Thursday, August 31, 2006

The Irish

You're 60% Irish

You're very Irish, and most likely from Ireland.
(And if you're not, you should be!)

I did this silly poll because I'm struggling with an engineering assignment, but what I found really funny (and true of many) is this question to answer true or false: You're not sure if you believe in God, but you believe in the infallibility of the Pope.

At least he's trying to learn...

"What's new in Latin, Sister?"

Dominicanus on CathNews

I was woken this morning by a phone call by my old man (well it was 8am but I’d had a long night studying) telling me that Dominicanus is the featured website on CathNews this morning. Two days of congratulations in a row. Click here for the link.
I think this day should be marked in history? Is this a turning point for Australian Catholicism? Have Dominicanus and Indolent Server (by association of course) become “mainstream” overnight?

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

links

Some sound advice to Catholic Students in 1942 from a prayer book thanks to + In Hoc Signo Vinces +.

Tony Abbott puts his case against changing cloning laws in the SMH today. He points out that the proponents of the bill relaxing the current laws are acting in contradiction to what they said in 2002. Will be useful in the battle.

And Rocco prays for Saint Fulton?.

The return of Speck

"I like these long sermons, don't you?"

20years a priest

Congratulations to Fr. Ephraem Chifley OP of Dominicanus fame on 20 years of priesthood today.

"He brought me to his banquet hall and the banner he raises over me is love." (Song 2:4)


When I get home today I might post something else on this.

2008 World Youth Day Appoints Liturgy Director

I heard this appointment about a month ago. This article is from ZENIT:

SYDNEY, Australia, AUG. 29, 2006 (Zenit.org).- World Youth Day 2008 has announced the appointment of Father Peter Williams as the director of liturgy for the youth event in Sydney.

As director of liturgy, Father Williams is a key member of the organizational team with a central role in the planning and conduct of the welcome Mass, Papal arrival, the evening vigil and the closing Mass.

Currently the dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Parramatta, Sydney, Father Williams has been the executive secretary of the National Liturgical Commission since 2000, and is also the director of liturgy in the Diocese of Parramatta.

Coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher welcomed Father Williams saying that "the director of liturgy is a most important role.

"The eyes of the world will be watching during World Youth Day and I am very confident that the liturgies developed under Father Williams' guidance will be remembered for many years beyond 2008."

The theme of WYD 2008 is "You Shall Receive Power When the Holy Spirit Has Come Upon You; and You Shall Be My Witnesses" (Acts 1:8).
What was the WYD team thinking??!! All reports to me about this guy have not been positive. (Take for example the state of the Parramatta Cathedral at the moment). Maybe a couple of our Sydney correspondants can comment here.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Speck will (hopefully) return tomorrow sometime. I've been meaning to scan some more pics but keep forgetting while at uni. He is lost but not forgotten.

OK to join Communists, Vietnamese Bishop tells young faithful

Thanks to CathNews for this one. It's a bit of a shocker.

A Vietnamese bishop has told a gathering of 60,000 young people that they have the right to join the Communist Party provided their faith is not threatened. More...

Monday, August 28, 2006

No study tonight. It's the Elderly Relative's birthday so we're celebrating with a tea party. Have to ensure the scones are nice and soft for the false teeth.

Disco for altar servers

CathNews reports on a story in the SMH. The SMH headline is No booze, no groping and the youngsters love it. CathNews headline is Disco fever as DJ prepares for ordination.

Here are exerts from the CathNews story which I found rather amusing.
A little kissing is allowed at fundraising dances for Sydney altar servers, says "DJ Father Dan", a Sydney seminarian who is preparing for his ordination as a deacon this weekend.

...

Mr Penollar preaches disco without the fever, where courtship is strictly controlled.

"As a minimum, hands have to be above the hips - hands aren't allowed to wander. If they do, chaperones will tap them on the shoulder. And if they're kissing for too long, a chaperone will tap them on the shoulder," he said. "You have a real risk of passions rising after the dance and we don't want that to happen."

But the Herald report says that Mr Penollar has relaxed since the early days.

"There was a no-kissing rule at the dance and I would tell the guards they are not doing their jobs if they allowed it to go on, but the parents persuaded me to allow a little bit," he said.
Hmmm. They didn't state otherwise but in the present climate I'll have to assume it's altar servers of both sexes at the dances! Anyway, I hope they are all getting up for morning Mass and don't have to get to the confession box first!

Spirit of Generation Y

By + Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney. 27 August 2006

When people have mixed news and ask whether I want the good or bad news first, I usually ask for the bad news. It is better to confront the truth and try to deal with it.

However in any newspaper article you are generally told to be positive, at least at the beginning! This is doubly true when talking about what makes young people tick.

What are the spiritual virtues of Generation Y, those aged between 13 and 29? Not surprisingly a recent survey on the Spirit of Generation Y gave a mixed bag of good, bad and indifferent news. Three quarters believe in God (variously defined) and about half identify with a religion.

An old Irish-Australian woman, when talking kindly about young people, told me once that what is in the cat comes out in the kitten. There is much truth in this. Parents remain the most powerful influence on their children.

This survey found little difference in belief and practice between Gen Y Christians and their baby-boom Christian parents, but there are two particularly important developments.

About thirty percent of Gen Y are moving away from their Christian origins. Some have reduced their attendance at worship or stopped attending altogether. Others no longer identify with a religious denomination or no longer believe in God.

By the time Gen Y reach the age of 29 twenty five percent of those who used to belong to a church are already ex-members.

Another historically significant finding is that young women are no more religious than young men. This has enormous consequences for the future. Generations of children across most ethnic groups in Australia had the faith passed on to them and nurtured by the devotion of their mothers. It remains to be seen how many Gen Y women revert to this role once they have children of their own.

Media reports of the study's findings highlighted the number of Gen Y who do not belong to any religion or denomination. But almost half of this so-called “no religion” group believe in God or a higher life force.

One finding that did not surprise me is that young people who seriously practise their spiritual and religious beliefs are likely to have high levels of social concern and community participation, and positive civic attitudes. It is important to remember that these virtues do not just reproduce themselves. As irreligion spreads, selfishness is likely to increase.

Grandparents and parents will easily recognize most of the survey’s findings. We Catholics, in particular, need to get into gear and stop basking in past glories. The first task could be to equal the levels of commitment now found in conservative Protestant Churches.

It is not surprising that Pope Benedict gave World Youth Day to Sydney in 2008.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Student Election Week

It’s student election week at uni. I successfully ran for office in 2004 and was subsequently elected as the Vice-President and Finance & Development Committee Chair of the student union – the first right-winger in ages. I lasted 10½ months before resigning in disgust at the board especially at the behaviour of many of its members. I ploughed through motions condemning me and the terrible leftie rubbish that goes on but enough was enough after one particular in-camera board meeting.

Last year I supported one last push by some mates of mine to seize control of it. We failed but it was funny stirring trouble all week. See there is (or at least was) massive campaigns run by ‘factions’ acting as mini-political parties. You have one vaguely aligned to the ALP Left, one to the ALP Right, one vaguely to the Democrats and then a whole lot of other mini factions that are really just tickets. (For the record I organised my own in 2004). But none of them except the Liberals run as who they really are. They run under names such as “Activate” and “United Students” or even “Indies”, whose faction binds on policies more than any other! (Note that the factions are not just campus based, but nationwide and there have even been splits within them. The best splitters are in fact the ALP Left and those that are even further Left.)

All up only about 8-10% of students in the past, exercise their right to vote and the faction that recruits the greatest amount of foot soldiers at 'O'-Camp tends to win the most places on the SRC or Student Union (unless of course deals are signed off on before nominations).

Anyway this year no conservative is running and we are all out to tell students NOT to vote. The less students that vote the less legitimate the body is and thus less likely to be taken notice off. We will be giving out stickers for student to wear with slogans such as:

GO AWAY! I’m not voting!
RACK OFF LEFTIES! I’m not voting.
Talk to me and I’ll shout “Sexual Harassment”
RACK OFF! I ain’t voting!


(There are a couple more that are a tad more crude…)

I reckon I can get at least 200 students wearing one within an hour of arriving at uni for the day. Every student in my first lecture will want one. They should be a hit or, in the words of His Eminence George Cardinal Pell, a real HOOT!

A related post of interest is here.

stem cells in SMH

Sunday at the Sydney Morning Herald:

Tony Abbott is accused of scaremongering by promoting the idea therapeutic stem cell cloning will lead to cloning of humans.

He gets some support from Chris Ellison.

And then this article - Footballers Save Stem Cells - which, if I'm not mistaken, actually refers to adult stem cells. However the article is incredibly misleading.

Lady Bracknell

Was looking at Domincanus today and noticed a link to The Perorations of Lady Bracknell.

It made me want to read The Importance of Being Ernest again but alas I've misplaced or lent the book to someone. (BTW, I've never seen the film.) So anyway here is the infamous line from Lady Bracknell:
Lady Bracknell: Are your parents living?
Jack (né Ernest) Worthing: I have lost both my parents.
Lady Bracknell: To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.

PS. If you are reading this and have my copy of
The Importance of Being Earnest and other plays by Oscar Wilde please let me know.

Saturday, August 26, 2006

links

Gilligan's Island meets the church. Particularly relevant considering the parodies with the womenpriests scandal. Remember the song?
Against the Grain has a post on the "Idolization" of Democracy.
Totus Pius is a blog I visit from time-to-time. The guys are rather amusing.
George Weigel's latest column.
Pics from The New Liturgical Movement. A Pontifical High Mass celebrated by Cardinal Medina Estevez in 2003.
An article in today's Weekend Australian about the State Opposition leaders around the country.


Friday, August 25, 2006

Coopers Pale Ale Ice Cream

Thanks the The Advertiser's website for this one.

Ingredients
325 ml Coopers Pale Ale
160 ml Cream
165 ml Milk
35 grams glucose
85 grams sugar
5 yolks
1 vanilla bean

Method
• In a saucepan heat beer, milk, cream and vanilla until steam starts to rise (important not to allow it to boil)
• Meanwhile whisk eggs with sugar and glucose until pale
• Temper the eggs by pouring 1/3 of the milk mixture into eggs mix well
• Pour egg mixture back into the milk mixture and slowly heat until mixture coats back of the spoon
• Pass through a fine strainer and cool
• Churn in ice cream machine until set
• Keep in freezer until ready to serve

Feast of St. Louis

Louis IX was born in 1215 and became King of France at the age of 12. Feeling that he had no nobler title than Christian, he liked to call himself Louis of Poissy, the place where he was baptized. He heard two Masses every day and rose at midnight for Matins and began the day with Prime. In his chapel he originated two pious practices afterwards adopted by the Church – the genuflections at the words Et homo factus est. in the Credo, and at the mention of Christ’s death in the reading of the Passion. He undertook two crusades for the Holy Land dying on the second in 1270 saying “We shall go to Jerusalem”.

Collect: O God, who didst remove blessed Louis, Thy confessor, from and earthly throne to the glory of Thy heavenly kingdom; grant, we beseech Thee, through his merits and prayers, that we may be permitted to share in the kingdom of Christ, Thy Son, the King of kings.

Postcommunion: O God, who didst give Thy blessed confessor Louis renown on earth and glory in heaven; do Thou, we beseech Thee, appoint him a defender of Thy Church.

Thursday, August 24, 2006

New poll on Stem Cells

I'm making one huge assumption here - that just about all readers of this blog are Catholic or at least moral or social conservatives and thus against increasing embryonic stem cell research in Australia. The word about the town is that there will be a vote on the issue this year because no party wants this to be an issue during the election year of 2007.

Will the way your local MP votes on the coming stem cell debate change the way you will vote in the 2007 Federal Election?
Free polls from Pollhost.com
PS. This is one of the reasons my number of posts has shrunk lately - I've been following the news and trying to second guess the opponents, predicting the stragey and coming up with a counter-attack and discussing what influence the organisations I'm involved with may have.

Update: The first answer is poorly worded. It assumes that the MP in question votes 'yes'.

Tony Abbott: Silly sceptics thrive on bias

Our Federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott, has a opinion piece in today's Australian following the barrage of abuse of stem cell research. Worth a read and some letters-to-the-editor in support. The full article is here but I copy an exert.

I'm not aware of a single position from any politician to whom this tag is applied advocated on the basis of scripture or an appeal to religious authority. Every position has been argued on the basis of human values, not religious teaching. Yet it is now rare for stories about particular politicians on particular topics not to be embellished with gratuitous adjectives such as "devout Catholic".

A senior journalist from a leading paper today called my office wanting to know whether I had discussed stem cells recently with Pell. As if it were anyone's business; as if such a discussion would somehow discredit any position I might hold; and as if any journalist would dare cast aspersions on conversations between a non-Christian politician and a leader of their faith. The journalist was told that from time to time I did indeed have discussions with the Cardinal; they were always instructive and I wished they were more frequent. Two generations after it was thought sectarianism had finally vanished from public life, this is doubtless evidence that I am the Vatican mole in the Howard Government.

It's worth noting that when Bruce Baird, Steven Fielding and Barnaby Joyce invoked their Christian consciences to oppose the Government's immigration bill, there were no calls to keep religion out of politics. Media outrage is confined to expressions of the church's moral teaching, not its social gospel in what is, at the very least, a chronically politically correct double standard.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Speck's just like any other boy

"Father, do we have any more candlelighters?"

Mannes watch - the profession

You can see pics of Br. Mannes Tellis OP making his Solemn Vows here.

(Thanks to Dominicanus)

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Pope Pius XII put the whole world under the special protection of the mother of our Blessed Lord and Saviour during the war by consecrating it to the Immaculate Heart. In 1944 he decreed that we should celebrate this feast on the octave day of the Assumption.

Introit: Hebr. 4. 16. Let us come with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and may find grace for a timely help. Ps. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the King.

Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, who in the heart of the blessed Virgin Mary didst prepare a dwelling worthy of the Holy Ghost; grant in Thy mercy, that we who with devout minds celebrate the festival of that immaculate heart, may be able to live according to Thine own Heart.


Offertory: My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour; because He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His name.

Monday, August 21, 2006

Work

There will be no blogging on Tuesdays from now on. Reason: I'm back working at ASC Pty Ltd (formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation). I worked for them full time last summer for work experience (paid) and I now have most of a day off uni so rang them up last week and they were dead keen to have me back. Very exciting. ASC is one of the fast growing companies in the defence industry in Adelaide and the graduate opportunities are awesome.

It just ain't cricket

Breaking news from the SMH website:
The fourth Test was abandoned today and awarded to England after Pakistan forfeited the match when they stayed in their dressing room following a row over ball-tampering, a joint statement said.

Pakistan refused to return to the field after tea on day four at The Oval after Darrell Hair and fellow umpire Billy Doctrove had earlier imposed a five-run penalty against them for ball-tampering and changed the ball.

When Pakistan did later take to the field, the umpires did not appear, leading to extensive negotiations that ended with the abandonment several hours later.

England wins the four-Test series 3-0.

Continue reading...
Update: A summary in lawman's terms and the BBC's report.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Mark Steyn

Mark Steyn was in Australia last week to deliver a lecture at the invitation of Queensland conservative Liberal MP, Santo Santoro. The text of the lecture appeared in The Australian and work a read.

It's breeding obvious, mate
Australia and the US can avoid the bleak future awaiting dying old Europe


Here is a taste:
Many mainstream Protestant churches are, to one degree or another, post-Christian. If they no longer seem disposed to converting the unbelieving to Christ, they can at least convert them to the boggiest of soft-left political cliches. In this world, if Jesus were alive today he’d most likely be a gay Anglican vicar in a committed relationship driving around in an environmentally-friendly car with an “Arms Are For Hugging” sticker on the way to an interfaith dialogue with a Wiccan and a couple of Wahhabi imams.

Yet, if the purpose of the modern church is to be a cutting-edge political pacesetter, it’s Islam that’s doing the better job. It’s easy to look at gold-toothed Punjabi yobs in northern England or Algerian pseudo-rappers in French suburbs and think, oh well, their Muslim identity is clearly pretty residual. But that’s to apply westernized notions of piety. Today the mosque is a meetinghouse, and throughout the west what it meets to discuss is, even when not explicitly jihadist, always political. The mosque or madrassah is not the place to go for spiritual contemplation so much as political motivation. The Muslim identity of those French rioters or English jailbirds may seem spiritually vestigial but it’s politically potent. So, even as a political project, the mainstream Protestant churches are a bust. Pre-modern Islam beats post-modern Christianity.

Stem Cells

This should have been added to links below. Christopher Pearson had a great piece in The Weekend Australian on Saturday that's worth a read. Sold on misconceptions reveals some results of a survey undertaken by the Southern Cross Bioethics Institute.

An excerpt from the column:

There was another, broader question asked regarding the four main issues examined in the survey: "Would any of the following have the potential to shift your vote at the next federal election?"

On the level of funding that different parties or candidates commit to pregnancy support services, 27 per cent said yes. On the stances parties take to the so-called abortion pill RU486 and whether it should be legalised, 35 per cent said yes. On the stance of parties or candidates on embryonic stem cell research, 41 per cent said yes. On the matter of "legalisation of cloning of human embryos for research", 48 per cent said yes....

If you look at the names of many of the supports of loossening the legislation they spring to mind as MPs already committed to retire at the next election or members that have little hope of retaining their seat in the Senate anyway. Boy that makes me mad!

Photogenic Speck

"Look, kid, do you have to get in every picture?"

Saturday, August 19, 2006

links

Shannon has a wrap of the installation of Archbishop Coleridge in Canberra.
The New Liturgical Movement investigates whether chant is just too hard for regular parishes.
Te Deum laudamis! has whole lot of pics of a Novus Ordo
ad orientem for the Assumption.
Hat tip to Dominicanus. The American Spectator has a review of The Myth of Hitler's Pope written by a rabbi and professor of History and Politics at Ave Maria University.
Something from Amy Welborn - Our Lady of the Chocolate.
And a parish for you all - take special note of the image on the right near the bottom...

Update: you can't miss this from Philip Blosser!

Mannes watch

Br. Mannes Tellis OP will make his Solemn Profession tomorrow at St. Dominic's Church in Camberwell, Melbourne. The Australian provincial, Fr Thomas Cassidy OP, will receive his vows on behalf of the Master of the Order, Fr Carlos Aspiroz Costas OP.

Add him to your prayers tomorrow at Mass.

Friday, August 18, 2006

Chinese Bishop, Priest and 90 Catholics Arrested - Community Raided at Night

ZENIT is finally back after their break from news - thankgoodness!
XIWANZI, China, AUG. 16, 2006 (Zenit.org).- A bishop, a priest and some 90 Catholic faithful of the underground Church have been arrested in China, says a U.S.-based watchdog group.

Bishop Yao Liang, 82, the underground Catholic auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Xiwanzi, in Hebei Province, was arrested by Chinese authorities July 30, according to the Cardinal Kung Foundation.

AsiaNews reported that the Religious Affairs Bureau invited the prelate to Zhangjiakou to "discuss the restitution of some properties belonging to the Church" at which time he was detained. He is now being held in Zhangjiakou City.

Father Li Huisheng, 33, an underground priest in the Diocese of Xiwanzi, was arrested Aug. 1.

According to AsiaNews, Father Li was tortured and then released at night.

As a result of this violence, reports AsiaNews, more than 90 faithful demonstrated in front of the police station. They were charged by police, beaten and forced to disperse.

The public security bureau then mobilized some 500 police between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., Aug. 2, and attacked the Catholic community in Zhangjiakou, Zhangbei County, arresting some 90 underground Catholic faithful.

They again arrested Father Li, who had returned to his church, and 90 other people.

During the raid, two males were injured and required emergency hospital care, and one woman had a miscarriage.

According to AsiaNews, a pilgrimage to Mount Muozi in Inner Mongolia was behind the police operation. For more than a century the diocese had organized the event, but this year the Religious Affairs Bureau and the police banned it.

The Cardinal Kung Foundation reported that about 70 of those arrested have now been released.
Our Catholic Parliamentarians also get a gig in today's CNA bulliten.

Thursday, August 17, 2006

New Altar Boys

"For a while, of course, you'll only get bit parts!"

It's true. If you serve in a parish where there are a dozen servers or so, you will get 'bit parts' until you mature! We have so many little boys who've only just made their first Holy Communion we don't know what to do with them! At Missa Cantatas we sometime have too many even for six torches. My brother John served his first Missa Cantata on Tuesday night. He was a torch-bearer and actually managed to kneel still during the distribution of Holy Communion.

But it's easy to identify the talented ones and those keen to learn. One of the boys in particular reminds me of myself. The other Sunday he was giving blessings after Mass and sprinkling holy water around the sacristy!

(BTW it took about 8 years of serving the Tridentine Rite before I became MC and that was after being the head server at a Novus Ordo Parish for 3 years before that).
I managed to finish my tute paper this morning and believe it contained a reasonably sane argument. I had guessed correctly what the other side would say and was well-prepared. It was just a really hard topic and there is not hard evidence or Government files that prove the German Army responsible for the exterminations of the Armenians. There is however no records proving otherwise as much of the information was destroyed before the Allies took control of Germany in 1945 - some 30 years after the genocide.

Only two more assignments due this week...

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Google Trends

Okay, I lied....
Hat tip to Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex for this one. Google Trends is a new product by none other than Google. It can tell you which region/country leads the way in word searches.

Australia leads the way with the word search "Catholic" and "Catholic Students". (We lead to search of Catholic Students by a mile). And the Irish are more than double the next contender when searching for "Rome".

See what you can come up with. Surprisingly "Aaron Russell" and "Indolent Server" don't have enough search volume to be recorded. And worringly "Osama Bin Laden" is Googled most often by South Africa, India and NZ.

Post abuse here

Okay, I've copped a bit of abuse (that I may or may not have deserved) following my post interpreting the results of the Readers Poll.

So for a bit of fun for you all I've decided to create an abuse line. For all abuse aimed at me please file under the comments of this post. Yes, Miss Monification and Dad in particular, that's you! (I'm worried by his recent comments that he's turning into a fan of Social Darwinism - breeding out the genes. What next?!!)

Anyway, I love a argument and trust me, nothing can be more vile than the abuse you cop in student politics so I'm up for a reasonable stousch on anything and will defend my words at (nearly) all costs. Even when I'm wrong I'm Right!

Anyway, this will probably be the only new post as I have to write an entire 800 word tute paper tonight. I have to argue in my tute tomorrow that the German Army was principally responsible for the Armenian Genocide. I guess I'll get it done on a whim and a prayer- or is it a wing and a prayer?

St. Joachim

St. Joachim and St. Anne

St. Joachim is the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The feast was moved from March 20 to today by Pius X so that Our Lady's father may be remembered in the celebration of her triumph.

Collect: O God, who of all Thy saints didst choose blessed Joachim to be father to the Mother of Thy Son; grant, we beseech Thee, that we who keep his feast-day, may ever experience his patronage.

Offertory: Ps. 8. 6-7 Thou hath crowned him with glory and honour: and hast set him over the works of Thy hands, O Lord.

Communion: Luke 12. 42 A faithful and wise steward, whom his lord set over his family; to give them their measure of wheat in due season.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Theraputic Cloning and Stem Cells

This is a bit of a beat up, but worth noting. There are more reports at The Australian too. This report is from the ABC.

The Prime Minister has told a joint partyroom meeting that he will allow a conscience vote on stem cell research, if a bill on the topic reaches a vote in Parliament.

The Liberal and National parties have debated whether to allow the extension of stem cell research to therapeutic cloning.

About a dozen MPs spoke about the issue during the meeting.

John Howard says the matter will be debated again by the Coalition next month, and he will allow experts to be made available if MPs want more information on the topic.

Mr Howard told the party room that if a vote does reach Parliament, he cannot impose a Government view on such an issue.

But it is not clear if it will come to that.

The Democrats are putting forward a private member's bill on stem cell research but it may not reach a vote.

Former health minister Kay Patterson says the debate within the Coalition has been considered and courteous and she is inclined to support changes to allow therapeutic cloning under strict controls.

"I think it's very important, people have strongly held views both sides, other people are wavering and need more time to look and discuss the issue with their colleagues and scientists and with other people, it's a very difficult issue, it's not easy yes and no or right and wrong answers," she said.

Labor's Tony Burke says he would be comfortable with a conscience vote but he does not support extending the use of stem cell research.

"My position will be the same that I took in the New South Wales State Parliament," he said.

"I'm on what's regarded generally as the conservative side of that debate that puts me in a minority in my own party but that's what I believe and the party gives me the opportunity to express that."

We believe that the Cabinet debate will be as early as tomorrow and that Costello, Abbott and Howard all share the same personal view that the ban should continue and the Lackhart Review dismissed as flawed. But Howard is known to be very weak on stem cells and the small 'l' liberals have big heads at the moment after ensuring the Government's Immigration Bill would be defeated.

This is from The Australian (click on link to read whole report)

THERAPEUTIC cloning has emerged as the next threat to Howard Government unity amid mounting partyroom pressure for a conscience debate on the ban.

West Australian backbencher and doctor Mal Washer yesterday called the cabinet-imposed ban undemocratic.

Former health minister Kay Patterson asked whether opponents would change their tune if cloning delivered a cure to a disease that threatened their own lives or their children's.

Therapeutic cloning - also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer - involves implanting the nucleus of a human cell into a human egg after its nucleus has been removed and allowing the cell to grow into an embryo so cells can be used for research.

A parliamentary conscience debate in 2002 that set guidelines for stem cell research banned SCNT.

But a committee led by former judge John Lockhart recommended late last year the ban be overturned.

Cabinet decided in June not to act on the recommendation.

We'll watch this one closely. We don't have a President with right of veto!

Moon landing tape lost

I'm not in to the conspiracy theories about the Apollo moon landing, but this caught my eye.
Moon landing tape lost

The United States Government has misplaced the original recording of the first moon landing.

Armstrong's famous space walk, seen by millions of viewers on July 20, 1969, is among transmissions that NASA has failed to turn up in a year of searching, spokesman Grey Hautaloma says.

"We haven't seen them for quite a while. We've been looking for over a year and they haven't turned up," Mr Hautaloma said.

The tapes also contain data about the health of the astronauts and the condition of the spacecraft.

Mr Hautaloma says some 700 boxes of transmissions from the Apollo lunar missions are missing. More...

Not cut out for it

"As far as I can see, it doesn't do anything for me!"

Maybe he is meant to be a monk, or even a Dominican with a hood. A tonsure maybe...

Readers Poll

My Readers Poll closed today and the results are in. You can see click on view results here to see for yourself.

Only about 30-odd people filled them out which is interesting in itself as going by my counter an average of 70 people visit everyday. Thanks to those who did fill in!

Male/Female
64% are male and 36% percent female. As I mentioned before this may be because I have a rather liturgical focus and if I’m going on generalities, many Catholic women don’t have a specific love or understanding for the technicalities of the liturgy. For instance, many probably don’t know the reasons for a deep bow over a genuflection. Or when one bows and one turns towards the centre of the altar to bow. Real technical stuff like that! Or it could just be that ladies don’t tend to read blogs.

Age
68% of you are under 35 years of age which 42% being under 25. (Interesting to know if the females are in the 18-25 bracket…) So most of you are around my own age.

Most of you read INDOLENT SERVER because you are interested in knowing what young Catholics get up to. (Nice!) And the second largest group are of people that know me! (Wonder what that says about me…??)

Mass Preference
Very interesting is the fact that more of you prefer a Novus Ordo Mass ad orientem than the Tridentine Rite, which of course I attend on a Sunday and when I can. In the style of The New Liturgical Movement, a massive 76% of you are fans of Mass facing liturgical East. Only one is charismatic and I know who that is.

Effectively this tells me to keep posting what I have been...

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Although there is proof of belief in the assumption in the writings of the early Church Fathers and in various liturgies it was only in the 18th Century that Benedict XIV declared it a truth that no one was permitted to doubt. That first Vatican Council was adjourned before this item was reached on the agenda as it had yet to be defined as dogma until Pius XII proclaimed solemnly that “the blessed Virgin Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God, at the close of her earthly career was taken up into heaven, body and soul”.

Intriot: Apoc. 12. 1. A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve starts. Ps. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: because He hath done wonderful things.

Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, who hast taken up the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the Mother of Thy Son, with the body and soul into heavenly glory: grant, we beseech Thee, that we may always, intent on higher things, deserve to be partakers of her glory.

Offertory: Gen 3.15. I will put enmities between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and her Seed.

Communion: Luke 1. 48-48. All generations shall call me blessed, because He that is mighty hath done great things to me.

Sancta María. Ora pro nobis.
Sancta Dei Génitrix. Ora pro nobis.
Sancta Virgo vírginum. Ora pro nobis.

Readers Poll

Please take the time to fill out my short, sharp & shiny readers poll. I'd really appreciate knowing who reads my stuff.

Click here.

Update: The discussion that ensued in the comments section of the above link prompted Miss Monification to post on her blog. Take a look. Regardless of your opinion give her heaps!

Monday, August 14, 2006

FSSP ordination in Adelaide again

The New Liturgical Movement has got its hand on some more pics of the ordination of Fr. Michael McCaffrey FSSP for you. I'm not in any of them, but they show different stages of the liturgy.

My original post is here.

The lost art of the genuflection

"When will he be able to genuflect again?"

Genuflection seems in many cases to be a lost art. It's rare to see a genuflection these days let along a proper one on the right leg!

A good server keeps his back dead straight and his right knee will bend and hit the ground right next to his left ankle. He will pause for a second then rise, again keeping his back straight. All the while his hands remain joined in the same position in the middle of the chest.

And if you're trained by the FSSP, you might actually have to clap your hands or click you fingers if you're the head server and it's time for the procession to genuflect in unison. I believe our servers are trained well enough not to need that!

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Dear all,

Will be out from early tomorrow morning 'til late evening. I have a University Council meeting which begins with a tour of one of our research campuses (no undergraduates there at all), followed by lunch then the meeting.

So you will have to wait until then to get the latest from Speck.

link for liturgical junkies

Liturgical junkies you'll love this one.

Go to this site here - Luzar Vestments. Make your way through the whole site taking special note of the Second-hand High Mass sets, the copes, and the new and old thuribles (here and here respectively).

Tenth Sunday After Pentecost

Introit: Ps. 54. 17, 18, 20, 23. When I cried to the Lord He heard my voice, from them that draw near to me; and He humbled them, who is before all ages, and remains for ever: cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. Ps. Hear, O God, my prayer, and despise not my supplication; be attentive to me and hear me.

Gradual: Ps. 16. 8, 2. Keep me, O Lord, as the apple of Thy eye: protest me under the shadow of Thy wings. Let my judgement come forth from Thy countenance: let Thy eyes behold the things that are equitable.

Gospel: Luke 18. 9-14. (The parable of the Publican and the Pharisee)

Postcommunion: Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God, that Thy gracious help may never be lacking to us whose strength Thou ceasest not to renew with Thy divine sacraments.

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Changes

Dear Readers,

Due to the sudden increase in SPAM-like comments posted on this blog (it's okay, I've been deleting them), I've decided to enable WORD VERIFICATION. I'm sorry for this, as I hate it, but it's the only way to stop the flow which is about 10-12 per day at the moment.

But to somewhat balance the negatives, I now allow comments from non-registered users. I will see how this goes, but please don't be silly using the Anonymous tag. I at least like to know your nickname!

In Christ,

Aaron

World News

From Catholic News Agency: Feminists attack Catholic University over rectors offer to adopt unwanted baby
BUENOS AIRES, August 11 (CNA)A group of 30 feminists led a march to the Catholic University of La Plata on Tuesday attacking it’s rector for offering to adopt a baby who was saved from abortion last week.

The march was the latest chapter in the case of a mentally handicapped woman who became pregnant supposedly through rape and whose parents asked the courts to allow her to obtain an abortion. After lower courts ruled against them, the Supreme Court of the ! Buenos Aires province granted the parents’ request. During the court hearings, several individuals offered to adopt the baby, including the rector of the Catholic University of La Plata, Ricardo de la Torre, who spoke out in defense of both the life of the baby and the mother.

The 30 feminists met on Tuesday at the Cathedral in La Plata and marched toward the university campus, where they shouted insults at the rector, distributed pamphlets and even painted graffiti on buildings used by the Department of Law. Fences were later put up around the Cathedral and its rectory in order to keep them from painting graffiti there as well.

A large group of students staged a counter protest by praying the rosary, Emilio Nazar Kasbo, a La Plata lawyer told CNA.

Pamphlets distributed by the women echoed the pro-abortion slogans made popular by pro-abortion forces in the US, such as, “Get your rosaries off our ovaries.” Although the leaflets listed a number of organizations as participants in the protest, only some 30 activists participated in the march.

“These people are intent on imposing their ideas or combating those of other people by force or through fear,” Nazar said. “All this was on display at the campus, where in addition (to their vocal protests) they committed the crime of damaging private property by painting graffiti on the walls of the university.”

Friday, August 11, 2006

Now this is some organ music!

Thanks to The New Liturgical Movement for this one! Oh the sound!

Speck's obviously the head server

"Turn in your candlelighter - you're through!"

Thursday, August 10, 2006

From First Things

I've just read a couple of very interesting pieces over at First Things - On the Square.

The first is by Michael Novak and begins:
Writers who call themselves atheists have often surprised me by their reasons for not believing in God. In the long history of humanity, of course, their unbelief is an anomaly, a distinctly minority position. Even Clarence Darrow once said that he certainly did not believe in the Jewish or Christian God, but any damn fool knows there is a force and an intelligence that has shaped the universe we live in. But a few others, oddly, do not even believe that much.

I remember once reading a book about atheism by an atheist, who after considerable study of the situation in the United States wrote that (I forget the exact number) something like 70 percent of those who call themselves atheists do actually believe in a force or energy or ordering intelligence within the natural order. If that is what “God” is, they believe in God. They say “atheist,” it seems, to distinguish themselves from being Christians or Jews. More...

The other is by Edward T. Oakes, S.J., who asks the question: Is Islam an eastern or western religion?

Is this guy for real?

Thanks to Father Stephanos, O.S.B for this one. The title is Married in The Spirit! I love it!

Moonlight

Wow! Two posts in a row not related to politics or religion!

I live in a room that my old man built in part of the shed out the back. It's a reasonable sized room with a reverse-cycle A/C so temperature isn't a problem. Anyway, I went outside to go into the main hou
se at about midnight this morning and noticed the moon. I immediately noticed the moonlight shining in the garden. It was a clear sky last night and the moon was right above my head (straight up). So I took a photo with my new camera. I think the zoom is just about right. I can actually get up a bit closer but you lose some of the effect. In some way it resembles the photo I took, with a less quality camera, of the solar ecplise that passed over South Australia in December 2002. I was standing in the 100% eclipse zone (not the 99%). Maybe I'll scan it someday.And here is a pic of my room taken at exactly the same time. (Before you comment, my room is in the centre. To the left is the cubby house and to the right the rest of the shed.)

The semester ahead of me

Okay, I think we’ve all lost sight of my original point in the debate about morning Mass versus evening Mass. Maybe we can return to it in another form later.

Week 3 is about to end at uni to things are in full swing. ‘bout time I gave an overview of what my semester holds in terms of study.

Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide in Modern Europe: It’s the last history course of my Arts degree. A very interesting topic but the main lecturer is sick to the course won’t be its usual high standard. Never mind, I’m sure it’ll still be worthwhile. Only major issue I see is that my tutorial class consists of 6 of us. Now that’s a tiny class (usually about 15-20 for t his subject). The tutorial topics are structured in such a way that everyone has to take a side and stick with it. Thus every tutorial is a debate. A small class means everyone has to talk for much longer and have better arguments… Means it will be very hard to get away with not doing the readings! I can also only attend one lecture a week as the other clashes with another course.

Design and Communication: A level III engineering subject. It has no exam, rather just a small test, plenty of assignments and a major design project. My project group is designing a nano-satellite that will test an inflatable solar array. Should be interesting and I have a good group. The Communication aspect of this course is a joke. I can see the relevance to most engineering students – ie. teaching them how to communicate – but it’s terribly boring and useless for students also studying Arts. Therefore I’ve argued my way out of it. All I have to do is complete this online Q&A thingy about communication and also assess my own previous history essay to the lecturer’s criteria. (Seems silly as my history lecturer has already assessed it!) Anyway I’m glad to be out of it and means that it will be a slightly easier than expected load – a full-time load rather than an overload.

Dynamics & Control II: The Dynamics element is vibrations. An interesting area but we have a hopeless lecturer. He knows his stuff, but there is a language barrier and a soft voice and he blatantly refuses to wear a microphone. I think I’ll purchase the optional textbook and teach myself! Auto Control is very interesting and really a Mechatronic thing. It’s mainly about being able to model systems in matrices and differential equations to predict different things. This is very much an exam based subject.

Embedded Computer Systems: This is taught by the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The subject has an exam and a major group project. The project is to design a robot and write the software for it (something I’m not good at). It’s all about control but from a software and programming perspective.

St. Laurence

When arrested and bidden by the prefect of Rome to give up his the Church’s treasure, Laurence showed him a crowd of beggars, saying that their priceless gift of faith made them the true treasure of the Church, because they changed the alms bestowed on them into everlasting riches. He was slowly roasted to death on a grid-iron on August 10th, 258. He must have had a great sense of humour saying to his executioner: “Turn me over now, that side is done.”

Collect: Grant us, we pray Thee, almighty God, to quench the flames of our vices; even as Thou gavest blessed Laurence grace to overcome his fiery torments.

Alleluia: Alleluia Alleluia. The Levite Laurence wrought a good work, who by the sign of the cross gave sight to the blind. Alleluia.

Communion: John 12. 26. If any man minister to Me, let him follow Me: and where I am, there also shall My minister be.

Sancte Laurénti. Ora Pro Nobis.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

links

Touching post Praying for Bread from Whispers in the Loggia.

From my new friend
The hermeneutic of continuity by Fr Tim Finigan. But I can't work out what's unusual about the missale.

And one for the the guys and gals at
Dappled Things (not Fr. Jim's blog). They are a group of students who publish a Catholic literary magazine. I saw their site for the first time late last year when we (ACSA) were trying to do the same thing. We decided on a pdf vesion to start with then went for a html (online one) with edition three back to pdf because of time factors. I would, ultimately, like Sentinel to be both online (html) and printed. Printing requires money and html requires programming skills. If you know anyone (Australian) that would volunteer to work with the editor-in-chief on the webdesign we would greatly appreciate it. At the moment there is not sufficient donations to get professional assistance. It would suit a student with an interest in website design.

Vain Speck

"Now sit in the back and get a good shot of me as I come down the aisle."

I don't think anyone can accuse me of doing this. Well I sure hope not! It really captures the Speck character though.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Some thoughts and your comments needed

I had a conversation this evening with a dear friend from interstate. The conversation began by a comment of mine regarding Catholics partying on a Saturday night. My view is that if I can't get up for Sunday morning Mass, say 9.30 (and be able to serve/sing), then I went out too late or drank too much etc. This is regardless of the fact that I may have risen in enough time to attend 11am or an evening Mass.

The discussion immediately transformed into a debate about morning Mass vs evening Mass. I argued that if you are normally a morning mass goer (as the great majority are) it is pure laziness if you don't get up for the morning Mass simply because you don't want to. It's inexcusable. Her argument, in my opinion, was sound but weak. Effectively that Mass is Mass is Mass and it's all about Jesus. (Yes my friend is charamatic - really don't know why this person bothers with me!)

I'd like your opinions and wisdom. Is morning Mass better for your soul (especially for young Catholics)? Should everyone aim to be a morning Mass goer or is it fine to get into the habit (for no genuine reason like work) of going to 5pm Mass?

Bl. Mary McKillop

Bl. Mary McKillop

Fr. Julian Tenison Woods (now there is a cassock!)

I nearly went through the whole day without mentioning Bl. Mary McKillop. It’s her feast day today for those of us in Australia. She is the only person in Australia’s history close to being canonised. I’d find some readings or something but the only Novus Ordo missal I have lying around was printed prior to her beatification.

If you Google you’ll be sure to find more stuff but I can’t find anything really good without a decent search (New Advent has nothing). In short (from my memory) Mary founded the Sisters of St. Joseph prior to the turn of last century with the help of Fr. Julian Tension Woods with the intention of them being an educational order. Mary was excommunicated by the local bishop before being re-instated.

How things have changed in the order! Here is the Sisters' website. Like the rest they have turned, let's say, weird. And another lot here. You can play "spot the habit"!

Deano sacked over 'terrorist' jibe

On ya Deano! Don't hold back now! Not sure exactly where this is from as a mate sent it to me. If it's true I'm sure it'll be in the Australian news tonight.

From Telford Vice in Durban, South Africa
August 08, 2006

FORMER Test batsman Dean Jones has been sacked from his job as a TV commentator, after referring to South Africa's Muslim batsman, Hashim Amla, as a "terrorist".

Jones, who admitted making the comment and apologised, was on a commentary team covering the second Test between Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo.

According to a statement issued by Cricket South Africa, viewers heard Jones say, "the terrorist has got another wicket" when Amla took the catch that dismissed Kumar Sangakkara.

Amla is a devout Muslim who wears a beard for religious reasons and has successfully negotiated with the South Africa team's main sponsor, SA Breweries, not to wear the Castle Lager logo on his playing and practice gear.

"We take the strongest exception to this comment, and we will lodge an official complaint with the host broadcaster, Ten Sports, that employs him," CSA chief executive Gerald Majola was quoted as saying.

"We will be asking for his immediate suspension and a full apology."

The match is being broadcast live in South Africa, which has a significant Muslim community.

"The switchboards of both CSA and SuperSport, that takes a feed of the broadcast to South African audiences, have been jammed with calls from some very angry people," Majola was quoted as saying.

"I'm gone, I'm on the 1am flight," Jones told reporters in Colombo where he issued a statement apologising for his comment.

links

Rocco has a post on the Pope doing the interview with the German Press. It's quite funny.

Female priest has first Mass. I think Mass should have been in inverted commas.

From Town Hall we get a great piece on Mel Gibson and Politics of Bigotry.

And something liturgical from TNLM. It's a review of Mass and Parish in late Medieval England: The Use of York. I believe my Warrane correspondant has one on order.

And the political as Turnbull "Lost touch".

Monday, August 07, 2006

Yuck!

Philip Blosser has a short post on atlar girls (whom I prefer to call serviettes). But check out the photo. Yuck! Nice thurible, from what I can see nice vestments, and a well-presented priest. But a girl holding the thurible. Not even the pretty face makes up for anything.

Pell attacked in the Oz... again...

I can’t find it in the online pages of The Australian but it’s there in the printed version: Critical mass targets Pell on condoms is the title. I will type out some of it for you.

CARDINAL George Pell was repeatedly criticised during mass yesterday in Redfern for saying that handling out syringes and condoms was not the way to help the Aboriginal community.

The Archbishop of Sydney made the comments to The Weekend Australian in support of the parish’s conservative clergy, now at loggerheads with their turbulent congregation with its strong liberal Catholic tradition.

Liberal Catholic tradition??? An oxymoron? Please!

prayers, prayers, prayers

"Aren't you supposed to have those prayers memorized?"

The facial expressions are just sensational! But look, they aren't preparing for Mass, rather vespers or something like that.

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Howard’s South Park Conservatives

I’m still, slowly, reading The Howard Factor – printed by The Australian for the 10th anniversary of John Howard’s Prime Ministership. (I read one chapter a time on the occasion night before bed).

Nearing the end is a chapter by Caroline Overington on Howard’s South Park Conservatives. It looks at the voting trend of the youth.

The trend has obviously been toward Howard with, by 2004, less than 50% of young voters supporting Left candidates. This is particularly true of young males in the 18-24 bracket with 49% voting Liberal (remember generally conservative here is Oz) compared to 28% for the Labor Party (becoming more and more trendy and progressive). In the 25-30 year old age group, 62% voted for Howard. Our country's youngest voters are now the second biggest block of conservative support after the over 50s.

If I was writing something more detailed I would look at demographics, economics etc etc much more becuase it's not just Howard that is swinging them Right. But here is a fantastic quote from Overington: “Howard’s new constituency, the ‘young fogies’, adore him the way their parents loved to smoke dope.”

Howard’s policies are stereotyped to suit young people, young people are adapting to the world as it is today. They welcome the creation of more jobs and agree with much of Howard’s social conservatism. Even a Democrat survey showed that family was the most important issue to young people.

The Labor Party has missed the boat completely. Here is an example. In the middle of the 2004 election campaign star recruit Peter Garrett was brought to the Uni Bar at Adelaide University. Despite advertising (and the fact that people were going to be in the bar anyway), he only attracted 50 students and many of us were there to stir.

Goes to show the old saying – If you’re not a Socialist at twenty you have no heart, but if you still a socialist at forty you have no brain – is well and truly in its grave.


PS. Who first coined that phrase? I'm led to believe Churchill used it but wasn't the original.

Redfern again

Oh dear. More on Redfern, this time it's politics. The SMH has this story on Anthony Mundine the politician.

FORMER world boxing champion Anthony Mundine is set to run for Parliament as an independent at the state election in March.

"The Man" will contest the inner-city seat of Marrickville, which is held by Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt, rated the most popular minister in the Iemma Government.

Mundine's move from the boxing ring to the political stage has been motivated by fury within Redfern's Aboriginal community over the establishment of a cultural and training centre in memory of Pemulwuy, the legendary Aboriginal warrior of the early 19th century.

...

Mundine is expected to announce his protest candidacy at a public meeting on Thursday night. The Bishop of Gippsland, John McIntyre, who served as Redfern's priest for years before moving to Victoria, will be there to support him.

Survivor

The Ox Files has just completed the third installment of Survivor - Liturgy Island.
Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

First Mass

My little brother John, who turns nine on Tuesday, served Mass for the first time this morning. It was a low Mass and he handed the priest the water & wine at the offertory and then carried the lavabo bowl. I watched from the pews and noticed his head turning to the side here and there but altogether he did a fine job. He's trying to learn the Confiteor and the other prayers said at the foot of the altar by heart.

Welcome John to that fine class of Catholics. No-longer laity but not clergy either.

The Transfiguration of Our Lord

This is the second day for the liturgical year that the Transfiguration is commemorated with the first being the Second Sunday in Lent. Pope Callistus III extended this feast to the whole Church in 1457 to commemorate the stemming of the tide of the Mohammedan invasion in the Battle of Belgrade.

Introit: Ps. 76. 19. Thy lightnings enlightened the world: the earth shook and trembled. Ps. How lovely are Thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! my soul longeth and fainteth for the courts of the Lord.

Gradual: Ps. 44. 3, 2. Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in Thy lips. v. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak My works to the King.

Epistle: 2 Peter 1. 16-19 ... For He received from God the Father honour and glory; this voice coming down to Him from the excellent glory: This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him. ...

Communion: Matt. 17. 9. Tell the vision you have seen to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead.

Postcommunion: Vouchsafe unto us, we beseech Thee, almighty God, by the intelligence of a pure mind to attain to the understanding of thy most sacred mystery of the Transfiguration of Thy Son, which with solemn worship we venerate.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Readers Poll

After much thought I'm launching a Readers Poll to assist me in what I choose to write about (and I'm generally interested).

Free polls from Pollhost.com

What is your Mass preference?
Charasmatic Tridentine Rite (includes Dominican Rite)
Novus Ordo -- Ad orientem in latin
Novus Ordo -- Ad orientem in the vernacular (English)
A "normal" everyday parish Mass
Another Christian service
I don't attend anything

Free polls from Pollhost.com

Why do you read Indolent Server? (can select multiple answers)
Because I know the author I like the Speck cartoons
I like the posts on the mass of the day
I'm interested in knowing what young Catholics get up to
This is my first visit
Other

Free polls from Pollhost.com

What is your age?
<18 18-25 26-35 36-5051-70
>70
I am:
Male
Female
Free polls from Pollhost.com
Thankyou for your time. Feel free to add suggestions, comments and abuse.

Disclaimer: I probably won't take any of this into account when posting, but thanks anyway! I've never been one to bow to public opinion. If the poll is well recieved I may continue with more and publish the results.

Teeth update

Feeling much better now. I'm easing myself of the paracetamol slowly but will be on the antibiotics for a fortnight – that means no beers until then (or maybe one or two). Swelling nearly disappeared and I’m eating solids but nothing terribly chewy yet. I satisfied my craving for meat with some simple sausages today. I managed to attend uni on Friday afternoon and started some study this morning catching up on missed lectures and tutorials. This is the last post on my teeth (unless something drastic occurs) sparing you of further detail!