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U.S. economy: consumer prices rise less than forecast
U.S. consumer prices rose less than forecast in April, reflecting cheaper costs for cars and hotel rooms that offset the biggest jump in food in 18 years.
The consumer price index increased 0.2 percent after a 0.3 percent gain in March, the Labor Department said today in Washington. So-called core prices, which exclude food and energy costs, climbed 0.1 percent, compared with 0.2 percent.... read the story
Vatican says it's OK to believe in aliens
Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.
The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.
"How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?" Funes said. "Just as we consider earthly creatures as 'a brother,' and 'sister,' why should we not talk about an 'extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation."... read the story
When divorce ends employment
Despite some public controversy over the resignation of a Wheaton College professor, several Christian colleges insist that divorce is relevant to employment at such institutions.
English professor Kent Gramm resigned this semester because he did not want to share details of his divorce with school administrators. Walworth County (Wisconsin) divorce records show that Gramm filed for the divorce on February 25, and his wife did not jointly petition.... read the story
'Intimidation' of pastors at issue
Protecting pastors' constitutionally protected right to preach on biblical issues related to politics is the motive behind one Christian law firm's "Pulpit Initiative."
For almost the first 180 years of American history, pastors routinely addressed political issues and candidates from the pulpit. "Until about 1954, churches were free to endorse or oppose particular candidates from the pulpit -- and, in fact, churches did that," says Erik Stanley with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF). "Some pastors opposed Thomas Jefferson as being a deist. Other pastors opposed William Howard Taft as a Unitarian. Some pastors opposed Al Smith in the 1928 presidential election -- and the list goes on and on."... read the story
Centuries-old family businesses share their secrets
In 2000, a few members of the Lyman family moved out of its capacious ancestral home. Though the house, set on a sprawling farm in Middlefield, Conn., had been inhabited by Lymans since its construction in 1785, it was feeling too big for them. Two years later, the 180-member family decided to turn the homestead into an event space for weddings and other occasions. It was the latest in a series of business decisions that have kept the family business thriving for over 200 years.... read the story
Republicans fear public has lost confidence
Republicans must regain the confidence of Americans and recast their message to voters to avoid a catastrophe in the fall congressional elections, top GOP officials said Wednesday in a stark postmortem of a loss in rural Mississippi.
Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, who runs the committee tasked with helping elect Republicans to Congress, said Tuesday's defeat in Mississippi — after losing GOP seats in other special elections in Illinois and Louisiana — was evidence that "a large section of the American people doesn't have confidence in the Republican Party."... read the story
C12- America’s leading resource for Christian CEOs
Schwarzenegger urges lottery bonds for budget
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled on Wednesday a revised $144.35 billion budget plan for the state's next fiscal year that proposes using state lottery revenues to back bonds whose proceeds would help close a $17.2 billion shortfall and build a rainy-day reserve.
California could raise up to $15 billion by selling the debt, which voters would need to approve, the governor said.... read the story
Wives of slain missionaries sue Chiquita for complicity in the murders
When Chiquita Brands International pleaded guilty last year to violating anti-terrorism laws—and was fined $25 million for its payments to Colombian terrorists—Tania Julin and Nancy Hamm felt betrayed and angry.
Though Chiquita's plea did not involve the group that murdered their husbands 12 years ago, the women learned through the case that Chiquita had also paid protection money to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).... read the story
Bernanke talks big picture as inflation looms
Ben Bernanke sure can talk, but others seem to think its time to act -- possibly including a reversal of the Federal Reserve's easy-money policy of the past year.
On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve chairman voiced his theoretical concerns about the potential moral hazard that could be posed if the U.S. central bank bailed out financial companies that had made mistakes. While Bernanke waxed about the Fed's rich philosophical history, other Fed officials chirped about more Main Street issues like rising inflation and the mortgage crisis.... read the story
The latest twist in student loans
Because of the credit crunch, conventional lenders are making it tough for any but the most creditworthy borrowers to qualify for private college loans. Now, a new breed of student lender is trying to get students to return the snub—by writing off the Sallie Maes and Citibanks of the world in favor of relying on friends, family, and even perfect strangers to finance their college loans. "It's not a solution to the credit crisis in student loans by any means," says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of financial aid Web site finaid.org. "But the idea of using peer networks to raise money is intriguing."... read the story
Clinton's West Virginia win highlights Obama's weakness
Hillary Clinton's projected blowout win in today's West Virginia primary - by an expected 2-1 margin - may largely serve to highlight her opponent, Barack Obama, and his perceived political Achilles heel: a weakness with white voters.
Clinton was immediately declared the projected winner seconds after polls closed in a state where the median home price is just $66,000 and whose voters are among the poorest in the nation - 95 percent white, older, with 7 in 10 lacking college degrees.... read the story
Reporters give glimpses of massive destruction in China
Today, several news correspondents narrated a grim scene from some of the Chinese cities and townships hit hardest by the magnitude 7.9 quake that devastated the country this Monday.... read the story
Bush begins tour of Middle East
US President George Bush is travelling to Israel to take part in celebrations for the country's 60th anniversary.
He also hopes to inject some momentum into the current peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
In a BBC interview ahead of his trip the US president said the current status quo between the Israelis and Palestinians was unacceptable.... read the story
Parents losing custody for homeschooling kids
A German couple already being threatened with jail time because they have been homeschooling their children say their nation has taken a turn for the worse, with a new federal law that gives family courts the authority to take custody of children "as soon as there is a suspicion of child abuse," which is how that nation's courts have defined homeschooling.
"The new law is seen as a logical step in carving up family rights after a federal court had decided that homeschooling was an abuse of custody," said a letter from Jurgen Dudek to officials with the U.S.-based Home School Legal Defense Association, an international advocacy organization in support of homeschooling.... read the story
US offers help for Lebanon army
The US is prepared to help strengthen Lebanon's army so it can disarm Hezbollah, US President George W Bush said in an interview with the BBC.
He said the Shia Muslim Hezbollah movement had acted against its own people and was destabilising Lebanon.
He made the remarks ahead of a trip to the Middle East later this week.
At least 60 people have died in clashes in the capital Beirut and other cities between supporters of the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition.... read the story
8 myths about Evangelicals
It is a myth that evangelicals succeed because of conformity and unity, according to one author.
Identifying one of eight myths about evangelicals, Dr. Michael Lindsay said there are many issues, such as global warming and the priority of abortion, that make the faith group’s division apparent, according to Time magazine’s “Swampland.”... read the story
Suing for reconciliation
A small Chinese congregation in Colorado Springs is suing the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) for proceeds from the sale of its sanctuary—and, perhaps, for an explanation.
Chinese Alliance Church of Colorado Springs (CACCC) completed the purchase of its storefront property in 2002. However, denominational bylaws allowed the C&MA to seize the property in 2006 and sell it to a karate studio in 2008 for $550,000.... read the story
Does your healthcare plan fund abortion?
Leading conservative expert on healthcare reform, Dr. Robert Moffitt, says personal freedom and the preservation of human dignity are the most important issues in the national debate over healthcare.
Dr. Moffitt, former deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services during the Reagan administration, warns that since the healthcare plans of most families are controlled by insurers, employers, or government officials, many Americans are unknowingly being forced to subsidize immoral procedures or unethical treatments.... read the story
Emerging business trends
There are few people as well placed and well qualified to see emerging business trends unfold as the world's most influential executive recruiters.
Just consider the experience and perspective they gain from working with a variety of corporate clients to scope the competitive landscape, court exceptional management leaders, and shape succession plans that are both solid enough to ensure continuity but adaptable enough to compensate for challenges looming just over the horizon.... read the story
Tens of thousands dead or missing in China quake
China was reeling Tuesday from its worst earthquake in three decades which left tens of thousands of people dead, missing or trapped under crushed houses, schools and factories.
Rescuers were struggling to reach towns and villages devastated by Monday's huge 7.8 magnitude quake in southwestern Sichuan province, which is still being pummeled by wave after wave of terrifying aftershocks.
The death toll was officially nearly 10,000, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, but that figure was expected to rise dramatically with at least 10,000 people alone buried in Mianzhu city in Sichuan.... read the story
McCain breaks with Bush on climate policy
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) made a sharp break with President Bush on Monday, saying that the United States should adopt mandatory curbs on greenhouse gas emissions as well as issue tradable emissions credits to polluters to spur technological innovation.
"The facts of global warming demand our urgent attention, especially in Washington," he said, speaking at a Portland training facility for Vestas Wind Technology. "We stand warned by serious and credible scientists across the world that time is short and the dangers are great. The most relevant question now is whether our own government is equal to the challenge."... read the story
'Ark of the Covenant altar' found in Sheba's palace
The queen of Sheba's palace at Axum in Ethiopia, purported to once have been the home of the Ark of the Covenant, has been found, archaeologists from the University of Hamburg report.
The Ethiopian queen was the friend and ally of King Solomon of Israel in the 10th century before the Christian era.... read the story
Evangelicals lament a politicized faith
Evangelical Christians should be defined by their theology — and not their politics — to avoid becoming "useful idiots" of a political party, a group of leaders said Wednesday in a new statement.
The document, "An Evangelical Manifesto," reflects the frustration of some within a movement that claims about one in four Americans over how they are perceived by others and who can speak for them. The 19-page document declares that evangelicals err when they try to politicize faith and use Christian beliefs for political purposes.... read the story
Mom: an entrepreneur's secret to success
Richard Branson's parents told him to never criticize anyone. He still tries to apply that rule at Virgin Group. When Bobbi Brown was struggling to decide what to do with her life, her mother suggested a mental exercise that lead to the creation of her eponymous cosmetics business, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Napoleon Barragan, founder of 1-800-Mattress, remembers his mother washing his family's clothes by hand in the river, an image that inspired his drive to succeed.... read the story
Democrats attack Bush energy policy, oil industry tax breaks
Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow attacked the Republican Bush administration's energy policy and tax breaks for the oil industry, urging investment in alternative energy.
Gasoline prices have risen as high as $4 a gallon, from $1.50 when President George W. Bush took office, Stabenow said today. The rise in energy costs has gone from ``annoyance'' to ``crisis,'' affecting everything from the price of groceries to home-heating bills.... read the story
Death toll climbs from Missouri, Oklahoma storms
At least 20 people were killed as tornadoes and severe weather swept the Midwest before rumbling into the Southeast on Sunday morning, according to emergency management agencies.
In the central Georgia town of Dublin, storms killed at least one person, Lisa Janak of the state Emergency Management Agency said.... read the story
Hezbollah rocks eastern villages
Control of several villages loyal to Lebanon's pro-government Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has been handed to the army after an attack by Hezbollah.
The group's fighters used heavy weapons and small arms to attack the mountain settlements south-east of Beirut.... read the story
'Lost' Christians greatest risis in American church
The inability of the church to discuss a topic that has become taboo among many Christians is one of the root causes why millions of Americans are leaving the church and never to return, says one author.
There are "Christians who have experientially lost their faith" but have no one to turn to since church culture shuns the topic, Dave Samford said Thursday.... read the story
U.S. economy: consumer prices rise less than forecast
U.S. consumer prices rose less than forecast in April, reflecting cheaper costs for cars and hotel rooms that offset the biggest jump in food in 18 years.
The consumer price index increased 0.2 percent after a 0.3 percent gain in March, the Labor Department said today in Washington. So-called core prices, which exclude food and energy costs, climbed 0.1 percent, compared with 0.2 percent.... read the story
Vatican says it's OK to believe in aliens
Believing that the universe may contain alien life does not contradict a faith in God, the Vatican's chief astronomer said in an interview published Tuesday.
The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, the Jesuit director of the Vatican Observatory, was quoted as saying the vastness of the universe means it is possible there could be other forms of life outside Earth, even intelligent ones.
"How can we rule out that life may have developed elsewhere?" Funes said. "Just as we consider earthly creatures as 'a brother,' and 'sister,' why should we not talk about an 'extraterrestrial brother'? It would still be part of creation."... read the story
When divorce ends employment
Despite some public controversy over the resignation of a Wheaton College professor, several Christian colleges insist that divorce is relevant to employment at such institutions.
English professor Kent Gramm resigned this semester because he did not want to share details of his divorce with school administrators. Walworth County (Wisconsin) divorce records show that Gramm filed for the divorce on February 25, and his wife did not jointly petition.... read the story
'Intimidation' of pastors at issue
Protecting pastors' constitutionally protected right to preach on biblical issues related to politics is the motive behind one Christian law firm's "Pulpit Initiative."
For almost the first 180 years of American history, pastors routinely addressed political issues and candidates from the pulpit. "Until about 1954, churches were free to endorse or oppose particular candidates from the pulpit -- and, in fact, churches did that," says Erik Stanley with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF). "Some pastors opposed Thomas Jefferson as being a deist. Other pastors opposed William Howard Taft as a Unitarian. Some pastors opposed Al Smith in the 1928 presidential election -- and the list goes on and on."... read the story
Centuries-old family businesses share their secrets
In 2000, a few members of the Lyman family moved out of its capacious ancestral home. Though the house, set on a sprawling farm in Middlefield, Conn., had been inhabited by Lymans since its construction in 1785, it was feeling too big for them. Two years later, the 180-member family decided to turn the homestead into an event space for weddings and other occasions. It was the latest in a series of business decisions that have kept the family business thriving for over 200 years.... read the story
Republicans fear public has lost confidence
Republicans must regain the confidence of Americans and recast their message to voters to avoid a catastrophe in the fall congressional elections, top GOP officials said Wednesday in a stark postmortem of a loss in rural Mississippi.
Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, who runs the committee tasked with helping elect Republicans to Congress, said Tuesday's defeat in Mississippi — after losing GOP seats in other special elections in Illinois and Louisiana — was evidence that "a large section of the American people doesn't have confidence in the Republican Party."... read the story
C12- America’s leading resource for Christian CEOs
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for a GREATER Purpose" or starting a group in your area. Start a C12 Group Now!
Schwarzenegger urges lottery bonds for budget
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled on Wednesday a revised $144.35 billion budget plan for the state's next fiscal year that proposes using state lottery revenues to back bonds whose proceeds would help close a $17.2 billion shortfall and build a rainy-day reserve.
California could raise up to $15 billion by selling the debt, which voters would need to approve, the governor said.... read the story
Wives of slain missionaries sue Chiquita for complicity in the murders
When Chiquita Brands International pleaded guilty last year to violating anti-terrorism laws—and was fined $25 million for its payments to Colombian terrorists—Tania Julin and Nancy Hamm felt betrayed and angry.
Though Chiquita's plea did not involve the group that murdered their husbands 12 years ago, the women learned through the case that Chiquita had also paid protection money to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).... read the story
Bernanke talks big picture as inflation looms
Ben Bernanke sure can talk, but others seem to think its time to act -- possibly including a reversal of the Federal Reserve's easy-money policy of the past year.
On Tuesday, the Federal Reserve chairman voiced his theoretical concerns about the potential moral hazard that could be posed if the U.S. central bank bailed out financial companies that had made mistakes. While Bernanke waxed about the Fed's rich philosophical history, other Fed officials chirped about more Main Street issues like rising inflation and the mortgage crisis.... read the story
The latest twist in student loans
Because of the credit crunch, conventional lenders are making it tough for any but the most creditworthy borrowers to qualify for private college loans. Now, a new breed of student lender is trying to get students to return the snub—by writing off the Sallie Maes and Citibanks of the world in favor of relying on friends, family, and even perfect strangers to finance their college loans. "It's not a solution to the credit crisis in student loans by any means," says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of financial aid Web site finaid.org. "But the idea of using peer networks to raise money is intriguing."... read the story
Clinton's West Virginia win highlights Obama's weakness
Hillary Clinton's projected blowout win in today's West Virginia primary - by an expected 2-1 margin - may largely serve to highlight her opponent, Barack Obama, and his perceived political Achilles heel: a weakness with white voters.
Clinton was immediately declared the projected winner seconds after polls closed in a state where the median home price is just $66,000 and whose voters are among the poorest in the nation - 95 percent white, older, with 7 in 10 lacking college degrees.... read the story
Reporters give glimpses of massive destruction in China
Today, several news correspondents narrated a grim scene from some of the Chinese cities and townships hit hardest by the magnitude 7.9 quake that devastated the country this Monday.... read the story
Bush begins tour of Middle East
US President George Bush is travelling to Israel to take part in celebrations for the country's 60th anniversary.
He also hopes to inject some momentum into the current peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
In a BBC interview ahead of his trip the US president said the current status quo between the Israelis and Palestinians was unacceptable.... read the story
Parents losing custody for homeschooling kids
A German couple already being threatened with jail time because they have been homeschooling their children say their nation has taken a turn for the worse, with a new federal law that gives family courts the authority to take custody of children "as soon as there is a suspicion of child abuse," which is how that nation's courts have defined homeschooling.
"The new law is seen as a logical step in carving up family rights after a federal court had decided that homeschooling was an abuse of custody," said a letter from Jurgen Dudek to officials with the U.S.-based Home School Legal Defense Association, an international advocacy organization in support of homeschooling.... read the story
US offers help for Lebanon army
The US is prepared to help strengthen Lebanon's army so it can disarm Hezbollah, US President George W Bush said in an interview with the BBC.
He said the Shia Muslim Hezbollah movement had acted against its own people and was destabilising Lebanon.
He made the remarks ahead of a trip to the Middle East later this week.
At least 60 people have died in clashes in the capital Beirut and other cities between supporters of the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition.... read the story
8 myths about Evangelicals
It is a myth that evangelicals succeed because of conformity and unity, according to one author.
Identifying one of eight myths about evangelicals, Dr. Michael Lindsay said there are many issues, such as global warming and the priority of abortion, that make the faith group’s division apparent, according to Time magazine’s “Swampland.”... read the story
Suing for reconciliation
A small Chinese congregation in Colorado Springs is suing the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) for proceeds from the sale of its sanctuary—and, perhaps, for an explanation.
Chinese Alliance Church of Colorado Springs (CACCC) completed the purchase of its storefront property in 2002. However, denominational bylaws allowed the C&MA to seize the property in 2006 and sell it to a karate studio in 2008 for $550,000.... read the story
Does your healthcare plan fund abortion?
Leading conservative expert on healthcare reform, Dr. Robert Moffitt, says personal freedom and the preservation of human dignity are the most important issues in the national debate over healthcare.
Dr. Moffitt, former deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services during the Reagan administration, warns that since the healthcare plans of most families are controlled by insurers, employers, or government officials, many Americans are unknowingly being forced to subsidize immoral procedures or unethical treatments.... read the story
Emerging business trends
There are few people as well placed and well qualified to see emerging business trends unfold as the world's most influential executive recruiters.
Just consider the experience and perspective they gain from working with a variety of corporate clients to scope the competitive landscape, court exceptional management leaders, and shape succession plans that are both solid enough to ensure continuity but adaptable enough to compensate for challenges looming just over the horizon.... read the story
Tens of thousands dead or missing in China quake
China was reeling Tuesday from its worst earthquake in three decades which left tens of thousands of people dead, missing or trapped under crushed houses, schools and factories.
Rescuers were struggling to reach towns and villages devastated by Monday's huge 7.8 magnitude quake in southwestern Sichuan province, which is still being pummeled by wave after wave of terrifying aftershocks.
The death toll was officially nearly 10,000, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency, but that figure was expected to rise dramatically with at least 10,000 people alone buried in Mianzhu city in Sichuan.... read the story
McCain breaks with Bush on climate policy
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) made a sharp break with President Bush on Monday, saying that the United States should adopt mandatory curbs on greenhouse gas emissions as well as issue tradable emissions credits to polluters to spur technological innovation.
"The facts of global warming demand our urgent attention, especially in Washington," he said, speaking at a Portland training facility for Vestas Wind Technology. "We stand warned by serious and credible scientists across the world that time is short and the dangers are great. The most relevant question now is whether our own government is equal to the challenge."... read the story
'Ark of the Covenant altar' found in Sheba's palace
The queen of Sheba's palace at Axum in Ethiopia, purported to once have been the home of the Ark of the Covenant, has been found, archaeologists from the University of Hamburg report.
The Ethiopian queen was the friend and ally of King Solomon of Israel in the 10th century before the Christian era.... read the story
Evangelicals lament a politicized faith
Evangelical Christians should be defined by their theology — and not their politics — to avoid becoming "useful idiots" of a political party, a group of leaders said Wednesday in a new statement.
The document, "An Evangelical Manifesto," reflects the frustration of some within a movement that claims about one in four Americans over how they are perceived by others and who can speak for them. The 19-page document declares that evangelicals err when they try to politicize faith and use Christian beliefs for political purposes.... read the story
Mom: an entrepreneur's secret to success
Richard Branson's parents told him to never criticize anyone. He still tries to apply that rule at Virgin Group. When Bobbi Brown was struggling to decide what to do with her life, her mother suggested a mental exercise that lead to the creation of her eponymous cosmetics business, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. Napoleon Barragan, founder of 1-800-Mattress, remembers his mother washing his family's clothes by hand in the river, an image that inspired his drive to succeed.... read the story
Democrats attack Bush energy policy, oil industry tax breaks
Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow attacked the Republican Bush administration's energy policy and tax breaks for the oil industry, urging investment in alternative energy.
Gasoline prices have risen as high as $4 a gallon, from $1.50 when President George W. Bush took office, Stabenow said today. The rise in energy costs has gone from ``annoyance'' to ``crisis,'' affecting everything from the price of groceries to home-heating bills.... read the story
Death toll climbs from Missouri, Oklahoma storms
At least 20 people were killed as tornadoes and severe weather swept the Midwest before rumbling into the Southeast on Sunday morning, according to emergency management agencies.
In the central Georgia town of Dublin, storms killed at least one person, Lisa Janak of the state Emergency Management Agency said.... read the story
Hezbollah rocks eastern villages
Control of several villages loyal to Lebanon's pro-government Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has been handed to the army after an attack by Hezbollah.
The group's fighters used heavy weapons and small arms to attack the mountain settlements south-east of Beirut.... read the story
'Lost' Christians greatest risis in American church
The inability of the church to discuss a topic that has become taboo among many Christians is one of the root causes why millions of Americans are leaving the church and never to return, says one author.
There are "Christians who have experientially lost their faith" but have no one to turn to since church culture shuns the topic, Dave Samford said Thursday.... read the story