Do it again!

If you're on Facebook, please watch this video of the laughing quadruplets! It always makes me smile.
It also makes me thankful for not having quadruplets, but that's another matter...

Schoolboy Howler

The natives of Macedonia did not believe in Paul, so he got stoned.

Chesterton on Conservatives and Progressives

The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives.
The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes.
The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected. 

Half of Finns support same-sex marriage

According to a recent survey, 49% of the population of Finland except the Åland islands are in favour of same-sex marriage, while 33% are against. Thirteen per cent are indifferent.
The support is most marked in those under the age of 35, while retired people are the most sceptical. Politically segmented, 61% of the supporters of the conservative National Coalition Party, 50% of the Social Democrats and 32% of the nationalistic True Finns support same-sex marriage.
The Finnish LGBT organisation SETA engaged Taloustutkimus to do the survey. 503 people between the ages of 17 to 79 years were interviewed on 4 and 5 May. The margin of error is 4,5%.

Tiedote: Yleisen avioliittolain kannattajia selkeästi enemmän kuin vastustajia (SETA 11.5.11)
Nästan hälften stöder könsneutrala äktenskap (svenska.yle.fi 11.5.11)
Liki puolet sukupuolineutraalin avioliiton kannalla (Kotimaa24 11.5.11)


God and the atheists

One day a group of atheists got together and decided that humans had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked a spokesman to go and tell God that he was no longer needed.
The spokesman walked up to God and said, “God, we’ve decided that you’re no longer needed. We’re to the point that we can synthesise new elements, we can create the building blocks of life in a test tube, we can clone sheep and soon we will be able to clone people. There’s no end to the miraculous things we can do. You’ve become irrelevant.”
God listened patiently. After the spokesman finished talking, God said, “Very well! How about this? Let’s have a person-making contest.” To which the spokesman replied, “OK, great!”
But God added, “Now we’re going to do this the old fashion way, just as I did it originally.”
The spokesman said, “Sure, no problem” and bent down and grabbed a handful of dirt.
God smiled and said, “No, no, no . . . You get your own dirt!”

Whom to marry?

You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with.
- Kristen, age 10

2. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.
- Camille, age 10

3. HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
- Derrick, age 8

4. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids.
- Lori, age 8

5. WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
- Lynnette, age 8 (isn't she a treasure)

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
- Martin, age 10

6. WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich.
- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that.
- Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do.
- Howard, age 8

7. IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
- Anita, age 9 (bless you child )

8. HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?
- Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favourite is.......

9. HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.
- Ricky, age 10

Thanks to Mrs. Karl!

Schoolboy Howler

Alexander the Great conquered Persia, Egypt and Japan. Sadly he died with no hair.

On prayer

Prayer is not a pious instrument by which we move God to baptize our enterprises; it is entering the strength of him who moves history and binds the powers that be.
- Melba Maggay
Filipina theologian
as quoted on God's Politics

IDAHO today!

Today, May 17, is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO - no connection with the state in the USA). It is most easily celebrated by wearing something rainbow-coloured.
Wikipedia writes about the history of the day:

The idea of the Day was launched in 2004. The date of May 17th was chosen to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision to remove homosexuality from the list of mental disorders in 1990.
By May 17th 2005, as a result of a year long campaigning effort, 24 000 people worldwide and reputed international organizations [...] had signed the appeal to support the IDAHO initiative.
In May 2005 already, activities took place on IDAHO in many countries in the world. First LGBT events ever were organized in Congo, China and Bulgaria.
Organizations in more than 70 countries in the world now invest International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia as part of their annual mobilization plan. In some of them, the Day has become the major focal point or action.
IDAHO has now been officially recognized by the EU Parliament, Spain, Belgium, the UK, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, France, Luxemburg and lately Brazil. It is also recognized by numerous local authorities across the world, like the province of Quebec, the city of Buenos Aires, etc.
In several countries like Argentina, Bolivia, Australia, Croatia, etc., national civil society coalitions have called upon by their authorities to have the Day recognized.
You'll find more information on dayagainsthomophobia.org.

Einstein on common sense

Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen.
- Albert Einstein

Camara on money

I know how very hard it is to be rich and still keep the mild of human kindness. Money has a dangerous way of putting scales on one’s eyes, a dangerous way of freezing people’s hands, eyes, lips and heart.
- Dom Helder Camara
Brazilian archbishop
as quoted on God's Politics

Tech support call

Tech support: What kind of computer do you have?
Female customer: A white one…

Source: funnymos.com

Hungary: New Constitution Enshrines Discrimination

The new Hungarian constitution approved by parliament contains provisions that could lead to discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). President Pál Schmitt should send the constitution back to Parliament to address these and other human rights issues, HRW said 19.4.11.
The proposed constitution was passed on April 18 by a vote of 262 to 44, with 1 abstention. It includes provisions that could lead to discrimination against women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, and people with disabilities, HRW said.
"The ruling Fidesz members of Parliament pushed through a constitution that puts Hungary at odds with its obligation to uphold and respect human rights," said Amanda McRae, a Western Balkans researcher for HRW. "The president needs to use his authority to fix this fundamental document before it becomes law and enshrines discrimination."

In a letter to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on April 15, HRW raised concerns about provisions in the constitution that put the rights of people with disabilities, women, and LGBT people at risk.
HRW is also concerned that civil society and opposition groups in Hungary were largely excluded from the process of drafting and reviewing the constitution. Numerous groups in and outside of Hungary called for essential changes and more time to debate and review the document, but the constitution, which was introduced for public debate in mid-March, passed the Parliament with few changes only a month later.

The adoption of this new constitution comes in the midst of a number of other human rights concerns in Hungary. In recent months, a new law went into effect that restricts media freedom; vigilante groups have attacked and held demonstrations against Roma, with little government condemnation of such actions; and concerns have been raised about the treatment of asylum seekers and other migrants in Hungary, including those who are pushed back to Ukraine from the Hungarian border and face abuse in Ukrainian detention.

Although civil society and opposition groups have questioned the need for a new constitution, members of the ruling party Fidesz, which currently holds a two-thirds majority in the Parliament, have said that a new constitution is necessary to finish the transition from communism to democracy. The current Hungarian constitution dates from 1949 but was significantly amended in 1989 following the collapse of communism in Hungary.

That's bad!

Money isn't everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch.
Thanks to Wounded Bird!

Wilde on taking yourself seriously

It is a curious fact that people are never so trivial as when they take themselves seriously.
- Oscar Wilde

MadPriest on poverty and vice

Being poor is not a virtue.
It simply makes access to vice a lot more difficult.