JoNova
A science presenter, writer, speaker & former TV host; author of The Skeptic's Handbook (over 200,000 copies distributed & available in 15 languages).
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Statistics
Why Funday and not Monday?
20
Here you go… have fun…
This should be my permanent designation.
https://rumble.com/v4mjplx-lamentations-of-a-white-man.html
I am a white man and I’m sorry… absolutely hilarious!
140
New laws come into effect today in SA. If you have an ICE vehicle and park in an EV charging park you can be charged. The radio commentator reading the government pres release thought it was an April Fools joke!
90
I’ll sell you a plug that mounts on a mudguard and takes a charging cable.. Even a ‘Hybrid’ sticker for an extra $5.. No-one would ever know!
70
Of course – It’s April Fools Day.
101
Some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. In the Julian Calendar, as in the Hindu calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1.
People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called “April fools.”
Note:
For those who switched at the time (from Julian to Gregorian), ten days were lost (on the transition). Julian October 4 was followed by Gregorian October 15 (which was Julian October 5) – see topic of the day on losing time
60
When it comes to the best April Fool’s pranks of all time, Great Britain is a world leader. Indeed, many believe a BBC TV hoax, broadcast over half a century ago still comes in at #1. In 1957 the news show Panorama reported that, thanks to a mild winter, Swiss farmers enjoyed a bumper spaghetti crop. To prove this, it broadcast a three-minute report of Swiss farmers carefully plucking, or “harvesting,” strands of spaghetti from trees. Legions of viewers were duped and many called the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their very own spaghetti tree. The BBC advised each caller: “Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best.”
See video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVo_wkxH9dU
50
And for today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dfWzp7rYR4
A BBC nature.
10
Flying to meet this one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_pigs_fly#/media/File:Sus_scrofa_avionica.png
10
The royal yacht (Britannia?) happened to be in Fremantle on April 1, so a local radio station put out a statement that it was open for public inspection. The port had a lot of problems in keeping the public away that day…
31
CO2 Lover mentions this:
Some time later, Australia made a similar April Fool’s Day ‘spoof’.
It was done some time in the late 60s, by HSV7 in Victoria. (there is a clue, where, late in the video, Dan Webb mentions that there will be no funding this year as the Government used to pay the spaghetti producers one cent per yard, so that dates the video post Feb141966, the date of the introduction of Decimal Currency)
Dan Webb was a long term News Reader with the channel, in fact from day one of TV in Victoria in 1956. He was the ‘Hendo’ of Victorian news, alongside the Legendary Sir Eric Pearce.
They all but totally copied the BBC version, only for this Australian one, they concentrated on the ‘worm’ that was killing the Spaghetti on their vines, that worm, the infamous Spag worm. (Troglodytes pasta)
The clip itself is from the deepest of almost lost archives and is very very grainy.
What made it all the more believable was the respect Dan Webb had as a ‘serious’ news broadcaster, and how he kept a straight face is remarkable.
This is indeed a lost gem of the early days of Oz TV.
Link to grainy video
Tony.
40
Good find Tony
30
Spaghetti prank, more recent versions:
https://youtu.be/q-ZtGoXkI58?si=L6JYeHc-F9Yl1JNI
https://youtu.be/xp7m8ykCK6c?si=MEzRh3pm9vRWqzxs
10
Dick Smith had a sense of humour. He once towed an “ice berg” into Syd Harb to alleviate the water shortage and when his advertising kept the journal Electronics Australia afloat he had a dehydrated electronic circuit printed. Just add water.
Speaking of technical journals, one had, in the Glossary, Endless Loop: See endless loop.
10
So, whilst I was labouring in Church this Easter Sunday morning (not a frequent occurrence) you Aussies were having a “fun” day and no doubt scoffing Easter eggs. Are they popular over there? I personally go off chocolate in hot weather.
70
You should try Vegemite flavoured chocolate. {This is no April Fool’s Day joke}
https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/eating-out/cadbury-announces-vegemite-flavoured-chocolate-20150507-ggwfde.html
10
Grandkids are trying
Hismile Toothpaste Wonka Chocolate 60g
Product ID: 2718425
$8.99
Tastes Minty
00
I prefer Promite.😁
20
Good article by Ben Pile about the UK’s decreasing ability to generate electricity
https://dailysceptic.org/2024/03/31/the-green-energy-mess-that-nobody-will-admit-to/
I think there are parallels with Oz. We have lots of energy in the UK by way of coal and fracking as well as some oil left but the govt insists on renewables. Still, solar does very well in our famously sunny climate-I think our politicians have convinced themselves solar can generate power even at night.
100
Of course solar panels can generate power at night. All you need is a diesel generator and a floodlamp.
70
According to Australia’s Prime Minister they can!
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=277676687177920
80
I didn’t think anyone could out-stupid Bowen, but Albo’s managed it. ToM
40
an incredible 156,000 people moved to Sydney in the last year. It appears that many young people ae having to flee the city looking for cheaper housing
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13239077/Young-Aussies-fleeing-Sydney-expensive.html
This is a scenario that seems to be happening in many western cities. Huge numbers of migrants push up house costs and rentals and younger people in particular have to move further out or even move from their region to another. Its impossible to build enough houses to meet the huge demand in the UK and I suspect the same is true in Oz.
110
Tony –
” Its impossible to build enough houses to meet the huge demand in the UK ”
I suggest that it IS possible to build enough houses in the UK.
Whether there is the WILL to do so, especially the Political Will, is another matter, I agree.
Supply and demand each needs to help to do so.
Reduce the demand – in 2022, there were – nett – 745,000 Legal Migrants into the UK.
There were, in addition, tens of thousands of illegal migrants to the UK.
Some political parties – incredibly – want those to stay, worsening the housing crisis!
If that were reduced to 74,500 – still half the size of Preston – the demand would ease considerably.
Another factor driving demand is divorce – not all of which should be avoided – but offering counselling may cut that a bit.
Supply – planning, and the ‘NIMBY’ [‘Not In My Back Yard’] mindset are the two big factors here, and, I suspect, pretty soon there will be a third, namely the lack of labour prepared to work outdoors, on building sites, and with the necessary skills [and desire?].
Is that shortage a reality, yet?
Planning comes down to Government Policy, which can be changed.
Interesting that the Tories – a few months before an election – have now discovered this. They have had closed ears and closed minds for a decade.
Not In My Back Yard-ism must be combatted – by highlighting the benefits of more houses near you, or on brown-field, or even greenfield land, in your area.
That is a governmental task, national and local.
But we can all be less immediately antipathetic to homes near us – unless they really are destroying the town, the village, the countryside.
This ought to have been obvious, but, in the UK, at least, hasn’t really been followed through.
The benefits need to be for the new occupier[s]; the old owner of the site[s]; and also, critically, those already in the area – better schools, doctors and healthcare, bus services, garbage collection, flood prevention, sports facilities, pubs – whatever, but clear advantages to those already living there.
And, of course, these MUST be delivered – and promptly, too.
Auto – with hope … fading.
70
five years ago it was said that 45% of new housing was now required for migrants . As you say there are other factors including families splitting and needing 2 homes instead of one. Air Bnb and other holiday rentals and second homes also effectively takes away from permanent homes for sale and to rent.
It seems that with the recent surge in migrants that 60% of new homes are now required for them but that seems artificial as home building could triple and that would only keep pace with the increase in people.
half the size of
Migration needs to be dramatically reduced, as You say if it was at the level of Preston it could be coped with but that assumes a 90% reduction in migrants and our govt seems to have no intention of letting up on the throttle.
80
“……better schools, doctors and healthcare, bus services, garbage collection, flood prevention, sports facilities, pubs – whatever, but clear advantages to those already living there.”
Sounds like fantasyland. In Oz development runs way ahead of infrastructure and services to support it. Sometimes things catch up, sometimes urban deserts result.
30
If the UK hadn’t opened its borders to invite the entire Third World over to that country to get “free stuff”, people who are uneducated, are unlikely to ever work, have absolutely no commitment to British or Western values and want to impose the laws and behaviours of a seventh century warlord, then I don’t think it would be so much of a problem.
210
reads one post shared hundreds of times on Facebook
The “Fact Checkers” claim that this is not the case becuase illegal migrants move onto more permanent accommodation after their hotel stay!
No wonder they keep coming!
130
Are you sure you’re talking about illegal immigrants and not politicians?
20
Many home builders have gone bust in Australia which adds to the problem.
They signed fixed price contracts and then got caught with the inflation of prices for building materials
90
How much do you need to earn to buy a house in Australia? New research shows salary needed for every capital city
The average Australian earns $98,218 a year
A borrower in a capital city would need an average of $164,400 a year
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13257011/Salary-buy-house-Australia-Sydney-Melbourne-Brisbane.html
60
So we’re back to the ’70s then. Nothing new. In 1976, Mrs Wife and I had to combine our salaries to get a mortgage on our first tiny house, which was next to a railway line and overlooked industrial units.
20
Tonyb
besides having brought a block of land in Fenchs Forest with my wife when we got engaged, after getting married and moving to Melbourne for work, thinking we might be stuck in Melbourne for a while, we bought a 37 Sq m 1 bedrm Unit in Sydney and negative geared in late 60s
In my in-box this morning a nice
Apartment
501/17 Lynch Street Hawthorn, VIC 3122
Sold for $520,000 on 26 Mar 2024 – Floorplan
2 Beds 2 Baths 1 Car
That is a excellent starter unit for a couple
30
I’m not trying to stir with this post but I wonder why more don’t do this.
I just searched on properties <$300,000 and this is the first to show:
https://www.homely.com.au/for-sale/townsville-city-qld-4810/real-estate/under-300000
You can see how many there are in that price range and most would be as good or better than us oldies' first house.
The living is cheaper, easier, I haven't owned a suit, a jacket or tie for decades. It is perfectly acceptable to go matches, hatches and dispatches in slacks and open neck shirt, discretion expected.
Have an open mind and the heat is liveable, it isn't the end of the world to be sweating. The "endless" summer can be tiresome, admittedly.
10
There’s no way many young couples today would live in what we bought as a first home. There were scratch marks on the living room walls where somebody had tried to swing a cat. The whole house shook when the intercity trains thundered by just twenty metres away, it had no back garden and the ‘view’ from our bedroom was a scenic panoply of factory units. Even though it was cheap, we had to combine our salaries to get the mortgage, with a 10% deposit that we had to work hard to save.
They don’t know they’re born, etc.
10
Google house prices in Norseman Western Australia!
00
Dont want to move away from population centres with jobs
Dont want to move away from family
Dont want to move to months of humidity
Dont want to move to a cyclone zone, crocodile zone etc
Dont want to move to areas with certain “community” problems
Dont want to move due to parochial QLD biases
These are a few that sprang readily to mind, I am guessing there are more for young southern families.
It depends on your mindset set. We have moved cities, and then countries, and then city to regional. We dont think its a big deal but many have a mental block about it. Many I think are already locked into their own version of a 15 minute city, with the current luxury of leaving when they can/want to .
20
All true, so cry me a river.
10
What sounds like a highly draconian new ” Online hate crime” law comes into force in Scotland on April 1st
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13257263/Scotland-hate-crime-police-JK-Rowling-free-speech.html
The linked article is a relatively short one compared to the long detailed critiques carried in the Heavyweight Sunday English newspapers today. The new law doesn’t apply to England and Wales.
Expect JK Rowling to be a target for attempts to silence her due to her views on transgender subjects.
90
How is this not tantamount to the conquest of the country?
The other UK territories to follow?
Seems we were mistaken about winning the ideological Cold War.
61
Guess the Scots never heard of Voltaire
https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/voltaire/
30
Some fun for Funday:
Monty Python – Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_-q9xeOgG4
Monty Python – I Like Chinese https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DqvweTYTI0
60
And, what have the Romans ever done for us?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc7HmhrgTuQ&pp=ygUld2hhdCBoYXZlIHRoZSByb21hbnMgZXZlciBkb25lIGZvciB1cw%3D%3D
50
C’mon now, it’s
EasterTrans visibility day, so the more appropriate MP clip is:https://youtu.be/6pInQYjtfGs?si=Zmq-ExFMPzJfcpkT
Another one for the list, now updated.
https://imgbox.com/Eud1yHAX
The final days of the US empire, just like those of the Roman ones.
At least there’s backlash from non degenerates:
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/war-christianity-biden-declares-easter-be-transgender-day-visibility
30
Another Candidate For The Greatest Scientific Fraud Of All Time?
https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2024-3-30-another-candidate-for-the-greatest-scientific-fraud-of-all-time
Article is about “LNT” or Linear No Threshold concept of harm/toxicity:
If you are never exposed to something, there’s still a quantifiable risk of harm.
The total risk at zero exposure is the sum of the LNT risks at zero for all components of a multi component exposure.
Lawyers and politicians love this charade. Rates right up there CAGW.
90
50
Do not overlook bathing in the sea – sea water contains 3 ppb of Uranium.
60
Most drug effects (and side effects/toxicity) are log-linearly related to dose. Same for elimination of drugs/chemicals (ethanol is a notable exception). This makes the linear no threshold model doubly stupid.
00
Video:
“Why Democracy Leads to Tyranny”.
https://youtu.be/qrl8YorTa1U
30
Austtalia takes 2 years to tunnel 280m (of 15km) in the useless Snowy Hydro 2 energy and money sink project but in 4 years in the Faroe Islands they built a useful Y shaped tunnel under the Atlantic Ocean 11.2km long, complete with the world’s only undersea roundabout.
https://youtu.be/EruSZNI4th4
If you don’t want to see the video you can see pictures at https://visitfaroeislands.com/en/see-do/culture-attractions0/world-first-under-sea-roundabout
90
Norway has the longest underwater road tunnel at around 27 kms, complete with more brightly lit stopping areas along its path. Was a weird sensation travelling through it for what seemed ages.
You can sense where it switches from downhill to uphill at about its midway point.
50
We drove through a long (kilometres) straight tunnel one day and it was quite disconcerting. From vibration and peripheral vision you were obviously moving, but the sight picture out the windscreen appeared to be an unchanging diminishing perspective to a pin point. Felt odd. I think it was the St Bernard tunnel between Italy and Switzerland.
20
The White House resident declared Easter Sunday March 31 “Transgender Day of Visibility”.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/03/30/a-proclamation-on-transgender-day-of-visibility/
I’d be willing to bet he (specifically Obama who tells him what to say) wouldn’t have dared chosen the Mohammedan celebration of Eid al-Fitr for this day which occurs about this time, this year it’s April 9.
And why is a “day of visibility” even needed? Transgenderism is pushed into our faces 24/7. You can’t escape it. How about instead a celebration of one of the most discriminated-against groups there is in the Western World, white, heterosexual, males?
150
That explains why Ben Hur/Hurs/She is always on the TV at Easter.
30
It is a slap in the face to Christians on our holiest day in the year. Somehow, it doesn’t surprise me.
40
For ICE car enthusiasts.
A bit of a fun video with a very entertaining commentary from the YouTube channel “Low-Buck Garage”.
What he got when he paid US$2 for a Jeep.
https://youtu.be/Q5NcMnRlkCs
20
https://substack.com/redirect/9f0572c3-61d9-477a-98b1-ef7f72557cf1?j=eyJ1IjoibDBtMmsifQ.w8mcx6JsROuBYhqt8_icTh0rbdBuYqr1-NHXzNK-4qg
A fun cartoon.
102
But very true.
I always try to dry my clothes that way (not to save the planet but to save the clothes).
I think drying clothes on a line makes them much fresher and results in much less wear and tear than a tumble dryer. Plus ironing is then often unnecessary as the clothes dry without creases.
Back in the day they had electric dryers that didn’t tumble clothes, they were like a cupboard (US=closet), I think they were better for clothes as well.
80
Ditto.
40
There really are tumble dryers installed in trucks and running on solar cells and lithium batteries.
https://outbacktravelaustralia.com.au/announcements/travelling-bush-laundry-fleet-announced/
Solution looking for a problem. I presume the truck itself is diesel and the energy spent lugging this equipment around the country would be immense.
51
In North America, many housing estates prohibit cloths lines!
10
Fortunately it was the criminal’s battery which went flat, not that of the police, who were presumably using an ICE vehicle.
90
Two electric car owners were seen today fighting over a charging port.
The police have said it was a charged environment and they will amp up patrols around area. A lot of witnesses were shocked and some saw someone socket to the other.
170
At least they’ve got a couple of leads to follow.
160
Provided they have not been stolen for their copper!
101
Sounds like the sparks were flying ! …..
….obviously the police did not get much resistance, or they would have to switch tactics and put them into cells and discharge them the next day !
90
I saw a mud covered Tesla recharging the other day.
“That’s revolting” I said.😁
50
Surprised they arced up over charging.
40
I just caught the end of a news clip where commissar Bowen was spruiking EV charging points in places like Tennant Creek and Katherine, I’m assuming also Alice Springs.
Given the distance between charging points I’m not sure I’d want to spend hours in any of these places especially after dark .
00
I wonder how many EV owners understand hoe really really important their trip planning is in these areas , or if they have the fuzzy luvvy perspective of a Sydney/Canberra/Melbourne academic.
00
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/latest-fleet-news/electric-fleet-news/2022/07/06/electric-police-cars-running-out-of-charge-responding-to-emergencies
40
A further indicator of the quality of people that pursue the profession once known as journalism
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/criminal-white-house-press-corps-has-been-looting-air-force-one
60
Woke up early and now enjoying my first coffee of the day. The doomsayers will probably say that’s bad for the environment and warming the planet.
40
Well you did raise the subject
https://theconversation.com/heres-how-your-cup-of-coffee-contributes-to-climate-change-196648
20
I laughed in the face of the salesman when I went to replace our deceased automatic coffee machine recently – “You want HOW much?” In a huffy fit of the irrits, I drove home and retrieved our old moka pot from the cupboard, which we normally only use on holidays. Well, after a few weeks using the moka and enjoying it, I bought a larger one. Still happy.
Would you believe that you can make a good flat white using espresso shots stored in the fridge overnight?
10
The Sunbeam expresso machine I bought in 2007 still works fine with the replacement of the silicone seal for the grounds holder. Though it is just as well I bought one for son (who decided he wouldn’t use it) as the waste tray has corroded due to leaving the excess coffee in it excessively. Maybe I will see if it can be salvaged with the waterproofing used behind shower tiles. Meanwhile we are “down” to one waste tray.
Oh yes about $150 back then
00
I replaced various parts on our last (approx five yrs old) DeLonghi machine but it just developed new faults, so I was throwing good money after bad. Our previous Saeco lasted twelve yrs or so.
00
FWIW –
“Bill Maher Exposes How Dumb the Medical Elite Was About COVID”
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2024/03/31/bill-maher-mercilessly-drags-the-media-for-being-dead-wrong-about-covid-n2637182
Suggestions welcomed on how long before “Their ABC” broadcasts the sentiments?
40
FWIW – more covid
“Peter Sweden: IT HAS BEGUN: Italy Investigating Covid Vaccine Death”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/03/peter-sweden-it-has-begun-italy-investigating-covid/
And
“SAY YOU ARE SORRY: Tucker Carlson Demands Doctors Apologize For Recommending Dodgy COVID Jab”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/03/say-you-are-sorry-tucker-carlson-demands-doctors/
30
FWIW
“Have We Reached Peak ESG? Corporate America Fools Around And Finds Out”
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/have-we-reached-peak-esg-corporate-america-fools-around-and-finds-out
20
FWIW – US House
“No Federal CO2 Tax! (H. CON. RES. 86)”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/03/31/no-federal-co2-tax-h-con-res-86/
30
MV Dali and the Francis Scott Key Bridge – Update & Who Pays for the Salvage?
20
In March 2022 another giant container ship the 127,000 DWT Ever Forward went off course and ran aground on its way out of the same port.
20
This must be an April Fool’s Day prank – 52% still support the useless Albanese Woke Government (aka Clown Show).
Disaster looms for Anthony Albanese as younger voters abandon the Labor Party while support in key states nosedives
Coalition gaining support according to new polls
Men and younger voters have swung agains Labor
The results from Newspoll show that Labor is leading 52-48 in two-party-preferred terms
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13257111/Newspoll-labor-Anthony-Albanese-WA-NSW.html
30
And lo, the sheep did trust the farmer who fed and watered them, not knowing the fate that awaited them down the line…
Keep voting for incompetent lying clowns and you get the same results as last time.
A totally new system, as covered before, is the ONLY way to end the political gravy train disaster zone.
40
Mainstream taking another hit at Russia by saying they are the reason Biden is losing- An interesting little phrase pops up..
“Hungary’s strongman leader Viktor Orban has made blocking irregular immigration a signature issue for his party” Uh-huh, no longer ‘illegal’, just ‘irregular’ immigration.
and also in the SMH, for completely unknown reasons Aussies are sicker this year than before-
“Australians are being struck down with respiratory infections at an unseasonably high rate, with above-average cases of flu and RSV, as well as the nation’s first surge in whooping cough since the COVID-19 lockdowns… [Australians] are also more at risk of disease because we lost natural immunity in 2020 and 2021 when we had no flu. ”
The medics are horrified that people are not queuing up for vaccines, I’m sure they’ll blame us for the spread of ‘vaccine hesitancy’, and for the early onset of flu, I expect Global Warming will be blamed!
Meanwhile my massage lady & I were discussing a mutual friend I work for occasionally, I hadn’t heard from her because she’d just been diagnosed with a turbo cancer. I related a friend of mine who had cleared prostate cancer years ago has just had it come back all through his pelvis, and she said there were three people she knew diagnosed with cancer in the last two weeks. Nothing to worry about of course, all perfectly normal according to the medics and politicians.
70
Thank you HCF – Premium increase less than 1%
Health insurance premiums rise by 3 per cent in largest hike in five years
The millions of Australians paying for one essential service have been dealt a fresh blow, with the largest price hike in five years kicking in today.
Australians will wake up on Monday paying more for their private health insurance cover – and it’s not an April Fool’s joke.
More than 15 million will have their premiums rise by more than 3 per cent in the biggest increase in five years.
Customers at the nation’s largest private health fund, Medibank Private, will be paying 3.3 per cent more, while Bupa’s prices will jump by 3.6 per cent.
Policy holders with HSF will experience a 4 per cent hike and NIB’s premiums will rise by 4.1 per cent.
Tasmania-based Health Care Insurance has won the trophy for having the smallest increase in their average premium, up just 0.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, CBHS Corporate Health members will be stung with a 5.8 per cent rise.
10
Hacking a GOODWE smart meter
https://youtu.be/gamAahu-jZQ?si=A7rGJZGiDrdDMwzH
Batman, na na na na na….
https://youtu.be/EtoMN_xi-AM?si=g0mMO5HZib_UW_nL
Brilliant!!!
20
Now that it is past midday here in Victoria and it is still Easter Week, I feel able to make a comment on the meaning of Easter (for me at least). I have been involved in Easter celebrations for 35 years since ordination and I have had plenty of opportunity to think about what it is all about. It is, for me, about loving sacrifice in the face of evil (Good Friday); and about Resurrection – whatever that means. On Saturday morning I thought I was more or less ready for Easter, at least as far as the sermon was concerned. Then I read Greg Sheradin’s article in the Australian:
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/early-christians-weird-radical-loving-and-a-model-for-today/news-story/18a2d2c73371775fc5e52e4fbe228838
In the article: ‘Early Christians, weird, radical, loving and a model for today’, Sheridan begins : “Easter is the triumph of the impossible and the unimaginable, the laughable story of the victory over death of the God/man Jesus 2000 years ago, which is the pivot of human history. It was a physical event and a metaphysical revolution. It upended the human condition and all of human history.”
Then later in the article he gives a summary of the situation facing early Christians:
“Nijay Gutpa in ‘Strange Religion’ recounts: “One of the accusations against Jews and Christians was that they were atheoi, godless” because they didn’t worship statues of Roman gods. Christians were subversive because they followed an executed criminal. Their sexual ethics were regarded as bizarre, then as now. Calling each other brother and sister suggested incest. They talked of eating the flesh of their God, incomprehensible to non-Christians, then as now. And while they didn’t look for trouble, there were things they wouldn’t compromise on, which made them stubbornly disobedient and difficult.
Also, they showed an unbecoming concern for the poor and for slaves. But when plagues came, they didn’t run away, but stayed and helped, helped their fellow believers but then helped anyone they could. Lots of them died as a result, but lots of them lived as a result as well. With all their daughters, their families were naturally happier than pagan families.
Also, unlike virtually all other religious groups, they didn’t belong to one tribe or territory. Their universalism was shocking to a civilisation which, then as now, regarded ethnic and racial identity as a central feature of the human condition.”
So what does all this have to do with resurrection? (What follows is very much influenced by the writing of Harry Williams in, ‘True Resurrection’
In the Western Church, Resurrection is seen as belonging to the past or to the future. Our connection with it is therefore only theoretical. The past view becomes a matter of theory or doctrine. The future, more so than the past, is a matter of theory. Resurrection is therefore robbed of its impact on the present. Thus, for most of us, for most of the time, it means little or nothing even. It is very important that we beware of beliefs not anchored in present experience. Since reality comes in illusion, at least initially, my experience of Christ raised from the dead will also contain projections from my own subconsciousness – gods in my own image.
What, then, is Resurrection? How are we to identify it; to know of its occurrence; to know that it is coming? Resurrection is found in the ordinary round of our daily lives; as we are. It comes quietly and unobtrusively – we might not even be aware of its creative power. Only later might we realise that in some way or other we have been raised to newness of life’, Like the early Christians, we exist to be agents of creative goodness (made in God’s image). When we create goodness, we are both ourselves raised from the dead and also the agents to others of resurrection. Genuine goodness always brings life. This call to create goodness is more urgent than ever in today’s society where fear, distorted ideology, manipulative control and the distortion of truth and the misunderstanding of genuine love abound. We are called to show goodness: in genuine love, truth, and wholesome family life, not to mention the need for justice as exposed in the judgement of the crucifixion. HAPPY EASTER
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Now that it is past midday in Victoria and still Easter Week, it seemed a good time to reflect on the meaning of Easter. I have been doing this for 35 years since ordination and as the years have gone by I think and hope, that my understanding has matured. I thought I was ready for Easter on Saturday morning until I read Greg Sheradin’s article in the Australian. For me, Easter is about the confrontation of evil as shown in the Crucifixion and about the ultimate defeat of evil in the Resurrection.
I started my sermon with reference to Sheradin’s article entitled: ‘Early Christians, weird, radical, loving and a model for today’
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/early-christians-weird-radical-loving-and-a-model-for-today/news-story/18a2d2c73371775fc5e52e4fbe228838
He starts: “Easter is the triumph of the impossible and the unimaginable, the laughable story of the victory over death of the God/man Jesus 2000 years ago, which is the pivot of human history. It was a physical event and a metaphysical revolution. It upended the human condition and all of human history.”
He quotes this summary of the situation facing the early Christians: “Nijay Gutpa in ‘Strange Religion’ recounts: “One of the accusations against Jews and Christians was that they were atheoi, godless” because they didn’t worship statues of Roman gods. Christians were subversive because they followed an executed criminal. Their sexual ethics were regarded as bizarre, then as now. Calling each other brother and sister suggested incest. They talked of eating the flesh of their God, incomprehensible to non-Christians, then as now. And while they didn’t look for trouble, there were things they wouldn’t compromise on, which made them stubbornly disobedient and difficult.
Also, they showed an unbecoming concern for the poor and for slaves. But when plagues came, they didn’t run away, but stayed and helped, helped their fellow believers but then helped anyone they could. Lots of them died as a result, but lots of them lived as a result as well. With all their daughters, their families were naturally happier than pagan families.
Also, unlike virtually all other religious groups, they didn’t belong to one tribe or territory. Their universalism was shocking to a civilisation which, then as now, regarded ethnic and racial identity as a central feature of the human condition.” There is much, much more in the article relating to the way in which, for example, Christians are treated in China.
So, what of Resurrection? (Harry Williams in, ‘True Resurrection’ is very helpful in this respect).
In the Western Church, Resurrection is seen as belonging to the past or to the future. Our connection with it is therefore only theoretical. The past view becomes a matter of theory or doctrine. The future, more so than the past, is a matter of theory. Resurrection is therefore robbed of its impact on the present. Thus, for most of us, for most of the time, it means little or nothing even. It is very important that we beware of beliefs not anchored in present experience. Since reality comes in illusion, at least initially, my experience of Christ raised from the dead will also contain projections from my own subconsciousness – gods in my own image. What, then, is Resurrection? How are we to identify it; to know of its occurrence; to know that it is coming? Resurrection is found in the ordinary round of our daily lives; as we are. It comes quietly and unobtrusively – we might not even be aware of its creative power. Only later might we realise that in some way or other we have been raised to newness of life’, Like the early Christians, we exist to be agents of creative goodness (made in God’s image). When we create goodness, we are both ourselves raised from the dead and also the agents to others of resurrection. Genuine goodness always brings life. This call to create goodness is more urgent than ever in today’s society where fear, distorted ideology, manipulative control and the distortion of truth and the misunderstanding of genuine love abound. We are called to show goodness: in genuine love, truth, and wholesome family life, not to mention the need for justice as exposed in the judgement of the crucifixion. HAPPY EASTER
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Heart failure in US Navy pilots up 973%. No idea why of course.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1798762783932886
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I think you might mean Sheridan?
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CBC News Canada sent a 14 year old girl undercover into a gender clinic with shocking results
CBC News Canada sent a 14 year old girl undercover into a gender clinic saying she saw a Trans Influencer on YouTube she relates to
– Within 5 minutes the clinician has asked her if she wants a mastectomy
– Within 7 minutes I think there’s talk of a hysterectomy because internal organs can trigger dysphoria
– Within nine minutes, she’s got a prescription for testosterone
https://twitter.com/WallStreetApes/status/1774049835743908268
Full report, but in French:
https://youtu.be/QXNOsxpP2ow?si=UWwE7SM_QMHBD-HG
Meanwhile, the decent people of this world are sick of it:
New Survey Shows Voters Are Against Transgender Surgery for Minors, Regardless of Political Party
A nationwide survey conducted by The Trafalgar Group and the Convention of States Action suggests that both Republicans and Democrats alike are predominantly opposed to underage minors undergoing sex changes and using puberty blockers.
78.7% of all respondents in this survey agreed that “underage minors should be required to wait until they are adults to use puberty blockers and undergo permanent sex change procedures.”
The survey revealed that 53.2% of Democrats think children should wait until they’re adults to use puberty blockers or undergo permanent sex change procedures.
https://100percentfedup.com/new-survey-shows-voters-are-against-transgender-surgery-for-minors-regardless-of-political-party/
Just say NO to child abuse and medical malfeasance.
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FWIW
“‘Property poetry’? Real estate ads and literature have more in common than you might think”
https://theconversation.com/property-poetry-real-estate-ads-and-literature-have-more-in-common-than-you-might-think-214835
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Looking at WXMaps new temperature colours –
http://wxmaps.org/outlooks.php
Going black at 30 degrees means we are starting to char?
Gone light grey by 38 degrees we are ashed?”
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BoM synoptic charts to be hand drawn to differentiate from AI.
https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/meteorologists-to-combat-ai-with-handdrawn-weather-charts/1885269
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So you know your status –
“These Are The Top 20 Countries Where Older People Are The Happiest”
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/these-are-top-20-countries-where-older-people-are-happiest
Oz is 9th ATM but “ElBowen” are working on that
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The Development of EVs Sparks a New Battlefield Between China and the U.S.
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Putin just dropped a massive red line warning against NATO, and he’s not bluffing
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EV Fires – They’re Taking It Seriously!
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Erich von Daniken: The Ancient East Holds The Key To Many Strange Mysteries
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