Women only please!

As king Abdulla visits the UK ,(the queen is cooking halal food tonight!), protests about human rights and the treatment of women have started, so here are some photos only for women, believing in our rights to drive (and park), wear make up and having the toilet seat down "at all times"!

25-hour day, anyone?

British summer time started yesterday, so we are back to short days and long nights. As we put the clocks back one hour yesterday, we all had a 25 hour day and the question is: what did you do with your extra hour? Stayed in bed longer, played more with the kids, more time on the PC or you did not even notice that you were given an extra hour?
There are now some research on creating a 25 hour day using combination of light brightness and pulses that allow the manipulate of the body clock and over time adding approximately one hour to each day.
I found this fascinating and I know that this research had to be in controlled environment and its application into our day to day lives is not straight forward, however, what would I do with an extra hour everyday? And what if this extra hour is my last hour? Who will benefit most from my extra time? Lately, we are developing lots of ways to save time, you can check your emails on the go, carry your computer with you, cook frozen food, ready meals, automatic washing machines, etc all to save time, but what are we saving time for?
I believe that whether it is 24 hour day or even 40 hour day, we will always be busy, will always be running around sorting things out and sending texts apologizing that we are running late. It is about priorities and whatever is on the top of your list now will be on the top of your list if you have more time, so does anyone fancy a 25 hour day?

Geometry test!

Dog collars, to wear or not to wear?

Few days ago in the news, there was a news item giving advice to vicars not to wear dog collars in public as it makes them a target for muggers. A new report by National Churchwatch, warns that priests are often targeted more than other professions as they are considered unlikely to fight back.

That made me think about our ideas regarding Christians in general, that if you think of someone who will not fight back when attacked, a Christian person will be probably on the top of your list. Christians talk about peace and forgiveness, about accepting people and being kind and compassionate. So the idea of a Christian fighting back because they are being attached is not something we can accept.

But let us go back to the bible, what did Jesus teach? He always spook the truth, never worried about who he will upset, healing sick people in the Sabbath (Luke 13: 10-17) and driving out all those who were buying and selling in the temple (Luke 19: 45). Were we called to be passive, mellow, and going along with every idea and concept in the name of acceptance? Were we called to submit to all and put up with whatever is happening around us in the name of being obedient to God? My answer is no. We were called to love our enemies (Mathew 5: 42), we were also called to speak the truth and love justice. We are called to submit to God first, to love mercy and seek justice and honor our Lord. We are sent out to the world and asked to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Mathew 10: 16). We are called to show the love that Jesus showed, the kindness of going to talk to a Samaritan women (John 4:7-26) knowing her past, not condemning her but not indorsing her behavior either. The wisdom He showed in eating and staying at the tax collectors house loving and forgiving what he has done in the past (Luke 19:1-10).

So, am I indorsing violence? Of course not. However, standing up and speaking the truth in kindness is not against what God called us to do. Otherwise, how can we be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Mathew 5: 13-16)?
My prayer to God today is to grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

The best way to sleep in the office

New labour, then and now

In the train today, I decided to upgrade myself from “standing” in standard accommodation to “standing” in first class! In my “upgrade”, I was not allowed to sit down in the many empty seats in first class, this is part of the logic behind the whole class system. So I stand in first class observing passengers been offered tea, coffee, choice of red or white wine, and snacks while I am standing near the luggage rack counting my blessings. However, what really made my day was the fact that as I left first class, I came face to face with Mr John Prescott, Mr two Jags himself. He was standing in between carriages and did not look very happy about it. Welcome to privatisation Mr deputy prime minister, welcome to our daily “joy”, at least I was standing in first class while he was standing in standard, I guess the salary had a big hit after he left government. Then may be he was reporting on ordinary people lives and their daily commute, may be it is a research toward the upcoming election. Whatever it was, I was pleased to see him there like all of us, tired and a bit grumpy as well.

Here is video that might just sum up Mr Prescott time in government.enjoy!

Are you in the wrong profession?

That is how I feel at the moment, forget the PhD, forget academia and universities, at the moment I need to be qualified as a plumber and quick. My heating system broke down and finding a good registered plumber to sort it out is like trying to find Bin Laden! I finally (after calling at least 7 different plumbers) had one of them turning up (2 days late). He had a look and I saw him shaking his head and saying things like,” Oh…dear, I see”, and of course my heart sinks. He then went on to explain to me how this part need to be replaced because the thermal couple (I guess this is the correct spelling) heats up and so make the whole system stop working, how the starting light is not lighting up properly because something else that for the life of me I can not remember what is called is not working (I KNOW it is not working, that is why we called you). I think at this point of the conversation I was doing the usual nodding at the right time and pretending to understand all the technical points that he raised and trying to get to the more important questions like: When can you actually do it and How much it will all cost? And you know that in these situations, it is like theatre where you have seen the play before and you know it by heart now and everyone knows his role very well. He comes and play his part (very busy man, doing his explaining to you, poor person, what is exactly happening in your system, may be exaggerating a bit) and I am playing my part (not understanding a word of what he is saying but happy to pay whatever it cost to sort out the system-quick).
At these moments I feel that I am defiantly in the wrong profession, it would have been easier to spend my time training to become a plumber, at least some introductory course or something rather than a PhD that can not help you when your heating is not working.

Well, at the moment it feels like training as a plumber will be actually quicker than getting someone who can fix the system!

Yes, women CAN drive !

Well, I think women CAN drive.....check this out if you don't believe me.
(OK, OK, it is all computer enhanced, but it is fun)