According to the BBC news website:

Sarah Boundy, from Southeastern, said earlier it was going to be a “pretty disruptive service throughout the day”.

Wow! That is refreshingly honest!

(Don’t tell me it’s because she doesn’t know the difference between “disruptive” and “disrupted”!)

[Tag with "snow"; "railways"; "freudian slip"]

Autumn Leaves (Belleville)

(I’m proud to say it, but that’s my boy!)

The new issue of Private Eye is out, with the usual incisive examination of the publishing world, published under “Literary Review” (pp. 26-27). There we find a curious bottom-of-the-column filler, “How bestsellers are made”:

Take one chunky Victorian thriller. Add a mysterious gent in long coat and top hat with his back turned to the reader. Add a generous drizzle of sepia. And voilà — three of this summer’s top-selling beach reads. Are their designers by any chance related?

A good point, well made, and with  interesting cultural and social implications. Almost as interesting and well-made when 3 Minute Theologian considered the same phenomenon in January 2009 under the title “Literature and Lone Wolf“.

As Private Eye usually asks: “I have just noticed the resemblance between … and wonder if by any chance they are related?”

This Sunday, 19 September, I have been invited to be preacher at the world-famous (!) Horseman’s Sunday service held at St John’s, Hyde Park. The service celebrates horse-riding in London, when horses of all shapes and sizes “gather on the forecourt of the church for a blessing, followed by a ride-past and a presentation of rosettes”. This year there will be a non-horse-riding clergyman, of all shapes and sizes, giving the address.

Who is the patron saint of horsemen, and how can I get him to pray for me with this late notice?

It’s amazing how many different and varied ways Christians have found to monetize their faith, flogging bits and pieces necessary to be a happy, fulfilled and righteous Christian to other unhappy, unfulfilled and slightly wealthier Christians. I am not talking about indulgences or saints’ relics here. I mean the bookshops, tatshops, “resource areas” that accompany any gathering of Christians larger than a single congregation. Conference invites speaker, speaker gives talk, conference points audience to bookshop, speaker flogs wares.

WHAT A GREAT IDEA!

This is where 3 Minute Theologian has been missing out.

So I am pleased to announce, with the co-operation of CafePress.com (that fine purveyor of design-your-own drinkware and wear-wares), the world’s first OFFICIAL Kill George Herbert merchandising opportunity solution.

Gasp! at the generously proportioned beverage mug!

Be amazed! at the sophisticate design and elegantly proportioned T-Shirt!

Er! That’s it! (for the moment)

Both T-Shirt and Mug are emblazoned with a WWGHD? graphic to display your allegiance to all things post-Herbertian.

• Imagine the insightful and advantageous conversations that will strike up with the Senior Staff at your next Clergy Conference when they see you declaring your thoughtful and frankly gorgeous allegiance to the Blessed George.
• Imagine the opportunities to tell the postman that no, he wasn’t just a hymn writer, as you come to the door in your pyjama bottoms and Tee!
• Think of the 200 clergy in your diocese and 300 clergy in your hotmail contacts list, each of whom deserve to be introduced to the wonders of WWGHD? Buy a mug and T-shirt for each!

Coming soon!

• WWGHD maniples!
• WWGHD embossed covers for Common Worship!
• WWGHD USB sticks!
• WWGHD rubber bracelets!
• More! More! More! Buy! Buy! Buy!

… will the same happen in the parish church?

And the prize for the most unexpected news item, goes to BBC News online for the stunning revelation that Jerusalem is quite old.

Ancient wall found in Jerusalem.

If you wanted a neat encapsulation of the way in which industrial advanced capitalism can corrupt everything it touches, then Mark Vernon has a nifty little vignette in his blog today. He reports on the new film, being shown in Cannes, about the (heavily fictionalised) life of Hypatia of Alexandria:

Fourth century, neoplatonist philosopher and martyr, Hypatia of Alexandria is the subject of a movie just premiered at Cannes called ‘Agora’.

Starring Rachel Weisz, who told reporters that she did not use a body double for the nude scenes, it promises philosophical content on the nature of the universe, as well as stonings and sword fights, as Hypatia struggles to save some ancient texts against the advance of the Christians.

Struggling against those vicious Christians is bad enough, but doing so whilst her clothes are falling off! Hasn’t the woman suffered enough!

It is wonderful to see how many people end up on this blog, presumably searching for this:

and finding this:

That’s “Watchman” (singular), not “Watchmen” (plural) folks!

Not so much Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? as Quis investigatiet ipsos custodes?

It has to be Pasadena…

My favourite American institute of higher education?

It has to be Caltech…

Why?

Because last night, following my appearance on Thinking Anglicans, someone with an IP address belonging to Caltech (yes, you know who you are, DHCP-64-192.gps.caltech.edu!), spent 2 hours 22 mins 25 secs working his/her/their way through the Kill George series on this blog.

Not even my mother has devoted 2 hours 22 mins 25 secs to my writing. Ever. In the whole of my life. Combined!

Thank you, whoever is behind DHCP-64-192.gps.caltech.edu (may I call you DHCP?). I appreciate your interest, and I hope you were sufficiently rewarded for your efforts