Monday Mixture
Chelsea won the Women's FA Cup. Hope you had a good weekend, Dear Reader. I've been knitting socks. Finished the Roses pair, got a move on with the Eclipse pair and am now round the heel and more or less completely up the leg. Just have to decide on how to finish it. Now I'm looking for another project. I'd love to knit a silky, lacy shawl, possibly with wonderful beads, but just don't have the occasion to wear it, so that can wait in the wish list. I am going to knit Mum a cardigan, so am currently researching a pattern. Wouldn't mind trying a top down one. Ideas anyone? That's not going to be until September though. Even if it is currently cool for the time of year it's still kinda warm for lapfulls of woolly goodness.
Meanwhile President Obama is trying to introduce a 'Clean Energy' plan in the USA. That mainly means 'much less coal' or even 'no more coal', and probably 'much less oil' too. All of which are going to get the American public up on their feet in disapproval. Both coal and oil are thriving industries in the States, providing jobs for many and accruing great profits for the industry owners. Plus things like various people (who might see better if they took their heads out of the sand) reckoning that Climate Change is all bunk, and nothing to do with fossil fuel use anyhow!
So with nearly all Republicans and all in the relevant industries against it, Obama's bill is going to have a seriously rough ride. Thing is, unless America does something really worthwhile over fossil fuel use - like seriously reducing it or replacing it all together (preferably not with Nuclear) the world is really going to be in dead schtuck, and irreversibly so, all too soon. Pity so many can't see past their accumulating dollars to what is really happening. After all, it's not as if we have another planet to flee to if/when we balls up this one!
There has been mention recently of organised attacks on Christians, mainly in the Middle East, mostly by oppressive Islamic governments (eg: across North Africa, Iran) or ISIS. This is happening, it just doesn't often make the News because, well . . . because it just isn't 'fashionable' to portray Christianity in a good light these days. Abusive priests (and getting away with it with Official Church cover ups); Thieving Priests (stealing fees paid for weddings, funerals etc); Christian groups demonstrating their feelings against all sorts - abortion on demand (or at all), same sex 'marriage' (or any kind of same sex 'relationships'); they've all been in the News. Christians getting persecuted for simply being Christians? You generally need to go to the Christian Press for reports of that. It happens.
And it's happening in North Korea. Christians have long been persecuted in Communist nations, North Korea is no exception. THE problem is, as it has been since Christianity first began back in the first century AD, that Christians obey a different Lord, live a different lifestyle. The difference is because Christians have a changed nature - due to that different Lord, not because they are basically the same as ever but are obeying different rules.
In the end these differences are bound to lead to some form of friction, whatever kind of government is in charge. Christians will stand up and speak out about the policies and actions of 'free' Western governments every bit as much as they might various oppressive regimes - while praying for whomever is in charge the meanwhile. Trouble is, oppressive regimes get a lot more 'touchy' about any form of percieved criticism. They also tend to get 'touchy' about any percieved 'differences' in choices and lifestyle among their peoples.
Regimes tend to be happy enough with people who work hard, try to build strong families, look after the poor and marginalised - homeless, beggars et al. They may even be happy to allow people to build (from their own money) good schools, hospitals and clinics, maybe even a university, provided they don't see it as a criticism of what they already do. What they really object to is when, maybe as a result of having been cared for and treated as a real human being, people start to ask their 'benefactors' why they are bothering with such as they - and the 'benefactors' tell them things like - "We do this because we know God. We know that He loves us, and we know that He loves you too." Which almost invariably leads on to conversations about who this God is and what does this love mean.
At which point people are being introduced to what is seen as a system which is in opposition to the regime. It may well be, given the record of some regimes. It may not be in principle, but that's how it's viewed. And the regime cracks down, people get persecuted for caring for other people. Such, alas, is lif!
And Finally - for the rail enthusiats 'out there', a Russian model railway. It's owned by a billionaire and is so big it's somewhat famous. People come from all over to see it, so he charges entry, and thus makes himself more money. It's a good layout though.
Meanwhile President Obama is trying to introduce a 'Clean Energy' plan in the USA. That mainly means 'much less coal' or even 'no more coal', and probably 'much less oil' too. All of which are going to get the American public up on their feet in disapproval. Both coal and oil are thriving industries in the States, providing jobs for many and accruing great profits for the industry owners. Plus things like various people (who might see better if they took their heads out of the sand) reckoning that Climate Change is all bunk, and nothing to do with fossil fuel use anyhow!
So with nearly all Republicans and all in the relevant industries against it, Obama's bill is going to have a seriously rough ride. Thing is, unless America does something really worthwhile over fossil fuel use - like seriously reducing it or replacing it all together (preferably not with Nuclear) the world is really going to be in dead schtuck, and irreversibly so, all too soon. Pity so many can't see past their accumulating dollars to what is really happening. After all, it's not as if we have another planet to flee to if/when we balls up this one!
There has been mention recently of organised attacks on Christians, mainly in the Middle East, mostly by oppressive Islamic governments (eg: across North Africa, Iran) or ISIS. This is happening, it just doesn't often make the News because, well . . . because it just isn't 'fashionable' to portray Christianity in a good light these days. Abusive priests (and getting away with it with Official Church cover ups); Thieving Priests (stealing fees paid for weddings, funerals etc); Christian groups demonstrating their feelings against all sorts - abortion on demand (or at all), same sex 'marriage' (or any kind of same sex 'relationships'); they've all been in the News. Christians getting persecuted for simply being Christians? You generally need to go to the Christian Press for reports of that. It happens.
And it's happening in North Korea. Christians have long been persecuted in Communist nations, North Korea is no exception. THE problem is, as it has been since Christianity first began back in the first century AD, that Christians obey a different Lord, live a different lifestyle. The difference is because Christians have a changed nature - due to that different Lord, not because they are basically the same as ever but are obeying different rules.
In the end these differences are bound to lead to some form of friction, whatever kind of government is in charge. Christians will stand up and speak out about the policies and actions of 'free' Western governments every bit as much as they might various oppressive regimes - while praying for whomever is in charge the meanwhile. Trouble is, oppressive regimes get a lot more 'touchy' about any form of percieved criticism. They also tend to get 'touchy' about any percieved 'differences' in choices and lifestyle among their peoples.
Regimes tend to be happy enough with people who work hard, try to build strong families, look after the poor and marginalised - homeless, beggars et al. They may even be happy to allow people to build (from their own money) good schools, hospitals and clinics, maybe even a university, provided they don't see it as a criticism of what they already do. What they really object to is when, maybe as a result of having been cared for and treated as a real human being, people start to ask their 'benefactors' why they are bothering with such as they - and the 'benefactors' tell them things like - "We do this because we know God. We know that He loves us, and we know that He loves you too." Which almost invariably leads on to conversations about who this God is and what does this love mean.
At which point people are being introduced to what is seen as a system which is in opposition to the regime. It may well be, given the record of some regimes. It may not be in principle, but that's how it's viewed. And the regime cracks down, people get persecuted for caring for other people. Such, alas, is lif!
And Finally - for the rail enthusiats 'out there', a Russian model railway. It's owned by a billionaire and is so big it's somewhat famous. People come from all over to see it, so he charges entry, and thus makes himself more money. It's a good layout though.