"Am I therefore become your enemy,because I TELL YOU THE TRUTH...?"
(Galatians 4:16)

Rice renews focus on Mideast peace

JERUSALEM - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday she would push for an easing of Israeli restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank as she began her latest Mideast mission aimed at reviving faltering peace talks.Rice said she was looking for "real concrete progress" on several issues, including improving the movement and access of people and goods from the West Bank. Israeli checkpoints and strict travel rules have curtailed such commerce and largely crippled the Palestinian its economy."I will spend a good deal of time on issues concerning the West Bank and issues concerning the ability to provide a better life for the people of the West Bank, including ways to improve movement and access," she told reporters on her plane en route to Israel."The improvement of life on the ground is the piece that I think really has to be pushed forward pretty hard," Rice said before arriving and heading to dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.Easing the restrictions would clear the way for economic revival projects proposed by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, now a Mideast peace envoy, with the strong backing of Palestinian leaders who control the West Bank.Rice planned three-way talks on Sunday with Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to explore ways of easing the regulations, including turning over more security control to the Palestinian Authority in certain areas."Obviously, there are security issues, but we do have to find ways to improve movement," she said. "There are obstacles that are not checkpoints and there are checkpoints that are obstacles. I think you have to look at both."Palestinians contend Israel, in not removing the restrictions on movement, is undermining Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his moderate Fatah Party in their power struggle with the militant Hamas movement. Hamas seized control of Gaza last year.Israel is in a battle with Hamas, whose members have fired rockets at Israeli communities in southern Israel. Israel has retaliated with attacks that have killed scores of civilians in Gaza.Israel agreed this past week to issue more permits for Palestinian laborers and merchants, but has yet to take down any of the hundreds of West Bank checkpoints it says are necessary to stop suicide bombers.Broader peace negotiations have bogged down despite pledges from all sides to reach at least the outline of a peace deal by the time President Bush leaves office in January. On this issue, Rice said she was not coming to the region to "insert American ideas into this process.""I am not bringing the 'American paper' because I don't think that that is useful," she said at the start of her second trip to the Mideast this month. "What is useful right now is for the parties to continue what I think is a pretty fruitful discussion between them."In addition to seeing Barak and Fayyad on Sunday, Rice planned to meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni before a quick trip to Amman for talks with Jordanian King Abdullah II as well as Abbas, who is currently in Jordan.Rice then returns to Jerusalem for a three-way meeting on Monday with Livni, who is leading the Israeli negotiating team, and the Palestinian's chief negotiator Ahmed Qureia. Rice later will head back to Amman for further talks with Abbas.

As in the days of Noah....

N.Korea threatens to cut off dialogue with South

SEOUL -North Korea threatened to suspend dialogue with the South over comments made by a South Korean military official and said it was ready to attack its wealthy neighbor, the North's state media said at the weekend.Over the past several days, the North has lashed out at the new conservative government in Seoul and its ally the United States by test-firing missiles, expelling South Korean officials at a joint factory park in the North and threatening to slow down a nuclear disarmament deal."The Korean People's Army (KPA) will counter any slightest move of the south side for 'pre-emptive attack' with more rapid and more powerful pre-emptive attack of its own mode," the North's KCNA news agency quoted one of its military officials as saying.North Korea, one of the world's most militarized states, has made similar statements for years threatening pre-emptive attacks, but those have almost always been in response to joint South Korean-U.S. military drills.The new chairman of the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff last week said the South would hit North Korea's nuclear weapon base to disable it if the North attacks but had no plans for a pre-emptive strike, according to the Defence Ministry.In the dispatch released late on Saturday, the North's military official demanded an apology for those comments."If the south side does not retract the outbursts calling for 'pre-emptive attack' nor clarify its stand to apologize for them, the KPA will interpret this as the stand of the south side's authorities to suspend all inter-Korean dialogues and contacts."The South's Defence Ministry said it would decide whether to respond in the next few days to a North Korean threat also made in the dispatch to cut back on inter-Korean military talks.
To read more go to:
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSSEO3669420080330
As in the days of Noah....

Mugabe denies vote-rig plot

FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested,being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:for there is no difference:
For all have sinned,and come short of the glory of God;
Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,through the forbearance of God;
To declare,I say,at this time his righteousness: that he might be just,and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Where is boasting then?It is excluded.By what law? of works?Nay:but by the law of faith.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Is he the God of the Jews only?is he not also of the Gentiles?Yes,of the Gentiles also:
Seeing it is one God,which shall justify the circumcision by faith,and uncircumcision through faith.
Do we then make void the law through faith?God forbid:yea,we establish the law."

Romans 3;21-31

Zimbabwe's opposition claims win on early results

HARARE-Zimbabwe's opposition claimed victory on Sunday based on early results from an election in which it is trying to unseat President Robert Mugabe after 28 years of power and end an economic collapse."It's a historic moment for all of us. We have won this election, we have won this election," Tendai Biti, secretary general of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), told reporters, diplomats and observers at a briefing.The opposition, headed by former trade unionist Morgan Tsangaris, has accused 84-year-old Mugabe of employing election-rigging tactics in an attempt to stay in power and African observers say they detected fraud in Saturday's ballot.Once-prosperous Zimbabwe is suffering from the world's highest inflation rate of more than 100,000 percent, chronic shortages of food and fuel and a rampant HIV/AIDS epidemic that has contributed to a steep decline in life expectancy."People are dying in hospitals and funeral expenses are very high. How do you expect us to survive? Shop shelves are empty," said mother-of-three Gertrude Muzanenhamo, 36, echoing the views of many voters interviewed by reporters.Mugabe, who accuses the West of sabotaging Zimbabwe's economy, expressed confidence on Saturday he would be returned to office. "We will succeed. We will conquer," he said.The former guerrilla leader, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, rejected the vote-rigging allegations.Biti said the MDC's election agents had reported that early results posted at polling stations showed Tsvangirai was projected to win 66 percent of the vote in the capital Harare, an opposition stronghold.
To read more go to:
As in the days of Noah....

Two killed in Nepal mosque bomb attack

KATHMANDU-Two people were killed and two injured when attackers on a motorcycle threw two bombs into a mosque in a town in east Nepal, police said on Sunday.Authorities imposed a curfew in parts of Biratnagar, 200 km (125 miles) southeast of Kathmandu, on the border with India, after the attack late on Saturday."Two bombs were hurled at the mosque. One went off and the other did not explode," police officer Yogendra Katuwal said."A small part of Biratnagar is under curfew," he added. Majority-Hindu Nepal has no history of any serious conflict with Muslims who form a religious minority group.A little known group called Nepal Defence Army in a statement to local media claimed the responsibility for the blast.Madhav Raj Regmi, district administrator of Morang where Biratnagar is located said investigations were underway regarding the claim.Biratnagar is the home town of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSDEL28537820080330

As in the days of Noah....

Tibet: China's ''cultural genocide''

Fresh Tibet unrest as Olympic torch nears Beijing

BEIJING-A melee in Tibet's capital appeared to have been sparked by attempts by police to carry out security checks, indicating the tension and volatility remaining in Lhasa weeks after an anti-government riot.A mobile phone text message to Lhasa residents from the local police said security checks carried out on Saturday had "frightened citizens" and caused panic in the city centre. "Please obey the law and please follow the rules, don't create rumors, don't believe rumors, don't spread rumors," read the text message, which was reprinted by the Free Tibet Campaign and International Campaign for Tibet."Severely battle any creation or any spreading of rumors that would upset or frighten people or cause social disorder or illegal criminal behavior that could damage social stability," the message read.It was not clear if the security check was in response to a protest, or if the check itself caused the panic."Although full details could not be confirmed, reliable reports indicated that a new protest occurred involving many Tibetans, possibly linked to an attempt by armed police to detain Tibetans ... in central Lhasa," the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet said in a statement.The fresh tensions come as China prepares to receive the Olympic flame in its capital Beijing on Monday, for the start of a domestic and international relay that the government hoped would symbolize national unity ahead of the August Games.Instead, China finds itself deflecting criticism over its policies in Tibet and its response to unrest there, and facing the prospect of weeks of protests as the Olympic flame circles the globe.
To read more go to:
As in the days of Noah....

"Earth Hour" goes global

LONDON/SAN FRANCISCO-The Sydney Opera House to San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge went dark as people switched off lights in their homes and skylines dimmed around the world on Saturday to show concern with global warming.Up to 30 million people were expected to have turned off their lights for 60 minutes by the time "Earth Hour"-which started in Suva in Fiji and Christchurch in New Zealand-completed its cycle westward.More than 380 towns and cities and 3,500 businesses in 35 countries signed up for the campaign that is in its second year after it began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia's largest city."Earth Hour shows that everyday people are prepared to pull together to find a solution to climate change. It can be done," said James Leape of WWF International, which was running the campaign. Lights at Sydney's Opera House and Harbour Bridge were lowered as Australians held candle-lit beach parties, played poker by candlelight and floated candles down rivers.In Bangkok, some of the city's business districts, shopping malls and billboards went dark, although street lights stayed on. One major hotel invited guests to dine by candle light and reported brisk business.In Copenhagen, the Tivoli Gardens and the Royal Palace and the opera darkened for an hour, along with many street lights."In the central square a lot of people were standing looking at the stars," said Ida Thuesen, spokeswoman for WWF Denmark. "It's not often you can see the stars in a city."
GOOGLE GOES DARK
In a tip of its virtual hat to the event, the background of Google's home page turned to black from white on more than a dozen country sites including Google.com. A message on the site read: "We've turned the lights out. Now it's your turn." and directed visitors to conserve energy when using computers.Floodlights went out at landmarks in Budapest, including its castle, cathedral and parliament.In Britain, 26 town and city councils signed up to switch off nonessential lights as did several historic buildings, including Prince Charles' private residence Highgrove House, London City Hall, Winchester Cathedral and the Government Communication Headquarters radio monitoring station. The south coast town of Brighton turned off the lights on its pier.The movement crossed the Atlantic to the United States and Canada, where the 1,815-foot (553-metre) CN Tower in Toronto and the surrounding skyline were plunged into temporary darkness.In Toronto, many restaurants offered candlelight dining. The golden arches at a corner McDonalds were dark, though the restaurant itself was brightly lit. Supporters held "dark parties," glow-in-the-dark soccer games and lantern walks.News helicopters swooped low over city streets,where banks had switched off the neon signs atop their skyscrapers.Landmarks such as San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and Chicago's Sears Tower went dark in the closing hours of Saturday's round-the-world event."It is not just about turning off the lights, it is about raising awareness," San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said. "Energy efficiency is low-hanging fruit. Energy efficiency is the easiest thing we can do" to reduce global warming.Buildings account for about one-third of the carbon emissions that scientists say will boost global average temperatures by between 1.4 and 4.0 degrees Celsius this century, bringing floods and famines and putting millions of lives at risk.Organizers of Earth Hour said that while switching off a light for one hour would have little impact on carbon emissions, the fact that so many people were taking part showed how much interest and concern at the climate crisis had taken hold. They said they plan a similar event March 28, 2009.
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSSP28389220080330?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true

As in the days of Noah....

The big turn off

Europe Joins 'Lights Out' for Earth Hour

DUBLIN, Ireland-From Rome's Colosseum to the Sydney Opera House, floodlit icons of civilization went dark Saturday for Earth Hour, a worldwide campaign to highlight the threat of climate change.
The environmental group WWF urged governments, businesses and households to turn back to candle power for at least 60 minutes starting at 8 p.m. wherever they were.The campaign began last year in Australia, and traveled this year from the South Pacific to Europe in cadence with the setting of the sun. Several U.S. cities also planned symbolic blackouts or dimmings of monuments, including at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco."What's amazing is that it's transcending political boundaries and happening in places like China, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea," said Andy Ridley, executive director of Earth Hour. "It really seems to have resonated with anybody and everybody." Earth Hour officials hoped 100 million people would turn off their nonessential lights and electronic goods for the hour. Electricity plants produce greenhouse gases that fuel climate change.In Sydney, where an estimated 2.2 million observed the blackout last year, officials said it appeared at least as popular this time, involving untold candlelight dinners and beach-bonfire parties. The city's two architectural icons, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, faded to black.Last year's shutdown produced an estimated cut of 10.2 percent in Australia's carbon emissions for that hour.More than two dozen cities and 300 towns across the globe planned their own smaller, largely symbolic switch-offs.Lights went out at the famed Wat Arun Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand; shopping and cultural centers in Manila, Philippines; several castles in Sweden and Denmark; the parliament building in Budapest, Hungary; a string of landmarks in Warsaw, Poland; and both London City Hall and Canterbury Cathedral in England. Greece, an hour ahead of most of Europe, was the first on the continent to mark Earth Hour. On the isle of Aegina, near Athens, much of its population marched by candlelight to the port. Parts of Athens itself, including the floodlit city hall, also turned to black.In Ireland, where environmentalists are part of the coalition government, lights-out orders went out for scores of government buildings, bridges and monuments in more than a dozen cities and towns.Activists gathered outside one of Dublin's most impressive floodlit buildings, the riverfront Custom House, and cheered as the lights went out. The building houses the Environment Department, run by a Green Party minister.But next door, the international banks and brokerages of Dublin's financial district blazed away with light, illuminating floor after empty floor of desks and idling computers."The banks should have embraced this wholeheartedly and they didn't.But it's a start. Maybe next year," said Cathy Flanagan, an Earth Hour organizer in Dublin. Ireland's more than 7,000 pubs elected not to take part - in part because of the risk that Saturday night revelers could end up smashing glasses, falling down stairs, or setting themselves on fire with candles.Likewise, much of Europe-including France, Germany, Spain and European Union institutions-planned nothing to mark Earth Hour.Internet search engine Google lent its support to Earth Hour by blackening its normally white home page and challenging visitors: "We've turned the lights out. Now it's your turn."
By SHAWN POGATCHNIK
On the Net:
Earth Hour, http://www.earthhour.org/
Google appeal for Earth Hour, http://www.google.ie/intl/en_ie/earthhour
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080329/D8VND6200.html
As in the days of Noah....

BY THE LAW IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith,it saith to them who are under the law:that every mouth may be stopped,and all the world may become guilty before God.
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight:for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Romans 3:19-20

Vietnam Man Runs 'Abortion Orphanage'

NHA TRANG, Vietnam-Sitting cross-legged on a straw mat in the middle of the living room, Tong Phuoc Phuc sings a soothing Vietnamese lullaby. For a moment, his deep voice works magic, and the tiny room crammed with 13 babies is still. Phuc giggles like a proud papa. He's not related to any of them, but without him, many of these children likely would have been aborted. And to Phuc, abortion is unimaginable.The 41-year-old Catholic from the coastal town of Nha Trang has opened his door to unwed expectant mothers in a country that logs one of the world's highest abortion rates. In 2006, there were more than 114,000 abortions at state hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City - outnumbering births.Most pregnant, unmarried Vietnamese women have few options. Abortion is a welcome choice for many who simply cannot afford to care for a baby or are unwilling to risk being disowned by their families.The communist government calls premarital sex a "social evil." Abortion, however, is legal and performed at nearly every hospital. And unlike in some Western countries where the issue is hotly contested, the practice stirs little debate here.But shelters for women who want to keep their babies are rare. Phuc promises them food and a roof until they give birth, and then cares for the children until the mothers can afford to take them. In the past four years, he's taken in 60 kids, with about half still living in his two houses."Sometimes we have 10 mothers living here ... sleeping on the floor," says Phuc, a thin man with dark, weathered skin and teeth stained brown from years of smoking. "The problem is that a lot of young people live together and have sex, but they have no knowledge about getting pregnant. So they get abortions."Phuc says he made a deal with God seven years ago when his wife encountered complications while in labor with their son. He vowed that if they were spared, he would find a way to help others. As his wife lay recuperating after the difficult birth, he recalls seeing many pregnant women going into the delivery room but always leaving alone."I was wondering, 'where are the babies?'" he says, cradling an infant in each arm. "Then I realized they had abortions."Phuc, a building contractor, started saving money to buy a craggy plot of land outside town. He then began collecting unwanted fetuses from hospitals and clinics to bury in graves on the property. At first, doctors and neighbors thought he had gone mad. Even his wife questioned spending their savings to build a cemetery for aborted babies.But he kept on, and now some 7,000 tiny plots dot the shady hillside, many marked with bright red, pink and yellow artificial roses."I believe these fetuses have souls," says Phuc, who has two children of his own. "And I don't want them to be wandering souls."Vietnam was ranked as having the world's highest abortion rate in a 1999 report by the U.S.-based Guttmacher Institute, which tracks the statistics. More recent reliable data for both public and private clinics are unavailable. Aid agency Pathfinder International says abortions remain high in Vietnam but appear to be declining slightly.Dr. Vo Thi Kim Loan has run her own clinic just outside Ho Chi Minh City since 1991. She says the number of young, unmarried women seeking quick, discreet abortions has increased with more teen girls having sex before marriage. She also still sees a steady stream of married women coming in for repeat abortions because their husbands disapprove of contraceptives.Preference for boys is another factor. Vietnamese women with access to ultrasound sometimes terminate pregnancies after discovering they're carrying girls in a country where couples are encouraged to have just two children.Phuc isn't sure why so many Vietnamese choose abortion and says more women need to understand safer forms of birth control are available.He says word of his unusual graveyard eventually spread, and women who had undergone abortions started visiting to pray and burn incense. Phuc urged them to tell others considering the same option to talk with him first.Phan Thi Hong Vu looks lovingly at her chubby 7 1/2-month-old baby boy sucking on a pacifier surrounded by all the other babies on Phuc's floor. She shivers at the thought of how close she came to losing him."I actually went to the hospital intending to get an abortion, but I was so scared," says Vu, who was 3 1/2 months pregnant at the time. "I decided to go home and think about it. Two weeks later, I met with Phuc."She moved into the 904-square-foot house soon after and remains there with seven other new or expectant mothers. They spend their days washing, feeding, burping, changing and playing with the babies - all but one are under a year old. The constant chorus of crying, coughing and cooing fills the living room, which is lined with pink and blue cribs and adorned with a crucifix, the Virgin Mary and a photo of the late Pope John Paul II.It's a full-time operation that involves Phuc's entire family. His older sister manages the chaos, mixing vats of strained potatoes and carrots and preparing formula for bottles, while shushing crying babies and chasing crawlers. The entrance to the single-level cement house tells the story: rows of bibs, booties, jumpers and spit rags hang drying in the sun.It costs about $1,800 a month to care for all 33 babies and the women. Phuc gets donations from Catholic and Buddhist organizations and from people who have heard about his work. On a recent day, a local family dropped by with an envelope sent from their daughter in California who had read about Phuc on a Vietnamese Web site. Two years ago, he even got a letter from Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet praising him for caring for women and children scorned by society.Health authorities say they support what he's doing, but also keep a close eye on him to ensure everything is legitimate in a country where baby selling and child trafficking are a problem. Some people accuse Phuc of condoning premarital sex.Phuc's operation is not a registered orphanage, which means he cannot put any of the children up for adoption. But even if he could, he shakes his head and says his goal is to reunite each child with its mother or to raise them as his own. So far, 27 babies have gone home.[[[[[[[[["I will continue this job until the last breath of my life," he says. "I will encourage my children to take over to help other people who are underprivileged."]]]]]]]]]
By MARGIE MASON AP Medical Writer
To watch the video go to the link below:(PLEASE watch this heart touching video!!!!!!!)


As in the days of Noah...

Old Solar Cycle Returns

March 28, 2008:Solar Cycle 23, how can we miss you if you won't go away?Barely three months after forecasters announced the beginning of new Solar Cycle 24, old Solar Cycle 23 has returned. (Actually, it never left. Read on.)"This week, three big sunspots appeared and they are all old cycle spots," says NASA solar physicist David Hathaway. "We know this because of their magnetic polarity." On March 28th the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) made this magnetic map of the sun: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/28mar_oldcycle.htm?list948733 It shows the north and south magnetic poles of the three sunspots. All are oriented according to the patterns of Solar Cycle 23. Cycle 24 spots would be reversed.What's going on? Hathaway explains: "We have two solar cycles in progress at the same time. Solar Cycle 24 has begun (the first new-cycle spot appeared in January 2008), but Solar Cycle 23 has not ended."Strange as it sounds, this is perfectly normal. Around the time of solar minimum-i.e.,now-old-cycle spots and new-cycle spots frequently intermingle. Eventually Cycle 23 will fade to zero, giving way in full to Solar Cycle 24, but not yet.Meanwhile, on March 25th, sunspot 989, the smallest of the three sunspots, unleashed an M2-class solar flare. Flares are measured on a "Richter scale" ranging from A-class (puny) to X-class (powerful). M-class flares are of medium intensity. This one hurled a coronal mass ejection or "CME" into space (movie), but the billion-ton cloud missed Earth.While the CME was still plowing through the sun's atmosphere, amateur radio astronomer Thomas Ashcraft heard "a heaving sound" coming from the loudspeaker of his 21 MHz shortwave receiver in New Mexico: listen. It was a Type II solar radio burst generated by shock waves at the leading edge of the CME. A thousand miles away in Virginia, David Thomas recorded the same emissions on a chart recorder he connected to his 20 MHz ham rig: look. "What a pleasant surprise," says Thomas.We could get more of this kind of activity in the next 7 to 10 days. It will take about that long for the sunspots to cross the face of the sun. The sun's rotation is turning the spots toward Earth, which means the next CME, if there is one, might not miss. CME strikes do no physical harm to Earth but they can cause Northern Lights, satellite glitches and, in extreme cases, power outages.The real significance of these spots is what they say about the solar cycle, says Hathaway. "Solar Cycle 24 has begun, but we won't be through solar minimum until the number of Cycle 24 spots rises above the declining number of Cycle 23 spots." Based on this latest spate of "old" activity, he thinks the next Solar Max probably won't arrive until 2012.

As in the days of Noah....

Threats force website to pull Quran video:Dutch MP's 17-minute documentary debuts to attacks

A 17-minute documentary on the Quran, juxtaposing images of Islam's holy book with terror attacks and bombings by Muslim extremists, was taken down from a British video-sharing website, LiveLeak,com, after the organization reported "serious" threats to its staff members.The documentary had been posted against the wishes of the government of the Netherlands by Geert Wilders, a Dutch MP and leader of the Freedom Party. His video is called "Fitna," an Arabic word meaning strife.It appeared on the political party's website first, but soon disappeared because of "technical difficulties," reported the London Times. Then it appeared on LiveLeak.com, only to be replaced with an advisory."Following threats to our staff of a very serious nature, and some ill informed reports from certain corners of the British media that could directly affect the safety of some staff members, LiveLeak has been left with no other choice but to remove Fitna from our servers," the organization said."This is a sad day for freedom of speech on the net but we have to place the safety and well being of our staff above all else. We would like to thank the thousands of people, from all backgrounds and religions, who gave us their support. They realized LiveLeak.com is a vehicle for many opinions and not just for the support of one," the site said."Perhaps there is still hope that this situation may produce a discussion that could benefit and educate all of us as to how we can accept one anothers culture."We stood for what we believe in, the ability to be heard, but in the end the price was too high." The expression of regret was signed LiveLeak.com.The video also is available, at least for now, in two parts, on YouTube, at this link and at a second link.Wilder, a critic of the "Islamization" of the West, released the film after weeks of debate couched in terms of free speech and religious bigotry as well as fears of violence like that following the Danish publication of cartoons depicting Muhammed.Wilders said he understood Muslims could be upset by the film but said that was not his purpose in producing it."It remains widely within the framework of the law ... My film was not made to provoke violence," he said.Plans to put the film on the Internet were briefly stalled earlier this week when the domain registrar, Network Solutions, refused to host Wilder's Internet domain.The film has been condemned by Wilder's government. The Dutch foreign minister, Maxime Verhagen, called it irresponsible after rioting Muslims killed over 50 people following publication of the Danish cartoons."The film equates Islam with violence. We reject that interpretation," Jan Peter Balkenende, the Dutch prime minister, said."We believe it serves no purpose other than to offend," he added.Early critics had expressed fears Wilder would show a copy of the Quran being destroyed in his film but the ending offered a slight surprise.As someone leafs through the Quran, a sound of tearing is heard."The sound you heard was from a page being torn out of the phone book. It is not up to me, but up to the Muslims themselves to tear the spiteful verses from the Quran," the screen text read. "Stop Islamization. Defend our freedom," it concluded.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=60198
PS:The fact that LiveLeak had to pull the video off the website,because of death threats PROVE THE POINT OF THE MOVIE:THIS IS WHAT ISLAMIC EXTREMISM IS ALL ABOUT=DEATH+DEATH+MORE DEATH.....NOTHING ELSE
As in the days of Noah....

Violence marks annual youth protests

Venezuela bombs drug runways near Colombia border

ELORZA-The Venezuelan air force bombed a landing strip used to bring cocaine across the border from Colombia on Friday, several weeks after the United States criticized President Hugo Chavez's drug-fighting record.A Reuters witness watched two fighter jets and a helicopter fire rockets and strafe the runway close to the border with machine gun fire to detect and destroy equipment and infrastructure used by drug cartels.Venezuela was heavily criticized earlier this month in the U.S. State Department's annual narcotics report, which described the South American nation as "a major drug transit country with rampant high level corruption."Venezuela shares a long border with Colombia, the world's top cocaine producer. The left-wing government of Chavez cut off cooperation with the United States in 2005 over accusations of espionage.Traffickers often use illegal runaways to land aircraft packed with drugs en route to the United States or Europe. The army plans to destroy dozens of border runways in coming days.Chavez says U.S. accusations about his country's drugs record are untrue and aimed at discrediting him.Although he refuses to sign an anti-drug cooperation agreement with Washington, Venezuela frequently extradites Colombians accused of drug crimes to the United States.The government points to the arrest of suspected Colombian kingpin Hermagoras Gonzalez on March 9 as evidence of its progress in the drugs fight.
To read more go to:
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSN2845599620080329
As in the days of Noah....

Zimbabwe prepares for polls

Zimbabweans start voting in crucial election

HARARE-Zimbabweans began voting on Saturday in the most crucial election since independence from Britain in 1980, with veteran President Robert Mugabe facing the biggest challenge of his 28-year-rule.Voting began at 0706 a.m. (1:06 a.m. EDT) and was scheduled to end 12 hours later.With the once-prosperous nation's economy in ruins, former guerrilla leader Mugabe must defeat a formidable two-pronged attack from veteran opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and ruling party defector Simba Makoni.His two rivals believe they can finally end Mugabe's iron rule because of an economic meltdown that has reduced most of the population to misery, including those in his traditional rural strongholds.Zimbabwe, once a regional breadbasket, now suffers the world's worst inflation at 100,000 percent, a rampant HIV/AIDS epidemic that has contributed to a radical reduction in life expectancy, a virtually worthless currency and chronic shortages of food and fuel.But few analysts are prepared to count Mugabe out.They say he has maintained a tight grip on power through a combination of ruthless security crackdowns, intimidation of ruling party rivals and an elaborate patronage system. A split opposition may also favor Mugabe.Supporters both inside the country and elsewhere in Africa still revere him as the last of the liberation heroes.
To read more go to:
As in the days of Noah....

THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS

"As it is written,There is none righteous,no,not one:
There is none that understandeth,there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way,they are together become unprofitable;there is none that doeth good,no,not one.
Their throat is an open sepulchre;with their tongues they have used deceit;the poison of asps is under their lips:
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Destruction and misery are in their ways:
And the way of peace have they not known:
There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Romans 3:10-18

THE VICE GUIDE TO NORTH KOREA-PART I

Hidden-camera series reveals nationwide cult:North Korean society revolves around worship of dictator

A video documentary series shot partly with hidden cameras by a film crew that ventured into North Korea posing as tourists reveals a closed cult society that revolves around the worship of the dictator, Kim Jong-Il.The series of videos was filmed and edited by crew members at an eclectic website called "Vice," described by Vanity Fair as a "purveyor of hipster style and nihilism."Although its home page contains "art" material that may be objectionable to family viewers, officials there have set up a special web page linking directly to the 14 episodes created from the visit to North Korea.In the Vanity Fair description of the series, writer Christopher Bateman said, "Vice co-founder Shane Smith and a cameraman bribed their way into the country and then got treated to the full panoply of pomp and diplomacy apparently saved for North Korea's few annual tourists."He continued, "Never let out of eyesight by their state-supplied tour guides, they are forced to participate in a nonstop regiment of ideologically kosher sightseeing (the creepy People's Study House, a monumental statue of Kim Il-Sung, the exploitation of child music prodigies at an elite elementary school.) At every juncture they are reminded either of the evil of the 'U.S. Imperialists' or the magnificence of Great Leader Kim and Dear Leader Kim Jong-Il. This is partly done through laughable propaganda videos with awkward English dubbing that are sold all over North Korea, and which are featured in the film."The 14-part series launches with a video about the company's year-long unsuccessful effort to obtain entry to North Korea through legitimate routes, and the eventual decision to fly to South Korea, where they are advised to go to China and bribe their way in. And they do.Once inside the nation that is listed at the top of most lists assembled by governments or humanitarian organizations for its aggressive repression of Christians and members of other faiths, the crew discovers a complete cult atmosphere, with warnings against even standing in front of a picture of North Korea's dictator.Mandatory is a visit by tourists to the U.S.S. Pueblo, a U.S. spy ship captured in 1968 by North Korea. Another mandatory visit is to the "People's Study House."There a guide tells the visitors it is for students."They come here to ask professors questions and the professors give them the correct answers immediately," visitors are told.A stop in a music library reveals Beatles and Bob Dylan recordings, but no one listening, prompting the Vice crew to speculate they are for "wannabe guards" to learn idiomatic English to monitor the rest of the world.Visitors are allowed to go into the Pyongyang subway but only to ride from one station to the next. In those stations, guards inform the crew members the colored lights are there to represent fireworks.The crew members repeatedly visit such "interesting" sites accompanied only by their guards. In their various "random" stops in restaurants, the videos reveal them to be virtually the only customers.One video, Episode 5 – The Tea Girl, shows their tourist bus as the only vehicle traveling on the roads and traveling through villages with no electricity. Then they are the only customers in a tea shop where an overjoyed employee plays pool and ping-pong with them."We may still be the last people this girl has hung out with," crew members concluded in another video."We have seen plenty of footage before from journalists in North Korea, but the footage from Vice came up with is highly impressive because they were using a hidden camera, which has skillfully captured many images of life in North Korea that is not usually seen by outsiders," said the North Korean blog Rok Drop.[[[[[[[[[North Korea still imposes the death penalty for those who offend the dictator by expressing faith in a religion such as Christianity, and where tens of thousands of Christians are held in terminal prison camps.A spokesman for Open Doors, which ranks North Korea No. 1 on its World Watch list of countries where Christians suffer the greatest persecution, said even on Christmas Day, executions occur."The state is working hard to wipe out Christianity," said Open Doors USA spokesman Jerry Dykstra. "Nowhere in the world is such a high price paid as in this country with its tyrannical regime," he said.A man identified only as "Brother Simon" told the Christian ministry from a secret location inside North Korea that a holiday such as Christmas is celebrated by Christians who gather in groups of two, to keep underneath the radar that alerts authorities."For example (on an ordinary Sunday), a Christian goes and sits on a bench in the park. Another Christian comes and sits next to him. Sometimes it is dangerous even to speak to one another, but they know they are both Christians, and at such a time, this is enough. If there is no one around, they may be able to share a Bible verse which they have learned by heart and briefly say something about it. They also share prayer topics with each other. Then they leave one another and go and look for Christians in some other part of their town. This continues throughout Sunday. A cell group usually consists of fewer than 20 Christians who encourage and strengthen one another in this way. Besides this, there are one-to-one meetings in people's homes," Simon said.]]]]]]]]]Vice officials told WND that as tourists, the crew members were allowed to take a camera and use it in some locations. In others, however, even "tourists" were banned from taking pictures or video.Guards in one museum warmed Smith not to "block" their president-for-life by standing in front of his picture. In another episode the camera captures a banquet hall filled with food for one guest "just to give the impression that North Korea does not have a food shortage."Reports Smith, as he was leaving he saw the waitresses collecting the food that had been on display on other tables and carefully storing it, apparently to be re-used for the next tourist visitor.Smith, whose company also has documented travel to Baghdad as well as the Sudan, noted traveling into the highly restricted nation that has built and runs prison camps for its own citizens was "one of the hardest and weirdest processes Vice has ever dealt with.""After we went back and forth with their representatives for months, they finally said they were going to allow 16 journalists into the country to cover the Arirang Mass Games in Pyongyang. Then, 10 days before we were supposed to go, they said, 'No, nobody can come.' Then they said, 'OK, OK, you can come. But only as tourists.' We had no idea what that was supposed to mean. They already knew we were journalists, and over there if you get caught being a journalist when you're supposed to be a tourist you go to jail. We don't like jail. And we’re willing to bet we'd hate jail in North Korea," Smith said."But we went for it," he told reporters. "The first leg of the trip was a flight into northern China. At the airport the North Korean consulate took our passports and all of our money, then brought us to a restaurant. We were sitting there with our tour group, and suddenly all the other diners left and these women came out and started singing North Korean nationalist songs. We were thinking, 'Look, we were just on a plane for 20 hours. We're jet-lagged. Can we just go to bed?' but this guy with our group who was from the LA Times told us, 'Everyone in here besides us is secret police. If you don't act excited then you're not going to get your visa.' So we got drunk and jumped up onstage and sang songs with the girls. The next day we got our visas. A lot of people we had gone with didn't get theirs. That was our first hint at just what a freaky, freaky trip we were embarking on..."Interspersed with video footage of 120,000 people putting on a stadium show, apparently for a handful of observers, are comments from President Bush describing North Korea as a "regime with missiles and weapons of mass destruction" and including it in an "axis of evil."During the mandatory visit to the North Korea side of the demilitarized zone separating it from South Korea, guides tell the crew members of the two million soldiers poised and ready to defend their country if anyone invades by so much as one inch.They also are told of huge buildings filled with dynamite ready to explode should an invasion be reported. They stayed in one hotel, on an island, that was 47 stories tall but apparently included people on only one floor, they said."You're not a tourist," Smith said, "You're on a tour. You come in. You're shown what you're shown.""This is so surreal," he said.

As in the days of Noah...

Attorney fears 'prayer police' could be reality in NY town

A liberal special-interest group based in Washington, DC, is asking the town of Greece, New York, to dictate to its citizens what is acceptable speech for starting prayers in the town council's monthly meetings.Americans United for Separation of Church and State is suing the town of Greece, New York, on behalf of residents Susan Galloway, who is Jewish, and Linda Stephens, an atheist. The pair is offended because, for past decade, town council meetings have been preceded by a voluntary prayer-typically offered by a local clergy member.Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United, argues that repeatedly offering Christian prayer at the meetings "sends a message to non-Christians that they are second-class citizens. That's not a message public officials should want to send..."But Joel Oster, the Alliance Defense Fund senior counsel representing the town, disputes claims by Lynn's gruop that the council is promoting Christianity by allowing the prayers."The town council does not edit the contents of these prayers.They do not pre-review the prayers.They are not the prayer police," chides Oster. "They are just simply following a time-honored tradition established by our founding fathers..."Oster says he is somewhat baffled by the fact that Americans United would ask the government to censor the content of voluntary prayers. "We actually believe that what Americans United are asking us to do is to violate the Establishment Clause," he continues, "because the town should not be in the business of telling private citizens how they should pray." The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Marsh v. Chambers that beginning deliberative sessions of legislative bodies with prayer is constitutional. Oster says he believes the judge in this case will stick to the Supreme Court ruling.

As in the days of Noah...

CULTURE of DEATH:Belgium Considers Euthanasia for Terminally Ill Kids

[[[[[[[[[[Belgian lawmakers are considering a law that would allow terminally ill teenagers and those who suffer from severe dementia to receive a lethal prescription to kill themselves.The legislation also would allow parents of younger children with incurable diseases to have a doctor kill their children.]]]]]]]]]]{{{{{{Under current law, physician-assisted suicide is available to adults 18 and older, and infants who likely won’t survive past age 1 can be euthanized. Since the law’s passage in 2002, there have been an estimated 39 assisted suicides each month, but the actual number is thought to be twice that, the Telegraph reported.}}}}}} “We see that under euthanasia consciousness, even 'choice' eventually takes a back seat to death as the answer to human suffering,” Wesley Smith, an attorney for the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, wrote on his blog. “In the words of the late Dutch euthanasia opponent Dr. Karl Gunning, ‘Once killing is seen as the answer to one problem, it soon becomes the answer to 100.’ ”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Learn about the difference between physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia.
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000006962.cfm
As in the days of Noah....

Churches can encourage physicians at National Doctor's Day this Sunday

Dr. David Stevens and the Christian Medical & Dental Associations say recognition of National Doctor's Day on Sunday is a chance for churches to acknowledge that Christian physicians have one of the biggest mission fields on earth.CEO of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), Dr. Stevens says physicians sacrifice years of costly study followed by the hard work and stress of their profession, and he thinks communities should acknowledge those sacrifices. Stevens also hopes churches in those communities will help doctors recognize their key placement for the Christian gospel's sake."I see every Christian doctor as a medical missionary.Our members-over 17,000-may not serve in a foreign country, but each day they have dozens of intimate conversations with patients who do not have a relationship with God," Stevens contends.According to Stevens, doctors can influence patients or even lead them to Christ through their medical skills and Christian attitude.He says churches should encourage doctors for this reason."Make this a special day for them, and then help them to see that they're an extension of God into the community from that church, to introduce people to Christ and move them on their journey towards God," Stevens says. Stevens also notes churches can refresh the vocational desire and the spiritual service of physicians by recognizing them with notes, prayer, and other special means suggested at the CMDA website.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=73847
As in the days of Noah....

Documentary examines the silencing of Darwin skeptics in schools

A new documentary to be released nationwide in April investigates the persecution endured by advocates of intelligent design on college and university campuses.Opening April 18, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed stars author, former presidential speechwriter, lawyer and actor Ben Stein. Throughout the documentary, Stein is followed by a camera crew while he questions noted scientists about the origins of life. The project also features many professors who lost their positions because they taught intelligent design alongside Darwin's theory of evolution. Mark Mathis is the associate producer of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, and he says the documentary is entertaining as well as informative. "We knew the public wouldn't be interested in seeing a 90-minute science class. You have to entertain people," he explains. "So Ben Stein is the perfect person to carry this film."Mathis says they were able to tell a "very troubling and disturbing" story with Stein's comedic edge. He says the disturbing message of the film is that taxpayer money is being used to "jam" Darwinism, "an atheistic view of life," down the throats of students. Another disturbing aspect the film points out is the silencing and potential firing of those professors who dare suggest an intelligent design to life.The associate producer says he is hopeful the documentary will encourage the public to speak up and call for more tolerance toward the teaching of intelligent design on college campuses nationwide.
As in the days of Noah....

Oregon Prosecutors Review Girl's Death, Faith-Healing Law

OREGON CITY, Ore.-Prosecutors in Oregon are reviewing the death of a 15-month-old girl who a medical examiner says could have been saved if she had been treated with antibiotics.If prosecuted, the child's parents would be the first members of Oregon City's Followers of Christ group to face charges for failing to seek medical treatment for a gravely ill child.When church members fall ill, fellow worshipers pray and anoint them with oil. Former members say those who seek modern medical remedies are ostracized.Prosecutors could charge the baby's parents under a law enacted in 1999 after several faith-healing deaths of children.
As in the days of Noah....

BOTH JEWS AND GENTILES ARE ALL UNDER SIN....

"What advantage then hath the Jew?or what profit is there of circumcision?
Much every way:chiefly,because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
For what if some did not believe?shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
God forbid:yea,let God be true,but every man a liar;as it is written,That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings,and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God,what shall we say?Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance?(I speak as a man)
God forbid:for then how shall God judge the world?
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory;why yet am I also judged as a sinner?
And not rather,(as we be slanderously reported,and as some affirm that we say,)Let us do evil,that good may come?whose damnation is just.
What then?are we better than they?No,in no wise:for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles,that they are all under sin..."

Romans 3:1-9

SIGN of the TIMES:Marriage No Longer England's Cup of Tea

A new report on the crisis of marriage in the U.K. is sending shockwaves throughout the nation, as the proportion of Britons who tied the knot in 2006 is the lowest it's been since records began in 1862. The Office for National Statistics said that in 2006 "fewer than ten in every 1,000 single adults in England and Wales" got married. And the biggest culprit for the decline appears to be none other than the British government. The U.K.'s tax code rewards single parents and penalizes married spouses, leading more couples to beat the system by "living apart together" in civil unions. By embracing--and even incentivizing--these civil partnerships, the U.K. is fueling the traditional family's complete collapse. When you rob marriage of its meaning, as Britain has done, and deemphasize it, a nation naturally experiences less of it. In the U.S., we see the European influence slowly creeping across the pond and into American public policy as more liberals devalue traditional marriage and family.Leaders in the U.K. insist that this report is the wake-up call the nation needed.In the last week, many MPs have pledged to introduce legislation that would entice more couples to marry. Let's pray it's not too late.
As in the days of Noah...

CULTURE of DEATH:Planned Parenthood's Biggest Advo-Kate

[[[[[[[[[[Actress Kate Walsh isn't a doctor in real life, but apparently playing one on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" qualifies her to talk about reproductive health on Capitol Hill. Yesterday, Walsh, who sits on Planned Parenthood's Board of Advisors, hosted a congressional forum sponsored by the nation's biggest abortion trafficker. In ads for the event, Planned Parenthood played host to "Kate Walsh Talks About Sex on Capitol Hill: Actor Leads Congressional Briefing on Real Sex Education." In case you're wondering how Walsh describes "real" sex education, this is what she says in a 2007 interview: "If you're going to have sex, use a condom." She speaks openly about her desire to zero-out federal abstinence funds, a goal shared by the monopolists at Planned Parenthood.]]]]]]]]]]]Contrary to what Walsh and her liberal friends believe, doing away with abstinence education won't lower teen pregnancy rates; instead it would squelch one of the most effective methods of reducing teen sexual risk. Moreover, according to Adolescent and Family Health, 67% of teen birth reductions are a direct result of abstinence. The Medical Institute notes that "sexual activity places teens at high risk for getting sexually transmitted diseases-and using contraception does not eliminate that risk." It also leads to elevated risks of suicide, depression, substance abuse, anxiety, and dating violence. However, the implications of yesterday's event go beyond Planned Parenthood's unsound advice. As a recipient of nearly $300 million a year in taxpayer funds, more than a few eyebrows were raised when the organization tried to lure in a big crowd by offering a free lunch. Under the new ethics rules, it's unlawful for nonprofit groups to provide meals to congressional members or staff. How is it, then, that Planned Parenthood is able to violate government rules? In light of the organization's latest scandals, which span everything from fraud, criminal cover-ups, and clinic deficiencies, I think we'd all agree that Capitol Hill's time is better spent investigating the group than promoting it.
http://www.frc.org/
PS:Another example of A liberal-pro choice-HollyWeird "star",that many adore....incluing "christian viewers"....
As in the days of Noah....

Baptist Editor Accuses Oprah of Leading Christians Astray

Oprah Winfrey seems to have landed in a religious controversy after an editor of a Baptist newspaper accused her for steering away her fans from Christianity.James A. Smith Sr., the executive editor of the Florida Baptist Witness, has claimed that the talk show queen promotes "anti-biblical" doctrine through her radio network.Smith has targeted the media mogul for coming out in open to support for author and new age guru Marianne Williamson, who has appeared on her TV show and radio channel.Smith has written against Oprah in the newspaper accusing her of leaving Christians astray."In America's celebrity-driven culture, perhaps the most harmful 'Pied Piper' of heresies leading millions astray is Oprah Winfrey.Her adoption of anti-biblical doctrine is on display every day this year through her satellite radio network channel Oprah + Friends," contactmusic quoted Smith, as saying.He added: "It's time for Christians to 'just say no' to the big 'O'."
As in the days of Noah....

8 reasons I won't vote for John McCain

In a recent WND column, Janet Folger begs social conservatives to vote for John McCain. She believes McCain will rescue "most everyone" from our political "burning building"-when in fact McCain has already locked arms with the Kennedys, Feingolds and liberal Democrats to keep social conservatives "out" of politics while they burn our constitutional republic to the ground.Like our mutual friend Alan Keyes, I've been a lifelong Republican and never voted third party, but this time I've had enough (and apparently so has Alan Keyes, who reportedly is quitting the GOP).So here are eight reasons I won't vote for McCain and will continue to support Dr. Keyes wherever he leads our Exodus:Sen. McCain refused to help me when I fought to pray "in Jesus' name" as a Navy chaplain. When I walked into his office on Capitol Hill, two of his liberal staffers told me I should water down my prayers and stop praying "in Jesus' name." McCain will surround himself with similar liberal appointees in key White House positions.Meanwhile, Alan Keyes helped Dr. D. James Kennedy and friends get 70,000 petition signatures for chaplains in a national petition drive to overturn my "religious speech crime" court-martial. Alan also raised $10,000 to pay my legal costs and successfully lobbied Congress to overturn the bad prayer policy. Which candidate defends religious liberty – Keyes or McCain?In 2006, McCain was one of only three Republican senators to vote against defining marriage between one man and one woman. Why? McCain said: "I think that gay marriage should be allowed if there's a ceremony kind of thing, if you wanna call it that, I don't have any problem with that." No wonder Dr. James Dobson replied: "Speaking as a private individual, I would not vote for John McCain under any circumstances." Meanwhile, Alan Keyes could be found in Massachusetts supporting parents outraged by sexually explicit classes promoting homosexuality to their children, and by court-initiated assaults on the family.McCain not only refused to participate in Janet Folger's Values Voter Presidential Debate, he has repeatedly distanced himself from religious groups. He won the Republican nomination without faith-based voters. So, if he wins the White House, will he suddenly listen to our pleas? No chance! Only by treating ourselves with respect can we demand respect from others. Have we no dignity? Meanwhile, Keyes is the ONLY remaining candidate who scored 100 percent on Janet's Values Voter scorecard, consistently supporting Crisis Pregnancy Centers, pro-life groups and Christian schools.The lesser of two evils is still evil. But by Janet's logic, if Jesus Christ himself were running on a third-party ticket, we should still vote for McCain. Alan Keyes is no savior, but he remains the candidate of good conscience for those whose consciences are not yet seared.McCain claims to be "pro-life" but supports destruction of human embryos for use as "spare parts" in unproven medical research. McCain won't veto; he'll fund the murder of innocents. Alan Keyes worked tirelessly in Missouri against the murder of "snowflake babies" and in South Dakota to protect life in the womb.McCain wrote the bill helping Ted Kennedy in his attempt to grant amnesty to illegal aliens (McCain-Kennedy), so why should we believe he'll veto the Democrat plan to de-fund and tear down the border fence and issue driver's licenses and voter registration cards to illegal aliens? Alan Keyes has personally stood with the Minutemen to secure our borders, protecting our national sovereignty.McCain voted against the Bush tax cuts and could preside over the largest tax increase ever when they expire next year. But Keyes supported plans to abolish the income tax and replace it with the FairTax system long before Mike Huckabee and others recognized the wisdom of ending tax slavery for all Americans.McCain wrote the bill censoring free speech by religious organizations and shutting down grass-roots criticism of elected officials (McCain-Feingold), so why should we now believe he'll veto hate-crimes legislation? He'll sign it, opening the door to further persecution of the church. I also predict McCain will sign the Democrats' "equal time" bill to censor conservative radio talk-show hosts. Dr. Dobson predicts McCain will require pro-family groups to provide documentation to the government anytime they try to spark any "grass-roots" action. Phone calls, personal visits, e-mails, magazines, broadcasts, phone banks, appearances, travel and fundraising would all be subject to government tabulation verification, and audit. Alan Keyes will protect ministries like Focus on the Family and Janet Folger's Faith2Action radio activists – but under McCain, these will be prime targets of persecution by IRS agents!Religious conservatives who hope McCain will choose Mike Huckabee for vice president will be disappointed either way, since McCain will still make all the bad decisions. But when McCain picks a closet liberal for VP (mark my words), many still won't have the self-respect to abandon McCain's sinking ship.No amount of deodorant can overcome his rotten record of departure from conservative principles and personal assault on our grass-roots organizations. McCain still carries the scent of George Soros, who has contributed heavily to McCain's effort to stifle grass-roots free speech and action.Abandon McCain's sinking ship! Man your lifeboats! I cannot violate my conscience in November. I'll make a statement with my vote, instead of wasting it on Clinton, Obama or McCain. Faith-minded people cannot tolerate evil, whatever its degree, since Christ taught us, "Be ye perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect." Show some self-respect and have faith in God. America needs principled leaders who have borne the battle for liberty and are unashamed of the wounds received in doing so. I'll vote for Alan Keyes, writing in his name if necessary. Join us, and someday you'll stand before God with your head held high, blameless and unashamed of your vote.
By Gordon James Klingenschmitt

Gordon James Klingenschmitt is a former Navy chaplain who sacrificed his career to help change national policy, restoring the rights of military chaplains to publicly pray "in Jesus' name" – even in uniform. "Chaps" travels to speak at churches and can be invited via e-mail. He encourages readers to sign the petition to reinstate Chaplain Danny Harvey, the hospital chaplain fired for praying in Jesus' name.

As in the days of Noah.....

U.S. Court Upholds 10 Commandments on Public Land

A nearly 50-year-old monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments does not violate the Constitution just because it sits nearly alone on public grounds in a Washington city, a federal appeals court ruled on Wednesday.The division between church and state is a core principle of American democracy, but courts have long struggled to find exactly where the dividing line falls.The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals cited precedent rulings in this latest case, which involves a 6-foot-tall (1.8-meter-tall) granite monument near the Old City Hall in Everett, Washington, about 25 miles north of Seattle.The court found that the monument did not have a solely religious purpose. "Nothing about the setting is conducive to genuflection," Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw wrote for a three-judge panel.She noted that the Everett monument does not have nearby benches or evening lighting and is surrounded by trees and that impair its viewing. Such a setting prevents a visitor from concluding that the monument has been placed in a sacred space on public grounds.The monument was donated in 1959 by a national civic organization that distributed more than 150 such monuments to cities across the country.Another stands on the grounds of the Texas Capitol and was the subject of a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court case.The Supreme Court found that the Texas statue did not violate the separation of church and state partly because it is one of more than three dozen statues that collectively tell a largely secular history of Texas.The Washington monolith shares its property with only one war memorial, and attorneys had hoped the difference would be enough for a new verdict."Religious items displayed by themselves are generally impermissible," said Ayesha Khan of Americans United for Separation of Church and State."This monument stands pretty much alone, and in that context, it presents a religious message."But the 9th Circuit panel said it did not agree, especially because no complaints were received for more than 30 years after the monument was erected.
As in the days of Noah....

Israel tells Jimmy Carter: Your 'help' is not welcome

Israel this week issued a formal rejection of a recent offer by former US President Jimmy Carter and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to mediate a ceasefire between the Jewish state and the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip.Carter and Annan sent their proposal to Israel several weeks ago, and noted that South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Irish President Mary Robinson would also be part of the mediation team.Carter, Annan, Tutu and Robinson have for decades been among the foremost international critics of Israel's right to defend itself against Arab Muslim terrorism and have regularly lent credibility to groups like Hamas that openly reject the Jewish state's very right to exist.Nevertheless, Israel remained diplomatic in its response to what many viewed as a duplicitous offer of help by explaining that "at this time it would not be right to introduce more players into a diplomatic process that is already in a complex stage."
As in the days of Noah....

Israel uses YouTube in PR war

The Israeli government recently made use of the hugely popular YouTube online video hosting site to call attention to the brutality of Arab Muslim terrorism practiced against Israel's Jews.Israeli business newspaper The Marker reported this week that earlier this month someone in the Prime Minister's Office acting under direct orders posted three videos to YouTube containing graphic footage of the massacre of eight young Jewish bible students by an Israeli Arab terrorist in Jerusalem.An Israeli government source acknowledged that the videos were posted as part of an official PR campaign, and said that YouTube will become a regular part of Israel's efforts to raise awareness of the threats facing its citizens and the legitimacy of its own war on terror.The videos can be viewed below, but readers are warned that both contain graphic footage.Stop the terror, stop the bloodshed...
PS:you can watch the video below,after the quote of Romans 2....Its pretty graphic...
As in the days of Noah....

THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART...IN THE SPIRIT...

"Behold,thou art called a Jew,and restest in the law,and makest thy boast of God,
And knowest his will,and approvest the things that are more excellent,being instructed out of the law;
And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind,a light of them which are in darkness,
An instructor of the foolish,a teacher of babes,which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Thou therefore which teachest another,teachest thou not thyself?thou that preachest a man should not steal,dost thou steal?
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,dost thou commit adultery?thou that abhorrest idols,dost thou commit sacrilege?
Thou that makest thy boast of the law,through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you,as it is written.
For circumcision verily profiteth,if thou keep the law:but if thou be a breaker of the law,thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law,shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law,judge thee,who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
For he is not a Jew,which is one outwardly;neither is that circumcision,which is outward in the flesh:
But he is a Jew,which is one inwardly;and circumcision is that of the heart,in the spirit,and not in the letter;whose praise is not of men,but of God."
Romans 2:17-29

THE BRUTALITY OF TERRORISM:Emergency call,March 7,Jerusalem;WARNING:GRAPHIC!!!!!!!!!

Palestinian rocket crew hits Israeli nursery

A rocket fired by Gaza-based Palestinian terrorists landed in the yard of a day care center for one- and two-year-old children in a small community in southern Israel on Friday, causing damage but, miraculously, no injuries.The children were outside playing in the yard when local warning sirens sounded. Caregivers rushed the children into the nursery's bomb shelter just moments before the rocket struck.
Palestinian forces fired at least three more rockets and two mortars shells at other Jewish communities in the area.Senior Palestinian Authority officials told Ha'aretz this week that Hamas operatives who recently traveled to Iran for training have returned to the Gaza Strip armed with plans and blueprints for the development of locally-produced rockets with increased range, more explosive power and greater accuracy.In other Gaza violence, a Hamas gunman was killed after engaging Israeli troops along the Gaza security fence early Friday morning.
As in the days of Noah....

Russia says NATO "playing with fire" on expansion

MOSCOW-Russia warned against NATO expansion into ex-Soviet neighbors Georgia and Ukraine on Friday before a NATO summit next week that will discuss what Moscow sees as encroaching deep into its backyard.In separate comments, Foreign Minster Sergei Lavrov and a Kremlin spokesman said possible NATO membership for the two countries would have repercussions for any plans to deepen Moscow's ties to the Western military alliance.Lavrov warned Georgia against using NATO membership as a tool to regain control over its rebel regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which broke away in the 1990s and enjoy Russian support."Concerning South Ossetia and Abkhazia, if Georgia intends to gain NATO support in order to solve these two conflicts by means of force, it's a dangerous game," Lavrov told journalists."The population of South Ossetia and Abkhazia cannot think of joining NATO," he said after meeting his colleagues from the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States. "In such a complicated issue it's a dangerous game to play with fire."Georgia, whose pro-Western leaders want to move out of Moscow's orbit, seeks membership in NATO and the European Union. Ukraine also hopes the NATO summit in Bucharest next week will grant it a roadmap towards joining the alliance.The United States is backing both bids.But France, Germany and some other European nations say such a move would be untimely.Lavrov criticized further NATO expansion and characterized the western military alliance as a remnant of the Cold War.
To read more go to :
As in the days of Noah....

Condemning ‘offensively anti-Islamic’ video, Ban Ki-moon appeals for calm

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today strongly condemned the Internet broadcast of a video made by the Dutch politician Geert Wilders, describing it as “offensively anti-Islamic,” while he also called on those upset by the film to remain calm.In a statement issued by his spokesperson after last night’s airing of the film, entitled Fitna, Mr. Ban said “there is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence. The right of free expression is not at stake here.“I acknowledge the efforts of the Dutch Government to stop the broadcast of this film and appeal for calm to those understandably offended by it. Freedom must always be accompanied by social responsibility.”The Secretary-General stressed that the United Nations stands at the locus of global efforts to advance mutual respect, understanding and dialogue between different cultures, religions and groups.“We must also recognize that the real fault line is not between Muslim and Western societies, as some would have us believe, but between small minorities of extremists, on different sides, with a vested interest in stirring hostility and conflict.”In 2005 Spain and Turkey established the Alliance of Civilizations under the auspices of the UN to promote better cross-cultural relations around the world, and last year Mr. Ban appointed the former Portuguese president Jorge Sampaio as the High Representative for the Alliance.

As in the days of Noah.....

FOOD CRISIS WATCH:Jump in rice price fuels fears of unrest

Rice prices jumped 30 per cent to an all-time high on Thursday, raising fears of fresh outbreaks of social unrest across Asia where the grain is a staple food for more than 2.5bn people.The increase came after Egypt, a leading exporter, imposed a formal ban on selling rice abroad to keep local prices down, and the Philippines announced plans for a major purchase of the grain in the international market to boost supplies. Global rice stocks are at their lowest since 1976. On Friday the Indian government imposed further restrictions on the exports of rice to combat rising local inflation, with traders warning that the new regime would de facto stop all India’s non-basmati rice sales.The measures include raising the minimum price for selling abroad non-basmati rice by 53 per cent to $1,000 a tonne. Exports of premium basmati rice are likely to continue, although volumes could also suffer as the government also increased the minimum export price and scrapped export tax incentives.While prices of wheat, corn and other agricultural commodities have surged since late 2006, the increase in rice prices only started in January.The Egyptian export ban formalises a previously poorly enforced curb and follows similar restrictions imposed by Vietnam and India, the world’s second- and third-largest exporters.Cambodia, a small seller, also on Thursday announced an export ban.These foreign sales restrictions have removed about a third of the rice traded in the international market.“I have no idea how importing countries will get rice,” said Chookiat Ophaswongse, president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association. He forecast that prices would rise further.The Philippines, the world’s largest buyer of the grain, said on Thursday it wanted to purchase 500,000 tonnes after it failed to buy a similar amount earlier this month. It is struggling to import 1.8m-2.1m tonnes to cover a production shortfall and on Thursday confirmed it would tap emergency stocks maintained by Vietnam and Thailand.Rice is also a staple in Africa, particularly for small countries such as Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Senegal that have already suffered social unrest because of high food prices.Thai rice, a global benchmark, was quoted on Thursday at $760 a tonne, up about 30 per cent from the previous daily quote of about $580 a tonne, according to Reuters data. Some traders, however, said the daily jump was not as steep, adding that Thai rice had already traded at about $700 a tonne this week.Rice prices have doubled since January, when the grain traded at about $380 a tonne, boosted by strong Asian, Middle Eastern and African demand.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d6f1cd74-fc29-11dc-9229-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
As in the days of Noah....

Gore On Climate Naysayers