Baptist Press - A person's a person ...

re: "ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP)--Like the main character in the Dr. Seuss book, "Horton Hears a Who," Nicola McManus learned "a person's a person, no matter how small."...[snip]...In 2002, Scotland's Daily Record reported that McManus entered a North Glasgow hospital for the purpose of terminating her nine-week pregnancy. To induce the abortion, she was given the pill known as RU-486. The medication causes miscarriage and is supposed to make abortions easier. /After enduring hours of pain, the pill finally had its effect. McManus felt intense pain and "felt it happen." Her pregnancy was over. However, when she was taken to the recovery room, cold cruel reality slapped her in the face. She described the experience thusly; "I fell apart. I couldn't believe anyone could be careless enough to leave it lying there." / The IT referred to by McManus was the lifeless fruit of her womb. As she was ushered into recovery, she was met with a clear glass jar labeled with her name. McManus was confronted with the reality that she had just caused the miscarriage of a tiny human being and not some inanimate piece of tissue..."...

No Left Turns: The big Pew survey revisited

re: Joseph Knippenberg: "The good folks at Acton have given me an incentive to think about the Pew survey I mentioned yesterday. They even suggested that I take a look at these two essays on church-shopping, which seems to be one of the big take-aways from the report. /Virtually all the major stories on the survey make our church shopping the headline, followed closely by the observation that we’re headed toward minority status for Protestants, and the observation that the secularist category is growing like gangbusters. This WaPo article is typical. The WaTi’s Julia Duin (for my money one of our best religion beat reporters) focuses on the decline of Catholicism (kept afloat by immigrants, but losing those raised in the Church) and the rise of evangelicalism. Get Religion’s Terry Mattingly nicely summarizes the various angles stories have taken. /As for me, I have lots of questions..."...

Whooping cough - MayoClinic.com

re: "...Some people think of whooping cough as having gone the way of polio — a childhood disease eradicated thanks to a vaccination campaign. But whooping cough hasn't been wiped out. In fact, the number of reported cases in the United States has been increasing since a historic low of approximately 1,000 cases in 1976. In 2004, more than 25,000 cases were reported, the largest number since the 1950s, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics..."...

Betsy's Page: Forbidden from buying your own drugs

re: "The British National Health Service is trying to crack down on patients who want to pay out of pocket to get drugs that their doctors have recommended but that the NHS doesn't cover. But the health service is afraid to let too many people go outside the system so they punish those who do by telling them that, if they continue, they will have to pay for all their medical treatments, not just the drugs, on their own..."...

No Left Turns Archive: Loving one's country

re: "John McCain doesn’t have a problem with it. Peggy Noonan wants to know if the Obamas do..."...

Brandywine Books: Lies Like an Oil Spoil

re: "I want to be a good steward of my part of the earth. I think I always have. My parents taught me the evils of littering and some of the joys of gardening. I learned other joys on my own. All of my married life we have kept the house warm in the summer and cool in the winter to save energy (and perhaps our air conditioner). We've taught our girls not to waste water, especially during the last several months of the drought, and for watering our house plants we have collected rain water. I know I could do more, but it's a challenge when it seems everything we're told about saving the environment is hype and lies. / The latest is National Geographic's upcoming special, "Six Degrees Could Change the World."..."...

Captain's Quarters: Bitter Enders

re: "How are the attendees of CPAC handling the ascension of John McCain to the nomination? For the most part, I'd say fairly well. McCain hasn't generated wild enthusiasm from conservative activists, but the general sense is that he's earned an opportunity to partner with conservatives... However, not everyone wants to put the divisions behind them. When I got to Blogger Row this morning, the desks had been papered by Patriot PAC. They have launched a new website, OpenGOPConvention, to urge voters to deny McCain the outright nomination. Headlined "CONTAIN MCCAIN!", they want Republicans to wait for a "real Ronald Reagan conservative" -- as if no one thought of the idea before. They also left copies of a Washington Times column by Terry Michael calling McCain "the John Kerry of '08". /Frankly, that's absurd, and the messenger is even more so. Terry Michaels used to be the press secretary for the DNC. Somewhat ironically, the first flyer warns of a media conspiracy to promote McCain, while Michaels now works for Washington Center for Politics and Journalism, the very nexus of which Patriot PAC warns. Now we have a Democratic press flack warning Republicans not to nominate John McCain -- because he's not Republican enough?..."...

Where Have All the Soldiers Gone? - James J. Sheehan - Book Review - New York Times

re: new book on Europe and attitudes toward military force...

Studies conclude that biofuels are not so green - International Herald Tribune

re: "Almost all biofuels used today cause more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fuels if the pollution caused by producing these "green" fuels is taken into account, two studies published Thursday have concluded. /The benefits of biofuels have come under increasing attack in recent months as scientists have evaluated the global environmental cost of their production. The new studies, published by the journal Science, are likely to add to the controversy..."...

Greek Orthodox conclave picks successor to Archbishop Christodoulos - International Herald Tribune

re: "ATHENS: Greece's top Orthodox clerics elected a seasoned primate Thursday to succeed Archbishop Christodoulos, who died last month. /The new archbishop, Metropolitan Ieronymos of Thebes, received 45 votes from a conclave of 74 bishops who gathered behind closed doors at the capital's main cathedral to elect the 20th leader of the Greek Orthodox Church... [snip]... The unusually brief conclave - the new church leader was elected in four hours - seemed to suggest that Ieronymos, 70, was a popular choice among the clerics who chose him as a man who shared Christodoulos's forward-thinking views but supported closer ties with the ecumenical patriarch, Bartholomew I. / Relations between the Greek church and the spiritual head of the world's Orthodox Church were nearly severed during a 2003 dispute over who should have the final say in the appointment of bishops in northern Greece... [snip]... Born Ioannis Liapis, the new archbishop was one of the main contenders for the church leadership in the previous election in 1998. A professor of philosophy and archaeologist by training, Ieronymos switched to the priesthood in 1967 after a brief academic career. He was enthroned as the bishop of Thebes in 1981 and gained local prominence for the charity work carried out by his diocese. /Viewed as capable administrator, the German-trained cleric served on the church's council for educational affairs and helped manage its popular radio station but shied from media appearances. /Although Greece is formally secular, the Orthodox faith is constitutionally recognized as the prevailing religion, representing 97 percent of the country's population of 11 million..."...

ADF Alliance Alert » New Book ‘Motherhood Interrupted’ Published

re: "In Motherhood Interrupted, author Jane Brennan, former member of NOW, Planned Parenthood clinic volunteer and post-abortive woman herself, shares stories of healing and hope after abortion that will bring to light the struggle women go through before and after making this choice." Read more on PR Newswire..."...

Good immigrant, bad immigrant « Bookworm Room

re: "I’ve been re-reading a wonderful book that I first read when it was published a little more than a decade ago: As Thousands Cheer: The Life of Irving Berlin, by Laurence Bergreen."...

Irreducible and Non-Negotiable - Prison Fellowship

re: "What is the Christian faith all about? Two stories, 18 centuries apart, provide a clue..."...

ADF Alliance Alert » Jordan Lorence: NM Photographer investigated for refusing to cover same-sex "marriage"

ADF Alliance Alert » Jordan Lorence: NM Photographer investigated for refusing to cover same-sex "marriage": "ADF Attorney Jordan Lorence appeared on the Lars Larson radio show to discuss the case pending in New Mexico where state authorities are investigating a photographer for refusing to photograph same-sex 'marriage' ceremonies. /The mp3 audio file (9:35 minutes) can be accessed here:
20080204.mp3 /ADF’s most recent press release on the case is here."...

Cafe Hayek: Feedback, knowledge and the division of labor

re: "Arnold Kling over at EconLog tells the poignant story of worrying about his father's health care. Anyone who has had a loved one in the hospital can relate. There are a lot of smart and caring people involved in the treatment, yet no one is overseeing the process and noting the interactions between this specialist and that one..."...

ADF: ADF considering appeal to restore voters’ rights in Oregon

re: "PORTLAND, Ore. — Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund are considering whether to appeal Friday’s decision by a federal judge against disenfranchised signers of a petition to put Oregon’s “domestic partnership” law before the voters. The judge lifted his preliminary injunction against the law, H.B. 2007, on which voters have never been heard. /During Friday’s hearing, the judge stated that voters in Oregon have no legal right to have their petition signatures counted..."...

Baptist Press - Super Bowl worship event expands as network of Christian NFL players grows

re: "PHOENIX (BP)--The annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration is “one of the few nightly events you can bring your entire family to,” former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Marcus Price said of the gathering of NFL players, coaches and fans in town for Sunday’s matchup between the New England Patriots and New York Giants. /“It’s an outlet for great gospel music, but also an outlet for real Christians who don’t go out to the parities and the nightclubs,” Price said of Friday’s sold-out celebration at the Phoenix Symphony Hall. /“You get what you want to find at the Super Bowl,” Price reflected, “but this is a night we can celebrate our love and our faith.” /For Seattle Seahawks placekicker Josh Brown, “It always helps you to be around other Christians, especially here in the NFL where we may not get to see each other as much. /“We are expanding the base here and spreading it more every year,” Brown added. /The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration, now in its ninth year, is officially recognized by the league as an official Super Bowl activity."..."...

Brandywine Books: Amazon Sales Up, Kindle in Demand

re: "Media sales at Amazon.com are way up, and the new Kindle is playing a part..."...

Captain's Quarters: The Olson Of Economic Endorsements?

re: "...However, Rudy brought two other endorsements that could help build bridges with disaffected conservatives if McCain wins the nomination. First came Ted Olson to provide reassurance on judicial nominations, and today Steve Forbes endorsed McCain, perhaps addressing his self-professed weakness on economics..."...