The Washington Examiner reports that yet another top government aide has moved over to K Street — the lobbying and consulting corridor in Washington, D.C. Damon Munchus, former aide to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, will now work for Cypress Group, which counts among its clients some of the nation’s largest banks. I’ve written before about … Read more
Children can now find their sperm donor fathers thanks to science and the Internet, and sperm banks are rethinking their policies as a result. Over at Slate, Rachel Lehmann-Haupt tells the story of a mother who went in search of her child’s biological father because she wanted to learn more about his health and genetic … Read more
First: Way to go, Canada! Much to the shame of my Canadian family, I’m a hockey dunce. But I watched my first game in 20 years yesterday — and wow, I picked a good one! Team U.S.A. looked broken-hearted after their loss, but they should hold their heads up. It was a close game. Silver … Read more
A new bill called The Dietary Supplement Safety Act (DSSA) of 2010 (S. 3002) has been introduced by Senator John McCain (R-AZ). The bill, cosponsored by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND), will curtail free access to dietary supplements (like vitamins) and give the FDA full control over the supplement industry. The DSSA would undo the protections … Read more
Damian Thompson at the Telegraph isn’t happy with the English bishops for their silence in the face of the sex education bill that went before Parliament a few days ago. The leglislation will require Catholic schools to provide information to students on how to access contraception and abortion. Thompson reports “an astonishingly ignorant and sneering … Read more
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of unmarried couples cohabitating shot up to 88% from 1990 to 2007. The New York Post reports that this trend has sparked an increase in pre-prenups — cohabitation agreements drawn up to protect each party and their interests should the relationship end. These agreements are particularly popular … Read more
This is one of the loveliest photos I’ve ever seen: Miriam, the sister of the late Georgian Luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili, in her home town this weekend during his funeral. The picture perfectly captures a sister’s grief. Heart-breaking. In spite of the Olympics’ tragic start, I have found the games exciting thus far. As … Read more
The Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) is holding its annual conference right now in Washington, D.C. and these comments by Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict caught my eye today: I’m sure we’ll hear an awful lot about “limited government” from the mouths of CPAC politicians over the next few days. If I had a … Read more
Lent. It’s here already. My Shrove Tuesday fare was a bit subdued because I’m fighting a cold, but I managed to make my favorite pancakes. With only 7 tablespoons of flour and 1 cup of sour cream, it’s the perfect food for Fat Tuesday. But I’m not posting to tell you about my pancakes. A … Read more
According to a Catholic News Service (CNS) report , a new “insider’s” look at Pope John Paul II is getting snubbed by the Vatican. The book, Why He’s a Saint: The Real John Paul II According to the Postulator of His Beautification Cause, was written by Msgr. Slawomir Oder, with the help of an Italian journalist. … Read more
I’ve picked on Ohio numerous times in the past, and I’m about to do it again. A new report by the Trafficking in Persons Study Commission (formed last year by Ohio Attorney General Richard Condray) found that Ohio is not only a destination place for foreign-born victims of human trafficking, but also a place of recruitment. In … Read more
Here’s something incredible: killer whales that have developed the ability to hunt seals and sea lions on the shoreline. National Geographic scientists spotted two orcas on the beaches of Argentina, riding waves onto the shore, grabbing seals, and then using their fins to “walk” back into deeper water. Apparently, the whales are teaching each other … Read more
I’m not much of a football fan, but I usually find myself watching the Superbowl every year. It provides an excuse for a party, after all, and that means snacks. This year I was rooting for the Saints, mainly because they were the underdogs and have never taken home the Lombardi trophy. (Plus, I like … Read more
If you ask me, we’re way overdue for a Wendell Berry reading around here. In Berry’s essay The Use of Energy, he reflects on the agrarian ethos, the connection between religion and energy, and the role of living things, tools, and machines. He concludes that the energy crisis is not one of technology, but of … Read more
In his audience last Wednesday, Pope Benedict spoke about the model St. Francis provides for dialogue with other religions, particularly Islam. Francis met in 1210 with the leading Muslim leader, Sultan Malik al-Kamil, in Egypt: “I want to underline this episode in the life of St. Francis because of its great relevance. At a time … Read more
Michael Pollan’s new book, Food Rules, is number one on Amazon and was called “the best nutrition book in 40 years,” by New York Times personal health columnist, Jane E. Brody: “I suspect that this little book can do more than the most authoritative text to get you motivated to make some important, lasting, health-promoting and … Read more
Remember those white phosphorus shells that the Israeli government swore up and down were never used on the United Nations compound in Gaza last January? Well, they were wrong. Paul Wood of BBC News in Jerusalem reports: Buried in paragraph 108 of the Israeli report to the UN is the key fact of the document. Two … Read more
Brian and I teach RCIA, and love it. Our parish is a historic downtown church — the oldest basilica in the country, actually — and most parishioners travel some distance to attend. In an attempt to get to know the candidates and catechumens better, we’ve been getting together with each of them over lunch or … Read more
Catholic News Service reports that Pope Benedict has asked marriage tribunals not to grant annulments too easily. “We run the risk of falling into an anthropological pessimism which, in the light of today’s cultural situation, considers it almost impossible to marry,” the pope said in a speech Jan. 29 to members of the Tribunal of … Read more
Most of the Christians I know chose to ignore Pat Robertson’s recent comments about Haiti’s ‘pact with the devil’ causing the earthquake. But who would have thought Robertson’s biggest defender would be British atheist Richard Dawkins? In fact, Roberston’s comments gave Dawkins yet another reason to share his contempt for Christians… this time, in the … Read more