Book Review: A Time To Kill

It was his debut novel, and it may still be his best one, even after such a prolific writing career. The brutality of the initial crime greets the reader on the very first page. A redneck racist attack on a little, defenceless black girl. Her father intent on revenge, and the subsequent efforts of the legal system to stumble towards a resolution.

For many years, I've enjoyed John Grisham's books. His thrillers are truly thrilling. They grab you and pull you into the story as you hurtle to the closing page. This was the first time I'd re-read A Time To Kill, mainly because Grisham's latest offering (Sycamore Row) was marketed as his debut's sequel and so I wanted to revisit the story to have it fresh in my mind. I wasn't disappointed, and neither will you.

In the Deep South of America, in the heartlands of Mississippi (and yes, I did the wee rhyme to make sure I spelt it correctly!), passions run deep, with racial tension not far below the skin. The desire for justice, the thirst for revenge, and the careful consideration of the law are all evoked in this masterful story. Along the way there are perfect pen portraits of plenty of characters, from Jake Brigance, the young lawyer fighting for justice against the big law firms; the black preachers with their Pentecostalism and their penchance for greed; the portrayal of small town America, with a variety of businesses and the inevitable gossip that circulates the town square.

While some may be upset by the sensitive nature of the crime, anyone who likes a good story will really enjoy this one. The action is non-stop, with cliffhangers aplenty. A Time To Kill may now be an oldie, but it's still a goodie. It's available from Amazonand for the Kindle.

Boston: The Best Bits

Before the Christmas rush began, we had a week in Boston over the Thanksgiving period. Some sightseeing, some shopping - a great holiday, even if it was the coldest week of the winter thus far. If you're visiting Boston, here are some of the highlights we enjoyed:

1. Harvard University Tour *

You have the option of paying $10 or more for some tours, but we went on the free tour of Harvard Yard with a student tour guide. Our tour was well informed, giving us lots of information about the history of Harvard, the oldest university in America, as well as lots of trivia about the New England architecture, and what it's like to study at such a prestigious place of learning.

2. The JFK Library and Museum
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, JFK, was born and raised in Boston and had served as Senator for the State of Massachusetts before becoming President of the USA. The Library and Museum built in his memory is worth visiting for the view of the Boston skyline from the (disappointingly poor) cafe. The museum is fairly detailed, although, due to a little bit of confusion, we were ushered past the first cinema which actually dealt with the assassination and funeral. The tour proper begins with a presentation of JFK in his own words, compiled from hours of video interviews and footage of his childhood and early campaigning. It's probably the best bit of the whole museum. After that, the visitor is brought through a series of exhibitions, from the presidential candidate interviews, election count, inauguration, and a replica of parts of the White House, including the Oval Office. You'd need to be fairly fanatical about the Kennedys, though, as the level of detail can be a bit overwhelming.


3. Skywalk Observatory: The Prudential Center
This might be the very first thing you should do on arrival in Boston. The Prudential Center is a massive shopping centre with lots of shops, eating places, hotels and lots besides. The 50th floor of the Prudential Tower is a brilliant observatory with audio guides telling the visitor what they're looking at across the skyline of Boston. The guide also tells you about lots of other visitor centres and tourist attractions, so that's why I say it should probably be done first. On a clear day you can see for miles, and it's also open until late in the evening if you wanted to see the city in a different light. Probably because it's enclosed (and therefore warmer), I enjoyed this more than the top of the Empire State Building in New York.

4. The Freedom Trail
Boston was at the heart of the American Revolution and independence from Britain. The Freedom Trail brings the visitor from Boston Common along a red brick path through the city centre past some of the important sites and sights connected with the independence movement. The path is well marked, and you could follow it yourself. We decided to go on one of the official tours with a guide, who would hopefully be able to tell us more than we knew about the American Revolution. He was the best tour guide - funny, informative, knowledgeable, and inspiring. He really did bring history alive as we walked along the streets and stopped at the key sites.


The Freedom Trail begins at Boston Common, where we found George Washington in a sports jersey
and the cheekiest squirrels:

5. New England Aquarium
I've no pictures of this on Flickr yet, but it really is the best aquarium I've visited. Imagine an oblong building, with a huge glass tube running up through the middle of it. On four or five floors, the central display houses thousands of fish and sea creatures, with my personal favourite, the turtles. Along the outer edges of the building are a variety of smaller, specialised displays of tropical fish, sea creatures, wildlife and such like, and on the ground floor, several different varieties of penguin. It's well worth visiting, especially if it's a wet day outside.

6. Shopping
No pictures of this, but shoppers looking for bargains will not be disappointed. The State of Massachusetts declares that clothing up to a value of $175 is a necessity, and therefore doesn't levy any Sales Tax (VAT to those of us in the UK and Ireland). The difference in price is astonishing, especially when branded items seem to be even cheaper in America than across the Atlantic pond. If you're in Boston, a visit to the Wrentham Village outlet mall is well worth the travel cost.

7. Boston Tea Party
They do really good tea in Boston - but then they would have to, since they had rebelled over the tax on tea in the first place. With the weather so cold, it was vital to keep wrapped up warm and to keep refreshed with good tea and snacks. Even though there was a Starbucks and a Dunkin Donuts on every street corner, we found a real, proper, great coffee shop, where we became like the many regulars (it was always packed). Thinking Cup on Tremont Street (running down the side of Boston Common) was brilliant - good tea, friendly staff, and really good almond macaroons in a variety of flavours (and flavors). They also sell Stumptown Coffee, not that I drink coffee, but it must be good as there was always a queue for tables!

8. Trinity Church and Phillips Brooks
I realise this may not be for everyone, but I was delighted to be able to see Trinity Church in Boston. One of its previous Rectors is a bit of a legend in the world of evangelical preaching: Phillips Brooks. Brooks was the author of several hymns, including the well known Christmas carol 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' and is also famous for his dictum that 'preaching is truth through personality' - quoted almost religiously in most modern books on preaching. After being Rector at Trinity, he became Bishop of Massachusetts and was obviously well thought of, since there's a bust of him in a side chapel inside Trinity Church and a slightly bizarre statue of him and Emperor Palpatine Jesus(?) outside the church in Copley Square.


So there you go, a few suggestions of things to see and do when you're in Boston. There was more than we could fit into a week, so hopefully we'll make it back at some stage in the future.

* Technically, of course, Harvard isn't in Boston, it's in Cambridge Massachusetts, the city just across the Charles river from Boston. Harvard is, however, accessible on the Boston Metro (subway) so it might as well be Boston, and well worth a visit while in the state capital.

Book Review: Killing Kennedy

JFK is one of those enigmatic figures who dominate the stage of world history. With the fiftieth anniversary of his assassination approaching (which falls today, 22nd November 1963), I decided I'd like to know a bit more about his life and his death. The bookshelves of Eason Enniskillen weren't heaving with books about him, but there were several volumes published to coincide with the anniversary. I picked Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard, partly because it's been No. 1 in the New York Times bestseller list, has sold over two million copies, and seemed to be the shortest. I managed to read it in time, and even though some of the online reviews of the book (and subsequent screenplay starring Rob Lowe) haven't been the most complimentary, I quite enjoyed it.

O'Reilly is a journalist and writes in a clear accessible style. The events of JFK's life, loves, and legacy are vividly portrayed with lots of helpful analysis. The heroism of John Fitzgerald Kennedy in World War Two is described in amazing detail after his patrol boat PT-109 was destroyed and his platoon were stranded on an island close to enemy forces. The efforts he went to for rescue were incredible. Little wonder the 'lucky' (or providential) JFK went on to write 'Profiles of Courage'.

As I read, I discovered that JFK seems to stand at the centre of so much of American history in the twentieth century. Words and phrases that were known to me were, like a jigsaw, suddenly put into context so that everything fits together; such as the Bay of Pigs; the Cold War; the Cuban Missile Crisis and so much more. Had I been pressed, I'm not sure I could have told you about the Bay of Pigs or the Cuban Missile Crisis before reading the book. Now, they make sense, as JFK sought to oppose the establishment of Fidel Castro as communist dictator of Cuba by supporting the landing of Cuban exiles to rise against Castro; and the subsequent attempt by Russia to put nuclear weapons on Cuba, within reach of Washington. I also realised that the Berlin Wall dated from the 1960s, rather than immediately after the Second World War.

The book is expertly written, as it tells the stories of the two men who would be joined forever in common memory - JFK and his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. From the opening chapter, the clock is ticking, as JFK is sworn in as President; as the various crises occur, including the Civil Rights campaign; as events and happenings in the life of the White House are commented on; and all the while, the assassin's story also unfolds. Oswald's time in the military; his defection to the Soviet Union (Russia); his return to Texas; his attempt to move to Cuba via Mexico; and right up to the fateful day.

The eye witness testimony; the press reports; the material is presented clearly and concisely. The assassination itself is described matter-of-factly, without overly dwelling on the gruesome details. The moment that changed history and ended the American Dream of Camelot is always on the horizon.

There were some things that surprised me about the whole story. First, was the apparent infidelities of both JFK and Martin Luther King. Second, is the absence of dealing with alternative theories of JFK's death - even to refute them. Debates have raged, but they seem to be mostly ignored in this volume.

All in all, I'm glad to have read the book. It's given me an insight into American history, not just the life and legacy of JFK himself, but also to set the broader picture in context. It's clear that this moment fifty years ago was a massive shock, when the US President was killed, and the world has never been the same again.

Killing Kennedy is available at Amazon and for Kindle.

Book Review: The Racketeer

With so many books published, you might wonder if John Grisham's talent would start to wane. After all, how could he possibly keep his stories interesting, his characters varied, and new plot twists to excite and entertain the reader? On our recent holiday, Grisham's The Racketeer was the first book I read, and I have to admit, it's very, very good. Better, even than some of his previous offerings, with a delicious plot that will long stick in the mind.

The book begins with Malcolm Bannister, a lawyer who is in prison. He was caught up in some shady business unawares and framed by the FBI. But his time in prison hasn't been wasted. He's plotting revenge - which comes to fruition when a judge is murdered, and Malcolm is convinced he knows who did it. Cue the most exciting, thrilling book as the story races through twists to reach a glorious conclusion. It'll leave you guessing for a long time!

Some of Grisham's previous stories seemed to be moral tales with a rant attached, but this is back to Grisham at his best, telling a great story with tension, intrigue, danger, and ingenuity at every turn. If you've liked Grisham in the past, you'll love this. If you've never read his offerings before, then plunge into this one. Fantastic. The Racketeer is available from Amazonand is currently on Kindlefor £1.99.

Book Review: Calico Joe

From this side of the Atlantic Ocean, the game of baseball seems like a glorified version of rounders. A game which our American cousins get overly excited about. A game that thrives on statistics and innings and home runs and such like. You might wonder why you would want to read a book about baseball at all. Calico Joe by John Grisham is that very book, and yet it's definitely one to read - even without knowing the first thing about the game.

Very helpfully, Grisham provides a brief introduction to the game for his British and international readers before he launches in to the story. In those 14 pages, he runs the reader through the basics, setting around 88 terms in their context with explanation. This book is worth it just to catch a grasp of baseball - he definitely hits a home run with the introduction!

I've previously written about my love of Grisham's story telling, and this book is no exception. The story is narrated by Paul Tracy, the son of Warren Tracy - a pitcher for the New York Mets. It follows the events of Paul's childhood, growing up mad about baseball, yet with an uneasy relationship with his father, made worse by the events of one particular night. Now, thirty years on, Paul seeks to bring reconciliation, but could it be possible to right one wrong from so long ago?

Grisham's observations about people, and his characterisation continues to his high standard. There are moments of gentle humour, as well as touching moments. The breakdown between father and son is captured and portrayed painfully and realistically. And the ending? Well, it comes just a little too quickly. Towards the end it seems that it all finishes quite abruptly, which was disappointing.

If you're into sports, it's a book to savour. If you're into fiction, you'll think it fantastic. And if, like me, Grisham is one of your favourite authors, then you'll enjoy this, one of his latest contributions. Calico Joe is available from Amazonand on the Kindle.

Book Review: Empire State

I've been slowly but surely working my way through the Colin Bateman back catalogue since discovering his first puntastic comic novel on Northern Ireland, Divorcing Jack. Apart from the opening scene, Empire Stateis, appropriately enough, set entirely in the United States of America, and predominantly in New York - and even more specifically, at the top of the Empire State Building.

Nathan Jones and his girlfriend, Lisa both live in New York, although they soon part company, and Nathan gets a new job as a tour guide and security man at the Empire State Building, which has recently changed hands and will soon be hosting a visit from the President of the USA. With the expert development of a host of characters with their own stories and subplots, the action converges in a riotous assembly when the President is subjected to an assassination attempt.

All human life is definitely here; violent, crude, hateful, despairing, depraved, as well as loving, amusing, and downright weird. Bateman's humour and sarcasm shines through, partly in his puns and oneliners, and partly in his naming of characters including the drag queen Alex Maskey, and the messed-up security guard Brian Houston. It's definitely not one for those of a nervous or sensitive disposition.

This is probably longer than two of Bateman's previous novels put together, but the story never drags. The suspense continues as the characters come together and the ironic twisted resolution is worked out. If you've enjoyed any of Bateman's other books, then it's definitely one to read.

Christmas in New York

We often complain about Christmas coming earlier and earlier each year. It is a bit ridiculous when the Hallowe'en and Christmas decorations are on the supermarket shelves at the same time. Perhaps they do it right in New York, where the tradition is that Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Christmas season, and Christmas doesn't begin until Santa Claus appears on the final float of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade.

For that very reason, while the angels are standing to attention, the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center (perhaps the world's biggest) wasn't being lit until last night, and so was still under scaffolding while we were in New York:

Yet for us, Christmas came early at the world-famous concert venue, the Carnegie Hall. On Sunday 20th November, we experienced Christmas in New York, courtesy of David Phelps and the American Festival Choir with Marcia Ware.

The American Festival Choir were brilliant - as we were gathering in the museum and gift shop before being admitted to our seats, we had heard a sneak preview, but nothing could have prepared us for the sight! The choir consists of 360 voices from 13 church choirs across the United States, and almost completely filled the Carnegie Hall stage. Their leader, Phil Barfoot (along with Rebecca J Peck) created 'The Hope of Christmas' which was performed for the first time on the night.

The soloist, Marcia Ware also sang several pieces over the course of the evening, but we didn't hear enough of her!

The star of the show and the main attraction, though, was David Phelps. I must admit that I wasn't overly fussed on him beforehand, having heard some snippets of his CDs and appearances on the Gaither musical productions. My opinion changed, not before the end of the night, but by the end of the first song! His range, tone, and ability is outstanding, combined with the fact that he had written quite a few of the songs himself.

Among the numbers he performed were his version of Hark the Herald:


Joy, Joy:


and the modern classic, O Holy Night:

(videos are obviously not mine, and not from the concert!)

Perhaps the funniest moment was when he forgot the words to one of his own songs - 'End of the Beginning', and so went back to start again, and forgot the same words a second time, but the audience kept him on track! Poor David, he was so embarrassed!

This was no ordinary concert, it was truly a time of praise to the newborn King. In a place where applause has rung for many of the great performers, there was just one being praised that night - the Lord Jesus Christ. A taster of heaven, perhaps, when not just 360 voices combine to sing the Hallelujah chorus, but a multitude without number fill heaven's high arches with the song of the Lamb.

New York, New York

So good they named it twice. On Saturday we got back from a week in New York City, glad of the break, but glad also to be back in peaceful Fermanagh! This was our second time in the Big Apple, so we did less of the obvious tourist activities, having seen the view from the Empire State Building, the Staten Island Ferry, Central Park, Bodies and various other things the last time.

That's not to say that we didn't do much! Sunday morning we went along to Times Square Church, which was founded by David Wilkerson (of the Cross and the Switchblade fame). Despite an odd policy of treating visitors, we eventually managed to get a seat (having been asked if we were staying for the whole service, and being made to wait for almost ten minutes at the back while the regulars took a seat at leisure). After an hour of singing, a few announcements and the offering, the pastor preached for half an hour, before another half hour of singing in response to the message. Not just as liturgical as we're used to, but more energetic!

Sunday evening we were in Carnegie Hall for a concert, but I'll write about that in a separate post. Monday took us down round by Ground Zero (for which tickets had to be booked weeks in advance, so we didn't get near the site) and the South Street Seaport on the bus tour, while Tuesday was spent dandering along Fifth Avenue looking at all the expensive shops.

On Wednesday we called in at the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition in the Discovery Channel Center just off Times Square, resisting the chance to pretend to be CSI investigators in the other exhibition currently running. Having heard so much about the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Essenes, it was interesting to see the scrolls themselves - and also to read some of the 'spin' on the information boards. After that, we took a spin round by Chinatown, being quickly put off by the constant barrage of "Rolex watch? Handbag, lady?" and escaping to SoHo.

Thursday was Thanksgiving, and we had been told about the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Getting up early, we were on the parade route almost two hours before it started, yet still only managed to be in the fourth row from the barriers at the edge of the footpath sidewalk. Then other people thought they had a special right to push through everyone and get to the front row arriving after the parade had started. It was as if you were watching the parade in the middle of a scrum!

All in all, between the massive helium balloons, marching bands, cartoon characters, floats, cheerleaders, celebrities and street performers, I ended up with around 750 photographs of varying quality. If I find time (!) I might just put together a stop-motion video of the balloons going past using the photos I took.

Earlier I mentioned a scrum for the Macy's parade. That night we went along to the midnight opening of the store for the big Black Friday sale. Talk about a scrum! The queue was halfway down the block (not to mention the people gathering in Herald Square to try and push past the queue and charge the doors when they opened), but we were entertained by two separate protest marches by Occupy Wall Street and the self-styled Church of Stop Shopping with a dog-collared 'pastor' leading them. The latter at least had composed a little song to sing as they marched, but they weren't persuasive, and in we went.

It seemed as if the front escalators were going to stop working, the number of people on them, but we found the couple of things we had decided beforehand to look for, and then made a quick escape (having paid for them, obviously!).

Friday was another little dander, visiting the last few shops we had to see and try to get a few bargains, then back to the hotel to begin to long journey home, and a dose of jetlag which made Sunday morning's service interesting, I'm sure.

There are some photos of the trip on my new obsession, Blipfoto, including This rings a bell; Taxi!; Brooklyn Bridge; FDNY; Empire state of mind; What a tangled web we weave; and Macy's midnight madness. As a taster, here's the Thanksgiving parade picture:

Book Review: The Confession

I've mentioned previously that John Grisham is one of my favourite authors, and he retains that title after his latest book, The Confession. Having received it as a birthday present, and the very next day gone on holiday, it was the obvious book to pick up and enjoy while far from the parish. Interestingly, one of the main characters is also a pastor, which provided an additional level of interest.

While some may attend rallies, make eloquent speeches, sign petitions, lobby their representatives, raise money and much more to oppose the death penalty, Grisham does what he does best - writes a book about it. Not just a book, but the book about the death penalty, and how it may be abused.

From the first page of the book, the clock is ticking. An innocent man sits on death row, just four days from his execution. Hundreds of miles away in another state, the murderer kicks off a roller coaster of excitement, tension and suspense as he confesses to this ordinary pastor thrown into an extraordinary situation.

That's about all I can say without ruining the plot, but be sure that there'll be moments of sorrow and humour, plenty of twists, pulse-raising tension, and you'll not want to stop reading in order to discover how it all turns out. Political arguments may not succeed, but you'll certainly think twice about the death penalty when you've read this excellent book.

Irish Evangelicals and Glasspool

William Crawley has reported that CIEF, EFIC, New Wine and Reform Ireland have published a joint statement ahead of the proposed consecration of the world's first lesbian bishop tomorrow. Taken from the EFIC website, here is the statement in full:

As members of the Church of Ireland we wish to express sorrow that Mary Glasspool, a person who is living in a same-sex relationship, is to be consecrated as one of two new assistant bishops in Los Angeles on May 15.

The elevation to senior church leadership of a person whose lifestyle is contrary to the will of God revealed in Scripture is both wrong and disappointing.

The decision to elect and confirm Mary Glasspool to the position of suffragan bishop is a clear rejection of the many pleas for gracious restraint made from within the Anglican Communion, not least by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Windsor Report and the most recent Primates’ Meeting. The Episcopal Church (TEC) has taken this provocative step despite knowing the division and difficulties created by Gene Robinson’s consecration in 2003. This shows a deliberate disregard for other members of the Anglican family and suggests that TEC does not greatly value unity within Anglicanism and indeed throughout the universal Church.

We wish to express our support for the many people within The Episcopal Church who feel alienated and hurt by this development. We stand in fellowship with them and with those who have separated from that Church for conscience’s sake, many of whom now face legal proceedings and financial sacrifices as a result.

Many Christians of all traditions and denominations will share our sorrow and see Mary Glasspool’s consecration as a defiant rejection of pleas for restraint and, even more importantly, as a rejection of the pattern of holiness of life called for in Scripture and endorsed by believers over the centuries.

Jointly issued by the committees of the Church of Ireland Evangelical Fellowship, the Evangelical Fellowship of Irish Clergy, New Wine (Ireland) and Reform Ireland, Ascension Day, May 13th 2010.

Dangerous Diversity

One of the highlights of our recent trip to New York was an afternoon in the American Museum of Natural History. The crowds were (as with everywhere else in NYC) massive, so there was quite a queue to get into the museum in the first place. The other immediate reaction was that it was just too big to try to see everything.



Our solution was to be selective, and to pick and choose the bits we really wanted to see. The African mammals were top of my list, with a big family of elephants taking centre stage in the hall, with the other exhibits lining the walls in their glass cases. Thankfully this was no Night At The Museum with them all coming to life again and running rampage!

The various bird displays from around the world were also interesting. However the European birds exhibit was quite 'tame' and boring compared to the eagles and hawks and penguins etc from the other continents and climates.

As well as animals and birds, a major part of the Natural History remit takes in peoples and their cultures. There were displays on home and family life, native clothing, food and diet, but the most interesting was the material on the religious life of the various cultures.

What was immediately obvious was that every culture had some sort of god or divine being, and had developed stories, rituals and images or idols relating to their understanding of the supernatural and death. There were no atheist societies featured!

But while each culture and people had some concept of the divine, each of their stories was very different. One south American culture had an elaborate story of the passage to paradise in the afterlife, whereby the soul had to cross a slippery tree bridge over a river, then avoid eye contact with two villages who would try to draw the soul to remain with them for eternity. After several other hazards, the soul would eventually reach the village of paradise and meet up with loved ones.

There was also a feature on the cult of ancestor worship in China, with shrines set up to forebears, who are still regarded as part of the family, even as much as a living relative would be. A great amount of display space was given to the various branches of Hindu, Sikh, Islamic and other eastern religions. Colourful representations of what the divine being was like were shown, with idols, images, and shrines.

If we were left to ourselves, given the very variety of the range of religions, we wouldn't know where to turn. Which is the right one? How can we know what God is truly like?

What is clear is that when we turn aside from the living God, humans seek to fill the God-shaped hole with all manner of contrivances and myths. Very religious, but not according to the truth.

For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (Romans 1:21-23)

So how can we know what God is truly like?

Thankfully we don't have to worry, or invent God, or fret. We can never know God by ourselves or our imagining, but God has graciously revealed himself, through his word delivered by the prophets, and now in these last days by his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There are not many deities and many gods, but one God, who reigns over all in the glory of his Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Monday Morning Music

Here's a little video clip of an acapella group we saw performing on the sidewalk as we came off the (free) Staten Island Ferry having seen the Statue of Liberty. They are called Select Blendz, and the song is Stand By Me.



When we came along at first, they were singing The Lion Sleeps Tonight, but I didn't get it on video, even though it's one of my favourite songs, especially sung well. It is on the cd they were offering for a kind donation, so I can continue to enjoy their sounds now that we're far away from New York City.

(Video recorded my my iPhone)

New York, New York

So good, they named it twice. Or so it goes. We're now back in sunny Dundonald, and New York is becoming a memory. We were on the late night flight out of Newark, direct to Aldergrove Belfast International Airport with Continental. Arriving shortly after 9am on Friday morning, it was straight to bed to try and combat the jetlag by getting some sleep! We ended up sitting in the front row of the cattle coach class, just at the kitchen where the air stewards and stewardesses were preparing the meals and talking, so there was no sleep to be had on the plane.

More detailed analysis of the trip will follow, as well as a few photos, but what of
my initial reactions, from across the Atlantic pond?

New York is massive! The buildings seemed so tall, no matter where you looked. Driving down the M2 back into Belfast yesterday, the skyline seemed so tiny in comparison.

New York is bunged! To go with the massive buildings, there are thousands and millions of people every day in New York. One of the tour guides on the open top bus tours told us that Manhattan has an average occupancy of 268,000 people per square mile Monday through Friday. The roads were busy, the streets were busy, and Times Square seemed to always be packed. I'm not sure I could handle that all the time. Never again will I complain that Belfast seems busy on a Saturday!

There was just so much to see and do that another trip will probably be on the cards at some point, although there are other parts of the world that are higher up on the agenda than a return to The Big Apple. All in all, I was glad to have seen it, but am glad to be back in Northern Ireland, with proper food, my own bed and home comforts!

Independence Day

The 4th of July is the Day of Independence for Americans, but seven years ago, it was also our Independence Day. In 2002, our graduation from Queen's was on this very day.

Don't we look well?! The photo wasn't great, and the scan hasn't helped much, but this was David and myself before we graduated in the Whitla Hall at Queen's University Belfast, having completed our BA (Hons) in Politics.

Thinking about Indepedence Day, though, makes me wonder about it all. Americans are justly proud of their rebellion against the British, to make them an independent nation, and many countries mark important dates in their history. Indeed, July is quite a bit month, with Independence Day on the 4th, the Battle of the Boyne on the 12th, and Bastille Day on the 14th. But are we right to celebrate independence?

Surely independence is at the root of all our sin - not needing God and his commands, just going our own way? To celebrate this form of independence is to turn our back on God, the most grievous thing that can be done in all creation.

The good news is that Jesus died to take the punishment for our rebellion, and that we can be welcomed in by God, turned around, and brought to a right dependence on our Creator and provider, even God our Father himself. Independence? No, give me dependence any day!

A Face in the Crowd

Over at Gigapan, there's an incredible photo on view at present. It's from the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, and is so detailed, you can zoom in and see almost every face in the crowd, in focus!

It was taken on a 1474 Megapixel camera - mine makes it as far as 10 Megapixels. For any Americans reading, see if you can see yourself in the crowd!

Church is Amazing

Kevin DeYoung, one of the co-authors of Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be), has recently started a blog, and this morning he has written a great post on why the Church is Amazing. Speaking into the American context, he points out that over the weekend, over 50 million Americans attended church, participated, gave money, welcomed strangers, and worshipped Jesus - and 'no law forced them. They just went.' Inspiring stuff.

Obama - nation

Today, Barak Obama makes history, inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America. His rallying cry during the presidential election campaign was for Change. Can he do it? We'll see over the next four years, or maybe even eight if he wins a second term.

Change is indeed an easy catchphrase. Who or what does not need to change in some way? Particularly so when talking about the governance and politics of the (self-appointed) world's policeman and leading nation of the free world. But can he achieve it? Can he make a real difference to the United States? Again, we'll see over the next four years.

Election Day

The day has finally arrived. Election Day in the USA. After a mammoth campaign which has lasted almost two years, the American public get to decide (indirectly, thanks to their Electoral College presidential election system) who will be the next resident of the White House. Will it be Obama or McCain?

Watching the election coverage, and listening to the radio, it's as if Obama is being hailed as the Messiah that America needs. Last night on Evening Extra on Radio Ulster, there was an interview with a guy from Belfast who is over in America working for the Barak Obama campaign team. Words used included inspiring, the man for the job, the man to bring change...

The question is, will the people who have said they're voting Democrat for Obama actually follow through when they get to the polling booth? We've seen it in Northern Ireland elections, where people may say one thing to polling canvassers and quite another when they get into the polling booth with the voting paper in their hand.

We're in for an interesting couple of days as the results come through.

9-11 five years on

So there we are... five years on from one of the 'big' terrorist shocks of recent times - although coming from Northern Ireland, terrorism is terrorism, and things seem to soon move on, as we're grabbed by the next big atrocity.

I can well remember the day. The sun was shining, I was standing in work, on the last day of my summer job in an industrial estate in Lisburn, in the last summer before I graduated from university, so this was my last summer job (well, until I became a student once again...) We were probably talking about football, or the sun, or moaning about the poor pay, as we worked on the production line, with the radio on - normally Radio 1 or Cool in the morning, but after lunchtime, it was switched to Radio Ulster so the older supervisor could hear the songs from her youth, as Hugo Duncan broadcast them...

When suddenly, Hugo wasn't on any more. Reports were coming in that a plane had crashed into a building in New York. One of the guys went buck daft, cos he recognised what the building was from films... And as he was trying to explain what it looked like, and how we should all know it from whatever film, suddenly, reports came in of another plane hitting the other tower... What on earth was happening?

And then home (eventually) from work forever, and seeing the tv footage, the carnage, the damaged lives. Dear oh. Shocking altogether.

And what has changed? Has there been anything good come out of the bad? After all, the terrorist attack on America provoked the war on terror by Bush and Blair... in which they hunt ghosts and claim it in the name of security. Yet I think we have seen some good come from it - without being rude, suddenly America saw what terrorism was all about - those who had funded and supported 'the struggle for freedom' in Ireland were seeing firsthand what it is really like for terrorism to be operating... to have the loss of life, the devastation, the economic problems, the emotional damage. And connected to this, but also more far-reaching, suddenly terrorism wasn't seen as an acceptable weapon for use by the IRA. On the world stage, terrorists are now listened to less, and not quite as acceptable as before.

I do believe it is for these reasons (as well as political expediency, don't get me wrong here...) that we haven't seen the IRA killing as many people recently, and certainly not trying the big disasters... because it isn't fashionable and doesn't fit on the world stage. But what happens if they decide they are going to kick off again? After all, are the dissidents really dissident, or is it a way of the top boys keeping them happy during the 'ceasefire'? Even recently we have seen what damage a couple of fellas can do with incendiary devices - ruining was it 5 businesses in Newry. How long before it spreads?