SB182, relating to informed consent to an abortion, has progressed to the intent calendar of the Senate. As I understand the process, this means it will be debated on the Senate floor in the near future. I urge all Texans reading this post to contact your state senator and inform them of your wishes regarding this legislation. The various senators who represent us can be found via this page; http://www.legis. state.tx. us/Home.aspx
Found this via Pewsitter...
"And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion - there is not a tragedy in sight -- only blessing. The ability to enjoy God's good gift of sexuality without compromising one's education, life's work, or ability to put to use God's gifts and call is simply blessing.
These are the two things I want you, please, to remember - abortion is a blessing
and our work is not done. Let me hear you say it: abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done. Abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.
I want to thank all of you who protect this blessing - who do this work every day: the health care providers, doctors, nurses, technicians, receptionists, who put your lives on the line to care for others (you are heroes -- in my eyes, you are saints); the escorts and the activists; the lobbyists and the clinic defenders; all of you. You're engaged in holy work." Dr. Katherine Ragsdale, Dean of Episcopal Divinity School of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Gee, wonder why my kidneys have been aching lately?
In a Seattle Washington college classroom, they were discussing the qualifications to be President of the United States .
It was pretty simple - the candidate must be a natural born citizen of at least 35 years of age.
However, one girl in the class immediately started in on how unfair was the requirement to be a natural born citizen. In short, her opinion was that this requirement prevented many capable individuals from becoming president.
The class was taking it in and letting her rant, but everyone's jaw hit the floor when she wrapped up her argument by stating, 'What makes a natural born citizen any more qualified to lead this country than one born by C-section?'
So much for Public education. (Yes, this is a joke. Sadly enough, it's entirely believable. Which is why I added the disclaimer.)
The following military personnel were killed in action in Iraq or Afghanistan during the period of March 8-14. Please spare a moment to pray for them and their families.
Lance Cpl. Patrick A. Malone, 21, FL
Cpl. Nicolas Belda, 23, France
Lance Cpl. Christopher Harkett, 22, Wales
Staff Sgt. Archie A. Taylor, 37, TX
Pfc. Patrick A. Devoe II, 27, NY
Trooper Marc Diab, 22, Spain
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Crap like this surfaces; http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/27/videogame.losing.virginity/index.html
Its about a contest to create a concept for a video game about losing one's virginity. Just what I'd want to see on the shelves of WalMart!!!
Dear God, where does it all end?
It's now 7:45 in the morning here in North Texas on March 28th. It's snowing.
Damn that George W. Bush and his global warming!!
Mexico City, Mexico, Mar 27, 2009 / 04:59 pm (CNA).- During her recent visit to Mexico, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made an unexpected stop at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and left a bouquet of white flowers “on behalf of the American people,” after asking who painted the famous image. (Someone remind me again of why this woman was so well qualified for her position.)
The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was miraculously imprinted by Mary on the tilma, or cloak, of St. Juan Diego in 1531. The image has numerous unexplainable phenomena, such as the appearance on Mary’s eyes of those present in the room when the tilma was opened and the image’s lack of decay.
Mrs. Clinton was received on Thursday at 8:15 a.m. by the rector of the Basilica, Msgr. Diego Monroy.
Msgr. Monroy took Mrs. Clinton to the famous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which had been previously lowered from its usual altar for the occasion.
After observing it for a while, Mrs. Clinton asked “who painted it?” to which Msgr. Monroy responded “God!” (Got to admire his restraint.)
Clinton then told Msgr. Monroy that she had previously visited the old Basilica in 1979, when the new one was still under construction.
After placing a bouquet of white flowers by the image, Mrs. Clinton went to the quemador –the open air area at the Basilica where the faithful light candles- and lit a green candle.
Leaving the basilica half an hour later, Mrs. Clinton told some of the Mexicans gathered outside to greet her, “you have a marvelous virgin!” (Well at least it isn't Slick Willie saying those words, they'd have an entirely DIFFERENT connotation!)
This evening Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to receive the highest award given by Planned Parenthood Federation of America -- the Margaret Sanger Award, named for the organization's founder, a noted eugenicist. The award will be presented at a gala event in Houston, Texas. (Moloch is smiling.)
Next stop, the Shroud of Turin. Can't wait to hear what she'd say about THAT!
Seriously, I recall a conversation with an "O"bot about the selection of Hillary as Secretary of State. The defense was, "She's just as qualified as Rice was when Bush picked her!" When I informed him that Rice had spent time under Reagan dealing with the Soviets I heard, "Oh, didn't know that."
DUH!!
"Sherry" at Chocolate For Your Brain has written an excellent post about the current dustup concerning Notre Dame. I've copied it in it's entirety and pasted it below;
The Ignorant Redneck has some advice for anyone who might be attending the Notred Dame graduation that B.O. is speaking at.
REDNECK CATHOLIC: Turn Your Backs! And be Fearless about it!
Is it just me or is the Culture of Death really ramping up it's attacks on our lives? That's a serious question, for about the last year it seems we see stories like the one below hitting the news at an increasing pace.
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A federal court on Monday ordered the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider its decision preventing minors from purchasing the morning after pill without a prescription. When the FDA made the Plan B drug available over the counter, it prohibited such sales to people under the age of 18.
While pro-life groups were upset the drug was made available without consulting a doctor, they said the limits in selling it to teenagers were necessary.
Today, U.S. District Judge Edward R. Korman order the FDA to make the drug available to women as young as 17 within the next 30 days and to consider reversing its entire decision on selling the morning after pill to minors.
Korman sided with abortion advocates who claimed the FDA didn't follow its normal protocols when making the decision.
The Washington Post indicated Korman said the "record is clear that the FDA's course of conduct regarding Plan B departed in significant ways from the agency's normal procedures regarding similar applications to switch a drug from prescription to non-prescription use."
Suzanne Novak, a lawyer for the pro-abortion Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the lawsuit, told the Post she was pleased with the ruling.
"We're very excited," she said. "The message is clear: The FDA has to put science first and leave politics at the door."
She said that the Obama administration's control of the FDA would likely result in it overturning the limits on selling the morning after pill to minors.
"We are encouraged that the FDA under new leadership, when they look at the evidence, will remove the unique barriers that have been in place and it will finally be available to all women without any barriers," Novak said.
Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, the FDA's acting commissioner at the time the decision was made, said the agency did not approve the drug for sales to teenagers because Barr had not provided enough information about how the morning after pill affects them.
Wendy Wright, the president of Concerned Women for America, said the age restrictions need more enforcement, not less.She also worries that a parent, older sibling or other relative or older friends could purchase the morning after pill for young teens, avoiding the requirement that they visit a doctor first before using the drug.
Wright said selling the morning after pill over the counter will make it easier for men who abuse young women to cover up their crimes.
"Any adult male who is having sex with a minor could walk into a pharmacy, buy the drug, and coax the girl into taking the pill," she said.
Wright also said that Planned Parenthood and abortion advocates were given certain restrictions by the FDA on the dangerous abortion drug RU 486, but that those haven't been followed.
"Those restrictions have never been followed, women have died, yet no one has been punished nor the drug approval pulled,” said Wright.
I've come to believe that we really are under an attack from forces of darkness and thats no exaggeration. I don't just mean Americans are under attack, it's humanity in general.
I don't like the tone of this article from the Birmingham News (H/T to James H at The Opinionated Catholic);
Obama volunteers hunt budget support in Birmingham, Alabama grassroots campaign
Sunday, March 22, 2009
ANNA VELASCO
News staff writer
Volunteers fanned out across the Birmingham area and Alabama Saturday to pump up enthusiasm for President Barack Obama's budget proposal in much the same way they did to win over voters during the presidential campaign. (Someone should tell these fools the campaign is over. But maybe they have other plans...)
About 30 volunteers in Birmingham canvassed shopping areas and other high-traffic locations to talk about the need for health care reform, an education overhaul and environmentally friendly energy development.
"If we don't change these three things in the next 10 to 15 years, America is over as we know it," Chris DeHaven, told the group of volunteers before they went their separate ways. (Hmmm. According to the Constitution, Obama can only serve two terms. Wonder what they'll do about that one in order to bring about their brave new world?)
Obama's plan faces criticism from Republicans and others who say it's too expensive. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released a report Friday saying Obama's agenda would cause huge budget deficits, forcing the country to borrow $9.3 trillion in the next decade. ("Nonpartisan" do these fools know what that means? Are they so in love with Der Fuerher/The One that it makes no impression?)
Those who gathered at Kelly Ingram Park in downtown Birmingham were urged to enlist others who share Obama's vision and to stay away from trying to convert naysayers.
"We're looking for supporters," said DeHaven of Hoover, one of the event's organizers. "We're not looking for a fight. That will come later, when we have an army." (THIS is the part that really gets my attention! Wonder when "later" will be? At least for now it's a safe bet this group of desk jockeys don't know the first thing about a firearm and think fighting with supersoakers is the ultimate in combat.)
The volunteers are part of Organizing for America, the same grassroots, national network credited in large part with Obama's quick rise from obscurity to president. Birmingham and 11 other sites statewide were part of a national push this weekend by Organizing for America to trumpet Obama's spending proposal. (So it isn't just confined to Alabama. Look for more of this crap in the near future.)
Across the metro area, volunteers gave their opinions about why Obama's plan is good for the country's future. Then they asked those willing to sign a pledge of support for the budget. (What happens when you tell them Obama is a clueless POS?) Supporters' e-mail addresses and other contact information were collected, to keep people engaged and to recruit more volunteers.
Leanne Townsend of Hoover also helped organize Saturday's event. She has been a member of the Obama grassroots network since March 2007.
"Our group in Birmingham has been very involved," Townsend said. "We're still very energetic. We all worked so hard during the campaign. We can't just stop." (Uh-huh. Noted for future reference.)
No, they're not the SS or a new Hitler Youth. But can anyone recall at any time in our nation's history when this sort of crap went on? I really wish someone would and I can write it off to paranoia.
But for some reason I don't think anyone will.
The cult of personality around this guy scares the crap out of me.
UPDATE: Here's another story that gives some more information about B.O.'s "army" and it's efforts over the weekend:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/64644.html
It's a very small group of folks, admitted. But will it grow into something more? I asked if anyone knew of something similar in other times of our history, if this is a first it's something to pay attention to.
"Out of small acorns do mighty oaks grow" can apply to personality cults that take over a nation. THAT is where my thinking leads me!
Start with the whole flap over those AIG bonuses.
These things were probably in place long before the economy tanked. Can you spell "contractural agreement"? As in, "if I don't get the money promised, I'll have grounds to sue your asses." Not something any company already in financial trouble would want to attempt. Pay the money, short term pain vs. long term gain.
And 165 million compared to over 170 billion given AIG to bail it out of trouble? Chump change. Really, look at it. It takes ONE THOUSAND millions to make a billion, so less than one thousandth of the amount given AIG is being paid out in promised bonuses. Hey, let's bitch about the upkeep of their parking lots and the groundskeeping expenses while we're at it.
The best way I can grasp the furor is via the following. With the War Department's job and my retirement we'll gross just a tad over 85K this year. Which is kind of embarassing since our kitchen floor consists of the concrete foundation slab with a few coats of paint on it, the house is 25 years old, we're a single car family, I keep sweets on the left side of my mouth to avoid the cavities on the right, etc .
Looking at those items we'd seem to be idiots when it comes to money, right? So let's look at how this could break down.
One thousandth of 85K is eighty-five dollars. Divide it by twelve months and you get seven dollars and a teensy bit of change (not even the tenth of a cent). That would be the amount I pay for my coffee grounds every month.
I'm sure there are some caffeine cossacks somewhere who would scream that my spendthrift ways with the bean directly reflect the irresponsible way the WD and I handle money. I hope they're getting the help they need. Seriously.
FWIW, we also spend several thousand a year addressing our children's autism concerns. That includes private preschool and therapy sessions. I won't go into the rest of our budget, by now you realize theres a tad bit more to the story then my mainlining coffee 365 days a year.
So IMHO the flap over that 165 million is just as ridiculous. Yes, the amount staggers those of us not making several hundred thou a year. So does 160 billion. But after awhile it's all just numbers.
But by allowing the focus to stay on those stinking bonuses the present administration is deflecting attention from their steady stream of money being poured out of the public coffers and into the socialization of our nation. Check out the news and how greater government control is being pushed, ostensibly so there are no more "travesties" like the AIG bonuses.
Remember, that money DOESN'T come without strings attached. B.O. & Co. are pushing ahead with socialized medicine, greater control of ALL private institutions and a greater secularization of our country.
Most of the regular readers here will already know this crap and wonder why I preach to the choir.
Gotta vent the frustration somehow and maybe once in a blue moon a new face will show up. Someone who might say, "I didn't know that!".
SB1802,relating to prohibiting human cloning and other uses of humantissue by institutions of higher education; providing penalties, is currently before the Health & Human Services Committee. The text of the bill is available at this web address; http://www.legis.%20state.tx.%20us/BillLookup/%20Text.aspx?
The problem this bill has is that it allows for the voluntary donation of an oocyte (the female germ cell, the egg.) by a woman for research purposes. This should be discouraged.
Members of the Health & Human Services Committee are;
Chair: Sen. Jane Nelson http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist12/dist12.htm
Vice Chair: Sen. Bob Deuell http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist2/dist2.htm
Members:
Sen. Joan Huffman http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist17/dist17.htm
Sen. Robert Nichols http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist3/dist3.htm
Sen. Dan Patrick http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist7/dist7.htm
Sen. Eliot Shapleigh http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist29/dist29.htm
Sen. Carlos Uresti http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist19/dist19.htm
Sen. Royce West http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist23/dist23.htm
Sen. Judith Zaffirini http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members/dist21/dist21.htm
The email & snail mail information for these senators may be found on their respective web pages. I suggest all Texans reading this post contact these committee members and urge that this bill die in committee.
The following military personnel were killed in action in Iraq or Afghanistan during the period of March 1-7. Please spare a moment to pray for them and their families.
1st Lt. Daniel B. Hyde, 24, CA
Pfc. Jessica Y. Sarandrea, 22, FL
Sgt. Jeffrey A. Reed, 23, VA
Warrant Officer Dennis Raymond Brown, 38, Canada
Cpl. Dany Olivier Fortin, 29, Canada
Cpl. Kenneth Chad O'Quinn, 25, Canada
Sgt. Simone A. Robinson, 21, IL
May the souls of the faithful departed, throughthe mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Fr. Longenecker has posted what can be expected when B.O. gets to Notre Dame. It's supposed to be satire but all I see is what we might resonably expect. Maybe I'm missing something.
You tell me; http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/2009/03/alternative-liturgy-for-visit-of.html
Everyone has already heard of the latest incident proving B.O. is lost without a teleprompter. Let's face it, if he'd been prepped for the question he'd never have even mentioned his bowling abilities and the Special Olympics in the same breath.
So sans teleprompter we get the unscripted, off-the-top-of-his-head comments.
Which proves?
This guy has less compassion than a lizard. Compare this to G.W. Bush's genuine tears when meeting with 9/11 families or survivors of a KIA soldier.
What else could we expect from America's most proabortion President? If he doesn't value human life at conception thru birth why would he value it at any other time?
Why would he value it when he thinks we should go to war if going to war is the politically correct thing to do? Why would he value it when it comes to doing something effective about violent crime when doing something truly effective isn't in fashion? Why should he value it when
looking out for the elderly/disabled is unlikely to gain political points?
Remember, this is the guy who doesn't want his daughter "punished with a baby".
Does this guy have any disinterested feelings for his fellow man? What is there in his past history that would show that?
Religious attendance? Yeah, at Rev. Wright's church. Noted.
Care for his family? Would that include his half brother living on less than a hundred dollars a year over in Africa? Or his recently deceased grandmother who he trashmouthed during his campaign, describing her as a typical white woman who feared blacks?
His constituents? Maybe like R.N. Jill Stanek who tried unsuccessfully to have him view videos of partial birth abortions? He wouldn't do it, his mind was made up and didn't need to be confused with the facts.
So, just what the hell do we have sitting in the Oval Office anyway?
Sorry, I'm tired and my mind won't let go of the basic lack of compassion evidenced in a public figure making dumb jokes about the handicapped. I'll admit it's a sore spot with me, my father lost his left leg before meeting my mother, my three youngest kids are all somewhere on the autisim spectrum and my mother's elevator no longer goes to the top floor. There are more "special needs" folks in my life, those are just the ones I'll talk about. I don't think I'm alone in this either, more people than not have problems requiring some empathy.
And this guy shows me less everytime he opens his yap.
B.O. strikes again and, as usual, it was done quietly with no fanfare from the MSM.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/17/guns-on-a-plane-obama-secretly-ends-program-that-l/
Back to Sept. 10, 2001 folks.
We. Are. So. Screwed.
Our most proabortion President speaking at the university that, in the minds of many, epitomizes Catholic education? Found this via Creative Minority Report;
[ChicagoBreakingNews.com] President Barack Obama will give the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame on May 17, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said this afternoon. The address in South Bend was one of three Gibbs mentioned in a briefing to reporters this afternoon. Obama also plans to speak to graduates at Arizona State University on May 13 and at U.S. Naval Academy on May 22. Obama would be the sixth U.S. president since Dwight Eisenhower to speak at a Notre Dame commencement, according to an article on past commencement speakers on the university's Web site.
MY ASS!!
The Cardinal Newman Society has a petition to sign protesting this. It can be found here;
http://notredamescandal.com/
And no, you don't even have to be Catholic to sign.
Seems B.O. can't say diddle squat and get it right when he's off the teleprompter. I'll bet his speechwriters wouldn't have allowed his "bowling gaffe".
Especially since at least one participant in the Special Olympics can wax his ass!
Found this at Breitbart.com:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) - The top bowler for the Special Olympics looks forward to meeting President Barack Obama in an alley. (You can bet it would never be televised. Too bad!)
"He bowled a 129. I bowl a 300. I could beat that score easily," Michigan's Kolan McConiughey (KO-lahn Mc-KAHNA-he) told The Associated Press in an interview Friday.
The athletic-minded president made an offhand remark Thursday on "The Tonight Show" comparing his weak bowling to "the Special Olympics or something." He quickly apologized and told the Special Olympics chairman he wants to have some of its athletes visit the White House to bowl or play basketball. (Just to be safe, he'll have the bowlers play basketball and the basketball players bowl. But I bet he'd still get his ass kicked in bowling!)
McConiughey, who is mentally disabled, is just the bowler for the job. He's bowled five perfect games since 2005. (Dude!!)
The 35-year-old McConiughey has been bowling since he was 8 or 9. His advice for Obama? Practice every day. (Learning to shut his mouth would help too!)
There'll be some new faces aboard the USS Hartford soon, at a guess they'll include the CO, XO and Navigator.
MANAMA, Bahrain – Two U.S. Navy vessels — a nuclear-powered submarine and an amphibious ship — collided during the early morning hours Friday in the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the Arabian peninsula, the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet reported.
There was no damage to the sub's nuclear propulsion system, said Lt. Nate Christensen, a 5th Fleet spokesman.
The military said in a statement that the incident occurred around 1:00 a.m. local time on Friday (5 p.m. EDT, Thursday), when the USS Hartford, a submarine, and the USS New Orleans, an amphibious ship, collided.
According to the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, 15 sailors aboard the Hartford were slightly injured but able to return to duty. No injuries were reported aboard the New Orleans.
Both ships were heading to port and were going in the same direction when the incident occurred in the narrow strait, said 5th Fleet spokesman, Lt. Nate Christensen. He said the incident occurred at night and the submarine was submerged at the time but that he could give no further details as the collision is still under investigation.
Both vessels are now heading to port for repairs and evaluation, but Christensen said that
following standard security procedures he could not say where the vessels were headed.
The New Orleans suffered a ruptured fuel tank, resulting in an oil spill of approximately 25,000 gallons (95,000 liters) of diesel fuel.
Both ships are currently operating under their own power.
The Navy said both ships were on regularly scheduled deployments to the region and conducting security operations.
Oil prices rose after news of the collision which happened in a busy shipping route.
As much as 17 million barrels of oil a day went through the narrow strait in the first half of 2008, or about 40 percent of all seaborne traded oil or 20 percent of all oil traded globally.
The Hartford is based in Groton, Conn. and the New Orleans is based in San Diego, Calif., the Navy said. As all U.S. submarines, the Hartford is nuclear powered. The New Orleans is an amphibious transport dock ship.
It's not all that difficult to get run over when you're aboard a sub. I remember a time "back in the day" when we almost surfaced under a supertanker. THAT would have left a mark!
Some days there are news stories that just can't be commented on, they're so jaw-droppingly stupid. This is one of those stories;
BRUSSELS, March 18, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Officials of the European Union have issued a booklet for EU Parliamentary staff, saying that the use of "Miss" and "Mrs" for women, as well as such terms as "statesman" and "fireman," are to be banned on the grounds that they are "sexist."
Any honorifics that distinguish between a married and an unmarried woman in any language are to be banned as well, including "Madame" and "Mademoiselle," "Frau" and "Fraulein," "Senora" and "Senorita." Instead, staff are asked not to use any form of honorific and merely to address women by their names.
"Gender-specific" terms, such as "statesman," are to be replaced with gender-free alternatives, such as "political leader."
But not all MEPs are going along quietly with the feminist doctrines. The Scottish Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson called it a case of "political correctness gone mad."
A European Parliament spokesman defended the booklet, saying, "The information is a guideline only and it is intended for staff and not for MEPs. It is particularly useful for translators and interpreters, who are being asked to consider gender-neutral languages when they are translating documents or interpreting MEPs speaking in the chamber."
Since its inception in the early 1960s the imposition of "inclusive language," and particularly the elimination of honorifics that indicate marital status, has been a key issue for the radical feminist movement in the English speaking world. In the US, the movement's flagship publication, founded by feminist icon Gloria Steinem in 1972, was titled "Ms.," an indication of the importance to feminists of the abolition of traditional honorifics.
The Halifax Chronicle Herald mocked the decision in an unsigned editorial, saying it was a throwback to the era of bellbottoms and love beads.
Calling it "politically correct nonsense," the editorial said that the "muddled thinking behind the effort is certainly familiar to many" in heavily politically correct Canada.
"Ensuring men's and women's rights are equal does not mean we have to disinfect language to remove all gender references. Insisting on doing so can actually rob words and phrases of meaning."
Austin, TX (LifeNews.com) -- A Texas state Senate committee held a hearing on a bill Thursday that would allow women a chance to see an ultrasound of their unborn baby prior to an abortion. More than a sixteen states have such laws on the books and another dozen are considering similar laws this year.
The bills enjoy strong backing from pro-life advocates, who know ultrasounds have helped women understand the humanity of their unborn child.
When used in pregnancy centers they persuade as many as 80 percent of women considering an abortion to seek alternatives.
Senator Dan Patrick presented Senate Bill 182 and said it would amend the current Texas Women's Right to Know Act, which was passed in 2003. That's a state law requiring abortion practitioners to provide women with information about abortion's risks and alternatives.
Under Patrick's bill, women would not be required to see the ultrasound but they must be allowed the chance to do so and can sign a form stating they were given the opportunity.
"I'm interested in protecting the lives of the unborn and giving a woman an option before she makes that fatal choice for that fetus, for that baby, to look at that ultrasound," he said previously. "That might persuade her to save that life."
Rep. Frank Corte Jr., a San Antonio Republican, is the sponsor of the House version of the legislation.
In 2007, the state Senate approved the bill and it stalled in the House.
In January, Texas Gov. Rick Perry urged lawmakers in the state legislature to adopt the bill, which he called “another layer of protection for the most vulnerable Texans.”
“Issues of this complexity and moral weight are the sort of thing that we are sent here to address,” he said.
Hundreds of pro-life advocates from across Texas rallied at the state capitol rallied last month with Perry, Attorney Gen. Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst and the authors of the bills, SB 182 and HB 36.
Texas Alliance for Life's executive director, Joe Pojman, was also one of the speakers and he told LifeNews.com the bill is the top priority of various pro-life groups throughout the state.
"This bill is one of our top priorities," said Pojman. "We cannot understand why anyone would deny women the information they need to decide whether to have an abortion."
The Texas Association of Planned Parenthood Affiliates and Texas NARAL oppose the bill allowing women a chance to see the ultrasound. (Big surprise!)
During hearings on the prior bill, Juli Morrison of Seguin testified for it and said that she had an abortion 13 years ago and the abortion practitioner took a sonogram of her unborn baby but would not show it to her.
"I'm not here to argue the sanctity of life or anything," she said, according to AP. "I know from personal experience, from counseling women who are post-abortive, as much information as you can give them is the best."
There are more than 74,000 abortions in Texas annually and legislators are hoping Patrick's bill and others the legislature is considering will help reduce that figure.
I agree with Fr. Longenecker that Catholics should celebrate Father's Day today, on the Feast of St. Joseph, rather than some Sunday in June. Sorry, St. Joe fits my image of a DAD, a standup type of guy who will go to the mat for his children. If that means moving to a foreign land so they'll be safe, so be it. If it means living in some hick town noone ever heard of, so be it. We don't know much about the man, but what we do know definetly qualifies him for sainthood.
I wear a St. Joseph medal around my neck, to remind me of how a REAL husband & father acts. Sometimes it even works.
With that all said, here's a popular photo making the rounds of Catholic blogs today. The caption underneath is strictly my own. Sue me.
Here's the story, found courtesy of Chapomatic;
I remember when the hospice movement started, it was about the time my father was dying. A couple of well meaning people came up to me at the hospital, identified themselves as hospice workers and told me (with butter-won't-melt-in-our-mouths expressions) that they were there if I needed anything.
"As a matter of fact, I do." I said, "My father won't last much longer, I don't live in the area so could you recommend a good funeral home for preparing his body for shipment back east?"
I can be a cold bastard and they weren't impressed, but hey THEY ASKED!!
When my brother heard of it he got all bent out of shape and told me hospices were directly along the lines of the movie, "Soylent Green". In that flick, Edward G. Robinson checks into a clinic to kill himself painlessly.
Hell, even I knew that was bullcrap!
Nowadays, maybe not...
Salem, OR (LifeNews.com) -- The number of assisted suicides in Oregon has increased 30 percent in the last two years and euthanasia activists themselves may have provided the reasons why. It appears members of Compassion & Choices have infiltrated the hospice system and are urging patients to kill themselves...
The rest of the story is found here; http://www.lifenews.com/bio2797.html
Washington, DC (18 March 2009) – American Life League is reporting an alarming trend in Wisconsin – teenagers drinking large farm animal veterinary medication to self-induce abortions... The rest follows here; http://www.pewsitter.com/view_news_id_16436.php
There's nothing for me to add, the article says it all.
Found this yesterday on The Drudge Report. Needless to say, there is zippo in the local fishwrap about this;
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090316/pl_usnw/the_american_legion_strongly_opposed_to_president_s_plan_to_charge_wounded_heroes_for_treatment
B.O. will find he's backed into a running buzzsaw if he goes through with this idiocy. Here's a little known fact regarding veteran's groups; they're more powerful, more organized than the stinking NRA, which is often quoted as a lobbying powerhouse.
As proof of this I'll cite a little known incident from the first term of "Slick Willie" Clinton. Seems he had this idea that the retired military members drawing a pension could be utilized as a national job corp. His thinking was along the lines of, "They're getting all that money and really not doing anything." Noted.
That idea was aired in D.C. and died a very quiet death very quickly once he realized what kind of third rail he'd cheerfully grabbed.
That was small potatoes compared to this dumbassed idea of B.O., the man doesn't realize the mistake here. Not only is he going to infuriate all the retired vets, he'll rile up the ones who got out before retiring but still receive medical attention for service-connected problems. And there is a double shitpot of those folk! They all know how to write as do their families.
This doesn't even touch on the active duty servicemembers. You can bet a fair number of them will pay attention to this also.
Not even two full months in office and this guy just keeps on shooting himself in the foot. It's going to be a long four years.
Found this via Breitbart.com, the article is here: http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9704OPG0&show_article=1&catnum=3
What caught my attention was the fact that the Bush Administration refused signing it because of legal questions it raised. According to the article this is a nonbinding declaration. My hunch is that if it's so nonbinding the Bushie's would have jumped aboard, he was needing all the good press possible with the international community at that time. So there was a valid reason to withhold agreement.
Evidently B.O. is all for showing how we'll stand shoulder to shoulder with our international brothers.
Even as we're placed in line to take it up the poopchute!
...on the rescinding of the conscience clause. I found this info over at lifeethics.org, copied and pasted it.
To send a comment directly to the HHS, go to the website, http://www.Regulations.gov and fill in the form there or send an email to proposedrescission@hhs.gov.
The email address is the same as listed on my earlier post, evidently it has since been activated. I've tried it and it works.
We have until the 9th of April to let our voices be heard.
SB182 relates to the informed consent of a woman seeking an abortion. It mandates the physician performing the abortion make available information regarding health risks to the woman and alternatives to abortion. That's the CliffNotes version of the thing, for more information, the bill can be read here; http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/text.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=SB182
It is currently scheduled for a public hearing on 3/19.
Any prolife Texans able to attend this hearing at the State Capitol in Austin are urged to go.
I refer to her quite often as "the War Department".
Nothing could be further from the truth.
She is the most wonderful, Christian woman I have ever met. Our marriage has survived as long as it has because of her alone. It takes a saint to put up with my cranky ass yet she does it with no complaint.
As a mother she is without equal, our kids are always happy and it's a direct result of her caring love.
Sweetheart, you're the greatest.
The reason for posting this? Because she gets so little recognition it's about time I gave some.
The following military personnel were killed in action in Iraq or Afghanistan during the period of February 22-28. Please spare a moment to pray for them and their families.
Cpl. Donte J. Whitworth, 21, IN
Spc. Brian M. Connelly, 26, NJ
1st Lt. William E. Emmert, 36, TN
Spc. Micheal B. Alleman, 31, UT
Cpl. Michael L. Mayne, 21, NY
Pfc. Zachary R. Nordmeyer, 21, IN
Sgt. Maj. Claudiu Chira, 30, ROM
Cpl. Tom Gaden, 24, ENG
Rifleman Jamie Gunn, 21, WALES
Lance Cpl. Paul Upton, 31, ENG
Capt. Brian M. Bunting, 29, MD
Sgt. Schuyler Patch, 25, IL
Sgt. Scott Stream, 39, IL
Sgt. Daniel J. Thompson, 24, WI
Marine Michael Laski, 21, ENG,
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Remember the rescinding of the Mexico City Policy? Here are the direct results of that action.
I found the following over at the National Black Prolife Union site. No, I am not black but abortion targets minorities and so I listen to the voices coming out of those communities. This lady has a great question;
The title of this post comes from the rite of child sacrifice found in the worshipping of Moloch. By killing innocent children it was believed a nation would prosper. That was five thousand years ago, things haven't changed much.
The below is an article taken from LifeNews.com. It shows how the Obama administration is NOT trying to minimize abortion but, on the contrary, seems hellbent to push it throughout the world.
New York, NY (LifeNews.com) -- The Obama administration has been pushing the pro-abortion agenda all week at the annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) meeting at the United Nations. During the forum, a representative of President Barack Obama denied that abortion causes any negative effects for women.
As LifeNews.com has noted, the Obama administration has been pushing the adoption of language in the outcome document CSW members hope to adopt that could be used later to create an international right to abortion.
Leading pro-life advocates such as Samantha Singson of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) have pointed out that the Obama administration is pushing the inclusion of the term “sexual and reproductive health and rights” in the document.
"The term 'sexual and reproductive health and rights' has been interpreted by radical feminist NGOs and some governments to include abortion," Singson writes in a report in the CFAM publication Friday Fax about the meeting.
At the CSW meeting, the Obama administration hosted a briefing where member of the US delegation, Ellen Chesler, said the president's priority is to ensure the term is included. Chesler claimed the rights are a “fundamental part” of the Beijing Platform for Action of the 1995 UN women’s meeting held in Beijing, China, where countries ultimately rejected attempts to make abortion an international “right.”
"The idea of sexual rights was rejected at the Beijing conference," Singson writes.
But the Obama administration representative went further, the CFAM pro-life advocate explained.
"Chesler, who authored a biography praising the work of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, also included promotion of a new UN gender office, as well as US commitment to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women as priority issues for the Obama administration at this CSW," Singson wrote.
At the conclusion of the briefing, an audience member questioned the Obama administration’s support for abortion despite the myriad scientific evidence which shows how detrimental it is to the lives and health of women.
"Chesler dismissed the woman’s question stating that the evidence is 'unreliable because it has ideological elements,'" Singson writes.
However, three studies alone published in peer-reviewed medical journals at the end of 2008 show abortion causes problems for women.
Dr. Priscilla Coleman, a professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Bowling Green State University, and her colleagues published a study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showing an abortion-depression link exists.
The research team found induced abortions result in increased risks for a myriad of mental health problems ranging from anxiety to depression to substance abuse disorders.
The number of cases of mental health issues rose by as much as 17 percent in women having abortions compared to those who didn't have one and the risks of each particular mental health problem rose as much as 145% for post-abortive women.
For 12 out of 15 of the mental health outcomes examined, a decision to have an abortion resulted in an elevated risk for women.
"What is most notable in this study is that abortion contributed significant independent effects to numerous mental health problems above and beyond a variety of other traumatizing and stressful life experiences," they concluded.
Researchers at Otago University in New Zealand reported their findings in the British Journal of Psychiatry and found that women who have abortions have an increased risk of developing mental health problems.
The study found that women who had abortions had rates of mental health problems about 30% higher than other women. The conditions most associated with abortion included anxiety disorders and substance abuse disorders.
Abortions increased the risk of severe depression and anxiety by one-third and as many as 5.5 percent of all mental health disorders seen in New Zealand result from women having abortions.
A third study, from a team at the University of Queensland and published in the December issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, found women who have an abortion are three times more likely to experience a drug or alcohol problem during their lifetime.
The study showed that women who had experienced an abortion were at increased risk of illicit drug and alcohol use compared with women who had never been pregnant or who gave birth.
Found this over at The Opinionated Catholic, he got it from Breitbart
Recently geocached and unearthed in a shoebox at Vasquez Rocks; these newly found quatrains of the great Nostradamus are presented here for the very first time: (I sure as hell believe it.)
Quatrain IIVX
The woman of the dome of the Pelosis. Bring forth and give her the highest flying bird with the golden seats. Let the low dogs and workers pay in gold for her comforts and cheese. Into the heavens trans back and forth the great continent to visit in kind the land of foggy coastal insanity.
Quatrain IIXX
Hissler begat in time his possessions of the power, whence passed to a new day into the combed hair of Mathewes, of the fruity peacock. Without the thought and with great interruption of the righteous, then corruption of the tongue, he hath shivers in lower extremities.
Quatrain IIVXI
Walk among the Reids to hear the war is lost. He shouteth from the dome of the Pelosises. The partisan cry of fearful wierdo impatience. Hiding thereafter in silence from the powerful surging wonders. All the great Generals exclaim: What a maroon.
Quatrain IXV
The communities of man shall be organized incorrectly by the one who was not even new. Promised false, the earmarks of damage will be ignored for the sacrifice of all. All to be poor as the poorest of his desires. He hides in the Island of Kings, and frolic in its waters. Yea he doth smoketh. En-How.
Quatrain IXVV
The new king will surround himself with non good ones. All of the suggested men will fall to the side, and shall bear the shame of incorrect disbursement of tax gold to the overseers. All will be bums.
Quatrain VIXV
Putting the false patches of his mane on display over the chord of the crazy peacock, Shuummer shall beat the drum of silliness with the man called Franke. For all to have the biggest grand dwellings they wisheth with 3 stable spaces. Let us get down in the Hamptons.
Quatrain VIXYZXV
Big Ideas, from the Breit man. A page of smart brothers and sisters shall rise to the top of the ether, then shout to the false tinsel men and women; you’re a bunch of douche-bags.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Article printed from Big Hollywood: http://bighollywood.breitbart.com
Here's an editorial from a Connecticut paper regarding the recent failed attempt to bring the Catholic Church to heel. This was referenced from a post in Catholic Culture. I post this as proof of the animosity of some supposedly normal folks toward the Church. The thinking evidenced in this article shows that antiCatholicism and the rationale against it is now a VERY acceptable form of bigotry. As usual, my comments are in red.
Raleigh, N.C.-A judge in Wake County said three Raleigh children need to switch from home school to public school. Judge Ned Mangum is presiding over divorce proceedings of the children's parents, Thomas and Vanessa Mills.
Venessa Mills was in the fourth year of home schooling her children who are 10, 11 and 12 years old. They have tested two years above their grade levels, she said. (That should be easily verifiable. Once it is I'd think it would play a role in the judge's decision. Or not, as evidenced here.)
"We have math, reading; we have grammar, science, music,” Venessa Mills said.
Her lessons also have a religious slant, which the judge said was the root of the problem. ( Shouldn't the prohibition of government establishing/endorsing a particular religion carry over into not prohibiting any particular religion? Within reason of course, a "religion" that endorses honor killings and discrimination against females should be banned. Or so you would think.)
"My teaching is strictly out of the Bible, and it's very clear. It is very evident so I just choose to follow the Bible,” Venessa Mills said. (Probably follows that Jesus fellow and his teachings. A real Neanderthal.)
In an affidavit filed Friday in the divorce case, Thomas Mills stated that he "objected to the children being removed from public school." He said Venessa Mills decided to home school after getting involved with Sound Doctrine church "where all children are home schooled."
Thomas Mills also said he was "concerned about the children's religious-based science curriculum" and that he wants "the children to be exposed to mainstream science, even if they eventually choose to believe creationism over evolution." (This sounds so much like the typical pissing contest that goes on in divorce courts.)
In a verbal ruling, Mangum said the children should go to public school.
"He was upfront and said that, 'It's not about religion.' But yet when it came down to his ruling and reasons why, 'He said this would be a good opportunity for the children to be tested in the beliefs that I have taught them,'" Venessa Mills said. (But it's not about religion. Noted.)
All sides agree the children have thrived with home school, and Vanessa Mills thinks that should be reason enough to continue teaching at home. (Only in a sane world, lady.)
"I cannot sit back and allow this to happen to other home schoolers. I don't want it happening to my children,” Venessa Mills said.
Mangum said he wouldn't talk with WRAL News Thursday about the details of the case because he hasn't issued a written ruling yet. He said he expected to sign it in a few weeks.
An estimated 71,566 students were taught at home during the 2007-08 school year, according to figures released by the state Division of Non-Public Education. The enrollment amounts to about 4 percent of students ages 7 to 16 in North Carolina – students in that age range are required by state law to attend school. About two-thirds of the schools classified themselves as religious schools.
Home school students and their parents plan to come to Raleigh on March 24 to lobby at the state Legislature. They want to demonstrate they have a strong voice regarding education. (Good luck to them, they'll need it with nitwit judges like the one mentioned in this article to contend with.)
I found the following story referenced and commented on over at The Creative Minority Report; http://christianpost.com/Intl/Overseas/2009/03/e-u-equality-laws-threaten-to-empower-atheists-to-sue-more-10/
The Archbold brothers do a jam up job, they're out of my league. I'm posting it here just to give my own little slant on this idiocy.
Background; I'm a recovering drunk. The "recovering" part came courtesy of Alcoholics Anonymous which brought the original 12 step program for behavior modification regarding substance abuse into being. A BIG part of that program centers around finding a Higher Power in your life, something/someone you may choose to call God.
As you might guess, the wording is loosey-goosey for a reason. There are all sorts of folk coming into AA with all sorts of baggage regarding religion & God. So in order not to scare away someone who really needs help the emphasis on both is kept light. I've known some religious folk to make very disparging comments about that. These same folk have no clue about the bats flying around various alkie belfries.
Anyway, reading the linked article I'm hit with the thought of how soon it would be before some nitwit sued an AA group. If you think it can't happen, think again. AA groups have been sued for the damnedest things, most of the time it doesn't stick because the suit will run afoul around that "anonymous" word. But sometimes there are repercussions.
So an unintended consequence of this idiocy could be the diminishment of a program that has helped millions over the past several decades. Make no mistake about it, the whole "Higher Power" schtick is one of the things that makes AA work.
As proof of that, there ARE two other programs specifically set up without that HP emphasis. They're called Rational Recovery and Smart Recovery and have been around for about twenty or so years. If you've never heard about them, theres a reason. That reason is their track record is nowhere near as successful as AA's. There have been some successes with RR and SR, but they're fairly few. God love 'em for the good that they HAVE done.
My own experience with RR was in listening to former AA members who had joined as they proudly told me how it enabled them to maintain their dignity by not relying on belief and a relationship with anything else to address their problem. Every one of the folk I'm talking about went back out drinking. I've no experience with SR, when invited by someone to try it out my response was, "I've already got over ten years sobriety with AA. Why should I mess with what works?"
And I'll confess, by the time I wanted to stop my drinking, my "dignity" was nonexistent! So I'd have gone dancing the Funky Chicken bareassed down the nearest interstate highway if it meant getting sober. Some of us are a tad bit desperate when we come in the AA rooms.
But the point I'm making is that when you intentionally muzzle mention of God it doesn't just effect churchgoers, it hits a lot of other people also. And some of those people show up in the damnedest places. Trust me on that one, been there, done that & got the tee-shirt.
I don't know how come this story strikes me as gruesome. We're already dealing with embryonic stem cell research which requires the death of the unborn. Maybe there's a greater sense of identification with fully formed children?
London, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A British scientist wants body parts from babies killed in abortions for use in organ donations. Professor Sir Richard Gardner of Oxford University says kidneys and livers from unborn children victimized by abortions would help the organ donor shortage in Britain. (Dear God, is there no end to the barbarity?)
The proposal has upset pro-life groups who call the idea horrific and say there is no promotion of human life by destroying one person to help another.
Gardner is calling for new studies to inquire about the feasibility of transplanting fetal organs and the Royal Society advisor told the London Daily Mail he is surprised none have been carried out. (Is the thought here, "Why let perfectly good body parts go waste?"
"It is probably a more realistic technique in dealing with the shortage of kidney donors than others," he said. The use of body parts from babies killed in abortions is "something that could be done but it's not something that's talked about much." (HEY, HE CALLED THEM "BABIES". Does this mean proaborts now feel comfortable with the truth? They have no qualms admitting they're baby killers?)
"It is at least a temporary solution," he added. (So glad he didn't say, "final solution")
But Josephine Quintavalle, of Comment on Reproductive Ethics, told the Daily Mail the idea is "absolutely horrifying."
"At what stage do you say to the woman who is to have an abortion, 'Can we have some organs for transplant?'" she asked.
American bioethics watchdog Wesley J. Smith also said he is upset by the idea.
"Tell me we aren't on the path to using human beings as mere produce," Smith worried. "Realize this would require later term abortions. But that's okay, according to [Gardner]."
"Hey, I know: When a woman wants an early term abortion, we can pay her to gestate a couple of extra months so her fetus can be of societal use! And imagine the possibilities when artificial wombs are created: We can gestate fetuses to order," Smith concluded. "The road to fetal farming is already being paved." (Sorry slick, you were being sarcastic but you can bet your next paycheck that option is already being considered.)
I recall how indignant some proaborts get when you start comparing abortion to Hitler's works. But didn't they make lampshades & soap out of the concentration camp inmates? That would be after they salvaged their clothing, gold fillings from their teeth, etc.
Waste not want not.
Time to pray again.
B.O. came on the national scene with VERY little experience, sorry but I don't think being a community organizer or even a state senator is anything like having the MSM on your tail 24/7/365. Nor is dealing with Chicago politicians on the same level as going face to face with Putin, Ahdmenijad (sp?), Hugo Chavez, etc.
It's the difference between the minor and major leagues.
So now we're getting stories about B.O.'s hair going gray (bullcrap, he hasn't even been in office two months). But theres also notice made of how tired he is, how visibly irritated he looks at news conferences, etc. Playing with the big boys can be tough, especially when you find they'll wax your butt in a second.
So what happens when the Chief Executive starts moving towards a nervous breakdown?
Yeah, thats really a stretch right now. But hey, not even two months on the job and he's showing wear and tear? After two months the biggest thing they noticed about Reagan was his penchant for taking naps in the afternoon. When questioned about it he stated, "Hard work never killed anyone but why take chances?"
This guy is no Reagan.
I know that in the perfect world if a President mentally heads toward the edge of the cliff his team will get him to step aside so the VP can take over, if even for just a short time. But this world is far from perfect and with all the adulation given the man during his campaign, with all the hype surrounding his abilities, who has the cajones to step up and say, "Boss, time to take a break. You're losing it."? Who would willingly shout the Emperor not only lacks clothes but some of his marbles?
With the result that we may have our first President who cracks up in office.
Well, everyone keeps saying this guy is doing a lot of "firsts", guess that would only be more of the same.
In a time of financial crisis this guy spends money like it's going out of style. Guess what the new agency is all about?
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- When voters head to the polls to cast a vote for president, their votes have a far-reaching effect on the issue of abortion. That's because of the lesser-known appointments presidents make that have under-the-radar impact on the abortion debate -- such as the pro-abortion selection Obama made today.
President Barack Obama signed an executive order today establishing a new agency within his administration known as the White House Council on Women and Girls.
Obama said the council would be headed by longtime friend and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, whom he had asked embattled former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to name as his replacement in the Senate.
More importantly, Obama's director of public liaison at the White House, Tina Tchen, will server as the group's executive director and run the council on a day-to-day basis.
Tchen is a Chicago lawyer who raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Obama presidential campaign. Previously, she served as the vice president of the National Organization for Women, a prominent pro-abortion organization.
Why does the appointment matter much when it comes to the abortion debate?
The new council has as its mandate the goal to make sure that all federal laws and federal agencies examine how their policies and actions affect women. With a director who thinks abortion is a good thing for women, the Obama administration will press for more federal rules and policies promoting abortions. (No shit, Sherlock!)
“We need to take a hard look at where we're falling short,” Obama said at the announcement ceremony today.
For pro-life advocates, naming the pro-abortion Tchen as the director of an agency devoted to the interests of women is yet another example of how Obama is falling short when it comes to pro-life issues.
Today's announcement comes on the heels of Obama announcing the creation of a new foreign policy position to focus on women's issues.
Melanne Verveer, an abortion advocate who served as chief of staff to former First Lady Hillary Clinton, will occupy the new post and serve as a United States ambassador.
Her role as the new Obama ambassador to women abroad? Promote abortion and overturn pro-life laws in nations across the world. (Thats the opinion of this news service but I'd bet my next retirement check it's dead on target.)
