I have a new poll question up:

How recently have you contacted an elected official about a pro-life or pro-abortion issue?

Here are the results of last week's poll, almost evenly divided....

President Obama has just reversed policy in place since 1991 banning photographs of caskets of American soldiers killed in war.

My immediate response was anger. But is the rationale for this any different than that of pro-lifers wanting photos of aborted babies shown? Wrote the Seattle Times:

Anti-war activists have long lobbied to lift the ban, believing presidents have blocked photographs as a way of hiding the human costs of war from the American public. If only the public could actually see the images of the dead returning, the reasoning goes, perhaps they would internalize the tragic costs and turn on the wars in Iraq and elsewhere.

[Photo courtesy of Tami Silicio]

The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform thought the Daytona 500, held February 15 at the Daytona International Speedway in FL, provided a good opportunity to educate 185,000 NASCAR fans on the truth about abortion....

Last night Bill O'Reilly interviewed UT Congressman Rob Bishop, who opposes legislation to make it illegal to sell or transport a pet chimp across state lines.

O'Reilly compared opposition of this bill to Barack Obama's infamous opposition to another bill back in the day...

"The law doesn't solve the problem," Bishop stated. "The intelligent thing would be to say that no one can have a pet primate, but this law deals with interstate transportation and trade. If you're trying to stop monkeys from attacking people, then ban the concept of pet monkeys."...

by Bethany Kerr, to give us a daily break from the grind...

Ok, after reading this February 26 Washington Post piece it's clear to me.

Putting that together with Amy Sullivan's February 19 Time magazine article calling the Freedom of Choice Act a "mythical abortion bill," here are the pro-abort talking points to counter the mounting surge against FOCA:

Pro-lifers are on hallucinogenics. FOCA isn't happening.

Pro-life groups are using FOCA to raise money.

Conservative Catholics are at the bottom of the Fight FOCA frenzy.

It appears the long knives are out against Catholic US Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)....

by JivinJ

I've written several times (here and here) on a letter circulated by pro-life Congressmen Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Heath Shuler (D-NC) for signatures, which they submitted to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week....

UPDATE, 2/27, 6:40a: Many pro-choicers have complained in the comments section about my characterization of pro-contraception, pro-abortion young women as being easy marks. I have to say it was comedian Chris Rock who was my inspiration. I watched the following video a couple years ago, and it made total sense. In fact, if you can get past Rock's foul mouth and sexual explicitness, you'll see many truths in what he has to say. WARNING: R-rated...

2/26: Attempting to turn tables on pro-lifers, the Feminist Majority Foundation is encouraging college feminists to protest their local pregnancy care center. Interesting concept.

While pro-lifers around the country now gather twice annually at abortion mills for 40 days, often around the clock (aside from thousands of other times annually), FMF can only rally its femitroops 1 day, April 13, strangely a Monday. I guess college women who advertise they're pro-birth control and pro-abortion are much in demand on weekends.

So anyway, here's video of one recent protest, held across the street from a Planned Parenthood protest, which looked fun....

The White House has made it no secret pro-abortion KS Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is in the running for HHS Secretary.

Sebelius is closely linked to Wichita late-term abortionist George Tiller, trying to clog any prosecutorial wheels of justice against him and even hosting a secret soirée in his honor at the mansion.

Sebelius has committed many more anti-life dastardly deeds, which Operation Rescue has extensively chronicled here, including orders from her Catholic bishop to walk on by the Eucharist without partaking.

Now comes this tidbit from CBN News:

A senior Obama administration official [says]... concerns voiced by pro-life groups about... Sebelius have come up in high level White House discussions but it has not disqualified her from the job....

I read about the following US News & World Report poll while perusing Jill at Feministe's "Three things to annoy you today." Proud to say I made top spot in that piece for my WND column yesterday.

But it was the poll question - and results - that really got my attention (Feministe's #3 aggravant).

I'm surprised US News had the nerve to ask the question, because sure as shootin' feminists consider it sexist. Any reference to a woman's maternal side is ix-nay. I happen to like the question because it recognizes the caretaking aspect of women....

From Fox News today:

Peach County [GA] authorities say a newborn girl was found in the toilet of a jail cell.

According to Sheriff Terry Deese, 25-year-old Cornelia Kornegay of Roberta had the infant in a holding cell Wednesday morning and told jailers her baby was in the toilet.

Deese said deputies found the infant upside down submerged in water, but the toddler survived. He said jailers were unaware that Kornegay was pregnant.

Kornegay likely will face a charge of felony cruelty to children and other offenses. She was already being held at the facility for violating probation.

Deese said the infant, a 7 pound, 6-ounce girl was taken to a local hospital and was listed in good condition.

("Toddler"?)

We see here simply an abortion gone awry. What is the difference between this and the April 2005 abortion at an Orlando abortion mill spotlighted in the movie 22Weeks?

There's a more detailed story here. I hope the baby is ok and doesn't suffer from lack of oxygen.

[HT: reader Susie A.; photo courtesy of The Sun News]

by JivinJ

Combining 2 days of Life Links into 1 (very informative!) post...

by Bethany Kerr

Jill has asked me to start posting mid-day Commercial Breaks to give us pause from the grind. Please forward your suggestions for new Commercial Break posts to me at bethany@jillstanek.com.

The following wedding dance was inspired by the original Evolution of Dance. Enjoy!

UPDATE, 12p: I was in such a hurry to get out of here today I forgot to write I think Radaronline.com's sinister background music was way over the top. Thanks to commenter Lauren for reminding me of that thought.
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In part III of Radaronline.com's video exposé of OctoMom Nadya Suleman arguing with her mother over her most recent decision to undergo IVF, which resulted in octuplets, we see the Suleman home.

It's not awful; I've seen worse. But it's not good either. Chaotic, cramped, cluttered, a tad white trashy.

I'm wondering more and more about Nadya's grasp on reality. Help for only one year? Envisioning moving to only a 3-4 bedroom home, because she likes close living arrangements? I think of the need for space at Jon and Kate plus Eight's home or the Duggar home in 17 Kids and Counting - which is a number not too far from Nadya's 14.

And I have decided I definitely don't like Nadya's mother. Very negative person, and why does she continually draw away from Nadya, as if she thinks Nadya is going to hit her?

UPDATE, 12p: I really like Erich Mancow. He's such a nice guy and doesn't fit the political profile of the 30-something shockish jock: He's a conservative.
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Today I'll be in studio on Mancow's WLS radio show in Chicago between 10-11a CST discussing Barack Obama's impact on the abortion issue.

I was on Mancow's show last fall discussing Obama and the Born Alive scandal. Mancow leans pro-life and was horrified.

This from the Associated Press within the hour:

A judge has refused to toss out the criminal case against a doctor accused of violating KS' late-term abortion law.

Sedgwick Co. Judge Clark Owens on Wednesday denied a defense request to dismiss charges against Dr. George Tiller of Wichita or throw out evidence because of the conduct of former prosecutor Phill Kline.

Owens found that Kline's conduct during the investigation of Tiller did not warrant such action.

Tiller is scheduled to go to trial on March 16 on 19 misdemeanor charges alleging he failed to obtain a second opinion for some late-term abortions from an independent physician, as required by KS law.

[HT: Operation Rescue, which also has a link to Judge Owens' written decision]

UPDATE, 3:55p: FYI, Americans United for Life also has model language for legislative consideration entitled, "Regulation of Assisted Reproductive Technologies."
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I don't know why Nadya Suleman opted for single, poverty-stricken motherhood on steroids, pun intended, undergoing the in vitro fertilization procedure several times to produce 14 children since 2001. The last eight were born Jan. 26....

But in one fell swoop Suleman has spotlighted problems with unregulated IVF and turned public opinion against unregulated IVF....

Yesterday Raving Theist complained my Swan Lake commercial break was too chick-oriented.

"You do realize that some men read your blog?" wrote RT. "Let's have some monster truck action."

I couldn't find a good monster truck video, probably because I don't know what makes a good monster truck video. But I did find another video of a guy performing a stupid and crazy stunt I hope sates my male readers... :)

In Part II of Radaronline.com's video of OctoMom Nadya Suleman and Mom Angela's spat, Angela accuses Nadya of lying about previous pregnancies, saying, "I have a tumor."

Find Part I here.

In this video, Nadya's mother aggravates me more than Nadya, the opposite reaction I had to video I. It comes clearer Nadya isn't the only one with issues. Angela disparages Nadya's every thought and idea with a skeptical look.

Not to say Nadya's thoughts aren't undeserving of skeptism, but Mom gives not one shred of support or encouragement. I'm guessing this is a lifelong family dynamic. And a mother shouldn't publicly accuse her child of having psychological problems like OCD.

When pro-lifers occupy the White House, we pro-lifers ponder what they should say during their State of Union addresses about our issue (and we're usually disappointed).

Now it is the other side's turn. President Obama isn't giving a State of the Union speech tonight, but it will look an awful lot like one. So pro-aborts are weighing in.

I frankly hope Obama says nothing about abortion. Whatever he might say would infuriate me, particularly if he sympathizes that this is a tough issue (why?), but he trusts women and doctors to make the right decision. In reality Obama is so hard-core cold and calculatingly pro-abortion he is pro-infanticide if letting abortion survivors live would get in abortion's way.

Aspen Baker at RH Reality Check has made a pitch for Obama to address post-abortive mothers, which I find surprising. Baker thought Obama "should acknowledge the unique and legitimate moral and emotional experiences of women who have had abortions." In fact, Baker went so far as to write Obama's doing so could "reframe the whole debate...."

Baker listed suggestions to Obama from pro-abortion post-abortive women, a group she is apparently a member of....

Posted on Tangle (formerly GodTube) January 20, this is amazing...

Rolling Stone magazine contained a mock interview with outgoing President George Bush that is - WARNING - offensive for sexual explicitness and foul language.

Standard fare. But following is a section from the "interview" that is egregious to the memory of Terri Schindler Schiavo.

Such contempt for the dead, particularly disabled, is unthinkable to me. I can't imagine, for instance, Rolling Stone satiring Joseph and Rose Kennedy's lobotomized daughter Rose Marie, who died just 2-1/2 months before Terri. There's certainly plenty of fodder there for the imaginative.

But secular liberal minds at Rolling Stone confine their lampoons to acceptable "Christian" prey, with no regard given to Terri's parents and siblings. Apparently their subjection to maligning will see no end or bounds, simply for trying to save Terri from being killed by dehydration and starvation.

Here's the relevant excerpt....

Yesterday the Democrat-controlled Congress posted its Fiscal Year 2009 funding plans online.

The Omnibus Appropriations Act includes this:

On February 23, 2009, Radaronline.com caught OctoMom Nadya Suleman and her mother Angela on video arguing about Nadya's decision to have so many embryos implanted.

The spat isn't pretty. Nadya is overbearing despite making solid pro-life arguments with a woman she should treat with much more respect: the grandmother caring for her 6 older children. Meanwhile that grandmother coldly argues the new babies shouldn't be here.

These women both have issues, the first being that they're foolish enough to air family disputes on camera, a la Jerry Springer.

UPDATE, 2/24, 4:55p: Word on the street was wrong. I have it on good authority that the ND Catholic Conference and ND Right to Life do NOT support the ND personhood legislation but are maintaining a neutral stance.
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UPDATE, 2/24, 10:45a: Word on the street is Christopher Dodson and the ND Catholic Conference as well as ND Right to Life are now supporting the ND personhood legislation, which is good news, if true.
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2/23: The Christian Post reported February 21 that the personhood movement is gaining momentum...

On the day after the Academy Awards, here's this food for thought from a column by Jeffrey Kuhner of The Washington Times:

... For decades, Hollywood has been waging a war against Middle America. The country's supposed best films are honored at the Academy Awards. Yet, behind the glamour and artificial hype, the juvenile hosts and silly obsession with the stars' fashion, one need only look at this year's top contenders to see the twisted values being peddled in Tinseltown....

UPDATE, 11:05a: Read Operation Rescue's statement condemning Katherine Rundle's response to FL legislators. It makes very good points.
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I reported last week that members of the FL House of Representatives sent a letter to Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Rundle urging her to prosecute the July 2006 murderer(s) of baby Shanice Williams.

Shanice was allegedly zipped, moving and breathing, into a biohazard bag in the now defunct A Gyn Diagnostics abortion mill by owner Belkis Gonzalez after she survived her late-term abortion. Gonzalez still operates 2 other Miami area mills. She is pictured on the far right, with Shanice's abortionist, Pierre Renelique, to her left. The FL Board of Medicine revoked his license February 6.

FL pro-lifer Ed Brophy sent me a photo copy of this letter and Rundle's quick response....

by Steve Kelley on MSNBC...

by Steve Breen on Townhall.com...

Last month NBC rejected the following ad by CatholicVote.org to run during the Super Bowl because of its "political advocacy":

Now CNN has also rejected the ad, which CatholicVote.org wanted to air on its station during President Obama's first State of the Union address later this month, stating...

I have a new poll question up:

Published donor lists have been recently scrutinized in CA for Prop 8 backlash. In the fight over abortion, which do you think does a better job utilizing donor lists against adversaries?

Here are the results of my previous poll. 65% of respondents thought Obama was most comparable to Lincoln, indicating the poll was overrun by liberals....

I've met mothers who didn't understand they were aborting their late-term sick babies. Medical staff coded language by calling it "early induction of labor," etc.

Here's a tragic story of a mother who went through the induced labor abortion procedure, and her baby survived for a time. This dear mother didn't understand what had happened until years later, when reading my testimony. She has given me permission to share her story...

In 1995 I was told just before my 6-month mark that my son had multi-cystic dysplastic kidneys. They said it was a terminal disease and that I needed to abort. I refused, and they said I could die if I didn't abort. I still refused, and I finally agreed to give birth normally if they promised to try and save him. They said I had to hurry because it would be illegal in 5 more days because I'd be over the term limit.

They said they would, and I gave birth...but it was horrible. I was 20, didn't know much...they didn't tell me what to expect. I was alone in the room, and felt like I needed to use the bathroom. While I was in there, my water finally broke. They had drugged me up pretty well and dismissed my concerns about what it would do to the baby....

The other day (yesterday?) Jasper posted the title of a new Time magazine piece, "The Catholic crusade against a mythical abortion bill," which was a disgraceful, pathetic attempt by spinner Amy Sullivan to downplay the reality of the Freedom of Choice Act while portraying Catholics as overreactive for launching a fight against FOCA.

There were so many things wrong with the article I didn't know where to begin dissecting it, not the least of which was Sullivan failed to mention until the 10th paragraph that then-candidate Barack Obama stated at a 2007 Planned Parenthood fundraiser that "the first thing I'd do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing I'd do."

So I hoped my friend Matthew Balan at Newsbusters would take over and dissect Sullivan's trash. And Balan has come through. Thanks, Matt.

[Photo courtesy of Time]

by JivinJ

In this AFP article today, Hillary Clinton sounds positively pro-life, discussing women's rights in terms of the right to become pregnant, to carry one's baby to term, and to fulfill natural maternal instincts to care for one's newborn, all free of duress. Alas, we know Clinton also includes the freedom to kill one's baby as a woman's right, which makes the sentence I've underlined particularly worrisome. Interesting that she didn't mention it here...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, taking a break from nuclear disarmament issues, discussed women's rights and her love for husband Bill during a visit Friday to a South Korean women's university.

Some 2,000 students at Seoul's Ewha University gave Clinton a standing ovation as she entered the hall and frequently interrupted her speech with applause.

"No country has yet achieved full equality for women. There is still a lot ahead for us to make sure that gender equality becomes reality," Clinton said in her speech.

"Part of my mission as the secretary of state is (making sure) the United States is committed to enhancing the rights of women."

Clinton said society still makes it very hard for women to balance family and work, and called for more flexible working hours.

She recalled her own experience working for a law firm when male colleagues pretended not to know she was pregnant.

When she gave birth to Chelsea, she received a call from a colleague asking when she was coming back to work. Instead, she said, she proposed maternity leave and he failed to understand the concept.

"My Catholic faith teaches me that life is sacred. Personally, I believe abortion is wrong."

~ Quote by KS Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in The Bulletin, February 20, included in a story reporting her as the front-runner for President Barack Obama's pick for the Dept. of Health and Human Services secretary.

Sebelius made that statement before vetoing a bill that would have required documentation justifying the performance of late-term abortions. The Bulletin also reported:

Not only has Ms. Sebelius -- governor in a battleground state on the abortion issue -- repeatedly vetoed any measures that would limit or regulate abortion that came across her desk, she also has ties to an abortionist with a history of performing risky abortions in the third trimester of pregnancy [George Tiller].

It has been awhile since I posted a conversion story. This comes from JM, who gave me permission to post. It contains thoughts for pro-lifers, including me, to take to heart. And this story is a real tribute to Bethany and MK, Bethany in particular. Any disparaging comments will be deleted:

When I was in high school I was very much pro-LIFE.

When I came to college is when I began to be pro-choice. It was the point that I really started to have an opinion about the matter. I had the view that I would never have an abortion myself, but couldn't make the choice for anyone else. I knew I could never have one, because I knew if I ever did I would regret it later and feel guilty. I am a very emotional person and I knew myself enough that I couldn't have one.

Abortion didn't make me happy, I didn't want people to have abortions, but I felt like it wasn't my choice to make. I started going to your site because I heard about it on a pro-choice facebook group. I came because I enjoyed debating. I enjoyed sharing my opinion and hearing others' opinions. When I began to feel judged for my beliefs I left and haven't really been back....

First I'll renote that embryonic stems cells can't be controlled and are well-known to cause tumors. Latest case in point, from the Associated Press February 17:

A family desperate to save a child from a lethal brain disease sought highly experimental injections of fetal stem cells - injections that triggered tumors in the boy's brain and spinal cord, Israeli scientists reported....

Now on to a hopelessly biased Washington Post article yesterday that strongly implied escr hangs in the balance pending Barack Obama's blessing. Not true. Researchers have always been free to dissect away with private funds.

Then there's this little bombshell:

"If I were a smart scientist, I would be writing a grant right now," said [Story] Landis [who heads the National Institutes of Health stem cell task force], noting that some of the $10 billion the NIH will receive as part of the stimulus package could be used to expand stem cell research.

And another indicates there is a move afoot to allow experimentation on embryos created solely for that, not just the oft-mentioned "leftover embryos that will die anyway."

Among the issues the guidelines will address is whether funding should be limited to cells from leftover embryos that are destined for destruction at infertility clinics.

"We are assuming that what we will be asked to do is develop guidelines for stem cell lines derived from embryos produced for reproductive purposes in excess of need," Landis said.

The article also indicated the pro-death-controlled Congress may make a move to stop a future president from banning taxpayer funding of escr.

UPDATE, 2/20, 12:20p: CNSNews.com is reporting Fr. Thomas Euteneur and Human Life International have sent a letter to the Pope requesting the "formal excommunication" of Nancy Pelosi.
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UPDATE, 2/20, 11a: Last night Laura Ingraham, discussing the "Pelosi and the Pope" topic with Bill O'Reilly, thought by the Pope's strong statement to Pelosi a page has been turned on how American Cafeteria Catholic pro-abortion politicians will be tolerated in the future...

Ingraham corroborated her belief by mentioning we now know Pelosi met with her Bishop before making the trek to Rome, as LifeSiteNews.com reported February 18.

[HT: Gateway Pundit via Carder]
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2/19, 5:40p: Last night Fox's Bill O'Reilly did a decent job covering Nancy Pelosi's visit with the Pope. Pelosi is the pro-abortion, Catholic, 3rd in line to the US presidential throne Speaker of the House....

UPDATE, 2/20, 9:20a: Here's video of the disputed sign as well as an interview with sign owner Chip Harrison...

[HT: Fran at Illinois Review]
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2/19, 5p: This is rich. Aborting preborn babies is not killing. It is a sacred right. But mention you'd like to abort Obama, and law enforcement considers it a threat to his life. Reported NewsOK today:

The police officers who stopped Oklahoma City motorist Chip Harrison and confiscated a sign from his car told him he has a right to his beliefs, but the U.S. Secret Service "could construe this as a threat against President Obama," according to the incident report released this morning. The sign, which read "Abort Obama Not the Unborn," was returned to Harrison later that day....

by Carder and Jill

UPDATE, 2/20, 7a: San Francisco Chronicle, today:

A pastor at a Berkeley church was sentenced Thursday to three years' probation and fined $1,000 after becoming the first person convicted under an Oakland ordinance barring protesters from coming within 8 feet of anyone entering an abortion clinic.

Walter Hoye could have faced up to 2 years in jail after a jury convicted him last month of 2 misdemeanor counts of unlawfully approaching patients at the Family Planning Specialists Medical Group....

The case was an emotional one, and pro-choice and anti-abortion advocates jammed the Oakland courtroom for the sentencing hearing. Dozens of people unable to find seats filled the hallway outside....

UDPATE, 2/18, 4:15p: The official attempt to get sign-ups has been completed, with 171 on board. But now as Jordan/Shuler physically get signatures, which will take a few days, Members can still squeeze in if they want to. The goal is to get 200. The list of prospects is on page 2.
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UPDATE, 2/12, 3:25p: And again, the list keeps shrinking. (Good job on the calls!) I have a new updated list of congressional pro-life nonsigners on page 2.

And hey, what's up with Jim Oberstar, former co-chair for the Pro-life Caucus, and Nathan Deal, ranking member on the Health Subcommittee, not signing?! MN pro-lifers should verbally prod Oberstar (202-225-6211), and GA pro-lifers should poke Deal (202-225-5211).
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UPDATE, 2/12, 8:25a: The list keeps shrinking. See an updated list of congressional pro-life nonsigners on page 2. Keep on calling.
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I wrote yesterday that pro-aborts are focusing less on ideology (passing bills) than on getting money from willing political accomplices. Americans United for Life has issued an email alert with an interesting take: Pro-aborts plan not only to get money by dropping pro-life riders from appropriations bills but to also gain stealth pieces of FOCA at the same time. I hadn't thought of it that way. Good point....

From the Committee for Justice blog today:

[T]he Deseret News reports on a February 13 speech by Ken Starr. The article summarizes Starr's message:

If President Barack Obama is hoping for bi-partisan support of his future U.S. Supreme Court nominees, he may have painted himself into a political corner ... because he actively opposed nominees from former President George W. Bush... supported a filibuster against Justice Samuel Alito and voted against John Roberts.

As Starr notes, Obama finds himself in the awkward position of being "the first president of the United States ever in our history to have participated in a Senate filibuster of a judicial nominee."

Multiple filibusters in fact (Obama also supported a filibuster against Fifth Circuit nominee Leslie Southwick in 2007). Quoting the Washington Times, Starr concludes that Obama's Senate record on judges leaves him "hard-pressed to call for bipartisan help confirming judges or even an up-or-down vote."

[Graphic courtesy of barack-obama-tshirts.com]

by Carder

From BBC News, February 18:

This week, the Optimum Population Trust... launched its "Stop at Two" online pledge to encourage couples to limit their family's size.

Parents who have more than two children are "irresponsible" for placing an intolerable burden on resources and increasing damage to eco-systems.

Curbing population growth through contraception must play a role in fighting global warming, argues Jonathon Porritt, the leading green campaigner.

Porritt is not advocating a compulsory limit but told the BBC couples should "connect up their concerns with the natural environment with their decisions as prospective parents... every additional human being is increasing the burden on this planet which is becoming increasingly intolerable."

“The Catholic Crusade Against a Mythical Abortion Bill”

~ Title of February 19 Time magazine article by "reporter" Amy Sullivan, to downplay liberal intentions to introduce the Freedom of Choice Act in Congress

The title of the article incorrectly described the preborn human as an "egg," and the article itself did not do much better, calling him or her a"fertilized egg."

But I digress; the Associated Press is famous for such dehumanizing slips. Drudge is spotlighting this tragic story today, showing another problem with in vitro fertilization (click to enlarge):

[HT: friend Kristina and son Tim]

From Cincinnati.com, February 13:

A Warren Co. [OH] woman sued Planned Parenthood Friday, accusing its staff of ignoring training and procedures by not reporting her suspected sex abuse when she was a minor, resulting in her being sexually abused for an additional 1½ years....

The suit accused PP and 5 of its employees of ignoring obvious signs of suspected sexual abuse instead of reporting them as OH law requires....

by JivinJ

The pro-abortion medical establishment in Madison, WI, encountered a problem last summer.

Their community's late-late-term abortionist, Dennis Christensen, announced he was retiring at year's end, and Planned Parenthood of WI would be taking over his mill.

In reality, according to e-mails obtained... Christensen wasn't retiring at all....

UPDATE, 2/18, 7:50a: Thanks to all who have responded to our ad. If I haven't acknowledged receipt of your resume, please resend to jill@jillstanek.com. We will accept applications until 12p CT today.
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Part-time Administrative Assistant sought to help manage JillStanek.com and upcoming ProLifePlanet.com.

Skill set requirements:

My goodness, the celebration has expanded! Not too long ago, there was only National Condom Day, celebrated in conjunction with Valentine's Day (i.e., "VD," get it?). Now the sexual balloon fest lasts an entire week. Reported Planned Parenthood in an email alert February 14:

Here's the greatest condom commercial ever, in PP's opinion, promoting casual sex with a caveat: "You gotta use a ticket if you want to ride the ride"...

UPDATE, 2/20, 1p: I've received confirmation that Miami-Dade State Attorney Kathleen Rundle has received a letter from the FL House Republicans (ee page 2) calling on her to prosecute the Baby Shanice murder case.
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I called and spoke to Janet. I asked for Rundle,at 305-547-0535 Naturally Rundle and her Secretary, Ed Griffiths were out of the office so Janet asked if I would like to leave a messge and so I said yes, but first I needed to know if Rundle received the letter from the FL House of Reps. Janet said she didn't know and so I said, "I'll hold while you check on that." Then she asked me my name again and I gave it to her. Janet came back and said she received the letter, so what is my message.

UPDATE, 2/17, 3:20p: Re: the last point on this post, word on the street is the FL House of Representatives is sending a letter to FL Attorney General Bill McCullom demanding prosecution for the murder of Baby Shanice.

His contact info if you'd like it:

850-414-1630 (office)
850-414-1630 (fax)

Office of Attorney General
State of Florida
The Capitol PL-01
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
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Jivin J drew attention to this story yesterday in The Weston Mercury, which will sound familiar to those following 22Weeks:

A mum who had to abort her baby son because he could have been left profoundly disabled by her medication blames doctors for failing to spot that she was pregnant....

The 24-year-old says she would have stopped taking the tablets immediately and dealt with any pain cause by her illness another way if she had known she was carrying her 'beautiful' son.

Instead she had to give birth to her him on a commode and he died in her arms just four minutes later.

About a week ago the Worle mum had been told it was too late for a straight-forward termination. So, on Friday she took a tablet to stop her baby's heartbeat so she could deliver her dead child on Monday.

But the tablet did not work and Katie then had no choice but to deliver the 17-week-old foetus alive....

by JivinJ

I've received many forwards about the Red Envelope Project. To recap, as LifeNews.com reported:

Inspired during a prayer, [Christ] Otto came up with the idea of sending red envelopes to President Barack Obama to protest his pro-abortion policies.

As he tells LifeNews.com, what started out as an email request to 120 of his ministry friends and supporters turned into a nationwide phenomenon that could result in hundreds of thousands of pro-life envelopes heading to the White House.

Added Catholic.net...

by JivinJ

by Eric Allie on Townhall.com, this cartoon aptly describes how I feel about comparisons Obama et al make between Lincoln, emancipator of the oppressed, and himself, killer of the oppressed...

See runners up on page 2.

Catholic writer Deal Hudson posted this intriguing quote on Facebook:

There are two things that have no limit, femininity and the power of taking advantage
of it.

Thoughts?

I've written many times about the murder at an abortion mill in Hialeah, FL, of an abortion survivor in July 2006.

Now the baby's mother, Sycloria Williams, has told her story to Florida Catholic.

Read Sycloria's story in its entirety at Florida Catholic.

[Photo of Sycloria courtesy of Florida Catholic]

Every now and then I go totally off-topic, like when I covered out-of-sorts Britney at the MTV awards in 2007.

Well here's another off-topic post about an out-of-sorts celebrity. Did you see Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman the other night? He came on to promote today's release of the movie Two Lovers but was obviously not himself....

Speculation is Phoenix was either high on something or continuing a now long punk of us all that he has quit acting for hip hop. I think it was clearly the former, which is too bad. Here's a clip of the last time Phoenix came on Letterman, 3 years ago....

Two historical figures provided major abortion triggers, IMO.

The 1st was Thomas Malthus, who proposed at the turn of the 19th century that the solution for starvation and poverty was not providing the poor with food an shelter but was creating less poor. Malthus was the father of the overpopulation theory. Until Malthus, fertility was good.

The 2nd was Charles Darwin, who proposed the theory of evolution about 50 years later, which rejected God as the creator of Man in His own image.

In fact, Malthus's theory influenced Darwin's theory, which I didn't know until studying for this post. The 2 dots are connected.

Not only was Abraham Lincoln born 200 years ago on February 12, 1809, so was Charles Darwin.

So evolution followers have proclaimed this the Year of Darwin.

Even while the theory of evolution is being forced fed in our public schools as fact, and disbelievers scoffed, Gallup has found in a new poll that only 4 in 10 believe in the evolutionary theory.

About this, Citizen Link reported:

This follows an earlier Gallup poll on the issue, conducted in May 2008, that found 44% believe God created human beings within the past 10,000 years.

For more information go to Discovery Institute and Creation Museum websites.

[HT: reader Travis M.; graphic courtesy of Science magazine]

CitizenLink reported on February 12:

For years, AZ Gov. Janet Napolitano [top right] vetoed virtually every piece of pro-life legislation that reached her desk.

After President Barack Obama named Napolitano secretary of Homeland Security, pro-lifer Jan Brewer [bottom right] took over as governor.

And life advocates are wasting no time in pushing pro-life bills toward her desk.

The AZ House is considering the Abortion Consent Act, which covers informed consent, parental consent and doctors' rights of conscience.

Here's Ms. magazine's take...

Gerard Health Foundation, which was the sponsor of the Life Prizes Awards, has issued the following:

The sole objective of the Gerard Health Foundation, a private charity founded and funded by Raymond and Marilyn Ruddy, is "saving lives."

We want to fund projects that save the most lives for the least amount of dollars.

If you are interested in responding to this request for proposals please submit 1-3 pages maximum telling us the following:

How many lives you can save?

What will you do to save these lives?

On what basis (scientific research, past experience, etc.) do you believe these many lives can be saved?

How many dollars you need to accomplish your objective?

Please respond by March 31, 2009 to Jack Malloy at JMalloy@Gerardhealth.org.

God speed!

Raving Theist was not too long ago Raving Atheist. Great testimony.

RT has also been posting here for some time, first as a pro-life atheist, and now as a pro-life believer.

RT also has his own blog. A couple days ago he spotlighted dear moderator Carla, a post-abortive mom who is pictured right with her beautiful family, on one of his posts.

Check it out.

by JivinJ

by Carder

... comes a summary of pro-life talking points.

Notice the lack of um's, ah's and uh's so characteristic of a certain leader of the free world.

Agree with Ace of Spades, "I don't think the arguments are novel but the case is well-made. And dang, she's a very poised public speaker."

Sadly, the power of her cuteness is not enough to stifle the unleashing of vile YouTube comments. Mom had to disable comments this morning because of them.

[HT: The Other McCain via Ace of Spades and Hot Air]

In the February 16 issue of Newsweek, editor, columnist, and abortion proponent Anna Quindlen writes a pro-medical abortions column. About it my friend Colleen wrote...

The New York Times on February 10 reported the FDA has undertaken "an unusual crackdown" against Bayer, manufacturer of the birth control pill Yaz, forcing it to issue corrective ads for "overstat[ing] the drug's ability to improve women's moods and clear up acne, while playing down its potential health risks" in previous ads.

Here's 1 of the 2 ads that got Bayer in trouble. Note the balloons indicating "headaches," "acne," and "feeling anxious" will float away if women use Yaz:

I sure wish I could find the other ad, which sounds funny on so many levels, but it has vanished off the Internet. According to YourLawyer.com, it
"featur[ed] women singing 'We're not gonna take it' and kicking, punching, and pushing balloons imprinted with words such as 'irritability,' 'moodiness,' and 'bloating'." That song, incidentally, was by Twisted Sister, seen here giving a shout out to Yaz at a concert. As I said, so many levels of unintended parody....

by JivinJ

The University of Calgary Student Union has voted to revoke the club status of Campus Pro-Life. Members of the group were charged with trepassing on their campus after they refused to turn a display of graphic abortion images inward. All of Canada should be ashamed at the University of Calgary's actions:

During Tuesday's hearing, pro-life club secretary Asia Strezynski repeatedly asked the committee chairwoman Alex Judd what policy had been violated but the committee only referred to a bylaw that gives the Students' Union the right to punish a club for violating policies or bylaws.

Read backstory on my blog here.

On WLS talk radio's Don and Roma's Show in Chicago today, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich started to let loose about IL political carnal knowledge. Rest assured, if he gets indicted, he's going to blab.

And even if not, it appears he's planning to write a book. And, oh, what a book that will be, because the sorts of things Blagojevich got caught for is normal behavior for so many politicians, and not just in IL, as he revealed he knows this morning. He gets sidetracked once, but keep reading...

In 2003, two years after President George Bush reinstated the Mexico City Policy (referred to by abortion proponents as the "global gag rule"), which denies U.S. funds to international groups that commit or promote abortion, the BBC reported the following:

Hundreds of women's health organisations in the poorest nations of the world - places where maternal mortality and infant death are high - faced a tough choice. Either sign the gag rule and be silenced on abortion, or refuse and lose millions of dollars in US aid.

Most refused to sign. As a result, thousands of family planning clinics across the developing world have closed their doors, making access to vital contraceptives hard to come by.

In reality, only five of 457 organizations declined U.S. Agency for International Development family planning assistance in protest over the Mexico City Policy in 2001.

They were...

Continue reading my column today, "5 groups profit from Mexico City policy repeal," at WorldNetDaily.com.

by Carder

Lila Rose is not the only whistleblower out of CA. Enter State Sen. Sam Aanestad who has blown the cover off the inaptly named "Early Pregnancy Care" project.

He writes in The American Thinker today:

The purpose of this experiment? "Demonstrate the role of advanced practice clinicians in expanding early pregnancy care."

That's Orwellian for "training non-physicians to perform first trimester abortions."

In the pilot project, approved in 2006 without legislative oversight, Planned Parenthood sites in three CA cities suspended state regulations to use Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants to perform surgical abortions by suction aspiration.

Never mind committing abortions by nonphysicians is prohibted by one CA professional code and the Nursing and Medical Boards of CA. Planners hijacked a 30-year-old pilot project to combat the aging workforce by asserting, according to Aanestad, that "the access to early abortion services is an important public health goal."...

by JivinJ

There are ideological pro-aborts, and there are fiscal pro-aborts. You saw them split in the 2008 election when ideologues supported Clinton and abortion big business supported Obama.

Having now taken over Washington, they have the ideological goal of changing law (FOCA, etc.), and the financial goal of getting more tax money.

Abortion big business supported Obama obviously because they expected him to come through with more money than Hillary, which he has done already by overturning the Mexico City Policy, adding "family planning" to his faith-based initiatives office, and promising to sign for taxpayer funding of human embryo experimentation, to name 3 we know....

UPDATE, 10:05a: Dr. New has notified me Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good receives funding from George Soros.
_______________

There is yet another chapter in the debate with Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good re: the study it released during the fall election season claiming pro-life laws do not work, and welfare is the best way to stop abortion.

Professor Michael New's numerous studies to the contrary were the focus of the CACG study's animus, and he became the point of the spear jabbing back at CACG.

Today Dr. New reveals CACG's study results were quietly changed (after the election, of course) and an author removed.

He writes on Professor Robert George's Moral Accountability, a new website holding morally accountable that small band of Catholic and Evangelical intellectuals who promoted Barack Obama as president...

by Carder

Given President Obama's talent for nominating individuals of impeccable character, we can look forward to this next gem of a nominee for Deputy Attorney General (2nd in command): David Ogden.

Consider his virtuous record:

UPDATE, 2/9, 3:40p: I emailed the Diocese of Paterson to ask for confirmation one way or the other on Barbara Ciccone's status. It sent me the following statement:

The patient died at 3:30 a.m. Friday morning, Feb. 6 ,while being fed, of her terminal illness at Hospice of N.J. in Wayne. There was no wake and burial took place on Saturday.

May Barbara rest in peace.
_______________

UPDATE, 2/7, 6:45a: This story is getting stranger and stranger. Apparently although the St. Joseph's Wayne Hospital in Wayne, NJ, informed the Diocese of Paterson that Barbara Ciccone had died, she has not. I have written a request to the Diocese for clarification and will keep you posted....

by Carder and Jill

According to CNN, January 26:

In a country where 12-hour workdays are common, the electronics giant [Canon] has taken to letting its employees leave early twice a week for a rather unusual reason: to encourage them to have more babies.

Japan is in the midst of an unprecedented recession, so corporations are being asked to work toward fixing another major problem: the country's low birthrate....

Continue reading "Japan to workers: Go forth and multiply"

Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A.'s due date was yesterday, the same day as the Grammys.

Nine months pregnant with singer and fiancé Benjamin Bronfman's baby, M.I.A. was asked to peform the Grammy nominated Swagga Like Us, based on a sample of her own grammy nominated Paper Planes (from the movie Slumdog Millionaire), with Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and T.I.

Standing by the adage, "The show must go on," M.I.A. did it. Here's a video of the performance, which made me smile all the way through, notwithstanding the annoying WorldStarHipHop.com address plastered in the middle. (YouTube posts are being deleted almost as soon as they're up for copyright infringement. Email me if you find a better version.)...

I have a new poll question up:

Barack Obama has been compared to several past presidents. Who do you think he most emulates? You can choose up to two.

Here are the results of my previous poll. By over a 2-1 margin, you voted you do not want President Obama to succeed....

Today's Sunday funnies are actually going to be funny, not political cartoons with zing but just cute.

First up is the hysterical "I love Jesus but I drink a little" video - Ellen speaking on the phone with 88-year-old Gladys from TX:

Next up is the equally hysterical "Tithe rap" video (that can be watched in HD by clicking under lower right corner of video here), new spin on an old teaching...

I previously reported on Internet RU-486 abortions being offered in countries where abortion is illegal.

Now, Susan Yanow and Kinga Jelinski at RH Reality Check are proposing US law be relaxed for RU-486 abortions.

Currently, mothers must be assessed and given the medication regimen (mifepristone, i.e., RU-486, to kill the baby and misoprostol, i.e., Cytotec, to expel the baby) at a dr's office or abortion clinic and must return for assessment to ensure the abortion was complete.

Yanow and Jelinski maintain...

Today on the "Ashley Judd: Wolf crying wolf" post a commenter named Krystal has been filling us in on the reality of living in AK. Very interesting reading, for instance:

I actully don't even live in a village, I live more off the land than most do. My husband works for the state of AK. We pretty much do research out here on the Yukon River. Bevy, we're usually in Fort Yukon, Circle and Central almost every other day using the phone and ordering from the bush pilots for supplies and food.

Krystal just emailed the story of her first pregnancy, and it is very touching. She wrote it in honor of her son's 6th birthday. Krystal said I could share it, so here 'tis:

So my oldest son Jadon is now a 6-year-old. It's so amazing how 6 years can fly past you at the speed of light. I can still remember the day I gave birth to him. Here's the story of how Jadon entered this world.

I met his dad when I was 14-years-old as a freshman in high school, Chris was a junior. It was November 2001. We hit it off from the start... couldn't and wouldn't live a second of our lives without each other. I knew I loved him from the moment we met, not just puppy love, real love. Someone who saw past my faults and errors. Someone who would love me no matter what happened in our life....

by Carder

For the latest in cutting edge pro-life campaigns, Students for Life launched an offensive (pun intended):

When you heard about the Freedom of Choice Act was your initial reaction something like..."WTF?!" That is the reaction most people have on both sides. This legislation is extreme and it will not pass if we have an informed and active public.

Peter Breen, executive director of the Thomas More Society, in an interview with Students for Life, explained the history of FOCA, its present form, and how we can realistically expect it to be passed: in bits and pieces.

The 1-minute video below advertises a WTF?! rally held last week but gives you a taste of WTF?! on the street. It's certainly not to spread the word. T-shirts are available for guaranteed head-turning.

UPDATE, 2:30p: On The View this week it was fine for Whoopie Goldberg to bring up Ashley Judd's disengenuous ad blasting Sarah Palin for supporting predatory wolf thinning. But it was not fine for Elizabeth Hasselbeck to query why someone like Judd could then be so pro-abortion. Not sure where Elizabeth got her abortion figures but appreciate the comparison...

By now you've seen the ad...

Michelle Malkin points out in her column today all the misleading contentions in the ad and adds this...

Read previous posts here and here.

Nadya Suleman, mother of octuplets born January 26, gave her 1st interview today, to Today's Ann Curry.

Most notable is Suleman said her fertility doctor implanted 6 embryos, and 2 apparently split. About the number implanted Nadya gave the same pro-life response as had her mother: "I wanted them all transferred. Those are my children, and that's what was available and I used them. So, I took a risk. It's a gamble. It always is."

Curry said after the interview Suleman wants to return to school this autumn to pursue her Master's degree, relying on financial aid and child care for help. I didn't hear Suleman say that so am not sure if the paraphrase was accurate. If so, she's in denial. All her babies are preemies.

The Associated Press has written a detailed related article.

by JivinJ

UPDATE, 2/7, 7:30a: A press release from the Thomas More Society has expanded on the hospital instruments side story I mentioned in my initial post:

During today's hearing, Renelique was asked by one of the doctors on the FL Board of Medicine to identify various types of medical equipment and whether he had them in his clinic. Renelique responded that he had and the doctor proceeded to inform Renelique that the instruments were from her antique collection and are no longer used.

UPDATE, 2/6, 11:05a: The Associated Press has issued a short story on Renelique's license revocation.

Here are the ABC and CBS stories.

Here's a Tampa Bay Online story with an interesting quote:

Renelique's attorney, Joseph Harrison, told the medical board, "His record of a lifetime of practicing medicine does not warrant revocation."

The patient, Harrison said, "came in for an abortion. This patient came in to have the fetus rendered and terminated."

In other words, by infanticide the mother got what she originally intended, so what's the prob?
_______________

This morning the FL Board of Medicine revoked the medical license of abortonist Pierre Jean-Jacque Renelique.

Just spoke with Tom Pennekamp driving on his way home from the hearing.

Pennekamp is the FL attorney who filed a civil lawsuit in conjunction with the Thomas More Society on January 27 against Renelique, abortion clinic owner Belkis Gonzalez, and 11 others on behalf of Sycloria Williams for the homicide of her daughter, Shanice.

Read yesterday's Associated Press backstory here....

UPDATE, 2/6, 8:30a: Ed Morrisey at Hot Air has a post up on this story, linking it to Obama.
_______________

UPDATE, 2/5 4:15p: Fox News' Dr. Manny Alvarez has weighed in on this case: "Burn his license and shut down that clinic!"
_______________

Up on Drudge's front page now is a link to the following EXCELLENT AP story (as well as a link to a LifeSiteNews.com story on the civil lawsuit)...

President Obama speaking at today's National Day of Prayer breakfast in DC:

There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know.

Oh, really?

Directly afterward, Obama signed an executive order redirecting the focus of the faith-based initiatives program launched by his predecessor. According to NPR:

The program departs from President Bush's by focusing on family planning and Muslim outreach.

Obama renamed the program the White House office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

So here we see another way Obama is slipping money to the abortion industry, audaciously through "faith-based" taxpayer-funding on the National Day of Prayer after admitting God would not condone the taking of innocent human life.

[Photo of Obama at the National Day of Prayer courtesy of AFP]

UPDATE, 12:25p: From the Associated Press:

She will remain in the hospital for seven to 10 days, said her surgeon....

The court said a CAT scan revealed a tumor measuring about 1 centimeter across the center of the pancreas.

UPDATE, 12:22p: From NPR...

No matter what the circumstances of the Suleman octuplets' conception, my thought is pro-lifers must support their mother Nadya now. She responded with proper pro-life ethic on 2 counts, according to People:

Nadya's mother, Angela Suleman [pictured right, with husband Ed]... says Nadya had 8 leftover frozen embryos from a previous in-vitro session and had them all implanted because she didn't want them destroyed. Later, when given the option to abort some of the resulting fetuses, she refused, according to Angela's account.

I've been hearing increased speculation that Nadya did this for the $. That doesn't jive with 1st accounts, such as her mother's, which are usually most accurate. I'm concerned pro-lifers will abandon Suleman now, too, and then who does she have? For instance, I received this email:

With increasing volume I've been trying to make the pro-life community understand that aborting babies alive and letting them die or outright killing them is a commonplace - rampant - occurrence in U.S. hospitals and abortion mills despite the 2002 passage of the federal Born Alive Infants Protection Act.

That we get this fact is imperative with the election of Barack Obama as president alongside a Congress now fully controlled by the abortion industry.

Obama is key. As most know, he took tremendous heat during his 2008 campaign for adamantly opposing Born Alive as IL state senator and was forced to protest loudly that, of course, he opposed infanticide of abortion survivors. Rest assured pro-abort congressional members were watching, glad it wasn't them on the hot seat. The pro-life community must now make Obama and a Senate and House that both voted overwhelmingly for Born Alive prove it.

How do we know post-abortion infanticide is widespread? The procedure resulting in live births - induced labor abortion - is now the late-term abortion procedure of choice. Read that last sentence again....

Continue reading my column, "Obama: Not pro-infanticide? Prove it!" on WorldNetDaily.com.

UPDATE, 2/4, 11a: According to Family Research Council, Americans aren't the only ones who are unhappy with President Obama for overturning the Mexico City Policy, which kept international abortion groups from getting U.S. tax dollars. FRC reported yesterday:

Countries across Latin America have lashed out at the new White House for contaminating their laws with anti-life policies. Congresswoman Martha Lorena de Casco of Honduras said she felt "sorrow" that one of the President's first acts was to threaten her country's pro-life law. Representatives from Argentina, El Salvador, and other countries echoed de Casco encouraging Americans to follow their example and respect the right to life in national law.

As I've [Tony Perkins] said before, President Obama's election was the result of an economic mandate, not a social one. The further he deviates from that mandate, the more likely he is to lose it.

UPDATE, 2/3, 10:30a: The Republican National Coalition for Life has listed specific ways for pro-lifers to apply pressure in opposition to Obama's repeal of the Mexico City Policy, which received a 65% disapproval rating in the Gallup poll below...

On January 27 actor Gary Graham wrote an incredible op ed on Breitbart's Big Hollywood professing his belief in the sanctity of human life while confessing he "paid for three of them [abortions] and was responsible for probably several more." In his piece Graham makes a plethora of solid pro-life points, displaying sound knowledge on pro-life apologics, human biology, and politics. Good for him. I imagine his writing stuff like this comes with great professional and personal risks.

Read Graham's bio here. It states he is probably best known for his role as Det. Matt Sikes in the tv series Alien Nation and subsequent Alien Nation tv movies. Trekkie fans will know Graham for his recurring character Ambassador Soval in Star Trek: Enterprise.

Read Graham's column on page 2 (swear words tempered, but be prepared)...

[HT: LifeSiteNews.com via reader Mary Ann M.]

This is a hard one.

I used to be fine with in vitro fertilization. I even gave a friend hormone shots several years back to mature several eggs at once for IVF.

Then I found out the Catholic Church opposes IVF. And when the Catholic Church says something on the pro-life issue I listen. I read its reasons, and they made sense. I now oppose IVF, not only on moral grounds but also because it hurts and exploits women....

Press release from Lila Rose and Live Action Films just out:

New hidden-camera footage from Tucson, AZ, implicates a 3rd Planned Parenthood clinic in a multi-state child abuse scandal. In the video, UCLA student Lila Rose and her friend Jackie Stollar enter a Tucson PP clinic where Rose tells the nurse that Stollar, posing as a 15-year-old, is pregnant by her 27-year-old boyfriend. The nurse disregards the age difference and even cautions Stollar not to bring her "boyfriend" before the judicial hearing required in AZ to waive parental consent for an abortion....

See video on page 2.

This is the height of insanity. College pro-life activists wanted simply to display photos of preborn babies being slaughtered, and school officials are now suing them to "protect" people from seeing the atrocity? Right. Let's use the law to "protect" people from viewing legally unprotected babies being torn limb from limb. What's more, as the photo above shows, the activists warned people what was ahead to give them the "choice" whether or not to view the human atrocities.

From the Calgary Herald, February 2...

Hi, I'm back and happy to be! I would ask if you missed me but see you carried on just fine in my absence - over 2k comments on my vacation announcement, lol!

My vacation ended with a literal bang early Saturday morning....

My family (mom and dad, husband Rich, daughter Daena, son and daughter-in-law Michael and Bernadine and their boys Gabe, Shane, and Raph) and I were preparing to drive and fly home from a house we rented in Ft. Myers Beach, FL when the kitchen lights flickered off, and the electrical box outside began popping loudly, spewing a fireworks display, and finally starting on fire....