Merry Christmas

Well its Christmas - I've played the role of Santa and the original man would appear to be have been a good bloke but Santa was not divine and even if the wrong date Christmas is to remember God's gift of Jesus for OUR benefit. Merry Christmas and do "try" to visit a church tonight or tomorrow or Sunday and ask somebody about Jesus.

If you are on Facebook - go here and click LIKE
GodVine - Let's Get Ready for a Christian Revival

Or Twitter and where ever else you can Share

and perhaps visit me at Ron Lankshear's Faith Page

Farewell: Pink Panther director Blake Edwards dies at 88 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Pink Panther director Blake Edwards dies at 88 - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Strange coincidence Geoffrey Rush film of Peter Sellers "Life and Death" was on TV last night and of course Blake was shown having great fun as well as strain working with Peter.
But what wonderful films they made. Such memorable moments. Peter spinning the big office globe of the world and crashing to the floor. The word games in French. Ah Blake knew how to get Peter performing.

And of course "Breakfast at Tiffany's" what an icon that has become.

And I just found out this
Edwards began his career as a scriptwriter for radio. In fact, one of his early breaks was writing dialogue for Orson Welles’ famous 1938 production of War of the Worlds.
Now that was major - that Radio show was so authentic that is caused panic as people thought the Martians were coming. Orson and Blake's great success.





All our sympathy to Julie Andrews for her loss

Tangy Lemon Cake

Christine's recipe for Lemon Cake
3 large Lemons - now we are talking Tangy
1 cup butter / marg
1 cup sugar + 3 tablespoons of sugar for juice
1 + 1/2 cups white self raising flour and sift it
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
pinch of salt
some cornflour
spray oil for cake tray

Grate rind from both lemons - and put juice aside.
Cream Butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add grated rind to cream mixture.
Add both eggs - one at a time and mix well.
Mix in sifted flour and milk.
Alternately starting and ending with flour.
Spray cake tray with oil and then dust with cornflour.
You could place baking paper in bottom - if you like perhaps not. 
Pre Heat oven and Bake at 200c for around 30 minutes
test with skewer to see if cooked

Take juice from lemons  boil with 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Loosen cake in tin first and then
Pour hot mixture over cake whilst still hot

Lest We Forget

11 November 1918 fighting in the Great War finally finished. Let is remember those who were sacrificed in this awful conflict

Lest We Forget

Recipes: Dhal

Dhal

1 tablespoon oil

6 oz. (3/4 cup) red lentils, soaked for 30 minutes and drained

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 pint (2 1/2 cups) stock

l/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

sea salt

1 teaspoon ground coriander

freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon curry powder

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, coriander and curry powder and cook for a further 2 minutes over a low heat.

Add the lentils, stock and seasoning, cover and cook gently for 50-60 minutes until the lentils are quite soft.

Dhal should be the consistency of a very thick pea soup. Adjust the seasoning and serve with a curry.

In India often served thinner and more like a gravy BUT we like this one

Farewell: Tony Curtis

US actor Tony Curtis dies - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Curtis was born Bernard Schwartz in New York City on June 3, 1925.

Was in one of the great comedies "Some Like it Hot" what a scene he had with Marilyn and the Shell for Shell

"Spartacus" so well supporting Kirk Douglas

So many more memorable movies and some that were just Hollywood hokum

Politics: Quo Vadis

Sky News: Power struggle to continue after vote


Independents vow to work together - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The three sitting independent MPs have promised to work as closely together as possible as a political deadlock continues to hang over the country.


Call another poll if talks fail: Oakeshott
Sounds good to me


'Spin and fakery' as Labor infighting starts - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Mr Iemma, who was forced out of office in 2008 when Mr Bitar was then the secretary of NSW Labor, says Mr Bitar needs to take responsibility for Labor's failure to secure a majority.

Tony Windsor Says Show Us The Money
Independent MP Tony Windsor will ask the two main parties to submit all their election policies to the Treasury for costing so negotiations to form a government can begin with an agreed budgetary starting point.

Greens want debate on Afghanistan | The Daily Telegraph
As Gillard pointed out at conference re death of a brave trooper today - the Defence Minister has made reports and debates took place then. Presumably the Greens want everyone to accept that it is time to pull out - But I suppose I see Gillard's point Lets Train Afghans to fight the Taliban.

Live Results - 2010 Federal Election - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Well latest is Lib 73 Lab 72 and ONE Green and 4 others. Off to see 3 of the Others on Press Club lunchtime

Politics: Is this Goodbye Maxine - Friday final thoughts on Election

World News Australia - ALP poll suggests 20 marginals could go
The ALP polled 1650 voters this week across 10 NSW marginal seats and 10 Queensland marginal seats.
The poll showed a three per cent swing against Labor in the NSW marginals, which would see the government lose seven seats with three at risk, the Seven Network reported.
Seats which would fall to the coalition if the internal polling is accurate are: Robertson, Macquarie, Gilmore, Macarthur, Bennelong, Eden-Monaro and Page.
Those at risk are: Dobell, Greenway and Lindsay.

The 7.30 Report - ABC Antony Green's election preview - possibilities of Hung parliament

Poll puts leaders neck and neck - ABC News

The primary vote for Labor 35% Coalition 44% Greens' 14%.

Gillard Says State Labor Is Indefensible "Julia Gillard draws attention to her positive agenda and contrasts it with Tony Abbott's negative stance of cancelling out Labor's mistakes, but it's not quite enough"
Positive??? All I hear is her going on about Workchoices. And grocery prices. Than she talks ad nauseum re NBN and nothing about ETS.
and same old labour nonsense "Julia Gillard says she'd be devastated if the nation wakes up on Sunday and finds it's elected Tony Abbott Prime Minister on the back of a protest vote against Labor."

Sky News: Newspoll lineball, Galaxy tips ALP
But a Galaxy poll, published in the Herald Sun newspaper, predicts a narrow Labor win with a 52-48 two party preferred result.

Here in Bennelong
Maxine has been very nice to meet - she and Kevin were very supportive over the horrible murder in our street last year.
However I've been very annoyed at the mess that State Labor has made over the Epping Road. At least Greg Smith the state liberal MP is promising to change the Bus Lanes back to Transit Lanes.
But alas Maxine looking at the numbers particularly your party's own poll it sounds like the swing will exceed 1.4 % ........

PS Just heard Bob Brown says Greens will hold balance of power and if Labor are in a minority he will support them to be the Government. What - go over the people's head. At least the Liberals in UK went with the majority party.

ABC Elections for the election calculator etc


PS Saturday morning this interview appears
Julia Gillard: My carbon price promise | News.com.au

After days of mentioning NBN mantra suddenly she will have a mandate for the ETS or CPRS

Joseph in Egypt

Some folk often say there is no trace of what the Bible says about the Hebrews or Israelites in Egypt.
Well look at
Bahr Yussef - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

which means A canal or waterway of Joseph.

This is an ancient irrigation work.
The Bible says Joseph was appointed by Pharaoh to help Egypt through the years of plenty and then a drought.

-- 

Books: Iran: My Grandfather by Ali Alizadeh

M/C Reviews - A harrowing history – Iran: My Grandfather by Ali Alizadeh

Iran: My Grandfather · Readings.com.au

Yes indeed a harrowing book. A history of Iran in the 20th century told through scenes from Ali's grandparent's lives. Rather like a novel but does show us the trauma of Iran. Salman is a police lieutenant and is excited by the Shah's attempt to modernise Iran. Part of which involves banning the Barqa and there is a scene when Salman confronts a woman who really wants to wear the thing. He realises banning is not the answer. Eventually he realises the Shah is a dicator and helps depose him. Suffers prison under the new Shah.
If you want to know why Iran is the way it is then do read this beautifully written book

Books: The imperial cruise : a true story of empire and war / by James Bradley

The imperial cruise : a true story of empire and war / by James Bradley

I picked the book up thinking it was about the World Cruise of the Royal Navy in 1923 which took my father to many countries. But it is about the 1905 diplomacy voyage on which Teddy Roosevelt sent his daughter Alice and the Secertary of War Taft to the far east.

James Bradley (author) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia also wrote Flags of our Fathers which covered WW2 and I have seen the Clint Eastwood film. James is very concerned about the impact on his father's generation of WW2 and in this new book
he lays the blame on Teddy Roosevelt and his encouragement of Japan in 1905.

The Imperial Cruise by James Bradley - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists ( star ratings) for some good comments on the book.

Yes its PC history BUT a lot of what he says seem justified. It is not just a history of 1905 he goes back to the Mexican War and 1853 Perry threat to Japan. His point is a racism in American policy and because the Japanese decided to become industrialised and started wearing western suits including top hats that USA was convinced they were above the other Asian countries. Then LeGendre advised Japan to take over Okinawa and Taiwen and Korea. Bradley seems to say that all was peace in Asia before the USA intervened - he does not mention the invasions of Korea by Japan in the 1590s.

The whole push of the book is that Roosevelt conducted secret and illegal agreements with Japan. He seems to imply he has seen confirmation of this and yet we are also told that Roosevelt continually wanted assuances that Japan would not attack the Phillipines. The book also goes into the horrible mess of USA involvement in the Phillipines.

It seems that Teddy Roosevelt was not altogether as wise he he appeared in Ron's "reviews": David Fromkin’s new book: The King and the Cowboy when he was dealing with the Kaiser and King Edward in Europe.

Bradley's book is very readable history. And you can follow the romance of Alice Roosevelt. All comes to a rather sad end.

Politics: Polls

World News Australia - Labor back on track: pollster

"The Nielsen poll, published in Fairfax newspapers on Monday, shows federal Labor leading the coalition 52 to 48 per cent on a two-party preferred basis."

I did an on line SMH survey that had a question that went something like

"Do you agree with  Gillard's strong Timor Policy - Yes - No - Don't Know"

How do you answer a question like that? Do I think its strong - Do I like the policy - Is Timor the right place - Do I approve of Gillard?
What does it mean? How would a pollster use the data?
I answered NO - mainly to avoid a positive on Gillard but how would others see it
The Nauru centre seemed to work BUT
Timor seems a bad place - it is a sensitive place - severe trouble there in recent times - many locals don't like the idea.
And Gillard handling of it was appalling

Back in Poll land I heard on ABC radio a pollster reporting a strong poll saying Timor was a good idea BUT a negative on how Gillard handled it. Is that support for Gillard - no I don't think it is.

Meanwhile
Sky News Australia - News Vote
Who is your preferred Prime Minister?
Tony Abbott         72%
Julia Gillard         28%

Those numbers have been static for over an hour
And that is a clear question not inferred from some vague question on policy

Politics: Things Get Worse

2nd item on agenda for "fixing the government that had lost its way" was Asylum seekers.
Julia Gillard's gaffe on Dili solution no consultation of Xanana Gusmao | The Daily Telegraph

Is this real - announce a plan and it is not yet arranged with the country involved!!!!!!!!

Asylum seeker processing centre not a new idea, says Prime Minister Julia Gillard | The Daily Telegraph "What's new is my determination to relentlessly pursue it."

Gillard yet to speak with Timor's Gusmao - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Ms Gillard says she is not putting a timeframe on negotiations with neighbours
Well that is "relentless"

Meanwhile in TV Ad land
Health legislation won't be passed before election - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
includes "Ms Roxon says it will be two years before people can be moved from long-term public hospital surgery waiting lists to private hospitals.She says the Government is being up-front about when people might expect changes such as the surgery plan. "That guarantee, for example, comes into play progressively from July 1, 2012," she said."It is a complicated process both for elective surgery and for emergency departments because it is staged according to clinically recommended times for having the surgery undertaken. "We don't want to pretend to the public that tomorrow every problem in the health system will be fixed."

Hype ads on the TV and nothing is passed yet and the wanted changes are way off

And here we already into the 3rd item on agenda for "fixing the government that had lost its way" Julia Gillard on the climate change attack | The Daily Telegraph
except "Today, Ms Gillard emphatically ruled out a price on carbon before 2012 as she prepares to release a new policy on climate change."

Do read article and what Abbott has to say "We've committed to an emissions reduction fund, which will build up to $1 billion a year in order to purchase abatements in ways that improve the environment."

WWF climate change spokeswoman Kellie Caught attacked Ms Gillard's inaction.
"She has continued Labor's backflip on climate change and ignored the public's sentiments...."

I thought she was going to achieve the things that Rudd had put aside........

Later same day Gillard won't confirm East Timor preference - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) - Looks like Gillard has been advised about diplomacy and is trying to backout. I saw Tony Jones interview Ramos-Horta and he was quite gracious and trying to help BUT of course no way he would take all those people in Indonesia detention. They should be processed!!

Politics: Meanwhile in Bennelong

We're allies, says McKew - Government - News - Northern District Times

"NEW Prime Minister Julia Gillard can bank on the full support of Bennelong Federal MP and “close ally” Maxine McKew in the aftermath of last week’s history-making events in federal politics."

Phew the PM is an "Ally"  - I'd have preferred a "Friend"

"Maxine agreed with Ms Gillard that Mr Rudd was not successfully selling Labor’s message, which was the reason he had to be replaced, according to the party"

"Ms McKew was seen walking side by side with Mr Rudd down the corridors of Parliament House in Canberra the day he was sacked by his own party. “I owed him a lot,” Ms McKew said. “I owed him to be there on this most difficult day.” ``It was unprecedented in Labor history for a Prime Minister to go in this manner,’’ she said. ``But Julia was correct: It was difficult to sell a clear message of the good things Labor is doing. We were not able to get our message out.’‘

Politics: PM gives ground on mining tax

World News Australia - PM gives ground on mining tax

The tax has been given a new name - the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT). It was previously known as the Resource Super Profit Tax.

The headline tax of 40 per cent has been reduced to 30 per cent, despite the federal government's previous refusals to back down on the rate. The reforms will be limited to iron ore and coal projects, and will only apply to 320 companies.
The government says the reduced rate will make the industry "internationally competitive".

Petroleum resource tax extended
The MRRT will apply to iron ore and coal. However, the current Petroleum Resource Rent Tax will be extended to cover all onshore and offshore oil and gas projects. There will be no rebate for new exploration costs.
To finance the changes, the company tax rate will now only drop to 29 per cent, instead of the promised 28 per cent.

The federal government estimates the reforms will reduce revenue by $1.5 billion in the forward estimates.

---------------

well that is a 25% reduction in the tax which would have meant 3bn but I suppose the other changes bring it down to 1.5bn but still not as good as the budget planned!!!

Which way round does the battery go? Microsoft are fixing it

Microsoft unveils Instaload technology to banish battery bungling | The Daily Telegraph

"The US technology colossus overnight unveiled 'InstaLoad' technology
that lets batteries energise devices regardless of how the negative and
positive polarity connections are in place."

Wow - one of my big cripes - which way round does the battery go.?
So many gadgets and they "chart" is usually black on black and hard to see.
Go for it Microsoft

Et Tu Julia - reflections on the events June 23 onwards

Barrie Cassidy on ABC put it well "The King is dead, Long life the Queen".
Gough would have said "Well of course Julia is the feminine version of Julius". Hang on it was Julius that was stabbed.

I find it deeply disturbing that a Prime Minister was deposed in his first term simply because someone else wanted the job. Especially when the PM had turned his party's fortunes round and won in a landslide even losing the previous PM his seat. It was Kevin 07 - have you ALP folk forgot that? Kevin then contained with enormous popularity in the polls until just recently. Strange the big problem for John Howard was the advertising campaign against him over work choices and the problem for Kevin was one against him over the Mining Tax. I actually thought the tax was a real socialist issue. Surprising the ALP want out.

The Union person on lifeline had me chortling - it was Kevin asking his chief staff to find out opinions that caused them all to say time. Really its clear you all had already decided. Shorten on Q&A was saying it was Wednesday when he advised Julia to challenge. I though she said she made her own mind up! Shorten also said "it was a hard decision" - really should I feel sorry for you. What about the man you dumped. Surely he should have been allowed to go an election.

Mark Latham really did a bucket job on the party. And strange that he said that Swan hates Gillard as I see him arrive at G20 and announce himself as "Wayne Swan Prime Minister of Australia sorry deputy....."

More from Barrie Cassidy ABC The Drum - Rudd's downfall: he never really got it
in which "and she cut the ground from under the Coalition by conceding "a good government had lost its way."
I just find her repeating of that as weird - her cabinet is essentially the same - so apart from Kevin its the same as the one that lost its way - poor little lambs. Were the serious cabinet meetings at which everyone disagreed with what Kevin was doing? Did anyone resign on principle?
Lindsay Tanner has gone and his job is now combined with Foreign Affairs - sort of makes sense but will it continue like that. Kevin may after next election be back in the ministry? Is all this real?
Now media rumour is an election announcement this Friday. Really what about all the things that were going to be fixed because the government lost their way. Being left to after the election? So here we go again - we'll fix carbon - notice Gillard talks about carbon price not ETS.

Gillard won't play religion card - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) "Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she has no intention of pretending to believe in God to attract religiously-inclined voters." Well it wouldn't have fooled us Julia - it is fairly obvious you do not believe in God. Are you saying Kevin was pretending? Well at his sad speech Friday morning when he bubbled he did say something about giving thanks to God "him or her" - was he joking?

The last time I voted ALP was for Bob Hawke - then unlike Julia I decided God was for real and realised the ALP didn't see things that way.
Anyhow I was in India trying to serve God and came back to Australia to find that Keating thought he knew better than the people. And just under 20 years later Gillard does the same thing. Yes our first female PM but winning an election was the way that should have been not his "I decided"

Only last week Maxine was talking in local paper about a Rudd government plan. And her bulletin came and was full of photos with Kevin. Sad.
So will Maxine be a one term member for Bennelong?

Some additional items since I wrote above

How Abbott found an unexpected ally over climate change in the Gang of Four "IN THE inner sanctum, Julia Gillard had urged that the Rudd government not honour its election commitment for an emissions trading scheme unless the opposition's Tony Abbott agreed to one. The deputy prime minister argued strongly with her cabinet colleagues that the government should dump the scheme "because it's hurting us too much" politically, according to cabinet members."
Perhaps that explain why she talks carbon price instead of ETS

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard does not support legalising gay marriage | The Daily Telegraph

Film: Molière

Molière (2007)

The great French playwright Jean-Baptists Poquelin aka Molière (wonderfully played by Romain Duris)

Very enjoyable - makes a great effort to create the language etc that made Moliere so funny and famous

Really good - have seen it twice

David Fromkin’s new book: The King and the Cowboy

David Fromkin's new book: The King and the Cowboy

"The King and the Cowboy: Theodore Roosevelt and Edward the Seventh: The Secret Partners".

Actually I think it should be "The King, the Cowboy and Autocrat" or whatever you want to call Kaiser Willie.
The book suggests that the King and the President colluded to stop the Kaiser's plans in the Moroccan crisis of 1905 and this set the stage for WW1 and hence WW2 etc.

It is very well written history and short as well so well worth reading to understand what happened in Europe at the transition from Queen Victoria into the 20th century. Goes into how Victoria and Albert tried to educate Edward and that Victoria may well have hated him. Similarly explores the strange upbringing of Willie and his personality problems. Willie was actually visiting his grandmother when she died and he loved British uniforms etc. And yet he set out to oppose Britain - even though many protest that his expansion of the German Navy was not to oppose Britain.

From this book a case is well established that Edward had much more say in policy than the subsequent Kings of England.

A very good read

Just read: Robert Lindsay - Letting Go

RobertLindsay.net - Official: Robert Lindsay - Letting Go

Robert Lindsay (Stevenson) I first remember seeing in Jericho - a wonderful recreation of foggy London in the 1950s - and upsetting too - what was going on. Well Robert was what was going on. And then My Family which I only started watching when it had been around some time - some episodes were really funny but always a sad undercurrent. This book is about his first sixty years and is a very enjoyable read. He really goes into his acting style. It seems he likes to play the part and also play to the audience. Which can be threatening and one actor actually punched him.

Playing Henry II with Derek Jacobi as Beckett - he relates Derek as being a bit grumpy when Robert tried to be amusing - later he recounts Derek had Mrs Thatcher as a dinner guest and she invited Robert which he refused as being from the working class he did not like her politics - no wonder Derek was grumpy. Robert does reveal a lot about himself. Always having a laugh about himself. It was good to read about his career. Being "down under" for 40 years means I've lost touch with "new" actors etc in UK so this book was revealing.

I knew "Me and My girl" the 1930/40s Lupino Lane musical with the "Lambeth Walk" had had a rerun but I just did not know that Robert with Emma Thompson had been the stars - he took the show to a success on Broadway and met everyone including Miss Hepburn.

I'll be watching more of Robert if his shows get down here

Giants In the Land of Canaan - well yes but not this find

Sadly another fake story
A friend sent me the email exactly as described here
Giants in Greece - Nephilim - Giant Skeletons [Analysis]
Above is page 6 with comments on how photos were faked - previous pages have all the photos

Here is site with above photo
Archeologists Discover The Ancient Bones Of Biblical Giants-Fiction!

It is so sad that people do this
This is worth reading and has photos of an actual very tall man.

The Bible is true - these fakes stories are not needed. I've started a new category of FAKES

Our Garage Sale

Garage Sale - Saturday 8 May - North Epping | Garage Sale & House Clearance | Gumtree Sydney

We have some some Linen and new Giftware ideal for Mother's day
Cheap Furniture - stools - kitchen steps - computer desk – cupboard
Bird cage - aquarium - mouse house Videos - books - Fax machine

We decided late and missed Hornsby Council and Northern District Times cut offs

Still made Gumtree and they are great and free unless you want a highlight on front page etc and they have lots of categories and I will be checking them

The Ark of Noah is it finally found - no it isn't -or is it

More news coming in I will update below

We've heard for some time that various Noah's Ark had been found. Some geologists said were natural structure and not fossilised wood
Only Easter weekend there was a TV show recounting the saga of "finds".

Now this week a team from Hong Kong and Turkish archaeologists are reporting a 99% confidence that they have the real structure

Breaking news from Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament is very good on news re Biblical archaeology : Inside Noah’s Ark

And the team themselves The Days of Noah - Apocalypse

The news is all over the web - do look maybe some updates. I've not seen anything on TV in Sydney re the press conference reported above.
I hope we hear some substantial archaeology and scientific research soon

Two pictures inside the structure - a room and a beam




























Don't worry it was a fake and the news was all over the web

Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament: Inside Noah’s Ark: A Hoax

Picking up stories that appear to support faith is dangerous

PaleoBabble » Noah’s Ark PaleoBabble Update

The Hong Kong team web site just read like they wanted to find something so something happened





























May 2010

Now there are more interviews etc on The Days of Noah - Apocalypse

most of these are trying to refute what Randall Price said and say he was not there when they made their discovery and has not been near it. I could not see any video of the discovery. Some pics of the interior - one an enormous space.
They also seem to say this was same site that has been found before 1883, 1948 etc. There must be TWO such sites because one appears to be in an ice bound area and the other I have seen in TV shows is not.

Here is Randall Price on what was said about him and his involvement
World of the Bible Ministries Biblical Archaeology
And partly he says
Therefore, the only public statement he wishes to make at this time is that he believes that the greater the claim the greater the evidence needs to be to support it and urges the Chinese-Turkish team to make their collected samples from the structure available to scientists and scholars for comparative analysis. While he has reservations about the nature and procedure of the Chinese-Turkish expedition and the artifacts related to it, he believes that a decision concerning this matter must wait until independent examinations of the site and the structure can be made and published.


This site has lots of data and links
The Explorers Of Ararat: And the Search for Noah's Ark

which includes link to News to Note, May 1, 2010 - Answers in Genesis
in which concludes “Adding to our skepticism about the find is that the volcanic activity on the mountains of Ararat as well as several earthquakes make it doubtful that even parts of a wooden structure could have survived for over 4,300 years. Furthermore, much of the wood would have most likely been scavenged right after the Flood to erect forms of shelter and to build fires, etc.”

And the very good Bible research site Associates for Biblical Research has Noah’s Ark Discovered Again?
At this point we are skeptical of these new claims but would rejoice in the end if they proved to be true. -
Amen

Well November 2011 and New Support for Alleged Noah’s Ark Discovery
also here New Support for Alleged Noah's Ark Discovery and has picture that looks like what Ron Wyatt said was the Ark




The news appears to be from Dr Joel Klenck but his organisation Paleontological Research Corporation
does not seem to mention???

Kevin Rudd - an election this year - good article by Ross Gittins on Kevin

Rudd ominously silent on climate change

Ross is saying Kevin has diverted from carbon reduction to health as its too difficult

To get his trading scheme into law, Rudd's only course is to hold a double dissolution election and pass it at a joint sitting. But that would mean making his ''great big new tax'' a central issue in the election campaign, having a real fight on his hands and possibly losing some seats.

Farewell: Dick Francis

Dick Francis - Telegraph

"Dick Francis, who died on February 14 aged 89, began his career as a professional jockey, becoming Champion National Hunt Jockey in 1953-54, and famously rode in Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's colours in the Grand National of 1956; after retiring from the Turf, he became a successful writer of 42 thrillers, topping the best-seller lists for more than 40 years"

I first came across Dick's thrillers in the 1970s and I had to read them being a race horse owner myself back then. Always horses around the books somewhere - always told in first person (it makes you feel so involved). And always the hero (ie Dick as it was in first person) was captured by the villain and often tortured. You felt that Dick had met someone with an interesting trade at a dinner party as his "hero" was very often in some strange business. Such as the restaurant owner/chef and the clients poisoned by the villain with insufficently cooked  beans - details see Red Kidney Bean Poisoning. The poor hero nearly lossed everything as it looked like his fault - often a plot in Dick's books. Details like that always made the books exciting.

And the strange thing is that Christine grabbed one of horse racing thrillers for a read and she became hooked too. We recently read one that Dick wrote with his son Felix and I heard Felix will continue the good work.

Most Liveable Cities

Well mostly I would agree with SMH

but Melbourne 3rd and Sydney 7th

Melbourne remains No. 3 for liveability

But Dhaka in Bangladesh as tied worst almost last sounds right.
Dying Lepers begging on walk bridge next to station is not good

Christianity: When was Exodus and who was the Pharoah

Amenhotep II and the Historicity of the Exodus Pharaoh

Well per this article 25 April 1446 BC
which is good as around the date usually determined directly from Bible chronology

Most people would say that Pharaoh died in the Red Sea when the seas covered the Egyptian army. The article presents that he did not. Which of course also applies if Exodus was under Ramses II (seems to be the main conventional candidate)

Interesting contention that Hatshepsut was the Princess who was Moses step mother and that after Exodus Amenhotep II tried to destroy her memorials rather than it being Thutmose III.

A major point is made on Amenhotep only having two campaigns north - the second being after the loss of his army in the Red Sea. He did it to show that Egyptian power was not destroyed and also to obtain slaves. Then he signed a peace treaty with Mitanni. Presumably with a small force he had managed to acquire slaves but not a major campaign against Mitanni.

Interesting and is a well argued approach and does place Exodus at what I think is a good date

Then there is David Rohl's approach which does place Exodus at a similar date but under Dudimose. Rohl's New Chronology places Pharoah at different dates compared to the Conventional dates


Following pages on his view
Did the Exodus Happen? Answering the Sceptics

Biblical Archaeology Review: Feature 1 Sidebar 1

The Exodus, Joseph, Jericho … Harmonized With Eqyptian Chronology « TruthMatters.info

Most will tell you that Exodus is not in Egyptian records ..............

Manetho wrote that that in the reign of Dudimose (the Pharoah of the Exodus under the New Chronology), ‘a blast of God smote us’

Christianity: The Book of Revelation

The King and I: Exiled To Patmos, Part 2

"A common misconception in commentaries and popular prophetic writings is that the island of Patmos, where John was exiled, was a sort of Alcatraz "

A very detailed description of Patmos and where John might have been when revelation was happening.

Including being able to see the Island of Thera Santorini with that lethal volcano.

Well worth reading

Farewell: Ian Carmichael

Ian Carmichael - Telegraph

"Ian Carmichael, the actor, who died on February 5 aged 89, personified the affable, archetypal silly ass Englishman in scores of revues, light comedies, films and television programmes. "

"Few comedians knew how to look more comically, humanly afraid. His apprehensive subaltern — standing rigidly to attention on the parade ground as an offstage sergeant barked a string of commands which he knew he would never be able, as expected, to repeat to his platoon — was a model of silent, facial panic. "

Ian was really funny - a great foil to Peter Sellars and Terry Thomas - but always having a dig at himself and that accent was so good.

Farewell: John Dankworth

Sir John Dankworth - Telegraph

"John Dankworth, who died on February 6 aged 82, was a pioneer of modern jazz in Britain, a leading composer of film music, a tireless champion of musical education, regardless of genre, and a superb instrumentalist in his own right. "

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John was also married to Cleo Laine - a great singer

Dudley Moore also played piano in John's big band leaving in 1960.  That band with Dudley was wonderful.
I was at the club the night Duke Ellington visited - Wow.

Recipes: Peanut Biscuit - Impossible Pie - Sour Cream Cake

Peanut Biscuits (remember tell people in case if allergy)
1/4 lb butter
1 cup s/r flour
half cup chopped peanuts
3/4 cup brown sugar
mix dry ingredients
melt butter mix all together
place in a flat tray & cut when you take out the oven. Leave in tray to
harden.
Cook in a moderate oven until light golden brown, a little darker than
when raw.
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Impossible Pie
3 eggs
1 cup milk
half cup s/r flour
1/4 cup melted butter.
Mix with fork and pour into pie dish.
dice any of the following -
bacon, mushrooms,salami, fish or salmon, corn, tomato etc,. throw into
pie dish. sprinkle 1 cup grated cheese on top. bake in moderately hot
oven till cooked.

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Sour Cream Cake
6 oz melted & cooled butter.
1 1/2 cups s/r flour
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3 eggs
mix with spoon
300 mls sour cream
dob sour cream on top
place in lined tin 160 Celsius 1 hour.
sprinkle with icing sugar
Also nice in winter served hot as a dessert or cooled as cake.

Farewell: Jean Simmons aged 80

British actress Jean Simmons dies aged 80 - Telegraph
One of the truly greats. And one of those who helped make the Great British films of the post WW2 time.

Full list of films see Jean Simmons (IMDB)

I'll focus on just some from the wonderful early ones

Great Expectations (1946) the young Estella and then years later Miss Havisham "Great Expectations" (1989)

Black Narcissus (1947) the cheeky village girl - a film so full of life and light and colour - one of my favourite films. And amazingly it was all filmed in a English studio - no visits to mountains at all. Only last week I saw Kathleen Byron who played the "mad" nun in a Midsomer Murders of course she did it - Kathleen died January 2009

and a minor role Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) but a film of light and colour too - was it then she met Stewart Granger whom she married in 1950

Hamlet (1948) Ophelia to Laurence Olivier - ah what a dark brooding story

and of course The Robe (1953) and Spartacus (1960)

a film I always like for whimsical humour The Grass Is Greener (1960) and with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr who of course was the star of Black Narcissus

This with Dirk Bogarde where her brother and his hotel room disappear So Long at the Fair (1950)








Bless you Jean for giving so much enjoyment

Farewell: Donald Pickering

Donald Pickering 76 - Telegraph

Donald had this wonderful upper crust voice. He could so easily put down a pushy yob. I always enjoyed his polished performances  

Lockerbie bomber

If it was mistake for Blair to considering releasing him then why did Salmond eventually release him??


Lockerbie deal a mistake - Scottish leader | The Daily Telegraph

SCOTTISH leader Alex Salmond attacked the UK Government for having tried to include the Lockerbie bomber in a prisoner-transfer deal with Libya before his eventual release.

Mr Salmond - whose administration drew fierce criticism for releasing Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi on humanitarian grounds last year - said the attempted deal by then-prime minister Tony Blair's Government was a "mistake" during a Parliamentary hearing in London.

"It was a mistake because it raised an expectation by the Libyan government that Megrahi would be included in such a prisoner transfer," Salmond said, referring to negotiations on a deal which was eventually sealed in 2008.

"It was a mistake because it cut across the due process of Scots law, because one of the provisions of prisoner transfer is that legal proceedings would have to come to an end.