http://geographer70.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by Ian B (in Toronto) en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Fri, 01 Jan 2010 22:38:15 GMT 2010-01-01T22:38:15Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977971769 (#1) I like beginning a new time period... any time period. A new day, a new week: sometimes I even enjoy celebrating new moons (28 day cycles based on the phases of the moon: last night was a full moon . . . Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:19:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977971769 Ian B (in Toronto) 2010-01-01T21:19:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977949173 The tradition from Britain, that I grew up with: you decorate the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve, and leave it up for the 12 days of Christmas (until Epiphany) on January 6 th . The American tradition: . . . Wed, 16 Dec 2009 03:22:47 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977949173 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-16T03:22:47Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977945015 No, this is not about my accident. This is not specifically about December, either, but in fact is a story that is a couple of months old. Yet I am reminded about it every day, walking home. Being a . . . Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:10:31 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977945015 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-13T17:10:31Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977944569 Some of you may remember a few months ago I published a piece that I was intending to submit to the Ontario Public Service (OPS) Price Network (otherwise known as the OPN), applying to be on their Speakers' . . . Sun, 13 Dec 2009 04:10:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977944569 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-13T04:10:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977944518 I had a conversation with one of my friends recently, while we were doing something for work: when I was growing up it was a sign of politeness/respect to hold the door open for women. If I remember . . . Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:00:28 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977944518 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-13T03:00:28Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977939970 This year has been unique for Toronto. This was the first November that there has been no accumulation of snowfall since records starting being kept in 1937. Even though I remember as a kid that there . . . Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:48:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977939970 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-10T02:48:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977939773 We can't be prolific and thought provoking every day in December. Or maybe we can be: but a little bit differently day to day. Besides, chocolate is one of those things that is thought provoking just . . . Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:22:34 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977939773 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-10T01:22:34Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977936238 December 6 th in Canada is our “National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women" . It is the anniversary of the day that a 25-year old man walked in to the École Polytechnique . . . Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:29:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977936238 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-08T03:29:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977933670 This isn't really really something specific to Toronto: but we do live in the city and Tim is particularly happy with his Christmas Cactus this year. Generally we've only had one or two blooms for the . . . Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:01:10 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977933670 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-06T20:01:10Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977933467 I have been planning on writing something about our weekly Saturday grocery trips for some time. After all, grocery and food are the most consistent costs in our lives: one of those that we must spend . . . Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:40:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977933467 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-06T19:40:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977933264   Most people who have read much of my work will be aware of my difficulties with health care over the years: or at least my experiences. They have generally not been bad, other than my need . . . Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:45:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977933264 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-06T15:45:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977933194 Many people are surprised that I am involved with gay rodeo; some seem to be downright offended by what they see as an “abusive spectacle” and actions toward the non-human participants. . . . Sun, 06 Dec 2009 15:16:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977933194 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-06T15:16:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977928770 Apparently this is going to be one of the last times that the Dead Sea Scrolls are sent to other parts of the world to be viewed and experienced; I was thus very glad to have the opportunity to see . . . Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:32:54 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977928770 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-03T11:32:54Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977926886 As many of you know, I live in Toronto: a city many Canadians (usually not the residents) refer to sarcastically as, “The Centre of the Universe”. I grew up in the city, left for twenty-odd . . . Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:49:05 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977926886 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-02T09:49:05Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977926847 December 1st is World AIDS Day. It's been a “day” since 1987, when it was established by the World Health Organization (WHO) to bring light to the difficulties associated with living with . . . Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:13:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977926847 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-12-02T09:13:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977896637 I was all set to write something inspiring and reflective today (well, inspiring to me, anyway) in commemoration of today as Remembrance Day (I believe it it Veteran's Day in the States). But instead, . . . Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:29:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977896637 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-11-11T22:29:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977880372 Daylight Saving Time (DST) ended last night (Nov. 1 2009) in Canada and the U.S. It ended last week (Oct. 25, 2009) in most of Europe (where it is also known as Summer Time). DST used to be the . . . Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:55:15 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977880372 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-11-01T19:55:15Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977806536 The Ontario Public Service "Pride Network" is trying to establish a “Speaker's Bureau”: people who would go out and speak about their experience being gay in the province. I expressed some . . . Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:18:02 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977806536 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-09-10T02:18:02Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977792622 So what do I do with verses like the ones mentioned, where God commands the killing of immoral people (not queer people) in the Old Testament? I respond that those words were written for a particular . . . Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:01:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977792622 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-29T19:01:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977792618 From the human perspective, there is a tension in understanding God: between his holiness and his love. Many people misunderstand both. They see holiness as anything that they agree with or they do . . . Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:55:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977792618 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-29T18:55:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977792611 A friend of mine on Facebook posted the link below. She actually managed to do a great job of keeping her comments to a minimum. I will admit that I am not quite so... restrained... when it comes to . . . Sat, 29 Aug 2009 18:44:45 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977792611 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-29T18:44:45Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977791960 We have three cats, although only two of them are ever seen by outsiders. All were found as strays, and each has a story. We have one referred to as “the . . . Sat, 29 Aug 2009 01:37:20 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977791960 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-29T01:37:20Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977786469 This is such a Canadian event. More than that, it is a totally Toronto event. On the morning of September 11 th , 2009, one of the local charities in Toronto that deals with the effects of cancer . . . Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:50:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977786469 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-25T00:50:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977783453 One way to get the tiniest inkling of what God is like is by understanding that we are the image of God (Genesis 1:26). There is no real consensus on exactly what it is that makes us in this image, . . . Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:17:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977783453 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-22T01:17:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977783450 I am currently reading a book that was published in 2007; it is called “The Shack” , by Wm. Paul Young. For those who haven't heard of it, it is the (fictional) story of a man who gets a . . . Sat, 22 Aug 2009 01:11:18 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977783450 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-22T01:11:18Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977777751 Okay, I'll admit it... I started the jigsaw with GREAT intentions and it rather slipped away from me. The last I worked on it was a couple of weeks ago, and I finished South America and was very happy. . . . Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:09:55 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977777751 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-18T02:09:55Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977775820 I recently published a post about Satan ; it was a post about an experience that I took as quite profound, specifically because sometimes I forget that evil is all around us, hiding out of sight. Genesis . . . Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:08:21 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977775820 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-16T16:08:21Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977774868 I do not believe a precise Statement of Faith is necessary for me, if only because the essentials were written many centuries ago. The Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed are two of my favourites, to . . . Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:57:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977774868 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-16T15:57:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977769345 I am not really sure that Satan exists... at least as a person. I know there is a character called Satan in the Bible, and that there may have even been an archangel who rebelled against God and who . . . Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:52:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977769345 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-11T02:52:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977764308 August 4 th , 2009: I figured out the easiest way to do the jigsaw is not so much piece by piece randomly around the globe, as you would do in a regular jigsaw, but starting from the South Pole . . . Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:20:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977764308 Ian B (in Toronto) 2009-08-06T01:20:53Z