"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

White House Officially Recognizes Homosexual Unions and Parenting? lifesite.net 5/31/7 ["Rather than merely stating that the child is the “child of their daughter Mary Cheney," the White House photo caption states, “... His parents are the Cheney's daughter Mary, and her partner, Heather Poe.”"]
Bush Seeks $30 Billion to Fight AIDS Over Five Years bloomberg.com 5/31/7 ["The request would double the current U.S. program of $15 billion, which expires in 2008, and extend it to 2013, five years after Bush leaves office."]
Scuttle the Law of the Sea Treaty! americanpolicy.org 5/31/7 ["The Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) is another grand scheme of the United Nations. LOST would give control of roughly 70% of the Earth’s surface to the U.N., establishing rules which would govern the use of the world’s oceans. LOST is back, and on a fast track for ratification because the Bush Administration is now calling for accession to this convention. We have stopped LOST several times in the past, and we should be able to stop it again, with enough outcry."]
 

NOT Your Grandma’s Church sliceoflaodicea.com 5/30/7 ["There is an advertising slogan that is frequently seen in conjunction with the trendy new churches that are emerging. “We’re NOT your Grandma’s church!” proclaims one website. “We feature strobing lights, heart-thumping music, and dangerous messages.” Do a search on the phrase and you will find that assuring seekers that Grandma won’t be in attendance at their church is the catchphrase of the hour.  ...Again and again within church growth literature, I have seen patronizing references to how the older people in the congregation should be treated. They are called the “resisters”, the “obstacles” to change, the traditionalists who refuse to allow new things. Give them their own little service and then we can take over and do church the right way, trumpet the “experts” in these places. Grandma won’t go for smoke machines and spandex clad dancers so we’ll get these old folks out of the way with a little token effort and hope they get so disgusted they’ll all leave so they won’t detract from our cool image."]
Russia tests missile to penetrate U.S. shield iht.com 5/30/7 ["He said Russia had also successfully tested a tactical cruise missile.  ..."In these conditions, it is necessary to provide our troops with modern, high-precision weapons."  ...The new missile is seen as eventually replacing the aging RS-18s and RS-20s that are the backbone of the country's missile forces, the statement said. Those missiles are known in the West as the SS-19 Stiletto and the SS-18 Satan.  Ivanov said the missile was a new version of the Topol-M, first known as the SS-27"]
Russia: Flight-tested cruise missile deviated from its path by 30 m. itar-tass.com 5/30/7 ["Its deviation from the expected path was no greater than 30 meters despite the strong wind and air temperatures of over 40 degrees.  ...Russia will be exporting Iskander launchers armed with missiles having a range under 300 kilometers."]
Gays Flock to Fla. Panhandle for Holiday forbes.com 5/30/7 ["Starting in the mid-1980s, gay men from New Orleans and other nearby cities began gathering here for a three-day party that has grown into one of the South's largest gay gatherings, attracting more than 60,000 people in 2004 before hurricanes Ivan and Dennis destroyed many beach roads and buildings.  ..."You have the fundamentalist churches who always rant and rave against the (Memorial Day) event and there are always letters to editor complaining about it, but it has been tolerated because the money is green," said Blanchard, who has long studied Panhandle social trends."]
Abortion Numbers in Scotland Rise Again Despite OTC Morning After Pill lifenews.com 5/30/7 ["The Scotland government reported 13,081 abortions in 2006, up from 12,603 the previous year -- an increase of nearly 3.8 percent.  The figures represent an all-time high for the number of abortions done in that part of Great Britain since abortion was legalized in 1967.  Teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 and young women aged 20-24 account for about 48 percent of all abortions done"]
The EEVs of Our Destruction newswithviews.com 5/30/7 [By Nancy Levant  "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposal on March 1 to establish minimum standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards in compliance with the REAL ID Act of 2005.  ...the Employment Eligibility Verification System and the real deal of this Act.  The EEVS proposal would require ALL PEOPLE— both citizens and non-citizens — to obtain and present newly proposed documents such as a Social Security Card and driver’s license compliant with the Real ID Act in order to work or continue working.   ...About 16,000 employers nationwide are currently and voluntarily participating in the EEVS Basic Pilot Program (gosh, I wonder which politically funding corporations those 16,000 might be…), but this federal mandate requires expansion to mandatory use by every American employer, which will affect at least 160 million American and non-American workers – and all in the name of “security.”"]
Orthodox renew gay parade protests jpost.com 5/30/7 ["The Jerusalem Open House has organized a Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem every June since 2002 except for last year, when massive opposition launched by haredim and Zionist modern Orthodox activists delayed the event until November, where it was held on Hebrew University's Givat Ram campus. Ostensibly, the Open House's attempt to turn the 2006 parade into an international event sparked the increased opposition."]
Religious MKs slam J'lem gay tourism campaign ynetnews.com 5/30/7 ["New 'pink Jerusalem' campaign aimed at promoting gay tourism in capital and partly sponsored by state, angers religious legislators who threaten no-confidence motion over issue"]
 

America – A Nation Forsaken by Almighty God! lasttrumpetministries.org 5/29/7 [By Pastor David Meyer  "In the Bible verses above, we find those horrifying words, “God gave them up!” We also find the distressing words, “God gave them over to a reprobate mind!” When a nation is left alone with Satan, what happens to its people, government, economy, educational systems, and every other endeavor? A nation that has been forsaken by the Almighty would be one whose government is full of scandals, corruption, and sexual sins. It would be a government that is insensitive to the violence of war. The economy of such a nation would be one of massive debts, foreclosures, and bankruptcies. ...Sexual sins, smut, and filth would fill that nation. Pornography shops would be built along its highways, and vulgar entertainment and “gentlemen’s clubs” would spring up everywhere. Cable and satellite television and the Internet would become an erotic wonderland of pimps, prostitutes, and whoremasters in an electronic red light district connected to every home and office. "]
The 1775 Patriot In 2007 newswithviews.com 5/29/7 [By Devvy Kidd  "Those who wanted a free and independent nation were called rebels; these freedom fighters called themselves patriots. Those who opposed them were called Tories. A Tory depended upon the Crown and King George for their financial well being and most were too afraid of the British to take a stand. Is it any different today? With roughly 40% of the American people dependent upon mother government, state and/or federal, for the bread on their table and the fear drilled into them with this endless "war on terror" and images of paramilitarized local police on the great programmer (TV), you have a huge percentage of Americans who will get down on their knees and beg for the illusion of safety..."]
Alabama Revises State Terrorism Web Site After Including Pro-Lifers lifenews.com 5/29/7 ["If you're a member of a pro-life organization, there's a chance you could be among those who are involving in plotting terrorist attacks against the United States. That was the view of the Alabama state terrorism web site until recently, when state officials took it down to revise its content in the face of a huge outcry."]
Taxpayers on the hook for $59 trillion usatoday.com 5/29/7 ["The federal government recorded a $1.3 trillion loss last year — far more than the official $248 billion deficit — when corporate-style accounting standards are used  ...The loss reflects a continued deterioration in the finances of Social Security and government retirement programs for civil servants and military personnel. The loss — equal to $11,434 per household — is more than Americans paid in income taxes in 2006."]
The Kakistocracy Exposes Its Hand newswithviews.com 5/29/7 [By Dr. Edwin Vieira, Jr., Ph.D., J.D.  "Even if Congress has been remiss in not providing for the necessary and proper “continuity requirements” for “executive departments and agencies,” the President cannot on that account take unilateral action on his own initiative. America is not subject to “government by default.” In the absence of appropriate action by the constitutionally authorized Branch of government, the country does not find itself at the mercy of the self-appointed “leadership” of some other, unauthorized Branch of government. Any such “leadership” is not an act of “government” at all, but instead is usurpation at best, and a crime at worst (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 241 and 242)."]
Mexico City's New Abortion Law Heads to the Nation's Supreme Court lifenews.com 5/29/7 ["Mexico's attorney general is helping to spearhead a legal effort to get the new law the capital city's legislature passed legalizing abortions overturned. The law, which applies only in the Mexico capital while abortions are prohibited in the rest of the nation, allows abortions up to 12 weeks of pregnancy for any reason."]
With a measure of caution, Europe joins the biofuel gold rush iht.com 5/29/7 ["an expert panel convened by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization this month pointed out that the biofuels boom produces both benefits as well as tradeoff and risks - including higher and wildly fluctuating global food prices. In some markets grain prices have nearly doubled because farmers are planting for biofuels,"]
Understanding The Threat To Dietary Supplements Part 2 newswithviews.com 5/29/7 [By Byron J. Richards, CCN  "Because all dietary ingredients, dietary supplements, and foods present a risk to health at some level of ingestion, the FDA’s new position permits the agency to declare any dietary ingredient or dietary supplement adulterated at its whim or caprice. The drug risk-benefit comparison was until recently reserved exclusively for drugs because under the FDCA foods, food ingredients, and dietary supplements are presumed safe in light of their ubiquitous presence in the food supply and history of safe ingestion."]
Caution: Some soft drinks may seriously harm your health news.independent.co.uk 5/29/7 ["The problem - more usually associated with ageing and alcohol abuse - can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.  ...Concerns centre on the safety of E211, known as sodium benzoate, a preservative used for decades by the £74bn global carbonated drinks industry. Sodium benzoate derives from benzoic acid. It occurs naturally in berries, but is used in large quantities to prevent mould in soft drinks..."]
 

North American union plan headed to Congress in fall worldnetdaily.com 5/28/7 ["A powerful think tank chaired by former Sen. Sam Nunn and guided by trustees including Richard Armitage, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Harold Brown, William Cohen and Henry Kissinger, is in the final stages of preparing a report to the White House and U.S. Congress on the benefits of integrating the U.S., Mexico and Canada into one political, economic and security bloc."]
UK: 'Stop and quiz' comes under fire news.bbc.co.uk 5/28/7 ["Proposals to allow police to stop and question anyone in the UK under new anti-terror laws have been criticised.  ...At present, under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, officers already have the power to stop and search people or vehicles in an area seen as being at risk from terrorism, even if they are not suspected of any breach of the law.  A Home Office spokeswoman said that the new proposals would give officers an automatic right to stop and question anyone in the UK about suspected terrorism. "]
Medical experiments to be done without patients' consent chron.com 5/28/7 ["The federal government is undertaking the most ambitious set of studies ever mounted under a controversial arrangement that allows researchers to conduct some kinds of medical experiments without first getting the patients' permission.  The $50 million, five-year project, which will involve more than 20,000 patients in 11 sites in the United States and Canada, is designed to improve treatment after car accidents, shootings, cardiac arrest and other emergencies."]
Work bill would create new ID database news.com.com 5/28/7 ["The so-called Employment Eligibility Verification System would be established as part of a bill that senators began debating on Monday, a procedure that is likely to continue through June and would represent the most extensive rewrite of immigration and visa laws in a generation. Because anyone who fails a database check would be out of a job, the proposed database already has drawn comparisons with the "no-fly list" and is being criticized by civil libertarians and business groups.  ...The data, including Social Security numbers, would be provided to Homeland Security, on penalty of perjury, and the government databases would provide a work authorization confirmation"]
Europe's first gay bridal shop opens in Spain nzherald.co.nz 5/28/7 ["Same-gender marriages were approved by Spanish parliament in this once staunchly Catholic and conservative country in 2005.  Adoption by same-sex couples was also legalised at the same time."  Editor:  Luke 17:27-30 "They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed." ]
 

Russians protest against gay parade news.com.au 5/27/7 ["About 200 protesters, including flag-waving communists or old women carrying religious icons, held a “Russia March” in the centre of the capital at which some denounced the gay parade as a “satanic act” - a phrase used by Mayor Yuri Luzhkov himself.  In another part of the city, about 200 right-wing activists, many with shaved heads and tattoos, protested against the planned parade."]
Video games, gas prices cut traffic to US parks csmonitor.com 5/27/7 [""I think it's a generational change," she says. Her childhood was back in the days when kids roamed more freely, priming them for the outdoors. "We had more of a sense of adventure and we didn't have to have entertainment provided. Kids get bored much more easily."  Federal officials, governors, and others around the country have launched programs to fight what they see as "nature deficit disorder" among American couch potato kids spending increasing amounts of time in front of the TV or computer screen, playing video games, or text messaging on their cellphones – 44 hours a week, according to the National Wildlife Federation. "]
April New Home Sales Jump By Largest Amount in 14 Years, Prices Dip foxnews.com 5/27/7 ["Sales of new homes surged in April by the biggest amount in 14 years, but the median price of a new home dropped by the largest amount on record.  ...the median price of a new home sold last month fell to $229,100, a record 11.1 percent decline from the previous month. The big price decline indicated that builders are slashing prices in an effort to move a huge overhang of unsold homes."]
Dinosaurs frolic with Adam and Eve at creationism museum turkishpress.com 5/27/7 ["More than 600 academics have signed a petition warning parents and teachers that students who accept the arguments the Creation Museum presents as scientifically valid are "unlikely to succeed in science courses at the college level."  "What's wrong with the AIG museum is that it's presenting religious views as if they are science when they are not," said Eugenie Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, which launched the petition."]
Venezuelans protest over TV issue news.bbc.co.uk 5/27/7 ["Tens of thousands of people are protesting in Venezuela this weekend as a TV station critical of the government is taken off the air."]
Google's Data Retention Challenged pcworld.com 5/27/7 ["The E.U.'s Article 29 working party, made up of data protection officials from 27 European countries, asked Google to justify why it needed to retain the data for up to two years, and whether the company had "fulfilled all the necessary requirements" on data protection."]
 

Russia promises 'sword' to thwart U.S. missile shield iht.com 5/26/7 ["The official considered to be a leading contender to succeed President Vladimir Putin criticized a landmark Soviet-U.S. arms treaty as being a "relic of the Cold War," and promised that Russia would have a "sword" capable of piercing a U.S. missile shield."]
Police permit pride parade in Jerusalem ynetnews.com 5/26/7 ["The Jerusalem Open House received a letter from Israeli police Thursday, giving the community center preliminary permission to hold the annual gay pride parade in Jerusalem, this June."]
Judicial Watch Uncovers Three Deaths Relating to HPV Vaccine lifesite.net 5/26/7 ["Side effects published by Merck & Co. warn the public about potential pain, fever, nausea, dizziness and itching after receiving the vaccine. Indeed, 77% of the adverse reactions reported are typical side effects to vaccinations. But other more serious side effects reported include paralysis, Bells Palsy, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and seizures."]
Bill Mandating Pro-Homosexual, Bisexual, Transgender Material in Schools Passes California State Senate lifesite.net 5/26/7 ["SB 777 would affect all grades from kindergarten to grade 12, requiring that textbooks, instructional materials and school-sponsored activities refrain from any “discrimination bias” on homosexual issues.  The bill states: “No teacher shall give instruction nor shall a school district sponsor any activity that promotes a discriminatory bias against any person because of a characteristic listed in Section 220. [Section 220 of the Education Code includes “sexual orientation”.] No textbook or other instructional materials shall be adopted by the state board or by any governing board for use in the public schools that reflects or promotes a discriminatory bias against any person because of a characteristic listed in Section 220.”"]
 

Dobson Critiqued by Pro-Life Groups cbn.com 5/25/7 ["He was accused by leaders of four anti-abortion organizations of incorrectly interpreting an April ruling by the court as being a clear win for pro-life advocates.  ...Dr. Dobson, you mislead Christians claiming this ruling will 'protect children.' The court granted no authority to save the life of even a single child," reads the ad. The closing statement calls Dr. Dobson to "please repent.""]
Minimum Wage Increase to Become Reality guardian.co.uk 5/25/7 ["According to the National Restaurant Association, the last minimum wage increase cost the restaurant industry more than 146,000 jobs and restaurant owners put off plans to hire an additional 106,000 employees.  ``A minimum wage increase will cost our industry jobs..."]
So how did An Inconvenient Truth become required classroom viewing? canada.com 5/25/7 ["Even scientists who back Mr. Gore's message admit they're uncomfortable with liberties the politician takes with "science" in the film.  ...Last month, Vancouver's Tides Canada Foundation and a local eco-friendly courier firm teamed up to buy DVD copies for every public high school in B.C. Climate Learning, a non-profit Vancouver outfit, is a third of the way to raising the $68,000 it needs to buy copies of the film for every high school in the country, after just weeks of campaigning.  ...In England, the government has made the movie part of the public curriculum.  In Spain, the government is buying copies of the movie for all of its schools. In Australia, private donors are buying copies for schools."]
China Arrests Forced Abortion Protesters, Family Planning Officials Killed lifenews.com 5/25/7 ["The protests began after family planning authorities began forcibly aborting women for violations of the nation's one-child population policy in April.  Because of the alleged violations of the family planning policy, officials in Guangxi province recently increased fines for offenders and began seizing or destroying the property of people who cannot pay the fines."]
Angry atheists are hot authors onelocalnews.com 5/25/7 [""There is this general sense that evangelicals have really gained a lot of power in the United States and the Bush administration seems to represent that in some significant ways," said Christian Smith, a sociologist of religion at the University of Notre Dame. "A certain group of people sees it that way and that‘s really disturbing.""]
Google Improves Language Translation Site pcmag.com 5/25/7 ["The addition to the Google Translate page will provide translations for 12 languages and will provide international web surfers the option to search the dearth of English-language information available on the Internet, according to Google.  "We think this feature will be particularly useful for our international users since although the majority of the Internet users out there are non-English speakers, a majority of the content on the Internet is still in English,""]
Revolt against new U.S. ID card grows reuters.com 5/25/7 ["Under the program, states would be required to verify documents presented with license applications and to link their license databases into a national electronic network. The federal law that created the program did not provide states with funds to carry it out."]
South Africa: Weather breaks record capetimes.co.za 5/25/7 ["The icy weather of snow, hail and heavy rain that has swept across South Africa over the past few days has set 54 weather records."]
UK: Reid warning to judges over control orders guardian.co.uk 5/25/7 ["The home secretary, John Reid, made clear yesterday he is prepared to declare a "state of emergency" to suspend key parts of the human rights convention if the law lords do not overturn a series of judgments that have weakened the anti-terrorist control order regime."]
 

Show of force as US ups ante on Iran news.scotsman.com 5/24/7 ["GEORGE Bush, the US president, has instructed the CIA to conduct "black ops" against Iran, aimed at destabilising, inconveniencing and even overthrowing the regime in Tehran.  Mr Bush recently signed a "non-lethal presidential finding" to authorise a comprehensive and wide-ranging CIA strategy for targeting the Iranian regime.  ...US navy officials said Iran was not notified of plans to sail nine ships, including two aircraft carriers, through the Straits of Hormuz.  Oil climbed towards $70 a barrel on the markets as the ships sailed into the straits, through which 40 per cent of globally traded oil passes. "]
Nine US warships enter Gulf in show of force mg.co.za 5/24/7 ["...two strike groups  ...tight formation  ...If the Straits of Hormuz were to be closed or there were to be some conflict there, the shipping rates would go sky high"]
Speed of subprime bust surprises lenders money.cnn.com 5/24/7 ["35 percent of what once could be done, can no longer be done," referring to mortgage loan products that have effectively been taken off the shelves."]
Bush grants presidency extraordinary powers worldnetdaily.com 5/24/7 ["in the event of a declared national emergency, apparently without congressional approval or oversight."]
Bill Funds 20 New Elementary School Health Clinics Offering Condoms and Birth Control for Students lifesite.net 5/24/7 ["SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, May 23, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Condoms and contraception for elementary students are among the services of 20 new school proposed health clinics in a bill under consideration by Illinois’ House of Representatives.  SB 715 passed 32-22 by the state Senate faces a second reading in the House, which if approved would go to the governor for signing."]
Ban Kept For Gay Men Donating Blood cbsnews.com 5/24/7 ["In March 2006, the Red Cross, the international blood association AABB and America's Blood Centers proposed replacing the lifetime ban with a one-year deferral following male-to-male sexual contact. New and improved tests, which can detect HIV-positive donors within just 10 to 21 days of infection, make the lifetime ban unnecessary, the blood groups told the FDA.  In a document posted Wednesday, the FDA said it would change its policy if given data that show doing so wouldn't pose a "significant and preventable" risk to blood recipients.  ...The FDA said HIV tests currently in use are highly accurate, but still cannot detect the virus 100 percent of the time."]
Having gay friends spurs tolerance: study reuters.com 5/24/7 [""An analysis of survey results suggests that familiarity is closely linked to tolerance," Pew said in a statement.  "Overall, those who say they have a family member or close friend who is gay are more than twice as likely to support gay marriage as those who don't -- 55 percent to 25 percent.""   Editor: "...a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Prov. 13:20; "...neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure."  I Timothy 5:22]
Cheney's daughter gives birth to a boy smh.com.au 5/24/7 ["is the first baby for Mary Cheney and her longtime partner, Heather Poe."]
Kevorkian Vows to Push for Assisted Suicide Laws After Upcoming Prison Release lifesite.net 5/24/7 ["Kevorkian is set to become something of a media celebrity upon his release. He has already received several offers for speaking engagements at between $50,000 and $100,000 each, according to his lawyer  ...Among the celebrity journalists vying for Kevorkian interviews are Larry King and Barbara Walters,"]
UK: Police spy in the sky fuels 'Big Brother' fears telegraph.co.uk 5/24/7 ["This country has more CCTV cameras than the rest of Europe put together and in the past week, two police chiefs have voiced their concern over the levels of surveillance."]
Now Google wants to help you plan your life news.scotsman.com 5/24/7 ["He envisaged a day when it would be able to advise users on everything from their career moves to how they should spend their free time, based on the collected queries they had tapped into the search page.  ...Google has also faced concerns that its proposed £1.5 billion acquisition of DoubleClick will lead to an erosion of online privacy because it could combine its records of web searches with the information from DoubleClick's "cookies", the software it places on users' machines to track which sites they visit."]
 

National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive whitehouse.gov 5/23/7 ["Catastrophic Emergency" means any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions  ..."Enduring Constitutional Government," or "ECG," means a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government, coordinated by the President"]
Bush To Be Dictator In A Catastrophic Emergency globalresearch.ca 5/23/7 ["This directive on its face is unconstitutional because each branch of government the executive, legislative and judicial are supposed to be equal in power. By putting the President in charge of coordinating such an effort to ensure constitutional government over all three branches is effectively making the President a dictator allowing him to tell all branches of government what to do."]
Street Lockdowns Proposed for Baltimore apnews.myway.com 5/23/7 ["A city council leader, alarmed by Baltimore's rising homicide rate, wants to give the mayor the power to put troubled neighborhoods under virtual lockdown.  ...Under Curran's plan, the mayor could declare "public safety act zones," which would allow police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks, and halt traffic during two-week intervals.  Police would be encouraged to aggressively stop and frisk individuals in those zones to search for weapons and drugs."]
What To Do... What To Do... newswithviews.com 5/23/7 [By Nancy Levant   "Now, ask yourselves the real reason for the Civilian Inmate Labor Program, coupled with the continued disarming of the public during “emergencies,” the duplicitous confiscation of private property, a tyrannical and thieving taxation, banking, and monetary system, etc.  ...The stage has been set for Martial Law. Many Executive Orders have defined and guaranteed absolute dictatorial powers of Martial Law (refer to all orders gathered into Executive Order 12919). Practicing for this declaration has been an on-going process for several decades, with the paramilitary face in full view since 9-11."]
Report: Iran to buy Russian air defense system via Syria haaretz.com 5/23/7 ["Syria has agreed to supply Iran with at least 10 out of 50 air defense systems that Damascus is in the process of buying from Russia, Jane's Defense Weekly reported in this week's edition.  ...Jane's said Iran would take delivery of the systems in late 2008. To reward Syria for its middleman role, Tehran would part-finance Syria's Pantsyrs as well as paying for its own."]
UK: Witchcraft casts spell on young news.independent.co.uk 5/23/7 ["A study of teenagers and their consumption of books, magazines, kits, film and other media found that there are some 700,000 internet sites for teenage witches. The Pagan Federation claims to have several hundred inquiries a week from young people, and has set up a network for those under 18."]
 

Kuwait abandons currency peg to dollar, neighbouring Gulf states may follow forbes.com 5/22/7 ["...the Kuwaiti Dinar would no longer follow the value of the dollar but rather a basket of main currencies. The dollar would make up about 75-80 pct of the basket, but that part will likely be reduced gradually, according to some analysts.  The Kuwaiti central bank said it was worried about the decline of the US dollar, which by dragging the dinar lower had contributed to higher inflation in Kuwait"]
Dollar buying ever less of world's goods csmonitor.com 5/22/7 ["Since the beginning of the year, the buck has shrunk 5 percent – the equivalent of a 20 percent annual decline – compared with the pound and the euro.  But the shriveling value of the dollar may eventually help solve one of the most intractable US economic problems: the enormous trade deficit, which hit $63.9 billion in March, the highest level since September of last year. "]
Immigrant Rental Rule in Texas Blocked csmonitor.com 5/22/7 ["A federal judge Monday blocked enforcement of a voter-endorsed ordinance preventing apartment rentals to most illegal immigrants in this Dallas suburb."]
Farmers riot in southern China over 'one child' policy forbes.com 5/22/7 ["Farmers besieged up to four township governments in Guangxi province on Friday and Saturday, with police and protesters clashing in at least one demonstration, they said.  The demonstrations occurred after local governments this month dispatched 'family planning work teams' to levy fines on families that were violating government population control policies, they said.  One woman in Shapi township, speaking on condition of anonymity, said up to 20,000 people had gathered and rioted there on Saturday."]
Combating Underpopulation: Encouraging the World to Have Larger Families lifenews.com 5/22/7 ["No government of a country whose birthrate has fallen significantly below replacement has ever succeeded in once again achieving replacement rate fertility. Once the birthrate falls to what the U.N. Population Division calls "low low fertility," no combination of government policies and subsidies appears sufficient to re-boost the birthrate."]
U.S. evangelical movement broadens focus iht.com 5/22/7 ["The death of the Rev. Jerry Falwell last week highlighted the fact that many of the movement's fiery old guard who helped lead conservative Christians into the embrace of the Republican Party are aging and slowly receding from the scene. In their stead, a new generation of leaders who have mostly avoided the openly partisan and confrontational approach of their forebears have become increasingly influential.  Typified by megachurch pastors like the Rev. Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, and the Rev. Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church..."]
'Resistance to science' has early roots usatoday.com 5/22/7 ["Resistance to science is nothing new, of course. The Catholic Church condemned the astronomer (a poor one by all accounts) Giordano Bruno to death in 1600. Galileo famously received home imprisonment in the same era. In the U.S., the 1925 Scopes "Monkey Trial," a battle over a Tennessee law that forbid the teaching of human origins, was the "Trial of the Century" long before O.J. Simpson ever took the stand.  ..."Scientists, educators and policymakers have long been concerned about American adults' resistance to certain scientific ideas," note Yale psychologists Paul Bloom and Deena Skolnick Weisberg in the review published in the current Science magazine. In 2005 for example, the Pew Trust found that 42% of poll respondents think people and animals have existed in their present form since the beginning of time, a view that is tough to reconcile with evidence from fossils."]
Russians Rally Against TV Stations apnews.myway.com 5/22/7 ["Hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Russian capital's main broadcast facility on Sunday to protest what they called lies and censorship on TV stations that are either controlled by the state or under its influence.  The peaceful rally of about 300 people came amid growing concerns about media freedom in Russia."]
Rabbi warns against going to Temple Mount haaretz.com 5/22/7 ["Former chief rabbi Avraham Shapira, head of Mercaz Harav yeshiva, said yesterday that Jews are prohibited from going to the Temple Mount. Shapira's statement came after a pamphlet issued by religious-Zionist rabbis calling on people to go to the Temple Mount, and doing so themselves earlier this week in what has been called a historical change in their stand.  ..."Next year we will all go up freely to the Temple, which will be built, with the ashes of the red heifer, without disagreement and without questions.""]
A war this summer? haaretz.com 5/22/7 ["With great fanfare, it was announced this week that the Israel Defense Forces was conducting a general command drill. Last week, it held an important war game. One would have to be naive to think the Arab camp is just sitting there and not conducting drills, maneuvers and large-scale training exercises.  The Syrians are talking about a major military exercise that will last more than a week. They say all the preparations must be complete by June 1 in case Israel attacks."]
 

Tainted food threatens Chinese exports smh.com.au 5/21/7 [""This isn't an international crisis yet but, if they don't do something about it quickly, it will be," says David Zweig, a China specialist who teaches at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. "The question is whether it spills over and 'Made in China' becomes known as 'Buyer beware'."  With contamination spreading to meat and fish supplies, some of America's biggest food companies, like Kraft Foods, are lobbying the US Government to pressure China to improve its food safety measures.'"]
Study Finds 25 Countries Block Web Sites baltimoresun.com 5/21/7 ["'At least 25 countries around the world block Web sites for political, social or other reasons as governments seek to assert authority over a network meant to be borderless, according to a study out Friday.  The actual number may be higher, but the OpenNet Initiative had the time and capabilities to study only 40 countries and the Palestinian territories."]
China a top violator of US food standards: reports turkishpress.com 5/21/7 ["US authorities last month rejecting 257 Chinese food shipments -- far more than from any other country, US media reported Sunday.  The Chicago Tribune reported that at least 137 food shipments were rejected as "filthy" after testing positive for salmonella, or for containing banned ingredients.'  ...China now controls 80 percent of the world's production of ascorbic acid, for example, a valuable preservative that is ubiquitous in processed foods.  Meanwhile, the daily wrote, US companies have become so dependent on the Chinese exports that they may be reluctant to reduce the flow of goods."]
Tanks roll into northern Gaza as IAF air strikes escalate jpost.com 5/21/7 ["Southern Command sources said the tanks only penetrated 400 meters into Gaza, near the former settlement of Dugit, to conduct surveillance of areas used to fire rockets into Sderot, and were not part of a large-scale or deep incursion.  Military sources said the operation was designed to take control of areas from where Kassams were being fired, in an effort to reduce rocket attacks on Sderot.  Later in the day, the IDF began deploying large numbers of artillery and armored personnel carriers around the Gaza Strip, for the first time in six months. '"]
Bush gets ready for Iraq U-turn by Brown telegraph.co.uk 5/21/7 ["'...expect an announcement on British troop withdrawals from Mr Brown during his first 100 days in power. It would be designed to boost the new prime minister's popularity in the opinion polls.  The President recently discussed with a senior White House adviser how to handle the fallout from the expected loss of Washington's main ally in Iraq"]
 

Homebuilders Rebound? April Fools! builderonline.com 5/20/7 ["As in the past, the percent increase still fell well within the census' margin of error of plus or minus 9.3%, so we can't say for certain whether they even rose at all. Comparisons to last year were not pretty either: starts were down 16% from a year ago. "My overall take is that the downward adjustment in the housing sector is still ongoing," says NAHB chief economist Dave Seiders. "I don't view this little bounce as a sign the fundamentals have improved.""]
Boston Children’s Hospital Opens “Transgender” Children’s Clinic lifesite.net 5/20/7 ["A new clinic at Children’s Hospital Boston is offering hormone treatment to young children identified as “transgender” to facilitate eventual surgery for a gender switch, according to a report by MassResistance May 17."]
Russia accused of unleashing cyberwar to disable Estonia guardian.co.uk 5/20/7 ["Nato has dispatched some of its top cyber-terrorism experts to Tallinn to investigate and to help the Estonians beef up their electronic defences.  "This is an operational security issue, something we're taking very seriously," said an official at Nato headquarters in Brussels. "It goes to the heart of the alliance's modus operandi."  Alarm over the unprecedented scale of cyber-warfare is to be raised tomorrow at a summit between Russian and European leaders outside Samara on the Volga."]
UK: Hybrid embryos get go-ahead guardian.co.uk 5/20/7 ["The government has overturned its proposed ban on the creation of human-animal embryos and now wants to allow them to be used to develop new treatments for incurable diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's."]
U.S. border agents recruited for Iraq worldnetdaily.com 5/20/7 ["The State Department is recruiting 120 Border Patrol agents to send to Iraq, prompting sharp criticism from two border-state governors who argue the U.S. needs more help on its own frontier."]
Congressional Democrats Want to Scrap Federal Abstinence Funds lifenews.com 5/20/7 ["Congressional Democrats said on Wednesday that they don't plan to reauthorize federal funding for the Title V abstinence education program, which expires at the end of June. Pro-abortion lawmakers claim the programs have not been effective and want to see more money spent on birth control and the morning after pill."]
IDF vows to operate till Hamas surrenders ynetnews.com 5/20/7 ["Defense establishment source says military to expand activity in Gaza, adding that 'the more Hamas launches, the more they will get back'"]
 

FEMA director vows no repeat of Katrina in 2007 reuters.com 5/17/7 ["the U.S. Government Accountability Office warned the same panel that the National Guard may not be able to respond as effectively as possible to natural disasters partly because of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan."]
Calif. court lets stem cell institute, bonds stand reuters.com 5/17/7 ["California's Supreme Court declined on Wednesday to review a lower court decision backing the state's stem-cell research institute, clearing the way for the state to sell up to $3 billion in debt to finance research grants.  ..."This decision reaffirms voters will to keep California on the forefront of embryonic stem cell research," Schwarzenegger said."]
High pump prices fail to alter driving habits seattletimes.nwsource.com 5/17/7 ["...demand for gasoline is only just starting to level off even as refinery outages and tight supplies have sent pump prices soaring 43 percent since the end of January.  And brace yourself: Experts say that with gas already closing in on $4 a gallon in Chicago and San Francisco ahead of the peak summer driving season, higher prices could be..."]
Iraq bans photographers, TV cameras from bombing site canoe.ca 5/17/7 ["Police prevented TV cameramen and news photographers from filming the scene of a bombing Tuesday under a new policy limiting coverage of the devastating explosions that have become a hallmark of Iraq's violence."]
Colorado Gov. Bans Abstinence-Only Sex Ed, Permits Homosexual Adoption lifesite.net 5/17/7 ["Ritter defended his decision to sign H.B. 1330, which permits homosexual couples to adopt, by claiming the law would “strengthen families and provide children with as stable an environment as possible,” The Colorado Springs Gazette reported.  Jim Pfaff, president and CEO of the Colorado Family Institute, told Focus on the Family’s Citizen Link that both bills were examples of paybacks to financial supporters."]
Biofuels demands eating into US corn stockpiles newscientist.com 5/17/7 ["The surging biofuel industry will use 27% of this year's American corn crop, challenging farmers' ability to meet food demands, the US government says.  Even with the projected, record 12.46 billion-bushel crop this year, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) says national corn stockpiles will run low going into the next crop year, when voracious ethanol demand will rise again."]
Utilities brace for worker shortage usatoday.com 5/17/7 ["About half the USA's 400,000 power industry workers, largely baby boomers, are eligible to retire in the next five to 10 years, according to Carnegie Mellon University's Electricity Industry Center. The industry already has shed about 40% of its workforce since 1990 in response to deregulation...  That undercut the main appeal of a utility job: stable, lifelong employment. Today, high school graduates "are looking at jobs with computers sitting in an office, rather than working with their hands"]
 

Congress puts curbs on open road for Mexican trucks cnn.com 5/16/7 ["The House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to delay a Bush administration plan to allow Mexican trucks full access to U.S. highways.  The trucks would have to be declared safe first, the lawmakers said, and Mexico would have to give U.S. truckers the same access south of the border.  ...Lawmakers also complained that allowing Mexican trucks greater access will cost American truckers their jobs."]
China's April Crude Oil Imports Rise biz.yahoo.com 5/16/7 ["China's crude oil imports rose 23 percent in April from a year ago to a record monthly high, a report by the General Administration of Customs showed Tuesday."]
U.S. Embassy: wear flak jackets, helmets chron.com 5/16/7 ["The order, obtained by The Associated Press, has created a siege mentality among U.S. staff inside the Green Zone following a recent suicide attack on parliament. It has also led to new fears about long-term safety in the place where the U.S. government is building a massive and expensive new embassy."]
CNN Caught Falsifying Results of Abortion Poll lifesite.net 5/16/7 ["A NewsBusters report on pro-abortion bias in the media pointed to NBC’s Brian Williams statement that “most Americans believe a woman has a right to an abortion,” as a clear example of misleading media coverage. A Washington Post poll conducted in February found only 16 percent of Americans support legal abortion in all circumstances."]
Russia warns of AIDS epidemic, 1.3 mln with HIV alertnet.org 5/16/7 ["...epidemic is worsening with as many as 1.3 million people infected with HIV as the virus spreads further into the heterosexual population, Russia's top AIDS specialist said on Tuesday."]
World Mayors Hold Climate Summit in NYC guardian.co.uk 5/16/7 ["hosted by former President Clinton and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg with a message that the campaign to reverse global warming begins with the world's mayors.  ``It is in cities that the battle to tackle climate change will be won or lost,'' London Mayor Ken Livingstone said.  Mayors and local leaders from more than 30 cities kicked off the conference, known as the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit"]
 

New York Plan for DNA Data in Most Crimes nytimes.com 5/15/7 ["Gov. Eliot Spitzer is proposing a major expansion of New York’s database of DNA samples to include people convicted of most crimes, while making it easier for prisoners to use DNA to try to establish their innocence.  Currently, New York State collects DNA from those convicted of about half of all crimes, typically the most serious.  The governor’s proposal would order DNA taken from those found guilty of any misdemeanor, including minor drug offenses, harassment or unauthorized use of a credit card, according to a draft of his bill. It would not cover offenses considered violations, like disorderly conduct.  ...Some civil liberties groups oppose broader collection of DNA samples, out of concerns about how they might be used beyond the justice system.  “Because DNA, unlike fingerprints, provides an enormous amount of personal information, burgeoning government DNA databases pose a serious threat to privacy,”"]
IDF holding major war simulation jpost.com 5/15/7 ["to drill their performance and interaction in a war game simulating an all-out regional war.  While the IDF refused to reveal details of the war game, defense sources said all military commands were participating in the weeklong exercise that included war on all of Israel's fronts - Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank. The drill not only is testing Israel's defensive posture in response to an Arab attack, but also simulates an Israeli offensive against Syria. "]
Merkel's pushes for a new EU constitution iht.com 5/15/7 ["Britain, supported by the Dutch and others, wants to remove a Charter of Fundamental Rights from the document, a move that some of the 18 countries that ratified the initial draft consider unacceptable.  The Charter of Fundamental Rights, a set of binding human rights provisions, is particularly disliked by the British because of concerns that it would impinge on their sovereignty, for example by giving new powers to the European Court of Justice."]
Russia wins new natural gas deal, undermining rival U.S. plan iht.com 5/15/7 ["Russia agreed to build a new pipeline to import more natural gas from Turkmenistan, bolstering its dominant hold on supplies to Europe and heading off a rival U.S.-backed plan that would bypass Russian territory."]
1.5 Million Italians Turn Out in Massive Rome Protest Against Homosexual Civil Unions lifesite.net 5/15/7 ["The proposed legislation would give homosexual couples--and unmarried heterosexual couples--similar rights to those of married couples, stopping just short of legalizing homosexual marriage.  "Living together is not family," protester Anna Manara told the Associated Press.  "A commitment such as marriage cements the bond, while other models make it easier to be together and therefore end up making it less valuable."  While the pro-family demonstration was backed by the Vatican and Italy's Catholic bishops, it was organized by lay people independently of the Church. The "mind-blowing" success of the event is an outstanding example of the power held by ordinary citizens when sufficiently mobilized in support of traditional values"]
American College of Pediatricians Calls for End to Embryonic Stem Cell Research lifesite.net 5/15/7 ["and recommends the exclusive support of already proven effective adult stem cell research.  ...Adult stem cells are now routinely used in certain forms of cancer therapy. Over the last decade, these cells have been used to successfully treat spinal cord injuries, heart failure, Parkinson's disease, diabetes and dozens of other conditions in human trials."]
Strikes paralyse Pakistani cities after street violence guardian.co.uk 5/15/7 ["Pakistan's biggest cities were brought to a virtual halt by an anti-government strike yesterday in the wake of the worst street violence the country has seen in 20 years, which killed more than 40 people over the weekend."]
Crude Oil Rises as U.S., European Refineries Report Incidents bloomberg.com 5/15/7 ["U.S. stockpiles are the lowest for this time of year in 16 years and gasoline may remain the ``primary driver'' of oil prices, the International Energy Agency said last week."]
 

Armored vehicles' rising use by police raises community concerns seattletimes.nwsource.com 5/14/7 ["With scores of police agencies large and small buying armored vehicles at Homeland Security expense, some criminal-justice experts warn that their use in fighting everyday crime could do more harm than good and represents a post-Sept. 11 militaristic turn away from the more cooperative community-policing approach promoted in the 1990s."]
VeriChip Corporation Sells Its 1,200th Infant Protection System huliq.com 5/14/7 ["VeriChip's infant protection systems are designed to prevent infant abductions and inadvertent child mishandlings. The main component of the systems is a wearable RFID tag that is assigned to child and mother following birth. Monitors positioned throughout the hospital detect the integrity of the tags and location of the child. If a newborn is removed from the ward, if the tag is lifted from the baby's skin or if the ankle strap is compromised, the system immediately triggers an alarm, alerting hospital security to the situation."]
Intelligence chief OK's global warming study boston.com 5/14/7 ["...A provision requiring a national intelligence estimate on climate change was in the 2008 intelligence authorization bill that the House passed Friday. The amount of the authorization is classified but it is believed to be about $48 billion, which would be the largest intelligence authorization ever considered by Congress."]
US envoy won't take part in J'lem Day jpost.com 5/14/7 ["European Union representatives decided to boycott this week's Jerusalem Day ceremony marking 40 years since the capital was retaken, Army Radio reported Earlier Sunday."]
 

Pesticides next frontier in China food safety alertnet.org 5/13/7 ["China's farmers overuse pesticides, skip protective clothing and have at their fingertips an array of banned and counterfeit products, raising another area of concern in the country's fragile food chain.  Spraying chemicals on crops improperly or using products that may be fake or banned risks the health of China's hundreds of millions of farmers and could lead to unsafe levels of residues in fruits and vegetables"]
US and EU agree 'single market' news.bbc.co.uk 5/13/7 ["The pact is designed to boost trade and investment by harmonising regulatory standards, laying the basis for a US-EU single market.  The two sides also signed an Open Skies deal, designed to reduce fares and boost traffic on transatlantic flights. But little of substance was agreed on climate change.  However, EU leaders were pleased that the US acknowledged human activity was a major cause. "]
Bill requires hiring 'gays,' cross-dressers worldnetdaily.com 5/13/7 ["Following on the heels of an 'anti-discrimination' plan Christians insist would virtually outlaw their religious beliefs comes another proposal – introduced by openly homosexual U.S. Rep. Barney Frank – that requires businesses to give special privileges to "gay" and "transgendered" individuals.  Shari Rendall, director of legislation and public policy for Concerned Women for America, the nation's largest women's public policy group, said H.R. 2015, the "Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007," would be a disaster.  "This bill would unfairly extend special privileges based upon an individual's changeable sexual behaviors, rather than focusing on immutable, non-behavior characteristics such as skin color or gender."]
Anti-illegal-immigrant law OK'd in Texas chron.com 5/13/7 ["Voters in this Dallas suburb Saturday overwhelmingly approved a measure banning landlords from renting to most illegal immigrants, in the first public vote on any of the more than 90 measures local governments around the country have proposed to crack down on illegal immigration.  With two-thirds of precincts reporting, the measure had 68 percent support, with 32 percent opposed. It requires apartment managers to verify that renters are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants before leasing to them, with some exceptions."]
Border Patrol says agency erred on fence chron.com 5/13/7 ["Local mayors were dismayed last month to learn of a map showing 153 miles of fencing in Texas, part of a plan to erect 370 miles by the end of 2008. They organized a trip to Austin to try to get state support against a plan they say will cut off landowners and endangered wildlife from the river, ruin flood-control systems and send the wrong message to Texas' biggest trading partner.  ...None of mayors or residents at the meeting spoke in support of the fence, though all said they wanted a secure border."]
Rise in abortions marks a changing society in China iht.com 5/13/7 ["More young, single women are having abortions and even constitute a majority of those getting abortions in Shanghai and parts of Beijing, according to academic studies and health experts.  Many of these women - migrant workers, urban professionals, prostitutes and students - are having multiple abortions. For this new generation of single women, who have grown up as sexual mores have steadily loosened in China, abortion rates have risen as Chinese society has become more transient and unmoored from the values, and inhibitions, of traditional culture."]
 

Mega-Church Pastor Rick Warren Under Fire over Media Mogul Parishioner's Porn Channels lifesite.net 5/12/7 ["...suggested Warren's business ties with Murdoch may be an obstacle to Warren's addressing the issue of Murdoch's involvement with the porn industry.  "Warren and Zondervan are currently working on an updated and revised edition of the Purpose Driven Church. That book is scheduled to be released later this year. We hope that Warren's business ties to Murdoch's company haven't clouded his judgment and impacted his resolve to carry out his Biblical duty as Murdoch's Pastor."  Murdoch also contributed $2 million to Warren's PEACE plan"]
US seeks G8 global warming 'dilution' news.com.au 5/12/7 ["In a draft of the declaration dated April 2007 seen by Reuters, the US objects to a pledge to limit global warming to 2C this century and cut world greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.  Washington also questions whether the UN is the best forum to tackle the climate crisis and rejects a section stating that carbon markets are a key means of developing and deploying climate-friendly technologies."]
Governor Worried Guard Lacks Equipment swtimes.com 5/12/7 ["With much of its heavy equipment being used in Iraq, the Arkansas National Guard may lack resources to assist with cleanup in the event of a large-scale disaster, Gov. Mike Beebe said Tuesday."]
Chastity doesn't suit Brazil's AIDS policy: minister france24.com 5/12/7 ["Brazil has managed to contain the spread of AIDS in the past decade through an aggressive campaign of distributing millions of free condoms, including to schools."]
 

Euro becomes currency of choice for Latin American cocaine traffickers iht.com 5/11/7 ["The euro has replaced the dollar in the Western Hemisphere as the currency of choice among these traffickers, which is an extraordinary shift," she said. "As cocaine use has declined in the U.S. dramatically, in the European market it has risen."  Traffickers are drawn by bigger profits on the European street, where a kilogram of cocaine sells for about $50,000, compared with $30,000 in the United States"]
Homebuilders in a Hole businessweek.com 5/11/7 ["But for the industry as a whole, there may be even more problems waiting just below the surface since many builders entered into big land deals with partners, amassing billions in debt that doesn't show up on their balance sheets. "I think we're going to see a lot more [bankruptcy] filings in the next 6 to 12 months," says Tucson attorney Eric Slocum Sparks, who is representing one local builder, AmericaBuilt Construction, in Chapter 11. "I've got a couple of clients who want to see me next week, and I know these aren't social visits."  The extent of the industry's woes will depend on where housing heads from here. So far analysts and executives alike are unsure whether, or by how much, the slump will deepen. But the trends aren't pretty. The National Association of Realtors now predicts that new-home sales are likely to drop 18% this year"]
Retailers post weak April sales businessweek.com 5/11/7 ["UBS-International Council of Shopping Centers sales tally of 53 stores posted a decline of 2.4 percent, the biggest drop since the index started tracking the data back in 1970. The tally is based on same-store sales or sales at stores open at least a year, which are considered a key indicator of retailers' health. Michael P. Niemira, chief economist at the ICSC, called the drop in same-store sales a rarity, noting that this is only the third time since 1970 the overall index declined.  ...Wal-Mart reported a 3.5 percent decline in same-store sales. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had expected a 1.1 percent decrease."]
US military begins planning for avian flu pandemic physorg.com 5/11/7 ["Possible scenarios include US troops being called in to put down riots, guard pharmaceutical plants and shipments, and help restrict the movement of people inside the country and across its borders.  The plan envisions fast moving, catastrophic waves of disease that would overwhelm health facilities and cripple the ability of state and local authorities to provide even basic commodities or services.  ...the guidance said the US military's top priority would be to preserve the operational effectiveness of the Defense Department and its forces around the world.   ...DoD will augment civilian law enforcement efforts to restore and maintain order in accordance with existing statutes."  The military also may assist civil authorities in "isolating and/or quarantining groups of people in order to minimize the spread of disease during an influenza pandemic"]
Corporate networks bolstered for pandemic upi.com 5/11/7 [" While a global pandemic of avian flu is not considered imminent, analysts are concerned that such an outbreak could cripple businesses in the event large numbers of workers fall ill or stay home to avoid catching the disease."]
What Cho Learned In The English Department eagleforum.org 5/11/7 [by Phyllis Schlafly  "Perhaps Cho took Professor Bernice Hausman's English 3354 on "Fundamentals" for which the syllabus promises an understanding of "deconstruction" (a favorite word in English departments).  Did Cho get evil egotistical notions from Professor Shoshana Milgram Knapp's senior seminar called "The Self-Justifying Criminal in Literature"? Indeed, that could serve as his own self-portrait.  Did Cho take Professor J.D. Stahl's senior seminar, English 4784, on "The City in Literature"? The assigned reading starts with a book about an urban prostitute who finally kills herself and a book about a violent man who kills his girlfriend. "]
Sandbaggers Busy As Missouri Rivers Rise chron.com 5/11/7 ["State officials said dozens of levees have been topped or breached since a weekend of drenching thunderstorms raised rivers and generated tornadoes that claimed 12 lives in Kansas.  ...Parts of the Missouri, Platte and Grand rivers, along with their tributaries, will likely be at flood stage or higher until at least the weekend, adding to the misery for property owners and sending downstream residents scurrying to fill sandbags to protect their homes."]
 

Kuwait has prepared food stocks in case of Gulf war iht.com 5/10/7 ["State-owned Kuwait News Agency quoted the commerce and industry minister of this small oil-rich state, Falah al-Hajiri, as saying his ministry has built a "strategic stockpile of foodstuffs," and has taken all "precautionary measures" to care for the population.  Al-Hajiri spoke after a meeting with parliament's foreign affairs committee to discuss the country's preparedness in case of potential U.S. military action against neighboring Iran"]
Kuwaiti MPs laud government's plans to cope with US-Iran war dailystar.com.lb 5/10/7 ["Asked if there were indications of a military confrontation that prompted the meeting, Sager said: "There are three [US] aircraft carriers in Gulf waters. They are here either to strike, or to deter Iran.""]
Gates Rejects Emergency Command Proposal poststar.com 5/10/7 ["Defense Secretary Robert Gates has rejected a proposal to let governors command active duty troops responding to disasters, officials said Wednesday, though the Pentagon will grant National Guard leaders more authority to coordinate with other military and homeland security agencies."]
Russians mark victory over Nazi Germany chron.com 5/10/7 ["Putin hailed Victory Day as "the holiday of huge moral importance and unifying power."  He also honored the contribution of Western allies to the defeat of Adolf Hitler's Germany but appeared to take a swipe at the United States, saying that the world now sees threats to peace "based on the same disrespect for human life, claims to global exclusiveness and dictate, just as it was in the Third Reich."  He did not specify to whom he was referring, but the comment echoed recent sharp criticism by him of the United States for an allegedly aggressive foreign policy..."]
Extreme weather, fires befall nation seattlepi.nwsource.com 5/10/7 ["Nature's fury made life miserable Wednesday from one end of the nation to the other, with people forced out of their homes by wildfires near both coasts and the Canadian border and by major flooding in the Midwest."]
Goodbye U.S. dollar, hello global currency worldnetdaily.com 5/10/7 ["Benn Steil, writing in the current issue of CFR's influential Foreign Affairs magazine, says "the world needs to abandon unwanted currencies, replacing them with dollars, euros, and multinational currencies as yet unborn."  In the article, "The End of National Currency," Steil clearly asserts the dollar and the euro are temporary currencies, perhaps necessary today. He argues "economic development outside the process of globalization is no longer possible." "]
Bush OKs 'integration' with European Union worldnetdaily.com 5/10/7 ["The "Transatlantic Economic Integration" between the U.S. and the European Union was signed April 30 at the White House by Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel – the current president of the European Council – and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.  The document acknowledges "the transatlantic economy remains at the forefront of globalization," arguing that the U.S. and the European Union "seek to strengthen transatlantic economic integration."  The agreement established a new Transatlantic Economic Council to be chaired on the U.S. side by a cabinet-level officer in the White House and on the EU side by a member of the European Commission. "]
Gay Glergy, New Age Christians & Born Again Pornographers? newswithviews.com 5/10/7 [By Paul Proctor  "Many of you who read my column regularly and have followed our ongoing efforts this past year to warn Christians about what is being offered by many so-called "Christian Bookstores" are aware of the ignorance, apathy, arrogance, attacks, evasiveness and obstinacy we have encountered along the way. "]
Prenatal Test Puts Down Syndrome in Hard Focus nytimes.com 5/10/7 ["Until this year, only pregnant women 35 and older were routinely tested to see if their fetuses had the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome. As a result many couples were given the diagnosis only at birth. But under a new recommendation from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, doctors have begun to offer a new, safer screening procedure to all pregnant women, regardless of age.  About 90 percent of pregnant women who are given a Down syndrome diagnosis have chosen to have an abortion. "]
 

Appellate Judges Let Gun Ruling Stand washingtonpost.com 5/9/7 ["A federal appeals court in Washington yesterday let stand a ruling that struck down a restrictive D.C. ban on gun ownership, setting the stage for a potentially major constitutional battle over the Second Amendment in the Supreme Court."]
U.S. Says Mexico Truck Program on Track abcnews.go.com 5/9/7 ["A pilot program to allow Mexican trucks into all areas of the United States should be in place by July, a top U.S. trade official said Tuesday.  Access to the U.S. by Mexican trucks has been delayed for years by safety and environmental concerns and resistance from U.S. truckers."]
Another First - UK Clinic to Weed Out Embryos for Cosmetic Defects lifesite.net 5/9/7 ["the first time a license to do so has been issued in the country.  A business man and his wife applied to London’s Bridge Centre family clinic for screening procedures to ensure an embryo would be created without the father’s genetic eye disorder--the man and his father both have an eye condition which gives them a severe squint."]
Midwest flooding could near 1993 levels chron.com 5/9/7 ["ive burst levees along the Missouri River sent a deluge of water that submerged the tiny town of Big Lake on Tuesday, as thousands in the region fled their homes amid warnings that the flooding could approach the devastation of 1993.  ...The 1993 flood was caused by melting snow combined with heavy rain over two months. After that, state buyouts of property on flood plains left fewer residences in danger of future floods."]
Massachusetts floats $1 bln stem cell research plan reuters.com 5/9/7 ["Massachusetts is the latest region to express lofty ambitions in emotionally charged embryonic stem-cell research, which requires destruction of days-old embryos and is opposed by abortion foes and the White House on ethical grounds."]
Kan. spikes conservative sex ed policies chron.com 5/9/7 ["One rescinded policy recommended that schools stress abstinence until marriage, while the other urged school districts to get parental permission before students could attend human sexuality classes.  On a 6-3 vote, the board replaced the policies with one that recommends "abstinence plus" sex education programs and leaves it up to the state's 296 school districts to decide whether to get parental permission."]
European Parliament Accuses Croatia of Homophobia in Schools lifesite.net 5/9/7 ["over a sex education curriculum that opposes homosexuality and teaches abstinence before marriage"]
Over one million Harry Potter advance orders on Amazon reuters.com 5/9/7 ["More than 620,000 copies have been ordered in advance in the United States..."]
 

The IRS, Amero and the Battleground For Liberty newswithviews.com 5/8/7 [By Devvy Kidd  "the inescapable fact that (1) the dollar may not survive; (2) foreign countries own our debt and don't want any more; (3) Congress and Bush are not going to stop what's coming when that first wave of baby boomers begin retiring next year; (4) Congress will do nothing about the IRS because they need it or an alternative scheme; (5) the courts are so rotten and corrupt, only a miracle will save you anymore on an IRS case and the big one (6) the North American Union/SPP and a push for something called the Amero. Let me add the ten ton elephant which is going to break the back of this government and economy: the incalculable price tag of our aging population and medical care. "]
Nationwide School Lockdown Policies newswithviews.com 5/8/7 [By Nancy Levant   "Should any threat, including community disaster, weather emergency, or for other reasons designated by local or national emergency authorities occur, teachers lock the classrooms, have children sit quietly against the walls, etc. But the “no contact” rules between parents and children – no phone calls, no cell phones, no admission of known parents - was more than disturbing, because the concept of “lockdown” also serves a Martial Law scenario."]
Iraq war 'hampers tornado recovery' news.com.au 5/8/7 ["A SHORTAGE of trucks, helicopters and other equipment - all sent to the war in Iraq - has hampered recovery in a US town obliterated by a tornado, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius said today.  ...The twisters were accompanied by widespread flooding on yesterday and today that required more than 200 water rescues and closed many roads and shuttered several schools in another part of the state."]
Study: Frequent TV Viewing During Adolescence Linked to Attention and Learning Difficulties lifesite.net 5/8/7 ["Teenagers who watch television for three or more hours per day may have a higher risk of attention and learning difficulties in their adolescent and early adult years, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.  Children and teens in industrialized nations spend an average of two or more hours per day watching television, with more than 90 percent of viewing time watching entertainment and general audience programming..."]
Swarms of quakes strike Yellowstone heraldextra.com 5/8/7 ["Sixteen small earthquakes with magnitudes up to 2.7 shook the park's Pitchstone Plateau last week."]
 

Gas prices hit record high cnn.com 5/7/7 ["averaging $3.07 for a gallon of self-serve regular in the United States, a survey reported Sunday.  When inflation is factored in, the new price trails the all-time high in March 1981. At the time, gasoline cost $1.35 a gallon -- in today's dollars, that's $3.13 a gallon, sa