iPod Used In Domestic Homicide

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE (HLN) - A Memphis woman was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after she bludgeoned her boyfriend to death with an iPod. Police said no motive has been confirmed, although evidence suggested the murder was the result of a domestic dispute after Pulaski erased the contents of Mathers’ iPod.

According to law officers, Mathers was hysterical when police arrived and told them that she killed her boyfriend only after he accused her of illegally downloading music and erased about 2,000 of her MP3s. Mathers complained that it took 3 months to build her music collection. - full story here.

A bit of levity

I'm packing books for London - I'll need a significant number of books from my collection (which the King's College Library doesn't have) in order to write my essays. While rummaging, I found one of those curiosities i end up buying when i random pop into a secondhand bookshop in london.. "The Influence of the Celestial Bodies on the Ductless Glands" tiny pamphlet, at 10pence it was worth a laugh!

Was reading a bit of spiritual edification in the form of a booklet on Orthodoxy written by a Greek, translated into English. The usual infelicities of translation may be observed, but the most amusing of them was how 'The Mystical Theology of the Orthodox Church' was translated as 'The Surreptitious Theology of the Orthodox Church'.

Oh, and this one's quite cute, from The Onion: Orthodox Priest Seeks to Discontinue Use of Gruesome Hymns

Pannikhida for Einstein's Wife

Interesting was the report of the Pannikhida for Albert Einstein's first wife and co-author of some of his works, Mileva Einstein-Maric, on August 29, in Zurich.

Her grave had been scheduled for destruction upon the expiration of the 25-year lease on it, but miraculously was saved.

She had been baptized in the Serbian Church, but because there was no Serbian Parish in Zurich, she attended the Russian Orthodox Church there.

She reposed in 1948, and her funeral service was performed by Protopriest David Chubov.

She was quite a renowned scientist in her own right, considered to be one of the 100 most famous women scientists.

Not many people know that Einstein's wife was Orthodox.

Article (in Russian) at: www.pravoslavie.ru/cgi-bin/new...=2r040903151600

Note: a Pannikhida/Panikhida/Pannykhis is a memorial service for the dead in the churches of the Byzantine Tradition

Patriarch of Alexandria killed in helicopter crash, officials say

Soundtrack: 'Parce mihi, Domine' from Morales Requiem, stunning example of Spanish renaissance polyphony.

His Holiness Petros (Peter), Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria, was killed in a helicopter crash yesterday, on his way to visiting Mount Athos, the monastic-republic which is perhaps the most important centre of Orthodox monastic spirituality.

Also killed with him were Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Carthage, Metropolitan Irenaios of Pelusium and Bishop Nektarios of Madagascar.

Here are the names of the deceased if you wish to pray for them:

On board the helicopter was Patriarch Petros of Alexandria and All of Africa, Metropolite Erineos of Pilousiou, Metropolite Chrisostomos of Karthagena, Bishop Nektarios of Madagascar, Holy Monastery of Machera Prior Archimandrite Arsenios, Archimandrite Kallistratos Economou, Deacon Nektarios Kontogiorgos, the Patriarch's legal adviser Georgios Mavros, the Patriarch's technical adviser Patroklos Papastefanou, press adviser Georgios Xenoudakis, the Patriarch's brother Georgios Papapetrou and the Patriarch's personal police guard Spiridon Koursaris.

The five crewmembers of the Chinook were Major Papanastasiou, Warrant Officer Raptis, Platoon Sergeant Pantelis Hatzivangelis, First Sergeant Panagiotis Golegos, and Army Airforce Helicopter Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Dimitris Papaspirou

This is a really sad day for the developing Orthodox Church ibn the African Continent whom Patriarch Petros has done such an excellent job of shepherding and bringing into fully canonical Orthodoxy. As you will note he also lost some of the Metroplitans of his Synod ---the Patriachate will be challenged to get the leaderships quickly for such a thriving mission church arena

Of your charity, pray for their repose and for the Orthodox Church of Alexandria and all Africa, which has lost four hierarchs. May their souls dwell among the blessed, and may the Lord remember them forever.

I'll quote entire, a post from Bernard Brandt:

From the Orthodox Service for a Dead Priest
(Translated by Isabel Hapgood):

Why these bitter words of the dying, O brethren,
which they utter as they go hence?
I am parted from my brethren.
All my friends do I abandon, and go hence.
But whither I go, that understand I not,
neither what shall become of me yonder;
only God, who hath summoned me knoweth.
But make commemoration of me with the song:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

But whither now go the souls?
How dwell they now together there?
This mystery have I desired to learn,
but none can impart aright.
Do they call to mind their own people, as we do them?
Or have they forgotten all those who mourn them
and make the song:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

We go forth on the path eternal,
and as condemned, with downcast faces,
present ourselves before the only God, eternal.
Where then is comeliness? Where then is wealth?
Where then is the glory of this world?
There shall none of these things aid us,
but only to say oft the psalm:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

If thou hast shown mercy unto man, O man,
that same mercy shall be shown thee there;
and if on an orphan thou hast shown compassion,
the same shall there deliver thee from want.
If in this life the naked thou hast clothed,
the same shall give thee shelter there, and sing the psalm:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Youth and the beauty of the body fade at the hour of death,
and the tongue then burneth fiercely,
and the parched throat is inflamed.
The beauty of the eyes is quenched then,
the comeliness of the face all altered,
the shapeliness of the neck destroyed:
and the other parts have become numb, nor often say:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

With ecstasy are we inflamed
if we but hear that there is light eternal yonder;
that there is Paradise ,
wherein every soul of Righteous Ones rejoiceth.
Let us all, also, enter into Christ,
that all we may cry aloud thus unto God:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Set to music as Funeral Ikos, by John Tavener

More here.

The Top 15 Biblical Ways to Acquire a Wife

1. Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she's yours.
-- Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 21:11-13)

2. Find a prostitute and marry her.
-- Hosea (Hosea 1:1-3)

3. Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock.
-- Moses (Exodus 2:16-21)

4. Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal.
-- Boaz (Ruth 4:5-10)

5. Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife.
-- Benjaminites (Judges 21:19-25)

6. Have God create a wife for you while you sleep. Note: this will cost you a rib.
-- Adam (Genesis 2:19-24)

7. Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman's hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That's right. Fourteen years of toil for a woman.
-- Jacob (Genesis 29:15-30)

8. Cut off 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law's enemies and get his daughter for a wife.
-- David (I Samuel 18:27)

9. Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you'll definitely find someone. (It's all relative of course.)
-- Cain (Genesis 4:16-17)

10. Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest.
-- Xerxes or Ahasuerus (Esther 2:3-4)

11. When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, "I have seen a woman; now get her for me." If your parents question your decision, simply say, "Get her for me. She's the one for me."
-- Samson (Judges 14:1-3)

12. Kill any husband and take HIS wife. (Prepare to lose four sons though).
-- David (2 Samuel 11)

13. Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow. (It's not just a good idea, it's the law).
-- Onan and Boaz (Deuteronomy or Leviticus, example in Ruth)

14. Don't be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity.
-- Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-3)

15. A wife?...NOT!!!
-- Paul (1 Corinthians 7:32-35)

Tackiest Wedding I Ever Saw

Thanks Dustin Anastasios...YIKES! That has to be the ugliest wedding I've ever seen. You readers take a peek and tell me if you agree.

Life's funny

Soundtrack: Forbidden Fruit, from Paul van Dyk's Global album.

I love my friends. Really, I do. Especially when they do what my friend and fellow osteoporosis play cast-mate Eugene did - click here to read his hilarious entry.

I also like his comment on why Singaporean men are supposed to be lousy lovers - 'Send the Caucasians through 10 years of our chinese education system and then we’ll see.' Full story here.

Andrij sent me an amusing link the other day. Remember pop-up books when we were kids? I bet this one's still going to raise your eyebrows. Which makes me wonder why they never made 3-d porn flicks. (I suspect they exist somewhere out there... just that I've never heard of them, and I'm not exactly familiar with that genre).

What've I been up to this week?

Had lunch on Monday with Adrian Ip and Ashley Tan - two of my ACJC drama kiddies. They seem to be taking the exams far too cheerily for my liking. Was supposed to meet up with Chong Nyen, but he had to book in early, so I ended up smoking about half a pack of cigarettes (I'm too cheap and lazy to buy more pipe tobacco when I'm about to return to London) with a cup of coffee while waiting for.... Eric Yip! Eric and I had dinner at Cafe Cartel at the basement of Cineleisure. I felt all queasy through dinner - cold sweat and all. I felt better after a bit of food and ice-cream though. We meant to watch The Choristers (Les Choristes), but I had to leave half an hour into the film - I was feeling awful. Hopped into a cab back and pretty much as soon as I got home, lunch and dinner decided to make their exit through the front entrance.

Was in zombieland with food poisoning till tuesday afternoon when I had to pop into Tan Tock Seng hospital for the usual appointment with the allergy specialist - the hives are much improved, thank goodness. Also waved to my favourite tranny (if you don't know what I'm talking about, see here) who waved back. Yikes! Had dinner with Samuel Lim, whom I've known since primary school - he's doing well, looking prosperous and missing London. He tells me his gym instructress told him as long as the chest looks bigger than the waist, it looks ok. ha. Had a cup of coffee after dinner with Kerr-Chinh, who's 4 months into being a salesman for Energizer (yes the batteries). He doesn't like his work, but he'll give it a bit of time.

Had a really nasty run-in with an Indonesian woman. Just thinking about it makes me mad. Have to go get cup of tea - will blog about it tomorrow.

Toodles.

Eternal Memory

It's been a while since I last really blogged, but the first thing I want to do is make a short prayer for those who died in the terrorist takeover of a school in Southern Russia.

Troparion for the Faithful Departed: Remember the souls of Thy servants, O Lord, for Thou art good, and insofar as they sinned in this life, forgive them; for no one is sinless but Thee, Who canst also give rest to the departed.

Kontakion for the Faithful Departed: With the Saints, give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy servants, where there is no pain, no sorrow, no sighing, but life everlasting.

It may also be appropriate to quote the version of the Kontakion in the English Hymnal:

Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy Saints
where sorrow and pain are no more; neither sighing
but life everlasting. Thou only art immortal,
the Creator and Maker of man: and we are mortal,
formed of the earth, and unto earth shall we return:
for so thou didst ordain, when thou createdst me,
saying, Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
All we go down to the dust; and, weeping o'er the grave,
we make our song: alleluya, alleluya, alleluya.

More details on that version and the music may be found here.

How Love-Smart are you? Young Einstein!

When it comes to love you know your stuff. It's obvious that you understand how the opposite sex think, what they like and how you can make them happy. Hey why don't you rewrite the book of love!

How Love-Smart are you? Find out at DatingTips.ws

Ha, I say. Ha, bloody Ha!