“The court also held that “the purported ‘right to marry a person of the same sex’” requires first “asserting that marriage includes the union of two persons of the same sex,” and concluded: “A fatal flaw in this position is that it assumes the truth of the proposition to be proved.” To the claim that same-sex marriage is rooted in the nation’s history and tradition, the court responded, “Plainly, it is not.” Where Judge Walker believed the only rationale for defining marriage as the union of a husband and wife was animus, the Texas decision found legitimate state interests in doing so…”

“As a jaded observer of the livestock industry, I just sighed when I learned the scale of the current salmonella-tainted egg recall: 380 million eggs, distributed under 10 different brands in 17 different states, all from a single producer — Iowa-based Wright County Farms. Another day, another industrial-ag gaffe imperiling the health of millions… But then William Neuman’s New York Times piece hipped me to the name of the owner of Wright County Farms: one Austin “Jack” DeCoster. That’s when my sigh became a gasp. Jack DeCoster is one of the most reviled names in industrial agriculture…”

“If your children attend public school, you are among those parents whose rights will end the moment your child enters the school. That’s because in 2005 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found in Fields v. Palmdale School District ‘that the Meyer-Pierce right [of parents to direct the upbringing of their children] does not exist beyond the threshold of the school door.’ You read that right. Parental Rights ‘[do] not exist beyond the threshold of the school door.’…

“…As predicted last year, the people most hurt by the price increases are those who can least afford them. The used-car market usually attracts people who need transportation on a budget, who cannot afford to buy new. By destroying a quarter’s worth of trade-ins in three weeks and permanently taking them off the market, the Obama administration has forced an artificial inflation by supply restriction. Moreover, they did so by subsidizing new-car sales that would have occurred anyway, eating up three billion dollars in taxpayer money…”

“The Hindenburg Omen reared its ugly head late last week, signaling more doom and gloom as stocks plod along amid the dog days of summer. The Omen, a technical indicator which uses a plethora of data to foreshadow a stock-market crash, was tripped again on Friday, marking the second time since Aug. 12 it has occurred…”

“Rain barrels are a popular aid for gardening, landscaping and cleaning at home. They’re an easy and inexpensive way for consumers to save water, especially in times of drought. As rain-barrel fever has spread across the country, however, certain safety concerns have also arisen. If rain barrels are on your bucket list of things to do, here’s what you should know about how to guard against bacteria and disease—and insure best water quality…”

“A growing number of New York construction workers are vowing not to work on the mosque planned near Ground Zero… The grass-roots movement is gaining momentum on the Internet. One construction worker created the “Hard Hat Pledge” on his blog and asked others to vow not to work on the project if it stays on Park Place…”

“The controversy over the “9/11 mosque” has dangerously missed the point. Yes, it is an offense to the families of nearly 3,000 victims who were killed in the deadliest terrorist attack ever on American soil. Yes, it will reopen and infect deep wounds. And yes, it is perfectly legal and protected by the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. But it is also an affront to Allah. Open your Qur’an and read sura 9, verse 107…”

“…just try ‘income tax without income.’ Just how bad is the California state budget? According to Doug Ross, they’re taxing people on income they have yet to receive. Last year, to balance its books, California paid a bunch of people not in money, but IOUs that the state would make good at some vague, undefined date. …But the state still needs money, so it’s demanding that the recipients pay income taxes on the money they’re owed…”

“[a moving picture] shot from a streetcar traveling down Market Street in San Francisco in 1905. Before the earthquake/fire of 1906 destroyed the area.”

“Japanese artist Isao Hashimoto’s “1945-1998″ is an animated map showing the 2,053 nuclear explosions that took place around the world during the 20th century, from the detonations at Alamogordo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 to the tests conducted by India and Pakistan in 1998…”

“This map shows all the piracy and armed robbery incidents reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre during 2010. If exact coordinates are not provided, estimated positions are shown based on information provided. Zoom-in and click on the pointers to view more information of an individual attack. Pointers may be superimposed on each other.”

“As if investors weren’t feeling edgy enough about the stock market as economic fears mount again, now there’s the “Hindenburg Omen” to worry about. Or not… All four conditions for the omen were met in Thursday’s trading session, the first time that’s happened since June 2008. Three months after that last signal, of course, was the start of the market meltdown that followed the collapse of Lehman Bros…”

“When Brian de Vale and Evette Leavy learned that both of their twin sons would need a kidney transplant to combat a rare disease, they were prepared to donate one of their own organs to save their precious sons’ lives…”

“Ron Sveden had been battling emphysema for months when his condition deteriorated. He was steeling himself for a cancer diagnosis when X-rays revealed the growth in his lung. Doctors believe that Mr Sveden ate the pea at some point, but it “went down the wrong way” and sprouted…”

“This is a photo of the Atlantis AK1000, a 130 ton, 74-foot-tall tidal turbine that will be installed underwater off the cost of Scotland. It is designed to supply electrical power for 1,000 households…”

“…[Sara Ward is] leaving for Ethiopia on September 23rd and after waiting over a year to complete adoption procedures, she’s excited about being able to give her children breastmilk. Ward has always wished she could breastfeed her babies, but never considered it as an option until a friend told her it was possible. Since then, Ward has been busy. She researched online how even women who have never been pregnant can actually produce breastmilk through pumping…”

“…For years, I’ve heard complaints from Christians about why Harry Potter should be avoided at all costs – though they are quick to defend, praise and all but worship JRR Tolkein’s “Lord of the Rings” series and CS Lewis books. It’s frustrating on several levels. First, JK Rowling is an amazing author – both in style and story telling. Second, you simply cannot love Tolkein’s work and reject Rowling’s based on Christian principles. In fact, if anything, you should be quick to defend Rowling for making such an obvious parallel to the pained life, death and resurrection of Christ…”

“…when the devout Baptists and stars of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting faced the catastrophic aftereffects of their 19th child’s premature birth, many assumed they might be done. But now the couple – who only recently brought baby Josie home after being hospitalized for six months as she recovered from a perforated bowel and rare digestive problems – say they are ready to consider a 20th child….”

“Thousands of British online banking customers have fallen victim to a sophisticated attack by cyber criminals who have stolen thousands of pounds from their accounts. About 3,000 online banking customers have been victims of a computer virus attack that empties their accounts while showing them fake statements so the scam goes undetected…”

“Fred and I packed up the boys and some quickie Dollar Store purchases and headed over to Amy’s and Chris’ after dinner tonight to celebrate a time-honored tradition in our friend group: pranking the heck out of the newlyweds’ house. This tradition started almost seven years ago when Fred and I got married. It wasn’t out house that got it. It was Fred’s car. Aside from the usual painted messages and cans tied to the back…”

“…Instead of making an erasable pen, it has made a non-erasable pencil. How’s that for smart thinking? The Sharpie Liquid Pencil contains an “ink” made from liquid graphite and lays it down just like a pen. Once written, you have three days to think on the validity and weight of your words. During this period you can erase it just like pencil-marks. After the three days is up, the pencil lines will turn to ink and remain inscribed forever…”

“Social Security will pay out more this year than it gets in payroll taxes, marking the first time since the program will be in the red since it was overhauled in 1983, according to the annual authoritative report released Thursday by the program’s actuary…”

Does anybody see anything wrong with this picture???

“Quick. Name a legislative issue on which U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint agrees with the House Democratic leadership, i.e., Speaker Nancy Pelosi. It’s OK. We would have had a tough time, too, until South Carolina’s junior Republican senator sent out a news release last week headlined, ‘DeMint Praises U.S. House for Moving to Pass FAA Extension with Essential Safety Provisions.’ “

“A struggling family facing foreclosure has stumbled upon what is considered to be the Holy Grail of comic books in their basement – a fortuitous find that could fetch upwards of a quarter million dollars at auction…”