ousted the PM with the help of the NSW Right. She’s borrowing lots of money. She has been involved in some dumb policies. And KEVIN RUDD DOESN’T TRUST HER.
That’s their clincher. Who’d have thought?
Is being trusted by Kevin Rudd key to being elected?
I dutifully sent off my postal vote today. It was an underwhelming experience. My favourite bit was preferencing people last as punishment for the most lackluster campaign of all time.
The LNP ran an abhorrent campaign with a bizarre focus on asylum seekers.
The ALP are a power-hungry group controlled by faceless apparatchiks who will do and say anything to stay in government. Plus the clean feed is possibly the worst policy ever invented and trades on fear and paranoia in order to sell a solution to a distressing problem that is tantamount to selling snake oil. It won’t work. It’s an awful slippery slope and has been sold using brute tactics to silence opposition.
The Greens are untenable. Their policies are half incredible, half terrifying.
Family First. Well. I won’t go there.
I was almost tempted to cop a fine, Mark Latham’s “blank paper” idea was stupid and how that clown keeps getting air time is completely beyond me. The decision to engage him as a political commentator speaks volumes about the farce politics in our country has become.
That is all.
I’m struck down with a case of man flu today. I don’t really have a voice anymore. My throat hurts. Last night I had a bizarre bout of shivering complete with chattering teeth. I think I’m actually sick. And I hate it. It seems like such a waste of a day at home. There are heaps of things I’d rather do while not being where I’m meant to be. I could watch movies. I could make grass angels in the yard (like snow angels but not).
Today is a rainy and miserable day too. Perfect for watching movies and drinking hot drinks. In front of a fire. But I feel dreadful. I’m still in bed. How I wish I was faking it.
Chucking a sickie is awesome. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off captured the sickie zeitgeist and also provided me, in my childhood, with a foolproof method of creating clammy skin. Lick your hands. Rub your forehead. Wallah. A day off. Faking diarrhea is always good too – because it’s almost completely unverifiable (who wants to check) and it has that awkwardness about it that means people don’t ask questions when you’re phoning it in.
Has anybody out there tried this?
Via That’s Nerdalicious.
I have been somewhat remiss in not including a link to Arthur and Tamie’s most excellent blog in my footer. That has been fixed today. If you don’t already check it out from time to time you really should. They’re from South Australia but they live in Melbourne. Arthur is famous for once running a particularly awesome Christian forum called Logos that sprung out of the murky waters of AFES.
Here are a few recent posts that I think make a compelling case, on their lonesome, for reading regularly.
Check them out.
Simone posted her scorecard yesterday. Here’s mine. I hope it brings a little perspective to what can be an overly manipulative procedure. I probably should have included a column for Jesus. Click the image to see a bigger version.
I drive to college with Jeremy Wales three days a week. You might remember him from such driving to college adventures as “crossing a raging torrent“… So, after posting about wikipedia editing just then I was inspired to create a Wikipedia entry for him. Apparently it has been done before but he was considered “not noteworthy.” I’m hoping that will have changed.
Here’s what I’ve said:
Jeremy Nicholas Wales (born July 24, 1978) is an intellectual polymath from Brisbane, Australia. After completing his studies in Information Technology at the University of Queensland, Jeremy enjoyed a short but distinguished career with one of Queensland’s leading financial institutions[1].
He changed career path in 2009, enrolling in theological education at the Queensland Theological College at Emmanuel College, located at the University of Queensland, in St. Lucia, Brisbane.
Jeremy is famous for having read every theological book and idea in existence. He has become a notable figure on the Brisbane evangelical preaching scene – sharing the pulpit at Mitchelton Presbyterian Church on more than one occasion[2][3]. The audio of his sermons reveal him to be a bold and daring speaker destined for great things. Some have called him the Australian Stephen Fry others have compared his exploits to those of fictional wizard Harry Potter.
He is also a bold and experienced on-road rally car driver – videos of his exploits behind the wheel in the streets of Brisbane have become a phenomenon on YouTube[4].
Feel free to contribute. I made his birthday up.
I’ve had more first time commenters this week than ever before (except when I stirred up the atheist hornets nest that is PZ Myers).
Where have you all come from?
Picture this. You’re driving to work/college/home. It’s peak hour. There are many other cars sharing the road. There’s a spot where cars are known to park in the left hand lane. You duly merge ahead of time, because you used to live on that stretch of road and know accidents happen there. It even has a “black spot” sign that acknowledges that the government knows accidents happen there but can’t be bothered installing a “no parking” sign because that would be expensive. But wait, they installed a black spot sign there… anyway.
You have merged into the middle lane and you decide to be charitable. You let other cars in. Helping them to avoid a certain fender bender. And what? No wave. That’s just rude.
Really. The courtesy wave. That’s what I live for on the road – I really am quite a courteous driver. But only because I want you to acknowledge that I’ve made your day that little bit easier by removing the stress that comes from an impending obstacle, or perhaps a long delay at an intersection. Perhaps you’re ignoring the road rules and I’m cutting you some slack. Know this. I only do it in the hope that you’ll either wind down your window and wave, or hold up your left hand under your rear view mirror in the universally accepted and acknowledged manner.
That is all.
I’m not really a LOLer. But I thought I’d jump on Ben’s word creating bandwagon. This morning. As I read this post where Ben recounts an incident that led to him receiving the cane in primary school. I snort laughed out loud (SLOL). In a lecture.
That’s the picture that goes with the post. Ben has more reason to hate U2 than I do.
Confessions #5: Sometimes I post here rather than commenting elsewhere
I think blogging time, in my schedule, is a fungible thing. That’s a cool word I just learned. Basically, I have an allocated amount of time for “blogging” and I have to spread that time between writing, reading and commenting.
So sometimes I write lots of posts here and neglect the “community” aspect of blogging. Times like yesterday. Yesterday my blogging comrade and e-friend Ben mentioned a really significant moment. A momentous moment. He sold his house. Without having to go to auction. Which he had expressed concern about. What a relief that must have been for him, and his family. But here’s little old me. Blogging about pointless stuff like Jesus themed thongs. So caught up in my own world that I didn’t comment on his post. Nor did I take the obligatory Monday Quiz.
And now, a day afterwards, I feel guilty because I’ve missed the commenting boat. Other people, who have commented, clearly love Ben more. The only way I can possibly rectify the situation is by trumping a comment with a link. That’s how blog love works. The blug1 beats the comment. It’s like a game of scissors rock paper. The Blug beats the comment. The comment beats the read. And the read must therefore beat the blug – because there’s no point blugging if people aren’t reading.
1A portmanteau2 of blog and plug.
2The strategic mashing together of two words to form one concept. Like Venn diagramming words.
August 10, 2010