A strange tale indeed!
Author: Sal
Law firm readies sex-abuse suits – washtimes
A Washington law firm that demanded a year ago today the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington settle accounts relating to clergy sexual abuse hopes to file claims within the next few months on behalf of 20 victims.
But Kevin Baine, a lawyer with Williams & Connolly, the D.C. firm representing the archdiocese, questions the claims of lawyers for Greenberg-Traurig, which is representing the potential plaintiffs.
“So far, they’ve produced nothing relating to any priest of the archdiocese,” he said. “If they come forward with a series of demands, we will address them.”
Plus, “there is no evidence that any active priest of the archdiocese has ever been involved in sexual abuse,” he added, “and there are not at this point proceedings or negotiations relating to any claims of abuse” by archdiocesan priests.
Ye who carp about the cost of the inaugural festivities
I give you David Frum here and more David Frum here.
And an editorial from the Washington Post from Jan. 3 entitled “Haphazard Charity”.
What’s missing from the WaPo editorial, not surprisingly, is the crucial ingredient for creating wealth: freedom. We can’t just throw money at poor nations, we have to encourage them to become free.
One last thing to consider on the topic of our own attachments and the demands of personal charity, meaning self-sacrificing love, not govermental largesse. In his days as student St. Dominic sold his greatly treasured religious books inscribed on parchment and gave the money to the poor. “I could not bear to prize dead skins when living skins were starving and in need,” he said.
Interesting!
“…archaeologists believe they have uncovered the remains of the Siloam Pool in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem…”
Terrorists, elections, and tapes
In an attempt to influence Palestinian and Iraqi elections, Osama bin Laden released a tape that…
…makes it clear that Muslims under no circumstances should take part in these elections. Rather, they should fight the concept. He adds that “shedding the blood” of Iraqi military, security and national guardsmen “is permitted.”
Al Qaeda’s leader explains that participating in the elections is apostasy because the Iraqi constitution is “a ‘Jahiliyya,’ one made by man.” And, because “the elections are ordered by America.” Anyone voting in the Iraq or Palestine “commits apostasy against Allah,” warns bin Laden. “Muslims must beware of these kinds of elections. They must unite around the Jihad warriors and those who resist the occupiers.”
As you recall, he released a tape in advance of our election threatening the most dire consequences if Bush was relected. He couldn’t send bombs or planes, famine or pestilence, so he sent a tape. It was tactical and strategic miscalculation of the first order. Read “Osama’s ballot box phobia” in TWT today and see bin Laden is indeed running scared of these elections.
Richard Gere has also made a tape, encouraging Palestinians to get out and vote.
In a transcript obtained by The Associated Press, he said: “Hi, I’m Richard Gere, and I’m speaking for the entire world. We’re with you during this election time. It’s really important: Get out and vote.”
To them Richard Gere might symbolize the decadence and excess of American culture, if they even know who he is.