What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • How did I do with last year’s predictions?

    Here’s a run down of how I did at last year’s predictions.

    • Good results for Nigel Farage following the English local elections in May. Terrible results for Conservative Party.

    Exactly what happened. YES

    • No progress towards the marriage of same-sex couples in the Church of England

    Exactly what happened. Indeed, I think things may have gone into reverse. YES

    • Turbulent year for WordPress, which powers about half of the internet.

    The year began with Automattic dramatically cutting its contribution to development leading to stagnation in development and much acrimony. Subsequently restored. Deep divisions remain about Gutenberg. I’m claiming this as a YES.

    • 2025 will be the hottest year on record.

    Final figures yet to be calibrated but all reports indicate that this, unfortunately is a YES.

    • No trade deal for UK with US. Increasing talk of re-aligning economy closer to EU.

    Well, there was a trade deal in May called the Economic Prosperity Deal but it doesn’t seem to much and some of the basics have already been reversed. I suppose I have to be honest and say I didn’t get this quite right so it is a NO. But…

    • Ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine war but no long term solution.

    Hard to assess this one. No long term solution, certainly. There have been a series of ceasefires proposed but none seems really to have been fully implemented. Partial YES.

    • “Assisted Dying” aka doctor assisted suicide becomes legal in at least one of the jurisdictions of the British Isles.

    I have to put this down as a  NO  as it completed its parliamentary journey in the Isle of Man but hasn’t received Royal Assent yet, so not technically legal.

    • Turbulent year for economy but stock market higher at end of year than beginning. (FTSE currently at 8,173)

    Stock market at 9,931 today and there was quite a lot of volatility in the first part of the year. So this one is a YES.

    • There will be fewer Commonwealth Realms (ie countries which share the monarchy) by the end of 2025 than there are now.

    This one is a NO though there has been significant progress in that direction in Jamaica and moves that way in Grenada.

    • Philip Mountstephen.

    Well, I was pushing Philip Mounstephen’s name as he appeared to be the only senior bishop in the C of E who actually believed the [absurd] position of the C of E bishops on same-sex relationships. But it is a NO – nothing significant to report.

     

    So – five and a half out of ten this year. Not as good as some years. A couple of near misses.

     

    ,

3 responses to “Blogging”

  1. Avatar
    Kelvin

    Re: Blogging
    I'm sure there will be a blogging Bishop in the not too distant future –  o­ne who has a thing about  blogging hats – and the blogging head to fit!

    Blogging is brave though-  might even be brave enough to try it some time

    Reply
  2. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Re: Blogging
    From an ECUSA perspective, I suspect that it would be much easier for a blogger to become a bishop than for a bishop to become a blogger. If a bishop hasn’t developed the discipline of writing regularly for an audience before becoming bishop, s/he’ll have a hard time starting it amidst all of the other demands of the office. On the other hand, I can see a longtime blogger being elected bishop of a diocese in part because the people of the diocese feel they know the blogger better than other non-blogging candidates. Of course, that could also be a liability. In my own experience of blogging, I know that I sometimes say things that are less polished or considered on my blog than I’d say in an academic paper or a sermon. If delegates electing a bishop are comparing one candidates’ blog to other candidates’ paper publications, they may judge the blogger more harshly, especially if they’re not familiar with Internet conventions.

    BTW, I really enjoy your blog. I first got to know Anglicanism when I was living in Scotland, and I was confirmed at St. John’s Edinburgh when +Neville Chamberlain was rector. I miss Scotland and the church there a great deal, and appreciate being able to visit via thurible.net.

    Reply
  3. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Re: Blogging
    On LiveJournal we post rather then blog – although it’s the same thing, I know… – so perhps one day we might have a Posting Pope?!!

    (and I still find it scary and exciting that people across the globe read my daily ramblings)

    Reply

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