Outrage over an Israeli strike Tuesday near a U.N. school that killed 39 people continued, with the U.N. agency responsible for the building demanding an "impartial investigation" into the attack.

About 300 of the more than 670 Palestinians killed so far are civilians, according to Palestinian and U.N. figures. Of those killed, at least 130 are children age 16 and under, says the Gaza-based Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which tracks casualties.

The number of armed fighters killed remains unclear. Hamas fighters are known to have begun wearing civilian clothes and the organization is keeping its casualties secret and housing its wounded and dead in undisclosed locations.

President-elect Barack Obama's

selection of an old White White House hand to head the CIA shows a preference for a strong manager over intelligence expert. ( Watch )
Obama's decision to name Leon Panetta to lead the US intelligence agency surprised the spy community and signaled the Democrat's intention for a clean break from Bush administration policies.
(What is Obama thinking. We are in a time of war and he wants to name a man who has little if any experience far as Intelligence goes. This looks like a political move instead of putting the nation first.Read more of the above story  Obama's CIA chief pick short on experience.)

 

(I have never before printed part of somebody's death notice. I never knew this kid but he sounds like he was a very cool young person.)

Isaac Hall didn't know that cancer is supposed to make you miserable.

The 8-year-old relished tractor rides, playing in the mud, messy crafts and practical jokes despite having leukemia.

He chose to see the positive side of everything, said his father, Air Force Tech. Sgt. Travis Hall of Bellevue. Instead of focusing on the spinal tap procedures he had to endure, Isaac looked forward to the Mountain Dew Code Red drinks he got afterwards, Hall said.

Last year, when a second-grade teacher assigned him to write about a bad day in his life, Isaac thought for a while, then approached the teacher. "I haven't had a bad day," he said.

"That was two and a half years into treatment" for the leukemia, his father said.

(When we have a bad day lets try our best to follow the attitude this little boy had and lets keep his family - friends in our prayers.)

The California Supreme Court (yes, the same court  that  dismissed the will of the people in Proposition 8 and forced same sex marriages on the state's citizens) ruled unanimously yesterday that, although each church held a deed to their land in their own names, three parishes that left the Episcopal Church over its policy of ordaining homosexual ministers must forfeit their property to the Episcopal Church.
OK it might have cost these churches their land still they did right. This reminds me of  Gal.1:10; which reads Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. I would rather lose everything and have God pleased with me than please men. Good for these churches.  Still it would have been better if  this court had stayed out of this issue.

  A parent is suing the Huntington County Community School in Indiana . in federal court, saying religious education classes held on school property violate the establishment clause of the Constitution.

Here is part of a letter which was in my local newspaper.

 

  I feel sorry for Donald (Dec. 24 Pulse) and his belief that Christmas is a false spiritual holi­day. He feels that the human race can­not advance unless we cease this un­necessary tradition.   I hope Christmas will always be here for my son and me to enjoy. I couldn’t imagine facing the cold of winter without the thought of my son waiting with eager anticipation for the magic of finding his presents un­der the Christmas tree.

 For more information and my views to do with the above two items watch a video I just posted last night,  Christmas All Year Aroud and Lawsuit against Government schools .

Strange things keep happening in Minnesota, where the disputed recount in the Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken may be nearing a  outrageous outcome. Thanks to Democratic Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and a meek state Canvassing Board, Mr. Franken may emerge as an illegitimate victor.

Mr. Franken started the recount 215 votes behind Senator Coleman, but he now claims a 225-vote lead and suddenly the man who was insisting on "counting every vote" wants to shut the process down. He is being helped  by Mr. Ritchie and his four fellow Canvassing Board members, who have delivered inconsistent rulings and are ignoring glaring problems with the tallies...

Read more on this Wall Street Journal story here. It's just one more act of political corruption  being done by the Democrats who told us eight years ago they wanted justice far as  the elections go. Things have changed , of course their man is winning this time around.

  (Below is part of a post  from Michael Medved along with a link to it.  His points at least in my humble view were great and right on. Do go to his blog and read the whole posting. )

WOULD ADVOCATES FOR GAY MARRIAGE REALLY ACCEPT RELIGIOUS DISSENT?

Posted by: Michael Medved at 1:05 AM

 

Advocates for same sex marriage regularly insist that they would never interfere with free exercise of religion and will do nothing to force unwilling churches to perform gay weddings. This position counts as hypocritical and misleading, and the current controversy over Pastor Rick Warren’s role in the Obama inauguration reveals the underlying intolerance in the gay agenda. Rick Warren give the lie to leftist claims that they’re ready to respect differences of opinion on this issue.

I believe Texas will win. Sorry Ohio State fans I just feel the Big Ten is overrated and not that good this year. If  I am wrong you can all give it to me.

  A parent is suing the Huntington County Community School Corp. in federal court, saying religious education classes held on school property violate the establishment clause of the Constitution.    ( read more at    WHAS11.com  )

A complaint filed by attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union in Indiana on behalf of an unnamed woman and her 8-year-old son asks a federal judge to shut down the program and bar the school district from providing it with utilities or any other support.

The boy, identified only as "J.S.," attends Horace Mann Elementary School, which offers third- and fourth-grade students a "release time" program for "By the Book Weekday Religious Instruction" through the Associated Churches of Huntington, the complaint filed Wednesday states.

 

Huntington's program is voluntary. Classes meet once a week in mobile trailers near school buildings, and children who don't participate remain in their classrooms with school staff, according to a brochure for the program filed with the lawsuit.

On Sept. 11, one week before the program began, J.S. was taken from his classroom to one of the temporary classrooms and given a pamphlet regarding parental consent. His mother, identified only as "H.S.," did not give consent.

 

The suit alleges the school district violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by allowing religious instruction to occur on school property during instructional time, by allowing the use of school utilities by a religious organization conducting religious instruction, and by supervising and promoting the "By the Book" program.

 

(OK so those on the left have no problem with children being taught  sex before marriage is ok, or a school leader taking my child for an abortion both things which  go against my values and faith. But those on the left get an outrage about children being taught about God. Now it is one thing for a parent to say their child can't be taught about God but this mother is trying to keep other children including those who have parents who have given the ok if their child to learn about God. Could things like this be the reason why so many parents are removing their children from the government schools.)

 

 The third-grade students at Manchester Elementary look forward to Margaret Andrews' visits.

Twice a week Andrews, an 83-year-old former teacher, helps students with their studies. She enjoys contact with the young minds. She likes to teach and share.

"It's a wonderful age," Andrews said about the third-graders. "I would be happy to do more."

For her efforts, the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation recently named Andrews mentor of the year.

"She is exceptional," said Susan King, a third-grade teacher at Manchester, near 174th and Blondo Streets in the Elkhorn school district. "There are times I think she is mentoring me, too."

Andrews is like clockwork, King said, tutoring students twice a week, spending about an hour each visit. For two years, she has helped with everything from social studies to science. But her main focus is reading and math.

Whether it's her many life lessons, her approach to learning or her giving nature, Andrews' connection with children is evident. There is something special about her, King said.

"You can definitely see her bond with my kids because they are asking to go work with her," King said.

Andrews also spends two days a week with high school students at Boys Town. That work is more challenging, she said, but equally rewarding.

She's not interested in the circumstances that led the students to Boys Town - she just wants to help them better themselves.

 

(Read more about this Make A. Difference Lady Mentor finds joy in children.)

This coming Saturday night Jan. 3 the  University at Buffalo will be playing     Connecticut   in the  International Bowl .

Coach Gill has turned around Buffalo, look for him to keep doing that as Buffalo will turn away  Connecticut in this bowl game.