The World’s Greatest Blog

Synod Decides Whether to Allow Women Bishops

Oh. Please. I can’t believe that this is even an issue. Can women do the job? Yes. Does God mind women? There isn’t a reason why he should - unless he’s still got hangups about that apple thing.

What need does the Almighty have for a gender anyway? Is he/she going to meet another single God? I thought one of the main tenets of the Christian faith was that there is only one God (as say the Jews and Muslims of this world). So God definitely doesn’t need the apparatus of a male. Something more like those self-reproducing lizards would be appropriate. Even then, does an eternal being need to procreate? Why can’t it just exist?

According to the BBC’s correspondent on the issue traditionalists believe that because the 12 disciples and all of their successors were men, women shouldn’t be Bishops.

I have two problems with that argument: Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Cost of Living versus Quality of Living - Escape the Credit Crunch Abroad

Looking for the cheapest places to live? Assuming that you still earn a normal UK wage, you will want to compare Cost of Living Surveys and Quality of Living Surveys. Mercer, the Economist and some large governmental organisations compile these. We have picked out some titbits of relevant information and put all of the useful links at the bottom for you to make your own mind up:

Western European countries are the most expensive as one would expect.

Canada and New Zealand have no major cities in the top 50 rankings for cost of living. Australia has only Sydney which leaves the other state capitals open for those wishing to maintain a healthy bank balance.

Incidentally, Vancouver and Auckland have also ranked 4 and 5 respectively in the Mercer quality of living survey - just behind far more expensive places. Canada and New Zealand are the cheapest countries in the top 5 ranking for personal safety and quality of life. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Hypocrisy in World Politics

Politicians have their reasons for turning a blind eye in some cases an screaming blue murder at others. But as this blog acts as a soapbox, I am going to list some anomalies in reporting and political emphasis in Britain:

• Zimbabwe does not have free and fair elections
• Bahrain has had two elections in 33 years and the King’s appointed upper chamber holds more power than the elected lower chamber.
• Saudi Arabia operates a system of absolute monarch, albeit with a system of consultation of high ranking clergy, royals and “ministers”. Saudi Arabia does not have any national elections or plans to hold them. It held some local elections in 2005 but only men could vote and they were only voting for half of the positions - the rest were appointed by royals.

Who is worse on the scale of infringing people’s political freedom? Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

b-b-b-bingo!

Introducing b-b-b-bingo! The new domain from 24 Hour Trading which will show all you budding online bingo enthusiasts where to play & where to pick up the latest and greatest bingo bonuses.

The online bingo world is changing fast - keep up with it; find the latest info; get some free bingo bonuses.

Just yell out b-b-b-bingo!

Share This

Silly Season Begins 22 July 2008

Parliamentary summer recess usually means one thing: rubbish news. Sport sometimes fills the gaps but politics around the world is wholeheartedly ignored whilst the summer sun distracts Fleet Street from hardcore hacking. Picnics, Chelsea Flower Show, Henley Royal Regatta and the like steal the eye of analysis from hot topics such as Zimbabwe and the new government of Nepal. Instead, on 22 July, the lack of British political debate takes all of the steam out of reporting.

So, in true silly season style, we are going to speculate on what the bookies say. Yvette Cooper, the MP for Castleford and Pontefract is 16-1 to be next leader of the Labour party according to Paddy Power. Her husband, Ed Balls, is 6-1. My father’s family mostly live in Yvette’s constituency and it was with interest that I read her advert for an assistant. Castleford and Pontefract is an extremely safe seat for a Labour MP - being as it is, an ex-mining area. The next most likely contender would be a BNP candidate.

Another contender for the Labour leadership is Hilary Benn. I shadowed Hilary one day in 2006 in his capacity as Minister for International Development. I was impressed by his ambition and familiarity with Jack Straw. He was certainly a party man, unlike Harold Best - a stolid backbencher, who accompanied my politics class around Westminster before his sad passing away a few years later. Harold was more interested in the historic fight for justice - showing us the plaques to suffragettes and the marks left on Thatcher’s statue by protesters.

If you fancy forgetting about the debate and having a flutter on the leadership hopefuls, go to Paddy Power politics. Otherwise, we will keep you fully up to date with the all-essential holiday plans of the cabinet! Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Horses for Sale

We were keeping up with our Aussie showjumping friends at alliedequine.com when we noticed a sale closer to home. A “strong colt” has become available in the North Yorkshire area for a “negotiable” price. Enquiries to ADMIN at ALLIEDEQUINE dot com (convert this into the usual e-mail format, we are just trying to avoid spam). More details here. Look at this lovely specimen:

Share This

Moorhen Joins the Judges at Henley Royal Regatta

The Olympics must have claimed all the good judges for Henley Royal Regatta since the management have been forced to make way for a moorhen in the judges box. Steward, Di Ellis, insists that the bird does not have the correct access badge and so is not actually part of the judiciary’s proceedings in this ancient and regal event. Rather, she insists that the moorhen is protecting her chicks, who are nesting in the judges box. However, The World’s Greatest Blog suspects that the Stewards were a bit short of qualified spectators this year.

Share This

Megavent Stop Snoring

Watching This Morning on ITV has never been something I’ve had much time for, but imagine my surprise when today I discovered something through the shockwaves made by that very program that can stop people from snoring, for just £12.99 - that something goes by the name of Megavent Stop Snoring, and was endorsed by the Dr Chris Steele (who is the Doc on the show for those of you who don’t know).

When we heard of this product, we just knew we had to track down its online location, and bring it to the masses, so we added Megavent Stop Snoring to our Shop Online 4 site - and found the best place to buy the stuff too!

• Click here to view the Shop Online 4 Megavent Stop Snoring page.

If this product truly works, it will save many a bed fellow a sleepless night. Though of course, I don’t snore… well, I’ve never heard myself…

Share This

Happy Solstice!

Happy Solstice to all the Sun-loving hippies out there. Best wishes to all the 30,000 people who gathered around a drizzly Stonehenge for the Litha festival. The British summer solstice this year was on 20th June at 23:59. The Stonehenge stones are aligned with the rising Sun of the morning of the solstice. This marks the longest day and the shortest night in the British year. Unfortunately, the days will now get shorter, though perhaps a little warmer.

Share This

Royal Ascot Tips for Today

Great news for all you Sturday horse racing fans - you can find free Royal Ascot tips for today’s racing (21st June 2008) over at systemlays. Simply click the link below:

• Free Royal Ascot Saturday Tips

Its great when you can get something for nothing - after yesterday’s 1st and 2nd in the first race at Royal Ascot, you probably won’t want to miss today’s last day of Royal Ascot tips.

Share This