This morning I went outside to sit in the sunshine and have a morning cup of tea. The manager of my building complex was mowing the lawn and the smell of the freshly mown grass was in the morning air. Most of us know that smell so well and it triggers memories of childhoods and happy days.
Read more: I remember... when we jumped for joy at the smallest of things
When Ovalbek Turdakun opens his eyes on Easter morning, nothing will feel familiar. Six thousand miles away from the life they knew, he and his family will be celebrating the Resurrection in safety — a luxury that few survivors of the Xinjiang camps will ever know. Touching down on American soil late Friday night, Ovalbek, his wife, and 12-year-old son exhaled for the first time in four years — the horrors of China finally behind them. This Sunday, they’ll sit in church pews without fear, openly worshipping the God who delivered them to freedom.
Read more: Escape from Xinjiang: The First Christian Family Speaks out
As we trudge wearily and warily on through 2022, I wonder how much further we can trudge before we become bogged down in the mud of the swamp that has become our lives?
As we are rewarded for being good little peasants, so are we told that we are being naughty and, for our own good mind you, we must stay on the straight and narrow and forge on resolutely and trust in the wisdom of our leaders.
Yeah, right.
Read more: Heigh Heigh Ho Ho it's off to camp we go...Invalids or IN VALIDS?
If you’ve got a gut feeling that your rulers are working to control your perception of the war in Ukraine, it is safe to trust that feeling.
If you feel like there’s been a concerted effort from the most powerful government and media institutions in the western world to manipulate your understanding of what’s going on with this war, it’s because that’s exactly what has been happening.
If you can’t recall ever seeing such intense mass media spin about a war before, it’s because you haven’t.
Read more: If It Feels Like You’re Being Manipulated, It’s Because You Are
Many eons ago, in the olden. golden days, we had this thing called free speech. Alas, that Right has become a Privilege. Now, I will hasten to add that free speech is not about freedom to abuse or freedom to ridicule.
It is freedom to debate, discuss and investigate freely.
Since I started this modest blog a few years ago ( before the world went mad ) I have noticed that the freedom to speak is restricted to those who are of the squeaky wheel variety. The vocal minority get all of the traction and action and we 90% get sweet bugger all.
Dr Benny Peiser, who heads the London based Global Warming Policy Foundation (https://www.thegwpf.org/), is visiting Australia and speaking at three major events in Sydney 26 April, Brisbane 27 April and Melbourne 28 April.
With Lord Lawson, Benny Peiser launched the GWPF in 2009 in the run-up to the Copenhagen Climate Summit. It provides a platform for educational research and informed debate on measures to cut greenhouse emissions in an attempt to limit man-made climate change.
Read more: Visit to Australia by Dr Benny Peiser, a British Energy and Climate Expert.
The drama playing out in Pakistan is interesting, to say the least. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has been ousted from power after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership. However, what makes this interesting is that he has previously said he would not recognize an opposition government. Khan has accused that there has been a US-led conspiracy to overthrow him because of his refusal to stand with Washington on issues against Russia and China.
To all you living out there around the world, here is something to enjoy with your little ones.
In these sad times, it is so important to keep the children's dreams alive.
As someone who speaks with Fairies, I can assure you that the Tooth Fairy is still working, as is the Easter Bunny. Magic happens everywhere and goodness, wonder and delight can be found alive and well throughout the world. All we need do is look to our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, for the joy in the simplicity of delight to be found in such timeless heroes.
All this talk of global food shortages, rising heating bills, war and health problems has made me cast my mind back to people who fought and were prepared to die for us in years gone by.
Men and women who sacrficed with a shrug of the shoulders and a salute to the flag and headed off to FIGHT for freedom.
As Easter and ANZAC Day approach, I wonder how many today realise that how we live as a child will be where we come home to when we pass?
Read more: Childhood is where we enter and where we return to... the circle of life
I was recently invited to speak to a student group about alcohol prohibition. During the course of my talk, I shared with them perhaps the most chilling historical account of America’s failed experiment to ban the sale of alcohol.
The Prohibition Era (1920 -1933), which began with the passage of the Volstead Act, had many problems. Virtually overnight, millions of Americans became criminals for the “crime” of having a drink. Instead of people trading money for a jug of beer or a bottle of gin, they had to make their own or turn to the black market. It resulted in a surge of organized crime and the rise of many of the most notorious gangsters in history, including Al Capone, Dutch Schultz, and Charles “Lucky” Luciano.
Over the centuries, we have learned so much about the strength of the human spirit. That incredible ability to triumph over adversity, whether it be physical, emotional or mental agony... or all three at once.
As Easter is uppermost in our thoughts, so too is the concept of war. That conflict that drives us to delve deep and draw upon reserves that we often did not know we had.
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