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8/31/2009 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Airmen from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron dropped eight bundles of humanitarian aid from a C-130 Hercules Aug. 26 to a remote village in northern Afghanistan. The Air National Guard crew, deployed from the 158th Airlift Squadron in Savannah, Ga, performed the mission to support coalition and civilian Afghans. The eight bundles weighed approximately 4.1 tons and were packaged in a container delivery system, which assured the bundles and their cargo of food, water, clothes and blankets arrived intact. Coalition forces waited on the ground to help distribute the humanitarian aid to the...

Sen. Ted Kennedy was the secret critical force in the background that caused the Massachusetts Legislature to deny the people the right to vote on the Marriage Amendment, it was revealed this week. Less than 48 hours after Kennedy's passing, the homosexual newspaper Bay Windows published an article by Marc Solomon, who at that time ran MassEquality, the main homosexual lobby group trying to stop the amendment. Ted Kennedy personally pressured enough conservative Democrats (and even "libertarian-leaning" Republicans) who the homosexual lobby was targeting, to change their votes on that the measure to allow a public vote would be defeated....

CYPRESS, Texas, Aug. 31, 2009 – Hundreds of people arrived today at the home of retired Marine Capt. Dan Moran, a warrior severely wounded in Iraq, to see Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates present him the keys to his new home on behalf of the Helping a Hero organization. They came to see Moran lauded as a hero by a host of luminaries: Astros legend Craig Biggio, Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurt, U.S. Rep Todd Tiahrt from Kansas , and hundreds of others from the community. What most didn’t expect is that Moran would steal their hearts in the process,...

On Development That Respects the Environment "We Come From God and We Are All Going Back to Him" CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 26, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's address at this Wednesday's general audience, which gathered pilgrims in the courtyard of the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. * * * Dear Brothers and Sisters: We are coming to the end of the month of August, which for many means the end of the summer holidays. As we return to our daily activities, how can we not thank God for the precious gift of creation, which...

Britain's release of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi — the Libyan terrorist whose bomb blew up a plane over Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988, killing 270 people — is galling enough in itself. But it is even more profoundly troubling as a sign of a larger mood that has been growing in the Western democracies in our time. In ways large and small, domestically and internationally, the West is surrendering on the installment plan to Islamic extremists. The late Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn put his finger on the problem when he said: "The timid civilized world has found nothing with which to oppose the onslaught...

WASHINGTON — The prospect that U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal may ask for as many as 45,000 additional American troops in Afghanistan is fueling growing tension within President Barack Obama's administration over the U.S. commitment to the war there. On Monday, McChrystal sent his assessment of the situation in Afghanistan to the Pentagon , the U.S. Central Command, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and NATO . Although the assessment didn't include any request for more troops, senior military officials said they expect McChrystal later in September to seek between 21,000 and 45,000 more troops. There currently are 62,000 American troops...

BOSTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Republican former U.S. presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is quietly raising millions of dollars as he prepares for the 2012 campaign, analysts say. Observers say that since he lost the GOP presidential primaries last year, the former Massachusetts governor has shown his usual competitiveness and discipline in keeping his presidential aspirations in play, The Boston Globe reported Sunday. "He lost a tough race," New Hampshire state Sen. Jeb Bradley, a Republican former member of the U.S. House, told the newspaper. "After that, Mitt could have done anything he wanted with his life: back to the non-profit...

September 1, 2009                                    Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week                             in Ordinary Time Reading 1Responsorial PsalmGospel Reading 11 Thes 5:1-6, 9-11 Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,you have no need for anything to be written to you.For you yourselves know very wellthat the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.When people are saying, “Peace and security,”then sudden disaster comes upon them,like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,for that day to overtake you like a thief.For all...

Throughout history governments have ignored the rights of citizens and instead have maximized their own power. Those in public office have used it for their own personal gain, or to take wealth from some and give to others in order to maintain their own power. It is a classic model that hasn’t changed much in thousands of years. The modern iteration of this is a leviathan federal government run by a political party based precisely on such principles. The bread and circuses of Roman times have merely been replaced with redistribution of wealth and a paternalistic state. The other major...

A day of commemorations has begun in Poland to mark the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II. The first ceremony took place at dawn on Westerplatte peninsula near Gdansk, where a German battleship fired the first shots on a Polish fort in 1939. Poland's president and prime minister led the ceremony at the fort.

August 24, 2009 The Man They Call Mexico's Brad Pitt: Why Eduardo Verastegui Sacrificed A Glittering Hollywood Career For The Peace He Found In God They call him the Mexican Brad Pitt. But unlike his American counterpart, who famously rejected a Southern Baptist upbringing, Eduardo Verastegui chose to sacrifice a glittering film career after rediscovering his Catholic faith. Once a Calvin Klein model who smouldered bare-chested opposite J-Lo in a music video, and starred in Hollywood movies, Verastegui's brooding looks and aquamarine eyes attracted thousands of (invariably screaming) female fans. Today, the 35-year-old actor is a daily Mass-goer, committed to...

It has been an interesting week indeed for the Federal Reserve. Early this week, it was announced that President Obama intends to reappoint Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke to a second term in January, signaling a vote of confidence in him. Bernanke seems to be popular with the administration and with Wall Street, and with good reason. His lending policies have left big banks flush with newly created cash that covers up old mistakes and allows for new ones. By buying up mountains of Treasury debt he has also enabled spending to soar to ridiculous levels that should startle any responsible...

Anti-tax "Tea Party Express" rolls into town Updated: Aug 31, 2009 05:57 PM PDT Hundreds of protesters greeted "Tea Party Express" tour busses at the south end of the Las Vegas strip Monday morning. They said they wanted to send a message to Washington. Stop spending. Stop taxing. Start listening. The anti-tax and spend tour started in California and rolled through Northern Nevada this weekend. Signs showed the Las Vegas rally was organized by Nevada Republicans. But outrage over government spending, rising taxes and health care reform crossed party lines. The 35-city tour ends September 12th

"But didn‘t Hillary dump on Obama a few days ago for playing up his Indonesian roots? So, what is she up to here? Is she pushing how great he is for having been born in Indonesia, or what, or simply reminding everybody about his background, his Islamic background?"

Sens. Barbara Boxer and John Kerry said Monday the climate bill they are writing would not be finished until later in September. The bill was expected to be ready when lawmakers returned next week. “Because of Senator Kennedy’s recent passing, Senator Kerry’s August hip surgery, and the intensive work on healthcare legislation particularly on the Finance Committee where Sen. Kerry serves, Majority Leader Reid has agreed to provide some additional time to work on the final details of our bill, and to reach out to colleagues and important stakeholders,” Sens. Boxer (D-Calif.) and Kerry (D-Mass.) said in a joint statement....

Did I just see Presidentg Obama doing a commercial for George Lopez' new night time comedy show? Yes, I did. Ran the DVR back and checked. I thought, "When does the President of the United States of America pimp for ANY TV show????"Then, I thought, how could anyone accuse a black, pimping for a hispanic,of ANYTHING improper. Oh well, new TV season coming up and Obama has debts to pay. Wonder if he'll pimp shows on ther channels? Wonder how much he charges?

Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican, who called last week's move by attorney general Holder moves a "declaration of war." Indeed it is. The move by Holder which undoubtedly is orchestrated by President Obama is just the latest blow in a war declared by the White House against the CIA and in the end, the American People Do not believe that the Holder offensive has anything to do with "morality or torture." In the Investigator General's report released at the same time as Holder's announcement of a special prosecutor, the evidence shows that every time there was a hint...

It has occurred to me tonight that I do not remember hearing that the President had planned to have a two week long vacation. I had understood that he would take last week then, come back to Washington and go back to work. I heard today that he is "taking the rest of the week off". Did I miss something? If not, I cannot recall a time when a healthy President suddenly took an unplanned week off. Can anyone offer some clarity to this mucky water? I am concerned...

House Resolution 615 - Force Congress to enroll themselves in their new plan Fleming House Member ^ | Congressman John Fleming Posted on Monday, August 31, 2009 12:41:45 PM by do the dhue House Resolution 615 Over the past few weeks, members of Congress and the American people have come to know the details of the Administration's proposed health care plan. Call it whatever you like, I believe this proposal is nothing more than government-run health care. As a physician, I am amazed at the number of bureaucrats in this House who are quick to claim a government-run health care...

It’s only Clyburn’s plan right now, but Clyburn’s number three in the House. And besides, they’re running out of alternatives. The comeback for Democrats — if there is one — will begin in an all-important closed-door caucus meeting next week in the basement of the Capitol, where House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her top lieutenants will try to undo the damage of the August recess and convince their wobbly members that a vote for health care reform will not cost them their jobs in 2010. Leaders say their strategy is to convince members that nothing is set in stone...