Waiting For The UN

"We have US C-130s flying in and out here dropping off heaps of supplies; US choppers arrive today; USAID is doing a knock-out job of marshalling and coordinating US and local resources to deliver real assistance to real people. The Aussies have planes and troops delivering stuff; even the Indians have goods on the way. The UN? Nowhere to be seen. OK, I'm not being fair. Last night they played host to a big 'coordination' meeting of donors to announce that the UNDP has another large 'assessment and coordination team' team arriving. Our USAID guys, who've been working 18-20 hrs/day, came back furious from this meeting saying everybody would be dead if the delivery of aid waited for the UN to set up shop and begin 'coordinating.'"The Diplomad

It would appear that the UN is still spinning it's beurocratic wheels while the US, Australia, Japan and India are actually doing something for the people who survived the tsunami. USAID members are working long hours actually doing something while the UN and its humanitarian relief is making plans. Our "stingy" government along with other "stingy" nations are busy supplying food, bringing in helicopters to help reach more remote areas not aaccessible by mud and debris clogged roads, making food drops, bringing in donated heavy equipment from American corporations to provide for the immediate needs, have medical teams on the ground and are doing all that is humanly possible to do in such a widespread disaster.

The death toll keeps rising and if it were not for the countries already involved, on the ground I shudder to think how much greater the death toll would be while we waited for the UN to get it's act together.

Wes Roth

American Soldier introduced me to a new blog with multiple news links much like Drudge. You may like to visit it if you are unfamiliar with it.
LINK

Message To Kofi--A Disaster Happened

Following a hectic schedule throughout the summer and fall--campaigning while leading our nation, President Bush decided to take some actual vacation days between Christmas and New Years. I think he deserves a little down time even though he is never totally free of his presidential duties. Unfortunately, a great disaster occurred with the tsunami. President Bush called leaders of the countries involved, he set the wheels in motion for our country to respond to the disaster with the typical sympathetic, economic and physical aid. Yesterday the MSM criticized him for not reacting publicly soon enough, not organizing a coalition of nations to provide coordinated disaster relief. Although the United Nations is supposedly the world body charged with humanitarian efforts, the most I have heard is the complaint of the US being stingy. As assessment of the broad extent of this disaster continued to reveal more areas of concern along with mounting death tolls, the US government increased it's promised relief funding. The average American began donating additional funds through the agency of their choice.

This morning the MSM reports that Kofi Annon will be returning from his vacation due to this disaster. This leads me to question, just how dedicated is Kofi to the well being of the world's citizens? Why was he not widely quoted by the MSM regarding how the UN would respond to the disaster? Why is it that the often despised United States and our President are held responsible for providing the bulk of the economic, physical and emotional response to this disaster. Why does it fall to the US to organize and lead the rescue and humanitarian efforts?

Don't misunderstand, I would far prefer that US funding be dispersed directly to those countries in need of help. I would not like to see more of the US monies going through the corrupt UN. I just feel this is one more example of the total failure of the UN to accomplish anything that needs to be done while dreaming up schemes in how that body can dictate to the US.

"God bless all the lists"

Mohammad of Iraq writes:
"The electoral campaigns are heating up in Iraq and the elections are occupying greater portion of the Iraqis' thinking"

Iraqis' response to terror was so clear; after the terrorists, or the so called insurgents threatened to slaughter anyone who participates in the elections, 7200 Iraqis rushed to announce their candidacy. YES, 7200 Iraqis representing more than 200 different political parties and I believe this makes the image clearer for the viewer.

Even the lists of the religious parties included technocrats and liberals and all the lists tried to include Arabs, Kurds, Muslims (Sunni and She'at), Turkmen, Christians and even people from the Yazeedi and Subbi minorities.

Everyone I asked said that Sistani blessed all the lists through a written fatwa that I read and it was calling the people to vote for the best choice regardless of religion or ethnicity."

"Take the hands of your disabled and your elders and help them vote"
"No to forgiveness checks and false promises. Yes to a vision of reality"

These comments excerpted from Mohammed's post show an entirely different picture than that portrayed by the MSM. Yes, the terrorists are doing terribly violent things in order to prevent the election process from going forward. The Americans and others in the coalition are aiding the current government in many ways to assure the elections go forward but nobody is attempting to install a puppet government. Imagine over 7000 candidates within the 200 parties. Imagine 200 parties with the majority of them having members embracing the different ethnic and religious groups. Now explain to me why the liberation is the "wrong war" and that this quagmire will end in utter and complete defeat and that we need to leave now. The Iraqis have suffered for so many years and finally they see a chance to vote for their own leaders. How "wrong" is that?

IRAQ THE MODEL:

U.N. unqualified for relief effort

Joseph Farah asks " why is the U.S. turning over U.S. taxpayer dollars to an incompetent, morally corrupt, unaccountable agency? "

Recounting the miserable failures of the United Nations in Food for Oil, the sexual predators in UN peacekeeping forces, the lack of accountability of any official within the UN, Farah is asking the right questions. The USA is called "stingy" and told to raise taxes to give more to the UN for humanitarian efforts following the tsumani.

As an American, I am tired of the UN and their pretentious officials telling my nation how we should spend our money while all the time being critical of whatever we do. The US has always led the way in helping other nations. Our tax dollars are sent all over the world to support people who are suffering. Recall our immediate offers of help to Iran after the Bam earthquake, remember our money going to help fight Aids in Africa. We are
sending relief supplies such as food, medicine, water purification equipment and manpower from medical teams. disaster teams to military to help secure the wellbeing of the survivors.

How dare some UN nitwit castigate us?
Link:

Paul Harvey and Prayer

Paul Harvey says:

"I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December.

I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theoryof evolution.

Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game.So what's the big deal?
It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts.
They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.

"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1.
So what would you expect-somebody chanting Hare Krishna?

If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer. If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha. And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit.

When in Rome..

"But what about the atheists?" is another argument. What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate.

Just humor us for 30 seconds ...

If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs.
Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand.Call your lawyer! Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and
cannot do.

I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations. Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing.

Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well..........just sue me.


The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard, know that the vast majority don't care what they want.. it is time the majority rules!

It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray.. you don't have to say the pledge of allegiance, you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him.

That is your right, and we will honor your right.. but by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away . we are fighting back.. and we WILL WIN!

God bless us one and all, especially those who denounce Him...
God bless America, despite all her faults, she is still the greatest nation of all.....God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God...

May 2005 be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions.

Keep looking up..... In God WE Trust. "

Scientists Develop Red Blood Cells From Cord Blood Stem Cells

"Researchers coax the stem cells, taken from umbilical cord blood and other sources, to mature into red blood cells."
LINK

Disaster compared to scene from Bible

"Officials at the U.S. Geological Survey the 9.0 quake centered off the Indonesian island of Sumatra was the world's fifth-largest since 1900 and the biggest since a 9.2 temblor hit Prince William Sound Alaska in 1964.
The temblor sparked a tsunami, a series of giant walls of water which left more than 14,000 dead in six countries, with the death toll continuing to rise. "
Read More

It's a Dan-derful Life

Iowahawk writes a humorous "It's a Dan-derful Life"iowahawk:

Merry Christmas To All

May God bless each of you as we recall the greatest gift, a saviour which is Christ our Lord.

The Night Before Christmas

'T'was the night before Christmas and all through the town
Not a sign of Baby Jesus was anywhere to be found.
The people were all busyLike decorating,
and baking,and shopping in stores.

No one sang "Away in a manger,no crib for a bed".
Instead, they sang of Santadressed-up in bright red.
Mama watched Martha Stewart,
Papa drank beer from a tap.
As hour upon hour the presents they'd wrap

When what from the T.V.did they suddenly hear?
'Cept an ad.. which toldof a big sale at Sears.
So away to the mallthey all flew like a flash...
Buying things on credit...and others with cash!

And, as they made their way home
From their trip to the mall,
Did they think about Jesus?
Oh, no... not at all.

Their lives were so busy with their Christmas time things
No time to rememberChrist Jesus, the King.
There were presents to wrap
and cookies to bake.
How could they stop and remember who died for their sake?

To pray to the Savior...they had no time to stop.
Because they needed more time to
"Shop til they dropped!"

On Wal-mart! On K-mart!On Target! On Penney's!
On Hallmark! On Zales!A quick lunch at Denny's
From the big stores downtown to the stores at the mall
They would dash away, dash away,and visit them all!

And up on the roof,there arose such a clatter
As grandpa hung icicle lightsup on his brand new step ladder.
He hung lights that would flash.
He hung lights that would twirl.
Yet, he never once prayed to Jesus...Light of the World.

Christ's eyes... how they twinkle!
Christ's Spirit... how merry!
Christ's love... how enormous!
All our burdens... He'll carry!
So instead of being busy,overworked, and uptight
Let's put Christ back inChristmas and enjoy
some good nights!

Merry Christmas, my friends

Author unknown

Training for Eternity

For anyone who has not heard or read the post from a chaplain who cared for our wounded and dying in Mosul, I encourage you to read his blog. Hugh Hewitt and Laura Ingrahm evidently read this on their radio programs. It is a very moving post and I am just thankful we have such men with our troops to bring them the blessings from God's word and the very human representation of God's love.
Training for Eternity

I Am Thankful For Our President

"John-Henry Westen, (BA, MA) lives near Ottawa Ontario with his wife and six children. He is the co-founder and Editor of LifeSiteNews.com, an online daily news service covering issues of life, faith, family and freedom." In my online news, Mr. Westin writes of the lack of moral leadership in Canada.

"Lack of Moral Leadersip

One last reason why we are in such a mess here is the lack of moral leadership of the caliber found in the United States. We do not have here a Billy Graham, a Jerry Fallwell, a Chuck Colson or any equivalent of the late Cardinal O'Connor or some of the very outspoken U.S. Catholic bishops that were heard during the recent election.

The moral chasm between Canada and the US has widened under President Bush. The moral influence of a national leader on the citizenry has been recognized for centuries. Evangelists of old knew well that a country would soon follow its King to faith in Christ, therefore great effort was made to bring leaders to faith. The growing divergence in moral values between our neighboring countries seems to bolster the position. Everyone recognizes in President Bush a heartfelt Christianity which he practices without shame and which helps mold his policy decisions for the betterment of the US. In Canada, Prime Minister Paul Martin is a lapsed Catholic who, by his own admission, readily casts aside his faith when policy decisions which conflict with that faith are concerned.

However, with the enforcement of same-sex marriage on Canada by our unelected judges I have begun to see hope. Finally we are hearing some of the shepherds begin to speak out. Their voices must become much louder, and many more need to make themselves heard, and often. We need to defeat the Canadian loathing to be anything but politically correct. We need to have a conservative party in Canada that will stomach more than fiscal-conservatives and give voice to the millions of Canadians who still care for traditional values and know that they are key to a safe, and prosperous society."

A Stem Cell Tale

IT NEVER FAILS. If an embryonic stem cell researcher issues a press release touting a purported research advance, the media trip over each other to give the story full dramatic fanfare. But if an even better adult or umbilical cord blood stem cell advance comes to light--even when the experiments involve humans--you can usually hear the crickets chirping.

"First, there is no moral controversy with either adult or cord blood stem cells. Thus, we could have medical cures without the accompanying heated political controversy. Second, unlike embryonic cells, neither adult nor umbilical cord blood stem cells have been found to cause tumors. "

For those who share my interest in stem cell research as well as my opposition to destroying embryos, I recommend this article.A Stem Cell Tale

My Laugh for Today-An Email I Recieved

You know you're living in 2004 when...
1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.
2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.
4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have email addresses.
6. You go home after long days at work you still answer the phone in a business manner.
7. You make phone calls from home, you accidentally dial "9" to get an outside line.
8. You've sat at the same desk for four years and worked for three different companies.
10. You learn about your redundancy on the 11 o'clock news.
11. Your boss doesn't have the ability to do your job.
12. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home.
13. Every commercial on television has a website at the bottom of the screen.
14. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
15. You get up in the morning and go online before getting your coffee.
16. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. :)
17. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.
18. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message 19. You are too busy to notice there was no #9 on this list.
20 You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a #9 on this list. AND NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

Federalist Patriot Quote

"[T]his hyper-sensitivity to religious minorities requires gross insensitivity to America's majority religion. You know, the one that begins with a 'C.' Since at least 9 out of 10 taxpayers are Christians, they foot the bill for a public education system on a search-and-destroy mission against even the mildest expressions of their holidays. America was founded by Christians and based on Judeo-Christian values. The signers of the Declaration of Independence and drafters of the Constitution all were Christians -- not Buddhists, or Wiccans or Zoroastrians. Were it not for Protestant Christianity, we wouldn't have limited government, separation of powers, a Bill of Rights or religious tolerance. In short, without Christians, the United States of America would not exist. Even in an age when traditional religion is driven underground, our currency still says 'One nation under God' -- not one nation under Allah or Shiva. On January 22nd, like all of his predecessors, George W. Bush will take the oath of office on a Bible that tells the story of the Nativity." --Don Feder

The Twelve Days of Christmas

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge that won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?
From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.
The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtledoves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the Ten Commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

Although some doubt this, I found it interesting and it makes it less strange as to how this song became a Christmas Carol.

The Jackels Are Gathering

The lawyers are swarming. People voice concern over the Patriot Act invalidating our rights to privacy. For the wellbeing of my country I am willing to have the government investigate my library use or search my home if there is a reason sufficient to obtain a search warrant. Perhaps I am willing because I have nothing to hide. This, however, is not the government invading my privacy but a law firm in California.

This letter was not some random, mass mailing to current resident. It was addressed to me and me only at my correct address. How do they know I took Vioxx? It relieved my pain and I have not had a stroke or heart attack but they surely want me to join in on a class action suit against Merck. They tell me "you probably have the right to a CASH SETTLEMENT NOW!!" They go on to tell me, "you MUST call our Beverly Hills Law Firm NOW" and if you delay and don'tcall you may run out of time and LOSE YOUR RIGHTS!!!"

This is a fine example of why we need tort reform. How many people who get this letter really will call and join in the efforts of the lawyers to make big bucks from Merck? How many will think they really are eligible to get money even when not harmed? The media have not been very clear in how Vioxx caused stroke and heart attack. For those who suffered from heart attack and stroke it was because of thrombus (clot) formation within a vessel. It did not attack the brain, it did not damage heart muscle. It caused clots which blocked vessels supplying blood to the heart muscle or the brain. People who suffered such heart or brain injury probably had some underlying vessel disease. Eating the wrong foods, inheriting genetic predispositon to vascular disease may have played a major role in these health problems.

Lest anyone accuse me of being in the pharmaceutical business, owning stock etc. rest assured I am not in the business nor do I own any stock. I have my criticisms of the pharmaceutical companies. I dislike the advertising prompting people to demand the latest drug on the market. I think advertising dollars should be spent on informing doctors only since they are the ones who make the judgement of what medication a person needs. The cost of mass advertising could be spent on research, development and clinical testing of new, possibly life-saving drugs. The cost of advertising could also be directed toward decreasing the cost of medicine for all citizens.

I spent my life in the medical field as a professional nurse. I have seen so many improvements in the past 50 years. I honor those who spend years doing the research that has brought us so many drugs that have extended our life span because of the ability to control many chronic health problems. I have personally thought that those I have lost may have been in my life for a longer period of time if only the drugs had been available in their lifetime. I hate to see the jackels gathering now to win huge monetary awards for those who truly suffered a loss and those who merely took a drug. Do you realize the millions of dollars the lawyers will be pocketing? Do you realize that true victims will only receive a small percentage of whatever the award turns out to be? Pfizer will be the next pharmaceutical company due to Celebrex. They will be watching Searle's Bextra and the many companies who make or distribute naprosyn which is commonly marketed under the trade name of Aleve. This will continue until such time as tort reform allows for reasonable payment for those actually injured and curb lawyers filing these huge suits and pocketing huge fees.

Hollywood Heroes

In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's "Hollywonk" the real actors of yesteryear loved the United States. They had both class and integrity. With the advent of World War many of our actors went to fight rather than stand and rant against this country we all love They gave up their wealth, position and fame to become service men & women, many as simple "enlisted men".
This page lists but a few, but from this group of only 18 men came over 70 medals in honor of their valor, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, Distinguish Service Cross', Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of Honor. So remember; while the "Entertainers of 2003" have been in all of the news media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of 1943 were doing, (60 years ago). Most of these brave men have since passed on.

Real Hollywood Heroes
Alec Guinness (Star Wars) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on D-Day.

James Doohan ("Scotty" on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S. Army on D-Day.

Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.

David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British Commandos in Normandy.

James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way to the rank of Colonel. During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty. Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's Croix de Guerre, and 7 Battle Stars during World War II. In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force as a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the late 1950s.

Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond the draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II, Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los Angeles. He attended the Officers' CandidateSchool at Miami Beach, Fla. and graduated as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942. He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where flew operational missions over Europe in B-17s. Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age for combat.

Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak. Earnest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.

Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star and awarded the Purple Heart.

Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically on B-29s in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan

George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.

Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on the island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.

Brian Keith served as a U.S. Marine rear gunner in several actions against the Japanese on Rabal in the Pacific.

Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when he was wounded earning the Purple Heart.

John Russell: In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at Guadalcanal. Robert Ryan was a U. S. Marine who served with the O. S. S. in Yugoslavia. Tyrone Power (an established movie star when Pearl Harbor was bombed) joined the U.S. Marines, was a pilot flying supplies into, and wounded Marines out of, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.


Audie Murphy, little 5'5" tall 110 pound guy from Texas who played cowboy parts? Most Decorated serviceman of W.W.II and earned: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Star Medals with "V", 2 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal of Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.

So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when compared to the hollywonks today who spray out anti-American drivel as they bite the hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yesteryear saying they hate our flag, making antiwar speeches, marching in anti-American parades and saying they hate our president?

I thought not.

Author of Email unknown.

Free the Philadelphia 4

I posted about the four Christians who are facing 47 years in prison for peacefully quoting the Bible

Joseph Farah writes in the WorldNetDaily:
"Free the Philadelphia 4
It's worth remembering the very first legislative act in Pennsylvania, April 25, 1682. It was called the Great Law of Pennsylvania - and great it was."

'Whereas the glory of Almighty God and the good of mankind is the reason and the end of government, and, therefore government itself is a venerable ordinance of God ... [there shall be established] laws as shall best preserve true Christian and civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices, whereby God may have his due, and Caesar his due, and the people their due, from tyranny and oppression.' "

Farah asks where is the ACLU who claim to fight for the rights of people. He further states video shows that despite very active harrassment, the
Christian group remained calm and obeyed police directions.

Read more

Rumsfeld criticized for having machine sign condolence letters |

ajc.com
"In a statement Friday, Rumsfeld announced the change in policy and said more than 1,000 condolence letters had gone out to relatives of Americans killed in military action during the global fight against terrorism.
'While I have not individually signed each one, in the interest of ensuring expeditious contact with grieving family members, I have directed that in the future I sign each letter,' Rumsfeld said in the statement.
'I am deeply grateful for the many letters I have received from the families of those who have been killed in the service of our country, and I recognize and honor their personal loss,' he said."

I can understand families who have lost loved ones wanting to know that the Secretary of Defense really cares about their greivous loss when one of our brave military is killed. My sympathy goes out to the families and friends of those who have given their all in defense of this country.

That said, personalized letters with a mechanical signature surely is better than the telegrams sent to families in WWII. Did each family of the
58,000+ in Vietnam receive personally signed letters from the then Secretary of Defense? Were the bodies of the fallen escorted home by military in these other conflicts? I don't know for certain, but I do not think so. I was not part of the family yet when my brother-in-law came home but from what my husband told me, their was some representation at the interment and the family was given the folded flag. The notification of death to my mother-in-law, while her two sons were overseas in the military was the traditional "we regret to to inform you" telegram. The telegram and flag were saved. I think if letters from the Secretary of Defense and/or President were sent, these too would have been saved.

The fact that Sec. Rumsfeld composed a personal condolence letter and made the arrangements for families to receive them seems an improvement from previous wars. Personal notification by members of the military appears to be the manner in which families are now made aware of the loss of one of our brave heros. Protection of privacy by not allowing continual TV coverage of flag draped coffins, widely criticized by some, spares the families of continual, unexpected and grim reminders of their loss at times they may be able to focus on something else for a brief respite in their grief. The brief TV coverage of how honorably the dead are treated from the battlefield to their final resting place is evidence that the administration cares for both the fallen and the family.

So Secretary Rumsfeld will now personally sign each condolence letter. What other thing will the politicians now have to posture about.

La Shawn Barber Talks About Kwanzaa

I remember when Kwanzaa was first initiated but never understood that it was developed on an anti-Christian base. La Shawn's article (like all her others) is well worth reading.
Kwanzaa

The Army We Have-Update

Another milblog, http://thecommonvirtue.com/ , has some insights about Sec. Rumsfeld.

The Army We Have

Frederick Kagan writes in The Weekly Standard an article entitled The Army We Have
"SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DONALD RUMSFELD declared, 'You go to war with the Army you have. They're not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time.' The callousness and irresponsible buck-passing of this statement need no further elucidation. "

He likes the bandwagon criticizing Secretary of Defense Runsfeld so he decided to jump on. I have heard so many comments like this since
Rumsfeld met with troops in Kuwait prior to going to Iraq. He has these meetings, if I understand correctly, with the troops and sans media fairly often. He is speaking with troops who do not always have time for tactful expression and are accustomed to blunt speech. This meeting had reporters present and in fact one instigated the question that elicited the above quoted response. Why is a truthful response callous? Was Kagan there to see the troops respond to Rumsfeld? Did he read any of the milblogs of military who were present. Does he think the troops were as offended as he aparently was by the lack of 'sugar coating' of Rumsfeld's response. Did he have access to the entire meeting on video? Did he hear Rumsfeld tell the troops that he had looked out his window and saw 6-8 armored vehicles and guess what, they aren't there anymore. From the milblogs I have read (http://www.missick.com/warblog.htm and http://2slick.blogspot.com/2004/12/rumsfelds-visit.html) it seems those who attended were so happy with Rumsfeld that they stood around after the meeting to have their pictures taken with the Secretary of Defense.

I have been unable to backtrack an article I read this morning quoting a military officer with this group. He said they have 800+ uparmored vehicles and armor kits available to complete the rest of the vehicles.

This article goes on to report that we need increased numbers in our military which is most likely true. I am not an expert on military strength and planning and would like some information as to what the planned redeployment of relatively large numbers currently serving in other theatres of operation will have on the need to increase overall size of our military. The writer questions critical needs being met if some of the hot spots in the world flare up. That is reason for planning and I have no argument with the authors views.

Click on title to read article.

Cord Blood Stem Cells Treat Infant With Rare Genetic Disease

"British Youngster with Rare Immune System Disease Improved after Cord Blood Treatment

NEWCASTLE, December 17, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Almost a year after George Young received stem cells from the placental cord blood of an American infant donor, his condition is improving. 19-month-old George suffers from Ipex Syndrome, a disease that left his doctors predicting only a 50% chance of survival. Today he is home from the hospital with his parents Emma Young and George Oldham and eight-year-old brother Reece.

Ipex Syndrome is a rare genetic disease of the immune system that causes a host of symptoms including insulin-dependent diabetes, eczema, diarrhea, anemia and thrombocytopenia which lowers the production of platelets in the blood. Ipex syndrome is usually fatal in the first year of life.

With Ipex syndrome, treatment with immunosuppressive drugs can help temporarily for some patients but does not cure the condition. These drugs can often cause serious problems of their own. Ipex Syndrome patients have responded to bone marrow transplants, which is another form of stem cell treatment, but 'the long term outcome is uncertain.'

George's mother, Emma Young said they were 'taking one day at a time.' 'George is very fragile, but to have him home is the most wonderful thing,' she said. 'He'd been in the bubble nine months and in hospital almost since birth. I couldn't kiss him then as a tiny peck could kill him. But now he's home and he is better than he has ever been.'"

I cannot help but wonder why people are adament about the need for the destruction of embryos to obtain stem cells for research when so much progress is being made with stem cells from umbilical cord blood and adult stem cells. In all of my readings, I have yet to find one positive outcome from embryonic stem cells and so many promising results from treatments with stem cells from cord blood after a healthy infant is born and adult stem cells havested from a patient's own nasal mucosa or bone marrow for autologous use which avoids the need for immunosuppresent drugs.

47 Years In Prison?

"Prayer and Scripture Reading During Gay Celebration Could Cost Christians 47 Years in Prison
'Stalin would be proud', says lawyer for defendents

PHILADELPHIA, December 17, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A group of eleven Christians were arrested on October 10 for praying, singing, and reading scripture during an annual 'gay pride' event known as 'Outfest' in Philadelphia. The members of the group were charged with three felony (criminal conspiracy, ethnic intimidation, and riot) and five misdemeanor charges.

An appeal to a federal appeals court to stop the prosecution was denied Tuesday. Further, charges were dropped against seven of the men and women. However, Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge William Austin Meehan ordered four of the group members to stand trial on the charges. If convicted, they could face up to 47 years in prison.

Since the federal courts did not intervene to halt the state prosecution, the last route for the four in question would be an appeal to the Supreme Court according to their attorney Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy.

'First, symbols of Christianity are removed from the public square, now, Christians are facing years in prison because they preached the gospel in the public square. Stalin would be proud,' Fahling said.

The federal appeals court in Philadelphia denied emergency relief despite video footage Fahling calls 'undisputed evidence' that shows the Christians cooperating with police and continually being harassed by the Pink Angels, a group of homosexuals organized to impede the Christian group. "

Bad guys rampage as good guys sit on fence: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"Is it so much to ask that each NATO country contribute 100 soldiers for a long weekend to advance the prospect of Iraqi elections? Heck, I'll throw in the airfare myself. I have so many frequent-flier miles, I could even fly over a few hundred soldiers from European Union countries that aren't in NATO."

Thomas L. Friedman asks " is it such a hard call for Arabs and Europeans to figure out on whose side they should be?
So let the record show that when Iraq finally decided to hold a free and fair election, all the bad guys decided to come and "vote" and all the good guys sat on the fence, dangling their legs, eating pistachios."

Click on title to read more.

Homespun Symposium V

What do you believe is necessary for true racial reconciliation to take place in American society?*Does your solution involve coercive governmental remedies?*Do you believe that Churches have an important role to play in this process?"

I grew up in totally white, Christian (if you professed a religion) communities in Minnesota. I never heard negative conversation about people of other races within my family. People whose origins were from another continent were simply not a part of my experience. We lived with persons of very modest means and some quite comfortable financially. That was the biggest factor in class distinction. The other distinguishing factor was what church you belonged to among the various Christian churches. One of my favorite books as a child was Little Black Sambo. It had pictures of a small black boy, in another land who lived with tigers as part of his life. It never occurred to me to look down on a little black boy who lived such an exciting life. I never realized it would offend black people to have a black boy as the hero of my story.


In high school, we had some black migrant students who spent 4-6 weeks at my school. They were not teased, negative comments were not made within my hearing. They seemed shy and tended to stay by themselves. I could relate to them as a person who had moved and changed schools multiple times and their behavior did not seem strange since they were new in a school where everybody else knew each other. Then they were gone.

At age 18 I actually worked with a few black women for the first time. I was a nursing student
and they worked as aides. It was here that I found my first overt racism. A patient refused to have a black women care for her. This was my patient and the aide was working with me. The patient got the minimal care necessary from me. I could not believe someone could behave in this manner toward another perfectly lovely human being. Ruby, the aide , was one of the hardest working and most gentle care givers that I had worked with. I became aware of the civil rights issues and the horrible treatment of blacks who attempted to go to school. I applauded
Rosa Parks and the sit-ins at all white drugstore counters. For those brave souls who were
insisting on their human rights and those willing to assist them, I had immense respect.
For those whites who were so biased in thoughts and actions I felt contempt.

Eventually, when I started teaching nursing, I had a number of black students.
They fit in with the white students by virtue of the force of their personality. They were integral
parts of the class and were always a delight to work with. My immediate boss was black. She had her masters degree and I was still working on mine. The one time racism raised it 's head was when she would not attend my wedding because she felt she would be the "token black" and though I think the others attending would have welcomed her, she undoubtedly had gone through enough negative experiences to want to avoid another. This was in New York. I went to school in the city and had a few black classmates in general classes, but never got to know them
because I attended class and went back home because of my schedule. At work I taught with
a Chinese and two Jewish women. The Director and Assistant Director were lesbians. I had no
difficulty working with, laughing with and socializing at times away from work. I did go home
with one of my Jewish friends and celebrated Seder with her family and shared the traditional
meal with many explanations to me. They were moderate Jews and very open to having a gentile in their home.

When we moved to Florida I ended up teaching in a Jr. College. Here again, I worked with black
faculty and students and had my first encounter with militant racism. I criticized the performance of a black student in the same manner I would criticize any student performance--in private with suggestions for improvement. This student evidently complained to a black faculty member and I was accused of racism. I did not have different standards for students be they white ,black, male or female. This made me very unhappy because I never harbored negative feelings based on ethnicity or sex. They represented the mixed community in the college. Many of the black and male students were outstanding, others were average both in knowledge and performance. When less than adequate knowledge or performance were apparent, it was my job to point this out and help the individual overcome whatever weakness they presented. We accepted "at risk" students and the faculty worked very hard and effectively in helping them overcome the previous learning deficits they came to us with. The majority of these students became successful, both black and white.

When we moved to North Carolina there were very few black persons in the town I now
live in. One of my favorite people at work happened to be black. It made no difference as
far as working was concerned. She was younger, had her own family and church ties. I never
saw the militant racism from the blacks in this community nor negative reactions from
patients or other staff. We have Chinese and Thai who own restaurants that are frequented
by the community. I see no overt racism from them or the white customers. A married couple who happened to be black had chronic health problems were frequently patients in ICU and staff were very fond of them. They had a lot of hugs and visits from all the staff even when they were not assigned to care for them.

Dr. Martin Luther King's speech about judging people not based on color but on character
resonates with me. I like Bill Cosby's statements on parenting and to stop blaming whitey
for everything that goes wrong. I dislike Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton turning everything
into a racial issue. I admired Julian Bond at one time and now find him hateful and feel they (Jackson, Sharpton , Bond)
work to keep racism alive and well, as a means to stay in the limelight. I admire anyone who
has fought poverty or racism or both and achieved the goals they have for their lives.
People such as Oprah, Colin Powell and Condaleeza Rice are outstanding examples.
I am happy to see blacks in leadership positions within our government and court system.
Lesser known people of various ethnic backgrounds are successful in business, entertainment,
sports and the military.

I do not believe that government can legislate this away with quotas or mandated
preferential treatment. Freedoms for one must be freedoms for all. Legal
protection against racist policies is the only thing that government should be
involved with.

Since people tend to live in areas with large numbers of their own ethnic group be it Italians,
African Americans or Asians, they tend to have their own religious groups. Churches can
do more in joining the members together in social, common worship services or joining choirs
to give a concert. We tend to stay within our most familiar social groups, not out of hate, but
because we are more comfortable. We see more mixed ethnicity in larger community churches
and that is to be applauded. Today, I think that all people of faith stand a better chance of
overcoming the racial divide within our churches as we begin to fight the gradual, continual
corruption of our society.

Blogging has allowed me to get to know more of Muslim people through the Iraqi
blogs. I enjoy LaShawn Barber's blog and find we have much in common. The
internet opens up many opportunities for greater understanding of the similarities
we all share. We all love, we hope and we bleed the same

Public Education=Money, Money, Money

Recent headlines have reported plans for a court-ordered, $5 billion plus annual infusion of cash into New York City's public education system.
As public school performance in educating the nation's children seems to be on a continual downward slide, it is interesting to note that the salaries of school superintendents continues to rise well above the wages paid to Cabinet Secretaries. I don't know what the answers to our problems are, except that perhaps returning leadership to the smaller community schools might make our schools into places where education becomes less like big business. Cut those high salaries and hire another teacher or two to cut down on class size. Return control to the immediate community served rather than one school board that is responsible for huge, multi school districts.

Click on title to read Washington Post Article re. salaries

Weather: Staring down the cold

An article in the St. Petersburg Times reminds us of the farmers concerns for the crops we depend on.
"The potential for frost puts farmers on the defensive. They stand sentinel at night, waiting to do battle for their crops."
Work and worry go into the growing and harvesting of tomatoes, strawberries, citrus
and other crops when the sunshine state has temperatures down to freezing. As a former resident of Florida, I recall the
evenings when we raced around to cover the tender tropical plants in the landscape and carried all of my hanging plants,
mostly orchids, into the garage. We sometimes forget that farmers are in danger of losing their crops and thus their
income when frost comes calling. It is cold in the southeast and most of us tend to stay in where it is warm or at least hurry to
get any outside chores done quickly. I hope that the temperatures will warm up, at least for the Florida farmers.

Columbine Survivor Shares Love of Christ with Children of Beslan

By Allie Martin
December 15, 2004
(AgapePress) - "A young woman who lived through the harrowing Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, in 1999 has helped deliver shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts -- along with a message of Christian love and encouragement -- to survivors of the recent school hostage crisis that left hundreds dead in Beslan, Russia.
The survivor of the Columbine tragedy says after delivering the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts, she told the Beslan hostage crisis survivors how she recovered after her ordeal and encouraged the youngsters to place their faith in Christ. She says she believes the shoebox gifts can touch the hearts of those who have endured tragedy.

At the same time, Woodman Miller says she hopes her presence and prayers have also helped to encourage healing for the young Beslan siege victims, and that "in words and with my arms just wrapped around them, hugging them and loving them, that they will know the love of Jesus Christ in a tangible way -- that they will know that there is hope."

Miller recently flew to Russia on a plane packed with 425,000 shoeboxes. The purpose of the trip was to deliver the gifts as part of Operation Christmas Child, an annual outreach of the Samaritan's Purse ministry.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? A Christmas Memory

It was a beautiful christmas Eve with light snow falling. I was happy to be with my brother and his family as we headed to their church for Christmas Eve services. The church was small and modern in decor and rather stark. A single poinsettia plant was the only decoration in the front of the church near the altar. I do not recall the music, but it was not usual carols and Christmas hymns. It seemed a little strange to me since my church always had a tree decorated with Chrismons and evergreen garlands in various places.

The pastor began to read from scripture as follows from the book of Genesis 32:

24But Jacob stayed behind by himself, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25When the man saw that he couldn't get the best of Jacob as they wrestled, he deliberately threw Jacob's hip out of joint. 26The man said, "Let me go; it's daybreak." Jacob said, "I'm not letting you go 'til you bless me. 27The man said, "What's your name?" He answered, "Jacob." 28The man said, "But no longer. Your name is no longer Jacob. From now on it's Israel (God-Wrestler); you've wrestled with God and you've come through." 29Jacob asked, "And what's your name?" The man said, "Why do you want to know my name?" And then, right then and there, he blessed him.

I am thinking that this is the strangest choice of scripture I have ever heard for a Christmas service. What happened to the "and it came to pass in the days of Ceasar Agustus?"

The pastor continued talking about Jacob wrestling with the angel and the question of what is your name? He explained that in those days, only those with a close relationship to a person called them by name or even knew their name. He asked what name could we apply to ourselves. Could we call our selves "good" since surely there are times we are good. However, since there are also times when we are not good it really would not be a name we could claim. Could we call ourselves "generous", because often we are generous, but then again there are times when in fact we are not generous. How about "loving?" Certainly we are loving to those in our family and circle of friends. Are we loving to all strangers and those whose lifestyles offend us? Not always, so we really can not claim loving to be our name.

This pastor was an outstanding speaker and even though I felt the message was strange for Christmas eve, my attention never drifted.

The pastor continued to suggest positive attributes we could claim as our name but always found a reason why we really did not live up to the image implied by that name. He finally came up with the word "sinner" and elaborated on the many ways in which that truly described us and why we could justifiably claim that as our name. We all fall short. None of us is continually good, generous, loving or any other adjective he spoke of. Yes, sinner is definitely what we are. Sin is what we so often do even though we would choose not to do so. We try and we fail to live the type of life that would be pleasing to God in everyway. We are sinners! That is the name that best describes us. Our name is sinner. We could not claim any other name.

Because a baby born in Bethlehem was the Son of God sent to earth so many years ago to suffer and die for our sins, your name is no longer sinner, you are REDEEMED! Amen.


This Christas Eve was about forty years ago and this particular message has never left my memory. I continue to appreciate the reading from Luke each Christmas. I prefer the King James Version since this is what I learned in my childhood. I have many happy memories of Christmas spent first with my parents and siblings and those spent with my husband and son. I have attended many Christmas Eve services and have listened to many well thought out sermons, but this particular one will remain my favorite. I am REDEEMED!

More Adult Stem Cell News

New Type of Adult Stem Cell Shows Exciting Similarity to Embryonic Stem Cell FlexibilityDecember 13, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A type of stem cell found in adults is proving to be similar to embryonic stem cells in flexibility. The stem cell, called a neural crest stem cell, is one that develops before birth and persists into adulthood in hair follicles. Maya Sieber-Blum, Ph.D., of the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milos Grim, MD Ph.D., of Charles University Prague, and their team of researchers discovered the new type of adult stem cell and say they hope it can be used in therapeutic applications. Like all stem cells derived from a patient's own body, neural crest stem cells do not prompt immune system rejection and they have been shown to have an unusually ready ability to change into many types of tissue.Early studies have shown that they are able to differentiate into neurons, nerve supporting cells, cartilage/bone cells, smooth muscle cells, and pigment cells. Sieber-Blum said, "The goal of our research is to apply neural crest stem cells from adult hair follicles in cell replacement therapy in selected instances," which include heart disease and spinal cord injuries as well as Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. In related news, Dr. Michael J. Young, from Harvard Medical School in Boston has led a team of researchers who have cured mice of retinal disease using their own stem cells. The scientists harvested retinal stem cells from newborn mice and transplanted them into the damaged retinas of adult mice. The stem cells transformed into the nerve cells and repaired the damage. The treated mice have shown improved response to light. "many of the (eye) cells that were on the verge of dying before the transplant appeared to regain or retain their function," Dr. Young wrote in a media release. "These are the first steps toward the use of stem cells for saving existing vision and then - down the road - restoring vision that has already been lost," he said

Road Rage

Another Email worth sharing

A man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection with him.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap onher window and looked up into the face of a very serious policeofficer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him."
"I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do?' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."

Enjoy your day!

.....blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.......

The Oscar Battles of "Passion," "9/11"

The Oscar Battles of "Passion," "9/11" are heating up. If this is of interest to you and you support The Passion of the Christ, you may sign a petition at www.passionforfairness.com

United Nations on National Review Online

Much is written about the corrupton in the UN related to the Oil For Food scandal. In the National Review, Anne Bayefsky writes of another way in which the UN fails it's goals.

Click on title to read article.

Immigration Reform

Since the intelligence-reform bill passed and will be signed into law by President Bush, immigration policy must become a priority for the new congress. Policies on immigration require first the enforcement of existing immigration law. The current and previous administrations have been lax in this regard.The new intelligence-reform bill does not include measures pushed by Rep. James Sensenbrenner banning states from issuing drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants,. It does not include provisions to make it easier to deport illegal immigrants without judicial review. We need to hold the Congressional leaders to their promise to deal with these issues later. Letters to our Senators and Representatives indicating our support for needed immigration law reform can help makde sure the promise is, in fact, kept.

Rep. Sensenbrenner said, "We're doing this to stop the next terrorists and to take necessary steps to protect the American people. The bill will address the three most critical elements, including real driver's license reform, tightening our asylum laws to stop exploitation by terrorists, and finishing the fence on California's border with Mexico. ... We will ensure that terrorists like Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the first World Trade Center attack in 1993, no longer receive a free pass to move around America's communities when they show up at our gates claiming asylum... We will end judge-imposed presumptions that benefit suspected terrorists so that we stop providing a safe haven to some of the worst people on earth."

I am hopeful that Congree will seriously consider this matter and incorporate the concerns expressed by Sensenbrenner and the concept of permits for workers who have employers willing to hire them. Illegals should be deported and sign up for work permits and wait their turn. This would therefore not reward illegal entry into the US. US citizenship should be conferred on children born here only when at least one parent is already a US citizen. Coming across the border to deliver a child on US soil should not be a convoluted path to gain citizenship because the mother is now the parent of an American citizen.

AN INVITATION TO ALL READERS

You are cordially invited to A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!

Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ

Date: Every day. Traditionally, December 25 but He's always around, so the date is flexible....

Time: Whenever you're ready.(Please don't be late, though, or you'll miss out on all the fun!)

Place: In your heart.... He'll meet you there. (You'll hear Him knock..)


Attire: Come as you are... grubbies are okay. He'll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something about new white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.

Tickets: Admission is free. He's already paid for everyone... (He says you wouldn't have been able to afford it anyway...it cost Him everything He had. But you do need to accept the ticket!!

Refreshments: New wine, bread, and a far-out drink He calls "Living Water,"followed by a supper that promises to be out of this world!

Gift Suggestions: ; Your life. He's one of those people who already has everything else.(He's very generous in return though. Just wait until you see what He has for you!)

Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth, Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness, Communion with God, Forgiveness, Miracles, Healing, Power, Eternity in Paradise, Contentment, and much more! (All "G" rated, so bring your family and friends.)

R.S.V.P. Very Important!He must know ahead so He can reserve a spot for you at the table. Also, He's keeping a list of His friends for future reference. He calls it the "Lamb's Book of Life."
Party being given by His Kids (that's us!!) !Hope to see you there! For those of you whom I will see at the party, share this with someone today!

May this Holiest of season's bring you great happiness and joy, and may the New Year bless you with good health and peace.

Merry Christmas to all!

Stem Cells Re-Grow Dead Brain Tissue

Korean Scientists Use Bone Marrow Stem Cells to Re-Grow Dead Brain TissueSONGEUI, December 10, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Professors Rha Hyoung-kyun and Lee Jong-wook, of the medical college of the Catholic University of Korea, have discovered that adult stem cells can be implanted into damaged areas of the brain to re-build dead tissue. The researchers worked with five cerebral infarction patients who suffered severe symptoms of paralysis and speech disorder. Cerebral infarction is the formation of an area of dead tissue in the brain caused by insufficient blood flow and until the advent of stem cells, it was considered incurable. If blood flow in the brain becomes blocked it is possible for bypass surgery to correct the problem, but brain cells do not regenerate the same way as other tissues and damage can cause severe, lifelong infirmity. More observation is needed to confirm results, but the doctors were optimistic. "It may be too early to conclude the transplantation of stem cells is the only reason for an improvement in the patients' condition, because we haven't confirmed the rebirth of brain cells in a molecular biological way," Rha said. "But as it was proven in animal experiments that stem cells can partly restore brain cells, we consider stem cells helped the treatment in these clinical experiments as well," he added.The researchers did bypass surgery on the five patients, they then injected cells taken from bone marrow into ten damaged areas of the brain. Three of the five patients have had great improvement in their speech disorder and paralysis. MRI scans have shown a reduction in the amount of damaged tissue. "One of the patients could not communicate at all before the surgery, but he can now communicate with his wife," Rha said.

More on Stem Cell Research

Report: Cord Blood Eliminates Need for Embryonic Stem Cells"Everything that people now talk about regarding stem cells, I think that cord blood can do."TORONTO, December 9, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A Toronto scientist says the need for stem cells derived from embryonic babies is completely unnecessary, because stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood can do everything that other stem cells can do."We already have these cells making insulin in a dish," Dr. Bob Casper said, as reported by the London Free Press. "There are already animal models for spinal cord injuries and for diabetes. If all these things work out, the potential for the use of these cells is going to be hugely expanded."Dr. Casper is a senior scientist at Mount Sinai Hospital's Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute and one founder of a private donor cord blood cell bank, Insception Biosciences."Everything that people now talk about regarding stem cells, I think that cord blood can do," he said "It could change the whole face of medicine."Cord blood is accessible - it is simply the blood left behind in the umbilical cord after a baby is delivered, that is normally thrown away, Dr. Casper said -- "tissue that is essentially treated like garbage."Doctors have been substituting bone marrow transplants for leukemia treatment in children with cord blood cell transplants - the blood from a single cord is enough to treat one child. Scientists also recently discovered that this method is effective in adults with leukemia as well. Not only are cord blood cells equally efficacious -- cord blood cells are less likely to be rejected than a bone marrow transplant, so donor selection is simplified.Cord blood banks store the blood because it is a perfect genetic match for the child in the event the child needs stem cells or in place of a bone marrow transplant. The cells also have a one in four chance of being a perfect match for a sibling. Scientists have reproduced all the same effects under laboratory conditions that have been done with adult stem cells world-wide, such as regenerate damaged spinal columns and re-grow insulin-producing pancreas cells.

Bipartisan Bumper Sticker

A bumper sticker for both parties. FINALLY someone has come out with A 100% Bi-Partisan Political Bumper sticker.

The hottest selling bumper sticker comes from New York State:

"2008 - RUN HILLARY RUN"

Democrats put it on the rear bumper. Republicans put it on the front bumper

What Christmas Figure Are You?"

My results on the quiz at Quizilla.com


Ah, you are such a beautiful person! You are the
peaceful snow on a winter day. You would be
considered a calm person that does not let much
bother you. You find joy in tranquility and
beauty. You are probably one of those people
who take in deep breaths before anger hits you.
You have great traits about you, and you get
along with people well. Merry Christmas =)
Link

What Christmas Figure Are You?
http://quizilla.com/popular.html

WorldNetDaily: Will of the people ignored again

Joseph Farrah writes that "Arizona's Proposition 200, approved by voters in that state by a comfortable margin of nearly 60 percent. Voters had placed the proposition on the ballot because of their outrage that federal immigration laws were being ignored, permitting their state to be overrun by illegal aliens, and because they felt powerless to keep Arizona from being destroyed fiscally and culturally as a result."
This proposition, voted for by the of citizens in Arizona, shows that the judiciary feel they are above the will of the people.

LINK: "So, once again, in Arizona, a U.S. federal judge, David Bury, granted the activist lynch mob a temporary restraining order that keeps Gov. Janet Napolitano from signing Proposition 200 into law. "

What about the will of the people, states rights and all of the c onstitutional authority vested in the people and legislators? If this does not suit the judiciary, the will of the people appears to mean nothing.

Another Email Worth Sharing

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was! Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called "Smile." The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions. I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway, so, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning. It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action... I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you." I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope."

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope." We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. We are not church goers, but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it. Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?" I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed. In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student. I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE !.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.

Oral history planned for Sen. Kennedy

LINK: "WASHINGTON -- The Miller Center for Public Affairs at the University of Virginia is to announce plans today to record an oral history of the life and career of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a six-year, multimillion-dollar project that is the center's first effort to chronicle the history of a sitting senator.
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Kennedy, who suggested the project and will raise money to cover its $3.5 million cost, will sit for 75 hours of talks with the center, which also plans to interview more than 100 of the veteran senator's former and current staff members, colleagues from both sides of the aisle, family, and other notable figures who have known him."

Is he self serving or what?

An Open Letter To Our Military

Dear Troops-One and All.

Greetings to you from a Christian senior citizen in North Carolina. I am hoping that you will have some sense of the amount of my appreciation for all you and your loved ones go through in orer to serve our nation. I know it is not easy to be in Iraq at this time of year when those at home celebrate the holidays in whatever is a meaningful way for you.

Each and every one of you is a precious gift to us who you are safeguarding. Your willingness to give your time, effort and skills is in the greatest tradition of the American Military that has maintained our freedoms over the years. Having had family members serve in both the Army and the Navy, some in war and others in peace makes me aware of just how valuable you are to friends and family and to all of us as well.

I write to a couple of soldiers I adopted through Soldiers Angels and read and comment on as many MIlblogs as I can.
I repeatedly try to let all know how thankful I am for their service and yet somehow the words always seem so inadeqate to truly convey my feeelings of gratitude to all of you.

I pray for our military in all of the theatres but mostly for those in Iraq and Afghanistan. May you find some joy and peace of spirit while you are in Iraq, May God bless each of you, keep you safe and bring you back to those you love.

Merry Christmas,

Pat in NC

SlagleRock's Slaughterhouse: Letters To The Troops For The Holidays (Help From All Bloggers Part 2)

SlagleRock's Slaughterhouse: Letters To The Troops For The Holidays (Help From All Bloggers Part 2)
SlagleRock is again collecting letters to carry to Iraq for our military.
I encourage all of you to check out this site and find out how you to can write a letter on your blog.
Click on title to be directed to his site.

Abolish The Department of Education??

Devvy Kidd writes LINK, "The federal Department of Education was made a part of the president's Cabinet by new world order facilitator Jimmy Carter. Prior to that, America had the finest education system in the world."
I have wondered what has happened to the public schools since I started my education in 1941 as a first grader. I read of the parental concern and the move to home schooling or when possible, the placement of children in private schools.
This article gave me some insight.

Anti-Civil Liberties Union

Joseph Farrah writes in the World Net Daily

"As Americans are beginning to realize, the term 'separation of church and state' appears nowhere in the founding documents of this great country. The phrase does appear, however, in the constitution of the old Soviet Union and many other tyrannies.
Worse yet, the ACLU is having a chilling effect on religious expression in the public square across America. Today cities and towns across the country are discriminating against religious expression in all its forms for fear of facing lawsuits by the ACLU and other groups with a similar agenda."

This does not come as news to me, but it is somewhat heartening to see more of the Media discussing the removal of Christ from Christmas in efforts to be politically correct. Policies have been established to prevent the phrase Merry Christmas from advertising, from personal greetings to customers, from allowing Salvation Army bell ringers on store property, from town's parades, and Christmas music from any public school. On Fox news and MSNBC, guests are talking about the denial of the reason for the season. Jewish leaders as well as Christian leaders are against merging of Christian and Jewish Holy Days into politically correct generic terminology. Students are no longer learning of the religious heritage upon which our country was founded. It is hard to believe, but true, that in America students in some schools are not allowed to read such things as our Declaration of Independence because it mentions God.

Since the beginning of the war in Iraq, I have been reading the blogs of Sunni, Shia and secular Iraqis. Most of the
writers are young adults in the third and fourth decade of their lives. Some are written by teenagers. I have learned a great deal about the Muslim religion, their belief in Allah and parts of the Quoran. They have taught us of their holidays, Ramadan and Eid. This is helpful in seeing the majority believe in God as they learned to understand what their prophet Mohammad had declared. They do not have the Ten Commandments as known in Judeo-Christian theology, but when I inquired, Najma a 16 year old girl, searched her Quoran and found scattered verses which paraphrase the commandments. In Mosul, they have Mosques known as the tombs of Moses and of Jonah. Yes, these are the Old Testament Moses and Jonah of Jonah and the whale.

Public schools in some areas of the country are teaching about Ramadan in efforts to expand students understanding of the Muslim faith while obliterating any mention of the Christian or Jewish faiths. This could be a good thing if part of a comparative religions course which helped students learn of the major world religions. This is, however, the secularist mandate for tolerance while demonstrating such intolerance for the faith of the majority of the country.

I find that knowing more of other faiths solidifies my own personal faith while increasing my general knowledge. I respect those of any faith who strive to live their lives accordingly. To me tolerance of others is a tenet of my faith. I believe that this can be said of the other major religions. Increasingly, in my mind, I link the ACLU and the Islamofascist terrorists as some of the most intolerant people inhabiting the earth. There is no tolerance for people of faith or people who do not follow perverted views of Islam.

A Morning To Remember

I wish I knew how people are able to cross through what they write. My title for this would have been interesting, frustrating, expensive morning.

I had an early morning routine doctor appointment today. I got ready and went out to the garage, opened the door and got in my car. I turned on the ignition and was greeted by a loud explosive sound under the hood. I called my son and requested he take me to the doctor's office. He again tried my car with the same result, a loud sound under the hood.
Off we went to the doctor's office and on to the pharmacy. Stopped by the mechanic that my son favors and he told them of the problem. Once at home I called my road insurance company to arrange for a tow. My son said he would push it out of the garage in the meantime. I am on the phone making arrangements for the tow to the mechanic when Carl came in with a stricken look and told me, "I wrecked your car." I looked at him and he said, "I'm not fooling mom. The car got away from me and backed into a tree. I wrecked your bumper and the trunk lid." He was doing me a favor, what could I say except "it is just worldly goods and nobody was injured." I think I convinced him that I really was not angry and am thankful for his willingness to help me and that stuff happens.
The car is on it's way to the mechanic and once they fix whatever the problem may be, we can drive it to our preferred body shop and get an estimate on fixing the body damage.

A Little Humor

Last night, at Wednesday evening service, our minister waxed eloquent during the offertory prayer. "Dear Lord," he began with arms extended and a rapturous look on his upturned face, "without you,we are but dust..."

He would have continued but at that moment my perfect little granddaughter Grace leaned over to me and whispered quite audibly in her first grader, little girl voice,"Pawpaw, what is butt dust?"

LAUS DEO

On the aluminum cap atop the Washington Monument in Washington, DC are displayed two words: Laus Deo (Lah-us Dee-o) No one can see these words. In fact most visitors to the monument have no idea they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less! Once you know the history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. I do.

These words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched atop the monument facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.So, what do those two words, in Latin, comprising just four syllables and only seven letters possibly mean? Very simply, they say, "Praise be to God!" (Laus are "Praise be" and Deo means "God.")

Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848 when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with the tribute Laus Deo! Praise be to God!From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure a visitor can take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant . . . a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape with the White House to the north, the Jefferson Memorial to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.A cross, you ask? Why a cross? What about the separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution.

So, read on...How interesting!! And, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice. Praise be to God! Within the monument it is 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings, the memorial stones share a message. On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God!When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4, 1848, deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God!Such was the discipline, the moral direction, the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy . " . . . one nation under God.

"I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Well, now is your opportunity . . . read on!"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that. Thou wilt keep the United States in. Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."Laus Deo! As you might have guessed, over 92 percent of Americans like the idea that our Pledge of Allegiance includes the phrase "under God."

It is clear when one studies the history of our great nation that Washington's America was one of the few countries in all the world established under the guidance, direction and banner of Almighty God, to whom was given all praise, honor and worship by the great men who formed and fashioned her pivotal foundations. When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God. It is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. Though many try to disprove and reason, their arguments are weak and easily proven without basis. Their efforts will forever be in vain; God assures us of that. Have you noticed as of late, how many more people are coming together, affirming the fact that this nation was, from the beginning, built on God? Any nation that is not built upon God will fail. Do you wonder why, when other nations fall into an abyss, does the United States continually prosper?

Now you know, but do not let the arrogance of some instill doubt within you.The truth is We have always been one nation under God!!! Laus Deo!!! Praise be to God!!!You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo," its location or the architects, but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. (Psalm 127:1)
Long may we live under GOD.
Laus Deo!!

BBC NEWS | Americas | Last chance saloon for UN?

"If the report of the high-level panel on reform of the UN is followed up with action, the United Nations might be saved.

A new direction for the United Nations?
It is a big if.
The report has recommended a historic shift away from the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of a member state unless it was about to or had attacked another.
It has proposed the principle that if governments fail in their 'responsibility to protect' their citizens, then the UN has a duty and a right to intervene. "
'It has a number of other recommendations including a definition of the concept of "threats" that goes way beyond the threats of war to include social, environmental and medical disasters. And it has no hierarchy of threat. All are relevant."

I am not convinced that the majority of the countries in the UN truly want the organization to change. The corruption runs deep and I do not see recommendations to make the functions more transparent and reform measures to prevent another Oil For food type scandal. Unless such reform is instituted we will have more of the same.

An Email Worth Sharing

SPARROW AT STARBUCKS

The song that silenced the cappuccino machine

by John Thomas Oaks


It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.

For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing.

It was a fun, low-pressure gig - I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the '40s to the '90s.

During our emotional rendition of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me
by Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across
from me. She was swaying to the beat and singing along.

After the tune was over, she approached me. "I apologize for singing
along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked.

"No," I replied. "We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to
sing up front on the next selection?"

To my delight, she accepted my invitation.

"You choose," I said. "What are you in the mood to sing?"
"Well. ... do you know any hymns?"

Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with. I cut my
teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our
guest singer a knowing look. "Name one."

"Oh, I don't know. There are so many good ones. You pick one."

"Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye is on the Sparrow'?"

My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes
on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that one."

She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing.

Why should I be discouraged?

Why should the shadows come?

The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.

I sing because I'm happy;

I sing because I'm free.

For His eye is on the sparrow

And I know He watches me.


When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening
roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall.

Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your coffee! I didn't come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin' to drink, just like you!" But the ovation continued. I embraced my new friend. "You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was beautiful!"

"Well, it's funny that you picked that particular hymn," she said.

"Why is that?"

"Well . ..." she hesitated again, "that was my daughter's favorite song."

"Really!" I exclaimed.

"Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause had subsided. "She was 16. She died of a brain tumor last week."

I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence. "Are you going to be okay?"

She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm
gonna be okay. I've just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs,
and everything's gonna be just fine."

She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.

Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that this
wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop? Coincidence
that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very hymn
that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week before? I
refuse to believe it.

God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning of time, and it's no stretch for me to imagine that he could reach into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival.

It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting him and singing his songs, everything's gonna be okay.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk

Abraham was too old

Isaac was a daydreamer

Jacob was a liar

Leah was ugly

Joseph was abused

Moses had a stuttering problem

Gideon was afraid

Sampson had long hair and was a womanizer

Rahab was a prostitute

Jeremiah and Timothy were too young

David had an affair and was a murderer

Elijah was suicidal

Isaiah preached naked

Jonah ran from God

Naomi was a widow

Job went bankrupt

John the Baptist ate bugs

Peter denied Christ

The Disciples fell asleep while praying

Martha worried about everything

The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once

Zaccheus was too small

Paul was too religious

Timothy had an ulcer...AND

Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now!!

God can use you to your full potential.

Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

GOD Bless

The Groningen Protocol:Infant Euthanasia and the Substance View of Personhood

the evangelical outpost: The Groningen Protocol Infant Euthanasia and the Substance View of Personhood

"During the most recent election season, many critics, including some fellow evangelicals, criticized conservative Christians for being 'single-issue' voters on abortion. But what will soon become apparent is that abortion is not a single issue but a wedge issue that prys opens a Pandora's box of bioethical atrocities. Unless we stand together and convince our fellow citizens to recognize the substance view of personhood, we will soon find the Groningen Protocol practiced in our own hospitals and nurseries. "

California Schools Barred From Parental Notification

Something needs to be done regarding the legislating from the bench and the interpretation of the law by persons other than Judges sitting on the higher courts. The California Attorney General has taken the interpretation of the law into his own hands and ruled that parents are not to be informed if their child seeks any type of medical treatment up to and including abortion. A parents groups have been attempting to get parental notification in view of "medical emancipation" statutes.

The arguments for lack of parental notification always seem to fall back on "parental abuse or incest"
as the reasoning behind such rulings. Patental rights are being usurped by schools, Planned Parenthood, and other secularists. There are undoubtedly cases where parental abuse or incest are the underlying problem, however, there could be statutes that would protect a child in such a case that would be an exception as determined through a judicial hearing to protect the child. This would allow for intervention by social services to help improve parenting skills or adjudication for frank abuse by the courts.

Because a few children truly need the protection of the courts is not sufficient reason to deny all parents information regarding a health problem. Infringement of parental rights to guide their children's decisions regarding health problems is not in the best interest of children and does more to undermine the basic structure of families. If I had a 12 year old daughter who was pregnant or was clinically depressed, I would want to know so that I could provide the emotional support and have a voice in how the problem
was dealt with.

2004 WorldNetDaily.com
California schools cannot inform parents if their children leave campus to receive certain confidential medical services that include abortion, AIDS treatment and psychological analysis, according to an opinion issued by the office of state Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
The opinion was prompted by resistance from teachers unions and groups such as Planned Parenthood to a Sacramento-based lobby group's efforts to help schools enact a "parent-friendly" policy requiring parental notification and consent in the wake of "medical emancipation" statutes that allow students to confidentially seek medical help off campus.

Lockyer's opinion relies on past decisions affirming a confidential relationship between a medical professional and a minor, but Koons argues that is not the issue.

More Bloggers?

BBC NEWS - Broadband challenges TV viewing

"The number of Europeans with broadband has exploded over the past 12 months, with the web eating into TV viewing habits, research suggests. Just over 54 million people are hooked up to the net via broadband, up from 34 million a year ago, according to market analysts Nielsen/NetRatings.

In homes with broadband, 40% said they were spending less time watching TV."

Just think of how many new bloggers will be generated.