August 24, 2011

Mt. Dora, FL teacher receives word from board...

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Jerry Buell, Mount Dora (FL) High School's "Teacher of the Year" last year has been reinstated.    He had been reassigned from his classroom to do administrative work since last week as the result of comments on his private Facebook page about his opposition to gay marriage and his being offended about seeing homosexual behavior on TV.    The school board had been "investigating" Mr. Buell, and he had been represented by Liberty Counsel.   The board on Wednesday afternoon announced the reinstatement of Jerry Buell.

Latest from Libya...

It's not apparent where Libyan strongmen Moammar Gadhafi is actually speaking from, but earlier today, he made a defiant declaration of "martyrdom or victory" in the struggle against the "aggressors" in Libya.  Meanwhile, Christians in Tripoli met in prayer for the country and the future of Christians throughout the northern African nation.   According to Open Doors:

The Open Doors country coordinator for Libya, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "Every day around noon, a part of the small Christian community gathers to encourage each other."

Open Doors estimates the number of indigenous Libyan Christians is around 150. However, prior to the start of the revolution, the expatriate Christian community was believed to be approximately 180,000. Large numbers of migrant workers left Libya after the revolt that started Feb. 15, but a small number of foreign Christians remain in Libya.

"Today a group of Christians from Tripoli shared with me that they are doing well and said the atmosphere is okay," the Open Doors worker said. "Also, the church is still in good condition and undamaged despite fighting in the capital."

It's still unclear about what type of government will be put in place in Libya when and if the rebel forces take control and officially overthrow Gadhafi.   Some suspect that the new government will have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and, in fact, be more of a fundamental Islamic government than the Gadhafi regime.

Earthquake rumblings...

Some aftershocks today after the 5.8 earthquake that affected the East Coast, including Washington, DC and New York City.   The most significant damage today appears to be at the National Cathedral, where 3 pinnacles on the Central Tower lost stones, plus there are reports of other structural damage.   The Washington Monument is closed while officials attempt to determine its safety - some cracks were reported near the top of the obelisk.   Schools in the DC area were closed, and some Federal workers were offered the option of working from home.  


Election results

Todd Strange easily won re-election to a full term as Mayor of Montgomery yesterday.   8 of 9 Council members are definitely returning - 2 ran unopposed, 2 more were elected to full terms after winning their seats in special elections, 4 won their elections outright, and 1 more - Jim Spear of District 1, will be in a runoff election on October 4 - his opponent will be Richard Bollinger.

Biden's comments on China's "one-child" policy

Vice-President Biden, on a trip to China, made some controversial comments about China's one-child forced sterilization policy.   He is quoted as saying:

“But as I was talking to some of your leaders, you share a similar concern here in China. You have no safety net. Your policy has been one which I fully understand – I’m not second-guessing – of one child per family. The result being that you’re in a position where one wage earner will be taking care of four retired people. Not sustainable.”

Here is the story from The Christian Post.


Penny Nance of Concerned Women for America expressed her disappointment at these statements:

“Vice President Biden’s approval of China’s one-child policy, which uses forced abortion to enforce the law, crosses the lines of ignorant and wrong.”

 “Then to suggest that the United States should learn from China’s policy, like forcing its citizens to have only one child, to help manage debt, is an insult to the basic American values of life and liberty,” Nance said.

Biden has attempted to "clarify" his remarks, but the clarification strikes me as more of a contradiction.   Here is the report from The Washington Times.

Family TV makes an impressive showing...

“Who Is Simon Miller”, the latest in the Family Movie Night series presented by Wal-Mart and Proctor & Gamble, shown on NBC on Saturday, August 6th, was the #1 show in the 8 – 10PM EST time slot with 3.31 Million viewers.

Of the Family Movie Night movies to date, “Who Is Simon Miller” is the highest rated Saturday airing.

“Who Is Simon Miller” on NBC had 28% more viewers than the Harry Potter movie which aired in the same time slot on ABC.

The next Family Movie Night is coming up on Saturday, Sept. 3rd - it's called “Game Time: Tackling the Past” is football themed film focusing on the issues of humility and forgiveness as well as the importance of a strong work ethic. The film's stated goal is to show that being a good person is more than just looking like one.   This made for TV movie will premier on NBC on September 3 at 7:00 Central.

And, an encore performance of a previous Family Movie Night, "A Walk in My Shoes", airs this Saturday at 7:00pm, again on NBC.