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Tuesday, 21 May 2013
THE MADGANG GO TO SNOWDONIA (HOPEFULLY)
The twentieth of June is my birthday. Five days later, and far more important, it will be the Silver Wedding Anniversary of Mrs MP and myself. Earlier this year, Mrs MP celebrated a significant birthday. To celebrate this conjunction of auspicious occasions the MadGang hopes to travel to Snowdonia in North Wales, a place they have never been to together. We will, of course, be blogging our adventures in this foreign land - hopefully it will not rain every single day.
To keep costs low we will be in our caravan and spending our time rambling. I have been up Mount Snowdon on the funicular railway, many, many years ago but on this visit I hope to climb it along with Mrs MP and the two dogs. However, as always we could do with some extra cash.
With every previous birthday appeal I have asked you for money towards the running of my blog and online ministry. This time, because of its specialness, I am asking you to consider sending in a donation for us to squander on enjoying ourselves in the Welsh mountains and on the nearby beaches. Of course, if we don't spend it all on Welsh beer and a slap up meal on our anniversary any remainder will go towards the maintenance of my online presence.
Here is the widget via which you can donate.
You do not need a PayPal account to do so.
I will keep you fully informed of how the appeal is going.
THE MADGANG GO TO
CLYDE MUIRSHIEL
REGIONAL PARK
(SCOTLAND)
Covering 274 sq. km (106 sq. miles) of countryside in Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire, the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park extends from Greenock southwards along the Clyde coast to West Kilbride and inland to Lochwinnoch. The park centre is located at Barnbrock 4 miles (6 km) north of Lochwinnoch and there are centres at Castle Semple, Muirshiel and Cornalees. Formally designated in 1990, the park protects areas of mixed woodland, wetland, moorland, lochs and coastline and offers outdoor adventure activity courses such as canoeing, sailing, trail biking and hill walking. The RSPB Lochwinnoch Reserve lies within the park and a cycle route from Glasgow to Irvine passes Castle Semple Centre. (The Gazetteer for Scotland)
These photos were taken during a walk from the Muirshiel Visitor Centre on the one day when it didn't pour with rain during our break in South West Scotland the other week. In fact, it was a beautiful, sunny day.
These photos were taken during a walk from the Muirshiel Visitor Centre on the one day when it didn't pour with rain during our break in South West Scotland the other week. In fact, it was a beautiful, sunny day.
STOP THE CULL!
My father in law had tuberculosis just after the Second World War. They didn't gas him.
Here's Brian May's update of the BADGER vid from five years ago (featured on OCICBW... at the time). That's Brian Blessed at the end. CLICK HERE for more info.
Monday, 20 May 2013
THE MIDNIGHT (VIDEO) JUKEBOX
This is beautiful and brilliantly played. The lady fiddler is Aoife NicCormaic. She has a new album out entitled "Cuas na bhFainleog (The Hollow of the Swallows)." It is also very good but the band on the album are not quite as special as the band in this video filmed in 2009.
I have no idea how you pronounce "Aoife." Working on the basis that "Niamh" is pronounced "Neeve" my guess is that it is probably something like "Ruth." I am sure far more people would dare to learn Gaelic if somebody had the common sense to phoneticise the language. I mean, why use the Latin alphabet if you are not going to pay any attention to the sounds of that alphabet. It's just being separatist for the sake of it. I expect that off the Welsh but not the Scots or Irish.
I have no idea how you pronounce "Aoife." Working on the basis that "Niamh" is pronounced "Neeve" my guess is that it is probably something like "Ruth." I am sure far more people would dare to learn Gaelic if somebody had the common sense to phoneticise the language. I mean, why use the Latin alphabet if you are not going to pay any attention to the sounds of that alphabet. It's just being separatist for the sake of it. I expect that off the Welsh but not the Scots or Irish.
RECORD SLEEVES WITH CROCODILIANS ON (1)
Okay, I confess. I chose the fancy word "crocodilian" because I have no idea what species the scaley guy on the cover actually is. My guess is "alligator." No doubt I will be put right by one of my swamp dwelling friends if I am wrong. It's a good record by the way.
LIVING WORD WALKING
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For two decades, Sister Helen has traveled around the world, speaking against capital punishment. She tells audiences about being a spiritual adviser to inmates on death row and talks about what it means to accompany a man to his death. She tells of meeting the families of the condemned men and the families of their victims. She talks about how the court system works, and how it doesn’t. She speaks of forgiveness.
She calls her passion to end the death penalty “a journey that’s still happening.”
I read an article recently in which the death penalty was referred to as "state sanctioned euthanasia." I have to hand it to the Roman Catholics, they are consistent on this being against both euthanasia and the death penalty. The same cannot be said of other Christians. How a person can condemn euthanasia and abortion whilst still supporting the death penalty is beyond me. How a person who condemns torture but condones a system where a person will spend decades on death row waiting for their execution is beyond me. How a person can be happy about the millions of pounds spent on the procedure of getting a prisoner from the court to the death chamber is beyond me. So, thank goodness there are people like Sister Helen in the world, slowly and gently changing the minds of the supporters of capital punishment. Go read more about her at THE NEWS STAR.
PERHAPS NOT
From 360NOBS:
At least 4 people have been confirmed dead in Pastor T.B. Joshua’s Synagogue Church Of All Nations in Ghana. Some 13 persons were also severely injured during the incident. The tragic incident occurred after a stampede ensued at the church Sunday during the distribution of free holy water. Thousands of people had flocked the church in pursuit of healing, spiritual and financial breakthrough. The holy water, to many TB Joshua followers is acclaimed to be the panacea to the many spiritual afflictions.
From GHANA WEB:
The Reverend Professor Enoch Immanuel A. Agbozo, Head Pastor of Ghana Evangelical Society said on Saturday that God has chosen Ghana as new model for Africa. He said the vision of a new Africa was tried on a pilot basis in Ghana by God.
“It is not about economics or infrastructural development but the choice of God,” he explained.
At least 4 people have been confirmed dead in Pastor T.B. Joshua’s Synagogue Church Of All Nations in Ghana. Some 13 persons were also severely injured during the incident. The tragic incident occurred after a stampede ensued at the church Sunday during the distribution of free holy water. Thousands of people had flocked the church in pursuit of healing, spiritual and financial breakthrough. The holy water, to many TB Joshua followers is acclaimed to be the panacea to the many spiritual afflictions.
From GHANA WEB:
The Reverend Professor Enoch Immanuel A. Agbozo, Head Pastor of Ghana Evangelical Society said on Saturday that God has chosen Ghana as new model for Africa. He said the vision of a new Africa was tried on a pilot basis in Ghana by God.
“It is not about economics or infrastructural development but the choice of God,” he explained.
AN ADDED BONUS
From THE TELEGRAPH:
Maybe some Christians, but only a few. Certainly not hundreds of thousands. In fact, the only "Christians" who will be "put off" becoming teachers and doctors will be those who are homophobic and those who believe that every word in the Bible is the dictated word of God (a position that is actually untenable as so much of the Bible contradicts itself). To be honest, it would be extremely dangerous to employ a homophobe as a doctor who will be expected to treat gay people and it would be plain daft to employ as a teacher somebody stupid enough to believe that all the Bible is literally true (goodness knows what such a person would teach our children). Therefore, same gender marriage should, as an added bonus, help protect patients and students from prejudice and ignorance. It's a win win situation.
Maybe some Christians, but only a few. Certainly not hundreds of thousands. In fact, the only "Christians" who will be "put off" becoming teachers and doctors will be those who are homophobic and those who believe that every word in the Bible is the dictated word of God (a position that is actually untenable as so much of the Bible contradicts itself). To be honest, it would be extremely dangerous to employ a homophobe as a doctor who will be expected to treat gay people and it would be plain daft to employ as a teacher somebody stupid enough to believe that all the Bible is literally true (goodness knows what such a person would teach our children). Therefore, same gender marriage should, as an added bonus, help protect patients and students from prejudice and ignorance. It's a win win situation.
WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE AND GANDER
IS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE AND GOOSE
I'm a bit confused as to why the UK parliament is arguing about whether or not to extend the scope of civil partnerships to include opposite gender couples. Surely as soon as it becomes legal for same gender couples to marry in England we should simply stop the civil partnership facility altogether and for everyone. Otherwise we will be watering down and damaging the institution of marriage.
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