Manel en las Jornadas del CNPT 2010
Aquí dejo unas líneas y unas fotografías para Manel, para todos los que le queríamos. Voy a recurrir a una frase de la filosofía popular de aquí. Zirelako gara eta garelako izango dira. Aproximadamente viene a decir: "porque fueron, somos y porque somos, serán". Es lo que se me ocurre hoy al acordarme de Manel.
Mi relación con Manel, sin ser tan intensa como la de otros, fue continuada desde que Esteve Saltó me dio su teléfono en enero de 1998 cuando me interesé por los programas preventivos de Institut Municipal de Salut Pública de Barcelona. Compartíamos inquietud por el control del tabaco y en cómo hacer para que nuestros jóvenes no se inicien en esta droga. Nos escribíamos, hablábamos y compartíamos datos epidemiológicos, de programas, de acciones, de estrategias… y después de colgar, siempre quedaba la idea para construir algo.
Además de otras muchas realidades presentes, el programa Clases Sin Humo del que fue impulsor junto con Carles Ariza y el actual aire limpio de los frontones de Pelota Vasca le deben mucho a Manel y también a Maria José Lopez y a Esteve Fernandez que nos llevaron de la mano en aquellos estudios de micropartículas que tanto eco tuvieron en la sociedad vasca y que fueron el motor del cambio que necesitábamos.
Por eso os decía que hoy somos lo que somos gracias a personas como él y mañana seremos y veremos en marcha muchas de las ideas que él tenía en la cabeza cuando el otro día nos dejó. Manel me solía decir que hay cosas mucho más importantes que el control del tabaco y tenía razón. Estoy seguro que pensaba en su vida, en su familia y en todos vosotros.
Estas fotos las saqué el 18 de marzo de 2010 en la Jornada del CNPT en Madrid cuando me traje para Gasteiz su enorme sonrisa. Siempre es bueno llevar una cámara ladrona de sonrisas en el bolsillo.
Joseba Zabala
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| Me traje para Gasteiz su enorme sonrisa |
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Recogiendo el reconocimiento del CNPT de la mano de Francisco Rodríguez Lozano y Maria Angeles Planchuelo |
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| Junto a Esteve Saltó i Paco Rodríguez |
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| Con Carles Ariza de la ASPB y Christelle Touré del Comité National Contre le Tabagisme de France camino de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid |
Desde la Sociedad Española de Epidemiología
Autores: María José López y Esteve Fernández
Pipe
Pipe, next to Pollok Beach, is probably the most popular surf spot in Port Elizabeth. It wasn't named because the there is a barrel that you can ride like a pipe (because there isn't), but because of a storm water pipe that runs into the sea right in front of the break. Pipe is probably PE's most consistent surf spot and you can be sure to always find a couple of okes out there on any given day.
25N: Els vídeos (II): PP i Ciutadans
A banda del vídeo instituCiUnal de la Generalitat, les eleccions catalanes també ens han regalat dos perles de la precampanya dels partits espanyolistes.
En primer lloc, Ciutadans-Ciudadanos-Citizens ha fet un vídeo amb cares conegudesque recolzen la candidatura: l'histriònic Javier Nart, el talibà Arcadi Espada o el “periodista” César Cabo, el qual curiosament amaga la seua condició de controlador aeri.
La sorpresa és la inclusió entre tots estos intel·lectuals d'un ecs!concursant de Gran Hermano al qual es defineix com “Colaborador en medios de comunicación”, com si això fóra una professió real. Carlos Navarro, aka El Yoyas per haver dit a un altre concursant allò de “Te voy a meter dos yoyas que te van a temblar las orejas” (!), diu al vídeo: “Yo quiero una Catalunya para mis hijos más libre, más plural. Una Catalunya donde no escondan la incompetencia y los trapos sucios detrás de una bandera”, com si això significara realment alguna cosa.
Però per si comptar amb algú al qual no se li coneix ofici no fóra prou per a la formació d'Albert Rivera, esta setmana també hem sabut que Antoni Asunción, ecs!ministre d'Interior, ecs!candidat a les primàries valencianes del PSPV i persona-esdevinguda-personatge ha anunciat el seu suport a la candidatura de Ciutadans-Ciudadanos-Citizens al mateix temps que amenaça amb un projecte semblant al País Valencià, com si no en tinguérem prou a estes terres.
Amb la incorporació d'Asunción, Rivera té el circ pràcticament a punt: li falta la dona barbuda i una mona borratxa i podrà començar a rodar.
Estos dies, però, també hem vist un parell de vídeos encara pitjors que el de Ciutadans: els que ha perpetrat el PP de Catalunya amb una factura impossible i en els quals un grapat de cares conegudes del PP espanyol expliquen els motius pels quals insulten Catalunya cada dia però pretenen aconseguir el vot dels catalans el 25N.
La idea era que els càrrecs del PP explicaren què els agradava de Catalunya, però la cosa no ha quedat massa bé: “Nos gusta su gastronomía, pasear”, diu l'alcalde de Santander; “por como sois los catalanes”, diu l'alcaldessa de Sanxenxo; o perquè quan era diputada al Congrés els catalans l'obligaren a menjar pa amb tomata i ara el troba a faltar, com explica Adela Pedrosa, alcaldessa d'Elda.
El millor, com no podia ser d'una altra forma, ha estat Esteban González Pons, amb un discurs en valencià que posa els pèls de punta i que convé analitzar per parts.
Comença amb “Catalunya és la terra que està al costat de la meua terra”. Bé, fins ací estem tots d'acord. Continua amb “La gent de Catalunya és la gent que està al costat de la meua gent”. Esta part trobe que és una reiteració de la primera, però bé, no ens posarem exquisits.
A continuació arriba la part més desconcertant: “Som de la mateixa pell, de la mateixa sang i del mateix sentir”, però de seguida ho explica: “perquè tots som, eh..., espanyols”, per a tornar a complicar-ho tot seguit: “Perquè tots estem uns als costats, al costat dels altres”.
La part final és la traca: “A mi m'agrada Catalunya; a mosatros, els valencians, ens agrada Catalunya”.
És terrible. Terrible.
Daily Office - Oct 31
Martin Luther, Reformer, 1546
Psalm 119:1-32
Blessed are those whose way is pure, who walk in the law of the Lord.
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies and seek him with their whole heart, those who do no wickedness, but walk in his ways.
You, O Lord, have charged that we should diligently keep your commandments.
O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep your statutes. Then should I not be put to shame, because I have regard for all your commandments. I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, when I have learned your righteous judgements. I will keep your statutes; O forsake me not utterly. How shall young people cleanse their way to keep themselves according to your word?
With my whole heart have I sought you; O let me not go astray from your commandments. Your words have I hidden within my heart, that I should not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; O teach me your statutes. With my lips have I been telling of all the judgements of your mouth. I have taken greater delight in the way of your testimonies than in all manner of riches. I will meditate on your commandments and contemplate your ways. My delight shall be in your statutes and I will not forget your word. O do good to your servant that I may live, and so shall I keep your word.
Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of your law. I am a stranger upon earth; hide not your commandments from me. My soul is consumed at all times with fervent longing for your judgements. You have rebuked the arrogant; cursed are those who stray from your commandments. Turn from me shame and rebuke, for I have kept your testimonies. Rulers also sit and speak against me, but your servant meditates on your statutes. For your testimonies are my delight; they are my faithful counsellors. My soul cleaves to the dust; O give me life according to your word. I have acknowledged my ways and you have answered me; O teach me your statutes. Make me understand the way of your commandments, and so shall I meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away in tears of sorrow; raise me up according to your word. Take from me the way of falsehood; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth and your judgements have I laid before me. I hold fast to your testimonies; O Lord, let me not be put to shame. I will run the way of your commandments, when you have set my heart at liberty.
Leviticus 8
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
Take Aaron and his sons with him, the vestments, the anointing oil, the bull of sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the entrance of the tent of meeting, Moses said to the congregation, “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.”
Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward, and washed them with water. He put the tunic on him, fastened the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He then put the decorated band of the ephod around him, tying the ephod to him with it. He placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden ornament, the holy crown, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its base, to consecrate them. He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. And Moses brought forward Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with tunics, and fastened sashes around them, and tied headdresses on them, as the Lord commanded Moses.
He led forward the bull of sin offering; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bull of sin offering, and it was slaughtered. Moses took the blood and with his finger put some on each of the horns of the altar, purifying the altar; then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar. Thus he consecrated it, to make atonement for it. Moses took all the fat that was around the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and turned them into smoke on the altar. But the bull itself, its skin and flesh and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Then he brought forward the ram of burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and it was slaughtered. Moses dashed the blood against all sides of the altar. The ram was cut into its parts, and Moses turned into smoke the head and the parts and the suet. And after the entrails and the legs were washed with water, Moses turned into smoke the whole ram on the altar; it was a burnt offering for a pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Then he brought forward the second ram, the ram of ordination. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and it was slaughtered. Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. After Aaron’s sons were brought forward, Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet; and Moses dashed the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar. He took the fat—the broad tail, all the fat that was around the entrails, the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat—and the right thigh. From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord, he took one cake of unleavened bread, one cake of bread with oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh. He placed all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and raised them as an elevation offering before the Lord. Then Moses took them from their hands and turned them into smoke on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the Lord. Moses took the breast and raised it as an elevation offering before the Lord; it was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his vestments, and also on his sons and their vestments. Thus he consecrated Aaron and his vestments, and also his sons and their vestments. And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it’; and what remains of the flesh and the bread you shall burn with fire. You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day when your period of ordination is completed. For it will take seven days to ordain you; as has been done today, the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. You shall remain at the entrance of the tent of meeting day and night for seven days, keeping the Lord’s charge so that you do not die; for so I am commanded.” Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord commanded through Moses.
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.
The Collect
Blessed Lord,
who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them,
to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them
that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast
the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm 119:1-32
Blessed are those whose way is pure, who walk in the law of the Lord.
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies and seek him with their whole heart, those who do no wickedness, but walk in his ways.
You, O Lord, have charged that we should diligently keep your commandments.
O that my ways were made so direct that I might keep your statutes. Then should I not be put to shame, because I have regard for all your commandments. I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, when I have learned your righteous judgements. I will keep your statutes; O forsake me not utterly. How shall young people cleanse their way to keep themselves according to your word?
With my whole heart have I sought you; O let me not go astray from your commandments. Your words have I hidden within my heart, that I should not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Lord; O teach me your statutes. With my lips have I been telling of all the judgements of your mouth. I have taken greater delight in the way of your testimonies than in all manner of riches. I will meditate on your commandments and contemplate your ways. My delight shall be in your statutes and I will not forget your word. O do good to your servant that I may live, and so shall I keep your word.
Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of your law. I am a stranger upon earth; hide not your commandments from me. My soul is consumed at all times with fervent longing for your judgements. You have rebuked the arrogant; cursed are those who stray from your commandments. Turn from me shame and rebuke, for I have kept your testimonies. Rulers also sit and speak against me, but your servant meditates on your statutes. For your testimonies are my delight; they are my faithful counsellors. My soul cleaves to the dust; O give me life according to your word. I have acknowledged my ways and you have answered me; O teach me your statutes. Make me understand the way of your commandments, and so shall I meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away in tears of sorrow; raise me up according to your word. Take from me the way of falsehood; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth and your judgements have I laid before me. I hold fast to your testimonies; O Lord, let me not be put to shame. I will run the way of your commandments, when you have set my heart at liberty.
Leviticus 8
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
Take Aaron and his sons with him, the vestments, the anointing oil, the bull of sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the entrance of the tent of meeting, Moses said to the congregation, “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.”
Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward, and washed them with water. He put the tunic on him, fastened the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He then put the decorated band of the ephod around him, tying the ephod to him with it. He placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden ornament, the holy crown, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its base, to consecrate them. He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. And Moses brought forward Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with tunics, and fastened sashes around them, and tied headdresses on them, as the Lord commanded Moses.
He led forward the bull of sin offering; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bull of sin offering, and it was slaughtered. Moses took the blood and with his finger put some on each of the horns of the altar, purifying the altar; then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar. Thus he consecrated it, to make atonement for it. Moses took all the fat that was around the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and turned them into smoke on the altar. But the bull itself, its skin and flesh and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Then he brought forward the ram of burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and it was slaughtered. Moses dashed the blood against all sides of the altar. The ram was cut into its parts, and Moses turned into smoke the head and the parts and the suet. And after the entrails and the legs were washed with water, Moses turned into smoke the whole ram on the altar; it was a burnt offering for a pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Then he brought forward the second ram, the ram of ordination. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, and it was slaughtered. Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. After Aaron’s sons were brought forward, Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet; and Moses dashed the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar. He took the fat—the broad tail, all the fat that was around the entrails, the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat—and the right thigh. From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord, he took one cake of unleavened bread, one cake of bread with oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh. He placed all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and raised them as an elevation offering before the Lord. Then Moses took them from their hands and turned them into smoke on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the Lord. Moses took the breast and raised it as an elevation offering before the Lord; it was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, as the Lord commanded Moses.
Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his vestments, and also on his sons and their vestments. Thus he consecrated Aaron and his vestments, and also his sons and their vestments. And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it’; and what remains of the flesh and the bread you shall burn with fire. You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day when your period of ordination is completed. For it will take seven days to ordain you; as has been done today, the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. You shall remain at the entrance of the tent of meeting day and night for seven days, keeping the Lord’s charge so that you do not die; for so I am commanded.” Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord commanded through Moses.
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.
The Collect
Blessed Lord,
who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them,
to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them
that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast
the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Frankenstorm - Who you gonna call?
I love this too - for having prayed I can also enjoy the compilation image and remember some very good films to boot!
So who you gonna call America?
Obama
Romney
or perhaps . . . . . Ghostbusters?
So who you gonna call America?
Obama
Romney
or perhaps . . . . . Ghostbusters?
Frankenstorm - Beauty in the beast
I couldn't resist posting this most amazing image of the storm and its awesome power and beauty combined.
As you gaze upon it please pray for those who have suffered from the effects of Sandy (and perhaps sing a verse of 'How great Thou art too?).
As you gaze upon it please pray for those who have suffered from the effects of Sandy (and perhaps sing a verse of 'How great Thou art too?).
Rushing Shark River
Estimat Manel
Vaig escriure aquests paràgrafs al meu blog quan encara no havien passat 24 hores, amb llàgrimes als ulls.
Divendres, de matinada, el Manel ens va deixar.
Molta ràbia i dolor, molta angoixa i desorientació. Molta estimació. Moltes llàgrimes, contingudes i no contingudes, amb els amics i companys. Érem lluny de Barcelona, però teníem el nostre pensament en ell. No vàrem creure el missatge que rebíem, no podia ser... "l'han sedat i esperen el final", i així va ser en poques hores.
El Manel va ser un bon company i un millor amic. Fa unes hores intentava recordar "quan" el vaig conèixer... 1995 o 96... potser 3 o 4 anys abans fins i tot, quan jo feia de becari a l'IMIM i ajudava amb els seminaris al Miquel, a la UDIMAS... tan se val! El cas és que amb el Manel vaig aprendre molt, va deixar que em colés una mica en la seva vida i la seva feina, i em va ajudar en el camí en la recerca en tabaquisme, on el seu recorregut abans i ara m'enlluerna i inspira.
I vàrem fer camí junts, reunions, viatges, hores d'espera, articles, rodes de premsa, projectes i sempre molta il·lusió per anar més enllà i seguir avançant, malgrat alguna desavinença de tant en tant, la manca de finançament, estar massa embolicats amb més coses del compte o, simplement, sentir-nos cansats. Crec que hem fet un bon equip, també amb la nostra estimada Maria José, que serà difícil de superar. Un privilegi treballar amb tu, i riure amb tu. Et trobaré(m) molt a faltar, et tindré(m) molt present, i seguiràs amb nosaltres malgrat la dura realitat que ja no hi ets.
Esteve Fernández.-
Enllaç al post original, amb alguna foto: Estimat Manel
El viernes, de madrugada, Manel nos dejó.
Mucha rabia y dolor, mucha angustia y desorientación. Mucha estimación. Muchas lágrimas, contenidas y no contenidas, con los amigos y compañeros. Estábamos lejos de Barcelona, pero teníamos nuestros pensamientos puestos en él. No podíamos creer el mensaje que acabábamos de recibír, no podía ser ... "lo han sedado y esperan el final", y así fue en pocas horas.
Manel fue un buen compañero y un mejor amigo. Hace unas horas intentaba recordar "cuándo" lo conocí ... 1995 o 96 ... quizá 3 o 4 años antes incluso, cuando yo era becario en el IMIM y ayudaba con los seminarios a Miquel, en la UDIMAS ...¡no importa! El caso es que con Manel aprendí mucho, dejó que me colara un poco en su vida y su trabajo, y me ayudó en el camino en la investigación en tabaquismo, donde su recorrido antes y ahora me deslumbra e inspira.
E hicimos camino juntos, reuniones, viajes, horas de espera, artículos, ruedas de prensa, proyectos y siempre mucha ilusión por ir más allá y seguir avanzando, a pesar de alguna desavinencia de tanto en tanto, la falta de financiación, estar demasiado envueltos con más cosas de la cuenta o, simplemente, sentirnos cansados. Creo que hemos hecho un buen equipo, también con nuestra querida María José, que será difícil de superar. Un privilegio trabajar contigo, y reír contigo. Te echaré(mos) mucho de menos, te tendré(mos) muy presente, y seguirás con nosotros a pesar de la dura realidad que ya no estás.
Making Church without straw - 1
Regarding the blog entry on the Church becoming increasingly marginalised that I wrote yesterday, I have received this:
Church - Life - Work Balance
"There can be but one response to your questions.
It's not as easy as you make it out to be!!!
I have work, family and other interests that all take place along with church life. I don't have the priveleged position of being paid to do church work all day so that I can engage with other things outside of church like you.
You place so much guilt upon people like me because of the choices I make and this is extremely unfair. I think you need to be more realistic and loving towards others."
I have work, family and other interests that all take place along with church life. I don't have the priveleged position of being paid to do church work all day so that I can engage with other things outside of church like you.
You place so much guilt upon people like me because of the choices I make and this is extremely unfair. I think you need to be more realistic and loving towards others."
God and I were discussing the issue of what being Church means and during our conversation I found myself reflecting on the plight of God's people and their brick-making efforts whilst they were living in Egypt. The task just got harder and harder as the constituent materials were withheld - all because they'd asked Pharaoh for a bit of time off to worship the LORD. Seems that whenever we set out to serve the LORD we find ourselves up against it.
Of course the bricks and straw story (Exodus 5) ends up with Moses complaining to God about having got them into trouble and chapter six takes us to a place where God tells Moses that by the time he's finished, the Egyptians will be ordering them to leave - captivity over man!
A minister recently described being in ministry as being like making bricks without straw. The bemoaned the fact that they were expected to keep up production (just like the Israelites) without the people and opportunities to make it happen. "If only we had more people involved," they cried, "We could really be effective for Christ!" Picking up the baton, another started talking about how they had decided to drop a project they'd started last year because the help had dropped of to such an extent that it was only the wardens and the minister's own family who were doing and coming!
The response to yesterday's blog and the comments from ministers leads us back into one of the most contentious issues that consistently faces Church life (and ministry), namely the:
Church - Life - Work Balance
and this is something we need to consider as we seek 'more straw' for the living bricks that make Church a reality. There are many thoughts on this, for instance having asked five people what priorities they have, I was given:
1. God - Self - Family - Work - Church - Everything Else
2. Family - Work - God - Church - Everything Else
3. God - Work - Family - Everything Else
4. God - Church - Family - Work - Everything Else, and
5. God - Family - Work - Church - Everything Else
Over the next few days we will be looking at the work/life balance and I'd welcome any suggestions for the order you have decided on (and why).
Pax
1. God - Self - Family - Work - Church - Everything Else
2. Family - Work - God - Church - Everything Else
3. God - Work - Family - Everything Else
4. God - Church - Family - Work - Everything Else, and
5. God - Family - Work - Church - Everything Else
Over the next few days we will be looking at the work/life balance and I'd welcome any suggestions for the order you have decided on (and why).
Pax
Your Cologne for Fall
Picking a new cologne is a complex equation balancing what you like, what women like, and what you wouldn’t mind smelling like.
"La Nuit De L’Homme" by Yves Saint Laurent (pronouncedEve Sane-lor-aun) accomplishes all of these splendidly. It’s modern and sexy, which pleases the ladies, and masculine with sweet notes of wood and tobacco for you. It’s perfect for a winter evening out, but the simplicity fits in any time of year.
The scent experts at Base Notes, the fragrance database for the web, give it strong reviews for longevity, aroma, and, perhaps most importantly for a cologne: compliment factor. It’s best described by one reviewer: "This fragrance was made to attract the opposite sex and it does its job very well." (about $50)
25N: Els vídeos (I): CiU patina
És lògic que el vídeo institucional que ha muntat la Generalitat de Catalunya de cara al 25N haja alçat polseguera, perquè no es limita a un grapat d'actors i actrius que ens conten que van viure moments històrics del país. En realitat, només més o menys històrics: “Jo vaig sentir en Llach al Camp Nou”, “Jo vaig viure els Jocs Olímpics”, “Jo vaig viure l'entrada a Europa”, “Jo vaig veure com el món abraçava la nostra cultura”...
La majoria de les crítiques han arribat amb el “Jo vaig ser a l'última Diada” perquè encara que fou una manifestació convocada per grups socials i no directament per partits, la realitat és que hi ha partits que van assistir-hi i partits que no ho van fer, partits que van donar-hi suport i uns altres que no. I d'això, de “l'última Diada” no fa ni dos mesos.
Òbric parèntesi. També és criticable, però, el “jo vaig recolzar la Constitució del 78”, encara que imagine que d'eixe “Jo vaig...” se'n parlarà menys. Tanque parèntesi.
No sé què ha pogut passar pel cap dels responsables de la campanya, però comence a pensar que, efectivament, el camí encetat per Àrtur Mas no té marxa enrere i que CiU ja no té prou amb confondre país i partit, sinó que vol que siguen siamesos.
De tota manera, i posats a disfressar d'institucional un vídeo tan partidista (qui va ser a l'última Diada i, també, va recolzar la Constitució del 78?) jo haguera optat per fer-lo d'una forma més evident i barroera.
El problema és que no sabria com.
Daily Office - Oct 30
Psalm 5
Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my lamentation. Hearken to the voice of my crying, my King and my God, for to you I make my prayer. In the morning, Lord, you will hear my voice; early in the morning I make my appeal to you, and look up. For you are the God who takes no pleasure in wickedness; no evil can dwell with you. The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all those that work wickedness. You destroy those who speak lies; the bloodthirsty and deceitful the Lord will abhor. But as for me, through the greatness of your mercy, I will come into your house; I will bow down towards your holy temple in awe of you. Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness, because of my enemies; make your way straight before my face. For there is no truth in their mouth, in their heart is destruction, their throat is an open sepulchre, and they flatter with their tongue. Punish them, O God; let them fall through their own devices. Because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them sing out their joy for ever. You will shelter them, so that those who love your name may exult in you. For you, O Lord, will bless the righteous; and with your favour you will defend them as with a shield.
Psalm 6
O Lord, rebuke me not in your wrath; neither chasten me in your fierce anger. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak; Lord, heal me, for my bones are racked. My soul also shakes with terror; how long, O Lord, how long? Turn again, O Lord, and deliver my soul; save me for your loving mercy’s sake. For in death no one remembers you; and who can give you thanks in the grave? I am weary with my groaning; every night I drench my pillow and flood my bed with my tears. My eyes are wasted with grief and worn away because of all my enemies. Depart from me, all you that do evil, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. All my enemies shall be put to shame and confusion; they shall suddenly turn back in their shame.
Psalm 8
O Lord our governor, how glorious is your name in all the world! Your majesty above the heavens is praised out of the mouths of babes at the breast. You have founded a stronghold against your foes, that you might still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have ordained, what is man, that you should be mindful of him; the son of man, that you should seek him out? You have made him little lower than the angels and crown him with glory and honour. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands and put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, even the wild beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea. O Lord our governor, how glorious is your name in all the world!
Exodus 29:38-30:16 (ESV)
“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that iI am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.
“You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a moulding of gold around it. And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its moulding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall not offer unauthorised incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”
The Lord said to Moses, “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord’s offering. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”
1 Timothy 6:11-end (NRSV)
But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge; by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith.
The Collect
Blessed Lord,
who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them,
to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them
that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast
the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.Amen.
Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my lamentation. Hearken to the voice of my crying, my King and my God, for to you I make my prayer. In the morning, Lord, you will hear my voice; early in the morning I make my appeal to you, and look up. For you are the God who takes no pleasure in wickedness; no evil can dwell with you. The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all those that work wickedness. You destroy those who speak lies; the bloodthirsty and deceitful the Lord will abhor. But as for me, through the greatness of your mercy, I will come into your house; I will bow down towards your holy temple in awe of you. Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness, because of my enemies; make your way straight before my face. For there is no truth in their mouth, in their heart is destruction, their throat is an open sepulchre, and they flatter with their tongue. Punish them, O God; let them fall through their own devices. Because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them sing out their joy for ever. You will shelter them, so that those who love your name may exult in you. For you, O Lord, will bless the righteous; and with your favour you will defend them as with a shield.
Psalm 6
O Lord, rebuke me not in your wrath; neither chasten me in your fierce anger. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak; Lord, heal me, for my bones are racked. My soul also shakes with terror; how long, O Lord, how long? Turn again, O Lord, and deliver my soul; save me for your loving mercy’s sake. For in death no one remembers you; and who can give you thanks in the grave? I am weary with my groaning; every night I drench my pillow and flood my bed with my tears. My eyes are wasted with grief and worn away because of all my enemies. Depart from me, all you that do evil, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. All my enemies shall be put to shame and confusion; they shall suddenly turn back in their shame.
Psalm 8
O Lord our governor, how glorious is your name in all the world! Your majesty above the heavens is praised out of the mouths of babes at the breast. You have founded a stronghold against your foes, that you might still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have ordained, what is man, that you should be mindful of him; the son of man, that you should seek him out? You have made him little lower than the angels and crown him with glory and honour. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands and put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, even the wild beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea and whatsoever moves in the paths of the sea. O Lord our governor, how glorious is your name in all the world!
Exodus 29:38-30:16 (ESV)
“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight. And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there. There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests. I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that iI am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.
“You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a moulding of gold around it. And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its moulding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. You shall not offer unauthorised incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”
The Lord said to Moses, “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord’s offering. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”
1 Timothy 6:11-end (NRSV)
But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honour and eternal dominion. Amen.
As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life. Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the profane chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge; by professing it some have missed the mark as regards the faith.
The Collect
Blessed Lord,
who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
help us so to hear them,
to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them
that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word,
we may embrace and for ever hold fast
the hope of everlasting life,
which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.Amen.
Condol del CJB
El Consell de la Joventut de Barcelona ha enviat aquesta carta expressant el seu condol per la pèrdua del Manel.
jazz al despatx de hitler
Al mateix despatx de la seu del Partit Nazi on Hitler va planificar la invasió de Polònia, des d’on va orquestrar la creació d’una Alemanya granlliurepuraària, al mateix focus del mal més malvat de la història de la humanitat, allà mateix hi ha avui en dia una aula de música on s’ensenya jazz a innocents i despreocupats joves berlinesos. L'entrada de l'aleshores ciutat lliure de Danzig (el kilòmetre zero de la Segona Guerra Mundial), ha esdevingut amb el temps una alegre zona de flirteig gay. A la gasolinera on les multituts italianes enfervorides van penjar de cap per avall els cossos del Duce i la seva amant Clara Petacci, hom hi troba avui en dia un McDonald's on abastir-se d'abundant pollo croccante, insalata, pomodoro e salsa alle erbe aromatiche.
Ens ho explica el senyor Plàcid Garcia-Planas, corresponsal de La Vanguardia des d'abans que jo nasqués. Aquest reporter va tenir un dia la pensada de reunir en un mateix llibre algunes de les seves cròniques de guerra, publicades originalment a l’il·lustre pamflet de CiU gaseta liberal barcelonina. I nosaltres li agraïm profundament. Per començar ens permet treure el cap per alguns d'aquests escenaris històrics i comprovar d'una forma amena i despreocupada la total manca d'èpica que hi sura avui en dia. Cap rastre del fragor de la batalla, de la grandesa històrica de l'instant, de la eternitat del moment estel·lar congelat en el temps. Res: només McDonald's, discoteques gay, pàrkings de cotxes, escoles de música. Hom s'imagina el Molt Honorable G. J. observant les tropes alemanyes endinsar-se a territori polonès, l'1 de setembre de 1939, a les portes d'un cataclisme de dimensions inimaginables. "Tal dia farà un any", hagués dit, tot fumant de la seva pipa i sense exaltar-se el més mínim. Amb el temps, d'una forma estranya i paradoxal, la vida li hagués donat la raó. Sic transit gloria mundi.
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| El reporter en una imatge trobada a Google |
A part d'aquestes curioses intrussions al passat-des-del-present, el llibre recull algunes cròniques enviades des de diferents punts calents. La Iugoslàvia moribunda, l'Iraq en ple alliberament angloamericà, Palestina, Israel, el Líban sota les bombes israelites, les cremes massives de cotxes als suburbis de París, Sofia en plena onada de fred i sense gas. Poca broma. Ens agrada l'estil de Garcia-Planas perquè té traça i bon gust. S'ha de tenir traça i bon gust per poder partir de l'anècdota puntual com a recurs per il·lustrar una situació (dramàtica) determinada, sense caure en el groguisme o la compassió o la morbositat innecesària. Que és el que prova de fer el nostre reporter amb resultats molt satisfactoris. Comença cada crònica amb el zoom molt tancat -el surfista a Gaza, el travesti a Kabul, la nena sèrbia recollint el cap de la seva tieta i col·locant-lo de nou al coll, com si el projectil no li hagués arrancat. I després el va allunyant poc a poc perquè nosaltres, lectors il·lustrats i comprensius, ens puguem fer una idea aproximada de com està el pati.
Humewood flood damage
Port Elizabeth is experiencing its wettest non-flood year on record (the second wettest of all time only after the 1968 floods) and we've still got another two months to go till the end of the year. Looking at all the flooding we've had they can just as well declare this year a flood year as well, but that's not my call. With the huge rains we had a week or so ago even the docile Shark River that flows through Happy Valley came down in flood. And flood it did, bursting its banks, rushing down the pathway and stairs before washing a ditch about a meter and a half deep and four meters wide under the Humewood bridge on its way to the sea. Hectic stuff.
Espavilar
Divendres de vesprada em va escriure un xic per Bender, el nou Grindr, i em va enviar un parell de fotos: una, lleugeret de roba; l'altra, en companyia d'una política socialista valenciana.
Li vaig preguntar: “I què fas tu fent-te fotos amb XXX i, sobretot, enviant-les per ací?".
Ell em va contestar/repreguntar: “Però saps qui és?”.
“Clar que sé qui és, que no estem parlant d'una desconeguda”, vaig contestar.
“És que pensava que, arribats a este punt, ja ningú ens coneixia”, va sentenciar.
Els socialistes valencians necessiten posar-se les piles, al carrer i a les xarxes socials. I a determinades xarxes socials de forma urgent.
Winterval - No more than we deserve?
I wonder how many people remember Winterval - that great British festival organised by Birmingham City Council over the Christmas period between 1997 and 1998. This was a two year dual-edged experiment (for it encouraged visitors and spending as well as secularising Christmas). Its published aims were that of making Christmas an 'inclusive' time for those of no faith and be attractive (and attract to the city) those of the world faiths (for it included Diwali and Hanukkah as well as Christmas).
At the end of the day, what we are supposed to believe about Winterval is that it was all about attracting visitors to Birmingham and getting them to part with their money in the shops, eating places and events. To be honest, regardless of the intention, I cannot but feel that what was true was that it was little more than a cynical attempt at hijacking Christmas and denying the faith of the majority of those in the city (even though some areas are now 100% non-British origin populated).
In parallel with the first Winterval, in a London borough, the council stated its intention to use money earmarked for Christmas-related activities and decorations to support a political group elsewhere. Ironically it was the raised voices of the Hindus and Sikhs that caused Christmas to continue as it always had. More ironic still is the fact that the 'Christian' voice was muted and largely impotent!
So many people bemoan the 'fact' that Christianity is becoming increasingly marginalised and recount the many ways in which Christianity as a public (or national) faith is seen to be acted against and in decline.
So many Christians harangue me (sorry - I mean engage me in conversation) and, having pinned me to the wall with their posturing, tell me how us 'church leaders' need to make a stand and 'stop the rot'! And I, more often than not nod in agreement and utter soothing words which agree with them and salve their fears and calms their ire! I agree that we (The Church) need to be 'more visible' and 'more relevant' (actually I really hate that trite, often meaningless little phrase) and 'more _ _ _ _ _' (insert your pet desire!) and eventually they move on to drone on at someone else!
Rude? Yes, I certainly am! Here's the reason why . . .
More often than not the self-same person who has pinned me to the wall and pointed out how the church is being increasingly marginalised; of how the church is not given the opportunities to be what it should be and act as it should act is actually the problem - not the solution.
It is. far too often, them that is the bird lime of the faith world that causes the living bricks that are the Church crumble and fall from their place!
It is them who call for the Church to be afforded opportunities, given respect and included in the running of our communities.
BUT
These are (far too often) the same people who think they are doing Christ a favour by turning up on a Sunday morning, mumbling through their prayers, dropping money into the hat as it passess, singing the songs that bless them and doing the same the next week. Church is something to 'do' rather than be and this is the real reason that we are seeing a marginalised faith in the shape of Christianity.
If you are one of those who wants to see a mainstream Christian faith then you need to examine yourself and ask yourself some really hard questions; we all do.
If all I am prepared to offer is myself for an hour (or so) a week, usually on a Sunday when I can meet my friends, sing my favourite songs and be home by lunch, then what does my faith really mean to me?
Three Questions
Do I want to live the way God is calling me to live or do I want a Christianity that lets me take what I want from my faith life and live the way I'm calling me to live?
Do I want to be part of a faith that calls me to get stuck in and be about our Father's business; to be making a difference; to be engaged where the need is?
Do I want to reverse the marginalisation that I think the Church is being subjected to?
If you have answered 'Yes' to any of the above then I have to ask one final question, namely:
What are you going to do about it?
I know of a town where the local council have come to the realisation that Christmas is about more than Father Christmas and presents. They have realised that CHRISTmas (not Argostide) is a name that points to the person of Jesus (THE CHRIST) and have asked the Christians in that town to be involved with the town's celebrations that coincide with the Christmas tree lights being lit.
All they want is a nativity that tells the Christmas story and puts Jesus into the running order.
Now, if this was your town, what would you do?
Me, I'd rip their arms off in my haste to get out there and tell the nativity story.
Them? You can count those who have come forward to make it happen on the digits of a solitary person!
Marginalised? Perhaps it's what we Christians deserve.
Don't let us be put to shame, O LORD,
for we have cried out to you;
we turn up at church every week,
we speak of the great plans we have for others to do for you!
But let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave.
Let those you act against you feel your wrath.
Those who would marginalise and render impotent your church be dealt with severely.
hang on Lord, what do you mean that's me?
At the end of the day, what we are supposed to believe about Winterval is that it was all about attracting visitors to Birmingham and getting them to part with their money in the shops, eating places and events. To be honest, regardless of the intention, I cannot but feel that what was true was that it was little more than a cynical attempt at hijacking Christmas and denying the faith of the majority of those in the city (even though some areas are now 100% non-British origin populated).
In parallel with the first Winterval, in a London borough, the council stated its intention to use money earmarked for Christmas-related activities and decorations to support a political group elsewhere. Ironically it was the raised voices of the Hindus and Sikhs that caused Christmas to continue as it always had. More ironic still is the fact that the 'Christian' voice was muted and largely impotent!
So many people bemoan the 'fact' that Christianity is becoming increasingly marginalised and recount the many ways in which Christianity as a public (or national) faith is seen to be acted against and in decline.
So many Christians harangue me (sorry - I mean engage me in conversation) and, having pinned me to the wall with their posturing, tell me how us 'church leaders' need to make a stand and 'stop the rot'! And I, more often than not nod in agreement and utter soothing words which agree with them and salve their fears and calms their ire! I agree that we (The Church) need to be 'more visible' and 'more relevant' (actually I really hate that trite, often meaningless little phrase) and 'more _ _ _ _ _' (insert your pet desire!) and eventually they move on to drone on at someone else!
Rude? Yes, I certainly am! Here's the reason why . . .
More often than not the self-same person who has pinned me to the wall and pointed out how the church is being increasingly marginalised; of how the church is not given the opportunities to be what it should be and act as it should act is actually the problem - not the solution.
It is. far too often, them that is the bird lime of the faith world that causes the living bricks that are the Church crumble and fall from their place!
It is them who call for the Church to be afforded opportunities, given respect and included in the running of our communities.
BUT
These are (far too often) the same people who think they are doing Christ a favour by turning up on a Sunday morning, mumbling through their prayers, dropping money into the hat as it passess, singing the songs that bless them and doing the same the next week. Church is something to 'do' rather than be and this is the real reason that we are seeing a marginalised faith in the shape of Christianity.
If you are one of those who wants to see a mainstream Christian faith then you need to examine yourself and ask yourself some really hard questions; we all do.
If all I am prepared to offer is myself for an hour (or so) a week, usually on a Sunday when I can meet my friends, sing my favourite songs and be home by lunch, then what does my faith really mean to me?
Three Questions
Do I want to live the way God is calling me to live or do I want a Christianity that lets me take what I want from my faith life and live the way I'm calling me to live?
Do I want to be part of a faith that calls me to get stuck in and be about our Father's business; to be making a difference; to be engaged where the need is?
Do I want to reverse the marginalisation that I think the Church is being subjected to?
If you have answered 'Yes' to any of the above then I have to ask one final question, namely:
What are you going to do about it?
I know of a town where the local council have come to the realisation that Christmas is about more than Father Christmas and presents. They have realised that CHRISTmas (not Argostide) is a name that points to the person of Jesus (THE CHRIST) and have asked the Christians in that town to be involved with the town's celebrations that coincide with the Christmas tree lights being lit.
All they want is a nativity that tells the Christmas story and puts Jesus into the running order.
Now, if this was your town, what would you do?
Me, I'd rip their arms off in my haste to get out there and tell the nativity story.
Them? You can count those who have come forward to make it happen on the digits of a solitary person!
Marginalised? Perhaps it's what we Christians deserve.
Don't let us be put to shame, O LORD,
for we have cried out to you;
we turn up at church every week,
we speak of the great plans we have for others to do for you!
But let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave.
Let those you act against you feel your wrath.
Those who would marginalise and render impotent your church be dealt with severely.
hang on Lord, what do you mean that's me?
Daily Office - Oct 29
James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, Martyr in Uganda, 1885
Psalm 1
Blessed are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the assembly of the scornful. Their delight is in the law of the Lord and they meditate on his law day and night. Like a tree planted by streams of water bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither, whatever they do, it shall prosper. As for the wicked, it is not so with them; they are like chaff which the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement, nor the sinner in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.
Psalm 2
Why are the nations in tumult, and why do the peoples devise a vain plot? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed: ‘Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us.’ He who dwells in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury: ‘Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.’ I will proclaim the decree of the Lord; he said to me: ‘You are my Son; this day have I begotten you. ‘Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Now therefore be wise, O kings; be prudent, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and with trembling kiss his feet, lest he be angry and you perish from the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all they who take refuge in him.
Psalm 3
Lord, how many are my adversaries; many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say to my soul, ‘There is no help for you in your God.’ But you, Lord, are a shield about me; you are my glory, and the lifter up of my head. When I cry aloud to the Lord, he will answer me from his holy hill; I lie down and sleep and rise again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not be afraid of hordes of the peoples that have set themselves against me all around. Rise up, O Lord, and deliver me, O my God, for you strike all my enemies on the cheek and break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord: may your blessing be upon your people.
Exodus 22:21-27
You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
You shall not abuse any widow or orphan.
If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans.
If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them.
If you take your neighbour’s cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down; for it may be your neighbour’s only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And if your neighbour cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.
1 Timothy 6:1-10
Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honour, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them on the ground that they are members of the church; rather they must serve them all the more, since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved.
Teach and urge these duties. Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
The Collect
Most merciful God,
who strengthened your Church by the steadfast courage
of your martyr James Hannington:
grant that we also,
thankfully remembering his victory of faith,
may overcome what is evil
and glorify your holy name;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm 1
Blessed are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the assembly of the scornful. Their delight is in the law of the Lord and they meditate on his law day and night. Like a tree planted by streams of water bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither, whatever they do, it shall prosper. As for the wicked, it is not so with them; they are like chaff which the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked shall not be able to stand in the judgement, nor the sinner in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish.
Psalm 2
Why are the nations in tumult, and why do the peoples devise a vain plot? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his anointed: ‘Let us break their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from us.’ He who dwells in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak to them in his wrath and terrify them in his fury: ‘Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.’ I will proclaim the decree of the Lord; he said to me: ‘You are my Son; this day have I begotten you. ‘Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Now therefore be wise, O kings; be prudent, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and with trembling kiss his feet, lest he be angry and you perish from the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all they who take refuge in him.
Psalm 3
Lord, how many are my adversaries; many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say to my soul, ‘There is no help for you in your God.’ But you, Lord, are a shield about me; you are my glory, and the lifter up of my head. When I cry aloud to the Lord, he will answer me from his holy hill; I lie down and sleep and rise again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not be afraid of hordes of the peoples that have set themselves against me all around. Rise up, O Lord, and deliver me, O my God, for you strike all my enemies on the cheek and break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord: may your blessing be upon your people.
Exodus 22:21-27
You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
You shall not abuse any widow or orphan.
If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans.
If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them.
If you take your neighbour’s cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down; for it may be your neighbour’s only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And if your neighbour cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.
1 Timothy 6:1-10
Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honour, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them on the ground that they are members of the church; rather they must serve them all the more, since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved.
Teach and urge these duties. Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
The Collect
Most merciful God,
who strengthened your Church by the steadfast courage
of your martyr James Hannington:
grant that we also,
thankfully remembering his victory of faith,
may overcome what is evil
and glorify your holy name;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
St Mark's Chapel
We attended the christening of the baby of friends of ours at the St Mark's Chapel in Framesby North this morning. St Marks Congregational Church is quite a big and popular church with christenings taking place in the chapel after the end of the church services and not in the church during the services.
Sunday Worship - Handel's timeless Messiah
I awoke this morning with Handel's Messiah banging through my head and that of the 'Young Messiah' variant too! So often we miss what is before us and cling to the traditional as if it were the only way. Recalling an apology from a first version of 'Hymns Ancient and Modern' regarding the inclusion of the 'tunes' and 'doggerel that are, of course, the self same hymns we treasure as classics today - here's a portion of the 'Young Messiah' to bless both man and God. Happy Sunday
Roseatte Tern Trail along the coast
Walking along the Wildside coastline on the Roseatte Tern Trail through Cape Recife
Uniqlo Launches Online Store in US
Uniqlo, the Japanese clothes giant, may have just turned the fast fashion shopping world upside down this week with the launch of is new online shopping site in the U.S. This may not seem like important news to many, but to a certain American consumer—think very well-dressed, without much money, and living between the coasts—it is like a food drop from a Marshall Plan plane in 1940s Berlin. $9.90 slim jeans and $79.90 cashmere sweaters in wearable solids are no longer the special privilege of New Yorkers and Los Angelenos, who, let’s face it, probably didn’t really need more slim-cut cheap clothes anyway. The only people who might be disappointed are the ones who used to pick up cash making runs to the coastal stores and sending the loot to Uniqlo fanatics in the middle states.
This is important news for fashionistas who live in towns that don't have a H&M or Zara store.
Internationally, Uniqlo has repositioned itself as a stylish alternative for the mass market, and the website works accordingly. Like Uniqlo’s stores, the site is elegantly and cleverly designed, with minimalist care. It also mimics the feeling of plenty that makes the stores so mesmerizing. Inside the Fifth Avenue headquarters in New York, neatly folded jeans and T-shirts in mostly solid colors line the walls. The store is so deep that one almost falls into it, and then has to fight one’s way out by grabbing T-shirts that are too cheap to pass up.
Along these lines, the website is set up more like a Pinterest site or a Tumblr blog. Where an old-fashioned online apparel site might replicate a catalog (frustratingly, to anyone who has ever had to position their mouse over the tiny page numbers at the bottom, or chosen, for the millionth time, “view all”).
Daily Office - Oct 27
Psalm 147
Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grown on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Extol the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your God, Zion. He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation;they do not known his laws. Praise the Lord.
2 Kings 25:22-end
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliahl son of Ahikam,m the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”
In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt for fear of the Babylonians.
In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. He did this on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honours higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived.
1 Timothy 5:17-end
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
The Collect
God, the giver of life,
whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church:
by the Spirit’s gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ
and make us eager to do your will,
that we may share with the whole creation the joys of eternal life;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grown on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Extol the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your God, Zion. He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat. He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow. He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel. He has done this for no other nation;they do not known his laws. Praise the Lord.
2 Kings 25:22-end
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon appointed Gedaliahl son of Ahikam,m the son of Shaphan, to be over the people he had left behind in Judah. When all the army officers and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, Jaazaniah the son of the Maakathite, and their men. Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”
In the seventh month, however, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood, came with ten men and assassinated Gedaliah and also the men of Judah and the Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah. At this, all the people from the least to the greatest, together with the army officers, fled to Egypt for fear of the Babylonians.
In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. He did this on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month. He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honours higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. Day by day the king gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived.
1 Timothy 5:17-end
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
The Collect
God, the giver of life,
whose Holy Spirit wells up within your Church:
by the Spirit’s gifts equip us to live the gospel of Christ
and make us eager to do your will,
that we may share with the whole creation the joys of eternal life;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
BSO del comiat - "Les meues vacances"
Aquesta cançó va tancar el comiat del Manel el passat dissabte dia 20 d'octubre.
"Les meues vacances", d'Ovidi Montllor -- escolta-la a YouTube
"Les meues vacances", d'Ovidi Montllor -- escolta-la a YouTube
Tot ben senzill
i ben alegre.
Em creureu mort.
Jo no hauré mort.
Faré vacances!
........
Tota la lletra també disponible a YouTube
Best view from a newsroom in Europe?
A couple of years ago, while at the Inverness Courier, I took this picture and asked if the view from the editor's office was the best in Britain? Now the question has gone international. Which is the best newsroom view in Europe or, indeed, the world? The good news is I will be taking in the Maltese view first hand (and hopefully a bit of sunshine) next month when I have a week back working at The Times. Having just returned from London in the pouring rain, I have to say I am quite looking forward to it.
Preparing smileys
Today's post follows on yesterday's one of the sheep head smileys. It shows the chef, cook, dude in overalls pants smoking a cigarette busy burning hair off the sheep head with a piece of hot metal.
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