Quake Rocks Tibet

BEIJING (AFP) - A 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked Tibet in southwestern China late Monday, the US Geological Survey said but there were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties.

The quake struck at 9:22 pm (1322 GMT), 225 kilometres (140 miles) northeast of Jumla, Nepal, at a depth of 35 kilometres, the USGS said.

- Yahoo!Xtra News, August 26, 2008, 5:03 am

A friend remarked, "Any karma theories this time?"

Elena Isinbaeva's New World Record

Incredible.

She continues to amaze; not only has she taken yet another Olympic gold, but she has also broken yet another world record.

Nothing seems to stop Elena Isinbaeva from breaking records. Not even the supposedly 'polluted' air over Beijing; she broke yet another record yesterday - her own, no less - clearing an unbelievable 5.05 metres at the women's pole vault finals.

I first saw her in action (and consequently became a fan) during the 2004 Athens Olympics. What caught my eye initially was her extremely long (relatively speaking), braided hair then as well as the small, gold St Olga cross around her neck (ah, athletes from Orthodox countries!).

Almost all the competitors I grew to admire at the last Olympics have since retired from their respective sports. Elena however, continues to reign supreme.

Strong and resolute, she is an inspiration to us all!

"The sky is my only limit," she said. "Life would be boring without records to break so I want to continue on forever."

Isinbaeva murmured before each attempt, she decoded the murmuring, "Do it, do it, just do it. Just be confident, I'm OK."

- Sina.com, 2008-08-19 03:16:43 GMT

And for those who have not yet seen, or wish to watch that exciting moment again:

Quote of the Week

The written word is all that stands between memory and oblivion. Without books as our anchors, we are cast adrift, neither teaching nor learning. They are windows on the past, mirrors on the present, and prisms reflecting all possible futures. Books are lighthouses erected in the dark sea of time.

Jeffrey Robbins, 'A Lighthouse In The Sea Of Time'

A Word to Traditionalists

Roman Catholic or Greek Orthodox, Father Seraphim Rose warned against excessive awe of ritualism:

Anyone who is attracted merely by glittering censers, incense and beautiful vestments, he, first of all, will fall down before Antichrist.

Lost in Spelling

[21:59:10] Vincenzo says: what does mean God has a plane for you
[21:59:38] e-octopi says: God has an aircraft? :P

On KFC Drink Packets in China...

DaveMintheOffice:
[2:15]
i hope that said products are not made from panda
[2:16]
at first i thought it said "WTF"

February 14

There's nothing wrong, of course, with delighting in love and honoring friendship and stopping in the bleak midwinter to tickle the people we love. But it's also a good sign of psychosocial health if the day just saunters by and winks, and you feel no need to pay attention. The minute it feels like a duty, it has lost its purpose. "Love sought is good," Shakespeare observed, "but given unsought is better."

Nancy Gibbs, A Day to Forget
TIME February 18, 2008

Quote of the Day

By my horns, I don't understand humans. I've lived around them close to two decades now. The things they swear by! Sex, excrement, and religion. I'll never understand them.

Kardue'sai'Malloc in Empire Blues: The Devaronian's Tale

Duty

Chi pò, non vò; chi vò, non pò; chi sà, non fà; chi fà, non sà; e così, male il mondo và.
Italian Proverb

Who can do, don't want to; who wants to, can't do; who knows how to do, won't do it; who does it, doesn't know how to - and, so, badly goes the world.

Real Feminists on Abortion

Here are what early feminists had to say about abortion:

Women... sacrificing to lasciviousness the parental affection... either destroy the embryo in the womb, or cast if off when born. Nature in every thing demands respect, and those who violate her laws seldom violate them with impunity.
Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Women (1792)

When we consider that women are treated as property, it is degrading to women that we should treat our children as property to be disposed of as we see fit.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, women's suffrage movement leader (1873)

Every woman knows if she were free, she would never bear an unwished-for child, nor think of murdering one before its birth.
Victoria Woodhull, first woman to run for US President (1875)

And what does the modern, liberated feminist say?

"It's essential to make your own decision. No one else has the right to tell you what to do. Listen to your own heart.

[...]

Once you have made your decision, believe in yourself for making a good decision. Abortion is the right of every woman."

- Feminist Women's Health Centre

But what kind of a decision, a "choice" is abortion? Again, I quote Victoria Woodhull:

"Abortion is only a symptom of a more deep-seated disorder of the social state. It cannot be put down by law. Normally the mother of ten children is as healthy, and may be as youthful and beautiful, as a healthy maiden. Child-bearing is not a disease, but a beautiful office of nature. But to our faded-out, sickly, exhausted type of women, it is a fearful ordeal. Nearly every child born is an unwelcome guest. Abortion is the choice of evils for such women."

Culture

In 16th-century Italy there lived Lodovico Gonzaga, a 16-year old seminarian who was very fond of playing ball. Once a certain priest passing by wondered if for a future priest the youth was too keen on his pursuit and asked him: 'What would you do if you learned that in half an hour the end of the world was coming?' To which Lodovico replied: 'I'd play on.'

According to the Russian thinker Georgy Fedotov, the importance of culture lies in precisely that: we go on playing ball on the verge of Doomsday...

Vladimir Barsky, Chromaticism (1996)

The Beauty of Apostolic Christianity

"Sacramentals should be things of beauty. The soul thrives in an environment of chaste loveliness, harmony, and order. Finely crafted beads invite to prayer. There is no shame in going to God by means of the senses He has given us. The Word became flesh so that we, in our flesh and not in spite of it, might be able to go to God." Don Marco

The beauty of Apostolic Christianity, the liturgy in particular, played a major and crucial role in my move from fundamentalist Protestantism to Orthodox Christianity. The barren intellectualism and severe austerity of fundamentalist Protestant services were bearable, and even vital in forming the basis of my spiritual discipline, but the emphasis on inner holiness, and the resulting stigmatization of any outward show of piety, was an exceptionally repugnant aspect of Calvinism.

Services built around sermons may be intellectually stimulating and instruct much, but they do nothing for inspiring holiness. Indeed, the celebration of the Holy Eucharist should reflect as much as possible, the beauty and glory of Heaven. There, we celebrate with joy, Christ's Passion, and Holy Resurrection.

The words of Prince Vladimir's emissaries after visiting Hagia Sophia in the 10th century come to mind:

"We no longer knew whether we were in heaven or on earth. For on earth there is no such splendour or such beauty, and we are at a loss how to describe it. We know only that God dwells there among men, and their service is fairer than the ceremonies of other nations. For we cannot forget that beauty. Every man, after tasting something sweet, is afterward unwilling to accept that which is bitter, and therefore we cannot dwell longer here."

Conservative vs Liberal: You Decide...

...which form of politics would best serve the human race:

Conservatives believe in individual freedom and responsibility.
Liberals believe in sacrificing individual freedom for socially desirable outcomes. Liberals believe that one of government's primary roles is social engineering.

Conservatives believe in limited government.
Liberals believe in intrusive government when required to achieve societal needs. (Exception: social-issues conservatives advocate government intrusion on matters of abortion, drugs and pornography.)

Conservatives believe in free markets.
Liberals believe in government controls and central planning.

Conservatives believe that some problems have no solution, that they can only be mitigated at best.
Liberals believe that most every problem has a government solution.

Conservatives are concerned about the production of wealth.
Liberals are concerned about the redistribution of it.

Conservatives believe in equality of opportunity.
Liberals believe in equality of outcome.

Conservatives believe that human nature is what makes us imperfect.
Liberals believe that human nature can be changed and perfected.

Conservatives are nationalists.
Liberals hope for world government.

Conservatives believe in peace through strength.
Liberals believe in peace through cooperation and goodwill.

Mike Rosen, Rocky Mountain News (March 31, 2000)

Noteworthy

Post-feminists in the 90s assured women they could re-embrace their femininity without sacrificing equality or credibility.

And so manicures, and Brazilian bikini waxes and pole-dancing classes were all reintroduced under the guise of harmless girlie 'fun'. Barely 10 years later, we look in the mirror, and mistake ourselves for sex workers.

Decca Aitkenhead, columnist, The Guardian

Reply to Insults

A word from St Alphonsus Liguori, whom the Western Church commemorates today:

When we have to reply to anyone who has insulted us, we should be careful to do it always with gentleness. A soft answer extinguishes the fire of wrath.

Question

Words of wisdom from St John Climacus, whom we commemorate today, on the married life:

Some people living carelessly in the world put a question to me: "How can we who are married and living amid public cares aspire to the monastic life?" I answered: "Do whatever you may. Speak evil of no one. Tell no lie. Despise no one and carry no hate. Do not separate yourself from the church assemblies. Show compassion to the needy. Do not be a cause of scandal to anyone. Stay away from the bed of another, and be satisfied with what your own wives can provide you. If you do all this, you will not be far from the kingdom of heaven".

St John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent

Never mistake the monastic life for being superior or inferior to the married life.

Quotation

"And you still believe in God?"
"Got anybody else in mind?"

Dick Ohrt, RC former seminarian and Vietnam veteran
from Paul Hendrickson’s Seminary: A Search

[via A Conservative Blog for Peace]