World Rally Chamionship

Can anyone tell me what the point of the World Rally Championship is these days? I have to confess that I've never been the most ardent follower of the sport, but, working with close links to motor-sport manufacturers, I have an awareness of who's out there and doing what and, like everyone else, raised an eyebrow at the withdrawal of Subaru from the WRC back in December, just after Suzuki had done likewise (though without so many people caring!).

It looks to me like it's about as competitive as Scottish football! Oooh, how exciting, Rangers or Celtic might win the title this year - just like last year and every year for as long as anyone can remember! Likewise, with only Citroen and Ford in the WRC, isn't there a disappointing inevitability about it all?

As recently as 2005 there were six manufacturers involved: Citroen, Peugeot, Ford, Subaru, Mitsubishi and Skoda. At least that made for some genuine competition.

I only got to thinking about this because there was a link to the Cyprus Rally on the BBC Sport frontpage just now.

Baptism and De-Baptism

I'm not going to venture to engage in a full-scale discussion of the pro's and cons of infant baptism here. On this occasion, I would suggest that secularists are raising a very useful and important queston/point, reported by the BBC today. Anyone having a child baptised/christened must surely ask or be asked: what, actually, is believed to be happening in such an act and what is its lasting/long-term value?

For what it's worth - and I should warn readers not to read too much of a conclusion as to my own position on infant baptism into this - niether Lydia or Elijah were baptised/christened. However, we have talked about it with them many times and recently, with the possibility that they may soon decide they want to be baptised.

The Pacific Adventurer

I find it absolutely incredile that Swire Shipping thought they could play down the extent of the damage caused by Thursday's events. Their cargo ship, The Pacific Adventurer, dropped 31 containers of ammonium nitrate into the Pacific ocean just off the coast of eastern Australia when caught in high seas, puncturing a hole in the ship's hull in doing so. Their first official statement on this dared to suggest that a mere 42.5 tonnes of oil had leaked into the sea. They followed this on Friday with a corrective statement saying that it could be a bit more. It's actually a lot more!

The environmental damage caused by these events will undoubtedly be colossal. There are thousands of square miles of coral reef, home to multitudes of wonderful sealife, in that same area off the eastern coast of Australia. The BBC news film showing people on the beaches shovelling oil into bags seemed so forlorn; with every shovel-full that is bagged, another 10 or more must wash ashore with each wave.

Of course, the moral question in all this is one of responsibility. Swire Shipping have been quick to acknowledge their responsibility and to state that they and their insurers will meet every cost required of them. And rightly so, one feels. However, that this happened in the ocean in such a way as to effect so much sealife surely makes it no more serious or awful than a road accident or a plane crash. Isn't the far greater question raised here one of our wider responsibility for the Earth (God's giving of it to us to be cared for and enjoyed, as I would state things from my Christian standpoint)? Worryingly, if one pauses to think for a moment, there must be so many hundreds, even thousands more such ships on the seas even now carrying cargoes of equally toxic and potentially damaging oil and chemicals.

A Happy Birthday Weekend

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have equalled lots of fun and a great birthday weekend. In case you missed it, I was 31 yesterday and Lydia turned 7 today. For those of you who appreciate rather more sedate celebrations, my Dad turns 63 tomorrow (and will doubtless comment to me when we speak on the phone about my publishing his age here; not that I can see that it matters, after all, you'd expect someone's dad to be somewhere around 30 years or so older than them.)

Birthday Presents

A sweetie jar replete with home-made coconut squares, a bag each of Lions Sports Mixtures and Lions Midget Gems and these.

A great read supported by a superb backing track and a happy tummy as well. Bliss!

The Daily Office

Contrary to what many people think or assume of Christians who identify in the low-church tradition, there's far more engagement with liturgy and formal patterns than we're given credit for.

For my part, Morning and Evening Prayer are a really helpful beginning and end to my working day, following the liturgy online using my Blackberry whilst on the bus for around an hour morning and evening.

I note this because I found today's Morning Prayer particularly helpful. The Psalm and short prayer following it spoke right into how I was feeling, picking me up and moving me in acknowledgement of God.

My Party

was last Friday evening for those of you who were wondering or even thinking of dropping me a line to invite yourselves along. Sorry if you missed it and had been planing to come.

We had a really good evening. Nothing big or fancy, just sharing a few drinks and enjoying each other's company. I was pleased that people, whilst acknowledging that my up-coming birthday had prompted the do, managed to very quickly get past that so that it was no big deal.

Anyone want to come next time round?