Jury awards father $11M in funeral case

Link

A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals out of a belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Albert Snyder of York, Pa., sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.

The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.

Snyder's attorney, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to determine an amount "that says don't do this in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again."

Church members routinely picket funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

I hope they have to sell everything and spend the rest of their lives paying this.

More Political Quizes

Democrat Loyalty Quiz
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bldemocraticloyaltyquiz.htm
Your score is 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. You are a solid Democrat. You are not as fiercely ideological or uncompromising as others in the party, but nonetheless remain a reliable supporter. If you could have your way, you'd like to see Democrats leaders take a slightly more accommodating approach on certain issues – and dial down some of their nakedly partisan and bitterly divisive rhetoric.

Republican Loyalty Quiz
http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blrepublicanloyaltyquiz.htm
Your score is 4 on a scale of 1 to 10. You are a moderate Democrat. You agree with Democrats more often than not, but have misgivings about some of their positions on key social issues, as well as their ability to defend the country. You remain supportive for now, but if Democrats keep moving to the left and taking their cues from people like Michael Moore, you may decide to jump off that crazy train.

Do you get the feeling these Quizes simply don't know me?

What political Party do your beliefs put you in?

What Political Party Do Your Beliefs Put You In? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Republican Republican 58% Green 58% Anarchism 42% Democrat 42% Communism 42% Socialist 33% Fascism 8% Nazi 0%

Democrats mad about Blackwater immunity

Link

Democrats criticized the Bush administration Tuesday for giving immunity to Blackwater USA bodyguards, calling the move a failure to hold the security contractors responsible for the shooting deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians.

The State Department, whose investigators initially promised to shield the bodyguards' statements in the criminal inquiry of the Sept. 16 shootings, maintained that any lawbreakers "must be held to account" as a result of the inquiry that has since been taken over by the Justice Department and FBI.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, who sits on two Senate panels that oversee the State Department and the Justice Department, called the immunity deal an example of "the amnesty administration."

I suppose they prefer the people being garded are shot dead next time because the bodyguards shouldn't shoot someone in a warzone.

And nothing like using foreign affairs for political gain.

If you live in a warzone, move or learn how to duck. Stop being human shields for terrorists.

Gas sold as Kerosene

Link

McKeesport police today warned consumers that a shipment of 1,000 gallons of gasoline was mistakenly placed into a kerosene storage tank this month at a service station in that city.

The mistake occurred at Gas USA at Lysle Boulevard and Walnut Street.

At least 35 gallons of gas was sold to consumers who believed it to be kerosene.

Those consumers should return the fuel to Gas USA.

Lets see... Kerosene costs less then gasoline. Gasoline has been gouging consumers for all their worth for the last few years. Who thinks the owners of the 35 gallons is going to return it to the station instead of keeping it and using it next summer in their lawn mowers?

State Department to force Diplomats to go to Iraq

Link

Facing staff shortages in Iraq, the U.S. State Department announced on Friday that diplomats would have no choice but to accept one-year postings in the hostile environment or face losing their jobs.

In what is likely to be an unpopular move with staff, State Department human resources director Harry Thomas said about 250 "prime candidates" for vacant Iraqi posts would be notified on Monday of the decision.

So I wonder if this will make it harder to find good diplomats. "Oh by the way, we don't care if you have a family or not, they're staying in the US and you can go spend a few years in Iraq. Alone." Oh yeah this sounds like a great idea for recruiting the best people to the state department.

I know what my response would be if I was working for the state department and got this summons: Resumes going out...

Pirates Manager Search

After the first game of the World Series, I now know who I want to win the series: Boston. And I want them to win it in four. Now if Colorado wins the next game, I don't have a favorite anymore. All I want is the World Series to get over with as fast as possible. Now if the Pirates decide to announce their new manager before the World Series is over, then it falls back to: who cares about the World seres?

Israel sets thing in motion to cut electricity and fuel to Gaza

Link

The hardline Islamist movement Hamas slammed the move. It seized control of the Gaza Strip in a bloody takeover in June, prompting Israel to declare the territory "hostile" in September to pave the way for sanctions.

"This is part of the collective punishment meeted out by the occupation government against Palestinian residents in Gaza. This is a new crime against the 1.5 million Palestinians who live in Gaza," Hamas spokesman Taher Nunu said.

Maybe since Gaza wants "freedom", maybe Gaza should try building its own power plants instead of relying on their evil "occupiers"

NCC Upset about SCHIP Veto

Link

“In the Gospel of Matthew 18:6 Jesus said: ‘If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea.’”

Funny that scripture doesn't really seem to me to be talking about government entitlement programs. It seems based on the context to be talking about sin. And causing the little ones to sin

Matthew 18:7-8

Mt 18:7 “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.

Seems almost to be like causing little ones to believe that John 14:6

John 14:6-7

Jn 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know2 my Father as well.

doesn't indicate that Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven and all other religions are false.

Or that Acts 15:20, 29, 21:25, Romans 13:13, 1 Corinthians 5:1-11, 6:13-18, 10:8, 2 Corinthians 12:21, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 5:3, Colossians 3:5, 1 Thessolonians 4:3, and Jude 1:7 do not condemn homosexuality as sin.

But an excellent passage to be quoted by the NCC. Maybe it will open their eyes. I doubt it.

Spains seizes treasure ship

Link

On Tuesday, patrol boats from Spain's maritime police intercepted the 76m Odyssey Explorer, owned by underwater salvage firm Odyssey Marine International, three miles off the coast of Gibraltar. It was ordered to the Spanish port of Algeciras for inspection.

Spain's Guardia Civil has been keeping a close eye on the company's vessel since a Spanish judge ordered that it be detained and searched if it left port in Gibraltar.

The company says its recovery vessel has been effectively blockaded since the ruling in June. Spain believes it could provide clues to the identity and location of the wreck that yielded half-a-million colonial era silver and gold coins.

It suspects that a Spanish galleon is being secretly plundered - or that the wreck lies in Spanish waters.

Odyssey Marine Explorations - which became the most famous deep water treasure hunting company when it announced the discovery last May - says it is keeping the location of the wreck secret, to protect the site from looters.

All it is saying is that the wreck - codenamed Black Swan - is somewhere in the Atlantic.

And in Spain, Odyssey's activities have been painted as modern-day piracy.

That's funny. I wonder how the Aztecs and Incas thought of their gold being stolen from them centuries ago and taken on this and other ships. As well as their land, cities, and nations being destroyed so the Spaniards could claim the land. Oh and then there's the little thing of massacring the natives.

Clinton Health Care plan will not cover illegals

Link

Why is this even a topic? Illegals are here illegally. They shouldn't have access to anything. Not jobs. Not education. Not health care. Not housing. Not Constitutional Rights. All of that is for Citizens and those here legally. All illegals should be shown to the door.

Alabama adopts Bible Textbook for schools

Link

has become the first state to approve a Bible textbook for statewide adoption, makers of ”The Bible and Its Influence” announced Monday.

Enlarge this Image
(Photo: Bible Literacy Project / Handout)The Bible Literacy Project, an interfaith group that released the book in September 2005, said the decision by the Alabama State Board of Education last Wednesday also makes ”The Bible and Its Influence” the first textbook for academic study of the Bible to be adopted statewide.

“This is major news in the field of education,” stated Bible Literacy Project Chairman Chuck Stetson. “While academic study of the Bible is legal in all 50 states, this decision means that any school in the state of Alabama can purchase our textbook with state-provided funds until 2013.”

According to standards set forth by the Alabama School Board, the approval declares the textbook, which is intended for use in high schools, as "sufficient to be used as the sole textbook/program for a particular grade or course and meet[s] 80% or more of the standards outlined in the state course of study and/or is sufficient to be used as the sole textbook for an elective course.”

Stetson reported that 543 high schools in Alabama will soon receive a list of approved curricula.

Currently, there are 163 high schools in 35 states that have adopted the 387-page, full-color textbook, which covers the Old Testament and New Testament, for semester-long or full-year courses.

So who thinks this will be ignored by the so called American Civil Liberties Union? The same organization that sees nothing wrong with public school students before forced to take Muslim names and follow Muslim practices for a day. Or a public university having a Muslim foot washing pool.

Brad Pitt plays Jesse James

Link

As a cousin of Jesse James, I truly think its about time Hollywood shared the wealth on these James movies with the relatives of Jesse James.

Churches cancel Sunday Service for Faith in Action

Link

This Sunday, churches across the country are shutting their doors and taking their worship outside to demonstrate one of the most principal mandates in Scripture – faith in action.

Faith in Action Sunday is the culmination of a four-week churchwide campaign that aims to get Christians out of the pews and onto the streets to raise the value of social justice and compassion, serving as Jesus served the church, says one spokesman

Wouldn't it serve a better purpose to get Christians to do this EVERY DAY. Not just Sunday. This is like be nice on Sunday and who cares what you do or what you campaign for on Monday thru Saturday.

Sunday is for worshipping God. Monday thru Saturday is for Serving and glorifying God.

PSU reactor threat not a threat to people

Link

University officials have said that the leak in the 71,000-gallon pool that shields the core's radiation and cools the reactor poses no risk to students, employees, the community or the environment.

Do you believe them?

I don't.

But then I'm one of those people that thinks its insane to use a source of power that if something goes wrong, the area is uninhabitable for the next 10,000 years. And also there's the problem of what to do with the waste. And the waste always faces the NIMBY problem. So they force Nevada to take it. Funny how its one of the furthest point away from Washington DC in the continental U.S.

So... what would they say if the employees/students faced enough that they were going to die next month, or next year? Would they really announce everyone is going to die? Or would they do the same thing they always do when something happens. "It's not dangerous. Every thing's fine."

Sort a like using a chain to keep King Kong off the Empire State building...

Christian schools ransacked in India by Hindus

Link

"Missionary schools declare holidays during Western festivals, but they don't respect Hindu festivals,” commented Kishore Kothari, leader of Dharma Sena (Religion Army), a Hindu fundamentalist group supported by the VHP.

“If my son goes to school on 'Pitramoksha Day,' how can he learn our traditional rituals?" he asked the local Indian Express.

Call me crazy but... If you want him to learn traditional rituals, then I guess you shouldn't send him to a Christian school. You should send him to a Hindu school.

Kothari further warned that "[i]f missionary school managements don't mend their attitude, more protests will take place,"

Do it our way or else? This sounds familiar.

Living on Campas vs. Living Off

I decided to see if I could move onto campas for term II and it doesn't look like I can. All the rooms in the dorms are currently filled. But they said that might change and I've been put on a waiting list. They do have an apartment available but those are unfurnished and well, it would still be unfurnished probably if I tried to move in there with the exception of an old chair and old table and chairs that I could put in there. The lack of a bed would be bad.

So why would I want to live on campas? The bus ride is getting to me. 5:30 is just to early for me. Plus I'd really like to join in some of the fellowships like the Evangelical Fellowship.

Bible Change

I've long preferred the NIV Study Bible and have been using it since my freshman year at Geneva in 1996. But my church switched from the NIV to the ESV a couple of years ago. And after speaking with one of the professors at PTS who likes the NRSV over the NIV and gave reasons why, I have decided to take a closer look at the ESV. Now the ESV and NRSV started with the same text: The 1971 RSV. One went the way that drives me nuts with political correctness and the other took the other route. The route of worldly condemnation of being noninclusive. Or in other words standing up for what you believe.

So I bought the ESV Literary Study Bible a few minutes ago.
Of course since I went with the el cheapo shipping, I'll probably get it sometime in December.

24 Disaster

Link

Kiefer sent to jail for 30 days and maybe 6 months. This is horrible news. I hope they get filming done before 12-21.

Tax Cuts, Tax Cuts, Tax Cuts

That's all you hear from the candidates. I guess it doesn't really matter that the government is spending more money then it takes in.

I know how about we cut the income tax, sales tax(for states), gas tax, per capita tax, property tax(for local), cigarette tax, and whatever other tax to nothing. How about that tax cut.

We can just borrow more money from the future. After all eventually the world will be changed forever* and all this borrowing really wont matter.

* For those of us who believe, Jesus will come and change the world. For those of you that don't, the sun will expand and engulf the planet. Or the universe will stop expanding out and start collapsing in on itself, or a meteror will strike and wipe out civilization, or the earth will freeze and kill everyone on it, or... you get the picture.

BORROW BORROW BORROW

AND MORE TAX CUTS!!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder if its possible for the government to just start giving money to everyone after these tax cuts are passed... That would probably sound good in the campaign.

I've had just about enough of the Steelers

1st down rush with Parker for a yard
2nd down rush with Parker for a yard
3rd down throw an incompletion/get sacked
4th down punt

repeat over and over again since the beginning of the 2nd half last week.

Could we maybe get a pass called on 1st or 2nd down at some point? They're stacking the line. You know that's when YOU THROW

Warner Brothers will have no more films with female leads

Link

Warner Bros president of production Jeff Robinov who Finke quotes (through three sources) as saying: "We are no longer doing movies with women in the lead." Finke said that Robinov's sentiment/statement was confirmed by three producers.

As Finke points out, Waren Bros. films with female leads have underperformed in the market of late, but that, Finke said, is something that has many factors, and is not solely due to the female leads.

So none of the films with female leads ever does well? And how about the many flops with male leads? Are we going to see WB abandon those as well?

Did...
Panic Room
Forgotten
Flightplan
all fail? Although I have no idea if WB released them or not. But regardless I thought those three films were hits. I could of course be wrong on that.

Dawkins vs. Lennox

Link

Emphasizing that science is always making progress, Dawkins staunchly stated that the "creative designer cannot be a satisfying explanation."

"It's tempting once again to import the easy facile idea of a designer and to say that the designer twittled the knobs of the universe and the big bang and got them exactly right," he said, alluding to the physical constants (numbers) physicists assume to derive the rest of their understanding of cosmology. If the numbers were even slightly different, we wouldn't exist, he said.

"But it seems to me to be manifestly obvious that that is a futile kind of explanation because as the quotation says 'who designed the Designer?' You have explained precisely nothing."

Which is what science has done with all of its theories concerning origins. Until science can move from absolute vacuum to a system of life, it explains nothing of origins. And that is impossible. Unless you want to start believing in magic. And I highly doubt anyone of science would want to do that. But how else can you explain the appearance of any material(living or unliving) where once there was nothing without a designer/creator?

Either the universe is eternal or it was created. Science says the universe had a beginning. Therefore it has to have a creator. It is simple logic.

And the Creator has no creator because he is outside the universe. Because something inside the created system really cannot be the cause of the system because it didn't exist prior. Otherwise if some piece of the created object existed prior to its creation you have to explain it. Otherwise, you're not dealing with origins.

With the Creator being outside the universe and time, he cannot be studied by science because science is by definition only able to study the natural world and universe because we are inside the created system. It cannot study the supernatural or what is outside the created system. Only the natural or what is inside the created system and any honest scientist will say as much. So demanding scientific evidence is an act of illogic since science by definition is incapable of studying outside the system so there can never be any scientifc evidence.

Pirates Sweep continues

Link

In a long overdo decision, the Pirates relieved Jim Tracey of his managerial duties. Also informed to clean out their desk was the Director of Scouting, Ed Creech who has oversaw the worst drafts in major league baseball history with an overemphasis on college level pitching that had little to no chance of ever becoming superstars. Also led to the door was the Director of Baseball Operations, Jon Mercurio, and director of player development Brian Graham.

Now the Pirates need to continue raiding the Cleveland organization for people to fill these positions. Cleveland knows baseball.

Israel warned for closing border

Link

I wonder how many countries are forced to feed, provide electricity to a bunch of people that want to wipe that country off the face of the map. I wonder how many countries would continue to listen to this nonsense.

Protestant countries have higher employment rate

Link

Protestant countries have higher employment rates than non-Protestant ones, a new study found.

The United States, the United Kingdom and Nordic countries such as Denmark, Sweden and Norway, where Protestantism is the main religion, have employment rates that are as much as six percentage points higher than countries where other religions are largely practiced.

Researchers at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom say the most likely reason for this is the Protestant virtue of hard work.

"In its early days, Protestantism promoted the virtue of hard and diligent work amongst its adherents, who judged one another by conformity to this standard," said Dr. Feldmann, a lecturer in the University’s Department of Economics & International Development.

“Originally, an intense devotion to one’s work was meant to assure oneself that one was predestined for salvation," he explained. "Although the belief in predestination did not last more than a generation or two after the Reformation, the effect on work ethics continued."

The study, based on data from 80 countries, also showed that female employment rates are about 11 percent higher in Protestant countries.

Add that to the Christian countries enjoy more religious freedoms.

Episcopal Head says church will continue with its agenda

Link

She says that the church will not step back. They will continue to reach out to the Homosexual community.

"Jesus hung out with people on the margins. He hung out with people who were unacceptable to the Judaism of his time," she pointed out. "I think that's what it means to follow Jesus."

Jefferts Schori happened to be in San Francisco on the day of the deadline set by Anglican leaders for The Episcopal Church – the U.S. branch of Anglicanism – to roll back support for same-sex unions and homosexual ordination. There, she confirmed that the U.S. church would not retreat but are willing to "pause."

Jesus also called sin sin and to stop living in sin.

John 8:7-11 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin."

Will the Episcopal church do they same? Tell its candidates for ministry and bishopships and members to leave their life of sin? None who willfully continue in their life of sin are living as Jesus instructed. Everyone falls short but they MUST TRY.

Hyperion Ends Abadazad Series

A few years ago I was into Crossgen's line of comics. Sojourn was my favorite comic to hit the stands by a large amount. It was a fantasy comic that was similar to Dungeons and Dragons world. They also had many other interesting comics like Mystic, Scion, Ruse, Route 666, Brath, and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It was probably the only time that I was into nearly an entire line of comics.

Well like most comic companies that try something other than superhero nonsense, Crossgen went bankrupt back in 2004. There was a bankruptcy auction with one person bidding that would have tried to keep the comics going. The winning bidder however was Disney. They wanted the rights to the series Abadazad. And they weren't the least bit interested in the rest of the line but they had to buy it all. So they came in and threw down a million dollars and that was the end of the auction.

What came out of it? Two books. Which were released in July 2006 I believe. They just got around to telling J.M. DeMatteis that they won't be publishing anymore. And the third book was released in England but don't count on seeing it in the U.S.

So they swoop in and hold a bunch of characters hostage and don't do anything with the property that they just had to have.

Just got to love corporations.

My Appeal: Let Dynamite Entertainment have Sojourn!

And I wouldn't mind if they were given the other titles I mentioned too.