Air Force Base Mortuary Mishandled Remains of America's War Dead

Federal investigators said Tuesday they uncovered “gross mismanagement” at the Dover Air Force Base mortuary that cares for America’s war dead after whistleblowers reported horror stories of lost body parts, shoddy inventory controls and lax supervision.

The former mortuary commander and two other senior officials have been disciplined — but not fired — in response to separate investigations conducted by the Air Force Inspector General, the Secretary of the Air Force and the Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency that also received the whistleblower complaints.

The grisly findings at Dover echo a similar scandal at another hallowed repository for the military’s dead, Arlington National Cemetery. An Army investigation last year documented cases of misidentified remains at Arlington, dug-up urns that had been dumped in a dirt pile and botched contracts worth millions of dollars. The Army Criminal Investigation Command and the FBI are now conducting a criminal probe there.

The sloppy handling of troops’ remains at Dover and Arlington painfully undercuts what the military has long borne as a sacred obligation: to treat its fallen members and their families with utmost levels of dignity and honor.

“The ultimate requirement here is to fulfill our professional and moral obligation to ensure that our fallen are treated with the reverence and respect they deserve,” said Gen. Norton Schwartz, the Air Force Chief of staff.

Three civilian whistleblowers who work in the mortuary filed complaints last year alleging 14 specific instances of wrongdoing by their supervisors, from endangering public health to losing a dead soldier’s ankle to sawing off a deceased Marine’s arm bone without informing his family.

The whistleblowers also complained that the Dover mortuary permitted an Army hospital in Germany to ship fetal remains in re-used cardboard boxes back to the United States for burial instead of in more-dignified aluminum transfer cases.

The Air Force Inspector General confirmed many of the basic facts in the complaints and documented a pattern of troubles at Dover. But the inspector general did not uphold the 14 accusations filed against three senior mortuary officials, concluding that there was not enough evidence to show that they had personally broken rules or regulations. The Air Force also found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

The Office of Special Counsel, in a blistering response Tuesday to the Air Force’s review, ripped the service for not taking the allegations more seriously and for not punishing senior mortuary officials more harshly.

Read More From Washington Post

Duggar Family Pregnant With Baby No. 20!

They're going for an even 20!

Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, stars of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, are expecting their 20th child this spring.

"We are so excited," says Michelle, 45, who is now about three-and-a-half months into her pregnancy and due in April. "I feel good. I am past the sickness stage now."

The Tontitown, Ark., couple, who are parents to children Joshua, 23 (who is married to Anna, 23 and has two children, Mackynzie, 2 and Michael, 4 months), twins Jana and John-David, 21; Jill, 20; Jessa, 19; Jinger, 17; Joseph, 16; Josiah, 15; Joy-Anna, 14; twins Jedidiah and Jeremiah, 12; Jason, 11; James, 10; Justin, 8; Jackson, 7; Johanna, 6; Jennifer, 4; and Jordyn, 3, weathered the medical emergency of their youngest daughter, Josie's birth on Dec. 10, 2009.

She was born following Michelle's preeclampsia diagnosis at a mere 25 weeks, weighing only 1lb., 6 oz.

Josie's medical drama – and Michelle's own fight for survival – was documented throughout their TV series. Josie will turn 2 in December and is developing normally, without any longterm effects from her premature birth.

"It is a miracle. Josie is the most energetic, busy little almost-2-year-old," says Michelle. "She is short, and yet she can keep up with the big girls and she thinks she is just as big as they are. We are amazed at what she can do."
Read More From People Magazine

Most American's Own Bibles But Dont Read Them

It may surprise you to learn that America is decidedly pro-Bible. According to research commissioned by American Bible Society, Barna Research polled 2,000 Americans and discovered that nine out of 10 households own a Bible. A full 86 percent of people surveyed indicated that they consider the Bible to be sacred or holy. That’s the good news.

But this positive view of the Bible and high rate of Bible ownership in America begs a question: what are Americans doing with all these Bibles? To put it another way, is the Bible simply sitting on our shelves or is it being read? And what difference does it make in our society if we’re not actually reading the Bible?

To look at popular depictions of American society—a jaded, faithless people too sophisticated for belief in God—it would seem there is a decided disconnect between what we say we believe about the Bible and how it impacts—or doesn’t impact—our lives.

More than half of the people surveyed as part of the American Bible Society study reported that they had an average knowledge of the Bible, while nearly a quarter of U.S. adults considered themselves quite knowledgeable on the topic. Two-thirds of adults correctly identified what "3" means in John 3:16 (chapter), indicating a working knowledge of the Bible's basic construction. Seven out of 10 responding described the Bible as the inspired Word of God.

But are people were overestimating their connection with the Bible?

After all, if people were reading their Bible on a consistent basis, wouldn’t the world look a little better?

Consider the facts:

- According to recent U.S. Census data (May 2011), approximately one in two first marriages end in divorce.

- 42 percent of Americans believe gambling is not an issue.

- 23 percent believe telling a lie to spare someone's feelings is morally acceptable.

- At least 1,500 men, women and children are seriously injured or killed each year in the U.S. as a result of senseless traffic disputes and altercations (source: AAA).

So if we are a society of Bible believers, how do we explain the prevalence of behaviors falling beneath the Bible’s highest standards? Do we really believe in our beliefs?

What would America look like if our actions did a better job of reflecting what most of us acknowledge as God's Word?

Would we, as Jesus instructs, resolve conflict more peacefully by turning the other cheek?

Would we love our neighbor as ourselves—even if it meant checking our frustration with the driver slowing down our commute?
Would we take thetime to offer a kind word? Ask about a sick neighbor? Keep an eye on an elderly widow? Visit a prisoner?

We see a lot of media stories about someone complaining about a prayer offered at a graduation, the mention of God by a public official, or the presence of a cross in a military memorial. We’re often left with the impression that Americans want religion to stay out of everyday life.

But the research doesn’t support this.

In fact, 54 percent of those surveyed think that the Bible has too little influence in U.S. society today. They recognize, as do I, that the influence of the Bible can bring about positive changes in our society.

The big, sweeping narrative of the Bible is, in fact, dialed into our highest hopes and aspirations. All that we long to see in our world—love, forgiveness, compassion and humility—can be found in the Word.

So how do we achieve a better alignment of our reported beliefs and observable actions?

A good start is to move from being a Bible owner to a Bible reader. The presence of a dusty Bible on the shelf won’t make a person live more biblically any more than the presence of a diet book in the home will make one live more healthily. For the Bible to get into our hearts and lives, we need to get into the Bible.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/11/08/most-americans-have-bible-so-why-arent-reading-good-book/#ixzz1d93SlT9j

5.6 Earthquake Rocks Oklahoma

SPARKS, Okla. (AP) - Clouds of dust belched from the corners of almost every room in Joe Reneau's house as the biggest earthquake in Oklahoma history rocked the two-story building.

A roar that sounded like a jumbo jet filled the air, and Reneau's red-brick chimney collapsed and fell into the roof above the living room. By the time the shaking stopped, a pantry worth of food had been strewn across the kitchen and shards of glass and pottery covered the floor.

"It was like WHAM!" said Reneau, 75, gesturing with swipes of his arms. "I thought in my mind the house would stand, but then again, maybe not."

The magnitude 5.6 earthquake and its aftershocks still had residents rattled Sunday. No injuries were reported, and aside from a buckled highway and the collapse of a tower on the St. Gregory's University administration building, neither was any major damage. But the weekend earthquakes were among the strongest yet in a state that has seen a dramatic, unexplained increase in seismic activity.

Oklahoma typically had about 50 earthquakes a year until 2009. Then the number spiked, and 1,047 quakes shook the state last year, prompting researchers to install seismographs in the area. Still, most of the earthquakes have been small.

Saturday night's big one sent Jesse Richards' wife running outside because she thought their home was going to collapse. The earthquake centered near their home in Sparks, 44 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, could be felt throughout the state and in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, northern Texas and some parts of Illinois and Wisconsin. Richards estimated it lasted for as much as a minute. One of his wife's cookie jars fell on the floor and shattered, and pictures hanging in their living room were knocked askew.

"We've been here 18 years, and it's getting to be a regular occurrence," said Richards, 50. But, he added, "I hope I never get used to them."

Geologists now believe a magnitude 4.7 earthquake Saturday morning was a foreshock to the bigger one that followed that night. They recorded 10 aftershocks by midmorning Sunday and expected more. Two of the aftershocks, at 4 a.m. and 9 a.m., were big, magnitude 4.0.

"We will definitely continue to see aftershocks, as we've already seen aftershocks from this one," said Paul Earle, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colo. "We will see aftershocks in the days and weeks to come, possibly even months."

Scientists say they have no explanation for the quakes. They happened along an ancient fault, although it's not clear yet whether shifting along the fault is what caused them, Earle said. One reason earthquakes are hard to predict in Oklahoma is that the state sits over a series of smaller ancient faults, rather than a major fault, such as California's San Andreas Fault, he said.

Read More from My Way News

Food Ministries Adapting To The Economic Down Turn

Unemployment is on everyone’s mind these days. The effects of joblessness on families and communities can be grave. Church-based ministries have been there to help in times of need, especially when it comes to food. But as unemployment numbers rise, more and more ministries across the nation are changing their approach to meet the growing population in their communities that need food.

Beverly Howard, executive director of Loaves & Fishes in Charlotte, N.C., told The Christian Post Friday that the economy had definitely affected her organization.

“Giving is down, food drives are down, and the need is up,” she said.

Loaves & Fishes provides groceries to individuals and families in short-term crisis through a network of 19 food pantries in Charlotte's Mecklenburg County.

This year, especially, they feel the economic strain because unemployment in Mecklenburg County is higher than the national average. Howard said you can see the direct impact of the economy by looking at the money spent on groceries within the organization. In September of last year, Loaves & Fishes spent $48,000 in food purchases. This year, in September, the cost almost doubled with expenses coming to $83,000.

Loaves & Fishes works with local churches and recently opened a new pantry to meet more needs. They are also looking at converting their operations to a “client choice” method. Howard said this model has proven to save money, wastes less food and lets clients choose what they want. But for now, Howard said, they are going to have to “do more of the same, with less resources.”

Delilah Roseborough, community development coordinator for Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, echoed Howard’s story. Her organization has warehouses that supply food and groceries to agencies and churches in Charlotte. She said, this year, they have seen “an increase in people who are in need.” A year ago the effects were less apparent, but now “donations are down, it’s an effort to get people to do fun drives,” Roseborough said.

Charlotte isn’t the only place where food ministries are struggling. Farther north, in Gloucester, Va., the Bread For Life Community Food Pantry is working hard to provide for those in the area. The food pantry gives families a bag of bread, produce, meat and, what Executive Director Bob Quinzel calls a “bag du jour.” The bag contains non-perishable items, like pasta or cereal.

As unemployment rates continue rising, Quinzel said he is seeing the numbers go up at the food pantry. A year ago during a week in October they served 66 families, on the same week a year later, they served 187 families.

Further south, in Georgia, One Harvest Food Ministries is filling the empty space Angel Food Ministries left behind. It is set to begin operations in the southeast this month, and is looking to expand nationwide by spring 2012. Vice President of Sales and Marketing Doug Metcalfe said Friday there is definitely a place for food pantries in society, and especially in this time of economic downturn. But he also said food vendors don’t have the surplus of food they used to.

“Food pantries used to be able to get 1000 pounds of food per month, [but now] it’s not out there, they are having to figure out what to do,” said Metcalfe.

Read More From The Christian Post

Evangelist Billy Graham Turns 93

RALEIGH, N.C. – For the Rev. Billy Graham, America's most famous evangelist across a career that lasted some six decades, the prospect of old age and death was for a long time something he tried not to think about, despite his convictions about the eternity that awaits human beings.

"I fought growing old in every way," Graham, who turns 93 on Monday, writes in the newly-published "Nearing Home," a book that ranges from Scripture quotations about the end of life to brass tacks advice on financial planning. "I faithfully exercised and was careful to pace myself as I began to feel the grasp of Old Man Time. This was not a transition that I welcomed, and I began to dread what I knew would follow."

Graham's book, his 30th, comes not only as he reaches another year, but as America's huge Baby Boom generation moves into old age, its senior members now eligible for Social Security and retirement. And although in recent years Graham has stepped away from active public ministry, his willingness to be frank about the trials as well as the pleasures of growing old may still have an effect on the millions of Americans whose lives coincided with his time as the country's most famous preacher.

"I find that, talking to students and a lot of younger people, many of them don't know who Billy Graham is," said William Martin, author of "A Prophet With Honor: The Billy Graham Story" and a professor at Rice University. "But the people who will be most interested in this are older, and they do remember and adore Billy Graham."

Graham has said he wants to preach one last sermon before he dies, and while the new book is not quite that, it has a similar set of themes. Pondering Bible passages on aging and death, exhorting his readers to make sensible changes in their lives ("Take full advantage of your company's retirement plan, and borrow from it only in an extreme emergency") in down-to-earth language, Graham's ultimate focus is always on Jesus Christ.

"We were not meant for this world alone," he writes. "We were meant for Heaven, our final home."

All together, it's a set of advice that youth-fixated Boomers might not be immediately eager to hear, but coming from Graham it may have more influence. After all, Graham first rose to national prominence with a huge Los Angeles revival in 1949, just as the first Boomers were old enough to notice. Swiftly, Graham -- who at the time was just 31 years old -- became virtually synonymous with American Protestant Christianity, leading massive crusades at sports stadiums, traveling the globe, and meeting with presidents from Eisenhower to Obama.

Graham's appeal has not only been durable, it's extended far beyond the world of evangelical Christianity, according to Grant Wacker, a professor at the Duke University Divinity School, who's working on a biography of the evangelist.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/11/06/as-evangelist-billy-graham-turns-3-reflects-on-growing-old/#ixzz1d2UVXfMz

JMC Live 11/5/11 Homelessness Awareness

On tonight's JMC Live, Jeremy talks about the upcoming homeless awareness event called "One Night Without A Home." Chillicothe, Ohio at Yoctangee Park on Nov 19th from 3PM to Nove 20th at 9AM. Plus some breaking news via Eternal Flame News. EFN: Oregon Mother Desperate To Feed Her Children Turned Away From Grocery Stores For Trying To Pay With Change

http://eternalflamenews.blogspot.com/2011/11/oregon-mother-desperate-to-feed-...

Singing Flash Mob to Help Propose to His Girlfriend on the Train

Crystal Cathedral Congregation Outraged At Food Request For Pastor Shuller's Wife

GARDEN GROVE – An email sent out to members of the Crystal Cathedral congregation requesting meals for founder Robert H. Schuller's wife Arvella, who is ill with pneumonia, is creating mixed feelings of sadness and outrage among members.

According to longtime member Jim McDonald, an email was sent out by administrators to Bible study groups as well as church elders, asking that meals for the reverend's wife be dropped off at the cathedral's Tower of Hope where the Schullers' limo drivers will be waiting to pick them up at the designated time.

Member Bob Canfield says he was outraged when he got the message.

"These are millionaires who have limos and chauffeurs," he said. "Why in God's name would they want the congregants to deliver meals? It's ludicrous."

The email states that the Schullers do not want get-well cards sent because they would like to "keep her situation under the radar."

"However, they would appreciate meals over the next three to four weeks," the email states. "They are to be sent to the church in order to be transported to Arvella. The limo drivers could pick up the dinners or meet in the Tower Lobby around 4:30 p.m."

The message also requests that the meals be low in sodium and include items such as fruit, meats, soup and egg dishes such as quiches.

Cathedral spokesman John Charles said the request for meals was simply an effort to rally around the Schullers, who are both in their 80s.

"We didn't want people going to their home because they are very private people," he said. "That's why we asked that the food be dropped off at the tower so the limo drivers can pick them up and deliver them."

Charles said congregants have rallied around other members in the past when they have become ill.

"As Dr. Schuller always says, 'Find a need and fill it,'" he said. "I think that's what we were trying to do here."

But some church members viewed the request differently.

Canfield said he and other members of the congregation are upset the request came at a time when their church is in bankruptcy and information coming out through court documents has suggested that the Schullers took nearly $10 million from the church's endowment funds.

"They've completely depleted the church's funds," he said. "But they have shown that they have absolutely no remorse for what they've done. They're still being chauffeured around in limos. We, the congregants, have nothing."

Crystal Cathedral Ministries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Oct. 18. A judge is expected to approve a sale plan on Nov. 14. Both the cathedral's board and the creditors committee have named Chapman University as their preferred buyer. Chapman's offer stands at $51.5 million. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange has offered $53.6 million. However, the Chapman plan will allow the Schullers to remain and continue their ministry with a leaseback and buyback arrangement.

Canfield said the request for meals seems ironic in the context of reports over the last year that the Schullers drew generous salaries and benefits in the years leading up the bankruptcy, even as the ministry struggled.

Shirley Zink, who served as a greeter at the Crystal Cathedral for 35 years, said she was saddened to receive the message about the meals for Arvella.

"You have to wonder if it is lonely at the top, if the Schullers don't have the support of the many family members who live in the area," she said.

For as long as she has known them, the Schullers have been distant from the congregation, Zink said. After 35 years, she said she resigned from being a volunteer although she still continues to go to Bible study.

"I'm looking for another church," she said. "But like many others, I leave heartbroken, mourning the loss of what once was."
Read More From Orange County Register

Oregon Mother Desperate To Feed Her Children Turned Away From Grocery Stores For Trying To Pay With Change

A mother desperate to feed her children breaks open the family’s change jar to buy food only to be turned away from the grocery store.

Jean’s story takes place in Portland Oregon. The mother who’s too embarrassed to have her photo released to the public says she wants people to hear her story. The desperate mother said

” We had nothing to feed out children with, so we broke out the change.”

After pulling together $32 Jean and her family headed to a local Save-A-Lot store where she carefully picked out food that fit the budget and proceeded to check out. What happened next is absolutely heart breaking.

“And when I went up, I told them, you know ‘I have change. Sorry It’s hard times right now.’ The person at the register responded saying “Well we can only accept $5.”

The mother pleaded, “It’s money, Money’s Money.”

The clerk did not budge, and the mortified mother went a few miles up the street to the next store.

After gathering her groceries yet again and heading to check out, she was faced again with the same problem. The person at the register told her they could not accept her change and that she needed to use the change machine wich would charge her 10%. The store manager can out and confirmed what the person at the register.

Jean broke into tears and explained that she couldn’t afford to lose the extra money.

Finally a disgusted customer stepped in and offered to buy Jeans money, after that the manager said “OK, got to the change machine and we’ll pay the fee.”

After sharing her story with friends, it garnered attention from the local news station.

KVAL.COM reports Tuesday, both Fred Meyer and Save-a-Lot responded to calls from KATU News.

“We apologize for the inconvenience the customer experienced at the store,” said Fred Meyer Public Affairs Director Melinda Merrill. “Receiving change for a payment is a rare occurrence. Fred Meyer stores do accept change as payment and we will work with our store directors and management teams to ensure they know this.”

Save-a-Lot External Communications Manager Chon Tomlin also apologized Tuesday.

“We deeply apologize for the misunderstanding that occurred recently at our SE Foster location. As a corporate policy, we accept all forms of payment, except for American Express. There is no maximum limit on cash payments, specifically those involving coins of any type,” Tomlin said.

When the KATU Problem Solvers called around to other grocery stores in our area and said they were from KATU, all of the store managers said loose change was acceptable as payment. But when they called back as customers, they got a different story:

QFC would only accept $5 or $6 in loose change.
Albertsons said they would only accept $5.
WinCo and Safeway didn’t have a cutoff, but said they tell customers to use the change machine.
Only Whole Foods and New Seasons were open to accepting change, no matter what the amount.

The KATU Problem Solvers checked with the Oregon Attorney General, who said while there is a federal law saying coins are legal tender, there is not a law that mandates private businesses accept them as payment.

Read more: Woman Denied Groceries For Hungry Children After Attempting To Pay In Change Read More From KHMX Radio http://khmx.radio.com/2011/11/03/woman-denied-groceries-for-hungry-children-after-attempting-to-pay-in-change/#ixzz1cqY2hkI9