News

The tension between Turkey and Israel is brewing. Not a good sign.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1263147872635&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

And Israel and Egypt has agreed to build a wall between them .... more wall building ..... http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1263147868727&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

And the last survivor of the family that saved Anne Frank unsuccessfully and her diary has died. She was an employee of the Frank family and chose to protect her boss's family from persecution by the Nazis by hiding them and bringing food to them. Thus an unassuming heroine dies.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1142077.html

And less heroically, my slip disc was successfully manipulated back into place .... by myself. Wasn't easy, but having suffered this twice before, I knew more or less what I should do. So after two bedridden days, I decided to warm it up with the medibeads (great stuff) and actually sat in front of my "hot air fan" for 20 minutes till the muscles relaxed, then lying on my side, I slowly pushed and twisted my back until it got back into place. No more excruciating pain now. It still hurts only when I begin to sit or stand, and my right leg is slowly getting back its strength. I shuffle. But the sharp cutting pain is gone and remains only a dull pain. But sitting too long hurts. I'm still trying to stay put until I'm alot better. Not one painkiller tablet was taken during these 60 hours.

New saints?

Another saint soon - Blessed Mary MacKillop the 1st Australian to be canonised soon. I knew she was known for her headstrong and courageous character but now I learned she was persecuted, exiled and almost excommunicated. But in typical Australian spirit of survival she made it through and brought her congregation of nuns to serve the poor and the outback. A 2nd miracle has just been recognised by the Vatican and this paves the way for her canonization.

And talking about persecution, while I was bedridden yesterday I saw my usual Sunday religious movie ... this time it was the life of Redemptorist Blessed Fr Francis Xavier Seelos who served in Michigan and then New Orleans. Young, outgoing and creative, he was persecuted by his congregation and superiors for his new methods of education and great charity. Criticised and exiled from one place to another he finally died in New Orleans after a few months of his arrival.

Both blessed are known for their courage and love for the poor. Both lived in the early 19th century. Very inspiring christians ... try and find out more about these two Blesseds. And say a prayer for their intercession ... who knows you may the recipient of the next miracle?

Levy again

Gideon Levy does it again - blasting Israel with a scathing commentary at

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1141442.html Well in some countries, for having written an article like that, Levy would have been imprisoned. So thank goodness Israel isn't all that bad .... and Levy should be thankful too.

Though I'm totally out of action and confined to bed, I still update with the news!

Injured

Hurt my back real bad last night when getting up from my chair at the refectory. Slipped a disc. The pain is excruciating and I can't walk. They'll bring me to hospital today.

Makeup anyone?

Today's topic is "makeup". So, it's suggested that heavy eye-makeup such as the Cleopatra's was possibly beneficial for the immune system. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8447851.stm

And Neanderthals also wore makeup ... which makes them not so stupid (hmmm... never knew that wearing makeup was a gauge for intelligence)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8448660.stm

So does that mean we're all into makeup now? Keeps you healthy and intelligent. Sounds like a good slogan for Max Factor and the like ....... Now there's that lovely story of Queen Jezebel making-up (2Kings 9:30) ... actually she was putting on war-paint! And she got thrown down the castle and died, blood spurting everywhere and her body trampled over by Jehu's horse. So much for makeup making you healthy and intelligent.

Well the weather has really gone off .... 3 days of over 20 degrees! It is hot! People are heading to the beach! In the middle of winter! And the rest of China and Europe is freezing over!

But seriously folks .... the big news is that some rabbis here want to issue a condemnation on Jews spitting at and harassing Christians. Well it's about time. But like everything else here .... you'll need to see the condemnation in order to believe. Otherwise like everything else here, it's empty words and rumours.

malaysian churches attacked

So Malaysian muslims are attacking our churches ..... see? You don't have to go very far to be persecuted for your faith! It's right at your front door! Stand firm! In the Holyland, God has always been called "Allah" by Christians (from Elohim, El) and the muslims here accept it. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8447450.stm

Rex

Someone send me a photo of Rex who's featured in the HKSPCA 2010 calendar. What's my boy doing there? Doesn't look much of a pinup with that grouchy face.

Have been feeling terribly overworked and stressed these 3 days. Very disoriented and dizzy.

Anyway the big news this morning is the discovery of an ancient shard of pottery which seems to challenge bible scholarship - namely it seems to prove that the Bible was written much earlier in history than commonly thought - about 400 years to be precise! Origins of the Bible must now be re-dated if this shard is proven to be real.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1141247.html

And a good piece of news, the almost extinct Mediterranean seal was spotted in Herzliya beach. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1141303.html