Jews Move to Halt Spitting at Christians in Jerusalem

From The National Catholic Reporter
By John L. Allen, Jr.

Globally speaking, the most serious new tension dividing Jews and Catholics is Pope Benedict XVI’s decision just before Christmas to advance the sainthood cause of Pius XII, the wartime pontiff whose alleged “silence” on the Holocaust has long been a subject of polarizing historical debate.

On the ground in Jerusalem, however, Jewish/Christian animus has a much more prosaic cause: Spitting.

Recently, the Jerusalem Post carried a piece quoting Rabbi David Rosen, a veteran of Catholic/Jewish dialogue, acknowledging that incidents of ultra-Orthodox Jews spitting at priests, nuns and other Christian clergy is “a part of life” in Jerusalem. Such incidents have been occurring for the last twenty years and are now on the rise, according to the story, although they appear to be limited to Jerusalem.

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Did Obama Politicize the Terror Database?

From American Thinker
By James Lewis

In his usual heroic fashion, Obama tossed that hot Christmas Bomber potato to Janet Napolitano, and when she dropped the potato, it got cannoned over to the CIA with a quick fake to Dick Cheney, who didn't even bother to answer. Obama kept his head buried deep in the sand at Oahu for almost four days while all this was going on. But this was Obama's personal hot potato, and I believe he may personally be at fault for placing almost three hundred passengers in deadly peril on NW Flight 253 on Christmas Day.

How? By putting a politically correct twist on the existing terrorist database.

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C-SPAN Challenges Congress to Open Health Care Talks to TV Coverage

"My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government."

~Barack Hussein Obama

The head of C-SPAN has implored Congress to open up the last leg of health care reform negotiations to the public, as top Democrats lay plans to hash out the final product among themselves.

C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb wrote to leaders in the House and Senate Dec. 30 urging them to open "all important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings," to televised coverage on his network.

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Tim Tebow Pro-Life Superbowl Ad in the Works?

From LifeSiteNews
By Kathleen Gilbert

Rumors of a pro-life advertisement featuring the story of University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and angling for a Superbowl slot have surfaced following reports of a project in the works at the Evangelical organization Focus on the Family.

While as yet not publicly acknowledged, the Colorado Independent's Rich Tosches reported that the 30-second pro-life spot is expected by insiders at Focus on the Family to highlight the popular quarterback's mother’s refusal to abort Tebow, despite doctor’s advice to the contrary.

After taking drugs to battle amoebic dysentery during a trip to the Philippines in the 1980s, Pam Tebow refused the advice of physicians who suggested she abort Timothy because the drugs may have affected his development. Pam eventually gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy.

Tim Tebow, who was homeschooled before becoming a college football star, now frequently draws attention for his outspoken devotion to traditional Christian values. At the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year's day, Tebow's final collegiate game, the player continued a tradition of featuring a Bible passage on his eyeblack: this time, it was Ephesians 2:8-10.

Focus family formation studies director Glenn Stanton told LifeSiteNews.com that the organization has “no comment” about the rumors.

“But,” he added, “you will want to watch the Super Bowl.”

The ad would need to be approved by the National Football League and CBS, the network hosting the Superbowl game February 7. Last year, NBC and the NFL chose to nix an advertisement sponsored by the Catholic watchdog group Fidelis, which hailed the success of President Obama despite the difficult circumstances of his early life and featured the message "Life: Imagine the Potential."

America is Losing the Free World

From The Financial Times

By Gideon Rachman

Ever since 1945, the US has regarded itself as the leader of the “free world”. But the Obama administration is facing an unexpected and unwelcome development in global politics. Four of the biggest and most strategically important democracies in the developing world – Brazil, India, South Africa and Turkey – are increasingly at odds with American foreign policy. Rather than siding with the US on the big international issues, they are just as likely to line up with authoritarian powers such as China and Iran.

The US has been slow to pick up on this development, perhaps because it seems so surprising and unnatural. Most Americans assume that fellow democracies will share their values and opinions on international affairs. During the last presidential election campaign, John McCain, the Republican candidate, called for the formation of a global alliance of democracies to push back against authoritarian powers. Some of President Barack Obama’s senior advisers have also written enthusiastically about an international league of democracies.

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Secret Service Reveals Yet Another Uninvited Guest at White House

To be fair to the Obama administration, it looks like they take their own security about as seriously as they take the safety of American airline passengers.

By Eileen Sullivan, Associated Press Writer

The Secret Service says another person not on the guest list was allowed into a White House state dinner for India's prime minister in November.

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Obama Names Transgender Appointee to Commerce Department

From ABC News

President Obama recently named Amanda Simpson to be a Senior Technical Advisor to the Commerce Department.

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