Urgent Alert from Save Darfur

Satellite images show hundreds of burned villages in Sudan
Tens of thousands homeless in Abyei, Darfur

Please read this message and take action to help stop the violence in Sudan.

We've taken two trips in the last few months to the disputed region of Abyei bordering North and South Sudan. Throughout this time, we've been sounding the alarm that Abyei was likely going to be a flash point for violence.

Sadly, our concerns are now becoming a reality.

Over the past week, villages in the Abyei region were burned to the ground, and tens of thousands of people were forced to flee their homes. In Darfur over the past few months, the UN has also documented aerial bombardment of civilians and burning of villages with tens of thousands of Sudanese driven from their homes.

We urge you to join us in acting before this violence leads to a full-scale resumption of war in Sudan.

Thanks to our Satellite Sentinel Project, we now have something we've never had before: satellite images that we can use to show the world, with indisputable proof, the systematic nature of violence targeted against civilian populations.

Last fall, when we traveled to the region and spoke with the citizens of Abyei, we heard the same message again and again: the people of Abyei were worried that fighting would erupt, and they asked for the United States and other countries to step in to help protect them.

Take a look at the Satellite Sentinel Project report, and join us in asking President Obama to take swift, bold action to help stop the violence — in Abyei, Darfur and all of Sudan.

Take action now.

Thank you for your help to support the people of Abyei and all of Sudan
at this critical moment.

Sincerely,

George Clooney and John
Prendergast

(From the Save Darfur Coalition, 3/9/2011)

"Safe Harbour Be, God of Us All"

Many of you may not know who Richard Gillard is. He's the devout Christian singer and songwriter from New Zealand who wrote the well-known "Servant Song" back in the seventies. "Will you let me be your servant, / Let me be as Christ to you, / Pray that I may have the grace to / Let you be my servant, too." Now, in the aftermath of the earthquake that shook his country last week, Richard has written a new song which he calls "Safe Harbour Be, God of us all... a song, a prayer for Christchurch--our 'city in ruins.'" It's a beautiful, prayerful hymn of trust in God and I encourage you to take a listen.



May God grant His peace and comfort to all those affected by the earthquake.

Some of My Latest Projects

Last week I started writing a review of the movie "Food, Inc." because I learned some important things from it about the U.S. food industry, and I want to make the film better known so that more Americans will watch it.

I'm also reading lately about the life of Father Demetrius Augustine Gallitzin, one of America's pioneer priests, who founded the Catholic community of Loretto in Pennsylvania. What an interesting character he was. He was a wealthy and well-educated Russian prince who gave up all his worldly privileges and fame to become a priest in the wilderness of the early United States. In forty years of hard mission work at Loretto, mostly done with his own hands and at his own expense, he did much to build up the Catholic Church in western Pennsylvania. His cause for sainthood was opened in March 2005 and he is currently honored by the Church with the title Servant of God. My next book project (after the Mother Teresa book) will be a biography of this saintly man, Father Gallitzin.

Also, I'm planning to write a long article about the new edition of the Roman Missal that the Church will begin using for Mass this November. I'm quite enthusiastic about the changes that are coming because the new liturgical texts are more faithful to the original Latin of the Novus Ordo and will impart a greater majesty and reverence to the celebration of the ordinary form of the Mass.

Case Open: Who Shot Gabrielle Giffords?

The apparent assassination attempt on Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords this past Saturday, January 8, has shocked and saddened all Americans of goodwill, including myself. It does not matter that Representative Giffords’ political affiliation differs from mine, or that I disagree with her on some very important issues. What matters is that I abhor such violence and hatred with every fiber of my being, and that this brutal attack on an innocent person deserves the most vigorous condemnation. I am keeping Mrs. Giffords and her family in my prayers, and I am also praying for her attacker who committed this savage act of terrorism.

According to media reports, on Saturday Mrs. Giffords was attending a political event in the parking lot of a Tucson shopping center when a young Arizonan man opened fire on the crowd, killing six people (including a federal judge, John Roll) and wounding fourteen others. Mrs. Giffords was among the wounded, having been shot in the head at point-blank range. Although suffering severe brain damage and remaining in critical condition in a hospital in Tucson, the 40-year-old congresswoman survives and appears likely to make at least a partial recovery.

The suspect in this shooting has been identified as a 22-year-old man by the name of Jared Lee Loughner. The U.S. government has charged him with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted assassination of a member of Congress and two other counts of attempted murder. FBI investigators have dug up several pieces of evidence pointing to Loughner’s guilt. One is an envelope in his house with the handwritten phrases “I planned ahead” and “My assassination” along with “Giffords” and what looks like Loughner’s signature. Another is a “rambling Internet manifesto” written under the name of Loughner. This is an incoherent piece of Neo-Nazi extremist drivel in which the author repeatedly praises Adolf Hitler, accuses our government of mind control and demands a new U.S. currency without the motto “In God We Trust.” The picture that emerges is of a mentally disturbed young radical who acted alone in attempting to assassinate Representative Giffords, egged on by a national climate of political frustration with Democrats.

This official account sounds plausible enough on the surface—much like the official account of the assassination of JFK. In that case, the suspect was Lee Harvey Oswald, a 24-year-old former U.S. Marine who had briefly defected to the Soviet Union. Oswald was arrested shortly after the shooting of President Kennedy in Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas and charged with murdering the president the next day, but he insistently denied this charge. In 1964 when the Warren Commission, established by President Lyndon Johnson to look into the assassination of his predecessor, issued its official report on the matter, the conclusion was that in all likelihood Oswald acted alone.

In his 1991 bestselling book, Plausible Denial: Was the CIA Involved in the Assassination of JFK?, lawyer and investigative journalist Mark Lane offered a compelling challenge to the official government account of JFK’s death. He told how, in a Florida court case in which he was involved in 1985, veteran CIA agent E. Howard Hunt sued Spotlight magazine for an allegedly libelous article claiming that he was present in Dallas on November 22, 1963 and played a role in the assassination of President Kennedy. The magazine was found not guilty. Hunt had not acted alone but was part of a carefully orchestrated, super-secret plot to murder Kennedy and plant false evidence incriminating Oswald that involved half a dozen CIA operatives. Their reason for doing so was apparently to retaliate for the president’s determination to reform the Central Intelligence Agency and put a stop to the agency’s illegal activities around the world, such as the unsuccessful 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion in which it attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro. Kennedy was also conducting successful negotiations with the Soviet Union, leveling off the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, and planning to withdraw all American troops from Vietnam by 1965. These developments clashed with the agenda of the U.S. political establishment at the time, dominated by hard-line anti-Communists, who insisted on military might and clandestine subversive activities to bring down the Soviet Union.

So what does all this have to do with the attack on Mrs. Giffords? As with the Kennedy assassination, the official story we are being served by our government and media about the attempt on the congresswoman may be a cover story, not the true story. A powerful government establishment engineered the Kennedy assassination, almost fifty years ago; it is possible that scheming forces within the Washington establishment of our own time may have orchestrated this new act of political violence.

Both the JFK assassination and the Giffords assault are acts of domestic terrorism. As defined in my book America’s Back-Door Enemy, terrorism is violence carried out with a political motivation. If our government establishment played some role in the attack on Representative Giffords, it may have had the following motivation for doing so: Cast the rising Republican Tea Party movement—which threatens the establishment power—as extremist, bigoted, and hateful, thereby weakening it and undermining its reputation. The Tea Party stands for traditional values, an end to abortion, lower taxes, smaller government, and fiscal responsibility—all of which are anathema to the Obama administration. The Washington establishment cannot stop the peaceful Republican revolution from taking over America, but it can at least attempt to frighten and discredit the movement and tarnish its image ahead of the presidential election next year.

The violent, godless and evil ideals ascribed to Jared Lee Loughner could not be further from those of the new American popular movement. It is peaceful, positive, upright, and God-fearing in its aims and in the means to achieve them. Violence against other human beings is destructive and wrong, no matter who carries it out.

Welcome to the new Justin's Corner!

As I mark one and a half years of blogging this month, I've switched to a new template that fits the theme of Justin's Corner better. Please be patient as the redesign and customization of my blog will continue to take shape in the coming weeks. In the meantime, curl up with a hot cup of tea, relax, enjoy your visit, and feel free to leave your comments about the new Justin's Corner.

2011: A New Year, New Hope

2010 was quite a productive year for me. Among other things, I worked hard on the draft of my second book; learned how to use music software to write piano arrangements of my favorite hymns; undertook studies of creation theology, English literature and astronomy; grew corn, tomatoes, watermelon and cilantro in my garden, some of which I dried and put away for the winter; learned how to take care of ducks; had my computer's hard drive replaced; churned out a few articles about healthcare, the elections and solar flares; joined Twitter; and learned how to upload YouTube videos to my blog. I'm thankful to God for all the good things He gave me this past year.

2011 promises to be an even better year. After being dead for two years, my dad's irrigation design and drafting business is starting to come back. When things get busier I'll be able to help him with the business. My dad designs irrigation systems, mostly for residential areas; his main client is a landscape architect in southern California. In addition to helping him as needed, I look forward to continuing my studies, writing and music writing.

I think it was in a post last January that I said I'd report the results of niche marketing for my book on terrorism. Well, the result is that there was very little interest in the book this year. I'm sure that there are a number of reasons for this, including the difficult economy, an unpleasant subject matter, and a decline of interest in the subject of American foreign policy since the Bush administration passed on. Yet regardless of how many people buy the book, it contains an important message for the American people about what terrorism is and how to combat it, and how some of our politicians have deceived us regarding the true nature of "Islamic" terrorism. Should anyone be interested to read it, the book -- America's Back-Door Enemy: Unmasking the Unknown Terrorists -- is still available from Tate Publishing here as well as on Amazon.com and other book sites. You may also find the book at your local library or bookstore; check and see if they have it.

Details about my second book are coming soon.

May God bless you in 2011!

China Supports Genocide in Darfur

Here is the latest from the Save Darfur Coalition:

With the referendum on southern independence only a few weeks away, time is running out to prevent a return to large-scale violence in Sudan and improve the deteriorating situation in Darfur.

Thankfully, the United States holds the Presidency of the U.N. Security Council during December. This is a critical opportunity for President Obama and Ambassador Susan Rice to rally world leaders to prevent violence in Sudan, but there is a big problem:

China.

China helped finance the genocide in Darfur through its oil purchases and supplied the genocidaires with weapons. Beijing has repeatedly used its influence to shield members of the regime in Khartoum from international pressure. Just last month China tried to bury a U.N. Report that says Chinese bullets were used in Darfur.

Tell Ambassador Rice to hold China accountable and demand that it join international efforts to promote peace in Sudan.

The U.N. Security Council was established to “ensure global peace and stability,” but China has not used its seat to help bring peace to Sudan. When given a choice to protect the leaders of the Sudanese regime or the people of Darfur, the Chinese have consistently sided with their business partners in Khartoum.

Ask Ambassador Rice to hold China accountable for its role in Darfur.

President Obama and Ambassador Rice have taken important and direct steps to prioritize Sudan on the global stage. But getting things done at the U.N. without China’s cooperation is nearly impossible. However, China does respond to pressure. China allowed the crisis in Darfur to be referred to the International Criminal Court, leading to arrest warrants for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir and others. And China recently abstained on the reauthorization of the Darfur arms embargo. It’s not easy, but our activism can make a difference.

Send your message to Ambassador Rice: The U.S. must demand that China use its seat on the Security Council to promote peace in Sudan.

--Mark Lotwis

Election Report: The Pro-Life Elect

AMERICA'S PRO-LIFE ELECT -- 2010
List compiled by Justin Soutar
December 1, 2010

There were many victories for the pro-life movement and traditional values in this year's election. Following is a complete state-by-state list of all pro-life governors, senators and representatives newly elected or re-elected in 2010. (NOTE: Only individuals who could be positively identified as pro-life are listed here. Elected individuals whose position on abortion is unknown or unclear have been omitted from the list.)

Triple stars denote the newly elected pro-life individuals; no stars, re-elected pro-life incumbents. All individuals belong to the Republican Party unless otherwise identified as Democrats. (Double stars indicate a pro-life Democrat.)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ALABAMA
Governor -- *** Robert Bentley ***
Senator -- Richard Shelby
Representatives –
*** Martha Roby ***
*** Mo Brooks ***
Mike Rogers
Spencer Bachus
Robert Aderholt
Jo Bonner

ALASKA
Representatives --
Don Young

ARIZONA
Governor -- Jan Brewer
Senator -- John McCain
Representatives –
*** Paul Gosar ***
*** David Schweikert ***
Trent Franks
Jeff Flake

ARKANSAS
Senator -- *** John Boozman ***
Representatives –
*** Rick Crawford ***
*** Tim Griffin ***
*** Steve Womack ***
Mike Ross (**Pro-Life Democrat**)

CALIFORNIA
Representatives --
*** Jeff Denham ***
Duncan Hunter
Darrell Issa
Ken Calvert
John Campbell
Gary Miller
Ed Royce
Dana Rohrabacher
David Dreier
Jerry Lewis
Buck McKeon
Elton Gallegly
Kevin McCarthy
Devin Nunes
Dan Lungren
Wally Herger
Tom McClintock

COLORADO
Representatives --
*** Cory Gardner ***
*** Scott Tipton ***
Mike Coffman
Doug Lamborn

FLORIDA
Governor -- *** Rick Scott ***
Senator -- *** Marco Rubio ***
Representatives –
*** David Rivera ***
*** Mario Diaz-Balart ***
*** Dennis Ross ***
*** Sandy Adams ***
*** Daniel Webster ***
*** Richard Nugent ***
*** Steve Southerland ***
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Tom Rooney
Connie Mack
Vern Buchanan
Bill Posey
Gus Bilirakis
Bill Young
John Mica
Ander Crenshaw
Cliff Stearns
Jeff Miller

GEORGIA
Governor -- *** Nathan Deal ***
Senator -- Johnny Isakson
Representatives –
*** Austin Scott ***
*** Rob Woodall ***
Jack Kingston
Paul Broun
Lynn Westmoreland
Tom Graves
Tom Price
Phil Gingrey

IDAHO
Governor -- Butch Otter
Senator -- Mike Crapo
Representatives –
*** Raul Labrador ***
Mike Simpson

ILLINOIS
Representatives --
*** Adam Kinzinger ***
*** Joe Walsh ***
*** Randy Hultgren ***
*** Bobby Schilling ***
Tim Johnson
Peter Roskam
Donald Manzullo
Aaron Schock
John Shimkus
Dan Lipinski (**Pro-Life Democrat**)
Jerry Costello (**Pro-Life Democrat**)

INDIANA
Senator -- *** Dan Coats ***
Representatives –
*** Todd Young ***
*** Larry Bucshon ***
*** Todd Rokita ***
*** Marlin Stutzman ***
Mike Pence
Dan Burton
Joe Donnelly (**Pro-Life Democrat**)

IOWA
Senator -- Chuck Grassley
Representatives –
Tom Latham
Steve King

KANSAS
Governor -- *** Sam Brownback ***
Senator -- *** Jerry Moran ***
Representatives –
*** Mike Pompeo ***
*** Tim Huelskamp ***

KENTUCKY
Senator -- *** Rand Paul ***
Representatives –
Hal Rogers
Ed Whitfield
Brett Guthrie
Geoff Davis

LOUISIANA
Senator -- David Vitter
Representatives –
*** Jeff Landry ***
Steve Scalise
Bill Cassidy
Rodney Alexander
Charles Boustany
John Fleming

MARYLAND
Representatives –
*** Andy Harris ***
Roscoe Bartlett

MICHIGAN
Governor -- *** Rick Snyder ***
Representatives –
*** Tim Walberg ***
*** Justin Amash ***
*** Bill Huizenga ***
*** Dan Benishek ***
Mike Rogers
Candice Miller
Thaddeus McCotter
Dave Camp

MINNESOTA
Representatives –
*** Chip Cravaack ***
Michele Bachmann
Erik Paulsen
John Kline
Collin Peterson (**Pro-Life Democrat**)

MISSISSIPPI
Representatives –
*** Steven Palazzo ***
*** Alan Nunnelee ***
Gregg Harper

MISSOURI
Senator -- *** Roy Blunt ***
Representatives –
*** Billy Long ***
*** Vicky Hartzler ***
Jo Ann Emerson
Todd Akin
Blaine Luetkemeyer
Sam Graves

MONTANA
Representative -- Denny Rehberg

NEBRASKA
Governor -- Dave Heineman
Representatives –
Lee Terry
Jeff Fortenberry
Adrian Smith

NEVADA
Representatives –
*** Joe Heck ***
Dean Heller

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Senator -- *** Kelly Ayotte ***
Representatives –
*** Frank Guinta ***

NEW JERSEY
Representatives --
Chris Smith
Frank LoBiondo
Scott Garrett

NEW MEXICO
Governor -- *** Susana Martinez ***
Representatives –
*** Steve Pearce ***

NEW YORK
Representatives --
*** Chris Gibson ***
*** Nan Hayworth ***
*** Richard Hanna ***
*** Michael Grimm ***
*** Tom Reed ***
Peter King

NORTH CAROLINA
Senator -- Richard Burr
Representatives –
*** Renee Ellmers ***
Walter Jones
Howard Coble
Mike McIntyre (**Pro-Life Democrat**)
Virginia Foxx
Patrick McHenry
Heath Shuler (**Pro-Life Democrat**)

NORTH DAKOTA
Senator -- *** John Hoeven ***
Representative – *** Rick Berg ***

OHIO
Governor -- *** John Kasich ***
Senator -- *** Rob Portman ***
Representatives –
*** Bill Johnson ***
*** Jim Renacci ***
*** Bob Gibbs ***
*** Steve Stivers ***
*** Steve Chabot ***
Steve LaTourette
Steve Austria
Pat Tiberi
Jim Jordan
Bob Latta
Mike Turner
Jean Schmidt
John Boehner

OKLAHOMA
Governor -- *** Mary Fallin ***
Senator -- Tom Coburn
Representatives –
*** James Lankford ***
Dan Boren (**Pro-Life Democrat**)
John Sullivan
Frank Lucas
Tom Cole

PENNSYLVANIA
Governor -- *** Tom Corbett ***
Senator -- *** Pat Toomey ***
Representatives –
*** Mike Kelly ***
*** Mike Fitzpatrick ***
*** Lou Barletta ***
*** Tom Marino ***
Jim Gerlach
Joe Pitts
Todd Platts
Tim Holden (**Pro-Life Democrat**)
Glenn Thompson
Mark Critz (**Pro-Life Democrat**)
Bill Shuster
Tim Murphy

RHODE ISLAND
Representatives --
Jim Langevin (**Pro-Life Democrat**)

SOUTH CAROLINA
Governor -- *** Nikki Haley ***
Senator -- Jim DeMint
Representatives –
*** Tim Scott ***
*** Mick Mulvaney ***
*** Jeff Duncan ***
Joe Wilson

SOUTH DAKOTA
Governor -- *** Dennis Daugaard ***
Senator -- John Thune
Representatives –
*** Kristi Noem ***

TENNESSEE
Governor -- *** Bill Haslam ***
Representatives –
*** Chuck Fleischmann ***
*** Scott DesJarlais ***
*** Diane Black ***
*** Stephen Fincher ***
John Duncan
Phil Roe
Marsha Blackburn

TEXAS
Governor -- Rick Perry
Representatives –
*** Bill Flores ***
*** Quico Canseco ***
*** Blake Farenthold ***
Ron Paul
Pete Olson
Ted Poe
Kevin Brady
Louie Gohmert
Ralph Hall
Jeb Hensarling
Joe Barton
Michael McCaul
John Culberson
John Carter
Sam Johnson
Kenny Marchant
Michael Burgess
Kay Granger
Pete Sessions
Mac Thornberry
Randy Neugebauer
Mike Conaway
Lamar Smith

UTAH
Senator -- *** Mike Lee ***
Representatives –
Jason Chaffetz
Rob Bishop

VIRGINIA
Representatives –
*** Robert Hurt ***
*** Scott Rigell ***
*** Morgan Griffith ***
Rob Wittman
Eric Cantor
Frank Wolf
Randy Forbes
Bob Goodlatte

WASHINGTON
Representatives --
*** Jaime Herrera ***
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Doc Hastings
Dave Reichert

WEST VIRGINIA
Representatives –
*** David McKinley ***
Nick Rahall (**Pro-Life Democrat**)

WISCONSIN
Governor -- *** Scott Walker ***
Senator -- *** Ron Johnson ***
Representatives –
*** Reid Ribble ***
*** Sean Duffy ***
Tom Petri
Jim Sensenbrenner
Paul Ryan

WYOMING
Governor -- *** Matt Mead ***
Representative -- Cynthia Lummis


Copyright © 2010 by Justin Soutar. All rights reserved. For reprint permissions, please contact the author at justin_86@ntelos.net.

Election Report: First Installment

There were many victories for the pro-life movement and traditional values in this election. Here is a list of all pro-life candidates elected to the U.S. Senate who are new to Washington, D.C. or to the Senate:

*** Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire) ***
*** Marco Rubio (Florida) ***
*** Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania) ***
*** Rand Paul (Kentucky) ***
*** Rob Portman (Ohio) ***
*** Dan Coats (Indiana) ***
*** Ron Johnson (Wisconsin) ***
*** Roy Blunt (Missouri) ***
*** Jerry Moran (Kansas) ***
*** John Boozman (Arkansas) ***
*** John Hoeven (North Dakota) ***
*** Mike Lee (Utah) ***

Here is a list of pro-life senators who were re-elected.

Jim DeMint (South Carolina)
Johnny Isakson (Georgia)
Richard Shelby (Alabama)
Richard Burr (North Carolina)
Chuck Grassley (Iowa)
David Vitter (Louisiana)
Tom Coburn (Oklahoma)
John Thune (South Dakota)
Mike Crapo (Idaho)

John McCain (Arizona)

Following is a list of newly elected pro-life governors.

*** John Kasich (Ohio) ***
*** Sam Brownback (Kansas) ***
*** Tom Corbett (Pennsylvania) ***
*** Rick Snyder (Michigan) ***
*** Scott Walker (Wisconsin) ***
*** Rick Scott (Florida) ***
*** Nikki Haley (South Carolina) ***
*** Nathan Deal (Georgia) ***
*** Robert Bentley (Alabama) ***
*** Bill Haslam (Tennessee) ***
*** Dennis Daugaard (South Dakota) ***
*** Mary Fallin (Oklahoma) ***
*** Matt Mead (Wyoming) ***
*** Susana Martinez (New Mexico) ***

The following pro-life governors have been re-elected.

Dave Heineman (Nebraska)
Rick Perry (Texas)
Jan Brewer (Arizona)
Butch Otter (Idaho)

Here is a partial listing of newly elected pro-life representatives (I have yet to gather data on the remaining 226):

*** Frank Guinta (New Hampshire) ***

*** Chris Gibson (New York) ***

*** Nan Hayworth (New York) ***

*** Richard Hanna (New York) ***

*** Tom Reed (New York) ***

*** Jon Runyan (New Jersey) ***

*** Mike Kelly (Pennsylvania) ***

*** Robert Hurt (Virginia) ***

The following pro-life representatives have been re-elected.

Peter King (New York)

Chris Smith (New Jersey)

Frank LoBiondo (New Jersey)

Scott Garrett (New Jersey)

Eric Cantor (Virginia)

Note: For the purposes of these lists, "Pro-life" does not necessarily mean 100% pro-life in accordance with natural law and Catholic teaching. Many of the newly elected candidates listed above are 100% pro-life, but some are not. Check individual governors, senators and representatives-elect to be sure.

Thought for the Day

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
--Psalm 19:2

Know Your Enemies

Pope Benedict XVI recently concluded the Synod of Bishops on the Middle East, a special meeting that was convened by the Holy See to discuss resolution of conflict in the Holy Land. Their final document, issued Saturday, as well as the Synod itself, have been attacked in some quarters for promoting anti-Israeli sentiment.

You need to read my book, America's Back-Door Enemy: Unmasking the Unknown Terrorists, to understand why this is happening. There is a small group of people in the United States and Israel who have been completely passed over in the War on Terrorism. I found out who they are and what they are doing. Like Muslim terrorists, they are religious fanatics. However, they are more sophisticated, more powerful, better financed and more deadly than their Islamic counterparts. These unknown terrorists and their sponsors operate with impunity. They have no conscience and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. And they are viciously attempting to destroy all hope for peace in the Middle East.

Well-researched and written in a clear, concise style, America's Back-Door Enemy lifts the lid on these heretofore anonymous enemies of the United States, Israel and the peoples of the Middle East.

Father Thomas Dubay, R.I.P.

On September 26, 2010, at the age of 89, Father Dubay passed on to his eternal reward. In my opinion, he was one of the greatest theologians this country has ever produced. He had the rare gift of being able to explain deep theological and spiritual matters in very clear and simple terms that the layman could understand. Not only that, but he was an amazingly prolific writer and speaker who wrote more than a dozen books on the spiritual life and recorded hundreds of television programs during his twenty-five years on EWTN. Most importantly, however, I have recently come to realize that Father Dubay was a holy man. Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote: "If a man be good and holy, let him pray for us; if he be learned too, then let him teach us." Father Dubay was a great teacher because he believed and lived what he taught.

May he rest in peace.

Tinkering with my Blog a Bit

I've been making a few little changes to my blog lately: deleting some page elements, adding some new ones, cleaning things up a bit. I have a few more changes in mind as well, some of which I mention below and others that you'll just have to watch for in the next few weeks and months. The goals of these changes to Justin's Corner are: 1st, to give this blog a more uniformly and distinctly Catholic feel; 2nd, to make it a more presentable, interesting, reader-friendly and enjoyable place; and 3rd, to integrate it more into the rapidly exploding social networking sphere.

One improvement in line with goal 3 is that you can now access my Twitter page directly from this page--just click the "Follow Me On Twitter" button beneath my profile. Also, from now on every post will have a "share" button at the bottom to facilitate sharing of the posts among the various social networking websites. I'll be linking more to Twitter from my blog and vice versa. Also, I plan to get into YouTube in the near future and post videos on the blog that catch my interest (and which has to do with both goals 2 and 3).

In addition, I have an announcement to make here of a major change in blog protocol. Starting today and for the next thirty days, I will lift all restrictions on who can comment on my blog posts. Up until now I have only allowed registered users to post comments. From today until November 14, 2010, I will allow comments from anyone on the Internet, including anonymous users. This is just an experiment to see how many comments I get drifting in from the vast ocean of the World Wide Web. Depending on the results of this "open-mic" experiment, I may decide to continue allowing comments from anyone after November 14, or I may revert to the more restrictive system. Either way, I will continue to monitor all comments and will delete anything inappropriate or offensive.

Also, by the end of this year I'll be switching to a new template. This will give Justin's Corner a whole new look that will express the theme of the blog better.

So stay tuned!

Want to Take a Tour of Noah's Ark?

Now you can!

NOAH'S ARK - THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY!!!



Working Replica of Noah's Ark opened In SCHAGEN, Netherlands .
Man Builds Noah's Ark to the exact scale given in the Bible.



The massive central door in the side of Noah's Ark was opened and the first crowd of curious townsfolk beheld the wonder. This replica of the biblical Ark was built by Dutch Creationist Johan Huibers as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible.



The ark is 150 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 20 cubits wide. That's two-thirds the length of a football field and as high as a three-story house.



Life-sized models of giraffes, elephants, lions, crocodiles, zebras, bison and other animals greet visitors as they arrive in the main hold.



A contractor by trade, Huibers built the ark of cedar and pine. Biblical scholars debate exactly what the wood used by Noah would have been.

Huibers did the work mostly with his own hands, using modern tools and with occasional help from his son Roy. Construction began in May 2005. On the uncovered top deck .... not quite ready in time for the opening .... will come a petting zoo, with baby lambs and chickens, and goats, and one camel.



Visitors on the first day were stunned.

'It's beyond comprehension', said Mary Louise Starosciak, who happened to be bicycling by with her husband while on vacation when they saw the ark looming over the local landscape.



'I knew the story of Noah, but I had no idea the boat would have been so big! ' There is enough space near the keel for a 50-seat film theater where kids can watch a video that tells the story of Noah and his ark. Huibers, a Christian man, said he hopes the project will renew interest in Christianity in the Netherlands, where church going has fallen dramatically in the past 50 years.



Now that I am old and gray....give me the time to tell this new generation (and their children too) about all of Your mighty miracles.
Psalm 71:18


In the midst of so much negative news here is a positive story about a devout Christian man wanting to share the story of Noah with this and the next generation hoping he will bring their faith alive. Amazing isn't it?

------------------------------
Yes, it's wonderful to see someone like this undertaking such a project for the greater glory of God. The above story and pictures are making the rounds of the email sphere, and apparently generating a lot of interest. A friend dropped them into my email box, and I decided to share them with my readers who may not have seen the story yet.

By the way, I am a "Catholic Creationist," who also believes in the literal truth of Genesis chapters 1 through 11 in accordance with the Fathers of the Church and traditional Catholic theology. It is my fervent wish to help revive this rich theological doctrine of creation which, as former Cardinal Ratzinger has lamented, has been all but lost in our time. Its revival and rediscovery will enrich our Catholic faith, greatly advance ecumenism and lay the foundation for a correct modern science. It will also give great honor to God our Heavenly Father, the Creator and Origin of all things.

I've Just Joined Twitter...

...so that I could join millions of other Americans in sending an important message to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Click here to read the message.

A Miracle of God's Grace: Papal Visit to UK

Pope Benedict XVI's historic visit to the UK unleashed a torrent of graces on that country, the effects of which will be felt for years to come.

After alighting at Edinburgh Airport on Thursday, September 16, the first day of his visit, the pope traveled via popemobile to Holyroodhouse Palace for his meeting with the Queen. This was followed by a lunch with Scottish bishops. More than 100,000 Scots--including many schoolchildren--lined the streets along his route, joyfully cheering the Holy Father.

That joyful atmosphere persisted into the evening, when Pope Benedict celebrated Mass at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. A huge crowd of up to 100,000 people filled the venue to participate in this event. In his homily, the pontiff discussed the need for evangelization of culture and the vital importance of faith in society. The latter theme was addressed especially to the UK government and general public throughout his visit.

On Friday, Pope Benedict made history when he became the first pope to set foot in Westminster Hall. This large, handsome building erected in the 1300s has housed England's highest law court for some 700 years. It was here that Saint Thomas More was condemned to death in 1535 for refusing to acknowledge Henry VIII as head of the Church in England. Inside this historic place, Pope Benedict delivered a masterful speech to the nation's political representatives, intelligentsia, diplomats and religious leaders. He challenged them to examine the basis of their society and noted that faith and reason, Church and state need each other and should work together for the good of civilization.

On Saturday, no fewer than 200,000 well-wishers turned out in the streets of London, waving to the Holy Father as he journeyed from one destination to another. That evening, some 100,000 individuals participated in a prayer vigil with Pope Benedict in Hyde Park in preparation for Cardinal Newman's beatification the following day. The BBC News reported that during his address to the assembled throng, the pontiff remarked that he was happy to see many young people in attendance. The resulting cheers temporarily interrupted his speech.

The major highlight of the pope's visit to England was the long-awaited beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman, a famous nineteenth-century Oxford scholar and Anglican priest who converted to Catholicism. Blessed Newman's search for truth and his discovery of it in the Catholic Church points the way for modern Anglicans who desire to return to full communion with Rome. Indeed, many Anglicans are already taking advantage of Pope Benedict's apostolic constitution directed to them, which lays down a set of basic guidelines for their reunion with the Catholic Church. Blessed Newman's heavenly intercession will certainly be pivotal in advancing the cause of Christian unity in his native England.

At the Mass of Beatification on Sunday morning, September 19, the Gospel reading was proclaimed by Deacon Jack Sullivan, a native of the United States who was miraculously healed of a severe back problem through the intercession of Cardinal Newman. This was the type of physical cure which the Church had been awaiting for decades in order to beatify Newman.

A memorable papal departure ceremony took place around six that evening at Birmingham Airport. In his farewell address to the pontiff, UK Prime Minister David Cameron was exceptionally kind and gracious, referring to the visit as "an incredibly moving four days for our country." He stated that His Holiness had posed "searching questions...about our society and how we treat ourselves and each other," and declared: "You have really challenged the whole country to sit up and think."

Such candid words, spoken in a spirit of goodwill by the head of government of a radically secularist European country, are a source of hope. They indicate an openness to the Pope's message and a willingness to do some serious national self-examination. More broadly, they also suggest that the dictatorship of relativism across Western Europe may be less secure than is often thought.

A good deal of negative publicity and virile attacks on Pope Benedict XVI in the British press preceding his visit to the UK had raised fears among many observers, including myself, that the papal visit would be a disaster for the Pope and the Church. Yet it was a great success. As it turns out, the media had focused undue attention on shrill voices of bigotry and hatred aimed at our Holy Father and the Catholic Church, which were representative only of an isolated minority of the British population. Supporters of the Pope far outnumbered protestors on the streets throughout his stay in the UK, with signs reading "We Love Our German Shepherd" visible among the crowds.

British security and police forces really had their act together for the papal visit, ensuring the safety and mobility of our Holy Father throughout his tour. Enclosed in his bulletproof popemobile and surrounded by a fleet of armed security vehicles, the Pope was smoothly whisked from one place to another, with an occasional last-minute detour in his route or slight delay in his arrival at an event to throw off any possible conspirators. Moreover, the government consistently treated the Holy Father with respect during his visit, refraining from attacks on His Holiness or the Catholic Church.

Furthermore, the weather for the pope's visit was as if scripted for the event. London fog retreated and sunny skies prevailed the first two days. On Sunday morning, just before the beatification Mass for Cardinal Newman, a rainbow framed the papal platform. Thick clouds heralded the Pope's departure.

Divine Providence was obviously arranging the details of Pope Benedict XVI's historic state visit to the United Kingdom. The visit was a resounding success, not just because all the details went well, but because the Vicar of Christ achieved his most important goal: reaching the hearts of the people of England and Scotland with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even the British press and government have had to acknowledge that the Pope's visit was a "triumph." I would like to call it a miracle of God's grace. The seeds planted by the visible head of Christ's Church on earth will surely sprout under the influence of the Holy Spirit in the coming years, bringing a new springtime for Christianity to the historic island of Great Britain.

Copyright © 2010 by Justin Soutar. All rights reserved. This article may not be reproduced without the written permission of the author.

ElectionWatch: More Republican Victories

On September 14, more new names and faces burst onto the rapidly changing American political scene. The following Republican candidates who represent the American people were nominated to, and are now officially running for, public office in the United States:

• In Delaware, Christine O'Donnell for the U.S. Senate. (Note that the Senate seat for which O'Donnell is competing was formerly occupied by current U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.)


• In New York, Carl Paladino for state governor.

These candidates join a slew of Republican Senate nominees, most of whom are now leading in the polls:

• Marco Rubio in Florida
• Sharron Angle in Nevada
• Rand Paul in Kentucky
• Ken Buck in Colorado
• Joe Miller in Alaska

I hate to spoil the upbeat attitude of our ElectionWatch coverage with a sour note, but integrity and respect for the truth demand that I do so briefly. Note that a few of the Republican nominees present serious objections for the conscientious voter. For example, I would definitely not vote for Linda McMahon in Connecticut because, although an outsider to Washington, D.C., she is pro-abortion and represents values I disagree with. A few other of the Republican nominees, although definite improvements over the Democratic incumbents they are challenging, do have some drawbacks. For example, Kelly Ayotte, who narrowly won the Republican Senate nomination in New Hampshire, is pro-life but favors allowing abortion in cases of rape or incest. By contrast, Ovide Lamontagne, who narrowly lost nomination, is pro-life "without exception." I would have preferred to see the latter win this Senate nomination. Nonetheless, despite these exceptions, the overall political trend we are witnessing in the United States is a positive one.

Many of the Republican candidates now running for U.S. House and Senate seats, including those named at the top of this post, are outsiders to Washington, D.C., which is quite refreshing. More importantly than that, however, is what they stand for and the quality of their character. Collectively derided as the "Tea Party" and dubbed "right-wing extremists" in the major media, this remarkable group of individuals actually represents the main stream of the American people--a people who are utterly disappointed with the broken promises of the corrupt Obama administration. These new candidates are pro-life, they stand for limited government, and they favor tax cuts to help reinvigorate the economy. Political outsiders, they represent a rising new generation of God-fearing, conscientious statesmen and women who are devoted to public service and determined to make things right in Washington. This historic movement is the Republican Revolution of 2010.

Praised be God, who exalts the humble.

ElectionWatch -- Focus on Ohio

As our nation prepares to vote in the upcoming general elections on November 2, 2010, certain states stand to gain or lose more than others. Ohio will be an interesting state to watch because of the multiple races underway there. In addition to electing all twenty of their representatives to Congress, residents of the Buckeye State will be choosing a new senator and casting their ballots for governor. Right now Ohio has two senators, Republican George Voinovich elected in 2004 and Democrat Sherrod Brown elected in 2006. The state's governor, Democrat Ted Strickland, was also elected in 2006. Given the current mood of the nation, it's likely that Ohioans will pick another Republican to fill the Senate seat left by Voinovich. In fact, polls show Republican Senate candidate Rob Portman with a clear lead over the Democratic contender, outgoing lieutenant governor Lee Fisher.

Even more significant, however, would be a Republican takeover of the state's governorship. Strickland is running for a second term with lots of money, political experience and support among his age group; however, he has several strikes against him. He is pro-abortion and has failed to cut taxes during the worst economic recession in 40 years. Strickland faces a good challenge from pro-life Republican candidate John Kasich. Both gubernatorial candidates have picked women as their running mates for lieutenant governor: Strickland has chosen Yvette Brown, while Kasich has selected Mary Taylor, the current state auditor. I don't know anything about Brown, but Taylor appears to be pro-life and is also an advocate for homeschooling.

Another reason why Ohio will be an interesting state to watch on election night is that it serves as a barometer of the country as a whole. Unlike most states, Ohio's population is split pretty evenly between Republicans and Democrats, city and country folk. As Ohio goes, so goes the nation. A recent poll of registered voters in the Buckeye State showed the needle tipped way over to the Republican side there, with 75 percent of Republicans determined to vote compared to 56 percent of Democrats. It looks like a powerful storm is brewing for Democratic politicians in Washington. If Republicans take over Ohio, including the governorship, it will spell definite bad news for the Obama administration in 2012.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to our Blessed Mother.

I'm Registered to Vote...

...How about you? If your voter registration status for the upcoming election is in doubt, find it out. If you're already registered, good for you. If not, get on the rolls. Most states have deadlines for voter registration prior to an election. This upcoming election will be important, especially for the unborn and for our economy. Be sure to participate in it.

"The very least a loyal son of his country can do is to cast his vote for good men." --Father F. X. Lasance, The Young Man's Guide, p. 446

Mother Teresa's 100th Birthday

Today is the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Mother Teresa. Her powerful witness of Christ's love for the poorest of the poor has touched the hearts of all people of good will throughout the world.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us.

ElectionWatch Update: 3 Updates

August 11, 2010: Four Republican outsiders to Washington, D.C. have now been nominated to the U.S. Senate: Ken Buck in Colorado, Rand Paul in Kentucky, Marco Rubio in Florida and Sharron Angle in Nevada.

August 17, 2010: In a Reuters/Ipsos poll of likely Kentucky voters, Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul led his Democratic opponent Jack Conway 45 percent to 40 percent.

August 25, 2010: In Alaska, polls showed Republican Senate candidate Joe Miller holding a slight lead over incumbent Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski. Miller has the support of Sarah Palin.

Also in Arizona, longtime Republican Senator John McCain has been nominated for a fifth term. He had lost the 2008 presidential election to Barack Obama.

Perseid Meteor Shower Was Awesome!

A couple weeks ago, I read in Astronomy magazine's e-newsletter that the Perseid meteor shower was going to peak on August 12. In all my previous attempts to observe meteor showers, I'd met with bad luck. However, I decided to go out and give the Perseids a try, since I had a mostly clear sky the evening of the predicted peak.

In one hour, I saw six meteors zip across the sky quick as a flash, all radiating from the direction of the constellation Perseus. Five of them left vapor trails in their wake that lingered for up to a second. Four of them were as bright or brighter than the planet Jupiter. In addition to these bright and fast meteors, I observed at least ten of the slower, dimmer kind track across the sky. It was like the sky was crawling with meteors. There were periods in which I couldn't go for more than a minute or two without seeing one. It was great fun!

Praise God for a thrilling celestial fireworks show.

News Flash: Quadruple Solar Flare!

On August 1, 2010, American astronomers observed the sun emit a series of four large coronal mass ejections. A coronal mass ejection, also known as a "solar flare," is a powerful eruption of electromagnetic energy from the surface of the sun into the outermost layer of the sun called the corona. It looks like a series of gigantic fountains of fire issuing from the entire surface of the sun. The largest coronal mass ejection may have a temperature of up to 4 million degrees Fahrenheit and extend more than one billion miles from the solar surface into space.

These eruptions are associated with sunspots, magnetically polarized regions of the sun's surface that are ironically cooler than the surrounding surface area, often having temperatures of only 10,000 degrees F. A coronal mass ejection sends a concentrated stream of electromagnetically charged particles into space that can travel for many millions of miles. When these particles collide with earth, they interact with the planet's magnetic field in the exosphere --the outermost layer of earth's atmosphere -- high above the north and south poles, generating beautiful displays of colored lights in the polar night skies known in the Northern Hemisphere as the aurora borealis, or northern lights. A large solar flare may even cause the northern lights to be seen at temperate mid-northern latitudes, although the display will be significantly dimmer and more subtle here.

Such bursts of solar energy are a regular feature of the sun, but every so often an unusually powerful burst will occur. NASA's Solar Dymanics Observatory, a spacecraft launched to study the sun, recorded four such bursts on August 1. These coronal mass ejections, traveling at speeds of over 1 million miles per hour, reached the earth three days later on the evening of August 4. The result was a spectacular aurora borealis display over earth's northern polar regions. The show extended as far south as the 45th parallel of latitude, and was seen by people in the northern United States.

Because coronal mass ejections occur at irregular intervals, astronomers cannot predict their occurrence. However, a large solar flare is an event typically observed by astronomers once
every one and a half years. Previous such events occurred in 2008, 2005 and 2003.

When you hear about a large solar flare in the news, check the night sky in the days following the event to see if you can see an auroral display. Be sure to observe from a location with a dark sky and an unobstructed northern horizon.

I myself have seen the aurora borealis on two separate occasions from my home in Ohio. The first was in October 2003, when I saw a green glow above the horizon and observed subtle red curtains of light waving high in the northern sky. My second sighting was of an even more subtle event in May 2005, when I merely noticed that the usual yellowish-white glow of distant city lights bore a greenish tinge. Although neither show was spectacular compared to the displays visible in polar regions, I was thrilled to be able to see them because of their rarity at midnorthern latitudes and because they were the first two times I ever witnessed the aurora borealis. I missed out on seeing the most recent extraordinary auroral event because I did not live far enough north to see it, but I will keep my eye open for future such events.

Copyright © 2010 by Justin Soutar. All rights reserved. This article may not be reproduced without the written permission of the author.

I do enjoy coin collecting, but...

...not at the price the Danbury Mint is asking. They want $20.00 for a single roll of twelve uncirculated America the Beautiful state quarters. That's $1.67 apiece or more than six times the face value of the coins. The U.S. Mint is issuing five of these state quarters a year, and the Danbury Mint would like to sell me a roll of twelve quarters for each state, every year as soon as they come out until the whole series is minted. If I accepted this offer and agreed to stick with the program (I could bow out at any time), I would end up spending a total of $1,000.00 plus shipping and handling for the privilege of owning fifty gleaming state quarter rolls, plus a bonus quarter in a resealable capsule for each state and a nice box to keep them in. The question I have to ask is: Would this really be worth it? Not for me. At that price, I don't want thirteen brand-new quarters from each state. I'd rather just get one quarter from each state. The Danbury Mint wants to sell me twelve apiece so they can make a fortune on this series.

Some might say that this is a sought-after coin series and I should get in on the ground floor. All the same, I can't bring myself to pay $100.00 for $15.00 worth of coins. It may also be true that the market value of these limited edition coins will skyrocket twenty or thirty years from now. Nonetheless, even if my collection were to go up ten times in value and I were to sell it for that much, I would not earn much more than the Danbury Mint originally charged me for it. Bottom line: This is a great deal for the Danbury Mint and a ripoff for customers. If I want a roll of these shiny new quarters, I can get it at face value from the bank.

By the way, I haven't even collected all fifty of the recent state quarter series yet, which is my favorite American coin series.