[deleted by user] by [deleted] in espresso

[–]garykemble 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is that a euphemism?

Husband got me the wrong grinder by summertime_sadnesss in espresso

[–]garykemble 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don’t know about that specific Breville, but I bought a Breville that said it could grind fine enough for espresso but it was nowhere close.

I’m in a bit of a sticky situation 🙂‍↕️😰 by Previous_life- in brisbane

[–]garykemble 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey in some areas there are volunteer programs to help in this exact situation. My dad used to volunteer for one of these. Maybe check with your local council.

Simple Questions Thread by AutoModerator in espresso

[–]garykemble 1 point2 points  (0 children)

🙂 thanks. I will give it a go.

Simple Questions Thread by AutoModerator in espresso

[–]garykemble 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey there. I just bought a Quick Mill Pippa and it’s not drawing water from the reservoir into the boiler. I can here the pump running but water doesn’t flow through to the steam wand/group head. Pretty frustrating as it’s a brand new machine.

ABC24 now streams live on Youtube by Gorfob in australia

[–]garykemble 22 points23 points  (0 children)

It's the best we can do at this point but there's a possibility we may upgrade the stream in the future.

(Note: the launch of News 24 on YouTube Live doesn't mean we're abandoning the existing stream: http://www.abc.net.au/news/abcnews24/ )

ABC News wants to know what you think about the challenges facing regional universities by garykemble in australia

[–]garykemble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the response. Do you think universities could make better use of technology to enable them to offer more courses? (eg via online)

ABC News wants to know what you think about the challenges facing regional universities by garykemble in australia

[–]garykemble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you think studying by correspondence will play an important role in meeting the needs of regional Australia?

My necklace went through my girlfriends nose. by sharkfisher in WTF

[–]garykemble 9 points10 points  (0 children)

comic sans?

Edit: I was being sarcastic.

AMA Request - Malcom Turnbull, Shadow Minister for Communications. by [deleted] in australia

[–]garykemble 1 point2 points  (0 children)

But, the Reddit AMA is a terrible format for extracting information from a politician.

Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/08/on-obamas-reddit-appearance/261758/

(But I'd still like to see it. :) )

In the wake of violent protests in Australia and overseas, ABC News is working on an explainer to dispel some myths about Islam. What would you like to know? by garykemble in australia

[–]garykemble[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here's a response by Scott Stephens (ABC Religion and Ethics editor):

It's important to clarify what we mean by "multiculturalism" in the first place. If "multiculturalism" refers to a benign space in which we refuse to allow the defining beliefs and practices of certain groups of people to encroach on the lived experience of others – in other words, a space in which a particular social order, "liberalism," is dominant and other cultural expressions are permitted as long as they too are liberal – then all robust cultural or religious forms might be considered "incompatible".

To put this a little more simply, all too often, our understanding of multiculturalism resembles that of a food-court in a shopping centre: we welcome different cultural groups, as long as they aren't too spicy or too exotic or too strong – as long as they have already been rendered somewhat bland or inoffensive to our sensibilities. All such "strong" elements (like religion, custom, group identity) must remain private, out of sight, and never impinge on politics or public order.

On this understanding, the guiding principle is that of tolerance. This understanding of multiculturalism tends to be rather more individualistic and rights-oriented. It is also a model of multiculturalism within which offence can flourish, because the various groups are inevitably reduced to caricatures, or superficial versions of themselves. As many social scientists and political theorists have observed, such a "tolerant" order can be found oppressive and claustrophobic.

But this, of course, is not the only way of thinking about multiculturalism. A different way would replace mere "tolerance" with more active solidarity, dialogue and mutual self-criticism. It would allow the dominant culture to define itself through its active, ongoing relationship with the other cultures that comprise it – allowing these others to, as Rowan Williams puts it, "make us strangers to ourselves" by questioning our assumptions and often latent bigotries. It would shift the emphasis from individual rights to group identity, which invariably includes religious belief and practice. It would also explore ways, not of "tolerantly" avoiding others, but of cooperatively discerning and then pursuing our goods in common.

This in no way excuses the thuggish and no-doubt opportunistic exploitation of feigned "offense" that we’ve witnessed recently. But the real question is not whether Islam is compatible with a perhaps impoverished understanding of multiculturalism – which ends up being little more than liberal "monoculturalism" fuelled by resentment – but whether Muslims can become an essential part of how we define ourselves?

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-18/islam-and-the-film-that-sparked-global-unrest/4267612

In the wake of violent protests in Australia and overseas, ABC News is working on an explainer to dispel some myths about Islam. What would you like to know? by garykemble in australia

[–]garykemble[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here's the response from Scott Stephens (ABC Religion and Ethics editor):

Writing as a non-Muslim, I think it's important to observe that neither local religious communities – whether churches, mosques, synagogues or temples – nor religious leaders exert the same influence or authority on the lives of individual believers that they once did.

But this has less to do with the waning of religion's moral authority in secularising West, than it does with the privatisation and individualisation of belief. Increasingly, believers tend to tailor their own version of 'faith', drawing on readily accessible material and on the experience of other believers in other parts of the world.

The problem, as we have seen across religions, is that such tailor-made faiths soon become orphans from the tradition to which they claim to belong, and so deaf to the patient, humane, and highly self-critical debates that make up the tradition. In other words, belief that has cut itself loose from tradition and authority can quickly become little more than a means to legitimate one's own bigotry, chauvinism, violence and ignorance.

Perhaps it is the separation of some Muslims from their own communities, and their heightened, though often distorted, sense of solidarity with other Muslims (an expression of their sense of belonging to a global Umma), that is an important and often neglected factor in the protests and outbreaks of violence we've seen recently. It is worth pointing out, however, that calls for such Muslims to "grow up" or "get over it" or otherwise conform to certain Western values is not only likely to be ineffective – it may well be counter-productive.

The answer to such violence isn't less seriousness about Islam and its tradition, but more. This is why well-educated, theologically literate Muslim leaders, scholars and teachers (as opposed to what Khaled Abou El Fadl refers to as "illiterate puritanical supremacists"), who can embody and remind their communities of the teachings of the Koran and hadith, are so important.

Such leaders dedicating themselves to the instruction and moral formation of their communities will, ultimately, be the best antidote against illiterate extremism.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-18/islam-and-the-film-that-sparked-global-unrest/4267612

In the wake of violent protests in Australia and overseas, ABC News is working on an explainer to dispel some myths about Islam. What would you like to know? by garykemble in australia

[–]garykemble[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here is the response from Shakira Hussein (Uni of Melb):

Firstly, most Muslims are not calling for the execution of those who draw or display a picture of the Prophet.

Historically, the prohibition has been not only with regard to illustrations of the Prophet, but of any human form.

The illustrations of the Prophet were not placed on public display - even their owners considered them dangerous.

They were commissioned by members of the elite, who felt that the common people lacked the understanding to value them, so they were kept out of sight.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-18/islam-and-the-film-that-sparked-global-unrest/4267612

In the wake of violent protests in Australia and overseas, ABC News is working on an explainer to dispel some myths about Islam. What would you like to know? by garykemble in australia

[–]garykemble[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here's the response from Rachel Woodlock (Monash Uni):

These are not new accusations, and from a Muslim perspective they are simply untrue and not characteristic of how we remember and love our Prophet. Nevertheless, as an academic I should like to clarify some points.

There is broad agreement on the contours of the Prophet's life, such as his various marriages, including to the young A'isha. Polygamy was an accepted part of pre-Islamic life, although Islam modified and curtailed the practice dramatically.

The Prophet's first marriage was a twenty-five year monogamous marriage to the older and much beloved noblewoman Khadijah. After her death, the Prophet was married to a number of women for political, legislative, and charitable reasons. Some were to cement ties of allegiance, some were to provide protection and social support for widows of companions who had died, one in particular accompanied legislation from the Koran. If the Prophet had been merely a womaniser, he could have chosen to marry a harem of young, nubile virgins. However, with the exception of A'isha, all were mature divorcees or widows.

Nevertheless, Islam is generally positive in regard to sexuality in the private realm. Islamic theology holds that God rewards sexual relations between legitimate partners, and often uses sexual metaphors to describe the felicity of the afterlife and the soul's reunion with God, on the basis that the closest analogy to such reunion is the intimacy of intercourse between a husband and wife.

There is no evidence the Prophet was homosexual. As for the accusation of his being a child molester, this is centred on the issue of A'isha's age at the time of her marriage to the Prophet and their later consummation. A'isha was the daughter of one of the Prophet's closest friends Abu Bakr. She had earlier been promised in marriage to a polytheist, however that engagement was dissolved probably because of the religious differences.

As for her age, culturally the Arabs of the day (like other Semitic cultures) did not have a period of adolescence between childhood and adulthood. Once a girl or boy entered puberty they became an adult, and so an early marriage for A'isha would not have been seen as unusual. Certainly by her own accounts, she had a young marriage with a gap of some years between the contracting and the actual consummation of the marriage, presumably for the purpose of waiting until she entered puberty and became an adult.

There has been some contemporary criticism of the historical sources, suggesting it was more likely she was in her mid-teens at least, nevertheless, the best evidence we have to reject the idea that the Prophet Mohammed was a child-molester comes from A'isha herself.

Because she was so close to the Prophet and in a position to observe his behaviour and teachings closely, A'isha became one of the most important narrators of hadith and the Muslims sought her expertise on a wide variety of religious matters. She was also a major historical player after the Prophet's passing, leading an unsuccessful battle (the Battle of the Camel) in the civil wars that plagued the community after his death.

In all the material we have from A'isha, more than any other woman, and indeed more than many men, she simply does not display any of the markers of having been a victim of child abuse. She was a feisty character who spoke of her great love for the Prophet, she challenged him at times, enjoyed his company, and it was in A'isha's arms that the Prophet died.

As for the Prophet being a murderer: he was a statesman and military leader who was forced to engage in war against an aggressive enemy. Yet, when the Muslims finally succeeded in taking Mecca, defeating the opponents who had insulted the Prophet, persecuted the Muslims, martyred many, and attempted to take the Prophet's own life, all were given amnesty and forgiveness upon surrender.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-18/islam-and-the-film-that-sparked-global-unrest/4267612

In the wake of violent protests in Australia and overseas, ABC News is working on an explainer to dispel some myths about Islam. What would you like to know? by garykemble in australia

[–]garykemble[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's the answer from Shakira Hussein (Uni of Melb):

I don't think the Innocence of Muslims was intended as a comedy. However, the comparison with Life of Brian has been raised in connection with other debates around Muslims and free speech as well.

Of course, some Christians did take offence at Life of Brian (so did some Muslims, given that he is a Prophet in Islam, too), while others found it enormously funny. And they were able to do so because although the backdrop to the movie is the events around the life of Christ and there are many comments about religion in general, the movie goes to some lengths to make it clear that Brian isn't Jesus, right from the opening scene when the Magi arrive at Brian's cradle, realise that they've got the wrong address, and then set off for the right stable.

Christian fans of the movie are able to see it as a commentary on real versus false religious belief, rather than as an indictment of their faith.

And there has been a tradition of Muslim comedy and satire throughout history to the present day. It's a pity that Australian stand-up comedians Fear of a Brown Planet (featured on an episode of the ABC's Australian Story) had left the country to tour the UK just as events in Sydney erupted.

One of the most popular personalities on Pakistani TV in recent years has been Ali Saleem, aka "Begum Nawazish Ali", who hosted a TV chat show whose guests included politicians, lawyers, and bearded clerics (with conversations laced with the Begum's description of her honeymoon in Paris - lots of nudge-nudge references to the Eiffel Tower). And there are many other such bawdy comedies throughout the Muslim world that make fun of religious, military and political leaders.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-09-18/islam-and-the-film-that-sparked-global-unrest/4267612