This weeks Quantum looks at Iran, Climate Change; Switzerland and China; This brilliant article on How Covid spreads; Stonewall’s millions; Racist Curries; Layla and Islam; Cuomo; Andrew Doyle on Scotland; Palaszczuk and Covid decisions; Neighbours; Willie Phillip; Tim Minchin and the Census; The Moral Maze; Fire and Rain – James Taylor.
You can get it here –
Closing Song – James Taylor – Fire and Rain –
Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus? You’ve got to help me make a stand; You’ve just got to see me through another day; My body’s aching and my time is at hand; And I won’t make it any other way. Oh, I`ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain; I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end; I’ve seen lonely times when I could not find a friend; But I always thought that I’d see you again.”
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Hello David,
I love the James Taylor song, written at a time when he was in the Abbey Road studios at the same time that the Beatles were recording on hearing of the death of his then girlfriend through suicide. “I won’t make it any other way” being met with an appeal to “the Way” – Jesus.
Also in the light of your critical reviews of John Lennon’s “Imagine” I would suggest an alternative with George Harrisons “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)”
“Give me hope
Help me cope, with this heavy load
Trying to, touch and reach you with,
Heart and soul
Oh my lord
Please take hold of my hand, that
I might understand you
Won’t you please
Oh won’t you
Give me love
Give me love
Give me peace on earth
Give me light
Give me life”
Both lyrics seem not inconsistent with Jesus’ words “come to me all who are weary and heavily burdened and I shall give you rest”.
Re the Swiss anthem ; when Lee Kuan Yew was looking for a country on which to base his newly independent Singapore , the island state’s Prime Minister decided that Switzerland was an apt model .
Of course , being a man of reason (LKY once referred to the widely held Chinese belief in Feng Shui as ” a load of nonsense” ) he sensibly eschewed any reference to the Supernatural when selecting the anthem, which was composed by a Malay Muslim called Zubir Said.
More on 1989 here:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/08/10/silly-season-at-the-un-1989-vs-2021-climate-doomsday-its-all-politics-now/
Another common theme over the years since 1989 is the frequency at which we are told that the latest meeting/conference/talking shop is our last chance. Here are some quotes about the numerous last chances we have had since 1989.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/08/23/the-guardian-gives-us-a-last-chance-to-heed-climate-warnings/
If the people who want to decarbonise our economies weren’t so powerful, these quotes might be hilarious. But unfortunately the inmates are taking over the asylum and condemning us to a future of massively unnecessary expenditure and highly unreliable energy sources.