Have a good laugh - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7809160.stm
Had to add these ones too .... hahahahahahahahahahahaha ..... and he actually leads the world's most powerful nation??????????
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7815834.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7815837.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7360529.stm
Thursday, January 8, 2009
No fear
The rockets from Lebanon momentarily caused an alarm on the northern front but the Lebanese Government immediately issued a reassurance that it was not launched by them and that it was committed to a truce with Israel, even going as far as condemning the rocket fire. That's good news because it means its only a once off thing by disgruntled Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, and not a war with Lebanon. See http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/08/israel.rockets/index.html and http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7817408.stm
As most people see it here, the end of the Gaza war should be soon.
As most people see it here, the end of the Gaza war should be soon.
Orthodox Christmas
It drizzled all yesterday evening and night, so the temperature has dropped. However with this great community that I live with, its always warm. We joke around, chat and help each other in studies. It's a good atmosphere.
My asthma is not letting up, while the fatigue is slowly wearing off. Still I need to rest more than usual. I've resorted to good old fashion techniques to stay warm in the night - the hot water bottle! Tucked under my blanket, I get to stay warm throughout the night and into the morning. However for the past 2 weeks the light in my toilet is playing up and I've been burning a candle in there each morning so get a little light in order to wash my face or shave or bathe. Like the story about my bed, it's always tomorrow they'll come to repair, and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow never ever comes. I'm buying lots of candles because I think I'll have to use them for the rest of the year. So much for hope.
Just when we all think the war is ending in Gaza, some guys in Lebanon fired some rockets into northern Israel. The Lebanese say it's some unknown group and don't know if its a one off thing. We'll see for the next 24 hours what'll develope before we can be sure.
Yesterday the Orthodox Church celebrated Christmas while we celebrated Epiphany. However the usual pomp and festivities of the processions were absent because of the "war" - if you can read between the lines. http://www.custodia.org/spip.php?article4673&lang=en
My asthma is not letting up, while the fatigue is slowly wearing off. Still I need to rest more than usual. I've resorted to good old fashion techniques to stay warm in the night - the hot water bottle! Tucked under my blanket, I get to stay warm throughout the night and into the morning. However for the past 2 weeks the light in my toilet is playing up and I've been burning a candle in there each morning so get a little light in order to wash my face or shave or bathe. Like the story about my bed, it's always tomorrow they'll come to repair, and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow never ever comes. I'm buying lots of candles because I think I'll have to use them for the rest of the year. So much for hope.
Just when we all think the war is ending in Gaza, some guys in Lebanon fired some rockets into northern Israel. The Lebanese say it's some unknown group and don't know if its a one off thing. We'll see for the next 24 hours what'll develope before we can be sure.
Yesterday the Orthodox Church celebrated Christmas while we celebrated Epiphany. However the usual pomp and festivities of the processions were absent because of the "war" - if you can read between the lines. http://www.custodia.org/spip.php?article4673&lang=en
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
End in sight?
Just as I had suspected - the unexpected absence of widespread violence and protests seem to show that most Palestinians just want to get on with daily life. The economic crisis is hitting hard and I guess people are just tired of the violence provoked from Gaza. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231167283398&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
And here's an Israeli reporter's point of view: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231167283331&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Meantime the assault is staggering to a viable halt. Israel will stop shelling Gaza for 3 hours a day from today onwards, and possibly extending it in the near future. Things are easing up. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7814772.stm
Everyone wants it to end quickly and decisively. Let there be peace.
And here's an Israeli reporter's point of view: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231167283331&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Meantime the assault is staggering to a viable halt. Israel will stop shelling Gaza for 3 hours a day from today onwards, and possibly extending it in the near future. Things are easing up. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7814772.stm
Everyone wants it to end quickly and decisively. Let there be peace.
Yesterday
Yesterday I was utterly utterly exhausted. After a week of hard work in the garden and the rest of the house - cleaning up and throwing away lots of stuff - then lots of appointments, running from one part of the City to another; then there was the Liturgical celebrations (I'm hebdom).... everything took its toll yesterday. I returned from Terra Santa College literally half dead. It was past 5pm and my body just won't move anymore. Muscles and joints were aching. Asthma big time. And my brains just went blank. You know that feeling when your whole body just cannot go on anymore? So after feeding the canaries and wrapping it up against the cold wind, feeding the cat and tortoises, I went straight to bed. Oh I asked Matthew to take my place at Vespers as I didn't plan on going down for prayers or dinner. But the dean knocked on my door and told me I have to go down for dinner because our superior is going to give out our patron saints for the New year. Whew.
Managed to sleep for 45 minutes till 7.30pm, went down for dinner (we got some very nice sausages for dinner; then lots of panetonne) before the new year mission began. Fr Superior drew the names from a bag while the vicar Bro Rosario read out each of our patron saints for 2009, the virtue we must inculcate, the bible passage to meditate and a deceased friar to pray for. I was the last name to be drawn - thought they had forgotten me! So this is mine:
Patron saint: prophet Isaiah (feastday 9th May)
Virtue to inculcate: Disponibility
Bible passage: "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" "Here I am," I said; "send me!" " (Isaiah 6:8)
Pray for: the souls of all deceased students and professors of our theological seminary
After that we cleaned up the refectory and I went straight back to bed.
Almost all the students and professors have returned from their vacation. School starts today - actually the exams. I'm doing some more reading and then it's back to bed. Too tired to continue anything. And Fr Arlon yesterday insisted on bringing me to the Nazareth hospital because I missed my last checkup. So I'll be going there with him on the 14th. Must fast for 10 hours as they're going to examine something or other about my blood suger.
While the ground troops have invaded Gaza and lots of casualties, here in Jerusalem there's quiet. Soldiers are still everywhere but people are trying to continue with life as usual. A humanitarian corridor has been opened in Gaza for aid and travel; and the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa's sisters) were given the choice to leave Gaza but each one of them chose to stay back and be with the people. They are real heroes. They are very brave. Egypt is now involved in a truce-plan with France .... that means the fighting is going to end. Egypt's involvement is a good signal and I am sure the war will end in a week's time. Mind you, this war has not stopped pilgrims from coming! There's still lots of them here in Jerusalem!
Managed to sleep for 45 minutes till 7.30pm, went down for dinner (we got some very nice sausages for dinner; then lots of panetonne) before the new year mission began. Fr Superior drew the names from a bag while the vicar Bro Rosario read out each of our patron saints for 2009, the virtue we must inculcate, the bible passage to meditate and a deceased friar to pray for. I was the last name to be drawn - thought they had forgotten me! So this is mine:
Patron saint: prophet Isaiah (feastday 9th May)
Virtue to inculcate: Disponibility
Bible passage: "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" "Here I am," I said; "send me!" " (Isaiah 6:8)
Pray for: the souls of all deceased students and professors of our theological seminary
After that we cleaned up the refectory and I went straight back to bed.
Almost all the students and professors have returned from their vacation. School starts today - actually the exams. I'm doing some more reading and then it's back to bed. Too tired to continue anything. And Fr Arlon yesterday insisted on bringing me to the Nazareth hospital because I missed my last checkup. So I'll be going there with him on the 14th. Must fast for 10 hours as they're going to examine something or other about my blood suger.
While the ground troops have invaded Gaza and lots of casualties, here in Jerusalem there's quiet. Soldiers are still everywhere but people are trying to continue with life as usual. A humanitarian corridor has been opened in Gaza for aid and travel; and the Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa's sisters) were given the choice to leave Gaza but each one of them chose to stay back and be with the people. They are real heroes. They are very brave. Egypt is now involved in a truce-plan with France .... that means the fighting is going to end. Egypt's involvement is a good signal and I am sure the war will end in a week's time. Mind you, this war has not stopped pilgrims from coming! There's still lots of them here in Jerusalem!
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