Year: 2004

Why Doesn't Anyone Remember Brimbaw, Texas?

Brimbaw

The Weekly World News is carrying a disturbing story. Excerpts:

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are looking high and low for Brimbaw, Texas, a once-booming financial center of 1.2 million people that investigators say vanished from the face of the earth on June 17, leaving behind just one man who remembers it.

“This is like something out of the Twilight Zone — and the more I think about it, the weirder it gets,” says an FBI agent working the strange case from a field office in Dallas.

“When it comes to hard evidence, there’s precious little — but what we do have is intriguing: A brick that apparently is all that’s left of the 67-story bank building that anchored Brimbaw’s skyline. We’ve also got a phone book with residential listings for ‘Greater Brimbaw’ — including smaller towns that are missing, too, places like Zuckert, Flinne, Morely and Billy Graham City.

“Now that’s bizarre.” The Department of Homeland Security is helping to investigate the case because the disappearance of a city, in the words of an insider, “has national security implications, especially if terrorists had anything to do with it. “But we’re looking at alternative explanations, too.

GET THE STORY.

Why Doesn’t Anyone Remember Brimbaw, Texas?

Brimbaw
The Weekly World News is carrying a disturbing story. Excerpts:

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are looking high and low for Brimbaw, Texas, a once-booming financial center of 1.2 million people that investigators say vanished from the face of the earth on June 17, leaving behind just one man who remembers it.

“This is like something out of the Twilight Zone — and the more I think about it, the weirder it gets,” says an FBI agent working the strange case from a field office in Dallas.

“When it comes to hard evidence, there’s precious little — but what we do have is intriguing: A brick that apparently is all that’s left of the 67-story bank building that anchored Brimbaw’s skyline. We’ve also got a phone book with residential listings for ‘Greater Brimbaw’ — including smaller towns that are missing, too, places like Zuckert, Flinne, Morely and Billy Graham City.

“Now that’s bizarre.” The Department of Homeland Security is helping to investigate the case because the disappearance of a city, in the words of an insider, “has national security implications, especially if terrorists had anything to do with it. “But we’re looking at alternative explanations, too.

GET THE STORY.

How Much Is Too Much?

A reader writes:

How much is “too much” to spend on a cat? One of mine was diagnosed with diabetes. Just today I learned that human insulin isn’t working so I’m going to try cow insulin, which is $78 per bottle. I don’t feel like I should just let K’Ehleyr wither away and die. I think an organ transplant or chemotherapy would be crossing the line for a pet. But daily medecine? At what point is the cost too high? I’d really like some advice.

First, K’Ehleyr is a way cool name for a cat.

Second, here is the passage of the Catechism that is most relevant to the issue at hand:

2415 The seventh commandment enjoins respect for the integrity of creation. Animals, like plants and inanimate beings, are by nature destined for the common good of past, present, and future humanity. Use of the mineral, vegetable, and animal resources of the universe cannot be divorced from respect for moral imperatives. Man’s dominion over inanimate and other living beings granted by the Creator is not absolute; it is limited by concern for the quality of life of his neighbor, including generations to come; it requires a religious respect for the integrity of creation.

2416 Animals are God’s creatures. He surrounds them with his providential care. By their mere existence they bless him and give him glory. Thus men owe them kindness. We should recall the gentleness with which saints like St. Francis of Assisi or St. Philip Neri treated animals.

2417 God entrusted animals to the stewardship of those whom he created in his own image. Hence it is legitimate to use animals for food and clothing. They may be domesticated to help man in his work and leisure. Medical and scientific experimentation on animals, if it remains within reasonable limits, is a morally acceptable practice since it contributes to caring for or saving human lives.

2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.

The above passage gestures toward the principle articulated elsewhere among Catholic theologians that animals are not the subject of “rights,” as humans are. As a result, they do not have a right to life or a right to medical care or other, similar rights. We should treat them with kindness, but the reasons for doing so have to do with respecting God’s handiwork and nurturing our own sense of compassion rather than respecting the rights of an animal.

There isn’t a hard-and-fast amount that is “too much” to spend on a cat or any other kind of pet. The amount that is appropriate depends on your means and the amount of benefit the cat brings to you and/or your family. If your means are very small then only a small amount of money would count as too much. If your means are large then a much larger amount of money would be needed before it was too much. Similarly, if the pet brings very little enjoyment to you and your family (e.g., a pet cricket the kids barely remember to feed) then less money would count as too much, while if it brings a great deal of enjoyment to you and your family (e.g., a playful puppy or kitten) then more money would be needed to count as too much.

When facing a situation where medical treatment will not cure an animal, several additional questions need to be asked:

1) Is the amount of care I/we have to give the animal on an ongoing basis (e.g., giving it a regular diabetes shot, if that is what they do with cats) going to take time away from other things of importance? Will it diminish the enjoyment we get from the pet? Will it pain and confuse the pet on a regular basis? How will it affect our relationship with the pet?

2) How much will this treatment really relieve the suffering of the pet? Will it only prolong the animal’s suffering or will it allow it to live in relative comfort?

3) Given the facts of the situation, which would be more compassionate to the animal and to the family: Allowing a period of protracted illness or putting the animal to sleep and getting it over quickly?

Ultimately, the determination of what should be done in a given situation is up to those who know the situation best, but I hope these considerations are of help in thinking it through.

None Dare Call It "Terrorism"?

Daniel Pipes on the persistent refusal of major media sources to label terrorists as “terrorists.” Excerpt:

The reluctance to call terrorists by their rightful name can reach absurd lengths of inaccuracy and apologetics. For example, National Public Radio’s Morning Edition announced on April 1, 2004, that “Israeli troops have arrested 12 men they say were wanted militants.” But CAMERA, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, pointed out the inaccuracy here and NPR issued an on-air correction on April 26: “Israeli military officials were quoted as saying they had arrested 12 men who were ‘wanted militants.’ But the actual phrase used by the Israeli military was ‘wanted terrorists.'”

(At least NPR corrected itself. When the Los Angeles Times made the same error, writing that “Israel staged a series of raids in the West Bank that the army described as hunts for wanted Palestinian militants,” its editors refused CAMERA’s request for a correction on the grounds that its change in terminology did not occur in a direct quotation.)

One more reason the MSM has *major* problems.

GET THE STORY.

None Dare Call It “Terrorism”?

Daniel Pipes on the persistent refusal of major media sources to label terrorists as “terrorists.” Excerpt:

The reluctance to call terrorists by their rightful name can reach absurd lengths of inaccuracy and apologetics. For example, National Public Radio’s Morning Edition announced on April 1, 2004, that “Israeli troops have arrested 12 men they say were wanted militants.” But CAMERA, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, pointed out the inaccuracy here and NPR issued an on-air correction on April 26: “Israeli military officials were quoted as saying they had arrested 12 men who were ‘wanted militants.’ But the actual phrase used by the Israeli military was ‘wanted terrorists.'”

(At least NPR corrected itself. When the Los Angeles Times made the same error, writing that “Israel staged a series of raids in the West Bank that the army described as hunts for wanted Palestinian militants,” its editors refused CAMERA’s request for a correction on the grounds that its change in terminology did not occur in a direct quotation.)

One more reason the MSM has *major* problems.

GET THE STORY.

Government Agency Stages Terrorism Drill Depicting Homeschoolers As Terrorists

THIS IS NOT A JOKE.

IT IS AN OUTRAGE.

More from the Home School Legal Defense Fund:

======================================================================
From the HSLDA E-lert Service…

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September 22, 2004

Michigan–Homeschoolers Portrayed as “Terrorists”

Dear HSLDA members and friends:

On Monday, September 20, the Muskegon Chronicle reported on a Department of Homeland Security sponsored terrorism drill involving the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District and the Muskegon County Emergency Services. A mock attack would occur on a public
school bus.

The simulated attack would come from a fictitious radical group called “Wackos Against Schools and Education” who believe everyone should be homeschooled.

We immediately called the Muskegon Chronicle and explained how this is offensive to millions of people who have chosen to exercise their right to homeschool.

Homeschoolers have never committed violent acts against public schools or any terrorist acts. Comparing us to the most dangerous people in the world is a terrible insult and a travesty.

The newspaper promised to print our response in a follow-up story.

In addition, calls poured into the Muskegon Intermediate School District and the Muskegon County Emergency Services, who issued apologies which are printed below.

Sincerely,

Chris Klicka
Senior Counsel
Home School Legal Defense Association

Apology from County:

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Muskegon Area Intermediate School District (MAISD)

September 21, 2004

The Muskegon Area Intermediate School District (MAISD) shared the disappointment of others when we learned the September 21, 2004, emergency preparedness drill referenced home-schoolers as the fictitious group responsible for a mock disaster. We apologize.

According to Dan Stout, Chief Deputy, Emergency Services of Muskegon County, this scenario was constructed in his office. A sample scenario was required in order to receive the necessary funding
to stage the event. The Muskegon Area Intermediate School District and our local schools did not construct the scenario, but participated with other county agencies, hospitals, and emergency responders
in conducting the drill.

This exercise was meant to sharpen the skills and response time of our emergency services personnel, but was unfortunately clouded by the choice of this fictional group. We believe this exercise had everything to do with testing emergency response time and the protection of our children. It had nothing to do with the home school population.

As educators, we believe that the first and most important teacher is the parent, whether in home schools, public schools, or non-public schools. We all work together to ensure a safe and secure
environment for our children to live and grow.

We sincerely regret offending home school educators. We believe that all parents are educators and do important work at home with their children.

Sincerely,

Michael H. Bozym,
Superintendent, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District
(MAISD)

**********

In the world today Homeland security is a very important issue. The training of our nation to respond to the many threats we face is of utmost importance. As part of a full scale homeland security exercise on September 21, 2004 in Muskegon, I wrote about a fictional group and fictional scenario for the exercise. This fictional group and scenario made reference to fictional people who are against schools.

This fictional group and scenario was not meant to offend any home school students. It has nothing to do with any home school population. Home school students and former students are a very important part of our nation. This scenario will not be used again.

Daniel Stout
Muskegon County Emergency Services
Daniel Stout: (231) 724-6341
stoutda@co.muskegon.mi.us

*****
Please forward all additional questions and comments to the Public
Information Coordinator at the Muskegon Area Intermediate School
District at ktank@remc4.k12.mi.us or (231) 767-7263.

Kristin Tank
Public Information Coordinator
MAISD
630 Harvey Street
Muskegon, MI 49442-2398
Phone: 231-767-7263
Fax: 231-773-3498
E-mail: ktank@remc4.k12.mi.us
Visit our Web Site: http://www.muskegonisd.org
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OTHER RESOURCES:

Sep. 22: WorldNetDaily (Michigan)
Anti-Homeschooling Bigots Strike Again
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=1820

Sep. 22: Muskegon Chronicle (Michigan)
Homeschoolers Incensed by Drill Scenario
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=1821