Daniel-Rops, Henri, and R W Millar (translator), Jesus in His Time, Eyre & Spottiswoode 1955 Jacket: 'It has all the vivid but well-founded imagination of a great novel. It is garnished with an intimate knowledge of the sacred sites. . . .. An extraordinarily rich portrait of Jesus, which sets Him against the background of His own time and place and makes Him a living personality . . . ' 
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Fortun, Mike, and Herbert J Bernstein, Muddling Through: Pursuing Science and Truths in the Twenty-First Century, Counterpoint 1998 Amazon editorial review: 'Does science discover truths or create them? Does dioxin cause cancer or not? Is corporate-sponsored research valid or not? Although these questions reflect the way we're used to thinking, maybe they're not the best way to approach science and its place in our culture. Physicist Herbert J. Bernstein and science historian Mike Fortun, both of the Institute for Science and Interdisciplinary Studies (ISIS), suggest a third way of seeing, beyond taking one side or another, in Muddling Through: Pursuing Science and Truths in the 21st Century. While they deal with weighty issues and encourage us to completely rethink our beliefs about science and truth, they do so with such grace and humor that we follow with ease discussions of toxic-waste disposal, the Human Genome Project, and retooling our language to better fit the way science is actually done.' 
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Mehra, Jagdish, The Beat of a Different Drum: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman, Oxford University Press 1994 Amazon Customer Review: By David Keirsey 'There are two type of reviews of this book. Those who were interested in the man from a personal, non science perspective and those who know science, are interested and can read and understand Feynman's scientific work. Those who interested in the more entertaining books on Feynman, e.g., Gleick, and some of Feynman's own books should tread on this book lightly for it includes mathematical and scientific analysis you cannot get from the other books. On the other hand, Jagdish Medra does an excellent job in reciting some of the personal stuff between him and his father, which were crucial in forming both Feynman's personal and scientific personality. This is the only book you will get that. Mehra did not include some of the more interesting andecotes that are in Feynman's books, so it is not a complete biography despite its length and breath. If you are interested in some of Feynman's reasons for his ideas and the context of those ideas, then you must read this book. If you are not interested, for example, in Maupertuis, Lagrange, Hamilton ideas on minimum action -- you might have to skip large parts of the book because Mehra recounts Feynman's ideas in detail (including all his equations). . . . ' 
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Popper, Karl Raimund, Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge, Routledge and Kegan Paul 1972 Preface: 'The way in which knowledge progresses, and expecially our scientific knowledge, is by unjustified (and unjustifiable) anticipations, by guesses, by tentative solutions to our problems, by conjectures. These conjectures are controlled by criticism; that is, by attempted refutations, which include severely critical tests.' [p viii]  
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Amy Maguire, High Court asked to declare Manus detention illegan as 859 detainees seek their day in court , 'The detainees request relief via the ancient writ of habeas corpus. They want to be brought before the High Court so its judges can determine whether their detention is legal. The detainees hope the court will then issue a writ of mandamus. This would order the government to bring them to Australia to process their refugee claims. Finally, the detainees seek a writ of prohibition, to prevent their transfer to any other place until the case has been decided and their claims assessed.' back

Benny Gilay, Finding a dignified resolution for West Papua, 'Ever since West Papua was transferred into the hands of Indonesia in the early 1960s from being a remote outpost of the Dutch, it has become the land of “mourning and grief”. Gross human rights violations have been taking place in West Papua since Indonesia, backed by the United Nations, annexed the western half of the island of New Guinea in 1963. In 1969, Indonesia gained complete rule of West Papua via a sham referendum.' back

Bryce Kelly, River on fire: even if its not coal seam gas we should still be concerned, 'Astonishing footage of a river in Queensland on fire has once again stoked the coal seam gas (CSG) debate. The video shows NSW Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham setting fire to methane seeping from the Condamine River. CSIRO researchers, who have been researching the Condamine since 2012, have stated that the gas seep is unlikely to be due to CSG production.' back

Code of Canon Law 333, The Roman Pontiff, ' Can. 333 §1. By virtue of his office, the Roman Pontiff not only possesses power over the universal Church but also obtains the primacy of ordinary power over all particular churches and groups of them. Moreover, this primacy strengthens and protects the proper, ordinary, and immediate power which bishops possess in the particular churches entrusted to their care. §2. In fulfilling the office of supreme pastor of the Church, the Roman Pontiff is always joined in communion with the other bishops and with the universal Church. He nevertheless has the right, according to the needs of the Church, to determine the manner, whether personal or collegial, of exercising this office. §3. No appeal or recourse is permitted against a sentence or decree of the Roman Pontiff.' back

Council of Jerusalem - Wikiedia, Council of Jerusalem - Wikiedia, the free encyclopedia, 'The Council of Jerusalem was held in Jerusalem around 50 AD. It is unique among the ancient pre-ecumenical councils in that it is considered by Catholics and Orthodox to be a prototype and forerunner of the later ecumenical councils and a key part of Christian ethics. The council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the Law of Moses, including the rules concerning circumcision of males. . . . ' back

Dalai Lama, Paul Ekman, Atlas of emotions, 'This atlas was inspired by a series of conversations between the Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman about the science of emotions. With the help of Stamen Design and Paul’s daughter, Dr. Eve Ekman, this tool was created to be a visual journey through the world of emotions.' back

Daniel Lewis and Christopher Mele, Daniel J. Berrigan, Defiant Priest Wo Preached Pacifism, Dies at 94, 'The Rev. Daniel J. Berrigan, a Jesuit priest and poet whose defiant protests helped shape the tactics of opposition to the Vietnam War and landed him in prison, died on Saturday in New York City. He was 94. . . . The United States was tearing itself apart over civil rights and the war in Southeast Asia when Father Berrigan emerged in the 1960s as an intellectual star of the Roman Catholic “new left,” articulating a view that racism and poverty, militarism and capitalist greed were interconnected pieces of the same big problem: an unjust society.' back

Daniel-Rops - Wikipedia, Daniel-Rops - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, back

David Hamer, Priest convicted of sexually abusing children, now for questions about the cover-up, 'Former priest John Farrell was sentenced on Monday to a minimum of 18 years’ jail for dozens of sexual offences committed against 12 children, many of them altar boys, in the 1970s and 1980s. Police may now shift their focus to whether senior clergymen can be prosecuted for an alleged cover-up that may have delayed the investigation and prosecution of Farrell by 20 years or more.' back

Emma Partridge, Ex-Catholic priest John Joseph Farrell jailed for 29 years for child sex assaults, 'Victims stood and clapped as one of the most notorious paedophile priests in NSW was sentenced to 29 years' jail after committing 62 acts of child sex abuse in regional NSW. Former Catholic priest John Joseph Farrell, 62, sexually abused nine young altar boys and three girls between 1979 and 1988 in Moree, Armidale and Tamworth.' back

Genesis 17:10-14, This is my covenant with you . . . , 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” back

Genesis 2:9, Trees of life and knowledge, 'And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.' back

John Gehring, Two Steps Back: The USCCB & the Outster of an Editor, 'Tony Spence, editor-in-chief of Catholic News Service (CNS) for more than a decade, abruptly resigned last month at the request of an official at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The reason? Spence had posted tweets about legislation to protect religious liberty passed in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Tennessee, which would deny legal protections to LGBT people. “Stupid evidently contagious,” Spence wrote in one tweet that linked to a Reuters article about a Tennessee law allowing mental health counselors to refuse treatment to patients on religious grounds.' back

Jonah Bromwich, We Know You Hate 'Moist'. What Other Words Repel You, 'Certain everyday words drive some people crazy, a phenomenon experts call “word aversion.” But one word appears to rise above all others: “moist.” For that reason, a recent paper in the journal PLOS One used the word as a stand-in to explore why people find some terms repellent. “It doesn’t really fit into a lot of existing categories for how people think about the psychology of language,” the study’s author, Paul Thibodeau, a professor of psychology at Oberlin College, said of moist. “It’s not a taboo word, it’s not profanity, but it elicits this very visceral disgust reaction.” ' back

Kamel Daoud, Black in Algeria: You'd Better Be Muslim, 'Many black migrants, including those who are not Muslim, are deploying symbols of Islam to appeal to Algerians’ sense of charity. Why? Because poverty helps decode culture better than reflection does, and migrants, lacking shelter and food, are quick to realize that in Algeria there often is no empathy between human beings, only empathy between people of the same religion.' back

Kevin Randall, Inner Peace? The Dalai Lama Made a Website for That, 'ROCHESTER, Minn. — The Dalai Lama, who tirelessly preaches inner peace while chiding people for their selfish, materialistic ways, has commissioned scientists for a lofty mission: to help turn secular audiences into more self-aware, compassionate humans. That is, of course, no easy task. So the Dalai Lama ordered up something with a grand name to go with his grand ambitions: a comprehensive Atlas of Emotions to help the more than seven billion people on the planet navigate the morass of their feelings in order to attain peace and happiness.' back

Lenore Taylor, Bill Shorten memoir sets out Labout leader's manifesto in book similar to Battlelines, 'Published Monday as an ebook and next week as a paperback, For The Common Good: Reflections on Australia’s Future, is similar in intent to Tony Abbott’s Battlelines, combining childhood memories and personal reflections with a broad brush description of Shorten’s positioning across the policy spectrum and views about the task of leadership itself.' back

Luke: Acts 11, The Acts of the Apostles 11, '11 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him, 3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them. back

Maria L La Ganga and Dan Hernandez, 'You're a sinner': how a Mormon university shames rape victims, ' “If I hadn’t reported my rape,” she said, “none of this would be happening to me. The very thing I was supposed to do, the right thing, led me to getting kicked out of school. The way that BYU has treated me has been so callous that it’s been almost as bad as the rape itself.” ' back

Mark Landler, For Hilary Clinton and John Kerry, Divergent Paths to Iran Nuclear Talks, 'WASHINGTON — Early in 2011, after a hectic visit to Yemen, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed in the tranquil Arab sultanate of Oman. She was there to talk to Sultan Qaboos bin Said about an idea one of his envoys first pitched to the State Department in the spring of 2009: that Oman serve as a conduit for secret nuclear talks between the United States and Iran.' back

Miley Cyrus, Adore You, 'From the album “Bangerz”.' back

Mona Eltahawy, Sex Talk for Muslim Women, My revolution has been to develop from a 29-year-old virgin to the 49-year-old woman who now declares, on any platform I get: It is I who own my body. Not the state, the mosque, the street or my family. And it is my right to have sex whenever, and with whomever, I choose.' Mona Eltahawy is the author of “Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution,” and a contributing opinion writer. back

Nic Cohen, I saw the darkness of antisemitism but I never thought it would get this dark, 'The Labour party does not have a “problem with antisemitism” it can isolate and treat, like a patient asking a doctor for a course of antibiotics. The party and much of the wider liberal-left have a chronic condition.' back

Republican Party (United States) - Wikipedia, Republcan Party (United States) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 'The Republican Party, commonly referred to as the GOP (abbreviation for Grand Old Party), is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, the other being its historic rival, the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery activists, modernists, ex-Whigs, and ex-Free Soilers in 1854, the Republicans dominated politics nationally and in the majority of northern States for most of the period between 1860 and 1932.' back

Richard Ackland, We have an Orwellian 'shadow government' and your liberty is at risk., 'Washington insider Mike Lofgren earlier this year published a book called The Deep State - the Fall of the Constitution and the Rise of a Shadow Government. Elected governments and politicians come and go, but what persists is a “deep state”, a loose association of special interests that invariably dictate the terms of government: the security services, the military, the banks and financial institutions, the top listed corporations and, in some countries, organised crime. This “shadow government” operates without the consent of the governed. In the Australian states and territories you would have to include the police services as part of the deep state.' back

Robert Mickens, Letter from Rome: The Francis Era in Review, 'Several days ago one of the most prominent Catholic laypersons in Europe told me that a cardinal working at the Vatican recently confided that eighty-five percent of the people in the Roman Curia are opposed to the pope. That figure was not surprising. The fact that a cardinal cited it was. The opposition is on many fronts and to different aspects of this pontificate.' back

Ross Gittins, Federal Budget 2016: What not to believe on the night, 'As part of the crying poor, when state politicians hit the feds for more money, federal ministers reply that they can't help because, though the states are running surpluses, the Commonwealth is still in deficit. Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas last week unveiled a large surplus. Don't believe it. When the states say they're in surplus, they're referring to their "operating" balance, which is their revenue less their recurrent spending. When the feds say they're in deficit, they're subtracting from revenue not just their recurrent spending, but also their infrastructure spending.' back

Saul Estlake, Essay: a sober, responsible budget, but ngative gearing a blind spot, 'But the government is unnecessarily, and perhaps dangerously, blinded by its allegiances to its belief in the inherent nobility of small businesses, and to the property industry. Both have prevented it from delivering a better budget.' back

Simon Albert, Alistair Grinham, Badin Gibbes, Janvier Leon and John Church, Sealevel rise has claimed five whole islands on the Pacific: first scientific evidence, 'Recently at least five reef islands in the remote Solomon Islands have been lost completely to sea-level rise and coastal erosion, and a further six islands have been severely eroded. These islands lost to the sea range in size from one to five hectares. They supported dense tropical vegetation that was at least 300 years old. Nuatambu Island, home to 25 families, has lost more than half of its habitable area, with 11 houses washed into the sea since 2011.' back

Stephen Charles, Our detention centres are concentrtion camps and must be closed, 'Australia's policy towards asylum seekers is one of deliberate and calculated barbaric cruelty. It is clearly designed to make the situation of asylum seekers intolerable, to dehumanise them, and to force them to return to their original countries; for example, Hazaras from Afghanistan must return to a country increasingly dominated by the Taliban, which have waged genocide against them; and those who have fled Iran must return to the waiting arms of the Revolutionary Guards and Tehran's appalling Evin prison, one of the most frightful hell-holes in the world. Iran last year executed more than 1000 prisoners.' Stephen Charles, QC, is a former judge of the Court of Appeal.' back