I know I am late to the party. But I have not been able to access the internet at home because a poor person broke into my house the other day and trashed the power supply for the laptop in a failed attempt to steal it.

Please tell me that the $88,000 is a house hold income and not an individual person's income??? If I apply the current exchange rate (and I know cost of living is different to exchange rate) that figure WAY exceeds our combined household annual budget.

Here in South Africa medical insurance is also a complicated and confusing thing. Many people make a living as consultants whose job it is to advise people on what medical aid scheme is best for them.

South Africa has a socialist outlook on many things. In our country, where as recently as 16 years ago 95% (I made that number up but it is probably quite accurate) of the wealth was in the hands of 10% of the population, our government has a very tricky task on addressing the inequalities of the past with the expectations of the population. In our case this has everything to do with freedom. But now it is about redressing the issues created by freedom that was denied to the majority, without infringing on the new freedom (too much). From income tax to property tax there is a sliding scale where by the higher the transaction value the more it is taxed. And while at times this feels unfair (to someone who falls in the reasonably well off category), when seen in the grander scheme of things it is understandable and, dare I say it, necessary. For now.

On the issue of healthcare. Here in SA free, government sponsored (and taxpayer funded), healthcare is available to anyone who can get to a government hospital. Those of us (like myself) who can afford it, pay for medical aid (as it is called) so that we can have access to a range of privately funded hospitals and medical practitioners. We pay for this privilege, as well as funding the government hospitals via tax.

And honestly not many people think twice about it.

Great post Matt. Really got me thinking.
Obviously what a church leader believes is important in leading a church, But then I don't think we are supposed to believe everything we hear just because it comes from a particular person.
I know that my pastor and I hold contrary views on many things of faith. I still respect him immensely and He asks me to fill in for him now and again when he is unavailable so I guess the respect runs both ways.
I think the turning point for me would be what the leader does with those beliefs. Does he attempt to cram them down others throats, does he ridicule people with dissimilar beliefs, or does he allow others to hold to their beliefs in the same way as he would expect to be treated?
As a leader if I am of the opinion that I am right and anyone who does not agree with me is going to hell and I treat them like that. Then very soon I will not have anyone to lead, and if I do happen to be right, there are a bunch of people who would be going the wrong way cause I pushed them in that direction.

Acorn Kenobi: You have allowed this dark lord to twist your mind, until now, until now you've become the very thing you swore to destroy.
Anakin Treewalker: Don't lecture me, Acorn! I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the dark side as you do. I have brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to my new Empire.
Acorn Kenobi: Your new Empire?
Anakin Treewalker: Don't make me kill you.
Acorn Kenobi: Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic, to democracy.
Anakin Treewalker: If you're not with me, then you're my enemy.
Acorn Kenobi: Only a Sith deals in absolutes. [drawing his lightsaber] I will do what I must.
Anakin Treewalker: You will try.

(I don't know who the other squirrel is)
My recent post Single Parent Week – Night 1

I'm one of those 'old-fashioned-was-a-virgin-when-I-married-and-have-only-had-sex-with-one-person' people, so I don't really know how this piece of advice plays out, but one of the most convincing arguments for extramarital abstinence I have heard is that it "just complicates life".

Although I suspect that the only people who will listen to that argument are people who's lives have been complicated by it.
My recent post Film Review – Valentines day

I loved this post :) . Last night after the lights went out I reached over from my side of the bed and put my hand on her shoulder, she held my hand. The together-ness was nice, for about 2 mins. Then my arm started to ache because I was trying not to 'rest' my arm on her shoulder. And then removing my hand from her shoulder always feels like a betrayal.

Oh and... my wife got food poisoning on our wedding day, so I hope it was not the 'best day of her life'!

Dude! you so missed out, It was a sad day when they discontinued the peppermint crisp ones.

Ron Tuffin (Cape Town, South Africa)
Never have I ever walked naked into the living room and incorrectly assumed we had no visitors.

Because:
a) I work with Carla
b) I asked her to reply to my comment and
c) her comment references my lack of posting (although I did post twice today already)

I think her comment should count towards my reply count even though she did not click the reply button :)
Just saying ;)

Ok, so between me and Intense Debate the link in my comment above does not work. Let's try again. http://justplainron.wordpress.com

Well here goes! First a disclaimer. I am a Christian and I blog, having said that I am not sure that qualifies me as a 'Christian Blogger'. While I do blog every now and then about things directly relating to Christianity, it is not the theme for my blog.

About goals for my blog (and I am sure this is going to disqualify me)...

I am not sure how easy it is to set goals for a blog. I can't make people read or comment on my material. I am not sure I even blog for other people, it is more for myself. But, since I started blogging in January of last year, I went through a few months of blogging once a day (sometimes more), and then my second child was born, since then my activity has been sporadic and infrequent.

So I think the big goal for me this year is to regularly post 3 posts a week (I know nothing like setting the bar high (lol).

So go check it out http://justplainron.wordpress.com and if you want to hear more from me, leave a reply (here or there), cause if I win free hosting I will have to post more often (even if it just to assuage some guilt).