"A prudent man forseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished."   Proverbs 22:3 and Proverbs 27:12  KJV   Word study on this verse

UN chief warns of civil unrest amid world food shortage abc.net.au 4/31/8 ["Mr Ban says 100 million people are estimated to have been pushed into poverty over the last two years.  "We see farmers in developing countries planting less, producing less, due to the escalating cost of fertiliser and energy," he said.  Estimates are that world prices for foods like cereals, dairy, meat, sugar and oils are more than 50 per cent higher than they were at the same time last year."]
Dollar Slide Drives Budget as Japan Shuns Treasuries bloomberg.com 4/31/8 ["The Japanese, who own $586.6 billion, or 12 percent of U.S. government debt, had their worst quarter in Treasuries this decade, losing 7 percent in the first three months of the year as the dollar fell to the lowest since 1995 versus the yen, Merrill Lynch & Co. indexes show. Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Co., Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. and Sumitomo Life Insurance Co., three of the nation's four-biggest insurers, would rather accept the world's lowest bond yields in Japan than buy U.S. debt.  ...America relies on foreign investors, who own more than half the U.S. government debt outstanding, to finance a deficit..."]
Barclays Issues Warning on ‘Underwater’ Borrowers housingwire.com 4/31/8 ["None other than Barclays Capital warned Tuesday that roughly half of all subprime and Alt-A borrowers in the U.S. could soon owe more than their house is worth, or have extremely minimal equity left — a problem that is imperiling more homeowners in the States than mortgage rate resets, which have received far greater press coverage."]
Wal-Mart to cash tax rebate checks for free reuters.com 4/31/8 ["to entice U.S. shoppers to spend their tax rebates in its discount stores, offering to cash the checks for free and saying it has cut prices on staple items such as cereal and lunch meat."]
Maine: Class for kids: How to be homosexual worldnetdaily.com 4/31/8 ["A state-funded organization in Maine touted as "a stellar program for social change" is advertising a seminar that essentially provides information to impressionable school-age boys on how to be homosexual, according to a pro-family organization opposing the plans."]
State by state foreclosure filings, Q1 2008 usatoday.com 4/31/8 [""]
Scientists seek clues as Reno earthquakes keep shaking ap.google.com 4/31/8 ["What they can't say is whether the hundreds of temblors that have rattled the area for two months — the largest a magnitude 4.7 Friday night — are subsiding or a prelude to bigger things to come."]
 

Petrodollars could be panacea to US financial quagmire gulfnews.com 4/29/8 ["The year 2007 witnessed one of the largest shopping sprees by the Arab world in Wall Street which resulted in six Gulf states together controlling Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) assets of some $1.7 trillion which constitutes 50 per cent of the world's sovereign wealth fund holdings.  The trend set is clear. The void created by American investment and private equity firms which refrained from further investments due to the credit crunch which has taken its toll on the US economy, is being filled by Gulf investments. "]
Truckers protest high gasoline prices ap.google.com 4/29/8 ["Members of Truckers and Citizens United circled the National Mall before parking their rigs at RFK Stadium. From there, about 100 protesters marched and took shuttles to the Capitol, where an afternoon rally was held.  ...A similar protest in Pierre, S.D., drew about a dozen trucks. An organizer said drivers decided not to attend because they couldn't afford the diesel."]
Britain Marks 40 Years of Legalized Abortion on Sunday, No Change Likely lifenews.com 4/29/8 ["Britain's Abortion Act came into force 40 years ago, but women who have had abortions and regret their decisions join millions of unborn children as victims."]
GM to lay off 3,500 at 4 pickup truck and SUV factories ap.google.com 4/29/8 ["The world's largest automaker by sales said Monday that the cuts, to take effect starting this summer, were brought on by weak demand due to high gasoline prices and an economic downturn."]
Planned Parenthood Paints False Choice on Birth Control vs. Groceries lifenews.com 4/29/8 ["Planned Parenthood emailed its supporters on Monday urging them to contact Congress and ask for more funding for birth control. The abortion business claims college students need the funding because they're supposedly choosing between birth control and groceries."]
 

Putting pollution on grocery bills iht.com 4/28/8 ["Under longstanding trade agreements, fuel for international freight carried by sea and air is not taxed. Now, many economists, environmentalists and politicians say it is time to make shippers and shoppers pay for the pollution, through taxes or other measures."]
North Sea oil pipeline closure sparks fuel panic afp.google.com 4/28/8 ["Britain on Sunday shut down a North Sea pipeline which supplies 40 percent of its oil and gas, sparking panic-buying of petrol after a strike at a major refinery.  The start of a two-day walkout by around 1,200 workers at the Grangemouth refinery, west of Edinburgh, in Scotland, forced the neighbouring Forties pipeline to close down at the same time, operator BP said."]
 

Crucial week seen for markets iht.com 4/27/8 ["Investors who believe financial markets have a reached a turning point will get to test the thesis this week with the latest on central bank thinking, major corporate earnings and U.S. and European economic health."]
1,500 gallons of gas swiped mercurynews.com 4/27/8 [Editor:  This is just one of many news stories about the recent rise in gasoline thefts.]
Stem Rust Never Sleeps nytimes.com 4/27/8 ["The new strains of stem rust, called Ug99 because they were discovered in Uganda in 1999, are much more dangerous than those that, 50 years ago, destroyed as much as 20 percent of the American wheat crop. Today’s lush, high-yielding wheat fields on vast irrigated tracts are ideal environments for the fungus to multiply, so the potential for crop loss is greater than ever."]
Reno urged to prepare for worse as earthquakes continue ap.google.com 4/27/8 ["Seismologists said the recent activity is unusual because the quakes started out small and continue to build in strength. The normal pattern is for a main quake followed by smaller aftershocks.  "A magnitude 6 quake wouldn't be a scientific surprise," John Anderson, director of the seismological lab, said Saturday. "We certainly hope residents are taking the threat seriously after last night.""]
 

FHLB Chicago stock redemption request denied reuters.com 4/26/8 ["The Federal Housing Finance Board, which ensures the safety and soundness of the entire Federal Home Loan Bank system, in October reserved the right to approve stock redemptions based on capital adequacy, which has been under pressure."]
Aurora, Illinois Pro-Life Advocates Expected at Massive Abortion Center Protest lifenews.com 4/26/8 ["Hundreds of pro-life people are expected to turn out this weekend at the first major pro-life protest of 2008 at the new Planned Parenthood abortion center. The abortion business was the subject of controversy in 2007 because it used a fictitious name to deceive local officials about the nature of its new construction."]
Unpaid utility bills soar as economy sags usatoday.com 4/26/8 ["Hundreds of thousands of utility customers are at risk of disconnections as the sagging economy drives up the number of past-due home heating bills and the amounts owed, utility companies in cold-weather states say."]
Face scans for air passengers to begin in UK this summer guardian.co.uk 4/26/8 ["From summer, unmanned clearance gates will be phased in to scan passengers' faces and match the image to the record on the computer chip in their biometric passports."]
New home sales plunge to lowest level in 16 1/2 years ap.google.com 4/26/8 ["The median price of a new home compared to a year ago fell by the largest amount in nearly four decades."]
At Expense of All Others, Putin Picks a Church nytimes.com 4/26/8 ["Just as the government has tightened control over political life, so, too, has it intruded in matters of faith. The Kremlin’s surrogates in many areas have turned the Russian Orthodox Church into a de facto official religion, warding off other Christian denominations that seem to offer the most significant competition for worshipers. They have all but banned proselytizing by Protestants and discouraged Protestant worship through a variety of harassing measures, according to dozens of interviews with government officials and religious leaders across Russia."]
Creationist school's plea is denied by state board chron.com 4/26/8 ["Institute for Creation Research  ...The issue was whether the institute, whose leaders believe in creationism, or that the world was literally created as recounted in the Bible, could adequately prepare its graduates to teach science in middle schools and high schools. Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes had found — and board members agreed — that it could not."]
Indonesians hold major drill for bird flu pandemic ap.google.com 4/26/8 ["Indonesia has been worst affected by bird flu since it started ravaging Asian poultry stocks in late 2003, with its 107 human deaths accounting for nearly half the 240 recorded fatalities worldwide. The government has come under fire for failing to slow the spread of the virus, which is now endemic in poultry in all but two of the countries' 33 provinces."]
US Navy re-establishes fleet for Caribbean, Latin America afp.google.com 4/26/8 ["Beginning July 1, the fleet will have operational responsibility over navy ships assigned to the region from the US Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, the navy said.  Admiral Gary Roughead, the chief of naval operations, said the decision to establish a separate fleet for the region "recognizes the immense importance of maritime security in the southern part of the Western Hemisphere.""]
U.S. Navy shipbuilding program runs aground iht.com 4/26/8 ["Even as spending on new military projects has risen to its highest point since the Reagan years, being over budget and behind schedule have become the norm: a recent Government Accountability Office audit found that 95 projects - including warships, helicopters and satellites - were delayed an average of 21 months and cost 26 percent more than initially projected, a bill of $295 billion."]
 

California foreclosure "surge": Up 327% from '07 levels latimes.com 4/25/8 ["DataQuick president Marshall Prentice: "The main factor behind this foreclosure surge remains the decline in home values. Additionally, a lot of the 'loans-gone-wild' activity happened in late 2005 and 2006 and that's working its way through the system. The big 'if' right now is whether or not the economy is in recession. If it is, the foreclosure problem could spread beyond the current categories of dicey mortgages, and into mainstream home loans.""]
India's kinder, gentler debt collectors remind Americans to pay their bills iht.com 4/25/8 ["Debt collectors in India often cost about one-quarter the price of their American counterparts, and are often better at the job, debt collection company executives say."]
 

Wal-Mart restricts rice purchases news.bbc.co.uk 4/24/8 ["Sam's Club, Wal-Mart's cash-and-carry division, says customers can buy a maximum of four bags per visit.  ...The international price of rice has risen by 68% this year and Wal-Mart said the restrictions were "due to recent supply and demand trends"."]
Harper warns U.S. that Canada will bite back on NAFTA theglobeandmail.com 4/24/8 ["Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a warning yesterday to future U.S. leaders wanting to renegotiate the North American free-trade agreement, saying Canada would drive a tougher bargain because of its position as America's biggest energy supplier."]
Israel: Court applies Law of Return to Messianic Jews because of fathers jpost.com 4/24/8 ["Messianic Jews are entitled to Israeli citizenship according to the Law of Return if their father is Jewish, according to a precedent-setting ruling handed down last week by the High Court of Justice.  Fifteen years ago, the court rejected a petition by Messianic Jews who demanded to be recognized as Jews so as to automatically receive Israeli citizenship according to the Law of Return. In that landmark case, the court ruled that Messianic Jews had converted, and therefore were no longer Jewish. "]
The end of cheap clothes is near news.bbc.co.uk 4/24/8 ["In the US, ever more cotton farmers are switching to more lucrative crops - soybeans, corn, and wheat - whose market prices are rising even faster.  The prices of these crops have been pushed higher by a mixture of subsidies, growing demand from biofuel producers and market speculation.  "Cotton is taking its cue from whatever the other [commodity] markets are doing," according to a US commodities broker. "]
 

Parents, 54 Unique Benefits of Homeschooling newswithviews.com 4/23/8 [By Joel Turtel  "Public schools can destroy your children’s self-esteem, destroy their ability to read, strangle their love of learning, put them in physical and moral danger, and wreck their future."]
In lean times, biotech grains are less taboo iht.com 4/23/8 ["In Japan and South Korea, some manufacturers for the first time have begun buying genetically engineered corn for use in soft drinks, snacks and other foods. Until now, to avoid consumer backlash, the companies have paid extra to buy conventionally grown corn. But with prices having tripled in two years, it has become too expensive to be so finicky."]
United Airlines shares plummet on 1Q loss, planned cuts ap.google.com 4/23/8 ["The loss, in what UAL called an "extraordinarily difficult" environment for airlines, was the biggest since the nation's second-largest carrier emerged from bankruptcy in 2006 and worse than Wall Street expected. Shares in the company plummeted 34 percent to $14.06 in morning trading.  UAL said its nearly 8 percent growth in revenue from the first quarter of 2007 was more than offset by a $618 million jump in fuel costs, which rose nearly 50 percent in a year."]
Children's Hospital Boston Offers "Sex Change" to Adolescents lifesitenews.com 4/23/8 [""Unique in the Western hemisphere, the clinic will also care for children and young adults who present as transgendered - those who have no known anatomic or biochemical disorder, yet feel like a member of the opposite sex," stated the Pediatric Views, a publication of the CHB."]
The trillion-dollar mortgage time bomb cnn.com 4/23/8 ["Risks are rising that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may need a government bailout that could cost far more than previous rescues.  ...at the end of January, 82% of all mortgages in the U.S. were backed by one of the firms, up from only 46% in the second quarter of 2007.  Fannie and Freddie primarily back so-called conforming loans, those made to borrowers with good credit and large down payments. But even limited exposure to subprime loans hasn't stopped them from running up huge losses as home prices tumbled and foreclosures soared."]
Temple rebuilt ynetnews.com 4/23/8 ["New museum with Temple replica to be erected opposite Western Wall. Project’s sponsors include actors Kirk, Michael Douglas "]
Load Up the Pantry wsj.com 4/23/8 ["Reality: Food prices are already rising here much faster than the returns you are likely to get from keeping your money in a bank or money-market fund. And there are very good reasons to believe prices on the shelves are about to start rising a lot faster.  ...Even the best one-year certificate of deposit you can find is only going to pay you about 4.1%, according to Bankrate.com. And those yields are before tax.  Meanwhile the most recent government data shows food inflation for the average American household is now running at 4.5% a year.  And some prices are rising even more quickly. The latest data show..."]
 

National Day of Silence to be Held in Record 6,000 Schools on Friday earthtimes.org 4/22/8 ["...to bring attention to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools."]
"Gay" Sex Kills lifesitenews.com 4/22/8 [by J. Matt Barber   ""In light of the irrefutable medical facts, it should be considered criminally reckless for educators to teach children that homosexual conduct is a normal, safe and perfectly acceptable alternative form of sexual expression (or 'sexual orientation'). "  ...Consider that, according to the Food and Drug Administration, MSM, "have an HIV prevalence 60 times higher than the general population, 800 times higher than first time blood donors and 8,000 times higher than repeat blood donors." Adults and children who engage in homosexual conduct, especially males, are also susceptible, at an astronomical rate, to nearly all other forms of sexually transmitted disease (STD). For example, the Hepatitis B virus is about five to six times more prevalent among "gays," and Hepatitis C is twice as common. "]
Vt. commission stops short of recommending gay marriage boston.com 4/22/8 ["A special commission appointed by legislative leaders to study same-sex marriage stopped just short in its final report Monday of recommending that the state become the second in the country -- after Massachusetts -- to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry.  The Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection was appointed last summer to study whether Vermont, which became the first jurisdiction in the United States to offer legal recognition to same-sex couples with its civil union law in 2000, should take the next step."]
Bank of America's 1Q profit shrinks amid economic worries ap.google.com 4/22/8 ["If the 77 percent drop in Bank of America's first-quarter earnings is any indication, the economy may have a long way to go before it works out the problems that began with the subprime mortgage crisis.  The nation's largest retail bank on Monday quintupled the money it set aside for loans that go sour, and hinted that consumer weakness and the housing slump means that things will not get better for it, or for the economy, for some time."]
Gas prices are the highest they have ever been usatoday.com 4/22/8 ["...eclipsing the inflation-adjusted peak of $3.413 set in March 1981, when the average was $1.417, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.  ...Gasoline sales have fallen 2% to 11% every month since December at 13 gasoline retailers scattered across the USA and who are not direct competitors, according to Jay Ricker, member of a study group that includes the 13."]
North American leaders meet on NAFTA afp.google.com 4/22/8 ["The trade pact, one of the largest in the world, has been a frequent target of labor union charges that it has helped bleed the United States of manufacturing jobs."]
Bank of England Swaps Bonds to Revive Bank Lending bloomberg.com 4/22/8 ["The measures, backed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown's government, mimic a swap of $200 billion of securities by the U.S. Federal Reserve last month as central banks around the world struggle to prop up financial markets. A surge in borrowing costs prompted U.K. banks to withdraw their best mortgage offers, threatening to exacerbate the worst housing downturn since 1992."]
Russia writes off Libya's Soviet-era debt janes.com 4/22/8 ["Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to the North African state and followed the 14 April announcement that the two countries were discussing military contracts valued at a total of USD2.5 billion.  Jane's reported that the list of materiel included "several squadrons" of Russian anti-aircraft missile system, the S-300 PMU2 Favorit; about 20 Tor-M1 and Buk-M1-2 anti-aircraft missile systems; two aircraft squadrons - one Mikoyan MiG-29 SMT and one Sukhoi Su-30MK - and several dozen Mil Mi-17, Mi-35 and Kamov Ka-52 helicopters. "]
Japan:  Honda Overlays Crime Data on SatNav Systems pcmag.com 4/22/8 ["What works in Japan may have trouble getting off the ground in the U.S., however.  Japan is a comparatively homogenous country, and criminals look more or less like the rest of the population, give or take a few scars, tattoos, or missing fingers. In the U.S., automakers have privately said it's not a big problem acquiring and overlaying crime data onto navigation systems, and it would be the kind of information that would benefit from being updated in real time, rather than relying on disc-based data that might be several years out of date. "]
Food Rationing Confronts Breadbasket of the World nysun.com 4/22/8 ["Major retailers in New York, in areas of New England, and on the West Coast are limiting purchases of flour, rice, and cooking oil as demand outstrips supply. There are also anecdotal reports that some consumers are hoarding grain stocks."]
 

OPEC chief: Oil prices would go higher regardless of supply ap.google.com 4/21/8 [""But how much higher it will go, of course it depends on a number of things: the political situation, whether there is a natural catastrophe, whether there are speculations in the market, whether there are strikes in certain producing countries. So there are many other factors other than OPEC production," al-Badri said."]
 

Bank of England announces $100b bank rescue package abc.net.au 4/20/8 ["The cash package is designed to help banks cope with the after effects of the subprime mortgage crisis in the United States.  Britain's banks have for years raised vital finance by selling tens of billions of pounds of mortgages to international investors."]
RBS mulls writedown as high as $14 billion reuters.com 4/20/8 ["Royal Bank of Scotland's board is due to meet this weekend to discuss writedowns as high as 7 billion pounds ($14 billion) and a rights issue of as much as 12 billion, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.  The rights issue, which could be Europe's largest, comes as pressure grows on global banking giants to shore up battered balance sheets, but it would mark a radical u-turn for Britain's second-largest bank and the first major fundraising for a UK lender since the start of the credit crunch."]
 

President Bush Lets His Love for the Pope Show at Catholic Prayer Breakfast lifesitenews.com 4/19/8 ["...it was a special moment to be able to visit with the Holy Father in the Oval Office. He is a humble servant of God. He is a brilliant professor. He is a warm and generous soul."  The President specified the attributes which he appreciates in Benedict XVI. "He is courageous in the defense of fundamental truths. His Holiness believes..."    Editor:  In John 17:11, Jesus addresses His Father as "Holy Father" - this title is only for God, not for some idolatrous sinner.  Jesus even went so far as to warn us that that title was for God only!  Matthew 23:9 warns, "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."  In regards to the blasphemy of that sinner calling himself "His Holiness" March 10:18 again warns, "And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God."]
UN food aid agency's gap grows swissinfo.ch 4/19/8 ["In February, WFP announced it needed extra donations to help cover a $500 million shortfall, driven by soaring food and fuel costs, and avoid cutting back food aid deliveries in 2008.  Since then, costs have spiked even more even as tight crop supplies and high food prices intensify hunger, WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said on Friday, bringing the total shortfall for this year to $755 million."]
China passes US as second-biggest exporter timesonline.co.uk 4/19/8 ["Another stellar performance by China, which recorded a 26 per cent rise in its merchandise exports to $1.2 trillion, enabled it to surge ahead of the US to be ranked the world's second biggest exporter and is breathing down the neck of top-placed Germany."]
Wall St. braces for thousands of pink slips reuters.com 4/19/8 ["So far this year, 36,000 job cuts have been announced in the U.S. financial services sector, according to job placement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. The figure does not include Citi's announcement on Friday to cut another 9,000 jobs."]
Asian food crisis has political and civil implications iht.com 4/19/8 ["The price of rice, which on world markets surged 165 percent over the past year, is being closely watched as a barometer of potential unrest.  "Rice is a political commodity," said Kwanchai Gomez, the executive director of the Thai Rice Foundation, a research center. "It's not only an economic one."  In the Philippines, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is scrambling to ensure that there is enough subsidized rice available for the poor."]
 

China to Raise Fertilizer Export Tax to Boost Supply bloomberg.com 4/18/8 ["China, the world's largest grain producer, will increase export duties on all fertilizers and some related raw materials by 100 percentage points to ensure domestic supply for farmers during the main growing season.  ...If China effectively restricts exporting fertilizers, it could be ``fatal'' to global supplies of some products, such as ammonium phosphate, as it supplies between 20 to 30 percent of global trade volume of the plant feed, Xu said."]
The Prodigal Nation newswithviews.com 4/18/8 [By Coach Dave Daubenmire  "As I was thinking about this yesterday it reminded me of the story of the Prodigal Son. Take time to read it, only replace “son” with “nation.” “And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat:  If we continue down this road, America we will end up “eating the husks.”"]
Bush calls for halt in growth of emissions sfgate.com 4/18/8 ["...called Wednesday for a halt in the growth of U.S. greenhouse gases by 2025 and said emissions from power plants should peak in the next 10 to 15 years - the first time he has set specific targets for limiting emissions that contribute to global warming."]
Looming Deficit Impedes Federal Housing Agency nytimes.com 4/18/8 ["Housing officials say the agency will face a deficit for the first time in its 74-year history, starting in the fiscal year that begins in October. And they blame a rapidly growing and increasingly troubled sector of the F.H.A.’s mortgage portfolio, known as the seller-financed down payment loan program, which has suffered from high delinquency and foreclosure rates in recent years."]
Bangladesh army feeds troops potatoes reuters.com 4/18/8 ["More than half a million Bangladeshi troops have been ordered to eat potatoes in an attempt to ease the impact of surging rice and wheat prices.  ...Bangladesh was hit last year by two severe floods and a cyclone that destroyed around 3 million tonnes of food grains, raising fears of a possible famine."]
Feds to collect DNA from every person they arrest abcnews.go.com 4/18/8 ["Using authority granted by Congress, the government also plans to collect DNA samples from foreigners who are detained, whether they have been charged or not. The DNA would be collected through a cheek swab, Justice Department spokesman Erik Ablin said Wednesday. That would be a departure from current practice, which limits DNA collection to convicted felons.  Expanding the DNA database, known as CODIS, raises civil liberties questions about the potential for misuse of such personal information, such as family ties and genetic conditions."]
Congress moves to calm student loan turmoil reuters.com 4/18/8 ["The student loan business is in disarray because of fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis, as well as deep cuts in federal subsidies paid to federally guaranteed student loan providers that were approved last year by Congress.  The House bill would also let the Education Department buy federal student loans from lenders unable to sell them on the largely paralyzed secondary market, and funnel loan capital to colleges through state guaranty agencies."]
Congress tackles credit card reform cnn.com 4/18/8 ["Thursday's hearing, which marked the fourth time in the past year that House lawmakers tackled the issue, has become an issue that has taken on more relevance as Americans face rising unemployment, rising inflation and have had to increasingly rely on their credit cards to make ends meet.  Based on the most recent data from the Federal Reserve, the average American family carries an average of $2,200 in credit card debt."]
Dutch Govt' to Marriage Commissioners: Won't do Gay "Marriages"? Then No Natural Marriages Either lifesitenews.com 4/18/8 ["The Netherlands equality commissioners have ruled that if a civil marriage commissioner refuses to conduct wedding ceremonies for homosexual partners, they must be barred from conducting ceremonies between men and women as well."]
National Gypsum to close morningjournal.com 4/18/8 ["''The wallboard industry is down about 30 percent nationwide due to the housing correction,'' Spurlock said. ''We're closing the Lorain plant temporarily because of business conditions.''"]
Merrill Lynch announces job cuts after $2 billion loss iht.com 4/18/8 ["...announced that it would lay off about 2,900 additional workers. Including about 1,000 jobs already eliminated this year, the company's work force is to shrink by 10 percent, or about 4,000 jobs, over the course of 2008.  The bank reported worst-than-expected earnings for the first quarter, including $6.5 billion in write-downs and adjustments to assets in its mortgage, leveraged finance and other divisions. The write-downs bring the total taken by Merrill Lynch in the last three quarters to more than $30 billion."]
 

Euro Just Half Cent From $1.60 wsj.com 4/17/8 ["The euro rose as high as $1.5980 after the inflation data came out."]
Biggest grain exporters halt foreign sales ninemsn.com.au 4/17/8 ["The global food crisis intensified on Tuesday as Kazakhstan, one of the world's biggest wheat exporters halted foreign sales and rice prices shot to a record high after Indonesia stopped its farmers from selling the grain abroad."]
As Australia dries, the world suffers iht.com 4/17/8 ["The Deniliquin mill, the largest rice mill in the Southern Hemisphere, once processed enough grain to satisfy the daily needs of 20 million people. But six long years of drought have taken a toll, reducing Australia's rice crop by 98 percent and leading to the mothballing of the mill last December."]
Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo warn 'delusional' investors on stocks telegraph.co.uk 4/17/8 ["David Kostin, the chief US investment guru for Goldman Sachs, expects the S&P 500 index of Wall Street equities to plummet a further 15pc over the "near term" as companies scramble to lower their outlook for this year.  "Although only a few firms have reported first quarter results, early signs are awful. We expect a swath of lowered profit guidance," he said in a research note published today, entitled 'Fasten Seatbelts'."]
Oil futures jump to record over $115 on supply concerns abcnews.go.com 4/17/8 ["Oil prices were also boosted by the falling dollar, which declined to a new low against the euro on Wednesday. Many investors buy commodities such as oil as a hedge against inflation and a falling greenback. A weaker dollar also makes oil cheaper to investors overseas."]
'I'm a parent, arrest me,' woman tells lawmakers worldnetdaily.com 4/17/8 ["The proposal next goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, the body that halted last year's plan by Lieber because of the expected costs, and the status of California's red-drenched state checkbook.  "This bad bill labels tens of thousands of good fathers and good mothers as violent child abusers," Thomasson said. "Under AB 2943, all mandatory reporters, including teachers, police officers, social workers, counselors and clergy, must be trained to see parents who spank as potential child abusers. The fact that Sally Lieber wants to order good parents into a 'nonviolent parental education class' demonstrates that she thinks parents who spank are violent child abusers.""]
Police on high alert ahead of Passover, Israel 60 celebrations ynetnews.com 4/17/8 ["Police have raised their alert level throughout the country on Wednesday ahead of the Passover holiday and a series of events related to Israel’s 60th anniversary celebrations.  ...Police forces are also preparing for the arrival of 20 heads of state to Israel, including US president George W. Bush, for a conference hosted by President Shimon Peres"]
Council of Europe Declares Unlimited Abortion an Unconditional Right for all of Europe lifesitenews.com 4/17/8 ["The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has passed a resolution to declare unlimited legal abortion an unconditional right. The Assembly passed the resolution with 102 to 69 votes with 14 abstentions. Amendments seeking to make the resolution less extreme in its promotion of abortion were rejected.  ...The Assembly, the oldest of the pan-European organisations, has no power to compel compliance among member states, but its recommendations are nonetheless influential in other bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights."]
Wholesale prices soared in March ap.google.com 4/17/8 ["Inflation at the wholesale level soared in March at nearly triple the rate that had been forecast as energy prices kept rising and food costs posted a much bigger jump than anticipated.  The Labor Department reported Tuesday that wholesale prices rose by 1.1 percent last month, the largest increase since a 2.6 percent rise last November."]
 

 Foreclosures jump 57 percent in last 12 months reuters.com 4/16/8 ["Home foreclosure filings surged 57 percent in the 12 month-period ended in March and bank repossessions soared 129 percent from a year ago, as homeowners struggled to make mortgage payments, real estate data firm RealtyTrac said on Tuesday."]
 "Truth Booth" Shows Fetal Development in Ohio Mall lifesitenews.com 4/16/8 [""Being unmanned will actually help people just wander up to it. They won't feel threatened. They won't feel like there's any pressure. Any preachiness or debate that will take place…They'll debate this within their own minds," explained said Paige Scarlett, development director of Foundation for Life."]
 School coach violated religion ban in prayer ritual: US court afp.google.com 4/16/8 ["A football coach violated a ban on teaching religion in public schools when he joined his players in kneeling and head-bowing rituals before games, a US appeals court ruled Tuesday.  The decision could have national implications and may ultimately affect thousands of schools throughout the United States, many of which are believed to employ coaches who engage in prayer with their teams."]
 

 US banks set to offer fresh apologies as losses rack up google.com 4/15/8 ["Some of America's biggest banks are due to release their latest earnings this week, but investors are likely to be disappointed as many banks are expected to announce fresh losses.  Wachovia bank set the tone Monday, as it revealed a first quarter loss of 350 million dollars which it largely blamed on the ailing US housing market, but also on mounting auto loan defaults."]
 Europe Demands More Say in World Economy ap.google.com 4/15/8 ["...as the euro continues gaining ground as the world's second major currency.  EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said the rest of the world now sees the euro currency zone as "a pole of stability" and the currency could become even more important.  The euro is now second to the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency held by foreign investors..."]
Wal-Mart Toughens Gun Policies ap.google.com 4/15/8 ["J.P. Suarez, the chief compliance officer for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., appeared with outspoken gun control advocate Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York to announce the changes at a gathering of Bloomberg's group Mayors Against Illegal Guns.  ...Retaining the recorded images of gun sales in case law enforcement wants to view them later as part of an investigation."]
 U.S. retail chains caught in a wave of bankruptcies iht.com 4/15/8 ["But the troubles are quickly spreading to bigger national companies, like Linens 'n Things, the bedding and furniture retailer with 500 stores in 47 states. It may file for bankruptcy as early as this week, according to people briefed on the matter.  Even retailers that can avoid bankruptcy are shutting down stores to preserve cash through what could be a long economic downturn. Over the next year, Foot Locker said it would close 140 stores, Ann Taylor will start to shutter 117 and the jeweler Zales will close 100.  ...retailers rely heavily on borrowed money to finance their purchases of merchandise and even to meet payrolls during slow periods. Yet the nation's banks, struggling with the growing mortgage crisis, have started to balk at extending new loans, effectively cutting up the retail industry's collective credit cards."]
 Retail gasoline, diesel prices set records reuters.com 4/15/8 ["The price of crude oil accounts for about 70 percent of the cost for making gasoline."]
 Idaho Becomes First State to Criminalize Coercing a Woman to Have an Abortion lifesitenews.com 4/15/8 ["House Bill 654 criminalizes any physical harm or threats used with the intention of inducing an abortion.  Thanks to the new law, "a woman or girl wronged by a predator or abusive partner would not have to wait upon the mercies of some prosecuting attorney to seek justice - even after an abortion. In fact, the language of the law allows a woman to seek civil damages even if she doesn't undergo an abortion," explained an Idaho Chooses Life web report."]
 US in $200m food crisis response news.bbc.co.uk 4/15/8 [""This additional food aid will address the impact of rising commodity prices on US emergency food aid programmes and be used to meet unanticipated food aid needs in Africa and elsewhere," the White House said in a statement."]
 Russia: President-elect may turn Russia on its head - literally iht.com 4/15/8 ["President-elect Dmitri Medvedev has joined the thousands of Russians eager to learn the ancient Indian art of yoga.  ...Prohibited during the Soviet era due to its connection with Hindu religious practices, yoga is becoming more and more popular in Russia. Yoga centers are opening every month in Moscow"]
 

 Obama promises 'gays' 'strongest possible bill' worldnetdaily.com 4/14/8 [" In a sit-down interview with the "gay" magazine the Advocate, Sen. Barack Obama said, if elected, he foresees eliminating the military's "don't ask, don't tell policy" and passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, opposed by many faith-based groups that argue it would force them to accept homosexuals in leadership.  Obama indicated he wants the bill to include protection for transgenders..."]
 Christian photographers fined for refusing same-sex ceremony worldnetdaily.com 4/14/8 ["The state of New Mexico has ordered a family owned photography company to pay more than $6,600 for declining a demand to take pictures at a same-sex ceremony, and a lawyer who is working on an appeal says it is an example of how "non-discrimination" or "hate" laws can be weapons in the hands of homosexual activists."]
 U.S. lenders freeze home equity credit lines iht.com 4/14/8 ["Reeling from losses on their wretched loan decisions of recent years, lenders are preventing borrowers with pristine credit and significant equity in their homes from tapping into credit lines that they paid dearly to secure.  In the past 30 days, lenders have sent several hundred thousand letters advising borrowers that their home equity lines of credit are frozen..."]
 Paulson says food price controls won't work reuters.com 4/14/8 ["...warned on Sunday that governments should resist temptation to try to control soaring food costs through price controls, which he said would likely make the situation worse."]
 World Bank echoes food cost alarm bbc.co.uk 4/14/8 ["The price of staple crops such as wheat, rice and corn have all risen, leading to an increase in overall food prices of 83% in the last three years, the World Bank has said.  The sharp rises have led to protests and unrest in many countries, including Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, the Philippines and Indonesia. "]
 Bangladesh workers riot over soaring food prices breitbart.com 4/14/8 ["...involved around 10,000 workers from several garment factories, adding, "They became unruly demanding higher wages, saying their current wages don't even meet basic food needs."  The government says food prices, notably the staple rice, have doubled in the last year, caused by a massive shortfall in production after devastating floods and a cyclone last year. "]
 Lehman Makes Move to Turn Unsold Debt to Cash cnbc.com 4/14/8 ["The bank used a relatively small amount of those securities as collateral for a low-interest, short-term cash loan from the Federal Reserve.  The move should give Lehman more money to finance its activities but also raises questions about the quality of the collateral the Federal Reserve is receiving from dealers to which it lends money.  "There's a significant hazard to the Federal Reserve taking poor assets onto its balance sheet," said James Ellman, president of hedge fund Seacliff Capital in San Francisco. "]
 US banks Citigroup and Merrill Lynch reveal fresh $15bn loss timesonline.co.uk 4/14/8 ["Huge exposure to American mortgages is expected to result in Citi taking a $10 billion hit to its accounts, dragging the bank to a first-quarter loss of almost $3 billion. Some analysts believe Citi’s write-downs could stretch to as much as $12 billion.  Merrill will suffer $5 billion of write-downs, analysts say, which would push the bank $2.7 billion into the red. "]
 High diesel prices squeeze truckers csmonitor.com 4/14/8 ["While all Americans are facing sticker shock at the pump these days, truckers have been hit particularly hard, watching the cost of diesel skyrocket past gasoline. The national average for diesel is hovering just above $4 a gallon, due to high crude-oil prices and rising demand for diesel, especially in China and Europe. Truckers often pay close to $1,000 to fill up a tank that might have cost $600 to fill a few years ago."]
 

 Economists: Abortion Didn't Decrease Crime, UK Stats Show Increase lifenews.com 4/11/8 ["The three focused on England because abortions have been legal there longer (1969 versus 1973 for the United States) and because the British health system requires all abortions be reported to the government, unlike in the U.S.  "As a result, data on (legal) abortions are complete and of high quality," the trio wrote in their report on the VoxEU web site.  The economists evaluated both violent and nonviolent (property) crimes in the U.S. and England and found violent crimes in the UK increasing steadily over the years following legalized abortion."]
 O Jerusalem! America drafts plan to cut in 2 worldnetdaily.com 4/11/8 ["To demonstrate the level of U.S. involvement, the source pointed to recent U.S. supervision of Israeli commitments to dismantle about 50 West Bank anti-terror roadblocks and to bulldoze what are called illegal outposts, or West Bank Jewish communities constructed without government permits.  "The U.S. oversaw the removal of each and every roadblock, making sure the roadblocks were actually removed," said the source."]
 EU urged to ban food additives over child hyperactivity fears afp.google.com 4/11/8 ["A study published in September in the British science review, The Lancet, found that a cocktail of artificial colours and the commonly-used preservative sodium benzoate are linked to hyperactivity in children."]
 

 Oprah And The Gospel Of Me newswithviews.com 4/10/8 [By Paul Proctor  "...Christians today are gradually and carefully being led astray from true faith in Christ – even in their own churches – through their feelings and opinions – their egos and experiences – by pragmatism and consensus..."]
 McDonald's Throws up A Smoke Screen to Cover Support for Homosexual Agenda lifesitenews.com 4/10/8 ["While McDonald's did not disclose the amount of money given to the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) in order to have Ellis placed on NGLCC Board of Directors, the McDonald's logo now appears on the NGLCC website under the heading of "Corporate Partners & Organizational Allies", which certainly does seem like aggressive promotion of the homosexual agenda."]
 As prices rise, U.S. farmers abandon conservation iht.com 4/10/8 ["For years, the problem with cropland was that there was too much of it, which kept food prices low to the benefit of consumers and the detriment of farmers.  Now, because of a growing global middle class as well as federal mandates to turn large amounts of corn into ethanol-based fuel, food prices are beginning to jump. Cropland is suddenly in heavy demand, a situation that is fraying old alliances, inspiring new ones and putting pressure on the Agriculture Department, which is being lobbied by all sides without managing to satisfy any of them."]
 Democrats to push second economic stimulus reuters.com 4/10/8 ["Hoping to build on a $168-billion economic stimulus bill already enacted, Hoyer said new legislation would focus on broadening food stamps for the poor, extending jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed and investing in construction and other public works projects to create domestic jobs."]
 Gas, Oil Prices Hit New Records ap.google.com 4/10/8 ["The EIA report, closely watched by the futures market, also said crude oil supplies fell by a surprising 3.2 million barrels last week; analysts surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires, on average, had expected an increase of 2.4 million barrels."]
 

 Fed Auctions Another $50 Billion breitbart.com 4/9/8 ["...has auctioned another $50 billion to cash-strapped banks at an interest rate of 2.820 percent.  It marked the ninth in a series of auctions that began in December that so far have pumped $310 billion in short-term loans into the nation's banking system. "]
 Who caused the world food crisis? nationalpost.com 4/9/8 ["...the G8 -- home of the world's leading biofuels subsidies -- is being called on to do something. At the World Bank, president Robert B. Zoellick last week proposed a "New Deal for Global Food Policy." The bank estimates that 33 countries face potential social unrest because of the "acute hike in food and energy prices.""]
 WaMu gets $7 bln infusion, cuts jobs, sees loss reuters.com 4/9/8 ["Washington Mutual Inc, battered by mortgage delinquencies and defaults, said Tuesday it obtained a $7 billion capital injection from private equity firm TPG Inc and other investors, but projected a $1.1 billion quarterly loss and set plans to eliminate 3,000 jobs.  The largest U.S. savings-and-loan also said it will close its 186 stand-alone home lending offices and stop offering loans through mortgage brokers by the end of June."]
 Citigroup, Wells Fargo May Loan Less After Downgrades bloomberg.com 4/9/8 ["Credit ratings on $704 billion of bonds have been cut this year following the collapse of the U.S. housing market. Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., said last week that downgrades may compromise bank capital ratios enough that some of the largest institutions will no longer be considered well capitalized."]
 

 Could we really run out of food? msn.com 4/8/8 ["Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan in recent weeks have restricted wheat exports as well, slapping on big tariffs to make sure shelves are stocked in their homelands amid soaring prices. A major Russian grains-company chief told Reuters that his country "is in a condition that has never happened before." Higher prices are not meeting any resistance from desperate buyers.  Most unusual about this phenomenon, according to BMO Financial Group strategist Don Coxe, is that until now, food crises in world history were regional concerns that arose from crop failures, war or pests. Once global trade of grains got going in the 19th century in a major way, food shortages in one country were ameliorated by imports, he said. What's happening now is a lack of supply everywhere at once."]
 Is India facing a food crisis? bbc.co.uk 4/8/8 ["In the capital, Delhi, milk costs 11% more than last year. Edible oil prices have climbed by a whopping 40% over the same period.  More crucially, rice prices have risen by 20% and prices of certain lentils by 18%. Rice and lentils comprise the staple diet for many Indians.   ...At least 10,000 farmers have committed suicide each year over the last decade because of their inability of repay loans taken at usurious rates of interest from local moneylenders."]
 Putin to become ruling party leader, PM afp.google.com 4/8/8 ["...as well as prime minister after he steps down from the presidency on May 7, the speaker of parliament said Monday.  "I will propose to Vladimir Putin that he takes over the leadership of United Russia," said Boris Gryzlov, the current head of the party, which controls a two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament, the Duma."]
 Food Prices Soar as Farmers Bail on Corn moneymorning.com 4/8/8 ["The price of corn has surged 35% in the past year. And Terry Franci, a senior economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said last week that corn prices will continue to rise. In fact, Franci thinks that after averaging between $2 and $3 a bushel for decades, prices could climb as high as $6 a bushel - a threefold increase from 2005."]
 Washington Mutual seen near $5 bln TPG deal reuters.com 4/8/8 ["the largest U.S. savings and loan, is close to obtaining a $5 billion injection from investors led by private equity firm TPG Inc"]
 1 Year of Legal Abortion in Mexico: 6400 Legal Abortions, 22 Injuries, 8 Dead Mothers lifesitenews.com 4/8/8 ["Provida is among a group of organizations that requested that the Mexican Supreme Court hold public hearings on the legalization of abortion, a measure the Mexican Supreme Court has agreed to. Serrano Limón says that he will give "scientific evidence" to the justices to show that life begins from the moment of fertilization, according to the Mexican publication El Economista."]
 Jefferson County, Alabama narrowly avoids bond default al.com 4/8/8 ["to stave off the possibility of the nation's largest municipal bankruptcy."]
 Feds Backtracking: An Admission On National ID newswithviews.com 4/8/8 [By Devvy Kidd  "Many Americans believe the push for a national ID came about because of 911. The same applies to the nefarious and unnecessary Department of Homeland Security. Wrong on both accounts. Back on July 22, 1999, Wired.com carried an article titled: 'Your license or your life':  "At a hearing Thursday, the House Immigration subcommittee will debate the future of modified driver licenses, which detractors derisively call a "national ID card." "]
 Australia incest pair in TV plea news.bbc.co.uk 4/8/8 [""John and I are in this relationship as consenting adults. We are just asking for a little bit of respect and understanding.""  Editor:  Signs of the times.  Much more of this sick filth will become 'mainstream' and 'accepted']
 Former German Minister Offers Killing Machine for Terminally Ill dw-world.de 4/8/8 ["Presenting his machine to reporters on Friday, March 28, former Hamburg Justice Minister Roger Kusch said that it would give terminally ill people in Germany a chance to end their lives instead of forcing them to travel to Switzerland, where assisted suicide is legal."]
 Key scientist sure "God particle" will be found soon reuters.com 4/8/8 ["Scientists at the centre hope the process will produce clear signs of the boson, dubbed the "God particle" by some, to the displeasure of Higgs, an atheist.  He came up with his theory to explain why mass disappears as matter is broken down to its smallest constituent parts -- molecules, atoms and quarks."  Editor: Col. 1:16-17 tells us, "...by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." ]
 Ailing IMF seeks to sell 403 tonnes of gold to boost coffers afp.google.com 4/8/8 ["The sale, amounting to some 12 percent of its gold reserves, could yield around 11 billion dollars, IMF officials said, supporting a reorganization of the institution as it seeks to survive a downturn in lending to troubled countries, its main income source."]
 

 Bankruptcies Jump 30% in March, Led by Housing-Bust States bloomberg.com 4/7/8 ["The states most affected by the housing recession, including California, Nevada and Florida, were among those with the largest increases in bankruptcies.  They are also among states where unemployment rates exceed the national average. The jobless rate in California is 5.7 percent and Nevada's is 5.5 percent in February."]
 Jobs slashed, pointing to recession yahoo.com 4/7/8 ["When government hiring was removed, the numbers looked even worse. Private employers shed 98,000 jobs in March."]
 Payroll figures show an economy tumbling seattletimes.nwsource.com 4/7/8 ["The dismal jobs report renewed talk of economic stimulus. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she would propose a second such package. Hers would supplement the $150 billion in tax rebates to be mailed to millions of Americans beginning in May.  In separate statements Friday, Democratic presidential rivals Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama supported another stimulus package and an extension of unemployment benefits..."]
 Egyptian Workers Riot Over Rising Prices ap.google.com 4/7/8 ["Nearly 40 percent Egypt's 76 million people live below or near the poverty line of $2 a day. The prices of staples such as cooking oil and rice have nearly doubled in recent months, amid widespread shortages of government-subsidized bread."]
 Gulf banks stick to 2010 single currency target afp.google.com 4/7/8 ["The leaders of the oil-rich Gulf bloc decided during a summit in Qatar in December to stick to the 2010 deadline, but doubts about whether they can meet the target grew after Kuwait unilaterally dropped its currency's link to the US dollar last May and opted for a basket of currencies, and Oman said it would not join the scheme."]
 Want A Dumb, Non-Reading Child?  Keep Them In Public School newswithviews.com 4/7/8 ["Thirty percent of Americans functionally illiterate. The child who is taught phonics is able to read thousands of words in a few semesters. The “whole-word” child-victim is able to “recognize” only a few hundred words. Thus we have the crash in reading skills, the dumbing-down of our kids, the millions of frustrated teens who drop out of school, turn to crime, and end up in prison because they can’t get a decent job."]
 

 Leaders call for urgent financial reforms reuters.com 4/6/8 ["The leaders, also including South African President Thabo Mbeki, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, gathered just before key Group of Seven and IMF meetings in Washington next week which will discuss the financial turbulence.  ...Brown is pressing for global, rather than national supervision of financial markets and for banks to come clean on the losses they have suffered due to the sub-prime crisis."]
 Unsold Homes Tie Down Would-Be Transplants nytimes.com 4/6/8 ["Now that mobility is increasingly restricted. Unable to sell their homes easily and move on, tens of thousands of people like Mr. Kirkland and Dr. Morgan are making the labor force less flexible just as a weakening economy puts pressure on workers to move to wherever companies are still hiring.    ...“You hear a lot about foreclosure and the thousands of families who are being forced out,” said Joseph S. Tracy, director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. “But that is swamped by the number of people who want to sell their homes and can’t.”"]
 

 US job losses deepen in March as employers cut 80,000 posts afp.google.com 4/5/8 ["The mounting job losses swelled the national unemployment rate to 5.1 percent last month compared with 4.8 percent in February."]
 MBIA Loses AAA Insurer Rating From Fitch Over bloomberg.com 4/5/8 ["MBIA, the world's largest financial guarantor, would need as much as $3.8 billion more in capital to deserve an AAA, New York-based Fitch said today in a report. The outlook is negative, Fitch said."]
 Wall St trauma cuts their New York tax bills: Governor reuters.com 4/5/8 ["New York gets about 20 percent of its tax revenues from banks and brokerages, which had already written off more than $150 billion of investments due to the subprime quagmire before the first quarter ended on March 31.  Many other states and countries around the world could also see tax revenues slide."]
 Food Price Inflation Changes How We Shop chicagotribune.com 4/5/8 ["Record-high energy, corn and wheat prices in the past year have led to sticker shock in the grocery aisles. At $1.32, the average price of a loaf of bread has increased 32 percent since January 2005. In the last year alone, the average price of carton of eggs has increased almost 50 percent."]
 Haitians riot over prices and attack U.N. peacekeepers uk.reuters.com 4/5/8 ["Food prices in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, have soared in recent months, stoking anger against the government of President Rene Preval."]
 Gas Prices Hit Record on Low Supplies ap.google.com 4/5/8 ["...analysts now expect gas prices to continue rising regardless of what direction crude takes. The Energy Department expects prices to peak near $3.50 a gallon later in the spring, but many analysts predict the spike could approach $4.  That's because gasoline supplies are falling, in part because producers are cutting back on output of the fuel due to the high cost of crude"]
 

 Corn Hits $6 a Bushel on Tight Supplies ap.google.com 4/4/8 ["driven up by an expected supply shortfall that will only add to Americans' growing grocery bill and further squeeze struggling ethanol producers.  Corn prices have shot up nearly 30 percent this year amid dwindling stockpiles and surging demand for the grain used to feed livestock and make alternative fuels including ethanol. Prices are poised to go even higher after the U.S. government this week predicted that American farmers — the world's biggest corn producers — will plant sharply less of the crop in 2008 compared to last year."]
 Cuba's New Leadership Opens Doors to Sodomy, "Sex Changes", and Consumerism lifesitenews.com 4/4/8 ["The impetus for the changes in Cuba's policy towards homosexuals seems to be coming primarily from Raul Castro's daughter, Mariela Castro, who is the head of the National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX), a government-supported organization.  Although homosexual behavior is no longer illegal in Cuba, the government has not yet followed the example of other socialist countries that have institutionalized homosexual relationships. Mariela Castro is seeking to do just that, and is promoting what the BBC is calling "among the most liberal gay and transsexual rights law in Latin America"."]
 Visa Will Put A Microchip In New Card nytimes.com 4/4/8 ["Unlike debit cards, which transfer money electronically from customers' bank accounts, the new "electronic purse" cards will have an amount of money stored on them. They are similar to the cards issued for some telephone and mass transit systems, but are designed to be used interchangeably in pay phones, vending machines, taxi cabs and for other small purchases.  "It will be just like cash, but more simple and easier to use for making everyday purchases,""]
 Third-graders plot revenge crossroad.to 4/4/8 [By Berit Kjos  " Before television and video games won the hearts of children, real life was learned by observing nature. Children discovered the basics of physics by climbing trees, jumping off rocks, building mud castles, bridging creeks, making kites, etc. They would read stories and hear some fables, but they knew enough about real life to separate fact from fiction.  Through contemporary entertainment, life and learning have been turned upside down. The emphasis is now on feelings and fantasy, not on facts or reality. In comparison, the latter may seem downright boring."]
 Straight or gay? U.S. court says Web site can't ask reuters.com 4/4/8 ["A roommate-finding site cannot require users to disclose their sexual orientation, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday, in the latest skirmish over whether anti-discrimination rules apply to the Web."]
 Israel readies largest exercise ever to prepare for Iran-Syria missile war worldtribune.com 4/4/8 ["Israel plans to conduct its largest exercise ever to set contingencies for massive missile attacks by Iran and Syria.  The government has been preparing for a five-day exercise in April that would simulate conventional and nonconventional missile strikes from Iran, Lebanon and Syria."]
 

 U.S. passes big hike in global AIDS funds iht.com 4/3/8 ["The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill to more than triple spending to fight AIDS in Africa and other parts of the world, one of President George W. Bush's foremost foreign aid quests.  ...Bush had initially proposed doubling the program to $30 billion. The Democratic-led House boosted it to $50 billion."]
 Nearly 3,000 Rally in Support of Oklahoma Legislator Threatened for Talk Against Homosexual Agenda lifesitenews.com 4/3/8 ["...at the Oklahoma State Capitol in support of Rep. Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City), reportedly spilling over onto all levels of the Rotunda."]
 Seeing Is Believing? newswithviews.com 4/3/8 [By Paul Proctor  "Faith, you see, requires no visual evidence, though the Lord often provided it after the fact, which might explain why the Bible is God’s Word and not His picture book."]