Keith's Journal

Amusing poll results at Watts Up With That:

We’ve seen that man-made global warming has taken some hits in the opinion polls lately, and that its 10 minutes of fame may be over, but sharp eyed blogger Dave R. at Care2 spotted this zinger. I’ve posted the graphs and tables from the polls with highlights below.

Dave R writes:

In the United States, more people believe that houses can be haunted by the dead than believe that the living can cause climate change. Is this simply a scary Halloween tale or our frightening future?

The latest Pew poll on global warming shows a large drop in the percentage of Americans who say there is solid evidence that global temperatures are rising, from 71% down to only 57% in the last 18 months. And global warming due to human activity? The overall numbers have declined from 47% to 36%. To put this in perspective, a Gallup poll found that 37% of Americans believe that houses can be haunted.

Here’s the Pew poll graphics:

Naked Pastor

Click here for more:

From xkcd.com

Looks like next Wednesday might set a few records in Narrabri, if this is right. Firstly we have not in recorded history had snow showers and also I think snow is unlikely to fall in temperatures over 6 degrees.



The same forecast at the weatherzone web-site shows Wednesday forecast as being "Showers"

It's just wonderful that a ground-breaking sitcom has been so influential! Yay to Dawn French! "Shall I minute that, sir?"

From "Ekklesia"

Methodist Church elects 'Vicar of Dibley' campaigner as President

A campaigner who has supported actions against the arms trade, rights for destitute asylum seekers and marched on Downing Street in a 'Vicar of Dibley' style action to highlight issues in the developing world has been elected as the new Methodist President.

The Revd Alison Tomlin has been elected President Designate of the Methodist Conference for 2010-2011, and Deacon Eunice Attwood has been elected Vice President Designate.

The election results were announced at the annual Methodist Conference in Wolverhampton.

Alison Tomlin is currently Chair of the Northampton Methodist District, having previously chaired the Oxford and Leicester District. In September she will become co-Superintendent of the Thames Valley Methodist Circuit with her husband Dave. She has served the Church as a minister for 25 years, having originally been ordained in Wolverhampton in 1984.

Alison was part of a group of female clergy and ministers, led by Dawn French, which marched from Trafalgar Square as 'real-life Vicars of Dibley' to Downing Street as part of the year-long the Make Poverty History campaign, pressing for structural change to aid, debt relief and trade policies.

Full article

Here's a clip for those who aren't familiar with the Good Vicar!




And this is the main bit of the first episode:

Those Somali pirates had better not touch any more British cruise ships! Maybe Britain should send more OAPs to Afghanistan. The Taliban would surrender in days.

From Tim Blair

POWER OF BERYL


Feisty pensioners from Britain used deck chairs to fight off Somali pirates who tried to hijack their cruise ship on the Indian Ocean, passengers and the vessel’s owners say. They sprang into action when pirates tried to board the MSC Melody off the Seychelles on April 25. According to MSC Cruises spokeswoman Sarah Longbottom: “Mr and Mrs Rowlands were on the deck. Beryl Rowlands threw deck chairs at them.” (Via Saint)

POWER OF BERYL | Daily Telegraph Tim Blair Blog

An incisive cartoon from the naked pastor: