Creative Minority Report

Mr. President: How Many Have to Die To Call it a "Large Scale Attack?"

2013-05-24T14:40:00.000-04:00

The President, in an attempt to stop talking about the scandals surrounding his administration, gave what was labeled a "big talk" on terrorism. And guess what, he reminded us that he personally strangled the life out of Osama bin Laden and tossed him into the drink. I know, he never talks about that, right?

But as Greg Pollowitz points out at The Media blog at National Review, Obama then boasted, "There have been no large-scale attacks on the United States, and our homeland is more secure."

Just for clarification, I'd like to know what the Boston Marathon bombing classifies as. It killed three and injured hundreds. Clearly it's not "large scale" because the president personally told us so. So was Boston a "medium scale" attack? Maybe a "bigg-ish attack?" Or was it "small?"

How about the Fort Hood shooter who yelled "Allahu Akbar" while he killed 13 people while wounding 32 others. Is that a "small-scale" attack? Medium? Oh wait, that wasn't a terror attack at all. It was just workplace violence, right?

And what about Benghazi? Aren't our embassies technically American soil? Was that not large scale? Oh wait, that was a bunch of angry movie reviewers voicing their displeasure over a Youtube video, right?

It seems there's been no large scale terror attacks simply because they've been labeled as otherwise.

The president did give a shout-out thought to Fort Hood and Boston by saying they were the work of "deranged or alienated individuals." But doesn't that really miss the problem that Islam seems to be creating deranged and alienated individuals like it's their job. Jihad doesn't seem to be an accident. It seems like the goal.

I'm just not sure of President Obama's distinction of large scale and otherwise. When Obama refers to large scale does he mean the number of people killed or injured? Is he referring to the number of conspirators? Are we just using the cataclysmic scale of 9/11 to judge all terror attacks? That doesn't seem the right way to go about it.

For the president to use 9/11 as the barometer seems intentionally misleading. Boston, Benghazi, and Fort Hood became hell on earth for a while. It was terror. To belittle those attacks in order to score political points is disturbing and insensitive.

*subhead*Scale.*subhead*

Pope Francis Seems Delighted To Receive Boston Celtics Jersey with "The Pope" On It

2013-05-24T11:13:00.000-04:00

The Boston businessman James Pallotta who is part of the ownership group that runs the Boston Celtics, reportedly met Pope Francis this week and brought along a home-white Celtics jersey — with "THE POPE" on the back above the No. 1 — to present, as well. How did the Pope respond?

He seemed to dig it. Check out the pics below:

*subhead*Put Your Blurb Here.*subhead*

Horrifying Video of Well Attended Suicide Class and DIY Suicide Kits

2013-05-24T09:15:00.001-04:00

This is disturbing. This news report on euthanasia is well worth watching if you have 25 minutes. But most of us don't have that kind of time or we didn't take our Ritalin today so we'll skip it. But at least do yourself a favor and watch two minutes of it starting at about 2:15.

The shocking part is a videotaped suicide class with do-it-yourself suicide kits. And it's better attended than daily Mass in my parish, I'll tell you that.

You can start the video around 2:15 for the creepiest two minutes of video you'll see today.

It's a mystery to me why in this day and age where pain management has come so far we get such an interest in killing oneself to avoid pain. I think one woman says it well. She doesn't talk about pain. She talks about not being able to do what she wants to do when she wants to do it.

Keep praying folks. The right-to-die folks are polling a heckuva lot better than us right-to-life folks.

HT Bioedge

*subhead*Ick.*subhead*

Some Things You Don't Mess With

2013-05-24T09:03:00.002-04:00

There are all kinds of wrong in the news right now. There is the IRS wrong, the Foxnews/AP kinda wrong, even the Benghazi kinda wrong. But this kinda wrong is just so wrong. There are things you just don't mess with.

Scores of TGI Fridays in New Jersey 'busted for selling caramel-colored rubbing alcohol as top-shelf scotch' in statewide crackdown dubbed Operation Swill
...
Twenty-nine New Jersey bars and restaurants, including 13 TGI Fridays, were accused of substituting cheap booze - or worse - for top-shelf brands while charging premium prices.

If you can't depend on the veracity of your bartender, who can you depend on?

*subhead*Don't mess with booze.*subhead*

Obama Talks About "Inherent Dignity of Every Human Life."

2013-05-24T00:03:00.002-04:00

Barack Obama, the only president in our country's history to advocate for the death of his own unborn grandson when he said he didn't want his daughter "punished with a baby" is sickeningly preaching to us about the inherent dignity of every human life.

This sickens me.

CNS News reports:

Giving a speech on counter-terrorism policy at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., today, President Barack Obama explained that when deciding whether to target terrorists with drones—whether or not the terrorists are U.S. citizens—he has set a “high threshold” of respect for human life.

“But the high threshold that we have set for taking lethal action applies to all potential terrorist targets, regardless of whether or not they are American citizens,” Obama said. “This threshold respects the inherent dignity of every human life.

The ironic thing is that just a few months ago his campaign was touting the fact that Obama has made great use of drone technology in piling up body counts. But now he needs his liberal base behind him because of all his scandals and he's limiting the use of drones.

Now, if we could defund Planned Parenthood, I might start believing he had an ounce of respect for life.

*subhead*Respect for life.*subhead*

Boy Scouts Uphold Ban on Gay Adult Leaders, Allow Gay Youths (Updated)

2013-05-23T18:44:00.001-04:00

Seems like the media is making this a big victory for gay rights in the Boy Scouts vote but it seems to me it's at least a mixed bag for "gay rights" as defined by the media.

CNN reports while openly gay youths can join the scouts, the BSA will maintain its ban on gay adult leaders. It seems to me the adult leadership issue was the golden ticket, wasn't it?

But Austin Ruse, president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute in Washington, D.C., seems pretty worked up about the decision so I could be wrong. He was quoted in USA Today saying the shift "would utterly change Scouting and dramatically reduce their ranks. The Catholic and Mormon groups would simply have to walk away."

About 70% of all Scout troops are run by faith-based organizations, according to the Boy Scouts of America. About 37% are Mormon, 10% Methodist and 8% Catholic.

Months before the vote, the National Catholic Committee on Scouting said, "We would hope that the Boy Scouts of America will continue to provide young people a formative experience grounded in virtue and directed by service to God and others," the National Catholic Committee on Scouting said in February.

I hope those who know more about this will offer their two cents in the combox but I just figured I'd pass on the news.

Update: The National Catholic Committee on Scouting released this statement that pretty much says it's not a sin to be inclined towards homosexuality but it is a sin to have sex outside marriage.

That's where the issue could be because as the NCCS says "Individuals who are open and avowed homosexuals promoting and engaging in homosexual conduct are not living lives consistent with Catholic teaching."

In the end they say they're going to review this policy in the coming months before it goes into effect in January of next year.

Here's their short statement in full:

For over 100 years, thousands of children in Catholic parishes, schools and fraternal organizations have benefited from chartering Scouting units. The Catholic Church has maintained a strong relationship with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) through the National Catholic Committee on Scouting (NCCS) for many years and we hope to maintain that relationship.

Today, the voting members of the BSA voted to change the membership standards for its youth members. The BSA proposed in its resolution that "no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone." Its membership standards for adult leaders remain unchanged.

The Catholic Church teaches that people who experience a homosexual inclination or a same sex attraction are to be treated with respect recognizing the dignity of all persons. The Church's teaching is clear that engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage is immoral. Individuals who are open and avowed homosexuals promoting and engaging in homosexual conduct are not living lives consistent with Catholic teaching.

Since the change in policy will not take effect until January 1, 2014, the National Catholic Committee on Scouting has adequate time to study its effects. The NCCS will determine how it may impact Catholic chartered Scout units and activities. In doing so, we will work within the teachings of our Catholic Faith and with the various local bishops and their diocesan scouting committees.
Ed Martin- National Chair
Father Michael Hanifin-National Chaplain

*subhead*Victory?*subhead*

Watch Cardinal Pell Own Richard Dawkins

2013-05-23T16:35:00.000-04:00

Watch Richard Dawkins attempt to prove atheism while only proving himself to be insufferable and humorless. And just after he gets done proving that, Cardinal George Pell comes in to finish the job.

This is the equivalent of the wrestler on top of the ropes with the folding chair move. It's just a little fun for a late afternoon.

HT @RobertRutger

*subhead*Bam.*subhead*

Mom Teaches Bullyng Daughter Lesson By Having Her Wear Ugly Clothes

2013-05-23T15:09:00.000-04:00

A 10 year old Utah girl was teasing another girl in her class for how she was dressed. Apparently it got pretty bad and the kid didn't even want to show up to school. The mom of the bully was called and she responded in a unique way, according to news reports.

The mom talked to her daughter about bullying but felt like she wasn't getting through so she forced the fourth grader to wear some not so stylish Little House on the Prairie looking duds to school to show her what it felt like.

Looks like it was lesson learned. The 10-year-old says she was embarrassed to wear her thrift store clothes, but says she understands why her mom did it.

Now that's some creative parenting.

HT Oddity Central

*subhead*Creative parenting.*subhead*

Pope Says 'Good' Atheists Are Okey Dokey

2013-05-23T14:10:00.001-04:00

via The Guardian

Atheists should be seen as good people if they do good, Pope Francis has said in his latest urging that people of all religions, and none, work together.

The leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics made his comments in the homily of his morning mass at his residence, a daily event at which he speaks without prepared comments.

He told the story of a Catholic who asked a priest if even atheists had been redeemed by Jesus.

"Even them, everyone," the pope answered, according to Vatican Radio. "We all have the duty to do good," he said.

"Just do good, and we'll find a meeting point," the pope said in a hypothetical reply to the hypothetical comment: "But I don't believe. I'm an atheist."

The Pope, curiously, made no mention of the daily temperature at this meeting point.

*subhead*Put Your Blurb Here.*subhead*

Church Organist Complains He Was Fired for Being Gay

2013-05-23T10:39:00.001-04:00

The former organist with Saint Brigid Catholic Church in Georgia is complaining that he was recently forced to resign from his position because he's gay.

In an open letter explaining the situation, organist Nick Johns wrote that then Monsignor (now Bishop) David Talley had long known of his homosexuality but he was simply told to make his Facebook page private.

The Georgia Voice has Johns explaining his meeting with then Monsignor Talley like this:

“We had a meeting to talk about it and he was saying he didn't care that I was gay because one of his childhood best friends turned out to be gay and they're still best friends. We were talking about making my profile private. I didn't know it wasn't private. I made it private and that was the end of it for a long time,” Johns told GA Voice.

In an open letter to the St. Brigid's community, Johns described it this way:

A few months ago, Bishop (then Monsignor) David Talley and I spoke about my (then public) Facebook account, my homosexuality, and how that has challenged my faith. He was very understanding about my sexuality and had some very nice insight about it. We discussed making my Facebook profile private; I did, and that was the end of it. I don't believe I ever let it get in the way of my ability to serve as music minister to the parishioners of Saint Brigid.

So what happened?

After Msgr. Talley became bishop, Fr. Joshua Allen was made temporary administrator of the parish. Johns wasn't crazy about Fr. Joshua because he seemed to take a harder line of things.

“I've heard some of his sermons before,” Johns told The Voice. “I had to bite my tongue. During the last election for Obama, he had a sermon about how you couldn't be Catholic and vote for a pro-choice candidate. The church gave him a standing ovation.”

And then Fr. Josh called Johns in for a meeting over a number of blog posts Johns had reportedly written in favor of gay marriage. Johns described it this way in his letter:

I received a call from Fr. Josh on Monday evening (5/6/13) and he stated that I was under suspension and possible termination due to my Facebook profile being in public moral dissension with the teachings of the church, despite having been warned (referring to my chat with Bishop Talley). I was told to come get my things and leave my keys, so that's what I did on Tuesday the 7th...

It didn't feel like the proper way for the church to be going about all of this, especially since Fr. Josh is only a temporary Administrator...

Johns wrote in his letter that "Fr. Josh" confirmed that it was a blog post and some other pictures that conveyed his support for marriage equality.

He added:

My support for marriage equality isn't something I feel ashamed about nor will change. Some of you knew that I recently got engaged to my boyfriend Luke. I do apologize on behalf of Saint Brigid to Meredith, who had to pick up the slack while being quite pregnant. I was very much looking forward to what we as a choir were going to accomplish through our ministry to this wonderful parish. Also, I rarely feel full mutual collaboration with an organ, but the Casavant at Saint Brigid and I got along just swell. The same goes for Meredith and me, and the students of the Saint Brigid Day School.

The fact that, as Johns said, many already knew that he intended to marry his boyfriend is an example of why he needed to resign.

To his credit, Johns did say that the Church had every right to fire him.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta is currently advertising for Johns replacement with an ad that includes in the responsibilities "conducting Adult Traditional Choir and Children's Choir (3 masses per weekend); planning music for masses and special liturgies; recruiting singers and instrumentalists; organist for weddings and funerals; coordinating instrumentalists, special liturgies, and cantor program; overseeing activities of music department."

*subhead*Marriage.*subhead*

Video: The First Cohabitation Ceremony

2013-05-23T05:25:00.002-04:00

Funny 'cause it's true. If there were a cohabitation ceremony it would look something like this:

HT Catholic Memes

*subhead*I kinda' do.*subhead*

Sorta' Kinda' Celebs Rail Against Anti-Abortion Laws

2013-05-22T22:23:00.003-04:00

In the wake of the discovery of Kermit Gosnell's House of Horrors a number of states have tightened up inspections and put some restrictions on abortions. Well, it appears Hollywood is clearly in the Gosnell camp because here's a video put together by the Center for Reproductive Rights with some celebrities you might recognize. They're saying that any restrictions are "backward" while they want to go "forward."

It's actually pretty poorly done.

*subhead*Weird.*subhead*

Megyn Kelly vs. Gosnell's Attorney. Whoa!!!

2013-05-22T17:00:00.001-04:00

This gets crazy. Fast. Go Megyn Kelly!

HT Twitchy

*subhead*Pow! Bam!.*subhead*

New IVF Embryo Quality Control

2013-05-22T15:23:00.000-04:00

*subhead*Human QC.*subhead*

In manufacturing, quality control (QC) is very important. A manufacturer always wants to put out the best product and eliminate defective merchandise.

The same is true of IVF. With as many as 30 embryos created for every live birth, doctors are always on the look out for ways to separate the robust embryos from the "defective" ones to improve their success rates. Previously this was achieved by preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD.) In PGD, a single cell is removed from the days old embryo and tested for genetic anomalies. The ones that pass the test get a chance at being transferred to their mother's womb. The others...well they are defective so no need to mention what happens to them, right?

PGD is expensive and invasive to the embryo, so an IVF clinic in Britain has developed a new way to QC embryos: time-lapsed photography. Those embryos that reach a certain stage slower than their counterparts are deemed "high risk." High risk means high risk for aneuploidy. Aneuploidy is when embryos have too many or too few chromosomes. High risk embryos, according to the authors of the study, did not implant at all.

From BBC News:

Time-lapse imaging which takes thousands of pictures of developing embryos can boost the success rate of IVF, according to British research.

The method, reported in Reproductive BioMedicine Online, can be used to select embryos at low risk of defects.

Scientists at the CARE fertility group say such informed selection can improve birth rates by 56%.

Other experts say the result is exciting, but the study of 69 couples is too small to be definitive.

The research followed the couples at the CARE fertility clinic in Manchester last year, when 88 embryos were imaged and implanted.

The embryos were put into an incubator and imaged every 10-20 minutes.

The researchers classified the embryos as low, medium or high risk of chromosome abnormalities based on their development at certain key points.

Eleven babies were born from the low risk group (61% success rate) compared to five from the medium risk group (19% success rate) and none from those deemed high risk.

"In the 35 years I have been in this field this is probably the most exciting and significant development that can be of value to all patients seeking IVF," said Prof Simon Fishel, managing director of CARE Fertility Group.

"This technology can tell us which embryo is the most viable and has the highest potential to deliver a live birth - it will have huge potential. This is almost like having the embryo in the womb with a camera on them."

But it isn't anything like the womb; evidenced by the fact that a camera is watching your every cell division. Using this technique, clinics will identify the "low risk" embryos and discard the "high risk" embryos. That is called quality control, my friend.

And one of the conditions that will likely be called "high risk" because of the extra chromosome 21, is Down Syndrome. Quality control in human manufacturing has another name. It is called eugenics.

You may think I am being harsh comparing this new technique to manufacturing QC. That is until you read this comment by the chair of the British Fertility Society:

Allan Pacey, lecturer in andrology at Sheffield University and chair of the British Fertility Society, said: "This paper is interesting because we really do need to make advances in selecting the best embryos created during IVF."

Mass produce, screen the product, choose the best and cull the rest. Above all, NEVER mention that these are actual human beings.

Here is yet another thing to add to the list of "what not to do to be born." Don't be a late bloomer as an embryo. Your life may depend on it.

Rebecca Taylor blogs at Mary Meets Dolly

Archbishop Chaput Calls for Day of Prayer and Penance in Response to Gosnell Conviction

2013-05-22T12:04:00.000-04:00

The Archbishop of Philadelphia Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. announced today that the clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are encouraged to observe Friday, May 24, 2013 as a day of prayer and penance, in response to the trial and conviction of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell.

Archbishop Chaput is asking that the faithful participate in this day, with others or alone, by: attending Mass and receiving Holy Communion, meditating on the Word of God, spending time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, reciting the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, making the Way of the Cross, or fasting and abstaining from eating meat.

I think whether you're in Philly or not, this is a worthy thing to do.

The recent trial and conviction of the Philadelphia abortion doctor, Kermit Gosnell, for killing
three babies born alive, manifested in yet another vivid way the horrific details of the abortion
culture that confronts the Gospel of Life.

Christians have no option but to respond with prayer and penance in reparation for these crimes against the sacredness of human life, especially in the womb. The battle for the protection of human life is equally a spiritual battle as it is culturally, socially and politically.

The Archdiocese point out that this falls on the same day as the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. "Our prayers and penances in
reparation for the crimes against human life in our own city unite us to the same intentions for
our brothers and sisters in China," says the archdiocese.

*subhead*Penance.*subhead*

Don't Diss The Renowned Dan Brown

2013-05-22T10:34:00.001-04:00

Every once in a while you come across a bit of writing so brilliant, you cannot help but pay homage.

My friend Larry D. pointed me to this brilliant bit of satirical critique of the insufferable and anti-Catholic Dan Brown. Dan has a new book coming out. Now while some critics diss the ridiculous writing of Brown, Michael Deacon of the Telegraph is having none of it.

I haven't laughed this loud while reading in a while.

Renowned author Dan Brown woke up in his luxurious four-poster bed in his expensive $10 million house – and immediately he felt angry. Most people would have thought that the 48-year-old man had no reason to be angry. After all, the famous writer had a new book coming out. But that was the problem. A new book meant an inevitable attack on the rich novelist by the wealthy wordsmith’s fiercest foes. The critics.

Continue Reading 'cause its awesome>>>>

*subhead*Renowned!!*subhead*

Vid: Left Wing Feminist Nun Criticizes Misogyny of the Church

2013-05-22T09:31:00.002-04:00

Sister Teresa Forcades is one of Catalonia's foremost political figures, but the nun's ideology is radically feminist and left-wing. In this video, she speaks to the UK Guardian about the need for an alternative to capitalism and criticized the misogyny of the Catholic church.

Just the kind of leadership the Church needs, right?

*subhead*Leftist.*subhead*

Feminists Crucify Barbie...Because That's Not Offensive

2013-05-21T22:24:00.002-04:00

The same feminist group that recently assaulted an archbishop is now crucifying a Barbie doll. The group, Femen, which doesn't appear to own any shirts, held a "Barbie-cue" (get it?) and they put Barbie on a cross and burned the doll because the image of the doll has harmed young girls.

CNS News reports:

“Ritual Barbie'cue with fried meat of the plastic idol was made to demonstrate the true meaning of the history of commercial monster Mattel,” the website post states. “They have turned a piece of plastic into a god for millions of girls from all over the world who now seek only to imitate plastic shapes and stupidity and absurdity of conduct.”

Ironically, these women seem to be against objectifying women but they never wear any shirts during their protests because they know that baring their breasts means extra publicity. Hmmm. Contradictory?

*subhead*Dopes.*subhead*

ZoNation: Why Pro-Aborts Heart Cloning

2013-05-21T20:35:00.001-04:00

AlfonZo Rachel thinks clones and the science of cloning is a lot like medical marijuana. Hear why as Zo brings you the facts about this scary new science, and the impact clones will have on the abortion and stem cell research debate.

*subhead*Cloning like medical marijuana.*subhead*

Is the Pope Obsessed With Satan?

2013-05-21T12:07:00.002-04:00

The Associated Press accused the Pope today of being "obsessed" with the devil. And now there's video purporting to show the Pope performing an exorcism in St. Peter's Square.

Both allegations seem to be untrue but that doesn't stop a good story. I just wish the media would obsess on reporting truth rather than pushing their worldview.

The AP actually reported in a news story about the supposed exorcism that the pope is obsessed with Satan. They point out that a recently taken video shows Pope Francis laying his hands on a man's head and the man having a very emotional and physical reaction. But the AP, knowing they have no actual evidence that this was indeed an exorcism, they try to place speculation where facts should be:

Fueling the speculation is Francis' obsession with Satan, a frequent subject of his homilies, and an apparent surge in demand for exorcisms among the faithful despite the irreverent treatment the rite often receives from Hollywood...

In his very first homily as pope on March 14, Francis warned cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel the day after he was elected that "he who doesn't pray to the Lord prays to the devil."

He has since mentioned the devil on a handful of occasions, most recently in a May 4 homily when in his morning Mass in the Vatican hotel chapel he spoke of the need for dialogue - except with Satan.

Ah. The pope has mentioned Satan so therefore he performed an exorcism. And oh yeah, he's clearly obsessed with Satan.

The Sun is even calling the video a "scandal."

Watch the video:

Vatican spokesperson Federico Lombardi is apparently telling the press that “The Holy Father did not intend to perform any exorcism...“As he often does with sick and suffering people who are presented to him, he simply intended to pray for the suffering person."

*subhead*Objective.*subhead*

The Machine That Changes Everything - Part II

2013-05-21T07:59:00.000-04:00

Back in November 2011, I wrote an article entitled "The Machine That Changes Everything." The topic was the purported invention of an eccentric Italian by the name of Andrea Rossi. He claims to have invented a machine that can generate enough clean energy to change the world. (Read the original article for background)

So for the last 25 years, very few scientists even looked at the possibility of LENR (aka Cold Fusion), but a handful did. And something strange happened. Some of them reported that, using nickel and hydrogen at room temperatures, they could produce more energy than they put into the system. Lots more. Too much to be explained by a chemical reaction. But none of them could or can explain why. So many other scientists, being of open mind but closed ears, respond, “If you can’t explain it, it isn’t happening.”

But that is not what engineer Andrea Rossi (and his partner physicist Sergio Focardi) said. He said (and this is my interpretation of his actions), “Let someone else figure out why. If it works, I am gonna build it and sell them. Lots of them.” And that is what he has done. He built it and he has demonstrated it.

Scientists yell, “Impossible!” Rossi responds, “I don’t care.”

What Rossi claims to have built is a machine that reproduces those unexplained experiments on a large scale. A machine that can produce lots of energy cleanly and very cheaply. If he is right, it is the machine that changes everything.

Well since then, the skepticism towards Rossi has grown, primarily due to the fact that while he continued to announce advances in the technology, his promises of independent 3rd party testing of the machine had yet to become a reality. Over the last 6 months even the news from Rossi himself has become a mere trickle while we waited and waited on the independent testing. Even many supporters of Rossi had given up.

And now this.

In paper by well respected scientists at Cornell University arXiv.org, these scientists have said and I am paraphrasing, not only is this thing real, it is amazing.

Forbes magazine writer Mark Gibbs puts it this way

The paper was authored by Giuseppe Levi of Bologna University, Bologna, Italy; Evelyn Foschi, Bologna, Italy; Torbjörn Hartman, Bo Höistad, Roland Pettersson and Lars Tegnér of Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; and Hanno Essén, of the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. While some of these people have previously been public in their support of Rossi and the E-Cat they are all serious academics with reputations to loose and the paper is detailed and thorough.
...
And now, the big reveal … the authors’ conclusions are (again, the emphasis is mine):

… if we consider the whole volume of the reactor core and the most conservative figures on energy production, we still get a value of (7.93 ± 0.8) 102 MJ/Liter that is one order of magnitude higher than any conventional source.
To put that in perspective, the following graph plots the peak power of various energy sources against their specific energy (energy per unit mass). As you can see, gasoline is way out in front in terms of how much energy is available and how much power can be delivered but if this paper is correct, you can make that “gasoline was way out in front” because, as can be seen, the E-Cat has roughly four orders of magnitude more specific energy and three orders of magnitude greater peak power than gasoline!

I don't pretend to know the ins and out of testing, but these are real scientists with a real paper on a respected real journal. Of course, this is just the beginning of the story, but this is definitely something to keep an eye on.

So that is the good news. I stand by the bad news part of all this from my original article.

Unlimited cheap energy would save the world, right? Well, yes. Right after it almost destroys it. If this thing is verified and becomes that machine that changed the world or even if it is a fraud, someday, somewhere, somebody will build the machine that changed the world, and the one thing you can count on is war.

As you know, there is a whole part of the world whose entire existence is funded by oil money. Their whole existence, they have nothing, NOTHING else. If that oil becomes severely devalued overnight their leaders will need to attack other people lest their people attack them. Like I said, the machine that changes everything.

See you in the bunker!

*subhead*Unlimited Cheap Energy.*subhead*

Best News Of The Day

2013-05-20T23:48:00.000-04:00

It is hard to imagine any possible good news coming out of Oklahoma today after the horrific devastation there today, but this news is great.

Such great news RT @outfrontcnn JUST IN: Some of the Oklahoma children reported earlier as missing have been found in area churches.
— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) May 21, 2013

Thank you Lord!! It is hard to see the Lord's protection on a day like today. But He is there, always.

Please continue to pray for all those have lost their lives, their families, and for so many others that have lost everything.

It is hard to imagine that anyone survived this.

*subhead*Found.*subhead*

Amazing Vid: Blind Prodigy Sees God Through Song

2013-05-20T23:35:00.001-04:00

This is just beautiful. A blind man is inspired by his faith to deliver the message of Christ through music.

HT Catholic News Service

*subhead*Faith.*subhead*

Graduation Gown at Catholic School Becomes Issue for Girl Student Who Says She's a Boy

2013-05-20T22:08:00.001-04:00

A girl who believes she's a boy wants to wear a boy's graduation robe at her Catholic school graduation. The school is refusing. Outrage ensues.

Oh my.

You see, at St. Pius High school in Albuquerque the girls wear white gowns and the boys wear black. She wants to wear black. But the school is saying that on her birth certificate she's a girl so she'll be wearing white.

She insists that she even went so far as to change her name from Brandi to Damian. But the school believes changing one's name doesn't actually change someone from a girl into a boy.

KRQE reports on the story:

“I just want to walk in my black robe, nice and proud and have that memory to look back on with my family and friends,” said Damian Garcia. “I would rather not walk than to embarrass myself by wearing a female robe.”

Damian Garcia was born Brandi Garcia, but identifies as a male even having a legal name-change last year.

Fellow students, teachers and faculty call Garcia "Damian" and so does Damian’s family.

“I look at him and I call him my son. That's how he wishes to be acknowledged is as a male,” said father Luis Garcia.

The Saint Pius Superintendent tells KRQE News 13, Saint Pius goes by what the student's birth certificate says if there's any question on what gender-color they wear at graduation.

Despite the name change, Damian's birth certificate says “female.”

Damian's father calls the school's decision heartbreaking.

“All you want in life is to see your kids happy and healthy. You never want to see them suffer or being ridiculed or be made fun of,” Luis said.

Look, I want kids to be happy on their graduation day. It's a big day for them. But a Catholic school just can't do this. Just can't. I feel bad for the young woman. I do. But her confusion about herself isn't a mandate for the rest of the world to ignore reality.

A gay advocacy faux Catholic group called New Ways Ministry has called the school's decision "ignorant and insensitive" and added that we should follow the example of the girl's father.

The school’s reasoning shows the problems that can occur when rules become more important than human beings and human reality. For officials to say that they cede all of their ability to make a judicious decision based on the birth certificate, and not the human and social reality with which they are faced, is ignorant and insensitive...

An important lesson to be learned from this story, too, is that parental love for a child can often lead the way for the rest of the church to learn how to love and accept transgender people and other sexual and gender minorities. The love of Damian’s parents, expressed by his father, is awe-inspiring, and reminds us of the unconditional love that God has for each of us. So often our Catholic faith reminds us that God loves each of us as a parent. It would be well for the officials at this Catholic school to learn a lesson from Damian’s parents on how to love and accept and treasure each student.

*subhead*21st Century issues.*subhead*

Dominican Sisters on Finale of American Bible Challenge!!!

2013-05-20T18:56:00.003-04:00

Who says Catholics don't know their Bible?

Please be sure to watch the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist compete for the $100,000 grand prize in The Game Show Network’s “The American Bible Challenge” finale at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT Thursday, May 23.

The winner of The American Bible Challenge Fan Favorite contest will be announced during the show, as well, and will receive $10,000 for their team’s charity.

Should they win, the Dominican Sisters will use their winnings from the show to provide for the treatment and care of the aging Sisters in the Order, and to ensure that they are provided for as they advance into retirement.

*subhead*Delightful.*subhead*