Mid-Week Post

Stuff to say.


These "brave" people are strangely absent in Toronto:

A group of atheists and agnostics sued in federal court Wednesday seeking to stop an evangelical Christian prayer event next month that was proposed and is endorsed by Texas' governor.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation argues in its lawsuit filed in Houston that Republican Gov. Rick Perry's day of prayer and fasting would violate the constitutional ban on the government endorsing a religion. The event, which is called The Response and is billed as Christian-only, is scheduled for Aug. 6 at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

"The plaintiffs seek a declaration that Texas Governor Rick Perry's initiation, organization, promotion and participation as governor in a prayer rally at Reliant Stadium ... violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," the complaint says.

The group, which unsuccessfully sued to stop a national day of prayer earlier this year, filed the case on behalf of 700 members in Texas and called on the court to stop Perry from participating in the meeting or using his office to promote or recognize it.

Perry held a conference call with ministers who will be participating in the event on Wednesday, according to his spokeswoman, Catherine Frazier. She did not have any details on what was discussed, but said the lawsuit will not change his plans.

"He believes it will serve as an important opportunity for Americans to gather together and pray to God, seeking his wisdom and guidance as our nation navigates the challenges before it. The pending litigation does not affect plans for the prayer event to carry out as planned." Frazier said.

A spokesman for the event, Eric Bearse, dismissed the foundation's claims.

"This kind of legal harassment is no surprise, but we will vigorously defend the right of Americans to assemble and pray and we will win," he said.

As much as these people like the sound of their own voices, no one asked them what they think. When they are willing to tackle the far less tolerant, then I might listen.



Because he is Mark Steyn:

It’s the scene every Friday at the cafeteria of Valley Park Middle School in Toronto. That’s not a private academy, it’s a public school funded by taxpayers. And yet, oddly enough, what’s going on is a prayer service – oh, relax, it’s not Anglican or anything improper like that; it’s Muslim Friday prayers, and the Toronto District School Board says don’t worry, it’s just for convenience: They put the cafeteria at the local imams’ disposal because otherwise the kids would have to troop off to the local mosque and then they’d be late for Lesbian History class or whatever subject is scheduled for Friday afternoon. 

Meanwhile, Afghan women train to be pilots in the US  and the cultists are at it again in Mumbai.



North Korea wants to horn in on South Korea's racket:

North Korea would like to share some events in the 2018 Winter Olympics with South Korea, according to a senior North Korean sports official.

Jang Ung, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said it was "positive" for Asia to host only its third Winter Games, the South's Yonhap news agency reported from Tokyo on Wednesday.

Asked about the possibility of sharing some events with host town Pyeongchang, Jang replied: "I hope so."

"The political and military situations between the Koreas aren't good and they have to be improved," Jang was quoted as saying. "Otherwise, they could influence the Olympics."

Th North Korean official was visiting the Japanese capital for the general assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia.

Later in the day he qualified his remarks, saying it was premature to discuss co-hosting the 2018 Olympics or sharing some events.

"My point was that the current situation between South and North Korea must improve," Jang said. "It's not yet time to talk about co-hosting."

South Korea should develop some mandu and tell North Korea they'll have to raise their own money and prestige by selling weapons or shelling innocent civilians as they have always done. It's not like anyone is going to grow a real spine and tell North Korea to stop being a militaristic sponge.



Kind of like what the Japanese are doing:

Japanese lawmakers urged the United States on Wednesday not to give food aid to North Korea, saying the donations could ease pressure on Pyongyang to free Japanese citizens abducted decades ago.

The delegation, joined by victims' relatives, has been meeting with U.S. officials and lawmakers this week to raise awareness of the unresolved cases of at least 12 citizens Tokyo says were kidnapped by North Korea in the 1970s and '80s.

They also urged the U.S. to designate North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. Washington lifted the designation in 2008.

"We can resolve the abduction issue if we make the regime of North Korea weaker and put it under maximum pressure," Japanese ruling party lawmaker Jin Matsubara told The Associated Press.

He said his impression is that the U.S. is willing to provide food aid if it can secure proper monitoring of the handouts, which were requested by impoverished North Korea in January after harsh weather hit staple crops. The United Nations has appealed for emergency assistance for 6 million people. The U.S. says it has yet to reach a decision.

Matsubara, one of eight Japanese lawmakers in the delegation, asserted that regardless of monitoring in place, aid would be diverted by North Korea's communist regime and would not reach the people who need it.

Japan's government, a close U.S. ally, has said it has no plan to give food aid.

The abductees issue has captivated attention in Japan since Pyongyang acknowledged in 2002, after years of denial, that it had kidnapped 13 Japanese to train its spies. It returned five abductees but claimed the rest had died.

Japan disputes that and says as many as 12 Japanese may still be captives in North Korea.

They are getting politely livid.



Because silence is better than justice:

“I know freedom of speech is protected by the Charter,” the man said. It just doesn’t work on reserves, where everyone knows everyone else, is related, and where band politics can be ruthless as well as nepotism-riddled.

He's played a PM. Now he is expanding his repertoire. 


Wow.


Also wow:

A string of a dozen volcanoes, at least several of them active, has been found beneath the frigid seas near Antarctica, the first such discovery in that region.

Some of the peaks tower nearly 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) above the ocean floor — nearly tall enough to break the water's surface.