From the inimitable Mark Steyn…
America has a choice: It can reacquaint itself with socioeconomic reality. Or it can buckle its mandatory seat belt for the same decline most of the rest of the West embraced a couple of generations back.
Monthly Archives: February 2009
Nazir Ahmed is a fascist coward.
Dear Nazir.
You are sworn to defent the crown and her people.
Those people can handle free speech. Well most of them. This person, who clearly had a leftist lobotomy in some polytech, cannot.
I’m saddened, but not suprised, that people have directed thier anger at you.
Unless interested parties lobby the government they will not uphold thier own laws it seems. eg. the law against inciting hatred that was blatantly designed by some not all in govt. to be aimed at Muslims, which this Dutchman clearly contravenes
Roll on the day Pope Rat attempts to enter this country and finds a big group of homosexuals and women lobbying govt. to stop him
via Nazir Ahmed: Banning Geert Wilders is in Britain’s best interests | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk.
But most of us can. I understand that you following a murdering pedophile called Mohammed. I follow a man who was naled to a cross because he threatened the local petentates who were compromising their monotheism for realpolitik.
If you truly beleive this, resign your peerage, and go and live in Pakistan, “the land of the pure”. Besides, poverty may be good for what remains of your soul.
Otherwise you are a traitor and a coward. And the Brown government, who are betraying those who they ought to serve by collaborating with you,, is on borrowned time.
Weather: Pray for us.
Walls of flame have roared across southeastern Australia, razing scores of homes along with forests and farmland in the sunburned country’s worst wildfire disaster in a quarter century. At least 25 people died and the toll could rise to more than 40, police said.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe told the Nine television network that 25 deaths had been confirmed and that officials believe that number will rise further as police reach further into the fire zone.
via Death toll in Australian bushfires rises to 25 – World – NZ Herald News.
And it is getting that way here.
New Zealand isn’t quite as simple. We have 3 ingredients that we need before we can attempt to hit 40 degrees.
1) The air needs to be hot in the first place. The air moving towards New Zealand has travelled from Aussie so it’s already at a good temperature.
2) We need some nor’westers! The north’westerly flow is a very hot, dry wind flow for eastern New Zealand and gives us our best shot at hitting 40. As that air arrives along our west coast it needs to climb over the ranges – such as the Southern Alps, the Tararua Ranges and the Hawkes Bay ranges. As it rushes down the eastern side of those ranges the air starts to heat up (friction) and of course as it heats up it burns off any moisture (humidity). The drier it gets the more it heats up…so by the time it reaches those east coast towns and cities it’s bone dry and scorching hot.
3) The skies need to be clear. Thick high cloud can sometimes shave several degrees off the temperature so we need the skies to be pretty much blue.
The forecast for Sunday, especially the Canterbury region, favours all 3 ingredients but they need to all be perfectly in time – all meeting up during the peak of the heat which is mid afternoon
Sunday post
Life is fairly hectic, but it is the first Sunday after Waitangi day. At this time there aer various claims that the treaty has a foundational, almost religious position in New Zealand Society. This recent quote is a position held by many in the ruling elite, not just the greens.
“The Green Party is here to affirm that Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand. To build a truly healthy nation we need to give new life to the Treaty relationship. It’s time to start a dialogue for the 21st century between Mâori and Pakeha, that’s grounded in truly honoring Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” said Green Party Co-Leader, Dr Russel Norman.
“We were deeply concerned with the direction that the previous Government took on the Treaty of Waitangi, particularly on such issues as the Foreshore and Seabed Act that stripped Mâori of their rights. We hope the National Party will do a better job of honoring the Treaty partnership.
I’m aware that many Americans feel the same way about the US consitituion: I’d argue that this is very human. We want to think our tribe or nation has God’s blessing.
The Good Dortors were quite sarcastic about this. Augistine argues that the main use of the Gods was to give people an excuse to invade:
Here, first of all, I ask, why even the kingdom itself is not some god. For why should not it also be so, if Victory is a goddess? Or what need is there of Jove himself in this affair, if Victory favors and is propitious, and always goes to those whom she wishes to be victorious? With this goddess favorable and propitious, even if Jove was idle and did nothing, what nations could remain unsubdued, what kingdom would not yield? But perhaps it is displeasing to good men to fight with most wicked unrighteousness, and provoke with voluntary war neighbors who are peaceable and do no wrong, in order to enlarge a kingdom? If they feel thus, I entirely approve and praise them.
Yet God claims soverignty:
The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
Psalm 103:19
Augustine argued that the City of God is not attached to any earthly kingdom, and that our loyalty lies elsewhere. So what is our duty? The Westminstr confession states:
It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates,to honor their persons, to pay them tribute or other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience’ sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, does not make void the magistrates’ just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them] from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted,
This does not excuse the people when they are unfaithful. IN fact we are all unfaithful and unrigheous in Gd’s eyes. There is a point where acknowledging the consititution or treaty melds into a form of idolatory. Isiaih notes =
You journeyed to Molech with oil,
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your envoys far away,
and sent down even to Sheol.
You grew weary from your many wanderings,
but you did not say, “It is useless.”
You found your desire rekindled,
and so you did not weaken.
Whom did you dread and fear
so that you lied,
and did not remember me
or give me a thought?
Have I not kept silent and closed my eyes,
and so you do not fear me?
I will concede your righteousness and your works,
but they will not help you.
When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me shall possess the land
and inherit my holy mountain.
We are called to be salt and light. Let us do good, let us honour our laws. But we should not pretend they are the works of God. They are works of men. Our final loyalty must lie with the final answer, which is Chris.
Odd things.
Some peaple are ssaying the OLPC is a good ruggedized Kindle. Personally, I’m resurrecting my Palm, which does the same thing, and keeps my diary: unlike my smartphone, the palm has a useable screen and is expandable.
Not much Blogging. Life is getting busy and interesting, which is more important..