Why can't I own a Canadian

I saw this on the net and I like it alot. It's a brilliantly written letter to counter the arguments against Gay rights in the US.

Why Can't I Own a Canadian?


October 2002

/Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a radio personality who dispenses advice to people who call in to her radio show. Recently, she said that, as an observant Orthodox Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22 and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following is an open letter to Dr. Laura penned by a east coast resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:/

Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:

When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?

I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.

Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?

A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.

Your devoted fan,
Jim

Hope you like it Cheers Lewis

Adding some spice to life

So i get back from a big weekend regatta in Mackay and the next Morning I wake up to this Warning from BOM:

TSUNAMI BULLETIN

TSUNAMI THREAT TO EASTERN AUSTRALIA and Willis and Barrier Reef Islands, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii has detected an undersea earthquake near Solomon Islands and has issued a Tsunami Bulletin.

The earthquake has also been detected by Geoscience Australia.

UPDATED
*****
Willis Island Meteorological station reported NO noticable affect of waves at 9am by which time the Tsunami should have passed. They are checking to see if there has been any affect to beaches.

At this stage the Threat seems to have eased, will maintain the warnings until after any wave may pass near Cooktown after 9.30am.

*****

AN EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME - 6:40 am EST 02 APR 2007
COORDINATES - 8.6 SOUTH 157.2 EAST
LOCATION - SOLOMON ISLANDS
MAGNITUDE - 8.1

Based on the magnitude and location of the earthquake, tsunami could start affecting these locations at the following local time:

Cooktown from 0931am 02/04/2007
Cairns from 0949am
Brisbane 1033am
Gladstone 1139am
Mackay 1144am

This bulletin is also available through TV and Radio broadcasts and the Bureau's website at


www.bom.gov.au/tsunami/



This Certianly add some spice to your morning

YES it's REAL

So the Stern report has been published. This report was charged with reporting to the UK government about climate change it's validity the probable outcomes and ways to avoid the worst of the effects. These are the Key messages from the first section.

Key Messages
An overwhelming body of scientific evidence now clearly indicates that climate change is a serious and urgent issue. The Earth’s climate is rapidly changing, mainly as a result of increases in greenhouse gases caused by human activities.
Most climate models show that a doubling of pre-industrial levels of greenhouse gases is very likely to commit the Earth to a rise of between 2 – 5°C in global mean temperatures. This level of greenhouse gases will probably be reached between 2030 and 2060. A warming of 5°C on a globalscale would be far outside the experience of human civilisation and comparable to the difference between temperatures during the last ice age and today. Several new studies suggest up to a 20% chance that warming could be greater than 5°C.
If annual greenhouse gas emissions remained at the current level, concentrations would be more than treble pre-industrial levels by 2100, committing the world to 3 – 10°C warming, based on the latest climate projections.
Some impacts of climate change itself may amplify warming further by triggering the release of additional greenhouse gases. This creates a real risk of even higher temperature changes. Higher temperatures cause plants and soils to soak up less carbon from the atmosphere and cause permafrost to thaw, potentially releasing large quantities of methane. Analysis of warming events in the distant past indicates that such feedbacks could amplify warming by an additional 1 – 2°C by the end of the century.
Warming is very likely to intensify the water cycle, reinforcing existing patterns of water scarcity and abundance and increasing the risk of droughts and floods. Rainfall is likely to increase at high latitudes, while regions with Mediterranean-like climates in both hemispheres will experience significant reductions in rainfall. Preliminary estimates suggest that the fraction of land area in extreme drought at any one time will increase from 1% to 30% by the end of this century. In other regions, warmer air and warmer oceans are likely to drive more intense storms, particularly hurricanes and typhoons.
As the world warms, the risk of abrupt and large-scale changes in the climate system will rise. Changes in the distribution of heat around the world are likely to disrupt ocean and atmospheric circulations, leading to large and possibly abrupt shifts in regional weather patterns. If the Greenland or West Antarctic Ice Sheets began to melt irreversibly, the rate of sea level rise could more than double, committing the world to an eventual sea level rise of 5 – 12 m over several centuries.
The body of evidence and the growing quantitative assessment of risks are now sufficient to give clear and strong guidance to economists and policy-makers in shaping a response.


This obviously states that global warming is real and is happening. I find it difficult to believe that there are still people out there that refuse to believe that this is a real issue. I suppose that it is just a way of ignoring and inconvenient truth.

This is the link to the stern report. If you have some spare time read it. It has dire warnings in it but also alot of hope and optimism

Greenpeace are Stupid

Now I have some reasons for the title of this post. The Government has finally come out and decided that they should support Biofuels. Now biofuels in their current form are not the best at reducing CO2 emissions. This is because we are only using 10% ethanol to 90% Petrol mix this is a mix that allows for the fuel to be put strait into cars as they are now with no modification. There is not a huge reduction in the CO2 emitted per unit of fuel when only 10% of the fuel is from renewable sources. the next problem is that our current source of ethanol is from Cane sugar which is a good source of ethanol. There are better ways such as cellulose digestion to produce ethanol which use waste product to produce ethanol. This makes the agricultural side of the production much more efficient. Due to the farm being able to sell sugar and ethanol.
At this point I should say that Greenpeace has come out stating that there is no point in using biofuels like E10 petrol as there are no real CO2 emission reduction.
However Cellulose digestion and some other biofuels are still in the development stages. Either developing the techniques or developing the scale to be able to supply the quantities needed. To enable this development investment is needed and investment will only come when there is a market. Making that market is the job of entrepreneurs and Government. So Greenpeace coming out against or even dismissing the current biofuel market will slow down the development of better biofuels and real savings in CO2 emissions.
Wake up to your self Greenpeace!!!!!!!!!

Crazy working conditions

Louise my boss's PA had a bit of bad news today. A bit before lunch she had to race off to hospital to see her husband. He had been beaten up at work. Pete works for the council as a gardener in Queens Gardens. What follows is no yet verified so don't take it as fact yet. Apperently one of his co-workers has attacked him. From the damage that has been done he must of attacked him with and implement ie large stick or shovel whatever. Pete has been in hospital since the attack and will be flowen down to Brisbane tomorrow morning to have people reconstruct his jaw, teeth etc. Louise is leaving this afternoon so that she can get set up in Brisbane for when pete arrives tomorrow.
Every one here at work hope that all goes well and that Pete is up and well soon.

Cascade Rogaine

So another Rogaine season has started. Min and I had the pleasure of introducing someone to Rogaining. Karina rows with Min for Townsville and JCU Rowing club. She said that she had fun and that it was nice to see a different part of NQ.

We went in the 6 hour event. did a nice leasurely loop around on the South western side of the map. The terrain was gently rolling hills and open woodland. If anyone gets a chance they should definately go and check out the Emerald Creek Falls near Mareeba. It really is lovely countryside

Photo's to come soon

Finishing the Holidays

Ok so the rest of the Holiday story.
After Christmas Day min and I went to Durras with Dad and Judes. i think that this was exactly what we needed. Glen Kiara Min and I all just chilled out went surfing diving and did a bit of exploring. Read lots of books and caught up on sleep. Min and I had bought an expansion pack for the Settlers of Catan game and we played that a bit, as well as Monopoly and some cards for our nighttime entertainment. Min got to stand up on a surf board and decided that she should become a surfy chick.
After Durras we went back to Wollongong and basically spent a week saying goodbye to everyone and doing dinners and a bit more shopping.
We had a great time and I got to meet mins family, not to mention seeing mum and dad again.

I hope everyone out there had a great holiday season and got prepared for this yeasr to come (even if we are nearly a third through it).

Cheers Lewis

Germany

Germany are apperantly getting Monster Trucks Now I thought this would have to be either those large Tractor tyre type cars or they would be a super long truck ie something like a road train. It isn't though they are calling B doubles 'giga-liners' they are only 25m long and has two trailers. they really need to see a real giga liner and come to Aust to see a road train. Those funny Germans always worrying about something.

Now this is Surfing

The music for this is a bit dodgy but it looks like so muck fun.

Holidays

Hey Everyone,

So I've just had a great holiday with my family. I want to say thanks to Mum and Bernie for putting us up in their house for most of the time (or is that putting up with us). Also thanks to Dad for taking all of his megre holidays to come to the coast to see Min and Myself. Finally thanks to Judes for missing Christmas with her family to come down to the coast.
So some details are in order. Min and I flew down to Sydney in mid december and then a quick trip down to Wollongong to dump our stuff and make some general introductions (Min hadn't met my mum before then we were back off to Sydney for a christmas party with Min's friends. Interesting party good food some drink and stealing presents from each other. By way of explanation there was secret santa but you could either choose a random present from under the tree or steal one from someone else. It made for a fun and long present opening.
After the quick party in Sydney we were off to the mountians to see Min's mum and dad. They were lovely and we stayed in Leura for a couple of days saw them and caught up with the people that Min knows up there in them misty peaks known as the Blue Mountains.
Then it was back to Wollongong and some shopping to finish off getting the christmas presents. Now I have been planning some of my presents for months. For example I bought Mins Digital SLR camera back in November but I had started looking in september so that I knew which one I could afford and which one's were good. I ended up getting the Olympus E500. A middle of the range SLR with a good range of dedicated digital lenses. The other big present I gave was a tree. My stepdad love gardening and he had been searching for a rare plant called a Daintree pine. I did some research and found out that there were no nurseries that sold them in NSW so I contacted a wholesale nursery in Walkamin near Mareeba and then contacted a nursery near mums place and and got them to order a shipment. I then bought the Tree from the nursery in wollongong and got her to hold it for me til the day before christmas. It didn't cost alot but Bernie now has one of only 12 Daintree pines in NSW.
Christmas day was great Glen, Chiara, Dad, Judes, Mum, Bernie and Min were all there and I think everyone had fun. It was good to see people unwrap the presents that I got them. Anyway I will cover the rest of the holidays soon in the next post.