Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Michigan College Students Protest Sexy Ads of American Apparel
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WZZM)- Some students at Calvin College in Grand Rapids are boycotting a company because of its provocative clothing ads. The company, called American Apparel, often shows its models in see-through shirts and underwear.
The clothing is sold globally and is targeted at college students and young adults. Here in Michigan, there are stores in Ann Arbor and East Lansing. The clothes can also be found
online. It's those ads that some of the students say are too sexy.
Calvin College students Abbie Belford and Hannah Whyte call it pornography. Images show topless women, with bare bottoms. "It's extreme. It's disgusting," says Hannah.
The ads can be seen on the American Apparel website. The company has over 200 retails stores and makes all of its clothing in the United States. The company also promotes fair labor practices.
The socially conscious business practices impressed leaders at Calvin College. Abbie says students were given American Apparel t-shirts at orientation. She was told the college purchased them again this year. "I was like, oh great, another chance to support a good company and then he said, but don't visit their website. It's almost pornographic," says Abbie.
That's the first time Abbie and Hannah, who are involved in a student-led group called "Democracy Matters," looked at the website. They are now boycotting the company. "I want to see the rest of Calvin, all organizations, sign a petition, saying we will not buy from American Apparel until it changes its advertising techniques."
The women have printed up petitions. They've also created a Facebook page called "American Apparel: The Bare Facts" to protest the company and its ads. "We want to let them know that no, we are youth, but we do have morals, we have standards. This just crosses the line," says Hannah.
Calvin College says it already received the new t-shirts, but says it will support the student-led effort and will likely choose another company next year. The student group plans to hold a petition drive Wednesday on campus.
Creators Of South Park Gone Too Far
JMC Ministries Response
When Christians have been persecuted on this show a long with Jews. Had our Lord and Savior made fun of and blasphemed we did not want to kill these men who make this cartoon. We pray for them we forgive the creators of South Park for the horrible things they have done and said to make fun of Jesus Christ, God and our beliefs. Jesus said To love you enemies not kill them and murder them as this Islamist group is saying they want to do.
Obviously the creators of South Park are really just going too far and blatantly attack anyone and they are protected by freedom of speech but when we rise up and say this is wrong and try to make our voices heard many times people try to silence us.
These men and all who are involved in making this South Park show truly need to know the love of Christ because with out love there cannot be compassion and understanding towards you fellow man. Only then will they see that what they do in this cartoon week after week year after year is only hurting people. That is fragile line between verbally attacking someone or a group of people and having free speech.
We also must pray for those who seek to kill the creators of South Park because killing and violence only causes more hurt and chaos. Pray that the love of Christ fills their hearts and when they see these men who are using this cartoon series to make fun of people and cause hurt that they feel sorry for them and take pity on them and forgive them.
We live in a world full of hate and it is only growing more day by day we need to kill this hate with love, compassion and forgiveness.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sign Free Petition To ask President Obama to Reinstate National Day of Prayer
click to read full article from Christian News Wire
MEDIA ADVISORY, April 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- Federal Judge Barbara Crabb ruled in favor of atheist complainers at the Freedom from Religion Foundation, that government recognition of prayer violates the First Amendment. Crabb claimed her decision "carries out the Founders' plan of preserving religious liberty to the fullest extent possible in a pluralistic society," proving she actually believes the Founding Fathers, who prayed to the Judeo-Christian God in Congress, would now suddenly oppose public acts of prayer.
The Pray In Jesus Name Project, led by Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, has already gathered several thousand paper and electronic petition signatures asking President Obama to defend and reinstate public observance of the National Day of Prayer, which Congress created in 1952.
To sign the FREE petition asking President Obama to reinstate NDOP, visit: http://tinyurl.com/obamapray. Please also help our petition go viral by tweeting these words on Twitter/Facebook: "Sign Free Petition: Ask President Obama to reinstate the National Day of Prayer. http://tinyurl.com/obamapray. Please re-tweet many times."
But thus far, White House officials have not yet agreed to meet with Chaplain Klingenschmitt, or receive his petitions. Please call the White House at 202-456-1111 to leave a comment for Joshua Dubois, leader of Obama's faith initiative.
"As a former Navy Chaplain who was punished for praying 'in Jesus name' in uniform," said Klingenschmitt, "I will be joining thousands of people and scores of national ministry leaders at the MayDay2010.org event on May 1st, to pray at the Lincoln Memorial. I hereby invite President Obama to come pray with us, and receive our petitions in person that day."
Child Survivors of Oklahoma City Bombing 15 years later
Iceland Volcano: Startling Pictures from Iceland and the Enormous Ash Clouds
By Rhianna King
Dark, menacing and showing no signs of abating, this is the apocalyptic-style scene that has simultaneously captivated and terrified locals at the heart of Iceland's volcanic eruption.
As people in Britain and the rest of Europe are caught up with the unprecedented travel chaos caused by the eruption, those in Iceland are living with blankets of ash falling from the sky and fears of volcanic floods.
This stunning series of images shows how the black volcanic fog that has wreaked havoc across Europe has created an eerie spectacle.
It's behind you: Motorists escape the smoke and ash rising up from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano
Darkness falls: A farm is shrouded in black as the volcanic cloud spreads across Iceland
Spectacular: Lightning streaks across the sky as lava flows from a volcano in Eyjafjallajokul
Friday, April 16, 2010
Federal Court Rules U.S National Day of Prayer Unconstitutional
The case was filed by The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), a Wisconsin-based group that challenged the constitutionality of a 1988 law giving the president authority to designate the first Thursday in May as National Day of Prayer.
"It is unfortunate that this court failed to understand that a day set aside for prayer for the country represents a time-honored tradition that embraces the First Amendment, not violates it," said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the ACLJ.
"This decision runs counter to well established legal precedent and we're confident that this flawed decision ultimately will be overturned. We will be filing a brief representing members of Congress challenging this federal district court decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit,” Sekulow said in a statement.
“If the appeals court fails to reverse this decision, we're confident the Supreme Court will hear the case and ultimately determine that such proclamations and observances like the National Day of Prayer not only reflect our nation's rich history, but are indeed consistent with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment," he added.
According to the ACLJ brief, the U.S. has a long history of recognizing a national day of prayer dating back to the late 1700’s with the Continental Congress, recommending that states set aside a day for prayer and thanksgiving. Therefore, “historical evidence establishing a National Day of Prayer as deeply embedded in the tradition and history of this country is indisputable,” the brief stated.
JMC Ministries Response
If the U.S Supreme Court rules that The National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional that will not Stop Those who want to continue to prayer for our Country. We will continue to pray, we will continue to seek God and pray for our President and all our Govt. Leaders.
In The Book of James it says, "The prayer of a righteous man availeth much." If God's people will humble themselves and pray he says he will hear our cries. WE MUST continue to pray in spite of the persecution that this FFRF Group tries to throw at us. We must also pray for them as well. When God's People pray Miracles happen.
Dog Stayed With Dying Master Until The End
STARK COUNTY -- A golden retriever named "Lady" was a good and loyal dog until the end.
Police and an investigator with the Stark County Coroner's Office believe that Lady stayed by her owner's side in a field just outside of Hartville for almost a week.
Parley Nichols, 81, was found dead there Wednesday night, about a mile from his home.
Nichols had dementia and was reported missing on April 8.
Even though family members passed out fliers and searched for Nichols, his body was only discovered after Lady barked at a passerby.
"This dog would not leave his side," said Stark County Coroner's Investigator Harry Campbell. "No question, she stayed out there on her own volition.
"(Lady) saw another human and started barking and wailing," said Campbell.
The preliminary findings of an autopsy lead the Stark County Coroner to believe that Nichols suffered a natural death due to heart and lung disease.
Campbell said the dog likely drank water from a nearby drainage ditch. But there were no signs of food near Nichols.
Campbell also said that a local newspaper dated April 7 was found with Nichols.
Family members are now caring for Lady.
Mary Nichols believes that Lady was with her relative the whole time he was missing.
Iceland's Volcanic Ash Cloud Shuts Down Most Of Europes Airports
The cloud, floating miles (kilometers) above Earth and capable of knocking out jet engines, wrecked travel plans for tens of thousands of people Thursday, from tourists and business travelers to politicians and royals. They couldn't see the source of their frustration — except indirectly, when the ash created vivid red and lavender sunsets.
Non-emergency flights in Britain were canceled, and most will stay grounded until at least midday Friday.
Authorities in Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Belgium also closed their air space. France shut down 24 airports, including the main hub of Charles de Gaulle in Paris, Germany's Berlin and Hamburg were shut Thursday evening, and several flights out of the U.S. had to double back.
"We made it all the way to takeoff on the plane. ... They even showed us the safety video," said Sarah Davis, 29, a physiotherapist from Portsmouth in southern England who was hoping to fly to Los Angeles. "I'm upset. I only get so much vacation."
A volcano beneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull (ay-yah-FYAH'-plah-yer-kuh-duhl) glacier began erupting Wednesday for the second time in less than a month, triggering floods and shooting smoke and steam miles into the air. Video showed spectacular images of hot gases melting the thick ice, sending cascades of water thundering down the steep slopes of the volcano.
About 700 people from rural areas near the volcano were evacuated Thursday because of flash flooding, as water carrying icebergs the size of small houses rushed down the mountain. Most evacuees were allowed to return home after the floods subsided, but more flash floods are expected as long as the volcano keeps erupting, said Rognvaldur Olafsson of the Civil Protection Department.
Click to read full article from Fox News
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Thursday, April 15, 2010
Russia Stops Adoptions To U.S
Click to read full story at Fox News
MOSCOW -- Russia has suspended all adoptions to U.S. families until the two countries can agree on procedures, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday -- a week after an American woman sent her 7-year-old adopted son back to Russia on a plane by himself.
The boy's return -- without supervision or explanation aside from a note he carried from his adoptive mother saying he had psychological problems -- incensed Russian authorities and the public, and prompted aggressive media coverage of foreign adoptions.
A U.S. delegation will visit Moscow "in the next few days" to discuss a possible bilateral adoption agreement, ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said.
"Russia believes that only such an agreement which will contain effective tools for Russian and U.S. officials to monitor the living conditions of adopted Russian children will ensure that recent tragedies in the United States will not be repeated," Nesterenko said in a televised briefing.
The Tennessee woman who sent back her adopted Russian son last Thursday claimed she had been misled by his Russian orphanage about his condition.
Russians were outraged that no charges were filed against her in the United States.
"How can we prosecute a person who abused the rights of a Russian child abroad?" Russia's children's rights ombudsman, Pavel Astakhov, said in a televised interview Wednesday. "If there was an adoption treaty in place, we would have legal means to protect Russian children abroad.
Some 3,000 U.S. applications for adopting Russian children are now pending, according to the Joint Council on International Children's Services, which represents many U.S. agencies engaged in international adoption.
But the numbers have declined sharply in recent years -- with only 1,586 U.S. adoptions from Russia last year, compared with more than 5,800 in 2004.
Russia itself has been a big factor in the drop-off, adoption experts said, citing a perception that many children from Russian orphanages can present special challenges, due to such conditions as fetal alcohol syndrome.
Russian lawmakers for years have nevertheless suggested suspending such adoptions, after other cases of abuse and even killings of Russian children adopted in the United States.
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JMC Ministries shared this story about the woman who put this little boy on a plane and basically did a “return to sender” and abandoned her son. To read the this article click
Russia to put Freeze on Adoptions After U.S woman Returns Adopted Son