Power Line blog pointed me to a rather lengthy article by Phillip Longman from which they took these quotes:
[N]early 20 percent of women born in the late 1950s are reaching the end of their reproductive lives without having had children. The greatly expanded childless segment of contemporary society, whose members are drawn disproportionately from the feminist and countercultural movements of the 1960s and '70s, will leave no genetic legacy. . . .Nor do single-child families contribute much to future population. The 17.4 percent of baby boomer women who had only one child account for a mere 7.8 percent of children born in the next generation. By contrast, nearly a quarter of the children of baby boomers descend from the mere 11 percent of baby boomer women who had four or more children. These circumstances are leading to the emergence of a new society whose members will disproportionately be descended from parents who rejected the social tendencies that once made childlessness and small families the norm. . . .
Among states that voted for President George W. Bush in 2004, fertility rates are 12 percent higher than in states that voted for Sen. John Kerry.
-----
The author's premise is that a society's tendency to avoid children eventually leads that society back to patriarchy - I replaced that with conservatism, traditional values, whatever you choose to call it. The people who reproduce themselves will be the leaders while those who have one or no children will die out. I guess that means homeschoolers will eventually take over in the U.S. since they seem to have more children than any other group I have observed! ;-)
---Katie
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Supreme Court says no.
You can't use RICO to prosecute abortion protesters. Good. That was a bad idea.
The Court voted 8 - 0.
Read about it by clicking on the title.
---Katie
The Court voted 8 - 0.
Read about it by clicking on the title.
---Katie
Some people just need a good thrashing!
Dead Soldier's Home Vandalized
David MacAnally/Eyewitness News
Kokomo, February 27 - For the family who lives in a modest home in Kokomo, the fatal Iraq attack came last week.
Then the attack at home followed.
Vandals defaced the home of Sgt. Rickey Jones' family. Eggs were thrown and flags were stolen. Sgt. Jones, a Kokomo High School graduate, was one four soldier's with the 101st killed west of Baghdad last week.
So who, one week before his burial in his hometown, would vandalize a fallen hero's house?
Neighbor Robyn Ousley is at a loss to explain. "I have no idea, somebody pretty, pretty awful."
Another friend, Bill Swaggerty, says there is more than vandalism for the family to deal with. They're calling here and saying, 'I'm glad your son is dead' and it's wrong."
Click on the title for more.
What kind of people would do such a thing?
And, perhaps you are not aware of this, but what kind of person is Fred Phelps to lead protesters at funerals for soldiers, celebrating their deaths and saying, "God hates fags?" He protests military funerals because he says God is punishing the US for supporting homosexuality. He is a sick man.
---Katie
David MacAnally/Eyewitness News
Kokomo, February 27 - For the family who lives in a modest home in Kokomo, the fatal Iraq attack came last week.
Then the attack at home followed.
Vandals defaced the home of Sgt. Rickey Jones' family. Eggs were thrown and flags were stolen. Sgt. Jones, a Kokomo High School graduate, was one four soldier's with the 101st killed west of Baghdad last week.
So who, one week before his burial in his hometown, would vandalize a fallen hero's house?
Neighbor Robyn Ousley is at a loss to explain. "I have no idea, somebody pretty, pretty awful."
Another friend, Bill Swaggerty, says there is more than vandalism for the family to deal with. They're calling here and saying, 'I'm glad your son is dead' and it's wrong."
Click on the title for more.
What kind of people would do such a thing?
And, perhaps you are not aware of this, but what kind of person is Fred Phelps to lead protesters at funerals for soldiers, celebrating their deaths and saying, "God hates fags?" He protests military funerals because he says God is punishing the US for supporting homosexuality. He is a sick man.
---Katie
Monday, February 27, 2006
Episcopalians Continue to Push the Envelope
From The Christian Post:
Calif. Episcopal Diocese Nominates Gay, Lesbian Ministers as Next Bishop
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2006 Posted: 2:12:25PM EST
The Episcopal diocese of California nominated an openly gay man and lesbian woman to be its next bishop, reigniting the flame over homosexuality that has nearly divided the worldwide Anglican Communion.
According to the Church of England Newspaper, the Diocese of California included the Rev. Robert Taylor, Dean of Seattle, and the Rev Bonnie Perry, Rector of All Saints’ Church in Chicago, on the list of five nominees for election in May.
The gay-rights group “Integrity” welcomed the nomination, saying that “Whether or not Robert or Bonnie is elected by the Diocese of California, it is inevitable that another gay or lesbian person will eventually elected, confirmed and consecrated.”
The controversy surrounding homosexuality exploded in 2003 when the Episcopal Church USA elected an openly gay man as bishop of New Hampshire. Since then, the worldwide communion nearly split over geographical lines – the more conservative “Southern” churches in Africa, Asia and Latin America versus the more liberal “Northern” churches in North America and Europe.
Under the direction of the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the communion also produced a 100-page study called the “Windsor Report” that was meant to serve as a guideline for dialogue between the opposing parties. Among the recommendations was for the ECUSA to place a moratorium on the appointment of gay bishops in the Anglican Communion.
Taking note of this recommendation, Williams expressed his unease over the Diocese of California’s new move.
“If there is ever to be a change on the discipline and teaching of the Anglican Communion [on homosexuality] it should not be the decision of one church alone,” he said.
“The Church must have the highest degree of consensus for such a radical change,” Williams argued, saying he was uneasy about how the ECUSA has handled this issue.
To be elected as bishop the nominee must first win the majority of votes within the California diocese in May. The winner must then have their election affirmed by the Church’s General Convention in June.
Elaine Spencer
-----
Does anyone doubt that the results will place one of the "controversial" candidates in the position of bishop?
And am I the only one who is terribly tired of "dialogue" on this issue? I just don't see the two sides as reconcilable.
---Katie
Calif. Episcopal Diocese Nominates Gay, Lesbian Ministers as Next Bishop
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2006 Posted: 2:12:25PM EST
The Episcopal diocese of California nominated an openly gay man and lesbian woman to be its next bishop, reigniting the flame over homosexuality that has nearly divided the worldwide Anglican Communion.
According to the Church of England Newspaper, the Diocese of California included the Rev. Robert Taylor, Dean of Seattle, and the Rev Bonnie Perry, Rector of All Saints’ Church in Chicago, on the list of five nominees for election in May.
The gay-rights group “Integrity” welcomed the nomination, saying that “Whether or not Robert or Bonnie is elected by the Diocese of California, it is inevitable that another gay or lesbian person will eventually elected, confirmed and consecrated.”
The controversy surrounding homosexuality exploded in 2003 when the Episcopal Church USA elected an openly gay man as bishop of New Hampshire. Since then, the worldwide communion nearly split over geographical lines – the more conservative “Southern” churches in Africa, Asia and Latin America versus the more liberal “Northern” churches in North America and Europe.
Under the direction of the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the communion also produced a 100-page study called the “Windsor Report” that was meant to serve as a guideline for dialogue between the opposing parties. Among the recommendations was for the ECUSA to place a moratorium on the appointment of gay bishops in the Anglican Communion.
Taking note of this recommendation, Williams expressed his unease over the Diocese of California’s new move.
“If there is ever to be a change on the discipline and teaching of the Anglican Communion [on homosexuality] it should not be the decision of one church alone,” he said.
“The Church must have the highest degree of consensus for such a radical change,” Williams argued, saying he was uneasy about how the ECUSA has handled this issue.
To be elected as bishop the nominee must first win the majority of votes within the California diocese in May. The winner must then have their election affirmed by the Church’s General Convention in June.
Elaine Spencer
-----
Does anyone doubt that the results will place one of the "controversial" candidates in the position of bishop?
And am I the only one who is terribly tired of "dialogue" on this issue? I just don't see the two sides as reconcilable.
---Katie
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Evangelical Lutheran Worship
The ELCA has a new hymnal, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, coming out in the fall. Some of the changes in hymns, psalms and liturgy have concerned some traditionalists. We learned at a Friday night meeting at our church that one of the new jobs of our traditional music director will be to introduce this new hymnal to our congregation - and we will be hearing about how we can help purchase these new hymnals for our church. Click on the title for an interesting discussion on the new hymnal.
---Katie
---Katie
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Interesting ELCA Homosexuality in the Church Interview
Check this interview out over at the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau:
One Church, Two Sides
[The following is an interview with Pastors Russ Saltzman and Donna Simon, pastors of two Kansas City area ELCA congregations who are on opposite sides of the question regarding homosexuality and the church. The interviewer is Kansas City Star reporter Bill Tammeus; the interview first appeared in the Star January 7, 2006.]
Copyright © Kansas City Star January 7, 2006. Reprinted with permission.
Many faith communities are in long, often bitter battles over human sexuality issues, such as whether to ordain gays and lesbians to be clergy or to bless same-sex unions. The 4.9 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America considered those questions last summer at its annual Churchwide Assembly. In effect the ELCA left in place rules forbidding both, though it continues to welcome homosexuals into church membership.
To better understand different perspectives on these matters, The Kansas City Star recently interviewed, together, two local Lutheran pastors on opposite sides of these issues, the Rev. Russell Saltzman, pastor of Ruskin Heights Lutheran Church, and the Rev. Donna Simon, pastor of Abiding Peace Lutheran Church. Simon is openly gay. Lutheran officials have recognized her ordination but don’t allow her to be on this Lutheran region’s official roster of clergy. The ELCA sanctioned Abiding Peace for calling an unrostered pastor but is allowing the congregation to remain in the denomination. (Responses by Simon and Saltzman have been edited for length and clarity.)
Q: Why are sexuality issues so divisive?
Simon: In part because the biblical witness is very divided. Churches try to remain true to the Bible, and where the Bible tells us something that seems very clear and yet our human experience and our understanding of the Gospel tells us something else, that’s very confusing for people.
Saltzman: I disagree. The biblical witness is not divided. It’s perfectly clear. The question comes in the hermeneutics, in what is the key to interpreting. There’s a 2,000-year Christian history of interpretation and long before that a Jewish interpretation. So what’s new in this issue is the assertion that the interpretation has been wrong.
Q: Aren’t there instances in which we thought the Scriptures were clear on an issue, such as slavery, but now we’ve changed our minds?
Saltzman: The so-called biblical justifications for slavery were not, in fact, justifications. Most of those writings attempted to interpret the new relationships that slaves and masters held together in Christ. I would say if Scripture was used to justify slavery, that was a wrong justification.
Simon: I’m not one who says the way we’ve read the Bible on homosexuality is completely wrong. There are people of faith who read the Bible very well and who make a very strong case that the Bible says it’s wrong for men to be in sexual relationships with men and it’s wrong for women to be in sexual relationships with women. I think you can make that case. But there is no scriptural witness on what we know now to be homosexual orientation.
Saltzman: When you get to the Levitical code, classically, according to rabbinical teachings, Leviticus is divided into the purity code, such as don’t sow two kinds of seeds in the same field, and the holiness code, and that’s where the questions of sexuality arise. “Man shall not lie with man” is held on a par with “Do not sacrifice your children to Molech (god of the Ammonites).” This tells us something very, very serious. The whole question of gay sex, same-sex attraction, falls under the doctrine of creation — created good but fallen into sin. That means we are subject to anomalous conditions just by nature of the fact that creation is not as God originally intended.
Click on the title to read the rest.
Here is one comment on the forum that I really found interesting:
I participated in a "debate" with Donna Simon and a Unitarian Universalist clergywoman who was a GLBT advocate on the topic of homosexuality and gay marriage on a local radio station a couple of years ago. The format was three separate presentations with questions from the moderator following. I was the traditional, conservative, orthodox guy, and was up first. I explained the traditional, orthodox Christian position and cited the usual passages and went into the Hebrew and Greek. When I was finished, the Moderator asked Pr. Simon if what I said about what the Scriptures really said was correct. She said that literally, they were. The Moderator asked her how she could hold her positions, then; and she said that the difference between my Church and hers was that my Church believed that the Scriptures were literally the word of God and hers did not. (!! ) I wanted to thank her. She made my case for me. . .
Hmmm. I think I have found the source of the problem.
---Katie
One Church, Two Sides
[The following is an interview with Pastors Russ Saltzman and Donna Simon, pastors of two Kansas City area ELCA congregations who are on opposite sides of the question regarding homosexuality and the church. The interviewer is Kansas City Star reporter Bill Tammeus; the interview first appeared in the Star January 7, 2006.]
Copyright © Kansas City Star January 7, 2006. Reprinted with permission.
Many faith communities are in long, often bitter battles over human sexuality issues, such as whether to ordain gays and lesbians to be clergy or to bless same-sex unions. The 4.9 million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America considered those questions last summer at its annual Churchwide Assembly. In effect the ELCA left in place rules forbidding both, though it continues to welcome homosexuals into church membership.
To better understand different perspectives on these matters, The Kansas City Star recently interviewed, together, two local Lutheran pastors on opposite sides of these issues, the Rev. Russell Saltzman, pastor of Ruskin Heights Lutheran Church, and the Rev. Donna Simon, pastor of Abiding Peace Lutheran Church. Simon is openly gay. Lutheran officials have recognized her ordination but don’t allow her to be on this Lutheran region’s official roster of clergy. The ELCA sanctioned Abiding Peace for calling an unrostered pastor but is allowing the congregation to remain in the denomination. (Responses by Simon and Saltzman have been edited for length and clarity.)
Q: Why are sexuality issues so divisive?
Simon: In part because the biblical witness is very divided. Churches try to remain true to the Bible, and where the Bible tells us something that seems very clear and yet our human experience and our understanding of the Gospel tells us something else, that’s very confusing for people.
Saltzman: I disagree. The biblical witness is not divided. It’s perfectly clear. The question comes in the hermeneutics, in what is the key to interpreting. There’s a 2,000-year Christian history of interpretation and long before that a Jewish interpretation. So what’s new in this issue is the assertion that the interpretation has been wrong.
Q: Aren’t there instances in which we thought the Scriptures were clear on an issue, such as slavery, but now we’ve changed our minds?
Saltzman: The so-called biblical justifications for slavery were not, in fact, justifications. Most of those writings attempted to interpret the new relationships that slaves and masters held together in Christ. I would say if Scripture was used to justify slavery, that was a wrong justification.
Simon: I’m not one who says the way we’ve read the Bible on homosexuality is completely wrong. There are people of faith who read the Bible very well and who make a very strong case that the Bible says it’s wrong for men to be in sexual relationships with men and it’s wrong for women to be in sexual relationships with women. I think you can make that case. But there is no scriptural witness on what we know now to be homosexual orientation.
Saltzman: When you get to the Levitical code, classically, according to rabbinical teachings, Leviticus is divided into the purity code, such as don’t sow two kinds of seeds in the same field, and the holiness code, and that’s where the questions of sexuality arise. “Man shall not lie with man” is held on a par with “Do not sacrifice your children to Molech (god of the Ammonites).” This tells us something very, very serious. The whole question of gay sex, same-sex attraction, falls under the doctrine of creation — created good but fallen into sin. That means we are subject to anomalous conditions just by nature of the fact that creation is not as God originally intended.
Click on the title to read the rest.
Here is one comment on the forum that I really found interesting:
I participated in a "debate" with Donna Simon and a Unitarian Universalist clergywoman who was a GLBT advocate on the topic of homosexuality and gay marriage on a local radio station a couple of years ago. The format was three separate presentations with questions from the moderator following. I was the traditional, conservative, orthodox guy, and was up first. I explained the traditional, orthodox Christian position and cited the usual passages and went into the Hebrew and Greek. When I was finished, the Moderator asked Pr. Simon if what I said about what the Scriptures really said was correct. She said that literally, they were. The Moderator asked her how she could hold her positions, then; and she said that the difference between my Church and hers was that my Church believed that the Scriptures were literally the word of God and hers did not. (!! ) I wanted to thank her. She made my case for me. . .
Hmmm. I think I have found the source of the problem.
---Katie
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Thank goodness. I'm not a heretic.
You scored as Chalcedon compliant. You are Chalcedon compliant. Congratulations, you're not a heretic. You believe that Jesus is truly God and truly man and like us in every respect, apart from sin. Officially approved in 451.
Are you a heretic? created with QuizFarm.com |
To find out where you stand, click on the title.
---Katie
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
The hype over the shooting incident
Thank you, Tom Sowell, for making this common sense point:
An off-duty incident in Dick Cheney's private life has been hyped in the media as if it had some real significance for more than a quarter of a billion Americans.
Enough said. Click on the title to read the entire column.
---Katie
An off-duty incident in Dick Cheney's private life has been hyped in the media as if it had some real significance for more than a quarter of a billion Americans.
Enough said. Click on the title to read the entire column.
---Katie
Tell me it isn't true!
I was listening to Mike Gallagher last night on my way home from dropping the kids off at handbell practice. On the show, they were talking about Valentine's Day and how for many women it is perceived as a girls' day...meaning the boys have to do all the work and the girls don't have to do anything to show their appreciation for the men they love. They gave a couple of examples including one man who was present in the studio whose wife teaches their three daughters exactly that - they don't have to do anything except sit back and wait for the goodies on Valentine's Day. Not even a card for their man.
Now correct me if I am wrong here, but I thought Valentines Day was a day to celebrate romance. Doesn't it take two to have a romance? Don't men need to be appreciated for their role in the relationship?
What I was hearing from the men who were discussing this issue was that the attitude of the women is that women have to "put up with" the men all year long, so the men have to "put out" with the flowers and candy and jewelry to make up for the inconvenience that men create in the lives of their women. Please tell me that isn't the attitude of my sisters! I hope you at least gave your guy a card to let him know you appreciate him! If you didn't, perhaps you need to buy yourself a present...Dr. Laura's book, The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. You know, ladies, we really aren't all that...they have to put up with us too.
Of course it did occur to me that men aren't looking for candy or flowers or tools from their sweetie on Valentine's Day. Perhaps they are happy to get a little quality alone time - if you know what I mean. But at least get them a card too. ;-)
Take care of your men, ladies.
---Katie
Now correct me if I am wrong here, but I thought Valentines Day was a day to celebrate romance. Doesn't it take two to have a romance? Don't men need to be appreciated for their role in the relationship?
What I was hearing from the men who were discussing this issue was that the attitude of the women is that women have to "put up with" the men all year long, so the men have to "put out" with the flowers and candy and jewelry to make up for the inconvenience that men create in the lives of their women. Please tell me that isn't the attitude of my sisters! I hope you at least gave your guy a card to let him know you appreciate him! If you didn't, perhaps you need to buy yourself a present...Dr. Laura's book, The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. You know, ladies, we really aren't all that...they have to put up with us too.
Of course it did occur to me that men aren't looking for candy or flowers or tools from their sweetie on Valentine's Day. Perhaps they are happy to get a little quality alone time - if you know what I mean. But at least get them a card too. ;-)
Take care of your men, ladies.
---Katie
A Case of the Fox Guarding the Henhouse?
Call me paranoid, but this makes no sense to me at all.
Administration OK With UAE Running Six Major U.S. Ports
Sunday, February 12, 2006
WASHINGTON — A company in the United Arab Emirates is poised to take over significant operations at six American ports as part of a corporate sale, leaving a country with ties to the Sept. 11 hijackers with influence over a maritime industry considered vulnerable to terrorism.
The Bush administration considers the UAE an important ally in the fight against terrorism since the suicide hijackings and is not objecting to Dubai Ports World's purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.
The $6.8 billion sale is expected to be approved Monday. The British company is the fourth largest ports company in the world and its sale would affect commercial U.S. port operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.
Click on the title for the entire article.
---Katie
Administration OK With UAE Running Six Major U.S. Ports
Sunday, February 12, 2006
WASHINGTON — A company in the United Arab Emirates is poised to take over significant operations at six American ports as part of a corporate sale, leaving a country with ties to the Sept. 11 hijackers with influence over a maritime industry considered vulnerable to terrorism.
The Bush administration considers the UAE an important ally in the fight against terrorism since the suicide hijackings and is not objecting to Dubai Ports World's purchase of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co.
The $6.8 billion sale is expected to be approved Monday. The British company is the fourth largest ports company in the world and its sale would affect commercial U.S. port operations in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia.
Click on the title for the entire article.
---Katie
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Dhimmitude
Since I can't say this any better, I'll refer you to an article on Gene Edward Vieth's blog. While I don't advocate insulting anyone's religion, there will be serious consequences to the world submitting to the demands of Islam.
Dhimmitude
As a companion piece to the article posted about below, you have got to read Diana West's column:
We need to learn a new word: dhimmitude. I've written about dhimmitude periodically, lo, these many years since September 11, but it takes time to sink in. Dhimmitude is the coinage of a brilliant historian, Bat Ye'or, whose pioneering studies of the dhimmi, populations of Jews and Christians vanquished by Islamic jihad, have led her to conclude that a common culture has existed through the centuries among the varied dhimmi populations. From Egypt and Palestine to Iraq and Syria, from Morocco and Algeria to Spain, Sicily and Greece, from Armenia and the Balkans to the Caucasus: Wherever Islam conquered, surrendering dhimmi, known to Muslims as "people of the book [the Bible]," were tolerated, allowed to practice their religion, but at a dehumanizing cost.
Please click on the title to read the rest.
It's time to wake up folks!
---Katie
Dhimmitude
As a companion piece to the article posted about below, you have got to read Diana West's column:
We need to learn a new word: dhimmitude. I've written about dhimmitude periodically, lo, these many years since September 11, but it takes time to sink in. Dhimmitude is the coinage of a brilliant historian, Bat Ye'or, whose pioneering studies of the dhimmi, populations of Jews and Christians vanquished by Islamic jihad, have led her to conclude that a common culture has existed through the centuries among the varied dhimmi populations. From Egypt and Palestine to Iraq and Syria, from Morocco and Algeria to Spain, Sicily and Greece, from Armenia and the Balkans to the Caucasus: Wherever Islam conquered, surrendering dhimmi, known to Muslims as "people of the book [the Bible]," were tolerated, allowed to practice their religion, but at a dehumanizing cost.
Please click on the title to read the rest.
It's time to wake up folks!
---Katie
You can't make this stuff up.....
Cardrona residents survey wants bra fence to stay
13 February 2006
By LIN FERGUSONA Cardrona Valley ratepayers and residents association survey had come out in unanimous support of the valley's iconic bra fence to stay as it is, chairman John Scurr said yesterday.
A letter from the association asking that the bra fence be allowed to stay would be on Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Clive Geddes's desk today, Mr Scurr said.
"We've asked for it to stay as long as there is some caretaking of the fence. We don't want it getting higher, longer or suddenly being filled with boots and knickers as well. But it should stay because it's become part of the valley."
A row over whether the fence, with hundreds of bras tied along it, has been brewing for more than a year.
This was after lone objector, Andre Prassinos, an American who lives part of the year in Wanaka, started his solo campaign to get the council to remove the fence, saying it was a "potential traffic hazard" , Mr Scurr said.
Within a few months of his (Mr Prassinos') objection the council organised the building of two traffic lay-bys so that motorists who wanted to take pictures of the fence could pull off the road safely.
Fence owner John Lee said the two lay-bys were not funded by ratepayers.
"It cost $12,000 and $6000 was from a special Transit New Zealand safety fund and the other $6000 was paid by me," he said.
The lay-bys had now been in place for more than a year, he said.
But last week Mr Prassinos urged the council again to get rid of the bra fence, saying it was "a growing eyesore" , Mr Lee said.
Two weeks earlier, Mr Lee's Queenstown lawyer, Warwick Goldsmith, had told council the fence wasn't actually on Mr Lee's land; that it was 8cm inside public road reserve.
Mr Lee said he was now being asked by council to apply for a licence to have the fence on the road reserve.
Click on the title for more and for pics...
---Katie
13 February 2006
By LIN FERGUSONA Cardrona Valley ratepayers and residents association survey had come out in unanimous support of the valley's iconic bra fence to stay as it is, chairman John Scurr said yesterday.
A letter from the association asking that the bra fence be allowed to stay would be on Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Clive Geddes's desk today, Mr Scurr said.
"We've asked for it to stay as long as there is some caretaking of the fence. We don't want it getting higher, longer or suddenly being filled with boots and knickers as well. But it should stay because it's become part of the valley."
A row over whether the fence, with hundreds of bras tied along it, has been brewing for more than a year.
This was after lone objector, Andre Prassinos, an American who lives part of the year in Wanaka, started his solo campaign to get the council to remove the fence, saying it was a "potential traffic hazard" , Mr Scurr said.
Within a few months of his (Mr Prassinos') objection the council organised the building of two traffic lay-bys so that motorists who wanted to take pictures of the fence could pull off the road safely.
Fence owner John Lee said the two lay-bys were not funded by ratepayers.
"It cost $12,000 and $6000 was from a special Transit New Zealand safety fund and the other $6000 was paid by me," he said.
The lay-bys had now been in place for more than a year, he said.
But last week Mr Prassinos urged the council again to get rid of the bra fence, saying it was "a growing eyesore" , Mr Lee said.
Two weeks earlier, Mr Lee's Queenstown lawyer, Warwick Goldsmith, had told council the fence wasn't actually on Mr Lee's land; that it was 8cm inside public road reserve.
Mr Lee said he was now being asked by council to apply for a licence to have the fence on the road reserve.
Click on the title for more and for pics...
---Katie
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Sunday is Darwin Day!
or Evolution Sunday. Whatever.
By Lisa Anderson
Tribune national correspondent
Published February 11, 2006
Churches to mark Darwin's birthday
Hundreds to join `Evolution Sunday,' organized by a Wisconsin academicBy Lisa Anderson
Tribune national correspondent
Published February 11, 2006
NEW YORK -- Nearly 450 Christian churches around the country plan to celebrate the 197th birthday of Charles Darwin on Sunday with programs and sermons intended to emphasize that his theory of biological evolution is compatible with faith and that Christians have no need to choose between religion and science.
"It's to demonstrate, by Christian leaders and members of the clergy, that you don't have to make that choice. You can have both," said Michael Zimmerman, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, who organized the event.
Darwin's theory holds that life on Earth, including humans, shares common ancestry and developed over millions of years through the mechanisms of natural selection and random mutation. The concept is repugnant to many conservative Christians because it conflicts with their belief that man was specially created in the image of God.
"Evolution Sunday" has drawn participation from a variety of denominational and non-denominational churches, including Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Unitarian, Congregationalist, United Church of Christ, Baptist and a host of community churches, including at least 16 congregations in Illinois.
Click on the title, etc. etc.
I'm so glad we have such important things with which to occupy ourselves during worship. I wonder if they will have an "I believe what the Bible teaches" Sunday.
---Katie
"It's to demonstrate, by Christian leaders and members of the clergy, that you don't have to make that choice. You can have both," said Michael Zimmerman, dean of the College of Letters and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, who organized the event.
Darwin's theory holds that life on Earth, including humans, shares common ancestry and developed over millions of years through the mechanisms of natural selection and random mutation. The concept is repugnant to many conservative Christians because it conflicts with their belief that man was specially created in the image of God.
"Evolution Sunday" has drawn participation from a variety of denominational and non-denominational churches, including Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Unitarian, Congregationalist, United Church of Christ, Baptist and a host of community churches, including at least 16 congregations in Illinois.
Click on the title, etc. etc.
I'm so glad we have such important things with which to occupy ourselves during worship. I wonder if they will have an "I believe what the Bible teaches" Sunday.
---Katie
Ann Coulter pulls no punches
Calvin and Hobbes -- and Muhammad
Ann Coulter
As my regular readers know, I've long been skeptical of the "Religion of Peace" moniker for Muslims -- for at least 3,000 reasons right off the top of my head. I think the evidence is going my way this week.
The culture editor of a newspaper in Denmark suspected writers and cartoonists were engaging in self-censorship when it came to the Religion of Peace. It was subtle things, like a Danish comedian's statement, paraphrased by The New York Times, "that he had no problem urinating on the Bible but that he would not dare do the same to the Quran."
Click on the title to read the rest.
---Katie
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