Sat Jan 3rd Todays News

One understands that the Koran should not be translated and so burning translated versions is not the same as burning the Koran, but that doesn't worry jihadists who threaten death to those making the political statement. It is similar to burning a pornographic photo and claiming it had depicted Mohammed, or his gay cousin. More remarkable then that UK has a charge of "suspicion of burning the Koran." 

AirAsia flight QZ8501 has apparently crashed shortly after the pilot was denied the precaution of rising above the storm that claimed his craft. Apparently air traffic control had been concerned other planes would be in close proximity. The black box will be located soon and in all probability it was a freak, tragic accident that no precaution would have avoided.  

Abysmal ALP/Green policy continues to threaten the lives and homes of country Australians during bushfire season. Back burning and limiting fuel is traditional and essential to effective administration of nature areas. Although pet scientists may disagree, as they are enthralled to the Greens. 

As elections draw near in Israel, the left wing media campaign to bring down the conservative government of Netanyahu. Recently tv news media referenced an unending war between Israel and Palestine. Only there is currently no fighting and Palestine does not exist as a nation. But that does not matter to the partisan news media. Today is the 2002 anniversary of Israel pulling over a Palestinian bound ship crying 50 tons of weapons on the Red Sea. 

2014

The Howard administration began with an appeal for trust. Actual reform was delayed so as to provide a basis for change. So GST was not implemented early. Even at the end of the administration, changes were slowly being made. They were profound and served Australia well. The same could not be said for Rudd or Gillard. Nothing seemed planned when the ALP was in office. Change needs to be discussed and agreed to by the public. That takes time. Were Abbott to announce his intentions for reform, nay sayers could scuttle them before they could be implemented. I am sure the administration has a reform agenda and I am sure it includes the ABC. But precisely what that reform is I don't yet know. Akerman claims that a window of opportunity is closing. I disagree. The conservatives govern for all, not merely a few. When it is time, we will all know.

Climate deniers in the US are not being told of the ice-capades of their brethren in the antarctic. Trapped in summer ice, and 98% of US news outlets don't mention it. At this rate of heating, by 2050, the world will be a snowball. Apparently a high salt diet is good for longevity. Assange, who does not recognise the right of a court to come between him and his abusive style of lovemaking is appealing for one to abuse process on his behalf.

Historical perspectives on this day

In 1431, Joan of Arc was defeated by Bishop Pierre Cauchon. 1521, Pope Leo X excommunicated Martin Luther in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem. 1653, by the Coonan Cross Oath, the Eastern Church in India cut itself off from colonial Portuguese tutelage. 1749, Benning Wentworth issued the first of the New Hampshire Grants, leading to the establishment of Vermont. Also 1749, the first issue of Berlingske, Denmark's oldest continually operating newspaper, was published. 1777, American General George Washington defeated British General Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Princeton.

In 1815, Austria, the United Kingdom, and France formed a secret defensive alliance against Prussia and Russia. 1823, Stephen F. Austin received a grant of land in Texas from the government of Mexico. 1848, Joseph Jenkins Roberts was sworn in as the first president of the independent African Liberia. 1861, American Civil War: Delaware voted not to secede from the United States. 1868, Meiji Restoration in Japan: The Tokugawa shogunate was abolished; agents of Satsuma and Chōshū seized power. 1870, construction of the Brooklyn Bridge began. 1885,  Sino-French War: Beginning of the Battle of Núi Bop 1888, the refracting telescope at the Lick Observatory, measuring 91 cm in diameter, was used for the first time. It was the largest telescope in the world at the time.

In 1911, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake destroyed the city of Almaty in Russian Turkestan. 1919, at the Paris Peace Conference, Emir Faisal I of Iraq signed an agreement with Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann on the development of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and an Arab nation in a large part of the Middle East. 1925, Benito Mussolini announced he was taking dictatorial powers over Italy. 1932, Martial law was declared in Honduras to stop a revolt by banana workers fired by the United Fruit Company. 1933, Minnie D. Craig became the first female elected as Speaker of the North Dakota House of Representatives, the first female to hold a Speaker position anywhere in the United States. 1938, the March of Dimes was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 1944, World War II: Top Ace Major Greg "Pappy" Boyington was shot down in his Vought F4U Corsair by Captain Masajiro Kawato flying a Mitsubishi A6M Zero. 1945, World War II: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz was placed in command of all U.S. Naval forces in preparation for planned assaults against Iwo Jima and Okinawa in Japan. 1946, popular Canadian American jockey George Woolf died in a freak accident during a race; the annual George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award was created to honor him. 1947, proceedings of the U.S. Congress were televised for the first time. 1949, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the central bank of the Philippines, was established.

in 1953, Frances P. Bolton and her son, Oliver from Ohio, became the first mother and son to serve simultaneously in the U.S. Congress. 1956, a fire damages the top part of the Eiffel Tower. 1957, the Hamilton Watch Company introduced the first electric watch. 1958, the West Indies Federation was formed. 1959, Alaska was admitted as the 49th U.S. state. Also 1959, separatists in the Maldives declared the establishment of the United Suvadive Republic. 1961, the United States severs diplomatic relations with Cuba over the latter's nationalization of American assets. Also 1961, a core explosion and meltdown at the SL-1, a government-run reactor near Idaho Falls, Idaho, killed three workers. Also 1961, in Finland's worst civilian aviation accident an Aero Flight 311 crashed near Kvevlax, resulting in the deaths of all 25 people aboard. 1962, Pope John XXIII excommunicated Fidel Castro. 1976, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights came into effect. 1977, Apple Computer was incorporated.

In 1990, former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrendered to American forces. 1993, in Moscow, Russia, George Bush and Boris Yeltsin signed the second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). 1994, more than seven million people from the former apartheid Homelands received South African citizenship. 1996, the Motorola StarTAC, the first flip phone and one of the first mobile phones to gain widespread consumer adoption, went on sale. 1997, China announced it would spend US$27.7 billion to fight erosion and pollution in the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys. 1999, the Mars Polar Lander was launched. Also 1999, Israel detained, and later expelled, 14 members of Concerned Christians. 2000, the last original weekday Peanuts comic strip was published. 2002, Israeli forces seized the Palestinian freighter Karine A in the Red Sea, finding 50 tons of weapons. 2004, Flash Airlines Flight 604 crashed into the Red Sea, resulting in 148 deaths, making it the deadliest aviation accident in Egyptian history. 2009, the first block of the blockchain of the decentralized payment system Bitcoin, called the Genesis block, was established by the creator of the system, Satoshi Nakamoto.
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This column welcomes feedback and criticism. The column is not made up but based on the days events and articles which are then placed in the feed. So they may not have an apparent cohesion they would have had were they made up.
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Editorials will appear in the "History in a Year by the Conservative Voice" series, starting with August https://www.createspace.com/4124406 or at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/1482020262/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_dVHPub0MQKDZ4 
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For twenty two years I have been responsibly addressing an issue, and I cannot carry on. I am petitioning the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to remedy my distress. I leave it up to him if he chooses to address the issue. Regardless of your opinion of conservative government, the issue is pressing. Please sign my petition at https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/tony-abbott-remedy-the-persecution-of-dd-ball

Or the US President at
https://www.change.org/p/barack-obama-change-this-injustice#
or
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/change-injustice-faced-david-daniel-ball-after-he-reported-bungled-pedophile-investigation-and/b8mxPWtJ or http://wh.gov/ilXYR

Douglas Sutherland-Bruce via David Daniel Ball

Mr Ball, I will not sign your petition as it will do no good, but I will share your message and ask as many of friends who read it, to share it also. Let us see if we cannot use the power of the internet to spread the word of these infamous killings. As a father and a former soldier, I cannot, could not, justify ignoring this appalling action by the perpetrators, whoever they may; I thank you Douglas. You are wrong about the petition. Signing it is as worthless and meaningless an act as voting. A stand up guy would know that. - ed

Lorraine Allen Hider I signed the petition ages ago David, with pleasure, nobody knows what it's like until they've been there. Keep heart David take care.

I have begun a bulletin board (http://theconservativevoice.freeforums.net) which will allow greater latitude for members to post and interact. It is not subject to FB policy and so greater range is allowed in posts. Also there are private members rooms in which nothing is censored, except abuse. All welcome, registration is free.
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Happy birthday and many happy returns Anna Cao and Emely Rose He. Born on the same day, across the years, along with 

• 106 BC – Cicero, Roman politician and philosopher (d. 43 BC)
• 169 – Lü Bu, Chinese general and warlord (d. 199)
• 1806 – Henriette Sontag, German soprano (d. 1854)
• 1840 – Father Damien, Flemish missionary and priest (d. 1889)
• 1855 – Hubert Bland, English educator (d. 1914)
• 1861 – William Renshaw, English tennis player (d. 1904)
• 1873 – Ichizō Kobayashi, Japanese businessman, founded the Hankyu Hanshin Holdings (d. 1957)
• 1887 – Helen Parkhurst, American educator and author (d. 1973)
• 1892 – J. R. R. Tolkien, English philologist and author (d. 1973)
• 1909 – Victor Borge, Danish-American pianist and comedian (d. 2000)
• 1916 – Maxene Andrews, American singer (The Andrews Sisters) (d. 1995)
• 1942 – John Thaw, English actor (d. 2002)
• 1945 – Stephen Stills, American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer (Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Manassas)
• 1956 – Mel Gibson, American-Australian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1969 – Michael Schumacher, German race car driver
• 1975 – Danica McKellar, American actress
• 1988 – J. R. Hildebrand American race car driver
• 1993 – Kevin Ware, American basketball player

January 3

• 1848 – Joseph Jenkins Roberts (pictured) began his term as the first President of Liberia.
• 1888 – The 36 in (91 cm) refracting telescope at the Lick Observatory near San Jose, California, at the time the largest in the world, was used for the first time.
• 1919 – Emir Faisal of Iraq signed an agreement with Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann on the development of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and an Arab nation in a large part of the Middle East.
• 1949 – The first Central Bank of the Philippines was formally inaugurated with Miguel Cuaderno, Sr. as the first governor.
• 1976 – The multilateral International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, part of the International Bill of Human Rights, came into effect.

We have our land for liberty. The problem is licked. We have an agreement in the Middle East. We can bank on it. Examining the matter, you are right. Let's party. 
Matches

• 1431 – Joan of Arc is defeated by Bishop Pierre Cauchon.
• 1521 – Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem.
• 1653 – By the Coonan Cross Oath, the Eastern Church in India cuts itself off from colonial Portuguese tutelage.
• 1749 – Benning Wentworth issues the first of the New Hampshire Grants, leading to the establishment of Vermont.
• 1749 – The first issue of Berlingske, Denmark's oldest continually operating newspaper, is published.
• 1777 – American General George Washington defeats British General Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Princeton.
• 1815 – Austria, the United Kingdom, and France form a secret defensive alliance against Prussia and Russia.
• 1823 – Stephen F. Austin receives a grant of land in Texas from the government of Mexico.
• 1848 – Joseph Jenkins Roberts is sworn in as the first president of the independent African Liberia.
• 1861 – American Civil War: Delaware votes not to secede from the United States.
• 1868 – Meiji Restoration in Japan: The Tokugawa shogunate is abolished; agents of Satsuma and Chōshū seize power.
• 1870 – Construction of the Brooklyn Bridge begins.
• 1885 – Sino-French War: Beginning of the Battle of Núi Bop
• 1888 – The refracting telescope at the Lick Observatory, measuring 91 cm in diameter, is used for the first time. It was the largest telescope in the world at the time.
• 1911 – A magnitude 7.7 earthquake destroys the city of Almaty in Russian Turkestan.
• 1919 – At the Paris Peace Conference, Emir Faisal I of Iraq signs an agreement with Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann on the development of a Jewish homeland in Palestine and an Arab nation in a large part of the Middle East.
• 1925 – Benito Mussolini announces he is taking dictatorial powers over Italy.
• 1932 – Martial law is declared in Honduras to stop a revolt by banana workers fired by the United Fruit Company.
• 1933 – Minnie D. Craig becomes the first female elected as Speaker of the North Dakota House of Representatives, the first female to hold a Speaker position anywhere in the United States.
• 1938 – The March of Dimes is established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• 1944 – World War II: Top Ace Major Greg "Pappy" Boyington is shot down in his Vought F4U Corsair by Captain Masajiro Kawato flying a Mitsubishi A6M Zero.
• 1945 – World War II: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz is placed in command of all U.S. Naval forces in preparation for planned assaults against Iwo Jima and Okinawa in Japan.
• 1946 – Popular Canadian American jockey George Woolf dies in a freak accident during a race; the annual George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award is created to honor him.
• 1947 – Proceedings of the U.S. Congress are televised for the first time.
• 1949 – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the central bank of the Philippines, is established.
• 1953 – Frances P. Bolton and her son, Oliver from Ohio, become the first mother and son to serve simultaneously in the U.S. Congress.
• 1956 – A fire damages the top part of the Eiffel Tower.
• 1957 – The Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch.
• 1958 – The West Indies Federation is formed.
• 1959 – Alaska is admitted as the 49th U.S. state.
• 1959 – Separatists in the Maldives declare the establishment of the United Suvadive Republic.
• 1961 – The United States severs diplomatic relations with Cuba over the latter's nationalization of American assets.
• 1961 – A core explosion and meltdown at the SL-1, a government-run reactor near Idaho Falls, Idaho, kills three workers.
• 1961 – In Finland's worst civilian aviation accident an Aero Flight 311 crashes near Kvevlax, resulting in the deaths of all 25 people aboard.
• 1962 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro.
• 1976 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights comes into effect.
• 1977 – Apple Computer is incorporated.
• 1990 – Former leader of Panama Manuel Noriega surrenders to American forces.
• 1993 – In Moscow, Russia, George Bush and Boris Yeltsin sign the second Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).
• 1994 – More than seven million people from the former apartheid Homelands receive South African citizenship.
• 1996 – The Motorola StarTAC, the first flip phone and one of the first mobile phones to gain widespread consumer adoption, goes on sale.
• 1997 – China announces it will spend US$27.7 billion to fight erosion and pollution in the Yangtze and Yellow River valleys.
• 1999 – The Mars Polar Lander is launched.
• 1999 – Israel detains, and later expels, 14 members of Concerned Christians.
• 2000 – The last original weekday Peanuts comic strip is published.
• 2002 – Israeli forces seize the Palestinian freighter Karine A in the Red Sea, finding 50 tons of weapons.
• 2004 – Flash Airlines Flight 604 crashes into the Red Sea, resulting in 148 deaths, making it the deadliest aviation accident in Egyptianhistory.
• 2009 – The first block of the blockchain of the decentralized payment system Bitcoin, called the Genesis block, was established by the creator of the system, Satoshi Nakamoto.

Hatches

• 106 BC – Cicero, Roman politician and philosopher (d. 43 BC)
• 169 – Lü Bu, Chinese general and warlord (d. 199)
• 1196 – Emperor Tsuchimikado of Japan (d. 1231)
• 1698 – Metastasio, Italian poet (d. 1782)
• 1710 – Richard Gridley, American soldier (d. 1796)
• 1719 – Francisco José Freire, Portuguese historian (d. 1773)
• 1722 – Fredrik Hasselqvist, Swedish naturalist (d. 1752)
• 1760 – Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Indian activist (d.1799)
• 1760 – John Storm, American soldier (d. 1835)
• 1778 – Antoni Melchior Fijałkowski, Polish archbishop (d. 1861)
• 1793 – Lucretia Mott, American activist (d. 1880)
• 1802 – Charles Pelham Villiers, English lawyer and politician (d. 1898)
• 1803 – Douglas William Jerrold, English playwright (d. 1857)
• 1806 – Henriette Sontag, German soprano (d. 1854)
• 1810 – Antoine Thomson d'Abbadie, French geographer (d. 1897)
• 1816 – Samuel C. Pomeroy, American businessman and politician (d. 1891)
• 1819 – Charles Piazzi Smyth, Italian astronomer (d. 1900)
• 1821 – Karel Dežman, Slovenian archeologist, botanist, and politician (d. 1889)
• 1831 – Savitribai Phule, Indian educator and activist (d. 1897)
• 1836 – Sakamoto Ryōma, Japanese samurai and rebel leader (d. 1867)
• 1840 – Father Damien, Flemish missionary and priest (d. 1889)
• 1855 – Hubert Bland, English educator (d. 1914)
• 1856 – R. C. Lehmann, English journalist and politician (d. 1929)
• 1861 – William Renshaw, English tennis player (d. 1904)
• 1862 – Matthew Nathan, English soldier and politician, 13th Governor of Queensland (d. 1939)
• 1865 – Henry Lytton, English actor and singer (d. 1936)
• 1870 – Henry Handel Richardson, Australian author (d. 1946)
• 1873 – Ichizō Kobayashi, Japanese businessman, founded the Hankyu Hanshin Holdings (d. 1957)
• 1874 – Francis Newton, American golfer (d. 1946)
• 1875 – Alexandros Diomidis, Greek banker and politician, 145th Prime Minister of Greece (d. 1950)
• 1876 – Wilhelm Pieck, German politician, 1st President of the German Democratic Republic (d. 1960)
• 1879 – Grace Coolidge, American wife of Calvin Coolidge, 32nd First Lady of the United States (d. 1957)
• 1880 – Francis Browne, Irish photographer (d. 1960)
• 1883 – Clement Attlee, English politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1967)
• 1883 – Duncan Gillis, Canadian athlete (d. 1963)
• 1884 – Raoul Koczalski, Polish pianist and composer (d. 1948)
• 1885 – Harry Elkins Widener, American businessman (d. 1912)
• 1886 – John Gould Fletcher, American poet and author (d. 1950)
• 1886 – Josephine Hull, American actress (d. 1957)
• 1887 – August Macke, German painter (d. 1914)
• 1887 – Helen Parkhurst, American educator and author (d. 1973)
• 1888 – Jacob Bolotin, American physician (d. 1924)
• 1892 – J. R. R. Tolkien, English philologist and author (d. 1973)
• 1894 – ZaSu Pitts, American actress (d. 1963)
• 1895 – Boris Lyatoshinsky, Ukrainian composer and conductor (d. 1968)
• 1897 – Marion Davies, American actress (d. 1961)
• 1898 – Carolyn Haywood, American author (d. 1990)
• 1898 – Carlos Keller, Chilean politician (d. 1974)
• 1900 – Donald J. Russell, American businessman (d. 1985)
• 1901 – Ngo Dinh Diem, Vietnamese politician, 1st President of the Republic of Vietnam (d. 1963)
• 1905 – Anna May Wong, American actress (d. 1961)
• 1907 – Ray Milland, Welsh-American actor and director (d. 1986)
• 1909 – Victor Borge, Danish-American pianist and comedian (d. 2000)
• 1910 – Frenchy Bordagaray, American baseball player (d. 2000)
• 1911 – John Sturges, American director (d. 1982)
• 1912 – Federico Borrell García, Spanish soldier (d. 1936)
• 1912 – Renaude Lapointe, Canadian journalist and politician (d. 2002)
• 1912 – Armand Lohikoski, Finnish director (d. 2005)
• 1915 – Jack Levine, American painter (d. 2010)
• 1915 – Mady Rahl, German actress (d. 2009)
• 1916 – Maxene Andrews, American singer (The Andrews Sisters) (d. 1995)
• 1916 – Betty Furness, American actress (d. 1994)
• 1916 – Warren King, American cartoonist (d. 1978)
• 1917 – Albert Mol, Dutch author and actor (d. 2002)
• 1917 – Roger Williams Straus, Jr., American publisher, co-founded Farrar, Straus and Giroux (d. 2004)
• 1917 – Vernon A. Walters, American military officer and diplomat, 17th United States Ambassador to the United Nations (d. 2002)
• 1918 – Ivan Bodiul, Ukrainian-Moldovan politician (d. 2013)
• 1919 – Dorothy Morrison, American actress
• 1919 – Herbie Nichols, American pianist and composer (d. 1963)
• 1920 – Siegfried Buback, German politician, Attorney General of Germany (d. 1977)
• 1920 – Renato Carosone, Italian pianist (d. 2001)
• 1921 – Chetan Anand, Indian director and screenwriter (d. 1997)
• 1922 – Bill Travers, English actor, screenwriter, and director (d. 1994)
• 1923 – Bud Adams, American businessman (d. 2013)
• 1923 – Hank Stram, American football player and coach (d. 2005)
• 1923 – Bud Tingwell, Australian actor (d. 2009)
• 1924 – Otto Beisheim, German businessman, founded Metro AG (d. 2013)
• 1924 – André Franquin, Belgian author and illustrator (d. 1997)
• 1924 – Nell Rankin, American soprano (d. 2005)
• 1925 – Jill Balcon, English actress (d. 2009)
• 1926 – W. Michael Blumenthal, American businessman and politician, 64th United States Secretary of the Treasury
• 1926 – George Martin, English composer and producer
• 1928 – Michael Barratt, English television presenter
• 1929 – Sergio Leone, Italian director (d. 1989)
• 1929 – Ernst Mahle, German-Brazilian composer and conductor
• 1930 – Mara Corday, American model and actress
• 1930 – Marcel Dubé, Canadian playwright
• 1930 – Robert Loggia, American actor and director
• 1930 – Barbara Stuart, American actress (d. 2011)
• 1931 – Yashawant Dinkar Phadke, Indian historian and activist (d. 2008)
• 1932 – Dabney Coleman, American actor
• 1932 – Eeles Landström, Finnish pole vaulter
• 1932 – Yolanda "Tongolele" Montes, American-Mexican dancer and actress
• 1933 – Geoffrey Bindman, English solicitor
• 1933 – Anya Linden, English ballerina
• 1933 – Anne Stevenson, American-English poet
• 1934 – Marpessa Dawn, American-French actress, singer, and dancer (d. 2008)
• 1934 – Carla Anderson Hills, American lawyer and civil servant
• 1935 – Raymond Garneau, Canadian businessman and politician
• 1935 – Camil Samson, Canadian politician (d. 2012)
• 1936 – Michael Layard, English admiral
• 1937 – Glen A. Larson, American director, producer, and screenwriter, created Battlestar Galactica (d. 2014)
• 1937 – Seri Wangnaitham, Thai dancer and choreographer (d. 2007)
• 1938 – Robin Butler, Baron Butler of Brockwell, English politician
• 1938 – K. Ganeshalingam, Sri Lankan politician (d. 2006)
• 1939 – Arik Einstein, Israeli singer, songwriter and actor (d. 2013)
• 1939 – Bobby Hull, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1939 – Ruben Reyes, Filipino jurist
• 1940 – Leo de Berardinis, Italian stage actor and theatre director (d. 2008)
• 1941 – Franklin McCain, American activist (d. 2014)
• 1941 – Van Dyke Parks, American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
• 1942 – John Marsden, Australian lawyer and activist (d. 2006)
• 1942 – John Thaw, English actor (d. 2002)
• 1943 – Jarl Alfredius, Swedish journalist (d. 2009)
• 1944 – David Atherton, English conductor
• 1944 – Blanche d'Alpuget, Australian author
• 1945 – David Starkey, English historian
• 1945 – Stephen Stills, American singer-songwriter, musician, and producer (Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Manassas)
• 1946 – John Paul Jones, English bass player, songwriter, and producer (Led Zeppelin and Them Crooked Vultures)
• 1946 – Cissy King, American singer and dancer
• 1946 – Michalis Kritikopoulos, Greek footballer (d. 2002)
• 1947 – Zulema, American singer-songwriter (Faith Hope and Charity) (d. 2013)
• 1949 – Sylvia Likens, American murder victim (d. 1965)
• 1949 – Hilary Wainwright, English sociologist, political activist and editor Red Pepper
• 1950 – Masha and Dasha Krivoshlyapova, Russian conjoined twins (d. 2003)
• 1950 – Victoria Principal, American actress
• 1951 – Linda Dobbs, Sierra Leone-born former High Court judge
• 1951 – Gary Nairn, Australian politician
• 1952 – Esperanza Aguirre, Spanish politician, 3rd President of the Community of Madrid
• 1952 – Gianfranco Fini, Italian politician
• 1952 – Jim Ross, American wrestler and sportscaster
• 1953 – Justin Fleming, Australian playwright and author
• 1953 – Mohammed Waheed Hassan, Maldivian politician, 5th President of the Maldives
• 1954 – Dean Hart, Canadian wrestler (d. 1990)
• 1954 – Ned Lamont, American businessman and politician
• 1954 – Ross the Boss, American guitarist and songwriter (The Dictators, Manowar, and Manitoba's Wild Kingdom)
• 1955 – Palmolive, Spanish-English drummer (The Slits, The Raincoats, and The Flowers of Romance)
• 1956 – Mel Gibson, American-Australian actor, director, producer, and screenwriter
• 1956 – Sam Laidlaw, English businessman
• 1956 – Willy T. Ribbs, American race car driver
• 1958 – James J. Greco, American businessman
• 1958 – Shim Hyung-rae, South Korean actor, director, and producer
• 1959 – Alessandro Andrei, Italian shot putter
• 1960 – Russell Spence, English race car driver
• 1963 – Vic Grimes, American wrestler
• 1963 – Stewart Hosie, Scottish politician
• 1963 – New Jack, American wrestler
• 1963 – Alex Wheatle, English author
• 1964 – Bruce LaBruce, Canadian director
• 1967 – Gérald Mossé, French jockey
• 1969 – Jarmo Lehtinen, Finnish rally co-driver
• 1969 – Michael Schumacher, German race car driver
• 1969 – Gerda Weissensteiner, Italian bobsledder
• 1970 – Mahaya Petrosian, Iranian actress
• 1970 – Priit Reiska, Estonian footballer
• 1970 – Matt Ross, American actor
• 1970 – Lee Beom-soo, South Korean actor
• 1971 – Cory Cross, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1972 – Janek Kiisman, Estonian footballer
• 1972 – Yoon Chan, South Korean actor
• 1973 – Dan Harmon, American screenwriter and producer
• 1973 – Rory Stewart, British academic, writer and politician
• 1974 – Robert-Jan Derksen, Dutch golfer
• 1974 – Alessandro Petacchi, Italian cyclist
• 1975 – Thomas Bangalter, French DJ and producer (Daft Punk, Stardust, Together, and Darlin')
• 1975 – Jun Maeda, Japanese video game writer
• 1975 – Jason Marsden, American actor
• 1975 – Danica McKellar, American actress
• 1975 – Lisa Misipeka, American Samoan hammer thrower
• 1976 – Angelos Basinas, Greek footballer
• 1976 – Dinara Drukarova, Russian actress
• 1976 – Nicholas Gonzalez, American actor and producer
• 1977 – Lee Bowyer, English footballer
• 1977 – A. J. Burnett, American baseball player
• 1977 – Mayumi Iizuka, Japanese voice actress and singer
• 1978 – Dimitra Kalentzou, Greek basketball player
• 1978 – Liya Kebede, Ethiopian-American model, actress, and fashion designer
• 1978 – Kimberley Locke, American singer-songwriter
• 1978 – Park Sol-mi, South Korean actress
• 1978 – Mike York, American ice hockey player
• 1979 – Chris Geddes, Canadian volleyball player
• 1979 – Rie Tanaka, Japanese voice actress and singer
• 1979 – Dina Tersago, Belgian model and television host, Miss Belgium 2001
• 1979 – Koit Toome, Estonian singer
• 1980 – Bryan Clay, American decathlete
• 1980 – Angela Ruggiero, American ice hockey player
• 1980 – David Tyree, American football player
• 1980 – Kurt Vile, American musician
• 1980 – Mary Wineberg, American sprinter
• 1981 – Naresh Iyer, Indian singer
• 1981 – Eli Manning, American football player
• 1982 – Peter Clarke, English footballer
• 1982 – Lasse Nilsson, Swedish footballer
• 1983 – Antti Arst, Estonian footballer
• 1984 – Miloš Juhász, Slovak footballer
• 1984 – Billy Mehmet, Irish footballer
• 1984 – Arif Suyono, Indonesian footballer
• 1985 – Nicole Beharie, American actress
• 1985 – John David Booty, American football player
• 1985 – Linas Kleiza, Lithuanian basketball player
• 1985 – Evan Moore, American football player
• 1986 – Dana Hussain, Iraqi sprinter
• 1986 – Greg Nwokolo, Indonesian footballer
• 1986 – Jessica O'Rourke, American footballer
• 1986 – Dmitry Starodubtsev, Russian pole vaulter
• 1986 – Jacob Timpano, Australian footballer
• 1987 – Anchal Joseph Indian-American model and actress
• 1987 – Leonidas Panagopoulos, Greek footballer
• 1988 – Ikechi Anya, Scottish-Nigerian footballer
• 1988 – Rodrigo de la Cadena, Mexican singer-songwriter
• 1988 – Jonny Evans, Irish footballer
• 1988 – Matt Frattin, Canadian ice hockey player
• 1988 – J. R. Hildebrand American race car driver
• 1989 – Adas Juškevičius, Lithuanian basketball player
• 1989 – Alex D. Linz, American actor
• 1989 – Anya Rozova, Russian-American model
• 1989 – Kōhei Uchimura, Japanese gymnast
• 1989 – Ayaka Umeda, Japanese singer (AKB48 and Diva)
• 1991 – Jerson Cabral, Dutch footballer
• 1992 – Sandra Zaniewska, Polish tennis player
• 1993 – Kevin Ware, American basketball player

Despatches

• 236 – Pope Anterus
• 323 – Emperor Yuan of Jin (b. 276)
• 492 – Pope Felix III
• 661 – Pope Benjamin I of Alexandria
• 1098 – Walkelin, French bishop
• 1322 – Philip V of France (b. 1292)
• 1437 – Catherine of France (b. 1401)
• 1543 – Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, Portuguese explorer (b. 1499)
• 1571 – Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg (b. 1505)
• 1641 – Jeremiah Horrocks, English astronomer (b. 1618)
• 1656 – Mathieu Molé, French politician (b. 1584)
• 1670 – George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, English soldier and politician (b. 1608)
• 1690 – Hillel ben Naphtali Zevi, Lithuanian rabbi (b. 1615)
• 1701 – Louis I, Prince of Monaco (b. 1642)
• 1705 – Luca Giordano, Italian painter (b. 1634)
• 1743 – Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena, Italian architect and designer (b. 1657)
• 1779 – Claude Bourgelat, French surgeon (b. 1712)
• 1785 – Baldassare Galuppi, Italian composer (b. 1706)
• 1795 – Josiah Wedgwood, English potter, founder of the Wedgwood Company (b. 1730)
• 1813 – Bennelong, Aborigine interlocutor (b. 1764)
• 1826 – Louis-Gabriel Suchet, French marshal (b. 1770)
• 1871 – Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Indian saint (b. 1805)
• 1875 – Pierre Larousse, French lexicographer (b. 1817)
• 1882 – William Harrison Ainsworth, English author (b. 1805)
• 1895 – James Merritt Ives, American lithographer and businessman, co-founded Currier and Ives (b. 1824)
• 1903 – Alois Hitler, Austrian civil servant (b. 1837)
• 1911 – Alexandros Papadiamantis, Greek author (b. 1851)
• 1915 – James Elroy Flecker, English poet, author, and playwright (b. 1884)
• 1916 – Grenville M. Dodge, American General (b. 1831)
• 1922 – Wilhelm Voigt, German military impostor (b. 1849)
• 1923 – Jaroslav Hašek, Czech author (b. 1883)
• 1927 – Carl David Tolmé Runge, German physicist (b. 1856)
• 1931 – Joseph Joffre, French general (b. 1852)
• 1933 – Wilhelm Cuno, German politician, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1876)
• 1933 – Jack Pickford, Canadian actor (b. 1896)
• 1943 – André Fauquet-Lemaître, French polo player (b. 1862)
• 1943 – Walter James, Australian politician, 5th Premier of Western Australia (b. 1863)
• 1944 – Jurgis Baltrušaitis, Lithuanian poet (b. 1873)
• 1945 – Edgar Cayce, American psychic (b. 1877)
• 1945 – Ferdynand Antoni Ossendowski, Polish journalist and explorer (b. 1879)
• 1946 – William Joyce, American-English politician (b. 1906)
• 1950 – Emil Jannings, Swiss actor (b. 1884)
• 1956 – Alexander Gretchaninov, Russian composer (b. 1864)
• 1956 – Dimitrios Vergos, Greek wrestler, weightlifter, and shot putter (b. 1886)
• 1956 – Joseph Wirth, German politician, Chancellor of Germany (b. 1876)
• 1959 – Edwin Muir, Scottish poet, author, and translator (b. 1887)
• 1960 – Eric P. Kelly, American children's author (b. 1884)
• 1962 – Hermann Lux, German footballer (b. 1893)
• 1967 – Mary Garden, Scottish soprano (b. 1874)
• 1967 – Jack Ruby, American murderer (b. 1911)
• 1969 – Jean Focas, Greek-French astronomer (b. 1909)
• 1969 – Tzavalas Karousos, Greek actor (b. 1904)
• 1970 – Gladys Aylward, English missionary (b. 1902)
• 1972 – Mohan Rakesh, Indian author and playwright (b. 1925)
• 1974 – Gino Cervi, Italian actor (b. 1901)
• 1975 – James McCormack, American army officer (b. 1910)
• 1979 – Conrad Hilton, American businessman, founded the Hilton Hotels & Resorts (b. 1887)
• 1980 – Joy Adamson, Czech author (b. 1910)
• 1980 – Lucien Buysse, Belgian cyclist (b. 1892)
• 1980 – George Sutherland Fraser, Scottish poet and academic (b. 1915)
• 1980 – Ivan Triesault, Estonian-American actor (b. 1898)
• 1981 – Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (b. 1883)
• 1988 – Rose Ausländer, German poet (b. 1901)
• 1988 – Joie Chitwood, American race car driver and stuntman (b. 1912)
• 1989 – Sergei Sobolev, Russian mathematician (b. 1909)
• 1991 – Kleanthis Maropoulos, Greek footballer (b. 1919)
• 1992 – Judith Anderson, Australian actress (b. 1897)
• 1993 – Johnny Most, American sportscaster (b. 1923)
• 2002 – Juan García Esquivel, Mexican pianist and composer (b. 1918)
• 2002 – Freddy Heineken, Dutch businessman (b. 1923)
• 2002 – Satish Dhawan, Indian engineer (b.1920)
• 2003 – Sid Gillman, American football player and coach (b. 1911)
• 2004 – Des Corcoran, Australian politician, 37th Premier of South Australia (b. 1928)
• 2005 – Koo Chen-fu, Taiwanese businessman and diplomat (b. 1917)
• 2005 – Jyotindra Nath Dixit, Indian diplomat (b. 1936)
• 2005 – Will Eisner, American author and illustrator (b. 1917)
• 2006 – Steve Rogers, Australian rugby player (b. 1954)
• 2006 – Bill Skate, Papua New Guinean politician, 5th Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (b. 1954)
• 2007 – János Fürst, Hungarian violinist and conductor (b. 1935)
• 2007 – Sergio Jiménez, Mexican actor (b. 1937)
• 2007 – Earl Reibel, Canadian ice hockey player (b. 1930)
• 2007 – William Verity, Jr., American businessman (b. 1917)
• 2007 – Cecil Walker, Irish politician (b. 1924)
• 2008 – Aleksandr Abdulov, Russian actor (b. 1953)
• 2008 – Yo-Sam Choi, South Korean boxer (b. 1972)
• 2008 – Werner Dollinger, German economist and politician (b. 1918)
• 2009 – Betty Freeman, American philanthropist and photographer (b. 1921)
• 2009 – Pat Hingle, American actor (b. 1924)
• 2009 – Ulf G. Lindén, Swedish businessman (b. 1937)
• 2009 – Hisayasu Nagata, Japanese politician (b. 1969)
• 2010 – Gustavo Becerra-Schmidt, Chilean composer (b. 1925)
• 2010 – Mary Daly, American theologian and scholar (b. 1928)
• 2010 – Takis Michalos, Greek water polo player and coach (b. 1947)
• 2011 – Fadil Hadžić, Croatian director (b. 1922)
• 2011 – Suchitra Mitra, Indian singer and composer (b. 1924)
• 2012 – Vicar, Chilean cartoonist (b. 1934)
• 2012 – Charles W. Bailey, American journalist and author (b. 1929)
• 2012 – Gene Bartow, American basketball player and coach (b. 1930)
• 2012 – Robert L. Carter, American lawyer and judge (b. 1917)
• 2012 – Selorm Kuadey, Ukrainian-English rugby player (b. 1987)
• 2012 – Winifred Milius Lubell, American author and illustrator (b. 1914)
• 2012 – Joaquín Martínez, Mexican-American actor (b. 1930)
• 2012 – Josef Škvorecký, Czech-Canadian author and publisher (b. 1924)
• 2012 – Jenny Tomasin, English actress (b. 1938)
• 2012 – Bob Weston, English guitarist and songwriter (Fleetwood Mac) (b. 1947)
• 2012 – Harold Zirin, American astronomer and academic (b. 1929)
• 2013 – Alfie Fripp, English soldier and pilot (b. 1913)
• 2013 – M. S. Gopalakrishnan, Indian violinist (b. 1931)
• 2013 – Kanang anak Langkau, Malaysian soldier (b. 1945)
• 2013 – Ivan Mackerle, Czech cryptozoologist, explorer, and author (b. 1942)
• 2013 – William Maxson, American general (b. 1930)
• 2013 – Sergiu Nicolaescu, Romanian actor, director, and screenwriter (b. 1930)
• 2013 – Andrew P. O'Rourke, American judge and politician (b. 1933)
• 2013 – Shikaripura Ranganatha Rao, Indian archeologist (b. 1922)
• 2013 – Patty Shepard, American-Spanish actress (b. 1945)
• 2013 – Burry Stander, South African cyclist (b. 1987)
• 2014 – Leon de Wolff, Dutch journalist (b. 1948)
• 2014 – Phil Everly, American singer and guitarist (The Everly Brothers) (b. 1939)
• 2014 – George Goodman, American economist and author (b. 1930)
• 2014 – Michael Neubert, English politician (b. 1933)
• 2014 – Alicia Rhett, American actress and painter (b. 1915)
• 2014 – Yashiki Takajin, Japanese singer-songwriter and television host (b. 1949)
• 2014 – Saul Zaentz, American film producer (b. 1921)

===
2015

• Christian feast day:
  • Genevieve
  • William Passavant (Episcopal Church (USA))
  • January 3 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

• Tamaseseri Festival (Hakozaki Shrine, Fukuoka)
• The tenth of the Twelve Days of Christmas (Western Christianity)
• First day of school at schools in Malaysia and Singapore

===

STATES OF EMERGENCY

Tim Blair – Saturday, January 03, 2015 (7:16pm)

Survivors look on as Victorian merino farmer David Coad prepares to bury thousands of sheep killed by massive bushfires:



Many properties in South Australia and Victoria are destroyed and many others threatened. A woman has been charged over 40 deliberately-lit fires in Victoria’s north. 

===

CAN’T SEE ANY PROBLEM HERE

Tim Blair – Saturday, January 03, 2015 (6:54pm)

BuzzFeed editor Ben Smith responds to criticism of a front-page headline that was completely wrong: 

Actually, I haven’t read the story. So I don’t feel I want to debate it with you. 

What a pro.

===

KORAN COOKED

Tim Blair – Saturday, January 03, 2015 (1:49pm)

You can destroy any number of books in Britain and find yourself in no trouble at all. Except for one: 

A 19-year-old West Yorkshire man was arrested by police at the weekend after posting a video on social media showing him tearing apart a Koran with his teeth, before putting it in a toilet and then burning it.

The unnamed man, who has since been released on bail, was considered at-risk by West Yorkshire police after a number of violent threats to his life were made in the comment replies on the video, which showed him destroying an English translation of the Islamic text. Some went as far as calling the police to complain that they had been offended by the video …

This man is not the first young Briton to have been arrested for burning a book. In September 2010 six young men were arrested for pouring petrol on and burning two Korans in a pub beer garden. In a statement at the time, Northumbria police said the offence was not related to creating, sharing or viewing a video, but rather they were specifically arrested on “suspicion of burning the Koran”. 

Burning the Koran is stupid and needlessly provocative – just like burning national flags. But criminalising this dumb behaviour is even stupider.

(Via bingbing)

===

BINGE ON BURGE

Tim Blair – Saturday, January 03, 2015 (1:31pm)

Ten issues Iowahawk hilariously summed up in 2014.

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Post by Cherry Bar.

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Post by Manga Fox.

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Post by Mum's Grapevine.

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Post by Guideposts.

Pity then that he has failed so badly, so consistently for so long.===

Post by Accidental Talmudist.

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Post by Toby Harriman Photography.

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Post by Sarah Palin.

Happy New Year!

May 2015 see every stumbling block turned into a stepping stone on the path forward. Trig just reminded me. He, determined to help wash dishes with an oblivious mama not acknowledging his signs for "up!", found me and a lazy dog blocking his way. He made his stepping stone.

- Sarah Palin

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Post by Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

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Post by haberinbizden.com.

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Photo: In prism, nobody can hear you scream http://t.co/ptaLxJcmKJ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

===

Egypt border cops 'kill Palestinian teen' http://t.co/WdYfhH4aTb via @newscomauHQ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

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His place. His responsibility .. Gable Tostee takes to Facebook to post bizarre profile pic http://t.co/9i9aysHGzS via @newscomauHQ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

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Bureaucracy .. ‘He lived for her and she lived for him’ http://t.co/X16eEQV10a via @newscomauHQ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

===

New Zealand v Sri Lanka 2015: day one of second Test a Basin Reserve, Wellington http://t.co/BhvTmIXoWm via @newscomauHQ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

===

There is no war between Israel and a nonexistent nation http://t.co/mx1emvTjKO
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

===

Photo: I’m approaching the light ..  http://t.co/Vlp3uj15Hl
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

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Pilot denied safety precaution shortly before crash .. Plane crash search goes below the waves http://t.co/xj4Aza7Gvg via @newscomauHQ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

===

Don't worry, nobody wants you to reproduce. RT @Salon The right is coming for your birth control — they just don’t want you to know it yet
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 15, 2014

===

The real scandal in Gruber's remarks: that he could say them publicly, in the complete confidence that no major media would quote him.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) November 13, 2014

===

Third world women paid $0.40/hour to make $70 'This Is What a Feminist Looks Like' t-shirts http://t.co/73D070L5Cx
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) November 2, 2014

===

Serious question: if it weren't for the existence of Washington DC, what the hell would Joe Biden do for a living?
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) October 6, 2014

===

BREAKING: Wawa store in East Brunswick NJ out of Peach Snapple - What did Christie know and when did he know it? A 6 hour MSNBC special
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) September 18, 2014

===

That unpleasant smell shows why Jeffrey Dahmer needs a bigger refrigerator pic.twitter.com/XnWgKAw39B
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) June 18, 2014

===

How many friends and/or business associates do you have in federal prison? Compare your answer to the president of the United States.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 9, 2014

===

Idaho bakery declines to cater same-sex wedding: OMG JIM CROW Iran hangs gay men from construction cranes: whatever
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 3, 2014

===

The NSA is to Paul Revere what the TSA is to a lap dancer.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) January 17, 2014

===

If we can keep encouraging people to drop out of the labor force, we'll be at full employment in no time! #Yay
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) January 10, 2014

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#AmericaInFiveWords Our Loudest Critics Won't Leave
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) December 27, 2014

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Mail order bride purchase? Robots are breaking the law and nobody knows what to do about it http://t.co/8XnQHIPawt via @thisisfusion
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

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Amid Failed Promises of Reform, US Companies Leave China http://t.co/7g0I6Ngctf via @epochtimes
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

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Calls for compromise and tough reforms in order to fix the budget in 2015 http://t.co/IFbg0LcBA7
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 3, 2015

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My favourite .. Beverly Hillbillies star Donna Douglas dead at 81 http://t.co/glcJm7Lftp via @newscomauHQ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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wearing lycra .. Bono: Why I may never play guitar again http://t.co/5OmxZwcFQ4 via @newscomauHQ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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‘A living hell’ for slaves on South Korean islands http://t.co/mKpaUlQZ8x via @newscomauHQ
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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U.S. announces new sanctions against N. Korea in wake of Sony hack - President Obama today ordered new... http://t.co/V14rjznCoN
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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Photoset: reportagebygettyimages: Last September marked the 10th anniversary of the Beslan school siege,... http://t.co/5q1g5diY89
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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Photo: I like to know more ..  http://t.co/OeuH12EkuF
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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Photo: Winston on success http://t.co/XbCF38Foc5
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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Victoria bans Alpine National Park cattle grazing http://t.co/PrsQUAWLXB via @theage
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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Dan Andrews banned grazing .. now the crops burn .. Emergency vehicle driving past flames at Moyston http://t.co/J7EAGfWy8Z via @ABCNews
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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Woman who SURVIVED Auschwitz because Nazis ran out of gas turns 101 http://t.co/pQeyrR5R4m via @undefined
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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Unbelievable. Apparently Epstein is trading off the name .. BBC News - Prince Andrew sex case claim denied http://t.co/M1jD0bk9nq
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

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Photo: A good government with bad opposition.  http://t.co/5fyxz2uiHy
— David Daniel Ball (@DaOddBall67) January 2, 2015

=== Posts from last year ===

Reform list begins with ABC on top

Piers Akerman – Friday, January 03, 2014 (8:35am)

THE Abbott government’s window of opportunity for major reform is rapidly closing. 

===

98 per cent of US reports don’t mention the ice-trapped passengers were global warmists

Andrew Bolt January 03 2014 (6:04am)

The media here has covered up for the climate change expedition that got stuck in ice:

Why have the ABC and Fairfax media, so keen at first to announce this expedition was to measure the extent and effects of global warming, since omitted that fact from their reports after the expedition became ice-bound? 

It’s been even worse in the US: 

The Russian ship, Akademic Shokalskiy, was stranded in the ice while on a climate change research expedition, yet nearly 98 percent of network news reports about the stranded researchers failed to mention their mission at all…
In fact, rather than point out the mission was to find evidence of climate change, the networks often referred to the stranded people as “passengers,” “trackers” and even “tourists,” without a word about climate change or global warming… There was only one news story out of 41 that mentioned climate change. That was CBS “This Morning” Dec. 30. “Despite being frozen at a standstill, the team’s research on climate change and Antarctic wildlife is moving forward,” CBS News Correspondent Don Dahler said. 

===

On the benefits of putting salt on even apples

Andrew Bolt January 03 2014 (5:53am)

Blaming the army for a man’s eating habits for the 60 years since he last served is already a ludicrous stretch:

A WOMAN has won the right to a war widow’s pension by proving her late husband’s death was linked to the excessive salt-eating habit he developed as a serviceman. 
After serving in the tropics during World War II, Queensland cane cutter and farmer Clement Hutton loaded all his food – from apples to porridge and rice – with salt.
His widow Shirley Hutton, 83, of Maroochy River on the Sunshine Coast, told the Administrative Appeal Tribunal her husband, who she married in 1951, developed his taste for salt during his Army service… Mr Hutton was diagnosed with hypertension in 1997 and died after a stroke in July 2012 aged 87.

Hutton really had no free will to change his diet in 60 years?
But here’s the even more bizarre thing. Hutton died at 87. Why is there any talk of a premature death? Did the salt in fact preserve him? 
(Via Catallaxy Files.) 

===

Wikileaks not so in favor of debate, after all

Andrew Bolt January 03 2014 (5:29am)

The Wikileaks Party claims to want a free debate, with no stifling of dissent:

Yet we are witness to a degeneration of democracy into political party oligarchy, in which dissent is stifled… 
How rare is it to see a Member of Parliament, whether in government or in opposition, stepping out of line, or raising difficult or controversial issues?…
It’s time to give dissidents a voice in our political system… In particular we will be fearless in the pursuit of the 21st century freedoms which are essential to the creation of any meaningful democracy. These include ...  the free flow of information 

Yet when another politician dissents from the Wikileaks line, the party calls in the lawyers:

Julian Assange’s father has engaged a silk to start legal action against Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop over comments relating to his political party’s controversial visit to Syria. 
John Shipton came under fire after the Australian WikiLeaks Party sent a delegation to Syria to meet accused war criminal, President Bashar al-Assad…
“Because of the defamatory statements made against myself by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, we have asked barrister Clive A. Evatt to begin defamation proceedings seeking $5 million in damages in each case,” he said…
Mr Evatt said ... “he’s suing on publicly being called stupid and reckless – that’s Bishop. “And Tony Abbott said more or less the same thing, reported in the media this morning.”

===

Sometimes people get it fast, sometimes slow.

Some people even take the douchebag way and steal other parking spots, or just as bad, DOUBLE PARK!

Some people may wait patiently, but you may not know if you'll be missing out on better parking spots!

Maybe some people find some reason to park illegally just because they can... And somehow get away with it (in Malaysia at least :p)

Or maybe after a long long tiring search people might give up one day and decide to use valet service! 

Let's not forget to mention about the vvip parking!! On behalf of the rest of the community, screw u!!

... ...

But in the end, what really matters is that I should really stop comparing relationships to parking. The end.>
I got my eye on this really sweet spot. Now need to convince it I'm a car. I don't think I can just flash my headlights. Probably won't impress them if I leak oil too. Full of petrol. Clean windows. Licensed. Registered. - ed
===

Teen Safiyyah Nawaz's stupid Twitter comment becomes NY day hit

www.news.com.au

SAFIYYAH Nawaz says it was a harmless joke. On January 1 she tweeted "This beautiful earth is now officially 2014 years old, amazing".

2014 years is not long enough for a lefty to mature intellectually. HNY Safiyyah .. don't let the jerks get you down. - ed
===

A Facebook account passes as an official form of ID at a US airport

www.news.com.au

TRAVELLER Zach Klein, Vimeo co-founder and CEO of DIY.org, was recently travelling when he realised he had left his official government-issue form of ID at home.

I can't see anything wrong with what passed. It isn't like fining a motorist for leaving windows a few cm down on their parked car on a hot day. - ed
===

"Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." -Jesus
===
#Openforbusinessagain #Abbott

We spent $42b on Christmas, and government gets the credit

www.theage.com.au

Retailers are crediting the new federal government with conditions conducive to better sales, which have been reflected in increased revenue over the Christmas period.

http://www.theage.com.au/business/retail/we-spent-42b-on-christmas-and-government-gets-the-credit-20140103-309a5.html
===

Assange's father to start legal action against Tony Abbott, Julie Bishop

www.theage.com.au

Julian Assange's father has engaged a silk to start legal action against Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop over comments relating to his political party's controversial visit to Syria.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/assanges-father-to-start-legal-action-against-tony-abbott-julie-bishop-20140102-3080z.html
===

Lack of accountability clouding the climate change debate

www.theage.com.au

The world's so-called authority on climate change engages in exaggerated science and has become a political tool.

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/lack-of-accountability-clouding-the-climate-change-debate-20140102-307ja.html
===
#TheirABC

Australia Network's NYE broadcast 'insulting, crass'

www.theaustralian.com.au

THE government will pass on concerns it receives over the screening of the ABC's "boorish" coverage of Sydney's New Year's Eve celebrations on the Australia Network to the broadcaster, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has warned.

===

David Bowles

Wait! On this blessed day, 
O Hurricane, Heart of Earth and Sky,
Source of ripeness and freshness, 
Giver of daughters and sons, 
Spread that stain, spill your drops
Of green and yellow—
Give life and beginning 
To those we beget and bear, 
So they too multiply and grow,
Nurturing and providing for you, 
Calling to you along road and path,
Upon rivers, within canyons,
Beneath trees and bushes:
Give them their daughters and sons.

May there be no blame or barrier,
No lack or misery;
Let no deceiver sneak up behind
Or arise before them;
May they neither be snared nor wounded,
Nor seduced, nor burned,
Nor diverted below the road or above it;
May they neither fall backward nor stumble—
Keep them ever on the verdant path.
That road of deepest green.

—from "Cry of the Rulers' Hearts" in the Popol Vuh, the Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life

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Israel Matzav: Labor seeks to stop Jordan Valley annexation

http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2014/01/labor-seeks-to-stop-jordan-valley.html

I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-tw...

Meh, who heads a terrorist organisation? Definitely not a democratically elected leader .. ed
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US Says Freeing Prisoners a Security Risk – in Afghanistan

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/us-says-freeing-prisoners-a-security-risk-in-afghanistan/2014/01/01/

...but not for Israel.

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The Muslim Suicide Convert | FrontPage Magazine

www.frontpagemag.com

Why new followers gravitate toward jihad with such frequency.

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Israel news: the world’s most anti-Jewish country

http://www.israelnationalnews.co...

Here are some recent headlines you might have missed. These stories come from December 27 – 30, 2013.
The war against Israel
-Court Won't Intervene,

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IMRA - Thursday, January 2, 2014 Kerry cites Vietnam example for Israel in remarks with Netanyahu

www.imra.org.il

"On a personal level, last month I traveled to Vietnam on my first visit there as Secretary of State. And the transformation in our relationship – I was a young soldier who fought there – the transformation in our relationship is proof that as painful as the past can be, through hard work of diploma...

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The Independent or PressTV? Report falsely claims Palestinian kids were "caged" for months

http://cifwatch.com/2014/01/02/the-independent-or-presstv-report-falsely-claims-palestinian-kids-were-caged-for-months/

Even by the standards of anti-Israel bias in the British media - which routinely sensationalize and exaggerate reports to impute maximum Israeli malevolence - that we're used to, a story published ...

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Candidly Speaking from Jerusalem

wordfromjerusalem.com

Rabbi Chaim Druckman, one of the most prominent Rabbis within the national religious movement, has responded to Rabbi Mordechai Elon?s conviction on charges of sexually assaulting minors, by employing him as a teacher in the Or Etzion Yeshiva where he serves as the Rosh Yeshiva.

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Sticking Point in Peace Talks: Recognition of a Jewish State

www.nytimes.com

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argues that Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state underpins all other issues in peace negotiations, and this focus is exactly what makes it unacceptable to Palestinians.

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<I do not find shocking as much as sickening the fact that President Obama is determined to destroy the majesty of the United States with his misguided concepts of who constitutes friend and who foe. Perhaps this is not an accident at all as he has made crystal clear the vital part Islam plays in his every day actions. The partnership with Israel is one in name only as long as Netanyahu accedes to Obama's commands conveyed by Kerry. By his every action Obama has shown that only the Muslim Brotherhood is integral in his life. The US as we have known it is slowly but surely disappearing.>

Column one: ‘The New York Times’ destroys Obama

www.jpost.com

Last week, the Times published account of Benghazi terrorist strike, criticizing Obama's counterterrorism strategy and his policy in the Middle East.

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Column-one-The-New-York-Times-destroys-Obama-336951===

In Europe, Popular Anti-Semitism Flourishes With Elites’ OK

www.tabletmag.com

Over the past few years, I have repeatedly been approached by a broad array of Jews worried about developments in Europe. They have pointed to anti-Israel protests, shootings, and the rising tide of extreme religious identification among young Muslims born and raised in the West; some worried over r...

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50 years of the War on Poverty

www.foxnews.com

There is no undiscovered truth about the cure for most poverty: Stay in school; get married before having children and stay married; work hard, save and invest.

Silly rabbit, the money did not go to them, it was spent on them, usually passing from one left wing to the next - ed

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IMRA - Thursday, January 2, 2014 Kerry cites Vietnam example for Israel in remarks with Netanyahu

www.imra.org.il

"On a personal level, last month I traveled to Vietnam on my first visit there as Secretary of State. And the transformation in our relationship – I was a young soldier who fought there – the transformation in our relationship is proof that as painful as the past can be, through hard work of diploma...

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SAD FOR TURKEY

Turkish PM Erdoğan has now taken a page from the Dictator's Manual of Operations, claiming that there are giant foreign originated plots against him and Turkey.

Every dictator in the past 100 years has used this line. Most recently Chavez in Venezuela. But the list includes Stalin, Hitler, Ghaddafi,Assad, Saddam Hussein, and Idi Amin.

Far from a novel tactic, blaming scapegoats for one's failings, is a political tactic that many failing politicians use to bolster their power. Nothing new.

Turkey has gone from a progressive, secular, free society, to a place where journalists are jailed, from a growing prosperous nation to a no-growth economy for the past 22 months, and from a regional leader to a country that has isolated itself from its neighbors under Erdoğan's leadership.
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Arms cache found at Prague home of dead Palestinian envoy

www.timesofisrael.com

Illegal arsenal contained enough weapons for 10 men; Palestinians change story about safe in explosion which killed Jamel al-Jamal Wednesday

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Syrian Electronic Army Invades Skype's Social Media Accounts

www.foxbusiness.com

Skype's Twitter and Facebook accounts were hacked into this week by the Syrian Electronic Army, marking the latest in a string of corporate breaches.

===

Find Pride in Being Jewish

newsblaze.com

It was Torah science then, at Creation, and it is the same Torah science now, in the 21st century, only that now the world is 'discovering', more so admitting to it.

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Will Arabs Have the Courage to Label Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Group? :: Gatestone Institute

www.gatestoneinstitute.org

The Egyptians authorities have officially labeled the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group, triggering a debate as to whether other Arab countries should follow suit. The decision was taken in light of Muslim Brotherhood's alleged responsibility for a

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“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12NIV

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Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon

Morning

"Continue in prayer."
Colossians 4:2

It is interesting to remark how large a portion of Sacred Writ is occupied with the subject of prayer, either in furnishing examples, enforcing precepts, or pronouncing promises. We scarcely open the Bible before we read, "Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord;" and just as we are about to close the volume, the "Amen" of an earnest supplication meets our ear. Instances are plentiful. Here we find a wrestling Jacob--there a Daniel who prayed three times a day--and a David who with all his heart called upon his God. On the mountain we see Elias; in the dungeon Paul and Silas. We have multitudes of commands, and myriads of promises. What does this teach us, but the sacred importance and necessity of prayer? We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in his Word, he intended to be conspicuous in our lives. If he has said much about prayer, it is because he knows we have much need of it. So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray. Dost thou want nothing? Then, I fear thou dost not know thy poverty. Hast thou no mercy to ask of God? Then, may the Lord's mercy show thee thy misery! A prayerless soul is a Christless soul. Prayer is the lisping of the believing infant, the shout of the fighting believer, the requiem of the dying saint falling asleep in Jesus. It is the breath, the watchword, the comfort, the strength, the honour of a Christian. If thou be a child of God, thou wilt seek thy Father's face, and live in thy Father's love. Pray that this year thou mayst be holy, humble, zealous, and patient; have closer communion with Christ, and enter oftener into the banqueting-house of his love. Pray that thou mayst be an example and a blessing unto others, and that thou mayst live more to the glory of thy Master. The motto for this year must be, "Continue in prayer."

Evening

"Let the people renew their strength."
Isaiah 41:1

All things on earth need to be renewed. No created thing continueth by itself. "Thou renewest the face of the year," was the Psalmist's utterance. Even the trees, which wear not themselves with care, nor shorten their lives with labour, must drink of the rain of heaven and suck from the hidden treasures of the soil. The cedars of Lebanon, which God has planted, only live because day by day they are full of sap fresh drawn from the earth. Neither can man's life be sustained without renewal from God. As it is necessary to repair the waste of the body by the frequent meal, so we must repair the waste of the soul by feeding upon the Book of God, or by listening to the preached Word, or by the soul-fattening table of the ordinances. How depressed are our graces when means are neglected! What poor starvelings some saints are who live without the diligent use of the Word of God and secret prayer! If our piety can live without God it is not of divine creating; it is but a dream; for if God had begotten it, it would wait upon him as the flowers wait upon the dew. Without constant restoration we are not ready for the perpetual assaults of hell, or the stern afflictions of heaven, or even for the strifes within. When the whirlwind shall be loosed, woe to the tree that hath not sucked up fresh sap, and grasped the rock with many intertwisted roots. When tempests arise, woe to the mariners that have not strengthened their mast, nor cast their anchor, nor sought the haven. If we suffer the good to grow weaker, the evil will surely gather strength and struggle desperately for the mastery over us; and so, perhaps, a painful desolation, and a lamentable disgrace may follow. Let us draw near to the footstool of divine mercy in humble entreaty, and we shall realize the fulfilment of the promise, "They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength."

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Today's reading: Genesis 4-6, Matthew 2 (NIV)

View today's reading on Bible Gateway

Cain and Abel

¹ Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” ² Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. ³ In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. ⁴ And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, ⁵ but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

⁶ Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

⁹ Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

¹⁰ The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. ¹¹ Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹²When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

¹³ Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. ¹⁴ Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

¹⁵ But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. ¹⁶So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

¹⁷ Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. ¹⁸ To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

¹⁹ Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. ²⁰ Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. ²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. ²² Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

²³ Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for injuring me.
²⁴ If Cain is avenged seven times,
then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

²⁵ Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” ²⁶ Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.

At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD.

Genesis 5

From Adam to Noah

¹ This is the written account of Adam’s family line.

When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. ² He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created.

³ When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. ⁴ After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. ⁵ Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.

⁶ When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. ⁷ After he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. ⁸ Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.

⁹ When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. ¹⁰ After he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹¹ Altogether, Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.

¹² When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. ¹³ After he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.

¹⁵ When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. ¹⁶ After he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁷Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.

¹⁸ When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. ¹⁹ After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰ Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.

²¹ When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. ²² After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. ²³ Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years.²⁴ Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

²⁵ When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. ²⁶ After he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters.²⁷ Altogether, Methuselah lived a total of 969 years, and then he died.

²⁸ When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. ²⁹ He named him Noah and said, “He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.” ³⁰ After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. ³¹ Altogether, Lamech lived a total of 777 years, and then he died.

³² After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Genesis 6

Wickedness in the World

¹ When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, ² the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. ³ Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

⁴ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

⁵ The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. ⁶ The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. ⁷ So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” ⁸But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

Noah and the Flood

⁹ This is the account of Noah and his family.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. ¹⁰ Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

¹¹ Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. ¹² God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. ¹³ So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. ¹⁴ So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. ¹⁵ This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. ¹⁶Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. ¹⁷ I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. ¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹ You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. ²⁰ Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. ²¹ You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

²² Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

---

Matthew 2

The Magi Visit the Messiah

¹ After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem ²and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

³ When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵ “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁶ “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

⁷ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

⁹ After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹ On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹² And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, ¹⁵ where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

¹⁶ When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. ¹⁷Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

¹⁸ “A voice is heard in Ramah,
weeping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”

The Return to Nazareth

¹⁹ After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt ²⁰ and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

²¹ So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. ²² But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, ²³ and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.

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Delilah

The Woman Who Betrayed Her Husband for Silver

Scripture References—Judges 16:4-21 (Read Proverbs 5)

Name Meaning —Delilah is a sweet-sounding name which any vain woman would covet, for it means “delicate” or “dainty one.” Because of the foul deed of which Delilah was guilty, no other female in Scripture appears with such a tarnished name. In fact, it is rare indeed to find a woman bearing this name.

Family Connections—The Bible gives us no knowledge of her parentage and background save that she came from the valley of Sorek which extended from near Jerusalem to the Mediterranean, and which entrance was beautiful with rare flowers perfuming the air with sweet odors.

The record of Delilah, the heartless wrecker of a mighty man, is given in eighteen verses; and the description of Samson’s betrayal, fall, bondage and death is one of the most graphic in the Bible. We cannot, of course, write of Delilah without mentioning Samson. What a contrast they present, and how symbolic they are of characters in the world today! Samson was physically strong but morally weak. Although able to rend a lion, he could not fight his lusts. He could break his bonds, but not his habits. He could conquer Philistines but not his passions. Delilah was a woman who used her personal charm to lure a man to his spiritual and physical destruction, and she stands out as one of the lowest, meanest women of the Bible—the female Judas of the Old Testament.

This Philistine courtesan was a woman of unholy persistence and devilish deceit, who had personal charm, mental ability, self-command, and nerve, but who used all her qualities for one purpose &--;money. She and womanly honor and love had never met, for behind her beautiful face was a heart as dark as hell, and full of viperous treachery. “Her supreme wickedness lay not in betraying Samson to his enemies but in causing him to break faith with his ideals.” Shakespeare might well have had Delilah in mind when he wrote—

O Nature! What hadst thou to do in Hell,

When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend

In mortal Paradise of such sweet flesh.

Deluding Samson into believing she really loved him, Delilah sold him to blindness, bondage and death. The ease with which she betrayed her husband revealed that she belonged to the enemies of God’s people, the people of whom Samson was the recognized leader at that time. The Philistines did not like Samson around because he was the champion of Israel and as such interfered with their practices. Therefore he must be got rid of, and in Delilah, the Philistine prostitute, the Philistines had one who was willing to be bribed to act as their agent. She had one purpose and that was to secure money, and had no qualms of conscience to trifle with love for the sake of wealth. Thus, as Kuyper expresses it, “All the while she kept a police force quartered in her rooms and awaited the moment in which she could surrender her lover into his enemies' hands.”

Samson became a traitor to himself because he could not resist a woman’s charm. First one woman and then another took advantage of this deep-seated weakness and basic sin of his, and Delilah was the most effective in destroying him. She remains as a warning to all men to beware of the charm and wiles of a wicked, scheming woman. As one unknown writer puts it—

The women of the Bible pass before the imagaination in the vision of antiquity, like pure and radiant stars, their frailties scarcely more than the wing of a transparent cloud upon these beautiful spheres. Delilah rises suddenly from darkness, as a glorious meteor, describes an arc of romantic and fatal light, and goes down in a horizon of awful gloom.

The lords of the Philistines offered an enormous sum as a bribe, namely, 1,100 pieces of silver. Jesus was sold by Judas for only 30 pieces of silver. Such a fortune was no small temptation to Delilah, and sharing her tempters' passion for revenge, she set about, in a subtle way, to earn the price of blood. She tried four times in her cunning, evil way to get Samson to reveal the secret of his supernatural power. The first three times Samson humorously lied in answering Delilah’s question by enumerating the green withs or twigs, the new ropes, and the weaving of the hair. Thrice deceived, Delilah the enchantress employed her final weapon—tears . Sobbing, she said, “How canst thou say I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? Thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.”

Samson was conquered. A weeping woman melted his heart, and he confessed the truth of his Nazarite vow, and how, if shorn of his long hair, his strength would depart and he would become like any other normal man. Recognizing that the truth had been told, Delilah lulled Samson to sleep. As he slept, the waiting Philistines destroyed the sign of the vow, and when Samson awoke, although he tried to exert his power as before, he found it had deserted him. The rest of the tragic story belongs to Samson. His foes gouged out his eyes, bound him in fetters and in Gaza, where his God-given strength was manifested, he was made to grind corn. The spiritual Hercules had been reduced to the very depth of degradation. Samson knew that his bitter servitude was the result of his sin and could confess—

Myself my sepulchre, a moving grave.

Prison within prison,

Inseparably dark!

Nothing of all these evils hath befall'n me

But justly; I myself have brought them,

Sole author I, sole cause. If aught seems vile,

As vile hath been my folly.

But out of the depths Samson cried unto the Lord, and, as we read, his hair began to grow. Forsaken by all, there was One near at hand, and the God of grace restored unto His sinning and now repentant servant, the power he had lost. Samson’s extremity became God’s opportunity. While Samson was in prison, in the palace, three thousand Philistines gathered to honor their god Dagon for victory over their feared enemy. As hearts beat high and warm, with banquet wine and dance, the cry goes up to have blind Samson brought in to be made the butt of their jests and ridicule. A lad brings the giant in and places him between the pillars of the heathen temple where all eyes could see him. The mockery of the drunken crowd begins. They ask for a riddle and Samson acted one they did not expect. With his arms around the pillars, and deeply penitent for his sins, he prayed, “O Lord, remember me and give me strength only this once.”

Then shaking himself as of old, he threw his arms around the pillars, the massive temple tottered and the 3,000 Philistines, including the treacherous Delilah perished. It was a victory that cost Samson his own life, and we find that he slew more at his death than he had in the heyday of his power.

There is no evidence for John Milton’s idea that Delilah was deeply repentant for her crime against Samson, and visited him in prison imploring his forgiveness, or of his stern reply—

Out! out! hyena, these are thy wonted arts,

And arts of every woman false like thee;

To break all faith, all vows, deceive, betray.

Then as repentant, to submit, beseech

And reconcilement move with feigned remorse.

In his drama, Samson Agonistes , Milton goes on to describe Delilah’s further efforts to secure forgiveness and at last throws herself upon her reserved resource and pleads her love of country and the grateful esteem in which she will be held by her posterity. But a woman like Delilah did not know how to repent; and as Judas went out and hanged himself, so it would seem as if Delilah, gloating over the price received for Samson’s betrayal, died a terrible death when buried beneath the frightful ruins of the temple her husband’s restored, divine strength had caused.

What are the lessons to be gathered from Samson and Delilah, whose record Hollywood could not resist turning into a sexy movie with box-office appeal? The question may be asked, How can we learn any lesson from such an unpleasant story? Why is this sordid record to the last degree in the Bible? The reading of the man under a vow to God and of great physical strength and mental agility choosing a woman of no morals may be deemed unfit for inclusion in Holy Writ. Yet all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and the writer of the Book of Judges was guided by the Spirit to set forth the details of the amorous life of Samson. Our answer is that the Bible would not be true to life and to its mission in the world if it did not hold up the mirror and reveal to us, in restrained language, workings of evil, and the boundless love and grace of God toward those whose lives are so bankrupt of virtues pleasing to Him. As the biography of humanity, the Bible is most up-to-date for us, as H. V. Morton reminds us—

The police courts are always telling the old story of Samson and Delilah. It comes up in a number of ingenious disguises, a theme capable of infinite variation, but the main motif throughout is that of a man who plunges deeper and deeper into his own lack of self-control until the moment arrives when, trapped and shorn of his strength he is blinded and branded.

This same writer goes on to say that Delilah vanished, as such women do, when her task was completed and she received a reward. Morton then relates a conversation he had with a criminal lawyer about the prosecution in a recent case when certain charges were brought against a man who ruined him. “It is simple,” said the lawyer. “A girl pretended to be in love with him and gave him away.”

“You mean his enemies bribed her?”

“Of course,” he said.

This incident, like the story of Delilah, needs no moralizing. The record is sufficient in itself. Delilah was not concerned about the weakness of Samson, but his strength. Once a man betrays his strength, he has no reserve, and courts disaster. A further lesson to be learned from the story before us is that true feminine charm and the appeal of love are gifts received from the Creator, and that when these fairest and most effective of gifts are misused or deliberately trifled with, divine retribution overtakes those who prostitute such gifts.

Another lesson to be gleaned from the ancient record before us is that of the folly of being unequally yoked. Samson married outside his own country, people and religion. Had Samson, hero of Israel, married an Israelitish maiden, the tragedy overtaking him would never have happened. But he took to wife a devotee of a heathen god which, for a judge of Israel, was against the divine decree, and he paid the fatal price of his action.

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Azariah [Ăzarī'ah]—jehovah is keeper or hath helped. The fact that there are almost thirty men bearing the name of Azariah is proof that it was a common name in Hebrew, especially in the family of Eleazar, whose name has a similar meaning, and is almost identical with Ezra, Zerahiah and Seraiah. See also Azariahu and Zacharias.

1. The son of Zadok and a descendant of David’s high priest ( 1 Kings 4:2).
2. The son of Nathan, ruler of Solomon’s officers (1 Kings 4:5).
3. The son of Amaziah, who was made king of Judah after his father (2 Kings 14:21; 15:1-27; 1 Chron. 3:12).
4. A man of Judah, of the family of Zerah and of the house of Ethan (1 Chron. 2:8).
5. The son of Jehu and grandson of Obed, a Judahite ( 1 Chron. 2:38, 39).
6. A son of Ahimaz and grandson of Zadok (1 Chron. 6:9).
7. A son of Johanan and grandson of No. 6 who served in Solomon’s time ( 1 Chron. 6:10, 11).
8. A son of Hilkiah, and father of Seraiah the high priest in Josiah’s reign (1 Chron. 6:13, 14; 9:11; Ezra 7:1).
9. A Levite of the family of Kohath and an ancestor of Samuel the prophet (1 Chron. 6:36).
10. A prophet, son of Obed, he encouraged Asa to persevere in his national religious revival ( 2 Chron. 15:1).
11. A son of king Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. 21:2).
12. Another son of the above (2 Chron. 21:2).
13. Son of Jehoram (2 Chron. 22:6).
14. The son of Jehoram and a captain who assisted in the overthrow of Athaliah and the elevation of Joash to the throne of Judah (2 Chron. 23:1).
15. The son of Obed who also assisted in the above task (2 Chron. 23:1).
16. The high priest who hindered Uzziah from burning incense on the altar ( 2 Chron. 26:17, 20).
17. The son of Johanan and a chief of the tribe of Ephraim (2 Chron. 28:12).
18. The father of Joel and a Kohathite (2 Chron. 29:12). He assisted in the purification of the Temple in Hezekiah’s time.
19. The son of Jehalelel, a Merarite who also assisted in Hezekiah’s revival (2 Chron. 29:12).
20. The chief priest of the house of Zadok in King Hezekiah’s time (2 Chron. 31:10, 13).
21. The son of Meraioth , and an ancestor of Ezra (Ezra 7:3).
22. The son of Maaseiah, of the family of Ananiah, who repaired a portion of the wall of Jerusalem (Neh. 3:23,24).
23. An Israelite who returned with Zerubbabel ( Neh. 7:7). Name also given as Seraiah.
24. One of the priests who explained the Law to the people as Ezra read it. Perhaps the same person as No. 22 (Neh. 8:7).
25. Another priest who sealed the covenant (Neh. 10:2).
26. A prince of Judah who joined in the procession with Nehemiah ( Neh. 12:33).
27. A son of Hoshaiah and an opponent of Jeremiah whom he charged with false prophecies (Jer. 43:2).
28. The Hebrew and original name of Abed-nego, who with Daniel and others was carried away captive to Babylon (Dan. 1:6, 7, 11, 19; 2:17).