Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Tue Sep 10th Todays News

A throw away line from the US Secretary of State about Syria avoiding being hit by missiles has been seized on by Russia. Syria may now hand over the weapons to the UN. It will be fascinating to find out how Saddam manufactured them, and it would embarrass the international press and Obama. Bring it on. 
Meanwhile, as California burns, arsonists in Australia have seized on a warm spring and many tens of fires burn out of control in NSW. The real burning issue according to Fairfax Press is who will lead the ALP. Rudd won't and no one has put up their hand yet. Fascinatingly, many who lauded Rudd a few days ago say he should never have been called back to lead the party. This may be true, but it is shameful and cynical to admit it only after an election while denying it during. The ABC's Media Watch is still on the offensive, claiming that it is wrong and unbalanced to ever criticise the ALP. The incompetent penis did not win a seat with his Wikileaks party. Apparently the projected 25% of the vote was not enough. On current projections (having achieved an actual 1.25%) Wikileaks will need projected some 225% of the vote. The Age is working overtime to accomplish just that. Sydney is warm. Arctic is cool. It is business as usual in these climate changing times. 
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Happy birthday and many happy returns Daniel KatzEva Oraham and Joven Becus. Born on the same day, across the years as Louis IV of France (920), Thomas Sydenham (1624), Henry Purcell (1659), Isaac K. Funk (1839), K. S. Ranjitsinhji (1872), Israel Abramofsky (1888), Cyril Connolly (1903), Rin Tin Tin (1918), José Feliciano and Gerard Henderson (1945), Bill O'Reilly (1949), Guy Ritchie (1968) and Ayub Masika (1992). On your day, Paryushana begins (Digambar Jains, 2013); National Day in Gibraltar (1967)
1509 – An estimated 10,000 people died in Constantinople due to an earthquake so strong it was known as "the Lesser Judgement Day".
1813 – War of 1812: American forces led by Oliver Hazard Perry defeated the British on Lake Erie near Put-in-Bay, Ohio.
1937 – Led by the United Kingdom and France, nine nations met in the Nyon Conference to address international piracy in the Mediterranean Sea.
1960 – Mickey Mantle hit what was originally thought to be the longest home run in major league baseball, an estimated 643 feet (196 m).
2007 – Nawaz Sharif, the current Prime Minister of Pakistan, returned to the country after being ousted in a coup and exiled eight years earlier.
The lesser judgement seems harsh. How did Hazard come by his name? Avoid the dread pirate Wesley. Head for home. The exile is over. Savour the day.
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TONY TWO-TIMES

Tim Blair – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (1:36pm)

The Australian‘s Dennis Shanahan last Monday: 
Labor won power in 2007 on a Ruddslide, but looks like losing power in 2013 in a Ruddbath. 
The ABC’s Q & A host Tony Jones later that night: 
In 2007 he won in a Ruddslide. Now the polls say we’re heading for a Ruddbath. 
Sky TV’s Paul Murray on election day: 
Imagine Clive Palmer with parliamentary privilege. 
The ABC’s Q & A host Tony Jones last night, discussing Palmer: 
Can you imagine what he’ll do with parliamentary privilege? 

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TAXES CHOPPERED

Tim Blair – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (1:34pm)

The ABC has regional outposts all over country Victoria and NSW, but sent a crew by air to interview a rural independent who might beat sitting Liberal member Sophie Mirabella:

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(Via Margo, who announced another mini-retirement following the election – before resuming her usual manic schedule.) 

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HOT FACTION ACTION

Tim Blair – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (1:05pm)

Judging by recent Labor antics, most of the party has been hanging out at this fine Zurich venue:

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(Via Brisbane reader Dean)

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MORE POPULAR IN SWEDEN

Tim Blair – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (12:08pm)

Wikihope
The WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, would stand a good chance of securing a Senate seat, most likely at the expense of the Greens, a new poll has found …
The UMR poll found 25 per cent of those polled would be likely to vote for Mr Assange if he ran. 
Wikireality
Assange stood on the Victorian Senate ticket, where his party attracted 25,667 of the primary vote, representing 1.19 per cent of the overall tally. 

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THREE MORE YEARS! THREE MORE YEARS!

Tim Blair – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (5:38am)

Play a happy tune during Labor’s post-election Rudd wrestling
As Labor searches for a new leader, there’s speculation Mr Rudd could stay on as a backbencher for the three-year term.
That’s an unthinkable prospect for Dr Emerson, a supporter of Julia Gillard who quit the Labor ministry when Mr Rudd deposed her as prime minister in June.
“Kevin Rudd’s continuing presence in the parliamentary Labor Party will see him do what he has always done, and that is willingly, wilfully, recklessly, destabilise Labor leaders,” he tells ABC TV’s 7.30 program on Monday.
“It is in the best interests of the party for Kevin Rudd to leave the Parliament.” 
Note that Emerson didn’t raise these concerns over the past five weeks when Rudd was attempting to remainAustralia’s leader. Far worse that he should destabilise Labor. Kevni has at least one Labor fan
Outgoing Labor minister and Rudd supporter Kim Carr has confirmed the former prime minister will stay for the three-year term. 
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Mr Carr has told the ABC’s 7.30 program there’s no desire for a by-election in Griffith, and Mr Rudd had a “a great contribution to make”. 
Please. He’s already sacked one Labor PM, removed one-third of Labor’s cabinet and helped elect Tony Abbott. How much more can we demand from just one man?

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ALBO SHORTENS

Tim Blair – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (5:26am)

Tearful Tory-fighter Anthony Albanese looms as Labor’s next leader
The former deputy prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is likely to be the next Labor leader if he decides to seek the job, but along with the other major contender, Bill Shorten, he has yet to make a final decision.
Labor is determined to avoid public dissent over the leadership and, if possible, also to avoid a contest. A contest would trigger the new election procedures introduced by Kevin Rudd to give the party’s grassroots joint power with the parliamentary caucus in leadership decisions and would take almost a month to deliver a decision. 
A no-contest election would necessarily involve backroom deals. It’s a way of dodging Rudd’s reforms and falling back on Labor’s traditional concealed method of delivering senior appointments.
UPDATE. Labor’s caucus to meet on Friday for a leadership decision, as the hate continues
Outgoing frontbencher Brendan O’Connor has ensured that the flames of acrimony continue to burn in the Labor camp, as he called on Kevin Rudd to leave federal parliament …
Barely an hour after Tony Burke pleaded with his Labor colleagues to afford the former prime minister some dignity, Mr O’Connor became the first returned Labor MP to urge Mr Rudd to leave in the interests of the party. 

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A FISH CALLED KEVNI

Tim Blair – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (5:11am)

Many readers – and one or two Labor MPs – have speculated over Kevin Rudd’s psychology. Seems the Liberals werealert to this, too: 
Held deep within the top strategy group of the Liberal war room was a document which gave a name and a diagnosis to the personality of Kevin Rudd. It was a document provided to the Liberal’s strategy team on an informal basis by a psychiatrist friendly to the Liberals after Rudd had returned to the Labor leadership on June 26. In a nutshell, this document offered an arm’s-length diagnosis of Rudd as suffering a personality disorder known as “grandiose narcissism” …
Describing grandiose narcissism as less a psychiatric disease and more a destructive character defect, the document suggested Rudd was held together by one key strut: an absolute conviction of intellectual superiority over everyone else. “Kick out that strut and he will collapse; basically he is a self-centred two-year-old in an adult body. Prone to wanting everything – now! If not, then he has a two year-old’s tantrum.”
Rudd, the document went on, was vulnerable to any challenge to his self-belief that he was more widely-read, smarter and more knowledgeable than anyone else “on the planet” … If described as “stupid”, such a personality would mount an almost impenetrable intellectual defence. 
Read on. Kevni is the Otto of our time.

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CLIMATE UP AND DOWN

Tim Blair – Tuesday, September 10, 2013 (4:51am)

The planet celebrates Tony Abbott’s election: 
A chilly Arctic summer has left nearly a million more square miles of ocean covered with ice than at the same time last year – an increase of 60 per cent …
Only six years ago, the BBC reported that the Arctic would be ice-free in summer by 2013, citing a scientist in the US who claimed this was a ‘conservative’ forecast. Perhaps it was their confidence that led more than 20 yachts to try to sail the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific this summer. As of last week, all these vessels were stuck in the ice, some at the eastern end of the passage in Prince Regent Inlet, others further west at Cape Bathurst. 
Global warming’s reversal may be due to a decline in worldwide yo-yo use:

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(Via CL) 

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Back come the haters again, hating as only the Left can

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (4:56pm)

How the Left hates
Fairfax writer Clementine Ford complains that a Prime Minister - Julia Gillard at the time - is not given enough respect:
Our own prime minister has endured a campaign of sexist abuse ever since she took office, demonstrated most insidiously by people’s belief that they’re entitled to refer to her by her first name.
Ford doesn’t even wait for Abbott to get sworn in before unleashing her own campaign of abuse:
The outcome of the weekend’s election did not sit well with Daily Life columnist and social commentator Clementine Ford. As an antidote to the crushing reality of Post-Abbott world she’s created some cathartic t-shirts with slogans that include (NSFW) ‘F**k Abbott’ and (SFW) ‘Abbott is not my Prime Minister’ that can bought online.
At least she used Abbott’s surname to prove she can show due respect in an argument.
That makes her so much moral. In her own eyes, I guess.
PS: what makes a certain kind of person think anger and abuse is a sign of surperior morality? Are they seeking to persuade or unite a tribe in group-hate? 

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Summers invites Gillard to show her wounds

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (4:14pm)

As predicted, Julia Gillard will seek solace and vindication on the I-was-a-victim-of-sexism circuit. Anne Summers, high priestess of the victim cult, announces:
A very special night — her first public appearance since her gracious farewell speech on 26 June.
I invite you to a very special evening with Julia Gillard, who will talk with me about her time in office and what it was like being the first woman to lead our country.
It will be our first chance to see and hear Ms Gillard since she left the Prime Ministership in June this year. I am sure we all remember her dignified farewell speech that evening.
Now, we will be able to see for ourselves how she is faring post politics. Ms Gillard has agreed to a candid and wide-ranging conversation, and will answer questions from the audience. It promises to be an unforgettable evening....
SYDNEY Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
Monday, September 30, 2013, 6.30–8pm
http://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/anne_summers.aspx
MELBOURNE Melbourne Town Hall
Tuesday, October 1, 2013, 6.30–8pm
https://annesummersconversations.eventbrite.com.au/
(Thanks to reader C.) 

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Labor must make Rudd quit, and never appoint his like again

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (4:08pm)

Reader Rocky is right: if the Liberals knew this, why didn’t Labor? And if Labor indeed knew it, why did it twice allow such a man to become its leader and the Prime Minister of Australia?
The Financial Review reports that held deep within the top strategy group of the Liberal war room was a document which gave a name and a diagnosis to the personality of Kevin Rudd. It was a document provided to the Liberal’s strategy team on an informal basis by a psychiatrist friendly to the Liberals after Rudd had returned to the Labor leadership on June 26. In a nutshell, this document offered an arm’s-length diagnosis of Rudd as suffering a personality disorder known as “grandiose narcissism"…

Rudd was held together by one key strut: an absolute conviction of intellectual superiority over everyone else. “Kick out that strut and he will collapse”. Rudd, vulnerable to any challenge that he was smarter than anyone else “on the planet”. Such a condition of grandiose narcissism would make Rudd obsessively paranoid, excessively vindictive – “prepared to wait years to get revenge”.
Rudd would be threatened by a rival in any of his fields and would be obsessively paranoid and ready to retaliate to real or perceived threats; he would suffer from excessive suspicion.
That doesn’t seem to be news to Craig Emerson, the former Trade Minister:
Kevin Rudd should move on. He has proved himself to be a destabilising influence within the parliamentary Labor Party. Kevin Rudd destabilised Laurie Brereton as shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, he destabilised Simon Crean as Opposition Leader, he destabilised Kim Beazley as Opposition Leader and he destabilised Julia Gillard as Prime Minister. The caucus needs to move on beyond Kevin Rudd. If he stays, he will destabilise. It’s in his nature…
Kevin Rudd’s continuing presence in the parliamentary Labor Party will see him do what he has always done and that is willingly, wilfully, recklessly destabilise Labor leaders. It is in the best interests of the party for Kevin Rudd to leave the Parliament…
It’s always been about Kevin. It hasn’t been about the parliamentary Labor Party, it hasn’t been about Labor values, it’s always been about Kevin. Always has been, always will be.
UPDATE
Labor’s bloodletting after its disastrous election defeat is continuing, with frontbencher Brendan O’Connor the latest senior party figure to call on Kevin Rudd to quit parliament
“If you have a former prime minister sitting in your party room, on the backbench, that spectre looms large,” he told Sky News…
“I think it would be the general view that we’ve got to move forward, draw a line in the sand, and it’s better for him to leave.”

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Now the Age confesses it knowingly backed a dud leader

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (3:49pm)

The Age before the election endorsed Labor, skipping over any mention of the man who actually led it:
When it comes to trusting Labor, we appreciate the public’s confidence may be so undone that a change of government could prove to be a circuit-breaker, injecting a short-term sense of stability. But The Age values policies above political opportunism; we do not advocate a vote simply for the sake of change.
The Age believes in economic and social progress, in liberty and justice, in equity and compassion, and openness of government. We believe the role of government is to build a strong, fair nation for future generations, and not to pander to sectional interests. It is with these values in mind that we endorse the Labor Party in this important election.
Only after the election does The Age reveal its reservations about the man it wanted to be our Prime Minister again:

A loss is a loss, and Labor brought this one on itself. Its problems start, but do not end, with leadership.
Labor’s parliamentary party spent three years tearing itself apart over leadership, first with Kevin Rudd, then with Julia Gillard, and finally, in a last desperate embrace, it turned back to the vainglorious Mr Rudd. The wrenching process ended in failure, and now Mr Rudd, whose bizarrely exuberant concession speech on Saturday dumbfounded many Labor supporters, has decided to stand aside. There is next to no chance Labor will turn to him again, and it should not be tempted to do so.
Labor’s immediate priority is to locate a genuine, energising and articulate leader, not one who has a messiah complex.
Shouldn’t The Age have warned readers last Friday that the Prime Minister it was backing was actually a “vainglorious” man with a “messiah complex” who’d given Labor leadership “problems” and should never be asked to be the party’s leader? 

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Thomson won’t fight facts of credit card claims

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (3:41pm)

After the election, this concession:
OUSTED MP Craig Thomson will not dispute specific facts of the allegations that he used union credit cards to pay for escort services and pornographic movies, a court has heard....
His barrister Greg James QC today told the Melbourne Magistrates Court that while the defence had drafted a statement of matters not in dispute, it should not be read as an admission to the allegations.
(Thanks to reader Jessica.) 

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The cuisine that’s conquered the world

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (10:06am)

Ten commandments of Italian cooking:

1. Pasta and risotto are not meant to accompany other dishes, except in rare cases, such as Ossobucco all Milanese. The presentation of pasta as a side dish is seen almost as a sacrilege.
2. No Italian recipe combines pasta and chicken.
3. No restaurant uses red-and-white check cloths.
4. Don’t cook pasta with oil in the water. Oil is added after the draining.
5. The correct pasta for bolognese is tagliatelle, not spaghetti.
6. Espresso is the post-dinner coffee. Cappuccino is for breakfast.
7. While a Roman restaurateur invented Fettuccine Alfredo - noodles served with butter and Parmesan cheese - it is “the least known dish in Italy”.
8. Caesar salad may have been invented by Italian Caesar Cardini but it is almost unknown in the country.
9. No tomato sauce on pasta.
10. Respect tradition, and what “Italian mama” says. She knows from her mama, who knew it from her mama, who knew it from her mama. It’s been tried and tested.
I am no great cook, but mucking about with Italian cooking - my favorite - I’d add:

1. Keep it fresh.
2. Ingredients are king. Get the best and let them rule.
3. Home-made pasta is always, always better:


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4. The pleasure is as much in the cooking as the eating - so play things like this and this and this and this for the proper sensual seasoning of the experience:

5. And some of this or similar:

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(Thanks to reader the old and unimproved Dave.)
UPDATE
Reader Roberto protests:
They talk about respecting tradition, but how about some respect for spelling. I see it too often and it has to stop.The spelling of ‘mum’ in Italian is “mamma” not “mama” - double m!
Reader everything old is right:
Clemenza was wrong. NEVER add sugar. If you use ripe tomatoes you do not need sugar! But for a real flavoursome twist on an old theme, put in an old ham bone.  Buonissimo
Don’t know about the bone, but for the sweetest tomato flavor use vine-ripened ones with skins and seeds removed. I use this machine - the most loved implement in my kitchen, even though it’s all plastic:

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Scrap these agencies. Save us money. Spare us the bullies

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (9:45am)

Judith Sloan urges a bonfire of the agencies that Labor created:

We have had the Social Inclusion Board, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, the Australian Workplace and Productivity Agency, the Climate Commission, the Climate Change Authority, the Australian Health Practitioners’ Registration Agency, the Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency, the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership, the Australian National Preventive Health Agency, the National eHealth Transition Authority, the COAG Reform Council and the list goes…
It really makes you wonder how we ever got along without all this taxpayer-funded paraphernalia, these vanity projects. The answer is: perfectly well. And we will get along perfectly well without most of them in the future…
There has been a quasi- religious fanatical belief in national regulation and the denigration of local solutions at the state or lower level… Of course, the establishment of these agencies has had other consequences, including the scope for the Labor Party to offer part-time, paid positions to its mates....
We would be much better off seeing the back of the Social Inclusion Board, WGEA, AWPA, CCA, ANHPA and TEQSA. And don’t forget to include some older agencies, such as the Australian Human Rights Commission, whose operations have become quite unhinged relative to their original purposes. 

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Sceptics get the Senate of their dreams

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (9:35am)

Climate sceptics may have the Senate of their dreams - one that scraps the carbon tax, but refuses to replace it with the Liberals’ smaller but still useless Direct Action scheme:

TONY Abbott appears likely to secure the numbers in the new Senate to repeal the carbon tax and mining tax ...
But he could fail to legislate his $2.8 billion “direct action” plan to cut carbon emissions, according to early objections from those likely to share the balance of power in the upper house…

The Coalition is on track to hold 33 votes in the Senate from next July and could repeal both major taxes with the support of the Liberal Democratic Party, Family First, the Democratic Labour Party, two from the Palmer United Party and either the Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party or the Australian Sports Party.
The Coalition would emerge with 39 and possibly 40 votes in the chamber of 76 on both major decisions.
But The Australian can reveal that likely senators from the Liberal Democratic Party and Family First are intent on rejecting the “direct action” policy if the Coalition seeks to legislate the scheme.
Existing senator John Madigan from the Democratic Labour Party also objects to the “direct action” policy amid fears it would be “rorted”, while South Australian independent Nick Xenophon favours a market approach instead. These objections would make it hard for the Coalition to gain more than 37 votes out of 76 to enact its flagship climate change policy.
This could be billions of dollars saved. Reason restored.
UPDATE
The more I hear from David Leyonhjelm, the incoming Senator of the Liberal Democratic Party, the more I find things to very much like:



Brilliant.
Not a word I could disagree with, although I would also warn that liberty needs the velvet bonds of tradition, including faith for some, to guard against anarchy and the tyranny of the strong:
DAVID LEYONHJELM: We’re a libertarian party, a small “l” liberal. So we’re in favour of low taxes, less bureaucracy, smaller government, less expenditure. So, the issues to us that matter are reducing taxes, government getting out of the way, getting out of your pocket and off your back. So we’ll support anything that reduces taxes and we’ll support anything that increases our liberty.
LEIGH SALES: So you would obviously then be in favour of the carbon tax being repealed?
DAVID LEYONHJELM: We would. We would definitely support that and the mining tax. But we are not in favour of the Coalition’s policy on Direct Action on climate change, for example. It’s just a large amount of money down a black hole which will achieve nothing.

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WikiLeaking boat sunk in poll

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (9:25am)

Julian Assange has been of endless interest to the ABC and Victoria’s Age, which in turn have offered endless support:

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That media support is not matched by public support:
Assange stood on the Victorian Senate ticket, where his party attracted 25,667 of the primary vote, representing 1.19 per cent of the overall tally.
A small insight into the decline of The Age

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Syrian farce: Obama shows exactly not how to lead

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (9:03am)

First a half-hearted Barack Obama says he’ll target the Syrian regime for using chemical weapons:

President Obama tried Friday to assure a war-fatigued American public that his response to the alleged chemical attack in Syria would be a “limited, narrow act” and not the beginning of another extended conflict in the Middle East.
Then he wobbles and decides he’ll first ask Congress to agree:

Taking his case against Syria to the nation’s airwaves, President Obama said Monday he doesn’t yet know if he will order military strikes even if the House or Senate reject the idea. “It’s fair to say I haven’t decided,” Obama told NBC News...
Then a top aide admits there no hard evidence that the chemical weapons attack was ordered by Syria’s leaders:
A top aide to U.S. President Barack Obama says it’s “common sense” that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government was probably responsible for a chemical weapons attack. But Chief of Staff Denis McDonough acknowledged that the United States does not have “irrefutable, beyond-a-reasonable-doubt evidence” that the regime carried out the attack.
Then the realisation grows that attacking the Syrian regime actually risks helping al Qaeda take over:

Californian Democrat Loretta Sanchez is leaning towards not approving the military action against Syria: “The minute that one of those cruise missiles lands in there, we are in the Syrian war. It’s a civil war and we are taking sides with the rebels, many of whom are still associated with al Qaeda, and other groups that mean to undermine us...”
Then Congress starts to back right off the idea of sending US bombers to act as al Qaeda’s air force:

Support for the measure on Capitol Hill has remained low, with more than 230 of the 433 members in the House of Representatives reportedly either opposed to or likely to oppose strikes as of Friday.
Then Obama’s Secretary of State talks of Syria simply surrendering weapons to end all this:
In what looks like an off-the-cuff blunder, Secretary of State John Kerry might have accidentally given Russian President Vladmir Putin the opportunity to muddy the international diplomatic waters and buy his friends in Syria some time.
During a press briefing on Monday, Kerry said that Assad could avoid American air strikes by giving up all his chemical weapons within a week.
Then Kerry’s staff says this isn’t a genuine option:

Within hours, the State Department was forced to walk Kerry’s new red line back with the claim that he was making a “rhetorical argument about the impossibility and unlikelihood of Assad turning over chemical weapons he has denied he used.”
Then Obama says it could be a genuine option, as Russia pounces on his dithering:

US President Barack Obama has said Russia’s proposal to put Syria’s chemical weapons under international control is a “potential breakthrough”. 

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Ice grows in Arctic, which the ABC warned would be ice-free

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (8:21am)

Global warming - dud predictions
This isn’t what was meant to happen, according to the merchants of global warming panic:

A chilly Arctic summer has left nearly a million more square miles of ocean covered with ice than at the same time last year – an increase of 60 per cent.
The rebound from 2012’s record low comes six years after the BBC reported that global warming would leave the Arctic ice-free in summer by 2013.
Instead, days before the annual autumn re-freeze is due to begin, an unbroken ice sheet more than half the size of Europe already stretches from the Canadian islands to Russia’s northern shores.
Remember the alarmists who predicted not growing ice but none? 
In December 2008, Al Gore, for instance, said: “The entire north polar ice cap will be gone in 5 years...”


In 2008, NASA’s Goddard Institute also warned of an ice-free Arctic by 2013:

Marian Wilkson, reporting for The Age and the ABC’s Four Corners, helped to spread the panic:

“There’s a group that makes a very strong case that in 2012 or 2013 we’ll have an ice-free (summer) Arctic, as soon as that. It’s astounding what’s happened,” said Ted Scambos, another research scientist from the Snow and Ice Data Centre.
The ABC’s AM likewise uncritically reported the claims of the alarmists:

A US-based team has told a conference in California that the northern polar waters could be ice-free in summer by 2013… Professor Wieslaw Maslowski from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, has been presenting his work to a meeting of the American Geophysical Union.... As the world meets in Bali, Al Gore went on to repeat his calls for tough action on climate change. The trouble is, it looks increasingly like it may already be too late.
When will the ABC admit it accepted too eagerly the hype of alarmists? When will it explain why it was so inclined to believe these alarmists and so ready to smear sceptics? When will it concede that it let itself be captured by group-think? When will it take steps to address this gross failure to achieve balance and a proper debate on an issue so important? 

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Liberals must crack down on their NSW duds

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (8:07am)

Picking dodgy candidates, doing nothing about branch-staking, hiding candidates as if they were duds, hiding Jaymes Diaz rather than have him do a mea culpa and doing almost nothing to counter the Senate ballot confusion over the Liberal Democrat Party… No wonder the NSW Liberal branch is under fire after underperforming - although some blame seems to be going to the national office, too.
Bottom line: pick great candidates. Give them the chance to prove that to their local voters. Crack down on all power brokers and branch-stackers who rate numbers ahead of talent. No mercy for the mediocre. Running a country is a serious business.  

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Paul Barry and the MurdochMurdochMurdoch

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (7:09am)

Media
Paul Barry, Media Watch‘s eighth consecutive host of the Left, has not just maintained the show’s bias but has become almost mono-maniacal.

Barry last night yet again indulged his obsession with Murdoch papers (he’s writing a book on Murdoch, you see, and it’s hard for him to think of anything but the Great Satan). He devoted not one but two items to Murdoch newspapers, and a third item to a GetUp ad attacking the Murdoch press which was cruelly rejected by wicked TV stations, including one chaired by Lachlan Murdoch.
That’s obsessive, all right.
His main attack was on Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, with Barry having his artists fake a front page to have the Telegraph claiming credit for kicking out Kevin Rudd - a victim myth the angry Barry seems determined to believe:
image
How childish.

The truth is that the anti-Labor swings on Saturday were highest in Tasmania (11.3 per cent), South Australia (5.4 per cent) and Victoria (5 per cent), all states where Murdoch papers acted with none of the exuberance of the Telegraph or Queensland’s Courier Mail, which so infuriated Barry during the campaign. Seven Labor seats fell in those states - enough for a solid Abbott win - and one more is still at risk. Oddly enough, Victoria is home of The Age, which is so far-Left that it was the only daily newspaper to recommend a vote for Labor.
The anti-Labor swing in NSW was just 3 per cent - a fact Barry overlooked in his determination to attack Murdoch. The point here is to suggest something obvious to most serious commentators on the media: newspapers today are just one means by which people get their news, and it is a shrinking one. Moreover, most people make up their own minds, whatever the newspapers, TV news shows, the ABC, radio hosts, FM hypesters, blogs, web sites and social media campaigners might be shouting at them,
Now back to Barry’s bias and limited palette.
Yesterday’s show: three attacks on the Murdoch press.
September 2: One attack on conservative Alan Jones, the man most relentlessly attacked by Media Watch throughout its 24-year run.
August 26:  Two items attacking Murdoch newspapers - the Telegraph and the Courier Mail.
August 12: One item attacking the election coverage of Telegraph and the Courier Mail.
August 5: One item attacking the election coverage of the Murdoch newspapers.  Another item attacking Murdoch’s NT News.
July 15:  One item attacking Alan Jone’s colleague at 2GB, Ray Hadley. One item attacking Murdoch’s Courier Mail over a restaurant review.
July 8: One item attacking Rupert Murdoch for backing staff in Britain caught up in a police inquiry.  Another item attacking Alan Jones and others who Barry - in this first show back as host - felt had been too rude to Julia Gillard.
That is an astonishingly one sided record so far from Barry. An absolutely obsessive coverage of the alleged sins of Murdoch and his papers; lazy out-of-habit attacks on the show’s pet villain, Alan Jones; and an undisguised bias to the Left.   

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Latest count

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (6:58am)

Thanks to reader Jeff for this analysis of the latest counting:

Currently the ALP leads in 57 seats, Coalition 88, Bandt, Katter, Wilkie, Palmer and McGowan making up the other five.
However, three of the ALP’s 57 include McEwen, where it leads by just 66 votes, Barton (68) and Capricornia (141); so the ALP could end up with as few as 54 seats.
On the other side of the close seats ledger, the coalition now lead in Eden-Monaro by 569 votes with over 80% counted.
In Fairfax the Australian Electoral Commission is running Palmer off against the LNP and Palmer leads by around 2000 votes with 18000 preferences still to distribute and up to another 20000 votes still to be received/counted. In Fisher it’s the same situation but Mal Brough has over 55% of the first 30000 votes.
In Indi it’s McGowan v. Mirabella and although the current distribution has McGowan ahead, Sophie has received 44.5% primary vote meaning she only needs to pick up another 5.5% on preferences to win the seat.
Bottom line: Best case for the Coalition is 93, Labor 54, Bandt, Wilkie and Katter. Worst case is Coalition 88, Labor 57, Bandt, Katter, Wilkie, Palmer and McGowan.
My bet - Coalition 91, Labor 55, Bandt, Katter, Wilkie & Palmer.
UPDATE
Former Keating Minister Gary Johns:
The Labor first-preference vote of 33.85 per cent is the lowest in history, except for its first outing in 1901, 19.4 per cent, and its second in 1903, 31.0 per cent. (Scullin in 1931, including Lang Labor, was 37.7 per cent.)…
(Political scientist Simon) Jackman has suggested that, as was the case in the 2010 election, the Labor vote this year may decline a further 0.5 per cent with the pre-poll vote and postal count. This would leave Labor with 33.3 per cent…
These numbers are unprecedented. Kevin Rudd and Wayne Swan hold two of its probably five out of 30 Queensland seats. Neither will be part of the return to government, and either seat is vulnerable if the member resigns.
And in Melbourne, Labor has lost its heart. Geographically and historically centred on Trades Hall in Carlton, Melbourne is now a university seat. Full of students and their teachers at the University of Melbourne and RMIT University, it continues to be supplied with young, ideal and publicly funded fodder for postmodern bulldust. All in all, things look dire for Labor.
I’m always wary about predictions that big parties - with great traditions behind them - are finished. In 2007 the most senior Liberal in office in the entire country was Campbell Newman, Lord Mayor of Brisbane. Just six years later the Liberals hold office federally, as well as in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA and the Northern Territory. It is almost certain to win the pending elections in South Australia and Tasmania as well, leaving Labor in power only in the ACT, thanks to the public service voting for its jobs.
And then Labor will recover - but not without fundamentally revising what it stands for. This yabber about needing only more “unity” is a joke.
(Thanks to reader Peter of Bellevue Hill.) 

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Warren Mundine discovers the real racists after voting Liberal

Andrew Bolt September 10 2013 (6:51am)

The Left tends to see racists everywhere. That’s the thing with mirrors:

INDIGENOUS leader and former ALP president Warren Mundine has been subjected to racial abuse from Labor members and supporters angry he voted Liberal.
A tirade of racist slurs were directed at Mr Mundine, who will run incoming Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s indigenous advisory council, after he tweeted how he voted.
He was referred to as a “white a … kisser,” “Uncle Tom,” an insulting term about black Americans and a “coconut.”
The campaigner for indigenous jobs said that many of the texts and tweets he received with the racist terms were from white ALP members and non-indigenous supporters of the party.
I’ve long thought there’s a lot of projection in the Left’s obsession with racism. The rise of the New Racism - this offensive harping on differences of “race” which are all but invisible to the naked eye - is but one manifestation of it.
(Thanks to reader Gab.) 

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Emerson pleads. Go, Kevin, go.

Andrew Bolt September 09 2013 (7:25pm)

Emerson is right. Rudd must quit for Labor’s sake. He is a narcissist who cannot help but destabilise a party he does not lead - and he will also be an embarrassing reminder of Labor’s shame. Here’s how Emerson puts it:
FORMER Labor frontbencher Craig Emerson has called on Kevin Rudd to quit parliament, warning he will “recklessly destabilise Labor leaders” if he stays on…
Kevin Rudd’s continuing presence in the parliamentary Labor Party will see him do what he has always done, and that is willingly, wilfully, recklessly, destabilise Labor leaders,” he tells ABC TV’s 7.30 program on Monday.
“It is in the best interests of the party for Kevin Rudd to leave the Parliament.”
Dr Emerson also suggested the outgoing prime minister was responsible for leaks that damaged Labor’s election chances in 2010, adding that one so “destructive” and “hell bent on revenge” should not be rewarded.
Other senior Labor figures, including former ministers Stephen Smith and Greg Combet, have also said Mr Rudd should quit for the sake of the party as it rebuilds following its defeat.
And that was the bloke Labor asked us to make Prime Minister last weekend. 

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Needs change? -ed
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Pastor Rick Warren
The only way to always be relevant is to focus on what's eternal. Everything in style will soon be out of style.
= =
You get your identity from what you love most.
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Madu Odiokwu Pastorvin
He Is On Your Side.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
(Romans 8:31, NIV)

Joshua chapter six tells the story about how the odds were stacked against Joshua and the people of Israel. They were standing at the massive walls of Jericho that many thought were impenetrable.

I’m sure as he was standing before the well-fortified walls and gates of the city, many around him didn’t think his future was too bright. But you see Joshua had something others overlooked; he had the promise of Almighty God. Joshua had faith because He knew God was on His side, and God had already determined the victory. Sure enough, just as God promised, the people marched around the city for six days, and on the seventh day, they shouted the victory and the walls came tumbling down!

Today, don’t look at the walls in your life; look at the promise of God. He is for you, and if God is for you, nothing can stand against you. Get a vision of victory and don’t let it go. Keep moving forward in faith and obedience knowing that when you do, the Most High God is on your side.God bless you.
= =
1 Corinthians 10:13(KJV)
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Your trials are a sign of greatness and a proof of the fact that you are alive because,only the living have problems.Your scars will be turned to stars at the right time,for the Lord is a Man of time.
Father God,I thank You for Your Word which fills my heart with faith. I believe that You are good and You are a rewarder of those who seek after You. I seek You today. I acknowledge You and thank You for revealing Yourself to me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Thinking about tornadic supercells and wishing it was Spring and I was on the plains...
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Aprille Love
Thank you #perth #amazingcity
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4 her
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Who is going to argue with Chuck Norris? Read what he has to say about 'What if Assad wants the US to bomb Syria?'.

http://www.rightwingnews.com/column-2/what-if-assad-wants-the-us-to-bomb-syria/
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Console yourself
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powerful-woman

A generation after many prominent feminists encouraged women to “have it all,” we continue to decry the absence of women in politics, business and other positions of power. At the same time, even though there is more opportunity for women now than ever before in history, some professional women argue that we can’t or shouldn’t want to have it all.
But is it really too much to have a prominent career and a family? Must we make just one choice to tip the balance of power?
I don’t think so — women can have it all, and here is how:
1. Define what “having it all” means to you. Like many women, I didn’t want to work so hard for someone else that I wouldn’t have time for a family. Not only did I want to have a successful career and a family, I wanted the freedom to do the kind of work I pleased.
Yet working for a branding firm in Manhattan, I found myself staying late and coming in on weekends to represent products and companies I didn’t believe in. I was frustrated. I realized that what I wanted most was more control over my hours and over the people, companies and products I worked with.
2. Strike out on your own — gradually, if needed. If you want to avoid what Anne-Marie Slaughter calls the “time macho” of male-dominated corporate culture, why not start a business or a freelance career?
Like any major transition, owning your own business can be a gradual process. After several years of working for a company, I had enough confidence in my work as a graphic designer to strike out on my own and start freelancing. While freelancing, I developed relationships with businesses, potential clients, and other entrepreneurs who wanted to partner with me.
I developed an interest in branding and eventually in how alternative forms of cause marketing could alter the marketplace (and people’s lives). Slowly but surely, I found my way and gradually built a life of freelancing into a business.
3. Make your own rules. Maybe you can accomplish the same amount of work in 50 hours that others can in 90 hours. Maybe you work better from home; maybe you work better at night. Maybe you are more creative if you get enough sleep and spend time with your family. Maybe you want to measure success by results rather than how much time you have logged. Or maybe you think your employees will do better work if you treat them well.
In a world where you set the rules and the measure of success, it is possible to create an alternative culture. It is possible to stop asking to be part of the game (or trying to fit into the game) and start your own game instead.
Over time, I was able to choose clients and associates who shared my vision of a business in which success would be measured by more than revenue, a business that would help make the world a more humane place.
I still work hard, but I choose my own hours, and all my work fuels a vision I have for my new company Maiden Nation — a community devoted to the idea that women can live the lives they imagine for themselves.
You can live the life you imagine, too. The first step is knowing what that looks like.
With degrees in Anthropology from Columbia University and Design from Parsons, Elizabeth Schaeffer Brown represents a brand development vanguard uniting global, technological, and social concerns. She has introduced leading international brands, like Sony Ericsson, into the North American market. Additionally, Elizabeth has founded many sustainable branding initiatives including Choose Haiti and launched this Fall, Maiden NationShe is the co-founder of Maiden Nation and studioe9.com.
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.

I won't presume to know what women want, but being in love with a good woman, I know what I would like to share. She is a strong, capable independent person. I feel it would be selfish of me to try to make her work and effort easier by making her choose easier options. I want to make her life better. To help her to reach further. To allow her to do more, and be satisfied in doing it that her future, her hopes, are assured of bearing fruit. There are many stages to a life, and to shorten them would not be a loving act. -ed
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Media jump the gun again: Giddy reports George Zimmerman ‘arrested’ for pointing gun at wife appear to be false ==> http://twitchy.com/2013/09/09/media-jump-the-gun-again-giddy-reports-george-zimmerman-arrested-for-pointing-weapon-at-wife-appear-to-be-false/
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Who are you with?...

James Calore
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Matt Granz
My friend Miguel De La Cruz just alerted me that channel 4 news tweeted my photo, says I'm all over twitter. How about that??? Looks like channel 4 news sees a face in the smoke... I see a horse head which is strangely symbolic since one of the main concerns was the horse farms in the Morgan Territory...
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PSYCHOLOGISTS SAY:
1. If a person laughs too much, even at stupid things, he is lonely deep inside..
2. If a person sleeps a lot, he is sad..
3. If a person speaks less, but speaks fast, he keeps secrets..
4. If someone can't cry, he is weak..
5. If someone eats in an abnormal manner, he is tense..
6. If someone cries on little things, he is innocent & soft-hearted..
7. If someone becomes angry over silly or petty (small) things, it means he needs love...
Balance. I eat normally, but am often tense. I talk slowly but keep secrets. Laughing too much is subjective. Idi Amin and Stalin laughed often, but had hearts of stone. I find unrequited love uplifting, but wish it returned. There is such a thing as what psychologists say .. but my heart beats for God .. it means little what I say, if it is not what I do. Thomas Moore referred to faith as being like water cupped in the hands of a thirsty man in a desert. Their actions, like their words, must protect that water, or, if they, in a loose moment, unclasp their hands, and lose the water, no amount of scrabbling through the dust will retrieve it. - ed
===

Daniel Katz
"With only 1% of world financial assets invested in gold, very few so called investment experts have any understanding of the yellow metal. 

So during the 22 month correction in the gold price, most of the 99% who don’t own gold have all been calling the end of the bull market. What most of these people don’t understand is that gold is not in a bull market. It is paper money going down rather than gold going up. For 5,000 years gold has been the only money that has maintained its purchasing power. Every single currency has been destroyed throughout history in a permanent bear market. Voltaire was so right when he in 1729 said that “Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value – ZERO”. "
..John Tran
even as a bad investment, which Perth Mint Gold is .. it has a 30 year delay before it appreciates to profit .. it is a better investment than cash. Thing is, as with all investments, be smart. My great grandfather was independently wealthy through running London movie theaters .. he was a musician who played for silent films .. he invested heavily in airships (not airplanes, but things like the Hindenburg and lost everything .. lessons that are worth remembering .. diversify .. have a plan .. know the limitations .. ed===

She is not yet old enough to see what she is doing. It isn't about her .. but it is her music, her emo mojo. She probably feels this is breakthrough. Her young fans cannot copy her and be unscathed. They don't have her resources. ed
===

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Victor Hugo wrote both Les Misèrables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame in the nude so he wouldn’t be tempted to leave his house. He even had his valet hide his clothes.
Demosthenes shaved half his head so that he would be too embarrassed toleave home until his writing was finished.
Honoré de Balzac would down black coffee so he could write for long stretches—often for more than 48 hours at a time. (Hey, what’s weird about that???)
Ernest Hemingway stood while he met his 500-word-per-day, self-imposed quota. His writing regimen was to be “done by noon and drunk by three.”
Truman Capote, George Orwell, Mark Twain, Edith Wharton, Winston Churchill, and Marcel Proust all preferred to write while lying in bed.
Charles Dickens would go for walks (20 miles or so every day) and try to get lost in order to spark his creativity.
James Joyce felt that it was a productive day if he composed just three sentences. (How would your manager feel about that?)
Vladimir Nabokov wrote on index cards in no particular order. One of his books consisted of 2,000 index cards.
William Wordsworth would recite his poetry to his dog while taking strolls. If the dog barked or was upset as he read, he would rewrite the draft.
Friedrich Schiller kept a drawerful of rotten apples in his study. His wife claimed that he could not live or work without the awful aroma.
Alexandre Dumas could only write poetry on yellow paper, articles on pink paper, and novels on blue paper.
Edgar Allan Poe’s beloved cat, Catterina, would sit on Poe’s shoulders while he wrote.
French novelist Colette always plucked fleas from her bulldog until she was ready to write.

Gertrude Stein claimed that she wrote best while seated in a parked car.
Agatha Christie wrote while taking baths and eating apples.
For many years, Maya Angelou only worked in the plainest of hotel rooms, solely accompanied by a dictionary, a Bible, a deck of cards, and a bottle of sherry.
Jack Kerouac wrote On The Road on 120 feet of taped-together paper so that his stream-of-consciousness writing style would not be interrupted by the need to add new sheets of paper to the typewriter.
John Steinbeck insisted on writing exclusively in pencil. He used over 300 of them to create The Grapes of Wrath.
T.S. Eliot would tint his face green with powder to look like he was dead.

===
Abbott proof area is shrinking

From: The Australian September 10, 2013 12:00AM

BATTLELINES is the self-defining book of ponderance and policy that helped stake out Tony Abbott's claim on the Liberal leadership in 2009. If the Labor Party believes Mr Abbott has achieved his battle plan, and that he will now merely defend his ground, it will be sadly mistaken.

Winning government is surely the crucial prize, but the ultimate aim is to keep it. And to that end Mr Abbott has redrawn his battlelines around a diminishing Labor heartland in western Sydney and other suburbs across the nation. The ALP has pulled back its defences to shrinking inner-city strongholds. Since even before he entered politics, Mr Abbott has sought out the mainstream. Whether it is constitutional change, workplace relations, Medicare or parental leave, he has made it his mission to move among mainstream voters and absorb their sensibilities. This is a politician who understands roads and communities by cycling cross-country on charity rides, comprehends indigenous communities by embedding himself in them, and grasps the ethos of volunteers by fighting fires as one of them. By deriding this "action man" image, Labor has missed the point. The prime minister-elect must get as much from these experiences as he gives. Think of them as political intelligence-gathering operations; his success shows this fact-finding has been put to good use.

This is a Liberal leader who, no less than John Howard before him, is after Labor's core blue-collar constituency. A mere glance at the electoral map shows his inroads. In political terms the ALP's western Sydney has been pinched from the north and south by losing Reid and, for the fist time since its creation in 1949, Banks. It has been squeezed from the west by losing Lindsay. In the suburbs of Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Launceston, more Labor turf has been lost. If naming a ministry and delivering election commitments are Mr Abbott's short and medium-term goals, rest assured his long-term mission is to make sure the Liberals are the party of choice across aspirational Australia.

Policies are important but so is an authentic connection. And one feeds the other. A fortnight ago, introducing himself at the Rooty Hill people's forum, then prime minister Kevin Rudd might have been talking about Birdsville when he said 10 per cent of Australians live "out here". (Just months earlier his predecessor, Julia Gillard, stayed at a Rooty Hill hotel instead of commuting from her official residence in the same city.) Mr Abbott told the forum he had lived at Emu Plains for a year and worked as a concrete plant manager at Silverwater. "I love Sydney," he said, "I respect and appreciate this part of Sydney."


Western Sydney is not another world - it is suburban Australia. Rather than congratulate itself on having to fight desperately to win seats that it has never lost before, such as McMahon, Fowler and Chifley, Labor must consider why it has been losing ground. It shouldn't delude itself about Greenway and Parramatta, which also would have fallen if the Liberals had organised themselves better. The reasons behind Labor's drift are clear and they can't be glossed over by glib references to disunity and messaging. Labor's broken promises, policy priorities, incompetence and doomed alliance with the Greens have been manifestations of a drift away from mainstream values and concerns. Paul Keating has talked about the need for Labor to give voice to the aspirations of working families. This means knowing the primacy of concerns on the cost of living, infrastructure and economic management. It means adopting policies that are focused on those issues, rather than the progressive, post-materialist aims of the green Left. Reforming ALP rules and choosing fresh leadership will be meaningless if they don't lead to broader engagement with mainstream priorities. The union movement and inner-city activists can provide little guidance. Lax borders, labour market re-regulation, a carbon tax, media regulation and UN activism are not the way to improve the living standards of suburban families. They are bound to be interested in opportunities for their children, which is why creating jobs is central. This is the truth Labor must grasp. Because Mr Abbott seems to comprehend it.
===

This pretty much sums it up in one graphic.

Sign the Petition to stop them from taking us to WAR!

We don't need to be helping Al-Qaeda!!

Sign here: http://1776survey.com/wo/5661-2/
===

#likeaboss #lawyer #court #perth#westernaustralia
Aprille Love
===


Daniel Katz'
FOR SALE

A GREAT FAMILY CAR HARDLY USED.

TOYOTA TARAGO ULTIMA 3.6 LITRE 6 CYLINDER 2008 WITH ONLY 12,300 KMS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND VERY CLEAN CAR WITH LEATHER CAPTAIN SEATING.

REGO PLATE : NSW " XOIOX " NOT INCLUDED IN SALE

INSTALLED LARGE SCREEN DVD PLAYER AND BRAND NEW BATTERY.

REGISTRATION EXPIRES THIS MONTH.

$37,500.00 RRP APPROX $70,000.00
 (6 photos)

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I caught a fire based vortex on Diablo...
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WILDFIRE TIMELAPSE: Timelapse video of Mt. Diablo wildfire Sunday night

  •  217 7201 970 8589
Time lapse video of Mt. Diablo wildfire Sunday night consisting of individual pictures taken 6 seconds apart from 9-10 p.m. and then stitched together to make a video. They were taken from Pleasant Hill by John Jenkins.

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4 her
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Cars passing by on the Kirker Pass as Mt. Diablo burns. — at Kirker Pass.
===

Obama Care death panels operating now - ed
===
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Find out the secret to living your best life from the happiest people on earth - The People of Israel!
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FABULOUS! For the first time in the country, three Israeli children benefited from this advance.
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IsraelVideoNetwork.com, run by 12Tribe Films, is developing the next generation of Israel activists using online video and social networking.
Join our mission - Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to help us grow our network to reach hundreds of thousands of people to make a difference for Israel.
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NEVER AGAIN!
Click here to watch: NEVER AGAIN!
This is a MUST SEE and MUST SHARE video! Watch this one minute Israeli airforce flyover of Auschwitz!
Israel will NEVER allow another Holocaust. Israel is the guardian of the Jewish people and she is here to stay!
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The Yeshiva Boys Choir – “Amein” (A Cappella – All Sounds Made By Voice & Mouth)
Another smash hit music video from the fabulous Yeshiva Boys Choir, this time A Cappella! Enjoy.
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NEW Patent-pending technology from Israel – Gas-Free Dispensers
Israel makes us proud!!! More great Israeli inventions to help the world and humankind!
Want to know what it does and how it will help? Watch the video!
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Kol Nidrei – The Moroccan Version
Wow! The beautiful & ancient Moroccan version of the special Jewish prayer KOL NIDREI in a modern style. This haunting oath is sung on Yom Kippur by Jewish communities worldwide.
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pragerU
Click here to watch: The Middle East Problem
This is a fabulous video that simply analyzes the true problem of the Middle East, between the Muslim countries and Israel. Definitely watch it!
Eugene
International law is on Israel's side. Watch the video to understand why!
This must be one of the best video presentations that clearly explains international law and the legal case for Israel and Israel's presence in Judea and Samaria. Definitely watch this to have a better understanding of international law so you can talk about Israel's situation intelligently with others.
***
Breaking News Videos - box-3
Thank you for caring about Israel. Here is a new tool we have developed for people like you to stay up-to-date with important videos with the latest news in Israel. Sign Up Here!
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One Week Rosh Hashanah Sale - Yair Emanuel Judaica!!
Don't miss this best seller! 
Click here to purchase this special holiday gift.
Add a splash of festive color to your Rosh HaShanah this year with this wonderful shofar stand! And not only Rosh HaShanah; it will also look great on your mantel or desk all year long.
donate_now_narrow
IsraelVideoNetwork.com, run by 12Tribe Films, is developing the next generation of Israel activists using online video and social networking.
Join our mission - Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to help us grow our network to reach hundreds of thousands of people to make a difference for Israel.
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HonestReporting's Israel Daily News Stream: Everything You Need to Know About Media Coverage of Israel and the MidEast

Today's Top Stories

• Why are Sinai jihadis using Israeli cell phone networks?
• EU hints of compromise on settlement guidelines.
• Nusra Front's Syrian success boosts Al-Qaida's flagging fortunes elsewhere.

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===
Friend, 
As our country faces yet another extremely difficult challenge - whether or not to conduct a military strike in Syria - we are reminded of the critically important job our elected officials have.
The primary role of our elected officials in the federal government is to keep us safe and our country secure.  While many other issues confront us - serious ones at that - our national security is paramount.
And as President Obama readies to ask for Congressional authorization on this critically important matter, it reminds each of us that who we elect matters. 
There is a very important special election coming up in Alabama onTuesday, September 24, 2013.
My friend Quin Hillyer, who opposes military intervention in Syria, is running in this special election in the first Congressional district of Alabama. 
I have known Quin for several years and have always been impressed with his willingness to fearlessly and without hesitation advance the conservative cause. 
As a critic of Washington business-as-usual, Quin will bring that same courageous approach as an advocate for free markets, limited government and reform of the welfare and tax system to Congress.
While there are a number of fine folks in this race for Congress, Quin brings something special with his outstanding skills as a communicator of conservative ideals.  I am confident he can win with your help. 
I endorsed Quin as soon as I learned he was a candidate for this House seat.  And I am not alone.  He has earned the support of many conservative stalwarts including Bill Kristol of the Weekly Standard, Rich Lowry of National Review, the American Conservative Union and many others.
Quin has a 30-year record of fighting successfully for traditional values such as the right to life, limited government, and against absurd regulations like those limiting energy exploration in the Gulf. 
There is no question.  Quin Hillyer will be an exceptional Congressman. Please support him today.
Thank you,
Rick Santorum signature 
Rick Santorum 

    Paid for by Patriot Voices PAC and authorized by Quin Hillyer for Congress.

===
mm banner28413-0
Screen Shot 2013-05-06 at 8.47.36 AM
Hi everyone! Here's the MichelleMalkin.com newsletter for September 9th. Enjoy!

From the Blog

Which movie will she blame this time? Susan Rice to brief Congress about Syria on one-year anniversary of Benghazi

Wrong and disrespectful on numerous levels...

John Kerry again claims ‘double digit’ number of allies for Syria strike, doesn’t name any

“A movement” is developing overseas in support of the Obama administration’s plan of attack on Syria, according to John Kerry...

Obama returns from G-20; Immediately starts working on a fairway to settle the Syria dilemma

President Obama returned last night from his “dominant” trip to Russia, and headed to the golf course Saturday morning, because Saturday...

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September 10Paryushana begins (Digambar Jains, 2013); National Dayin Gibraltar (1967)
Battle of Lake Erie

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“Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.” Titus 2:2NIV
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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not."
Jeremiah 33:3
There are different translations of these words. One version renders it, "I will shew thee great and fortified things." Another, "Great and reserved things." Now, there are reserved and special things in Christian experience: all the developments of spiritual life are not alike easy of attainment. There are the common frames and feelings of repentance, and faith, and joy, and hope, which are enjoyed by the entire family; but there is an upper realm of rapture, of communion, and conscious union with Christ, which is far from being the common dwelling-place of believers. We have not all the high privilege of John, to lean upon Jesus' bosom; nor of Paul, to be caught up into the third heaven. There are heights in experimental knowledge of the things of God which the eagle's eye of acumen and philosophic thought hath never seen: God alone can bear us there; but the chariot in which he takes us up, and the fiery steeds with which that chariot is dragged, are prevailing prayers. Prevailing prayer is victorious over the God of mercy, "By his strength he had power with God: yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Beth-el, and there he spake with us." Prevailing prayer takes the Christian to Carmel, and enables him to cover heaven with clouds of blessing, and earth with floods of mercy. Prevailing prayer bears the Christian aloft to Pisgah, and shows him the inheritance reserved; it elevates us to Tabor and transfigures us, till in the likeness of his Lord, as he is, so are we also in this world. If you would reach to something higher than ordinary grovelling experience, look to the Rock that is higher than you, and gaze with the eye of faith through the window of importunate prayer. When you open the window on your side, it will not be bolted on the other.

Evening

"And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment."
Revelation 4:4
These representatives of the saints in heaven are said to be around the throne. In the passage in Canticles, where Solomon sings of the King sitting at his table, some render it "a round table." From this, some expositors, I think, without straining the text, have said, "There is an equality among the saints." That idea is conveyed by the equal nearness of the four and twenty elders. The condition of glorified spirits in heaven is that of nearness to Christ, clear vision of his glory, constant access to his court, and familiar fellowship with his person: nor is there any difference in this respect between one saint and another, but all the people of God, apostles, martyrs, ministers, or private and obscure Christians, shall all be seated near the throne, where they shall forever gaze upon their exalted Lord, and be satisfied with his love. They shall all be near to Christ, all ravished with his love, all eating and drinking at the same table with him, all equally beloved as his favourites and friends even if not all equally rewarded as servants.
Let believers on earth imitate the saints in heaven in their nearness to Christ. Let us on earth be as the elders are in heaven, sitting around the throne. May Christ be the object of our thoughts, the centre of our lives. How can we endure to live at such a distance from our Beloved? Lord Jesus, draw us nearer to thyself. Say unto us, "Abide in me, and I in you"; and permit us to sing, "His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me."
O lift me higher, nearer thee,
And as I rise more pure and meet,
O let my soul's humility
Make me lie lower at thy feet;
Less trusting self, the more I prove
The blessed comfort of thy love.
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Today's reading: Proverbs 6-7, 2 Corinthians 2 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Today's Old Testament reading: Proverbs 3-5

Warnings Against Folly
1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor,
if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
2 you have been trapped by what you said,
ensnared by the words of your mouth.
3 So do this, my son, to free yourself,
since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands:
Go-to the point of exhaustion-
and give your neighbor no rest!
4 Allow no sleep to your eyes,
no slumber to your eyelids.
Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter,
like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Today's New Testament reading: 2 Corinthians 1

1 So I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved? 3 I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy. 4 For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.
Forgiveness for the Offender
5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent-not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven-if there was anything to forgive-I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes....
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Gomer

[Gō'mûr] - completion or heatThe first born of Japheth and father of Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. Also the head of many families (Gen. 10:2, 3; 1 Chron. 1:5, 6; Ezek. 38:6 ). The eldest son of Japheth is the father of the ancient Cimmerians or as the Assyrians called them, Gimirra, who settled on the northern shores of the Baltic Sea. The modern and familiar name in English history, Crimea, and the Cimbri of old times are derived from the Cimmerians, the immediate descendants of Gomer. Their original home appears to have been north of the Euxine, but by the seventh century they had completely conquered Cappadocia and settled there.

The Man Who Became a Nation

The Gauls and Celts of ancient times, and of more modern date, the Germans, French and British are descendants of Gomer. In the Talmud , Gomer is spoken of as Germani, that is, Germany. The present divided land of Germany was first called "The Land of Gomer" or Gomerland, and many old maps bear the name of Ashkenaz, one of the sons of Gomer. Other maps carry the name Gomer.
The major portion of Germany was never connected with the old Roman Empire. Although presently divided, with communists controlling the East, and the western powers eager to keep West Germany free from communist control, prophecy declares that "Gomer and all his bands," will be found allied to the Northern Confederacy. Owing to Germany's divided condition, European stability is endangered. With West Germany under intense Soviet pressure to refuse any military alliance with western nations, one wonders how long they can resist the determination of Russia to reunite all Germany under the "Hammer and the Sickle."
Gomer is also the name of Hosea's wife, the daughter of Diblaim, and affords another instance of the same name being used by a man and a woman (Hos. 1:3).
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September 9, 2011
Where is God?

Today's Truth
The Lord is my light and the one who saves me. So why should I fear anyone? The Lord protects my life. So why should I be afraid? Evil people may try to destroy my body. My enemies and those who hate me attack me, but they are overwhelmed and defeated. If an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid. If war breaks out, I will trust the Lord (Psalm 27:1-3, NCV).
Friend to Friend
I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the phone rang and my husband said, "Honey, you need to turn on the television - right now." It was the middle of the day and I was busy cleaning house, doing laundry and trying to cram in an hour of study time, but the sadness and dread in my husband's voice stopped me in my tracks. Something was very wrong. Still, I was totally unprepared for the horrific scene that played out in vivid reality on the television screen before me. I stared in shock at the surreal images of two airplanes flying into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Both towers collapsed - killing thousands of innocent people - and forever changing life as we know it.
Why bad things happen to good people is a question we have been asking since time began. I have been a Christ follower for many years. I am a Christian author and speaker and the wife of a pastor. Over the years, God has brought me out of more pits than I can count and I have literally attended church since the day I was born. My faith in God should be unwavering and I should never doubt or question Him or His plan. But sometimes I do.
You may be offended at my next statement, but if I am brutally honest, my faulty human mind and sin-tainted heart can almost - almost come to grips with such horrendous circumstances happening to someone who is evil and has turned their back on God. Bad things should happen to bad people and good things should happen to good people. Sounds logical and fair - right?
You and I both know that life is not fair and that our human logic is a shallow substitute for God's sovereignty. We are broken people living in a broken world. Bad things do happen to good people while those who mock God seem to prosper, and it's been that way for a long time. Take Job for example.
Job 1:8-12 "The LORD said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.' 'Does Job fear God for nothing?' Satan replied. 'Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.' The LORD said to Satan, 'Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.'"
Don't miss the important fact that God not only allowed Satan to test Job, but dictated how Satan could test him. Job went from having vast wealth to great poverty, losing everything he and his wife had, including their ten children. Job's wife urged her husband to turn away from and curse God and to forsake the very faith that had blessed her and Job for so long - but Job stood firm.
Job 1:20-21 "Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.'"
Job was an extraordinary man, husband, father and leader who served God faithfully. His faithfulness to God in prosperity was a powerful testimony, but His faithfulness to God in the face of death, pain and despair was even more powerful. Did Job doubt and question God? Absolutely! Did Job openly and honestly grieve his loss and weep in his pain? Yes, but he remained faithful to God, even when he did not understand why God would let him endure such suffering and even when his heart and body was broken. God was pleased with Job and rewarded him for his faithfulness.
Job 42:11 "The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first."
Storms come in all shapes and sizes. The lab report comes back malignant. The school calls, demanding that you pick up your child who has just been expelled. Your husband informs you that he no longer wants to be married to you. Your boss calls you into his office to let you know that you are being fired. Financial disaster seems certain while dependable friends seem to vanish. Yes, storms will come and bad things will happen - even to fully devoted followers of God. Where is God when the winds pick up and the churning waters pummel your rocking boat? God is where He has always been and always will be - in the midst of every stormy circumstance. Run into His waiting arms when you are afraid. Trust Him - even though you may not understand what is happening in your life. He is with you.
Let's Pray
Father, we come to You today, celebrating the freedom that so many have given their lives to protect. I pray that we would remember and cherish their sacrifice. Lord, I am so sorry for doubting You when life is hard. Forgive me for questioning Your plan when it seems to make no sense. I want to be a woman of faith who trusts You no matter what happens. Help me cultivate the kind of faith Job had and strengthen me for every trial ahead. Take my heart and mind captive and make them Yours. Today, I choose faith over fear and trust over doubt.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Now It's Your Turn
Think back to a time when God allowed something to happen that you simply could not understand. His plan seemed illogical and undoable. You asked, "Why did this happen to me?"
Now look at where you are now. What good things have come out of that painful experience? What lessons did you learn from that difficult time? How have those lessons influenced your life today?
Read Isaiah 45:3. How does this powerful verse relate to the difficult times you are facing now or have faced in the past?
Read and memorize Psalm 40:1-3. God gave me that promise in the darkest days of my life and they are even more precious in the light.
More from the Girlfriends
Don't miss the Dollar Days Sale going on in Mary's online store! But hurry! It ends today!
Looking for a Bible Study that is both practical and powerful? Check out Mary's E-Book Bible Studies. Each one includes a study guide that you can download for your personal use or for a small group study. I Need a Friend is also available in Bible Study format.
Be sure to check out Mary's weekly Online Bible Study: Stress Management 101. Enroll now and have access to all 2011 lessons. Need a friend? Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.
Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
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P31Header
Karen Ehman
September 9, 2011
Retreat Required
Karen Ehman
"...He said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" Mark 6:31b (NIV 1984)
Are you an addict? I am. Sadly, my addiction is sometimes serious. And statistics indicate that many share my awful obsession. You see, I am addicted to busyness.
My habit began in high school. To escape a less-than-perfect, broken home and to numb the emotional pain I was feeling from its fallout, I stumbled upon busyness. Yep, sign me up for sports, the school newspaper, foreign language club, youth group, volunteer work and a part-time job to boot! By the time I graduated high school, I was involved in more activities than a set of triplets should be.
Unfortunately, the 'busy buzz' carried over into adulthood.
Current culture doesn't help. Society not only encourages a hectic lifestyle, it even applauds and rewards it! And what gal in her right mind doesn't want an "'atta girl" now and then?
To be an effective woman of God, however, we need to not only slow down, regularly scraping commitments off of our too-full plates, but sometimes we need to cease the frenzy altogether.
I am just coming off of a month-long Internet break and Facebook fast. No status updates, posting cute pictures or cruising the blogging super-highways for 31 days. It was both terribly hard and yet, in the end, wonderfully worth it.
During my break, I hunkered down at a 1950's retreat center. Dorm-like with its cinder block rooms, it is very inexpensive ($10 a day), and yet, set in a lovely slice of nature: hills overlooking a grape arbor, a fragrant pear and apple orchard.
Even though it is near impossible to break away from life, I come here sometimes to get alone with God; to read; ponder; write and reflect.
I walk the white pine and perennial-laced grounds in solitude. There are no blaring television sets, internet connections or ringing phones; only unfamiliar, but blessed, quiet.
It has taken me YEARS to get used to this ceasing of activity for occasional 24-48 hour periods of time each year. I fret and fuss as I am packing. "What about the kids? Oh, maybe I should just stay home. I could get caught up with so many tasks and projects. Am I being selfish by going away alone?"
But Christ beckons me, and He beckons you. It is the theme of today's key verse: "Come with me by yourselves...."
Alone. By yourself and for yourself. It is for our own good.
And, most of all, it is necessary. When we retreat we can best hear from God who often prefers not to scream over the sounds of our busy lives, but instead gently whispers to us in the quiet alone.
We can't always afford the time and money to physically leave our home. However, occasionally we can intentionally unplug. We can focus our hearts and center our minds on the Word and His words to us for a good chunk of a day.
Perhaps you could even find a friend who wants to do the same. Maybe trade off watching each other's kids. Or even trade homes. (You'll be less distracted at your friend's and most likely won't feel the urge to fold her laundry or mop her floor!)
Yes, in the Christian life retreat is required. Even Jesus Himself had regular times of rest and withdrawal. He leads by His example. Why not consider today a time, very soon, that you too will cease, retreat and refuel. You won't regret it.
Dear Lord, forgive me for ignoring Your command to come away with You for a while. Please arrange my circumstances so that I might spend uninterrupted time with You. May I drink deep of Your lavish love and receive the calm and comfort I crave that only comes from You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
For Five Simple Mini-Retreat Tips and a chance to win a quiet time basket or a free night's stay at a quaint Michigan Bed & Breakfast, visit Karen's blog.
Application Steps:
Put pen to paper and craft a pie chart of your life. What percent of the time do you spend each month on these various activities: working-away or at home; sleeping; eating; caring for kids; homemaking; church; outside activities; hobbies; Internet or television; etc...?
Evaluate how much time you spend alone with God. Not "going to church and church activities," but rather you and God alone? Now take a look at the chart in front of you. How would you like to see it change?
Reflections:
When was the last time I slowed down, cleared my calendar for at least an afternoon and connected with Jesus all alone?
What was the result? Why don't I do it more often?
Power Verses:
Matthew 11:28-29, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls." (Amplified Bible)
Psalm 131:1-2, "O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me." (ESV)
© 2011 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
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LeadershipBible-Header

John Wycliffe: English Bible Translator

art_10_06_wycliffe
Quote:"It is not necessary to go either to Rome or to Avignon in order to seek a decision from the pope, since the triune God is everywhere. Our pope is Christ." (John Wycliffe, De simonia, de apostasia, de blasphemia; On the Church, 1378-1379)
Twenty-nine years after John Wycliffe (c.1324 - 1384) died, his bones were dug up and burned, a retroactive rebuke to the "stiff-necked heretic." At the time of his death, a Catholic leader had written a scathing indictment, calling him an "instrument of the devil" and "an enemy of the church."
Who was this man who drew forth such vitriol? To later Protestants he would be hailed as "the Morningstar of the Reformation." During his lifetime, he committed himself to Scripture translation in the "vulgar" language and denied purgatory and the validity of indulgences. He also articulated a theological framework that rejected the efficacy of the Mass and the dogma of transubstantiation. He was a scholar and a trained theologian whose direct link to sixteenth-century Reformers is very clear. Born into a large landed family in Yorkshire, England, Wycliffe attended local schools, and by his early twenties was a student at Oxford, where he received a broad education in science, mathematics, philosophy, and biblical studies. A brilliant scholar, he quickly moved from student to tutor to director of Canterbury Hall, and he became a Doctor of Theology in his early forties, lecturing and later serving as a parish priest in Lutterworth.
Wycliffe's demand for religious reform was intrinsically tied to politics and commerce as well as to foreign policy. His first book (containing eighteen theses) argued that in temporal matters the king and parliament have authority over the church and its clergy, including the pope.
The new ideas created excitement among Wycliffe's students, and the movement spread like wildfire. Opposing him, however, were monks and most of the English clerics, who depended on the papacy. His most illustrious opponent was Pope Gregory XI himself, who issued a bull against Wycliffe and his eighteen theses, denouncing the professor's dangerous teachings. The pope angrily laid out his case against him, warning Oxford to be rid of him.
Summoned to appear before leading bishops in Lambeth, Wycliffe arrived, accompanied by a boisterous parade of supporters, including Joan of Kent, the king's mother. He was ordered to desist teaching heresy, but he refused to be silenced, finding the pen more powerful than the tongue. Insisting that Christ, not the pope, is head of the church, he argued that it is not "necessary to go either to Rome or to Avignon in order to seek a decision from the pope since the triune God is everywhere." He later equated the pope with the antichrist.
Wycliffe's crowning achievement was the English Bible; he argued that the only way Christians could truly follow Christ was through reading Scripture in their own tongue. Such ideas, however, threatened orthodoxy. "The jewel of the clergy," clerics railed, "has become the toy of the laity." Distributing the newly translated Scriptures were barefoot itinerant "poor priests" scorned as Lollards. They were persecuted, and Bibles were burned. But the movement continued to spread.
Both large and small landowners supported the secularization of church property, but when Wycliffe began meddling with religious rituals and dogma, many were uneasy. Church tradition was centuries old in England. Messing with the Mass was simply not tolerated. But that was exactly what he did. In 1380, just prior to the peasants' rebellion (which he strongly opposed), he issued a provocative challenge to the doctrine of transubstantiation, attacking Thomas Aquinas for what he deemed heresy - that the bread and wine are transformed into the actual body and blood of Christ. He maintained that the church is the body of Christ, made up of elect only, all others being reprobate. He also rejected merit for indulgences, penance, pilgrimages, and confession, since only Christ forgives sin.
England was not ready for such a thoroughgoing reformation, however. In 1382 Wycliffe was ordered to appear before a synod in Oxford. Poor health and lack of concern among members of parliament worked in his favor. He was permitted to return to his parish, where he died two years later. His followers, the Lollards, carried on as an underground movement.

If you enjoyed the above article, please take a minute to read about the book that it was adapted from:
ParadeofFaith-Bookcover

Parade of Faith: A Biographical History of the Christian Church

by Ruth A. Tucker
Buy the book!
The story of Christianity centers on people whose lives have been transformed by the resurrected Lord. Tucker puts this front and center in a lively overview peppered with sidebars; historical "what if?" questions; sections on everyday life; drawings and illustrations; bibliographies for further reading.


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