I used to consider myself an atheist. Now, when asked, I say I am agnostic. It is not that I have doubts but I don’t want to be bundled in with the atheist crowd.
In answering such a question, it is too difficult to explain the distinction between atheism and anti-religionism and to be honest, the lines are often blurred.
Is it any wonder?
This Easter we have been witness to baffling brawls over halal chocolate Easter eggs and squabbling over whether or not a footy match should be played on Good Friday. I adopt the laissez-faire approach in these matters but I find it troubling that those who advocate sombre reflection on religious holidays are cast as extremists.
Religion is often mocked by atheists. Mockery is fine in some instances but when people are painted as sub-human for holding supernatural beliefs, items of faith in all organised religions, it is clear there is an attempt to wantonly discriminate against people and limit their movements and their associations.
Full column here.
Logies – hall of mirrors. WGAF if Meldrum?
By the end of the week the U.S. government could be shutdown they will not have enough money to pay their employees , what a weird situation and it will be the fault of those damn Democrats, even though the Republicans have control of all levels of government. Thank heavens we don’t have a political system like that where everyone plays the blame game…
Ps. Could this be the time Mr. Kim makes his move ? …
JackSprat says:
APRIL 21, 2017 AT 10:07 PM AND OTHERS
Hard right winger Tom Switzer seems to agree with me about mad Kim. He is not crazy enough to use nukes. He would be obliterated, as I said below. He is megaphoning domestic politics. Sabre-rattling.
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/of-course-north-korea-wants-nukes-we-should-learn-to-live-with-it-20170423-gvqkbs.html
Switzer hard right? Heck, he’s just barely center right.
You keep telling us Kimmie is just an innocent little tyrant Bassie, who couldn’t hurt a fly. In fact he’s a scary little fat guy capable of more than being a bloody nuisance.
North Korea has a population of 25 mil, and GDP of $50 bil. South Korea has a population of 50 mil and GDP of $1 trillion. I think I know who might be better equipped for a conventional conflict, which is why Kimmie wants bigger toys.
Finally, the focus is turning to China, with whom NK do 90% of their trade. It is time Beijing gave Kimmie the squirrel grip, and hold it there.
LAO TZU:- “You keep telling us Kimmie is just an innocent little tyrant Bassie” Please tell me where and when I said that. Are you the good cop or the bad cop? I expect Jack to burst into print nay day about Mad Kim.
UNLESS dear BASSMAN Krazy Kimmy knows his own days are numbered and has decided he might as well go out with a “bang” and take millions with him! He’s a nutter class 1.
Switzer’s main assumption is that Kimmie would never use them.
That is on BIG assumption.
The rest of his article makes a lot of sense.
I think it is up to China to rein him in but I think that it has gone past that.
Kimmie has to be getting a lot of help from somewhere to advance so quickly.
Time for a bit of niceness to be shown to Kim. This is his way of saying “ok then, let’s have a chat about helping us out. It doesn’t matter how much salt we put on the gravel these days, it still tastes like gravel”,
China seems to have far less influence on Kim III than they had on either his father or grandfather. I get the impression they’re not all that fond of him either, but they don’t want to upset the status quo – especially if it risks the régime crumbling on them or literally blowing up, or have an American ally like South Korea now sharing a land border with them.
Overnight Kimmie is a huge threat to civilisation overnight the investigation into Trumpies Russian connection has gone away.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-usa-drills-idUSKBN1683HQ
Yes “the annual event”. Anyone ever wonder why the North Koreans have felt so threatened since about 1950?
Things are going just as planned.
Be afraid, be very afraid, buy more of our guns.
Trivalve – do you need a mountain for pumped hydro, or just height?
And is it just me or does Peter Dutton, of late, look like he is “in transition”, or being interviewed backstage pre-gig at Les Girls?
You need head Milton. And it has to be adequate.
Why would you feed Milton a line like that?
Because it’s there
You can say that again!
Dutss looks like Dutts:-a potato
Jesus Christ Jools don’t provoke Fat Boy Slim lest we all awake tomorrow to a “blistering hot” Sunrise, our last! “Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has delivered a blistering rebuke to the North Korean regime, suggesting it should spend money on the welfare of its citizens, not weapons of mass destruction. Ms Bishop’s comments come after the North Korean foreign ministry personally criticised her and warned Australia was coming within the range of the nuclear strike”.
I can’t believe Dutton still has his job after the lies & slander he made up last week. So disgusted & embarrassed by the way this government treats asylum seekers & the utter vileness that eminates from that guy.
It would now appear nothing was made up Bella. Ducts was telling the truth. Big back peddle required from Fairfax and ABC but you won’t see it.
The outstanding matter is the version of the Manus Island police chief, David Yapu which is very much at odds with Dutton’s account. Dutton says he is relying on a classified report. Yapu says he has not been contacted by Dutton or DIMEA for information.
No Razor he MADE IT UP because he wants us to think that asylum seekers are scum.
Not even close to how evil Dutton is and IMO the ABC must NEVER apologise to that jerk.
Bella
Jean Baptiste says:
April 22, 2017 at 10:10 pm
“You’re effing hopeless. How on earth do you manage to connect two totally different things so consistently. Are you really as silly as a wheel?”
Must say I’m a bit bashful about you putting me in the same basket as the wheel JB. After all, the invention of the wheel was one of the most important achievements of mankind.
I would never suggest (and I know your modesty wouldn’t allow it) that you’re silly as a stick toothbrush me old mate.
You said it. No doubt a lonely bullocky has had a conversation with a wagon wheel, but if he ever got a sensible reply it was because of a lack of sentient company.
Actually I give more credit to whomever came up with the axle.
Yep TV, what’s a wheel without an axle to grind?
A bloody flower bed!
Further to Jack’s link (4.54pm 21 Apr) re the list of doom and gloom predictions, I noticed a curious one from Paul Ehrlich back in 1969, viz “Most people who are going to die have already been born.”
Causes one to wonder: what happens to the rest of the poor coots?
Ehrlich has the curious distinction of being the only prognosticator to have never been right. And, some idiots still listen.
i always thought Bob Ellis was in the same class.
How come Fat Boy Kim is happy to murder members of his own family or anyone that looks at him funny, but his hairdresser appears to have survived?
I raised that point some time ago Perentie, that Kimmy has a shocker of a haircut. Looks like his bonce has been nuked!
Kimmie says he would have your hairstylist shot Perentie. It’s a fashion thing.
That’s not the work of a hairdresser, Perentie it’s barber writ large. Perversely, being an old rude boy, it is starting to grow on me.
Half the AFL seem to have copied it too. Not the women’s, thankfully, though there’s one or two from memory.
It’s called an ‘undercut’. I’m reminded of Hitler.
Maybe he could give the ‘man-bun’ a go, you know, make him look older than 15.
Hey, I hear there’s been a suggestion we have another public holiday called Deliberation Day , this idea was brought up by MP Andrew Leigh for the people of Australia to discuss party politics and where we as a Nation are heading, this extra holiday will come about prior to election day . I believe this is a great idea because it will help more people to understand the principle of democracy in our country and what our political parties stand for , my suggestion for this would be either the Monday or Friday prior to election day.
Everyone would get on the piss and be too crook to vote the next day Bill.
Wont take long to schedule footy or cricket matches on that amazing day.
i’ll drink to another National debilitation day, Bill. especially one on a Monday or Friday. Melbourne cup day plays havoc with some peoples week.
I’d also be promoting fixed terms and fixed election dates. Around 27 October suits me fine.
Some people will do anything for a day off – even talk about politics!
Seriously, though. I doubt it would be used for its intended purpose, like ‘Family Day’ in the ACT when people are supposed to spend time enjoying their families. The fact it happens to fall on Melbourne Cup Day we’re supposed to imagine has nothing to do with it. In fact, it was just a nod to the fact that on Cup Day every public servant in Canberra does about twenty minutes work before getting on the champers and it just saves on the government power bill for them to stay home. Also avoids the inevitable occurrences of public servants getting too much of a skin-full and deciding to finally tell the boss exactly what they think.
They moved the date in embarrassment BLS. Now it’s just another long weekend, but one with very little official purpose.
HA! Oh, dear! Sorry, I know you live there and obviously have a fondness for the place but if there were ever a sillier place than Canberra outside a Monty Python sketch I’ve yet to hear about it.
Brasilia is sillier
You never heard of QLD?
Never heard of Brisbane?
Dismayed says:
APRIL 24, 2017 AT 9:24 PM
You never heard of QLD?
does that stand for Quaint, Lonely & Dismayed?
I don’t know if anyone else caught this: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/reddit-asks-what-well-do-if-our-world-collapses/news-story/9d2a9126d055230aeae1a2d339ea5d7d
Ever wondered what it would be like if our political systems collapsed and we had to rebuild them? We could end up in a dystopia where warlords carried cricket bats and ferals fought over cockroaches. Or we could inherit virgin territory and a chance to start again.
I think we are already there Dwight, except for the virgin territory, well virgins generally.
Whoooohoooo! Bring it On!
Shocker Dwight and it could happen the way things are going, especially the Financial system worldwide running on trillions of debt. Lets keep our fingers crossed and hope our Leaders know what they are doing. I thought I was set for a relaxing rosy retirement but that may come to a sudden halt with one of Kimmys nukes!
central banks…….they don’t have a clue…..debt that can’t be paid wont be paid…..kick that can
What are U smoking?
the usual ….. Defauit really
Cockroaches always seem to get a bum rap. Why is that?
Au contraire! They are much appreciated for their ecological importance. There have been many poems and songs written about “cockies” , not all negative. In the scenario posited by Dwight ( doomsayer!) they could be an important source of protein (along with fat rich people) for the “ferals”.
My point exactly JB!
There’s a suggestion that protein-rich cockroach flour is now available for your next batch of cupcakes.
Bon appetit!
Wonderful ! I shall make cockroach flour poppadoms for my sausage rolls filled with “fat rich bastard mince.”
Merci!
You’re gonna put me in a mincer JB?
Get stuffed. You make it, you eat it you flowery cock a roach.
I didn’t have you in mind specifically Lou but your volunteered qualifications have my attention.
“Waygu Lou” burgers. You want fries with that?
Sorry Lou. I just remembered this would be happening in Dwight’s doomsday scenario for the ferals.
That last should read,
“You want flies with that?”
Because we get robbed at Origin time
Take the 2