No one likes it…

Nobody likes it when a friend or acquaintence can dish out the jokes but can’t recieve them back. What’s worse is when it is on a national scale. I think this news piece is the back end of this universal human fault.

Clearly, this is a place where the Brits and Americans have it on the French. A half-frenchman (Wallonie, right?) makes a joke, and the French can’t take it. C’est la vie.

I know I could work against this frenchness in me and be less concerned with what others say about me, such that I’m not going to pounce on somebody to justify myself after thier joke.

 

Daily Dose of Chesterton

“Our national claim to political incorruptibility is actually based on exactly the opposite argument; it is based on the theory that wealthy men in assured ositions will have no temptation to financial trickery.

Whether the history of the English aristocracy, from the spoliation of the monasteries to the annexation of the mines, entirely supports this theory I am not now inquiring; but certainly it is our theory, that wealth will be a protection against political corruption. he English statesman is bribed not to be bribed. He is born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so that he may ever afterwards be found with the silver spoons in his pocket. So strong is our faith in this protection by plutocracy, hat we are more and more trusting our empire in the hands of families which inherit wealth without either blood or manners. ome of our political houses are parvenue by pedigree; they hand on vulgarity like a coat of-arms. In the case of any a modern statesman to say that he is born with a silver spoon in his mouth, is at once inadequate and excessive. He is born with a silver knife in his mouth. But all this only illustrates the English theory that poverty is perilous for a politician.”

From G.K. Chesterton’s What’s Wrong with the World.

 

Good News & Bad News

So, I’ll start with the good news.  If you wear a helmet when you bike, you have a chance when a delivery truck runs over your head!  Otherwise, you’re toast.  Talk about an ad for Giro helmets!

Now, for the bad news.  Champaign has repealed the ban on smoking in restaurants and bars.  Some bar owners have complained about loss of profits.  The rest of society complains about rising health care costs…so what does our city council do?  5 to 4 they act like they weren’t using Giro helmets (see above).

The good news: the state of IL will likely place a statewide ban on smoking in public places later this year.  🙂

 

Election Comfort from Daniel and Paul

After feeling some discomfort with the results of this week’s election a couple of passages have provided some much needed encouragement, comfort, and truth to my heart.

“21 He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.”
Daniel 2:21-22

“1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
Romans 13:1-2

I am very thankful that we have a sovereign Lord!

Random thought that just brought about a chuckle…
Who said, “Elected because I selected?”