felix hominum

Discoveries of true genius are often accidental

The Jeep Patriot has a built in removable flashlight in the rear cargo light.

You can access it by banging your head on the cargo light fixture.

Or by just using the little button marked "push".

I've used both methods today.

what a sheet music should look like after an hour of practice

Autumn Leaves, the "annotated" version...

Buying a Jeep in Edmonton: part 1

Well, it's that time again.  Several years ago we chronicled the adventure of buying a minivan, and now the time has come again.  So for the next little while, as a bit of a diversion, I'll fill you in on the automotive shopping experience.  I mean, after all, who doesn't love shopping for a vehicle?  Images of high pressure sales and slick ads come to mind?  Well, have no fear.  I will do your dirty work for you! 

So what exactly will I be looking for?  Well, I'm planning to get one of these.

Your first stop is of course the net.  After that, it's contacting the dealers to see what they can do.  Over the weekend I'll be visiting 2 of them:  Capital Jeep and Sherwood Park Dodge/Jeep.  These two (out of several dealers I contacted online) were the quickest to respond.  One dealer seems to have lost my email and forgot what I was looking to buy.  So I kinda crossed them of the list for now.  Tomorrow it's off to Capital and then Sunday to the Sherwood Park dealership.

The latter has a rather interesting take on marketing.  You can go online and read the owner's blog, which has a few interesting articles.  I especially like the title of one of his posts:  "Edmonton Dodge Jeep Chrysler Dealer To Sell Inventory Above Cost!!".  He takes a bit of a poke at over-hyped advertising in the car business.

I'll give you the update after visiting these two places.

"Support Gun Control: use both hands"

As seen on a T shirt while getting boat fuel in southern British Columbia last week.

I'm just sayin'.

Ignatius the Ultimate Youth Pastor

via Donald

; sometimes satire is just too funny...

your prayers have been answered...

It seems I woke up this morning and by the time we got to morning prayer at the church I had no voice. 

Something is going around, and I have it big time.  Ugghh.  Can hardly whisper, however, I have had the benefit of advice from several parishioners who suggested some home remedies.  Personally, I like the Caribbean one that involves warm dark rum with sugar...

Two sexes 'sin in different ways'

Women are prouder than men, but men are more lustful, according to a Vatican report which states that the two sexes sin differently.

A Catholic survey found that the most common sin for women was pride, while for men, the urge for food was only surpassed by the urge for sex.  The report was based on a study of confessions carried out by Fr Roberto Busa, a 95-year-old Jesuit scholar.

from the BBC

Now I don't want to make too much of this, but it strikes me that there are interesting ways to interpret this.  Lust=makes an object of the other;  Pride=makes an object of the self;  Gluttony grabs it all to oneself, while Envy looks on at what Gluttony has grabbed;  Sloth feels no passion, while Anger feels excessive passion.

Of course, maybe men would have less problems with lust, you know, be a little more 'fulfilled' in their relationships, if they simply stopped being fat and lazy...

I'm just sayin'.

Thinking of buying Valentine roses?

"Make sure they're not stained in blood"

Also, if you need 'advice', you can always try Christian Nymphos.

"I was going to tell you not to let your armpits smell,
and to see that your legs were not rough with bristles." 
Ovid, Ars Amatoria III, (Art of Love)

The democratic response to the atheist bus campaign

The agnostibus campaign has accomplished its purpose.  You can make your own bus sign here

This seems to be generating a burst of creativity all over the religious blogosphere.  I'll keep an eye on the top slogans out there, and maybe work on a few of my own.  I'll try to keep you posted.

UK inspectors assail the doner kebab

Doner kebabs sold in the UK contain "shocking" levels of salt, fat and calories, a survey has concluded.  Officers from 76 councils sampled 494 kebabs to test their nutritional value, during the Local Authority Coordinators of Regulatory Services (Lacors) study.

The worst doners inspectors came across contained 1,990 calories before salad and sauces - over 95% of a woman's recommended daily calories, 346% of a woman's saturated fat intake and 277% of an adult's daily salt intake.

Researchers uncovered significant regional variations, with the average kebab in the north-west of England containing 1,101 calories, compared with 1,084 in Scotland, 1,055 in Wales and 1,066 in England's south-east.

Research by the UK's Food Standards Agency in 2006 found that 18.5% of doner takeaways posed a "significant" threat to public health, and 0.8% posed an "imminent" threat.

Story from the BBC

Look, I think I found the doner kebab which poses an imminent threat to public safety:

doner kebabs carved and served with a sword, 24 hours a day
southwest Turkey

photo: Joe Walker 2008

Geez magazine - the Daringly Awkward Sermon Contest

Winnipeg, Canada –– Geez magazine is bringing the stodgy old pulpit back from the brink of cultural oblivion with a sermon contest of holy mischief.

The dark, wooden bulwark of yesteryear has little currency today, but what if the pulpit was torn from its moorings and planted closer to the action? What if it was available to anyone who wished the voices of spiritual authority would say less about other-worldly glory and more about the spiritual side of the big issues of our times?

Building on last year’s “30 Sermons You’d Never Hear in Church” contest,” Geez magazine’s 2009 Daringly Awkward Sermon Contest is ushering in a new and – make no mistake – decidedly different era of proclamation.

“The world needs bold voices of spiritual depth,” says Geez publisher Aiden Enns. “But maybe the message can have an element of holy mischief, a smirk instead of a furrowed brow, and, at the same time, more connection to the pressing issues of the day.”

The Daringly Awkward Sermon Contest invites entries that explore the aspects of social change that make us squirm, things like privilege, right-wing relatives, the drunk stranger in the back pew, guilt feelings, or litter in the poor part of town. Constructing a more fair and compassionate world involves awkward people, pauses and topics, and we want to find the wisdom in the awkwardness.

The Geez pulpit is set up and waiting for activists, anarchists, atheists and good old-fashioned Christians to step up and confront or comfort, pontificate or confess, urge or encourage.

The top three sermons will receive $400 each. The winners, plus a selection of other entries, will be published in the Spring 2009 issue of Geez. Deadline for entries is February 28, 2009. Word limit is 800.

Submissions can be sent to contest[at]geezmagazine.org or Geez Contest, 400 Edmonton Street, Winnipeg MB R3B 2M2, Canada. See entry forms at geezmagazine.org

Geez is a quarterly magazine of spirit and social action. It is aimed at over-churched, out-churched and perhaps even unchurchable souls on the North American fringes of faith. In its three years of existence it has been nominated for three Utne Independent Press Awards and won Magazine of the Year at both Canada’s Western Magazine Awards and the Canadian Church Press Awards.

I have a few ideas for submissions in the works.  Any suggestions?

it had to happen: the carbon cost of Googling

Two search requests on the internet website Google produce as much carbon dioxide as boiling a kettle, according to a Harvard University academic. US physicist Alex Wissner-Gross has conducted research into the environmental impact of "googling".

read the whole story (don't Google it) from the BBC

Carleton University students: Cystic Fibrosis is white man's disease...

The Shinerama tradition of shining shoes, singing a song and chanting on the corner of Sunnyside and Bank for spare change has ended.

Carleton University Students’ Association’s (CUSA) orientation will no longer raise funds for cystic fibrosis, after a vote 17 to 2 at the Nov. 24 CUSA council meeting.

The proposal to abandon Shinerama was put forward after it was “recently revealed to only affect white people, and primarily men,” according to the motion.

“We have a diverse community,” CUSA vice-president (finance) Kweku Winful said. “We need something that is more representative of the greater student [body] than just one small group . . . we need to appeal to a larger demographic.”

From the Carleton student paper

Jonathan Kay (Nat'l post story here) points out that had the students even bothered to look in wikipedia, they would have found:

“Approximately 1 in 25 people of European descent … is a carrier of a cystic fibrosis mutation. Although CF is less common in these groups, approximately 1 in 46 Hispanics, 1 in 65 Africans and 1 in 90 Asians carry at least one abnormal CFTR gene. Cystic fibrosis is diagnosed in males and females equally.

The motion was introduced by the science rep on council...

One can only wonder.  I mean, will we learn next that CUSA has rejected all fundraising for breast cancer, since it well affects primarily women.  And Alzheimer's, since it affects primarily old people, or anything to do with pediatric leukemia, or sickle cell anemia.  I think it great for the students to consider other causes for fundraising, but the reasons given for discontinuing this project are simply ludicrous.

macleans is saying that they will now "revisit" the decision.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I have a vision of George Grant delivering a lecture at the University of King's College many years ago: "The university is dying".

Monks brawl at Jerusalem shrine

Israeli police have had to restore order at one of Christianity's holiest sites after a mass brawl broke out between monks in Jerusalem's Old City.  Fighting erupted between Greek Orthodox and Armenian monks at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Christ's crucifixion.

Two monks from each side were detained as dozens of worshippers traded kicks and punches at the shrine, said police.  Trouble flared as Armenians prepared to mark the annual Feast of the Cross.

Shocked pilgrims looked on as decorations and tapestries were toppled during Sunday's clash.  Dressed in the vestments of the Greek Orthodox and Armenian denominations, rival monks threw punches and anything they could lay their hands on.  The Greeks blamed the Armenians for not recognising their rights inside the holy site, while the Armenians said the Greeks had violated one of their traditional ceremonies.

Full story at the BBC, complete with edifying video footage.

In time for Christmas - a CD of Freethought Atheist Songs

Wondering what to get those relatives who show up for Christmas Solstice dinner, and like all the bright lights, but don't go for the Jesus-in-the-manger religion stuff?  No need to worry, you can pick up a great CD of Freethought/Atheist tunes:

In 2004, the Freedom From Religion Foundation produced "Beware of Dogma," a musical CD with 16 freethought songs. In 2001, the Foundation produced "Friendly Neighborhood Atheist," a 2-CD musical album with 34 of Dan's freethought songs covering the years 1985-2000. Dan has also produced three musical cassettes for the Foundation, including "My Thoughts Are Free," (with feminist songwriter Kristin Lems), "Reason's Greetings: All Year 'Round," and "Dan Barker Salutes: Freethought Then & Now." (See descriptions.)

Dan's freethought songs include:

The Battle of Church & State (traditional) [free download]
We, The People (mambo)
Friendly, Neighborhood Atheist (2-step)
Just Say NO To Religion (rock)
Nothing Fails Like Prayer (cha-cha)
Beware of Dogma (tango)
Salt Lake City Blues (with Steve Benson) [free download]
God-Less America (with Steve Benson, music Irving Berlin)
Sunday Morning Blues
The Freethinker Blues
Why BSA? (disco, with Steve Benson)
None of the Above (country)
My Father's House (rock)
Lucifer's Lament ("hip-hop")
Freedom From Religion (rock ballad)
You Can't Win With Original Sin (blues)
Blood Brothers (ballad)
I Don't Need Jesus (gospel)
No Hurry To Die (latin)
Life Is Good! (gospel)
Higher Mind (ballad)
Promise of Dawn (ballad, with Juanice Charmaine)
"The World Is My Country" (waltz, based on Thomas Paine)
"No Gods, No Masters" (folk, about Margaret Sanger)
Love (ballad, words by Robert G. Ingersoll)
God's Grandeur (show, words by Philip Appleman)
Summers of Love (jazz ballad, words by Philip Appleman)
The Time To Be Happy Is Now (waltz, based on Robert G. Ingersoll)
The Trinity (showtune, words by Robert G. Ingersoll)
The World's Need (waltz, poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox)
Solstice Tribute (new lyrics to "Little Town of Bethlehem")
Benediction ("hymn," poem by Sherry Matulis)
Adrift on a Star (lyrics by Yip Harburg)
Somewhere Over the Paper Moon (lyrics by Yip Harburg)
In a Dark Time (lyrics by Philip Appleman)

Dan composed and produced "The Stay-Away Pope Polka," a protest song played by radio stations and sung by protest groups across the country when the pope visited America in 1987 and 1993. His 2007 song "It's Only Natural" (dedicated to Richard Dawkins, who calls for more integration of science and art) won a spot on the Madison-Made Project for the Homeless compilation CD.

From here, which I stumbled upon while looking for something regarding the U of Alberta student atheists wanting to remove religious references in Convocation.  Which probably also means they would want to rewrite the university motto

Anyway, I digress from my original intention.

"Democratic bloggers claim Palin faked pregnancy", or, why I don't blog on things like American elections

Democratic bloggers claim Palin faked pregnancy

Democrats can't understand how a middle-aged woman can have both a career and a family, especially one that includes a baby with Down Syndrome.

...
Hornrimsylvia, who blogs on the Progressive Democratic site "Daily Kos", believes the video shows that Palin's pregnancy was faked. "I have never seen a woman with an eight-month pregnancy be able to cross her legs and vigorously sit forward like that. Their backs are usually curved so far back that they need a pillow for lumbar support." [note to self: I'm not touching that one with a barge-pole, especially since I happen to be married to a person who has, in fact, been 8 months pregnant.  Not just 8 months pregnant once, but four times]

The whole article is at Spero News, see what you think.

Ah, those crazy interwebs, combined with those crazy American politics...

"King of Kings" title given to Gaddafi

A meeting of more than 200 African kings and traditional rulers has bestowed the title "king of kings" on Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

story at the BBC

I don't have the heart to tell him that the title is already taken...

BTW, you can also visit Gaddafi's MySpace page...

"God made me this way" - smokers

Nicotine Gene Linked to Addiction

American researchers studied data from 435 volunteers to probe the link between forms of a nicotine-receptor gene called CHRNA5, how people recalled their first smoking experience, and how they smoke now.

They compared three groups: those who never smoked; those who never got hooked after trying at least one cigarette but not more than 100; and regular smokers who lit up at least five cigarettes a day for at least five years.

Regular smokers were far more likely to have the less common form of the gene compared with those who never smoked, the researchers said.

"It appears that for people who have a certain genetic makeup, the initial physical reaction to smoking can play a significant role in determining what happens next," said Ovide Pomerleau, the study's senior author and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School.

story at the CBC

I'm going to get me a pouch of something at Burlington's

marching against poverty, followed by lunch

Some people are into marches, some are not.  The bishops at Lambeth recently held a march through London.

The march was a bit disappointing. We had hundreds of bishops, but few spectators, even though we went through the heart of London. There were a few who clapped for us, but most looked at us with blank stares--who are these guys in purple dresses? Or with anger for holding up traffic.

- Bishop Kirk Smith (Lambethdaily)

A reporter from the Anglican Journal covered the event as well:

As the sea of purple cassocks passed through Westminster Abbey, the Anglican Journal asked onlookers if they knew what the march was about or if they knew what MDG meant. Most said, “I’ve got no idea, really.”

By the way, after the march, the bishops enjoyed some light refreshment.  Ruth Gledhill of the Times gives us the menu for the lunch after the march against world poverty:

The menu was cold lemon and thyme scented breast of chicken with fresh asparagus and porcini mushroom relish, summer bean and coriander, tomato, basil and mozzarella served with hot minted new potatoes. Pudding was dark chocolate and raspberry tart with raspberry ripple ice cream, topped off with coffee and white chocolate raspberries. To wash it down they drank Pino Grigio or Chiraz or cranberry and elderflower fruit punch. The cream marquee was decorated with a dozen chandeliers down the middle.

I'm just sayin'...

By the way, I read in one of the Brit papers that the Conference is a few million pounds in the hole.

The unoffical GAFCON site...

Some of you may know that there is an unofficial Lambeth blog on the go, run for the most part by the inscrutable Mike Daley.  Just to round things off, I thought I would also let you know of the unoffical GAFCON blog, hosted by The Rev. DR. Christian Troll, Doctrinal Warrior.

I'm just sayin'...

Prayer Book Society launches new initiative

Special to the Anglican Journal
[Toronto]

The member of the Prayer Book Society met early yesterday evening at the Empire Club in downtown Toronto, to discuss with himself the dwindling interest in the use of the BCP in Anglican Churches across the country.  After two sherries and a glance at the test match cricket results, the member decided to write a strongly worded letter to the Primate.

Dr. Poncet, a professor of medieval architecture at Waterloo University, told the Anglican Journal that "the cure for the ills of the Anglican Church of Canada is to ensure that the extra 'e' is added to all appropriate words, thus ensuring a continuous fellowship with the mind and intent of the Reformers." 

"We knowe", said Poncet, "that in all thinges whiche have taken place in oure beloved Churche over the past yeares, it has only beene the faithe of the Prayer Booke which has kepte us from beinge wholly swallowed by the Leviathane of what some have called 'Moderne' theologie. It is highe tyme for us to turn back the digital chronometer, clocke, hourglasse, sundial, and returne to the faithe of our Fatheres."

It is not known at this time what the Primate's response will be.

General Synod resolution A226 (“fresh new expressions”) gets underway

One of the motions at the last General Synod which almost flew under the radar was a call to have a thorough revision of liturgical texts for use in the Anglican Church of Canada.  Prayer Book traditionalists were concerned that the motion would eliminate the BCP from common use, and replace it with a mishmash of “modern” or “Post modern” liturgies.  In the end, the amended resolution which passed called for Faith Worship and Ministry to come up “fresh new expressions” for use in the Anglican Church of Canada.  Resolution A226 was amended, so that only “contemporary language rites” would be subject to the proposed revisions.  While I applaud the possibility of “fresh new expressions”, I find that, like the case of the rites for the catechumenate, the early drafts of such liturgies (pdf) leave a lot to be desired. 

I think that the Anglican Church can certainly benefit from a critical self examination in the area of liturgy, particularly when it comes to such liturgies as a means of sharing the Gospel with a largely "post Christian" culture. However, I think there could is room for improvement:

“Journeying Beyond:  A Pilgrimage of Exodus after Confirmation”

Rationale for the Rite:

It is well known in Anglican circles that Confirmation, while a significant milestone in forming a life of discipleship, is too often seen as an exit time for many young people from the community of the Church.  Recognizing this to be the case, the Faith Worship and Ministry Committee, following the guidelines of A226 (GS 2007), has developed the following experimental liturgy:  “Journeying Beyond:  A Pilgrimage of Exodus after Confirmation”.  The proposed liturgy would be used with those young people who have undergone Confirmation, but have decided (either at the time of Confirmation or shortly thereafter) to formally disassociate themselves from the Anglican Church of Canada.  It seeks to honour their personal seeking in an authentic way, while at the same time giving shape to a form of return.  In so doing, the spirit of autonomy inherent in a national church is fostered and nurtured in one of its most important constituent member groups: its youth.

Background and History:

While the theme of Exodus has firm Scriptural roots in terms of an overall progression to the Promised Land (though not in a terms of a permanent contemporary political entity), it is also recognized that this Exodus was a time of “wandering”.  Indeed, the concept of wandering is an integral part of a mature faith, for without this constant wandering, we cannot follow, even in a geographic sense, the itinerant nature of Jesus’ own wanderings as articulated in the Synoptic Gospels.  Recognizing that, in many cases, late adolescence is a natural time for such wanderings, we seek to encourage young people in their journey away from the Church, trusting that they will return when their own children need baptism, and thus setting in motion the continuous circle of the journey of faith, where both parents and newly baptized can then wander away again, to return at times of infinite transition (eg "funeral").

The Shape of the Rite:

Gathering of the Community:

The Presider should enter from a side door, rather than process via the center aisle.  The newly confirmed should enter from whichever direction they choose.  A large, broken compass may be placed on the altar.

One: "Not all who wander are lost."
All:  "And also with you."

One:  "The universe expands in all directions."
All:    "As does our faith.  There are no boundaries, only frontiers!"

One:  "N., you have been brought to this place through the workings of Mystery.  We, as the community in which you have been nurtured, now set you free.  As Abram left the home of his ancestors, so we set you free to leave this, the home of your spiritual ancestors.  As you grow, you must shed the old skin.  There may come a time when you return:  we may be here, or we may not.  Your journey endures forever."

The Presider then  hands the Traveler a broken compass:
"Receive the signpost of our faith.  Let no direction dictate your footsteps."

The Traveler takes the compass and covers it with a cloth.  The colour of the cloth will be determined by the liturgical season.

Traveler:  "Everyone who seeks will find.  How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.  It’s always been the same, same old story."

Presider:  The service continues on page 185.

All stand, as the traveler exits by a side door.

Update: The Diocese of Saskatchewan website has an important press release from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

An Earth Hour confession

Okay, so what was I really doing during "Earth Hour"?

BTW, if you are really stuck as to how to set up some basic mixing, try this site.

"God of the Winds and Gases"...

Breaking news...
Preston has received his new prayer material from head office and thinks that perhaps the material might need a bit of reworking...

We received a worship resource here at the parish called "Enough for All", an ecumenical service on the theme of caring for creation. It comes out of The Primate's World Relief and Development Fund and two other ecumenical partners. All good and well. There's some good stuff in there, and we will probably use some of it for our intercessions on an upcoming Sunday.

However, one particular prayer jumped out at me. It goes like this:

We pray for the air - which sustains us with every breath, and regulates a climate where life can flourish. Help us to understand our dependence on a stable atmosphere and recognize our need to reduce dangerous accumulations of the polluting emissions that we humans are responsible for. Teach us to change our careless and wasteful behaviour for the good of the world.

God of the Winds and Gases, show us your glory and hear us.

read the rest here

This prayer will be particularly effective with the 9-13 year old boy crowd...

There is only one facebook group worth its weight in theology

and this is it:  Anglican Beard Enthusiasts

This group is dedicated to the appreciation, examination, evaluation, and propagation of tremendous facial hair on Anglicans, particularly clergy.

The name of the group, however, should lead none to believe that we are only interested in beards. In fact, all forms of facial hair are applauded, including disgusting mustaches, unconsciousable sideburns, and that most prolific of Anglican facial hair: the overhanging eyebrows.

Just as Thomas Cranmer surely stroked his navel-length beard as the first edition of The Book of Common Prayer flowed from his pen, so too do we seek to celebrate and cultivate similarly inspiring beards on all Anglicans such that they might truly be a light to all the peoples of the world.

Efficiency model for dealing with paperwork

from the how-to knowledge of Dave Walker

just a little something for the pacifists...

Tho' an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid: and tho' there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him. Psalm xxvii. 3.

THIS most glorious day, which his sacred Majesty King GEORGE hath most religiously thought proper to dedicate to the Almighty as a day of public thanksgiving, for his timely assistance and heavenly interposition of providence in favour of these our unworthy kingdoms, against our old and ever inveterate enemies the king of France and his subjects; I hope this joyous day will be most religiously observed, most gratefully acknowledged by every one of my little flock with joyful lips and fervent hearts; for we may well sing with the inspired Psalmist, the words of the text, Tho' an host of men were laid against us, yet shall not our hearts be afraid: and tho' there rose up war against us, yet we will put our trust in him. For let us seriously reflect on this most important year, this memorable aera of our Monarch's reign, and surely we can't forget what wonderful things he hath done for us already, whereof we rejoice: victories which future ages will scarcely believe; and if they do believe, believe with wonder and amazement! Not to mention the little conquests we have obtained, the innumerable captives and rich captures we have taken; but most of all for that most important conquest in Canada, and taking of Quebeck.

1759
Being the Day of Public Thanksgiving for the Success of His Majesty's Arms in Canada, and Taking of Quebeck.
A Sermon by Edward Pickering Rich, M.A.

they don't make 'em like they used to

historical resources from project canterbury

it was pure coincidence

Police in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, claim to have to caught the "dumbest criminal" this year.

The man walked into a station to report that he had been held up at gunpoint by a gang who had stolen his mobile phone.

But when the detective phoned the number of the phone reportedly stolen, it rang in the complainant's pocket.

"The shock left him speechless for a few minutes," said police spokesman Eugene Opperman, adding that the man, 25, was then arrested for perjury.

from the BBC

quote of the day

“I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.”

Clarence Darrow

more of like ilk at sameo416

what the camels thought of the journey of the magi

somewhere in Jordan,  spring  2007