The "new" frontier

We it isn't exactly new, but it is the current method of choice to reach this generation. And very effective when done properly. This video by Catholic seminarians at the Institute for Priestly Formation in Omaha would make St. Maximillian Kolbe proud.


via Catholic Dads

a fine cure

Anthony at Mere Comments has a fine cure for the poor music choices in the Glory and Praise hymnals.

What's missing from the hymnal? Oh, music, poetry -- and one thing above all: the Cross. The Cross sure does seem a fine cure for narcissism. In all our arguments about ordination and (in the Catholic church) lay "ministry," nobody ever says, "I want the right to be ordained a priest because I demand to be crucified!"

He has quite a list of what is wrong with the songs too, including my (least) favorites

-- the blithe arrogation of God's words to ourselves, speaking in the first person
-- the arrogation of God's grace and majesty to ourselves: "We are the Bread, we are the Body"

via The Curt Jester

looking elsewhere

Some days one feels like the "awful warning" part of the quote, "if you can't be a good example, then you might end up as an awful warning for others." Indeed.

There are days when we feel like others would do well to follow our example and days that we hope others are looking elsewhere. The noble cause, the eternal purpose we are put on the earth for is buried by the "where do I start" of the daily mundane.

Seems as of late I can't even blog well. No inspiration, no desire to waste time writing about what others should heed. Apathy even takes effort.

So remember that we are all seeking Christ, but some days we stumble through with eyes half shut. Thank God for his grace, and the chance to start all over again.

It could work

Who knows, it could happen. The Holy Observer: Pentecostal Man's Speaking in Tongues Echoes NBA Rosters

With open arms

When introducing a one's business to the neighboring community, some find it wise to conceal the exact nature of that business. But of course it is just that they "want to introduce ourselves to the community ... rather than be defined by our adversaries."

Nothing sez "so nice to meet you" like "Hello, we are your new neighbors. Never mind the guillotines and torture instruments, we just wanted to say hi. Perhaps borrow a cup of sugar or meat cleaver..."

Illinois Planned Parenthood Built New Aurora Abortion Business Secretly

Aurora, IL (LifeNews.com) -- As more reports surface on the new abortion center Planned Parenthood is building Aurora, Illinois, pro-life advocates are concerned about how it was built with so little advanced notice. The 22,000-foot building is one of the largest abortion centers in the nation but Planned Parenthood was able to build it under the radar.

As LifeNews.com reported Tuesday, Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area will open the abortion business in the 200 block of North Oakhurst Drive, located in the DuPage County section of Aurora.

But the new facility escaped the attention of pro-life advocates and area residents until recently in part because signs at the location carried Planned Parenthood's name for its new building -- the "Gemini Health Center."

Work crews working on the abortion center have been working on it for eight months but no one knew the facility would be used for abortions until a contractor tipped off local pro-life advocates when he grew concerned about the amount of security and bulletproof glass for the building.

When money is not an object, zoning rules and such don't really apply.

"No really, no reason to object to our business. We just thought we would sneak in and say 'Surprise.' In a fun sort of way, you know."

Where will the money come from

Creative Minority Report offers some profound financial wisdom to the World Bank.

Well it seems that some women are still having babies and the World Bank is miffed.

Reuters reports that countries are just not contributing enough anymore to 'reproductive programs'. Of course, 'reproductive programs' is big brother speak for contraception and abortion. The exact opposite of reproduction. NewSpeak at its finest. Orwell would be amazed. Anyway, the reason that funds have been drying up for these programs is the dramatic fall in fertility rates in most places.

They aren't getting the money because people aren't having babies anymore. Mission accomplished, right? Not on your life ,or rather your baby's life. Those sub-Saharan Africans still insist upon having babies and the World Bank must put a stop to it.

Read the entire article, it is profound right down to that very last line.

Fatherly duty

I ran across this reading about the Minnesota Vikings and their head coach. Sort of reminded me of a fatherly duty to scout the landscape and prepare his children for any dangers or holes they could fall into.

Childress takes discipline seriously, and he has personally visited most every bar or cafe where players recently have gotten in trouble. No doubt he will give a scouting report on what he expects of the players regarding these places when he greets the squad today.

Dead right

From Catholics for Ron Paul , "The reality is that without an air tight protection of Life, protection of Liberty means nothing."

How true it is, as I was learning to drive, my dad was fond of mentioning that the right of way meant little. "You may be right, but you can always be dead right."

Freedom is great, but it means little those who didn't make it into this world.

And don't forget to vote in the latest straw poll.

On this day

On this day, back in the summer of '68, a legend was born. Or more to the point, Pope Paul VI issued Humanae Vitae. And as the legend went, this was the day the Catholic Church would officially be left in the past. It turns out Pope Paul VI was prophetic rather than stuck in a dark closet.

See John's wonderful post over at Catholic Dads for a breakdown of the prophetic encyclical, Still Right After All These Years

One item he highlights is how G. K. Chesteron could dispense of the Overpopulation Myth with a simple sentence.

G. K. Chesterton wrote, "The answer to anyone who talks about the surplus population is to ask him whether he is the surplus population, or if he is not, how he knows he is not."

A blind spot

Looking back at the points Huckabee was making, I wondered if the left bank really doesn't get it, or if they know better but choose to ignore it. "It" being their blind spot to those who would assault people's ability to live a publicly Christian life. "Hate speech" is a buzz word for today, "tolerance" may be losing steam, but was once the only redeeming virtue.

But the failure to notice that one man's/person's tolerance is another's hate speech. Those who preach leftist tolerance usually exclude Christianity from the list of tolerated life-styles. Those who claim speaking out against homosexuality is "hateful" will tolerate many types of ridicule and verbal assault as long as it is directed towards Christianity. Now we can recognize that many Christians fall short of walking the talk. But to generalize that behavior as typical of Christians is to say everyone who wants to protect the environment is an eco-terrorist like the Earth First type. Or to claim every dog lover is an attention seeking PETA member.

It just isn't so.

God doesn't hate homosexuals, but expressing our beliefs about immorality doesn't equate to hate either.

So how did that work out for you?

Not being flippant here, but just so we can dismiss the silly notion that replacing the hierarchy with laity would solve every issue. This democratic setup hasn't prevented the pastor from act contrary to Christian principle.

It's anything but peace and love at a Chester County church. Members say their pastor is threatening to have them arrested and they've done nothing wrong.

Just remember there is a human side to every Church, ecclesial body, or sect. And where there is a human element, there is potential, or rather, certainty that sin will be evident.

As Mark Shea often points out, it is a good thing too, because that means all of us will fit right in.

Ecuminical dialogue

KC Catholic has more "conversations" between the churches in the latest episode of Street Talking

hat tip to Ironic Catholic

Thought control

For those keeping score at home, the House just passed a bill to make "Hate Crimes" a federal offense. Of course they couldn't get it passed on its own so "in typical Washington fashion, as an amendment tacked on to the National Defense Authorization Act."

So what is the issue? Are we just a bunch of red-neck hateful people? Or are Hate Crimes really about controlling "hate" or more about controlling "thought"?

That still leaves us with "why?" Do crimes against homosexuals go unpunished? Are people free to attack gays with impunity?

Of course not. There are already laws against assaults on people and property. Moreover, according to the FBI, crimes against homosexuals in the United States have dropped dramatically. In 2005, out of 863,000 cases of aggravated assault, just 177 cases were crimes of bias against homosexuals—far less than 1 percent.

So we needed a law to federalize this less than 1%. But still, shouldn't assaults motivated by hate face stronger punishment? Only if you are part of the "special class". Other assaults based on hate are just run of the mill crimes.

This bill would give the federal government jurisdiction over local criminal offenses believed to be "motivated by prejudice." Not just any prejudice, mind you, but prejudice based on "race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of the victim."

Watch those phrases sexual orientation and gender identity, because they tell you which groups are pushing hardest for this bill. The committee rejected amendments that would include other groups, like veterans, the homeless, and senior citizens.

And since when did the freedom of speech get removed from the First Amendment?

We've seen where laws like this can lead: Hate crimes have been defined to include verbal attacks—and even peaceful speech. The Thought Police have already prosecuted Christians under hate-crime laws in England, Sweden, and Canada. And in Pennsylvania, 11 Christians were prosecuted under the state's hate crime law for preaching on a street corner against homosexuality.

Seems our "representatives" in DC are getting so bad, we look forward to when they are on holiday. My wife asked if this bill had gotten ratified by the Senate yet, and when I answered no, it was the weekend and they weren't working, she replied, "good". So there is still time to contact your senators and let them know we are watching.

Yummy cow

Been a while since I posted anything worthy of irritating the PETA folk. But today's first reading at Mass reminded me of how blessed we are to have the "fatted calf" on our menu. We get our beef from my parents ranch, and mmmm, this one is really good.

Just hearing this verse in Mass reminded me to thank God for our blessings.

He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer,
and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.

Can't be

No way, guys get all charged up on internet porn and then have to find an outlet. No one is going to believe that line.FOXNews.com - Study: Men Who Download Child Porn More Likely to Molest Kids

An unpublished government study suggests a strong link between men who download sexual images of children and molestation, The New York Times reported.

Of the convicted Internet offenders in the study, 85 percent said they had sexually abused minors, with offenses ranging from inappropriate touching to rape.

via Crowhill blog

Misunderstanding the pupose

Here is an article written by Ron Paul after the death of Pope John Paul II about the posturing done by so many politicians. As published on Catholics for Ron Paul.

but a little side note, my beloved wife of 14 years has a bit of a crush on Ron Paul. Probably a result of caring so much about our country and feeling helpless at our choices for leaders. But she likes to remind me how Ron Paul is so close to John Paul, so he must be a good choice. Then she saw this little article and gave me the "loving" elbow to the ribs, "See!"

Anyway, the man is amazing. He is not Catholic, but he understands our beliefs 100 times better than most "Catholic" politicians.

Theology, not Politics
April 11, 2005
Members of Congress from both political parties outdid themselves last week in heaping praise upon Pope John Paul II in the wake of his passing. Many spoke at length on the floor of the House of Representatives, and some even flew to Rome for his funeral.

I’m happy to witness so many politicians honoring a great man of God and peace. The problem, however, is that so few of them honored him during his lifetime by their actions as legislators. In fact, most members of Congress support policies that are totally at odds with Catholic teachings.

Just two years ago conservatives were busy scolding the Pope for his refusal to back our invasion of Iraq. One conservative media favorite even made the sickening suggestion that the Pope was the enemy of the United States because he would not support our aggression in the Middle East. The Pontiff would not ignore the inherent contradiction in being pro-life and pro-war, nor distort just war doctrine to endorse attacking a nation that clearly posed no threat to America-- and conservatives resented it. September 11th did not change everything, and the Pope understood that killing is still killing. The hypocritical pro-war conservatives lauding him today have very short memories.

Liberals also routinely denounced the Pope for refusing to accept that Catholicism, like all religions, has rules that cannot simply be discarded to satisfy the cultural trends of the time. The political left has been highly critical of the Pope’s positions on abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage, feminism, and contraception. Many liberals frankly view Catholicism as an impediment to the fully secular society they hope to create.

Both conservatives and liberals cannot understand that the Pope’s pronouncements were theological, not political. He was one of the few humans on earth who could not be bullied or threatened by any government. He was a man of God, not a man of the state. He was not a policy maker, but rather a steward of long-established Catholic doctrine. His mission was to save souls, not serve the political agendas of any nation, party, or politician.

To the secularists, this was John Paul II’s unforgivable sin-- he placed service to God above service to the state. Most politicians view the state, not God, as the supreme ruler on earth. They simply cannot abide a theology that does not comport with their vision of unlimited state power. This is precisely why both conservatives and liberals savaged John Paul II when his theological pronouncements did not fit their goals. But perhaps their goals simply were not godly.

Unlike most political leaders, the Pope understood that both personal and economic liberties are necessary for human virtue to flourish. Virtue, after all, involves choices. Politics and government operate to deny people the freedom to make their own choices.

The Pope’s commitment to human dignity, grounded in the teachings of Christ, led him to become an eloquent and consistent advocate for an ethic of life, exemplified by his struggles against abortion, war, euthanasia, and the death penalty. Yet what institutions around the world sanction abortion, war, euthanasia, and the death penalty? Governments.

Historically, religion always represented a threat to government because it competes for the loyalties of the people. In modern America, however, most religious institutions abandoned their independence long ago, and now serve as cheerleaders for state policies like social services, faith-based welfare, and military aggression in the name of democracy. Few American churches challenge state actions at all, provided their tax-exempt status is maintained. This is why Washington politicians ostensibly celebrate religion-- it no longer threatens their supremacy. Government has co-opted religion and family as the primary organizing principle of our society. The federal government is boss, and everybody knows it. But no politician will ever produce even a tiny fraction of the legacy left by Pope John Paul II.

The panel effect

I came across this tidbit while reading about Micheal Vick's legal issues. As an aside, I have had my doubts about his ability as a QB ever since he was drafted. San Diego traded the first pick to Atlanta and spent their pick on RB Tomlinson and their second pick on QB Drew Brees. Last year these two lead their respective teams (Brees with the Saints) to the conference championship games. And both are classy guys from all accounts.

But that isn't my gist here. This author is contending on the race issue, that whites will have already convicted the bum and that blacks will claim he was framed no matter what the evidence. In a sense, we are all just bigots. In some generalities, he makes a point.

Like most African-Americans, I have seen my share of hatred, but one of the more stunning incidents was not being called a name or being subjected to a double standard. It occurred in the presence of an extremely kind white woman.

While participating in a wonderful series of multi-ethnic panel discussions several years ago called "Conversations on Race," a highly educated, middle-aged white woman began talking about her love of dogs. I remarked I've owned dogs my entire life and could not imagine living without one.

She replied: "I didn't know black people owned dogs."

I responded: "What do you think we do? Eat them?"

She apologized, but the moment was not lost on every black person in the room. If such an intelligent woman who had spent a large chunk of her life around black people could form such a crude thought, what do other whites, less educated, less exposed to a multicultural environment, think?

Thus we have the results of academia and multi-ethnic panel discussions. In many ways, the people speaking at these events are the biggest racists around. They focus on what divides and continue to infect the old wound. Like the child told to "vent his anger", their focus on themselves and what was wrong allows for little healing and progress.

True progress will be made when panel discussions are history and we realize people are different, but that doesn't make them bad or scary. Just different, but human, that's all.

Everything to everyone

It isn't surprising when one's has the view the government knows best and MUST act on its beliefs. Sex Ed for Kindergartners, so says Obama!

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., told Planned Parenthood Tuesday that sex education for kindergarteners, as long as it is “age-appropriate,” is “the right thing to do.”

A law for everything and and early indoctrination. More benefits of the Coming Nanny State.

A must

This article is a definite must read for anyone, Catholic and otherwise, who is upset, discontent, defending or otherwise concerned about the way the bishops and Pope interact. Why Doesn't the Pope Do Something about "Bad" Bishops? (This Rock: February 2006)

Read the whole article, it isn't very long, but is very thorough. Here are a few highlights.

Misconception #1:
The Pope as CEO

...One reason the Church is different from a corporation is the sacrament of holy orders. When a man is ordained, he is changed in his very being; he is "configured" to Christ as head and shepherd. This new identity is permanent and cannot be removed. Even if a priest is removed from the priesthood ("defrocked"), he remains a priest, sacramentally speaking, so a priest or bishop can’t be fired in the sense that a corporate employee can.

A department head or vice-president of a corporation has authority by delegation: his authority is given from the next higher level of the organization and ultimately comes from the president, CEO, or board of directors. The department head has authority only insofar as it is "borrowed" from above; it does not belong to him.

But this is not the case regarding the Church. The bishop enjoys the fullness of the sacrament of holy orders (cf. Lumen Gentium 26) and as such is head of the local Church, the diocese. A bishop’s authority within his diocese does not operate by delegation: The bishop is not merely exercising a power "borrowed" from the pope. Canon 381 of the Code of Canon Law states: "In the diocese entrusted to his care, the diocesan bishop has all the ordinary, proper, and immediate power required for the exercise of his pastoral office."

So don't expect any mergers or acquisitions soon.

Misconception #2:
The Bishop as Manager

...But the Church sees the bishop as the father of his diocese. In the Second Vatican Council’s document on bishops, Christus Dominus, the Church, "the Lord’s flock," is compared to a "family of which the bishop is the father" (CD 28). Elsewhere, the bishop’s office is defined as "father and pastor" (CD 16). This identification of the bishop as father goes back to the earliest Church Fathers, such as St. Ignatius of Antioch (c. A.D. 115), who, in his Letter to the Trallians, described the bishop as "the image of God the Father."

... when we say that the Church is a family, we mean it quite literally. The Church is not a reflection of the reality that is "family"—quite the opposite. The family is a reflection of the reality that is the Church. We must always bear in mind that spiritual realities are more real, not less real, than physical or natural realities. In Christ we are more truly connected, more truly in communion with people than we are with our own family members.

So if in Christ the Church is truly a family, then the bishop is truly a father to his flock. Now think about fatherhood for a moment: Is a father’s identity dependent on how well he fulfills it? Not really. A father is a father, almost regardless of how well he fulfills his responsibilities. We might say that John is a better father than Sam, but we don’t say that Sam is therefore not a father. There are some very good fathers; there are the majority of fathers who muddle along doing the best they can; and, unfortunately, there are a few bad fathers out there.

Now, in the natural sphere, a father has to be very bad indeed before he is relieved of his office. Mere incompetence is insufficient. While we may look at him as a sad case, most reasonable people wouldn’t say that the father who lets the house get run down or who doesn’t effectively discipline his children should be removed from his family. No, in order to justify separating a father from his family, we require substantial evidence of actual abuse or neglect. The father of a family is so integral to its identity that before removing him we have to be sure he is actually causing harm to the family. That determination is made in a court of law, with evidence and witnesses, and the father has an opportunity to defend himself. To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, removing the father from his family is not so much like firing a bad manager as it is like amputating a limb from one’s body: It’s justifiable only under the direst circumstances.

And as a father, we owe him our respect. For even the son of a lousy father is bound by the 4th commandment to recognize the father derives his authority from God the Father.

The Danger of Schism

The third reason popes are reluctant to depose bishops is the danger of schism. Whenever a bishop is removed, there is at least the possibility that he may elect to leave the Church altogether and set up on his own church, taking many of the faithful with him. Going back to our Lord’s prayer that "they all be one" (John 17:20–21), the Church regards schism as great evil and precipitating or fomenting schism as a grievous sin. Ignatius, in his Letter to the Smyrneans, wrote "Shun divisions as the beginning of evils." As long as people are kept within the Church, even tenuously, there is the possibility of correction and conversion. But if they depart, they may be lost for good.

And the larger the dissenting element, the more prevalent the heterodoxy, the more grave the danger. Msgr. George Kelly, in his book The Crisis of Authority, argued that, because dissent had become so widespread, the danger of schism was very real in the United States in the 1970s and ‘80s. Any papal "crackdown" against dissent, he argued, likely would have led to the separation of a large body of the faithful from communion with Rome. And so John Paul II seems to have adopted a "gradualist" approach: He largely avoided direct confrontation, save in the realm of ideas. He taught, corrected, and exhorted his brother bishops, and all of the faithful, to holiness and to the embrace of the fullness of the faith.

The gradualist approach may turn out to have been a mistake, but I don’t think so. The majority of episcopal appointments under John Paul II have been very good, even outstanding. Bishops of unquestioned orthodoxy, such as Raymond Burke of St. Louis and Charles Chaput of Denver, are now to be found in many of the major U.S. sees. And in a host of smaller sees one can find many excellent young bishops who are zealous and courageous exponents of the faith.

So much to be optimistic about with our Church. But we must avoid the temptation to shoot our generals in the back.

Is it you?

Or is it just me?

I'll wager the the latter after reading this piece.

Most days, though, it's not the hatred that gets to me, but the sheer childishness of it. Someone disagrees with you? Someone's so ignorant you can hardly stand to have him around. Someone is a little too pleased with himself? Someone must be taken down a notch. Someone tries to take you down a notch? Someone's just asking for it.

A person can rise to a challenge, or he can sink to it. Living in a junior high world means most of us are predisposed to sink, and once a conversation begins to sink it's almost impossible to turn it around.

It's also decidedly unsatisfying to rise above adolescent baiting. What if no one notices how mature you're being? What if they think you're not responding, not because you've put away childish things, but because you just got served? We can't have these... these adolescents think they're getting away with something merely by being juvenile.

Been down that road a few times. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

mega tip to Mark See ya on Saturday, buddy.

Money, money, moron

The wonder of the Internet and blogs is the ability to learn about the
true character of our "representatives. via Mark Shea

Rep. Don Young attacked his fellow Republicans on the House floor Wednesday, as he defended education funds allocated to his home-state of Alaska.

"You want my money, my money," Young stridently declared before warning conservatives that, "Those who bite me will be bitten back."

Young took extreme exception to an amendment by Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) to strike money in a spending bill for native Alaskan and Hawaiian educational programs.

Can't tell what has corrupted his world, can we? And yes this is Alaskan Rep. Young of the "Bridge to Nowhere" fame.

Seems he is getting just a bit to cozy in his fat-cat seat.

During his brief tirade Wednesday, Young suggested Republicans lost their majority because Garrett, whom he did not specifically name, and others had challenged spending during the GOP's tenure.

I think the lack of challenges to GOP spending would be more accurate. But then, it is just lowly taxpayers getting the shaft.

bad news bearers

Dom is the bearer of bad news, namely that it is A dark time for Catholic magazines, in particular, Crisis magazine. They are going to move to a web only format and stop printing the paper version. I completely agree with Dom on his point

And that’s a shame because, as much as the Internet scratches the itch of instant gratification, I still prefer print for longer and more thoughtful articles. Maybe it’s a sign that I’m an old geezer, but I just prefer to have paper to hold in my hands when reading anything longer than 500 words or so.

It isn't just hold the paper, it is how we read on the computer versus a book or magazine. I enjoy reclining or laying down to read, but that doesn't work with even a laptop. Neither is it convenient to take a computer with to read while I eat lunch.

I suspect the articles will still be printed, but the printing process will transfer to the readers. Might be time to fire up that old laserjet in my basement.

/aside
I can't help but wonder if some of Crisis's decline is caused by their being too closely tied to the Republican party? Now there is nothing wrong with a Catholic Mag focused on politics to point out the good points of the GOP, as far those good points go. But sometimes I sensed the support was over the top. Take for example the dolled up swine article they did on the No Child Left Behind. Expanding the federal education leviathan has no place in a supposedly conservative view. Never mind that it was a big-government Democrat idea before it became a big-government Republican idea.

All in all it was a very good magazine, with a frustratingly obtuse article every other month or so.

My favorite Hucklebee

As the kids call him anyway. I would like to see Huckabee get a bit more media time. He speaks with clarity and conviction that most of the candidates are missing.

"I sometimes marvel when people running for office are asked about faith and their answer is, 'Oh, I don't get into that. I keep that completely separate. My faith is completely immaterial to how I think and how I govern,' " he said. "To me, that is really tantamount to saying that one's faith is so marginal, so insignificant and so inconsequential that it really doesn't impact the way one lives. I would consider it an extraordinarily shallow faith that does not really impact the way we think about other human beings and the way we respond to them."

...
While Huckabee acknowledged that environmental issues cause heated debates, he believes that it's time for conservatives to become more involved in efforts to promote the "better stewardship of the environment and in development of an energy source that is not foreign based but domestically produced."

Most conservatives are for taking care of the land. In fact most people living on the land were conservationists before the current environmental extremists were out of their disposable diapers.

He also forsees a danger for the Republicans if they don't recognize where the voters stand.

"I really do think that if Christian conservatives, who have ... held the Republican Party's feet to the fire on issues as they relate to traditional conservative social areas, no longer play that role, it not only is going to be the end of relevancy for them, but I also think that it means that the Republican Party will lose a lot of people. They will say, 'Well, you know what, if they're not going to be the party that really cares about these issues, I'll go home to the Democratic Party.' A lot of those folks came from the Democratic Party to begin with."

Thin pudding

If the proof is in the pudding, this writer might want to find a better recipe. She is slaying imaginary dragons here, but when looking through brown colored glasses, one's outlook tends to be a bit crappy.

Washington Post Film Critic Upset New Movies Don't Promote Abortion

The Washington Post's film critic Ann Hornaday wants abortion. In the movies, that is. In her July 15 piece Hornaday complains that two box office successes this summer, “Waitress” and “Knocked Up,” feature main characters that are pregnant. Both are unmarried and less than thrilled with their pregnancies. Both have their babies.

“It’s a setup that has some viewers, especially women who came of age in a post-Roe v. Wade America, wondering just what world these movies are living in.

...
”Hollywood's liberal agenda hangs on a whole lot more than two pregnant characters, whose very pregnancies are the crux of the movie plots.

For Hornaday, really good movies that deal with abortion include the “fearless” “Citizen Ruth,” described as a “scathingly funny satire about abortion politics.”

Yeah, “abortion” and “funny” go together really well.

Hornaday and other feminist, pro-abortion journalists just can't fathom a world – the real world – where some people, regardless of marital status, will choose to carry a pregnancy to term. Will choose to give birth the human being growing within them. Will choose life.

Lots of people are doing it, Ann. In the real world and in the movies.

Work to do

Looks like there is a bit of work to do to get Ron Paul's message out in Idaho. Ridenbaugh Press » Ahead in Idaho

The new results come from Greg Smith Associates of Eagle; the report cautions any reading of them, owing partly to a smaller than usual sample size.

Smith, who is a public supporter of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, must have been heartened by the Republican results, which gave Romney a big lead (especially in eastern Idaho), 38% to 20% for second-place Rudy Guiliani; not-yet-candidate (depending on how you describe him and who he describes himself to) Fred Thompson is third at 18%. Of course, Idaho would be expected to be one of Romney’s best states; most of Idaho’s Republican political establishment is already in his camp.

Not surprising really when you look at the actual document (warning, PDF in link). The sample composition has 41% coming from Southwestern Idaho, strong Mormon country. I think the biggest beef most voters have with Romney (other than he is so fake) is his Mormonism. Most view the sect with a wary eye.

Always missing

He must really be onto something if he is so blatantly left off every list mentioning the Republican canidates.AP Poll: GOP pick is 'none of the above' - Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON - And the leading Republican presidential candidate is ... none of the above.

The latest Associated Press-Ipsos poll found that nearly a quarter of Republicans are unwilling to back top-tier hopefuls Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, John McCain or Mitt Romney, and no one candidate has emerged as the clear front-runner among Christian evangelicals.

Who is this mystery candidate that the media can never figure out? Well, he can't even make the list of lesser-knowns or longshots.

Nine Republicans and one all-but-declared hopeful, Thompson, make up the crowded GOP field. It shrunk in recent days when former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, an underfunded long shot, dropped out. Such discontent with the top-tier could lead Republicans to reconsider lesser-knowns such as former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee or Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback

And to imagine this is published on the Internet, that fictitious place where Ron Paul exists.

Surprise ending

As a family we watched a Reader's Digest video called "Africa's Untamed Wilderness: Etosha" tonight. The kids love watching the predators attempting to catch their meals, the African wild cat was a amazing as it leaped into the air trying to catch birds flying by.

But as the kids cheered on the lions and cheetahs, there was a twist in the predator chain. One of the older cheetahs was killed by a lioness and the mother cheetah died also leaving the three youngsters to fend for themselves. Two of those died to leave only one as the video ended. The surprise ending for me was after the video when I was tucking the boys in bed. Boy #2 expressed how sad he was to that the cheetahs died. Boy #2 who likes to play rough, push his brothers around and has tried flying already was touched that the predators met a tough end.

Don't know what to make of it yet, but I am sure there is a lesson in there somewhere.

Tri-fecta of trouble

Beautiful readings we had today. Heed the commandments of the Lord, for they are near to you. Christ came down to dwell in the fullness of humanity that we would be able to live the will of God with our whole heart.

But nay, what do we get fed in the homily? Good bread from the Holy Scriptures? Not quite, I am reticent to complain about the homily, rather preferring to pray for the homilist. But today, our good deacon nearly hit for the cycle in errors.

Breezing right by
Several ears perked up as he tried to breeze through a list of people God accepts "as they are". It doesn't take any imagination in our uber-tolerant world to know what the list included. Yes God loves us all unconditionally, but without repentance, we are free to reject that love. Many do and exclude themselves from God's grace. And by excluding ourselves from grace, we shut God out of our lives. So the "as we are" can include our self-imposed rejection of God leaving Him to respect our choice.

All seek truth
With the wealth of scripture at his disposal, and three especially great readings today, deacon decided we needed to look elsewhere for inspirations. As is good to know, all religions seek Truth to some extent. But to read from the scripture of Buddhism, Sikh, Islam... pointing out how they all teach kindness to each other, and yet failing to mention how they fall short of the fullness of that teaching we have in Christianity is just plain reckless. If we don't find our faith any different that all other world religions, why should we believe anything about it? Why should we suffer, why would martyrs die for the faith if it doesn't mean a thing?

Buddhism seeks to fade into Nirvana as our ultimate end. Quite opposite of the Christian belief of sharing in the Beatific Vision with God himself. Islam may well worship the God of Abraham, but they have no room in their belief for God as Father, or for a God who so loved the world to send his only Son. So if all that matters is loving one another and singing Kumbaya around the campfire, why did the scholar answer (correctly according to Jesus) that we must

love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
Luke 10:27

God desires that all may seek and find him. But to those whom much is given, much is expected. And who among us would, when asked for a fish, would give their son or daughter a serpent? With all the goodness we have, why water our faith down to the equivalent of a Rodney King-ism.

Vision? of what
To round out this grating lesson in how-not-to-inspire faith, we were told of the vision our bishop has for our world. How he foresees a world where all are welcome, where all kinds sit around the table at the Last Supper. Not just men, but women, children, handicapped, athletes, and so on. Funny how this is mentioned as a "vision". I thought all were already welcome at Mass? I see "all kinds" going up to receive our Lord in the Eucharist. But since he foresees this as not yet occurring, we must look a little deeper. And since prominence was given to women, not just men being at the Last Supper, are we to assume he promoting women priests? That issue is closed, the boat has sailed. Why beat the dead horse? Even the pope cannot change what Jesus has set for us in his example. It isn't to the exclusion of women, it is about proper order. The priest stands in the person of Christ and as Christ is the bridegroom, the Church is the bride. It doesn't work ontologically for a woman to stand as the bridegroom, unless we refer back to the breezy intro where nothing matters except groovy l.o.v.e. baby.

His vision isn't entirely incorrect, given a misunderstand faith. If the Last Supper was just a meal, his vision fits. Although the term "vision" wouldn't fit because this practice is happening in most churches in the U.S. every Sunday. "All kinds" gather around the "table" and share in the wonderfulness of ourselves. But if we go by the proper understanding of our faith, that Jesus instituted the priesthood that night for one specific purpose, to share his Body and Blood with the world, then his vision falls flat. Just a tad bit short-sighted.

Again, if all religions are the same and being holy is just about loving everyone but God, it would fit. But they why go to Mass, why belong to a church and why support them with our tithes? I could probably love others better if I had that extra 10% of my income to make my life easier on me.

Batting cleanup
And what bad homily would be complete without a misguided political statement? Batting clean-up in thise insulting lineup, he brought in his "I shouldn't go there, but I will" thoughts on immigration. The "we need to do something" to help them line of thinking didn't win any style points with anyone I talked to after Mass. In fact I think it got him an earful from some animated elderly gentleman. I would sum it up by saying, if he has some affluent-white-male guilt, perhaps he can settle his issues by a big group hug with the illegal immigrants, Muslim, Buddhist, feminists and poor farmer down the street.

But as for me, I come to Mass to receive our Lord and to hear some words of wisdom in breaking open the scriptures. Thank God I am Catholic, I at least got the former.

Not Impressed

Matthew at Creative Minority Report is not so impressed with himself anymore. A must read for those who don't understand why we as Catholics have so many children. Or for those who have lots of children and sometimes wonder why themselves.

It's dangerous outside the stroller

via Amy Welborn

Mega-derth

Never been a fan of Megadeth, but it is always good to know a few rockers haven't spent all their brains on cocaine and booze. So this report at The American Spectator,
Longhairs Versus Blue Helmets caught my eye.

Heavy metal legend Dave Mustaine and TAS's old friend, Human Events editor Jed Babbin, probably don't share too many overlapping areas of interest. But, as Megadeth's latest offering United Abominations makes clear, the transgressions of a certain international body situated on the East River is one topic over which the guitarist and Inside the Asylum author could have a meeting of the minds.

In a mere five minutes and thirty-seven seconds United Abominations' title track encapsulates a litany of complaints against this "blot on the face of humanity," as Mustaine sneeringly calls it, from its practical indifference to ethnic cleansing and state-sponsored terrorism to the "mire of hypocrisy, bribes, kickbacks and corruption" it mucks around in. "The U.N. is where our so-called allies undermine us, and we pay 22 percent of the tab to host our enemies here at home," Mustaine intones during what is almost certainly the only song this year to name check Kofi Annan's son Kojo ("Held hostage by Oil-For-Food/Yet their own plates are full off the fat of their lands/There's no blood on their hands, right Kojo?") thunders along.

"I have a feeling a couple years from now, people are going to be saying, 'Who the f--k is Kojo?'" Mustaine laughed in a recent telephone interview from Amsterdam amidst the hustle and bustle of the United Abominations world tour. "But you know what? I bet some of the kids who bought this record looked his name up after reading the lyrics and know a whole lot more about the Oil-for-Food scandal than they did before."

Not everyone is amused by Mustaine's battering of the blue helmets. "I just wonder which abomination he considers worse: Eradicating polio or ending obstetric fistula?" Mark Leon Goldberg sniffs on UN Dispatch. "Or is it the campaign to reduce childhood mortality rates by two-thirds that gets the aging rocker's blood boiling? I suppose he can take his pick."

Campaigns and programs for eliminating. That all reeks of bureaucracy, not solutions.

"I'm sure the United Nations does some good stuff," Mustaine retorts. "I mean, they've got one of the most beautiful women in the world pushing rice in Darfur. But that's the irony of it all. They'll send those C130s over there full of supplies, drop it off and...the rebels get it. Deliver it all the way if you're going to deliver it. What good is it if it goes to the bad people? Then there are these allegations of women and children being raped by peacekeepers in Africa -- the first time that happens it's a crime, the second time it is a travesty."

It's the lack of outrage that has Mustaine outraged. "Why doesn't Michael Moore do an expose on the UN?" he asked, adding, "When I see Syria on the Security Council [in 2002-2003], am I supposed to feel secure?

And you have to love his thoughts on pumping out inane lyrics for the anthem rock crowd. (which I was shamefully part of once)

"I had labelmates when I was on Capitol Records like Poison who had songs like 'Talk Dirty to Me,'" Mustaine explained. "That never appealed to me. I wanted to do something that was a little bit more profound, even if I didn't really want a bunch of pontificators in the front row."

**Updated** thanks to the correction by Jeff, it is Megadeth not Megadeath. I knew that, but by brain fixed the spelling as I typed it. And perhaps I will have to give it a listen to on his recommendation.

Try it, you might like it

I took the challenge to change the positioning on my mirrors and have found I rather like it. I have always relied heavily on the rearview mirror and get sorta uncomfortable when that view is blocked. And since my side view mirrors were just duplicating this view, why not put them to better use. Here is how to set it up according to Dom

To boil it down, sitting in the driver’s seat, you lean left until your head hits the window. Then set the left side mirror until you just see the rear corner of your car. (Obviously you should only do this when the car is stopped!) Then lean the same distance to the right and repeat with the right side mirror. Now when you’re sitting straight up, the rear view and side mirrors will overlap only a tiny bit and the side mirrors will now show you a lot more of what’s next to you, almost entirely eliminating your blind spots. (Of course, the degree to which the blind spot goes away depends on the particular design of your vehicle.)

Waiting on the point

Kinda funny watching someone still get all worked up about Ann Coulter. It gives the liberal side a nice warm fuzzy and affirms their beliefs if they pretend anyone to the right of themselves is just like Coulter. But she is so 2004. I think that is the last time any real conservatives paid her any heed. Now she is a shrill shill for the dwindling Bush camp.

SR.com: Leonard Pitts Jr.: What's in a name? Nothing

Which brings us to presidential candidate Barack Obama. Or, if you insist, Barack Hussein Obama. Junior.

Last month, he spoke at the 50th anniversary convention of his church, the United Church of Christ. In his address, he noted that, "Somewhere along the way ... faith got hijacked partly because of the so-called leaders of the Christian right who've been all too eager to exploit what divides us."

Ann Coulter was invited to talk about the address on Fox News. She derided the Illinois senator for "making that little speech in a church ..." And she added: "Anyone named B. Hussein Obama should avoid using 'hijack' and 'religion' in the same sentence."

Perhaps a real pundit would take issue with Obama's inference that the "Christian right" have hijacked the faith. Funny he says that at his church convention. Probably the only place the liberal left will mention the word "faith" or "religion".

Perhaps faith hasn't been hijacked as much as some people tend to live their faith throughout the week rather than talking about it only when convenient.

Sure, the Republican party doesn't get the Christian right either. That was evident with the Meiers appointment (TRUST US, she is pro-life).

One other bit o'hyperbole in this article.

The election of 2008 may well be the most important of our lifetimes.

Leave it to someone up in arms about nothing to make it the MOST important of OUR lifetime. And since he lists about every other middle name in the presidential race but omits Ron Paul, one can surmise he isn't even paying attention.

/aside
If the link above doesn't work, try following the link on the Huckleberries blog.

Hypocritical Hypocrisy

A roundup on the revelations of Sen. David Vitter's involvement with a prostitution ring.
Creative Minority Report takes the Washington Post to task for their hypocrisy regarding hypocrisy, Washington Post Hits New Low with Vitter

This is simply a wildly out of bounds and pointedly cruel act on the part of the Washington Post. Did the Post call Bill Clinton's pastor? And what about the vaunted separation of Church vs. State? Is the Post suggesting that his religion and his job are interconnected? Should religion inform their decisions as senators? If they don't think so (which let's face it, they don't) then don't drag someone's religion into it only when it makes you laugh. Talk about hypocrisy.

I understand why the Post believes they can run with this story is because Vitter’s a conservative. They would say they’re not interested in sex per se but the hypocrisy. Notice how many articles are labeling him a Christian conservative. Is infidelity ok if you’re a liberal?

That resonates with some recent thoughts. Why does the separation of Church and State only seem to cut one way. Would separation not mean a wall rather than a one way mirror? Why should the 18 democrats comment on a statement from the Vatican if they think it doesn't pertain to them? Were they admitting they are wrong, but how dare someone point that out to them?

Memo to the Post: Every single person who enters that church from the people in the pews, to the lector, and even the priest is a sinner. Every single one of us. Sin doesn't get you kicked out of church. It is the reason we go to church.

Surprise, people who believe in the Savior need to be saved! How radical is that thinking?
The Opinion Journal puts the same thought in different words in their Best of the Web Today

The reason we have laws at all is not so that "good" people can impose their will on "bad" people, but because everyone has the capacity to do bad things. Thus it's not surprising that moralists sometimes turn out to be hypocrites. They are moralists because they are closely acquainted with the temptation to do wrong.

We are all sinners in need of a Savior. But since the atheistic bent journalists don't recognize the latter, they don't understand the former.

And people wonder why they have a bad rep

Trying to research information about a Microsoft product and I am hitting roadblocks. So I try and go to www.microsoft.com and I get this,

We’re sorry, we were unable to service your request

We’re sorry, but we were unable to service your request. You may wish to choose from the links below for information about Microsoft products and services.

Brilliant! Not the reassuring feeling I was looking for as I consider upgrading their web server software. Of course I am using the Firefox browser, IE works fine.

This just in

Boulder creek male fishes are a bunch of sissies. This also just in, environmentalists don't care.

Why, you may ask?

Because even to an environmental extremist, there IS something still more sacred than saving the african elephant dung beetle. That something is the license to pollute our bodies and the environment in the name of sexual license. Contraception trumps even the most ardent environmental causes.

Contracepting the environment: Catholic Online

Dave Georgis, who directs the Colorado Genetic Engineering Action Network, took to the streets of Boulder on several occasions to hold signs demanding that Boulder County regulate genetically modified crops from existence.

When asked about the genetically modified fish and the contaminated drinking water, however, he said: “It just has so much competition out there for stuff to work on.”

He told the Boulder Weekly that nobody needed to consider curtailing use of artificial contraceptives out of concern for the creek.

“You can’t have a zero impact, and this is one of the many, many impacts we have on the environment in everyday life,” Georgis said. “Nobody is to blame for this, and I don’t have a solution.”

You see, global warming is a great threat to Gaia and human influence on the earth must be stopped. But since contraception more efficacious towards the higher goal, it automatically trumps radical environmentalism. That goal of course is the primary focus of the Evil One, every life is sacred and therefore must be eliminated, stopped or voided whatever the cost. Essentially, every person has the possibility of responding to grace and glorifying God, every life is a slap in the face of Satan.

So it should be no surprise that this "threat" is met with a shrug.

As nonviolence coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center, Betty Ball has taken to the streets with signs in protest of genetically modified crops. She lobbies Boulder’s city and county officials to stop spraying mosquitoes in their effort to fight the deadly West Nile virus – a disease that killed seven Boulder residents and caused permanent disabilities in others during the summer of 2004.

“Right now we’re worried about weed-control chemicals and pesticides,” said Ball, when asked whether her organization would address the hormone problem in Boulder Creek. “The water contamination is a problem, but we don’t have the time and resources to address it right now.”

via the Curt Jester

Insider disease

Looks like fiscal mismanagement isn't the only infection tainting the CDC. Equipment worth $22M missing from CDC - Yahoo! News

ATLANTA - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will investigate the disappearance of $22 million worth of equipment, computers and other items from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Last month, a congressional oversight committee requested an audit of the CDC's property management procedures and an investigation into allegations of theft at the center.

CDC officials said they have accounted for about $9 million in missing goods in recent weeks.
...

Between fiscal 2004 and 2006, there were 61 investigations into the theft or disappearance of CDC property. No arrests or disciplinary action resulted from those investigations, and several are ongoing, CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said.

Looks like some guvment employees take the entitlement concept further all the time.

ecu-menace

Saw this over at The WØRD: A Colbert Blog for Catholic It-Getters Fitting with all the fuss about the One True religion.


Find this video and thousands of others at vSocial!

Well, since he MIGHT be referring to me

Bear could have been tagging me with the
Five reasons meme, so here goes.

Five reasons I love Jesus?
1. Well there is the old, "know him, love him, serve him..." line.
2. As has been said before, because he first loved me some 30+ years ago. Maybe even before that.
3. Cuz his love is unconditional even though my is very flaky.
4. Cuz this meme is harder than I thought.
5. Sometimes I am inspired by the Holy Spirit

Oh and one more, because He is always there waiting for me in the Holy Eucharist. It don't get any easier than that.

I tag, St. Francis Academy, Ironic Catholic James, and the other two readers of my blog. Whomever they are.

Like a punch in the gut

The Curt Jester has a humorous look at Michael Chertoff's
Gut Feeling with his new Michael Chertoff's Gut Feeling Terror Level.

I am not sold, but I think I have a new Pain in the Butt feeling level of how well our government is protecting us.

Transparency

Gotta love transparency in our Federal Government.

Bush orders Miers not to testify - Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON - President Bush ordered former counsel Harriet Miers to defy a congressional summons, even as a second former aide told a Senate panel Wednesday she knew of no involvement by Bush in the dismissals of eight federal prosecutors.

Breaking rank

I would personally love to see some leading Demos break rank with the party line. Their stubborn adherence to defending death is only offset by the stupidity and gross overspending of the Republicans.Why Pro-Choice Is a Bad Choice for Democrats - New York Times via Mark Shea

Over 18 months, I traveled to 20 states listening to women of all ages, races, tax brackets and points of view speak at length on the issues they care about heading into ’08. They convinced me that the conventional wisdom was wrong about the last presidential contest, that Democrats did not lose support among women because “security moms” saw President Bush as the better protector against terrorism. What first-time defectors mentioned most often was abortion.

Wow, you mean when Hillary, Obama and others defend the infanticide known as Partial Birth Abortion, it drives people away?

Again and again, these voters said Democrats are too unwilling to tolerate dissent on abortion. It is a point of orthodoxy no more open to debate within the party than the ordination of women is in Rome.

For people who claim to be liberal, they sure are hardheaded.

lacking flexiblity

Not much on the Motu mania from me, I prefer the Novus Ordo (having been to a Tridentine Mass or two), but I couldn't help but enjoy this comment on CNW's Off the Record, A blow to Anglo-Saxons

Latin lacks that dynamic malleability which permitted the ICEL texts creatively to split infinitives and change males to females and use sentences in which nouns and verbs do not agree. If the Latin types have their way, we may soon have Masses at which Anglo-Saxons speak the same way as the chaps who threatened civilization with the Spanish Armada.

Not even a golf clap?

As Di over at CWN says, it is okay to break into applause while reading The Recovery of the Sacred, as it is likely you aren't reading it at Mass.

Observing the norms of the Liturgy helps to create a profound sense of the sacred in each of us at Mass. Celebrating Mass and observing liturgical norms also makes us visibly one with the entire Church to which we belong. “Priests who faithfully celebrate Mass according to the liturgical norms, and communities which conform to those norms, quietly but eloquently demonstrate their love for the Church” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 52).

Today it has become commonplace at the end of the Liturgy to recite a litany of gratitude for all those who, in some way or another, have made the celebration beautiful. No doubt there is a way to express gratitude at the end of Mass. But is it possible that each time applause breaks out in the Liturgy at the end of the Mass for someone’s contribution, we lapse into seeing the Mass as a human achievement? Sometimes even during the Mass after someone has sung a beautiful hymn, there is spontaneous applause. At such a moment, does not the real meaning of Liturgy lapse into some kind human entertainment?

Sadly, clapping is commonplace in our local church. Often invited, sometimes just spontaneously reacting to the "solo" instrumental. It grates on me, not as much as it used to because I try to stay more positive about Mass now. But how goofy to drag down our worship of God by pretending we are the givers instead of the receivers of the gift.

Eating dirt

I have been listening to Pope Benedict's book, Jesus of Nazareth on audio book available from Audible.com. They have a special to try them for 14 days. I got my one book, but didn't think it was worth the try so I canceled. Then they offered a one year membership for $10 and another free book. So I jumped at that and got this book.

The reader of Jesus of Nazareth is quite good. And this just in, the Pope knows a little bit about the Bible. In fact he comes across as rather scholarly.

One part hit me as I was listening. I bookmarked the spot and turned off the reading so I could think about it further. Benedict is talking about the temptations of Jesus, in particular the first temptation to turn stones into bread. He goes off into why wouldn't God just solve world hunger if He is such a good and merciful God. Why wouldn't He just continue providing manna for his people? Good question and one often leveled at Christians and specifically his Church.

In his answer to the question, he quotes Alfred Delp, "Bread is important, freedom is more important, but most important of all is unbroken fidelity and faithful adoration."

This really stirred my mind. And if I can put all my thoughts together, may be an article of considerable length sometime. I pondered as I was driving and hopefully can bring it all back together.

Today though, I ask, why is freedom more important than bread? Without the proper order as Pope Benedict relates, the result is not justice, but ruin. God cannot be set aside. But in my thoughts, why ruin? Why couldn't God provide for all our needs? The short answer is, because of our human nature.

The longer answer is freedom would be sacrificed. Our freedom to choose right is what makes us, how should I say it, worthy of God's love. Not worthy as in He owes us the love, but worthy as in worth loving to the extent of dying for us. If we could not choose, what value would our obedience be? If someone, some entity, provided all our food, would we not become dependent on them? Would not we become virtually slaves? This is evident in the U.S. foreign aid policies. To receive aid, countries must comply with our demands. And then when they are dependent and the demands become unacceptable, are they free to choose? Hardly.

This doesn't even touch on the idea whether we would be satisfied with what is provided. It didn't take the Israelites long to grumble about free food every day. "Fresh bread is great, but what about some chicken?"

So as I develop more of this, I will keep you posted.

Overkill

Does the punishment fit the crime? Yes, deaths occurred on his watch and because of his corrupt actions. But it all seems to be the scapegoat mentality. China depends on exports, so they execute someone to "prove" they are serious about cleaning up the exports.

China executes ex-food and drug chief - Yahoo! News

BEIJING - China executed a former director of its food and drug agency Tuesday for approving fake medicine in exchange for cash, illustrating how serious Beijing is about tackling product safety, while officials announced steps to safeguard food at next summer's Olympic Games.

If you want to see the deeper reason, just re-read that last line. Look for the $s.

Get in the CAR

Don't make me stop this thing and come back there. And all other such appropriate traveling with kids phrases. So stop asking if we are there yet and get on board, get in the CAR as in Catholics Against Rudy.

A little something they link to, Trashing Rudy's 'Catholic' Credentials | Catholics for Democracy

On abortion, the article goes point-by-point in Giuliani's public career to demonstrate a man embracing the so-called right to abortion much more than politically necessary to get elected into office. In fact, as a matter of policy, Giuliani continued Mayor Ed Koch's practice of having the city fund abortions at city hospitals for women who could not afford it -- no questions asked.

Have I mentioned that I really like Ron Paul?

Another brilliantly useless program

Some times I just wonder how much oxygen could be saved if the "inventors" of these sort of "inventions" would just stop breathing. Install an application that must constantly run, use CPU time, memory and bandwidth so the user can track how much CO2 you have saved.

How else would they know how good to feel about themselves.

CO2 Saver

# Save energy when your computer is idle - Reduce electricity usage;
# Reduce harmful CO2 and other emissions;
# Lower your electric and cooling bills;
# See how much you've saved!

Nevermind this function is already easily accessed through the control panel. The bottom line here appears to be another way to route users through the little used Snap.com search engine. Perhaps if they just turned off all their servers, plenty of electricity would be saved.

More proof we should NOT take the internet too seriously

Ha! Good one. A little humor via The Spirit's Sword

KaleJ -- [adjective]: Visually addictive 'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

State sponsored jihad

The Jester makes a great point here.
The Curt Jester

There has been much comment about how some people are surprised about the number of doctors in the Jihadist plot in Britain and Scotland. They wonder how doctors could be involved in something like this. I wonder where they have been for the last 40 years?

These Jihadis' aren't that sharp. If these Jihadi docs really wanted to kill many innocent lives they could have simply become abortion docs. They could have killed many more people over their lifetime, get paid for it, and the police would even protect them from people wanting to stop them. Abortionist have been doing cultural terrorism for quite a while and they even have politicians fighting for them.

State sponsored jihad. Sounds familiar. Killing Christians without much of an outcry.

cool links

In the heat of the summer, it is nice to check out some cool links. Also nice to get noticed. Saw some referrals coming from the WSJ.
Chinese Goods Draw Scrutiny From EU, Asia - WSJ.com