My latest Kiva borrower is an embroiderer in Peru. The lender has a good track record. Hopefully they'll be able to keep up the good work.

The other loans are ticking along nicely. I've had a few repayments here and there.

The neighbour attached me a while ago asking when I was going to offer myself to Jesus. My answer was that I'm probably never going to do that. My views as a firm atheist were dismissed out of hand resulting in me stating that I thought her religious beliefs are absurd. The whole thing! Sometimes I think it is just a joke then I meet someone who believes these fairy tales. I'm still just shaking my head.

Never discouraged, I think my neighbour is now deermined to see me born again. It would be useful to have me lobotomised first. She has lent me Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins' Left Behind. So far the book has accused the Russians of wanting to nuke Israel with the help of Ethiopia. WTF!

Then they went on about currency mergers. What is this obsession with the one world currency? The US want economic control of the whole world. Success there would be apocalyptic. We would all end up drowning in American lard.

Finally the plot got moving interupted only by a breif journey down computing's memory lane. As the title suggests, this is the world post Rapture. There is much talk of the world failing immediately but I can't help but think that the world would be a happy, peaceful place with the sudden disappearance of 75% of Americans. The endangered cheese burger tree would definately benefit. :))

I'll keep you updated as the adventure continues.

Hot on the heels of this less than pleasant interaction we were in Brisbane's Queen Street Mall and there was a group of zealots singing truely aweful songs about their love of Jesus, ironically accompanied by a 1 metre high poster of Jesus' face mid-crucifiction. Why are these idiots allowed to jam this rubbish down our throats in public? Isn't it bad enough that they waste good land with churchs? How much presence do they want in society?

Anywho, when they sang "Jesus is coming" or some such I yelled in my extra loud voice "No he's not". They sang something else to which I called "You Suck!" Obviously it was not witty but it felt fantastic!

For the religious right who might want to comment, Get Fucked!

Now, amuse yourselves with a new t-shirt.

Justin Monjo! What an article! I think the worm (no, not that worm - the metaphorical worm) has turned. Imagine opinion pieces like this being published during the last election. It just would never have happened. This one is slipping away from the media. They are losing us.

Justin mentions Aldo Leopold's Thinking Like A Mountain. I'm not sure that this is the essay but it looks like the one mentioned. It talks about balance.

Bikes can be great workhorses. I would imagine you would get your money back quickly with fuel savings if you bought a trailer for your bike and left the car at home. With savings on trips to the gym you'd be in front in no time.

Mr Potato Head shows his acting range as a Storm Trooper

and a Transformer

Geothermal Electricity. See, this is why politicians don't understand geothermic production of electricity. Geodynamics are trying to save the world with the help of Australian Ethical Investments.

ManMadePants was understandably pleased to stumble across a fellow who'd taught lizards to recline on a nice little lounge.

Sick of Cheesy motivational posters? These posters tell it like it is.

:))

Kiva.

I've loaned to a husband and wife team this time. Look at the dude in this photo. What a go getter. Grinding mortars and pestles out of rocks. Then Mrs Peang Se takes them off to market. How could I not get behind them in their endeavours? I wonder if I could buy a mortar and pestle off them. They look great. Much heavier and more effective than the toys I've found here in Australia.



I would have liked to have lent to Ke Pich too but her loan was filled before I could get to it.

Jammie Thomas fought the law and the law won. But, it's a lot of money so I've chipped in a few bucks to help her out. USD220,000 isn't a fine, it's life destroying. What about her kids? A USD220,000 fine is really going to ruin Christmas. People shouldn't have their life destroyed over a 2 albums worth of songs. Two albums! What would that be worth, say, USD50? AUD60 or so? Unbelievable! Anyway, help Jammie if you can.

Scary Mary!
Showing once again that most of our fear is of the packaging. :)

Kiva again. Because Oz 7 Lotto has jackpotted again I'm going to buy a ticket. So, that means it's time to lend some more money on Kiva. This is a strange rule but at least thsi means that gambling is doing someone some good. The Kiva account is way ahead of the gambling account. I am 98% sure of getting all of my money back with Kiva. With Lotto the chances of getting any money back at negligible.

I've lent to this lady because she is building up her business to contribute to the long term viability of her family. I would imagine that her children would be grownups by now. I hope that Nazkhanim's good borrowing habits will teach her children how to borrow well in the future.

Rhoades Car

I always like a wierd pushbike. These bikes really push the boundries.

Some poor dude who can't show his face:

MARINA CAMILA MIJANGOS GARCIA

Jeremías López Cruz

These are my previous loans:
Teina Teuila