Crash!

If you are wondering whether I have taken up car body modification as a new hobby, then let me assure you, I haven't! This is my car after it had a tete a tete with another vehicle at 30 miles an hour!



So what happened? Without getting into to too much detail, I was coming home from the train station after picking my sister up and turned down the 'new road' (Millenium Way). As I was driving down (about 100 yards from the junction) a car attempted to turn into Tescos, cutting across the road, right in front of me. Needless to say, I dunged myself! Next thing I know, I'm slamming hard on the breaks and into the front of the oncoming car. It was kinda funny and scary-my glasses flew off my head, so I was practically blind, and I got out of the car, still blind. My sister was in the car too and had to be taken away in an ambulance, where she then went on to be a guest of Craigavon Area Hospital (good food, good beds!!!). I followed her out later on that night and managed to see a doctor after about two and a half hours. I was knackered when I finally got home!


One thing struck me about the whole thing though; I normally don't use that road when coming back from the train station, but for some reason I did use it last night. And I wasn't even going to pick me sister up, as i was supposed to be at Gail's house and was very close to telling my sister to get a taxi. But being a good Christian I decided to go pick her up. And she was supposed to walk home that night, but decided not to as it looked like rain. All these chance occurances make me wonder whether it was fate! Too many things clicked into place and I was definately in the wrong place at the wrong time...Or was I?

You see, whilst I was out at Craigavon, a patient came in, who was not in a good way. I don't know who it was, or what exactly happened, but it had sounded like a suicide attempt, and all I could hear was him crying and saying why was he still alive. That sound of hopelessness and despair prompted me to pray for that man. Will it do any good? I dunno, but at least last night, someone was in the same room as that desperately hopeless person praying for them. So maybe I was supposed to crash, maybe I wasn't...However, it is a good lesson in how God can always use a situation for good, regardless of what that situation may be.

P.S. Please pray for me and my sis-they kept her in overnight, with concerns for her neck, and I am feeling very sore, especially down my left side. I am going to Summer Madness with a group for 9 days this weekend, and Im not savouring the prospect of camping. So your prayers are very much appreciated.

So from a battered and bruised, but nonetheless happy, Molar; Peace

Bartlett for America!

The West Wing: possibly one of the greatest shows on earth! This is how government should look like-it ain't perfect, but boy, do you wish that Jed Barlett (Martin Sheen-who is, I hear studying at NUI Galway) was the real life president of the USA. Anyway, I have blasted through the final two seasons of the show (seasons 6 and 7), and I have finally finished them. Part of me wishes that they could continue with a new presidential storyline, but hey, all good things come to an end (also the title of the last Star Trek: The Next Generation episode!). It is sad when things end, but inevitably all things have an ending (except of course God). I am really resisting the temptation to go off on a really deep discourse about things ending and look at some of the theological implications of death; however, I wont! Especially since Leanne wants a short blog (so here it is Ladders!).

Anyway, just let me finish by saying; go out and buy the West Wing. Borrow, beg or steal if you can't afford to buy. It is a great show, with fast paced, witty dialogue, and it will make you wish we all had leaders like Jed Bartlett!!

A language of hypocrisy

Let me start this post by saying categorically 'I do NOT like or watch Big Brother as an avid fan'. However, that being said, I like many heard the news this afternoon whilst out driving that one contestant had been thrown out of the house. Somehow I found myself in front of the TV tonight (probably more to do with my lovely girlfriend than anything else) and saw the incident which resulted in the expulsion of Emily (said housemate).

For those who didn't see Big Brother (or didn't lower themselves to watch it!), said incident involved housemate Emily referring to another housemate (who is of Afican descent) as a n****r (clearly I do not wanna print the word because of fear of offending anyone, or having the PC Brigade crashing through my door!). I have to say, on first reaction I really did feel that Emily (who is white) meant no offence in the word she said, and was just a little bit silly. On further reflection, I still believe that it was a stupid comment and hope the poor girl doesn't get villified by the media or the public. However, I do believe that she has been made a scapegoat on the altar of hypocrisy! Let me explain...

Big Brother did not have to show the offensive comment. They could have dealt with it in a private manner, giving Emily a private slap on the wrist! Clearly, she meant no offense to Charlie, and unless Charlie wanted to pursue further action, it could have been resolved fairly amicably, and quietly! Now let me emphasise, I am not condoning racism in any way, but I do believe that in this case, Channel 4 used this incident for their own interest. It does add a fair bit of drama that someone had been thrown out of the house, and like myself, I am sure that many others switched on to see what it was all about. Part of their reason for throwing her out was that she made a comment that could offend viewers, but we the viewer did not have to see the incident if it wasn't for Channel 4 airing it.

However, my point doesn't just end there. This move is utter hypocrisy because culture is saturated with racism, bigotry and sexism, yet very liitle is done to stop it. Rap music is the perfect example; the N-word is used so much in rap music, that it is hard to tell when the insults end and the words begin. And rap music is one of the biggest selling art forms around at the moment. We make racist comments into a multi-million dollar industry. Also, Hip Hop's attitude to women is often times deplorable; they are almost treated as second class citizens! Surely this is hypocrisy in its ultimate-we will listen to, and purchase music that clearly is racist and derogatory, yet when a silly little girl makes a stupid comment, she is thrown off some stupid game that has no relevance for most of us who have half a brain (I am being a bigot towards people who like Big Brother!LOL).

I think this is truly sad. Clearly Big Brother's history of racism (Shilpa Shetty and Jade Goody) shows that action was needed. But I feel in showing this incident (which I would add, was nowhere near the seriousness of the last Celebrity BB) the only people who have gained is Big Brother themselves. However, maybe there is an opportunity here to discuss racism in all its forms, be it minor comments that we make, to clear racial hatred. It would be a shame if this discussion just stopped at a young girl in a gameshow. We need to really look at the almost institutionalisation of racism through such forms as Hip Hop. We cannot let one section of society get away with this, because rappers (as role models) then send out the message that it is ok to use such language, when in reality, many are offended by it!

Anyway, I really hope this is my first and last Big Brother related topic. I just felt that I needed to discuss this issue, becasue it just smacked of hypocrisy. Again, I emphasise at the end that I do not, repeat DO NOT, support racism in any form, and understand that words are powerful and we need to be careful in how we use them, as they can cause hurt and offense. So I invite comments, but ask you to be sensitive in what and how you say things.

Peace