WASHINGTON, D.C. (ISNS) -- The three best visual illusions in the world were chosen at a gathering last weekend of neuroscientists and psychologists at the Naples Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Florida.
The winning entry, from a Bucknell University professor, may help explain why curve balls in baseball are so tricky to hit.
The government will begin taking land from seven property owners so that the Flight 93 memorial can be built in time for the 10th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks, the National Park Service said.The seven property owners own about 500 acres still needed for what will ultimately be a $58 million, 2,200-acre permanent memorial and national park at the crash site near Shanksville, about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
The estranged wife of a Muslim television executive feared for her life after filing for divorce last month from her abusive husband, her attorney said — and was found beheaded Thursday in his upstate New York television studio.
Interviewer Cynthia McFadden asked Bush if the Bible was literally true.
"You know. Probably not. ... No, I'm not a literalist, but I think you can learn a lot from it, but I do think that the New Testament for example is ... has got ... You know, the important lesson is 'God sent a son,"' Bush said.
The president also said that he prays to the same God as those with different religious beliefs.
I find myself in a lonely position. While many states and local governments are lining up for a bailout from Congress, I went to Washington recently to oppose such bailouts. I may be the only governor to do so.
But I suspect I'm not entirely alone, as there are a lot of taxpayers who aren't pleased with Christmas coming early for politicians. And I hope these taxpayers make their voices heard before Democrats load up the next bailout train for states with budget deficits.
Already, our nation's unfunded liabilities total $52 trillion -- about $450,000 per household. There's something very strange about issuing debt to solve a problem caused by too much debt.
Community bankers tell me that they are now at a competitive disadvantage for being careful about who to lend to, because others that were less disciplined will get a federal bailout. This is also true for states. Those that have been fiscally responsible will pay for or lose out to the big spenders. California increased spending 95% over the past 10 years (federal spending went up 71% over the same period). To bail out California now seems unfair to fiscally prudent states.
Despite Barack Obama's approval of abortion and homosexual activism, new polling by a prestigious Christian research group indicates that the Democratic presidential nominee is making significant inroads among voters who are classified as "born-again" Christians.
According to Dave Kinnaman, president of The Barna Group, born-again Christians voting for Obama say they are backing the Illinois senator because they believe he will do a better job restoring America's reputation and handling the economy and agree with his stance on the Iraq War.
"People in their 20s or 30s who are born-again Christian are more likely to support Senator Obama than Senator McCain, compared to people who are older born-again Christians, who are more likely to support the Arizona senator," he explains. "So, when you look at it, it's a pretty complex set of reasons, and each person comes to this voting decision with their own unique sensibility...
Mortgage apps – This morning's weekly MBA mortgage applications report showed the third straight sharp decline, thus putting an even weaker light on the US housing market. The overall MBA mortgage applications index this morning fell -11.6%, the purchases sub-index fell -8.5%, and the refinancing sub-index fell -15.4%. The purchases sub-index this morning fell to a 4-year low, which suggests that home buying interest is drying up further.
Muslim terrorist leaders threatened to forcibly convert Britney Spears and Madonna to Islam and warned if they resist, their heads would be cut off for "spreading Satanic culture," according to a new book released today.
"If I meet these whores I will have the honor – I repeat, I will have the honor – to be the first one to cut the heads off Madonna and Britney Spears if they will keep spreading their satanic culture against Islam," said Muhammad Abdel-Al, spokesman and senior leader of the Popular Resistance Committees terror organization.
A major new scientific study concludes the impact of carbon dioxide emissions on worldwide temperatures is largely irrelevant, prompting one veteran meteorologist to quip, "You can go outside and spit and have the same effect as doubling carbon dioxide."That comment comes from Reid Bryson, founding chairman of the Department of Meteorology at the University of Wisconsin, who said the temperature of the earth is increasing, but that it's got nothing to do with what man is doing.
"Of course it's going up. It has gone up since the early 1800s, before the Industrial Revolution, because we're coming out of the Little Ice Age, not because we're putting more carbon dioxide into the air."
And for more meteorologic fun, try this one:
Don't forget to bundle up if you're headed out in New York City today. After all, it is August 21.Don't ever forget, the Global Warming Scam is nothing more than a socialist plot to separate you from more of your money via some guilt-driven tax scheme.
The city along with the rest of the tri-state region is feeling the chilly effect of a cold front sweeping through the region, accompanied by cool rain showers.
As of 4 p.m., the high temperature for the day in Central Park was just 59 degrees.
The normal high for today is 82 degrees. The normal low is 67, still well above what the city is expected to see today. Forecasters say temperatures could warm up to only around 61, which would break a city record, though the high fell back again to 58 degrees at 3 o'clock.
"If this high holds up, it will smash the previous record for the coldest high temperature for the day, which is 64 degrees, set back in 1999," CBS 2 meteorologist Jason Cali told wcbstv.com.
Americans are not only eating up the fall's only two hit network TV shows both dealing with nuclear attacks, they are also showing more interest in preparing for the disasters U.S. officials have characterized as inevitable in the future.Here's what we learned from Hurricane Katrina:
In fact, after I called him out last week in my column, Warren e-mailed me claiming to have been misquoted by the official Syrian news agency.A member of the CFR??!??!
''Joseph, why didn't you contact me first and discover the fact that I said nothing of the sort?'' he pleaded. ''The trip was a favor to my next door neighbor, had nothing to do with policy, and was done with the State Department's knowledge – who told us to expect exactly what Syria did – a PR blast. I don't pretend to be a diplomat. I'm a pastor who just gets invited places.''
I pointed out to Warren that WND had indeed attempted to contact him about his trip. No one from his Saddleback Church ever returned our calls the day the story broke.
''I'm sure since you were warned in advance by the State Department that you took the precaution of recording your own words,'' I suggested in my response. ''We look forward to seeing the transcripts or hearing the recordings.''
I also asked if he could respond specifically to the words put in his mouth by the Syrian news agency. And lastly I suggested that he should have ''counseled with me, or other people knowledgeable about the Middle East before doing so much damage with your reckless trip.''
I really didn't expect to hear back from Warren – but, a few minutes later, I did, with an absolutely stunning retort.
He let me know he is a close friend of President Bush ''and many, if not most, of the generals at the Pentagon.''
He also told me he did not tape anything while in Syria, ''because it was a courtesy call, like I do in every country.''
Warren explained that he had also counseled with the National Security Council and the White House, as well as the State Department, before his little courtesy call for a neighbor.
''In fact,'' Warren added, ''as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Oxford Analytica, I might know as much about the Middle East as you.''
A retired priest committed suicide by setting himself on fire in a German monastery in protest at the spread of Islam and the Protestant Church’s inability to contain it.Guess he showed those terrorists.
The Rev. Ted Haggard admitted Friday he bought methamphetamine and received a massage from a gay prostitute who claims he was paid for drug-fueled trysts by the former head of the National Association of Evangelicals.Let me be up front: I DO NOT like Ted Haggard. Just his looks give my spirit the creeps. That, however, does not shade my opinion of this:
Shortly after Haggard told reporters outside his home, "I bought it for myself but never used it. I was tempted, but I never used it,”Before my Christian brethern get all stupid and come running to his defense, how many of you believed Slick Willie when he claimed "I smoked pot but didn't inhale"?
Haggard, 50, said he never had sex with Jones.This is like a bad rerun..."I did not have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinski"
...he said he bought the meth because he was curious.Uhhh, I don't think so. Curious people by pot. Curious people buy cocaine.
The international press won't get their first look at the documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing until its gala premiere at the Toronto Film Festival tonight. But EW.com got an early look at the sure-to-be-controversial doc in Los Angeles and can attest that the film will continue to bring the (ex?) country trio more plaudits from progressives and further condemnation from conservatives. And if you think singer Natalie Maines had some harsh words for President Bush in public, wait till you hear what she had to say about him behind the scenes.Now, I don't make any claim to knowing George Bush's intelligence status.
In one memorable scene, Maines watches news footage of the president being interviewed about the furor that followed the singer's on-stage comment that she was ''ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas,'' which resulted in the group being dropped from most radio stations, as well as protests and plummeting sales. ''The Dixie Chicks are free to speak their mind,'' Bush told Tom Brokaw at the time, adding, ''They shouldn't have their feelings hurt just because some people don't want to buy their records when they speak out. You know, freedom is a two-way street.''
After watching this footage, Maines repeats the president's comment about how the group shouldn't have their ''feelings hurt,'' incredulous, and then says, ''What a dumb f---.'' She then looks into the camera, as if addressing Bush, and reiterates, ''You're a dumb f---.''
Initially, sisters Emily Robison and Martie Seidel seem downcast over their apparently nose-diving popularity, but Maines assures them, ''I think this is better for our career.'' And when whether to stay quiet or get their backs up becomes an issue, the singer jokes, ''Now that we've f---ed ourselves, I think we have a responsibility to continue to f--- ourselves,'' amid gales of laughter.I rest my case.
US pop superstar Janet Jackson hopes Hillary Clinton will become the first woman president of the United States.Oh yes, I going to take political advice from someone who doesn't have the IQ to operate her wardrobe correctly.
"Hillary Clinton as president -- that would be great," Jackson said in an interview with German press agency DPA Monday. "Then she could show all those people who wouldn't trust a woman with such a job."
Arthur Schiff was an ingenious salesman, a veritable artist of American capitalism. He sold everything, and sold it by the trainload: pots and pans, pantyhose, wrinkle cream, teeth whiteners, windshield wipers, scratch removers and weed whackers. Anyone who ever watched television in the graveyard hours knows Schiff's work. Likely as not, it enchanted, amused, appalled or got them to reach for their wallets and their phones.
Over more than 30 years, Schiff created some 1,800 "long-form" or "direct response" TV commercials. He was the unseen king of the infomercial, the hidden hand behind the "amazing" Steakhouse Onion Machine, the "miraculous" Ambervision Sunglasses and the "revolutionary" Shiwala car mop.
Would you be more likely to have an anxiety attack at 20,000 feet if the passenger seated next to you was: A) An Irish nun saying the Rosary? B) A Mormon missionary in regulation white shirt and narrow, black tie? C) A Hari Krishna in a standard-issue saffron robe? or D) A bearded bloke of Middle Eastern complexion holding a well-thumbed Koran?
When you hear of a terrorist incident, is the first thought that pops into your head: Probably some crazy Muslim? Guess what? It probably was some crazy Muslim!
Guessing the religion of those who plant bombs, highjack planes, fire into crowds of civilians, take hostages and murder hostages is the world’s ultimate no-brainer.
And yet our leaders, the media and many of us pretend there’s absolutely no connection between psychopathic, ideological killers and the religion which exalts the slaughter of unbelievers.
I was in London when the latest terrorist conspiracy went down. On the evening news, I heard a BBC reporter interviewing a neighbor of one of the suspects. “He was a good lad,” the neighbor opined. “Played football” (British soccer). “Recently, he became very involved with his religion” (hint: not The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
How often have we heard those fatal words? Born-again Christians witness and do good works. Born-again Muslims work with liquid explosives.
Think about the really ghastly terrorist incidents over the past two decades -- the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing (242 dead), the 1988 Pam Am 103 bombing (259 dead), the 1993 World Trade Center attack (6 dead, more than 1,000 injured), the 1994 bombing of the Buenos Aires Jewish Center (86 dead), the 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam (291 dead, 5,000 wounded), the 2000 attack on the U.S.S. Cole (17 dead), September 11, 2001 (over 3,000 killed), the 2002 Moscow theater hostage-taking (94 dead), the 2004 Beslan school hostage crisis (344 dead), the 2004 Madrid train bombings (192 dead), the 2005 London underground bombings (56 dead) and the 2006 commuter train bombings in Mumbai -- formerly Bombay (at least 200 dead).
In each and every case, the killers were …? That is correct, sir -- Muslims! What other religion condones savagery committed in its name? Jesus said turn the other cheek. Muhammed said cut off the other guy’s cheek. The Torah says show kindness to strangers. The Koran says: If you can’t convert them, kill them.
Prime Minister John Howard earlier had said he supported monitoring the activities of those in Australia's mosques, citing a need for the government to know if members of the Islamic community supported or taught violence.There ya' go! Assimilate yourself into the society in which you live, or get out.
And Education Minister Brendan Nelson said those members of the Islamic faith who do not support Australian values are welcome to leave.
"We have a right to know whether there is, within any section of the Islamic community, a preaching of the virtues of terrorism, whether any comfort or harbour is given to terrorism within that community," Howard told Australian radio earlier.
There has been concern that there might be a terrorist attack in Australia, and in a report Treasurer Peter Costello said some could be asked to leave the country.
"If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Shariat law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you," he was quoted as saying. "I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia, one the Australian law and another the Islamic law, that that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option."
The National Day of Prayer Task Force estimated more than 40,000 events would occur as part of the observance, which this year was marked with the theme “America, Honor God,” based on 1 Samuel 2:30, “Those who honor me, I will honor.”Why do people interpret this to mean a nation, instead of an individual, as it is plainly written?
The observance was the sixth consecutive year Bush has spoken in the White House on the National Day of Prayer. The president also issued a proclamation on the National Day of Prayer on May 3.
THE PRESIDENT: Welcome to the White House. I am really glad you're here. Thanks for coming. And I'm honored to join you for the National Day of Prayer. On this special day, we give thanks for the many ways that America has been blessed, and we acknowledge the Almighty, who is the source of these blessings.Just which god is "the almighty"? GOD in Heaven? The GOD of Abraham, Issac and Jacob? The GOD of the Bible?
Prayer is a gift from Almighty God that transforms us, whether we bow our heads in solitude, or offer swift and silent prayers in times of trial.Uhh, actually, No. There is no Biblical indication that anything other than spoken prayer is effective.
Prayer strengthens us by reminding us that God loves and cares for each and every soul in His creation.No, again.
For the first year after Casey was killed, I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to place a TOMBstone on my son's grave. I didn't want one more marble proof that my son was dead. I couldn't even call where he was buried a "cemetery," I had to call it "Casey's Park." I placed fresh flowers in the cup every week and journaled there almost on a daily basis, and often laid on it and fell asleep and dreamed of my needlessly killed son.Is there any doubt that her grasp on reality is tenuous, at best?
Have any of these people who claim that I am pissing on my son's grave even visited him?Uh, Cindy honey...I bet if there was a TOMBSTONE so people could find him, LOTS would come visit. And thats exactly what you don't want; people to honor your son, the Soldier.
XXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU MARCH 23, 2006 13:11:09 ET XXXXXNow, I really don't have a problem with the content of the email...if you don't like the guy, fine.
ABC NEWS EXEC: 'BUSH MAKES ME SICK'; E-MAIL REVEALED
**Exclusive**
A top producer at ABC NEWS declared "Bush makes me sick" in an email obtained by the DRUDGE REPORT.
John Green, currently executive producer of the weekend edition of GOOD MORNING AMERICA, unloaded on the president in an ABC company email obtained by the DRUDGE REPORT.
"If he uses the 'mixed messages' line one more time, I'm going to puke," Green complained.
The blunt comments by Green, along with other emails obtained by the DRUDGE REPORT, further reveal the inner workings of the nation's news outlets.
A friend of Green's at ABC says Green is mortified by the email. "John feels so badly about this email. He is a straight shooter and great producer who is always fair. That said, he deeply regrets the sentiment expressed in the email and the embarrassment it causes ABC News."
Developing...
My question is that author and former Nixon administration official Kevin Phillips, in his latest book, 'American Theocracy,' discusses what has been called radical Christianity and its growing involvement into government and politics," asked an unidentified woman. "He makes the point that members of your administration have reached out to prophetic Christians who see the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism as signs of the apocalypse. Do you believe this, that the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism are signs of the apocalypse? And if not, why not?"Here's his reflective response:
The president elaborated: "Here's how I think of it. The first I've heard of that, by the way. I guess I'm more of a practical fellow.Never heard of that?? That demonstrates a total lack of any knowledge of Revelation or any of the other books that deal with End Time events.
We Americans are being thoroughly indoctrinated by the mass media, the government schools, the propaganda arms of the federal government and the pseudoscience-government complex on the phony issue of global warming.An unspoken tenent behind the theory of global warming, is that God didn't really know what he was doing during creation. After all, we're about to destroy the planet.
Now, if all that is not enough, some significant church leaders are attempting to make the global, pagan, socialistic agenda behind the conspiracy a matter of faith.
If it exists, which is highly questionable, it certainly wasn't caused by man and there is nothing mankind can do about it. If it doesn't exist, which is probable, these charlatans are going to rob you blind paying for it any way.
That's basically all you need to know about global warming. It's a bunch of hot air, all right – hot air generated by people whose goal is always the same, redistributing wealth and reordering civilization.Well...I never heard that last little tidbit!
Now I expect this sort of thing from Al Gore. The man is a liar. That's what he does for a living. And he has done well for himself in purposely, knowingly deceiving people in his quest for a global utopia run by his puppeteers, whoever they may be.
But Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose-Driven Life"?
Todd Bassett, national commander of the Salvation Army?
Leith Anderson, former president of the National Association of Evangelicals?
That's right. Those are just three of the Christian luminaries who signed on to this pact with the globalist devil – who sold their American birthrights for a mess of political correctness.
Joining them in this scam are World Vision President Rich Stearns, Wheaton College President Duane Litfin, Christianity Today Editor David Neff and Executive Editor Timothy George.
They all signed on to the "Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action" – and climbed into bed with funding sources that hate God, hate Christianity and hate freedom. Among them, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund – a group determined to bring the world under the yoke of global government and global religion.
But I guess none of this should really surprise us. After all, just a month ago, Rick Warren was quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer as indicting Christian fundamentalism as a moral and spiritual equivalent of Islamic fundamentalism.
"Muslim fundamentalism, Christian fundamentalism, Jewish fundamentalism, secular fundamentalism – they're all motivated by fear," he said. "Fear of each other."
A poll released today shows 70 percent of American evangelical Christians see global warming as a "serious threat" to the future of the planet.I wish someone had asked these same poll questions a number of months ago, before all this nonsense with the so-called Evangelical Climate Initiative began.
Conducted by Ellison Research, the survey indicates a majority of evangelicals agree with 85 Christian leaders who signed an Evangelical Climate Initiative unveiled Feb. 8 that calls for government action to deal with so-called global warming. The initiative includes a campaign of newspaper, TV and radio ads.
In a speech Monday sponsored by the conservative Federalist Society, Scalia defended his long-held belief in sticking to the plain text of the Constitution "as it was originally written and intended."Couldn't have said it better myself!
"Scalia does have a philosophy, it's called originalism," he said. "That's what prevents him from doing the things he would like to do," he told more than 100 politicians and lawyers from this U.S. island territory.
According to his judicial philosophy, he said, there can be no room for personal, political or religious beliefs.
Scalia criticized those who believe in what he called the "living Constitution."
"That's the argument of flexibility and it goes something like this: The Constitution is over 200 years old and societies change. It has to change with society, like a living organism, or it will become brittle and break."
"But you would have to be an idiot to believe that," Scalia said. "The Constitution is not a living organism, it is a legal document. It says something and doesn't say other things."
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
~ Teddy Roosevelt
The United States military announced yesterday that it would convert some of its largest ballistic nuclear missiles to carry conventional warheads for use in precision attacks against terrorist targets or rogue states.In what appears to be a thinly disguised threat, Global George feels he can bring Iran into submission via a shower of Trident missles to take out their nuclear development program. No great surprise on the strategy, since many have been saying that we don't have the troop strength to engage in simultaneous ground wars in Iraq AND Iran.
The report stated briefly that the navy would convert "a small number of Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles for use in conventional prompt global strike".
The new generation of satellite-controlled ballistic missiles can deliver large warheads with devastating accuracy even when deployed with a conventional warhead.
After a series of muddled statements and zigzags, wishful thinking prevailed in London and Brussels after all. The European Union, led by the Middle East Quartet, agreed to release financial aid to a Palestinian government taken over by a terrorist organization.$849 MILLION freakin' dollars from the people who are supposedly FIGHTING terrorism!!??!
“We give them three months to assess the situation. We don’t want chaos and we want to go on with the peace process,” said EU foreign executive, Javier Solana at the end of the foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels Monday, 30 Jan.
Hamas, which is responsible for at least 60 bombing attacks on Israelis and countless deaths, did not have to fight too hard or too long for a reversal of the short-lived boycott on funding, sparked by its election victory over Fatah with 74 seats in the 132 Palestinian Legislative Council.
The Islamist terrorists were not required to give up a single principle for the sake of Western aid.
The stakes are high. The EU gave the PA $615 million last year. The US had budgeted $234 for 2006.
