Non Fluffy Wicca

Christian freed: Afghanistan ignores threats of clerics:


The Afghan man who converted to Christianity and threw the new Afghanistan government into turmoil was released from prison Monday. The reaction by Muslim clerics and followers was immediate but so far has not been as dramatic as feared.
Abdul Rahman, 41, reportedly went into hiding Tuesday in Kabul after Muslim clerics threatened his life. Italy said it may grant him asylum. Strict Islamic law, Sharia, says that converting from Islam to another faith is punishable by death. Clerics in Afghanistan had insisted that the law be carried out in the case of Rahman who had converted to Christianity 16 years ago. Western nations, including the U.S., from whom Afghanistan relies on billions of dollars for rebuilding the country, pressured Afghan leaders to release Rahman.

Posted by mikki at 03:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ya know, it's always something. Today was the amazing miscommunication. The doc didn't mean that a feeding tube was going to be inserted, just that if things didn't start happening relatively soon, re: ability to receive nutrition, then there would be a need to find another way of providing nutrition. Thus, the amazing amount of nervousness on our port. If it was dangerous to do surgery to repair any problems now, then it would follow that it could also be dangerous to go poking around with feeding tube placement as well. So, we were quite afraid.

As it is, the doc mixed and matched some anti nausea medication, which seems to have helped markedly. Mom is now drinking those evil "Boost" shakes that taste real bad but are good for you. She had improved to the point today where I went back to VA, and am now in my own little bed, hoping all continues on the upward climb. If it doesn't, I'll just drop everything and go back to NH.

Meantime, I will resume shipping Enchanted Works products in the AM, soon as I wake up. So take heart, loyal customers :-).

Posted by mikki at 11:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stomach can't process even clear liquids. They're talking feeding tube. now I'm not sure if I can go home or not at this point, and I can't go see her until after some heart tests. Echo cardiogram looked good, except there were many extra beats they want to check on.

Posted by mikki at 11:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tubes are out. Clear liquids are in. There's a lot of nausea, but things appear to be improving. I am definitely hopeful. Hopeful enough, in fact, to try to go home tomorrow.

Posted by mikki at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today we went for a fun and educational barium swallow, which looked pretty good, but the stomach was still too nauseated and annoyed to be able to take the NG tube out. We are hoping that perhaps tomorrow the tube can come out, and then we will start again with the clear fluids, working up to food. Once she can process food, she can go home. Last attempt at food caused another episode, which is NOT much fun at all, so we are trying to avoid it.

Posted by mikki at 08:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Georgia May Approve Bible As Textbook: "by UPI Wire ATLANTA, March 27, 2006 (UPI) -- Georgia may become the first U.S. state to approve the Bible as a textbook in schools under a measure before the state legislature. Bible classes are taught in many states but the Georgia measure would require its Department of Education to design a curriculum to teach the history and literature of the Bible, reports the Christian Science Monitor. Specifically the bill would establish electives on both the New and Old Testaments, the report said. The class would not be required for students. Critics say the trend is part of the broader culture war over the role of religion in civic life, and seeks to satisfy social conservatives rather than enlighten students, the report said."

(Via WiccanWeb.ca.)

Posted by mikki at 06:39 PM | Permalink

We've been told that they wish to let the stomach settle down, and wait approximately 3 months for surgery to repair this mess. Obviously, that doesn't sit well with anyone, and we're trying to translate this medical jargon and find out what's really going on. More as we find out.

Posted by mikki at 02:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Sydney Morning Herald Blogs: Dissection / Feeling peaky Archives:


Glad tidings of great joy: there could be a straightforward medical explanation for at least three of the world's major religions.
Moses, Mohammed, and Jesus all experienced revelations on mountains, but they were probably just suffering a form of altitude sickness, say a group of Swiss and Israeli neurologists, casting doubt in the process on the very existence of God.

All three felt, heard or saw a presence, experienced lights and felt afraid, say the brain scientists from Lausanne, Geneva and Jerusalem. But so have contemporary mountaineers who are more interested in ice picks and thermal undies than anything mystical - suggesting the dizzy heights may have the effect of turning ordinary mortals into prophets.
"Different functions relying on brain areas such as the temporo-parietal junction and the prefrontal cortex have been suggested to be altered in altitude," they write in the marvellous journal Medical Hypotheses, which is positively boastful about giving a run to bright new ideas that haven't been through the usual discouraging process of scientific peer review.
"Moreover, acute and chronic hypoxia significantly affect the temporo-parietal junction and the prefrontal cortex and both areas have also been linked to altered own body perceptions and mystical experiences."
Especially if the prophets went yomping through the hills alone, they might be vulnerable to such mind-bending experiences and be uninhibited about expressing them.
As if to illustrate his own point, one of the doctors - Shahar Arzy - features a picture of himself astride a mountain on his university web page.
Neurologists could assist in the interpretation of sacred texts, they said - but equally a spot of bible study might help doctors understand "the machanisms of corporeal awareness and self consciousness."

Posted by mikki at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The good news is that the relapse happened in the hospital. The bad news is that things reversed themselves, and the previously optimistic prognosis is more guarded. I spoke to the doctor this afternoon, and they are hoping for surgery tomorrow to anchor the stomach so it doesn't decide to migrate back north and wedge itself into the diaphragm again. As most can imagine, the pain of this occurring is quite marked, being a 10 out of 10. Within a few hours (even 2 minutes like this is too much, of course, but they did the best they could), the pain was much lower, and they are hoping for the stomach to descend on its own.

Still more watching and waiting.

Posted by mikki at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you are one who believes in healing energies, candles, etc. for others, I would appreciate any thoughts, etc. you could spare for my mom. She's been in the hospital since last week, and I am up here in NH with she and my sister and dad. She had surgery about 2 months ago and it seems to have reversed itself. Without details, it is very very painful, and relatively serious.

We thought she could go home today or tomorrow, but things took a turn for the worse, and she will not be going home for some time. More surgery is certain, but they have not yet figured out when, etc.

All thoughts, prayers, well wishes, of any persuasion are welcome.

Posted by mikki at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Keep your ideas of morality off my body. Indian tribe says "stick it" to South Dakota's draconian idea.

Tribal leader rallies for abortion clinic on reservation:


Oglala Sioux Tribe President Cecelia Fire Thunder says a clinic on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation could provide abortions if South Dakota’s new abortion ban goes into effect.

“We’re working on it,” Fire Thunder said in a telephone interview Friday. “This is a free-choice issue. If I were in that situation, I’d want somewhere to go where I’d be taken care of.”

The new South Dakota law bans all abortions except to save the life of the mother — with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Fire Thunder said the state law would not apply to the reservation. “We’re a sovereign nation,” she said.

The new law is set to go into effect July 1, but a court challenge almost certainly will delay it, and opponents of the law are already gathering signatures to put it on the ballot in November.

Fire Thunder, in fact, is one of 15 co-leaders of the new South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, which on Friday announced a statewide campaign to overturn the new law.

South Dakota Attorney General Larry Long declined to comment on the proposal, saying he likely would have to write a description of the new law for ballots in November.

Long said that major crimes committed on reservations come under state jurisdiction if they are committed by non-Indians against non-Indians. Other major crimes fall under federal law.

Posted by mikki at 11:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sploid: No respect for hero's religion:


Nevada National Guard Sgt. Patrick Stewart paid the ultimate price for his patriotism.

In September, he was riding with fellow U.S. soldiers on a Chinook helicopter when it was shot down in Afghanistan. Stewart and four others were killed.

But the spot for his memorial plaque at the Northern Nevada Veteran's Cemetery remains blank.

Stewart was a Wiccan.

The Veteran's Administration has never authorized the use of Wicca's pentacle on grave markers, even though it allows the use of symbols from 38 other beliefs, including obscure or possibly fictional religions such as Ixumo Taishakyo, Soks Gakkai, Aaronic Order, Seicho-no-ie and Presbyterians.

Stewart's 12-year-old stepdaughter, Alexandria, sent a heartfelt letter to the secretary of veterans affairs:

""Why won't you put my dad's religion sign on a plaque? He respected you and your rules and went and fought for our country and died for our country and this is how you treat him and his family."

The 34-year-old veteran of the first Gulf War had long been a practicing Wiccan, his wife Roberta Stewart said. After his tragic death, he was awarded the Air Medal, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Nevada Distinguished Service Medal and Combat Action Badge.

Posted by mikki at 10:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Work of literature not banned by US school board:

United States: In a surprising decision, given recent events, a school board in San Antonio, Texas, has decided not to ban Margaret Atwood's 1985 classic The Handmaid's Tale. Superintendent Ed Lyman had banned the book from the advanced English curriculum, but the school board overturned the decision.

If we do ban The Handmaid's Tale because of sexual content, then why not ban Huckleberry Finn for racism? Why not ban The Crucible for witchcraft? Why not ban The Things They Carried for violence, and why not ban the Bible and argue separation of church and state? Judson senior Craig Gagne told trustees.

As well as complaining that the book was sexually explicit, Lyman insisted it was offensice to Christians. Well, I suppose if you are a barking mad fundie, I suppose it would be offensive to read a fictional reminder of what a society run according your interpretation of The Big Book of Fairy Tales would be like.

School board reverses ban on Handmaid's Tale—Houseton Chronicle, 24th March 2006.

Additional tags: Christianity, education.

Posted by mikki at 10:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When you read the full story, you'll see that the VA person says there will be a decision "soon." What they DON'T say is why we've waited almost 10 years for that decision.

Further, the allegation that the VA needed a "head of the religion" was inaccurate. How would one find the head of the Atheists? The head of the Protestants? They settled for the head of the religious organization requesting the marker. And guess what, those requests HAD BEEN SUBMITTED by several organizations. Each one was told either that there would be a decision "soon" or that there would be further information required after they finished their "new guidelines." When the issue became more political, they issued these "new guidelines" and said that the previous applications that had been pending, would now have to comply with the new guidelines, which included having an actual dead veteran of the Pagan faith.

Guess what? Rosemary Kooiman's husband Abe WAS such a veteran. If the VA wasn't actively discriminating against Wiccans, that application, which fit both the OLD guidelines AND the new ones, would have been immediately approved, and Rosemary would have been able to see her husband's wishes fulfilled before her death.

Why do I say that the VA was actively discriminating? Because during the time period that Pagans and Wiccans were being stonewalled, the VA approved OTHER requests. How do I know this? They sent me the applications and the responses under a FOIA request.

Scripps Howard News Service:


While President Bush laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, a self-declared witch embarked on a clandestine mission to mark a grave most dear to her.

It was 2003, and neo-pagan high priestess Rosemary Kooiman, 75, was determined that the gravesite of her recently departed husband, Abraham, bear a Pentacle as the symbol of the Wiccan faith the two shared.

Unlike thousands of headstones bearing a Christian cross, Jewish Star of David, Islamic Crescent and Star, or other religious emblems, Abraham Kooiman's had none because the Department of Veterans Affairs does not permit symbols of Wicca and related pagan sects to be depicted on government-issued stones or markers.

Taking advantage of the attention turned elsewhere that day, Rosemary Kooiman affixed a vinyl Pentacle _ a five-pointed star within a circle _ to the gravesite of her husband, a decorated World War II combat veteran.

That guerrilla action by Kooiman came as part of a decade-long battle by those of her faith to bring recognition to troops and veterans who are Wiccans and believers in other "nature" religions.

Long wrongfully tagged by the misinformed as being Satan worshippers or the casters of evil spells, they say their ancient religion is a peaceful, benign one centered on celebrating nature through rituals, meditations and other spiritual practices.

Posted by mikki at 05:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

St. Paul City Office Boots Easter Bunny - Yahoo! News:


ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Easter Bunny has been sent packing at St. Paul City Hall.

>A toy rabbit, pastel-colored eggs and a sign with the words "Happy Easter" were removed from the lobby of the City Council offices, because of concerns they might offend non-Christians.

A council secretary had put up the decorations. They were not bought with city money.

St. Paul's human rights director, Tyrone Terrill, asked that the decorations be removed, saying they could be offensive to non-Christians.

But City Council member Dave Thune says removing the decorations went too far, and he wonders why they can't celebrate spring with "bunnies and fake grass."

Posted by mikki at 03:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Finally some sanity. Funerals are no place to make political statements.

WTOP: Funeral Protest Ban Clears Maryland House:


Alarmed by protesters who hold up signs such as "Thank God For Dead Soldiers" at military funerals, the Maryland House voted Wednesday to ban funeral protests that use speech likely to incite a fight.

The bill passed 132-3, despite concerns from some that it could weaken free speech. Congress and more than a dozen states are considering similar bills in response to protests by the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., whose members believe that American soldiers are dying because of the nation's tolerance of gay people

Earlier this month, the Westminster funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder was picketed by seven members of the church. Similar protests across the country have made lawmakers re-examine the limits of free speech. Protesters use anti-gay epithets and have inspired large counter-demonstrations.

Posted by mikki at 04:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Religious? Unhappy? www.prattle.net:
United States: A religious organisation which makes the ridiculous claim that it is possible to convert from homosexuality to heterosexuality is upset that people naturally take the piss out of them. So terrified were Exodus International that the Liberty Counsel sent blogger Justin Watt a cease-and-desist letter asking him to remove an image parodying the organisation's snake oil advertisements.

Fortunately, the ACLU is on Watt's side, along with their lawyers, who argue that the parody image is constitutionally-protected free speech, and fair use.

The moment I saw the billboards last September, I was deeply offended. The inspiration for the parody I created came to me instantly. How would straight people feel if their very being, their sense of self was being so overtly disparaged? said Justin Watt, a blogger from Santa Rosa, California. Their response was to try to intimidate me into taking the image down. It’s troubling that an organization as big as Exodus would go to such great lengths to silence its critics.

The billboard, sponsored by ex-gay ministry Exodus International, read, Gay? Unhappy? www.exodus.to. After seeing a photo of the billboards online, Watt posted an altered version reading, Straight? Unhappy? www.gay.com on his website, Justinsomnia.org. Liberty Counsel, an anti-gay legal group representing Exodus, sent Watt a cease-and-desist letter earlier this month claiming the parody violated Exodus’s intellectual property rights and threatening legal action if the parodies were not removed. In a response sent today to Liberty Counsel, the ACLU’s cooperating attorney, Laurence Pulgram of Fenwick & West, LLP, called upon Exodus to drop its attempts to censor Watt, pointing to case law holding parodies to be Constitutionally protected speech.

Parodies like Justin’s are protected by the First Amendment as a form of political commentary. His point was to make a comment on a very important issue he has strongly held beliefs about: that Exodus’s tactics are wrong, that there’s nothing wrong with being gay, and that being gay doesn’t make you unhappy, said Ann Brick, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Northern California. Just as a group like Exodus has a Constitutionally protected right to say whatever it wants to about gay people, even when that view has been roundly condemned by every major psychological and medical organization, Justin has a right to use parody to voice his opposition.

Additional tags: Exodus International, homosexuality, homophobia, pseudoscience.

Technorati Tags: exodus international, homophobia, homosexuality, pseudoscience

Posted by mikki at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Arlington Diocese to Allow Female Altar Servers:


The diocese that serves Roman Catholics in Northern Virginia today lifted a ban on female altar servers at church Masses, ending a decade-long campaign by liberal Catholics.

But the bishop of the Arlington Diocese said each of his 67 parishes can decide whether to continue the ban.

"No priest shall be required to make use of female altar servers at any Mass at which he presides," Bishop Paul S. Loverde said in a document sent to his parishes today.

The late Pope John Paul II ruled in 1994 that females can assist priests at Masses. But he left the decision to each diocese. Most agreed to lift the ban.

Posted by mikki at 06:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interesting. After having been on the receiving end of many IRS blunders (some of which cost considerable amounts of money), I can only hope that if they decide they're going to make such sensitive personal information public, that we can sue them for libel when they mess up.

IRS plan would allow sale of tax data to marketers:

PHILADELPHIA -- The Internal Revenue Service is quietly moving to loosen the once-inviolable privacy of federal income-tax returns.

If it succeeds, accountants and other tax-return preparers for the first time would be able to sell information from individual returns -- or even entire returns -- to marketers and data brokers.

The change is in a set of proposed rules the Treasury Department and the IRS published in the Dec. 8 Federal Register, where the official notice labeled them "not a significant regulatory action."

IRS officials portray the changes as housecleaning needed to update outmoded regulations adopted before it began accepting returns electronically. The proposed rules, which would become effective 30 days after a final version is published, would require a tax preparer to obtain written consent before selling tax information.

Critics call the changes a dangerous breach in personal and financial privacy. They say the requirement for signed consent would prove meaningless for many taxpayers, especially those hurriedly reviewing stacks of documents before a filing deadline.

"The normal interaction is that the taxpayer just signs what the tax preparer puts in front of them," said Jean Ann Fox of the Consumer Federation of America, one of several groups fighting the changes. "They think, 'This person is a tax professional, and I'm going to rely on them.'

"Criticism of the proposal also came from U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. In a letter March 14 to IRS Commissioner Mark Everson, Obama warned that, once in the hands of third parties, tax information could be resold and handled under even looser rules than the IRS sets, increasing consumers' vulnerability to identity theft and other risks.

The IRS announced the proposal in a news release the day before the notice was published, headlined: "IRS Issues Proposed Regulations to Safeguard Taxpayer Information."

The announcement did not mention potential sales of tax information.

IRS spokesman William M. Cressman said, "The heart of this proposed regulation is about the right of taxpayers to control their tax return information. The idea is to emphasize taxpayer consent and set clear boundaries on how tax return preparers can use or disclose tax return information."

Posted by mikki at 04:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey! Now that goes too far. I love my parrots. The Gods love my parrots. Feh!
God punishes birds over gay rights:

Israel: A rabbi has declared that an outbreak of bird flu in Israel is the work of God. According to Rabbi David Basri, God is angry with some of the more left-leaning political parties.

The bird flu outbreak stemmed from far-left political parties strengthening and encouraging homosexuality, Rabbi Basri's son quoted him as saying.

One of the parties aired an election commercial depicting two brides kissing. Some campaign advertisements also called for homosexual marriages to be legalized in Israel

According to suspicions, the Batzris allegedly made the racist comments at the conference which was held to rally support against the establishment of a bilingual school for Jewish and Arab students in the heart of the Pat neighborhood.

Rabbi David Batzri said, the establishment of such a school is a despicable and sinful act. An Arab cannot contaminate what is pure. It is forbidden to blend darkness and light. The nation of Israel is pure and the Arabs are a nation of donkeys. They are an evil disaster, an evil devil, and a nasty affliction.

Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri said, The Arabs are donkeys and beasts. They want to take our girls. They are endowed with true filthiness. There is pure and there is impure and they are impure.

Additional tags: Judaism, homosexuality, homophobia, racism.

Posted by mikki at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I used to think that the only people who were discriminated against were those who used their religion as an "in your face, what are you going to do about it?" type of thing. Examples included the person who complained she was fired for being Wiccan when she was actually fired for not showering enough and wearing inappropriate clothing for a work environment, another who insisted on burning incense in his cubicle despite allergies of others, the person who wanted to claim body piercings as part of their religion, all the way to the nitwit in Australia who was jailed for child molestation which he claimed was part of his religion.

So, imagine my confusion when I was told that my religion might be "bad for business" after a co-worker went snooping through my personal websites. What's worse, this co-worker was highly educated, scientific, and quite intelligent, but made the assumption that Wicca is the same as Satanism, and a female Deity is an "insult to Christians."

So I got to thinking, which is sometimes a good idea :-). If I, a professional who is well established in her field, could be the target of misinformation and prejudice, I guess we all could be. Gee, what a concept.

My daughter came home from school and let me know that her history teacher often prefaces his comments on history with "I am a Christian and I believe...." While I don't personally find this problematic so long as he is not advocating that path for others, I have a friend who is a teacher who is terrified that someone might "find out" she is Pagan. If she began a teaching segment with "I am a Pagan and I believe..." would she have received the same benefit of the doubt? Somehow, I don't think so. While it is unconstitutional to fire an employee for their religious preferences, that doesn't mean, in an "at will" employment state, that the employee can't be fired for other, even made up reasons. Then the employee would have to prove that the firing was actually for religious reasons which 1) takes an inordinate amount of money and 2) takes a judge and/or jury who would be sympathetic to an "evil satanist targeting our vulnerable children."

Of course, in some areas of the country, they would just burn down her house and make death threats, which isn't exactly conducive to being happy in the workplace anyway.

So if I, who doesn't dress like Stevie Nicks, doesn't wear a 12 inch neon pentacle, and doesn't start conversations with "I'm a witch, how are you today?" can be presented with a co-worker who believes Wicca is "not just another religion" and is somehow dangerous, anyone can.

So what can we do? What SHOULD we do? I had been of the opinion that if someone gets to know you as a good person, when or if they find out your religious preferences, it won't matter as much. My co-worker had had months of interaction with me, yet attacked. I can't "educate" him without being accused of discriminating against HIS religion in the workplace. How can we educate "the masses" without putting ourselves at risk? How can we counter the fundamentalists who think that everything we say is a lie, and we are hiding our "real agenda" which is obviously human sacrifice and overthrowing "good." Do we have a chance in this "Christian Nation?"

Please leave a comment. Let's think about this.

Posted by mikki at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another one bites the dust:

United States: Life is hard right now for teachers who want to teach the classics. Yesterday, we mentioned the case of Tresa Waggoner. Today it's the turn of drama teacher Wendy DeVore, formerly of Fulton High School, Columbia, Missouri, who has resigned from her job, complaing that [i]t became too much to not be able to speak my mind or defend my students without fear or retribution. Fear of whom? Barking mad fundies of course!

The trouble started when she and her students put on a performance of the musical Grease. Admittedly the 1972 musical is a lot more hard-hitting than the film, and concerns the trials and tribulations of a group of teenagers, including the various ways in which they get into trouble. Members of Callaway Christian Church complained about scenes showing teens smoking, drinking and kissing and DeVore was ordered to stick to more family-friendly material in future.

So, she turned to that old staple, Shakespeare. Parents often complain that the Bard isn't taught enough in schools these days, so surely there should be nothing wrong with A Midsummer Night's Dream?

Apparently, the literary classic, a staple on English Literature exams throughout the English-speaking world, is right out. Apparently there's too much dicey subject matter, including suicide, rape and losing one's virginity, none of which can be found in the Bible, of course.

And the spring production, the cancellation of which led to DeVore's resignation? The Crucible.

Teacher decides to leave—Columbia Daily Tribune, 18th March 2006. See also Prat of the Year 2006, first nominees: George Sauter and the Babis—Pagan Prattle, 20th March 2006.

Additional tags: Christianity, Grease.

Technorati Tags: a midsummer nights dream, christianity, grease, grease, the crucible, united states

Posted by mikki at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CNN.com - Scenes from Homer found in Cyprus 'warrior tomb' - Mar 20, 2006:


NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) -- A 2,500-year-old sarcophagus with vivid color illustrations from Homer's epics has been discovered in western Cyprus, archaeologists said Monday.

Construction workers found the limestone sarcophagus last week in a tomb near the village of Kouklia, in the coastal Paphos area. The tomb, which probably belonged to an ancient warrior, had been looted during antiquity.

"The style of the decoration is unique, not so much from an artistic point of view, but for the subject and the colors used," said Pavlos Flourentzos, director of the island's antiquities department.

Only two similar sarcophagi have ever been discovered in Cyprus before. One is housed in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the other in the British Museum in London, but their colors are more faded, Flourentzos said.

Flourentzos said the coffin -- painted in red, black and blue on a white background -- dated to 500 B.C., when Greek cultural influence was gaining a firm hold on the eastern Mediterranean island. Pottery discovered in the tomb is expected to provide a more precise date.

Posted by mikki at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

International brief ~ Afghan citizen faces death penalty for converting to Christianity:


[JURIST] Leading Monday's international brief, an Afghani man is on trial for criminal charges punishable by death related to his conversion from Islam to Christianity over 16 years ago while working for a Christian aid organization in Pakistan. Abdul Rah

Posted by mikki at 06:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Editorial: Drama Teacher Resigns; Classic Plays Too Much for Small Town:


A drama teacher has offended some Christians' delicate
sensibilities and has decided to resign rather than be forced
out...

To call Fulton, Missouri regressive might be the understatement
of the century. Or more correctly, it might be the
understatement of several centuries. Even the radical mores of
the 16th century are too much.

Fulton High School drama teacher Wendy...

Posted by mikki at 11:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

And the great conspiracy begins!

Chef didn't quit according to friends:

United States: Various news sources recently reported that Isaac Hayes had quit South Park in protest at the Scientology episode. Well, his friends are suspicious, and voiced their fears to Roger Friedman, a journalist who also knows the singer.

Isaac Hayes did not quit South Park. My sources say that someone quit it for him.




I can tell you that Hayes is in no position to have quit anything. Contrary to news reports, the great writer, singer and musician suffered a stroke on Jan. 17. At the time it was said that he was hospitalized and suffering from exhaustion...




...Friends in Memphis tell me that Hayes did not issue any statements on his own about South Park. They are mystified.




Isaac’s been concentrating on his recuperation for the last two and a half, three months, a close friend told me.




Hayes did not suffer paralysis, but the mild stroke may have affected his speech and his memory. He’s been having home therapy since it happened.




That certainly begs the question of who issued the statement that Hayes was quitting South Park now because it mocked Scientology four months ago. If it wasn’t Hayes, then who would have done such a thing?

Chef's Quitting Controversy—Fox News, 20th March 2006.

Additional tags: South Park, Isaac Hayes, Scientology.

Technorati Tags: isaac hayes, scientology, south park

Posted by mikki at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Protecting children? From what? Those evil gays who might give them a more stable home environment than some hets? *sigh*

Virginia: Mobilizing Forces For, Against Gay Marriage Ban Amendment:


Lynn Craven and her partner say their Roanoke family helps change attitudes whenever playmates visit their twins. But there's little chance the lesbian couple will convince Victoria Cobb of the merits of same-sex marriage.

Cobb, who heads the Family Foundation of Virginia, is pushing hard for a state constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages. Cobb said the issue is protecting children, not

Posted by mikki at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Imagine losing a loved one to the War in Iraq. I'm personally against the war and think it's an awful thing, but those who have died in this war deserve the utmost respect, as do their families. Imagine saying goodbye to your loved one at his or her funeral, and having screaming protesters telling you how God hates your loved one and how they deserved to die?

Finally, some are banding together to protect the families from the lunatics lead by "Rev." Phelps and his hate mongers. They are protecting funerals from the psychotic spotlight hogs bent on kicking those who are already down "in Jesus' name."

More power to those who try to save the families from further pain.

The Hutchinson News, Hutchinson, Kans. | Local News:


According to Terry "Darkhorse" Houck, the Patriot Guard Riders formed in Kansas when a few friends in Mulvane heard members of Westboro Baptist Church, Topeka, were planning to protest the funeral of a soldier killed in Iraq. Church members oppose an army that represents a country that accepts homosexuality.

"This isn't a motorcycle gang," he said. "You don't even need to have a motorcycle or know what one is to belong. It's the patriotic thing to do. A lot of the people come in cars with flags."

Posted by mikki at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Oh goody! I'll buy 6 for my bestest pals :-)

Electronic crucifix broadcasts Lord's Prayer:


Mark Frauenfelder:

"Crucifix NG (Next Generation) is the principal work of the Faith-Based Electronics Group at the Interactive Televangelist Program (ITP). Crucifix NG is a printed electronic circuit board in the shape of a crucifix. This handheld, wall-mountable device houses a battery-operated transmitter that broadcasts an ASCII, non-denominational version of the Lord's Prayer at 916 megahertz. (916 has no numerological significance - it is simply a function of the availability of low-cost transmission chips within this FCC license-free bandwidth.)"
Link(Thanks, Arwen!)

Posted by mikki at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Paganism, Polyamory, Polygamy:


By Jason Pitzl-Waters

...Modern Paganism should be concerned about polyamory being plunged into the sexual morality culture wars, since a great number of our leaders, authors, and activists are openly polyamorous. This includes Oberon and Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart, Isaac Bonewits, Raven Kaldera (author of "Pagan Polyamory"), Joi Wolfwomyn, and Elizabeth Barrette (Managing Editor of PanGaia), amongst many others.

Modern Paganism is one of the only faith groupings that have given a full welcome to polyamorous families and individuals. Not even the ultra-inclusive (and ultra-liberal) Unitarian Universalists have welcomed poly families in any official sense. Yet for years now, Wiccan, Pagan, and Heathen groups have been officiating and giving blessings to poly marriages and their rites of passage.

Posted by mikki at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

RGJ.com: Widow mourns in Pagan community-Wiccan faith made couple stronger, woman says:


Roberta Stewart will return with her husband to the circle cast for their wedding ceremony almost two and a half years ago.
The six cords that bound the couple's hands together in the traditional Wiccan hand fasting ceremony are buried there in the Virginia Highlands.
It is where Stewart says she will scatter his remains.
"Our cords are buried up there so it's a very sacred spot to us," the Fernley resident said.
Stewart's husband, Nevada National Guard Sgt. Patrick Stewart, died on Sept. 25 when the Chinook helicopter he was in was shot down in Afghanistan. Both were Wiccan before they met.
"But we jointly came out together and stood strong for our spirituality upon our marriage," she said. "Alone we didn't want to take on society or our community. Together we can take on anything."
When her husband found out the military recognized Wiccan, Stewart said he changed his dog tags, declaring his faith.

Posted by mikki at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Amusing Ways not to get a job at the CIA...:


Ways not to get a job at the CIA: Tell the guard that God sent you, and then assume a fighting stance when he says go away

Posted by mikki at 07:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cool Early humans probably peaceful; pro...:


Early humans probably peaceful; probably had calloused feet from self-propelled cars

Posted by mikki at 07:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

ACLU: FBI Spied on Thomas Merton Center:


ACLU: FBI Spied on Thomas Merton Center
If you look at the web site for the Pittsburgh-based Thomas Merton Center for Peace and Justice, you'll find that it begins with a pretty simple statement of conscience, one consistent with the values of the gentle Trappist monk after whom the group is named:

We are people from diverse philosophies and faiths who find common ground in the nonviolent struggle to bring about a more peaceful and just world. We work to raise the moral questions involved in the issues of war, poverty, racism, and oppression.

Crazy talk like that is bound to land you in hot water with the Feds, and indeed the ACLU of Pittsburgh now has evidence that the FBI launched a full-scale investigation against the Thomas Merton Center for expressing antiwar views:

Two documents released today reveal that the FBI investigated gatherings of the Thomas Merton Center for Peace & Justice just because the organization opposed the war in Iraq. Although previously disclosed documents show that the FBI is retaining files on anti-war groups, these documents are the first to show conclusively that the rationale for FBI targeting is the group's opposition to the war ...

Posted by mikki at 06:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Revised US security rules could deny clearances to gays and lesbians:


[JURIST] In an unpublicized 18-page document circulated last year by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley [official profile], the Bush administration altered the Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information

Posted by mikki at 10:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Holland & Hart Health Care Law Blog: Wisconsin Neopagan Religious Bias Case Against Hospital Will Go to Jury.:


Wisconsin Neopagan Religious Bias Case Against Hospital Will Go to Jury.

Rogers Memorial Hospital, a behavioral medicine organization with facilities in Oconomowoc and other locations in Wisconsin is once again advancing the envelope of legal precedent.  On February 9, a federal judge in the Eastern District of Wisconsin ruled that Thomas Benz, a practicing Wiccan, can take his case to a jury to attempt to convince it that he is a victim of religious bias. Benz v. Rogers Memorial Hospital, E.D. Wis. No. 04-1079 (2.9.06).

Rogers apparently fired Benz after Benz left his Wicca book of spells at his workstation.  Benz, a residential adolescent counselor working with obsessive, compulsive disorder patients, alleges that the book, Book of Shadows, is a religious text and that his termination was animated by anti-Wiccan bias.

Posted by mikki at 10:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's quite sad that the authors of Holy Blood, Holy Grail would bring such a ridiculous lawsuit against Dan Brown as if THEY were the first people to come up with the idea of the "Divine Feminine." That is like suing the producers of "The Chronicles of Nardia" for "copying" the Bible. Sheesh!!

Union Leader - Author denies stealing from 'Holy Grail' - Wednesday, Mar. 15, 2006:


London – Dan Brown returned to the witness stand this morning and acknowledged "reworking" passages from an earlier book for his best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code," but he firmly rejected charges that he ripped off key ideas for his conspiracy thriller.

The author spent a third day defending his work against a copyright infringement suit brought by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, authors of a 1982 nonfiction book, "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail."

Posted by mikki at 01:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So... when is the media going to start ignoring this loser? (Yes, I understand the irony of my saying that and then republishing what he said...:-)). And when will mainstream Christians stand up and say "enough" to him, and possibly more importantly, stop donating to his "cause?"

Pat Robertson Calls Muslims 'Satanic':


Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson said the goal of Islam is "world domination" and called radical Muslims "satanic" during live comments on his "700 Club" program Monday.



The statements followed a segment on radical Muslims in Europe and were removed from a version of the show posted on the Christian Broadcasting Network Web site. An evening rebroadcast of the same show included the comments

Posted by mikki at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

9th Circuit: 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' Banner Was Free Speech:


An Alaska teen who held up a sign reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" when the Olympic torch relay passed by his school in 2002 has won a court battle over whether his sign was an expression of free speech. The principal of Juneau-Douglas High School suspended Joseph Fredrick, then 18, for 10 days, saying the banner violated school anti-drug policies. Fredrick sued the school but lost in federal district court. But on Friday, a three-member panel of the 9th Circuit overturned the lower court order.

Posted by mikki at 08:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Moment of Silence in Texas Challenged:


(AP) - DALLAS-A couple has filed a complaint in federal court charging that the state's mandated moment of silence in public schools is unconstitutional.

Posted by mikki at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CNN.com - Anti-gay group boycotts Ford - Mar 14, 2006:


DETROIT, Michigan (Reuters) -- A conservative Christian group has launched a boycott of Ford Motor Co., saying the automaker had reneged on a pledge to drop its advertising in gay publications and support of gay rights groups.
The Tupelo, Mississippi-based American Family Association first threatened a boycott in May, but suspended the move in June after several Ford dealers stepped in to broker a settlement.
In December, Ford decided to pull advertising for its Jaguar and Land Rover luxury brands from gay publications, but then reversed course after coming under fire from gay-rights activists for having conceded to pressure from the AFA.

Posted by mikki at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Soul singer Isaac Hayes quits "South Park" - Yahoo! News:


LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Soul music veteran Isaac Hayes, the voice of the libidinous character Chef on the satiric cable TV cartoon "South Park," said on Monday he was leaving the show, citing its "inappropriate ridicule" of religion.
"There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry toward religious beliefs and others begins," Hayes said in a statement issued through his spokesman in New York.
Hayes, 63, a follower of the Church of Scientology, did not mention a "South Park" episode that aired last fall poking fun at Scientology and some of its celebrity adherents, including actor Tom Cruise.>
Rather, the statement said the show's parody of religion is part of what Hayes sees as a "growing insensitivity toward personal spiritual beliefs" in the media generally, including the recent controversy over a Danish cartoon depiction of the Muslim Prophet Mohammad.
The soul singer, who became the first black composer to win an Academy Award for best song with his theme to the film "Shaft," said he formally asked to be released from his contract with "South Park," on the Comedy Central cable channel.
A spokesman for the Viacom Inc.-owned network said producers of the show and its creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, had agreed to not to "enforce" Hayes' contract.

Posted by mikki at 02:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Aljazeera.Net - More statues unearthed in Egypt:


A team of German archaeologists has unearthed 17 statues of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet during restoration work at an ancient temple in the southern city of Luxor.
Faruq Hosni, the Culture Minister announced on Sunday that the team found the statues of the war goddess near the same site where six similar statues were unearthed last week, on the location of the 18th dynasty (1580-1314 BC) temple of pharaoh Amenhotep III on the west bank of the Nile.
Zahi Hawas, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said he black granite statues were life-tsize, measure between 1.7 metres and 1.8 metres and show Sekhmet sitting on a throne holding the Ankh, a hieroglyphic sign that represented life for the ancient Egyptians.

Posted by mikki at 06:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Md. College Puts a New Face on 'Homecoming King':


The king's crown is made of black microbraids that fly helter-skelter off the top of the head. The royal garb is urban American collegiate: loose sweater, jeans, Rasta-style knit cap -- all in various shades of black -- and a pierced eyebrow.

Posted by mikki at 11:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Catholics Want to Authenticate Less-Than-Miraculous Lourdes Healings:


The Roman Catholic pilgrimage shrine at Lourdes may introduce a kind of "miracle light" category for sudden, unexplained recoveries, because modern medicine increasingly refuses to declare any disease incurable.

Posted by mikki at 04:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Conn. Considers Bill to Prevent Proselytism in the Workplace | Christianpost.com- Christian News Online , Christian World News:


HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut lawmakers are considering a bill that would bar companies from holding mandatory employee meetings where religious or political ideas are discussed. Backers say the legislation could restrict companies' use of corporate chaplains as part of employee support programs.

The AFL-CIO is using the Connecticut bill as a model for similar legislation in other states, which proponents say is needed to keep employers from proselytizing at work. Workers who believe they've been disciplined for refusing to attend meetings intended as a platform for management's views could sue to overturn the punishment.

Rep. Kevin Ryan, a Democrat who is shepherding the bill through the state House of Representatives, said the legislation is needed, "especially with all the diversity of religions out there. It could be offensive to listen to why you should practice a different religion."

Posted by mikki at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

CNN.com - Teenage 'Buddha' missing - Mar 11, 2006:


KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- A teenage boy in Nepal whose followers believe he is the reincarnation of Buddha is missing after 10 months of meditation, allegedly without food or water, officials said Saturday.

Followers of Ram Bahadur Banjan, 15, reported his disappearance and a police team has been sent to the jungles of Bara, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of the capital, Kathmandu, to investigate, said Santaraj Subedi, the chief government official in the district.

It was still unclear when he disappeared, but initial reports said he was last seen on Friday.

Subedi said police were investigating if the boy just wandered into the jungle or was abducted by local robbers.

Banjan has been sitting cross-legged and motionless with eyes closed in a niche among the roots of a tree in the jungle since May 17, 2005, according to his associates, who claim he has had no food or water during that period.

Posted by mikki at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yep, we're anti choice, but once you have the little bugger, we're not going to help you find adoptive parents because *gasp* they might be GAY!!!

Boston Catholic Charities Halt Adoptions:


By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press Writer (AP) - BOSTON-The Boston Archdiocese's Catholic Charities said Friday it would stop providing adoption services because of a state law allowing gays and lesbians to adopt.

Posted by mikki at 07:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Evangelicals exploit Air Force Academy; military officials interlocked with local activists:


Four Air Force officers -- all graduates of the Air Force Academy's class of 2004 -- have recently joined a lawsuit that accuses leaders at the academy of overtly pressuring cadets to undertake evangelical religious instruction. The original lawsuit was filed in October by Mikey Weinstein, a former Air Force officer and graduate of the academy, whose son experienced religious discrimination while attending the school.

Controversy over the influence of Christian fundamentalism at the academy is nothing new, and the lawsuit is only the latest development in an ongoing struggle -- the source and extent of which have been largely underreported by the corporate media -- among evangelical organizations, academy leaders, congressional lawmakers, and First Amendment advocates.

Posted by mikki at 03:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Because it is in the news again, I have modified my previous article on the Wiccan Headstone Campaign and am reposting it here.

The current plight of the family of Sgt. Patrick Stewart, in attempting to put his "Emblem of Belief" on his grave marker is just the most recent of many attempts by Wiccan and Pagan groups, including the Correllian Nativist Church, Inc., to have the Pentacle approved to be placed on the markers of deceased veterans.

As most people are no doubt aware, various groups have been fighting for YEARS (almost a decade in fact) to have the Pentacle approved. Each time anyone tries to do anything about this, they run up against a stone wall. So, I got angry about it and decided to try to figure out what I could do, if anything. Step one was to get information, so I filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the National Cemetery Administration. In July of last year, I received a huge FedEx box with just about everything I wanted in it.

I went over approximately 250 pages of information provided by the National Cemetery Administration as a result of my FOIA, in documents dating back to 1996. My findings were quite disturbing. During time periods when some groups were told that regulations were being promulgated, other groups' requests for Emblems of Belief were being approved. Further, some groups were granted Emblems without having filled requirements stated as necessary to other groups.

By far, the largest number of requests for an Emblem of Belief were from the Wiccan/Pagan community. Over half of the paperwork provided was from or on behalf of Wiccans or Pagans, asking for the Pentacle emblem. None of them have been approved, despite the oldest having been provided in 1997, and despite providing all required information, as outlined in Response 2 below. More disturbing, perhaps, is that repeated requests from one group, the Pagan Headstone Campaign, for in person meetings were denied, despite letters provided to me that referenced meetings that took place between other groups and the Administration.

In my research I found variations of three different responses that were sent as a result of inquiries regarding Emblems of Belief. They are as follows:

Response 1 - "...We are reviewing the information and expect to make a decision within the next 30 to 45 days. A decision letter will be sent to you at that time...” The one was most disturbing, as there were NO decision letters issued. However, there were several informal "memos" included in which OTHER groups immediately approved and were not told they needed to wait for a decision.

Response 2 - "...In order for us to make a determination to include the Wiccan emblem on VA’s approved list [redacted] should provide the following information: A Written request to include the Wiccan emblem, signed by the recognized head of the organization

A brief description of the organization, with specific information to include national officers, number of chapters, the total number of members and years of operation in the United States and affiliation with other organizations,

A 3 inch high reproducible camera-ready copy of the Wiccan emblem so that our contractors can determine if the emblem can be reproduced clearly and easily on a headstone or marker in a production-line environment...”

Response 3 - “...our response to these letters is pending until we obtain approval on new policy guidelines...” This response was provided at various times, from as far back as 1999. However, these "policy guidelines" appear to be a moving target at best, with some groups receiving preferential treatment.

Here is a breakdown of organizations and individuals (most submitted through their Senators or Congressmen) and the dates of request for the Wiccan Emblem of Belief:

The first request that I have access to was from August 27, 1997 – The Aquarian Tabernacle church of Washington State. No response was given to them until November 27, 2001 which consisted of Response #1. This means they SHOULD have received a response approving or denying the request by January of 1998. When no response was received, they wrote again in December of 2003, with no response. April 22, 2005 they wrote again, still no response was provided in my FOIA request.

Temple and Lyceum of Isis Fortuna 2/99 INCLUDING all information requested in Response 2. They received Response 3 regarding new policy guidelines. 7/29/99

Nomadic chantry of the Gramarye – 9/9/04 INCLUDING all information requested in Response 2. They received Response 3 regarding new policy guidelines on 5/25/05. Rosemary Kooiman applied on behalf of her husband, Abe who was a deceased veteran who wanted a Pentacle on his grave marker. Unfortunately, Rosemary died on March 5, 2006 with her request for her husband STILL not granted.

Church of Ancient Paths 7/22/04 Declined because they said “there is and can be, no ‘recognized head’ to the religion of Wicca.” This was the only mention of a request being declined.

Correllian Nativist Church, International 1/4/05 INCLUDING all information requested in Response 2. (This was after they specifically telephoned the National Cemetery Administration asking for the current rules regarding approval and were given the guidelines in Response 2, which were complied with to the letter.) They then received Response 3 5/25/05.

Circle Sanctuary 4/8/05 INCLUDING all information requested in Response 2 [Response 3] 5/9/05

Individual requests were dated from 12/.03 until 4/05 from the following Senators and Congressmen:

Senator Grassley
Senator Leahy
Senator Inouye
Congressman Jenkins
Senator Cantwell
Senator Sarbanes
Congressman Brady
Congressman Vitter
Congressman Snyder
Congressman Case

Meantime, during this time period, symbols were approved on behalf of the following groups:

Christian and Missionary Alliance 7/02
United Church of Christ 6/13/03
Presbyterian Church, 10/9/03
Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii 3/04
Soka Gakkai Buddhist Symbol 4/21/04
Sikh Symbol 5/25/04
American Humanist Association (exact date unknown)
Muslim Star and Crescent (exact date unknown)

Finally, at some point in late 2005, the National Cemetery Administration promulgated new rules for approval of "Emblems of Belief" that now include:

1) A written request from next of kin or authorized representative
2) Letter from the recognized central head for the sponsoring organization that certifies
a) that the emblem is currently widely used and recognized as the symbol of the organization or belief system
b) that the sponsoring organization supports addition of the emblem to the list
c) that the sponsoring organization does not promote activity that is illegal or "contrary to public policy." (emphasis added)
3) A written description of:
a) how the sponsoring organization's belief/faith system is comprehensive in nature and "addresses fundamental and ultimate questions" (emphasis added), and
b) its organizational practices (such as regular services, ceremonial functions, existence of clergy, efforts at propagation, observance of holidays, or other characteristics of a "traditional belief/faith system").(emphasis added)
4) Information about the size and organizational structure of the organization including total number of members and the location of the congregations
5) A 3 inch circular digitized black and white representation of the requested emblem.

Leaving aside (for the moment) the issue of the constitutionality of requiring your belief system to be scrutinized by the federal government to ensure that they believe it is comprehensive and addresses fundamental and ultimate questions, as well as the constitutionality of the government deciding whether or not your belief system has the characteristics of a "traditional belief/faith system," the families of at least two deceased veterans, Sgt. Stewart and the widow of a Korean War veteran are still waiting. There are undoubtedly other families of deceased veterans who would have chosen the Pentacle had it been available. Selene Fox of Circle Sanctuary has filed the first application under the new guidelines. I wish her the best of luck.

If you would like to help, the National Cemetery Administration has an inquiry site at https://iris.va.gov/Scripts/iris.cfg/php.exe/enduser/cci/ask_1.php?p_sid=Jt1yjV1i&p_lva=&p_sp=&p_li= Yes, it is a very long URL, but worthwhile. Also, please write to your federal Congress people and Senators. Feel free to provide them with a copy of this article. We must let them know just how many Wiccans care about this issue. Please, when writing, stick to facts, spell check, and do your best with grammar. Now is not the time to send angry emails or letters. Now is the time for us to show them that we are a legitimate religion who merely wants what others already have.

Posted by mikki at 01:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After 4 years of Non Fluffy Wicca with the blue background, I decided to look for a facelift. After picking through skin after skin, I've decided to test drive this one to see what people think. Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think about this one. Do you have any comments? Suggestions? Complaints? Don't worry, I can take it :-).

Posted by mikki at 03:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Abortion now a crime in South Dakota:


Xeni Jardin:

From the BBC news item:

Under the law signed by South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds, doctors could get up to five years in prison and a $5,000 (£2,800) fine for performing an illegal abortion. (...)

The organisation Planned Parenthood, which runs South Dakota's only abortion clinic, immediately said it would challenge the new law.

The abortion ban would take effect on 1 July but it is likely that a federal judge would suspend it during any legal challenge.

The law would therefore not take effect unless South Dakota state gets the case to the US Supreme Court and wins.

Posted by mikki at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ancient war goddess statues unearthed in Egypt - Yahoo! News:


CAIRO (AFP) - A team of Egyptian and German archeologists has unearthed six statues of the lion-headed war goddess Sekhmet during restoration work at an ancient temple in the southern city of Luxor, officials said.

The team found the artifacts in the Kom Hitan area on the location of the 18th dynasty (1580-1314 BC) temple of pharaoh Amenhotep III on the west bank of the Nile, said Egyptian antiquities boss Zahi Hawas.

The black granite statues show Sekhmet sitting on a throne holding the "key of life" in her left hand. They were buried under the eastern wall of the temple's courtyard, Hawas said in a statement.

Three of the statues were recovered intact, said Horig Sourouzian, head of the joint team.

She added that the lower part of the third statue was still embedded in the ground and that the two others had their upper parts missing.

Hawas said the team had already discovered 30 statues of the goddess Sekhmet at seven different locations around the temple.

The goddess Sekhmet was associated with war and retribution and represented the destructive force of the sun. Part of her destructive side was disease and plague, but she could also cure ailments.

Pharaoh Amenhotep III collected many statues of Sekhmet as, according to some theories, he had dental and other health problems that he hoped the goddess would be able to cure.

Posted by mikki at 03:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Inmate denied magic books:


David Pescovitz:

Convicted murdered Shaun Tuley, incarcerated in HMP Frankland prison in Durham, England, has been denied access to books about magic. From the BBC News:

Tuley, who murdered a 20-year-old prostitute in September 2000, said he had been "refused permission on grounds of 'operational security problems' to purchase a selection of books on the subject of magic, sought in order to be able to pursue my hobby whilst serving a life sentence"...

Magic Circle spokesman David Beckley said: "I can't understand the Prison Service's attitude - unless this man has asked for books on escapology.

"Magicians do have skills which enable them to deceive but this is only in an environment which is controlled by the magician himself."

Posted by mikki at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)