Discovery Channel: "When Does Life Begin?"

The Discovery Channel is running a documentary next week asking "When Does Life Begin?"

The fear of showing babies in the womb has caused some fear in the pro-abort community. One commenter at a website said:

With all the anti-choice legislation this year already we really don't need Discovery channel parading fetuses around and showing how cool and realistic they are in utero.

We can't stand a parade of fetuses, can we?

But here's the thing. The Discovery Channel website shows why pro-aborts have something to fear from any kind of actual scientific talk concerning human life and its beginnings. Check out this quiz they have online. First, they hedge their bets trying not to tick the pro-aborts off but once it gets down to science things kinda' change.:

When does life begin? Take the quiz!

It's a question that science can address easily, but one that also touches on religious, metaphysical and philosophical beliefs. And that means there is no easy answer, and defining human life is one of the most controversial political topics in America today. Take this quiz to see how much you know about the controversy over when life begins and ends.

So I clicked on the first question. First, the question and the answers are under it.

The genetic point of view states that life begins:

*
before fertilization -- because living cells eventually form a human
*
at the point of fertilization or a novel genome
*
within 24 to 48 hours of fertilization

I, of course, clicked on at the point of fertilization because I'm all clever like that and here's what they said.

Correct!
The genetic point of view says that life begins exactly when fertilization occurs, or when cells form the human zygote -- the fused sperm and egg cells that develop into a human. Any sooner means these cells still are part of the parents. According to this point of view, after fertilization, the cells already have coordinated their behavior as a unique new organism.

Hooray for science!

No wonder the pro-aborts have to explain away science and your own lying eyes.

I'm sure that Discovery will hem and haw and vacillate so as not to tick off their lib buddies but the science is the science. And seeing babies in utero can't be unseen. I'm glad they're doing it. I may even skip the "Walker Texas Ranger" marathon that night and tune in.

Hospital Forcing Nurses to Assist Abortions

In what seems to be a blatant violation of religious rights, a hospital in New Jersey is telling nurses that they either assist in abortions or they'll be terminated, according to a lawsuit filed by nurses obtained by Todd Starnes of Fox News.

The nurses are calling on the court to pull the plug of $60 million in federal funding until the hospital agrees to stop forcing nurses to assist in abortions.

Lorna Jose Mendoza has been given a choice. She can either assist in an abortion this week at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, or she could refuse and risk losing her job.

Mendoza is one of a dozen nurses who filed suit today against the hospital – accusing them of violating federal and state law by forcing them to assist in abortions against their religious and moral objections.

“The hospital told the nurses they have no regard for their religious beliefs,” said Matthew Bowman, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund. “They were going to be assigned these abortions or they would be terminated.”

Bowman said the lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, on behalf of the nurses who “possess strongly held religious and moral beliefs that she may not participate in the process of an abortion that causes the death of a preborn child.”

According to the lawsuit, the hospital started doing this a few weeks ago without any explanation why.

Concerned nurses sought a meeting with the administration but that failed to happen. The administration reportedly canceled the meeting on short notice.

This comes on the heels of several attacks on religious rights from the Obama administration, including forcing Catholic colleges to pay for abortifacients and contraception for students and employees.

Anyone else feeling like the gloves are off and it's go time? I mean, before it was always the ACLU or some nutty atheist group but now it's coming from the White House, the HHS, the media, the healthcare industry. It's everywhere.

I seriously believe that's why the Obama administration consistently refers to the "freedom to worship" rather than the freedom of religion because worshiping can happen in your church or synagogue or wherever but it's limited to those places. In other words, don't bring that oogedy boogedy stuff out in the real world or we'll squash you like a bug, freako.

But there's hope. Lots of it. Catholic colleges have pushed back against the Obama administration. These nurses are fighting back. Those are just examples but if we don't give in, we can't lose. But we cannot/must not concede any of our beliefs.

The second we say that while I may be a Catholic, my work is separate from that and I have to do stuff I think is evil, it's all over. The moment nurses and doctors accept that they have to perform abortions, and every Catholic college and institution accepts paying for abortion, or Catholic institutions accept gay adoption then things fall apart.

We can't have a country where we separate what we believe from what we do. There is, in reality, no separation. There's no Hell for your work personality while your personal soul goes to Heaven. It doesn't work that way.

HT Weasel Zippers

SBA's Pro-Life Jack-O-Lantern

This is pretty cool from the Susan B. Anthony List.



Remember this Halloween, the scariest place in the world right now is a mother's womb. So keep the SBA-List in your prayers as they fight the good fight.

Ten Greatest Halloween Costumes...Evah

Here are the Top Ten Greatest (or worst) Halloween Costumes Ever. And I mean Ever. My wife wouldn't let me put any of the kids in these but that's because she's not as cool as I am. Believe me, if my kids had worn any of these to our little Catholic school today they'd be the most popular kids in grammar school.

10) Herve Villechaize! Talk about your politically incorrect costumes. Let's dress up as a midg...a small person who was a celebrity for a few years and ended up a broke cautionary tale. Look, classy isn't the strong suit here but if you're looking for a conversation starter this one is it. But be prepared to say "Zee Plane. Zee plane" about 370 times per hour.



9) You might as well go as the "pet rock." Fads are meant to be forgotten by most people. You're different. This choice screams "I was a nerd in high school." You might as well open conversations with "I was a tenth level Paladin in Dungeons and Dragons, how about you?"




8) Gabe Kaplan? Seriously? Gabe Kaplan? Look, no matter what, people still have a soft spot for Mr. Kotter. Gather three people in their thirties and ask them to sing the theme song. I guarantee they'll know it. The downside is that wearing it now I think everyone would think you were going as this other guy on the right.

7) The good thing about this is yeah you're a pimp who probably sells blow on the side but you're...the good kind of pimp who sells blow on the side. This was the 70's. Huggy Bear ruled the streets and sure Huggy Bear was in it up to his eyeballs but if someone did something really bad Huggy rolled over for the good of the streets. C'mon now, don't be hatin'. The good thing about this is...and I hate to say it...but chicks love pimps. Every girl at the Halloween Party is going to want to take her picture with you. Good conversation starter is walking up to women and apologizing you didn't have a chance to change into a costume. One warning: If you have children who you're taking out for trick or treat, you are forbidden to wear this:

6) I honestly have no joke about this. If you wear this you're the Halloween king forever. Even the actor who played this dude wouldn't dress up as this guy. This takes guts. 9 out of ten people won't have a clue who you are but the one who does will acknowledge you and then you two can sit back and mock everyone else who came as Sarah Palin or a baseball player.


5) Vera from Alice. This is good because this show is the most forgotten show ever that was on for like ten years, besides One Day at a Time, of course. Here's the thing, you didn't go with Mel. You didn't go with the Flo costume where you're going to have to say "Kiss my Grits" to every third person. You went as Vera. Mad props to the every woman.

4) Who even thought of this one? Hey, let's make a costume of a movie character who was a terribly selfish mother who agonized as her daughter died a slow death in the hospital. I mean Terms of Endearment was like Steel Magnolias on steroids. But this one's good if you're not a talker because if you wear this be prepared to listen to lots of stories from women about losing people close to them. So you'll just be required to listen and nod meaningfully.


3) This is good for one reason and one reason only. Wearing this will give you ample opportunities to tell people what a freaking monster you believe Barack Obama to be. Downside -be prepared to get in a few fights.


2) Ok. You're only to wear this if you're married. If you're single go with Tattoo from Fantasy Island. This one takes guts because it's so repulsive.


1) Look. Not everyone was meant to be Spiderman. That's a simple fact in this world. But if you're willing to do something like this you will be remembered a lot more than that punk who showed up as the Rubik's Cube. If your goal is to have people talking on the car ride home about you, this is the way to go.


Bonus:

1a) This is perfect for going out trick or treating with the children. One, they'll be embarrassed. Two, you can put candy right in the bowl so you don't need to carry a bag. Downside is you'll have to laugh through a lot of scatological puns from people who think they're clever.


2a) Morgan Freeman in the Electric Company. You know, before he started accusing the Tea Party of racism and marrying his step daughter. And really the main thing to understand here is that you too can start off playing a pimp on children's television only to grow up and become one of America's most respected actors.

3a) This is the creepiest one of all. If someone comes to my door wearing this, I'm assuming it's the real Adam Rich on a three day bender in violation of his parole looking to score some Pez and I'm locking the door. I mean, this guy went so far off the rails that Amy Winehouse wouldn't return his calls. This one screams, "Yeah I'm just a cute loveable fuzzball but I'm dangerous." If you want people to know you've made some bad decisions with your life, this is the costume for you.


H/T I found a few of these over at Kinder Trauma

Strangers

You ever wonder if what you do makes a difference?

Christians Die, Obama Yawns

I recently read an article that said that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world and nowhere more persecuted than in the middle east.

Pope Benedict recently expressed concern for the persecution of Christians around the world.

Coptic Christians have been repeatedly slaughtered in Egypt, both pre and post Arab Spring. Earlier this month Egyptian forces drove over Coptic Christians in military vehicles at a rally in Cairo.

Click Here to See What Obama Just Did>>>>

Call: Tax Funded 30 Week Abortion

This video from Operation Rescue just sickens me. A woman calls an abortionist asking to abort a baby at 30 weeks. And she's told that Medicaid will foot the bill.

Santorum Ad Features Miracle Daughter

This is pretty amazing. It's so good that I don't even want to put it into a political perspective because with Santorum I kinda' feel like he's the real thing. A real family man who puts family first.



HT LifeNews.com

Jim Rockford Tells off Occupy Wall Street

Well, kind of.



HT John Nolte from Big Hollywood.

Cain: Abortion Now OK In Case of Rape or Incest

I think I'm kinda' fed up with Herman Cain. Holy cow. Just days after announcing he was pro-life with "no exceptions," his campaign is now telling CNN that he's for abortion in cases of rape or incest.

What?!

CNN reports:

The campaign attempted to spell out his views Thursday in a statement obtained by CNN, but did not address any exceptions.

"I am pro-life, and believe in advancing the culture of life. My record as a pro-life candidate speaks for itself," Cain said in a statement. "Anyone who says differently is simply not telling the truth. Next question."

When pressed by CNN on his position, however, a campaign adviser said Cain follows the same policy used by the George W. Bush administration, which said abortions should be allowed in the instances of rape, incest and when the life of the mother is at stake.

"He has learned more about the issue," including the number of women affected in those instances, the adviser told CNN, explaining Cain's view.

Learned more about the issue?! What? When? Or do they mean he's got a better chance of getting elected if he touts exceptions?

Anyone else worried about a candidate who's running to be the head of the free world and is still learning the issues? He'd never thought before about abortion in light of cases of rape or incest before? Seriously? Give me a break. I'm thinking Herman Cain saw some polling.

I'm done with this guy. I'm not even going to consider him a serious candidate. It's not just about the exceptions he's touting now, it's that he clearly hasn't thought any of it through.

The guy's a joke.

HT Ace of Spades

UN Official: Abortion is a "Human Right."

A new report from a United Nations official claimed abortion as a "human right" and calls for decriminalization of and the removal of legal barriers related to abortion.

Liberals are pleased as punch and believe this will change the world.

RH Reality Check was overjoyed by the report:

The Rapporteur is taking unprecedented steps and now governments and civil society must (continue to) do their part to fully protect, respect and realize women’s sexual rights and reproductive rights.

The Health and Nutrition Development Society also acted like it was Christmas for abortionists (without all that Savior being born stuff), calling it, "a milestone in the struggle for the full realization of the right to health for all."

The report contains clear and detailed recommendations for States, including a call to immediately decriminalize abortion, ensure access to a full range of modern contraceptive methods, and facilitate access to full, complete, and accurate information on sexual and reproductive health.

Amnesty International called it "groundbreaking."

Stephanie Schlitt, Amnesty International’s Researcher and Policy Advisor on Gender, wrote,

"For almost eight years at Amnesty International I have worked to support research and campaigning on gender-related issues. I am in the middle of my first pregnancy just now. Being here at the UN to see this report being presented feels all the more poignant because of this. As I read the report, my thoughts turned to the girls and women all over the world whose experience of sexuality and reproduction is shaped by laws and policies that allow the state, and the people around them, to subject them to pressure, fear, intimidation, pain, suffering and punishment."

She added, "Let’s hope more governments hear these voices, adhere to their international legal obligations and take the actions recommended in the report presented today!"

Never mind that many governments dismissed the "high level UN bureaucrat's claim" according to LifeNews.com.

But pro-aborts see this report as the first step towards a mandated global pro-abortion policy. And you know what, they're probably right.

Eric Holder Needs To Go

I have said for a while that Fast & Furious will result in jail time for some and resignations for others. I have also speculated that under normal circumstances Eric Holder would be done fer. Although Obama has not shown himself readily to throw people overboard to save his skin. Holder may end up being exception to the rule.

It was faint at first, but it grows ever louder, this cry for Attorney General Eric Holder to resign. Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) today became the fourth Congressman to explicitly call for Holder to take responsibility for the lethally reckless Operation Fast and Furious and to voluntarily leave his post because of his presumed authorization of the program. Walsh’s behest follows similar requests from Reps. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), Blake Farenthold (R-Tex.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.).

Rep. Walsh lays it out. This was not just a sting operation gone bad. This was a political ploy gone bad. The intended bad guys were not the cartels, the intended bad guys were legal gun owners in the US.

Your Department has made an enormous error in judgment. It instructed federally-licensed firearms dealers to illegally sell at least 2,000 guns that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) intended to be trafficked to drug cartels in Mexico. The results of this error in judgment have implicated the United States in well over one hundred deadly crimes and the deaths of two federal agents.
...
Operation Fast and Furious funneled firearms legally purchased at gun shops in the U.S. to known criminal syndicates to prove these syndicates have access to legal purchased weapons. This is a deliberate attempt to vilify and attack the millions of gun owners in America who value our Second Amendment and have never broken the law.

This is true. Anyone who looks at the case knows it. Holder is a disgrace to his office. Holder must go.

Town Denies Public Rosary and the Prayer that Changed Everything

Mike Casey is a praying man. The father of two believes in the power of prayer to change things. But it's easy to believe in the power of prayer when you see how a little prayer can change things.

It all started simply. Mike Casey wanted to pray. As part of the nationwide "America Needs Fatima" movement, Mike wanted to hold one of 7,515 Public Square Rosary Rallies held across the United States on October 15th in the small Massachusetts town of Upton.

Continue reading this beautiful story at the National Catholic Register>>>

Check Out These Catholic Cartoons

I'm always amazed at all the amazing things going on in the Catholic blogosphere. And I'm always delighted to find someone with unique talents and a strong point of view.

Jeff B. Harris is sortuva blogger but really he's a Catholic cartoonist. And he's done some really cool things at his blog called "Sword of Peter."

This is one of his more recent ones:


And this rather grim but true entry:


So feel free to check him out.

Someone Call Marty McFly!

This is heavy.


October 26th was the day Marty McFly went back in time. So I'm a day late but this is still pretty cool. As you might recall Marty rocked the Hoverboard when he went into the future. Well, here's some scientists somewhere attempting to create a hoverboard and it looks like they're getting somewhere.

No word yet when they'll be making it in pink with racing stripes.

Hoverboard - Watch MoreFunny Videos

Personally, I'm going to be so ticked because by the time they get these things right I'm gonna' be too old to use them. Never mind when we're ever gonna' get the jetpacks.

HT Viral Footage

Chaz Bono Has All The Bases Covered

It is almost impossible to criticize Chaz Bono WITHOUT being prejudiced.

Chaz Bono has claimed that there is a bias on Dancing With The Stars that caused him/her to be treated 'disrespectfully' and bounced from the show.

Bias against lesbians? Nope.

Bias against trangender people? Nope.

Bias against idiots? Nope.

Chaz Bono claims there is institutional bias against fat dudes. Fat dudes. On a dancing show? Go figure.

Bono, who earned a score of 19 out of a possible 30 on Monday night, also said he feels there is a gender divide between how overweight men and overweight women are treated on the show.
He mentioned the positive response from the judges to Kirstie Alley, 60 , on the last season.

'It's hard to take this competition seriously when the judges are so inconsistent,' he said.

It's hard to take this show seriously? Because of inconsistency?

Please.

Poor Chaz thought once she messed with her junk that life would be fair. As a fat dude, I can tell you discrimination is rampant. But at least I am not an idiot.

Politicians are Tools

I was thinking the other night that sports is just another way to introduce heartbreak into the lives of fairly happy people.

So frequent are my sports heartbreaks that sometimes I wonder why I invest myself in any team. Because here's the thing I realized. Most of the time, the fans care a lot more about wins and losses than the actual people on the team.

And this morning it hit me that it's the same thing as putting hope for pro-life victories in politicians. We care a lot more about the cause than they do (for the most part.) Whereas athletes are simply playing for their next contract so many of our politicians are playing for the next election.

I'm not going to stop rooting for the Mets or stop voting for pro-life politicians at every level, it's just that I know most of them just don't care as much as I do.

Here's the thing - when the NY Giants had Plaxico Burress and he helped them win the Super Bowl, I never thought Plax loves the Giants. No. But he was a useful tool in beating down the Patriots and winning the Super Bowl.

It's similar in politics, isn't it? Either a politician is useful to advance my agenda or he's not. I think in the end, the point is that politicians are tools. I mean it. They're either useful tools or not. Most of them aren't for the cause. They're not our heroes. They're either useful tools or not. That's the decision we each have to make.

Dawkins: "Jesus Would've Been an Atheist"

Famous atheist Richard Dawkins said in a recent interview that Jesus would've been an atheist if he knew what we knew today.

Wait. What? Yeah, it doesn't make much sense.

Here's the exact quote: “I wrote [an] article called ‘Atheists for Jesus,’ I think it was… Somebody gave me a t-shirt: ‘Atheists for Jesus.’ Well, the point was that Jesus was a great moral teacher and I was suggesting that somebody as intelligent as Jesus would have been an atheist if he had known what we know today.”

The key takeaway here is that the leader of the atheist movement pilfers his brilliant ideas from t-shirts.

The thing is that I really can't stand the whole "Jesus was a great moral teacher" thing.

CS Lewis handled that nonsense pretty well when he wrote:

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: 'I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God.' That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg -- or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.

Lewis is right. Dawkins is a fool whose thinking is as deep as a t-shirt slogan.

Isn't Dawkins becoming a bit of an embarrassment, even to atheists?

CNN: Would Jesus Occupy Wall Street?

CNN says Pope Benedict thinks so.



This is so stupid I can't even be outraged.

HT Weasel Zippers
HT Daily Caller

Teach the Children Well

There's recently been some troubling polling news about young Catholics not being well formed in their faith. Relativism is rampant and many children don't know the difference between transubstantiation and the Assumption. Many young people aren't going to Mass because they don't "get anything" out of Mass. Some opt for vague spirituality, rather than religion.

My sister Mary Archbold and my brother in law Pat Shay, both veterans of ImprovOlympic and The Second City Comedy Group, recently had their first child and started creating videos as supplemental teaching aids that Catholic educators can use to teach the faith to young Catholics. (Yes, they're in the entertainment business and they're Catholic. Like real Catholic. Not like the Lady "I'm a devout Catholic" Gaga.)

Both are practicing Catholics who just had their first child this year and wanted to make fun educational videos for young Catholics.

Please check out the videos here>>>

Cain's Kinda' Freaking Me Out

I don't know what's going on with the dude smoking in Herman Cain's latest ad that's garnering all sorts of publicity. Rick Perry came out with his tax plan yesterday and all anyone's talking about is Cain's ad. I guess everyone is used to politicians blowing smoke metaphorically but literally is a little weird. But hey, it's working for him because everyone's talking about it.

The last time there was this much talk about the smoking man, Mulder and Scully were in season three.

I'm sure you've seen the ad by now or heard about it but please watch it just for Cain's smile at the end.

But never mind all that smoking man stuff. What's with Cain's smile at the end? That's like the bad guy won at the end of the movie smile, isn't it? If a man smiles at someone like that something bad is about to happen or it already did and you just don't know it yet.

It's kinda' like when Damien at the end of "The Omen" is at his father's funeral and he smiles right at the audience.



I'm not comparing Cain to Damien. I'm just sayin' his smile in this kinda' freaked me out. And if you turn Cain's 999 plan upside down, what are you left with? 666. Once again. Just sayin'.

And you wanna' know the kicker. I'd still vote for Cain over Obama. (Mostly because I'm scared of him.)

The 2012 Campaign Slogan!!!!

President Obama has inadvertently stumbled on the 2012 Republican campaign slogan to end all campaign slogans!!

While speaking to his rich friends in Frisco, Obama said this!

“The one thing that we absolutely know for sure is that if we don’t work even harder than we did in 2008, then we’re going to have a government that tells the American people, ‘you are on your own,’” Obama told a crowd of 200 donors over lunch at the W Hotel.

Yes we can!!!

Obama: Vote for the other guy and the gov't will leave you alone.

Sold!!!!

Greatest Dad Evah!

You can't beat this Dad. He owns the Best Dad ever award until he leaves this Earth. This Dad put together 2000 feet of Hot Wheels tracks with his kids that went through the house and through the neighborhood. And it's for a good cause. You've got to see it.

Federal Panel: Gardisil For Nine Yr Old Boys

A federal panel has just approved recommendations that boys as young as 9 years old (nine!) be vaccinated against a sexually transmitted disease.

Atlanta (CNN) -- A federal government advisory committee voted Tuesday to recommend that boys as young as 11 be vaccinated against the human papilloma virus, commonly referred to as HPV.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) says the vaccine series can be started as early as age 9.

Twelve members of the committee voted in favor of the recommendation; one abstained.

HPV is the number-one sexually transmitted disease in the United States. At least 50% of sexually active people will get it at some point in their lives.

The HPV vote took place as part of the advisory committee's meeting in Atlanta.

Of course, they have been pushing this for girls for years even going so far in some place to mandate it. But they haven't gotten the buy in they want so now they are targeting boys.

I have boys 10, 8, and 6. And just so there is no ambiguity. Over. My. Dead. Body.

I love my boys. I want the best for my boys. And if some one trys to stick them for STDs, if someone even talks to them about STDs, I am gonna knock their teeth out.

Just so we are clear.

Herman Cain? Ok, I Am Listening

I have long suspected that the Republican nomination roller coaster is seeking the most electable conservative they can find who can defeat Mitt Romney. This nomination process is all about Romney, actually its about anybody but Romney.

First Bachmann was the not-Romney of the day. But, as had to happen, her prospects faded almost as soon as she got some decent poll numbers. Conservative like her, but they don't trust her not to do something monumentally dumb.

Then the draft began. Let's get Christie, let's get Palin, let's get Perry. Somebody who can beat Romney. Christie said no, Palin said no, Perry said yes.

And so Perry went to the top of the list of "anybody but Romney" but after pathetic debate performances and some serious gaffes, conservatives said no to Perry.

And then Herman Cain. Herman surprisingly moved to the front of the pack a few weeks ago and I figured that his fate would be the same as Bachmann and Perry. As soon as they achieved "not Romney" status, the heat gets turned up, the scrutiny intensifies, and the numbers slide.

And to some extent, this is what happened. The other candidates started going after Cain and this showed some of his inexperience and weaknesses. He also made some notable gaffes that required explanation which itself was mishandled. But, but his numbers have not gone down. At least not yet.

Despite his setbacks, Cain has managed to hold onto the mantle of the best guy who is not Romney for weeks now.

So, Ok. I am listening now. I am listening to Herman Cain. I am listening to see if he can learn from his mistakes. I am listening to see if he can tighten up his economic/tax plan and mitigate some of the negatives while defending it better, although I would prefer the flat tax. And I am listening to see if he can learn something about foreign policy. You don't need to know everything, but you need to show grasp of some basic facts and show trustworthy instincts in this area. So far, this has been his most glaring problem and he needs to fix this asap.

So, Herman Cain, I am listening. I am gonna give you a chance to convince me. Make it count.

Cardinal Goes on Hunger Strike, Why Don't We?

Cardinal Joseph Zen, the bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, recently began a hunger strike to defend the right to freedom of education.



How is this much different from what's going on here in the United States where we have the National Labor Relations Board deciding which Catholic college is Catholic enough to be exempt from federal labor laws and the Obama administration forcing Catholic schools to pay for abortion and sterilization?

I think we need some Cardinals speaking out and being as brave as Cardinal Zen. Right now. I think we need anyone and everyone speaking out and doing outrageous things right now.

The attacks going on against Catholic institutions right now calls for some supremely outrageous actions on our part, don't they?

Hey, if bloggers went on a hunger strike would anyone notice?

What Next?

I remember my two brothers and I standing under the trees outside Church waiting for my mother to stop "seeing to things" after Mass with the other ladies who pursed their lips and "saw to things."

As we stood waiting, all the cars were soon gone and a strong wind blew what must have been hundreds of leaves from the trees. They swirled above our heads and landed softly on and around our shoes. Instantly a game was created. Whoever could collect the most leaves before they hit the ground wins.

Looking back I wish I hadn't cheated by picking up leaves off the ground but to be honest I don't think they were really counting me. Looking back, I'm pretty sure it was a competition between Pat and Kevin, as everything always was back then.

We all stood together and waited for the wind to get a good running start through the empty parking lot before scattering the trees and then we'd scramble around, diving for leaves before they hit the ground. I'm sure we were filthy but I don't remember getting into trouble for it. But I was often in trouble as a child and perhaps my mother's displeasure with me didn't impress me as much as it should have.

There were disputed calls over whether a leaf had touched the ground but before the argument could get too heated, a strong wind would stifle our bluster and have us running and diving for falling leaves.

Soon, our piles overflowed our arms so Kevin announced that we were only to catch red leaves to make it harder. Older brothers have the authority to make such rules. For me it was undisputed. I think I was just glad to have them including me at all. Patrick, who was less than a year younger than Kevin, of course, argued which color we should be catching. But soon a wind came and we scattered like shrapnel.

I remember running and wishing that there would be things for the mothers to see to for hours because even then I knew I was experiencing one of those moments where Heaven just seemed a little more visible.

I sometimes wonder if I've invented a glow around that day because Kevin died so young. But I don't think so. It was there.

I bring this up because it was brought back to me today at dusk when I blew large bubbles from the porch and my children raced around the lawn trying to catch them. They chased bubbles until it became too dark to see them.

I know that this was somehow a memory I was attempting to share, to transplant into their lives, to recreate for them. I pray that my children experience those moments because you don't just live through them once. In fact, they can hardly be said to merely occur so much as exist. They stay with you. You carry them around. And you don't just relive them, you live them in different ways.

I've come to accept those moments as bits of effortless perfection. We didn't do anything to deserve them. There's no price to it. They're gifts. And I'll see them as that forever.

I remember when poor Kevin was laid up in hospice at the end of his life I thought of that day. I always meant to ask him if he remembered that day but it seemed too dramatic for the time. It's funny that when actual dramatic things are occurring we tend to speak so lightly. We talked about football and tested each other on the lyrics to the "Dukes of Hazard" song. That's what we did on the last day he had a voice to speak. We tested each other on song lyrics. I know it sounds silly in the face of the eternal but there was something right about it as well. And I've even learned to be thankful for that.

But I found that while I was looking at my children today I found that I looked at things differently now.

When I was young I was ready and eager for everything. I couldn't wait to live, to love, to suffer. I wasn't even all that keen on preparing for it but I just wanted anything and everything to happen. Right then.

My mindset was perennially focused towards what's next. Always what's next. I was a college student who wanted to be a journalist and I'd work as hard as anyone to make it happen. As a boyfriend I focused on when I was going to be a husband. It was always what's next.

But that's changed. Or maybe I've changed. I don't know why but I know it's true. Maybe it's losing my father and my brother in the past few years. Maybe it's losing two unborn children the past few years and having had terrible hospital scares with two of my living children. Who knows why but I don't readily seek out what's next. Rather in the tone of the put-upon I wonder, "What next?"

I love my mornings with the children, the rides to and from school, soccer practices, and just always being honored at what they're willing to say, and amazed at their honesty.

But I know that the price of love is suffering. I know it's all part of the same thing. But I look at my life now and I dread suffering. I dread change. I want things to stay as good as they were when my kids chased each other on the lawn, their hands outstretched reaching for a shimmering fragile bubble which burst the moment their hands touched it.

I find myself thinking that this is mine. This moment is mine and I do not want any more suffering. I do not want to learn any more. Call off the cosmic order of things, this precious thing that I have should be exempted.

I know intellectually all this is wrongheaded but it's where my head is some days. Most days. I know I must turn this dread of losing what I've got into gratitude for each moment that I have. But each moment I watch my children I know that this ends and I want to plant my feet, dig my heels in, and say no more. I'm afraid I will only be pulled into suffering. I'm afraid.

Vid: Baby Escapes Crib, Destroys Evidence

This made me laugh out loud. So cute.

HT Viral Footage

Vatican Suddenly Cool and Popular

Who'd a thunk that the path to popularity among liberals was so easy. Hey, the Church hasn't exactly been asked to sign everyone's yearbook recently. The Church hasn't been in the cool crowd for decades and doesn't get invited to the cool parties.

But suddenly the cool crowd that for so long mocked the Church is now macking the Church. Big time. They've developed a newfound respect for the deep thinking of the Vatican.

It's kinda' like that moment in the movies when the geeky girl loses the glasses and pops open a few buttons and everyone all of a sudden sees she's gorgeous. Yeah, it's kinda' like that. But different.

CNBC reports:

The Vatican called on Monday for the establishment of a "global public authority" and a "central world bank" to rule over financial institutions that have become outdated and often ineffective in dealing fairly with crises.

A major document from the Vatican's Justice and Peace department should be music to the ears of the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrators and similar movements around the world who have protested against the economic downturn.

The 18-page document, "Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of a Global Public Authority," was at times very specific, calling, for example, for taxation measures on financial transactions.

But if you're expecting Pope Benedict to start dressing way cooler and joining the hippies on Occupy Wall Street, it might not be happening soon.

What the media is calling THE VATICAN!!!!! in the headline, is actually just a report from the Vatican's Justice and Peace department.

But that's overshadowed because of the awesomenessity of their proposal which is like music to leftist ears. The report called for the establishment of "a supranational authority" with worldwide scope and "universal jurisdiction" to guide economic policies and decisions.

Here's the thing "supranational authorities" are great, aren't they? They always work out well here on Earth. Never any problems with "supranational authorities," right?

Hey, Pope Benedict is so cool right now among the left that I'm betting even the Pope's red shoes will be seen as cool. I'm not one for picking out the next fashion trend but I'm thinking we got a winner here. If you've got extra cash lying around, you might wanna' invest in red shoes.

I'm just excited because I haven't been a member of a cool group since I joined the Dungeons and Dragons club junior year. What?!

Parenting According to Monster Movies

In honor of Halloween I’m re-promulgating my long held theory on parenting informed by monster movies. When I was young and single I was King Kong. The King of all Monsters. Nobody messed with Kong. Nobody. Until…I fell in love. And then down goes Kong.

I’m sure you can relate. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage. I’m sure this path happened similarly for many of you. Let’s walk along the Monster Movie timeline of parenting.

Birth of baby. You are The Fly.

You are an unsuspecting victim who dabbled with powers far beyond your comprehension and changes have come upon you unbidden. You’re not yourself anymore. You don’t know what you are. But it’s not pretty.

1-3 mos. –You are a Vampire

– You’ve been cursed to walk the night and it seems that this may go on for eternity. As a nocturnal creature with red bloodshot eyes you frighten all who come in contact with you. As the sun rises, you curse it and only wish for sleep, peaceful sleep.

3-6 mos. - Frankenstein

– Mornings see you as a near brainless groaning grumpy creature with a mean streak. You plod around your castle like the living dead. You yourself don't know if you're more dead than alive. Your visage is offensive to all.

6 mos. to 1 yr. - You are a Ghost.

To everyone who knew you pre-baby you have disappeared. Nobody ever sees the ghost you have become and they even start suspecting you don’t exist at all. And when you do show up among old friends they scream, gasp, and question you. You begin to feel unconnected to them and slowly beging fading away...forever.

1 -2 yrs. You are Quasimodo

– You walk around the house hunched over trying to protect your newly walking child from every corner in the house until you’re permanently deformed. (This is especially bad for the first child and almost non-existent by the fifth when you say things like, “Hey, how else will she learn not to walk into walls?)

2-4 yrs. You are Jekyll and Hyde

– You have a split personality. You are the authoritarian figure of a lunatic asylum at home and somehow you’re supposed to not instinctively tell people to drink their drink all gone at business lunches.

5-12 yrs. – You are the Wicked Witch of the West

– You are the scourge of your young girl who seeks only to escape your clutches. You pester her and chase after her but all she wants to do is hang out with her friends who she calls weird names like Scarecrow and Tin Man. You are surrounded by monkeys who fly around crazily and no matter how many times you give them jobs to do they just mess it up.

12 -15 yrs. - You are Hal 9000 from A Space Oddysey 2001

–You're trying to patiently and logically explain everything you do to uncooperative and out of control humans. The little humans who once thought you were great now can’t stand the sound of your voice, think you’re crazy and are trying to shut you off.

15-18 yrs. – You are the Invisible Man.

–Nobody sees you. You can do and say whatever you want, it doesn’t matter. Nobody can see you.

18 yrs. – You are Annie Wilkes.

–The person you love is trying to leave you. Oh no, Mr. Man. We won’t be having any of that. You’re staying right here. Don’t even think about getting in that Cockadoodie car and leaving. I go out of my way for you! I do everything to try and make you happy. I feed you, I clean you, I dress you, and what thanks do I get? You think you can just leave now?!

25 yrs.- You are the Mummy.

You wander around slowly causing mayhem until you are placed back in your tomb.

Grow Up. But Not So Fast

Before my father passed away some years ago, he told me that he was happy to see me finally grow up. He said he was proud of me. I knew what he meant. I had grown up, but I didn't mean to.

My father waited a long time to seem me "grow up." I was poster child for a generation of slackers, Generation X. After a prolonged college experience, ahem, my late twenties was spent in a series of dead-end jobs. I didn't want a "career," I wanted jobs for money. I needed money so I could hang out with my friends and pay the rent on dingy basement apartment. And when money got tight, I could always ditch the rent and stay in my old room at my parent's house. I took advantage of this several times. My parents didn't care for this arrangement, but it was good for me. Whatever, ya know?

Eventually I got a better job, a job that seemed like it could be the beginning of a career, but it was just a better paying job to me. I hadn't really grown up, but at least I could steadily afford my own place now. To some, that may have seemed like growing up but it wasn't. I was now just a slacker with furniture.

I did reasonably well at my job and I kinda liked it. But a job was just a job. I could take it or leave it, but since I liked it, I kept it. But as it always was, it was about me. I would keep the job as long as I felt like it. If it got boring or they hassled me, I could just leave. Whatever I wanted. Whatever, ya know?

Then I met a beautiful girl and we got married. That sure seemed like a grown up thing. Tux. Limo. Church. Honeymoon. All very grown up, except I wasn't. Marriage was great and my new wife was great and it all made me happy. But my vision still didn't perceive much beyond then end of my own nose. But who cared? I was happy. Whatever, ya know?

And then we had a baby. And that was great too. But different great. This little critter needed me in a way I had never been needed before. She depended on me for everything. Everything. My job was not just a job any more. I couldn't just take it or leave it. I needed it because she needed it. And my wife needed me in a new way too. It wasn't all roses and it didn't always make me happy, especially at 3AM. But they needed me and I loved them, and that was more important than me. Something was more important than me.

That is what my father saw. That change. The "something more important than me" change. That is when I grew up.

Saturday night that same baby sat on the couch next to me, along with the other children, watching Peter Pan. And this 11 yr old baby asked me why the director had the same actor playing Mr. Darling and Hook.

I asked, "What is Wendy afraid of?" Continue Reading>>>>>

Bashir: Can Cain Spell Iraq?

I'm not really a Herman Cain guy. For many reasons. I like the guy but I just don't like him as President. At least not yet. But this kind of attack just drives me crazy.

Martin Bashir asks if Herman Cain can spell Iraq.

Now, just imagine if anyone had asked that of Obama.


As Noel Sheppard of Newsbusters fame points out:

For the record, Cain received a Masters degree in computer science from Purdue while working full-time for the Department of the Navy as a ballistics analyst. He went on to be CEO of Godfather's Pizza, CEO of the National Restaurants Association, chairman of the Kansas City Federal Reserve, and has served on the Board of Directors for major companies including Nabisco and Whirlpool.

By contrast, according to Wikipedia, Bashir studied English and History at King's College in London; no degree was listed. He has been a journalist ever since.

Remember in 08, if anyone even questioned Obama's policies, they were accused of racism, never mind his intelligence.

I'm not saying that I want racism charges but, among the media, being a conservative is all the evidence they need that you're stupid. See Ivy League grad George W. Bush. I just get tired of it. Remember when the media was amazed over the Olympus sized intelligence that Barack "The teleprompter" Obama supposedly had. But it wasn't intelligence, it was just ego. For them, agreeing with them means you're intelligent and disagreeing is all the evidence they need that you're stupid and should be dismissed.

Fat Pat Update: A Month To Marathon

So I have been at this training thing for 150 days now and I have just one month to go before the Philadelphia Marathon. All of which is in preparation for the big Kahuna next August.

At 150 days, training has been going well. I have been running over 50 miles per week for over a month now and am in the last heavy week of training before the marathon. In fact, I have just a week and a half before I begin my taper for the marathon. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that!!

So it is time to take stock of where I am and begin planning for next month's race. To that end, I am running in a Rock n Roll 10k race in Brooklyn tomorrow. I plan to use this race to judge my fitness and to set a goal pace for the Philadelphia Marathon. Truth is, I am not feeling it today. Hopefully I will feel better in the morning which will begin at 4:30 am. Blech.

In addition to the running, I am swimming regularly as well, although not very far. I swim a mile at lunch time 4 days a week at a pool right by my office. Grab a sammich, hop in the pool, shower, change, and back at my desk within the hour. But my focus has been on running. I have completed two 18 mile runs and two 20 mile runs (and a bunch in the 13-16 mile range) in my marathon prep so far. I will do 15 on Sunday and then another 20 miler next week and that will be that. Taper time.

Not incidentally, I have lost 62 lbs since Memorial Day and am only 7 lbs away from my goal weight. I still hope to be close to it by the time of the marathon but there will be no dieting during the last 2 weeks before the race. I. Must. Eat.

So if anyone is doing the Rock n Roll 10k in Prospect Park, Brooklyn tomorrow, make sure you say hello as you run by me.

Update: Race was great. Lots o'People. Prospect Park is nice but the second time around, that long hill hurt. A lot. I ran a pedestrian 49:52, but I suppose that's not too bad for a guy who was a couch potato 5 months ago. Thanks for all the encouraging comments!

If #OWS Signs Told The Truth

The Obama Inquisition May Be Postponed

The National Labor Relations Board which has caused quite a bit of controversy lately by declaring some Catholic colleges not Catholic enough and therefore liable to be bullied by the feds and forced to accept labor unions.

Obviously, many Catholic colleges were pretty thin in the Catholic department but do we really want government entities deciding who's Catholic enough? Seems like a dangerous precedent to me.

But here's an interesting worry from some pro-labor types that the Obama Inquisition may be waylaid- at least a bit.

Southern Studies reports:

The embattled National Labor Relations Board could soon be crippled by lack of a quorum. If that happens, conservative politicians outraged by the board's defense of worker rights will notch another win.

NLRB Chair Wilma Liebman stepped down August 28 after 14 years on the board, leaving only three of five seats filled, all by Obama appointees. The board must have at least three members to issue decisions, following a Supreme Court decision last year.

So conservative activists are calling for Obama's one Republican appointee, Brian Hayes, to resign in order to cripple the board.

I'm for it. Cripple it. Make it hobble.

These guys have been going looney all over the place including attempting to prevent Boeing from relocating a plant in South Carolina. But their attacks on Catholic colleges is really creepy.

The NLRB is only one facet of the attack this administration is focusing on religious institutions but it's an important one. I'd like to see it falter.

I Saw the Mighty Macs

I saw the Mighty Macs this weekend, the story about the girl's basketball team from the little Catholic school that won three national championships. It's a great story and kinda' cool for me because Immaculata College isn't far from my home.

I saw it for free because I'm cool like that but I will tell you that I'll be taking my kids to see it this weekend and am kinda' pumped to do so.

To read more about the movie check out the National Catholic Register>>>

New Obama-Biden Campaign Vid

So y'all need to hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husband cause they're rapin' everybody out here ...



Carney was asked about Vice President Joe Biden saying rapes and murders will rise if the president's jobs bill is not passed.


"I think everyone will agree with the equation that fewer police officers on the street has a direct effect on the crime rate. We saw this in the 1990's. I do know that any lawmaker up on Capitol Hill will contest that simple fact or any American who makes that assessment in their local communities. Would you want fewer or more law enforcement officers on the job? Do you think that having more officers on the job would have a positive impact on crime? That is the point that the President absolutely shares," Carney said.

Cain is Pro-Choice About His Pro-Life View?

OK. Now I'm officially worried. There's no way to listen to Herman Cain in this clip without thinking Herman Cain is pro-choice. Now I actually believe he is pro-life but this is enough to really worry me in many respects. It puts a question in my head whether, if Cain becomes President, when push comes to shove is he willing to go the mattresses on abortion.

But if I'm to ignore this crazy comment about leaving that "choice" to the mother, then I have to add this to the list of crazy comments that Cain's had to walk back recently. And if you ask me, the room where we put all of Cain's wacky comments so we can ignore them is getting a little crowded.



Tina Korbe at Hot Air points out that this isn't the only time Cain has said something like "that's her choice" in a television interview.

To me, Cain's either not really pro-life or he's not ready for prime time. I'm not sure I see another view of this. I want to. I honestly do but I'm just not seeing it.

Gaddafi Dead

(Reuters) - Former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi died of wounds suffered in his capture near his hometown of Sirte on Thursday, a senior NTC military official said.

National Transitional Council official Abdel Majid Mlegta told Reuters earlier that Gaddafi was captured and wounded in both legs at dawn on Thursday as he tried to flee in a convoy which NATO warplanes attacked.

Keep Reading >>>>

The Secret Life of Teddy Bears

My sister sent me this and I thought it was great. I wonder how many nights we avoided children coming down the stairs in the middle of the night afraid, because of the friendship of a stuffed animal.

Abortion Providers May be Underreporting

According to the Catholic bishops in Connecticut, thousands of abortions appear to go unreported each year in violation of state law. This is a serious charge from the Connecticut Catholic Public Affairs Conference which just released its fourth annual report on abortion.

While the number of reported abortion continues to decline, the study shows a large discrepancy in the number being reported to the state with the numbers being reported to the Guttmacher Institute. The study states that, "On average,19 percent of abortions go unreported to the Connecticut Department of Health by Connecticut abortion providers each year."

In all, 12,456 abortions "went unreported during the four years examined."

Connecticut state law mandates that every abortion as soon as it is performed is reported to the DPH. Because of this discrepancy, the conference is questioning the industry's compliance with other abortion regulations.

Can providers who fail to complete a one page report to the state be trusted to properly counsel minor girls receiving abortions as required by State law or report instance of the sexual assault of minors as required by the mandatory reporting law?

Michael C. Culhane, the conference's executive director, said that abortion providers "need to be fined, suspended or have their license revoked'' if they fail to comply with the law, according to The Hartford Courant.

Many of the forms submitted lack an age or the length of gestation. That issue, as well as overall underreporting, could mean cases of statutory rape are not being reported, or that late-term abortions, which are regulated by state law, are going unnoticed, Culhane said, according to The Middeltown Press.

Because of the discrepancies and sloppy reporting, the Conference requests that the General Assembly enact an adult notification law as well as a law to prevent minors from out of state receive an abortion when their state has a parental notification law.

Personally, I'm not really sure what the deal is here. There's a lot smarter people than me who could read the report and probably see what's going on here and why. My take is that the abortion industry is under reporting to the state because it's performing abortion on young girls or on later term babies. Any thoughts on what they gain from under reporting?

The Most Beautiful National Anthem I've Heard

At Disability Day at Fenway Park an autistic man sings the National Anthem. When he seems to have a little trouble...well, just watch what happens. It's great.



HT Viral Footage

Irony Is Lost On Them

Remember how then candidate Obama promised the most transparent administration evah?

Among the promises he made was to post all bills online well in advance of a vote. What we didn't see was the fine print caveat that said "unless people will hate it but we still want to pass it." Yeah that.

Now, the administration is stonewalling over Fast & Furious including this legendary redacted document turnover.


Well, as it turns out, this pattern of transparency was no accident.

On Dec. 7, 2009, the administration conducted a meeting that focused on transparency in government, as per Obama's promise. After some debate, they decided to hold the meeting--IN SECRET.

The secret transparency in government meeting. Priceless. Irony is lost on them.

This May Be The End of Herman Cain

Herman Cain went from the high to the low with me in just two days. His answer on abortion on Meet the Press was great.

But then he gives this horrendous interview with Wolf Blitzer, saying he would exchange prisoners with al Qaeda.

The Weekly Standard reports:

BLITZER: Could you imagine if you were president … and there were one American soldier who had been held for years and the demand was al Qaeda or some other terrorist group, “You got to free everyone at Guantanamo Bay” -- several hundred prisoners at Guantanamo. Could you see yourself as president authorizing that kind of transfer?

CAIN: I could see myself authorizing that kind of transfer, but what I would do is I would make sure that I got all of the information. I got all of the input, considered all of the options. And then, the president has to be the president and make a judgment call. I can make that call if I had to.

What? Seriously. What? So the day Cain becomes President guess what the first thing that's going to happen in the Middle East.

This was a horrific answer. And it feeds into everyone's fear of Herman Cain. He just doesn't have the experience. He doesn't seem to have thought these issues through and that's kind of a big deal when you're running for President.

Believe me, if it's Cain or Obama I'm going with Cain but this answer worries the heck out of me. I could absolutely see Obama running this as an ad so he can run to the right on Cain on this issue.

Something tells me that Perry's campaign is pumping their fists in joy right now.

Did Jesus Die For Klingons Too?

From time to time, a bunch of science types like to get together. And from time to time they like to let the scope of their scientific speculation stray into areas out of their purview. And from time to time, based purely upon wild speculation which often poses as science these days, a small minority of these science types like to think that they have discovered a deal breaker for religion in general and Christianity in particular.

Did Jesus die for Klingons too?

Continue Reading at the Register>>>>

Hilariously Biased "News" About Ave Maria

The Miami New Times wrote an article blasting Ave Maria, the University and the town. It's actually one of the most hilariously biased ledes I've ever read.

Marielena Stuart stood in the middle of a quiet street, 120 miles across the swamp from Miami, and stared down the black plastic barrel of a news camera. Behind her loomed a monstrous church, its 100-foot orange-brick façade shimmering like scales in the nighttime spotlights. Stuart glanced up at its one round window — a Cyclops's unblinking eye gazing out over the strange, tiny town of Ave Maria — and shuddered.

And accompanying this "news" piece is this picture, which one can assume is supposed to represent the Christians living in Ave Maria.



Don't even bother reading the rest of the piece. I made it about a thousand words in and gave up just out of boredom. There wasn't one voice that supported anything or anyone in the college. Not one. Here's the thing reporters and editors have to understand - if your bias is as obvious as this hatchet job, we're not going to read you. You've gotta' do a better job covering it up. Just a little.

Mother Lays Down Life For Baby

Stacie Crimm found out she was pregnant. Stacie Crimm found out she had neck and head cancer. She could save herself by killing her baby but she wouldn't think of it. She refused treatment that would harm her baby.

Doctors had to deliver 2-pound Dottie prematurely. Staci. Mom, died three days later.

No greater love.

Tramp Stamp Barbie

The good news is that any kid with this doll is like sending up a flare to Child Services that an intervention might be warranted.

The Week reports:

Barbie, Mattel's iconic doll, has seen and done a lot in her 50 years. Now, for the first time, she's been inked with a tattoo (see photo below). This isn't Totally Stylin' Tattoos Barbie who came with benign removable stickers a few years ago. The new "tokidoki Barbie" — designed by Simone Legno, Italian creator of the Japanese-influenced lifestyle brand, tokidoki — has permanent ink running up her left arm and across her chest. Mattel says tokidoki Barbie is a "funky fashionista," with a pink bob and skull-heart sweater to complement her "trendy tattoos."

Don't worry, says Mattel. This Barbie isn't intended for children.

What?!

Who the heck else is going to want this? You're marketing towards who, other than little girls?

Some More Bad Lip Reading

I think I like this Romney better than the real one.

Herman Cain Sings Lennon's "Imagine."

I don't know if this makes Herman Cain a shoe-in for the Presidency or disqualifies him completely. But it's awesome. Let's see Mitt Romney do this!



HT Free Republic

Yes! I'm a Social Justice Catholic

How awesome is this? I'm a social justice Catholic. I'm thinking about quitting my job and Occupying some main thoroughfare in my town now.

Here's why.

I've had a yard sign on my front lawn this entire school year pushing for school choice. Yeah, I'm that guy. So I was glad to see the bishops coming out and really pushing for school choice.

The Catholic Bishops of Pennsylvania see school choice as a defining social justice issue of our society. Legislation currently being considered in Harrisburg could herald a new, more just era for education in Pennsylvania – an era in which we focus on the ideal educational environment for each student, not on a mandatory system in which students are assigned to a school based solely on geographic location. The current treatment of these children, particularly children from low-income families, is unjust and inequitable. Families are often prevented from accessing the educational options that would be best for them because of economic or social barriers. School choice legislation that includes vouchers and an increase to EITC reinforces that parents – not the state – are the primary educators of their children.

How cool is that? I love being on the forefront of social justice issues. Hey, anyone know where I can get a copy of the National Catholic Reporter?

Maybe I'll even start up a group called "Catholics for Choice." Wait, what?

Catholic School Principal Put "On Leave"

This really annoys me.

Just want to run a quick compare and contrast of two stories. A Catholic school principal has been put "on leave" and is in danger of losing his job for allowing students to use 40 Days of Life activities as part of their community service requirement.

LifeSiteNews.com reports:

The principal at a Catholic school for K-8 students in Winnipeg has been put “on leave” after he promoted the 40 Days for Life campaign, the Winnepeg Archdiocese informed LifeSiteNews Friday.

Principal David Hood of Christ the King School had urged families to participate in the local 40 Days campaign in a school newsletter, and then told media on Tuesday he was considering participation in the vigil as a voluntary “official school activity,” whereby grade 7 and 8 students could satisfy their 10 hours of community service.

What kind of ridiculousness is this? What's more Catholic than giving community service credit for praying outside an abortion clinic. And for this, the guy's being shown the door?! Seriously?

Meanwhile, back in looney liberal land, a professor at a university in Michigan is pushing students to attend an Occupy Wall Street event for extra credit in their academic work.

Weasel Zippers reports:

A sociology professor at Northern Michigan University has purportedly offered her students extra credit for taking part in a local Occupy protest.

According to an email obtained by The Blaze, Professor Jeanne Lorentzen is offering students in her introductory sociology course 20 extra credit points if they attend an Occupy the Upper Peninsula demonstration with her on Saturday. Students who do not wish to attend the protest have the option of writing a 20-page term paper about a social movement to receive the same extra credit. Neither assignment is compulsory.

And guess what - the school seems pretty darn OK with essentially forcing students to attend the OWS event.

Catholics and pro-lifers better start sticking to their guns because the other side surely will. We've been bending over for so long we've forgotten what it is to stand up. I'm so tired of it.

Corn Maze For Blondes

Heh.

Apocalypse Averted--Again

I have a soft spot for kooks. But I must say that I never got this one. Some doomsday propheteers have been putting forth the rumor for months that a tiny little comet with gravity akin to tractor trailer filled with cotton candy presaged doom for all mankind. Earthquakes. Madness. Etc.

But the tractor trailer broke up in space due to a solar storm and passed by the earth mostly unnoticed.

No worries, though. Harold Camping, the radio kook who predicted the rapture in May and whose supporters sold everything to put up billboards warning of the end says not to worry about Elenin passing by, we are still screwed.

Camping says that this Friday is all she wrote. Crud. I paid up front for a 10k on Saturday. Anyway, even though Camping has wrongly predicted the end several times now, he still has followers.

“Everything’s the same, nothing’s changed,” said Margaret Pease. She was one of 10 volunteers in “Caravan One,” a squadron of neon-painted RVs provided by Family Radio to disseminate the doomsday message.

Fred Store, the leader of Caravan One, continues to attend Bible study sessions. He told The Daily that three members of the team are living in his house in Sacramento, Calif.

“We’re just kind of keeping things together until Oct. 21,” he said. “We have a number of people that are traveling in this direction from the East Coast.”

Asked whether he was continuing to distribute doomsday literature to warn the world, he said no: “We haven’t handed out any tracts since May 21. There’s no reason to. Judgment Day is over.”

Dave Liquori, a former follower of Camping has decided to water down his kool-aid.

Dave Liquori, 45, who sold his house and possessions and lived for more than eight months on a Family Radio-sponsored RV, feels he has already moved on. He still listens to Family Radio, he said, but does not believe that a physical rapture will occur.

“They’re very solid, very firm in believing that Oct. 21 will be a literal rapture and a literal end of the world. I myself have been trying to punch holes in everything,” he said. “I’m looking at these events as spiritual events.”

This is what happens when there is no Church. People replace it with cult.