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WASHINGTON (AFP) – One of the two US reporters jailed in North Korea made a telephone call to her US-based sister, Lisa Ling said in an interview broadcast on Thursday. "It was a tremendous relief to hear Laura's voice last night," Lisa Ling told CNN affiliate KOVR in California. "It was only the first time I have heard her voice in weeks," she said, adding the call was made late Tuesday. "That silence has been just so terrifying and deafening." Border guards detained American TV reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee on March 17 along the frontier with China while...

You probably have heard something about this - voter intimidation during last November's election, but this kind of brings it around full-circle. This includes the event involved, observations from those involved, and DOJ's astonishing decision. DOJ allows voter intimidation

Special Note: In last week’s column, I wrote about the seemingly inexplicable events that are unfolding throughout the world. How do we understand the demonization of Israel, the new escalation of anti-Semitism, and the preponderance of Islamic terrorists throughout the world? Whenever we encounter challenges, be they major or minor, general or personal, it is always best to consult the Torah. But, you might ask, where are we to look? To which page should we turn? It is always best to focus on the first place the subject is mentioned, for the first is always definitive. So if we are...

Obama's drive for climate change bill delayed By Richard Cowan Richard Cowan 20 mins ago WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama's push for quick action by Congress on climate change legislation suffered a setback on Thursday when the U.S. Senate committee leading the drive delayed work on the bill until September. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer said her self-imposed deadline of early August for finishing writing a bill to combat global warming has been put off until after Congress returns from a recess that ends in early September. "We'll do it as soon as we get...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Eat less, live longer? It seems to work for monkeys: A 20-year study found cutting calories by almost a third slowed their aging and fended off death. This is not about a quick diet to shed a few pounds. Scientists have long known they could increase the lifespan of mice and more primitive creatures—worms, flies—with deep, long-term cuts in what should be normal consumption. Now comes the first evidence that it delays the diseases of aging in primates, too—rhesus monkeys living at the Wisconsin National Primate Center. Researchers reported their study Friday in the journal Science. What...

In 1965, when the House of Lords debated the proposal to legalise homosexual relations between consenting adults, the legendary Field Marshal Montgomery proposed a curious amendment. Incensed over what he called “this most abominable bestiality”, he argued the age of consent should be raised to 80! It is entirely possible that this very original suggestion may find takers among MPs and religious figures agitated by the Delhi High Court’s judgement to de-criminalise gay sex between consenting adults over the age of 21. That the private conduct of two responsible adults should not be the business of the state — unless...

Like ex-senators and former presidents, ex-governors retain their honorific titles, so Sarah Palin will still be addressed as "Governor Palin" after she officially turns the reigns of her office over to Sean Parnell July 26. The 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate has never been much of a stickler for that kind of thing, though, as she signs "Sarah" to her non-official correspondence. So what will she be doing after July 26? Only one specific event has been announced so far that will have Gov. Palin's participation. According to the Simi Valley Republican Women Federation (SVWF), Sarah Palin will be at...

In regard to the Memorial service today in LA for Michael Jackson, as I watched the service I was overwhelmed with grief over the hopelessness, the false comfort, all the lies and deceit, the illusions and delusions, and all of the wishful thinking and erroneous expectations in the light of the awesome realities of Time and Eternity. Great achievements and worldly success bring absolutely no merit or redemptive qualities in light of our fallen humanity (Romans 3:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). The absolute bankruptcy of humanity dictates its greatest need for the righteous perfection demanded by our Divine Creator - Almighty God....

Finding a job in a recession is tough, let alone one that suits your background and interests. But a strong fit is important. Chances are you won’t be happy if, say, you’re an introvert and vegetarian working as a sales rep for a foie gras purveyor. The good news is that several help-wanted sites now offer to identify free of charge ideal career opportunities, much as dating sites pair up singles. We asked two professionals to each test the matching capabilities of four sites: Bintro.com, which is in beta; Jobfox.com and Trovix.com, which are built around their job-matching functions, and...

New Mexico, Colorado and Texas are applying for federal funds to study the viability of a high-speed rail system from El Paso through New Mexico to Denver. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. Tom Udall, DN.M., said Thursday the three states will submit a joint pre-application Friday for up to $5 million to pay for the study. Congress has authorized up to 11 high-speed rail corridors nationwide.

ACLU pushes prison to stop cutting out Bible passages included in letters from the outside.

Yelling "Death to Mojtaba" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGKFtVwX40E

Timothy M. Kaine said he has been spending a day and a half of each workweek handling fundraising and policy matters for the Democratic National Committee, a departure from his pledge to conduct most of his national party work by phone and fax and restrict it largely to evenings and weekends while he is governor of Virginia. In an interview in his office on Capitol Square, Kaine said he typically spends one day a week traveling as his party's national chairman and half a day working at the party's headquarters in Washington. But Kaine said he remains in constant contact...

The city of Hoover will get $400,000 in federal stimulus money for a landscaping and beautification project at the Interstate 65 and U.S. 31 interchange, city officials learned this week. The project will be paid completely with federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, according to the Alabama Department of Transportation. The city will not be required to provide any matching funds for the project. Mayor Tony Petelos said news of 100 percent federal funding comes as the city is completing the spruce-up of the Alford Avenue interchange, which is the first Hoover exit on I-65 South and...

Four months ago, Californians were hit with the biggest tax increase in our state's history – more than $12 billion in new taxes on everything from income and sales to vehicle license fees. Since then, tax proponents have proposed 31 new taxes that they predict will generate more than $40 billion in the first year. On top of that, some legislators have singled out oil and tobacco products for massive new tax hikes. These are taxes that the people will pay, not just the corporations. The Neighborhood Market Association represents more than 1,800 independent grocers and small businesses in California...

Alan Dershowitz has replied to the critiques of his defense of the Obama administration’s attitude toward Israel that was published in the Wall Street Journal last week made by me and in Britain’s Spectator by the admirable Melanie Phillips.

ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: For those concerned about stimulus spending, the General Services Administration sends word tonight that $18 million in additional funds are being spent to redesign the Recovery.gov Web site. The new Web site promises to give taxpayers more information about where their money is going than the current version of the site. “Recovery.gov 2.0 will use innovative and interactive technologies to help taxpayers see where their dollars are being spent,” James A. Williams, commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, says in a press release announcing the contract awarded to Maryland-based Smartronix Inc. “Armed with easy access...

The "Blame 13" chorus is at it again. You can always count on it to sing "It's all Proposition 13's fault" during difficult economic times. The story has gone national, with columns in Time magazine and the New York Times taking shots at Proposition 13. The attacks are probably best summed up by an editorial cartoon picturing Proposition 13 as the beginning of the end for California civilization. Let's get the facts straight. Despite the cap instituted by Proposition 13, property taxes have increased dramatically in California. According to Board of Equalization data, property tax revenue has increased 800% since...

A top official of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the government agency that oversees AmeriCorps, has refused to answer questions from congressional investigators about the White House's role in events surrounding the abrupt firing of inspector general Gerald Walpin. Frank Trinity, general counsel for the Corporation, met with a bipartisan group of congressional investigators on Monday. When the investigators asked Trinity for details of the role the White House played in the firing, Trinity refused to answer, according to two aides with knowledge of the situation.

Victoria Cobb, President Thursday, July 9, 2009 Information Alert: VEA-NEA says ‘I Do’ to Same Sex Unions Read Our Latest Blog Posts @ www.familyfoundationblog.com Sign Up for Our Twitter Updates @ www.twitter.com/TFFVA Join Fans of The Family Foundation On Facebook @ www.facebook.com Visit Our YouTube Channel @ www.youtube.com/user/TheFamilyFoundation According to its website, the Virginia Education Association (VEA) delegation to the National Education Association’s national convention earlier this month tackled issues like “reducing the dropout rates, properly managing charter schools, controlling infectious diseases in schools, providing resources for boosting teacher quality, protecting substitute teachers, and expanding opportunities for preschool education.” What...