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Abortion, a terrible sin. The topic of abortion tends to very strongly, if in many contradictory ways, strike some emotional hot buttons in nearly everyone. I know it hits conflicting hot buttons for me. The thing that really hurts my heart is the smug superiority and callousness of many pro-choice advocates. They make many violations of reason and decency, but what really bothers me is their disdain for the little dead babies. They weren't really babies. They were just "choices" for the women to make, and anybody who has any misgivings about our very open abortion laws is HITLER! You...

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<p>BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. -- Elizabeth Coblentz, who wrote a syndicated column called The Amish Cook by the light of a kerosene lantern, died Tuesday after collapsing in her hotel room. She was 66.</p> <p>The Independence Examiner reported that Coblentz is believed to have suffered an aortic aneurysm before dying at St. Mary's Hospital. She was in Blue Springs for a Wednesday book signing that was to be sponsored by the newspaper, which has run her column since 1999. The Indianapolis Star published her column on Sundays.</p>

Vintage poster in Yao photo provides history lesson By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2002 Houston Chronicle China's past raged threateningly from the framed poster, rifles at the ready, angry anti-American slogans almost screaming their call to arms. China's future, wearing a Nike basketball T-shirt, perhaps appropriately waved goodbye. Yao Ming might not have even noticed the poster above a doorway in the CNN-Beijing offices Wednesday night, the night the Rockets made him the first pick of the NBA draft. But there he was, pictured across the top of the sports page of Thursday's Chronicle facing the Cultural Revolution emotions that had...

Luken lukewarm to Clinton role Race effort 'up to us,' mayor says By Gregory Korte gkorte@enquirer.com and Kevin Aldridge kaldridge@enquirer.com The Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken said Monday he would pay a “courtesy call” to Bill Clinton to gauge the former president's interest in coming to Cincinnati to help deal with race relations. But he said the city is already making progress and wasn't sure what role Mr. Clinton could play. “I will see what he knows, and what his real interest is,” Mr. Luken said in a prepared statement. “Ultimately, it is up to us to keep moving...

Newspaper association asks FTC for exemption Newspapers should be exempt from national "do-not-call" regulations proposed by the Federal Trade Commission, according to the Vienna-based Newspaper Association of America. "As well-known corporate citizens" of their local communities, it is in newspapers' best interest to avoid the abusive telemarketing practices targeted by the FTC's proposed regulations, says John Sturm, CEO of the nonprofit newspaper industry group, in a statement. But it apparently is in newspapers' best interest to continue telemarketing, as well. "With nearly 60 percent of new subscription sales generated by telemarketing -- the single largest source of new subscribers --...

<p>Battle with butchers union prompts beloved specialty supermarket to close its doors after more than 50 years.</p> <p>Mary Owens looked shocked as Eleanor Maurer calmly gave her the news.</p> <p>"Hi, Mary. Did you know we're closing Atlas in a month?"</p>

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Jazz great Marsalis bails out of concert Arts group threatens lawsuit By Kevin Aldridge and Gregory Korte The Cincinnati Enquirer Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis has canceled a March 16 concert at the Aronoff Center for the Arts “in response to the recent boycott situation in Cincinnati,” the center's management announced Thursday. The cancellation prompted threats of a lawsuit against a boycott group by the Cincinnati Arts Association, which oversees the Aronoff Center. “Obviously, in the wake of other recent cancellations, we are distressed by Mr. Marsalis' decision,” said Steve Loftin, president and executive director of CAA. The world-famous jazz musician's ...

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The Crying Games By William Powers, National Journal © National Journal Group Inc. Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 "New Lease on Life," announced the headline on The Times-Picayune of New Orleans sports page one day last week -- and it had such a familiar ring, like the beginning of a thought you've had ten thousand times before. You could almost close your eyes and write the subhead yourself: "With the aid of a liver transplant, American snowboarder Chris Klug is able to overcome a debilitating disease and continue his quest for Olympic gold." Olympic journalism pretends to elevate the Games by ...

Cosby cancels, cites racial climate Comedian responds to boycott request By Kevin Aldridge and Randy Tucker The Cincinnati Enquirer The state of race relations in Cincinnati is no laughing matter for Bill Cosby, who Wednesday canceled two planned concerts saying he feels “uncomfortable” performing in the city's racially charged environment. The world-famous actor and comedian pulled out of the March 15 evening shows at the Aronoff Center for the Arts downtown after receiving a letter from the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati asking entertainers to boycott the city. Mayor Charlie Luken said Wednesday he and other city officials tried to ...

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<p>Movies failed to get Civil War, black-white relations right.</p> <p>Enduring fans of filmdom's Gone With the Wind may be disappointed to learn, in reading The Reel Civil War, that the lovely actress who so convincingly portrayed ultimate Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara knew next to nothing about the history and culture of the American South.</p>

City fights for drug exclusion zone Courts say drug offender ban is unconstitutional By Dan Horn The Cincinnati Enquirer The city of Cincinnati asked a federal appeals court Friday to revive its “drug exclusion zone” in Over-the-Rhine. The exclusion zone was created in 1996 when City Council passed a law banning convicted or accused drug offenders from entering the neighborhood. Two lower courts have thrown out the exclusion zone, saying it punishes people a second time for the same offense. Those courts also ruled that the zone infringes on the freedom of association and unfairly limits a person's right to ...

<p>Background checks for contract workers after Sept. 11 prompted dozens to be let go; union officials concerned.</p> <p>Reacting to domestic terrorism, Eli Lilly and Co. has begun insisting its contract workers submit to background checks that look for such red flags as criminal offenses.</p>

Topics to change product mix Topics Newspapers tjekel@topics.com FISHERS, Jan. 31, 2002 — Topics Newspapers today announces changes in its product mix that the publishing company expects will better meet the news and information needs of its customers in suburban Indianapolis. The changes are also expected to make Topics more profitable by concentrating on successful components of the suburban publishing firm. The Daily Ledger, which has served Noblesville and surrounding communities six afternoons a week since 1888, will be delivered two days a week — Tuesday and Friday mornings — starting in April. The newspaper will be renamed The Noblesville ...

JANUARY 21, 2002 -- Newspaper publishers know the suburbs are critical to the growth of the business. If they've had mixed success, it's not for lack of trying, as they have poured millions of dollars into hiring additional staff and producing zoned community sections. What they may not realize is that part of the problem may be right in their own house. For a host of reasons, journalists tend to look askance at covering the suburbs. The problem isn't trivial. Half the U.S. population lives in the suburbs today, more than double the slice of 50 years ago, while cities ...

<p>Several years ago, I devised a movie classification system based on an analysis of character development, core theme and conflict resolution. If, for example, the central characters are tough, independent men who never cry, and if they answer questions with their guns, the movie falls into the category, "Republican." On the other hand, if the central characters are women who win revenge against their Republican husbands in a tear-jerking court scene, I deem the movie "Democratic."</p>