Wednesday, July 02, 2003
Judge loses 10 Commandments appeal
A Ten Commandments display in the rotunda of the Alabama Supreme Court building must be removed because it violates the First Amendment's ban on establishment of religion, a federal appeals court ruled today. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, who has become known as the "Ten Commandments judge," was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union after placing the monument in the courthouse in the middle of the night in July 2001. The four-foot-tall, two-ton granite display features the Commandments inscribed on two tablets along with historical quotations. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the trial court's decision that the monument be removed.
A Ten Commandments display in the rotunda of the Alabama Supreme Court building must be removed because it violates the First Amendment's ban on establishment of religion, a federal appeals court ruled today. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, who has become known as the "Ten Commandments judge," was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union after placing the monument in the courthouse in the middle of the night in July 2001. The four-foot-tall, two-ton granite display features the Commandments inscribed on two tablets along with historical quotations. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the trial court's decision that the monument be removed.
US admits to 50 secret tests of bio weapons on troops
The Pentagon used potentially dangerous chemical and biological agents in 50 secret tests involving US military personnel in a decade-long project to measure the weapons' combat capabilities, according to Pentagon findings. The tests were done between 1962 and 1973 and involved 5,842 service members. Many were not told of the tests, some of which involved releases of deadly nerve agents in Alaska and Hawaii.
The Pentagon used potentially dangerous chemical and biological agents in 50 secret tests involving US military personnel in a decade-long project to measure the weapons' combat capabilities, according to Pentagon findings. The tests were done between 1962 and 1973 and involved 5,842 service members. Many were not told of the tests, some of which involved releases of deadly nerve agents in Alaska and Hawaii.
U.S. Develops Urban Surveillance System
WASHINGTON - Police can envision limited domestic uses for an urban surveillance system the Pentagon (news - web sites) is developing but doubt they could use the full system which is designed to track and analyze the movement of every vehicle in a city. Dubbed "Combat Zones That See," the project is intended to help the U.S. military protect troops and fight in cities overseas. Scientists and privacy experts say the unclassified technology also could easily be adapted to keep tabs on Americans.
WASHINGTON - Police can envision limited domestic uses for an urban surveillance system the Pentagon (news - web sites) is developing but doubt they could use the full system which is designed to track and analyze the movement of every vehicle in a city. Dubbed "Combat Zones That See," the project is intended to help the U.S. military protect troops and fight in cities overseas. Scientists and privacy experts say the unclassified technology also could easily be adapted to keep tabs on Americans.
CBF presenters: absolute truth claims imperil religious liberty
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BP)--Absolute truth claims are a warning sign of religion gone awry said one presenter, and claims that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation boarder on infringements of religious liberty, said another during breakout sessions at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship general assembly June 27. The statements were made respectively by Charles Kimball chair of the department of religion, Wake Forest University and Bill Leonard, dean of the divinity school, Wake Forest University. The corresponding sessions were titled, "When Religion Becomes Evil," and "The Plan(s) of Salvation: When Conversion and Pluralism Collide."
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BP)--Absolute truth claims are a warning sign of religion gone awry said one presenter, and claims that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation boarder on infringements of religious liberty, said another during breakout sessions at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship general assembly June 27. The statements were made respectively by Charles Kimball chair of the department of religion, Wake Forest University and Bill Leonard, dean of the divinity school, Wake Forest University. The corresponding sessions were titled, "When Religion Becomes Evil," and "The Plan(s) of Salvation: When Conversion and Pluralism Collide."
Monday, June 30, 2003
Calif. Near Financial Disaster
LOS ANGELES -- Any day now, community colleges here may begin telling faculty members that they cannot be paid and students that summer classes are canceled. Nursing homes are losing so much state aid that many soon may have to shut down or limit their services, a prospect that has elderly residents confused and frightened. As many as 30,000 government workers who had been expecting pay raises in the fall are instead receiving formal notices warning that they could lose their jobs by then, because the state is broke. This is life in California, on the brink of a fiscal disaster.
LOS ANGELES -- Any day now, community colleges here may begin telling faculty members that they cannot be paid and students that summer classes are canceled. Nursing homes are losing so much state aid that many soon may have to shut down or limit their services, a prospect that has elderly residents confused and frightened. As many as 30,000 government workers who had been expecting pay raises in the fall are instead receiving formal notices warning that they could lose their jobs by then, because the state is broke. This is life in California, on the brink of a fiscal disaster.
Era of 'unborn mother' looms as scientists use aborted foetuses to grow human eggs
Almost every day a scientific or medical development seems to bring new promise and controversy to mankind; none more so, perhaps, than in the field of human fertility. A quarter of a century ago the first test-tube baby, Louise Brown, was born. Now scientists have raised another startling prospect - "unborn mothers". The notion that children can derive from human matter that has not itself been born sounds the stuff of science fiction. Yet it has moved a step closer with research showing that it is possible to extract ovarian tissue from aborted foetuses for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment.
Almost every day a scientific or medical development seems to bring new promise and controversy to mankind; none more so, perhaps, than in the field of human fertility. A quarter of a century ago the first test-tube baby, Louise Brown, was born. Now scientists have raised another startling prospect - "unborn mothers". The notion that children can derive from human matter that has not itself been born sounds the stuff of science fiction. Yet it has moved a step closer with research showing that it is possible to extract ovarian tissue from aborted foetuses for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment.
Temple Mount reopens to non-Muslim visitors
Jews are once again visiting the holiest site in Judaism. Israeli police have begun to allow non-Muslims, under police escort, to enter the Temple Mount grounds in the Old City of Jerusalem, despite threats of violence by Muslim leaders. About two weeks ago, Interior Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi announced Jews would soon be allowed on the Temple Mount, "even if no agreement is reached with the Waqf." The Waqf is the Muslim Religious Trust, a group of Islamic clerics appointed to administer the site by the Palestinian Authority's Yasser Arafat. According to Haaretz, police officers didn't wait for an agreement to be worked out with the Waqf. Instead, officers stationed at the Western Wall began, in the last few days, to escort groups of tourists on visits to the grounds of the mosques at the site.
Jews are once again visiting the holiest site in Judaism. Israeli police have begun to allow non-Muslims, under police escort, to enter the Temple Mount grounds in the Old City of Jerusalem, despite threats of violence by Muslim leaders. About two weeks ago, Interior Security Minister Tzachi Hanegbi announced Jews would soon be allowed on the Temple Mount, "even if no agreement is reached with the Waqf." The Waqf is the Muslim Religious Trust, a group of Islamic clerics appointed to administer the site by the Palestinian Authority's Yasser Arafat. According to Haaretz, police officers didn't wait for an agreement to be worked out with the Waqf. Instead, officers stationed at the Western Wall began, in the last few days, to escort groups of tourists on visits to the grounds of the mosques at the site.
America to build super weapons
The Pentagon is planning a new generation of weapons, including huge hypersonic drones and bombs dropped from space, that will allow the US to strike its enemies at lightning speed from its own territory. Over the next 25 years, the new technology would free the US from dependence on forward bases and the cooperation of regional allies, part of the drive towards self-sufficiency spurred by the difficulties of gaining international cooperation for the invasion of Iraq. The new weapons are being developed under a programme codenamed Falcon (Force Application and Launch from the Continental US).
The Pentagon is planning a new generation of weapons, including huge hypersonic drones and bombs dropped from space, that will allow the US to strike its enemies at lightning speed from its own territory. Over the next 25 years, the new technology would free the US from dependence on forward bases and the cooperation of regional allies, part of the drive towards self-sufficiency spurred by the difficulties of gaining international cooperation for the invasion of Iraq. The new weapons are being developed under a programme codenamed Falcon (Force Application and Launch from the Continental US).
Crickets wreak havoc
It is the height of summer in the western United States but the snow ploughs and gritting lorries are out in force. Qith temperatures sometimes topping 100F, it is not snow and ice they are clearing up, it is crickets. Millions of the insects are sweeping through Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Colorado and Wyoming in the country’s worst infestation for more than 60 years, destroying crops and turning fields, roads and pavements into moving carpets of insects. Plough crews attempt to keep the highways clear and sand is put down when crushed bugs make the roads as slippery as oil slicks, but authorities fear they are fighting a losing battle against an insect menace that has caused millions of dollars in damage.
It is the height of summer in the western United States but the snow ploughs and gritting lorries are out in force. Qith temperatures sometimes topping 100F, it is not snow and ice they are clearing up, it is crickets. Millions of the insects are sweeping through Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Colorado and Wyoming in the country’s worst infestation for more than 60 years, destroying crops and turning fields, roads and pavements into moving carpets of insects. Plough crews attempt to keep the highways clear and sand is put down when crushed bugs make the roads as slippery as oil slicks, but authorities fear they are fighting a losing battle against an insect menace that has caused millions of dollars in damage.
Frist backs amendment to define marriage
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist yesterday endorsed a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman. "I very much feel that marriage is a sacrament and that sacrament should extend and can extend to that legal entity of a union between what [has] traditionally in our Western values been defined as between a man and a woman," Mr. Frist, Tennessee Republican, said on ABC's "This Week" program. "So I would support the amendment." Introduced last month in the House, the amendment is being highlighted as a response to the Supreme Court's ruling this week that states may not criminalize homosexual sodomy. Though the decision has no direct effect on the issue of homosexual "marriage," some among both the ruling's champions and its critics said it lays the constitutional groundwork for such a decision.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist yesterday endorsed a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman. "I very much feel that marriage is a sacrament and that sacrament should extend and can extend to that legal entity of a union between what [has] traditionally in our Western values been defined as between a man and a woman," Mr. Frist, Tennessee Republican, said on ABC's "This Week" program. "So I would support the amendment." Introduced last month in the House, the amendment is being highlighted as a response to the Supreme Court's ruling this week that states may not criminalize homosexual sodomy. Though the decision has no direct effect on the issue of homosexual "marriage," some among both the ruling's champions and its critics said it lays the constitutional groundwork for such a decision.
Gay Pride Parades Celebrate Court Ruling
SAN FRANCISCO - Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets Sunday for Gay Pride parades, energized by the Supreme Court's ruling that struck down laws against sodomy and a decision by Canada to allow gay marriage. In New York, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco and other cities, revelers marched, danced and carried banners congratulating the Supreme Court for its landmark decision as rainbow flag-waving crowds lined the streets. "There's such a resonance, such a sense of movement," said Marty Downs, a community organizer with the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. "This year, it feels really political."
SAN FRANCISCO - Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets Sunday for Gay Pride parades, energized by the Supreme Court's ruling that struck down laws against sodomy and a decision by Canada to allow gay marriage. In New York, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco and other cities, revelers marched, danced and carried banners congratulating the Supreme Court for its landmark decision as rainbow flag-waving crowds lined the streets. "There's such a resonance, such a sense of movement," said Marty Downs, a community organizer with the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. "This year, it feels really political."
Israelis Begin to Pull Out Of Gaza
JERUSALEM, June 29 -- Israeli troops began withdrawing from the northern Gaza Strip today, hours after the three principal Palestinian militant groups declared a suspension of attacks against Israelis. The troop pullout, the first major achievement of the U.S.-backed peace initiative called the "road map," is the initial step in a plan under which Israeli forces will leave all but a few areas of Gaza -- a 138-square-mile strip of land where 1.2 million Palestinians live -- and turn over control to Palestinian security forces.
JERUSALEM, June 29 -- Israeli troops began withdrawing from the northern Gaza Strip today, hours after the three principal Palestinian militant groups declared a suspension of attacks against Israelis. The troop pullout, the first major achievement of the U.S.-backed peace initiative called the "road map," is the initial step in a plan under which Israeli forces will leave all but a few areas of Gaza -- a 138-square-mile strip of land where 1.2 million Palestinians live -- and turn over control to Palestinian security forces.
400,000 human embryos retained in U.S. labs
WASHINGTON - More frozen human embryos are stored in the United States than previously believed, according to the first actual count taken at fertility clinics. Previous estimates put the number of frozen, or cryopreserved, embryos at 30,000 to 200,000. The study, reported in the current edition of the journal Fertility and Sterility, concluded that 400,000 human embryos are stored in the nation’s fertility clinics. Researchers believe that the results may help calm the debate. That’s because the vast majority of embryos - 349,000, or about 87 percent - are being kept for the patients’ own use in fertility treatment, rather than for research.
WASHINGTON - More frozen human embryos are stored in the United States than previously believed, according to the first actual count taken at fertility clinics. Previous estimates put the number of frozen, or cryopreserved, embryos at 30,000 to 200,000. The study, reported in the current edition of the journal Fertility and Sterility, concluded that 400,000 human embryos are stored in the nation’s fertility clinics. Researchers believe that the results may help calm the debate. That’s because the vast majority of embryos - 349,000, or about 87 percent - are being kept for the patients’ own use in fertility treatment, rather than for research.
Does God speak outside the Bible today?
JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)--Does God speak through tree stumps? The tornadoes that recently ripped through West Tennessee left not only widespread destruction, but also an oddly shaped tree stump that has residents of the Huron community speculating about its spiritual significance. Believing its image to be akin to that of an angel, one citizen testified, "I believe this could be God reminding us through this tree stump that He is still watching over us." She also thinks its shape is just too good to be anything less than a spiritual message. It makes one think -- might God really be trying to say something?
JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)--Does God speak through tree stumps? The tornadoes that recently ripped through West Tennessee left not only widespread destruction, but also an oddly shaped tree stump that has residents of the Huron community speculating about its spiritual significance. Believing its image to be akin to that of an angel, one citizen testified, "I believe this could be God reminding us through this tree stump that He is still watching over us." She also thinks its shape is just too good to be anything less than a spiritual message. It makes one think -- might God really be trying to say something?
Saturday, June 28, 2003
Vatican Says Celibacy Rule Nonnegotiable
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican reaffirmed celibacy for priests Saturday, rejecting arguments that the Roman Catholic Church could resolve the "crisis" of decreasing numbers of clergy by opening the priesthood to married men. Instead, the Vatican (search) said, current priests should dedicate themselves to attracting more candidates by better explaining the priesthood to lay Catholics and encouraging families and children to consider religious vocations. The reaffirmation was contained in a wide-ranging document issued Saturday as the final conclusions to a meeting, or synod, of European bishops held in 1999. Pope John Paul (search) II held back on issuing the final document until now, because he wanted the timing to be right in Europe, Vatican officials said Saturday.
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican reaffirmed celibacy for priests Saturday, rejecting arguments that the Roman Catholic Church could resolve the "crisis" of decreasing numbers of clergy by opening the priesthood to married men. Instead, the Vatican (search) said, current priests should dedicate themselves to attracting more candidates by better explaining the priesthood to lay Catholics and encouraging families and children to consider religious vocations. The reaffirmation was contained in a wide-ranging document issued Saturday as the final conclusions to a meeting, or synod, of European bishops held in 1999. Pope John Paul (search) II held back on issuing the final document until now, because he wanted the timing to be right in Europe, Vatican officials said Saturday.
Faith inspired Mel's movie The Passion
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado -- Mel Gibson says he attended Mass every morning while shooting his new movie, The Passion, because "we had to be squeaky clean just working on this." The film, which Gibson directs, stars James Caviezel as Christ during the last 12 hours of his life and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene. The $25 million US production was shot in the Aramaic language of the time, but there were subtitles for Thursday's showing. Gibson said his Christian faith inspired the film. He is still looking for a distributor. "I'm not a preacher, and I'm not a pastor," the 47-year-old director-actor said. "But I really feel my career was leading me to make this. The Holy Ghost was working through me on this film, and I was just directing traffic. I hope the film has the power to evangelize." Gibson said the film "was a strange mixture of the most difficult thing I've ever done, along with this incredible ease. Everyone who worked on this movie was changed. There were agnostics and Muslims on set converting to Christianity."
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado -- Mel Gibson says he attended Mass every morning while shooting his new movie, The Passion, because "we had to be squeaky clean just working on this." The film, which Gibson directs, stars James Caviezel as Christ during the last 12 hours of his life and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene. The $25 million US production was shot in the Aramaic language of the time, but there were subtitles for Thursday's showing. Gibson said his Christian faith inspired the film. He is still looking for a distributor. "I'm not a preacher, and I'm not a pastor," the 47-year-old director-actor said. "But I really feel my career was leading me to make this. The Holy Ghost was working through me on this film, and I was just directing traffic. I hope the film has the power to evangelize." Gibson said the film "was a strange mixture of the most difficult thing I've ever done, along with this incredible ease. Everyone who worked on this movie was changed. There were agnostics and Muslims on set converting to Christianity."
Hundreds of molesters freed by Supreme Court
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com - Prosecutors, defense attorneys and the California attorney general's office were still scrambling today to figure out a response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that will free hundreds of confessed and convicted child molesters from prisons across the state. Last Thursday, in a decision little noticed outside the Golden State, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that California had violated the Constitution's ban on ex post facto – after the fact – laws when the Legislature decided to change the time limit for bringing criminal charges in child sex-abuse cases and made the new limit retroactive to cover older cases. As a result of the decision, a 55-year-old defrocked priest awaiting trial on charges of molesting four altar boys at the San Gabriel Mission in Los Angeles County – Lawrence Lovell – was one of the first released. He had been behind bars less than a week.
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com - Prosecutors, defense attorneys and the California attorney general's office were still scrambling today to figure out a response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that will free hundreds of confessed and convicted child molesters from prisons across the state. Last Thursday, in a decision little noticed outside the Golden State, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that California had violated the Constitution's ban on ex post facto – after the fact – laws when the Legislature decided to change the time limit for bringing criminal charges in child sex-abuse cases and made the new limit retroactive to cover older cases. As a result of the decision, a 55-year-old defrocked priest awaiting trial on charges of molesting four altar boys at the San Gabriel Mission in Los Angeles County – Lawrence Lovell – was one of the first released. He had been behind bars less than a week.
Israel boycotts BBC over 'demonization'
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com - Israel has severed ties with the British Broadcasting Corporation to protest what it calls the repeated 'demonization' of the country and today's showing of a documentary on Israel's nuclear, biological and chemical weapons arsenal, according to a report by the London Times. Israel says interviews with official spokesmen will no longer be made available to BBC staff and visa restrictions will be put in place to force the BBC to rotate its bureau chief every few months. Israel will also no longer cooperate with requests for assistance with restrictions such as military road blocks in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. A discussion is still underway as to whether or not to expel all BBC correspondents.
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com - Israel has severed ties with the British Broadcasting Corporation to protest what it calls the repeated 'demonization' of the country and today's showing of a documentary on Israel's nuclear, biological and chemical weapons arsenal, according to a report by the London Times. Israel says interviews with official spokesmen will no longer be made available to BBC staff and visa restrictions will be put in place to force the BBC to rotate its bureau chief every few months. Israel will also no longer cooperate with requests for assistance with restrictions such as military road blocks in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. A discussion is still underway as to whether or not to expel all BBC correspondents.
W.W.T.J.D. (What Would Thomas Jefferson Do?)
In response to the popular Christian campaign that asks “what would Jesus do?” (W.W.J.D.) Republicons.org is launching its rendition for the secular humanist. Thomas Jefferson is often cited by members of both major parties as an unparalleled architect of the American character and his insights can shed light into how the spirit of republican democracy may be preserved. What we will discover, alas, is that the Bush administration has not only failed to ask W.W.J.D. often enough but it apparently has never considered W.W.T.J.D.
In response to the popular Christian campaign that asks “what would Jesus do?” (W.W.J.D.) Republicons.org is launching its rendition for the secular humanist. Thomas Jefferson is often cited by members of both major parties as an unparalleled architect of the American character and his insights can shed light into how the spirit of republican democracy may be preserved. What we will discover, alas, is that the Bush administration has not only failed to ask W.W.J.D. often enough but it apparently has never considered W.W.T.J.D.
Friday, June 27, 2003
Gun whips up a Metal Storm
BRISBANE, Australia (CNN) -- Imagine a gun that fires a million rounds a minute -- enough to shred a target in a blink of an eye, or throw up a defensive wall against an incoming missile. This is Metal Storm, a weapons system that forsakes old-style mechanics for the speed of electronics. Its inventor is Mike O'Dwyer, a one-time grocer in the Australian city of Brisbane. He's spent 30 years and much of his own money to develop the technology. Now, finally, the doors are opening for him at the Pentagon, the U.S. Defense Department's headquarters.
BRISBANE, Australia (CNN) -- Imagine a gun that fires a million rounds a minute -- enough to shred a target in a blink of an eye, or throw up a defensive wall against an incoming missile. This is Metal Storm, a weapons system that forsakes old-style mechanics for the speed of electronics. Its inventor is Mike O'Dwyer, a one-time grocer in the Australian city of Brisbane. He's spent 30 years and much of his own money to develop the technology. Now, finally, the doors are opening for him at the Pentagon, the U.S. Defense Department's headquarters.
Study: Faith-based prison rehab works
WorldNetDaily.com - Prisoners who take part in faith-based rehabilitation programs are much less likely to return to a life of crime, according to a new study. The study, conducted by Byron Johnson of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society, found that graduates of Chuck Colson's Prison Fellowship program are less likely than non-graduates to return to crime. The program provides spiritual counseling, job training and mentoring to prisoners nearing the end of their sentences. Of the 177 ex-prisoners who participated in the study, the 75 who underwent biblical education and counseling were half as likely to be reincarcerated, the study found.
WorldNetDaily.com - Prisoners who take part in faith-based rehabilitation programs are much less likely to return to a life of crime, according to a new study. The study, conducted by Byron Johnson of the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society, found that graduates of Chuck Colson's Prison Fellowship program are less likely than non-graduates to return to crime. The program provides spiritual counseling, job training and mentoring to prisoners nearing the end of their sentences. Of the 177 ex-prisoners who participated in the study, the 75 who underwent biblical education and counseling were half as likely to be reincarcerated, the study found.
Homosexuals Push for Same-Sex Marriage After Sodomy Ruling
(CNSNews.com) - Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas sodomy statute, homosexual activists proclaimed their next target would be to overturn a host of laws they view as discriminatory, including those that limit marriage to opposite-sex couples. Even before the court's 6-3 ruling extended privacy rights to homosexuals, conservatives and pro-family advocates warned that such a decision would lead to an erosion of traditional values. Now, they said, it is even more important to fight back. "This is a major wake-up call," said the Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition. "This is a 9/11, major wake-up call that the enemy is at our doorsteps."
(CNSNews.com) - Hours after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas sodomy statute, homosexual activists proclaimed their next target would be to overturn a host of laws they view as discriminatory, including those that limit marriage to opposite-sex couples. Even before the court's 6-3 ruling extended privacy rights to homosexuals, conservatives and pro-family advocates warned that such a decision would lead to an erosion of traditional values. Now, they said, it is even more important to fight back. "This is a major wake-up call," said the Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition. "This is a 9/11, major wake-up call that the enemy is at our doorsteps."
Sodomy law struck down
THE WASHINGTON TIMES - The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that states may not outlaw "sexual practices common to a homosexual lifestyle" in a landmark 6-3 decision so sweeping that justices debated whether it will require recognition of same-sex "marriage." "The [sodomy] statutes do seek to control a personal relationship that, whether or not entitled to formal recognition in the law, is within the liberty of persons to choose without being punished as criminals," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said in his opinion for the court.
THE WASHINGTON TIMES - The Supreme Court yesterday ruled that states may not outlaw "sexual practices common to a homosexual lifestyle" in a landmark 6-3 decision so sweeping that justices debated whether it will require recognition of same-sex "marriage." "The [sodomy] statutes do seek to control a personal relationship that, whether or not entitled to formal recognition in the law, is within the liberty of persons to choose without being punished as criminals," Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said in his opinion for the court.
Israel, Palestinians OK Gaza Pullbacks
JERUSALEM - In a boost to U.S.-backed peace efforts, Israel agreed on terms for a troop pullbacks from the Gaza Strip and Bethlehem after Palestinian militants confirmed Friday that they will halt attacks on Israelis for three months. The progress in negotiations — which sources said included a commitment by Israel to halt targeted killings of militants — came despite continued violence. A raid by Israeli commandos left four Palestinians and an Israeli soldier dead in the Gaza Strip. Israeli troops are expected to start pulling back Monday or Tuesday, with the Palestinian Authority taking over security in the vacated areas, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.
JERUSALEM - In a boost to U.S.-backed peace efforts, Israel agreed on terms for a troop pullbacks from the Gaza Strip and Bethlehem after Palestinian militants confirmed Friday that they will halt attacks on Israelis for three months. The progress in negotiations — which sources said included a commitment by Israel to halt targeted killings of militants — came despite continued violence. A raid by Israeli commandos left four Palestinians and an Israeli soldier dead in the Gaza Strip. Israeli troops are expected to start pulling back Monday or Tuesday, with the Palestinian Authority taking over security in the vacated areas, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.
FBI Hunts al-Qaida Agents in 40 States
WASHINGTON - A top FBI counterterrorism official says agents are hunting al-Qaida operatives in 40 U. S. states, but the bureau remains worried that some of the most dangerous individuals remain unknown. Larry Mefford, assistant FBI director for counterterrorism, said Thursday that authorities "feel a lot more confident" they know the identities of dozens of members of the al-Qaida terror network than they did shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. "I don't want to say that we know where they all are," Mefford told reporters after testifying before the Senate Judiciary terrorism subcommittee. Mefford said the investigations in 40 states run "the whole gamut" from people positively identified as al-Qaida operatives to uncorroborated tips from citizens.
WASHINGTON - A top FBI counterterrorism official says agents are hunting al-Qaida operatives in 40 U. S. states, but the bureau remains worried that some of the most dangerous individuals remain unknown. Larry Mefford, assistant FBI director for counterterrorism, said Thursday that authorities "feel a lot more confident" they know the identities of dozens of members of the al-Qaida terror network than they did shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. "I don't want to say that we know where they all are," Mefford told reporters after testifying before the Senate Judiciary terrorism subcommittee. Mefford said the investigations in 40 states run "the whole gamut" from people positively identified as al-Qaida operatives to uncorroborated tips from citizens.
Democratic Moves to Widen Intelligence Probe Defeated
Washington Post - The Republican-controlled House yesterday defeated two amendments by Democrats to broaden congressional investigations into the Bush administration's handling of prewar intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and connections with the al Qaeda terrorist network. The votes came as the House debated a bill authorizing more than $37 billion to finance U.S. intelligence operations next year. The House defeated, 239 to 185, an amendment by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) to require the comptroller general to look into the sharing of U.S. intelligence with U.N. weapons inspectors before the war. Jackson Lee said questions about whether the Bush administration shared all relevant intelligence about weapons sites with the U.N. inspections teams needed to be answered because President Bush had said "inspections had failed" and that Iraq's weapons "posed such a dire, imminent threat to the United States that we had no choice but to go to war."
Washington Post - The Republican-controlled House yesterday defeated two amendments by Democrats to broaden congressional investigations into the Bush administration's handling of prewar intelligence on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and connections with the al Qaeda terrorist network. The votes came as the House debated a bill authorizing more than $37 billion to finance U.S. intelligence operations next year. The House defeated, 239 to 185, an amendment by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) to require the comptroller general to look into the sharing of U.S. intelligence with U.N. weapons inspectors before the war. Jackson Lee said questions about whether the Bush administration shared all relevant intelligence about weapons sites with the U.N. inspections teams needed to be answered because President Bush had said "inspections had failed" and that Iraq's weapons "posed such a dire, imminent threat to the United States that we had no choice but to go to war."
It is time to get serious about Jesus, pastor says
For years, the Rev. Rickey Nelson Jones went from church to church, looking for a place where members lived like Jesus, but he always left frustrated. At each community, church leaders were actively involved in sin, he said. "Instead of me running around looking for leadership, striving to live holy," he decided to start a ministry in December: Living Exactly Like Jesus Baptist Church. And that, Jones insists, is what he does. "You have wandered into a ministry where a true Christian stands before you," he said at a recent Sunday service at United Artists Theatres in Columbia. Jones, 41, a civil lawyer and sports agent, said he does not claim that he never sins. Rather, he truly repents for sins he commits and strives to prevent such actions in the future, he said. "What is perfect about me is my focus to live exactly like Jesus," he said. He is not asking members of his flock to don sandals and sell all their possessions. Rather, he implores his congregation to talk to people the way Jesus would, deal with people the way Jesus would and love people the way Jesus would.
For years, the Rev. Rickey Nelson Jones went from church to church, looking for a place where members lived like Jesus, but he always left frustrated. At each community, church leaders were actively involved in sin, he said. "Instead of me running around looking for leadership, striving to live holy," he decided to start a ministry in December: Living Exactly Like Jesus Baptist Church. And that, Jones insists, is what he does. "You have wandered into a ministry where a true Christian stands before you," he said at a recent Sunday service at United Artists Theatres in Columbia. Jones, 41, a civil lawyer and sports agent, said he does not claim that he never sins. Rather, he truly repents for sins he commits and strives to prevent such actions in the future, he said. "What is perfect about me is my focus to live exactly like Jesus," he said. He is not asking members of his flock to don sandals and sell all their possessions. Rather, he implores his congregation to talk to people the way Jesus would, deal with people the way Jesus would and love people the way Jesus would.
American author still certain ossuary inscription refers to Jesus
LEXINGTON, Kentucky (AP) - A man who wrote a book about the burial box that is purported to be that of Jesus' brother says that he still believes in the authenticity of an inscription on the box, even though some archaeological experts in Israel have called the inscription a forgery. Ben Witherington III, a New Testament professor at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore and the co-author of "The Brother of Jesus,'' said that scientific tests performed by two independent sources have shown the box's Aramaic inscription - "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus'' - to be ancient. Israel's Antiquities Authority, however, said earlier this month that the inscription was fake. The authority said the 20-inch-by-11-inch (50- by 28-centimeter) ossuary was indeed ancient but that the inscription wasn't. The inscription is "a contamination of the archaeological science,'' said Uzi Dahari, a member of the committee that studied the box. Dahari said the inscription was recently painted over with a homemade paste made of crushed chalk and very hot water and that "it's not a good fake.'' The box's owner, Oded Golan, said his mother had tried to clean the inscription to make it clearer, which left a film on the box. Witherington cited studies done by the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and the Geological Survey of Israel that said the inscription is authentic. Those inspections of the box's surface were done using ultraviolet light and electron microscope. They revealed no modern tampering, he said.
LEXINGTON, Kentucky (AP) - A man who wrote a book about the burial box that is purported to be that of Jesus' brother says that he still believes in the authenticity of an inscription on the box, even though some archaeological experts in Israel have called the inscription a forgery. Ben Witherington III, a New Testament professor at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore and the co-author of "The Brother of Jesus,'' said that scientific tests performed by two independent sources have shown the box's Aramaic inscription - "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus'' - to be ancient. Israel's Antiquities Authority, however, said earlier this month that the inscription was fake. The authority said the 20-inch-by-11-inch (50- by 28-centimeter) ossuary was indeed ancient but that the inscription wasn't. The inscription is "a contamination of the archaeological science,'' said Uzi Dahari, a member of the committee that studied the box. Dahari said the inscription was recently painted over with a homemade paste made of crushed chalk and very hot water and that "it's not a good fake.'' The box's owner, Oded Golan, said his mother had tried to clean the inscription to make it clearer, which left a film on the box. Witherington cited studies done by the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto and the Geological Survey of Israel that said the inscription is authentic. Those inspections of the box's surface were done using ultraviolet light and electron microscope. They revealed no modern tampering, he said.
Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad agree on cease-fire
The three key Palestinian movements, Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have reached an agreement for a three-month halt to all attacks against Israel, Palestinian sources said Thursday. The deal is expected to be formally announced in Cairo on Friday, the sources said. A Palestinian lawmaker, Fares Kadoura, said an official statement could be published later Thursday. However, when and whether the cease-fire would take effect is still not clear as Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas is unhappy with the three-month time limit. According to Palestinian officials, Abbas doesn't see how he can sell such a deal to Israel, which has strongly objected to the idea of only a temporary 'hudna.' Israel feels a short-term truce could hurt Israeli security interests in the long run by giving Hamas and Islamic Jihad an opportunity to replenish their ranks while Israel would be committed to a ban on taking any military action against these groups.
The three key Palestinian movements, Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad have reached an agreement for a three-month halt to all attacks against Israel, Palestinian sources said Thursday. The deal is expected to be formally announced in Cairo on Friday, the sources said. A Palestinian lawmaker, Fares Kadoura, said an official statement could be published later Thursday. However, when and whether the cease-fire would take effect is still not clear as Prime Minister Mahmud Abbas is unhappy with the three-month time limit. According to Palestinian officials, Abbas doesn't see how he can sell such a deal to Israel, which has strongly objected to the idea of only a temporary 'hudna.' Israel feels a short-term truce could hurt Israeli security interests in the long run by giving Hamas and Islamic Jihad an opportunity to replenish their ranks while Israel would be committed to a ban on taking any military action against these groups.
"Theology of the End Times in Conflict With Catholic Teachings"
CHICAGO, JUNE 24, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The Catholic Conference of Illinois is taking on the Rapture. The Rapture, according to many fundamentalist and evangelical Protestants, is the fast-approaching secret and silent disappearance of Christians from the earth before a time of tribulation. The notion has soared in popularity with the "Left Behind" novels, which have sold tens of millions of copies. Recently the Catholic conference issued this statement on the phenomenon. When Jesus told us to be alert and ready for his return, he also warned there would be false prophets. One of the most attractively marketed recent false "prophets" has been the Left Behind series, published by Tyndale House Press in Wheaton, Illinois. Since 1995, the series by Mr. Tim LaHaye and Mr. Jerry B. Jenkins has been a tool for active promotion of a fundamentalist theology of the end times in conflict with Catholic teachings. More than that, the series has been a vehicle for anti-Catholic sentiments by the way Catholics are characterized and treated in the plot line.
CHICAGO, JUNE 24, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The Catholic Conference of Illinois is taking on the Rapture. The Rapture, according to many fundamentalist and evangelical Protestants, is the fast-approaching secret and silent disappearance of Christians from the earth before a time of tribulation. The notion has soared in popularity with the "Left Behind" novels, which have sold tens of millions of copies. Recently the Catholic conference issued this statement on the phenomenon. When Jesus told us to be alert and ready for his return, he also warned there would be false prophets. One of the most attractively marketed recent false "prophets" has been the Left Behind series, published by Tyndale House Press in Wheaton, Illinois. Since 1995, the series by Mr. Tim LaHaye and Mr. Jerry B. Jenkins has been a tool for active promotion of a fundamentalist theology of the end times in conflict with Catholic teachings. More than that, the series has been a vehicle for anti-Catholic sentiments by the way Catholics are characterized and treated in the plot line.
Thursday, June 26, 2003
Antibody discovery could lead to HIV vaccine
WASHINGTON: Researchers have said they had figured out how a rare antibody sees past the disguises of the Aids virus – a finding that may lead to a vaccine that will finally work against the killer microbe. The antibody, taken from a unusual patient whose body can resist the virus, recognises and attacks the human immunodeficiency virus, unlike most of the body's defences. "Nothing like this has ever been seen before," Ian Wilson of The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, who led the research, said today.
WASHINGTON: Researchers have said they had figured out how a rare antibody sees past the disguises of the Aids virus – a finding that may lead to a vaccine that will finally work against the killer microbe. The antibody, taken from a unusual patient whose body can resist the virus, recognises and attacks the human immunodeficiency virus, unlike most of the body's defences. "Nothing like this has ever been seen before," Ian Wilson of The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, who led the research, said today.
One Pill Aims to Cut Heart Disease by 80 Percent
LONDON (Reuters) - Tired of taking three or four medicines each day to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke? British scientists may have the answer. They are working on a new pill that combines six compounds -- aspirin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, three blood pressure medications and folic acid -- in one tablet called the Polypill, which they say could cut the risk of heart disease and stroke by more than 80 percent. "The idea, supported by lots of evidence, is that if all of us at 55 take the Polypill that has six ingredients, then 80 percent of heart attacks and stroke could be gotten rid of," Dr. Richard Smith, the editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), told a news conference on Thursday.
LONDON (Reuters) - Tired of taking three or four medicines each day to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke? British scientists may have the answer. They are working on a new pill that combines six compounds -- aspirin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, three blood pressure medications and folic acid -- in one tablet called the Polypill, which they say could cut the risk of heart disease and stroke by more than 80 percent. "The idea, supported by lots of evidence, is that if all of us at 55 take the Polypill that has six ingredients, then 80 percent of heart attacks and stroke could be gotten rid of," Dr. Richard Smith, the editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ), told a news conference on Thursday.
Crumbling U.N. Seeks $1 Billion for Renovation
UNITED NATIONS — A contentious United Nations (search) debate is brewing — and this time it's not over Iraq. It's all about who pays to maintain the U.N. itself. The U.N.'s two 50-year-old buildings in New York City are basically falling apart — decaying pipes and crumbling ceilings are now commonplace — and the U.N. is seeking an interest-free loan worth more than $1 billion to renovate its headquarters. Who will pay to fix the 1952 original plumbing, get rid of asbestos and raise security fences? Repairs would cost U.S. taxpayers about $600 million over 30 years.
UNITED NATIONS — A contentious United Nations (search) debate is brewing — and this time it's not over Iraq. It's all about who pays to maintain the U.N. itself. The U.N.'s two 50-year-old buildings in New York City are basically falling apart — decaying pipes and crumbling ceilings are now commonplace — and the U.N. is seeking an interest-free loan worth more than $1 billion to renovate its headquarters. Who will pay to fix the 1952 original plumbing, get rid of asbestos and raise security fences? Repairs would cost U.S. taxpayers about $600 million over 30 years.
Maryland schools ban harassment of gays
Students who call each other names or joke about someone's sexuality face suspension under a regulation passed this week by the Maryland State Board of Education. The board voted 8-3 Tuesday to include language in its student-safety standards that specifically protects homosexual students from harassment in school settings. However, school officials would not specify yesterday what would constitute verbal harassment. Maryland is the ninth state to ban discrimination against students based on their sexual orientation.
Students who call each other names or joke about someone's sexuality face suspension under a regulation passed this week by the Maryland State Board of Education. The board voted 8-3 Tuesday to include language in its student-safety standards that specifically protects homosexual students from harassment in school settings. However, school officials would not specify yesterday what would constitute verbal harassment. Maryland is the ninth state to ban discrimination against students based on their sexual orientation.
Cheers, tears as prostitution bill passes
New Zealand - Parliament erupted in cheers last night, as a landmark law to decriminalise prostitution passed by a single vote. Christchurch MP Tim Barnett's Prostitution Reform Act will become law next Monday and soliciting for sex and brothelkeeping will no longer be illegal in New Zealand from that day. In one of the closest votes in Parliament's history, the Act passed 60-59, on the abstention of Labour's Muslim MP Ashraf Choudhary. Had Mr Choudhary, who opposed the bill, not abstained the bill would have fallen because a 60-60 tie is counted as a defeat. A packed public gallery screamed and cheered as the vote was read out after a tense 10-minute wait. Mr Barnett was mobbed by supporters both in and outside the chamber. "I think right has won. We have created world-leading law. This is an historic moment. We have completed the unfinished business," a jubilant Mr Barnett told his supporters.
New Zealand - Parliament erupted in cheers last night, as a landmark law to decriminalise prostitution passed by a single vote. Christchurch MP Tim Barnett's Prostitution Reform Act will become law next Monday and soliciting for sex and brothelkeeping will no longer be illegal in New Zealand from that day. In one of the closest votes in Parliament's history, the Act passed 60-59, on the abstention of Labour's Muslim MP Ashraf Choudhary. Had Mr Choudhary, who opposed the bill, not abstained the bill would have fallen because a 60-60 tie is counted as a defeat. A packed public gallery screamed and cheered as the vote was read out after a tense 10-minute wait. Mr Barnett was mobbed by supporters both in and outside the chamber. "I think right has won. We have created world-leading law. This is an historic moment. We have completed the unfinished business," a jubilant Mr Barnett told his supporters.
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Anti-gay stance costs Boy Scouts $100,000
PHILADELPHIA -- The Pew Charitable Trusts has taken back a $100,000 grant to the nation's third-largest Boy Scout council because of its refusal to let open gays be members or leaders. After deciding last month that it would not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, the Cradle of Liberty Council bowed to pressure from the national organization this month. The new policy says the council, which serves Philadelphia and two suburban counties, will not ask applicants for membership or leadership positions about their sexual orientation -- but will not allow anyone who says he is gay to be a member or leader. Pew President Rebecca Rimel said Monday that stopping the funding wasn't easy. "It's a very difficult decision because we've been funding the local chapter for well over 50 years, but the board feels very strongly that this was an action we had to take," Rimel said. "We feel that all of our partners should be inclusive in their approach and should exercise tolerance and understanding."
PHILADELPHIA -- The Pew Charitable Trusts has taken back a $100,000 grant to the nation's third-largest Boy Scout council because of its refusal to let open gays be members or leaders. After deciding last month that it would not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, the Cradle of Liberty Council bowed to pressure from the national organization this month. The new policy says the council, which serves Philadelphia and two suburban counties, will not ask applicants for membership or leadership positions about their sexual orientation -- but will not allow anyone who says he is gay to be a member or leader. Pew President Rebecca Rimel said Monday that stopping the funding wasn't easy. "It's a very difficult decision because we've been funding the local chapter for well over 50 years, but the board feels very strongly that this was an action we had to take," Rimel said. "We feel that all of our partners should be inclusive in their approach and should exercise tolerance and understanding."
Airport Screeners May Get X-Ray Vision
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Susan Hallowell steps into a metal booth that bounces X-rays off her skin, producing a black-and-white image that reveals enough to produce a world-class blush. To the eye, she is dressed in a skirt and blazer in dark, businesslike colors. On the monitor, the director of the Transportation Security Administration's security laboratory is naked, except for a gun and a bomb that she hid under her outfit. The government is considering using the technology at airport security checkpoints because the magnetometers now in use cannot detect plastic weapons or substances used in explosives. Hallowell is sacrificing her modesty to make a point: Air travelers are not going to like being technologically undressed by security screeners.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Susan Hallowell steps into a metal booth that bounces X-rays off her skin, producing a black-and-white image that reveals enough to produce a world-class blush. To the eye, she is dressed in a skirt and blazer in dark, businesslike colors. On the monitor, the director of the Transportation Security Administration's security laboratory is naked, except for a gun and a bomb that she hid under her outfit. The government is considering using the technology at airport security checkpoints because the magnetometers now in use cannot detect plastic weapons or substances used in explosives. Hallowell is sacrificing her modesty to make a point: Air travelers are not going to like being technologically undressed by security screeners.
Bush calls for complete dismantling of Hamas
A full dismantling of the terrorist groups is required to move the peace process forward, not a temporary halt to attacks, US President George W. Bush said on Wednesday in response to reports of a possible cease-fire. He expressed skepticism about reports of a possible three-month cease-fire by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, as he emerged from a US-European Union summit at the White House. "I'll believe it when I see it," he told reporters. "The true test for Hamas and terrorist organizations is the complete dismantlement of their terrorist networks, their capacity to blow up the peace process. "It's one thing to make a verbal agreement. But in order for there to be peace in the Middle East, we must see organizations such as Hamas dismantled and then we'll have peace. Then we'll have a chance for peace."
A full dismantling of the terrorist groups is required to move the peace process forward, not a temporary halt to attacks, US President George W. Bush said on Wednesday in response to reports of a possible cease-fire. He expressed skepticism about reports of a possible three-month cease-fire by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the Aksa Martyrs Brigades, as he emerged from a US-European Union summit at the White House. "I'll believe it when I see it," he told reporters. "The true test for Hamas and terrorist organizations is the complete dismantlement of their terrorist networks, their capacity to blow up the peace process. "It's one thing to make a verbal agreement. But in order for there to be peace in the Middle East, we must see organizations such as Hamas dismantled and then we'll have peace. Then we'll have a chance for peace."
8-year-olds face electronic tagging
WorldNetDaily.com - In an effort to crack down on an epidemic of youth crime, Scotland is considering a proposal to electronically tag repeat offenders, possibly as young as eight years old, the daily Scotsman reported. Complaints about youth crime and anti-social behavior have been overwhelming, says Margaret Curran, the Scottish Executive minister for communities. "We need to do what has to be done," she said. "If that's tough then that's tough. We are not helping these young people at all if we don't try to deal with their behavior." Under the proposal, parents who fail to help impose tagging orders on their out-of-control children will face fines and even jail, the Scotsman said.
WorldNetDaily.com - In an effort to crack down on an epidemic of youth crime, Scotland is considering a proposal to electronically tag repeat offenders, possibly as young as eight years old, the daily Scotsman reported. Complaints about youth crime and anti-social behavior have been overwhelming, says Margaret Curran, the Scottish Executive minister for communities. "We need to do what has to be done," she said. "If that's tough then that's tough. We are not helping these young people at all if we don't try to deal with their behavior." Under the proposal, parents who fail to help impose tagging orders on their out-of-control children will face fines and even jail, the Scotsman said.
Few contenders so far for creationist's reward for proof of evolution
Stars and Stripes - Kent Hovind has a quarter of a million dollars burning a hole in his pocket. He'll give it to anyone who can convince him that evolution is more than just a theory. And don't come armed with nothing more than platitudes about the fossil record and human tailbones, or a challenge for him to prove his belief that God created the world and everything in it just like the Bible says. He has heard them all before. "There's no fossil record," he said. "There are fossils." Fossils are the result of a rapid burial, he said. That occurred, he believes, in the flood of Noah's time, 4,400 years ago. To the Illinois native and founder of Creation Science Evangelism, evolution is as faith-based as Christianity and should be treated as such, not as science. "It's a religion," he said in an interview after a seminar session. And it's a religion being taught in public schools and paid for with tax dollars, while his religion is taboo inside classroom walls.
Stars and Stripes - Kent Hovind has a quarter of a million dollars burning a hole in his pocket. He'll give it to anyone who can convince him that evolution is more than just a theory. And don't come armed with nothing more than platitudes about the fossil record and human tailbones, or a challenge for him to prove his belief that God created the world and everything in it just like the Bible says. He has heard them all before. "There's no fossil record," he said. "There are fossils." Fossils are the result of a rapid burial, he said. That occurred, he believes, in the flood of Noah's time, 4,400 years ago. To the Illinois native and founder of Creation Science Evangelism, evolution is as faith-based as Christianity and should be treated as such, not as science. "It's a religion," he said in an interview after a seminar session. And it's a religion being taught in public schools and paid for with tax dollars, while his religion is taboo inside classroom walls.
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
Pharaoh's chariots found in Red Sea?
WorldNetDaily.com - One of the most famous stories of the Bible is God's parting of the Red Sea to save the Israelites from the Egyptian army and the subsequent drowning of soldiers and horses in hot pursuit. But is there evidence that such an event did in fact happen – and if so, precisely where did it take place? The issue is surfacing some 3,500 years after the event is said to have taken place with reports of Egyptian chariot wheels found in the Red Sea, photographs to document it and new books by scientists that could lead to a whole remapping of the Exodus route and a fresh look at ancient biblical accounts.
WorldNetDaily.com - One of the most famous stories of the Bible is God's parting of the Red Sea to save the Israelites from the Egyptian army and the subsequent drowning of soldiers and horses in hot pursuit. But is there evidence that such an event did in fact happen – and if so, precisely where did it take place? The issue is surfacing some 3,500 years after the event is said to have taken place with reports of Egyptian chariot wheels found in the Red Sea, photographs to document it and new books by scientists that could lead to a whole remapping of the Exodus route and a fresh look at ancient biblical accounts.
Every baby's DNA may be stored for future health care
All babies born in Britain could have their DNA stored in a national databank for their future medical treatment as part of a £50m genetics initiative published yesterday. The Government will spend the money over the next three years on expanding medical genetics in the NHS while protecting people against the misuse of DNA testing. As part of the initiative, the Government has asked its watchdog on DNA technology, the Human Genetics Commission, to consider the case for screening every baby at birth and storing their genetic profile for future use in tailoring health care according to their needs and their genes.
All babies born in Britain could have their DNA stored in a national databank for their future medical treatment as part of a £50m genetics initiative published yesterday. The Government will spend the money over the next three years on expanding medical genetics in the NHS while protecting people against the misuse of DNA testing. As part of the initiative, the Government has asked its watchdog on DNA technology, the Human Genetics Commission, to consider the case for screening every baby at birth and storing their genetic profile for future use in tailoring health care according to their needs and their genes.
Zap! Air Force eyes Star Wars-style lasers
Scripps Howard News Service - "Star Wars" laser battles might have happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but for the U.S. Air Force they're just now starting to become a reality. A new high energy laser weapon and F-16 flight simulator, designed by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Theater Aerospace Command Control Simulation Facility at Kirtland Air Force Base, will let pilots test technology that could put the United States far ahead of its enemies. The F-16 model is a smaller version of the airborne laser weapon already under development for use on a Boeing 747 for shooting down missiles. It could be ready for use in 2012, but before that happens, pilots will test the system in the simulator to see how useful it is and suggest ways it could be improved to help them in combat. "Essentially what we're looking at is that this laser can hit a target at the speed of light, almost instantly compared with the time of flight of a missile, which can take several seconds," said Jono Tyson, a contract employee from Scientific Research Corp. and assistant project manager at the simulation facility. "The laser is also a much more cost-effective weapon versus firing a missile that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Firing the laser will likely only cost a couple hundred dollars."
Scripps Howard News Service - "Star Wars" laser battles might have happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but for the U.S. Air Force they're just now starting to become a reality. A new high energy laser weapon and F-16 flight simulator, designed by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Theater Aerospace Command Control Simulation Facility at Kirtland Air Force Base, will let pilots test technology that could put the United States far ahead of its enemies. The F-16 model is a smaller version of the airborne laser weapon already under development for use on a Boeing 747 for shooting down missiles. It could be ready for use in 2012, but before that happens, pilots will test the system in the simulator to see how useful it is and suggest ways it could be improved to help them in combat. "Essentially what we're looking at is that this laser can hit a target at the speed of light, almost instantly compared with the time of flight of a missile, which can take several seconds," said Jono Tyson, a contract employee from Scientific Research Corp. and assistant project manager at the simulation facility. "The laser is also a much more cost-effective weapon versus firing a missile that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Firing the laser will likely only cost a couple hundred dollars."
Israel rounds up 154 Palestinians
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- In what it said was a response to recent suicide attacks, the Israeli army overnight rounded up 154 Palestinians in the West Bank, 130 of them in the West Bank city of Hebron and suspected of having ties to Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday. All were detained overnight. The raids come as Hamas -- the Palestinian militant group whose military wing has claimed responsibility for many of the recent terror attacks against Israelis -- holds cease-fire talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- In what it said was a response to recent suicide attacks, the Israeli army overnight rounded up 154 Palestinians in the West Bank, 130 of them in the West Bank city of Hebron and suspected of having ties to Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday. All were detained overnight. The raids come as Hamas -- the Palestinian militant group whose military wing has claimed responsibility for many of the recent terror attacks against Israelis -- holds cease-fire talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.
Saddam Being Hunted by 26,000 American Troops
More than 26,000 American troops are engaged in an aggressive hunt for Saddam Hussein in a region north of Baghdad. Backed by a fleet of Predator unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), equipped with high-resolution cameras and Hellfire missiles, the Iron Horse Task Force from the US 4th Infantry Division is focusing its search in Iraq between Taji and Kirkuk. The division is equipped with hi-tech systems enabling its units to spread out across the region to keep track of every piece of intelligence as it is gathered by troops searching houses and suspected hiding places. The hunt for Hussein, now seen as an even greater priority than the search for weapons of mass destruction, is being supervised by the CIA and an army intelligence-gathering unit known as Grey Fox, which took part in similar manhunts in the Balkans and Afghanistan.
More than 26,000 American troops are engaged in an aggressive hunt for Saddam Hussein in a region north of Baghdad. Backed by a fleet of Predator unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), equipped with high-resolution cameras and Hellfire missiles, the Iron Horse Task Force from the US 4th Infantry Division is focusing its search in Iraq between Taji and Kirkuk. The division is equipped with hi-tech systems enabling its units to spread out across the region to keep track of every piece of intelligence as it is gathered by troops searching houses and suspected hiding places. The hunt for Hussein, now seen as an even greater priority than the search for weapons of mass destruction, is being supervised by the CIA and an army intelligence-gathering unit known as Grey Fox, which took part in similar manhunts in the Balkans and Afghanistan.
Shallow graves lead to arrest of 12 worshippers
Eight small mounds of sand with patches of grass is all that remains of shallow graves discovered on Friday in a church compound in the Mandela informal settlement near here. Police said that a number of people had been staying at the compound and worshipping, claiming that they were awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. It is thought the worshippers, including young children, might have fasted for a number of days as part of the ritual. The bodies of the deceased could be exhumed today, after an exhumation order has been obtained.
Eight small mounds of sand with patches of grass is all that remains of shallow graves discovered on Friday in a church compound in the Mandela informal settlement near here. Police said that a number of people had been staying at the compound and worshipping, claiming that they were awaiting the return of Jesus Christ. It is thought the worshippers, including young children, might have fasted for a number of days as part of the ritual. The bodies of the deceased could be exhumed today, after an exhumation order has been obtained.
Woman Cleared to Sue City Over Jesus Sign
Sybil Peachlum has been fighting York City Hall for a decade over a lawn sign with an anthropomorphized peach holding a newspaper with the headline, ``Peachy News. Jesus is Alive.'' One of the highest courts in the land says she has a case. The city says the 3 1/2-foot by 5-foot sign, which was, until recently, planted in Peachlum's front yard, violates zoning rules. Peachlum says the ban violates her right to free speech. A lower court had dismissed her lawsuit seeking to keep the sign, but the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it Thursday, declaring that after years of languishing before a city appeals board, her case deserves to be decided by a judge.
Sybil Peachlum has been fighting York City Hall for a decade over a lawn sign with an anthropomorphized peach holding a newspaper with the headline, ``Peachy News. Jesus is Alive.'' One of the highest courts in the land says she has a case. The city says the 3 1/2-foot by 5-foot sign, which was, until recently, planted in Peachlum's front yard, violates zoning rules. Peachlum says the ban violates her right to free speech. A lower court had dismissed her lawsuit seeking to keep the sign, but the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it Thursday, declaring that after years of languishing before a city appeals board, her case deserves to be decided by a judge.
Mel Gibson's Passion Won't Harm Jews
Imagine if the New York Times tried to accurately present the news. That's what Mel Gibson is attempting in his new film, "The Passion." Gibson's film is an attempt to present the last 12 hours of Jesus' life as accurately as possible, using Aramaic and Latin with no subtitles. Meanwhile, theologians are accusing Gibson of portraying the Jews in a negative light and presenting the crucifixion as it is recounted in the Gospels.
Imagine if the New York Times tried to accurately present the news. That's what Mel Gibson is attempting in his new film, "The Passion." Gibson's film is an attempt to present the last 12 hours of Jesus' life as accurately as possible, using Aramaic and Latin with no subtitles. Meanwhile, theologians are accusing Gibson of portraying the Jews in a negative light and presenting the crucifixion as it is recounted in the Gospels.
